WHOLE WHEAT RASPBERRY COCONUT CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA PANCAKES

We are always trying to push the envelope of this amazing, all-American, delicious breakfast. This recipe may have the best of all available ingredients that belong to the magical world of pancakes.

You cannot even taste the whole-grain goodness of the whole wheat flour, due to the decadence of the other ingredients!

Enjoy our latest version!

Recipe

Bananas, mashed - 2 

Whole Wheat Flour - 1 C

Baking Powder - 2 teaspoons

Sea salt – ¾  teaspoons

Cinnamon – ½  teaspoon

Nutmeg – ½  teaspoon

Demerara - 1 T

Milk - 1 C

Eggs - 2

Rasperries, smashed - 1 C

Flaked coconut – ½ C

Chocolate Chips – ½ C

Blend all dry ingredients. Add in milk and eggs, then stir. Gently stir in bananas, berries, coconut and chocolate chips. Cook on medium heat on a buttered griddle until just browned on each side. Enjoy with any topping you prefer. The chocolate inside will likely be enough, though.

ENJOY IN GOOD HEALTH!

RASPBERRY CREAM DIP

I love fennel. Its flavor is reminiscent of childhood summer days, lazily gnawing on yummy black licorice while spending all day out of doors. I love that eating my vegetables makes me feel like I’m eating a treat!

So…I wanted to make a delicious dip to complement the sweet veggie. Below is my first attempt. It is quite good, and will pair lovely with many things, including fruit, pancakes, crepes, and toast. ENJOY!

Recipe

Cream cheese, softened – 8 oz

Half and half – 1/6 C

Raspberries – 1/3 C

Demerara/honey – 1 T

Vanilla – 1 teaspoon

Mix all ingredients, except berries, on high speed in your food processor, or with a high-powered mixer. When well mixed and smooth, add in berries, gently smashing them as you do so.

Serve with fennel sticks ( I love this flavor combination ) or with whatever else you fancy.

ENJOY IN GOOD HEALTH!

BASIL TEMPTATION MELON SALAD

My kids saw me putting basil leaves in this fruit salad.

“What? I’m NOT eating that. That vegetable does not belong in this fruit salad.”

Well, “ha, ha” kiddos. The joke is on you. Because basil, you see, is an herb, not a vegetable. And it’s going in the salad. So there.

That salad was gone pretty quick. The kids liked it, in spite of the green addition.

See? Mother does know best!

Recipe

Temptation Melon, 1 – seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces

Basil leaves, chopped – 1 C

Nectarines, pitted and chopped – 4

Honey (or demerara) – 1 T

Cinnamon, ground – ½ teaspoon

Combine all fruit, then sprinkle with honey/demerara and cinnamon. Stir lightly and eat quickly!

ENJOY IN GOOD HEALTH!

ASIAN CHICKEN SALAD

If you’re like me, you’re always looking for a new way to use left-over chicken. We eat a lot of chicken around here, and it’s nice to dress it up differently, right?

This is totally easy, and totally yummy. And it is nice on a hot summer day…like we’ve been having so many of recently. Thank goodness for air conditioning!

Recipe

Soy sauce – ¼ C

Rice wine vinegar – 1/8 C

Ginger, peeled and finely chopped – 2 T

Sesame oil – 2 T

Demerara – 1 T

Shredded chicken (or pork) – 3 C

Green cabbage, finely shredded – 6 C

Celery, thinly sliced – 2 C

Sweet onion, finely chopped – ½ C

Cilantro, finely chopped – ¾ C

Combine soy sauce through demerara, and stir until nicely combined. Toss chicken, cabbage, celery, onion and cilantro together. Pour sauce over all, and let marinate in the fridge for at least one hour.

ENJOY IN GOOD HEALTH!

TOMATILLO PULLED PORK

Who doesn’t like good, saucy pulled barbeque pork? So good! But, I do long for different seasonings on my pork, now and then.

Enjoy this “South of the Border” version of pulled pork. Super easy, and super yummy! Also easy to transfer the recipe to dress up shredded chicken or beef.

Recipe

Pork roast – 4 lbs

Tomatillos, chopped – 4

Chicken broth – ½ C

Dried Chopped Onion – 1 T

Thyme – ½ teaspoon

Paprika – ½ teaspoon

Balsamic vinegar – 2 T

Fresh squeezed lemon juice – 1/3 C

Salt – to taste

Using your slow cooker, slow roast the pork until done. Put tomatillos and broth in pot on stove and cook over medium until the tomatillos are soft. Add in thyme, paprika, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice. Cook until flavors are well combined. Salt to taste, and then poor sauce over pork when the pork is thoroughly done.

Allow pulled pork to rest in the tomatillo sauce at least 1 hour before serving. Serve over rice, green salad, or mashed potatoes.

ENJOY IN GOOD HEALTH!

TURKEY MEATBALLS

I almost never cook with ground beef, ground turkey, ground veal, or ground whatever. But once in a while, a good meatball will just hit the spot.

These meatballs are a little different, but super delish. A few out of the ordinary ingredients make them fun to try, so go ahead…be daring!

Recipe

Ground turkey – 20 oz

Whole Wheat Italian Bread crumbs – 2/3 C

Milk – 1/3 C

Salt – ½ tsp

Worcestershire sauce – 1 tsp

Pepper – ½ tsp

Onion, chopped – ½ C

Egg, whisked – 1

Ginger, minced – 1 tsp

Garlic, peeled and pressed – 2 cloves

Goat cheese, crumbled – 1/3 C

Preheat oven to 400. Mix all ingredients and shape into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until no longer pink in the middle. Serve with your favorite sauce. AND ENJOY IN GOOD HEALTH!

NECTARINE AVOCADO SALAD

This salad is a little variation on one my sister-in-law makes all the time. It’s actually quite different, but almost as amazing as hers! Maybe she’ll have me post hers too. If only you are so lucky!

This salad is great over rice, over lettuce, in a taco, a wrap or sandwich. Really, it’s great by itself too. Almost as versatile as the all-American ketchup. Give it a try; the fresh combinatiton of flavors will invigorate you!

Recipe

Avocados, peeled and pitted and diced – 2

Nectarines, pitted and diced – 3 to 4

Cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped – ¾ C

Green onions (white parts and light green parts only) finely chopped – 3

Cilantro, coarsely chopped – ½ C

Lime juice, freshly squeezed – 3 T

Salt – to taste

Mix all ingredients. Use as desired and ENJOY IN GOOD HEALTH!