Chocolate Zucchini Bread

So I promised that I would bake up something yummy this weekend and I only got around to making a couple loaves of Chocolate Zucchini Bread. My experiment for today will hopefully be whipping up some apple chips :)

A great way to monitor what's going in your children's food, is to just make it from scratch. You can use organic ingredients, modify recipes to make them vegan or gluten free, there are no limits. 

I love baking and wish I could do it more often. This recipe has very simple ingredients and it doesn't have a stick of butter in it either ;) The zucchini makes it moist and delicious!

My husband totally looked at me cross-eyed when I told him what I was making...but he absolutely devoured it! The kids are huge fans too.

I have no idea what happens to the zucchini in this crazy delicious, moist, chocolate-y bread. But it's in there :)

This is a really moist and dense bread so it works awesome with cookie cutters. Lenny loves these in his lunchbox.

And a little side note...if you bake a lot, you should have this stuff in your arsenal.

I haven't used a cupcake liner in a few years now, all I use is this stuff and everything pops out so nicely :)


Get the recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Bread here

Tasty Turkey Burgers and More

I love finding wonderful new recipes that are healthy AND delicious.  I have always been a huge fan of Bethenny Frankel (Bethenny Ever After) and recently discovered her site.  Aside from being hilarious, she is a savvy business woman, an author, the creator of the Skinnygirl Margarita and a natural foods chef.  She has some really delish looking recipes on her website and I tried a couple so I had to share!

I think it is important to find new recipes on a regular basis, especially when you are trying to eat more healthfully.  I don't have all the answers for weight loss, but I do know that an important part of making healthy eating part of your lifestyle and not just something you do for 6 months so you can lose 20 lbs, is to find fabulous recipes and be willing to try new things.  I have a little bit of food ADD, I get bored easily so I like to try something new at least once a week.

Another thing (bunny trail here we come) is that if you can't see yourself doing some version of your current plan in 5 years, then it isn't going to work for you.  I think that's why I recommend Weight Watchers a lot because they aren't going to give you some pre-packaged meals and say eat this.  They teach you HOW to eat a well rounded diet.  You can do it no  matter how you eat (vegetarian, meat-a-tarian (haha), diabetic, etc.) and they teach you how to really enjoy food and pinpoint unhealthy eating habits.  I really wish I was paid to say all that, but oh well.  I also think that Frankel's book Naturally Thin, would be worth the read, it's on my list.

So back to Turkey Burgers.  You can find the recipe at here and it is FAB!  The only difference was that I used sharp cheddar cheese instead of blue, cause that's what I had on hand.  I am now so excited to try it with the blue cheese!  These come out moist and delicious, no dry cardboard here! 

 

I served with lettuce and tomato and some of those yummy Alexia brand frozen potato wedges (YUMMO).  A great natural food alternative to the typical bagged frozen french fry.

 

Here is another great recipe I also found on Bethenny's site.  You can find it here.  These are her frittatas and I made them in my muffin pan so I could have a few servings to wrap up and save.  It was a great way to use up some veggies and you can really pack in some veggie goodness in these.  Super easy to make ahead of time or even in the morning.  No super chef skills required.  Mine aren't very pretty...but they were really good!

Hope everyone gets a chance to try some of these yummies!  Have a great Monday!