White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies (base cookie recipe)

Adapted from Cooking on the Side

These aren’t necessarily my cookie of choice, but I ended up needing to make them this weekend and the recipe is one of the best I’ve tried for cookies.  It would be a great base recipe for add-ins like chocolate chip cookies, M&M cookies, or any other type of cookie.

** This version made about 3 dozen cookies for me, but I halved the recipe which originally makes about 5 dozen**

1 stick of butter, softened
very SCANT 3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg, at room temperature
1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
add in-s like white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts, or chocolate chips, etc.

Preheat the oven to 350.

 Cream together the butter and the sugars with a beater, until fluffy.

Add the vanilla and the egg, beat together.

Blend in the flour 1/2 a cup at a time.

Beat in the baking soda and salt.

Stir in your add-ins, as much as you’d like.

Bake on parchment0lined baking sheets by the teaspoon-full for 10-12 minutes.

Let cool & devour.

Banana Cake, Or, The Healthiest Cake There Ever Was?

This cake is extremely easy, quick, and … healthy?  As healthy as cake can be anyways, with no added fat and little added sugar, adapted from this recipe.  It is perfect for tea and doesn’t even really taste like banana…  so it would be a great base cake.  Just add nuts, berries, or serve topped with fruit salad to make it extra special.  Also, this would be a good recipe to make cubed cake pieces for dipping in chocolate fondue, if that’s the kind of thing you’re into ; )

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup banana, mashed (about 1 medium banana)
3 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup yogurt (I used vanilla-flavored organic yogurt)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350.

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Whisk together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.

Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Pour into a greased loaf pan.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Spanakopita Bites

These are 100% awesome and very much worth the time to make!

16 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and strained of excess liquid
feta cheese (as much as you want, I use one package
1 egg
chopped garlic
3/4 of a large onion, minced
oregano, salt and pepper

In a pan heat up a little oil and sautee the minced onion and chopped garlic.

Add the translucent onion mix to a bowl.  Add in the spinach, cheese and spices and the egg.  Mix well.

Roll out a roll of phyllo dough, and place a damp paper towel over it to keep it from drying out.

Cut the layers of dough into 3 vertical strips.

Take one layer, brush with olive oil, and place a teaspoon of spinach filling on it like this:

Then fold like this:

Until you get something that looks like this:

I like to then lay these on a cutting board lined with parchment paper and then freeze them overnight.

After that I place them in a big bag and keep them frozen until I want to use them.

Then I’ll just pop a few out onto a baking sheet and bake at 300 for 30-or-so minutes, or until whenever they are browned.

They go great with tzatziki sauce!

 

Baked Mini Corn Dog Snacks

I have to admit something….

…I *love* corn dogs.  Hot dogs, you couldn’t pay me to eat one.  But CORN dogs… drive me wild ; )  However the fact that they are deep fried and usually huge doesn’t do well with trying to eat more healthy.  So that’s why I love this recipe for bite sized, baked mini versions of my favorite fair food!

Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

1/2 cup applesauce, the sweetened kind
1/2 cup sugar 
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

turkey hot dogs, or tofu hot dogs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spray the cups of a mini muffin pan with non stick spray.

Combine the applesauce and sugar in a bowl.

Whisk in the eggs and buttermilk.

In a separate bowl add the baking soda, salt, cornmeal and flour.  Mix together.

Whisk in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Pour some into the muffin cups to about 3/4 full, then add in a 1″ piece of hot dog and push down in the cup.

Bake for about 10 minutes.

*This recipe makes about 46 mini corn dogs*

Honey Roasted Granola

I never thought making granola would be so easy!

quick cooking oats
honey
canola, coconut or olive oil
ground cinnamon 

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Put the oats in a bowl.

Drizzle with a little of the oil and mix to coat.

Add as much honey to coat the oats.  Taste it to see if the oats are sweet enough, if not you can add a little sugar.

Spread the mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Cook for about 15 minutes, then mix and cook another 15 minutes (or until slightly browned).

**When you take it out of the oven the oats will still feel soft and sticky, but when they cool it will harden to a granola texture.

While still soft, sprinkle with the cinnamon.

Let cool.  Then add in your mix-ins (like chopped almonds, dried fruits, seeds, flaxseed, chia seeds, etc…).

Store in an air-tight jar.

Polish-style Beets

beets
cream or sour cream, probably greek yogurt will work too
sugar
salt and pepper

Wash the beets and cook them in boiling water until fork-tender.

Let cool and then peel the skin off.

Using a grated shred the beets into a large bowl (I like to use the larger grater setting).

Meanwhile heat a pan with a little oil or butter.

Cook the shredded beats in the pan, with a little sugar and salt and pepper to taste.

After a few minutes, add a dash or scoopful of of cream/sour cream/yogurt, mix to incorporate, and then serve.

Healthy Breakfast Cookies

These are so yummy and filling too!  The recipe makes about 15 small cookies.

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats 
1/4 cup brown sugar
8 packets of Truvia (or you can just use 1/2 cup brown sugar and leave out the stevia)
1 egg or 1 Tbsp flax meal + 2 Tbsp water 
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
dash of cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries or other fruit, or chocolate chips 😉

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Mix all the wet ingredients together separately.

Add the wet to the dry and mix to incorporate.

Scoop small spoonfuls onto a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Press flat with your fingers.

Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until done.

These are freezable or can be stored in an airtight container to last through the week.

Almond Biscotti

adapted from Joy of Baking

1 cup of almonds, chopped
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar (next time I would reduce to 2/3 cup)
3 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
dash of cinnamon (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl whisk together the eggs and vanilla.

In the bowl of a mixer, add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Mix.

While mixing, add in the egg/vanilla mixture.

While mixing, add in the almonds.  Mix until a cohesive dough forms.

Roll the dough out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Form the dough into a log.

Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, then slice at a diagonal into thin slices.  These will be the shape of your biscotti.

Line up on the baking sheet so that they are standing from their base.  Leave space in between the slices – you want them to “dry out”.

Put back in the oven and bake for another 15-30 minutes until they reach the desired consistency (become super crumbly).

Store in an airtight container (I wonder if these would freeze well?) or serve with tea!

**Next time I’d like to try these with 50% whole wheat, reduce sugar to 2/3 cup and maybe with some orange zest**

Home Made Wheat Tortillas

From Rak’s Kitchen

1 cup all purpose flour, or 1/2 cup all purpose and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour for whole wheat tortillas.
3 Tbsp oil 
1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
warm water, as needed

In a bowl mix together the salt, baking powder and flour.

Mix in the olive oil, really well.

Add the warm water until you reach the right consistency – not too sticky but well incorporated.

Let the dough sit for 10-15 minutes.

Divide into 6 balls for small tortillas, 4 balls for large tortillas.

Flatten the balls on a floured surface so that they are thin circles.

In a preheated, oil-less skillet,  cook each tortilla for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until each side bubbles.

**When making the whole wheat tortillas, make sure not to overcook them as they will become more hard and less pliable** 

I love these filled with melted cheese or crushed garbanzo beans, and topped with black bean sauce with tons of toppings!

Mini Cheesecakes

From Real Mom Kitchen

2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese of Neufchatel cheese
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
oreos, or any other cookie to use as your base

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In the meantime, cream together the cheese and sugar using a mixer.

Next, add in the eggs and lemon juice and beat until smooth.

Line cupcake liners with the oreos (split in half and with the filling removed) or other cookies.

Fill 3/4 full with the cream cheese mixture.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the cupcake liners and serve, refrigerate, or freeze for later.

** You can also add cocoa powder or match powder for different varieties, like I did!**