Small Batch Vegan Banana Bread

I love baking. And eating baked goodies. But living in a small household spells trouble when I pull out the loaf pans and announce my desire to bake. Especially when that desire is for banana bread, since I am the only one at home who likes banana in my baked goods. So I played with a variety of recipes and tweaked a combination of a couple in order to create this small-batch vegan banana bread. It made two mini loaf pans which meant one to enjoy and one to share!

In order to get the breakfast (dessert?) I shared in the picture, just cube up one half of a mini loaf of banana bread and served it over some grilled pineapple spears with a dollop of your favorite dairy or non-dairy yogurt.

Small-Batch Vegan Banana Bread
(makes two mini loaves)
2 2/3 tbsp brown sugar, loose
2 2/3 tbsp white sugar
2 2/3 tbsp Earth Balance Vegan buttery spread (or your margarine of choice)
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 1/3 tbsp unsweetened almond milk mixed with 1/3 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/10 tsp baking soda (you can use 1/8 of a tsp but it has a slight after taste, in my opinion)
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
dash of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two small loaf pans and set aside.

Mix flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.

Cream sugars and margarine together. Add banana, almond milk mixture, and vanilla. Mix until blended.

Slowly add flour mixture to wet mixture until it has been combined.

Pour into loaf pans and bake for 45-60 minutes depending on your oven (mine took 45 minutes but a friend who tried it said it took about an hour in her oven). You want the bread firm with a toothpick coming out clean, but you want to prevent it from drying out.

Using Weight Watchers PointPlus, this recipe comes out to 6 PP per 1/4 of the recipe.

Vegan Zucchini Walnut Muffins

Zucchini Walnut Muffin

***Before you read about these moist, delicious, healthy muffins -- Project Food Blog Challenge Two is open for voting! Please take a minute to vote for Uncovering Food. Voting closes September 30 at 5pm PST***

Whenever I go to Starbucks (which is more often than most), I long for the baked pastries in the glass cases to pair with my iced soy latte. But alas, I know how bad those baked goodie are for me, which is why I was happy to find a recipe for Zucchini bread in Breaking the Food Seduction that I modified into portable breakfasts, snacks and desserts. These muffins are sweet without being loaded with processed sugars and now is a perfect time to make them and take the October: Unprocessed pledge at Eating Rules. You will read more about this from me over the coming month, but I encourage you to join the movement to eat only unprocessed foods in October. You can find out more by clicking the image below.

Zucchini Walnut Muffins
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini (approximately one large squash)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup all-natural concentrated apple juice, thawed
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp organic canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 12 muffin tins with cooking spray (I used a Chicago Metallic Pretty Pansy muffin tin that I got at the International Food Bloggers Conference). Whisk flour, baing powder, baking soda, cinnamon, chili powder, and cloves together in a bowl. In a seperate bowl mix zucchini, applesauce, apple juice, maple syrup, canola oil, and vanilla extract together.

Mix wet and dry ingredients together, be careful to mix only until batter is blended and evenly moist. Fold in walnuts. Pour into muffins tins. Bake muffins for 20-30 minutes depending on your oven. You will know they are done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove muffins from tin to cool. Wrap each muffin in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to seven days.

Each muffin contains 130 calories, 5 grams of fat, 4 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein.

Uncovering Uthappam: Celebrating Cultural Classics

Uthappams with Onion, Tomato, and Coriander

When I was younger, I was a very picky eater. My parents were not okay with this. They wanted to expose me to a variety of foods and to try everything. I remember a couple of nights where my dad would tell me that I could just go hungry if I didn't want to eat what was for dinner. I probably threw a temper tantrum but would inevitably eat dinner because I was hungry.

My parents were right. I might not have liked everything I was fed but it expanded my palate and taught me to try everything at least once. When I found out on Friday that Uncovering Food had made it to round two of Project Food Blog (Thank you to those who voted!), I was excited to find out what the challenge was:

"Ready to tackle a classic dish from another culture? Pick an ethnic classic that is outside your comfort zone or are not as familiar with. You should include how you arrived at this decision in your post. Do your research then try to pull off successfully creating this challenge. Try to keep the dish as authentic as the real deal, and document your experience through a compelling post."

I am always ready to learn about new cuisines! This was right up my alley! At first I thought I would learn how to make a traditional Hungarian dish since my dad's family is from Hungary and I have never learned how to make any of the dishes he made me. This would be out of my comfort zone but there were three other challenges I faced when selecting my dish. One, I am familiar with Hungarian food. In my mind this challenge was asking me to find a classic dish from a culture that I don't know very well. The second constraint was that I am partaking in the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine 21-day vegan challenge which means the dish I would be making would need to be vegan. The third constraint was that I would be at a debate tournament all day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday so I would have limited prep and shopping time late in the evenings and early in the mornings.

