Banana Nut Choc Chip Muffins

I really like bananas. They are, in fact, one of my favorite fruits. That is, as long as they are yellow and firm. I cannot eat a banana that is soft; not even one that has just started getting soft. So in my mind, bananas have a very short window of perfection. They might be partially green when I purchase them. Within a day or two they will be perfect...completely yellow, firm, with no brown spots. They must be eaten within a couple days of that perfection. As soon as they sprout brown spots and are soft to the (gentle) squeeze...uh uh...past it's prime and I won't eat it.

That being said, I never throw bananas away. As soon as they are soft, I remove the peel, break the banana in half and add it to a baggie in my freezer. These frozen bananas are perfect for Smoothies. In fact, you need to let the banana get a little soft before freezing it. This enhances the natural sweetness of the fruit. I always have a baggie of frozen banana halves in the freezer ready to go for smoothies.

But every now and then I'm not paying attention and the bananas on the counter get past the "perfect to freeze softness" and are just plain mushy. I still don't like to throw them away, so that calls for a batch of Banana Nut Chocolate Chip Muffins or some Banana Nut Oatmeal. Note: the softer the bananas are the sweeter they will taste. These muffins are quick to whip up and perfect for lunch boxes...or setting on the counter for kids to grab as they run in and out all summer.

This recipe makes 36 muffins.

WET INGREDIENTS:

6 Large Very Ripe Bananas

1 Cup Oil

3 Eggs

DRY INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups Sugar

4 Cups White Flour **see tip 1 below

1 tsp Baking Soda

2 tsp Baking Powder

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 Cup Walnuts, Chopped Roughly

1 Cup Chocolate Chips

TECHNIQUE:

Preheat oven to 300*.

Mix wet ingredients in the blender. Pour into a large bowl.

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.

Add dry ingredients to wet, mixing in a little at a time until fully incorporated.

Fold in walnuts and chocolate chips.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.

Bake 20 min at 300*.

TIP 1: Whole wheat flour and white flour can be mixed 50/50. Sift the wheat flour and it will bake a little lighter.

TIP 2: Bakes well as loaves instead of muffins. Large loaves will bake in about 60 minutes. Small loaves will take 20-30 minutes.

Printable Recipe

What is your favorite recipe for using overripe bananas?

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Juicy Gossip: 2COP Juice

It's day five of our seven day juice diet. I feel great. I am sleeping better. My body feels lighter, more energetic. But you don't have to do a 100% juice diet to reap the benefit of juicing. Even juicing once a day will improve your health and how you feel. The intense concentration of vitamins you get from juicing is like pouring energy straight into your veins. For that reason, I like to juice for breakfast. It helps me start my day with a clear mind and high energy. However, if you prefer to juice for dinner you will be getting all the nutrition you need without filling your stomach full of food that may sit heavy all night long.

A friend  of ours received a juicer as a wedding gift. It had been sitting in the attic for over a year. He was interested in juicing, but didn't know where to start. I invited him over and we made four or five juices so he could taste the difference and ask any questions he had about the equipment or the fruits and veggies. He went home and decided that he would juice for breakfast each morning. Other than that, he has changed nothing about his daily activity or diet. (I've known him since 1983 and rarely a day goes by that he doesn't have his BBQ or steak; a true carnivore.) He has now been juicing a little over 3 months. He just told me that he has lost 15 pounds. And he wasn't even trying! He feels healthier and more energetic as well.

Some of you have asked for specific juice recipes to try. I have lots, and I'm trying new combinations all the time. I will share one or two every couple of days. If you want something specific and I haven't posted it yet, let me know.

There are sweet juices and savory juices. Sweet juice does not mean it only has fruit in it. Certain veggies when combined with fruit will give you the nutrition of the veggie and the sweetness of the fruit.

I typically like to start my day with a sweet juice. Fruits are natural carbohydrates. Your body uses carbs for energy. I want to start my day with energy. Drinking a juice with fruit is like pouring energy straight into my bloodstream.

