Healthy Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Sometimes you just need a sweet treat. And when you are over the road there are a lot of sweet treats you can choose from the moment you step inside the truck stop.

The problem with the food selections at truckstops is that it is heavily processed, has a ton of sugar, and can be loaded with additives your body just doesn’t need.

To your surprise, I am not against a sweat-treat. And with a little preparation and gathering of healthy ingredients you can find yourself with some yummy treats to travel with (just don’t eat them all at once).

Healthy Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Look no further than this very blog for the best healthy and yummy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe perfect for truck driver health-conscious people like yourself.

I get asked a lot about what type of sweets I like to eat. And I am a sucker for a good Chocolate Chip Cookie. I am not a baker, but I am willing to mix and match recipes to find one I like. And this one is a winner!

Now don’t be scared, baking with non-traditional ingredients is super easy and creates super yummy treats. It is important to follow the directions exactly to ensure your cookies turn out just right!

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup melted coconut oil, plus extra to grease a cookie sheet
  • 3 cups oats (gluten-free if you need them like me)
  • 1 tsp baking powder (aluminum-free)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • 2 large ripe bananas
  • 2 to 3 Tbsp maple syrup
  • ¼ cup vegan mini chocolate chips (if you prefer dairy then not yourself out)

Chocolate Chip Cookies MTY

Directions for Chocolate Chip Cookies:

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease cookie sheet with little coconut oil or use parchment paper.
  2. Combine flour, oats (if whole oats you will need to grind oats into the coarse texture), baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt into a bowl.
  3. In a small bowl, mash bananas with a fork. Add melted coconut oil and maple syrup. Mix. Add banana mixture until combine. Fold in chocolate chips.
  4. Place by spoonful’s onto a baking sheet, 1 inch apart. Bake for 8 minutes, or until golden brown.
  5. Let cool for 5 minutes on a baking sheet.
  6. Store in fright or freeze.

101 calories / 3 G protein / 4 g fat / 14 g carbs (3 g sugar / 2 g fiber) / 91 mg sodium

The next time you are looking to fix a sweet craving before you head out on the road. Consider baking up a batch of these cookies. If you have a freezer on your truck, consider freezing some of them to help them last longer. Or share it with a friend!

Want more recipes from Mother Trucker Yoga?

The Best Granola Recipe for a Travel Breakfast 

Healthy Trucker Lunch

 

Truck Drivers: Enjoy The Power of Medicinal Mushrooms for Better Health

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Medicinal mushrooms have been highly praised for their marvelous health benefits for thousands of years now. Nowadays, people are obsessed with super-food with nutrition and health going the mainstream. Anything that can grant them remarkable health benefits, they buy it without any second thought.

My Grandfather was a bit of a mushroom buff. He’d pull over on the side of the road at the glance of seeing a mushroom to pick. I have heard stories of how he took my mom and her siblings mushroom picking in the woods as kids and then they’d go home and fry them up to eat.

I did not know the benefits of mushrooms until I was much older and even then, did not quite understand the holistic benefits.

But mushrooms are packed with power and if you take the time to understand the varieties and how to prepare them- you can have quite a tasty treat on your hands!

If my Grandfather were only here to see my love for mushrooms and my ultimate favorite, mushroom tea (see below).

Living life on the go either traveling a lot or as an over-the-road truck driver can be challenging. But with a little prep, you can have yummy treats that satisfy your sweet tooth and at the same time feed your body amazing benefits. Welcome to the world of mushrooms!

Top Best Medicinal Mushrooms

There are several different types of mushrooms and it can be confusing to know which is which. But each type has its own benefits.

In today’s world, there are many ways to take in the benefits of medicinal mushrooms. In today’s market, there are capsules, teas, powders, whole mushrooms, and convenient blends to take orally or add to a smoothie or a recipe like the two I am sharing with you today!

Here is my shortlist of Medicinal Mushrooms and what you need to know when shopping for your health.

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)

Reishi mushrooms have the most potential benefits among all of them. More specifically, Red Reishi is believed to give the best results, vary in a range of colors though. A polypore self mushroom having a woody texture, as a result, cannot be eaten directly instead used in a soup or tea or can be powdered and used in capsule form.

