Sweet & Sour Lentils

I was skeptical about this recipe...an entire meal with just lentils? Weird. However, it actually turned out quite well and hubby said it was decent. Although he did say it would be better with pork :)

I didn't take a picture because I didn't think it was going to be any good, and it's not very pretty!

The original recipe is from Hillbilly Housewife, and I made very few changes to it. I think next time I would also add pineapple chunks to it, and maybe add a small amount of pork for an 'almost meatless monday' meal. Also, hubby suggested that some roasted peanuts sprinkled on top before eating would add extra tastiness...I love it when hubby has culinary suggestions, often he just gives a thumbs up or a thumbs down, so input is appreciated!!

Ingredients

1 Cup Lentils

2 1/2 Cups Water

2 Beef Bouillon Cubes (Mine are vegetarian due to those being the only gf ones I could find!)

A sprinkle of Bay Leaf Pieces

1/4 Cup Pineapple or Apple Juice

1/8 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1/8 Cup White Vinegar

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar, Packed

2 Garlic Cloves, Minced

1 Tbsp. Oil

1 Red Pepper, Diced (I'm sure other peppers would be just as good, that's just what I had)

1 Large Onion, Diced

2 Cups Rice, Cook as Directed

Pineapple chunks (optional)

Peanuts (optional, obviously leave out if you are nut free!)

Place lentils, water, beef bouillon cubes and bay leaf pieces in a pot and bring to a boil. Cook until tender. Stir occasionally. 

While that is cooking, in a large frying pan, saute onion and pepper in oil, until tender/onion is translucent.

In a small bowl, mix together pineapple/apple juice, apple cider vinegar, vinegar, brown sugar and garlic. (If using pineapple chunks, add them here.)

When lentils are tender (most of the liquid will be absorbed), add them to the frying pan with the cooked onions and peppers. Add the juice mixture and stir to mix. Heat until bubbling and serve hot over rice. (If adding peanuts, add them to the top.)

Sugar Free, Gluten Free Anytime Muffins

Lately I have felt as though the fun has been sucked out of the kitchen...read labels, bake food I really don't like, and never produce a product that looks perfect anymore. I don't experiment with my own recipes because wasting gluten free ingredients is seriously a crime! But finally I am starting to feel drawn back in. What changed? I started *gasp* buying bread! I finally found a wonderful gf bread recipe that even I liked to eat on a regular basis, but then I found Kinnikinnik....their bread is soft, bouncy, good texture and tastes good. And the best part is that it's less then a $1 more per loaf for me to buy then it is for me to bake (and that's not including my time or the electricity to turn the oven on!). I'm so excited! Plus I've found that Safeway carries their bread, frozen but I'm ok with that! So it's not only good tasting, it's somewhat convenient too. So I've had a few weeks away from baking, I've been gleefully opening bags of bread from the freezer and the sense of fun that the kitchen used to offer me is returning.
Tonight my hubby called me a 'whirlwind' in the kitchen, and it felt good. It's been a long time since I have been busy enough to warrant being called that! What was I making?

Super healthy eat anytime muffins!! Courtesy of Mennonite Girls Can Cook (my new favourite website!!)
They are sugar free, gluten free and packed full of good for you things!

I did not change anything in the recipe except to use ground flax seed and I made them as muffin tops because...well why not? :)

INGREDIENTS
3/4 Cup Almond Flour (meal)
3/4 Cup Brown Rice Flour
1/2 Cup Xylitol
1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp. Ginger
1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (GF)
1/2 Cup Steel Cut Oats (GF)
1/4 Cup Flax Seed
1/2 Cup Raisins
3 Tbsp. Oil
1 Large Egg
1/3 Cup Milk (or almond milk etc)
4 Medium Carrots, Shredded
1 Medium Ripe Banana, Mashed

Prehead oven to 400F. Coat a 12 Cup muffin pan with oil (I used coconut oil, it works great!)
Whisk together flours, xylitol, baking soda, baking powder, spices, oats and flax until there are no lumps. Stir in raisins.
Mix oil, egg, milk, carrots and banana in another bowl. Add to flour mixture and stir until blended.

Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 23-25 minutes (depending on your size of pan). Serve warm or at room temperature. To store keep in an airtight container, up to 3 days.
Great with some butter, some cream cheese or drizzle honey on top!


NOTE: I did find that my steel cut oats were still kind of crunchy in the finished product. I think next time I will mix up the liquid ingredients first, add the steel cut oats and let them soak while I measure and mix the dry ingredients/shred the carrots :)

Korean Beef

Ahhh! Is it already the end of August? Where oh where did summer go? I feel slightly like a chicken with no head this year. Everytime I sit down to do something on the computer I get distracted by my school timetable and feel the need to pick up my textbook instead of blogging/emailing etc. 

Last summer our meals consisted of a lot of hamburgers and hot dogs. This year buns (or any bread items) are such a premium item around here that we have strayed from that. I have had to find a few other meals that are quick, easy and don't need the oven turned on! 

I came across this recipe on the blog LizzieWrites, and have made it numerous time throughout the last few months. Hubby loves it, the kids gobble it up and it makes the house smell fantastic!! From start to finish this recipe takes approx. 20-30 minutes (and most of that time is waiting for the rice to cook!). All I've changed are some quantities because I found her sauce didn't make enough to decently simmer the meat in.

I've made this so many times and I keep forgetting to take a picture. One day I will learn, one day!

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef,

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce (I use a GF one)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp ginger (1 tsp if using fresh ginger minced)

1 tsp crushed red peppers (or more if you want it spicier!)

1 Bunch green onions, diced (optional)

Rice, cooked as directed..

Brown ground beef with garlic. Mix brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger and red peppers in a bowl. Add to cooked ground beef. Simmer for 5 minutes to blend flavours. Serve over hot rice. Top with diced green onions if desired.

Using Dried Beans

I have had a friend request a 'how to' on using dry beans, so here is my method :) 

It can seem intimidating at first if you haven't done it, but once you have done it once you'll realize just how simple and convenient it is to always have beans ready to go. I do this once or twice a month.

1. Sort beans to remove any bad ones, or any dirt or rocks that may be in your bag. (You will be surprised what you can find!). I also remove any beans that float...my rationale is that if only a few are floating and most have sunk I go with the majority!

2. Place the amount of beans you want into your slow cooker pot, keeping in mind they will almost double in size! (My rule of thumb is less then half a pot, but more then a quarter). This can be done in a regular pot as well, but a slow cooker allows you to cook them the next day without monitoring them on the stove top.

    note: some people add a few tsp. of baking soda at this point to help reduce gassiness after eating...our family is used to eating beans and it doesn't seem to bother us so I skip this step. 

NEVER add salt when cooking or soaking your beans or they will not become tender no matter how long you cook them!

3. Fill with water, almost to the top of the pot.

4. Let soak overnight. (8-12 hours)

5. The next morning, drain the water, rinse the beans and place back into the slow cooker. 

6. Fill with water, almost to the top of the pot.

7. Cook on low for 8-12 hours (depends on heat of slow cooker, amount of beans etc.)

8. Beans are finished when fork tender (or if you like crunchier beans, stop cooking when they reach your desired texture).

9. Divide into containers (I do 3 cup portions, including bean juice) and freeze for later use.

There you have it. Easy peasy and so much cheaper then buying canned beans! I have done this with black beans and kidney beans, and both have worked really well. I always freeze them in their juices to avoid drying out and then depending on what recipe I'm putting them in I either rinse them or add everything in. I add black beans to almost every ground beef dish that I make. Sometimes as Refried Beans, and other times I just add the beans plain.

Dry lentils do not need to be soaked, nor do they need to be cooked very long. For lentils, I rinse them well and then I boil them on the stove until tender (5-10 minutes) and then I blend and add them to things like macaroni and cheese for extra protein!

