I have been enjoying doing more cooking, baking, and eating fresh foods.  Here is a few healthy yummies I have been enjoying...
 
I don't know about you but I don't just LOVE water.  I will drink it and I know it's good for me but I am not the most crazy about it.  I am trying to drink more water so I found this yummy suggestion...

Day Spa Apple Cinnamon Water- 0 calories
Makes one big pitcher, re-fill water 3-4 times before replacing apples and cinnamon-

 1 Apple thinly sliced, I like Fugi but pick your favorite
1 Cinnamon Stick

 Drop apple slices in the bottom of the pitcher (save a few to drop in your
glass later) and then the cinnamon stick, cover with ice about 1/2 way through
then with water. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes before serving.

 Nutritional Info:
 Calories: 0
 Fat: 0


You can make all kinds of yummy water by adding fruits and herbs.  Here is a link:  http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/other-recipes/quick-and-easy-flavored-water
 
Spicer and I made Nanner "Ice Cream" last night.  Here is how you make it...

1. Get some bananas. Make sure they are ripe!!!

2. Peel the bananas, cut them into approx. 1/2" slices, and put them on a tray.

3. Pop the tray in the freezer for a few hours until the bananas are frozen. (Once they're frozen, you can also put them in a bag to use later).

4. Put your bananas in a food processor or blender.

5. Start mixing. First the bananas will just get chopped up.

6. But as you keep mixing and scraping down the sides, it'll get creamier and creamier.

I swear I didn't add anything else ~ this is just bananas!

7. You can eat it right now, just out of the blender/food processor, and it'll be like a soft serve custard. 

Or...

8.  Put it back in the freezer and eat it later.  

Spicer and I added Sugar Free Choc Sauce and Vanilla Extract to ours and it was amazing. 

We are getting Nanners in bulk and I plan on making 4 kinds tonight to freeze for the next few weeks. We are going to make coffe, green tea, french vanilla, and chocolate. Can't wait! Thanks http://www.cometogetherkids.com for such a great idea!!  Here is what ours looked like.  MMMMMMMMMM

 
Honey Lemon Chicken... 

4 Uncooked Chicken Tenders (unbreaded)
1/8 c. honey
1 large lemon and juice juice
1 cap of soy sauce
A pinch of Corn Starch

Prep a frying pan and spray with Pam on Med Heat. Combine Chicken and all other items except the lemon.  Make few slices and cut into quarters.  Squeeze the rest into the bowl and add the wedges to the bowl.  Stir contents the place in the pan.  Cook until chicken is ready.  Very Yummy!

Zucchini Bites 12 mini muffins

1 cups zucchini, grated
1 egg
1/4 yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup cheese (Parmesan worked the best)
1/4 cup bread crumbs - I made my own
Salt and Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a mini-muffin tin with non-stick spray, set aside.
2. Grate the zucchini and then place in a dish towel to squeeze out the excess water- like when using frozen spinach; if you skip this part, the middle of the zucchini tots will be really soggy while the outside gets crispy and no one wants that.
3. In a bowl combine, the egg, onion, cheese, bread crumbs, zucchini, salt and pepper.
4. Using a spoon or a cookie scoop, fill the muffin cups to the top. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the top is browned and set.

The rest of the meal is just some fresh fruit and steamed carrots with light butter and dill.  It was the perfect light summer meal!


 
Turkey Bacon (25 cals), Southwest Egg Beater 1/4 cup with fresh ground peper, garlic, cilantro, a few blue cheese crumbles, and 1/2 teaspoon of fresh salsa (35 cals total egg beater is 20 cals, blue cheese 10 cals, salsa 5 cals, small peach (40 cals) for a grand total of 100 cals for my very yummy breakfast!
 
 
3 Nanners
16 Nutter butters
1 cracker sheet of Choc Graham Crackers
2 packs of Sugar Free Nanner Pudding
... 3.5 cups of skim milk

Prepare milk and both pudding mixes in a mixing bowl with a whisk. Whisk for 2 mins and let stand for 5 mins. Slice three nanners. Take cookies apart. Place 1/2 the cookies in the bottom of a 2qrt glass salad bowl. Arrange half the nanners on top of the cookies then half the pudding then repeat the layering process. Top with light whip cream then crumble the Choc grahams on the top. Let chill then serve.
 
