Easiest ever Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe

These are pretty much a staple at my house in autumn.  You probably already have the recipe, but if you don't...you need it!  My friend, Stacey, one of those perpetually thin, beautiful people, recommended this recipe.  When you have a friend who is perfectly toned all the time, like Stacey, and she tells you she has a delicious recipe that is also VERY low in calories and tastes like it would be loaded with calories...you tend to listen.  Ever since she shared this recipe with me...like 8 years ago or something...these muffins are a frequent visitor of the Allen household.  P.S.  Stacey was right...even with the chocolate chips...these only have 94 calories a piece!!!  Without the chocolate chips, the way Stacey makes them, they are only 54 calories a muffin!  If only I didn't crave that chocolate...

 Easiest Ever Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe


1 box spice cake mix
1 16 oz. can pumpkin
3/4 C- 1 C chocolate chips
1/2 C water

Mix all ingredients together with mixer on low speed for about a minute and then on medium speed for another minute.  Spoon into greased muffin tins about 3/4 full.  Bake at 350 degrees or 20 minutes.

100% Whole Wheat Thins

I've been trying to make crackers forever!  I've tried so many different recipes and none of them worked...until this one.  These were amazing and tasted just like wheat thins!  I'm not kidding.  Even my kids commented that they tasted like wheat thins, without me prompting them.  I'm speaking in past tense because they are gone now...devoured almost immediately.  My kids loved them and I'll definitely be making them again.

100% Whole Wheat Thins

1 1/4 C whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 T sugar
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 C cold butter sliced into tablespoons (four of them)
1/4 C water
1/4 tsp. vanilla
salt


In a food processor, add whole wheat flour, salt, sugar and paprika.  Slice butter and space evenly around the food processor.  Turn it on high power until it is throughly combined (it will be very crumbly).  Add water and vanilla to the middle of the mixture and stir.  I knead the mixture with my hands to make sure it is all mixed up (it should be one large ball).  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly spray wax paper with cooking spray.  Place dough in the middle of the wax paper and roll out very thin.  Transfer dough to cookie sheet by turning wax paper over the cookie sheet.  Carefully peel off the wax paper.  Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut into cracker-sized squares.  Bake for 5-10 minutes (if you don't get them thin enough, you may have to bake them a little longer).  They should be very light brown on the edges.  Remove and let cool before you eat them.  Yum!!!

P.S.  Sorry for the MIA status on my blog for the last while.  Life gets busy sometimes.

Baked Mozzarella Sticks

I made these tonight and was a huge hit with the neighborhood kids and with my own little charges.  I had a hard time figuring out the baking time, but I finally figured out two ways that yield positive results.  I think I may like the broiling way a little better...but you have to watch CAREFULLY to make sure they don't melt!!!

Baked Mozzarella Sticks

10 sticks of string cheese
3 T softened butter
2 eggs
1/4 C whole wheat flour
6 T whole wheat bread crumbs (slices of whole wheat bread baked at 200 for a few hours until thoroughly dried, then blended in a blender)
3 T grated Parmesan cheese

Cut cheese sticks in half and freeze in a freezer bag for a few hours.  Line a cookie sheet with foil.  Mix together the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.  Remove frozen cheese sticks from freezer.  Spread softened butter on each cheese stick and then roll in whole wheat flour.  Roll cheese stick in whole wheat flour.  Next roll it in the egg and finally roll it in the bread crumb/Parmesan cheese mixture.  Spray foil-lined cookie sheet with cooking spray.  Lay coated cheese sticks on cookie sheet.

Now...for baking:

You can do this one of two ways.  I think I prefer the broiling method.

Broiling:  Broil cheese sticks for about 3 minutes or until lightly golden brown...but be careful so they don't melt!!!

Baking:  Bake at 450 for 5-6 minutes...once again...be careful they don't melt!!!

You will need to do a test one to see how long your oven takes to bake them.  Ovens sometimes heat and different rates and you need to be careful with these.  ALSO...make sure you wait until they cool a little to eat them, but don't wait too long so the cheese hardens back to a cheese stick.

