Protein Banana Nut Bread

I love baking!  And popular recipes such as banana nut bread can be made healthier with a few changes to this famous recipe.  I am always trying  to find ways to increase my protein and fiber intake.  For this bread I added protein powder to help you feel fuller longer.  The walnuts are a great source of fiber, Omega-3s, and magnesium so I tend to be very generous with adding these to my dish.  If you have some ripe bananas in your pantry it is time to start cooking this delicious and healthy banana nut bread.

Ingredients

1 cup of flour

1 cup of protein powder (plain or vanilla)

2 ripe bananas

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1 tbsp cinnamon

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat your oven to 350.  In a loaf pan, spray with cooking spay.  Begin by mixing your flour, protein powder, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl place your bananas, egg, brown sugar, applesauce, and vanilla.  Use a hand mixer to blend well to get out all the chunks.

Mix your wet and dry ingredients together. Add your walnuts, but leave a few tablespoons to top your bread with.

Pour your batter in the loaf pan and top with some walnuts.

Bake for about 30 min or until toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!!

Blackened Fish Nachos with Watermelon Salsa

A healthy treat that satisfy all your taste buds.  This delicious dish is a spin on the classic nachos, only made a little bit healthier.  This dish is spicy, sweet, salty, and juicy.  I never thought watermelon using watermelon as a salsa would be such a good idea.  The watermelon cools your tongue after taking a bite of the spicy fish.  It is also a great source of vitamin A which is essential for our eyes and skin.   This dish is definitely now one of my favorites.

Ingredients

4 fish fillets (a white fish such as tilapia or flounder)

Canola oil

Blackened Seasoning

2 cups of cubed watermelon

2 tbsp of lime juice

1/4 cup of chopped cilantro

2 cups shredded cabbage

Baked tortilla chips 

shredded mozzarella cheese

Begin by seasoning the fish with the blackening seasoning.  

Heat skillet and cook fish on both sides for about 3-4 minutes.

For the salsa, mix together the watermelon, lime juice, and cilantro.

To assemble the nachos begin by putting a handful of chips on a plate.  Place a hand full of shredded cabbage, a fish fillet, the watermelon salsa, and sprinkle of cheese.

Enjoy!!

Recipe modified from The dairy Good Cookbook.

Why You Should Use a Dietitian?

I recently started my Nutrition Business providing education, consulting, and a variety of other services for individuals.  My job is to help people succeed with making behavior changes that will help them reach their nutrition goals.  

Unfortunately there is a lot of misguided information out there concerning nutrition.  Everyone is considered an "expert" in this area and because of that there is a ton of information given out that is not necessarily backed by science.  There are many self proclaimed experts giving information about nutrition, which means you have to be careful where you get your information from.  Some people are in the health industry to make money.  They are trying to find the next big thing in health to advertise to make money.  We see it all the time from fad diets, to exotic foods, to different herbs and supplements that are suppose to be the next big miracle worker.  These things are designed to get you excited and make you spend your money. And most of the time they do not even work.

The truth of the matter is if you want to reach your nutrition goals it requires behavior changes.  A dietitian can work with you to identify what behaviors that need to be changed.  Dietitians are trained professionals who are experts in the nutrition field.  Dietitians were required to go to school, many of which have their Master's Degree in Nutrition.  They had to compete to receive one of a few internships offered for inspiring dietitians which means only the best of the best continue on to become dietitians.  For their internship they must complete 1200 hour in a variety of health settings including the hospital, food service, and in the community. Once they are done with their exam they then must take a board exam in order to become registered and official.  So you can see their knowledge and expertise is not simply telling people to eat vegetables, but they must be on top of their game in the health and nutrition field.  That is the type of person you want on your team to help you reach your fitness goals.    Whether it is something as simple as increasing your vegetable intake by adding one extra side of vegetables at dinner or something more complicated such as identifying the correct formula for a person who must eat through a feeding tube that is pumped directly into their stomach because they are unable to swallow.    

