Layered Chicken Cordon Blue Casserole

Wednesday night I was planning on making our favorite chicken cordon blues. But my kids were clingy and I just didn't have the time to flatten the chicken, dip it in the bowls, roll it up, etc. I was lucky to get my chicken trimmed. So I decided to layer the ingredients to save time and we all loved it! Addition: the next time I made it I added in a layer of diced pineapples! Yummy!

Ingredients:
4-6 chicken breasts, cut into whatever size pieces you want (strips, nuggets, etc. :)
ham
swiss, provolone, or mozzarella cheese
sliced pineapples if desired
Garlic if desired

Directions: Place chicken in pan; sprinkle with garlic powder. Chop up ham and cover chicken. Cover ham with pineapples and cheese. Bake at 350 for about 45 min, til chicken juices run clear.

Easy BarBQ ribs

GirlTalk (a fabulous blog!)had an easy recipe for BarBQ ribs and I wanted to remember it:

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds country style pork ribs
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 cup barbeque sauce

Directions

1. Place ribs in a large pot with enough water to cover. Season with garlic powder, black pepper and salt. Bring water to a boil, and cook ribs until tender.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
3. Remove ribs from pot, and place them in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour barbeque sauce over ribs. Cover dish with aluminum foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until internal temperature of pork has reached 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Home-made "Lara Bars"

Mark really needs filling snacks he can eat on the run at work. So I was excited to see these healthy bars on one of my favorite blogs. She gives 2 great varieties. My family loves them! And I didn't measure anything (I hardly ever do - it just makes too many dishes :) So I threw in a bunch of dates, almond butter, coconut oil, shredded unsweetened coconut, home-made granola, and yes, even a few organic chocolate chips :) YUMMY! I thought they were good enough without any sweetener. And they really do give me a boost when I need it. I call them my Power Balls because I actually shaped them into balls and froze them so I could grab one whenever I needed it. I eat them straight from the freezer! (I think they are actually better frozen because the coconut oil melts and gets greasy if I leave them at room temperature too long.) Oh, and the best part? My husband loves them as well! He takes them with him for some extra energy when he plays tennis. Here are the original recipes:

Better than Lara Bars

10-12 pitted dates
1/2 cup natural peanut butter (more may be necessary)
handful of raisins
1 cup of shredded coconut (plus more for coating)
1 TBS Raw Honey (or other liquid sweetener)]
Liquid Stevia to taste
handful of chopped crispy nuts (macadamia nuts or almonds are great)
1/3 cup of coconut oil or butter

1) Place dates into food processor and process until you have a paste.

2) Add raisins, peanut butter, honey, and coconut and process until mixture forms a big mass.

3) Add your coconut oil now, as well as the protein powder, if using. Mixture may seem a bit "wet" from the coconut oil. This is okay,but if it seems too runny, add more shredded coconut. Taste for sweetness, and add a few drops of stevia (or more honey) to acheive desired sweetness.

4) At this point, add the chopped nuts.

5) Form pastey mass into balls or bars and roll in shredded coconut (or rapadura or cocoa).

6) Place bars on parchment-lined baking sheet and chill in freezer for about 10 minutes.

Notes: This is a pretty forgiving and versatile recipe. Try subbing raisins for any dried fruit (apricots or cherries would be great!) The coconut oil is not absolutely essential to the texture, either. You can get by without it, but it adds some good nutritional properties! You also don't need nuts, the peanut butter is enough!

These are amazing! They are full of healthy fats, complex carbs, and protein! Enjoy for breakfast on the run or for dessert with a glass of milk!
http://oreganicthrifty.blogspot.com/2008/07/better-than-lara-bars.html


Cinnabun Lara Bars!
crispy nuts (I use almonds)
raisins (any dried fruit will do)
cinnamon
coconut oil
coconut
salt


Process:

1) Place about 2 cups of crispy almonds into the food processor. Add 1.5 - 2 cups of raisins and process until you have a paste. It should be sticky.

2) Add about 2 TBS (or more) of coconut oil and process until smooth.