Baked Coconut Chicken Fingers

It isn't often that I make a meal where each person in my family RAVES about it during and after eating it.  It isn't often that I come upstairs to find my kids eating, before the prayer.  It is NEVER when I say, "We haven't said the prayer yet," and my kids respond by saying, "We already said the prayer!"  It isn't often that my husband says, "That was AWESOME!"  more than once in the same meal.  Yep, this meal was a hit.  I think I'll make it again.



Baked Coconut Chicken Fingers

1 C sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 C whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/3 C melted butter
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 T milk
1 1/2  pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut in half and then into 1" strips)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix all ingredients together except chicken.  It will form a kind of paste texture.  Coat each piece of chicken individually with mixture.  I had to do this with my hands one at a time...it didn't take very long.  Bake on middle rack for about 25-30 minutes.  Turn chicken over and bake for another 5-10 minutes.  Turn over again and return to top rack.  Bake for a few more minutes until top is golden brown.  My family LOVED these!!!

Serve with honey, barbecue sauce or apricot preserves.  We prefer honey!

How To Use Whole Wheat in Kid Friendly Recipes

Hi,  This is Heather, I write the blog Cooking With My Food Storage.  Sueann asked me if I would share one of my favorite whole wheat recipe with you today.  I’m a busy stay at home mom and one of the things that is important to me is to provide my kids with lots of experiences with healthy foods.  My kids are pretty normal, they would be happy to eat Cheetos and fruit snacks all the time, but that is not the diet I want for them.

One of the ways that I have helped my kids eat healthier foods is by choosing kid friendly foods that I make with whole wheat. When I started using whole wheat it was pretty easy to get them excited to each homemade whole wheat pretzels.

As I have introduced my kids to more whole wheat recipes I have found that it is really helpful to start with kid friendly recipes.
  

This Kid Friendly Whole Wheat Pretzels is everything my kids want in a recipe: 

• Dough they can play with.  I always give them a little dough to shape, they love it.  My 1st grader is getting old enough that he can help me shape the pretzels.
• Sprinkles, when making this for the kids I always let them choose the toppings.  They always choose sprinkles.  If you are a kid everything tastes better with sprinkles.
• Finger Food, there is something about being able to pick food up in their little hands that really speaks to my children.  
• Dip, when we eat soft pretzels we always dip them in something.  Try peanut butter, cream cheese, apple sauce, or caramel sauce.
• Start with recipes that are half whole wheat and half white four.  My little kids tummies are pretty sensitive to any change and for us it has been best to make the change gradually.

How to Shape Homemade Pretzels

Step 1:  Roll section of dough into a long “snake”  Place in an upside down “U”Step 2:  Cross the the ends over each other. 
 

Step 3:   Cross the ends over each other a second time.

Step 4:  Bring both of the ends straight up and afix to the loop.  Press Firmly into place.

Step 5:   Adjust so that each of the holes are nicely shaped.

Whole Wheat Pretzels With Sprinkles
 
from: Cooking With My Food Storage
Adapted from:  White Wheat Pretzels from King Arthur Flour


PRINTABLE RECIPE

The Pretzels
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups room-temperature water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast OR 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) instant yeast
2 1/2 to 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 tablespoon salt
3 cups White Whole Wheat Flour or Traditional Whole Wheat Flour

The Water Bath
6 cups water
2 tablespoons baking soda (optional, I usually make it without)

The Glaze
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water and a pinch of salt
Sprinkles (I like the crystal sugar kind), or Kosher sale  or seeds to sprinkle on top of the pretzels
               
Dissolve the sugar in the water and add the yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Add 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and let sit for about 10 minutes to get your yeast going. Add the salt, and the white whole wheat flour. Stir well, then add the balance of the all-purpose flour, a cup at a time.

