Healthy Oatmeal Mint Cookies

These are a nice healthy cookie that you don't have to feel bad for eating.

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/4 cups of large flaked rolled oats

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 TBLS cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup applesauce

1 TBLS molasses (brown sugar + maple syrup)

1 egg ( beat w/ one TBLS water)

1 tsp vanilla

mint chocolate chips 

Mix all dry ingredients together, then mix wet separately. Add wet ingredients to dry. 

Cool mix for 20 min. in fridge to let oats expand.

Preheat 335 degrees

Bake 10 min. 

*I cook for less than ten minutes and pull them out while still gooey. If they are cooked longer they dry out more and are more similar to a granola bar which can be good, just different.

**If you don't like mint substitute for rasion + walnut, white chocolate chips + cran-raison, chocolate chips, or whatever is your favorite addition.

Fish Panini

I make this when I'm looking for something quick and easy to cook for myself, yet still delicious.

Ingredients:

Fish (Talapia is cheap and tasty)

Onion

Garlic

Lime

Lettuce

Tomato

Mozzarella Cheese

Wheat Bread

Cook fish in pan with lime, garlic, and onion. When almost cooked sprinkle on Mozzarella Cheese. Use some sort of good wheat or nine grain bread. Lightly brush olive oil on outside of bread. add Tomato, Lettuce, and maybe avocado. Then grill in Panini press or in pan. 

Artichoke Dip

1 Large can of artichokes, drained, and chopped

½ C. Sour cream

1/3 C. Mayonnaise

½ C. Parmesan Cheese (its better if it real and fresh)

Pre-heat oven to 350 .Combine artichokes, sour cream, and mayonnaise plus ¼ C. of the Parmesan cheese, mix well. Pour remaining ¼ C. of Parmesan cheese over tip. Bake 25-30 minutes in shallow baking dish. Enjoy!

Note: Low calorie sour cream and mayonnaise may be used. Serve with your favorite crackers and cut up carrots, zucchini, and other veggies.

*I always do at least double the cheese when I make it. Just buy a container of the cheese and use half when your mixing it and the rest on the top and it will be like how I make it. But the fake cheese doesn’t work! So make sure it’s the good kind. Make sure it bubbles in the  center before taking it out.

Popovers.

Popovers are delicious. Enough said.

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Heat oven to 425 degrees. beat together eggs, flour and salt. Put thumb size dabs of butter {yum} in each cup of a muffin pan. Heat the pan in the oven until the butter is bubbly. Beat in milk to the flour mixture {i just blend it all the ingredients my blender, so easy}. Remove pan from oven. Pour batter into cups, filling 2/3 full. bake 20 minutes, turn oven off and leave in oven 5 more minutes to prevent immediate collapse of popovers. Makes 12 popovers.

We love these with raspberry jam. When I make them for me and the hubs I halve the recipe, it's perfect.

Baked Potato Soup

I made this soup tonight and let me tell you, it was delish. There is nothing better than hot soup on an icy night.

Ingredients:

5 large baking potatoes
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
6 cups milk
1 {8 ounce} package shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 {3 ounce} package real bacon bits {i just fry up my own bacon}
1 bunch fresh green onions, chopped, divided
1 {8 ounce} carton sour cream

Directions:

Cook potatoes in the microwave or bake 1 hour at 400 degrees. Cut potatoes lengthwise, scoop out flesh and save. Discard potato shells.

Melt butter in large soup pot over low heat, add flour and stir until smooth. Gradually add milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Stir in potatoes, half of the cheese, bacon, 2 tablespoons green onions and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until hot, but do not boil.

Stir in sour cream and cook until just hot. Spoon into soup bowls and sprinkle with remaining cheese and green onions over each serving.

When making this recipe for 2-3 people I half it. I served my soup with popovers...recipe coming soon! Enjoy!

Salsa or Pico de Gallo

So in my little family we LOVE to eat homemade salsa. So much that we go every Friday in the summer to the farmers market to get the ingredients. We are always so sad when October 31st comes and we have to buy the ingredients at the regular grocery store. We still make it though every week. My kids love it everyday. They eat omelets with fresh salsa every morning and chips and salsa for an after school snack.