3) Add salt (to taste) and about 2 tsp of cinnamon (add more if you need to). Ginger and cloves add a nice flavor too.

4) Add about 1-1.5 cups of shredded coconut until you have more of a thick, dry paste. You are looking for a rounded, "doughnut-shape" in your food processor.

5) Remove dough, press into parchment-lined jelly roll pan. Place in freezer for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!!!
http://oreganicthrifty.blogspot.com/2008/11/cinnabun-lara-bars.html

Healthy, Yummy Chocolate Frosting

One of my favorite blogs posted this recipe for chocolate frosting and I can't wait to try it! I'm planning to use it on Karis' birthday cake :)

Chocolate Ganache Frosting
Because this frosting is based off of coconut oil, it may start to melt in warm weather. Keep that in mind if bringing it on a picnic on a hot day. Since the frosting is more like the texture of a ganache, it makes a rustic frosting. Many use ganache for the filling between two layer cakes, and a fluffier frosting on the outside.You could definitely play around with the ratio of sweetener to make it less sweet for a more bittersweet chocolate ganache.

1 cup of cocoa powder
3/4 cup of virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup of honey
dash or two of sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

1-Gently melt the coconut oil in a saucepan (you don’t want to heat it, just melt it)

2-In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients and pulse until well combined.

3-Scrape into a small bowl and place in the freezer or refrigerator until it has hardened to desired consistency. It took about 15 minutes in my freezer.

4-You can use a hand mixer to fluff the frosting up (you may need to do this if the frosting has become too stiff as well).

Spread on desired baked good and enjoy!

Chocolate Orange Ganache Variation: Add 1 tablespoon orange zest with the rest of the ingredients. Continue on with the rest of the directions.

Recipe found at: http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/05/chocolate-fudge-ganache.html

Healthy Chocolate Breakfast Cake

Did someone say "chocolate for breakfast?" Count me in! I was excited to find this on one of my favorite blogs. Its not tooo chocolatety or sweet, but perfect for fixing that chocolate craving first thing in the morning :) My toddler loves muffins and they freeze well, so thats what I made. The recipe doesn't make too much, so I'm going to double the recipe from now on and freeze a bunch for a quick breakfast.

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 - 1 cup natural sweetener
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil (or combination of both), in its solid state
1-2 Tbsp cocoa powder (as desired, we use 2 Tbsp)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking powder
dash of salt
dash of cloves
1/2 cup nuts, if desired
1 cup cultured buttermilk, kefir, whey, yogurt (or your preferred acid medium for soaking)

SOAKING STEP: In a large bowl, combine flour and acid medium (buttermilk, kefir, whey or yogurt, as desired). Cover and allow to soak for 12-24 hours.

After soaking, combine remaining ingredients. Pour into a greased 8 x 8 pan and cover with chopped nuts, if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

If you want to skip out on the soaking, follow these directions:

In a large bowl, combine the flour and sugar; cut in the butter/coconut oil until crumbly. Add cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, salt and cloves; mix well. Make a well in the center; pour in the buttermilk and stir until moistened. Transfer to a greased 8 x8 baking pan and sprinkle with nuts. Bake as instructed above.

Recipe found at: http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2009/03/chocolate-coffee-cake.html

This post is part of KK's SUYL breakfasts!

Pineapple marinade

I've been wanting to switch from our normal Italian dressing marinade to something more healthy and found this recipe at one of my favorite blogs. I LOVE anything with pineapple so I think I'm going to love it! I hope to try it this week :)

Ingredients:
• 10oz canned pineapple in its juice (about 1/2 a can)
• 1/2 sweet onion roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Blend until thoroughly mixed. Marinate the chicken for several hours. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes to an hour. To grill chicken, heat the grill to medium heat, cook for three minutes per side, then move to indirect heat and grill for an additional 45 minutes, with the lid closed. As leg quarters tend to be fattier than breasts, watch for flare ups.
Use a thermometer to ensure the leg quarters reach 165F.

When grilling, I like to use some of the marinade as a baste. It’s important to note that this is marinade I set aside for this purpose. Never reuse any sauce or marinade that has touched raw meat.

