Cranberry Apple Crisp Recipe

Cranberry Apple Crisp Recipe photo by Taste of Home

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 15 min. Bake: 50 min.
YIELD:6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups chopped peeled tart apples
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
TOPPING:
1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine apples, cranberries, sugar and flour. Pour into a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish. In a bowl, mix topping ingredients until crumbly; sprinkle over apple mixture. Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until fruit is tender. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Nutritional Facts
1 serving (1 each) equals 407 calories, 15 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 31 mg cholesterol, 122 mg sodium, 66 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein.

Recipe from mom, originally from Taste Of Home

Fresh Orange Smoothie (“Orange Julius”)

A healthy orange smoothie made with FRESH oranges, and your choice of milk and sweetener. Enjoy this fresh orange smoothie ("Orange Julius") recipe today!

Prep: 5 mins Total: 5 mins

Ingredients:
4 fresh oranges, peeled
2 cups ice
1/3 cup milk (your preference - regular, soy, coconut, etc.)
1-2 tablespoons honey (or agave or your desired sweetener), if needed
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth.  Add more ice if you would like.

Recipe  from http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/fresh-orange-smoothie-orange-julius/

Notes: I thought it needed to be strained of pulp and/or add milk to the recipe.

Smoothie Peanut Butter Banana

Makes approximately 26 ounces

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt

1/2 cup milk

1 banana

1 cup greens (lettuce/kale/whatever you have)

1 tablespoon peanut butter

Smoothie Turmeric Tonic

Smoothie Orange Beet Mixer

Smoothie Sweet Bok Choy

Smoothie A Pear of Beets

Smoothie Sweet Potato Apple Bake

We used Cinnamon instead of Allspice

Smoothie Berry Protein Bash

Green Applecado Smoothie

INGREDIENTS
1 banana
1 cup water
1.5 cups kale
1/2 avocado
1 apple

DIRECTIONS
Put all ingredients into Vitamix. Set to smoothie setting on Vitamix and let program run to completion.
Good the next day. If you want to drink immediately replace water or some of fruit for frozen.

NOTES
Serves 1 (approximately 20 ounces)
It was very thick. Try more water.
Future Avocado recipes to try: http://www.healthysmoothiehq.com/avocado-smoothie-recipes

Coconut + M&M Magic Bars

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 25 mins, Cool Off time: at least an hour, Total time: 1 hour 35 mins
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 12 - 16

Ingredients
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (or even 2 cups!)
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups shredded coconut (recipe can be made without coconuts)
1 package semi sweet chocolate chips (12 ounces)
4 packages plain M&M’s (1.69oz x 4)
2 cups salted peanuts
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Line a 9x13 glass pan with parchment paper. Also works well with an 8x8 tin container.
3. In glass bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs and margarine.
4. Press evenly into pan.
5. Top with coconut, chocolate chips, M&M’s, and peanuts.
6. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over bars. Top it off with some more M&Ms for looks.
7. Bake for 25 minutes.
8. Cool at least an hour so it's not too liquidy, then cut into squares.

Recipe by Simply Shellie

Hummus

Yield: 3.75 c ( 360 g )
Total Time: 11 Minutes

Ingredients:
15 ounces canned chick peas (garbanzos), drained
15 ounces canned chick peas (garbanzos), with liquid
1/4 cup (35 g) raw sesame seeds
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) 2 lemon juice
1/4 cup water (possibly change recipe to use less water)
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 teaspoon ground cumin (double this portion)
Also good to add Paprika
Salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Place ingredients into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure lid.
2. Select Puree setting.
3. Let the whole program run.
4. Recommendation to add olive oil and paprika or cayenne pepper or something to add a special flavor! Maybe roasted red peppers or olives.

Lasts 4 to 5 days in fridge. Can freeze also.

Cost: 

$4.65 for 4 cups

2 - 2 cans chickpears

.65 lemon juice

2 sesame seeds

Blackberry Pear Smoothie

Ingredients
1 Cup (240 g Plain Yogurt
2/3 Cup (160 ml) Water
2 Bananas, Peeled
1 Pear, Halved, Cored
1 Apple, Halved, Cored
2 Cups (280 g) Frozen Blackberries

Directions 
1) Place all ingredients into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure lid
(2) Select Purée Program
(3) Switch machine to Start and allow machine to complete programmed cycle

Nutritional Information
Per 1 Cup (240 ml) Serving: Calories: 142, TotalFat: 1 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Protein: 4g, Fiber: 6 g, Carbohydrates: 31 g, Sodium: 38 mg, Cholesterol: 4 mg

Servings 
Approximately four 15 ounce smoothies

Cost
$10.00 for all ingredients, or $2.50 per serving

5.5 frozen fruit
1 yogurt (buying bulk)
1.50 apple
1 pear

1 bananas

15 Minute Apple Dumplings Dessert

Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 40 mins
Total time: 55 mins
Serves: 16




Ingredients
2 (8 ounce) cans crescent rolls
1.5 sticks butter
1½ cups brown sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup 7 Up (or other lemon soda)
2 apples (Golden Delicious or Granny Smith)


Instructions
1. Butter a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
2. Preheat the oven at 350 F.
3. Peel and core apples, then cut each apple into 8 slices
4. Open up the two crescent roll packages. They will each have 8 triangle shaped flat crescent rolls. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll and place in a buttered dish.
5. Melt butter, stir in sugar, vanilla and cinnamon, and when it’s thickened, remove from heat and pour over the dumplings.
6. Pour the soda in the middle and along the edges of a pan (not over the rolls).
7. Bake for 35­ to 45 minutes, or until they become golden brown.
8. Serve warm.

Recipe is a slightly modified from OMG Chocolate Desserts version. 

Napa Cabbage-and-Sweet Peppers Slaw

Picture from SL Recipe

Yield: MAKES about 4 1/2 cups, probably 6 servings
Hands on: 25 minutes
Total time: 8 Hours, 25 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup honey
2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
4 cups chopped napa cabbage
1 cup seeded and thinly sliced sweet mini peppers
1/4 large red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Preparation:
1. Stir together first 3 ingredients and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

2. Toss together cabbage and next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Transfer to a jar; add vinegar mixture, and screw on lid. Chill 8 to 12 hours, turning occasionally. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days.

Notes:
From Southern Living MAY 2015. This issue had a couple other chow chow slaw recipes I wanted to try.

The 50 Healthiest Foods of All Time

Time Magazine published the 50 Healthiest Foods of All Time
I put in bold & underlined those I should make an effort to eat more of.

1. Bananas
2. Raspberries
3. Oranges
4. Kiwi
5. Pomegranates
6. Blueberries
7. Grapefruit
8. Tangerines
9. Avocado
10. Tomatoes
11. Eggplant
12. Swiss chard
13. Mushrooms
14. Kale
15. Broccoli Sprouts
16. Fennel
17. Garlic
18. Sweet potatoes
19. Beets
20. Spinach
21. Cauliflower
22. Collard greens
23. Onions
24. Winter Squash
25. Tuna
26. Sardines
27. Anchovies
28. Salmon
29. Poultry (Dark Meat)
30. Whole Wheat Bread
31. Quinoa
32. Hemp Seeds
33. Rolled Oats
34. Kamut
35. Lentils
36. Farro
37. Walnuts
38. Almonds
39. Chia Seeds
40. Flaxseeds
41. Eggs
42. Kefir
43. 2% Greek Yogurt
44. Coconut Oil
45. Olive Oil
46. Cumin
47. Turmeric
48. Cinnamon
49. Rooibos Tea
50. Red Wine

DIY Standing Desk

My standing desk cost less than $150, here's how:

$135 purchases made on Amazon:

Wireless keyboard


Wireless mouse


Laptop table stand


Anti-fatigue comfort mat

$15 spent of wood at Home Depot for monitor stand

Includes travel friendly stand, cordless mouse and keyboard, monitor stand, and foot cushion. 

Spring Pea Orzo

Photo: Helen Norman; Styling: Carrie Purcell

Ready in 25 minutes

DIRECTIONS
3 to 4 lemons
8 ounces uncooked orzo pasta (whole wheat optional)
1/4 cup minced shallot or red onion
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked fresh or frozen peas
1 cup snow peas or sugar snap peas, blanched and chopped (I used frozen green beans)
1 cup assorted chopped fresh herbs (such as mint, chives, and parsley)
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Optional - Athenos, Crumbled Feta with Garlic and Herbs, 4 oz

PREPARATION
1. Grate zest from lemons to equal 2 tsp. Cut lemons in half; squeeze juice from lemons to equal 1/2 cup.

2. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Whisk together shallots, next 4 ingredients, and lemon juice. Toss together pasta and shallot mixture. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill 1 to 48 hours.

3. Toss together pasta, peas, snow peas, next 2 ingredients, and lemon zest just before serving. Add salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice to taste. Sprinkle with feta cheese.

NOTES: from Southern Living's April 2014 issue. Reviews mentioned to use less shallots, lemon and mustard. 

Hasselback Potatoes

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Yield 4 people

Difficulty Easy

True original recipe from Stockholm, Sweden. You can improve by adding bacon or cheese! These hasselback potatoes are ready in about an hour and serves 4 people.

Ingredients

• 4 big waxy potatoes
• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• salt and pepper to taste

Temperature 400 or 425 for 50 minutes. Add more butter 20 minutes before done.

Recipe and picture from oh my dish.

Red Velvet (Beet) Brownies (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

Receipe from Mind Body Green: Skip the red food dye and add some detox-friendly beets to your brownies! A healthy take on the classic dessert, with a rich and creamy cashew frosting.

Ingredients
1 cup raw beets, chopped (approximately 1 large beet, peeled & chopped)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup agave
2 Tbsp. vegan chocolate chips
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. raw cacao
2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
2 Tbsp. coconut flour

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a square (8x8) pan with parchment paper and set aside.

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse beets until very finely chopped.

In a small saucepan, add coconut oil, agave, vegan chocolate chips and vanilla. Melt over low heat.

Add to beet mixture and purée until smooth.

Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor and purée until fully combined.

Spread evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Cool completely.

Top with the creamy cashew frosting (recipe below) and cut into squares. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Creamy Cashew Frosting Ingredients
1 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup boiling water
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. agave 1 tsp. coconut oil

Directions
Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and purée until smooth and creamy. Pour into a bowl and chill before frosting the brownies.

Notes
I used honey instead of agave.
I don't have a high speed blender, so I used a food processor. Frosting could have turned out smoother if used a blender... Interested in finding a different frosting recipe.