Choco Muesli

I took this photo the first day I tried the mixture
in milk - without baking it. Baking the ingredients
of course makes them a bit crunchy which is even
more delicious. I used pumpkin seeds instead of
walnuts in the first batch; both provide lots of
nutrients.

I came upon this delicious creation by accident. I was making granola bars for my son's class, and I didn't use enough "binding" ingredients so the granola bars were crumbly. "Hhhmmm," I thought to myself "this stuff is delicious. I think I'll put it in milk." Surprise, the taste took me back to my favorite Choco Muesli in Germany.

Follow this recipe for Energy Bars.
My ingredients this time included: oats, O's cereal (with only 1g of sugar), dark chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, chia seeds, dried cranberries, maple syrup and natural almond butter. Different than the granola bar recipe, I used 1.5c of maple syrup and 1c of almond butter. I might try even less syrup/nut butter next time just to cut back on calories and cost.

Bake in the oven at 250 degree for 75 minutes.
I took this advice from my 100 Days of Real Food cookbook. I guess this technically makes it granola and not muesli. Try it either way - nothing needs to be cooked, the time in the oven just adds a nice crunch if you like it.


The result: Delicious and very filling. Start with a small bowl, because I promise you don't need a lot. Or sprinkle some muesli on your yogurt or just eat it as a dry snack.

Love Your Heart

I want to start with my Chocolate Pudding WIN... in case you want a healthier dessert option for Valentine's Day or any day.

This is the pudding I made.
Creamy! Not lumpy like the
chia seed pudding :)

It's Raw Avocado Cacao Mousse and it's from www.onegreenplanet.org. I changed the ingredients a little, based on what I had, and it produced a beautiful, yummy mousse. My husband was out of town, and my son ate one small bowl every evening until they were gone.

This recipe makes six servings. Though the ingredients are healthier than most, this still packs quite a few calories. 

• 3/4 cup almond milk (I used coconut milk)
• 3 avocados, stone removed and flesh scooped out of the skin
• just over a cup of cacao nibs or powder (make sure it's unsweetened)
• 1/4 cup agave nectar, or maple syrup (or 2 tsp powdered stevia for sugar-free option) (I used maple syrup)

While perusing www.onegreenplanet.org, I found this article which is worth sharing, 

5 Heart-Boosting Plant-Based Foods to Love Your Own Heart this Valentine’s Day

As Hippocrates once said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” His words still ring true some 2,500 years ago. With a varied, balanced diet of whole foods, including fruits and vegetables, you can maintain optimal heart health. Being mindful of what’s on your plate and getting regular exercise may help prevent a future centered around prescription medication for all your ailments. It might also help reduce some medications already filling your bathroom cabinet.

This Valentine’s Day, while you shower your loved ones with affection, don’t forget about yourself or your heart. Your ticker deserves some loving, heart-boosting foods for the hard work it does every day!

Remember, though, not one food can miraculously promote heart health. It is the combination of many heart-healthy foods that can change your life. So, in honor of “the day of love” and the CDC’s American Heart Month, here are five plant-based foods to help you love your heart this Valentine’s Day:

Nuts

Oats

Beans

Tomatoes

Apples

Read the entire article, the link is below, it offers lots of good information and recipes for each of those foods. 

Action Item: Be good to your heart today! Eat right and/or get some exercise today.

For Further Reading: Same article I mentioned above, 5 Heart-Boosting Plant-Based Foods to Love Your Own Heart this Valentine’s Day

Frozen Banana Bites

I have been mentioning chocolate a lot lately it seems, but here's one more. I really need to share this! My Mom found the recipe on facebook and shared it with me. We commented on it back and forth, so I just got up from the computer, marched to the kitchen and made these. Easy. Super yummy. Kid-approved!

The recipe/photo came from Dr. Josh Axe's facebook page:

• 2 large bananas
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup vegan chocolate chips (use whatever chocolate chips you have... dark chocolate is best!)
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup natural peanut butter (make sure it's natural, no added anything)
• Unsweetened coconut flakes (I actually left some of mine plain, topped some with chia seeds and others with hemp seeds. Nuts would be good too).

Method . . .

Set out a large plate or bowl with a piece of parchment or wax paper on it. Cut up the bananas into good-sized chunks. Each banana should give you around 5 to 6 pieces. Heat the peanut butter and chocolate chips in the microwave on high for about a minute. Then stir until smooth.

This is what mine looked like going into the freezer.
A little rushed and messy, but still a thumbs up.

Dip the banana pieces in the chocolate-peanut butter mixture. Lay them out leaving some space between them on the parchment/wax paper. Then when you've "covered" them all, use the remaining mixture to spoon over the tops (for even more chocolate-y goodness).

And my son's enthusiastic thumbs up!

Then sprinkle the unsweetened coconut flakes on top. Transfer to the freezer for about an hour until hardened. You can enjoy them like this (but they really aren't frozen yet -- and when they're frozen, the banana tastes like vanilla ice cream). I suggest then covering with some plastic wrap (or really you can do all of this in some kind of Rubbermaid container) and let freeze overnight.

 

These are really delicious, easy to make, would be great for guests, for a kid's party or just as a snack for yourself. I am thinking I will try using a whole banana and putting it on a stick. Jaryn keeps seeing these at Sprouts and wants me to buy them; homemade would be better for so many reasons: natural, no preservatives, made with love, no packaging, less expensive. And here's my reminder to only eat a few. Chocolate and peanut butter both have lots of calories, plus that way you can save some for the next day!

 

 

Action Item: Yep, you guessed it. Try these healthier treats for you and your family.

 

For further reading: A Dark Chocolate a Day Keeps the Doctor Away