Healthy Whole Wheat Cinnamon Bread

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Bread Recipe

You won't even know the difference!

Swirls of Cinnamon!

I have been on a recent mission to make as many of my families foods as I can from scratch. When I began on my mission, I found that most recipes called for pounds of butter, tons of sugar, lard, and many of other items that I was trying to eliminate from my diet. So, I buckled down and began altering recipes to make them what I was looking for- Healthy variations of my favorites.

So many people think that eating healthy or all-natural has to be boring and that is entirely not true! There is nothing boring about this Cinnamon Bread Recipe!

I have made a few alterations to the recipe that allow it to be healthful AND tasty at the same time:

• Whole Wheat Flour instead of White - This is beneficial because when white flour is refined, it loses the most nutritious parts of the grain -the fiber. It also loses essential fatty acids and most of the vitamins and minerals that were in the grain to begin with. About 30 nutrients are lost during refinement and they only add back or "enrich" white bread with 5 nutrients. Theres so little fiber left after processing that you would have to eat around eight pieces of white bread to get the fiber in just one piece of whole wheat bread.
• Vanilla Soy Milk in place of heavy Buttermilk- Soy is naturally high in essential fatty acids, proteins, fiber, vitamins and minerals. It also is way less fat than cow's milk and helps to promote weight loss, can help prevent post menopausal symptoms, and is noted to prevent osteoporosis and prostate cancer - along with a host of other benefits.
• Eliminated the Eggs- Reduced cholesterol
• Reduced the Sugar and even have replaced it with Stevia on occasion - If you go the Stevia route it has no calories, no carbs, no artificial ingredients, and no effect on blood sugar!

Take as many liberties as you can with this recipe! Add almonds, raising, apple pieces, etc! If you choose to use the traditional ingredients, feel free! It is still a great recipe and better than the pre-baked and packaged cinnamon breads on the store shelves.

It is a quick recipe, easy for kids to help with, and so worth the time!

Enjoy!

Cook Time

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 45 min

Ready in: 55 min

Yields: 1 loaf pan

Ingredients

• 2 cups wheat flour
  
• 3/4 cup sugar, (or substitute) if you use Stevia you may want to use a bit less!
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup Milk, (I used vanilla soy milk)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• FOR THE CINNAMON SWIRL ------
• 2 teaspoons margarine
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 cup sugar, (or substitute)

1. Spray your 9x5 loaf pan with non stick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl add 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, salt, oil, and soy milk.Mix batter for 2 minutes and pour half of the batter into loaf pan.
3. In separate bowl mix 1/4 cup of sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and butter. It will make a crumbly streusel looking mixture.
4. Sprinkle 3/4 of the topping over the batter in the loaf pan.
5. Layer the remaining batter in the loaf pan and use a knife to make a swirl design in the pan. This will get your "swirl" effect in the bread!
6. Top with remaining cinnamon/sugar topping.
7. Place pan in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Depending on the oven, I would check it with a fork around 38-40 minutes.

Healthy Homemade Tortilla Recipe

Healthy Homemade Tortilla Recipe!

Healthy, Easy, and Tasty...and only 5 ingredients!

You will never buy storebought AGAIN!

As a low carb dieter, I am always craving carbs on my cheat days. I still try to avoid white flour on and have found that the wheat tortillas sold at the store are expensive and lack flavor. I have recently began homemaking noodles, crusts, and pretty much everything else so why not tortillas?

I went on a search for the perfect homemade wheat tortilla recipe. I found many but they didn't seem to work well for me so I continued to tweak the recipe until I had the one that I felt was the best. This recipe is quick, easy, and great for thrift people like me! The store bought tortillas will cost anywhere between $3 and $5 depending on the brand...10 wheat tortillas cost me less than $1.

The BEST part about making these tortillas at home is that you can add your favorite flavoring to make them extra special! Try adding cilantro, chili powder, garlic salt, sun dried tomato paste...or anything else you can think of!

Enjoy making your homemade tortillas and eating them!

Cook Time

Prep time: 35 min

Cook time: 5 min

Ready in: 40 min

Yields: 10 tortillas

Ingredients

• 3 Cups Flour, Wheat or works with white
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup oil, vegetable or canola
• 1 cup water, hot
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• to taste SEASONINGS, your choice

Get your hands dirty!

1. Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder together. Add the oil and get your hands dirty! Incorporate the oil until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Add 1 cup of hot water and mix with your hands until a ball develops. You should let this ball rest for 20-30 minutes.
2. Pull off a bit of the dough and roll it out until it is pretty flat. These don't need to be perfect circles BUT if you must have a perfect circle- simply use an upside down plate and a pizza cutter. Lay the plate (one smaller than your rolled out circle) upside down on the rolled out tortilla and trace with the pizza cutter! Presto...perfect circle!
3. Simply place this in a warm skillet that is set on medium-high (I spray mine with cooking spray but it isn't necessary). You will see the air pockets taking shape as it cooks. When it becomes golden on the cooking side - flip it over! You will be left with a beautiful golden tortilla!

Have Leftovers? Want to make them for all week?

Leftovers can be refrigerated in a plastic storage bag or container and warmed in the microwave when you are ready to use them. Make a big batch so you have them whenever you need a quick snack!

Healthy Homemade Zucchini Cake Recipe

Healthy Grilled Zucchini Cakes with Red Pepper and Feta - Ruby's Tuesdays "Look alike" recipe!

This recipe is very similar to the ones you get at popular restaurants but is much healthier! It is a crowd pleasure as a main dish or side dish for vegetarians and carnivores too!

I am the ONLY vegetarian in my house so I am always on the hunt for recipes that are not only healthy but also good for me as well as my carnivorous family. This recipe fit the bill!

After being a vegetarian for a few years, I found that I desperately missed crab cakes, not the crab part but the flavors. This recipe is so easy to make and closely resembles a crab cake. I had something very similar while I was at Ruby Tuesdays and fell in love. The only thing that I didn't love was the fat content! I came home and began my mission to find a copy cat recipe. I tried a few that weren't so great but tweaked the recipes until I came up with this version.

Here is how the zucchini looks when shredded!

These are easy to make and surprisingly healthy! They can be served as a side dish or as a main course and are easily adapted to add your favorite ingredient...yes, even crab.

!

Cook Time

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 8 min

Ready in: 28 min

Yields: 8 - 10 cakes depending on the size

Ingredients

• 2 cups zucchini, grated and drained
• 1/4 cup red pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup onions, small dice
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 8 ounces Feta Cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup flour, any kind (I use whole wheat)
• to taste salt and pepper

Just a few easy steps!

1. Mix all ingredients together by hand except for the eggs
2. Whip the eggs together and then add them to the vegetable mixture and stir well until everything is incorporated and consistent looking.
3. Add the oil or cooking spray to a frying pan and drop spoonfuls of the zucchini mixture into the pan - press down and flatten. You will want to press these down so that everything inside the cake cooks evenly.
4. Give the cakes a few minutes and then turn over and cook the other side to a golden brown.
5. Serve and ENJOY!

Homemade Pasta Made EASY!

Easy Healthy Homemade Pasta Recipe

Quick and Easy! No Pasta Machine Required

After leaving my full time career to be a work at home mom, I decided that I needed to put a bit more effort into what my family was eating. I began making everything that I could from scratch but for some reason was scared to try pasta! I had always heard that it was difficult to get right.....that was until I tried this recipe.

Herbed Ravioli Made by adding fresh basil to the dough!

I have used this pasta for noodles, ravioli, even fresh lasagna sheets and it is truly is one of the easiest pasta recipes out there. Its a traditional egg pasta but I have tweaked it to make it a bit healthier by using whole wheat flour. You can of course use any flour you would like.

There is little time involved in making this pasta as it is cooked immediately and does not require drying.

Add Extra ZING to your pasta by adding fresh herbs into your dough! Fresh basil, garlic, oregano....anything you like can be added to enhance the flavor. ENJOY!

Cook Time

Prep time: 5 min

Ready in: 5 min

Yields: Varies based on the type of pasta you are making

Ingredients

• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup flour, I used wheat
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2-3 teaspoons spices, (if desired)

Just a few steps!

1. In a large bowl mix flour, salt, and any desired herbs. Add in a slightly beaten egg and mix until a stiff dough forms. If needed, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water.
2. Knead dough for about 3 to 4 minutes on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough out to desired thinness and cut into strips or desired shape (use biscuit cutter or glass to cut circles)
3. Drop into boiling water for approximately 5 minutes