Recipe found at: http://www.home-ec101.com/pineapple-grilled-chicken/

Zesty CHicken Packets

My friend Sandy makes these and they are yummy! I think these would be even better grilled!

4 chicken breasts
1 green pepper, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 yellow pepper, sliced
1 onion, sliced
Italian dressing
Four pieces of aluminum foil

In each piece of aluminum foil, put 1 tsp of olive oil and 1 pat of butter
Put in chicken, peppers and onions
Salt and pepper
Cover with Zesty Italian dressing
Bake on 400 for 1 hr
http://dealmeals.blogspot.com/2009/04/zesty-chicken-packets.html?showComment=1239819960000#c6718989359531964884

Grilled Silver Turtles

My friend Amanda makes these and they are so easy and so good! Put a hamburger pattie on top of a slice of onion, then slice some potato to put on top of the hamburger (and add carrots if you like them :) Wrap em up in foil and grill 15 minutes on one side, 10 on the other...The meat comes out sooo tender.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients
Roma tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
½ bell pepper
1/2 zucchini, sliced
1 t oregano
1 t Italian seasoning
1 T EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1 T Coconut Oil
1 t salt and pepper


Directions
1. Stew tomatoes in large pot
2. Once soft, spoon tomatoes into food processor and add zucchini, bell pepper, garlic, seasonings, and oils.
23. Puree and store as you wish. I am not into canning (yet!), and so wish I was! I will store this sauce and use it for spaghetti, pizzas, lasagna or any other “Italian” dish!

Found at: http://www.5dollardinners.com/2008/09/homemade-spaghetti-sauce.html

Crispy Cheese Crackers

¼ cup butter, softened
¼ t. sea salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, room temperature
1 cup whole wheat flour
¼ t. baking powder
1 T. cold water

Use beaters or food processor to mix butter and salt until creamy. Add cheese. Mix well. Gradually add flour, baking powder and water, mixing until dough begins to form a ball. Form dough into a ball with hands.

Roll the dough into 1/8 inch thickness onto a cookie sheet. (I find that placing the dough between two pieces of parchment paper helps me to roll them out more easily.) Cut the rolled out dough into 1 ½ inch squares. Bake 15 minutes at 350° or until lightly browned. Turn off the oven and leave the crackers inside to crisp up. Store tightly covered.

Found at: http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/blog/high-five-recipes-crispy-cheese-crackers

Helpful hint: Make your own vanilla extract!

I did this last November and it worked great! Its healthier and saves money, too :)

Commercial vanilla extract usually has simple syrup (sugar water) added to the extract to give it a sweet aftertaste. You can do this if you want, but if you are using the vanilla for baking, there really is no need.

Ingredients
• 3 vanilla beans
• 1 cup vodka
• glass jar with tight fitting lid

Method
1 Use kitchen scissors or a sharp paring knife to cut lengthwise down each vanilla bean, splitting them in half, leaving an inch at the end connected.
2 Put vanilla beans in a glass jar or bottle with a tight fitting lid (mason jars work well). Cover completely with the vodka.
3 Give the bottle a good shake every once in a while. Store in a dark, cool place for 2 months or longer.
Lasts for years. You can keep topping it off with vodka once in a while as you use it, just remember to give it a good shake.
You can also make vanilla sugar by putting a split vanilla bean into a jar of white, granulated sugar. Great way to infuse the sugar with vanilla flavor for baking

Peanut Butter Squash Brownies

1 egg
1 cup peanut butter or sunbutter, smooth or chunky
½ cup honey
½ tsp baking soda
½ cup frozen butternut or winter squash puree, thawed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 square pan and set aside. In a bowl, beat the egg with a whisk and then add the peanut butter and honey. Beat until smooth. Add the baking soda and squash and whisk until mixed. Pour into pan and bake 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

You can increase the sweetener if your family hasn’t weaned down on their sugar intake yet.

