Last year was a BIG one for me.

I had a momentous birthday last July and while I certainly don’t feel old enough to have turned the BIG 5-0, the calendar certainly said otherwise.

Who knew it would come so gosh darn quickly, too! I mean, I just graduated high school. C’mon now!
So, since I’m feeling like that birthday has been one of my most important ones thus far, a decision was made to get the ol’ gal in shape. And I mean really consciously work at it by exercising and eating better.

Yes, I’d like to lose a few extra pounds and feel better about the way my clothes fit and the way I look, but I think I’m finally at an age that I’m comfortable with myself no matter what the scale may read.

SAVE THIS TO YOUR FAVORITE PINTEREST BOARD!

I know it’s important to exercise and eat well which is why I’ve fallen in love with this Blueberry Banana Smoothie Bowl. It’s full of delicious flavor, but the great thing is that it’s so versatile. You can change the ingredients according to your taste and add a variety of toppings!

It’s SUPER easy to make, too, just like this Acai Bowl! 
All you have to do is throw your ingredients into a blender and VOILA, you’re done!

Blueberry Banana Smoothie Bowl Topping Ideas

A smoothie bowl is delicious all by itself, but you can add so much more flavor and texture when you add different toppings.

• fresh fruit – blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, pineapple, sliced banana
• nuts – pecans, almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts
• granola – plain or flavored, they both work great
• seeds – chia, pumpkin, sunflower, hemp, flax

You can also drizzle your bowl with a little bit of honey or agave syrup if it’s not sweet enough.

Smoothies and smoothie bowls are a great way to add some healthy food and much-needed nutrients to your diet on a daily basis. But believe me when I say they’re addicting. haha

I like them because it’s just so easy to throw everything in a blender and then pour it into your glass or bowl. Not to mention that the possibilities of flavors are only limited by the imagination!

Who says you can’t have chocolate for breakfast? I’ll be adding this Chocolate PB Smoothie Bowl to my regular menu rotation for sure!

Missing the tropics, but not able to go there? These Tropical Smoothie Bowls are just what the doctor ordered then. One bite and you’ll be instantly transported to paradise.

I love apple pie as do a lot of other people, so why not enjoy it at breakfast? Ok, this Apple Pie Smoothie Bowl may not be exactly the same as a slice of pie, but it’s probably better for me and certainly a way I’d like to start my day.

Or, if you’re too sore from that workout the day before to lift a spoon, these smoothie recipes would be perfect! My Pineapple Coconut Silk Smoothie is a recipe that I make quite often because I love the flavor combination. Pineapple and coconut are perfect together.

I love a drink that is full of fruit and this Easy Fruit Smoothie is just that. Always using frozen fruit is the key to making it thick and creamy.

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Blueberry Banana Smoothie Bowl

I love drinking smoothies for breakfast, but this Blueberry Banana Smoothie Bowl has quickly become a new favorite breakfast. This blend of frozen blueberries, banana, yogurt, and chia seeds is a great way to get you going in the morning.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword Smoothie Bowl

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1 serving

Calories 333kcal

Author Lynne Feifer

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries frozen
• 1 banana peeled and frozen
• ½ cup fresh spinach leaves
• ½ cup Greek yogurt honey, vanilla or plain
• ½ cup almond milk
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth. 
• It may be necessary to remove the blender from its’ base and stir with a long spoon then blend again. 
  
  

Notes

You can add more almond milk if you find it’s too thick to blend or if you’d like a thinner consistency. Just add one tablespoon at a time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 214mg | Potassium: 834mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 1608IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 320mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Blueberry Banana Smoothie Bowl appeared first on 365 Days of Baking.

Strawberries are probably my favorite fruit, so if you like them as much as I do, check out these 35 No-Bake Strawberries Desserts! I’m not sure which one I’ll be starting with, they all look so delicious.

I’m so happy to share with you all these incredible goodies from some really great bloggers. Enjoy them!

