Rhubarb Jelly

Making jelly is a great way to use up all your extra rhubarb in the spring.  I tried a lot of rhubarb recipes this year and I thought this jelly turned out really pretty and it tastes very yummy too!  I know we will enjoy it this winter.  Here's the recipe from Taste of Home!

Amazing Wild Blueberry Pie

This blueberry pie was "to die for"!  I made it from frozen blueberries we picked out in the woods last year.  I hear the wild blueberries are about ripe now, so we've GOT to get out there and get some more!  I got the recipe for Blueberry Dream Pie from Taste of Home.  I didn't use the mint because I didn't have any but it was still great.  You should try it!

Frozen Peaches with Orange Juice

When I saw boxes of canning peaches for sale at the grocery store last week, I decided to freeze a little sunshine for us  later this winter.  Last year when we were at a friends house for lunch she served us peaches frozen in orange juice concentrate... over ice cream I think.  They were delicious!  

I started with a box of 60 canning peaches.

I also bought 4 canisters of orange juice concentrate.  

I put the orange juice concentrate in a bowl.  I didn't add any water. 

Then to remove the peach skins before freezing,  I got a pot of water boiling. 

I put three peaches in it at a time for 1 minute and then put them in a bowl of ice water to cool them off.  

Next I sliced up the peaches .  

Then I put them in the orange juice and stirred them around until well coated. 

After the peach slices were coated in orange juice concentrate I ladled them out into freezer bags, letting most but not all of the orange juice drain off.  

I put them in freezer bags and with enough orange juice to be able to squeeze out all air pockets.  Then I laid them flat to freeze.  I did 3 peaches at a time because that is about how many I think my family would use at a time, but you could do whatever you like.  

If you like sweeter peaches I think you could add some sugar and use less orange juice, but I like the natural tanginess that the peaches with orange juice make.   

So, if you are looking to save some sunshine for the long winter approaching, give this a try :)

*insert photo of peaches and ice cream here*

Enjoy :)

Basil Walnut Pesto

Yesterday I made three batches of this recipe using fresh basil leaves from my garden. I froze most of it to use later this winter with pasta and chicken.  It is very good on tomatoes, whole wheat crackers, and pizza crust (instead of pizza sauce).  Traditionally pesto is made with pine nuts, but I make it with walnuts because they are much more economical, and just as good!  

Basil Walnut Pesto

2 cups packed basil leaves (about 2 ounces)

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup walnuts (I heap the cup for a little extra)

3 garlic cloves, smashed

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Place basil leaves, olive oil, and salt in food processor.  Pulse until leaves have been chopped up.

Add walnuts and garlic cloves.  Blend until walnuts are well chopped. 

Add parmesan cheese and blend for 5-10 seconds until blended.  

Serve on tomatoes, crackers, pasta, or anything you please!

Each batch serves about 8.  I usually use half a recipe with one pound of cooked pasta.

Enjoy!

Hummus Snack Dip with Garlic and Red Pepper

Have you ever made Hummus Dip?  It is a healthy snack that is a good source of fiber and protein, and my kids love it.  We eat it with whole wheat crackers or slices of sweet peppers.  Here's my recipe:

1 15-oz can garbanzo beans (or chickpeas), rinsed and drained 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 garlic cloves,  minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Blend in a food processor until desired consistency.  I like mine to have itty-bitty chunks in it, but smooth and creamy is good too.  You may add a tablespoon of water for a thinner consistency if desired. If you don't like anything spicy leave the red pepper flakes out.  I like it best served fresh at room temperature, but it may be refrigerated for later as well.  Makes about 8 servings. 

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Bagels with Cinnamon and Raisins

I occasionally have spurts where I eat a bagel with cream cheese for breakfast in the morning.  I never knew how bagels were made, so when I saw the recipe in the book called Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois, I had to give it a try.  

First you made the dough (see this blog entry and watch the video clip for the recipe).

Then you let the dough rise for 2 hours and put it in the fridge overnight.  

When you are ready to make the bagels, get your dough out of the fridge and also find your sugar, baking soda, raisins, and cinnamon.  

Put some flour on top of your dough so it doesn't stick to hour hands and pull up about 2 pounds of dough (half of what is in the bucket).

Then take a rolling pin and roll the dough out thin (about 1/4 inch thick). 

Then combine 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and sprinkle over the dough.  Also sprinkle 3/4 cup of raisins onto the dough. 

Next roll it up. 

Then roll it up some more into a ball shape to incorporate the raisins.  

