Sweet Potato Muffins

• 2 cups mashed baked sweet potato, about 1 large
• ½ unsweetened applesauce
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 4 egg whites
• 10 oz apple butter or pumpkin butter
• 1 ½ cups brown rice flour
• 1 ½ cups oat bran
• 1 ½ teasp baking soda
• 1 ½ teasp baking powder
• 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix dry ingredients, then add one at a time wet ingredients until combined.  Add nuts if desired.
Bake in preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes.

Options:  instead of sweet potato, 3 mashed bananas and 1 cup frozen berries (blueberry, blackberry or raspberry).
For Apple muffins, use 1 cup applesauce and 1 cup chopped apples, can add raisins or carrots also.
Have fun create!!
Makes 12 muffins 

A MUST TRY Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients

Cauliflower, raw, 1 head, large broken into medium pieces.

1 onions chopped, raw

4 c chicken stock, home-prepared or low sodium version 

2 slices turkey bacon,chopped

1/2 c milk, canned, evaporated, nonfat

Parsley, 5 sprigs chopped

Tips

I top my soup with Chives, Cracked Pepper and Parmesan Cheese

Directions

Cook bacon in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onions when bacon is cooked through. Saute for 5 minutes. Add chicken stock, parsley and cauliflower and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Add milk and soup is ready to serve.

Serving Size: makes 6 1-cup servings.

Pumpkin Bean Dip

INGREDIENTS:

1 C (overflowing) canned pumpkin
1 C black beans (rinsed)
1/2 C cannelloni beans (rinsed)
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
juice from 2 lemons
1/2 t cumin (this totally made the dip!)
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Toss it all into a food processor and whirl away! Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. It's great with blue corn tortilla chips, pita chips, crackers, veggies, or whatever you like!

Number of Servings: 6

Comfort Stew

•1 lb lean beef, cubed
•3 T brown rice flour
•2 T Chinese 5 spiced spice mix (I found this amongst other goodies at Kroger in their great organic section)
•2 t ground pepper
•1 ½ T olive oil
•1 c fat-free, low sodium beef broth
•4 garlic cloves
•1 12 ounce dark beer  (yes, I did write beer)
•3 carrots, sliced (1/2 inch)
•3 turnips, sliced (1/2 inch)
•1 medium white onion, chopped
•2 t thyme
•1 bay leaf


Preheat oven 300 degrees

Place flour and five spice mix in plastic baggie. Add meat and shake. Heat olive oil in large pot over medium high heat. Add meat and brown well on all sides, about 10 minutes). Add broth, garlic, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Cover and bake in oven for 1 ½ hour at 300 degrees. Add carrots: cover and cook another 25 minutes. Add turnips and onions, cover and cook for an additional hour.

Makes 4 servings

Apple Pie Smoothie!

Ingredients

1/2 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt

1 Red Delicious apple, cut into pieces

1 Tbs apple sauce

1/2 cup milk

1 Tbs granola

1 Tbs unsalted almond butter

1 tsp maple syrup

1 tsp honey

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2-4 ice cubes

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Dip

Try this dip on a toasted whole-wheat bagel at breakfast or with apple slices or whole-grain crackers for a snack. It's even good with carrots.

Ingredients

1 cup 1% milkfat cottage cheese
8 ounces neufchatel cheese, softened
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 t pumpkin pie spice

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Process until mixture is smooth. Transfer to a container and chill. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Makes 2 cups 2 tablespoons per serving

Italian Bean Soup

4-6 servings

1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons each fresh thyme, rosemary and sage
6 ounces Canadian bacon, cut into ½ inch cubes
1 sweet turkey or chicken Italian sausage, removed from casing
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
8 ounces small tubular pasta
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh finely chopped Italian parsley for garnish
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish

In a large heavy pot with lid or Dutch-oven, combine Canadian bacon and sausage; heat over medium -high heat, stirring frequently and breaking sausage up into bits with wooden spoon, cook for about 7 minutes. Add olive oil, onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary and sage, cook for about 3 minutes. Add broth and beans cook for about 25 minutes lowering heat to simmer.
Increase heat to a boil; add pasta and cook pasta al dente. Season with salt & pepper; ladle soup in to bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese.

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