Emma's Sugar Cookies

No Bake Peanut Butter Bars

No Bake Peanut Butter Bars

1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup coconut sugar
2 Tablespoons real maple syrup
1/2 chocolate chips
1 teaspoon coconut oil

Mix together pb, oats, sugar, and maple syrup. Press dough into a 8x8 greased pan or plastic food storage container. Place chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small bowl.  Microwave until melted. My microwave took 1.5 minutes (90 seconds in 3 30 second intervals). Stir gently until smooth and spread over the top of the peanut butter layer.

Cream of Chicken Soup

Almost as quick as opening a can, but a million times tastier!

Cream of Chicken Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
One onion, finely chopped
One or two cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Heat olive oil and butter in medium sauce pan. Add onion and garlic and sauté until very lightly browned. Sprinkle flour over the onion and stir to combine. Pour in broth and stir constantly until bubbling and thickened. Pour into blender or food processor.  Add thyme and blend carefully until smooth. Cover blender with a towel to guard against the hot liquid.

This makes ready to eat soup. If you would like to make a substitute for a can of condensed soup, use only one cup of broth but the same amount for all of the remaining ingredients.

Chocolate Chip Banana Snack Cake

This cake is moist and delicious, . . . and healthy! Low sugar and nutritious ingredients make a moist and tasty treat. 

Chocolate Chip Banana Snack Cake

1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 ripe bananas
2 eggs
2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a square baking pan with non-stick spray.

Add all ingredients except chocolate chips to a blender or food processor and process on high until the oats are broken down and batter is smooth and creamy.

Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown and top springs back when pressed lightly. Store in an airtight container for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Peach Cobbler

Peach season is the best. There is nothing like a perfectly ripe juicy peach. This recipe is perfect and simple to make.

Peach Cobbler

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups peeled, sliced peaches

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place butter in a 2-quart baking dish. Put in the oven to melt. Combine dry ingredients. Add milk and vanilla. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon peaches over batter. Do not stir. Bake about 40 minutes. Serves 6.

Chicken Marinade

This flavorful recipe makes 1 3/4 cups, enough for up to 4.5 pounds of chicken. The secret is to not overlook the chicken, grill or broil just until chicken center is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Chicken Marinade

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Up to 4.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into serving size pieces, pierced all over with a fork.

Place all ingredients except chicken in a gallon ziplock bag. Zip bag shut and mix gently with hands. Add chicken breasts to marinade in bag and coat evenly. Place in bowl in refrigerator and let marinate for two or more hours. Remove from marinade and grill outside or broil in your oven, turning a few times until juices run clear.

Oatmeal Cookie Bites - No Added Sugar!

These cookies taste like a sweet mouthful of oatmeal, hence the name. The recipe makes about 22-24 so if you eat six you are eating a serving of oatmeal. But in cookie form! What could be more fun? A handful of these cookies would make a great, portable breakfast. Enjoy!

Oatmeal Cookie Bites

3 ripe bananas, smashed with fork

1/3 cup applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup skim milk (or almond milk)

2 cups regular oatmeal

1/2 cup raisins (or craisins)

1 teaspoon cinnnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine bananas, applesauce, vanilla, and milk in a large mixing bowl. Add oatmeal, raisins, and cinnamon and stir well.

Using a 1.5 inch diameter cookie scoop, scoop dough onto prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, until firm. Let cookies cool completely on baking sheet. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

This smells great all day while it's cooking and ends up tender and juicy and full of flavor. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

5 lbs boneless pork shoulder
2 onions, sliced
3 cups V-8 juice, low sodium
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1.5 tablespoons ground cumin
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Place onions, V-8, garlic, paprika, chili powder, pepper flakes, cumin, vinegar, brown sugar and salt into the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Add the pork and mix together gently.

Cover and cook for 8 hours with slow cooker set on low. After four hours, turn meat over once, cover and continue cooking.

After 8 hours, remove the meat and set aside. Carefully place liquid from slow cooker into blender and blend until smooth. (If the hot sauce makes you nervous you can let it cool a bit before you transfer it to the blender.)

