dark chocolate zucchini brownies

If your garden is bountiful with zucchini, we have got a super tasty & delicious way to use them up!   Try treating your family to these dark chocolate zucchini brownies … tender, delicious and chocolatey brownies that have the added health benefit of zucchini (which are high in fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium).

We’ve modified this recipe to make it gluten free, but you can use whole wheat or all-purpose flour if you prefer.

1 cup brown rice flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup dark chocolate chips

1/4 cup butter, melted

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups zucchini, grated

(1.)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

(2.)  Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper (or lightly grease and flour the pan).

(3.)  Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

(4.)  Melt 3/4 cup morsels.  Cool slightly.  Stir in butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla.  Stir in flour mixture; fold in zucchini.  Spread into prepared pan.  Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cups chocolate chips over top.

(5.)  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky.  Cool completely in pan on wire rack.  Lift brownies from pan and cut into squares.  Store in airtight container for up to 5 days.

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recipe modified & photo courtesy of all recipes!

Pecan Pie Muffins

Rich, buttery, brown sugar deliciousness in a bite!  These decadent little pecan pie muffins are everything that you love about the pie but in a tender mini-muffin.  This recipe is low in sugar and gluten-free… but no one will know it.  It will take you 5 minutes to whip them up and the whole family will love you for baking them.  Even your pickiest eater will love them… at least my super-finicky-little guy did!

2/3 cup butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup brown sugar, packed

½ cup brown rice flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)

1 cup pecans, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Generously grease mini muffin tin.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix together melted butter, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla.
4. Add brown sugar and mix until well incorporated.
5. Add the brown rice flour.  Mix until just combined.
6. Add the pecans and stir until evenly incorporated.
7. Fill each muffin cup a little over 2/3rds full.
8. Bake for 17-18 minutes, until golden brown.
9. As soon as muffins come out, flip over and tap pan to remove all of them (they tend to stick to the pan).  Place on a cooling rack.

Makes approximately 30 mini muffins.  Recipe can easily be cut in half.

This recipe is low in sugar, but if you would like it a little sweeter, a couple Tablespoons of maple syrup would be a delicious addition.

***  We've written several e-cookbooks {all $1.99} that are quick, easy & guaranteed to bring yummy, fun times in the kitchen!  Pull out the spoons, put on your oven mitts and get cooking with one of our cookbooks.  Get them here!  ***

Making Kids Sports Snacks Healthy!

It takes strong parents to try and buck the current sports snacks & drinks trend.  Every game and practice, kids are loading up on high-fructose corn syrup snacks and juice boxes.  And if it isn’t the snack, they are hitting the snack bar for donuts, hotdogs and candy.  Parents also report visits to fast-food outlets on days that their kids take part in sports, relying on convenient foods as they juggle busy schedules of games and practice.  “The food environment in youth sports exposes kids and their families to many unhealthy foods and beverages and few healthful options,” said Toben F. Nelson, ScD, of the University of Minnesota.  His team of researchers believes that youth sports programs offer a promising setting for promoting better nutrition.  They recommend collaboration between sports leagues, dietitians, and health professionals to create positive messages about nutrition that can be integrated into youth sports programs.  They also suggest that youth sports programs develop guidelines for which foods and beverages should be offered as snacks or sold at concession stands.

Fruit makes a great snack during breaks from sports, particularly bananas, apples, grapes, pears and oranges.  Skip the sugary drinks and encourage kids to bring their own water bottle!

Articleexcerpted & adapted from TasteforLife

families who eat together are healthier

According to Taste for Life Magazine, "Family mealtime leads to better health and sociability, particularly among children.  A review of 68 studies found that kids who eat more meals with their families consume more fruit and vegetables, calcium-rich foods, and fiber, and less junk food. 

Teens who regularly eat at home are likely to show fewer signs of depression.  And all family members benefit from lower obesity rates. 

Mealtime quality was also shown to be important.  Families who watched TV during meals or ate together at fast-food outlets did not gain the same benefits."

 

We love family meals and are going to have some great articles coming up about incorporating them (along with easy, delicious & nutritious recipes!).

 

 

 

photo courtesy of Three Loud Kids

 

granola bites

Looking for a healthy and lightly-sweet treat to pack in your child’s lunch?  These granola bites are perfect!  A combination of oats, honey, nuts and dried fruit makes this compact little snack a super-charged, yummy addition to their lunch box!  This recipe is easily adaptable, so feel free to modify with your favorite ingredients (mini chocolate chips, cocoa nibs, banana chips, chia seeds, sesame seeds or rice crispy cereal would be tasty additions!).

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4-5 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup of dried fruit & nuts

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Spread the oats and coconut on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and toast for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. 
3. Meanwhile, combine the peanut butter, honey and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until combined, stirring continuously so as to prevent scorching. 
4. Turn heat off.  Add the toasted oats and coconut to the peanut butter mixture along with dried fruit & nuts, and stir to combine. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes. 
5. With a small ice cream scooper (or dampened hands), shape into 12 one-inch balls and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

recipe modified and photo courtesy of Whole Foods

watermelon lemonade

A little bit sweet, a teeny bit sour and a whole lot delicious!  Kids love sipping on this refreshing summer drink!  Parents: you can easily turn this into a cocktail by adding your favorite spirit. 