I don't really have a recipe... we make up as we go. Steve actually makes up a better batch than me but his is always a bit hotter.

INGREDIENTS:

Onion (red and yellow)

Tomatoes (we like roma best & sometimes throw in another brand for the juice)

Peppers (jalapeno, habanero, anaheim & chili) whatever looks exciting

cilantro

garlic salt (to taste)

pepper (to taste)

fresh limes (sometimes if I don't have limes I cheat and use bottled lime juice)

Dice everything up and stir together - Try it a couple of times with tortilla chips before serving.

It turns out a little different every time. We just keep adding ingredients until it looks and tastes great.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

When I want something good and cheesy, I make this. I can make it a lot healthier than it would be if I got pizza anywhere else, and it's delicious!

 Ingredients:

Chicken

BBQ Sauce

(Sweet Baby Ray's)

Mozzarella Cheese

Parmesan Cheese

Basil

Garlic Salt

Jalepeno

Onion

Thin Wheat Pizza Crust

This is super quick and super good.

First start cooking the chicken. Cook it in a pan drenched in BBQ sauce with diced onion and jalapeno. Take it out when it's almost cooked.

Cover the wheat pizza crust with BBQ sauce, then add the BBQ chicken. Cover lightly with mozzarella and shaved Parmesan or other white cheese. Then lightly sprinkle on garlic salt and Basil.

Throw it in the oven, and make sure that it doesn't burn!

Breadsticks

Yummy Breadsticks

Breadsticks

2 cups warm water

1 Tbsp. yeast

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 teas. salt

4+ cups flour

Combine water, yeast and sugar first and let sit for 2 min. Add salt and flour. Mix well. Preheat oven to 375. Let dough stand for 10-15 min. Roll out to size of large cookie sheet. Melt ¼ c. butter in cookie sheet in preheating oven. Lay down prepared dough onto cookie sheet. Spread ¼ c. melted butter on top and sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese and garlic salt. Cut dough into breadsticks with pizza cutter.

Bake on 375 for 15-20 min. until golden edges.

Cream of Pumpkin Soup

Leave it to me to post something unhealthy!! Make any changes you want and let me know how it works out and what you do!

1/2 cup onion, minced

2 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

3 cups chicken broth

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 cup whole milk

1. Saute onion in butter until tender. Add flour and stir.

2. Slowly add broth. With whisk stir in pumpkin, brown sugar, salt and pepper until smooth.

3. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

4. Stir in milk and cook until heated through.

5. Serve with roasted pumpkin seeds.

Makes 5 cups

{from the I Do Cookbook for the Bride&Groom}

Zuppa Toscana Soup

Have you ever had this soup from Olive Garden? Delicious. This homemade version is just as tasty.

Ingredients:

1 lb. italian sausage {spicy if you like it with a little kick} - crumbled

1/2 lb. smoked bacon - chopped {optional, i never add this...}

1 qt. water

2 14.5 oz. cans {about 3 2/3 cups} chicken broth

2 large russet potatoes - scrubbed clean and cubed {I love lots of potatoes so I always add extra}

2 garlic cloves - peeled and crushed

1 medium onion - peeled and chopped

2 cups chopped kale OR swiss chard {you can also use spinach, tastes the same}

1 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it; drain and set aside. In a skillet over medium-high heat brown bacon; drain and set aside. Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender. Add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes. Add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through.

I love this soup. It is perfect for the the winter months! Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

I got this recipe on allrecipes.com when I was looking for a whole wheat pizza crust. It was delicious.

Making a round pizza crust was rather difficult so while it didn't look perfect, it tasted really good!

Ingredients:

1 tsp white sugar

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F)

1 Tbls active dry yeast

1 Tbls olive oil

1 tsp salt

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or use all wheat flour like I did)

Step 1: In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy. 

Step 2: Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then mix in the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining all-purpose flour, and knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 

Step 3: When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 2 pieces for 2 thin crust, or leave whole to make one thick crust. Form into a tight ball. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled. 

