evaporated cane juice is still the same as sugar, it's just not quite as refined

Here is the nutrition panel. Taking this pic brought to mind how often I see evaporated cane juice in the ingredients of "healthier" foods. It's important to note that evaporated cane juice is still the same as sugar, it's just not quite as refined. It has trace amounts of vitamins and minerals, where white sugar is stripped, but I'd hardly call it a health food. The nice thing about it is that because it tends to be sweeter than white sugar, it takes less to sweeten a product.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes

Cook time: 5 mins
Total time: 10 mins
Serves: 2

These pancakes taste just like a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie but without any of the butter and sugar of the real thing. From start to finish, they take about 10 minutes and require just one bowl. They can also be made both gluten-free and vegan-friendly.

Ingredients
1 very ripe medium banana
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 flax egg (1 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 2.5 Tbsp water)
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon almond butter
1 Tablespoon canola oil (or coconut oil)
3 Tablespoons almond milk (or sub other milk)
1/2 cup rolled oats (or gluten free oats)
1/4 cup whole wheat or unbleached flour (or sub other flour)
3 Tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips (non-dairy for vegan)

Instructions
Preheat a skillet to medium heat or about 300-325 degrees.
Prepare flax egg by mixing flaxseed meal and water and letting set for 3-5 minutes.
Mash your very ripe banana with baking powder.
Add flax egg, oil, salt, vanilla, almond butter, almond milk and stir.
Stir in oats and flour until just combined.
Sprinkle in chocolate chips and fold gently.
Scoop scant 1/4 cup measurements onto lightly greased griddle.
Cook for 2-4 minutes on each side – until golden brown.
Serve plain or with a small drizzle of maple syrup and a few additional chocolate chips for melting.

Serving size: 3.5 pancakes 
Calories: 400 calories Fat: 18 g Sugar: 20 g Fiber: 6.5 Protein: 7 g

Notes
* Should yield 5-6 small pancakes.
* Make gluten free by using gluten-free oats and flour.
* Adding 1 Tablespoons of honey, maple syrup, sugar or agave nectar is optional for extra sweetening, but I didn’t find it necessary.
* Reheat great the following day in the microwave.

Source: http://minimalistbaker.com/chocolate-chip-oatmeal-cookie-pancakes/

The SuperFoods RX Diet

14 Original Superfoods and their Sidekicks
by: Wendy Bazilian, Steven Pratt, Kathy Matthews

Beans: all dried beans and low-sodium canned beans plus string beans, sugar snap peas, green peas

Blueberries: purple grapes, cranberries, boysenberries raspberries, strawberries, fresh currants, blackberries, cherries, and all other varieties of fresh or frozen beries

Broccoli: brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, turnips, cauliflower, collards, bok choy, mustard greens, Swiss chard

Oats: Super sidekicks: wheat germ, ground flaxseed,; Sidekicks: brown rice, barley, wheat, buckwheat, rye, millet, bulgur wheat, amaranth, quinoa, triticale, kamut, yellow corn, wile rice, spelt, couscous

Orange: lemons, white and pink grapefruit, kumquats, tangerines, limes

Pumpkin: carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, orange bell peppers

Salmon: Alaskan halibut, chunk light tuna, sardines, herring, trout, bass, oysters, clams

Soy: tofu, soy milk, soy nuts, edamame, tempeh, miso

Spinach: kale, collards, Swiss chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, bok choy, romaine lettuce, orange bell peppers

Tea: green and black

Tomatoes: watermelon, pink grapefruit, Japanese persimmons, red-fleshed papaya, strawberry guava

Turkey: skinless chicken breast

Walnuts: almonds, pistachios, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds, macadamia nuts, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, peanuts, pine nuts, Brazil nuts

Yogurt: kefir

.     Additional Superfoods     .

Apples: pears

Avocado: asparagus, artichokes, extra virgin olive oil

Dark chocolate

Dried SuperFruits: raisins, dates, prunes, figs, apricots, blueberries, cranberries, cherries, currants

Extra virgin olive oil

Honey

Kiwi: pineapple, guava

Onions: garlic, scallions, shallots, leeks, chives

Pomegranates: plums

.   SuperSpices     .

Cinnamon . Cumin . Garlic . Oregano . Thyme . Turmeric

European Kitchen Cheat Sheet

Salmon Patties with Sautéed Squash & Zucchini

INGREDIENTS:1 medium yellow onion, half diced and half thinly sliced, divided
1 6-oz can salmon packed in water, without bones or skin, drained
2 egg whites, whisked
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup whole-wheat bread crumbs
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced, divided
Olive oil cooking spray
2 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced, or 12 baby patty pan squash, cut in half
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Additional fresh herbs, chopped, or green onion curls, for garnish (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:In a large bowl, mix together diced onion, salmon, egg whites, Dijon, bread crumbs, carrot and 1 tbsp cilantro. 

