Thursday, May 30, 2013

Gluten-free Dairy-free Quinoa Pancakes

Just made these this morning with some leftover quinoa from yesterday's breakfast. I was intending to eat them myself and save some for tomorrow. However, the kids (ages 8 and almost 6) asked to try them and they gobbled up all of my leftovers!!! I'd say these  were a huge success!!! The original recipe came from fitsugar.com, expect it was not GF or dairy-free, so I made some changes and they were absolutely awesome. I am trying to avoid extra sugar too, so I did not put any syrup on my pancakes. The recipe made about 10, but I had 3 as my serving.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup cooked quinoa (my cooked quinoa was made with almond milk, ginger,clove, cinnamon and nutmeg)
  • 3/4 cup GF all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon course salt
  • 1 large egg plus 1 large egg white
  • 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
  • 1/4 cup Unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 tablespoons pure grade B maple syrup plus more for serving (optional)
  • Fresh fruit for topping 

  • Directions:
    In a medium bowl, whisk together quinoa, flour, baking powder, and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk together egg, egg white, coconut oil, almond milk, and syrup until smooth. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and whisk to combine. (some coconut oil lumps may remain)
    Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet or griddle with butter and heat over medium-high. Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls into skillet. Cook until bubbles appear on top, 2 minutes.
    Flip cakes and cook until golden brown on underside, 2 minutes. Wipe skillet clean and repeat with more melted butter and remaining batter (reduce heat to medium if overbrowning). Serve with maple syrup and fresh fruit or preserves if desired.

    Friday, May 10, 2013

    Coconut Curry Chicken

    After searching around my pantry and searching the internet for a possible coconut curry chicken, I came up with a recipe that my husband proclaimed the best meal ever!
    I am currently not eating gluten, dairy, or sugar...so this recipe had to fit that bill as well!...and it did! :)
    Sorry I don't have a picture to post yet, but I'm sure I'll be making this again in the real near future and I'll get one then.

    Ingredients *:
    1 T coconut oil
    1 large carrot, grated or use a peeler to make thin peels of carrot
    1 medium onion, sliced in strips
    1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise into matchstick sized strips
    1 large garlic clove, crushed and chopped
    1 pound chicken breast cutlets (basically one breast sliced in 3 thin pieces)
    2 1/2 teaspoons curry
    1 teaspoon garam masala
    1 teaspoon Himalayan salt
    1 can light or regular coconut milk
    2 T tomato paste

    Directions:
    In large pan or wok, heat coconut oil on medium high and place each slice of chicken breast flat on pan, so you can slightly sear each side. (don't move the chicken around or you won't get a nice sear) Give each side 3-5 minutes, then flip. After the chicken is cooked through, juices running clear, remove from pan and set aside. Without cleaning out the pan, place carrot, onion and zucchini in hot pan. Stir them a bit and let them sit to get a little brown. They should still be tender crisp, just with a little color on them. While veggies are cooking, slice the chicken into strips, again matchstick size. Then, add chicken, garlic, curry, and garam masala. Stir to coat. Add tomato paste and stir to coat. Add can of coconut milk and mix thoroughly. The sauce will slightly thicken. Finally add salt to taste.
    Either serve over quinoa or in lettuce wraps (I used butter lettuce).

    *All of my ingredients are organic except for my spices, though I am trying to head in that direction.

    Monday, April 1, 2013

    Bacon Wrapped Pecan Stuffed Dates


    These may not look too pretty, but oh my! are these some of the yummiest little treats ever!!! And they are so simple to make! A friend of ours made them for our small group, then I made them for my Easter brunch! Delicious!!! The recipe was also found from Paula Deen via foodnetwork.com! 

    Ingredients:1 (8-ounce) box pitted dates30 pecan halves10 to 12 slices bacon

    Directions:Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
    Stuff each date with a pecan half. Cut each slice of bacon into 3 pieces. Wrap 1 piece around each stuffed date, place seam side down on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until bacon is crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and serve.


