Apple Slaw

Simple, old fashion recipes. These are my favorite. My kids too! This is the best blend of flavors, tangy, sweet and wonderful. This reminds of a leisurely day outdoors. If the weather isn't always as sunny as it is here in Phoenix, you could always make this simple apple slaw alongside these home made cornmeal fish sticks and have an indoor picnic! Yay!

Celery seed, if you've never tried it is really good and gives even more flavor to this dish.

I use plain, fat free yogurt as a base instead of mayo so it's much healthier for you. Yogurt's smooth, creamy texture and tanginess (is that a word?) is perfect in coleslaw... I mean appleslaw.

The cider vinegar gives it the classic tartness of coleslaw.

The apples give it some sweet crunch.

Sweet golden raisins make this a sweet treat.

Agave nectar is a perfect compliment to the tartness.

Sweet and tangy! Yum!

Serve it with homemade baked garlic fries and cornmeal crusted fish sticks.

recipe:SERVES 6 TIME 10 min
5 cups cabbage mix (green cabbage and shred carrots)
3 cups pre shredded purple cabbage
2 cups plain, fat free yogurt
1 tablespoon unfiltered apple cider vinegar (filtered/refined foods are over processed and have less nutrients in them.)

2 tablespoons celery seed
2 tablespoons mayo (did you see it hiding in shame in my photo? ;-)
2 tablespoons Agave Nectar
2 green apples, sliced thinly ( I used my KitchenAid thin slicer attachment)
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 tsp ground black pepper

Mix it all together, chill for an hour before serving.
Impress your family and friends by serving this at your next BBQ!

I am posting this on Kitchen Corners for the November Cook off featuring Apples!

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Pumpkin and Apple Spiced Granola

Would you believe that I've never made my own home made granola before this? I'm not sure why, I never really thought it would be difficult or time consuming and it's definitely not. It was just a matter of gathering the ingredients and throwing them in a bowl, mixing, baking on low heat and then voila, warm, cinnamon apple and pumpkin granola for breakfast served with some Greek plain yogurt. 

Simple. Delicious. Fall flavors, Check.

I've made several batches of this and can't seem to keep it in the house for more than a day or two which is a very good thing.  The kids are enthralled with this granola and who can blame them? Home made granola is everything I imagined it would be and more. Seriously. Pumpkin and apples and cinnamon and o.k. everything fall flavored is my happy place. 

{I just had an image of Will Ferrel dressed as a school boy in Zoolander  spinning in circles saying "Happy, Happy, Happpppy, Happy....."

Unlike store bought granola, home made turned out much, much well, moister (is that a word? Can granola be moist?) Never mind. It's damn good. Obviously, you can substitute whatever nuts and dried fruits you like in this granola. I also like to add Hemp Hearts, ground flax and/or chia seeds.

A handful of ingredients to gather, change it up to your liking and in 10 minutes your house will smell like a potpourri of Autumn goodies.

Throw the mixed granola onto a stone baking pan for optimal toasting and non sticking.

YIELDS    4-5 CUPS        TIME    40 MINUTES

Ingredients

2 cups Coach's Oats (or other whole, unrefined oats)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup *real maple syrup
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped, dried apple
1/4 cup pepitas/roasted pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 tablespoons coconut oil
stone baking pan or a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper


Preheat oven to 300F.

In a large mixing bowl, or bowl of your stand mixer with cookie paddle attachment, combine pumpkin puree, maple syrup, coconut oil and spices. Mix for 1 minute till combined.  Add remaining ingredients, mix till combined. Spread onto cookie sheet, place in oven and cook for 25-30 minutes until fragrant and toasted, tossing with a spatula once.

Remove from oven and let cool. Enjoy with plain, fat free yogurt. 

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Winter Fruit, Yogurt and Marmalade Pasta Salad

Today for lunch I had this sweet and super tangy fruit salad along with a few pieces of white cheese. I have to say I feel like I splurged a bit but in reality it took all of 10 minutes to make and was a very simple and healthy treat  lunch. 

