Automatic (Healthy) Eating // Tip 4 + Recipe

You know all about my previous and present struggles with sugar (and so-called detoxes). For me, completely cutting it out (a suggestion I've received many times) just isn't an option. I fail. So, I've slowly developed a taste for less sweet treats that are intended more for fueling my body than spiking my glucose levels.

I still eat traditional desserts -- and often -- but if I keep what we have at home in check, I'm in a better place. Take these energy chunks, for example.

// TIP 4: Learn to Love Alternatives

At the start of each week, I like to make up a batch of homemade energy bars or chunks or some other healthed-up snack/dessert option. I make enough for the entire week so I'm not tempted to get out all my baking gear out of desperation on, say, a Wednesday night. That way, if I'm craving something chocolate-ly, and I always have that craving, I have a (healthy) option already on hand.

What I make changes from week to week, but I love playing with this basic Chocolate-Peanut Butter recipe for energy chunks and then modifying it for whatever ingredients I have in my pantry.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND BUTTER ENERGY CHUNKS

What you'll need . . .

• 1 cup steel cut oats
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup natural almond butter
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder

Method . . .

1. Put all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until blended, but still chunky.
2. Add more almond butter if batter is too stiff.
3. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Keep in an airtight container in your fridge.

* You can replace walnuts with other nuts, almond butter with other nut butters, maple syurp with agave, honey, or other natural sweetener, and leave out the cocoa powder. Totally customizable! 


From a purely caloric standpoint, you might not be saving much here. But if your main goal is to feel great, have more stable blood sugar, and consume simple foods (good goal, btw!), making alternative treats is in your favor. You can get the healthy fats, etc. you need, all while feeling satisfied + avoiding the brain fog associated with eating too much pure sugar.

Here are some more ideas:

• Cookie Dough Balls*
• Double-Chocolate Granola-ish Bars
• Nutella Balls
• Cocoa-Hazelnut Energy Chunks
• Maple-Walnut Energy Chunks
• Marathon Chunks
• Chocolate-PB Energy Chunk
• Cacao Energy Chunk
• Runner's World Energy Bars
• Choc-PPB Energy BARS

Alternatives go beyond making entirely different items for those sweet treats you know and love. Something as simple as a swap of applesauce for oil,  natural, low-glycemic sweetners for sugar, or wheat flour for white is all you need to transform a cookie from conventional to healthful. Here's a handy chart to help with ratio calculations.

And don't underestimate the power of adding things INTO a recipe versus taking them away. You can toss in flax meal, nuts, dried fruit, oats, or a number of other good ingredients to make a treat more wholesome.

At very least, you can make small batches in a pinch:

• Half Dozen Chocolate Chippers
• Half Dozen Brownie Cookies
• Half Dozen Peanut Butter Cookies
• Half Dozen GF Chocolate Chippers
• Half Dozen Chocolate + Peanut Butter Cookies

For more healthy dessert and snack ideas, you can browse our recipe archives (vegan selections are noted with *). I try to make good swaps whenever possible. If you'd rather browse via photo, check out our Pinterest board for previous posts.

How do you make treats healthier? What's your favorite recipe?

(If you're catching up, check out tip #1: stock up on frozen veggies + tip #2: buy greens and actually USE them + tip #3: create simple, go-to meals.)

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Mega-Bread with Plums

I bumped up this recipe a bit in the posting schedule. It's that good. Thing is, I'm having trouble coming up with a good name for it. It's a sweet bread, much like banana bread, made with whole wheat flour, flax, coconut flakes, cinnamon, maple syrup, and plums.

Maple-Cinnamon Whole Wheat-Flax Loaf with Coconut and Plums? That just sounds ridiculous. Mega-Bread it is! The base loaf is vegan and mind-blowing. There, I said it. And you can really add in any type of fruit you like.

I should also mention that I experimented with using a new ingredient in baking for the first time ever: Sparkling water! While we were on vacation, I was reading an article in some magaine, maybe it was Family Circle, that suggested using it in all types of things. Even in scrambled eggs.

I have yet to try that method, but I'm intrigued.


Why? I guess sparkling water adds fluffiness. To everything. I did some hunting around and found that -- indeed -- sparkling water can be used as a "substitute for other liquids, such as plain water or alcohol, to create a fluffier batter or dough." (Source)

So, with that new tip in mind, I set out to modify/improve my Banumpkin Bread recipe.


MEGA-BREAD with PLUMS

What you'll need . . .

• 2 cups whole wheat flour 
• Pinch salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes (unsweetened) 
• 3 tablespoons flax meal + 1/2 cup warm water 
• 1/2 cup sparkling water 
• 3/4 cup maple syrup 
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1 cup chopped plums 

Method . . .

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9" or 8" loaf pan and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and coconut flakes. Set aside.
3. In another large bowl, whisk together the flax meal and warm water. Let sit for a couple minutes. Then add in the sparkling water, maple syrup, olive oil, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined.
5. Fold in the plums (we skinned them first and diced).
6. Pour batter into loaf pan. Spread evenly. Bake for 1 hour. Check every half hour or so. 
7. Note: Ours needed 1 hr and 5 minutes to cook fully. Check done-ness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the loaf.

Top with some Earth Balance or butter and enjoy. Bread should last in an air-tight container -- preferably in the fridge -- for up to a week. However, ours is almost gone and we made it yesterday afternoon.

Verdict on the sparkling water?

