made these for James' birthday breakfast. Clay (remember, faux names), one of our 16 year olds, ate 7 of them so they are already gone. everyone really liked them but I will tweak it a little next time. considering how nutrient packed they are, I will be making them again!
Low-Fat Oatmeal Blueberry Applesauce Muffins. Makes 12-16 muffins.
Any oats will work, but use old fashioned or steel cut oats for a heartier texture. Made with whole grains and very little fat, these muffins are a guilt free breakfast treat! Go ahead, eat a second one – they’re good for you :)
1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour
1 ¼ cups oats1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
½ cup low-fat or non-fat buttermilk
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar (or for lower calorie, I used splenda blend brown sugar, 1/4 C but I think I will use a little more next time)
2 tbsp canola oil (I used extra light NON virgin olive oil for the health benefits, you can't taste it)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¾ cup blueberries (fresh or frozen) Use fresh for more nutrients!
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray. If you plan on eating them straight out of the oven, give the liners a spritz of cooking spray so the muffins won’t stick.
In a large bowl whisk together flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Combine applesauce, buttermilk, sugar, oil and egg in a medium bowl. Make a well in dry ingredients and add applesauce mixture, stirring until just moist. (Don’t over mix them! The batter will be thicker than your average muffin batter.) Carefully fold in blueberries.
Spoon the batter into muffin cups. Bake at 375°F for 16-18 minutes.
This would also be very yummy if you added some finely chopped nuts. I say finely chopped because it would go well with the other textures. Use almonds for their powerful antioxidents or walnuts or pecans.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
knitting
I've decided I want to learn to knit. I can sew (mending & some basic functions) and cross stitch but I never learned to crochet or knit. I'm going to wait until I'm done with the cross stitch I'm doing for Jackson because I'm terrible about starting new projects before finishing another.
My first project is a baby hat for Jackson. From what I've read, a hat is a great 1st project & Jackson has a hard time keeping store bought hats on so I thought a knit one would stay better. I bought a book with bootie patterns that a lady in the store recommended (she knits them for hospital maternity wards) along with a "how to knit" book. I'm anxious to start but I've got some work to do first!
My first project is a baby hat for Jackson. From what I've read, a hat is a great 1st project & Jackson has a hard time keeping store bought hats on so I thought a knit one would stay better. I bought a book with bootie patterns that a lady in the store recommended (she knits them for hospital maternity wards) along with a "how to knit" book. I'm anxious to start but I've got some work to do first!
Awesome Lentil Soup Recipe!
Ingredients:
Ham or bacon pieces to taste ( I used 2 pieces center cut bacon, its lower fat)
2-1/2 cups or 1 (16-ounce) package dried lentils
6 cups chicken broth
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup grated carrots
4 Tbsp butter or margarine (low fat margarine for us)
1 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt and white pepper to taste
Preparation:
In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, combine ham or bacon pieces, lentils, and chicken broth; bring just to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until lentils are soft. Remove 2 cups of cooked lentils and place into food processor or blender bowl; let cool 5 minutes (if you do not let cool slightly before processing, mixture will explode out of container and make a mess in your kitchen). After cooling, whirl until pureed. Stir pureed lentils into soup mixture. In a medium frying pan over medium-high heat, saute onion and carrots in butter or margarine until limp, but do not brown; add to lentils. Add thyme, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Simmer another 30 minutes. Remove from heat and serve in soup bowls. Yield: 6 servings.
It makes more than 6 servings because it is sooo filling. Its a very aromatic, herby tasting soup. Of course, its also super cheap to make. If you are really pinching pennies, get a pack of center cut bacon and freeze what you don't use in this recipe. You can use it to flavor subsequent bean soups and it will last a long time.
Salad balances out the heartiness of this soup, use baby spinach leaves for added health benefits.
