The best Chocolate Chip Cookies made with Lentils

Ok.  Yes I said it! Lentils!  Yes, these cookies are made with Lentils. I was watching the Cooking Channel, years ago, and saw a woman making these cookies.  They looked so good.  I didn't get around to trying them until this year.  A friend of mine is opening her new Pastry shop, called Luv Berry, and she asked if I could help her find a chocolate chip cookie recipe that doesn't use white flour or white sugar.  I immediately searched for this recipe.

I modified, as I always do. Since I have a trace wheat allergy, just to whole wheat, I used regular organic flour. I joke, sort of, that I can eat white bread because it use to be wheat, but has been processed so much that it doesn't affect my allergies.  I also left out several ingredients because I don't like nuts or seeds in my cookies.  

Here is my version of the recipe from Bal Arneson via the Cooking Channel website, a link to Bal's original recipe can be found at the bottom of the recipe.

Quick note:  Let the Lentil's cool before adding the butter, I didn't and all the butter melted and I had butter and lentil soup.  I ended up having to add more flour.  It was a near disaster. 

Healthy Chocolate Chip Lentil Cookies (modified version)

1 Cup dry Lentils

2 Sticks unsalted butter

1 Cup brown sugar

1 Egg

1 Cup Organic Flour

1 Tsp Baking Soda

1 Tsp pure vanilla extract

1 Cup regular dried Oats

1 Cup Chocolate Chips

1 Cup Raisins

1 Cup Sweetened dried Cranberries 

Cook Lentils in boiling water for 35 minutes.  Strain and smash with a fork.  LET COOL.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (or grease cookie sheet)

In a bowl, cream together the cooled lentils, butter, and brown sugar 

Add the egg and blend well

Add the baking soda, flour and vanilla extract and blend

Stir in the chocolate chips, raisins and cranberries

Drop the cookies and flatten on the cookie sheet, by the spoonful

Bake for 13 to 18 minutes 

Remove from oven and place on a baking rack to cool 

Now, try to stop yourself from eating them all.  I dare you!  

For the original recipe go to: http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/bals-lentil-cookies.html

How about some Vanilla Cinnamon Chia Pudding or just plain Organic Chocolate?

How about some Vanilla Cinnamon Chia Pudding or just plain Organic Chocolate?

      With the weather being so cold, and plenty of snow to play in, sometimes Hot Chocolate becomes boring.  How to mix it up and be healthy?  Make home made pudding.  This recipe is an adaptation of Grandma's Jello Salad recipe.  Which, is one of my most popular recipes!  Give it a try.  Anyway, my son and I love Chocolate.  I try to make healthy treats for us, and can't bring myself to use the boxed pudding mixes any longer.  If I can't pronounce an ingredient, without a Chemistry dictionary, then I probably shouldn't be eating it.  Thus this recipe was born.  I made a vanilla pudding for Rice Pudding and raisins.  It was very good.  So why not make chocolate?  I used Organic Cacao powder, it's a superfood!  

Organic Chocolate Pudding

   This picture shows how silky smooth the pudding is.  In fact, my son liked it so much he keeps asking for it.  When making my second batch, I messed up the flour and sugar  measurements.  Not to worry, the result was a super thick pudding, so I just added milk to thin it out.  Worked great. So, don't freak if the pudding looks super thick, just add more milk.  Don't forget you can also use 2% or skim milk for this.  We were snowed in and this was the only milk I had.  I don't usually use this brand, but when a snow storm is on the way, you sometimes have to take what Organic milk you can get.  

When I was enjoying this delicious dessert I thought about my friend whose son has a lot of food allergies, like me, and my other friend who is opening a restaurant and wants to use "healthy alternative" foods.  

My friends son wouldn't be able to enjoy this pudding because of the milk and egg.  So I sent her a message to ask what she used to substitute eggs.  She told me Chia seeds or flax seeds.  Ok, I had coconut milk and chia seeds.  She was coming over today, so I put her to work. We created this new pudding recipe.  I'm so happy with it!   Her son loved the pudding.  The consistency was a touch thinner, and it didn't set up as solidly as a pudding, but it was setting up better as it cooled.  

