Cabbage Egg Rolls

This is an old Weight Watchers recipe that is so good that you don't have to be on Weight Watchers to enjoy them. I took them to a pot luck dinner last night because they are fine at room temperature. I only made about 30 of them, but they all disappeared, I should have made more!
-Amanda

Baked Cabbage Eggrolls

1 small head of cabbage, shredded
3-4 carrots, shredded
4 scallions, sliced thin
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tsp sesame seed oil
1 tsp (or more if you like it hot) Asian Chili Garlic Sauce
3 tsp grated fresh ginger
3 tbsp corn starch
25-30 wonton wrappers 
cooking spray

Put shredded cabbage in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave 8-10 minutes until cabbage is wilted. Drain any excess water and return to bowl. Add shredded carrots and scallions. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame seed oil, chili sauce and ginger. Add cornstarch and mix until the cornstarch has dissolved. Drizzle over cabbage mixture and stir until well mixed. Taste your cabbage at this point to make sure it has enough flavor. You may need to mix up a bit more of the sauce an add it, depending on how much cabbage you have and how strong you want your eggrolls to be.


Take one wonton wrapper, and place about 2 tbsp of cabbage mixture in the lower bottom corner. Roll the bottom corner up towards the middle of the wrapper. Fold the left side in and then the right side. Continue rolling, wetting the top corner with a bit of water to make wonton stick. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Continue with all of your wrappers. Keep about 2 inches space between each eggrolll so they will get crispy. Spray each eggroll with cooking spray and bake at 350degrees for about 25 minutes or until golden and crispy on the edges. For an easy dipping sauce I make another batch of the soy sauce mixture leaving out the cornstarch. Float a few sesame seeds & cut scallions on top for a nice finish. Makes about 25-30 rolls depending on the size of your cabbage. 

If I'm making these for myself at home, once they are completely cool, I store them in the refridgerator in a large ziplock back with a papertowel to catch moisture. I either eat them cold or toast them in my toaster oven for a minute or two.

Homemade Yogurt!

It worked! I made homemade yogurt! Now I wish I had saved a few of the old yogurt containers to reuse. I was pulling all sorts of containers out this morning to put the yogurt in. I'm so excited! And it cost SO much less than even the big containers you can buy at the store. I followed the recipe from "A Year of Slow Cooking." Please check out Stephanie's blog for step by step picture procedure. She even shows you how to make fruit flavored yogurt. Here is a summary:

Homemade Yogurt in Crockpot

1/2 gallon of whole milk
1/2 cup of real yogurt (either store bought, or from a previous batch)

Put the entire 1/2 gallon of milk in your crockpot. Set to low. Cook for 2.5 hours. Keep covered, but unplug to let milk cool, about 3 hours. In a small bowl mix two cups of warmish milk from your crockpot with 1/2 cup of real yogurt. Add back to crockpot and stir. Cover with entire crockpot with a bath towel to keep insulated, but keep the power off. Let sit for 8 hours. Open lid to a wonderful surprise! Yogurt!

Cheese Crackers

Ever since I started reducing the amount of processed foods we eat, Goldfish cheese crackers haven't found a spot in our pantry. The girls for the most part haven't missed them, but the other day they did ask for some fishy crackers for snack. I just ordered some mini-cutters and I think these crackers will be perfect for them.  These crackers were a huge hit!
-Amanda

Cheese Crackers

• 1 1/2 cup flour (I've done it as all whole wheat or half whole wheat/half white)
• 3/4 stick of cold butter cut into pieces
• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3-4 tbsp ice cold water
• 1 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put flour into a food processor. Place the butter cubes around and pulse a couple of times until the butter is mixed in. Reserve 1 tbsp of the beaten egg for brushing on top* and mix the rest into the flour. Add a few tbsp of ice cold water, cheese and salt. Mix until dough forms. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough into an 1/8 of an inch. Cut out using whatever shape you want, or cut into strips. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

*I did not take the time to brush the tops of mine, so they aren't as pretty and golden as they could be.

Homemade Peanut Butter

Sometimes when I make something homemade for the first time, I just have to laugh and wonder why it took me so long to try and make it from scratch! This peanut butter is delicious and tastes nothing like jarred peanut butter. I'm so thrilled I think I'm going to try almond butter next. I bought my peanuts in a bulk bin at the store already roasted (no salt) but they still had the skins on. My twins helped me peel all the skins off the nuts, which was fun since the three of us sat around the table concentrating on slipping the skin off each nut. (For photos, visit my personal blog.) Next time I'll try and buy nuts that don't have the skin, but even so, it was still simple.

I don't have a recipe, I just did it by "feel" and taste. I started with about 3 cups of peanuts in my food processor. I pulsed for about 30 seconds, then I drizzled in some honey (a tablespoon or so.) Then I added a few pinches of salt and about 3-4 tablespoons of peanut oil until I got a consistency and a taste that I liked. I read that homemade peanut butter will be good in an airtight container in the refridgerator for 2 months.