Ham or bacon pieces to taste ( I used 2 pieces center cut bacon, its lower fat)
2-1/2 cups or 1 (16-ounce) package dried lentils
6 cups chicken broth
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup grated carrots
4 Tbsp butter or margarine (low fat margarine for us)
1 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt and white pepper to taste
Preparation:
In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, combine ham or bacon pieces, lentils, and chicken broth; bring just to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until lentils are soft. Remove 2 cups of cooked lentils and place into food processor or blender bowl; let cool 5 minutes (if you do not let cool slightly before processing, mixture will explode out of container and make a mess in your kitchen). After cooling, whirl until pureed. Stir pureed lentils into soup mixture. In a medium frying pan over medium-high heat, saute onion and carrots in butter or margarine until limp, but do not brown; add to lentils. Add thyme, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Simmer another 30 minutes. Remove from heat and serve in soup bowls. Yield: 6 servings.
It makes more than 6 servings because it is sooo filling. Its a very aromatic, herby tasting soup. Of course, its also super cheap to make. If you are really pinching pennies, get a pack of center cut bacon and freeze what you don't use in this recipe. You can use it to flavor subsequent bean soups and it will last a long time.
Salad balances out the heartiness of this soup, use baby spinach leaves for added health benefits.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
kids and trees
the baby decided he is going on a growth spurt and needed as much milk as possible to take along for the ride! he is now eating every 2-2 1/2 hours right now. p.s. when I type in lower caps, I'm one handed because I'm feeding the baby.
I realized something yesterday as I stared at the trees in the HEB parking lot (it was my only view while feeding the baby in the van). our foster kids are very much like transplanted trees. they are ripped out of the soil where they were planted and stuck somewhere foreign (our house). they can be given everything they (technically) need to grow and thrive and yet some of them just won't make it. even with therapy, love, tons of food, long conversations, built in friends (our other boys), lessons in things they are interested in and more, some just give up. watching that happen will rip your heart up.
we had lots of new trees transplanted into our yard 2 years ago. some are growing faster than others but most are growing at least a little. we had a tree guy come and work on them and he informed us that one spindly little tree was actually dead. james went and pulled on it and it broke right off, the trunk just tore. it was rotten on the inside. that tree reminds me of some of the boys we've had to say goodbye to. it didn't matter what we did, how hard we prayed, how hard we worked or even how much we loved them, they were determined to give up on themselves. it is the hardest thing about our job, having to say goodbye.
I realized something yesterday as I stared at the trees in the HEB parking lot (it was my only view while feeding the baby in the van). our foster kids are very much like transplanted trees. they are ripped out of the soil where they were planted and stuck somewhere foreign (our house). they can be given everything they (technically) need to grow and thrive and yet some of them just won't make it. even with therapy, love, tons of food, long conversations, built in friends (our other boys), lessons in things they are interested in and more, some just give up. watching that happen will rip your heart up.
we had lots of new trees transplanted into our yard 2 years ago. some are growing faster than others but most are growing at least a little. we had a tree guy come and work on them and he informed us that one spindly little tree was actually dead. james went and pulled on it and it broke right off, the trunk just tore. it was rotten on the inside. that tree reminds me of some of the boys we've had to say goodbye to. it didn't matter what we did, how hard we prayed, how hard we worked or even how much we loved them, they were determined to give up on themselves. it is the hardest thing about our job, having to say goodbye.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Black Bean Soup Recipe
Ingredients
1 pound dried black beans (about 2 cups), rinsed, soaked in 4 quarts of water overnight or 6 hours or boiled 2 minutes & soaked 2 hours, drained
1 lb smoked ham hock or shank (I used 3 slices center cut bacon to save fat & calories)
2 bay leaves
5 cups water (will be very watery this way, I will try 4 next time)
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped fine
1 medium sweet potato, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces or smaller(can substitute 2 large carrots) (
1/2 carrot, chopped fine
1 celery rib, chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 medium garlic cloves, minced, or jarred minced garlic
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 teaspoon chile powder
2 cups chicken stock
1 Tbsp molasses
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
3 to 4 Tbsp lime juice (can substitute lemon juice)
Salt
Optional on individual bowls
Chopped fresh cilantro
Sour cream
Avocado, peeled and chopped
Method
1 Place beans and ham hock in a 4-quart, thick-bottomed pot. Add 5 cups water, bay leaves, salt and baking soda. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover and let cook 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, until beans are tender. Remove bay leaves. Remove ham hock from the pot. Cut ham meat away from the bone and cut into small, bite-sized pieces, set aside.
