Phase 1 Elimination Diet Recipes

Hi there! I’m now officially on phase one of the elimination diet and lovin’ it so far! Ali suggested that I may want to consider remaining in phase 1 for an extra week to give my system time to calm down…so I may be on this phase for a while.

Here is a bunch of random things I’ve learned the last few days: Pumpkin seed flour is fine (in phase 1 and on). Use lentils or mung or adzuki beans for each other. They switch out easily. :)

And here, ladies and gents, is a huge list of phase 1 recipes and snack ideas. Most of them came from Ali and Tom’s website, but a few came from a few others too. :) You don’t have to be on the elimination diet to enjoy these guys! :) YUM! :) Take a look especially if you have multiple allergies/intolerances as these recipes are hypo-allergenic…free of common allergens! :) I will also be posting some of my own soon! :) Enjoy! :) **Oh, and if you have any to share, please do! :) **

Also, as far as discoveries I’ve made so far,

• I’ve learned that I am allergic (intolerant) to apples. I seem to handle applesauce, cooked apples, and apple juice ok, but give me a raw apple (peeled or not) and my body is not so happy. This is sad to me but I’m glad I can at least enjoy them in other ways (so far anyway.)
• I learned that I tend to binge on salty foods too. So, I need to watch the salt content in things I purchase and make so that I don’t make it too salty—which causes me to just eat more because it tastes good.
• I learned that I still overeat on healthy foods sometimes but no where to the extent as I used to when I was eating everything else. I know better when to stop and get fuller faster (which helps me to know when to stop!) :)
• I also haven’t had any sugar since I started and am quite proud of that! This includes honey, maple syrup, agave, etc. I did have a tiny bit of stevia once before I realized that it had other ingredients in it too (that I might react to.)
• I need to drink more water. I feel better when I do and everything goes better with my body! :) (Even if that does mean I have to take a thousand trips to the restroom. :))

So, here they are…a lot of recipes and snacks ideas for you! :)

 

Phase 1 Recipes and Snack Ideas

• Blueberry Syrup (Ideas: “For a Phase 1 elimination diet-friendly breakfast, try pouring this syrup over a bowl of cooked short grain brown rice or quinoa and top with toasted pumpkin seeds and a sprinkling of cinnamon.”-Ali)
• Vegan Flourless Pancakes with Teff, Quinoa, and Pumpkin Seeds
• Green Apple Salad Dressing (Ideas: Serve over a green salad: Ali suggests adding avocado’s and sesame seeds to the salad)
• Pumpkin Seed Smoothie (Tip: This is a great way to make a creamy smoothie with needed protein. A good breakfast idea I think. Remember that you need to soak the seeds all day or night before you make this smoothie)
• Thai Sauce  (Ideas: Ali suggests serving this over “quinoa with mung bean sprouts, sliced green onions, and cilantro.”)
• Pesto Sauce (Ideas: Serve this over spaghetti squash or as Ali suggests over raw zucchini or cooked grains.)
• Nori Rolls made with Sticky Brown Rice dipped in Ginger Plum Sauce(Remember: No soy in phase one and “Just be sure to leave out the salmon until Phase 3.”-Ali)
• “Lightly saute a variety of Phase 1 veggies with Brown Jasmine Rice in a little olive oil. Add a few dashes of Adzuki Bean Tamari or drizzle the Apple Salad Dressing recipe over it.” –Ali
• Garlicky Green Sauce (Ideas from Ali: “Drizzle it over cooked grains, steamed veggies, chopped romaine lettuce.” Or “on lettuce wraps” Or as one commenter (talkinglikerain) said use it for coleslaw: “For the coleslaw I finely chop (in my food processor; in batches) one whole head of green cabbage, 3-4 large beets, and 4 large carrots (the whole mixture looks pinkish/purple at the end). Then I store that in a covered container in the fridge. Then I pour the green apple dressing over it just before eating. For the dressing I actually alter the recipe a bit and reduce the garlic to 1 clove, add 1Tbsp of agave nectar, and 1/2 tsp of Herbemare. It's great garnished with cilantro.”
• Healing Quinoa Cabbage Soup (About:“This very simple, nourishing soup aids in detoxification, though you'd never guess by the taste. Plus, it only takes a few minutes to prepare....perfect if you feel like you are starving during Phase 1 of the Elimination Diet!”)
• Grated Beet and Carrot Salad with Radish-Miso Dressing (About: “This Asian inspired salad dressing is vinegar-free and citrus-free; two ingredients that are often hard to omit from salad dressings”)
• Butternut Squash and Apple Soup (substitute olive or coconut oil for the butter)
• Mexican Squash Soup (from talkinglikerain commenter on substitutions: I substituted pumpkin seeds for the pine nut/walnut garnish, and adzuki beans for the corn. I eliminated the tomato and cheese garnish and skipped the red pepper flakes. So the only garnishes were avocado, cilantro, and toasted pumpkin seeds. This soup is also fabulous with wild rice added to it.)
• Summer Vegetable Kitcheree (Intro from Ali: “Kitcheree is an Indian stew-like meal made from mung beans and brown rice. Spices and vegetables make up the remaining ingredients which can vary widely. Here I used carrots, fresh tomatoes, kale, peas, and cilantro. If you are on the Elimination Diet then this recipe is ideal. Just keep the tomatoes and chili flakes out until Phase 3. Once nightshades are added back into the diet then have at this recipe in its entirety!”)
• Basil Mung Bean Salad
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Lentil Quinoa Burgers
• Lentils with Ginger, Gold Beets and Herbs (try this with a few substitutions for things not allowed in phase 1)
• Quinoa-Salmon Burgers (Read the note at the bottom of this post about using salmon in phase 1.)
• “Snack on dried organic figs dipped in pumpkin seed butter.”-Ali
• Cinnamon Sunflower Truffles (Ideas: Do as Tisa did and make rice krispy treats: “I threw some brown rice cakes in the food processor and added those as well - a bit like rice krispy treats if you will.”)
• “Brown rice cakes topped with sunflower seed butter (SO good!) and grated apples”- Tisa
• “Dried fruit”-Tisa
• “Pumpkin and sunflower seeds roasted with olive oil and maple syrup”-Tisa
• “Celery & sunflower seed butter”- Tisa
• Carrots and sunflower/pumpkin seed butter (Me)
• Dates dipped in sunflower seed butter (Me)- SOOO GOOD! :)
• “Maybe try kale and collards sauteed with lots of crushed garlic. They are also really tasty with a squeeze of lemon juice…. :)”-Ali in a comment
• Mango Coconut Pudding

