Mung Bean Sprouts

How to make Mung Bean Sprouts!    

• Choose organic, dried mung beans and rinse them well before soaking.
• Keep in mind that mung beans will at least double in size during sprouting, so only prepare as many sprouts as you can eat in about 4 weeks.
• Place your mung beans in a bowl full of drinking water.   Soak overnight for about 8 to 12 hours and then rinse and drain them. Return the beans to the bowl or if you have space leave them in the colander and cover with a cloth. Leave in a cool place while the beans sprout.
• Rinse and drain the beans well every 8 hours.  Watch your sprouts grow over the next few days. You can stop sprouting after 2 days when the tails are about 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, or keep them growing up to 4 days for large, plump sprouts.
• Finish sprouting by giving your beans a final rinse and then placing them in a container in the refrigerator. Sprouts should last about 2 to 6 weeks; however, it will depend on the length of sprouting and amount of moisture on the beans when you placed them in the refrigerator. Make sure that you smell the sprouts for spoilage after 2 weeks and toss them if you are in doubt.

Sesame Crackers

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup Whole wheat flour
2 Tbls applesauce
2 Tbls Sesame seeds (be creative add what you like!)
1/8 tsp Salt
Dash of your favourite seasonings
1/2 cup Cottage cheese

Mix all ingredients except cottage cheese until the mixture resembles coarse meal.   
Put cottage cheese into a blender, blend until smooth.
Add Cottage Cheese and mix till a ball forms.
Roll out dough thinly.
Prick dough all over with a fork.
Cut into squares.

Bake at 325 for 20 minutes.

Yummy!

Banana Crackers

Today I was  I was lucky enough to spend the day with a great 2 yr old!  What better fun than playing with real dough than cooking it up into a tasty snack!
 
Banana Crackers
      2 cup  Whole Wheat flour
    1/4 tsp Salt
    1/8 tsp Baking soda
      6 tbls Apple sauce
   2/3 cup  Mashed banana (1 large)
      2 tbls Honey
      2 tbls Warm water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
 
Combine the flour, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl; stir in the apple sauce until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the banana and blend well.

In a separate bowl, dissolve the honey in the warm water.

Slowly add the honey/water to the flour/banana mixture and blend to form a dough that will hold together in a ball.
 
Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and roll the dough thinly.

Cut out squares or shapes using a cookie cutter.

Arrange crackers on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Or use your silicone mat.
 
Prick each cracker in 2 or 3 places with the tines of a fork.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, turning over once during baking. These crackers should be medium brown.  Cool on a rack.

Organic

Yesterday I visited Oak Manor Farms http://www.oakmanorfarms.com/default.php .  I bought organic flour and organic beans at very reasonable prices.  Prices are cheaper if you visit the farm than ordering online.  I think this just may be one of my favourite places to shop for my organic grains!

 If you want to read why organic is the better way to go I have put a link to a recent Natural News Article.
http://www.naturalnews.com/028007_food_shortage_costs.html

Homemade Bread

So this morning I asked Kaitie if I could make a special treat for her and her friends for a party she is going to today. And she asks if I can make a loaf of bread for her to take!!! Not brownies, cookies, or cinnamon buns...BREAD! I guess I shouldn't complain :)  So I made her bread!  I used a cookie cutter for the heart shape for fun!  I hope they enjoy it!

Naan Bread

I just love naan!  Naan can be used in so many ways, beside your curry, pizza crust, for you favourite dips, and what ever you can think of!  The store bought ones come in so many flavours now!  So I have been busy in the kitchen to find the kind I like.  This recipe is so easy and you might just have all the ingredients already!  It makes 4 but I am sure you can double it if needed.  Enjoy!.

 Ingredients

• 1 tsp dried active yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup plain flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp natural yogurt
• 2 tbsp milk 
• A dash of your favourite seasoning  

Mix 1 teaspoon of dried yeast with 1 tablespoon of warm water in a small bowl.

