Fudgy Black Bean Brownies

I just read through my latest issue of Food & Nutrition, put out by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and came across the recipe for these brownies in it so decided to give it a try. I was able to find some really good semi-sweet chocolate chips made with cocoa butter and soy lecithin instead of milk and regular butter, so they are dairy free! Another great thing about these brownies is that there is no flour in them, so they are also gluten free.  They are really moist, chocolatey, packed with protein, and delicious!

Fudgy Black Bean Brownies

Makes ~16 2-inch brownies

Ingredients

1 (15oz) can organic black beans, drained and rinsed

3 large organic free range eggs

3 Tbsp canola oil

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8x8 inch baking pan with canola oil and set aside.

2. Place the black beans in food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Add remaining ingredients, except chocolate chips, and process until smooth.

3. Add half of chocolate chips and pulse a few times until the chips are incorporated evenly.

4. Pour batter into the pan and smooth with a spatula; sprinkle remaining chocolate chips over the top.

5. Bake 30-35 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan before slicing.

6. Serve and enjoy!

(Recipe adapted from Sept/Oct 2013 issue of Food & Nutrition)

What are the nutritional benefits of these brownies? The black beans are high in protein and fiber and are a significant source if iron, magnesium, phosphorous, manganese and B vitamins thiamin and folate. Eggs are also high in protein, and are a great source of choline. Cocoa powder contains flavonoids, a type of antioxidant. 

Peach, Blueberry & Banana Green Smoothie

This week's green smoothie of leftover produce wasn't anything fancy, but sure turned out to be good. We often will make a green smoothie with blueberries and bananas, but this was the first time I added peaches, and they made a really great addition.  Our fresh peaches got yucky pretty quickly this week, so into the Vitamix they went!

Peach, Blueberry & Banana Green Smoothie

makes ~5 8oz servings

Ingredients

5 large organic kale leaves, stems removed

2 organic peaches, pitted

1 banana

1/2 cup organic blueberries

3/4 cup orange juice

1 cup cold water

1 cup ice

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in blender and blend until liquified and there are no visible pieces of ice

2. Pour in a glass and enjoy!

What are the nutritional benefits of this smoothie? Kale is an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K. It is also a good source of minerals calcium, copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorous. Peaches are high in  fiber, vitamins A and C, and the mineral potassium. Blueberries are packed with antioxidants, fiber and vitamin C. Bananas are an excellent source of potassium and vitamin C, and contain a prebiotic substance called fructooligosaccharide which ferments in the digestive tract, encouraging the growth of probiotics, and enhancing the absorption of calcium in the body. Orange juice tops it off with even more vitamin C.

Chicken Satay

I decided to look for an easy chicken satay recipe because Charlie has really liked it whenever we have gotten thai food (as long it is not a spicy satay sauce).  Well, this recipe was so easy and we all loved it!  Charlie ate more chicken during this dinner than I have ever seen him eat in one sitting before, so this is definitely a keeper! 

I cooked the rice, sliced the chicken and made the marinade in the morning. I marinated the chicken for the rest of the day until it was time to cook dinner.  I also picked up some organic carrots at our local farmers' market this morning and roasted those (and they were very good with the chicken). When it came to dinner time, all I had to do was grill the chicken, toss the sauce ingredients in a pan to simmer, and heat up the rice - all taking only about 20 minutes. You could also prep the chicken, marinade and rice the night before if you won't have time the day of. The chicken was really tender and flavorful and the sauce could not have been any better (or any easier to make!). 

Typically the chicken for this type of recipe would be cooked on skewers, but since I was cooking the chicken on a grill pan instead of the outdoor grill, I decided not to use the skewers.

Chicken Satay

Ingredients

Marinade:

1/2 cup organic coconut milk

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp curry powder

1 1/2 tsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 pound organic free range chicken breasts, cut unto 1-inch strips

Sauce:

1 cup organic coconut milk

1 Tbsp curry powder

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup organic chicken stock

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp lime juice

1 tsp organic tamari

Salt to taste

Directions

1. Stir together marinade ingredients in medium bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add chicken and toss until uniformly covered in marinade. Cover and place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

2. To begin sauce, combine coconut milk, curry powder, peanut butter, chicken stock and brown sugar in saucepan and and simmer over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and tamari; season with salt to taste.

3. Heat grill pan over medium-high heat; grill marinated chicken strips for 4-5 minutes per side or until cooked through.