A number of students I work with are from southern states in India and I knew a couple of them were vegan, so I asked for a restaurant recommendation for lunch on Friday to explore the cuisines of this part of India. My assistant debate coach and I ended up at Madura, a vegetarian restaurant with a number of vegan options. We ordered a variety of items on the menu to try and when I broke out my camera, that's when the education started.

Madura Dishes (clockwise from left): Medhu Vada & Rava Kichadi; Pea, Onion, and Mushroom Uthappam; Spring Dosa

The owner of the restaurant asked what I was taking pictures for and I explained the Project Food Blog challenge. He was especially nice to us upon learning this and explained to me how each dish was prepared and what ingredients were in every dish. I will definitely be going back to Madura to enjoy more of the dishes that were lighter than Indian dishes I was more familiar with from other regions of the country. Every dish I tried was full of flavor and would have been fun to make, but keeping in mind that Uncovering Food is about exploring healthier options, I opted to make Uthappam, a pancake that is eaten for breakfasts and lunches and is embedded with a variety of vegetables and spices.

What I failed to learn at the restaurant was how much time goes into preparing the batter. The first step takes 6 to 12 hours, then after a few prep steps you have another 12-48 hours of fermentation before the cooking of the batter. Which meant I would need to buy ingredients on Friday night after the tournament and cook the Uthappam on Sunday morning before leaving for the 8 a.m. tournament.

I also hadn't anticipated that one of the primary ingredients would be difficult to find at a traditional American grocery store. When I was told the dish contained lentils, I wrongly assumed they were the ones I was familiar with. However, Uthappam utilizes Urad Dal which is much smaller than lentils most Americans are familiar with.

This is a real penny. Split Urad Dal is very small! 
Be careful to not confuse it with larger lentil varieties.

Luckily, after a harrowing search by fellow coaches and students I found a kit for another Indian dish at Whole Foods that had a bag of plain urad dal in it, so I was saved with only seven minutes before the store closed. I took my ingredients back to the tournament, which hadn't ended, and anxiously waited for the rounds to finish.

The recipe I ended up making came about from both my conversations at Madura but also with parents at the debate tournament. I learned that many people now buy the flour pre-made for Uthappam but the best are always made from scratch. It reminded me of the difference between Bisquick and homemade hot cakes. However, I never got exact measurements and after doing some online research, I realized there is no exact formula. The ratios of rice to urad dal are between 2:1 and 3:1 and sometimes have the addition of cooked rice and/or flattened rice in the batter. While I would have probably soaked my rice and urad dal a bit longer because it supposedly heightens the flavor of the Uthappam, this recipe got rave reviews from the students and coaches who tried it on National Pancake Day (how appropriate to prepare these Indian pancakes on a day that celebrates it's American cousin!).

Uthappam is a thick hearty pancake that can be topped with a variety of vegetables, fresh herbs, and spices.

Tomato-Onion-Coriander Uthappam

2 cups long-grain white rice, uncooked
1 cup split urad dal, uncooked
1 tsp sea salt
1 vine-ripened tomato, sliced thin
1 small purple onion, sliced thin
fresh coriander, minced
canola oil, as needed

Rinse rice and urad dal in separate containers and soak for eight to twelve hours.

Drain and grind rice while reserving the liquid. Drain and grind urad dal while reserving the liquid. Mix rice powder, urad dal powder, and salt together. Add small amounts of each liquid until you reach a thick but spreadable consistency. This will vary depending on how long you soaked the rice and urad dal, but I added about a half cup of liquid. You will want the batter to look almost like a thick pancake batter that can be poured but is thick enough for the toppings to stick to. Cover the batter and let sit in a warm place to ferment for 12 to 48 hours.

Warm a large frying pan or griddle to a medium-high heat. I found in my research that the Uthappam is often cooked on a Tawa or Tava which can reduce the amount of oil needed because of the concave shape of the pan/griddle.

Pour the desired amount of batter on the griddle and spread to a thickness of about a quarter to half inch. Sprinkle tomato, onion, and coriander on the uncooked side. You can choose to drizzle oil over the top of the Uthappam or around the edges. Once the bottom is browned, flip over and let the toppings-side cook for about ten seconds. You want the batter to brown lightly to secure the toppings without burning the toppings.

Remove from pan and serve with a tomato chutney or Sambar, a lentil soup that usually contains tamarind, toor dal (yellow lentils), and a blend of spices commonly known as sambar curry powder.

