Blog World Weekly II

Hello Everyone!  How was your Monday?

I have yet another Blog World Weekly to share with all of you. This week’s version is especially good…lots of delicious recipes!  My favorite!

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Towards the beginning of the week there was an eye-opening guest post on Foods of April about a guy’s opinion of muscular girls.  It was very interesting.  Definitely a must-read!

Another post that caught my attention was HEAB’s post about how eating low sugar isn’t as hard as you’d think.  She listed a few sugar-free swaps for hot cocoa and nutrition bars and even linked to a bunch of delicious sugar-free/low-sugar blogs!  Definitely helpful if you’re looking to lower your sugar intake (like I am!)

HEABified Hot Chocolate – healthy, delicious, and sugar-free!

In keeping with the sugar-free topic, HEAB also posted a bunch of sugar-free chocolate and cocoa powder recipes for all of the chocoholics out there!

Chocolate Brown Rice Bread topped with Cacao Bliss

Gracie from Girl Meets Life posted an informative post for her fellow bloggers about how to  become a blogstar.  I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for ways to improve FoodFitnessFun!

After seeing Brandi post the recipe for her Cookies ‘N’ Cream Pound Cake I had a Oreo craving the entire week.  I still have the craving!  I guess I’ll have to break out the emergency stash sometime soon.

Jessica was also fueling my craving for cake batter with her Cake Batter Cinnamon Rolls. Jessica, how do you come up with these things?! You’re a genius!

Caitlin also wrote an amazing post about achieving goals.  It’s called “Positive Feedback” and it’s really helpful!  You go girl!

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Another wonderful week in Blog World.  Seriously, I love it! 

Questions of the Day:

1. What was your favorite blog post this week?  Feel free to leave links!
2. What type/brand camera do you use?  I’m looking into buying a new one and want one that takes excellent pictures of food!

Have a great week!

Stay tuned for a savory recipe and Spring Track Update tomorrow!

What I’m Loving: Cinnamon

Glad all of you liked my Double Cinnamon Swirl Bread recipe I posted yesterday! I hope you all make it and experience it’s deliciousness.

Remember yesterday when I told you that I was looking forward to breakfast?  Well, it was pretty epic!  Not to mention filled with cinnamon! ♥

Breakfast:

Cinnamon Yogurt Mess (light vanilla yogurt, Double Cinnamon Swirl Bread, granola, Microwave “Stewed” Apples, peanut butter, and cinnamon)

Oh.My.Gosh.  It was so freaking delicious.  “It was like a burst of cinnamon swirl in every bite!”  ~Old Cinnamon Toast Crunch commercials

I also rounded out my cinnamon-filled meal with a cup of coffee spiked with cinnamon per Christina’s suggestion.  Deeeeeeelish!

I’m definitely going to start drinking cinnamon coffee every morning.  It was a nice change of pace from my usual black coffee.

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Since I’ve been loving cinnamon a lot more than usual lately, I figured I should write a post (similar to this one) highlighting the health benefits of cinnamon.  It actually has more nutrients than you’d think!

                              (source)

What I’m Loving: Cinnamon!

Sometimes it seems like cinnamon is in baked goods everywhere, which makes it easy for one to assume that cinnamon is unhealthy, just because it is usually prevalent in high-fat and high-sugar foods.  But, in reality, that couldn’t be more wrong! Cinnamon is actually loaded with a plethora of health benefits including it’s ability to lower LDL “bad” cholesterol, preserve foods, boost cognitive brain function, control blood sugar, and even aid weight loss!

Sounds pretty impressive, eh?  I’m sure you’re dying to hear more but before I get into the details let me share the nutritional stats.

                                (source)

Who knew cinnamon was so high in fiber, calcium, and iron?! Definitely not me!

Cinnamon Regulates Blood Sugar:

Recent research suggests that cinnamon may be helpful as a supplement to regular diabetes treatment in people with type 2 diabetes because it improves antioxidant levels and therefore improves fasting blood sugar. 