To make ice cubes, place 1 seedless watermelon ball and 1 mint leaf into each of 36 ice cube tray holes.  Fill with water and freeze.

6 cups 1-inch seedless watermelon (from about a 5-pound melon)

1 bottle (10-ounce) Whole Foods 365 Everday Value® Organic Lemon Juice

6 cups water

¾ cup sugar

Crushed ice

Mint sprigs, for garnish

(1.)    Working in batches as necessary, puree watermelon and lemon juice in blender until smooth; transfer to a large container.

(2.)    Add water and sugar; stir until dissolved. 

(3.)    Pour over ice in tall glasses, garnish with mint sprig and watermelon icecubes or thin slices of watermelon, if desired, and serve.

Recipe adapted & photo courtesy of Whole Foods

Eating Ch-ch-ch chia seeds

I love chia seeds!  Lately, I have been throwing them in baked goods, cereal and sometimes savory dishes.

                 

When you hear chia, you’re probably thinking chia pets… and you would be right… these little seeds are nutritional gems and help your clay pet grow hair (but please, only buy your seeds from a health food store!).

Chia seeds look like poppy seeds and have almost no taste.  They are a member of the mint family and pack a lot of nutritional punch!  One ounce of seeds (approximately 2 Tablespoons) has:

• 4.9 grams of omega 3 fatty acids 
• 11 grams of fiber
• 4 grams of protein
• Calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, copper, zinc, vitamins B1, B2, B3

They are gluten free and vegan.  The seeds are a great alternative to flax seed.  They have a longer shelf life than flax seed and do not have to be ground to release the omega 3’s (and, they actually have more omega 3’s than flax seed!). 

I find chia seeds to have no taste… which makes them the perfect addition to any dish.  Throw them into salads, yogurt, smoothies or a pasta dish.

They pack a crunch and are loaded with health benefits.  What are you waiting for?  Grab some ch- ch-ch- chia seeds!  Check out Chia Seeds and other foods we love in the eco ike store!

How do you eat chia seeds or what foods do you put them in?

just a spoonful of sugar!

Who doesn’t love sugar?  It’s one of the most delicious ingredients in the food world… but unfortunately, it is also is one of the unhealthiest!  Our beloved sweetener is void of any nutritional quality and worst of all, is linked to diabetes, depressed immune systems and obesity.  According to Pediatrician, Dr. Kavey, “The reason that we think of it as a problem is because of the big rise in obesity in childhood, and that rise has occurred over the same time period that there’s been a major increase in the amount of simple sugar that children consume.”

The American Heart Association recommends eating no more than 5% of total calories from sugar and that children should have no more than 3 teaspoons a day and teens should consume no more than 5-8 teaspoons daily.  Considering that one can of soda contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar and one cup of children’s sweetened cereal has roughly 5 teaspoons of sugar, it’s pretty safe to say that most families are exceeding the recommended daily sugar intake!

Knowing that an excess of sugar is not good for us, what can parents do?  Here are four steps to consume less of the sweet stuff:

• Be sure to read labels!  You wouldn’t think that a company is putting sugar in your marinara sauce, peanut butter, crackers or soup, but they are.  They are also doing in it obscure ways.  You are looking out for “sugar” on labels and food companies are sneaking them in with murky words like: barley malt, cane juice crystals, carob syrup, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, dextran, dextrose, diatase, diastatic malt, ethyl maltol, fructose, fruit juice, fruit juice concentrate, glucose, glucose solids, high fructose corn syrup, lactose, malt syrup, maltodextrin, maltose, mannitol, refiner’s syrup, sorbitol, sorghum syrup, sucrose.  Basically, anything ending with, “-ose” is a sugar.  Know the sugar lingo!  One of my golden rules with food products is that if I do not know what the ingredient is, I pass on the product! 

• Know that “healthy”sugars (honey, molasses, maple syrup & agave) are still sugars!  They all have added nutrients and would be the preferred sweetener choice.  Honey contains minerals, amino acids and B Vitamins.  Molasses contains iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium.  Maple syrup contains zinc, manganese and potassium.  Agave contains small amounts of calcium, potassium and magnesium.  Even though they are not stripped down of all their nutrients, these sweeteners basically break down in the body the same way that sugar does.  They may have some added nutrients, but once digested they are basically seen as sugar by the body.

• Modify family-favorite recipes!  An easy way to omit or reduce sugar consumption is by modifying recipes.  When possible, omit sugar in savory dishes.  When it comes to baking, try reducing the sugar by tablespoons or ¼ cup.  You can compensate the lack of sugar by adding another dash of cinnamon or your favorite spice.  Baked goods are not as adaptable as savory dishes, so some trial and error may be involved.

