Halloween Treat Recipe Round Up

In the spirit of Halloween week, here are a few treats that won't trick your waistline!  Enjoy :)

Power Cookies

Honey Roasted Peanut Cake

Ginger Apple Walnut Bars

Almond Coconut Rolled Dates

Hearty Almond Chocolate Chip Walnut Bars

PB Rice Krispies Treats

Almond Cranberry White Chocolate Oat Bars

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Recipe Redux Post # 39 Pumpkin Pecan Smoothie

October Recipe ReDux is “Nutty Nut Day." October 22^nd happens to be National Nut Day, which is right around the time we post our recipes, so we were challenged to develop and “share a healthy nut-filled recipe”.  Being that it is still VERY warm here in Los Angeles, and no Fall weather is in sight,  a smoothie sure sounded good to me!  But I still wanted to go with an Autumn theme in spirit, so I combined the simple flavors of pecans,  pumpkin, dates, pumpkin pie spice, and used a banana/almond milk base to make this smoothie.  This drink is reminiscent of pumpkin and pecan pie but it still refreshing at the same time!  I hope you will give it a try and also check out all the other nutty themed recipes from the great Recipe ReDux crew.

Ingredients:

½ large frozen banana, cut into chunks  

1 large mejool date (pitted and preferably previously soaked for 15-30 minutes in warm water to soften)

½ cup milk (I used unsweetened almond milk which works great)

1 tablespoon pumpkin puree (fresh or canned, and not pumpkin pie filling)

1 tablespoon chopped pecans

1-2 dashes of pumpkin pie spice 

Directions:

Blend all of the above ingredients for 30 sec-1 minute on high speed until a smooth mixture is formed. Pour and serve.

Makes 1 smoothie, one serving

Serving size: 1 smoothie Calories 180 Protein 2 g Carb 32 g Fiber 4 g Sugars  21g Fat 7 g Saturated fat 0.5 g Sodium 90 mg

An InLinkz Link-up

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In the News: What is Kids Favorite Fruit Choice?

So what is the go to fruit of kids ages 2 and up....APPLES!  A new study published in the journal Pediatrics reports just that.  Researchers looked at the fruit consumption of over 3000 children and apple consumption accounted for the greatest proportion, being 20 % overall. Kids ages 6-11 were more likely to eat whole fruit apples vs.  kids 2-5 drank more apple juice.

" 'These findings provide some insight into what fruits children are eating and socioeconomic factors that may influence what fruit children want to eat and are being provided to eat,' according to a AAP press release that accompanied the study." as published in a summary of the research in TIME Magazine.

Apples are a great choice for kids and adults alike And now that it is fall they are in season too!

Enjoy them in my Apple Cinnamon Pancake and Applesauce Recipes!

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Gabby’s Eats: Snack Mini Sandwiches

It was early in the afternoon on Super Bowl Sunday 2015 and we decided to play it low key and enjoy the occasion with just our family at home that day.  We have been to many Super Bowl parties throughout the years, which have been fun and offered a delicious array of great foods so Gabby has gotten accustomed to the concept of it being a food centered event.  Daddy did not disappoint and ordered a special smoked turkey to enjoy and I managed to cook up a couple of fun sides.  But with a few hours til kick off, Gabby and I also decided to come up with a couple of easy and festive snacks that she and I could make for the game.  These three mini sandwiches were the result and turned out to be great finger foods for parties, snack time or even lunchboxes.  They were quite a SCORE for sure!

Sushi Folds

Ingredients

seaweed snack sheets

cooked rice (brown or white) or quinoa

cucumber slices

carrot slices

avocado slices

mandarin orange segments

low sodium soy sauce (use gluten free brand such as San J if on a GF diet)

teriyaki sauce (use gluten free brand such as San J if on a GF diet)

Directions

Place seaweed sheets on a clean surface, such as a large plate or cutting board. Add about 1/2  tablespoon of rice to one side of the seaweed, along with a cucumber, avocado, carrot or orange slice.  Drizzle with a little soy and teriyaki sauce, fold over and eat!

Serving size 1 sushi fold w/cucumber/orange/carrot Calories 10 Protein 1g Carb 2 g Fiber 0 g Sugars 0 g Fat 1 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium 25 mg

Serving size 1 sushi fold w/avocado Calories 25 Protein 0g Carb 2 g Fiber 1 g Sugars 0 g Fat 1.5 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium 25 mg

Pretzel Mini Bites

Ingredients

flat style pretzels, such as thins or waffle squares (use gluten-free brand, such as Glutino if on a gluten-free diet)

nut butter (almond butter or peanut butter)

thin apple slices into 1 inch squares

cinnamon

low fat cheese slices cut into 1 inch squares

turkey slices cut into 1 inch squares

honey mustard

Directions

Place the pretzels on a clean surface, such as a large plate or cutting board. Add one square of cheese to one of the pretzels. Spread 1/8 teaspoon mustard onto the cheese. Then top with the turkey and the second pretzel and eat!

or

Add one square of apple to one of the pretzels. Spread ¼ teaspoon of nut butter on the apple. Sprinkle with cinnamon, top with the second pretzel and eat!