Step 4: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Roll a ball of dough with rolling pin until you can't any more. Drape over both of your fists, and gently pull the edges outward, while rotating the crust. When the circle is the size you'd like it, place it on a well oiled pizza pan. You can then top pizza with your favorite toppings, such as sauce, cheese, meats, or vegetables. 

Step 5: Bake for about 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until the crust is crisp and golden at the edges. Be careful because the toppings cook much faster than the crust so it may be a good idea to cook the crust a little before you top it with ingredients so that you don't burn everything.

Chicken Stir Fry

This is quick, easy, healthy, and delicious

Start by using 1 piece of chicken per person, cut in bite sized squares, and placed into frying pan. Marinate in teriyaki sauce, diced onion and jalapeno. Once chicken is slightly cooked begin adding vegetables of your choosing. Start with carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower, and other veggies that take longer to cook. Later add more onion, yellow squash, green pepper, zucchini. Last add spinach and cabbage. You can use whichever veggies you'd like, just add more teriyaki sauce as you add veggies.

Sometimes sauce gets watery so poor out some water and then add more sauce. I use a lot of jalapeno and hot yellow pepper like usual, but make sure you don't over do it. This is a great way for some one to eat veggies who normally doesn't like them. The chicken in this turns out so great. Eat with rice or noodles if you'd like.

Wheat Pumpkin Muffins

 It's Halloween so pumpkin is necessary.

 These are a really great healthy muffin.

Whisk...

1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup pecan mean (Flaxseed, bran)

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

Whisk...

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup buttermilk (1/2 cup milk + 1/2 T lemon)

2 eggs slightly beaten

1/4 cup applesauce

+ raisins or chocolate chips

Poor wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon

Cook on 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes

BBQ Chicken

Again this is basic, but worth it.

 

I've started a workout with my brother and all his friends, so we've been trying to eat really healthy lately. Trying to think of a new healthy meal every night has been difficult, yet fun. We've come up with some tasty things this week.

Ingredients:

Chicken

  Mozzarella Cheese

Jalapeno

Sweet Baby Ray's Hickory and Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce

I know that any BBQ sauce will work, but this particular sauce is delicious. Saute the chicken in a pan, covered in the BBQ sauce and very finely diced jalapeno. The jalapeno gives a nice little kick to your chicken. As the sauce cooks out keep adding more so the chicken never dries out.

Baked Stuffing Chicken

This recipe is a new favorite in our house - I love that I can whip up a Thanksgiving-ish meal in such a quick amount of time.

Ingredients:

chicken breasts or tenderloins
1 can of cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
stove top stuffing

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat the chicken in cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup and then coat it in the stuffing. Place in a baking dish and bake for 15-25 minutes {depending on how much chicken you're making} until cooked through.

Enjoy!

Guacamole

This is one of my favorite things that I make. 

 

Ingredients:

Avacado

Tomato

Onion

Jalapeno

Hot Yellow Pepper

Garlic Salt

Lime

I know that none of these ingredients are anything unusual, but if you add the right amounts this is one of the best guacamole's. I almost hate putting this recipe up, even though I know there is nothing too creative in it.

Usually I'm making it for large groups so I do bigger amounts. I have no idea how much of each ingredient you need so this is a complete guess. Make it by taste.

For every four Avacado's dice one large tomato, half an onion, 1 jalapeno pepper, and about 4 small spicy yellow peppers. Make sure this isn't too many peppers for you before you put them in, this might be too spicy for many of you. Then most importantly add a lot of lime. You usually need more onion and lime than you'd think. I use almost one lime per large avocado. Then add a little garlic salt. These are all guesses on amounts, and each item is different sizes. I'd play around with amounts to see what you like best.

Chocolate Waffles

So this might be the easiest desert ever... it is yummy too.

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cake Mix (or any flavor of cake)

Ingredients to make the cake (oil, eggs, water etc.)

Mix up the cake as if you were going to bake it but instead heat it in your preheated waffle maker. Top it with your favorite ice cream.

Try spice cake and cinnamon ice cream, or white cake with vanilla ice cream and fresh strawberries. You really can't go wrong. This is the dessert I use if someone just drops by and I need to make something fast.

