Homemade Granola Crunch

Homemade granola crunch

My friend Wendy that lives up the street from me gave me this recipe. It is very easy to make and nice to have in the pantry. My family eats it dry as a snack, with milk on it as a breakfast cereal or on yogurt. Any granola you buy is going to be a little high in calories due to the grains and nuts. It is a very good source of fiber and gives you a "full" feeling for quite a while. I calculated it out and the caloric value of 1/2 cup of cereal is:

1/2 cup granola= 224 calories

The way I like to eat it is on Dannon Light and Fit yogurt(60 calories). I use 1 container of Vanilla flavor yogurt and 1/4 cup granola on top.

Yogurt and 1/4 cup granola= 174 calories

The recipe is as follows:

4 cups Quaker Old Fashioned Oats

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon and salt

-Blend and pour over dry ingredients:

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons honey

Mix until all is moist. Spread in pan and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

After baking stir in 1 cup of raisins or craisins. Cool and store in airtight container.

Thanks Wendy for this great recipe.

Greek Chicken Wrap

Greek Chicken Wrap

I am feeling very ambitious today by putting two recipes up. My friend Michelle told me about Boca meatless Chik'n patties. That is right, they are meatless soy patties. My family did not even know until I told them after they were half way into it. I decided to use these in a Greek wrap.

Calories: 340 per wrap

You only need one. They are very filling and I served mine with a side of fresh pineapple.

You start by sprinkling the patties with Greek seasoning and baking according to the directions. Next I make a veggie mix of diced cucumbers, tomatoes and red onion. Then I make a yogurt mix of plain yogurt, garlic, salt and oregano.

My Girls

Use a whole wheat tortilla (you could also use pita or flatout wrap), layer with spinach, sliced chicken patty, veggie mix and top with yogurt. You could add feta if you were not as concerned about the calories. It is very fast to make this. It also was filling. Let me know what you think of these recipes if you try them. Have fun cooking.

Salmon Pasta Primavera

Salmon Pasta Primavera

This is a very simple to make pasta dish. When we are watching our calories and trying to eat healthy, we try to avoid pasta. Whole wheat pasta is a very healthy alternative.

First I baked 2 salmon fillets

Next I cut up veggies I like and sauteed in olive oil

(I used red onion, spinach, zucchini, garlic, tomato, rosemary & basil)

Then I boiled pasta

Last I mixed it all together and sprinkled with parmesan

It was very tasty and very easy. The key is to put fresh tomatoes in to keep the sauce a little juicy. Also, when I added the pasta to the veggies, I put a little of the pasta water in with it. I used fresh herbs like basil and rosemary. YUM...

Black Bean Relish Snack

Black Bean Relish Snack

Hi everyone. I have been reading a book called You On a Diet by Dr. Oz. It is a great book about how your body works to process the foods you eat. It is not about starting a diet and trying to lose weight, it is a very in depth explanation about your body function and it makes you want to eat the very best you can because the alternative is scary stuff.

Matt and I have every Friday with no kids. It is his day off and all the kids have school so we try to go somewhere for the day. Today we went hiking up the Kalama River Road into some logging areas. It was a great hike and we got a great workout. Before we left I packed up a lunch of black bean relish and Flatout wraps. Before we left I threw it together and it literally took me 5 minutes. It is this easy:

Drain a can of black beans and a can of diced tomatoes. Add corn, chopped red onion, garlic, cilantro and a can of green chillies. For the seasoning I added cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper and dash of salt. OK the secret to this recipe is drizzle with olive oil and apple cidar vinegar. It is wonderful. Pile on top of pieces you rip off the flatout wrap. Be creative. If you love different spices, add them. You really can't go wrong. This is a very easy and tasty snack.

My recipe has about enough for 4 servings. The calories per person would be 100 calories for the relish and 100 calories for a whole wrap. I hope you all try this and love it as much as Matt and I do.

Square Meal

Square Meal

I was not going to publish this meal because I thought it was sort of boring and obvious. My sister Gabby informed me that she knows people that have never tries sweet potatoes of zuchinni. So this is the deal for this meal:

1. Start your sweet potato an hour before meal time. Poke with fork and bake at 425* for 45 minutes to an hour.

2. Get your husband to bbq chicken breast. (this cuts down on dirty dishes)

3. Slice zuchinni, mushrooms, garlic and rosemary. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with olive oil. (hint: drizzle olive oil after veggies are in the pan. this will save the healthy qualities of the olive oil) Saute on med/high until veggies are a little browned.

This is very simple but healthy. You get your protein, carbs and fat. I would eat half of the breasts that are in the picture because this may be a little much.

Pair with a 6 oz glass of red wine and

enjoy...............................

Spaghetti squash dinner

Spaghetti squash w/ ground turkey sauce

OK. Some of you may be skeptical about this meal. Can I just tell you that I am a woman that likes to eat great tasting food and I would not put my name on it if it was not good. My family, except Levi who does not like tomato sauce, loved it. I had my friend Michelle make it and I got clapping and yelling when I called her to see how her family liked it. Here's the deal:

1.Half a spaghetti squash and bake at 425* for 45 min.

2.While squash is baking, make sauce.

-Sauce consists of 1 lb. ground turkey breast, chopped onion and garlic. Brown.
Add 4 cans tomato sauce and 2 T Italian seasoning. Cook until squash is done.

3.Scrape squash out, laddle sauce on and top with grated parmesan.

I promise you will like it. Just try it. It couldn't be easier.

The squash has 60 calories per 8oz. serving. The sauce is very low cal also.

Enjoy.

My first blog

March 12, 2008

Hi everyone. Thanks for visiting my new blog. I hope that you all find it useful and healthful. I will try to post foods that I cook throughout the week to help you all to be healthier, happier cooks. Thank you to my dear friend Michelle that continues to challenge (push) me to stretch myself. Tastey and healthy eating.

KIM