Carrot muffins with pineapple cream cheese frosting

Dry:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp all spice
1 tsp nutmeg
3 tbsp chopped walnuts
3 tbsp chopped cranberries

Wet:
1 egg + 1 egg white
1 tbsp blackstrap molasses (you can use honey)
1 apple (peeled and shredded)
1 cup shredded carrots (about 3 large carrots)
1 capfull vanilla extract
1/4 cup water (at the end)

Topping:
3 tbsp crushed pineapple
2 ounces fat-free cream cheese
1 tbsp powdered sugar
1 capfull almond extract

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Mix well.
3. Combine wet ingredients (except water) and stir well.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry. Stir until well combined. Add water and mix.
5. Pour batter into muffin tins (sprayed with non-stick spray) about 3/4th tall
*I made 12 muffins and 9 mini muffins
6. Bake for 12-20 min. or until top of muffin is golden brown and firm on top.
7. When muffins are cool, blend pineapple, cream cheese, sugar and extract until almost smooth (it will probably look a little clumpy cause of the pineapple).
8. Place a tsp or two of topping on each muffin.

French Fries

2 Idaho Potatoes (peeled)
1-2 tsp olive oil
Pepper and additional spices/herbs

1. Cut potatoes in half and slice into fries. Continue slicing until the fries are thin.
2. Soak fries in cold water for 30 minutes to remove starch.
*Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
3. Place fries on paper towel and let dry for 10 min (this is important to make a crunchy fry).
4. Place fries on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss.
5. Add pepper and additional spices, toss again.
6. Bake for 40 minutes or until brown and crunchy. May need to toss in the oven around 30 minutes.
*This is Karel's plate - I have made him a sardine-dish the night before every race where he has landed on the podium so I guess I am becoming superstitious. This is his sardine + black bean pizza on pita bread.

Healthy blueberry and walnut muffins

(according to my family and Karel, these are the BEST muffins I have EVER made)
Makes 18 muffins

Wet ingredients:
1 egg
1 apple (peeled, then shredded)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup milk
1 tbsp honey
1-3 tbsp water (at the end)

Dry ingredients:
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup oats
1 cup blueberries (fresh, washed)
2 tbsp chopped walnuts
2 tbsp chopped dark chocolate (or shaved)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together dry ingredients (except blueberries). Stir until combined.
3. Mix together wet ingredients (except water). Stir well.
4. Pour wet ingredients into dry bowl and mix. Add blueberries.
5. Add additional water until batter is easy to mix (consistency should look a little lighter than pancake batter).
6. Pour a heaping TBSP of batter until muffin tin (about 3/4 full).
*optional: top with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar
7. Bake for 30-40 min or until top of muffin is golden brown.

Eggplant Parmigiana

2 cans No salt added diced tomatoes (add your own herbs and spices)
1 Large Eggplant
1 egg
2 tbsp water
2/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/8 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 - 2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup part-skim mozzarella shredded cheese

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Open cans of tomato sauce, lightly rinse and drain.
2. Cut eggplants into 1/4 inch slices. Mix egg and water in shallow bowl.
3. Mix bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in shallow bowl.
4. Dip eggplant into egg mixture, then coat w/ bread crumb mixture.
5. On a non-stick skillet over medium heat, heat pan w/ 1/2 tbsp oil. Cook eggplant slices for about 5 minutes, turning once, until light brown. Repeat with the rest of the slices (adding 1/2 tbsp oil if needed).
6. Place half of eggplant in ungreased rectangular baking dish (11 x 7 x 1 1/2") overlapping slices slightly. Spoon half of tomato sauce over eggplant and sprinkle w/ 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Repeat with remaining eggplant, sauce and cheese.
7. Bake (uncovered) for 25 min. or until sauce is bubbly and cheese is lightly brown.


Here is my tofu, white bean, baby tomato, zucchini, garlic mixture that I cooked on a non-stick pan w/ 1 tsp olive oil...it went perfectly, alongside steamed broccoli, with the eggplant.

Sweet-treat popcorn

Sweet-treat popcorn
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1 tsp canola oil

2 tsp melted dark chocolate
1 tsp natural peanut butter
1 tbsp raisins
1 tsp cinnamon
Drizzle of honey

1. In a large pot (with a lid), combine kernels and oil and mix until coated.
2. Turn heat to medium and pop kernels (about 5-7 min.). When you hear kernels popping, lift up the pot (which is covered) and give a shake every 30-60 sec.
3. When popcorn is finished, remove from heat and let cool for 5 min.
4. When popcorn is cool, heat chocolate and peanut butter for 60-90 sec. When melted (better to undercook and keep cooking in 15-30 sec. intervals rather than overheating) stir together.
5. Place 1 1/2 cups popcorn in a large baggy (or large bowl) and add melted chocolate/peanut butter. Toss.
6. Add raisins, cinnamon and honey and give another toss.
7. Enjoy now or if using a baggy, place in refrigerator for later in the day.

Non-vegetarian Crock-pot Chicken Cacciatore

(vegetarians - you can substitute 1 cup boca crumbles for the chicken)
1 zucchini sliced
1 can vegetarian baked beans (Rinsed)
2 cloves garlic
1 small purple onion
5 large mushrooms (sliced)
1 lb boneless chicken cutlets (defrosted/thawed and then cut)
1 cup Ziti noodles
1/2 cup water
Basil, Pepper

1. Turn Crockpot to 6-hour timer (you could also make this dish in a large pot on the stove.
2. Add zucchini, beans, garlic, onion and mushrooms to crockpot.
3. 10 min. later add chicken and stir (try to get the chicken to go towards the bottom of the pot).
4. 1 hr later, add noodles and water. Stir.
(if you are making this dish and won't be around, you could easily make the noodles later and just add to the crockpot when you are ready to eat.
5. Let cook for at least 4 hrs (Karel said it was ready at 4 hrs).

