Broccamole

So I have been trying to come up with yummy yet nutrious food for my littlest one to eat since she is so picky and I came across a recipe for making guacamole with broccoli instead of avacados. I tried it and tweeked it. Here is the version that gets the health approval from mom and the thumbs up for taste from the kids. I won't lie, it still has brocoli flavor but the spices and cream cheese/mayo mellow it out enough for my kids to eat it.

4 cups brocoli florets
1/2 onion cut into chunks
2 ounces cream cheese
3 tablespoons mayo
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt to taste


Steam the onion and brocoli under very tender. Throw all ingredients into the Vitamix or food processor and process until fluffy and smooth. Enjoy warm with tortilla chips, veggies, or bread.

Chocolate Cannoli Cake

I adore cannoli but it's just not one of those desserts I am willing to try at home due to the fried shell. I found this recipe in Taste of Home magazine, it's got the great cannoli taste with a very modest 8g of fat person serving, yay!

Ingredients:
FILLING:
•1 egg white, lightly beaten
•1 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
•1/4 cup sugar
•1 tablespoon cold brewed coffee
•2 teaspoons grated orange peel
•1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

CAKE BATTER:
•1 cup sugar
•1/2 cup cold brewed coffee
•1/3 cup canola oil
•1/3 cup orange juice
•1 egg
•1 egg white
•1 tablespoon cider vinegar
•1 tablespoon vanilla extract
•1 cup all-purpose flour
•1/2 cup whole wheat flour
•1/3 cup baking cocoa
•2 teaspoons baking powder
•1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions
•In a small bowl, combine the egg white, ricotta cheese, sugar, coffee and orange peel. Stir in chocolate chips; set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the first eight batter ingredients; beat until well blended. Combine the flours, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into sugar mixture until blended.
• Transfer to a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with heaping tablespoons of ricotta filling mixture; cut through batter with a knife to swirl.
• Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers.

Yield: 15 servings. Nutritional Facts 1 piece equals 213 calories, 8 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 18 mg cholesterol, 160 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1-1/2 fat.

Creamy Vegan Corn and Potato Chowder

5 small potatoes peeled and cubed
4 ears of corn
3 cups vegetable stock
1 small onion
1/8 cup grapeseed oil (or another high temp oil)
salt and pepper to taste

saute diced onion in grapeseed oil on medium low heat until soft and transparent. Cut the corn kernels off the cob. Add the vegetable stock to the cooked onions and bring to a rolling boil. Add potatoes and corn. Cook 25 minutes. Use immersion blender to blend. Leave some whole corn and potato. Add pepper and salt to taste.

Blueberry Muffins

It's blueberry season. This Saturday I picked up a quart of the sweetest and loveliest blueberries from the All Local Farmer's Market. Since my pregnancy cravings dictate what I eat and that tends to be sweet and carb filled, Blueberry Muffins were in store. I played around and came up with a healthier version that still taste yummy.

2 cups Whole Wheat pastry flour
¾ cup sugar
2 ½ Tsp baking powder
¾ cups milk
3 tbl canola oil or applesauce
1 tbl vanilla
2 large eggs (3 small)
Pinch salt
2 cups blueberries
Mix dry ingredients and then wet, stir to combine. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.

Easy Creamsicle Pops

I love ice cream in the summer and can eat it everyday. I decided to try out some lower sugar options that could count as healthy. Here using coconut milk and fruit I devised a creamy and yet healthier ice pop.

1 can light coconut milk
1 ½ cup pureed fruit (or small can fruit drained from juice)
½ cup sugar

Makes 8.

In sauce pan mix all ingredients over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Pour into popsicle molds or into small paper bathroom cups and insert wooden popsicle sticks.

Mandarin oranges or pineapple are particularly yummy. I also added fresh blueberries to my pineapple pops.

Mock Coconut Pie (made with yellow squash)

You can easily fool anyone with this pie's taste, but if you have a finicky eater peel the squash to ensure your deception stays sealed. It does nothing for the taste but makes the shredded squash indistinguishable from coconut once cooked.

1 ½ cup grated squash
1 ½ cup sugar
4 eggs
2 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. each of coconut, lemon and vanilla flavoring
½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Grate a yellow squash using the fine setting on a mandolin or handheld grater. Mix all ingredients except coconut and pour into uncooked pie shell. Sprinkle the coconut over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until brown on top.

I used unsulferized unsweetened coconut, if you can’t find that reduce the sugar in the recipe by ¼.

Easy Pie Crust

1 cup cold butter
3 cups All Purpose Flour
3 TBLS sugar
1/3 cup cold water

In the mixer combine the flour and sugar, add butter cut into small pieces. Mix until incorporated well. Add the cold water and mix until it is crumbly. Form into two balls, flatten into disc and refrigerate for an hour.