Easy Healthy Fruit Leather.

I have been working on not wasting a single thing in our home and one of the things that we are not very good at eating is our bottled fruit.  We do occasionally, but we eat a lot of fresh fruit, whatever is in season.  Also when I make my bottled fruit I make a very light syrup, so they are not very sweet. I make about 8-12 cups of water with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of honey.  So our plumbs are very sour.  When you make fruit leather, the fruit is supposed to be blanched or softened with liquid added into it.  So I thought, why not bottled fruit!  All the work is done already!

Fruit Leather

Any kind of bottled fruit
Agave Nectar (opt)
Blender
Spices (opt)

In a blender place 1 quart of bottled or 2 pints of fruit.  Blend well. Taste and if needed add 1 to 2 Tblp of Agave Nectar (becoming more available :)  Blend again.  Place plastic wrap on a dryer sheet or cookie sheet for oven method.  Pour a thick even amount of Blended fruit on plastic.  Cook at 145 F for 12 to 24 hours, every fruit dries differently.  Roll up when dry and I cut mine in half.  My kids LOVE these!  A great healthy snack alternative. 
I have made pear, peach, apricot, plumb, peach/ mango and am excited to make more blends.  My sister Heather says that she has had some with blended cooked zucchini and you could not even taste it with the fruit.  So I am going to try that one as well.  You could even flavor some with a little cinnamon or allspice if you wanted some more flavoring, like apple pie :)  Have fun with it!

Wheat Muffins

These muffins are easy, delicioius, lowfat, and super versatile.

Ingredients:

2c flour

3tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 c sugar

1c milk

1/4c oil (you can replace this with plain yogurt)

1/4c applesauce

1 egg

Mix wet ingredients. Add dry ingredients. Blend. Bake in muffin tins at 350* for 20-25 min.

Mix ins:

1 can pumpkin & chocolate chips

1 can pumpkin & cinnamon/pie spices

blueberries

mixed berries

3 mashed bananas & chocolate chips

grated zucchini

grated carrots

crushed pineapple & coconut

pecans & craisins

oatmeal, raisin & cinnamon

Let me know what other combos you come up with.

Newell's Reubens!

So this not on my food list, (and not healthy)but they are fun and different! When Newell(my husband) first made these after we were married, I thought they were very strange and wasn't sure if I would like them. At first they were okay, but now, I am hooked and can't get enough! Newell's dad made these when he was younger. The picture is one of them cut in half.

Now we make them for friends and family and they get hooked! My mom craves them once in a while too, so when we go visit, we will plan on making Reuben's one of the nights we are there during Spring Break!

Make any basic roll dough recipe- One of my Favorite's is my Uncle Gaylen's Roll recipe;

3 1/2 cups warm water with 4 tsp sugar and 2 Tblsp Yeast, let sit for 10 mins. Meanwhile warm 4 cups milk and 12 Tblsp butter together then add 2 1/2 tsp salt, (2 eggs this is not in the roll recipe, but it helps with elasticity of dough),12 Tblsp sugar and yeast mixture 10-12 cups of flours. (I usually add wheat or this last time buckwheat 1-3 cups)

Mix and let rise for at least 1-2 hours.

Filling Ingredients is (here we go, I know weird but, a blend of flavors)

Chopped green olives, Sauerkraut, Sliced "light" Spam (less greasy), and a thick slice of Mild or Medium Cheese.

First you place the spam on rolled out flat dough, then thick slice of cheese, then heaping sauerkraut, and finally heaping green olives. Fold dough over top and underneath, now the trick is to seal it well enough that nothing leaks out! Good Luck, that is tricky! But non the less still tastes fine if they "leak" cheese. Bake at 350 for at least 1/2 hour or until golden brown on top. Your taste buds will enjoy this interesting blend! These are great re warmed up or eaten cold as well. Family and Friends have tried to see if they can add or change ingredients and some of them taste just as great, but nothing compares to the original ;)!

Cucumber Deli Apetizer

Ingredients for this are;

1-Fresh hard cucumber, scrubbed well and peeled in stripes. Then thinly slice.

2- a little loaf of rye deli bread (I have used a whole big rye bread and cut it in fourths. (the little loaf is just easy and bite size!)

3- Plain cream cheese with an dry Italian dressing pkg and 2 Tblsp of butter. Blend well (I have used veggie cream cheese before)

4-Dry dill

Put bread on pan, generously spread cream cheese mixture on top of each bread piece. Then place a sliced cucumber on top and sprinkle a dash of dill. Cover with clear wrap and refrigerate at least a few hours or overnight. This is a surprising blend of flavours.

p.s. I made Caitlin's cookies with my different flours and xylitol and they were yummy!

