Homemade Granola Bars

Posting this yummy granola bar recipe so I don't have to keep searching through my emails to find it. It's from my friend Ruth.

Granola Bars Basic Recipe

* 2 Cup Oats
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 1 Cup whole wheat flour
* 1/2 tsp baking soda
* 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 1 tsrkip cinnamon
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 1/2 Cup honey

*1 T oil

*1/4 c water

* Any dried fruit, nuts, seeds, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, etc.

Mix all ingredients and press into greased pan, 9 X 13. Dough will be very dry and crumbly, but press until dough forms with pan.. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes or until edges are browned. Take out and let cool entirely. Cut into strips and store in snack size bags.

**If the dough is very dry, add a couple of tablespoon of water to help mix it all together and you might need to use your hands to get it mixed up and pressed into the pan.

* My sister in law  threw in 1/2 c peanut butter the second time she made them and said it was really good.

Veggie Sandwich

1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 sliced red bell peppers
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
1 small yellow squash, sliced
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt & Pepper
1 French Baguette
1 pkg Sun Dried Tomato Feta (crumbled)

DIRECTIONS
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix mayo, garlic & lemon juice. Set aside in refrigerator.
Combine all veggies on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper. Toss to coat.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until tender.
Turn on broiler. Broil on high for 3-5 minutes. Remove from oven.

Slice baguette in half length-wise.

Spread mayo mixture on both sides of bread & top with feta.

Place in broiler for 2-4 minutes.

Top one side of baguette with grilled veggies.

Place other side of baguette on top.

Enjoy!!!

Spinach-Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken

I volunteered to make dinner again tonight. I love cooking for my family, although sometimes we end up calling for take out! I guess that's part of the wonderful life of experimental cooking!
(I didn't take this picture but it gives you an idea of the final product. Except, my chicken was swimming in bright, delicious tomato sauce.)

Spinach-Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken
Servings: 8

Serve with rice, noodles, or, my personal favorite, sourdough bread!

Ingredients:
18 ounces packaged prewashed fresh spinach
2 1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
Ground nutmeg
8 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 family-sized can garlic and herb spaghetti sauce
1 14-15 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450°.

To prepare chicken, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add spinach to pan; cook 5 minutes or until spinach begins to wilt, stirring frequently. Drain any excess liquid and finely chop spinach. Place spinach, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and a dash nutmeg; stir well to combine.

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Place 1/4 cup mozzarella mixture in the center of each chicken breast, fold over, and secure with 1-2 toothpicks. Place rolls in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish (I used a slightly larger dish). Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over rolls. Combine spaghetti sause, diced tomatoes, and onion. Pour sauce over chicken and sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. Bake at 450° for 25-30 minutes, or until chicken is done (gage with meat thermometer. Poultry is thoroughly cooked once the meat reaches 180° F).

Don't forget to remove toothpicks before you dig in! That would be a nasty surprise..

Fresher Fish Tacos

What to do when there is a sale on tilapia and you buy 10 pounds of fish? Have a FIESTA!

Fresher Fish Tacos:
4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos)

Fish:
1 1/2 pounds white fish (I prefer tilapia)
Cooking spray
ground cumin
smoked paprika
ground red pepper
chili powder
cajun seasoning
dash of salt and garlic powder

Lime-Cilantro Crema:
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped FRESH cilantro
4 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced

(If you're looking for a little bit lighter version, use reduced-fat sour cream and mayonnaise!)

Additional Fix-ins!:
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 bag pre-shredded cabbage
Lime wedges
Avocado
Your favorite tomatoe salsa (My favorite can be found at Ridley's. Their fresh made salsa is absolutely devine!!)

Preperation:

To prepare crema, combine ingredients in a small bowl and store in fridge.

To prepare tortillas, heat a large, dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast tortillas one at a time until crisp and slightly charred on each side. Wrap in a cloth napkin to keep warm.

To prepare fish, preheat large skillet. Sprinkle both sides of fish with seasonings. (I never pre-measure the seasoning for my meat or protein, just go with my instinct. If you don't want super spicy fish, ease up on the chili powder, red pepper, and cajun seasoning. Or, make your own mixture!) Coat skillet with cooking spray. Cook fish about 4 minutes on each side until it flakes easily with a fork. Break fish into chunks and place in a bowl. Keep warm.

Top tortillas with golden fish, crunchy cabbage, a dash of crema, zesty salsa, a slice of avocado, and a spritz of lime!

Brownies (with carrot & spinach)

This recipe is from the "Deceptively Delicious" cookbook

***Dont' serve the brownies warm - it's not until they're completely cool that the spinach flavor totally disappears***

Nonstick cooking spray

3 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

1/2 cup carrot puree (can use baby food)

1/2 cup spinach puree (can use baby food)

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 Tbs trans-fat-free soft tub margarine spread

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 large egg whites

3/4 cup oat flour; or all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8x8-inch baking pan with cooking spray

2) Melt the chocolate in a double broiler or over a very low flame

3) In a large bowl, combine the melted chocolate, vegetable purees, sugar, cocoa powder, margarine, and vanilla, and whisk until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes.