Stir a teaspoon of sugar into the yeast mixture. Put the bowl in a warm place, and leave it for 5 minutes, until the yeast is covered with froth.

While the yeast begins to froth, start to mix the dough. In a large mixing bowl, put

      1 cup of plain flour,

      1/4 teaspoon of salt, and

      1/2 teaspoon of baking powder.
       and a dash of you favourite seasoning

Mix well.

Stir in 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons of natural yogurt, 2 tablespoons of milk and the yeast mixture, which should be frothy by now. Mix a little, with a spoon.

Kneading until you have a soft pliable dough. It should take about 5-6 minutes.

Dampen a tea towel or small cloth, and use it to cover the mixing bowl. Leave it in a warm place to rise for 10 to 15 minutes.

 Preheat the oven to 275.

When the dough is ready.  Lightly sprinkle flour over a clean work surface. Divide the dough into 4 balls. With a rolling pin, roll each into a long oval shape, about half a centimetre. Don't roll them out too thinly.

Place the ovals of dough onto a oiled baking sheet, or as I use, a silicone mat with no oil.  Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or under bake them a little to freeze or to reheat later. 

To bake later or from frozen(thawed) sprinkle with a little water and bake for just a few minutes till heated through out.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Spinach Chopped Green Salad

 So I have been following Jamie Oliver too!  The first thing I did was go to the library and request all his cookbooks.  This is a chop salad I made out of one of them...can't remember which one...This recipe is a little bit modified to go with  what I had on hand! 

Ingredients

Salad
Cucumber
Avocado
Cilantro (fresh just leaves no stems)
Green onion
Alfalfa sprouts
Baby spinach

Dressing
Olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Dijon mustard
Fresh ground pepper

Chop all salad ingredients, add half to bowl, make a well in the middle of salad bowl and add olive oil, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, and a little fresh ground pepper.  Toss salad, and add rest of ingredients.  Enjoy!


Cilantro is a good source of folic acid, and also helps detox heavy metals out of your system including mercury, lead and cadmium.
Spinach also a good source of folic acid, calcium, and whole list of nutrients!

To read more yummy recipes please goto Food Revolution Fridays!

Frugal Healthy Shopping!

I love pink triangles!  When you are on a strict budget pink triangles help you afford more expensive organic produce!  Pink triangles are 50% off stickers put on products that are getting close to there sell by date.  You do have to be choosy when buying these items.  You have to think of when you are going to consume them?  Can they be frozen?  Is is still good? Today I found some good deals at my local grocer!  $2 for a huge tub of organic baby spinach!  $2 for organic pineapple already cored and peeled!  $1 for alfalfa sprouts! 

Some kitchen creativity

Yesterday I was researching carrot cake recipes.  And I came across carrot bread!  I made the recipe I chose which called for a loaf pan...but I do not own a loaf pan so I used a baking pan instead.  This made my kitchen smell so nice!  But I really didn't enjoy the bread/cake.  So I am going to play around with this idea some more and see if I can create A better healthier recipe!  Check back later to see what I have come up with!

Homemade with love Whole Wheat Bread

Made a lovely loaf a bread today that I would like to share!  I did attempt to make Italian bread today as well but it didn't turn out very well.  But that didn't stop my family from enjoying it  :)  This recipe is so easy and works every time!  check older post for recipe you will not be disappointed!  Enjoy!  I know we will :)

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

I love red peppers!  Roasting them is so easy and tasty! 

Ingredients

2-3 roasted red peppers

3-4 roasted garlic cloves

2tbls olive oil

Directions

1. To roast red peppers, place whole pepper directly on highest heat stovetop or grill.  Continue turning the red pepper until it’s charred on all sides.  When charred, place the peppers in a bowl and cover with a lid for 10 minutes to allow the steam to separate the skin from the flesh of the pepper.  After 10 minutes, remove the skin from the red pepper using your hands, then pull the pepper apart and discard the seeds.