Vanilla Cinnamon Chia Pudding

Homemade Chocolate Pudding 

1 cup of organic milk

1 organic egg  beaten

2 Tablespoons of organic flour

3 Tablespoons of organic sugar

1/2 cup of Cacao powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

1 teaspoon organic ground cinnamon stick (optional)

In a sauce pan over medium heat, 

pour 1 cup milk and beaten egg

vanilla and cinnamon (both are optional)

DO NOT LET IT BOIL!!!!!!!  

Whisk frequently (you'll see it start to thicken)

Get the flour and sugar ready to whisk into the hot mixture.  

Whisk as you put the flour in to avoid lumps.  

I put my flour and sugar in a bowl, whisk with one hand and shake in with the other hand.  

After you have incorporated the flour and sugar then whisk in the cacao powder.

If the mixture is too thick or you just prefer a thinner pudding, then whisk in  more milk until it is the consistency you like.  

After the cacao is mixed in thoroughly and there are no lumps the pudding is ready. 

Homemade Vanilla Cinnamon Chia Pudding

2 cans Coconut milk

1 Tablespoon of milled Organic Chia seeds (substitution for eggs)

4 Tablespoons of Organic Flour

4 Tablespoons of Organic Sugar

1 1/2 Teaspoons of Vanilla extract

1 Stick of Organic Cinnamon (ground well)

I put the cinnamon stick and the chia seeds in my vitamix and milled to a powder

Put the milled mixture in a measuring cup and add 1/2 can of coconut  milk.  This will allow the seeds to thicken.  You may want to add the entire can if it looks like the seeds have thickened a lot. 

Put the other can of coconut milk and the vanilla, in a sauce pan over low heat. 

When it starts to steam add the chia seeds.  DO NOT LET IT BOIL.

Whisk in the flour and sugar. 

If the mixture is not as thick as you like, add some more flour, just be careful that you don't add too much.  You don't want to taste the flour in the pudding.  

You may want to add Cacao powder to this to make it chocolate.  We couldn't because Junior is allergic to nuts, and the Cacao was packaged in a facility that also pacakages tree nuts.  

This was very good!  I was surprised to be honest.  Pleasantly surprised.  

If you like this recipe, please comment below and visit me again!  

Balsamic Maple glazed Pork chops, Acorn squash with stewed apples and steamed broccoli

Pic from "Dine with a Darling"

Hey Paw! What's for supper?
Balsamic Maple glazed boneless Pork chops, Acorn squash with stewed apples, raisins and dried cranberries with steamed broccoli.

We love Acorn squash in this house. I'm surprised that so many people don't know what an Acorn squash is! My Mom always made this for us growing up. I use to prepare just one Acorn squash, (one makes two servings). I would "share" mine with my son, well, he likes it so much that I was hardly getting any! So now, I make 2 Acorn squash so we all have enough and there is some left over. Same goes for the broccoli, I have to make sure we all have our own and there is some left over. Hard to believe that my little guy loves broccoli, but he does. He also loves fruits and vegetables, probably because that's really all he knows. When he started on baby food, I tasted some labeled "peaches". Well, it didn't taste like any kind of peach I've ever had! So, from then on, I steamed fresh veggies and fruits for him and pureed them. As for the pork chops, I decided to try something new. I hope you all like it, we did. Let's get started...

Pork Chops:

3 thick cut boneless pork chops
1 cup maple syrup
2-3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of Caribbean jerk seasoning
1/4 teaspoon of dried pepper flakes
salt and pepper

Heat oven to 350
Place chops in a baking pan
Salt and pepper them to your taste
Mix the rest of the ingredients together and pour over the chops
Let sit for a little bit while you prepare the Acorn Squash
Put the chops and the Acorn squash in the oven at the same time
Bake for 45 minutes turning the chops over 1/2 way through the baking process

Acorn Squash:

Foil lined cookie sheet
Butter
Brown Sugar

Cut the acorn squash in 1/2 and scoop the seeds out
Place, upside down, on the foil lined baking sheet
Place in the oven along with the Pork Chops
Bake for 45 minutes turning the chops over 1/2 way through the baking process

The way to test the Acorn squash to see if they are done, is simply push the skin with your finger. If you're able to easily make an indention, they're done. If not, then allow to bake a little while longer until you are able to make an indention with your finger.

After you pull the squash from the oven, carefully turn them over using an oven mit, or something to keep from burning your fingers. Add butter to your taste and brown sugar, take a spoon and scrape the squash from the shell and stir into the butter and brown sugar. Try not to destroy the shell, as it makes such a pretty presentation on the plate, this green "boat" filled with sweet yumminess!

