APPLE SPICE COOKIES

Hey gang: Well I tried these cookies tonight and they are so good, nice and soft with just a hint of the cloves and cinnamon. Next time I make them I am going to get inventive and try blueberries instead of the apple. The recipe called for peeled apples but I left the skin on as I like the extra texture. Just had a large glass of milk (calcium) and a few cookies as my bedtime snack. Totally yummy. They are quite sweet so some may choose to reduce the splenda.
APPLE SPICE COOKIES
Oven: 375'
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup margarine.....I use Becel
1 egg
1/4 cup apple juice
2/3 cup brown sugar spenda....original recipe calls for 1 1/2 cup brown sugar.
3/4 cup granulated splenda
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped apple...I left the skin on.
The original recipe calls for 1 cup of rasins, but I choose not to put them in.
Cream together margarine, egg and apple juice, add in sugars and mix well.
Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves.
Mix the dry ingredients into the margarine mixture and mix well.
Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.
Recipe says that there should be 4 1/2 dozen cookies, but I like a large cookie and so I ended up with 47 cookies that is pretty close to 4 dozen LOL.
TTFN
Jake

PUMPKIN COOKIES

Hey gang: Well here is another cookie recipe, these are really healthy, as everyone knows pumpkin is a vegetable. I have been making these for a few months now. They are another recipe that I have had forever and just adjusted some of the ingredients.
PUMPKIN COOKIES
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar splenda...the original recipe calls for 1 1/2 cup of brown sugar.
1/2 cup granulated splenda..or a little bit more if you like them sweet.
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup of puree pumpkin..I use canned pumpkin.
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup raisins...optional
Oven....375'
Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugars.
Cream together margarine, eggs and vanilla and add pumpkin.
Mix in dry ingredients add nuts and raisins. Mix well and drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets.
Bake for 15 minutes, cool and then enjoy with a tall glass of skim milk or a nice cup of tea or coffee.
Makes about 4 dozen medium cookies.
Sometimes if I don't feel like baking the cookies I put the dough in the refrigerator overnight and bake them the next day.
Once again I don't have the values for these cookies but they are really healthy and delicious.
Oh and by the way for the previous recipe the Banana Oatmeal Cookies I also make them a day in advance and bake them the next day.

BANANA OATMEAL COOKIES

Hey gang: This is a recipe that I have adapted from an old cookbook that I have had for a million years. The cookies are soft and good with a big glass of skim milk at bedtime.
BANANA OATMEAL COOKIES
1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup margarine (I use becel)
1/2 cup brown sugar splenda
1/2 cup splenda
1 egg, beaten
1 cup mashed banana puree.....about 3 medium bananas
1 3/4 cups oats.....if you used the old fashioned oats the cookies taste nuttier
1 cup chopped nuts
Oven...375'
Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, sugars and oats together. In a bowl beat together margarine, egg and bananas, mix in the dry ingredients, mix well. Add the nuts.
Drop by spoonful onto greased cookie sheets and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
Makes about 4 dozen small cookies or 2-3 dozen medium cookies.
I don't have the values for these cookies as I have adapted the ingredients to suit my healthy eating.
If desired you may add dried fruit to the recipe, the original recipe calls for adding dates cut up finely. But I don't use them as they are high in sugar.

HEALTHY BANANA BREAD

Hey gang:
This banana bread is good, not as moist as the high sugar and fat ones, but still not to bad.

HEALTHY BANANA BREAD
1/2 cup of margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar splenda
1/2 cup splenda, or 1/4 cup of honey...I don't use honey as it is high in sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cup of mashed bananas...about 3 medium or large bananas
2 large eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup or chopped walnuts....optional
Preheat oven to 350'
In a large bowl beat margarine, sugar, vanilla, baking soda and salt. Add bananas and eggs beating until smooth.
Add the flour and the walnuts and stir until smooth. Spoon batter into a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
Bake in 350' oven for 1 hour, check it in the last 10 minutes to be certain that the top is not getting to brown, if it is to brown then cover with a piece of aluminum foil. Use a skewer or cake tester to check for doneness. I have never had to bake it for more than an hour.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes and remove from pan and cool on a rack.
Yields: 1 loaf, or 16 servings.
When it is cool I store it in a plastic bag to keep it moist.
I don't have the calorie count or any other information.
TTFN
Jake
ps: The original recipe calls for letting the batter in the loaf pan to sit for 10 minutes at room temperature. I personally have never done this.

BARLEY AND CORN CASSEROLE

This recipe is a great vegetarian dish. Barley is a good source of soluble fiber.
It originally called for black beans, but I don't like black beans, but if you like them then add can of them. This will add more protein to the dish.

BARLEY AND CORN CASSEROLE
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup pearl or pot barley
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock...I use chicken stock as I am not a vegetarian
2 cups kernal corn...I use frozen corn
1 tomato, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice or lime juice
1/2 cup chopped parsley or basil....I don't usually use either as I never keep in on hand or chopped green onions at the end would be nice also, nice colours.

In a frying pan saute the onions and garlic until soft and translucent, add the barley and saute for just a couple of minutes and add the chicken stock.
Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish and cover, bake in 350' oven for 1 hour.
Remove from oven and add the corn, red peppers, tomato and lemon juice. If using parsley add it now also. Return to oven and cook for about 10 minutes more.
If using chopped green onions add them at the end so they remain nice and crisp.

I even like this dish served at room temperature, the taste is fresh and the lemon juice gives it a little zing.
If using black beans add at the same time you add the corn, but drain and rinse the beans before adding to the dish.
I only have the nutritional data for the dish with the black beans, so if anyone wants the information I can supply it if you email me.
TTFN
Jake

COTTAGE CHEESE BREAD

Hey all: This recipe is adapted from an old Diabetes Cookbook going back to 1986.
COTTAGE CHEESE BREAD
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 pkg dry yeast....I use the old fashioned one not the instant one
1 1/4 cup of no-fat cottage cheese
2-2 1/2 cup flour....I use one cup all purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour
1 TBSP sugar
1/2 tsp each salt and baking soda
1 egg well beaten
Dissolve sugar in water and sprinkle yeast over the water/sugar mixture. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Warm cottage cheese in saucepan..(I do it in the microwave) just until warm.
Combine flour (1 cup), sugar, salt and baking soda in a mixer bowl. Stir in warm cottage cheese, egg and yeast mixture. Beat for about 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining flour, (I only use 1 cup of the flour) and mix until it is a stiff dough.
Cover with plastic wrap and allow to raise in a warm place until double in volume (I use the oven that is slightly warmed and leave the oven light on..it warms the oven). This will take about 1 hour. Punch down dough and place in a well greased baking dish...the cottage cheese can stick to the pan.
Let rise in a warm place until double in volume, it takes about 30-45 minutes.
Bake in 350* oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Makes 12 servings
16 carbs
7 gr protein
1 gr fat
101 calories
These stats are calculated using 2% cottage cheese, so the fat is lower and so are the calories.
The nice thing about this bread it does not need kneading.

COTTAGE CHEESE PANCAKES

These pancakes are rather like crepes, they are not light and fluffy, but the cottage cheese makes them moist. I like to serve them with homemade applesauce and a drizzle of real maple syrup...just a drizzle is enough.
1 1/2 cups of low fat cottage cheese
1/2 buttermilk
2 egg whites
1 egg...I use the omega 3 eggs
1 TBSP canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp grated lemon zest...sometimes I use orange zest
1/2 whole wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup splenda
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
In the container of a food processor combine, cottage cheese, buttermilk, egg whites, oil, vanilla and lemon zest. And pulse until the cottage cheese is in smaller chunks...if you prefer leave the cottage cheese whole then you get a different texture to the pancakes.
In a bowl combine flour, wheat germ, splenda, baking soda, and baking powder and stir together until well blended.
Add wet mixture from the processor to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
Heat a non-stick griddle or fry pan over medium heat. Ladle in about 1/4 cup of the batter. Cook until bubbles appear on top and then using a spatula flip pancake and cook the other side for about 2 minutes, or until the underside is golden. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Makes 4 servings
* When I say use a non-stick pan I mean use a non-stick pan as these pancakes will stick because of the cottage cheese.
The original recipe called for 1 TBSP of splenda but I like them a little bit sweet, so use your judgment when you make them.

TTFN
Jake