Cauliflower Ranch Chips

With the prices on cauliflower these days I like to get it when it is on special.  I was at my favourite Farm market and they had some on clearance for 99 cents a head so I grabbed a couple because I had a few recipes I wanted to try (but not on a $5.00 a head cauliflower).
I am always looking for ways to have a healthish but different snack and I think this falls into the healthy category.  Everyone enjoyed it so I will be making them again and playing with different herb/spice combinations, especially when the herbs in my garden are ready.
They are the perfect snack size so I know they will make it into the lunch box if there are any left by Monday.
My first attempt I made them about 1/4 of an inch thick, they are very nice but if you would like a crispier version I would make them fairly thin.

Cauliflower Ranch Chips

1 head of cauliflower

3 cups grated romano cheese

4 eggs

1 1/2 tsp dill

1 1/2 tsp parsley

1 1/2 tsp chives

1 1/2 tsp basil

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

freshly ground black pepper

1. Use a food processor to turn the cauliflower into a coarse crumble (grating it would also work).
2. Mix together the herbs and spices in a large bowl.
3. Toss the cauliflower crumble and cheese in with the herb mixture.
4. Beat the eggs and add to the cauliflower mixture.  You don't want this mixture to be wet, just moist enough so it stays together.
5. On a parchment lined baking sheet place a heaping 1 tbsp of the mixture and flatten with a fork.  Have them spaced about 1 inch apart.  Bake a 450 for 7-10 minutes and then flip them over and return them to the oven for another 7-10 minutes (or until they have reached your desired crispness).

Sweet and Savoury Spiced Nuts

I loved this recipe for spiced nuts.  You can use any combination of nuts with this recipe.  I will often use walnuts, pecans and almonds.  They are great to eat by the handful or to be used as a garnish for salads and side dishes.  Be careful because it can be hard to control how many you eat!

Sweet and Savoury Spiced Nuts

2 cups of nuts 

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

3/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp all spice

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp oil

1. Heat the oven to 350.  Spread the nuts on the backing sheet and toast until they are fragrant (about 6 minutes).
2. Stir together the spices and salt in a bowl.
3. In a saucepan, combine the water, brown sugar, vanilla and oil.  Bring this to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly.
4. Stir in the nuts and continue to stir until all the nuts are shiny and the liquid is gone.
5. Move the glazed nuts to a mixing bowl and sprinkle on the spice mix.  Toss the nuts to ensure they are coated in the spice mixture.
6. Spread the coated nuts on a cookie sheet and return to the oven for another 4 minutes.  Be sure to check regularly to make sure they do not burn.
7. Remove and let cool.

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today I caved into a sweet craving and ended up making some chocolate chip cookies.  Chocolate chip cookies have always been a comfort food for me.  My mom has mastered making chocolate cookies but she made them so much when we were growing up she doesn't like making them any more.  Growing up they were a staple at my house and I remember coming home from school and heating a couple up in the microwave so I could have warm chocolate chip cookies to go with a nice cold glass of milk.
When I was away at university there was a restaurant called the Cheesecake Cafe and they made these really yummy cheesecake chocolate chip cookies.  Since I had some cream cheese in my fridge I thought I would try to make some cheesecake chocolate chip cookies.  I found a cream cheese chocolate chip cookie recipe and I thought it would be a good place to start.
The recipe was very easy and I was able to make them with very little effort.  This recipe does really well in a stand mixer.  The cookies turned out soft and moist.  I am hoping that I can use all my will power to make them last for at least a little while.

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 white sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup chocolate chips (there is no harm in adding extra)

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Cream together the cream cheese, butter and the sugars.
3. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
4. Mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Add the chocolate chips.
6. Drop them onto a cookie sheet.  The drops should be about the size of a large gum ball. 
7. Bake between 10 -14 minutes or until they are lightly browned around the edges.

