Vegan Treats!

This weekend I had the chance to make these delicious, protein packed, vegan quinoa muffins! I have been experimenting with some vegan options this week and I have to say that so far, it has been a great change. I altered some of the ingredients in this recipe to make it my own and I'd love to share it with you. These muffins are so tasty!

Ingredients:

1 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup quinoa flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup cooked quinoa

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/2 cup apple sauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 to 2 cups blueberries

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin baking cups.

2.  In medium bowl, mix together dry ingredients, cornmeal, quinoa flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl mix together remaining ingredients, cooked quinoa, maple syrup, almond milk, apple sauce, lemon juice and oil. 

3. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir until combined. Fold in blueberries. Spoon batter into prepared tins and bake for 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove muffins from pan and cool. 

Enjoy! 

Let me know if you end up giving these muffins a try. Do you have any healthy recipes to share, I'd love to give them a try! Share in the comments below. 

Blueberry-Coconut-Macadamia Treat

This valentines day enjoy some delicious, healthy muffins instead of the traditional chocolate. There is nothing I like more than a delicious hot, warm muffin straight from the oven. This Valentine's day indulge your taste-buds with this healthy treat. You will not be disappointed. I made this recipe twice in one week when I first found it and they were a hit with my husband. 


There is no reason you can't enjoy something a little different this Valentine's day. For extra sweetness drizzle some local honey over the top. Yum! You won't be able to put these down. Enjoy, and happy Valentines Day!


Blueberry-Coconut-Macadamia Muffins




1/4 cup unsweetened coconut

• 2 tablespoons plus 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup brown sugar, divided
• 5 tablespoons chopped macadamia nuts, divided
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour or whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white
• 3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk (or your favorite non-dairy milk and 3/4 Tablespoon lemon juice)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut or vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries

Preperation: 

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine coconut, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 2 tablespoons macadamia nuts in a small bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil; stir to combine. Set aside.
3. Whisk the remaining 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, egg, egg white, buttermilk, butter and coconut (or vanilla) extract in a medium bowl until well combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients; stir until just combined. Add blueberries and the remaining 3 tablespoons nuts; stir just to combine. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with the reserved coconut topping and gently press into the batter.
4. Bake the muffins until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack at least 5 minutes more before serving.
• 210 calories per muffin

Thanksgiving Tips for Maintaining Your Fitness Progress

Smells waft through the air daily this time of year, from cookies and pies, to turkey and stuffing. The holidays can wreak havoc on any great exercise or diet plan and I am one that has suffered the consequences of eating more treats than I can burn off in a workout. Here are some important tips I use to curb my eating during the holiday season.

1. Eat slowly - the slower you eat, the fuller you will feel and the less likely you will be to eat that extra cookie.

2. Sneak healthy ingredients into your recipes - I always try to throw something healthy into my holiday treats, a few tablespoons of flaxseed in muffins, walnuts substituted for half the chocolate chips, or applesauce for oil in any recipe. These simple additions to treats will give them a hint of health benefit, without ruining their flavor. I think many taste even better. (The pumpkin muffin pictured above has flaxseed mixed into the batter and then walnuts sprinkled on top, yum!)

3. Be sure to maintain you workout routine - Often during holidays we tend to eat more and workout less, just making sure you workout every day while on vacation may give you that extra willpower to say no to that extra cookie, after all, you don't want to waste all the hard work you just did!

4. Remember to still enjoy the day - It is still ok to have treat foods, just eat them in moderation and next time you feel that extra craving coming on head for the water jug, not more cookies. Staying hydrated will keep you full longer and help you manage your cravings.

Enjoy the holidays!