Knead dough, either in your mixer or by hand, adding more flour as necessary, until the dough has formed a smooth dough. It should be a little tacky and slack, but not sticky. Put the dough in a bowl and drizzle a little oil on it to prevent the formation of a skin due to air exposure. Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Grease two baking sheets or line them with parchment paper. Start heating the water up to boil.

Punch the dough down and knead it briefly to expel any air bubbles. Let the dough rest minutes.  Roll the dough into a thick log.  Divide the dough in half and keep dividing the halves into halves until you have 16 more-or-less equal-sized pieces.

Roll each piece into a rope about 1/2-inch in diameter. The best way to do this is to roll each piece halfway out, and then let it sit to relax. Go back to the first piece and finish rolling it out. The important thing here is to avoid tearing the dough.

Take each rope and make a loop with fairly short ends. Fold the loop over the ends to form the traditional pretzel shape.

By the time that all of the pretzels are formed, the water should be boiling. Turn it down to a simmer and add the baking soda (if you are using). Carefully pick up the pretzels and add them to the water. Cook about four at a time, making sure that there is plenty of room. The pretzels will expand quickly and dramatically. Cook for about 1 minute. Use a spatula or a slotted spoon to transfer the pretzels to the prepared baking sheets.

When all of the pretzels are done, brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with sprinkles or kosher salt. Bake the pretzels for 12 to 15 minutes until well browned. Yield: 16 pretzels.        

Simple Salsa

I keep getting tomatoes and Anaheim peppers in my Bountiful Basket.  Because of this...I decided, obviously, to try to make salsa.  PROBLEM...I have no salsa recipes.  Enter Pinterest...I found one similar to this, minus the Anaheim peppers and a few other ingredients and just LOVED it!  I've made it probably 4-5 times since that first trial.  The only time I didn't LOVE it was when I accidentally added too much onion, and even then...it was pretty good!  Oh...and on that same trial...I overadded cilantro...don't do this either!  So, if you are an amateur salsa maker...try this one...its pretty easy and yummy!

Simple Salsa

3 - 4 blanched tomatoes (put them in boiling water for about 15-30 seconds and then move to ice cold water...then peel and lightly chop)

2 T chopped onion (can add a little more if desired)

1 clove garlic

2 Anaheim peppers, seeded (if you want it spicier, add a jalapeno pepper or replace one Anaheim with a jalapeno pepper...seed it if you don't want it REALLY spicy!)

1 tsp. honey

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cumin

2 T lime juice

cilantro (optional..I wouldn't add more than 1/4 bunch...I like it more without the cilantro)

Put in food processor and pulse until it is the consistency you like. Serve.

cucumber sandwiches

So, I have to be honest here. I am NOT a cucumber lover. I know many people think they have a fresh, summer flavor, but I'm not in that camp. I just don't love them. So, what do I do if I get them, two HUGE ones, in my Bountiful Basket? Well, I could slice them and put them on a salad, which is what I'm going to do later tonight. I'm also going to make gyros with some of it tomorrow (recipe on this blog). But...today I made something that was so light and so healthy that I LOVED having it for lunch! I made cucumber sandwiches. They are SO easy and so yummy!

I used my favorite baguette recipe found here: divine vegetarian sandwiches, and by the way, I'm making those divine sandwiches tonight. I need to tell you, I double this baguette recipe every time I make it now because my family loves it so much. I use these baguettes for the artichoke basil pesto sandwiches for us and cheese sandwiches for my kids and now for cucumber sandwiches for my lunch.

Cucumber Sandwiches

8 oz. softened cream cheese (I used light cream cheese)

1 pkt. dry Italian dressing (I use the whole packet, but if you don't want it that strong, reduce the amount a little)

cucumber slices

whole wheat baguettes

Prepare baguettes according to instructions. While baguettes are baking, mix Italian dressing and cream cheese. Spread cream cheese mixture on warm baguettes with a slice of cucumber. Easy, Simple, Delicious.

