Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients:
15oz can black beans (drained & well rinsed)

4 Large Eggs

2 tsp Stevia Powder

2 Tbsp Strong brewed coffee 

4 tsp cocoa powder

1 tsp Baking Powder

2 Tbsp sunflower oil (I subbed 2 Tbsp unsweetened apple sauce)

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Pre heat oven to 350
prepare 8 x 8 baking pan (parchment comes in handy here)
MIX all ingredients in a food processor or blender.  Add the beans last.
Make sure you blend really well
Bake for 30 mins or until toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool before slicing.

Bodo online Art

Leaning Tower OF Chicken Egg plant Yummy To Please Ya or in Bodo's words 'Compost Pile'

Roast it
Grill it
Stack it
Eat it

I Thought this was a fitness AND Nutrition BLog ...ALLs I got are Food posts

This is what I am starting to look like....Maybe i will try and add some info about training...

Just Lemon Pie.....aka Food Porn

For my Poor son that has to endure Green Stevia Scones and Turnip Sushi ...I made a very Sticky sweet lemon meringue pie ...not in the least bit healthy

SUSHI....CARB Free!!!

I swear you will not miss the white sticky rice if you try this it is really good.  I have a couple blogs I am addicted tofor inspiration 'Pimp my protein shake' is one of em she made this sushi and I just had to try!
Ingredients:

• Nori
• Cooked eggs (1/4 Cup Egg White + 1 whole Egg)
• Grated Parsnip
• Spinach leaves
• Avocado 
• Smoked Salmon (I actually used canned salmon ...I bet smoked would be WAY better)

Lay down Nori, add spinach then grated parsnip, egg, avocado, and salmon wet edges of nori with lemon wedge ..Roll it and Presto Sushi fit for a fit gal :)

Enjoy!

Maple Raisin Oat Scones: Warning Objects In picture are Yummier than they appear!!!

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Rolled oats, not instant silly
• 1 Cup, gluten free oat flour (pulverize oats in a blender or just purchase oat flour YTD)
• 1 Tsp Stevia Powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 Cup Butter Milk (or sub water if needed)
• 2 TBSP chilled butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp maple extract
• 2 TBSP Golden Raisins 

Preheat Oven to 400.
In a mixing bowl, toss the oats, Stevia, Baking soda, and salt together with a whisk.  Cut in the cold butter into small pieces, rub it in until coarse bits form.  Stir in the buttermilk or water and extracts unitl all the flour is absorbed.  Mix in the raisins.  If your mixture is too wet add a bit more oat flour...too dry add some water.

Parchment paper is so nice...if you don't have any you should invest provides quick clean up and you don't have to grease you baking pans.
SO on top of a large piece of parchment placed on your cutting board lightly dusted with oat flour, Kneed the rough dough.  Divide dough in 1/2 and pat each into a circle about 1/4 inch thick.  Cut each circle into 4 wedges...like pizza :)  Transfer onto baking sheet lined with parchment.  Arrange the wedges 1/2 inch apart
Bake 20 to  25 mins ...cool on rack if you have that much patients ...not me I have been craving these for   a while :)

These are REAllly yummy smeared with Almond butter Yum Yum

BEET Smoooothy: The Best GReen Monster Yet!

Ingredients:
5 Lrg Ice Cubes
1 medium beet, baked until soft, peeled into chunks
1 Cup Berries fresh or Frozen (I use frozen blackberries)
1/2 Banana
4 Medium sized Kale Leaves
1/2 Medium Cucumber
Juice of 1/2 Lime
1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
1 Cup of Water, milk, or rice milk
1/8 tsp powdered Stevia


Crush Ice in Blender.  Pop all other ingredients in ...blend until smooth.  Drink Immediately.  Makes 1 Lrg or 2 small Servings.....don't you just love butter cups ...I had to get them in the shot Soooo pretty!

Bodo Baggins Pancakes:

My kid loves pANCAKES
I mean he loves pancakes every day
I have tried lots of recipes but my fav I got from Robyn M.  I actually call them Robyn's Peppermint pancakes since she gave me a peppermint plant on the same visit to her house...she is wonderful foodie  and an equally wonderful gardener.
ANYwho
I make these pancakes in large batches cool them and freeze them in between pieces of wax paper.  Every night I pull a pancake out of the freezer into the fridge for the next morning.  In the blur of our crazy morning routine my son gets his pancakes and I don't have to cook em ...just reheat in toaster or microwave :)
oh also ....money saving idea..you don't have to buy buttermilk.  I measure 1 cup of milk for this recipe and add a tsp or 2 of either vinegar or lemon juice.  let stand 10  mins and ....pooooof buttermilk YAY.
Also (lots of also's this morning)
I mix up what flours I use ..sometimes I just use regular white flour so it feels like we are at IHOP...but mostly I try and use Rice Flour or a mix of Whole wheat and white.  This morning I tried Graham flour...it is a very nice finely ground flour that is a mixture of WW and rye flours... works wonderfully and sticks better to the ribs of picky pants kiddos.