I made my girls grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches on homemade wheat bread for dinner, a childhood favorite of mine.

Granola

I've been on a very big "homemade" kick. I mean taking it even farther than I normally do. I hope to be able to maintain this super from scratch, for one thing it can be alot cheaper and healthier. I made this granola a few days ago and now I'm on my second batch. Granola is yummy. I plan on replacing some of my expensive cereal habits with some fresh granola. It's so good with milk and a lot less of it fills me up than boxed cereal. I plan on experimenting with different flavors but this is what I made this time with what was in my cabinet. The girls are loving this mixed into their yogurt too! By the way, these are just rough guesses on measurements!
-Amanda

Granola

2 1/2 cups of oats
3/4 cup walnuts
3/4 cup almonds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup craisins
1/4 cup crunchy dehydrated strawberries
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbs vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey

In a large bowl mix the oats, nuts and coconut together. In a small bowl mix the brown sugar, honey, oil, vanilla and cinnamon together. Then poor the brown sugar mixture into the oats and stir until everything is mostly moistened. I actually put in it my kitchen aid mixer and used the paddle attachment to mix it quickly. Dump it all in one layer on a cookie sheet. Cook for 45 minutes at 250º stirring it every 15 minutes. Add the dried fruit and store in a sealed bag or container.

Buttered Hot Chocolate

My Mema used to make me something called Chocolate Toast. She basically made this thick chocolate sauce laden with butter. She'd toast up some bread and cut it into strips. Then you'd dunk your toast strips into the sauce and eat it. It was called breakfast. It was divine. Now that I'm an adult eating something like that for breakfast seems sinful, but I really wanted to recapture that memory/taste. I made what I'm calling Mema's Decadent Hot Chocolate based off her chocolate sauce recipe. And perhaps since I'm visiting her this weekend, she'll take me on a trip down memory lane, and I can be a kid again, just for a day.
-Amanda
ps. recipe udpdated 12/10 to remove white sugar.



Mema's Decadent Hot Chocolate

2 tbsp cocoa powder
2-3 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp butter
1 cup milk (I use Raw)
2-3 tbsp heavy cream
a dash of vanilla
sprinkle of cinnamon (optional)

Mix all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring up to a simmer whisking well. Pour into a mug and serve with marshmallows or whip cream. Makes 1 serving.

Banana Yogurt Dip

My twins helped me make this dip that the had for snack. They helped me mush the banana and stir all the ingredients together. After eating it with toast sticks they practically licked the bowl! For the full story visit Ditt and Dott.
-Amanda

Banana Yogurt Dip

1 ripe banana
2 tbsp peanut butter
3 tbsp yogurt
1/4 tsp vanilla
honey or cinnamon

Mush up ripe banana and stir all the ingredients together and serve with graham cracker, pretzels or toast sticks to dip

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

I saw someone on food network make "healthy" peanut butter oatmeal bars this morning and it kind of annoyed me a bit. I'm sure they were probably healthier than store bought but they weren't healthy. They had 1 stick of butter, 1 cup of sugar + 1/4 cup of honey, chocolate chips, an egg white and finally the peanut butter and oats. Here is my version:

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

2 cups of oatmeal
1 cup of puffed wheat
1 egg
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 cups of natural applesauce
1/4 cup of honey
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp dried fruit (I used raisins and blueberries)
1 tbsp sugar (optional)
Nuts would be good too but I didn't have any.

In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk the egg. Add the peanut butter, vanilla, applesauce and honey and whisk until peanut butter is incorporated and mostly smooth. Add oatmeal, puffed wheat and dried fruit. If it seems to wet add some more oats and if it seems to dry add more applesauce. (Sorry, I didn't measure exactly!) Line a 9"x9" baking pan with parchment paper or foil. Spray with cooking spray. Spread the oatmeal mixture in the baking pan and smooth down. Sprinkle the top with sugar. Bake for 30 minutes at 350º or until the edges start to brown. Let cool for 1 hour and cut into cubes or bars. I do have to admit that these come out more like a fruit bread than a granola bar. But they are tasty. I bit off one corner to try and next thing I know I ate an entire bar. Oops!

Cheesy-Beany Sticks (Snack)

Here is a easy, nutritious snack for all the toddlers and little ones out there. (It isn't too bad for an adult either!)

Cheesy-Beany Sticks

1 piece of bread per kid
refried beans (or leftover beans pureed in the Magic Bullet.)
sprinkle of shredded mexican blend of cheese

Spread beans on bread, sprinkle cheese on top and toast. Cut into sticks and serve!

Izzie. Not the best food model, since the cheesy side is pointed away from the camera, but since she's not even two yet, we'll forgive let it slide.


