Carrot Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups diced pared carrots (I put in food processor and grate them)
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt

Directions:
Cook carrots in small amount of boiling salted water till tender. Drain and mash. (Should measure about 1 cup.) Cool. Cream together butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla; beat till fluffy. Stir in carrot. Stir together dry ingredients. Blend into creamed mixture. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in 375º oven about 12 minutes. Remove to wire racks for cooling. I place wax paper under racks to catch frosting dripings.

Frost with:
1½ cups sifted powdered sugar
2 TBS pineapple jam (optional)
1 TBS softened butter
¼ tsp vanilla
Add 1 to 2 tsp milk to make of spreading consistency.
Mix together and spread on cooled cookies.
Makes about 5 dozen small cookies.
[I double this recipe as we really like them and they don't last long.]

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WHO KNEW CUCUMBERS COULD DO ALL THIS?!!!

Spice up your 8 glasses per day of water with a slice or two of cucumber. It's wonderfully refreshing, but there are amazing benefits to cucumber as well. Cucumbers are cooler than you think ...

1. Fat busting: Do you ever wonder why women put cucumbers on their eyes to relieve puffiness? The photochemical in cucumbers makes the collagen in your skin tighten, thus the lack of puffiness. Did you know that you can rub a cucumber on a problematic spot of cellulite anywhere on your body to lessen the visibility of it? Did you also know that it has the same effect on wrinkles? Wow, it makes purchasing those fifty dollar creams seem a little silly, doesn’t it? You can also rub a little bit under your kiddo’s eyes after a long bout of crying to avoid that puffy ‘I cried for an hour straight’ look.

2. Defogger: Do you get annoyed when you get out of the shower and you have to fight the fog on the mirror? Who has time for that when the kids will be awake at any moment? Try rubbing a slice of cucumber on the mirror before you hop in and not only will you get a fog-free mirror, but you’ll have a nice smell that will boost your mood.

3. Headaches: If you suffer from headaches from chasing your babies all day (or pets or your husband), or had a little too much wine with dinner and want to avoid a hangover, eat half of a cucumber before bed. Cucumbers are high in B vitamins, sugar, and electrolytes, and they replenish the nutrients missing in your body to help you avoid a hang over or to beat that headache that’s been threatening to take over.

4. WD-40 replacement: Did you know you can get rid of a squeak by rubbing a cucumber on the hinge? Wow, now you don’t have to tear your garage apart looking for that little can with the red straw, and the baby won’t wake up when you slowly open the nursery door to check on him.

5. Crayon on the walls: Take an unpeeled cucumber and rub the crayon off of the walls in the event that your kiddo left you some art. You can also use this technique to erase a pen mistake.

6. Halitosis killer: Take a slice of cucumber and put it on the roof of your mouth. Hold it there with your tongue for 30 seconds. The photochemical that you love for cellulite and puff reduction will also kill the bacteria that is causing your bad breath.

7. Tarnish remover: If you’re finding tarnish on your stainless steel kitchen faucets and appliances? Rub it off with a cucumber slice. Not only will it remove years of tarnish, it will leave it streak free and your hands will thank you, and your kids won’t be put at risk from a dangerous chemical.

8. Energy booster: If you’re feeling tired in the afternoon, don’t give Starbucks your five bucks. Instead, grab a cucumber. There are just enough carbohydrates and B vitamins to give you a longer-lasting and healthier boost of energy than soda, coffee, or those health hazard energy drinks.

9. Munchy madness: Did you know that European trappers ate cucumbers for energy and to keep from starving to death? If those big burly manly men can eat a cucumber to keep from starving, you can eat one as a healthy choice when the munchies hit. Slice some up and take them in a small plastic container to the movies if your theater doesn’t offer healthy alternatives to munching on butter soaked popcorn.

10. Frugal facial: Slice up a cucumber and boil it in a pot of water. The chemicals inside of the cucumber will mix with the steam. Remove the pot from heat and lean over it, letting the steam hit you. Your skin will be more radiant and healthy, and you will feel relaxed and rejuvenated.

11. Shoe polish: Cut a slice off of your cucumber and rub it on your shoe. It will not only shine it up, but it will repel water.

12. Pest control: Put three or four slices of cucumber in a small pie tin and place them in your garden. The chemicals in the cucumber have a reaction that pests hate. You won’t smell it, but it will drive them from your garden all year long. Replace them periodically.

13. Sunburn: Sometimes sun block doesn’t always protect your little ones from sunburn. If you have burnt little kiddos you don’t have any aloe, rub some cucumber on them. Many doctors even use cucumber to treat patients with irritated skin and sunburns.

