Flour Tortillas

I have wanted to make flour tortillas from scratch. I found this recipe at The Pioneer Woman!!



All you need is Flour, Lard, Baking powder and Kosher salt! And a hot pan of oil!


2-½ cups All-purpose Flour
2-½ teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ cups Lard Or Vegetable Shortening
2 Tablespoons (additional) Lard Or Vegetable Shortening
1 cup Hot Water

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large wooden bowl. Stir together.

Add spoonfuls of lard or shortening (use 1/2 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons), then use a pastry cutter to combine the ingredients. Cut mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Slowly pour in hot water, stirring to bring mixture together. Lightly knead dough 30 to 40 times, or until it becomes a cohesive ball of dough and is less sticky. Cover with a tea towel and allow dough to rest for at least an hour.

Roll into ping pong size balls, place on a tray, cover with a tea towel, and allow to rest for another 20 to 30 minutes.

When you’re ready to make the tortillas, head a dark or cast iron griddle to medium/medium-high heat. One by one, roll out balls of dough until very, very thin. Throw tortillas (one by one) onto the griddle. Cook on each side for 20 to 30 seconds, removing while tortillas are still soft but slightly brown in spots. Remove and stack tortillas, and cover with a towel to keep warm. Serve immediately or allow to cool before storing tortillas in a container. To warm, nuke tortillas in the microwave, or wrap in foil and warm in the oven.

To summarize, keep these tips in mind:
* Make sure the water you pour in is very warm.
* Allow the dough to rest, both after kneading and after forming into balls.
* Roll out very thin.
* Get the heat right on your stove: Too hot, and the tortilla will burn in spots. Not hot enough, and the tortilla will begin to crisp before you can get it to brown. I get my stove between medium and medium high heat; that seems to do the trick.
* Use a dark griddle or cast iron skillet to brown the tortillas.
* Cook just long enough to lightly brown the tortilla in spots; don’t cook too long or tortillas will crisp. You want them to be soft and pliable when you serve them.

Eating Healthy

This Isn’t Swanson’s Chicken Pot Pie



INGREDIENTS
3 cups fat-free chicken broth
1 1/2 cups frozen green peas, thawed (pleeeeze don’t use canned peas!)
1 cup (1/2-inch) cubed baking potato (I leave the peel on, but do as you please)
1 cup (1/2-inch) cubed sweet potato (again, I like the peel for the extra fiber, but peel them if you choose)
1 cup (1/2-inch) cubed celeriac (celery root)
1 cup (1/2-inch-thick)slices parsnip
1 (10 ounce) package frozen pearl onions (thawed)
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
2/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 ounces) divided
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk (skim milk)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (if using dried, see Substitution Solutions)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough, thawed
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 400°
Bring broth to a boil in a large Dutch oven.
Add peas and next 5 ingredients (through onions) to pan; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 6 minutes.
Add chicken; cook for 5 minutes or until chicken is done.
Remove chicken and vegetables from broth with a slotted spoon; place in a large bowl.
Increase heat to medium.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
Place all but 1 tablespoon flour in a medium bowl; gradually add milk to bowl, stirring with a whisk until well blended.
Add milk mixture to broth; cook for 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently.
Stir in chicken mixture, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Spoon mixture into an 11×7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon flour on a work surface; roll dough out and place over chicken mixture, pressing to seal at edges of dish.
Cut small slits into dough to allow steam to escape; coat dough lightly with cooking spray.
Place dish on a foil-lined baking sheet.
Bake at 400° for 16 minutes or until pastry is browned and filling is bubbly.
Note: You can substitute the frozen puff pastry with 2 or 3 sheets of Phyllo dough (add one quick spray of non-stick spray between sheets and to the top sheet). Your results will be more like the pie pictured above.
YIELD: 8 servings
CALORIES 388 (30% from fat) / FAT 13 g / CARB 45.7 g / FIBER 4.4 g

Mashed Potatoes: Canyon Ranch Lime Cilantro

CANYON RANCH LIME CILANTRO MASHED POTATOES



When trying to lose weight, many people shy away from potatoes. That’s a crying out loud shame because potatoes pack lots of nutrition, very little fat, oodles of versatility for flavor profiles, and they make you feel full and satisfied. Put the potatoes back on your plate and you can start with these delicious Lime Cilantro Mashed Potatoes from Canyon Ranch Spa.

