Fit and FABULOUS Crepes!

Crepes are one of my FAVORITE morning foods in the universe, so I decided to come up with a healthy way of making them!
By using egg WHITES instead of the whole egg, skim milk rather than whole milk NO added sugar,  and NO added salt these are a bit better for you than your typical crepe :)
They're really easy and are a great substitute for your typical sugary morning cereal.

What you need:

• 2 Eggs 
• 1 tablespoon of butter (NOT margarine)
• 1/2 cup of skim milk
• 1 cup of flour (you can use whole wheat flour to make it a bit healthier)
• Nutella!!
• Strawberries (or your favorite fruit) 

What to do:

• Whisk everything together until you get a semi-watery consistency (1/2 as thick as pancake mix would be.)
• Preheat a pan and LIGHTLY spray with olive oil
• *This is IMPORTANT* Pour your mix onto the MIDDLE of the pan, and before it has time to thicken by the heat, spread it around by turning your pan in a circular motion. This spreads your mix into a thin crepe circle!
• Flip when lightly brown

Then spread some Nutella down the middle, cover with fresh cut strawberries and EAT!!
If you make too many, you can even put them in the fridge and save for the next few days :) All you have to do is Re-Heat them!
This is what our "Brunch" ended up looking like today:

I added my Quick 3 Minute Italian Salad to get some extra veggies in there and some delicious pineapple mango juice to go along with it.
Fabulous, easy AND healthy!
Xox Brittany,
The Fitspirational Blonde

Baked (7 minute) Garlic Parmesan Asparagus!!

Vegetables used to be the Villain in my Fairy tale food life.

I used to HATE vegetables. If the word vegetable crossed my lips, it was immediately followed by the words "NO WAY!"

As I've grown up, I've slowly developed the taste for vegetables and have found different ways to prepare them so that I LOVE them!

This is one of my favorite recipes that I absolutely adore. 

If you hate vegetables, THIS is the recipe that I recommend you taste. It will change your mind for sure




What you need:

• Fresh Asparagus (I bought mine Organic- at Trader Joes for 2.99)
• Parmesan Cheese (it tastes best if it is freshly grated) 
• Fresh Chopped garlic cloves
• Olive Oil
• A garlic chopper (makes it easier to chop the garlic!)
• One big freezer bag

What to do:

1. Chop up the garlic into little minced pieces. 
2. Shred your Parmesan cheese
3. Wash and cut the bottom ends off of your asparagus (about 1 inch)
4. Put the above into your freezer bag and add about 1 table spoon of Olive oil.
5. Use your hands to spread around the garlic and Parmesan so that it gets on every asparagus piece (make sure to zip the bag closed really tightly or you'll have asparagus on your floor.)
6. After it's evenly spread throughout the bag, put the whole bag in your fridge for about an hour. (This is not necessary, but helps the delicious flavors soak into the asparagus.) 
7. Pre-heat your oven to 325
8. Place the Garlic Parmesan Asparagus on some tin foil and spread it out evenly so none of them overlap.
9. Take out in 7 minutes and EAT!

It is easy, takes 7 minutes, absolutely delicious and REALLY healthy for you! The best part is, you can make a LOT of it at once, and keep the left overs in the freezer bag and use it throughout the week. 

It's a fabulous go-to snack when you're hungry and not sure what to munch on. Definitely beats Ramen noodles :)

To make this vegan, just leave out the cheese!

Finished ^

Xox Brittany,

The Fitspirational Blonde

Healthy foods that KEEP YOU FULL:

When you're working out (I'm doing the 30 Day Shred & Zumba), it is important that you increase the foods that you eat to fulfill your new energy requirements! The more you workout, the more food you need to intake to support yourself.

I'm not talking about chips and hot pockets. Increasing UNhealthy foods will not only NOT help you, it will hurt you and cause you to have LESS energy!

Make sure you are packing in the amount of protein you intake. The foods that you eat should be foods that won't just go right through you, but will keep your tummy satisfied.

Healthy foods that KEEP YOU FULL:

Eggs- For just 70 calories, an egg delivers more than 6 grams of protein. That keeps you full, not to mention energized as well!

Avocados- *yay!!* They’re loaded with folate, potassium and vitamin E, and early research suggests that foods containing these nutrients may be more satiating than others.

