Bodacious Basil Cream Sauce and Zucchini Pasta DInner.......

Bodacious Basil!!

Basil is not only delicious, but also an amazing herb when many beneficial qualities!

Did you know that Basil is a known anti-depressant and thought to be emotionally uplifting?

Basil can also be put into a steaming pot an inhaled to clear sinuses and head colds!!

So, while you are busy making a great dinner, you will also be reaping the additional mind, spirit and body benefits of the bodacious basil!!

Recipe:

One Fresh Medium Size Zucchini
A Handful of Fresh Basil (wash the dirt off first!)
2 Garlic Cloves
Dash of Olive Oil
Low Fat Organic Milk (or whatever you have)
Walnuts, a handfullish
A few pinches of Wheat Flour
One scoop of Butter/Margarine etc.
Parm Cheese

Get your wheat pasta started so it will be ready when the sauce is done...

I used my Magic Bullet to process the Basil, and Garlic but I am sure you can use a regular food processor. I added a dash of olive oil once the basil and garlic were pureed. 

Start heating up the walnuts in a sauce pan.

You can start warming up the tiny scoop of butter and add the few pinches of wheat flour to that, then pour in the milk and stir constantly.

Once it is warmed up, add as much parm cheese as you can stand. I like a lot!

You can add some of the sauce to the basil/garlic mixture and then reprocess it, once that is done add it all back into the sauce pan.

Dip the Zucchini in the sauce and saute them in their own pan with some additional walnuts.

Once they are cooked, pour the sauce on top of them, then add in your Wheat Pasta.......

 And Voila!! A Bodacious Basil Cream Sauce and Zucchini Pasta Dinner!!

I knew when I started making this that it would be awesome or a total flop.. It was shockingly delicious!!

Wishing You Well Today and Always.

Mind, Body, Berry Bread.....Strawberry season recipe...holistic health

Mind, Body, Berry Bread......Strawberry Season....

Sad But True.......

Did you know that strawberry season is only about 6 weeks long? Sad but true. And this year because of the unseasonably warm weather, it is even shorter.  

Brain Berries.....

Studies have shown that berries such as strawberries, blueberries and blackberries are highly protective to the brain! Not only are they delicious, but they also work as anti-oxidants, have anti-inflamatory properties and positively effect the part of the brain that helps to off-set stress!! For these reason, we love berries!!

While the berries are in season, it is a good idea to make as much as you can with them!! Try baking and freezing this bread recipe to enjoy later in the season for continued health and well being!!

Mind, Body, Berry Bread Recipe:

2 Farm Fresh Eggs

1/2 c. berry flavored apple sauce

1/4 c. coconut oil

3/4 c. Organic Brown Sugar 

1 tsp. Vanilla 

4 bananas

2 c. Locally grown and milled Organic Wheat Flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 c. Fresh, Local strawberries

1. c. blueberries

1 packet of Strawberries and cream instant Oatmeal (my not so secret ingredient)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F . 
2. Use a non-stick Bread Pan.
3. With my Kitchen-Aid mixer (thanks Herbie and Carrie!), beat together the eggs, applesauce, oil, brown sugar, vanilla and bananas. Combine the flour, baking soda and cinnamon.
4.  Gently mix in the oatmeal
5. Stir in the strawberries and blueberries.
6. Bake for 50-60 minutes in the preheated oven, cooking times may vary....keep an eye on it and bake until a fork comes out clean!!

Using Fresh, Local and organic ingredients benefits the body which will in turn benefit the mind and spirit.  Make this bread and enjoy the entire experience that it will bring into your day.  I hope that you will enjoy it and remember, til the season for mind, for body and for berry......

Wishing You Well Today And Always.

This recipe was adapted from a recipe on allrecipes.com.

Ancient Honey Sesame Cookies.....Secrets of The Silk Road...

This past April, I went to an exhibition at the UPenn Museum of Archeology and Anthropology.  I had actually gone there to look at their collection of Ancient Egyptian artifacts, which is amazing because they excavated a large number of the artifacts themselves.  They have one of the largest Ancient Egyptian collections in the area if you ever have the chance to go.  Anyway, I stumbled upon an exhibition they were hosting called "Secrets of The Silk Road".  The crossing of ancient cultures is a hot topic for art historians right now so it was not surprising that this was at the museum. I'm sure we will be seeing a lot more of this in the future! Sorry, I will keep the nerdy Art History talk to a minimum.  Here is the blurb from the UPenn website about the exhibition, only because I couldn't have described it better myself.

"Secrets of the Silk Road explores the history of the Tarim Basin in western China. Extraordinarily well-preserved mummies and other materials found at the cross-roads of the legendary Silk Road suggest the area was active for thousands of years, with diverse languages, lifestyles, religions, and cultures present."

Very well said, and with that I will tell you how I came upon this cookie recipe.  Along with a mummy and some other interesting artifacts were a few food items.  There was a 1000 year old Wonton, yes I said Wonton!

 

Yum!

 They were preserved because they were in the dry desert sand for 1000 years.  Next to the 1000 year old Wonton were some 1000 year old cookies! And there I found the Ancient Cookie recipe.......

 

This is an actual picture of one of the ancient cookies that has been shaped like a chrysanthemum.

Unfortunately, our cookies will not be shaped like flowers.

Ancient Honey Sesame Cookies:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup honey

2 eggs

1/2 cup sesame seeds

In a bowl, combine dry ingredients.  In another bowl, combine butter, honey and eggs with an electric mixer until well combined.  Slowly add flour into the mixture.  Cover and chill the dough for one hour or until firm.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Form chilled dough into one inch balls and then press down with your fingers slightly.  Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Brush tops of cookies with melted butter when done and immediately roll in sesame seeds.

These cookies are delicious! Enjoy!

I would like to thank my neighbor Maureen for letting me borrow her mixer to make the cookies!! Thanks!

Wishing You Well Today And Always.

The Healthy Muffins.....Oh.. So.. Hearty!!!

What you will need:

• 1&1/4 cups Flour
• 1/2 cups Dark Brown Sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp. Baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1 cup Old Fashioned Oats
• 3 tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Large Egg
• 1/3 cup Skim Milk
• 2 Small Carrots Shredded
• One Banana    

**The original recipe called for 1/2 cup of raisins and 4 medium carrots.  I adjusted it a bit to suit my taste.....feel free to add your own favorite ingredients!


Next, the Mixing Magic...... 

Simply mix together all of the DRY ingredients in one bowl and all of the WET ingredients in a separate bowl.  I shredded the carrots and mashed the banana in with that in a totally separate bowl.  We are up to three bowls now, for those who are following.  Next, add the wet ingredients in with the dry and mix just until moist. You never want to over mix muffins.  Then, add in the carrot/banana mixture. 

 

Enfin*, you can separate the ingredients into 12 muffin cups.........Have the oven preheated to 350 degrees F.  You can pop the muffins in for about 20 minutes and VOILA*!!!!

*(which means finally in French, just practicing for finals here people)

*(also French meaning "see there") 

These are great for breakfast, a snack or warmed up with some ice cream for a dessert! Yum!

Thanks For the Great Recipe Joanna!!

Sin Free Chocolate Cupcakes.

 

 All you will need is one box of Trader Joe's Guiltless Brownie Mix and 2/3 cup of non-fat yogurt!

Mix Yogurt and Brownie Mix until moist, divide into 12 muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes.....

That's it......Really!! Now you are on the road to SIN FREE LIVING!

*You can add icing on top if you are feeling devilish .......

*or try warming in the microwave and adding some berries......(my favorite!)

(And only 3 Weight Watcher Points per serving)

www.traderjoes.com