Like most of you, I'm constantly on the hunt for delicious, family-friendly, & healthy recipes. Heavy on healthy. My kids groan no matter what I feed them. I'm past feeling for them. But not totally.
If you've read the blog lately you'll find that I'm in the midst of a ten-week fitness challenge. So exercise, health, & nutrition are even more on my mind. Sorry.
For my fitness challenge group this week we are eschewing unhealthy foods: fried/fatty, sugary, processed, and fast-food. Most of the women I've talked to are giving up sugar (except honey in moderation). Saturday we're having our weekly weigh-in and I have scheduled a tasting table. It's taken all week for me to decide, but I settled on sharing two naturally sweetened treats.
I saw this recipe about a month ago for Lemon Date Energy Bites on @tara_eats_whole & MyHeartRaces blog. They caught my attention as being the perfect 3 pm sweet pick-me-up without the sugar and refined flour products that are usually lurking in my cupboard, waiting to be easily snatched up and gobbled down. They'd also be great prior to or following a HIIT workout, or in a baggie for fuel on a long run or bike ride, as a way to stave off a "bonk". Here's the recipe:
Lemon Date Energy Bites
2 cups pitted dates
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw cashews, pecans, or walnuts, (really any nut will work)
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut + extra to roll balls in
1 T lemon zest
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 T chia seeds
In a food processor pulse nuts until chopped. Add the rest of the ingredients and continue to mix until well combined. Form 1 inch balls and roll coconut. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2 weeks.
The other recipe I decided to use for Saturday is the Whole Wheat Banana (Nut) Muffins from 100 Days of Real Food. These I've done before, and I wanted to give me, my family, and my challenge group a taste of how good naturally sweet can be. There's something boundlessly satisfying about eating a real muffin knowing it is 100% good for you.
UPDATE: I made a few modifications to the recipe, in italics as follows:
- 1½ cups whole-wheat flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 3 Tbsp butter + 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 3 very ripe bananas, peeled (the riper they are the sweeter they'll be)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
As with any treat, natural or not, moderation is key. Even healthy sweets can be unhealthy in massive amounts. One muffin will suffice, or 1-2 energy bites. Practicing self-control and telling your brain, mouth, & stomach they've had enough is key to having a long-term healthy relationship with food, without feeling deprived and frustrated.
Today I made a kitchen purchase: a spiralizer, this one on amazon.com. I'm super excited about it. Stay tuned!
Fuel up on good food!
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