INGREDIENTS
3 medium Yukon gold or red bliss potatoes, scrubbed and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons nonfat sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon butter
¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder, or ½ teaspoon minced chipotle pepper (how to store leftover chipotle peppers)
½ teaspoon salt
Pinch black pepper

PREPARATION
Place potatoes in 6 cups of boiling water. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Turn off the heat and drain water. Place saucepan back on burner for 30 seconds to dry potatoes.
Add the remaining ingredients and mash with a potato masher until all ingredients are mixed well. Potatoes will be slightly lumpy.
NOTE: For smoother potatoes peel before cooking and beat with an electronic mixer on a low setting until smooth. I prefer to leave the skins on for a heartier flavor, more interesting texture and better nutrition.
YIELD: 4 servings (each 1/2 cup)
CALORIES: 105 / FAT: 3 g / CARBS: 17 g / FIBER: 2 g

Pineapple Coconut Salad

HEALTHY PINEAPPLE COCONUT SALAD



Great salads to serve with BBQ or oriental flavored foods.

If you’re not familiar with Coconut Secret products, I bet you’ll thank me for introducing you to them! All of their products are ONE INGREDIENT products — coconut!! Amazing!
Raw Coconut Crystals: First of all, the raw coconut crystals are a low glycemic sweetener. I don’t even feel guilty using this palm sugar in my recipes because it actually has a very low glycemic index of just 35 (compared to honey with a GI of 55-83, and sugar with a GI of 65-100) and it has a wonderful brown sugar flavor.
Raw Coconut Flour: And then the Coconut flour is a great thickener (yes, you can use it in gravies and baking, too), it’s adds fiber to your diet. rivaling other fiber sources such as psyllium, wheat bran, oat bran, and rice bran. Coconut supplies an impressive 61% dietary fiber! Foods contain two types of carbohydrates – digestible and non-digestible. Digestible carbohydrates (soluble fiber) consists of starch and sugar and promote calories. Non-digestible carbohydrates (insoluble fiber) contains NO calories. Since the body cannot digest the dietary fiber in coconut, no calories are derived from it and it has no effect on blood sugar.
Here’s the skinny — Coconut flour is gluten-free, very low carb, actually lowers the calorie content of food, contains 40% dietary fiber, promotes lipid oxidation (helps burn fat), aids in digestive health, and helps balance blood sugar levels.

Recipe
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 5 minutes

15 oz pineapple (fresh or canned), in chunks (doesn’t need to be organic due to the thick shell)
1/3 – 1/2 cup organic shredded unsweetened dried coconut
1/2 cup organic sour cream (yogurt if preferred)
1 – 2 tablespoons organic Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Crystals (Palm Sugar Crystals — to taste) 1 teaspoon organic vanilla
1 tablespoon organic Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Flour (thicker — can substitute with arrowroot)
Pecans (optional)

Place pineapple chunks in a bowl (drain off extra juice) and add shredded coconut. Mix the sour cream (or yogurt), Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Crystals, vanilla, and Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Flour together and pour over the pineapple and coconut mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Marinate in refrigerator to moisten the coconut and allow the flavors to blend. Sprinkle with chopped pecans just before serving if desired.

Fresh Citrus Cooler

FRESH CITRUS COOLER

INGREDIENTS
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Crystals
1 cup lime-flavored sparkling water, chilled
Lime wedges (optional)

DREAM SMOOTHIE

Mango’s are one of my all-time favorite fruits and when mango and spinach are combined in a smoothie, the body’s ability to absorb their antioxidants, particularly lutein and xanthein, TRIPLES!

This is good news since together these nutrients reduce the risk of cataracts by 72 percent and lower the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by 67 percent.
How’s that for a smart smoothie breakfast?

BLEND:
2 cups fresh spinach, washed
1 banana, frozen (I cut mine into chunks before I freeze them)
1 cup peeled and chopped mango
6 natural almonds
1 cup fat free soy or rice milk
1 cup fat free vanilla yogurt
Combine everything in a blender and blend til smooth.
In case you’re worried about the bitterness of the spinach, you won’t even notice it since the delicious, sweet mango and ripe banana are the most powerful flavors in this drink.

