Skinny Chunky Monkey Cookies

Skinny Chunky Monkey Cookies

A recipe has been floating around on Facebook called "Skinny Chunky Monkey Cookies".  The picture that goes with the recipe looks a lot like No Bake Cookies which are my husband's favorite.  So, he shared the recipe with me and requested that I try it out - for a "healthy" alternative.  The recipe is simple and we already had all the ingredients on hand.  As you can see from the picture above, in reality these cookies look nothing like No Bake Cookies.  And sadly for my husband, they taste nothing like them either.  The cookies are kind of spongy and not sweet in the least.  Really you could only taste bananas and cocoa powder.  I wouldn't go so far as to call them cookies.  The boys ate them, but I think that is just because we haven't had anything in the house the even resembles a cookie in months.  The way the calories compared between the skinny and the no bake were about 2 to 1.  My husband said he would rather have 1 no bake than 2 skinny. The only problem with that is a lot of the ingredients in the no bake are not healthy in the least.  I think if you go into eating this cookie understanding it is not sweet and better for you than a regular no bake cookie it would be just fine.  I think you could trade out the cocoa powder for some chocolate Shakeology for a quick and easy breakfast on the go that would travel well in the car (you just couldn't bake them, they would need to be refrigerated).  Or trade the cocoa for some chocolate protein powder and these would make great snacks to take to sporting events for kids at half-time or to eat between matches.  As always, remember to let people know they contain peanut butter.  Here is the recipe:

Skinny Chunky Monkey Cookies

3 Ripe Bananas
2 Cups Oats
1/4 Cup Peanut Butter (I used natural creamy peanut butter)
1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder
1/3 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
1 Tsp Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mash bananas then add the rest of the ingredients and stir.  Let sit for 20 minutes.  Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes.  
Makes 30 cookies.
*Note, the cookies will stick, it helps to loosen them with a spatula a few minutes after they have come out of the oven.

The Compound Effect

     Right now I am reading The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy.  It has been a very interesting and eye opening book.  My simple summary of the book so far is that little changes over time can add up to eventual big results.  Maybe you are thinking "well, tell me something I didn't already know" because that is kind of what I was thinking while reading this book the first day.  Sometimes just because we know something intuitively doesn't mean we really KNOW it, or that we pay attention to it and actually apply it to our lives. What I have noticed is that the book is making me really think about and notice the little changes I have made over the past few days.  Or rather, the choices I am making at any given moment.  I am actually thinking about the choices I am making and not just going through the motions.  Just as an example, we went to Lowe's last night to pick up some parts for a project my husband is working on (I'll have to tell you all about that some other time).  Well, wouldn't you know the Lowe's is pretty close to the Dairy Queen.  In the past we would have stopped by the Dairy Queen for an ice cream treat, even if we weren't really hungry - I mean, its Dairy Queen RIGHT??  It was just what we did, without even thinking about it.  A habit really.  As we were leaving Loews last night I was thinking about Dairy Queen.....but we didn't go.  It was just a small choice I made - one of the probably hundreds of choices I made throughout the day.  I chose to stick with my meal plan for the week, my meal plan that didn't include Dairy Queen.  And you know what, I didn't miss it (or the accompanying stomachache that I sometimes get when I have that ice cream treat.)  Then I started thinking more about that small choice, and how the fact that I made a meal plan for the week was also a small choice.  Had I not chosen to make the meal plan, I would have had nothing to guide me or stick to for the week, I would have most likely ended up at Dairy Queen.  This lead to thoughts of the choice I made to start creating meal plans each week to help with the budget, the last minute dinner panic, and ultimately my weight loss.  Next came the thoughts of the choice I made to join a Beachbody Challenge group in January of this year, where I really learned about how to create a meal plan and what I should be eating to fuel my body.  Ultimately it lead to the thoughts of the many small choices I made throughout 2012. Small choices that compounded over time (in this case, a year - 365 days) left me feeling unhappy and several pounds heavier than I was in 2011.  Choices that prompted me to make 2013 the year I wanted to get my yo-yo health and fitness habits under control.  Small choices/changes over time that lead to big results.  The Compound Effect.

The Compound Effect can be applied to anything in your life.  Daily practice of an instrument, a language, or a sport will eventually lead to success in a concert solo, fluency, or a maybe a state championship.  Small seemingly inconsequential steps now can lead to amazing transformations later.  Sure, some people are naturally gifted or talented (or naturally thin and well built)- but for the majority of us we need to work to be successful.  The high school wrestler standing at the top of the podium at the state championship didn't just show up and wrestle that day.  No, he or she worked day in and day out perfecting their shot, drilling until their muscles ached, participating in tournaments during the off season that others wouldn't go to.  Yet, we have a tendency to look at that person and say "Wow, what an amazing accomplishment that they did what they did".  As though what they did happened overnight.

