why?

So in this post I'd like to discuss some of the ingredients I have been using lately. 
I've been experiementing with a lot of different types of energies and flours. 
so here go:


Brown Rice Syrup: My number one favorite. Brown Rice Syrup is made from brown rice  so it's a great alternative to refined sugar because it has a lower glycemic index and it also does not produce spikes in blood sugar like simple sugar. So brown rice syrup delivers a steady and consistent energy supply. 


Raw Honey: Honey is more digestible than any other sweetener, natural or artificial. It's predigested and also contains enzymes to help it along. It is easier on the body because of its chemical structure and does not cause a huge insulin rush the same as sugar does. It is excellent for post training as it acts as a fast source of carbohydrates and minerals to replenish depleted glycogen (muscle energy). Raw honey contains live enzymes (these help your body break down foods and undigested particles)


Dates: Dates contain a lot of B-complex vitamins – thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6 and pantothenic acid. These  have a lot of functions that help maintain a healthy body – to metabolize carbohydrates and maintain blood glucose levels, fatty acids for energy, and they help make hemoglobin, the red and white blood cells. Dates also contain Magnesium which is essential for healthy bone development and for energy metabolism and Iron which is essential to red blood cell production.


Oat bran: Keeps you full, delivers health-promoting elements such as fiber, starch, B vitamins, minerals, proteins and iron, slows down your sugar absorption so it burns slowly giving you more energy. 


Soy Protein: I know it's a target of critiscism but I like cooking with it. It means I can cram A LOT of protein in a bar or a bomb and it doesn't bake or refrigerate weird. Soy protein is a complete protein, which means that it contains all essential amino acids. It's lower in fat and carbohydrates than other soy products

Wheat Germ: full of folic acid and fiber and antioxidants <--yaaaay

Psyllium Husk: fills you with fiber, reducing appetite without freaking out the nervous system

Is it obvious I like fiber, feeling full on less food and calories and sloooow burning energy? I'm real into it lately.

star bars

Are you here because you have a Raw Protein Bar or Energy Bomb in your hands? 
Welcome.

I'd like to start off by explaining what my goal in creating and sharing these is/was... 

 Most  commercially sold protein bars, cereal bars, and energy bars are basically candy bars that are loaded with empty carbs and overly processed ingredients. I wanted to make something that was good for both of us ..but would also keep my husband full and energized for his morning work outs and long days.  I wanted a bar that was high in protein, fiber, was not overly sweet nor carb-y, and had good fats. I wanted long burning sugars and something that was raw...so we could get all the goodness from the nuts, carbs, oats and seeds, brans, flax, and fruit that is mixed in. 

I wanted to make a bar made with wholesome ingredients (and good quality chocolate!) that I could pronounce. Most of all, I wanted the bars to be delicious. I  did not want to pay money for preservatives that I received no benefit from. 

So here we are..

This is just a second run on these treats. Please feel free to leave me suggestions and comments. 

 Since the Bars have zero preservatives I store them in the freezer in a ziploc bag. I have, however, left them out and they were fine but I would not leave them out overnight. They come to room temperature quickly and are really delicious.

I have done my best to provide the most accurate nutrition information available to me. Right now it is just for the base of the bars and bombs. Adding in fruit, extra nuts and additional proteins will up/alter the calorie and fat count depending on the ingredients. Right now I am still experimenting with the "add ins" and variables so I will update the nutrition information as best as I can as I go.

Please rest assured I would never add in a 'crap' or 'garbage' ingredient or anything that was not natural or organic or a pure 'worthy' energy. That is totally not the point of these bars. 

I will always work my hardest to provide a quality product.

Thanks for trying out the bars and bombs!

ENERGY BOMB BASE

 Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 2 BOMBS

Calories 108   Calories from Fat 23.1

Sodium 35.01mg Total Carbohydrate 12.09g

Dietary Fiber 1.84g  Sugars 5.95g  Protein 18.48g

*CALORIES AND/OR FAT WILL INCREASE WITH ADDITION OF EXTRA PROTEIN, NUTS, FRUIT AND CACAO*

 RAW BAR BASE   

Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 1 bar

Calories 190   Calories from Fat 80

Total Fat 9g  Saturated Fat 3.5g

  Sodium 103.81mg  Total Carbohydrate 24.74g  Dietary Fiber 15.46g    Sugars 11.54g  Protein 34.05g

