Clean, Green & Lean Pinwheels

Ok, so I actually wrote this post this past Friday & when I went back to finish it up & post it, somehow most of it got deleted! Ugh! It was a really good one too!!! Definitely frustrated with Blogger about that! So, I honestly haven't had it in me to go back & rewrite all of it out in detail like it was so I 

am going to make it short & sweet! 

One of my favorite things are pinwheels! I love love love them! I usually only make them on special occasions and at the holidays -

 But this past week it dawned on me...... 

Why do I have to wait for a special occasion to make

 these wonderful little treats?! 

That's totally crazy!! 

They are so good and can be made in millions of different healthy ways & are the perfect easy go - to lunch or healthy snack!! So I got in the kitchen and have been making pinwheels for the past two weeks and having them for lunch!! You need healthy wraps to start & for the meat (which you can leave out & just do veggie ones too!), I used a large can of chicken - drained & rinsed of course (fresh is obviously better if you have the time & money  but the canned is a lifesaver if you are like me & short on both lately). I also used sweet peas in 1 batch then broccoli in the other. For the spread you can use Fat Free Cream Cheese but I like this Alouette Spreadable Cheese too cause it comes in flavors! And I use Hummus as well cause it takes a decent amount of spreadable stuff to make them stick, roll up & get firm enough to slice & I think more than 1/4 C of Cream Cheese is just too much. But, that's just me! Get creative & make yours however you want! Using 1 large can of chicken, a serving of sweet peas or broccoli (you choose) 1/4 C Cream Cheese, 2 Tbsp Hummus made up one batch of five which is enough to last you through a 5 day work week! Both batches came out really good! This is one of those recipes that will just keep getting better and better the more times you make it and the more creative you get with the ingredients!! I topped mine with salsa both times and it was really really good!! 

 Just make sure your veggies are chopped or mashed & your cream cheese is at room temp so you can mix it all together well! Then put it all in a bowl, mix & start spreading leaving about 1/8 inch around away from the corners to give it room to spread out. Then I wrap in saran wrap individually & chill til firm enough to slice into pinwheels! 

Oh yea!...... pimento & Paprika are great add ins & they make them pretty when sliced cause they add a splash of color!

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!

TGI Love Fabulous Food Friday!

TGIF!!!!

It's the second edition of my TGI Love Fabulous Food Friday! Each Friday I will post 1 easy meal recipe & 1 snack recipe that I ate that week! 

No matter what mood I am in, whether I am stressed, happy, bored, pumped up after a good workout or any of the other 42 moods I can be in........ I am either thinking about something to cook or I am in the kitchen cooking it! This week was no exception! I had a little bit of a stressful start to my week & ....... guess what?! I took it out in my kitchen! It's a stress reliever for me! But, I made some pretty tasty food so..... all is well!

Now, without further ado, on to the first recipe...... 

 Mexican Pizza

1 low carb, high fiber tortilla round

1/8 C  Vegetarian re - fried beans

2 oz grilled chicken breast - cut into strips

fresh tomato sliced into chunks

2 Tbsp sliced black olives

1Tbs diced red bell pepper

1/8 C 2 % or fat free cheddar cheese grated

*Spray the tortilla shell & bake until it's slightly crispy but not too hard before adding the toppings then bake again until the cheese is melted!
*You can use whatever toppings you like! I just listed the ones that I used on the one pictured!
It was Muy delicioso!

Now, for the snack recipe! I am LOVING this for a post workout snack or anytime you want something easy & protein PACKED!!!!!  This recipe is a GEM on the macro nutrient scale!!! ! I call it a .........

Protein Power  Pan - Crepe

Filling:

* 1/4 C 2% lower sodium cottage cheese- sweeten  (if desired)

with a Stevia packet & a dash of cinnamon & set aside.

Pan - Crepe:

2 egg whites

1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein powder

1 Tbsp Stevia

1 Tbsp H2O

*Put all ingredients in your shaker & shake until well blended. Then pour all of  it into a heated skillet & cook until just firm enough to flip. Then flip & cook until it's golden.

*Then spread cottage cheese onto one side, fold over & eat! 

* You can use whatever you like for the filling such as Greek yogurt or any natural nut butter or even fruit for example! You can also use chocolate protein powder instead of vanilla! And for another idea..... you could double the recipe, pour them into smaller sizes & eat them like pancakes with sugar free syrup or whatever toppings 

you like when you eat regular pancakes!

*This recipe rings the post workout, protein packed snack bell at 

77.5 calories, 5 carbs & 18 grams of protein!

(Nutritional content will vary depending on your protein powder!)

A 35 for 35 Arm Workout & A Chicken Sandwich in a Wrap!

Just a few more days until my birthday! I am so excited! I am really looking forward to having my party with my close friends & family! I have been so busy trying to get everything ready at my house & decide what beverages & noshes to serve! It is a tropical themed party so everything is Hawaiian & tropical-ly! A few things I know I am serving are Hawaiian chicken slider sandwiches, a pineapple fruit tree with clean fruit dip & 

a skinny-fied key lime pie!  I will be sure to post pictures of the spread! 

Anyway, tonight I am tired & ready to go to bed & read! But, I wanted to share with you what I ate tonight for dinner & the next 35 for 35 workout I came up with today!

 Both the food & the workout are worth trying! 

Let's start with the arm workout!

35 For 35 Arm Workout 

*bicep warm up:

35 curls with straight bar on cable machine

*biceps (resting 30 seconds between sets)

hammer dumbbell curls 5 sets of 7 reps (medium weight & increase weight for last set)

curls w EZ bar (alternate close & narrow grip each set) 5 sets of 7 reps (increase weight for last set)

regular dumbbell curls 35 reps in a row

*tricep warm up:

35 tricep pressdowns with rope on cable machine

triceps (resting 30 seconds between sets)

tricep pressdowns with rope on cable machine 3 sets of 35 (increase weight on last set)

dumbbell kickbacks 3 sets of 35 reps ((increase weight on last set)

dumbbell overhead extensions 3 sets of 35 reps (increase weight on last set)

*finish with 35 crunches on stability ball

*30 minutes on the stairclimber for cardio

This was a great workout!  My plan on the abs this week is to do them every day, but heavy on Mon, Wed & Fri & lighter on Tues & Thurs. I am going to start incorporating high rep workout routines more often! Maybe every other week........ It takes some getting used to & adjusting with the weights when you are used to lifting heavy for just 8-12 reps but I think it's a good change for my muscles! Let me know what you think if any of you happen to try it!  

Now all that lifting will leave you ready to refuel with some clean, muscle building food so on to the chicken sandwich in a wrap recipe!

I love to throw lean protein on a low carb wrap! It doesn't get much faster than that & pretty much any sandwich you can think of makes a great wrap! Eggs, tuna, clean chicken salad, nana n' pb (posted recently),  veggies...... but tonight I just kept it simple! I had some grilled chicken breast in the fridge & was craving a chicken sandwich so I cut it in long strips, topped it with tomato slices, a pickle & 1/8 cup 2% shredded cheddar cheese. I heated it up & had it with a side of steamed stir fry veggies seasoned with lemon pepper!

Just an example of why not to leave your wraps forgotten on the back shelf of your fridge!  There's lots of healthy, easy, fast & tasty things you can do with them!....... provided they are healthy wraps! Not all wraps are created equal! 

Just like anything else, read the label on the back!

Look for high fiber, low calorie & low carb! 

Chicken Sandwich in a Wrap