Healthy Snacks - What I Eat Throughout The Day

Paige here! I've been meaning to do this post for a while. As I've talked about before, I gained a TON of weight during my pregnancy and really had to buckle down in order to lose it! I've touched on how I did it here and there, but I get asked about it all the time and wanted to do a post specifically about what I EAT during the day since that's the most important part of losing weight!

I still ALWAYS start the day with our morning power smoothie. I make it for my husband and I every morning, and we both love it! It's a great way to get your greens in right at the start of the day, and it keeps you nice and full. 

After that, I eat healthy smaller meals throughout the day about every 3 hours. I don't eat lunch! So I'll do our smoothie around 7:30am, then snacks at about 10:30, 1:30, and 4:30. This not only helps speed up your metabolism since you're constantly burning off small meals, but it trains your brain not to get hungry! 

The second meal I almost always have every day around 10:30/11am is a piece of Dave's bread (I get Powerseed) with half an avocado, an egg and cholula on top. It's SO yummy! The only time I don't have it is if I'm not going to be home and have to grab a snack that's easier to take on the go.

For my other two meals throughout the day I alternate between the four snacks below. Basically whichever one sounds the best! All super easy, healthy, and low maintenance! A great starting point when choosing snacks is to try to make sure you have: 1. A fruit or vegetable 2. A healthy grain 3. Protien

This one is just baby carrots with hummus (I buy these little containers at Costco) and skinny girl popcorn! I like butter and sea salt flavor. Only 160 calories in the whole bag! Sometimes I'll switch out the popcorn for whole wheat pita bread and dip it in the hummus with the carrots!

Ok this is another one of my absolute favorites! I turned Regan onto this one and she has it every day now. I get the spreadable Laughing Cow creamy spicy pepper jack cheese (only 35 calories) and spread it over a light or whole wheat English muffin. Top each side with a slice of turkey and you're done! So delicious. I try to eat it with some grapes or other fruit I have around too. 

The snack above is a great option if you're going to be out and about for a few hours! Just an apple with a piece of cheese and almonds. Super easy and filling, and great to throw in your bag and eat on the go!

Another super yummy one! Light and fit vanilla greek yogurt with granola. The yogurt is only 80 calories with 12g of protein! I'll try to get in some sort of veggie with this one too. Either some roasted veggies I have in the fridge (I try to always make roasted broccoli or sweet potatoes at the beginning of the week to have in the fridge to use with snacks or dinner), cucumber slices or carrots!

For dinner, I just try to be smart about it and do something healthy whether we're going out or stay home and cook. I try to eat around 7:30 and not eat anything else the rest of the night! If I'm being really good I'll make our perfect chicken and have it with brown rice or quinoa and roasted veggies! Or our go to salad :)

I hope this post was helpful and gives you some good, healthy ideas of things to eat throughout the day! I've linked anything you see in the post (like my absolute FAVORITE salt and pepper shakers pictured above and also on my Favorite Things post) below, and also throughout the post. Most of the food items you have to get at the grocery store, but some you can buy from Amazon so I've linked those too! Thanks for reading!

UPDATE: Below is one more healthy snack/meal idea that I've been loving it lately and wanted to add.

Pin this post:

Sidney's Healthy Chocolate/Banana/Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Sid here. So, last month my team did a no-sweet November challenge and let me tell you, the struggle was real. The hardest part for me was overcoming my ice cream addiction. Unfortunately, my husband is equally if not more addicted to this heavenly stuff. Anyways, somehow I convinced him to go without it for the month of November with me because, you know, misery loves company.

To help us cope, I made up this healthy Chocolate/Banana/Peanut Butter "Ice Cream" recipe, and it's seriously so good! Couldn't have survived without it. 

It's super simple, and I want to share the recipe with all those who are also struggling with a deep love for ice cream...or simply want to be healthier :).  The key ingredient is the powdered peanut butter, and I recently discovered my new favorite brand for helping with portion control (I might be addicted to peanut better too)..crap! 

Crazy Richards 100% Natural Peanut Butter is my new go-to for smoothies, on top of toast, or just eating plain. I like to use the powdered peanut butter for smoothies or ice cream, and I love grabbing a single serving size packet of creamy peanut butter on the go when I'm in a hurry.  

All you do to make the ice cream is:

- add 1-2 frozen bananas to your blender

- pour in a packet or one serving size of powdered (or regular) peanut butter

- about a tablespoon of pure cocoa powder

-and 1-2 tablespoons of almond milk, depending on preferred consistency

Use the pulse setting on your blender to slowly pulse while stirring with a spatula until everything is mixed (see video below). And that's it!  Sometimes I'll put it in the freezer in a tupperware for a half hour or so if I'm doubling or tripling it to make the ice cream harder.  

