No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Bars

Ingredients:

3 cups crisp brown rice cereal 

1.5 cup puffed millet 

1 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup honey

1 cup natural creamy peanut butter 

1 cup protein powder of choice (I use ½ cup unflavored whey and ½ cup vanilla casein) 

1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips (chilled in freezer)

Directions:

Line a 9 x 13” baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.

Combine the honey and nut butter in a small saucepan over low heat and stir together. Cook for a few minutes until they are melted and thoroughly combined then remove from heat and set aside.

Add the brown rice cereal, millet, and protein powder to the saucepan and stir everything together until well-combined and slightly cooled. Lastly, add the frozen chocolate chips (this helps keep them from completely melting) and stir a few times. Sometimes I need to add a bit of water to make the mixture stick together better.

Transfer the mixture to the lined baking dish and use a damp glass to press and roll the mixture (re-wetting as necessary to prevent sticking) until the surface is as even as possible. Freeze for about an hour, cut into bars and return to the freezer until ready to eat.

Adapted from this recipe

 

Greens and Quinoa Waldorf Salad With Creamy Orange Vinaigrette

Ingredients

For the Salad:

mixed greens
2-3 chopped celery stalks (chop really small)
1 pint halved cherry tomatoes
1-2 chopped apple(s)
2-3 tbs chopped fresh basil
Crumbled feta cheese, to taste
Cooked quinoa (1 cup quinoa cooked in 2 cups water)
½ cup chopped, toasted walnuts
Homemade Creamy Orange Basil Vinaigrette

For the Dressing:

3 tbs apple cider vinegar
1-2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs plain Greek yogurt
3 tbs fresh squeezed orange juice
2 tsp honey
Salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well until combined.

A note on dressing: the olive oil, orange juice, and honey will all make it “sweeter” and the vinegar (or lemon juice in other recipes) will make it more tart. Always taste the dressing and adjust until you like it.

Directions

1. Put celery, tomatoes, apple, and basil in a bowl the size you would normally fill for your family
2. Top with enough mixed greens to almost fill the bowl
3. Add cooked and cooled quinoa (you can run it under cold water for a bit to cool it if it wasn’t prepared ahead of time)
4. Add dressing and feta to taste and toss to coat evenly

This will serve 4-6 as a main course. Could add grilled chicken if desired.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

This recipe is only slightly adapted from this website. It is awesome--the best "healthy" banana bread I have tried--and I have tried a lot. It's a great after school snack that everyone will enjoy!

Yield: 1 (9x5-in) loaf or 4 mini loafs

Ingredients:

For the wet ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups (320 g) mashed very ripe banana (about 4 medium or 3 large. On occasion, I have only had 2 bananas and I have used enough apple sauce to make up the rest.)
• 2 tablespoons (15 g) ground flaxseed
• 1/3 cup (80 mL) milk (I like almond milk)
• 1/3 cup (80 mL) coconut oil, melted
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) pure vanilla extract

For the dry ingredients:

• 1/4 cup (60 g) coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup (50 g) rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups (210 g) white whole wheat flour
• Chopped walnuts, and/or mini chocolate chips, for topping (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with oil and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mash the banana until almost smooth, and make sure you have 1 1/3 cups.
3. Stir the wet ingredients (ground flax, milk, melted oil, maple syrup, and vanilla) into the banana until combined.
4. Stir the dry ingredients (sugar, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour) into the wet mixture, one by one, in the order listed. Stop stirring when there are no flour patches at the bottom of the bowl.
5. Spoon the dough into the loaf pan and spread out evenly. Add your desired toppings and gently press them into the dough to adhere.
6. Bake the loaf, uncovered, for 45 to 55 minutes, until lightly golden and firm on top. The top of the loaf should slowly spring back when touched.
7. Place the loaf pan on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. Then, slide a knife around the loaf to loosen it and gently remove it from the pan, placing it directly onto the cooling rack until completely cooled.

Almond Chocolate Protein Bars

 These are a true protein bar, with about 19 grams of protein per bar.