Mini Soft Pretzel Bits

So, I've mentioned my daughter with the hollow leg, right? Well, when she comes home from school, she is ravenous! I send a sandwich, cheese stick (sometimes 2), carrots, ranch dressing, fruit roll-up and sometimes a treat of some kind. I feel like that is a darn good lunch. However, when she walks through the door bemoaning her condition of starvation, I feel unprepared. I have to have food ready for that girl the moment she walks in or I hear, "I'm starving" about 10 times or more...you have to play that in your head with a whiny voice. The day I made these and had them ready when she walked in was one happy day for me. I got this recipe from a cooking website I frequently use. It was made with white flour and I've adjusted it with for whole wheat. We dipped them in honey butter and my hollow-legged child silently devoured them until they were gone. They were DELICIOUS! I hope you like them as much as we did!!!

Mini Soft Pretzel Bits

1 T active dry yeast

1 C lukewarm water

1 tsp. sugar

2 1/2 C freshly, finely ground whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dough enhancer

1 tsp. gluten

Dipping Liquid

1/2 C warm water

2 T baking soda

1/4 C melted butter

salt/cinnamon sugar (optional for flavoring)

Mix sugar, yeast and lukewarm water and let sit until fizzy (about 5 minutes). Add whole wheat flour, gluten, dough enhancer and salt and knead for 5-6 minutes. Sprinkle dough lightly with whole wheat flour and put in a sealed bag (I used bread bags with a twist tie). Let rise for about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Remove dough from bag and let it spread out on the counter for a few minutes. Cut into ropes about 1 1/2 in. thick and about 8 in. long. Cut into 1 1/2 in. cubes. Lay on parchment lined baking sheet.

Mix together baking soda and water. Mix with a spoon each time before adding a pretzel bit. Sprinkle with salt, brown sugar, or cinnamon/sugar (whichever you prefer). Drop each pretzel into the mixture and place on parchment sheet again. Bake for 6-7 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve with cheese dip, honey butter, or any other creamy sauce.

P.S. If you are looking for my St. Patty's Day entries, I'll but putting them back up in a couple of days. I'll have them all up or the week of St. Patrick's Day, don't worry!

Pizza Breadsticks...another twist on Friday Night Pizza

I've filled you in on our little Friday-night pizza tradition, right? This is something we've done for the better part of maybe 5-6 years now. Is it EVERY Friday? Nope, but when we don't have pizza on Friday, I hear about it. When you have to eat pizza almost every Friday, you become quite the expert on "mixing it up". Today's post is one I got from my friend Elizabeth, when I lived in Denver. It is genius! It is delicious! It is EASY!!! It is not your average pizza! If you're looking for a way to "shake up" your pizza tradition...this is definitely the way to do it!!!

Elizabeth's Soft Whole Wheat Breadsticks

1 T yeast

1 1⁄2 C warm water

1 1⁄2 T powdered milk

2 T honey

33⁄4 C sifted whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp dough enhancer

2 tsp gluten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix yeast and warm water and let sit until fizzy; this will take a few minutes. Mix together powdered milk, and honey. Add yeast mixture. Add 2 C whole wheat flour, dough enhancer and gluten and sprinkle salt on top of the flour. (This will keep the salt and the yeast separate) Mix well. Add whole wheat flour 1⁄2 cup at a time until dough is just not sticky. Knead for about 8 minutes. Divide dough into 8-10 different segments. Roll out and smother in room temperature butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Add 1/2 of a mozzarella cheese stick and three pepperonis (if desired). Roll up and seal into breadsticks. Let rise for 20-30 minutes, or until breadsticks have doubled in size. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until light golden brown. Makes 8-10 large breadsticks

Dip breadsticks in pizza sauce. I usually just buy the Prego brand from the store...it is so good!