Quinoa Oat Muffins

I was so excited to find a GF recipe that didn't call for many different flours that I had to try this right away. I had just picked up some quinoa flour at Bulk Barn and was itching to try it out. I am a frequent shopper of bulk barn and I love it when they get a new gf product, I always get some to try right away! I love quinoa because of it's high nutritional content, and now I can use it more often! I use GF oats for this recipe, obviously if you aren't avoiding gluten then by all means use your regular oats!! This recipe is from Virtually Vegan Mama so these are vegan depending on the type of milk you use. I've made these with coconut milk (the drinking kind, not the thick canned kind) and also with cows milk and they both turned out great! Whether you are a gf house or just trying to eat healthier I would say give these a try. My kids love them and they are packed full of all sorts of good for you things!

1 Tbsp. Ground Flaxseed mixed with 3 Tbsp. Water
1 1/4 Cup Quinoa Flour
1 Cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (not instant, but not steel cut either)
2 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 Cup Milk (any type is fine)
1/2 Cup Date Syrup (Recipe coming soon, if you don't have this use maple syrup or even honey instead)
2 Tsp. Vanilla
1/4 Cup Raisins
1/4 Cup Chopped Dates
1/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a muffin pan (or mini muffin pan).

Mix 1 Tbsp. of Ground Flaxseed with 3 Tbsp. of Water, set aside.
Mix together dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl mix together flaxseed mixture and other wet ingredients.
Mix everything together. Fold in raisins, dates and nuts. Mix until just combined. Spoon batter into muffin pans. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool slightly before removing from the pan. Enjoy! These are best enjoyed within a few days of baking but will last longer if stored in the fridge.

Chili

Yummy, super filling and easy to make. 3 of my favourite adjectives when describing cooking!
The original recipe was from a magazine called The Canola Digest. It was called Cheapskate Chili.
I have modified a few things and this is our regularly used recipe now :)

1lb. Ground Beef, browned
680mL Tomato Sauce  
398mL Diced Tomatoes  
3 Cups Kidney beans, soaked & cooked (or canned)  
1 Tbsp. Chili Powder  
1 Tsp. Garlic Powder  
1/2 Tsp. Onion Powder  
2 1/2 Tsp. Taco Seasoning  
1/2 Cup Lentils, dry  
1 Cup Quinoa, dry (I used red quinoa, but regular is fine too)


Mix together all ingredients except the quinoa in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer, covered. Cook the quinoa as directed on the package (it cooks like rice...1 cup quinoa, 2 cups water). Simmer the chili on the stove while the quinoa cooks. When its finished add to the pot. Mix well. 
Serve hot with bread/buns or just topped with cheese! Or over fries with cheese sauce on top for chili-cheese fries!
It is also a really good meal to make ahead and freeze.

Granola Bars

I originally posted this recipe back in May before our house was going gluten free. I never did get a picture posted and so now that I have made a gluten free version I decided it needed a picture!

Ingredients
41/2 Cups Rolled Oats (use GF Oats if you are sensitive to Oats)
1 Cup Ground Flax Seed, Hemp Protein (I'm sure you could substitute other unflavoured/mild flavoured protein, I just find this one works well) & GF All Purpose Flour (About a 1/2, 1/4, 1/4 ratio)
1 Tsp. Xanthan Gum
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
5 Tbsp. Brown Sugar (not packed)
2/3 Cup Oil
1/2 Cup Honey
1/4 Cup Molasses
2/3 Cup Applesauce, Heaping
2 1/4 Cups Raisins, Chocolate Chips, Nuts, Seeds, Berries etc.

Preheat oven to 325 F. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan.
Mix together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together liquid ingredients in a small bowl and then mix into the dry. Add the 2 1/4 cups of extras. I usually do a mix of raisins, sunflower seeds, walnuts and a handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips. But mix it up! Dried cranberries, dates, almonds etc. they will all taste wonderful!
Pour into pan, and press down or if you have a small rolling pin roll it down. Bake for 10 minutes, re-roll it down (or push it down), and bake for another 5-10 minutes, just until the edges start to brown. Let cool completely and cut into bars with a sharp knife.

I wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer bag and pull them out one at a time for lunches.

These are slightly more moist then the original recipe, but the only problem with that is a few sticky fingers. They hold together beautifully and taste even better! Plus they have more of a protein content then the original recipe due to the hemp protein and the GF all purpose flour has more protein then regular flour as well.

Cake Pops!

