Tropical Treats

Now that I'm back from my spring break trip to Hawaii, all I am craving are tropical dishes. The amazing fruits, fish, and flavors that filled my taste buds in Hawaii have been on my mind since the minute I landed back at school. I'm sure everyone loves a healthy and tropical meal, so here are some ways you can bring the tropical islands to your dinner tables!

Tropical Fruit Pops
makes about 12 pops
(34 cals and 8 carbs per pop!)


Ingredients:

• 1 cup guava nectar
• 1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
• 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
• 1 cup coarsely chopped or sliced fresh fruit

Directions:

1. In a blender, combine guava nectar, pineapple juice, and fresh pineapple chunks. Cover and blend until smooth. Divide chopped or sliced fruit among 12 frozen treat molds or 4- to 6-ounce paper cups. Pour blended mixture over the fruit.
2. Add sticks and cover molds. (Or cover each cup with foil; make a small hole in the foil with a knife and insert a wooden stick into each cup through hole.) Freeze about 4 hours or until firm.

Shrimp Cocktail with Tropical Fruit Salsa

makes 6 servings

(140 cals, 23g protein, 6 carb, 2g fat/serv)

Ingredients:

• 24 jumbo shrimp (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 poblano chile, halved and seeded
• 1 jalapeño pepper, halved and seeded
• 1 cup finely chopped peeled mango
• 1 cup finely chopped peeled papaya
• 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Peel and devein the shrimp, set aside.
2. Preheat broiler.
3. Place poblano chile and jalapeño pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined broiler pan; flatten with hand. Broil 10 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and finely chop, and place in a bowl. Add mango, papaya, red onion, cilantro, juice, and salt.
4. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shrimp; sauté 2 1/2 minutes on each side or until done. Place 1/2 cup salsa in center of each of 6 small serving plates; arrange 4 shrimp over salsa.

Tropical Fruits with Pistachios and Coconuts

makes 4 servings

(118 cals, 1 g protein, 24 carbs, 2 g fat)

Ingredients:

• 16 slices ripe mango, pineapple and/or papaya
• 4 teaspoons 'lite' coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios

Directions:

1. Place fruit slices on a serving platter. Drizzle with coconut milk and sprinkle with pistachios

Spring Break Drinks

It's Spring Break!! Whether you're off to Hawaii, Mexico, or Palm Springs, there's no doubt you will be ordering up some classic tropical drinks to fulfill that vacation lifestyle. Everyone knows all those sugary, high calorie drinks are not the best for your health, so try making some of these delicious tropical concoctions during your spring break, and you will be sure to feel refreshed!

Passion Colada
Love Pina coladas? Who doesn't? This drink will give you that same kind of taste, for only 207 calories per serving!


Ingredients:

• 2 cups ice
• 1 cup passionfruit juice
• 1/4 cup cream of coconut
• 3 oz rum, optional

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in blender until smooth.

Strawberry-Coconut Daiquiri
With this strawberry coconut cocktail, you're inevitably going to feel like you're on a vacation! For a little extra flavor, throw in some pineapple. Enjoy this beverage without worrying about the calories, only 112 per serving!


Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups of chopped fresh or frozen strawberries
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 3 cups ice cubes
• 3/4 cup coconut flavored rum (Malibu)

Directions:
Combine strawberries, sugar and lime juice in blender until smooth. Add ice cubes and rum and blend until frothy.

Blueberry-Lime Margarita 
Adding frozen limeade to this already delicious cocktail gives it just a little extra flavor! Enjoy this mouth watering drink for only 125 calories per serving!


Ingredients:

• 2 cups ice
• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 cup blueberry nectar
• 1/4 cup seltzer
• 2 tablespoons frozen limeade
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 3 oz tequila, optional
• 1 lime wedge
• coarse salt

Directions:
Combine ice, blueberries, blueberry nectar, seltzer, limeade, lime juice and tequila, if using, in a blender and blend until smooth. Rub rim of 2 glasses with lime wedge and dip in salt. Divide the margarita between the prepared glasses and serve.

St. Patty's Day!

It's one of the most exciting holidays of the year! With all that beer and green food, it's hard to find something festive yet healthy to munch on during this Irish weekend. Fear no more! Here are some healthy, green, fabulous, delicious treats that will have you begging for more. Fluffy key lime pie will give you that fruity, creamy texture and a crunchy crust, the mint ice cream is always a hit (and you would never even guess that it's light!) and finally, lemon lime punch is a green festive drink that both kids and adults can enjoy!

Fluffy Key Lime Pie

yields about 8 slices

Ingredients

• 1 package (.3 ounce) sugar-free lime gelatin
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 2 cartons (6 ounces each) key lime yogurt
• 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
• 1 reduced-fat graham cracker crust (8 inches)

Directions

• In large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Whisk in yogurt. Fold in whipped topping. Pour into crust.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until set.

Nutrition:

One piece: 190 cal, 3g fat, 2mg cholesterol, 159 mg sodium, 33 carbs, 0 fiber, 3g protein: 5 WW points plus

Skinny Mint Chip Ice Cream

yields about 12 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 cups fat-free half-and-half
• 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 can (14 ounces) fat-free sweetened condensed milk
• 2 teaspoons mint extract
• 3 to 4 drops green food coloring, optional
• 1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks

Directions:

• In large bowl, beat half-and-half and pudding mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Beat in the condensed milk, extract and food coloring if desired.
• Fill cylinder of ice cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Coarsely chop chocolate chunks if desired; stir into ice cream. Transfer to freezer containers. Freeze for 2-4 hours before serving.