Stacey's Energy Bars

I have this wonderful friend, Stacey Allen, who opened my eyes to nutrition while we were all in graduate school. She is a dietitian and her kids snacked on things like frozen peas, carrot sticks, etc. Needless to say, she is perfectly thin and healthy. Now, on to the recipe we loved...my friends and I always saw her snacking on these "energy bars". So, we tried one and they are SO good! We all got the recipe and all made them for us and for our husbands to eat. Now, fast forward to last week (four years later), my husband said, "Hey, remember those granola bars you used to make in Denver? I really loved those. Could you make them again?" I had all but forgotten those bars, but my husband remembered. Now, they do have marshmallows in them, but other than the marshmallows, they are relatively healthy, delicious, full of protein and actually help stave off my husband's hunger (which is quite the accomplishment). So...I've been making them and they've been disappearing as fast as I can make them.

Stacey's Energy Bars

Melt the following over low heat:

1/4 C butter

1/2 C peanut butter

1-10 oz. pkg. marshmallows

Add:

2 1/2 C Rice Krispies

2 C quick oats

Stir in:

1/2 C peanuts

1 C dry fruit

Let cool and eat.

Can it really be healthy AND delicious???

YES! I found this salad on a blog and it is absolutely delicious. My mom got something called Bountiful Baskets and it included TWO CRATES of mangoes!!! What do you do with two crates of mangoes??? That is too many mangoes for any family to consume...unless you make this salad for every gathering coming up, which is what I did. I changed quite a few things in this salad from the first time I made it and now it is absolutely divine. We ate it three times this week! I took it to my sister's son's baptism, our family ate it one night when we had guests in town and I took it to a get-together last night...it got rave reviews every single night! My sister actually made it last night for her family, too. So, here is the recipe...enjoy!

Mango Salad

1 C uncooked quinoa

1 can vegetable broth

15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 large red bell pepper, diced

2-3 mangoes, peeled and diced (I like a lot of mango!)

4 green onions, sliced

4 T red wine vinegar

2 T olive oil

2 T lime juice

1/2 tsp. salt

Stir together quinoa and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered, for 10-15 minutes. Remove heat and cover. Let steam in pot for about 5 minutes or until quinoa is fluffy and liquid is gone...DON'T LET IT BURN!!! Cool. Stir together diced bell pepper, black beans, diced mangoes, sliced green onions and cooled quinoa. Stir in vinegar, olive oil, lime juice and salt. Chill for about 30 minutes to an hour.

P.S. In this picture, I actually left out the black beans, but I prefer it with the beans.

Snacks...

So, Smiths had a bunch of snack crackers on sale and I bought tons of them! We've taken them on our picnics, to amusement parks, to church, you name it, these snack crackers have gone with us. The one problem with these snack crackers is that they are in no way healthy. They don't even claim to have ANY whole grains, let alone 100% whole grains. This, again, started to cause digestion issues with my children. YUCK! However, I am pleased to announce that yesterday I solved this problem....enter Cinnamon Graham Snack Crackers. Three of my four children LOVE these and I took them to a barbecue last night and even the adults thoroughly enjoyed these little morsels! My husband loved them, I loved them and so did my mom. I only had one daughter that wasn't a huge fan, so I think those are pretty good odds! So, here is the recipe...happy snacking!!!

Cinnamon Graham Snack Crackers

(can also be used to make graham crackers and then crushed for graham cracker crumbs)

2 C graham flour (coarsely ground whole wheat flour)

1 1/4 C finely ground whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 C unsalted butter chilled

1/2 C brown sugar

1/3 C honey

1/4 C molasses

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 C milk

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

cinnamon sugar for dusting

Mix together flours, baking powder and baking soda. Pulse in food processor until mixture is thoroughly mixed and crumbly. Stir in brown sugar, honey, molasses, vanilla, milk and cinnamon. Chill for 45 minutes to an hour. Pinch off sections of the dough about 2 in. in diameter and place on parchment paper. I do about four dough balls at a time. Return the other dough to the refrigerator. Place a piece of parchment paper over the top of the dough balls and roll out to about 1/8 in. thick. Use a pizza cutter to cut into desired shapes, either cracker-sized or graham cracker sized. Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-13 mintues. (12 minutes makes mine perfect) Do NOT over or under bake! They will harden as they sit and should get hard enough to feel like a "typical" graham cracker.

