grocery shopping

Back to school: my favorite healthy snacks

~ cassandra ~ 1 Comment

I’ve found a few go-to snacks that I can keep in my purse that fill me up if I need something quick. If you’re a busy student, mom, or working babe, it’s always good to have a little something on hand for extra busy days!
I’ve separated these by if they need to be refrigerated/be in a lunch box with an ice pack or if they can just go in your car/purse.  I usually use a lululemon bag to pack my lunch in- it’s the perfect size to put in my purse and I can throw in an ice pack to keep things cool for long days.

healthy-snacking

Here we goooo….

Non-refrigerated items:
Emerald roasted almonds (I like the cocoa and vanilla flavors)
Skinny pop
Boom Chicka Pop
Celery + carrot sticks
Apple slices
Celery + pb
Questbars (white chocolate ras is the way to go)
Pretzel Crisps

*the fruit/veggies may only hold up a few hours in your purse…depending on AC conditions or if you’re outside, etc.

I got the individual sized bags of skinny pop and boom chicka pop at target. They are great because I have a hard time controlling myself with an open bag of skinny pop in the house 😉 but obviously you could also portion it out of the big bag.

If you have an ice pack and can keep a few things cold, I love:
Chobani greek yogurt
Cheese sticks  (with my apple)
Cottage cheese + fruit

What are you snacking on these days??

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What’s the real cost of juicing at home vs buying juice??

~ cassandra ~ 3 Comments

As you can see from my last couple posts/my instagram [@afitgirlsguide], I am a little obsessed with whole juicing again. It’s such a great way to get fruits and veggies in the diet…and in the case of whole juicing- fiber! I love whole juicing in my Blendtec because it keeps all the great fiber in it, vs separating it out in a typical juicer. And of course it’s tasty! I’ve been trying out some really great combos that are SO refreshing on a hot day.

cost-of-juicing

In the past I used to buy a juice every now and then from Sprouts or Whole Foods, but they are so expensive and I never really made it a habit [luckily]. After buying produce specifically for juicing, I am totally shocked at how much juice can be made at home for the same price!!

Recently I’ve been doing 1/4 lemon, 1/2 cucumber, handful of kale, handful of watermelon, and about 1/4 of green apple with some water in the Blendtec.

Here’s what I purchased from Sprouts:

2 lemons @ .50 each
4 cucumbers @ .50 each
1 container of organic kale @ 3.49
1 seedless watermelon @ 3.99
2 green apples @ 1.49 /lb

total price: 12.09

This amount of produce will probably make about 8 drinks, with watermelon left over. That’s $1.51 per drink!! And it’s a lot more than the amount in a tiny juice bottle or cup too! Compare that with $7.99 bottle of Suja and you are saving a lot of $$$.

Of course this requires you have a high powered blender or juicer, but if it’s something you use often, it’s worth it! Save more money on juice, buy more lululemon…no brainer.

Have a great weekend!

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Perfect Breakfast Sandwich

~ cassandra ~ 1 Comment

My newest breakfast obsession is this beautiful little sandwich. I go through phases (see the last one here)….and I’m OBSESSED. It takes like 5 minutes to make, and is perfect for any meal. It keeps me full for a super-long time too thanks to the glorious fats from the egg and avocado.

Breakfast-Sandwich

Ingredients:
english muffin
cheese
1 egg or 1/3 c egg whites
morning star veggie patty (could also sub turkey sausage, or whatever you want!!)
avocado

It’s pretty self explanatory, just make sure that english muffin gets toasted to perfection ❤
Macros depend on how much of eat you use. I usually do 1/3 c egg whites, 1/2 slice cheese, and 1/4 of an avocado with a 120 calorie english muffin it comes out to 335 calories- 35 carbs/12 fat/25 protein. Boom!

Have a great Thursday!

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Recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake Protein Pancakes

~ cassandra ~ 4 Comments

Fall hasn’t quite graced us with her beautiful weather yet, but I’m still eating all the pumpkin I can. These pancakes won’t disappoint! I made them Saturday morning and was in HEAVEN. Super Easy Recipe and the topping is amaze as well. I’ve included recipe for one serving. It just made it easier to calculate this way, but of course double, triple, etc. as necessary. Makes about 3 medium sized pancakes.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Protein Pancakes

Pancake Ingredients:
1/4 c pumpkin
1/4 c egg whites
1 egg
1 scoop Cellucor cinnamon swirl protein powder (can also use vanilla, and just add cinnamon)

Topping:
1/4 c plain Greek yogurt
1 T SF/FF Jello cheesecake pudding mix
splash of almond milk (or whatever kind of milk you like)

Mix all pancake ingredients in a bowl. Preheat pan or griddle to medium heat. Spray with nonstick spray. Cook for about 90 seconds-2 minutes per side. For topping, combine ingredients and top pancakes.
Serves 1.

Macros:
Pancakes- 281 calories- 10 carbs/9 fat/39 protein
Topping- 55 calories- 9 carbs/0 fat/6 protein
TOTAL:  336 calories- 19 carbs/9 fat/45 protein

Have a great day!

