Skip the sugar… make these Skinny Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Related to my blog post yesterday… I was in the mood for a sweet treat. I looked at what I had in my kitchen, and staring at me were perfectly ripe (…maybe almost toooo ripe) bananas. Meanwhile, I had a few zucchinis out that I was planning to use for dinner. My sweet tooth took over and I decided to make these fabulous Skinny Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins adapted from this recipe.

More than just satisfying my sweet tooth-- these yummy muffins are portion controlled and can freeze well. When you make them… make sure not to eat them all at one time. Leave out a few (they always taste better fresh…) and put the rest away in an air-tight container. (Out of sight) In my case… I gave them to my husband to bring to his office as his mid-afternoon snack (instead of the cookies and cakes normally found in his office pantry).

In my excitement of eating these muffins, I did not photograph them. Imagine that these are what they looked like! Seriously… they were pretty close ;)

Sugars: exposed

Sugar is confusing-- there are so many types and so much marketing for those types. It is naturally found in fruits, dairy, and some vegetables/grains-- which are part of a healthy diet-- but it often gets a bad rap!! 

Types of sugar

The controversy stems from the fact that the majority of the intake in the American diet is not from these natural sugars but from “added sugars.”  These are sugars that are added to foods during processing, preparation, or upon consumption to sweeten the flavor of food and drink. They may be also added to foods to help with preservation, texture, body, and appearance. There are many kinds of added sugars, including white sugar, brown sugar, corn sugar, honey, syrup, and current studies indicate that these typically make up about 15-20% of a person’s total caloric intake! Because of this high intake, recent government guidelines, as well as those from the American Diabetic Association  (ADA), the American Heart Association (AHA), and numerous other agencies, have called to reduce intake of added sugars.

The average American consumes 78 pounds of added sugars per year.

These days, there are many kinds of sugars, and it is important to know the difference between them-- especially because the nutrient label does not distinguish between added sugar and natural sugar (read more: Marion Nestle's Food Politics blog post). 

Here is a simple breakdown of common sugars:

Quinoa cakes… so yummy even the haters will snack!

Raw quinoa

By now, I’m sure you’ve heard of quinoa, even tasted it, and probably now how to pronounce it (“keen-wah”). For the last few years, it was all the rage.  In fact—2013 was deemed “The International Year of Quinoa.”

Quinoa is a gluten-free grain that is considered a “pseudo-cereal.” It’s actually from the same family of food as spinach, beets, and swiss chard—that surprised me, too! However, we consume it like a cereal grain; therefore, it is grouped with wheat, oats, barely, etc. It comes in a rainbow of colors, but the taste and nutrient profile is similar between them. (One of the differences that is important to me is that white quinoa has a fluffier feel, and black quinoa has a crunchier feel.) Quinoa can be cooked on its own (think, rice-substitute!), used as flour in recipes, or used as flakes (to replace typical oats).

Quinoa is nutrient rich—at 110 calories per half cup—it is loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, phytonutrients—all of which are very bioavailable (our bodies absorb and reap the benefits). It is high in essential amino acids (the important building blocks of protein). Unlike most grains that lack adequate amounts of amino acids (such as like lysine and isoleucine), quinoa is uniquely rich in these, making it considered a complete protein source (like animal protein). Quinoa is also rich in healthy, monounsaturated fats. Though this does increase its caloric profile, the fat is monounsaturated (healthy)—which is one of the reasons it is linked with reduced inflammation. Other research has linked quinoa with cardiovascular health and diabetes risk reduction.

Whether you eat it because it’s healthy, because you like the taste and texture, or just because someone cooks it for you—keep eating it! If you are looking to try a new recipe—I made these quinoa cakes this past weekend that were fabulous!

A carb is not a 4-letter word!

We've all heard it- carbs are "bad" for you. They are making you fat.  Avoid them.  

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

Over the past several decades, Americans have increased their relative proportion of carbohydrates and gotten fat.  But, are the carbs the problem?  The answer turns out to be- yes and no.  Since 1970, the average consumed calories per person has increased 300-500 calories per day, and these calories seem to be coming from carbohydrates.  So, in a way, the 20 lb increase in the American body weight is coming from carbs.  But, they are not the enemy!  In fact, countries that live on a traditional high-carb or rice-based diet (Japan, China, Africa) have lower rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.  Why?


Carbohydrates are essential for your diet.  The sugar from carbs (glucose) plays a vital role in the functioning of body tissues and are a critical energy source for nervous system (think, your brain!).  Carbohydrates also are an important factor in weight management because they supply fiber, other nutrients, and beneficial phytochemicals!