Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Cookies

Recipe Found HERE

I typically will double this recipe and freeze extras for later. I buy Sunrise Flour Mill USDA Organic Heritage Whole Wheat Pastry Flour | Milled from White Sonora | Easier to Digest on Amazon. 

4 Tablespoons (50 grams) raw or turbinado sugar 

1/4 cup dark (95 grams) light or dark brown sugar (original recipe is 1/2 c sugar)

1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 

1 large egg 

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

3/4 teaspoon baking powder 

3/4 cup (95 grams) whole wheat flour 

1/4 cup (25 grams) wheat germ, wheat bran, oat bran, or finely chopped nuts (I like pecans) 

1 1/2 cups (120 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup (6 ounces) dark chocolate, chopped into chunks 

Flaky sea salt, optional 

Heat oven to 350 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, beat sugars, butter, and salt together until fluffy. 

Add egg and vanilla, and beat until mixed. Sprinkle baking powder and baking soda over batter and beat until very well-combined, then a few more times around the bowl. Scrape bowl down. Add flour, wheat germ, oats, and chocolate and mix just until the flour disappears. 

Arrange 3-tablespoon mounds of cookies 3 inches apart on the baking sheet. Sprinkle each with a couple flakes of sea salt. I like to throw them in the freezer for 20-30 min so they don't spread as much when baking. 

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. Cookies will be golden brown all over. Remove from oven and let set up on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. 

Extra dough will keep in fridge for 3 days, and longer in the freezer. I like to scoop then freeze it on a tray; once solid, I’ll pack them tightly in a freezer bag. You can bake them directly from the freezer; it usually only takes 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Tropikale Smoothie

Yellowbrick Cafe

1 whole banana
1/2 cup pineapple
3/4 cup mango
12 oz milk
2 stems of kale 

Use frozen fruit for a quick cold drink. Blend and enjoy! 

Cheesy Chicken, Kale, and Sweet Potato Skillet Meal

Recipe Found Here

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 to 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed in 1/2-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup finely diced shallot
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 25 ounces, 3 to 4 cups), peeled, rinsed, and diced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups (about 4 ounces or more if you want lots of veggies) stemmed and chopped kale (Lacinato, Tuscan, Black or Dinosaur kale are all the same variety. I prefer Purple/red kale) 
1/2 to 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

In a large, 12-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat until hot and shimmering. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and add to the skillet in a single layer. Let them cook and sizzle without moving (so they can get nice and golden) for 1-2 minutes. Flip the pieces and continue cooking until no longer pink in the center, another 1-2 minutes.

Remove the chicken to a plate and cover with foil. Keep as much liquid in the skillet as possible, and return the skillet to medium heat.

Add a drizzle of olive oil if the skillet is dry. Add the shallots and red pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 4 minutes, until the onions have started to turn translucent and soften. Add the garlic and cook one more minute stirring constantly (don't want the garlic to brown or burn).

Add the sweet potato, red pepper flakes, and broth. Give the mixture a good stir and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover the skillet and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring once or twice to make sure the sweet potatoes aren't sticking (turn the heat down, if needed), until the sweet potatoes are tender. Add more broth as it cooks if the mixture becomes sticky or dry.

Add the kale to the skillet. Stir and heat through until the kale is bright green and slightly wilted. Cover the skillet and let it steam until it is tender; uncover, add the chicken and heat through.

Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Sprinkle cheese over the top and cover with the lid until melted. Serve immediately.

Vegetable Tian

from Barefoot in Paris, Ina Garten
also found here

Serves 4 to 6 (I will make a larger one next time)

3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 large yellow onions, cut in half and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, unpeeled (2 potatoes)
3/4 pound zucchini (1 zucchini)
1 yellow squash
1 1/4 pounds medium tomatoes (plum/roma tomatoes)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs (I used dried crushed)
2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (I used Parmesan)
3 tablespoons Panko crumbs (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Brush a 9x13x 2-inch baking dish with 1 Tablespoon olive oil. In a medium saute pan, heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and cook the onions over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.

