HOMEMADE GRANOLA
Ingredients
- 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 2 cups sliced almonds
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup good honey
- 1 1/2 cups small diced dried apricots
- 1 cup small diced dried figs
- 1 cup dried cherries
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup roasted, unsalted cashews
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Toss the oats, coconut, and almonds together in a large bowl. Whisk together the oil and honey in a small bowl. Pour the liquids over the oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated. Pour onto a 13 by 18 by 1-inch sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even, golden brown, about 45 minutes.
Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Add the apricots, figs, cherries, cranberries, and cashews. Store the cooled granola in an airtight container.
EASY WATERMELON DESSERT
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 2 tablespoons grey salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 (5-pound) watermelon
Directions
In a large bowl, add all ingredients together except for watermelon.
Remove the rind from the watermelon and cut into 1/2-inch slices and remove seeds. Cut the watermelon into cubes and place in individual bowls.
Drizzle with the pineapple mixture and serve.
BAKED KALE
- 2 cups fresh kale leaves
- Dash salt, plus more as needed
- Olive oil nonstick cooking spray
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Place the kale leaves on baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray. Spritz with olive oil spray and sprinkle lightly with salt.
Bake in the oven until crispy, 5 to 8 minutes, for a potato-chip-like snack.
Eat up!
PER SERVING (entire recipe): 64 calories, 1g fat, 212mg sodium, 13g carbs, 2.5g fiber, 0g sugars, 4.25g protein 
HOME MADE BAGEL CHIPS WITH A CREAMY GARLIC AND VEGATABLE SPREAD
Ingredients
- 4 plain bagels
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1/2 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
- Creamy Garlic and Vegetable Spread, recipe follows
Directions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
With a sharp knife, very carefully slice the bagels one at a time as thinly as possible, for 8 to 10 thin slices per bagel. Spread in 1 layer on the prepared sheets.
Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. When oil starts to get warm, about 1 minute, remove from the heat and add the garlic and Essence. Let sit until the garlic perfumes the oil, about 10 minutes. Remove the garlic from the oil.
With a pastry brush, lightly brush the oil on the bagel chips. Bake until golden brown. Turn and bake on the second side until just crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on wire racks.
To serve, arrange the bagel chips on a platter with the creamy garlic and vegetable spread.
Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):
- 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
Yield: about 2/3 cup
Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.
Creamy Garlic and Vegetable Spread:
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, softened in hot water, drained and chopped
- 3 tablespoons chopped black olives
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt, to taste
In a bowl, cream together the cream cheese and sour cream. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Adjust the seasoning, to taste.
Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Bring to room temperature before serving. (The spread will keep for 3 days refrigerated.)
Yield: about 1 1/4 cups 
MINI-DATE NUT SNOWBALLS
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
- 3 1/2 ounces pitted dried dates (about 14)
- 15 small raw almonds
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of kosher salt
Directions
Spread the coconut on a plate. Put the dates, almonds, cinnamon and salt in a food processor and process until finely chopped.
Form rounded 1/2 teaspoonfuls of the mixture into balls with your fingers, then roll in the coconut, pressing to coat.
Per serving (6 pieces): Calories 100; Fat 3 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 150 mg; Carbohydrate 20 g; Fiber 3 g; Protein 1 g
HUMMUS AND GRILLED VEGGIE WRAPS
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Pinch freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup store-bought hummus
- 4 pieces whole-wheat wrap bread (about 9 inches in diameter)
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 ounces baby spinach leaves (2 cups lightly packed)
- 1/2 cup red onion thinly sliced into half moons
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
Directions
Preheat the grill or grill pan over medium heat. Brush both sides of the zucchini slices with the oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Grill until tender and slightly browned, about 4 minutes per side.
Spread 1/4 cup of the hummus over each piece of bread. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of pine nuts on top. Top with 3 slices of zucchini, 2 pieces of red pepper, 1/2 cup of the spinach, a few sliced onions, and 1 tablespoon of the mint. Roll each of them up and cut in half on a diagonal.
Per Serving: Calories 320; Total Fat 15g (Sat Fat 2g, Mono Fat 6g, Poly Fat 6g); Protein 12g; Carb 42g; Fiber 8g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 795mg
Excellent Source of: Copper, Fiber, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Thiamin, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Protein
Good Source of: Niacin, Potassium, Riboflavin, Vitamin K, Zinc
BUFFALO WING HUMMUS
Ingredients
- 3 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed, 1/2 cup liquid reserved
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
- 2 to 3 tablespoons cayenne hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- Kosher salt
Directions
Put the chickpeas, chickpea liquid, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, paprika, barbecue sauce, hot sauce, vinegar and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a food processor. Puree until smooth and creamy.
Per serving (2 tablespoons): Calories 39; Fat 1 g (Saturated 0 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 138 mg; Carbohydrate 5 g; Fiber 1 g; Protein 2 g
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked black beans
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, cut into wedges
Directions
Blend all the ingredients, except the lettuce, in a food processor until almost smooth. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving with iceberg lettuce wedges.
HEALTHY ANGEL FOOD CAKE
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cake flour, sifted
- 12 egg whites (the closer to room temperature the better)
- 1/3 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon orange extract, or extract of your choice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a food processor spin sugar about 2 minutes until it is superfine. Sift half of the sugar with the salt the cake flour, setting the remaining sugar aside.
In a large bowl, use a balloon whisk to thoroughly combine egg whites, water, orange extract, and cream of tartar. After 2 minutes, switch to a hand mixer. Slowly sift the reserved sugar, beating continuously at medium speed. Once you have achieved medium peaks, sift enough of the flour mixture in to dust the top of the foam. Using a spatula fold in gently. Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated.
Carefully spoon mixture into an ungreased tube pan. Bake for 35 minutes before checking for doneness with a wooden skewer. (When inserted halfway between the inner and outer wall, the skewer should come out dry).
Cool upside down on cooling rack for at least an hour before removing from pan.
Cook's Note: Since they're easier to separate use the freshest eggs you can get.
Serves: 10; Calories: 208; Total Fat: 0 grams; Saturated Fat: 0 grams; Protein: 5 grams; Total carbohydrates: 47 grams; Sugar: 36 grams; Fiber: 0 grams; Cholesterol: 0 milligrams; Sodium: 115 milligrams
SERVINGS: 10 (DESSERT); Calories: 208; Total Fat: 0 grams; Saturated Fat: 0 grams; Protein: 5 grams; Total Carbohydrates: 47 grams; Sugar: 36 grams Fiber: 0 grams; Cholesterol: 0 milligrams; Sodium: 125 milligrams
WALNUT AND DRIED CHERRY BARS
Ingredients
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats
- 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour or regular whole-wheat flour
- 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 egg, beaten to mix
- 1 egg white
- 3/4 cup chopped dried tart cherries
- 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
- Cooking spray
- 1/4 cup "fruit only" apricot preserves
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, wheat germ, cinnamon and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together the honey, applesauce, oil, egg and egg white until well combined. Stir in the oatmeal mixture until well combined. Add the dried cherries and walnuts.
Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out
clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Put the preserves in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. As soon as the bars come out of the oven, brush with the preserves. Cool completely and cut into 12 bars, about 4 by1 1/2 inches each.
Per Serving
Calories 230; Total Fat 9 g; (Sat Fat 1 g, Mono Fat 3 g, Poly Fat 4 g) ; Protein 4 g; Carb 34 g; Fiber 2 g; Cholesterol 20 mg; Sodium 60 mg
