Category: Healthy

Basic French Crepes

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Basic French Crepes

  • Servings: 10
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Here is a basic crepe batter that is easy, tasty, and can be ready in minutes. The ingredients are usually readily available in any house. These are low in calorie, it’s up to you what you put in them

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Ingredients

  • 1-1/4 cups of all purpose flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup of low fat milk
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1/4 tsp of salt
  • 2 tbsp of margarine

Directions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk milk, eggs, water, butter
  2. Combine flour and salt in a small bowl
  3. Gradually add the flour to the milk mixture while whisking until smooth
  4. In a nonstick 8 inch pan over medium heat pour 1/4 cup of batter and tilt the pan in a circular motion to coat the bottom evenly with batter
  5. Cook for approximately 1-1/2 minutes until bottom is light brown and flip and cook for another 30 seconds
  6. Place each crepe on a plate separated with wax paper

Nutrition Per Serving (one crepe)

  • Calories 103
  • Sugar 1.5 g
  • Carbohydrates 13.2 g
  • Protein 3.6 g
  • Fiber 0.8 g
  • Fat 3.6 g

Now for the fun part. As a dessert, as seen in picture you can add 1/2 cup of fruit with 1/3 cup of greek vanilla yogourt and this is approximately 180 cal. That is one of my favourite ways to do this. For someone where calories and fat don’t matter you could do it with whipped cream. You could do it as a breakfast crepe where you would heat it for 20 seconds in microwave and put Nutella and bananas in it. The possibilities are endless.

Let your imagination go, have fun and make it your own

Oatmeal Carrot Muffins

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Oatmeal Carrot Muffins

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: Easy
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I can not take credit for this recipe. This is a variation from John Ashlie, and Anne Lindsay made it her own and now I have adapted it slightly here.

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup grated carrots
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup margarine melted
  • 1 egg slightly beaten
  • 1 tsp grated orange rind
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 baking soda
  • 3/4 cup raisins
  • 1 tsp of cinnamon

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, pour buttermilk over oats, stir to mix. Cover and left stand for 2 hours or refrigerate overnight.
  2. Mix together carrots, brown sugar, margarine egg and orange rind: stir into oat mixture.
  3. Sift together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, baking soda; stir in raisins. Stir until batter is moistened.
  4. Using an ice-cream scoop (I love this trick) scoop into a lined muffin tin. Should fill just about to the top.
  5. Place in preheated oven at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean. Let stand for 2 minutes

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 145
  • Sugar 13.8 g
  • Carbohydrates 30 g
  • Protein 3.3 g
  • Fiber 1.6 g
  • Fat 1.4 g

These muffins are moist, delicious, healthy and light. What more could we ask for. I like dark raisins but if you prefer the light those are good too. I added some time in the preparation due to the grating of the carrots. 1 large carrot should do it.
Play with the spices, and remember to have fun and make it your own.

Weight management

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There are many reasons for weight management, health being the primary reason. Let’s face it, one of the reasons is vanity. No one likes looking in the mirror and seeing those extra pounds just hanging around. No one likes taking out their favourite outfit and it’s just too snug or doesn’t fit at all.

A friend of mine had a close call with her diabetes, which reinforced the fact that we must maintain a healthy weight with a healthy diet and exercise. It made me look in the mirror and admit that I have quite a few pounds to lose myself.

We all know some of the downfalls of being overweight. Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gallbladder disease, arthritis, joint problems, sleep disorders, menstrual issues and fertility issues. That is beside the emotional well-being of ourselves.

Losing weight is all about a lifestyle change. Eating better, leaner, smaller portions, healthy snacks, and of course being active.

A diet that takes away any of the essentials foods can not be healthy. I’m not a doctor, nor do I claim to be one, but telling me I can’t eat something makes me think I will want it. I like my carbs, take them away, I will lose the 10 or 20 lbs in a short time but the minute I reach that goal, I will sit there in front of a large plate of pasta, with a cream sauce, and have a chocolate molten cake for dessert. Within a few months to a year, I will put that weight back on.

I believe that anything in moderation is fine. I had been followed by a nutritionist a while back and her main thing was portion control and healthy choices. I succeeded at that time losing 75 lbs. Over the last decade I’ve put 40 of those lbs back on. Foods a little richer, portions got a little bigger. Time to get back on track.

For a while, most of the recipes that will be posted will be fat reduced, healthy and tasty. This is no way means, boring, dull, unflavourful, tasteless meals, and no treats. Quite the opposite, let us have fun and make this our own.

Maple-Sweetened Banana Muffins

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Maple-Sweetened Banana Muffins

  • Servings: 12 muffins
  • Difficulty: Easy
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These whole wheat maple sweetened banana muffins are easy to make, with basic ingredients, one bowl and moist. Don’t tell anyone but they are healthy too.

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Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup of vegetable or canola oil
  • 1/2 cup of maple syrup
  • 2 eggs, preferable at room temperature
  • 1 cup of mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium bananas)
  • 1 tsp of baking soda
  • 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp of salt
  • 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, plus a little more for sprinkling on top
  • 1-3/4 cup of whole wheat flour
  • 1/3 cup of rolled oats, plus a little more for sprinkling on top
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar or brown sugar, for sprinkling on top

Directions

  1. Preheat oven at 325. Grease your muffin tin if necessary. I use silicon muffin liners in my pan.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the oil and maple syrup with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well. Mix in the mashed bananas and milk, followed by the baking soda, vanilla extract, salt and cinnamon.
  3. Add flour and oats to the bowl and mix with a large spoon, just until combined. (this is where you would add in any additional ingredients, that make it your own)
  4. Divide the batter evenly between the muffins. (I use an ice-cream scoop filled and it works out pretty good)
  5. Top with sugar, extra oats and cinnamon.
  6. Bake for 22-25 minutes until cake tester or toothpick come out clean from centre.
  7. Place on cooling rack to cool. These muffins will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for 4-7 days. You can also freeze them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months (just defrost individual muffins as needed).

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 208
  • Sugar 12.6 g
  • Carbohydrates 33 g
  • Protein 4.5 g
  • Fiber 3.4 g
  • Fat 7.6 g

Serving suggestions: these muffins are great on their own, or with a pat of butter, or peanut butter. You can have them cold or slightly heated in the micro for no more than 30 seconds.

This is where you can fun. Your add-ins are your creation. You could fold in up to 3/4 cup of chocolate chips, chopped dried fruit including cranberries, cystalized ginger and or chopped nuts. You could put a topping like cream cheese icing or maple glaze. It’s all up to you but remember to have fun and make it your own.

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