Then you need to break off about 3 ounces of dough (the size of a small peach) using flour as needed.  Form into a small ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides. Then push your thumb through the middle and gently stretch the dough until the center hole is about three times as large as the dough wall.  Once all your dough has been formed into big O's let them rise for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile get a big pot and fill it with water.  Bring to a boil and add 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon of baking soda.  Also preheat your oven with a metal broiler pan and a baking stone in it to 425 degrees.  

Next take a few bagels and drop them into the simmering water, making sure they have enough room to float without touching.  Let them simmer on one side for about two minutes and then flip them over and simmer for another minute.  Remove from the water and place on a dish towel that has been sprinkled with flour to absorb the excess moisture. 

Next place them on a floured cutting board or pizza peel and slide them onto the preheated baking stone. Put a cup of water in the metal broiler tray and close the door.  

Bake 20 to 25 minutes until well browned.  

Serve slightly warm.  MMMmmm!!!

These were a bit of work, but they were yummy while they lasted!  

Whole Wheat Bread, Crackers, and Pizza Crust in Five Minutes a Day

Lately I've gotten rather tired of grocery store bread- even the 100% whole wheat kind.  The stuff has several ingredients in it that I can't even pronounce and it doesn't even get moldy after two weeks on the kitchen counter.  You start to wonder if mold spores can't grow on it, how does your body digest it!! Anyways....

After reading the first book by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois I decided to read their second book called Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day.  This book has lots of healthy bread recipes using whole grains. This is great as I prefer to eat 100% whole wheat bread instead of white whenever possible.  They even have gluten free recipes for those who can not tolerate wheat.  My favorite recipe so far is the master recipe which makes a whole grain artisan free form loaf.  I have made bread using this recipe many times now.  I often serve it fresh with venison vegetable soup or any of my other homemade soups. This particular recipe does use a little white flour as well, but there are also recipes in the book using 100% whole wheat.  

See how it's done here (have a pen ready to write down the ingredients!):

My husband isn't a big bread eater, but we can both agree on pizza! You can use the same master recipe mentioned above to make a pizza crust. It is so handy because you can mix it up, let it rise, put it in the fridge, and then you have fresh dough ready for pizzas at a moments notice (the dough lasts up to two weeks in the fridge). 

So to make the pizza, take the dough out of the fridge, divide off about one pound of dough (the master recipe makes 4 pounds) and roll it out onto a well greased pizza pan. In the book they put the crust on a pizza peel with cornmeal and slide it onto a baking stone, but a pizza pan works fine too if you don't have a stone. 

Then you put the toppings on (the dough doesn't need to rise).  For  toppings I usually put on diced tomatoes and some italian seasoning, topped with a little shredded mozzarella cheese and then some vegetables ( mushrooms, olives, green peppers, red onions). Next I add some pepperoni or sausage, and then a little more mozzarella cheese. Just be careful not to put too many toppings on or it can make your pizza crust soggy.  Put it in an oven preheated to 450 degrees until it is done (probably about 15 minutes).  Enjoy!    It's easy, fast, and yummy!  Now that it is summer I plan to start making my pizzas out on the gas grill- even better :)

I've also tried the recipe for chili seasoned snack crackers using the same master recipe above.  You just roll out a half pound of dough as thin as you can (1/16th of an inch), brush on some olive oil, and sprinkle on chili powder and salt.  Then you puncture the dough with a fork so it doesn't puff up and then cut is into squares with a pizza cutter.  Then put it in a 400 degree oven.  Put some water in a metal boiler tray for steam.  Then let it cook for about 15 minutes.  If you don't get the crackers thin enough (like the ones below) they will be more like pita chips.  They are most excellent with fresh hummus dip!  I'll have to post my favorite hummus dip recipe later...

I've also tried the Whole Grain Rye bread..... MMMmmm!  

If you try making these breads I am confident you will really like them-  they taste way better than store bought bread and they are even less expensive. These breads don't have an endless shelf life, but you'll eat it right up anyways, so that doesn't matter!

Fresh Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Several months ago I was reading through my Mother Earth News magazine and I came across an article on how to make healthy whole grain bread in less than 5 minutes a day.  It doesn't involve any waiting for the yeast to rise or kneading the bread, so it sounded like a good (easy) idea to me.  The first recipe I made was the 10 grain bread from the magazine article.  You just mix the dry ingredients together (which includes Bob's Red Mill 10-grain hot cereal), add the water, and let it sit on the counter for 2 hours.  Then you put it in the fridge overnight.  The next day you take out part of the dough (there is enough for four loaves) and then let it rise for 90 minuets.  Then you put it in the oven and before you know it you have fresh bread (for 4 days)!  