If you’d rather make your own puree instead of buying the boxed puree, cut a butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place cut-side down in a greased roasting pan or 9x13 and pour in a little water. Bake at 350 degrees until tender. Cool, cut off skin and puree in a food processor.

http://www.tfrecipes.com/forum/showthread.php?p=524

Oatmeal cranberry Muffins

I double this recipe and freeze lots of muffins for quick breakfasts. And any dried fruit will work nicely -- I've even used dried figs :) I like to soak my grains for better nutrition, so I just soak the oats and flour in the yogurt overnight, adding a tiny bit of water to make sure they are all moist.

2 Cups old-fashioned rolled oats

2 Cups yogurt (plain or vanilla only, please)

2 large eggs, beaten

1 Cup brown sugar (I'm going to use maple syrup)

2 sticks butter, melted and cooled

2 cups flour (I've used both white whole wheat and all purpose with great results)

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I recommend almonds, walnuts or pecans)

In a large bowl combine oats and yogurt and let stand 12-24 hours.

When ready to cook muffins, first melt butter and then leave to cool.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and grease muffin pans. At this time, measure cranberries into a glass measuring cup and add hot water to cover. This will plump up the dried cranberries and make them softer in the muffins once baked.

Add egg, sugar and melted butter to oat mixture, stirring until just combined. Sift on top of creamed mixture the flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda and stir until just combined. Drain cranberries and fold in to batter along with chopped nuts.

Divide batter evenly among muffin pans. Bake muffins in middle of oven until golden and toothpick test comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

Makes two dozen muffins.

http://sarahs-musings.blogspot.com/2007/10/on-menu-oatmeal-cranberry-muffins-and.html

Chicken Curry Soup

This is so healthy with fresh garlic, egg yolks, chicken stock and coconut milk: a perfect soup for healing if you are coming down with a sickness! My husband thought I was crazy because it is so different from our normal types of meals, but he actually really liked it! And my picky toddler asked for seconds. So its a keeper for us :) I left out the cumin because I didn't want it spicy.

4 Cups Chicken Broth (homemade is best)
1.5 cups of chopped cooked chicken
1 Medium Red Onion
6 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 can of coconut milk (i bought 2 whole coconuts and used the milk from them, but a can would work-I couldn't find any at my grocery store)
1 Tbls curry powder
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper
2 cups of veggies (I threw in frozen peas and frozen corn)
4 raw egg yolks
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 Cup cooked rice (optional)

Saute chopped onions and garlic in butter until soft (we like them a little crunchy).

Throw all but the egg yolks and CO into a stock pot. Bring it to a boil and then reduced it to simmer for 20 minutes.

Melt the CO oil and add the egg yolks and mix well. Next, add a little bit of stock and stir. Once it's mixed nicely, add the mixture to the soup and stir to incorporate.

Serve with rice as we did, or with some buttered sourdough bread. Yum!! http://innisrecipes.blogspot.com/2009/02/chicken-curry-soup-recipe.html

Cinnamon Apple Omelet

Yum, yum! We loved this different kind of omelet! I am always looking for ways to get my husband eat eggs other than with bacon and cheese on toast. This recipe is totally different from any other I've tried and we all really liked it.

• 
  
• 3 large eggs
• 1 medium Granny Smith apple -- peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 Tablespoon sour cream (we used cream cheese because my hubby doesn't like sour cream. You could probably use plain yogurt as well :)
  
• 1 Tablespoon cream
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar (I use maple syrup, but you really don't need much because the apples are sweet enough by themselves :)
  
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Beat eggs with cream until fluffy; set aside.

In a large skillet/frying pan, melt half (1 teaspoon) of the butter. Add apples, cinnamon and brown sugar. Saute until tender -- stirring often. Empty contents to a bowl or plate and set aside.

Clean the frying pan. Melt remaining butter. Pour in egg mixture. Cook as you would an ordinary omelet. When eggs are 90 percent set, flip the omelet. In the center of the open-face omelet, spread the sour cream and top that with most of the apple mixture.

Fold omelet and transfer to a plate. Top with remaining apple mixture.

http://www.mrbreakfast.com/superdisplay.asp?recipeid=1236

(Mostly) Healthy Chocolate Candy!

