Carrot Cake

This carrot cake recipe is a family favorite and the only one I ever make. It's moist, rich; and, as far as desserts go - healthy (though it doesn't taste like it). It's shown here in a Bundt style, but you can bake it in a 9x13 pan if you wish.

Here's what you need:

• 2 c. unbleached flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1-1/2 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 3 egg whites
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 c. shredded carrots
• 1 small red apple, peeled and shredded
• 3/4 c. canola oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 10" Bundt pan with nonstick spray, dust with flour, and shake out the excess. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

In a medium bowl, combine the eggs and egg whites. Beat lightly with a fork. Stir in canola oil, orange juice concentrate, and vanilla. Add carrots and apple. Stir to mix well.

Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture, stirring until just moistened. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto the rack and allow to cool completely before frosting.

For the Frosting:

You will need:

• 8 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 3 to 4 c. confectioner's sugar, depending on the desired consistency
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese and vanilla. With an electric mixer, beat on low speed until creamy. Gradually add the confectioner's sugar, one cup at a time, beating after each addition until smooth and the desired consistency is achieved.

I used about 3-1/4 c. of sugar for a fairly thick frosting that was still able to be drizzled. If I were frosting a flat cake, I would have used the 4 cups of sugar for a thicker frosting.

This cake can be refrigerated, covered tightly, for up to one week. Enjoy!

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION OF THIS RECIPE

Asian Turkey Burgers

I know a lot of people think of turkey burgers as dry, flavorless health food. If you're one of those people, I hope these burgers will change your mind! The bad thing about ground turkey is that it is bland and it needs the cook to give it flavor and make it palatable. And that's also the great thing about ground turkey - it's bland and it can take on lots of great flavors - it's a blank canvas, so to speak.  I think this recipe is simple, healthy, and flavorful. It only requires a handful of ingredients. One of them is Sriracha Sauce. You may be unfamiliar with it, but it's an Asian ingredient that is gaining popularity. You can find it in any grocery store around the Lehigh Valley - in the international foods section. Sriracha is a mildly spicy, garlic-infused chili sauce. Don't be afraid to try it - it's not so spicy that it will burn out your sinuses. And it's got great flavor. I only use a tablespoon in the recipe; and if you'd like, you can try mixing it into some mayonnaise to make a great condiment for these burgers.

Here's what you need:

• 1 lb. lean ground turkey
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce (low-sodium preferred)
• 2 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce
• 1/4 tsp. salt (not pictured above)

In a large bowl, combine all of the above-listed ingredients.

Mix thoroughly and form into patties.

Remember that ground turkey doesn't shrink as it cooks like ground beef does, so whatever size you make your patties - that is the size they will be when finished cooking.

I actually got 6 patties out of this recipe, but if you prefer them to be larger, you may only get 4 or 5. Preheat a large skillet (coated with cooking spray) over medium high heat. Cook the patties for 3 to 4 minutes on one side.

Flip them, and cook them for an additional 2 to 4 minutes, or until they are cooked through. The cooking time depends on how thick you make the patties; you may wish to use a meat thermometer to be sure they are cooked through. The internal temp. should be 170 degrees.

Serve on a toasted kaiser roll with lettuce and/or tomato. If you'd like, try mixing 1-1/2 tsp. Sriracha sauce into 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise for a great complimentary condiment.... spread on toasted bun. It adds an extra kick to this delicious burger!

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION OF THIS RECIPE

Spicy Potato Soup

This is an easy, low-fat soup that doesn't require many ingredients. Don't let the "spicy" part scare you - you can adjust the amount of heat to your liking simply by cutting back (or cutting out altogether) the cayenne pepper. Serve with some garlic bread and a salad, and you have a healthy and filling meal!

Here's what you need:

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 4 large or 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes
• 1 small onion, chopped*
• 1 29-oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 32-oz. carton beef broth
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1-1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• scant (a little less than) 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, brown the ground beef over medium heat with the chopped onion. *My picky family is not fond of onion, so instead of chopping it small, I quarter the onion and only use it to flavor the soup. After the soup has cooked, I can easily fish out the large onion pieces before serving.

Cook until the ground beef is no longer pink. Drain any excess fat. Add the tomato sauce, beef broth, potatoes, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Note: I use slightly less than a 1/4 tsp. of cayenne, and that seems to be the amount of heat that my kids can tolerate. If your family doesn't care for the spicyness, reduce the amount to 1/8 tsp. or leave it out altogether.

Bring the soup to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer for 25 - 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, (Poke one with a toothpick to test it.) and the soup has thickened.

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION OF THIS RECIPE



Chunky Granola

This Chunky Granola recipe was actually my first post on the blog, but since no one was following me at the time, I thought it would be good to re-post. My family and friends love this stuff. I've adapted it from the More-with-Less Cookbook, by Doris Janzen Longacre. I've been making it for years, and I've given out the recipe a number of times. It's the perfect after-school snack, late-night snack, keep-you-going-during-work snack, etc.. It really doesn't take much time at all to make, and you get a nice big batch of healthy goodness for your efforts! It's a pretty easy recipe, but in case you've never made granola before, I've explained it step-by-step with photos.

