Chilled-Out Cucumber + Avocado Soup

Sometimes you need to cool down quickly. The humidity is too much, the sun too glaring and your body needs something with a little more substance than plain water. 

Well, give your body what it wants. 

This week's recipe is a cool cucumber and avocado soup. A pleasant, chilled blend of green vegetables loaded with healthy fats. (That's right, you eat it cold) The soup is hydrating, satisfying and satisfying. Lime gives it a hint of citrus, and cucumbers are amazing on a hot day. Not only do they aid in hydration, they help to cool the body, contain essential vitamins, aid in weight loss and flush toxins from your system. Avocados, on the other hand, are full of fiber, potassium, antioxidants and vitamin K.  A power-house soup that is simple, whole food based and ready in a snap. 

Chilled Cucumber + Avocado Soup

Ingredients:

2 cucumbers, skinned

4 avocados, skin off + pit popped out

juice of 3 limes

Salt + Pepper to taste

Method:

Place ingredients in blender and puree until smooth, add more lime juice if desired.

Serve cold

Enjoy, and keep cool!

See you back here next week for another healthy recipe. 

Peanut Butter + Banana Overnight Oats

Yes, you read that right. Peanut Butter and Banana Overnight Oats. A delicious, sweet, protein and fiber packed breakfast waiting for you in fridge as soon as you are able to drag your body out of bed.

Getting up is hard. Being motivated is difficult. Breakfast shouldn't add any stress to your day, especially since the choice you make for breakfast can hinder or help the type of day you have going forward. You need the right combination of fats, fibers and proteins to kick your metabolism into gear and fuel your energy for the day. 

Peanut Butter + Banana Overnight Oats

• Ingredients:
• 1 large ripe banana, mashed (about ½ cup)
• ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp honey

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mash your banana with a fork.
2. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix until well combined. 
3. Pour the mixture into two airtight containers and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, but preferably overnight. 
4. When ready to eat, stir oats.
5. Enjoy with fresh fruit. 

That's it! Prep the night before, or for the whole week and you have a delicious, healthy breakfast just waiting to be eaten.

See you back here next week for another healthy recipe to make your meal-planning easier.

Stuffed Breakfast Peppers

Ok, let's step up your breakfast game with a nutritional powerhouse dish that is packed with protein and not cutting any corners on flavor. Prep is a breeze and the first bite will convince you to make sure you are eating your breakfast every morning. No excuses.

A spin on the ubiquitous stuffed pepper, these egg and vegetable breakfast peppers are a fantastic way to get your daily dose of vitamins, vegetable servings and a healthy protein kick to start your day. If your body was a fire, and you needed to keep it burning, would you let it go a long time without throwing in some sticks? And better yet, what burns longer, twigs or logs? That's what breakfast is meant for. Getting your metabolism started to fuel your fire the whole day through.

Paleo Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

• 4 red bell peppers (any color bell pepper works)
• 16 oz bag frozen, chopped spinach
• 4 eggs
• salt and pepper, to taste.
• Salsa of choice
• ground pork sausage or turkey sausage optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking pan with foil.
2. Cut off the top of the peppers + remove seeds
3. Place peppers into dish. Bake for about 15 minutes.
4. While the peppers are baking, defrost spinach. Squeeze the moisture out.
5. Remove peppers from oven and stuff the bottoms evenly (and generously) with  spinach.
6. Crack an egg into the top ½ of each pepper.
7. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the egg whites are set and not transparent.
8. Add a spoonful or two of salsa to the top. 

If desired, add an inch or two of cooked ground turkey or pork sausage to the pepper cup. Top with egg. It's optional, but does kick up the protein content.

Eat well, be a healthy. See you back here next week for another fitness inspired meal idea!

Strawberry Yogurt Bark

We thought perhaps you might need a few more summertime snacks that are healthy + delicious to keep your sweet-tooth sated. Last week, we gave you: Frozen Yogurt Blueberries and this week, Strawberry Yogurt Bark. Again, all the nutrition of fruit + the protein of yogurt. A win-win combination that satisfies and pleases. (and keeps that sweet tooth happy!)

You only need a few ingredients and limited abilities to make this treat, and it is perfect for days by the pool or a quick snack straight from the fridge. No one wants to spend time cooking, baking or prepping much of anything when the weather turns nice, so instead pop some yogurt in a pan and add your toppings and after cooling for a while, voíla! Also, this recipe is extremely versatile, so you can add nuts or berries of other kinds to suit your preference as well.

Strawberry Yogurt Bark:

Gather:

-Greek yogurt (we used honey greek yogurt)

-frozen or fresh or dried strawberries

-flat pan

Method:

-Line a flat pan with parchment paper and spread yogurt evenly on paper, approx 3/8 of an inch thick. (not too thick or too thin!)

- Add strawberries and other toppings if preferred, (i.e, pistachios, hemp, chia seeds, pecans)

-Freeze for a few hours or until completely frozen. (for an 8x8 in. pan, it takes about 4 hours)

-Remove from parchment and break into pieces. 

-Keep pieces in freezer until ready to eat, taking out only the pieces you are going to snack on. (If it overheats then it WILL melt!)

Snacking healthfully doesn't have to be boring, and with a little imagination the fresh fruits of the season can be even tastier than the less-than-fit options tempting you in the store. 

Be fit! See you next week for another health-inspired recipe.