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries – Nutmeg Nanny

Strawberry Jam and Toasted Almond Swirled Ice Cream –
One Sweet Mess

Strawberry Icebox Pie – Bake or Break

Strawberry Pretzel Fluff – I Heart Eating

Strawberry Short Shake – Eat It and Say Yum

Easy Chocolate Dipped Strawberries –
The View from Great Island

Strawberry Basil Frozen Yogurt
(without an ice cream maker!) – Cook the Story

Fresh Strawberry Sorbet with Dark Chocolate Chunks –
Always Order Dessert

Roasted Balsamic Strawberry and Ricotta Ice Cream  –
Frugal Foodie Mama

Strawberry Cheesecake Dip – Spoonful of Flavor

Chocolate Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries –
Spend With Pennies

Strawberry Shortcake No-Bake Icebox Cake –
The Slow Roasted Italian

Strawberry Shortcake Golden Oreo Truffles –
Life Made Sweeter

Strawberry Dessert Bruschetta –
Life Tastes Good

Strawberry Fool – Yummy, Healthy, Easy

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Pie – Miss In the Kitchen

Strawberry Limeade with Coconut Milk Popsicles –
Mother’s Niche

Strawberry Shortcake No Bake Mini Cheesecakes –
Cravings of a Lunatic

Strawberry Mango Chia Smoothie – The Lemon Bowl

Chocolate Chunk Strawberry Ice Cream – Lexi’s Clean Kitchen

Strawberry Freeze – Food Faith Fitness

Strawberry Pretzel Bars – Shugary Sweets

Strawberries and Cream Tarts – With Salt & Wit

No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake – Courtney’s Sweets

Strawberry Lemonade Freezer Pie – The Cookie Rookie

Strawberry Cheesecake Popsicles
(Low Carb and Gluten-Free) – All Day I Dream About Food

Healthy No-Bake Strawberry Tart – Super Healthy Kids

Strawberry Ice Cream Bon Bons – A Girl Worth Saving

Strawberry Sorbet – Magnolia Days

Strawberry Chocolate Shake Without Chocolate Syrup –
An Overworked Mom

No Bake Chocolate Strawberry Icebox Cake – Tried and Tasty

Strawberry Shortcake Eclair Cake – Inside BruCrew Life

Strawberry Shortcake No-Bake Treat Bars – Iowa Girl Eats

Organic Whole Fruit Strawberry Popsicles –
Know Your Produce

Honey-Kissed Strawberry Frozen Yogurt – Swirls of Flavor

I hope you all enjoyed this great strawberry selection. Stay tuned for our upcoming post on baked strawberry desserts!

I give you BIG baking hugs and muffins!!

The post 35 No-Bake Strawberry Desserts appeared first on 365 Days of Baking.

I’ve been drinking smoothies quite a bit lately.

This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

Not only are they a great mid-morning or afternoon treat, but I find they’re perfect before or after I go to the gym or take a hike (and I mean that literally, not figuratively  😉  ).

I don’t know about you, but whenever I work out I come home so very hungry and really want to raid the pantry.
But I don’t.
I know that would be counterproductive and I don’t want to detract from what I’ve just accomplished.

SAVE THIS SMOOTHIE RECIPE TO YOUR FAVORITE PINTEREST BOARD!

I also believe that looking forward to a smoothie when I get home helps motivate me a bit more. If you know what I mean.

Working out can be hard and I’m not gonna lie – sometimes it just isn’t fun. Knowing that my smoothie will be my reward, makes me push myself that much harder.

I’ve also started buying Silk Soymilk because I’ve found that it helps to satisfy my hunger when I’m looking for a quick snack. Many times I’ll find myself staring into that pantry looking for something to eat – cookies, crackers, or chips and this is a habit I really want to stop.

I’m working out now and am a bit more conscious of what I’m putting into my body. Let’s face it, ol’ Bessie here just doesn’t have the metabolism she used to back in high school, so I’m all about reaping the benefits that Silk Soymilk has to offer!

Did you know that no other dairy-free brand has more protein? It has 8 grams, count ’em! It’s also naturally low in saturated fat and has no cholesterol because it’s plant-based.

Drinking a glass of Silk Soymilk in addition to having my daily smoothie is sure to supply me with that extra protein my body needs and help me fight those hunger cravings throughout the day!

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Pineapple Coconut Silk Smoothie

Author Lynne Feifer

Ingredients

• 1 cup frozen pineapple
• 1 cup Silk Vanilla Soymilk
• ½ cup pineapple juice
• ¼ cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 tablespoon flax seed meal

Instructions

• Place all ingredients into a blender.
• Blend until completely smooth.

I rate everything I make on a scale of 1 -4 with 4 being the best and this Pineapple Coconut Silk Smoothie earns 3 1/2 rolling pins.
I love being reminded of the tropics when I’m drinking it and the Silk Vanilla Soymilk was a great replacement for the Greek vanilla yogurt I usually use.