Here is what you need:

• 4 Cups of old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 Cup of wheat germ
• 1 Cup of coconut
• 1 Cup of peanuts
• 1/2 Cup of flaxseed meal*
• 1 Cup of local honey
• 1/2 Cup of canola oil
• 1 Tablespoon of cinnamon

*If you don't have flaxseed meal on hand, feel free to substitute something else (like raisins); or, leave it out altogether.


First, preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Then mix the first 5 ingredients in a big bowl:

Next, heat the oil, honey, and cinnamon in a small saucepan on the stove. Measure the honey in the same cup after you've measured and poured the oil so it doesn't stick to the measuring cup. Heat on high and bring to a boil, sitrring constantly:

As soon as it boils, pour the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir:

Once everything is combined, spread into a greased, 12x17" sheet pan, or two smaller pans. (Be sure to cover your pan with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.)

Spread it out thin, but you don't want to see any of the pan showing through the granola. If you're using a large pan like I did, it may not cover the whole pan. Next, throw it in your oven to bake. Bake at 325 degrees for 9 - 10 minutes. Then turn the pan around and bake for another 9 - 10 minutes - (I do this for even baking - most ovens bake hotter on one side.).... TOTAL baking time approximately 18 - 20 minutes.

Let the baked granola cool for about a 1/2 hour. Then break into chunks and store in an airtight container. When all the big chunks are gone, the small pieces make an excellent cereal.

Add some fruit, yogurt, coffee, and you've got a perfectly healthy breakfast. Enjoy!

 CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION OF THIS RECIPE.

Seasoned Chicken Strips with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce & an AWARD

It was one of those weekends.... very hectic, too little sleep, and lots of junk food. My daughter went to her first overnight camp and didn't care for the food they served, so she lived off of snack shop (junk) food. My son had a friend sleep over, and I can't even bear to put in writing what they ate! (I will only say beef jerky and Mountain Dew were on the list.) So today I made this healthy chicken dish for dinner. I know - there are plenty of baked chicken recipes out there.... I like this variation because it has FLAVOR.  I don't really care to eat healthy food if it's lacking flavor. The chicken strips are dipped in an egg white and milk mixture with added Dijon mustard and garlic. The bread crumbs that coat the chicken are given an extra kick with paprika and basil. The dipping sauce just adds an extra punch of flavor, and it only takes 3 ingredients to make. This could be a great weeknight meal with some advanced prep work. I served it tonight with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans.

Before I post the recipe, I want to thank Susan from The Weekly Sweet Experiment for giving me the Liebster award. I love Susan's blog, and I hope you'll stop by and visit her. She does wonderful desserts - cookies, cupcakes, candies, cakes, you name it - anything sweet! She does adorable holiday-themed treats too. I'm rather new to the blogging community, and Susan has been one of the most friendly and welcoming bloggers I've come across. Thank you Susan!!

A Liebster Blog Award is given to talented and loved bloggers who have less than 200 followers.

There are a few rules that go with accepting the award:
-Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.
-Link back to the blogger who presented the award to you.
-Copy and paste the blog award on your blog.
-Present the Liebster Blog Award to 5 blogs of 200 followers or less who you feel deserve to be noticed.
-Let them know they have been chosen by leaving a comment at their blog.

As I said, I'm new to all of this and haven't really been following blogs for very long. I have noticed that some bloggers don't participate in awards, and I completely understand. But I have picked out 5 blogs that I like, and if any of these ladies does not wish to participate, I will certainly not be offended. But at least you'll know your blog is loved....

Neha's blog:  From My Heart
Julie's blog: Julie's Eats and Treats
Dawn's blog: Words of Deliciousness
Mary Kay's blog: Just for Cooking
Balvinder's blog: Gluten-Free Food

There you go.... I hope everyone appreciates being recognized for their awesome blogs : )


Now, back to that recipe....
Seasoned Chicken Strips with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

Here's what you need for the chicken strips:

• 1 lb. boneless chicken strips (I had about 1-1/2 lbs. and there was enough of everything to coat them.)
• 2 egg whites
• 1/3 c. 1% or skim milk
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 c. dry bread crumbs (I used the seasoned crumbs.)
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking pan with foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.

In a shallow bowl , combine the egg whites, milk, Dijon mustard, and garlic. In another shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs, basil, paprika, salt, and pepper.

Dip each chicken strip in the egg mixture, then roll in the bread crumb mixture and coat thoroughly. Place on the baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 - 18 minutes or until juices run clear.

While the chicken is baking, mix up some Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce:

You need just 3 ingredients (plus salt):

• 1/4 c. Dijon mustard
• 1/4 c. local honey
• 1 tsp. rice vinegar
• salt to taste (optional - maybe just a pinch)

Combine above ingredients in a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Serve with chicken strips. Enjoy!