Serving size 1 mini sandwich w/apples + nut butter Calories 35 Protein 1g Carb 6 g Fiber 0 g Sugars 1 g Fat 1 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium 130 mg

Serving size 1 mini sandwich w/ cheese + turkey Calories 45 Protein 2 g Carb 5 g Fiber 0 g Sugars 1 g Fat 1.5 g Saturated fat 1 g Sodium 200mg

Cucumber Crunchers

Ingredients

cucumber slices

hummus

light cream cheese

olives, pitted and halved

cherry tomato slices

Directions

Place the cucumber slices on a clean surface, such as a large plate or cutting board. Spread ½ teaspoon hummus or cream cheese onto the one cucumber slice. Then put on one olive halve and tomato slice, top with the second cucumber and eat!.

Serving size 1 mini sandwich w/ hummus Calories 10 Protein 0 g Carb 1 g Fiber 0 g Sugars 1 g Fat 0.5 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium 35 mg

Serving size 1 mini sandwich w/ cream cheese Calories 15 Protein 0 g Carb 1 g Fiber 0 g Sugars 1 g Fat 1 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium 30mg

   

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Fall Favorites Recipe Round Up

Being that last week marked the beginning of Fall,  I thought I'd share some of my favorite Autumn (primarily pumpkin!) recipe posts from the past to get in the spirit. California seems to be locked into Summer heat for what seems like forever and I am hoping that if I start some Fall inspired eating the weather will follow!   I kicked things off with my Pumpkin Power Muffins in my last post and here are some additional recipes I've created over the years that I'd like to share as well. Enjoy!

Fall Harvest Snack Mix

Crockpot Pumpkin Apple Oats

Roasted Pumpkin Parmesan Soup

Pumpkin Pancakes

Mini Pumpkin Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ginger Apple Walnut Bars

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Recipe Redux Post # 38: Pumpkin Power Muffin

“Fantastic Freezer Meals” is the Recipe ReDux challenge for September. We were encouraged to use our skills to develop a meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner that freezes well.  Mornings are an extremely busy time for me.  I have to cram in my workout, getting ready, making my daughter’s lunch (and mine) and get out the door by 7am to leave for work. And, I am a firm believer in eating breakfast since it is key to maintaining my energy level and starting my day off right. So one of my go to breakfasts is a protein muffin. I created this pumpkin flavor recently and I love to bake several batches and store extras in the freezer. I can simply take one out the night before, defrost it in the fridge and it is ready to go the next morning.  And this muffin has it all- whole grains, lots of protein, fiber, fruits and veggies and it tastes great.  I usually make the jumbo muffin size for a hearty AM meal that’s a very reasonable 300 calories. You can also make them in regular sized muffin tins as well. I simply pop one in the microwave for 30-40 seconds and spread a little Earth balance margarine or low sugar jam on them for a delicious breakfast. I hope you will try the recipe and also check out the rest of the “Fantastic Freezer” Favorites created by the great Recipe ReDux crew!

Ingredients:

2 cup rolled oats,

3/4 cup oat flour 

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

6 Tablespoons protein powder *(preferably natural

unflavored, see notes on the one I use below)

3 medium sized over ripe bananas, mashed

6 tablespoons liquid egg white

6 packed tablespoons brown sugar

½ cup pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

cooking spray

Directions:

Soak the oats over night for about 8-12 hours and then

drain. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour,

baking powder, baking soda, pie spice, cinnamon and protein powder in a small bowl.  In a large bowl, mix together the mashed banana, pumpkin, brown sugar, vanilla and egg whites. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix well. Stir in the oats until well combined. Spoon into 6 jumbo size muffin pan cups (or 12 regular sized) coated with cooking spray and bake on the bottom rack of the oven for about 30-35 minutes, until top is firm, lightly browned and a toothpick comes out mostly

clean when inserted into the center.

* I have had great success with using Nature’s Best

Isopure Perfect Natural Protein Powder, unflavored- it is gluten-free, lactose free

Makes six jumbo muffins or twelve regular sized

Serving size 1 jumbo muffin Calories 290 Protein 13 g Carb 53 g Fiber 6 g Sugars 22 g Fat 3 g Saturated fat 0 g  Sodium 190 mg

Serving size 1 regular sized muffin Calories 145 Protein 6.5 g Carb 26 g Fiber 3 g Sugars 11 g Fat 1.5 g Saturated fat 0 g  Sodium 95 mg

An InLinkz Link-up

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In The News: Eating Junk Food Can Shrink Your Brain?!

There is plenty of evidence that a poor diet can take a toll on health, namely promoting chronic disease, and now another study has pointed to yet another deleterious effect of consuming too much junk food- it can actually shrink your brain!!

A small study, recently conducted in Australia with 250 participants aged 60-64, demonstrated that those participants that had a higher intake of sugary drinks, salty snack foods and processed meats had smaller hippocampal volumes, while those who more consumed fruits, vegetables and fish had bigger hippocampal volumes. These results persisted even after being adjusted for smoking, exercise and gender. The hippocampus is the part of the brain associated with memory, learning and mood regulation,  so this is a key finding.

Although this study does not prove a cause/effect relationship, and is more an association, the researchers note "This latest study sheds light on at least one of the pathways by which eating an unhealthy diet may influence the risk for dementia, cognitive decline and mental disorders such as depression and anxiety in older people.” 

So, this is just another reason to ditch junk foods and consume more whole, natural and healthful foods like fruits, vegetables, fish, whole grains and nuts. Say good bye to a sugar laden soda and substitute my antioxidant rich Blueberry-Nana Pineapple Smoothie  And, lose the fries and try my Super Smoky Sweet Potato Chips for more vitamins and minerals and less fat as well!

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