No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Bars

1/2 c. Agave
1/4 c. Coconut oil (can use butter)
1/4 c. Cocoa Powder
2 tsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp Vanilla

1/2 c. Crunchy Peanut Butter (Creamy can be used)
1/2 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. chia seed
1/2-1 c. chopped walnuts or cashews (I prefer cashews)

Combine first 4 ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil.
Boil 3 minutes and remove from heat.
Stir in vanilla
Stir in peanut butter, oats, chia, and nuts
Spread into an 8 x 8 pan and cut into bars when cool

Chocolate Fudge Peanut Butter Stuffed Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookie Centers
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg

Mix together and set aside

Chocolate cookies
2 sticks softened butter
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 c. flour (I use half whole wheat)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup cocoa powder

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, or spray with oil
2.  Beat butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes.  Add eggs and vanilla, beating until well combined
3.  Place flour, soda, and salt in a large bowl.  Add to wet ingredients along with cocoa powder, and chocolate chips, slowly mixing until just combined.  With a medium cookie scoop form chocolate balls, and then get peanut mixture and from peanut butter balls.  Put one peanut butter ball between two chocolate balls and squish together, trying to hide the peanut butter ball with chocolate (it's okay if some sticks out) making it semi-flat, between 1/2 and 1 inch deep.  Cook for 15-18 minutes until cooked through.  Cool and serve with milk or ice cream....Yummmy!

Irish Soda Bread

1 tsp. salt
12 oz club soda
3 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar (white or brown)
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. baking powder

1.  Combine flour, baking posder, suagr, oregano (or herb of choice) and salt in a large bawl.
2.  Stir in club soda just until mixed
3.  Pour into a sprayed loaf pan
4.  Pour the melted butter over the top
5.  Bake at 375 F for 1 hour
Optional (instead of an herb bread, leave it out, and sprinkle the top with cinnamon/sugar mix to make a wonderful breakfast bread)

Apple Crisp

5 cups sliced, peeled apples (about 8 medium) I use Granny Smith
4 Tblsp sugar
1/2 c. oats
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c.  chopped nuts (optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place apples in 2-quart square baking dish.  Stir in sugar.  In a separate bowl for topping, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon.  Cut in butter with two knives or pastry knife until mixture resembles coarse crubs.  STir in nuts and sprinkle over fruit.  Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden.

Quinoa and Black Beans

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 14 ½ oz can of petite cut diced tomatoes
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 9 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 jalapeños, chopped I don't use these, becuase I don't like much spice
• 2 ½ cups black beans (I use this black bean recipe)
• 2 tsp cumin ( I use 1 tsp)
• 1 tsp chili powder ( I use 1/2 tsp)
• 1 tsp Pure Himalayan Salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ¼ cup fresh oregano (1 tsp dried)
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro (optional) or 1 tsp parlsey
• ½ cup queso fresco (optional)
• 1 avocado, diced

Instructions

1. Bring a pot of water and quinoa to boil. Boil for 10 minutes. Drain in a fine Mesh Colander.
2. Bring 2-3 inches of water to boil. Place quinoa in colander over the water. Place a clean cotton dish towel over the pot and cover with a lid. (Make sure the cloth is not so large as to cause a fire hazard) Steam for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, drain tomatoes, retaining juices. Add enough water to juices so that you have one cup of liquid.
4. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil and jalapeno, cook for 30 seconds. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Add black beans, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Cook for 30 seconds and add in tomato liquid. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, oregano, cilantro and quinoa and cook for 7 minutes.
5. Serve with diced avocados and queso fresco.

German Pancake (GF option)

This is a recipe I use, since only half our family can eat this, I also use my muffin top pans to make cute little individual german pancakes
4 eggs
2/3 c. milk (coconut milk)
2/3 c. flour (GF flour all-purpose substitute)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla
4 Tblsp. butter (coconut oil)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut up butter and put a piece in each muffin top spot, put in oven.  Blend all other ingredients together, I use my magic bullet.  Once butter is melted, pour batter into each spot, and put in the oven.  Cook for 8-10 minutes.

To cook in a regular pan use a sqaure pan or rectangle pan, depending upon desired thickness of pancake.  Cook for 20 minutes.

Beans and Greens (GF) Quick

1 bunch Kale, cut out stem, and chopped
2-4 Tblsp oil (I use olive oil or grapeseed oil)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can white northern beans
salt and pepper
In a large saucepan, heat oil, and saute garlic for two minutes, than add Kale,  cook stirring for about 5-8 minutes until wilted.  Add beans and salt and pepper, stir  and cook for 2-3 minutes, and than serve.
Everyone loves this dinner, especially Travis and Joseph