Healthy Chicken Salad with Greek Yogurt

It's been a busy few weeks! I moved to Philadelphia, went on vacation with my family, and started my dietetic internship. My family and I went to Garden City, South Carolina. Our mornings were spent on the beach and our evening were filled with good food. Not to mention relaxing runs on the beach most mornings with my dad. I am not a runner, but I couldn't resist at the beach. Check out my Instagram (@eatlivesplurge) for pictures of some delicious vacation eats!

Chicken is a great source of protein and one of my favorite things to eat for lunch. Sometimes chicken gets a little boring. Sometimes chicken is not even close to what I'm craving. It all depends on the day. So changing it up with a healthy chicken salad over spinach or on a sandwich is a great alternative. I like the flavor of using rotisserie chicken better than plain cooked chicken breast, but it's up to you! I've made this chicken salad both ways.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Serves: 4-5

Ingredients

Rotisserie chicken breast without skin or 2 cooked chicken breasts

1/4 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 green apple, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Shred the chicken breast into bite size pieces.
2. Stir in the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, chopped apple and celery.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Eat immediately or store in the refrigerator.

Peanut Butter Mousse Dip

I have officially moved to Philly! I can't wait to share pictures with you all after my much needed beach vacation! 

I had some leftover cottage cheese sitting in my refrigerator and I wasn't exactly sure what to do with this. I saw some pinners who whipped the cottage cheese into an airy consistency and thought why not make a dessert dip (duh)! I love using PB2 in smoothies and decided it would be good to add even more protein and peanut butter flavor. Graham crackers for dipping adds the perfect amount of crunch. Added bonus, I was definitely full after eating this as an afternoon snack to cure my craving for a little sweetness!

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients

2 tablespoon PB2

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons baking stevia

1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese

2 graham cracker sheets (for dipping)

Directions

1. In a food processor (I used my mini one) combine all the ingredients for about 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth.
2. Serve immediately or keep in the fridge.
3. Eat with graham crackers!

BBQ Chicken French Bread Pizza

If you need a quick, easy, and yummy dinner then look no further! This French bread pizza is a great weeknight dinner (and the leftovers keep well). I made this for J and I the other night and it was a nice simple meal with a spinach salad on the side. I generally don't like barbecue (horrible, I know!), but this recipe has just the right amount of sweet and smoke for my liking. Give it a try even if you aren't a huge barbecue fan.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

Rustic French bread loaf

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and chopped

3/4 cup honey BBQ sauce

1 cup pizza blend shredded cheese

1/4 cup red onion, sliced thin

Cilantro, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cook chicken breast in 1/4 cup of honey BBQ sauce in a skillet over medium heat. Once cooked, chop into small pieces.
3. Slice French bread in half lengthwise. Spread 1/2 cup of honey BBQ sauce over both sides of the bread. Layer bread with cooked chicken, cheese, and red onion.
4. Cook for 15 minutes.
5. Garnish with cilantro.