Sweet Potato Oat Bars

I love when I look at a list of ingredients from a recipe book and every item that it calls for is at my finger tips!  When I first started down the path of clean eating, that wasn't by any stretch the case.  Oh...how far I've come! :)

As I have said several times before, when it comes to living this lifestyle Tosca Reno stands out among the rest in terms of her resilience in igniting the eat clean movement among the masses...spreadin' the love one person at a time. She's making a dent - that is for sure!  I love her books - I own them all - in fact, several of them I own more than one copy so I can "give-it-away" when I meet someone who seems keenly interested in making the change but who's also not necessarily the type to run out to the bookstore and jump on it. Handing off a turn-key "your lifestyle changes now" book is a feel-good way to help someone start TODAY and not tomorrow (crossing my fingers...err and toes!).  I use to let people borrow my books but time and time again I found myself feeling a little (okay, A LOT) lost without out them!  

While I am a woman who loves being immersed in words, I also thoroughly enjoy testing out her many many recipes and so appreciate the full color, full page, photo that compliments each dish.  Tonight, taken from one my favorites, and the one that I tend to recommend most, The Eat Clean Diet Recharged, I pulled together her clean Sweet Potato Oat Bars (page 290) with just a few minor modifications.  The aroma that came from the oven was worth the effort alone! 

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil - I used organic soy oil as I never like to "heat" olive oil. 
• 5 Sweet Potatoes
• 4 Cups Oats - not instant folks - get the real stuff
• 3/4 Cup Skim Milk - I used organic soy milk -
• Soured with 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice - I used fresh
• 1/4 Cup Finely Ground Flaxseed - So easy to grind your own flaxseed with a coffee grinder...inexpensive must have kitchen item!
• 1/2 Cup Maple Syrup - I used about 1/4 cup Raw Agave Maple Flavored....Love agave because it absorbs slowly into the bloodstream (low GI) so doesn't have a significant impact on blood-sugar levels and best yet is a little goes a LONG ways. 
• 2 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice 
• 2 Tbsp Coconut Butter
• 1/2 Cup Dried Fruits (raisins, dates, cherries and/or blueberries), chopped - I used organic dried cherries.
• 1/2 Cup Raw Unsalted Nuts (almonds, walnuts and/or pecans), chopped - I used a combination of raw almonds and pecans.   
• Pinch of Sea Salt

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9" x 13" (1" deep) baking dish by coating lightly with olive oil - I used parchment paper instead.

2.  Prick sweet potatoes all over. Place in oven and bake until tender. (Note, only until tender, I cooked mine a little too long making my bars a little more moist than desired) Remove from oven and let cool. When cool enough to handle, remove potato peels and place flesh in a large mixing bowl. Leave oven on and set heat to 400 degrees.

3.  Add all remaining ingredients to sweet potato mixture. Mix well.

4.  Press into prepared baking pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden on top.

5.  Remove from heat and let cool. Cut into squares.

Sweet Potato Bars warm out of the oven...So yummy!

I will be enjoying a square of these in the morning with my six egg whites!
Want one?  I have plenty to share! :)

Keep it Clean & Enjoy the Ride,

Mrs. Skinny Fat
Nutritional Value (based on no alternations to the original Tosca Reno - Eat Clean Diet Recharged! recipe)
Calories: 189 - Calories from Fat: 43 - Protein: 6g - Carbs: 31g - Total Fat: 5.5 - Saturated Fat: 1g -
Trans Fat: 0 - Fiber: 4g - Sodium: 20g - Cholesterol: Omg - Sugar, 8g

Early Morning Conversation

My latest challenge that I have for myself is to be a 5am riser, daily.  This week, I promised myself a soft launch (my marketing lingo) into embracing this new day part.  I'll admit, today was the first day that I actually did it. Next week I'm going to push myself on this one...no sissy excuses allowed.  One thing at at a time though, right?

Upon rising, I drank my two liters of water and began my breakfast prep.  Mr., who is a frequent 5amer was already awake and into his routine as well...which isn't exactly aligned with mine - he gets right up and at it (in terms of work).  My morning routine - no matter what time I rise - is all about my body, and getting the proper fuel.  Six egg whites and 1/2 cup of oats later, I get myself in the shower feeling like I'm way ahead of the game with the early start.  See, this is why I want to be a morning bird...feeling so accomplished, so early? I'll take that!

Today was a rare day that Mr. & I rode into the office together...leaving the house a little after 7am.  On the commute, I mentioned that I was feeling ravenous.  He looks like me, and even in the dark I can see the confusion on his face, as he says, "You just ate a massive breakfast!"  In the words of my mother-in-law (as she so often says), I thought to myself, did you just meet me?  First of all massive?  Nah, that was one of my first of five to six small meals of the day...secondly, I don't need a clock to tell me that it was more than two hours ago!

I didn't say any of that though...as clearly he has to already know those things...this isn't exactly a new gig for me.  Instead, I just looked at him, smiled and said, "I know, weird, right?"

The joys of being a clean eater.  Eat often. Adhere to the quantities that others define as "massive" and get this, you'll still lose!

Keep it Clean & Enjoy the Ride,

Mrs. Skinny Fat

PS.  It's My Favorite Thing Friday today!!  Stay tuned

Egg Whites & Oats Pancake

Starting your day off with a clean, high protein breakfast lays the perfect foundation for desiring clean foods throughout the rest of your day.  Don't let fancy marketing claims fool you; I can assure you that a Nutri-Grain bar isn't by any stretch the ideal fuel your body demands.

I often begin my day with a bowl of oats and four to five egg whites.  Like with any routine, switching things up a bit is often necessary to keep "easy-outs" at bay. Recently, I was reminded by my extremely fit sister-in-law, Jenny Hansen, to turn to one of my favorite recipes, Egg Whites & Oats Pancakes, when a little change in the breakfast theme is necessary. It's the perfect fix for making you feel like you are eating something entirely different, even though you are using the same exact ingredients!

Ingredients (Makes One Pancake)
Five Egg Whites
1/2 Cup of Oats
1/2 Teaspoon Quality Ground Cinnamon
1 to 2 Teaspoons Raw Agave (or Natural Stevia) - OR leave this ingredient out all together as I did today :)

Directions

• Beat five (or whatever your heart desires) egg whites using a blender and/or hand held mixer until fluffy texture is reached (roughly 30 to 45 seconds). 
• Add remaining ingredients and stir together.
• Spray a small frying pan with a natural medium to high heat oil and place on stove on medium heat.
• Pour "pancake batter" into small frying pan
• Cook on medium heat until bubbly, a little dry around the edges, and lightly browned on the bottom.
• Flip, cook other side.
• Enjoy!  While I enjoyed this plain today, you could top with berries! Mmm so good!

Cook until bubbly, a little dry around the edges, and lightly browned on the bottom
Pancake in above pic is almost ready to flip...

And, flip!

Perfectly cooked in a matter of minutes! 
Looks like a "real" pancake but oh so much better!

The texture and taste - while simple - is phenomenal!
The ultimate fuel to start your day right!

Keep it Clean & Enjoy the Ride,

Mrs. Skinny Fat