Did you know...

That you can freeze leftover pancakes??? You probably did, but did you know that they fit perfectly in bread bags? I've talked about bread bags before. I love them. They are carried at stores with kitchen supplies. I store all of my bread in the freezer in these bags. Yesterday, I got out a loaf and saved the bag (you can usually reuse them, or at least I do). Today, when I made pancakes, due to how filling the pancakes were, we had TONS of leftovers! Enter, the bread bags...the pancakes fit perfectly and just went right into my freezer. For the next couple of days, breakfast is covered! This is wonderful, since I'm still kind of recovering from the race, and my husband, bless his heart, isn't one to whip up a batch of pancakes from scratch, although he is great with a boxed mix!!! ;) So...pancakes out, heated up, and presto...whole grain, filling breakfast in minutes!!!

Chia, Whole Wheat, Barley Pancakes

Yet another way to sneak in the chia...these pancakes are very similar to the Whole Wheat Barley Flax Pancakes. I substituted the ground chia seeds for ground flax seeds. I also added vanilla, doubled the recipe, and ground the whole wheat and the barley separately, instead of together. These were so good and had one absolutely amazing quality. I ate one, without syrup, and was full...I mean totally and completely satisfied! "Okay", you may say, "well, maybe there are lots of calories in that one pancake." Think again, Buster! There are only 103 calories in each pancake! So, oddly enough, 103 calories later, I am 100% completely satisfied!!! My weight is down about three pounds and I feel great!

Chia, Whole Wheat, Barley Pancakes

2 C whole wheat flour

1/4 C chia flour (2 T ground in a coffee grinder)

1/2 C barley flour

2 T baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 C + 2 T brown sugar

2 T vegetable oil

2 1/2 C milk

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

4 eggs, separated

Stir together all flours, baking powder and salt. Add brown sugar, vegetable oil, milk, vanilla and egg yolks. Mix until thoroughly combined. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Fold beaten egg whites into mixture. Bake on greased, hot griddle.

Makes about 20-24 pancakes.

P.S. Some of the weight-loss is definitely due to the taper...my legs are no longer as swollen from the crazy distance-running. However, the appetite suppression and some of that weight-loss (due to the appetite suppression) is, I would like to believe, due to Chia.

P.P.S. To grind the chia seeds use a small coffee grinder. They are about 15-20 bucks and work great for grinding flax and chia seeds. DO NOT use a wheat grinder...the seeds have oil in them and will ruin your wheat grinder!!!

P.P.P.S Other nutrition facts per pancakes, if you make 22 with this recipe:

2.1 grams fiber

15 grams carbohydrates

3 grams fat

4 grams protein

Apple Spice Chia Muffins

Its been rainy and cold at the Allen house recently. Whenever the weather is like this, I tend to bake and seeing as how I am not running for the next two days due to my tapering schedule, I have the time (and energy) to do it. I don't know about you, but the smell of food is almost as important as the taste. Sounds funny, I know, but I like for my kids to come home and say, "Mom, something smells so good!" I like when my husband walks in and says, "Mmmm, I can't wait to eat." I guess it just makes me feel like our house is more of a "home" does that sound crazy? Oh well, I've never pretended that I don't have a little bit of crazy running through my veins. So, here is an ultra-delicious smelling, super-healthy muffin recipe that will get your kids devouring Chia seeds. By the way, we've also been putting them in green smoothies, talk about loading your kids with antioxidants baby!!! Oh, by the way, I'm down a couple of pounds...some of this is probably due to the fact that I am not swollen from training, but I like to think some of it is due to the appetite-suppressing qualities of my magic little seeds.

So, here it is:

Apple Spice Chia Muffins

2 eggs

1/4 C oil

1/4 C apple butter

1 C milk

1/2 C organic sugar (can use regular granulated sugar, too)

1 3/4 C whole wheat flour

1/4 C barley flour

1 T vanilla

1 T baking powder

2 T chia seeds

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Mix all ingredients except chia seeds. Stir in chia seeds. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Makes about 16 muffins.

P.S. This is yet another great on-the-go breakfast and a wonderfully nutritious on-the-go after school snack.

P.P.S There are only about 126 calories in each of these delicious muffins!!!