Ingredients:


1 Cup Flour
1 Tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

1 Cup Buttermilk or Yogurt
1 Egg
2 Tbsp Oil (I use sunflower from YDT)

In a large mixing bowl...
Add all dry ingredients whisk to mix,  add wet ingredients and whisk some more..i don't even use a second bowl I just add each of the wet ingredients to the dry and mix it up.

Kale Chips

PLeaSe try KALE
i want you to....
this might be the ticket
Kale chips ...they are crispy, they are crunchy!!! and you just might want to eat them
plus ...I think they are pretty :)

YOu will NEED:
1 Bunch of Kale
1 TBsp Olive Oil
1 TBsp Tamari or use Sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 300F.  Rinse and dry kale, remove stems and stiff center ribs.  Cut into large bite size pieces, brush with olive oil and Tamari mixture (I use a pastry brush) remember a little goes a long way.  Arrange leaves in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Bake for 20 mins or until crisp.  I usually rescue a couple of the smaller pieces early so they do not burn. Place on baking rack to cool.  You will be so surprised when you see how darn CRsipy these lil babies get.
If you Don' eat all your yummy Kale Crisps ....save them ....crunch them up and sprinkle on popcorn!

IS Agave Nectar Healthier Than Sugar? Pjal This one is for you!

So this is a natural sweetener ....so that makes it healthier than sugar...right???  Some debate that it is highly processes and just as bad as high frucose corn sugar...so what is the truth?

As you can see from the chart below, they're pretty similar nutrition-wise. What you can't tell from the comparison is how the body processes and reacts to each. Agave is praised for beinglow on the glycemic index (GI) rating, which means it won't cause a spike in your blood sugar levels the way sugar does. High-GI foods like white sugar tend to make us feel hungry sooner since they are digested quickly. So foods made with agave nectar may keep you feeling fuller longer than foods made with the white stuff, which translates to eating less.

	One tbsp sugar	One tbsp. agave nectar
Calories	46	60
Total Fat	0	0
Carbs	12	16
Fiber	0	1
Sugar	12	15
Protein	0	0

But many brands of agave nectar are highly refined, containing almost 100 percent fructose, which is a higher percentage than that found in high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Fructose is a sweetener known to raise triglycerides, promote belly fat, and contribute to fatty liver, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Another thing to note is that some distributors of agave nectar have been labeling HFCS as agave nectar, so the FDA recommends looking for labels that say "hydrolyzed inulin syrup," which means it's real agave.

Although both sugar and agave nectar come from plants, both are sweeteners and provide little to no nutrition value. I know it's not what you want to hear, but sweeteners like these should be used sparingly in your diet. If you're having a sugar craving, you're better off reaching for a piece of fruit since the fiber will help with digestion and satiate your hunger.

Greek Yogurt ...Have you tried this?

Greek Yogurt:

Thick & Creamy!  Greek yogurt offers double the protein of most yogurts and far less sugar and much lower carb levels ....what this means is a much more even blood sugar level.  THe protein is the real exciting part.  Studies suggest that eating higher levels of protein (30 % of calories) helps with weight loss, muscle maintenance, and promotes healthier aging.

A Perfect portable snack:  I choose a small tupperware container, put frozen black berries in the bottom, add cottage cheese OR GREEK Yogurt, top with 1/4 cup cooked oatmeal.  This snack will definitely keep you going.

Greek Yogurt On QUADRA is only available at Heriot Bay TV....but the fat free cottage cheese is only available at Quadra Foods.....

Grilled EggPlant Salad w/ BBQ Chicken Breast & Brown Rice

Ingredients:

Egg Plant
Red Peppers (YDT Roasted Red peppers)
Cherry Tomato's, sliced into quarters 
Scallions, minced
Parsley , minced
Cilantro, minced
2 Cloves Garlic

There is just no better way to cook Egg Plant then Grilling it.  Some prep before hand is needed to remove bitterness.  Slice Egg plant into quarter Inch rounds.  Sprinkle generously with salt.  Place onto plate lined with paper towel adding paper towel on top as well.  Place another plate on and something heavy to squish it.  I use my cast iron Frying pan or a jug of water.  Let stand 8 -10 hours (overnight works).
For the recipe I cheated a bit ...to skip a step AND because Red peppers are not the cheapest.  YellowDog Trading Co sells jars of roasted red peppers that are so perfect and very affordable in comparison.  If you don't have access to Yellow Dog or want to try the long way ..... Grill Your red peppers whole, turning occasionally until completely charred, about 20 mins.  Place in plastic or paper bag.  Let stand 10 mins to loosen skins.  Working over bowl to catch pepper juices, remove skin, seeds, and stems discard all.  Dice peppers and set aside.

