Granola Apple Slices

I like to do snack lunches for my kids.  It's easy, healthy and fast.  :)  I am not sure about you, but I like quick, easy and healthy, and if you can do all three at the same time, SCORE!  :)

Most days I don't eat lunch, so if it's a snack lunch, I'll munch on things as I make it for the kids.  The kids also like to help make their lunches!

I had made some granola this morning, then just put some natural peanut butter on some apple slices, then dipped the apple in the granola!  The kids LOVED this!  A different way to eat an apple and granola!

As you can see, I just added some fruit and the rest of the apple plus some leftover chicken. 

Easy Peasy!  :)

Apple Nachos

OH MY!!  YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!  :oP  We GOBBLED these up RIGHT away!  The cool thing about this, you can make these a few different ways!  I made them a bit healthy tonite, just because we had fried chicken in the Chinese Lemon Chicken....

Yes, peanut butter isn't 100% healthy, but it is a bit better than using caramel sauce!  ;)

I'm not gonna write out the recipe, because it will vary from person to person..  But here's what you will need,
Sharp Knife
Apples, how many ever you want/need, I used 3 tonite.... (I had 3 different kinds of apples too, one small, one medium and one large!  ;))
Peanut butter, warmed in a bowl (for those of you allergic to peanuts, you could use sunflower butter)
Mini chocolate chips

Cut your apple in slices, warm the peanut butter and drizzle how much you want all over the apples, then sprinkle the mini chocolate chips on top!  ;)

Then EAT and enjoy!!!  :)

You could also use chocolate sauce, and then sprinkle peanut butter chips on top....

Or:
Drizzle caramel sauce all over, sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top, and then make some whipping cream and put little dollops all over!  ;)

Really, the possibilities are endless for these nachos!

Seriously, try them and let me know what combo you use!  I'm curious if there are any other combos!

Oh one more I forgot..  Hubby said to drizzle peanut butter, then sprinkle raisins and mini chocolate chips all over....  ;)

Whipped Maple Apple Dip

I found this on Pinterest!
Anyone else somewhat addicted to it (Pinterest)?  Well, I really can't be, I don't have a whole lot of spare time...  I usually just go through a few categories and hit like and repin if it's something I want to remember!  ;)  SOOOOOO many cool ideas on there!

Anyways, I did find this on there.  SOOOOO good!  The kids GOBBLED this down!  We had just gotten some fresh apples from the farm, so it was PERFECT to make this for their snack that nite!

REALLY easy too!  :)  REALLLLLY good on FRESH from the tree or farm apples!  :oP


Whipped Maple Apple Dip

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (none of that fake "pancake" syrup stuff!  ;))

Whip cream and  syrup together in a mixer with the whisk until it's whipped topping.  Serve with apples of graham crackers.
Super good and easy!!  :)

If there are any leftovers, you can store them in the frig for 1-2 days.
I had no leftovers, so no need to store any!  ;)

Try it and let me know how you like it!  SOOOO good and easy!!!  :D
My kids LOOOOOOVED it!!!  :D

Blueberry Cheesecake Bites

Oh my-LAN-ta!!!!!!!  SOOOOOO good!!!!  Bonus, they are actually a little healthy for you...  ;)  Shh, don't tell anyone, especially your kids!  ;)

I got this recipe from a website called weelicious, sooo many good ideas and recipes!  I have made quite a few different kinds!  Haven't found one that I haven't liked either!  ;)

I will do a few things differently next time I make, and yes, that will be very soon!  ;)

For the crust, I will cut the whole wheat in half, and I will double the filling, I may put it in a 9x13 pan instead of the 8x8 pan...  Not sure on that one yet.  But def double the filling part!  :)

I'm also thinking of trying it with a pumpkin mixture, and I really think this would be good with chopped up strawberries!  Can't wait to make another batch!  :)


Blueberry Cheesecake Bites (makes 20-25 bites)

Oat Crust:

1 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/3 Cup Light Brown Sugar
6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, chilled (I used coconut oil, already melted...  worked just as good!  :))

Filling:

4 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
1 Large Egg, at room temperature
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup Sour Cream
1/3 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1 Cup Fresh Blueberries (I used frozen and it worked GREAT :))


1. Preheat oven to 300 F.
2. To make the crust, place the first 3 ingredients in a food processor and pulse to chop oats.
3. Add the butter and pulse to combine.
4. Press the crust on the bottom of a parchment-lined 8 x 8 baking dish and flatten evenly with your hands. Bake for 10 minutes to set, then allow to cool.
5. Lower the oven temperature to 250 F.
6. To make the filling, place the first 5 ingredients in a bowl and beat to combine.
7. Fold in the blueberries.
8. Pour the batter on top of the crust and bake for 1 hour.
9. Cool and then chill until ready to serve.
10. Cut into squares and serve.*

*To get clean squares, wipe your knife between each slice.