Divine Vegetarian Sandwiches that even Meat-Eaters will Love!!!

I have many people in my life who have given up carnivorous eating habits for a diet that excludes our animal friends. I am not one of those people, but in the summer I do try to eat a primarily vegetarian diet. I really like to eat from my own garden in the summer, but as of right now, we haven't even planted one...that is next weekend's task! My friend Jill, one of my vegetarian friends gave me this recipe and we LOVE it!!! I am growing basil and I was able to use my own, fresh basil for this recipe and it is truly mouth-watering. One little caveat...none of my kids were begging me to make this again. It is primarily an adult meal, at least in my family. They did, however LOVE the baguettes and we made little cheese sandwiches out of them that they really enjoyed.

These recipes are both in the cookbook. The baguettes are found on page 62.

Whole Wheat Baguettes

1 C lukewarm water

1 T sugar

11⁄2 tsp yeast

Mix above ingredients together and let sit for about 7 minutes. While the above mixture is sitting, mix the following:

21⁄4 C whole wheat flour

2 tsp gluten

2 tsp dough enhancer

1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add yeast mixture to flour mixture and knead for 8-10 minutes. Let rise for about 45-50 minutes on top of preheated oven. Punch down dough. Roll out to approximately 16X12 inch rectangle. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the rectangle in half and roll up each half tightly from one end to the other lengthwise (this is the long way, which will give you the fewest rolls in the bread). Make diagonal slashes in the top of the bread. Let rise for another 45 minutes to an hour on a greased cookie sheet or until dough has doubled in size (slashes will have expanded to give the typical “French bread” look. Mix 1 T water and 1 egg white and brush this mixture lightly on the surface of the loaves. Bake for 20- 25 minutes. Makes 2 loaves of French baguettes.

The Pesto is found on page 107 of the cookbook. You can choose to add the wheat or not. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

Smooth Pesto Sauce

1 C packed fresh basil leaves

1⁄4 C olive oil

2 tsp wheat berry puree

1 T red wine vinegar

11⁄2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 clove of garlic, quartered

Blend the above ingredients. Serve with Artichoke Pesto Crostinis and Pesto Chicken Pasta (coming later).

The actual recipe for the Artichoke-Pesto Crostini is on page 29:

Artichoke Pesto Crostini **V**

2-3 loaves of Whole Wheat French Baguettes

Smooth Pesto Sauce

mozzarella cheese tomatoes

marinated artichoke hearts (you can add only a few leaves of the heart or the whole heart...I like the whole thing!)

Cut French bread in slices about 1⁄2 in. thick. Spread pesto on French bread. Layer the mozzarella cheese on top of the bread followed by a tomato slice and an artichoke heart. Top with another piece of French bread, or leave open-faced. These are fabulous as an appetizer OR a meal!

P.S. Can you tell we're tapering now...more time for cooking!!!

For My Fellow Athletes Out There

This post is to honor all of my friends, family and blog-followers who are currently training for marathons, half-marathons, 30Ks, 10Ks, 5Ks, triathlons or any other race...or just those concentrating on increasing their protein. These bars are delicious and my family LOVED them! They have 13 grams of protein per bar (if you cut the pan into 14 rectangle pieces), 207 calories and only 16 carbohydrates. I used raw honey and freshly-ground flaxseed, which you CANNOT get in a store-bought protein bar. Want to know why flaxseed is good for you??? Click here: Is Flaxseed Really that Great for You? Now...why did I use RAW honey??? Want to know, click here: What is Raw Honey? So, without further ado...I give you PROTEIN BARS.

Protein Bars

3/4 C smooth peanut butter

1/4 C honey

Stir above together and heat for 20-30 seconds then mix and add the following:

1/4 C freshly ground flax meal

1/4 C whole wheat flour

1 C Chocolate protein powder

1/2 C oats

1/4 C cold water

Press into greased 9X9 pan and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Cut into bars and store in tupperware in the fridge.