Ingredients:

·      2 cups vanilla protein powder

·      ½ cup oat flour (I just put whole rolled oats into the blender until it resembles flour)

·      1.5 cups almond meal (I use the blender for whole almonds and blend until a coarse meal forms)

·      1 cup chopped almonds (once again, with the blender—just pulse a few times or use sliced or slivered almonds)

·      ½ cup pumpkin seeds, coarsely chopped

·      1 cup crisp brown rice

·      2 tbs almond butter

·      2 tbs honey

·      ¾ cup almond milk (or other milk)

·      ½ tsp vanilla extract

·      ¼ tsp almond extract

·      100 grams dark or semi-sweet chocolate

Directions:

1.     Place chocolate in a bowl over a small sauce pot of water and melt over medium heat

2.     Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and mix well.

3.     Combine wet ingredient in blender

4.     Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. Mixture will have the consistency of cookie dough.

5.     Put mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish lined with parchment paper. Put more parchment paper over the top and press with hands or rolling pin or a glass until it is pressed in and packed tight. Remove paper and spread chocolate evenly over the top. Freeze for several hours. Cut into 20 equal portions. Store in freezer for up to 3 months or refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Slow Cooker Apple/Pear Butter

Ingredients:

• Apples and/or pears--enough to fill your slow cooker
• Cinnamon--to taste. I added about 1 tsp

Directions:

1. Wash, core, and cut apples/pears into eighths--no need to peel them
2. Add to slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours. Stir a couple of times to make sure it doesn't stick.
3. Scoop the chunks into a high-speed blender and blend until the skins are pulverized. If you  have a Blendtec, I ran the "sauces" setting twice using the wild side jar in two batches.
4. Add it back to the slow cooker along with about 1 tsp. of cinnamon
5. Cook on high, uncovered for about 45 minutes

I used honeycrisp apples and whatever pears I have on my trees and it didn't need any sweetener at all. This has been the case each year when I have made it. You could add a bit of maple syrup if you feel it needs it. I scoop it into glass jars with room at the top and freeze it. I have no idea if it works for canning.

No-Bake Coconut Granola Bars

Ingredients:

• 2.5 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup crisp brown rice cereal
• 1 cup puffed millet
• 1 cup sliced or slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup unflavored protein powder
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons ground flax
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup roasted almond butter
• 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• Optional: dried tart cherries, mini chocolate chips-to your taste

Directions:

1. Line a 9X13" baking dish with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, brown rice cereal, puffed millet, almonds, protein powder, unsweetened coconut, and ground flax.
3. In a medium pot over low heat, melt the coconut oil. Stir in the almond butter, brown rice syrup, and vanilla.
4. pour wet mixture over dry and stir well until thoroughly combined. Add optional ingredients (if you are using chocolate chips, they will be added later), and a pinch of salt and stir again.
5. Spoon mixture into the pan and spread out. If using, sprinkle on the chocolate chips (about 3 TBS). Wet hands and the bottom of a drinking glass and press the mixture in firmly until even, re-wetting hands and glass as needed. You will want to pack it in really tight so they hold together better.
6. Transfer pan to the freezer for at least 10 minutes, slice into bars and store in the freezer or refrigerator.

Grain-Free Pumpkin Bars

This was one of the first grain-free baked goods recipes I tried. I have to admit I was a bit skeptical--but pleasantly surprised with the results. I think they're better than bars made with grain. They are so moist you won't believe it! I have no idea how long they can be stored because they are always gone shortly after they are pulled from the oven. Adapted from this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 cup almond butter
• 2/3 cup honey
• 4 whole eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9" x 13" pan generously.
2. Combine pumpkin puree, almond butter, honey, and eggs in a medium mixing bowl and beat well until a smooth batter forms.
3. Add remaining ingredients and mix well until it is all incorporated.
4. Transfer the batter to the greased pan and bake at 350F for about 30 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the center is firm.
5. Allow to cool completely in the pan, then cut and serve!

 

Probar Cups

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup pitted dates
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds
• 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips

Place oats, dates, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, ground flax and cocoa powder in a food processor container and blend until dates and almonds have been broken down. Add honey, peanut butter, and vanilla and blend until the mixture sticks together when pressed between your fingers. Add a bit of water if needed to make it stick together. Pulse in chocolate chips until they are well scattered in the mixture.

Divide mixture among 12 lightly greased or paper lined standard sized muffin cups and press down to firmly pack in the contents. You don’t need the grease or use paper liners if using silicon cups. Place tray in freezer for about 30 minutes to help set the cups.  Unmold and store in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.

