Matcha Chia Pudding Green Smoothie

This thick & creamy Matcha Chia Pudding Green Smoothie is protein-packed and loaded with antioxidants, Vitamin A,  & Omega-3 fatty acids. The perfect pre-workout meal!

Not that this should be a shocker to anyone who has ever read a game day recipe post of mine, but I did not watch the Super Bowl on Sunday evening. Honestly, I could have cared less who won or lost. And if I had attended a party to watch the game (which I didn't), then I would have only been there for the snacks, my friends. ;)

But there is one thing about the Super Bowl that I do like hearing about and watching the next day, and that is the halftime show. The halftime show the past couple of years didn't really impress me much even though I have always been a big fan of both Justin Timberlake and Maroon 5. 

But when I heard that both Jennifer Lopez and Shakira would be performing at this year's show, I was actually kind of sad that I had cut the cord on cable last year and would have to wait to watch it until later on my laptop. 

I have been a longtime fan of both of these ladies for many years. WAY back in the day, JLo and Shakira were some of my favorites to hear played when I went out to the dance clubs with my friends. Their upbeat, high energy music pretty much made up half of the soundtrack for my early to late twenties. 

Blueberry Almond Chia Smoothie

Boasting both anti-inflammatory & healing properties, this thick & creamy Blueberry Almond Chia Smoothie is just what your body needs to recover after a good sweat session...

I was provided with a copy of The Protein Smoothie Bible for review. I was not compensated for this post in any other way. All opinions & thoughts expressed below are 100% my own. This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them helps support this website.

For the past few months, I have been making a conscious effort to get to the gym more, to get back into my yoga practice, & to really pay attention to just what it is that I am putting into my body. 

Call it a gradual epiphany of realizing that I really needed to focus a little more time on bettering myself & my health following my divorce. Once the dust had settled & my world had calmed down a little, I was finally able to get back to me.

And it isn't just about getting back to a healthier version of myself for me. It is also about becoming the best version of myself for both my son & my daughter. Sometimes having to start a new chapter in your life will inspire you to make the changes for the better that you have been putting off.

One of the first steps I took when I decided to take back charge of my health was to incorporate more healthy smoothies into my diet. 

Smoothies are a fantastic & easy way to pack in most of your daily requirements of fresh veggies & fruits. I usually start most of my mornings each week with a vitamin & protein packed green smoothie. 

Strawberry-Raspberry Lime Chia Jam

This easy to make & low-sugar Strawberry-Raspberry Lime Chia Jam is the perfect combination of fresh strawberries, sweet raspberries, and tart lime... 

I want to preface today's recipe post with the fact that I do not make homemade jam on the regular. I can probably count on one hand just how many times I have whipped up a batch of homemade jam in my whole entire lifetime. ;) But after seeing recipes for super simple chia jams popping up everywhere, I finally decided to give it a whirl and see what all the fuss was about. I am no stranger to chia seeds. 

In fact, I have several recipes on the blog already that feature chia seeds as one of the main ingredients. Chia seeds are amazing at absorbing liquids so it totally makes sense to use them in homemade jams as a thickening agent. And it doesn't hurt that they happen to provide a nice little nutritional boost as well.

I think there are like a million recipes out there for simple strawberry or raspberry chia jams, but I wanted to create my own version that would really capture the flavors of summer. I think I achieved just that in this super simple jam with the combination of fresh strawberries, sweet raspberries, and tart lime. And since we are using naturally sweet, in-season berries & chia seeds to thicken it up this jam, you hardly need to add any kind of sweetener to this making it lower in calories and sugar than your traditional berry jams... :)

Peanut Butter Chai Banana Baked Oatmeal

This easy to make Peanut Butter Chai Banana Baked Oatmeal with it's hearty oats, bananas, & chia seeds is the perfect grab & go breakfast for busy mornings...

When it comes to breakfast for myself and my family, I like making sure that we start our day with something healthy & filling that can take us right on through to lunch. And since we all have different start times to our days (my teenage son being up and at 'em well before the rest of us), I need breakfast recipes that will be easy to grab and ready to go no matter if we are eating breakfast at 6am or 9am. That is why I just love baked oatmeal! :) I can bake up a batch on a Sunday night, cut it into generous squares, and then slip each one into it's own ziploc baggie. Those hearty oatmeal squares become the perfect grab and go breakfast throughout the rest of the week. 

I have made different versions of baked oatmeal before (you all may remember my Almond Joy Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal & my Double Berry Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal), but this moist & satisfying Peanut Butter Chai Banana Baked Oatmeal just may be our favorite one yet. Not only is this baked oatmeal packed with lots of the good stuff (think bananas, whole oats, chia seeds), but you just can't beat the flavor combo of creamy peanut butter with chai spices. Before baking up a pan of this family-pleasing baked oatmeal, be sure to click on over to get my recipe for DIY Chai Spice Mix and whip up a batch. It is perfect to use in this baked oatmeal recipe, and to have on hand to mix into oatmeal, sprinkle over toast, or stir into your hot chocolate or favorite hot tea... 

Pumpkin Spice Coconut Smoothie Bowl

Your favorite summer and fall flavors meld perfectly in this creamy & healthy Pumpkin Spice Coconut Smoothie Bowl...

Did anyone else get hit by that sinus cold/infection thing that has been going around lately? I was down with it for most of last week, and I am so not good at being sick. Or doing that resting thing, but this crud kicked my booty. I found myself napping or lying down whenever I could and heading to bed early almost every night for at least five nights last week. 

And when this mama is down for the count, cooking meals at home comes to an abrupt and grinding halt. My husband doesn't really cook often, so I found myself texting him to pick up pizza or fast food before he came home from work last week more times than I would like to admit to you all. 

Add in the fact that I was in no shape to head to the gym at all for the duration of that yuckiness, and I was feeling pretty sluggish and unhealthy by the time this thing finally ran its course near the beginning of this week. I have eased back into my gym routine, but I am craving healthy foods after all the greasy fast food I consumed last week. 

Wanting to get back to some healthier eating, I decided to finally take the leap and made my first ever smoothie bowl. If you are not familiar with a smoothie bowl, you whip it up in a blender the same as you would a smoothie. But a smoothie bowl is thicker making it perfectly spoonable- like a healthy, cold "soup" that is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack. Since I am craving fall flavors, but still clinging a little to summer I decided to meld one of my favorite summer flavors (coconut) with one of my favorite fall flavors (pumpkin) in this creamy Pumpkin Spice Coconut Smoothie Bowl... :)