Monday Moitivational Meal—Carrot Raisin Muffin

This muffin bursts with health and mouth-watering ingredients. It is oh-so-moist and hearty in its yummy goodness. Serve it up on a Livliga side plate to complete the experience. Our muffin looks gorgeous on Halsa!

Get the recipe here.

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and Enjoy Healthy Recipes All Year Long!

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Monday Motivational Meal—Cranberry-Banana Muffins

 

These Cranberry Banana Muffins are filling and satisfying because of the whole wheat flour, fresh banana, applesauce and plain Greek yogurt used. And by using far less sugar they do not trigger the need for more sugary sweets as so many pre-packaged treats do. Make sure to serve them up on your favorite Livliga dishware to complete this delightful experience!

Get the recipe here.

Download Our Free SOUPS eCookbook
and Enjoy Healthy Recipes All Year Long!

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Livliga Cranberry-Banana Muffin

 A Favorite Muffin for Adults and Kids

Make sure to serve this delicious muffins up on your favorite Livliga dinner pattern!

This is a great recipe for a healthy muffins that is great for celebrations and holidays.  Use them for a celebratory brunch or to give to family and friends as a gift…or make them for yourself…just because. These Cranberry-Banana Muffins are filling and satisfying because of the whole wheat flour, fresh banana, applesauce and plain Greek yogurt used.  And by using far less sugar they do not trigger the need for more sugary sweets as so many pre-packaged treats do. These muffins are great on their own or included as part of a meal. Easy to freeze too!

Livliga Cranberry-Banana Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour, unbleached
• 1 cup white whole-wheat flour
• ½ cup Truvia Baking Sugar Blend
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ½ cup banana, ripe and mashed (3 large)
• ⅓ cup Greek yogurt, low fat and plain
• ¼ cup applesauce, unsweetened and organic
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 lower sugar dried cranberries  (Ocean Spray Reduce Sugar Craisins or Paradise Meadow Dried Cranberries/50% less sugar)
• Cooking Spray

Directions

1. Combine flours, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in center of flour mixture.
2. In a separate bowl beat eggs with a whisk. Next add mashed banana, yogurt, applesauce and vanilla, stirring with the whisk.
3. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until moist. Fold in the dried cranberries
4. Spoon batter into muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray. Fill two-thirds full.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in the center.
6. Let muffins sit in tin for 10 minutes. Promptly remove muffins and serve. These muffins keep well for a few days in the refrigerator or weeks in the freezer.

 

Baking Tip: These muffins make great mini-muffins. To bake them set the oven temperature to 350° and reduce the time to 15 minutes. Always check to make sure they are done!

Serves: 12. Serving size: 1 regular-sized muffin. 

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 133; Fat 1.3g; Sodium 169mg; Carbohydrate 29.9g; Dietary Fiber 2.4g; Protein 4.3g.

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Delicious Healthy Baking Recipes

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Carrot Raisin Muffin—Fresh & Moist

 

There is nothing better than a fresh muffin baked in your own oven. Having a muffin made from wholesome ingredients, including freshly shredded carrots is the ultimate in freshness. Carrots are so accessible and affordable, not to mention packed full of nutrients, you owe it to yourself to bake these beauties. Carrots are a particularly good source of beta carotene, fiber, vitamin K1, potassium, and antioxidants. They’re a weight-loss-friendly food and have been linked to lower cholesterol levels, improved eye health and reduced risks of cancer. The texture and taste of a carrot adds dimension to these muffins to make them not only nutritous but delicious. Enjoy!

Carrot Raisin Muffin

Ingredients

• 1 large egg
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup unbleached flour
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup finely shredded carrots about 2-3 medium carrots
• 1/2 cup raisins

 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or use cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl whisk the egg, applesauce, honey, butter, and vanilla.
3. Stir in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir ingredients together until just combined and there are still some spots of flour remaining.
4. Fold in the shredded carrots and raisins. Mix just until combined (don’t over mix).
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. To store, cover with plastic wrap at room temperature for u to 3 days.

Nutrition Information 

Servings 12. Serving size: 1 muffin. Calories per serving: 164; Total Fat 4.2g; Sodium 168mg; Total Carbohydrate 31.1g; Dietrary Fiber 1.8g; Protein 2.7g.

