Nutrition - Sugars/Flax/GREAT Recipes

I don't know how many of you are trying to eat healthier, or if you have children, but I can tell you that if you are dealing with someone with a sweet tooth or feeding children, your challenge is even bigger in terms of keeping items in the house that they WILL eat but will also be good for them!  

Protein is the absolute BEST way to start anyone's day.  Feeding carbohydrates to a child on the way to school does not give them the appropriate brain food.  The brain chemicals needed for a sharp mind and concentration all start with amino acids.  Our bodies form them for us but without the proper building blocks, we are deficient.  I am talking about brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, gaba, etc.  Starting your day and your child's day with a good dose of protein should be your goal... the carbs are just a little extra energy food.

Sugars are another issue entirely!  If you or your children have a trained sweet tooth, it will take some energy to turn that around and it is tough.  It is worth it though.  Take high fructose corn syrup for example.  If you read the labels of most prepared foods, it is high in the ingredient list.  Why?  Not because it is the best ingredient but because it is a sweet by-product and cheap to produce!  It has been shown in studies of mice that ingest HFCS that they cannot run the mazes as well as the mice that have not ingested HFCS.  Even the mice that were previously able to navigate through the maze FORGET their way after ingesting this sweet syrup.  That is kind of scary to me.  Again, it made me pause to think that what I was allowing my daughter, Journey, to eat could negatively affect her!

So the result of all this, you ask?   I have been working really hard to find things to substitute in our diets that are not pre-packaged, and do not contain HFCS in the ingredients.  Pretty much that means that in my house, I bake everything from scratch.  I have not made our own ketchup yet but I intend on even making that!!  We have not touched the Pure Cane Sugar either.  I use combinations of honey, a little agave, brown rice syrup, molasses, and Stevia to sweeten our baked goods and foods. 

We have a BIG HIT recipe in our house I found recently for ENERGY BALLS.  They make great snacks and have all wholesome ingredients in them.. check this out:

No Bake Energy Balls

1 cup oatmeal

½ cup peanut butter

1/3 cup honey

1 cup coconut flakes

½ cup flaxseed

2 scoops protein powder

1 tsp vanilla

combine .. roll into balls and chill

These are really popular at our house.  I use organic whey protein for the protein powder and the rest is just plain yummy and good for you!  Journey calls it CANDY and I love when she eats it.

Flaxseed - you will find that in almost every recipe that I make or bake.  I make sure it is ground (you can buy flaxseed meal in the store by the flour or flax seeds and grind your own) and I put some in everything in place of some of the flour and some of the fat!  The 2 main benefits of flaxseed is for FIBER (known for regularity and weight loss support) and OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS!  The mice I discussed above that ate HFCS and could not make it through the maze anymore seemed to do better when given OMEGA 3 supplementation.  (still not as well as the group of mice that did not eat HFCS) So the Omegas protect the brain from damage by other sources.  It is no wonder that fish is considered brain food.  LOL... I am ALL FOR protecting our brains and giving us the best fighting chance in this life.  

SECRETLY HEALTHY CHOCOLATE CAKE because we all deserve a little treat sometimes I found this recipe and it is absolutely DELICIOUS!   I fed this to my picky family for Mike's birthday cake and it was a HUGE HIT.  They had no idea it was healthy for them.  It is so sweet and so moist that I found a newly acquired love of zucchini and have decided to grow it in my garden next year!!

Secretly Healthy Chocolate Cake
I got the idea from Baltic Maid's zucchini brownies 

1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar ( I used ½ cup honey plus a splash of molasses)
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2/3 cup applesauce
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup shredded zucchini (carrots would also work)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350º. (If using honey, reduce baking temperature down to 325)
Combine the flours, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and salt. Add the applesauce, egg, vanilla, and zucchini and chocolate chips and mix just until combined.
Pour into a well greased and floured bundt cake pan and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

I have also used this same batter and poured into greased and floured doughnut shaped baking pan, making doughnuts that are sweet, delicious, and nutritious!

Optional toppings ideas:
I glazed it with about 1/4 of a cup of powdered sugar mixed with about a teaspoon of milk and then I topped that with a few tablespoons of warmed up Nutella. It would be good dusted with powdered sugar too, or with whipped cream, or even plain.