Oh.My.YUM!

Nesters, this recipe is so good that I had to post it ASAP!! It all started last week when I was browsing through 'Whole Living' magazine for some healthilicious recipes. In my Frumpy Avenue - Breakfast Edition post, I mentioned smoothies. J and I love a good smoothie, especially after a long run. Y'all, that smoothie is my motivation some days... I think we have all been there at some point, right? Maybe?...moving on.

As I was browsing, I came across the Taj Mahal of smoothie recipes... Blueberry Mint. Doesn't that sound refreshing, healthy, and the slightest bit fancy?!? Well... It had a couple ingredients that I knew my good ole sensitive stomach wouldn't tolerate; so, I googled some alternative recipes with the same idea.

After thoroughly searching the web, I present to you our very own BBM smoothie recipe!

Blueberry Banana Mint Smoothie

1 banana

2 handfuls of blueberries

4-5 mint sprigs

2 handfuls of ice

2 heaping scoops of Vanilla Bean Cabots Greek Yogurt

1 cup of OJ

{Nester Tip: I know a lot of you Nesters are not the the biggest fan of bananas. Simply eliminate the item and add a little more yogurt, juice and blueberries! Simple fix, picky eaters!}

Simple ingredients with a not-so-simple taste!

Add more or less blueberries & mint depending on your  particular taste.
Add less banana and yogurt to make it less creamy and more icy.
It's all up to YOU!

Now, I think what you are thinking... blueberry, banana, and mint... "Sounds yuck" as my girlfriend put it.  Give it ONE chance and you will be pleasantly surprised! I promise.  We gave the recipe a little make-over and it turned out darn good.  The mint isn't overwhelming, the blueberry and banana mix better than you would ever dream of, and overall... It's just fabulous! This is my all time favorite smoothie of all the recipes we have tried and believe me, that's a lot!

It's simple, easy, and like I said... Darn good!!! Enjoy and happy healthy eating!

xoxo,

A

All Greeked Up

     Hey there lovely Nesters! I hope this fresh New Year is treating y'all well.  I promised you a Lunch Edition of Frumpy Avenue and I am currently working on compiling all the lunch goodies J and I have been dabbling in.  However, as we were pretending to be amazing chefs and stumbling through our kitchen crusade, we experienced a victory!  J and I looove some good Greek food and boy did we enjoy this recipe for an Easy Chicken Gyro.  We enjoyed drooled over this meal AND it was super easy!  I must give credit to the hubs though, as he cooked and I simply assembled the Gyros.

Follow along for a guaranteed swoon worthy delight :)
{Nester Note: J and I made mistakes edited the recipe a little so it may not appear exactly the same as the website above shows. The recipe we used for the Tzatziki can be found here.}

Ingredients for Tzatziki 

1  cup Greek Yogurt (we used Cabots)

3 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tbsp White Vinegar

1 tsp Lemon Juice

1 clove of Garlic, finely minced

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp White Pepper

2 tsp Fresh Dill

1-2 Cucumbers peeled and chopped/diced

{Nester Tips: If you want a DIP, mix all of this together using a whisk and then fold in the cucumbers with a wooden spoon. Allow to chill for two hours before serving.

If you want a SAUCE, blend all of the above ingredients until you reach your desired consistency.  We used it as a sauce to drizzle over the Gyro and it was to. die. for.
Once you make the sauce, set it aside in the fridge until you are ready for it.}

Accidental Amazing Gyro Marinade
Juice from one Lemon
2 tsp Red Wine Vinegar
2 tbsp Olive Oil
3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt (*Nester Addition)

*Chop up 1.5-2lbs of Boneless, skinless Chicken Breast.

 (We used Jeannie-O and cut up as much as we were hungry for!)

*We marinated the chicken for about 45 minutes and then placed the pieces on a cookie sheet lined with foil about 1 inch apart.
*Next, we popped these bad boys under the broiler for 10-20 minutes and they were perfectly golden brown. {Drooling started...}
{Nester Tip: The longer you marinate, the more flavor the chicken will soak up.}

Depending on your oven, broiling may take anywhere from 10-25 minutes to reach a golden, brown perfection.


Assembly Time
*We placed this scrumptiously baked chicken onto a whole grain flat bread purchased at Publix.  It is the perfect mix with the juicy Gyro meat.

*Next, we drizzled the Tzakziki sauce over the chicken and added some feta on top. {The drooling continued...}

Please ignore the gallon of Tzatziki sauce we ended up with.  I have edited the amount on the recipe for all you Nesters out there. Go ahead, let the giggle out.

*Add a little spinach....

*Some red onions if you're like the hubs :)

*Roll that baby into a delish wrap...

....And you are All Greeked Up!

ENJOY!

xoxo,

A

Frumpy Avenue - Breakfast Edition

Happy New Year, Nesters!