 70 percent of the US is either overweight or obese.  Many of them it is not necessarily their fault but it is a result of their environment, genetics, and lack of knowledge of how to reach their goals.  Many of these people spends hundreds of dollars each year to try to become successful at losing weight. Many people get gym memberships with the idea,  "If I workout, then I can eat whatever I want."  That couldn't be farther from the truth.  80% of your fitness goals is based on nutrition.  You cannot invest time and money just on exercise and expect to get results.  Total wellness means you have to make changes in several areas of your life in order to be a success.

For many people hiring a dietitian is the way to do it.  Having monthly, weekly, or biweekly visits with a person specialized in food has shown to help people stay on track with their nutrition goals.  For my clients that means you will be spending as little as $55-125 dollars a month, about as much as many gym memberships.  Studies have shown that individuals who use a dietitian are more likely to lose weight, reduce their risk of  diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, and improve their overall health status.  Individuals with diabetes have improved their blood sugars when taken the advice of dietitians. Athletes also have shown benefits with the use of a dietitian.  They have found they have more energy, improved lean body mass, and overall improved performance.

So when you are making decisions about your health, I want to encourage you to consider adding a dietitian to your health routine. I provide a variety of services that you can choose from if you choose me as your dietitian.  But whether you choose me or not, I want you to strongly consider adding a licensed and registered dietitian to your health routine.  

Yummy Date Breakfast Cookies

Start your day of with a yummy cookie!!  Not just any cookie,  a healthy date cookie with avocados, oats, cinnamon, and yogurt.  You know that sounds good, and it is.  Cookies are my favorite food, so this delicious healthy treat is just what I need to get my cookie fix and fill my morning with a wholesome breakfast.  This recipe is great for breakfast on the run.  You make a batch at the beginning of the week and you will have enough cookies to last you a few days.  Just grab and go!

Ingredients

3 cups of old fashion oats

1 1/2 cup flour ( you can use whole wheat for more whole grain goodness)

4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 ripe avocado, mashed

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup olive oil

1 cup plain low fat yogurt

2 eggs

2 cups of chopped dates (12 oz)

Preheat oven to 375.  

In a bowl mix oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

In a separate bowl use a blender to mix the avocado, oil, and sugar together.  Then add the yogurt and eggs.

Combine the wet and dry mixture.

Take your dates.  I found mine at Walmart in the produce section (by the nuts and seeds).  

Chop the dates into tiny pieces

Add the dates into your batter.  Using a 1/4 cup measure scoop the batter onto a cookie sheet 2 inches apart.

Bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Recipe modified from Fresh Avocado Love One Today Campaign  Loveonetoday.com

Roasted Italian Vegetables

I don't know about you, but I am always looking for new ways to make my vegetable sides.  Eating just a side of green beans or carrots can be boring after a while.  I like to make my vegetable sides exciting so I have something to look forward to.  This vegetable side as surprisingly delicious and easy to make.  Caramel flavor of the roasted vegetables added the right touch to make this dish special.  Check out the recipe below

Ingredients

1 red bell pepper cut in strips

1 cup baby carrots

1 large onion cut in wedges

1 cup of baby portobello mushrooms

drizzle of Italian salad dressing

sprinkle of Parmesan

Mix the vegetables and salad dressing together in a baking dish.  

Top with cheese.

Bake until vegetables become tender about 20 minutes.  For a more caramelized taste, broil the vegetables for the last 5 minutes. 

Guess Who in America has the Best Diet in America

According to National Health and Nutrition Examination survey of 2009-2010  Seniors aged 71 years and older have the best diet.  I personally find this to be true when I speak with my patents about their diet.  I am amazed by how many seniors are already eating a very healthy diet.  I do not even need to give many of them that much advice because they are already doing a great job.  Many of them eat plenty of vegetables and whole grains.  A few of them may lack in protein.  Getting enough calcium seems to be the biggest issue I see since most seniors do not like drinking milk.  Taking calcium supplements can  help with those individuals. But overall these individuals are doing great with their diet and we should take time to learn from our elders.  They are living long and part of the reason why is because of what they ate growing up and now.

