No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars

Granola is wonderful in many forms but it is easier to eat when shaped into a bar form. The Granola recipe from page 196 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook can be adapted to this also.

No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars

Ingredients:
2 cups quick cooking oats (or pulse whole oats in a food processor a bit)
1 C rice crispy cereal
1/4 C shredded coconut
1/4 C butter
1/4 C honey
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix -In variations listed below

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the oats, cereal and coconut. Set a small saucepan over medium high heat and melt the butter. Add the honey, brown sugar and salt. Stir together then leave it alone as it comes to a boil. Once the boil has reached all the way around the edges of the pan, begin timing. Allow this mixture to boil for 2 minutes and 15 seconds. During this time, you may need to turn the heat down a bit so it doesn't overflow, but be sure it keeps boiling.

Pour the mixture over the oats, using a rubber spatula to get all the sugar mixture out of the pan. Mix the ingredients together until the oats are completely coated. Add in your desired mix-in then press very firmly into a lightly greased 9x13" pan.

If you like your bars thicker, you can use a smaller pan. If you do not press firmly enough, the bars will fall apart when you eat them. Place them in the fridge for 20 minutes then cut to size.

Chocolate Chip
Add 1/2 C of mini chocolate chips to the finished mixture before pressinginto the pan, allowing it cool just a bit or you will end up with melted chips. Sprinkle on a few extra chips over the top after they are pressed into the pan.

White Chocolate Cranberry
Add 1/3 C of white chocolate chips and 1/3 C of Craisins to the finished mixture before pressing into the pan, allowing it to cool just a bit first or you will end up with melted chips.

Candy Bar
Add 1/3 C of Heath bar pieces, 1/3 C of mini M&M's and 1/3 C of chopped pretzels to the finished mixture before pressing into the pan.

Peanut Butter
Add 2 Tb of peanut butter to the finished sugar mixture before pouring it over the oats. Once mixed with the oats, add 1/2 C peanut butter chips before pressing into the pan.

Raisin Nut
Add 1/3 C of chopped raisins and 1/3 C of chopped pecans to the finished mixture before pressing into the pan.
(recipe makes a 9x13 pan)

Thanks to Carole Jones of My Kitchen Escapades

Peanut Butter/Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites - Grain free

Grain-free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites
Who doesn't like chocolate? This is a grain free recipe that is delicious. We also love Chocolate Peanut Treats from Tastes & Treasures cookbook page 162.
Ingredients:
1¼ cups canned chickpeas, well-rinsed and patted dry with a paper towel
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup + 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter, SunButter Natural or almond butter - room temperature
¼ cup honey or agave or maple syrup
1 teaspoon baking powder
a pinch of salt if your peanut butter doesn't have salt in it
½ cup  chocolate chips (use vegan and dairy-free chocolate chips, if needed)

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C. Combine all the ingredients, except for the chocolate chips, in a food processor and process until very smooth. Make sure to scrape the sides and the top to get the little chunks of chickpeas and process again until they're combined.
Put in the chocolate chips and stir it if you can, or pulse it once or twice. The mixture will be very thick and sticky.
With wet hands, form into 1½" balls. Place onto a piece of parchment paper. If you want them to look more like normal cookies, press down slightly on the balls. They don't do much rising. Bake for about 10 minutes.

Notes:
Don't even try with regular peanut butter! They'll come out oily. You MUST use natural peanut butter.
If you need grain-free baking powder, you can use 1 part cream of tartar + 1 part baking soda + 2 parts arrowroot.

Chickpea cookies! Chickpea cookies with no flour, no oil, no white sugar. These are just full of chickpeas. And they’re my very favorite healthy cookie so far! I don’t know if they really classify as cookies so I’ll go with cookie dough bites. And as a bonus, they’re grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. Just in case that matters to anyone out there! And if you’re worried about the chickpeas, don’t be. I don’t like chickpeas and won’t eat them but that didn’t prevent me from inhaling these.

These need the chocolate. Don’t go making them without the chocolate and then tell me that they weren’t sweet or gooey enough! These would be incredibly boring without the chocolate. And for some weird reason, these cookie dough bites do not taste yummy in dough form. Baking them somehow brings out the sweetness and peanut butter flavor. Or maybe it’s just all that melted chocolate.

These aren’t the most beautiful cookie dough bites, but fresh out of the oven, with all that gooey chocolate, I bet you can’t tell that these are made with chickpeas. Or are grain-free. But cold? Yuck. These need to be warm! You can either freeze the balls and pop a few in the oven whenever it’s on, or simply put them in the microwave until they’re warm and gooey again.
Please read the following before asking a question! It will probably answer your question.
Tons of people have posted the nutritional analysis for these. They’re supposedly anywhere between 80-130 calories, which seems like a huge range to me. Please use a recipe analyzer like on CalorieCount if you need more information.
You can use almond butter, sun butter, or whatever nut butter like you.
The peanut butter should be the kind with only peanuts and salt. No added fat or sugar. Be careful because there are some “natural” brands out there which aren’t really natural. I find that this peanut butter is usually expensive so I make my own. You can make your own in only 5 minutes with a food processor. Check that out here.
Chickpea flour won’t work. I don’t think plain hummus will either.
I haven’t tried anything other than chickpeas but others have used butter beans, navy beans, red kidney beans, great northern beans, and lentils with success. I generally don’t like goodies made with those types of beans but I love these cookies made with chickpeas. Please use chickpeas unless you have an allergy!
Doing this in a blender (unless it’s a Blendtec blender or something equally powerful) won’t work and might kill the blender.
For a totally sugar free version, use 30 drops of Stevia and cacao nibs.
For a vegan version, you can’t use honey. Use agave. Also be sure to check your chocolate chips! I’ve used these Enjoy Life chocolate chips and they are amazing!

