Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies!

These are so yummy! My 11 year old daughter got out the mixer the other day & made them herself, from start to finish! The best part is we use whole wheat & oatmeal, so they're "half way" healthy! So here's the recipe:

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. organic butter (softened)
1 large organic free range egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. organic coconut palm sugar
1 c. xylitol / coconut palm sugar
1 c. chocolate or carob chips (without refined white sugar)

(a few chopped nuts are optional... we didn't use them)

Mix butter, sugars, egg, & vanilla.

Add flour & soda. Mix till blended.

Add oatmeal, then chocolate/carob chips & mix till blended - again!

Drop onto cookie sheet & bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Let cool on baking rack, then eat away!

Easiest Ever Fruit Leather!

I've hit a jackpot! Our family LOVES Fruit Roll Ups. I'm saving up for a better food dehydrator than what I have now, so in the mean time, I've started using my oven for this "Oh So Easy" recipe. We have tried a few roll up recipes, and this one is by far the tastiest to date! I like to make the all natural 100% fruit ones occasionally, since they're a little healthier, but honestly, these are our favorite!

Needed:

1 jelly roll pan (or dehydrator trays)
Natural Unsweetened Apple Sauce (homemade is best!)
Smashed Fruit

Use a dehydrator if you have one, but if not...

Pre-heat your oven to 125 degrees... (If it won't go that low, try 175 & leave the door cracked open)

You can even do up to 200 degrees so it'll dry faster, but the leather will crack a little, so it'll be a better "pull-apart" snack instead of cutting for rolls...

*The best time to do this is before you go to bed, so your kiddies aren't tempted to touch the hot oven, & you'll wake up to a wonderful aroma and treat to eat!

Mix 2 cups applesauce and smashed fruit.  Lightly spray pan or trays with olive oil or rub surface with raw organic coconut oil!

Spread mixture evenly on pan or trays about 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick.
Bake in your 125 degree oven for several hours (or all night)

Your leather will be done when it's easily peeled up from your tray.

Cut into 1" wide strips & roll up in plastic wrap. Store in air tight container.

This stuff is addicting!!!

Whole Wheat Blender Pancakes

Ok, this is awesome! I found a recipe for these blender pancakes & syrup on another blog that's healthier than what we all normally eat! It sounds WAY yummy! I'll make some & post a photo - hopefully soon. Who knows? Depends on how my week goes... But here's the recipe anyway!

Blender Wheat Pancakes
1 Cup Milk (or 3T. powdered milk & 1 C. Water for food storage version)
1 Cup Wheat Berry Kernels, whole & uncooked  (or sprouted!!!)

2 Eggs (or 2T. powdered eggs & 1/4 C. Water for food storage version)
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1-1/2 tsp. Sea Salt or Himalayan Salt
2 T. Raw Organic Coconut Oil or Olive Oil
2 T. Honey, Xylitol, or Organic Coconut Palm Sugar

Put milk and wheat kernels in blender.Blend on highest speed for 4 or 5 minutes or until batter is smooth. Add eggs, oil, baking powder, salt and honey or sugar to above batter. Blend on low.

Pour batter from blender onto a hot greased griddle or large frying pan. Cook; flipping pancakes when bubbles pop and create holes.

Berry Syrup

2 C. Mixed Berries (Raspberries, Blueberries, Strawberries, etc...)
3 T. Honey, Xylitol, or Organic Coconut Palm Sugar

Mix together and let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving. (Can blend a little for smoother syrup, if you like!)

Wheat Grass?

I knew about sprouting grains & beans, but I had no clue I could grow wheatgrass! And if I did, what the heck would I use it for? Just look at all these interesting facts:

One pound of fresh wheatgrass is equivalent in nutritional value to 23 pounds of choice garden vegetables.

This nutrient-rich grass contains 17 amino acids which are the building blocks of proteins.

Wheat grass retains 92 of the 102 minerals found in the soil. These minerals include calcium, phosphorus, iron magnesium and potassium. It is a rich natural source of vitamins A and C. Wheat grass has more vitamin C than oranges and twice the vitamin A as carrots. It is exceptionally rich in vitamins E, K, and B-complex.

Wheatgrass juice is immediately absorbed into the bloodstream and gives immediate energy.

* Wheatgrass energizes and reduces fatigue.
* Wheatgrass is a appetite suppressant.
* Wheatgrass juice improves metabolism.
* Wheatgrass improves digestion.
* Wheatgrass juice enriches the blood, removes blood disorders, & lowers blood pressure
* Wheatgrass juice is antibacterial
* Wheatgrass juice helps cleanse the liver
* Wheatgrass juice prevents tooth decay
* Wheatgrass juice is good for skin problems. It improves complexion, treats acne, and removes acne scars.
* Wheatgrass juice keeps hair from graying & removes dandruff
* boosts the immune system
* calming the nervous system
* promotes regularity & helps fight constipation
* The chlorophyll present in wheatgrass will wash drug deposits from the body, neutralize toxins in the body, help purify the liver, and prevent ageing. The chlorophyll also stabilizes blood sugar levels.

IF YOU DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO FRESH VEGETABLES OR VITAMINS, WHEATGRASS COULD REPLACE THEM & GIVE YOU YOUR FULL NEEDED NUTRITION!

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WOW! Talk about benefits! So I've watched a few of videos on www.simplylivingsmart.com & I'm learning how to use grains (AND WHEATGRASS)in ways I'd never heard of before...

I grew my first batch of wheatgrass this week, & I threw a big chunk in my blender with fruit, yogurt, & milk... Delicious & Healthy Smoothie!

You can juice it, chop/grind it up & add it to sauces, casseroles, etc... AND, did you know there are entire books out on wheatgrass?

You can use a tray sprouter (Sprout Master brand is best) - to grow your wheatgrass, but I don't have one yet, so I used a mason jar. (Not as easy, but it works.)

Just pour in 1/4 cup of fresh whole wheat.
Cover with water (about 2" above top of wheat) & let soak overnight.
The next day, rinse wheat (with cool water), then drain well. Do this AT LEAST 3 times a day.
Cover jar opening with cheesecloth or paper towel, etc... & secure with rubberband.
Keep in warm area, & expose to light (a window or small lamp work great)
In a day or 2 you'll notice little tails on your wheat. Within 4-5 days, beautiful green grass will fill your jar! Gently pull out the wheat sprouts & grass with tongs or your fingers... Cut sprigs of grass to use in your dishes & drinks for an extra boost of energy!

*NOTE: In a jar, the grass will only grow about 2 inches high... In a sprouter, it will grow 4-6 inches high!!! Here are photos of my wheat grass in the jar & after I pulled it out. It still worked, but I'm VERY anxious to get a sprouter!




Later on I'll post a few other ideas for using fresh wheat. (Or you can watch the videos on www.simplylivingsmart.com)