Banana Bread Protein Bars

These have become one of my favorite breakfast/healthy snack options ever since I tried them for the first time a few months ago. I make a double batch in a 9x13 inch baking dish, cut them into bars and store them in the freezer. They are perfect with a green smoothie for a healthy breakfast.

Banana Bread Protein Bars

Yield: 10 bars
Dry ingredients:

• 2/3 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup raw buckwheat groats*, ground into flour
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup unflavored protein powder
• 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 3 tbsp chia seeds
• 3 tbsp mini dark chocolate chips 
• 2 tbsp ground flax seeds
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt

Wet ingredients:

• 3/4 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 small-medium)
• 1/2 cup natural smooth peanut butter
• 1/4 cup coconut nectar syrup or brown rice syrup (Rachel's note: I use brown rice syrup)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8-inch square pan with 2 pieces of parchment paper, one going each way. Tip – to get the parchment to stick to the pan, give the base a spray with olive oil and do this for the next paper too.

2. Add raw buckwheat groats into a high-speed blender and blend on high until a fine flour forms. Whisk all dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

3. Mash bananas until smooth and measure out 3/4 cup. Stir together the banana and all the wet ingredients in a bowl.

4. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir well until combined. If it is too dry, you can add a bit of water. The dough should be very sticky!

5. Scoop batter into prepared pan. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the batter and press it down to spread out the batter evenly. You can also remove the paper and wet your hands lightly and spread it out that way. Make sure it’s as even as possible.

6. Bake at 350F for 22-26 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the bread is firm to touch. Cool in the pan completely (I left it for 1 hour) before removing and slicing into bars.

*Notes: Raw buckwheat groats are not the same as kasha or toasted buckwheat. Raw groats have a milder flavour than toasted. You can find raw groats online, in some health food stores, or the bulk bins of Whole Foods.

Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2013/04/17/banana-bread-protein-bars/#ixzz2WhVXJmWo

Quick Tip Tuesday-An Easy Breakfast

Sorry about the week long blogging hiatus. School is almost out, so there has been a constant stream of musical programs, recitals, school plays, and field trips to attend. I will be glad to have the kids home for the summer. I hope to share some good food for picnics and outdoor meals. But for now, how about a quick, healthy breakfast for the end of the school year. Strawberries have been inexpensive and good, so I intend to eat this as often as possible. The original recipe calls for all fresh berries, but the others are still very expensive here, and I find that if I take the frozen berries out first, by the time I have the strawberries washed and cut, and the topping made, the frozen berries are just about defrosted. When I find cheap, local berries, I will use fresh ones. Everyone in my family enjoyed this breakfast.

 

Raw Triple Berry Crisp

Adapted from: Oh She Glows
Yield: 6-8 servings
Berries:

• 1.5 containers strawberries
• About 3 cups frozen mixed berries (I use raspberry, blackberry, blueberry)
• 1 Tablespoon maple syrup

Topping:

• 2 cups raw, mixed nuts (I like almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans. I just use whatever I have.)
• 1/4 cup uncooked rolled oats
• 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
1.  Measure the frozen berries into a large bowl. Wash and slice all strawberries into bite sized pieces.Toss with the other berries and maple syrup.
2. Prepare the topping in a food processor by pulsing all ingredients until just mixed. You want to leave this mixture a bit chunky, so be sure not to over process.
3. In a 2 quart casserole dish or a 9"x13" baking dish, add most of the berry mixture. Spread evenly, then add most of the topping over the berries. Sprinkle on the remaining berries, and then the rest of the topping. Serve immediately over vanilla yogurt.

This gets very watery so does not store well. If you have leftovers, eat them for lunch :)

Green Smoothies for Summer

I remember two times as a kid being forced by cruel and unusual means to eat my vegetables. Disclaimer: My memory is that of a child, so I can't be held responsible for the accuracy of my recollection. The two vegetables in question (on separate occasions) were squash and brussels sprouts. The means of torture was making me sit at the table until I had taken one bite. I don't remember if I gave in before my parents, but I do remember that sitting there while my brothers and sister had gone outside to play (I could hear them with the other neighbor kids through the window, taunting me) was better than taking even one bite of those vegetables. In my memory, I sat there for at least two hours (see disclaimer above). Needless to say, my history with vegetables is not stellar. It has been a huge conflict for me, given my interest in nutrition. I have tried every way possible to get vegetables into my diet without triggering my gag reflexes.  In my college nutrition class, the teacher would joke and say if we were required to name a food that is a good source of any vitamins or minerals, we could just guess spinach and be right most of the time. I wanted desperately to try to work spinach into my diet, but it proved extremely difficult due to the fact that I thought it tasted like swamp water. Luckily, the swamp flavor is rather easy to mask. Anyone who knows me now will probably be surprised by my disdain of vegetables because I have come a long way since my childhood. I have long-since found ways to incorporate most vegetables into my diet.

So, if you are not a vegetable lover, stay tuned. There is hope for you, too. One of my favorite ways to use spinach and other leafy greens that have an outstanding nutritional profile but less than outstanding flavor, is in a green smoothie. I shared a recipe for the "Green Mango Madness" smoothie here. Now, I want to teach you how to make green smoothies a regular part of your life. I have one almost every day. It is a painless way to get about 2 servings of fruit and 1 serving of leafy greens in every day. The key is to experiment with the basic recipe until you find variations that you like. Will they be the best smoothies you've ever tasted? Probably not, but even to a hesitant vegetable eater, they are good (without even a hint of swamp taste). I think I could even eat brussels sprouts in a smoothie. Here is an easy, basic recipe to get you started. Adjust it until you find something that works for you:

Basic Green Smoothie (makes 22-26 oz.)

