Health Tip of the Week: Omega-3 Recipes

Back in May I did a series on Omega Oils and I thought it would be a good idea to follow up with some great recipes to help you along the road to increasing your omega oils. Now these are for sure not the healthiest recipes, so I almost didn’t want to post them, but for those of you who hate pills, or fish, this might be an ok option from time to time to help you along the way.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Power Bars

Canola cooking spray
1 tablespoon butter or canola margarine
1/3 cup reduced-fat smooth peanut butter
2 cups miniature marshmallows, lightly packed
1 cup low-fat granola
1 cup Rice Krispies
1/3 cup ground flaxseed (golden flax works better in this recipe)

Coat an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with canola cooking spray. Put the butter, peanut butter, and marshmallows into a medium-sized microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds, or until mixture is just melted. Stir to blend.
Microwave again briefly if the mixture isn't melted or smooth. Then stir in granola, puffed rice and flaxseed.
Spread the mixture in the prepared pan, flattening it evenly with a sheet of waxed paper. Let it cool completely before cutting into 8 equal-sized bars.
Yield: 8 bars
Per serving: 207 calories, 5.5 grams protein, 31 grams carbohydrate, 8 grams of fat ( 2 grams saturated fat, 1 gram monounsaturated fat, 1.8 grams polyunsaturated fat) , 4 milligrams cholesterol, 3 grams fiber, 174 milligrams sodium. Calories from fat: 35%. Omega-3 fatty acids = 1 gram, Omega-6 fatty acids = 0.7 gram.

Mocha-ccino Freeze

1 cup low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt or light vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup strong decaf coffee, chilled
1 cup ice cubes
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

Add all ingredients to your blender or food processor
Blend on highest speed until smooth (about 10 seconds). Scrape sides of blender, and blend again for five more seconds.
Pour into two glasses and enjoy!
Yield: 2 smoothies.
Per serving: 157 calories, 7 grams protein, 23 grams carbohydrate, 4.5 grams fat ( 1.3 saturated fat, 1 grams monounsaturated fat, 1.9 grams polyunsaturated fat), 7 milligrams cholesterol, 2.3 grams fiber, 79 milligrams sodium. Calories from fat: 26%. Omega-3 fatty acids = 1.5 grams. Omega-6 fatty acids = 0.4 gram.
Both recipes are from The Flax Cookbook by Elaine Magee

The best pancakes I've ever had, and my attempt at syrup

Marshall and I bought this pancake mix a while ago and we finally tried to today. Marshall just got his wisdom teeth out so I've been trying to find food that are easy to eat and I thought pancakes would be a good treat.

I think pancakes are super unhealthy so these were for sure a good alternative. I almost felt healthy eating them! And you don't even notice the change in taste other then the lack of that doughy aftertaste you get from really sticky white flour foods.

I would for sure recommend this product! It's worth the money and I would definitely buy it again!

When I was in the middle of making the pancakes I realized that I had forgiven the syrup at my mother-in-laws place. What to do? I decided I'd give it a go making my own! Why not right? It couldn't be that hard right? It was super easy!

Syrup Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon maple flavored extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a saucepan, combine the white sugar, brown sugar and water. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in the maple extract and vanilla, and remove form the heat. Let cool, and serve at room temperature. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Be aware that it may crystallize a little if the container is not completely airtight.

Source

And they turned out really really well too! I didn't have the maple extract but the syrup still tasted really good and I love that I know exactly what's in it too. Not at all healthy but at least it's lacking all those added in chemicals you'd see in the one you buy at the store!

I've shared this recipe at:
Monday Mmm...Desserts, Mangia Mondays, Made By You Mondays, Make a Food - E- Friend Monday 

Snickerdoodle Cookies

Ok, so I had made myself up that list of items I was going to bake for Christmas but I was going through one of my cook books and found this recipe that I had never tried before and I had always heard such good things about these cookies, and before I knew it I had mixed up a double batch and was baking all night! And let me tell you, they're amazing!

Rating: I give these a 5 (1 being "I'll never bake them again" and 5 being "They are now one of my favorites")

Ingredients:

36 36

Servings Size

• cookies

Yield: 36 cookies

• 1 cup butter (softened)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:

Prep Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 24 mins

1. 1 Cream the first four ingredients.
2. 2 In a separate bowl, mix flour, cream of tartar, soda, and salt.
3. 3 Add to creamed mixture.
4. 4 Mix cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.
5. 5 Shape dough into balls and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
6. 6 Bake at 400°F for 8-10 minutes.

