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Healthy Eating Tips From Stacey

By Stacey Edenbaum January 12, 2017

Healthy banana chocolate chip muffins are easy to make. By substituting applesauce for cooking oil, the fat content is reduced.  Using steel cut oats and whole wheat flour adds fiber which is an important because it keeps things moving in the digestive tract and makes us feel full.  These foods are good sources of vitamins and nutrients that may help reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and obesity.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour
  • 1cup Steel Cut Oats
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • ¼ cup skim milk
  • 1 cup mashed banana (use ripe bananas)

 STEPS 

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease 12 muffin cups with no oil cooking spray or use muffin paper liners.
  2. Mix whole wheat flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and chocolate chips together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs until frothy;  Pour applesauce, skim milk and banana into the eggs.  Add the moist ingredients into dry ingredients, stir until moistened.  Place mixture into muffin cups about ¾ full.
  3. Bake approximately 16-18 minutes in preheated oven.  Don’t remove until a toothpick inserted in center of muffins comes out clean.

SUBSTITUTING INGREDIENTS FOR HEALTHIER OPTIONS:

  • Instead of butter - use unsweetened applesauce or baby food prunes.
  • Instead of heavy cream - use evaporated skim milk.
  • Instead of mayonnaise - use plain yogurt.
  • Instead of bread crumbs - use rolled oats or crushed bran cereal.
  • Instead of mashed potatoes, rice, mac-n-cheese, pizza crust - use cauliflower.
  • Instead of sugar - use nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla.
  • Instead of syrup - use pureed fruit, applesauce.                                 

Simple changes can make big differences and we want our children to develop good eating habits from a young age.  By incorporating healthy ingredients into a recipe you can improve the nutrition quality without sacrificing the flavor.  Never give up and continue to reintroduce foods often.  Stay tuned for next week’s recipe and tips.  For further information or to set up private and group sessions please contact Stacey Edenbaum at stacey.edenbaum@gmail.com.