Unfortunately the group with the worst diet is currently the teenagers.  Many teens nowadays live off of junk food from fast food restaurants, chips, cookies, and sugary beverages.  As adults it is our job to teach them how to eat right and be an example to them.  Teenagers who have parents who eat healthy are more likely to pick healthier choices than teens with parents who do not eat healthy.  Get the junk food out your house.  Don't allow your kids to get fast food for lunch everyday, or even every week.  Teach them that junk food is suppose to be for special occasions and should only be consumed once in a while.

  For me and my husband, we find that if it is in the house we will keep eating it until it is gone.  Our solution,  we don't buy it!  I love cookies!  I remember buying some frosted animal cookies right after me and my husband got married.  I kid you not,  I walked around with that bag of cookies for two days straight until it was gone.  If I, being a professional in the nutrition world cannot have self control with junk food, what makes you think you can.  What I do when we want junk food we will go and make it a special treat.  Perhaps me and my husband will go to an ice cream shop and get one serving of ice cream instead of bringing the whole tube home to be eaten within a few days.  If I want cookies, I go to the gas station and buy an individual pack so I am not tempted to splurge.  Controlling your environment is key to your success.  When I visit my senior clients, they do not have junk food in their house.  And if they do it is literally only one item.  This shows that controlling your environment can help you control your eating habits.

Protein Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a classic breakfast choice for many people.  This heart healthy whole grain is full of fiber which helps you stay full longer and aids in digestive health.  Unfortunately though, eating just oatmeal by itself is not considered a complete breakfast.  Oatmeal is mainly carbohydrate with some natural fat found in the oats.  It does not provide enough protein for your breakfast meal.  Unless you pair it with some eggs, and turkey bacon you are going to be behind on your protein needs for the day.  One trick I like to do is stir in protein powder with your oatmeal.  We know that many of the flavored oatmeals are jam packed with sugar which can spike your blood sugar.  But eating plain oatmeal can be boring.  By adding flavored protein powder, such as vanilla,  you will get that sweet taste you are looking for and get plenty of protein.  I like to use Natural Whey Protein by True Athlete which is found at Vitamin Shoppe.  It contains probiotics to help with digestive health. 

To make your Protein oatmeal is easy.  Pour the desired amount of oatmeal into a bowl ( 1/2 -1 cup is typical).  Scoop your protein powder in to your oatmeal, enough to get atleast 20g of protein.  I used 2 scoops with my True Athlete protein powder to make 20 g.  Then add low fat milk or almond milk.  Stir.  Them microwave to desired consistency as usual.  Yummy!!

Blueberry pancakes

Pancakes are my favorite breakfast recipe.  However the added syrup that normally comes on pancakes is full of sugar and calories. 1/4 of syrup typically has about 200 calories.  Plus adding a tablespoon of butter adds an additional 100 calories.  So having a short stack of 2-3 pancakes ends up being an easy 600-800 calories.  Not necessarily the best way to start your day.  You can cut the calories by substituting the syrup with something lower in calories, such as blueberries.  These blueberry pancakes have become one of my favorite breakfast treats.  It is easy to make and much healthier.

Blueberry Pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup flour

3 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 cup milk

3 tbsp canola oil

½ cup frozen blueberries

½ cup fresh blueberries

Mix dry ingredients in bowl.

Add milk and oil. 

Pour batter in griddle.  Add frozen blueberries.  Cook each side for 2-3 min.

Serve with fresh blueberries.

Low Fat Zucchini Pesto

Pesto is becoming more and more popular.  With people trying to be more adventurous with their dish we are seeing more people eating pesto than in the past.  Pesto is mainly used for pasta however I have seen it now being added to pizza, sandwiches, chicken, vegetables, salads, hummus, soups, and much more.  The only thing is pesto is mainly fat.  Pesto recipes are composed of oil, basil, garlic, and cheese.  Obviously the oil and cheese increases the fat and calorie content substantially. If you are trying to lose weight, eating too much of this actually may defeat your efforts.  A good alternative is the low fat zucchini pesto.  It still has the same great taste, however the fat is cut due to the added vegetables.  I use it for my pasta and pizzas and it tastes just as good as the real thing.