Side note on carbs...carbs themselves are not bad for you. Our bodies require carbohydrates for energy. What is bad for us is processed carbs. If it has white flour in it is processed. If you look at the ingredients of most wheat breads on the shelf they will have enriched, processed white flour in them. If you want the "staff of life" carbohydrates, you should look for 100% whole grain. If it says "enriched", "refined", "bleached", "unbleached" it is processed. In fact, "enriched" means that they have added vitamins back into the flour that were stripped away in the refining process. Crazy, isn't it? If we stick with the whole grain before refining, we get all the natural nutrition and carbs that the body can process well. Unfortunately, even white rice has been processed.

The bottom line is, when you get your carbs from fruit and whole grains your body can process it into energy and it doesn't sit and turn into fat. So don't be afraid of carbs, be afraid of PROCESSED CARBS!!

Anyway, that's why I like to start my day with sweet juices and end it with savory juices. One of my favorites is Mickey Mouse Juice. Click to see why I call it Mickey Mouse. Perfect example of getting veggies in with my fruit, but the juice is sweet and perfect for morning.

Another favorite is this 2COP juice. The name reminds me what ingredients I need...2 C's an O and a P.

2COP Juice

3 Carrots

1 Cucumber

1 Orange

1 Pear

This juice is has a good variety of vitamins while the fruit is the dominant flavor, making it another great morning drink. 

How frequently do you juice? Is there a fruit that you haven't been able to work into a juice yet?

Healthy Habits: Gourmet Overnight Oatmeal

I promised three quick and easy breakfast ideas, so here is #3. (You may want to check out my 3 Minute Omelette and Citrus Technique.


Most people really like oatmeal, when it has good texture and is flavorful. We all know that oatmeal out of a packet is full of sugar and additives. The biggest complaint I hear about oatmeal is that it takes too long to cook "real" oatmeal and people are unsure of how to make it taste good. If you have 15 minutes in the morning, try these fabulous recipes for Banana Nut Oatmeal and Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal.

But if you don't have time to do that on weekday mornings you can still serve your family a hot, healthy, gourmet oatmeal for breakfast. This Crock Pot Oatmeal takes less than 5 minutes to put together and can be customized for as many picky eaters as you have in your family. This is so easy and has so many variations.

You can use steel-cut oats or regular oatmeal....NOT INSTANT OATMEAL!

Side note-difference between steel-cut and regular oats.

Steel-cut oats (also known as Irish Oats) are the whole oat kernel, which is cut into two or three pieces using steel discs. They are a better source of fiber than regular oats, but take longer to cook.

Rolled Oats have the bran mostly removed and are rolled flat to make them easier to cook. 

Quick Cooking and Instant Oats are rolled oats that have been cut into smaller pieces and rolled thinner, thus cook quickly. They are an easy source for preparing many oatmeal dishes. (Sorry, no picture...I don't keep instant oats on hand)

When comparing the different types of oats, steel-cut oats are definitely less processed and have a higher nutrient content. I prefer steel-cut oats in this recipe. But you can also use regular oats.

Here's the basic recipe:

1 Cup Steel-Cut Oats (or Regular Oats, but NOT Instant Oats)

4 Cups Water

1/2 Cup Milk (or half and half or buttermilk)

1/2 tsp Vanilla

Put everything in the crock pot and cook on low for 8-9 hours.

But that's kind of boring. So, pick your favorite flavor and pep it up. Here are some ideas, any of these things can be added to the basic recipe and cooked overnight.

1 Cup Raisins and 1 tsp Cinnamon OR

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar 2 Tbsp Butter and 1 tsp Cinnamon OR

1 Cup Dried Cranberries and 1 Cup Dried Figs OR

1 Cup Chopped Fresh Apple and 1 tsp Cinnamon OR

1 Cup Dried Cranberries and 1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice OR

1 Cup Dried Apricots OR

2 Bananas, sliced (use a fork to mush and stir in the morning. Serve with Chopped Walnuts)

Well, you get the idea. You can pretty much add anything you want to create a new flavor.

Another way to customize oatmeal is with toppings when you serve it.