Recipe makes 8 Uthappam approximately six-inches in diameter. Nutritional information does not include the optional oil.

One tomato-onion-coriander Uthappam has 258 calories, .69 grams of fat, 9.14 grams of fiber, 8.68 grams of protein.

Chia Goodness

Wake up in the morning feeling like P-diddy...

Grab my Chia Goodness. I'm out the door. I've got my breakfast ready...

Something about Ke$ha's song "Tik-Tok" that just gets me thinking about my morning routine. Which has been relatively insane this summer between summer debate camps, vacations, and trainings. However during this insanity, I have had the opportunity to discover new breakfast options. Including a cereal that could be made hot or cold -- Chia Goodness!

While roaming the aisles of a Whole Foods somewhere in the United States, I stumbled across this bag that caught my eye. With the only ingredients being Chia, Buckwheat, Hulled Hemp Seeds, and Celtic Sea Salt is seemed like it was full of healthy benefits. The bag said you could make it cold or hot and all I would need is a couple of tablespoons of liquid (water or milk of your choice). 4 tablespoons of liquid for 2 tablespoons of seeds.

How was it? I tried making it and waiting the 3-5 minutes that the bag suggested. It was really seedy. So I tried again and let it sit overnight. I grabbed it in the morning and took it to the gym to each after my workout and before I went to work. It was delicious! Earthy and nutty. Still a little crunchy but in a good way. I tried it with blueberries and with bananas, with soy milk and with water. It has become a super easy-to-prep breakfast.

I have read countless articles and shared information on the health benefits of chia and hemp seeds. But health benefits aside, the bottom line is that this cereal is easy to make and good to eat.

Two tablespoons of Chia Goodness Original, according to their Web site, has 140 calories, 8 grams of fat, 5 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of protein.

Super Scramble

I've been away for awhile and I hope you all haven't missed me too much. Between illnesses, injuries, and one of the busiest (and most successful) couple of months of tournaments I have barely had time to breathe. Cooking fell to the wayside and I have eaten out more times then I can count. If this was a restaurant review blog, I would have tons of material :o)

However, when I have been cooking at home, it's been simple and easy (but relatively healthy) dishes like the one I am about to share with you!

The Super Scramble is one of the quickest and most filling meals I know. The ingredients sometimes change, but the general idea is the same. Start by cooking some chopped onions and garlic in olive oil. Add some Great Northern beans to the mix. What's the difference between a Great Northern bean versus a Cannellini bean versus a Navy bean? Check out this great article on CookThink to learn all about your legumes! Really I love all legumes but the Great Northerns were on sale. And who can resist a fiber filled savings?

Add some chili powder, fresh ground pepper, and a sprinkle of salt to the mix. Reduce the heat and add some eggs or egg whites. I like to include a whole egg because of all of the fabulous nutrients the yolks have. Scramble the eggs into the mix and cook, but don't wait too long to do the next part or you will overcook your egg.

The next step is to cover the entire pan with fresh spinach. You can buy bags of organic spinach for a relatively low price usually. I love how the heat steams the spinach. As it begins to wilt, mix it into the scramble. Once your spinach has wilted, spoon the scramble into a couple of bowls. Serve with cheese melted over the top if you want.

It is easy, delicious, chock full of nutrients, and it reheats well. The nutritional data will change based on the ingredients and amounts you use but trust me when I say you get a lot of bang for your caloric buck. Enjoy!

Chia Seed Vanilla Pudding

Let me first say that I definitely didn't come up with the recipe on my own. No, I browsed a number of blogs mentioning Chia seeds and puddings before ever embarking on my own experiments. I did some tweaking and came up with this 75 calorie snack.

Chia seeds are this magical food that everyone is talking about lately and I had no idea why... other than they are good for you. It turns out that Chia seeds have been around since the Aztecs who prized Chia seeds like gold. A good source of Omega-3 essential fatty acids, Chia seeds are also chock full of fiber and other nutrients.

Nutritional Information for 1 Tablespoon of Chia Seeds:

• 40 Calories
• 4 grams of fat (1g saturated fat, .25g monounsaturated fat, 2.75g polyunsaturated fat)
• 5 grams of carbohydrates (5 grams of fiber: 1g soluble, 4g insoluble)
• 2 grams of protein
• 6 mg Vitamin C (10% DV)
• 76 mg Calcium (8% DV)
• 1.8mg Iron (10% DV)
• 150mg Phosphorus (15% DV)
• 38mg Magnesium (10% DV)
• 85mg Potassium (2% DV)
• 2,406mg Alpha Linolenic Acid (Omega-3 EFAs)
• 792mg Linoleic Acid (Omega-6 EFAs)
• 294mg Oleic Acid (Omega-9 EFAs)

Amazing stats, right? Why am I just now learning all of this. Chia seeds -- where have you been all my life????

