Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa

1 cup organic 1% low fat milk (or water
1 cup water
1 cup organic quinoa, (hs note: rinse quinoa)
2 cups fresh blackberries, organic preferred ( or blueberries and raspberries)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted
4 teaspoons organic agave nectar, such as Madhava brand

Combine milk, water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat; let stand covered 5 minutes. Stir in blackberries and cinnamon; transfer to four bowls and top with pecans. Drizzle 1 teaspoon agave nectar over each serving.

Serves 4.

*While the quinoa cooks, roast the pecans in a 350F degree toaster oven for 5 to 6 minutes or in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes.

Fish Tacos

1lb firm white fish (mahi mahi, halibut, tilapia)
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cups fresh spinach
2 tomatoes
1 cup chopped basil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 package brown rice tortillas (or corn tortillas)
1 can black beans, drained
Garlic and herb mix
Lemon pepper
Salsa as desired

Chop all ingredients listed and add tomatoes and basil in bowl and put in the fridge. Start to sauté the onion and pepper in olive oil with about a tbsp of garlic and herb mix. Wash fish and sprinkle with olive oil and lemon pepper. Place fish on the grill on med/high heat. Open and drain can of beans. Keep stirring the onions and pepper and place on low until the fish is done. Add the beans to the onion and pepper to heat. Flip the fish after about 3-5 minutes. Watch carefully not to burn, only a few minutes and they will be done. Heat tortillas briefly until warm. Bring out the tomatoes, basil, and spinach.

Gluten Free Almond Power Bars

2 cups almonds (raw)
½ cup flax meal
½ cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
½ cup unsalted creamy roasted almond butter
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
½ cup coconut oil
4 drops stevia
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup dark chocolate 73% (optional)

1. Place almonds, flax meal, shredded coconut, almond butter and salt in a food processor
2. Pulse briefly, about 10 seconds
3. In a small sauce pan, melt coconut oil over very low heat
4. Remove coconut oil from stove, stir stevia, agave and vanilla into oil
5. Add coconut oil mixture to food processor and pulse until ingredients form a coarse paste
6. Press mixture into an 8 x 8 glass baking dish
7. Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour, until mixture hardens
8. In a small saucepan, melt chocolate over very low heat, stirring continuously
9. Spread melted chocolate over bars; return to refrigerator for 30 minutes, until chocolate hardens
10. Remove from refrigerator, cut into bars and serve.
    

* You can also make Macadamia Power Bars. To make that recipe simply substitute raw macadamia nuts for the almonds and raw macadamia nut butter for the roasted almond butter.

Credit - http://www.elanaspantry.com/power-bars/

Peppermint-topped Brownies

Peppermint-topped Brownies

Prep and Cook Time: 2 1/2 hours, plus at least 3 hours to chill. Notes: You can make the brownies with ganache 3 days ahead, cover with plastic wrap (making sure it does not touch ganache), and chill. The tops can be made up to a week ahead and stored airtight at room temperature. Look for hard, round peppermint swirl candies, also called starlight mints, with bright red color; we liked Golden Gate Goodies brand (99 cents for a 6-oz. bag; available at
Longs Drugs; visit longs.com for store locations). Keep an eye on the candies as they melt; some brands don't spread as quickly or as thinly as others. You may want to make a test batch using 12 mints arranged in 3 rows of 4 to determine whether you'll need to adjust your oven'stemperature or space the candies closer together.

10 tablespoon butter, plus more for pan
6 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate, broken into large chunks
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

80 hard, round, red-and-white peppermint swirl candies (17 oz.; see Notes)