Chopped Walnuts or Pecans

Brown Sugar

Chocolate Chips (okay, not so healthy, but good!)

Jam or Jelly (a spoonful of strawberry or raspberry mixed in is delicious)

Peanut Butter (could also be combined with jam)

Bananas, cut into slices

Fresh Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries or Strawberries

Fresh Peaches, Nectarines or Apricots, cut up

Raisins, If some of your family likes raisins in their oatmeal and others don't, here's a simple way to customize. While you are putting breakfast together, put the raisins in a cup of hot water and let them sit for about 5 minutes then drain. They will be nice and plump and warm. Those who like raisins can add a few spoonfuls to their bowl of oatmeal.

Does your family eat oatmeal regularly? If not, do you think they would be willing to try some of these options?

Healthy Habits: 3 Minute Omelette

People often ask for tips on how to eat healthier without taking a lot of time. I'm going to share three tips in a row to help you have fast, healthy breakfasts.

The first tip is a 3 Minute Omelette. This recipe is super easy. It literally takes me 1 minute to put it together and 3 minutes to cook. You have a very nutritious, low calorie and super good tasting breakfast in less than 5 minutes!

The best part is that everyone can have a customized breakfast and it doesn't require additional time or work for you to prepare. If one is a vegetarian skip the meat. If one doesn't like mushrooms, use onions and spinach. You can use leftover veggies from dinner or raw veggies...either cooks just fine. Once a week I cut up a bunch of veggies to use on salads during the week. I store them in individual plastic containers in the fridge, so it is easy to grab whatever veggies are wanted for an omelette. Things like broccoli I will cut into smaller pieces than we use on salad (add about 15 seconds to the above time).

Ingredients:

2 Eggs

1.5 Tbsp Water

2-4 Tbsp cut up veggies (onions, peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, mushrooms, asparagus, spinach, etc)

1-2 Tbsp cut up Ham, Bacon (cooked), Canadian Bacon (or other meat you like)

                                                                         

You will also need a Glad Microwave Steaming Bag. (It's like a ziploc bag for the microwave)

Technique:

Crack eggs into bowl and whisk with 1.5 Tbsp water.

Put cut up veggies and meat into bag. (I'm using ham, onions & spinach)

Pour eggs into the bag (over veggies)

Seal the bag. Put it in the microwave for 3 minutes. If you have a high powered microwave you may find that it only takes 2:30 to 2:40.

Remove from microwave.

Open bag and slide onto plate to serve. This is exactly how it came out of the bag. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on it and it's ready to eat.

Delicious! We have even been known to wrap it in a couple of paper towels and take it on the go.

Question: What is your favorite breakfast? Is it quick, or would you like to find a way to make it quicker?

PERSONAL FRITTATAS

Now that we've cooked Perfectly Crisp Bacon, and made BLT's for dinner, what do you do with the rest of the bacon. One of my favorite Holiday Breakfasts is Personal Frittatas. These are always a huge hit at the holidays. You can customize them if needed and family can serve themselves while you are busy preparing the big holiday meal.


You can make a batch of these on the weekend and put them in baggies in the fridge to heat during the week for quick breakfasts. They also freeze well for future use.

What you need:
12 Eggs
Water
Veggies/Meat of Choice (I'm using Bacon, Spinach & Cheese)
Cheese


In this demo I am using Crumbled Bacon from Perfectly Crisp Bacon, Fresh Spinach and Cheese. You can use Sausage, Canadian Bacon, Broccoli, Mushrooms, Peppers (Red or Green), well, pretty much any meat and/or veggie makes a great addition to this Frittata.


How you do it:
Preheat oven to 350*
Spray a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. 
Crack an egg into a bowl, add 2 tsp water and beat the egg.

 Pour the egg into a muffin mold. Repeat 12 times. (I told you this was easy!)

Now add the Crumbled Bacon and Chopped Spinach (or veggies of your choice).
Sprinkle with a little Salt and Pepper.
Next top with Shredded Cheese.

