Whole Wheat Mini Muffins

This recipe makes 36 mini muffins, and they are a hit at home and with guests!

Turn on oven to 375. Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar

Directions:

1.  In medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
2. In separate bowl, whisk together milk, oil, eggs, and brown sugar.
3. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir just until all dry ingredients are wet.
4. Spoon batter into mini muffin cups.
5. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.
6. Enjoy!

 

Fiesta Stuffed Pork Chops

Ingredients:

• 4 pork chops (about 1 inch thick each)
• 1/2 red pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Slice the pork chops in the middle, like a pita pocket
2. Combine pepper, onion, celery, and garlic
3. Spoon veggie mixture into pork chops
4. Lightly salt and pepper both sides of chops
5. I cooked these in a halogen, convection oven on 350 for 30 minutes and they were perfect

Chicken Marinara Salad

This low calorie lunch is packed with great flavor and super easy to make!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup shredded or chopped cabbage
• 1/2 cup chopped raw veggies (zucchini, yellow squash, jerusalem artichoke, celery, etc.)
• 1/2 cup chicken breast, cooked and cubed (can use lunch meat, chopped)
• Shredded or grated Mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup meatless marinara or pizza sauce

Directions:

1. In microwave safe dish, place shredded cabbage.
2. Top with vegetables and chicken.
3. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
4. Top with Marinara sauce.
5. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and poke several vent holes.
6. Microwave on high for 3 minutes.
7. Let sit 1-2 minutes, then remove plastic and enjoy!

Oatmeal Snack Bars

This is quick and easy and has a nice light flavor. They’re low in sugar because the only sugar comes from the oatmeal packets.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1 egg
• 1 cup white flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 packets flavored oatmeal of your choice
• Cinnamon and Sugar
• 9×9 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray or greased

Directions

1. Combine the butter, applesauce and egg.
2. Mix in the oatmeal packets.
3. Sift together flour, salt and baking powder and add to oatmeal mixture. Stir until all ingredients are moistened.
4. Spread into baking dish and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon and sugar.
5. Bake on 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
6. Let cool then cut into squares and serve.

Taco Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (can use kidney or pinto beans as well)
• 1 pkg. taco seasoning
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 large tomato, diced
• Lettuce or spinach (the darker the green, the healthier)
• Low fat sour cream (if you’re trying to cut calories)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Salsa

Directions:

1. Place the black beans and water in small saucepan or medium frying pan.  Bring to boil and add taco seasoning.  Simmer until no longer soupy then remove from heat.
2. Serve black beans over brown rice. Top with tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, sour cream, and salsa.

Variations:

You can add beef to the beans, but you would cook the meat, then add the beans, water and seasoning.

You can combine the rice, beans, cheese and salsa then heat it to make a chip dip.

Easy Bean with Bacon Soup

This recipe has more variations than most of my others, and my son loves them all.  This one is the quickest and fastest.

Ingredients:

• 2 carrots, pealed and diced
• 2 cups water
• 1 can pork and beans
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1/2 to 1 cup chopped ham (can be lunch meat style) or crumbled bacon (previously cooked)
• Optional, 1 tbsp barbecue sauce and 1 tsp brown sugar

Directions:

1. In medium saucepan, place water and carrots.  Bring to a boil and simmer until the carrots are slightly tender (about 5-7 minutes)
2. Add remaining ingredients.  Stir, then simmer for 15-20 minutes
3. Serve with crackers or cornbread, or just enjoy plain.

Variations:

This soup was originally designed to use a leftover ham bone and dry beans.  If you have dry white or pinto beans, you can soak the beans overnight in a crockpot, then add more water and a ham bone in the morning and let it cook on low most of the day before adding tomato soup and carrots.

For more flavor and variety, you can also add celery, onions, and green pepper.  These would go in at the same time as the carrots.

For lower sodium and thinner soup, you can use a can of tomato sauce instead of tomato soup.  You can also use a can of pinto or white beans instead of pork and beans.

This soup can be used with most any pork meat.  If you have leftover barbecued or plain pork, this can be chopped up and used in place of the ham, but you will want to add more salt.  Ham and bacon have lots of salt and flavor so the soup usually has enough seasoning on its own.

Whole Wheat Tortillas

Recipe makes 6-8 ten inch tortillas.  You can double the recipe to make 12.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• Opt – 1 tbsp. ground flax seed or bran
• 1/8 cup shortening
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3-1/2 cup warm water

Directions:

1. Sift together flour, flax seed or bran, and salt.
2. Using your fingers or a fork, mix in shortening until all the flour is clumpy.
3. Slowly pour in warm water and mix to form soft dough ball.  Add more water if dry, add more flour if too moist.
4. Divide into 6-8 balls.
5. Roll out onto floured surface.
6. Cook in ungreased, preheated frying pan for 30 seconds to a minute on each side.  When the tortilla bubbles, it is ready to turn.
7. Keep in covered container to keep from drying.