So...13 grams of protein, only 16 carbs, completely natural and 207 calories if you cut them into 14 bars...not to shabby for a healthy, home-made protein bar. They also have 1.78 grams of fiber per bar...enough to benefit your body, but not so much that it will cause any unwanted restroom trips...if you catch my drift...

Note: You can add more protein by stirring in chopped nuts (any kind you desire) with the flax, flour, protein powder, water and oats.

P.S. I'm trying to make up for the dearth of blog entries for the last two months. I have one more to add, too, and it is DELICIOUS! We ate it for dinner tonight and it is a tribute to all the veg-heads I know. This one is 100% vegetarian and so divinely delicious that you couldn't miss the meat if you tried!

Note: I forgot to add the 1/4 C cold water last night...so please change this in your recipe. If you already made them, dump them back into the pan, add the water and flatten them back down in the pan...Presto...fixed.

"Fruit Salad, Yummy, Yummy. Fruit Salad, Yummy, Yummy."

Okay, some of you may not know that song, but around our house, whenever I made any kind of salad with fruit, we go about singing this silly song. It is from the Wiggles, ever seen it? It is the cutest kid's show ever with four grown men from England singing the catchiest (oddly unannoying songs). They teach kids about so many different topics through song...anyway...back to the subject at hand. My friend Jill Wren made this salad years ago and I've been in love with it ever since. I made it just the other day and took it to church for a social event...EVERYONE wanted the recipe. This recipe is in my cookbook, but I have a slightly sweeter variation for anyone who wants it a tad sweeter and I'll include that, too. The coolest thing about this salad is that when I bring it home from an event, if there is any left over, (which is a big "if"...I doubled the recipe and only had scanty amounts to bring home) my kids devour it!!! The other cool thing about this recipe is that you can go light on all of it and it is still DELICIOUS!!! The last cool thing about it...you can disguise wheat in it and get those you love eating whole grains. Truth be told, I have a friend of mine who declares openly that she "hates" whole wheat. She ate this salad and LOVED it, only to find out later that there was wheat in it. Anyway...I guess it is about time for the recipe.

Brown-Sugar Crusted Grape Salad **V**

21⁄2 lbs. grapes

6 oz. sour cream

6 oz. cream cheese

2 T wheat berry puree (to find out how to make this, click here: Ways to Use your Wheat

3⁄4 tsp vanilla

1/3 C sugar

1/3 C brown sugar

1⁄4 C chopped pecans (optional)

Blend sour cream, cream cheese, vanilla, wheat berry puree and sugar together. Coat grapes with mixture. Sprinkle brown sugar and pecans over grape mixture. Refrigerate until brown sugar is crusty. Serves 8-10.

Sweeter Variation: Mix the brown sugar in with the white sugar and then sprinkle extra brown sugar on top with the nuts, if using them.

Lighter Variation: I used nonfat Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream to reduce calories AND add tons of protein to the salad! I also used light cream cheese...you can't tell at all and it is DELICIOUS! I can't tell you how many people asked for this recipe!!!

Need a fabulous appetizer for a crazy football game???

I wish I had a picture of this fabulous dip, but I have not managed to photograph it quick enough and it is eaten so quickly...I would need to do it immediately!!! So...I have chosen to give you a picture of the baguettes that I eat WITH the dip (it is intended for chips, but the baguettes are AMAZING with it...and healthier)! This recipe is in my cookbook, but I'm going to share it anyway. In my cookbook, I add extra wheat to the dip by adding in some wheat berry puree (which is undetectable in flavor and bakes just fine, too!). However, it can be made without the puree (you don't need to change anything else...just omit the puree and it works the same...if you want to add the puree refer to the instructions in Ways to Use Your Wheat on my blog) and if you make the Whole Wheat Baguettes on page 62, you are still getting the benefit of the whole grains!!! Here is the recipe for the Buffalo Chicken Chip Dip (I prefer this spicy and I add the whole bottle of hot sauce).

