Really? Cake?!?!?! Yes!! This cake is pretty darn healthy and crazy good at the same time! I stole the recipe from Clean Eating Magazine and tweaked it a bit to my liking. It's a recipe you can feel good about serving and enjoy while you eat!

Ingredients:

* 2 1/2 c. Spelt flour
* 3 tsp cinnamon
* 3 tsp baking powder
* 2 tsp baking soda
* 1 tsp sea salt
* 1 C Golden raisins
* 2 tsp flax seed
* 2 egg whites
* 4 tsp water
* 1 c. honey or agave nectar (I use half each)
* 2/3 c unsweetened apple sauce
* 1/2 c. plain yogurt
* 3 T vegetable, safflower, or olive oil
* 2 tsp vanilla extract
* 1 1/4 c firmly packed grated carrots (use the food processor!!!)
* 1/2 c chopped walnuts
* 3/4 c. plain low fat cream cheese
* 1 T honey
* 1 lemon juice and zest divided


Preheat oven to 300*. Spray a 9x9 square baking dish with cooking spray. In a small bowl combine all ingredients from spelt flour through flax seed and stir. In a separate bowl, whisk water and egg whites until bubbly. Add honey, apple sauce, yogurt, oil and vanilla and whisk until combined. Stir flour mixture into liquid mixture and stir just until smooth. Fold in grated carrots and walnuts. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. If top begins to over brown, cover with a layer of foil.

To make cream cheese drizzle: Heat cream cheese on high about 10-15 sec. Add honey, a pinch of lemon zest and 2 tsp lemon juice. Stir. Add water a few drops at a time until consistency is that of thick cream.

To serve: Drizzle cream cheese mixture over each individual slice on the plate.

Sweet Potatoes- YUM!

The sweet potato is one of the world's healthiest foods and delicious, too! Read all about the health benefits of the sweet potato right here: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=64

I love to eat sweet potatoes and they lend themselves well to a variety of preparation methods. Here are two of my favorites!

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:
4 sweet potatoes -- i like to make lots :D
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp season salt (I probably use a bit more but I LOVE season salt)**
** Be aware that most season salt has sugar in it. If you are trying to cut out sugar, either look for one without sugar or season with sea salt, a dash of red pepper, a dash of cinnamon, and a sprinkle of paprika)

~ Slice the sweet potatoes into french fry shape. If you are lazy like me, you will just cut circular slices about 1 cm in thickness and then slice those in half to make half-moon shapes.

~ Place the slices into a ziplock bag and drizzle in the olive oil. Add the season salt or the seasoning mixture. Mush the bag all around until all the pieces have some seasoning and coating on them.

~ Spread the sweet potato fries onto a baking sheet in a single layer. You will probably need two sheets and you can put them on seperate racks in the oven just fine. I like to spray the top with olive oil spray or Pam cooking spray but it works fine without that step.

~ Bake at 400* for about 30 minutes or until the fries are slightly browned. Enjoy!

~ I dip mine in sour cream.....


Sauteed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:
4 sweet potatoes
2 tsp olive oil
sea salt

~ Cut the sweet potatoes as described in the above recipe. Layer onto a microwave safe plate and cook on high power for 5 minutes.

~ Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

~ Add the sweet potatoes and cover. Allow to cook for a minute or two and then stir/flip/etc. Cover and repeat.

~ Once the potatoes are fully cooked through, emove the lid and turn the heat up for a bit of browning. The moisture will evaporate and the potatoes can be easily moved around the pan until they brown lightly.

Stuffed Red Peppers

Oh.my.goodness! These are delicious like you would not believe! Enjoy tons of veggies and have the option to add some leftover chicken or ground beef if you have it hanging around. So filling and jam-packed with all the good stuff you need to fuel your next workout, and the filling can be eaten alone as a great lunch.

Ingredents:
2 large red peppers, hollowed
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
1 squash, diced
1 zucchini, diced
10 baby carrots, diced
1 sm. can of corns
1 can kidney beans
1 C. cooked quinoa, amaranth, brown rice, bulgur, or any mixture of these grains
1 C chopped chicken, if desired (I like to use leftovers!)
1 T chili powder
2-3 T pesto (ready made or homemade)
Shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Fill a 2 Quart pot with water and place on high heat until the water boils. Drop the hollowed red peppers into the water and boil for 5 minutes. Remove and place in a 9x13 pan. Preheat oven to 350*

2. In a frying pan, heat 1 tsp olive oil. Add garlic, onion, carrots, zucchini, and squash. Salt and pepper as desired. Saute until onion is tender and transparent.

