It’s a little-known fact that the summer before sixth grade, I was a die-hard gamer. From sunup to sundown, you could find me in the basement, sitting on a ‘70s-relic rust-colored shag floor pillow, adeptly navigating the levels of my new obsession: Super Mario Bros. 3. While I’d enjoyed its predecessors in Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. cannon, I adored Super Mario Bros. 3 to an unhealthy extent.

The good news is, I got older and ceased spending my summers in front of a console in a damp basement. But that doesn’t mean I forgot my Super Mario Bros. fantasy: Wouldn’t it be totally awesome if power-ups were real? I mean, pop a Super Mushroom and you can break bricks! Scarf down a Super Leaf and you can fly!

Ok, so breaking bricks and flying might be bold goals best left to SMB3 (that’s what we gamers call it). The gals behind The Vegan Cheat Sheet have, however, discovered a real-life power-up they call Power Muffins (page 166; recipe below).

While they won’t make you fly, they will fill you with energy-boosting ingredients that’ll carry you through the day.  Which is a pretty good superpower in itself!

First things first: These muffins require a lot of ingredients, but most are staples you probably already have on hand. Those you may have to seek out are chia seeds, flaxseeds, and wheat germ.

Now I know these items are super healthy—but I have no idea why. So I quickly checked in with Dr. Oz (via doctoroz.com; regrettably, I don’t actually know the good doctor) and found:

Chia Seeds—nutritional benefits include fiber, omega fatty acids, calcium, antioxidants, and protein, among other things. The advantage of chia over flaxseeds is that chia seeds don’t need to be ground to reap the health benefits..

Flax Seeds—great source of fiber; plant source of omega-3 fatty acids (which our body doesn’t make naturally, yet helps immensely with our anti-inflammatory system); contain lingans, purported to reduce the risk of some cancers.

Wheat Germ— the most vitamin- and mineral-rich part of the wheat kernel; packed with B vitamins, fiber, phytosterols (which promote good cholesterol), healthy fatty acids, minerals, and vitamin E.

Sounds good to me!  The muffins I’m used to, after all, are pretty much butter and oil and God knows what else. This is definitely a health upgrade!

The Power Muffins are simple to whip up—mix together the dry ingredients, mix the wet ingredients, then combine and dole out into a muffin pan.

The end result? A super-healthy breakfast or snack, at home or on-the-go. The recipe makes 18 muffins, and they keep really well, so you’ll be set for a week. They’re a blank canvas for adding your own twists, too.

I have an insane sweet tooth, so my trick is to add Trader Joe’s Fig Butter to a warm muffin (have you tried Trader Joe’s Fig Butter? If not, stop reading and go buy some. I could write an entire post on its genius. It’s not actually butter, by the way—more of a jam).

So while Power Muffins may not give me the ability to shoot fireballs or evade my enemies by turning into a statue, they’re a pretty fabulous energy-boosting treat.  Especially when I eat them while wearing overalls and a red “M” hat.

1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1-½ cups white whole-wheat flour or whole-wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
½ cup applesauce
½ cup pure maple syrup
½ cup almond milk
½ cup raisins
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed or flaxseed meal mixed with 6 tablespoons warm water; let sit for 10 minutes

Preheat oven to 350°.

1. In a large bowl, toss together chia seeds, wheat germ, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
2. In a separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients and add to flour mixture. Mix until well blended.
3. Pour in nonstick muffin pan (or line muffin pan with paper cup liners) and bake for 30 minutes. Cool and serve.

Veganism, when properly applied, focuses on eating whole foods. Very low levels of sugar, if any, are included in the diet. However with veganism’s recent popularity, food suppliers and restaurants are jumping on the bandwagon, and sometimes it’s not in favor of the true (healthful) vegan lifestyle.

Just as there are unhealthy carnivores and vegetarians, there are unhealthy vegans who live off vegan chips, cupcakes, and French fries. “Vegan” does not necessarily mean healthy—and vegans who subsist on fried, sugary, high-fat fare can be undernourished and overweight.

When buying convenience foods that advertise gluten-free, vegan, raw, etc., beware of those that are processed, as many contain added sugar. Whether it’s Stevia, agave, or raw sugar, it's still sucrose. Plus, these foods often contain high amounts of sodium. (They have to make it taste good and last, so what better way than with salt and sugar!)

Don’t believe me? Check out the ingredients of your favorite soymilk. Odds are, there’s some sort of sugar in there. Despite its “natural-looking” label (a marketing ploy), it’s not that great for you, at least in large amounts. Turn the package around and see what it’s really made of—then you can decide if it’s worth paying for, with your wallet and your health. 

Let’s focus on sugar, which we know is both addictive and unhealthy. Now there’s Stevia, a plant that’s been ingested for centuries in Asia and South America. The leaves of the Stevia Rebaudiana plant taste 10 to 15 times sweeter than sugar and are used in products such as Truvia and Pure Via. In 2008, the FDA approved the extract from the Reba plant as safe. Other forms of the plant have not been approved, including the whole leaf and crude form. Stevia extract is highly refined using acetone and ethanol and is usually combined with dextrose from GMO corn to mask the refined taste. What’s all the hype about Stevia? Many studies have found it doesn’t raise blood sugar; a 2010 study showed there was no increase in food intake after consuming Stevia. 

Added sugar in a person’s diet brings on a long list of health concerns, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Thanks to savvy marketing, many people think they’re eating healthfully, when in reality, their favorite granola, soy milk, and juice all contain hidden sugars. The best way to minimize sugar in your diet is by eating whole, unprocessed foods. Yes, you can do it! There are countless recipes in The Vegan Cheat Sheet that are simple and tasty without worrying about all those mysterious and unpronounceable ingredients on the label! (My rule of thumb: If you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it!)

Remember, just because you associate yourself with a lifestyle doesn’t mean you’re living the lifestyle. Live the lifestyle of a vegan, vegetarian, whatever you associate with, by not taking the shortcut with processed foods. You deserve better!

Check out Melissa's articles, advice, and recipes at mbeewell.com.