Greek yogurt- Seventeen grams of protein in a 6-ounce container (that’s more than you get in four slices of turkey!) means major hunger control.

Oatmeal- All that filling fiber (4 grams per half-cup serving) helps breakfast stick to your ribs. It also provides a surprising 4 to 7 grams of protein! For extra staying power, toss in blueberries, which have 4 grams of fiber per cup.

Apples- Only 80 calories, but one can be as filling as a meal because of the 4 grams of fiber and high water content

Nuts- They have the perfect combination of fiber, protein and fat

I LOVE TO EAT!

Click to see my health vegetarian Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner ideas that I eat everyday!

Xox Brittany,

The Fitspirational Blonde

Easy- Pesto Sauce!

Pesto has become one of my absolute FAVORITE sauces on earth.

After tasting Pesto FRESH from an Italian restaurant, I couldn't believe how gross the grocery store pesto tasted that I had been buying for all these years. Now that I compared it to fresh home-made pesto I am spoiled!

I found out pesto can be made with many different types of herbs, but after doing a bit of research I discovered that Parsley is healthier than the traditional basil.

So after my trip to Trader Joes (aka my second home) I picked up all the necessary ingredients, and didn't spend that much at all!

It was so incredibly easy to make, and I even had enough left over for a few days after :) Over all, it is DEFINITELY cheaper to make it yourself with fresh ingredients at home then buying it pre-packaged and processed at the store.






What you need:

• 1 1/2 cup Parsley (or whichever herb you'd like to use)
• 1.4 oz Pine Nuts (you can also substitute walnuts)
• 1 Table spoon of Almonds
• 14/cup of Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves of freshly chopped garlic
• A pinch pf Black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon of Olive oil

What to do:

• Blend it.

Literally that is it, it doesn't get easier than that!



This is what it should look like after you're done blending it all together. 

If your consistency comes out too thick, add water! If it comes out too watery, add more nuts!



**Note** It was a bit hard to get my blender to blend all the ingredients together (this is my boyfriend Bryan squishing everything with a masher in there.) 

We have started to LOVE cooking together as a couple!

Be patient! Don't stick your hands in there. Add a bit of water if you're having trouble blending it, and mash it around with a spoon :)







^Finished Pesto Spaghetti!^

My best friend Allie came over and we all 3 had pesto pasta for dinner and it ended up turning out SO delicious!

I definitely recommend impressing your friends and family with some home made pesto of your own :)

Have a fabulous and healthy day <3


Xox Brittany,

The Fitspirational Blonde

5 minute (at home) Parfait!

Parfaits are a fabulous way to get some fruit and protein in after a workout!

They’re also good if you’re trying to impress guests, since they look so classy in these high stem glasses.

I used Greek Yogurt which is PACKED with protein and nutrition that your body needs after an intense workout at the gym.

These two parfaits took me less than 5 minutes to make!



What You Need:

• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Greek Yogurt (any kind, I used honey and pomegranate) 
• Granola
• A classy glass of your choice

These were my very own creative parfait creations that I made at home this morning, but you can layer them however you want!

Great for breakfast :)

This is also a FAST FOOD. No one said that fast food has to be unhealthy!


Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde

Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Good morning everyone!

As you know I always push having a big healthy breakfast. This handout has some wonderful examples and ideas on what you can eat!

If you usually have a hard time trying to decide what to eat in the mornings, make your own list and PUT IT ON THE FRIDGE! 

I'm serious about this, it will keep you from grabbing the high sugar Trix cereal just because it's easy and you forgot you have fresh eggs and veggies to make an omelette in the fridge.

Have a fabulous rest of the day <3

Xox Brittany
The Fitspirational Blonde

Cut your beverage calories-- drinks on the go!

Great way to avoid drinking sodas while you’re out running errands  at college or working- Bring healthy drinks with you!
Home made lemonade is a fabulously refreshing alternative to soda. If you make it yourself, then you know exactly what’s in it and can also avoid a LOT of unnecessary ingredients that would go into store bought drinks!

Health benefits of Lemons: A large lemon contains about 45 mg of Vitamin C, about 75% of the daily requirement! We need Vitamin C to fend off colds and heal cuts and wounds. They are a natural aid for digestion and weight loss, and are a natural internal body cleanser. They have powerful antioxidant and anti-cancer healing properties.