Tips

Let the muffins cool completely before storing. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. The muffins can also be frozen. If freezing your muffins, individually wrap them with plastic wrap before adding them to a storage container or Ziplock bag. Then take them out in the numbers you desire for up to 3 months.

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Healthy Lifestyle & Weight Loss

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Monday Motivational Meal

Create new memories and healthy traditions for a Mother’s Day Breakfast: Muffin Tin Donuts with Berries and a Homemade Latte. Treat yourself or the mom in your life by serving up this lovely pairing with our Celebrate dinnerware! There is nothing better than pampering those you love...including you!

Give this recipe a try! You can get it here!

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Monday Motivational Meal

Get into the fall and Halloween spirit with these Healthy Pumpkin Muffin Recipes! They are great with soups, chilis or stews. They can be delicious as a snack too! Serve them up for a healthy supper or snack on your favorite Livliga design!

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Monday Motivational Meal

Thinking about making some chili this fall season? You know what would make this even better? These delicious cornbread muffins are the perfect pairing. They look scrumptuous served up on any Livliga pattern!

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Monday Motivational Meal - Tuscan Lemon Muffin

Looking for a light and airy summer muffin to enjoy? Try these Tuscan Lemon Muffins with ricotta cheese. Needing meal inspiration? Turn on the grill for some tasty salmon and eggplant to complement the muffin and don't forget to serve it up right-sized on your favorite Livliga dishes!

Try this recipe out here.

Download Our Free SOUPS eCookbook
and Enjoy Healthy Recipes All Year Long!

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Muffin Tin Doughnut—Perfect for Making Memories

There is nothing better than baking for those you love. I look forward to the times my children come to visit so I can make their favorite foods. We can all remember the smells and tastes of special treats that live in our fond memories. Close your eyes for a second and conjure up the memory of waking up to something baking in the oven when it is cold outside and frost is on the windows…delightful, right?

When we are dedicated to living a healthy lifestyle we want to continue to make those memories while also choosing healthier recipes. It has been a mission of mine to find fun, appealing recipes and make them “healthier”.

My latest project was to figure out a way to enjoy the tastes and smells of a doughnut without the frying, calories and over the top amount of sugar. The typical cake doughnut has 330 calories (Dunkin’ Donut). My Muffin Tin Doughnut has 268 calories, avoids the frying, decreases the fat and sugar and saves 62 calories. It includes white whole-wheat flour and lowfat buttermilk, which are healthy ingredients with many benefits.

This new take on a donut was a big hit with my family and guests. The cornstarch gives the donut the “cakey” appeal you look for in a donut. The topping coats the top of the donut, rather than the entire surface, which gives it the taste and texture with out the over-the-top sugar high and added calories. Here is the recipe:

Muffin Tin Doughnut

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups unbleached flour

1 cup white whole-wheat flour

1 cup sugar

¼ cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup lowfat buttermilk

8 tablespoons unsalted light butter, melted

2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk

Canola Cooking Spray

Topping for doughnut

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons unsalted light butter, melted

Directions

1. Combine flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a bowl. Mix well.

2. Whisk buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs in a separate bowl.

3. Add buttermilk mixture to the flour and stir until just mixed.

4. Scoop batter evenly into muffin tins sprayed with cooking spray.

5. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until doughnuts are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center of a doughnut comes out clean.

6. Let them stand for 5 minutes.

7. Melt butter for topping.

8. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small, shallow bowl to dip the tops of the doughnuts.

9. Remove doughnuts from muffin tin. Brush them with melted butter, and then roll the tops of the doughnuts in the sugar mixture. Serve warm. Once fully cooled you can also freeze them to enjoy at a later date.

Makes 12 doughnuts. Serving size: 1 doughnut. Calories per serving: 268.

May these Muffin Tin Doughnuts create new memories and traditions for you and your family.

Enjoy! And Live Vibrant!

