Chocolate Banana Muffins

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     I just realized that the majority of my posts involve bananas... they just taste so good! But I've gotta say, the banana+chocolate combo is even better.

     I made this recipe about 6 months ago while I was in school (yes, I was procrastinating). I was in the mood for something chocolatey but I had a few bananas on hand. I put them together in a baked good hoping that it would be a good combination, but sadly, my first batch was not very tasty--it smelled of chocolate but it tasted like plain banana bread to me, however that may be because my tastebuds cannot detect chocolate anymore after inhaling so many when I was younger...  So, my second batch needed more chocolate (oh, and a little bit more moisture, it was on the dry end).  Turns out, I needed to make a total of 3 batches to get the perfect banana//chocolate balance!  I went on FoodGawker to see if anyone else made Chocolate Banana Muffins, and apparently lots of people do! I found quite a few recipes, but many of them had daunting ingredients lists. One recipe called for 1-2/3 cups of sugar and another called for 14 tbs of butter (that's almost 1 cup!). Why make muffins using those ingredients when you can make it so much healthier and tastier? I mean, no one wants a heart attack in a muffin liner. That is why these muffins were made.

     This cake is low-cholesterol, low-sugar, and full of antioxidants from the cacao powder and bananas.

Peanut Butter Protein Balls

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These are definitely one of my favorite snacks--they are so easy to make, modify, and eat!  The recipe hasn't failed me yet (I don't think anything with peanut butter has failed me!)

Peanut Butter Protein Balls:  [high protein, vegan]
(makes 3-4 ping pong ball-sized balls)       source: BodyRock.tv
  32g (1 scoop) Vanilla Protein Powder (vegans, use soy protein)
  42g (2 tbs) Honey or Agave
  32g (2 tbs) Natural Peanut Butter (no sugar/salt/oil added)

Directions:
1. Put the protein powder in a bowl, then the honey and stir
2. Pour in the peanut butter (creamy PB is easier than chunky)
3. Stir until everything is incorporated (it takes a while, but if you need more honey or something, add it now)
4. Add any toppings you want (pictured below)
4. Roll into balls with your hands, and refrigerate to harden (if you are not eating it immediately)

Modifications:
-You can use dried nonfat milk powder instead of protein powder, but adjust amount to create same texture
-Add any toppings you want, like slivered almonds, dried fruit, etc... or what I like to use (pictured below)

Note: I wouldn't recommend almond butter or a neutral tasting nut butter (like cashew) because it tastes a little bland.  I also tried this with chocolate protein powder and didn't like it, but you might, so you can use that and some regular cocoa powder if you want.

Here are some possible mix-ins:

These are my favorite pairings:

dark chocolate chips and flaked coconut

ground flaxseed and rolled oat coating

raisins and crumbled walnuts

If you want to hide a surprise inside of the ball, you can flatten it out like pictured, wrap it and roll it into a ball.

This snack is a tasty, balanced snack with energy-providing healthy fats, long-lasting carbs, and complete proteins.  Low-glycemic foods provide constant and prolonged energy levels so your blood sugar doesn't spike and crash as it would if you were to eat a pop tart--both the pop tart and these protein balls taste really good, but the pop tart has no benefit, so choose the protein balls!  You won't get hungry right away and you'll feel good about eating them  :)

So cute!

As requested, here is a nutrition label:

The sodiym level is a bit high because I made the label using egg protein powder (it was all I had on hand), which tends to have a higher sodium content than whey or soy, etc.  Too bad the label doesn't show all the other vitamins and minerals from the PB, a very healthy nut  :)

PS: check out the chocolate version here!

Green Monster #4

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This Green Monster recipe is dedicated to Father's Day... just a simple recipe for a great dad :)

Green Monster #3

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Yup, another Green Monster recipe... I'm on a roll!

Dark Chocolate Coconut Cake

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:(      You know when you're making a cake, and the batter seems absolutely perfect? As you put the pan in the oven you think, "Oh, this is gonna taste amazing!" If you're like me, you peer through the oven window every 5 minutes or so, and smile when you see how it is perfectly rising. When the toothpicks come out clean and the cake has cooled, it's time to taste it. And for those of you who make your own recipes or change up other recipes drastically, you have probably experienced the saddening first bites of an experiment gone wrong.  This cake... was one of them.

^^ this looks pretty yummy right?

Green Monster #2

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Yay, my second Green Monster recipe!  And just as healthy as the last one  :)

     This smoothie was smooth and creamy from the avocado, sweet from the Naked juice and stevia, and satisfying from the perfect balance between healthy fats, fiber and protein.

Green Monster #1

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When some people hear the word, "healthy," they immediately associate the word with, tasteless, boring and unappealing. Yes, it is true that some healthy foods are bland and not very appetizing, but there are so many healthy good-tasting foods out there that aren't getting enough "press." One being, Green Monsters... basically a fruit smoothie with a little spinach inside! And no, you can't taste the spinach. This is an easy way to sneak a veggie into your day without noticing  :)