1/2 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup whipping cream

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 9- by 13-in. baking pan. In a medium saucepan, stir butter
and bittersweet chocolate over very low heat with a heatproof rubber spatula until just melted
(do not let simmer or boil). Remove from heat and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Slowly pour chocolate-butter
mixture into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Into a separate bowl, sift flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder, then whisk together. With a clean rubber spatula, gently fold flour mixture into egg mixture until just combined.
3. Spread batter evenly in the baking pan. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until brownies are firm,
beginning to pull away from sides of pan, and a toothpick inserted in center emerges with only a
few crumbs clinging to it. Let brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
4. Reduce oven temperature to 300°. Line a level, rimmed 11 1/2- by 16-in. baking sheet with
parchment. With a pencil, draw a grid of 1 3/4-in. squares on parchment (5 rows of 8), leaving
about a 1-in. border, and turn parchment over. Place a mint in the center of each square. Bake
15 to 25 minutes, or until completely melted into 1 large sheet, but remove before candy begins
to turn yellow. Immediately score peppermint squares with a pizza cutter, using pencil lines as
your guide. If scored lines don't hold, rescore quickly. Let candy cool completely. Gently break
into squares along score lines. Arrange, bake, and score remaining 40 candies the same way
(you'll have extra squares; pick the prettiest).
5. In the top of a double boiler or a metal bowl set over simmering water, combine chopped
semisweet chocolate and whipping cream. Cook, stirring often, until melted and blended.
Remove from heat and let ganache cool until just warm.
6. Pour ganache over cooled brownies in pan and allow to set until firm, about 2 hours at room
temperature or 1 hour in the refrigerator.
7. Place peppermint squares bottom side up on ganache, leaving enough room between squares
to cut brownies. Cut brownies into squares along edges of peppermint tops, wiping knife clean
between cuts. Remove brownies from pan, discard (or eat) scraps, and return brownies to pan.
Cover with plastic wrap, making sure wrap does not touch peppermint, and refrigerate 3 hours
(to soften candy a bit). Serve slightly chilled.

More toppings to try. Why stop at peppermint? Try these other embellishments for our rich, soft
brownies. Be generous with amounts, and chill brownies so that the topping sets.
Coconut and Macadamia: Sprinkle shredded toasted coconut and chopped toasted macadamia
nuts over the just-warm ganache layer.
Crushed Toffee: Sprinkle crushed toffee bits over the just-warm ganache layer.
Double Peanut: Warm up natural-style peanut butter (creamy or chunky) and spread over cooled
brownies. Refrigerate until peanut butter is firm; top with ganache and chopped peanuts.
Raspberry: Spread raspberry jam over cooled brownies and top with ganache.
Rocky Road: Preheat broiler. Spread half of the just-warm ganache over cooled brownies, then
top with mini marshmallows and chopped walnuts. Broil brownies for about 1 minute, or until
marshmallows are toasted and beginning to melt together. Remove from oven and drizzle with
remaining ganache.
White Chocolate Swirl: Spoon dollops of melted white chocolate over the just-warm ganache
layer and make marbled swirls using a toothpick or a knife.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per brownie.

Yield: Makes about 25 brownies

CALORIES 260 (48% from fat); FAT 14g (sat 8.3g); CHOLESTEROL 51mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34g;
SODIUM 100mg; PROTEIN 2.7g; FIBER 1.3g
Sunset, DECEMBER 2007
This recipe is subject to copyright protection and may not be reproduced without Sunset's consent
Copyright ©2009 Time Inc. Lifestyle Group. All rights reserved.

Gluten Free Breakfast Bars

1 ¼ cup blanched almond flour
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup grapeseed oil
¼ cup agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup shredded coconut
½ cup pumpkin seeds
½ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup almond slivers
¼ cup raisins
4 tablespons flax meal

In a small bowl, combine almond flour, salt and baking soda
In a large bowl, combine grapeseed oil, agave and vanilla
Stir dry ingredients into wet
Mix in coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almond slivers and raisins

Grease an 8x8 baking dish with grapeseed oil
Press the dough into the baking dish, wetting your hands with water to help pat the dough down evenly
Bake at 350° for 20 minutes
Let cool
Serve

Makes 12-16 bars

by my friend Frances via Elana's Pantry

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

These unique cookies are delicious, fluffy and full of flavor! Bake around the holidays or anytime!!

Ingredients:

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 c. white sugar
1 c. light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. canned pumpkin puree
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
2 c. (12-ounce bag) milk chocolate chips (not semi-sweet)
Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper. Using a mixer beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chocolate chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks. Makes 60 cookies.

Apple-And-Zucchini Salad

1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 large Red Delicious apples, diced
1 large Granny Smith apple, diced
1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 small zucchini, thinly sliced
2 cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
Leaf lettuce
Combine oil and next 6 ingredients in a jar; cover tightly, and shake vigorously.
Combine apple and next 3 ingredients; toss with dressing. Serve on individual lettuce-lined
serving plates.