I didn't put the coconut oil in the blender, I just mixed it all in a bowl and pressed it in the pan.  Also, the middle wasn't 100% done, so I just put it in the frig and it firmed up really good!  :)  My kids LOVED this and it even passed with the hubs!  :)  He agrees, the strawberry should be the next one I make!  :)
(p.s. sorry the pic isn't the greatest...  Took it off my phone and it's a bit blurry, having computer and downloading issues, again... have patience with me on this part of the blog!  I'm trying!  :))

Peanut Butter/Chocolate Dip (or sunflower butter)



I could've eaten this whole batch! It was SOOOO good!  Even healthier if you use the natural peanut butter, but since I didn't have any, I used regular creamy! 

I'm thinking cashew and almond butter would be good, even sunflower butter for those who are allergic to nuts, that way they can enjoy this yummy goodness as well!

I served this with apples, banana and 2 graham crackers.  You could use strawberries, marshmallows, pretzel sticks, etc....  I used what I did since that's all I had!  ;)

Super easy to make, and actually pretty good for you, minus the chocolate sauce, but again, you don't "have" to add it...  It just gives it that little bit of chocolate kick which makes it taste even better!  ;)

Here is a bit of cream cheese, carrots, peanut butter and chocolate sauce

Mix it all up!  Ok, in the green bowl, it doesn't look the greatest, but then again it almost looks like a chocolate shake stirred up REALLY good!  ;)

Here's what I served it with, an egg puff (recipe coming SUPER soon, maybe tomorrow? ;)), that was their "lunch", graham crackers, banana, and half an apple cut into slices.

This lunch was not only EASY, it was GOOD and healthy!  Which y'all know I'm all about!  ;)  Easy and healthy!  That's what I like with 4 littles and 2 more coming!  :)

Peanut Butter/Chocolate Dip (or Sunflower Butter)

1-2 oz cream cheese (depends on how much you want, I use almost 2, but will use 1 next time)
1/2 cup natural creamy peanut, almond, cashew, or sunflower butter
1/4 carrot puree
6 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients together until nice and creamy.  Keep in frig until ready to serve, or just start eating it right away like I did!  ;)  Give me some credit, I HAD to make sure it was worthy enough for the kids!  Just make sure you save enough for them!
Notice in the last picture, they only got about a heaping tablespoon full....  ;)  I am not gonna say if that's how much was left, or if I chose to give them only that much!  ;)

Seriously EASY and good!  Let me know how you like it! 

This would be a GREAT game nite snack, make a big bowl of it, serve it with graham crackers, cinnamon and sugar pita chips or tortilla crisps, marshmallows, pretzel sticks, apples, bananas, pears....  Yummy.....  :)

*Just a note, my kids were actually full after eating this and didn't ask for more.  Now, I am not sure if it was because I made them soaked oatmeal for breakfast, so that fills them up even more, or if the egg puff really did the trick with the other goodies!  ;)

Ranch/Onion Dip/Dressing Dry Mix

YUMMY!!!! :D


I love ranch dressing, so does everyone else in this house! But I don't like all the extra ingredients you find in the dressing, AND the dry mix! I ran across a recipe that I REALLY wanted to try, but it calls for the dry ranch mix... So got that my wheels turning and doing some research online at different recipes and came up with this one. I am sure I am not done "tweaking" it, but I like it, so do the kids, and the hubs! So it's a win-win for me! :)

So seriously easy!!!! :)



Ranch/Onion Dip Dressing Mix


1/2 cup dry minced onion
2 teaspoons parsley flakes
2 teaspoons paprika
2 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2-1 teaspoon salt (I used sea salt)


Combine in a bowl and stir to combine. Store in an airtight glass or plastic container.

Good for up to 3 months! ;)


I kept one of those frappuccino jars (like the Starbucks sells, the glass jars, only mine was Aldi's version! ;)) and I just keep it in there. It fills it up about half way. I just shake to combine before using! :)


To make a dip, you can use 1 tablespoon mix to 8 oz yogurt.

To make dressing, you can use 1 tablespoon, 1 cup mayo, and 1 cup buttermilk. Shake to combine. Keep both the dressing and dip in the frig.

Another way I made the dip was 2 tablespoons dry mix to 1/2 cup sour cream. :)
(sorry, can't find the pics! :\)

Sopapillas (UPDATED, FOUND my camera!!! :))

These are soooooo good!!!!!!!!! I let my kids eat 2 and then after they went to bed, my hubs and I ate a few more! He really liked them cold too, it almost tasted like a cinnamon sugar covered pretzel! ;)

These are really easy too! I took pictures, but I can NOT find my camera! But I didn't want to wait any longer to post this recipe! I've had too many people ask for the recipe since I posted the one picture on Facebook! ;)


Roll part of your dough out


Cut into squares with pizza cutter, then into triangles.. As you can see, these are by far NOT perfect! ;)


Drop into the frying pan (I used coconut oil in my cast iron skillet!)


