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 ;)

too much of a good thing?... even if it's vegetables

Check out this Root Vegetable Gratin

We all know that vegetables are great for you.  They are a great source of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals (small biologically active compounds), etc.  With few exceptions, unprocessed (not breaded and fried!) vegetables are naturally low in calories, cholesterol, sodium, and fat! They are not a good source of protein, but they often serve as an excellent complement to it in meals.

Vegetables, however, do contribute to calorie intake, and some vegetables are more calorically dense than others.  These calories can quickly add up.  When choosing vegetables, you must be aware of differences between those that are starchy and those that are non-starchy.

cooking lesson #2: salt the eggplant

Western variety

Asian Variety

Eggplants come in many shapes and sizes, but 2 varieties are most common: Asian and Western.  Asian varieties include round or long and thin ones.  Western varieties may be larger and are shaped like plump pears.  They are all super yummy and can be cooked in many ways.  They can be grilled, baked, steamed, fried or sauteed!  

Tip:
When you cook your eggplant- add salt.  

superfood me

I remember, in college, I "learned" that blueberries support short-term memory, so I decided to eat as much of them as possible. Seriously.  While studying for organic chemistry, I ate.... pints of blueberries (and Alpine's frozen yogurt- but that's a story for another time).  I did well in that class, but I think it had more to do with the fact that I was studying than with the blueberry consumption while studying. 


I wasn't totally wrong about the blueberries though... there are some fantastic components in certain plants called phytochemicals (phyto= plant; chemical= chemical).  These are the compounds that give food color and taste (and other characteristics) and promote biological activity in the body beyond their simple nutritional benefits.  (Meaning- these foods do more than provide a source of vitamins and minerals and calories!)  There are tens of thousands of these that are known to exist, but just a small amount have been analyzed with research.  This poses a slight problem because often we see products containing some of these elements that manufacturers will label as 'preventing cancer' or 'sharpening brain function' in order to promote sales.  You must be aware that many claims about "superfoods" are not yet based on scientific evidence; no single food has magical health benefits! (Sorry- acai berry diet devotees!)  What we can say with reasonable certainty though is that diets rich in plant foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, seeds and nuts) help lower blood pressure and risk for inflammation.