Multigrain Strawberry Bars

If your family is like my family, this time of year is CRAZY!!! With End of Level tests, end of year programs, soccer practices and games, gymnastics and, this year, marathon training, I need something quick and easy for breakfast. I love these Multigrain Strawberry bars, which taste very similar to Nutrigrain Bars, because they have lots of whole grains, my kids love them, and I can make them the night before and put them in a baggie to take on the run. I figure this is much better than stopping at McDonalds or a donut shop enroute to our destination. Anyway, here is the recipe:

Multigrain Strawberry Bars

1/2 C salted butter

1/2 C brown sugar

Cream above ingredients then add:

1/2 C applesauce

1 1/4 tsp. vanilla

3/4 tsp. salt

2 T milk

Mix all above ingredients together, then add:

1 3/4 C whole wheat flour

1 3/4 C uncooked oats

Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly blended. Pat half of the mixture into a greased 9X9 pan, then add:

1 C strawberry (or any flavor) preserves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Smooth preserves over the entire bottom layer of batter. Take the last half of the batter, bit by bit and flatten it between your hands and lay it over the preserves until it covers the entire preserve layer. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until top is just barely golden brown.

I think I forgot to mention that there are only 218 calories per bar (assuming that you cut them into 15 bars)...not too bad for a breakfast.

Almond or (Vanilla) Chia Muffins

Curious about how to fit those amazing chia seeds into your diet? See below if you are wondering what I'm talking about. I'm working on coming up with new recipes using chia seeds. Here is a muffin recipe I came up with to add some chia to my family's diet. As I said before, I'll also be adding them to green smoothies, pancakes and a host of other recipes. This recipe also has some buckwheat flour in it. To read about the health benefits of buckwheat, go here:

To read about buckwheat, go here: Buckwheat, more than just a Little Rascals character

A couple of notes on this recipe. I like my muffins a little lighter in calories, so if your muffins are a little too dry, add 1-2 T more oil. My kids loved these muffins, but I did sprinkle a little bit of organic sugar on the top when there was about 3-4 more minutes of baking time left. You could spice up this recipe by adding some raspberries or blueberries in as well. One of my kids liked them with a little bit of jelly, the others loved them just the way they were. The coolest thing is that I have one child who is a bottomless pit. She ate one muffin for an after-school snack and didn't ask for anything else! I asked her if she was still hungry and she said, "no", I think even she was surprised. So, for all my friends trying to curb their appetites...these muffins are a must. Oh...and they only have 130 calories a piece!!!

Almond Buckwheat Chia Muffins

2 eggs

1/4 C oil

1/4 C applesauce

1 C milk

1/2 C organic sugar (I used organic, you can use regular if that is all you have)

1 3/4 C whole wheat flour

1/4 C buckwheat flour (ground up buckwheat groats)

1 T almond extract

1 T baking powder

2 T chia seeds

Mix all ingredients except chia seeds. Stir in chia seeds. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. If you desire, you can sprinkle sugar on the tops when there is about four more minutes of baking time left. Makes about 15 muffins.

P.S. The marathon is over!!! I'm satisfied with my time and feel good about the race. I am quite sure that was my last race because truthfully, 26.2 miles is just too darn far for my legs to run!!!

Vanilla Chia Muffins

Follow instructions for Almond Buckwheat Chia muffins, EXCEPT, substitute 1 T vanilla for almond extract. Follow directions as stated.

Ch Ch Ch Chia

Some of you may be "in the know" about chia seeds, especially if you are a Dr. Oz fan. Some of you may know of the chia seed as the seed planted inside an animal-shaped pot, where the chia sprouts the fur or hair of the animal. Others may be thinking, "what is chia?"

Well, for those of you who are in the last two categories, let me inform you all about this incredible seed, for which I have the most profound respect. First of all, let me tell you about my own experience today, which I found very interesting. I made some muffins, which I will give you the recipe for, and found that after one, with no breakfast, I wasn't very hungry. I thought maybe, for some reason, I just wasn't too hungry today. I also noticed, my digestion sped up a bit, I won't go into detail on that. I didn't attribute this to the chia seeds in the muffin until I researched the benefits of chia seeds.

