Double Berry Tea Smoothie

This Double Berry Tea Smoothie combines your favorite berry flavored tea & frozen berries to make a delicious low calorie frosty treat...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Equal®. As always, the opinions and text expressed below are 100% my own.

The weather has really started to warm up around here, and it seems like I am suddenly realizing that the season of shorts, cute summer dresses, and swimsuits is right around the corner. (Please tell me I am not the only one who is panicking just a little over this. ;) ) 

We literally went from one weekend of temperatures in the 30's with 2 inches of snow on the ground to the next weekend being sunny with temps hitting over 70 degrees! 





So now that I am realizing that soon I won't be able to hide the extra "padding" I have acquired over winter inside my big comfy sweaters anymore, I have been making a few changes to my diet and to my exercise routine. And yes, I end up doing pretty much this exact same thing every. single. spring.





One change that I am making right now is cutting back on calories by making little swaps here and there. A glass of iced water with a squeeze of lemon instead of pop. A piece of fruit instead of a cookie. And swapping my usual sugar in my morning coffee, evening tea, and smoothies with 0-calorie Equal® packets. 





One of my favorite ways to get in my servings of fruit a day and stay cool as the temperatures start to get warmer is with a refreshing, frosty smoothie. This Double Berry Tea Smoothie combines your favorite berry flavored tea & frozen berries to make a delicious low calorie frosty treat...

Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie

Creamy low-fat yogurt, sweet frozen strawberries, reduced-fat cream cheese and graham crackers are blended into this satisfying Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie...

This content was created in partnership with Kroger Family Stores using free products provided by Kroger.

This recipe post first appeared on the Kroger Inspired Gathering site.

When I need to satisfy my sweet tooth without the guilt, I make a creamy smoothie inspired by one of my favorite desserts. Lately, my guilty pleasure has been a slice of cheesecake drenched in strawberry topping. The problem is, cheesecake isn't exactly good for you, or low in fat or calories. My solution? This lower guilt Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie that tastes just like the delicious sweet treat it's fashioned after!

Creamy low-fat yogurt, sweet frozen strawberries, reduced-fat cream cheese and graham crackers are blended into this satisfying smoothie. I added some chia seeds to sneak in a little nutrient-packed punch too. Trust me when I tell you all that it tastes just like a slice of cheesecake topped with strawberries. Who says you can't have your cheesecake and maintain that waistline too? ;)

Chocolate Raspberry Chia Seed Smoothie

This creamy & healthy Chocolate Raspberry Chia Seed Smoothie only tastes like a decadent treat...

I am partnering with Hamilton Beach today to bring you all this recipe. As always, all opinions expressed below are 100% my own.

I have had a love/hate relationship with making smoothies. I love sipping on smoothies and packing them full of the good stuff. But I have often found myself hating actually having to blend them up. 

You do that first pulse of the blender just to have to take a spoon to scrape down the sides of the blender cup and scoop up what is laying on the bottom to get it all blended in and smooth & creamy. And often times I have to repeat that once or twice more. 

I know that a fancy pants high tech blender would solve my little blender conundrum, but have you all seen the price tags on some of those blender models?? Yikes! 

When Hamilton Beach approached me about giving their new Wave-Action® Blender a whirl (see what I just did there ;) ), I was all in. I mean, what did I have to lose? Besides possibly my smoothie/blender frustrations. 

And the first thing that I whipped up in my new sleek & shiny Wave Action Blender was this smooth and creamy Chocolate Raspberry Chia Seed Smoothie. 

I kind of have a thing for making smoothies that tastes just like desserts since my mean sweet tooth can often get in the way of my attempts to eat healthier. ;) This creamy and chocolaty smoothie satisfied my sweet tooth without the guilt...

Skinny Tiramisu Smoothie

This creamy, low fat Skinny Tiramisu Smoothie is a guilt free way to satisfy your craving for a classic Italian dessert...

Call me cliche, but I may have overdone it just a little over the holidays. It is hard for me to say no to the cookies, and fudge, and my grandmother's apple sauce cake.  And just like most of you all, I am ready to get back to better and healthier eating once I break out that new 2015 calendar on the first day of January.  

I have no problem swapping out potato chips for hummus and baby carrots, and those decadent cinnamon rolls for a bowl of whole grain cereal. 

What I do have a problem with is giving up the sweets.

In fact, I just can't give up the desserts.  Anyone else also have a mean sweet tooth that seems to always thwart your best efforts at healthier eating?

That is why I have come up with an arsenal of healthier, low fat sweet treats to tame that sweet tooth without the guilt.  Like this Skinny Tiramisu Smoothie...

Pumpkin Pie Cookie Butter Smoothie

The flavors of pumpkin pie come together perfectly with cookie butter in this creamy & easy to make Pumpkin Pie Cookie Butter Smoothie... 

Post updated 11/4/17- This perfect for fall Pumpkin Pie Cookie Butter Smoothie deserved some updated photos. I did leave one of the originals below just so you all can see for yourself why this recipe so desperately needed a little face lift. ;)

Pina Colada Smoothie {Greek Style}

Take your taste buds on a guilt free getaway to the tropics with this creamy & low fat Pina Colada Smoothie...

Our beach vacation is just one and a half months away.  And I will admit it- I want to look good in my bathing suit. Who doesn't?  

But I also have no desire to give up my sweets.  (You all have perused the recipes on my blog, right? ;) )

So, I am not cutting out all sweets.  I am still baking cookies and making homemade ice cream.

But I am trying to to replace some of the sweets that I love with some healthier alternatives here and there.

My coupon to try FAGE Total Greek Yogurt for free as a newly appointed BzzAgent came just in time. ;)

Honestly, when I took my first bite of the FAGE Total 0% Greek Yogurt I was FAR from sold. It wasn't sweet at all.  But I quickly learned it was fabulous with a drizzle of honey topped with crunchy almonds and sweet dried cranberries. ;)

And then I started baking with it.  And then I start making smoothies with it...