To add that decorative touch of shredded coconut on the top of the glass, just place some honey around the rim and then dip the glass into a small plate of the coconut!

These other drinks will hit the spot for anyone! But don’t take my word for it…

Game-Day Jelly Shots

Frozen Bahama Mama

Blue Ocean

This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

The post Pineapple Coconut Silk Smoothie appeared first on 365 Days of Baking.

Last month we had No Bake Energy Bites before we went walking with our Omron Wireless Tracker. Today, I present to you an Easy Fruit Smoothie!

I have to say that it is a welcomed respite making and posting foods that do a body good when I’m so very used to posting sweets and desserts.
I like change.
Actually, I only like change when I can control it. haha
My blog is something I control. That I like.

I also like that I can control how much or how little exercise I do. Of course, more is better because it gets your heart pumping, clears your mind, rids you of toxins and is just so doggone good for you!
I’m very happy that I was able to take part in this #WalkOutWednesdays challenge. How did you do? Did you exercise more than you usually do? I did!

This Omron Alvita Wireless Activity Tracker (HJ-327T) from Omron Wellness.com is really such a handy little device and is a fraction of the cost of other trackers.
Using this motivated me to get outside and walk. I have to admit that there were a few days I forgot it and had really wished I’d remembered to stick it in my pocket or hook it to my shorts, especially that one day that my daughter and I walked around and around the mall. It would have been interesting to see how much ground we covered shopping. Next time, definitely.
One of the other days I walked the most, I completely forgot to download the data. I have no idea why I’d forgotten, just too tired, I guess, but I realized the next day. I missed about 9,000 steps, too. So, that is one thing I wish the tracker would do – automatically download at 11:59 pm when the human brain doesn’t remember.

Overall, I was pretty impressed with both the tracker and the app. I’ll definitely continue to use it and do recommend it. It’s pretty cool to see at the end of each day how far you’ve walked. Even here around the house before I went for my actual walk, I was surprised how far I went! I suppose doing housework and walking from room to room is considered exercise, too! I just need to do more of it. 😉
I was happiest when the walks were longer and I was able to spend my time outside with my Mr., enjoying the sunshine, nature and our time together.

I definitely recommend downloading your data each night. Take the tracker out of your pocket and set it and your phone on your bedside table before you get ready for bed. That way when you crawl into bed, you can start the download and it takes less then a minute.
You just need to remember to do it. It doesn’t happen automatically and the tracker will reset to 0 at midnight, so don’t do what I did and forget.

Below is the screen you see when you access the Omron application before a download. You can see below the grid that it keeps track of Aerobic steps, calories burned, and miles. On the tracker itself, you’ll be able to see this information each time you tap the screen. In the application,  you’ll be able to keep track of the amounts and distance for the day, week, month and year.

To start the downloading process on an Android, all you need to do is tap the sync icon in the upper right corner and it will begin “talking” to the tracker. Make sure your Bluetooth is on for this, otherwise nothing will be transferred.

Below is what I completed halfway through one of my days.

In the picture below, is the total (remember minus the 9,000 give or take that I didn’t upload that one day and the day at the mall  😉  ), I’ve done since my first post about the Omron Alvita Wireless Tracker. Pretty cool, hunh?

Staying active and eating food with good nutritional value is important for our bodies. Yes, I post a lot of desserts here on the 365 blog, but that’s ok. You just need to remember that moderation is the key and it’s ok to treat yourself once in a while.
Walk a little further tomorrow. Park in the last row at the grocery store instead of parking closest to the door, but be careful and be aware of your surroundings. You might meet a guy like I did the other day who said, “It’s a pretty day out today.”
I said, “Yes, it is.”
He responded, “It’s pretty like you.”
Okay, I’m getting in my car quickly. Buh-bye. See you later. And I couldn’t walk away fast enough.

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Easy Fruit Smoothie and the Omron Alvita Wireless Tracker

Author Lynne Feifer

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups frozen blueberries and strawberries
• ½ cup Greek honey vanilla yogurt
• ½ cup fresh spinach chopped
• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.

I rate everything I make on a scale of 1 – 4 and this Easy Fruit Smoothie is wicked easy and wicked good! Yes, I’m a New Englandah. I say wicked.
There’s fruit, yummy Greek yogurt for some extra protein, spinach and even chia seeds to give you an extra boost!
And did you see the directions to make this thing?? Just throw everything in the blender and you’re done! Drink. Enjoy!