    Saturday, March 30, 2013

    Creamy Carrot Ginger Coconut Soup


    I don't remember where I originally got this recipe. However, it is fabulous!!! It is such a nice refreshing soup with flavors that will impress your friends, yet it is simple to prepare! It would even make a nice appetizer for your Easter meal!
    Ingredients:
    ·         2-3 large carrots, chopped small
    ·         1 onion, chopped small
    ·         1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
    ·         1 1/2 tsp curry powder
    ·         1 3/4 cup vegetable broth
    ·         1 14 ounce can coconut milk (reserve a few T to drizzle on top when serving)
    ·         sea salt, to taste
    Directions:
    Simmer the carrots, onions, ginger and curry powder in vegetable broth for 20-25 minutes, until carrots are soft.
    Allow to cool slightly, and then puree in blender, working in batches if needed.
    Return to heat and stir in coconut milk until well combined.
    Season generously with sea salt, to taste.
    Drizzle one teaspoon coconut milk on top each bowl of soup, for garnish.
    Serve hot, or, chill until cold and serve as a gourmet vegetarian and vegan appetizer soup. This carrot soup will thicken as it cools, so if serving this vegan carrot soup cold, you may want to add a bit extra liquid.

    Friday, March 22, 2013

    Basic Pancakes

    WOW! After years of trying bazillions of different pancake recipes, some of which we've grown to love, I finally found a basic pancake recipe my kids and I devoured (hubby was already at work...next time babe :)). The great thing is that it is very versatile! You could add blueberries, mashed banana and cinnamon, nuts or swap out the regular milk for almond milk or regular flour for at least 1/2 whole wheat flour...etc etc! This recipe is a keeper for sure! I found it under Banana Pancakes on mybakingaddiction.com !!! There are a lot of other great recipes over there too! By the way, sorry there are no pictures, as they were eaten faster than I  was able to get my camera out!

    Ingredients:
    1 cup all-purpose flour (sub 1/2 whole wheat flour)
    1 T white sugar
    2 t baking powder
    1/4 t salt
    1 egg, beaten
    1 cup milk (sub almond milk)
    2 T vegetable oil (sub grapeseed oil or coconut oil)
    1/2 t pure vanilla extract
    optional:
    mix in 1 or more of the following
    1/2 cup chopped nuts
    1/2 cup fresh blueberries
    2 small ripe bananas, mashed
    1/4-1/2 t cinnamon

    Directions:
    1. In a small bowl, combine flour, white sugar, baking powder, and salt.
    2. In a separate larger bowl, mix together egg, milk, oil, and vanilla.
    3. Stir flour mixture into liquid mixture and whisk until just incorporated, batter will be slightly lumpy.
    4. If adding any optional ingredients, gently fold them into the batter.
    5. Heat a lightly greased griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Pour 1/3 cup batter for each pancake. Flip when bubbles appear and underside is golden brown. Serve immediately.

    NOTE: My daughter said they were so good that they didn't even need syrup or butter! The first time to make them we made no substitutions and just used the basic recipe, no add ins!
    I hope you all enjoy this as much as we did.

    Sunday, July 1, 2012

    Greek Yogurt Pancakes

    UPDATE 1/27/14: Since going gluten free, I swapped out the wheat flour in this recipe for Trader Joe's gluten free all-purpose flour.
    A couple weekends ago I found this recipe at Everyday Belle, as I was looking for a healthier pancake recipe. Well, it was a HUGE hit with my kids! So, I just got done making them for the second time this morning, only I played around with the recipe a bit more today. The first time I made it I used plain, non fat/sugar free greek yogurt and surprisingly my kids still gobbled them up! Today, I had some left over orange flavored greek yogurt that none of us really cared for, so I decided to use that up in the recipe and I added 1/4 teaspoon of Spice Islands pure vanilla extract (which doesn't contain corn syrup, as many others do). I have to say (and I don't get paid in any way by the company...in fact I don't get paid for any part of doing this blog) that Spice Islands products are awesome!!! They are a bit more expensive, but worth it! A sweet friend of mine recently said that good things aren't always cheap and cheap things aren't always good. I think that is SO true! Anyhow, back to the pancakes...the batter is super thick, but they produce a very light pancake. Make sure you resist the urge to continue stirring the batter as you make the pancakes. It will fluff up a lot as it sits and that is what helps make them so great!
    You can use any flavor yogurt you want, but the fact that my kids were just as happy with the sugar free version, I think I'll stick to that next time!
    I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. Thank you to Paige at Everyday Belle!