This is how I make my lemonade :)

*Note- NO SUGAR ADDED!*
1 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice (about 6 lemons)
1 cup hot water
7 cups cold water
1 cup raw honey

Stir honey into the hot water over low heat until fully blended.

Let cool and add lemon juice and cold water into a 2-quart pitcher. Stir or shake vigorously.

Slice two of the remaining lemon rind halves into fourths for a total of eight pieces, then add the rinds to the pitcher. Add ice to the top of the pitcher and chill.

Try it out!

And why not put them in cute little to-go packages like this to make them THAT much more fun to drink! I bet you ANYTHING this will be 10X’s funner to drink than a coke, and everyone around you will want a taste :)

Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde

Shelf Life of Fruits and Vegetables

You’re now stocked on veggies and fruits but…

In addition to storing your fruits and veggies properly, it’s good to know approximately how long the fresh stuff will last. Plan your trip to the grocery or farmer’s market accordingly so that your foods are at the peak of freshness when you plan to prepare them, and you’re not throwing away food that’s gone bad before you get a chance to use it!

1-2 days:

• Artichokes
• Asparagus
• Bananas
• Basil
• Broccoli
• Cherries
• Corn
• Dill
• Green beans
• Mushrooms
• Strawberries

2-4 days:

• Arugula
• Avocados 
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Grapes
• Lettuce
• Limes
• Pineapple
• Zucchini

4-6 days:

• Apricots
• Blueberries
• Brussels sprouts
• Cauliflower
• Grapefruit
• Leeks
• Lemons
• Oranges
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Peaches
• Pears
• Peppers
• Plums
• Spinach
• Tomatoes
• Watermelon

7+days:

• Apples
• Beets
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Celery
• Garlic
• Hard Squash
• Onions
• Potatoes

PRINT THIS OUT AND KEEP IT IN YOUR KITCHEN!!!


Xox Brittany
The Fitspirational Blonde

A+ Grocery List

Hi Guys!

This is my very basic grocery list.

This list is infinitely ever-changing, and I add and take away foods depending on the meals that I plan on creating that particular week.

On average, I spend about $100-200/ week on groceries (keep in mind I am feeding a family of 3.) 

The reason that I am sharing my personal list is to HELP YOU CREATE YOUR OWN. 

Get inspired, take action and take the future of your health into your own hands.

Stores I shop at:

• Trader Joes
• Whole Foods
• Sprouts
• Local farmers market
• Walmart (if they’re having a special on fruits/veggies.)

Grocery List

Veggies

• AVOCADO (Yes, I have a passionate affair with a vegetable)
• Asparagus
• Red Bell Peppers
• Artichoke
• Carrots
• Cucumber
• Spinach
• Celery
• Cherry Tomatoes (technically a fruit, but I consider it a vegetable because of the taste)
• Dark Leafy Lettuce
• Onions
• Green Beans
• Potatoes
• Spaghetti Squash (on special occasions)

Fruits

• Mangoes
• Pineapple
• Apples (Green, red)
• Bananas
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Oranges
• Cuties(If they’re in season, they make a great “on the go” snack)
• Pomegranate

Nuts

• Almonds
• Brazilian Nuts (fabulous “purse snack” instead of chips)
• Pecans
• Pine nuts (forfresh pesto)

Beverages

• Milk (2%)
• Soy
• Orange Juice (natural, no preservatives)
• Cranberry Juice (NOT from concentrate)

Condiments

• Olive Oil
• Cayenne Pepper
• Cinnamon
• Garlic Powder
• Peanut Butter

Other

• Greek Yogurt
• Penne Pasta
• Oatnut Bread
• Pita
• Hummus

I find it REALLY helpful to lay out the foods that I get on a weekly/monthly basis. Keep in mind this is MY personal list of groceries. Yours will differ. 

As a long time health blogger, I highly recommend to you to take the time to sit down and make your own one of these. It will really help to get organized and realize the healthy foods that you need to replenish on a weekly or monthly basis.

Don’t be scared to re-evaluate your list frequently!

Get creative, get healthy.

Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde

The BEST vegetarian healthy panini you'll EVER eat!

I finally purchased my very own PINK panini maker, and I have been COMPLETELY obsessed with it since the moment it arrived at my house!

I've made a plethora of delicious panini's already, but this is BY FAR the healthiest most delicious panini I have ever made/tasted in all of my 24 years of life!