    The holiday season has come to an end. I don't mean to point fingers, but I think we can all agree that we have veered off Calorie Counting Lane onto what we wish was the road less traveled of Frumpy Avenue.  Between the cookies, deep fried turkey and endless mac-and-cheese, our elastic pants have failed us, and it is time for some clean eating!  With the New Year's resolutions in full force, it's time to curb our cravings, discard the decadent chocolate, and trash the turkey dressing.  And yes, ladies, that includes the secret stash in your night stand that you hide from your husband... it's gotta go.

    Suck it in, suck it up and jump on the wagon!  J and I have spent some time trying to find healthIER alternatives to get us back on track.  No, this is not 'How to Lose 10 Pounds in 5 Minutes' or the perfect diet; it's simply a few yummy delights that will satisfy your hunger and keep you from secretly running through the drive-thru on your way into work.

    First off, WATER.  Toss your sweet tea, soda, and the left over egg nog.  Water is your best friend.  Say it with me... WATER IS MY BEST FRIEND.  Water hydrates you, improves the look of your skin, and makes you feel better!  And guess what? It is CALORIE FREE! {I could go on.}
    Yet,  I can already hear the peanut gallery chiming in.... "But, I don't like how water tastes!"
Either get over it and buy yourself some SmartWater, or try this little gem:

Lemon-Mint Water aka Fancy Water

2 Quarts of Water

Juice of one Lemon

1 Lemon (sliced thinly)

Ice

2-3 Mint Sprigs

Let this concoction marinate for an hour or so and then enjoy.  This water is cool, refreshing and tastes amazing!! No calories. No fuss.  And you'll look fancy :)

An added plus, you ask? Toss the left over mint & lemon into your garbage disposal for an all natural cleanser with an amazing fragrance.

{Nester Tip: Carry a water bottle with you to stay hydrated. My favorite is the Camelbak which is available at Target. Go check them out!}

Camelbak

Breakfast

    I am by far the worst breakfast-ing woman on this planet.  I don't know what it is; but, I can rarely get myself to eat a breakfast that's even remotely close to turning my brain on for the day.  Yet, drum roll please, I have found several breakfast items that sound beyond delish!  And, they are quick & easy which is 100% essential at 5:45am on my way to the hospital.  Let's see what I can woo my Nesters with...

Whole Grain Waffle with Nutella Spread

You can jazz up this morning meal with whatever you want! Golden raisins, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, pecans, etc.  And of course, substitute the waffle out for your favorite whole grain bread, English muffin, or tortilla. 

The warm waffle & nutella with the cool, juicy fruit is to die for!

{Nester Tip: Fold up your yummy b-fast Taco Style when you're in a hurry.  It's a quick fix and you will obviously look oh-so-classy doing so!}

Quick. Easy. Delish.

1 Eggo Whole Grain Waffle=170 Calories

1/2 Tbsp Nutella=50 Calories

Nester-made Smoothies

Y'all are going to need something to wash down that scrumptious Nutella with.  Why not add some fiber, calcium and vitamins?  It's easy-peasy and totally worth it.

Grab your favorite fruit from the freezer section of your local grocery (or fresh if you have it!), add some plain greek yogurt, some ice and a splash of OJ and you have yourself one tasty treat!  There is no rhyme or reason to the creation; add as much or as little of each ingredient to make it how YOU like it! You are the one drinking it after all :) 

Some of our favorites are: Strawberry Banana, Peach, Strawberry Basil, and Blueberry.

Check out some interesting combos here.

Breakfast Parfait

                                                   

It's that easy, y'all. Grab a coffee mug, some greek yogurt, and your favorite fruit combo and voila! A perfect morning treat. 

1 cup Oikos Greek Yogurt (Plain)=130 Calories *NONE from fat!!*

Homemade Fruit and Oat Granola Bars

I. Can't. Wait.

This recipe is beyond simple and I cannot wait to try it out!  My main motivation?  I am always trying to find the best breakfast/energy bar out there.  There are SO many and they all seem the same.  I want to be healthy; but, I also don't want my food to taste like cardboard while doing so. Who's with me?

{Oats, Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, Vanilla Extract, Dried Fruits}

Click here to make these with me! I will be posting about my experience & can't wait to see how they turn out. Yes, this takes a little bit more commitment but.... it makes 16 bars!! 

I hope y'all enjoy these little gems as much as we do! They are tasty, easy, and not too bad for you!  Add them to your New Years Resolution regime and kiss Frumpy Avenue Goodbye!  J & I are spending the day cleaning up the house and attempting some DIY projects around the house which I can't wait to share with you soon.  Be on the look out for our home projects and the lunch edition of Frumpy Avenue soon :) Until then...

xoxo,

A