Shred pork with two forks, return to slow cooker. Add sauce from the blender and cover and keep warm until serving.

Serve over toasted bread or buns.

Italian Beef Sandwiches

Italian Beef Sandwiches

One 3-pound boneless beef chuck roast
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup water
12 ounce jar sliced pepperoncinis, undrained
1 red pepper, sliced into strips
1 green pepper, sliced into strips
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 packet onion soup mix
2 Tbl. Worcestershire sauce

Place roast into a large slow cooker. Sprinkle roast with Italian seasoning, cayenne, and black pepper. Add water, cover, and cook on high for about 4 hours until meat is tender. With two forks, shred beef.

In a separate bowl, combine the pepperoncinis, red and green peppers, garlic, soup mix, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over meat in crockpot. Cover and cook on high for one hour or until peppers are tender.

Serve meat over bread rolls or toast.

English Muffin Bread (Bread Machine)

Let your bread machine do all the work for you! Fresh, preservative-free bread made in your kitchen. The aroma while baking is amazing and this bread has the chewiness of an english muffin, and makes toast with those yummy, crunchy english-muffin-type edges.

English Muffin Bread

1 cup milk

1/4 cup water

1/2 Tablespoon white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Put milk and water in glass measuring cup and microwave for 30 seconds. Pour into bread machine pan  and add sugar and salt. Dump in flour and sprinkle baking powder over flour. Make a well in the center of the flour and put yeast in the well. Set bread machine to dough cycle and push start.

When dough cycle is finished, turn dough out onto floured surface. Form into a loaf and place in oiled (I use olive oil nonstick spray) metal bread pan. Cover loosely with a towel and let rise until about 1/2 to 1 inch over the top of the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and cool on wire rack. 

You may slice and eat bread right away but don't put the loaf in a storage bag until it is completely cooled. Enjoy!

Enchilada Sauce

Use this sauce to make enchiladas. I roll up the ingredients in tortillas and pour sauce over the top. Makes enough sauce to cover about 8-10 rolled tortillas in a 9x13 baking dish. Top with grated cheese and bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Suggested enchilada fillings (use any combination you like): browned ground beef, cooked chicken, black beans, corn, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, cooked rice, refried beans.

Enchilada Sauce

2 Tbl. olive oil
2 Tbl. flour (white or whole wheat)
2 Tbl. chili powder
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 of a 6 oz. can tomato paste (freeze the rest!)
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. salt

Over medium heat, whisk together olive oil, flour, and chili powder. After mixture begins to bubble, cook for one minute.

Whisk in broth, tomato paste, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper until smooth. Bring sauce to a simmer and continue to simmer and whisk until sauce thickens slightly.

Clean Eating Hot Fudge Sauce

2 cups dark chocolate chips

1 cup lite coconut milk (canned, not in a carton)

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Slow-cooker method: Add chocolate chips, coconut milk, and honey, stir to combine. Cover and cook on low until all ingredients are melted, approximately 1 hour.  Add vanilla at the end of cooking time. Stir to combine ingredients.

Double boiler method: Add chocolate chips, coconut milk, and honey, stir to combine. Cover and cook on low until all chocolate has completely melted, approximately 30 minutes. Add vanilla at the end of the cooking time. Stir to combine ingredients.

Allow hot fudge to cool slightly before serving. Refrigerate remaining hot fudge. Hot fudge will thicken when refrigerated, therefore re-heating will be necessary before serving.

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/3 cup canola oil

1 Tbsp. maple syrup

2 cups oats

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground allspice

1/2 cup raisins

In a large bowl, beat the sugar, applesauce, oil, and syrup until well blended. In a small bowl, combine the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, and allspice; gradually beat into applesauce mixture until blended. Stir in raisins.

Drop batter by heaping tablespoons onto a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. (I used a cookie scoop.) Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes until the top is beginning to brown. Let stand on cookie sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. Makes 24 cookies.

No-Bake Energy Bars

Feel free to experiment with a variety of dried fruit and nuts. I spread the batter in a loaf pan and cut it into six bars.