Be sure to check out the Omron Alvita Wireless Activity Tracker (HJ-327T) at Omron Healthcare to see what it can do for you! There’s also a video to help you get started.
So, make dates to walk with a friend. By doing so, you’ll stay motivated and will have accountability. It’s much easier and more fun to stay on track that way. I look forward to my daily walks and I hope you do, too!

I give you BIG baking hugs and muffins!!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Omron. The opinions and text are all mine.

The post Easy Fruit Smoothie and the Omron Alvita Wireless Tracker appeared first on 365 Days of Baking.

Oh, and there are plenty of napkins here if you feel you’re drooling a little. 😉

These are just a few of the recipes I contributed…

Vanilla Malt Dark Hot Chocolate – I’m really not one for drinking hot chocolate. As a matter of fact, I have a serious aversion to having been traumatized with it in childhood. No, seriously.
Believe it or not though, I drank this. And liked it. I think you will, too.

Winter smoothie – the cold and sometimes frigid weather is here in a good part of the country, not to mention that there’s been at least 80 feet of snow or something like that in the northeast. I’m sorry.
So, to build your immunity and help fight off colds and flu, you need to be kind to your body, filling it with healthy foods, vitamins and minerals and feed it breakfast. This smoothie made with frozen fruit, kale and chia seeds are a great start to any day and will help fill that hungry tummy.

Chicken Quinoa Casserole – a great combination of chicken, broccoli and quinoa, this casserole will make a great weeknight dinner as it’s easy to put together, not to mention delicious!

Homemade Chocolate Graham Crackers  – have you made your own graham crackers? Surprisingly, it’s easier than I thought it would be and they’re so delicious, too! The chocolate give them a great flavor and they’re the perfect after-school snack with some peanut butter on top.

Homemade Fruit Leather – when it’s homemade, it’s so much better for you and your kids than what you buy in the store. You know the ingredients that are going into it which will give you peace of mind.

Maple Sweet Potato Casserole – it may not be Thanksgiving, but that doesn’t mean you still can’t enjoy one of your favorite side dishes all year long. This sweet potato casserole is so good you’ll be going back for seconds. Enjoy!

Winter Fudge Dessert for Game Day Party Sweets – who can resist a piece or two of fudge? This Peppermint Cookies and Cream Fudge is perfect for Game Day or as a holiday treat, but I give you permission to eat it any time of year as it will be hard not to. It will also be perfect for Valentine’s Day!

Slow Cooker Chili with Jalapeño Cornbread – cold temps. bring the need for some comfort food and chili is always a good way to warm you up on the inside! It’s even better when it’s made in the slow cooker and you don’t have to stand over the stove. It’s made even better when accompanied by the Jalapeño Cornbread. Throw the chili ingredients in the pot and fuggedaboudit. 😉

Turkey Tetrazzini – everyone’s always looking for dishes to make with leftover Thanksgiving turkey, and this one fits the bill! But you don’t have to wait for Thanksgiving to make it, buy some ground turkey in the store, cook it up in the skillet and BOOM, Turkey Tetrazzini all year long!

Witch’s Fingers as creepy looking as these appetizers are, there also fun to eat. The kids get such a kick out of them and they’re tasty, too. Put these on your to-do list for next Halloween!

Halloween Pumpkin Cupcakes – spiders are so Halloweeny, but these little guys sit so nicely on top of the pumpkin cupcakes and won’t be crawling all over your party. Kids and adults will enjoy the cute creepiness of these treats.

Milky Way Cheesecake Pie – one of my favorite recipes that I made for Mom It Forward, this pie was incredibly delicious and the family loved it. I found it in Lori Lange’s cookbook, The Recipe Girl Cookbook: Dishing Out the Best Recipes for Entertaining and Every DayThe Recipe Girl Cookbook: Dishing Out the Best Recipes for Entertaining and Every Day. You may just need to go back for seconds.

While you’re visiting Mom It Forward, be sure to check out the other recipes, parenting tips, and family projects that other bloggers have shared. You can also share the love by pinning, tweeting or sharing on Facebook! Thanks!

I give you BIG baking hugs and muffins!!

The post Mom It Forward Recipes Round-Up appeared first on 365 Days of Baking.