Sauteed Kale with Bacon and Balsamic

Serves 2
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

1 large bunch of kale (about 3/4 pound)
2 bacon slices, chopped
2 teaspoons Balsamic vinegar, or to taste

1. Cut stems and center ribs away from kale leaves and coarsely tear leaves. 
2. In a large heavy saucepan of boiling salted water cook leaves 5 minutes and drain well in colander. 
3. In pan cook bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp. Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon fat from pan. Add kale to bacon and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring, until heated through.
4. Toss kale with vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

Mindy's Oatmeal-Coconut Pancakes

1.5 C Oatmeal
.5 C Coconut Flour
.33 C Vanilla Whey Powder
1 t. Baking Powder
3 T Splenda or any sweetner
5 Eggs
1.5 C Milk

1. Mix all ingredients except for .5 C milk.
2. Let set in fridge for 30 mins.  Mixture will thicken.
3. Thin mixture with remaining .5 C milk.
4. Drop .33 (1/3)C batter onto griddle and cook on medium heat until bubbles toward the center begin to burst.  Flip and cook other side.  
5. Serve with syrup or Sugar-free Jam.
6. Very Healthy!

Crunchy Pumpkin Seeds

Don't throw out those slimy pumpkin seeds when you carve this year's jack 'O lanterns.   Pumpkin seeds are a rich source of protein, dietary fiber, iron, potassium, and other nutrients. A one-ounce serving of pumpkin seeds contains nearly 20% of the Daily Value (DV) for magnesium and zinc, and 10% DV for copper. Magnesium supports cardiovascular health and the formation of strong bones, while zinc plays an important role in supporting the immune system. Copper helps control inflammation and supports the production of oxygen-rich blood cells.

Ingredients: 

• Seeds from any size pumpkin (rinsed)
• 2 Tablespoons Olive oil 
• Salt (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon Louise's Rub (Opt.)

Directions:

1. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray.
2. Toss seeds with spices and spread on cookie sheet.
3. Roast in a 350°oven for 1.5 hours or until seeds are light brown and very crunchy.
4. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter/Chia Seed Bars

2-1/4 cups  flour
1/4 Cup Chia Seeds
1 tsp.  Baking Powder
1 tsp.   baking soda
1/2 tsp.   salt
1 cup   coconut oil 
1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
2/3 cup  each granulated splenda and packed brown sugar
2   eggs
1 tsp.   vanilla
2/3 Cup Chocolate Chips (Opt.)

1. HEAT oven to 350°F.
2. MIX first 5 ingredients until well blended. Beat butter, peanut butter and sugars in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well after each addition.  Sprinkle & Press chocolate chips over the top, if desired.
3. Press Mixture into a greased 9X13" Casserole pan.
4. BAKE 20 to 30 min. or until golden brown. Cool completely.
5. Cut 4X6 to make 24 servings.

Chia Seed - Ten Benefits from this Power Food.

Do you want to increase your brain power and body strength with one of the most powerful foods imaginable?

Chia seeds impart power and energy to a well-balanced diet.

Ten benefits to adding chia seeds to your diet are:

1. Nutritious. Chia seeds provide calcium and protein to your tissues. The seeds are also rich in boron, which helps the body assimilate and use calcium. The nutrients also support proper brain functioning.

2. Water loving. The seeds can soak up ten times their weight in water.   Try this fun experiment. Put one tablespoon of chia seeds in a cup of water and stir. Wait a few hours and see what happens. When inside your body, the seeds help you stay hydrated longer, and retain electrolytes.

3. Easily digestible. The shells are easily broken down, even when swallowed whole. This is an improvement over flax seeds, which have to be ground to be digested properly.

4. Concentrated. If I could only take one cup of food for a few days, I'd choose chia seeds!

5. Mild tasting. Unlike some seeds, the flavor is very mild. The mild taste makes it easy to put in any recipe you want. They won't really change the taste, but will add to your nutrition!

6. Energy enhancing.

7. Versatile. The seeds can be used to replace less-healthy fat in just about any recipe. You can use them uncooked in salad dressings, spreads, fruit shakes, ice cream, and just about anything you want. You can also add them to cookies, cakes, muffins, and other baked goods.

8. Slimming and trimming. Yes, the seeds will help you lose weight, for two reasons. The first reason is that they are so filling that you will eat less of other foods. The second reason is that they actually bulk up and cleanse your intestines.

