Yesterday I had a couple of ripe bananas so I decided to make banana bread.  I usually make my easy banana bread recipe with just bananas and whole wheat flour.  But, I remembered I had just bought some frozen blueberries so I decided to throw those into the mix.  I think this turned out to be the best banana bread recipe that I’ve made to date.  This is a low fat banana bread recipe because this is actually banana bread with applesauce in the batter instead of oil.  If you’ve been looking for a good banana nut bread this one is also for you, as I’ve added walnuts to it for the nut freaks like me.    Oh, I almost forgot to mention that this is also a whole wheat banana bread recipe!  So not only did we cut back on the fat, you get better wheat, and extra fiber.  The addition of oats, and blueberries make this banana blueberry bread to die for with an antioxidant and fiber boost!  Enjoy!

I forgot to mention that Wendy Hagen inspired me!  She made a sugar free banana bread and gave us the recipe on our site here.  Check it out, if you want a sugar free banana bread.

Recently I went on a road trip to Mississippi with my family.  My sister is on a sugar free, gluten free, and diary free diet so she packed a lot of her own food since it’s hard to meet all of those requirements in restaurants or fast food joints.  She packed flavored instant oatmeal packets for breakfast.  I used to swing by Starbucks some days on the way to the beach to train, and I was paying a pretty penny for one serving of oatmeal. Not only are these fast food oatmeal choices expensive they have more ingredients than I want (or need) to put in my body.  Some of you have been going to McDonalds for your quick oatmeal breakfast.  Did you know their oatmeal has 21 Ingredients in it!! Yes, 21!  Starbucks has about 13 ingredients just in the oatmeal, and more if you add on the extras.

I thought to myself, when I make oatmeal at home it takes about the same time, or less to make it, than if I go to someplace and there are a lot of folks getting their morning coffee fix at Starbucks.  So, instead of spending over $2.50 for a bowl of oatmeal, I can make it at home for about 16-30 cents a bag/ bowl!

McDonald’s Fruit & Maple Oatmeal Ingredient List: Whole grain rolled oats, brown sugar, food starch-modified, salt, natural flavor (plant source), barley malt extract, caramel color.  Apples, calcium ascorbate (a blend of calcium and vitamin C to maintain color).  Sweetened dried cranberries (sugar, cranberries), California raisins, golden raisins, sunflower oil, sulfur dioxide as a preservative (contains sulfites).  Milk, cream, sodium phosphate, datem, sodium stearoyl lactylate, sodium citrate, carrageenan.

Compare to my instant oatmeal ingredient list: Quick Oats, salt (optional), fructose (or sucanat, also optional)

Regular Oats and Quick Oats

Ingredients

12 cups quick oats
1 cup of fructose or sucanat (optional)
2 teaspoons of salt (optional)

Directions: Mix all the above ingredients in a large bowl. Divide among resealable bags, placing 1/2 cup of mixture into your resealable bag.  (Or you can put all the ingredients into an airtight canister until ready to eat. On a day when you want oatmeal, pour the contents of the bag into a bowl.  (Or, scoop out 1/2 cup into a bowl from canister) Just add 2/3 to 1 cup of boiling water (depending on how soupy you like it).  Let it sit for a few minutes and enjoy knowing you saved a TON of money, only used 3 ingredients, and saved time!  *Note: If you like it creamy add a splash of milk, soy, or almond milk.

If you like the special pre-packaged oatmeals with fruit and nuts here’s what you do.
Divide your base oatmeal mix into 4 bowls and add the following into each bowl.
You’ll get 4 types of healthy instant oatmeal!  After you add the following into your 4 bowls
then you can put into individual baggies. If you decide you don’t want to put in baggies you can
keep your base mix in a large canister and on any given day add about 1 tbsp of the first ingredient
and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or 1 tbsp nuts to your bowl fresh for variety.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
1/2 cup dried apples
1 tbsp cinnamon

Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal
1/2 cup raisins
1 tbsp cinnamon

Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Blueberry Pecan
1/2 cup dried blueberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans

There are certainly a number of other combinations you can add.  You can have dried pineapples and coconut flakes, dried peaches with powdered soy or milk.  Flax seeds can be added to any combination for an added nutritional boost.  You can omit the sugar in the base mix, and drizzle real maple syrup or agave  on your oatmeal after you add the boiling water.  Switching the types of nuts can with the different dried fruits will vary the taste as well.

Get Your Kids Cooking! Your kids can help you mix and bag these individual packages to get them ready for busy school mornings.

Annett Davis, Olympian & Founder of Fit Moms Fit Kids

Last week  I promised you that I would give you my famous healthy Yummy Guacamole recipe.  Here it is!!! A couple of years ago our family took a cruise to Mexico.  While we were there we decided to take a fun cooking class during one of our excursions.  The whole family, Grandma included learned how to make some yummy Mexican treats.  The best part was we got to eat them!  The following guacamole recipe is my adaptation (due to my faulty memory) of the guacamole we made.  I get compliments on my guacamole all the time.

By the way, check out the new recipe tool I have for you!  Cool huh?  You can easily print the recipes out now!  You can save it, add it to a plan, a list, etc… Let me know if you like it. 

Enjoy!

Annett Davis, Olympian & Founder of Fit Moms Fit Kids

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! Fit Moms this tastes like you are eating little nuggets of pumpkin pie, or candy!  These are to die for!  How did I get this amazing recipe?  Well for a few of my pro beach volleyball events this year I played with the fabulous Priscilla Lima. I wouldn’t have snacks on hand, but Priscilla was ALWAYS prepared, with the yummiest healthy treats, which of course she shared with me. Thanks @PriLimaBeachPro and @Level10_Fitness for the tasty carbs and good fats that keep me energized during our events! Fit Moms, you can make these delicious roasted coconut sweet potatoes ahead of time, put them in the fridge and take them in a reusable storage container to have your kids snack on during their sports events.  Try it!  They won’t want to stop eating these healthy treats, and neither will you.

Delicious Roasted Coconut Sweet Potatoes

adapted from recipe given to me personally by Level 10 Fitness

3 medium sweet potatoes (cut into 1/4″ thick circles)

1 1/2-2 TBS organic coconut oil melted in saucepan

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

2 tsp brown sugar, or turbinado, or sucanat (optional, doesn’t really need it)

*optional sprinkle with sea salt

Directions:

Toss all the ingredients in a bowl or reusable plastic bag until sweet potatoes are coated. Spread the potatoes on a large baking sheet. Roast in 350 degree oven for about 1 hour turning over occasionally until caramelized and soft.

Annett Davis, Olympian & Founder of Fit Moms Fit Kids

Shared on Good Cheap Eats, Kelly the Kitchen Kop, It’s A Keeper , Food Renegade Fight Back Fridays, Allergy Friendly Fridays, Frugal Follies, Around My Table, Full Plate Thursday, Real Food Forager, At the Well