This was my first try at cake pops, and they were surprisingly easy yet time consuming. I think they turned out pretty good and were very tasty...just ask my kids who have been running off sugar rushes for the last hour! I forgot to take pictures while I was making them, but I did manage to get a picture before they were all eaten. I made them with a (gasp!) cake mix because I needed them to be gluten free and I have yet to find a cake recipe that tastes like the real deal. You can make them with whatever cake recipe or mix you want.

Ingredients
A baked cake
Icing
Candy Melts/Melting Chocolate
Sprinkles, crushed up chocolate bars etc.
Lollipop sticks if you want them

Bake your cake as directed by your recipe/box. Let it cool. Do the unthinkable....Break it up into a million little pieces in a mixing bowl. Add some icing. This part is by feel. Add some icing and then mix it up. You should get a 'dough' forming. Add small amounts of icing at a time because you can always add more but you can't take any out! A formable dough is what you are going for. Roll into balls, place on wax paper/parchment paper on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer for AT LEAST 30 minutes. More is better.

Towards the end of the freezing time melt the chocolate/candy and dip the ends of your sticks into it (about 1/2 an inch). Let these set in the fridge/freezer for a couple of minutes. It helps to hold the cake balls on. Make sure your candy/chocolate it melted properly. Take everything out of the freezer. Stick the chocolate/candy ends of the sticks into the cake balls. Dip them into the melted chocolate/candy, roll in whatever topping you desire and put back on the wax paper, ball side down (obviously!) (Unless you happen to own a cake pop stand or have styrofoam kicking around this is the easiest option. It does make the tops a little flat, but really...who cares?!)

Let set in the fridge. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve. The icing mixed with the cake makes them very soft and the longer they are at room temperature the messier they are to eat. Much better directly from the fridge!
I dipped mine in Wilton Candy Melts and then rolled them in sprinkles or cut up Crispy Crunch bars or smashed up M&M's.....soooo tasty!


A couple of things I learned on this first time around: 
1. If you are going to dip in chocolate, melting chocolate is the best option. I tried with chocolate chips and it was too thick and really ended in disaster!
2. Keeping the cake pops cold and working in small batches works best
3. They use up a lot of sprinkles! Have a lot on hand!
4. Don't attempt if you have to have dessert ready to serve in 3 hours...this results in frantic rushing around the kitchen and lots of ignoring everything else that needs to be done lol!

The best thing about these is you choose the type of cake you want to make them with. This way, it can be vegan, egg free or anything 'free' that you need!

Chewy Chocolate Squares

Yet another Pinterest find! The recipe is technically labelled a Granola Bar but I cant bring myself to refer to them as that. They are creamy, chocolatey and delicious. More of a dessert delicious then a breakfast delicious! Although I would still classify these on the healthy end of the spectrum :)

Without further ado...

Ingredients
1 cup peanut butter (Sun Butter works well for a nut free version)
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut oil (no substitutes, this is what gives its creamy texture and flavor)
2 cups oats
1 1/4 cups mini semi sweet chocolate chips
3/4 Cup Dried Cranberries or Dried Blueberries (Cranberries = Chewy, Blueberries = Crunchy)

Melt the peanut butter, honey and oil in a pot. Once the mixture is smooth and combined add oats, chocolate and fruit. Mix until the chocolate is melted. Pour into a 9x13 pan and refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve because they tend to get 'melty'.

Trust me when I say "GO MAKE THESE NOW!!"

Pumpkin Butter

 Mmm I want some just writing about it!!

I bought 2 large pumpkins after Halloween for 50 cents each. So far Ive cooked and pureed one and turned it all into Pumpkin Butter :)

Tasty mixed with plain or greek yogurt or on toast or a cream cheese pumpkin butter sandwich! 

This is another recipe/craft I get to move to my 'I have made' board on Pinterest :)

I made 4 times the recipe below...yes it's that good!

Ingredients
15oz. Canned Pumpkin Puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling) or 15oz. Fresh cooked/pureed Pumpkin
1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
1/4 Cup Honey
1/3 Cup 100% Apple Juice (No added sugar)
1 1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 Tsp. Ginger
1/4 Tsp. Nutmeg
1/4 Tsp. Cloves

Mix it all together in your crockpot. Cook on low until it thickens...about 2-5 hours depending on your crockpot. Mine took about 2 hours. I made 2 double batches. Delicious and my house smelled amazing!

