Pumpkin Muffin Tops!

These are the kind of muffin tops that you do want! :) They are healthy, soft, pumpkin-y, spiced, and delicious! Also, they can be made completely Vegan!

 

   Fall is officially here, and with it comes pumpkin flavored everything! Most of the popular Fall treats aren't that great for you, but thankfully there are some great healthy choices too! These muffin tops are the perfect example, since they are both healthy and plenty pumpkin-y to satisfy your fall cravings and keep you feeling great at the same time!

   I am calling these muffin tops because I baked them in a ( leaf and pumpkin shaped) whoopee pie pan, so they are a bit thinner than muffins. I love the way they turned out! Beautiful fall shapes, super moist and soft, and a great serving size to help you not over eat!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
2-3 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice or Cinnamon
1 tsp Baking Soda
3 Tbsp Ground Flaxseeds
8 Tbsp Water
1/2 cup Coconut Oil- room tempt.
1/2 cup Honey(or Maple Syrup if you want to keep this completely Vegan)
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 cup Canned Pumpkin
1/4 tsp Salt

First, we need to make our Flax Eggs! We aren't using eggs in the recipe, so that it can be Vegan( if you use the maple syrup)! If you've never made a flax egg, don't be scared of them! They are super simple!

Add your ground flax to a bowl and add in the water. Stir well- you'll notice it go really thick. Leave it to the side while we get on with the recipe.

Add the flour, pie spice( or cinnamon), baking soda, and salt to a bowl and stir to combine. Then add in the rest of the ingredients, including the flax egg.

 

Stir well, making sure to mix the flax egg in well. Then, grease a pan and spoon in your batter. If you don't have a whoopee pie pan, you can use mini muffin tins, regular muffin tins or a 8x8 baking pan.

I wanted to use my whoopee pie pan because of the fall shapes! :)

 

Make sure to press the batter into all the little corners. I like to give the pan a little tap on the counter to help it settle.
Bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes for the whoopee pan and mini muffin tins. For the regular muffins or 8x8 baking pan, 12-15 minutes. To check that they're done, just stick a tooth pick in the center. If it comes out clean, they are done! Also, they will smell really good!

 

Let them cool for 5-6 minutes before removing them from the pan.

Eat them fresh from the oven, or store them in an air tight container for a few day- but I doubt they last that long! I love how festive, delicious, pumpkin-y, healthy, and cute these little muffin tops are!

I enjoyed my(1st) tasting with a warm cup of coffee and a good book! They are the perfect afternoon snack, dessert, and they are even healthy enough to have for breakfast!

I really hope you try these delicious and healthy fall treats! If you like them, please share this post with a friend and family member to help them celebrate fall on the healthy side!

Please follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett, and now on Tumblr @ Justrunningforfood.

New post every Friday!

Keep Healthy and Safe!
H. Banana

 

Go Nuts for Nuts!

I love nuts as a snack, baked in cakes, cookies, and breads, tossed in salads, toasted on anything and so much more! Nuts are such a healthy ingredient that can be thrown into just about anything! Knowing why and how nuts are good for you is important for a healthy lifestyle!

Consuming 1.5 ounces of unseasoned nuts a day as a part of a healthy diet can reduce the risk of heart disease. Many varieties can improve artery linings and lower LDL cholesterol, and are loaded with healthy fats and other healthy nutrients!

Almonds
Almonds are the nuts that I eat the most. I love to toast them and top a salad or oatmeal with them, add them to a smoothie or just eat a handful for a snack! There are about 20-24 almonds per ounce with about 160 calories for every ounce. They can help improve skin complexion and skin quality!

Brazil Nuts
I don't eat a lot of these nuts, but they are common in a lot of mix-nut blends you can buy, so I've had them that way. There are 6-8 nuts per ounce with about 190 calories per ounce. Brazil nuts are a great source of selenium, which can help prevent breast cancer and prostate cancer!

Cashews
I love cashews! They are one of my favorite nuts because they are so creamy and flavorful! There are 16-18 nuts per ounce with about 160 calories per ounce. Cashews are a good source of magnesium which helps to regulate muscle tone and nerves.

Chestnuts
Chestnuts roasting by an open fire..... These nuts aren't just for Christmas time! There are 3 chestnuts per ounce with 70 calories per ounce. They are the only 'nut' to contain vitamin C!

Hazelnuts
Hazelnuts are one of the ingredients in the popular hazelnut/chocolate spread we all know and love. All the more reason to gorge on it right? No, all in moderation! There are 18-20 hazelnuts per ounce with 180 calories per ounce. They are a great nut for hair and nut growth.

