Baked Spaghetti Squash success

Hello, long time no post! My apologies, but it was an intense semester that I'm proud to say I completed with great grades. I'm so happy that summer is here and things are a little more relaxed for me. A while back I posted about how I had purchased what I thought was a spaghetti squash, but it was actually a pumpkin squash. #Fail. Well, I decided to try again and found what I've been looking for. Last week, I purchased two spaghetti squash from the grocery store.

 For the first squash, I used this baking method that I saw on Buzzfeed. I decided to make this squash into a healthier version of spaghetti and tomato sauce.

First squash / healthier preparation:

In a pot, I sautéed mushrooms, onions, and broccoli before adding tomato sauce.

The next day, I added salmon and spinach to the squash for a new taste, and it was great!

Second squash / less healthy preparation: 

For the second squash, I cut the squash into halves and poured olive oil on each half before baking it in the oven. I found that I had to use more oil in this method to get the squash softer. I also added black pepper and red pepper before baking.

After about 15 minutes, I added on spaghetti sauce that I had preheated in a pot. Then, after about 10 minutes, I added on cheese and let it melt on top.

The results were beautiful and so tasty! Each of these halves makes 2-3 servings which is great for people looking for a meal that will last throughout the week.

Both versions were so tasty, and tasted unbelievably like actual spaghetti noodles! I definitely suggest making spaghetti squash to be a spaghetti substitute when you have time to let them bake. These squash can be kind of pricey, so I suggest buying them when they're on sale or from a farmer's market. One squash is definitely enough for a few servings.

Have you ever made spaghetti squash before, and how was it?

See other healthy meals here

Cheap healthy snacks {kale chips & banana smoothie}

Confession: chocolate chip cookies are my weakness. The kind you place & bake. It's my favorite snack and my favorite thing to pair with frozen yogurt. But I've really been trying to cut back on how often I eat them so that I can accomplish my health goals. So I browsed Pinterest for some tasty looking healthy snack ideas, and the two that sounded great to me were kale chips and a banana smoothie.

I followed these steps for baking, but changed my ingredients some. In a large mixing bowl I covered the kale chips with the olive oil then sprinkled on the following:

black pepper

lemon juice

sea salt

About halfway through baking, I drizzled on some balsamic vinaigrette.

And the final product...

So delicious!! Crispy, flavorful, and addictive. I can't wait to make these again very soon.

Whenever I go to Smoothie King, I order the "Banana Boat" smoothie. Full of bananas, protein, and ice cream. But I wanted to make a healthier version of this smoothie that still tasted great. For a late night snack I put two bananas, a few ice cubes, and 1/4 cup of milk in my NutriBullet.

Yum, and the end result!

I'm so happy that I've figured out how to make these healthy foods into tasty late night snacks because that's when I always want something to nibble on. These are perfect and easy snacks for those of you in college or busy people in general. Quick and filling!

What healthy snacks do you love?

February fitness challenge {daily yoga poses}

I pinned this awesome yoga poses chart via Yoga Journal a few months ago, but I have yet to put it to use. One of my goals for this year is to attend more yoga classes and practice more often. In January I went to the two hot yoga classes I signed up for - 8 more to accomplish the goal I set. This poster has 26 fantastic yoga poses that are pretty simple so I've decided in addition to my regular exercise, I will start every morning in the month of February with one of these yoga poses. Once I get to the end of the list, I'll repeat them until the month ends.

Morning meditation is something I've been trying to incorporate back into my schedule and I think this is a great strategy.

If you decide to join in this challenge let me know!

See other fitness challenges here

My new favorite fruit smoothie {clean eating}

I wanted to share my new favorite fruit blend! I've done something similar using strawberries, spinach, and bananas. But this was my first time switching out spinach for kale, and I LOVED the results! I'm hoping to make fruit blends for breakfast at least twice a week. Normally, I have coffee, a bottle of water, and some piece of fruit.

I used one banana, a handful of kale, and a handful of strawberries. I rinsed the strawberries and kale before using them.

I included a few ice cubes for moisture and to make the drink cold.

The final result is a forest green color with some specks of red from the strawberries. It's the perfect blend of flavors and sweetness. I could drink this blend every single day. It also didn't leave my teeth stained like some fruit mixes (with blueberries, spinach, blackberries, etc.) often do. This also kept me full until lunchtime.

And I've also used the kale in other ways this week. 

I sautéed the kale in a little olive oil with onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, black pepper, and curry powder. 

I aso blended arugula and kale for this yummy salad. The salad was dressed in vinaigrette dressing and included cheddar cheese, tomatoes, strawberries, mushrooms, and a veggie burger!

See other clean eating ideas, inspiration, and posts here

What's your favorite fruit/veggie smoothie? I'm always looking for new recipes to try!

Cleansing the body

One of my friends is currently finishing up a ten day cleanse and she has loved it! Body cleanses are great for you, when they're not done too often, and they're also a fun little challenge. It's also a great way to lose weight right before going back to school/work. Oh yeah!

I've picked some of my favorite body 

cleanses from "Just Cleansing"

Master Cleanse:

Maple Syrup, Lemon Juice, Cayenne Pepper, Purified Water (10-14 days)

7 Day Liver Detox:

Eat: Unrefined Complex Carbohydrates, Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts and Seeds

Don't eat: Any meat, fish, and dairy products, Fried foods, Soft drinks, Alcohol, Coffee and tea, Sugar or sugar substitutes, Margarine, Vinegar, Pickles, White flour products, White rice

Juice Cleanses:

Kidney Cleanser: 3 celery stalks, 2 tomatoes, 1 lemon peeled, 2 carrots, Water

Skin Cleanser:

 1 Cucumber with the skin, 1/2 bunch of Fresh Parsley, 1 4-oz. tub Alfalfa Sprouts, 4 Sprigs of Fresh Mint, Water

Blood Builder (Iron-Enriched): 2 bunches of Grapes, 6 Oranges, 8 Lemons peeled, 1/4 cup Honey, Water