Cherry Vanilla Ice Milk

3/4 C sugar
2 C Heavy Cream
1 C milk
1 tsp Vanilla
2 C fresh or frozen cherries, chopped in food processor

Combine sugar, cream, milk and vanilla in a small bowl. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour into ice cream maker and churn. When just starting to thicken, add cherries. When soft-set, pour into freezer safe container and freeze for at least 2 hours.

Serves about 6

Oatmeal Pancakes

2 eggs
2.25 C buttermilk
1/4 C oil
1 C old fashioned oats
1 C whole wheat flour
1/4 C wheat germ
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2-1 tsp cinnamon (I usually use 1 tsp)
1 Tbs honey

Beat together first 3 ingredients. Add remaining ingredients and stir until just well blended. Fry on a hot griddle.

Convert recipe for waffles by using 1/2 cup of oil (as opposed to the 1/4 C)

Makes 20 four inch pancakes (1/4 C batter per pancake), generally serves 3-4 people if it's there isn't much additional food.

note: I find that the batter makes better pancakes if it's allowed to sit for a few min. before cooking- that gives the oats some time to absorb some of the liquid. Otherwise, the batter is too thin. If you're in a rush, you can get away with adding a little more flour.



Nutrition Facts (per pancake)
Serving Size 56 g

Amount Per Serving
Calories 81
Calories from Fat 34

Total Fat 3.8g-6%
Saturated Fat 0.7g-4%
Cholesterol 20mg-7%
Sodium 162mg-7%
Total Carbohydrates 9.1g-3%
Dietary Fiber 0.6g-3%
Sugars 2.4g
Protein 2.8g

Vitamin A 2% • Vitamin C 1%
Calcium 5% • Iron 7%

Nutrition Grade B+

Peanut Noodle Salad

1 8 oz. package soba noodles (or you can use whole wheat spaghetti noodles)
1 bunch asparagus spears, ends trimmed then cut into 1/2-inch segements

3/4 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
1/4 cup rice vinegar
6 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
drizzle of toasted sesame oil
big pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
6-10 drops tabasco sauce
splash of soy sauce
cayenne pepper to taste
salt to taste
1/4-1/2 cup hot water

1 small bunch of spring onions or scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup peanuts

Big a large pot of water to a boil. Boil the soba noodles per package instructions.In the last minute or so of cooking toss in the asparagus. Drain noodles and asparagus, run under cold water for about a minute to stop cooking, and set aside.

Make the peanut dressing by combining the peanut butter, rice vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, tabasco sauce and a huge pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Thin with hot water - the amount you'll need depends on the original consistency of your peanut butter. I like it the consistency of a thin (non-Greek) yogurt. Taste and season with a bit more salt if needed.

Gently toss the noodles, asparagus, spring onions and peanuts with a big splash of the dressing. I reserve a bit of each ingredient to sprinkle on top of the serving platter to make it look nice. Add more dressing a bit at a time, until the salad is dressed to your liking, reserving any extra for another use. Taste, sprinkle with more salt if needed, and enjoy!

Bruschetta

25 french bread slices, preferably baguette size
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

3 cups diced tomatoes
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
6 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350° F. Place bread slices on large cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 5-10 minutes or until bread is crisp and slightly golden brown.

In a large mixing bowl combine tomatoes, cheese, garlic, basil, vinegar, thyme, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Blend well, cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours. This makes a ton! Spoon on top of bread slices.

Smashed Spiced Sweet Potatoes

4 pounds sweet potatoes (4-5 large)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pierce each sweet potato in several places with a fork. Place directly on the oven rack and roast until soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer to a cutting board; let stand until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Slip off the skins and cut the sweet potatoes into 1-inch slices; transfer to a large bowl. Add butter. Smash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher or fork until fluffy but some lumps remain. Add maple syrup, chili powder, ground cumin, ginger, salt and pepper; stir to combine.

***

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 113 calories; 2 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 5 mg cholesterol; 22 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 3 g fiber; 243 mg sodium.

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (360% daily value), Vitamin C (30% dv).

Curried Hummus

2 (15.5 ounce) cans chick peas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
4 teaspoons curry powder
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup water
Salt, to taste
Hot sauce, to taste

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Beet, Walnut and Gorgonzola Salad

6 small beets, trimmed (about 18 ounces)

6 tablespoons olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
3 tablespoon Sherry wine vinegar
1 large garlic clove, pressed
Pinch of sugar

12 cups mixed baby greens
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (about 2 ounces)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap beets in foil, enclosing completely. Bake until beets are tender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour. Cool slightly. Peel and slice beets. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Whisk olive oil, Sherry wine vinegar, garlic and sugar in medium bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Combine mixed greens, sliced green onions and beets in large bowl. Pour dressing over and toss to coat. Divide salad among 6 plates. Sprinkle with Gorgonzola cheese and toasted walnuts and serve.