Marinated, MOIST, Grilled Turkey Tenderloins
Posted: December 31, 2012 Filed under: Chicken, Main Dishes, Turkey, Uncategorized | Tags: dijon mustard, grilled, marinated, moist, red wine vinegar, savory, terikyaki, turkey tenderloins, Worcestershire Sauce 7 Comments
(Becky, the Mama.)
This Grilled Turkey Loin Recipe is our MOST popular recipe on this site! Thanks so much for making it so! Be sure to also check out a new and awesome recipe for juicy, marinated grilled Pineapple Teriyaki flank steak. Also melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
“What is Sue making for dinner?” I asked Greg on the way to our friend’s home for a patio supper.
“I think she said turkey tenderloins,” Greg answered.
I must admit, though I knew our friend Sue to be a fabulous cook, I prepared myself for the dry, tasteless poultry that turkey breast has always been in my previous experience. (Obviously, I’ve not yet perfected the art of a moist Thanksgiving bird yet!)
So when Sue and her husband Jason served us a beautiful piece of grilled, moist turkey tenderloin, loaded with flavor, I was in awe. Then I asked for seconds. And then I woke up thinking about it the next day – the sign of truly memorable meal.
“Okay, Sue, how did you turn turkey breast into meat butter?”
She sent me a recipe for a marinade with lots of ingredients, but all of them were in my pantry. The tenderloins are best if you can marinate them for a few hours or overnight. Sue recommends using a digital meat thermometer to eliminate guesswork and avoid overcooking.
Turkey tenderloins typically come two to a package and are a little smaller than pork loins. In fact, they look a lot like chicken breasts, if the hen was named Dolly Parton. Two other benefits: this turkey is moist as can be, but has very little fat and is a great low-cal source of high quality protein. In addition, it is very affordable and the leftovers make fabulous sandwiches. (Try turkey, whipped cream cheese, green onions and cranberry sauce sandwiches!)
Don’t be too daunted by the list of ingredients: use what you have on hand and just substitute something similar if you are missing an ingredient or two. I have made a couple of tweaks to Sue’s recipe, and you can feel free to do the same and make it your own. Marinades are awfully forgiving. As long as you have something salty (salt, soy) something a little sweet (teriyaki, sweet chili sauce, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup), something garlicky (fresh or powdered) and acidic (wine, vinegar, citrus juice) in the mix, it is probably going to be yummy!
Most of us are ready to get our health and our waistlines back in shape after the holidays, and this is a great recipe (under 170 calories in 3 oz serving) to put in your New Year file! I served these tenderloins pictured using the second grilling method in the recipe below. I roasted chunks of zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms and garlic with a little olive oil, salt, and balsamic vinegar for a side dish. Lip-smacking good meal!
Grilled Turkey Tenderloins
- 2 turkey breast tenderloins
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
- 1 t. hot sauce such as Tabasco
- 1 T. maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 T. Worchestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown or Dijon mustard
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup wine, beer or cola
- Grill or Steak Seasoning (enough to sprinkle both sides of tenderloins)
Directions
Sprinkle all sides of turkey will steak or grill seasoning (or salt and pepper.) In a 2-cup measuring cup or bowl with pourable “spout” – whisk all the ingredients for marinade. Pour 2/3 cup into a Ziplock bag; add turkey. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 4 hours to overnight, turning at least once more during that time. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.
When ready to cook, discard marinade that is in the bag with the tenderloins, then proceed to cook using one of the following methods.
Outdoor Grill: Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil or a heat resistant basting brush and lightly coat the grill rack. Grill, covered, over medium heat for about 7-9 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 170°, basting frequently with reserved marinade.
Alternative Indoor Method: Use a nonstick or iron skillet grill pan that has been generously coated with olive oil and grill tenderloins on both sides until dark golden brown grill marks appear. Put in a preheated 350 degree oven and cook about 10 more minutes or until internal temp reaches 170 degrees.
Remove from oven or grill and immediately cover with foil to let juices redistribute before slicing. Heat reserved marinade to boiling in a small sauce pan and drizzle over the tenderloins.
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Roasted Eggplant & Red Pepper Tapenade (Or “That Yummy Stuff”)
Posted: December 26, 2012 Filed under: Appetizers, Italian, Sauces and Dressings, Sides, Snacks, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: capers, eggplant, garlic, greek, italian, Mediterranean, Naan, New Year's Eve Appetizers, olives, onion, Party Appetizers, pepperoncinis, peppers, Pita, red onion, roasted, Room Temperature Appetizers, taenade, tomato paste Leave a comment
(Becky, the Mama.)