14. Blood pressure: Cucumber has been long used to treat high blood pressure. If you have it, add cucumbers to your daily diet. There is also ongoing research into the use of cucumbers for lowering cholesterol.

15. Constipation remedy: The seeds of a cucumber are a diuretic. If you’re constipated, try eating a cucumber. If you suffer from chronic constipation, add cucumber to your daily diet

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Spinach Chips

Ingredients:
-2 Cups Spinach leaves (big, healthy looking leaves)
-1 Tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil (as required)
-Italian seasoning blend (to taste)
-Salt (to taste)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, put the spinach leaves and then the olive oil and mix it well without breaking or tearing the leaves.
4. Sprinkle salt and Italian blend and mix well until all leaves are coated.
5. Take the foil lined baking sheet and arrange the leaves in a single layer without any overlaps.
6. Bake in the oven for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it sit on the baking sheet for another 2 minutes.
7. Using a spatula, transfer them into a bowl or plate.
Note:
Do not overcrowd the baking sheet. Every leaf should be equally exposed to the heat.

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Garlic Roasted Mushrooms

Looking for a great appetizer to serve this holiday season?  Or perhaps a mouth-watering side to a main course?  This is an easy, but delicious little dish you can prepare and cook in a matter of minutes. Any mushroom lover would be an instant fan, and those who aren't normally mushroom eaters may be asking for the recipe. 

Items needed:

7-10 Button mushrooms

2 tsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter (melted)

1-2 tbsp minced garlic

1-2 tbsp bread crumbs

1/8 cup shredded

mozzarella cheese

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400°F.  Clean mushrooms and sauté (stems up) in frying pan for about 4-5 mins. {You just want to start to cook the mushrooms, not cook through.} While that's cooking, mix butter and garlic together. Next arrange mushrooms (stems up) in an oven safe bake dish. Drizzle the butter/garlic combo over the mushrooms, then sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Lastly, throw some shredded mozzarella over it all and then salt and pepper.  Place in hot oven for 10-12 minutes, then broil on low for an additional 2 minutes.  Let cool before serving as it will be HOT! 

Now, try not to eat them all before the guests can try them ;p

Jo

Hamburg Soup

This is a favorite soup for the colder months.  It's hearty and filling, a meal all on its own.  It's a great soup for tight budgets too.  You could grab the reduced produce to use in it, or just clean up some stuff in  your own fridge,  that might be getting close to it's end date. It freezes well, so if you make a big batch just divide it up into mason jars for later. 

Ingredients:
1 lb of ground beef (lean)
1 onion (chopped)
1/2 red pepper (chopped)
1/2 yellow pepper (chopped)
3 carrots (sliced)
2 zuchini (sliced)
3 celery sticks (sliced)
2 cups baby spinach (fresh)
1/2 cup brown rice
1 can beef consomme soup (beef broth)
2 cans of water
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp cumin
pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook and drain ground beef. Slightly sauté onion & peppers. Combine with other ingredients in stock pot and let simmer 1-2 hours.

Note: You can replace fresh spinach for frozen, thaw, but don't drain off excess water, simply add 1/2 cup less of water

Optional other ingredients to throw in: Canned baby corn, canned diced tomatoes, mushrooms, potatoes or pasta (instead of rice), barley and lentils.

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Tuesdays Time Out To... DIY Halloween Treats

It's that time of year again! Here's some of our favorite Halloween treats for kids and adults alike. Perfect for class parties, Halloween parties or even October Birthday parties. We've added a few healthier treats for those of us watching our waistlines or those of us with younger children.

Witch's Teeth

What you'll need:

Apples (any Kind)

Peanut Butter

Slivered Almonds

How To:

Slice and core Apples (toss with lemon juice to prevent browning if they're not being eaten right away)

Spread peanut butter on 1 side of each slice.

Wedge almond slivers into the apple slices, peanut butter sides facing each other to form "teeth".

Pumpkin Oreo's

What you'll need:
Oreo's (any kind you like)

White chocolate to melt

Orange food coloring

Black frosting

Green Apple flavor Twizzlers (optional)



How To:

Melt Chocolate according to package instructions, add food coloring to desired color is reached.
Dip Oreo's in chocolate using toothpicks until fully covered.
Place in refrigerator on a wax paper lined cookie sheet to harden.

Pipe black frosting pumpkin faces.

Add stem...you can also just pipe a stem on top as well.