ROSEMARY KISSED BEEF TENDERLOIN STEAKS

INGREDIENTS
2 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks (1 inch thick)
Vegetable cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 cup pear nectar
3/4 teaspoon all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup evaporated skimmed milk
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 medium red or green pear, sliced
Fresh Rosemary sprigs (optional)
PREPARATION
Trim fat from steaks. Coat a medium non-stick skillet with cooking spray; add oil. Place over medium-high het until hot. Add steaks, and cook 2 1/2 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Reduce heat to low; add nectar. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until steaks are done. Remove steaks from skillet; set aside and keep warm.
Combine flour, rosemary, and salt in a bowl. Gradually add milk and vinegar, stirring with a wire whisk until blended; add to skillet. Bring to a boil, and cook 30 seconds or until thickened, stirring constantly. Turn heat to low and add pears (in single row) and cook just until slightly softened. Gently scoot pears to the side and spoon sauce onto individual serving plates; place steaks on top of sauce. Arrange pear slices to the side. Garnish with Rosemary if you like.
SERVES 2
CALORIES 282 (28% from fat) / PROTEIN 27.4 g / FAT 8.8 g / CARB 23 g

Chocolate Souffle Cake (Low Fat)

I’m a big time dessert lover — and eating traditional desserts made me BIG TIME! Or at least BIG! Having said that, let me assure you I didn’t lose 150 pounds (twice) by forgoing desserts. Living a healthy lifestyle is exactly that — a lifestyle — and I don’t want any part of a lifestyle that doesn’t include desserts as often as I feel like dessert.

This delicious low fat chocolate souffle recipe is a wonderfully decadent dessert, but with only 4% fat, you don’t need to save it for special occasions (although it’s certainly company worthy). It’s easy to make, so even if you’ve been “skerrrred” to make souffles before, no worries! I wouldn’t steer you wrong. This is EASY and DELICIOUS!

Serve with fresh berries and non-fat whipped cream. I use my ISO Whipped Cream Maker with skim milk, vanilla and a packet of Splenda (or real sugar if you prefer).
________________________
Recipe Courtesy of: Cooking Light Magazine

To serve four, use five teaspoons flour and double the remaining ingredients. Doubling the flour would make the base too heavy.
Yield 2 servings (serving size: 1 soufflé)

Ingredients
Cooking spray
4 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa (use the best quality you can get your hands on)
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg white
1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Coat 2 (6-ounce) ramekins with cooking spray; sprinkle each with 3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar.

Combine 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, flour, cocoa, and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook 2 minutes, stirring until smooth. Spoon chocolate mixture into a medium bowl; cool 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla.

Place egg white in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Add remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat). Gently stir 1/4 of egg white mixture into chocolate mixture; gently fold in remaining egg white mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared dishes. Sharply tap dishes 2 or 3 times to level. Place dishes on a baking sheet; bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until puffy and set. Sprinkle each soufflé with 1/2 teaspoon powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 152 (4% from fat); Fat: 0.6g (sat 0.3g,mono 0.2g,poly 0.0g)Protein: 3.5gCarbohydrate: 35.3gFiber: 1.4gCholesterol: 0.31mgIron: 0.8mgSodium: 35mgCalcium: 26mg

Tropical Fruit Slaw

This is fantastic for a potluck or a summer lunch.
Speed preparation by buying pre-shredded cabbage.

INGREDIENTS
2 medium oranges, peeled
1 medium banana, sliced
1 8-ounce can pineapple chunks (juice pack), drained
2 cups finely shredded cabbage
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1 8-ounce carton orange yogurt (I like to use fat-free)

PREPARATION
Section oranges over a small bowl, reserving juice. Halve sections, if desired.
Toss sliced bananas in orange juice, drain.
In a large mixing bowl combine orange sections, sliced banana, pineapple, cabbage, and celery. Add yogurt; toss lightly to coat.
Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 3 hours. Serves 8 to 10.
YIELD: 8 to 10 servings
CALORIES: 75 / FAT: 1 g / CARBS: 17 g / PROTEIN: 2 g




