Apple Pie Dip

Dip Ingredients:
2 cups peeled, cored, and diced organic apples
1 1/2 teaspoon organic fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 teaspoons organic brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons organic apricot preserves
1/4 teaspoon organic cinnamon
2 teaspoons organic raw honey

Chip Ingredients:
5 (6-inch) organic flour tortillas
2 tablespoons organic butter or vegan substitute, melted
1/2 teaspoon organic cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons organic brown sugar

Directions:
1.Combine all the dip ingredients in a bowl, then cover with foil and bake in oven until soft at 350 or 400 degrees. Check on them repeatedly to make sure the apples don’t get mushy. You can leave the foil off for a few minutes to toast the top.

2. Once the apples are finished cooking you can ether serve them warm or put the apples in the fridge to chill.

3.Brush the tortillas with butter, then cut them into wedges.

4.Arrange the wedges on a greased baking sheet, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and bake at 350º F until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let them cool before serving.

You can add Different fruit preserves or some fresh sage or cloves to switch up the taste, even pecans! This is a simple, delicious and healthy alternative to desert dips. When you are already pigged out and over stuffed it is sometimes nice to add something healthy to the mix.

Pizza Pancakes

 
I saw this on another blog this morning but I knew this couldn’t be the only recipe. Incase you didn’t know half of The Green Beagle Team is one hearty Italian lady and I love me some pizza. That may sound stereotypical but what can I tell you, it’s true! When I saw a recipe for pizza pancakes I started drooling almost immediately!  I have never really been a fan of breakfast foods for breakfast anyway.  I prefer lunch or dinner type meals in the morning.  Also, why have I not thought about making these already? Different cheese, vegetable and herb mixtures are popping into to my mind and apparently into others as well seeing as there are plenty of pizza pancake variations out there. I decided to go a little simple with this one because your first attempt isn’t always your best when it comes to cooking new things.

Ingredients
•2 cups organic baking mix
•1 cup organic fat free milk or a plain soy milk (A flavor, Almond or Rice milk may make the batter too sweet but that could be a yummy option as well)
•2 organic eggs
•3/4 cup shredded fresh mozzarella
•1/4 cup grated organic Parmesan cheese
•4 leaves fresh organic basil chopped
•1/4 teaspoon organic oregano
•1/4 teaspoon organic parsley
•1/4 teaspoon organic garlic powder (or fresh minced garlic)
•Organic Tomato sauce for dipping
•Parmesan Cheese to sprinkle on top

Instructions

1. Heat griddle or skillet and grease with olive oil, if necessary.
2. In a large bowl, combine the baking mix, basil, oregano, parsley * garlic powder.
3. Then combine eggs and milk and stir into dry ingredients until moistened and evenly mixed.
4. Add the cheeses into the mixture and mix.
5.Pour a little less than a 1/4 cup onto hot griddle & cook until bubbles form on top. Flip until you reach desired color and texture of your pancake.
6. Once all pancakes are cooked you can cut the pieces into wedges and garnish with fresh basil leaves and Parmesan cheese. You can also put a cup of tomato sauce on the side for dipping or drizzle the sauce on top of the pancakes.

New Face of Eggs

Ingredients:

* Organic Free Range Hard-boiled eggs
* Organic Round crackers (any shape will do but round tends to be the easiest shape)
* Organic Vegetable and herb garnishes
* Organic Cold cuts, organic pepperoni or organic bacon (vegetarian options also)
* Organic or non-dairy cheese (sliced or grated anything that will add some fun)
* Condiments (mustard, mayo, ketchup, Sriracha anything to add the fun)

Directions:

1. Slice hard boiled eggs evenly and thinly.
2. Place the egg slices on crackers
3. Place out the herbs, garnishes, veggies, cheeses, meats or anything else you want to use for decorating.
4. Have fun, be creative and go healthy!

How are these for a super fun snack? Let your kids be creative and healthy while doing it!  Not all children may like eggs so lunch meats can be a great alternative! Allergies are always an issue too but these days there are excellent substitutes. Keeping your children interested in being healthy is a constant challenge so do what you can to keep them having fun with their food.