Zucchini Chips

So I heard a zucchini joke from my cousin the other day and I thought I would share it:
What do you know about someone you see buying a zucchini in a store? They don't have any family or  friends.
Funny thing is a couple of weeks ago I was talking to a friend and she said she had just bought a bunch of zucchini at the store.  I laughed at her and asked why on earth she would do that when I have told her all she needs to do is ask.
Anyways more to the point of this post.  These chips are an easy way to use up zucchinis quickly.  I find the best ones to use are the small ones.  They are a great healthy snack that you can eat on the go or enjoy with dips.

Zucchini Chips

small zucchinis
seasoning of you choice

1. Use a mandolin to slice the zucchini thinly.  As you slice sprinkle with the seasoning.
2. Arrange on the trays of a dehydrator.
3. Dehydrate over night and enjoy!

Carrot Bran Muffins

Like everyone, I seem to go in vegetable phases and recently we have been eating a lot of carrots whether it is raw, cooked or in baking.  Today I decided I would try to use up some bran I have had in the pantry for a while and since my horse is on a diet I thought making carrot bran muffins for me to eat would be a perfect way for me to save him the calories.  Lucky for me, Libero does not have a computer and I am pretty sure he can read.  He would not be happy to see that I made muffins instead of spoiling him.

I love having a muffin stash in the freezer because they are so handy for a quick snack or breakfast on the run.  Since I have a new born quick food that is easy to grab is a necessity.  The recipe was quick to prepare (a must at the moment) and tastes great.

Carrot Bran Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup bran

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

3/4 cup butter milk

1/2 cup canola oil

2 tbsp molasses

1 cup raisins

1 1/2 cups grated carrots

1. Mix together the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl combine the buttermilk, oil, molasses and eggs.
2. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until everything is just moist.
3. Fold in the raisins and grated carrots.
4. Divide the batter into muffin tins. (Makes about a dozen).
5. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Roasted Garlic and Onion Hummus

I have always enjoyed hummus and found it to be a great way to have some extra protein.  The other day I was eating some hummus with my sister and she had mention how she once bought a caramelized onion hummus that was amazing but hasn't been able to find it since.  I thought that it must be easy enough to make a similar hummus to what she was talking about so I decided to search online for a recipe.  It didn't take me long to find a recipe to try.
It was very simple to follow this recipe and the end result tasted great!  So great that my husband decided to lick the bowl clean so that none of it was wasted.
A thought we had while eating the hummus was they only problem with this one is the time it takes to roast the garlic and onions for the recipe.  Then I thought that it would be easy enough to make enough for a couple of batches for the hummus at once and then freeze.  All you would have to do would be defrost the onion and garlic and through the rest of the ingredients into the blender.  Next time I make it I plan on trying this.  I will let you know how it works out.

Roasted Garlic and Onion Hummus

4 heads of garlic

1 large onion

1-2 tbsp vegetable oil 

1 can chick peas, rinsed

1/3 cup tahini

3 tbsp lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Cut off the tops of the heads of garlic and remove any of the papery skins from the sides.  Place them each individually on a sheet of tinfoil and drizzle with the vegetable oil before wrapping them up.
3. Peel and cut the onion into 1/2 inch slices and place them onto a piece of tinfoil.  Drizzle with the oil and wrap it up.
4. Place the garlic and onion foil packets onto a cookie sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until they begin to brown.
5. Once the garlic has cooled squeeze out the cloves into a dish.
6. In a food processor, combine the garlic, onion, chickpeas, tahini and lemon juice.  Process until it reaches the desired consistency.

Cranberry Orange Muffins

Today I had the urge to make some muffins and I wanted to use some cranberries up that I have had in the freezer since Thanksgiving.  Unfortunately didn't have any yogurt in the fridge and I didn't feel like funning out to grab some so I couldn't use my regular recipe.  I did a search and found a recipe online that I had everything for and they turned out great!  This batter is a very thick one, there is just enough moisture to wet everything so don't be startled if it looks a little thick and is hard to mix.
The muffins turned out great and reminded me why it is always good to experiment with new recipes even though you have tried and true favourites.