The bread was great with soup.  It was a bit heavier than I am used to, but definitely good. 

This recipe was originally printed in the book called Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day, the second book by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois. 

I then decided I was interested in learning more about this bread making technique, so I ordered their first book called Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day from the interlibrary loan program (I don't live anywhere near a bookstore!). I tried the most basic recipe, a artisan free form loaf made with white flour.  It was SO easy (and I've never made bread before), plus it was really tasty, especially right out of the oven. 

See how it is done here: 
(Have a pen ready to write down the recipe!)

Oh, and the cool thing is- they are even from Minnesota :D

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm not the greatest cookie maker out there, but we have been enjoying these whole wheat cookies lately for special treats. They are still a sugary treat, but at least they have some whole wheat goodness in them!  I mix up a batch and freeze them unbaked. Then when we want some cookies we just bake a few.  That way we don't end up eating an entire batch of cookies in two days and they are always fresh and warm!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts

Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl.  In a medium bowl combine sugars and butter, beating with a mixer until creamy.  Add vanilla.  Add eggs one at a time, beating one minute after each addition. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well.  Mix in chocolate chips and nuts. 

Drop scoops of cookie dough onto a cookie sheet or plate and put in the freezer for 3 hours or until hard.  Place in a sealed plastic bag and put back in the freezer until ready to bake.  

When you want some cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Place frozen cookies on a baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes or until they look just right. Enjoy!

Healthy Banana Bread

I found this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine.  It is really moist and sweet, but there actually isn't much sugar in it! It also has healthy bran, flax, and walnuts in it.  We like it for breakfast with some peanut butter on top or just plain for a snack.  You can freeze your over ripe bananas so you have them ready when you want to make some bread.  

Banana Bread

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup wheat bran
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup ground flaxmeal
• 1 tsp each baking soda 
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1-1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas
• 3/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan lightly with cooking spray.
• 
  
• In a large bowl combine the first 8 dry ingredients. In a medium bowl mix 5 wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Mix in nuts and chocolate chips, being careful not to overmix the batter.
• 
  
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until knife inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Cool loaf in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove loaf from pan and cool completely on rack. Store at room temperature in an airtight bag.
• 
  
• Makes 1 large loaf, 16 slices. Each slice had about 175 calories.
• 
  

My Granola Recipe

I want to share with you my favorite granola recipe- one I wrote myself after trying several different recipes.  I have been eating this granola for breakfast for at least four years now, and I'm not sick of it yet!  Okay, I don't eat it every day, but I do eat it pretty often.  Lately I've been eating it with plain unsweetened yogurt, but I have also eaten it with Kefir in the past.  I chose the flax meal, walnuts and canola oil because they are all rich in Omega-3 fatty acid, which I'm sure you know is important for many reasons.  The main ingredient is oatmeal, which is good for many things- including combating depression.  It also contains a the natural sugar honey, rather than corn syrup or white sugar. So without further delay, here is the recipe:

Sarah's Granola

6 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup flax meal

1-2 cups chopped walnuts

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons cinnamon

3 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup raisins

1 cup crasins (dried cranberries)

Preheat oven to 275 degrees

Mix the first 3 dry ingredients in a large bowl. 

Warm up honey and oil in the microwave in a glass measuring cup.

Add salt, cinnamon, and vanilla. 

Pour over dry ingredients and mix well.  

Divide between two cookie sheets with edges or two rectangle cake pans.

Bake for 30 minutes stirring once after 15 minutes.

Cool. Add dried fruit. Store in a ziplock bag or airtight container.  

I figured serving size to be 1/2 cup which makes about 22 servings total.  1/2 cup has about 240 calories. 

If you try it, let me know what you think.

I hope you enjoy!

  

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread

This winter I've been working at baking with whole grains instead of processed.  This is one of the recipes that I've been making lately.  Last summer I grated lots and lots of zucchini from our garden and froze it in two cup portions so I would be able to make zucchini bread all winter. Compared to my previous recipe, this recipe uses half of the oil, half of the sugar (in honey form instead of white sugar), and whole wheat flour instead of white flour.  Surprisingly it is just as good- really!  It's a little less cake like and a little more bread like, but just as delicious.  We eat it for midday snacks with peanut butter on it.  

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread

3 cups whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup honey

1/2 cup canola oil

3 eggs

2 cups shredded zucchini

In a large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients.  Then add the rest of the ingredients and mix until just moistened.  Pour into 2 greased loaf pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.  

Enjoy and then let me know what you think!