It worked surprisingly well. I've followed recipes and created many of my own for vegan sweet breads. They have all had something in common: the goop-factor. Undesirably dense and moist no matter how long they stay in the oven. This one cooked the whole way through and didn't sit in my stomach like a brick.


Today on Writing Chapter Three we're writing about protein and Our Vegetarian Baby. Be sure to check out the mothering Mother GIVEAWAY we have going on. And stay tuned tomorrow for a fitness-related post about Pushing Yourself. How far is too far? What isn't enough?

If you haven't yet, consider visiting the main site to check out the improvements we've made to the look/feel. We took your suggestions to heart and think things are running much more smoothly these days.

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Cookies for Breakfast

As is usual, I read Ashley's blog first thing this morning and was greeted by pure deliciousness. She declares herself more of a vanilla girl, next to an image of some awesome chocolate grahams in chocolate oats. Are you salivating yet? I am. Well, we also have a chocolate and oat recipe for you today.

Guess great minds think alike!


I made these double chocolate chippers on Thanksgiving morning. And, unlike Ashley's healthier way to enjoy her AM chocolate, I ate these cookies for breakfast. To be fair, we had a drive ahead of us, so I figured I deserved a treat. It happens! My decision to include Scottish oats versus rolled or steel-cut wasn't necessarily some masterful, well-thought out process. We ran out of rolled oats . . . and I'd been meaning to give the Scotties a try.

Glad I did, because they put a twist on the usual oatmeal cookie. Create a denser texture. A richer experience, really. Yes, we took them with us to Thanksgiving dinner, but it was so incredibly difficult to not eat them all before getting to my grandparents' house!


This recipe makes 2 dozen small cookies. So, if you have an event and need more than that, just double all ingredient amounts.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE SCOTTISH CHIPPERS
(NEW: printer-friendly version!!!)

What you'll need . . .

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup Earth Balance (or 1 stick of unsalted butter)
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup Sugar in the Raw (or other granulated type)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon Bob's Red Mill egg replacer plus 3 tablespoons water (or 1 egg)
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup Scottish Oatmeal (I used Bob's Red Mill -- uncooked)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Method . . .

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. The the bowl on an electric mixer, cream together the butter/Earth Balance, sugars, vanilla extract. Cream for five minutes on high speed with a paddle attachment.
4. Then add in the egg replacer (just whisk it with the water before adding in). Do this for like 3 minutes on high speed.
5. Then pour in your dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
6. Toss in the chocolate chips, oatmeal (though, you can use rolled oats, too. The Scottish oatmeal just gives the cooking a new, interesting texture), and coconut flakes.
7. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto your prepared cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand before baking.
8. Cooking are done after 9 to 10 minutes. The edges will be firm and the cookie will look slightly browned (it's hard to tell because they are chocolate-chocolate).
9. Let cook for 5 minutes before removing from baking sheet. Then turn onto a wire rack.

You can get Scottish oatmeal at most stores that carry Bob's Red Mill products. For us, this includes Wegmans and some local health food joints. For you, this may include Whole Foods and even ordering online. Well worth the extra effort!

Thanks so much for all your lovely comments on my post about running again. I was also happy to see that Emily (The Front Burner) is feeling a tad bit better after her accident a couple months ago, too. Many others of you revealed that you're currently suffering with injury. 'Tis the season, I guess. We've got a new post in the works about making the most of winter training as a way of active healing. Even if you aren't injured, it'll be a great read!

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Garbanzo Bean Salad

I'm loving that you are all enjoying my food diary! I wasn't sure how it'd go, but I'm enjoying it, too. It's one thing to write down the things I eat in a day. And -- confession time -- sometimes in the past when I simply wrote down my intake, I'd LIE to myself. Trust me, it doesn't make sense to me either, but I'd conveniently leave out things like . . . well . . . five cookies. Hahah.

So, the photos are keeping me honest. And in the spirit of honesty, I need to add an 80 calorie serving of bittersweet chocolate chips to yesterday's mix. (I ate them after the post.)

And if you've missed Day 1 and Day 2 of my food diary, feel free to check them out ASAP.


Anyway, lots of you want the garbanzo bean salad recipe. I anticipated this. After all, a good lunch recipe can make your day (just like it did mine). This dish packs around 600 to 650 calories. Sounds like a lot, but when you consider that it keeps you full all day (and who says you need to eat it all in one sitting? I picked at it throughout the day), it's worth trying out.

What you'll need . . .

• 1 can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• 2 carrots, scrubbed and chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar (I used Xagave, but you could also use honey)
• 1 tablespoon almond milk (or other substitute)
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes
• Pepper (to taste)

Method . . .

1. In a medium bowl, toss garbanzo beans, carrots, basil, and coconut flakes.
2. In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk together the tahini, agave, and almond milk.
3. Add sauce to veggies/etc., toss, and season with pepper as desired.

The only critique I have of this recipe is that it packs 45% of your daily sodium intake. I guess I didn't realize canned garbanzos have so much salt in them! The good news is that my salt intake yesterday -- not counting this recipe -- was minimal. I'm trying to be more conscious of adding salt to everything (which I started to do this year for some reason). However, the next time we hit the store, I'm going to pick up some dried chickpeas and use them. From now on. After reading this info, I want to use less of the canned variety. There's so much more nutrition when you take a little more time to revive the dried.

So, whatever you choose, I hope you enjoy this recipe. It's immensely tasty. Incredibly easy. Unique in flavor. And easily adaptable -- try it with other veggies and fruits (raisins would be a nice addition), and let me know all about it! Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker@gmail.com.

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!!

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