This is quite a 'spiced' Pumpkin Butter so if you think it might be too strong cut the spices in half and remember the rule: "You can always add more later, but you can't take away!"

Good GF Bread

I know I said I didnt want to use a pre mixed gluten free flour blend but Ive temporarily had a change of heart :) Because we live in a small town all the different flours are not readily available. I decided it might be wise to have a recipe that works well with something locally available so I always have a backup. Bob's Red Mill AP Flour Blend is one that was recommended to me and both our grocery stores stock it!
The following is a recipe called 'Perfect Bread'. I would say its definitely pretty close. One thing Ive learned thus far is to NOT lick the batter...its absolutely disgusting!

Ingredients
3 Cups AP Blend
2 1/4 Tsp. Xanthan Gum
2 1/4 Tsp. Yeast
1 Tbsp. Sugar
1 1/4 Cups Warm Water
2 Large Eggs
1/4 Cup Canola Oil
1 Tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tsp. Fine Sea Salt

Mix together the flour, xanthan gum and yeast. In a large mixing bowl mix the water, eggs, oil and vinegar. Add the dry ingredients (but not the salt). Mix on low until incorporated then a minute on medium. Add salt and mix for 2 minutes on medium high.
Grease a loaf pan. Pour the dough in and let rise for about 30 minutes. Do not let it get more then double in size or it will cave in when baked. I like to warm my oven up a bit then let the bread rise in there. Then I dont have to move it after it rises and risk it falling. Preheat to 350° F. (with bread still in the oven if thats where you let it rise). Cook for about 30 minutes (including preheat time), or until the top is a nice brown and you can see the sides are brown and pulling away from the pan.
Cool 5 minutes in the pan. Cool on a cooling rack for 20-30 minutes. Slice the entire loaf. If it wont be used in a couple of days then freeze and defrost slices as necessary. When its a couple days old it tastes much better if its warmed up a little or toasted. But fresh its wonderful warm or cold!

Im thankful that my son is back on dairy and eggs...gf bread turns out so much better when you can use real eggs and not a substitute!

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Sloppy Joes

mmmm Sloppy Joes on a cool fall day...or any day for that matter! We had this for supper tonight except instead of on buns we had it on fresh made bread (I toasted mine!), and it was delicious!
I like the idea of adding lentils in to bulk up the meal. It makes it feel like a package of hamburger meat goes that much further!
This recipe is from BudgetBytes and the only thing I changed was a little less sugar and a little less vinegar :)

Ingredients
3/4 Cup Dry Lentils
1 Tbsp. Oil
1 Sweet Onion
1 Green Bell Pepper
2-3 Cloves Minced Garlic
1 lb Lean Ground Beef
1 (15oz) can of Tomato Sauce
1 (3oz) can of Tomato Paste
2 Tbsp. Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar (I used Demerara)
1/2 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Chili Powder
Bread or Buns to serve it on!

Lentils: Cook them first, you will thank yourself later when you aren't crunching your way through your supper! Boil water and add the lentils. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Test to make sure they are tender and then drain them. Set aside to add to the sloppy joe mixture later.


Chop the onion and green pepper and mince the garlic. Add to the frying pan with the oil and cook over medium heat until soft. (about 5 minutes)
Add the ground beef and continue to cook until the meat is no longer red (about 7-10 minutes)

Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, cider vinegar, brown sugar, dijon, chili powder and salt. Stir well and heat through.
Stir in the cooked lentils and heat through if needed. Serve warm on buns or bread.

