banana berry protein muffin

Berry Banana Protein Muffin

1 small container of liquid egg whites

1 cup low fat cottage cheese

1 scoop of non-flavored protein powder

2.5 cups uncooked oatmeal

2 fresh bananas

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

dash of cinnamon

Instructions:

preheat over to 350F

In a blender mix in everything

Spray muffin tins with pam or use liners

Pour in mixture and top each muffin with berries of choice

Bake for about 30 minutes

Freeze well - but allow to cool first.

Now you have a healthy, protein packed, low fat muffin!

200 calories and 15-20g of protein per average size muffin

Guacamole

Thinking of picking up some guacamole at the supermarket tonight to celebrate Cinco De Mayo?

Check the label first.

Most store bought brands don't even contain avocados

Shocked? Yeah so was I.

Why not make your own.

Here's a recipe I use.

Its sooo tasty and super quick and easy.

(pictured above)

Ingredients

3 large avocados

2 tbsp minced scallions or onion

1 small chopped tomato

juice of 1/2 to 1 lime (use half, taste it, and add more if you like more acidity)

1/2 tsp minced garlic (one very small clove)

1/2 tsp salt

Directions

Peel and pit the avocados. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon and mash it with a fork in a bowl. Stir in the chopped tomato, minced scallions/onion, garlic, lime juice, and salt.

Makes about 2 cups, for 2-4 servings

 

the recipe is from Eggs on Sunday



Happpy Cinco De Mayo

Summer Salad

Mango salad

I made this a couple times this week and it was delicous and summery.

I chopped up a bunch of whatever I had in the fridge...

I didnt measure or anything, just what looked good.

I thought I would share with you my salad "recipe" and some health benefits of all the ingredients!

Mango

(one cup contains 25% of your daily intake of vitamin A -thats good for your eyes)

Avocado

(eating avocados for only one week can lower cholesterol on average 17%)

Cucumber

(contains silica which is good for connective tissue, and can improve your complexion)

Red Bell Pepper

(linked to reduced risk of a number of cancers, and contains more vitamin C than oranges)

Red Onion

(contains a surprising amount of polyphenols.. phytonutrients which help protect agains disease)

Cilantro

(a powerful cleansing agent, chemical compounds in cilantro bind to heavy metals in the body and help eliminate them)

Lime Juice

(Anti-oxidant, anti-carcinogenic, anti-biotic and detoxifying properties, and can help get rid of ulcers)

So mix your self up this healthy summer salad and start enjoying the benefits today!! It would also make a great salsa if everything was chopped smaller and you added more juice.

Impress everyone by bringing it to your first BBQ of the summer...

(click on the ingredient to see more health benefits)



Ginger

My Mom always tried to get my to drink Ginger tea when I was sick but I never really liked it. I have learned to like a little bit of ginger, but Im still not sure Im ready for her potent tea.

Ginger has been used for thousands of years for nausea, motion sickness, colds, joint pain, and circulation problems. It is a warming spice, like the ones mentioned in the previous post and it can be used to raise the body temperature to help fight infection.

Click the link below to read more about this health-full ingredient and get some recipes
http://www.wholeliving.com/article/power-foods-fresh-ginger

Fight Colds and Flu

{image via http://www.topnews.in/ }

Warming spices can help fight off colds and the flu.  Since fall is just around the corner I thought I would share this link with you.
It is from http://www.wholeliving.com/ and it gives a little insite into warming spices such as curry, cinnamon and ginger and also has links to recipes using these spices.

click the link below to read:
http://www.wholeliving.com/article/warming-spices

Healthy Popsicles?

Skip the fruit juice with all the added sugar - and make a healthier version at home.

Take your favorite fruit, berries, mangoes, watermelon - cut into chunks and puree in the blender. Add a little water if it looks too thick.  Sweeten to taste if you like.

Then pour them into store bought Popsicle moulds and freeze.

Or try just filling your moulds up with yogurt and freezing them.  Yummm.

These ones look like they have a slice of kiwi!

If you dont have popsicle moulds you can use paper cups. After you fill them cover with tin-foil and then insert a popsicle stick.

Brain Boosters

On msn the other day I found an article about foods that boost brain power. Here is a quick run down - check out the link for more details

Blueberries - they have lots of antioxidants which promote positive signals to be sent from the nerve cells in your brain. This reduced inflammation. Eating blueberries daily may also help you perform better on memory tests.

Walnuts - help with heart health by lowering blood cholesterol. They fatty acids the nuts contain are also good for the brain because they help protect against degeneration. Degeneration can occur with normal aging or with diseases such as parkinsons or alzhiemers.  The antio oxidants also act as anti-inflammatories.
{P.S. studies have shown that people who eat nuts live longer than those who don't}

Strawberries - they have the higher amounts of antioxidants  compared to other fruit of vegetable - when ripe and in season. This high amount of antioxidants makes them great anti-inflammatories which is good for the nerve cells in your brain.

Dark Leafy Greens - mom was right - eat your green vegetables. Kale, spinach, swiss chard.. take your pick - they all help protect the arteries, vision and have anti-cancer properties. They also help to maintain and healthy brain

Salmon or Other Coold Water Fish - eating these fish is linked with lower levels of cognitive decline. The high amounts of omega 3 fatty acids help to protect the arteries which is key for normal brain function. They also help lower blood triglycerides - which is good for your arteries and your heart.

Check Out this link for  a Recipe for a salad that contains the first 4. Grill up some salmon and you've got yourself one brain healthy dinner!

Katrina Runs

I just found a new blog I thought I would share. Katrina Runs http://www.katrina-runs.com/  - the author is a 34year old teacher, runner, photographer, and diabetic. she loves cooking and has lots of great recipes! because she has diabetes she has lots of great information about proteins, complex carbs, balances meals and the dangers of too much sugar.
she posts about running, cooking, clean eating and photography. I would definitely check out her site!
One great post is "Organics, Is It Worth It" - it talks about the growing trend of buying organic as well as a list of foods from WebMD that you definitely should buy organic or make sure you wash!

Snack Girl

i have found my new favorite website! http://www.snack-girl.com/

it is full of great food and snacking advice. there are tons of healthy recipes and tips for eating well.

this picture is from an experiment she did involving a mcdonalds burger and a homemade burger. this is what they looked like after 11 weeks.

yess the rotten burger is gross, but the fact that the mcdonalds burger hasnt changed in 11 weeks is worse.

check out the article here




i tried her recipe for steamed artichokes and lemon butter sauce a couple of times last week. and i love it. the sauce is great and peeling a part the artichoke is oddly satisfying despite not getting much from each of the leaves. you can find the recipe here


im sure there will be plently more posts inspired by snack girl in the future. i definitely recommend taking a look. i have learned a lot from this site.