Sugar Free Chocolate Chip Banana Oat Muffins

I've been in a kick lately to make my own protein bars and muffins that way I am not eating a bunch of un-natural ingredients my body does not need. After some messing around in my kitchen playing with different flour combinations I came up with a pretty yummy sugar free chocolate chip protein muffins that has both bananas and oats!

Ingredients:

1 cup Oat Flour

2 scoops Vanilla protein powder

3 TB Stevia

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/4 cup water

2 bananas mashed

6oz vanilla Greek yogurt

1tsp vanilla (I use vanilla bean paste)

1/3 cup sugar free chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate

Process:

Heat oven to 350 and spray a muffin tin with baking spray. I made 12 large muffins but mini muffins are good too!

Combine all wet ingredients in bowl 1 and mix well.

Combine all dry ingredients in bowl 2 and mix well.

Add wet to dry and stir until just combined.

Add to pan and bake approx 15-20 min. Cool on wire rack and store in the fridge. These also freeze really well.

If you try these let me know! 

Happy eating :)

~Jenn

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Oh hey! I'm back!

With life finally getting back to normal I have really missed blogging and recipe testing! I am starting to eat a more vegetarian meal plan in a effort to drop my last 20 lbs so I guess we will see how that goes. So as time goes on I am going to try and blog daily meal plans and post recipes here and there of things that have come out really well and probley those that did not come out so great.

Yesterday for breakfast I concocted a delish new protein shake. It's green and milkshake like and I like to call it Pistachio Dream.

Here is how you make it.
In a blender ( I use my Ninja) combine the following:
8oz Almond milk or your milk of choice
2TB sugar free Pistachio pudding dry mix
1 scoop Vanilla protein powder
4 ice cubes

Mix up and enjoy! I like to top mine with a little sugar free whipped topping.

If you try this let me know how you like it!

~Jenn

Very Berry Protein Shake

Post WLS I still love my protein shakes. I am always trying new combinations of powders, fruits, add in's etc. Since I am working on recipes for the center newsletter I have been taste testing some new creations. Here is one of my favorites: Very Berry Protein Shake!

Here is what you need:

1 scoop Vanilla protein powder- any kind you like

3 strawberries - I use Fresh fruit but you can always use frozen!

1/4 cup blueberries

1/2 medium size Peach 

1TB Sugar Free Vanilla Torani (optional)

3-4 Ice Cubes

Squirt of Sugar Free Whipped Topping (optional)

Put all ingredients into your blender except for the whipped topping and blend until combined.

I like to put mine in a pretty glass and top with some whipped topping and a few pieces of fruit. If I am making it a meal, I want it to not only look good but taste good too. You do eat with your eyes first after all!

If you try this recipe let me know.... and if you have any combo ideas pass them along, I am willing to try just about anything!

I think next up will be something chocolate, peppermint, and ....?

You can also follow me on Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/jenniegrl

Protein Sugar Free Banana Muffins

I have a ton of bananas on my counter that have just about seen their last day. I would hate to just throw them out so I have created a sugar free banana muffin with no flour and added protein powder!

Add all of the dry ingredients to your food processor and blend:

3/4 cup Old Fashion Oats
2 scoops protein powder-I used banana but vanilla would be good too
1/2 cup Splenda
1tsp baking powder
1tsp baking soda
1/2tsp cinnamon
Dash salt

Wiz in food processer. We all know I LOVE my Ninja :)

Once combined add in:
3 Bananas
2 eggs
1/2 cup Greek yogurt- I used 0% Vanilla Chobani, but plain will work
1tsp Pure Vanilla Extract (I actually use the Vanilla bean paste)


Combine until well mixed.Pour mix into well sprayed muffin tins. Do not use paper liners. Using paper liners with recipes with oats will cause the muffins to stick to the liners.

Bake at 350 for 15 to 18 min .Remove from oven and turn out onto cooling rack.

These muffins will also freeze really well. My mix above made 9 full size muffins when filling the muffin tins 3/4 of the way to the top. These would also be really great with some nuts or blueberries mixed in. If you try either of those let me know!