3. Add in corn, kidney beans, and cooked grains. Add Chicken, if desired. Stir in pesto and chili powder.

4. Fill the peppers with the mixture and top with cheese. Bake for 20 min

I like to drizzle these with balsamic vinegar right before I eat them! YUM!

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

Here's a new, healthy twist on a family favorite!

Ingredients


1 Spaghetti Squash approx 12-14" long (looks yellow and football shaped)
1 lb ground beef
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed


Heat over to 350*. With a large kitchen knife, cut squash in half. Scoop out seeds. Place open face down on greased/sprayed cookie sheet. Cook for 45-60 minutes ,or until the rind is easily pierced. Remove from oven to cool.

In a saute pan, turn to medium and saute the onions and garlic in 1/2 tbsp olive oil until translucent. Add ground beef, and brown it. When beef is cooked, add sauce to mixture.

Scrape out the flesh of the squash with a fork. It should come out stringy, like spaghetti. You may want to add a bit of salt and butter to squash before plating to bring out the flavor. Place on plate, and top with meat sauce, and Parmesan cheese (to taste).

Flourless Brownies

Ok, I know you are skeptical. I was too!!! But make them once and you will see that these taste delicious and best of all, no one will ever guess that black beans are the secret ingredient in this recipe! I stole this recipe from Whole foods and tweaked it a little bit....

Ingredients
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed **
3 large eggs
1/3 cup melted butter, more for the baking dish
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cane sugar
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
Powdered sugar to sprinkle on top

Method
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch baking pan. Place the black beans, eggs, melted butter, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Remove the blade and carefully stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan. Bake the brownies for 30 to 35 minutes, or until just set in the center. Cool before cutting into squares.

** Use the lowest sodium black beans you can find. Usually the organic, vegetarian ones are lowest in sodium. If you use the no salt added ones, then add 1/8 tsp salt to recipe

Butternut Squash and Goulash Stuff

I love butternut squash. Not just like it… I really, really love it! I think it intimidates a lot of people at the grocery store because it is kind of weird looking and no one actually knows what the heck to do with it. Well, I am telling you now that it is a gem of a vegetable and you can do lots with it. So, here I will tell you how to cook it my favorite way and then you can eat it like that as a good side dish or top it with the recipe underneath--- sooooooo good!

To cut up a butternut squash: I usually lie it on its side and cut the top “stem off” to separate it from the “bulb-like” thing at the bottom that contains the seeds. I like to choose squash that have a HUGE stem because that is the easiest part to cut up and if I makes enough I just might not bother with the bottom. Set the stem on end and shave the knife down the outside all around to remove the skin. Cut the flesh into squares about ½ in x ½ in.

To cook it: Place the cubes on a plate and cook them in the microwave for about 5 min. Meanwhile heat a sauté pan on the stove with either a smidge of butter or a bit of olive oil. Drop the partially cooked cubes into the pan and sauté over medium high heat. Don’t over stir them, though. Let them sit in one spot for a few minutes, then move them and let them sit again. This way you get some browned spots. Season with salt and pepper or my personal favorite, seasoned salt.

Beef Goulash Topping stuff

This stuff is great because it uses up all the bits and pieces of veggies in the fridge You can use any combo of squash, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, carrots, eggplant, celery, spinach, whatever needs to be eaten. I will put my basic combo below, but know that any veggies work.

Ingredients:

1 lb extra lean ground beef, venison, ground turkey, or veggie crumbles
2 cloves garlic
½ onion
2 stalks celery
8-10 baby carrots
8 oz mushrooms. Sliced and chopped
1 squash or zucchini
2 T Bisquick, flour, or bread crumbs
Seasoned salt
Worcestershire sauce
Cheddar cheese, shredded

Spray a pan with cooking spray and sauté garlic, onion, mushrooms, celery, carrots, and squash for 2-3 minutes. Add meat and continue to cook stirring until meat is fully cooked and veggies are tender. Add a dash of seasoned salt, a couple splashes of Worcestershire sauce, and Bisquick. Stir again. Spoon onto a plateful of butternut squash or rice and top with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese.

PIZZA Night!!!

