1 454g package of macaroni
1 C chopped carrots
2 C chopped squash (I use this frozen kind)
2-3 C chopped cauliflower (I use this frozen kind)
1/2 C water
2 C milk
2 C shredded old cheddar cheese
1 tsp dry onion flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 Tblsp prepared mustard
2 Tblsp +/- parmesan cheese

Prepare macaroni al dente and set aside.

Place vegetables and water in a pot over medium heat. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat. Do not drain. Add milk. Puree using an immersion blender. (Alternatively, add to a blender and process until smooth). Stir in cheese and seasoning until cheese is melted.

Add macaroni to sauce and stir to coat. Place into baking dish and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake at 350' for 30 minutes.

5 Pitas, split to create 10 rounds
3 Tblsp butter, room temperature
1 Tblsp Everything Seasoning (recipe below)

In a small bowl, mix butter and seasoning until evenly combined. Spread lightly over cut side of pita rounds. Cut into wedges. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 400` for 7-9 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks completely before storing in an airtight container. (FYI: This amount of chips fills my largest baking sheet twice, so be prepared to bake these in 2-3 groups)

Everything Seasoning

1 Tblsp poppy seeds
1 Tblsp sesame seeds
1 Tblsp dried minced garlic
1 Tblsp dried minced onion
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Combine in a jar and shake until thoroughly mixed. Store in a cool dry place until ready to use.

1 pkg tofu
1/3 C cocoa
2/3 C sugar
1 Tblsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients in blender or with immersion blender until smooth. Freeze in popsicle molds overnight.

1/4 C icing sugar (the original recipe called for 1/2 C, but that seemed to be way more than necessary)

Beat sugar, banana, vegetable oil, soy milk, and vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Pour into wet mixture and stir to combine.

Divide batter into 24 greased mini muffin cups. Bake  at 350` for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for about 15 minutes. Remove from pan and roll in icing sugar. (I put the sugar in a large bowl so there was lots of room to roll and move the muffins, before dusting the excess back into the bowl.

1 3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 Tblsp butter, cut into small chunks
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks
1/2 Cup skim milk

Combine all dry ingredients. Cut butter in using two knives (I always give up at some point and use my hands) until it looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in chocolate chunks. Work in milk gradually (may use slightly more or slightly less) until the dough comes together. Shape into a disk, and cut into triangles. Bake at 400` for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

  

2 C of leftover risotto (I used this, which makes exactly 2 cups)
3/4 C dried bread crumbs

1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
3 Tbsp melted butter

Sift dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture and whisk until smooth. Bake batter in waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions.

1 1/2 C flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 C buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 C melted butter
1 Tbsp molasses (Crosby's, of course, since it's made here!)
1/4 C firmly packed brown sugar

Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients until smooth. Cook waffles according to the directions with your waffle iron. Mine took slightly less time than my regular waffles often too - plus the dark colour of the batter made them appear quite dark before they were well-done.

With oodles of beets from our produce pack program, I was excited to find this recipe for the kids. And they loved them! I noticed a slight smell of beets when I cut into mine, but they taste the same if you close your eyes. I sprinkled chocolate chips and blueberries on a couple to make them extra-appealing to my toddlers.

First, clean your beets and trim to allow an extra 1/2 inch on each end. (ie: 1/2 inch of stem and 1/2 inch of skinny root on each beet). Place in a covered casserole dish, and bake at 425' for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on the size of your beets. Allow to cool in the covered dish, before simply rubbing to remove the skin with your fingers. Then, puree beets in a food processor until smooth - adding a little water if necessary.

You can easily incorporate the pureed beets into your own pancake recipe in lieu of oil or apple sauce.




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A friend shared this recipe with me, but the copy she sent didn't cite the original source, and I didn't find it in a quick search. I'll be sure to check with her an update this post, but until then...enjoy!

1 Cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 Cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract (I omitted)
1 Tblsp canola oil
3/4 Cup whole-wheat flour
1/3 Cup cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 Cup chocolate chips

Combine apple sauce, sugar, vanilla, almond extract, and oil. Stir well and set aside to allow sugar to dissolve. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Combine with wet ingredients, and fold in chocolate chips. Spray muffin tin with non stick spray (or use one of my fave kitchen items - silicone muffin liners). Divide batter to make 9 muffins. Bake at 375` for 20 minutes, or until firm to the touch.

6 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Lb rice vermicelli (I used a 450g box of angel hair last night)
1 English cucumber, julienned
3 green onions, thinly sliced

Whisk together first 5 ingredients to make dressing.

Cook noodles until tender. Rinse and drain very thoroughly.

Toss noodles with cucumber and green onion. Combine with dressing.

These muffins were adapted from this recipe from Cooking Light . Unfortunately, my changes make them a little less healthy because I was working with ingredients that I already had. I look forward to trying the original recipe sometime soon. These muffins taste like a coffee shop treat!

1/3 C light cream cheese
2 1/2 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 C sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
1 C flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 C milk
1 cup frozen raspberries

Beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until well blended. Add sugar, vanilla, and egg. Beat until fluffy.

Combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Add to cream cheese mixture, alternating with milk. Fold in raspberries.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until done. Yeilds 12 small-ish muffins.

I got this recipe from my cousin a couple years ago, and I apologize that I don't know the original source of the recipe. These cookies are so great with a cup of tea - and healthy enough that I don't feel bad having three at a time!

½ C butter
1 C sugar
1 egg
1 C cooked and mashed carrot (I’ve grated it raw before too and it’s been fine)
1/3 C milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 C white flour
1 C whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
2 C rolled oats
1 C raisins

Beat the butter, sugar, and eggs. Combine the carrot, milk and vanilla and add to butter mixture. Combine the dry ingredients and add to the wet. Spoon onto a cookie sheet and bake at 375’ for 12-15 minutes.

1 egg
3/4 C flour
1/4 C quick oats
1/2 C apple sauce
1/2 C milk (more or less)
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon
1 small apple, peeled and grated

Combine all ingredients, adding the milk last and adding more or less depending on the consistency of the batter. For each pancake, pour onto a hot pan and cook until cake is puffy and bubbles on the surface are popping. Flip, and cook for an additional minute or two. Serve immediately, or cool on wire rack and reheat in the toaster.