Mini Pumpkin Pecan Muffins

These little jewels I made for my grand baby, Callie. She does attempt to eat different foods. So, I thought I would introduce pumpkin to her. She really liked the taste, because she wanted more then one muffin. That was a good sign!
These muffins have very little oil in them and a whole can of pumpkin with nutmeg, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice which makes a delightful combination of flavors and a nice crunch from the toasted pecans.
Fall and pumpkin always seem to go together and these muffins can be a healthy breakfast or afternoon snack.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup unbromated unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 cup organic evaporated cane sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
15 oz can organic pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons organic canola oil
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans, roasted in small dry pan on medium heat for 5 minutes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a muffin tins with paper liners. This recipe makes 4 dozen mini muffins.

In a medium bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking soda, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Use a wire whisk to mix together and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix pumpkin puree, oil, egg, and vanilla. With a hand mixer beat at medium speed until thick. Scrape down sides of bowl.

Add flour mixture to the wet mixture, then blend on low speed until combined. Do not over mix. Fold in the chopped pecans.

Use a small 1-inch ice cream scoop to put batter into the prepared muffin tins. Fill 3/4 full. Bake 8-10 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Enjoy!

Rustic Peach Tart

This is a tasty low calorie peach pie. The pie crust is made with part whole wheat flour, low fat buttermilk and only small amount of butter. The filling is made from fresh sweet peaches from the farmers market and I left the peaches on the counter for a couple days to ripen and then refrigerated them. They were easy to cut and peel after being refrigerated. This peach tart would taste great served warm with you favorite low fat frozen vanilla yogurt.


Ingredients for crust:

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons low fat buttermilk
3 tablespoons ice water

Ingredients for peach filling:

8 medium peaches, cut in small chunks
1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze for crust:

2 tablespoons low fat buttermilk, in a small bowl
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cold butter, cut in small pieces


Directions:

To prepare the crust, in a medium bowl whisk together the flours, sugar and salt. Add the butter and using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until you gat a pebbly, course texture. In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk and ice water. Using a fork, gradually mix the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture. Pour the dough into plastic wrap and pat the dough into a disk. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Prepare baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, gently mix peaches, brown sugar, flour, salt, lemon juice, cinnamon and vanilla.
Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a large circle about 9-inches in diameter. Drape the dough over the rolling pin, transfer to the prepared baking sheet. If the dough breaks at all patch it up with your fingers.

Arrange the peaches in a mound in the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the border over the filling. It will only cover the peaches partially and does not need to be even.

Brush the folded border with buttermilk and sprinkle sugar around the dough and place the small pieces of butter on the peaches. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling.

Cool the tart on a rack and serve warm with low fat vanilla yogurt. Enjoy!

Low Fat Morning Glory Muffins

These muffins are great for breakfast or a mid-day snack. They are packed with nutrition and fiber that will fill you up and help you get through the day. Your kids will love these muffins and they won't even know they are eating veggies.


Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar or light brown sugar
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple in its own juice, not drained
1 1/2 cups freshly grated carrots, about 2 medium carrots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toast in a small dry pan for 5 minutes

Directions:

Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or spray pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
In a medium bowl, stir sugar, egg, applesauce, vanilla, and milk until well combined. Mix in pineapple, carrots, raisins and pecans.
Add wet ingredients to dry, and mix until just moist. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.
Makes 12 muffins. Enjoy!

Wholesome Shrimp and Veggie Pasta

I have a guest post from my close friend, Jan. She has been enjoying the good life being retired and she just got back from a little mini-vacation to celebrate her hubby, Mike's birthday. They went to the beautiful Fernandina Beach and both had a wonderful time relaxing on the beach.

After that fantastic vacation, she was back home creating some healthy meals and sharing them with me. This recipe has red and yellow bell peppers that is high in potassium and a good source of dietary fiber. It has walnuts that has omega-3 which is heart healthy. This is an easy and quick weeknight meal with lots of nutrition.