Macadamia
I've only had these nuts a few times, but they are delicious! Per ounce there are 10-12 nuts and 200 calories. These nuts are great to speed up fat metabolism.

Peanuts
Peanut butter, peanut butter cookies, peanut sauce, there are almost endless ways to enjoy peanuts! There are 28 peanuts per ounce with 170 calories. They surpass many fruits in there level of antioxidants.

Pecans
I love pecans in pie, in oatmeal, in cookies, on salads, in cinnamon rolls, monkey bread...oh man, now I'm hungry! Per ounce there are about 18-20 pecans and 200 calories. They may help lower high blood pressure.

Pine Nuts
These little nuts are great so many ways. You can make awesome crust for desserts, toss on a salad or enjoy by themselves! Per ounce there are about 150-170 nuts with 160 calories. They are great to promote eye health.

Pistachios
These little green nuts are a great snack but they are also a great way to add flavor and color to breads, cakes, granola and cookies! Per ounce there are about 45-49 nuts and 160 calories. They are high in fiber, almost as much as a 1/2 cup of oats!

Walnuts
I love walnuts( I feel like I've said that a lot in this post!) on or in just about anything! Per ounce there are about 14 nuts and 190 calories. They are great to hydrate the skin because they have high levels of omega-3 fatty acids.

Well, I hope you know a bit more about the food we eat and why its are good for you. Adding nuts, all of them or just a few, is a great way to have a healthy diet! Let me know how you enjoy nuts, and which ones are your favorite! Also, please share this blog with a friend!

Please follow the blog here, on Twitter @ SpinachisGood and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

Keep healthy and Safe!
H. Banana

Almond Butter

 I love almond butter on apples, in smoothies, used in cookies and so much more! Before, we bought it in the store and because we got the organic kind, it was pretty expensive. Little did I know how easy making your own almond butter is! You really only need one ingredient and a little patience! Now that I have made my own, and tasted it's amazingness, I will probably never go back to store bought!

So let's make some homemade almond butter!

Ingredients:
 3 cups Sliced Almonds ( If you don't have sliced you can use whole and just roast them for a tiny bit longer)
Optional: Salt.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spread out the almonds on a baking sheet that has sides so the almonds won't slip off. Roasted them for 5-8 minutes (Or longer if using whole almonds)
When they are done they will have browned and the kitchen will smell amazing!

Next, place them in a food processor with a pinch of salt and blend for about 15 to 20 minutes.( if you are using whole you might need longer)

At first you will get a grainy like mixture (this is almond flour!) but keep going and it will turned into butter.

When it is done it will look nice and creamy and smooth! Pour it into a glass jar and take a spoonful to try it! Delicious!

The end result is about a cup of yummy almond butter, perfect for eating with apples, on a sandwich or in some cookies!

Please share this post with a friend!
Keep healthy and SAFE
H.Banana

Ginger!

I have been using Ginger a lot lately in my smoothies as well as baking. I knew it was good for me, but I didn't know exactly why or how good it was for me! Here is some of the benefits of Ginger that I found interesting!

This info came from Bembu .

#1.
Ginger is know to help fight many different cancers. Research has shown that ginger can act to literally obliterate cancer's cells.
#2
IBS, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Ginger is known to spell relief for those suffering from IBS. Adding ginger to your diet can have a calming effect on the bowels and digestive system.
#3
Alzheimer's Disease. Research has shown that ginger helps to slow down the loss of brain cells, which typically is a precursor to Alzheimer's. By protecting the brain cells you are protecting yourself from getting Alzheimer's.
#4
Weight Loss. Ginger works as a fat burner in your body and helps to make sure that the weight you are losing is from fat. It also helps to keep you feeling full longer which will keep you from over eating.

The website mentioned earlier has a few more health facts about ginger, so if you are interested in learning more about ginger, I would suggest checking it out.

So, if ginger is so good for you, how do you add it to your diet? There are a lot of ways to do that! I have been adding a chunk of fresh ginger to my fruit smoothies and it is so delicious. It really gives the drink a festive flavor! Ginger-Lemon tea is also a really great way to get ginger in your body. Its refreshing and great for you! Cooking and baking with ginger is great too! Search around and I am sure you will find many recipes with ginger listed in the ingredient's list!

I hope this post has encouraged you to take steps to better health! If you enjoyed this post, please share it with a friend!

