Banana Muffins with Flaxseed

Banana Muffins
2 medium-size ripe bananas
1 cup nonfat milk
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup ground flaxseed
½ cup old-fashioned oats
¾ cup Splenda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray. Smash the ripened bananas in a bowl, along with the milk, oil, eggs and vanilla. Blend well. Combine flour, flaxseed, oats, Splenda, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda in a mixing bowl. Pour the liquid mixture over the dry mixture, stirring just until blended. (Be careful not to over-mix.) Pour the batter into prepared muffin tin. Bake muffins about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Optional: Add ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ cup toasted pecans or walnuts, or 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries.

The Facts on Flax
Flaxseed is high in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and phytochemicals called lignans. According to Dr. Katherine Zeratsky, a Mayo Clinic nutritionist, flaxseed may be used to improve digestive health and lower total cholesterol and “bad” cholesterol levels, thus potentially reducing the risk of heart disease. Ground flaxseed is recommended over whole flaxseed because the body is better able to digest the ground. Flaxseed can be used in all sorts of recipes, from baked goods to smoothies. You can also try adding a teaspoonful to your mustard or mayonnaise the next time you make a sandwich.

14 Crunchy Snack Ideas

Got this in my e-mail this morning and thought it was a good one... I am always looking for good, healthy snacks, and I especially love crunchy snacks (which explains my addiction to chips).

1. Serve raw veggies — including celery, green or red bell peppers, and cauliflower and broccoli florets — with reduced-fat cheese, nonfat Greek yogurt, or a bean-based dip. Offer a low-cal, low-sugar dressing as an accompaniment, if desired. (This is an especially good one for this time of year with all the garden veggies that are about to be available to us!)

2. Edamame (green soybeans, sold by the bag both in the shell and shelled in the produce and frozen foods section of most supermarkets)

3. Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds (count 1 ounce or three tablespoons toward your daily nut/seed allowance)

4. Soy nuts or dry-roasted edamame (count 1/4 cup toward your daily nut/seed allowance)

5. Almonds, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pistachios, dry-roasted peanuts, or other nuts. Limit to one 1/4-cup serving once a day.

6. Celery sticks with two tablespoons natural no-sugar-added peanut butter.

7. Carrot sticks

8. Whole-grain crackers (3 g or more fiber per ounce)

9. High-fiber, low-sugar, whole-grain cereal (choose low-sugar with 5 g or more fiber per serving)

10. Air-popped or microwavable popcorn (three cups; check the label to be sure it doesn't contain trans fats) - Instead of butter and loads of salt, sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on your popcorn for added flavor.

11. Apple slices - You know what they say... "An apple a day..."
12. Frozen grapes

13. Toasted whole-wheat pita bread (choose varieties with 3 g fiber per pita), sliced into triangles, with hummus.

14. Toasted whole-wheat or whole-grain tortillas or wraps, sliced into triangles, served with salsa or a bean-based dip.