Honey Coconut Granola

I found a recipe online for granola and then made a bunch of modifications. It turned out AWESOME. Stephen and I both love it. The measurements here are sort of approximate since I was making it up a bit as I went along. Make your own adjustments if you like it sweeter or with more nuts, or whatever. This recipe is not very sweet, but just sweet enough for our taste.

Honey Coconut Granola

5 C oats
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup oil
1-2 tsp cinnamon

1-2 tsp vanilla
1 C shredded coconut
1/2 C slivered (or chopped) almonds and/or pecans

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix honey, oil, cinnamon and vanilla together. Mix in the rest of the ingredients. Spread onto two cookie sheets. Bake in oven for 15 minutes. Take out and stir, then put back in for 5 or so more minutes. Cook to desired crunchiness.

Pork and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Pork and Broccoli Stir-Fry Recipe with Ginger and Hoisin Sauce

Sooooo good. Tasted and looked like a restaurant dish. And it was really easy to make. Very healthy I think too. Just go easy on the oil.

Cut pork into same-size strips and let it marinate in a mixture of soy sauce, sherry, and cornstarch while you prep the other ingredients.

Wash broccoli and cut into same size pieces. To prevent little crumbles of broccoli, cut through the stem and them pull the heads apart. (I don't remember where I learned that trick, but I love it!)

Don't forget to pre-heat the wok before adding the oil. (Don't you just love the looks of my new wok?)

Add the peanut oil and let it heat until it looks shimmery, then add the garlic and ginger and cook about 30 seconds to "season the oil." It's important to remove all this before it gets brown or it can make the oil taste bitter.

Add broccoli to the hot wok and cook about 3 minutes, stirring often. (Some Asian cookbooks say to use a bit of water and put the lid on the wok to steam the vegetables, but I like to keep them more crispy.)

Remove broccoli to a plate, add a tiny bit more oil and then add pork with marinating liquid and cook 3-4 minutes, until it's firm and slightly browned.

If you're using fresh minced ginger and garlic, add it and cook about 1 minute before adding the rest of the sauce. If you're lazy like me and use garlic and ginger puree from a jar, it can be stirred into the sauce. Cook vegetables with the sauce for only about 1-2 minutes more so the broccoli stays crisp.

Pork and Broccoli Stir-Fry with Ginger and Hoisin Sauce
(Makes about 3-4 servings, recipe slightly adapted from The Sugar Solution Cookbook.)

1 lb. pork tenderloin (2 boneless pork loin chops were perfect)
2 T soy sauce
1 T dry sherry
1 T cornstarch (or arrowroot starch)
4 cups broccoli flowerets, cut into same size pieces
1-2 T peanut oil (depending on your pan)
4-5 slices fresh ginger root
4-5 sliced garlic cloves

sauce:
2 tsp. ginger puree (also called ground ginger, or use finely minced fresh ginger root)
2 tsp. garlic puree (also called ground garlic, or use finely minced garlic cloves)
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 T Hoisin sauce *see below for homemade recipe if you don't have sauce on hand
pinch of red pepper flakes or a few shakes or Sriracha sauce

Trim all visible fat from pork chops and cut into strips about 1/2 inch thick and 2-3 inches long. Combine soy sauce, dry sherry, and cornstarch in bowl and add the pork strips. Stir to coat pork and let marinate while you prep the other ingredients.

Wash broccoli and cut into same-sized flowerets, keeping a few inches of stem on the pieces. If using ginger and garlic puree, combine with chicken stock, Hoisin sauce, and hot sauce or pepper flakes. (If using freshly minced ginger and garlic, keep them out of the sauce so they can have a minute or so of extra cooking time.)

Have all ingredients ready and turner and serving plate ready before you begin to stir-fry.

Heat wok over high flame or hot burner about 1 minute, until it feels hot if you put your hand over the wok. Add 1 T peanut oil and heat until the oil looks shimmery, then add garlic and ginger root slices and cook 30 seconds to one minute, just until you start to smell the garlic and ginger. Be careful to remove every bit of ginger and garlic or it will make the oil taste bitter.

Add broccoli and stir-fry, stirring often, for about 3 minutes, or until broccoli turns bright green and is barely getting tender. Remove broccoli to a plate. Add a bit more oil if needed, heat about 30 seconds, then add pork and marinating liquid. Stir-fry pork about 3-4 minutes, until it's firm and slightly browned. (If using freshly minced garlic and ginger, add now and cook about 1 minute.) Add broccoli and sauce and cook about 2 minutes more, stirring until meat and vegetables are coated with sauce and sauce is slightly thickened. (There will not be a huge amount of sauce.) Serve hot.

*Homemade Hoisin Sauce

4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons black bean paste or peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey or molasses
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons sesame oil
20 drops hot sauce
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Greek Barley and Chicken Salad

Greek Barley and Chicken Salad
I love this salad and will be making it in the future over and over again.
2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 cup uncooked pearl barley
2 cups cubed seeded cucumber
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup cubed yellow bell pepper
1/3 cup reduced-fat feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
Dressing:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
Preparation
1. To prepare salad, sprinkle chicken with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Add 1 cup broth; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until done. Cool; shred chicken. Discard broth.

2. Bring 3 cups broth to a boil in a large saucepan; add barley. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Cool. Combine chicken, barley, cucumber, and next 4 ingredients (through olives) in a large bowl.

3. To prepare dressing, combine 3 tablespoons oil, rind, and remaining ingredients; stir well. Add to barley mixture; toss well. Cover and chill.