Stay strong over the holidays people! You will NEVER regret choosing something healthy over something unhealthy. I feel dang good when I skip the sweets and go for nature's sugar instead ;) 

Sheet Pan Fajitas and Simple Guacamole

Well, hello! Regan here :) It's been a while since we've posted a recipe (or anything for that matter...whoops!).  Please forgive us!  

Today I'm sharing our sheet pan fajita recipe.  It's one of my favorite recipes because it's quick, easy, delicious and healthy!  My four favorite things in a recipe!  These fajitas are made in the oven and everything cooks together in one pan...genius!

Here are the simple step by step directions.  Scroll to the bottom for the full printable recipe!

Start by cutting up your peppers and onion.  Then thinly slice some chicken breasts. 

Then in a small bowl, stir together some olive oil and your spices!

Add your chicken and veggies to a bowl, then toss all together with the oil and spices mixture. 

Spread out evenly on a sheet pan, and throw it in the oven. 

While it's cooking, make your guacamole and prepare your toppings for the fajitas.  

This guacamole recipe (if you'd even call it that) is mine and my husband's go-to whenever we have company over (because who doesn't love quac, right??).  We always get compliments and it's literally the easiest to make.  

All you do is mash up your avocados, add a few spoonfuls of your favorite salsa, sprinkle over some garlic salt and a little pepper, and squeeze in a little lemon juice.  There aren't any measurements, so you kind of just have to keep tasting it until it's right.  

We recently discovered this salsa from Costco...and it's a game changer.  We've been using this as the salsa for the guacamole, and it's seriously SO good.  My brothers were over the other day and said it was the best guac they've ever had.  Exaggeration?  I don't think so ;)

After about 25 minutes, your chicken and veggies should be cooked through and smelling delicious.  

Serve with guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, cheese, and whatever other toppings you want.

And indulge...without feeling guilty because it's heathy!

Side note...I found these whole wheat tortillas at the store, and they were perfect for these fajitas!  Full recipe below.  Enjoy!

Pin this post:



Sidney's Philosophy

Sidney here! I'll be sharing some healthy recipes/quick and easy food prep tips over the next several weeks on here and on our Instagram. But first I wanted to just share a little about what my diet consists of and why. My philosophy is simple, I believe in eating a whole food, plant-based diet. Lots of:

Starches.

Fruits.

Veggies.

I believe that one of the keys to good health is eating as much REAL food as possible, the less processed the better! As a student-athlete, I am really busy and I have had to find ways to make healthy, good tasting meals that are quick and easy, for example, THINK FOODS LIKE:

Cold Cereal with Fruit.

Oatmeal.

Pancakes with Fruit.

(whole wheat, buckwheat, potato, etc.)

Vegetable and Bean Soups.

Potatoes.

(boiled, mashed, baked, steamed, etc.) (Sweet, Idaho, russet, Yukon gold, etc.)

Breads.

(whole grain wheat, rye, etc.)


Pastas. 

(wheat, buckwheat, brown rice, etc.) 

Lasagna.

(whole wheat, vegetables, tomato sauce, etc.) 

Pizza.

(whole wheat, vegetables, tomato sauce, etc.) 

Rice & Vegetable Dishes.

Beans, Rice, and Corn

Get Creative! Corn tortillas baked into chips!

Most grocery stores now have fresh, pre-cut veggies which make things way easier! You can just throw the veggies in a pan with some spices (I love Mrs. Dash) and cover for 5 minutes, add some canned beans and you've got a fast, tasty dish! I personally use onions (which create their own moisture) as the "oil" or a little balsamic vinegar and try to limit using oils. 

P.S. My favorite pans to cook with are these white ceramic pans. My sisters and I recently started using them when our grandmother got us each a couple of them, after she starting hearing that Teflon, or regular nonstick pans, are not good for you. Now, we aren't sure how true that theory is, but we do love using our new ceramic pans! They work really well and are much prettier than regular nonstick pans too ;)

Okay, now, meat. I personally don't eat a lot of meat, mostly because I ate a lot of crazy stuff while living in Indonesia and it kind of turned me off of it, haha. However, I think meat (preferably hormone and antibiotic free/grass fed) in moderation is fine. I don't think you need to eat it everyday, but eating it in moderation is perfectly okay (in my opinion). I also generally stay away from dairy because it isn't the best thing for me as a runner. It has been said that it encourages lactic acid build up in the muscles. 