Using your hands, form mixture into 4 large patties, each about 4 or 5 inches in diameter.

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron pan over medium-high for 1 minute. Mist with cooking spray. 

Place all 4 patties in pan and cook for 2 1/2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. 

Remove patties from pan and set aside.

Wipe out same large nonstick or cast-iron pan with paper towel; then heat over medium-high for 1 minute. 

Mist with cooking spray again. Add squash, zucchini and thinly sliced onion. Sauté for about 2 minutes, then add 1 tbsp water. (The water will help steam vegetables and cook them more thoroughly.) 

Cook for another 5 minutes or until squash and zucchini are tender and onion is translucent. When vegetables are just finished cooking, add remaining 1 tbsp cilantro and mix. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve 1 patty with 3/4 cup vegetables. Garnish with additional herbs, if desired.


Nutrients per serving (1 patty and 3/4 cup vegetables): Calories: 210, Total Fat: 4.5 g, Sat. Fat: 0.5 g, Carbs: 30 g, Fiber: 6 g, Sugars: 6 g, Protein: 16 g, Sodium: 340 mg, Cholesterol: 25 mg

These salmon patties taste delicious all by themselves, but you can also dress them up with a simple fruit sauce. Combine 1/4 cup no-sugar-added fruit preserves (strawberry or raspberry works best) with 1/4 cup water. Cook preserves in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until thickened and warm. Remove from heat and drizzle over patties.

from http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/

more Protein Bars

(3 recipes, the first two are No Bakes)

Clean Eating Healthy Homemade Granola Bars (No Bake)

Don't get scared when you look at the calories. These are packed with protein, whole grains, and healthy fats. They are a great combo of complex carbs and protein and will keep you feeling full and satisfied, all in a neat little package you can throw into your purse. And the smidgen of chocolate is just enough that they taste like an indulgence. If you really want a lower calorie snack, you can always cut them into 20 bars instead of 16. They will still be more than satisfying.

Ingredients:
½ cup dry roasted peanuts or other nuts
½ cup roasted unsalted sunflower seeds
1 2/3 cups raisins or other chopped dried fruit
1/3 cup chocolate chips
2 cups rolled or instant oats
¼ cup toasted wheat germ (optional)
2 cups toasted or puffed whole grain cereal (I use Arrowhead Mills Puffed Millet. You can use Rice Krispies in a pinch but they are not whole grain)
½ cup creamy natural peanut butter or other nut butter
½ cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

ONE: Coat a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray. Combine peanuts, sunflower seeds, raisins, chocolate chips, oats, cereal, and wheat germ in a large bowl. Mix well.

TWO: Combine peanut butter and honey in a large microwaveable bowl (tip: Use a 2 cup glass measuring cup. Pour the 1/2 cup of honey in first and then just drop plops of peanut butter in until the level reaches 1 cup. This saves you from measuring out the ½ cup of peanut butter and making another utensil dirty).

THREE: Microwave on High for 1 minute, stir well, and microwave for an additional minute or until bubbling. Add vanilla and stir until blended.

FOUR: Pour half of the peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients and mix it for a good 5 minutes until it's almost completely coated. I've found that the best way to mix it is to use the side of a large stiff rubber spatula and cut through the mix over and over while rotating the bowl. That breaks up all the clumps of moistened ingredients so that any remaining dry ingredients can be incorporated (I’ve tried using my hands before but so much of the sticky stuff gets stuck to them that my bars end up crumbly).

FIVE: Once it's totally mixed, pour the other half of the peanut butter mixture in, scraping every last drop out of the measuring cup. Repeat the slicing and mixing again. The mixing is so important because anything that is not sticking together going into the pan will likely not stick to the bar coming out.

SIX: Once the mixture has formed into a fairly solid ball, transfer it to the prepared pan. Press down firmly (it helps to coat your fingers with cooking spray). Really put some muscle into it because the harder you press the mixture down, the firmer the granola bars will be (I actually stand on a little stool to make me higher above my counter so that I can put more of my body weight into it. I don’t mess around on the pressing part).

SEVEN: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to harden (I always let mine stay in the fridge overnight) and once firm, cut into bars (works best if you cut them into 16 short, fat bars instead of long, skinny bars).

* Individually wrap the bars as soon as possible so they don’t dry out and crumble and keep in the fridge or at room temperature for up to 1 week.

