Tag Archives: nuttzo

Quick & Healthy NuttZo Banana Bread Recipe

03/10/2015 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

Oh boy, do I have a treat for you! Peanut butter and banana sandwiches used to be my staple snack, but they can be a bit messy when out and about. Plus, I’m too good for regular ole peanut butter; we’re a NuttZo loving family now!

NuttZo makes excellent sandwiches on its own or with a banana, but I still wanted something that travels well so I could feed Avery and myself when away from home. Then the light shone down upon my jar of NuttZo and I suddenly had a brilliant healthy recipe idea; use my favorite ingredients to cook them right into a bread!

I quickly removed the jar from the light and the windowsill after my epiphany. Too risky!

We can’t get enough of NuttZo in our house lately. Avery, Kelley, and myself have been wreaking havoc on each delicious jar that comes our way. This recipe had to impress my lovely ladies or I risked breaking the “Happy wife, happy life” motto along with the lesser known, “Happy kid and you still live” motto. Scary, huh?

I used the microwave to make this bread, but have provided instructions if you want to bake it instead. Microwave cooking is my top choice, and while not gourmet, it still turns out tasty, healthy meals for any time of day.

Make this bread, then cover it with more NuttZo and have zero regrets as you enjoy every last bite.

Until you realize those bites were for your kid…..oops!!

Healthy NuttZo Banana Bread

by RC Liley

Prep Time: 10 min

Keywords: bake microwave bread breakfast dessert snack nuttzo

Ingredients (12 thick or 16 thin slices)

1 cup whole grain spelt, whole-wheat, or brown rice flour (I used whole grain spelt)
1 cup unflavored or vanilla protein powder (I used an organic plant protein powder, but other types should work fine); if not using protein powder, just add another cup of the flour you used above
1/4 cup peanut flour (or another nut flour of choice)
4 tbsp NuttZo (any flavor); warm in microwave to make sure it mixes easily
1/4 cup mashed ripe banana (applesauce or pumpkin puree would be good, but you’ll have to change the name)
1/4 tsp liquid stevia extract (or use 1/4 cup sugar/honey/agave if you don’t have or like stevia)
2 – 4 packets of stevia powder (I used Pyure Sweet Stevia)
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 ½ tsp cinnamon
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups milk of choice (reduce by 1/4 cup if using honey or agave)
Optional: Add 2 egg whites for extra protein and to help bread rise. I did not do this and the bread turned out fine though.

Instructions

In the oven

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients to combine well, and then mix in the wet.

Pour into a lightly oiled or non-stick loaf pan (a muffin pan would be great too!) and bake 40-45 minutes.

Let cool on a wire rack for 10 to 20 minutes.

In the Microwave

Coat a microwave-safe bowl with cooking spray, coconut oil, or good quality butter. You will need to do this in two batches for this method.

In a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients to combine well, and then mix in the wet.

Pour half of the batter into greased bowl and microwave on high for 7 minutes.

Let cool in bowl at least 5 minutes to allow bread to pull away from the sides, and flip over to allow it to fall out. You might need to give a little tug if it doesn’t fall right out.

What I love about this recipe is you can swap out the banana for applesauce or pumpkin puree for a totally different, yet equally delicious bread. Give it a try and let me know how you love it!

Now, excuse me as I make another batch to make Avery happy again. Remember that motto…..

Phew, crisis averted!

Life, NuttZo, Parenting

An Unexpected Benefit From My Sickness

02/11/2015 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

If you missed the lengthy post about my amazing wife and why I missed a day of coffee yesterday, let me sum it up. I got really sick and lost all appetite, even for coffee, and Going Mom kept everything together and cared for my ailed body. I’m still not completely recovered, but an unexpected benefit from my sickness has emerged.

Something my wife has wanted for a long time, and I have finally made it happen. No, not like that, get your mind out of the gutter; it’s having dinner with her and Avery!

super bowl, baby, toddler, kids, parenting, touchdown, score — Daddy’s eating with us!!!

I haven’t been absent at dinner, I just would have my meal in front of me and maybe snack on a few pieces of broccoli as Kelley and Avery ate. Then, after Avery was in her crib, I’d shower and have my dinner. I don’t have a good reason for why other than it was just routine for me and to break it seemed sacrilegious.

