Healthy Twist on a Classic Favorite Dip

It's football season and dips are back! The bad part about dips - they can be full of fat and calories. Oh but they are soo yummy!

My weakness, downfall and guilty pleasure is dips! I love dips and I can't help it! Especially a really yummy dip, but heck Chips and salsa is one that I can't keep my hands out of so I think it's just all dips for me.

Well it was tailgating again this Sunday and I needed a new dip. I wanted something easy, cheap but most importantly tasty. I knew I had some low-fat sour cream left and a packet of Lipton' Onion Soup Mix and wondered if I bought some non-fat Greek plain yogurt and mixed that in would it work? A low-fat onion dip, could it be possible?

Saturday night I whipped it up, figured it would need a few hours to set up with the yogurt and over night would be perfect - it allows me to swing by the store in the morning if it was a flop. What turned out was amazing and honestly you couldn't tell it was low-fat at all! Maybe if the full fat was next to it and you tried them back to back, maybe. Delicious!

I was so proud of myself for putting this healthier twist on a classic and favorite dip. I definitely knew I had to share this recipe with you guys!

Healthier Twist on Onion Dip

Total Time:
Prep Time - 5 Minutes
Chilling Time - 3 hours minimum, overnight is best

Ingredients:
10.5 ounces plain non-fat Greek yogurt (2 small individual cups)
2/3 cup low-fat sour cream
1 packet Lipton's Onion Soup Mix
*You can add/subtract the sour cream/yogurt to your liking and I am sure it would come out just as yummy!

Directions:
1.) Pour all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix until fully integrated together.
2.) Pour mixture into serving container & cover with lid or plastic wrap.
3.) Place in refrigerator for 3-8 hours.
4.) Serve and enjoy!

I served the dip with both plain low-fat Ruffles chips and Garden Salsa Sun Chips. I have to say the Garden Salsa chips are AMAZING! They aren't low-fat like the Ruffles but they are made with real corn and whole grains and have lower sodium than most chips, even some popcorn so they aren't too bad for you in regards to a chip.


Next football game- trust me this will be a crowd pleaser! ENJOY!

Grab a meal today to help out St. Jude's!

Every year I am a big supporter of this and try to promote it because I think it's a great cause and such an easy way to help out.

Today, Monday, September 23rd, Chili's Grill & Bar is donating 100% of it's profits to the 

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital! 

Everyone has to eat, so why not eat lunch, dinner or even both from Chili's today?! (take-out works too!)It's such an easy way to help out and make a difference.

Please find the closest Chili's to you and grab some food - I recommend the:
- Quesadilla Explosion Salad (I get it without cheese & only the balsamic dressing on the side with salsa for the dressing.
- Margarita Chicken (on the lighter choices menu)
- Crispy Honey-Chipotle Chicken Crispers
- Any of the burgers are really yummy!

Disclaimer - I am not associated with Chili's Grill & Bar nor St. Jude's Hospital. I am only a regular American citizen that enjoys Chili's and supports this cause each and every year for the last 10 years.

Below is the email I received from them. You can also visit their facebook page and find out more by Clicking Here.

Found a GREAT fitness app - Gymboss

I found this great fitness app I just had to share!

From my last post you saw that my husband and I are joining forces to accomplish 2 common goals - lose weight and become healthier - YAY! We finally got out there last Friday and decided to start with a minute run and 30 second walk.  This is where the problem began and a wonderful solution was found.

I am in love with the Nike+ app when I run - seriously I am addicted but it's soo good so I see no problem with being addicted to an app. lol However it doesn't let you do intervals like I wanted it to do at this particular moment - only downfall of the Nike+ app that I have found thus far in over a year of using it.

Since we were all "suited-up" and ready to head out the door I did a very quick search in the app store for an interval training app and came across the Gymboss 2 Interval Trainer app. I quickly downloaded it and saw pre-set exercises but was able to set-up my own intervals.

The best part - I could run both my Nike+ app that I love and this new app Gymboss at the same time!

With Gymboss you can set multiple intervals for a workout. For example I am using 1 minute run and 30 seconds walk. I can name the intervals, assign it a color that appears on the whole screen when on that interval and also assign a noise (ding, buzzer, bells, etc). It's great!

Seriously this is a GREAT app! I know I have just begun using it so I am still figuring it all out, but thus far for a simple, user friendly interval training app I highly recommend!

Remember if you have any questions or comments leave them below or EMAIL IT TO ME!

Staying Happy Together in a New Way!

