EASY FROZEN BANANAS ON A STICK

This is so easy if you prepare the fixings, kids can make their own healthy dessert.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Yield: 12 servings

1-cup smashed peanuts

1/2-cup chocolate chips

6 ripe bananas

12 popsicle sticks 

Smash the peanuts by placing in a plastic bag and hitting them with something heavy like a can or metal measuring cup. 

Mix the peanuts and chocolate chips together. 

Peel the bananas and cup them in half. 

Put the stick in the wide end of the cut bananas. Roll the bananas in the mixture and freeze.   

COCONUT WALNUT CHOCOLATE CHIP

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Yield: 5-dozen cookies

½-cup coconut oil

3/4-cup agave nectar

2-teaspoon vanilla

1/3-cup ground flaxseed

2-cups whole-wheat pastry flour

1-cup coconut flour (if not available use whole-wheat flour)

1-teaspoon baking soda

1-cup chocolate chips

1½-cup nuts, smashed

In a standing mixing bowl mix together the oil, agave, vanilla, and flaxseed. 

In another bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and chocolate chips. 

Add the dry to the wet and mix until uniform.  Mix in the nuts. Don't over mix or the nuts get to small.  

Pat the dough into a large rectangle 1-inch thick on plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 10 minutes. 

Cut into 2-inch squares.  (You can freeze half to be baked at another time.) 

Place on parchment lined baking sheets.  Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly golden.

 POPPY SEED COOKIES

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Yield: 4-dozen cookies

1-cup canola oil

1/3-cup ground flaxseed

2-teaspoons almond extract

½-cup agave nectar

3½-cups whole-wheat pastry flour

2-teaspoons baking powder

½-cup poppy seeds

½-teaspoon cinnamon

In a standing mixing bowl mix together the oil, flaxseed, almond extract, and agave. 

In another bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, poppy seeds, and cinnamon. 

Roll the dough into a 3-inch diameter cylinder and chill in plastic for ½-hour.  Slice the dough into ¼-inch rounds. 

Bake cookies at 350 degrees on a parchment lined baking sheet for 11-minutes or until golden. 

VEGGIE AND FRUIT WASH

Preparation time: 5 minuets

Yield:  7-cups

½-cup baking soda

½-teaspoon grapefruit seed extract

4-cup water

2½- cup white vinegar

Place all the ingredients in a jar except for the vinegar.  Shake until baking soda is dissolved.  Slowly add the vinegar.  The vinegar will foam and overflow if added too fast.  

Spray on produce, let sit for 5 to 10 minuets, and rinse. 

Or

Add ¼-cup of wash to 2 gallons of water.  Let produce soak and then rinse. 

Do not use on mushrooms. 

Shake before each use. 

PESTO PASTA SAUCE

2-cups basil

½-cup olive oil

½-cup pine nuts

½-cup water

½-cup nutritional yeast flakes

3-cloves garlic, smashed

1-teaspoon salt

optional: replace parsley for basil, use walnuts instead of pine nuts. 

In a blender, blend together the basil, olive oil, water, pine nuts, nutritional yeast flakes, garlic and salt. 

Cook 1-pound pasta following the directions and timing on the package, and drain.   Combine the sauce and pasta. 

NUT SHORTIES COOKIES WITH VARIATIONS

Oil a 9-inch square pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Yield: 32 cookies

½- cup oil (canola or coconut)

½-cup agave nectar

¼-teaspoon salt

1-teaspoon extract of your choice

2 to 2½-cups whole-wheat pastry flour (depends on the thickness of the agave)

1½-cups nuts, smashed

In a standing mixing bowl mix together the oil, agave, and extract.

In another bowl whisk together the flour, nuts, and salt. 

Add the dry to the wet. Mix until uniform. The dough should be thick and heavy.

Press the dough in an oiled 9-inch-square pan with a spoon.  Cut into 32 equal parts before baking. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until lightly golden.  Cool and cut again. The cookies should cut apart easily. 

This is a very forgiving creative recipe.  There are many variation and combinations that will work. 

VARIATIONS

Almond, almond extract

Walnuts, vanilla extract

Pecans, vanilla extract

Coconut, vanilla extract

Coconut, orange zest

COCONUT COOKIES

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Yield: 6-dozen cookies

2-cups coconut flour*

3-cups whole-wheat flour

3-teaspoons baking powder

½-teaspoon salt

½-cup agave nectar

½-cup coconut oil

2-teaspoons vanilla

½-cup water

optional: dip top half in melted chocolate chips

In a standing mixing bowl mix together the coconut flour, whole-wheat flour, and salt.   

Add the wet to the dry and mix until uniform. 

Pat the dough into a gallon freezer bag.  Remove the air and seal shut.  Use a rolling pin to make the thickness uniform.   

Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Remove the dough by using scissors to cut off the top of the bag.  Cut into 2 by 1-inch rectangles.

Place on parchment lined baking sheets.  Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 12-minutes or until lightly golden.

*Make coconut four by processing dry coconut in a blender.