I love BBQ sauce in the summer. It adds a little something extra to any outdoor meal especially if it is spicy! Most store bought sauces are really sugary which I don’t love. I think I can do an even better job! So I will attempt. I found a bunch of recipes online and combined the ingredients I liked the most. I think I am not the only one who would like to conquer the BBQ sauce world. If you have suggestions let me know. I would love to try anything new!

Ingredients:

Organic Lemon Juice (approx 2 lemons worth)
3 T. Organic Tamari
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2½ cups finely chopped organic sweet onion
2 to 4 organic cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons organic brown sugar
2 Tablespoons organic sweet molasses
1/3 cup organic apple cider vinegar
1 6-ounce can organic tomato paste
1 teaspoon organic ground cumin
1 teaspoon organic chipotle chili powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground organic cayenne pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon sea salt
Several grinds organic fresh black pepper
1½ cups water

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart pot.
2. Add the chopped onions and cook over medium heat and remember to stir frequently, until the onions start to soften.
3. Reduce the heat and cook until the onions caramelize (about 20 to 30 minutes).
4. Increase the heat back up to medium and add the garlic let cook and remember to stir another minute.
5. Stir in half of the the brown sugar and cook, again stirring frequently, for about 2-4 minutes. (During the cooking process you can add more sugar but to make sure sauce doesn’t come out too sweet feel free to build on the sugar during the cooking process)
6. Add the molasses (Add about half for now because you can always add more later), apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, lemon juice, tamari sauce, cumin, chipotle chili powder and cayenne, sea salt, and fresh black pepper.
7. Stir the mixture to make sure all of the ingredients are combined.
8. Add the water to your mixture slowly.
9. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 30 minutes.
10. While the sauce is simmering test the sauce. Here is where you can add more brown sugar or molasses or even more chili powder or cayenne.

Chicken Apple Sausage & Polenta

Ingredients:
4 Organic Chicken Apple Sausages
1 Organic Sweet Pepepr
1/2 Small Organic Red Onion
4 Organic Button Mushrooms
2 Cups Organic Unsweetened Apple Sauce
2 tbsp Organic Orange Juice
2 tbsp Organic Dried Orange Peels
2 tbsp Organic Carribean BBQ Seasoning
Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Package Ready Made Organic Polenta

Directions:
1. Cut up the onion, pepper and mushrooms into desired sized pieces.
2. Cut up the sausages into desired thickness rounds. Make sure your slices aren’t too big so they can cook through in reasonable time.
3. Cover the bottom of your cooking dish with olive oil but save some to mix in with the sausage and vegetables. (In the summer you can make the same meal but wrapped in tinfoil packets. The sausage and veggies taste amazing on the grill.)
4. Put all the cut veggies and sausages in your dish and pour in the remaining olive oil. Mix to make sure everything is covered.
5. Add your spices and mix everything together.
6. Cover with tin foil and bake in the oven at 375-400 for 30 minutes. Check periodically to make sure nothing burns.
7. While the sausage and veggies cook cut up your polenta into 1 1/2 inch thick rounds.
8. Bruch olive oil on to each side of the round.
9. You can bake the rounds at the same temperature as the sausage and veggies.
10. When one side is golden brown flip the rounds and bake until brown.
11. Once everything has cooked place the sausage and veggies on top of the rounds either individually or place a few rounds on each plate and top with the sausage and peppers.

BUFFALO FINGERS

INGREDIENTS:
*1 brick (350 or 450g) extra-firm organic tofu

*1/2 cup organic hot sauce or buffalo sauce
*1/3 cup Brummel & Brown
*organic garlic powder
* organic blue cheese dressing
* organic cooking spray
* organic celery sticks

Instructions:

1. Press tofu under heavy plate or weight for 30 minutes to press out excess water or your can use your hands.
2. Sprinkle with garlic powder if desired.
3. Cut pressed tofu into strips, chunks, nuggets, or whatever shapes you desire. Don’t make them too big, or they won’t hold enough sauce.
4. Melt the Brummel & Brown in a small saucepan over low heat. This will form the base for your sauce.
5. In a separate small frying pan, heat some cooking spray. Fry the tofu over medium heat, being careful not to burn. When the first side is golden brown, flip the tofu.
6. When the butter or margarine in the saucepan is melted, gently stir in the hot sauce with a wooden spoon.
7. When the two are sufficiently mixed, pour sauce slowly over the tofu, which should still be cooking (on its second side) in the frying pan.
8. Wash and cut your celery sticks while the sauce is cooking on the tofu fingers.
9. Pour some blue cheese into a small dipping bowl.
10. Serve your Buffalo Fingers and enjoy!

