Dried Fig Bread(No sugar added)

Super moist bread ,as good as dessert but lower in sugar and high in fiber.What's not to love?


Since figs are high in natural sugars,the bread is sweet enough without a need for any other sweetener.Figs are good source of minerals, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and manganese. 5 medium figs can contain about 100mg of calcium.



Symbol of abundance and fertility,fresh figs are seasonal but dried figs can be devoured any time of the year.These are Turkish imported figs,I puree them in my recipe,but some figs can be hard to puree,should be soaked in water an hour or two before grinding them.


Recipe : Dried Fig Bread(No sugar added)
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups of whole Wheat flour
2 organic eggs
12-15 medium dried figs,hulled and chopped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder(alum free)
3/4 cup organic skimmed milk
1/4 cup of canola oil

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in center of oven.Grease a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan with oil or line with parchment paper; set aside.

Puree the the figs(reserve few for topping)in a high-power blender(Vitamix) until smooth,add a tablespoon of water if needed.
In a large mixing bowl sift the flour along with the other dry ingredients(salt and baking powder)
In a separate bowl crack eggs and whip for few seconds,add oil ,vanilla and fig puree.
Mix the wet and dry mixtures.Pour in the prepared loaf pan,sprinkle the chopped figs in rows,bake in the middle rack of the oven until the crust is lightly brown about 40-45 minutes.
Cool about 30 minutes;loosen the sides using a table knife,flip the pan on to the cutting board. Slice and serve with a hot cuppa black coffee. Can refrigerate for a week in an air tight container.



The fig bread is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging #270,hosted this week by Lynne of Cafe Lynnylu

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Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

Flaxseeds: You can’t hide a lot of super-healthy foods...I don't think I could disguise salmon in an ice cream and my nephew will never try "KALE CHIPS" again:) But flaxseeds have an agreeable flavor and texture for kids. Flaxseeds are great sources of omega-3s (proven to help with improved learning capacity as well as many other health benefits), they are also affordable and tasty.


Muffin Batter:
2 cups hazelnut meal (or other nut)
1 cup freshly ground flaxseed
2 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon

½ cup Swerve (or Erythritol)
1 tsp stevia glycerite
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup coconut oil or butter, melted
4 eggs
Streusel:
1 cup hazelnut meal (or other nut meal)
1/4 cup Swerve (OR erythritol)
½ tsp stevia glycerite
1 TBS cinnamon
1/8 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 cup chilled butter

Preheat oven to 350. Grease muffin pan. In a mediums sized bowl, mix streusel ingredients until crumbly. Set aside. In another bowl, mix all muffin batter ingredients together. Put a thin layer of muffin batter into each muffin cup. Add a tablespoon of streusel, top with another layer of muffin batter, then top this with the remaining streusel. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until set. Let cool and enjoy! Serves 12.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
Traditional Boxed Cinnamon Muffin = 210 calories, 29 carbs, 0 fiber
“Healthified” Cinnamon Muffin = 182 calories, 2.5 carbs, 1g fiber

SNICKER'S Candybar!

Yikes! Now these are addicting! And MUCH healthier than a traditional Snickers! Trans-fat is SO bad for our cells!

Ingredients in Snickers = Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate, Skim Milk, Lactose, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, Artificial Flavor)Peanuts, Corn Syrup, Milkfat, Skim Milk, Vegetable Oil (Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and/or Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil)Salt, Lactose, Egg Whites, Chocolate, Artificial Flavor.


Chocolate Coating:
2 cups ChocoPerfection
1 cup Natural Peanut Butter
Nugget Layer:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup Organic Zero (or erythritol )
1 tsp stevia glycerite
1/4 cup vanilla egg white or whey protein
1 cup cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup salted peanuts, chopped
Caramel Layer:
1 cup Just Like Sugar OR xylitol
6 TBS butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

In a saucepan melt 2 cup of the milk chocolate chips, and 1 cup of creamy peanut butter. Spread HALF on bottom of cake pan. Then put in freezer to set up while next layer is prepared.