2.  To roast garlic, using a sharp knife, slice 1/2-inch off of the pointed end of the garlic bulbs, exposing the individual cloves of garlic.  Brush the top with some oil, wrap in tin foil or cook in a garlic cooker. Bake approximately 45 to 60 minutes or until cloves are browned at the exposed end and soft throughout.  Let cool than squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins.

 *Note* Garlic may be stored in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for several days.

3.  Mash/Food process all ingredients.

Enjoy!

Chickpea Sprouts

How to sprout chickpeas

1. First, pick through and discard any broken, mouldy, discoloured or disfigured seeds. They can contain harmful toxins that you would want to avoid.

2. Wash them and then soak them in cool filtered or spring water for 24-36 hours. I usually do this step at night.  Try to rinse and change the water every 6 hours.

3. After soaking, keep the seeds damp. I put them in a large sieve, and rinse them under the tap a couple of times a day. The seeds need to be kept damp and aired, but not wet.

4.  On the 3rd day you should see a small tail about 1cm long!  Now your beans are read to be enjoyed! 

Tomatoes Not Canned

So many recipes ask for canned tomatoes.  A friend told me how to make my own "canned" tomatoes....no can required.  And it works!  And it is the same price as canned!  

Purchase roma tomatoes, organic if you can when they are on sale.  And freeze them!  Easy!

Take out about 3 tomatoes and thaw.

The skins will slip right off.

Dice or puree. 

Use in any recipe that calls for canned tomatoes

Enjoy!

Frozen tomatoes thawing.

Easy Brownies

Ahh it's the time for love and what says "I love you" better the yummy brownies!  Well maybe diamonds  :)  But I really like chocolate!  Andrew was my helper in the kitchen tonight. We made cinnamon rolls too!

This is my everyday recipe(without topping) which I have been known to whip up for Jay in the morning to take "warm out of the oven brownies" for his office.

Ingredients

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Grease your 9x13 baking dish.

3. In big mixing bowl whisk eggs with sugar, and vanilla.

4. Add in flour, cocoa, and baking powder.

5. Melt butter and add to the mix. (do not forget to melt the butter! the recipe will not work if not melted)

Bake for 30 mins!

Now for these special Valentine Brownies

Make recipe above...but save 1/2 cup of the batter, set aside.

Cream Cheese Layer

1pkg softened cream cheese

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

Using a hand mixer, mix cream cheese.

Add sugar, vanilla,  and egg untill blended.

Pour mixture on to brownies

Drop brownie mix and using a knife make swirly patterns.

Bake same as above!

Let cool before enjoying

Lentil Lasagna

I love lasagna!  So I decided to try substituting meat for lentils in my recipe.  It worked out well, but next time I am going to add more veggies to it as it was a bit plain.

2 cups dried lentils boiled in a lots of water, drained
2 jars spaghetti sauce
onion, mushrooms, peppers, carrots, zucchini, use what you have in the fridge or none at all.
tub of cottage cheese
egg or 2
spinach (if frozen drain all excess liquid/if fresh fry in pan with little water till wilted, drain)
shredded cheese as much as you like
lasagna noodles
9"by13" casserole dish

1. Boil noodles as per instructions 12 should work depending on size of dish.
2. Mix lentils with one jar of sauce in a bowl add in any extra veggies.
3. Beat with blender cottage cheese, egg or 2, and spinach.  If you have lots of cheese add it too!
4. Using second jar of sauce, spread a layer of just sauce in casserole dish.
5. Lay down 3(or whatever fits)noodles then layer half of lentil mixture.
6. Lay down row of noodles, layer all of cottage cheese mixture.
7. Lay down row of noodles, layer rest of Lentil mixture.
8. Lay down row of noodles, rest of second jar sauce.
9. Add shredded cheese!

