Happy Holidays!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas with lots of yummy, and healthier food! ;] I am not going to post this week. I have a family reunion, birthdays, and parties on top of all of that.

I hope you have a very

Happy New Year!

We'll see you next year, oh I mean next week!

Happy Healthier Eating!!!

*If you tried any new recipes, I would love to hear about them.

**If you ate something over the holidays that was sinfully delicious, I would love the recipe.

Fun Food Find Friday!!

Merry Christmas Eve!!

Since today is Christmas Eve, I thought I would share with you a tradition we have in our family. My Grandma loved this drink. I have no idea if she thought it up or not, but she was the first one to introduce it to us. We only had it during Thanksgiving and especially Christmas. When she passed away the next Christmas we were all sitting around as a family talking about her and this drink. Someone, I'm not sure who, said we should call them Jeanie Teanie's after our Grandma who's name was Jean. We have called them that ever since.

Jeanie Teanie's

Ingredients
Fresca
Cranberry Juice

Directions
You can mix it anyway you like. Most like it about 60% juice to 40% fresca. For myself and my children I do more of a 80% to 20% or 90% to 10%. That way you get more flavor with just a little bit of the soda. :] Experiment with it and see how you and your family like it the best. Also you can get different types of Cranberry Juice. In the picture it is a mix of apples and cranberries. I really like the all fruit juice one that has raspberries and cranberries. The possibilities are endless.
Happy Holidays!!!

Chocolate (Carob) Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

If you have any of your Peanut Butter cups left over this is a great way to use them. My kids love these. They also make a great gift or nice little treat to take to one of your holiday parties.

Chocolate (Carob) Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Ingredients

3 eggs

1 cup evaporated cane juice

1/2 cup organic brown sugar

1/4 cup coconut oil, solid form

3/4 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 1/2 to 4 cups LG flour mix

Homemade Carob peanut butter cups

Some carob chips just in case

Directions

Preheat oven to 375*F. Cream eggs, evaporated cane juice, brown sugar, and coconut oil. Then add salt, baking powder and soda, vanilla and 3 cups of flour. Stir in the rest of the flour adding a little at a time. The dough should still be wet but not sticky. Spray a small sized muffin tin with non stick cooking spray. Fill each hole 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 10 - 11 minutes. Remove from oven and push in the carob peanut butter cups before removing from pan. Let cool and enjoy! If you have some dough left over add some carob chips and bake them as carob chip cookies. Remember to let the dough cool in the fridge before baking them as cookies.

Chocolate (Carob) Cereal Snack Mix

Sorry about the picture, I know it's awful!

During the holidays my younger sister likes to make what she calls, Muddy Buddies. They always have looked so good but oh so fattening and made with all of the things I can't have. So when I came across this recipe, that is similar to the one she uses, I just had to try it. They are so yummy! This is another treat that you can make and take over the Holidays and not feel as guilty eating them. It's also double nice that they are so easy to make. :]

Chocolate (Carob) Cereal Snack Mix

Ingredients

3 cups rice chex type cereal, I use the Health Valley brand they only have 4 ingredients

1/2 cup carob chips

2 tablespoons organic peanut butter

1/2 cup organic powdered sugar

1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 gallon sized zip lock bag.

Directions

Melt carob in double broiler on stove top using medium to low heat. Once carob chips are melted add peanut butter and vanilla. Put cereal in medium sized bowl and pour carob mixture over top. Stir until cereal is completely covered. Add powdered sugar to zip lock bag. Pour carob covered cereal into bag. Zip closed and shake until cereal is covered with powdered sugar. Store in an airtight container, and enjoy!

Chocolate (Carob) Peanut Butter Cups

I've made these a few times. This time I decided to actually write down how I was changing this recipe. It was also more fun making them this time because I went and purchased some small Peanut Butter cup molds from Fun Finity. They are so cute and perfect for another project I'm working on, post to come later. These are so delicious it will be hard to control your self and not eat all of them at once. I have to hide them from my children. They are a great little treat for this weekend, and they are a little more healthy than the store bought ones. :]

Chocolate (Carob) Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients

3/4 cup Carob chips

1/8 teaspoon coconut oil

1/4 cup organic peanut butter

1 pinch salt

2 tablespoons organic powered sugar

1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Spray molds, or small muffin tin, with non stick cooking spray. Put 1 to 2 inches of water in a small pan, or bottom of your double broiler and cook on stove top on medium to low heat. In a metal bowl, or top of your double broiler, put the carob chips and coconut oil. Stir until completely melted. Spoon (or I like to use my clean finger) melted carob into molds, filling 1/4 of the way full. Using your spoon draw the carob up the sides of the molds until evenly coated. Place in freezer.