Stewed Apples:

1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 Red delicious apple
Some sort of fruit juice
Orange Juice
Dried Raisins and cranberries
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon (to taste)

Heat a small saucepan on medium low and add the butter
Wash the apple, then slice into bite size pieces, add to the butter. I leave the skins on, that's where all the nutrients are, and they become soft during the cooking process
Stir it around and let the apples cook a little in the butter
Don't let the butter turn brown!
Add the cinnamon
I use whatever juice is in the fridge, tonight it was actually fruit punch. I just pour in enough to cover the apples half way up, and then add a splash of Orange Juice. It add's a surprise taste that is lovely.
Add the raisins and cranberries and put the lid on let simmer for 10 minutes or until the apples are soft.
Scoop the stewed apples into the prepared Acorn Squash and enjoy!

Steamed Broccoli:

1 bag frozen Broccoli
3 tablespoons butter
salt & pepper
water

I don't own a steamer, I don't have enough room in my little kitchen for lots of gadgets. I've learned to make due with what I have and this is my version of steamed broccoli. I put just enough water to coat the bottom of a sauce pan, then I pour the frozen broccoli in with the water. I salt and pepper and add the butter, then put the lid on. Turn the stove onto medium heat and once a little steam starts to escape the lid, I turn it off and let it sit on the eye until it's time to serve.

There we go, that's what's for supper! Hope you like it, we sure did. In fact, after all my careful planning, my little boy still needed more broccoli. Well, guess that's one way for me to loose weight, right? ha ha ha. Good Night!

For other great acorn squash recipes: http://dinewithadarling.com/tag/splenda/

Rice Pudding with homemade pudding, raisins and cinnamon

Rice Pudding with homemade pudding, raisins and cinnamon

Looks like Fall is here, and I'll have more time to post yummy recipes.  Might as well come out of the gate with a winner.  I have been battling Bronchitis for the last 3 weeks.  Finally went to the Doctor last Sunday where they loaded me up on medication that makes you feel worse, before it makes you feel better.  Since then, I was unable to sleep, or eat.  As I felt better, I wanted to eat, but everything hurt my stomach.  Tired of chicken noodle soup and crackers, I started combing the cabinets.  I ate a handful of raisins as I rummaged. Those were pretty good, but a bunch of those on a hurt stomach was not going to be a good idea.  Put the box back.  I found a bag of rice, made a mental note to cook some up for dinner the next day.  Then, WALAAAA, it hit me.  Mom used to make me rice pudding when I couldn't eat anything else.  I went on a hunt for a box of pudding mix, or a bag of the German pudding mix.  Nothing.  Then I remembered my Grandma's Jello Salad recipe.  Hold on, I know I said jello, but if you haven't tried this recipe you need to.  Grandma made a jello salad, then topped it with homemade pudding.  Since I always have eggs, milk, flour and sugar in the house, I knew this was the deal.  I fixed it, it was so good I nearly ate all of it.  It did make a bunch, so I couldn't eat it all.  I finished it off the next day. 
Things to remember.  The rice will absorb  the pudding, so it's best to double the pudding recipe if you are going to let it sit over night.  That way, it will still be creamy the next day.  

Rice Pudding with homemade pudding, raisins and cinnamon:

Cook rice according to package instructions.  
I used Sushi Rice, product of USA.  1 1/2 cups rice to 2 cups water

After the rice is cooked and fluffed prepare the pudding.  

1 cup of 2% organic milk
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup raisins (or more, I like more)
1 tsp. cinnamon (I like more with this too)

In a saucepan add all the ingredients, except raisins and cinnamon

whisk well & constantly to keep from burning.  

Once the pudding thickens, add the raisins and cinnamon
Take off the heat, stir well and pour over the rice.  
Mix well

You can bake it in the oven if you like a crispy topping to the rice pudding.  350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.  

I didn't bake it, I gobbled it up.  It's so delicious.  
As I said, I did have leftovers and I learned two things:

1) Already mentioned above, the rice absorbs the pudding
2) If you re-heat it in the microwave the rice becomes a little hard and crunchy.

SO, I did this:

1) I poured some milk into the bowl and heated it with a wet paper towel over the top.  This keeps the moisture in, and gives the rice some more liquid to absorb so it's creamy again.  
2) Made a note to myself:  next time double the pudding recipe.