My New Popcorn Popper!

So for Christmas a couple of years ago my brother-in-law got me a popcorn popper. Just this fall it stopped working. He couldn't find the receipt, long story short the store (Sears) wouldn't do anything for me without it (even though it was still under warranty). So I told him that I wanted another one this year, but with a gift receipt!

I haven't gotten the receipt yet but I got this beauty and so far it's amazing! It's nice not having to pick up all the pieces of popcorn that the air popper fired out and bounced out of the bowl!

So in all my joy of my new machine I thought I would give you a couple of popcorn recipes as well!

Happy popping!

Carmel Popcorn

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 quarts popped popcorn

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (95 degrees C). Place popcorn in a very large bowl.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat.
3. Place in two large shallow baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.

Chocolate Popcorn

• 2 quarts popped popcorn
• 1 cup peanuts (optional)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Oil a 10x15 inch baking pan with sides.
2. Place popcorn and peanuts into a large, metal bowl, and set aside. Stir together the sugar, corn syrup, cocoa powder, and butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla, then pour over the popcorn. Stir until the popcorn is well coated. Spread the popcorn into the prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring several times.
4. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool to room temperature. Break into small clumps, and store in an airtight container.

Candy Cane Popcorn

• 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn
• 4 ounces vanilla-flavored confectioners' coating, or as needed
• 6 peppermint candy canes, crushed

1. Using an air popper, pop the popcorn, place into a large bowl, and discard unpopped kernels. Melt the confectioners' coating according to the package directions.
2. Pour the melted coating over the popcorn, and sprinkle the crushed candy canes over the mixture. Using your hands, work the candy coating and crushed candy canes all through the popcorn. Let the mixture cool, and break apart into bite-size pieces.

Italian Popcorn

• 5 cups popped popcorn
• 4 1/2 teaspoons butter, melted
• 3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese

1. Place the popcorn in a bowl. Combine the butter, Italian seasoning and garlic salt; pour over popcorn and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese; toss to coat.

Nacho Popcorn

• 10 cups popped popcorn
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Place popcorn in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine butter, paprika, cumin and red pepper flakes. Pour over popcorn and toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and toss again.

Green Bean Casserole

Oh my gosh, doesn't this look great?! I was looking for a cookie recipe and this one came up...oh I want to eat it right now so I thought I just had to share it.

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

30 ounces green beans, canned, drained * 10 3/4 ounces Cream of Mushroom Soup 3/4 cup milk 2 3/4 ounces French-fried onions 1/8 teaspoon pepper Combine green beans, soup, milk, pepper and 1/2 of the onions; gently stir together to mix well. Spread mixture in a 1 1/2 to 2 quart ovenproof casserole dish. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Top with remaining onions. Bake 5 minutes more. Cooks Note: *May substitute 18 ounces frozen cut green beans, thawed and drained. Serving Size: 6

Christmas Broken Jello??

Ok so I thought this was pretty cool!! I found it at The Food Librarian but I had to bring it back to you all!


Here's her recipe but for all the details check out the original post here!

Broken Glass Jello
(Adapted from JustJenn)

4 small boxes (3 oz. each) of Jell-O or store brand "gelatin dessert" in different colors. (I used strawberry, lime, orange and blue. My store only sells the big 6 oz. box of blue jello so I weighed 3 oz. or half of the package).

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk (don't get evaporated milk)

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin (that Knox stuff)

Happy holidays!

Easy Butternut Squash

Ok, so it seems like there are a lot of different ways to cook butternut squash, but here's the one I like the most, and it's also super easy, and yummy too!

1 Butternut Squash

Butter

Salt

Pepper

Minced Garlic

-Cut the ends off the squash and cut in half

-Spoon out all the seeds

-Poke the squash with a fork or knife (to let the butter and spices in)

-Cut up the butter and put on different parts of the flesh of the squash

-Salt & Pepper the flesh

-Spread the garlic over the squash

-Wrap in tin foil and put in the oven at 350.

It depends on how large your squash is but I cooked mine for 1 1/2 hours.

Enjoy!

Two-in-One Holiday Bar

The recipe listed below is a Pillsbury recipe but for some reason when I searched for it I couldn't find a thing on it! I ended up finding the photo and another recipe for it here, but I thought I would still type out the recipe I used because I know it's great.