The first time I created and served this recipe for a patio party, guests kept saying, “Oh my goodness, what IS this yummy stuff?” I struggled to describe what is was, because, as is so often the case, I just put whatever sounded good to me into a pan and crossed my fingers. This recipe began with a pan of diced roasted Greek veggies that becomes a colorful, intensely flavored Mediterranean topping for wedges of hot grilled Naan bread, alongside hummus and a lemon-zest ricotta. If I were to be asked to create a “perfect bite” on some sort of home cook’s competition, I’d serve this Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper Tapenade on top of, well, just about anything.
This hearty appetizer is perfect with a glass of good wine, either on a hot summer day or a cold winter evening. It is wonderful at just about any temperature but probably best served a room temp which makes it a great no-fuss appetizer for parties. (Also perfect for New Year Celebrations coming up.)
I must confess, I am a little sad when there is not a container of “Yummy Stuff” in the fridge somewhere. It’s become my favorite condiment on top of fresh grilled Naan or Pita,burgers or sandwiches, or as a topping to punch up flavor in everyday spaghetti. If you are vegan, it’s especially nice to keep on hand to add a quick burst of color and flavor to lentils, beans, brown rice or quinoa.
Roasted Eggplant & Red Pepper Tapenade
(Or “That Yummy Stuff”)
* Recipe of Roasted Veggies below,cooked, cooled and diced to desired “chunkiness” for spreading
1 T. olive oil
2 T. tomato paste
1 T. red wine vinegar
1 ½ t. sugar
Couple of shakes hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco) to taste
1 T. capers or 1 T. finely chopped pepperoncini peppers
5 large green stuffed olives, sliced (may use black olives if you prefer)
1/3 c. chopped dried tomatoes
1 to 2 T. water, if needed
Salt and pepper, if needed
Directions:
In medium to large skillet, heat olive oil. Add diced roasted Garlic Greek Veggies. Add tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, capers or pepperoncinis, sundried tomatoes, and olives. Stir and cook in skillet until sauce is thick, well-blended and hot and some of the “vinegary” smell and taste is cooked out, about 2 minutes.
Add water if needed, but keep the tempenade thick. Serve warm, room temperature or even cold if you like. It is amazing on grilled Naan or pita bread atop hummus, fabulous as a thick relish-like topping for a Greek-style burger or any sandwich.
Mediterranean Garlic Roasted Veggies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Ingredients:
1 eggplant, peeled and diced about 1 inch cubes
1 red pepper, seeded, stemmed and rough chopped in big chunks
3 big cloves garlic (or 4 smaller ones)
1 red onion, peeled and rough chopped in large chunks
3 T. olive oil
1 T. balsamic vinegar
Fresh ground sea salt and pepper (light sprinkling over all)
Directions:
On a large baking sheet sprinkle olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Place chopped eggplant, red pepper and red onion on pan. Using clean hands mix the veggies with the oil and vinegar and then give the whole thing a light sprinkling of fresh sea salt and pepper. Put whole garlic cloves somewhere on pan either wrapped in foil or parchment with a little olive oil; or use a small clay garlic roaster.
Roast veggies for about 20 to 30 minutes or until veggies just begin to get soft and brown-blackish in spots. Smash soft roasted garlic into a paste with flat edge of knife or fork, and toss with veggies.
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Honey Chipotle Mexican Salad
Posted: December 20, 2012 Filed under: Main Dishes, Mexican Dishes, Salads, Sides, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: chipotle honey dressing, fried tortilla chips, kale mexican salad, mexican salad, vegan entree salad Leave a comment
A childhood favorite, Mexican Salad, gets a facelift.
When I was a kid, a staple quick dinner in our house was Mexican Salad. You know, chopped ice berg or romaine lettuce, Ranch Style Beans, tomatoes, shredded cheese, catalina dressing, all topped off with a bag of fritos. Adding fritos to lettuce is a sure fire way to get kids to eat their greens.
This week I got invited to a Craft Night at a friend’s house. Let me just pause to say, wow. This working mom of two young kids hosts craft nights at her house every few months for 20-30 women. She gathers all the supplies, plans games and doorprizes, and even cooks dinner for everyone. People who handle this type of entertaining with ease simply amaze me. When I grow up, I want to be more like my friend Autumn.