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Kid-Friendly and Healthy--Yummy Banana Bread Muffins

Kid-Friendly and Healthy--Yummy Banana Bread Muffins

Muffins are an easy way to include kids in cooking. They are generally uncomplicated recipes. Muffin recipes have simple ingredients and straightforward directions. Kids love mixing, mashing and measuring. This recipe is great for all these activities.

I recently did a "recipe make-over" for my favorite Banana Bread Muffin recipe, adjusting the ingredients to make it healthier and more kid-friendly. My goal was to use less oil and sugar and add flavors kids like. I did this by substituting apple sauce for the oil and Truvia Baking Blend for the refined sugar. In addition I took out the sage and put in vanilla. It was a hit!

These Yummy Banana Bread Muffins are filling and satisfying for kids because of the whole wheat flour, fresh banana, apple sauce and plain Greek yogurt used.  And by using far less sugar they do not trigger the need for more sugary sweets as so many pre-packaged treats do. These muffins are great on their own or included as part of a meal. Here is the recipe:

Yummy Banana Bread Muffins

Ingredients-
1 cup flour, unbleached
1 cup white whole-wheat flour
½ cup Truvia Baking Sugar Blend
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt, coarse Kosher
2 eggs, large
1 ½ cup banana, ripe and mashed (3 large)
⅓ cup Greek yogurt, low fat and plain
¼ cup apple sauce, unsweetened and organic
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking Spray

Directions-
1. Combine flours, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in center of flour mixture.
2. In a separate bowl beat eggs with a whisk. Next add mashed banana, yogurt, apple sauce and vanilla, stirring with the whisk.
3. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until moist.
4. Spoon batter into muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray. Fill ⅔rds full.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in the center.
6. Let muffins sit in tin for 10 minutes. Promptly remove muffins and serve. These muffins keep well for a few days in the refrigerator or weeks in the freezer.

Serves: 12. Serving size: 1 muffin. Calories per serving: 128.

#Kidliga

#CCHLN

#healthykids

#childhoodobesityawareness
#Livliga 
#LiveVibrant 
#Kidfriendly
#SpecialPricing
#HelpUsHelpKidsLiveHealthy

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Searching for the Perfect Cornbread

The Secret to Moist Cornbread: Recipe Included (photo by LivligaHome)

Cornbread is the perfect base to make a delicious muffin to go with a variety of meals from salads to soups to chili or fish. If you are not careful though, you can end up with dry cornbread or one with too many calories.

I think I have found a solution for keeping the calories very reasonable while also providing a flavorful and moist cornbread. I add whole kernels of corn to the recipe. It seems to keep it from getting too dry and adds flavor with texture.

Here is my recipe:

Ingredients

    •    ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
    •    ¾ cup, plus 1 Tbs. King Arthur Flour, unbleached
    •    1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
    •    ¼ teaspoon baking soda
    •    ¼ teaspoon salt
    •    2 teaspoons sugar
    •    1 cup nonfat buttermilk
    •    ¼ cup egg substitute
    •    1 tablespoon corn oil
    •    1 cup canned, no-salt-added, whole-kernel corn, drained
    •    Cooking Spray

Directions

1. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl, mixing well. Make a well in the center of the mixture.
2. Combine the buttermilk, egg substitute, and oil. Add it to the dry ingredients, stirring just until the dry ingredients are moistened
3. Fold in the corn.
4. Spoon batter into muffin pans coated with cooking spray and heated for 10 minutes in the oven. Fill 2/3 rds full.
5. Bake at 425 for 18 minutes or until muffins are golden. Remove muffins from the pan immediately.

Yield: 12  Calories: 110 each. Fat 1.6g (Saturated Fat .2g); Sodium  110mg; Protein 3.3g; Carbohydrate 16.5g; Fiber 1.1g; Sugars 2.4g.

This muffin can be served with any meal.

As a basic cornbread, you can bake it as is or add additional flavors depending on your mood and meal. Spices are the easiest addition like a tablespoon of fresh rosemary or sage. You can make it with some heat as well by adding 1 teaspoon chili powder. Experimentation is encouraged.

Try the cornbread with a grilled Trout Dinner, or another whole fish you can buy at your grocery store, for a great meal with fabulous flavors. To complete the meal serve it with a simple tossed green salad with my light vinaigrette.