4) Whisk in egg whites. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt with a wooden spoon.

5) Pour the batter into the pan and bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 bars.

***These brownies are low in calories (only 133 per brownie) and saturated fat. They're also packed with 3 grams of fiber, while spinach and carrots provide two powerful antioxidants that help your kids' eyes stay healthy!***

Here are some tips on how to prepare and puree the spinach and carrots. You could also use baby food.

Tomato and Spinach Pasta Toss

from Kraft Foods

This was really good and easy so I had to share! To make it a little healthier I used whole wheat pasta, and instead of italian sausage I used those Jimmy Deans turkey sausage links that are pre-cooked. I just heated them up on the skillet then chopped them up in little pieces.

2 cups rotini or penne pasta, uncooked
1/2 lb. hot or mild Italian sausage, casing removed
1 pkg. (6 oz.) baby spinach leaves (7 cups)
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
2 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

COOK pasta as directed on package.

MEANWHILE, crumble meat into large deep skillet. Cook on medium-high heat 10 to 12 min. or until cooked through, stirring occasionally; drain. Add spinach and tomatoes; cook 2 min. or until spinach is wilted, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.

DRAIN pasta. Add to skillet along with the cheeses; toss lightly.

Rice with Summer Squash

from Healthy Cooking


Ingredients:

1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1/3 cup uncooked long grain rice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 medium yellow summer squash, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped

Directions:

In a saucepan coated with cooking spray, cook carrots and onion in butter until tender. Stir in the broth, rice, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 13 minutes.

Stir in the yellow squash and zucchini. Cover and simmer 6-10 minutes longer or until rice and vegetables are tender. Yield: 4 servings.

Veggie Stuffed Twice Baked Potato Boats

Here's a little bit healthier take on twice baked potatoes. i simplified it down some and just used frozen veggies and they were still pretty yummy. I think you are probably supposed to cut them the other direction, but I was feeling creative. I think they look like cute little potato cupcakes :) 

Recipe by Cat Cora

found on Oprah.com/recipe/food
Ingredients:Serves 4

4 well-cleaned potatoes
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup grated low-fat cheese , such as sharp cheddar or Parmesan
1 tsp. Italian herb seasoning
1/2 cup frozen broccoli florets
1/2 cup shelled frozen peas , thawed
1/2 cup sliced frozen carrots , thawed
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
2 Tbsp. chopped olives
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 slices turkey bacon , cooked until crispy and crumbled
Preheat oven to 350°. Bake the potatoes for 1 hour. Remove and let cool until able to handle. Cut each in half and scoop out the insides to create "boats."

In a large bowl, mix the insides of the potatoes with the butter or olive oil, grated cheese and herbs, and stir until combined. Stir in all veggies, season to taste with salt and pepper and scoop mixture back into each potato half.

Pop back into oven and cook for about 10 minutes, or until cheese is fully melted. Top with salsa or crumbled turkey bacon if desired, or enjoy straight from oven, serving 2 potato boats per person.

Strawberry "Mock"shake Smoothie

My whole family loves this smoothie. It's healthy and delicious, and the kids think they're getting a milkshake for breakfast.

5 oz tofu
2 cups frozen strawberries
1 tbs cocnut milk
6 oz pineapple juice
honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blend all in blender until smooth. Enjoy

Mexi-Chicken Soup

• I fell in love with this soup last night. I only wish I had taken a photo, sorry.
• 
  
• 1 32-oz. box reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 15-oz. can golden hominy, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup bottled salsa
• 1 green sweet pepper, cut in strips
• 1 4-oz. can diced green chiles
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 2-1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
• Snipped fresh herbs (optional)

directions

1. In 4-quart Dutch oven combine chicken broth, black beans, hominy, salsa, nopalitos, undrained green chiles, chili powder, and cumin. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add chicken; heat through. To serve, sprinkle with fresh herbs. Makes 6 servings.

Curry Pumpkin Soup

I'm always on the lookout for low-fat recipes, and so this one caught my eye, and it's perfect for Fall, so it's a double plus. My husband and I loved it, but it only got okay reviews, so I'm curious to see what others think. Be sure to rate it if you get a chance to make it. Taken from Better Homes and Gardens Oct 08.

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1 recipe Orange-Cranberry Topper (see below)
2 Tbsp. butter
2 medium onions, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium carrot, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 15-oz cans pumpkin
2 14-oz cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
2/3 cup water
1 cup half-and-half or light cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1. Prepare Orange-Cranberry Topper. (We had lots leftover, a little goes a long way.)