Cinnamon Reduces LDL “Bad” Cholesterol:

The results of a study from 2003 in Pakistan showed lower levels of fasting glucose, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol after 40 days with levels continuing to drop for 20 days after that.  Similar studies were also conducted revealing the same thing.  Most people had their LDL cholesterol  drop by at least 10 points!

Cinnamon Aids Weight Loss:

According to experts, cinnamon tablets can also be taken in order to aid weight loss. The cinnamon helps target the thyroid (gland in charge of metabolism) and speeds it up over time, resulting in a faster metabolism. 

Sources:

Mayo Clinic

That’s Fit

About

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Jeez, I don’t know about all of you, but I never knew there were so many benefits to flavoring with cinnamon.  I just thought it tasted good!  Haha.

I hope you enjoyed the little tidbits of information I gathered for you. Let me know if you want to see more of these in the future.  Most of  you seemed to like the one I did on eggs.

Questions of the Day:

1. What is your favorite way to use cinnamon?  In oatmeal?  In baked goods? In desserts?
2. What is your favorite spice?  Mine is cinnamon followed by cumin and pepper.

Hope you all have a great Friday! 

Blog World Weekly

All over Blog World I see posts recapping the week’s happenings for anyone who missed them and I love them.  Not only are they a great way to learn more and get new recipes, but they are also a great way to come across new blogs!

Plus, the great thing about it is that it never gets old, considering everyone reads different blogs!  Here’s my version.

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Last week started off on the right foot when Jessica posted a recipe for Maple Bacon Brown Sugar Scones.  I mean who would want to press the Snooze button when they could be eating a delicious sweet and savory scone…not me!

I came across this article via Twitter and it had me laughing for the entire week.  Anyone who is willing to admit to stealing a few nuts from the bulk foods bin at Whole Foods now and then will find this hilarious.

I also loved listening to Carrie‘s opinion about carbs, fats, and calories.  Her blog is amazing and she is truly one informed and health-consious teen!  She also recently became vegan – talk about a commitment!  Way to go, girl!

Normally, I like posts with lots of pictures and fewer words, but this post by Hillary changed my mind.  She posted a story that she wrote for her Writing for the Mass Media class about Starbucks.  I was hanging on to every word.  Hillary, you are an amazing writer!

This isn’t a new post, but it was new to me so I figured I might as well post it.  It’s an informative post about the cost benefits and health benefits of preparing your own packages of instant flavored oatmeal.  YUM!

I found this article via Twitter too and I found it so inspiring.  Eleven and twelve-year olds running marathons?!  Is it good or bad?  I think it’s good!  Our bodies are meant to be active, after all!

Last but not least, I loved Angela’s post showcasing vegan recipes from around Blog World.  Included are recipes like a sweet potato tart, strawberry cupcakes, and couscous.  You won’t want to miss this!

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Well, how did you like it?  Would you be interested if I started doing more of these?  Share your opinions!

Questions of the Day:

1. What was your favorite post in Blog World this week?  Feel free to leave links!
2. What are your favorite oatmeal toppings?  I love nut butter, fruit, and cinnamon on mine!

Alrighty, now I have to go to bed.  School tomorrow!

Have a wonderful week! 

Return Of The Mango Bread

How many of you have ever made fresh mango bread? 

*Complete silence*

Exactly!  That’s what I thought!

A few years ago, while surfing AllRecipes.com I came across a recipe for Tropical Mango Bread while searching for a Banana Bread.  I was curious.  Naturally, my 11-year-old self did what any 11-year-old would do, mix up the batter and wait for my Mom to help me turn on the oven and pour the batter into the pan. An hour later, the bread was done, and my entire family fell in love…with the bread.

Through the years, I’ve healthified the bread a little, but it still tastes as good (if not better!) than it did that first day.  Since I haven’t made it since I started the blog, I figured posting the recipe was long overdue.  Enjoy!