Reishi Mushroom Mother Trucker Yoga Blog

The presence of terpenoids in these bitter mushrooms gives an anti-inflammatory effect. Reishi is generally used to deal with heart diseases, diabetes, liver damage, and cancer, etc.

Maitake (Grifola frondosa)

Maitake Mushroom is the one that grows in big clusters (the size of a basketball). Although it also grows on trees like Reishi, it isn’t a woody shelf mushroom and can be eaten directly due to its mild texture; making it distinctive of Reishi mushroom.

Maitake Mushroom Mother Trucker yoga Blog

Possessing a great taste, it is used for cholesterol control, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

A study has shown its anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory effects with positive immune response and no dose-limiting toxicity.

Shiitake (Lentinus edodes)

Shiitake Mushrooms are commonly eaten in Asian culture and are easily recognizable in the super-market. Its effects are very beneficial when given in soups or stir-fries as it helps in lowering the LDL levels (bad cholesterol) in the blood.

Shaiitake Mushrooms possess a phenomenal ingredient called ‘Lentinan’ that is now considered to be of such potency to be prescribed as the third most potent anti-cancer drug of the world.

Shiitake Mushroom Mother Trucker yoga Blog

Shaiitake Mishrooms are also used in the treatment of viral infections like HPV and Hepatitis C, challenged immunity level conditions, and prevention of dental cavities, etc.

They also have one of the highest amounts of natural copper, a mineral that supports healthy blood vessels, bones, and immune support. Just 1/2 cup of shiitake mushrooms gives you 72 percent of your daily recommended intake of this mineral.

Turkey Tail Mushrooms (Trametes versicolor)

Like Reishi Mushrooms, Turkey Tail mushrooms are also shelf-mushrooms and fan-shaped colorful mushrooms as their name suggests them.

Turkey Tail Mushroom Mother Trucker Yoga Blog

These can be found in any hardwood forest in North-America, Europe, or Asia.

Turkey Tail Mushrooms have a variety of benefits. Research in Japan and China suggests the improvement in the disease-free interval and survival in breast cancer with the help of immune modulation.

These mushrooms improve immune function by stimulating cytokine production and increasing the number of natural killer cells.

Chaga Mushrooms

The Chaga mushroom grows on different parts of the outside of the host trees. It can be found as a dome, a cone, or horn shape with crispy ridges. It’s important to note that you always want to pick the Chaga from living trees. When picking this mushroom it is important to always leave at least 15% of the mushroom on the tree so it can regenerate and grow back.

Chaga Mushroom Mother Trucker yoga Blog

The Chaga Mushrooms have a variety of benefits. The Chaga is rich in B-complex vitamins, potassium, rubidium, amnio acids, zinc, selenium, iron, and both manganese and magnesium and calcium. Talk about a power hitter!

2010 study found that Chaga could slow the growth of lung, breast, and cervical cancer cells in a petri dish. The same study also found that Chaga could slow the growth of tumors in mice.

The Chaga has also been noted to contain many antioxidants that may reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the so-called “bad” cholesterol.

Why take Medicinal Mushrooms?

Medicinal mushrooms are tremendously beneficial for our health. They possess various mighty properties like Antifungal, Antiviral, and Antimicrobial, fighting off any threatening pathogen and protect our health. Rich in Vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, beta-glucan, polysaccharides, and other specific compounds in their species; medicinal mushrooms add extra nutrition to your diet while maintaining intestinal health, fighting off the free radicals, and control the inflammatory process while boosting the immune system.

Overall Health Benefits of Medicinal Mushrooms

  • Boost Immune function of the body
  • Promote Heart Health
  • Improve Energy Levels
  • Improve Brain Health
  • Helps in Weight loss
  • Relieve Allergies and Asthma
  • Relieve Stress and Anxiety
  • Fights Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  • Fights Cancer

Mushroom Recipes:

Dark Chocolate Mushroom Bliss Balls

Makes 36 Bliss Balls / Ready in 45 Minutes

Recipe by: Irene McGuinness

Ingredients:

1 cup pitted Medjool dates (about 10-12)

½ cup chopped raw cashews

¼ dark chocolate chips, melted

3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

3 Tbsp Chaga mushroom powder (you can use other mushroom powder as available)

2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

 

Steps:

  1. In a food processor or blender pulse dates until they begin to break down. Add nuts and continue to pulse until crumbly. Add melted chocolate, cocoa, mushroom powder, and coconut oil and pulse until the mixture comes together in a ball.
  2. Line 8-inch square pan with parchment. Using 1 tsp measuring spoon, scoop mixture and roll into smooth balls, then place in a single layer in line dish. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes or longer to the firm. They can be eaten as-is or rolled in or dusted with colorful toppings.
  3. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator, cooler or cold compartment for up to 2 weeks…if they don’t get eaten too quickly.