Festive decorations, silly games (I drew that picture on my head), and adorable crafty ornaments.
The menu was a taco bar with requests for guests to bring a side or dessert. When I’m not sure there will be much for a vegan to eat, I like to bring a hearty side that will work as a main dish for me, but compliment the host’s meal and be a yummy side for others. That childhood Mexican Salad popped into mind as a perfect compliment to a taco bar. I decided to give it a facelift though. The thought of bottled dressing, packaged fritos, and flavorless iceberg lettuce made me cringe a little. Instead, I made a homemade sweet and spicy catalina dresssing using honey and a chipotle pepper. Because I needed the dish to travel easily, I decided to use kale instead of romaine or ice berg. Kale can be dressed ahead of time without wilting, making it the perfect green for make-ahead salads. Plus it’s a beautiful deep green, adding color to the table and it packs a ton of nutrition, not my first priority for party food, but certainly a bonus. Instead of fritos, I fried tortilla strips and sprinkled them with chipotle powder, salt, and lime juice. Covered in crispy fried chips, kale never looked so good!
I loved loved this. A few guests found it to be a little on the spicy side, so if you don’t like spice, you can seed the chipotle and use paprika instead of chipotle powder on the chips. You’ll still get all the flavor without the heat.
Delicious, filling, entree or side salad.
Honey Chipotle Mexican Salad
Serves 2-3 entree servings, 6-8 side servings
Ingredients
Dressing:
1 chipotle in adobo sauce (freeze remaining chipotles for future recipes) (remove seeds for mild version)
1/3 c. sweet onion chopped
1/3 c. organic ketchup
1/3 c. vinegar
1/3 c. canola oil
1/4 c. honey (or agave)
Salad:
1 large bunch of kale or 2 small bunches, washed and torn off spine
2 cans vegetarian chili beans (I used Bush’s brand), drained and lightly rinsed
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced
2 roma tomatoes, diced
Tortilla Strips:
8 corn tortillas, cut into small strips
canola oil
salt
chipotle chili pepper powder (if you can’t find this, paprika or smoked paprika will work too)
1/2 a lime
Directions
In a blender, combine all the dressing ingredients. Blend until smooth.
Sweet, tangy, spicy. You’ll never want a bottle of boring Catalina dressing again!
Put the kale in a large bowl and make sure the pieces are bite size. Pour in the dressing and use your hands to massage it into the kale. Get in there and really rub it in. You want to break the fibers of the kale down so it’s easier to chew.
The secret to good kale salads is to massage the greens.
Gently stir in beans, tomatoes and avocados. (If you aren’t serving soon, hold off on chopping and adding avocados until you are about to serve.)
In a heavy duty skillet, heat about 1/2 inch of canola oil on medium heat. When oil is ready it will sizzle when you drop a tortilla strip in. Drop in a handful of tortilla strips at a time, fry for 1-2 minutes until they are crispy. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with just a little chipotle powder, salt, and lime juice. Repeat until all are cooked.
Just before serving, add the fried tortilla strips.
Easy to transport. Just bring the tortilla strips on the side and add them when you arrive at your destination.
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Cinnamon Crisps (Easy to Make with Kids)
Posted: December 17, 2012 Filed under: Cooking with Love, Desserts, Kids Cooking, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: after school snacks, baking, Christmas cookie alternatives, cinnamon, coconut oil, cookie cutters, cookies, crisps, healthy snacks, healthy snacks for kids, sugar, tortillas 1 Comment
(Becky, the Mama. It is the small things you do with small people that you and they will look back on and cherish. I hope and pray you get a little bonding time in the kitchen with young ones this week. Here’s a recipe that will make it easy during a time when many feel perpetually overwhelmed. Love and Merry Christmas to all our Blog Readers and thank you so much for sharing our love of cooking and passing it along to others.)
There is, of course, the Martha Stewart way to make Christmas cookies with your kids when they are home from school this coming week for Christmas break. It looks homey and fun, easy and bonding. Especially when using child actors on a TV set.