My Papaw loved to make his vegetable beef soup.  It was always a labor of love.  I can recall him making huge batches of it and freezing it in old Sanka Coffee plastic containers.  I loved his soup.  It always seemed to be just right. Tommy and I have been each making a pot of soup a week to go with our meals.  It is a low calorie and perfect for cold weather.  I decided this week to make Papaw's soup.  I called my Dad and Uncle Roy to make sure I had everything right.  Here is the recipe.  Hope you enjoy!

1 pound ground sirloin
1/3 large can of V-8 (use a little less and add to taste)
1 box of Beef Broth (Papaw used water but I used broth)
2 cans of whole white potatoes
2 cans of baby carrots
1 can of Lima Beans
1/3 bag of frozen cut okra
1/3 a small cabbage
Celery Flakes (Papaw used fresh celery but I prefer just the flakes)
1/3 a bag of frozen chopped onions
Season to taste (I used sea salt, fresh ground pepper, onion powder, a little chili powder, garlic powder, and chives)
 
One Package of Enchilada Mix
1.5 lbs of Chicken
One container of Low Sod Chicken Broth (I use a little less than one)
One can Kidney Beans (Drained and Rinsed)
One Can Black Beans (Drained and Rinsed)
One can (it's the 1/2 size cans) of white corn with red chili peppers (with juice)
1/2 jar of spaghetti sauce (I like a garlic flavor)
1 Can of diced tomatoes (I like to use one with things added like rotel or hunts with green peppers)

Warm olive oil in a large soup pot on med-high.  Use just enough oil to cover the pan.   Cut Chicken into small chunks.   Add in chicken and lightly cook.  Add in chicken broth and chicken enchilada sauce mix.  Stir contents and add tomato sauce.  Then add in drained beans, corn, and tomatoes.   Season to taste.  I use:  cilantro, chili powder, onion powder, minced onions, garlic powder, fresh ground pepper, chives, and a dash of sea salt.   Cook on warm/low for a few hours.   WARNING: the house will smell amazing.  When soup is ready to serve add one small dollop of sour cream, pico,  and crumble two baked scoop chips on top.  

 
IRISH STEW with lamb and Guinness  
When we went to Dublin we came upon a little pub called The Celt.   When we were there we had a wonderful Irish Stew.  Tommy and I decided we wanted to make some when we returned from Europe so this week we found a recipie.   This is from a lady in Killarney, Co. Kerry, so it doesn't get any more authentic than this.   A bowl of it is about 250 cals and a cup is about 160.  Next time we will add less meat and a little less herbs and more carrots.  We had about half lamb and half stew meat to keep the cost down.    We used pearl oinions instead of yellow.  Enjoy!!!
  • 3 pounds lamb shoulder with a little fat, cubed
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 3 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 6 stalks celery, cut into 1/2" slices
  • 2 large yellow onions, cut into large dice
  • 3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bunch fresh rosemary
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme
  • 1 bunch fresh parsley
  • 2 quarts lamb or beef stock, or as needed
  • 12 ounces Guinness stout
  • 1 cup pearl barley (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons corn starch
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For a real Irish country touch, include the barley -- cook it for 20 minutes in 3 cups of lamb or beef stock, then add when you return the meat to pot with the vegetables. Cut off some of the parsley leaves and chop enough to make 2 tablespoons; reserve. Cut off some parsley stems, and tie them into a bundle with a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme; reserve. Season the meat with salt and brown the meat in a little oil. Remove and reserve, and sprinkle with a little flour, shaking off excess. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery to the pan and sauté, tossing to coat with the fat. Add the Guinness and deglaze, scraping up any caramelized meat juices. Add the potatoes, return the meat to the pot (and the barley if you're using it). Add enough stock to barely cover, cook over medium heat until just boiling, then reduce heat to very low and simmer 2 - 3 hours, until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally. Check seasonings, add salt and pepper to taste, then remove from heat, stir in parsley and the cornstarch (mixed into 4 teaspoons water) and stir. Cook over low heat for a few more minutes to thicken. Serve with plenty of Irish brown or white soda bread, tea and more Guinness if you like. YIELD: 6 generous servings Is maith an t-anlann an t-ocras. (Or, "hunger is a tasty sauce" ... this'll certainly satisfy it.)