Good morning!  I have a little bit of a late start this morning as I have my semi-annual diabetes doctor appointment at 11:15 this morning, so I got to sleep in a bit this morning.  Enjoying a nice cup of coffee on what hopefully will be our last 90 degree weather of 2017.  Chicago broke a record for longest hot streak for this late in the season.  I am ready for a cool breeze over my face with my bedroom window open, and will be glad to turn off the central air.  I love all the flowers by my train station – wish I could grow flowers, but I have a black thumb.  If anyone is looking for a great travel coffee mug, Aladdin is awesome.  I have an hour train ride in the morning and my coffee is still hot to the last sip.

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Even though the temps were in the 90s that didn’t stop me from baking over the weekend.  I had bananas that needed to be used up, and I bought these mini bread loaf pans over the summer and hadn’t used them yet.  I am a sucker for tiny food!

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Mini Banana Poppy Seed Bread

Biz
Who doesn't love tiny food?!  These mini loaves are 8 smart points each, but half is plenty for breakfast with a hard boiled egg and some fruit.
Course Breakfast
Servings 16

Ingredients
  

  • 4 large bananas very ripe
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 4 tablespoons butter softened
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup Splenda no calorie sweetener
  • 1/3 cup egg whites
  • 2.5 cups flour
  • 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Instructions
 

  • In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, poppy seeds and salt together and set aside.
    In a large bowl, add the bananas, apple sauce, butter, brown sugar, Splenda, egg whites and with a hand mixer, mix until creamy.  There will be chunks of banana, that's okay!
    Bake in a mini loaf pan - I used a 1/2 cup of batter in each loaf pan.  Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
    Let cool slightly before using.

Notes

If you don't have super ripe bananas, just slice a banana through the skin and microwave for 45 seconds, and proceed with the recipe.  It will be easier to combine in the batter when the bananas are softened.

I thought I’d eat a whole baby loaf for breakfast, even though it was 9 points, but half a loaf was perfect.  I had a hard boiled egg (2), half the bread (4) two ounces deli ham (2) and some grapes.  Perfect picky plate for breakfast.

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It was already 90 degrees at lunch time, so Jenn and I walked Macy’s again.  She had a shirt to return, and we just wandered from floor to floor.  We both decided that a fruit salad would be a good choice for lunch.

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Ha, I wish that fruit salad was zero points!  We walked up to the 7th floor where the culinary kitchen is.  It was empty today, but we need to find a schedule to attend a class in there.

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Not shockingly I brought stuff to make tacos for lunch.  I bought these mini Mission brand flour tortillas, you know to continue the tiny food theme of the day.  These are good – but not sure they are worth the 5 points for two when I could have used a 1 point lavash, or 2 point low carb tortilla. 

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My plate: 2 tortillas (5), three ounces beef (3), 2 tablespoons Weight Watchers Mexican blend cheese (1) two tablespoons refried beans (1), shredded zucchini and diced tomatoes.

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I worked late last night – I agreed to help another attorney and the HR director who assigned me the project said “it will only take you 15 minutes” but it took me an hour and it was something he had to get out last night.  I had a few minutes to kill before catching the later train and wondered around the French Market in the train station – I would like one of each of these cheeses!

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I got home late, so I decided to do my workout at home instead of spending an additional 20 minutes of travel to and from the gym.  I had upper body on my workout menu last night, so this 45 minute DVD worked out perfectly.  I watched it with the sound off and Hannah made a workout play list for me.  So sweet.

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I am walking on October 21 in Chicago – Making Strides Against Breast Cancer as a Weight Watcher Ambassador.  I received a goody bag of stuff I’ll share later this week, but I am loving this headband.  My hair stayed back the whole time and I never had to adjust it once.  If you live in the Chicago area and want to walk it with my and my fellow Chicago ambassador Liz, email me at mybizzykitchen@gmail.com.  If you could donate anything, I would appreciate it too!   My donation page is here.    My sister in law Laura is a breast cancer survivor, and sadly, my cousin Pam lost her battle in January 2015.

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I had more ground beef to use up or freeze, so made bunless burgers for dinner.  While mine looks like a hot mess, it was delish!  Romaine on the bottom with sauerkraut, my 5 ounce burger topped with a slice of Weight Watchers American cheese, and sauteed mushrooms, mustard and Bolthouse Farms blue cheese dressing

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I have loved every Bolthouse Farms dressing I’ve tried, but this blue cheese and the avocado salsa verde are my two favorites.

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Now I am off to make taco soup for my lunch with more leftovers from my Mom’s birthday dinner.  I am the leftover queen!

Make it a great day!