Kidney Bean and Squash Saute

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil
• 4-5 mushrooms, chopped
• 1/4 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• 1 small yellow squash, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced (or garlic seasoning to taste)
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 tsp. Salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, 1/4 tsp. celery salt, 1/2 tsp. parsely, 1/4 tsp. sage, 1/8 tsp. oregeno

Directions

1. Heat oil in skillet and add mushrooms, onion, green pepper, squash and garlic.
2. Saute until vegetables are slightly tender.
3. Add kidney beans and seasonings to taste.  The measurements for the seasonings were approximated.  I just sprinkled them on and the flavors were magnificent together.
4. Cook until vegetables are tender.  Serve over rice.

Chicken and Vegetable Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive, canola or vegetable oil
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 small yellow squash, chopped
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
• 1 16 oz can of crushed tomatoes (or 2 8 oz cans tomato sauce)
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Saute onion and garlic until onion is almost done.
2. Add yellow squash and chicken.
3. Continue to saute until vegetables are tender.
4. Add crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, brown sugar, salt and pepper.
5. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring often.
6. Serve over favorite cooked pasta.

Delicious Corn Bread

Corn Bread with White Wheat

Ingredients

• ½ cup corn meal
• ½ cup white flour
• ½ cup white wheat flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 ½ tsp. Baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup oil
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 egg

Directions

1. Sift together corn meal, white flour, wheat flour, salt and baking powder into a medium bowl.

2. In another bowl, mix milk, oil, brown sugar and egg.

3. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until dry ingredients are just moistened.

4. Let sit for 2 minutes.

5. Pour into greased 8×8 baking dish.

6. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Basic Corn Bread

Ingredients

• ¾ cup corn meal
• ¾ cup white flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 ½ tsp. Baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup oil
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 egg

Directions

1. Sift together corn meal, white flour, wheat flour, salt and baking powder into a medium bowl.

2. In another bowl, mix milk, oil, brown sugar and egg.

3. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until dry ingredients are just moistened.

4. Let sit for 2 minutes.

5. Pour into greased 8×8 baking dish.

6. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Quick and Healthy Banana Cream Dessert

Ingredients

• Ripe bananas, sliced
• vanilla Yogurt
• Crushed graham crackers, bran cereal or honey nut cheerios

Directions

1. Using small serving cups or bowls, line the bottoms with cereal or cracker crumbs
2. Placed sliced bananas over crumbs
3. Top with vanilla yogurt
4. Garnish with a whole cracker, banana slice, or a few crumbs

Variations

• Use a small amount of chocolate syrup in place of yogurt
• Substitute any fruit or yogurt flavor
• Layer crackers, fruit and yogurt in a cup for a quick parfait snack

Enchilada Sauce

Ingredients:

• 8oz. can tomato sauce
• 1/2 green pepper
• 1/2 med. onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. paprika

Directions

1. Put all ingredients in the blender and puree.
2. Pour sauce over tortillas filled with your favorite Enchalada ingredients in a casserole dish.  Lightly top with cheese and cook on 350 for 25 minutes.
3. You can add more chili powder or crushed red pepper if you like the sauce with more of a kick.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked quick oats
• 2 cups water
• 1 med. apple, chopped with peeling
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tbsp. brown sugar

Directions:

1. Bring water to rolling boil and add the oatmeal, apples, cinnamon and brown sugar.
2. Stir well and then reduce heat to medium.
3. Simmer uncovered for two to three minutes.  Remove from heat and let sit uncovered for three to five minutes.
4. Enjoy!  My 20-month-old loved this one.

Beef and Broccoli Stir-fry

Since I only ever have ground beef, this recipe has been adapted to that.  You can use something nicer, just cube it and follow the instructions for the ground beef.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. lean ground beef, thawed
• 1/2 med. onion, chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• 1/2 bag frozen broccoli pieces (or about 2 cups fresh or frozen)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 tbsp. canola oil
• 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tbsp. teriyaki sauce
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 2 tsp. corn starch
• A dash of ground ginger

Directions:

1. Mix ground beef, lemon juice, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, corn starch and ginger in a bowl and set aside.
2. In frying pan, heat oil and add onion, pepper, broccoli and salt.  Cook until slightly tender, or about 5 minutes.  Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Cook beef in the same pan until mostly browned.  Add the vegetables and cook until beef is fully browned.
4. Serve with brown rice.

Cheesy Hobo Dinner Casserole

Ingredients:

• 3 medium baked potatoes with skins, diced (can bake in microwave on high for 6-8 min. for all three)
• 1 large or 2 medium carrots, chopped into small sticks, steamed and drained (microwave for 3 min. on high with a little water)
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 2 tbsp. ketchup
• 1 tbsp. barbecue sauce
• 1 cup (8 oz.) plain yogurt or nonfat sour cream
• 1/2 cup colby/monteray jack cheese (or cheese of choice)

Directions:

1. Brown hamburger with onion and drain off excess fat.
   Return to medium heat and add ketchup, barbecue sauce and yogurt.  Cook until sauce bubbles, then remove from heat.
2. Place baked potatoes and steamed carrots in casserole dish.  Stir in hamburger mixture.
3. Cover and bake on 350 for 10 minutes.  Add cheese, recover, and cook for another 10 minutes.
4. Serve with extra ketchup or barbecue sauce if desired.

