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#DeliciousBowl by Chobani
Let’s just get right into it: I’m very excited to bring you today’s recipe!
I am participating in #DeliciousBowl by Chobani, with an original Super Bowl snack incorporating Chobani Greek yogurt. (You can search #DeliciousBowl on Instagram and Tumblr to find other participating bloggers!) Whipping things up in the kitchen is way too fun. (Remember my football snackies?) I won’t be hosting any Super Bowl get-togethers this year…but if I did, this Creamy Butternut Squash Dip would be there with some pita chips!
The hardest part of this recipe-creation was deciding between sweet or savory. My sweet tooth screamed caramel apple dip… but in an unexpected twist, I went with something herb-y and cheese-y. And whaddaya know, it turned out pretty great.
Super Bowl Sunday Delicious Bowl Appetizer: Creamy Butternut Squash Dip with Pita Chips
- 1 butternut squash, cubed
- 4 Tbs. olive oil
- dash of salt
- dash of pepper
- 1 Tbs. Garlic powder
- 1/2 cup feta cheese
- 1 cup Chobani Greek Yogurt (Plain flavor, 0% fat)
- sprinkle of Parsley
- 1 Tbs. Oregano (I’m in love with the smell of oregano right now)
- 1 Tbs. ground Sage
- Pita chips for dipping (I used Wheat Thins’ new product Toasted Pita Chips)
1.) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2.) Toss the butternut squash cubes in 3 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder.
3.) Roast for 30 minutes or until very soft, flipping half-way through.
4.) Combine the roasted squash, feta cheese, and remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil in a food processor. Place mixture in the refrigerator and allow to cool completely.
5.) Once the squash is totally cool, add Chobani Greek yogurt, sage, oregano, and parsley to the food processor. Combine until it’s one creamy mixture!
6.) I topped this #DeliciousBowl with some more parsley and feta for color and served with pita chips on the side.
I’m happy I went with the ‘savory’ selection! The spices and herbs are crazy-flavorful, and this recipe is a much healthier option than traditional cheesy or cream-based dips like ranch or onion. Greek yogurt adds fat-free creaminess with extra protein; herbs flavor the dish without sugar or excess sodium; squash and feta round out the recipe for some uniqueness.
Maybe this can even something to add to your Super Bowl XLIX menu…?
XOXO Kenz.
The Ultimate Healthy Breakfast
Today’s healthy breakfast “recipe” brought to you by our very good friends :) My family spent the weekend in the San Diego area (Missy too!) to visit our friends. Since we are all active and healthy, the weekend was full of good food and outdoor exploring.
I can’t wait to recreate the breakfast they made us this morning. It was a fun diversion from my usual oatmeal. Look at this spread:
These were toppings for mini 7-grain pancakes (made with almond milk & apple sauce, cooked with coconut oil). You might want to rethink your butter & syrup combo after this….
So many healthy benefits to this breakfast: Omega-3’s, protein, essential amino acids, protein, antioxidants, magnesium, iron, fiber.
Put them all in a bowl and what do you get? A protein-packed pancake parfait (and yes, I was proud of myself for that alliteration.) Ta da!
That is a beautiful Sunday brunch :)
I did a little research on the nutritional content of the ingredients above. Aside from being vegan, raw, and “clean”, here are some fun nutritional facts:
- Hemp seed comes from the cannabis plant (yes, marijuana) but has miniscule to no THC, and does not contain any drug properties. It does however act as an extraordinary source of all essential amino acids. (Those are good!)
- Cinnamon is a mega-antioxidant that controls blood sugar levels and has been shown to increase metabolism. It also has “warming” properties (freaky!) and in my opinion is one of the best scents ;)
- Flax seeds are full of Omega-3 fatty acids which do wonders for your heart’s health <3
- Greek yogurt. I would say that Greek yogurt qualifies as a “fad” right now but I’m right on that wagon. It’s delicious, filling, low-carb/low-fat/low-sugar/high-protein. Those are good ratios!
- Strawberries are the most popular berry in the United States (potentially arguable statement.)
- Studies have concluded that blueberries can improve memory. They are also highly addictive.
(If you have any other toppings ideas, let me know!)
Time for a hike! Our families climbed to the peak of one of the local San Diego-area mountains. My calves were burning over the steep grade and the views were beautiful, all the way out to the ocean. Love hiking with my family!
Who has heard of geocaching? It’s a GPS scavenger hunt that takes you to hidden containers where players can leave behind objects and messages for future players to uncover. The top of the hill we climbed was a geocache location and Miss Johnna found the metal box hidden in a bush under rocks. Treasures!
I love the idea behind the geocaching game. It reminds me of the TV show The Amazing Race, which is also the only reality show that I would actually consider signing up for. Thanks for such a fun & healthy weekend!
Last but not least, next installment of my marathon training playlist. This week I’m going to have to go with Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down and I apologize for the old dude in his underwear…
A little bit of a throwback… The song is 14 years old and I remember listening to it in elementary school. It’s definitely in my 200-song playlist for marathon training :) There aren’t really any specific lyrics this time that I can relate to running, just love the beat!
T-14 days to my first marathon! Time to get those 8-hours of zzzzz’s…
Summer’s Ending, Make Frozen Yogurt
It’s already the middle of September, and the Pumpkin Spice Latte is already back at Starbucks. I guess that means summer is wrapping up, huh? Well it hasn’t completely started cooling down yet, so I think we can get away with one more batch of frozen yogurt before switching pumpkin-and-apple-flavor-everything.
This weekend has been the most productive couple of days… There was the first home football game of the season, a complete shut out by our boys! My suitemates switched up roommates, (lots of heavy furniture moving involved) and now I have a wonderful new roomie! The Price is Right Live show was a fun and different way to start a Saturday night, but I sadly walked away empty handed. Then there was my first strength training workout, my first James Bond movie (a homework assignment- I would rather be watching old episodes of Grey’s Anatomy) and a ridiculous amount of homework plus some other fun stuff here and there. I wasn’t ready for this Monday morning alarm clock but here I am, hair curled and all, ready to share a super-healthy-super-sweet-summer-dessert : )
You will need:
1 1/2 Cups Vanilla non-fat Greek Yogurt
1 Cup fresh strawberries, diced
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 chocolate bar, broken into pieces
6 graham crackers, broken not crushed
*An ice cream maker
1. Heat diced strawberries, water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until they start to soften. Drain and refrigerate until cool.
2. Once the strawberries are cold, stir in the greek yogurt.
3. Pour yogurt mixture into the ice cream maker and allow to mix together in the machine for 20 minutes.
4. By hand, mix in the graham cracker and chocolate pieces; place the whole bowl in the freezer for at least 60 minutes before serving.
If you like greek frozen yogurt, you may also want to try: Peach n’ Pecan Greek Frozen Yogurt
Now we can welcome autumn. Onto all things cinnamon & spice :)
Pin this recipe here! 
