Chicken Breast With Roast Potatoes and Garlic
Ingredients
8 clovesgarlic; (up to 10) peeled
1 skinned; boneless chicken breast
2 red skinned potatoes; (up to 3) (2 inch) - I added some carrots, too.
Dried oregano
Dried basil
Olive oil

Pour olive oil in baking pan. Add garlic cloves and stir to coat with oil. Place in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. While garlic is baking pat chicken dry. Scrub potatoes but leave peel on, cut in half. Remove baking pan from oven, add chicken and potatoes, and baste with oil. Sprinkle with equal amounts of oregano and basil to taste. Cover pan with lid or aluminum foil. Return to oven and bake 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced. Chicken will be done and garlic will be soft and sweet tasting.

{Source: http://www.bigoven.com/recipe/172012/chicken-breast-with-roast-potatoes-and-garlic}

Baked Banana Oatmeal

Combine the dry ingredients:
* 2 cups rolled oats
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 1/4 tsp kosher salt
{added some cinammon too}

Combine the wet ingredients:
* 1 egg, beat
* 1 mashed banana
* 1.5 cups skim milk
* 1 tsp vanilla

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix well.

Line an 8″ pan (square or round) with parchment paper.

Layer some banana slices on the bottom {I put a little brown sugar on top of the banana slices}. Pour batter into pan. Top with remaining banana slices.

Pop into a 375* oven for about 26 minutes.

After 26 minutes, increase heat to broil, sprinkle oatmeal with 1 heaping tbsp brown sugar and broil for 3-4 minutes.

{Recipe Source: http://www.katheats.com/?page_id=2661}

Anyway, here’s the recipe. Enjoy!

Chocolate Mug of Sadness

Makes 1 large mug of sadness or 2 slightly less sad servings
Ingredients
4 TBsp flour
4 TBsp sugar
1 egg
3 TBsp cocoa powder
3 TBsp Nutella
3 TBsp milk
3 TBsp vegetable oil

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a large coffee mug (or 2).

Whisk with fork until smooth.

Microwave on high for 1½– 3 minutes.

Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Or, halfway through baking time, drop in a dollop of peanut butter. (“Baking” time depends on microwave minutes. Ours took about 2 minutes.

{Source: http://somekitchenstories.com/2011/06/20/chocolate-mug-of-sadness/}

Sweet Wholemeal Biscuits

Ingredients
1 cup S/R wholemeal flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts
50g butter
4 tablespoons low-fat milk or So Good, as needed

Method
Sift flour into a bowl, add rolled oats, macadamia nuts and sugar, and mix well to combine.
Add butter, rub in with your fingertips until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add 3 tablespoons of milk, stir in well until mixture forms a soft dough. Add more milk if you need it.
Turn dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap, shape into a log, and chill dough for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 190′C. Unwrap dough, cut into 1 cm slices and place on a some baking paper on a tray.
Bake for about 12 minutes until lightly brown.
Slide onto rack and cook … will last for 5 days.

{Source: http://www.ksharonk.com/2011/07/sharing-recipes-sweet-wholemeal.html}

To the oven we go.

All warm and bubbly. And the house smelled yummy, too. Think Bread Talk.

Grab a bite.

In case you are interested, here’s the recipe. I didn’t follow it by the dot. I don’t have a weighing scale so I just “estimated” the weight of the macaroni. I didn’t measure the cheese as well. I just grated a big block of cheddar cheese. I read from one of the comments that’s it’s ok to add more cheese. I baked it covered too for the first 15 minutes. I really should get more baking necessities real soon and hopefully I won’t need to get a payday advance to do that.

Anyway I swear our house smelled like Bread Talk when I made this.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
* 1 (12 ounce) package macaroni
* 1 egg
* 2 cups milk
* 2 tablespoons butter, melted
* 2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
* salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.
2. In a large pot of salted water, lightly boil the macaroni for about 5 minutes until half-cooked.
3. Whisk the egg and milk together in a large cup. Add butter and cheese to the egg and milk. Stir well.
4. Place the lightly cooked macaroni in the prepared baking dish. Pour the egg and cheese liquid over the macaroni, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir well. Press the mixture evenly around the baking dish.
5. Bake uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is brown.

{Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baked-Macaroni-and-Cheese/Detail.aspx}

Baked Eggs with Spinach, Tomatoes and Garlic

Yield – 4 servings
Preparation Time – 15 minutes
Cooking Time – 10 minutes

Ingredients
* 2 Tbsp olive oil ($.05)
* 2 garlic cloves, crushed ($.05)
* 10 oz. fresh spinach ($1.99 or from the garden)
* 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained ($.16)
* 2 Tbsp minced onion ($.10)
* 4 eggs ($.40)
* Salt and pepper
* Paprika, sprinkle as garnish
* Fresh fruit as side dish ($.50)

Directions
* Preheat oven to 350.
* To a large skillet or saucepan, add the olive oil and saute the garlic for a minute, before adding the spinach. Toss the spinach around for a minute, then add the diced tomatoes. Toss together and then add the minced onion. Let simmer until most of the liquid has cooked off, about 5-7 minutes.
* Place the sauteed spinach into an ovenproof, creating divets for the eggs. Crack 1 egg into each hole.
* Bake the spinach and eggs for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until egg whites have turned white.
* Once cooked, remove from the oven and sprinkle with salt and pepper and paprika.
* Serve with fresh fruit for a well balanced breakfast!