Back to the pudding. What is cool about Chia seeds is that they also act as a thickening agent. When added to the almond milk, they become almost gelatinous with semi-crunchy beads throughout.

Uncovering Food's Chia Seed Vanilla Pudding
Serves One

3 ounces unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze
1.5 tbsp pure Chia Seeds
1/2 packet of a Stevia sweetener

Mix together and let sit chill for twenty minutes of up to 24 hours. It will continue to thicken overnight. I enjoy this as a dessert, a snack, or even as part of a morning meal.

Stats for the pudding: 75 calories, 8g fat, 10g fiber, 4g protein

Creamy and Sweet: Siggi's Icelandic Style Skyr

While wandering the aisles of Whole Foods, looking for a new food to inspire my taste buds, I stumbled upon Siggi's Icelandic Style Skyr. It was in a light container with a removable sleeve so that it coule be recycled. The flavor dancing in front of my was Pomegranate & Passion Fruit ("what yummy sounding combination" I thought). Oh, and it was on sale. So I had to buy it!

Upon my return home, I had to figure out what the skyr was. I figured out it was yogurt from the label... but I had never heard of Icelandic yogurt. The following is taken directly from the Siggi's Web site:

"Skyr is the traditional yogurt of Iceland. It is made by incubating skim milk with live active cultures. The whey, the water naturally found in milk, is then strained away to make for a much thicker, creamier, concentrated yogurt. So to make just one cup of skyr, with all that water going out, you need 3 - 4 times the amount of milk required to make a regular cup of yogurt. As a result of this process skyr comes out with 2-3 times the protein count of standard yogurt.

According to the Sagas, the original stories of the Norse Vikings, Icelanders have made skyr since settlers from Norway first arrived on the island in the 9th century. The word skyr is probably derived from the Icelandic word skera, which means to cut or slice–– a reference to the ideal thickness perhaps? The modern word for regular yogurt, jógúrt, didn’t exist in Icelandic until the 20th Century. Before then, regular yogurt was sometimes referred to as Búlgarst skyr, or ‘Bulgarian skyr,’ because of its popularity in Bulgaria.

Skyr was always, and is still, made from skim milk after the cream had been floated off to make butter. The skim was incubated with cultures and the resulting yogurt strained to take out the whey. Traditionally, the whey that subsequently came off the skyr was then used to pickle various foods in the summer to help last out Iceland’s long, arduous winters. Thus, skyr was part of a process that historically was centered on maximizing the yield and storage time of milk.

Skyr is a big part of the modern diet in Iceland. It has enjoyed a resurgence of kind in the past decades, in particular among athletes and the nation’s prominent musclemen as a highly coveted and convenient source of protein for them muscles!

Today, all Icelandic skyr is made from cow’s milk. Up until the 19th century, however, skyr was made from both sheep and cow’s milk. Siggi’s skyr is made solely from cow’s milk."

Okay, enough of the background info. Now to what you are all wondering. Is it worth my money?

In a word... Yes! I am a big fan of Greek yogurt, which is thick and high in protein. But Greek yogurt isn't very sweet which turns off some people. Siggi's skyr yogurt is sweetened slightly with agave nectar and actual fruit so it doesn't have the bite than many yogurts have. However, it is thick and creamy. Perfect for breakfast or dessert!

I haven't had an opportunity to try the other flavors (they were all sold out!) but the other Siggi's flavors include: Acai, Vanilla, Grapefruit, Blueberry, Orange & Ginger, and Plain. With 100-120 calories a serving, no fat what-so-ever, and 16-17 grams of protein, these babies will all be coming home with me!

Nutritional Information for Siggi's Pomegranate & Passion Fruit Skyr: 120 calories/0 grams of fat/0 grams of fiber/16 grams of protein

INGREDIENTS: Skim Milk, Agave Nectar, Passion Fruit, Pomegranate, Live Active Cultures, Vegetable Rennet CULTURES: B. Lactis, L. Acidophilus, L. Delbrueckiee Subsp. Bulgaricus, L. Delbrueckiee Subsp. Lactis, S. Thermophilus

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

With the race weekend over and academic classes almost complete, I feel like I can finally sit down and share something I have been munching on during these cold winter mornings. I know a number of people have their own special additions to oatmeal and I would love to hear your ideas! Here is my super simple pumpkin pie oatmeal.