Spicy Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients:

1/2 cup organic chopped spinach
1/2 cup organic chopped celery
2 cups organic diced tomatoes
1/2 cup organic diced onions
1/2 cup organic chopped mushrooms
1 cup organic shredded carrots
1 tbsp organic oilve oil
1 tsp organic lemon juice
1 head organic cabbage
1 1/2 Simply Organic Spicy Steak Seasoning
1/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix together all the vegetables except cabbage.
3. Add Spicy Steak Grilling Seasons, oil and lemon juice.
4. Carefully remove leaves from cabbage head.
5. Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon mix onto each leaf.
6. Roll each leaf and fold in sides.
7. Lay folded side down in 2-quart casserole dish. Repeat until pan is full, reserving 1/3 of the vegetable mix.
8. Spread leftover vegetable mix over tops of rolls, and add water to the bottom of the pan.
9. Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes or until cabbage is tender.

Organic French Onion Soup

Ingredients:
1/4lb Brummel & Brown Spread
2-4 medium organic onions sliced (you can mix colors between red, white and yellow for flavor)
1tsp. organic sugar
2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. organic freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. organic flour
1tbsp. organic olive oil
1 cup organic red or burgundy wine
7-8 cups organic vegetable or chicken broth (usual recipes call for beef brother which you are free to use if you prefer)
Loaf of Organic Bread (choose any kind you like best but make sure it is crusty for toasting, you can use croutons as well)

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 500°
2. Heat butter and olive oil in large, heavy bottomed sauté pan over medium low heat.
3. Add sugar, stir to dissolve.
4. Add sliced onions to sauté pan and caramelize, cooking until golden brown. This takes about 30-40 minutes.
5. Add flower to pan, stir and cook for about 2 minutes.
6. Add Wine to pan and deglaze pan scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce until almost dry.
7. Add stocks, and simmer for about 30 minutes.
8. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper or any other seasonings you prefer.
9. While soup is simmering, cut bread into thick slices and toast until golden brown.
10. When soup is done simmering, ladle soup into oven proof bowls. 11. Top each bowl with a piece of toast. Cover with about 1 1/2 -2″ of cheese.
12. Place soup bowls on a cookie sheet and place on top rack of the oven and melt cheese until golden brown and bubbling.

Apple-Cheddar-Squash Soup

Ingredients:

5 tablespoonsBrummel & Brown
1 medium organic onion, thinly sliced
2 mediumorganic apples, thinly sliced
1 large organic white potato, diced
1 1/2 cups chopped & peeled organic butternut squash fresh not frozen
Sea Salt & organic fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoonorganic dried sage
2 tablespoons organic all-purpose flour
1/3 cup organic apple cider
4 cups organic low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup organic low-fat milk
2 cups grated organic sharp cheddar . Grate a little more to use as a garnish.
1/3 cup organic chopped chives

Directions:

1. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium-low heat and add the onion, apples, potato and squash. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the onion is soft, about 8 minutes.

2. Stir in the sage and flour. Add the cider and cook over high heat, stirring, until thickened.

3. Add the broth and milk, cover and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the potato is soft, 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Add the cheese to the soup and stir over medium-low heat until melted.

5.Puree in a blender in batches until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with cheese and chives, if using.

6. Serve with bread, if desired.

Gobble Gobble

Ingredients:
1 Organic Apple
1 Organic Clementine
1 Organic Pear
Organic Dried Apricots
Organic Creamy or Crunchy Peanut Butter
Handful of Organic Mini chocolate chips
Organic Unsalted Cashews
Organic Dried Cranberries

Directions:

1. Slice the clementine and apple into pieces but cut the pear in half. Make sure to remove all cores and seeds.

2. Arrange apple and clementine on a plate and lay a cored pear half on top.

3. Use scissors to cut the dried apricot in half. Cut small triangles from each half and stick them under the pear so it looks like feet.

4. Take the peanut butter to attach mini chocolate chip eyes, nut beak, and the dried cranberry snood.

This is a great after school snack. You can substitute the fruit for vegetables and cream cheese or dip!