Ingredients:

1 box (16 ounces) whole grain pasta

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, separated

1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
15 medium sized un-cooked shrimp, thawed, season with salt and pepper
1-2 tablespoons garlic paste
1-2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper (optional)
1 cup Italian blend shredded cheese
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions:

Cook pasta. Drain, then toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside.
In a large pan, saute peppers and onions in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and saute shrimp over medium heat, 3 minutes per side.
Toss in pasta with garlic paste, basil, red pepper (optional), cheese and walnuts. Enjoy!

Just a little reminder of their vacation at the beach. What a sunset! Wish you were their postcard!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake with Chocolate Frosting

I wanted to make some chocolate chip cookies but then I thought of a cake with chocolate icing. So, I came up with this recipe for chocolate chip cookie cake with chocolate icing. It came out rich and sweet with all the chocolate. This is a good dessert with a tall glass of milk or coffee.


Ingredients for the cake:

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8 1/2 inch round springform pan with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, mix flours, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt and set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar with a hand mixer. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix together well. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Spread the batter into the springform pan and bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until light brown.


Ingredients for chocolate frosting:

4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

In a medium bowl, put melted butter and stir in cocoa. Using a hand mixer, alternate adding powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to spreading consistency. Add more milk if needed. Stir in vanilla. Makes about 1 cup. Spread on cooled cake. Enjoy!

Spiced Pecans for Mother's Day

Here is a sweet treat for Mom for Mother's Day. The pecans are spiced up with cinnamon, vanilla and a dash of ground cloves. When you are making this recipe, the aroma of the cinnamon and cloves makes your whole house smell like the holidays. So, go ahead and make a batch of spiced pecans to celebrate Mom on this special occasion!


Ingredients:

1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
2 cups pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, water, cinnamon,  and cloves.  Use a wooden spoon and stir until sugar dissolves and continue stirring for about 8 minutes. The sugar mixture will be boiling. Add pecans and vanilla and continue stirring until the liquid has absorbs about 8 more minutes.

Have ready a cooking sheet and pour the pecans on the cookie sheet, quickly and use your wooden spoon to separate the pecans because the glaze on the pecans will harden fast. Enjoy!

Cannellini Bean Soup

The cannellini bean is a dried white bean that is soaked overnight. When combined with spices like garlic, parsley, rosemary and thyme, it makes a very flavorful soup. You can serve this as a main course with a simple salad of mixed greens.


Ingredients:

16 ounces dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup diced ham (low sodium)
1 large white onion, chopped
3 medium-diced carrots
2 medium-diced celery
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
6 cups chicken stock, divided (low sodium)

Directions:

Place the beans in a bowl and cover with water. Soak 8 to 12 hours overnight.

In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and saute ham about 5 minutes. Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender. Add garlic, parsley, thyme, and rosemary and cook for 1 more minute. Add the drained beans, 4 cups chicken stock and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and cook for 30 minutes. Add the last 2 cups of chicken stock and cook an additional 30 minutes.

Test the beans for doneness by doing the 5 bean test, because the beans do not all cook at the same rate. Bite into 5 beans. If done, remove the pot from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. If needed season again with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

This healthy chocolate chip cookie is loaded with good sugars that doesn't raise your blood sugar. It has whole wheat pastry flour that adds texture and fiber to the cookie and it only has two tablespoons of butter that keeps the cookie low-fat. These cookies are sweet, soft and chewy, which makes it hard to just eat one!

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup organic evaporated cane sugar
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
2 tablespoons organic butter, melted
1 egg white
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup dark chocolate mini chunks (365 brand from Whole Foods)


Directions:

Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk sugars, butter, egg white, applesauce and vanilla until light and fluffy.

Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until the batter is well blended. Fold in chocolate chunks.

Use a teaspoon or a 1-inch ice cream scoop drop dough onto baking sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes and remove to wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!

Chicken and White Bean Stew

This is an easy and tasty one pot meal that takes about 20 minutes to prep and pop in the oven to bake. It has your healthy veggies, celery, onions, carrots, garlic, and tomatoes. Plus cannellini beans are low-fat, high in fiber and provide a high quality of magnesium and iron.


Ingredients:

6 boneless and skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 1/2 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a large oven- proof skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken both sides with salt, pepper and thyme. Add chicken to skillet and cook until both sides are brown about 8 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium, and add onion, celery and carrot to skillet. Cook, stirring often about 6 minutes. Stir in garlic, and cook 1 minute. Stir in broth, and scrape up any brown bits from bottom of skillet. Add diced tomatoes, beans, and parsley. Mix well. Add chicken.
Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Sprinkle bread crumbs and cheese over mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Enjoy!