I was super excited to find this easy, yummy, and even (mostly) healthy candy recipe from Kelly ! I tried it several different ways, so please read the notes at the bottom for add-ins and tips :) And it definitely melts in your hand, so keep them stored in the freezer til you are ready to eat them :) I call them "mostly" healthy because they do have maple syrup in them, (so you don't want to eat them in excess) but at least it contains all natural ingredients instead of refined sugar or HFCS!

• 1/2 c. coconut oil
• 1/2 c. real maple syrup (use less to make them healthier, but they tasted too dark for me without more maple syrup!)
• 1/2 c. organic cocoa powder
• 1 t. organic vanilla
• 1/2 t. sea salt

Melt together gently in a saucepan over low-ish heat until it’s all mixed together. I kept it super easy and instead of using molds or ice cube trays, I just put some parchment paper on a couple cookie sheets and dropped quarter-sized candies onto that. (Makes about 7 dozen.) Freeze for a little while to cool them down. Freeze leftovers (if there are any:) for a quick, yummy treat.

*We made some with sunflower butter (Karis is allergic to P.B.) instead of cocoa powder and my family actually preferred those! But the best mix was 1/4 cup sunflower butter and 1/4 cup cocoa powder. We tried out all kinds of different add-ins like coconut, raisins, and slivered almonds! They were all yummy, especially the combination of all three!

*I also tried out 3 different ways of freezing them: dollops on wax paper, mini-muffin tins, and filling up a wax-paper-lined cookie sheet completely with the melted candy and breaking it into "candy bark" after freezing. The last method was the easiest because the melted form is pretty runny til frozen.

Resurrection Cookies

My friend Sandy Deal sent me this recipe for Resurrection Cookies and it sounds like a fun and yummy way to explain the real meaning of Easter to children!

1 cup whole pecans

3 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vinegar

1 pinch of salt

mixing bowl

wooding spoon

Bible

zipper baggie

waxed paper

cookie sheet

tape

Try to do together Saturday night before Easter Sunday. Preheat oven to 300 degrees (you must turn the oven on before beginning) Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that Jesus was arrested, he was beaten by the Roman Soldiers. Read John 19: 1-3. Let child smell vinegar. Put 1 tsp into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, he was given vinegar to drink. Read Jon 19: 28-30. Add egg whites to the vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave his life to give us life. Read John 10: 10-11. Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27. So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetes part of the story is that Jesus died because he loves us. He wants us to know and belong to him. Read Psalm 34:8 and Jon 3:16. Beat with a mixer on high speed for 11-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John3:1-3. Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoon onto waxed paper-covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:65-66. Put cookie sheet in the oven. Close the door and TURN THE OVEN OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Go to bed. Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22. On resurrection morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie! Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first resurrection day, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty! Read Matt 28:1-9. He has Risen!!! Hallelujah!

Resurrection Rolls

My friend Lori Woolf shared this recipe with me and it sounds so easy and yummy. Its great for kids; I think it will become an Easter tradition :)

1 can of crescent rolls (burial clothing)
3 tbsp. butter, melted (oils used for Jesus' body)
large marshmallows (Jesus)
cinnamon and sugar (spices used for Jesus' body)

Lay out the crescent rolls
Roll marshmallow in melted butter and then the cinnamon sugar
Lay marshmallow in crescent roll
Roll up crescent roll
Baste rolls with leftover melted butter
Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar
Bake according to the directions on the crescent roll tube
When they are finished the marshmallow will have melted and the roll with be hollow just as the grave was on Easter when Jesus arose.

5 minute Artisan bread!

Bread in 5 minutes? Yay! OK, I haven't tried this yet, but so many people said it was so fast, easy and yummy that I have to try it! I'll let you know how it goes :) THIS link even gives instructions on making it healthier by soaking the grain.

