Glazed Lemon Zucchini Bread

   Source: http://lilluna.com/glazed-lemon-zucchini-bread/

Ingredients

• 2 cups cake flour (I home-ground flour from red wheat, white wheat, barley & rye)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 TB lemon juice
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup grated zucchini (I used 1 cup blended yellow zucchini)
Glaze ingredients: (I only made 1/2)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 TB lemon juice
• 1 TB milk

Instructions

1. Mix flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Then add oil and sugar until well blended. Add lemon juice, buttermilk, lemon zest to this mixture and blend all together.
3. Fold in zucchini until it is mixed well.
4. Add dry mixture to the wet mixture and blend all together until well combined.
5. Pour batter into greased 9x5 loaf pan (I used 4 small loaf pans and baked less time).
6. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.
7. While still warm, make glaze and spoon over the bread. Let the glaze set up before cutting and serving.

*We love this--even Lared, who doesn't usually like citrus baked goods, likes it. It has a nutty taste. Next time, I'll add poppy seeds, too.

Perfect Brown Rice

Sheri's favorite way to cook brown rice :)

1 1/2 cups brown rice (can substitute some quinoa)
2 1/2 cups boiling water (can use part chicken broth (but reduce salt) if you want the flavor)
   1 TB butter (or 2 tsp oil)
   1 tsp salt

Place rice in 8X8 pan.  On stovetop, bring water to a boil and add butter (or oil) and salt, stirring until melted and dissolved.  Pour water over rice.  Cover tightly with foil.  Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.

(Optional step, but makes it fluffier): Remove foil, fluff with fork, and cover with thin kitchen towel (wrapping around sides and tucked underneath tightly so it doesn't touch the rice), and let sit for 5 minutes (to absorb moisture). Uncover and stand 5 more minutes before serving.

*Sometimes I substitute quinoa for part of the rice so you have a rice/quinoa mixture, and it works great.  Substitute equal amounts of quinoa for rice (if you use 1/2 cup quinoa, use 1/2 cup less rice).  I usually use 1/2-3/4 cup quinoa when I do this.  I have never tried using all quinoa, but it would probably work with these same cooking instructions.

**Leftovers can be used with milk and cinnamon/sugar, in rice pudding, added to soups or burritos, or added while sauteing vegetables and meat to eat over salads or in fajitas.

Pork Tenderloin with Broccoli and Pineapple

Juice 3 lemons
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. sea salt
Pinch of Stevia (could use agave or honey as well)
Pinch of ground cinnamon
(6)- 4 to 6 ounces sliced pork tenderloin

Broccoli florets
Fresh pineapple sliced into rings

Prepare the marinade:  Mix the lemon, juice, garlic, parsley, rosemary, oregano, salt, Stevia, and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Put the pork in a large zippered plastic bag and pour the marinade into the bag.  Close tightly.  Marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes, although overnight is best.

*I used fresh herbs instead of dried

Grill Pork, pineapple rings, and broccoli.  (Put pineapple and broccoli in a grill basket)

We put the pork and pineapple on a bed of brown rice.  I ate my broccoli on the side, but some put it with the pork and pineapple.

Source: "The Fast Metabolism Diet"

Roasted Cauliflower

Source: http://www.food.com/recipe/cauliflower-popcorn-roasted-cauliflower-115153

1 head cauliflower or 1 head equal amount of pre-cut commercially prepped cauliflower
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 -1 teaspoon salt, to taste

1 Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2 Trim the head of cauliflower, discarding the core and thick stems; cut florets into pieces about the size of ping-pong balls.

3 In a large bowl, combine the olive oil and salt, whisk, then add the cauliflower pieces and toss thoroughly.

4 Line a baking sheet with parchment for easy cleanup (you can skip that, if you don't have any) then spread the cauliflower pieces on the sheet and roast for 1 hour, turning 3 or 4 times, until most of each piece has turned golden brown.

5 (The browner the cauliflower pieces turn, the more caramelization occurs and the sweeter they'll taste).