    Ingredients:
    6 oz (3/4 C) greek yogurt (any flavor, I used plain fat free)
    1 egg
    1/2 C Trader Joe's GF flour, scant...which means just a little less than 1/2 (I used to use King Arthur, unbleached/ not bromated)
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (if using plain yogurt)

    Direction:
    Turn on the stovetop to medium heat using a griddle (or non stick pan). Spray pan thoroughly or butter if you desire. While pans are heating up, mix wet ingredients. Then, mix in flour and baking soda until well combined. Let stand for a couple minutes, until mixture is fluffed up (resist the urge to mix again). The batter will be very thick. Plop onto pan and spread gently with the back of a spoon. Flip when edges are looking a little less wet. They will not get the same bubbles that you may be used to seeing on pancakes, so you'll just have to test these. Flip an extra time, if needed, to ensure the batter is cooked in the center.
    Serve immediately and Enjoy!!!

    Monday, April 16, 2012

    Homemade Laminate Floor Cleaner

    Mummies have to keep their homes clean right? This Mummie prefers to know what I am putting on my floor, so that the children and pets in my home are not exposed to any more harsh cleansers than necessary. Also, did you know that the quality of the air in our homes can be worse than that of outdoor air? One of the contributing factors to our air quality is household products. So, with all of that said, after my husband installed some new flooring in our home, I decided to find a recipe for cleaning it without the harsh chemicals. The recipe is simple and was found on ehow.com

    Ingredients:
    1/3 c rubbing alcohol
    1/3 c white vinegar
    1/3 c water

    Directions:
    Mix together in a spray bottle. Squirt lightly onto the floors and wipe with a soft cloth. Make sure not to leave this or any other product on your floor for any length of time or you could damage your floors.

    Thursday, March 22, 2012

    Substitution and Snack

    My new favorite substitution and my 4 year olds new favorite snack are the same thing. His snack just has a little twist. NON-FAT Greek Yogurt!
    I have enjoyed substituting it for any recipe that calls for sour cream!
    My son likes it in a bowl with a drizzle of REAL all natural 100% maple syrup! He likes me to whip it all together, then he gobbles it up! I like it too :)
    I hope you find this new healthier substitution useful as well!
    *I buy it at Costco and 2 large tubs cost about $7 total! A great deal!

    Monday, February 6, 2012

    Homemade Chocolate Syrup

    Do you buy chocolate syrup from the grocery store? When you buy it, do you look at the ingredients on the label? Well, for years I bought it from the store because it was easy, it tasted good and dare I say it...I never looked at the label! However, as my kids were growing up I starting thinking about what I was putting in their bodies and as a result, what I was putting in my body! I want to live a long long time and so I want to make healthy (or healthier) choices when at all possible. Sometimes that means a little more work on my part, but in the long run I feel it is worth it. I'd much rather know all of the ingredients that are in my food, than just claim ignorance. Things aren't what they used to be. Years and years ago there weren't so many processed foods and there weren't so many pesticides used in our produce. Although, now we have to make a concerted effort to avoid such things. So, I'll get off my soapbox and share with you the most amazing recipe for homemade chocolate syrup, thanks to Rachel at smallnotebook.org (who found the recipe on Tightwad Gazette). I can confidently say it tastes just as good, if not better, than the stuff I used to buy in the store and I used a 1/2 cup less sugar than she did (next time, I am going to try using agave nectar as a sugar substitute)!!! Oh, and by no accounts do I claim that chocolate syrup is healthy! It is a treat that we enjoy sparingly. :)

