He’s a pretty normal kid, too, so I think there’s a good chance you and yours will also enjoy this easy and fairly healthy snack.

Fruit Nuggets

2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs

half cup finely group ginger snaps OR graham cracker crumbs

half teaspoon cinnamon

half teaspoon nutmeg

half teaspoon ginger

2 cups assorted dried fruit (apples, raisins, dates, apricots, whatever you have)

half cup orange juice

2-3 Tablespoons honey

Combine graham cracker and ginger snap crumbs in spices in med bowl.  Finely chop fruit in food processor or by hand. (I used my food processor to turn the crackers and cookies into crumbs as well)  Add crumbs to the fruit in the food processor, if it’s big enough.  If not, combine in a large bowl.

Add orange juice and honey, stir or mix until it all holds together. Roll into one inch balls.  Store in an air tight container at room temp or in the fridge.

My son loved these so much that he took them to share with his friends, who also thought they were very good.  Now I have to make more. 

My oldest child is 15.  He brings his friends over to our house a lot.  These boys, mostly brought up on McDonald’s, Mountain Dew, and school cafeteria lunches, are my very favorite taste testers.  My theory is that if they will eat something healthy and like it, I’ve got a winner recipe on my hands.

So far, my son’s friends have tried, and liked, all of the following:

Teeccino

Yerba mate teas

water flavored with grape stevia (and other flavors)

and their greatest rave review is for…

HEALTHY ICE CREAM!

They ALL love it, and always want more.  So, this isn’t just for the hard core health nuts.  This is Good Stuff!

Most importantly you need a good food processor or Vita Mix.  You could try this in a blender, but you need to make it in much smaller batches.

Secondly, you need bananas.  Any time you see bananas that are speckled with brown and marked down to 15-25 cents per pound, buy them!  I bring them home, peel them, lay them down side by side in a larger rectangular Tupperware container, and then use an ordinary dinner knife to cut through the bananas (about a half inch thick, but it really doesn’t matter).  Put the seal on the container and stick it in the freezer.  (These are not only wonderful for healthy ice cream, but I also use them in smoothies, banana bread, and more)

Once you’ve got frozen bananas, you’re ready to make ice cream.

I normally use about one banana per person that will be eating the ice cream.  Put the bananas into the food processor.  If possible, add 4 or 5 frozen unsweetened strawberries. (the strawberries help the ice cream hold it’s ice cream consistency longer) Chop it all up very well in the food processor.

Then add a little bit of milk, rice milk, coconut milk, or any other milk-like liquid while the food processor is going round and round.  Once the consistency resembles soft serve ice cream, stop adding the milk.

Now, if you want strawberry ice cream, just add some more strawberries and a teaspoon or so of vanilla extract, whiz it up some more, and eat!

If you want chocolate ice cream, you should add cocoa or carob powder by the Tablespoonfuls until the ice cream looks chocolatey. (keep the food processor going and give it time to mix up before you add another spoonful of powder)  Then add honey by the Tablespoonful until the ice cream is sweetened enough.  Start with 2 Tablespoons and take a taste.

As you can see, this is a very “cooking from the hip” kind of recipe.  Basically, you just add the elements until they do what they’re supposed to do.  You can continue to tweak it until you’ve got it just right.

My whole family loves to have healthy ice cream for a treat, and sometimes we even have it for breakfast.  I have added chopped up figs to the chocolate ice cream.  You can also add healthy peanut butter if you like a Charlie Brown kind of ice cream.

You could also substitute other fruits for the strawberries.  For instance, now is a good time to make peach ice cream.  Use your imagination.  It’s really good!

As far as freezing it, this recipe is best when made fresh, but you can freeze it with decent success.  I have best results when using shallow, small, rectangular containers to freeze the ice cream in.  You need to pull it out of the freezer awhile before you want to eat it, to give it time to thaw a bit.  Not as perfect as when it’s fresh, but it makes a good, quick, healthy snack.

Another use for leftover healthy ice cream is to dehydrate it.  I have poured leftover healthy ice cream onto teflex sheets and dehydrated it at a low temperature.  It turned out like fruit roll ups, except chocolatey, which was awesome.  Chocolate chewey yumminess without sugar!