I promised I would post this recipes because you ladies loved it so much at the info desk and in the nursery (at my church, the two of 3 areas I volunteer in) so here you go! I hope you enjoy it!!

Rating: I give these a 5! (1 being "I'll never bake them again" and 5 being "They are now one of my favorites")

Base:
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 cup diced mixed candies fruit
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans (I prefer slivered almonds)

Glaze:
1 cup icing sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk

Heat oven to 350F
Combine sugar, butter and beat until it's light and fluffy.
Add vanilla and egg; beat well.
Add flour; mix well.
Spread dough in ungreased 15x10x1 inch baking pan.
Sprinkle half of the pan with the candies fruit and the other half with the chocolate chips and nuts.
Press toppings lightly into the dough.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until edges are brown.
Cool for an hour.

In a small bowl combine icing sugar and milk. Add additional milk if need be.
Blend until smooth.
Drizzle over cooled bars.
Let stand until set.
Cut into bars.

Yields: 48 bars

Cherry Tea Cakes

Ok, so I found another cherry cookie but this one looks amazing too!! I think I'll wait a little while to try it out but I thought I should share it with you anyways. Don't they look amazing?

1 C Powdered Sugar
1 C Butter
1 T Cherry liquid (from the maraschino cherries)
1/2 t Almond extract
3-4 Drops red Food coloring
2 1/4 C Flour
1/2 t Salt
1/2 C Chopped drained maraschino cherries
1/2 C White chocolate chips, optional

• Beat sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add cherry liquid, almond extract, and food coloring and beat to incorporate. Beat in flour and salt. Stir in cherries (and white chocolate chips if you decide to include them).
• Shape into 1 inch balls, pat down with fingers to flatten slightly. Bake 8-10 minutes. (They are good soft, but even better when crisp like traditional shortbread, but watch them so the bottoms don’t burn.) Cool 20 minutes.
• Melt chocolate and drizzle over the cookies (optional).

Making Our Own Gingerbread House

So we decided this year we were going to try to make our own ginger bread house. We make one every year but we usually just get a kit and do it from there. I figured I'm a pretty crafty person, and I like baking so why not? So far I've made the dough, and cut everything out and it's in the oven. I'll give you some photos and play by play of the finished product but I thought I'd share the recipes and video I followed so you can get started too!

They make it look pretty easy and fun right? Not quite so easy, but still a lot of fun!

Gingerbread Recipe

1/2 cup butter, margarine or shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water


In a large mixing bowl beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until fluffy - at least three minutes. Add molasses and beat well. Combine dry ingredients and add to the batter a little at a time, mixing in each addition. You will have to use your hands to work in the last additions (Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes)

Note: This is enough for a small gingerbread house. Double the recipe if you want something bigger or you want the walls thicker



Royal Icing For Decorating Gingerbread House

1 lb. powdered sugar
1 tsp. cream of tartar
3 egg whites

Beat all ingredients until very stiff. Use as glue for assembling house. Icing will harden as it sits, so add a few drops of water as needed. Use assorted candies to decorate house

Hamburger Cupcakes!!

Someone was telling me about these the other day and so I had to look them up. What a cool idea right? I haven't come up with a reason to make them yet, but don't you worry, I will! In the mean time here's what you need. I'm not really going to explain the rest because, well the picture kind of does that for me. (And if you want to see some How To photo check this site out!)

• Fudge brownie mix box, including extra ingredients listed on box
• Yellow cake mix box, including extra ingredients listed on box
• 1 (16 oz) can white frosting
• Red, yellow, and green food coloring; can mix violet with red to make a deeper color

Homemade Oreos!!!

Wow, I think I might just add these to my Christmas baking list! So Yummy!! (And easy by the way!

Makes 25 to 30 sandwich cookies
For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar [see recipe note]
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg
For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
5. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk.

I shared this recipe at:

Herbed Spaghetti Squash

I bought a spaghetti squash but I always seem to make it a little funny and it doesn't taste that amazing. I had it at Amichi a little while ago and I swear I could have eaten just that, for likely hours! So I wanted to find that recipe and I think this is it (or the closest next thing!)

I hope you enjoy it as much as I am! I'm going to have some more right now!