The same can be said for weight loss transformations.  Sure some of them happen in 90 days (which believe me doesn't seem like overnight if you are at day 50) but some take years.  Even if you achieve the success you were hoping to in 90 days, you still have to make those small choices each and every day that will help you continue to be successful.  What would cutting 1 can of soda a day do for your weight loss goals?  What would cutting out that daily latte do for your budget?  What about adding in 10 minutes of walking or adding 1 push up each day to your fitness routine?  Doesn't seem like much, but in a month you will have shaved off 4500 calories which is greater than a pound of weight loss.  You will have saved $120, burned 1,200 calories walking, and done 30 push ups.  Now multiply those numbers by 12, 24, 36 - do you see how these small changes lead to big results over time?  Who wouldn't want to be able to lose 46 pounds just by cutting 1 can of soda from their diet, or have over $4,000 in their savings account because they chose to drink coffee at home?   Me, me, pick me!  I want that!  I will remember my choice to bypass Dairy Queen as one of the small steps I made on the road to my big results.

What choices are you making that are shaping your days, your journey, your results?

Meatless Mediterranean Pasta with Zucchini

On the left side is the sauce; on the right is after the pasta is added

Do you ever try and have "meatless Mondays" at your house?  Or meatless any day?  With a house full of "men", I am constantly reminded that "men eat meat".  So honestly, I can't think of one dinner we have had in the last 3 years that didn't include meat.  Even when we were eating breakfast for dinner, there was meat.  I would really like to institute a meat free dinner at least one night a week.  It would be easier on the budget and definitely good for us.  However I am not prepared for mutiny just yet.  Give me a few more months of T25 workouts and I just might be strong enough to fend off the mutiny!  Here is the recipe from my previous post about planning and prepping on Sundays.  It is meatless, and I took it for my lunch because - well "men eat meat!"

8 ounces whole wheat penne or ziti pasta, uncooked
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained
1 zucchini sliced
2 T sliced ripe olives

Cook pasta according to package directions omitting salt and butter/oil.  While pasta cooks, combine tomatoes and remaining 3 ingredients in a large skillet; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes.  Spoon tomato mixture over drained pasta.  Serves 4 (2 cup servings)

You can get away with less pasta if you don't want the carbs.  Also, you could omit the pasta all together and use the sauce over chicken or fish if you must have the meat!

Corn & Bean Salad

This recipe came from one of my challenge group participants.

1 can of corn, drained
1 can of black beans, rinsed (you can use kidney or pinto if you prefer)
1 diced medium-size red onion
1 diced avocado
 ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (or if you don’t like cilantro, use fresh parsley)
1 cup diced bell peppers - I used a combination of red, orange, and yellow
You can also throw in chopped scallions and tomatoes if you like

Dressing:
Juice of one lime
1/3 cup of olive oil
1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar (if you don't like the taste of vinegar you can leave this out or use less - I have heard Bragg's Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is very mild but have not tried it myself)
salt and pepper to taste
If you want the dressing a little sweet, you can add sweetener of your choice (to taste).
It's the lime that makes it, so if you alter everything else, just make sure you keep the lime juice in there. Throw it all together and stir it up.  Depending on how many days this lasts you, the avocado will begin to break down and the juicy dressing will get creamier.  This goes with so many things.  I've eaten it with eggs at breakfast, sandwiches, in taco salads, with burritos, and just about any dinner entree I can think of.

Sunday - a day of REST??

Ahhh the weekend, over so quickly.  It always seems to go by in a whirlwind.  Kind of like the kids growing up.  So Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest.  Do you get to rest on Sunday?  Is there ever really a day of rest when you have a household to run, kids involved in activities, laundry stacked to the ceiling - or in our case the sock bucket that runneth over?

Oftentimes I find Sunday is the catch up day and/or the plan and prep day.  Sometimes it is both.  Lately I've been trying to find more time during the week to deal with "Sock Mountain" so Sunday can really be a rest day and a plan and prep day.  I find if I have time to plan and prep for the week on Sunday, things go so much more smoothly during the week - sock mountain becomes sock hill.  We avoid the "oh my gosh what's for dinner - are you cooking or am I?  Who has to be where when??  Oh let's just go out to eat......."  Not only is that tough on the budget, but it is tough on the waistline.

