Jo-Ann's Power Bars

All credit goes to: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Jo-Anns-Power-Bars/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=low%20gi&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe

OKAY! So these power bars are one of the best ones I have tried yet. I always make my own protein bars and shakes at home, I try not to buy the pre-made ones. These are good and solid and are great to pack in your bag for hiking. I love dried cranberries with a passion so I made sure to put loads of those in.

Here is the recipe, enjoy!

Ingredients: 

• 
  
•  1 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup Grape Nuts Cereal
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seed kernels
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup to 1 cup of chopped dried mixed fruit

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a 9 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flour, cereal, and cinnamon. Add the egg, applesauce, honey, brown sugar, and oil. Mix well. Stir in the sunflower seeds, walnuts, and dried fruit. Spread mixture evenly in the prepared pan.
3. Bake 30 minutes, or until firm and lightly browned around the edges. Let cool. Use the foil to lift from the pan. Cut into bars or squares, and store in the refrigerator.

Cracked Wheat Sourdough Bread - Allrecipes

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cracked-Wheat-Sourdough-Bread/Detail.aspx?prop24=hn_slide1_Cracked-Wheat-Sourdough-Bread&evt19=1

This one looks wicked, it has great reviews so I will give this one a shot. Let me know if you end up making this one.

• 3/4 cup cracked wheat
• 1 cup hot water
• 1/4 cup margarine, melted
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3/4 cup nonfat milk
  •       1/2 cup flax seed
  • 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
  • 2 1/2 cups sourdough starter
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 3 1/2 cups bread flour
  • 1 egg, beaten
    
    

    Directions

    1. In a medium bowl place cracked wheat and pour hot water, (does not need be boiling), over wheat. Add melted margarine, molasses, honey, nonfat milk, flax seed and sunflower seeds and mix well. Cool to lukewarm and stir in the sourdough starter.
    2. With a large wooden spoon start stirring in the flours, 1 cup at a time, beginning with the whole wheat then the bread flour. When dough is stiff enough to work, turn out onto a floured surface and knead a good 10 to 12 minutes, working in as little of the remaining flour as necessary.
    3. When smooth and elastic, shape dough into a ball and put it into a greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover, place in a warm, draft-free spot, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours, punch down risen dough and set aside again to rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour.
    4. When the second rising is complete, punch down the dough and shape into two loaves. Place dough in two well-greased 9x5 inch loaf pans, cover and let rise again until doubled in bulk, or until the dough reaches the tops of the pans, about 1 hour. Brush tops with an egg wash, made by whisking one tablespoon water into one whole egg until well blended.
    5. Bake in a preheated 375 degree (190 degrees C) oven for 30 minutes, after 15 minutes rotate pans and spray with cold water, continue baking until the loaves test done by the hollow sound made when tapped on the top and bottom. Cool on racks in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto the racks to cool completely.

Paleo Pumpkin Bread - The Healthy Chef

I hope mine turns out that way.

Here is another great looking recipe for bread, I hope you enjoy it , I know I will!!
Nutrition per serveProtein: 6.2 g
Total Fat: 15 g
Saturated: 1.6 g
Carbs: 3.4 g
Sugars: 2.9 g
Sodium: 21 mg
kilojoules: 740
Calories: 176


From:
http://www.thehealthychef.com/2012/07/paleo-pumpkin-bread-2/

Paleo Pumpkin Bread

• 450 g (15.8 oz/ 3 cups) grated raw pumpkin (winter squash)
• 4 whole organic or free-range eggs
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• pinch nutmeg
• 1/4 cup (60 ml/ 2 fl oz)) olive or macadamia nut or cold pressed coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons gluten free baking (you can also use (3/4  teaspoon baking soda + a tablespoon lemon juice)
• 3 cups (300g/ 10  1/2 oz) fine almond meal (fine almond flour, ground almonds)
• 1 tablespoon honey (optional )
• pumpkin seeds to sprinkle on top  (optional)

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 150 – 160 C. Fan forced or 180 C if your oven has no fan.
• Combine the pumpkin, eggs, salt, nutmeg and oil into a bowl.
• Add the almond meal and baking powder and mix well.
• Line a loaf tin with baking paper at the base and the sides.The size I used was: 10 1/2 cm wide and 26 cm long.
• Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin and sprinkle the top with the pumpkin seeds.
• Bake for approximately 1  1/2 hours – check after 1 hour and test as times may vary depending on your oven and temperature.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the tin for 1 hour before removing from the tin.
Cool and enjoy slices with avocado or topped with my  macadamia nut butter.
Serves 16.