    Ingredients:
    ½ cup cocoa powder
    1 cup water 
    1 & 1/2 cups sugar (the original recipe called for 2 cups)
    ⅛ teaspoon salt
    ¼ teaspoon vanilla

    Directions:
    Mix the cocoa powder and the water in a saucepan. Heat and stir to dissolve the cocoa. Add the sugar, and stir to dissolve. Boil for 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Be careful not to let it get too hot and boil over! Add the salt and the vanilla. Let cool. Pour into a clean glass jar, and store in the refrigerator. Keeps for several months. Yields two cups.

    NOTE: I bought my jar at a local store that sells specialty beers. Mine contained Schwarzbier. You just need a large enough container to hold 2 cups. Amazon.com also sells a variety of fliptop bottles.



    Sunday, November 13, 2011

    Crockpot Baked Potato Soup

    I originally found this recipe on Pinterest and we really enjoyed it. I printed it out, but can't find the reference to the website where it came from. Anyhow, it is easy and delicious and I hope your family enjoys it as well!

    Ingredients:
    5 lbs potatoes, washed put not peeled, then cubed
    1 medium onion, diced
    fresh garlic (to taste, I used 1 T of minced garlic from a jar)
    8 C chicken stock (I used 8t low sodium better than chicken bullion & 8 C water)
    1 T seasoned salt or all purpose seasoning
    Add 15 min before serving: 16 oz cream cheese (I used all 1/3 less fat cream cheese/Neufchatel)
    Garnishes (if desired): cheddar cheese, chives, bacon

    Directions:
    Add all ingredients, EXCEPT cream cheese, to crockpot.
    Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.
    Remove and puree 1/3 soup with cream cheese (or use immersion blender, to blend to desired smoothness).
    Let soup warm up for 15 more minutes.
    Top with garnishes if desired and enjoy!

    Serves: 10-12

    Thursday, November 10, 2011

    Chicken Goodness

    This awesome recipe you might already know, but my dear friend Alecia made it for me after I had one of my children. It was an instant hit! That was over 4 years ago and I have no idea why this recipe hadn't made it on here yet! So, since I wanted to cook it tonight for dinner, I thought it was about time to post it too! Crazy enough, I had to call said Alecia for the recipe! Now it will forever be on the internet so I can always remember how to make it. Really it is easy enough that I should know it by heart. Maybe now I will! Thank you Alecia for many awesome recipes and for being a totally awesome friend!
    Ingredients:
    2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
    8 oz reduced fat sour cream
    1 can (10 1/2 oz.) reduced fat cream of chicken soup (undiluted)
    1/2 cup or less chicken broth (dependent on how thick you want the sauce)
    1 sleeve ritz crackers (crushed)
    1 stick butter (4 oz. - melted)
    Serve with rice of choice (we use Texmati organic brown rice found at Costco)
    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    Cook chicken breasts. I just boil mine until cooked through (no pink), then cube.
    In a 2 quart casserole dish, spray bottom with non stick spray. Then mix sour cream, chicken soup, broth and toss in chicken pieces.  Pour mixture directly into the bottom of the dish. Finally put crushed crackers on top and  drizzle melted butter over crackers.
    Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
    While cooking, prepare rice, as it usually takes about 30 minutes for rice to cook on the stovetop.
    Finally, ENJOY!!!

    Friday, November 4, 2011

    Playing with the design

    Please bear with me and feel free to give me your suggestions. I am playing with the design of the blog. I want something simple that is easy to read. I saw another design with a bunch of different colored forks, knives and spoons and I kind of liked that. Not sure what to do? Thanks for hanging on for the ride!