6 Serve immediately and enjoy!

Oven-Roasted Asparagus

Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/oven-roasted-asparagus/

1 bunch thin asparagus spears, trimmed

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic, minced 

1 teaspoon sea salt    OR substitute garlic salt for garlic & salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional, I omitted)

1.  Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

2.  Place the asparagus into a mixing bowl, and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss to coat the spears, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper. Arrange the asparagus onto a baking sheet in a single layer.

3.  Bake in the preheated oven until just tender, 12 to 15 minutes depending on thickness. Sprinkle with lemon juice just before serving.

* I didn't measure anything when I made this. I just drizzled the oil on the asparagus in the pan and rolled it around, then sprinkled on Parmesan cheese, garlic salt and pepper.

Smoothies

I typed up some of our favorite smoothies for mom and thought I'd share them here too just in case others would like them.

Green Smoothie

1 1/2 cups almond milk

1/2 cup of coconut water (I never add this.)

2 leaves lacinato (dark greens) kale, spinach, or Swiss Chard, coarsely chopped

1/4 avocado

1/2 cup  mango chunks

Blend until Smooth.

Mango and Coconut Milk Shake

1 cup mango chunks

1/2 cup pinapple chunks

1 1/2 cups coconut milk

1-2 teaspoons brown rice syrup or stevia, to taste

Blend until smooth.

Blueberry, Carob, and Almond Milk Shake

1 cup blueberries

2 teaspoons raw carob powder, cacao powder, or cocoa*

1 1/2 cups almond milk

1 to 2 teaspoons brown rice syrup or stevia, to taste

1/2 cup ice (I've never use this.)

Blend until smooth.

*Cacao powder is the same thing as cocoa powder, but the raw form is usually called cacao.  It is preferable because it's packed with nutrients, including magnesium, and is high in antioxidants.

 

Energy Shake with Almond Butter and Cardamom

1/4 cup almond butter

1 tsp. ground cardamom (good without this too if you don't have it.)

1 1/2 cups purified water

1 cup frozen peaches

1-2 teaspoons brown rice syrup or stevia, to taste

Blend until smooth

Mango-Lime Salsa

This is our absolute favorite salsa recipe.  We esp. love it on Hawaiian hamburgers, fish or shrimp tacos, or just with chips!

1 ripe mango, pitted, peeled, and diced*
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup lossely packed, roughly chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
Salt
1 Tbsp oil

In a small bowl, combine the mango, tomatoes, onion, scallions, cilantro, orange and lime juices, and Tabasco.  Toss gently to combine.  Season with salt to taste.  Drizzle with the oil and gently toss again.

*We have replaced the mango with fresh peaches and a mix of fresh pineapple and mandarin oranges.

Roasted Veggie Enchilada

1 large red pepper, chopped, seeds removed
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 medium yellow squash, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups red enchilada sauce
9-10 small corn tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Mix everything up to the tortillas and only half of the enchilada sauce. Put in a 9x9 pan. Lay tortillas on top and cover with enchilada sauce. Put cheese on top and bake at 400 for 30ish min.

*I couldn't find the actual instruction so this is just what I did. And for cooking I just kept my eye on it.
*David LOVED these
*mine had more liquid than it looks like in the last picture but it was still really good

Caramel Brownies

1 bag Kraft Caramels
2/3 c evaporated milk
1 package German Chocolate Cake Mix
3/4 c melted butter
1 c nuts
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips (don't do more...it really it's better)

Combine caramels and 1/3 (not half) of evaporated milk in a double boiler. Melt

Combine dry cake mix, butter, remaining evaporated milk, and nuts in a bowl. Stir until dough hold together. Press half of dough into greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 6 min at 350 degrees.
Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over dough. Pour melted caramel on top of chocolate chips and spread all over. crumble the other half of dough on top. Bake for 15-18 min. Cool slightly then chill for 30 min.

*You can either spread the chocolate chips once they've melted before you put the caramel on top but if you don't there are little chunks of chocolate :) yum
*Start melting the caramel first so they will be done right when the bottom part comes out of the oven.
*you MUST chill them in the fridge for 30 min because if you don't they will not set. But don't do leave them in there too much because they will get too hard.

Best Cheesecake Ever!!!

