Let's Mick's up Some Bananas!

Are you bananas about bananas?!  

Even though they are higher in the glycemic index (you know, the natural sugar they contain), they do have many good nutrients in them.  Plus, they are filling and are a healthy, quick snack.  That sugar content thing I mentioned first... well... that's one reason some personal trainers recommend them for a pre-workout boost.

I received an email once that listed out numerous benefits of and uses for bananas.  (Thanks, Mom!)  For example, the email says:  When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals.  Some other vitamins it contains are the B6, B12.

It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.

When our church had a lot of bananas in their pantry from generous merchants who donate food, some of us had fun talking about different uses for the bananas, like in smoothies, breads, etc.  I was excited to share my pancake recipe!  I found it from one of the Paleo-food groups I am connected with on Facebook.

This is such a simple and yummy menu item.  I finally found something my kidderz and hubby will eat every day for breakfast, if I let them.  (Not that I prepare it every day, because I don't want them to end up getting tired of the monotony... but even if I don't prepare it, one of them will!)  My teenage son even said, "Really?!  That's it?  That's all there is to it?!  Well, I definitely found the breakfast I'm going to live on as a bachelor."

I promised a friend I'd send her this recipe, so I'm getting it out to all of you now.  Besides, I was already planning to type this up, in honor of National Pancake Day and/or Pancake Day, both of which I missed (February 5th and 12th, respectively).

Ready?  Grab your pencils!

Here's the banana pancake recipe:

Blend together (in a blender) 2 eggs and 1 very ripe banana.

That's it!!

REALLY!!!

That is all there is to it!

Well, of course, you'll want to cook it.

That info is right here:

Fry up the pancake batter in a pan on the stove (greased with coconut oil or butter), just like you would any pancake.  Top with your favorite pancake toppings.  (We like no-sugar berry sauce or natural Maple Syrup.)  You may also add vanilla to the pancake batter, if you'd like to, and/or berries, etc.

Granted, they might not be the prettiest, nor the fluffiest pancakes you've ever made, but I can almost guarantee they are the easiest.

Is that too easy for you?

Are you feeling like you're cheating by using such a simple recipe?

Have no fear.  You're not!

However, if you want to get a little fancier, here's another Paleo-food recipe I read and tried.  Instead of bananas, it uses plantains (another favorite in our house).  Simply blend together these ingredients and fry up in a pan like any pancakes:  2 large green plantains (approximately 2 cups pureed), 4 eggs, 2tsp vanilla, 3 tbsp coconut oil, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking soda.

There you have it.

Happy Pancake Day a little late.  With these recipes, it's most certainly better late than never!  Mmmmmmmm....

^"Then he lay down under the tree. And he fell asleep.

Suddenly an angel touched him. 

The angel said, “Get up and eat.” 

Elijah looked around. 

Near his head he saw a flat cake of bread.

It had been baked over hot coals.

A jar of water was also there.

So Elijah ate and drank.

Then he lay down again.

The angel of the Lord came to him a second time.

He touched him and said, “Get up and eat.

Your journey will be long and hard.”

1 Kings 19:5-7 (NIV)

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Mick’s up on Gluten

Remember the Mick's up with sugar addiction?  Did you know breads and grains can be included in that addiction? 

Breads and grains are basically converted into sugar almost immediately by your saliva.  “Refined flours, even gluten-free ones such as tapioca, white rice and cornstarch, are too easily broken down in your system and have a similar effect to refined sugar.” (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Sugar-Free)

What is it we’re trying to avoid by going gluten-free and sugar-free?  Why are some sugars good and some sugars bad? 

“Fruits and other unrefined carbohydrate foods contain fiber that naturally slows the absorption of sugar in your body.  Refined sugars have been stripped of these properties, allowing the sugar to go immediately to your bloodstream.  Your body then reacts by pumping out insulin to stop the overflow of sugar.  That’s why after you eat something sweet you get a sugar high followed by a crash.  After the crash, you feel like you need more sugar to bring your energy level back up again, and it becomes a cycle. ”(Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Sugar-Free)

Some people have found they have no choice but to stay away from gluten.  I can’t imagine!  However, it is possible to live gluten-free, and there are some great resources out there.  Even if you are not in the position of being forced to go gluten-free, it isn’t a bad idea to move yourself in that direction.  This video from Gluten Free Society sums it up for us.



