First, roasted carrots, as usual.

Then, prepared lunches. Half of these will go in the freezer for future use! Grilled chicken, brown butter-sage mashed sweet potatoes, and either cumin roasted cauliflower or balsamic roasted brussels sprouts.

I also make my recipe for banana cranberry bread.

I also made a cranberry orange quick bread from a cookbook that I boosted by using whole wheat flour.

The recipe called for buttermilk, which I had to make from milk+lemon juice. Somewhere in the process, I sort of messed up big time. As in, I added 3x the buttermilk as the recipe called for. 2 cups, not 2/3 of a cup. I realized this when I poured it into a pan and it was super liquid-y! Whoops.

By some miracle, it sort of turned out.

Notice how many cranberries there are? It’s because the batter was so liquid-y that all the fresh cranberries floated and all the dried cranberries sunk.

Shockingly though, it does resemble bread. Super, super moist bread, but I’ll take it!

Other noteworthy eats as of late?

A whole wheat quesadilla with cheddar, mozzarella, avocado, and tomato.

A half veggie/half brown rice teriyaki grilled salmon bowl.

THE BEST GUAC EVER at Reposado in downtown Palo Alto.

And a rotisserie chicken tostada salad with cilantro lime dressing.

That’s it for today! I’m teaching spin on Tuesday so I need to go and make a playlist! I hope your Monday is treating you well!

2 workouts

and 1 amazing family.

I don’t post a ton of recipes, but since we’re approaching my blogiversary, it was time to get to work in the kitchen! I love low sugar recipes, and these lack the sugar without the flavor. Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Ingredients:

4 ripe bananas

1 egg (or 2 whites)

2 T oil (I used canola)

1/3 c milk

1 t salt

1 t baking soda

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 c cocoa powder (I used dark chocolate, hence the color)

1 c flour-I used whole wheat pastry

1 T honey

1/2 c bittersweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Mash bananas and mix all ingredients besides the chips.

3. Stir in chips

4. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 until done.

Cranberry Banana Bread

Ingredients

4 ripe bananas

1 egg (or 2 whites)

2 T oil

1/3 c milk

1 t salt

1 t baking soda

1/2 t baking powder

1.5 c flour (I used whole wheat pastry)

2 t cinnamon

1 t vanilla

1/4 c packed brown sugar

1/4 c dried cranberries

1/2 c chopped fresh cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Mash bananas and mix in all but cranberries.

3. Stir in both types of cranberries.

4. Bake for about 50 minutes or until cooked through.

Healthy Polka Dot Cookies (Mint chocolate)

Ingredients

2 ripe bananas

4 soaked dates (unsoaked should would but may not blend as well)

1 full square Baker’s chocolate (unsweetened)

1 T butter (or coconut oil)

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

3/4 c cocoa powder

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

3/4 c flour (whole wheat pastry or any type)

3/4 c mint chips

Makes 24

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Warm bananas in microwave, and then blend with dates until smooth.

3. Melt Baker’s chocolate into banana mix.

4. Using a mixer, blend in all but flour.

5. Mix in flour with mixer.

6. Stir in mint chips

7. Drop onto cookie sheet-about 2 teaspoons per cookie.

8. Bake for about 9 minutes, depending on oven and cookie sheets, or until cooked through.

Enjoy!