Thanks to Texanerin.com for this recipe.
Prep Time: 8 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Ready in: 18 min
Yield: 14 1" cookies

Granola always popular

Note to self: Two year old granddaughter coming to visit. Must make Granola from Tastes & Treasures cookbook page 196. And double the recipe so I can freeze it!

Granola
Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups pistachios
1 1/2 cups pecans
1 1/2 cups slivered almonds
1 1/2 cups sunflower seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup honey
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup finely chopped assorted dried fruit (raisins, apricots, cranberries, dates)


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the oats, coconut, pistachios, pecans, almonds, sunflower seeds and cinnamon in a bowl.
Combine the honey, brown sugar, molasses and butter in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until blended, stirring frequently; do not allow to boil.
Pour the honey mixture over the oats mixture and mix until coated. Spread the oats mixture on a greased baking sheet with edges.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the oats are golden brown, stirring frequently.
Spoon immediately into a heatproof bowl and stir in the dried fruit.
Store in airtight containers or sealable plastic bags in a cool environment for up to 2 months. Freeze if storing for longer than 2 months.  Makes 16 to 18 cups.
Hint - Do not let the granola sit on the hot cookie sheet.

Steelhead Trout with Honey Glaze

We all know eating fish is healthy for us. There are fish several recipes in Tastes & Treasures cookbook and here is another one to enjoy. I served it for a company dinner and it was a big hit, even with those who usually don't eat fish.

Steelhead Trout with Honey Glaze

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
2 garlic cloves
2 TBSP honey or maple syrup
2 TBSP brown sugar
2 TBSP rice vinegar
2 TBSP Dijon mustard
2 TBSP Soy sauce

Directions:
Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over low heat. Whisk in the ingredients.
Place the fish in the center of a rectangle of foil. Pour the glaze over the fish and fold the packet around the fish to allow it to marinate.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Bake for 10 minutes + 10 minutes for each inch of thickness. So, a one inch thick fillet would bake for twenty minutes. 1.5″ would be 25 minutes.
The recipe makes enough glaze for a little over two pounds of fish.

It  could be done on the grill, but remember to not cook the fish over direct heat.
 On the grill it can be done in a foil packet as described.  Or a grill basket with top is very helpful. Spray the grill basket with Pam first. Place it skin side up, first. Once the fish has cooked, it falls apart, the skin sort of holds it together, making transfer a little bit easier.

Thanks to Home Ec 101 for this recipe.

Balsamic Glazed Fish Fillets

Lon's at Hermosa Inn has a fabulous Salmon with Ancho Chile Glaze found on page 98 of Tastes & Treasures. Another option for salmon or halibut is the following recipe.
Balsamic-glazed Grilled Fish Fillets
2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
Two 1-pound pieces skin-on salmon or halibut fillets, about 1 inch thick

Combine the oil and garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes, until the garlic has softened.

Add mustard, honey, lemon juice, vinegar and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to form a slightly thickened sauce. Transfer to a wide, shallow dish and cool for 5 minutes, then place the fillets skin-side up in the dish and let sit for 15 minutes.
Use non-stick cooking oil spray to grease a ridged grill pan if grilling indoors. Heat over medium-high heat. If using an outdoor grill, place the fillets over direct heat.
Place the fillets skin-side down in the pan. Use the sauce in the dish to evenly coat the top of the fish, making sure plenty of the garlic is there. Discard any remaining sauce.
Cook the fish without turning for about 10 minutes or until it is opaque and fairly firm to the touch. The skin will be dark and crisp.
Makes 4 to 5 servings.

Nutritional value (based on 5) 360 calories, 36 g protein, 3 g carbohydrates, 21 g fat, 105 mg cholesterol, 150 mg sodium, 2 g sugar, 0 g fiber, 53 percent calories from fat Note: The fish stays moist and easy to handle because it is cooked in 1 pound pieces instead of individual fillets.

Curry Chicken Salad

Today's AZ Republic newspaper has a popular Curry Chicken Salad recipe from the Paper Plate Deli (great name) at The Republic in downtown Phoenix. It is similar to Tastes & Treasures cookbook Curried Chicken Green Salad on pg 151 but with some different twists. Roy Swope, the chef, settled on curry because "chicken accepts a heavy spice really well." He balances the curry with honey, lemon juice, currants and dried cranberries. A good hint for recipes like this: Cover and refrigerate for several hours to allow the spices to bloom and flavors to meld.

Tastes & Treasures Green Salad is also very tasty and refreshing with Gala apples, pecans, fresh mushrooms, chutney and curry. Curry lovers - you will want to try them both for two different presentations.

For you food historians, in 1863 a meat shop owner in Wakefield, R.I. mixed leftover chicken with mayonnaise, tarragon and grapes to create the chicken salad. It has come a long way since then.

Paper Plate Deli Curry Chicken Salad

12 oz chicken, diced or shredded
2 tbsps diced parsley
1 tbsp diced onion
4 tbsps diced celery
1 tbsp dried cranberries
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsps curry powder
3 tbsps honey

Salad: Combine well in a mixing bowl the chicken, parsley, onion, celery, currants and cranberries. Season with salt and pepper.
Dressing: Mix mayonnaise, lemon juice, curry powder and honey in a separate bowl until well blended. Blend dressing into chicken mixture. Chill and serve. Makes 4 servings.