Yummy!

Chicken Pot Pie

I got this recipe from my great friend Lisa.

Alyssa asks for this dinner all of the time, especially if she is sad, or had a really long day... that was her day today so I surprised her and made it. YUM!

Ingredients:

4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup peas

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup cut potatoes (cubed)

1/3 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup flour

2 cup chicken broth

1 cup half and half

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Crust I use the two pack Pillsbury crust that comes in a red box

Preheat oven to 400

Clean and cut chicken breasts into bite size pieces and boil until cooked (approximately 20 minutes).

While chicken is boiling – saute onion, carrots, potatoes, and peas in butter for 10 minutes. Add flour, salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes – stir frequently make sure all of the ingredients are coated lightly in flour.

Combine broth and half and half into vegetable mix and cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (approximately 5 minutes).

Finally add chicken to vegetable mix and stir well – remove from heat and set 5 five minutes.

Put the bottom crust into a lightly coated 8x8x2 pan and cook in the oven until slightly golden brown (approximately 3 minutes).

Remove pan from oven and pour vegetable & chicken mixture into pan. Cover with the top crust, cut four slits into the top of crust – lightly brush top crust with half and half.

Bake uncovered on 400 for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes to set up filling.

We usually eat it with a salad... tonight's had lettuce, strawberries, crumbled sharp white cheddar cheese, cucumbers, and candied almonds...

this is the best comfort food ever - trust me!

Healthy Bran Muffins

When eating these you really have to remember that they are actually pretty good for you. If you think of them as a yummy muffin, you may be disappointed. Most people I have made these for love them and some don't. I personally really like them but I eat rather healthy, and have a really high fiber diet. I like them after I work out because they are good for me and still a treat.

1 cup all purpose flour (whole wheat pastry flour)

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup wheat bran
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
6 tbsp honey (about 1/3 cup)
2 cups buttermilk (1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon, let it sit for a min. or so)
1 egg beaten
3 tbsp melted butter (applesauce)

add cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg, flaxseed meal to your liking

(maybe substitute 1/4 bran for flaxseed if you like it)
1 tbsp cinnamon? less nutmeg than that. I use a lot of cinnamon.

If I'm feeling super weird I add protein powder, then these can be a good recovery snack after a tough workout.

Add dry ingredients, add wet ingredients together, then mix them.

Heat oven to 350 degrees, cook about 15-20 min. Most likely 15.

Calories: 82, Fat: 2.1
(That is before my substitutions. So with them I'm sure it's a lot less.)

My substitutions are in parenthesis, they are either because they are
easier or healthier. I've never actually made them how the recipe is is supposed to be made. They may turn out completely different.

I usually make some with chocolate chips, some with raisin's and walnuts, 

and leave some plain and eat with jam or honey. My favorite is plain and eaten with jam.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

So when my kids started school I decided that I wanted to be one of those Mom's that made cookies for their kids everyday for an after school treat. I would like to say that I have done a pretty good job. They have some sort of a homemade treat everyday. I know what you are thinking... not healthy but guess what? My kids will remember homemade yumminess long after they have left my home.

I got this recipe from a friend of mine. We love the cookie dough it is super. We also sometimes make them into cookies.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 cup shortening (just trust me)

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

4 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. pure vanilla

chocolate chips

Directions:

Add in order. Mix on medium low. Bake at 350 degrees for about 7-8 minutes. I always take them out before they are brown, then they are softer and as my kids would say... moist!

So go make some not healthy after school chocolate chip cookies and sit down with a tall glass of milk and just be happy that you don't have to start your homework when you are finished.

Enjoy!

Chicken Caesar Salad

I have always loved me a good chicken caesar. This isn't so much a recipe as it is a yummy easy meal idea.

Ingredients:

caesar salad mix {with dressing, parmesan cheese, and croutons}
chicken tenderloins {marinated all day in a little caesar dressing, olive oil, salt and pepper}
black olives
hard boiled eggs
baguette

Directions:

After marinating chicken, grill on the barbecue. Meanwhile, warm baguette in the oven at 400 degrees until crispy, toss salad, and boil eggs.

Easy and delish. Enjoy!

