BEST RECIPE EVER!!!! - FRUITCAKE

Ok, I blog about the recipes I love the most! But, I don't remember the last time that I came up with something so good that I just had to stop (after I ate it,  of course) & blog about it right then & there! Well...... that time is now! I just came up with the absolute most fantabulous dish to date! I am calling it a Fruitcake because it's made like a pancake but with fruit..... so it's a Fruitcake! Let me tell you, this was so good that I turned right around & made it again but made it into Fruitcake Muffins so I could have them to eat on for a few days. 

SOOOOOO GOOOOOD!!!!!! 

Simple, sweet, fruity, filling, healthy & at around 200 calories - sooo very figure friendly!!!!! You have got to try this! I know I will be making this A LOT from now on! It'd be so good for breakfast but since I love breakfast for dinner, I ate it for dinner tonight! There are all kinds of different fruit options that I am sure would be wonderful in these! I used blueberries & strawberries but I would love to  try peaches, like  Peaches 'n Cream Cakes...... apples, like Apples Pie Cakes & top with honey, bananas, like  Banana Cream Pie Cakes & top with natural peanut butter...... YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fruitcake (with toppings)

 Fruitcake

cake ingredients:

4 egg whites

1 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk

1/2 C fresh (or frozen) fruit - I used strawberries & blueberries.

1/2 Tbsp vanilla

1 Tbsp Stevia

topping:

1 vanilla carb smart yogurt

1/2 Tbsp Stevia (optional but it gives the yogurt a sweeter taste that makes it taste more like a topping instead of just yogurt.)

Fruitcake without toppings

*Put all cake ingredients except fruit in a shaker bottle (or whip with a whisk) & shake really well. Then remove lid & wire mixer ball, add fruit & give it one more good shake. Pour into a pre - heated skillet over medium heat & cook like you would a pancake. It won't get really firm because of the fruit so you just kind of have to check the bottom & when it looks brown, it's time to flip it! This part was tricky because of the fruit! Flip & cook until both sides are brown like the picture above.
Stir the Stevia into the yogurt in a small bowl or in container & spread on top. Then I added a few more pieces of fruit & a sprinkle of pecans!

And get ready for some seriously happy 

taste buds my friend!

Fruitcake Muffins

For the muffins, I did the same thing but used 6 whites (for 6 muffins) & just added a little fruit to each muffin cup after filling them 1/4 with the egg mixture. I am practicing extreme willpower because I haven't tried one of them yet but I know they will be equally as delightful! And maybe easier to deal with since the flipping won't be an issue. They are so pretty too aren't they?! 

I LOVE PRETTY FOOD!!!! I love it even more when it's

 HEALTHY, YUMMY AND PRETTY!

 Nutritional content for the Fruitcake (including topping)- 200 calories, 10 carbs & 18 grams of protein!
Per muffin - 25 calories, 4 carbs, 4 grams of protein!

Blog Changes & A Strawberry Cream Cheese Rollup!!

Happy Monday everyone! 

I bet the blog title got your attention since it's not the normal Monday Challenge for the Week. Right now I have a lot of cake on my plate so while I plan on continuing to blog, I have decided to cut myself a break from the schedule of it. I am going to blog when I can instead of Monday, Wednesday, Friday & on the weekend. Having it so scheduled really makes me feel pressured & we all know that pressure can suck the enjoyment right out of things you love! I am trying to get some things done at my house & also trying to find some time to start crafting again. I love to write & I love to blog..... but I love a lot of things which is my problem! lol.... & after last night's post about taking "me" time, I realized I need to subtract a couple of things from my busy schedule. 

Now how about a quick, figure friendly snack idea?

 I threw this together in about 3 minutes the other day when I was craving something sweet that I could put in a wrap for something different.  I also need to start eating the Laughing Cow cream cheese in my fridge! I love those little wedges but I am guilty of buying them & never eating them! What's the point in that?! They are far to yummy to let go to waste!

It's only 4 ingredients!

 And you may possibly already have them in your fridge like I did! 

See?! 4 simple ingredients!

 Strawberry Cream Cheese Roll Up

You need:

1 low carb tortilla

1 wedge of laughing cow strawberry cream cheese

1 Tbsp of sugar free strawberry preserves

 A few real strawberries sliced kinda thin (optional)

Strawberry Cream Cheese Roll Up

*Mash cream cheese & preserves together with  a fork in a small bowl & spread over tortilla with a spatula. Add sliced strawberries down the middle (I didn't think of this yum factor until I had already made mine so that's why you don't see them in the picture but rest assured I will be adding them next time I make one!), roll up & indulge! It is soooo good! Just enough to satisfy a sweet tooth without feeling guilty 'cause this snack is totally figure friendly! It would also be yummy with a regular cream cheese wedge  & SINFULLY DELICIOUS with the new chocolate cream cheese they have out now! I haven't tried it yet cause I don't know if it's safe for my diet to have chocolate cream cheese around 'cause I imagine it's rather wonderful!  