    Tuesday, October 25, 2011

    Baked Coconut Shrimp

    This recipe I made tonight, and I personally thought it was delicious! I couldn't get my two kids to try it, but that might have had something to do with the fact that they saw our neighbor behead the fresh shrimp!? Our awesome neighbor has gone out shrimping several times this season and has been kind enough to share his catch with us! So, Sunday night we tried "shrimp on the barbie"...just skewering up some shrimp, basting with a little butter and adding some seasoning. They were simple and great! Tonight, I thought I'd try something a little more adventurous! The original recipe came from girlwhoateeverything @ tablespoon.com. She served hers with a special jalapeno pineapple sauce. You can find her recipe here. I just microwaved some seedless raspberry jelly and dipped mine in that! I hope you enjoy this one too! *By the way...this photo is mine (I tried to get fancy :)). I am also aware that Chef Ramsey would not approve of the burnt edges...but hey, I'm just a mom who makes mistakes and I'm pretty sure it didn't look that dark in person or at least that is the story I am sticking to! ;)

    Ingredients:
    1 pound uncooked large shrimp peeled and deveined
    2 egg whites (whipped to soft peaks)
    2 T - 1/4 C cornstarch
    2 C sweetened flaked coconut
    1/4 C no sugar added raspberry jelly (microwaved and used for dipping) OPTIONAL
    1/2 t horseradish (to mix with jelly for some extra spice) OPTIONAL

    Directions:
    Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper OR heavily coat a pan with non stick spray. In a small bowl beat eggs whites until soft peaks form. Place cornstarch and coconut on two separate plates. Hold shrimp by the tail (or stick 2 or 3 on a skewer, if de-tailed) and dip and coat with cornstarch. Next, dip the shrimp in the egg whites until coated and finally cover with coconut.
    Place shrimp on the cookie sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes or until coconut is golden brown. Make sure to turn them once, halfway through (around 8 minutes into cooking time) to make sure both sides are browned. While shrimp finish cooking, and if you choose to make a dipping sauce...you may scoop out the jelly into a microwave safe dish and heat until melted for 10-30 seconds (depending on the wattage of your microwave). Stir in horseradish if you want to add some spice to your sauce. Finally, serve hot out of the oven with raspberry dipping sauce.
    ENJOY!

    Monday, October 17, 2011

    Chocolate Chip "Cookie" Dip

    Would you believe if I told you THIS (below), could turn into something that resembled cookie dough? Would you believe that both my 6 and 4 year old ate it and said they LOVED it?
    Well, it's true! Thanks to Katie, at ChocolateCoveredKatie.com, I turned garbanzo bean, dates, raw cashews, oats, pure vanilla extract, salt, baking soda, almond milk and chocolate chips into a most wonderful treat!! 



    Ingredients:
    • 1 1/2 cups chickpeas (1 can, drained) (250g)
    • heaping 1/8 tsp salt
    • tiny bit over 1/8 tsp baking soda
    • 1 T plus 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 cup nut butter (I used 1/4 cup whole raw cashews)
    • 1 and 1/4 cup pitted dates (I used deglet b/c that's what I had, but any variety is fine)
    • 1/2 cup water (for soaking dates night before preparing this recipe)
    • 2 T oats (You can omit if you do not want to add milk, I added them)
    • nondairy milk as needed (depending on the consistency you want, I used 1/8 cup vanilla almond milk)
    • 1/3 cup chocolate chips, mix in by hand  (sugar-free chips if desired)
    Directions:
    In a bowl, cover the dates with 1/2 cup water. Let this sit for at least 8 hours. Then add all ingredients (including the dates’ soaking liquid), except chocolate chips, to a food processor or high powered blender and blend until very smooth. Chill and serve with Graham crackers, on top of ice cream or just eat with a spoon!

     THANK YOU @Chocolate Covered Katie!!!

    Friday, September 9, 2011

    Raw Peach Pie

    Here is a "raw" peach pie, which simply means non of the ingredients were ever cooked in any way! Everyone that tasted this pie enjoyed it! I was truly surprised, as this whole "raw" thing is still very new to me. I would definitely make this again! It was terrific!!!