We are 5 months into our marriage and the pounds show it! We've been happy and its starting to show, okay really showing. Haha

Last weekend I was looking at running races in town and decided on a 1/2 marathon on December 29th. I am already signed up for a 1/2 on February 23rd but I wanted something sooner. What I've discovered is I have a hard time working out just to work out - I need something to train for. 

I took a long shot and simply asked my husband if he wanted to join me and run and train for a 1/2 marathon in December - it was a long shot because not only is he not a runner, he hates running too. I figured he would say no but thought what the heck. 

He said Sure right away! 

I had to ask him Really? twice to make sure I heard him correctly. He totally made my day by agreeing to do this with me. I haven't signed us up as I want to go to the local running shop to sign us up for the race instead of online.  

This past Friday we ran for the first time in months. I use the word running very loosely as it was a slow jog really. We did 3.15 miles but it was 1 minute run/jog, 30 seconds walk. I wanted to start with something that wouldn't be discouraging.  

Today our legs are heavy and tight - talk about being out of shape! Today I want to get back out there and go at it again. As my husband said the hardest part about running is starting. Isn't that the truth! 

We have 3 weeks to get ready and feel comfortable with 3 miles. We are going to follow the Hal Higon's 1/2 Marathon Novice 2 Training Program. It's a 12 week program, so back up 12 weeks from December 29th and the week of October 7th is our start date. It starts fast and you better be good with 3 miles so here we go. 

I'm happy we will be doing this together. We both need to lose weight and get back into shape and this is a great way to do it, especially together. Not to mention I feel better when I'm active and I know he does too so it will continue our happiness just in a new exciting way! :)

I'll keep you updated. 

Remembering with an Untold Tale from 9/11

This morning when I woke up I couldn't believe the tragedies of 9/11 were 12 yeas ago! I know I am 1 of just about every American who was old enough to remember this that can tell you exactly where I was, what I was during and basically replay that entire day back in my head like it happened yesterday. Definitely our generation's Pearl Harbor and I hate saying that. I hope I never have to see another tragedy like this one again in my life time.

What came out from that horrible day was stories or courage, bravery, heroism, and just the American spirit of doing whatever they can for the person next to them!

I work in the maritime industry and last year my company played this video that I had never seen nor heard about - the boatlifts that helped evacuate half a million people from Manhattan. How had I never heard of this amazing story?! I remember being brought to tears, both sad because of the tragedy, but also moving and joyful tears to see how the American spirit shined so brightly that day. 

This morning an industry publication I get both in mail and email versions sent out the video: BOATLIFT - An untold Tale of 9/11 Resilience, the video I had seen a year ago for the 1st time. 

I knew the moment I saw it again that this would be my post today. I had to share this with as many people as I could, because now 12 years later there are so many people that have never heard this story.

Please take 12 minutes of your life to watch this amazing untold story of the American Spirit at it's best!

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO

Take Surveys and Get Rewarded

Ever wonder how you can get a magazine for free or even a gift card?

A friend of mine told me about www.e-rewards.com a while ago and how by taking surveys you earn cash to purchase rewards from their rewards store.

At first it sounded too good to be true - free money? Well then I thought about it and looked around their site. I am a marketing major and I know that companies develop surveys to test products, how consumers think, etc. They need this data for various reasons and are willing to pay to get the data. I remembered studying about companies that allow others to host their survey on their server to attract more people to take it. They pay the survey taker a small amount - $0.05  to as much as $35 (that I've seen), mostly around $4-7 for a full completed survey and a few cents to a $1.50 for a partial survey (this means that they test you to see if your qualify and if you don't they still pay you for your time).

I poked around the site and it seemed to be legit. I even did a few Google review searches. It seemed to check out so I decided to sign up - yes there is a 1 time registration process but no money or credit card info is needed.

Since signing up I have racked up some money. Right now I am at $56.10 and looking to get to $60 so I can "purchase" a years subscription to People magazine. I have purchased a year subscription of Sports Illustrator for my husband and a gift card to Macy's thus far.

Yes you have to fill out surveys that can take from 1 minute to 30 minutes at times (mostly they are 5-15 minutes for the longer ones). But hey if you have a lunch hour or just at home killing time while watching TV on the couch you can help out a company that needs research and data and get yourself a few things for basically free.

Here's some examples of what you can purchase from their rewards center: airline miles, rental car and hotel points, magazine subscriptions, gift cards to restaurants, clothing stores, iTunes, etc

I know with the holidays knocking on our doors this might be a great option to get someone a gift card or magazine subscription for the holidays.

Enjoy and happy survey taking! :)