Granola Brittle
½ cup roasted pumpkin seeds
½ cup pecans, chopped
½ cup almonds, whole
½ cup sunflower seeds
1 cup oats
¼ cup salt
zest from 1 orange
½ cup fresh orange juice
½ cup maple syrup
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup butter
Toast dry ingredients in frying pan, then add zest. In saucepan, blend sugar, syrup, salt and juice. Boil to 290°. Remove from stove, blend in butter and stir until melted and smooth. Immediately mix into dry ingredients until coated. Spread onto greased cookie sheet (no edges), top with parchment paper and use rolling pin to flatten as much as possible. Remove paper and allow to cool, then break into large pieces.
Choc cow pies
good dark chocolate, about 2 cups (like Ghirardelli choc chips)
dried fruit. i like chopped apricots, blueberries and cherries
nuts--cashews or pistachios are great.
melt choc on low in microwave. stir in nuts. drop in spoonfuls on waxed paper and let cool.
Blackberry tea
6 tea bags
4 cups boiling water
3 cups blackberries
pinch baking soda (to preserve color)
¾-1 cup sugar
2-1/2 cups cold water
¼ cup chopped mint leaves
Mash berries. Mix berries, sugar, mint and soda. Make tea with tea bags and boiling water. Let steep 3 minutes (or longer). Remove tea bags and squeeze dry. Add fruit and tea together and let sit for 1 hour. Strain. Add 2-1/2 cups cold water to tea mixture. Enjoy!
Fruit smoothies
Pumpkin bread
Granola
Dried fruit, nuts
Energy Balls(1/2 cup each)
oats
peanut butter
protein powder
sesame seeds
honey (1/4 cup only)
Mix thoroughly in a bowl, roll into walnut-sized balls and refrigerate or freeze for storage.
AUNT MARION'S FRUIT SALAD1 can (11oz) mandarin oranges*
1 can (20oz) pineapple chunks*
1 can (16oz) peach slices*
3 bananas
2 red apples
Fresh blueberries or raspberries, optional
Fruit Sauce:
1 box (3-3/4oz) instant vanilla pudding
1 cup milk
1/3 cup orange juice concentrate - do not dilute
3/4 cup cultured sour cream
Mix all fruit together gently; set aside. Combine dry pudding with milk, orange juice concentrate and sour cream. Beat with a wire whisk until smooth. Mix fruit into sauce with wooden spoon. Stir well; cover; chill. YIELD: 10 servings.
HEALTHY Brownies
1 pkg brownie mix
1/3- 1/2 cup carrot juice
10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained
3 eggs
¼ cup veggie oil
Puree spinach, juice, oil and eggs in blend until smooth. Blend into brownie mix. Pour in greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake according to brownie pkg instructions
And they store well in the freezer, so make a nice cold snack straight from it. You can eat them straight from the freezer because they don't freeze hard. The mineral content, sugar, lack of water. or all of the above, prevent that. As my kids used to say, It doesn't take many to get "sweeted out!" And they are good for you, too.
To boost the nutrition, you can remove the pit, and fill with peanut butter, or an almond. Some people like a smoked almond in them, still others fill with cheese. Some people roll them in sugar after filling. Cream cheese can also stuff them. I've also heard of wrapping in bacon and grilling, or broiling.
I have a loaf I make which I think is healthier than not, though it uses some sugar. It's a no-measure loaf of mine though, so you can either wing it, as I do, or find a basic banana bread recipe and use their measurements for flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. (One I have calls for 2 cups flour.) Ignore their other measurements, though.
If the batter's too thick, I add a little liquid. If it's too thin, I add more flour. Also, for those with allergies to dairy, there's no milk in it, or butter. And very little oil.
Shred some carrots, I use a salad shooter as it's easy, and they come out finer
Chop some dates, and roll pieces in sugar on a platter.
Unsweetened applesauce, maybe 1/2 jar
Small, very ripe, banana
Chopped nuts, optional (Shake in some flour, then shake excess off.)
Put some flour in a bowl, as I say, I have a banana bread recipe which calls for 2 cups.
Mix in all dry ingredients: salt, baking soda, baking powder, and whatever spices you wish to use.
Meanwhile, put the small banana in a food processor with half a jar of the applesauce, and about 2 Tablespoons of oil. Add vanilla. Blend until smooth, and add to dry ingredients. It may not be moist enough, but you haven't yet added the eggs.
Add a little sugar and taste. Remember that you will still be adding dates rolled in sugar. Get to your desired sweetness, then add in your eggs, mixing well.
Stir in well drained crushed pineapple.
If it seems dry, this is where you would add a little water, until at a good batter consistency.
Start adding shredded carrots, a handful at a time, until it seems like enough.
Stir in dates.
Also stir in nuts, if you are using them.
Wipe a glass pan, I use a sheet cake type, with oil. Turn batter into it. Cook at 350 degrees until a toothpick comes out clean, but don't over cook.
Cut into squares. Good with butter....so much for dairy-free!
I imagine that when gardens get going you could replace the carrots with shredded zuchinni, or use half zukes, and half carrots.
I make fruit smoothies with frozen OJ concentrate and all sorts of fresh, frozen, and/or overripe fruit and freeze them in popsicle molds. They're great for whenever you want something cold &/or sweet, and each one is a 2 oz serving of fruit. I grab one when I'm in a hurry for breakfast, it's like a little fruit salad on a stick.
I don't ever add sugar, honey, or ice. Too much juice ruins the texture for me, but sometimes I'll start with plain yogurt or the remnants of a jar of applesauce.