Avocado Cilantro Hummus

Avocado Cilantro Hummus
adapted from the Vitamix cookbook

1 T olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup raw sesame seeds
1 can chickpeas, with liquid
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 clove garlic
1 t cumin
salt to taste
2 avocados
1/2 bunch cilantro

Throw everything in a blender and puree for 45 seconds or until smooth.

BBQ White Pizza

Using these recipes, you will have enough dough and sauce to make three small pizzas.

Favorite Dough
3/4 cup hot water (as hot as my tap gets)
1 T sugar
1 t yeast
1 T olive oil
1/2 t salt
2 1/4 cups flour
1 T dry milk
Mix ingredients in order given. Knead until a soft dough forms. Let rise in covered bowl for one hour.

Favorite Alfredo
1 T butter
1 T flour
1/2 cup milk
1 oz. cream cheese
2 1/2 t minced garlic
Salt & pepper
Make a roux first with the butter and flour. Add milk. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute before adding other ingredients. Let simmer 5 minutes.

Toppings (any or all):
Chicken
Spinach
Rosemary
Tomatoes, thinly sliced
Zucchini, thinly sliced
Ricotta cheese
Mozzarella cheese

Grill dough on the BBQ for about 5 minutes. Flip. Cover with toppings and grill another 5 minutes with the lid closed.

Granola

Homemade Granola

from JoEllen Woods

4 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup of flax seed meal

1/4 cup quinoa
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon vanilla

In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients. In a microwave safe bowl heat oil and honey until warm, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract. Pour this mixture over the oat mixture and mix thoroughly until everything is completely coated. Spread evenly on a greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 300º for about 20 minutes until slightly golden brown. Don’t stir during baking. Cool completely and break into pieces.

Black Bean Brownies

There are so many recipes on the web for black bean brownies and I looked at several. You can mess with oil substitutes, egg substitutes, or sugar substitutes, and some recipes even snuck in more pureed fruits and vegetables.This one looked right for me.

Black Bean Brownies
adapted from Allergen Free Lifestyle

1 can of black beans
3 eggs
1/2 cup agave or honey
1/3 cup cocoa
2 Tbs. oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla

Blend all ingredients together in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour into a greased 8 by 8 baking dish. Sprinkle with chocolate chips or nuts. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Three Grain Waffles & Blueberry Syrup

Three Grain Waffles
adapted from the Pillsbury Complete Cookbook

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup quick oats
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 Tbs oil
2 eggs, beaten

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. Mix wet ingredients together separately, then add to dry.

Blueberry Syrup
from Cooks.com

1 cup blueberries
1/4 cup sugar 
1/4 cup water

Combine ingredients in small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Crush berries with back of spoon. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

This recipe came from the March 2012 Friend. Jack begs me to make the Friend recipes. Usually they don't excite me too much, but these turned out pretty good and they were really easy.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 egg beaten

1 cup milk

¼  cup oil (I used applesauce)

2 cups flour (I did a mix of whole wheat and white)

½  cup sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Semi-sweet chips

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a muffin pan with 12 liners. Mix together the egg, milk, and oil in a bowl. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just combined. Add chocolate chips. Fill each muffin cup half full with batter. Bake for 20 minutes.