Sweet Potato Salad w/ Avacado, Pistacio's and Cran raisens

This is a recipe tweaked a lil' from my AMAZING friend Barbara Dunn. My kids eat it up like candy, and it is a an amazingly beautiful salad, whole-foodalicious, and a Kick-A alternative to those sugary thanksgiving Yams or Sweet Potato's.....I PROMISE this salad will knock your socks off....If I can find a picture, I will add it later.<3 br="br">
You will need:

Fresh Rosemary
Sea Salt
1 cup dried cranberries, 
3 cubed avocado's,
 half a red onion chopped. 
4 large peeled, cubed steamed Sweet Potato's. 
 2/3 cup Shelled Pistachio's.


 Directions: Place cubed baked potato on a cookie sheet or in a glass pan, drizzle with olive oil ,then toss with rosemary and sea salt. Broil in Oven on high for about 10 minutes, check on every 2 minutes so they do not burn, done when you can pierce easily with a fork....pour in a glass bowl and chill in the refrigerator while prepping the rest of the food. When chilled, toss everything in together mix well and add dressing.

Toss with dressing of:

  2/3c Maple Syrup, 1/4 c Balsamic Vinegar , juice of 1/2 lemon , T olive oil. Let the flavors rest together and serve.

My Moms Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie/ Original...and SUGAR FREE version

Yep with a diabetic kiddo, on board, we watch our sugar content and try to up the Fiber...but the biggest thing for a type one diabetic (which is VASTLY different than a type 1 diabetic) is CARBS.
So we watch the fatty carbs for Gavin, while I struggle with Sugar, and Yeast...and most processed stuff. Lupus can also cause Irritable Bowl Syndrome...on top of the lovely amount of steroids I have had to take throughout the last ten years .. it bumps up my intolerance for sugar, AKA Insulin resistance.

Soo I end up making A "Original Version"...for the other Nine peps in our fam..but also do a Sugar Free, version for me and my Gav.

Even with the bread we make, I buy a special flour that gives a whopping 5 grams protein per 1/4 cup....

Original Pumpkin Pie
(makes Two Pies

* 2 eggs
* 2 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
* 2 (12 ounce) Sweetened Condensed Milk
* 4 oz (half a block) of Softened Cream Cheese
* 1 -9 inch unbaked pie shell



Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Combine ingredients.
3. Pour into pie crust.
5. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 45 minutes.
6. Cool and garnish with whipped cream.




Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie
(sometimes for a treat I bake this without crust to be extra healthy)

* 2 eggs
* 2 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
* 3/4 cup Splenda granular/ or Tablespoons Stevia
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
* 2 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
* 4 oz (half a block) of Softened Cream Cheese
* 1 -9 inch unbaked pie shell



Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Combine ingredients.
3. Pour into pie crust.
5. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 45 minutes.
6. Cool and garnish with whipped cream/ blended with vanilla & Splenda

Freezer Spagetti Sauce with FRESH tomatoes

Well don't I feel all proud of myself! I didn't grow up with the whole "grow your own stuff and can it" kind of family. Learning how to make bread, opened my eyes to a WHOLE bunch of "No way,I Can't do that's"...that NOW "I SOO CAN DO! "

After taking all of my squash and zucchini out and making 1000 uses of it... freezing most, next came those sad, big and little green tomatoes, that just didn't get enough time in Mr.Sun to turn red...so I stuck them on a big industrialized table in my dinning room, right by a sunny window.... and rotated them daily, and walah my little greenies were blazing red and juicy ready for what ever came next...and to be honest. I had. no . idea. what I really wanted to do with them. I have made salsa, but we prefer Mango Salsa...so THEN...I found this raz-ma-taz recipe..and I thought "here we go"...It was SO EASY..and D-Sang is it GOOD!
Now I have 22 cups of ready made Spaghetti Sauce , chillin' in my freezer!
I added 2 pounds cooked of hamburger, 1 pound of Sausage in onions and Garlic, the last hour of cooking.
I put 6 cups of the cooled finished product in Freezer Bags...and used some with our dinner.
For EXTRA cheesy YUMMO spaghetti, try putting your hot noodles on the plate, followed by a sprinkle of grated mozerella cheese, Spaghetti Sauce, and them another sprinkle of grated fresh Parmesan..just takes boring old spaghetti to a whole other level!