"Zero Carb Flax Bread" - from The EZ Whey

Yesterday I had a regular come in to my work and ask which bread had the lowest G.I. rating.. unfortunately I lack the knowledge to provide him the information that he needed- so I decided since I love to make my own bread at home and experiment with new recipes, I will start posting healthy, grainy , heavy breads with a low glycemic index - I think everyone can benefit from that :) Here is a recipe I found on the internet, from:
http://www.theezwhey.com/page1/page1.html

Zero Carb Flax Bread


Ingredients:

2 Cups flax seed
5 Egg whites
2 Whole eggs
5 TBSP flax oil, coconut oil, or olive oil
1 TBSP Baking powder
1 TSP Salt
1/2 Cup of water
3 packets of stevia (If you are against using artificial sweeteners, I suggest using real sugar. They both raise your blood sugar anyways.)



Directions:
Mix all dry ingredients then add the wet. Whisk together and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. This recipe can also be made into muffins: divide batter into muffin pans and bake for about 10-15 minutes.
Since developing this recipe, I have made many different flavor varieties. A sweet chocolate bread can be made by adding Capella Flavor Drops. Some other awesome additions are pumpkin, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and protein powder flavor of choice. Great topped with almond or peanut butter!

Yummy Whole Wheat Veggie Wraps

Does anyone else get so excited over making healthy delicious food??

Hi everyone! I am back with a simple little recipe for healthy lunch wraps, these are so quick and easy to prepare, and you can easily pair this lovely lunch with a sweet fruit salad on the side. Yum! Hope you enjoy these as much as I will today on my break :)

Ingredients:

• 1 sliced round of red onion, then cut in half (easy to use strips)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 1/2 small avocado, sliced thinly
• 1 handful alfalfa sprouts
• 1/2 tomato sliced thinly
• 1/4 cucumber, sliced into thin rounds
• bold deli mustard
• 1 whole wheat tortilla 

Directions:

If your tortillas are frozen, leave them on a plate to defrost (they defrost quickly) while you start to prepare your vegetables.

Start to slice the vegetables and make sure they are cut into thin strips, otherwise all of your veggies will fall out of the wrap if chopped otherwise. (Story of my life, ha-ha.)

You will then want to start drizzling the deli mustard on your tortilla, and layer your veggies on. Then roll 'er up!

These are the brands that I used:

Alfalfa sprouts are SO good !!

Family favourite!

Note:
If you feel like you need some meat on this, I suggest sun dried tomato turkey or peppered turkey. 

Healthy Bison Meatloaf

I have never tried meatloaf in my life, and decided to make it since someone told me it is really good!
I didn't want to use regular ground beef, and I find bison tastes so much better and is only grass fed which makes it all the more healthier for us to consume!

So here is the recipe, and unfortunately I don't have pictures for this one, sorry guys!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground lean bison
• 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs or crushed rice cakes
• 2 eggs
• 1 onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 green bell pepper chopped
• 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp balsamic
• 1 tsp brown sugar 

1/2 cup mixed ketchup, mustard & brown sugar (as the glaze, to keep moist.)


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a medium sized loaf pan and set aside.
2. Heat up a medium sauce pan on low to medium heat.
3. Add garlic, onion and bell pepper and cook until softened.
4. Pour in the worcestershire sauce, balsamic and brown sugar and stir together.
5. Take off the heat and set aside.
6. In a seperate bowl whisk together the two eggs, then add bison meat.
7. Pour in the fried veggies, and mix together with hands or stir with a spatula.
8. Then add the bread crumbs and mix until well combined.

Pour into loaf pan, then place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, then add the ketchup mustard mixture on top, then bake for another 35 minutes.

Once it is done let sit for 20 minutes, cut into slices and serve!

Spicy Veggie Spanish Rice

This recipe has been adapted from : http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/spanish_rice/
Except mine has more veggies.. So it can be used as a main!

You will need:

• 1 sweet onion finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 cups brown rice
• 3 cups vegetarian "chicken" bouillon (I use the cubes and dissolve with water)
• 1/2 small can of tomato paste
• 1 large can of whole tomatoes, drained
• 1 green bell pepper chopped
• 10 small brown or white button mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 zucchini diced
• 1 jalapeno minced
• dash of chilli flakes
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp mexican chilli powder
• dash of hot sauce

salt&pepper to taste.

Directions:

1. Pour two cups brown rice into pot on medium heat and toast for 3-5 minutes.
2. Drizzle a little olive oil into pot then  add garlic, onions and jalapeno until softened.
3. Add green bell pepper, zucchini, and mushrooms.
4. next add dissolved chicken bouillon cubes in 3 cups water and bring to a boil.
5. Dump in the tomato paste, canned tomatoes, and spices.
6. Continue to let this boil for 3 minutes, then turn heat on "low" . Simmer for 50 minutes . (or until rice is tender).

Remove from heat, and fluff with a fork and spoon to get everything mixed.


Can be served alongside fresh grilled or pan fried chicken!


NOTE: Some brown rice brands are different and require more liquid. Add broth or water according to the directions on the back of your rice bag.