“By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the National Pasta Association and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”

Did you know that cous cous is actually a pasta? Similar to orzo, another small pasta that resembles rice, it is in fact pasta. Traditional cous cous is very small and delicate and cooks up in just a few minutes. Israeli cous cous is a bit bigger and resembles small pearls and also cooks up in just a few minutes.  I like to to use Israeli cous cous, which is a bit sturdier as a base for grilled salmon and as a side dish tossed with chopped veggies and olive oil or fruits, nuts and yogurt. 

Apples and pears are plentiful right now and made a wonderful pasta salad tossed with pecans and raisins. A simple dressing of fat free yogurt and Seville Marmalade really made all of the flavors POP 

I used a couscous, orzo and lentil medley for this fruity pasta salad so it was hearty and filling enough or a light lunch. 

This was a big hit with the kids who love rice pudding. When cooked, Israeli cous cous has a similar texture as rice but is not void of nutrients as white rice is. Plenty of natural sweetness going on in this fruit salad and the Seville Orange Marmalade added a definite bitter zing.

Just a few simple ingredients to chop up while the couscous simmers for 8 minutes. 

Pair with your favorite cheese for a perfect light lunch.

You Will Need 

1 apple
1 pear
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1 cup dried Israeli couscous medley
1 1/4 cup water
1 cup plain, fat free yogurt
1 cup Seville Orange Marmalade


Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Immediately add couscous, stir and cover. Turn heat down to low.  Simmer for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool while you chop fruits.

Chop apple and pear, discard seeds. In a small bowl combine yogurt and marmalade.

In a medium size bowl combine all ingredients, toss to coat. 

You Might Also Like

Whole Grain Dijon Mustard Salmon on a Cous Cous

Moroccan Cous Cous with Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar

Cous Cous with Cinnamon, Curry and Currants

An InLinkz Link-up

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Tart Cherry and Vanilla Yogurt Breakfast Cakes {Recipe Redux}

Get out of your boring breakfast rut with these deliciously healthy Tart Cherry and Vanilla Yogurt Individual Breakfast Cakes. Served Piping hot who can resist warm tart cherries in a healthy, whole grain cake? This cake is moist and delicious, sweetened naturally with creamy vanilla yogurt and 

 a bit of brown sugar. 

“By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by National Dairy Council and the Quaker Oats Center of Excellence and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”

Don't start your day off with sugary cereals, this healthy breakfast will keep you feeling satisfied and guilt free. Kids and adults alike need a healthy, whole grain and protein packed breakfast to keep energy levels high and the brain functioning and it's best. This breakfast has it all nutritionally speaking and is delicious too! 

More than 75% of Americans are calcium deficient. Calcium deficiency is not only responsible for loss in bone density but plays a role in nearly 150 different degenerative diseases, including obesity, arthritis, fibromyalgia, acid reflux, high cholesterol, hypertension, allergies, cancer, and others.

Calcium plays a very important role in the body to neutralize acidic blood. When we eat acidic foods, like red meat, or we drink carbonated drinks, like sodas or alcohol, our bodies become more acidic. This causes Calcium to be leached from our bones and teeth.

Kids Health

"Calcium deficiency is the major dietary deficiency in America's children today,"  Dr. Duane Alexander, director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 86 percent of teenage girls and 64 percent of teenage boys are "calcium deficient"; in other words, they lack the recommended daily amount (RDA) of calcium, which is 1,300 milligrams, the equivalent of about four 8-ounce glasses of milk a day.

Carbs have gotten a bad rap in the last several years and there are so many 'fad' diets that tell you to completely eliminate them from your diet. However, some studies suggest that up to 95% of Americans are eating refined carbs! The fact of the matter is that whole grains are a very important part of your diet and prevent numerous health problems. 

Most of us are busy people and try our best to eat healthy but often pick up packaged foods claiming to contain grains.  I like to us a Multi Grain Cereal such as Quaker for baking muffins and cereals. 