Low Fat Zucchini Pesto

Ingredients

1 Zucchini, diced

1 clove garlic, 

¼ cup baisil

3-4 tbsp olive oil

2-3 tbsp parmesan cheese

Boil zucchini until soft.  Drain. 

Transfer zucchini, and remaining ingredients to a food processor.  Blend until desired consistency.

Ireland's Colcannon-Potatoes and Cabbage

Cabbage is a leafy green full of vitamin K and C.  Many people are not aware of its great nutrient properties.  Studies have shown it has great antioxidant properties to help fight against free radicals.  it also has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.   Cabbage also helps heal stomach ulcers and the overall health of the digestive tract.  The high fiber content of cabbage helps with digestion and also lowering of cholesterol benefiting the cardiovascular system.  

I personally am not a huge cabbage fan,  however this Irish recipe is delicious.  The addition of the potatoes and bacon are a great complement to the leafy green.  And if you want to cut down on the carbs, you can eat the cabbage by itself without the potatoes and it tastes just as good.

Ireland’s Colcannon – potatoes and cabbage

Ingredients

4 slices of turkey bacon, diced

1 small green cabbage, shredded

1 leak, chopped

3 lb potatoes, peeled and cubed

¾ cup warm buttermilk

In a large pot place potatoes in water to where it barely covers the top.  Boil until tender, about 12 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in large skillet cook bacon until done.  Drain fat.   Remove bacon and set aside.

Add cabbage and leaks.  Cook until tender. 

Once potatoes are done, drain the potatoes and add butter milk.  Mash the potatoes until smooth.

Stir in cabbage mixture and sprinkle with bacon.

Curry Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Broccoli cheese casserole has become an American classic.  With moms trying to get their little ones to eat more vegetables adding cheese to the veggies has been a solution used by many.  Unfortunately though, the addition of cheese also means the addition of fat.  Unless you are using low fat cheese, you are probably adding a ton of extra calories.  Many people do not correlate cheese with fat.  But even the low fat cheeses can have up to 6g of fat per oz.  And we all know that most of us eat way more than 1 oz of cheese.  The Curry Broccoli Casserole is an easy way to fix this.  Due to the orange color, you are fooled into thinking there is more cheese than what is actually in the dish.  Also the curry flavor brings an interesting twist to this popular dish.

Curry Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients

2 heads of broccoli, chopped

3 tbsp cornstarch

1 qt skim milk

4 tsp curry powder

2 ¾ tsp salt

9 oz mozzarella cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Steam broccoli by placing broccoli in a colander over boiling water. 

In a small bowl mix 1/3 cup of milk with cornstarch.

In a lg pot add remaining milk and curry powder.  Bring to boil.  Add the small bowl of milk and cornstarch.  Whisk to allow sauce the sauce to thicken.  Add ½ cup of cheese. 

Transfer broccoli and sauce into a casserole dish.  Top with remaining cheese. Bake 40 min.

Crepes

Crepes are very popular in many European countries.  It is a different take on pancakes that is higher in protein due to the higher liquid content of milk and eggs.  Crepes can also be used for more savory dishes by taking the place of tortillas or even pasta.  

For breakfast I choose to stuff my crepes with yogurt and strawberries for a sweet alternative to the high calorie syrup.

I have tried several crepe recipes in the past, so far this one is my favorite.  

Crepes

Ingredients

2 eggs

¾ cup milk or milk substitute

½ cup water

1 cup all-purpose flour (you can use whole wheat for a whole grain option)

3 tbsp melted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp honey

In a bowl mix all ingredients together with a whisk until smooth.  In a non-stick sauté pan spray with cooking spray and heat on medium high heat.  Once warm pour a small amount of batter into pan.  Swirl batter around to make a thin circle.  Cook until edges are cooked and bubble, thin flip the crepe over to cook on the other side.  