Cranberry Orange Muffins

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp orange zest

3/4 cup orange juice

1/2 cup canola oil

1 egg

2 cups chopped cranberries

1. Combine all of the dry ingredients into a bowl and make a well in the centre.
2. Whisk together the zest, juice, oil and egg in a second bowl.
3. Pour the juice mixture into the well of the dry ingredients and mix until just moist.
4. Fold in the cranberries.
5. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Chocolate Rice Krispie Squares

I am trying to do a bit of a spring cleaning of my kitchen cupboards by using up stuff that have been inside for awhile.  Yesterday's task was to use up some cereal, marshmallows and chocolate chips.  Naturally a rice krispie square came to mind.
Normally I just make a plain one but I thought might as well melt the chocolate chips in with the marshmallows.  It turned out very well and I am sure it will not last very long.  For this recipe you can modify how many chocolate chips you are, the more you add the more chocolatey it will be.

Chocolate Rice Krispie Squares

1/4 cup butter

1 1/4 cups marshmallows

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

6 cups rice krispies

1. Grease a 9x13 inch dish.
2. In a heavy bottom pot, melt the butter, marshmallows and chocolate chips over a medium-low heat (you don't want it too hot because of the chocolate).
3. Once these ingredients have melted together add the rice krispies and stir until it is well combined.
4. Scrape out into the prepared dish, evening it out with the back of a spoon.
5. Allow it to cool before enjoying it.

Banana Muffins

I know I already have a few banana muffin recipes up here but I like to have a couple of different ones to choose from because it gets boring using the same recipes over and over again.  I went looking for a new recipe the other day because I wanted to use up some bananas from the freezer but I didn't want to have to go out to buy any ingredients.  I had all of the stuff I needed for this one in the house so it was the winner.  It turned out really well and I plan on using it again.

Banana Muffins

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup flax seeds or ground flax

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup honey

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup pureed apples or applesauce

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup mashed bananas

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the egg and whisk in the milk, apple, vanilla and honey.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined.
4. Fold in the bananas.
5. Divide into muffin tins.
6. Bake at 400 for 15-18 minutes or when a toothpick comes out clean.

Nuts and Bolts

For me, it just isn't Christmas without Nuts and Bolts.  They have always been a staple and I can't remember a Christmas without them and I hope I never will!

Tomorrow, my husband and I are having our annual Wine and Cheese Potluck so I thought I had better make a batch to prepare for the party.  I love how simple they are and how good they taste.
For storing I always have them in a ziplock freezer bag and store them either in the fridge or the freezer.

Nuts and Bolts

1 box Shreddies

1 box Cherios

1 bag Pretzel sticks

2 boxes Cheese Nibs

1 large bottle of Worcestershire sauce 

1 lb butter

garlic powder, onion powder and tabasco sauce to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 200.
2. Mix the first four ingredients in a large roasting pan.  If it isn't big enough, use two.
3. Melt the other ingredients in a pot.
4. Pour the melted mixture over the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
5. Place in the oven and cook for 1and 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes.
6. Lay out on newspaper covered table to absorb some of the excess liquid.
7. Store in freezer bags in the fridge or freezer.

Raincoast Crisps

I have enjoyed eating crisps for a since they have been on the market, they are amazing to enjoy with different cheeses and spreads.  My only problem is that at close to $8.00 a box they are not very economical and it is very easy to eat through the box quickly.  This year I have made some wonderful savoury jams and I decided to feature them with some brie as an appetizer last night when we had friends over.  I also thought it would be a great time to experiment and try making my own crisps.  If they turned out it would be great, otherwise I had other crackers on hand to take the place.
I searched online for recipes and I came across a few that were very similar and looked promising so I thought I would try two of them first.  I was amazed at how easy they were to make and how well they turned out.
I made one of the recipes with regular whole wheat flour and the other one with a combination of whole wheat flour, rice flour, spelt flour and chick pea flour.  I wanted to see if my guest preferred one over the other as far as the texture went and they enjoyed both of them and did not seem to have a preference.  This excited me because next time I make it I will try making a gluten free version because it will allow my sister a chance to enjoy these wonderful crisps!
An added bonus to these recipes is that before baking them a second time to turn them into the crisps they are frozen and this means you can make a double batch or use mini loaf pans to save some for another day.  Once you take them out of the freezer it takes about 25 minutes for them to be ready to use.