Nutritional Information
Calories:230
Fat:9.8g (sat 2g,mono 5.7g,poly 1.1g)
Protein:18g
Carbohydrate:18.3g
Fiber:3.2g
Cholesterol:38mg
Iron:1.2mg
Sodium:611mg
Calcium:38mg

Chicken and Broccoli with Spicy Peanut Sauce

I am trying to feed my family some healthy food after all the junk we ate during December. I gained 4 lbs and Peter gained 8! I am especially looking for recipes with lots of veggies in them. Here are some of the recipes we have tried lately that we really liked.
Chicken and Broccoli with Spicy Peanut Sauce
This is awesome. Probably one of our favorite meals. Did I already post this recipe? I don't use quite that much oil and I use sesame oil because I like the flavor better. I don't know how much worse sesame oil is for you than olive oil, but that is what I use.
Ingredients:
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 cup peanut butter, (I like crunchy better, but either will work)
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons peanut or olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 4 cups chopped broccoli
• Chili-garlic sauce, optional*


Directions:
In a small bowl, blend peanut butter, water, soy sauce and sugar; set aside. In a wok or large skillet, heat oil over high heat. Add garlic and pepper; stir-fry 30 seconds. Add chicken, stir-fry until firm and white, about 5 minutes. Add broccoli, stir-fry until bright green, about 3 minutes. Stir in peanut butter mixture. Cook, stirring constantly until sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes.
*I like to add chili-garlic sauce to pb mixture to give it some extra kick. I probably use 1-2 tsp.- we like it spicy.

Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, Red Lentil Soup

Oh my gosh, I loved this soup!! You have to try it. Perfect for fall/winter. And healthy - just don't add all the butter, or use olive oil instead. Even with the butter it's still really healthy. Changes: I thought recipe said THREE sweet potatoes and TWO carrots, so I did that. I ended up loving all the sweet potatoes in it though. Didn't have any apples, so that was omitted. Didn't have chili powder, so that was omitted. Used smoked paprika instead of regular - YUM. Used water with chicken bouillon instead of vegetable broth. Added some chopped sauteed chicken so Stephen would feel like it was a complete meal :) And finally, I did not puree it. I put a little in the blender to try it and didn't like the texture. I prefer chunks.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup red lentils
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• plain yogurt

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Place the chopped sweet potatoes, carrots, apple, and onion in the pot. Stir and cook the apples and vegetables until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir the lentils, ginger, ground black pepper, salt, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and vegetable broth into the pot with the apple and vegetable mixture. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils and vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.
3. Working in batches, pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot.
4. Return the pureed soup to the cooking pot. Bring back to a simmer over medium-high heat, about 10 minutes. Add water as needed to thin the soup to your preferred consistency. Serve with yogurt for garnish.

Footnotes

• Cook's Note
• This soup is also great served with crumbled feta cheese instead of yogurt as garnish.
  
  
  Nutritional Information

  Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, and Red Lentil Soup

  Servings Per Recipe: 6

  Amount Per Serving

  Calories: 322

  • Total Fat: 9g
  • Cholesterol: 22mg
  • Sodium: 876mg
  • Total Carbs: 52.9g
  • Dietary Fiber: 9.5g
  • Protein: 9g

Jo-Ann's Power Bars Recipe - Allrecipes.com

Since we don't have a piano in our apartment, Stephen leaves early in the morning to go practice for a few hours. So I keep looking for healthy, filling recipes of easy-to-grab and go foods he can take with him for his breakfast. I've tried three different energy bars. The first I already posted on here. The second was a disaster so I'm not posting it. This is the third one I've tried and I really like it. It's a whole lot cheaper to make than the first recipe I posted. Also, I think it's a good base recipe -- easy to switch it up with different fruits/nuts/seeds for variety. In several of the reviews of this recipe, people said they added more applesauce, about 3/4 cup, to make it more moist, so I did that too. You probably could get away with not adding any oil at all since you're adding more applesauce but I didn't think of that till afterwards. Also, I ommitted the brown sugar - we don't like power bars to be super sweet and the honey gives it enough sweetness. Finally, Stephen feels like he needs more protein, so I put a half cup of protein shake powder and only put 1/4 cup or so of whole wheat flour to even it out. Don't cook too long or they will be dry -- I only cooked them for 25 min.

Jo-Ann's Power Bars Recipe - Allrecipes.com:

1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat and barley nugget cereal (e.g. Grape-Nuts™)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 (7 ounce) bag chopped dried mixed fruit
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a 9 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flour, cereal, and cinnamon. Add the egg, applesauce, honey, brown sugar, and oil. Mix well. Stir in the sunflower seeds, walnuts, and dried fruit. Spread mixture evenly in the prepared pan.
Bake 30 minutes, or until firm and lightly browned around the edges. Let cool. Use the foil to lift from the pan. Cut into bars or squares, and store in the refrigerator.

Healthy banana bread

It seems like I always have a couple of bananas lying around that have gone bad. I used to make bad-for-you types of banana bread, but I want to stop that. This recipe came out of the magazine Cooking Light and comes highly recommended. (The actual recipe calls for 2 cups white flour but wheat works just as well and, of course, is healthier.) Apparently this recipe won a bunch of awards and stuff.

Oh, and btw, when I don't have time to make banana bread but I have bananas that really need to be used soon, I just freeze them and then use them later after thawing them.

Classic Banana Bread

We love this bread's moist texture and simple flavor. Banana bread should form a crack down the center as it bakes--a sign the baking soda is doing its job.
2 cups wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
Yield: 1 loaf, 14 servings (serving size: 1 slice)
CALORIES 187 (21% from fat); FAT 4.3g (sat 2.4g,mono 1.2g,poly 0.3g); IRON 1mg; CHOLESTEROL 40mg; CALCIUM 20mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.4g; SODIUM 198mg; PROTEIN 3.3g; FIBER 1.1g
Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2003"