Grilled PB&J with Fresh Fruit

Guess what? I GO BACK TO COLLEGE TOMORROW!! Not that I’m excited or anything. But anyway, my recipes from now on will be likely just ways I’m getting creative I’m the dining hall..lol. But I pulled out all the stops and got creative with my lunch today and oh my god it was the best decision I ever made ever besides going to college and breaking up with my ex boyfriend. So, enjoy the sweet, salty, gooey, warm deliciousness that is….

Grilled PB&J with Fresh Fruit

•multigrain thin bread
•reduced fat creamy peanut butter
•sugar free strawberry preserves
•fresh strawberries and blueberries
•margarine or butter

1. Spread peanut butter all over one bread slice, and around the edges of the other, so that it holds in the fruit and preserves. Spread a thin layer of strawberry preserves in the middle.

2. Add a few blueberries to the side with the preserves, and strawberries to the all peanut butter side.

3. Put both sides together, put a small frying pan on the stove on low heat, and butter both sides of the bread as well as a bit in the pan.
4. Cook the sandwich as you would a grilled cheese, flipping it occasionally until the bread is a crispy golden brown and the fruit is starting to ooze a little bit out the sides.
5. Cut in half, and enjoy a PB&J that will raise your sandwich standards for your entire life!

Tropical Mahi Mahi Wrap

YUM. I’m gonna get right to the point with this one, because this Mahi wrap is light, refreshing, deeeeeelish, and also very filling! The perfect summer lunch!

Tropical Mahi Mahi Wrap

•Mahi Mahi patty (you guessed it trader joes)
•spinach tortilla
•1/2 an avocado
•pineapple chunks
•tomato
•lettuce
•pineapple salsa (Newman’s own makes a great one, or do it homemade!)
•extra virgin olive oil

1. There’s a couple ways you can cook the fish, but I decided to pan fry mine in some extra virgin olive oil so I could make sure it was cooked exactly how I wanted. Lightly coat a pan with the oil and cook it on medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side.
2. Cut the finished Mahi into bite size pieces onto the spinach tortilla. Top with avocado slices, pineapple chunks, lettuce, tomato, and pineapple salsa.
3. Roll into a wrap, cut in half, and enjoy!!

The Perfect Summer Dinner

As summer comes to a close and I prepare to head back to school, I’m finding less and less time to make my own meals, but I finally got a chance to sit down and make a quick dinner for myself tonight, which took a total of probably 10 minutes. It’s filling but healthy and satisfying!

The Perfect Summer Meal

•veggie burger patty (I used Morning Star veggie grillers, it’s really flavorful and tasty)
•sliced pineapple
•fresh avocado
•lettuce
•tomato
•sweet potato tots (frozen) ….trader joes duh

1. Heat the burger in the microwave and place on a dinner plate when done, without a bun. You don’t need the extra carbs!
2. While the burger is heating, place sweet potato tots on a tray over tin foil and heat in toaster oven following directions on package.
3. Slice and spread fresh avocado on the burger patty, top with lettuce, a slice of tomato, and pineapple for some sweetness.
4. Pair with finished sweet potato tots and some ketchup, and enjoy!

Cardio Crusher

EVERYTHING IS SORE. People of the blogging world I have found the answer. I’m not sure what the question was but I know the answer. It is this workout. I just did this and in the best way possible I wanted to throw up and die afterwards. But this is a fantastic and challenging full body workout that not only will get your heart pumping and your pores sweating, it also combines strength training to really target specific muscles. Your booty will be screaming for pain but it will be tighter and toned! Enjoy and tell me if you could survive the challenge! (And don’t be fooled by the pretty color font)

Gluten Free Basil Red Pepper Pasta

How many of you after getting home from work just want to bite into a giant, juicy cheeseburger from Five Guys and call it a day? UGH ME TOO. The struggle is real. But I’m still sticking to this healthy kick!! And I’m glad I didn’t go for the cheeseburger, but instead some deeeelish pasta with a little bit of spice and a lot of benefits. So here is my recipe for you to enjoy! And as usual, it takes less than 15 minutes.

Gluten Free Basil Red Pepper Pasta

•8 oz box of quinoa pasta (you guessed it, trader joes)

• approx 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• fresh basil
• crushed red pepper
• salt

1. Bring water and 2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt to boil, add in pasta while still boiling. Cook uncovered for 6-9 minutes, and don’t over cook! It will be mush if ya do. When pasta is ready, pour it into a colander to drain.
• shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

3. Pour pasta into a bowl. Drizzle 2 tbsp of olive oil over pasta, sprinkle fresh basil, crushed red pepper, desired amount of salt, and Parmesan over the dish if you like. I succumbed to my cheesy desire a little bit, but only for flavor!
4. Enjoy!

Trader Joes is God

This is more of a review than actual recipes, but if you have never been to Trader Joes before, please read on because my obsession is growing and growing and cannot be stopped.

Sweet Potato Tots

YUM. I literally just had these for a snack and they are the perfect way to hit the spot. Light and sweet and fluffy with just a little bit of crisp, add some ketchup or ranch and enjoy!