                                   
* If making 2 batches at once, measure and mix the first batch separately, press into the pan, and then place a layer of wax paper over the top. You can then measure and mix the second batch and press it into the pan on top of the first.

NUTRITION INFO:(1)   Per 1 bar serving (cut into 16 bars)
293 Calories (95 Calories from Fat), 11g Fat, 2g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 5mg Sodium, 44g Total Carbohydrates, 5g Dietary Fiber, 22g Sugars, 9g Protein, 0% DV Vitamin A, 1% DV Vitamin C, 3% DV Calcium, 11% DV Iron

(2)   Per 1 bar serving (cut into 20 bars)
234 Calories (76 Calories from Fat), 9g Fat, 2g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 4mg Sodium, 35g Total Carbohydrates, 4g Dietary Fiber, 17g Sugars, 7g Protein, 0% DV Vitamin A, 1% DV Vitamin C, 2% DV Calcium, 9% DV Iron

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No-Bake Protein Bar Recipe

181 cals/16.4pro/14carb/6.9fat

1 1/2 cups quick oats (not instant or old fashioned)
4 Tbps. ground flax
4 scoops Optimum Nutrition Cake Batter protein powder - (or substitute with any protein powder of your choice)
4 Tbps. peanut butter
3 Tbsp. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup cold water

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, adding the water last. Knead with hands until mixed. Press into a 8x8 pan sprayed with cooking spray. Place in freezer for 20-30 minutes, cut into 8 bars, wrap each bar in plastic wrap, then return to freezer to store.

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Muffin Topless Rich / Jamie Eason's Chocolate Protein Bars

Ingredients:
1 Cup Oat Flour
2 Scoops Chocolate Casein protein powder (Whey will give a different consistency)
4 TB Unsweetened Baking Cocoa
1/2 Cup Stevia (or other natural zero cal sweetener)
1/4 tsp Salt (do not omit!)
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
8 oz Unsweetened Applesauce (I used baby food.. yup… baby food)
1/2 Cup Liquid Egg Whites
4 oz Water
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray an 8×8 baking dish with non-stick spray (I used Pam).

Mix dry ingredients together, then add wet ingredients. Mix until you get out all the lumps.

Pour mixture into baking dish and stick it in the oven for about 22 minutes for softer protein bars and closer to 25 minutes for firmer bars. Keep an eye on them at the 22 minute mark because each oven may vary.

Take out of the oven and let cool. Once cool, cut into 9 bars. I prefer to refrigerate mine but they will keep out of the oven for a few days.

Nutrition Facts: (this will vary slightly depending on the protein powder you choose).
Per Bar: 102 Calories _ 14 g Carbs _ 1 g Fat _ 9 g Protein _ 3 g Fiber _ 3 g Sugar

Your BMI Suggests You Are a Healthy Weight

While your results look good, keep in mind that it’s wise to review your BMI in light of your gender and age. Studies show, for instance, that people 65 and older may benefit from a slightly higher BMI — of between 25 and 27 — than the range indicated above. Also, the recommended amount of body fat differs for men and women.

Your BMI is an estimate of your body fat based on your weight and height.

For women, a BMI showing body fat of 20 percent to 21 percent is considered ideal. (The average American woman has about 22 percent to 25 percent body fat.)

For men, the recommended amount of body fat is between 13 percent and 17 percent. (The average American man has approximately 17 percent to 19 percent body fat.)

One way to determine your desirable body weight is to use the following formula:

Women: 100 pounds of body weight for the first five feet of height plus five pounds for each additional inch.

Men: 106 pounds of body weight for the first five feet of height plus six pounds for each additional inch.

But if you have a small body frame, you should subtract 10 percent from that number. For a large frame, 10 percent should be added.

Being physically active and eating a balanced diet can help you maintain your healthy weight. Some tips:

• Limit red meat: A good habit to get into is to eat meat no more than once a day.

• Eat fish and poultry: Both are less fattening than red meats and processed meats.

• Avoid fried food: Bake or broil your food — it’s much healthier. If you do fry foods, use polyunsaturated oils, such as safflower, sunflower or corn oil.

• Reduce your sodium intake: Limit your use of table salt and flavor intensifiers that contain salt, such as monosodium glutamate (MSG).

• Eat fiber: Healthy fiber is found in green leafy vegetables, fruit, beans, bran flakes, nuts, root vegetables, and whole-grain foods.

• Count your eggs: Eggs are a good source of protein, and they're low in saturated fat. But they’re also high in cholesterol, so it's best to avoid eating more than four eggs per week.

• Snack smart: Choose fresh fruit for dessert, rather than cookies, cake or other sweets.

• Eat a balanced diet: Follow the recommendations of the food guide pyramid.

find the original article here