Spelt Tortilla Crisps

Thanks to Lorna Grooten in Virginia for sharing this recipe!

2 cups light spelt flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup light olive oil

1/2 to 3/4 cup warm water

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the oil and mix until blended.

Work water into the dough until a sticky ball forms.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 6 to 8 balls. Cover them again with plastic wrap.

Roll the balls out on lightly floured surface into tortillas measuring 6 or 7" and 1/8" thick.

Cook tortillas in a heavy cast iron skillet for 30 seconds on each side.

Cut them into wedges and bake them at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Serve with your choice of dip.

Tasty Tidbits

Beautiful and Tasty Appetizer or Snack ~ Place three chunks (1 each of pineapple, banana and strawberry) on a toothpick. Dip one side into dark or white chocolate.  Place on wax paper and allow chocolate to harden.

Dip Strawberries in Yogurt and Freeze on wax paper.  You will get an amazing appetizer or snack!  Cut them in half while frozen for an even more beautiful presentation!

Veggie and Dip Cups ~ Using clear plastic bathroom cups or clear juice glasses, pour a few tablespoons of veggie dip into the bottom of each cup.  Add sticks of celery, carrots along with strips of red, yellow and green peppers for a colorful appetizer, salad, or snack.

Roast Green Beans with olive oil and fresh Parmesan.  Sprinkle with seasoned salt.

Roast Asparagus with grated lemon zest.  Sprinkle with seasoned salt.

Healthy Breakfast Smoothie ~ In a blender, process 2 ripe bananas, 2 cups ice, 1/3 cup yogurt, 1/2 cooked oatmeal, 1/3 cup almonds, and a little honey.

Fruit and Veggie Smoothie ~ In a blender or Vitamix, add: 2 cups filtered water, 1 Tbsp. coconut oil, 1 Tbsp. honey, 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 1 cup kale, 1 box strawberries.  Add a few blueberries to get rid of the green color, which may turn off most kids.

Angel Food Cake

Since I shared last month how I use my saved egg whites (because of a food sensitivity) to make angel food cakes to give away and bless others, I thought I'd better share my recipe which came from a very old (falling apart) Betty Crocker cookbook, that my mother-in-law used all her married life.  Egg whites freeze very well, by the way.

Set out an angel food cake pan but do not grease!  If you do grease the pan, the cake will flop.  Unfortunately when I taught my daughter how to make an angel food cake during her teen years, I mistakenly had her grease the pan!  Big mistake on my part!  It was a total flop!

Measure and sift together:
     1 cup sifted SwansDown or Softasilk cake flour
      3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

Measure into large mixing bowl:
     1 1/2 cups egg whites (approximately 12)  Be sure not to get a speck of egg yolk in or it will not work.
     1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
     1/4 tsp. salt

Beat egg white mixture with electric mixer until foamy  Gradually add 2 Tbsp. at a time:

     3/4 cup granulated sugar

Continue beating until meringue holds stiff peaks.  Fold in:
     1 1/2 tsp. vanilla flavoring
     1/2 tsp. almond flavoring

Sift the flour/sugar mixture gradually over the meringue, folding in just until the dry mixture disappears.  Place batter into an ungreased tube pan.  I find that a two-piece cake pan works best in removing the cake from the pan.  Gently cut through the batter with a knife to remove air pockets.  Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Invert onto a funnel and let hang until cool.  Any small bottle with a skinny top, such as a bottle of hot sauce works well.

After the cake is completely cool, I slip a sharp knife along the sides of the pan as well as around the center hole, and along the bottom to loosen the cake.  After I lift out the center insert, I run the knife along the bottom of the pan to loosen the cake.  Invert onto a plate.  Serve with whipped cream and berries.

There are just a few critical steps to remember when making angel food cakes:

 
   Never grease the cake pan for an angel food cake!  Greasing the pan prevents rising.  The cake will definitely flop.

 
   Use a clean, dry bowl and beaters to beat the whites.  

 

Grease will prevent the whites from whipping up into soft peaks.

 
   Be sure not to get specks of egg yolk in the whites while separating the eggs.  Fat prevents whipping into peaks.

 
   After removing from the oven, hang the cake upside-down on a funnel to cool, propping the pan so it will not tip over.

 
   Slide a knife along areas where the cake touches the pan to loosen, otherwise a chunk of the cake may pull off.

 
   If you follow these steps, your cake will magically turn out great!

Baked Almond-Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts

An easy low fat and low carb recipe from Darlene Weber, Thailand - Used by permission

1 cup smoked almond nuts (ground in a food processor or chopper

1/2 cup ground Parmesan cheese
5-6 Chicken breasts sliced to half thickness
Salt and pepper

Mix almonds and Parmesan cheese together.  Sprinkle each side of the breast slices with salt and pepper, as well as the nut and cheese mixture.  Bake at 350º for 23-25 minutes. Do NOT overbake or the meat will be dry.

Lime Tahini Sauce

Thanks to Rachael Breneman in Ohio for this recipe!
This is good on many things, especially on salads or vegetables.

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed butter)
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup soy sauce 
1 tsp. minced garlic
Sweetener (agave, organic sugar or stevia) to taste

Combine all ingredients in blender until combined.  Adjust sweetener to taste.  It it thickens, thin with water.

Notes from Lois: Lemon juice can be used in place of lime juice, and almond butter could replace tahini.

If you live near a Trader Joe's store, or will be near one in your travels, keep in mind that they sell delicious almond butter in 1 pound jars for only $4.99.  It's double that price many other places, so I always stock up when I get the chance.