2 Heat olive oil in a large 8-quart thick-bottomed pot on medium high until the oil is hot, but not smoking. Add the onions, celery, sweet potato and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and softened, about 10-15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add the cumin, chili powder, and garlic, cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
3 Add the beans (or simply add veggies to pot of beans), their cooking liquid, chicken stock, molasses, and bell pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes.
4 Remove 4 cups of the soup (about half of it) to a blender. Let cool 5 minutes (may explode out of blender otherwise).Purée until smooth and return to the pot of soup. (You may need to purée the soup in smaller portions, depending on the size of your blender. Don't fill the blender more than half way at a time and hold the lid while blending.) Add back the ham pieces to the soup. Add 3 Tbsp of lime juice. Adjust seasonings. If on the sweet side, add a bit more lime juice. Salt to taste.
Serve with garnishes. Makes 8 cups. Serves 6. If you use 5 c water, it will serve more than 6.
Note that the soup may continue to thicken. If you would like it thinner, just add some water to desired consistency.
We made this last night & doubled it to freeze half for another meal. The boys liked, especially with sour cream. I would have liked it better with less water, and more salt. It was great other than that!
Ingredients
1 pound dried black beans (about 2 cups), rinsed, soaked in 4 quarts of water overnight or 6 hours or boiled 2 minutes & soaked 2 hours, drained
1 lb smoked ham hock or shank (I used 3 slices center cut bacon to save fat & calories)
2 bay leaves
5 cups water (will be very watery this way, I will try 4 next time)
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped fine
1 medium sweet potato, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces or smaller(can substitute 2 large carrots) (
1/2 carrot, chopped fine
1 celery rib, chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 medium garlic cloves, minced, or jarred minced garlic
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 teaspoon chile powder
2 cups chicken stock
1 Tbsp molasses
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
3 to 4 Tbsp lime juice (can substitute lemon juice)
Salt
Optional on individual bowls
Chopped fresh cilantro
Sour cream
Avocado, peeled and chopped
Method
1 Place beans and ham hock in a 4-quart, thick-bottomed pot. Add 5 cups water, bay leaves, salt and baking soda. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover and let cook 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, until beans are tender. Remove bay leaves. Remove ham hock from the pot. Cut ham meat away from the bone and cut into small, bite-sized pieces, set aside.
2 Heat olive oil in a large 8-quart thick-bottomed pot on medium high until the oil is hot, but not smoking. Add the onions, celery, sweet potato and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and softened, about 10-15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add the cumin, chili powder, and garlic, cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
3 Add the beans (or simply add veggies to pot of beans), their cooking liquid, chicken stock, molasses, and bell pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes.
4 Remove 4 cups of the soup (about half of it) to a blender. Let cool 5 minutes (may explode out of blender otherwise).Purée until smooth and return to the pot of soup. (You may need to purée the soup in smaller portions, depending on the size of your blender. Don't fill the blender more than half way at a time and hold the lid while blending.) Add back the ham pieces to the soup. Add 3 Tbsp of lime juice. Adjust seasonings. If on the sweet side, add a bit more lime juice. Salt to taste.
Serve with garnishes. Makes 8 cups. Serves 6. If you use 5 c water, it will serve more than 6.
Note that the soup may continue to thicken. If you would like it thinner, just add some water to desired consistency.
We made this last night & doubled it to freeze half for another meal. The boys liked, especially with sour cream. I would have liked it better with less water, and more salt. It was great other than that!
Reason for blog
Hey Everyone,
I decided to start a blog to make it easier to keep family & friends updated on my little boy, the goings-on of the group home, healthy recipes I've discovered, and life in general. So without further ado, here are some recipes that I've been asked to share!
Love,
Amanda
I decided to start a blog to make it easier to keep family & friends updated on my little boy, the goings-on of the group home, healthy recipes I've discovered, and life in general. So without further ado, here are some recipes that I've been asked to share!
Love,
Amanda
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