Clean Eating Pumpkin Coconut Bars

Makes 16 servings, 1 bar each
I first got the idea for this recipe from my friend, Julie. (Hi, Julie!) Julie's 2-year-old daughter was one of my Survival Swim students this past summer and, as soon as I heard about some of the interesting and delicious things she was eating for dinner, I knew Julie and I would be good friends :) They came over a few weeks ago for a marathon healthy-cooking-and-freezing session and Julie brought one of these along for her daughter. She got the recipe HERE and I was immediately intrigued. With a few minor changes it was easy to make it into a Clean recipe. The main thing I did was significantly reduce the amount of sweetener used and substitute honey for the white and brown sugar. As the author of the original recipe says, they were quick and easy to make with minimal clean up. Always a plus in my book!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 Tbsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ground ginger
• 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 Tbsp coconut extract
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

ONE: Dump everything into a bowl and mix well. Line an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

TWO: Spread batter (it will be pretty moist) into a foil-lined and spayed 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 pan. Bake at 350F for 25-28 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

THREE: Let the bars cool for a few minutes in the pan and then transfer them to a cooling rack. The bars may still look underdone, but that’s ok because they will continue to set up as they cool. Allow to cool very well before slicing.

Individually wrap bars and keep them in the fridge for a week or throw wrapped bars into a freezer bag and freeze for longterm storage.

NUTRITION INFO:


Per 1 bar serving- 169 Calories (65 Calories from Fat), 7g Fat, 3g Saturated Fat, 1mg Cholesterol, 6mg Sodium, 23g Total Carbohydrates, 3g Dietary Fiber, 12g Sugars, 5g Protein, 48% DV Vitamin A, 1% DV Vitamin C, 2% DV Calcium, 8% DV Iron

:)

Clean Eating Cucumber Tomato Bruschetta

Makes 8 servings
According to Wikipedi, "Bruschetta is an appetizer from central Italy whose origin dates to at least the 15th century. It consists of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Variations may include toppings of spicy red pepper, tomato, vegetables, beans, cured meat, and/or cheese; the most popular recipe outside of Italy involves basil, fresh tomato, garlic and onion or mozzarella. Bruschetta is usually served as a snack or appetizer.” In our house, Bruschetta means my kids will eat raw veggies because they have a vinegary sauce on them and they’re served on little pieces of bread :) Whatever it means to you, this version is delicious and you should try it.

Did you notice I snuck a little chopped kale in there? It blends right in with the basil and oregano and you can't taste it because the other flavors are so strong. But it helps this "snack" pack a whopping 20% of your daily recommended intake of Vitamin A and 15% of Vitamin C.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup grape tomatoes cut into quarters (or other chopped tomatoes)
• 1 cup chopped cucumber
• 1/3 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped kale
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced into shreds
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Whole grain baguette, crackers, or pita bread

ONE: In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the bread/crackers. Toss well to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.

TWO: Let stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour but no longer than 3 hours. Serve over slices of toasted baguette, crackers, or pita bread triangles.

Raw tomatoes become mushy once frozen but you can still freeze the leftovers in half cup portions using the medium/large portions method to feed your freezer stash. Use the thawed tomato mixture in a dish where the mushier texture won't matter. I serve it as a salsa-type topping for chicken, mixed into some brown rice for a little kick, or inside an omelet.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving (not including bread) - 44 Calories (31 Calories from Fat), 3.5g Fat, 0g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 4mg Sodium, 3g Total Carbohydrates, 0.6g Dietary Fiber, 1.6g Sugars, 0.6g Protein, 20% DV Vitamin A, 15% DV Vitamin C, 2% DV Calcium, 2% DV Iron

:)

Clean Eating Grape Zucchini Bread

Makes 16 servings
I know what you’re thinking… do grapes and zucchinis really go together? I’m here to tell you they do and the result is lovely. If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time you know I have a big crush on quick breads. Part of the reason is that my breadmaker has a quick bread setting so I just dump everything into the pan, push a button, and an hour and a half later it magically becomes bread. But even if you don’t have a bread maker, quick breads are easy to throw together. I also like them because you can put all kinds of different things in them but they’re usually slightly sweet which makes my boys think they’re getting a special treat when really they’re getting a good dose of whole grains. Plus they freeze really well. What more could you ask for?!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup green seedless grapes, halved
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup honey
• ¼ cup sucanat (can use turbinado/brown sugar but it won’t be “clean”)
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup shredded zucchini (about 1 large zucchini)
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur’s White Whole Wheat)

BREADMAKER: Dump everything into the breadmaker, adding the flour last. Run the breadmaker on the quick bread setting (I take a rubber spatula and run it around the edges after it's been mixing for a little while to make sure there's no pockets of unmixed flour). Remove from the bread pan and let cool on a wire rack before slicing.

