Organic Peanut Butter and Chocolate Granola

Homemade Organic

PB&C  Granola

I love connecting with fellow bloggers! It is amazing the inspiration that can happen simply by reading what someone else has made. So today, when I was checking out I GOT THIS MARTHA and saw her soy nut butter granola...my stomach growled and  I went on the hunt for ingredients...

I GOT THIS MARTHA makes hers with a soy nut butter as she has a family member who is allergic to nuts. I didn't have any handy so I made mine with regular peanut butter with a little organic almond chocolate butter! Remember...I was inspired!

This granola recipe is so easy to make and is so good for you. It is a healthy alternative to the granolas sold in the cereal aisle and if made with these ingredients...is completely organic!

To make my recipe you will need:

1 cup of Oats
2 tbsp. of  Organic Peanut Butter
2 tbsp. of  Honey
1 tbsp. of Chocolate Almond Butter (optional)
1/4 tsp. of cinnamon
1/4 tsp. of vanilla
and of course...my kids added organic o's!



 

My end result! not as pretty as Jeni's!

Easy Directions:

1) in a sauce pan melt down the honey and butters
2) when melted, add in the cinnamon and vanilla
3) mix together the oats and butter blend. make sure that you get even coverage (mine isn't so hot because the kids made it) but you get the idea!
4) Spread the mixture out on a greased cookie sheet and bake in a 325 degree oven for about 8 minutes!

So easy the kids can make it...They dressed themselves..don't judge!

I Got This Martha's step by step tutorial!

That's it!! Can can you believe ow easy it is to make your own granola?

Get Inspired!

Toss in nuts, dried fruit, coconut..or boost the "healthy" factor and add in flax seed, chia seeds.....whatever tickles your fancy!

Thank you Jeni for my morning inspiration! Check out I got this martha's version of the recipe!

2 Ingredient Greek Yogurt Dough!

Can you REALLY Make dough with only two ingredients?

I have been watching recipes for 2 ingredient Greek dough go around Pinterest like mad lately. I have to admit that I was completely skeptical...could this really work??

The answer is yes! It makes a great dough that is healthy and extremely versatile! You can use this to make pizza crust, Pin Wheels, Biscuits, etc.


Ingredients:
1 cup of Greek Yogurt (plain or use flavored depending on the project)
1 cup of Flour (the original calls for self rising...I used wheat..as always)





Directions:

• Mix ingredients together in a bowl
• Form into ball
• turn ball onto floured surface (the flour is necessary!!)
• Knead for about 5 minutes
• Use for crusts, pastry, etc!

HERE IS WHAT MY KIDS MADE WITH THE DOUGH .....

We made Hot Dog Breadsticks!

Roll out the Dough and stuff with cheese, hot dog (veggie 4 us!), etc

Roll Up and Place on cooking sheet with fold UP!

Bake at 425 degrees for about10 minutes!!

Easy Homemade Mayo! Only 5 Ingredients!

My 1st try!

Make your own Mayo in Minutes with only 5 Ingredients!

As a family, we recently began reading labels and learning more about the foods that we were putting into our bodies. Am I a "hippe"? No, my husband likes to call me that though! We simply decided that our family ate too many convenience foods and WAY too many things that we couldn't pronounce! If my grandmother were alive today, she would shake her head at my old shopping carts. The woman lived 77 years and I am certain did not think that biscuits came from cans!

So, armed with a few hundred websites and a family of 7 behind me...I began tackling each item on our shopping list. This week, it was mayonnaise.

Remember when I said that there were too many ingredients that I couldn't pronounce going into our bodies...Check out the label for your store bought Mayo....13 ingredients... one of which is Calcium Disodium.

Do you know what Calcium Disodium EDTA (used to protect quality) is.... check out http://whatisthatingredient.com/ingredient.php?id=64  ..here's part of what it says about where Calcium Disodium EDTA comes from...

Where does CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA come from?

It is made from formaldehyde, sodium cayanide, and Ethylenediamine.

Store bought mayo still sound good? 