 Enjoy! And Live Vibrant!

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Easter Menu- Try a Healthy Frittata with a Flavorful Muffin

Greek-Style Frittata (photo by LivligaHome)

There is nothing more beautiful than a freshly made frittata. It can serve many and is great for a brunch or holiday meal. The Greek-style frittata I made for Easter last year. It was such a hit I plan on making it again this year. Another delicious frittata you might want to consider is a Spinach, Mushroom and Feta frittata.

Muffins are also a fun and fresh addition to a holiday meal. They can be healthy and satisfying. There are so many to choose from! If you want to go all out you could offer more than one kind for you family and guests. Here are a few I think go well at a brunch:

Easter Brunch@livligahome

Oatmeal Muffin with Muscat Raisins
Rosemary Cheddar Cornbread Muffin
Tuscan Lemon Muffin 
Banana Bread Muffins with Fresh Sage

For a spring vegetable you can make ahead I suggest:
asparagus (or haricot vert) vinaigrette

For dessert keep it simple:
Strawberries with a dollup of Greek yogurt topped with a sprig of fresh mint.


Here is what the menu could look like:

Frittata (@235/cal)
Muffin (@128/cal)
Asparagus Vinaigrette (6 spears/50 cal)
Strawberries with a dollop of Greek yogurt topped with a sprig of fresh mint (67/cal)

A celebratory, holiday meal for an amazing 480 calories!

Happy Spring. Happy Easter. Happy Eating!

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State of Slim Muffin with a Livliga Twist-- Chocolate Banana Muffins

Chocolate Banana Muffin on Livliga (photo by LivligaHome)

It is wonderful to discover new ways of doing things. I have been thoroughly enjoying reading the State of Slim by James O. Hill, PhD and Holly Wyatt, MD. Their explanation of the Colorado Diet and need to develop a Mile High Metabolism really makes sense. Better yet, it works!

As you know, I am all about testing things out. My husband and I decided to test out the Colorado Diet. We have been following the plan for the past 3 weeks. In that amount of time I have lost all the weight I gained over the holidays and am now headed to lose more. I have seriously not had the cravings I usually have on diets. Only once did I have to talk to myself when I was contemplating eating something off the diet. That happened in the first week and has not happened since. I think it is because you eat 6 times a day and each time you eat there is protein included. Additonally, your carbs are virtually eliminated except for those that occur naturally in the foods prescribed. On occasion, but not daily, you can include a State of Slim pancake or muffin. The recipes are theirs and are different than the run-of-the-mill pancakes or muffins. They have a lot of protein in them and no flour.

The recipe for the Chocolate Cheese Cake Muffin was good but the flavoring was a little weird for me. After a couple of weeks of following the recipes "to the letter", I decided it was time to experiment. I stayed within the parameters outlined in the State of Slim book so it is a legitimate iteration. I liked my new creation so I thought I would share it. Here it is:

Chocolate Banana Muffins

Ingredients
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
½ cup stevia (baking formulation)
2 scoops chocolate protein powder
1 tablespoon banana cream Jello instant pudding, sugar-free and fat-free
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon banana extract 
1 cup liquid egg whites
½ cup nonfat plain Greek Yogurt
Cooking Spray

Directions
1. In a blender, grind the oats to a flour-like consistency. Place in a mixing bowl.
2. Whisk together the ground oats, stevia, protein powder, pudding mix, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda.
3. Add in the banana extract, egg whites and Greek yogurt. Blend until smooth.
4. Coat a muffin tin with cooking spray. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
5. Bake at 350˚F for 15-20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.

Yield: 12 muffins. Serving size: 2 muffins. Gluten-free recipe.

Since you don't get fruit during the first phase of this diet, it is nice to have the flavor of fruit incorporated into this recipe. It smells wonderful while it is baking. Eating a muffin after it has been freshly baked allows the aromas to add to the satisfaction of eating it.

Enjoy! And Live Vibrant!