To Grill egg plant you can just brush with a bit of olive oil.  I opted to use some Nutritional Yeast salad dressing as it adds a bit of flavor as well. Place on grill cook until grill marked and tender, about 5 to 7 mins each side.  Transfer to cutting board and chop.

Combine chopped red pepper and egg plant, tomatoes,scallions, parsley, cilantro, and garlic.  Add Lemon or lime juice to taste.  Season with Pepper. Serve at room temp. Enjoy!

I prepared this meal for quick evening dinner with my parents and my son after T ball.  The picture bellow is a large portion size that I served my Dad...he had seconds :)

Grated Beet Salad w/ Asparagus & Lemon Steamed Halibut

ADD Asparagus to your Next Salad :)

Asparagus is one of those veggies that people either love or hate.  But if you are reluctant to try asparagus in your diet you should consider this.  A serving of just 4 asparagus has 89 micrograms of folic acid which is a powerful nutrient that helps prevent birth defects and heart disease.  It also has a diuretic and antibacterial properties, can have a mild laxative and stimulates the kidneys.  It contains a nice dose of vitamin A and 134 mg of potassium.  The only caution to this veg is that if you are prone to kidney stones or gout you should limit your consumption.

MIGHT I suggest in the event that you don't like just PLAIN asparagus.....

Lightly steam asparagus spears about 10 mins Spears should remain still crisp but tender.  Sprinkle with Lemon juice and pepper to taste.  Add to the top of your favorite salad Include Avocado,  Yellow Pepper, Mango, Strawberries, Baby Spinach, snap peas, Ribbons of Carrot, and roasted Pecans.  Sprinkle with balsamic vinaigrette.....who could ever get tired of salad!!???  

Stevia Ketchup:

My Favorite meal is definitely without a doubt breakfast.  So I found a Stevia ketchup recipe to share....I know I know don't mess with ketchup!!!! ....but it's so loaded with sugar! So here is goes:

Ingredients:
Tomato paste 1 Can (6oz)
Cider Vinegar 2 TBSP
Stevia Powder 1/2 tsp
Garlic Powder 1/2 tsp
Onion Powder 1 tsp
Salt 1 tsp
Allspice  1/8 tsp
Pepper  1/8 tsp

Directions:
Simmer all ingredients on low heat for 15 mins.  Cool completely.  Store in fridge up to 2 weeks.

Simple & Delicious Pineapple Chicken Kabobs:

Ingredients:

• Olive oil  3 Tbsp
• Balsamic Vinegar 1 1/2 Tbsp
• Juice of 1 Lime
• Chili Powder 1 tsp
• Paprika  1/2 tsp
• 2 garlic cloves, presses or minced 
• Cayenne pepper 1 tsp
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 Lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
• 1 large Onion, chopped into large pieces
• Fresh Pineapple
• Mushrooms
• Cherry Tomato's 
• Zucchini 
• Any other Veggie you can think of that you can poke onto a stick 

Instructions:

I use a tall juice Jug filled with water to soak my wooden skewers, this prevents them from burning!  Just make this your first step and that will be long enough of a soak.

In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, vinegar, and lime juice, add chili powder, cayenne, salt & pepper, and garlic.

Pour marinade equally into two large ziplock bags (or glass bowls if you don't have bags).  Add meat into one bag, veggies into the other.  Let stand in fridge for at least an hour to soak into marinade. 

Create Kabobs trying to match the same size veggies with meat.  This will ensure they might cook at somewhat the same rate.  Discard any unused marinade.  

Cook 10 - 15 mins each flipping half way through.  Juices in largest Chicken pieces should run clear.

Serve on rice, on a bed of greens, both or even on their own YUM! 

Sweet Potato is a great variation for your kabobs.  Simply Stab with a fork and microwave 4 to 5 mins for a Large Sweet Potato.  Chop into chunks.  Bits should be soft enough to skewer but not so soft they will fall apart on the grill.  

Another variation is Desert kabobs!  Pineapple, Banana, Nectarines, Peaches, Pears, or plums any combo is great.  These cook fast in about 6 mins.  Turn fruit often.  

Serve with Fat Free Vanilla yogurt dipping sauce.  YUM YUM!