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Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Protein Shake

~ cassandra ~ Leave a comment

This is SO good and so easy. Perfect way to get my pumpkin fix while it is still pretty warm outside…

pumpkin-pie protein shake

Ingredients:

1 scoop Cellucor Cinnamon Swirl Protein (I get it at Costco…you could also use vanilla flavored)
1/4 c pure pumpkin
1 c milk (I used vanilla almond milk, but you could use whatever)
1 large handful ice

Blend it all up! Perfect for pre- or post-workout protein!

Calories: 200
16 carbs/4 fat/27 protein

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Protein Snacks

~ cassandra ~ 1 Comment

We all know protein is important for keeping and building muscle (and also, keeping you full). Now that school is back in session, it’s always good to have a few extra snacks in your purse for busy days! Here are a few of my faves….

protein-snacks

beef jerky
Muscle Milk light drink boxes (costco)
Greek yogurt
rolled up lunch meat w/cheese stick
Questbar
cottage cheese
boiled eggs
GoodFoods Chicken Cranberry Almond Salad (costco)
Tuna Packets (pre-drained)

What are your go-to healthy snacks?

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Friday Finds: Grocery Edition

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It’s no secret that I am a Costco lover, so naturally that’s where most of these items are from. Inexpensive and healthy. Can’t beat that.

FridayFinds

Chicken Salad Cups. These babies are good on the macros and are perfect to have for lunch with some crackers and a salad or between a Sandwich Thin. Also great on their own as an afternoon snack.

GoodFoods-ChickenSalad

Muscle Milk Light boxes. These are so convenient. I’ve been drinking them on and off for a few months and I love them. They taste great and I don’t have to worry about mixing protein with water after my workout.(Recently purchased on sale for $22.99) MuscleMilk

Kirkland Grilled Chicken Strips. We got kind of sick of chicken after eating it so often. These are perfect because I don’t have to cook the chicken and reheat it (which I think tastes disgusting), and they are great to throw in a salad or a wrap for lunch. [And yes, a batch of these were recalled back in the spring, but they are fine now]

CostcoChickenFrozen Pineapple Chunks. These are amazing. They taste fresher than canned pineapple, and the consistency they give smoothies is amazing. There is also a lot more in the bag than I thought there would be. CostcoPineapple

Flat Out Wraps. [not from Costco] These might be my favorite of all! I use them for everything from quesadillas with chicken and beans, to wraps with hummus and chicken, even for healthy pizzas. SO GOOD. Not from Costco sadly, but I picked them up by the deli counter at WalMart.

Flat-Out-wrap

 

 

Anything new and amazing on your grocery list? Happy Friday!

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Summer Meal Planning

~ cassandra ~ Leave a comment

I mentioned yesterday I was in need of some new recipes, and I found some great ones on Pinterest. Usually when  I meal plan, I purchase ingredients for several meals, but don’t necessarily assign them a day of the week. For some reason I’m always changing my mind about what I want for dinner.  I usually just have a couple choices available for lunch, and breakfast is either a smoothie or eggs (not too exciting). Here’s what’s on my menu for the next week or so.

summer-mealplan

Dinners:

Slow cooker whole chicken via 100 Days of Real Food
BBQ Chicken Salad (though I will be using some WF or TJs BBQ sauce instead of making my own 😉
Homemade Burgers wrapped in Lettuce. Served with roasted potatoes and onions
Grilled tri-tip w/ quinoa salad
Homemade pizza w/ side salads
Steak and Mango Stir Fry

Lunches:

Salad in a jar (there are TONS of ideas on Pinterest)
Tuna Salad w/ veggies and crackers – for my tuna salad I just do tuna, mustard, and cottage cheese. Easy and high-protein = win.

 

Anything special on your summer menu? What are your go-to dinners?

 

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Top off your Yogurt!

~ cassandra ~ Leave a comment

Greek Yogurt cups are perfect for on-the-go protein, but sometimes I like to add a little something extra to make them more filling or an even sweeter (but still healthy) treat.

My recent favorite Chobani flavors are Coconut and Key Lime–Perfect for summer. Other favs: vanilla and blood orange. They also have their new “Simple” line that’s only 5 ingredients, I think. But if you’re really watching calories you can always use plain Greek and sweeten with Stevia or Protein Powder and your choice of toppings! If you are on the go- toss your toppings into a little baggie or container to dump on top. Easy as pie.

 

yogurt-toppings

These 2 combos were killer!

keylime-yogurt

Key-Lime Pie: Key Lime yogurt topped with a bit of granola and some dried coconut shavings

 

vanilla-berry

Vanilla-Berry Crunch: Vanilla Yogurt topped with raspberries and granola

* Granola can be a “faux-health food”, so be sure to look at ingredients and/or watch your portion size. I use Nature Valley Protein Granola with Chocolate. It’s not the healthiest but I only use 1-2 Tb, so not too big of a deal since a serving size is 1/2 cup (!) There are also many options in the bulk-bins at Sprouts/Whole Foods.

Similarly, yogurt cups can have a surprising amount of sugar/unnecessary ingredients. Always read the labels! Don’t just shop for what’s on sale (or what you “always” get).

 

Do you have any favorite yogurt combos?

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