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole

Thanks to Linda Crosby in Virginia for this recipe!

How about a delicious breakfast all ready when you get up? 

 

Try this:
Ingredients:  (Adjust to your family size)

30 oz. package of plain frozen hash brown (shredded) potatoes
Cooked sausage, or leftover diced ham (I used turkey sausage)

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
12 eggs
1 cup skim or fat free milk
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
Optional:
1/2 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced thin

Directions:
(I used a 6 quart Smart-Pot for this recipe.)

Spritz the inside of your crockpot with oil. Dump in the whole package of hash browns. Spread them out, and break up any clumps.

In a mixing bowl, mix the eggs with the milk, salt and pepper, cheese, diced meat, and diced vegetables. Pour everything on top of the hash browns.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4. This is done when the eggs are fully cooked and the edges start to brown a bit. If you want the cheese to brown and get a bit crispy on the sides, cook it longer.

Almond Butter Carob Crunchies

www.hacres.com - Used by permission
A recipe I definitely want to make for my grandchildren!  This would be great for our summer vacation when our family will all be together!

3/4 cup almond butter
1/2 cup carob powder
3 Medjool dates, pitted, soaked 2 hours, and drained
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup almonds, walnuts or pecans, chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened grated coconut

Reserve 1/4 cup coconut.  Combine remaining ingredients in a food processor, and with an S blade, mix well.  Shape mixture into bite-size balls.  Roll in reserved coconut.  Store in refrigerator in plastic container with wax paper between layers.

 

Note: Natural peanut butter and cocoa powder could be substituted for the almond butter and carob powder if you wish.

Cooking Dried Beans for Easy Digestion

Satisfying, versatile, and very inexpensive  -about $1 per pound - at a time when budgets need to be stretched to put gas in our vehicles!   I just cooked another 4 pounds today!  They freeze very well!

A few months ago I shared how to cook beans to be easily digestible.  A nutritionist told me to soak grain overnight by adding 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar for every cup of grain.  However, I adapted this recipe and found it works just as well without the beans soaking up so much vinegar.

Soak the following overnight in a large Dutch oven or cooking pot:
4 pounds of dried beans, washed thoroughly in a colander (Great Northern or pinto beans are very good)
1 gallon of distilled water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
Note: Do NOT add any salt at this point!  Salt will prevent the beans from getting tender.  Salt and season later.

After soaking overnight or at least 8 hours, drain and rinse the beans several times.  Cover with more pure water and bring to a boil.  A foam may cover the top after they come to a boil.  Skim off the foam with a large spoon.  I hold the lid in my left hand and spoon the foam into the lid, then pour it down the drain.  This needs to be done until the foam is about gone (5 minutes or so).  Simmer beans for about an hour or more until the beans are tender.  I drain the beans unless I plan to make bean soup.  You can season at this point or wait until serving.  Spoon some of the beans into containers to freeze.  Save some with the liquid for bean soup, and make hummus with the remaining beans for dipping carrots, celery or crackers into this high protein snack.

Complete protein:  By eating a grain with beans, you will have a complete protein (a meat substitute).  Whole grain bread or crackers, rice cakes or crackers, or a bean and rice dish will suffice.

Making Your Own Fresh Ginger Paste

Ginger helps aid digestion and adds great flavor to many soups and other dishes!  Pureed ginger is available to purchase in small jars, but here's how you can save money by making your own pureed ginger that will be even more fresh than jarred ginger.  Buy a large hunk of ginger root in the produce department of the grocery store.  Cut it apart into easy-to-peel sections, and peel with a vegetable peeler. Slice the ginger and put it into a Vita Mix or other blender with a little water and olive oil.  You want it to be the consistency of paste, so just add a tiny bit at first.  Blend until pureed, and spoon the ginger paste into Tupperware Midget cups or very small containers, and freeze.  I keep one small container handy in the refrigerator door to add to recipes.

For delicious lemon-ginger tea, drop a few slices of fresh ginger root into a large teacup with a lemon zinger teabag.  Fill with boiling water and steep (covered) for about 5 minutes.  Add stevia and enjoy!

Butternut Ginger Soup

Thanks to Rhoda Long in Virginia who made this wonderful soup for me for a birthday lunch several years ago, and served it with hummus and crackers!  A delicious lunch I will never forget!

          Butternut Ginger Soup with Sauteed Kale on the Side

                                Photo by Betty Mennuti

5 cloves garlic, pressed in garlic press
1 medium butternut squash, halved and seeded

1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced (3/4 cup)
1 large onion, chopped (2 cups)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 sweet red apple, peeled and cut into chunks (1 1/2 cup)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

3/4 tsp. freshly grated ginger (or ginger paste)
salt to taste
pinch of white pepper
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt, whole milk or coconut milk
chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, shredded carrot, or finely grated Parmesan or Gruyere cheese for garnish

Bake or microwave squash (halves facing down) with a little water in a baking pan.  Scoop out pulp (3 1/4 cups).  In large pot saute' carrot and onion in olive oil until onions are translucent (3-5 min.).  Add squash, broth, apple, bay leaf, curry, nutmeg, ginger, salt and pepper.  Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until apples are soft (15 min.).  Remove bay leaf.  Puree' in food processor or blender.  Return to pot and add yogurt.  Serve in soup bowls and add garnish.

Note from Lois:  The amounts may be altered, according to your preferences, such as less garlic and more ginger.  This soup freezes well.

For More Butternut Squash Recipes:
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