Crust-
1/2 c butter (I always soften it)
28-30 single graham crackers (single=half a normal rectangle or two little rectangles)
crush crackers and mix together; press into 9" pie plate

Filling-
2-8 oz Philadelphia cream cheese (Philadelphia tastes the best with this)
3/4 c sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 eggs
Mix till there are no lumps. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min until center is firm.

Topping-
1 1/2 pt sour cream
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 Tbsp vanilla
spread on hot pie. bake at 425 degrees for 5 min. refrigerate for a couple of hours (I usually make it the night before.

*This is a family recipe, my uncle came up with it, so don't share it! It's just a Gonda family rule haha
*Covering just the crust with foil makes it so the crust doesn't burn and if you don't it will definitely burn.
*The filling usually takes longer than 20-25 min so just keep checking it.
*this turns out a little different but delicious every time :)
*this tastes delicious with any type of berry on top

BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup shredded BBQ chicken
1 avocado, chopped
2 tablespoons White Cheddar cheese, shredded
2-4 tablespoons BBQ sauce
2 scallions, chopped
cilantro for garnish

1. In a large bowl, toss together the quinoa, corn, black beans, chicken and avocado. Season with salt and pepper
2. Transfer mixture onto a bowl and top with shredded cheese, BBQ sauce, scallions and cilantro. Serve warm or at room temperature

*I'm not a fan of quinoa but this is delicious! I ran out of time to make bbq chicken and just used normal chicken and it was still really good.
*I think it tastes better warm

Tomato Basil Chicken

4 servings

• 2 chicken breasts 
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
• 2 tsp minced fresh garlic
• 4 Tbsp cold butter
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
• freshly grated Parmigiano reggiano cheese, for garnish
• pasta 

Season chicken breast with salt and pepper (not too much). Heat oil up in pan and start water for pasta. Cook pasta. When oil is hot add the chicken and cook about 4-5 min on each side. When the chicken is cooked through take it out and add the tomatoes, basil, butter, and garlic to pan; it says to add more salt and pepper if you'd like but i didn't and it turned out fine. Stir together and let sit till pasta is done (on the lowest setting). Cut the chicken into strips and put back in pan; stir and enjoy!

Ham, Sweet Potato, and White Bean Soup with Bacon (Crockpot)

**Good, easy, healthy soup for a cold wintry day :)

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Yield: Serves 8

(Mel's note)  If you want to up the smoky flavor of this delicious soup, sub in smoked paprika for the regular. I've made this soup twice and the dry beans cooked perfectly tender without being presoaked, however, several people commented in this recipe that their beans weren't quite tender (especially those that live at high altitude) after slow cooking all day, so if that concerns you, soak the beans in cool water overnight before using in the recipe. A recipe like this yields the perfect style of ham for this recipe; however, if you don't have any leftover ham, your neighborhood deli is a great place to buy - have them slice the ham thick so the dices of ham are chunky rather than thin. PS: this cooked and cooled soup freezes magnificently.

Ingredients:

   (Sheri's notes in parenthesis with *)

• 1/2 cup diced yellow or white onion (*I used half a yellow onion, probably 1/2 cup it calls for (cooked this with ham), but I also added almost a TB minced dried onion too)
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced or pressed (*mine were large cloves)
• 2 cups cooked, diced ham (see Mel's note above)  (*I used a breakfast ham, sliced & cubed, and cooked in skillet beforehand with onions)
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced  (*I scrubbed mine clean, didn't peel.."that's where all the vitamins are" :) )
• 1 pound dry white beans, like Great Northern, rinsed (see Mel's note above)  (*I did soak mine overnight, but would probably work fine without soak (just didn't want to risk beans not being done))
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika (see Mel's note above)  (*I used regular paprika but now have smoked and want to try it with that too)




1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth (*I used 2 cans then 4 cups water with 4 bouillon cubes to equal 8)
• 4-6 slices bacon or turkey bacon, diced  (Good with or without bacon)

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients except the bacon in a 5-quart slow cooker and cook on low for 8-9 hours (see the note about presoaking the dry beans).
Carefully puree 1/2 to 3/4 of the soup in a blender (hot soups like to expand in the blender so only fill the blender halfway and process in batches, if needed). I don't love the idea of pureeing ham, call me crazy, so I tried my best to scoop out ladles of soup to blend that were free of ham. Alternately, you could use an immersion blender and get in there with it and go to town (leaving the soup with as much texture as you desire).
Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
Cook the bacon in a hot skillet until crisp; drain on paper towels. Serve the soup with crumbled bacon on top.
1. Sheri's note: puree soup, stir, and turn crockpot off.  It's good to let it sit, cool, and thicken for an hour if you have the time to do it.