Ingredients

* 4 onions, chopped ( I used one and some dehydrated onions)
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 green bell pepper, chopped (In used a frozen bag of mixed , green red and yellow)
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 16 cups chopped tomatoes
* 2 tablespoons dried oregano *or instead of all of these use a great Italian seasoning* (like from Costco and do 4 TB spoons) I also used some fresh Rosemary.
* 2 tablespoons dried basil
* 1/4 cup chopped parsley
* 1/4 cup white sugar
* 2 tablespoons Garlic salt
* 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper


Directions

1. In a slow cooker saute together the onion, garlic, green pepper, and vegetable oil. Cook until onion is transparent.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes, oregano, basil, parsley, sugar, salt, and ground black pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 hours on low heat. Stir frequently.
3. Let sauce cool. Pour sauce into quart size freezer containers. Store in freezer.

Teriyaki Salmon

Such a YUMMY, Easy quick way to make a healthy dinner. With School starting and 7 kids in 9 activities...still Homeschooling some, three at Montessori, and six still at home, EASY , healthy FAST dinners are a MUST! My kids gobbled this Salmon up with brown rice and steamed veggies!

I found this and I may not go back to my regular go to Salmon marinade!
http://allrecipes.com

I doubled this and it worked for 4 Salmon steaks!

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 1/4 cup lemon juice
* 1/4 cup soy sauce
* 1 teaspoon ground mustard
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 4 (6 ounce) salmon steaks

Directions

1. In a large resealable plastic bag or shallow glass container, combine the first six ingredients; mix well. Set aside 1/2 cup for basting and refrigerate. Add salmon to remaining marinade; cover and refrigerate for 1-1/2 hours, turning once. Drain and discard marinade. Place the salmon on a broiler pan. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 5 minutes. Brush with reserved marinade; turn and broil for 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Brush with marinade.

Zucchini Apple Pie

....So BRACE yourself cause your gonna be like "No WAY..and then I'm gonna be like "Way"!!!!This is such a FUN, sneaky way to get your kids (and Hubie) to eat their veggies... to be HONEST I read about this and thought "NO WAY"...This recipe had NO apples in it, I didn't think their was ANY way that someone could make Zucchini's TASTE like APPLE PIE....but my husband DID NOT KNOW the difference, and if I hadn't made the pie...I probably wouldn't have either. Give er' a try , this pie was REALLY good and I will plan on making it again REALLY soon!

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/zucchini-apple-pie/Detail.aspx


Ingredients

* 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
* 2 large zucchini
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1 pinch salt
* 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
* 1 pinch ground nutmeg
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Peel the zucchini. Cut into quarters lengthwise, then remove seeds and cut crosswise (as you would cut apples for apple pie). Toss together 4 cups chopped zucchini, lemon juice and salt. Place mixture into frying pan and cook until tender-crisp.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, cream of tartar, nutmeg and flour. Add the cooked zucchini to sugar mixture and mix well. It will be a little runny, but that's OK.
3. Place filling into a 9 inch pie crust, dot with butter, and place top crust on. Bake in oven at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Watermelon, Pinapple , Nana smoothie...

First you take your Water melon and you cut-it, you cut-it...you cut it, cut , it cut it...Then you take your Nana and you peel-it you peel-it , you peel it peel it peel it...Smoothies, your making smoothies...your making smoothie-smoothie smoothies...

Annoying,however the song my kids were singing while we made these for breakfast.
Whats nice is both watermelon and Banana's are easy for kids to cut with butter knifes...so them can help in the kitchen.

Here goes the recipe:

3 cups Pineapple Juice
3 Cups Cut up Watermelon
2 banana's
2 cups ice...

Then you: blend it , you blend it ....you blend it blend it blend it...
Next you : Drink it...you...OK done being obnoxious for the day.

Homemade Hummus Dip...Yummmmm!

OK Alicia this one is for you!
Pics later this week!

If ya'll are wondering What the HECK is Hummus?....

Hummus is a creamy puree of chickpeas and tahini (sesame seed paste) seasoned with lemon juice and garlic, and is a popular spread and dip in Greece and throughout the Middle East. Hummus can be served as part of a meze platter; with bread or vegetable crudités for dipping; as a spread or filling for pita, lavash or Turkish pide bread; or as a tasty, creamy alternative to butter, or Mayo in sandwiches. A spoonful or two of hummus can also be added to Middle Eastern or Greek-style pilafs and stews to add richness. I LOVE IT in this wrap for lunch.
I eat em with Stacey's Pita chips...and as a matter of fact I will be posting how to make PITA bread this next week too!