Maddie, dived right in!
-Amanda

Toddler Oatmeal Cookies

Toddler Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup whole wheat
3/4 cup wheat germ
3/4 cup oats (I used minute oats)
1 tbsp baking powder
2.5 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup dried fruit (raisins, prunes, apricots, etc)
1 cup applesauce
1/4 cup honey
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar: optional

In a large bowl, combine: wheat flour, wheat germ, oats, baking powder and cinnamon. Stir. Mince fruit. Add to dry ingredients and distribute evenly. In a smaller bowl, mix wet ingredients: applesauce, honey, egg and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and stir until well mixed. Scoop out tablespoon size mounds and flat with thumb. Bake at 375º for 10 min. Dust with powdered sugar if desired. Remember, if you child is under one year, they cannot eat honey or egg whites. Refrigerate these cookies because wheat germ spoils easily.
-Amanda

No-Bake Cheesecake

My nod to the 4th of July. A red white and blue no-bake cheesecake. For those that know me, they know I can't bake. But anyone can make this easy cheesecake!

No Bake Cheesecake

1 cup Sour Cream
8 oz Cream Cheese
8 oz Cool Whip
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 graham cracker crust

In a large bowl beat cream cheese, sour cream and sugar together. Add vanilla and whip cream. Beat on high until all the lumps are out. Pour into crust and set in refridgerator for 4 hours. Garnish with your fruit of choice.
-Amanda

Yummy Peanut Butter Balls

You might remember a couple of weeks ago I had a finger paint party at my house. After the fun of painting, we all came in to cool down and had a picnic on my kitchen floor. Some kids were at the table, some were in high chairs, and some were on the floor. There were lots of kids! Anyway, it was a bring your own food type of picnic. My friend Kara brought peanut butter balls for her kids. I had to have the recipe! They are so yummy!

Peanut Butter Balls

1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp vanila
1 cup peanut butter

Mix everything together and scoop into balls with a small ice cream scoop/melon baller. Refrigerate and then enjoy!

These were the ingredients I used.

Healthier Crispie Marshmallow Treats

One of my favorite treats are Kellogg's Rice Kristpies. But, I am looking for healthier snacks to take on my road trip that is coming up at the end of next month. This has sugar in the form of the marshmallows, but it also has dried fruit and puffed whole grains. I thought about adding peanut butter for protein, but decided not to this go around. I'll test these out on the girls and if they get the stamp of approval, I'll make another batch for the trip. Thanks Mom for placing the idea in my head!

Healthier Crispie Marshmallow Treats

2 cups of whole grain puffed rice
2 cups of whole grain puffed wheat
2 cups of whole grain puffed kamut
3 tablespoons of real butter
1 10oz bag of marshmallows
1 cup diced dried fruit
1/2 tsp vanila
1/2 tsp orange extract
1/2 tsp coconut extract
cooking spray

Spray a very big bowl with cooking spray, then measure out the various puffed grains. I used 2 cups of each, but you can do whatever mixture of puffed grains you can find. I've never even heard of Kamut, until I saw it in the store! Dice fruit up as small as you can. I sprayed my knife with cooking spray to help the fruit not stick to the blade. I would recommend chopping by hand, because it'll just gum up in a food processor. Add fruit to grains and stir. Spray a brownie pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a small sauce pan, melt the butter. Add marshmallow and stir constantly on medium heat. When just about melted add extracts. You can leave them out or use your own, I was just having fun with the flavors in my cabinet! I thought it would give a more "tropical" feel to the crispie treats. When fully melted, quickly pour marshmallows over puffed grains, scraping down the sides to get it all. Work very quickly and stir. It helps to also spray your spoon with cooking spray. Keep stiring until all the marshmallow is incorporated into the grains and fruit. Then pour the mixture in your brownie pan. Spray your hands and gently pat down the mixture (it should be cool enough to touch by now, but check carefully because freshly melted marshmallows are very hot!) Let stand for at least 15 minutes.

These are the grains I used!

-->>Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container. To freeze, place in layers separated by wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. <<-- Storage instructions are From Kelloggs Website
-Amanda

Chewy Apple Granola Bites

This is another toddler friendly recipe. While delicious enough for adults, it was formulated to get my girls to eat certain things. Prunes for instance. Actually, they like prunes, but this is another way to serve them.

Chewy Apple Granola Bites

1 1/2 cups of grated apple
1 1/2 cup of oatmeal
1/4 cup of whole wheat flour
6 prunes, minced (or other dried fruit such as apricot)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp grated ginger
2 tbsp honey (if your child is over 1 yr old, otherwise omit)
1/4 cup water
Squeeze of lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375º. Using a cheese grater or food processor grate apples. I leave the skins on. Put the grated apple in a large bowl. Add the water and lemon juice. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and until all the flour and oatmeal is moist. Sprinkle additional water if necessary, but the apples provide a lot of moisture. Spray a 9x9 brownie pan and pour mixture in. With your fingers, press the apple mixture firmly in the pan. It should be about 1 inch thick. Bake at 375º for 25-30 minutes. Let cool completely. Cut into 1" squares. Spread out on a cookie sheet and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to a ziplock bag. Pull out how many squares you want to serve and microwave for a few seconds to thaw. Might work frozen for teething toddlers, but I haven't tried it.