NUGGET LAYER: In a saucepan boil 1/4 cup of butter, 1/2 cup of erythritol, and 1/4 cup whey protein together for about 5 minutes. Take off stove and add 1 cup cream cheese, 1/4 cup creamy natural peanut butter, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1 1/2 cups salted and chopped peanuts. Pour over first layer that was chilling then place back in freezer.

CARAMEL LAYER: Using Just Like Sugar: Before you begin, make sure you have everything ready to go - the cream and the butter next to the pan, ready to put in. Work fast or the sweetener will burn. Heat butter on high heat in a heavy-bottomed 2-quart (2 L) or 3-quart (3 L) saucepan. As soon as it comes to a boil, watch for specks of brown (this is brown butter....so good on veggies!). Immediately add the Just Like Sugar® and the cream to the pan. Whisk until caramel sauce is smooth. Let cool in the pan for a couple minutes, and then pour into a glass mason jar and let sit to cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Drizzle all over the cheesecake just before serving. You can also top with pecan pieces.

Using Xylitol: Again have everything ready. Wear oven mitts; the caramelized sugar will be much hotter than boiling water. In a heavy-bottomed 2-quart (2 L) or 3-quart (3 L) saucepan, heat sweetener on moderately high heat. As it begins to melt, stir vigorously with a whisk or wooden spoon. As soon as it comes to a boil, stop stirring. You can swirl the pan a bit if you want, from this point on. As soon as all of the xylitol crystals have melted (the liquid should be dark amber in color), immediately add the butter to the pan. Whisk until the butter has melted.

Once the butter has melted, take the pan off the heat. Count to three, then slowly add the cream to the pan and continue to whisk to incorporate. Note that when you add the butter and the cream, the mixture will foam up considerably. Whisk until caramel sauce is smooth. Let cool in the pan for a couple minutes, then pour into a glass mason jar and let sit to cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Spread over the top of the second layer that is chilling- place back in freezer.

Next you will want to cut into candy bar shapes...I like to make them "mini" for portion control. Warm the chocolate coating and roll the frozen bars in the chocolate to coat well. Place on parchment paper and chill. Keep in refrigerator. Makes 24 candybars.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per bar)
Traditional Snickers = 271 calories, 34.5 carbs, 1.3g fiber, 4.3g protein
"Healthified" Snickers = 254 calories, 8 carbs, 4.6g fiber, 5.6g protein

Toblerone Chocolate Candies

Toblerone chocolate is a very distinct chocolate with tiny pieces of almonds and a toffee-honey crunch. Here is a recipe to satisfy that craving.

1 ChocoPerfection or Simply Lite milk chocolate bar
2 pieces Russel Stover Sugar Free Toffee Squares, chopped fine
1 TBS almonds, chopped
1 TBS almond milk

In a double boiler, heat all the ingredients just until melted (make sure not to burn the chocolate). Place the melted chocolate into ice cube trays and place in freezer until set. Enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per bar)
Toblerone Bar = 510 calories, 63 carbs, 0 fiber (63 effective carbs), 6g protein
"Healthified" Bar = 359 calories, 34 carbs, 29 fiber (5 effective carbs), 5g protein

Moussaka (Greek Lasagna)

I prepared this one Sunday afternoon and froze it before baking it. The other day, I knew I was going to be too busy to prepare a meal when I got home, so I took the frozen Moussaka out of the freezer and placed it in my oven on a "delay timer." I had the Moussaka finish baking about 30 minutes before dinner so it could "set"...most people cut lasagna and such too early, which will make it runny. If you like Greek food, you will love this!