*CALORIES AND/OR FAT WILL INCREASE WITH ADDTION OF EXTRA PROTEIN, NUTS,FRUIT AND CACAO*

PEANUT BUTTER & ‘JELLY’ RAW PROTEIN BAR:             

HOMEMADE FRESH GROUND PEANUT BUTTER, RAW OATS,  PROTEIN POWDER,OAT FLOUR, OAT BRAN, FLAXSEED, WHEATGERM RAW HONEY, DRY MILK, DRIED CHERRIES, DRIED DATES, PEANUTS 

CRANBERRY ALMOND BARS:  homemade almond butter, raw oats, flax, oat bran, wheat germ, protein, raw honey, cinnamon, vanilla, cranberries, sunflower seeds, almonds, golden raisins and pumpkin seeds.

CACAO NUT ENERGY BOMBS:

 brown rice syrup, puffed brown rice, homemade peanut & almond butters, cacao, protein powder, long processing oat bran and psyllium husk. 

Panko Party

I am super into my new friend Panko lately. Our relationship started because I was craving fried fish..specifically Captain D's fried fish. But you know I am not going to Captain D's and I probably wouldn't even like it once I got there if I did go. I always think I want fast food but even if I cheat, my body HATES it now and I feel disgusting after eating two bites and then I freak myself out thinking about all the nastiness that was in whatever I just took two bites of.
 Total gross out. 
Anyway, I wanted to figure out a way to make a super crunchy baked fish and once I did I wanted to figure out how to make a super crunchy 'fried' chicken. I love healthy fried stuff.
Soooo I would like to introduce you to Panko.  Panko is a Japanese style breadcrumb that is used for deep frying foods. It comes out super crunchy. Basically, it's breadcrumbs made without the crust of the bread. Then the crust less bread is coarsely ground into airy, large flakes that give fried foods a really light, crunchy coating. The flakes tend to stay crispier longer than standard breadcrumbs or a flour coating because they don’t absorb as much grease.
But you know I'm not using any grease or fats in my cooking and I sure as heck am not frying anything. 
We have been using this Panko coating recipe on fish, chicken and pork loin. It always comes out crunchy, lets me get my 'fried food' cravings knocked out and is super easy. 
This recipe would be a great way to make some homemade chicken nuggets for your kids. Just prepare this recipe using chicken, cut into whatever size you'd like and store some in the freezer after you bake them.
Speaking of frozen, I'd like to bring to your attention my deep deep love of frozen veggies. I buy Kroger brand because Kroger charges $0.89 for a bag of veggies that will make up four veggie serving for Jason and I. In the world of veggies you want to go fresh than frozen then canned. I try to never eat anything out of a can  (bisphenol-A y'all bisphenol-A) ever and I do not always have time to prepare fresh (you will notice my pics are always dark and that is because I am cooking pretty late in the evening,after the sun goes down, losing the natural light needed for a great photo). Using frozen veggies gives me the opportunity to make a variety of veggies quick and fast. So in one meal I can serve cauliflower, snap peas, lima beans and broccoli. I will confess to you that the old school "mixed vegetable" variety is my favorite. Anyway back to Panko.
The brand I prefer is Kikkoman. Im going to be using one cup of Panko. There are a 110 calories in a cup. I'm going to stretch that cup real far. 

If you been following this blog you know I am also not going to use any sort of egg or milk or anything to get these crumbs to stick...because why add the extra fat? They will stick with the water you used to rinse the meat (I always rinse  meat) just fine. 
 I am also only going to put Panko on one side of the meat because once again I, don't need the extra calories of coating both sides and it wont effect the taste. 
Season the Panko with some garlic powder, a little salt and some pepper to taste. A couple of shakes of Parmesan cheese is also really good. The Panko will taste the same on the meat as it will before it is cooked so make sure you are happy with your seasoning job.
Rinse your meat and do not pat dry.
Throw your meat in your panko and press down so the Panko really sticks.

Let them hang out while you preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper ( I do this so I don't have to scrub the pan later, don't have to flip the chicken..easier clean up..and nothing sticks) and throw your meat on there.

Notice how they aren't totally coated? That's OK guys. This is going to be so delicious and crunchy  just wait.


