THE QUEEN OF EVERYTHING ELSE

Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes Yield: 6 - 8 servings Ingredients 8 oz bow-tie pasta, cooked to al dente according to directions listed on package 1 1/2 lbs broccoli, crowns chopped into small pieces and majority of stems discarded or reserved for another use (about 4 cups) 2/3 cup low-fat or non-fat plain Greek yogurt (I used Chobani non-fat) 1/3 cup mayonnaise (full fat) 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 1/4 cup light agave nectar 3/4 tsp salt 1/3 cup chopped red onion 2 cups grapes, chopped into halves 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped 8 slices bacon, cooked and chopped Directions In a mixing bowl, whisk together plain Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, agave, salt and red onion. Place cooked pasta and chopped broccoli in a large mixing bowl and pour Greek yogurt mixture over top and toss to evenly coat. Cover bowl with lid or plastic wrap, transfer to refrigerator and chill 2 hours. Toss in chopped grapes, toasted pecans and cooked bacon just befor

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Yield: 9 - 12 bars Ingredients 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1 cup rolled oats (old fashioned) 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup raspberry jam, seedless if preferred Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 by 8-inch baking dish with aluminum foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang of foil on two sides. Grease foil. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in oats and brown sugar, and use clean fingertips as needed to break up brown sugar clumps. Add butter, and using fingertips, work butter into mixture until evenly moistened. Add 2 cups of the oat mixture to the prepared baking dish and press into an even layer. Spread raspberry jam into an even layer over oat layer, coming within 1/4-inch of all edges. Sprinkle top evenly with remaining oat mixture, then slightly press into jam layer. Bake in preheated oven

Ingredients Serves 8 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 10 oz packages chopped frozen spinach 1 ⁄ 2 onion, chopped 1 ⁄ 2 tsp dried oregano 1 ⁄ 2 tsp dried basil 2 clove garlic, crushed 32 oz jar spaghetti sauce 1 1 ⁄ 2 cup water 2 cup non-fat cottage cheese 8 oz package part skim milk mozzarella cheese, shredded 1 ⁄ 4 cup parmesan cheese, grated 1 ⁄ 2 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1 tsp salt 1 ⁄ 8 tsp black pepper 1 egg 8 oz lasagna noodles Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large pot over medium heat saute spinach, onion, oregano, basil and garlic in the olive oil. Pour in spaghetti sauce and water; simmer 20 minutes. In a large bowl mix cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper and egg. Place a small amount of sauce in the bottom of a lasagna pan. Place 4 uncooked noodles on top of sauce and top with laye

Ingredients Serves 8 1 ⁄ 2 cup all-purpose flour, plus 2 tbsp 1 ⁄ 2 cup old fashioned oats, (not instant) 1 ⁄ 4 cup brown sugar, packed 1 ⁄ 2 tsp ground ginger 1 ⁄ 4 tsp cinnamon 1 pinch salt 3 tbsp light stick butter, diced 1 tsp water 1 ⁄ 4 cup granulated sugar 1 ⁄ 4 tsp ground nutmeg 1 pinch ground cloves 3 lb golden delicious peeled and thinly sliced 1 tsp vanilla extract Directions Preheat the oven to 375°F Spray a shallow 1-1/2 quart baking dish with nonstick spray. To make the topping, combine the 1/2 cup flour, the oats, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. With a pastry blender or 2 knives used scissor-fashion, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water and firmly press mixture to form clumps. To make the filling, mix the granulated sugar, the 2 tablespoons flour, the nutmeg, and cloves in a large bowl. Add the

Apple Turnovers 1 turnover = 1.5 points Ingredients 3/4 lbs cooking apples 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 Tbsp flour 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp salt 1/8 tsp nutmeg 10 sheets frozen phyllo pastry Instructions Preheat oven to 400 F. Peel and chop apples to make 2 1/4 cups, thaw phyllo sheets. Toss apples gently in lemon juice, add sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Stir and set aside. Spray 1 phyllo sheet with cooking spray, and cut lengthwise into 4 strips. Place one strip on top of another to make 2-ply. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon apple mixture onto one end of strip, fold the left bottom corner over mixture, forming a triangle. Continue folding over until you reach the end of the strip. Repeat to make 20 turnovers. Place triangles, seam-side down, on sprayed baking sheet. Lightly spray tops with cooking spray. Bake at 7 minutes or until golden. Dust tops with sugar or drizzle with icing while warm.

1 can of Chickpeas 1 cup of Quinoa handful tomatoes chopped half red pepper chopped 3/4 cup cucumber chopped 1/2 cup celery chopped black olives chopped 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1/4 olive oil salt & pepper & garlic Mix all together and let sit for a few hours before serving

  Ingredients 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size (1/4-inch) cubes 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 medium red bell pepper, diced into small pieces 4 scallions, white and tender green parts, sliced 1/4 cup minced cilantro leaves 3 tablespoons lime juice, plus grated zest of 1 lime 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, according to your taste Salt and pepper Directions Preheat the oven to 400° F. Toss the cubed sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and some salt and pepper on a sheet pan. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer; roast until just tender, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly and then transfer to a large bowl. Add the bell pepper, scallions and cilantro. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, the lime juice and zest, chili powder, cumin, a generous pinch of salt, and a couple of grinds of black pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad; toss very gently. Serve warm, at

As found on  Mother Nature Network   We find them everywhere, popping out of all sorts of packaging, lurking like an ugly bug in vitamin bottles and new shoes. Working freight at my store, I touch dozens of silica packets each day and often ask what I can do to recycle them. Couldn't we collect them and send them off to a manufacturer for reuse? Silica gel is a desiccant, a substance that absorbs moisture. Despite its misleading name, the silicate is actually a very porous mineral with a natural attraction to water molecules. Manufacturers utilize the gel to keep goods from spoiling, molding or degrading due to humidity. The gel itself is nontoxic, but can have a moisture indicator added (cobalt chloride) which is a known toxin that turns pink when hydrated and is otherwise blue in its dry form. Most silica found in our food and household purchases looks like tapioca beads and is benign unless combined with certain chemicals.  Although silica gel has massive potentia

Teacher appreciation week is May 6 - 10.  These are some really easy and inexpensive little gifts you can make and give to a teacher to let them know how much you appreciate everything they do.  I made these appreciation gifts for the teachers that I work with.  It's always nice to get little goodies in your mailbox! Read more at  thepinjunkie.com

  1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 ½ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. baking soda ¼ tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon 2 bananas (smashed) 2 egg whites ¾ cup sugar substitute (I used stevia) 4tbsps. sugar 4 tbsps. whipped butter, softened 5 tbsps. almond milk 1 cup chocolate chips Recipe Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.  Mix dry ingredients,  stir bananas and milk in another bowl set aside.  Beat butter, sugar and egg whites until foamy.  Stir banana mixture into butter mixture.  Stir in dry ingredients until blended.  Fold in chocolate chips until combined.  Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.  Bake in the oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 70 minutes.  Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing.

Recipe from  Foodfanatic 1 1/4 cups water, warm 1 tablespoon active dry yeast 1/4 cup honey 3 cups flour 1 1/2 tablespoons non fat dry milk 1/2 tablespoon salt 4 sifted cups powdered sugar 1/4 cup milk 4 cups vegetable oil Directions Pour the warm water into the bowl of your stand mixer (I like to make the water a little bit warmer than bath water, so that when the bowl cools it slightly, it will still be warm enough to activate the yeast). Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the water. Drizzle the honey over the yeast. Let rest for 5-10 minutes until yeast is very foamy. Add the flour, dry milk, and salt to the bowl. Knead with the dough hook on a low speed. Once the dough starts to form, allow the hook to continue to knead for another 5-6 minutes until the dough is elastic and no longer sticky. Cover the bowl and let dough rise until doubled in size. Punch down the dough and move it to a floured workspace like the kitchen table. Roll out the dough to about 1/4 in

Makes 12 Adapted from Food Network 2 cups milk 1 1/2 tablespoons (2 packets) active dry yeast 6 tablespoons brown sugar 4 tablespoons butter, melted 4 1/2 cups flour 2 teaspoons fine salt 1/3 cup baking soda 3 cups warm water Coarse salt  8 tablespoons butter, melted in a shallow dish  Warm up the milk in the microwave or on the stove for just about one and a half minutes. It should be about 110º. If it's too hot it will kill the yeast.  You should be able to comfortably keep your finger in it. Stir in the yeast and let it sit for about 3 minutes.  Add the butter and sugar.  Add the flour about 1 cup at a time and the add the fine salt.  Kneed for about 10 minutes with a stand mixer, or by hand.  Put it in a greased bowl and cover with greased cling wrap.  Let rise for 1 hour in a moist, warm place until doubled in size.  Preheat the oven to 450º.  Punch down dough and divide into 12 lumps (I like to divide it in half, then divide

Weight Watchers Recipe   The perfect make-ahead meal, this Mexican lasagna will last up to five days in the fridge. Ingredients 1 spray(s) olive oil cooking spray    2 pound(s) uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast(s)    30 oz canned black beans, rinsed and drained    3 cup(s) fat free sour cream    2 cup(s) reduced-fat shredded Monterey Jack cheese,  or Mexican-style cheese blend    8 oz chopped green chili(es), two 4-oz cans    2 tsp cumin seeds    1/2 tsp black pepper    12 medium corn tortilla(s), cut into 2-inch strips    1 cup(s) fat free salsa, mild, medium or hot    Instructions Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a lasagna pan with cooking spray. Place chicken in medium saucepan and fill with enough cold  water just to cover chicken.  Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer until chicken is cooked  through, about 10 minutes; d