Slice the potatoes, zucchini, squash and tomatoes in 1/4-inch-thick slices. Layer them alternately in the dish on top of the onions, fitting them tightly, making only one layer. Sprinkle with salt, pepper thyme leaves, and thyme sprigs and drizzle with 1 more Tablespoon of olive oil. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Uncover the dish, remove the thyme sprigs, sprinkle with cheese* on top, and bake for another 30 minutes, or until browned. Serve warm.

*I wait unitl it is done and out of the oven to add the cheese

Can be made ahead of time, refrigerated and reheated at serving time.

Roasted Parmesan Green Beans

Recipe found here

12 oz green beans, trimmed (make sure they are dry)
2 teaspoon olive oil
kosher salt + fresh cracked pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 Tablespoons shredded parmesan

Directions: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum for easy clean-up. Lay green beans out on the baking sheet and drizzle oil over them. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder and toss to evenly coat.

Spread them out on the sheet so that they all lay flat and place on the lower third section of your oven. Bake 10 minutes, shake the pan to turn; bake 5 additional minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Butternut Squash Baked

(Jessica A.)

1 butternut squash, chopped in small sqaures
olive oil
a few shakes Mrs. Dash Italian style
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
onion

Spread butternut squash on baking sheet. Sprinkle the remaining ingedients over top. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 min.

Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, and Red Lentil Soup

(Anne B. found on allrecipes)

Olive oil
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup red lentils
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
4 cups vegetable broth
plain yogurt

Add olive oil to pan over medium heat. Place the chopped sweet potatoes, carrots, apple, and onion in the pot. Stir and cook the apples and vegetables until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.

Stir the lentils, ginger, ground black pepper, salt, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and vegetable broth into the pot with the apple and vegetable mixture. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils and vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.

Pour half the soup into a blender, return the pureed soup to the cooking pot. Bring back to a simmer over medium-high heat, about 10 minutes. Add water as needed to thin the soup to your preferred consistency. Serve with yogurt for garnish.

Pumpkin Muffins - healthy

(Anne B.)

Cover ½ c. raisins in hot water and set aside (optional)

Combine in a bowl:
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
½ cup loosely packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
scant teaspoon ground ginger
couple of shakes of ground cloves
couple of shakes of ground nutmeg
2 Tablespoons ground flax meal

Add all at once:
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 very ripe banana
½ cup applesauce
2 Tablespoons honey

Stir only until moistened. Drain raisins and add in.

Spoon into greased or papered muffin cups, makes 12 nearly-full muffins.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Seriously Fast White Bean Soup

(Anne B.)

2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 TBS olive oil (it called for 5 times as much but who needs that much oil?)
1 (14- to 15-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 3/4 cups veggie broth
2 (19-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (3 cups) any white bean will do
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10+ cups fresh spinach, kale or other leafy green. About 5-7 oz. (if kale, coarsely chop it and remove stems)

Cook garlic in oil for 1-2 minutes. Add everything but the greens and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add greens and cook a few more minutes. The kale will stay just a bit crunchy.

Beanland Banana Nut Muffins - healthy

(from Beanland blog)

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Combine in a bowl:
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoonbaking soda
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Combine in the vitamix (or any blender) until soupy:
2 Tablespoon flaxseed meal (ground flax seed)
3 Tablespoons water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 ripe bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Pour wet into dry, and mix just until combined. This is when the rising starts, so make sure you don’t mix out the bubbles. Be gentle when you spoon into 12 muffin cups (greased or papered).

Top each muffin with two or three crumbled pecans and some brown sugar. Put them in the oven immediately (again, so they stay light).

Bake for 15-20 minutes until they spring back a bit when you touch the center.

Noodles with Chicken and Sauteed Vegetables

(Shanda L).

(from Recipe Brain Cramp blog)

A light and healthy dish! If you want to increase the vegetables, add 2 cups of each!



1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use olive or canola)
10 cloves garlic, finely chopped (I use 6-7)
1 (12 ounce) package uncooked whole wheat linguine pasta
1/2 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped cauliflower
1 pound chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces (2-3 chicken breasts cut in strips - or leave out the meat all together)
3 1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste (we leave it out entirely and it is great)

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Mix in garlic. Cook and stir about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place linguine in pot and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside 1 Tablespoon garlic oil and toss remainder with pasta to coat. Season pasta with salt.

3. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Immerse veggies in water for about 30 seconds. Drain and set aside. Or steam or boil vegetables until done.

4. Heat reserved garlic oil in skillet over medium heat. Mix in chicken and 3 1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce. Cook until chicken juices run clear. Mix in vegetables and remaining soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper and additional soy sauce if desired. Toss with linguine and serve.

Black Beans & Brown Rice

A great recipe as is or to add to - fresh garlic, bell peppers, tomatoes . . .

Brown Rice
1 can black beans
1 jar salsa
red wine vinegar

Serve beans and salsa over cooked brown rice. Sprinkle some red wine vinegar over and enjoy!

Curried Potatoes and Spinach

(Anne B.)

1 scant Tablespoon canola oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced (or 2 small red onions)
1 large rib celery, sliced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root (if you have it, I didn’t)
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes (can use fresh)
1 Tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon garam masala (can use ground coriander in a pinch)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cups water
3+ cups diced red potatoes, skins on
2 medium carrots, diced
6-8 cups spinach (coarsely chopped if desired)
Brown rice

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and ginger and cook for about 4 minutes. Add tomato, curry powder, garam masala, salt and cayenne and cook for 3 minutes over low heat.

Add water, potatoes and carrots and cook for 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in spinach and cook until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let stand for about 5 minutes. Serve by ladling over brown rice or quinoa.

recipe found here

***Anne's Sinless Hotcakes***

(Anne B.)

I use all whole wheat if I have no buckwheat and lemon rind if I have no oranges.

1 cup buckwheat flour (use whole wheat if no buckwheat)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Flaxseed meal (flax seeds ground)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 Tablespoon orange zest (or lemon) (about 2 large oranges) 
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 cups water
Maple Syrup 

Mix all dry ingredients in a medium bowl until evenly blended. Add liquids and mix as little as possible to make batter. Small lumps are okay, they’ll disappear in cooking. Over-mixing will make pancakes flat and heavy. Spoon the batter onto a medium hot, nonstick griddle. Yields about 6-12 pancakes, depending on the size you make.

The secrets to a fluffy pancake:
1) Combine your wet ingredients together first (almond extract, applesauce and water).
2) When you add wet to dry, just barely stir at all. Enough to get the dry stuff wet, and the floury stuff off the sides of the bowl. That’s it.
3) Make sure the griddle is hot enough. It should sizzle when you add the batter.
4) When you cook them, flip them when you see that the bubbles are staying open and not filling back in with batter. Don’t wait any longer, otherwise they’ll be too set up to “spring” when the other side cooks.

Anne’s favorite syrup:
Dump frozen strawberries in a bowl, cover with a plate and microwave for 2 minutes. Stop and smoosh the strawberries with a fork. Then microwave several more minutes until it’s a bit runny and steaming hot. Pour generously over pancakes. We have also been known to LOVE real maple syrup on pancakes, as well as unsweetened applesauce.

recipe found here

Split Pea Soup

(Anne B.)

You might want to double the recipe, it’s pretty delicious. Also, since you're already chopping all the veggies, chop extra and store them in a bag in the freezer, so next time you'll have them ready to dump right in the pot.

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 rib celery, sliced thinly
2 carrots, sliced thinly
1 cup dry split peas, rinsed and drained
4 cups vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon dried ground thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried)

Cook onion in olive oil for a couple of minutes until softened, then add celery and carrots and cook for 3 more minutes. Add everything else and cook on low for 50-60 minutes (30 will work in a pinch). Pull out 2 cups and blend it until smooth and return it to the pot. Add salt and pepper to taste.

recipe found here

Date Nut Pop 'Ems

(Anne B.)

1 cup almonds
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup raw shelled sunflower seeds
10 dried medjool dates, pitted
1 Tablespoon cinnamon



Put the nuts and seeds in a food processor and let it go 30-60 seconds depending on the texture you like. The longer it blends the smoother and easier it is to shape into balls. Add the dates and cinnamon. 1 teaspoon of cinnamon for “plain” treats and 1 to 1 1/2 Tablespoons for cinnamon-y treats.

You can also add 1 Tablespoon of cocoa powder at this point for a really decadent treat.

