BAKED BANANAS

Bananas are so naturally sweet and delicious, not to mention versatile and offering a boat load of nutritional benefits! This recipe has saved me SO many times from using not-so-healthy to satisfy my temptations for something sweet, especially those late nights! I'm drooling over these as I'm doing my meal plan and prep for the week.

Here's how! Slice a banana, and top with honey and cinnamon to taste. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes and enjoy!

You can get creative and serve with Greek yogurt or oats for breakfast, top with almonds or coconut flakes. If you make this recipe, comment below how you liked it!

Clean Eating Rhubarb Muffins

Who doesn't love to enjoy some rhubarb in the spring? Growing up, that was the first sign that summer vacation was on it's way!! My mom would line up the pie crusts, and go into a baking frenzy. Rhubarb pies, breads, cakes, crisp, bars and desserts...it's no wonder I didn't gain 20 pounds just in the month of May! 

So it was my mission to find some healthy alternatives, with none of the guilt or sacrifice in flavor! I think these turned out pretty good!

Serves: 9 (1 muffin each)

Fixate Equivalents- 
1 purple

1 blue

INGREDIENTS:

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 medium bananas)

1 Tbs. grass-fed butter, melted

1 1/2 almond flour *(rolled oats will also work)

3/4 tsp. baking soda, gluten free

1 dash sea salt (or Himalayan salt)

1/2 cup chopped rhubarb or other firm fruit (Apple, pear, blueberries)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2- Prepare nine muffin cups by lining with muffin tin liners or coating with spray.

3- Combine eggs, banana, and butter in a medium bowl; mix well. Set aside.

4- Combine almond flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; mix well.

5- Add almond meal mixture to egg mixture; mix until blended.

6- Add rhubarb; mix until just blended.
Divide batter evenly between prepared muffin cups.

7- Bake 16-18 minutes, or until golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

8- Transfer muffins to rack; cool.

These don't keep very long at room temp., so you will either want to eat them up the day of, or store them in the fridge, or freeze into portioned servings. Enjoy with your morning cup of joe!

Frosty Cocoa Pies

With summer on it's way, it has me thinking about different snack and mini-meal ideas, both for myself as well as my family. I know for myself, there is nothing I dislike more than preparing seperate meals and snacks for myself and the kiddos. I always tell myself, if I don't want to eat something, I shouldn't be feeding it to my kids either!  If it's not good enough for me, it's not good enough for their young growing bodies, especially. So I came up with this recipe because #1, I LOVE PB and CHOCOLATE! (who doesn't?!?!) and #2, I knew my kids would love it as well! This is my version of "smudgies". 

I figured I'd have to entice them into trying these for the first time by adding in some white chocolate chips...but I regretted doing so after I saw how much they enjoyed them! Totally didn't need it. And everything's better with chocolate, so the addition of some cocoa is the BOMB! A totally healthy treat, perfect for warmer summer days.

 Ingredients:

2 mashed bananas

1 T. Baking Cocoa

2 T. Nut Butter (I suggest Smucker's Chunky All Natural)

Optional - cocoa nibs or other mini chocolate chips

4 Plain, low salt Rice Cakes

Method:
Blend ingredients in a bowl, top 4 rice cakes and freeze for 1-2 hours or until desired consistency. Enjoy!! 

Wilted Spinach & Egg Salad

Ingredients:
2 C. Fresh Spinach
1 Carrot, shredded
4 Sweet Peppers, Roasted
2 Eggs, over easy
1/4 C. Mashed Avocado
Mediterranean Seasoning Blend to taste
Crushed Red Pepper
Balsamic vinegar to taste
Balsamic Glaze

Method:
1) Place spinach and carrots on a microwave-safe plate, season with the Mediterranean seasoning and heat for about 1 minute until the spinach is just wilted. 
2) Meanwhile, prepare your eggs and roast your peppers. I like to use the Foreman Grill for my peppers, and cook my eggs just until the whites are set and season with crushed red pepper. 
3) Drizzle Balsamic Vinegar over wilted spinach, add peppers and eggs, drizzle with the Balsamic Glaze, top with mashed avocado. 