Morning Glory Muffins

**A mildly sweet, carrot cake-like muffin.  NO REFINED SUGAR (unless it's in your applesauce)!

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe (she calls them "Healthy Applesauce Carrot Muffins")

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce  (I use homemade bottled applesauce)
• 3/4 cup finely shredded carrots (about 2-3 medium carrots)
• 1/2 cup raisins and/or chopped nuts (optional, but very good..I like raisins in my carrot cake :) )

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners (or I prefer to just lightly spray a nonstick muffin tin).
2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
3. Make a small well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the butter, honey, applesauce, egg, and vanilla.
4. Stir ingredients together until just combined and there are still some spots of flour remaining.
5. Fold in the shredded carrots just until combined (don't overmix or the muffins will be dense).
6. Distribute the batter evenly among the muffin liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
7. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. These muffins freeze wonderfully and keep well if covered at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Healthy Oat Muffins (2 varieties)

Mel's Kitchen Cafe's Healthy Applesauce Muffins

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled/old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce  (*I use homemade bottled applesauce)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted  (*I prefer butter in this recipe)
• 1/3 cup sugar   (*I like to use brown sugar instead, generally only loosely packed)
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins, optional
• walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or grease the muffin cups. Set aside..
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the oatmeal, applesauce, milk, egg, vanilla, butter and sugar. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt (and cranberries or raisins if using). Make a well in the center and pour in the applesauce mixture. Stir until just combined (don't overmix or the muffins will be dense and dry). The muffin batter texture might be a bit different (wetter?) than other muffin batters but no fear, carry on!
4. Distribute the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don't overbake or the muffins will be dry.
5. Remove the muffins to a rack to cool completely. Once cool, I place 6-9 muffins in a large freezer ziploc bag, suck all the air out (oh yes I do) and seal the bag, then freeze, pulling them out one by one to stick in lunches or warm slightly for a snack.   (Good recipe to double because these muffins freeze well.)

Natty's Hearty Oatmeal Muffins

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup buttermilk*
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (dark brown good)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 TB oil (canola, olive, or coconut; *I have usually used olive oil in this recipe)
• 1/2 cup flour  (whole wheat works well)
• 1/2 cup wheat germ  (*I have replaced a couple TB with ground flaxseed before; I have also substituted oat bran, which seems to work just as well.)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips, raisins, blueberries, bananas, and/or nuts (any additions you want; all optional)  (*My favorite additions are raisins or chocolate chips with walnuts or pecans.)

Directions

1. Mix buttermilk and oatmeal. Let sit for 10-15 minutes to soften oats.
2. Add brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and oil to oatmeal mixture.  Mix well.
3. Add mixed dry ingredients (flour, wheat germ, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon).  Stir until mixed.
4. Let batter sit 10 minutes.  Grease muffin tin. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Makes about 12 muffins.

*Can make own buttermilk by pouring 1 TB white vinegar (or lemon juice) in 1 cup measuring cup, filling the rest of the way with milk, pouring into dish, and letting it stand 5 minutes.  Plain yogurt is also supposed to be a good substitute, but I've never tried it in this recipe.

**These recipes are very similar in composition and flavor.  We really like both of them.  :)

Blender Waffles/Pancakes

Source: http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2007/12/tuesday-recipes-wafflespancakes.html

My family really liked these waffles! I made my own buttermilk (about 3 T. vinegar with milk added to make 1 3/4 cup milk per batch). I also subbed 1/3 cup water + 2 T. ground flax for the egg. I made 2 batches to feed our family and soaked it overnight.  I used 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup millet and 1/2 cup brown rice (my favorite) for one batch; I used 3/4 cup each brown rice and millet for the other batch (still delicious).