Homemade Refried Beans

Step 1: Saute Onions and Garlic

Step 2: Add Beans (Soaked & Cooked)

Step 3: Add Spices

Step 4: Add water if necessary. Simmer

Step 5: Finished Product. Not pretty, but pretty tasty :)

We have started eating more beans in our house lately. Not only are they Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free and Egg Free they are an inexpensive source of protein!
I buy dried beans and I soak and then cook up a huge batch and then freeze them in 3 or 4 cup portions. Way cheaper then even buying No Name canned beans :) (For example I spent less then $6 buying dried beans and got 18 cups of cooked beans. This would have cost me just over $14  buying No Name canned!)
This recipe is from The Prairie Homestead and it is so tasty! I have made this recipe so many times in the last few weeks that I have it memorized already! I make a batch of this and mix it with 1lb (or less!) of hamburger meat and we have taco salad. It makes enough for supper for 4, plus several lunches. Very economical and so flavourful!
Ok, enough ranting...more recipe-ing (that's a word right?)

4 cups cooked black beans (I add them with their bean broth)

4 T. butter/Margarine/Oil
1 cup chopped onion
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. black pepper
Water, Bean Broth or Milk 

Saute onions and garlic in butter (or margarine or oil) until soft and tender. Add beans. Add Spices. Add water if your mixture is too dry. You want have it simmer, so some moisture is required. Simmer for 20 minutes (covered). Mash with potato masher, adding more water as necessary depending on the texture you want. Enjoy! Mix with hamburger meat, or eat plain topped with cheese or anything else you desire!

As I have mentioned before, my 2.5 year old is having pretty severe gastrointestinal issues. We have cut out Dairy, Soy, Eggs and Coconut which all help a bit, but don't make everything better. I went to a Naturopathic doctor this week and discussed starting an Elimination Diet. Whatever diet we do we are going to try to do it together as a whole family.
She wanted to do just Gluten Free, and I insisted on the full deal (elimination diet) because I'm soooo frustrated. However now I'm re-thinking. Dairy, Soy, Eggs and Gluten are the Big4 when it comes to allergies/intolerances and we've already eliminated 3, so I figure we may as well try the 4th. If that doesn't work we will do the full Elimination diet which  means changing everything!

All this to say that you will probably notice a new trend in postings for the next little while as I figure out what to make for a carb-loving, always hungry little boy. :(

If you have any website suggestions, product replacement information, or recipes that you love, please either email them to me sterlingleeann at gmail dot com (remove spaces and put @ and . instead of the words. I just don't want to get robo spammed!) or leave a comment. I would love to hear from anyone already living a gluten free life or who is on the same journey. We aren't sure if this will be permanent, but even as a temporary solution it means even more label reading, more experimenting at home and more precautionary measures when out! As if grocery shopping doesn't already take long enough!

Bite Size Apple Pie

These are a delicious treat if you need something tasty in a hurry! From the Cookin Up North blog via Pinterest (of course!) The original recipe calls for using Pillsbury Premade Pie Dough. I just can't bring myself to eat that stuff, so I used the Lardless Pie Dough recipe (made with Almond Milk), and it was probably almost as easy! But way better tasting!

Ingredients
Pie Dough (1/2 the ingredients below if you only make 1 batch of Lardless Pie Dough)
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
3 tbsp. melted butter, divided (I used margarine so my son could eat them, it worked fine!)
2 medium apples, each cut into 8 wedges

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon, set aside 1 Tbsp. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry. Brush with  2 Tbsp. melted butter, sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture.

Cut into one inch strips, about 8 in. long. Wrap one strip around each apple wedge, placing sugared side of pastry against apple.

Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar mixture. bake at 425 for 13-15 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Serve warm or cold was pretty good too!

So the next time you want some dessert but don't have much time, give these a try. I'm pretty sure you wont be disappointed!

I think next time I'm going to try with different fruits. I think peaches would be amazing, just a few different spices of course!

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Mug Brownie

I found this on, yup you guessed it, Pinterest!
Such a great idea if you are craving a little dessert but dont want to make something big. Ive made these a couple of times and every time I have forgotten to take a picture...they are that tasty!

Ingredients
1/4 Cup Flour
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar, Packed
2 Tbsp. Cocoa
Pinch of Salt
2 Tbsp. Oil (use Canola or something else plain)
2 Tbsp. Milk (of any kind), water or coffee.

