Perfect Pumpkin Pie

I know everyone has the perfect pumpkin pie recipe.  Of course I think mine is best.

Ingredients:

One recipe for Just Nuts Crust.  See previous post or click on the link.

One can of pumpkin puree or make your own (my favorite way to do it)

1/4 cup honey

1 tbsp molasses

1/2 tsp salt

3 egg whites or 3/4 cup egg substitute

1 1/2 cups of 1% milk with 2 tbsp nonfat powdered milk mixed in or one can evaporated milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

cinnamon to taste

ginger to taste

cloves to taste

nutmeg to taste

Mix all ingredients and pour into a deep dish pie shell (Just Nuts Crust is the best, in my opinion).

Just Nuts Crust

Bake at 425 degree oven for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes (Standard Pumpkin Pie Baking Temps) or until knife inserted into center comes out clean.

Pour into pie shell and bake

Cool.  Serve immediately or refrigerate.

I sprinkled some larger nuts on top so everyone would be aware there were nuts in the pie.

Granola

After I got home from the gym this morning (and after I ate breakfast), I was feeling productive.  I was still a little hungry after eating my eggs and what I wanted was cereal, but I made some granola instead.  We cut cereal out of our diet because we are trying to remove as many processed foods as we can.  The problem is I AM IN LOVE WITH CEREAL.  Specifically Grapenuts.  Granola and soy milk will have to be the replacement.

Here’s what I used:

3 cups (ish) of rolled oats

Raw pecans – didn’t measure. Just put in a couple of hands full.

Raw almonds – didn’t measure. Just put in a couple of hands full.

Raw walnuts – didn’t measure. Just put in a couple of hands full.

Coconut flakes – didn’t measure. Just put in a little.

Cinnamon – didn’t measure.  Sprinkled it over everything until I thought I had enough.

Ginger (ground) – didn’t measure.  Sprinkled it over everything until I thought I had enough.

Cloves (ground)  – didn’t measure.  Sprinkled it over everything until I thought I had enough.

Olive oil – 1/4 cup

Honey – about 1/4 cup (I actually used less than that, but that’s the smallest measuring cup I have)  Be sure to use the same measuring cup as the olive oil. The oil coats the measuring cup. Makes clean up easier.

Water – 1/8 to 1/6 cup (I guessed.  I filled my 1/4 cup a little more than halfway)

Hemp hearts – didn’t measure.  I guess I put in about 1/4 cup.

Vanilla Extract – about 1 tbsp

Salt – a dash

Mix your dry ingredients then add your wet ingredients.  Toss until everything is coated.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (easy cleanup) and pour the mixture onto the paper.  Spread it evenly and bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Stir after the first 10 minutes then bake for 6 more minutes.

Stir and bake for 6 more minutes.

The granola should be well toasted and not burnt.  Remove from oven when it reaches the desired amount of toastedness (I make up my own words as I go).

Let it cool and store in an airtight container.

Once cooled you can add dried fruit and/or chocolate for a trail mix if you like.

Since I added honey and coconut flakes I did not add any dried fruit or chocolate.  I’m trying to keep our sugars to a minimum.

We had a bowl of it fresh out of the oven over soy milk.  Man oh man was it good!  I can see this as a way to replace your children’s cereal.  At least you know what went into it.

I can see adding this to some spiced pears or apples.  OH even as a topping to pumpkin pie!  There are so many possibilities…

Granola

And keep in mind how easy and quick this was to make.  I wasn’t even late to work this morning!

Pecan Trout

As usual, I was busy sewing and not paying attention to the time.  It happens more than I care to admit.  I started getting hungry and noticed that it was well past dinner time.  Normally I get home and start cooking so dinner will be ready when John arrives home.  He was working an hour late so I thought I had an hour to sew.  My hour turned into two.  You know the story…  Anyway I thought I was starving by the time I realized how hungry I was. Thankfully when I got home from work I had enough sense to take two pieces of trout out of the freezer.

I went into the kitchen and starting throwing everything in the skillet and this is what I came up with:

Heat a skillet and put a little olive oil in the bottom of the pan to keep the trout from sticking. Then add the trout.

Add sliced mushrooms, sliced red sweet peppers, sliced poblano peppers and some pecans.

Then add whatever herbs you want to.  I tore up a couple of Thai basil leaves and threw them in.

Pecan Trout Cooking

Cover it and cook.  It will only take about 5 minutes or so.

I served mine over some left over salad.  The salad was mixed greens (kale, turnip greens & spinach) with peppers, carrots and broccoli.  I had a side of buckwheat groats to make it a complete meal.

The salad and buckwheat were left overs.  I microwaved the buckwheat and the salad was cold.  I put the fish on top of it to wilt it a bit.

Pecan Trout Plated

The next time I think I will chop the pecans, but overall I say it is a winner.  I love it when a no plan meal comes together beautifully!

The trout was frozen and purchased at Costco as were the pecans.

Easy Whole Wheat Banana Nut Cake in 30 Minutes

I spent Sunday morning baking.  My Sis and her family and my Mom were coming over for dinner to celebrate my sister’s birthday (28th, of course).  I wanted to bake some sweets for everyone, but I don’t do standard sweets.  I have to make them a better choice than what you usually get.  Here’s my version of banana nut cake.

cake

Preheat oven to 350

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 cup low fat plain yogurt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup nuts (I used pecans)

2 tbsp hemp hearts (thank you Costco!)

hemp hearts

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (thank you Central Market!)

Mix the dry ingredients together and set aside.

To the mashed bananas add: Eggs (one at a time, mixing well, yogurt, lemon juice, vanilla and oil)

Combine the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until just mixed.

Add nuts, mix well.

Line your 13×9 cake pan with parchment paper and pour batter into pan evenly.

Bake for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool before cutting.

I sprinkled mine with cinnamon before serving.

banana nut cake

Easy Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a simple cookie recipe that will bring a smile to everyone’s face!  They will make you turn blue and scream COOOOOOOKIE!

Cooooookie

Unfortunately, cookies are not good for you, but I tried to make these a better choice than what is out there.

Preheat your oven to 350 and get an ungreased cooked sheet out.

Ingredients:

1 cup olive oil or coconut oil

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3 cups rolled oats

2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (or chips of your choice)

2 tbsp hemp hearts (thank you Costco!)

Hemp Hearts

a dash of cinnamon

a dash of lemon juice

a dash of vanilla

a cup of nuts (I used pecans this time)

Mix sugar and oil.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing them well

Add lemon juice and vanilla

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon then stir into wet mixture

Add hemp hearts

Add rolled oats

Add chocolate chips

Add nuts

Roll them into 1″ balls and place on cookie sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes then remove them from the cookie sheet and onto a cooling rack.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies