High Fiber Candy (Chocolate Easter Eggs)

A rare treat. Very rare. They are so good, I dare not make them often.
I used to make these at Easter time because John especially liked them. I made some when David and Amber visited. They are really satisfying.

Chocolate Easter Eggs
1 and 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa (I use hershey's)
3/4 cup milk (soy milk is fine)
1/4 cup butter (that is one half of a stick)
1/2 cup peanut butter (all natural, of course)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 or 4 1/2 cups quick cooking oatmeal.

~Combine sugar, cocoa, milk and butter in saucepan. Bring to a boil over med. heat. Boil for one minute only. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining ingredients, mixing well. Let mixture cool awhile in saucepan. Shaoe spoonfuls into egg shape (or round balls) and roll in shredded coconut (the unsweetened finely shredded coconut you get at health food stores.) Store in covered plastic container in fridge.

Pork Roast

 Pork Roast

Cooking a pork roast in a slow cooker is a great way to get tender, flavorful meat with minimal effort. Here’s a simple recipe to get you started:

Ingredients:

1 (3-4 pound) pork roast (shoulder or loin)

1 large onion, sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon paprika

4-5 carrots, cut into chunks

4-5 potatoes, cut into chunks

Instructions:

Prepare the Pork Roast: Season the pork roast generously with salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, and paprika.

Sear the Pork: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the pork roast on all sides until browned (about 2-3 minutes per side).

Layer the Slow Cooker: Place the sliced onions and minced garlic at the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the seared pork roast on top of the onions and garlic.

Add Vegetables: Arrange the carrots and potatoes around the pork roast.

Add Liquid: Pour the chicken broth over the pork and vegetables.

Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours, until the pork is tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.

Serve: Remove the pork and vegetables from the slow cooker. Let the pork rest for a few minutes before slicing or shredding. Serve with the cooked vegetables and some of the cooking juices.

This method ensures a juicy, flavorful pork roast that’s perfect for a hearty meal123. Enjoy!

March 4: Day 1 of 60

I have prunes for iron, bone health, apples for pectin for healthy arteries, almonds are a powerhouse of nutrients, fats, protein. So this will be my typical breakfast...a no brainer...decision made...So here I am DAY 1 ! Yay!

BEST MAGIC SHELL RECIPE

Magic Hard Shell

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
• 1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder 
• 1/4 Cup Raw Honey or Maple Syrup
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract – or make your own
• Pinch of Sea Salt

Directions

1. Gently heat the coconut oil, cocoa powder and honey together in a small saucepan over low.
2. Stir until ingredients are melted. Add vanilla and salt and mix.
3. Pour warm magic shell sauce over ice cream or dessert of choice.
4. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator.
5. Reheat over low to reuse.
6. This recipe makes approximately 1 1/4 cup of magic shell sauce.

THANKS TO THIS GAL FOR THE RECIPE:

http://thecoconutmama.com/magic-hard-shell/

My Last Fast Food Burger....

My last fast food burger was in September. I was driving a carless friend around and she wanted to stop at Carl's Jr, and I happened to have a coupon for buy one get one free Fampus Star burger. So we each got one. That was my last.
Number 1: I am so used to whole wheat buns (I buy them at the grocery store)that the white bun almost gagged me.
Number 2: The mouth feel of hamburger meat is not appealing to me anymore. As Molly would say, I'm "evolving." I used to drool thinking of fast food burgers. One day about 5 years ago, I did a taste test one afternoon and drove to 3 places: Burger King, Carl's, McDonald's..and ate all 3 burgers that afternoon and loved it. Of course, I felt a bit sick afterwards.
Number 3: I decided to take my doctor's instructions seriously: No beef.(She gave me this admonition because I have a tendency towards high cholesterol.)


Here is a picture of what I fried in the frying pan last night (while my lentil soup was cooking):Sliced onion, green pepper, and some Boca Burgers. We can get 4 in a box at Target for $2.37! (The same thing is $3.99 at the grocery stores).
I serve them on big whole wheat buns with mayo, and hot sauce. I microwave it for just a few seconds to soften and warm the bun. We eat these twice a week. WE usually had a side of salad and something else ( a vegetable).

I do not miss fast food hamburgers one iota. Even when those big colorful glossy ads come in the mail. Mine are better!

Boards

 EMERIC'S APPLE CAKE

(Emeric made this twice dduring his 10 day visit  here to 15129 Dakota Court with his family and Ckelsy and Skye and Finnick.

It is VEGAN!  No dairy. No egg! So moist and good. He made it for Easter and he made it fa few days later.

EMERIC'S APPLE CAKE

1/2 cup  Earth Balance (  this is a health delicious butter substitute)

1 cup sugar

2 cups all purpose unbleached flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

2 cups chilled applesauce

1/8 teaspoon salt

(can add raisins)

Pour into 8 " greased round cake pan or square pan  350 degrees 25-35 minutes

IRISH APPLE CAKE

 While reading one of John's journal's, I saw a list iof his recent favorite foods. One was Irish Apple Cake. I will type it here since some of my children were curious about it. I found the recipe today in a random plastic bag of old recipes I used to use.