LOW FAT FRUIT AND PASTA SALAD




Ingredients
1 medium orange
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon sugar
Dash salt
1/4 cup tiny bow tie pasta, cooked and drained
2 medium apples, cored and chopped
2 tablespoons sliced green onions
Directions
Finely shred enough orange peel to make 1/2 teaspoon; set aside. Remove the remaining peel from orange and section orange over a bowl to catch juice. Measure 2 tablespoons of the juice. Set the sections aside.
In a medium mixing bowl stir together orange peel, the 2 tablespoons juice, the yogurt, sugar, and salt. Mix well. Add cooked pasta, chopped apples, and sliced green onions; toss to coat. Gently stir in orange sections.
Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours.
Makes 6 servings.
Nutrition Facts
YIELD: 6 servings
CALORIES: 65 / FAT: 0 g / CARBS: 18 g / PROTEIN: 1 g




WHEAT BERRY SALAD WITH PECANS AND CRAISINS


I’m sure you know by now that eating whole wheat is a smart dietary choice and eating wheat berries is as whole as the wheat comes. In case you didn’t know, wheat berries are what all wheat products come from and they’re delicious!
Wheat berries are loaded with nutrients and are as easy as rice to prepare — perfect for a meal any time of year. Contrary to popular belief, wheat berries do not require an overnight soak before cooking. Simply boil them for 1 hour to soften the kernels, which will produce their characteristically chewy, nutty texture.

This salad is clean, fresh and delicious! Every ingredient pops with vibrancy
Servings: 8
INGREDIENTS
1 cup wheat berries (rinsed)
4 cups water
1 cup finely diced green onion
2 stalks celery, small dice
1 cup pecans, rough chop
1 cup dried cranberries, rough chop
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1 sprig rosemary, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 limes, juiced
salt, to taste
fresh ground pepper, to taste

PREPARATION
Bring water to a boil; add rinsed wheat berries and simmer in covered pot for about 1 hour or until grains are tender but a little chewy. When done, drain off water.
Prep green onion, celery, pecans, cranberries, ginger and rosemary; add to medium bowl.
Combine wheat berries with above ingredients, add olive oil, lime juice and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste.

Hash Brown Casserole

HASH BROWN CASSEROLE EVEN
PAULA DEEN WOULD LOVE




Paula Deen coming to brunch and you don’t know what to serve? Okay, maybe not! But she could be and she’d be thrilled with this cheesy hash brown casserole that’s so packed with cheesy goodness, even Paula wouldn’t miss the fat!
Seriously, this is reeeely good!

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (32-ounce) package frozen Southern-style hash brown potatoes, diced
2 tablespoons butter, melted and divided
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup, undiluted (such as Campbell’s Healthy Request)
8 ounces light processed cheese, cubed (such as Velveeta Light)
1 (8-ounce) carton light sour cream (such as Daisy)
Cooking spray
2 cups cornflakes, coarsely crushed (the cornflakes are the secret key to this wonderful casserole)

PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine first 4 ingredients and 1 tablespoon butter in a large bowl; toss well.
Combine soup and cheese in a medium microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave at HIGH 6 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring every 2 minutes. Stir in sour cream.
Pour cheese mixture over potato mixture, and stir well.
Spread mixture evenly in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray
Combine cornflakes and remaining 1 tablespoon butter; sprinkle evenly over top of potato mixture.
Bake at 350° for 1 hour.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
YIELD: 12 servings (1/2 cup)CALORIES 181 (30% from fat) / FAT 6g / CARB 25.5 g /FIBER 1.5 g

Pineapple Sorbet (Low Fat)

Less than 1% fat. Healthy low-fat or fat-free desserts that don’t send my blood sugar spiking.
One key to losing weight effortlessly (or reasonably so), is to keep a stable blood sugar level, and one of the ways I do that is by avoiding processed sugars as much as possible. I admit it, I’m not perfect, but I do try.

This sorbet is so scrumptious, it’s totally healthy and it rocks!