Healthy,  whole-grain foods  include the whole kernel and have not been processed. Research shows they can protect you from ticker trouble, diabetes, colon cancer, and possibly asthma and Alzheimer’s disease. 

Simple Ingredients thrown together for a quick, get you moving and being healthy day.

You Will Need 

1 1/2 cups Multi Grain Oats
1/2 cup oat flour (ground oats, preferably whole grain or steel cut)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon baking powder (aluminum free)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon iodized salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup real butter
2 eggs (free range of course)
1 1/2 cups fat free vanilla yogurt
1 cup frozen tart cherries
2 tablespoons coconut oil for brushing ramekins


Preheat oven to 350F.  Brush 6 small ramekins lightly with coconut oil.
In the bowl of an electric mixer with cookie paddle attachment, add sugar, butter, eggs and yogurt, mix on speed 5-6 till smooth. Add dry ingredients; oats, flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix on low speed to combine. Add cherries and chopped nuts and gently fold into the batter.
Pour evenly into the prepared ramekins 1/4" from the top. Bake for 30-40 minutes until lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool on wire rack. Serve warm.

An InLinkz Link-up

Processed Free America

Organic Gardening

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Zuccini-Black Bean Chopped Salad with Yogurt-Dill and Toasted Flat Bread Chips

Another light, quick and  delicious recipe for a summertime meal. Full of fresh veggies and black beans for so many vitamins, protein, fiber and good carbs I would run out of room listing them all!!
I found these whole wheat flat bread wraps at Costco. The list of ingredients is pretty impressive, including stone ground whole wheat, steel cut oats, barley, Rye, hulled mullet and flax just to name a few! There are only 100 calories per flatbread, 12 gm of whole grains, 1 gm sugar and a whopping 8 gm of fiber. The flax makes it an excellent source of Omega 3's. I love flatbread pizza and can't wait to try these out for a homemade veggie pizza crust next.

You will need:
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 of a large red bell pepper, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 of a small red onion, diced
1 cup black beans
2 zuccini's, chopped
2 tabelspoons fresh dill, chopped
1-2 fresh lemons, juiced
2 tabelspoon EVOO, divided
Kosher salt
freshly ground black peppercorns
healthy flat bread or flat pitas, cut into triangles

1 cup plain fat free yogurt, 1 tsp lemon zest and 1 tablespoon fresh dill for dipping sauce

Putting it all together:
Preheat oven to 325F
Combine all veggies and black beans in a large bowl. Add lemon juice, Dill,  EVOO, salt and pepper, toss to combine. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.
In a small bowl combine yogurt, lemon zest and dill. cover and chill until ready to use.
Cut flat bread into triangles. Brush lightly with EVOO, sprinkle with Mrs Dash. Spread onto a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes until crsip.
Serve chopped salad with flat bread triangles and yogurt sauce.

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Greek Yogurt and Goat Cheese Tzaziki Roasted Red Pepper Zucchini Rolls with Pesto Dip A.K.A. Extremely Creative and Interesting Snacks for an Unbearably Boring Mom.

Let's talk about creative energy, or rather the lack there of. For instance, I'm pretty sure that I had something rather interesting to say 15 minutes ago but since then 1 million and 1 other extremely important things have happened. Such is the life of a mom of 4. Any mom actually, but I speak for myself (disclaimer numero uno).

Case and point. In the last 15 minutes I have:

Tried to console a very distraught 4 year old little girl about a broken crayon which her 8 year old very artistic brother absolutely had to have because it was  "Imperial Blue" and the exact shade he needed to finish his bird drawing and "NO!" another shade of blue from the enormous bucket of crayons wouldn't do and excuse me please but it in fact is not a crayon but a pastel! ..............................

Stopped 3 times to put on baby doll clothes. On the same baby doll.