This recipe is from www.allrecipes.com

Ingredients

* 2 cloves garlic (or 2 TBSP minced Garlic)
* 1 (19 ounce) can garbanzo beans, 1/2 cup the liquid reserved
* 4 tablespoons lemon juice
* 3 tablespoons tahini
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon Cumin
* 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. In a blender, chop the garlic. Pour garbanzo beans into blender. Place lemon juice, tahini, chopped garlic,salt cumin in blender. Blend until creamy and well mixed.
2. Transfer the mixture to a medium serving bowl. Pour olive oil over the top.

Vegetarian Black Bean, Cilantro-Lime Mangolishious Burgers

Say that bad boy five times fast!
Sooo Simple and Yummy! Confession, in my younger years this Hippie, was a vegetarian for 3 years…and once the rainoids, and anemia set in…I once again became a MEAT girl…but, this dinner was gobbled by the kiddies and the grown-ups.
P.S. For the pure Carnivores I have faith these wouldn’t be to shabby with plain old hamburger patties either….(I might add a lil chili powder and Cumin to the meat though)…

*Tad bit Spicy Alert*.

Items Needed:
I box ala Costco of Morning Star Chipolte Black Bean Burgers
1 bag (ala Costco as well) Oro-wheat Sandwich thins… (We use these for EVERYTHING, with a lil’ fella with diabetes they limit the carbs…now I’m feeling guilty about the doughnut post)

For toppings:

*Cilanto-Lime Dressing
2/3 cup Mayo
2/3 cup Sour Cream
3-4 Tables spoon Lime Juice
Handful of chopped Cilantro
*whisk together

*Grilled Mango tossed on the grill next to the Burgers
Or Mango Salsa… (since I was being creative…all we had was Salsa, Grilled Pineapple slices would be killer on this too)

*Fresh Lettuce

*Sliced Monterey Jack Cheese

Directions:
DON”T DEFROST Burgers …throw em on the grill Rock Solid COLD…grill according to directions…add cheese slices a minute to the end…
I like my buns toasty …so I toss em face down on the grill for a minute or two.
Spread the Cilantro-Lime Dressing on booth faces of bread; add burger, mango, and lettuce…
I cut all of ours in half to make them easier for munching…ENJOY!

Homemade Fruit Leather

If your kids are anything like mine ....SNACKS are NOT optional...they are as important as the AIR they breath...please tell me I am not the ONLY mom whose life revolves around the short people needing to feed again.
String Cheese, baggies of Granola, Cut up fruit, Veggies...you name it they WILL eat it.
Well tired of the whole "fruit snack" movement...what the he%# are in those things anyway?...I found this recipe and thought "Ya Boss"...

So here goes...and I KNOW what they are putting in those beautiful busy bodies!
Thank you my "Sandra Lee, Semi-Homemade Cool kids Cooking Book"!

Items Needed:
1 bag (16 oz) desired loose-pack frozen fruit, thawed*
Sugar (optional) * I use organic

Preheat oven to 140 degrees F or warm setting.Loosely line a 17x12 inch rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap,leaving extra plastic wrap draping over edges, set aside.

Place thawed fruit in a blender.
Blend up on Puree. Scrape side and make sure everything is completely blended up and smooth...

Next pour in pan...tilt pan back and forth until the bottom of pan is evenly covered.

Place baking pan in preheated oven. leave oven door open about 4-6 inches to allow moisture to escape.

Dry fruit for about 6 hours or until middle of puree is barley sticky...

Place on wire rack and cool completely.

To remove from pan, peel plastic wrap back back. Working from one of the short ends, roll fruit leather up, peeling back the plastic wrap as you go.

Cut up into single serving size with a sharp knife.

Store in Airtight container: or Gallon size baggie (hello am I the only person on earth whose Tupperware lids disappear?)they can stay at room temperature for up to 3 weeks, refrigerator, for two months..or freezer for three!

If you are using fruits that tend to brown such as peaches...add a table spoon of lemon juice to Blender...