4. Serve with warm peanut sauce and organic brown rice

(Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Coconut milk is abundant in vitamin C and E, as well as several B vitamins. Peanut butter is an excellent source of protein and potassium. Brown rice is unrefined, so contains it's original abundance of iron, zinc, manganese, selenium, antioxidants and fiber.

Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad

I have been trying to branch out a bit with trying some new salads with quinoa and this one turned out to be really great! I knew I wouldn't have time in the evening to do much preparation for dinner, so I made this in the morning while our oatmeal was cooking for breakfast. It only took about 5 minutes to cut up the vegetables, and the rest was pretty simple! Then I just tossed it in the fridge to marinate until dinner time.  

This would be good as a light dinner, lunch or snack on its own, or is also a great side dish with burgers, grilled chicken or fish. 

Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

2 cups organic quinoa, uncooked

4 cups water

Large bunch of asparagus

1 organic orange pepper

2 organic zucchini squash

2 cups grape tomatoes

3/4 cup olive oil, divided

2/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tsp salt, divided

Black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Chop asparagus, pepper and zucchini into 1-inch pieces and combine in large mixing bowl with grape tomatoes

3. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil  and half of salt and pepper to bowl and mix until vegetables are evenly coated

4. Place in oven to roast for 20-25 minutes, until softened

5. While vegetables are roasting, bring water to a boil, add quinoa, and simmer  for 14 minutes. Strain quinoa to remove excess water

6. In a large bowl, whisk together remaining olive oil, salt and pepper as well as balsamic vinegar

7. Add vegetables and quinoa to dressing and mix until evenly combined

8. Serve at desired temperature (hot or cold - I think the flavor is best at room temperature) and enjoy!

(Recipe adapted from shrinkingkitchen.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this salad? Quinoa is a whole grain and is a complete protein, meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids. Quinoa is also a great source if fiber, iron, lysine, magnesium, riboflavin and manganese.   Asparagus is high in vitamin K and is also a great source of vitamin A, folate and iron. Bell peppers are one of the best food sources of vitamins A and C. Zucchini is a good source of fiber and vitamins A, C and folate. Tomatoes are an excellent source of lycopene and vitamin C. Balsamic vinegar is rich in polyphenols - a type of antioxidant. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control.

Roasted Salmon with Basil & Mango Salsa

This salmon was so easy to make and was delicious! There was very little prep work for it aside from combining the ingredients for the salsa. I removed the skin from our salmon filets, but if you prefer to leave it on, that is perfectly fine as well. 

I had some cous cous in the cabinet, so I cooked some of that (with chicken stock instead of water, for some extra flavor) and diced up an onion and some garlic to sautee in some olive oil. I added the cooked cous cous to the cooked onion and garlic and then chopped up some parsley to add at the end. It was a great side dish with the salmon!

Roasted Salmon with Basil & Mango Salsa

Ingredients

2 wild salmon filets 

1 1/2 cups diced organic mango

1 cup organic tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 Tbsp organic basil, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and black pepper for seasoning to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Brush salmon filets with olive oil, season with salt and pepper

3. Grease baking dish with olive oil and place salmon filets in dish

4. Combine remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper

5. Pour mango mixture over salmon and place filets in oven. Roast until salmon is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

6. Serve and enjoy!

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Salmon gives nice dose of omega-3s and protein. Mangos are packed with vitamin C and are also a good source of vitamin A. Tomatoes also provide a large amount of vitamin C as well as lycopene. Basil is rich in vitamin K - just 2 tsp provide 60% of the daily value!

Cherry Pecan Breakfast Cookies

We eat oatmeal with fresh fruit for breakfast almost every day during the week because Charlie loves it (and we do too), but I wanted to try something a little different. These cookies worked out perfectly because not only do they have the oatmeal that Charlie loves, but they are also packed with nutrients, are dairy free and are an easy item to throw in a container for Ted to grab on his way out the door. They would also make a good substitute for a granola bar or other pre-packaged snack. The apple sauce in this recipe is a replacement for oil or butter that is used in traditional cookie recipes, so they are low in fat, and only contain the natural sugars from the dried cherries, apple sauce and honey. The batter for these cookies took me 5 minutes to stir together, and then a half hour later, they were ready to eat!

