If you haven't yet tried kale chips you are missing out big time! I admit I was skeptical at first as I'm not a huge fan of kale but I LOVE these! My kids like them too! they are healthy, easy to make and oddly addictive. They taste like potato chips! I managed to polish off almost an entire cookie sheet of these yummy goodies all by myself!

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Toss kale with olive oil in large bowl and spread in a single layer on prepared cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until crispy, stirring halfway through. Enjoy!

These muffins are fantastic!!! I love all things pumpkin, especially this time of year.

Who doesn't love potato skins? This is the perfect appetizer for a casual get together or as a healthy snack for the kidlets. Normally, potato skins contain over 500 calories and 33 grams of fat per serving. This recipe has about half the calories and only 4 grams of fat!

Ingredients:

4 (6-8 oz.) baking potatoes

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

Pinch cayenne pepper

Pinch paprika

1/8 tsp. sea salt

4 slices nitrate free turkey bacon

1 1/2 oz. low fat shredded cheddar cheese

3 Tbsp. green onion, chopped

1/4 c. low fat sour cream

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Scrub potatoes and pierce several times with a fork. Rub outside of each potato with 1/4 tsp. oil. Place potatoes on oven rack and bake for 1 hour. Let potatoes cool for 1 to 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scrape out centers, leaving 1/2 in. shell intact. Lightly oil a nonstick baking sheet with oilve oil and arrange potato skins on sheet. Lightly brush them with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder, cayenne, paprika and salt. Bake for 10 minutes.

Place small nonstick pan over medium high heat. add bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly crisped, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Sprinkle cheese, bacon and onion evenly over baked shells. Bake for 15 - 18 minutes more until lightly browned. Top with a dollop of sour cream. Serve immediately. Makes 4 (2 shell) servings.

Nutritional information (per 2 shell serving): Calories: 234, Fat: 4 g., Carbs: 39 g., Protein: 13 g.

I recently discovered a wonderful snack: Air popped popcorn with Tabasco sauce! Sounds strange but it is really yummy. Plus it's a low calorie, healthy snack. Seriously, try it!

Banana Blueberry Bread

This bread is perfect for breakfast or a snack. If you can’t find spelt flour then just substitute whole wheat flour. Makes 10 servings.

Ingredients:

1 ripe banana, mashed

¾ cup flaxseed meal

2 egg whites

1/3 cup sucanat or agave nectar

1 cup low fat buttermilk

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. sea salt

¾ cup whole wheat flour

¾ cup spelt flour

1 tsp. grated orange rind

1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

½ cup unsalted walnuts

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease medium nonstick loaf pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl stir together banana, flaxseed meal, egg whites, sucanat or agave nectar, and buttermilk. In a separate bowl mix together baking soda, salt, flours and orange rind. Pour dry ingredients into banana mixture. Gently fold in blueberries and walnuts. Pour mixture into loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes.

Nutritional Information (per 4 x ½ inch slice): Calories: 200, Fat: 6 g., Carbs: 33 g., Protein: 8 g.

I recently made these and they are SUPER yummy. The bananas tend to stick while they're cooking so use an old cookie sheet that you won't mind messing up.

 Banana Bread Larabar