OVEN:
ONE: In a bowl, blend flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sunflower seeds.Beat together egg, oil, honey, sucanat, and almond extract.

TWO: Add zucchini and grapes to egg mixture; gently stir in flour mixture. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9x5 inch loaf pan.

THREE: Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and remove from pan to a wire rack. Slice and serve.

Freeze leftovers using the flash freeze method to feed your freezer stash.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving - 147 Calories (51 Calories from Fat), 5.7g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 12mg Cholesterol, 400mg Sodium, 22.7g Total Carbohydrates, 0.6g Dietary Fiber, 13g Sugars, 2g Protein, 1% DV Vitamin A, 3% DV Vitamin C, 1% DV Calcium, 4% DV Iron

:)

Clean Eating Cantaloupe Bread

Makes 16 servings
OOOOOooooohhhhhh Buddy!! This is good. Like REALLY good... as in we ate the entire loaf in one day, LOL. It's an interesting flavor. It's not overwhelmingly cantaloupe-y (that's a word, right?) and it almost tastes like pumpkin bread but with a lighter type of sweetness. Does that make sense? If not, go back to we ate the entire loaf in one day. I'm making another one tomorrow :)

This is all that was left 15 minutes after it came out of the Breadmaker hehehe

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 cup sucanat (can use turbinado/brown sugar but it won't be "clean")
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 2/3 cups pureed cantaloupe
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (I used King Arthur's White Whole Wheat)

ONE: Dump everything into the breadmaker, adding the flour last. Run the breadmaker on the quick bread setting (I take a rubber spatula and run it around the edges after it's been mixing for a little while to make sure there's no pockets of unmixed flour). Remove from the bread pan and let cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Isn't it amazing that you push a button and this becomes perfect bread?!

NON-BREADMAKER INSTRUCTIONS:
ONE: Buy a cheap breadmaker on Craigslist, LOL. Just kidding. Preheat the oven to 325. Lightly grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

TWO: In a large bowl combine the eggs, oil, vanilla, and pureed cantaloupe. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Pour into prepared pan.

THREE: Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack before slicing.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving - 146 Calories (48 from Fat), 5g Total Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 26mg Cholesterol, 203mg Sodium, 22g Total Carbohydrates, 2g Dietary Fiber, 2g Sugars, 3g Protein, 20% Vitamin A, 16% Vitamin C, 4% Calcium, 7% Iron

Clean Eating Healthy Homemade Granola Bars (No Bake)

These are amazing. I have one every afternoon and I look forward to it all day long :) I’m not kidding, every afternoon except maybe 5 for the past 2 1/2 years. Think I’m crazy? That’s cause you haven’t tried them yet. Matt will come home and I’ll be cranky and he’ll say, “We ran out of granola bars didn’t we?”… and he’s usually right.


This is definitely my signature recipe. The instructions might seem kind of long but there’s really a certain technique to getting them to stick together in firm bars verses crumbling into granola. In other words, if you don't do it EXACTLY as written or you skip some of the mixing, your bars WILL crumble. I’ve made them so many times now that I like to think I have it down to a science.


Don't get scared when you look at the calories. These are packed with protein, whole grains, and healthy fats. They are a great combo of complex carbs and protein and will keep you feeling full and satisfied, all in a neat little package you can throw into your purse. And the smidgen of chocolate is just enough that they taste like an indulgence. If you really want a lower calorie snack, you can always cut them into 20 bars instead of 16. They will still be more than satisfying.

Heaven in a bar :) :)

Ingredients:

• ½ cup dry roasted peanuts or other nuts
• ½ cup roasted unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1 2/3 cups raisins or other chopped dried fruit
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips
• 2 cups rolled or instant oats
• ¼ cup toasted wheat germ (optional)
• 2 cups toasted or puffed whole grain cereal (I use Arrowhead Mills Puffed Millet. You can use Rice Krispies in a pinch but they are not whole grain)
• ½ cup creamy natural peanut butter or other nut butter
• ½ cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

ONE: Coat a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray. Combine peanuts, sunflower seeds, raisins, chocolate chips, oats, cereal, and wheat germ in a large bowl. Mix well.

TWO: Combine peanut butter and honey in a large microwaveable bowl (tip: Use a 2 cup glass measuring cup. Pour the 1/2 cup of honey in first and then just drop plops of peanut butter in until the level reaches 1 cup. This saves you from measuring out the ½ cup of peanut butter and making another utensil dirty).

THREE: Microwave on High for 1 minute, stir well, and microwave for an additional minute or until bubbling. Add vanilla and stir until blended.