SO, I present to you "THE OFFICIAL FITSPIRATIONAL BLONDE PANINI"!

It's easy, vegetarian, healthy, and it guaranteed to impress ANYONE you make it for.

What you need:

• Avocado
• Fresh Spinach
• Red Bell Pepper
• Pesto
• Cayenne Pepper
• Black Pepper
• Olive Oil
• Your favorite Panini bread (I used Sour dough)
• Pepper Jack and Parmesan Cheese

My fabulous PINK Panini Maker!!!

Her name is Polly, she is pretty hot. (Yes, I name everything)

What you need to do:

Preheat your oven to 325

Place 2 pieces of sourdough on some tinfoil and spread each evenly with pesto. Put your cheese on top of the pesto and put in the oven for 5 minutes. This melts the cheese and lets the pesto be absorbed into it, while making the edges of your bread perfectly crispy.

While you're waiting for that to bake, slice your red bell pepper into relatively thin pieces. Marinate the bell pepper in a cup by mixing olive oil, cayenne pepper and a pinch of black pepper. Make sure the red bell pepper is evenly marinated with the mix of spices.

Take the bread out of the oven, and replace it with the red bell pepper on the tin foil. Let the bell pepper get crispy in the oven for another 5 minutes.

Start to layer your veggies!

1. Spinach
2. Avocado
3. Marinated Red Bell Peppers
4. For a little extra flavor, grate some fresh parmesan to top it off!

Pop it in your Panini maker until it gets perfectly crispy on both sides

There you have it, a PERFECT healthy and delicious panini.

Try it out, tell me what you think!!

Xox Brittany 

The Fitspirational Blonde

Difference between BUTTER and MARGARINE (Oh my gosh EW!!)

My mom emailed me this, this morning (since she knows I LOVE learning anything/everything about nutrition) and IT WAS SO SCARY AND DISGUSTING I WILL NEVER EAT MARGARIN AGAIN!

My mom saved the day, and yours too!

After you read this, you too will never eat margarin again. I guarantee you!

Read on to the end...gets very interesting!

BUTTER:

• Butter is created from cream which rises to the top of milk if it sits for a period of time. Through the process of churning the cream, a chemical reaction takes place which makes the cream begin to solidify.
• Butter is an excellent source of vitamins A, D, E, and K. None of these fat-soluble vitamins are found in margarine.
• The best quality butter is made from certified raw cream. Certified raw butter is made up of healthy fatty acids.
• Toxic metals or trans-fat is not found in butter.
• It is a dairy product, but is actually easy to digest to even the most dairy sensitive people. Butter doesn’t contain milk sugar or milk protein which are the main allergens found in dairy products.
• Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.
• Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few and only because they are added! 

And now, for MARGARINE:

• Very High in Trans fatty acids.
• Triples risk of coronary heart disease
• Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol) 
• Increases the risk of cancers up to five times
• Lowers quality of breast milk 
• Decreases immune response.
• Decreases insulin response. 

And here's the most disturbing fact... HERE IS THE PART THAT IS VERY INTERESTING! 

Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC... and shares 27 ingredients with PAINT.

BUT WAIT IT GETS WORSE:

Open a tub of margarine and leave it open in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will notice a couple of things:

1. No flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something)
2. It does not rot or smell differently because it has no nutritional value ; nothing will grow on it. Even those teeny weeny microorganisms will not a find a home to grow.

Why? Because it is nearly plastic . Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?

I hope this got you thinking about the food you put in your body. Just because you buy something at the store DOESN'T mean that it  has any nutritional value whatsoever! 

The people who create these foods could care less about your health. 

But I do. So I hope you read this and will pass it on so the people who follow YOU will choose butter over Margarine too.

Have a healthy and Fabulous day <3

Xox Brittany 

The Fitspirational Blonde

Fruity Ice Cubes!

THIS IS SUCH A FABULOUSLY CREATIVE IDEA!

I'll definitely be trying this out on Sunday when I stock up my kitchen with fruit for the week! 

What a great way to naturally flavor up all the water that you're drinking everyday.

I make fruit smoothies every morning and use 5-6 pieces of ice in each one and this would give it some extra fruity twists when I drink them :)

Xox Brittany

Bring your food with you to college!

If you’re a studying/working girl like me with an outrageously busy schedule, finding time to eat is SO rough.

