Strawberry Peach Coconut Popsicles

These are definitely my new favorite summer treat!!  Also, the first time i've made homemade popsicles!  I like knowing that i'm just eating fruit, not all the fake flavoring and stuff!  Plus, coconut is my favorite thing ever!
Recipe from Family Fresh Cooking
INGREDIENTS

• 4 ounces chopped Strawberries
• 1 Peach, roughly chopped
• 6 ounces (3/4 cup) light unsweetened Coconut Milk
• Stevia drops or your favorite natural sweetener to taste
• 1/4 cup unsweetened Coconut Flake

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS

• Chocolate Chips: Dark, Milk or White
• a dash of ground Ginger

METHOD

Put strawberries and peach in a small sauce pan over medium high heat with 1 tablespoon of water. Bring to a boil, partially cover pot & then reduce heat to medium. Cook for about 5 minutes until fruit is soft, stir occasionally. Remove from heat & let mixture cool. Mix fruit with coconut milk and purée in blender or food processor until smooth.  Fill popsicle molds, or dixie cups and let them freeze!

Sun Dried Tomato Hummus

I made this Sunday after church, just before dinner, but you're still so hungry that you just want to eat! It was perfect, and not too filling!  Serve it with veggies, or homemade tortilla chips!  I think I want to make some kind of dip every sunday just to snack on!  They're kind of fun!           

INGREDIENTS

• 1 15 ounce can Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed
• 1 clove Garlic
• 1/4 cup Sun-dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup Tahini Paste
• 1/4 cup Lemon Juice (about 2 lemons)
• 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
• Sea Salt to taste (about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon)
• Smoked Paprika to taste
• Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Tortillas (or your favorite tortillas)
• Olive Oil Cooking Spray

METHOD
Put chickpeas, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, tahini, tomato paste, some salt and smoked paprika in a food processor or blender and process until well combined and smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add more oil, lemon juice or tomato paste if needed. Serve with a drizzle of oil and diced sun-dried tomatoes on the top.
For the Chips
Pre-heat broiler on low heat with the rack in the middle of the oven. Trim tortillas into wedge shapes. Place them on a baking sheet in a single layer and lightly spray with oil, sprinkle with salt. Broil about 4-5 minutes until lightly browned and crispy. Sprinkle with some smoked paprika, or your favorite spices. 

Quinoa Porridge with Strawberries and Pecans

I know this is more of a fall breakfast, nice and hot!  But, as soon as I saw it, I had to try it!  It's originally made with blueberries, but all I had were strawberries!  Whatever works!  This recipe makes one serving!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 dash cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1 tablespoon peacans, toasted and coarsley chopped

Directions

1. Bring the quinoa, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and maple syrup to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Mix in the blueberries, remove from heat and top with the peacans.

Phyllo Fruit Tart

This is a fun, light summer dessert!  Really easy to throw together, and really pretty!

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 8 sheets phyllo dough (14 x 9)
• 1 pkg. (8 oz) FF cream cheese
• 3 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 cup Cool Whip Free
• 1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges, drained
• 4 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
• 1-1/2 cups sliced strawberries
• 1 oz white baking chocolate, melted

In a small bowl, combine butter and oil. Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a baking sheet. Brush with butter mixture. Repeat with remaining sheets. Bake at 400 for 5-7 minutes or until browned. Cool completely.

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar. Beat well. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread over cooled phyllo. Top with fruit. Melt chocolate in microwave and drizzle over fruit.

Bean Salad Wraps

This was a perfect, and quick lunch!  It's light and comes together in just a matter of minutes!

Ingredients:

4-8 inch whole wheat tortillas

1 15 oz can of black beans, rinsed, and drained

1/2 cup chopped carrots ( I just peeled it with my vegetable peeler)

2 TBSP Chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup light mayo or miracle whip

1 TBSP Lime juice

Lettuce

Directions:

In a medium bowl mash black beans slightly, add carrots and cilantro.  Stir in Mayo and lime juice.  To serve, spread bean mixture evenly over warmed tortillas, top with lettuce leaves.  Roll up tortillas. 

Strawberry Applesauce

This is probably my kids favorite new snack!  Really simple to make, yummy, and refreshing!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 pounds Apples, cored and cut into chunky pieces
• 8 ounces fresh or frozen Strawberries, cleaned and trim off stems
• 1 1/2 – 2 1/4 cups of Water
• juice from 1 Lemon
• Optional: natural Sweetener to taste

OPTIONAL GARNISH

• a dollop of thick Greek Yogurt
• extra chopped Strawberries
• ground spices: Cinnamon, Ginger, Cardamom etc.

METHOD
In a heavy bottomed large pot, add apples, water and strawberries. Squeeze in lemon juice. Bring to boil over medium high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let applesauce cool a bit. Purée in blender or food processor until desired consistency is achieved. Add more water if needed. Sweeten to taste.

BLT Macaroni Salad

A delicious summer salad!  Low in Weight Watchers points also! 

Ingredients:

• 8 oz uncooked elbows, low carb or whole grain (brown rice pasta for gf)
• 4 slices 25% reduced fat center cut bacon
• 2 large ripe tomatoes, beefsteak or vine ripe, diced small
• 4 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise (I used Hellman's)
• salt and fresh pepper to taste
• 2 cups baby spinach

In a large skillet cook bacon on medium-low heat until crispy on both sides.  In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions.

Chop tomatoes and combine it along with any accumulated juice with mayonnaise and pepper in a medium bowl. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water to cool. Combine pasta with tomatoes and spinach mixing well. Toss in bacon right before serving. 

Peanut Butter Cup Oats for One

I was searching blogs this morning looking for something healthy for breakfast when I came across this beauty!  It is the most delicious oatmeal i've ever had!  It's also great because it's a recipe for just one bowl! 

Ingredients

• 1/3 c. old-fashioned oats
• 1 1/2 T. cocoa powder
• dash of salt
• stevia or other sweetener, to taste
• 1/4 t. vanilla extract
• 1 heaping T. natural peanut butter
• 2/3 c. non-dairy or organic milk

Instructions

• Combine oats, cocoa powder, salt and sweetener in a microwave safe bowl and stir.
• Add vanilla, peanut butter and milk and give it a good mix.
• Microwave for 1 minute, remove and stir.
• Microwave for 2 additional minutes, stir and serve.