Vegetable Tomato Sauce

If you are like most parents, you probably have kids that are not willing to try new vegetables.  It sometimes seems impossible to get children to eat their vegetables.  I have the same problem with my husband.  He hates most vegetables, so making sure he gets an adequate amount can be a daunting task.  One great way is to hide the vegetables in your food.  Pasta sauce is one of the most popular ways to hide vegetables.  Many people hid spinach, bell peppers,or mushrooms.  I have decided to take this further and my sauce has egg plant, zucchini, squash, carrots, and onions.  Try my recipe bellow to help you add more vegetables to your sauce.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

1 sm medium yellow onion

2 cloves of garlic

2 tbsp red pepper flakes

1 small eggplant, diced

1 zucchini, diced

1 squash, diced

1 carrot, peeled, diced

1 tsp thyme

¾ tsp salt

28 oz diced tomatoes, may add extra tomato sauce depending on how much you want.

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

Heat oil in pan.  Add onion and garlic, cook until translucent.  Add squash, zucchini, eggplant, and carrot to food processor, one vegetable at a time.  Transfer the vegetable to the pan.  Add the tomatoes and spices.  Simmer for about 15 minutes.  Take a hand blender and blend the sauce until desire consistency.  If you do no own a hand blender, scoop the sauce about a cup at a time into a regular blender.  Hold lid tightly and blend until desire consistency.

Baked Onion Rings

Let's be real.  Sometimes we want some fried food from restaurants.  One of my favorite sides are onion rings.  But fried onion rings are full of trans and saturated fats that are bad for you.  Trans fats are fats you do not want in your body, and the US actually made laws to remove it from our food supply.  So what can you do instead is make it at home in the oven.

Baked Onion Rings

Ingredients

1 yellow onion

3/4 cup dry bread crumbs or cornmeal

Salt and pepper

Paprika

egg

Preheat oven to 450.

Spray pan with cooking spray.

Slice onion in rings, try not to separate all the rings,  The onion rings come out better if there are a few attached to each other.

Mix the eggs with the salt and pepper.

Dip onions in egg and then coat with bread crumbs.

Transfer to pan.  

Bake 10 minutes

Enjoy

Diet and Fertility: A look at the effects of diet on OI (PCOS)

Studies have shown a link between diet and lifestyle with a females fertility.  There are certain dietary behaviors that can improve a woman's ability to conceive and is most beneficial for individuals with Ovulatory Infertility (OI).  Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a form of OI, and is the most common cause for woman's infertility.    

Many women with PCOS already know that they are at risk of developing diabetes due to the fact that they are less sensitive to insulin, causing their blood sugars to be higher than normal.  This lack of insulin sensitivity means the insulin cannot attach the cells.  In a healthy individual insulin attaches to the cell and allows sugar to enter the cells for nourishment.  When you have insulin insensitivity the cells cannot get the nutrients they need and starve, and the insulin ends up building up in the blood stream due to it not being used.  The increase in insulin causes the liver to reduce the amount of sex hormones it produces.  This causes an off balance of hormones.  The female will now have more testosterone than normal which will in turn prevent ovulation (the release of an egg from the ovary). 

Insulin insensitivity can be improved through diet.  By including fiber rich carbohydrates, you will slow the the rate in which the carbohydrates enter the blood stream.  High fiber carbohydrates include vegetables, fruit, legumes, and some whole grains.  Also pairing carbohydrates with protein will slow the rate in which carbohydrates enter the blood even more.  Individuals should have 25-30 g of protein at every meal,  including breakfast.  The protein will help you feel full and prevent you from over eating.  Breakfast tends to be the meal that most people forget to add protein.  Instead of eating cereal, pastries, and bagels in the morning, eat an omelet or yogurt.  

Trans fats can cause infertility and increase insulin insensitivity and inflammation.    It interferes with ovulation, conception, and embryonic development.  Unfortunately, many individuals are not aware that they are consuming trans fats.  Trans fats are found in man made solid fats such as margarine, and fried foods such as french fries and dough nuts.  Instead individuals should consume monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats are found in avocados, olive oil, almonds, and eggs.  Polyunsaturated fats are found in foods with Omega-3s such as salmon and walnuts.

Weight also is essential for fertility.  Individuals who are overweight or underweight can have irregular menstruation and ovulation cycles. Excess weight increases the risk of vitro fertilization, miscarriage, preeclampsia, diabetes, and Cesarian section.  If you are overweight, if you loose just 5-10% of your weight you increase your fertility significantly.