Fruit and Nut Raincoast Crisps (recipe with a blend of flours)

2 cups of a mix of flours (I used whole wheat, spelt, chick pea and rice)

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups butter milk

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp honey, maple syrup or molases

1 cup mix of seeds and or nuts (I used flax seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds and pine nuts)

1 cup dried fruit or mixture of dried fruit (I used raisins)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease 2 regular loaf pans or 6 mini loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl mix together the flours, baking soda and salt.  Since I used a blend of flours I wanted to make sure I really blended them together well.
3. Add the buttermilk, sugar and honey and mix.
4. Add in the seeds, dried fruit and nuts and gently combine.
5. Divide evenly into the different pans and bake for about 35 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.
6. Take the loaves out of the pans and wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least an hour.  This makes it easier to slice the loaves thinly.
7. Once the loaves are partially frozen slice them thinly and then arrange them on a cookie sheet.
8. Bake them again at 300 F for 12 minutes, then flip the crisps over and bake for another 8 minutes.
9. Allow them to cool before serving and store the extra in an air tight container.

The original recipe can be seen here. 

Cranberry Hazelnut Raincoast Crisps

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups buttermilk

1/4 brown sugar

1/4 honey (or maple syrup or molases)

1 cup cranberries

1/2 cup hazelnuts

1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup flax seeds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease 2 regular loaf pans or 6 mini loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking soda and salt.  
3. Add the buttermilk, brown sugar and honey and mix.
4. With a few swift stokes add the cranberries, hazelnuts and seeds.  Combine until just blended.
5. Divide evenly into the different pans and bake for about 35 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.
6. Take the loaves out of the pans and wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least an hour.  This makes it easier to slice the loaves thinly.
7. Once the loaves are partially frozen slice them thinly and then arrange them on a cookie sheet.
8. Bake them again at 300 F for 12 minutes, then flip the crisps over and bake for another 8 minutes.
9. Allow them to cool before serving and store the extra in an air tight container.

The original recipe can be viewed here.

Apricot Fruit Leathers

I just got a new food dehydrator last week and I love fruit leathers so I thought making some would be a great way to use up some of the case of apricots.  It is amazing how simple these are to make.  It is nice to have home made ones because they are not filled with all the preservatives the store bought ones are.

Apricot Fruit Leathers

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups pitted and diced fresh apricots

1 tbsp lemon juice

Making it in an oven

1. Preheat the oven to the lowest setting you have. (Usually about 150)
2. Combine the lemon juice, sugar and diced apricots in a sauce pan. Heat until the sugar has melted.  Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.
3. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and pour the pureed fruit evenly on the surface.  
4. Bake for 4-6 hours in the preheated oven or until it is no longer sticky.  Use a something to keep the oven door slightly ajar.
5. Cut into strips and store in an air tight container.

Making it in a dehydrator

1. Combine the lemon juice, sugar and diced apricots in a sauce pan. Heat until the sugar has melted.  Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Pour evenly on the dehydrator sheets and place in the dehydrator for about 10 - 12 hours.
3. Cut into strips and store in an air tight container.

White Chocolate Craisin Oat Bars

Today I was hungry and I was offered a store bought granola bar and it was a variety I used to enjoy.  As I ate it I realized that I preferred the ones I made, the Banana Chocolate Chip Granola Bars.  I decided that when I got home I should make some more of my own granola bars so I can have some on hand in the future.  When I got home I realized I did not have any bananas ready for the recipe but I remembered the site I got the recipe from had another recipe so I decided to try it.  I also thought I might as well make a double batch because of how quickly the last one went.
This recipe was very easy to follow and quick to make.  I think granola bars are going to be another item that I much prefer home made to store bought.