Slightly adapted from: muffintinmania.com 

Almond Butter Bites

Ingredients: 

• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 1 cup brown rice crisp cereal
• 3/4 cup oats-pulsed in blender or food processor for a couple of seconds
• 3/4 cup puffed millet
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/3 cup dried tart cherries-chopped into small pieces
• 1/4 cup unflavored whey protein powder
• Water-as needed 

Directions: 

1. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl
2. Combine wet ingredients in large saucepan and heat over low heat until melted together and well-combined. 
3. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. If mixture is too dry to stick together when pressed, add a bit of water.
4. Wet hands thoroughly and shape mixture into balls of desired size. Press mixture firmly so it will hold. Wet hands after each ball. It will make them more firm and keep the mixture from sticking to your hands.

These store really well in the freezer and are chewy right out of the freezer. 

Trail Mix Cookies

These cookies are incredible. They are full of healthy ingredients and tasty at the same time. They got the stamp of approval from ALL of my kids plus a collection of their friends and some of my co-workers. I hope you will enjoy them too. They are slightly adapted from this recipe.

Dry Ingredients:

• 2 cups rolled oats, blended into oat flour
• 1 cup almonds blended into fine meal
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup pecans 
• 6 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 8 tablespoons mini dark chocolate chips (or finely chopped chocolate)
• 4 tablespoons chia seeds
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 tsp fine grain sea salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda

Wet Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoon ground flax + 4 tablespoons water, mixed together
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together the ground flax and water in a small mug and set aside.
3. Measure pecans and sunflower seeds into blender and pulse until coarsely chopped. 
4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients.
5. In a blender jar, blend together the wet ingredients, including the flax egg until thoroughly combined.
6. Add the wet mixture on top of the dry mixture and stir well until combined. This will take quite a bit of stirring. You might even think it's not possible, but with a little bit of work, it will all come together.
7. Portion small balls of dough (just smaller than golf balls) onto the baking sheet, spacing them a couple inches apart.
8. Bake cookies for 13-15 minutes, until light golden brown on the bottom. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
9. Wrap up and store leftovers on the counter or in the freezer, if desired.

Maple Cinnamon Almond Butter

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole, raw almonds (unsalted)
• 3 T pure maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3 T coconut oil, melted

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Place parchment paper to cover the bottom of a 9X13 inch baking dish. Add almonds and maple syrup. Stir to coat.
3. Roast nuts for about 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Almonds are ready when the maple syrup has become crunchy.
4. Remove from oven and let cool for about 20 minutes (They should still be slightly warm).
5. Place almonds in a high powered blender and blend on low speed for 15 seconds. Increase speed to medium high and blend for another 30 seconds
6. Add salt, cinnamon, and coconut oil.
7. Continue to blend on medium to high speed until the almonds have released their oil and the almond butter is the consistency you desire. You may need a little more or a little less coconut oil.

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

This bread has it all. It is 100% whole wheat, which pleases me, and it has a taste and texture that pleases the rest of my family (as well as other friends who are kind enough to test all of my cooking). The ingredients are simple. It makes 3 two pound loaves. It freezes well and makes good sandwiches and toast.

The recipe is designed for a Kitchen Aid or Bosch mixer. I have had the best results using Wheat Montana's hard white whole wheat flour.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs yeast
• 4 C lukewarm water
• 1/3 C honey
• 9 C whole wheat flour (1 cup of flour can be replaced by a combination of any ground grains or seeds).
• 2 T gluten
• 2 T vinegar
• 3 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 and spray 3 loaf pans.
2. Combine the following ingredients in the mixing bowl. Mix for 1 minute, cover and let sit for 10 minutes:
• water
• yeast
• 3 cups of flour
• gluten
• vinegar
3. Add honey, salt, and remaining 6 cups of flour and mix with the dough hook for about 5 minutes.
4. The dough should clean the sides of the bowl and be smooth and only slightly tacky when it has the right amount of flour.
5. On a lightly floured surface, knead out any bubbles, shape and place in 3 greased loaf pans (2lb. loafs). 
6. Let rise about 30-45 minutes, depending on the temperature of the house. The dough should be just higher than the top loaf pan. It will continue to rise in the oven.
7. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove bread from oven.
8. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove loaf and cool completely on a cooling rack.   