Light Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. butter or margarine
• 2 tbsp. flour
• 1 cup chicken broth (or 1 cup water with 1 cube chicken bullion)
• 1 cup 2% milk (1% or skim should do just fine also)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In medium saucepan, melt butter on medium heat.  Saute onions and garlic until onions are translucent.
2. Add the flour and stir until onions are coated.  Add the broth and stir with a wire whisk until flour is dissolved.
3. Add milk, salt and pepper. Stir occasionally to keep from scorching.
4. When sauce begins to boil and thicken, add Parmesan cheese.  Continue to let boil while cheese dissolves.
5. Remove from heat and enjoy!

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Scones

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour (I used white wheat)
• 1/2 cup white flour
• extra white flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 cup oatmeal
• 1/4 cup raisins
• about 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
• about 2/3 cup milk

Directions:

In medium mixing bowl, sift together wheat flour, 1/2 cup white flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder.  Add oatmeal and raisins and mix well.

In a 1 cup liquid measuring pitcher, fill oil to halfway between the 1/3 and 1/2 cup mark.  Fill the rest of the pitcher with milk to the 1 cup mark.

Pour into the flour mixture and mix with a fork until all ingredients are moistened.  If dough does not form a ball, add a little more white flour until it does.

Divide the dough into as many scones as you want.  This recipe makes 8 or 9 medium scones.  Lightly grease a glass baking dish and place scones close together in pan.

Bake at 375 for about 22 minutes, or until slightly golden.  When done, lightly frost with favorite frosting or glaze.  I used some left over cream cheese frosting and it was quite tasty.

Easy Healthy Lunch Pizza

Ingredients: Whole wheat Greek flat bread, part skim mozzarella cheese, pizza sauce, turkey pepperoni

Directions: preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place flatbread on baking sheet, smooth side down. Spread pizza sauce on the bumpy side of the flat bread. Top with grated mozzarella cheese and turkey pepperoni. Bake for 11 minutes. Cool for a few minutes before enjoying.

The-Soup-That-Must-Not-Be-Named

By happy circumstance, I did not have the proper ingredients for taco soup, so I put in what was available and voila! My son preferred this soup to what it was meant to be, so I allowed him to choose it’s name.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups beef stock
• 15 oz. tomato sauce
• 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans
• 1 lb. ground turkey, browned
• Salt, pepper, onion powder to taste
• 2 stocks celery, finely chopped
• 1 pkg. onion soup mix
• 1/3 cup green enchilada or tomatillo sauce
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef, add salt, pepper, and onion powder to taste.
2. I’m large pot or slow cooker, add ground turkey to remaining ingredients and stir well.
3. Bring to a boil and then simmer until slightly thickened.

I browned the meat and placed it in a slow cooker on a sauté then simmer setting for 4 hours and it was perfect.

Pineapple Orange Julius

Ingredients:

• 1/2 can frozen pineapple orange juice concentrate
• 12 – 14 ice cubes
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Milk

Directions:

1. In blender, add ice cubes, frozen juice concentrate, vanilla, and sugar
2. Fill with milk to the top of the ice cubes
3. Blend until creamy
4. Enjoy!

Gluten Free No Bake Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

1/4 cup butter

1/8 cup milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 cup sweetened coconut

Directions:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan

2. While butter is melting, whisk sugar and cocoa together

3. Add sugar mixture to melting butter and whisk well.

4. Add milk and whisk until mixture is smooth.

5. Heat on medium high until mixture boils.

6. Boil for 1 minute then remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients then stir with a spoon.

7. Drop spoonfuls onto wax paper and let cool.

ENJOY!

Back to School

5th, 2nd, Kindergarten, Preschool, and Crazy!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups milk
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup oil
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tsp baking powder

Directions:

1. In medium sized bowl, add vinegar to milk and let sit while you mix dry ingredients. 
2. In separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder.
3. Add eggs and oil to milk and vinegar and whisk well. 
4. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and whip with wire whisk until fluffy. Batter should be slightly lumpy and bubbly.
5. Cook in waffle iron and enjoy!

Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 3 cups milk
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup whole wheat flour 
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tsp baking powder

Directions:

1. In medium sized bowl, add vinegar to milk and let sit while you mix dry ingredients. 
2. In separate bowl, combine both flours, salt, and baking powder.
3. Add eggs and oil to milk and vinegar and whisk well. 
4. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and stir until all dry ingredients are wet, but don’t over mix. Batter will be lumpy.
5. Fry on griddle and enjoy!