Tried to reason with a dramatic 6 year old over why it's not the end of the world when someone touches him, looks at him, breathes on him.

Prepared myself for yet another night of over reactive drama and whining about how grosssssss dinner is before they even know what it is.

Tried to take a picture or two of for mentioned dinner when the house we moved into several months ago does not have ONE SINGLE north facing window, or any decent window for food photography for that matter.  (note to self, look for new house immediately. post note, be in complete denial that the housing market is yet again rising faster than my strategic abilities allow.)

Exaggerating? Who me? NO. Not this time my friends, not this time. Life as a mom, end of story. 

Again, I'm pretty sure I had something very creative or mildly interesting to say in regards to this post 15 minutes ago but alas, you will forgive me as my creativity has been sucked away over the years and replaced with the cutest of cute, adorable, little, needy monsters. 

What's the opposite of boring? These super cute snack containers from Planet Box. I. heart. their lunch boxes and so when they offered to send me one of their brand new sectioned snack boxes, 

"The Shuttle" with a perfect little dipping container I was waiting by the window for the UPS guy.  

This little snack container was much roomier than I imagined and perfect for my portioned, 5 a day small meals. As you can see it held my 'second' lunch quite nicely and I won't even mention the fact that my dear husband swiped it from me the  next morning. I did get a nice text message around lunch time about how fantastic my zucchini rolls were. Cudos.

I love Planet Boxes sleek and convenient  design and that the magnets were interchangeable. My boys loved this alien one and when mommy wants to take it to work I simply take the magnets off or I can switch them out for one of their other cute magnets. These cute space guys ended up on our fridge. 

Several different sizes to choose form with eco-conscience design and cute carriers. I love it!

Back to School Time Already! Time to get a sturdy lunch box that will last through the year! 

Planet Box sent me these items, all opinions are my own.

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Coconut Crusted Baked Chicken Strips {gluten free}

I remember when I was in college I thought grabbing some chicken fingers at Wendy's was a healthier choice than grabbing a cheeseburger, I mean no bread right? Wrong, duh me. I'm not going to lie, I still love a good, crispy chicken nugget but avoid the drive through like crazy nowadays. It's a good thing, a very, very good thing that home made chicken nuggets happen to be one of the very easiest things you can make. Yippee!







Anyone can make these even if you don't like to cook or it's not really your thing. This is one of my "go to" weeknight simple dinners. I'm bored to death with plain baked chicken not to mention the whole humane issue with eating cooped up chickens. Of course eating Organic & cage free chicken gets pricey when feeding a family of 6 so we don't have it very often.

These would be a perfect appetizer at a party!

When we do I make sure it's gonna be tasty and serve it up with lots of fruits and veggies. In this case, an amazingly sweet and creamy mango yogurt dipping sauce! I could have eaten it by the spoonful. Not ashamed.



One of my nutty kids doesn't like coconut (the shame) but the rest of us loved these sweet and crunchy chicken tenders and were more than happy to swipe Jack's chicken nuggets right of his plate. Ya gotta be quick around this joint when it comes to protecting your food and making sure you get the very last chicken nugget from the pan.

6-8 pieces chicken tenderloins (preferably Organic free range)

11/2 cups almond or other nut flour 

1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

4 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons milk (dairy free if possible)

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon oil for coating pan 

2 ripe mango's + 1/2 cup yogurt = mango dipping sauce

peel mango and slice fruit away from pit. Discard pit, place fruit into blender or food processor. Add yogurt, blend.

Preheat oven to 400F

Arrange 3 deep plates on counter. Add flour to one,  beaten eggs to the second and coconut to the third.

Working one at a time, place chicken tenders into flour and dredge on both sides to coat. Using your other hand, dip coated chicken into egg to coat. Next, lay chicken in coconut and dredge to coat, flip, coat other side.

Place on a lightly oiled pan or one lined with parchment. 

Continue to do this to remaining chicken. 

TIP 

 Only put half of the flour and half of the coconut onto plates as they will become gooey.