This would be super easy to pack for a lunch snack & I bet kids would love it too! Let me know if you try it & especially if you try any other variations of it!

Wednesday is Operation: Smoothie

Let me just say that the holiday Monday has totally thrown me off this week! I sat down to write my Monday Challenge for the Week blog last night & realized it was Tuesday! Feels a little like deja vu from last week except last week I was ahead a day

 & this week I am a day behind!

 Lol.... So, I apologize for no Monday Challenge this week! 

I hope you are all staying busy with previously posted challenges or your own thing &, 

of course drinking your H20!

Earlier I made the yummiest smoothie for today's post!

It was sweet with a teeny tinge of tart & very smooth & creamy!

Creamy Strawberry Lemonade Smoothie

1 container of Carb Smart Strawberry yogurt
1/2 scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder
3 frozen strawberries (around 70 grams) - 1 for garnish or you can throw it in if you like!
1 Tbsp Stevia or 2 packets
1- 2 packets of True Lemon
1/2 Cup of ice
1/2 Cup of H20
I floated raw natural almonds on top to make it pretty-ful! ;) 
Throw it all in your Ninja & blend until smooth!

This creamy dreamy twist on the all American classic Strawberry Lemonade is around 

130 calories, 12 carbs & 17 grams of protein!

Classic Breakfast

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It's the first day of Daylight Savings Time! 

I have had a great weekend so far & am looking forward to today! I was really craving pancakes today (as I do every Sunday) so I actually spent an hour in the kitchen trying a new recipe from my Clean Eating cookbook...... but, unfortunately I have to say that I did not like that recipe & I will not be making them again! It's never fun to spend time making & cleaning up after something you cooked that you didn't even like, but unfortunately........ it happens sometimes! Especially when you are cooking clean because the ingredients you cook with can be tricky! All is not lost though...... I have another clean pancake recipe that I know I love & I will be sticking with it from now on.

So, I went with the classic omelet & pb & j toast! I made the omelet with w 1 whole egg, 3 whites & 1 piece of 2 % colby jack cheese. The toast is Ezekiel bread w 1/2 tbsp natural pb & 1 tbsp of strawberry jelly. Not exactly what I was craving........ but still a breakfast you can't go wrong with!........... Think I will have a good clean cheeseburger with some sweet potato fries for dinner tonight to make up for not getting my Sunday morning pancakes!

Punkin' PB 'n J Protein Bites

TGIF!!!!! Today Kristei & I finished the first week of Phase 2 of the Live Fit Trainer! It was a great week workout week but I am ready for next week because the routine is familiar now so we will be able to move at a faster pace. The one thing I have been struggling with for a long time is the issue of how many calories I really need to reach my fitness goals. I have talked to a few different trainers & everyone always has different advice. It is really a frustrating issue for me but I think I have found someone who is going to help me with that! I was referred to her from a good friend & I am hoping after talking with her next week I will finally have some concrete information that will help me get to where I want to be! So, I will be posting more about that when I find something out! Until then...... here is a yummy treat for you to make & nosh on this weekend!
I made a batch of punkin' protein bars & had em in the fridge, but yesterday, I wanted to try to kick em up a notch......so, I took 2 bars, sliced em in half & spread 1 tbsp (1/2 tbsp each) of natural peanut butter on the bottoms & 1/2 tbsp (1/4 tbsp each) of sugar free strawberry jelly on the tops then sandwiched them together! I know what you are thinking....... pumpkin & strawberry, right?! But, trust me........ it waks soooo good! It was rich & creamy & ooey & gooey & very tasty! One thing I have learned from spending so much time in the kitchen trying to create healthy foods is to think outside the box! Because sometimes things that don't seem like they would go together, end up being a match made in healthy food heaven!

Punkin' Protein Bars

1  c oat flour

1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder

4 oz vanilla carb smart yogurt

2 egg whites

1/2 of a 15 oz can of pure pumpkin

1/4 h20

1/4 tsp cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp of baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Blend wet ingredients in 1 bowl & dry ingredients in another then mix all together until really well blended. (I throw all of mine in my Ninja!) Pour into a 8 x 8 square baking pan pop into the oven heated to 350. Then mix up 1 tbsp of stevia & 1/2 packed tsp of brown sugar splenda in a small dish &after the bars look slightly firm but are still wiggly, take them out & spread the brown sugar - stevia mix all over the top & barely pat down so they really stick to the top of the bars. Then pop em back in the oven & bake until done & a toothpick comes out clean! 

*Per bar (without pb & j) they are 34.5 calories, 4.8 carbs & 3 grams of protein