ZUCCHINI AND SWEET POTATO MUFFINS-Nutrition
Too often in a busy life, we have trouble finding time to eat in a healthy manner. Sometimes we just want a quick bite of something to stave off the hunger pangs. It's easy to grab some junk food! It's there for us, lurking in stores, whenever we want it. Ads throughout our world make sure of that. When you have Attention Deficit Disorder, this can be especially bad. Brain chemistry is real!
If you are nibbling on snacks like processed muffins, chips, sugary granola bars, high-fat crackers, candy bars, and bakery goods made with white flour you are not helping your brain function at a high level. After you eat any of these, your blood sugar rises quickly. There is a huge insulin response, and then the blood sugar crashes. This isn’t good for anybody’s concentration, and it is terrible if you have ADD/ADHD. What can you have around to eat for those hungry, hungry moments?
Try this Zucchini Sweet Potato Muffin recipe. When I have a little time, I bake two dozen Zucchini Sweet Potato Muffins. They take less than 30 minutes to prepare the recipe and under 30 minutes per dozen to bake. We have two muffin tins, so that we can bake two dozen in about half an hour. In about an hour, I have 24 hot and tasty muffins that have about 150 calories of high fiber goodness in each. I put the cooled muffins into freezer bags. Half are stored in the fridge for immediate use, and I pop the other dozen into the deep freeze.
When hunger hits, I pull my muffins out of the fridge and use them for snacks and meals. Warm one in the microwave for some comfort food with a glass of milk or almond milk! One muffin paired with a fruit, vegetable, or protein makes a great snack. I use two muffins for a meal. Again, I accompany these muffins with a fruit, at least one vegetable, and a source of protein. If you have a problem with high blood sugar, omit the fruit and add more vegetables.
I enjoy these fruits with the muffins: apple, banana, grapes, orange, tangerine, tangerine, and cherries. Vegetables are wonderful with the muffins. I like carrots, celery, salad, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, tomato, and V-8 juice. The fruit and veggie blends are good, too. Smoothies are lovely with muffins.
Protein can be plant or animal based. Walnuts, almonds, pistachios, peanuts, and pecans are good sources of protein. Artificial sausage and soy chicken patties are good vegetarian protein, if you have a microwave available. Hard boiled eggs, chicken and turkey sausage are another low-fat way to add protein. Greek yogurt and low-fat cheese work well if you don’t have a microwave. Mix it up. Use this list to make an incredibly diverse number of snacks and meals!
Zucchini Sweet Potato Muffin Recipe
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Now, sour the milk and let it stand. (1 ½ tablespoon vinegar added to milk. Stir and let stand 10 minutes.
Ingredients:
¾ cup flax meal
2 ½ cup whole wheat flour (freshly ground or whole wheat pastry flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice or cinnamon
1/2 cup mixed raisins and dried cranberries (My husband likes raisins, but I love cranberries.)
¾ cup Walnut pieces
2 cups coarsely grated zucchini
1 cup coarsely grated sweet potato (You may substitute carrots for sweet potatoes, if necessary.)
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 ½ cup sour milk (1 ½ tablespoon vinegar added to milk. Stir and let stand 10 minutes.)
¼ cup olive oil
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
¼ cup molasses
juice from 1 cutie tangerine (optional)
Method:
*Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Grate the zucchini, sweet potato, and ginger into the dry ingredients.
*Beat sour milk, oil, and egg together. Add the other wet ingredients into the milk mixture.
*Combine wet and dry ingredients. Stir until combined.
*Spray muffin tins with no stick cooking spray or line with papers. Spoon batter into muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees F. for about 30 minutes. Test with a toothpick or piece of spaghetti. It should come out clean. Makes about 24 lovely, moist muffins.
In addition to being sound nutritionally, these muffins are easily made into meals in minutes. Grab two muffins, a handful of walnuts, carrots, an apple and a V-8 for a complete meal.
These muffins help me keep my brain chemistry closer to balance. Whatever makes me eat healthier helps me live a better life with my Attention Deficit Disorder.