Half way through your chicken, quickly rinse off plates if needed and dry.

 Add remaining flour to one plate and remaining coconut to the other. 

Cook at 400F for 4-5 minutes. Using tongs, carefully flip the chicken pieces over. 

Cook an additional 5-6 minutes until golden brown.

Don't over cook chicken as it will become dry and taste like cardboard.

Enjoy!

Do you cook less when the weather gets warmer? 

What is your favorite warm weather dish?

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Frozen Berry Yogurt Pops

These are really simply to make and as a bonus, they are really healthy!

I found these cute cups and animal spoons at the dollar store.

The paper cups are easy to tear off so the pops don't break.

The cute little spoons are not only fun for the kids but easy for their little hands

to grab hold of. I wash and reuse them again and again. The boys were really excited about this one!

I made the mistake of having them help me make them right before nap time tho and neither one

of them could sleep for excitment. Every 10 minutes Nolan peeped his head out

of his room and said "Are the animal popscicles ready yet?"

After about 1 1/2 hours of this I threw in the towel and we went outside and had popscicles.

The yogurt makes them rich and creamy, not rock hard like water/juice based popscicles.

We used mixed frozen berries and sweetened them with Orange Juice.

The boys love helping. They were telling me the names of all the different berries going into

the blender. " Razzleberry, Snazzleberry, blueberry, Snoozberry, purpleberry." ;-)

They put in their own spoons and put them one by one in the freezer. What good little helpers! ;-)

You will need:

2 cups of mixed frozen berries

2 cups of plain fat free yogurt

1/2 cup Real Orange Juice

15 small dixie cups

animal silver ware

Put berries, yogurt and sugar into blender. Blend on high speed for about 2 minutes.

Pour into cups about 3/4 full. Put silver ware into cups and freeze about 2 hours, or as long as you can wait.

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Deviled Eggs 9 Ways, from North to South & East to West

I love deviled eggs but lets be honest, a person an only take so many mayo/mustard/vinegar stuffed eggs in the span of the few days following Easter. We usually end up throwing away half of the hard boiled eggs we had fun coloring and decorating for The Egg Hunt, such a waste! So instead of nixing a fun tradition, I took note of a post from Cooking Light and created 3 variations of deviled eggs using some of our favorite ingredients. The result? Eggstrodinary! {work with me, I don't get out much, my 7 year old thought it was funny}.

Three completely different flavors, one from the north seas and two from my beloved South West. I could live quite happily as a Pescatarian with the occasional fillet Mignon and smoked salmon is and always will be my favorite treat. Nova Scotia smoked salmon is not only for breakfast bagels smeared with cream cheese and topped with thinly sliced red onion then garnished with capers (now I'm craving one!) but turns plain deviled eggs into a special occasion worthy hors d' oeuvres.

  Pre-Easter brunch with mimosas anyone?

Guacamole is a staple side dish here in Phoenix and I for one can not get enough of it, despite my mild allergy to them. So why not throw some ripe avocado into the mix?  I used a 1:1 ratio of sour cream and plain, Greek yogurt. Then of course I added bacon, green onion and a squeeze of lime. To kick it up a notch I added a pinch of garlic powder, chili powder, cumin and cayenne. Damn good!

Last but not least, something spicy, tangy and sweet was in order. I like to give all of my taste buds equal opportunity to enjoy themselves. If you will. How about pickled jalapenos and sweet pickles? No Easter is complete with out sweet pickles right? Again, I used a mix of mayo and Greek yogurt to lighten up the calories and keep with the fresh, zinginess of Spring.

The possibilities are endless! Other ingredients and flavors I'm thinking would make 

spectacular deviled eggs are:

• Sirachi + mini Shrimp or Crab meat
• Diced ham + Sharp Cheddar + Dijon Mustard
• Corned Beef + Horseradish Mustard
• Asparagus + Pearl Onion + Whole Grain Brown Mustard
• Pickled Beets + Shaved Asparagus + Shaved Almonds 
• Prosciutto + Petite Peas

What duo or trio would you use for deviled eggs extraordinaire?

