Quick Energy Bites

1 c oats
1/2 c ground flax seed
1/2 c peanutbutter
1/2 c mini chocolate chips
2 tbsp chia seeds
1/3 c honey
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients. Form into balls and place on a cookie sheet. Freeze for 1 hour. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Jello with Mandarin Oranges (Mikan Jelly)

2 cans of mandarin oranges in light syrup (15 oz each)
1/2 c boiling water
1 pkg unflavored gelatin
(water)

Place gelatin in a bowl and add a small amount of water (just enough to cover the gelatin). Let gelatin sit for 5 minutes. Add boiling water to the gelatin and stir well to dissolve gelatin completely. Add the two cans of mandarin oranges in light syrup (do not drain the syrup from the oranges), and stir until mixed. Refrigerate until set (about 2 hours).

Pumpkin Scones

2 c flour
1/3 c brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 stick (1/2 c) cold unsalted butter
1/2 c canned pumpkin
1 large egg
3 tbsp heavy cream (or milk)
1 tbsp molasses (or honey)
2 tsp vanilla extract
Sugar or cinnamon/sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Cut in butter (or use food processor) until butter is in pea-sized clumps. Combine pumpkin, egg, cream, molasses, and vanilla. Gradually mix pumpkin mixture into flour mixture, mix just until combined. Dump onto floured surface and knead gently until dough comes together into a ball. Break into two even pieces and pat each into a 5-6" diameter circle (about 3/4 inch thick). Cut each circle into 6 equal pieces. Place onto lightly greased cookie sheet and sprinkle with sugar (or cinnamon sugar). Bake 12-15 minutes until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool a couple of minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

TIP: Try lining cookie sheet with parchment paper for easier clean-up.
TIP: Can omit the sprinkling sugar and top with glaze after the scones are cooled (Plain glaze: 1 c powdered sugar plus 2 TBSP milk; Spiced glaze: 1 c powdered sugar, pinch nutmeg; 1/4 tsp each of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, 2 tbsp milk). Can spread with plain glaze and then drizzle with spiced glaze over top.

Banana Muffins

1/4 c packed brown sugar
1/3 c oil
2 eggs
3 mashed ripe bananas
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 c semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine brown sugar, oil, eggs until well mixed. Stir in bananas and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking powder, and baking soda, just until moistened (do not overmix). Gently stir in chocolate chips. Pour into 12 muffin cups and bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

TIP: I use a 1/4 cup dry measuring cup to divide the mixture into the muffin cups.
TIP: Can be used to make mini muffins - reduce baking time to 20 minutes or so.
TIP: Can be used to make banana bread - increase baking time to about 1 hour. Can also later slice the bread and make sticks, then bake sticks in oven at 150 deg for 1 hour to make teething biscuits (similar to biscotti).

Homemade Fruit Gummies

2/3 c. fruit puree (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc)

1/3 c. orange juice 1 TBSP lemon juice
2-3 TBSP honey
3 TBSP unflavored gelatin

If fruit is not already pureed, puree the fruit in a blender or using an immersion blender (you may want to strain through a fine mesh strainer). Heat fruit, orange juice, lemon juice, and honey in a small sauce pan until boiling. Very gradually stir in gelatin, whisking constantly. Cook until gelatin is completely dissolved. Pour into silicone molds and freeze 20-30 minutes. Remove from molds and store in air-tight container in refrigerator.

TIP:  You can use any combination of fruit and juice, as long as the total is 1 cup (can use all juice, or 1/2 juice and 1/2 fruit puree, etc)
TIP: If you use raspberries, you will probably want to strain the puree through a fine mesh strainer to remove seeds, otherwise, I usually don't strain the puree.
TIP:  If you sprinkle the gelatin in very slowly and whisk constantly, you shouldn't get any lumps, but if you get lumps that you are unable to whisk out, you can blend the mixture in a blender or with an immersion blender to get rid of the lumps.
TIP:  The mixture will look clear and glassy when the gelatin is dissolved (it may be cloudy if the gelatin is not completely dissolved.
TIP:  If you do not have silicone molds (I use chocolate molds), you can pour the mixture into a 9x9 inch glass baking dish and cut into squares after the gelatin has set.
TIP: Gummies can be stored for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. You can store them for a couple of days at room temperature, but they will be softer.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 c. milk
1/3 c vegetable oil
3/4 c mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
Optional: 1/2 tsp almond extract
Optional: 2 TBSP sugar and/or brown sugar to dust over batter

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Add in egg, milk, oil, chocolate chips, vanilla, almond extract. Blend until just moistened.
Pour into 12 muffin cups.
If desired, sprinkle top of batter with sugar and/or brown sugar.
Bake for 18-20 min at 400 F.

TIP: For moister muffins use 3/4 c milk and 1/4 c sour cream instead of 1 c of milk.

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

1 banana

1/4 c peanut butter

3 ice cubes

drizzle of honey

1/4 to 1/2 c milk

Place banana, peanut butter, ice cubes, honey in a blender with about 1/4 cup of milk.
Blend until smooth.
Add more milk until desired thickness is achieved.

TIP: Add 1 tbsp of quick-cooking oats to make a more hardy, filling breakfast.

TIP: Add 1 tbsp chocolate syrup to make a chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie.

Granola snack bars

2 1/2 c. rice krispies
2 c. quick-cooking oats
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. sunflower seeds
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract


Lightly grease a 9x13" pan.
Mix rice krispies, oats, cranberries and sunflower seeds in a large bowl.
Mix sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat until boiling.
Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal mixture and mix well.
Press into 9x13" pan. Cool.

TIP: Add more corn syrup and/or peanut butter to make sweeter, chewier bars. Or substitute honey for some or all of the corn syrup to make these healthier.
TIP: Leave out cranberries and sunflower seeds and stir in 1/2 c. chocolate chips instead to make a chocolately granola snack bar.