January - March 2019

½ cup creamy peanut butter 1 medium ripe banana 1 large egg ¼ cup honey ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2 tbsp ground flaxseed 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional) ½ tsp baking soda 1 cup zucchini, shredded ¼ cup chocolate chips + extra for sprinkling Place all ingredients except zucchini and chocolate chips in blender/food processor. Blend until smooth. Stir in zucchini and ¼ cup chocolate chips. Spray muffin pan with non-stick spray. Fill 8 cups about ¾ with batter. Sprinkle with extra chocolate chips (because there’s no such thing as too much chocolate!). Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Makes 8 muffins. Keep an eye on the muffins while baking, as honey has a tendency to burn. Mila Kette’s Flourless Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins Healthcare Advocate Trainer Tina Elmlinger tells her clients that “the passive patient receives the worst healthcare.” Tina and Dr. Luis Perez, Family Medicine residency faculty at Firelands Regional Medical Center, have teamed up to offer a new training program on improving patient communication. The program will benefit both older adult patients and resident physicians, as they learn to communicate more effectively with each other. Through impromptu role playing and a mock doctor’s appointment, participants will learn how to prepare and then practice conversations they should be having with their doctors. Tina will coach clients who will meet with a Firelands resident physician for a mock doctor appointment at Serving Our Seniors office from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. on January 21st and January 31st. Participants will gain confidence and learn tips and techniques in speaking about their health to doctors. The resident physicians will learn about attentive listening and ways to engage patients in conversations about their health. Tina’s advice to take a proactive approach to your healthcare is a sound strategy, regardless of how healthy you are today. If you’d like to make the most of your time talking with your doctor, please call 419-624-1856 to register for this learning experience. Vital Conversations: Improving Communication with Your Doctors Find us on www.servingourseniors.org 25