• 8 oz liquid (I use water, but you could use any kind of milk too.)
• 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt (I usually omit unless I am making it for the kids)
• 1 heaping cup frozen fruit (I almost always use cherries and/or mixed berries for their antioxidants)
• 1/2 banana (usually frozen, see this post about how to always have bananas on hand)
• 2 hand fulls of dark, leafy greens (I rotate between spinach, kale, and swiss chard) 
• Optional additions: chia seeds, flax seeds, nuts, nut butter, unsweetened coconut, granola

Now is the perfect time to plant your own leafy greens. They are one of the easiest vegetables to grow, and a few plants will keep you supplied all summer and into the fall. They grow quickly, take up very little space, and can be grown successfully in a container if you don't have a garden.

Quick Tip Tuesday-Cook Your Breakfast While You Sleep

As much as I hate to admit it (and often feel guilty about it), I don't cook a hot breakfast for my family very often. Here is my excuse: I already get up at 5:20 in the morning to get my workout finished before I pack lunches and fix a whole bunch of hair to get all of my girls off to school on time. I have been an avid exerciser for 20 years now and know that first thing in the morning is the only reliable time for me. So, I am admitting I am making a selfish decision to prioritize my workouts over a hot breakfast for my family. However, it turns out to be an unselfish decision in the long run because I am at my best if my workouts are regular. There you have it-my guilty pleasure is cold cereal (carefully selected by me), makes my mornings happy!

Over the years, I have found a few ways to provide a healthier breakfast a couple of days a week. One of my favorites is to prepare steel-cut oats in a crock pot. I had to buy a smaller one to fit my recipe better because it kept burning. Another trick I learned is you can use a timer that plugs in to your outlet, like the ones used for Christmas lights, to cook your oats for the perfect amount of time. I set my timer to turn on at midnight and off a 6:30. It is perfect every time. It might be a good idea to cook it during the day first, so you will know exactly how long to cook it in your crock pot.

Apple Cinnamon Steel-Cut Oats
This smells so good in the morning, and it makes great leftovers. Just add a little extra liquid and reheat.

Ingredients

• 3 apples, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (if the texture of the peel bugs you, peel it) 
• 2-1/4 cups soy milk 
• 2-1/4 cups water
• 1-1/2 cup uncooked steel-cut oats
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar (or substitute maple syrup or other desired sweetener)
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Optional garnishes: chopped nuts, raisins, milk, maple syrup (the real stuff)

Directions       

Coat the inside of a 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Add all ingredients (except optional toppings) to slow cooker. Stir, cover, and cook on low for approximately 6.5 hours (slow cooker times can vary). Spoon oatmeal into bowls; add optional toppings, if desired. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

 

Makes about 7 cups.

Quick Tip Tuesday-Save Your Bananas

Have your bananas reached the point where no one will eat them? Peel them, break them in half and put them into the freezer in a freezer bag. This way you will always have bananas on hand that are perfect for smoothies, banana bread, or muffins.

I know this rarley happens, but if you ever have too much smoothie, I like to pour the extra into one of these and put it in the freezer.

http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-431-8-Piece-Silicone-Maker/dp/B0093Q56IS/ref=sr_1_12?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1364309124&sr=1-12&keywords=push+pop+molds

Say good-bye to Gogurts (I've always thought the name sounded disgusting anyway!), and hello to frozen home made smoothie pop goodness.

If you have time to use your ripe bananas right away, I have a recipe for you. This is the most frequently made muffin recipe at our house. It is easy, relatively healthy, and everyone loves them. I always double it and freeze some for later (I clearly love my freezer). I have used coconut oil and find that it requires a bit less than 1/2 cup. I have also replaced half of the fat with apple sauce with some success. It is a forgiving recipe you could experiment with.

Healthy Banana Blueberry Muffins:

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup canola oil (could also use butter)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 ripe bananas (about 1 pound)
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup frozen blueberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a bowl, whisk together flours, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a large bowl, beat oil and sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, mash bananas with a fork (you should have 3/4 cup); stir in milk and vanilla.
3. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture and banana mixture to oil mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined. Fold in frozen blueberries.
4. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 28 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Let cool in pan 10 minutes; transfer muffins to a rack to cool 10 minutes more.

Quick Tip Tuesday-Pumpkin Pancakes

The next time you make pancakes for your family, double the recipe and freeze the extras for later. I try to limit my usage of disposable plastic bags, but this is one area where I haven't yet weaned myself from them. I make the pancakes about the size of a sandwich bag. After they have cooled, I put two pancakes (because that's about the amount my kids eat) in each bag and put all of the bags into one large freezer bag. When the kids want pancakes for breakfast, they just grab a small bag, put the pancakes onto a plate and microwave for about one minute. You could do the same with waffles and heat them in the toaster, just like the ones you buy from the store only way better! They stay good in the freezer for at least a month. Just for fun, here is one of our favorite pancake recipes:

Pumpkin Pancakes (not doubled)

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 4 Tablespoons sugar or pure maple syrup
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 3 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
• In a separate bowl, combine the milk, pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
• Cook the way you would normal pancakes.

These are great with unsweetened apple sauce and cinnamon. We also love them with a small amount of pure maple syrup. James likes them plain!