Very Light Banana Muffins

1 large very ripe banana, mashed thoroughly

1/2 cup oat bran

1/2 cup egg beaters

1/4 cup almond milk

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp vanilla

dash cinnamon

2 Tbsp splenda or sweetener of choice

5 walnut halves

2/3 Tbsp mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients well. Spray muffin tin with Pam and fill 5 muffin tins with mix.  Crumble one walnut half into each tin and sprinkle a few mini chocolate chips in each. (I used a TOTAL of 2/3 of a Tbsp.) Stir in with a knife. Bake 20-22 minutes.

5 servings 90 calories each.

I usually make three large muffins, 135 calories each. Stats: fat 4g, Carb 18g, Fiber 2.4g, Protein 7.8g.

Blueberrylicious Pudding Cake

Ingredients:

28 grams vanilla protein powder

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup plain low fat yogurt

2 eggs

1 pound fresh blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix all dry ingredients together.  Reserve 1 cup for topping.  Add wet ingredients and mix until combined. Fold blueberries into batter.  Spray a 9X9 pan with pam.  Put batter in pan, and top with dry topping mix.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.  I actually baked this in my toaster oven, so the time might be a little different for a regular oven.

Makes 6 large servings, calories: 280.  Protein:  11g, fat:  4.5g, carbs:  50g, fiber:  5.5g

 

Blueberry Flax Cakes

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup flaxseed meal
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1/4 cup eggbeaters
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
sweetener of choice (3 Tbsp splenda or 3 tsp sugar.)
1 1/2 tsp oil
1 cup blueberries

DIRECTIONS:  Whisk together all dry ingredients.  Add in wet ingredients and blend well.  Fold in berries.  Pour into 4 large muffin tins that have been sprayed with Pam.  Bake in preheated 375 degree oven 20 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.  I have not tried freezing these yet, but they keep very well in the refrigerator for several days.

Per serving: 200 calories, fat 12g, carbs 6.4g, fiber 12.5 grams, protein 11.8 grams.

3M Chia Muffins

The name of this muffin stands for Marvelous Magical Medicinal–these muffins taste marvelous, and Medicinal and Magical were two names suggested by our good blog friends Lori and Cammy.  The recipe started as a search for a chia muffin recipe, and then evolved as Sharon and I tried to make it a low calorie, high fiber, high protein muffin.  I later adapted it to add a little healthy (magical, Lori says, medicinal, Cammy says, and just plain marvelous, I say!) fat and just a bit of sweetness.  You can make these either way, and add fresh or dried fruit, depending on your personal preference, or what is in your cupboard at the moment.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup chia seeds

1 cup oat flour (or whole wheat, or spelt)

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup dried cherries, or substitute 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries or blueberries, or one apple cut into bite sized chunks.  If you use frozen fruit it should be thawed, or it will change the baking time.

2 scoops  (56 grams) vanilla whey protein powder

1/2 cup flaxseed meal

1 cup Greek low fat or non fat yogurt

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

2 Tbsp honey

 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (can substitute pureed pumpkin)

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1 egg

2 egg whites

DIRECTIONS: 

Mix dry ingredients together.  Mix wet ingredients together.  Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients. (note:  if you are using previously frozen fruit, mix very gently when adding to the batter.  I actually just placed the berries into each muffin cup.)  Spray muffin tin with spray oil and place equal amounts of batter into  muffin cups.  Will make 12-15 muffins.

Bake at 350 15-20 minutes

Original recipe with dried cherries, for 12 muffins:  193 cal/muff, 10g fat, 17g carb, 5g fiber, 10g protein.

For a low-fat version, omit the coconut oil and honey, and increase applesauce to 1 cup.  Stats for 12 low-fat muffins:  156 cal/muff, 5.6g fat, 17.5g carb, 5g fiber, 10g protein. Change dried cherries for 1 apple chopped, only 146 cal, 15g carb.

Creamy Fruit Dip

Ingredients:

3 cups cottage cheese

1/4 cup honey

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

Blend all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth.  Serve as a fruit dip, or use to make a fruit parfait.  Absolutely delicious!

Debby’s Fiber Doodles

These are a great snack–mildly sweet, flavorful, crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.  And good for you at  the same time!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 Jar (2.5 oz) baby-food prunes

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup egg substitute

1 cup spelt flour (you can use whatever flour you want)

1/4 cup flaxseed meal

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/2 cup psyllium fiber (or husks)

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp baking soda

Directions:  In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar, prunes, molases and egg until smooth.  Combine the remaining dry ingredients.  Stir dry mixture into wet mixture.  Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Form the dough into walnut sized balls (or just put a walnut sized lump on the baking sheet like I did) and bake for 13 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.  Makes approx. 4 dozen.

Sweet n’ Salty Popcorn

Ingredients:

1/4 cup popcorn kernels

1 Tbsp syrup (agave or maple)

1 Tbsp nut butter ( used Better n Peanut Butter, which has less calories)

popcorn salt to taste.

Air pop the popcorn. I recommend the presto microwave popcorn popper.  It works great!  Heat the syrup and nut butter in microwave just long enough to make it liquidy, maybe 10-15 seconds.  Pour over the popcorn, adding salt to taste.  Mix with your hands.  Lick your hands off  (just kidding.  kind of.)  The popcorn salt is just extra fine.  I like it.

Entire recipe using Better n Peanut Butter, 200 calories.  Using regular nut butter, 240 calories.  I split it in half and that was plenty for one serving (100-120 calories.)  This was sticky, as you can imagine.  I liked it that way.  It might have been more like kettle corn if you baked it for a bit.  You’ll have to experiment with that on your own.  I know I won’t be waiting that long to eat it!

Crispy Pecans

Ingredients:

4 cups pecan halves

2 tsp sea salt

filtered water

Directions: Mix pecans with salt and filtered water and leave in a warm place for at least 7 hours or overnight.  (I warmed up a cup of water in the microwave to dissolve the salt in, added it to the pecans that were already in some cold water, then wrapped the container in a dish towel and put in the closed microwave overnight–kind of like I do for my homemade yogurt.)    Drain pecans and place on a baking sheet and place in a warm oven (no more than 150 degrees) for 12-24 hours, turning occasionally, until completely dry and crisp.  Store in an airtight container.