9. Endurance enhancing. Chia seeds are known as the "Indian Running Food".

10. Regenerating.  After eating, the nutrients travel to the cells very quickly due to the ease in digestion.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Made with Coconut Oil)

• 1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1/4 Cup White Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
• 1&1/2 Cups Flour
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 3/4 Cup Chocolate Chips

1. Cream together oil & sugars.
2. Add egg & vanilla -- beat well
3. Stir in dry ingredients.
4. Fold in chocolate chips -- batter will be thick.
5. Drop by teaspoons onto a greased cookie sheet leaving about 1" between cookies. 
6. Bake @ 350° until edges have browned (about 15 minutes).

Healthy Eater's Individual Apple Raspberry Pie

"An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away!"

Cliche I know but this recipe helps me get some very healthy fruit into my diet in a most pleasant way.

Needs: 

1. Microwave-safe Pyrex ramekin dish
2. Saucer
3. Measuring spoons
4. Paring knife
5. Microwave

Ingredients:

• 1 Apple
• 2 packets Splenda (or other sugar substitute)
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch (or tapioca)
• Sprinkles of nutmeg, cinnamon, & ginger (or whatever spices you prefer)
• a few drops of butter extract
• 1/8 cup of frozen (or fresh)raspberries

Prep:

1. Place dry ingredients into bottom of ramekin and mix with spoon.
2. Drizzle with butter extract and berries.
3. Core apple and slice into dish with remaining ingredients.
4. Cover with a saucer and microwave on "HIGH" for 2 minutes.
5. Stir and let set for a few minutes -- dig in.

NOTE: This tastes too good to be good for you!
Okay to substitute any kind of berries or fruits to add variety.

Quinoa/Kale Patties

2 ½ cups cooked quinoa, cooled
4 cups kale or spinach, cleaned, deveined, & chopped small
3 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp sea salt
1 small yellow onion, diced 
½ cup chives, chopped
½ cup Parmesan, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup finely ground bread crumbs (use gluten free breadcrumbs to make this dish gluten free or pork rinds to lower carbs)
2 Tbsp olive oil plus more for frying

1. Combine quinoa, eggs, Parmesan, chives and salt in medium mixing bowl.
2. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in skillet on medium heat then sweat onions and garlic, approximately 3 minutes. Add kale to skillet and cook until kale is bright green and soft.
3. Add kale mixture to quinoa mixture, then add breadcrumbs and stir to combine.
4. Place large clean skillet on medium heat and add enough oil to coat bottom of pan.  Form patties using ½ cup of quinoa mixture and place patties in skillet being careful not to overcrowd the pan. 
5. Fry until golden brown on each side, approximately 5 minutes per side.
Remove patties, drain on paper towel and serve. 
6. Makes: 10 patties

Note: okay to use frozen chopped spinach, thawed in the microwave.

Crustless Zucchini Quiche

2 lg or 3 sm zucchini (grated or chopped)
1/4 cup dried chives
1 teaspoon onion powder
5 eggs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 cup grated feta cheese
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup oat, ww, or brown rice flour (or a combination thereof)
paprika or Louise's Rub

1. beat eggs
2. add remaining ingredients (except for paprika)
3. pour mixture into a greased casserole dish 13"X9"
4. sprinkle with paprika or rub 
5. bake @ 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until a knife tests clean.

NOTES: Okay to substitute broccoli or spinach for zucchini

Louise’s Best Food Rub

1/3 Cup Paprika

1 Tablespoon Sea Salt

1 teaspoon Black pepper

1 Tablespoon Mrs. Dash

1 Tablespoon Ground Mustard

1 Tablespoon Ground Sage

1 Tablespoon Granulated Garlic

1 Tablespoon Granulated Onion

1 Tablespoon Mustard Seeds

1 Tablespoon Celery Seeds

1 Tablespoon Dill Seeds

1 Tablespoon Dill Weed

2 Tablespoons Splenda, sugar, or Truvia

1. Mix all ingredients and store in a tightly covered container. You'll want to keep some in a shaker next to the grill and the stove. Keeps indefinitely but won't last long.

2. I use this on roasted vegetables as well as meats and fishes.

Recipe Blog Re-Visited

I've been away for so long and so much has happened to me in the past year including retirement and new found weight loss.  At this time, myself and both of my children are working together to loose weight, eat healthier, exercise, and generally improve our quality of life.
With this in mind, I've decided to re-visit this blog and explore some of the newer recipes I've been working with.  
Please feel free to comment, experiment, and keep me posted on your healthy eating/weight loss progress.