Bake for 20-35 minutes (mine were in for 35 because I like to see my meat with a little brown tan)

TA DA!! crunchy and delicious!
I served mine with some frozen mixed veggies (heat on the stove while your chicken is baking..and we don't even season ours..they are all delicious just plain and taste super fresh) and some curry coconut milk rice leftover from another meal.

Also this is the oldest, most broke down plate we own. It was Jason's when he was a bachelor and I used to go over to his house when he wasn't home, make him meals and then leave them in the fridge for him for when he came home from work.  I'd serve them on this plate for him (they had maybe 3 plates in the house) and wrap it in saran wrap and put a little love note in there. It's my favorite plate we own even though it prob needs to go in the trash. I'm a big mush ball sentimental.
Hope you guys are having a good week. I am looking forward to this weekend! We are going to watch some great MMA fights on my cheat day  with my husband. I love the Pasadena Convention Center's nachos and I've been craving a beer all week. See? We don't always eat mega healthy Meghann. :) Have a great weekend guys! xoxo

How i convince my husband to eat Italian food

Welcome to the world of Fiber One 'Frying'!!!! First we will do eggplant then you will realize all the possibilities...chicken, squash, green beans...they all work and they are all delicious. The trick is to use seasonings to mask the slightly sweet taste of the Fiber One. 




Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 large egg whites)
1 cup seasoned (with A LOT of garlic powder, onion powder, some crushed red pepper flakes and salt) Fiber One bran cereal (original); ground to dust in the blender
1 can crushed tomatoes (such as Hunt's Tomatoes  with Basil, Garlic & Oregano)
1 cup shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese 
1/4 cup reduced-fat grated parmesan-style topping
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Optional: dried or fresh Italian seasonings (basil, oregano, etc.)
Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice ends off of eggplant, and cut it lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips. Use a paper towel to blot eggplant slices on both sides (to remove excess moisture). Spray a large baking pan with nonstick spray. Season Fiber One Dust with garlic powder, salt, pepper and, if you like, additional seasonings. Coat eggplant slices on both sides -- first with egg whites, and then with Fiber One dust. Place slices flat on the baking pan, and cook in the oven for 30 minutes. Then, flip slices over and bake until browned on both sides (about 10 minutes longer). Remove pan from oven, but leave oven on. Spread some sauce over the bottom of an 8" X 8" baking dish sprayed lightly with nonstick spray. Arrange half of the baked eggplant slices evenly over the sauce. Continue to layer ingredients evenly in this order: sauce, mozzarella and parm topping (half of each), sauce, eggplant (remaining slices), sauce (1/4 cup), and cheeses (remaining amounts). Cover dish with foil and return to the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, or until heated throughout. Allow to cool slightly, and then cut into quarters. 
We eat this with a side salad and if we are gettin real crazy, maybe some whole wheat angel hair pasta. 


I don't know why this is gray. I will have to come back and fix this. Blogger is sassy yall. 

bad girl movie black bean stuffed poblanos

I needed to make a quick vegetarian recipe to bring over to a girl friend's house. Did a quick search and stumbled upon a good recipe. After a few modifications I made the following.
A quick word of warning: even if youre only using ONE jalapeno put some plastic baggies over your hands. both of them. I had a rough night just because I thought I was in the clear because I was 'only cutting one jalapeno." Also annoying about jalapenos is that you never know how hot they are. Remember you can remove the membrane and seeds to help put some of the fire out.

• 
  
• 1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes puree
• 1  jalapeno
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, 2 whole, 1 minced
• coarse salt, ground pepper
• 2 cans (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 large poblano chiles, halved lengthwise [stems left intact] ribs and seeds removed

Preheat oven to 425 F degrees. In a blender, combine tomatoes puree, jalapeno, half the onions, and 2 whole garlic cloves. Puree until smooth. Season with salt. Pour the sauce into a 9x13-inch baking dish and then set it aside.

In a medium bowl, combine beans, 1/2 cup cheese, remaining onions, minced garlic and cumin. Season with salt and pepper. 

Place poblanos in microwave for 10 minutes to help cut down on cooking time because you are in a hurry and you are starving.  Remove and place poblanos in baking dish on top of sauce. 

Dividing evenly, stuff the poblano chile halves with the bean mixture. You don't have to stuff all of them completely....the beans are really filling so even if they dont look 'full' you will get full. Sprinkle the poblano chiles with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.