    Crust:
    1 3/4 cup raw almonds
    pinch of sea salt
    1 teaspoon cinnamon
    pinch of nutmeg
    4-5 dried dates
    2 T honey
    1 T almond or canola oil

    Filling:
    4 peaches
    pinch of salt
    1 teaspoon cinnamon
    1 T coconut flakes
    4 dried dates
    1 T honey

    Directions:
    Finely chop the almonds in a food processor or Vita-Mix.
    Add the rest of the crust ingredients and mix thoroughly.
    Spread the dough out evenly on the bottom of a pie dish.
    Put 2 peaches in the food processor or Vita-Mix. When they are finely chopped, add the rest of the filling ingredients, EXCEPT for the last 2 peaches. Blend thoroughly, and remove from processor.
    Slice the remaining 2 peaches and mix with filling mixture. Stir gently by hand.
    Pour filling into pie dish.
    Garnish with mint sprig if desired.

    Recipe slightly adapted from: "Raw Food" by Erica Palmcrantz and Irmela Lilja

    Friday, August 12, 2011

    Surprise!

    Wondering what my deal has been? Where have all the recipes gone?
    Well, I've been a little preoccupied!
    Imagine this...the writer of the Mummies Yummies blog gains over 35 pounds?!
    You might say, well no surprise there! She clearly likes to cook, therefore, she probably likes to eat! I mean there is even a picture of her shoving her face with food in the sidebar!!!
    All of that is true, but would you believe it if I told you that I never struggled with weight in my life.
    When I was in high school, I was always a healthy weight. Not toothpick skinny, but I could eat whatever I wanted to and never weighed more than 120 (and 5'6").
    Then, as an adult I settled into weighing around 135-140. I was "fine" at that weight, but didn't feel super fit, but I also didn't gain weight even if I ate a bunch of junk. I must say, I didn't appreciate my weight and I didn't take care of myself, never thinking that one day it might not be so easy for me!
    Well, that day came! It happened slowly. After I had my second child, I easily dropped all of my pregnancy weight and returned to my 130's! Little by little the weight starting creeping on and my energy level took a dive. Then as I found myself weighing 150, I wondered what on earth was going on. Well, it turned out I had a bit of a transient hypothyroid problem. Basically, that meant that something in pregnancy had brought on the condition causing my thyroid to quit doing it's job and it caused my weight to increase more easily than usual. But within less than 1 year, my levels went back to normal. I should have worked harder to drop the weight then (3 years ago), if I had only seen what was coming in the future! Now, I'm not saying that if I did anything differently that it would have changed my condition or kept it from coming back, but I might not have had to start out so far behind the game with my weight. So, as I just eluded to, the condition came back...and with a vengeance!
    6 weeks ago I was again diagnosed with hypothyroid and Monday of this week it was confirmed that the cause is a condition called Hashimotos! Apparently what happened was somewhere along the line, my immune system decided to attack my thyroid, thus killing some of it off and now it's not doing it's job again!
    So, with that, I re-launched a blog that I had private over 18 months ago and went public with my weight loss journey!
    This has meant a new way of eating for me. Now I have to be very purposeful when putting food in my mouth. I need to make sure it is truly fueling my body. I don't want to be a slave to my thyroid and the various conditions (like high cholesterol and heart disease) that can come with it, so I am going to feed my body well. I'm not ok with putting on more pounds and just blaming it on my thyroid. I know that if I am not intentional about what I eat, the "bad" stuff will turn right into extra unwanted pounds! And with unwanted pounds, could come unwanted side effects...so as a mother of two young children, I am going to put my best foot forward and get healthy for my kids sake!
    If you are interested in following this journey, click here: http://hopeplistohotplis.blogspot.com/
    Then, please follow me! I'd love the support!
    Thank you!

