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 ;)

Will you, Dark Chocolate, Be my Valentine?

February, though the shortest month of the year, poses unique challenges to the healthy eater. After the joyousness of the end-of-year holiday season, many take January to recover, get back on track with eating and health goals, and re-motivate themselves to reach goals. However, when February comes, some of those health goals may have fallen wayside to old habits of comfort food or quick fixes—especially when it’s too frigid to go outside to the supermarket or even the gym. Those Valentine’s candy bowls are looking especially tempting. However, fear not—here are some ways to overcome these challenges.

Research shows that clear candy bowls can increase snacking

Challenge #1: The candy bowl.  It’s 3:30 PM and the candy bowl is just calling your name, right? A way to avoid high-sugar binges— that result in the 4:30PM crash and ultimate desire for more sugar— is to re-route your path in the office to avoid walking by the candy or remove the bowl from direct eyesight on your desk. Not seeing the temptation will reduce your unconscious picking— when the “it’s just one” turns into a garbage back full of wrappers.

Out of sight, out of mind not working? Try swapping sugar-rich candy with dark chocolate pieces. Dark chocolate (60% or greater in cocoa content) has been linked with many health benefits such as stress and fatigue reduction, mood improvement, and cardiovascular improvements. Dark chocolate, compared with white or milk chocolate, contains cocoa solids that are loaded with antioxidants called flavonols and polyphenols. Though the mechanism is not completely understood, these antioxidants, as well as the monounsaturated oleic acid from the cocoa butter, can protect your heart by reducing inflammation, decreasing blood pressure, and improving blood vessel health. Studies have also linked dark chocolate intake with increasing insulin sensitivity and a reducedrisk of stroke. Despite these health benefits, do not throw caution to the wind and eat uncontrollably—dark chocolate is still a dessert.

Dark Chocolate

For more information about chocolate, look here for its history and science. 

Challenge #2: Portion control.