Women's Fitness Q & A

You keep asking so I keep answering :) Please feel free to contact
me anytime with your questions and comments!

Q: I love desserts - especially chocolate. I am trying to eat healthier but don't want to give up my treat. Can you give a lower fat recipe that includes chocolate?

A: I sure can. These muffins are so good, you won't even miss the fat!

Chocolate Banana Muffin

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 bananas
2 eggs
1 cup coffee (regular or decaffeinated)
1 cup nonfat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Spray non-stick muffin pan with vegetable oil and set aside.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Sift cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda together.
3. Puree the sugar, bananas and eggs.
4. Mix the sifted ingredients with the remaining dry ingredients.
5. Combine coffee, milk and vanilla extract with the banana mixture.
6. Add the wet and dry mixtures together.
7. Bake at 300 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.
8. Muffins are done when you push on the top of muffin and it springs
back. Cool for twenty minutes.

Optional: Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Yield: Makes 22, 1/2 ounce muffins.
Per Serving: Calories 240; Fat 2.5 gm; Saturated Fat 0.9 gm;
Cholesterol 36 mg; Sodium 452 mg; Carbohydrate 54 gm; Dietary fiber 4
gm; Sugars 35 gm; Protein 5 gm.
from www.low-fat-recipes.com


Q: I try to work out regularly and would like to start racking my
progress. Do you know of any free online programs that can help me?

A: There quite a few programs out there but here are my 3 favourite:

www.sparkpeople.com - a free site with exercise and diet information
www.fitday.com - a great daily calorie and exercise tracking system
www.freetrainer.com - helps you get started with a basic program