(I am on a wheat/sugar free diet for a few months)

Xylitol- Sugar Substitute

So after trying a couple natural sweeteners, I finally found one that I love and am excited about! I had been using Stevia (which comes from a sweet leaf), but it always left a bitter taste.
The rumor is that Aspartame (a chemical sweetener, made cheap) was denied by the FDA several times, until someone high up pulled some strings. There are a lot more details in that story, but basically, be aware of the nasty Aspartame and unfortunately it is put into every gum that is over the counter. (Please do your research on this chemical sugar substitute, bad effects!!).
Anyway, Xylitol is found in fibers of many fruits and vegies. It does not impact insulin levels, so it is safer for Diabetics. It does not affect yeast overgrowth (Candida). It promotes good dental care, is safe for pregnant and nursing mothers. And the list goes on and on. I found 1lb of Xylitol for $10 at a health food store. And have since bought some for less on Internet, including gum, mints and some candies. (for a near future holiday;). We are also trying to steer away from any food with dyes, many current studies have shown bad side effects from these and Red 40 is one of them that is used in a lot of things! I am creating my own flavored oatmeal (Yes they are full of dyes too!) recipe in my mind and working out the kinks, then I will purchase the ingredients and let you know my end result in the next couple months.

My current favorite recipes with Xylitol are;
-Mixed in my favorite warm herbal tea
-Warm up some cooked Quinoa grain, add a little creamer, vanilla and Xylitol to taste
-Plain yogurt with fresh berries and xylitol (I have yet to find some of my favorite yogurts without dye in them) So I will stick with plain and flavour myself (less sugar:)
-Add into Whipped Cream instead of sugar

This works great to curb my sugar cravings and a better alternative and I don't give myself a guilt trip. You use the same amount you would that it calls for in recipes. I have always added less sugar anyway and will do the same with the Xylitol.

Granola Cereal

Before it is toasted

Done!

This is a fast and easy recipe that has been in my family for years. (My mom would make it) It is fun to make in the winter, because of the toasting in the oven.

5 cups Oats

1 cup Coconut (I went out on a limb and actually graded fresh coconut, yum, but a lot of work!)

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup honey

2 oz Flaked Almonds

1/3 cup flax seed (opt)

Mix together in a large metal bowl. Toast at 375 for 1/2 hour to 1 hour (depends on how crunchy you like yours). Stirring every 5 mins. Last 10 mins of baking add 1 1/2 cups of raisins that have been soaked in boiling water for 5 mins. Cool and store in an airtight container for a couple weeks at least. I ran out of almonds and added some chopped pecans. You can alternate and add your own things. This is so yummy on plain yogurt, with milk or in handfulls!

I was wondering what happened to the other cooks around here? I miss reading other recipes:) Did I scare some of you away by posting on here too much;)? I have got lots more to post lately, but will try to stradle them a little.

Traditional Cheese Balls

I forgot to take a picture of these, but here is the recipes. They have been made at my family gatherings for as long as I can remember. My dad even helped me make these for Christmas gifts one year. I made 3 small balls of different varieties and surrounded them with a variety of crackers on plates. These might not be the healthiest, but I think anything is better than a ton of sugar!

Soften all ingredients at room temperature

Traditional Ball
16 oz Cream Cheese
1 1/2 cup Grated Cheese
1 jar Old English
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

Combine until smooth, then roll into logs or a ball. Roll into chopped pecans, parsley, dried cranberries, Chopped green olives or ground pepper. I rolled my cheddar one in chopped strawberry flavored cranberries-yum!

Other variations include; Can add a 1/2 tsp smoke flavoring, in place of Old English add Goat cheese, or in place of Old English add Roka Blue jar and a heaping spoon full of Blue Cheese (Dressing of the real stuff).

My Aunt puts the cheese mixture into bags and cuts a hole to bring on trips, I thought that was a great idea.

Salad on a Stick

These are really easy and yummy! Ingredients are the freshest mozzarella cheese you can get, cherry or grape tomatoes, Fresh Basil leaves or Fresh Spinach leaves. First soak skewer stick in water for 1 hour. Then layer the cheese, leaf and tomato. I did two of each on each stick. Then you can either drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper or drizzle with Italian dressing. Serve. It took me about 20 minutes to fill 34 sticks. I made these as an appetizer.

Sprouting!

First Step to sprouting is to choose what you are sprouting. I have here once jar with lentils and one with a mixture of alfalfa, red clover, broccoli and radish. You soak them overnight or 8 to 12 hours. Then drain and rinse.

Second Step.

The lady that taught us said to rotate the jar to spread seeds around and leave it tipped slightly for full drainage. I found that using a bowl works great. Place in a dark corner in kitchen.

Third Step. Is to rinse the seeds every morning and night and smaller seeds can have more rinsings. Small seed are ready in only 2 days! Rinse and put into a sealed bag or container. If you don't like the hulls, you can soak in a bowl of water and they will float to the top. They keep as well as a fresh cut vegetable. They keep about 7-10 days.

This is one of our favorite ways to eat it. I put my sprouts on whole wheat bread. But the whole wheat is too much fiber for young systems, so I use white bread for babies and toddlers.

We have sprouted Quinoa grain,the mixture and mung beans( tastes like baby peas) All sprouts flavoring changes from day to day, so try them out and you might like them better on day 2 or day 6.

Basic supplies are a wide mouth mason jar with a mesh lid (can be bought at health food store) I bought my online for about $5 or little less each. Or you can use an nylon with rubber band on top to hold it on.

