Jenn's Special Antioxidant Wake Me Up Before You GO GO Blueberry Smoothie!

1 cup of plain low-fat yogurt or plain greek yogurt
1 and 1/2 cups of frozen blueberries
1 very ripe banana (the riper the sweeter)
1 capful of real vanilla (not artificial)
1 handful of spinach (optional, promise you can't taste it:)
1-2 tablespoons of wheat germ (optional, can't taste this either!)

My toddler and I share this for breakfast every morning after the older kids go to school. He always points to the blender and says "booberry," as a hint to make it! Loaded with antioxidants,protein, and calcium it is a GREAT WAY to start the day!

Two GREAT Granola Bar Recipes:)

Molasses and Ginger Granola Bars (FROM GOOD LIFE EATS BLOG)
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick cook)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1-2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions:
In a full sized food processor, combine the molasses, maple syrup, vanilla, and dates. Pulse three times. Add the cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. Puree until mixture is smooth. Add the oats and pulse until the oats are coarsely chopped.

Remove the oat mixture from the food processor and transfer to a medium bowl, taking care to scrape the edges of the food processor to remove all of the mixture. Stir in the cranberries, pecans, apricots, and sunflower seeds until well mixed.

Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper (Kitchen Tip: Lining Pans with Parchment). Press the oat mixture into the baking pan until the mixture is evenly distributed throughout the pan and tightly packed.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, cool in the freezer until the bars are firm. Lift the parchment paper out of the pan, remove, and cut into 8-12 bars.

Store bars in an airtight container for up to a week. Bars may be frozen for up to a month and thawed as needed.

Honey/Brown Sugar Granola Bars


7 cups of Oats

1/2 cup oil

1/2 tsp. salt

ON STOVETOP
3/4 cup of honey

3/4 (I use a 1/2) cup of brown sugar

1 tsp of vanilla

1 tsp (you can put as much as a tablespoon depending on preference) of almond extract

2 tsp of cinnamon

Mix together on stove over medium heat


Combine everything together add 1/2 cup sesame seeds and

1/2 of sunflower seeds. (I usually do 1/2 pecans and 1/2 walnuts or almonds).

Place on sprayed cookie sheet in oven on 300 for 35mins.

Healthy Cocoa

I found this recipe from a healthy kids blog and changed it a little to my liking! It is so good. All you need is

2 tablespoons of baking cocoa
2 tablespoon of honey
1/4 tsp of almond or vanilla
1 cup of milk

Heat milk and then add in cocoa, honey, and almond (or vanilla)...so good............

If this is too sweet and like a darker chocolate taste just do 1 tablespoon of honey:)

After Workout/Breakfast Smoothie

This is very versatile I always change out what kind of fruit and yogurt I use!!:) I literally drink this EVERY SINGLE DAY and my daughter and baby boy LOVE IT!


1 1/2 cups of frozen fruit
(options I use mixed tropical fruit, cherries, cherries and blueberries, or just blueberries)

1-2 bananas depending on sweetness desired

1 cup of either PLAIN GREEK YOGURT or PLAIN DANNON YOGURT

1 capful of vanilla

Water (depends on how much you want to add, I just squirt a little from refrigerator despenser)

SOMETIMES I will add a handful of spinach or flaxeed it's very versatile like I said but SUPER Creamy and delicious!

Healthy Chocolate Frosty

1 frozen banana
3/4-1 cup of Milk or Almond Milk
1 tablespoon of bakers cocoa
1 capful of vanilla
Optional: Add 1 tablespoon of Natural Peanut Butter or Almond Butter
Blend and Drink! So refreshing and yummy!

Claudia's Amazing Mouth Watering Empanadas!

Ingredients

1 pound of lean hamburger meat (at least 93% lean)
2 packets of Empanada Discs (We used the Goya brand)you can find them in the frozen section by the taquitos at Kroger.
2 yellow onions
1/2 Green Pepper and 1/2 Red Bell Pepper Chopped
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Paprika to taste
1 Dash of Cumin
2 boiled eggs (chopped finely)
1 jar of Spanish Green Olives
Water in a cup (room temperature)
1 Beaten Egg with a dash of paprika

Step Uno: Put 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a frying pan. Saute the chopped onion and peppers. Once they attain a softer color add ground beef and spices. Cook for 10 minutes-you will smell the amazing Argentinean aroma when it is done!


Step Dos: Separate the Empanada Discs (I ended up using 17 discs (there are 10 in each packet). Pour 2 big tablespoons of the meat filling on top of the disc. Place a few slices of the chopped egg and a couple of olives on top of the filling. Lightly wet the areas of empanada that do not have filling (the sides). This will ensure that the empanada filling doesn't come out when you close the disc.

Step 3: Create a half moon as you close the empanada. With a fork press the ends of the dough all the way around to help create a tight seal. Make pretty folds with the end (GOOD LUCK mine weren't pretty) this isn't necessary just looks fancy.)

Step 4: Beat an Egg with a little dash of paprika. With a brush-brush each empanada with the egg. This will give the empanadas a nice color. Bake empanadas at 350 degrees for approx 15-20 minutes until Golden Brown. Depending on your oven you can turn the empanadas at half of the time to ensure each side is cooked nicely.

Orange Chicken from "What's For Dinner."

SPICY ORANGE CHICKEN
From: Mary/Grammy McCarthy-and included on "What's For Dinner,"
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 boneless skinles
s chicken breasts
- 1/2 C flour
- 1/2 t. salt
- 1/2 t. pepper
- 3 T butter

Sauce:
- 2 T brown sugar
- 2 T vinegar
- 1 C orange juice
- 1 t. nutmeg
- 1 t. dried basil
- 1 small can mandarin oranges
- Jane Note: I add ground ginger as well. I also 1.5 X the sauce ingredients.

DIRECTIONS:
Combine flour, salt and pepper in bag. Shake chicken pieces until coated. Brown on both sides in butter in skillet over medium heat. Drain off fat.

Combine sauce ingredients (1 1/2 times the recipe) and add to skillet. Cover and cimmer ~30 minutes or until tender. For a “sophisticated touch” add drained mandarin oranges and heat about 5 mins.

Note: cook chicken and sauce in covered skillet, but tip the cover a little to thicken sauce towards the end of cooking time. Bon appetit! This also freezes will if you make it ahead and save for “company” supper. XO Grammy