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

Fruits and Veggies

As a mom of 2, I am constantly trying to get my kids to eat more fruits and vegetables. They actually do a pretty good job, but it never seems like enough. It is recommended that we eat 7-13 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. So, we have tried making smoothies and sneaking in some veggies. That is great, but sometimes the kids wouldn't like it or wouldn't drink the whole thing. It was never wasted, because my husband or I would finish their leftovers, but it can get expensive.
So, a few weeks ago I met a mom who introduced me to Juice Plus+®!
It is a simple and affordable way to get 17 fruits and vegetables into my kids each day!!!!
Juice Plus+® is the next best thing to fruits and vegetables. Of course, there is no substitute for eating a wide variety of fruits and veggies. However, because most people simply can't, don't or won't, Juice Plus+® helps you bridge the nutritional gap between what you should eat and what you actually eat everyday. 
Check out my website, www.weagreeonjuiceplus.com to find out more. 
Also, feel free to contact me to find out how to get Juice Plus+® free for your child for up to 3 years!
843.367.0099

5 cup fruit salad

Just a simple yummy fruit salad to serve at anytime of the year!

Ingredients:
1 cup light sour cream
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup crushed pineapple or tidbits (drained)
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup mandarin oranges (drained)

Directions:
Gently fold all ingredients together and chill for 2 hours. Serve and Enjoy!

Mountain Dew Apple Dumplings

My friend Chara got this recipe from her friend Mandy. She says it is better than chocolate!! Which means a lot coming from her! I'm trying it tomorrow for Christmas dinner! :)
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!


Ingredients
2 (8-count) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
3 to 4 tart apples, peeled and slice into 16 wedges
1/2 cup butter, melted
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 (12-ounce) can Mountain Dew soda

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13×9-inch dish with cooking spray. Separate dough into 16 triangles. Place apple quarter on shortest side of each triangle. Roll up each, starting at shortest side, and rolling to opposite point. Place point side down in prepared pan.
In small bowl, stir together melted butter, sugar and cinnamon; spoon evenly over crescent-wrapped apples. Pour Mountain Dew over all.
Bake at 350°F. for 35 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve warm with sauce. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired. Makes 16 dumplings.

Freezer Blueberry Jam

Fresh Jam made yesterday on an English Muffin this morning!

This is the recipe I use for my freezer blueberry jam. I tried it for the first time last year and it was absolutely delicious! This year I made them in bigger containers (16oz instead of 6oz) because we went through it so quickly last year. The recipe comes directly from the pink box of Sure Jell Pectin for less or no sugar needed recipes.

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped blueberries
1 cup water
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 package 1.75oz Sure Jell (MUST be for less or no sugar recipes)

Directions:
1. Wash and rinse plastic containers (I've also used glass) with tight fitting lids.
2. Prepare fruit. Wash, discard stems and place blueberries in a blender or food processor; cover. Pluse to evenly chop. Do NOT puree. Prepare only 1 cup at a time to ensure even chopping.
3. Measure exact amount of prepared fruit into a large bowl. Set aside.
4. Measure exact amout of sugar into large saucepan. (reducing sugar or using sugar substitutes will result in set failures)
5. Stir 1 box Sure Jell into sugar until thoroughly mixed
6. Stir in 1 cup water. Bring mixture to boil on medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Once it starts boiling continue to stir for 1 minute, then remove from heat.
7. Stir fruit quickly into hot pectin - sugar mixture. Stir 1 minute or until thoroughly mixed.
8. Pour into prepared container, leaving 1/2 inch space at top for expansion during freezing; cover with lid.
9. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours until set. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks. Otherwise, store in freezer for up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator.

Preparing berries using my mini food processor and putting the measured fruit in a separate bowl.

Mixing measured sugar and pectin in a large saucepan.

Stirring boiling mixture for 1 minute.

Hot jam poured in clean 16oz plastic jars.

Lids immediately placed on to let the jam stand for 24 hours at room temp.

Watermelon Icee

This is so obvious that I hate to even call it a recipe, but it is something I never thought of doing until last summer, so I thought I'd share in case this idea just never occurred to you all either.

It was devoured to rave reviews (and this after getting some Italian Ices from the grocery store -- the children said they'd MUCH rather have these than those -- and these are so much better for them and cheaper too).

Ingredient:
Leftover watermelon pieces (other melons work too)

Recipe:
Cut melon pieces into bite-sized chunks and puree in a blender.
Freeze.

That's it!

Five-Cup Fruit Salad

Another BH&G fruit salad. Not as healthy as the waldorf (see directly below), but mightily delicious! :)

Ingredients:
1 8oz can pineapple chunks, reserve 1 T juice
1 11oz can mandarin orange sections, drained
1 C shredded coconut
1 C tiny marshmallows
1 8oz carton sour cream
2 T chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:
Drain pineapple chunks, reserving 1 T juice. In a medium bowl combine reserved juice, pineapple chunks, mandarin oranges, coconut, marshmallows, and sour cream. Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours. Before serving, sprinkle with pecans.

Waldorf Salad

This is one of my favorite summertime recipes...straight out of the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. I like to make it for people who have recently had babies or to take to picnics. And "the critics" (*note their pictures to the right) love it !! It is another recipe that you can adapt to your liking...add more or less nuts, leave out the celery, etc. I like it just as it is written below, but you can find just the right mixture for your family.

Ingredients:
2 C chopped apples or pears (I prefer tart apples)
1 1/2 t lemon juice
1/4 C chopped celery
1/4 C chopped walnuts or pecan, toasted
1/4 C dried raisins, snipped putted whole dates or dried tart cherries
1/4 C seedless green grapes, halved (or red grapes)
1/3 C vanilla, lemon or orange low-fat yogurt (I use vanilla)
2 T mayonnaise

Directions:
In a medium bowl toss apples with lemon juice. Stir in celery, nuts, raisins, and grapes.
For dressing, stir together yogurt and mayo. Add dressing to apple mixture; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately or cover and chill for up to 8 hours.