Whole-Wheat Sweet Dough

This recipe is wonderful. It is half whole-wheat flour so it is much healthier than traditional sweet doughs, but it is still light and fluffy. I've used it for cinnamon rolls and sticky pull-aparts, neither of which are healthy, but at least they are a bit healthier this way. Not only are they healthier, but also we genuinely prefer the heartier flavor. There is also a fair amount of sugar in this recipe, and I often add quite a bit less and still have good results.

1 1/2 Tbsp. yeast

1/4 c. warm water

1/4 c. butter

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 c. hot milk or water

2 eggs, well beaten

2 1/2 c. white flour

2 1/2 c. whole-wheat flour

1. Place yeast into warm water to proof.

2. Mix butter, sugar and salt with the hot milk; set aside to cool.

3. Add yeast to beaten eggs and tehn add the cooled milk mixture.

4. Add flour and mix well. Knead for 5-10 minutes.

5. Form into a ball; cover and set aside to raise until doubled in size.

6. Roll out onto floured board and add desired ingredients to make many different kinds of sweet rolls.

For cinnamon rolls, I divide the dough in half, roll into a rectangle and then sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and sometimes raisins or dried crans. Then roll up the rectangle, cut into about 1 1/2 inch slices and place into a buttered pan (9x13 or two 9-inch cake pans). Let rise again and then bake at 375 for 20 to 22 minutes. I usually put some foil over the tops to prevent them from getting too brown.

Healthy Snack for Kids: Peanut Butter-Cranberry Balls

We needed a healthy snack the other night for our family night and so I came up with this little combo that was quite good-. I'll definitely be making them again!

You'll need:
dried cranberries
breakfast cereal (I used Quaker oatmeal squares, crushed)
peanut butter (preferably a simple variety that's just peanuts and salt)

Combine everything in a bowl, squish into balls (no way to really keep your hands clean here), and enjoy. :)

I've made granola bars with a similar recipe that were quite good. Only with the granola bars, you heat the PB on the stove top and mix it with some honey, then mix in bran flakes. Press into a pan, use your fingers to press dried cranberries into the PB/flakes mix and then let it cool. Also really yummy. Obviously with the honey they are sweeter than these little balls I made, so it just depends on what your taste buds feel like.

Pumpkin Dessert Waffles with Cranberry Honey

I made this because I thought it'd be a fun Halloween treat, and they were delicious. The pumpkin and cranberry flavors went wonderfully together. I think, though, that in the future I'll save it for a December treat--it had more of a Christmas flavor to me. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 3/4 c. flour--I used a little over half as whole-wheat
1/3 c. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. plain yogurt
1/3 c. milk
1/2 c. water
1 c. pureed pumpkin
1 large egg
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 egg whites

Cranberry Honey:
3/4 c. honey
1/4 c. cranberry or berry juice
1 c. fresh or frozen cranberries

1. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, spices, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; stir to mix well and set aside.
2. Combine the yogurt, milk, pumpkin, egg, oil, and vanilla in a medium bowl; whisk until smooth. Add this mixture and the water into teh flour midxture; stir until moist and set aside.
3. Beat egg whites in a glass bowl with an eletric mixer on high until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the batter.
4. Coat a waffle iron with oil (particularly important to prevent sticking with these low-fat waffles) and cook the waffles.
5. To make the cranberry honey: combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and cook until the cranberries pop. For extra flair, serve with a dallop of whipped topping and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Makes a great breakfast too.

Note: I modified this recipe from Parents.com.

Honey Snack Mix

Here's a good sugar-free snack recipe we recently tried and enjoyed.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

6 cups Crispix cereal
5 cups mini pretzels
1 1/2 cups pecans
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup honey.

Mix first 3 ingredients in a large bowl.
Melt honey and butter in a sauce pan until smooth, do not let it boil. Pour over cereal mixture then spread onto two 13"x9" greased pans.
Bake for 15 min. stirring every 5 min. Watch carefully so it doesn't
burn.
Cool on wire rack, store in an airtight container.

Note: We enjoyed dried cranberries in this also. I got this recipe from my Aunt Fran and it's great! Thanks Fran--I know you gave it to me forever ago, and I just now tried it, but we really enjoyed it.

Pumpkin Bread Parfait

This recipe was modified from one I saw in this month's Better Home and Gardens. We really enjoyed the fun fall flavor.

Pumpkin bread, cubed (recipe to follow in a day or two--it's whole wheat and yummy!)
Fall-flavored yogurt (Target has some yummy fall yogurts: egg nog, pumpkin spice, etc.)
Chopped walnuts or pecans


In a pretty cup, layer a little bit of yogurt, then cubed pumpkin bread, yogurt and nuts. Repeat layers until your cup is full.

And your done! It's delicious.

Coconut Cheese Brulee

It's been awhile since I posted anything, one because I've been busy, but two because this recipe has been a bit of a challenge to make healthy. I had to experiment a lot, and it isn't as healthy as I'd prefer, but it is significantly healthier, and better-tasting, than the original. The original recipe had a TON of butter and sugar in it, making it not only unhealthy but also greasy and too sweet. I was able to tinker with the recipe and get it to a point that the flavor is fantastic but it is better for you. We've really enjoyed eating this while relaxing to a good movie (we recently finished watching Doctor Zhivago).

Coconut Cheese Brulee

1 lb. Monterey Jack or Swiss Cheese
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 to 2/3 c. shredded coconut
1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans
1 Tbsp. melted butter
1 1/2 Tbsp. skim milk

Directions:
1. Cut cheese into one-inch chunks. Arrange in an ovenprof serving dish or into several ramekins. Bake at 350 for about 5 minutes to soften the cheese (do not melt the cheese).
2. Combine the brown sugar, coconut, nuts, butter and milk and mix well. Spread over the cheese.
3. Broil about 3 mintues or until teh topping is bubbly and slightly browned
4. Serve with assorted crackers and fruit such as apples, pears and grapes.

This truly is delicious. Cheese is high-fat, but it is also high-calcium, so while this dessert is rather high-calorie, it is full of nutrition. Enjoy!

Delicious Sugar-Free Cream Cheese Frosting

I recently made this frosting to go on my daughter's first birthday cake and it was delicious! I didn't want her to have any artificial sweeteners and with there being so much sugar in the cake already, I was happy when I found this recipe.


1 8-oz. package cream cheese
1/4 c. apple juice concentrate or orange juice concentrate
1-2 tsp. vanilla


Directions:
1. Cream the cream cheese.
2. Add the apple juice concentrate and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy.
3. Frost! (or just eat, it's really good).


Variations: If you are using the apple juice concentrate, then this recipe is also REALLy good with some orange zest, lemon zest or to use just cream cheese and orange juice concentrate for a citrus flair.