Jenn's New and Improved Blueberry Antioxidant Yogurt Crunch:)

This is my newest and most favorite recipe creation that I have been eating for breakfast for the past several weeks. It helps pick me up after being up half the night with my 4 month year old:)

1 cup of plain low-fat yogurt (or plain greek yogurt would work:)
1 ripe banana mashed
1 cup of frozen blueberries
1 capful of Vanilla
1 tablespoon of Ground Flaxeed
1/2 tablespoon of Ground Chia Powder (purchased at HEB)
1/4 cup of pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds) (purchased at HEB)
1/4 cup of almonds
1/4 cup of walnuts
1 tablespoon of raw coconut
1 tablespoon of Goji Berries (purchased at HEB)

Directions:
Mash your banana, add yogurt, blueberries, and vanilla and mix well. Now pour in your add ins. You can take out any of these ingredients or add some of your other favorites as well.

For my toddler I simply mix the yogurt, banana, blueberries, vanilla and flax. He is not a fan of nuts yet (except pistachios:)

ENJOY and Get your ENERGY ON:)

COOKIES FOR BREAKFAST:)

I found this recipe here
They taste AMAZING!!!

Banana Oat Breakfast Cookie
Makes: 12 breakfast cookies
Cook for about 14 minutes at 350 degrees.

Views Nutrition Facts

Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray (I used my silione mat so no cooking spray involved.)
1 large banana, mashed (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup chunky natural peanut butter (unsalted and unsweetened) or regular chunky peanut butter
1/2 cuphoney
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup dried cranberries or raisins
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat two cookie sheets with cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together banana, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, milk powder, cinnamon, and baking soda. Stir the oat mixture into the banana mixture until combined. Stir in dried cranberries.

Using a 1/4-cup measure, drop mounds of dough 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. With a thin metal or small plastic spatula dipped in water, flatten and spread each mound of dough to a 2 3/4-inch round, about 1/2-inch thick. Once baked, each cookie will be about 3-1/2 to 4 inches in diameter.

Bake, one sheet at a time, for 14 to 16 minutes or until browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months; thaw before serving.

After the Park Protein Fix

After a long walk to the Park (well seems long when you are 34 weeks pregnant-actually just 15 minutes each way) we needed some PROTEIN and Calcium to restore us to our natural state:)

We started off with some Kashi Crackers and Natural Balance Peanut Butter....

Then we had a refreshing Almond Milk Smoothie/Slush

Amazing Almond Milk Smoothie/Slush
1 cup of Almond Milk
1 cup of your Favorite Frozen Fruit (I used a Tropical Fruit Mix this time)
1 teaspoon of ground Flaxeed (optional)

Blend it and eat with a spoon or mix better to drink!

Almond milk is LOADED with VITAMIN E, Calcium, Vitamin D. and a ton of other vitamins plus no saturated fat. Get your Almond Mil on!

It sure got a smile out of my little man!

"I've got the Power," Kale Chips

So the latest Health Craze is KALE CHIPS....everywhere you go from "The Doctors," TV Show to Health Magazines, to Healthy Eating Blogs you see KALE CHIPS!! So I had to try these babies! I just tried the basic recipe but there are lots of variations you can try-just google Kale Chips! I thought they were tasty-my husband thought they were gross-YOU BE THE JUDGE! It's a great way to add healthy greens to your diets.

Let me tell you a little about KALE which is a type of dark green (or purple) cabbage (looks like a super dark thick lettuce). According to Wikapedia "Kale is considered to be a highly nutritious vegetable with powerful antioxidant properties; kale is considered to be anti-inflammatory.[1] Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium."

Recipe:

Buy a Bunch of Kale. It is SUPER CHEAP! I bought my Bunch for just 97cents at HEB (Texas)!!

