Peanut Butter Power Smoothie

This summer began my quest, not only to get in shape, but to make the perfect smoothie (which is a lot harder than it seems, especially if you have my terrible blender).

Thankfully - I have achieved the latter of these goals. I have made an amazing smoothie. And to top it off, it is packed with vitamins and protein!

Ingredients to gather: 

1 banana [about 90 calories]

3-5 strawberries (frozen is fine) [10 - 20 calories)

4-6 slices of peach (frozen is fine) [about 20 calories]

2 tablespoons peanut butter (be as generous as you feel) [200 calories]

1 tablespoon fat free cool whip [8 calories]

1 cup Bolthouse Perfectly Protein [180 calories]

In a blender: 

Blend the banana and Bolthouse until smooth. Then add peanut butter and cool whip. Blend again! Now, add the frozen fruit and blend until desired consistency is reached!

Yields about 2 servings @ approx. 250 calories each! Enjoy!

Garbanzo-Tuna Salad

Lately, I've been trying to be more conscious of what I'm eating. So a lot of the staple recipes I go to have had to be revisited. However, I am VERY picky when it comes to foods I know.

For example, I remember going to my grandparents' pizzeria when I was a little girl and eating the tuna salad. That same recipe is now used in my parents' pizzeria and I still it. What I don't love is mayonnaise... and like many tuna salads, my family recipe calls for quite a bit of it.

So I decided to make my own version.

In the past, I've tried making it with just EVOO but the texture just isn't creamy enough for me... but thankfully I've found my secret ingredient - lovely garbanzo beans (AKA chickpeas).

This is what you do:

In a mortar - combine 3 tbsp EVOO with approx. 5 oz of garbanzo beans - grind until fine and creamy.

In a small mixing bowl - combine one lightly drained can of tuna, 1/4 cup of panko bread crumbs, and the ground garbanzos - and mix, mix, mix.

Then add your favorite seasonings. I use garlic powder, salt, paprika, and parsley. Mix again.

And voilà! A tuna salad that is light, creamy and not terrible for you!

Ingredient list:
3 tbsp EVOO
5 oz garbanzo beans
1 can tuna
1/4 c panko breadcrumbs
your choice of seasonings (garlic powder, salt, parsley, paprika)