Here they are out of the frying pan!


Dump into cinnamon and sugar! Use a spoon to cover them completely!


Here they are!


Sooooo good!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) Betcha just can't eat one! ;)




Here's a picture of the finished product, the only one I have! :)





Sopapillas

1 ¾ cup plain flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup milk
Hot vegetable oil for frying
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
Honey – optional
Mix dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Add the milk and knead for 1 minute on floured surface. Let dough set for one hour. Roll dough into large rectangle 1/8” thickness. Use a pizza cutter to cut 2” wide strips of dough, then cut strips into 2” squares, then cut squares diagonally in half.
Mix sugar and cinnamon in a shallow baking dish and set aside.
Heat 4 cups vegetable oil in deep fryer. When oil reaches 375 degrees, drop dough triangles into hot oil. They should rise to the surface, and puff, then brown on the bottom very quickly. Use tongs to quickly turn sopapillas over. When dough is golden brown on both sides, remove from oil carefully, and place on paper towels. While sopapillas are still very warm, put them in the cinnamon and sugar mixture and spoon mixture over sopapillas to thoroughly coat them.


Again, SUPER easy to make! And so very good!! :D

Strawberry Lime Sorbet

I just made this tonite, oh yummy!!!! :)

I found out last nite, which I knew, but I forgot, that I am lactose intolerant right about 9 pm and on and then if I have milk too early in the morning! My tummy hurt so bad last nite, I know, you REALLY wanted to know that didn't you? ;)

So, tonite we put the kids to bed, and my hubs and I wanted a snack, but obviously not anything that has milk! We used to eat ice cream almost every nite, but we haven't bought any for about 6-9 months! I've been making it in my Vita Mix, and I forgot about my little problem until last nite... Again, a bit TMI maybe? ;)

So, I was looking through my Vita Mix cookbook and found this recipe... SOOOOO good!!! FOR SURE going to be making this again!!! :D




All ingredients in my Vita Mix




All done, I didn't have quite enough strawberries, I buy them in bulk, so I didn't have exactly 1 pound.. But it still turned out, really good if I do say so myself! This would be GREAT after some supper on the grill, or a late nite snack, like I did! ;)


Strawberry Lime Sorbet

1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 lime, peeled
1 pound strawberries

Place all ingredients in your Vita mix (you can try this in a regular blender, if you think it will handle it! ;)) in the order listed. Select variable 1, then quickly turn to 10, then turn to high. Use tamper to press ingredients down into the blades. In about 30-60 seconds you will hear the motor change, and four mounds should appear. Turn it off because if you leave it going, it will turn to a sorbet shake and not just sorbet! ;)

Enjoy! REALLY easy and delish!!!
This is from my Vita Mix recipe book, I didn't write down the instructions word for word... ;)

Banana, Apple, Orange Smoothie

Well, it's been another 2 weeks, so yet, here comes another round of new recipes and menus! ;)

I know, I am so far behind...

I'm in the works of putting together a "class" to help you put together your own 2 week menu, to fit your lifestyle and your tastes! ;) I don't have everything put together just yet, but once I figure most of it out, I will post a date or a few dates and we will go from there! :)

Those of you who are out of town, I am working on that problem, so we will be able to include you as well! :)

Here's a SUPER easy and SUPER delish smoothie!
I don't have any pics to go with this, but it is really good!

Banana, Orange and Apple Smoothie

2 banana's
2 apples (cored and cut in half)
2 oranges (peeled and in half)

Place all fruit in a blender or vita mix and blend. You can add ice before blending and it will be thicker.

Pour into glasses and enjoy!!! :)

This makes enough for my 4 kids, not a huge tall glass, but a good size one! ;)

Orange Bread

So... I didn't make our breakfast last nite, but since I was up at the crack of dawn, no wait, scratch that, BEFORE the crack of dawn, I just made it this morning! This orange bread was sooo good!!! The only downfall of this was that i only have 3, nope, scratch that, 2 slices left! We had this with an orange, strawberry, and banana smoothie! It was soooo good!

It was really easy to make, seriously only took about 10 minutes to throw together! It took right at an hour to bake, but the smell was intoxicating! The kids woke up to the smell of fresh bread and could NOT wait to get their hands on a piece, or two, or three! ;)

I really am trying to do better to make some hot for the kids for breakfast, plus a smoothie. Nothing wrong with cold cereal, but something hot and homemade fills them up more and gets them through the day a bit better!


Blend the orange juice, milk, coconut oil and egg in bowl...