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION OF THIS RECIPE

Red Pepper Parmesan Fish Fillets

So..... after pigging out on all that Super Bowl food, it's time to get back to eating healthy again, right? Right. (At least until Valentine's Day.) I love this fish recipe. It is so flavorful and so quick to make - it's an easy weeknight dinner entree. Don't be scared off by the red pepper - you can cut back to a 1/2 tsp. if you prefer. But honestly, that 1 tsp. mixed with the salt and all that Parmesan really is the perfect balance. Serve it with tartar sauce on the side, and the creamy tartar will cool any bit of heat you get from the fish. My son and I love this fish served with a Caesar salad. I used fresh Alaskan Cod fillets (because they were on sale), but use whatever mild fish you prefer.

Here's what you need:

• 1-1/2 lbs. mild-flavored fish fillets (Cod, Haddock, Catfish, etc.)
• 1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tbsp. low-fat milk

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking dish with foil; spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray.

In a shallow dish, combine the Parmesan, flour, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt. In a shallow bowl, combine the the egg whites and milk. Organize your dishes so that you have your fish, then your egg white bowl, then your Parmesan mixture, then your baking dish.

Working with one fillet at a time, dip into the egg white mixture so the fillet is thoroughly moistened. Next dip into the Parmesan mixture and coat the entire fillet. Place the coated fillets on the greased baking dish.

When all the fillets are coated and ready to go on the baking pan, spray the tops of them lightly with cooking spray.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes (depending on how thick your fillets are), or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. This should give you about 3 large fillets, or 4 smaller fillets. Either way, it should be enough to serve 4 people.

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION OF THIS RECIPE

Oven-Fried Catfish

I love deep-fried fish fillets, but since we had 1000-calorie cheeseburgers yesterday, and 1000-calorie brownies the day before, I opted for this healthy, oven-fried dish today. The great thing about this entree is that it takes hardly any time to prepare... and there is no greasy mess to clean-up. I got these fillets prepped and into the oven in less than 30 minutes, and that included the time it took me to photograph everything. You probably have all the ingredients in your pantry - you just need the fish.....oh, and possibly cornmeal - if you're like me, you don't use it very often. My canister of cornmeal was in the very back, darkest corner of my pantry, and I think it was about 5 years old. Okay, so pick up some fish and cornmeal and you're good to go. And although the recipe calls for catfish, any firm-fleshed, mild fish will do.... try it on orange roughy or cod.

Here's what you need:

• 1 lb. catfish fillets
• 2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tbsp. water
• cooking spray (Sorry, forgot to include it in the photo.)

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. In a shallow bowl, combine the egg whites and water; beat lightly, and set aside. In another shallow dish, combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.

Set up your workspace so you have your fish, then your bowl of egg whites, your cornmeal mixture, and lastly, a baking pan (which I always cover in aluminum foil for easy clean-up) sprayed generously with cooking spray.

One at a time, dip each fillet in the egg whites, then into the cornmeal mixture, then place on the greased baking pan.

When you have all the fillets dipped and breaded and laid out on the pan, spray the tops of the fillets with cooking spray. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

After I take them out of the oven, I like to give them another dusting of paprika for color because they don't turn out as golden brown as if they were actually fried. Serve with baked potatoes and coleslaw or a salad for a quick, easy, and healthy weeknight meal. Serves 4.

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION OF THIS RECIPE

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Here's another hearty but healthy (AND simple) soup recipe.... perfect for winter. It's not overly spicy like some tortilla soups are.  (If my picky daughter will eat it, I know it's not too spicy - this is her favorite soup.) If you have your cooked chicken ready to go ahead of time, you can get this to the table quickly. The ingredients are probably already in your pantry. I usually make a pot of this after I've made a batch of Home-made Chicken Stock.

Here's what you need:

• 2-1/2 to 3 C. cooked chicken, shredded or cut up
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 4 C. Home-made Chicken Stock; or store-bought broth
• 2 cans (14-1/2 oz.) diced or stewed tomatoes (whichever variety you prefer)
• 1 C. of your favorite salsa
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 Tbsp. chopped green chilies
• Shredded Monterey Jack cheese (for topping)
• Tortilla chips (for topping)

Melt the butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over low heat.

Meanwhile, put into your blender the canned tomatoes, salsa, cumin, and chilies. Puree until everything is combined and smooth.

Add the minced garlic to the melted butter in the pot and cook on low for 2 minutes.

Next, add the chicken stock, and pureed tomato mixture. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat, and let simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes.

Taste-test the broth for salt - depending on which brand/kind of tomatoes you used, you may need to add a tsp. of salt (or more, but keep in mind you'll be adding salty tortilla chips to the soup). Stir in the cooked chicken and simmer an additional 5 minutes, or until the chicken is heated through.

Serve with shredded cheese and tortilla chips... (Break the chips up into the soup; they soften and become the "noodles"). Serves 8.

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION OF THIS RECIPE

This recipe is included at The Country's Cook's "Weekend Potluck". Be sure to stop by and visit - you'll find lots of new recipes from food bloggers all over the country!