Month: December 2018

Healthy Cookies

Another one that my mom taught me.  If you’re going to make cookies for the kids, try to pack in as many nutrients as you can!  These have a lot of delicious nutritious ingredients such as eggs, yogurt, and bran!  Also, if you haven’t guessed already – super easy to make!

In a large bowl, mix together:

3 cups bran

4 cups flour (I like to use wheat flour or unbleached flour)

1 cup olive oil

2 individual containers yogurt (plain or vanilla)

1. 5 cups sugar

4 eggs (with the 4th egg, only put in egg white & save the egg yolk for later)

After you mix it all together into a dough, roll into small balls and pat down onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.   Dab some of the egg yolk on each one to add a glaze.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until the bottom looks golden.

I’ve also made these with ground flaxseed before too.  I would have added that this time, but we were all out.  Next time I may also try adding something else fun for the kids like raisins or chocolate chips.

 

Broiled Salmon in Soy Sauce

My mom taught me this recipe, and it’s another super easy, healthy and fast one.  Have you noticed a trend that I like fast, easy and healthy?

I simply soak the salmon pieces in soy sauce, lay on parchment paper, and broil on high for about 5 minutes on one side and 5 minutes on the other.  More if you want more well-cooked.   So easy right?

The cauliflower I cooked by just boiling the cauliflower in some water for about 5 minutes and then adding salt.   Yum!

Spinach, Cheese and Egg Muffins

So easy and each one is only about 70 calories!  My husband and I have decided this is our new favorite snack.  The recipe is so easy:

In a large bowl mix 12 eggs, 1.5 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 package frozen spinach that you have warmed up on the stove, and 1/2 sauteed onion.  Pour the mix into muffin pans that are sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes and then let cool for a few minutes.  Add more salt on top as desired.

My kids enjoyed these with a little bit of maple syrup drizzled on top!

Granola Bars

Everyone in my household loves granola bars! Especially ones with chocolate chips.  I tried the recipe on this website and it was a big hit!  The only change I made is that I put no brown sugar, and instead I put double the amount of honey.  Also, I blended the chocolate chips in to the mix before spreading it onto the pan.  I didn’t let the granola bars cool long enough before cutting them, so I didn’t get perfectly shaped granola bars – but that didn’t affect the taste!

Sarah’s Miller’s High-Protein Granola Bar Recipe

Heart-Shaped “Goldfish” Crackers

My son asked if he could have pre-packaged goldfish crackers from the store, and I explained to him that I’m trying to move away from snack food made in a factory that is processed and then put in a plastic bag.  He suggested we find a recipe online to make goldfish crackers.  We found this recipe and I have to say it’s so easy and the crackers turned out so yummy!  We didn’t have fish-shaped cookie cutters, so we used heart shaped ones.   If you make 20 hearts, it comes to 87 calories per heart cracker.

Here is the recipe we used:

homemade goldfish crackers

Lentil Soup

This one is a favorite with my husband and kids.  I estimate the calories per bowl to be about 300 calories.  It’s super easy and fast to make, and I often make double and freeze half of it.

LENTIL SOUP RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

1 large white onion diced up

6-8 oz Strained Tomatoes (I use the jarred ones from Whole Foods)

4.5 cups of water

1.5 cups of red lentils (washed and rinsed)

1 teaspoon salt

Olive Oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Bring water to a boil in a medium pot; while that is warming up continue with steps 2 and 3.
  2. Sautee the diced up onion in olive oil in a pan for about 4-5 min.
  3. Add the strained tomatoes and let it boil for 1-2 minutes
  4. Add the onion/tomato mix and the washed lentils to the boiling water.
  5. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the pot.
  6. Let the soup boil covered for 15 minutes
  7. Put the soup through the blender or food processor.
  8. Add salt, pepper and/or red pepper flakes to taste.

Banana Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

For this I used the recipe from this website: https://pin.it/ecgorizite6uck

I doubled all the ingredients and used a regular muffin pan instead of a mini-muffin pan.  I also didn’t include the honey.  They turned out fine, but my husband and kids didn’t think it was sweet enough.  Next time I will try making it with the honey!

Broccoli Salad with Cashews

Super easy, fast and filling snack that is also low in calories.  Simply steam some broccoli, throw it in a bowl and dress it in one tablespoon mayo, and then add chopped up cashews.  I use the magic bullet to chop the cashews.  I measure out 100 calories worth of cashews, and 1 tablespoon of my mayo is 100 calories.  In my mind the calories of broccoli don’t count, so this whole fast, yummy, healthy treat is only 200 calories!