Buffalo Chicken Chip Dip **L**

4 C cooked chicken (or canned is easy and worked too) 2-8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened 1C either ranch or blue cheese dressing 5 T (or to taste) Frank’s Hot Sauce
2 C Cheddar cheese
1⁄4 cup wheat berry puree
Combined all ingredients except for the cheese. Mix and put into a 13 x 9 pan. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips (or Whole Wheat Baguettes!!!), but don’t forget the celery! **L** Use light cream cheese and ranch dressing

Witch Finger Breadsticks

Thanks to my friend Elizabeth, I have this wonderful whole wheat breadstick recipe. This one is actually in my cookbook on page 73 (for the Insiders). Thanks to my sister, Amy, I have this cute idea of what to do with the breadsticks. These are so fun and cute that you should definitely add them to your whole grain Halloween Menu!!!

Elizabeth's Soft Whole Wheat Breadsticks

1 T yeast 1 1⁄2 C warm water 1 1⁄2 T powdered milk 2 T honey 3 3⁄4 C sifted whole wheat flour 1 tsp salt 2 tsp dough enhancer 2 tsp gluten
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix yeast and warm water and let sit until fizzy; this will take a few minutes. Mix together powdered milk, and honey. Add yeast mixture. Add 2 C whole wheat flour, dough enhancer and gluten and sprinkle salt on top of the flour. (This will keep the salt and the yeast separate) Mix well. Add whole wheat flour 1⁄2 cup at a time until dough is just not sticky. Knead for about 8 minutes. Roll out into breadsticks and let rise for 20-30 minutes, or until breadsticks have doubled in size. Brush with beaten egg whites. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and place slivered almonds at the tips as the fingernails. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until light golden brown. Makes 8-10 large breadsticks.

For extra delicious flavor...mix in 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp Italian seasoning and 1/2 C shredded Parmesan cheese before kneading. After the breadsticks have risen, sprinkle extra Parmesan cheese on the breadsticks, add the almonds and bake.

Serve breadsticks with Alfredo, garlic butter, or Savory Perfect Marinara Pizza Sauce (These are all found in Sauces, Frostings and Dips section)

To make them into witch's fingers add 1/4 tsp of food coloring into the dough with the flour, dough enhancer and gluten to make the fingers green. Place slivered almonds on the breadsticks after you have formed them into breadsticks and after they have risen for 20-30 minutes. Then bake...so freaky and cute!!!!!

Here's a Millet recipe you don't need a wheat grinder for!!!

Millet is GREAT just boiled and served in appetizing dishes. It is great in salads and side items. I have a few dishes that use millet. Sometime, I'll give you a recipe for a great quinoa/millet salad...for now, here is a good side item using millet. This is not in my cookbook, because there is no wheat in it. I do have to warn you, this is more of an adult-flavored dish...my kids will eat it...but they weren't jumping up and down for it. Adults, however, love this one.

Baked Cauliflower with Millet Casserole


Add 1 C uncooked millet to 3 C water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Set a timer for 20 minutes. While the millet is cooking prepare the following:

6 mushrooms, chopped (I like to chop them finely)
½ onion, chopped

Saute above in 2 T olive oil for about 3-5 minutes

Add:

1 head of cauliflower (remove all stems and chop into small cauliflower pieces)
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp. basil
½ tsp pepper
¾ - 1 tsp salt

Saute all above ingredients (except the millet, which is still cooking) until cauliflower is soft. Remove from heat and stir in 2 ¾ C cheddar cheese. Reserve ¼ C cheese for later.

When 20 minutes is up, remove lid from cooked millet, fluff with a fork and add 1 T butter and ½-1 tsp. salt. Stir until butter is melted. Stir cooked millet into cauliflower mixture. Top with reserved cheese. Cover with foil and bake for at least 30 minutes. If you find that your cauliflower is still slightly crunchy, put back in the oven, covered again, for another 15-20 minutes or until it is very soft.

FYI: We have had a busy few weeks and the family fun posts have been lacking...I'm going to try to do one later today...so stay tuned!!!