DESSERT: Easy Graham Cracker or Savory Cracker Pie Crust

What is there not to like about a nice graham cracker crust?  It is the ideal crust type for pumpkin pies, chocolate mousse pies, and others.  You can easily create this great crust by simply crushing graham crackers and adding melted butter (or applesauce) and water.  Alternatively, you can create a savory crust with regular whole wheat crackers.

Servings: 1 Pie Crust or 1 Dozen Mini-Pie Crusts

Ingredients:

• 1/2 to 3/4 package of graham crackers or regular crackers
• 1/3 cup low-fat melted butter
• 1/8 cup of water

Instructions:

• Crush graham crackers.  You can either stick the crackers in a food processor or dry blender or by placing the graham crackers in a zip lock back and rolling over the bag with a rolling pin or heavy can.
• Pour melted butter and water over crumbs 
• Mold into a uniform ball
• Roll out into desired pie pan

DESSERT: Royal Frosting

Servings: Decorates at least 2 Dozen Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups confectioners powdered sugar
• 4 tbsp water
• Optional: lemon or rosewater essence
• Optional: food coloring

Instructions:

• Mix
• Put mixture in pastry bag and decorate
• Note: this is a fast dry and hard frosting used to do detailed decorating work (for Gingerbread men, etc) - work fast!

DESSERT: Lean Gingerbread Men

Servings: 1.5 Dozen Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup low-fat butter
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (or low-fat yogurt - try 1/2 vanilla and 1/2 regular)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup dark molasses
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger powder (or freshly ground ginger)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice (if you don't have it, use cinnamon instead)
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Instructions:

• Beat butter, brown sugar, applesauce, egg, and molasses together in a large bowl
• Mix remaining ingredients
• Pour into butter mixture and mix
• Divide dough and let chill for 2 hours 
• Roll out dough to 1/4" or 1/8" thickness
• Use cookie cutter over rolled out dough and place gingerbread men on greased and floured cooking sheet or non-stick sheet
• Continue to combine and roll out scraps until all dough is used
• Bake 10-12 minutes @ 350 degrees
• Decorate with Royal Frosting when cool

SIDES: Spicy Couscous

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 2 green onions or 1 whole onion
• 1 large red or green pepper, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped into fine pieces
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp chili pepper flakes
• 1 cup couscous (try the Trader Joe's whole wheat version)
• 1 cup boiling water

Instructions:

• Heat the oil in a medium sized skillet
• Add in the onions, pepper, garlic, and tomatoes
• Saute for approximately 5 minutes and then set aside 
• In a medium sized saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients
• Cover and let stand for five minutes until the couscous absorbs all of the liquid
• Add in the first mixture and fluff with fork

DINNER: Moroccan Beef

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound Top round Beef sliced into pieces that are 1/2" wide and 3" long
• 1 Large Red Pepper (Bell Pepper)
• 4 Green Chiles (Thai or Serrano Peppers should work)
• Handful of Parsley
• 2-3 Tomato
• 2-3 Cloves Garlic
• 2 Carrots
• 1/2 onion
• 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp red chili powder or cayenne pepper powder

Instructions:

• Cut all vegetables, chiles into thin strips
• Saute all vegetables in large pan with a dash of olive oil for at least 10 minutes
• Add in black pepper, salt and lemon juice
• Add in beef and allow mixture to simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes
• Serve with Spicy Couscous or other mellow side dish

 

SIDES: Killer Mac 'n Cheese

Serving Size: 5-6

Ingredients:

• 2 Boxes of ready made macaroni and cheese - recommend Annie's Organic
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef or chicken
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 large red pepper (bell-pepper), chopped
• 2-3 tbsp of mixed spices: mainly pepper, chile flakes, and cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Black Pepper

Instructions:

• Boil water for pasta
• Cook and strain pasta
• Saute onions with a dash of oil for approximately 2-3 minutes in a large frying pan
• Add in ground beef, salt and pepper
• Continue to cook on medium heat until meat is cooked
• Add in chopped red pepper, and mixed spices
• Mix cheese with pasta - use a pot that will have enough room for the ground beef and pasta
• Pour cooked ground beef into the pasta and cheese mix, keep pot on low heat
• Mix beef and pasta so that beef is well distributed
• Add in chopped tomatoes
• Add additional black pepper to taste 
• Serve

DRINKS: Strawberry-Banana Smoothie

Serving Size: 2-3

Ingredients:

• 15-20 Frozen or Fresh Strawberries
• 2 Bananas
• 1-2 cups of Low-Fat Milk or Soy Milk
• 2 scoops vanilla sorbet or soy-ice cream (can substitute with vanilla yogurt)
• 5-6 ice cubes

Instructions:

• Blend 
  
  

DRINKS: Peach-Orange Smoothie

Serving Size: 2-3

Ingredients:

• Large Peach - cut into slices
• 2 Oranges - peeled and seeds-removed
• 5-6 Ice Cubes
• 3 tbsp plain, non-fat yogurt
• 1/2 cup soy milk (plain or vanilla) or low-fat milk
• 2 small scoops vanilla sorbet or soy-ice cream (can substitute with vanilla yogurt)

Instructions:

• Blend and enjoy :)

DESSERT: Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate-Chip Cookies

Serving Size: 2 Dozen Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup low-fat butter, room temperature (or substitute 1 cup applesauce, but be sure to add 1 tbsp of oil)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 3/4 cups whole wheat or all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 cups oats (add more if mixture is too wet)
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chip cookies

Instructions:

• Mix butter and sugar together using a hand blender 
• Beat in eggs one by one into the butter mixture
• Add in vanilla
• Combine flour, baking soda, and salt - add this mixture into the butter mixture
• Add in chocolate chips
• Let this mixture cool in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes
• Preheat oven to 335 degrees  
• Spoon chilled mixture onto a greased baking sheet - 1.5 tbsp per cookie should be a good size
• Bake at 335 for 10-12 minutes

DINNER: "Fried" Chicken

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken cut into pieces (skinless)
• Whole wheat flour (or white if you prefer)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 2-4 eggs 
• 1/2 cup milk

Instructions:

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
• Grease and flour a shallow baking dish (should be wide and long enough to accommodate your chicken without layering the pieces - alternatively use two dishes)
• Spread salt and pepper accordingly over chicken pieces
• Crack and beat eggs - mix the egg mixture with milk (ensure that the mixture is a bowl that will allow the chicken to easily be dipped)
• Pour bread crumbs into a bowl (the chicken will later be dipped in this bowl)
• Dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture and immediately place each side into the bread crumb bowl - the chicken should be coated with crumbs
• Lay each coated piece of chicken into your pan
• Bake @375 for 45-55 minutes

BREAKFAST: Whole Wheat Pancakes (easily converted into applejacks or berrycakes)

Servings: 8-10 pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp honey or agave
• 1/2 cup low-fat milk (feel free to use skim or soy)
• 1 egg
• 1.5 tsp vegetable oil
• Optional: your choice of apples, berries, raisins, and/or nuts

Instructions:

• Heat a cast-iron griddle prior to mixing ingredients - a pan also works
• In a medium to large size bowl mix together all dry ingredients
• Beat the egg until smooth and frothy; add in milk, honey, and vegetable oil
• Pour in the wet mixture into the dry mixture slowly
• Ensure your mixture is homogenous
• Spray griddle or pan with oil or use a low fat butter to coat the surface
• Spoon approximately two tablespoons of the mixture onto your cooking surface
• Flip pancakes after the have formed a solid (you don't want to flip too quickly, unless you will have a goppy mess on your hands)
• Continue to flip pancakes every two minutes until they are complete
• Remove from heat, pour on Pure Grade B Maple Syrup and enjoy