Pumpkin Cookies - two versions

Pumpkin Cookies

1 1/2 cups soft white winter wheat
1 cup quick oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 dashes of cloves
2 dashes of ginger
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar (combo of rapadura & evaporated cane juice sugar)
1 3/4 cup pumpkin (1 can)
2 TBSP coconut oil melted
1 TBSP butter melted

1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
Combine all ingredients, bake 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Source for original recipe and image 

Pumpkin Carrot Applesauce Cookies 

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup oatmeal

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

heaping ½ tsp nutmeg

heaping ½ tsp salt

1 cup sugar

1 cup pumpkin

1 cup applesauce

1 cup shredded carrots

¼ cup canola oil

2 eggs

1 ½ tsp vanilla

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes

makes 48 cookies

Healthy, No Bake Granola Bars

INGREDIENTS:

3 TBSP Peanut Butter

2 TBSP butter

1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup rapadura
2 cups QUICK cooking oats
1 cup brown puff rice cereal
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

  

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, stir oats and rice cereal together. Set aside. In a small pot, melt butter, peanut butter, honey and rapadura together over medium high heat until it comes to a bubble. Reduce the heat and cook (at a gentle boil) for 2 minutes. Pour in vanilla and stir. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well to moisten all ingredients. Pour into lightly greased 9x13 pan and press out to be about 3/4 inch in thickness. Spray clean hands with cooking spray and press firmly to get it to come together. Cool on a countertop to room temperature until cool. About 1 hour. Wrap in parchment or plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

Source for original recipe and image 

Apple Cinnamon Fruit Bar

INGREDIENTS

CRUST

• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup pecans
• 1 cup oats
• 1 cup soft white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans, reserved

FRUIT FILLING

• 6 cups diced apples, divided
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

PREPARATION

1. To prepare crust: Combine 3/4 cup nuts (or oats), whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar and salt in a food processor; pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Add butter; pulse until well incorporated.
2. Whisk egg, oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla and almond extract in a small bowl. With the motor running, add the mixture to the food processor. Process, then pulse, scraping down the sides, if necessary, until the mixture begins to clump, 30 to 45 seconds (it will look crumbly). Measure out 1/2 cup of the mixture and combine in a bowl with the remaining 1/4 cup chopped pecans. Set aside for the topping.
3. Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
4. To prepare fruit filling & assemble bars: Combine 4 cups apples, orange juice, sugar and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is very thick, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 cups apples, cinnamon and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
5. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking dish. Spread evenly and press firmly into the bottom to form a crust. Spread the fruit filling over the crust. Sprinkle the reserved topping over the filling.
6. Bake the bars for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and bake until the crust and topping are lightly brown, 25 to 30 minutes more. Let cool completely before cutting into bars, at least 1 1/2 hours.

Original recipe & image source

Graham Crackers

Hearty Graham Crackers that aren't too sweet. This is good though. It means I won't eat them all before the kids get any! They loved them!

Homemade Graham Crackers

1¾ cup graham flour (I didn't have graham flour so I used whole wheat)
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces and chilled
5 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons light molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Adjust oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. With a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 3 tablespoons of the water, the molasses and vanilla and stir until the dough comes together. If the dough seems dry, add the remaining 2 tablespoons water a little at a time. You may need to use your hands to get the dough to meld into a large ball. (Alternatively, process the dry ingredients in a food processor for 3 seconds, then add the butter and process for 15 seconds, until it resembles coarse meal. Add water, molasses, and vanilla and process till the dough comes together, 20 seconds more.)

Divide the dough into two pieces. Roll each piece out between two pieces of parchment paper to a rectangle that is 1/8 inch thick and measures about 16 inches by 8 inches. Remove the top sheet and trim the dough with a knife into a tidy 15 inch-by-7½ inch rectangle, then score it into 18 2½-inch squares. Prick each square several times with a fork. [I find it works better to score them before baking, but then to do it again after they bake. They actually break easily this way.]

Slide each piece of dough and parchment paper onto separate baking sheets. Bake until the crackers are golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking. Let the crackers cool completely on the baking sheets, then break them apart along the scored lines and serve. (I rolled it out on the bottom of a cookie sheet with waxed paper on top then cut the dough with a pizza cutter, pricked with a fork, and cooked it on the bottom of the pan. The edges cooked beautifully, but the center was a bit too thick, so I need to roll it thinner next time). 

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.

Makes 36 graham crackers.

You can make these into cinnamon grahams by adding another 1/4 t. cinnamon to the recipe, and then sprinkling cinnamon (1 t.) and sugar (1/4 c.) on top of the crackers right before baking. Oh, and graham flour can be found at health food stores like Sunflower Market as a Bob’s Red Mill product. You can also use wheat flour, but it’s not exactly the same thing, so it will taste a bit different.

(This recipe comes fromAmerica’s Test Kitchen’s 2009 Annual Source)

Hot Chocolate Mix

Ingredients: 

2 cups nonfat dry milk
3/4 - 1 cup granulated sugar (3/4 cup was sweet enough for us)
1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1/2 cup dry non-dairy creamer (optional, makes it creamier)
dash of salt

Instructions: 

1. Combine all ingredients and stir well to mix. Store in an airtight container.

To serve, add 1/4 cup of mix to 8 ounces of hot water, adjusting to taste. Stir and enjoy!