Yummy Tomato Cream Sauce

After making Bow Ties With Sausage, Tomato, and Cream, I realized that the sauce would be great on lots of other things and is super duper easy! It tastes similar to something I had in a restaurant over grilled chicken and pasta. Basically, all you need is 1 1/2 cups heavy cream and 2 cans diced Italian tomatoes (make sure you get organic diced tomatoes, or you will be eating HFC!) And if you use raw milk, you can just scoop the cream off the top to make this sauce! If you want more flavor, you can ad in some sauteed onions and garlic. Basically, just simer until the sauce thickens a bit and then serve over whatever sounds good to you!

Owie Syrup

I was so excited to find this yummy, healthy, natural recipe for swelling and pain relief on Local Nourishment blog! I'm going to stock up on this once pineapples and cherries come in season :)

Twisted ankles, sprained wrists, fat lips. All these can take place over the course of a normal childhood. But next time, instead of reaching for a pill to take that inflammation down, try this delicious syrup on toast, porridge, ice cream or pancakes. Not hungry? A spoonful taken like a medicinal syrup will do just as well. First, the recipe, nutritional notes follow.

Owie Syrup
1 organic pineapple
2 cups organic tart cherries (fresh, in season if possible, otherwise frozen)
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground organic cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 cup (or less) organic maple syrup or unheated, unfiltered honey

Peel, core and run the pineapple through a juicer. Pit cherries, add to pineapple juice in blender or food processor. Melt coconut oil in a bowl over a warm water bath, but do not allow oil to get warmer than skin temperature. Stream in coconut oil while blender is running. Add cinnamon and cloves. Taste before adding maple syrup, as it might be sweet enough without it. Store syrup in refrigerator.

Brave users can try just a little grated ginger in this as well, but my kids tell me that “ruins it.”

Nutritional notes:

Pineapple is particularly rich in bromelain, an enzyme that decreases inflammation. Cherries are rich in anthocyanins. In general, the darker the cherry color, the higher the anthocyanin content. Anthocyanins have been found to block two enzymes, COX-1 and COX-2, which play a role in the production of inflammatory compounds called prostaglandins. NSAIDS work the same way. Cinnamon’s ability to lower the release of arachidonic acid from cell membranes makes it an excellent anti-inflammatory food. Ginger’s volatile oils are helpful in reducing inflammation. Coconut oil appears to have a direct effect in suppressing inflammation and repairing tissue. Maple syrup and cloves are used for flavoring.

The important enzymes in these foods will be destroyed if the syrup or any of its ingredients are heated about 115°, so this syrup is not cooked. For the same reason, canned pineapple and cherries will not have the same potency. As the coconut oil cools, it will thicken the syrup a little. If the syrup becomes too thick, leaving it at room temperature for a time will soften it again.

Bow Ties with sausage, tomato, and cream

A winner! Even my picky toddler wanted more :) The tomato cream sauce is so good! No red pepper flakes for us, though. And I used the fresh cream from my unpasturized milk instead of whipping cream and it was so yummy :) We might just eat it over quinoa some of the time since we try to avoid pasta as much as possible

Ingredients:
1 (12 ounce) package bow tie pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage (removed from the casing)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (can omit/decrease if your family doesn't like spicy dishes)
1/2 cup diced onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28 ounce) can Italian-style plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (or half & half to save on calories)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage. Stir in onion and garlic, and cook until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes, cream, and salt. Simmer until mixture thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir cooked pasta into sauce, and heat through. Sprinkle with parsley. http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/02/bow-ties-with-sausage-tomato-cream.htm

Healthy Breakfast "cake"

I'm always looking for a healthy breakfast for my family, and we really like this one. We love muffins, so I make these and freeze them for a quick breakfast. It can be a little crumbly, but I usually douse it with coconut oil or serve it with milk like a warm cereal for Karis and its so yummy! I most recently made it with chopped dates and we all really liked it. I often make these into muffins and freeze them for a quick breakfast :)

1 cup butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups whole rolled oats
¾ cup honey
2 eggs
1 t. sea salt
1 t. baking soda
1 t. vanilla
1 cup raisins, chocolate chips or other dried fruit

Stir together butter, buttermilk, flour and oats in a glass bowl. Cover with a cloth and allow the grains to soak on your counter overnight or for at least 8 hours.