This was my first attempt at making calzones. I think they turned out pretty good.  The children enjoyed them, and I ended up with enough to have leftovers in the freezer for dinner some other time!

First, for the dough, I combined:

2 cups hot water

2 Tablespoons of yeast

whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons sugar (later I realized I should have used honey)

For the amount of flour, you just add flour while the kneading bar goes round and round.  You keep adding flour until the sides of the bowl are clean when the dough spins around.  You want to get just enough flour to get to the point where the sides and bottom of the bowl are clean, but no more than that.

For the filling combine in a skillet:

1 cup shredded zucchini

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/4 cup bell peppers

1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with garlic, undrained or the real tomato equivalent

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Cook over med high heat, stirring, until the liquid from the tomatoes is gone.  (about 10 min)

Cool slightly, then add:

1 cup fat free ricotta cheese

2 cups shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

To assemble the calzones, you need to roll out the dough.  You can roll it in circles, or rectangles of any size.  For some of ours I used my Pampered Chef Cut-n-Seal which made cute little circles that the kids were very excited about.  For others I made long rectangles of rolled out dough, added the filling down the middle, and then wrapped up with sides.
Once you have all your dough and filling used up, bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.  We enjoyed serving it with warmed spaghetti saucefor dipping.

If I had it to do over again, I would add some garlic to the dough, and probably add soem garlic butter or garlic salt to the outside of the calzones before baking.  It would add fat, but it would have been more flavorful.

With the filling, you can add or delete any of the ingredients you like.  I made a few calzones with spaghetti sauce and pepperoni for two of my children (yes, pepperoni is meat…it was left over from our last shopping trip.    ).  I think more zucchini would have been nice in this recipe, and this is the time of year for it.  Shredded carrots would have been good, too.  You could even add cooked beans in this.  Oh!  And spinach would work well also.

A very versatile recipe, and one you can certainly make with all whole foods without sacrificing anything!  I love that.  Don’t you?

The other day I made this for lunch.  I think it’s great, but the rest of the family didn’t.  So, more for me!  I’ve been eating it for leftovers for breakfast, lunch, and dinner ever since!  This is very easy to make and is definitely appropriate for any meal of the day, snacks, or even hors d’oevres.

Spray a 9×13 pan with no-stick spray.  (Olive oil is a good one and can be found in most stores)

Sprinkle 1-2 Tablespoons of dry bread crumbs on the bottom of the pan.  (If you can use whole wheat bread crumbs that would be ideal.  I save our scraps of bread and make my own bread crumbs in the food processor and store it in the freezer)

In a bowl, combine

2 cups fat-free cottage cheese

1.5 cups shredded fat-free Cheddar cheese

2 eggs

6 Tablespoons whole wheat flour

1 package (10 ounces) of frozen, chopped spinach that is thawed and drained (I put my frozen block of spinach in a colander in the sink several hours before I want to use it, so that it’s ready to go when I am)

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions and tops

1/4 cup chopped bell peppers or pimiento

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Stir all those ingredients together and then spread on top of the bread crumbs.

Bake at 350 until set and lightly brown, approx 35-40 minutes.  Let sit to cool for 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

Enjoy!

Anyone who has read very much of my writings about healthy food knows that I love my healthy lemonade recipe.  While it is my very favorite drink, another popular one is peppermint tea.

Peppermint tea is one of the few things you can drink aside from water that qualifies as a whole food!

It’s really simple to make, too. You can use your coffee maker and it’s super easy.  Use a regular coffee liner.  Use a half cup of dry peppermint in the filter basket, and fill up your 10-cup coffee maker with water.  Brew it.  Pour it into a jar or pitcher and stick it in the refrigerator.  Voila!  Tea is ready.

And if you would prefer your tea to be sweetened, you can use regular stevia or the peppermint flavor liquid stevia!  Either way, it’s good for you, good for your digestion, and very refreshing.  (Cheap, too.)

If you get a bulk amount of  peppermint tea (Frontiers sells a one pound bag of it.  Get the organic!  or, grow your own!    ) just measure out a half cup of the dry mint.  Using your coffee maker and a regular coffee liner, put yoru half cup of dry mint

This recipe is great for those who are lactose intolerance or who want to limit their dairy intake for any reason.