One of these will find it's way to my belly for dessert tonight...and maybe one for breakfast tomorrow am!

These muffins have about 90 calories, 8 grams of sugar and 9 grams of protein if you make full size muffins and get 9 out of your mix :) Counts will vary depending on your yogurt and protein powder!

If you try these let me know! I always love feedback :)

WLS Friendly Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

My favorite banana bread recipe is one from Martha Stewart but post-op I can't eat it as originally written. Because I am a constant recipe tweaker the below is my latest version. Don't get me wrong...Martha is my go to girl, but below is a recipe I can have a piece of without feeling like someone is ripping out my pouch!

Here is what you will need:

9x5x3 loaf pan or mini loaf pans- buttered and floured ( I use the spray and line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper)

2 TB Melted Butter
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
1/4 Cup Golden Flaxseed ground
3/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 large egg, and 1 Egg White
2 tsp Vanilla ( I like the Vanilla Bean paste)
2 large Bananas mashed well ( about 3/4-1 cup)
1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar or 1/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar (which is what I use)
Handful or two of Sugar Free Chocolate Chips- Martha uses Walnuts but I don't


Prepare your pan and set aside.

Mix egg and egg white together. Add rest of wet ingredient and combine well.
Add mixture of dry ingredients ( I like to sift all the dry together first) to the wet and mix until just combined.
Stir in the Chocolate Chips (or whatever add in's you like) by hand gently.

Add to prepared pan and bake at 350 for about 25-30 min. It is done when your knife comes out clean!

Happy Baking!

Chocolate Fudge Pie! Healthy & Sugar Free

For all of you who asked, here is the original link the the Chocolate Fudge Pie made with Tofu Chocolate Bar Pie by Chocolate Covered Katie.

Of course I can't leave a recipe well enough alone so I made a few changes. Make sure you use the FIRM tofu. I made mine with 1TB cocoa powder, sugar free chocolate chips and with Stevia in the Raw as my sweetener. Make sure you mix really well. I use my NINJA!

Now, this time I also made a crust. Next time, I won't. I am going with Katie on this one...so much better minus the crust!

Here is what I used for my crust:

1-3/4" cups of Fiber One Cereal (the one that looks like rabbet food) crushed up to look like graham cracker crumbs

4tsp melted butter- I use Earth Balance Vegan Spread

2TB Stevia (or sugar, splenda, or agave)

1tsp cinnamon

Mix all together and mash into a 9" pie pan. Bake a 350 for about 8-9 min.
Let cool completely before filling.

I didn't think so many people were going to ask for the recipe so I only took one pic of my piece yesterday. But it is delish! You can't see it but there is some Sugar Free Whipped Topping on the side...

If you try this recipe let me know how you like it! I am not really a tofu fan, but  a new way of eating introduces you to so many new things!

Chocolate Chip Chickpea Truffles! WLS Friendly!

This is a link to my new favorite recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles  This girl makes the most delicious treats! Click the link to get her recipe and then see my sugar free replacements below for us WLS folks :)

I followed her above recipe almost exactly. The only thing I changed was that I used regular Splenda in stead of brown sugar (you can also use the brown sugar splenda) and use sugar free chocolate chips because I can't do the whole sugar thing. Oh and I doubled it because I gave a bunch away to my sugar loving friends and guess what....they loved them!

How to make it all come together:

I use this bad boy....my NINJA. 

 First, rinse and drain the chickpeas really well. (this is a entire can, like I said I doubled the recipe)

 Add your vanilla...how cute is the detail in the bottom of my spoons!

 Splenda...

For my nut butter I like Almond Butter with Sea Salt from Trader Joes

 Throw in everything else EXCEPT the chocolate chips!

 Make sure you mix everything REALLY well. No one wants to bite into a chickpea! The Ninja is great for this. Best Gift EVER!

