Making dinner healthier, one slow cooker at a time.
Whole grain apple walnut bars with a little apple brandy to help you celebrate fall! So grab an apple bar, a sweater and sit on the deck awhile. You can even bring out a hot spiked tea in case you get chilly while you watch the leaves fall. [Read more...]
It’s still early in the new year and I think that you, like me, are still working on eating better and adding even more fruit and veggies into your daily routine. Here’s an easy way to get 2 servings of fruit with nothing added. It’s like 2 pieces of fruit only you can keep these in your desk drawer or even in your pocket.
When the people at That’s It asked me to try these I didn’t have high expectations. Most bars that I try – even the ones I consider to be my favorites – let me down when it comes to flavor or texture.
But I have to say I really like these. It’s like a juicier fruit leather, which at the same time makes it not like fruit leather at all because it’s not hard and chewy. The flavor of the non-apple fruit really pops and makes it pretty darn delicious.
Each bar has 1 apple and a serving portion of the “flavor” fruit like cherry, pear, or apricot. Those 2 fruits are the only ingredients in the bar. They also talk about it being Diabetic friendly since they use low glycemic index fruit.
They are 100 calories each and have 3 grams of fiber. Vegan, gluten-free, and kosher all the while giving you vitamins a and c. Not bad for something that feels like a treat.
Enter this giveaway and you may just win your own That’s It Fruit Snack Bars to try!
There are a few rules to this giveaway – the winner must be at least 18 years of age and that the winning address is within the U.S. The winner will receive a variety pack of That’s It bars (12 bars – $21.18 value - http://www.thatsitfruit.com/shopbuy-our-products)
You will get one entry for each task you do as long as you enter a new comment for each one on this blog post. I’ll announce the winner this Friday.
This is a Monday that I’m just not prepared for. I’ve been taking things out of cabinets, cleaning and re-organizing the kitchen all weekend. That sounds great right? I’m probably just tired but should think of that feeling of accomplishment. Except – I’m still not done and my kitchen is a little wreaked.
I hate not completing things. I hope I will get back to it this weekend, but during the week I have too many deadlines to meet.
So, I declare this oatmeal the one that will make me forget about that. The one that will soothe my soul with sweet pears and lure my senses away from my obsessiveness with the fragrances of rosewater and cardamom. The slight almond flavor will ground me so that I can start my week off just right.
Have an amazing Monday everyone!
** Make sure to check out my other oatmeal recipes. I have over 50 different flavors!
Slow Cooker Pear Rose Cardamom Cake Oatmeal
soy-free and gluten-free
2 to 3 servings
**This recipe uses a smaller slow cooker 1 1/2 to 2 quarts
The night before: Spray your crock with some oil to help with clean up later. Add all the ingredients except the sweetener. Cook on low over night (7 to 9 hours).
In the morning: Stir your oatmeal well and add sweetener. It may seem watery at the top but if stirred it should be a more uniform consistency.
I think there’s something about the cooler, rainy weather, as well as the orange and red leaves that makes me crave the butterscotch-y flavor of blondies.
There’s nothing wrong with brownies, but there’s so much more you can do with blondies. They are the blank check of the dessert world in my opinion. You can go with fruits, nuts, chocolate chips and even add in oatmeal.
Of course, oatmeal that tastes like blondies is just as good in my book. The maple extract with the pecans gives it the unexpected flavor combination that allows you to fool your brain into thinking you’re having a blondie for breakfast. Yum!
Please vote for me in the Aetna Healthy Food Fight, so I can go to Atlanta and make my vegan jambalaya for the preliminary contest. It would be great to have a vegan showing there!
** Make sure to check out my other oatmeal recipes. I have over 40 different flavors!
Slow Cooker Apple Pecan Blondie Oatmeal
soy-free and gluten-free
2 to 3 servings
**This recipe uses a smaller slow cooker 1 1/2 to 2 quarts
The night before: Spray your crock with some oil to help with clean up later. Add all the ingredients except the sweetener and nuts. Cook on low over night (7 to 9 hours).
In the morning: Stir your oatmeal well and add sweetener. It may seem watery at the top but if stirred it should be a more uniform consistency. Top with chopped pecans.
My aunt used to make the most wonderful applesauce cake every year in the fall. It was unbelievably moist and had the perfect blend of spices to get you in the mood to take a drive to look at the fall foliage. I love the color changes of the leaves.
This is my attempt to get close to that flavor. I added pears for a little twist (and because I have some ripe ones that need to be used).
You may not need any extra sweetener in this one if your pear is very sweet. My pear wasn’t and I wanted to get in an additional fall taste with the brown sugar.
** Make sure to check out my other oatmeal recipes. I have over 40 different flavors!
Slow Cooker Pear Applesauce Cake Oatmeal
soy-free and gluten-free
2 to 3 servings
**This recipe uses a smaller slow cooker 1 1/2 to 2 quarts
The night before: Spray your crock with some oil to help with clean up later. Add all the ingredients except the sweetener. Cook on low over night (7 to 9 hours).
In the morning: Stir your oatmeal well and add sweetener. It may seem watery at the top but if stirred it should be a more uniform consistency.
I’m trying to get my other half to eat more fruit so the first thought is having it as dessert. I love liquor in my desserts, but you could leave it out if you don’t imbibe. Of course, the healthiest way to eat an apple is to grab a fresh one and go to it. But desperate situations require tasty desperate solutions!
Slow Cooker Drunken Apples (gluten-free)
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 6 – 8 hours
This recipe uses a 1 to 1.5 quart slow cooker
In the morning: Prepare the apples, juice the tangerines and lime and put everything in the slow cooker. Many of these have no temperature control so they cook everything on low. If you leave the alcohol out, you may want to add some fruit juice or water.
Serve by itself, over low-fat vanilla ice cream (try Soy Delicious – I love the coconut milk one) , over a whole wheat cupcake, even on your oatmeal for a special treat.
It’s been an overcast rainy day and all I could think about was a comforting bowl of soup. I’ve been thinking about split peas all week so I had no choice but to make a new soup. I’m also obsessing with celery root and pear. So I see another soup recipe in my future.
Split peas are full of soluble fiber, protein, and potassium. So indulge in this soup for your health, or a little comfort food. It freezes well and is perfect to portion out for lunches.
You can easily make this gluten-free by using a bouillon or broth that is gluten-free. Some flavors of Better than Bouillon are, but I couldn’t find a gluten-free statement for the No Chicken on its website, so I’m assuming it has gluten. I’ll let you know if I hear otherwise.
Slow Cooker Apple and Split Pea Soup
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 6 – 8 hours
The night before: Chop the celery and carrot. Mince the garlic. You don’t need to peel the skin off of the carrot if you get organic. Peel, seed, chop the apple and toss with some lemon juice to prevent browning.
In the morning: Throw everything but the balsamic vinegar into your slow cooker and cook for 6 – 8 hours on low. Taste and add more herbs and the balsamic. You may need to add a little salt if your bouillon/broth is not salted. Puree with an immersion blender and serve.
You may have noticed an orange theme this month in my recipes. I love all kinds of winter squash. Delicata, butternut, acorn, pumpkin, and all the rest are not only tasty but full of good vitamins and minerals for you too!
All winter squashes pair well with something a little sweet. I like mixing them with fresh pears and apples in the winter to liven up a soup or casserole. It’s unexpected, and a nice change of pace during the winter months. One of my favorite combos is pear and delicata squash. But use anything you happen to have on hand to create your own one of a kind soup.
Slow Cooker Winter Squash and Fruit Soup (Gluten-Free *)
Prep time: 15 minutes (less if using pre-cut winter squash)
Cooking Time: 6 -8 hours
The night before: Chop veggies and prepare winter squash. If you bought a whole winter squash, cut it in half, scrape the seeds out, and then use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. You can cut the fruit now, but you will need to toss it with lemon juice to prevent browning.
In the morning: Throw everything into the slow cooker and cook on low 6 – 8 hours. Remove the thyme spring or rosemary sprig. Use a hand blender to purée everything together. Add extra water or broth if needed. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste. Top with finely chopped pistachios or a fresh sage leaf.
The Virtual Vegan Potluck is over, but the virtual feast lives on!