In the meantime: In a small bowl, combine peanut butter, salt, powered sugar, and vanilla. Place your bowl back on top of your pan or double broiler to keep carob melted.

Remove molds from freezer. Fill them with the peanut butter mixture, almost filling to the top. Stir melted carob, and spoon enough to cover each cup. When finished use a damp finger to smooth out the top of the cup. Then place in the freezer for a few minutes until completely set.

When set pop out of molds and enjoy!

*Makes about 28 small cups from the molds. Double recipe if using small muffin tins.

Sugar Cookies

My neighbor asked me for my recipe, really it's my mom's with some of my changes, for some sugar cookies that we had taken her. I told her it was on my blog. When I double checked I couldn't believe that it wasn't there! We make these several times through out the year. Our biggest times are Valentine's Day and Christmas.

These really are the best, and most healthy, sugar cookies you'll ever taste. They are perfectly chewy, soft, and moist, with a little extra hint of flavor from the spices. I am constantly getting compliments on them. Even if these in this picture don't look the best, not my finest hour in decorating, they do taste wonderful!

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

3 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/4 cup evaporated cane juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup coconut oil, solid form

1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 400*F. Cream together coconut oil and evaporated cane juice. Then add flour, salt, baking powder and soda. Mix in remaining ingredients until soft dough forms. Add more flour if necessary. Roll our on floured surface to 1/4" thick. Cut in desired shapes. bake for 8 minutes. These cookies do not need to brown to be done. Cool on cooling racks. Then frost and enjoy!

Fun Food Find Friday!!

Our Fun Food Find for today are the candy canes I was telling you about, Pure Fun Organic Candy Canes. These are so delicious!! They are made with evaporated cane juice and brown rice syrup, so much much MUCH better than regular candy canes. My kids just love these.

There is one problem with these, I couldn't find them anywhere local. Non of Health food stores ordered them this year. But I did find them on line for a cheaper price. Go here to order them. They also have some other organic candies that I ordered that I'm going to try. Just remember to check the ingredients before you order. Some of their stuff says organic and then it is made with refined sugar. If you order them today have them shipped in three days to get here by Christmas, good luck! Merry Christmas!!

Turkey Balls in Honey Garlic Sauce

At this time of year there are a lot of parties to go to. It's nice to be able to take something yummy that doesn't pack on the bad, empty calories. I loved these turkey balls! They have a nice hardy flavor, like a meat ball should have, with just a hint of sweetness to them. I took them to a party where the only food there was appetizers. They don't take that long to make and are very delicious. Very good to eat on rice too.

Turkey Balls in Honey Garlic Sauce

Ingredients

Balls:

1 egg

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 tablespoon bragg's liquid aminos

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon mustard powder

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

3/4 cup smashed crackers, I use gluten free multigrain

1/2 pound ground turkey

Sauce:

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 small onion, minced

1/2 cup honey

1 can dice tomatoes, pureed

1/2 tablespoon liquid smoke

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons kamut flour, or gluten free flour mix

1/2 teaspoon onion salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

Balls:

Preheat oven to 400*F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl combine egg, garlic, bragg's, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, chili and mustard powders, and half of the crackers. Then add ground turkey and combine well. Slowly add the rest of the crackers a little bit at a time. You want these turkey balls to stick together but to be a little on the dry side. That way they will absorb more of the sauce. Form turkey into small bite size balls and place on the cookie sheet. Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Makes about 30 small balls.

Sauce:

While the turkey balls are baking, in a medium sauce pan, saute garlic and onion in butter until onion is translucent. Then add pureed tomatoes, liquid smoke, honey, and white vinegar. Bring to a simmer. In a separate bowl combine kamut flour, onion salt, and garlic powder. Add flour mixture to sauce. When the turkey balls are cooked through add to sauce. Simmer until sauce thickens. Serve warm with toothpick, or serve on cooked rice and enjoy!