Almond Coconut Trail Bars

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole unsalted almonds
• 2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup puffed millet, rice (or other puffed whole grain; or crispy brown rice cereal)
• 1 tablespoon flax seed meal*
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/3 cup brown rice syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Grease/spray large bowl, 9x13 baking sheet/pan, wooden spoon or rubber spatula, and bottom of drinking glass. Set aside.
2. Coarsely chop almonds (You could leave them whole if you prefer)
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on large baking sheet and bake for 10 min. until lightly toasted and fragrant. 
4. Spread coconut in single layer on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 6-7 minutes, stirring half way through, until lightly toasted. Watch it closely to avoid burning.
5. Add toasted almonds & coconut to large bowl. Add puffed rice/millet and flax seed meal. Stir to combine; set aside.
6. In 1-1/2 or 2 quart saucepan, combine honey, rice syrup, salt, and vanilla over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture reaches 250 degrees on a candy thermometer. 
7. Quickly pour liquid mixture over nut mixture and stir until combined. 
8. Transfer to greased/sprayed 9x13 pan, use hands to spread mixture evenly in pan; using the bottom of the drinking glass, press the mixture to compact it and close all of the gaps. 
9. Let cool 20 minutes (pan should still be slightly warm). Invert pan on cutting board, allowing mixture to fall out in one piece. Cut into 20 bars. If they cool too much, they will become extremely difficult to cut. You can return them to a warm oven for a couple of minutes and try again.

*Once Flax seeds are ground, they go rancid very quickly. Always buy whole flax seeds and store them in the freezer or refrigerator and grind them as you need them. A coffee grinder is the best tool for the job.

Happy Trails Cookies

These cookies are a great source of healthy fats. My kids all love them and didn't ask any questions when I first served them as an after school snack (questions like-"What is in these?""Are they healthy?""Will you try them first?"). Recipe is adapted from Oh She Glows.

Happy Trails Cookies

Dry Ingredients

• 4 cups whole pecans, toasted
• 3/4 cup pepita seeds, toasted
• 4 cups rolled oats, ground into flour in a blender
• 2.5 cups whole rolled oats
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, blended into smaller pieces in the blender

Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup pure maple syrup
• 3/4 cup brown rice syrup
• 2 T vanilla extract 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 and toast the pecans for 8-10 minutes, and the pepita seeds for about 5 minutes, watching closely so they don't burn. Remove and set aside to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 350 and line large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients (minus the pecans and pepita seeds).
3. In a blender, blend the toasted pecan and pepita seeds on pulse until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add to the dry ingredients.
4. Use the same method to blend the chocolate chips into smaller pieces. Add to the dry ingredients.
5. Using the same blender, combine the wet ingredients.
6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. The dough will be very sticky.
7. Use a 2 T cookie scoop or your (damp) hands and pack the dough firmly into balls. Flatten the balls a bit before you bake.
8. Bake for about 10 minutes. The key to having soft cookies is to avoid overbaking them. They will still be a bit soft in the middle when they are ready to come out. Leave them on the baking sheet for another minute before removing them to a cooling rack. Once cooled, they can be stored in a sealed container. They freeze really well.

 Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Baked Oatmeal

Breakfast for my family is one of the things I struggle with the most. Mornings are my workout time, and it often doesn't seem possible to get in a good workout, shower and get myself ready, pack lunches and fix kids' hair, and prepare and clean up a hot, healthy Breakfast. This recipe is one of my answers to this problem. It is prepared the night before and baked in the morning. Even my non-oatmeal fans love this.

Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vegetable oil (I use half apple sauce and half coconut oil)
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 T baking powder
• 4 beaten eggs
• 1.5 tsp cinnamon
• 1.5 tsp nutmeg
• 5 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 2 cups milk (I use almond milk, but any milk will work)

Directions:

1. Spray a 9X13 inch baking dish
2. Mix everything except milk until blended
3. Add milk and stir until well blended
4. Pour into prepared baking dish
5. Cover and refrigerate overnight
6. Uncover and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown.

It is good on its own or served with fresh fruit (might I suggest sliced strawberries?), greek yogurt, chopped nuts, canned peaches, milk or cream, or anything else you like to eat with oatmeal.

This also freezes really well. Just add a bit of milk when you re-heat it. 