EGGPLANT LAYER:
3 large eggplants
Pinch of Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Coconut oil or butter
MEAT LAYER:
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lemon, sliced in thin circles
1 handful fresh oregano leaves, chopped
2 handfuls fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb or grass fed beef
2 cups finely chopped mushrooms
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 (16-ounce) can Contadina Thick and Zesty Tomato Sauce
CHEESE SAUCE:
4 TBS Butter
1/2 cup beef broth
2 eggs, separated
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 to 2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
Pinch of nutmeg

To prepare the eggplants: Cut off the stems, remove the skin with a vegetable peeler, and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Season all the pieces of eggplant with salt and pepper on both sides. Coat a large skillet with oil and heat over medium flame. Fry the eggplant in a single layer, turning once, until brown on both sides. Drain the eggplant as they cook on a paper towel-lined platter. OR Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare eggplant into 1/2 inch thick slices, lay on greased cookie sheet, sprinkle with salt and bake in oven for 15 minutes or until soft.

Meat Layer: Add a little more oil to the pan and toss in the onion, garlic, lemon slices, oregano, and parsley. Cook and stir until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the ground lamb and mushrooms (this will "lighten" the dish) stirring to break up the meat; season with salt and pepper, and toss in the cinnamon stick. Stir in the tomato sauce. Simmer until the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.

In a saucepan, combine 4 TBS butter and broth; cook over low heat. Beat egg yolks, and combine with cheese and nutmeg; add to saucepan. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into sauce.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with 1/3 of the eggplant slices; they should completely cover the bottom. Spread 1/2 of the meat sauce over the eggplant, evening it out with a spatula. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the cheese sauce. Repeat the layers again, ending with a final layer of eggplant. Cover the top with a nice even layer of Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the top is golden. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving) =
Traditional Moussaka (with flour, milk, wine, and fried eggplant) = 583 calories, 29 carbs, 5.4g fiber
"Healthified" Moussaka = 438 calories, 10.5 carbs, 5.9g fiber

EASY Protein Noodle Lasagna

Yum! Comfort food without the guilt. I made this dish ahead of time, froze it and the day I wanted to serve it, I placed it in my oven before I left for work on a "delay timer." It was a nice way to end the day.

I served this with my homemade GARLIC BREAD.



1 pound Italian sausage
¾ pound grass fed ground beef
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jar no sugar marinara sauce
16 oz. ricotta cheese
1 egg
½ tsp Celtic sea salt
¾ lb mozzarella cheese, sliced
¾ Cup Parmesan cheese
Thinly sliced nitrate free deli Chicken Breast

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in marinara sauce.

In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, and 1/2 tsp salt. To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange chicken breast slices over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per cup):
Traditional Noodles = 246 calories, 0g fat, 1g protein, 43 carbs, 5 fiber
"Healthified" Noodles = 84 calories, 1g fat, 20g protein, 2 carb, 0 fiber

Slow Cooker Jambalaya

Here is an easy dinner to throw together the night before. I put everything in a Crockpot and prepared the cauliflower rice the day before. When I woke up, I pulled the Crockpot shell out of the fridge, plugged it in. Then all I had to do when I got home from work was to stir fry the cauliflower for about 5 minutes and "tada" a spicy, yummy dinner!



1 lb chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 lb andouille sausage, diced
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp hot sauce
1 pound frozen peeled and cooked shrimp, thawed
2 cups cauliflower rice

Place cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until small pieces of "rice." Saute in a little coconut oil or butter for 5-8 minutes or until tender. Set aside.

In a slow cooker, combine chicken, sausage, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, celery, and chicken broth. Stir in oregano, Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, bay leaves, and thyme. Cover, and cook on LOW for 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours. Stir in the thawed shrimp, cover and cook until the shrimp is heated through, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves and spoon mixture over stir fried cauliflower rice. Makes 8 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per cup):
White Rice = 242 calories, 53 carbs, 0 fiber
Brown Rice = 218 calories, 46 carbs, 4 fiber
Cauliflower "Rice" = 28 calories, 3 carbs, 1 fiber

Traditional Jambalaya = 472 calories, 13g fat, 39g protein, 42 carbs, 2.5g fiber
"Healthified" Jambalaya = 303 calories, 13g fat, 36.5g protein, 8.1 carbs, 2.5g fiber

CLICK HERE TO FIND THE FOOD PROCESSOR I USE TO MAKE "CAULIFLOWER RICE"