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

I know it's Wednesday and I usually post some wisdom about food or health, but Christmas is coming so quickly and I wanted to share with you what I'm doing for my neighbors for Christmas.

I am going to give them some of this homemade cocoa mix along with some homemade peppermint, pumpkin, and vanilla marshmallows. I'm so excited about it!

Okay so now to tell you about this mix. Really it is so easy and yet so delicious too! I found that you really don't need all of the extras that some recipes call for. Simple is the best, at least that is what I've found. Try it, you'll love it!

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, or carob powder

3/4 cup evaporated cane juice

Directions

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Heat up rice milk. Add 2 to 3 tablespoon of mix to hot rice milk. Add your favorite marshmallows and enjoy!

Homemade Peppermint Marshmallows

This has taken me a little longer than I thought it would, but here is the second part of my neighborhood gift I was telling you about last week. These peppermint marshmallows turned out just delicious! I love them! My kids love them! If you love or even like to put candy canes in your hot cocoa, you will love love LOVE these marshmallows! They make your hot cocoa creamy with the taste of peppermint. Make them, you'll love them!

Homemade Peppermint Marshmallows

Ingredients

3 1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatin (2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons)

1 cup cold water, divided

1 3/4 cup evaporated cane juice

1/2 cup agave

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large egg white

1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons peppermint extract (depending on how pepperminty you want them)

3 drops red food coloring

2 cups organic powdered sugar

3 organic candy canes, crushed

Directions

Grease bottom and sides of a 13x9 inch rectangular metal pan, and dust bottom and side with organic powdered sugar.

In a bowl of a standing electric mixer sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water, and let stand to soften.

Meanwhile, in a 3-quart heavy sauce pan cook evaporated cane juice, agave, second 1/2 cup cold water, and salt over low heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until cane juice is dissolved. Cover and increase heat to moderate high and boil. Once the mixture starts to boil uncover and insert candy or digital thermometer. Boil until the thermometer register 240*F (soft ball stage). Remove pan from heat and pour lot liquid mixture over gelatin mixture. Stir until gelatin is dissolved. Turn on electric mixer to high speed and mix until mixture turns whit, thick, and nearly triples in volume, about 6 minutes.

While that thickens, in a separate bowl with cleaned beaters beat eggs whites until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat egg whites, peppermint, and food coloring into white mixture until just combined. Pour, now pink, mixture into baking pan. Sift some of the powdered sugar evenly over the top. Chill, uncovered, until firm, at least three hours, and up to one day.

When firm, run a thin knife or rubber scraper, around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. Lifting up one corner of inverted pan, with rubber scraper, loosen marshmallow and ease onto cutting board. With a large knife rim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallow into one-inch cubes. Sift remaining organic powdered sugar back into our now-empty baking pan along with the crushed organic candy canes, and roll the marshmallow though it to prevent sticking. Store in a plastic bag in fridge or in freezer for up to one month, and enjoy!

To make small marshmallows like I did, use two 9x13 inch pans and divide pink mixture between the two pans. This allows you to cut them a little smaller for small marshmallows.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread

This is the recipe that I talked about last Thursday to go on the 2 layer pumpkin cake. It is very yummy, I received lots of compliments on it. It isn't a stiff frosting. I just let is fall down the side of the cake. Hope you like it!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread

Ingredients

1 8oz package 1/3 less fat cream cheese

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup evaporated cane juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

Beat all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour, then spread on cake or use for cookies dip.

Fun Food Find Friday!!

I've been looking all over the place for the organic candy canes that I usually buy for Christmas. No one seems to have them this year. If you see any would you please let me know where they are. In the mean time I'll keep looking and let you know when I find them. They are so good and made with evaporated cane juice!

2 Layer Pumpkin Cake

Here is yet another yummy but more healthy cake for your pleasure. :] It's pumpkin and goes so well with the season. It turned out so yummy and moist. A lovely treat to take to those Christmas parties that are coming up.

2 Layer Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients

1 cup evaporated cane juice

1/2 cup coconut oil, liquid, or vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 1/4 cup kamut flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon xantham gum

1 cup pumpkin puree

Directions

Preheat oven to 350*F. Combing evaporated cane juice, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl; mix well. Sift dry ingredients into a separate bowl; stir into oil mixture, beating well. Stir in pumpkin puree. Pour batter into 9 inch round, greased, cake pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cake tests done when toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on racks. Frost with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread.

