Strawberry Smoothie

Strawberry Smoothie

1 cup frozen strawberries

1/2 cup plain, non-fat yogurt

1 tsp strawberry flavored sugar-free gelatin (powder only)

In microwave safe container, thaw strawberries in microwave for 1 minute on high.  Add yogurt to blender (or Magic Bullet), pour in the slightly softened strawberries and sprinkle the gelatin over the top.  Blend until completely smooth.  If it's a little thick, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until you have the thickness you like.

It's only 150 calories.  I drink this for breakfast along with peanut butter toast or have it for a snack with cocoa roasted almonds. 

Pumpkin Oatmeal with Cardamom

I just love the Food Network.  And I love the show The Next Food Network Star.  Last season's winner was Aarti Sequeira.  She was my favorite from the very first episode.  She's different and has a unique point-of-view.  I just love her recipes too!  I'm most interested in using different spices to brighten up our everyday meals.  She shared a recipe a few weeks ago which used cardamom.  It's a floral scented spice and can be very strong and very expensive.  I went to Sevenanda and picked up a tiny bit for about $.45.  I figured I give it a try and see if I liked it.  Well, I love it.  Let me share my tweaked "pantry-friendly" version of the Aarti Party recipe.  It was so good!

Pumpkin Oatmeal with Cardamom (adapted from Aarti Party)

14 oz canned pumpkin puree (or about 2 cups)

2 cups water

2 cups vanilla almond milk, plus more for serving

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

chopped almonds

honey

In a large saucepan, whisk pumpkin puree, water, almond milk.  Bring to a boil.  Add cranberries, salt, pumpkin pie spices, cardamom and oatmeal.  Reduce heat and cook about 15 minutes.  Follow the directions on your oatmeal canister.  Stir frequently to avoid sticking on the bottom of the pot.

Serve with chopped almonds, a drizzle of honey and 1/4 cup almond milk.

This was so good!  I think she says there are 4 servings in the pot.  There is no way I could eat that much oatmeal!  I filled my bowl with about 1 cup of the oatmeal and couldn't even eat it all.  It's very filling.  I think it's pretty healthy.  I plugged this into sparkpeople and it came out to be 288.1 calories for 6 servings.  That's good in my book!  I divided the leftovers into 1 cup servings and stored them in the fridge.  I heated them up each morning in the microwave until warm and then drizzled with honey and milk.  Perfect make-ahead meal!  Super fast and healthy breakfast option.

 

 

Peanut Butter Smoothie

Y'all love smoothies.  But recently, your favorite smoothie has been a green smoothie.  It's pretty healthy but still has some calories, so be mindful.  I called it the "Elvis Smoothie" since we all know how much Elvis Presley loved Peanut Butter and Banana sandwiches.  



Green Elvis Smoothie
1 cup fresh spinach leaves*
1 Tablespoon peanut butter
1 Tablespoon chocolate syrup
1 cup almond milk
1 frozen banana

Put everything into a blender or your Magic Bullet

and blend until smooth.

This makes 2 small smoothies or one large one.

2 small smoothies: calories 152.3, fat grams 5.8, carb 23.9 grams, 14.8 grams sugar

YUM!

*You can substitute 1/4 of a 10 oz box of frozen spinach.  Just be sure to thaw and squeeze out the water.

Thin Crust Pizza

We love Friday Night Pizza Nights.  We were making our own pizza dough for nearly a year.  It is delicious, but not very figure friendly.  I found an easy way to make a thin crust pizza using flour tortillas.  And you love to help!  This coral dress is your absolute favorite dress.  You'd wear it everyday given the chance. 


Thin Crust Pizza
flour tortillas
pasta sauce
shredded mozzarella cheese
toppings
Italian seasoning

Lightly toast the flour tortillas in 425 degree oven for a minute or two on the oven racks.

Place them on baking sheets and spread some pasta sauce over them.

Add some veggies (we used peppers).

Sprinkle some cheese.

Top with pepperoni.

Bake in oven at 425 for 3-4 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Finish it with a sprinkling of Italian seasoning and enjoy.


YUM!

