Chewy Oatmeal Bars

Here is another recipe that my neighbor sent me. We made these last summer, and they were pretty good. I stored them in the freezer and would throw them in my bag before we headed out the door. By the time Preston would be hungry after playing at the park or what not, they'd be thawed and ready to consume. John tried them once and thought they tasted too healthy. To each his own, right? I thought they were pretty good.

Ingredients: 

Image and original recipe found here

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 (8 ounce) container low-fat vanilla greek yogurt...or plain

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 

2 tablespoons nonfat milk (I used whole, it's what we drink around here)

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 ripe, smashed banana (my neighbor always threw one of these in just to add a little more to these, but the recipe doesn't actually call for it) 

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I substituted 1/4 c flax seed, and equal parts white and whole wheat flour into ours)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

3 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup raisins (we used peanut butter chips instead)

You can pretty much hide anything healthy in these and I don't think anyone would notice.

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients...and banana if using. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well. Add dry ingredients to wet mix and mix well. 

Stir in oats and dried fruit or whatever addition you're using. Spread onto bottom of ungreased 13x9 baking pan. Bake for 28-32 minutes or until golden brown. 

Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into bars and store tightly covered. 

You could even make these into muffins if you preferred! 

Breakfast Cookies

Back in Oklahoma, I used to meet up with a neighbor and we'd take our kids to the park...oh, how I long for it to be park weather again...and I was always amazed at a) how prepared she was, food wise, when we were there, and b) how she always had the most healthy, and delicious looking snacks for her kids. All the while I was pulling out some highly processed bar of something or other for Preston, because it was quick, and easy, and quick and easy are the two things I like most.

I begged her to send me the recipes, because I figured one day, when I wasn't so lazy, I'd make my child healthy, on-the-go snacks, too.  I'd be that "good" parent that truly cares about the health benefits of what my child is consuming. Well, that's only slightly true. Mostly, I just care that my child eats something other than fruit, because that's all he seems to wants these days. At least it's healthy, but, too much fruit always has it's after effects.

Moving on.

I wouldn't say this recipe is the most healthy thing out there (lots of sugar), but it is full of other good stuff. It's the perfect little protein boots when you're on the go, or not, and you just want something full of hearty goodness. We made these yesterday and I have to say, they're pretty good!


Breakfast Cookies   

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened

Image and original recipe found here

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup water
1 egg
1 tbls vanilla
1/4 cup flaxseed
3/4 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour (you could do all whole wheat if you want. Just make sure the flours equal 1 1/4 cup)
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup raisins/dark chocolate chip/peanut butter chips (we did a little bit of everything, per Preston's request)
3 cups round toasted oat cereal (like cheerios)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In large mixing bowl beat butter and peanut butter with electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, basking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl. Beat in water, egg, and vanilla until combined. beat in flour until combined. Beat in as much of the rolled oats as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remain rolled oats. Stir in raisins/chocolate pieces and oat cereal.

Drop dough by scant 1/4 cupfuls, about 3 inches apart onto an undressed cookie sheet. Flatten slightly. Bake for 10 or so minutes, until edges are lightly browned. Cool on a cookie sheet and transfer to wire rack to let cool completely.

These can be stored in a tightly covered container for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Makes about 24 (2-cookie) servings.

Chili Cheese Tortilla Soup

1 small onion, chopped
2 T. oil
2 1/2 c. chopped or diced tomatoes (canned 1 or 2 cans according to taste)
3 c. chicken broth
2 - 3 chicken breasts, chopped into small pieces
1 - 2 cans (4 oz.) green chiles, chopped
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 potatoes or sweet potatoes, peeled & chopped
1 - 2 carrots, chopped fine

Saute onion until soft.  Add tomatoes, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and potatoes & cook until tender (about 40 minutes).  While that is cooking, cook chicken with a little oil until fully cooked then cut into small pieces.
Once cooked, add cheddar or your favorite cheese and tortilla pieces into your hot soup.  Let each person add their own cheese & tortillas according to their taste.

*Lorena made this while we were in Israel and it made a delicious dinner!

Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread

½ Cup Butter, softened (room temperature)

1 1/3 Cups Sugar

3 Large Eggs

1 ½ Cups All-Purpose Flour

½ teaspoon Salt

1/8 teaspoon Baking Soda

½ Cup Sour Cream

1 Cup Shredded Zucchini

1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest

2 teaspoon Poppy Seeds

  

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Beat butter at medium speed until creamy.  Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

In another bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking soda.  Add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.  Stir in zucchini, lemon zest and poppy seeds.  Spoon batter into 3 greased and floured 5” x 3” loaf pans (about 1 1/3 cups batter per pan).

Bake at 325 degrees for 40 – 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool pans on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans to wire racks and cool completely.

Tomato Feta Salad

Someone brought this salad to our ward Christmas party, and I tried going back for thirds but unfortunately, everyone else had discovered it's deliciousness as well and there was nothing left in the bowl. I knew I should have taken more the second time I went back, but I was trying to be polite.

I tracked down who brought the salad so I could get the recipe, because it's a recipe that I'd love to have on hand. Come to find out, it's just from Ina Garten of the Food Network. You can find the link here.




Ingredients
4 pints grape tomatoes, red or mixed colors
1 1/2 cups small-diced red onion (2 onions)
1/4 cup good white wine vinegar
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 1/2 pounds feta cheese

Directions
Cut the tomatoes in half and place them in a large bowl. Add the onion, vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, basil, and parsley and toss well. Dice the feta in 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes, crumbling it as little as possible. Gently fold it into the salad and serve at room temperature. 

Cranberry Apple Bread Stuffing

Recipe from here

And another one I thought you all might like. I'm not even a huge stuffing lover, but this sounds delicious:

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 small onion, chopped
1 large apple, cored and chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1 package (8 ounces) corn bread stuffing
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons water
1 egg, slightly beaten

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion, apple, and celery; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce temperature to low; add cranberries and cook an additional 5 minutes. In large bowl, combine remaining ingredients; stir in cranberry mixture. Place stuffing in Crown Roast cavity during last hour of cooking time. Remaining stuffing can be baked in a lightly greased covered casserole dish for about 45 minutes.

Makes about 4 cups stuffing

I was going to add the nutritional information, too, but, it's the holidays, and is that really needed this time of year? You can find it on the link if you're THAT interested.

Roasted Beets and Carrots

I was just about to take a nap, when I decided to quickly browse a free magazine I got at the grocery store yesterday. It had a picture of the most delicious looking cheesecake on the cover, which should have been the first sign that there would be no "quickly" browsing of said magazine once it was opened. And of course, I kept texting Brittany pictures of all of the goodness I was finding inside, adding items to our thanksgiving feast.

 I haven't tried this yet. All I know is it looks amazing, and I needed to write this recipe down before something tragic happens, like I loose the magazine, and all of the recipes contained inside. This magazine is mouth watering...and it's just the grocery stores own magazine for the holidays.

 On with the recipe:

3 medium red beets
1 pound carrots, cut diagonally
1/4 inch thing Olive oil no-stick cooking spray
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp course salt Freshly ground black pepper
2 TBSP white balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
2 TBSP minced shallot
1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp honey

Peel and trim beets; cut in half from stem to root. Place cut-side down; slice 1/2 inch thing. Place beets and carrots in single layer on foil-lined jellyroll pan. Lightly coat with cooking spray and season with sugar, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Roast in 450 degree oven stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender; about 20-25 minutes.

In small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients; toss with hot vegetables. Makes 6 servings.

Sounds good, right? I mean, who doesn't love vegetables that are so sweet they state like candy, but ironically are totally healthy for you?