I can also call this recipe: "Got Applesuce"? or..."Got Egg Yolks?"

IRISH APPLE CAKE

3 cups sifted all purpose unbleached flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 egg yolks

1 cup butter

grated rind of one lemon (Optional)

2  1/2 cups applesauce

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

~~~~~~~~~

Mix flour, sugar, salt, egg yolks, lemon rind and press 1/2 of this mixture into a greased 9 x 9 x 3/4 " pan or 9  x  13" pan.

Mix applesauce, cinnamon, cloves and spread on top of dough and spread on top of dough.

Sprinkle remaining crumbly mixture over apple sauce.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes

Top with whipped cream or lemon sauce.

- Jackie Grover

My Favorite Soup

 Joan's Carrot Soup

3 cups peeled and rough chopped carrots

1 cup sweet onion chunks

1 heaping tablespoon chopped raw peeled ginger. 

1 level teaspoon cumin powder

1/8 teaspoon tumeric

Saute all the above in your pot with  2 tablespoon cooking oil

Add.....

         4 cups vegetable broth

Cook until everything is super soft.

Blend with immersion blender until smooth.

(Joan usually uses an instantpot and cooks it for 25 min. under pressure. So it is covered the whole time. Since Joan has never made this in a regualr cooking pot on the stove, she wonders if more water has to be added. Or if one must simply just put a lid on the pot and keep it simmering on low.)

Brutally Honest Valedictorian Regrets Being Top of the Class

Blue Moon Ice Cream

 Rachel is eating a blue moon ice cream soft serve here. I never heard of soft serve version. It is a central Wisconsin unique flavor.

Larissa made some using lemon extract ( recipe said you COULD use that) instead of the raspberry extract which is recommended.

First Gelato

I used this recipe...
https://foodnouveau.com/recipes/desserts/frozen/blueberry-gelato/

Beet Soup in Instant Pot

I bought some organic beets at Sprouts grocery store last week. I heard that one could ask "Alexa" for a recipe if you give her the names of some ingredients you have on hand.

What I did was this:

I said "Alexa, what can I make with beets?" she gave me this recipe first and said there were other recipes, too, if I wanted. She gave me time to gather ingredients If I needed. I did not have beet juice that was called for in the recipe so I used water. I did not use the wine, but water instead. here is the exact recipe she gave me (She said it was from "Kitchen Stories". I used my Instant Pot.

12 ingredients:

1  1/2 lb. beets
1  3/4 cup beet juice (I used water)
1  1/4 cup orange juice
1/3 c white wine (I used water)
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
zest of 1/2 orange
3 Tablespoons butter
salt and pepper

Cook and blend

Croutons and creme fraiche for toppings.

I simply sauted the vegetables in the butter in my Instant Pot on Saute setting. Then I added liquids, put lid on and set it for 25 minutes on SOUP setting. The I used my immersion blender to make it completely smooth.
Gorgeous color. Nice flavor. Very nutritious!

Megan's White Chicken Enchiladas

Meg's Enchiladas

2 chopped cooked chicken breasts

2-3 T softened cream cheese

2 T. green chilis

1-2 TBSP. milk

Combine first 4 ingredients (I use more chicken).

Fill

8-10 flour tortillas, rolling them up...

place in 9 by 12 greased pan. Cover in sauce.

`````````````````````

Sauce: 

I can cream of chicken

more green chilis

1 cup sour cream

1 c. milk

350 degrees, 1/2 hour or so

Last 5 minutes Grated Cheese on Top

First Cookies of the Season

I love thumbprints...such a tender "melt in your mouth" texture. These are made with my mom's Thumbprint cookie recipes, only I did not coat them in finely chopped walnuts. Plus I did do a powdered sugar frosting drizzle. They went fast at our Stake's Christmas Concert last Sunday.

Different Kinds of Sugar Substitutes

So...These are some of the offerings at Winvco, our local grocery store.

 I have not tried any of these sweeteners yet, except the Trader Joe's STEVIA. 

I plan to do some research and will report what I find later. I do know that all of these sweeteners, except the Stevia are used in equal parts to  regular sugar in recipes. The Stevia label says...1/3 teaspoon Stevia is equal to 1 teaspoon sugar in sweetness.

Hot Chocolate Time

I love hot chocolate! It is especially enjoyable in the winter months!!!

Joan's Hot Chocolate

1 cup coconut milk or coconut/almond milk (Sweetened is better)

2 Tablespoons Hershey's Cocoa

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1\2 teaspoon Stevia

Combine ingredients into a small saucepan over medium -medium high heat. Whisk while heating.

 Serve with whip cream and nutmeg sprinkled on top.

Looking Forward to Summer Slushies

Frozen Fruit Slushies

1  1/2 cups ice cubes
1 ripe banana, sliced
5 strawberries, hulled
1/2 cup orange juice


Mix all ingredients in blender
 until thick and smooth. 
Serve immediately. 

2 Servings

Man makes earth better

http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/forestsorg

Joan and John

Picture taken for santa barbara cancer clinic yearbook 2014