Thursday, March 22, 2012

Chocolate Covered Banana Bites

Ingredients:
Dark or milk chocolate squares (dark is better for you)
bananas

Process:
1. Using a double boiler, melt the chocolate.
2. While the chocolate is melting, slice your bananas and prepare a baking sheet with wax paper.
3. Dip your banana slices in the chocolate and freeze for about 5 minutes, or until the chocolate is hardened.
4. Store in a container in the fridge.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Wheat Crackers


Last fall, my husband and I realized how much we were spending on crackers and how bad some of them (even the "healthy" ones) are for you. Thus, I embarked on a cracker making mission. After a few tries, I got a recipe that we both enjoy.
Ingredients
7/8 cup of whole wheat flour
3/4 cup of all-purpose flour
1/8 cup of wheat germ and flax seeds, each
A teaspoon of salt
1/6 cup olive oil
1/2 cup water
Seasonings of your choice
Directions
1. Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Add olive oil and water. Mix thoroughly. The dough should be on the dry side. You will need to knead the remaining bits from the bottom of the bowl into the dough. (If it's not sticking together, add a little more water and a little more olive oil).
3. Roll the dough put as thinly as possible; the thinner the dough, the crispier the cracker.
4. Cut dough into your desired cracker size and place crackers on a cookie sheet.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until brown.

I store my crackers in a sealed container so they stay fresh throughout the week. Today I added garlic, cayenne pepper, and oregano. I have added rosemary and brushed with olive oil in the past. Another time I added a touch of granola for slightly sweeter crackers. Add whatever spices strike your fancy that day.

Toasted Almonds


These are super easy and I can't think of anything tastier to snack on than some freshly roasted almonds. They also make the house smell delicious as they are roasting!
Process
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Arrange almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 25 minutes or when they are beginning to darken.

Grilled Bread with Feta


Another simple, but tasty, snack. I made these for a group of men one time and they were devoured in minutes!
Ingredients
A fresh baguette
Feta cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
Fresh Garlic

Process
1. Slice the baguette and lightly brush each piece with olive oil on both sides. Grill for 1-2 minutes.
2. Rub the grilled side with fresh garlic.
3. Sprinkle the feta on the slices and return to the grill until the cheese is softened and the underside of the bread is golden.

Alternatively, you can skip the first grilling and sprinkle the bread with garlic powder on one side after brushing with olive oil. Then, added the feta and broil until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasty. If you want a bit more variety, choose a seasoned feta (such as feta with sun-dried tomato) or use cotija cheese.

Bite-sized Tuna Melts


Ingredients
Crostini
1 can tuna in water
1 tbsp light mayonnaise
2 % shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Process
1. Drain the tuna and combine with the mayonnaise.
2. Heat the broiler and arrange the crostini on a baking sheet.
3. Top the crostini with a spoonful of the tuna mixture and a light sprinkling of cheese.
4. Broil until the cheese is melted.

Cheese Crisps


All you need for this is some string cheese and an oven. If you are going to have light string cheese as a snack anyways, why not mix it up a bit?
Process
1. Slice the string cheese into nickle-sized pieces.
2. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until the cheese is becoming golden.
3. Remove from oven and let cool. The cheese will be crispy and airy.