Chocolate-Cherry Heart Cookies

I wanted to make something that had chocolate and cherries in it for Valentines Day. So, I took my low-fat Valentine cookie recipe and added cocoa powder to make a chocolate sugar cookie sandwich with a dark chocolate and cherry jam filling. This cookie is so decadent and just sweet enough with the cherry jam. If you have children, this would be a fun recipe to make cut-out hearts and to mix-up the filling for the cookies and to put them together like little sandwiches. Have a Happy Valentines Day!


Ingredients for cookie dough:

5 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup confectioners sugar, sifted for work surface
2 ounces dark chocolate chips, very finely chopped (I used a food processor)
3 tablespoons cherry jam
1 egg white, beaten with 1/2 teaspoon water
Sugar for sprinkling
Equipment: 2 1/2-inch heart- shaped cookie cutter


Directions:

Using a mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add egg and almond extract, mixing well.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Gradually add flour mixture into butter mixture until dough forms. The dough may seem a little crumbly at first, but it will come together. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and shape into a disk. Chill for 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Stir the chopped chocolate and cherry jam together in a small bowl until combined.

Sprinkle work surface and rolling pin with confectioners sugar. Roll out dough to a 1/8-inch thickness. Use heart-shaped cookie cutter dipped in confectioners sugar to make 38 cut-outs. Gather scraps and re-roll until all the dough is used. Place half of the hearts at least 1-inch apart on cookie sheets.

Evenly spread about 1 level teaspoon of the chocolate/jam mixture over each heart, leaving a 1/4-inch border around the edges. Brush the outer edge of the hearts lightly with egg-white wash. Place another dough heart over the filling and gently press the edges to seal. Continue with remaining dough cut-outs. Lightly brush the surface of the cookies with egg-white wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake 12-14 minutes until set. Let cool on the pan slightly before transferring to a rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Guest Post - Ginger Beef Stir-Fry

This is a guest post and photo from my good friend, Jan. She has been busy cooking and baking recipes, since she is now retired from the hustle and bustle of the corporate world. She has this beautiful gourmet kitchen that she can now enjoy and create new and mouthwatering meals.
This recipe is full of healthy vegetables like red, yellow, and orange bell peppers, and sugar snap peas. It is flavored with fresh ginger, garlic and onion. She uses lean steak which is a good source of protein and vitamin B12, selenium and zinc which is important part of a heart- healthy diet.
Thanks Jan, for this quick, easy and tasty recipe!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup less sodium beef broth
3 tablespoons less sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
1/2 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 lb. beef round steak or any lean steak, cut in strips
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 each red, yellow, and orange bell peppers, cut in strips
2 cups sugar snap peas
1 small onion, thinly sliced


Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch, and broth until smooth. Then stir in the soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic and pepper flakes. Set aside.
Heat a large pan over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and stir fry steak strips until done. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, add other 1 tablespoon of oil and stir fry the peppers, snap peas and onion until tender.
Stir in the broth mixture and bring to a boil. Stir and cook one minute or until thickened. Return beef to pan and combine.
Serve immediately plain or over brown rice. Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Dipped Granola Bars

Heart-shaped granola bars dipped in dark luscious chocolate for Valentine's Day. These heart healthy bars has lots of oats, almonds, raisins, dried cranberries, and agave nectar to give the bars enough sweetness to satisfy your sweet tooth. I used a 2 1/2-inch heart cookie cutter which made 11 granola hearts. Happy Valentine's Day to all!


Ingredients:

1/4 cup peanut butter, creamy
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or skim milk
3 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries or any dried fruit you would like here
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and I used parchment paper on top of the foil.
In a small saucepan heat on low, the peanut butter, applesauce, milk, agave or honey, cocoa powder, cinnamon, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix oats, coconut, raisins, cranberries, and almonds. Fold in the peanut butter mixture. Place cookie cutter on parchment lined cookie sheet and spoon batter into cookie cutter, filling to top of cookie cutter. Press down with spoon. Gently lift the cookie cutter away from the granola and press down around edges to help keep its shape.  Reform granola hearts with spoon if necessary and repeat.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack completely. Put a piece of wax paper under wire rack. In microwave safe bowl put chocolate chips and microwave for 1 minute. Stir with fork to make sure chips have melted. Take cooled granola bar and dip into melted chips and place back on rack to cool. Then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Enjoy!