Stir in honey, eggs, salt, baking soda and vanilla. Fold in raisins, chocolate chips or dried fruit. Pour into a buttered 9×9 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/blog/mom-is-great-she-gives-us-breakfast-cake

Baked Cheesy Chicken

This is a super yummy home-made version of chicken nuggets. My family loves chicken nuggets but I always wonder what all actually goes into the store-bought kind... it just doesn't seem like real meat to me :) So this recipe is great and has become one of my husband's favorites! I double the recipe and make them into chicken strips and they freeze great!

Ingredients: (organic when you can)
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. sea salt
1 t. pepper
1 t. garlic powder
1 egg
1 T. milk
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese
1 1/4 c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
6 thin boneless-skinless pieces of chicken, cut into smaller pieces if you'd like to make them kid-friendly and more "nugget" shaped. (Try to use chicken that is locally raised, free-range, no hormones, etc.)
2 T. butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 9x13 baking dish with 1/4 c. melted butter. In one bowl, mix the flour, salt, pepper & garlic powder. In another bowl beat together the egg and milk. In a third bowl, mix the cheese & bread crumbs. Dip each chicken piece first in flour, then egg mixture, then cheese mixture and place the pan. (Once you get everything in the bowls, it goes fast.) Drizzle 2 T. butter evenly over chicken. Bake 35 minutes in preheated oven, or until coating is golden brown and chicken juices run clear.
Found at: http://www.kellythekitchenkop.com/2008/02/easy-chicken-recipe-better-than-chicken.html

Mark's Favorite Marinade!

Almost every time we go home to visit my folks, they fix us beef tenderloin with this marinade because they know Mark loves it so much! Keep in mind that my Mom never measures; I had to pull her leg to get her to write down approximate proportions :) She pretty much just does it to taste.

Ingredients:
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Dr. Pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup teriaki sauce
2 Tbs. lemon or lime juice or both
1 Tbs. minced onion
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce or A-1 sauce
1/4 tsp. Thyme or oregano or Allspice (depending on your preference)

Directions: Marinade meat at least 1/2 hour before cooking

Healthy Hint: Soaking Nuts

Nuts are one of the healthiest snacks available. My family loves them; even my toddler will beg for almonds :) But the truth is, for them to be completely healthy, you need to soak and dehydrate them. Why? Well, THIS link explains it better than I ever could! And the best part is, they taste so much better as well. Before I started soaking my almonds for us, my husband tried some at a friend's house and came home begging me to do it! After reading about the benefits, I decided to go ahead and try it and now we never eat nuts that aren't soaked and dehydrated. They just taste so much better! And its really easy, too.

This is how I do my almonds and for directions on other nuts, please check out THIS link.

Almonds

4 cups almonds, preferably skinless- SF notes “Skinless almonds will still sprout, indicating that the process of removing their skins has not destroyed the enzymes….[they] are easier to digest and more satisfactory in many recipes. However, you may also use almonds with the skins on. “
1 tablespoon sea salt
filtered water

Soaking time: At least 7 hours, or overnight
Dehydrating Time:12 -24 hours, until completely dry and crisp

* You can also use almond slivers

Chocolate Honey Nut Bars

4 cups ground crispy nuts, seeds and/or nut butter (See THIS post for directions for crispy nuts)
1 cup dried unsweetened coconut
2/3 cup unsweetened carob or cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups Really Raw Honey
1/2 cup melted coconut oil

Note: you can reduce the amount of honey or combine with another less sweet sweetener like brown rice syrup, if desired. Mix all ingredients together by hand or in a food processor. Roll into balls. For variety, roll in ground almonds, sesame seeds, or desiccated coconut. For a crunchy feel, add 1/4 cup of nut pieces at end. Refrigerate or freeze for extended life. Can also spread in oiled 9 x 13 baking dish and topped with desiccated coconut for a honey square instead of ball. Found at www.reallyrawhoney.com.

Pesto Chicken

This was sooo easy and the pesto made it seem like such a fancy dish. My husband loved it!