Here is the low-down. First of all, I found that the soluble fiber in chia seeds soaks up tons of water, so what does that mean? It is something referred to as the "gelling" action. It expands in your stomach, holding water, which has no calories, and makes you feel full because your stomach is full of these expanded seeds. Pretty cool, huh. Also, they are LOADED with anti-oxidants...even more so than blueberries! They aid in keeping blood sugar low by slowing down the conversion of carbohydrates into sugars in your body. This means that they are broken down much slower and release a more consistent flow of energy into your body. Cool, huh. For regularity, they have both soluble and insoluble fiber. Remember those Omega 3 fatty acids (good for heart and cholesterol) that you get in fish? Well, Chia is the richest plant-source for Omega-3 fatty acids! They are loaded with protein, vitamins A,C,D and E, copper, iron, iodine, and many more.

So...needless to say, we will be adding these to our green smoothies from now on and I'll be baking with them in pancakes, waffles, etc. You can grind them, like flax, and throw them in recipes. I'm going to try them in my Whole Wheat Barley Flax pancakes. I'll tell you how they turn out. Well, enough about chia. If you are interested, do your own research. I'll have some recipes to come because I intend to start feeding these super seeds to my family on a much more regular basis.

When you are on the go...

If your life is like mine...you are on the go like crazy right now. Between soccer, end-of-level testing, gymnastics, fund-raisers, end-of-year events and now, marathon training, my life is absolutely, in a word, chaotic. Some of you may have noticed the lack of posts for a long while...well, that was a direct correlation to my hectic schedule. Anyway, we are now tapering, thus, more posts. Things are winding down, but far from over, so, I have a recipe for a quick, easy breakfast. I love this recipe because they are made with more than one type of grain and packed with fiber, I can make them ahead of time and take them on-the-go, after dinner they can serve as dessert, and my kids love them. So, here is my gift to all of you feeling as crazy as I do right now:

Multigrain Strawberry Bars

1/2 C salted butter

1/2 C brown sugar

Cream above ingredients then add:

1/2 C applesauce

1 1/4 tsp. vanilla

3/4 tsp. salt

2 T milk

Mix all above ingredients together, then add:

1 3/4 C whole wheat flour

1 3/4 C uncooked oats

Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly blended. Pat half of the mixture into a greased 9X9 pan, then add:

1 C strawberry (or any flavor) preserves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Smooth preserves over the entire bottom layer of batter. Take the last half of the batter, bit by bit and flatten it between your hands and lay it over the preserves until it covers the entire preserve layer. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until top is just barely golden brown.

Multigrain Strawberry Bars

If your family is like my family, this time of year is CRAZY!!! With End of Level tests, end of year programs, soccer practices and games, gymnastics and, this year, marathon training, I need something quick and easy for breakfast. I love these Multigrain Strawberry bars, which taste very similar to Nutrigrain Bars, because they have lots of whole grains, my kids love them, and I can make them the night before and put them in a baggie to take on the run. I figure this is much better than stopping at McDonalds or a donut shop en route to our destination. Anyway, here is the recipe:

Multigrain Strawberry Bars

1/2 C salted butter

1/2 C brown sugar

Cream above ingredients then add:

1/2 C applesauce

1 1/4 tsp. vanilla

3/4 tsp. salt

2 T milk

Mix all above ingredients together, then add:

1 3/4 C whole wheat flour

1 3/4 C uncooked oats

Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly blended. Pat half of the mixture into a greased 9X9 pan, then add:

1 C strawberry (or any flavor) preserves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Smooth preserves over the entire bottom layer of batter. Take the last half of the batter, bit by bit and flatten it between your hands and lay it over the preserves until it covers the entire preserve layer. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until top is just barely golden brown.

I think I forgot to mention that there are only 218 calories per bar (assuming that you cut them into 15 bars)...not too bad for a breakfast.

For the VegHeads in my life...again!

