Cranberry- Orange chex mix

Ingredients:
4 cups rice chex
4 cups wheat chex
4 cups honey nut or corn chex

1 1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 1/2 cup craisins

1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oj concentrate
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine cereal and almonds. Melt together butter, sugar and oj. Pour over cereal and coat. Bake for 10 minutes. stir, bake 10 more minutes. Cool and add Crasins

This will not disappoint! Its SOOO good. Great for a not so sweet treat or package up cute for a neighbor gift!

Hummus

This is a great fast snack. It calls for only a few basic ingredients and it makes about 4 -5cups.
In your blender place ingrediets in order listed.

2 (15 oz) cans of garbanzo beans, on can drained on with liquid
1/4 cup raw sesame seeds
1TBL olive oil
1/4 C lemon juice
1 garlic clove peeled
1tsp cumin

salt to taste and pair with pita chips for dipping! Even Adyson will munch on this instead of sugar! Its so good and taste exactly like the one you buy!

SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP

this recipe comes from the vitamix recipe book but was so basic Im sure it would work in a normal blender as well, just make sure to chop spinach before putting it in.

1/2 C Light mayo or vegginaise

1/2 C sour cream

1 slice lemon peeled and seeded

1 (10 oz) frozen package of spinach thawed and drained

1/8tsp salt

1/8tsp pepper

1/4 C parmesan cheese

1clove of garlic

1/2 C artichoke hearts

place all the ingredients accept the artichokes in the blender in order listed above. blend for about 20 seconds. then place the artichoke hearts in and blend for another 5 seconds.

place in an oven safe dish and cook for 20-25 minutes on 350

Peanut Butter Muffins

These muffins use wheat flour and they are so delicious! My kids love them! I like to make some in mini muffin tins. Great for snacks and lunches! They freeze great too. They are soft and chewy, and the combo of chocolate and PB is soooo good!


1 Cup PB
1 egg
1/3C white sugar
1/3C brown sugar
1C milk
3/4C wheat flour
3/4C all purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1/4 t salt

1/2 cup chopped chocolate chips

Combine peanut butter, egg, and sugars in mixer with whisk. Slowly add milk while whisking. In small bowl whisk together dry ingredients, then stir into wet ingredients in mixer by hand just until combined- no more. Stir in chocolate chips (giving them a rough chop makes them distribute and taste better throughout) Bake at 350 degrees about 12-13 minutes for mini muffins, 15-17 for regular- dont overcook, they will be lightly browned, and when they cool nice and chewy.

Peanut Butter Popcorn

Peanut Butter Popcorn

This is an all time favorite of our family
10-12 c. popped popcorn
1 c. peanut butter
1 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 c. light corn syrup
In a saucepan, combine sugar and corn syrup. Stir constantly and bring to a boil over med. heat for 3-4 min. remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Pour over popcorn and stir well. ( This is so good when its still warm and chewy!)

Salsa Snack Roll-ups

Salsa Snack Roll-Ups
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp. salsa
4 flour tortillas
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/4 tsp. chili powder
Fresh Cilantro, optional

In a bowl, combine cream cheese and salsa; spread onto tortillas. Top with remaining ingredients. Roll up tortillas tightly. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Cut each crosswise into 5 slices. Serve as an appetizer.(You can add black beans too)

Fiber Snacks

Fiber Snacks: These are some quick healthly snacks that I always try to have on hand in the freezer and cupboard in my 3 month supply

Air popped popcorn

Apples and almond butter or PB

Baked tortilla chips and salsa

Granola Bars- low sugar, high fiber

bean dip and baked tortilla chips

Rice cakes with almond butter

Veggies dipped in hummus- (costco has hummus in little ind. servings, you get 16 for 5 dollars!)

Frozen berries with whip cream

Cottage cheese and rasberries

Low fat/low sugar yogurt with granola

wheat crackers-(kashi) and Almond/peanut butter

Homemade guacamole and baked tortilla chips

Smoothies made with yogurt and fruit

Taco Plate

Yummy, easy layered bean dip

Layer #1
1 can refried beans (or reconstituted dried refried beans)
Place in the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan.

