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5 Healthy Recipes Sure to Keep Those Extra Pounds at Bay

Looking for that perfect bod to accompany that perfect groom, perfect gown, and perfect party? Skip the starving bride diet and feed yourself with these delicious and highly nutritious recipes from the experts.

1. Homemade Acai Bowl

Acai is a natural antioxidant and low in carbs – this is a great way to start your day! Recipe from Health Coach from Fitting Into You: Health & Style Tips and blogger Ciara Burton. http://cssecretbliss.tumblr.com

Ingredients for blender:

  • 6-8 frozen strawberries
  • 1 cup frozen blueberries
  • ½ large banana
  • 1 ½ cups unsweetened vanilla soy milk
  • 1 Sambazon Pure Acai Packet

Additional ingredients:

  • A few fresh strawberries
  • The other ½ of the banana used in blender
  • Granola (try a low-fat, low-sugar granola to really keep calories down)
  • Honey (optional)

In a blender (preferably a VitaMix – the “Cadillac” of blenders), blend the frozen strawberries, blueberries, ½ banana, soy milk, and Acai packet. In a bowl, spread a thin layer of granola and add blended ingredients, then add a final layer of granola to the top. Cut up the other ½ banana and fresh strawberries. Add to the top and drizzle honey if desired. Enjoy!

2. DIY Trail Mix

DIY to cut out the excess sodium and sugar most store-bought trail mixes contain. Recipe from Lauren Evarts, The Skinny Confidential www.theskinnyconfidential.com

Ingredients:

  • “Just Raspberries”
  • Unsalted roasted almonds
  • Unsalted pistachio nuts
  • Unsweetened banana chips
  • Macadamia nuts

Mix together and distribute into small containers that are easy to grab on the go!

3. Greek Yogurt with Fruit

Greek yogurt packs double the protein and half the sugar as regular yogurt.

Ingredients:

  • Vanilla Greek yogurt
  • Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, pineapple, watermelon – pretty much any seasonal fruit you desire!

Scoop a serving of yogurt into a bowl and top with your favorite fresh seasonal fruit.

4. Whole Wheat Veggie Low Calorie Pizza

Recipe from Lauren Evarts, The Skinny Confidential www.theskinnyconfidential.com

Ingredients:

  • Whole-wheat, pre-packed pizza dough (always option to use gluten-free)
  • 5 tablespoons of fresh, organic pasta sauce
  • A handful of lite mozzarella cheese
  • 1 sliced organic tomato
  • 8 pieces of cut up broccoli
  • About 10 black sliced olives
  • ½ a red pepper (diced)
  • ½ a green pepper (diced)
  • Handful of spinach
  • 1/3 of a red onion
  • 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • A sprinkle of sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon of pepper
  • A sprinkle of basil or fresh basil
  • A sprinkle of chili flakes
  • Juice from ½ of a lemon
  • 1 sliced jalapeño (option to add spice)
  • 1 tablespoon oat or almond flour

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll out pizza dough on to a cutting board. Let pizza dough sit for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, marinate sliced tomatoes in extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Then take the tablespoon of oat/almond flour and rub it on pizza dough. Use a rolling pin to roll out dough in to a giant, thin circle. Bake in oven for five minutes on cooking sheet. Take out of the oven and spread with sauce. Top with cheese and veggies. Cook for fifteen to twenty minutes. Squeeze lemon on top, add chili flakes for spice.

5. Warm Kale Salad

Kale is low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and a great source of fiber, iron, calcium, potassium, copper, folate, protein, and vitamins A, K, C, B6. Recipe from Jessica Mulvey http://yogababes.me/index.html

Ingredients:

  • Veggies for roasting. Suggested but not limited to: carrots, sweet potatoes, red onion, brussel sprouts, beets
  • Garlic (minced)
  • Olive oil (enough to lightly coat veggies)
  • Real sea salt
  • Ground pepper
  • Hot pepper flakes
  • 1 cup quinoa (cook in water or chicken broth for more flavor)
  • Stemmed and chopped kale
  • Black or white beans (rinsed and drained)
  • Avocado (diced)

For the dressing:

  • 2 lemons
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup white wine vinegar
  • pinch of sea salt
  • pinch of pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut up the veggies you wish to roast. Add freshly minced garlic, olive oil, real sea salt, pepper, and hot pepper flakes. Roast veggies for 20-25 minutes.

While veggies are roasting, cook 1 cup quinoa in either water or chicken broth. Chop and stem kale.

Prepare the dressing: Juice from two lemons, 1/3 cup olive oil, honey, dijon mustard, white wine, pinch of real sea salt, pinch of pepper.

Toss kale, beans, avocado, cooked quinoa, and freshly roasted veggies in the dressing. Serve warm & enjoy!

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