-Kale
-Olive Oil (I just used the spray). Not too much:)
-Sea Salt (I used Kosher)

Wash and dry your Kale thorougly. Place the amount you desire on a cookie sheet. Spray or coat with oil. Bake for 8 minutes at 375. You want it to be a crunchy consistency like chips but it will still retain it's dark color.

AFTER you cook then pour a SMALL amount of salt and EAT away!! You don't need much salt and it is recommended to salt the chips AFTER you cook them! Also be sure not to overcook because I heard that if they burn they will smell up your house for days!! 8 minutes was just fine and I wasn't near to burning them at all but everyone's ovens are different so just eye them!!

Try adding a little vinegar for a "Salt and Vinegar," type chip if your into that taste!

You go with your antioxidant eating self!

Super Antioxidant Enhanced Blueberry Muffins

I tweaked this recipe to make these SUPER HEALTHY. ALL of my kids LOVE THEM!! NO SUGAR:) either!

Changes-Instead of sugar I used honey
Instead of Oat Flour I used flaxeed
Instead of buttermilk I used plain yogurt
Instead of Canola Oil I used Smart Balance Oil

Additions:
Added 1 tsp of cinnamon

Ingredients
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup of honey
1/4 cup ground flaxeed
1/4 cup quick cooking oats
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 cup blueberries (I used freeze dried and you can also use frozen)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 RIPE banana mashed
1 cup plain yogurt
1 egg
1 tablespoon smart balance oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tsp of cinnamon
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin pan, or line with paper muffin cups.

In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, honey, flax, quick-cooking oats, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gently stir in the blueberries and walnuts. In a separate bowl, mix together the mashed banana, yogurt, egg, oil and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix just until blended. Spoon into muffin cups, filling all the way to the top.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the tops of the muffins spring back when lightly touched.

Jenn's Special Antioxidant Wake Me Up Before You GO GO Blueberry Smoothie!

1 cup of plain low-fat yogurt or plain greek yogurt
1 and 1/2 cups of frozen blueberries
1 very ripe banana (the riper the sweeter)
1 capful of real vanilla (not artificial)
1 handful of spinach (optional, promise you can't taste it:)
1-2 tablespoons of wheat germ (optional, can't taste this either!)

My toddler and I share this for breakfast every morning after the older kids go to school. He always points to the blender and says "booberry," as a hint to make it! Loaded with antioxidants,protein, and calcium it is a GREAT WAY to start the day!

Two GREAT Granola Bar Recipes:)

Molasses and Ginger Granola Bars (FROM GOOD LIFE EATS BLOG)
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick cook)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1-2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions:
In a full sized food processor, combine the molasses, maple syrup, vanilla, and dates. Pulse three times. Add the cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. Puree until mixture is smooth. Add the oats and pulse until the oats are coarsely chopped.

Remove the oat mixture from the food processor and transfer to a medium bowl, taking care to scrape the edges of the food processor to remove all of the mixture. Stir in the cranberries, pecans, apricots, and sunflower seeds until well mixed.

Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper (Kitchen Tip: Lining Pans with Parchment). Press the oat mixture into the baking pan until the mixture is evenly distributed throughout the pan and tightly packed.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, cool in the freezer until the bars are firm. Lift the parchment paper out of the pan, remove, and cut into 8-12 bars.

Store bars in an airtight container for up to a week. Bars may be frozen for up to a month and thawed as needed.

Honey/Brown Sugar Granola Bars


7 cups of Oats

1/2 cup oil

1/2 tsp. salt

ON STOVETOP
3/4 cup of honey

3/4 (I use a 1/2) cup of brown sugar

1 tsp of vanilla

1 tsp (you can put as much as a tablespoon depending on preference) of almond extract

2 tsp of cinnamon

Mix together on stove over medium heat


Combine everything together add 1/2 cup sesame seeds and

1/2 of sunflower seeds. (I usually do 1/2 pecans and 1/2 walnuts or almonds).

Place on sprayed cookie sheet in oven on 300 for 35mins.