Add all other dry ingredients plus the orange peel... (save the orange, either eat it with the bread, of finish peeling it and throw it in your smoothie for the morning! ;))


Stir it all up!


Pour in loaf pan and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar... and bake!


All done, boy did it smell GOOD!! SOOOO wish this was a scratch and sniff picture! You'd be running to your kitchen to make up a loaf right now! ;)





The top, sooo good! I think I liked the top part the best! ;)


Orange Bread

1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups white flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cooking oil (I used coconut oil)
1 egg beaten

Top of bread you will need:
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine orange juice, milk, oil and egg in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth. Add both flours, sugar, orange peel and baking powder. Stir until well moistened. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan. Sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon.
Bake 60-05 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

*This is soooo good! I got it from my MCC, More with Less. It calls for 3/4 cup sugar, but I only put in 1/2 and it was just fine! :) also calls for cooking oil, and I substituted coconut oil. A for sure make again!!! ;)

Dried Apples

These smelled sooooo good while baking! I have a good dehydrator and have used it many times this summer with fresh strawberries and apples this fall... But I've never made it in the oven.

For a few reasons I tried it in the oven...
1- I wanted to see how long it would take...
2- See if it tasted any different - and
3- Well, I was just curious! ;)

It is easier to do it in the oven because it didn't stick to my stone at all! Now, if you use anything else, or a stone that isn't as seasoned as mine, it may stick a bit more.. I really don't know. You could always use some parchment paper on the pan before putting your apples, or whatever fruit you decide to do...

I tried making some fruit leather with banana's, strawberries and orange juice, I blended it all in my Vitamix. I poured it on my parchment paper on a stone, (the bar pan it's called). I didn't like how it turned out, so will change the temp setting and how long I keep it in before I post it all. Not only is fruit leather healthier for you, it's WAY cheaper! You have the option of putting sugar, if ANY in it! I chose not to put any in, you don't need any! The fruit is soo good by itself, and if it a bit tart, just add some banana's or something that would mellow it all out!

Ok, not that I have kinda gone away from the dried apples... ;)


Dried Apples

2 Apples of your choice (I used Macintosh, GREAT flavor! I think Honey Crisp and Granny Smith would be awesome as well!)
Lemon juice, only if you want your apples to not turn a brown color right away... ;)

Grate your apples and spread them on a cookie sheet.
Place them in a 280d oven until dried and slightly crispy.
Take off pan if you have any left by the time they are done! ;)
And store in an airtight container or baggies, and ENJOY!! I am telling you, they won't last long at all! I recommend making more than one batch at a time!!! :D SUPER easy and SUPER healthy! You can do thin slices if you want! ;)
(Hopefully this makes sense and if it doesn't, call, e-mail or leave a comment and will talk you through it! But really, it's soooo easy!!! I think I baked mine for about 5 hours? not 100% sure on that one though! :\)



Peel, core and I cut mine in half, your apples


Grate your apples onto a pan


Here they are... They turned kinda brown, but it's ok! Thin it out as best as you can! You could put them in a bowl and sprinkle lemon juice over the top and stir a bit before placing on a pan to help prevent them from browning...


Tried to take a pic of how thick it is... ;)


Here they are, all nice and brown and PERFECT!!!!!! :D


I seriously ate half the pan before they were even done! The kiddos really didn't get much! But, I got some more apples and will make some more for them! I can see these going REALLY fast!!!!

Going Green Smoothie

Boy is this GREEN!!!!!!!!!!! The greener it is, the more my kiddos wanna drink it!! :)

This dif has a shot of spinach in it to keep you going! I sure needed that this morning! Wait, who am I kidding, I need it EVERY morning, I could use another by lunch time as well!!! ;)

Super easy and super yummy and super healthy! On days that you need something fast, fix a smoothie! You could even fix a nice breakfast and drink it with it! ;) I made this this morning with the creamy baked oatmeal. The kids LOVED both!!!

This recipe called for fresh pineapple, but I didn't have any. So I had bought a bag of it at Aldi's, so that's what I used.... It still tasted good, and this frozen stuff was almost like eating it fresh!




All the ingredients in my Vitamix ready to go! Again, you can use a regular blender!




Once again, I mixed it up and totally forgot to take a pic of it in a cup! Oh well... Here's the finished product! ;)


Going Green Smoothie

1 cup water
1 cup fresh pineapple (I didn't have any fresh pineapple, so I used frozen, worked just fine!!!)
1 medium banana
2-3 cups fresh wash spinach
1/2-1 cup ice cubes (depends on how thick you want it!)

Place all ingredients in Vitamix of blender in the order listed. If using Vitamix, place speed to variable 1, then turn to 10 quickly, then to high. Blend until the consistency you want it.

Enjoy! Super delish if you ask me!!! :D