Granola Bars (double batch)

 Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

• 1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 1/4 c brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 c honey
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

• 3 1/2 c old-fashioned oats
• 2 c wheat flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 c raisins/craisins (optional)
•  milk if needed

Instructions

1. In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, until crumbly.

 

2. add egg Beat well. Stir in honey and vanilla extract.

 

3. In small bowl. combine dry ingredients. Stir into creamed mixture. At this point your mixture MAY need a bit of milk to bring it together.

 

4. Press into 12x9 dish.

 

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 14-18 min or until set and edges are lightly browned. 

Healthy Applesauce Oat Muffins

 

Ingredients

 Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup (100 g) old-fashioned rolled oats (see note)
• 1 cup (227 g) unsweetened applesauce
• ½ cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ cup (57 g) canola oil
• ⅓ cup (71 g) granulated sugar or honey

Dry Ingredients 

• ¾ cup (107 g) whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (70 g) dried cranberries or raisins (optional)

 

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or grease the muffin cups. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the oatmeal, applesauce, milk, egg, vanilla, butter and sugar. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt (and cranberries or raisins if using). Make a well in the center and pour in the applesauce mixture. Stir until just combined (don’t over-mix or the muffins will be dense and dry). The muffin batter texture might be a bit different (wetter?) than other muffin batters but no fear, carry on!
• Distribute the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don’t over-bake or the muffins will be dry.
• Remove the muffins to a rack to cool completely. Once cool, I place 6-9 muffins in a large freezer Ziploc bag, suck all the air out (oh yes I do) and seal the bag, then freeze, pulling them out one by one to stick in my kids lunches or warm slightly for a snack.
   
  Modified From:
  https://www.melskitchencafe.com/healthy-oats-and-applesauce-muffins/ 

Monkey Bars

 Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 1 2/3 c mashed  ripe bananas (About 5 bananas)
• 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/4 c oil
• 1/4 c milk
• 2 large eggs

Wet Ingredients 

• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 3/4 c white whole-wheat flour
• 1 c chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15x10x1/2 inch baking pan with nonstick foil (let the foil extend about 2 in above pan at both ends).

 

2. Whisk mashed bananas, sugar, oil, milk, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl until mixed thoroughly. Whisk in flour just until blended: gently stir in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips.

 

3. Spread batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top. Bake 15-20 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

 

4. Holding foil by ends, lift from pan onto a cutting board. Carefully cut lengthwise in 4 strips and then cut each strip in 10; remove foil. 

 

Best Banana Muffins

 

Ingredients  

  Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups (284 g) all-purpose or whole wheat flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt 

 

Wet Ingredients

4-5 medium bananas

1 cup (212 g) light brown sugar

½ cup canola oil

¼ cup (57 g) sour cream or plain yogurt

2 tablespoons milk

2 large eggs 

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners or lightly grease with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, brown sugar, melted butter or oil, sour cream, milk and eggs until well-combined.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula until just combined and no dry streaks remain. If adding add-ins like chocolate chips, stir them in when there are still a few dry streaks remaining. Don’t over mix or the muffins might be tough and dry in texture.
• Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling the muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for 15-17 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs and the top of the muffins spring back lightly to the touch.
• Let cool for 1-2 minutes in the muffin tin before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.   https://www.melskitchencafe.com/banana-muffins/ 

Grandma's Dill Dip Healthy modificaton

 1 seasoning packet

 1 c greed yogurt

1c mayo 

 

Seasoning Packet

2 Tb dried dill weed (fresh is best!) 

1 Tb onion powder 

 1 Tb dried parsley 

1 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp salt

 

Best Ground Beef Tacos

 

• 1 pound ground beef 
• ½ to ¾ cup chopped white or yellow onion
• 1 to 3 garlic cloves, finely minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely minced (optional)
• Taco shells
• Taco toppings of choice 

When feeding a crowd, add 1-2 c cooked beans

 

Instructions 

• In a large skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef, onion, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often and breaking the meat into small pieces, until the meat is cooked through, 5-7 minutes.
• Off the heat, drain any excess grease, if needed.
• Return the skillet to the heat and stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Cook for about 30 seconds until the mixture smells fragrant.
• Add the tomato sauce and minced jalapeños, if using. Simmer the mixture for about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
• Serve in taco shells with your choice of toppings (makes great taco salad, too!).
   
  https://www.melskitchencafe.com/tacos-supreme/ 

Vanilla Almond Granola

 

Ingredients

 

• ▢ ¼ cup (90 g) honey
• ▢ ⅓ cup (72 g) brown sugar firmly packed
• ▢ 8 Tablespoons (113 g) salted butter
• ▢ ¾ cup (125 g) whole natural almonds or chopped
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 teaspoon almond extract
• ▢ 1 pinch of salt
• ▢ 3 cups (300 g) rolled oats

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F/150°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Add honey, brown sugar, and butter to a medium pot. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
   ¼ cup (90 g) honey, ⅓ cup (72 g) brown sugar, 8 Tablespoons (113 g) salted butter
3. While the mixture over the stove is melting, chop the whole almonds into bite-sized pieces.
   ¾ cup (125 g) whole natural almonds
4. Stir the almond extract, vanilla extract, and salt into the honey mixture.
   2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon almond extract, 1 pinch of salt
5. Add the chopped almonds and rolled oats to the honey mixture. Stir together until well combined and no dry patches of oats remain.
   3 cups (300 g) rolled oats
6. Pour the granola out onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, and spread evenly across the pan with a spatula. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the granola is lightly golden brown on the edges. For extra crispy granola, gently stir the granola once halfway through baking.
7. Let the granola cool for about 30 minutes, then break into pieces with your hands. If desired, add more mix-ins, like dried fruit. Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container.

Notes

You may also use pre-chopped or pre-sliced almonds. Substitute about 1 cup or 125 grams of sliced almonds or almond pieces.

Homemade granola lasts for about a month when stored in an airtight container after it has cooled completely. This is also the best time to add in other mix-ins, like dried fruit! If placed in an airtight container while just the slightest bit warm, the granola can get soggy and won’t last as long.

If you notice your granola sticks together the next day, it may not have dried out enough during baking. You can dry the granola out a little more to improve its shelf life by baking it on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 5-10 minutes at 300°F/150°C.

 

 

 

 

 

https://floralapron.com/vanilla-almond-granola/#recipe