Nutrition:

44 calories / 1 g protein / 2 g fat / 6 g carbs (5 g sugar, 1 g fiber) / 1 mg sodium

 

ZuZu’s Heaven In a Cup

This is the best tasting form of hot cocoa with no guilt!

This is my FAVORITE drink on the planet from my dear friend Karen Urbanek who owns and teaches through Holistic Health Educators. Recipe from Karen’s recipe book: Living in Rawality

Ingredients: 

1/8 cup / .03 ounces Chaga mushroom

About 3-4 spears / .03 ounces Astragalus mushroom

.02 ounces Reishi mushroom

¼ cup goji berries (optional-but so good)

6-8 cups distilled water

1-2 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoons raw cacao powder

23 tablespoons coconut milk or coconut milk powder

 

Steps:

  1. Simmer mushrooms, berries, and water on low for 2 hours. Strain.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well with a fork or blend and enjoy.
  3. NOTE: Save the Medicinal Mushrooms and make another entire batch! They freeze well if you don’t want to make the second batch immediately.

 

Be willing to try something new. Mushrooms have been used for thousands of years to help with various health ailments and longevity. These recipes are fun and easy to make. And trust me you won’t be able to keep any of them in your truck or house for long!

The great thing about the recipes above is they can be eaten and drunken alone or with a meal. Don’t forget to eat your greens! Just as important, make sure your daily diet gets 3-5 servings of dark leafy greens regularly as well!

This is my favorite, you can buy the bag with all the mushrooms you need for the amazing Heavenly drink I noted above!

Note: 

The amazon links provided are affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Mother Trucker Yoga! 

Remember to always seek the advice of a medical professional before making any major changes to your diet. The information provided here is not to replace the information and advice given by your medical professional. 

Easy Mongolian Beef Made on the Truck

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Easy MONGOLIAN BEEF Made on the truck

This Easy Monogolian Beef is easier than you think. And best yet it’s ready in 45 minutes-all made on the truck thanks to RoadPro’s Lunch Box cooker.

Easy Mongolian Beef Made on the Truck

No longer do you need to complain that it’s too difficult to get great tasting food as a long-haul trucker. Not only has Road Pro made it easier than ever to cook on the truck. But here is a mouth-watering recipe brought to you by veteran trucker Robert Greene that tastes better than P.F. Chang’s!

The magic is in the super simple sauce (yes, we said simple) and convenient yet top chef worthy lunch box cooker. We made this recipe live at GATS this past month those in the audience went crazy. The delicious thick sauce and amazing flavor, all made in minutes with little utensils (we too were traveling and did not have the convenience of a kitchen).

The flavor is unreal.  And we know you are going to go crazy for this healthy steak recipe. Don’t open your truck door or you’ll be having guest for dinner.

cooking on the truck Mongolian Beef Blog

How do you make Mongolian beef?

  • Slice the flank steak into strips (we suggest 3” long).
  • In a 1-gallon Ziplock bag (or large container) put the beef and all the ingredients except the olive oil into the bag. Toss the beef to coat evenly.
  • You may want to pre-mix the cornstarch and water together to make sure it is thoroughly mixed in another container or in the Ziplock bag first to get the clumps out.
  • Let chill for up to 2 hours (we let our chill for 45 minutes).
  • Coat RoadPro 12-Volt Portable Stove  with remaining olive oil.
  • Heat up RoadPro Lunch Box so it is very hot.
  • Carefully place stake and other ingredients into lunch box and securely close.
  • Make sure lunch box is sitting securely on a flat surface.
  • Let steak cook inside the Portable Stove (Lunch Box) for 45 minutes to 1 hour (checking as needed, but be careful when you open the Portable Stove, to open it slowly not to burn yourself with the steam that will come out).