Layer #2
3 mashed avocados
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Mix together and place over layer #1

Layer #3
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup taco seasoning
Mix together and spread over layer #2.

Layer #4
chopped olives
chopped green onions
chopped tomatoes
shredded cheddar cheese
Spread over layer #3.

Chill and serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

Cowboy Salsa

Instant Healthy Snack or Side

(I love this recipe because I know I can make it with Everything right from the pantry, just open cans and mix together!If I happen to have some of the fresh ing. then its even better!)

1 can corn
1 can black beans
1 can diced tomatoes (I like fire roasted for more flavor)
1 cup italian dressing (you can make your own from the packet or use bottled)

*add cilantro, fresh lime juice, diced green onions, diced monterey jack cheese,or diced avacado for more flavor

Eat with tortilla chips!

Make your own trail mix

I love to make homemade trail mix and keep it in a clear jar on the counter. It helps curve snack attacks, and keeps James happy when dinner is not quite ready yet!

The best thing about it is you can use what you find on sale and mix it together and there you go!

Here is what I like:
raisins or crasins
dried aprocots, apples, dates or anykind you find on sale
almonds, peanuts, and or cashews
spoon sized shredded wheat or any othe cereal
M&M's ( chocolate chips or Carob chips)
Pumpkin Seeds
coconut

Fruit Balls "Ballie Balls"

A great way to get all your fiber in! These are an all time favorite of mine from Aunt Marian. She made them up, and she's Italian so no recipe. Just a little of this and a little of that! But here is how I make them, and it's very easy to do your own thing with these.

Dried Fruits:

1/2 Cup of each, and chop in food processor

Apricots

Dates

Prunes

Cranberries

Raisins

Place all chopped fruit in a bowl and add

1 Cup Peanut Butter (I use the crunchy)

Add In's if desired

Flax

Oat bran

Powder Fiber

Walnuts

Mix all together and roll into balls. Then roll into coconut or chopped nuts. Or leave it alone. What ever! I prefer the coconut because then it becomes a little dessert for me!

Keep covered and store in fridge.

I'll get a picture of these soon!

Easy Granola

5 C. 6 Grain Mix

3/4 C. Brown Sugar

1/2 t. Salt

Cinnamon if desired

1/3 C. Honey

1/4 C. Oil

1 t. Vanilla or desired flavoring

Heat Liquids until bubbly and pour over dry mix, Blend well

Pour into greased cookie sheet

Bake 376 15-20 min. Stir once or twice while baking.

Take out and let it set before storing, it will harden up once it cools off.

Add-in's - I like to add dried cranberries, flax seed, sliced almonds, and sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.

Homemade Wheat Thins!

I ran accross a recipe for homemade wheat thins, and it caught my attention! I needed something to make while watching American Idol so I gave it a go! It was fast, simple, and takes only a few ing. from food storage. This recipe will make a whole box full of crackers! I am so suprised how good they are! Made from whole wheat, with no high fructose corn syrup or sugar, unlike regular wheat thins you buy at the store, these are great for you! I put them in a little baggies and Gracie has been eating them like crazy. (I must admit buying crackers is faster, but I gained great satisfaction in knowing how to make them...and knowing my family will eat them!)
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup white flour
1/3 cup oil
1 cup water
garlic salt, onion powder

Mix flour together. Mix oil, salt and water together, then add to flour. Knead as little as possible to make a smooth dough. (it took me about 3 minutes of kneading) Roll dough out very thin. Not paper thin, but almost! That is the key, real thin!Score with a knife desired size:


Prick each cracker a few times with a fork. Sprinkle dough lwith mixture of garlic salt and onion powder, or italian seasoning dry mix. Bake in 350 degree oven till light brown, about 25 minutes or less.


Tip: Let cool, they will harden and get crunchy the longer they cool. The next day we thought they were alot more crunchy. Also, watch them close in the oven, they will burn fast!