So.. I decided to make A homemade mayo. It consists of only a few ingredients and is SO Easy to make. No formaldehyde for me...thank you!

Here is the Recipe....

Ingredients:
1        Egg
3/4     Oil
1 tsp. Mustard
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
1 clove minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

• Add Egg, Mustard, lemon juice, and salt and pepper in blender or mixer
• Start on low speed and slowly add in the oil
• Once you have the oil all poured in, turn it back onto high speed. 
• Let it whip until your mixture resembles mayo. I was told it would only take 5 minutes but it did take a few extra minutes in the stand mixer so the blender may be the quicker way to go!
• Store for up to 10 days in refrigerator

I hope you enjoy your homemade mayo! This is a simple recipe and easily tweaked for specialty sandwich spreads.

Ideas....

• Add Sweet pickles and onion for a homemade tartar sauce!
• Toss in some hot sauce for a buffalo mayo
• Add extra garlic for a fancy garlic aioli

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat- YEAST FREE-Pizza Crust Recipe

Tasty Homemade YEAST FREE PIZZA CRUST!

This pizza crust is great for those who are avoiding yeast and for those who simply love to make their own crust. I make mine with whole wheat flour but it certainly can be made with white flour as well! 

Making your pizza at home will not only save you money but it will also save your waistline! Load it up with veggies and use less cheese by choosing a more flavorful option like fresh mozzarella or Feta as seen on the picture.   Using the shredded cheese is completely fine but the size is deceiving and we tend to go for maximum coverage...meaning maximum calories. 

This recipe is for the crust only...top your homemade pizza however you like! This is a basic dough recipe so it can be used to make homemade calzones, garlic rolls,  and breadsticks too.

I hope you enjoy!

TIME:

 8 minutes to make -20 minutes to bake at 425 degrees

INGREDIENTS:

2 c. flour (any style - I use wheat)
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2/3 c. water
1/4 c. vegetable oil

2 tbsp. of any seasonings you like. Italian seasonings, garlic, etc. This is optional. 

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

• Mix together the dry ingredients.

• Make a well in the center of your bowl and add the water and a little less than half of the oil. Slowly stir in the wet ingredients and you will notice a nice ball of dough forming. 

•  Drizzle 2 tsp of oil on top and let it set for about 5 minutes. 

•  Then,  knead the dough on floured surface for about 2 minutes.Roll out the dough and place on a greased baking sheet.

IF YOU LIKE YOUR CRUST CRISPY...Then roll it out thin and bake for 5-8 minutes before adding toppings then remove from oven, add toppings, and bake remaining time. If you like a softer crust there is no reason to prebake. Simply top your raw dough and bake for 20 minutes.

this dough may resemble an almost "biscuit" style dough but is still excellent and so easy to make! 

Stale Bread UPGRADE!

Heart Healthy French Toast! 

Made with Stale Bread!

I have always LOVED french toast but recently found that when ordering it in a restaurant, it can have around 20 fat grams per 2 pieces! I LOVE this recipe because it is easy to make and even easier to alter to make healthier than the restaurant version. Since I am on a "healthier eating" kick, I make my french toast with whole wheat bread and use heart healthy soy milk instead of regular milk. Instead of "frying" the bread in tons of butter as they do in a restaurant, I use coconut oil or cooking spray. It can certainly be made with the regular bread and cow's milk. This cuts my fat to about 5 grams of fat per serving!

This recipe came about when I first started baking my own breads. I would always have the crusty end pieces left over and for some reason no one wanted them. So, I began saving the end pieces and any bread that went stale and upgraded the leftovers with this easy recipe!
If you really want to increase the health factor of this breakfast.... Swap out your syrup for smashed berries! You will be adding vitamins and cutting the fat, calories, and carbs!

No matter how you make it, I hope that you enjoy this SIMPLE French Toast Recipe!
 

Ingredients

• 8 eggs
• 1/2 cup soy milk, (any milk will do but we prefer soy)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 dash nutmeg, optional
• whole wheat bread, any type

Just a few steps to UPGRADE your stale bread!