Seaweed Fried Rice

This is a great vegan option. It has tofu instead of pork, beef, and chicken, but you’d never notice the difference. It also uses edamame instead of peas and doesn’t load up on soy sauce like the restaurants do. That way you get all the yummy flavor of fried rice without the unneeded sodium!

Dark Chocolate Frozen Bananas

Indulge yourself. Dark chocolate is actually good for you, it has a lot of antioxidants and not all the sugar that milk chocolate has, and bananas are a super food. These are a great little dessert too, because just 2 or 3 fill you right up.

Mahi Mahi Burgers

NEED I SAY MORE?? Recipe coming soon for tropical Mahi burgers!!

This is all for now, but I will totally post more as I make my way through this entire wonderful grocery store. Thanks for readin friendz

Vegetarian Meatball Parm Wrap

Vegetarian meatball parm wrap? Can it be true??? IT IS. And it’s yummy and tastes just like the real deal which I was so craving, and took me less than 5 minutes to make. Here’s what you need and how to do it!

Vegetarian Meatball Parm Wrap

•spinach wrap
•6-7 meatless meatballs
•tomato sauce
•grated Parmesan cheese (ok so I cheated on being vegan for one meal SUE ME)

1. Heat the meatballs up for about a minute in the microwave. I use these from Trader Joes.

2. Spread sauce on tortilla and heat for 25-30 seconds in the microwave.
3. Cut meatballs in half and disperse in sauce, sprinkle as much Parmesan cheese on as your little heart desires.
4. Wrap and enjoy!!

Make Running Fun!

Workout tips from your lazy blogger? No, you’re not crazy. I actually do work out alot, it’s the laziness that keeps me on the couch til 9 pm when I actually decide to do it. But recently I’ve been experimenting with some different ways to make running (on the elliptical or treadmill or stair master etc) more fun and less monotonous. But first: this quote. It will get to you too.

Right?! Okay anywhere, here’s what I’ve tested and what the results were:

Browsing Buzzfeed & Vine

Yes, some good comedy in 6 second form or 25 gifs is always nice. Except while running. I don’t recommend this. First of all, you have to keep reaching forward to scroll on your phone, and second of all, I’m not sure if this happens to everyone but I get nauseated when I try to read and move at the same time, so bouncing up and down and trying to read tiny words was doing nothing for my stomach. Next.

Watching a DVD

YES. THIS. If you have a tv available to you (or even an iPad or tablet) do this. I popped in a Beyoncé concert DVD so I had something to watch and music to run to and the time just absolutely flew by. I wasn’t staring at the the time counter or the calories, but looking at Bey in all her perfection running harder and harder trying to achieve it. Lolz good joke, I will never look quite like her but a girl can dream, right?!

AMP UP YOUR PLAYLIST

Now, one thing you can trust from me is my workout playlist. I have great taste in music if I do say so myself and people are always asking me to make them CDs or send them songs to put on playlists. Here’s some of my workout favorites that will get you going with the great beat!

“Push and Shove” No Doubt
“Latch” Disclosure
“Battle Flag” Lo Fidelity All Stars
“Get the Party Started/Sweet Dreams” P!nk …who doesn’t love a throwback?
“The Seed 2.0” The Roots
“I Love It” Iconapop if you don’t already run to this you’re doing it wrong
“Give it 2 U” Robin Thicke ft. Kendrick Lamar
“La Vie” The Dean’s List
And OBVIOUSLY “Bootylicious” Destiny’s Child. Classic.

What are your favorite songs to workout to? Leave comments! And remember:

Ahi Tuna Banana Salad

Don’t get scared by this title! This salad is deeeeelish. There’s a great mix of sweet and salty, and it’s a dish high in protein and iron without fat. I love getting creative by mixing things you normally wouldn’t find together, and I especially love seared tuna, so enjoy!

Ahi Tuna Banana Salad

•ahi tuna steak, frozen and uncooked
•baby spinach
•cherry tomatoes
•banana
•Asian sesame ginger soy dressing
•wasabi cream
•quinoa black bean chips (or regular tortilla chips)

1. Defrost the tuna steak for 8-10 hours before cooking this meal. Pour olive oil in a small skillet and sear the tuna on low heat for a couple of minutes. It should be light brown on the outside and very pink on the inside.

2. Put baby spinach in a salad bowl, chop up banana, add cherry tomatoes, cracked quinoa chips (yes I am obsessed with these and the wasabi cream I put it on everything it’s amazing) and Asian dressing and wasabi cream.
3. Slice tuna over the salad, and enjoy!

Cucumber Tuna Sandwiches

Cucumber sandwiches are adorable. There’s no argument. These ones have protein too, so added plus! Here’s the super easy recipe and whatcha need for these healthy little snacks.

Cucumber Tuna Sandwiches
makes about 5 or 6
•can of tuna in water
•spoonful of low fat mayo
•celery, chopped
•parsley flakes
•table salt
•tomato, sliced
• 1/2 cucumber peeled and sliced into 10 or 12 pieces

1. Drain tuna, and mix with mayo, celery, parsley, and salt.
2. Spread tuna salad between cucumber slices and top with slice of tomato. Sprinkle salt on top, and enjoy!