Does the Egg + Banana Pancake Recipe Really Work?

I know I'm not the only one who looks at foodie memes on Facebook and Pinterest wondering if they really work.

The perfect, low-calorie, gluten-free pancakes using only two ingredients sure caught my eye.

They look delicious. But, are they?

I put the pancake recipe to a test. 

If you haven't seen this meme, the picture claims that mixing one large egg and one banana together into a batter and pan frying it makes pancakes. Wow!

So, I made this for dinner last night. After all, the recipe uses two whole foods as ingredients! Here's my take on this recipe.

1. Texture: I used a very ripe banana, so the batter came out thick and very similar to pancake batter. The cooked pancakes were very moist. They reminded me of a dense omelet, not pancakes.
2. Taste: They tasted good -- if you like banana pancakes. I think they'd make a good side dish with breakfast, but not as the main entree. The banana flavor is pretty dominant.
3. Ease: This was super easy to make since there's no measuring or pancake mix to spill. But, they did seem to take a little longer to cook than traditional pancakes. Turn the heat to just below medium and don't flip them until the edges start to look a little dry. (The tops don't bubble like pancakes.)
4. Calories: One banana, one large egg, 1/8 cup of real maple syrup and 1 tablespoon of real butter for frying and topping come out to roughly 380 calories.

Overall, I thought these were pretty good. Will they be my new go-to pancakes? No. But, will I make them again? Probably. They're simple and taste pretty darn good!

So, have you tried this simple "pancake" recipe? What did you think?

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

7 Guilt-Free Munchies for Snack Time

Nuts! Photo: SXC

I have the hardest time sticking to a healthy diet when I've got the munchies. I tend to grab whatever is close without thinking about how good (or bad!) it really is for me.

Over the weekend I fell off the healthy-eating cart at a birthday party and ate several handfuls of potato chips. They were greasy, salty--and delicious. Darn it.

OK, to keep me on track, and give you a few ideas, here's seven munchies that won't make you feel guilty later. Remember, the key to any snack is also moderation!

1. Roasted, unsalted nuts. My favorites are almonds and pistachios.
2. A sliced apple topped with natural peanut or almond butter.
3. A banana smoothie. Blend frozen banana slices and soy milk in the blender and sip!
4. Dried fruits processed without sugar. Try raisins, cranberries, papaya or banana chips.
5. A hard-boiled egg.
6. Low-sodium string cheese. Check out the new, weird cheddar/mozzarella twists!
7. Whole-grain pita chips and hummus.

What are your go-to munchies?

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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How to Dye Easter Eggs Naturally

Easter is just a few days away! So, I thought a nod to coloring Easter eggs would be the perfect "E" post for the April 2012 A to Z Blog Challenge.

It's probably no surprise that I'm not a fan of artificial dyes and coloring. So, I thought it'd be fun to share a list of whole foods you can use to dye Easter eggs naturally.

Pink or Red: fresh chopped beets, raspberries, red rooibos tea leaves, cranberry juice or cherries
Orange: shredded carrots
Yellow: turmeric powder, curry powder, ground cumin, dandelion blossoms
Green: kale and spinach
Blue: grapes, blueberries, violet blossoms
Lavender/Purple-Brown: grape juice, red onion skins, red cabbage leaves
Tan: black pekoe tea bags or black brewed coffee

Simply soak raw white-shelled eggs in a mixture of mashed fruits, organic flower petals, edible blossoms or vegetables in a pot of boiling water. After 10 minutes of cooking you have a beautifully hard-boiled, colored egg. The more organic matter you toss in the pot, the more vibrant the egg colors!

I created the egg pictured on this post by wrapping the egg in red onion skins and a thin cloth tied with a twistie tie. Then, added dandelion blooms to the boiling water. (See the yellow highlight on the right side!)

After the 10 minutes, add a splash red wine vinegar to the pot of eggs to seal the color. Let the eggs soak for 5 minutes. The acidity of the vinegar makes the colors more vibrant and long-lasting. The longer you soak the eggs, the darker and more vibrant the color. Rinse the organic matter off the eggs, and store in the refrigerator until it's time to eat them!

What are you favorite ways to dye Easter eggs naturally? Please share in the comments below!

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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$1 Off Organic Eggs

Organic food can be pricey -- unless you have a coupon!

If you shop in the HealthMarket at HyVee on Hamilton Blvd. in Sioux City, Iowa, stop by the end caps and grab the current sale ad. Tucked inside is a coupon for $1 off one dozen (any brand) organic eggs.

Photo courtesy Morguefile.com

Or, head to the HyVee website to download and print the coupon. This whole foods offer is good February 22-29, 2012.

Until next time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela
Whole Foods Living