Yogurt Celebration

 

Celebration Yogurt

So unfortunately I did not go to dance last night, my dance instructor had a family emergencyL. However, he gave me plenty of things to work on before I get back into the studio on Wednesday so I am officially back in dance training beast mode! J. I know this is going to be a slow and frustrating process, but it will be worth it in the end! So instead of dance, Eddie (my husband) and I headed out for celebratory fro-yo. Look at how neat his looks

And mine is kind of droopy looking!

(Or as he put it the unhealthy version (his) and the healthy one (mine). What I love about the frozen yogurt shop we go to is that they have fro-yo for everyone. Regular gelato, gluten free variety, dairy free flavors and they always have two sugar free (well no sugar added) flavors that they constantly rotate. What is great about their no sugar added flavors is that they do not add chemicals to compensate for the no sugar, it is all natural. That is great for someone like me who cannot have a lot of sugar but who tries to avoid the fake stuff as well (if I add sweetener to anything it is 100% stevia, maple syrup or honey).

So today I am definitely in a chill mood. I love the knowledge that I am free to do any exercise I want (although I am quite nervous let me tell you!), and knowing that I have a great lunch also makes my day (recipe below). Also, I get to enjoy my lunch with Teecino which you know I love! Today I have the tea bag version in Hazelnut flavor.

Love the cup? That was a Christmas gift from a co-worker. She always gets gifts to fit our personalities and this year she didn’t disappoint! I am a fashionista at heart! Okay back to the Teecino. So I think the teabag is definitely more convenient (especially when you are enjoying it away from home) but I think the ground version is just a hint stronger and so you get to enjoy the flavor more. Just an opinion!

 

Lunch

So one day last year. I looked in my fridge and noticed that we had Greek Yogurt that needed to be eaten that week (I am a stickler for using it within the week that you opened it, I read and follow labels like crazy!!). So somehow the brilliant idea was hatched of mixing fruit and peanut butter in my Greek Yogurt and see what happened. Now the trick to this is making sure the strawberries you use are frozen strawberries so that as it dethaws in the fridge, the juice mixes in with the Greek Yogurt making it less tangy and more delicious!! Well the day I made this, I brought it to work (not knowing if it was going to be amazing or a disaster) and then I got a call at work asking if I wanted to go to lunch. I never pass up a lunch date with my friends and/or family, so I decided to go. Before I did, I tasted my concoction…..and well I almost wanted to cancel my lunch date it was that good (I didn’t but it was tempting!!) Instead I ate it for dinner and put it on a frozen Whole Grain Waffle and yep still good that night (yes not very dinner like but it was that good l didn’t care!! And besides it almost became a breakfast for dinner meal and who can pass up breakfast foods?)

So anyways lately I have been on a salad or quinoa kick…like to the point where I am surprised I didn’t turn into a salad or quinoa bowl! I seem to get on kicks with food and continue to eat the same thing to the point where I get tired of it and that is no fun! I don’t want to get to that point with quiona bowls or salads because they are good food! I needed a change this week so I vowed no salad and no quinoa if it was the last thing I did and let me tell you it has been a success! I almost reverted back today because I couldn’t think of what to bring. Then I remembered this recipe I made from last year and knew I had everything to make it so I hopped to it!!

PB Fruit Yogurt

½ cup of Plain Greek Yogurt

½ a banana

¼ cup of frozen Strawberries

1-2 tablespoons of natural Peanut Butter (only ingredient is Peanut Butter)*

Sweetener (optional)

1-2 Whole Grain (or gf) Waffle, toasted (Optional)

1. Put the Yogurt, banana, strawberries and Peanut butter in a container do NOT and put in the fridge for a few hours or overnight (if you want it for breakfast which would be good!)

2. When ready to eat, take it out of the fridge and mix the peanut butter and yogurt together. Smash the strawberries and mix them as well to really get the juices and strawberries to mix in with the PB yogurt.

3. Add sweetener if desired. Greek Yogurt tends to be tangy so I do add 1 packet of 100% stevia to my mix. However, the strawberries and bananas might be just enough for you!

4. If you really want to have fun, you can toast one or two waffles and top the waffles with the  yogurt mixture. I will warn you though, this is a messy meal!!

*If you are allergic to Peanut Butter or do not like Peanut butter, you can try and substitute it for another type of butter (like sun or almond butter) as long as it is all natural. I am normally an almond butter girl myself, but I did eat this recipe with Peanut Butter and loved it! Let me know if you try it with another type of butter!!

Here is my before mixture

And after I stirred it.

It may not look so appetizing but it really is!! I have eaten it with waffles and without and it is really a matter of preference because they are both good. If you want to get the banana split approach to this yogurt, feel free to add almonds and dark chocolate chips/cocoa powder. I haven’t done this before so I cannot vouch for it, but it sounds yummy!!

Tell me….have you ever made an experimental meal and have it come out fantastic?