Source: http://www.5dollardinners.com/2011/06/baked-eggs-with-spinach.html.

Baked Oatmeal Snack Bars
Ingredients
* 1.5 cups rolled oats
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts [or any nuts you like]
* 1/2 cup dried fruit (any you like – raisins, cranberries, dates, figs)
* 1/4 cup seeds (any you like – sunflower, pumpkin, flax, sesame)
* 1 tsp cinnamon
* 1 tsp kosher salt
* 1.25 cups skim milk
* 1 egg
* 1 tsp vanilla

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350*
2. Mix dry ingredients.
3. Mix wet ingredients.
4. Pour wet into dry. Stir to combine.
5. Pour into a 9×9 baking dish either coated in cooking spray or lined with parchment.
6. Bake for 40 minutes.
7. Cut into 9 squares.

Makes 9 servings . Each bar is appx. 170 calories, 3 grams fiber and 5 grams protein. [Cut into 12 squares reduces calories to about 125 calories per square]

While delicious, the only sweetness in these comes from the dried fruit. Add in 1/4 – 1/2 cup brown sugar if you like.

The variations are endless: cranberries, coconut, all kinds of dried fruit, nuts, etc.

{Source: http://www.katheats.com/?page_id=4681}

The ingredients.

I had to go to 3 different groceries just to complete the ingredients. And I still didn’t have the sunflower seeds. Same as what happened when I accompanied a cousin to look for school girl costume for adults in the mall. We had to go to several malls to find one.

All mixed up.

Going to the oven.

Done!

This is a really healthy snack, a fiber fix. I recently made another one, this time with tons of chocolate. It’s yummy as well.

Ingredients
Serves 4
* 4 skinless 6-oz. halibut fillets
* Kosher salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1 yellow squash
* 1 pint cherry tomatoes
* 1/4 cup pitted oil-cured black olives
* 2 whole sprigs fresh thyme
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly season the halibut fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. Cut 4 pieces of parchment paper (12 by 16 inches each) and lay them on a clean work surface. Fold each in half crosswise, making a crease in the middle, then open and lay flat.
2. Cut yellow squash into julienned strips and divide among parchment rectangles, mounding on one side of the fold. Season with salt and pepper. Lay a piece of halibut on top of each pile of squash. Divide the cherry tomatoes (sliced in half, if large) and olives between the four piles and top each pile with thyme. Drizzle each with oil.
3. Starting in one corner, fold each packet into a half-moon and seal well. Transfer packets to a rimmed baking sheet, and cook in the oven until parchment puffs up, about 12 to 14 minutes. To serve, place each packet on a plate and cut open with kitchen shears at the table.

{Source: http://www.wholeliving.com/recipe/halibut-squash-tomatoes-and-olives}

One-Bowl Oatmeal Muffins: Basic Recipe

Oatmeal is one of the constants in the recipe and provides, in my opinion, necessary texture.

Be sure to read the recipe all the way through before getting started. You will note that the oats soak in the milk 1 hour prior to assembling the rest of the ingredients, so take that into consideration before starting out.

Makes 12 medium muffins

* 1 cup milk*
* 1 teaspoon white vinegar
* 1 cup rolled oats (not quick oats)
* 1 large egg, at room temperature
* ¼ cup dark brown sugar
* ½ cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
* 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
* ¼ teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* ½ teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, freshly ground
* add-ins of your choosing (see above suggestions)

Combine milk, vinegar and oats in a large bowl and let stand one hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a twelve-cup muffin tin and line with cupcake papers.

Crack the egg into the oat and milk mixture; add brown sugar and mix to combine. Stir in melted butter.

Sift remaining ingredients into the bowl: flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, & spices. Gently fold into batter, taking care not to over mix.

Sprinkle add-in and flavorings of your choice and combine muffin batter gently.

Use a large ice cream scoop or 1/3 cup measuring cup to scoop batter into muffin tins. Bake until light brown and tops spring back when gently touched, about 10-12 minutes. Note: Muffins will take slightly longer to bake if you are adding fresh fruit such as blueberries or rhubarb.

Remove from oven and cool in tins. To remove, run a sharp knife around the edges and pop muffins out. Enjoy!

*You may also substitute 1 cup buttermilk, and then omit the vinegar from the recipe.

{http://www.simplebites.net/how-to-make-the-best-muffins/}

Low-Fat Banana Bread Cookies

INGREDIENTS
* 2 tbsp butter (melted)
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1 banana, very ripe
* 1 egg
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 1 cup flour
* 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 1/2 tsp baking soda
* 1/2 tsp cinnamon
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 1 1/2 cups oatmeal (old-fashioned)
* 1/2 cup raisins, dried blueberries or dried cherries. (I used cherries)

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350°F

2. In a bowl, thoroughly mix melted butter, sugars, banana, egg and vanilla.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

4. Mix the flour mixture into the banana mixture.

5. Stir in the dried fruit and oatmeal.

6. Drop dough by tablespoons onto a baking sheet sprayed with pam.

7. Bake for 11-14 minutes until set and golden.

8. Cool 5 minutes and remove from tray right away to a cooling rack.

Makes 30 cookies.

{Source: http://www.friendsforweightloss.com/featured-recipe-of-the-week-low-fat-banana-bread-cookies/.}