Cherry Pecan Breakfast Cookies

Makes ~2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

2 bananas

1 cup all natural applesauce

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 tsp kosher salt

2 Tbsp honey

2 tsp natural vanilla extract

1 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Place bananas in large mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Stir in remaining ingredients

3. Drop about 2 Tbsp of batter onto prepared baking sheets for each cookie, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Flatten cookies and bake 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

4. Let cookies cool on pans for 10 minutes and enjoy!

(Recipe adapted from August 2013 issue of Taste for Life magazine)

What are the nutritional benefits of these cookies? Bananas are an excellent source of potassium and vitamin C, and contain a prebiotic substance called fructooligosaccharide which ferments in the digestive tract, encouraging the growth of probiotics, and enhancing the absorption of calcium in the body. Applesauce provides vitamin C. Oats are an excellent source of fiber and iron. Cherries are packed with antioxidants and fiber. Pecans are an excellent source of monounsaturated fatty acids and phenolic antioxidants, vitamin E, B vitamins and minerals manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium.

Chocolate Green Smoothie

I came across a similar smoothie recipe to this on kalesmoothierecipes.com and had to try it. It was soo good! I was really in the mood for something chocolate, and this did the trick! It wasn't as rich as a chocolate milk shake but had all of the sweet chocolate taste I needed...definitely a healthy, nutrient-rich way to get your chocolate fix without the empty calories of ice cream.

Chocolate Green Smoothie

Makes ~3 8oz servings

Ingredients

3 cups baby kale leaves, rinsed

1 banana

1/2 cup cashews

1/3 cup chopped dates

3 Tbsp cocoa powder

1 cup cold water

1 cup ice

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in blender and blend until liquified and there are no visible pieces of ice

2. Pour in a glass and enjoy!

(Recipe adapted from kalesmoothierecipes.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this smoothie? Kale is an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K. It is also a good source of minerals calcium, copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorous. Cocoa powder contains flavonoids, a type of antioxidant. Bananas are an excellent source of potassium and vitamin C, and contain a prebiotic substance called fructooligosaccharide which ferments in the digestive tract, encouraging the growth of probiotics, and enhancing the absorption of calcium in the body! Cashews contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and are rich in minerals copper, magnesium, tryptophan, magnesium, and phosphorous. Dates are high in minerals calcium, magnesium, selenium, and calcium, as well as carotenoid antioxidants.

Turkey Burgers

We bought a lot of avocados this week, so here is another dinner with an avocado garnish! Turkey burgers are a quick and easy go-to meal for us, and they are one of our son's favorite things to have for dinner. You can easily put the ingredients together and form the patties the night before or in the morning, which I often do.  Because I have had a difficult time finding dairy free bread crumbs, let alone whole wheat bread crumbs, I make my own from plain old dairy free whole wheat sandwich bread. It takes about 2 minutes to make them, and we like them more than the pre-packaged bread crumbs we have gotten in the store.  

I use antibiotic free, all natural free range ground turkey. I have yet to find organic free range ground turkey - anyone found it anywhere? We are looking into some local organic farms for buying our meat and poultry so maybe we will have some luck there.

Turkey Burgers

Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients

1 pound antibiotic free, all natural free range ground turkey

1 organic egg

1 slice whole wheat bread (for bread crumbs)

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt (optional)

Sliced avocado, tomato and red onion for topping

Whole wheat buns

Directions

1. Place wheat bread in toaster and toast on medium setting; bread should be toasted enough that it is no longer soft, but crisp. Let toast cool and then break into pieces in small food processor. Grind toast pieces into small bread crumbs.

2. Place ground turkey, egg, bread crumbs, garlic powder, pepper, and salt (optional) in medium mixing bowl. Using your hands, mix ingredients together until uniformly   combined. Form into 4 large patties (I make 4 medium-sized patties and one small one for Charlie).

3. Heat grill pan, with top, on high heat for 3-4 minutes. Place burgers on pan and cook for 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through.

4. Serve on whole wheat buns with your favorite healthy toppings. I chose to top with avocado, tomato and onion slices.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Turkey is an excellent source of protein as well as vitamins thiamin (B3) and pyridoxine (B6), and the mineral selenium. Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats that have been shown to boost HDL (good cholesterol), and are an excellent source of vitamins C,E and carotenoids lycopene and beta carotene, as well as the minerals selenium and zinc. Red onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese. 

Chicken & Roasted Red Pepper Taquitos

I have gotten a lot of great recipe ideas from Door to Door Organics, but this one was amazing! The filling for these tacquitos was so good, and not very hard to make at all. I like to cook chicken for this type of recipe in the slow cooker because it is less work and makes it incredibly easy to shred. I just tossed the chicken in the slow cooker when I got up in the morning, and while I was at it, I put my red pepper in the oven to roast while I made breakfast. When dinner time rolled around, it didn't take long to do the rest.  You could even cook the chicken and roast the pepper the night before and store them in the fridge.

