Melt In Your Mouth Banana Chocolate Muffins

Melt in your mouth Banana and Chocolate Muffins that are yummy AND healthier than some other recipes I've come across. Try for yourself. You'll see...  ;-)

My 2 year old nephew stayed over last night and this morning as I was scrolling through my Facebook feed, I came across a recipe for Banana Bread Brownies. I love banana bread, but didn't want all that sugar and processed ingredients. Plus, that recipe had lots of sugary frosting on top. I found by putting chocolate chips in a baking recipe, it adds enough "sweet" that frosting isn't needed.

Healthy Pumpkin Cookies

Quinoa Breakfast Bars

Quinoa Breakfast Bars

From http://www.theleangreenbean.com/quinoa-breakfast-bars/

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

25 mins

A grab 'n go breakfast that's tasty and a cinch to make, without all of the added sugar found in store bought bars.

Author: Lindsay L

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 1 c whole wheat flour (or chickpea flour to make GF)
• 2 c cooked quinoa
• 2 c oats
• ⅔ c nuts, chopped
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 Tbsp chia seeds
• ⅔ c peanut butter
• ½ c honey
• 2 egg
• ⅔ c applesauce (or mashed banana)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ⅔ c craisins
• ½ c chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine applesauce, vanilla, eggs, peanut butter and honey in a small bowl and mix well.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until just mixed.
3. Spoon into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 375 for 20 min or until golden brown.
4. Let cool and cut into bars.
5. Store in the refrigerator.

These quinoa breakfast bars are chewy and delicious- perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack. They’re packed with protein and fiber and they’re gluten-free  as long as you use GF oats. Plus, they could be made vegan if you used a flax egg! I used pecans in mine but almonds would be good as well.

You can also halve this recipe and make them in an 8×8 pan!

Vegetables with Almond Butter Dipping Sauce

Vegetables with Almond Butter Dipping Sauce

Elevate your usual veggie and dip approach with this combo that's on the sweeter side.

SERVINGS: 1

4 tsp almond butter
1 Tbsp orange juice
1 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp peanuts
2 c sliced cucumber, 1 c sliced bell pepper, or ¾ c baby carrots

In a bowl, combine the almond butter, juice, and vinegar and stir until smooth. Top with the peanuts. Dip the veggies in the sauce.

NUTRITION (per serving) 200 cal, 8 g pro, 15 g carb, 14 g fat, 3 g sat fat, 3 g fiber, 105 mg sodium

Recipe from Turn Up Your Fat Burn by Alyssa Shaffer and the editors of Prevention, (published by Rodale, which publishes Prevention).

Carrot Muffins

Carrot Muffins

If you’re looking for some wheat-free options when it comes to snacks, these muffins work great. The carrots provide beta-carotene, and the flaxseeds offer up a near-zero carbohydrate source of fiber. The pecans give the muffins some crunch, while the spices and orange peel add zing. 

SERVINGS: 12

1½ c almond meal/flour
1 c chopped pecans
½ c ground golden flaxseeds
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp sea salt
1 c shredded carrots
2 Tbsp orange peel
½ c raisins (optional)
2 eggs, separated
½ c xylitol or ¼ tsp liquid stevia or to desired sweetness
½ c sour cream or coconut milk
¼ c coconut oil, extra-light olive oil, or butter, melted
½ c applesauce
¼ tsp cream of tartar

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Place paper liners in a 12-cup muffin pan or grease the cups.

2. STIR together the almond meal/flour, pecans, flaxseeds, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the carrots, orange peel, and raisins (if using).

3. WHISK together the egg yolks, xylitol or stevia, sour cream or coconut milk, oil or butter, and applesauce in a medium bowl.

4. BEAT the egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the beaten whites into the egg yolk mixture until combined. Fold egg mixture into the flour mixture until well combined.

5. DIVIDE the batter among the muffin cups, filling each about half full. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely on the rack.

NUTRITION (per muffin) 248 cal, 6 g pro, 9 g carb, 22 g total fat, 6 g sat fat, 5 g fiber, 255 mg sodium

Recipe from Wheat Belly Cookbook by William Davis, MD, (published by Rodale, which publishes Prevention). 

Spice Roasted Nuts

Spice Roasted Nuts

Toasting nuts awakens and deepens their natural flavor, plus it allows you to customize them with your own favorite spice mixtures. Here are four reliable routes to take. Each version makes 4 servings.

Chili Almonds
⅛ tsp chili powder + ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper + salt + 1 c whole unpeeled almonds
NUTRITION (per serving) 116 cal, 11 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 20 mg sodium, 2 g fiber

Curried Cashews
1 tsp curry powder + 1 c unsalted cashews
NUTRITION (per serving) 111 cal, 9 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 3 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

Five-Spice Peanuts
½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder + 1 c salted peanuts
NUTRITION (per serving) 120 cal, 11 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 11 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

Cocoa Pecans
½ Tbsp cocoa powder + 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon + 2 Tbsp sugar + 1 c pecan halves
NUTRITION (per serving) 128 cal, 12 g fat, 2 g sat.fat, 150 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F.
2. HEAT 1 Tbsp butter and the appropriate spices in a small saucepan.
3. STIR in the nuts, then spread them on a baking sheet.
4. ROAST for 10 to 12 minutes, until very fragrant and warm, but not overly toasted.

Recipe from The 8-Hour Diet by David Zinczenko with Peter Moore (published by Rodale, which publishes Prevention).