1. Preheat a skillet on medium heat. Be sure to spray with cooking spray or use melted butter if you prefer.
2. Stir all ingredients (except bread) together in a large bowl. Make sure that your "batter" is well mixed.
3. Take your slices of bread and coat them in the batter on both sides. IF you are using stale bread (as I do), You will want to leave it soaking in the batter for a few minutes. If you are using fresh bread -simply soak bread 1 piece at a time fora few seconds on both sides.
4. Place your sopping bread into the skillet. Brown on both sides and serve!

Gourmet or Healthy..OR BOTH! Try Spaghetti Squash

Quick and Easy Spaghetti Squash

Use just like spaghetti!

Who knew it was this easy to be gourmet!

Spaghetti squash was a vegetable that I first discovered when I jumped feet first into a low-carb diet. The first rule of that diet: NO PASTA! For a vegetarian, pasta was a staple and something I ate at every meal....which is why I needed the low-carb diet! Not to mention the fact that I am a sucker for sauces and lets face it- I look a bit silly eating sauce with a spoon (it has been done before). So, the hunt was on to find a vehicle for my favorite sauces...one that didn't leave me feeling deprived and hungry. Yes, I know...there are a host of low-carb pastas out there but check out the labels. They really aren't that low-carb and are very expensive! I am a budget gourmet (cheap beginner) so I had to find something that was not only healthy and easy to cook but also budget friendly. I finally found my match! Spaghetti Squash.

After 1 hour in the oven!

Spaghetti squash is a very versatile veggie which is not only dense in nutrients but also rich in health benefits. Squash contains both Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3's are good for preventing heart disease and cancer as well as assisting with inflammation from arthritis. Omega-6's are great for boosting brain functions! Spaghetti squash is also filled with vitamins and minerals. It is known for having a high content of Beta Carotene, Phosphorus, Folate, Vitamins A, B, and C, and the list goes on and on! It has been shown in recent studies to be good for men by aiding in prostate health and even is said to help with prostate enlargement. The high content of Potassium makes it great for heart health as it can help to lower blood pressure! See the table below for how pasta stacks up compared to squash!

So know you know how good it is for you..I bet you didn't know how easy it is to cook! Honestly--it is easier than traditional spaghetti because it won't cook to mush if you get off track and forget about it! It is beautiful on a plate and will have your friends and family convinced that they are eating gourmet and NOT healthy!

I have provided directions below for how to cook your squash. What you do from there is entirely up to you!

Some Suggestions:

• Toss it with EVOO and crushed garlic. Finish with salt and pepper.
• Top with your favorite pasta sauce! Use a can of seasoned crushed tomatoes to make a simple yet tasty sauce!
• Make your favorite mac and cheese recipe With SQUASH instead of pasta!

However you top it, spaghetti squash is an amazing vegetable inside and out!

Inside the squash! Remove seeds and "guts"!

Cook Time

Prep time: 1 min

Cook time: 1 hour

Ready in: 1 hour 1 min

Yields: Depends on side or main dish.

Ingredients

• Spaghetti Squash, raw

	Spaghetti Squash vs. Spaghetti Based on cup vs. cup Squash Traditional Enriched Spaghetti fat                                              less than 1         1 gram calories 40 220 carbs 10 grams 43 grams fiber 2 grams 3 grams protein 1 gram 8 grams sugar 4 grams 1 gram

So Simple!

Take the sticker off your squash and preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

1. Place your squash on a baking sheet and put in the oven. Allow to cook at least 1 hour.
2. When the squash is done, you will be able to push in on the skin and you will feel that the skin indents and that the inside is tender. Cut the squash in half
3. Remove the guts and seeds. They are in a small "pocket" in the squash.
4. Using a fork, begin to pull the strings of spaghetti out of the squash. The squash will naturally string up so don't worry, you can't mess this up! If it isn't coming out as easily as you would like, put it back in the oven for a few more minutes.
5. Use the strings however you would like!