Strength Training Goals

I have been teaching a weight lifting class and thought some people might be interested in a little program design theory. Here is a lesson plan I used to teach my class about designing their own strength training program to meet one of several goals they may have set for themselves. I hope you get something out of it.

 

Specific Training Goals

Goal	Number of sets	%1 Rep max	Number of repetitions	Rest between sets (minutes)
Increased Strength	2-6	>85%	≤ 6	2-5
Power-single attempt	3-5	80%-90%	1-2	2-5
Power-multiple attempts	3-5	75%-85%	3-5	2-5
Muscle Hypertrophy	3-6	67%-85%	8-12	0.5-1.5
Local muscle endurance	2-3	≤65%	≥12	≤ 0.5

Relationship Between Load (%1RM) and Repetitions-The number of times a certain weight can be lifted (repetitions) is inversely related to the amount of weight (load) lifted. A heavier load allows fewer repetitions. Make sure you reach fatigue.

Determining Load-Based on the chart above; choose your goal (strength, power, hypertrophy, or local endurance). Find the number of repetitions associated with that goal and estimate the load (weight) that will allow you to perform that many repetitions. Perform the exercise to fatigue and make a note of whether you need to use more or less weight next time to achieve the selected number of repetitions.

Progression-How will you know when it’s time to increase the load? By performing every set to fatigue. If you always do as many repetitions as you can, you will know when to increase the weight lifted by using the “2-for-2 rule” which is, “If you can perform two or more repetitions over your assigned repetition goal for a given exercise in the last set in two consecutive workouts, weight should be added to that exercise for the next training session.” The amount added should be between 2.5% to 10%.

Homemade Almond Milk

Whether you like cow's milk or not, you will love this almond milk! It is so good with granola, breakfast cereal, in a smoothie, or with oats that you soak overnight. If you didn't try the granola yet, you should. It gets rave reviews from everyone who tries it! Anyway, we love this almond milk. You don't have to be lactose intolerant or vegan to enjoy it.

Almond Milk

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw whole almonds
• 3 cups water

Soak the almonds in the water overnight or all day. (I have soaked it up to two full days because I didn't have enough time to make it when I planned. If this happens, just rinse and drain the almonds and put them in fresh water until the next day).The milk is best chilled, so it works well to soak all day and make the milk before bed.

• 4 cups water
• 1 T coconut oil, melted
• 1 T liquid sweetener, I like agave nectar because it blends really well into cold liquids
• 1 tsp non-alcoholic vanilla
• salt (optional)

Directions: 

1. Put 4 cups water in blender; add soaked, drained, and rinsed almonds.
2. Blend. For a Blendtec, blend on "whole juice" setting. I'm not sure what to say for other blenders, but blend for about a minute.
3. Strain milk through a nut milk bag or several layers of cheesecloth. You will want to squeeze it a little to extract as much milk as possible, but not so much that you squeeze out a lot of the ground almonds.
4. Return strained milk to blender and add coconut oil, sweetener, vanilla, and a pinch of salt if desired.
5. Blend for another 30 seconds; store in a glass pitcher in the refrigerator up to 4 days (ours has yet to last that long before being consumed).

I know there are things you can do with the almond pulp, but I have yet to try any of them....

Turkey Enchiladas

This recipe has been a regular at our dinner table for many years. I don't even know where the original recipe came from, but it was an instant hit. This recipe makes enough sauce and filling for 2 meals. I put half the sauce into a freezer bag, and half of the filling into another freezer bag. Then you have a very easy meal for another time. I also layer everything lasagna style instead of rolling them enchilada style. It's just quicker.

Turkey Enchiladas

Ingredients:

• 2 T olive oil
• 4 T flour
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2-15oz cans, plus 1-8 oz can tomato sauce
• 2 cups water
• l large onion, diced
• 16 oz ground turkey
• 1 T dried cilantro (fresh works, too)
• 3 cups frozen corn
• 4-15 oz cans of black or pinto beans (I use a combination of the two), rinsed and drained
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• Fresh ground pepper
• 12 corn tortillas (You will need another 12 when you make the other half later.)
• 1.5 cups shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese

Directions:

1. Mix together flour, coriander, chili powder, and cumin. Preheat oven to 350. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour mixture with a whisk; add tomato sauce, water, and 1/2 tsp salt. Continue stirring with the whisk until smooth, make sure to scrape any flour mixture away from the edges of the pot. Turn heat down and simmer for 10 minutes. Put half of the sauce into the freezer for another day.
2. Heat a bit of oil in a large skillet; add onion and turkey. Cook, stirring until browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro, corn, beans, tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Divide the filling in half and put 1/2 into the freezer for another meal.
3. Spread 1/2 cup sauce into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Lay 6 tortillas on top of the sauce. Top with remaining filling, another 1/2 cup sauce, and half of the cheese. Lay the remaining 6 tortillas on top. Cover with remaining sauce and cheese. Bake until heated through, about 20-30 minutes.

Training for Stronger Bones

When my girls were all little, they would frequently ask me how old I was. I thought it was fun to tell them a different (usually ridiculous) age every time. Now, the joke seems to be on me. My youngest daughter loves to tell people that I am much older than I really am. Usually the number is in the hundreds. I always make a point to remind her that she is getting older, too. Since Wendy and I aren't the only ones getting older, I can make a good case that we should all be thinking about our bones when we plan our workouts. It is important both for those who are still young enough to be working toward their peak bone density (which is usually reached in early adulthood) as well as for those of us who have passed that milestone but don't want to develop osteoporosis in our older age-I think this should cover just about everyone.

Because of the way bones are stimulated to grow, training for improved bone density has some very specific guidelines. There is a term called, "minimal essential strain (MES)" that refers to the lowest stimulus necessary to initiate bone growth. Only when we exceed this strain will growth be stimulated. Bone cells are regulated so that the activities done on a regular basis do not exceed the MES. Therefore, it is necessary to continually be progressing in order to regularly exceed the MES for continued bone growth. As soon as bone growth has occurred, the same force that generated the growth will no longer exceed the MES. Bone density improvements follow increased muscle strength. As muscles get stronger and lift heavier weights, the bone increases its mass and strength to provide proper support. How long have you been using the same hand weights every time you do your resistance training? While those 12 pound dumbbells might have been enough to stimulate bone (and muscle) growth when you first started using them, your body has likely adapted to the weight and it now falls below the MES. This is good news! It means you are stronger and ready to move up to heavier weights. Don't get stagnant.

Another important principle in bone growth is that the region of the skeleton receiving the strain (by impact or weight) is the area that will receive the stimulus for bone growth. So, in other words, the area of desired bone growth has to be directly loaded. Running is a good way to load the hips (by impact), but not necessarily the spine. Exercises such as the back squat (squatting with a barbell resting across the back of the shoulders) or a shoulder press are examples of exercises that would load the spine. In general, any exercise that requires movement of more than one joint, is weight-bearing, or involves impact (assuming your health allows it) is recommended. Some examples are running, walking, squats, deadlifts, power clean, and shoulder press.

If you are already exercising on a regular basis, make sure you are progressively increasing the amount lifted, and try to include more multi-joint exercises that directly load the hips and spine. If you are not exercising regularly, There's no better time than the present to start! Your bones will thank you.

The Best Almond Granola

I love granola, but over the years, I found myself repeatedly buying granola that just wasn't exactly right. So naturally, I decided I could make it better and healthier by myself. This is the recipe I came up with after some trial and error. I have been making it regularly for a couple of years. While I have worked on variations, this is the staple that everyone loves:

Granola

Ingredients:

• 8 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups puffed brown rice cereal
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut
• 1 cup coarsely chopped raw almonds
• ½ cup raw pecan or cashew pieces
• ½ cup pure maple syrup
• ½ cup honey
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Coconut oil, melted (a little less than 1/2 cup)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Stir together all dry ingredients in a very large bowl.
3. In a small bowl, stir together maple syrup, honey, and vanilla.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well.
5. Add a few tablespoons of melted coconut oil until the mixture is all slightly damp.
6. Pour into a single layer on two large cookie sheets coated with cooking spray.
7. Bake for 15 minutes. Stir contents, arrange in single layer again and continue baking until it just starts to turn tan, stirring every 10 minutes. Mine usually bakes for a total of about 30 minutes. Granola becomes crunchy as it cools. After cooling, you can stir in dried fruit if you want.

I find that it stays fresher if stored in a glass container.