Cook at preheated 350 oven for an hour...best to make ahead then freeze then cook again from frozen(for some reason it just tastes better)  I usually make 2 at a time, 1 to eat now and the 2nd to freeze.  Can substitute lentils for beef or chicken...I use left over roasts or chicken and ground it up with a food processor all the time.

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Honey Bread

I love bread!  Especially when I make the perfect loaf!  Bread making is not hard but you do need to have patience.  And you must follow the recipe order.
I am stubborn and hate following recipes or being told what to do  :)  But after making many unsuccessful loaves (lead bread)  I have now relented and follow the order of the recipe.

Whole Wheat Honey Bread Recipe Ingredients:

1 cup warm water
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 tsp dry yeast
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup milk
2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour

In a large mixing bowl combine 1 cup of water (at a temp. of 110 to 120 degrees F) with the salt, and the yeast and mix.

Add the oil, the honey, and the milk and stir until mix.

Mix in the flour and stir until the dough starts pull away from the bowl.

Place the dough on a lightly flour surface and knead the dough for 6 to 10 minutes or until the dough become smooth.

Place a small amount of flour in a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl and flip the dough to cover the dough with flour. Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rise for approx. 1 hour, the dough should double in size. Note: This may take longer if the room is cold.

Take the dough out of the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into an 8 inch log.

Loosely cover with towel and let raise for 30 to 60 minutes until the dough raises approx.1 inch around.

This is when I sometimes get creative and make my cuts and shapes on the top of loaf!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F place in center of oven and cook for about 40 minutes.  Let bread cool then slice.

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Tortilla's

I love my sunny kitchen!  It is one of my favourite places in my home.  I just turn on the radio and work at my kitchen table and knead my bread!  A good friend gave me this recipe, today I added a seasoning blend to the flour to give it more pazzaz!


Ingredients
4 cups        WW flour (also can use regular flour or half and half)
1/2  tsp       baking powder
1/2 cup       olive oil
1 tsp           salt
1 1/2 cups  warm water

1. Mix together flour and baking powder.
2. Cut in oil until crumbly consistency.
3. Stir together water and salt.
4. Drizzle over dough while mixing to make soft dough.
5. Let dough rest for 20 min.
6. Divide into 16 pieces.
7. Role out into circles.
8. Fry on dry pan at medium heat, 20 seconds per side(until bubbles form).

Makes 16 tortilla's

Baked Potobello Mushrooms

Portobello mushrooms were on sale this week!  This is an easy recipe that helps you use up your leftovers.  I used leftover chickpea taco mix for mine!  And they were so yummy!

Ingredients
Portobello Mushrooms
Bread crumbs/Cornflakes
Favourite seasonings
egg
leftover taco mix, tomato sauce, be creative?
cheese

preheat oven to 400
remove stems from mushrooms and prepare
Mix bread crumbs with seaoning in a bowl/plate.
Whisk egg in different bowl.
Dip both sides of mushroom into egg.  Dredge in crumb mix until both sides are coated.
bake in oven 15-20min till mushrooms are tender.
Reset oven temp to 450.
Top mushroom with taco mix and cheese.
Return to oven and bake till mix is heated thoroughly and cheese is melted.
Enjoy this very yummy treat|!

Sunday Drive

Yesterday while most of America watched the Super Bowl, our family loaded up the car for a "Sunday" drive.  We didn't have a plan on where we were going,  drove around in huge circles enjoying the beautiful sunny day.  Part of being healthy is spending quality time with the ones you love.  We had a very enjoyable day!

Waldorf Salad

Finally today Andrew was able to make his special Waldorf Salad!  He chopped all the vegetables and I had the fun job of shelling the walnuts.  Next time I think I'll borrow Jay's safety goggles from the garage.  Shelling walnuts is dangerous!  You never know which way the nut will crack.  I have shell in my hair, I hit myself in the mouth with a piece, and had my eyes closed most of the time.  I think this would be a better outdoor job as it does leave a bit of a mess.  Now Kaitie is the expert nut opener but she is off spending time with her friends today.