In Ali’s Cookbook Phase 1 Meal and Snack Ideas:

• “Red Lentil Dal recipe (page 154), substitute the red potato with a sweet potato, and leave out the tomatoes. Serve with cooked quinoa and roasted Brussels sprouts, or steamed broccoli."
• “Try our Sunny Sunflower Seed Burgers (page 263) using cilantro in place of the parsley and adding about 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder to the mix (you can make this version once nightshades [chili powder] have been added back in during Phase 3).”
• “Try our Coconut Vegetable Curry (page 255) and substitute cooked adzuki beans for the chickpeas and sweet potatoes for the red potatoes, and remember to keep out the tomato paste.”
• Raw Sauerkraut (page 176)
• Oven Fries - made with yams only and no paprika (page 205)
• Braised Kale with Garlic and Ginger - seasoned with sea salt only (page 196)
• Sweet Rice Cereal (page 104)
• Gingered Carrot Soup - made without lemon (page 163)
• Roasted Root Vegetables - made without potatoes (page 209)
• Baked Winter Squash (page 210)
• Warm Berry Sauce (page 315)
• Cleansing Root Tea (page 369)

 

 

Other important notes:

FROM ALI AND TOM ABOUT ADDING IN MEAT/PROTIEN:  “Some of you have asked if it is possible to up the animal protein content during phase 1. We suggest you try wild caught salmon. This poses the least possible reaction and contains anti-inflammatory EFA's. After a long discussion with Tom, I added in salmon on day 7 because my energy was too low. If you would like to add even more protein to the diet then begin by testing the tree nuts and poultry in Phase 3 before nightshades. I hope this will help some of you who may be experiencing a similar issue.” I haven’t done this yet….hoping I won’t have too.