As I mentioned...in the summer, I become what is called a "flexitarian" or "semi-vegetarian", which really means I eat a lot less meat than I eat in the winter. We've been devouring the Morningstar Black Bean Burgers from Costco. P.S. The enchilada recipe on the side of the box is AMAZING!!! We've also been drinking lots of green smoothies, for which I hope to grow all the ingredients by the fall! Anyway, I found something called "pink lentils" and decided to try them in a chili...they are wonderful. You only have to cook them for about 20-30 minutes for them to be ready to throw in the chili. I also use wheat berries in this chili. This is probably one of the most delicious, fiber-filled, healthiest chilis you've ever eaten. It is actually a form of taco soup, because I believe the flavoring in taco soup is one of the most delicious chili flavors I've ever had.

Before you begin:

Bring 1 1/2 C pink lentils and about 5 C of water to a boil. Boil until the lentils split, about 20-30 minutes, adding more water if you need it. Don't let it boil dry!

Bring 1 1/3 C wheat and about 5 C of water to a boil. Boil until wheat is nice and plump, about an hour, adding more water if you need it. Don't let it boil dry!

In a crockpot, while beans and wheat are boiling add:

1 can whole kernal corn (15-16 oz.)

1 packet taco seasoning

1 packet ranch seasoning (I use Hidden Valley Ranch)

1 can black beans (15-16 oz.)

1 can garbanzo beans (15-16 oz.)

1 can kidney beans (15-16 oz.)

1 can chili beans (15-16 oz.)

1 large can Concentrated Crushed Tomatoes (29 oz.)

Stir and let cook in crockpot while lentils and wheat cook. When lentils and wheat are finished, stir them in. Let the chili continue to cook for at least 2 hours to let all the flavors blend. I promise you won't miss the meat!!!!

Divine Vegetarian Sandwiches that even Meat-Eaters will Love!!!

I have many people in my life who have given up carnivorous eating habits for a diet that excludes our animal friends. I am not one of those people, but in the summer I do try to eat a primarily vegetarian diet. I really like to eat from my own garden in the summer, but as of right now, we haven't even planted one...that is next weekend's task! My friend Jill, one of my vegetarian friends gave me this recipe and we LOVE it!!! I am growing basil and I was able to use my own, fresh basil for this recipe and it is truly mouth-watering. One little caveat...none of my kids were begging me to make this again. It is primarily an adult meal, at least in my family. They did, however LOVE the baguettes and we made little cheese sandwiches out of them that they really enjoyed.

These recipes are both in the cookbook. The baguettes are found on page 62.

Whole Wheat Baguettes

1 C lukewarm water

1 T sugar

11⁄2 tsp yeast

Mix above ingredients together and let sit for about 7 minutes. While the above mixture is sitting, mix the following:

21⁄4 C whole wheat flour

2 tsp gluten

2 tsp dough enhancer

1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add yeast mixture to flour mixture and knead for 8-10 minutes. Let rise for about 45-50 minutes on top of preheated oven. Punch down dough. Roll out to approximately 16X12 inch rectangle. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the rectangle in half and roll up each half tightly from one end to the other lengthwise (this is the long way, which will give you the fewest rolls in the bread). Make diagonal slashes in the top of the bread. Let rise for another 45 minutes to an hour on a greased cookie sheet or until dough has doubled in size (slashes will have expanded to give the typical “French bread” look. Mix 1 T water and 1 egg white and brush this mixture lightly on the surface of the loaves. Bake for 20- 25 minutes. Makes 2 loaves of French baguettes.

The Pesto is found on page 107 of the cookbook. You can choose to add the wheat or not. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

Smooth Pesto Sauce

1 C packed fresh basil leaves

1⁄4 C olive oil

2 tsp wheat berry puree

1 T red wine vinegar

11⁄2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 clove of garlic, quartered

Blend the above ingredients. Serve with Artichoke Pesto Crostinis and Pesto Chicken Pasta (coming later).

The actual recipe for the Artichoke-Pesto Crostini is on page 29:

Artichoke Pesto Crostini **V**

2-3 loaves of Whole Wheat French Baguettes

Smooth Pesto Sauce

mozzarella cheese tomatoes

marinated artichoke hearts (you can add only a few leaves of the heart or the whole heart...I like the whole thing!)

Cut French bread in slices about 1⁄2 in. thick. Spread pesto on French bread. Layer the mozzarella cheese on top of the bread followed by a tomato slice and an artichoke heart. Top with another piece of French bread, or leave open-faced. These are fabulous as an appetizer OR a meal!