Nutrition:

Per 1/2 cup serving: 280 calories, 7g fat, 4mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 50 carbs, 1g fiber, 6g protein:   8 WW Points Plus

Lemon Lime Punch

yields about 24 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts water
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 envelopes unsweetened lemon-lime soft drink mix
• 1 can (46 oz) unsweetened pineapple juice
• 1 liter ginger ale, chilled
• 1 quart lime sherbet

Directions:

• In punch bowl, combine water, sugar and soft drink mix; stir until dissolved. Stir in pineapple juice. Refrigerate until chilled. Just before serving, stir in ginger ale and top with scoops of sherbet.

Add Some Madness To Your March Workout!

March Madness giving you inspiration at the gym? These three tips from fitbie.com will add some spice to your workouts, leaving you feeling fit and fab!


1. Make your intervals short, but really intense.

• If you’re already running (or biking or rowing) intervals to burn fat, try making each round short—really short—suggests Mike Wunsch, performance director at Results Fitness in Santa Clarita, CA.
• Even if an interval is 30 seconds, you may pace yourself for the first 10 seconds or so. To keep your intensity high throughout the interval, Wunsch suggests intervals of 15 or 20 seconds each. “It’s only 15 seconds, so you know you can go all out the whole way,” he says.
• Toronto trainer Craig Ballantyne suggests trying even shorter intervals—just 8 seconds per round of work, with 12 seconds rest in between each. He calls them Adrenaline Shuttle Sprints.
• *To boost adrenaline and fat burning, try this go/stop combo for 10-20 minutes straight

2. Do a lot of squats, really fast.

• Squats work more muscles than almost any other exercise. Cram more in—and that way you work the most muscles possible—with this scheme from Ballantyne: Perform as many sets of squats as you can for 10 minutes, with minimal rest between sets.
• This technique works with light or heavy weight. Ballantyne suggests sets of 20 reps with 45 pounds, sets of 15 with 95 pounds, and even sets of 8 with 185 or 205 pounds.

3. Get airborne with every move.

• What's the benefit? You can’t cheat a jump. Either your body leaves the ground or it doesn't, meaning your intensity won’t be in question. Try these explosive swaps for some of your favorite exercises.
• Instead of squats, try a set of jump squats: With or without dumbbells at your sides, push your hips back and lower into a squat until your thighs are nearly parallel to the floor. Push out of the squat so explosively that your feet leave the floor, jumping as high as you can. Land softly, reset, and repeat.
• Swap pushups for explosive pushups: Perform a regular pushup, and as you press back up, push with enough force to lift your hands off the ground. Land, and repeat.
• Swap bodyweight lunges for scissor lunges: With your feet shoulder-width apart, step forward into a lunge, and lower until your front knee is bent at least 90 degrees. Push out of the lunge into a jump and scissor your feet in the air, landing with your feet in opposite positions—your back foot in front, your front foot in back. Dip into a lunge, and repeat.

Poolates!

This weather has been UNREAL lately, so why not take advantage of it? Instead of working out in the gym, switch up your workout and try this new way to get fit while soaking in some sun. The next time you go for a swim, take some time to try these awesome moves found in Women's Health Magazine. This clever combo of pilates in the pool, or, poolates, will leave you feeling refreshed and fabulous!

Move 1: 50/50
Works shoulders, triceps, chest, back, abs, waist, hamstrings, and inner and outer thighs
Standing in chest-deep water at the shallow end of the pool, extend your arms down along the sides of your body with your palms facing behind you. Keep your left leg straight and lift it back so your toes are six to 12 inches from the pool bottom. With your chest up, abs braced, and neck in line with your spine, inhale for five counts while quickly pumping your arms forward(A) and back (B), a few inches in each direction, without bending your elbows. Continue pumping as you exhale for five seconds. That's one rep. Do five. Repeat on the other leg. 

Move 2: Poolates Squat
Works abs, back, glutes, and quads Stand with your feet hip-width apart on a kickboard in the shallow end. Extend your arms out at shoulder height for balance (A).With your weight holding the kickboard toward the bottom of the pool, squat down until your thighs are almost parallel to the pool floor (B). Hold this position for 30 seconds, then try to stand up. Do 10 reps. Note: Allow plenty of space from walls or other people. 






Move 3: Step Star

Works arms, abs, waist, back, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves
Get into plank position with your feet together on the pool bottom and your hands on a pool step (water shouldn't come above your elbows) (A). Lift your right arm straight up as you rotate your hips and torso to the right until your body forms a T and you're balancing on your left arm (B). At the same time, raise your right leg to hip height (C). Return to the T position and then to start. Repeat on the opposite side. That's one rep. Do four.

Move 4: Living Dead

Works abs, waist, back, and inner thighs; stretches arms and hamstrings
Stand with your feet together in three to four feet of water, facing the deep end. Brace your abs and extend your arms in front of you. Raise your right leg until it's just below hip height, toes pointed (A). Flex right foot and lower it to pool floor in front of you. Repeat with your left leg (B). Continue until you're chest-deep, about 10 steps. (If you reach the deep end too quickly, walk across the width of the shallow end instead.)

Move 5: Frog

Works abs, waist, back, glutes, and legs
Stand with your legs wider than shoulder-width apart in water between waist and chest deep, arms extended at shoulder height. Turn your toes out slightly. Squat into a plié. Inhale and rise up onto the balls of your feet (A). Without dropping your heels, exhale and straighten your legs (B). Once your legs are completely straight, drop your heels down so your feet are flat on bottom of pool. Repeat eight times.