Steel Cut Oats

1 cup steel cut oats
4 cups of water (less water if you like thick oatmeal)
1/2 cup of half and half
1 pink lady or granny smith apple (diced)
3 cinnamon sticks
4-6 dashes of nutmeg (1tsp)
1tsp vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients into a crock-pot and cook on low for 8-10hours(overnight).  Yummy goodness when you wake up!!

Toppings or extras:
Throw in some dried cranberries or raisins...you can do this in the beginning or on the top after the oats are all cooked.  Add some walnuts, pecans or sliced banana's if you want as well.  Brown sugar is not needed, as it is already sweet....so taste it first :)

Yields 4-6 servings:
193calories per serving (4servings)
128 calories per serving (6servings)
Calories do not included added toppings or extra's

Black Bean Salad

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup quartered grape tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon Olive Oil

Combine all the ingredients and toss well.

Yields: 4 servings (1/2cup each serving)
85 calories per serving, 4g fat, 3.3g protein, 14.8g carbs. 4.7g fiber

Dig in!!!!!

Spinach & Feta Turkey Burgers w/ Caramelized Balsamic Onions

Ingredients

1lb lean ground Turkey
1 package of Cream of Spinach (powdered. Knorr's brand is best)
1 cup Feta Cheese (regular or low fat)
1 egg
8-10 shakes of Mrs. dash Table blend
1 large spoonful of minced garlic

Directions

Mix all items together in a bowl, form into 4 burger patties.  Grill on pan pr broil in oven until cooked thoroughly.  Top with Onions (follow recipe on blog).  I like to serve it with Sweet Potato Fries or a Green Salad.

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients

1 Large Sweet Potato per person (I prefer to use Yams, much better sweetness...I have also used Fingerling Potatoes or Russet in a pinch)
1 TBSP Minced Garlic
1/2 TBSP Mrs. Dash Table Blend or Lemon Pepper
2 TBSP Fresh Chopped Basil
1 TBSP EVOO
Salt and Pepper (a dash of each)

Cut potatoes into 1/4 in - 1/2 in wedges, make sure to keep skin on potatoes.  Place in a Ziploc bag.  Add all other ingredients into the bag, seal and shake until all potatoes are well coated.  Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until potatoes are cooked thoroughly.  Serve with Garlic and Mayo dipping sauce (recipe below)



Garlic and Mayo Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1 TBSP Lemon Juice
1 TBSP Minced Garlic

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, add a little more of any ingredient depending on your taste buds :)

Pesto

Recipe is subject to the amount desired by individual.  I typically use a handfull of basil for one person, 1 TBSP garlic and 2+ Sun-dried tomatoes.

Fresh Basil Leaves
Minced Garlic
Sun-dried Tomatoes (packed in oil or rehydrate)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

In a food processor, combine Basil, Garlic and Sun-dried tomatoes.  Pulse till well blended.  Slowly add EVOO while still blending...until desired consistency (a medium thickness paste)

Banana Cream Salad w/ Pineapple Dressing

Salad Recipe: use as a side dish or dessert

16oz Cream Cheese (light – Do not use Non-fat

4TB Mayonnaise

3TB Lemon Juice (add to fruit)

2sm Cans Crushed Pineapple (save juice for pineapple sauce)

2/3 cup Chopped Walnuts

5-6 Med Bananas (diced)

½cup Maraschino cherries (chopped)

1 container Light Cool Whip

    (may substitute whipped heavy cream)

Squeeze out pineapple juice until fruit looks dry and put aside for sauce

Add Lemon Juice to prepared fruit

Soften cream cheese and mayonnaise until creamy

Add Walnuts to fruit

Add and fold in cream cheese mixture

Add and fold in cool whip

Put into glass serving dish

PINEAPPLE DRESSING 

Need double boiler - If you do not have one, put a metal bowl on top of a pot containing water.

¼ CUP sugar

Dash Celery Salt

2 TB Cornstarch

1½ cups Pineapple Juice (add water if necessary) **

4 slightly beaten egg yolks (may use egg beaters – sauce will be fluffy rather than pudding like)

¼ cup lemon juice

Mix Sugar, cornstarch, celery salt, and set in the top of a double boiler, stir in the pineapple juice.

Cook over boiling water, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and looks clear like.

Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Take a tablespoon of the cooked mixture and add to slightly beaten egg yolks – do this about three times.  Then add egg yolk mixture to the sauce in the double boiler.

Cook over hot water; stirring constantly for 3 minutes; remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. 

Put in a serving container, cover and chill until ready to serve.

Tablespoon Dressing over individual salad servings.

If you are making a double batch you cannot double the ingredients, you must make two separate batches of sauce.

ORANGE DRESSING

**Substitute orange juice for the pineapple juice.

Gideon's Cranberries

1 Navel Orange
1 1/2 Cups Organic Cane Sugar
1/2 Cup Chopped Toasted Pecans
1/2 TBSP Grated Ginger
4 cups Fresh Whole Cranberries

Grate Orange Peel and combine sugar and ginger in a medium sauce pan.  Juice the orange and add the juice to the sauce pan.  Simmer on Medium heat until sugar is dissolved.  Add cranberries and cook until they pop...about 5 to 10 minutes.  Add pecans and cool.  Best if cooled over night.