What it is, in reality, is a long process involving antsy children, along with lots of sugar, clouds of flour, rolling pins and sticky dough (that will take a jack hammer to remove after it is dry), food coloring stains, and sometimes tears of frustration (from either children or parent). The experience almost always ends with the kids giving up the thrill of “making Christmas cookie memories together,” after half-heartedly decorating one, maybe two, cookies. Then they start begging to go play outside, watch cartoons or play a video game. So Mom ends up finishing up the decorating, cleaning up the mess, and downing about six cookies she doesn’t really need or want that taste like thick sweet cardboard with green and red sugar paste on top.
I’m here to give you Becky Johnson’s (alias “Nonny”) Easier Way Out. (Merry Christmas!) It takes about five to ten minutes to make these “Christmas Cinnamon Crisps” with your children, start to finish. If you use whole wheat tortillas and dust them with organic coconut or date sugar, you can even claim them to be almost downright healthy. A cold glass of diary or almond milk will help balance the sugar with a bit of protein and keep your children off the ceiling from a pure sugar high. Also, these crisps are so light and crunchy, they will not end up feeling like a sugar dough ball in their stomachs. (Or yours.)
We made these for Christmas, but you can use any holiday or seasonal cookie cutters to make this an easy-to-make treat year round.
Cinnamon Crisps
Ingredients:
2 large flour tortillas, whole wheat or white (I prefer to use the raw tortillas, such as Tortilla Land or Guerrero Brands because they puff up like little sopapillas, but pre-cooked ones will also work)
1 to 2 T. coconut oil or other healthy oil
Cinnamon & Sugar Mix (1/4 c. sugar to 1 T. cinnamon)
Directions:
Using good sharp edged cookies cutters, let the kids cut out cookies from the tortilla.
In the meantime, melt 1 T. coconut oil in a medium skillet on medium high heat. Drop tortilla “cookies” into hot oil (obviously an adult will need to do this part).
Then gently roll them in a bowl of the cinnamon and sugar, coating both sides.
Let them cool a bit, but best eaten while warm and fresh! (You made need to add more coconut oil as you cook the crisps.) Cut up left over “scraps” of tortillas into “crazy shape” pieces to cook, coat and eat last!
Variations:
There are so many ways you can jazz up this basic idea. You can coat them with coconut or date sugar, and use whole wheat tortillas (or even flat bread). You can make a quick vanilla or chocolate glaze and dip one side in (like a donut) and then dip again in crushed nuts or seeds or sprinkles or coconut, like thin tiny donuts. You can skip the cinnamon and sugar and dip in a honey-butter or peanut-butter and honey mixture. Have fun with this!
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Sweet and Spicy Snap Peas in a Snap
Posted: December 13, 2012 Filed under: Asian Dishes, Sides, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: asian side dish, quick healthy sides, sweet and spicy snap peas, sweet chili sauce recipes, what to do with snap peas 2 Comments
These sweet and spicy snap peas are ready in minutes and make a perfect side dish or healthy snack.
I cannot seem to get enough snap peas lately. Since I started working out again, I’ve craved something cool and quick after I exercise. A handful of cold snap peas is a perfect little sweet and crunchy snack for a post workout cool down.
I challenged myself to workout every day for 30 minutes outside, rain or shine, this month. It seemed like an awesome idea the first week when the weather was in the 70s and 80s, reaching record highs for December. As Texas weather does, it abruptly turned from gorgeous 70s to the 30s this weekend. I went from a tank top and shorts and a lovely workout in the park on Sunday…
Resourcefully using the playground equipment for a Sunday afternoon workout/jog with the family.
….to a headwrap, multiple layers, down vest, and gloves on Monday.
Bundled up for our first cold front of the season.
Instead of needing a crisp snack to cool down with, I needed something to help me thaw out after that workout. Like a hot bath for starters, and these warm sweet and spicy snap peas that are literally made in a snap.
Three ingredient, five minute side or snack. Sweet, spicy, delicious.
Sweet & Spicy Snap Peas in a Snap
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 c. Sugar Snap Peas
2 T. Sweet Chili Sauce (in the Asian aisle of most grocery stores)
1/4 t. sea salt or kosher salt
Directions
In a sauce pan, bring the sweet chili sauce to a boil, stirring constantly until it reduces by about half. Add in the snap peas and stir until coated and just warmed through. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.
Here’s a closer look.
Sugar Snap Peas are easily found in most super markets.
I’ve seen this in the Asian aisle of many grocery stores and at specialty stores like World Market.
Bring sweet chili sauce to a boil, stirring constantly.