What athlete doesn’t love pizza? And the best thing about pizza is that it can be kid friendly AND healthy AND full of all the good stuff your body needs to power through hard workouts and daily life. I usually make pizza dough in the morning and then set it out on the porch (covered) after work while I go run with a group or bike or whatever. To make it faster, you can also cut up the onions, peppers, etc beforehand or use a rotisserie chicken from the store instead of grilling chicken breasts.
Crust: This makes either 2 very thin pizzas or one thick crust pizza on a standard cookie sheet.
1 C whole wheat flour
1 C unbleached white flour, plus extra as needed
1 T sugar
2 Tsp garlic salt
¾ C very warm water (as hot as you can get from the sink)
1 pkg. active yeast
2 T olive oil

Combine the first 4 ingredients and mix well. Dump the package of yeast in a heap off to one side of the bowl. Pour the water right onto the yeast and add the olive oil. Mix everything well. If mixture is very moist, add some white flour a little at a time until it forms a ball. At this point the dough can be refrigerated, covered, for about 24 hours. Place the dough in the bowl in a warm place covered with a clean dish cloth or plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 45 min to an hour. Punch down and roll out on a greased cookie sheet or pizza stone. Allow to rise on the pan or stone for another 15 minutes and then bakes at 425* for 14-20 minutes or until desired crispiness, depending on thickness.
Topping: Pizza has so many possibilities for flavor combinations, but this is my personal favorite.
Pizza Sauce—I prefer the RAGU sauce with no sugar added (light? Maybe)
Chicken breasts, thawed
Plum or Roma Tomatoes, cut into slices
Red pepper and green pepper, cut into strips
Onion, thinly sliced
Sliced mushrooms
Fresh garlic, diced or minced
Fresh Basil, chopped, 5-7 leaves
Feta cheese, ½ cup
Mozzarella Cheese, 1-2 cups

Heat a pan over medium high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. When the pan is heated through, add the chicken breasts. They should sizzle upon contact. Salt and pepper as desired. Allow to cook for 4-5 minutes, then flip and cover to done. Meanwhile, lightly sauté the peppers, mushrooms, onions, and garlic until the veggies are crisp-tender.
To construct the pizza, spoon sauce over crust and top with sliced tomatoes. Spread the cooked vegetables evenly over crust. Slice chicken breast and distribute over pizza. Sprinkle basil, feta, and mozzarella on top. Bake at 425*until cheese is melted. Then broil for an additional 5 min or until cheese bubbles and begins to lightly brown.

Ta-Da! Enjoy pizza perfection!

Warm orzo salad

This is such a yummy recipe loaded with nutrients and flavor. It is easy to make and can be eaten as a solo vegetarian dish or as a side dish. I like this as a night before race meal or after a lunchtime run for an easy and tasty lunch that can be eaten hot or cold.....

Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo pasta or I prefer Arborio Rice
4 cups broccoli florets, steamed
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 c onion, chopped
1/2 cup pitted black olives, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 C white wine
1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles

Method
Cook orzo or rice as directed. Add broccoli, tomatoes, green onions, olives, pine nuts, olive oil, wine, salt and pepper in the last few minutes and toss gently to combine. Top with feta cheese and serve.

New Orleans Style Shrimp

Shrimp is one of my FAVORITE seafoods but I hate peeling them raw....blech! I like this recipe because it is perfect for a busy family and I don't have to touch the slimy little boogers. Make the marinade the night before. When you get home from work, throw the shrimp into a bowl with the marinade and go get in a run. When you get back, pack them in foil and toss them in the oven while you make a quick salad, some broccoli, a baked potato, or even some black beans. A full meal that totally nutritious and even allowed for at least a 3 mile run. What's not to love?!?

New Orleans Style Shrimp

3 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T lemon juice
1 T butter, melted
2 t fresh rosemary, chopped
2 t fresh garlic, chopped
½ t dried thyme
½ t hot pepper sauce
¼ t ground pepper
¼ t ground red pepper
2 lb unpeeled large shrimp
2 lemons,sliced into ¼ in slices


Combine first 11 ingredients in large bowl; toss well. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425*.
Fold 4 sheets of aluminum foil in half crosswise. Open; remove shrimp mixture from bowl. Reserve marinade. Place shrimp on foil; drizzle marinade evenly over each packet. Fold foil over shrimp; seal tightly.

Place packets on baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.

4 servings

Granola Bars

Ok, here it is. You've begged and pleaded and I finally am doing it. I will type out the basic recipe first and then list all the different modifications. I make a batch of these every week and it literally take like 5 minutes to mix them up and maybe 15-18 minutes to bake them.

Ingredients:
4 C rolled oats
1 C whole wheat flour
1/4 C wheat germ (optional) or crushed flax seed
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C Sunflower seeds, pepitas, walnuts, slivered almonds, pecans, or other nut
1 C any combination of craisins, raisins, dried apricots, dried apples, dates, etc
2/3 C Peanut butter
1 T vegetable oil
1 egg
1/4 C water
1/2 C honey, maple syrup, or sugar free syrup

Combine all these ingredients in a bowl with a mixer. It should have a consistency of oatmeal cookies. If not, add another Tbsp of water or so until proper consistency is reached. Press the mixture down into a 9x13 pan and bake at 325* for 15-20 minutes.

