It's been a wee-bit too long!

I truly apologize, from the bottom of my heart, for the extremely long lapse in posts. I was busy studying for a very important certification relating to my career. Good news though... I passed.

Well, I don't want to bore you all too much so here's what's on the menu this week...

• Butternut Squash & Chicken Foil Pack (adapted from Hungry Girl)
• Zucchini Foil Pack  (adapted from Hungry Girl)
• Taco Tilapia/Chicken Foil Pack  (adapted from Hungry Girl)
• EASY Homemade Strawberry Jam
• Mini Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Muffins
• Pizza "loaf"

Butternut Squash & Chicken Foil Pack

Ingredients

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 C greek yogurt

1 t chopped garlic

2 C peeled and chopped butternut squash (about 1 squash)

1 C chopped onion (about 1 medium onion)

10-12oz chicken breast, diced

salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°

2. In a bowl, combine soup, greek yogurt, and garlic. Mix well. Then add squash and onion. Stir to coat.

3. Last a large piece of heavy-duty foil on a baking sheet and spray with nonstick spray. Lay veggie mixture on the foil.

4. Season chicken with salt & pepper and lay on top of the veggie mixture.

5. Place another large piece of foil on top. Fold together and seal all four edges of the 2 foil pieces, forming a well-sealed packet.

6. Bake for about 40 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

7. Mix well & serve. Season with additional salt & pepper if you would like.\

Makes 4 servings

Nutritional Stats: 340 cals; 32 carb; 6 fat; 42 Protein; 347 Sodium; 1 fiber

Zucchini Foil Pack

Ingredients

2 zucchini (one regular, one yellow)

1/2 C onion, diced

1 t light whipped butter (like Brummel & Brown... yum!)

1/8 t dried oregano

Dash of salt & pepper

1/2 t chopped garlic

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°

2. Thinly slice each zucchini lengthwise, forming wide flat strips. Cut strips in half width-wise and set aside.

3. Lay a large piece of heavy-duty foil on a baking sheet and spray with nonstick spray. Place sliced zucchini and onion int he center of the foil.

4. Top veggies with 2 evenly spaced dollops of butter. Sprinkle with oregano, salt, and pepper. Top with garlic.

5. Place another large piece of foil over the veggies. Fold together and seal all four edges of the 2 foil pieces, forming a well-sealed packet.

6. Bake for about 20 minutes, until veggies are soft.

Makes 4 servings

Nutritional Stats: 66 cals; 11 carb; 2 fat; 3 Protein; 50 Sodium; 3 fiber

Taco Tilapia/Chicken Foil Pack

Ingredients

2- 4oz tilapia fillets

2- 4oz chicken breasts

1 medium onion, chopped

2 t taco seasoning mix

4 t lime juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°

2. Place fish/chicken and veggies in a bowl (2 separate bowls), spray with a light mist of nonstick spray. Sprinkle with taco seasoning and lime juice. Toss to combine.

3. Lay a large piece of heavy-duty foil on a baking sheet and spray with nonstick spray. Transfer fish/chicken and veggie mix to the center of the foil pieces (you may wan to separate fish & chicken foil packs)

4. Fold together and seal the top and bottom edges of the foil, and then the side edges, to create a well-sealed packet.

5. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Makes 2 servings of tilapia  & 2 servings of chicken

Nutritional Stats: 126 cals; 3 carb; 2 fat; 23 Protein; 135 Sodium; 0 fiber

EASY Homemade Strawberry Jam

Ingredients

2 cups of strawberries

2-3 packets of truvia

2 T chia seeds

(seriously, that's it!)

Directions

1. Cut stems off of strawberries & pulse to break them up (but not puree them)

2. Place in container. Stir in truvia & chia seeds.

3. Allow to sit in fridge for at least an hour before digging in (overnight for best results)

4. Enjoy it over the mini protein muffins. mmmm.

Makes ? servings (i'll work on that this week)

Mini Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Muffins

Ingredients

3 egg whites

1/2 C canned pumpkin

8 Truvia packets

2 Scoops protein powder (preferable chocolate, but anything you have will work as well)

2 t coco powder

10 T PB2

1/2 t baking soda

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. Mix eggs, canned pumpkin, and truvia together.

3. Add protein powder, coco powder, PB2, and baking soda.

4. Spoon into mini cupcake pan (you can use a regular cupcake pan as well, but the nutritional stats will be doubled)

4. Bake for 13-15 minutes.

Makes 24 mini servings

Nutritional Stats: 25 cals; 3 carb; 0 fat; 3 protein; 64 Sodium; 0 fiber

Pizza "Loaf"

Ingredients

1 can pillbury pizza crust

1/2 C pizza sauce (or more to taste)

1/2 C shredded pizza cheese (or more to taste)

2oz of mini turkey pepperoni (or toppings of choice)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to temperature stated on the can of dough.

2. Roll out dough into a rectangular shape

3. Spread pizza sauce into the middle of the dough

4. Sprinkle cheese on top of the sauce.

5. Sprinkle pepperonis (or topping of choice) on top of the cheese

6. Cut slits on the long sides of the dough (like ribbon), equal amounts on each side

7. Braid the slits down the pizza to close it at the top

8. Bake for the recommended time on the can (usually 12-15 minutes).

9. Allow 5-6 minutes to cool.

10. Cut into 6 pieces and devour!

Makes 6 servings

Nutritional Stats: 185 cals; 19 carb; 9 fat; 8 Protein; 706 Sodium; 2 fiber