Mix together the dry ingredients in a coffee mug then add the liquids. Mix well to make sure all the dry is incorpoarted and you have a gooey paste. Pop into the microwave for 1-2 minutes. There might be a tiny bit of liquid on top that you could pour off after cooking. Because there is no egg in the recipe there are no raw ingredients that have to be cooked thoroughly so undercooking is not a huge deal. If you want gooey brownie then cook it less!
Top with ice cream, whipped cream etc. and enjoy! Such a good 'need a late night snack but theres nothing tasty in the pantry' snack!! Its better tasting then a chocolate bar but its almost as instant!

I think I might try added chocolate chips next time. Or maybe walnuts...or maybe both! Or maybe chunks of cream cheese. Oh the tasty possibilities!!

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Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

Fall is upon us, and one of the only good thing about fall (in my  mind, since it leads directly to winter!) is the ready availability of pumpkins!
This is when I try out all the pumpkin recipes I can find or think of!
I was surfing around Budget Bytes website after making Crockpot Taco Chicken and came across Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal! It sounded so good I had to try it right away!!

Very simple, very tasty and very filling!

Ingredients
2 Cups Pumpkin Puree
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 Tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 Tsp. Salt
3/4 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp. Vanilla
1.5 Cups Milk (any type of milk will work if you are a dairy free house)
2.5 Cups Rolled Oats (Do not be tempted to use Steel Cut Oats...it turns out awful, trust me!)
Optional: Add 1/2 Cup Yogurt (leaving milk at 1.5 cups), or reduce milk to 1 cup and add 1 Cup  Yogurt. I added 1/2 Cup of Greek Yogurt for some extra protein :)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the first 7 ingredients. Add the milk (and yogurt if using) and whisk until smooth. 
Mix the dry oats into the mixture. Grease an 8x10 pan. Pour the mixture in. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15-30 minutes. It is cooked when it starts to crack on top and the edges start to brown.
Eat hot right out of the oven, or refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be eaten cold or reheated. Top with milk, maple syrup, whipped cream or nuts. I like mine heated up with cold milk on top. Sooo good on a cold, damp fall day! 

Crock Pot Taco Chicken

Last night's supper was amazing! And amazingly easy too. I was done making it (except the rice) by 930am! Now that's what I call a win!
BudgetBytes is a new website I have found courtesy of Pinterest, and she's got some pretty neat recipes. Also, they break down the cost of each recipe per serving. It's in American prices, but at least it gives you some sort of idea. It's a website that's worth taking a browse through :)

Ingredients
1.5lbs Chicken Breasts (I used 3 small ones and started with them frozen)
2 Cups Salsa
2 Cups Black Beans (Canned or pre-soaked and cooked)
1 Cup Frozen Corn
1/4 Cup Water
1 Tbsp. Chili Powder
1/2 Tbsp. Cumin
1/2 Tbsp. Minced Garlic 
1/2 Tsp. Oregano
1/4 Tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1/4 Tsp. Salt
Pepper, to taste
2 Cups Dry Rice
1 Cup Shredded Cheese (or more!)
Cilantro, to taste (optional)

Add everything to the slow cooker except the rice, cheese and cilantro (if using). Give it a good stir and then make sure the chicken is covered in the mixture.
Cook on low for 8 hours. (I have a large oval crock pot and it took less then 6, but yours may differ).
Cook rice towards the end of the cooking time.
At the end of the cooking time stir with a fork to shred the chicken.
Build taco bowls by placing rice on the bottom, then the taco chicken mix, shredded cheese and fresh cilantro!



I think you could get away with adding double the beans and make this recipe go even farther. Everything is so flavourful that extra beans would just make it better :)
I love that I was able to make this with frozen chicken breasts. Freezer to crock pot to plate. I love it!



This recipe makes about 8 Servings. It's hard for me to estimate because hubby eats enough for 2 adults most of the time! We had a wonderful supper plus I had enough left over for 2 lunches for him and 1 lunch for me. I think this is my new favourite crock pot recipe!

I haven't tried it yet, but the original poster of this recipe said it freezes wonderfully, rice, cheese and all! Just throw in the microwave to reheat!

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Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Fall is here and that means a good excuse for tasty pumpkin recipes :)
These cookies are delicious!
They turn out really soft out of the oven but as they cool they are nice and chewy.

