Saturday, September 18, 2010

Fool your kids brownies - the brownies that are really veggies


2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and grounded up real small
1 banana, mashed
1/2 cup sweet potatoes, mashed
1 cup applesauce or a mixture of other mashed fruits (peach, pear, apple)
1 1/2 cup cocoa powder
6 eggs or egg replacer + water to equal 6 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup of water
1/2 cup sugar or sweeter of choice (optional)
4 c. chopped nuts (optional)



Mix well. Spread in large greased pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. 

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Whole wheat crackers

3 cups whole wheat flour 
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup warm water
1/3 cup olive oil


Mix all ingredients in a mixer for 5 - 7 minutes.


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.


Form dough into a ball and then cut in half. Put one half to the side.


Flour a baking sheet, put half the dough on the baking sheet and roll the dough out onto the cookie sheet until it is very thin. Flip dough and roll some more. After it is thin use a pizza cutter or knive and cut cracker size pieces and then take a fork and prick holes through out. Sprinkle salt if desired over crackers and then bake for 15 min. Let cool.


Repeat for 2nd batch of dough, cooking only one batch at a time.








Wednesday, September 8, 2010

"Ice Cream"

Freeze 4 banana for at least 12 hours.


In a blender combine frozen bananas
1/2 cup of 100% juice, milk, soy milk, almond milk, etc.
1/4 cup of cocoa or carob powder
sweeter for your tastes.


Mix on high until it has reach a creamy consistency. Enjoy right away, does not freeze well. Tastes very similar to ice cream, but healthy.


We have omitted the cocoa powder and added plums - amazing taste!
We have also used fresh strawberries with and without the cocoa.
Must always use the frozen bananas, they are what makes the texture.
When we use other fruit in addition to the bananas we do not add sweetener.


You could add a little spinach in it and your kids would never know :-)

Healthy Chocolate Graham Crackers

2  cups whole wheat flour
1/4  cup honey
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
3/4 c. water
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. olive oil

1/2 cup cocoa or carob powder (not sweetened, if u do use sweetened reduce honey that u use)


Mix all ingredients until well blended.


Preheat over to 350 degrees.


Shape dough into ball and place on cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.


Use rolling pin to roll dough into a flat thin sheet on cookie pan.


Cut shape of crackers with pizza cutter and poke little holes with fork (this keeps the dough from rising).


Place cookie sheet in oven for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit in oven for another 30 min.


Enjoy.

















Sunday, September 5, 2010

Healthy Whole Wheat Pretzels, with or without okara


Makes 16 pretzels

FOR PRETZELS
1 and 1/8 cup warm water
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon honey, agave nectar, or other sweetener
3 cups whole wheat flour (or 4 cups if you do not use okara)
1 cup okara
2 1/4 teaspoons Yeast, active dry

FOR WATER BATH
2 cups water
2 tablespoons baking soda

Bread machine directions - hand mixer directions below
Place all ingredients for the pretzels in bread machine on the dough cycle.

When cycle is done move to floured surface and shape into 16 balls. Roll each ball into a thin rope and then shape into a pretzel shape. place on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray, cover with a dish towel and let rest for 20 minutes.

Place 2 inches of water in large pan and boil. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place the 2 cups of water in a bowl with the baking soda and stir, place to the side.

Once pretzels have rested and water is boiling place pretzels one at a time in the boiling water. Do not stack them on top of each other, you will need to do several batches. Boil each side of the pretzel for 1.5 minutes then flip and boil other side. Take pretzel out and let dry for 5 minutes on a dish towel. Dip each pretzel into the water/baking soda mixture then put on a cookie sheet sprayed with baking spray. Put salt as desired. Bake approximately 15 minutes until golden brown.


Hand mixer directions
Place all ingredients for the pretzels in a large bowl. Process for six minutes in a mixer on medium speed. Grease a bowl and roll the dough into a large ball and place into the bowl. Cover bowl and let sit for one hour or until mixture has doubled.

Then move to floured surface and shape into 16 balls. Roll each ball into a thin rope and then shape into a pretzel shape. place on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray, cover with a dish towel and let rest for 20 minutes. 

Place 2 inches of water in large pan and boil. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place the 2 cups of water in a bowl with the baking soda and stir, place to the side.

Once pretzels have rested and water is boiling place pretzels one at a time in the boiling water. Do not stack them on top of each other, you will need to do several batches. Boil each side of the pretzel for 1.5 minutes then flip and boil other side. Take pretzel out and let dry for 5 minutes on a dish towel. Dip each pretzel into the water/baking soda mixture then put on a cookie sheet sprayed with baking spray. Put salt as desired. Bake approximately 15 minutes until golden brown.

After shaping them

Boiling them

Letting them dry after boiling

After drying and dipping them in the water bath
put them back on greased pan

After baking

Yummy!