Mongolian Beef Blog Post Mother Trucker Yoga

Ingredients list:

  • ¾ lb of Flank Steak
  • 2 tsp Garlic
  • 2 tsp Ginger
  • 4 Green Onions, sliced thin
  • 5 Dried Red Chillis
  • 3/8 cup Hoisen Sauce
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper
  • 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 1/8 cup Cornstarch
  • ½ tsp Sesame Oil (or any oil except vegetable oil)
  • 5 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 ½ Tbsp Water
  • 1 can Sliced Water Chestnuts
  • 1 can Sliced Bamboo Shoots

Serve over rice, or Rice noodles or eat as the main dish!

Winner of RoadPro Portable Oven at GATS Blog Post

RoadPro’s Portable Oven winner at GATS 2019

What kind of beef should I use?

Most Mongolian beef recipes use flank steak. And that is what we are suggesting here. We suggest that you slice the beef about ¼ inch thick and about 3” long strips.

Tips and Tricks for making the perfect Mongolian beef:

  • When slicing your beef:  It is best to slice flank steak against the grain to create an easier cutting experience. We also advise you not cut the beef directly on any surface of the truck that may leave scratches.
  • Smaller batches:  Although the Lunch Box by RoadPro is large it is not meant to make a meal for an army. So, consider making smaller batches. This will also allow for room to stir without making a mess in the truck.
  • Adjusting the sauce:  Cornstarch is used to thicken a sauce. If you prefer a thinner sauce omit the cornstarch. But if you would like a thicker sauce just add ½ to 1 tsp more of cornstarch at a time. You can also add more cornstarch (and water mixture) during the sampling process if you want to see a thicker sauce.

 

What is Mongolian Beef best served with?

  • Mongolian beef is delicious with rice or rice noodles. However, my favorite is to stir-fry other veggies like snow peas, broccoli or even mushrooms. Or try it with our Asian Slaw Salad recipe. Delicious and super easy to make on the truck!

 

Healthy and Simple Recipes for Truckers

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On the go: healthy and simple trucker food recipes. Anytime, anywhere.

I just trucked 18 hours home from GATS in Dallas, Texas back home to Hartford, Wisconsin. We team drove our RV and made it back safely.

Many of you came to see me (hey all, Hope here) at the Landstar Health Stage to learn more about how to live a healthy life over the road. And one of Saturday’s presentations was: Fueling Your Rig, Fueling You: Eating Healthy Over The Road Made Easy. Sponsored by RoadPro Family of Brands

GATS Fueling Your Rig Fueling You Presentation

Cooking at GATS 2019

The presentation was a hit! We had just enough food, and no one left hungry!

Everyone at the event loved what we not only talked about but ate.

  • I believe that you can eat healthier on your truck.
  • I believe it’s about small simple changes, not big huge leaps that will help you change your life’s current route to health.
  • I believe you can do this!

It’s not about getting up and doing a complete 180 (although no one is saying you can’t). But what I am suggesting is to start small.

If BIG HUGE DRASTIC changes worked so well, more than 8% of New Years resolutions wouldn’t fail!!!

Eating healthy on the truck and over the road starts with you saying to yourself, “I can do this”.

At GATS we discussed the notion of GOOD, BETTER, BEST. And with this idea we recognize the opportunities to improve in little ways, and when you do that consistently, it add up.

Instead of a soda with every meal, how about you eliminate one soda a day. Or better yet, just one soda, one day a week. I want you to make changes you can stick to. Not changes you give up on because you did too much too soon.

Why I’m so passionate about this approach is because I struggled with an eating disorder for YEARS. Almost half my life.

Every day I would wake up and say:

  • “Today I’m not going to over eat.”
  • “Today I’m not going to binge and purge”. 
  • “Today, I’m going to magically be changed”. 

And not even one hour into the day and I was back in the cycle of no return…

Sound familiar?

It wasn’t until out-patient treatment and their encouragement of one minute at a time. One hour at a time. And one day at a time, that inspired me to break down my changes into micro-changes.

And that (along with healthy movement and yoga) got me out of that deep dark hole of self-destruction.