1 packet plain instant oatmeal
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup water
pumpkin pie spice, to taste
stevia, to taste

Mix, microwave, enjoy!

I have also used my homemade frozen steel-cut oats and bulked it up with the pumpkin and seasonings. It is a perfect pumpkin pie substitute and a warm filling breakfast.

So how do you do your oats in the winter?

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

,
With all of my preparations for the Las Vegas Half Marathon, I realize I haven't shared my fantastically delicious pumpkin recipes! I will start with the one that has gotten me through some evil ice cream cravings.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 packet Truvia (or your favorite sweetener)
pumpkin pie spice (to taste)
8 oz. unsweetened vanilla almond milk
4 oz. nonfat cottage cheese

Mix the pumpkin, truvia and spice to taste and freeze. Depending on how your blender works, you can freeze it in one block or smaller cubes.

Once frozen, blend with almond milk and cottage cheese.

Deliciousness!

Nutritional Stats: 155 calories, 3 grams of fat, 6 grams of fiber, 12 grams of protein

That's a Wrap! Uncovering Lavash

As the economy continues it's slowing trend, more people are optioning to pack a lunch rather than buy lunch out in order to cut costs. But basicsandwiches get old fast, as I am discovering on my quest to eat cheap and healthy while traveling. So while in Minnesota this weekend, I set out to explore the local grocery store for something to change up my meals.

Near the deli, I found excatly what I was looking for. Lavash! According to CookThink, "Lavash (pronounced "luh-VOSH") is a thin, round Armenian flatbread (sometimes called cracker bread) made from flour, water and salt. It's traditionally cooked in a tandoor-style oven. Popular in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkey, it is available in Middle Eastern markets. "

I was lucky enough to discover Joseph's Flax, Oat Bran & Whole Wheat Flour Lavash. The package was relatively inexpensive and had four large wraps in it. One half of a wrap is a serving and makes a delicious replacement for traditional bread.

This weekend I enjoyed turkey & Laughing Cow Cheese light wraps with sprouts and a spicy honey mustard. I also used the lavash for brekkie wraps of egg, cheese, and chicken. I packed some lavash with individual servings of peanut butter, honey and jam from the hotel breakfast buffet and gave them to my students for airplane snacks (packing the pb, honey and jam in the quart size plastic bag for security!). And when I returned home, I made my favorite of all wraps:

BB&B Burrito (Barney Butter & Banana Burrito)
(serves 2)

1 large Joseph's Lavash, sliced into two
1/2 large banana, sliced in half lengthwise (so two 1/4 banana slices)
1 90-calorie packet of Barney Butter

Warm you panini press. Lay each 1/4 slice of banana on one of the two wraps. Distribute the packet of Barney Butter between the two bananas. Wrap and press!

One serving of Joseph's Lavash: 50 calories, 2 grams of fat, 3 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein

Nutritional Information for 1 Burrito: 125 calories, 5.75 grams of fat, 4 grams of fiber, 7 grams of protein

Debaters Dish: Skip the morning coffee and munch on granola?

At debate tournaments, I drink a fair amount of coffee and tea. Waking up before the sunrises and going to bed after midnight can do that to a person. Additionally, my food choices often lack the healthy balance of nutrients that I normally get at home. Luckily, MixMyGranola has found a way to incorporate nutritional enhancers into their custom granola mixes! I will be honest, the first thought upon reading this announcement was that there would be a nasty powder covering the delicious granola I reviewed earlier this year. However, after tasting granola enhanced with caffeine and lucuma, I was proven wrong! While some of the enhancers add flavor to the granola, it was a pleasant addition that was cooked into the product rather than sprinkled over.

With the highest caloric additions being only 13 calories (ginkgo and acai), I am excited to play around with the various enhancements! As someone who packs a snack bag of granola for plane rides, this latest addition to the MixMyGranola customization will allow me to up my nutrients in a delicious and convienint package. Here is the complete list of enhancements from the MixMyGranola Web site:

Caffeine Powder: Skip your Starbucks and have your caffeinated granola instead. A great way to get your morning started!

Organic Pomegranate: Skip the pomegranate juice and get a shot in your granola. A good source of vitamin B5 and antioxidant polyphenols.

Organic Acai Powder: Acai berries are loaded with antioxidants and have a number of other healthy benefits. Oprah would agree!

Organic VitaCherry: This powder contains Anthocyanins, which help protect the body against the damaging effects of free radicals and aging.

Green Tea Powder: Green tea contains polyphenols which are thought to improve health. It also has been shown to reduce cholesterol.

Chlorella Powder: Chlorella contains more chlorophyll per gram than any other plant and is excellent for cleansing the body.