• Start a food journal!  I know that families barely have time to sit down for breakfast, let alone write in a food journal, but the best way to reduce sugar is to be aware of the sugar being eaten on a daily basis.  Once you are conscious of how much is being consumed, you may realize that the family’s daily intake is far more than you realized.  A quick notation of the food & sugar content can be a great tool to see how quickly and frequently you are consuming sugar.

trick or treat

Decorate oranges to look like little jack o lanterns! some kids may think it's a trick, but it's a healthy & fun treat for the lunch box or fruit bowl!

Use a fine point Sharpie to decorate (when you eat the fruit, just cut off the marker area with a knife).

It's frightfully fun!



image from pinterest

spaghetti casserole

Remember casseroles of the past… based from a can of soup and processed ingredients? This dish is fresh, updated comfort food with a family-friendly, healthy twist!  It’s loaded with veggies, protein and good carbs!   Tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, garlic & ground beef top creamy Parmesan noodles.  If you want to make it vegetarian, omit the beef (you can replace with soy crumbles or sauté a cup of veggies).  

Most kids love spaghetti!  And almost every Mom (like me), loves a dinner recipe that is both delicious & nutritious (and makes enough for two nights… a definite bonus!).  This spaghetti casserole fits the dinner bill and will quickly become a family favorite.  Move on over processed casseroles and say hello to fresh, healthy and easier versions!

8-ounce box of wheat, vegetable or regular spaghetti noodles

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

1 egg, beaten

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 cups cottage cheese

1 pound ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

1.)  Cook spaghetti according to package directions.  Toss spaghetti with Parmesan cheese, egg and olive oil.  Evenly place in a lightly greased (with olive oil) 13x9 glass baking dish.

2.)  Evenly spread cottage cheese over spaghetti mixture.

3.)  In a large skillet, cook ground beef, onion, bell pepper and garlic over medium to medium-high heat until beef is thoroughly cooked and vegetables are tender.

4.)  Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning and sugar.  Cook until thoroughly heated.

5.)  Evenly spoon over cottage cheese.  Evenly spread mozzarella cheese over dish.

6.)  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

What dinner dish would you like to see updated with a fresh, healthier twist?

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mini whole wheat banana walnut muffins

Bananas are my youngest son’s favorite fruit, so we always have plenty of them on hand and that usually means that we also have plenty of ones that browned too quickly.  This recipe is the perfect (and tastiest!) way too use up ripe bananas (by the way, you can freeze ripe bananas...  just peel and place in an air tight freezable container). 

Try swapping out the walnuts with sunflower seeds, raisins or chocolate chips.  These are perfect for breakfast, snacking or packed into a lunch box! 

1 cup whole wheat flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 large egg

1 large ripe banana  

½ cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), melted

½ cup buttermilk

½ teaspoon vanilla

½ cup walnuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Grease and flour or line 24 mini muffin tins with paper liners.
3. In a large bowl; sift or stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
4. In a medium bowl; beat the egg, banana, brown sugar, melted butter, buttermilk and vanilla together.
5. Combine the dry and wet ingredients. Beat for 30 seconds, until ingredients are combined.  Stir in the walnuts.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
7. Bake for 11 to 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of a muffin.

What is your favorite way to use up ripe bananas?

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mango ice cream

I scream, you scream. We all scream for home-made ice cream!

This dessert is so refreshing, simple and healthy. It has the creamy goodness of ice cream & the refreshing taste of sherbet. Grab a spoon and dig in!

1 ½ cups mango, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
15-ounce can of sweetened cream of coconut
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
¾ cup water

(1.) Place the mango in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Push the mango through a sieve. Rinse out the blender to discard the mango fibers.
(2.) Pour the mango back into the blender or food processor. Add the cream of coconut, lime juice and water. Blend all of the ingredients and freeze in an ice-cream maker.

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mini meat loaves

These little loaves are packed full of protein, vegetables and deliciousness!  They are super easy to prepare and are a hit with everyone in the family!  Feel free to use either ground chicken, turkey or beef.  Pair with your favorite side and mashed potatoes for a family favorite meal!

1 pound ground chicken, turkey or beef

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup oats

1 shallot, finely sliced

1/2 cup organic carrots, peeled & grated

1/2 cup organic red bell peppers, finely chopped

1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped

1/4 cup organic chives, chopped

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated

1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Lightly grease mini muffin tins with olive oil.
3. Mix all of the ingredients together. 
4. Fill each muffin tin until leveled with the pan.  Level each tin with a fork.
5. Bake for 18-20 minutes.  Turn oven off.
6. Remove from oven and top each meatloaf with 1 teaspoon cheese. 
7. Place back in oven for one minute (to melt the cheese).

Makes approximately 30 mini meatloaves

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raisins

Good news for raisin lovers! “Natures Candy” is a healthy choice! Raisins are high in fiber, phenols (plant compounds that prevent cell damage and have antioxidants), flavonoids and the mineral, Boron. It also contains oleanolic acid, which protects tooth enamel and gum tissue.

These little dried fruits pack a lot of punch! Go organic when purchasing [grapes are on the dirty dozen list, which notes produce with the highest levels of pesticides].

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photo courtesy of ifoodtv.com