This recipe was shared with one of our fans, Jenni Barr Minarik.  Thanks for sharing this yummy dip recipe with us!

Mix together:

1 6oz. container vanilla Chobani 
2 Tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 Tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Very tasty and not tooth-achingly sweet. And it made enough that I'll be dipping for another 2-3 days. Enjoy!

Mellisa Joy Dobbins is the founder of Sound Bites, Inc.  and a registered dietician.  She's also one of my high school class mates!  Melissa contributed to the information in this Mom.me article on snacking, which offers some healthy ideas to satisfy the snack monster in all of us. Please consider checking out Mellisa's site, www.soundbitesrd.com for more healthy information!

This recipe submitted by IFY fan, Jayne Altic and is published by McCormick.  Visit www.moccormick.com for more great ideas.  Thanks for sharing with us, Jayne!

I stumbled across this little gem on one of my runs to replenish my protein powder.  This is a portable cooler with everything you need to get through a full days worth of meals, snacks, and supplements when you are on the go, or away from home.  There are two side pockets large enough to hold two shaker bottles each.  The top compartment contains a divided tray - perfect for storing any supplements, protein powders, stevia packets, etc.  The main compartment has sturdy plastic shelving that neatly holds individual containers for your meals.  Each container is freezer, refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher safe.  Lastly, there are two freezer cooling packs included to keep everything cold.   This is the perfect companion for anyone who prefers to make and bring their own food with them, wherever they go!  You can find this at most GNC stores.  There is a large size (pictured here) that sells for around $100, and a smaller size that holds less bottles/containers that sells for around $75.

A great alternative to regular cane sugar, this natural substance is derived from the Stevia plant and is sweeter than sugar ( 1/2 packet = 1 teaspoon of sugar ) so you can use less of it!  There are many varieties of stevia products available, but this one is my favorites.  

These little "cookies" are great to have on hand for those times when you just crave something sweet and indulgent, yet you don't want to ruin all your clean eating.  They are also great for those times when you have to "grab and go"!  Store them in the refrigerator for up to two weeks once made.

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 C sugar  OR  6 packets of Stevia In The Raw (see "Things I Love")
1 Tbsp. butter
2  Tbsp. vanilla
5  Tbsp. Dutch cocoa
1/2 C. low-fat milk
2/3 C. peanut butter
4-5 C. whole oatmeal

OPTIONAL:
chopped peanuts
chia seeds
ground flax seed

Combine the first 6 ingredients listed in a saucepan on the stovetop on medium heat.  Stir until all ingredients have melted and mixed together to a smooth consistency.  Remove from heat.  Pour mixture into a large mixing bowl, then stir in oats one cup at a time.  The more oats you add, the denser the cookies will be.
Once you've stirred in the desired amount of oats, use a cookie scoop to scoop the dough, and drop onto parchment paper on a cookie sheet.  Place the cookie sheet with the drop cookies on it inside the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until cookies are firm and set.  Store in a container in the refrigerator.  Enjoy!

If you are utilizing protein powders as part of your daily nutrition, then you will love these shaker bottles.  Each one comes with a "whisk ball" that when placed inside the bottle, does a thorough job of mixing your protein drinks/shakes.  No more clumps!  They are available at most nutrition/supplement stores for around $7-$10 each.

I'm subscribed to many fitness/health oriented updates.  One that I'm particularly fond of is Prevention.  Not only do I subscribe to their email updates, but I also receive their magazine.  I came across this article on how to avoid summer weight gain when partaking in all those fun, summer activities that so often involve food.  I encourage you to take a look at the link posted, as well as visit Prevention's online site:  http://www.prevention.com