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Muffins Can be a Treasure Trove of Health and Deliciousness

Muffins are a Treasure Trove of Deliciousness (photo by livligahome)

Muffins can be a treasure trove of health and deliciousness.  You can combine any number of ingredients to satisfy your cravings. They can be light and airy or dense and hearty.  They can be packed full of goodness to ward off colds and build your immune system with ingredients like herbs and spices to dried fruits and honey. And you can let your creativity flow with the seasons, using the fresh ingredients available. It is also fun to seek out locally produced ingredients like the herbs and honey mentioned above. Then there are the vegetables like pumpkin in the fall or zucchini in the summer, just to name a couple of examples. They can be a nutritional part of any meal.

Muffins are easy to make with just a few ingredients. And fortunately, unlike loaves of bread, they don’t take long to bake. Most freeze well so you can make a batch and save some later for other meals or snacks. They work well for our busy lifestyles.
For those of us concerned about what we eat and the calories we consume, muffins are ideal. Muffins are pre-packaged in individual servings. You know what you are eating and what the calories are for each muffin.

My current favorite healthy and hearty muffin is a Whole Wheat Dried Apricot Muffin. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients-

• 1 cup unbleached flour
• ⅔ cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1½ teaspoons grated orange rind
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup lowfat buttermilk
• ¼ cup light butter, melted
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup liquid egg (i.e., Egg Beaters)
• 1 cup finely chopped dried apricots
• Cooking Spray

Directions-
1. Spoon flours into measuring cups; level with a knife.
2. Combine flours, sugar, orange rind, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center.
3. Combine buttermilk, light butter, vanilla and liquid egg. Add to flour mixture. Stir just until moist.
4. Fold in apricots.
5. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched in the center.
7. Remove from muffin pan and serve.

Yield: 12 muffins. Calories per muffin: 126.

For other muffin inspirations, check out my blog for “Healthy Muffins”.




Enjoy! And Live Vibrant!


Re-posted from Sheila's Blog on TheEpochTimes.com.

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Yummy & Healthy Holiday Muffin- Maple Squash Muffin

Yummy & Healthy Holiday Muffin- Maple Squash Muffin (by LivligaHome)

Muffins can be so easy to make. They can also be healthy, tasty and beautiful to behold. Better yet, they can be modest in their calorie count. Muffins go well with just about anything from eggs at breakfast to salads at lunch or stews at dinner. They also freeze well. This makes them an ideal holiday gift. 

When I think of the holidays I think of pumpkin or squash, nuts and the aroma of spices like cinnamon. Why not combine all those holiday ingredients in a delicious muffin? 

Maple Squash Muffin

Ingredients-
1 cup unbleached flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
¼ cup pecans, chopped
2 egg whites, lightly beaten (or scant ⅓ cup egg beaters)
¾ cup butternut squash, cooked & mash (or canned pumpkin)
⅔ cup plain yogurt, nonfat
½ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Vegetable Cooking Spray

Directions-
1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.
2. Combine egg whites and next 4 ingredients. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
3. Spoon batter evenly into muffin pans coated with cooking spray.
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes, until tops are golden.
5. Remove from pans promptly.

Yield: 1 dozen. Calories per muffin: 153.

Happy Healthy Holidays!

Enjoy! And Live Vibrant!

Like the delicious look of this Maple Squash Muffin on a Livliga plate? It can be yours! Go to LivligaHome.com.

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Yummy, Kid-friendly Lowfat Muffin-- Morning Glory Muffins

Low Fat Morning Glory Muffins @livligahome

These muffins are packed full of goodness. They are moist and flavorful. Because of the spices they also smell scrumptious. This Morning Glory muffin (203/cal) is great for breakfast, brunch, snacks and even a healthy dessert. It has grated carrots, crushed pineapple and raisins in it. The spices are ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. I used 1/2 whole wheat flour along with the unbleached flour and oatmeal. The sugar is minimal and is 1/2 cup only of brown sugar (way better than using refined white sugar).

This is a fun recipe you can do with your kids that all will enjoy. A definite favorite on the list of healthy muffins for this family.

To make it a meal check out my previous blog on Greek-Style Frittata.

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Pumpkin Muffins with Crystallized Ginger

Pumpkin Muffins with Crystallized Ginger Dough @livligahome

There is nothing like this time of year to get us motivated to bake again after the long hot summer months. And with Halloween and Autumn decorating upon us easy access to fresh pumpkins for baking makes homemade that much better.

