Thread: Healthy Recipes and Snack Ideas

100 calorie snack choices - the 15 best from Good Housekeeping:

The Best 100-Calorie Snacks - Good Housekeeping

Easy Banana Bread

3 bananas, well mashed
1 cup Splenda
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (can be omitted)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mash bananas in mixing bowl. Add splenda, eggs and oil, mixing well each time. Add in bananas and mix. Add in dry ingredients and mix well.

Pour into greased (I spray with PAM) 5x9 loaf pan and bake 55-60 minutes. Test with toothpick.

1 recipe will make 1 regular loaf or 3 mini loaves. Cook mini loaves at the same temperature, but check at 25 minutes. They definitely won't take as long to bake.

This recipe is a favorite and so easy.

Here's LOTS of recipes using Splenda:

http://splenda.allrecipes.com/Defaul...questid=107995

These aren't healthy but I wanted to put them here so we could find them. Thanks Mary!!

HAYSTACK COOKIES
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
4 tbsp. cocoa
1 stick butter
1/2 c. peanut butter
2 1/2 c. oatmeal
2 tsp. vanilla
Cook sugar, milk, butter and cocoa together for 1 1/2 minutes. After it boils, remove from heat and quickly add the remaining ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls on waxed paper. Let cool.


Sonja's Haystacks

Haystacks here are basically cheap taco salads in the most easy way possible. Corn chips covered in chili, cheese, tomato, lettuce, onion, olives, sour cream and hot sauce. SUPER easy if you're in a rush.


BUTTERSCOTCH HAYSTACK CANDY
2 (6 oz.) pkg. butterscotch morsels
1 (6 1/2 oz.) can peanuts
1 (5 oz.) can chow mein noodles
Melt morsels in double boiler. Stir in peanuts and noodles. Spoon onto wax paper and cool. Makes about 2-2 1/2 dozen pieces.


I'm sure they can be made with white chocolate, milk chocolate or dark chocolate too. Ethel M chocolates in CA even had their version of these and they were yummy too.



Hash Brown Haystacks

Description:
Hash browns laced with cheese and seasoned with the ideal salt free spice combo; Riley's Seasoning. A perfect breakfast/brunch accompaniment for French toast, quiches or egg entrees etc. This is one of Judy's exclusive inventions.

Ingredients:
6 cups Shredded Hash Brown Potatoes (frozen)
3 Tsp Riley's Salt Free Seasoning (or to taste)
2/3 cup Sargento's Bistro Mozzarella Tomato Basil Shredded Cheese
2/3 cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
4 pats of butter (real is best)
Non Stick Spray

Directions:
Thaw frozen hash browns in microwave carefully, (50-70 percent power) so they don't get too hot. Mix with fingers to make sure potatoes are thawed. Sprinkle 2 Tsp of Riley's Seasoning on top. Add both cheeses and combine. Generously spray jumbo muffin tins and add potato mixture filling to 1/2 full. Place 1/4 of a butter pat in the middle. Add remaining potato mixture and second 1/4 pat of butter on top. Sprinkle with Riley's to taste. Pre-heat oven to 350 and bake for 40-45 minutes until browned. Loosen with small spatula around edges and flip tin on cookie sheet or pan. To serve flip stack over and place on serving plate. Garnish with your choice of parsley sprig, basil, chives or rosemary. **Prep ahead: This keeps well covered in the fridge overnight.
**Note: Riley's is available online:
rileys-seasonings.com

Recipe Summary:
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40-45 minutes

Here's a soup recipe that Sonja posted.

I have a yummy barley lentil soup recipe that I like to make when it's rainy or cold.

1/2c each yellow split peas, green split peas & lentils
3/4c barley

2tbl cornstarch
2tbl diced onion
1 1/2 tsp basil
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbl parsley
1/4c bullion powder
1 bay leaf
3 tbl butter

Rinse your lentils & peas. Boil about 10c water with butter, add all other ingredients. Lower temp & simmer about 1 - 1 1/2 hours and serve. Makes for great leftovers and it's always better the 2nd day (nice & thick after cooling overnight and reheats easily). Sometimes I chop up a couple of celery sticks and add to the mix for a little crunch.

Here is a couple of soup recipes that Ruth (talking to strangers) posted.

I make this soup when I have a cold. It clears up congestion and really seems to help.

1 Onion diced
8 to 12 cloves of garlic diced small
Olive oil - couple tablespoons
Chicken broth - 16 to 32 ounces
Nutmeg - couple dashes

saute onions and garlic in olive oil until cooked. Add Chicken broth and nutmeg. Simmer for 20 minutes.

It doesn't sound that great but it is yummy and really makes you feel better. I got it from some book on legendary cures. It seems to work best if you are the one doing the cooking. I think part of the cure is the fumes from the onions and garlic cooking.


I'm still working on the best recipe for Split Pea Soup. Here are the basics for most of my attempts:

1 lb split peas (rinsed)
64 to 96 oz fat free chicken broth (start with 64 oz and add more later as needed)
3 or 4 stalks of celery diced small (I use cuisinart mini-chopper)
1 small onion and several cloves of garlic or a couple shallots diced really small (I like the onion to be practically liqufied - using that cuisinart mini-chopper again)
1/2 lb of Canadian Bacon. Cook it in a frying pan first to give it the toasty flavor and cut into small pieces.
roasted carrots - cut up. (I use mini peeled carrots. Roast them by putting a layer down on a non-stick cookie sheet, spraying with I-can't-believe-its-not-butter and cooking in the oven at a low temperature. This is a great way to roast most veggies by the way.)

Mix everything together except the carrots and cook in big pan for several hours over medium heat. Add carrots when you are down to the last half hour or so. Salt and pepper to taste.

That is the basics. I usually put the split peas on with the broth and then start prepping all the other stuff.