Green Smoothie Cleanse of the Elimination Diet

Well, I finally started the elimination diet. I struggled with this phase of the diet though. I did it for about 1.5 days because I was feeling very sick (and my blender stopped working etc) so I decided to move on to phase one yesterday night after doing it for 1.5 days. I actually wasn’t able to use my blender at all in the first place because when I got it out to use it, I discovered the motor had broken. So I ended up using my parent’s juicer which worked well but I feel like I missed out on some of the ingredients that make it more of a smoothie. (I put it on the lowest setting so that not much would be taken out, but I still worry) and I drank those for a while from that. Then my dad took it apart and didn’t put it back together (and I couldn’t figure out how to do so) so that is when I gave up. So the moral of the story is this: make sure you have a good blender that works and that it’s ready for smoothies at anytime. It was the nausea and extreme hunger that left me to move onto phase 1 before my full time was up.  I even used Tom’s suggestion and had some apples and pears raw but that didn’t help much. (He suggested one but I was so sick and hungry I had about 4 or 5…and it still didn’t help.)

I found the following information very helpful and thought I would share it. It works well for adults (myself) too. :) PURPLE green smoothie: “I just wanted to share a trick that I've discovered for getting my 7yo daughter to drink green smoothies - I use a little less apple and add ~1cup of frozen blueberries and 2cups of frozen raspberries. She's less suspicious since this concoction looks so similar to the blueberry smoothies I used to make for her before we went on the elimination diet. I have to share that I am now on day 3 of the elimination diet, and I actually craved a green (or purple in our case) smoothie this morning! This surprised me, because after drinking them for 2 days solid during the cleanse - I thought I wouldn't want them anymore.”- A comment from talkinglikerain

Here are some other links to elimination diet smoothies….I’d suggest starting with the super antioxidant smoothie or Tom’s Medicine Chest Smoothie.

Tom’s Fruity Medicine Chest Smoothie

Winter Green Smoothie

Spring Green Smoothie

Super Antioxidant Smoothie

 

How about you? Have you done this before for the elimination diet or a similar idea? What helped you make it through? What smoothies did you like?

Mini Grain-Free, GF, Dairy-Free, Sugar-Free, Vegan Chocolate Brownie Bites

I wanted to make something…..a brownie but way healthier…and while I was at it, why not make it grain-free, sugar-free, gf, dairy-free, etc? Why not? I know, I’m a little crazy. :) I like challenges though. :) So I used this fabulous recipe as a reference and then made changes as I needed/wanted. And these beautiful brownie bites (who look just like those heavy calorie and overpriced and over refined ones from your local grocery store are the result. The one with orange on top is a  mini brownie bite with “orange sorbet” (or, better known as a “scoop” (or teaspoon) of frozen orange juice concentrate.  They came out well, my only complaint was that they took a long time to cook and weren’t really very sweet (even for me.) Next time, I’d add in stevia or more agave and reduce some of the milk. Let me know if you try this and what you do. For now, I will include the changes you can make to make it better, too. :) (And next time I feel up to a challenge will experiment some more…and update you if I get better results.) Don’t let this discourage you from trying or experimenting with these though…..they are so close to perfect…especially since they are almost free of everything. but still full of goodness and of course, chocolate. :) Are you ready for the recipe? Ok, here it goes:

Mini Grain-Free, GF, Dairy-Free, Sugar-Free, Vegan Chocolate Brownie Bites

Ingredients:

1/2 c. +  sweet milk or dairy free sweet milk (Reduce to 1/4 c. if wanting a sweet brownie, and add 1/4. c. agave in it’s place)

1/8 t. xanthum gum

1/4 t. baking powder (Kelly’s recipe is grain-free)

1/4 t. baking soda

3.5 T. cocoa

1/2 c. peanut butter or other nut butter or seed butter (tip: if you want a peanut buttery taste, use peanut butter or sunflower seed butter. If you want something that will blend in better and not overwhelm the chocolate flavor, try almond butter or a seed butter etc.)

1/8 t. salt

1 T. agave (or eliminate and add 1/4 t. stevia extract if you want a sweeter brownie)

Combine the above ingredients. Grease mini muffin tins and spoon dough/batter into tin. Baked it at 350 for about 20-30 minutes. Time will vary depending on your oven and if you use the alterations or not.  Also, these are best cold or right out of the the freezer (just be sure to remove them from the pan first because it’s harder to get them out frozen!) You can also try with them with a sweeter ice-cream or something...like I mentioned I used orange fruit concentrate for sorbet…but for most people, I’m guessing another flavor of fruit juice concentrate would be sweeter and more complimentary…like…raspberry. Yum! :) Anyways, whatever wahy you make it, be sure to comment here or email me and let me know how you did it…I’d sure love to know! (even if it doesn’t work out for you…let me know and we’ll see what we can do.) I decided that this recipe had too much of a potential to not post!!! Enjoy and Experiment and let me know all about it! :)

The True Meaning of The Frugally Rich Life…..