But, I’m happy to report I have broke free from routine and started having a full meal with everyone, like a real family! I started because this sickness that still hasn’t fully left my body has left me with less of an appetite and little desire to eat much. Before, when I abstained from dinnertime eating, my meal was a gigantic salad with fermented and steamed veggies, some sort of lean protein, and avocado with vinegar. It was good and I loved it, but after many years of this, it seems I have broke free.

The real test is when I’m fully recovered, but so far, I enjoy eating as a family and then just having some healthy snacks like NuttZo and cottage cheese later on if I want. Speaking of NuttZo, I used it in the dinner I made last night and it was delicious!

Black bean, chicken, and sweet potato stew with NuttZo mixed in to give it a healthy boost of protein, fat, and wonderful nutty flavor. I was happy with the outcome, and Kelley and Avery had no problem eating it either. #Winning <—– Thank you, Charlie Sheen

There are some foods, like the fermented goodies and mushrooms that only I enjoy in our house, so I know not every meal will be identical, but eating together will become the new norm in our home, and we’ll be an even happier family as a result. Unless I make something that none of us like!

Do you have unusual eating schedules with your family or do you always eat together?

Anything happen to make you change your ways for the better? Worse?

Avery Talk, Going Strong, NuttZo

Kettlebell Training for Toddlers

02/06/2015 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Hey there, fellow Toddler cohorts! Walking yet?

No worries if you’re not there yet, it took me longer than expected too. At least Mommy and Daddy seem to think so. Whatevs. Remember how I revealed my resolution for 2015 was to master the kettlebell? I’ve been practicing and even have my very own now.

I like it much better than Daddy’s since I can actually lift this one, plus it’s more colorful with a pretty blue handle and red base. See?

Now that I have my own, I figured I’d share a couple quick kettlebell moves you can use to start exercising with your Mommy and Daddy. Or, maybe you can help them kick any bad habits and teach them a thing or two about training. Like drinking, have them knock it out or threaten to do it for them. Like this….

There, problem solved. Let them know they can buy a new kettlebell with the money they save from not drinking, or at least skipping the next purchase. Toddler Tip: Parents seem to really like their drinks, so only use this approach as a last resort. Back to the training; use the grooves on the handle to align your fingers for a good, firm grip like so.

Then stand up making sure you keep good form throughout.

Now, from a standing posit…..ahhh, blasted teething, must chew something quick! Hummmmmm, nom, nom….

Holy diaper rash, the pain just comes out of nowhere! Anyway, holding your kettlebell by the handle, begin a swinging motion by……Gahhhh, not again!! Lets take a quick break.

Okay, had to leave the gym/our garage and go inside to let the pain subside. The benefit to kettlebell training is that you can do it inside or out, making it perfect when the weather is like my morning diaper….crappy. C’mon, you other tots know what I’m talking about. Eh?

Picking up where we left off, hold your kettlebell and ahh, aaHHHH….seriously?! How many teeth are in there? This is worse than…..well, I don’t have much to compare to yet, but it hurts! For those of you going through the same thing, forget swinging, just do this with your kettlebell.

No hands! Yeah, I’ve been practicing for a while now, so don’t feel bad if you aren’t advanced enough for the kettlebell mouth swing. Well, my training is not going as planned today, so just try closing your eyes, grabbing your kettlebell, and running/swinging blindly.

Hey, it gets the heart going and just feels good sometimes.

*Next Day*

Hi again……it was a long night full of what Mommy and Daddy call ducking teething. I have no clue what ducking has to do with it, but my mouth sure does hurt.

Before “it” happens again, let me just show you the basic kettlebell swing. Yesterday, after my ducking teething, Daddy showed me how to do it right.

I took plenty of notes, and can give you the key things to remember for a proper swing. Standing with you feet at least shoulder-width apart, hold your kettlebell with both hands and swing it between your legs back up to eye level. That’s one rep/swing.

Some versions have you bringing it over your head, that’s the American style, but we tend to do the Russian swing in our house. That might change after I just knocked that vodka bottle over though! Oops.

One last thing, when you’re training at high intensities with the kettlebell, you’re going to have an increased appetite. Make sure you feed your body quality nutrients to help it grow strong and fuel your workouts to allow you to perform. Along with plenty of fresh veggies, Daddy always has a delicous NuttZo creation to feed me and I can already tell I’m ready for a heavier kettlebell!

Oh, and one more last thing, for real this time; you can save 15% off your total NuttZo order by using code liley15 at checkout on their website. Since us toddlers don’t have a credit card, make sure to put on your best cheese-face and get your parents to order now!