Ingredients

• 1 small spaghetti squash, about 2 1/4 pounds
• 2 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped mixed soft herbs, such as basil, chives, chervil, parsley and sage
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Using a sharp knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise and place, cut side down, in a baking dish. Add enough water to come 1/2-inch up the sides of the baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes, until the squash is easily pierced with a paring knife. Turn squash over and cover with foil again and continue to cook another 15 minutes, until the squash is very tender. Remove from the oven, uncover, and allow to cool slightly. Using a spoon, remove the seeds and discard. Using a fork, gently pull the strands of squash away from the peel and place the squash strands into a mixing bowl.

Heat a skillet. Add the butter, spaghetti squash, herbs, salt and pepper and toss thoroughly but gently to heat and combine. Serve immediately or cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

Baking List for Christmas!!

So I know I’m still on the no sugar, no gluten Cadida Diet BUT I figured I would plan ahead for when I’m not and just plain plan ahead for Christmas and make my baking list for this year!!

I love to bake and I love to have a freezer full of home made goodies to pull out for guests (and mainly myself!) any time I want!

So I figured I would share my list with you guys AND I've included links to all the recipes that I posted! I also have HEAPS more under my Baking label!! Lots of good suggestions if I do say so myself!

Peanut Butter Balls
Peanut Butter Marshmallow Bar
Rum Balls
Skor Bar
Ginger Snaps
Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
Carmel Sandwich Cookies
Cranberry White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Liner Cookies
Peanut Butter Thumbs
Split Seconds
Whipped Shortbread Maraschino cherry Cookies


I am for sure open to any suggestions that you guys have!! I’m always looking for something new to add to my usual Christmas baking love list!

Happy baking everyone!!

Whipped Shortbread Maraschino Cherry Cookies

Ok, so I found another recipe I'm adding to the Christmas baking list! But why not right? It's always nice to have a couple of new items in there, new treats each year!

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 12 maraschino cherries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C.)
2. Combine butter or margarine, flour and confectioner's sugar and beat for 10 minutes.
3. Drop from teaspoon onto cookie sheet. Decorate with maraschino cherry pieces.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until bottoms are lightly browned.

(One thing I'm going to add though is a little chocolate drizzle on top. I think chocolate and cherries are just meant to be together so why keep them apart!)

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Don't these looks great? I can't wait to eat them, and lots of them!! (I think I might add some cranberries or some dehydrated raspberries!)

Rating: I give these a 4 (1 being "I'll never bake them again" and 5 being "They are now one of my favorites")

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
• 1 cup coarsely chopped white chocolate

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in the macadamia nuts and white chocolate. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown

Healthy Oatmeal

So as you know I'm on this crazy strict diet right now and I just got this recipe from my doctor. I was sort of stuck with what to make for breaky. Eggs and protein shakes get pretty boring after a while so I'm pretty excited to try this! I know, it doesn't look that exciting but for someone on a Candida diet I think it's pretty great!!

½ cup raw whole rolled oats

¾ cup vanilla rice milk (or almond milk)

¾ cups water

Pinch or two of cinnamon

1 ripe banana

½ cup berries (blueberries, strawberries – organic, raspberry, saskattoon)

Put all the ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat (2-3) and simmer for 10-12 minutes

Wine Jelly

Wine Jelly

•2 cups wine
•3 cups granulated sugar
•3 ounces liquid pectin

Directions
1.Stir sugar into the wine and warm in a stainless steel pan until sugar is dissolved.
2.Remove from heat and stir in pectin being very careful to dissolve pectin completely.
3.Pour into small jars and keep refrigerated.

So yummy!! I got wine jelly from a girlfriend for my birthday last year (great gift idea by the way!!) and it was just amazing!

Chicken & Dumplings

My mom used to always make this, or something like this and man, as if I haven't done it sooner, it's so good!!

5 Chicken drum sticks
1 large Onion (chopped)
4 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. Paprika
1 1/2 cups Water
1/2 pint Sour Cream

In a large heavy or cast-iron skillet, sauté the onions in butter until browned lightly. Remove pan from heat. And add paprika and mix well. Add chicken pieces and return pan to stove. Add water. Cover and simmer over low heat until chicken is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Stir in the sour cream. Heat thoroughly without boiling. Add dumplings (see below).

Dumplings:

3 eggs, beaten
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. salt
1/2 cup water

Combine all the dumplings ingredients. Beat with spoon until smooth. Drop by teaspoon full into boiling salted water; cook until done, approximately 10 minutes. Drain dumplings, rinse with cold water, and add to chicken.

Message Cookies

Aren't these cookies great? I would love to send message cookies to my loved ones!