Source for recipe & images 

Peanut Butter Balls & No-Bake Energy Bites

Peanut Butter Balls
SuperHealthyKidsBlog

• Recipe #1
  • 1 cup oats
  • 1/2 cup Honey
  • 1/2 cup Peanut Butter
  • 1 Cup powdered milk
  • 1/4 cup ground flax (optional)
  • chocolate chips (optional)
  Mix Together and roll into balls
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  No-Bake Energy Bites  

  SmashedPeasandCarrots

  
  

  1 cup oatmeal

  1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)

  1/3 cup honey

  1 cup coconut flakes

  1/2 cup ground flaxseed

  1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

  1 tsp vanilla

  
  

  
  

  My variations 

  
  

  #1

  1 cup oatmeal

  1/2 cup peanut butter

  1/3 cup honey

  3/4 cup crispy cereal

  1/4 cup cocoa powder

  1/2 cup ground flaxseed

  1 tsp vanilla

  
  

  
  

  #2 

  1 cup oatmeal 

  1/2 cup peanut butter

  1/3 cup honey

  1/2 cup brown rice cereal

  1/4 cup dry milk powder

  1/4 cup cocoa powder

  1/4 cup ground flaxseed

  1/4 cup coconut 

  1 tsp vanilla 

  
  

  
  

Homemade yogurt

Ingredients: 

• • 1 TBSP plain yogurt with active cultures
  • 1/2 gallon  (8 cups) milk
  
  
  
  
  • Directions: 
  • Pour milk into crockpot. Cover, turn on high and let the milk heat until almost boiling.  The actual temp is 180. Mine takes about 2 hours. (**Update - my crockpot seems to reach 180 by 1 hour and 45 minutes now and it takes a little longer to cool down to 105 (about 1 hour and 15 minutes).
  • 
    
  • Turn the crockpot off, take the lid of, and remove insert. Let cool back down to 105-111 F. Mine takes about 1 hour. 
  • 
    
  • Skim off the "skin" that has formed on the top of the milk. Remove 1 cup of milk and stir in the 1 TBSP of plain yogurt from the store (or from what you've saved from a previous batch of yogurt). 
  • 
    
  • Return back to crockpot and stir back and forth (not in a circular motion), 
  • 
    
  • Put lid back on and put entire insert into the oven with the light on (but oven OFF) for 12-24 hours. Your goal is to keep the milk warm the entire time, that is why the oven is a good place for it. I normally let it sit close to 24 hours since I want the most probiotics in my yogurt as possible. 
  
  

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  
  
  • I originally got all this information and the source for the above image from www.girlsguidetobutter.com but her website has been down for the past few months. I'm super bummed because she was super knowledgeable and had a lot more info on her site. 
  
  
  
  

  At that website: She states that American store bought yogurt that is super thick with added pectin isn't REAL yogurt. She is from the Soviet Union and she says yogurt is always more thin, which is the case with homemade yogurt. 
  
  I have found that as I stir in honey or jelly, it does get more thin as I stir it. "Whey" pools at the top of our yogurt in the beginning and as it sits in the fridge, but I just ladle that off and save it for smoothies. It's full of protein. 
  
  You can also strain your yogurt through a flour-sac type dish towel and hang it above a bowl to let the extra whey drip off, this will result in a thicker, greek-style yogurt.You can also continue to strain a small portion of it to get a thick yogurt cream cheese. Stir in spices such as salt, pepper, garlic, or dill and spread it on crackers. 

  
  

  We have LOVED having so much yogurt. I make it every week and just keep using a few tbsps of my previous batch for the next batch.
  
  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  ** You can do this same process but in a pot on the stove. I have been doing this method lately instead since it is quicker to get it to reach the 180 degrees, but you do have to stay close. There's been a few times I've forgottten and its boiled over, so I set a timer to remember to stir it and check the temperature every 10 minutes or so. Once the milk gets hotter, for example to 160 degrees, it'll reach 180 much more quickly. So check it every couple minutes once the temperature starts to get within 20-30 degrees of your final temperature.

  
  

Bran Blueberry Muffins

• 3/4 cup white flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour 
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. sal

Mix all dry ingredients together.  Then in a separate bowl, combine:

• 1 cup bran cereal
• 1/4 cup fat free milk
• 1/4 cup applesauce (I didn't have an egg) 
• 2 TBSP canola oil
• 1 TBSP coconut oil 
• 1 cup yogurt 
• 1/4 cup frozen blueberries, thawed 

Let bran cereal soak in wet ingredients for 5 minutes. Then add wet ingredients to dry.  Scoop batter into prepared muffin pan. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes, or until muffins are cooked through.

Source for altered recipe & image 

No-Bake Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Ingredients:

2 TBSP butter
3 TBSP peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons mini or regular chocolate chips

Directions:

In a large bowl, stir oats and rice cereal together. Set aside. In a small pot, melt butter, peanut butter, honey and brown sugar together over medium high heat until it comes to a bubble in the middle too. Reduce the heat and cook for 2 full minutes. Pour in vanilla and stir. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well to moisten all ingredients. Pour into lightly greased 9x13 pan and press down hard with a spatula sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and press down lightly. Cool on a countertop to room temperature for two hours or until the chocolate chips are set before cutting into bars. Wrap in parchment or plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

Adapted from original recipe to help bars stick together. Source for recipe & picture. 

Zucchini Yogurt Multigrain Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup oat flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 
  
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 24 muffin cups.
2. In a bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, oat flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, vegetable oil, applesauce, yogurt, sugar, honey, and vanilla. Mix the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Fold in the zucchini, carrots, pecans, and raisins. Scoop into the prepared muffin cups.
3. Bake about 13-15 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Tastes great with cream cheese on top. 

Altered from original recipe. Source for recipe & picture.