Blender Waffles/Pancakes

Amount:  4 (4-5 waffles) or 20-24 pancakes

1. Place in blender; blend at highest speed for 3 minutes.
1 1/2 – 1 3/4 cups buttermilk or kefir (or non-dairy alternative)2 Tbls olive oil 
1 tsp vanilla extract 
1 1/2 cups brown rice or uncooked rolled oats (or other grain variations, see below) 2/3 cup grain = 1 cup flour or 1 1/2 cups grain =2 cups flour

The batter should always swirl about a vortex in the blender. If it doesn’t, slowly add more liquid until the hole reappears. This is the secret to light and tender waffles. Batter for pancakes may be thicker, but keep batter relatively thin and keep it churning.

2. Cover blender; let stand at room temperature overnight or 12-24 hours.

3. Preheat waffle iron at highest temperature, or griddle on medium high.

4. Just before baking, add and reblend on highest speed for 1 minute:
1 egg, optional additional liquid (if batter needs thinning for vortex or churning)

5. Blend in thoroughly, but briefly (assisted with rubber spatula, if needed):
2 tsp baking powder 
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt, to taste
6. Pour batter onto hot waffle iron, sprayed with olive oil. Bake about 3 1/2 to 4 minutes in waffle iron until crispy.

GRAIN VARIATIONS

brown rice or millet – equal parts of each grain
kamut, spelt, wheat - kamut is a favorite! Combining with kamut and oats is our favorite!
buckwheat – reduce to 1 cup (4 servings). It expands.
barley -hulled, not pearled. Reduce to 1 cup (for 4 servings). It expands
Quinoa - Thoroughly rinse quinoa in strainer the night before 1-2 minutes; let stand in bowl of water overnight; drain and rinse about 1 more minute. This removes bitter flavor. Batter will be very thin. Fill waffle iron almost completely to the edges.
Oats - uncooked rolled oats or oat groats
I use oats in combination with other grains. I use 1/2 cup (in recipe for 4) oats, and 1 cup kamut, or half and half in serving 2.
Other additions - throw in some flax seeds!

Natty's Pumpkin Banana Bread with a Gluten-free twist

Preheat oven to 350.

In blender, mix:

3 eggs

3/4 cup olive oil

1 15 oz. can (1 3/4 cup) pumpkin

1.5-2 bananas

1 cup agave nectar

5 T. orange juice

1 t. vanilla

Mix together, then add:

2 3/4 cups rice flour

1 1/2 t. salt

1 1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. nutmeg

1 heaping t. cinnamon

Optional, fold in:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Pour into 2-3 oiled bread pans. Bake for 55 minutes or until done.

Pumpkin & Pecan Granola Bars

*Another granola bar recipe I like.

Adapted from: "Two Peas and Their Pod" and "Brown Eyed Baker"

Yield: 10-12 granola bars

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Bake Time: 40 minutes

3¼ cups traditional rolled oats
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ cup light brown sugar
½ cup pumpkin puree (canned pumpkin)
¼ cup applesauce
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup cinnamon chips or chocolate chips
½ cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8×8-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

2. In a large bowl whisk together the oats, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. In a medium bowl whisk together the brown sugar, pumpkin, applesauce, honey and vanilla extract until combined and smooth. Pour the mixture over the oats and use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to mix until all of the oats are moistened. Stir in the cinnamon chips and pecans.

3. Evenly press the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Make sure not to underbake! Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars and serve. Leftover bars can be individually wrapped in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container and kept at room temperature.

*This one has a softer, more baked (because it is) texture than the other one.  The oats absorb some of the moisture when baking so they are softer.  You could probably play with the recipe and omit the sugar if so desired.

Healthy No-Bake Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Healthy, no-bake granola bars with a sweet, crunchy texture.  No refined sugar.

