The Elvis Omelet

The other day my friend Jolene told me about a new omelet she discovered at the Starlite Diner.  It’s called the Elvis Omelet and when Jolene ordered it off the menu, she immediately knew it was a hit.  Better yet, it’s super easy to make.

What’s in the Elvis Omelet?  Three eggs cooked with a {whole} sliced banana, then peanut butter sandwiched in between the eggs when they are done.  Topped with a sprinkle of powdered sugar, this omelet is both delicious and healthy.  Plus, I’m sure egg whites could be substituted to make this dish even healthier. 

A quick side note: Lately we’ve been bombarded with devastating news, and our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Newtown, CT.  Jolene told me that she accidentally left her wallet at the Starlite on that day and one of the workers found it.  Somehow her mother was reached and the wallet was returned, all contents in tact.  When Jolene went back to retrieve it, she thanked the girl and gave her all of the cash that was left.  Bottom line, there are still people in this world who are thoughtful, caring and kind, but sometimes we tend to lose sight of the goodness that is around us.    

Thanks for sharing, Jolene!

As for running, I ran a solid 5 miler in just under 38 minutes last night.  It was a race against darkness so I pushed myself a little bit, even though I was tired from my day at school.

Have a great day!

Healthy Banana Chocolate-Chip Mini-Muffins

Hello!

I have a delicious {and healthy} muffin recipe for you today.  Unfortunately, I don't have many pictures because I was just playing around with some ingredients the other day in the kitchen, but these babies actually turned out completely yummy!  If you like banana muffins with a nutritious twist, these are worth a try...

Healthy Banana Chocolate-Chip Mini-Muffins

1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground flax seed

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)

1 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons brown rice syrup

¼ cup Greek yogurt

1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease mini muffin tins with cooking spray or line with paper liners. 

2.  In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, flax seed, and cinnamon.  Set aside.

3.  In a large bowl, beat together brown sugar, brown rice syrup, egg, yogurt, banana and vanilla.  Stir in dry ingredients. 

4.  Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins.  Top with mini chocolate chips if desired.   

5.  Bake approximately 10-12 minutes, until golden brown. Note: You don't want to overbake these muffins so test them a few minutes before the designated baking time.  

  
Yields approximately 24 mini-muffins.

I promise, these muffins will not disappoint.  Even my daughter and husband {who are both resistant to good-for-you foods} gave them two thumbs up.   The more I bake, the more I am looking for healthy substitutions that will still taste great.  Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.  

How do you like to bake?  Do you like to use all healthy ingredients such as whole-wheat flour and raw sugar, or do you regularly use all-purpose flour and white sugar?  Or maybe a combination of both?    

I would love to hear from you!  Have a great day!

Tracy

Healthy, Homemade Granola.

Morning, folks.  How are you?  I'm great because I have off today for Presidents Day!  You gotta love a long weekend...

So here's my day:

Hair appointment at 8 ~ Dog Training at 1 ~ PT at 5

Plus a run needs to be fit in there somewhere.  

So as promised, here are the results of the Friendship Bread.  To be honest, I am a little disappointed in the outcome.  The recipe called for the bread to be baked for one hour.  Since my oven tends to bake quicker than normal, I set the timer for 53 minutes to check.  By that time, it was already overdone.  So sad.  

As I cut into the bread, the middle pieces were quite tasty, but the ends were not up to par.  I'm thinking of keeping one of the starter bags to try it again, but I will make that decision in the next few days.

On the good side, I put together a recipe for granola.  This recipe is healthy, yet full of flavor.  The combination of the crunchy granola, along with the tartness of the fruit and the sweetness of the dark chocolate makes this recipe a delicious snack on its own or the perfect add-in to your favorite Greek yogurt.

Homemade Granola

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup slivered almonds

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup dried apricots, chopped

¼ cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Toss the oats and almonds together in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together honey, maple syrup, oil and salt.  Pour over oat mixture and combine very well.

Spread mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake for about 20 – 25 minutes, or until golden brown.  Mix granola occasionally throughout the baking process. 

Remove from oven when ready and cool completely.  Add the cranberries, apricots, and chocolate chips.   

Store in an airtight container or large plastic bag.  

Do not use olive oil for this recipe.  The reason?  Olive oil has flavor, and canola or vegetable oil is flavorless.  You don’t want the taste of the olive oil to interfere with the deliciousness of all the flavors in this granola. Yum!

Tomorrow I will have a special announcement to make so I hope that you'll join me.  Have a great day!

Tracy