So I have totally fallen in love with sprouting. I get to grown an easy indoor garden this way. I just found out how easy it is and I had all the supplies already! There are several different ways to do it, but I found that this is the simplest. The benefits of sprouting are huge! Th e proteins and starches change once it has sprouted and it has a ton of natural enzymes and vitamin C! Any Bean and seed/grain can be sprouted. It is important to use pure seeds, never use garden seeds (they are coated with poisons to prevent rot and animals/insects from eating them once planted).

I make very small amounts in a jar. The following amounts are to Fill an entire jar.

Amount Time to Harvest Sprout length

Alfalfa, 2 Tbsp 3-6 Days 1-2 inches

Clover, Radish, Broccoli- (all about the same as above)

Lentil- 1/2 cup 2-4 Days Length of the seed

Mung- 1/2 cup 2-5 Days 1/2 to 3 inches

Oats- 2/3 cup (Soak only 30-60mins)1-3 Days Length of seed

Rye- 2/3 cup 2-3 Days Length of seed

Soybeans, 1/2 cup 2-6 Days Length of seed

Garbanzo

Sunflower 2/3 cup (soak 1-4 hrs) 1-5 Days 1/4 inch

Wheat 2/3 cup 2-3 Days Length of seed

She also did green pumpkin seeds and others. I just look up a certain seed or bean and look to see how long it needs to be sprouted. Lots of good information on sprouting on the Internet.

The following are creative ways of using sprouts;

Green Salads, Potato Salads, Wraps, Stir Fry, Rice dishes, Saute with Onion, Sushi, Chili (Sprout kidney beans for one day first), Stew, other soups, Blend into a shake, Mix with cream cheese and eat as a dip, Mix into pancake or waffle(wheat sprouts), In omelets or scrambled eggs. And I am going to add sprouted pumpkin seeds, quinoa and sprouted sunflower seeds to homemade bread. These are just a few ways to add more nutrition into your diets.

Lentil Sprout Stir Fry-(This was yummy)

Cook Sprouted lentils with chopped onion, celery and a little soy sauce. Enjoy!

New Uses for Cake Mixes

Ok, so these aren't the healthiest recipes, but they are delicious and oh-so fun to make.

Blackberry-Peach Cobbler
Ingredients
1 can peaches, undrained
2-3 fresh peaches
1c frozen blackberries, thawed w/juice
1 box french vanilla cake mix
1/2c butter

Directions
Slice peaches and layer with berries in a 9x13 pan. Cover with dry cake mix (straight from the box). Pat down tightly. Cut butter into pads and place all over the top.
Bake at 375* for 45 min, until bubbly and lightly browned.

*You could use all fresh fruit or all canned. If using all fresh, you made need to add a little liquid.
*My husband loves the topping, so we used 1.5 bags of cake mix and 1.5 sticks of butter.

Mini-Microwaved Cakes
Ingredients
3T dry cake mix, straight from box
4tsp water

Directions
Mix mix and water in a small tupperware (or other microwave-safe dish). Microwave for 30-40 seconds.
Enjoy an absolutely delicious, fluffy, fun-size cake.

*Top with frosting, fruit, or anything else that sounds good.
*I'm going to try this with brownie mix next time; I'll let you know how it goes.

Guacamole

This is the would-a-been award-winning guacamole, had the elder's quorom followed through on the contest...

Ingredients
3-4 avocadoes, pitted & peeled
1 small onion
2 Roma tomatoes
2 limes
1 bundle cilantro
garlic powder to taste

Mash the avocadoes to desired consistency. (We liked it a little chunkier instead of pureed.) Finely chop tomatoes, onions, and cilantro, again according to consistency. Add to avocadoes. Squeeze lime juice in. Add garlic powder to taste. (1tsp-ish, I think.) Garnish with chopped onion, tomatoes, and cilantro and a slice of lime.

A much better bar

I played around with the recipe, and I like this one a lot better. Still no added sugar or oil/fat.

Ingredients
1 banana, mashed (or 2 if you like)
1-1/2c applesauce
1 egg
1c whole wheat flour
1/2c white flour (you could try all one or the other, but I mixed them)
3/4c oats
1tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1tsp baking soda
2T warm water
chopped fruits or nuts to taste

Mix banana, egg, & applesauce. Add flour, oats, & spices. In a separate bowl mix baking soda with warm water. Add to rest of ingredients. Bake at 350* in greased & floured 9x13" pan for 15-20 min.

This is a much better consistency in my opinion, lighter and a little more cakey. The extra spice mixes it up a bit.

My first creation

Andrew has been begging me to find a recipe for a healthy, filling bar. This is what I came up with. Personally, I think the texture needs a little work. Please give me ideas for how to make it a little...I'm not sure what.

Applesauce Oatmeal Fruit Bars
2 bananas, mashed
1c applesauce
1 egg
1-1/2c flour (I used half white, half whole wheat)
3/4c oats
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
opt. any chopped nuts or fruit (We used strawberries & it was divine!)

Beat egg. Stir in applesauce & mashed bananas. Mix in all other ingredients. Add any other 'extras'. Bake at 350* for about 20 minutes.

Do you have any healthy baked good recipes? Other healthy snacks?