Milk Chocolate Digestive Biscuits

One of my new favorite "food" items is the McVities  milk chocolate digestive biscuits! This delicious, melt-in-your-mouth biscuit is made from wheat meal and is covered with the perfect coating of milk chocolate on one side.  I also love it because it contains no artificial flavors or colors, and no hydrogenated fat.  Trust me when I say that you cannot just have one so be careful when you open a packet! Milk chocolate digestives are great by themselves but can also be complemented with a cup of tea ( green, oolong or English breakfast tea).

Greek Yogurt

My new favorite food item is non-fat, plain Greek yogurt ...I have tried Chobani ( less expensive)  and Fage ((pronounced "fa-yeh")  .  Greek yogurt is delicious and creamy unlike other yogurts and is high in protein, which makes it a great choice for an after-workout snack! It is also makes it a great replacement for protein shakes which are sometimes LOADED with sugar and FAKE SUGAR ( sucralose).

You not only taste the difference in texture with Greek yogurt but you can especially see the difference when using it to make smoothies.  So next time you want a healthy yogurt, a healthy snack or something to help rebuild your mucles after a great workout, reach for a non-fat , plain Greek yogurt.

Sweet Cherries

Once again, I just realized that I got duped into hating a fruit by the canned variety!  Or maybe I was just confusing the taste with fresh cranberries?  After much "pressure", I decided to try ONE freshly washed, sweet cherry and to my surprise....I loved it!  Cherries are my new favorite fruit and again, I do not know why I did not like them...I blame the can!

This red, juicy, stone fruit is not only delicious but low in calories, high in antioxidants,anticarcinogenic properties, vitamin B17 and boron ( linked to increased bone health). 
So next time you feel like eating something sweet, don't reach for that candy or the "health bar" ...reach for some sweet cherries!

Apple Crumble Pie

Apple crumble pie is one of my favorite desserts!  Below is how I make this delicious pie.

Ingredients
    Filling:

• 6 Granny Smith apples ( diced )
• 1/8 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons of salted butter
• 1/8 cup of brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup of walnuts
• 1 pie crust ( thawed)

Topping:

• 3/8 cup of flour
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of cinnamon
• 1/4 cup of butter

Directions ( preheat oven to 400F)

1. Mix diced apples with flour, sugar cinnamon and walnuts in a bowl
2. Pout apple mix in thawed pie crust
3. Dice up butter and spread evenly over apple mix
4. In another bowl, mix flour, sugar and cinnamon
5. Melt butter and pour into flour mixture
6. Stir until all ingredients and evenly mixed
7. Pour crumble mix of apple and spread evenly until every apple is covered
8. Bake pie for 40 minutes
9. Enjoy with a scoop ( or two) of french vanilla ice-cream

Notes:

• You can also use puff pastry instead of pie crust
• You can also make this recipe without using a pie crust
• When dicing the apples, I like to leave the skin on...a little fiber in this sinfully, delicious dessert! :-)  
• When I have more time, I make the pie crust using the pie recipe from the cookbook "Akwaaba: A Taste of Ghana".  

Zucchini Quiche

Very simple to make and delicious! The great thing about quiches is that you can put anything and everything from zucchini, spinach, bacon, turkey ham, etc.  It makes a yummy breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Here is my version of a zucchini quiche:

Ingredients:
5 eggs
3/4 cups of whole milk ( or evaporated milk)
1 zucchini ( thinly sliced)
3/4 cup of shredded swiss cheese
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 pie shell ( thawed)
a dash of salt

Directions: ( preheat oven to 375F)

1. Layer the pie shell with the thinly sliced zucchini
2. Then layer the zucchini with the shredded cheese
3. Beat the eggs, milk, nutmeg and salt together
4. Pour egg mixture over the cheese in the pie shell
5. Bake pie for 45 to 50 minutes ( depending on your oven)
6. Turn oven off and leave quiche in for another 10 minutes
7. Enjoy with a side of salad or steamed vegetables

Concord Grapes

My new favorite fruit is the concord grape!  OMG...I just tried it for the first time yesterday and I love it!  It is like no other grape I have ever tasted! It was like eating juice...if that makes any sense! Not only are these grapes delicious but they also are a great source of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins but they also contain potassium and polyphenols which help control the bad cholesterol.

 So if you have a sweet tooth and want a healthy alternative, get a bunch of concord grapes...you will not regret it!

Weetabix whole grain biscuit cereal

Weetabix whole grain cereal is one of my favorite cereals ever!  There are other forms of Weetabix I like but nothing beats the original! These layers of whole wheat with natural bran fiber and wheat germ makes a delicious breakfast ( or snack) and each biscuit has only 60 calories, 2g of fiber and loaded with vitamins and minerals!

 
One of the reasons I love this Weetabix cereal is the many ways I can enjoy it :

• I can have it as a hot cereal, 
• I can have it as a cold cereal,
• I can toast it and spread some jam on it
• I can mash it up and sprinkle it on some yogurt
• I can blend it with my smoothie

Of course, my favorite way of eating Weetabix is as as a hot  cereal!  How do you like your Weetabix?