Add snap peas and stir until coated with sauce and just warmed through. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.
Serve alone as a snack or appetizer, or as a side with something like rice and Teriyaki Tofu or Chicken.
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Clementine & Cheese Stick “Palm Tree” Snack for Kids
Posted: December 9, 2012 Filed under: Fruit Dishes, Kids Cooking, Snacks, Vegetarian | Tags: cheese sticks, clementine, kid snacks healthy, palm trees, string cheese Leave a comment
(Becky, the Mama)
Sometimes the easiest recipes are the ones we use the most. My grandson Georgie bellies up to the kitchen bar at least once or twice a day and asks for a “Palm Tree,” in the same way a character on the TV show “Cheers” would order their favorite drink.
I walked to his little school the other day to pick him up (it is only a few blocks away!) and on the way out the door, tucked a piece of string cheese in one pocket and a Clementine orange in the other. When he walked out of his Kindergarten class I produced the “goods” and made him a Palm Tree right there on the spot. His eyes lit up with joy and admiration. It takes so little to make a child happy. The orange quenches the thirst that comes from the saltiness of the cheese, so it makes a great all-in-one treat I feel good about giving him.
George on his first day of Kindergarten, here in Colorado, last week!
Clementine & Cheese Stick “Palm Tree” Snack for Kids
Ingredients:
Stick of Cheese (String cheese works fine, too)
Clementine orange, peeled
Directions:
Fan out the orange a little bit on one end and plop it atop a cheese stick. Serve to your favorite little one, with a wink and a smile.
‘
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Five-Ingredient, 10-minute Sugar Cookies (dairy-free, egg-free)
Posted: December 6, 2012 Filed under: Desserts, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: agave sugar cookies, dairy-free, egg-free, maple syrup sugar cookies, quick and easy five-ingredient sugar cookies, vegan sugar cookies 2 Comments
Dangerously quick and easy “sugar” cookies. The sugar is really maple syrup or agave and the recipe is designed for small batches so you don’t have to be tempted by a whole dozen cookies when you really just want one or two.
(Rachel, the daughter)
To offset recipe testing for the book, holiday parties, and of course Christmas baking, I’ve been exercising outdoors for 30 minutes a day. A couple of nights ago Jared and I took Jackson for an early evening walk and stopped to look at the neighborhood Christmas lights along the way. One particular house is lit up like the Griswald’s and has a constant stream of onlookers. We stopped and took Jackson out of the stroller to take pictures and show him the dancing and singing Santa Clause. As I turned to cross the street back to the stroller, I stepped into a pothole and fell hard all the way to the ground. The other onlookers hollered out their car windows a concerned, “Are you okay?” Thankfully, Jared had Jackson and my ego stung more than my hands and scratched up hip did. With a can-do attitude, and a “Let’s get the St. Nick out of here” plea, I held my head high and jogged the whole way home.
In the spirit of stumbling, I also stumbled across something amazing this week, a delicious easy sugar cookie using just five basic ingredients: butter or margarine, maple syrup or agave, flour, vanilla extract, and sea salt. On a whim, I just threw these ingredients in a bowl and into the oven, thinking surely an egg-replacer or at least some baking soda or powder would be needed. But they turned out so delicious!
Because I can’t be trusted with more than a few cookies at one time (seriously, it’s a problem), I made a recipe that could easily be modified to make as few as two cookies at a time. Instead of actual sugar, I used maple syrup in one batch and agave in another. The agave’s flavor is more subtle, but the maple syrup gives a nice depth of flavor. Both are winners.
I have three holiday parties and a MOPS meeting to bring food for this week. It’s that time of year! These are so easy that I’m sure I’ll bring them to at least one of the events.
*****Congratulations to Lori McClellan, the winner of the $25 Wayfair.com gift certificate. We emailed your gift certificate to you. Thank you for all who stopped by and are still here from the WeAreTeachers Blog Hop. What a fun day!******
Everyone needs a good go-to sugar cookie recipe for the holidays right?
Five-Ingredient, 10-minute Sugar Cookies
Makes 2 cookies (easily doubled or quadrupled for bigger batches)
Ingredients
1 T. butter or Earth Balance
1 T. maple syrup or Agave Syrup
1/8 t. vanilla
2 T. all-purpose flour
Sprinkle of sea salt (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350.
