Homemade Breakfast Bars

Just made a batch of these for a quick healthy breakfast during the week but between my husband and kids they are almost gone!



Number of Servings: 8

Ingredients
2cups of old fashioned oats
1 cup of skim milk
banana
Half cup raisins
half cup of unsweetened applesauce
half cup of Truvia/stevia
2 eggs
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
.5 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions
Preheat oven to 325. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with baking spray. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until well mixed. Pour the batter in the baking dish and bake for roughly 45 minutes. Allow to cool completely and cut into 8 equal pieces.

A Spotlight on Fiber

When we seek nutrition advice, most of us usually try to find info on the right amount of protein, carbohydrates and fats that we should consume. Fiber gets’ mentioned a lot less but it plays a big role in our nutrition. Most foods are all digested and absorbed by our body, fiber is very hard to digest so it’s only digested partially and it contains no nutrients, but it helps to promote efficient intestinal function and helps to regulate the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream.

Fiber is broken down into two forms: soluble and insoluble, and it’s only found in plants and never in an animal source.

Soluble fiber dissolves in water, and is found in fruits, vegetables, seeds, brown rice, oats, etc. It doesn’t help with digestion but it helps to decrease the cholesterol levels in the blood.

Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water but absorbs many times its own weight, it expands in the intestine causing an increase in fiber bulk. After expanding these bulking agents help to clear the gastrointestinal track of all it’s waste.

Insoluble fiber is found in whole grains, legumes, fruits, and other foods. This is why we have to eat unprocessed and unrefined foods because insoluble fiber is key in eliminating waste by increasing stool bulk and may also help with digestive problems. Insoluble fiber is what gives you the full feeling after eating certain foods ( foods that contain fiber  ). If you eat this type of fiber on a regular basis, the amount of time digested food sits in the intestine is decreased. This helps keep the body from absorbing starch and sugars in the intestine.

According to the American Heart Association ( AHA ) and National Cancer Institute it is recommended that we consume 25-30 grams of fiber a day, but most people only consume about 12 grams. You will be very surprised to look at the following chart and find out that you are eating a lot less fiber then you think.

The following foods and servings contain only 10 grams of fiber:

Grains

• All Bran – 1/2 cup
• Rolled Oats – 1 cup
• Whole Grain Cereal – 1 cup
• Whole Rye Bread – 3 slices
• Whole Wheat Bread – 4 slices
• Shredded Wheat – 4 large pieces
• Popcorn – 4 oz

Vegetables

• Mixed Beans – 1/2 cup
• Lentils – 1/2 cup
• Steamed Vegetables – 3 cups
• Carrots – 4 large carrots
• Mixed Salad – 4 servings
• Raw Cauliflower – 5 cups

Fruits

• Pears – 3
• Bananas – 3
• Peaches – 4
• Blackberries – 4 oz
• Apples – 5
• Oranges – 6
• Dried Figs – 10
• Prunes – 20

Gluten Free Turkey and Quinoa Meatloaf

I usually make a double batch of this recipe and freeze the leftovers. This is a dinner both my husband and kids will gobble up with out me picking anything out! I found the original recipe on allrecipes.com and switched it up a small bit.


Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup quinoa 
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped 
• 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 (20 oz) package of lean ground turkey
• 1/4 cup minced carrot
• 1 Tbs. tomato paste
• 1 Tbs. hot pepper sauce (this can be omitted if you worry about the kids and it being too spicy)
• 2 Tbs. Gluten free worscestershire sauce
• 1 egg or egg replacer
• 1 1/2 tsp salt1 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
3. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute; remove from heat to cool.
4. Stir the turkey, cooked quinoa, onions, tomato paste, hot sauce, 2 Tbs. A1, egg, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until well combined. The original recipe has you form this into a loose loaf on a baking sheet. I actually make them in a muffin tin. It doesn't take as long to cook and it makes portion control simpler.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 50 minutes for a loaf, about 15-25 minutes for muffins, depending on size. 
These little "muffins" are full of great nutrition that I hope your family will live as much as mine!