Hello there everyone.

 

About a week ago, I was pondering some things and realized that I am not spending my time with what is really important----my family, friends, schooling, and my faith (God and my religion.) I have felt this way for some time but have been able to shake it off and ignore it. So I decided to make some changes. My life would not be so rich without those that I love and without the faith that I believe in. I have been living a frugally “poor” life which has not been as full of true happiness.---the things that make me the happiest and the most rich. But all of this does not come without work. I need to spend the time nourishing them whether they be relationships or personal self work, etc. My family, friends, religion, and God are the things I know that are what truly make me happy and allow me personally to live the “Frugally Rich Life” at home and on the web. If I don’t spend time nourishing others and my soul with those things that are the most important needs in my life, then my life is not rich. It is only skin deep, My happiness is only deep in my heard when I follow God and nourish and strengthen my family relationships. that is the true meaning of the “Frugally Rich Life” ---find ding what makes my life (and yours) rich and for me, it’s my family and my beliefs in God. I also believe in frugality (not spending a lot of money, being careful with it, etc etc) -yes- but it never had occurred to me that being frugal could also mean being frugal with my TIME! Time is money they say or time is of the essence. Well it is! It is one of the gifts we have been given as human beings here on earth. We must choose how to use it. We should spend the vast majority of our time on what is truly important and truly makes us fell like are lives are rich (and I’m not talking about dollar bills!)! :) I know realize  that I need to reevaluate my life and do what is most important.

 

So, I focused on that a lot this week. And that is why I didn’t post anything. I am still planning on posting a lot, but don’t give up on me if I’m not posting for a few days, weeks, or months (usually never months!) , but know I’m working on the above and will be back with more fun recipes! :)

 

Oh and in other news, I finally ordered the elimination diet cookbook and will be starting the diet asap (as soon as I can get to the store).

Comments

Hello friends! That is something I really do love about the biosphere...I almost feel like I know you all, especially through your comments and the help you leave in them.

I wanted to let you know, that I really, really do love comments and I encourage you to keep it up or start doing so if you haven't already.

However, this is an update for you:

I was evaluating my life and my time constraints and I realized that something that could help me be able to have more time for other things (including actually posting posts :)) would be to not reply to every single comment I ever get...and to just reply to those that I feel need replying (ie. questions and such). But please know that I really do appreciate all your comments! They bring a smile to my face! :)

If you have a question or comment that you want a reply from (but it's more private or you just want a little faster reply, etc), feel free to email me at thefrugallyrichlife AT gmail DOT com. I'd love to hear from you there too.

Also, do you all get automated reply's back from wordpress saying I replied to your comments? Or do you just get reply 's when I specifically email you back? I've been wondering this for a while and I know this would save me a lot of time too so if you could let me know, or let me know if you would mind checking back here, I'd be grateful. Thanks!!!

Elimination Diet??? and sugar…..and a plea for your suggestions/tips! :)

I realize now that sugar definitely affects me..... a lot. I knew I would be going on an elimination diet soon and I wouldn't be eating dairy/sugar for a long long time if not ever again, I decided to be really bad..and..well, ordered a reese's pb/chocolate ice cream with chocolate cake etc.and it tasted good at first and then it didn't taste so great anymore...because I realized my tastes have changed...and I don't even like that stuff anymore really...and I, almost immediately, felt sick to my stomach also and got a headache...and then I also was craving more sugar....even though I felt sick! Ugh! I'm so ready for the elimination diet info and to get started on this! I’m planning on following the elimination diet from www.nourishingmeals.com, specifically http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2010/01/elimination-and-detoxification-diet-its.html

I’m just waiting very impatiently for the cookbook to arrive that I ordered today. :)  Has anyone else done the elimination diet from them or a similar one?

I’m sure it’ll be challenging and a lot of the phase one foods I am going to have to remove because I know I have possible issues with them too….so this will be interesting….to say the least! I like all of these foods…but they don’t like me…I’ll have to wait to test them later…

IE:

• I know I have huge issues with sugar (even maple syrup, honey, agave, etc, and possibly stevia???---stevia…I still overeat sometimes??)
• I’ve had issues with spinach everytime I’ve tried it…I keep wanting to eat it…but I always have problems
• Onions, and possibly garlic are also no-no’s for me…..
• I’ve had problems with apples, especially apple peels in the past….been doing ok with it though….not sure what I am going to do about that…..
• Broccoli and calliflower (especially broccoli) both bother me.