Tropical Mango Bread

Adapted from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 stick (½ cup) butter, softened
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs (flax eggs would work too!)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups (about 2 medium) mango, pureed
• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  Lightly grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans. 
2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  In another large bowl, beat together the butter, applesauce, and sugar until light and fluffy.  Stir in eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla.  Blend this mixture into the flour mixture; just to combine.  Fold in the pureed mango, raisins, and coconut; mixing just enough to evenly combine.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Yield:  2 loaves or approximately 18 muffins*

*If making muffins, bake for only 35-40 minutes.

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Today I made 1 loaf of bread and 9 muffins.  Guess what was for breakfast!

The entire family dug in and celebrated the return of the mango bread.

Perfect start to the weekend right there!

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Questions of the Day:

1. Do you have a recipe that your family begs you to make?  If so, what is it?
2. Do you like mangos? I’ve loved mango-flavored italian ice since I was little, but didn’t try an actual mango until I was 10! I love them!

Now I have to go to the salon to get my hair done for Cotillion!  AHHH - I’m SO excited!

2 Blends, 2 Recipes, 1 Day

Hello Everyone!

I don’t have much time for an in-depth post today due to schoolwork and studying, but I have had some interesting eats today that I’d love to share with you.  They also just so happen to come from 2 of my favorite blends: Teenage Health Freak and Carrie! (Ugh, more technology woes!  Now WordPress isn’t letting me insert links, so I will post all link URLs at the end.)

Let’s start with breakfast.  Enter Teenage Health Freak’s Carrot Cake Oatmeal…

Looks delicious, right? 

I was first planning on making this oatmeal during Sugar-Free Week, but somehow I forgot and never ended up making it.  Until today, of course! 

The best way to describe the overall flavor of this oatmeal was mild, but in a good way.  The oats were warm and cinnamon-y, the applesauce and carrots added a little bit of sweetness, and the coconut tied it all together.  It didn’t taste exactly like carrot cake, but it was a wonderful healthy breakfast alternative.  Plus who wants to consume a load of sugar in the A.M.?!  (Or any time of day for that matter…)

I will definitely be making this again.  It was tasty and super filling!  I could barely finish the bowl…

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My school lunch was my usual Turkey Sandwich on Bran Bread with an apple and light string cheese.  Once I got home from school, however, my afternoon snack was a new (and amazing!) find. 

It was Carrie’s Inside-Out Peanut Butter Cup Cake!

I first mentioned this Inside-Out Peanut Butter Cup Cake in my Peanut Flour Mania! post when I was oblivious to the awesomeness of the thing.  Now that I’ve tried it, I really urge all of you to try it.  It is just that yummy!

The nutritionals are also pretty stellar, if you’re into that sorta thing. 

High protein (~26 grams)

Good source of fiber (~4 grams)

Low calorie (~185 per cake without toppings)

If I could choose 1 word  to describe this cake it would be decadent.  It was moist, fluffy, and I honestly thought that it could be dessert status. 

Warning:  You are going to see this cake on my blog a lot. 

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As you can see it’s been a wonderful day of eats.  On the menu for dinner is some of my Mom’s beef stew, a baked potato, and a salad.  Snacks are t0-be-decided later.  Workout?  Nothing other than a short run.  Studying takes priority today – 2 tests and 1 quiz tomorrow plus homework! Urgghhhh…

At least tomorrow’s Friday.  Woohoo!

Question of the Day:

1. Have you eaten anything really good this week? What?
2. Any good plans for the weekend?  Are you going to see the Justin Bieber movie? (I’m not!) Spill! 

Link Love:

• Teenage Health Freak  -  http://teenagehealthfreak.wordpress.com/
• Carrie  -  http://movesnmunchies.wordpress.com/
• Carrot Cake Oats  – http://teenagehealthfreak.wordpress.com/2010/09/04/what-a-weekend/
•  Inside-Out Peanut Butter Cup Cake  -  http://movesnmunchies.wordpress.com/2011/01/20/mish-mash/