Berry Smoothie

I love to drink shakes in the morning for breakfast.  A traditional smoothie or one from Jamba Juice can get REALLY high in Calories and in sugar.  Here is my "Calli-fied version."  I drink one of these almost everyday whether with my eggs for breakfast or dessert at night!


8oz unsweetened Almond Milk (Chocolate, Vanilla, or Original)
1/2 of a ripe banana (or 1 whole banana if you need extra carbs)
1 cup of frozen berry medley (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and rasberries)
1 tsp vanilla extract

stevia to taste (I usually use about 1 tsp but all brands of stevia are slightly different)

1. Pour almond milk into blender

2. Slice banana and add

3. Add berries

4. Put on the lid and blend for 10 seconds, add stevia, then blend 10 more seconds.

DONE.

This will provide about 200 calories and count for 2 servings of fruit! Almond milk is lower in calories, carbs, lactose free, gluten free and provides good vitamins and minerals!

BBQ Nachos Makeover

About a month ago, my brother Kirk was in town and we went to Famous Daves BBQ joint for lunch one day. We were starving so, Michael ordered the BBQ Pork Nachos.  Sounds interesting... tastes fantastic.  My brother liked them so much he asked for an order of them for himself.

There were so many great textures. Gooeyness, crunchiness, and tenderness.  It was salty, sweet, and tangy.  EXCELLENT.  The downfall....
Fried tortillas, lots of fat, calories, salt, and sugar.  You wouldn't think there would be sugar, but most thick BBQ sauces are full of brown sugar and molasses. This was a challenge worth taking and actually ended up being very very easy!!!  My BBQ Nachos Makeover Recipe is below! Enjoy...

Makes 4 Servings
You will need:
12 corn tortillas
Olive oil or olive oil spray
1 tsp or so of sea salt
1 14oz can beans
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken or pork
1/2-3/4 cup BBQ sauce
1/2 cup grated cheese
shredded lettuce for topping
diced tomatoes for topping
Diced jalapenos or green chiles for topping

1) Cut tortillas into 4 triangles or squares, whatever you prefer. Make sure you buy the tortillas that only have 3 or 4 ingredients (Ex: Corn, Lime, Salt)

2) Spread these cut strips on to a LARGE cookie sheet, spray with Olive Oil spray and sprinkle with sea salt.

3) Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 5 minutes. (you don't want them to turn any shade of brown, that means they are burnt and gross so watch them closely)

4) Let them cool and crisp up while you combine the following in medium sized sauce pan
1 14oz can of beans, rinsed and drained (I like black beans, you can use pinto as well)
2 cups of shredded chicken or pork (great way to use left over cooked meat the next day)
1/2-3/4 cup of BBQ sauce (use your favorite, but watch out for brands that contain a lot of sugar and additives)

5) Toss meat, beans and sauce together in the pan over medium/high heat until warmed.

6) Spoon mixture over baked tortilla chips in blobs until you reach your desired amount (you may not use all of the mixture, and that is okay, you will have more leftovers!!!)

7) Sprinkle grated cheese over the bean mixture and place under the broiler until cheese is melted (probably less than you're used to, that's good. Cheese should be in moderation!)

8) Remove from oven and top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and diced jalapenos or green chiles.

9) Get messy and chow down!!!

Each serving will have approximately 275 calories.
For a delicious, homemade BBQ sauce that I love check out this video for Chef Rachel's Better BBQ Sauce!. I haven't used it for this recipe, but I think I will give it a try because it is so healthy and so tasty! I am making these tomorrow so I will post the Makeover photo!

Fruit Dip and Vegetable Dip makeovers

When we have social gatherings or parties we almost always give someone the "chips and dip" assignment. it is a common known fact that most chips are fried, processed, and full of sodium. And dips aren't better one bit. The mayonnaise or sour cream based dips are full of fat.... and seasonings. Yummmm seasoned fat! No way! As far as fruit dips they are just fat sweetened with equal parts sugar. If you are trying to eat healthier, lose weight, or just increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables, don't even default to having those items at your party. Eat healthier and help others do it too!

Vegetable Dip makeover
1 cups Low-fat Cottage Cheese
2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
1/4 teaspoons Pepper, Black
Serve with
2 servings Whole Wheat Pita
AND
1/2 cups Carrots, Raw
1/2 cups Celery
1/2 cups Cucumber
1/2 cups Cherry Tomatoes

Fruit Dip makeover
6 ounces fat free sugar free yogurt (8 oz is fine too) (the Yoplait light works great for this)
1 (8 ounce) package fat free cream cheese
2 (1 g) packets Splenda sugar substitute
Serve with
Strawberries, Watermelon, Pineapple, and Grapes (or your favorite fruits)
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