EggNog Bread

On the night of the fifth day of “The Twelve Days of Christmas Recipes” I whipped up a new recipe for “Healthy EggNog Bread”! I have been just dying to bring you a healthy “eggnog” dessert. It’s pretty tough to do because traditional eggnog is so high in fat and sugar. Low and behold, I stumbled across a healthier version of the delicious beverage at Whole Foods, Plantation. It never fails, whenever you are looking for a healthy alternative just drive to your nearest Whole Foods!

Rice Dream EggNog flavor is my secret weapon in this recipe! Along with some vanilla extract and ground nutmeg of course. I have one more recipe for eggnog that I want to do for you but that’ll have to wait a few more days. 🙂

Back to the secret ingredient, Rice Dream Eggnog. It is lactose free, cholesterol free, gluten free, low in sodium and 100% vegetarian. In 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) of Rice Dream, there are only 160 calories, 2 grams of fat and absolutely no cholesterol. In a traditional cup (8 fluid ounces) of eggnog you get a whopping 343 calories, 19 grams of fat and 150 mg of cholesterol.

Now, I will say, that while I am all for healthy alternatives to sweet treats, if eggnog is your favorite thing in the world, enjoy a glass! Yes, it’s a lot of calories but if you enjoy a glass once or twice during the Holidays, at least you won’t feel deprived. I think it is important to not get overly obsessed with calorie counting and dieting. It is my goal to help you enjoy delicious treats and meals while still getting the taste of your favorite flavors!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup Oat flour
1/2 cup Stevia in the Raw
1/4 cup whole ground flax seed
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
1/2 cup Rice Dream Rice Nog
2 egg whites
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.) In a large mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients, oat flour, stevia, ground flax seed, baking powder, baking soda and ground nutmeg. Stir until blended.

2.) In a small mixing bowl combine all the wet ingredients, applesauce, Greek yogurt, Rice Nog, coconut oil, egg whites and vanilla extract. Stir until all ingredients are blended.

3.) Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir well until the batter is free of any lumps. Lightly grease a loaf pan and pour the batter in. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon.

4.) Bake for 30-35 minutes or until center is firm. *Be sure to let the bread cool completely before cutting, it needs time to firm up. If you cut it hot it will feel mushy in the center. I had great results chilling the bread in the refrigerator and then serving.

Enjoy your yummy and healthy Eggnog Bread!

Written by: Loryn Huff

Certified Personal Trainer, Champion Figure Competitor, NEW Mom and Owner of Femme FIT Company, Ft. Lauderdale.

Banana-Coconut Protein Cupcakes

Healthy Cupcakes

I debated on whether to call these “cupcakes” or “muffins”, but these are sooo moist and fluffy that “muffin” just doesn’t do them justice!

I love coconut and banana and I found a reduced-fat shredded coconut at Whole Foods that I’ve been dying to bake with so, voila! Banana-Coconut Protein Cupcakes! You could even use this recipe and throw a home made, low-fat cream cheese icing on it and bring it to a work lunch in, friends house, or birthday party and NO ONE would know they are made with protein powder, Greek yogurt and applesauce instead of fattening vegetable oil and sugar!

Basically, you have a yummy little cupcake loaded with lean protein, natural sugars and fiber. Give ’em a try! 🙂

Ingredients:
 1 1/4 cup oat flour (I blend old-fashioned oats in the blender)
4 scoops (about 3/4 cup) vanilla whey protein *I used Prograde in this recipe
1/2 cup stevia *I like to bake with Stevia in the Raw
1 1/4 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce 
3 egg whites
3 tablespoons reduced-fat, unsweetened shredded coconut *You could used sweetened but the nutrition facts would change. 🙂
2 Tablespoons banana extract
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.) Combine all dry ingredients, except coconut,  in a large mixing bowl. Mix until completely incorporated.

2.) In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients, and mix until completely incorporated.

3.) Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until the batter is free of lumps.

4.) Gently fold in 3 tablespoons of shredded coconut.

4.) Lightly grease muffin tins with a light cooking spray (this batch will make 15 cupcakes).

5.) Fill each tin about 3/4 cup full. *Note: I used muffin liners with this recipe because I ran out of cooking spray and noticed that they stuck to the paper, I would advise not using liners.

6.) Sprinkle about 1/4 teaspoon of extra shredded coconut on top of each cupcake (this is optional). *The cupcakes have more of a banana taste so I was trying to get a little more coconut flavor.

7.) Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Be careful not to cook them or they will dry out.

*Makes 15 cupcakes.