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2. In 4-qt. Dutch oven melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, carrot, and celery. Cook, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add curry powder and pumpkin pie spice. Cook and stir 1 minute. Add pumpkin, broth, and water. Increase heat to medium-high; bring to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Remove from heat; cool slightly.
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3. In food processor or blender, add one-third of the pumpkin mixture at a time, cover, and process or blend until smooth. Return all pumpkin mixture to Dutch oven.

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4. Stir half-and-half, salt, and pepper into pumpkin mixture; heat through. Sprinkle each serving with Orange-Cranberry Topper.

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5. Orange-Cranberry Topper: In small bowl combine 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 1 tablespoon finely shredded orange peel, and 2 tablespoons snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley. Serves 8.

Indian Fried Rice (Bhagharay Chawal)

This rice is easy to make in a rice cooker and has a wonderful fragrance. I love to smell it cooking. It goes great with any Indian recipes that are served over rice. I always double this recipe because my family loves it so much.

3 c. basmati rice (you can use brown basmati rice, too)
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
½ tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. whole cumin seeds
4 whole cloves
4 whole cardamom pods
2 inch cinnamon stick, broken into a few pieces
5 c. water or the right amount for your rice cooker

1. Wash rice and leave to soak in fresh water for 20 minutes or longer. Drain.
2. In a heavy saucepan, on medium heat, saute the onion in the oil until translucent.
3. Add the garlic and stir well.
4. Add the salt, cumin, cloves, cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks. Fry well for 1 minute.
5. Add the rice and stir until the water evaporates (about 10 minutes)
6. If you're using a rice cooker, transfer the rice and spices to the rice cooker. Add the water and cook until absorbed. Water amounts may vary if you're cooking the rice on the stove top depending on the type of rice. Use the amount of water called for in the package directions.
7. Remove the whole spices before serving.

Curried Peas and Tomatoes

I found this recipe on AllRecipes.com a few years ago. My kids are iffy on it, but it's one of my favorites. It's pretty spicy, so if that's a problem, use less chili powder.

4 teaspoons coconut milk
1 teaspoon Indian chili powder (use less if you don't like spicy)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander seed
1 pinch ground turmeric
salt to taste
2 teaspoons oil
1 onion, chopped
1 small cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fresh ginger
2 cans chopped tomatoes with juice
1 pound bag of petite peas

1. In a small bowl, mix together coconut milk, chili powder, coriander, turmeric, and salt.
2. In a medium sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, cinnamon stick, and cumin seeds; saute until onions are soft.
3. Stir in ginger, tomatoes, peas, and coconut milk mixture. Reduce heat, and simmer until hot. I like this barely cooked so the peas still have a firm texture and sort of pop in your mouth.
4. Can be served over rice (basmati rice is best), and is really good served over Indian Fried Rice

Tips: You can use spices that are pre-ground, but the flavor and scent is better if you use whole seeds that you grind fresh yourself. I grind my spices with a coffee grinder which makes it really easy. Also, Indian chili powder is much more spicy than Mexican chili powder, so start with a small amount; you can always add more if you want more heat.

Spinach Wraps

This recipe comes from Tara. She made these for a Fitness Fair Enrichment awhile ago and I emailed her to get the recipe last week because I was craving them so bad! I made up a bunch so I can have quick things to eat for lunch this week. Here's how she told me to make them:

Start with one of the wraps (located in the same place as the tortillas-which you could substitute in a pinch). Spread a thin layer of cream cheese, then a couple tablespoons of pesto. Add spinach leaves, sliced bell pepper (red, orange, yellow), a couple slices of red onion, shredded carrots, 3-4 slices deli turkey, and a couple of sun-dried tomatoes. Then just roll and enjoy!

I'm sure you could come up with other variations too. I know in the Cougareat at BYU they have one thats really good with mandarin oranges and craisins. 

Chicken Enchiladas

This is a recipe I found in a healthy cookbook I have. It is surprisingly really yummy!

3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

4 green onions, sliced

2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

3 cans (10 0z each) green enchilada sauce

4-6 (reduced carb.) tortillas

1 cup cheddar cheese

2 cups lettuce, shredded

1/2 cup salsa

1/2 cup light sour cream

1 tomato, diced

1 can ripe olives, sliced

Preheat oven to 350. 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

coat a large skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat add green onions, cilantro, and jalapeno, saute for 2 minutes. Add shredded chicken and 1 can of enchilada sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through (about 5 minutes).

pour the remaining two cans of enchilada sauce in a medium bowl and microwave until warm, about 2 minutes. Dip each tortilla in sauce and fill with desired amount of chicken mixture. Roll up and place seam side down in prepared baking dish.

Pour remaining heated sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until enchiladas are heated through and cheese is melted (about 15 minutes).

Divide lettuce onto plates and place the enchilada on top. Top with a spoonful of salsa, a dollop of sour cream, tomatoes, and olives. Serve and Enjoy!!!

(Oh, I also added 1 can of green chilies to the chicken mixture)