My Speedy Oatmeal Cookies w/ White Beans!

I know, I know it sounds gross. Or at least weird. But my kids and their friends love these cookies, and honestly have no idea beans are in there, so try 'em!

First, take 1/4 cup of white beans and mix them in a blender or even just with a fork. Make 'em mushy, you don't want to think beans when you eat your cookie! You can drain them first, but a little bean juice will help mix 'em.

STIR UNTIL SMOOTH

1 C Brown Sugar

1/4 C Butter Flavor Shortening (Crisco)

1/4 Cup mashed White Beans

1 Egg

1/2 Tsp. Soda

1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 Tsp. Salt

1T Vanilla

ADD

1 C Flour

1 C Oatmeal

1/2 C Nuts or Chocolate Chips (or both!)

Stir Until Smooth, Drop by spoonful on a cookie sheet. Bake approx. 10 minutes at a preheated 350 degrees.

Recipe makes 2-3 dozen.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Personally, I like this fat substitute (beans) better than applesauce. They aren't as spongy or moist "sticky" as when I make cookies with applesauce.

Marshmallow Sandwiches!

Smores are a summer must and Orlando has decided that Marshmallow Sandwiches is a better name!  Too cute.  So, I have been having some fun with the whole sandwich idea.   Here is the newest yummiest bestest ever:

Nuke the mallow for 10 seconds on a saucer.  Place it on a graham cracker, but first smooth some peanut butter on the cracker and set some chocolate chips down in it.  (B/C who really has chocolate bars--chocolate chips very easy to find-and they don't roll off when in the PB!)  Then add the top cracker and enjoy!  

Let me repeat, layers include

graham cracker

peanut butter

chocolate

marshmallow

graham cracker.

How can that not be good?

What is your latest summer treat?

E-Mealz Rocks!

I really am enjoying this service.  Hope you'll check it out!

E-MEALZ Easy Meals for Busy and Frugal Families

I love this because it doesn't involve coupons, cutting, or keeping up with anything.  The grocery lists are completley organized.  I stay in food budget, and my family likes the food!!  

the BEST chicken salad

If money grew on trees, I think I would be a regular at Whole Foods.  It just wouldn't be hard to eat there regularly.  Only two miles from home with long, long, salad bars, delicious fruit, and yummy food in every direction.  Ahhh.  Mmmm.  

However the prices are pretty over the top.  Still, I occasionally go there instead of a restaurant.  Call me weird, but I would rather have their curry chicken salad then restaurant food.  In fact, my desire for their curry chicken salad found me going in on a weekday and splurging just for myself.  However, at over 7 dollars a pound not something to feel too good about.  So I set out to make it myself.  Whole Foods does have some recipes on their site, but not the salad I've found here at my local Whole Foods (BTW, it is located to the left of the sushi bar in the back on the East side of the store-behind glass near the tuna cranberry...)

Okay, so I think I've gotten pretty close with the help of the wonderful Internet and my own mind and tongue.

This is fabulous not only because it tastes good, but it is super healthy!

Cooked chicken about 3 breasts (I'm pretty sure Whole Foods used their old rotisseries that don't sell-I just boiled up chicken and cut it up)

To your liking add:

chopped green onions 

chopped celery

chopped carrots

almond slivers

cilantro 

sliced green peppers

raisins-put the raisins in water first for about 5-10 minutes, take 'em out and blot with a paper towel.

Curry Dressing

1.5 t vinegar

1 tsp  yellow curry

1/4 C low fat plain yogurt

2 T low fat of FF Mayo

1 T milk (add more if you want it thinner)

1 tsp.  Salt

Mix all of this well stir into above ingredients.

This will taste better after a few hours in the fridge and excellent the next day. I love it plain, but on lettuce or bread is also a great choice!

Well, hope you enjoy and please let me know if you try it!

Challah II

Like I said, I've been having fun with Challah latley.    The site Artisan bread in 5 Minutes a day gets me craving home made bread.  I really want their book. Here is the link to their site and if you are looking for this particular recipe it can be found here.  It is made with spinach, feta, and pine nuts.  It has sesame seeds on top.  I coat the bread with egg and then add the seeds.  The egg helps make it a golden brown as well!  The first time I made it Josh and I devoured it!!  Even Orlando said, "Mom, thanks for making a yummy bread.  It looks great!"  The second time was for a baby shower, and I can't wait for another excuse.  Here is a link to a great you tube video on how to braid and do other fun stuff with Challah dough.  Have fun and let me know if you try it! 

CHALLAH

I have had some fun with Challah lately.  These empanadas turned out fabulous and were really fun to make.  I've since also made calazones.  For the calazones I put in my favorite pizza ingredients, for these empanadas I made up a recipe.  Occasionaly I get that brave.  I had some leftover pork, added veggies, hot sauce a heaping spoon full of miracle whip, and a squirt of honey mustard.  They turned out great and the boys like playing with the dough.

Lara's Kale Soup

As requested, here is the recipe:

8 C Water
Generous Chicken Bouillon. I used "Better than Bouillon" from Trader Joe's. It took a heaping T.
8 C fresh Kale
2 Cans of Chopped Tomatoes
2 Cans White Beans ( I used Great Northern-Cannellini or even Kidney would work also.)
1 T Olive Oil
1 Small apple chopped
1/2 medium onion
Heaping TB garlic
Dash of McCormick Garlic Pepper (LOVE this stuff)
1/2 TB of Rosemary
Dash or Parsley
Dash of salt as desired
Sprinkle of generic Italian seasoning.

This recipe is a combination of ideas I got on line. So feel free to use what you have--I will say the apple was truly original and the sweetness it added was awesome!
Okay, first heat your oil and add garlic, chopped onion, and chopped apple, cook until onion is transparent.Then add Kale (chopped small and you might want to remove some of the real stemy parts.) Let this cook on low until the Kale is completely wilted.
In a separate pan make a yummy chicken broth. Take the tomatoes and beans (undrained) and mix them with a blender (if you want a creamier less stew-like soup-if you want more brothy soup, don't do this!). Then add this mix to the chicken broth. Add your seasonings. Add the kale/onion/apple/garlic/ mixture. Simmer until you know all the flavors are mixed and eat warm!! This was fantastic! Even Orlando ate his! This recipe could be cut in half, but I made enough to have some for lunches during the week. It also freezes well.
The only thing to count for W.W. points are the beans
2 pts a can
the tomatoes
1 pt a can
one apple (1 pt)
and the olive oil
2-3 pts.
You get tons of soup, so it is probably .5 pts a cup roughly!! And super healthy! Another idea, you could add noodles, potatoes, or rice if you wanted it more starchy. However, I found it surprisingly more filling than I expected.

What is your latest healthy recipe? Please share!