Keep Healthy and SAFE!
H.Banana

Delicious Cinnamon Baked Apples

These baked apples are so good! I saw a picture of baked apples on Pinterest and I knew I had to try and make some! These are perfect to warm you up on a cold day and satisfy your sweet tooth with out having an unhealthy dessert! I wrote this recipe myself and I hope you like it!

Ingredients:
2 tsp. cinnamon
5 packets of Truvia
5 Apples
1 stick of Butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. Maple Flavoring
1 cup of oats.
Lemon Juice.

The first thing you want to do is to wash and dry your apples (Remove any stickers they might have on them) and core them. Coring apples is a lot easier with an apple corer, but I didn't have one so I just used a knife and cored them the best I could.

Once you have cored them, place them in a bowl and splash a little lemon juice on them, to keep them from going brown while we make the filling.

To make the filling, first melt your butter in a microwavable bowl. Once melted, add Truvia and Vanilla to the bowl and mix well.

Then, add maple flavoring and cinnamon. I suggest using a whisk to mix this together.

Now, just add your oats and mix it till combined and the oats are coated with the liquid.

 

Take a pan (I am using a 9x13 pan) and cover the bottom and sides with tin foil. Then place the apples in the pan, making sure there is plenty of space between them. Fill the middle of the apples with the filling. Try to get as much as you can in them because it will cook down. You can just sprinkle any leftovers in the bottom of the pan.

 

 

 

Set your oven to 350 F and bake for 25-30 minutes. Then add some tin foil of the top and bake for another 15 minutes.

 

They are done when you can push a fork through them easily. Take them out of the oven when they are done and let them cool a bit before serving them.

See all that lovely sauce in the bottom of the pan? Save that to drizzle over the top of the apples.

 

 

To serve, place an apple on a plate and spoon some of the sauce from the bottom of the pan over the top of the apple. We drizzled a little half-and-half over ours and my little sister added Whip Cream.

 

 

These are so good! I made them for a mid-day snack and everyone loved them! The fact that they are delicious and fairly healthy for you is awesome! Try these yummy treats and let me know what you think! I hope you all love them as much as we did!

 

Remember to follow me on Pinterest and tell a friend about my blog!

 

Keep Healthy and Safe!

H.Banana

 

 

 

 

Cold Weather, Warm Drinks!

  Now that is cold outside I want to have something warm to drink inside! I usually don't like anything that is too complicated or has a bunch of ingredients! Here are a few of my favorite warm drinks to have on those cold days!

#1. Hot Lemon Water. A lot of detoxes and cleanses that I have looked in to have suggested drinking hot lemon water every morning! I like to drink it in the morning and sometimes in the evening. To make it is simple: Just heat some water to boiling(Or just warm, depending on how hot you like your drink to be!) and add a few drops of lemon juice!

#2 Coffee! I love coffee, and if you read a previous post of mine (Your Body on Coffee) you will know that coffee has a lot of health benefits for us! I usually have a cup of coffee with a dash of cream in the morning and then maybe another cup in the afternoon or if I go walking outside I will have a cup. I rarely ever had decaf coffee just because I usually need the caffeine, so I have to make sure not to drink in right before bedtime! How do you like your coffee? What are some of your favorite coffee brands or shops? Let me know!

#3 Apple Cider! I like to drink this hot and cold! We have found an apple cider that doesn't have any added sugars(Which is a plus!) at Costco . I like to heat it in the microwave or have it cold. Spiced apple cider is also amazing, but I rarely have time to make it! Maybe I will have time over the holidays!

#4 Tea! Tea of any kind is great for warming you up on cold winter days! A few of my favorites are, any kind of Green Tea ( To learn more about Green Tea, see a previous post of mine!) Black teas, spiced and herbal teas. Too make it is simple, heat water to boiling and add a tea bag. You can also use lose leaf tea and a strainer. You can check out my Mom's blog( Tea in the Morning Too ) to learn more about tea as well as other things!

#6 Lattes! Lattes have a lot of milk in them and they are usually pretty sweet, but there are plenty of healthier recipes out there to try! I have made a Gingerbread Latte on my blog(See a previous post).

A few favorite flavors are, Gingerbread, Pumpkin, Peppermint, and Caramel. Let me know what flavor of Lattes you like and whether you prefer to make them yourself or get them at a shop!


Well those are just a few of my favorite hot holiday drinks. Let me know what is your favorite holiday drinks! I hope to get a few more holiday drink recipes up in the near future so be on a look out for those!

Keep Healthy and Safe!
H.Banana

Food Facts

Here are a few facts about food that will hopefully get you motivated to become healthier! I know that I was pretty 'wowed' by a few of them!