With a whisk or spoon, mix the butter and maple syrup or agave. Stir in the vanilla.
Mix the wet ingredients.
Stir in the flour one tablespoon at a time.
Mix the flour into the wet ingredients.
Line a pan with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat and scoop out tablespoon size drops two inches apart.
If you don’t have parchment paper or a silicon baking mat, an ungreased cookie sheet works fine. The cookies will be a little darker on the bottom and may spread a little more. But they are just as tasty. In fact, if you like your cookies with a little crunch, you may like them better straight on a pan.
Sprinkle with just a touch of sea salt and bake for eight minutes or until slightly brown around the edges.
Modifications
*Add a pinch of cinnamon and dust the tops with cinnamon sugar before baking for snickerdoodles.
*Sub almond extract (just a touch goes a long way and sprinkle the top with slivered almonds.
*Make a powdered sugar icing and add sprinkles on top.
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Oat Nut Fruit Gems
Posted: December 4, 2012 Filed under: Breads, Breakfast Foods, Desserts, Fruit Dishes, Gluten Free, Kids Cooking, Snacks, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: bananas, cherries, coconut, cookies, cranberries, dates, dried fruit, energy bars, granola bars, healthy breakfasts, healthy lunch box treats, muffins, nuts, oatmeal gems, oats, seeds, trail mix 2 Comments
(Becky, the Mama)
My mother, Ruthie, went from loving her sugary desserts (a la last week’s Honey Slice cookie recipe) to a diet almost completely without sugar a couple of decades ago. A health crisis with her blood pressure and heart, meant major changes in her daily diet – all for the better. Out went everything white: sugar, white flour and white rice… and in came the brown and fiber-filled replacements. But, we are not the sort of women to suffer deprivation in our family. Being the creative and resourceful cook, Mother found several ways to satisfy her sweet tooth while also getting healthier, sporting an adorably slim figure, and having more energy than women decades younger than she!
This is one of my all-time favorite sweet, healthy, satisfying treats that she baked. She served them in a pretty cloth-lined basket at a family supper and they disappeared in what seemed like minutes. Everyone from kids to adults raved about them.
The basic ingredients are so simple: oats, mashed bananas and grated apples. From there you can throw in the kitchen sink: any nuts, seeds, flavorings or dried fruit that you like. Another bonus is that you can serve this recipe to most of the people in your family (or friends) on special diets. The recipe is naturally vegan, and if you use gluten-free oats, it is gluten-free and can easily be adapted to use less sugar or made sugar-free. Kids not only love them, but as you can see from my little helper below, they also love to help make them.
My grandson Georgie, furiously mashing the bananas with a potato masher.
If you want to create warm memories of baking with little ones this Christmas, but prefer not to send them into a Sugar Orbit in the process: this is the perfect mom and child, or grandma and grandchild project, to whip up together.
The texture is somewhere between a muffin, an oatmeal cookie, trail mix, and baked oatmeal. Made with sugar they get a nice crunch on the outside but are moist and slighty chewy on the inside. Perfect for quick breakfasts-to-go, they also make great snacks for school lunch boxes and any outdoor enthusiasts in your family. Wrapped in foil they are wonderful sources of energy when hiking, camping or snow-boarding.
This recipe makes 2 dozen. Best stored in fridge and then heated for a few seconds in microwave.
Oat Nut Fruit Gems
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
Ingredients
2 large bananas, mashed (use 3 if bananas are small)
2 large peeled apples, grated (use 3 if apples are small)
3 cups oats (I like Old Fashioned Oats for the chewier texture)
½ t. sea salt
1/3 c. raw organic sugar (or use other sweeteners such as brown sugar or coconut sugar or even Stevia, according to taste )
½ c. dried chopped fruit (I used dates and dried cranberries. Coconut also works well in this recipe.)
1/2 nuts and/or seeds (I used walnuts and pecans)
2 t. vanilla
Directions
Mix all of the above together in a large mixing bowl. Spray or oil muffin pans. Fill them about 2/3 full and gently press down with back of spoon. if you want them to look more muffin-like you can mound them a bit in the middle, as they won’t rise. (No leavening or eggs.)
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until just golden brown around edges and top.
When cool to touch, gently remove from pan. If not eaten in a day, store in fridge in a sealed bag or plasticware and zap for a few seconds in microwave to warm.
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Becky Johnson
Rachel Randolph
We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook 