Cucumber Salad

1 cucumber
Sea Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Fresh tomato
Feta Cheese
Basil (optional)

Cut cucumber and tomato up in chunks. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Add feta cheese (however much you want) and chopped tomato. Drizzle with Tblsp of Olive oil and Tblsp of balsamic vinegar. Add fresh basil if desired. Mix. Serve immediately.

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies

from Mom

Ingredients:

1 c butter
1 c sour cream
1 3/4 c sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 1/2 c flour
chocolate chips

Directions:

Cream butter, sour cream and sugar.

Add in dry ingredients and chocolate chips.

Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes.

Mocha Ice Cream (no freezer needed)

from Fly Through Our Window

Ingredients:

1/2 sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
1/4 c sour cream
1 1/4 c heavy cream
1 heaping tsp instant coffee in 1 Tbsp boiling water
Squirt of Hershey chocolate syrup

Directions:

Mix milk, vanilla, salt & sour cream until combined.

Whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form.

Add coffee to milk mixture and add a squirt or two of Hershey's chocolate syrup (to taste).

Fold in 1/4 of the whipped cream until incorporated and then gently fold in the remainder. Place in an airtight container and freeze about 6 hours.

Sour Cream Waffles

from Williams Sonoma

Ingredients:

3 eggs
3/4 c milk
1 stick butter, melted
3/4 c sour cream
1 1/2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp sugar

Directions:

Preheat waffle maker.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with a whisk. Beat in the milk, butter and sour cream.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar. Add dry ingredients to wet and beat until smooth.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold 1/2 cup of the egg whites into the batter and then carefully fold in the remaining egg whites.

Cook waffles according to waffle maker's instructions.

Banana Bread

from Cooking Light

Ingredients:

1 c sugar
1/2 c butter, softened
1/4 c milk
1/4 c sour cream
2 egg whites
1 2/3 c bananas (about 3)
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat sugar & butter at medium until well-blended. Add banana, milk, sour cream & egg whites; beat well.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to sugar mixture, beating until blended.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes (or longer) until done. Cool 10 minutes in pan and then remove and cool on wire rack.

This is my favorite banana bread recipe and its really not too bad for you either. I usually end up dumping (no, I don't measure) some ground flax seed in as well because its good for you and you can't really tell its there.

Bruschetta (a healthy version)

Ingredients:
1 tomato
1 avocado
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Whole wheat baguette type bread
Arugala lettuce
Fresh basil
Minced garlic
Lemon juice
Sea Salt
Pepper


Slice some whole wheat bread and baste with olive oil. Cook in the oven for several minutes to make crispy (350 degrees for 2-5 minutes).

In an oven safe bowl place one diced fresh tomato, 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar, 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and minced garlic. Cook in oven for 10 minutes.

Peel 1 avocado and dice. Toss with lemon juice.

After cooking tomato mixture in oven, add fresh basil, sea salt, pepper and arugala lettuce.

Top bread with tomato mixture and avocados.

Serve immediately for best results.

Chicken Pot Pie

from Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 c flour
2 Tbsp Parmigiano
pinch salt
7 Tbsp butter
3-4 Tbsp milk

Filling:
2 Tbsp butter
1 leek
1lg carrot
1 potato
1 Tbsp flour
2 c chicken broth
2 c chicken
1 c peas
1 c half and half
1/4 c parsley
1/2 tsp tarragon
salt & pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

To make the crust, stir together flour, cheese & salt in a bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Pour in 3 Tbsp milk and mix quickly with a fork until moistened; if it seems dry, add remaining 1 Tbsp milk.

Turn onto lightly floured work surface and knead just until it holds together. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

To make the filling, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add leek, carrot & potato and cook until the leek is softened, about 5 min. Add flour and stir 1 minute. Stir in broth. Bring to a boil and simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes.

Stir in chicken, peas, half and half, parsley & tarragon. Simmer about 5 minutes more. Season with salt & pepper.

Roll out dough and fill 2 quart dish.

Bake 35-40 minutes.

Guacamole

from Elisalou designs blog

Ingredients:
2 avocados
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1 tsp garlic pepper
cilantro
juice from half a lime

Salsa

Recipe is D's Famous Salsa from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

2 (14.5 oz) cans stewed tomatoes
1/2 onion, finely diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 lime, juiced
1 tsp salt
1/4 canned sliced green chiles
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Directions:

Place all ingredients in blender or food processor. Pulse or blend on low until it reaches desired consistency.

(I only use one can of tomatoes and chop up a fresh tomato in place of the other one. I don't use cilantro either).

Buttermilk Pancakes

These are my favorite pancakes.

Ingredients:
3 c flour
3 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 c milk
1/3 c melted butter
3 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3 c buttermilk
3 eggs

Directions
You don't need those, now do ya?

Thai Peanut Noodles

I find these noodles to be completely addictive and I'm not sure why. I could eat the whole bowl myself.

from Fast Family Suppers

Ingredients
1 lb cooked, peeled med shrimp
1 c Italian salad dressing
2 Tbsp crunchy peanut butter (I use smooth)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1 c green onions, chopped
1 Tbsp sesame oil
8 oz pkg angel hair pasta (or spaghetti)
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro (I've not tried it)
2/3 c chopped peanuts (optional - I don't add)

Directions
Coat shrimp with 1/2 c Italian dressing and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Whisk together remaining dressing, peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, ginger and red pepper flakes until smooth; set aside.

Saute carrot, green onions and shrimp in sesame oil about 5 minutes or until shrimp are thoroughly heated ( I don't heat the shrimp - cooking shrimp makes it tough and shrinks it up quickly).

Toss pasta, peanut sauce and shrimp mixture together in a large serving bowl; sprinkle with cilantro and, if desired, peanuts.

(You can substitute chicken breasts for the shrimp, if you want)

Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Shake

This is a morning favorite of mine because you get protein, carbs and flavor all in one healthy drink!


Add the following to your blender:

One small or medium banana
1/4 to 1/2 cup on brewed coffee
1/4 to 1/2 cup of low fat milk
1 tbsp natural peanut butter
1 scoop of chocolate whey protein powder (I get mine at GNC in a big jug)
1-2 cups of ice
Blend & enjoy!

Zuppa Toscana

This is a copy of Olive Garden's soup. Yum!
(can't remember where I got it - sorry!)

Ingredients
1 lb Italian sausage
1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 large diced white onion
4 Tbsp bacon pieces
2 tsp garlic puree
10 c water
5 cubes chicken bouillon
1 c heavy cream
1 lb sliced Russet potatoes
1/4 of a bunch of kale

Directions:

Saute sausage and red pepper and drain off excess fat.

In the same pan, saute bacon, onions and garlic over low to medium heat for approx 15 minutes or until the onions are soft.

Heat boullion and water until boiling.

Add sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.

Pour in heavy cream and cook until thoroughly heated.

Stir in sausage and kale, heat thoroughly and serve.