Enjoy the process.  Every day gives you an opportunity to learn something new.  For example, to help out my cousin at Thanksgiving dinner, because she suffers from celiac disease, we prepared a gluten-free stuffing.  I found it at allrecipes.com, but there are others out there, too, at such places as GingerLemonGirl. 

Don’t be discouraged.  Don’t think it can’t be done.  If you want it… or need it… badly enough, you’ll make it happen.  Have fun exploring all the many resources, like Glutenology.net and Gluten Free Society and other sites by Dr. Osborne.

Don’t let breads and sugars rule your life!  Be strong!  Be healthy!

Grain must be ground to make bread;
so one does not go on threshing it forever.
The wheels of a threshing cart may be rolled over it,
but one does not use horses to grind grain.
All this also comes from the LORD Almighty,
whose plan is wonderful,
whose wisdom is magnificent.

Isaiah 28:28-29 (NIV)

~

What’s the Mick’s up with Artificial Sweeteners?

“Artificial sweeteners can be found on nearly every restaurant table in America.  Sales of Sweet N Low, Splenda, Equal, and many other artificial sweeteners have sky-rocketed in recent years.  Everywhere we look, the multi-colored sugar substitutes enter our food and drinks by the packet.  Most claim to be “natural” and “low calorie.”  As consumers attempt to make smart choices on how to sweeten their foods and drinks, the dangers of these chemical sugars continue to be uncovered. ” - Dr. Aaron Sparks - Maximized Living: "The Yellow Blue and Pink Packets Could Be Killing You"

What are artificial sweeteners?  I don’t necessarily agree with everything said by the clinic, but here’s the Mayo Clinic definition:

“Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes but may be derived from naturally occurring substances, including herbs or sugar itself. Artificial sweeteners are also known as intense sweeteners because they are many times sweeter than regular sugar.

“Artificial sweeteners currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are:

• Acesulfame potassium (Sunett, Sweet One)
  
• Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet)
  
• Neotame
  
• Saccharin (SugarTwin, Sweet'N Low)
  
• Sucralose (Splenda)

“Approved sugar alcohols and novel sweeteners include:

• Erythritol
  
• Hydrogenated starch hydrolysates
  
• Isomalt
  
• Lactitol
  
• Maltitol
  
• Mannitol
  
• Sorbitol
  
• Xylitol
  
• Stevia preparations that are highly refined (Pure Via, Truvia)”

You can find a comparison of some of these sweeteners at WebMD.

The artificial sweeteners are chemicals, which have serious affects on children and their brains.  For example:  Aspartame has a known carcinogen, methyl alcohol, which in this product doesn’t have the pectin to bind it to be safe like it does in fruit.  Also, Splenda contains chlorine, bringing another carcinogen into our foods.  These sweeteners are in 6000+ products, so beware, especially if you have a child with challenges.  Check out this information at the Maximized Living Vlog with Dr. Ashly Ochsner, as well as in the article “Artificial Sweeteners: The Only Thing You Won't Lose is Weight” and the webinar: Know the Facts About Diet Drinks and Artificial Sweeteners (aired: 2011-04-19) (Scroll down to almost the bottom of the page, and find the title to click on.)

The choice has always been easy for me.  I hate the taste of artificial sweeteners, so I’ve always steered clear of them, and now I’m glad I did.  However, I know there are many people out there who are hooked on the stuff.  It’ll be difficult to break that, but it’ll be worth it in the long run, when there is less brain fog, more energy, and a healthier and more fit body.  Reaching that point will allow you to fully do what God has in store for you!

If you don’t do it for yourself, at least do it for your kidderz.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Don’t be like everyone else, and fall into the “diet” and “sugar-free” trend of artificial sweeteners.