FOUR: Pour half of the peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients and mix it for a good 5 minutes until it's almost completely coated. I've found that the best way to mix it is to use the side of a large stiff rubber spatula and cut through the mix over and over while rotating the bowl. That breaks up all the clumps of moistened ingredients so that any remaining dry ingredients can be incorporated (I’ve tried using my hands before but so much of the sticky stuff gets stuck to them that my bars end up crumbly).

FIVE: Once it's totally mixed, pour the other half of the peanut butter mixture in, scraping every last drop out of the measuring cup. Repeat the slicing and mixing again. The mixing is so important because anything that is not sticking together going into the pan will likely not stick to the bar coming out.

SIX: Once the mixture has formed into a fairly solid ball, transfer it to the prepared pan. Press down firmly (it helps to coat your fingers with cooking spray). Really put some muscle into it because the harder you press the mixture down, the firmer the granola bars will be (I actually stand on a little stool to make me higher above my counter so that I can put more of my body weight into it. I don’t mess around on the pressing part).

SEVEN: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to harden (I always let mine stay in the fridge overnight) and once firm, cut into bars (works best if you cut them into 16 short, fat bars instead of long, skinny bars).

If making 2 batches at once, measure and mix the first batch separately, press into the pan, and then place a layer of wax paper over the top. You can then measure and mix the second batch and press it into the pan on top of the first.

Individually wrap the bars as soon as possible so they don’t dry out and crumble (Glad Press n’ Seal works really well) and keep in the fridge or at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Freeze wrapped granola bars in a freezer bag. I put a week's worth in the fridge at a time and keep the other individually wrapped batches in gallon ziploc bags in the freezer. Once the fridge stash is gone I transfer another week’s from the freezer to the fridge and they are thawed and ready to eat when I need them.

Tip: I recommend cutting and wrapping your granola bars when your kids are napping because, if they're anything like mine, they will have what we call G-Bar Radar. My boys can smell a batch of granola bars a mile away and will flock to the kitchen and stand there begging for bites :)

Is that Granola Bars I smell?!?!

I can alllllmost reach.....

Success!!

Totally worth the effort :)

NUTRITION INFO:

Per 1 bar serving (cut into 16 bars)- 293 Calories (95 Calories from Fat), 11g Fat, 2g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 5mg Sodium, 44g Total Carbohydrates, 5g Dietary Fiber, 22g Sugars, 9g Protein, 0% DV Vitamin A, 1% DV Vitamin C, 3% DV Calcium, 11% DV Iron

Per 1 bar serving (cut into 20 bars)- 234 Calories (76 Calories from Fat), 9g Fat, 2g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 4mg Sodium, 35g Total Carbohydrates, 4g Dietary Fiber, 17g Sugars, 7g Protein, 0% DV Vitamin A, 1% DV Vitamin C, 2% DV Calcium, 9% DV Iron
:)

Joan's Clean Eating Healthy Homemade Hummus

My family lives on this. In fact hummus was one of Colwynn’s first words… Dada, clock, hummus… not Mama, even though Mama was the one MAKING the hummus, but anyway :)


This recipe comes from another one of my great friends, Joan. She runs this amazing workout class for moms in Jacksonville called Stroller Strength and I’m proud to say I was one of the original members. If you live anywhere near Jacksonville, FL you should definitely check it out. When I was pregnant with Colwynn, I gained 34 lbs and could barely walk at the end. It took me almost 6 months to feel like myself again. I started Joan’s class when Col was a year old and got pregnant with Theron a few months later. Fast forward nine months and I gained 18 lbs, ran 2 miles the day before he was born, was only in labor for 2 hours (I’m not kidding, Theron was almost born in the car), and ran an 8 ½ minute mile 3 weeks later. Her class is that amazing.


So what does this have to do with hummus? Well this is Joan’s recipe and everything she touches is magic, that’s what :) I usually triple or quadruple it and make a huge batch. It’s a very sad day in our house when I reach into the freezer and find out that the hummus is all gone. This is also great to whip out for unexpected guests.

Ingredients:

• 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground cumin
• Pinch cayenne
• 3 Tbsp juice from 1-2 lemons
• ¼ cup water
• 6 Tbsp tahini, stirred well
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

ONE: Put chickpeas, garlic, salt, cumin, and cayenne in a food processor; process until fully ground. Scrape down sides with a spatula.

TWO: With the machine still running, slowly add the lemon juice and water and continue to process for one minute. Scrape down the sides with a spatula again.

THREE: In small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the tahini and 2 Tbsp oil. With the machine still running, add the oil-tahini mixture in a steady stream through the feed tube. Continue to process until smooth and creamy, scraping down sides as needed. Transfer to a bowl and, if desired, top with some reserved chick peas and drizzle with olive oil.

Freeze using the small portions method. 2 cubes equals one serving. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds on full power, stir, and heat another 5-10 seconds. If it seems a little dry, just stir in a tiny bit of olive oil.