Pimento Cheese Dip

1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar (If you want to reduce fat and a few ingredients, you can go with Cabot reduced fat sharp cheddar)
1 cup non fat Plain Yogurt (you could use 0% Greek Yogurt)
1/8 cup pimento's (I bought them whole in a jar and then diced them)
2 tsp. Parmesan cheese

1. Mix all ingredients in a container and refrigerate.

Zucchini bread w/ sweet homemade icing

1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 eggs (1 whole egg, 1 white)
1/2 c. plain nonfat yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/8 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 c. shredded zucchini (about 2 large Zucchini's)
1/4 cup skim milk
1/3 cup water (optional - if your batter is too thick to stir, add a little water, up to 1/3 cup)
1 tbsp chocolate chips (chopped/shredded)
2 tbsp walnuts (chopped)
2 tbsp raisins (chopped)

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and beat. Add yogurt and vanilla, then add rest of ingredients. Spray loaf pan with a little non stick spray. Bake in 350 degree for 45 min - 1 hour.




Icing:
1/8 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp butter (melted 10-15 sec.)
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Mix together w/ whisk.
2. Add a few tsp water as you are whisking to get the consistency of icing (I think I used less than a 1tbsp of water).

I cut most of the Zucchini bread into 1 inch slices and then cut into cubes. Once again, forgot to take a pic but it looked pretty when it was topped with 1-2 tsp of the icing. I promise I will make this again and take a pic.

Veggie omelet w/ roasted red potatoes and onions

2 red potatoes
Onion slices
1 clove garlic (crushed/shredded)
2 tsp olive oil

For Omelet:
Spinach
Onion
Tomato
Garlic
Tofu
Mushrooms
1-2 tsp olive oil
2 eggs (1 whole egg + white) per person
2-3 tbsp skim milk or 1 tbsp greek yogurt (Creamy omelet)

1. Cook filling ingredients for omelete on medium heat for a few minutes.
2. Scramble eggs in a bowl.
3. Remove fillings and add eggs to pan. Give a little scramble for fluffy eggs until the eggs begin to stick.
4. Flip omelet and cook other side.
5. Add fillings and top with a little fresh shredded cheese.




For potatoes:
1. Cook potatoes in microwave for 3-4 min. until semi-soft. Cut into cubes.
2. On a non stick pan on medium heat, add oil and garlic.
3. Add potatoes and cook for 8-10 min. or until golden brown.
4. Around 4-5 min, add onion slices and toss.
5. Add your choice of non-salt seasonings (I used marjoram, pepper, Italian herbs and basil)

Egg in a hole w/ horseradish spread

1 egg
2 slices French Bread
non-stick spray

1. Lightly toast bread in toaster.
2. On low-medium heat, spray a non-stick pan w/ a little spray.
3. Cut out a hole in the bread and remove hole.
4. Place bread on pan and crack egg onto the bread.
5. After a few minutes, carefully flip bread and cook the other side for 1-2 min. (less time for a runnier egg).





Horseradish spread
2-3 tsp beet horseradish
1-2 tbsp greek yogurt

1. Mix together and spread on other piece of bread.



I added the strawberry for a special presentation before topping the egg with the other piece of bread.

Vegetarian Chinese Stir Fry

*Serves 2
1/2 container sliced mushrooms
1/2 tube extra firm tofu (cubed)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tbsp fresh ginger (shaved without skin)
1/2 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
1/8 cup sliced almonds
Green beans (large handful)
2-3 stalks broccoli
Pepper
2-3 tsp low sodium ginger soy sauce
2 x 1 tsp olive oil

Optional "fried noodles"
1/2 ounce (portion) whole wheat spaghetti
1 tsp olive oil


1. On a large skillet, on medium heat, add chopped garlic and 1 tsp. olive oil. Add tofu, chickpeas, mushrooms and cook for a few minutes until brownish (toss every now and then).
2. Steam/microwave broccoli until soft.
3. Cook green beans in hot water until soft.
4. When tofu begins to brown, add almonds, ginger, soy sauce and 1 tsp. olive oil.
5. Toss mixture and add broccoli and green beans.
6. Cook for 2-3 additional minutes and turn off heat, remove pan from burner and cover until ready to serve.

1. For fried noodles, boil spaghetti for 3-4 min. until soft in small pot.
2. Empty water and with noodles in pot, add olive oil.
3. Chop up noddles w/ spatula as you move around the noodles to "crisp" them up. May want to lift pan off burner and give a shake to prevent noodles from sticking.
4. After a few minutes, noodles should be brown and semi-crispy.

YUM!!!

Powerful Cranberry Ginger Muffins

Dry:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup instant oats
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp all spice
1 tsp ginger (fresh or powder)
1 tbsp flax seed
1 tbsp blackstrap molasses or honey
1/4 cup cranberries (chopped)
1/4 cup chopped nuts (I used peanuts)
Wet:
1 apple shredded
1 cup carrots shredded
2 eggs (1 whole, 1 white)
1/2 cup skim milk
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp greek yogurt
1 tsp almond extract
1/4 cup brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Mix together wet ingredients in a small bowl and add to large bowl.
4. Stir all ingredients.
5. In a nonstick muffin tin sprayed with non stick spray, fill 3/4ths full.
*I made 12 muffins and 13 mini muffins
6. Cook for 25-35 min for muffins and 12-20 min for mini muffins. Remove when top of the muffin is firm and semi-pointy.