Guiltless Delicious Granola Bars

This recipe hits it out of the park....When enjoying these, I have to remind myself that they are healthy!  Truly a treat and an indulgent one at that!!!!

THIS RECIPE AGAIN PROOVES THAT HEALTHY CAN BE VERY YUMMY!!!! 


I chose to use my homemade granola in place of the nut mixture to incorporate the crispiness of the baked granola.  Also I used olive oil in this recipe because I find coconut oil to be a strong flavor.  I am thrilled however to have finally found a granola recipe that pleases my man clan. 

Combine in small sauce pan. Heat until pourable. Do not boil.
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup olive oil
2/3 cup local honey
1 cup natural peanut butter or almond butter


Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2 cups quick oats
1 cup (total) of your choice sunflower seeds, flax seeds, dried fruit bits, carob chips
(I use 1 cup of my homemade granola)
1 cup organic brown rice cereal crisps
(Erewhon Organic Crispy Brown Rice found in organic food section at Walmart)
1/8 -1/4 cup carob chips (optional)


Pour honey, oil and PB mixture over oat mixture and combine well...refrain from eating it by the spoonful warm...Soooo delic!  The best decription yet is..."it is like the combination of a peanut butter rice crispy treat and a granola bar."
My inspiration for this recipe came from Laura at Heavenly Homemakers....

Green Chile Rice

I must give credit where credit is due!  This originated from Home Based Mom's blog.  She has some wonderful recipes!

This has got to be the most delicious rice dish I have ever eaten!  I took it up a notch and make it with brown rice and no one turns it down!

Here goes my version of Chile Green Rice:

1 cup of brown rice (I have been amazed at the difference in texture organic brown rice possesses!)
2 cups of chicken stock (store bought or home made)
1 cup water
4 oz can of green chilies
1 small onion
1/3 - 1/2 cup cilantro
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin
3 green onions

I chop all the onions, chilies, cilantro and seasoning in the food processor....so its all flavor and picky kiddos can't drive me crazy by picking out every last onion at the dinner table:-)  Just telling you, there are no complaints with this at the dinner table!  I promise!  I have just endured the onion picking ritual too many times to give them the chance again!
So, put 2 cups of chicken stock, 1 cup of water, rice and chile/cilantro/onion  mixture in the pan and give it a stir....cover with foil or the lovely invention...a SILPAT.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until the rice is tender.


LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this!!!

Trying to be healthy....what to drink?

Herbal teas

3 blueberry tea bags

2 mint tea bags

Place the tea bags in either pan or I choose to do

it in the microwave glass measuring cup.

Add filtered water...about 4 cups.

Heat in microwave for 5 minutes.  Then I walk away after taking a picture....fold laundry...just kinda forget about it so it can.....STEEP...yep that is the word.

Once it has steeped set the bags aside.

Add 1 tsp of stevia.  It is Stevita brand.  1 tsp is = 1 cup of sugar

I love the stuff....totally natural...

Stir it in...dissolves rather well in warm liquids.  The powdered stevia also works well in baked goods.The Stevita brand of stevia makes it in a liquid form as well.  Some forms of liquid stevia is very bitter....their brand is not.  Theirs is what I recommend adding to cold beverages.

BACK TO TEA.....

Fill a gallon pitcher 3/4 full of ice.
Pour the sweetened tea concentrate over the ice
Add three cups of water.

The guys like it.  It is a refreshing treat!











(I had been cooking all day...messy counters.  A real cooks reality)

Sweet Cinnamon Roasted Nuts

Mix 6 packets of stevia with 2 tsp of cinnamon

Beat an egg white. (I did not get a pic of this)

I promise you can do this!

Next toss 2 cups of nuts in the egg white.

Now pour on the stevia and cinnamon....

 Even at this point they smell wonderful...they get better!

This here is my silpat...love, love, love these Demarle products!

Pour out the nuts on the Silpat.  Place into 300 degree oven. 25-30 minutes...stirring them every 10 minutes.  I tell you they come out of the oven singing and poping ...more musical than rice crispies...

Allow them to cool.  Enjoy!  They are addicting and oh, so healthy too.  Can't keep the man clan out of them!  My nut jar is empty right now...gotta make some more!

Colleen's Crackers

1 1/2 c. Whole Wheat Flour*
1/4 c. Soy Flour (I use whole wheat there too)*
1/4 c. Sesame Seeds (I do 2 TBS flax seed 2 TBS Sesame Seeds)
3/4 tsp. Salt
Stir together above ingredients (if adding flax seed, combine now with dry ingredients)

1/4 c. Canola or Olive Oil
Cut in the oil.

1/2 c. Water
Add until pie crust consistency.
I roll the dough out onto a silpat and bake on the silpat.
Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes
I brake the crackers into pieces after they cool.  Enjoy with sugar free jellies or chicken salad or just alone for a very healthy crunchy treat.

(The next time I make these I will take pictures to insert.)
*This recipe can also be made by inserting brown rice flour and oatmeal flour.  The rice/oat version is more like a flaky pie crust consistency.  Good...very good!  The Oat/Rice version uses very little water...add a TBS at a time.

Lemon Yogurt

Lemon Yogurt...sugar free...healthy and wellness plan approved!  So simple!!! Here goes.  Get a bowl and wisk!  You are ready!

1 lg container of plain yogurt                                         

3 small lemons

Juice them...
















I have really liked this juicer from Pampered Chef....

now add:
1/2 -1 tsp stevia

I whisked all three ingredients together ...and still wanted more lovely lemony flavor...so that is when I decided to add zest.

So simple to do...just got my old box grater that has 4 cutting options.  I use the tiniest grater option for zest.  It works for me and I don't have to keep up with the zester.  I bought one once, but I lost it.  I love my old box grater.  It goes back to my love for old things, but that is a whole other blog posting! 

Enjoy the lovely lemon yogurt, knowing that it is 100% sugar free and healthy!

Focaccia Bread

*newly amended

 

Supper co-op tonight was very a certain smile maker! The one family gets truly excited over cheese ravioli with marinara sauce, while our family loves alfredo. So tonight everyone got a salad with Olive Garden Dressing, pasta of their choosing, and focaccia bread.

This recipe of Focaccia bread I found on the beloved recipe database "All Recipes.com"
It has 4 3/4 stars with over 500 reviews and over 9000 viewers had "saved" the recipe.

It did not disappoint! Jackson (my almost 8 yr old) helped me make it. We were all delighted with the results. The herbs baked into the bread made the kitchen smell wonderful!


Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella

Directions

1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, basil and black pepper. Mix in the vegetable oil and water.
2. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Punch dough down; place on greased baking sheet. Pat into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Brush top with olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

*To make it more wellness plan approved, I used 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour, instead of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, I spread on Basil Pesto and just a slight sprinkling of Italian cheese mixture...mostly as a garnish.  The man clan was still begging for more.  I encourage you to try the revised version.  We also enjoy individual little dipping plates with a dollop of pesto, olive oil, fresh ground black pepper, and a few dots of balsamic vinegar, you know like Macaroni Grill and other fine restaurants treat you.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Focaccia-Bread/Detail.aspx