Baked Oatmeal with Mixed Berries

To make this vegan, you can substitute chia or flax eggs. Combine 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed OR 1 Tbsp chia seeds with 1 Tbsp water. Allow to sit for 5-7 minutes to activate/gel before adding to the other ingredients.

Serves: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats (gluten free, if needed)
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1¾ cups milk (I use almond milk, but any dairy or non-dairy milk will work)
• ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
• 1 egg (or 1 Tbsp chia seed/flax seed, as directed above)
• ¼ tsp vanilla
• 1½-2 cups frozen mixed berries

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine your dry ingredients--oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, syrup, eggs, and vanilla until well combined.

Stir wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in frozen berries gently.

Pour mixture into a greased 8x8 (or 2 quart) baking dish.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25-35 minutes, or until cooked through and just starting to brown on top.

Serve with favorite toppings!

Source:  One Lovely Life

Traditional Pizza Sauce

There is so much sugar in most jarred pizza and spaghetti sauces.  You really need to read the labels carefully or better yet, make your own!  This is a very basic recipe.  If you don't like Stevia, a natural sweetener, you could use white sugar or even finely grated carrot to balance out the acid with a little sweetness.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup chopped Onions
• 1 tsp Garlic
• 4 tbsps Tomato Paste (I buy paste in the tubes so that I don't waste it when I don't need a full can.)
• 1 tsp leaf Basil (Dried)
• 3/4 tsp leaf Oregano
• 1/2 tsp Fennel Seed
• 1/2 packet Stevia
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 28 oz Crushed Tomatoes (Canned) - I use San Marzano tomatoes, a bit more pricey but so worth it!!

DIRECTIONS

In a medium sauce pan heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Crush the garlic and add it to the pan along with the yellow onions.  Sauté until translucent; about 4 minutes  

Add the tomato paste, basil, oregano, fennel, granular sugar substitute, salt, black pepper and chili flakes (optional).  Cook while stiring for 1-2 minutes.
    
Add crushed tomatoes and continue to cook over medium heat until heated through; 3 minutes.  Turn heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes until thick. 

Remove from heat and use immediately or cool to room temperature and place into an air tight storage container in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze for up to 1 month.  

Makes about 3 cups, enough for 2 pizzas or 16 slices.  Each serving is about 3 Tbsp (nutritional information reflect 1 serving).  If it is too sweet add a dash of lemon juice to balance flavors.

Source:  Atkins

Biscotti: Cranberry, Orange and White Chocolate *

I have made biscotti several times piecing together ingredients from different recipes until I finally perfected it.  I love the orange, cranberry and white chocolate together.  With a cup of coffee or tea in the morning...you will be craving these time and time again.  

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (GF: use Bob's Red Mill 1:1 flour)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup sugar or Xylitol (if want sugar free)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons of grated orange zest (or more if you like orange)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp almond extract (or vanilla or lemon)
• 3/4 cup almonds, coarsely chopped 
• 2/3 cup dried cranberries (or cherries)
• 1 egg white 
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
• 12 ounces good-quality white chocolate, chopped (or dark chocolate)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the almond extract and orange zest.

In a separate bowl, mix in the flour, baking powder, salt with a fork to make sure it's well combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture a little a time and make sure to scrape the bowl periodically.  Once the dry ingredients are incorporated, fold in the almonds and dried cranberries.

Divide the dough in half and roll the dough into 2 logs. The dough will be sticky.  Best way to shape it is to use the parchment paper wrapped around the log and shape it.  It works perfectly without any sticking or adding anymore flour for dusting.  Shape the logs to the length of a sheet pan. 

Beat the egg white with a splash of water.

Brush the logs with the egg white and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Transfer to a sheet pan and place at least 3 inches apart. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven let cool for 10 minutes.

Remove logs to a cutting board and slice on the bias about 3/4 inch thick. They will crumble a bit so use a serrated knife. Lay the biscotti back on the sheet pan (flat side up) and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. This will harden the biscotti. Cool completely on a rack.

White Chocolate Ganache:

• 1 cup white chocolate or semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips or chopped block chocolate

Bring a saucepan with 1-inch of water in it to a boil. Put the chocolate in a large metal or heatproof glass mixing bowl and place on top of the saucepan with boiling water. Pay careful attention that the mixing bowl does not touch the surface of the boiling water. Stir the chocolate until it is almost completely melted. 

Remove it from the saucepan and continue stir until the chocolate is completely melted. This entire process should take no more than 5 to 10 minutes.

OR

Place chocolate into a glass dish and microwave in 15 second increments, stirring after each 15 seconds until it's melted completely.  Be CAREFUL not to burn it - make sure it's only every 15 seconds.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper. Drizzle the chocolate over each piece as shown in picture with a butter knife.  Set each piece on the lined cookie sheet to allow the chocolate to harden. Store in a cool place in air-tight containers. 

Source:  Me adapted from many other recipes and perfected it!

Cranberry-Orange Cheesecake

• This holiday dazzler from Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, Missouri, tastes as good as it looks. The dark chocolate cookie crust and ruby-red berries add dramatic flair to the orange-flavor filling. Since the cake keeps well for two days, this is a great make-ahead dessert.

  ❤ With love and full tummies ~ Mama Bear  ❤

  
  

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  Let's Get Cooking!

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  Servings: 16 | 3 Net Carbs
  
• 
  
• Ingredients :

Crust

• 1 9 - ounce package chocolate wafer cookies, broken (GF: choose gluten free wafers)
• 2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• 4 8 - ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 eggs

Topper

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 1/2 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel

Instructions:

Crust: 

• In a food processor, combine cookies and chocolate. Cover; process until finely ground. Add butter. Cover; process with on/off turns until moist clumps form. If you like, use plastic wrap as an aid to press crumb mixture onto the bottom and about 1 1/4 inches up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan (with 2 3/4-inch-high sides). Bake in a 325 degrees F oven for about 8 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven; cool completely.

• Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

• Wrap two layers of heavy-duty foil around bottom and up the sides of the springform pan.

Filling: 

• In an extra-large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups sugar, the flour, 2 teaspoons orange peel and the vanilla. Beat cream cheese mixture until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed just until combined.

• Pour filling into crust-lined pan. 

• Place springform pan in a large roasting pan. (Make sure there is a least 1 inch between springform pan and the edges of roasting pan.)

• Place the roasting pan on oven rack. Carefully pour enough hot tap water into roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan.

• Bake in a 350 degrees F oven for 60 to 70 minutes or until edge of cheesecake is firm and center appears nearly set when lightly shaken. 

• Remove pan from water bath; transfer to a wire rack and cool 15 minutes. Remove foil. Use a small metal spatula to loosen cheesecake from sides of pan. Cool for 30 minutes more. Remove sides of pan and cool about 2 hours or until completely cooled. Cover cheesecake with plastic wrap and chill overnight before serving.

• (Can be stored in refrigerator for up to 2 days.)

Topping: 

• In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar and the cornstarch. Stir in the water. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until thickened and bubbly. Add cranberries. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until cranberries pop, stirring occasionally. Stir in the 1/2 teaspoon orange peel. Remove from heat; cool completely. Cover and chill overnight. (Can be stored in refrigerator for up to 2 days.)

• To serve, top cheesecake with cranberry topping. Cut into wedges. If you like, clean knife between each cut.

Source:  Midwest Living