Food process for another 10-20 seconds or so, until everything is well-incorporated. Then wash your hands and make pop 'em balls! Store in refrigerator.

recipe found here

Berry Banana Whole Wheat Muffins - healthy

(Anne B.)

These light muffins are great and the tops come out perfect! They taste healthy, yet don't have the heaviness of the whole wheat.

1 egg + 1 Tablespoon flax meal/flax seed ground (you can use 2 regular eggs instead, or use equivalent amount of egg whites)
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 bananas, mashed
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 heaping cup frozen 3 berry blend (or any combination of berries)
brown sugar

Combine the first six ingredients and whisk together. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Slowly fold into the wet ingredients, don't over mix. Then add frozen berries.

Grease regular muffin tins and fill all the way up. Sprinkle with brown sugar (optional). Bake at 375˚ F for 20-25 minutes. Keep refrigerated.

recipe found here

***Ratatouille***

(from Smitten Kitchen blog)

½ onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
1 can tomato sauce (15 ounces) (or puree such as Pomi)
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small eggplant (Italian Eggplants are less than half the size of regular ones; it works perfectly)
1 small zucchini (may need 2 if they are small)
1 small yellow squash (may need 2 if they are small)
2 longish red bell pepper
Few sprigs fresh thyme (or dried ground thyme)
Salt and pepper
Few Tablespoons soft Goat Cheese (this makes the dish rich with a creamy taste)
Brown rice or other grain
Parchment paper

Pour tomato puree into bottom of an oval baking dish, approximately 10 inches across the long way. Drop the sliced garlic cloves and chopped onion into the sauce, stir in one Tablespoon of the olive oil and season the sauce generously with salt and pepper. Trim the ends off the eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash. As carefully as you can, trim the ends off the red pepper and remove the core, leaving the edges intact, like a tube. On a mandoline, adjustable-blade slicer or with a very sharp knife, cut the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper into very thin slices, approximately 1/16-inch thick.

Atop the tomato sauce, arrange slices of prepared vegetables concentrically from the outer edge to the inside of the baking dish, overlapping so just a smidgen of each flat surface is visible, alternating vegetables. You may have a handful leftover that do not fit. Drizzle the remaining Tablespoon olive oil over the vegetables and season them generously with salt and pepper. Remove the leaves from the thyme sprigs with your fingertips, running them down the stem. Sprinkle the fresh thyme over the dish. Or very lightly sprinkle some dried ground thyme (you can always add more later if needed).

Cover dish with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit inside. Bake at 375˚ for approximately 45 to 55 minutes, until vegetables have released their liquid and are clearly cooked, but with some structure left so they are not totally limp. They should not be brown at the edges, and you should see that the tomato sauce is bubbling up around them. Serve with a dab of soft goat cheese on top (it will melt and add a creamy taste to the sauce), alone, or with some crusty French bread, atop polenta, couscous, brown rice or your choice of grain.

recipe found here

Homemade Applesauce

Serve hot applesauce right from the pan with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a light and delicious dessert, or plain, or even can it for later.

5 apples (any kind, but the sweeter varieties will need less sugar added)
water
1/4 cup sugar

Peel and core apples and throw in a pot with enough water to almost cover the apples. Boil until tender to a fork. Drain apples. A large spoon should do the job smashing them up, I like them a little chunky. If they are too thick mix in a little water, until you like the consistency. Add about 1/4 cup sugar and taste. Add more sugar to taste. Serve hot or cold. Makes about 4 servings.

Wheat Berry Salad and Red Fruit

(Carolee J.)

Healthy, with a strong and addictive fruit flavor!

1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/3 cup dried cranberries
3 cups cooked, cooled wheat berries*
1 large Fuji apple, unpeeled, diced
1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted and coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
6 Tablespoons raspberry vinaigrette dressing

Combine orange juice and cranberries in a small bowl, let stand for 15 minutes. Combine wheat berries, apple, and pecans in a large bowl; stir gently. Drain the cranberries, reserving the juice. Stir the cranberries into the wheat berry mixture. Whisk the reserved orange juice, and raspberry vinaigrette in a small bowl until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and stir gently to coat. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature. Makes about six 1-cup servings.

*To cook wheat berries - boil in lightly salted water for 1 hour with a 3.5 to 1 water to wheat berry ratio- these can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to a month after cooked.