Fruit idea's:

Strawberry
Blueberry
Mango/Strawberry
Peach/Blueberry
Apple/Strawberry
Plum/Cherry

One Ingredient FAT FREE- Banana ICE-CREAM

Ingredient:
Frozen Chopped ripe banana's

Extras:
Frozen Strawberries, Mango, Blueberries....chocolate sauce, Peanut Butter



One Ingredient Banana Ice Cream. Seriously! As a Mom of a Diabetic kid...I was like, No way...WAY DUDE! Put about four chopped, frozen bananas in the food processor. ( I have a TON because I always have frozen chopped banana's in Gallon bags at my house, perfect for a teething baby , or a cool snack for lil' kids to munch! (Let them sit on the counter for 10 minutes or so so they aren’t quite so hard. Pulse until they are well chopped up. Then let the food processor or blender, but make sure it is a HIGH Quality blender ( RIP my cheap Black and Decker blender).. run for 2-3 minutes, you can scrape it down a few times, but it will soon become a wonderfully smooth texture. It will look like a perfect soft-serve ice cream. The short people LOVE this stuff.Of course I had to put some chocolate syrup on top....but we have added extras like frozen strawberriess, blueberries, PB (with the PB ...ya lost the Fat-Free...but added some protein) This stuff is so smooth and creamy that you can’t even tell it’s banana—well, except for the flavor.You’ll want to freeze bananas before they get to that black, really overripe stage for this ice cream). Bananas just starting to get “freckles” are the best. If you like bananas, you’ve got to give this a try! A perfectly healthy treat ...and pretty darn delish too!

Greek Wrap ~ MY FAVORITE LUNCH!!!!

Repeat after me: Hummus is our friend! I will be posting a homemade Hummus recipe this week!
GIVE these a whirl...you won't regret it!
Ingredients:
• Flour Tortilla
• 1/2 cup premade hummus
• 2/3 cups spinach
• Half a handful sliced red onion
• 1/3 cup chopped cucumber
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• Half handful crumbled feta cheese
• Olive tapenade
• 1/4 cup Caesar dressing
Directions:
1.
To assemble, lay a tortilla flat on your work surface. Spread Hummus one ½ inches thick down middle of tortilla. Sprinkle Feta Cheese on top.
2.
Next layer cucumber, red onion, tomato and olive Tapenade.
3.
Last add remaining spinach and drizzle dressing over the top.
4.
Fold down top and fold up bottom, fold in sides then paste with sauce

Glazed Spiced Pumpkin Bars ~healthy

Found these one Fiber One Recipe's....we make these when we all need a lil' more fiber in our diet (If ya'll know what I mean)

Ingredients:
2 cups Fiber One® original bran cereal
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
4 to 6 teaspoons orange juice

Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 15x10x1-inch pan with cooking spray, or grease and flour pan. Place cereal in resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag and crush with rolling pin or meat mallet (or crush in food processor).
In large bowl, beat oil, 1/2 cup orange juice, the pumpkin and eggs with electric mixer on low speed until well blended. Stir in crushed cereal; let stand 10 minutes.
Beat in remaining bar ingredients except walnuts on low speed until well blended. Stir in walnuts. Spread evenly in pan.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and enough of the 4 to 6 teaspoons orange juice for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle over bars. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 4 rows.

Crunchy Granola ~ Our summer vesion of Oatmeal !!!

Ingredients
• 6 cups rolled oats (not quick-cooking or instant)
• 2 cups chopped almonds (I use Costco raw almonds kind and chop them with my Boche)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or MUCH more to taste
• Dash salt
• 1/2 to 1 cup honey or maple syrup, or to taste
* 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 cup raisins or chopped dried fruit, optional, I LOVE me some Craisens or dehydrated blueberries


Directions
• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.





2. On slightly oiled cookie sheet pour oats and pre chopped nuts, mix well.
 3.In a glass pourable bowl, melt cinnamon, salt and sweetener, and coconut oil for 45 seconds in the microwave or stove top. Pour and mix into Oats and Mix on a sheet pan making sure you flip and scrape the bottom and put in oven. Bake for 30-50 minutes or a little longer, stirring every 10-12 minutes. Mixture should brown evenly; the browner it gets without burning, the crunchier the granola will be.
• 2. Remove pan from oven and add raisins or dried fruit. Cool on a rack, stirring once in a while until granola reaches room temperature. Transfer to a sealed container and store in refrigerator; it will keep indefinitely.

* Soooo YUMMY with Almond Milk , In a Baggie for snacks...or over Yogurt!

*Yield About 8 cups (at least 16 servings)
Time 40 minutes

KILLER Oatmeal Cookies *Dairy and Gluten free option*

BEST OATMEAL COOKIES EVER!!!These bad-boys have NO White Flour, or White Sugar!!!!
I double and freeze or share! Pictures coming soon!