Make the safest choices you can.

Do the research, and become empowered!

So, if we stay away from sugar, as in Mick's Scoop on Sugar, because of its affect on our Immune System, as we read in Mick's up on Your Immune System, among other things, then what?


I'm glad you asked!
A couple of safer options are described in Mick's up with Sweeteners.

~

Mick's up with the Sweeteners

Stevia Flowers

At this point, you probably are thinking we don't have much fun in life, if we are keeping sugar away from our house.  Well, let me tell you:  living with a bunch of sweet-tooths (is that how it's said, when plural?), and having a good-sized one myself, we had to find creative ways to bring the joy of sweets into our new healthy lifestyle.

Ready to be creative?  It is worth it!

There are two main sweeteners that I have found endorsed in the health arena:  Stevia and Xylitol.

You might have heard of Stevia, but where does it come from?  As Wikipedia explains: "Chemists isolated the glycosides that give stevia its sweet taste. These compounds were named stevioside and rebaudioside." The plant is named Stevia rebaudiana.  We can find it in products named:  SweetLeaf(includes inulin) or Stevita(includes erythritol) or store brands of Stevia, such as KAL and Vitamin Shoppe.  You can find Stevia in both powder and liquid forms.  You can also find several other brands, when you search online for Stevia.  Just be sure, as always, to look at the ingredients.

Steviol Glycoside

I like to use liquid Stevia in beverages and certain recipes, whereas the powder form seems best suited for most cooking.  Beware:  Stevia has a very powerful taste!  If you use too much, you will get scared away.  (Some of us also find it has an aftertaste.)  Definitely do not substitute Stevia in the same measurement ratio as sugar in your recipes.  You will want to go on taste, until you get used to it.  Be sure to have a conversion chart handy.  If you like the taste of diet drinks and foods, then you will probably find the taste of Stevia appealing.  If you really need a soda, then try out Zevia or Virgil's Zero.

Xylitol

The other sweetener we like to use in our household, Xylitol, is
considered the 2nd best sugar substitute (with Stevia being the #1 choice).  As you can read in Wikipedia and xylitol.org, it comes from fruits and vegetables.  It is easier to cook with Xylitol, since the substitution ration is basically 1:1, and it doesn't have the aftertaste some of us notice with Stevia.  It is also found to have health benefits.  You can read about some of them at xylitol.org.  The drawback is that Xylitol is a sugar alcohol, which means those who have digestion issues with sugar alcohols will find they have a reaction.  Great information about Xylitol can be found at this FAQ. 

There are many great products out there containing Xylitol instead of sugar.  Along with packaged Xylitol (brands such as XyloSweet and KAL at Vitamin Shoppe and Amazon as well as other stores), you can also find amazing treats, such as candies (Dr. John's and SparX) and gum and mints (Spry and Zellies), as well as necessities like toothpaste, mouthwash, and nasal spray.  (Spry and Xlear products are found online at places like Amazon and VitaCost, as well as in stores such as Vitamin Shoppe)!  (As always, read the ingredients! Don't be fooled by a product listing Xylitol as the sweetener and then adding to it some chemicals you don't want in your body.)

There are some other alternatives I'll get to in another post at a later date, but to get started on the
road to a healthier lifestyle for your family, reach for Stevia or Xylitol instead of sugar... and most definitely, stay away from the artificial sweeteners!  (There is some lifesaving information out there for you, and I'll be bringing it right to your fingertips in tomorrow's post dedicated solely to artificial sweeteners!)

Enjoy being creative!

"One who is full loathes honey from the comb,
but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet."
Proverbs 27:7 (NIV)

When you're hungry for sweets, you'll try anything!

Trust me, though.  This really isn't so bad.

Related web pages:
Maximized Living Blog: Parents, never ever feed this to your kids
Mick's Scoop on Sugar

SweetLeaf
Stevita

Do you want to know a secret?
We practically live on these for snacking:
LARABAR
(Still looking at ingredients, though...
we stay away from the chocolate chips!)

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