Since Charlie has a dairy allergy, I left the cheese out of a couple of the taquitos (which is not an issue for him because he has never liked cheese). And honestly, I would have been just as happy to just eat the chicken filling with nothing else because it was so good!

Chicken & Roasted Red Pepper Taquitos

Ingredients

1 pound organic free range chicken breasts
2 cups organic chicken stock (for slow cooking chicken)
12 flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups low fat organic shredded cheddar cheese
1 red pepper
6 organic green onions, chopped
1/2 cup organic chicken stock (reserved from slow cooker)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 tsp cumin
Cayenne pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts in slow cooker with enough chicken stock to just cover them (about 2 cups) and cook on low for 5 hours

2. Shred chicken using two forks to pull apart

3. To roast red pepper, place whole pepper on a baking pan and preheat oven to 500 degrees. Roast pepper for 30-40 minutes, turning pepper very 10 minutes to evenly roast. When roasting is complete, remove skin and seeds and chop pepper.

4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease a baking pan with canola oil

5. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add chicken, salt, black pepper, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Stir until chicken is evenly coated with seasonings.

6. Add chicken stock and green onions and cook until liquid has cooked off (about 5 minutes) and then stir in chopped roasted red pepper

7. Fill each tortilla with 2 Tbsp shredded cheese and ~1/3 cup chicken mixture. Roll tightly and place fold-side-down on the greased baking sheet.

8. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown

9. Serve with sliced avocados and enjoy!

(Recipe adapted from doortodoororganics.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Bell peppers are one of the best food sources of vitamins A and C. Green onions are a great source if vitamin C as well, and are rich in flavonoids (a type of antioxidant). Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats that have been shown to boost HDL (good cholesterol), and are an excellent source of vitamins C,E and carotenoids lycopene and beta carotene, as well as the minerals selenium and zinc.

Apple & Pear Salad (with grilled peanut butter sandwiches)

My dad got us a subscription to Taste of Home magazine about a year ago, and this salad is adapted from a recipe in the latest issue. I was in the mood for a vegetarian meal last night, and so needed to come up with something to go with the salad.  What goes well with apples? Peanut butter, of course! So I threw together some quick grilled peanut butter sandwiches to have with it, and it was a really good pairing.

Apple & Pear Salad

Ingredients

4 organic pink lady apples, thinly sliced
2 organic pears, thinly sliced
1 organic cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 organic red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup apple juice
1 Tbsp organic dill, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions

1. Combine apples, pears, cucumber and red onion in a large bowl

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients until evenly combined

3. Pour dressing mixture over salad and mix with a spoon until evenly coated

4. Refrigerate until ready to serve; serve cold

Makes ~8 servings

(Apple & Pear Salad recipe adapted from Sept/Oct 2013 issue of Taste of Home)

The grilled peanut butter sandwiches were pretty simple..I just made them like I would make a grilled cheese, but used peanut butter instead of cheese. If you are wondering how I made them, here is what I did:

Grilled Peanut Butter Sandwiches

Ingredients

5 slices dairy free whole wheat bread (I made a half sandwich for Charlie)
Dairy free olive oil spread
Peanut butter (amount to your liking)

Directions

1. Heat grill pan on high heat and cover both sides of bread with thin layer of dairy free spread

2. Reduce heat to medium and place all slices of bread on grill; grill one side until golden brown

3. Flip bread over and spread peanut butter on grilled side of one slice of bread per sandwich

4. Place grilled side of second slice of bread on top of bread slice spread with peanut butter

5. Grill sandwiches until golden brown on the outside, about 2 minutes per side

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Apples and pears provide vitamin C and fiber. Red onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese. Peanut butter is an excellent source of protein and potassium.

Eating on Our Weekend Road Trip

I like a good Starbucks coffee on the road as much as the next person, but the thought of sitting in a car for 400 miles with fast food in my stomach is not very appealing.  We make the trip from Chicago to Cleveland and back several times a year, and the rest areas along the way leave much to be desired in terms of healthy food options. Traveling with a small child takes a good amount of preparation to begin with, so you may be thinking "now I have to make food to take with us too?" I'll admit, I had the same thought as I started making my mental check-list of things to do to get ready for our trip this past weekend. But, it really didn't take much time, and we felt so much better for the long hours that we spent sitting in the car.  I also knew we would be feasting all weekend, so I wanted to keep the food for the car trip light to cut down on the guilt of the indulgences we were looking forward to enjoying! I filled a cooler and a grocery bag with healthy food, and we were all pretty happy travelers!