P.S. Can you tell we're tapering now...more time for cooking!!!

For My Fellow Athletes Out There

This post is to honor all of my friends, family and blog-followers who are currently training for marathons, half-marathons, 30Ks, 10Ks, 5Ks, triathlons or any other race...or just those concentrating on increasing their protein. These bars are delicious and my family LOVED them! They have 13 grams of protein per bar (if you cut the pan into 14 rectangle pieces), 207 calories and only 16 carbohydrates. I used raw honey and freshly-ground flaxseed, which you CANNOT get in a store-bought protein bar. Want to know why flaxseed is good for you??? Click here: Is Flaxseed Really that Great for You? Now...why did I use RAW honey??? Want to know, click here: What is Raw Honey? So, without further ado...I give you PROTEIN BARS.

Protein Bars

3/4 C smooth peanut butter

1/4 C honey

Stir above together and heat for 20-30 seconds then mix and add the following:

1/4 C freshly ground flax meal

1/4 C whole wheat flour

1 C Chocolate protein powder

1/2 C oats

1/4 C cold water

Press into greased 9X9 pan and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Cut into bars and store in tupperware in the fridge.

So...13 grams of protein, only 16 carbs, completely natural and 207 calories if you cut them into 14 bars...not to shabby for a healthy, home-made protein bar. They also have 1.78 grams of fiber per bar...enough to benefit your body, but not so much that it will cause any unwanted restroom trips...if you catch my drift...

Note: You can add more protein by stirring in chopped nuts (any kind you desire) with the flax, flour, protein powder, water and oats.

P.S. I'm trying to make up for the dearth of blog entries for the last two months. I have one more to add, too, and it is DELICIOUS! We ate it for dinner tonight and it is a tribute to all the veg-heads I know. This one is 100% vegetarian and so divinely delicious that you couldn't miss the meat if you tried!

Note: I forgot to add the 1/4 C cold water last night...so please change this in your recipe. If you already made them, dump them back into the pan, add the water and flatten them back down in the pan...Presto...fixed.

Granola Bars

Remember that Make-Ahead Biscuit mix? Well, in my cookbook is a recipe for granola bars made from that mix. Why is that good? Well, that recipe makes A LOT of biscuit mix and this is a great way to use some of it up. I made these last night and breakfast this morning was a cinch!

Here is the recipe:

Whole Wheat Make-Ahead Biscuit Mix (can be substituted for Bisquick in recipes)

4 C sifted whole wheat flour

2 T + 1 tsp sugar

2 T baking powder

1 C shortening

1⁄2 tsp salt

2/3 C powdered milk

1 tsp cream of tartar

1⁄2 tsp baking soda

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, powdered milk, cream of tartar and baking soda. Add shortening and cut with two knives until crumbly, similar to cornmeal. You can also use your hands to combine shortening evenly...that is my favorite way to do it. Store in refrigerator and substitute for Bisquick.

Chewy Granola Bars

11⁄2 C Whole Wheat Make-Ahead Biscuit Mix

2 C uncooked quick oats

1 tsp cinnamon

1 C brown sugar

1⁄2 C butter, softened

1⁄2 C applesauce

2 eggs

11⁄2 tsp vanilla

3⁄4 C chocolate chips

One hour before making granola bars, get butter out to soften at room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix Whole Wheat Make-Ahead Biscuit Mix, oats, cinnamon and sugar. Add softened butter and mix with fork or fingers. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Press evenly in ungreased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until knife inserted in center is set. Cut into bars while still warm. Store in covered container.

Variation: You can substitute 1⁄2 C raisins, 1⁄2 C butterscotch chips or 1⁄2 C nuts for chocolate chips.

Where Am I???

I'm so sorry if you've been checking my blog only to find me continually absent. I'm training for a marathon and between that and soccer and the end of the school year and fund-raisers, etc., I'm swamped. I've had very little time to bake anything new or post anything old. I'm going to try out a recipe tonight, if I can find all the ingredients and then I'll give you that one. Once again, I'm so sorry for my MIA status for the last month and a half. If you're anything like me...you understand, I'm sure.