ABOUT

In the late fall of 2022, I experienced a whirlwind of emotions and challenges in my life, including career difficulties, the responsibilities of being a single parent to a teenager, and going through a divorce after 28 years of marriage. As a way to relax and alleviate stress, I found happiness in my love for baking and cooking healthy meals for the children in my in-home daycare. During this time, I met a friend at church who inspired me to explore baking with no added sugar, particularly a banana muffin recipe. Despite my unsuccessful attempts to find a suitable recipe with the right ingredients, I decided to experiment with my own ideas of combining various healthy ingredients. I eventually stumbled upon a delicious muffin, but I didn’t have a precise recipe to replicate it. To get feedback, I had the children in my daycare and my church friend try the muffin, and they all loved it! Determined to refine the recipe, I returned to the kitchen to figure out the exact measurements and baking times. After several months of experimenting, I discovered the secret to making a healthy, high-fiber, high-protein and incredibly tasty muffin. Once I perfected the recipe, I started giving them out to family and friends and someone suggested that this would make great breakfast bar. So I began baking them in a brownie bar pan, which increased their size. This turned out to be a fantastic idea. Considering that my daycare has always been known as Brenda’s Shining Star Daycare for over 27 years, I thought it would be fitting to name this delicious snack after the inspiration and input of the children in my care. Thus, the Shining Star bar was born! Being an entrepreneur at heart, I have always enjoyed sharing my ideas with others. Apart from the love of God, my greatest joy comes from encouraging others to prioritize their health by eating nutritious food and taking care of their bodies, as we only have one in this lifetime.