the easiest and yummiest banana, oat and greek yogurt muffins

So I have the bad habit of mindlessly thumbing through Pinterest, pinning all of these delicious-looking recipes but then never giving them a second glance!  So I have set out to change my ways.  I now pin yummy recipes to my "Yummies Board" and when I try them and find they are a success, they get pinned to my private board called "tried and loved recipes," (not really sure why it's private?  I will probably change that because there is no need!).  My latest success story was inspired by these Banana Oat Muffins.  I tweaked the recipe just a bit and they are a huge hit in my house.  Recipe below.  Hope you like it!


Ingredients:
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 ripe bananas
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups rolled oats (I used old fashioned but you can use quick too)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (I used a touch less, maybe 1/8 cup, just because I was running out and they turned out perfect!)
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips (I used Trader Joe's and didn't measure these at all.  I used half a bag)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.  Grease or line muffin tin (if you use liners you still want to spray the liners because there is no oil in these muffins so it could cause them to stick).  Throw everything except the chocolate chips into a blender or food processor (I used my Vitamix) and blend until the oats are smooth.  Add chocolate chips and mix with spoon.  Pour batter into muffin tins, leaving each one about 3/4 full.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are brown.  Georgia gobbled them up with some blueberries for snack yesterday and had one for breakfast with some yogurt this morning.  And the hubs can grab one (or 3!) on the way out of the door.

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Healthy 1st Birthday Cake

As excited as I was for the adorable pictures of cake all over G's face on her birthday, I wasn't quite ready to give her a full-fledged sugar cake.  Do I think it is bad?  Of course not!  I just personally wasn't ready.  So I set out to find a yummy recipe for a "cake" using ingredients other than sugar.  And this is what we came up with!  I modified it a bit from the first recipe here but all in all it was a success!  I baked one on her actual birthday when we had the grandparents over for dinner and she really liked it.  No, she didn't smash it in her face unfortunately but she was pretty into it.  I made it again for her birthday party later that week and to be honest, she was slightly uninterested.  I even put Cool Whip on it for the party!  But to be honest, this really isn't a cake.  It's more of a banana bread.  So it's hard for little fingers to really dig in.  Since then we have had this as a breakfast go-to and she loves it - as does hubby - so it's a win win for us!  

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

a few sprinkles of cinnamon

6 ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup sugar-free applesauce (I made my own using my baby food maker - so easy!)

1/4-1/2 cup whole milk (depending on consistency)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F

In a bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and cinnamon)

In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients (bananas, applesauce and milk)

Pour wet mixture over dry mixture and and mix.  If it seems dry, add a splash more milk.

Bake in a 9'' round pan for 60-90 minutes (testing the middle after 60 minutes)

Viola!

Yummy Yummy!  I used Organic, Sugar-Free Cool Whip for her icing.

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Matt and I are kiiiiiinda obsessed with Emeril's Margarita Popsicles.  They are the perfect way to cool off on a hot summer night. 

RECIPE HERE

We have been somewhat of Popsicle making machines these days.  I'll blend up any mixture of fruit and dump it into the mold and viola!  Tasty treat coming right up!  Do y'all have any Popsicles you love making?

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yummy nutella cookies

Nutella is pretty much a food group at our house.  I eat it every day, either on my toast or on some form of fruit.  I looooove it.  So on Valentine's Day I was looking for a recipe for some cookies to bring the hub's pharmacy and came across this one.  And they are amazeeeeeeeeeeeeee.  And super easy.  Here are the details...

my lil chef

Ingredients:

I cup Nutella

2 Cups Brown Sugar

1 Egg

1/2 Cup of Flour and 1 Tablespoon of Flour

Course Sea Salt for Sprinkling (best idea EVER)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Combine all of the ingredients except for the salt in a large bowl.  Blend with an electric mixer until well mixed and place the dough in the freezer for 10 minutes.