#1
This fact came from Style Craze 
Eating an Apple is a more reliable way to stay awake than drinking coffee. The natural sugars in apples are more potent than the caffeine in coffee.

#2
This fact (and a few of the following) are from paleo-diet-menu
Cherries help calm your nervous system.

#3
Grapes relax your blood vessels.

#4
Apples help your body develop resistance against infection.

#5
Watermelons help control your heart rate.

#6
Oranges help maintain great skin and vision.

#7
Blueberries help protect your heart.

#8
Kiwis increases bone mass.

#9
These next few facts are from Relax Deco
Bell Peppers are full of Vitamin A which contributes to healthy, glowing skin.

#10
Green Tea is rich in antioxidants to help fight off wrinkles and ageing.

#11
Water keeps your skin hydrated and glowing!

Well, that's a few facts about food. Let me know if you didn't know any of these! Now, when I eat any of these foods, I will think about the benefits they have!

Keep Healthy and Safe!
H.Banana

The 'Wear Yourself Out and Feel Good About it' Workout

A few days ago I wrote down a workout which combined a few parts from several workouts that I have been doing. I was wore out at the end of it, but proud too because when I read over it I was amazed that I was able to do all of this in a short amount of time! Before I go on, I want to say that this workout may not work for every one. Please be careful and stay with in your means to avoid injury. Make sure you can do these exercises without harming yourself.

Here is the workout, get ready!
*
40 Jumping Jacks
30 Crunches
20 Squats
10 Push-Up
*                                (Repeat from * to * 5 times)

15 Super-mans
20 Donkey Kicks per leg
20 Lunges per leg
15 Dips ( I call then Bridges dips....)
10 Squat Jumps
30 Kettle Bell Swings

#
40 Jumping Jacks
30 Sit-Ups
20 Plie Squats
10 Push-Ups
#                           (Repeat from # to # 2 times)

50 Flutter Kicks
20 Burpees
15 Bicycle Crunches
10 Plank Knee to Elbow per leg
10 Single leg dips per leg
10 Shoulder (Or V) push-ups

*
12 Lunges per leg
15 Squats
12 Step-ups per leg
5o second plank
*                                   (Repeat from * to * 2 times)

Garb you ankles and hold for 20 seconds.
Bring knees to chest and hold for 20 seconds per leg.
Take 10 really deep breaths.

Well that it! I was sweating up a storm when I finished this, but I also have new workout to add to my collection! Let me know if you try and it and what you think! If you have any questions, leave it in the comments or email the blog at healthypinner@gmail.com . Please be careful and stay within your abilities.
If you liked this post, let me know and share it with a friend.

Keep Healthy and Safe!
H.Banana

Calorie Saving Holiday Food Swaps.

Have you ever wondered whether there was a healthier way to make your favorite holiday treats? Well, there are so many healthier recipes out there from pumpkin pie to turkey dressing, but what about just tweaking the recipe you already love? Here are a few food swaps that might help you. Now, just be clear not all of these will taste good in everything. Use your imagination and have fun with it!

Oil:
Oil can be substituted with applesauce 1 for 1. So, if you use a 1/2 cup of oil you can use a 1/2 cup of applesauce instead. This is a great tip for things like muffins and sweet breads!

Sugar:
Sugar can be substituted with Stevia 1 to 3/4. So if you use a cup of sugar you can use 3/4 a cup of stevia. Stevia can be found in almost any grocery store now, but if you can't find it in your local store try Whole Foods or Fresh Market. The brand of stevia my family uses is Truvia.

Butter:
Butter can be substituted with coconut oil 1 to 3/4. So, like the sugar and stevia, if you use a cup of butter you can use 3/4 of a cup coconut oil. Now, I must say this taste better in some things than others. It does give a slight coconut flavor, which is great in chocolate cookie but maybe not so much in sweet potato casserole. Have fun with it though! Maybe sweet potato and coconut with become the next popular flavor combination!

Cow's Milk:
Cow's milk can be substituted with unsweetened almond milk 1 to 1. So, if the recipe calls for a cup of cow's milk, you can use a cup of unsweetened almond milk. I have used this tip a lot and I have never tasted an almond flavor as a result from it.

Milk Chocolate:
Milk chocolate can be substituted with 70% dark chocolate 1 to 1. So, if you use a cup of milk chocolate, just use a cup of 70% dark chocolate instead. This gives anything a richer and darker chocolate flavor and I love this tip because of it!

