Ok so this recipe isn't quite as healthy as the others I've posted - but we needed a nice dinner together that wasn't too horrible for you or too expensive.  Here's how I managed it....

Are you loving all these new recipes as much as I am?  I knew I wouldn't be able to do such a strict diet just eating grilled chicken and veggies.  If I tried to do that I would have gotten bored and given up the first week.  So I've been trying really hard to come up with fun, easy recipes that are healthy and tasty.  It occurred to me recently that I've never made crab cakes!  Pretty surprising considering my husband is from Maryland and I LOVE crab cakes :)  Here's another healthy dinner or lunch option sure to satisfy any seafood eater.

I've got another tasty dinner recipe for ya!  This time I made a Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken (inspired by this original recipe: http://400caloriesorless.com/?p=9103) and some baked parmesan zucchini (inspired by this original recipe: http://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/2012/08/baked-parmesan-zucchini-chips/).  The zucchini are probably my new favorite side dish, they are SOO good.

Ryan has been such a good sport about eating all the healthy new recipes I've been trying out so I decided to try and make him something special for lunch this week.  Nothing too crazy, but something he would REALLY like and that would be out of the ordinary compared to what I usually pack for him.  It all started with a BOGO sale at Publix (gets me every time...)

Time to share another healthy, low carb recipe!  I had a hankering for a big 'ole plate of spaghetti with meat sauce...but I didn't want to blow my diet either.  So I decided to make spaghetti squash with baked meat sauce.

I know my zucchini chips might have been an epic failure, but these noodles and meatballs certainly were not!  Click here to see the original recipe.

As you may or may not know, I've been trying to eat a lot healthier lately to lose some weight and get back to my college size.  Last week, I tried to make some zucchini chips to go with this seafood salad I made.

I'll keep this short and sweet...literally...last night Ryan and I had a hankering for something sweet but we didn't want to go out in the rain to get something.  I of course went to my Pinterest board to see if I could find a recipe that I already had all the ingredients for.  I found this recipe for "homemade nutter butters" with peanut butter oatmeal cookies and a sweet peanut butter filling.  They were so quick and easy to make that I forgot to take any pics...and then they got gobbled up crazy fast!  Click the pick to check out the recipe (note: it makes 48 little sandwiches, i cut it in four to just make a dozen).  I'll be making these again soon!

I really do love Fall, it might be my favorite season.  Now that I live in Florida, I miss getting to see all the Aspens change color and the mountains change into beautiful reds and golds.  In Florida, we do get some “fall” weather where it gets nice and cool and the air feels crisp – but it doesn’t seem to come until later in October (rather than late August or early September).  Anyways, besides all the colors of Fall  (and Halloween of course!), my normal food “favorites” lend themselves very well to the Fall food choices.

• Favorite Pie: Apple, preferably with a crumble on top
  
• Favorite Spice/Flavoring: Cinnamon
  
• Favorite Ice Cream: Cinnamon – preferably on top of a piece of apple pie
  
• Favorite Ice cream topping: Caramel
  
• Favorite Cake: Spice Cake with cream cheese frosting (although pumpkin cake is a close second)
  

So when I started to see all these show up at Walmart, I got VERY excited.

As I mentioned before, this past weekend I did another round of freezer cooking.  Similar to what I did this summer, I wanted to do some complete meals frozen and also some healthier options (like from the Team Beachbody meals).

Breakfasts: We mostly have protein smoothies (recipe below if you are interested) but I also made some egg sandwiches to freeze as alternate options.

Ashley & Ryan’s Protein Smoothie
Makes enough for 2 people, cut this in half if there is only one person
16oz Unsweetened Original Almond Milk
2 scoops Whey Protein Powder (we use Jarrow unflavored, Designer Whey is good too)
2 tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 tbsp Peanut Butter (natural is best but we usually just use creamy Jif)
1 Banana (I freeze them in slices so I always have some on hand)
Ice
Nutrition Facts (per serving, makes 2 servings): 301 calories, 24g Protein, 25g Carbs, 13g Fat