INGREDIENTS:
1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cubed
1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about one lime)
3 tablespoons water
1/3 cup Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Nectar (Or to taste. If the pineapple is really ripe, you’ll need less coconut nectar)

PREPARATION:
Combine the cubed pineapple, pineapple juice, lime juice and water in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Pour the mixture into a metal bowl and stir in the coconut nectar

Refrigerate until completely cold

Now you have two options for making the sorbet:
I process mine in my ice cream maker. Patience isn’t my best virtue, nor is planning ahead 5 hours. If you don’t have an ice cream maker and you do have five hours; pour ingredients into a metal bowl and seal the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and place in the freezer for at least 5 hours until firm. It should be crispy on the outside, but still slushy on the inside.
This is truly yummy and I know you’ll enjoy it. Enjoy!

Note: I was told that you can make this just as well with 2 cups of canned pineapple chunks (in their own juice, no added sugar). I haven’t tried that yet because I always seem to get in the mood for this when the pineapples are fresh and ripe at the market. It’s so simple and delicious to use fresh pineapple, so I haven’t tried any other way. I’m of the belief that fresh is always best when available, but use canned if you prefer.

Alternative Flavors: Want Pina Colada? Simply add 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract (or to taste). Have fun with this basic recipe. It’s delicious and extra creamy when you add a ripe banana to it. Also yummo with a 1 cup of fresh strawberries. This is simply a delicious base and you can let your adventurous spirit fly with this one.

If you come up with something really yummo, be sure to let us know! I L-O-V-E comments!

Sweet Potato Smoothie

The sweet potatoes do double duty by making the smoothie extra sweet and extra creamy! Thanks to their carotenoids, sweet potatoes stabilize blood sugar and lower insulin resistance (a condition that can lead to diabetes), restoring energy and helping women shed up to eight pounds a week! Plus, their beta-carotene and vitamin C help eliminate the free radicals that contribute to heart disease and colon cancer.

BLEND:
2 small bananas (preferably frozen — I cut my bananas into segments before I freeze them)
1 fresh orange, peeled, seeded and juiced
1 cup milk or soy milk, like Vitasoy
1/4 cup cooked sweet potatoes, smashed with a fork
1/2 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt

Everthing in your blender til smooth. Yummo and so good for you! Serving: 2.

Smoothie

Ohh-la-la, you’re gonna love this one! The healthy mono-unsaturated fats in avocados keep the heart in shape by lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by 24 percent and raising HDL (“good”) cholesterol by 47 percent. This can reduce blood pressure by up to 13 points.

BLEND:
3/4 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 avocado, pitted and peeled
1 Tbs. almond butter
10 oz. cold water
1 scoop protein powder
1 tsp Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Nectar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Put everything in your blender and blend til smooth.

Cranbeery Holiday Punch

CRANBERRY HOLIDAY PUNCH



Straight up, or on the rocks, cranberry and cranberry apple juice cocktail spells r-e-f-r-e-s-h-m-e-n-t.

Serves: 20 to 24

INGREDIENTS
2 quarts ginger ale
2 cups cranberry juice cocktail
1 quart orange juice
8 ounces lemon lime soda
orange slices and mint leaves to garnish

PREPARATION
Freeze 1 quart ginger ale in ice cube trays. Chill remaining soft drinks and orange juice. When ready to serve, pour cranberry juice cocktail, orange juice and carbonated beverages into punch bowl. Float ginger ale cubes. Garnish with orange slices and mint leaves.

"Lucky You "Mint Pie

Lucky You" Mint Pie

Ingredients
1 cup (6 ounces) Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels
1 can (12 fluid ounces) Nestlé Carnation Evaporated Milk, divided
1 tablespoon butter
1 prepared 9-inch (6 ounces) chocolate crumb crust
1 pkg. (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
3 to 4 drops green food coloring (optional)
1 container (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
Additional Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels, fresh mint sprigs (optional)

Preparation
MICROWAVE 1 cup morsels and 1/3 cup evaporated milk in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 45 seconds; stir until smooth. Stir in butter; pour into crust. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until cool to the touch.
MEANWHILE, BEAT remaining evaporated milk, pudding mix, water, peppermint extract and 3 drops food coloring in medium bowl until combined. Gently stir in 2 cups whipped topping and additional drop of food coloring, if desired. Spoon over chocolate layer.
REFRIGERATE for 2 hours or until set. Sprinkle with additional morsels. Spoon remaining whipped topping in center of pie. Garnish with fresh mint.

Preparation Time
15 minutes
Chill Time
2 hours 20 minutes

Makes 8 servings