Heart Healthy SuperBowl snack.....

I am always on the look-out for healthy munchies, and this is a winner.  You take the small corn tortillas, cut them in quarters and lay single thickness on a lightly sprayed baking sheet.  Lightly spray the chips with Pam.  Then sprinkle with salt substitute, cayenne pepper, garlic powder....whatever pleases you.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.  They will curl up, puff up and brown a little bit.  Serve hot with your favorite healthy salsa.  Yummm!!! and no worries or guilt attached!

Offerings....

This great idea was given to me by my daughter. As some of you know, my husband is a heart patient, so we watch our diet pretty closely. I am always looking for healthy recipes, having drastically changed the way I cook and bake. This is a quick modification to a boxed brownie mix. Instead of adding the oil and egg, you add a can of black beans (which have been pureed in the blender first). Just add the bean puree to the dry mix, and bake as directed. They come out tasty, moist, and much healthier for you. Yes....I know, my powdered peanut butter didn't impress you.....but these brownies are really good! REALLY!!! :)
BG is modeling a little hat that I just finished made for charity. It's too big for him, which pleases me, as I was hoping it would fit a 3-4 year old. I think it will. I am using double strands of sock yarn left overs. The pattern can be found on Ravelry. It's called "Knit Spiral Brim Hat Pattern" by Gail Bable. It has multiple sizes, and modifications for 3 different yarn weights. It's a nice one for charity projects.

And...I knit these adult sized mittens (my size!) from my first skein of wheel spun merino wool. Nice and soft. I can't bear to give them away.... I like them, all their lumps and bumps.
Funny, mismatched socks drive me nuts, but the same in mittens are not offensive to me at all. In fact, I think I prefer mismatched mittens.

As for spinning, I am working on singles from these two rovings:which when spun, I will combine with this single: making a 3-ply yarn. Hopefully, that's what I will do anyway. I am definetly in the trial and error stage of this learning process. I did just receive a beautiful new book though. "A Fine Fleece" by Lisa Lloyd. Very inspirational........

I wonder....

Is there a "heart healthy" category for food entries into the Iowa State Fair food competition? Hmmm..... Don't think I will be winning any blue ribbons, but still would like to share this recipe with you. Any of you needing heart healthy treats, well this is a good one. My DH really loves this, and I also enjoy it.

Squash Bread

3 eggs (Egg beater's equivalent)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 & 1/2 cups sugar
1 TBS vanilla

Beat the above ingredients in mixer till well blended, then add:
2 & 3/4 cups flour (half regular whole wheat, half whole wheat pastry flour)
1 tsp salt substitute
1/2 tsp soda
1 TBS Cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
Beat till well mixed, then add:
2 cups shredded Yellow crook neck squash (or Zuchinni)
1/3 (or so) cup raisins
1/4 (or so) cup chopped almonds
Bake in 2 sprayed loaf pans at 325 degrees for 45 minutes, or till pulls away from sides.
It's very moist and tasty! It also freezes well.
Hope you enjoy...

Sofee is happy that we finally hung her painting. This is the oil painting that Jim, Shirley's son sent us. He used a photo of Sofee as a model. Quite the likeness of the little ham! She always tips her head just like that when she sees the camera. This most certainly would have won a blue ribbon, had it been entered into our fair! We certainly will enjoy this wonderful gift!

As for knitting, I wish I could show you a photo of finished sleeves for St. Brigid....but they aren't finished yet. Hopefully soon....very soon. Why do sleeves take FOREVER????

And, I leave you with this..... This comes courtesy of my DD. It looks like they are playing "airplane" to me. I imagine daddy and BG will devise many games in the years to come. Hmmm...do they still have the "most beautiful baby" contest at the fair?

And now for a PSA.....

Regular readers may remember that nearly 2 years ago, my husband had a heart attack, and we became aware that he had a serious heart condition - not unlike many other Americans. Our diet has changed drastically - or should I say DRASTICALLY!

Our latest tasty discovery is this peanut butter. It is a powder that you mix (2TBS powder with 1 TBS water). For a 2 TBS serving, it has only 54 calories and 2.8g of fat (.55g saturated fat). Compare that to Skippy at 190 calories and 16g fat (3g sat fat). We were very happy to discover it, and thought I would share, just in case anyone else might be interested in a healthier peanut butter. It has a very good, creamy texture and a "fresh peanutty taste"! LOL.... commercial time anyone! We can buy it at our local supermarket - in the healthfood section. It is pricey, but what isn't these days?

Yesterday was Wednesday, which is the day I have BG all day! (What fun.) It gives his momma a day off....a little bit of leisure time which she seems to appreciate. Well, he smiled for the first time yesterday. Truly - I have witnesses. :) I wish I could have caught his little grin in a photo, but there will be plenty of grins and giggles in the future. Almost 6 weeks old already.....

A recipe! (a little off the beaten track here....)

Some of you may remember that a little over a year ago, my husband suffered a fairly severe heart attack. (He is doing well, btw) Needless to say, some life-style changes have taken place in our home. I have drastically changed how I cook and bake. Revising recipes is not always easy, especially having the results be really delicious.While this recipe started out as a decedent desert, smothered with gooey cream cheese frosty, (Oh yes...I remember that taste!) the modified version creates a pretty darn tasty treat. They are a favorite of DH, and I also enjoy them. I think part of my success is due to the fact that I have found some different types of whole wheat flours. Who would have guessed that there was such a thing as "White" whole wheat flour. All the same goodness with a lighter color and milder flavor. It's true!

Anyway, for those of you who may be interested (and with my apologies to those of you who are not) I give you my version of:

"Pumpkin Bars"

2 cups flour (1 cup each of the two kinds in photo)
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 cups (1 regular can of pure pumpkin...not pumpkin pie filling)
2 snack size containers of natural unsweetened applesauce ( I think they are each 1/2 cup)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt substitute
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
Eggbeaters (equal to 4 eggs)

After mixing the above ingredients, fold in raisins, dried cranberries, chopped almonds. Any or all of the above - quantities to your liking.

Put into lightly sprayed 9 x 14" baking dish. Bake 350 for 30-35 minutes, or until pulls slightly away from edges. Cool completely prior to cutting. The cut bars freeze well.

Even my "non healthy eating" family members like them. They are also a hit with DH's co-workers....(the donut eating variety). Hope you enjoy. Now...back to knitting.....