Veggie Pinwheels (Vegan)

This is a yummy "sandwich" to serve for a party or shower.  You can add cheese and deli meat if you like.

Veggie Pinwheels
flour tortillas
fresh spinach leaves
cucumbers, cut into sticks
roasted red peppers, cut into sticks
carrots, shredded finely
avocado, sliced into sticks

Layer spinach leaves over the tortilla.  Lay cucumber, peppers, carrots and avocado on the lower 1/3 of the tortilla.  Roll up tightly and cut into thirds.

Yum!

Pink Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Did you know you can dye white almond bark pink?  You can do whatever color you like.  Here's how:

Pink Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
1 package white almond bark
1 Tablespoon Crisco
food coloring, your choice, we used pink
strawberries
white chocolate chips
sugar sprinkles


Melt almond bark in the microwave at 30 second intervals until melted.  Stir in Crisco.  Drop in food coloring and stir.

Dip the strawberries and place onto a waxed line baking sheet.  The almond bark firms up very quickly.

Melt white chocolate chips in microwave at 30 second intervals until melted.  Put into a food storage baggie and clip a small hole in the corner.  Drizzle over the strawberries and let firm up.  Sprinkle with sugar sprinkles to make them even more pretty!

Store in refrigerator overnight in airtight container.  These should be eaten within a day or two of making.  Longer than that and the strawberries begin to "weep" and run juice down the chocolate. 

We never have leftovers!


Enjoy!

Ham and Cheese Roll-Ups

This is a great party food.  Little appetizers or leave them whole for a quick 100 calorie snack.

Ham and Cheese Roll-Ups
deli ham slices
reduced fat skim milk string cheese
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 Tablespoon dried dill weed

Mix cream cheese and dill weed together in a bowl. 

Spread about a Tablespoon on slice of ham.  Lay a length of string cheese on one end and roll up. 

Cut them into pieces if you're having a party

or leave them whole for snacks.

YUM!

No Bake Granola Bar

These are so good!  We've been making them pretty regularly over the last couple of weeks.  I've made Peanuts and Chocolate Chip, Cherry and Almond, Cranberry and Almond, Cherry and Pecan... I think you get the idea.  Make these with your favorites and have fun!

No Bake Granola Bar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup honey
4 cups old fashioned oats (or 2 cups old fashioned and 2 cups quick cooking)
1 cup rice krispies cereal
1 cup dried fruit and/or chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional)

Melt butter, brown sugar and honey in a pot over medium heat.

Bring to boil and turn off the heat.

In the meantime, mix together oatmeal, rice krispies, dried fruit, nuts and coconut. (If you are using the chocolate chips, wait to press them in later on so they don't melt.) 

Pour boiling mixture over the oatmeal mixture

and stir well, coating everything.

Spray a piece of parchment with nonstick cooking spray and place into a 13x9 pan.  Pour mixture into the pan

and (add chocolate chips at this point)

press down firmly using the parchment.  Place in the fridge for 15-30 minutes.

Remove and cut into 16 equal pieces.  Store in an airtight container.

I leave these on the counter in a container to keep the chewy texture.  If you store them in the fridge, they will be harder and more firm.  They are still good.

YUM!

Turkey Cranberry Wreath

This is my most favorite way to use leftover roasted turkey.  Of course, Daddy doesn't like cranberries, but I put them in this one anyway.  It's too good to eat without them!

Back in 1995, I moved out on my own with my best friend, Jodi.  She and I rented a small garage apartment behind Sister Trout's house in Douglasville.  About the same time I got a job working at McMaster-Carr Supply Co.  One of my co-workers introduced me to Pampered Chef.  It was love at first purchase!  I bought nearly every single thing they offered.  I had enough of their products, I could have demonstrated without even receiving a kit from them!  Anyway, after all these years, I still have my original purchases and $1 catalogs.  They are my favorites!  This is one my all-time favorite Pampered Chef recipes.