Guilt Free Chocolate Chip Cookie

If you like a soft chocolate chip cookie with just enough sweetness to satisfy, then this cookie is for you. This cookie is filled with mini chocolate chips, oats, whole wheat pastry flour, agave nectar and Greek yogurt, which provides nutrition for a guilt free indulgence. So, go ahead and enjoy for an afternoon snack or anytime!


Ingredients:

1/3 cup old fashioned oats
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons unsweetened shredded coconut
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons non-fat plain Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions:

Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, mix together the oats, flour, baking soda, coconut, cinnamon and chips.
In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, agave nectar, applesauce, and vanilla extract.
Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour in the wet mixture. Fold in just until mixed, do not over mix.
Take a small 1-inch ice cream scoop or a teaspoon and drop the balls on a cookie sheet about 1-inch apart. Flatten the balls with the back of a fork. Bake for 10 minutes or till the tops are lightly brown.
Remove from oven and let cool for 1 minute and transfer to cooling rack. Makes 20 cookies.
Enjoy!

Low Fat Valentine Cookies

These cookies are made with half the butter of most sugar cookies and instead of granulated sugar use coconut palm sugar to prevent a spike in blood sugar levels. The frosting is spread thin and I used the juice from defrosted dark sweet cherries that gave the glaze a little pink color and topped with a few sprinkles and a dusting of confectioners sugar. So, treat yourself to one of these low fat Valentine cookies without feeling too guilty!


Ingredients:

5 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup coconut palm sugar or granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup confectioners sugar, sifted for work surface

Using a mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add egg and almond extract, mixing well.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture into butter and sugar until dough forms. The dough may seem a little crumbly at first; but it will come together. Wrap dough in plastic and shape into a disk. Chill for two hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Sprinkle work surface and rolling pin with confectioners sugar. Turn out one half of dough onto it. Roll out dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Use heart-shaped cookie cutters dipped in confectioners sugar to make cutouts. Gather scraps and re-roll until all the dough is used. While the first batch are baking is a good time to repeat the rolling and cutting process with the second half of the dough.

Place cookies 1-inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake 8-9 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Transfer to wire rack after 1 minute to cool.

I used two sizes of hearts and the red plastic one worked just as well as the metal one.


Glaze Ingredients:

1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon juice from defrosted dark sweet cherries
Pink sprinkles for decorating, if desired

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix together confectioners sugar, almond extract, and milk. In a small resealable bag put 2 tablespoons of white glaze and set aside. Add cherry juice to the sugar mixture and if you want to make a darker pink add another teaspoon of juice. When cookies are fully cooled, frost and decorate as desired. Makes about 30 cookies, depending on the size of cookie cutters used. Enjoy!

Light Banana Snack Cake



In the afternoon, I always like to have a double espresso with a sweet snack. So, I had 2 real ripe bananas that I thought would make a light banana cake. This cake has fat free yogurt in it with very little sugar because the bananas are pretty sweet and I added cinnamon to bring out the flavor of the cake. The frosting is a light vanilla that doesn't over power the cake. What a nice afternoon treat!

Ingredients for cake:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/3 cup organic evaporated cane sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 cup organic expeller pressed canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare a 9-inch square metal baking pan coated with organic cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; stir with a whisk. Make a well in center of flour mixture.

In a medium bowl, combine, yogurt, bananas, oil, vanilla, and egg; stir until well blended. Add yogurt mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until moist.

Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool cake in the pan for 10 minutes on wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Ingredients for light vanilla frosting:

1 cup organic powder sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted organic butter, softened

2 or 3 tablespoons organic skim milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine sugar, softened butter, 2 tablespoons skim milk and vanilla. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium speed to blend until smooth. If mixture is to thick to spread had another tablespoon milk. Spread frosting on cooled cake. Enjoy!