White Chocolate Craisin Oat Bars

1/2 cup wheat germ

3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup plain yogurt

2 eggs

1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups oats

2 tbsp flax seeds

2 tbsp sesame seeds

1/3 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup craisins

1. Beat together the wet ingredients and the sugar in a bowl.
2. Gradually alternate adding the flour and wheat germ.
3. Stir in the flax seed, oats, and then the white chocolate and craisins.
4. Pour the batter into a 9x13 inch pan (or two 9x13 inch pans for thinner bars).  Make sure the batter is spread evenly throughout the pan by patting it down with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
5. Cook the bars for 8-12 minutes at 375 F.  Take them out when the tops have browned slightly and if you press on it it should still spring back.  You don't want it to be too dry in the middle.
6. Let the bars cool in the pan for a bit before cutting them out and wrapping them individually.

These bars freeze great so if you make a double batch you can freeze some for later. 

Banana Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Over the years I have been becoming more and more conscious about what I put into my body.  Instead of just putting items into my cart at the grocery store I am now looking into the nutritional value of the items I buy.  In my opinion, the problem with most store bought granola bars that are reasonably priced is all the extras that are in them, they are not very filling and nutritionally speaking they don't give you a lot of bang for you buck.
This conclusion caused me to start looking for recipes for home made granola bars and this is one of the first recipes I came across and I just happened to have all the ingredients on hand, including a banana that was desperately hoping not to end up in the freezer.  I found it a very easy recipe to prepare and it did not take long to put together.  It is easy enough to make when you have half an hour to spare and want to do something productive but not too complicated.

Banana Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

1/2 cup wheat germ

3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup mashed banana

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups oats

3 cups rice crispy cereal

3 tbsp flax seeds

3 tbsp sunflower seeds

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

1/2 cup walnut pieces (optional)

1. Beat together the eggs, yogurt, mashed banana, vanilla and sugar in a bowl.

2. Add the flour, baking soda and wheat germ in small bits at a time, while mixing.

3. Stir in the flax seed, sunflower seeds, oats, rice crispy cereal, chocolate chips and walnuts.

4. Pour the batter into a foil lined 10x10 pan.  (If you would like thinner bars use a larger pan)

5. Bake at 375 F for 8-12 minutes or long enough for the top to turn golden brown but still be moist.

6. Let the bars cool in the pan for about ten minutes before cutting them into your desired size.

The original recipe can be seen here.

Energy Bars (FruNuS Bars)

For a while now I have been looking for a recipe to try for making your own energy bars.  My husband is a competitive rower and he will often eat an energy bar after practice or between races.  We also spend a lot of time working out at my dad's farm and it is nice to have something healthy to munch on to give you a little extra pep instead of snacking on something that is convenient such as a bag of chips. Anyway I can across this great blog called Road to the Farm and I found this recipe for energy bars.  I must admit I did a slight modifications to the recipe posted because of what I had in my kitchen.  I am really happy with the final product and I am sure I will be making them again soon.

FruNuS Bars 

(FRUit NUt Seed)

15 dried dates

1 cup dried berries (I used a dried cherry and berry mix)

1/2 cup water

1 cup almonds

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/3 flax seed

pinch of salt

1/3 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup coconut

1. In a food processor pulse the salt, almonds, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds until they are coarsely chopped.  Place these in a bowl to use for later.
2. Combine the water, dried dates and berries and process on pulse until a thick paste is formed.  If your processor is struggling add a little extra water.  
3. Slowly start adding the first mixture to the second while processing.
4. Once the ingredients are combined put them into a bowl and mix in the sesame seeds and the coconut.
5. Place the mixture between two sheets of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to roll it out to your desired thickness.  I did it to about 3/4 of and inch.  Then slice them into bars.  Wrap these bars in parchment paper or plastic wrap and store in an airtight container.