Be Healthy, Be Fit!

Most of us are afraid to admit our continued craving for sweet treats this holiday, since we've probably already overindulged. But here is a healthy cookie recipe you can not only eat with a clear conscience, but can even share unashamedly with others!

Brenda is a dear friend of mine from Outlook magazine. I can't believe she was brave enough to do this video! Maybe because "the buck stops here" came into play...she's the editor of the magazine. *wink* *smile* But she does a terrific job!

Click on this link to see how to make the cookies...
http://outlookmag.org/christmas-jar-cookies/

Almond Joy Cookies and Cracker Candy

I got a couple of new recipes from my sister down in Florida. She's tried both of these and says they are good. Plus she knows I like to keep it simple, so one has 4 ingredients and the other just 5. If you're in the mood for something different, and not too stocked up on holiday treats yet, then you might want to try these.

If you've come across more simple sweet treats, especially healthier versions, please share with me and I'll post!


First, here's Almond Joy Cookies (I got this one from www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe)

1/2 c. butter (softened)
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 (11.5 oz.) bag milk chocolate chips
1 c. flaked coconut
3/4 c. chopped almonds

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cover cookie sheets with parchment paper, or lightly grease them.
Cream together butter, sugar, and brown sugar.
Beat in eggs and vanilla.
Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until well blended.
Then fold in chocolate chips, coconut, and chopped almonds.
Drop by rounded Tablespoons (1 1/2 in. balls) onto prepared cookie sheets (they will spread). Bake 8-10 min. Cool in pan 5 min. before removing.

(makes about 3 dozen)

Then she told me about Cracker Candy. Who would guess regular saltine crackers could taste so good?! But she says it is delicious.

1. Cover cookie sheet with foil...then spray with PAM.
2. Cover with saltine crackers (left in squares).
3. Melt in pan 1 cup of butter (2 sticks).
4. Add 1 cup and 2 Tbl. brown sugar to pan...boil 3 minutes.
5. Pour over crackers.
6. Bake 5 min. at 350 degrees.
7. Pour 1 bag chocolate chips over it and cover with aluminum foil for 3 min.
8. Spread melted chocolate and sprinkle on pecans.
9. Freeze for 20 min.
10. Break up into pieces...Enjoy. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies for Breakfast!

Healthiest Chocolate Chip Cookie

~submitted by Betty Jacobs--she found it on Pinterest, and claims it's healthy enough to be eaten for breakfast! They are not only gluten-free, but have NO refined sugar, NO flour, a ton of good fat, magnesium and Vitamin E, and a whopping 4 grams of protein per cookie.

 

1 cup raw cashews**
1/2 cup unsalted almond butter**
2 eggs, preferably pasteurized
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt, plus more to sprinkle on top if desired
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup of chocolate chips of choice

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a food processor, blend the cashews for 2 - 3 minutes, or until they form a paste, with the oils visibly releasing. Add in almond butter and process for 30 more seconds, scraping down the sides, before adding eggs and vanilla and processing an additional 30 seconds, scraping down the sides, until the batter is uniform.

In a separate bowl, mix together the coconut sugar, sea salt and baking soda; then add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir thoroughly.

Mix in the chocolate chips.

Spoon teaspoon sized amounts onto a parchment lined cookie sheet, leaving 4 - 5 inches between each cookie to accommodate spreading, and sprinkle with sea salt if desired, before baking for 20 minutes.

Remove cookies from oven and let sit on pan for 5 minutes before moving to a drying rack.

Makes 18 - 22 cookies.

*You can make this recipe with all almond butter (you would omit the cashews and use 1 cup of almond butter), or all cashews (omit the almond butter and use 2 cups of cashews), but I’ve found you get the best, most traditional chocolate chip cookie taste and texture by "combining the two."**

Presto, Pesto!

Here are two recipes for pesto (one vegan and one with Parmesan cheese). The first vegan one was submitted by a friend of mine, Betty Jacobs. Holly, another friend of ours, shared it with her on Facebook.

I understand Holly developed the recipe herself, so I know it would be yummy and nutritious. She said you might want to adjust the consistency and seasonings to taste.

I liked Susan's suggestion of putting hers in ice cube trays and enjoying it on your hot pasta that way, one cube at a time--Susan's pesto only took a little for quite a bit of pasta!

Pesto (vegan, gluten-free)    ~by Holly Hill Jackson

3/4 cup raw almonds (blanched would be best)
1/4 cup pistachios
1 cup fresh basil
1+ cup fresh spinach
1/2 cup navy beans

2-3 Tbl. non-dairy milk
3 ladles of hot pasta cooking water (use gluten-free pasta, if desired)
Garlic salt to taste

2 T. olive oil

Blend or process til smooth and creamy.

(It would have been smoother if I had used blanched, or soaked almonds, but it still had a good texture.)

And here's another pesto recipe a friend shared with me years ago:

Pesto ~by Susan Zacharias-Jutz (Iowa City, IA)

4 c. fresh basil leaves

3-4 cloves garlic, or less

1/2 c. olive oil, or a little less

1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper, as needed

Chop in blender until smooth. Use on pasta or as a cracker spread.

Tip: Freeze excess in ice cube trays and package in Ziploc freezer bags.

(Can put chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned, on pasta with pesto.)

 

What's for Dinner at Your House?

Several friends of mine are such good cooks and nutritionists. A few would even love to blog about their recipes, but aren't quite sure how to go about it.

So I agreed to step up to the plate (the "dinner plate") and post some of my favorite foods, meals, and recipes in this special blog that will also welcome your ideas, recipes, and posts. It will be a place to enhance all my friends' peculiar dietary needs and collaborate our advice and expertise.

Just contact me by Facebook or email with your suggested posts, photos, and recipes. I think we'll all benefit from the diverse menus and tastebuds of my friends and loved ones.

Being the librarian that I am, I'll attempt to label and keep it all organized. It may be a bit disorderly at first, but we'll get it moving real fast here, I hope.

It can be a "go-to" place to find something different for dinner, or a "knock-your-socks-off" kind of dish to bring to your next potluck.

Enjoy your meal or "bon appetit"!