Prep time (including toasting of oats and nuts): 20 minutes
Source: Minimalist Baker

Makes 8-10 bars in a 8X8 pan.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup packed dates, pitted
• 1/4 cup honey (can use maple syrup or agave)
• 1/4 cup peanut butter (recipe recommends creamy, also gave almond butter as variation)
• 1 cup almonds (roasted, unsalted, and loosely chopped)  *Could really use any kind of nuts you wanted
• 1 1/2 cups oatmeal   

*Optional additions: vanilla, dried fruit (such as raisins or banana chips), chocolate chips, coconut, or nuts

Directions:

1. Optional step: toast oatmeal in oven at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes (I toasted my almonds the same time) or until slightly golden brown.  I prefer the toasted, more nutty flavor, but you can leave them raw if desired. (If you choose to add coconut, I would toast it too.)
2. Put dates in food processor until soft bits remain (about 1 minute). Should be a dough-like consistency (mine formed a ball).
3. Place oats, almonds, dates, and any additional add-ins in bowl and set aside.
4. Warm honey and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat until melted and combined (add vanilla if desired (I didn't when I tried recipe)).  Pour mixture over oat mixture and stir well, breaking up dates to disperse throughout.
5. Once thoroughly mixed, pour into a greased 8X8 pan and lightly press down until uniformly flattened.  Set in fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes to harden.  Cut into 10 bars (fairly small so I'd probably do 8).  Store in airtight container.

Nutritional Information per bar (without additional add-ins and cut into 10 bars):

Calories: 220   Fat: 8 g   Saturated fat: 1 g   Carbohydrates: 31 g   Sugars: 19 g   Fiber: 4 g   Protein: 6 g

*As you can see, these bars are "healthy" but are in no way low calorie.  Since I LOVE peanut butter and anything granola-ish, I could easily eat this whole pan myself :)  These are tasty, little energy bars.

    

Apple, Grape, and Lettuce Salad with Honey Crushed Red Pepper Vinaigrette

This is a favorite salad at our house. It has a great combination of sweet and spicy (but not too spicy, just a hint). I do not remember the source of the recipe. We have been using it for many years and when I have tried to find it on the food blogs we frequent I have been unable to locate the recipe so I guess it is a good thing I had it in my email.

Honey Crushed Red Pepper Vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons honey

1 ½  tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Salad:

1 head lettuce (chopped romaine or spring greens)

1 diced apple or peach

1 cup red grapes, cut in half

feta cheese (omit for dairy free)

lightly toasted slivered almonds or pine nuts

1. Combine all dressing ingredients and whisk. Set aside. (Make it first so the red pepper has time to infuse its flavor into the dressing.)

2. Chop salad ingredients.

3. Toss the lettuce and fruit together.

4. Serve. (Let each person add their own nuts, cheese, and dressing)

Grilled Chicken Pasta in a Tomato Cream Sauce

Ingredients:  
-     1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
-     Montreal Chicken seasoning
-     1/2 pound penne pasta
-     2 tablespoons butter
-     2 tablespoons olive oil
-     2 cloves garlic, minced
-     1/2 cup chicken broth
-     1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
-     1 cup heavy cream
-     1/2 to 1 tsp salt & pepper to taste)
-     1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
-     6-8 fresh basil leaves, chiffonaded

Rinse chicken breasts in cold water. Layer between sheets of wax paper and pound to even thickness. Season both sides with Montreal Chicken seasoning. Preheat grill for medium high heat, lightly oil grate, and grill chicken breasts on medium high heat for 6-8 mins each side. OR heat 2 tbsp butter & 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter and olive oil is nice and hot, add chicken breasts and cook 5 mins each side. Set chicken aside to cool. In a large pot, boil water with 1 tbsp salt. Add 1/2 lb penne pasta noodles and boil according to package directions. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is tender, but do not let the garlic turn brown about 3-5 mins. Add the chicken broth to the pan and allow to reduce by half. Meanwhile, slice chicken. Once the broth has reduced, stir in tomato sauce. Add the heavy cream and stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat to low. Chop the parsley and basil, add to sauce and mix well. Drain pasta and add to sauce. Stir well to coat. Serve pasta on plates, top with sliced chicken.

 **We had this for dinner tonight.  I used dried parsley and basil.  I also doubled the recipe, but did not actually double the butter and oil and it was still great!  If you want to try and make it gluten free, just use rice noodles. 

For those wanting to cut carbs, this might be a nice meal to make for the family and the kids can eat the pasta and chicken, while those who want to can just each chicken and salad.