Original recipe found here.

Butternut Squash Soup

If you have been following my blog you know by now how much I love butternut squash. I have experimented with several different soup recipes. Not one of them has turned out. I don't know what it is. I have even tried to follow the directions and the ingredients of recipes exactly. But not one of the butternut squash soup recipes could I even stand to give to my children let alone share it with you! Well today we have a winner. This soup is extremely smooth and creamy. I had no idea how well beef broth could be with butternut squash. It really is tasty. Now it's not my favorite way to eat butternut squash, but it was good, and extremely simple. When you see what is in it you will want to try just to see for yourself. Well at least that is why I decided to try it anyways. :] Hope you like it, and happy eating!

Butter Squash Soup

Ingredients

1 small butternut squash

1 can reduced fat beef broth

salt to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 400*F. Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet inside down. Bake until a fork and be inserted in squash easily, about 20-30 minutes. Remove squash from the oven and scoop out the insides with a spoon (you will need 2 1/2 cups of squash for every 1 can of broth). Place in a pot on stove top and add the broth. Use a hand mixer, or transfer soup to a blender to puree smooth. Cook until heated through, and enjoy!

Yep that's it, it's that simple!!

original recipe found here.

Pumpkin Marshmallows

I'm sorry about dropping off the face of the earth last week. To be honest I haven't been cooking and experimenting very much lately. Mostly last minute shopping and getting ready for Christmas. I'll try and do a little better. :]

When I found this recipe for pumpkin marshmallows I was so excited to try them. How good could they be, I thought. Well let me tell you... they are so amazing!!! I love them, and so do my kids and anyone who I let try them. I've decided that they are going to be part of my neighborhood Christmas gift this year. I'll tell you more about that hopefully by the end of this week or the beginning of next. Any who, these are sooo good and if you like to add chocolate chips to your pumpkin bread you will like these in your cup of hot chocolate or hot carob!

Pumpkin Marshmallows

Ingredients

3 envelopes unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup cold water

2 cups evaporated cane juice

2/3 cup agave

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 level teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 heaping teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup organic powdered sugar

Directions

Spray a 9x13 inch pan with non stick cooking spray and dust with organic powdered sugar. Set aside.

Pour the 1/2 cup cold water into the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Set aside for 10 minutes. Combine the evaporated cane juice, agave, and 1/4 water in a sauce pan; cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Take the lid off when it starts to boil and add a candy thermometer. Heat to 250* F, or until a small amount of the syrup dropped into a cold a bowl of cold water forms a rigid ball.

Meanwhile, combine the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, mix well.

When the syrup is finished add to the dissolved gelatin and turn on your mixer on slow speed. Increase the speed to medium-high and add the salt. Mix until stiff, shiny, white in color, and tripled in size, about 5-12 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally using a rubber spatula.

When tripled in size remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the pumpkin mixture until combined. Return the bowl to the mixer and beat on medium-high speed about 3 minute longer. The mixture should form a more-or-less continuous ribbon off the spatula into the bowl.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan so that it is an even depth. Top with a light coat of organic powered sugar. Let the mixture set at room temperature for at least 8 hours or over night.
When the marshmallows have set, turn them onto a work surface and cut them into squares or shapes as desired. Roll each marshmallow in organic powdered sugar to coat each side to prevent sticking. Store in an airtight container in fridge or freezer. They can last for up to a month in the freezer or a week on the counter. Enjoy!

Widsom Wednesday!!

Fruit and Vegetables

Did you hear about Weight Watchers and the changes they've made to their point system? If you haven't I thought I would share part of it with you today. To be honest I don't know a ton about their point system. I know it works for a lot of people. I have an aunt that lost a lot of weight on their program. She told me one time that one M&M was one point. You only get so many points a day. With their new program they have taken away points from fruits and vegetables. I'm thrilled to hear this because they are extremely healthy for you and I don't think that they should have had any points to begin with. Yes they do have calories, but they are good calories. Calories that help your body with energy, with detoxing, with vitamins and minerals. Your body can't get enough fresh fruits and vegetables. So if you're on weight watchers dive in, eat as many fruits and vegetables as you want. If you're not on the program dive in anyways!! And remember Happier Healthier Eating!!
To see an article about the changes go here.