I also believe that moderation in everything is key! Yes, I love veggies, but I also will eat ice cream, go out for pizza, and have midnight pancake parties with my roommates. It's all about balance and having good daily habits of eating healthy, allow for some not so healthy stuff every once and a while. 

Over the next several weeks I will be posting lots of quick, healthy recipes that actually taste good on Instagram so stay tuned!

Morning Power Smoothie

Hey guys! Paige here…just wanted to give you all a little "bump-date" and share a new favorite recipe! 

SO by week 24 of my pregnancy I had already gained 33 pounds and was really starting to stress out (average weight gain for most pregnancies is 25-35 pounds, and I still had over 3 months to go)! I was constantly hungry and my eating was pretty out of control, so I decided to turn to my own personal fitness guru/sister Sidney! I wanted help getting on a nutrition plan that would help get my weight under control, but also make sure I was getting all of the nutrients I need during pregnancy. She helped me come up with one and did not disappoint! 

Last week was my first week on the plan, and I actually LOST 3 pounds. Woohoo! I'm constantly eating HEALTHY foods so I never feel hungry, and I have much more energy throughout the day. 

My favorite thing on the plan is my morning smoothie! It's SO good and I crave it as soon as I wake up :) I'll be sharing more of my new eating plan soon, but today I want to share the recipe for this amazing smoothie that's so healthy and yummy!

What MAKES this smoothie is this amazing protein powder. It's SO good and only has 50 calories, AND 100 milligrams of caffeine :) It'll definitely wake ya up in the morning, and I love it! Click on the linked picture below to purchase.

The recipe also calls for flax and chia seeds (both optional). Below is the brand I use :)

When making this smoothie, I use a large handful of frozen spinach and kale. I buy the brand below at the grocery store, and just stick it in the freezer!

Below is the recipe. It makes enough for two and I make it for my husband and myself every morning. If you're making for one, cut everything in half!

Morning Power Smoothie:

1 Banana

1 handful frozen spinach

1 handful frozen kale

2 scoops

Mocha Cappuccino Protein Energy

1 Spoonful

Flax Seeds

1 Spoonful

Chia Seeds

1 Spoonful Almond Butter

2 Cups Frozen Blueberries

2 Cups Almond Milk (I use unsweetened vanilla)

Pin this post:

Light & Fit Salmon BLT

This is a recipe we got out of Paige's Cooking Light cook book, and can we just say, it's SO delicious! (Especially the sauce :) Paige's Mother-in-law gave her this cookbook, and we highly recommend it. It has so many great recipes, all healthy and low in calories!

This open-faced salmon BLT has been one of our favorites from it so far. It only has 330 calories, and has 25 grams of protein! Here's how to make it:

Prep time: 5 minutes, Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

-8 slices precooked hickory-smoked bacon

-2 (6 ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)

-1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

-Cooking spray

-1/4 cup light mayonnaise

-1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

-1 1/2 teaspoons minted fresh dill

-4 (1 ounce) slices diagonally cut French bread, toasted

-4 green leaf lettuce leaves

-4 slices tomato, cut in half

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Cook bacon as desired or according to package directions (we make it on the stove).

3. While bacon cooks, sprinkle fish with 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Place fish, skin sides down, on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 10 to 13 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Remove skin from fish, and cut fish into chunks.

4. While fish cooks, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon dill mayonnaise on each French bread slice; top with 1 lettuce leaf, 2 tomato halves, 2 slices bacon, and one-fourth of salmon chunks. Drizzle remaining dill mayonnaise evenly over each sandwich.

Click Here for Printable Recipe

Enjoy!

Most DELICIOUS and HEALTHY Salad Dressing…Ever :)

Our mom and grandma have been famous for their salads for as long as we can remember.

 It's all about the dressing...and today, we're sharing the recipe! It's SO simple and easy, not to mention completely healthy! Every time we serve this salad we get tons of compliments.

All you need is olive oil, seasoned rice vinegar, Mrs. Dash seasoning (you can either use original or table blend), and half of a lemon, or a whole lemon if you're making a larger salad.

Really, the options are endless for what you're putting in the salad. This dressing tastes great with any combination of vegetables or fruit. For this one we used tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, and feta cheese. It's also great with cucumbers, green onions, or really anything! One of our favorite ways to use this dressing is to make the salad with apples, feta cheese, and candied pecans! When making the salad with fruit, we like to use the table blend Mrs. Dash, but the original works great too!

And here's a little video tutorial of how to do the dressing. There are no measurements, just drizzle and sprinkle everything on. Don't forget to squeeze in your lemon juice! So delish :)

Enjoy :)