Power Bar - Cindy Style!

So today my "Healthy Hero" friend, Cindy, gave me her homemade Power/Breakfast/Healthy treat Bars. As usual, I was a little suspicious of the ingredients since she wouldn't tell me what was in them until I had a bite. I was pleasantly surprised by the taste as well as the ingredient list.

As a breast cancer survivor, I have been instructed to stay away from soy. I know there are all different schools of thought on the subject, but I am listening to my oncologist and just steering clear of the stuff. Do you know how hard it is to find a breakfast bar without soy in it? I have fallen in love with the Lara Bar - and with their oodles of flavors I'm usually set. I am happy to have found this treat to give my taste buds a change and save a little change as well.

Make a batch and see if you don't love them as well!

Cindy's Healthy Breakfast Bar

1 1/4 cup flour (Cindy actually ground some oats for me in her Vita mixer. IMPRESSIVE!)
1 teaspoon non-alum baking powder
3 eggs, well beaten
1 cup pitted dates, soaked in 1/4 cup hot water to soften
1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

In a bowl, thoroughly whisk eggs. Add flour, baking powder and mix. Add dates and nuts. Pour into lightly greased 8 x8x2 pan. Bake at 250 for 40 minutes. Do not over cook. Should stay moist.

Bonus Ingredients:
Try adding dried orange or lemon peel, coconut, crushed pineapple, or chopped and dehydrated apricots.

Any grains work: Wheat, Buckwheat, oats, barley, spelt, quinoa, amaranth, rye.

Cindy's Masala Vegetable Stew

The other night, my "Healthy Hero" Cindy and I had an impromptu dinner with our families. We had been working all day for our good friend and thought it would be fun to kick back and enjoy some down time. As we each tried to figure out what we could contribute to the meal we realized it might be a little complicated since she is a vegetarian and I am a "Carb-a-tarian". I pulled out "Julie's Cinncanati Chili" from my freezer to go over a baked potato and Cindy whipped up this Masala Vegetable Stew. I was a little hesitant to try this exotic dish - since my body is more accustomed to Pringles and HoHo's - but wow was I blown away! I loved the sweet and spicy tastes and have put this on my list to make in the future. Try it - You'll like it!

Masala Vegetable Stew
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium potatoes, diced
4 carrots, sliced
1/2 medium head cauliflower, bite size pieces
2 cups frozen cut green beans
1 to 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
2 fresh mild chiles, seeded and minced
2 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1 (15 oz) can light coconut milk
salt to taste
1 cup frozen green peas
1/4 tsp. chopped cilantro (she used dried)
curry to taste
Raisins

Heat the oil in large soup pot over med. heat. Add onions and garlic, cook stirring often until golden. Add potatoes, carrots and 2 cups water. Bring to boil. Cover and cook gently until partially tender 10 to 15 minutes. Add cauliflower, green beans, ginger, chiles, garam masala, coriander, turmeric. Continue to cook gently covered until tender 20 minutes. Mash some potatoes against the side of the pan with a wooden spoon to thicken stew. Stir in coconut milk and season to taste with salt. If time allows let stew stand for 1 hour before serving. Just before serving, heat and stir in peas, raisins, and cilantro and cook until peas are just heated through. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Serves 6 to 8.



This is Cindy with her hubby Reagan! My "Healthy Hero" is working on me one meal at a time! Keep up the good work!

Cindy's Healthy Muffins

Are you mesmerized yet? Doesn't this picture look like a muffin Willy Wonka would serve at a tea party?



My good friend, Cindy, brought this yummy morsel to my doorstep the other day and I was blown away. Let me tell you why.



Cindy is my "Healthy Hero". She only puts healthy food into her cute little body. I am amazed when we go out for lunch and I order up my onion rings and she orders her house salad, dressing on the side - no meat please! Such restraint, such will power for such a little woman! I have seen her drink green concoctions for lunch that would make your head spin.



Since my little "episode" last year, I have been trying to eat a healthier diet. It is hard, but Cindy is so encouraging! When she brought me this muffin the other day, I have to admit, I was a bit scared. A whole lot of healthy is packed into each bite - but wow they are so yummy! It tasted like a little individual carrot cake - YUM! If healthy tastes like this - pass the muffin with a shot of that green stuff to wash it down!

Here is the recipe for the muffins. They are SO healthy, full of fruit and even veggies, especially when you substitute Sucanat ($2.99 at Target) for the sugar. Again, if you are not expecting them to taste like Krispy Kreme donuts, they are very moist and yummy. Hope you like them...

Morning Glory Muffins cooking light 6/99

2 1/2 cups flour (I used whole wheat)
1 cup brown sugar (I used Sucanat)
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 cup shredded carrot
1 cup shredded apple
3/4 cup raisins
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup coconut
1-8oz can crushed pineapple, drained
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup apple butter
2 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 350

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (thru salt) in large bowl.
Stir in carrot and ingredients thru pineapple.
Make a well in center of mixture.
In another bowl, combine oil thru egg whites. Stir with a whisk. Add oil mix to flour mix. Stir until moist.
Spoon batter into coated muffin pans. Bake 350 for 25 min. or until springs back when touched in center. Remove immediately. Cool on wire rack.

Makes 2 dozen