Delicious 60 Calorie Chocolate Chip Cookies

Full disclosure…I am a total cookie monster! I have an undeniable weakness for cookies…chocolate chip, peanut butter, girl scout, snickerdoodle, it doesn’t matter I cannot pass up a cookie. That’s why I was so excited when I found this recipe on FitSugar for low fat, 60 calorie chocolate chip cookies, after all I love making healthier versions of my favorite foods. It uses greek yogurt in place of butter and oatmeal to give it some chew. I replaced the raisins with extra chocolate chips and used oat flour and all purpose flour in place of wheat flour and wheat bran. These cookies are so chewy and delicious and they totally satisfy my cookie craving… in fact, even my husbad loves them! Give them a try and let me know what you think!

Fudgy, Decadent Chocolate Chip Muffins…Guilt Free!

I talk about my love of chocolate pretty frequently on this blog…in fact, I know it’s been part at least a few of my Fit Fab Weekend posts. It’s delicious, has plenty of health benefits and is a great way to indulge a sweet tooth. This chocolate chip muffin recipe is one of my favorites  since it tastes totally indulgent yet is pretty guilt free!

I found the recipe while perusing Bethenny Frankel‘s website and it’s fabulous. It uses applesauce in place of butter, no eggs and oat flour making this a good choice to those who are sensitive to gluten. However, the important part is…these muffins taste great! My husband asks me to make them all the time and I’m more than happy to oblige since they only take a few minutes to whip up. I made them last Sunday as  a delicious breakfast treat but I also found myself grabbing one as a totally delightful dessert.

 

3 Things for a Fit Fab Weekend

Here are three things I think will make this a Fit Fab Weekend!

1. Give yourself a deep conditioning treatment: Since I’ve been coloring my hair for many years I always make sure I deep condition at least once a week. The weekend seems to be the best time to do this since I can more easily find the 20 minutes it takes to let the treatment work. Deep conditioning restores moisture and lustre to your hair making it healthy, soft and super shiny. If you want to splurge I recommend Kerastase Chromo Riche Masque which is amazing! But the Neutrogena Deep Recovery Mask is a great option as well!
2. Sport a leather jacket: Every woman needs a great leather jacket in her closet. It’s the perfect chic and sexy piece to wear this time of year when the weather is transitioning to spring so it’s too warm for winter coats. This jacket is such a wardrobe staple since you can wear it with everything from a flowy maxi skirt to boyfriend jeans. I love wearing mine over soft dresses for going out or with a chambray shirt for a casual brunch. They’re always great with a gray tee and black or soft gray jeans and chunky jewelry…so cool without even trying:)
3. Makeover your favorite meal: Oh this is one of my favorites! My husband is crazy for chicken fingers so I found this recipe in Cooking Light and it’s a delicious healthy recipe. A great way to enjoy your favorite food without any of the guilt! I think these make for a fun Sunday dinner with the family.

Happy Fit Fab Weekend!

3 Ways to have a Fit Fab Weekend

Happy Friday! Here are three things I think will make this a Fit Fab Weekend!

1. Try cuffing your jeans: Now that it’s getting just a little warmer here I’m kind of obsessed with this look. Celebs like Katie Holmes, Rachel Bilson and Rosie Huntington Whiteley rock their cuffed jeans on the weekend and I think it’s a great way to show off your favorite flats during the day and heels at night. Pair cuffed jeans with a menwear’s white button down and patent flats like the look on the left or with a blazer like the outfit  on the right (it’s from last month’s InStyle Magazine). Cuff boyfriend jeans for a more casual look or  try cuffing your skinnies for a night out.
2.  Make a healthy Super Bowl snack: SuperBowl Sunday is here this weekend which means a Boston-New York showdown, awesome commercials and nachos, wings, beer and lots of other football friendly snacks! However, if you want to lighten things up a bit try adding hummus and some veggies to your SuperBowl spread. Just mix in some carrot stick and this healthy “dip” to avoid overindulging on the other stuff;)
3. Add some plyometrics to your regular workout: Whether you’re running, sweating away on the elliptical or strength training try adding 3 sets of 10-15  jump squats and 3 sets of 15 flying lunges this weekend. Plyos add a fat burning bonus to any workout since they seriously raise your heart rate. Plus they’re great for toning your legs and (bonus!) your abs.

Happy Fit Fab Weekend!

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Healthy and Delicious Recipes to Jazz Up Your Morning Oatmeal

Oatmeal is one of my go to breakfasts. It’s a healthy choice with fiber and protein that keep me full all morning plus it’s pretty fast and easy to make. That being said…plain oats can get pretty boring which is why I love some of these recipes I found on Pinterest. These variations include fruit, peanut butter and jelly, spices and plenty of ways jazz up your oatmeal so your breakfast will make you feel good and look good but it will also taste amazing.

By the way, have I mentioned my undying love for Pinterest yet? It’s one of the coolest new sites where you can post, share and follow pictures of things that inspire you from fashion to photography, food , fitness, pets, home inspiration and DIY projects. It’s kind of  like a vision board and it’s a great way to explore and share things that inspire you..plus I find it’s also a great motivation tool. Try it…love it…share the obession:) You can check out my Pinterest boards here….http://pinterest.com/fitfabcities/

And definalty give the recipes pictured above from some favorite food bloggers a try if you want to jazz up your morning oatmeal!

Homemade Oatmeal 9 Ways from ABeautifulMess.typepad.com.

This is the large photo with 9 bowls above and is my favorite because it shows several simple things you can add to make your oatmeal super delicious.

Click here to get her amazing recipes that include pumpkin spice, coffee cake and peanut butter and jelly. Plus she has some amazing pictures on her site.

Apple Pie Oatmeal from OhSheGlows.com.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup regular oats
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger + pinch of kosher salt
• 1 + 1/4 cups Almond Milk
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1-1.5 tablespoon pure maple syrup + more for drizzling
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice (optional)
• 2 tbsp chopped walnuts, for sprinkling on top

Click here to go to OhSheGlows.com for the rest of the recipe.

Baked Apple Spice Oatmeal from TheCurvyCarrot.com

Ingredients

• 4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 2 cups peeled and chopped apples (variety of your choice), plus slices for garnish
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 cup dried cranberries, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Click here to go to TheCuryCarrot.com for the rest of the recipe.

Happy Oats!

-Cait