Waldorf Salad

1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1/2 cup celery, sliced
1/2 cup seedless grapes
1 apple chopped
3 tbls mayonnaise
1 tbls lemon juice
lettuce

Wash and chop ingredients, and mix all together!  Enjoy!

In this salad we used green grapes, and a green apple...next time we will have to use red fruit...so it doesn't look so boring  :)

Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Last night the kids and I were in the mood for a treat.  So we whipped up these yummy rolls.  This cinnamon roll recipe is so easy to make, and my whole family can't get enough of them!  Make sure to put some away for kids lunches!  I always tell the kids to pack them up in their lunch containers right away or Daddy will eat them.  Daddy will eat all of any treat at any given time if you don't hide it away.  I added a simple glaze recipe, but I think they taste yummy without!

Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Dough
2 cups of white flour
3 teaspoons baking power
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup of butter
2/3 cup milk

Filling
3 Tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup of white sugar
1/4 cup of brown sugar
3 teaspoons of cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins

Glaze
1/3 cup packed powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon milk

Preheat  the oven at 375.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. With a spoon, stir in the butter and milk and mix for 1 minute or just until it forms a smooth dough.
Roll out on floured board, in a rectangular shape. Dough should be about 1/4" thick. Add melted butter all over top of rolled dough.
Mix white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl and then sprinkle generously over the butter. Sprinkle raisins on top leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge.
With your hands, gently roll up the dough, starting at one long side. At the end of the roll, press the seam to seal the roll.
With a serrated knife, cut the log into 12 equal pieces. Arrange the pieces evenly on a cookie sheet.
Bake the rolls for about 25 minutes or until firm and golden.

To make glaze use a whisk to stir the milk into the confectioners' sugar.
After the cinnamon rolls have cooled, add a white icing to the top.

Serve slightly warm and enjoy!

Beef Soup

Today I have Andrew at home with a bit of a mild cold.  We never did get the ingredients for the Waldorf salad he was hoping to make yesterday.  He was to tired to go to the store yesterday.  So that will have to wait till he is feeling better. 

Leftovers never get wasted in our house.  I always cook extra's just to have leftovers available for new meals.  Last night we had yummy leftover roast beef soup!  So easy to make, and didn't have to go to the store for any special ingredients!  With this recipe you can add what ever you have in your fridge, my soup is never the same one twice.  And the best bonus of making your own soup is no MSG, BPA, and you can control how much salt to put in.  I don't use any salt.  And remember to freeze soup leftovers for handy lunches.  I find that I have to freeze leftovers right away if I don't want them to be forgotten in the fridge before they expire.  Remember do not freeze meat twice.

Beef Soup

Leftover roast beef cut into chunks
Any left over gravy
Beef broth/water
carrots, onion, peppers, potato, celery, mushrooms, any veggies you happen to have in the fridge!
Favorite spices I used Mrs Dash herb and garlic.

Chop ingredients cook them up while adding as much liquid as you need. boil till cooked!  Not to long to make veggies to squishy.  Enjoy!

Dilly Chick Wraps

I was very busy yesterday I achieved non lead bread! And a nice Moussaka!
And today for kids lunches I came up with Dilly Chick Wraps! (I just made up that name)

The Moussaka was a bit dry so I am going to have to tweak my recipe before I share it. But even though it was dry Kaitlyn enjoyed 2 pieces!

Dilly Chicks is my "on no what to make for lunch?" concoction. I was going to make chickpea salad wraps...but Kaitie was I don't want celery, carrots and and all of that. So I had to be creative.

Dilly Chick Wraps

1 cup chickpeas (cooked and cooled)
2tbls mayonnaise
1 dill pickle
2 handfuls shredded cheese
A few lettuce leaves
2 whole wheat wraps

Use a food processor to mix chickpeas, mayo, and a dill pickle.
Spread chickpea mix on a wrap.
Sprinkle shredded cheese on top.
Lay lettuce.
Roll it up!
YUM!