So it looks like….I’ll be living off of…umm……let’s see….umm… ORGANIC EVERYTHING…hopefully…..as though I’m always wary of that….b/c it is so expensive….Ali says that “

And besides organic? what exactly will I be eating?

Well, the first two days are supposed to be exclusively a green smoothie cleanse. I’m just not sure how exactly I’m going to do that….since…..1. I don’t own a vita mix….2. I don’t own a very powerful blender….3.My current blender will leave chunks of lettuce throughout my drink……yuck…..4. I don’t (and neither do my parents who I am staying with for the summer while I’m on “vacation” from school) have a lot of muhlah to cast out for a new one especially with having to buy the cookbook and the organic food……Any suggestions? We have juicer but that kinda ruins the purpose…..I think.

After that……I will be eating in phase one at least…. (or at least this is what is allowed from the list on their site):

1. Brown Rice/Wild Rice

2. Quinoa (I tried this once…but didn’t like it….I think I didn’t rinse it….so I’m hoping I’ll like it now)

3.Amarath----if I can find it….I’ve never even seen that before

4.Teff

5. Apples?

6. Pears

7.Peaches

8. Nectarines

9. Plums

10. Apricots

11. Berries (except strawberries)

12. Cherries

13.Grapes

14. Figs (dried or fresh)

15. Mango

16. Kale, collard greens (Are these the same thing? I’ve never had either…and wondering if I would have a reaction like spinach??)

17. Lettuce- I love Romaine (of late)

18. Dandelion greens (really??)

19. bok choy (what? I’ve never eaten this before)

20. Cabbage—can’t say I’m a fan…but hey, maybe I’ll develop new tastes!

21. Parsley

22. Cilantro---um…no..I don’t like…

23.Sprouts (all types) but what does that mean? ??

24.Brussel sprouts (again, never had these before?) Worried that they might bother me…)

25.Beets (hmm…never had these except for canned and then even then….shall I meet a new favorite??)

26. Carrots (yeah! :) I’ve had problems with raw before though! :( should I leave out??)

27. Parsnips (I actually do know what these are…thank you, very much! :) I tried these a while back…yum!!)

28. Winter Squash (all types!) YEAH! Did you know butternut squash is my favorite food!!!??? And I’m a huge fan of spaghetti squash too…

29. Yams and sweet potatoes (yUm!!!)

30. Avocados (Yum…new found love last summer)

31. Ginger (ugh…not the hugest fan, but ok)

32. Sunflower and pumpkin seeds (and their butters…sound interesting…I’ll be for sure trying their butters at least…as I can’t live without some form of “nut”ish butter…..)

33. Pine Nuts (Can’t say I’ve really had these…they must not be really nuts…)

34. Mung and Adzuki beans (I’ve never heard of or eaten these…any suggestions?)

35. Lentils (my newfound love via last summer)

36. wakame,kombu, nori  and seaweed and dulse flakes

(I’ve never heard of any of these really….I mean I’ve heard of seaweed but never really eaten any)

37. Fresh herbs??? (If’y on the is Ari’s body ok with this or not??? scale)

38. Coconut Milk (YEs! YUM)!

39. Dried Coconut (YES!!!)

40. Coconut Oil (YES!) and Olive Oil (ok…I haven’t developed a taste for this yet…I know, I know, I’m weird…)

41.Kudzu? What is this ?

42. GF Arrowroot (like cornstarch I supposse?)

43.Small amounts of guar gum (interesting…I thought that causes intestinal problems for people???)

And what can’t I eat? :( :

-gluten grains and their flours (wheat,
spelt, kamut, rye, barley)
-oats
-millet
-buckwheat
-bread (even gluten-free)
-flour (even gluten-free flours)
-yeast
-dairy products (including goat’s milk) SAD
-eggs :(
-soy products (tamari, miso, tofu,
tempeh, soy milk, soy protein powder,
soy lecithin)
-corn (remember cornstarch)
-nightshade vegetables (potatoes,
tomatoes, peppers, eggplant)
-mushrooms
-pineapple, papaya
-citrus fruits
-kiwi fruit, bananas
-strawberries
-all tree nuts and peanuts
-all beans (except for mung, lentil,
adzuki)
-sesame seeds
-refined sugar
-alcohol (no problem there)
-caffeine- including no coffee or tea (not a problem)

-chocolate  SAD
-vanilla extract SAD
-vinegar (all types)

So does anyone have any suggestions, tips, recipes, etc? I need all the help I can get!!!