Estimated Times:
Preparation - 15 min | Cooking - 10 min | Cooling Time - 1 min cooling | Yields - 48 cookies (4 dozen)

Ingredients:

· 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour or Pamela's Gluten Free bread and baking mix

· 1 teaspoon baking soda

· 3/4 teaspoon salt

. 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

· 1 3/4 cups packed brown sugar

· 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened *or* 1 cup coconut oil

· 2 large eggs

· 2 tablespoons milk *or* 2 Tablespoons Soy Milk

· 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

· 2 1/2 cups quick or old-fashioned oats

· 1 cup Semi-Sweet or Dark Chocolate Chocolate Morsels

· 1cup Raisins

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat brown sugar, butter and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats, morsels and nuts; mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto greased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies or 12 to 13 minutes for crispy cookies. Cool on baking sheets for 1 minute; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Spinach Salad w/ Bacon, Feta, Red Onion and Yellow Raisins

* Quick Salad to take to those Family Picnics/ Reunion….or work party’s everyone loves it!!!

Ingredients:
• 1/2 lb bacon
• 2 lb spinach, (or box of prewashed Spinach from Grocery Store, take a couple handfuls out)
• ½ Chopped Red Onion
• 1 cup Yellow raisins
• 1 cup Feta Cheese

DRESSING

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 TBSP of Bacon drippings
• 1/2 small onion, finely grated
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions
1.
Cook bacon until crisp.
2.
Drain on paper towels; reserve 3 tblsps drippings for dressing.
3.
Crumble bacon; add bacon, Onion, raisins, and Feta to Spinach.
4.
Combine mayonnaise, onion, oil, vinegar, sugar and mustard with reserved drippings.
5.
Toss with dressing or put lid on and shake Box of Salad…..

YUMMMO!

Spinach, Apple, Walnut, Ranch Salad

It's spring!!! I am going to be posting A LOT of Salad recipes...because well..we eat A LOT of Salad....and kid friendly salads are a big deal for us Moms...that don't have A Lot of time...but want our kids to eat healthy.

Ingredients:
Medium Bag of Whole Fresh Baby Spinach ~ wash, break stems off and pat dry

4-5 fresh crisp sweet apples (Brae burn or Gala) de-cored and cut up bite sized
1 cup chopped Roasted Walnuts
2/3 cup or six chopped green onions
1 cup Ranch Dressing
1/2 cup (or more) dried Cranberries

Mix all ingredients in Large bowel including dressing and serve immediately...
My kids eat this up and it is soo fast!!!

Butternut "French" Fries

I got this recipe off the "Hungry Girl Website" over a year ago.
I make them all of the time (especially if I am using half of a butternut squash for another recipe).

In italics are the changes I have made...these are really, really good..kinda like sweet potato fries.

Face it, french fries are one of the greatest tasting foods known to man. But they're no-nos when it comes to dieting. Of course, if you're feeling ambitious, you can whip up a batch of HG's Bake-tastic Butternut Squash fries. Yep, you can make crispy, wonderful, sweet fries out of our new best friend, the butternut squash. And, what's even better is that this is our easiest recipe ever. So pay close attention. VERY close attention. Because what we're about to share with you may very well change your life...forever!

Ingredients:
1/2 butternut squash
kosher salt

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Peel and de-seed your butternut squash. If you're unfamiliar with handling them, you may have a little trouble at first. They're fairly easy to peel, but you'll need a sharp knife to cut them. Once your orange friend is peeled and seed-free, slice it in half. Then cut it up into french fry shapes. We like to use a crinkle cutter to make authentic looking crinkle cut fries, but they'll work any way you slice 'em. Place on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick spray. Cover lightly with kosher salt (regular salt works, too, but we prefer kosher). Place tray in your pre-heated oven and bake for 40 minutes or so, flipping halfway through baking process. Fries are done when they are starting to brown on the edges and get crispy. Serve with ketchup, or however else you enjoy fries or sweet potato fries!

* When Slicing the Butternut (it IS THICK) use a good knife..and make potato log like size slices...because your squash will shrink and lose water during baking.

When baking the fries ...I olive oil spray my pan....do a light dusting of Sea salt and rosemary (I like them better with rosemary, but I am weird) ON THE PAN BEFORE placing the uncooked fries onto it.

I then do another light spraying and dust more Sea Salt and Rosemary.

I like to eat them with BBQ Sauce...YUMMY!!!

Nutritional Info:


Serving Size: 5 oz., uncooked
Calories: 65
Fat: 0g
Sodium: 486mg (includes salt)
Carbs: 16.5g
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 3g
Protein: 1g

* 1 Point