No-Bake Energy Bars

1 cup oats, uncooked

1/3 cup dried fruit (any kind)

1/3 cup chopped nuts (any kind) 

1/2 cup peanut butter

3 tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla

Mix all together and spread in pan and refrigerate for 2 hours. 

Slice into bars and store in the fridge.

Delicious Low-Sugar Muffins

These are wonderfully moist muffins with a sweetness from applesauce and fruit. Enjoy!

Low-Sugar Muffins

4 Tbl. butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 cup applesauce
6 ounces plain low-fat yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
2 Tbl. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup dried fruit (cranberries, cherries, raisins, etc.) OR fresh or frozen blueberries
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tins (10-12 muffin cups) or line with paper liners.

Combine softened butter, egg, applesauce, yogurt, and vanilla. Mix well.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda in a second bowl. Add fruit and nuts.

Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

Spoon into muffin tins. (I used my large cookie scoop.) Bake 20-22 minutes. Remove immediately from muffin tins and place on a wire rack to cool.

Makes 10-12

Banana Blueberry Bread

This bread is low in fat and sugar, but very full of flavor. The bananas and blueberries sweeten the bread and the walnuts add healthy fat. Enjoy!

Banana Blueberry Bread

1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
3 very ripe, mashed bananas (use 2 large or 3 small)
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (325 for glass pan) and spray nonstick cooking spray to coat the inside of a loaf pan. In a large bowl, mix together the oil and sugar. Then add the egg and the bananas. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt, until well mixed. Stir in the blueberries and the nuts. Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes.

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

4 cups cooked butternut squash
2 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup fat free half & half
1/2 cup applesauce
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in blender and pulse until smooth. Pour mixture into pan and heat soup until hot, but not boiling. Top with sour cream, if desired.

Zucchini and Corn Pancakes

Zucchini and Corn Pancakes

2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup cooked corn
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated colby or cheddar cheese
2 large eggs
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
dash salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Using a heaping  tablespoon, form the mixture into 8 patties. Spray a skillet or griddle with non-stick spray and heat to medium/high. Once heated, add patties and cook until golden brown. Serve with a bit of yogurt or sour cream.

Pasta and Fresh Tomato Sauce with Tuna and Feta

1 pound vine-ripe tomatoes, cut into a small dice
Salt
12 ounces bite-sized pasta
2 cans (5 ounces each) tuna packed in oil, not drained
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 cup capers, drained
4 ounces (about 1 cup) crumbled feta, plus extra for topping
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Prepare tomatoes and transfer to a medium bowl; sprinkle lightly with salt.

Meanwhile, bring 2 quarts of water and a generous sprinkling of salt to boil in a large soup kettle. Add pasta and cook as directed on the box, until just tender. Drain and return to pot.

Add tuna, garlic, oregano, capers, feta and parsley to tomatoes; toss to coat. Add tomato sauce to pasta; toss to coat again.

Serve, sprinkling each portion with additional feta.

Almond Chocolate-Chip Cookies (Gluten Free Recipe)

This recipe is from the January/February 2011 issue of Weight Watchers magazine. I used almond meal which was not as finely ground as flour. I think you could use either almond meal or almond flour. The recipe was written to make 30 cookies. I divided the dough into 12 cookies. This is not a low-calorie recipe, but the cookies are made with healthy ingredients and they are delicious!

Almond Chocolate-Chip Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix 1 cup almond flour, 1/4 tsp. baking soda, and a pinch of salt in medium bowl. Whisk 2 Tbl. canola oil, 2 Tbl. amber agave nectar (I used honey as a substitute), and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract in small bowl. Stir honey mixture into almond flour mixture until blended. Stir in 1/4 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips and 1/4 cup sliced almonds. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet, dividing into 12. (NOTE: my lumps of dough did not stick together very well. However, after baking they melted together and made a nice, cohesive, crunchy cookie. So don't be concerned if they don't seem like a typical cookie before baking.) Bake until golden, about 9 minutes. Let cool on sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and let cool completely.