Organic Blueberry: For all those blueberry lovers, add some extra wild blueberry flavor to your mix!

Ginkgo Leaf Powder: Ginkgo has been shown to support mental sharpness and increases blood flow to the brain.

Organic Maca Powder: Maca has been shown to boost energy, endurance and performance. Get a shot and get your day started right!

Gotu Kola Powder: Gotu Kola has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and be a circulatory stimulant.

Mangosteen Powder: This superfruit has antioxidant strength and potential impact for lowering risk against human diseases.

Organic Cacao Powder: Want to take your granola mix up another chocolate notch? Add a shot of our Cacao Powder!

Organic Lucuma: Lucuma is an excellent source of fiber and beta carotene. Peruvians also use it to flavor ice cream. Healthy and great flavor!

Spirulina Powder: Spirulina is a blue-green microalgae that is a natural source of essential phytonutrients, protein and amino acids.

Bee Pollen Powder: The supplement known as "the fountain of youth." Studies have shown it increases zest, energy and physical endurance.

Organic Quinoa: This superfood is high in complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids.

Mix me up a piece of that at MixMyGranola

I love customizable products. In a world that markets to the individual, it seems like everything out there can be personalized to meet your needs. And now granola can also be mixed to fit your desired flavor profile.

MixMyGranola is one of the latest companies to sweep the blogosphere. Part of it has been their willingness to cooperate with the hoards of eager taste testers because many bloggers will read one blog and then stalk the company for their own sample of the latest trend. However, one of the reasons for all the hype is because the products that MixMyGranola produces are just that good.

With a variety of bases and mix-ins to choose from, the options for creating your own granola blend are endless. MixMyGranola offers a number of organic ingredients and advertises that all of their mix-ins are made from natural ingredients. You can choose from dried fruits, nuts, seeds, chocolates and even candies to create that signature taste. As you go through the steps of creating your own mix, there is even a nutritional calculator to figure out just how many calories you will be spending to enjoy your blend.

The cost of the granola is based on what you mix in. The base cereal runs from $3.99 to $4.99 and after that it is up to you! The more times you click on an ingredient, the more they add to your mix and the more it costs. I recently created a mix with dried mangos, blueberries, cherries, chia seeds, hemp seeds, amaranth seeds, flax seeds and pumpkin seeds. The entire mix plus shipping was well under $20. They also sell gift cards which make it a personalized gift for your favorite health food fan.


The containers themselves are also environmentally friendly. These 16oz containers are 100% recyclable, however I reused mine to store pasta!

The flavors of the granola are fresh and pop in your mouth. I preportioned out the 8 servings so I could grab them on the run. My mix was high in protein and fiber which serves as a filling snack on it's own but it is also great mixed in with yogurt or sprinkled on oatmeal. My "Uncovering Food Mix" comes with it's own individual number so I can order the exact same mix again if I want. This means I don't have to remember how many times I clicked pumpkin seed to get that perfect blend.

Because the nutritional information will vary based on how you mix your own granola, I encourage you to check out the MixMyGranola site to find out just what your granola would look like!

Deliciously Divine, Uncovering the Cherimoya

I have fond memories of my father grocery shopping when I was a child, where he would come home and announce in a proud voice that he had something for my mother. She would ask what it was, to which he would produce this green, pine cone looking, leathery appearing thing. She would get excited and hug him. She would savor the fruit, enjoying every bite, and the house would be full of smiles.

This was my first exposure to the exotic fruit we know as the Cherimoya. A delicate and difficult to grow fruit, the Cherimoya is slowing gaining popularity in the world of food for it's sweet custard pulp and was described by Mark Twain as "deliciousness itself!" Grown primarily in Spain and the coastal areas of South America, the Cherimoya can also be found growing in some of the most expensive real estate along the southern California coast line.

"Cherimoyas like to grow on expensive land," Jay Ruskey, owner of Calimoya Exotic Fruits, explained to me when I recently had an opportunity to talk to him about one of my mother's favorite foods. "It likes to grow in the same climate that people like to live in: No freeze, no wind, near the ocean and on hillsides."

A relative of the Soursop and the Guanabana, there are a number of varieties of the Cherimoya. Mr. Ruskey compared the fruit to an apple. We recognize the apple, but only in more recent years have people begun to express interest in specific varietals.

Cherimoyas are a relatively unknown fruit in the United States, outside of it's growing region in California. The delicacy of the fruit makes it difficult to ship, and the growers are a smaller collective who lack the marketing power of larger agricultural commodities. However, you may find a small batch of Cherimoyas in specialty food stores like a Whole Foods near you. With a growing season from December to May, the season is almost over for the year. Calimoya also offers an online store where customers can order the organic fruits directly from the growers. The Cherimoyas are packed and shipped the same day they are picked.