I like to dump mine out into a bowl and stir in a bunch of Sugar Free Chocolate Chips. I can only ever find these things at Super Walmart, but they do sell them other places and online! You can also make your own Sugar Free Chocolate Bars and chunk them up for the recipe. Here is a link to make your own : Three Ingredient Chocolate Bars- Sugar Free

Then make your balls! I use a mini ice cream scoop

Place them in the fridge to chill out...I usually dip half of mine in melted sugar free chocolate and leave half of them just like this. They are delicious either way.

Let me know if you give these a try! You could also add nuts, flavored sugar free Torani to change up the taste, maybe roll in unsweetened coconut...so many options!

I think I will eat one right now....

Oh the Holidays....

Well folks the holiday season is in full swing and every other day there is a new holiday treat to be eaten. There is shopping to be done, houses to clean before parties, work parties, and dinner with friends and loved ones.  Last year at Christmas we left on a cruise and while I cried while driving to the airport leaving my parents house Christmas morning, we had an amazing time. I missed my family, but the wife and I spent some much needed quality time together.

This year we are home for the holidays (this years cruise was over Thanksgiving!) so I am faced with all those yummy foods in my past life I would have eaten more than my fair share of.  This year I am determined to attend parties, eat delicious food and desserts, and tackle the holiday "my way". Over this past year I have found AMAZING blogs that I love that have provided me the tools I need to make yummy goodies that I can actually eat.

Mary Beth (the psychologist at the WLS center I go to) says there is nothing I can't eat. Everything in moderation and if you slip up, move on. There is always another day.

This year I still did my annual cookie box for the office filled with 3-4 kinds of cookies, homemade chocolate lollipop trees and candy canes. Next week I think I will bring cupcakes. I bought these super cute cupcake toppers I want to use :)  The guys and gals in our shop work so hard to make what we sell and I am grateful for that. We produce some amazing things. Check it out at http://www.lightblocks.com/ . 

Every Christmas Eve we attend my parents neighbors (I say that but they are more like family...Hi Jurewicz family!) holiday party. It's the same people every year for the most part and we sit around and eat and chat. It's nice. It's annual. I look forward to it every year. This year instead of showing up with my usual super unhealthy baked goods, I will be bringing some healthy super delicious baked goods so I can eat some as well.

This year I am making: (Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dessert)

Chocolate Covered Katie's Deep Dish Cookie PIe
as well as her Pumpkin Bars
I also might make my own Sugar Free Chocolate Peanut Butter (or Almond Butter) Cups

The Deep Dish Cookie Pie above is so delicious. If you didn't know what the ingredients were, you would never guess it was made with chickpeas. I think I am mostly excited to make this because I am getting the Ninja System for Christmas and I am getting it early so I can make my desserts! So Excited! Healthy desserts can be just as delicious as regular flour filled and sugar filled ones if they are made with high quality, good ingredients.

On Liberty of the Seas- heading to Mexico!

I am kicking myself for not buying Vanilla when I was in Mexico two weeks ago.







Tonight after work I am finally going to try and tackle some shopping for presents. This year I am so unorganized. Holidays cards went out yesterday which is way late in my world! I also must pick up supplies for red velvet cupcakes. I think that is what I shall bring to work on Monday :)

I also made some Peppermint Hot Chocolate Jars for gifts this year. So cute and so easy! Let me know if you want the recipe :)

What you are making for holiday desserts if you are a baker?

Happy Holidays All!

(Virtually) Sugar Free Apple Crisp

This is one of my favorite times of the year. Crisp fall weather here in NH and there is no better activity in the fall than apple picking!  Now, it's not quite cool enough for me to pick yet (maybe next week since it's 80 today) but I did pick up some local apples the other day. Looking at the bag of them and wishing I could make my favorite apple crisp recipe, but knowing if I took 2 bites the sugar would kill me. With some creative thinking and armed with a pantry full of goodies, I went to work on my sugar free yet SUPER tasty apple crisp.

Here is what you will need:

For the Apple Mix:
3 Baking Apples- I used Galas this time around
1 squeeze lemon juice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp apple pie spice
1/4 cup Sugar Free Torani Syrup- I used Caramel but you can also use Vanilla or Salted Caramel

For the topping:
4TB Oats
2 pumps Torani Sugar Free Caramel
1TB butter (I use Earth Balance Soy Spread)
1/4 tsp Apple Pie Spice
1 TB Spenda

Chunk up apples and mix with spices and lemon juice. In a saucepan combine butter, caramel syrup, and apple mix. Cook about 5-6 minutes.