Witches Hats and Broom Sticks

What you'll need:

Witches Hat
Cookies (any kind with chocolate bases is great)
Frosting
Food coloring of your choice (something bright is great)
Hershey Kisses
Witches Broom
Mini Reese Cups
small pretzel sticks

How To:

Witches Hat: Place a dollop of frosting in the center of the cookie (chocolate side up) and center Hershey's Kiss.
Broom Sticks: Simply poke a pretzel stick through the center of a mini Reese's Peanut butter cup

Marshmallow Frankenstein and Pumpkins

What you'll need:
Big Campfire marshmallows
Small pretzel Sticks
White chocolate to melt
Green and Orange food coloring
Edible eyes(or you can pipe them yourself)
Green apple Twizzlers (for the stems of the pumpkins)

How To:
Melt chocolate according to package directions.
Split it in two bowls. Add green coloring to one and orange to the other until you desired color is made.
Dip marshmallows in melted chocolate using toothpicks.
Place in refrigerator on a wax paper lined cookie sheet to harden.
Once hardened make hair for Frankenstein by piping black frosting. Take a toothpick and poke a hole for the pretzels sticks, insert pretzel sticks.
Pipe frosting to make faces for both the Pumpkins and Frankenstein's.

Count Dracula Cookies

What you'll need:
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sliced Almonds
Mini Marshmallow
Any kind of a red frosting

How To:
Cut the cookie in half.
Add frosting to one side of each half.
Place marshmallows, Then layer the other cookie on top...add almonds for that extra Dracula touch!

Halloween Donuts

What you'll need:
Any of your favorite doughnuts
Colored frosting of your choice
edible eyes(or you can pipe them on yourself)
Vampire teeth

How To:
Dab Frosting to hold eyes in place
Push in Vampire teeth to hold in place.

Ghost Chocolate Strawberries

What you'll need:
Strawberries
White chocolate to melt
Black frosting for the face

How To:
Melt chocolate according to package directions.
Dip Strawberries in melted chocolate using toothpicks until covered.
Place in refrigerator on a wax paper lined cookie sheet to harden.
Pipe frosting to make faces

Nutter Butter Ghost Cookies

What you'll need:
Nutter Butter Cookies
White Chocolate to Melt
Black frosting for the face

How To:
Melt chocolate according to package directions.
Dip top half of cookies in melted chocolate.
Place in refrigerator on a wax paper lined cookie sheet to harden.
Pipe frosting to make faces.

Orange Pumpkins

What you'll need:
Oranges (I find clementine's work well)
Celery for the stem

How To:
Peel oranges
Cut celery to size for your oranges. Push the celery stem into the center of the orange. 

Halloween Pretzels

What you'll need:
Big Stick Pretzels
White chocolate to melt
Black frosting for face
Sprinkles or decorative sugars

How To:
Melt chocolate according to package directions.
Dip top half of pretzels in melted chocolate.
Gently roll pretzels in sugar or sprinkles while the chocolate is still soft.
Place in refrigerator on a wax paper lined cookie sheet to harden.
For Ghost Pretzels pipe faves on with back frosting after the chocolate has hardened

Pumpkin Platter

What you'll need:

Cucumber

Baby carrots

How To:
Cucumber - slice, cut half of it into triangles and half into half circles.
Arrange baby carrots into a circle (preferable on a round platter. Place triangle slices for eyes and nose, and half circles for mouth.

Spider Lollipops

What you'll need:
Tootsie Pops
Black pipe Cleaners
Google eyes (peel and stick are best, if not you'll need to glue them)

How To:
Wrap 4 pipe cleaners around lollipop and bend them to form legs.
Attach google eyes.

Skeleton Veggie Platter

What you'll need:
Bell Peppers
Cucumber
Mushrooms
Cauliflower
Cherry Tomatoes
Spinach
Baby carrots
Block olive
Veggie dip

How To:
This one has no exact directions. Just cut your veggies and arrange them how you'd like to form a skeleton! Some tips: Cucumbers make a great spine, bell peppers are perfect for ribs. Thin slices of olives work great for the eyes. The rest is up to you! Be creative.

Skull Cookies

What You'll Need:

This Sugar Cookie Recipe

This Cookie Frosting Recipe (white pink and black colored)

This Cookie Cutter (If you don't already have a skull and crossbones cookie cutter)

How To:

Make your cookies and frosting according to the recipe instructions. Make sure the cookies are completely cooled before frosting.

Frost the Cookies first entirely with white. Then pipe the black outline and faces, then if you want girly skulls add a pink bow. Let them cool completely until the frosting is hardened. Store in an airtight container.

Hope you enjoy these fun Halloween Treats! If you make them we'd love to see pictures.

XO

Jess

Thirsty Thursday Green, Orange Coconut Smoothie

Green, Orange Coconut Smoothie

I happened upon this mix by accident, but now it will be a regular in my house! I'm always trying to get greens into my picky 2 year old, who would rather sustain life by eating crackers & cheese only. 