Yesterday really was a plan and prep day - no catching up this week.  I made my meal plan for the week which in turn helps with the grocery list which in turn cuts down on time at the grocery (not to mention the cost and the random items that show up in my cart when there isn't a list) which ultimately leaves more time to prep for the week once I get home from the grocery.  I love going to the grocery - really I do.  I find it very relaxing for some reason.  I guess I would consider my grocery time rest time.  My mom and grandmother were the same way.... maybe it is hereditary.  What I don't really enjoy is the prep work after I get home.  I always love the end result but hate it while I'm doing it - funny, sometimes I feel the same way about working out.  I spent about 3 hours from start (putting away the groceries) to finish (loading the dishwasher) which seems like a lot of time to spend in the kitchen on a Sunday afternoon when there isn't a turkey or ham involved.  The end result was worth it though.  My lunches and snacks were done for the week, one dinner was ready to go for the next night and two side dishes were made.  As with anything, I know the more I do this the more it becomes a habit, the better I will get and the less time it will take.  Then maybe Sunday will really be a day of rest!

Corn/Bean Salad & Fruit Salad

Some of the fruits (and vegetables) of my labor:
Recipes will be up soon in a separate post.

Meatless Mediterranean Pasta with Zucchini

Healthy Cookie Dough Dip

I went to a party today at the home of one of my good friends.  I LOVE parties.  All kinds of parties.  One of my favorites was an "Anti-versary" party I had last year.  But that is another post for another day. 

I think weekends are usually a source of temptation to stray from your health and fitness goals, and then you throw a party on top of it??  How does one resist such temptation?  I suppose you could just not go.  Lock yourself at home surrounded by workout DVDs and celery sticks.  This just doesn't work for me as evidenced by the above paragraph..... I love parties! 

Honestly I wasn't too worried about this party because my friend hosting the party is also a member of one of my challenge groups and is working on her health and fitness goals too.  I knew there would be some healthy choices there.  I wanted to go, have fun, and support my friend as well so I offered to bring a healthy dessert.  I found a recipe for "Healthy Cookie Dough Dip" from this website: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/05/23/want-to-eat-an-entire-bowl-of-cookie-dough/ 

I have to warn you though, every time I go to that website I just want to eat chocolate, lots of chocolate.  I actually made the "No Sugar" version of the dip: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/09/27/new-recipe-sugar-free-cookie-dough-dip/

This is what I used:

• 1 1/2 cups chickpeas/garbanzo beans (1 can, drained and rinsed really well)
• heaping 1/8 tsp salt
• tiny bit over 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
• 1 and 1/4 cups pitted dates (I used SunMaid, in the red bag)
• 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp oats

In a bowl, cover the dates with 1/2 cup water. Let this sit for at least 8 hours. Then add all ingredients (including the dates’ soaking liquid), except chocolate chips, to a food processor (for best results, not a blender) and process until very smooth.

A few things I noticed while making this recipe - you really do want to use a food processor.  The blender just doesn't cut it.  It took FOREVER to blend.  Also, the cookie dough has a slight peanut butter taste and don't forget to let people know there is peanut butter in the dip before they try it.  The recipe makes about 2 cups and it is very rich.

I took sliced apples (several different varieties) to use for dipping.  There were also pretzel crisps available, these were great if you like a little salty with your sweet.  I told people it was a healthy dip.  Some of the comments were: "there is no way that is healthy" and "you have to give me this recipe".  I think it was a hit!  Everyone was surprised by the ingredients - especially my mother who wouldn't have even helped me carry it in the house if she knew there were chickpeas in there. 

Usually nutrition information is included with the recipes from that website, but I couldn't find it for this recipe.  Nutrition information includes a lot more than just a calorie count, but  since there was nothing on the website and I was curious, I did a quick calculation based on calories only.  I just added all the calories of each item together and divided it by the number of servings (I made a serving 2 TBSPs).  I did this for both the "no sugar" version and the "regular" version.  The results were very interesting:

No Sugar Cookie Dough Dip: 100 cal/ 2TB
Regular Cookie Dough Dip: 80 cal/ 2TB

What?? How can the no sugar dip be higher calorie?  The difference is the dates.  There are twice as many calories in the amount of dates as there are in the amount of brown sugar.  Remember though, sugar is empty calories, it won't fill you up and usually leaves you craving more.  So what nutritional value do you get from those extra calories in the dates?  You get fiber, protein, potassium, iron, and calcium.  Often we are very focused on the calorie count when trying to lose weight and forget that there is more to healthy eating, good nutrition, and weight loss than just calories.  I chose to take the dip made with the dates, I felt it was a better choice for me nutritionally - and you know what, I didn't miss the sugar at all. 

So what do you think?  Which dip would you choose and why?

The Boy's & Week 1 of T25

Week 1 of T25 is in the books! The boys hung in there and did great. I think they are actually starting to like it. I took a poll and we decided that the hardest workouts were the Cardio and The Total Body Circuit. I for one am not looking forward to that one next week. Well, off to the party. I hope to have a recipe to share with you later.