Why am I doing this again!? So I can find out once and for all, what bothers me (and what doesn’t), and what makes me the healthiest I can be and if sickness/problems I have go away if I don’t eat certain foods….

Ok…well leave me all the help you can and wish me luck! I’ll be starting it asap…as soon as I can possibly get my hands on that book and also as soon as I can figure out what to do about my dying blender……..any tips or help on that would be greatly appreciated too!

 

Healthy Homemade Chocolate Frosty! (Dairy-free!) + GF and sugar-free!

Does anyone else crave those old favorite sometimes? I know I do. And often, I try to recreate them. This recipe wasn’t originally intended to be a frosty but as soon as I realized what it’s potential could be (ie. a frosty) I was more than excited. :) It tastes just like a frosty, with a hint of coconut. I even received thumbs up from my non-restricted diet friends..they even had seconds. :) Trust us, it is that good. I am going to give you both dairy-free and dairy-full directions so that you can use what you have and are able to tolerate. :) It is loosely based off this recipe…..

Ari’s Homemade Chocolate Frosty (Just Like Wendy’s!)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. honey, agave, or maple syrup


• 1-1/2 c. full fat coconut milk (DF) or (if not DF cream)


• 1-1/2 c. light coconut milk (DF) or (if not DF skim-2% milk)


• 5 T. cocoa

Mix all the ingredients together in a blender. Pour into your ice-cream maker and allow to turn until “frosty”-like. Serve immediately! ;) Enjoy!

I am submitting this to this June 2010's Go Ahead Honey, Dairy-Free Delights

Simple Homemade Tomato Soup

One day, I was really craving tomato soup. I wanted grilled cheese and tomato soup, just like my mom used to make. Only, I knew I couldn’t just open a can of tomato soup like Mom. Too much stuff in there I didn’t want to eat. So, I had an idea…what about tomato paste? And this is my  results…..it isn’t really even a recipe…but it tastes great and is just as quick/ quicker as the original idea….and frugal too! ;)

 

So, how do you do it? Simply take some tomato paste and add water or milk (or non-dairy milk) to thin it out to your desired consistency.Add spices and serve with your favorite meal! :) 

Cranberry Jewels Smoothie

This is a recipe  I made up myself to use up my cranberries in the freezer. I ended up really enjoying it though.

The recipe is simple:

1/2 c. cranberries (thawed)

1/2-1 c. yogurt (dairy-free or not)

1/4 + c. milk (dairy-free or not)

stevia

 

Mix all of these together in your blender and adjust amounts according to your preference. YuM! :)

Recipe Review: Stevia-Sweetened Banana Bread

Here’s another recipe that I just changed up very slightly and am quoting almost from here. Though I didn’t find it to be the best recipe out there, I found the addition of chocolate chips made it ok. And, I wanted to review it so that you would know how I liked it too. I found that it was a bit too much “stevia-tasting” to my liking and also dry. Any tips for me about using stevia and that “stevia taste”? I use NuNaturals stevia- which I have heard is has less of an after-taste but I still find that when I make things like this, I definitely taste way too much stevia! Next time, I will experiment with using my sweet milk! (I made this before I found out about sweet milk!)

 

(Excerpted from Stevia: naturally sweet recipes for desserts, drinks and more!,Book Publishing Company )

1 loaf - 12 servings

2 very ripe, medium to large bananas

1/4 tsp powdered stevia extract

1/2 tsp stevia concentrate  (or more of the powdered stuff)

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 cups whole wheat flour (or GF blend)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup oil

1 large egg

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt or buttermilk (or dairy-free yogurt or milk)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup chocolate chips

 

Preheat the over to 350 degrees F. Oil a medium-sized loaf pan (7 1/2 "x 3 1/2 " x 2 1/2").

Mash the bananas in a small bowl. Mix the stevia extract, stevia concentrate, and lemon juice into the mashed bananas. Set aside.

Sift the flour, leavenings, and salt together in a bowl.

Beat the oil and egg together in a mixing bowl until creamy. Beat in the yogurt or buttermilk and the vanilla. Stir the mashed bananas into the liquid mixture.

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring as little as possible. Mix in the walnuts just before the flour is completely blended.