You know you've been here- we all have:

Sometimes you go hours and hours without eating, skipping meals left and right until you get to the point where you’re feeling faint from not eating and then result to the worst thing possible.. FAST FOOD…. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Well guess what? 

Fruit is the fastest food you can possibly eat, and you don’t even have to drive through anywhere to get it! 

Planning and packing a lunch/ snacks to keep with you throughout the day is a GREAT idea for everyone and anyone.

These fabulous glad ware separators are perfect for putting together a wonderful healthy lunch the night before your day of hectic activities.

Don’t let hunger be another thing making you stressed.

Eating frequently not only makes your metabolism faster, it also keeps your energy level high as well as your ability to give focus to the activities that you are doing (such as college classes.)

So grab some glad ware and get packing tonight!

Xox Brittany

Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde

My Fitspirational Thursday Lunch!

Today’s fabulously healthy lunch I made!

Freshly sliced Avocado over melted Cheddar cheese on toasted Oat-nut bread!

With a side of DELICIOUS baked garlic asparagus that I made all by myself!

(I’ll post a recipe soon)

And of course a fresh glass of Orange Juice and a cup of water to take my 7 daily vitamins with.

I threw this together in less than 15 minutes and it was FULL of nutrients that my body will use for the rest of the day.

Treat your body right and it will treat you right!

Have a healthy day everyone :)

Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde

3 minute (at home) Italian Salad!

You are ALWAYS telling me you want quick and healthy meals to eat so I’ve decided to start a strain of posts JUST dedicated to QUICK, EASY, and HEALTHY meals all under 10 minutes!

To kick off these posts, here is a delicious home made Italian salad that I literally threw together in 3 minutes.

You can use what ever veggies you have in your fridge, but I decided to go with the basics:

• Cherry tomatoes
• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Dark leafy greens
• And non-Fat Italian Dressing

Wash them, slice them, toss them and POOF you’re done!

There is no need to make things complicated when you’re short on time. Get creative, but if you can’t just come to me and I’ll be all the creativity for both of us :)

Enjoy, and remember Fast food does NOT have to come from McDonalds! 

3 minutes is about as fast as it gets and this is PACKED with nutrients!

Xox Brittany

The Fitspirational Blonde

10 minute (at home) quick and easy- Crispy Parmesan Green Bean Fries!

Hi Guys!!

it’s time to leave your idea of “Fast food” behind in 2012, and EMBRACE A FITSPIRATIONAL 2013!!

French fries contain loads of FAT, GREASE  SALT, and WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE that is SO not good for your body.

So, in my efforts to expand my knowledge in the kitchen and try a new vegetable I MADE THESE!

They are SO delicious and a FABULOUS way to eat green beans if:

A.) you’ve never had green beans before

B.) never liked green beans before

C.) or love green beans and just want a new quick and creative/healthy way to eat them.

TRY IT OUT!

Trust me, If I can make these without burning my kitchen down SO CAN YOU!

What you need:

• Fresh (or frozen) Green beans
• Freshly grated Parmasan Cheese
• Garlic powder
• A hint of olive oil

I purchased my fresh green beans from Sprouts!

(they were REALLY inexpensive) I think I paid like $.89 cents for ALL of these… so everyone who keeps telling me that eating healthy is more expensive can SUCK IT!

Wash them up good!

If you didn't get organic green beans then you want to wash them like you’re washing a new born baby! Do your best to get all the pesticides off, I know you can’t see them but THEY’RE there!

LIGHTLY brush a bit of Olive Oil on your aluminum foil

This makes sure the green beans don’t infuse to the foil and then you’re forced to eat green bean foil fries… I don’t know about you but I prefer my snacks foil free :)

Spread your nice and clean little green beans all over the foil.

Make sure you don’t just throw them in a heaping pile. This helps them to get evenly crispy!

Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese all over the tops of the green beans. Follow by dusting them with a hint of garlic powder for some extra flavor.

BAKE them in the oven for 9-12 minutes on 425 and POOF you’re done!

I made these for a few of my friends when they came over and THEY INHALED them like free chocolate!

NOW TRY IT OUT. 
Don’t just read this and think.. “Hmm I should do this one day.” If you’re picky like me this will give you a fabulous new item to add to your little menu
 :)

Have a fabulously healthy day!

Xox Brittany <3