During our Fueling Your Rig, Fueling You presentation, I wanted to show every driver out there that eating healthy on the road CAN and IS easy. And wanted to turn everyone on to healthy options and simple recipes that actually taste good, and are easy to make!

Men and women were nodding their heads in the audience as they munched away. Loving the food that was going into their mouths.

And everything we made for them we made there! That day! In less the time it takes to take a 30 minute break.

I want to share two of the recipes we made at GATS that were top on the request list. Which also happen to be cheap, easy to make, and healthy on-the-go food for truck drivers.

Recipe #1: Spring Rolls for on the Go!

  • Spring Roll Rice Paper
  • Lettuce or Cabbage leafs (cut into small pieces)
  • Shredded carrots (you can buy them pre-shredded too)
  • Cilantro or Mint
  • Shrimp (or any other meat or tofu)
  • Lime Juice (optional)
  • Sticky rice or rice noodles
  • Plate size dish & cutting board or flat surface to roll spring rolls up
  • 8 oz of water

Demonstration of how to make spring rolls recipes

Directions for Spring Rolls:

  1. Put water in plate size dish.
  2. Take out one rice paper sheet and place in water for 30 seconds or so.
  3. Until the entire sheet is soft.
  4. Take the rice paper and lay it on a dry flat area.
  5. Take lettuce leaves and lay in a line at the end closest to you.
  6. Lay shredded carrots inside lettuce
  7. Now put rice noodles or rice on top.
  8. Squeeze lime over shrimp before adding.
  9. Add shrimp and cilantro or mint.
  10. Using the end closest to you, begin to roll the contents one time.
  11. Now take the two sides and fold them in and over the contents sticking the rice sheet sides to the folded end.
  12. Keep rolling, making sure the sides stay tucked in.
  13. Roll all the way to the end and the rice paper will stick to itself, keeping the contents inside.
  14. For dipping sauce use Thai Peanut Sauce, Sweet & Sour Plum Sauce, or Chilli Sauce and enjoy!

Option:

I bought the lime cilantro shrimp in the deli at Costco pre-seasoned and ready to be served. I cut up the shrimp and then added it to my spring rolls. You could also squeeze the lime and mix the cilantro or mint with the shrimp and marinade before use as well.

Keep chilled. Will last for a few days.

Spring Rolls are a great alternative to sandwiches, and a whole lot healthier. Be creative and play with other ingredients. These two are simple recipes you can make anytime, anywhere while on the go. Let us know what you come up with!

Hope Demonstrating How to make Simple spring rolls recipe

Recipe #2: Asian Slaw Salad

  • 1-Packet Beef Ramen Noodles
  • 1-Bag Shredded Cabbage
  • Grapeseed Oil
  • Natural Sugar
  • 4 Green Onions-chopped
  • Sun flower seeds (unsalted), pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sliced almonds, crasins

Directions for Asian Slaw Salad

  1. Mix grapeseed oil, sugar, onions, and beef seasoning packet (see below for homemade seasoning) together.
  2. Break up noodles into small pieces.
  3. Mix noodles and seeds together. You can store them together for easy travel.
  4. When ready to eat take noodle mixture, cabbage slaw and liquid and mix together in a bowl (or container with a lid for easy storage afterwards.
  5. Once mixed, enjoy with a fork!
  6. The longer you let the ingredients sit together the noodles soften and you get a whole new crunch.
  7. Stores perfectly in a 12 cup container.
  8. Keep cool in cooler or frig.

Homemade Beef Seasoning (I like Wilhelms Kitchen version):

Mix together and store in air tight jar. Use 1-2 TBSP per packet of beef seasoning. Simple Asian Slaw Salad Recipe for Truckers Mother Trucker Yoga

Beginning to eat healthy starts with one small simple change. Simple recipes you can make right on your truck. It doesn’t have to be extreme, fancy, or expensive. What if you simply make your own food once a week? Then one day a week? Then two days a week, and so on. This does not have to happen over night. But my hope is you begin to see that YOU CAN DO THIS!

I believe in you. And I believe you can stay healthier over the road one move at a time. One meal at a time.

Please try out these simple recipes and comment below telling us what you think!

Share your photos of your food creations on our Facebook Page – Mother Trucker Yoga

Join our family here at Mother Trucker Yoga!

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