Grilled Steak Sandwich

Every once in awhile my family makes steak for Sunday dinner. My favorite part is what I can make with the leftovers. This time my brother requested I make grilled steak sandwiches for lunch. As you can see the results were delicious. 

This is a great way to spice up your sandwiches. I don't own a panini press, but if you do I would recommend using it. My family has a big flat grill that I use almost every day, and I used the grill press on top of that to make these sandwiches.

Ingredients

All grilled with no butter:

Steak

Yellow Peppers

Red Peppers

Onion

Jalepeno

Spinach

9 Grain Bread Loaf

Add after:

Tomato

Avocado

Steak Sauce

cheese

(I prefer using some sort of white cheese 

mixed into the steak)

If you want something to help fry the bread use a little olive oil brushed on.         

These sandwiches are great. You can make them to everyone's preference. Mine is usually mostly vegetables where as my families I make with mostly steak and cheese and little veggies for flavor.

Banana Bread Muffins

I ate these muffins for two weeks straight on a roadtrip I took last month. Usually I get sick of food after a few times and can't eat it again for awhile. I don't do well with repetition in anything. When we finally ran out of muffins, I wished there were more. I don't know if its because the muffins are way good, or because I was super sick of the boys I was with trying to get me to eat McDonald's or PB and J's for most meals, but I was sad when they ran out.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup pastry wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs beaten

2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp nutmeg

Combine the wet and dry ingredients separately, then mix them together.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. You can either cook this as banana bread in a bread pan for about an hour and fifteen minutes, or if you are like me and don't like waiting that long, then use muffin tins. I like the personal size of muffin tins much better anyways.

I actually made up the amounts of cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg. I always add them to my liking, they aren't meant to be in the recipe, so I've never measured how much I use. I use a lot of cinnamon, and then a regular amount of vanilla and nutmeg.

I always make the batter plain and then make three different options. I fill the muffins 2/3 full with batter. Then make about 1/4 of the muffins plain, 1/4 with walnut's and raisins, then make the last 1/2 with chocolate chips. I mix in the walnut's, raisins, and chocolate chips after the batter is in the tin's because then I can make them specific to each person. If your family or friends are much better than mine are at agreeing then I would try to choose one option and mix them before.

If you aren't a fan of wheat flour because it thickens the muffins then use all white flour or lower the amount of wheat flour used. If you want to make them a little bit healthier substitute some of the butter for applesauce. If I'm making them for other people I don't do this, but if they are for me and my family then I sometimes use 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup applesauce.

Also make it as a banana bread loaf!

Chicken Chili

I love making soup in the winter, and this easy chili always hits the spot.
Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 can tomato sauce
1 envelope mild chili seasoning mix
2 cans black beans, drained
sour cream
cheese
corn chips

Directions:

Mix tomatoes, tomato sauce, and seasoning and pour over chicken in crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours or on high for 4-6 hours until juice of chicken is no longer pink at the thickest part of the chicken. Stir to break up chicken. Stir in black beans. Cover and cook for 15 minutes until beans are cooked through. Top with sour cream, cheese, and corn chips.

My sweet sister-in-law gave me this recipe and she taught me this chili can be made much quicker if you have a rotisserie chicken! Just heat everything on the stove and you have the chili in minutes! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made these cookies a few weeks ago because I was really craving pumpkin. If you haven't over done pumpkin flavor yet, try these out. They are almost cake cookies, and are best right out of the oven, or left in the fridge.

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup apple sauce

1 egg

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup wheat pastry flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp milk

1 tbsp vanilla

Add either raisin's or semi-sweet chocolate chips to your liking. I also added cinnamon chips.

Mix pumpkin, sugar, applesauce, egg. Separately mix the rest. Then mix together and add Vanilla.

Cook on 350 degrees F, for around 10 min.

These cookies are great and are relatively healthy. I used 1 cup pastry wheat flour, 1 cup wheat flour. I enjoyed them this way, but for most people they might turn out a little thick. I also substitute some white sugar for brown sugar. If you don't care about healthy and want them to taste better, use all white flour and vegetable oil instead of applesauce.