One of the common internet myths that I wanted to take an opportunity to dispel was the idea that a Cherimoya can kill you if you eat the skin and seeds. According to Mr. Ruskey, the skin is tannic but not poisonous. The seeds of the Cherimoya do contain alkaloids, similar to a number of other plant seeds, and while you could do a fair amount of processing to collect the alkaloids, accidentally swallowing one seed won't harm you. Lucky for my readers, I recently swallowed a Cherimoya seed and I am still here typing this post (or am I....?) so rest assured that Mr. Ruskey is indeed correct in his analysis.

I personally find my Cherimoya fix at the local farmers market. For a terrifically low cost, I can pick up a couple of these fresh fruits and take them home and savor them like I watched my mother do, just a few short years ago. A Cherimoya is ripe when it gives in to slight pressure, and you should not put it in the fridge before it is ripe because the cold air halts the ripening process. However, if your fruit ripens before you are ready to enjoy it, it can keep a couple of days in the fridge.

I prefer to cut my Cherimoya in half and enjoy it with a spoon. The flesh is a velvety pulp but almost custard-like in texture. It has notes of melon, pineapple, pear, banana, strawberry and a smooth creamy sensation as it passes over your tongue. While it is fabulous on its own, and has often replaced my end of meal high calorie dessert, the Cherimoya is also good mixed in with ice creams, into smoothies, in fruit salads, and even in wine! Mr. Ruskey provides several recipes that highlight the Cherimoya on the Calimoya site.

Although not as low in calories as some other fruits, the depth of flavor and high potassium levels make up for the extra calories. A one cup serving contains 115 calories, 1 gram of fat, 3.6 grams of fiber and 2.6 grams of protein. It also contains 30% of the RDA of Vitamin C and 420mgs of potassium, 12% of your daily RDA!

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, "Potassium is a mineral that helps the kidneys function normally. It is also an electrolyte, a substance that conducts electricity in the body, along with sodium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium. Potassium is crucial to heart function and plays a key role in skeletal and smooth muscle contraction, making it important for normal digestive and muscular function, too." Adults should aim for 2000 mg of potassium in their daily diets.

From the health benefits to the amazing flavor, Cherimoyas aren't just a happy memory for me. They are a delectable dietary delicacy that will continue to grace my kitchen.

Morning Delight! Honeyville Steel Cut Oats and Freeze Dried Berries

I am a breakfast girl. I need food in my stomach within an hour of getting up or I am out of whack for the day.

I am also not a morning person. I like to sleep as LATE as possible. In fact this morning, I found out I was a "sleep snoozer". I have been told this is what someone who hits the snooze button in their sleep is called. Which I did so many times this morning, I missed my run!

Luckily, I had made breakfast last night! And it was still delicious this morning.

Oatmeal has been all the rage for blogging foodies. But most people like the convenience of quick cooking rolled oatmeal. Which is understandable if you have a need for speed. But let me take a couple minutes to try and convert you to something that takes a little more preparation but is well worth the wait (and can be prepped ahead of time!):

Steel Cut Oatmeal!!!

The fine folks at Honeyville allowed me to opportunity to sample their Steel Cut Oatmeal as well as their Freeze Dried Strawberries and Freeze Dried Blueberries. I was excited to try out something new from a family owned company with a longstanding reputation for working with restaurants around the country. What does that mean for an individual consumer? Their online store is fantastically inexpensive! And if you have a larger family or big event, the bulk ordering is also a great deal! Not to mention the inexpensive shipping cost.

But enough about how awesome the company is and how great the prices are. Let's talk about taste!

I started by preparing two cups of steel cut oatmeal (8 servings) in twelve cups of boiling water. The process took approximately 45 minutes, but aside from stirring, was really easy. It cooks up to somewhere around a cup a serving cooked. The reason for prepping a larger batch was so I could portion it out for later.
The oatmeal itself is extra creamy and smooth with bites of whole oatmeal. I feel healthier eating it but also more satisfied. It not only filled me up this morning but kept me full for the couple hours before I got my caffine fix. It is high in fiber and protein which helps make it so filling. I wanted more for lunch but alas I didn't bring any to school!