Ingredients
2 Cups Flour (I used AP but Im sure WW would work too)
1 1/3 Cup Rolled Oats
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp. Nutmeg
1 2/3 Cups Sugar (I think less would be good too)
2/3 Cup Canola Oil
2 Tbsp. Molasses
1 Cup Canned/Pureed Pumpkin
1 Tbsp. Ground Flax Seeds (optional)
1/2 - 1 Cup Raisins

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease baking sheets.
Mix together the first 6 ingredients. In a seperate bowl mix together everything else except the raisins.
Add dry to wet and combine. Fold in raisins.
Drop by Tablespoons onto cookie sheets. Use fingers or fork to flatten. They dont spread much so you can put them about an inch apart. Bake for 16-20 minutes or until slightly brown on top. Dont overbake remember there arent any 'raw' ingredients that have to be cooked well. Cool on pan for 3 minutes. Remove to wire rack for cooling.

If you can manage to wait these taste even better the next day...but they are so good the first day its hard to wait!

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Egg-Free Bread Take 2

This is my second attempt at egg-free bread, and I LOVE this recipe! It's light, fluffy and holds together, all the things you want in a bread recipe!
Once again from VegWeb, these insightful vegans have some truly inspired recipes!

100% Whole Grain Wheat Bread
(I didn't change a thing so here is the recipe directly from the source!)
Ingredients

    2 3/4 cups hot water
    1/3 cup oil
    1/4 cup raw sugar
    2 tablespoons molasses
    1 tablespoon salt (I use sea salt)
    7 1/2 cups (max) 100% whole grain wheat flour, divided
    2 tablespoons dry active yeast

Directions:

1. Place the first five ingredients in the bowl and mix. Add 2 cups whole grain wheat flour. Mix, then add dry active yeast. If you're not sure about your yeast, proof it in a little warm water first (to make sure it bubbles). Add 4 cups flour, and mix until the consistency is somewhat even.

2. Then continue to slowly add flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough quits sticking to the sides of the bowl. It should be tacky to the touch. The trick is to have enough consistency to stand up with the least amount of flour, so the bread will be fluffy. Do not exceed 7 1/2 cups wheat flour. I use 7 cups. You can trade 1 cup wheat flour for 1 cup all purpose white if you wish. Don't over mix, or the bread will be tough.

3. When your dough is finished, cover the bowl and let it rise for about 30-45 minutes. The dough will be larger, but it doesn't need to double when using a heavy mixer. Grease two bread pans with nonstick spray. You can also flour the pans to reduce sticking.  Mix again just enough to knock it down at least close to the original size.  Drop the dough on a floured surface so you can work the dough and shape it. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

4. Roll it in the flour and shape it in your hands to make a nice ball, getting enough flour on it so it isn't sticky. Divide the ball in 1/2 and do it again. Shape the loaves by turning the dough under itself over and over. When the dough is shaped right, the sides and ends will be sealed and all you will see is a nice oblong shaped loaf with smooth sides and top.

5. Drop the loaves in your bread pans and let them rise until almost doubled.  Bake for 36 minutes. If you forgot to preheat, 41 minutes. (gas oven). When done, turn the bread out of the pan to a rack to cool. You can eat it right away.  Don't wrap it until completely cooled. (Condensation will make it soggy) Put in tinfoil to store on the counter. If you put it in the refrigerator it will turn into a brick. Enjoy.

If you like fluffy brown bread, this is it. This bread is not heavy like most 100% whole wheat breads.

Source of recipe: This recipe has been in my family for years and we all make it. We make a lot more now that we have powerful mixers and the hand kneeding is bye bye.

Serves: 12, Preparation time: 3 hours

I think this may become my new go-to bread recipe. Because it makes 2 loaves at a time, my Kitchen Aid stand mixer can handle it, therefore no kneading on my part was required. It does have 2 rises, but it went by very quickly (only 30 min(ish) each time), and it cooked nicely in the oven.
I know egg substitutes will work in other recipes, but I decided why try to fix my recipe when I can easily find a vegan one that someone else has already perfected...lazy I know, but also very practical!