In a microwavable bowl combine topping ingredients. I nuked mine for about 1 min. Mix it up into a crumbly mix.

Divide apple mix into (4) 4oz ramekins

Top the apples with the crumble mix. Bake in oven for about 10 min at 350 degrees.

When cool, cover with plastic wrap and keep in fridge.

When I want to eat one, I remove the plastic, nuke for 30 seconds and top with Sugar Free topping.

and then I add some Sugar Free Caramel topping

SO DELICIOUS!!

If you wanted, you could make this in a large batch (scaling up the ingredients to a 13x9 pan) and bring to a fall cookout or as a yummy Thanksgiving dessert.

I loved this apple "crisp". If you try it out let me know what you think!! Just because I love my recipes does not mean everyone else will too!

I am also looking for new ideas for recipes. If there is something you would like to try, let me know and I will try and alter for the WLS lifestyle and see what I can come up with! I like to put on my mad scientist sometimes for a challenge!

Next up is Apple Cake (non wls for now) and I am also working on some WLS Coffee Cake muffins (not perfected yet!)

Happy eating!!

Jenn

Custard & Strawberries Mock Tart

So I have not had much free time lately but the other day I was craving some English custard so I broke out the Birds container. While digging around for my splenda I thought why not kick this up a notch so I started seeing what I had around and voila now I have a Custard & Strawberries Mock Tart what works for my WLS lifestyle..

Here is what you will need:

For the "Tart" Crust:
1/4 cup Almond Meal
2 TB Golden Flaxseed Meal
2 tsp Splenda
2 tsp melted Earth Balance butter (just enough to make it like a crumb base mixture)


Pat into 4oz heat ramekins and bake for 6 min at 350. They will be slightly puffy.

For the Custard:

Bird's Custard- half recipe on container to 1 cup Milk and 1 TB mix. Use 1TB Splenda. Cook as directed.



 
 
 
Fill ramekins with warm custard mixture. Let cool for about 5 min.

Slice a couple strawberries in half and gently place on top of custard.

Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge to cool.

 

These are super yummy and really hit the spot :)

 

Let me know if you try these out !

 

Happy Eating,

Jenny

Holiday Baking has begun....Recipe 1: Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

So the baking has begun and seeing as I have a few "gluten" free friends, I have decided to take a gluten free recipe and make it not only gluten free but also WLS friendly.

You will need:

1 Large Egg
3/4 Splenda (or Sugar)
1tsp Baking Soda
1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter - typically I use organic but all I had today was Jif

1/2 tsp Gluten free Vanilla (does not have to be gluten free if making WLS version)

1/3 cup Chocolate Chips (Nestle Brand is Gluten Free) WLS may want to omit for use Sugar Free Chocolate chips or cut up 2 small SF chocolate bars into small pieces

Preheat your oven to 350 and line a cookie sheet with wax paper. It makes for easier cleanup.

Mix together egg, vanilla, sugar, and baking soda with paddle attachment on your mixer or electric hand beater.  Add peanut butter and mix well, scraping down the sides at least once. Add chocolate chips if using.

Drop mix on cookie sheet by the teaspoon. Dip fork in hot water and lighting press down the top of each cookie before popping in the oven. 

I only cook mine for about 7 minutes. Bake until lightly set on top. Remove from oven. Let sit 2min and then move to a cooling rack. 

These little treats are pretty good for being both Gluten Free and WLS friendly.  

Tomorrow (hopefully) is my blog on Spritz cookies which are currently frozen in my freezer. Everyone says they are so easy and the dough is, so maybe my cookie press is faulty. Also coming soon are decorated sugar cookies, Peppermint Bark, and a few others...

If you need any holiday recipe ideas, I literally have hundreds of cookie and dessert recipes. Leave me a comment or your email and I can shoot you some of my favorites!

Happy Baking!

Jenn