To decrease the calories: So if you are really trying to watch calories and these are a bit dense for your needs, then you can substitute half of the peanut butter with canned pumpkin or applesauce or really with any fruit puree you like. Also, use sugar free pancake syrup in place of honey.

Flavor Combinations: These are just some of the combos I like:
* sunflower seeds, pepitas, craisins, apricots
* walnuts, apples, cinnamon
* pumpkin, walnut, raisins

Asian Broccoli Slaw

This is a great (EASY) side dish that is low in calories, high in flavor, full of good-for-you foods and the perfect compliment to a meal on a hot summer day.

Ingredients:

1 pkg Broccoli Slaw (available in the produce section of both Walmart and Publix)
1/2 C- 1 C (as desired) Ken's Steakhouse Lite Asian Sesame Salad dressing
1 C diced fresh or canned pineapple (drained)
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
Ginger (either a dash of the powder or up to a Tbsp of the fresh stuff)
1/2 C Peanuts (optional)

Combine the slaw, pineapple, red pepper, and ginger in a bowl. Pour half the salad dressing over top and stir. If more dressing is desired, add it. Allow to sit for 20 minutes or up to 1 day before serving. The flavors intensify with time. Garnish with the peanuts, either whole or chopped.

Delish!

Marathon Cookies

Yes, that's right... cookies and marathon in the same line. You know it has to be good! These cookies were developed for Brian because he struggled so much with getting in food/calories before long runs. They are quite simple to make and really yummy. The peanut butter offers some good fats and a bit of protein and the oats provide slow digesting carbs to help prevent a sugar crash. These are great before during or after a run as they are easily digestible and really, who can't gulp down a cookie no matter what time of day it is!

Ingredients:

1 stick butter , softened
1/2 C peanut butter (I like Skippy Natural)
3/4 C brown sugar
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 C quick oats
1 C + 2 Tbsp flour
chocolate chips, M&M's, Reese's Pieces or any combination of these (I use a king size bag if I use the candies....)

Preheat oven to 350* Combine the first 6 ingredients in a bowl and mix until creamy with a mixer. Add salt, baking soda and oats and mix again. Add flour. Mix again and slowly add in the chocolate pieces. Scoop dough out onto a greased cookie sheet and bake 12-15 min. Allow to cool on sheet and then remove. These freeze well or keep in a tupperware container for up to about 10 days.

The Infamous Oatmeal Pancake!

This is the breakfast that Becca starts most days with, and most certainly every race day! It's filling, a great balance of carbs and protein, and tastes great with peanut butter or light syrup.

1/2 c instant oats

4 egg whites

a dash of salt

2 packets of sweetener or 1.5 tbsp of baking splenda

A shake of cinnamon

1/4c water

Preheat an omelet pan on medium high. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and mix vigorously to a consistant texture. Let it sit while the pan heats up. Spray the pan with Pam (or other spray oil). When the pan is heated, pour mixture in and shake pan to level out. Let it cook until the top of the pancake looks less moist, and when the bottom is browned. Flip and turn off the pan. Let the pancake coast in to finish. Give it about 3 minutes and take out of the pan.

Pancake toppers:

Peanut Butter

Syrup

Jams and Jellies

Stuff you can add to spice it up:

Chocolate Chips (Brian's choice)

Walnuts

Craisins

Pecans

1/4 c canned pumpkin (not pie filling! This is Becca's current flavor of choice)

Country Ribs and Roasted Vegetables.....

and plenty of time to get in a workout! This recipe uses boneless pork--- country ribs, pork shoulder, tenderloin, it really doesn't matter. You could also use chicken if you don't like the thought of eating pig. A whole chicken or even bone-in breasts would work great! The veggies are just yummy and timeless with any meal. Roasted vegetables are so good because the roasting brings out maximum sweetness and flavor.

Ingredients:

Pork or Chicken-- I like the leanest boneless country ribs I can find
3 T Orange Marmalade- regular, low sugar, all natural, sugar free, doesn't matter
1/2 C Ketchup
2-3 cloves Garlic

1 Eggplant
2 C baby Carrots
1 Pkg fresh asparagus
1 Red Pepper, cut into thick strips (optional)
salt
pepper
Olive Oil

Place the meat in a crockpot in the morning with 1/2 C water. Salt and Pepper as desired (or I like to use Everglade's Seasoning which you can get at Publix). Combine the ketchup, orange marmalade and the garlic and dump it in on top of the meat. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low if it will be closer to 8-9 hours.