Bake until the poblanos are tender, about 35 minutes. Remove foil and continue to cook until the sauce thickens slightly and cheese is golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

making it work without a drive thru

There are times that I am in hurry or wiped from work and I need to feed myself and my husband. He typically gives me a hard time about preparing anything from a box.... but if I'm tired, too bad.  I made this the other night and he came home and started raving about great the house smelled. Although he did not eat any of this that night, when I came home the next day all of the leftovers were gone.
This is a good example of taking something from a box and making it better for you. You cannot remove the preservatives and unnecessary salt you are consuming, but you can add something your body can benefit from.  I will say that this is definitely better than fast food. And since everything in this recipe cost $1 or less (thanks Kroger 10 for $10 deals), I would say its cheaper than fast food too.

Brown Rice Jambalaya
1 box Zatarain's Brown Rice Jambalaya Mix (http://shop.zatarains.com/zatarains®-brown-rice-jambalaya-p-1523.html)
1 can red kidney beans
1/4 cup frozen okra
1/2 of a white onion
1/2 cup frozen mixed veggies (mine had zucchini, squash, corn, tomato and celery)
organic or homemade chicken stock in the amount of water required on back of package
1 link low sodium turkey sausage

Chop sausage and onion. Cook on medium heat until sausage is browned and onion is clear. Add in frozen veggies and cook until warmed through. Add in chicken stock in amount of water on box and then add in boxed ingredients. Drain and then rinse beans. Add those in too.  Cook to boxes directions (excluding any oil or butter), stirring frequently to prevent sticking (because you don't have any oil or butter in there). Pretty easy and delicious!
The serving size in this picture is one cup. I stick to the suggested serving size so I know about how many 'base' calories are in there. I was totally full off of one cup even though I thought it sounded small. I also  cut the salt with a plain side salad that has a little lemon squeezed over it...and as always, serving dinner up on the smaller plate makes the portion look huge and keeps me from putting more on my plate.

I say "JUM BAH LIE AH" how do you say it? I love when people say it JAM BAH LIE AH

quinoa yumminess

Tonight I made a giant batch of Quinoa (keen-wah) breakfast cereal. This is sort of like oatmeal but also very different. Quinoa is very nutty, slightly crunchy and light. This is a really comforting meal and since my family looks like this on this rainy day (thanks Tropical Storm Hermine):

I thought it would be great to have in the fridge ready for breakfast. Even though those two family members dont get any of it.
So why quinoa and not just oatmeal? Well, while we are a huge oatmeal house and use raw oatmeal in a lot of recipes, quinoa has a lot of special qualities.

One it is a great "healthy" carb. So it is a great  way to start your day with because it is FULL of protein and healthy energy.  Quinoa is high in  calcium and iron, a good source of vitamin E and several of the B vitamins. It contains an almost perfect balance of all eight essential amino acids needed for tissue development. It is also high in lysine, cystine and methionine-amino acids typically low in other grains. The protein in quinoa is considered to be a complete protein due to the presence of all 8 essential amino acids.  Quinoa is 12% to 18% protein and four ounces, about 1/2-cup, will provide a childs protein needs for one day. The 6-7% fat of quinoa is sort of high when compared to other grains, but it has a low sodium content and also provides  fiber.

So basically Quinoa is fantastic for you and as a bonus it is delicious.

There is so much more you can do with quinoa but this is a good start and an easy way to incorporate Quinoa into your diet.



Hot Quinoa Cereal

1 cup quinoa (red or beige), rinsed thoroughly

1 cup water

1 cup milk (almond milk or cow's milk)

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp nuts  (shelled I like pistachios, almonds and pecans)

2 tbsp raisins

Zest of one orange

3 tbsp honey


1) In a saucepan, bring quinoa, water, milk, cinnamon, and pinch of salt to a boil. Keep an eye on it to keep it from boiling over
and keep stirring it


2) Turn heat down to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes until quinoa is tender, and curly-cue white germ appears on each grain. Add more milk if it gets too dry. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add raisins and nuts.

3) Finish with orange zest (only a little, I do a teaspoon or one swipe across the microplane/cheese grater, this gets strong fast), honey and more almond milk if you like it a little soupier.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I store this in the fridge for about 3 days and heat up each portion in the microwave. I add a little more milk each time I heat this up because the quinoa soaks it all up.