Place into the loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour until a toothpick or fork stuck in the middle comes out clean. Turn out the loaf and cool on a rack.

Note: For maximum flavor, use very ripe bananas (brown spotted).

Double B Muffins (Banana Blueberry Muffins)

I’m taking the time in the airport to catch up on some posting! :) Here’s a fun recipe to start out that I edited from here. Note: I found these a little bland without any sweetener. Next time, I would try subbing 3/4 c. sweet milk for the water or you can use honey/agave if you prefer. :) 

Double B Muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or GF blend)
1/2 cup oat flour (make sure it is GF if you have celiacs)
1/4 cups flax seeds
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 T. lemon juice (or 1 t. lemon zest)
3 large ripe mashed bananas
3/4 cup water or sweet milk or honey or agave 
1 large egg
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup fresh blueberries

Steps:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Using a whisk, combine flour, oat flour, flax seeds, baking soda, baking powder, salt and lemon juice in a medium bowl.

In another bowl, mash bananas, add water, egg and applesauce, mix well.  Mix batter until just moistened. Fold in blueberries. Do not overmix.

Fill lined muffin cups 3/4 full.  Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and cool. Makes about 2 dozen normal size and 1 dozen mini. :)

Finals, Flight, and Food

Hello there everyone! I bet you though I fell of the face off the planet, huh? Well, almost! I hit finals and end of the semester moving/cleaning/checking out craziness along with dealing with a never-ending sinus infection...which just ended and now is coming back...:( Anyways, I'll be flying home soon and will be back to posting in no time...I might even have a little time here soon hopefully....but anyways, just wanted to let you all know I'm alive! :) and will be back soon!

Binge Eating Article

I found this article via one of my food blogs I follow. Anyway, I was wondering what you all think about it and if you had any tips or advice on things that have helped you as a binge eater (now or previous) or that have helped someone you love who has this problem. It is something I struggle with personally, so this article did catch my eye…..What do you think about it? :)

 

PS. Sorry about the lack of posts lately…I’ve been really busy with finals…but I’m almost done. I’ve been making some fun new recipes too though and can’t wait to have some time to share them with you! :)

Homemade Chocolate Easter Eggs (But Much Healthier for you!)

I made these to resemble Easter eggs. They are much healthier though for you and will actually help fill you up and help satisfy your sweet tooth/chocolate craving too. :) I think of these as a healthier version to jelly beans. :) And it’s really simple too…

 

 

You need….

1. 1x recipe for just the chocolate part of my homemade reese’s (below)

• 1/2 c. cocoa powder
• 1/4 c. melted butter (the real thing! or earth balance, or coconut oil as suggested in the original recipe)
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1/8 – 1/4 c. honey/agave

   2. 2 c. almonds (or you could use peanuts, other nuts, or seeds)

Make the chocolate by combining all the ingredients) . Stir in the almonds until all are evenly coated. Use fork to dish out almonds and separate them. Place them on cookie sheet covered in parchment paper or wax paper. Store in the freezer or fridge until ready to serve. :)

Want another fun Easter candy recipe? Try my homemade “Reese’s Eggs”, with PB and Chocolate!

Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter (“Reese’s”) Easter Eggs

 

Happy Easter Everyone! I wanted to post this earlier, but with finals and such fast approaching, I haven’t had a spare moment until now. 

I love peanut butter and chocolate. I used to love Reese’s before I changed my diet. Now, they don’t really even taste good to me. (And since they’re not good for me, I’m glad!) Probably my favorite Easter candy growing up was “Reese’s Eggs”.  I decided to try and make my own this year. 

I made these chocolate peanut butter Easter Eggs based of my homemade “Reese’s” cups but with a few changes.

Treat your family or yourself with these instead of Reese’s. They are much, much better for you and actually taste better too! :) Include them in your last minute Easter baskets too! :)

 

Homemade “Reese’s Eggs”

 

• 1 c. creamy peanut butter (natural)/ or other nut butter or sunbutter
• 2 T. honey
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1/4 c. c. melted butter (or earth balance, or coconut oil )
• 4 T. cocoa powder

Mix melted butter or oil with peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. Stir in cocoa powder. Spoon onto parchment/wax paper and place in the fridge/freeze until set. Serve.

 

(Keep them in the fridge/freezer) until ready to serve if made with butter especially!

 

Enjoy! :)

 

Looking for more Easter candy ideas that are better for you? Try my other chocolate candy eggs here. :)