Healthy Chocolate Banana Bran Muffins!

MMMmmmmm.... have a craving for some delicious chocolate banana muffins, but not sure how to do them up in a healthy way? Here is a great recipe from my friend Brenda's kitchen - who just happens to be a very talented dietician as well! With a good dose of fiber and protein, they are satisfying while being nicely portion controlled as well!

Makes 16 muffins.

Wet Ingredients:

• 3 bananas
• 1 “kid size” container apple sauce (100 ml)
• ¾ cup of 1% milk
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 egg
• 1egg white

Combine wet ingredients and mix on low speed.

Dry Ingredients:

• 3 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup oat bran
• ¼ cup chocolate chips
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Add wet ingredients top dry and mix until just mixed (do not over mix… about 25 strokes).

Spoon batter into muffin pans and bake for approximately 18 mins at 350 F.

Nutrition Info:

Calories per muffin: 210 kcal

Carbohydrates 35 g

Protein : 6 g

Fat : 7 g

Fiber: 4 g

If you don't find them sweet enough, you can try adding a few packs (1g each) of Splenda to the batter.

Dr. Sue © 2010 www.drsue.ca drsuetalks@gmail.com

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Deliciously Calorie Wise Spaghetti!

Yes, even spaghetti can be done in a healthy way. Oil free, with extra lean ground beef and a portion of multigrain noodles, and you're off to the races!! I was inspired by my friends in Calgary and Switzerland to produce this delicious recipe. The trick to making this taste fabulous are to use fresh basil and garlic. A small portion of red wine (50 calories' worth, to be exact) makes it taste totally gourmet.

Sauce Ingredients:

• 700g extra lean ground beef
  
• Sone large can of diced tomato (28 oz)
• one can tomato paste, sugar free (5.5 oz)
• 1/4 cup red wine
  
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• one handful fresh basil, chopped
• dried oregano, 1 tbsp or to taste
• one small zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 red, orange, or yellow pepper, chopped
• 4-5 packs Splenda (1g each), to taste
• ground pepper to taste

Noodles: Catelli Healthy Harvest Multigrain Spaghetti (375g box)

1. Cook ground beef with onion and garlic in a medium pot, until the beef is completely cooked through and brown. Add tomato and tomato paste and simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 15-20 minutes, to allow flavors to mix. If you like crispier veggies, try adding them in later - eg 10 minutes before simmering is complete.

2. For 2 people, cook 1/4 of the box of noodles according to package directions while the sauce is a simmerin'!


The sauce as above provides SIX servings (Who doesn't love leftovers? I made two family members happy with this one on different nights this week!) PER serving: 220 cal, 23g protein

One serving of noodles, as above (1/8 box or 42g dry): 150 cal, 5g protein, 4.5g fiber

Kraft Lite Parmesan (grated): add one tbsp on top for taste - 22 cal, 2.5g protein

TOTAL: If you ladle one serving of sauce over the portion of noodles above, with 1 tbsp of parmesan: just under 400 calories, and 30g of protein!!

Bon Appetit!

Dr. Sue © 2010 www.drsue.ca drsuetalks@gmail.com

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