I was doing a freezer inventory and came across some orange sherbet that was not so nice, but not to the point of tossing either. I figured I'd blend it up in some sort of smoothie concoction.  Since I almost always use spinach in smoothies, the 2 together seemed logical, but the rest of the ingredients really made this a yummy treat! My 2 year old must have agreed, because hers was gone before I even got to try mine... which of course meant I had to share mine :). 

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh spinach
1 cup of coconut greek yogurt
1 frozen banana
3 good sized scoops orange sherbet
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup apple juice
1 tbsp chia seeds



Blend & enjoy!

Jo

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Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

If you enjoy asparagus, and are feeling a little fancy, try this out.  It's a tasty little dish. 

Ingredients:
-Desired amount of asparagus spears, trim ends.
-1-2 tablespoon olive oil
-Kosher salt
-Ground black pepper
-Parmesan
-Thinly sliced prosciutto, cut in half lengthwise

Directions:
Blanch the asparagus spears, (place in boiling water for about 2 mins, then into an ice bath to stop cooking)
Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle it with the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Using your hands, toss until the spears are evenly coated with the oil. Transfer them to the large plate and set the baking sheet aside.
Wrap each spear with 1 slice of prosciutto in a downward spiral toward the cut end, just barely overlapping the seams of the prosciutto. Space out each piece on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with parmesan.
Broil for 3-5 minutes, or until desired crispiness .
Enjoy :)

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Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

I've been on a Zucchini kick lately. I'm also determined to get my 2 year old to eat more veggies, and this recipe helps me win that battle. She loves these things!  

Ingredients:
-3 cups grated zucchini

-3/4 cup vegetable oil

-1 1/3 cup sugar

-2 eggs

-2 tsp vanilla

-2 tsp baking soda

-1/4 tsp salt

-3 cups all-purpose flour

-2 teaspoons cinnamon

-1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

-1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl combine the sugar, eggs (already beaten), and vanilla. Next stir in the grated zucchini and vegetable oil. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir these dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture, and once mixed add chocolate chips and stir.  Now place desired amount of mix into muffin tins and bake on the middle rack for about 25 to 30 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness, then allow to cool before removing from muffin tin.  Enjoy.

Makes 24 muffins. 

Warning, these don't last long, so feel free to make a double batch and freeze half for later ;)

:)

Jo

Scrambled egg with Spinach & Feta

This one is easy.  The hardest part is making sure you have all the ingredients in your fridge, but let me tell you, it's tasty!!  If you want a jazzed up version to your everyday scrambled eggs, try this! 

Ingredients:

-Eggs {desired amount}

-Spinach leaves (baby is best) {desired amount}

-Feta cheese (the stuff in water is best) {desired amount} 

-Butter (or oil, something to lubricate the pan)

-Pepper {desired amount}

Directions:

Mix up the eggs, but don't bother adding water, or milk.  There's no need for that, and you'll find your eggs much more fluffy and more flavor with out it. Pour into a hot pan. A hot pain is essential, the eggs cook much better when the pan is already hot (in fact most foods are better this way). Start to scramble the eggs by giving them a few stirs in the pan, and when the mixture is about half cooked dump in the spinach and the cheese (be sure to crumble the cheese). This way as the rest of the egg is cooking, the spinach is wilting, and the cheese is melting.  Sprinkle your pepper as it's finishing up cooking, but keep in mind, salt isn't needed as the cheese it self is salty enough from the brine. 

Serve up and enjoy. 

:)

Jo

Zucchini Spinach Fritters

I was craving something not so healthy, so I decided to give in, but make sure I still got my veggies in.  It was also going to be a creative way to get my 2 year old to eat some veggies ;) She kept calling these "cookies", and I wasn't going to correct her, not if she was eating them. :)

Health note: For a lighter version of this, you could also pan sear these in a minimal amount of oil, instead of 'deep frying'.  

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup flour (chic pea flour is also good)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

2 eggs

1/4 cup water

2-3 cups of vegetable oil (peanut oil is even better)

2 1/2 cups grated zucchini

1 1/2 cup fresh baby spinach (thawed frozen will work too, be sure to squeeze out as much water possible)

1 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup red pepper

1/3 cup orange pepper

Directions:

Use a large bowl for veggies & eggs. In a small bowl get together the dry ingredients. Then dump the dry into the big bowl, add water and mix.  

Depending on the size of the pan or pot you're going to use, fill with enough oil to give you at least 2 inches of depth, heat oil.

Next, scoop desired size of mix into hot oil.

Serve warm with a creamy dip or savory chutney.

Enjoy

:)
Jo


For a great dip try my red pepper - garlic mayo as seen here.