Ingredients:

18 oz. chicken breast, cut into small pieces (1/2″ square)
1/2 c. onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (14.5 oz.) of diced tomato
1 1/2 c. sliced mushrooms
1/3 c. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1/4 c. tomato paste
cooking spray
3 1/3 c. cooked pasta (try to use whole wheat or brown rice pasta for an even healthier choice)

Instructions:

Spray skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Sauté onion, garlic and mushrooms for approximately 5 minutes over low heat. Add raw chicken pieces. Cook chicken over medium high heat until no longer pink. Once chicken is cooked, add tomatoes, paste, balsamic vinegar, and spices to the mixture. Mix together and simmer over medium low heat for 20 minutes.

Serve with a side of garlic bread and your favorite vegetable.

2 plums, stoned and cut in half
2 ripe pears, cored and roughly chopped
10 strawberries, stems and top removed
1 banana

Tip: If you’re using organic fruits then it’s a good idea to leave the peel on as it contains lots of vitamins and nutrients. If you’re using non-organic fruits, then it may be best to peel them before using.

Blend all the fruit until smooth and enjoy! For a chunkier texture smoothie, chop us some extra strawberries, place them in your glass, fill with the smoothie and enjoy.

Fruit Facts:

Strawberries contain the anti-cancer compound called ellagitannin which has been known to help prevent cancer.
Bananas are rich in potassium are great for lowering high blood pressure, perfect at the end of a stressful day.
Plums are rich in bromelain, which can help the body digest protein. Plums also provide a good source of antioxidants.
Pears are a great source of vitamin C and copper, antioxidants which protect the body from the damage caused by free radicals, great anti-aging food!

Tangy, crimson-colored dried cranberries and toasted pecans are a dynamic combination in this special salad. If you plan to make it more than 2 hours in advance, hold back on adding the cucumbers until serving time so they will retain their special crunch.

Ingredients:

1 cup shelled pecans
1 1/2 cups couscous
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 cups boiling water
1 cup thawed frozen peas
3 scallions, very thinly sliced
2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil

Lemon Dressing Ingredients:

Zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 /2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast pecans in a shallow pan until fragrant, approximately 5-7 minutes. Set aside. Place the couscous, cranberries, and turmeric in a large bowl. Pour in the boiling water, stir, then cover the bowl with a large plate or foil. Let sit for 10 minutes. Remove cover and fluff the couscous with a fork. Cover again and let sit 5 more minutes. Stir in the pecans, peas, scallions, cucumbers, and basil.

Combine e dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously. Pour over the couscous mixture and stir. Let the salad sit at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to blend. If longer than 1 hour, cover and chill, but then bring the salad to room temperature before serving.

Tip: If salad is prepared more than an hour ahead of serving, wait to add cucumbers until serving time.

My husband made one of my favorite meals today for lunch, so I thought I would share it with you here.

Ingredients:

Fresh corn on the cob
Fresh tomatoes
sweet onion
salt, pepper

Just cut the corn off the cob and put into a skillet. Add a little water, cover, and heat until the corn is gently cooked. (you can do more or less according to how you like it) Chop up some tomatoes and onions and add it to the corn in the skillet. Heat through. Add salt and pepper. Serve!

It’s simple and yummy. You could even do the whole thing raw–just toss it all together and serve! If you are looking for a heartier meal, you could add some cooked, chopped chicken to it.

2 kiwi fruits, peeled and cut in half
1 apple, cored and roughly chopped
10 strawberries, stem and top peeled off
Cinnamon powder

Tip: It is really up to you whether or not you peel the fruit. If you’re using organic fruits then it’s a good idea to leave the peel on as it contains lots of vitamins and nutrients. If you’re using non-organic fruits, then it may be best to peel them before using.

Blend all the fruit until smooth and sprinkle with a little cinnamon.
Cinnamon has been shown to help control blood sugar levels, which is great for avoiding energy slumps.

Fruit Facts:

Kiwi is a power food with tons of nutrients and has been shown to help protect the heart too.
The pectin in apples may help lower cholesterol levels – as the saying goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away!
Strawberries provide a good source of antioxidants