The day before we left, I ran to the store with Charlie and we picked up some all-natural, antibiotic free turkey to make some sandwiches, and then I pulled all kinds of stuff out of the refrigerator and cabinets for snacks.  I sliced up a tomato to put on the sandwiches (which I put in a separate bag so the sandwiches wouldn't get soggy), and tossed a bottle of mustard in the cooler. I chopped up some organic bell peppers and carrots and brought along some bananas, almond yogurt, organic raspberries, organic peaches and organic apples that would have gone bad while we were gone. We hate wasting food, and taking our own food on a road trip is a great way to use up things that would otherwise go bad. Plus, we try to live by a budget, and taking our own food saves a good amount of money.

From the cabinets, I pulled out some pistachios (one of Charlie's favorite snacks), raisins, popcorn, pretzels, peanut butter, extra bread, and graham crackers.  I packed a similar lunch and snacks for our drive back as well (thanks Mom and Dad for letting me raid your kitchen!)

We had plenty of snacks for the car ride and stopped half-way at a rest area and had a little picnic with our sandwiches, fruit and vegetables. Oh, and we did, of course, have our Starbuck's fix!

Whenever we visit with my family in Cleveland, we get to eat some pretty delicious food. My dad makes some elaborate breakfast spreads and does a pretty mean clam bake. On this trip, he made a dinner of lobster tails, steak, brined & grilled chicken breasts, fresh corn on the cob, and tomato pie. I had to try a little of it all, and it was all amazing! I wish I had taken a picture of the blueberry and apple pies, as well as brownies for dessert.

Also on this trip, we celebrated my nephew's first birthday. Like Charlie, he has a cows milk protein allergy, so my sister ordered this awesome cake from a vegan bakery..how amazing does this cake look?? And it tasted pretty amazing as well. 

This was the dinner spread for the birthday party - everything was delicious! They even had turkey burgers as a healthier option.

Eating while you are on the road doesn't have to be fast food and giant sodas from the rest areas along the way. We strive to eat healthy, clean foods in our normal day to day life, including when we are on the go in the car, but big family meals, complete with fabulous desserts, are something we look forward to and really enjoy. Sharing delicious food and quality time with people you love is a wonderful thing!

After we arrived back home from the long drive back, Ted and I had a nice relaxing evening in the backyard with some cold chardonnay while Charlie ran around playing..perfect top-off to a fun weekend trip and enjoying some great meals with our family!

Balsamic Vinaigrette

I don't know about you, but I have never found a pre-made balsamic vinaigrette in the store that I have absolutely loved. Homemade dressings just always seem to taste so much better. This dressing is one of our favorites, and is really easy to make. It is great on any salad, but I particularly like it for a mixed green salad or drizzled over a beet, tomato and goat cheese salad.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

3/4 cup olive oil

Directions

1. Mince garlic and put in salad dressing jar (or any type of jar will do) along with brown sugar, salt and pepper

2. Add olive oil and balsamic vinegar

3. Place lid on jar and shake vigorously to combine

4. For best flavor, place in refrigerator and let sit to marinate for at least 4 hours before serving

What are the nutritional benefits of this dressing? Balsamic vinegar is rich in polyphenols - a type of antioxidant. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control.

Baked Zucchini "Fries"

I am always looking for different things to do with vegetables for a quick and easy side dish.  These are a great substitution for potatoes, and go well with grilled chicken or fish, burgers, steak..pretty much anything!  And if you are  making these as a substitution for french fries, they are good dipped in a little ketchup. 

I like to make my own whole wheat bread crumbs because I have had a hard time finding pre-packaged bread crumbs that are dairy free, and I think the home-made ones taste a lot better too!

Baked Zucchini "Fries"

Ingredients

4 organic zucchini, quartered

2 slices whole wheat bread

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 organic eggs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2. Place wheat bread in toaster and toast on medium setting; bread should be toasted enough that it is no longer soft, but crisp. Let toast cool and then break into pieces in small food processor. Grind toast pieces into small bread crumbs.

3. In small bowl, mix together bread crumbs, garlic and olive oil

4. In separate bowl, beat eggs

5. Dip zucchini in egg and then roll in bread crumb mixture

6. Place breaded zucchini on un-greased baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown

7. Serve and enjoy!

(Recipe adapted from doortodoororganics.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of zucchini? zucchini is a good source of  fiber and vitamins A, C and folate.