When I preportioned the cooked oatmeal, I took a couple of servings and mixed in 1/4 cup of strawberries or 1/4 cup of blueberries. The strawberries are slices that are also great for munching (guess what is going in my carry-on for next week's championships!) and the blueberries are large and whole. Both are crispy and full of flavor. Did I mention how low in calories they are?
Back to the oatmeal. Adding the fruit in was the idea of Chris over at Honeyville. His suggestion was fabulous! The creaminess of the oats and the natural sweetness of the strawberries made the perfect morning treat. As a child, I loved Strawberries and Cream instant oatmeal. This reminded of that... only ten times better because it wasn't overly sweet or full of chemicals.

I look forward to sleeping in and just popping my oatmeal in the micro each morning. Honeyville made a believer out of me that taking the extra time is worth it for flavor, nutrition and satiation.

Ingredients in Honeyville Steel Cut Oats: Whole Grain Oats

Nutritional Information for 1/4 cup uncooked Honeyville Steel Cut Oats: 160 calories/3 grams of fat/5 grams of fiber/6 grams of protein

Ingredients in Honeyville Freeze Dried Strawberries: Strawberries

Nutritional Information for 1/4 cup Honeyville Freeze Dried Strawberries: 15 calories/0 grams of fat/1 gram of fiber/0 grams of protein

Ingredients in Honeyville Freeze Dried Blueberries: Blueberries

Nutritional Information for 1/4 cup Honeyville Freeze Dried Blueberries: 30 calories/0 grams of fat/1 gram of fiber/0 grams of protein

Product Review: You Bar, Breakfast Bar

On my way to work every morning, I love to hit up Starbucks. Friends have told me that I have single-handedly kept this location in business. And they may be right. Between the $3 breakfast sandwiches and the $3-$4 fancy caffeinated beverages, I do drop a significant part of my paycheck there.

This morning I was running late, and the Starbucks parking lot was looking crowded. So I had to skip my morning caffination. Was I going to be stuck with teacher lounge coffee? Was I going to drag all day without the morning jump? And what about some solid food for my stomach?

All of these questions were weighing on my mind as I entered my classroom and plopped down my purse. I looked inside for my cell phone and next to it was the You Bar Breakfast Bar I had tossed in there just for this emergency (I told you I keep food in my purse!).

The bar itself is very sticky and should be kept in the package to eat. It looks like it could get messy otherwise. This sticky datey texture is due in large part to the ingredients in the bar as there were no nut butters or cereals to help the texture out. I unwrapped the bar carefully, using the wrapping as a mitt.

Before I go any further, I will say that this bar may not be for some people. If you don't like chocolate, coffee or dates, you should avoid this bar. That said.... I love all of those things. So keep that in mind with the upcoming rave.

The bar is sweet. Not super sugary sweet but a natural grainy sweet from the dates and the honey. There is an earthy quality both in texture and flavor from the coffee crystals, cocoa, cinnamon and dates that help keep the bar from being just a fruit leather. I would liken the bar to a cross between a thick fruit leather and the filling for a powerbar (or at least what I can remember of powerbars). The texture and appearance were probably the lesser appealing aspects of the bar. However, the flavor and nutritional punch made it something I would definitely purchase in bulk. And halfway through the bar, the texture was no longer a concern. Paired with a glass of water, the You Bar Breakfast Bar was a filling and uplifting breakfast that will become a staple in my household. Did I mention it is only 2 points a bar?!?!? And when you buy the box of 13 it is only $2.49 a bar... much cheaper than my Starbucks habit (and much better for me as well).

Ingredients: Dates, Egg White Protein, Honey, Cocoa, Coffee Crystals, Cinnamon

Nutritional Information: 150 calories, 1 gram of fat, 4 grams of fiber, 8 grams of protein

Don't forget to check out your opportunity to try a You Bar out for yourself! I am giving two custom bars away to readers!

Breakfast Burrito

This is so simple, I can't believe I haven't shared it yet!

2 slices of Oscar Meyer Center Cut bacon
1 free range organic egg
1 slice Kraft 2% pepperjack cheese
1 whole wheat burrito size high fiber tortilla (I believe I use La Tortilla Factory, in any case it is a 1 pt tortilla for calculation sake)

Warm tortilla in micro for 15 seconds to increase pliability.

Cut cheese into halves and line in center of tortilla.

Cut the two slices of bacon in half. Cook to desired crispness (I go a little bit chewy and a little bit crisp). Place four halves on top of cheese.

Cook egg IN the leftover bacon grease (you are paying the points, you deserve the extra flavor!). There won't be a lot of grease because center cut bacon is relatively low in fat, but it enhances the flavor of the egg. Add egg on top of bacon and wrap. You can find the link to easy wrapping instructions here.

Calculations are for the one serving. One point for bacon, One point for cheese, Two points for egg, One point for tortilla.