The recipe originally came from Allrecipes.com, but I’ve changed some things:

Ingredients:
• 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I like them fairly thin for this recipe and I buy them locally, where I know the chickens are given no hormones, and they’re out on pasture.)
• 1 cup basil pesto - you can make your own, or I buy Cosco/Kirkland brand (”Cibo Naturals”) - it’s very tasty and it has a great label: I can pronounce and recognize everything, it’s fairly short, and the ingredients are all natural - how refreshing!
• Thick slices of mozzarella cheese - one for each piece of chicken(I’ll use shredded sometimes, too)

1. Preheat oven to 350* F/175* C
2. Butter a baking pan, lay out chicken pieces
3. Put 2-3 T. of pesto onto each chicken breast
4. Bake uncovered 35-40 minutes, place a piece of cheese onto each piece of chicken, then back into the oven for another 5-10 minutes to melt the cheese (I just made it again and put the cheese on before it went into the oven and in 35 minutes the chicken was done and the cheese was golden brown. The timing will depend on how thick your chicken is.)
Adjust the times as needed for your oven to make sure your chicken is done, but not over-done and dried out.

EVEN EASIER VERSION: I tried making this without the pesto, since my kids don’t like it, and it was still really tasty, maybe even better! I put the chicken onto a buttered cookie sheet (I also do parchment paper first), add sea salt and pepper, then sprinkle various kinds of shredded cheese on it, with some parmesan on top, bake the same amount of time, and it melted in your mouth!
http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2008/04/easy-main-dish-chicken-pesto-recipe.html

Creamy Mexican Turkey Soup

Great for leftover turkey...

1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 large carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken or turkey stock or broth
1 can diced green chilies, drained
2 cups 1% milk
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin
2 cups shredded turkey
¾ cup corn, fresh or frozen
3 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese



1 In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes. Add chiles.
2 In a bowl, whisk together milk, flour, salt, chili powder and cumin. Increase heat to high and whisk milk mixture into soup. Stir until thick and bubbly, about five minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add turkey, corn, cilantro and cheese; stir until cheese is melted and soup is hot, 5 to 10 minutes.

http://www.recipegirl.com/Soups,%20Stews%20and%20Chilis/soup%20stew%20chili%20recipes/Creamy%20Mexican%20Turkey%20soup.htm#top%20of%20page

Sweet Potato Fries

Recipe note: Be generous with the olive/coconut oil here. You want your fries well coated in order for them to get nice and crunchy on the outside. Using parchment paper to line the pan helps to avoid the sweet potatoes from sticking to the pan. It isn’t entirely necessary, though.

2 large sweet potatoes, washed and cut into thin french fry shapes
olive or coconut oil to coat
sea salt

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the sweet potato fries with the cooking oil of your choice. Place the fries in one layer on a sheet pan. You do not want them to be too close together otherwise they will steam, not “fry”. Bake for 20-40 minutes depending on the thickness of the fries. You want them to get a bit dark around the edges - that means they’re sweeter. Once out of the oven sprinkle with sea salt. http://simplenaturalnourishing.wordpress.com/2008/12/27/sweet-potato-fries-w-spicy-garlic-mayo/

Lasagna Casserole

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef 4 T. minced onion, or chopped fresh onion 4 cups tomato sauce 1 T. basil 1 T. oregano 1 t. garlic powder ½ t. salt 8 oz. cottage cheese 8 oz. pkg. pasta (any shape) (I use rice pasta) 8 oz. mozzarella cheese (or cheddar, or a mixture of both) Brown ground beef and minced onion. Drain grease. Add tomato sauce, basil, oregano, garic powder and salt. Allow meat and sauce to simmer about 20 minutes. Boil pasta according to package. Drain and stir pasta into sauce. Add cottage cheese, stirring until everything is evenly mixed. Pour into a casserole dish (9×13). Top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly. If you freeze this dish, be sure to allow at least a day to thaw on the countertop, or two days in the fridge before baking.

http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/blog/lasagna-casserole