    Thursday, July 21, 2011

    My Favorite Homemade Granola

    Thanks to my dear friend Keli, I now have a wonderful recipe for homemade granola. I have tried many many recipes and haven't been too thrilled with any of them. A few of them were ok, but this one is absolutely awesome...so great that I'm not sure I will ever buy store bought granola again! I hope you enjoy it also!

    Ingredients:
    4 cups rolled oats (I used thick organic oats)
    1 cup shredded or chipped coconut
    1 cup nuts of choice, chopped coarse (I used walnuts)
    1/4 teaspoon sea salt
    1/2 cup coconut oil or 1 stick butter (I used coconut oil)
    1/4 cup honey
    1/4 cup maple syrup
    1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

    To stir in AFTER baking:
    1 cup dried fruits (cranberries, cherries, apricots, raisins, etc.) optional...(I did NOT use any)

    Directions:
    Preheat oven to 300 degrees F
    Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, silpat or grease.
    In a large bowl combine oats, coconut, nuts and salt
    The directions call to melt butter or oil in saucepan and blend remaining ingredients into oil, then pour over dry ingredients, but I skipped this step and dumped everything into the large bowl by accident. Fortunately, it turned out great.
    Spread onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes (min took about 40 minutes), stirring every 5 minutes until golden brown. Do not overbake!
    When it comes out of the oven it will still seem soft, but as long as it is nicely golden brown in color it should crisp up nicely upon cooling.
    Place baking sheet on wire rack to cool. Once the granola has completely cooled, stir in dried fruit if desired and store in airtight container or plastic bag. It will keep for several weeks.

    Makes about 5 cups of Granola
    NOTE: Recipe from http://www.cookingforseven.com

    Thursday, June 16, 2011

    Same Mummie, Same Yummies, NEW LOOK

    I have been trying to take this blog in a more healthy direction, however the look of the blog did not reflect that at all! So, with the help of a super sweet gal...I have been working on a new look for the blog!
    I will still be posting tried and true recipes that real people have fed to their families and enjoyed!
    I just desire to offer you recipes that are made with fresh ingredients, that are healthy, and finally and most often more importantly for those busy families...SIMPLE!
    So, maybe the new description should be just that... FRESH...HEALTHY...SIMPLE...and still Yummie! :)
    You may see several different changes along the way. Feel free to comment on what you like or any ideas you may have! Thanks for hanging along for the ride! :)

    Sunday, June 12, 2011

    Lentil Loaf

    I found and slightly modified this recipe from the Six O'Clock Scramble recipe book. It is really easy and delicious...even for non-bean eaters. It is very cheesy, so picky people even enjoy it!

    Ingredients:
    2 cups low fat cheddar cheese
    2 cups cooked lentils (see below)
    1/2 small onion, finely chopped
    1/4 t pepper
    1/4 t dried thyme
    1 c whole wheat bread crumbs
    1 whole egg (or 2 egg whites)
    1 T EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
    1 can tomato sauce (optional, used for topping)

    Directions:
    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8x8 pan or loaf pan with non stick cooking spray.
    In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients except tomato sauce.
    Spread mixture evenly in dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
    Serve sliced.
    We enjoy a fresh side salad with this meal!

    FREEZE OPTION:
    If you choose to prepare this and then freeze, follow directions as listed, but do not cook until day you desire to eat it. On day of eating, put dish in oven BEFORE you turn the oven on, then turn oven to 350 and allow to cook for 1 hr or until heated throughout.