Heavy Cream:
Heavy cream can be substituted 1 to 3/4 with Raw Cashew Cream. So for a cup of heavy cream just use 3/4 of a cup of raw cashew cream. I have never used cashew cream so I can't tell you how it will taste, but if you use it I would be interested in knowing what you think about it!

These tips came from HeandSheeatclean.com

I hope these tips inspire you to try new things and hopefully make your holidays a little healthier! Let me know if you try any of these and what you thought!

Keep healthy and Safe.
H.Banana

Winter Workout Tips

As the weather gets colder I begin to dread going outside for the run that I know I need. I kept asking myself that surely there had to be a way to make this easier!  Well, thankfully I found several post on Pinterest that have given be helpful tips for working out in the winter. And today, I'm going to share them with you!


The first tip is to dress for the weather! But you need to be careful because you don't want to be in the middle of your run and want to take all your layers off! A tip from EatPrayRunDC suggest to dress like its 20 degrees warmer outside than it really is, that way when you start to get warm from the workout you don't start roasting in your clothes! Here is a Winter Guide to Layering Clothes .

 While we are on the topic of dressing, here are a few tips that I found various places.
   Keep your feet, toes and ears warm! You don't want freezing body parts to slow you down!
   Where clothes that allow you to move freely and don't weigh you down.
   Make sure your shoes aren't mesh or too thin. You might even need to get a pair of shoes just for winter workouts!
I have a few favorite Winter must have for my workouts. They are: Ear warmers (Nice toasting ears instead of frozen ones!) Thick socks! (No more frozen toes!) Neck warmer or Cowl ( I don't suggest running in a scarf because that can cause difficulties. Cowls are shorter, kind of like a short infinity scarf.) What are your favorite winter workout must? Share them in the comments!

Here is us getting ready for a hike last Thanksgiving! No, I wouldn't run in that jacket, but it was and still is great for hiking and low impact outdoor activities!

The second tip is that you need to drink water! Just because its cold outside doesn't mean that you need to drink less water than you did in the summer! Fill your water bottle up just as full as you did in the summer!

Stay motivated! Sometimes trying to get yourself to leave your cozy place by the fire can be so hard! Find some friends to workout with or set a goal of your self (Or both!) Let me know how you stay motivated!

Lotion up! I hate chapped lips, cheeks and hands and they can be so uncomfortable! Applying lotion and lip butters can help relive and even prevent chapped skin. Several places have suggested using coconut oil to treat the chapped areas.


Now, I can't lie, I sometimes just hang up the idea of going outside for a workout. I either run on the treadmill or do something different for the workout that day. I don't want to run in below-freezing weather or when its snowing outside, so here are a few indoor workouts that I like to do instead!

Pop Sugar's 9 workouts to try this winter

Indoor HIIT workout for the winter

Indoor Cardio Crusher for the Winter



There are so many other workouts out there so feel free to search around for yourself! Let me know what you like to do for a winter workout and if you workout outside!


I hope this post helped you and if it did please share it with a  friend!

Keep it healthy and Safe
H.Banana

ps. Follow be on Pinterest! I am under Hannah Plunkett!

Healthy Chocolate Cookies!

 

 

I love-love-love chocolate cookies and I was so excited to find a healthy recipe for them! When I found this recipe on Pinterest I tried it and fell in love! We have made them several times and the whole family enjoys them. To see the original recipe please go to my recipe's page. I took a recipe and added things to it to make it fit my tastes. I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:
1 cup Old Fashioned Oats
1 cup Chocolate chips
2 medium ripe bananas
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
2 tsp vanilla
1 to 2 tsp of cinnamon (Or for a fall-ish twist, pumpkin pie spice!)

Start with peeling your bananas and placing them in a bowl. Blend them until they are creamy and smooth.

Add the oats, coconut and cinnamon. Blend till combined.

Next add the vanilla and chocolate chips and stir it all together.

I took a bit of coconut oil to grease my pan, but you can use butter or parchment paper to keep the cookies from sticking. Use a spoon to scoop out the cookies on to the pan. They don't spread much so make them the  sixe you want them to finish with.

Set the oven to 350 degrees F and bake them for 20 mins. They smell heavenly as they bake. I think it smells like banana bread baking!

When they come out of the oven they should be firm and starting to brown on the edges.

My goodness they smell amazing! Let them cool a bit and then remove them and let them cool completely on a cooling rack.

Please let me know what you think about these cookies! I love that they taste to good and they don't have any sugar or flour! If you enjoy this post and the cookies please share it with a friend!

Keep it healthy and Safe
H.Banana