Enjoy!

Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

As a busy mom of 4 kiddos, I love to find a good recipe that I can prepare once, and eat several times. Because let's face it, who doesn't like to have a night "off" from the kitchen once and awhile?!? Right?

Growing up on a dairy farm, raising our own cows for hamburger, we had meatloaf at least once each week as a child growing up. So once I got older, and then as a mom, it was one of those go-to meals that we also enjoy.  Kids especially, love things in proper individual serving sizes, AND they take far less time to bake when they are in a muffin cup.  This recipe is inspired by Jamie Eason's 12 week Livefit program, and they looked really good, so I decided to try them!  It provides a perfect blend of complex carbohydrates and protein for a complete snack. I always make a double batch and freeze them to grab for a quick snack or meal.    I'll usually take 2 for a snack with a handful of veggies, or for lunch I'll pair it with a salad.  Kid tested, family approved!!

You can get as creative with these as you like. My favorite add-ins are garden zucchini, fresh chopped mushrooms, spinach, and/or shredded carrots, in addition to what the original recipe calls for.  

Ingredients 

• 2 lbs ground turkey or chicken
• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup old fashioned or quick cooking oats
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp dried yellow mustard
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp chipotle pepper spice 
• Splash of liquid smoke
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp garlic powder (or 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic)
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks finely chopped

Additional add-ins (optional)

• 1 zucchini, shredded
• 1-2 carrots, shredded
• 1 c. diced fresh mushrooms
• 1 c. chopped fresh spinach

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Spray muffin pan with olive oil
• Mix all your ingredients together in one large bowl
• Roll the mixture into balls and place in muffin tin.  Muffins should be about the size of racquet balls.
• Bake for 40 minutes
• Makes 12 muffins

Serving size 2 muffins for women, and 4 for men.

Oatmeal Pancake with Chocolate Drizzle

How would you like to start your day with chocolate, clean eating, all natural, real-food ingredients, that takes little time to make?

This is WORTH getting out of bed for in the mornings, to enjoy with your cup of coffee! Loaded with protein, heart-healthy oats, no sugar or artificial sweeteners - start your day out the right way!  Beware - you might need to hide this from the family if you don't intend to share...or plan on making multiple batches for everyone!

Oatmeal Pancake with Chocolate Drizzle

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dry, prepared oats (I prefer old fashioned)

6 egg whites

Vanilla extract to taste

Combine the above 3 ingredients in a bowl, and place in your prepared, heated skillet. Cover and cook until set, about 5-10 minutes on medium/medium high heat. 

Meanwhile, prepare your chocolate sauce. 

Ingredients:

1 tsp. coconut oil, melted

1 T. baking cocoa

1 tsp. pure honey

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1-2 T. milk (almond or skim), to desired consistency

Combine above ingredients until mixed thoroughly. Plate your pancake when set, and drizzle the chocolate sauce overtop. 

ENJOY!  

Berry Summer Salad

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!! The sun is shining, it's warming up...and most likely you'll have a gathering, BBQ, picnic or potluck of some sort this weekend. Along with that, there will most likely be lots of food and drinks that might throw you off track and set you back from your health and fitness goals - remember...SUMMER is just around the corner - along with BIKINI SEASON!!! 

So here is a YUMMY triple-berry salad that YOU can bring to your picnics so that you always have a healthy option to fall back on!

Ingredients:

9oz baby spinach, torn

1 cup sliced strawberries

1 cup raspberries

1 cup blueberries

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1/3 cup chopped basil

1 avocado, chopped

4oz feta cheese

Directions: Divide baby spinach between plates then top with berries, almonds, basil and chopped avocado. Crumble goat cheese on top then dress with salad dressing. I recommend Balsamic Glaze or a strawberry balsamic vinegar, but any olive-oil based vinaigrette would be fantastic!

Recipe source http://iowagirleats.com/