A friend shared a recipe for Pumpkin Muffins with Crystallized Ginger which I have since modified. Here is my new version:

Pumpkin Muffins with Crystallized Ginger

1 can or fresh (15 ounces) unsweetened pumpkin purée
2 cups (packed) brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup egg substitute (Egg Beaters)
½ cup apple cider (or juice)
1½ cups white whole wheat flour
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4½ teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
⅔ cup chopped crystallized ginger
Cooking Spray or paper liners

Directions-
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tins or place paper liners in 28 muffin cups. This recipe makes a lot of muffins but they are great to freeze and use later.
2. Stir the pumpkin, sugar, and butter together in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg substitute and beat until the mixture is smooth. Mix in the cider/juice.
3. Blend the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves together in a bowl. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture until thoroughly mixed. Fold in the crystallized ginger.
4. Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin cups, almost to the top of each cup. Bake until there is a nice top and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Makes 28 muffins. Serving- 1 muffin. Calories per muffin- 196  .

Enjoy! And Live Vibrant!

Serve up your muffins on right-sized, beautifully designed dishware. Livliga and Kidliga make great holiday gifts!

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Cherry Limeade Wheat Germ Muffins--Hearty & Tasty!

This muffin is packed full of good ingredients. Lime juice has been proven to fight cancer and fortify our immune system, for instance. And then there is the whole wheat flour and wheat germ which are great fiber sources. There is also Greek yogurt in them to add to the protein in this amazing muffin. And what I like most is that there is no refined sugar in this recipe.

This muffin is made to be satisfying not only while you are eating it but also for a nice amount of time afterwards. Enjoy it as a snack with a cup of tea and you will be set for what comes next. It is worth all of its 231 calories per muffin.

For more of my Livliga recipes that are easy to use and print go to livligahome.com.

Live Vibrant!

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Banana Bread Muffins with Fresh Sage

So much of the reading I have done about satisfaction at the end of a meal points to engaging our minds and body in the process of eating. This includes our taste-buds. Studies have show that if you activate more areas in your mouth at a meal, you will end up with a more complete experience and feel more satisfied as a result.

What I have been experimenting with is creating recipes that are both savory and sweet. Those tastes activate different parts of our mouth so we can feel more requited after eating. I want to find the solution to the "bag of potato chips" phenomenon. Because potato chips are only salty you can never eat enough. You just want more! And then, suddenly, you realize you have eaten a whole bag of potato chips and still want more!

My family is really enjoying the combinations of flavors I have been creating. This Banana Muffin with Fresh Sage recipe is a good example. All would say they are tasty and flavorful.  Pretty darn satisfying too! For 200 calories they are a good addition to a salad at lunch or can be a great snack at mid-morning or afternoon. Try them out and see what you think.

For more of my recipes that are easy to use and print out go to livligahome.com.

Live Vibrant!

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Repurposing Holiday Decorations into Wholesome Foods!

Yep, it is that time of year to clean up and pack up all the holiday decorations. This year, instead of throwing out the pumpkins, my husband suggested we REUSE them! What a novel idea! Somehow I find it quite perfect that we are reusing, re-purposing and recycling our holiday pumpkins!

Pumpkins are a very healthy super food. The meat doesn't have to just be used for pumpkin pies. In fact, the meat of the pumpkin can be used in substitution of other squash, like butternut, in soups and stews. I did just that last night when we made a crockpot dinner of Spiced Pork with Pumpkin Squash (it called for butternut squash) and Sweet Potatoes. It was delicious!

Beyond stews and soups pumpkin can be used to make yummy muffins. One of my new favorite muffins to make is Pumpkin Muffins with Crystallized Ginger.....so good!

And let's not forget the pumpkin seeds! They are so good for us from being high in protein to being a good source of vitamin E and minerals like magnesium and copper which are so vital for our health. They are easy to home roast. They also keep for a number of weeks once roasted. An easy, quick and nutritious snack. As described by Dr. Oz, a handful is 83 calories.

So here's starting the New Year recycling our holiday decorations and feeling healthier and "greener" for it!

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