What are your families favorite traditional Easter foods to share?

Jalapeño eggs adapted from Cooking Light


TIME    30 MINUTES          YIELDS  36  DEVILED EGGS


Deviled Eggs with Avocado Cream, Bacon and Onions

6 Hard Boiled Eggs
1 tablespoon sour cream

1 tablespoon plain, Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon lime juice

handful of green olives with pimentos

3 tablespoons chopped green onion

2 tablespoons *soft bacon bits 

pinch of chili powder

pinch of cayenne powder

dash of garlic powder 

pinch of cumin 

Shell eggs and cut in half lengthwise.  In a small food processor combine cooked egg yolks, sour cream, yogurt, lime juice and spices. Pulse until smooth.

Add green onions, bacon bits and chopped green olives. Stir to combine. Using a small spoon, scoop filling back into eggs. 

These eggs are best served immediately or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and chilled so they don't brown. The lime juice helps with this.

*Packaged soft bacon bits are found in the condiment aisle at most grocery stores. They are great for deviled eggs and potato salad and have a fraction of the fat as cooked bacon. Not to mention, cut down on prep time.

Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

6 Hard Boiled Eggs

1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon real mayo

1-2 tablespoons chopped red onion

1 tablespoon capers

dash of freshly cracked black pepper 

1 tablespoon fresh dill weed, chopped

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

4 oz. Smoked Nova Scotia Salmon, chopped

Shell eggs and cut in half lengthwise.  In a small food processor combine cooked egg yolks, yogurt, mayo and onion. Pulse till smooth. Add dill, tarragon, capers, pepper and salmon pieces. Stir to combine. Scoop into eggs. Serve chilled

Jalapeño and Gherkins Deviled Eggs

6 Hard Boiled Eggs

1 tablespoon plain, Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon mayo

3 Gherkin pickles (sweet pickles)

2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeños 

Shell eggs and cut in half lengthwise. In a small food processor combine cooked egg yolks, yogurt, mayo, pulse till smooth. Add chopped pickles and jalapeños. Stir to combine. Scoop filling back into eggs. 

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Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce

Oh how I love Spring time! All of my favorite foods are in season right now. Stop by your local farmers market (check here for locations near you) for super fresh produce.

This sauce takes just 15 minutes to make! I make a big batch and keep some handy for topping on yogurt, waffles and ice cream. Rhubarb has a fresh, tangy taste that pairs excellent with strawberries. I use agave nectar in place of sugar to balance out the tang.

To Make:

I used 7 or 8 stalks of rhubarb and 1 pint of strawberries. Wash.  Cut of the ends of the rhubarb (just like celery) then chop into 1 inch pieces taking care not to peel the skin off.

Hull strawberries then slice in half.

Put into large pot with 1 1/2cup of filtered water and 3/4 cup agave nectar.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often. Cook for about 10 minutes till rhubarb is soft.

Keep unused portion refridgerated or freeze.

Makes about 2 quarts.

PRINT THIS RECIPE

 

Health and Nutrition Benefits of Eating Rhubarb (found here)

Wow!

Studies have shown that rhubarb has anti-cancer properties and might help in cutting down the risk of cancer.


Fresh rhubarb stalk is a very good source of dietary fiber and is beneficial for those suffering from indigestion.


Eating a cold piece of rhubarb stalk can help counterbalance stomach acid and thus, restore health.


Regular consumption of fresh rhubarb has been seen to have a positive effect on lowering of blood pressure.


It is believed that regular intake of rhubarb extract can help in diminishing the problem of hot flashes.


Rhubarb has anti-bacterial properties and when applied topically, can inhibit the problem of staphylococcus aureus.


Researches have suggested that rhubarb can prove to be beneficial for those suffering from high cholesterol.


Rhubarb has been found to have anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy properties.

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