Monthly Archives: April 2010

25 Things.

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I thought it would be fun to answer these 25 questions. Really, I am procrastinating my run.

  • Where would you be able to spend hours and be happy? A quiet beach with a good book.
  • What’s your favorite kind of doughnut? Hmm…not crazy about donuts but you can’t go wrong with a warm glazed donut
  • Do you have any tattoos or piercings? 7 piercings, 0 tats.
  • What is your favorite movie? A Beautiful Mind

  • Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone? Christopher, last night
  • Are you still friends with the people you knew in middle school or high school? Yup. Most of my best friends are ones I met in middle or high school.
  • What is the last thing you ate? Greek yogurt with homemade cherry coconut walnut granola
  • What did you want to be when you grew up? In elementary school I wanted to be an actress and was cast as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, then I wanted to be a dentist, a psychologist, and now a dietitian
  • Name three things that are close to you right now: Laptop, cell phone, Ipod.
  • What was your best subject in school? English
  • What is your favorite restaurant? Hard question, but I’ll never turn down Punch Pizza

  • Any hidden talents? Nope, I’m pretty ordinary
  • What is your middle name? Boo, I have none
  • What is your favorite website? Just one?
  • How old were you when you had your first kiss? 16
  • Chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla
  • What is your favorite girl’s name? Bella
  • Favorite store? Barnes & Noble
  • Would you rather be a rock star or a famous athlete? Rock star because I wish I could sing!
  • Favorite food? Oatmeal, dark chocolate, peanut butter…can’t choose just one ;)
  • What are you wearing right now? black running pants, tank top, pink zip up, twins baseball hat, running shoes
  • What is your favorite animal? Love all animals, especially Brody and Oreo
  • Did you graduate from college? Yes and apparently once wasn’t enough…
  • What does your last text message say? “Well if neither of us get internships after we graduate then maybe it’s meant to be to open up a store…” (courtesy of my friend Katlyn)
  • Do you have any nicknames? Mon, Monatora, Moni

Feel free to copy and paste the questions and play along. I guess it’s time for that run…

5 Healthiest Superfood Combos

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Health.com had an article last week where they listed America’s five healthiest superfood combos and I wanted to share them with you!  Each combo was paired with a description of why the foods work together along with a recipe.

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Health.com prefaced this list by saying: “Our top 10 superfoods are delicious (and full of nutritious benefits) on their own. But for an even healthier, more powerful you, try these superfood combos.”

Oatmeal Pancakes with Wild Blueberry Sauce: “Morning energy booster: Try this great-tasting a.m. meal; the vitamin C in the blueberries helps your body absorb more of the plant-based iron in the oats.” recipe here!

Greek Yogurt, Chocolate, Walnut, and Wild Blueberry Parfaits: “Dark chocolate is rich in heart-healthy antioxidants, and recent research shows that wild blueberries are just as good at protecting your heart from damage as they are at protecting your brain.

Put them together, though, and trigger even more heart-helping power: The flavonoids called catechins in chocolate, and flavonoids called quercetins in blueberries are thought to work together to keep your blood from clotting.” recipe here!

Red Bean–and–Olive Oil Dip: “Here’s a satisfying and slimming snack that can be a dip or spread: Beans and avocado are loaded with filling fiber—and the oleic acid in olive oil may trigger tummy hormones that increase the feeling of fullness between meals.” recipe here!

Wild Salmon and Brown Rice Bowl: “The compound sulforaphane in broccoli is a potential cancer-fighter—and you boost that power by as much as 13 times when you combine it with the selenium in salmon.” recipe here!

Chocolate Chunk and Walnut Oatmeal Cookies: “Supercharged snack: This amped-up cookie combines three of the best foods for women into one delicious treat.” recipe here!

Go Bananas!

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At the hospital where I work, there is a corner in the kitchen that has a “free food” aka “we-are-going-to-throw-this-away-if-nobody-eats-it” corner. Most of the time it is filled with leftover cookies, pastries, and sandwiches. Normally I skip it because 1) I know the cookies/pastries are not homemade so therefore they contain nasty ingredients; 2) Egg salad sandwiches make me want to throw-up; and 3) the food is old and ready to be thrown out.

Last night, however, I was super excited to see two big boxes of overripe bananas. At the end of the night I walked out with about 10 bananas. We rarely have overripe bananas at my house because my grandma is a monkey and eats 2 or 3 a day. (I wish I was kidding. Somedays I have to hide bananas from her!)

So, what did I do with my bananas? I used 3 bananas to make banana bread and the rest were peeled, sliced and put into a ziploc bag in the freezer. I cannot live without frozen bananas in my smoothies, but that’s a different topic.

This is my favorite banana bread recipe. It is SO good, nobody will know it is vegan. Last year I made it for Chris and he loved it.

Lower fat Banana Bread

Recipe adapted from Veganomicon

2-3 small very ripe bananas

1/4 cup applesauce

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbsp molasses

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped (optional)

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan.

In a large mixing bowl mash the bananas very well. Add sugar, applesauce, oil, molasses, and whisk briskly. Sift in flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Use a wooden spoon to mix until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts if using them. Transfer batter to loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. Remove from oven and invert into cooling rack; flip the bread right side up and let cool.

Nutrition Spotlight: Bananas

Bananas offer:

  • Cardiovascular protection from potassium and fiber
  • Soothing protection from ulcers
  • Soluble fiber (for a healthy colon)
  • Potassium (very important for fluid balance and heart function)
  • Protect your eyesight
  • Build better bones
  • Promote kidney health
  • A very good source of vitamin B6
  • Good source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and manganese

For the most nutrients, eat fully ripened bananas. Research conducted at the University of Innsbruck in Austria suggests that as fruits fully ripen, almost to the point of spoilage, their antioxidant levels actually increase.

Most people like to just peel and eat it, but here are some other ideas:

  • A peanut butter and banana sandwich drizzled with honey.
  • Add chopped bananas, walnuts and maple syrup to oatmeal (my personal favorite use).
  • Use frozen banana slices to make your smoothies cold and creamy.
  • Use overripe bananas in baking. It will cut down on fat, sugar and add moisture to your baked good.

Tell me, what’s your favorite way to eat a banana?