Put into the 350* oven and bake for about 25 minute, until puffy and golden brown on top.

Run a plastic knife around each Frittata to remove easily. Serve with Fruit and Toast for a complete breakfast.


Do you have a favorite Holiday Breakfast food? Feel free to add a link to your favorite recipe in your comment.

Healthy Habits: Favorite Breakfast Recipes Under 300 Calories

One of the most important tips I can give to help you along your weight loss journey is: DON'T SKIP BREAKFAST!! Eating within an hour of waking in the morning (ideally 30 min) jump starts your metabolism. This means you will burn more calories throughout the day. Not eating breakfast sends your body into starvation mode and your metabolism slows down in order to conserve energy. The key is to put something (fuel) in your body that can be converted to energy and metabolized slowly. Sugar will metabolize quickly giving you a burst of energy but won't last very long. The right kind of carbs, fat and protein will give you sustained energy over several hours.

Interesting thing about sugar. If you eat sugar, your body will crave sugar. Then it's an ongoing battle with yourself, trying not to eat the 'bad stuff'. If you don't believe me, try this experiment. Eat sugar early in the day and then pay close attention to what you 'want' to eat for the rest of the day. Then take a day and make one of the breakfast recipes below and see what your body is craving for the rest of the day. Obviously this doesn't mean that you won't want sugar any more. But you will find that if you can go for about three days without sugar your body stops craving it. Fresh, sweet fruit becomes sugar to you and you will truly notice the intense sweetness of things like fresh pineapple or oranges and grapefruits. You will start to crave the natural sugars in fruit for energy.
I always drink a 24 oz bottle of water first thing after waking in the morning. Then I eat about a cup of fresh fruit giving me carbs for energy and jump starting my metabolism. That's enough food to exercise on; you shouldn't exercise on an empty stomach, but definitely don't want a full stomach. After exercise I will make one of the breakfasts below.

These are three of my favorite breakfast recipes. All are under 300 calories!!


Fresh Banana Nut Oatmeal  (267 calories)
1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Skim Milk
1/2 Cup Quaker Rolled Oats (NOT instant)
1/2 Ripe Banana
3 Walnut halves

Put water, milk and oats in small sauce pan on stove. Turn stove on low-med. Stir frequently as it heats, oats will cook (approx 3-4 min) and start to thicken. Do not turn on high, do not boil.

Meanwhile in cereal bowl, mash 1/2 banana with fork. Break walnut halves into small pieces on top of banana.

When oats are cooked pour into cereal bowl over banana. Mix with spoon.


Chocolate-Strawberry Smoothie    (285 Calories)
1/2 Cup Skim Milk
1/2 Cup Cold Water
1 tsp Ground Flax Seed
1 Scoop Chocolate Whey Protein Powder
1/2 Ripe Banana
5 Large Frozen Strawberries

Put in Blender in order above and blend until smooth. If you like it thicker, add one or two more strawberries.(add 7 calories for each strawberry you add)



Protein Bowl    (234 Calories) 
This recipe makes 4 servings: 234 calories per serving
(This is a variation of Jillian Michael's Breakfast Bowl)
2 Cups Fat Free Plain Yogurt
2 Cups Fat Free Cottage Cheese
3 Tblsp Sliced Almonds
1/2 Cup Quaker Rolled Oats (NOT instant)
2 tsp Vanilla

1/2 Cup Fresh Blueberries OR Blackberries OR Strawberries (Can also use frozen berries-let thaw first)

Combine yogurt, cottage cheese, almonds, oats & vanilla in a bowl. Mix. Divide into four-1 cup servings in four storage bowls with seals. Put in fridge. Needs to sit overnight or at least four hours for oatmeal to "cook" as it absorbs moisture.

Put fruit on top of protein bowl at the time you are eating it.


There you go...three great breakfasts that are quick and easy or make ahead, super nutritious and great tasting! Enjoy!

When do you have the most difficulty creating a healthy meal; when fixing breakfast, lunch or dinner?

Are you most interested in changing your eating habits or your exercise habits right away? Or both?