Healthy Pumpkin Muffins

Healthy Pumpkin Muffins (can also be gluten and sugar free...my successful modifications!)
I got this recipe from a holistic moms group individiual.  Great recipe!

Makes 1 dozen regular size muffins or 30 mini muffins. 

Original:
1 1/2 C. All-Purpose Flour or white/wheat blend
                 (or 1 C. Brown Rice flour & 1/2 C. corn starch & 1 tsp. xanthan gum)
1 tsp. baking powder  (2 tsp. if gluten free)
15 oz. pumpkin, canned
1/3 C. oil
2 lg. eggs
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 C. sugar  (or 1/2 tsp. Stevia and 1/2 C. honey)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Topping: 1 tsp. cinnamon and 1 Tbsp. sugar (or xylitol) mixed together in a bowl  (optional...even great without this!)

  Put oven rack in middle position.  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Put liners in muffin cups or spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Whisk together dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients.  Then add the dry ingredients into the wet and whisk again.  Divide batter among greased muffin cups (about 3/4 full), then sprinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Bake (about 25-30 minutes for regular and 15-17 min for mini-muffins) until puffed and golden brown and the middle comes out clean when tested. 

Cool in pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature.

Charlie's Strawberry Jello Salad

Charlie's Strawberry Jello Salad

This is actually a recipe given to Charlie in his home economics class in high school to make.  He loves making this recipe, and the rest of us join him in the joy of eating it!

 

 

Crust:

8 oz. Pretzels, crushed

3 Tbsp. Sugar

3/4 C. Butter

 

Mix pretzels, sugar, and butter together and press onto bottom of cake pan.  Bake 10 minutes at 350°. 

 

 

Filling:

8 oz. Cream cheese

1 C. Sugar

1/2 carton (9 oz.) cool whip

 

Beat together cream cheese, sugar, and cool whip.

 

 

Topping:

6 oz. pkg strawberry jello

1 pkg frozen strawberries

 

Mix jello and 2 cups boiling water and stir to dissolve.  Add frozen strawberries and stir until mixture is soft-set.  Spread over cream cheese mixture and refrigerate. 

Crunchy Salmon Cakes with Greek Yogurt Sauce

Crunchy Salmon Cakes with Greek Yogurt Sauce

Prep: 30 min. + chilling Bake: 15 min.

Yield: 4 Servings

20 15 35

photo by Taste of Home

My note: This was great.  Was not too crazy about the sauce... it was OK.

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 pounds salmon fillet (used canned Salmon and tuna)
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper plus 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon Filippo Berio® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1-1/2 cups panko (Japanese) bread crumbs, divided
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, optional
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• Cooking spray
• SAUCE:
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon snipped fresh dill
• 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon capers, drained and chopped

Directions

• Place salmon on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 14-17 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Cool slightly; remove skin, if necessary. Transfer salmon to a shallow dish; refrigerate, covered, for 2 hours or until chilled.
• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir onion until tender. Stir in parsley.
• In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup bread crumbs, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, remaining pepper and onion mixture; if desired, add pepper sauce. Flake salmon; add to bread crumb mixture, mixing lightly. Shape into eight 2-1/2-in. patties.
• Place egg whites and remaining bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Dip salmon patties in egg whites, then roll in crumbs to coat. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Spritz tops with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 14-17 minutes or until golden brown.
• In a small bowl, mix sauce ingredients; serve with salmon cakes. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutritional Facts 2 salmon cakes with 1 tablespoon sauce equals 422 calories, 25 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 82 mg cholesterol, 541 mg sodium, 17 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 29 g protein.

Originally published as Crunchy Salmon Cakes with Greek Yogurt Sauce in Taste of Home October/November 2012, p70

Hearty Cannellini & Sausage Soup

Hearty Cannellini & Sausage Soup
photo by Taste of Home

Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Yield: 6 Servings

10 20 30

Ingredients

• 12 ounces beef summer or smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4-1/2 cups vegetable broth (or chicken)
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini or white kidney beans, rinsed and drained (or red kidney beans)
• 4 cups coarsely chopped cabbage
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

• In a large saucepan, cook and stir sausage over medium heat until lightly browned; drain. Add the remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 5-10 minutes or until cabbage is tender and flavors are blended. Yield: 6 servings.

Originally published as Hearty Cannellini & Sausage Soup in Taste of Home October/November 2012, p65

Cottage Pie Recipe

Cottage Pie Recipe
from Taste of Home

I get a pound of ground turkey—the light kind—and a pound of the dark kind for this recipe, but you could use beef or lamb. — Jane Leeves, Los Angeles, California

• Prep: 30 min. Bake: 20 min.
• Yield: 6 Servings

30 20 50

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 2 large carrots, finely chopped
• 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2-1/2 cups mashed potatoes (with added milk and butter), warmed
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional

Directions

• In a Dutch oven, cook the first five ingredients over medium heat until turkey is no longer pink and vegetables are tender, breaking up meat into crumbles; drain.
• Stir in flour, herbs, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper until blended. Add broth; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until broth is absorbed. Stir in peas; heat through.
• Transfer to a greased 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Top with mashed potatoes; if desired, sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until filling is bubbly. Yield: 6 servings.

Originally published as Cottage Pie in Taste of Home October/November 2012, p102

Hearty Quinoa & Corn Chowder

Hearty Quinoa & Corn Chowder Recipe

 photo by Taste of Home

 

• Prep: 25 min. + standing Cook: 15 min.
• Yield: 14 Servings

25 15 40

Ingredients

• 3 medium sweet red peppers
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 6 medium ears sweet corn, kernels removed (about 4 cups) or 2 packages (10 ounces) frozen corn, thawed
• 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

• Broil peppers 4 in. from the heat until skins blister, about 5 minutes. With tongs, rotate peppers a quarter turn. Broil and rotate until all sides are blistered and blackened. Immediately place peppers in a large bowl; cover and let stand for 20 minutes.
• Peel off and discard charred skin. Remove stems and seeds. Finely chop peppers.
• Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook and stir quinoa over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes or until lightly toasted; remove from the pan.
• In the same pan, heat butter and oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually whisk in stock and cream.
• Add the corn, beans, roasted peppers and quinoa; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until quinoa is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Yield: 14 servings (3/4 cup each).

Lentil Loaf

Lentil Loaf

1 lb. bag dry lentils, cooked and mashed (could use blender with other wet ingredients)
1 medium onion, minced and sauteed
1 C. walnuts, ground (could be pulsed in the blender)
2 eggs
12 oz. evaporated milk (or 1 cup milk powder and 1 1/2 C. water)
1/4 C. oil
5 - 6 C. cornflakes
1 tsp. sage
3/4 tsp. salt

         Combine all.  Bake in 2 oiled loaf pans, 350°F for 1 hour.

Apple Butter


2 1/2 C. dried apples
3 C. water

1 C. sugar (or 1 tsp. Stevia)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/16 tsp. nutmeg
(adjust amount of spices to taste)

Simmer dried fruit in water for 30 minutes. Stir in sugar and spices. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes longer. Fruit should be soft. Place in blender and puree or put through a sieve (I did not strain). Store in covered jar(S) in the refrigerator. Great as a filling for cookies, muffins, or spread on toast, bread, or pancakes.

To make with other dried fruits use the same process. Spices vary upon type of fruit.