3. Roll the cold dough on an ungreased cookie sheet in 1 inch balls.

4. Bake 8-10 minutes.

5. Let cool for a few minutes before sprinkling the salt then enjoy!

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healthy, yummy egg white "muffins"

So one of my major goals this year is to make healthy eating a standard in our home.  We do a pretty good job of that already, but I want to do even better.  I'm trying to make most of my food; i.e. eat less packaged and processed foods, but here's the catch - I NEED EASY!  When it comes to eating breakfast and lunch, I'm lazy and busy.  I know I stay at home and my baby is only 6 1/2 months old, but trust me y'all, somehow the days fly by and it's 4 pm and I haven't truly nourished myself all day.  Just eaten snacks!  Chocolate covered pretzels here, a scoop of guacamole there.  I'm also pretty lazy when it comes to fixing myself a meal.  I'm not sure why this is honestly, but when it's just me at home, it's very unlikely that I will take the time to whip up a yummy salad filled with chopped fruits, veggies and nuts - unless they are already prepared for me.  So, I've been working on easy, yummy, healthy foods that I can prepare in advance (like chopping up those fruits and veggies ahead of time for my salad)!  

Enter these egg white "muffins."  I made 10 (2 for each morning of the week) and put them in zip lock bags.  Every morning I take 2 out, heat them up, and boom - healthy, protein packed breakfast done.  So I can feed myself while I'm feeding my baby!  

I took this recipe and adjusted it a bit, mainly because I used what I had at home, but there are a million different ways you can change these and make them your own!

1. Spray or oil a muffin tin and fill each hole with yummy fixins!  I used spinach and cheese, but plan to add peppers next time too.  You can add onions like this recipe suggests, and really anything you want (broccoli, mushrooms, ham).

2. Pour egg whites over fixins (if using whole eggs, use 2 egg whites per muffin).

3. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

4. Let cool completely and store in Ziploc bags for the rest of the week!  These can be frozen too!

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Cucumber-Cantaloupe Cooler Smoothie

Found this recipe last week and made it yesterday and today.  This smoothie is refreshing, delicious and packed with nutrients!  Here’s the skinny on my new favorite sipper. 

Ingredients

1/2 cup cucumber, peeled and cubed
1 cup cantaloupe, cubed
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
4-6 fresh mint leaves, or to taste
8 ice cubes
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions

Combine and blend ingredients until smooth

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1

(12 ounces): 223 calories, 18% fat (5 g), 69% carbohydrate, 13% protein, 4 g fiber, 14 mg iron, 291 mg calcium, 40 mcg folate, 73 mg vitamin C.

get your greens

So my husband and I try our best to eat healthy - sometimes we succeed and sometimes we fail.  We are always looking for yummy ways to get in our raw veggies but I can’t lie, we are both kind of picky.  Well, last night we succeeded in eating a healthy, easy and delicious meal! I originally found this recipe here and we loved it so much, I had to share.  Matt doesn’t seem to consider anything a “meal” without a meat so we added chicken and rice for some more substance and it was perfect!

What you need:

2 bunches broccoli, diced

1 cup asparagus, diced

1 cup fresh spinach

1 slice Swiss cheese

1 slice Provolone cheese

2 slices Mozzarella cheese

1 can cream of celery soup

1 cup skim milk

1 cup organic chicken, cut in small pieces (optional)

1 cup brown rice

1 tbsp garlic powder (you could substitute garlic salt too)

Salt to taste (we like Sea Salt)

2 tbsp grated Parmesan for garnish

your skin will love you for eating all these green veggies

Preparation:

  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Place broccoli, asparagus and spinach in large bowl

Shred the Swiss, Mozzarella and Provolone cheeses and add to the bowl.

Add rice, soup, milk, garlic powder, and salt to taste.

Mix gently and pour into a large casserole dish.

Add chicken and spoon in evenly.

Baked covered for about 35-40 minutes.

Take out, remove cover and add parmesan for garnish.



add milk slowly and stir as you are adding



once you add the chicken, take a spoon and slowly mix well



yum

  

ENJOY!

This is also a GREAT way for all you moms out there looking for easy and scrumptious ways to get your kids’ their green veggies.