Easy Oven Beef Stew

This is an easy meal with healthy vegetables and lean meat that is all cooked in one pot with no sauteing onions or browning meat. Just cut up the vegetables and meat and throw it all in a pot. It makes a tasty wintertime stew that warms your insides, as you are going back for seconds. Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds lean, boneless top sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 celery ribs with leaves, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 medium carrots, peeled and cut 1-inch pieces
1 pound small red potatoes, cut in half
2 medium yellow onions, cut into chucks
3 cups beef broth
1/4 cup minute tapioca (this will thicken the stew)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 fresh basil leaves or 1 teaspoon dried basil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz.) diced Italian tomatoes with juice

Directions:

Preheat oven 325 degrees F.

In a large Dutch oven, stir beef broth, tapioca, salt, pepper, basil, garlic and tomatoes until combined.

Add beef, celery, carrots, onions and potatoes folding and stirring to make sure everything is coated.

Cover and put in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until meat and vegetables are tender. Enjoy!

My Cookie Recipe Featured On My Recipes.com

 

Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies

This cookie recipe was my very first post in April 2011 on my blog and I submitted it to MyRecipes.com community recipe data base contest. Then I received an email from Ashley Kappel, Associate Editor/Producer of MyRecipes.com congratulating me that I was chosen for a December feature.

You can find my recipe and photo featured at this gallery and I would like to share it with you, here is the link:

http://www.myrecipes.com/community/community-best-holiday-cookie-recipes-00420000008984

As a small reward for being featured, I received a Southern Living Cookbook which I will be finding new ideas for my posts!

Thank you MyRecipes.com!

Tortellini, Zucchini and Italian Chicken Sausage Medley

Here is a quick, flavorful, one dish meal that can be prepared on a weekday that will get you out of the kitchen in no time. It has protein, veggies and fiber all in one bowl and it is very tasty!
Serves 4.

Ingredients:

13 oz. cooked tri-color tortellini (use package directions)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
6 oz. Italian style chicken sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds (used Aidells brand)
3 medium zucchini, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 - 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a medium pot, cook tortellini according to package directions.

In a large skillet, saute sausage in oil for 4 minutes on medium heat. Add onion saute about 3 minutes, then add zucchini and garlic, and salt and pepper to taste, cook for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth and Italian seasoning. With a slotted spoon add tortellini to zucchini mixture. Gently stir ingredients together and cook until zucchini is tender, about another 2 minutes. Serve in bowls and sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Soup

This is an easy to prepare healthy soup that can be a first course or you can make it the main entree with a side salad and crusty bread. This soup has both sweet and savory taste to it that rounds out a nice warm flavor for these cold winter days that we are having. Sweet potatoes are complex carbs that have a high nutritional value and fiber content.

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato, peeled, cubed

1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 medium apple, chopped (reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish)
¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon agave nectar

Directions:

In a large pot, saute the onion in oil, add potato, carrot, apple and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cayenne pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Puree the soup in the pot using an immersion blender. Add the agave and stir over low heat. Serve with chopped apple or over brown rice or with blue corn chips. Enjoy!

Servings: 2

Banana Almond Bread

Happy New Year! I thought I would start out the new year with a sugar- and- oil-free banana bread recipe to kick start a healthy year.
I used very ripe bananas for the sugar and substituted unsweetened applesauce for the oil. I added almonds that are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins and protein to give it a little crunch.
I also added ground flaxseed which is high in Omega-3 fatty Acids which can boost heart health and lower triglycerides. I spiced up the banana bread with lots of cinnamon that gives the bread a sweet flavor and cinnamon can lower your cholesterol and improve your blood glucose levels.
I wish everyone joy and happiness in 2012!

Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup water
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup ground flaxseed
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice

Directions:

Preheat oven 325 degrees F. Butter a glass loaf pan (5.25 x 9 x 2.75 in) and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix mashed bananas, applesauce and water. In a medium bowl, mix flour, flaxseed, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, almonds, and spices. Add the flour mixture into the banana mixture bowl and blend well.

Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan, Bake for 45 - 50 minutes or when a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes and then remove from pan to finish cooling. Enjoy!