Turkey Cranberry Wreath (original recipe found in All The Best)
2 cups leftover roasted turkey, chopped
1-1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese, or 6 oz slices, sliced very thin and cut across to resemble grated cheese
1 stalk celery, very finely diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoon honey mustard
pinch of black pepper
2 teaspoons dried parsley (or fresh if you have it)
2 tubes refrigerated crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Combine everything together in bowl.

Create the wreath using crescent rolls.
Lay them in a "sunshine" or "star" design on your baking sheet.

Match up the seams and pinch them together.

Carefully lay them on top of each other, making sure not to pinch the tips of the crescent rolls into the seams.

Scoop the filling over the seams. 

Finish the wreath by pulling up the crescent tips and crossing over the top.  I start with the inside and work my way around. 

Then finish with the outside tips.

Cut any extra bits off using a pizza cutter, it's just easier for me.  If you have kitchen shears, they would work great too.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

YUM!

Serve this up with greens beans, mashed sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce.  Oh my word!  So good!

 You've got to try this one!

Butter Parmesan Noodles

This is a super simple lunch which I serve you and Hunter.  Sometimes I add frozen peas to cool it down.  You both love sweet peas.  

Butter Parmesan Noodles
half a box of pasta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
4 Tablespoons butter
parsley

Boil pasta to al dente per package directions.  Drain and add back to the pot.

Stir in Parmesan and butter.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

 YUM!

Cinnamon Banana French Toast Sticks

When I'm planning our OAMC (once-a-month-cooking), I always try to think of easy breakfast ideas for you and Hunter.  I always have frozen bananas on hand and like to find new ways to use them.  Last year I came upon a great recipe for make-ahead french toast sticks.  They are so good and y'all love them!  I made them initally with the pumpkin but y'all love the banana better.  Here's how I make them:

Cinnamon Banana French Toast Sticks (adapted from OAMM)
15 slices whole wheat bread, cut in half (about a whole loaf)
1/4 cup melted butter
8 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1-1/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup mashed banana (about 1 banana)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.  In a large bowl, whisk butter, eggs, sugar, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and mashed banana until well combined.  Hand-dip the bread into the batter and coat well.  Place on prepared baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and flip to bake other side. (I find they stick a little, but it's worth it.)  Bake other side for 10 minutes.  Remove to cooling rack.  Cool completely before freezing.  Flash-freeze on cookie sheet until frozen about 1 hour.  Once frozen, remove from cookie sheet to freezer storage bag. 

To serve, microwave for 30-45 seconds.  Y'all eat these straight up without any syrup or powdered sugar.  But I'm sure that will change one day!

YUM!

Pumpkin Spice Granola

I love all things pumpkin.  This is one recipe I tried during the fall of the year and we loved it.

Pumpkin Spice Granola
3-1/2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
2-1/2 cups rice cereal (like Rice Krispies)
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with tin foil.
In a large bowl, combine oatmeal and rice cereal.  In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin pie spice, salt, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla.  Whisk until very smooth.  Combine the wet ingredients with the oatmeal and rice cereal, stir to coat evenly.  Spread onto prepared baking sheet.   Bake for 30 minutes, tossing and turning with a spatula every 10 minutes.  Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top and bake another 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle the dried cranberries over the top, tossing and turning to distribute evenly.  Allow to cool completely.  You may need to stir the mixture every so often to make sure it dries out enough.  Once the granola has cooled completely, you can store it in an air tight container in the the pantry. 

We eat this in yogurt parfaits, served with milk in place of boxed cereal and straight up as a snack.

YUM!

Crackle Cookies

This is an easy recipe to use cake mixes.  Chocolate, Lemon, Red Velvet, Strawberry, pretty much any flavored cake mix you buy at the store.  The vanilla ones aren't that great, so don't waste your time with those.  And they don't look nearly as pretty as the others!

 Crackle Cookies
1 box cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup softened butter
1 Tablespoon water
1 cup powdered sugar

Mix everything together by hand (it will burn out your mixer because the batter is so thick).  Place the bowl into the freezer for about 15-20 minutes until very chilled.  Scoop out balls of batter and roll into powdered sugar.  Place on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees F.  The cookies will be soft when coming out of the oven, but allow them to set up for about 5 minutes before removing them to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!