Proper vitamins is also essential for all women who may become pregnant.  Prenatal vitamins provide sufficient amounts of folic acid and iron to help support fetal growth.   700 mcg of folic acid and 40-80g of iron are needed to improve ovulation and conception.


Donkersloot M.  Optimizing female fertility through diet.  Nutrition Close-up. Fall 2013.

Hankinson S, Manson J, Speizer F, Colditz G. Healthy Women, Healthy Lives: A Guide to Preventing Disease, from the Landmark Nurses' Healthy Study (Harvard Medical School Book). n/a: Free Press, 2002.

Chavarro , Willett W, Skerrett P. the Fertility Diet: Groundbreaking Research Reveals Natural Ways to Boost Ovulation and Improve Your Chances of Getting Pregnant.  McGraw-Hill, 2009.

Layman DK.  Dietary guidelines should refelct new understandings about adult protein needs.  Nutri Metab. London.  2009, 6:12.

Chavarro JE, Rich-Edwards JW, Rosner B, et al. A prospective study of dairy foods intake and anovulatory infertility.  Human Reproduction. 2007; 22: 1340-1347.

JJenness R.  Composition of milk. Fundamentals of dairy Chemistry.  New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Co.  1988: 19.

Sauted Spinach and Corn

This is an easy side that will work well with any meal.  Use it as a side at your next BBQ, or even stuff it in a tortilla with some grilled chicken.   Spinach is one of my favorite green vegetables.  It is full of many great nutrients including vitamin K, A, C, manganese, and folate,  It is also contains vitamin E, several B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, potassium and copper.  Corn has had a bad name recently due to the fact that it is believed to be one of the causes of the obesity epidemic.  No one food causes obesity.  Any food used in surplus can cause obesity, and out of the carbohydrates corn is less likely then many other processed foods.  Corn is actually a great source of many nutrients. It is a great source of thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium.  It is also a good source of potassium, pantothenic acid, vitamin E, and A.

Ingredients

Spinach

Corn, can, frozen, or removed from cob

oil

Heat oil in pan

Add corn and cook until slightly brown.

Add spinach.  Cover pan to allow spinach to wilt, stiring ever so often.

Serve!

BBQ Chicken and Rice

Summer time means summer vegetables and BBQ.  This delicious meal is full of vegetables and lean protein with the taste of summer.  It is easy to make and is a great way to sneak in some vegetables for the kids to eat.

Ingredients

1 lb of chicken breast, cut into chunks

1 1/2 cup cooked rice

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

1 red pepper, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

In a skillet, cook chicken until done.

  Prepare rice according to package.  

Add BBQ  sauce, chicken, and vegetables to the rice. Cover. Simmer for 10  min.

Serve.

Ginger Prune Muffins

Want to start your day with a ton of fiber and yummy goodness.  Try these delicious Ginger Prune Muffins jam packed with nutrients from oats, raisins, carrots, prunes, ginger, pecans,  and cinnamon.  Don't be alarmed by the ingredients.  The  muffins taste sweet and delicious.  I even got the approval from my picky husband, so you know it has to be good.  The recipe was created by Karman Meyer and was in the recent Food and Nutrition magazine.  I modified it to fit my needs, and you can do the same if you desire.   I create a batch and eat them for breakfast over the next few days.   They are much healthier than the store bought muffins that are full of extra fat and calories.  Since these muffins are full of fiber they will satisfy your hunger in the morning.  

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup of flour 

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup quick oats

1/2 cup golden rasins

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup chipped prunes

1/2 cup pecans

1 tbsp cinamon

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 tsp salt

3 eggs

2/3 cup plain greek yogurt

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tbsp fresh grated ginger

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl mix flour, brown sugar and oats.  

Add the carrots, raisins, prunes, pecans, cinnamon, baking soda, cardomon, and salt. Mix well

In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, yogurt, applesauce, ginger and vanilla.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well.

Scoop the batter in the muffin pan until it is about 3/4 full. 

 Bake for 15-17 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool and then store in containers to eat for up to 3 days.

Enjoy!!