Feel free to hit the gym or get in a run after work because dinner will be ready within 20 min of getting home!

To cook the veggies, preheat the oven to 350* (I like to set my time bake for the oven to come on right before I get home so it is hot and ready when I get there). Cut the eggplant into thick strips about 1/2 in x 1/2 in and however long you want. Rinse the asparagus and carrots. Toss all the veggies in a bowl, drizzle with Olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss them onto a cookie sheet trying not to get them in a bunch of layers. Spread them out. Set the timer for 20 min and go play ball with the dog or kids.

Dinner is ready. Just like that!

Getting the most out of rice

Rice is one food that can be argued and debated forever; from what kind to how to prepare. This is merely how we prepare it in our house, as well as a delicious dish you can make from it. We tend to use jasmine rice primarily, due to the awesome flavor. Yes, it's white rice, but it's not bleached. It's just tasty.

First step is to heat up a pot (on medium high heat) and add 1/2 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Then, add 1 or 1.5 cups of jasmine rice. Liberally salt the rice and stir to eavenly coat the rice with the oil. Let the rice brown for 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times. This will release alot of flavor and aroma. After it's browned, add 1.25 cups of chicken broth per 1/2 cup of rice. Turn the heat to high, cover the rice, and then wait til it boils. Once it boils, turn it to medium low and let cook for 15 minutes, or until the broth is totally absorbed.

That's all. It's done.

But to add a unique twist to rice, here's what you do:

Before you throw in the rice to sautee, sautee half an onion and 2 cloves of garlic for a couple of minutes. Then throw in the rice and cook as listed above. Once the rice is cooked, throw in half a bag of spinach. You will have to do this in handfuls as it will need to wilt to all fit in. Then, throw in 1/2 cup of dried cherries. Mix it all together, and voila!

Product Spotlight: Jamaica Me Crazy!

From time to time, we are going to put the spotlight on a product that we tend to use often. We feel as though it's something that can really spice up your kitchen! (No pun intended.)

The first such product is Jamaica Me Crazy Seasoned Sea Salt. We go through this stuff like water. It has the perfect mixture of salt to seasoning that will add a tropical bite to any dish. From crockpot dishes to salsas, this goes on most every Latin dish we make. Heck, you'll see this sprinkled on our omelettes from time to time!

Our specialty dish that uses this ingredient is our own avocado salsa. This salsa can be used for chips, but often times we use it to top black beans and rice, fajitas, or soft tacos. It's full of flavor that comes from fresh ingredients and of course, Jamaica Me Crazy!

Avocado Salsa

1 Hass Avocado, slightly soft to the touch

4 Roma/Plum Tomatoes

1/2 c Cilantro

1/2 Sweet Onion (Or if not in season, purple onion)

Lime Juice

Jamaica Me Crazy Seasoned Sea Salt

Dice avocado and tomatoes into 1/4" to 1/2" cubes. Roughly chop cilantro. Squeeze about 2 Tbsp lime juice on top and then liberally sprinkle salsa with the sea salt. Mix together. Letting it sit for an hour will help the flavors marry but it is still good right after mixing.

Sun-dried Tomato and Artichoke Couscous

This is another quick standby with lots of possible variations. We use it as a one dish meal or as a side dish. It has all the necessaries (as do most of our one dish meals) and is jam-packed with flavors! Couscous is wonderful, as it cooks in moments, and though I prefer the whole wheat kind because it adds a better punch of protein and fiber, the regular couscous works just fine. Make extras to take leftovers as a power packed lunch that is light enough to allow for an after work run or is easy to digest after a lunch time workout.

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1 C Couscous
1 C broth or water
1 Can Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1 Can artichoke hearts, chopped or quartered and drained
1/2 C. Feta Cheese
1 C chopped sundried tomatoes

Lightly Saute the onion and garlic in a tsp of olive oil in a 2 Quart pot over medium high heat. After 2-3 minutes, add the broth and bring to a boil. Pour in the Couscous, cover and remove from heat. Couscous cooks very quickly. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes while you assemble the other ingredients. Then, fluff the couscous with a fork and add the rest of the ingredients.

4 Servings

**You can drizzle a smidge of olive oil over the finished recipe if you love the flavor but I never feel I need to do so. Or you can create a quick oil and vinegar dressing to go over it from olive oil, balsamic dressing, salt, pepper and a squirt of lemon juice.