  1 cup unsalted butter ( no margarine allowed ) 1 cup brown sugar, packed tightly 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 40 saltine crackers Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 15x10-inch jelly roll pan or a 12x17-inch cookie sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray.  Lay a flat layer of crackers out on the foil.  Melt the sugar and butter until a boil is reached. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes or until mixture is thickened and sugar is completely dissolved.  Pour this mixture over the crackers and spread to coat evenly.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the toffee becomes bubbly.  After removing the pan from the oven, let it sit for 3-5 minutes.  Sprinkle on the chocolate chips, let them soften and melt, and then spread them into an even layer. (You can add nuts, cracker crumbs, or whatever else floats your boat at this point.)  Let cool and, if desired for expediting purposes, refrigerate until hardened.  Break into pieces the size of

Ingredients: 20 wrapped caramel 1 T half and half  1/4 C chocolate sauce  3 C vanilla ice cream 3/4 C milk (I used Silk Vanilla Soy Milk) 1 C Cadbury Mini Eggs 2 Cadbury Creme Eggs Instructions: 1) If making caramel sauce from scratch, melt caramels with 1 T half and half over medium heat and stir until smooth. Remove from burner to cool, stirring every now and then. 2) In a blender, combine ice cream, 3/4 C milk (of your choice), and Cadbury Mini Eggs. Blend until smooth. 3) Pour into a glass and stir in chocolate sauce and caramel sauce. Top with a Cadbury Creme Egg for garnish. (makes 2 milkshakes)

Cheesecake : 16 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature) 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon flour 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla Carrot Cake: 3/4 cup vegetable oil 1 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 generous pinch of salt 1 (8 1/2 ounce) can crushed pineapple, well drained with juice reserved 1 cup grated carrots 1/2 cup flaked coconut 1/2 cup chopped walnuts Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting: 2 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 tablespoon butter, softened 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 tablespoon reserved pineapple juice Dash of salt Directions: Grease a 9 or 9 1/2 inch springform pan.  Set aside. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat together 2 packages cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar until smooth.  Beat in 1 tablespoon flour, 3 eggs and 1 teaspoons vanilla until smooth.  Set aside. For the carrot cake:  in a large bowl, combine oil, 1 cup su

This is a customizable recipe – you can replace cranberries with raisins, grapes with dates or figs, almonds with walnuts, apples with pears…finding your favorite combo is part of the fun. And, you’ll feel good about what you’re eating.   Enjoy! INGREDIENTS 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded 1 green apple, coarsely chopped 1/3 cup dried cranberries 1/4 cup slivered almonds 1/2 red onion, finely chopped 2/3 cup green grapes, halved 3/4 cup greek yogurt 1 Tablespoon lemon juice salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste buns, bread or wrap, for serving INSTRUCTIONS Shred rotisserie chicken, set aside. Chop onion, apples and grapes, set aside. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir to combine. Season to taste, and serve as a sandwich or wrap.

Healthy Cookies Skinnytaste.com Servings: 8 • Size: 2 cookies • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 2 pt Calories: 93 • Fat: 3.5 g • Carb: 15 g • Fiber: 2 g • Protein: 2 g • Sugar: 4.5 g Sodium: 0.4 mg Ingredients: 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed 1 cup of uncooked quick oats* 1/4 cup crushed walnuts Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spray a non-stick cookie sheet with cooking spray or use a Silpat. Combine the mashed bananas and oats in a bowl. Fold in the walnuts and place a tablespoon of each on the cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes. Makes 16 cookies.

In an article posted from  healthy-holistic-living.com  it states: "To recognize a  gluten sensitivity  is not the easiest thing to do as symptoms can overlap other health issues making it difficult to distinguish what is causing what. It is important to determine whether we have a sensitivity to  gluten  because not only can we increase our health and quality of living by doing so, but we can avoid having the ignored sensitivity turn to Celiac Disease.  Generally blood tests are used to determine whether or not you are sensitive to  gluten  but these tests are not always completely accurate, making it important to check with your gut feeling if you are showing any of these symptoms. One of the issues with blood testing is that it only looks for one of six polypeptides in wheat, gliadin. But there are five other polypeptides that can cause sensitivity; wheat germ agglutinin, glteomorphin, gltueinin, prodynorphin, and omega gliadin. Any one or a combination of these

Skinnytaste.com Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1/6th • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 8 pts Calories: 313 • Fat: 9.9 g • Protein: 27.2 g • Carb: 31.2 g • Fiber: 4.4 g • Sugar: 2.6 g Sodium: 256.7 mg (without salt)   Ingredients: 6 oz Ronzoni Smart taste noodles (or no-yolk) 2 tsp oil 4 cloves garlic, sliced thin 12 oz fresh broccoli florets, chopped 1 tbsp butter 1 medium shallot, minced 3 tbsp all purpose flour 1-3/4 cups fat free chicken broth 1 cup 1% milk 12 oz cooked shredded chicken breast 4 oz shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar (Sargento) cooking spray 3 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese 2 tbsp seasoned breadcrumbs (I used whole wheat) Directions: Cook noodles in salted water until al dente, or slightly undercooked by 2 minutes. Set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and cook on medium heat until golden, about 1 minute. Add the broccoli and a little salt, sauté and cover the broccoli for about 3 minutes on me