    Thursday, June 9, 2011

    Sweet Milk Waffles

    I have searched high and low to find just the right waffle recipe. Some have tasted too eggy, some too dense, some too fluffy...Frankly, I was feeling much like Goldilocks! :) Until finally, I came upon this recipe from recipegirl.com! I adapted it a bit by subbing some whole wheat flour and adding some malted milk powder (which sounds weird, but really made a difference in the flavor to me!). My daughter loves to have waffles in the morning, but it isn't always feasible to whip up a batch before school. So, I make these and sometimes double the recipe and freeze the cooked waffles in a large ziploc. Then, on the days she wants a waffle, I just pop them in the toaster for a yummy and healthier breakfast! Best part for me (as always)...I know exactly what is in them!
    1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (sub ½ whole wheat flour)
    1 Tbsp. baking powder
    1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
    1/2 tsp. salt
    2 cups milk
    1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
    2 large eggs, lightly beaten
    ADD: ¼ c Malted Milk Powder, Carnation makes some (Heather’s secret ingredient)
    OPTIONAL: add ¼ cup chopped walnuts
    1. Preheat waffle iron.
    2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add milk, oil and eggs and whisk together until smooth.
    3. Spray waffle iron with nonstick spray. Pour batter into iron until it spreads within about 1-inch of the edges. Cover and bake until done (on my waffle iron, the light goes off when done).
    4. Lift cover, loosen waffle with a fork and serve immediately.
    Yield: About 5 waffles

    Saturday, June 4, 2011

    Zucchini Bread

    This is an ever popular recipe that many of my family (mainly my sister), request on a regular basis. Sadly, my sister and I live all the way across the country from each other so it has been years since I have made it for her. However, she is a fabulous chef and baker, so I have no doubt she will be able to make this even better than me! :) I hope you enjoy it as well. 

    Ingredients:
    1-   ½ cups all-purpose flour
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    ½ teaspoon baking soda
    ½ teaspoon salt
    ¼ teaspoon baking powder
    ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    1 egg, beaten
    1 cup sugar
    1 cup finely shredded, unpeeled zucchini
    ¼ cup cooking oil
    ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted

    Directions:
    1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom and 12 inch up sides of an 8x4x2-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a medium bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.
    2.In another medium bowl combine egg, sugar, shredded zucchini, and oil. Add zucchini mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in nuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
    3.Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing.
    Apple Bread: Prepare as above, except substitute 1-1/2 cups finely shredded, peeled apple for the shredded zucchini.

    *This recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens 

    Monday, May 16, 2011

    Summer Squash Soup


    Tonight, I found this recipe at http://naturallyella.com. I had several yellow squash from our CSA and I didn't want to go the unhealthy (but sometimes yummy) squash casserole route and I was tired of the grilled or pan seared way too, so I figured I would give this a try. My husband and I enjoyed it very much! This would definitely be one that I make again! THANK YOU Erin for your post on naturallyella! 

    Ingredients:
    • 2 cups summer squash (I used yellow squash, Erin from naturallyella used patty pan)
    • 1/2 cup yellow onion
    • 1/4 cup carrot finely diced
    • 1 clove garlic
    • 1 cup pototoes, diced into cubes (I used russett)
    • 1/4 cup white wine
    • 2 cups broth (veggie or chicken)
    • 1/4 teaspoon each: corriander, tumeric, and paprika (I didn't have any corriander, so I left it out)
    • 1/8 teaspoon cumin, mustard powder, and cinnamon
    • pinch cayenne pepper (if desired)
    • 1/4 cup coconut milk (plus 2 T for finishing)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    Directions:
    • In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium low heat.  Add in garlic and onions, sauteing until onions begin to soften and garlic becomes fragrant.  Add in squash, carrot, and potatoes- continuing to cook until squash and potatoes being to soften, about five minutes.  (I added a splash of water, as my veggies were cooking too quickly) During this time, begin to add spices.  Once vegetables begin to soften, add in white white to deglaze the pan.  Finally, pour in vegetable (or chicken) broth, bring to a boil, and reduce then to a simmer.  Let simmer until potatoes and squash are soft, 20-25 minutes.  (taste a couple times during this to adjust spices to your liking)
    • Once potatoes are done, use an immersion blender or a regular blender to create a smooth texture in your soup.  Return soup back to stove top, stir in coconut milk, and heat again until soup is hot.  When ready to serve, place soup in a bowl, spoon 1 tablespoon each onto top of soup, and sprinkle a little paprika on top of each.
    *NOTE: picture above is mine! :) I wish I were a better food photographer!