Puffed squares

½ cup butter

1 cup corn syrup

1 cup white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

6 heaping TBSP. cocoa powder

1 tsp. vanilla

10 cups puffed wheat or Puffed Rice for GF version

Measure the puffed wheat into a large mixing bowl and set aside. 

Melt the butter with the corn syrup, sugars, and cocoa powder in a large saucepan over medium heat. 

Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute. 

Remove from heat, add the vanilla, and stir well.

 Pour the mixture over the puffed wheat and mix until the puffed wheat is evenly coated.

 Press into a 9×13-inch pan that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick spray.

Allow to cool and then cut into squares. 

Store in an airtight container to maintain ooey-gooey freshness!

*TIP*

If you put water on your spatula or spoon, it works better than butter on your hands while pressing flat in the pan.

Quinoa Pizza bites

Ingredients:

1/2 c. uncooked quinoa

1 large egg

1/2 c. chopped onion

1/2 c. fat free shredded mozzarella

1 t. minced garlic

1 T. dried basil

1 t. dried oregano

pinch of salt

pizza sauce for dipping

Directions:

1. Cook your protein-filled quinoa! Boil the quinoa and 1c. water and cover. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes (until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender).

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all of your ingredients (except the pizza sauce) in a mixing bowl until it is well mixed.

3. Lightly spray the bottom of a mini-muffin tin with olive oil spray. Using a Tablespoon, scoop ~1T. into each muffin tin, it should fill almost all of them!

4. Bake them for 15-20 and let cool. Serve them warm with pizza sauce to dip in!

*You can also toss in 1/4 c. diced cherry tomatoes, mini pepperoni slices, diced peppers... 

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2/3 cup melted butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp hot water
2 2/3 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375F. Beat butter, sugar, eggs and hot water together until smooth. Stir flour, powder, soda, and salt in seperate bowl. Stir into butter mixture. Add chocolate chips. Drop 1 Tbsp portions of dough onto ungreased baking sheets, leaving room for the cookies to spread as they bake. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool for one minute, then transfer to wire rack to cool.

Pulled Chicken Fajitas

2 Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tbsp taco seasoning mix, stir before measuring
 2 cups chunky salsa, divided
2 cups thinly sliced peppers
8 flour tortillas (9" diameter works great)

Fut chicken into slow cooker (3-4quart). Sprinkle with seasoning mix. Pour 1 1/2 cups salsa over top. Cook, covered, on low for 6-7 hours or on High for 3-3 1/2 hours. Transfer chicken to large plate. Shred with 2 forks. Return to slow cooker. Add peppers and remaining salsa. Stir. Cook, covered, on high for about 30 minutes until peppers are tender-crisp. Spoon about 3/4 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. Fold bottom end of tortilla over filling. Fold in sides, roll to top, and enjoy.
Makes 8 fajitas.

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2 boneless pork shoulder butt roasts (about 2 3/4lbs each)
3 cups hickory BBQ sauce
3 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
4 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp powder)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Put roasts into 5 - 7 quart slow cooker. Combine 2 cups BBQ sauce, remaining 3 ingredients, and 1/2 cup water in medium bowl. Pour over roasts. Cook, covered, on High for 4-5 hours until tender. Transfer roasts to large plate. Shred pork using 2 forks. remove and discard any visible fat. Skim and discard fat from sauce. Return pork to sauce. Add remaining BBQ sauce. Stir. Cook, covered, on High for 30 minutes until heated through., Makes about 10 cups.

Recipe can be halved, or frozen for later use. Also good in wraps. For gluten free version, omit Worcestershire sauce.

African Quinoa Stew

1 1/2 cup Chopped Onion
2 cans of kidney beans (19 oz)
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
6 Tbsp peanut butter

Heat large, greased frying pan on medium. Add onion. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring often, until softened. Transfer to 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker. Add remaining 4 ingredients, 1 cup water and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir. Cook, covered, on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2 1/2 t o3 hours. Makes 8 cups.

Recipe can be halfed. Still good without the beans, if you are not a bean fan...just add diced tomatoes.

Spiced Blueberry Scones

Crisp on the outsides, soft and buttery on the insides and scrummily moreishly good. 'Nuff said.
 450g of plain flour (2 cups) plus more for dusting
110g caster sugar (1/2 cup) 2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
6 TBS unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
225ml of double cream (1 cup heavy cream)
wild blueberry preserves (I like Bon Maman)

 For the dizzle:
 225g of icing sugar, sifted (1 cup)
pinch ground cardamom
1 TBS lemon juice hot water as needed

 Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.
Line two baking sheets with baking parchment paper. Set aside.
 Sift the flour into the bowl of a food processor.
Add the sugar, baking powder and salt. Blitz a couple of seconds to mix.
Drop in the butter cubes. Blitz until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Transfer to a medium sized bowl.
 Stir in the cream with a fork, mixing it in until the mixture forms a soft dough.
Knead several times to bring it all together.
 Lightly dust the countertop. Tip out the dough.
Pat out to a large circle (about 10 inches in diameter) and 1/2 inch thick.
Cut out with a sharp 3 inch round fluted cutter.
Place onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving soem space in between each for spreading.
Reroll any scraps and repeat until you have used up all the dough.
 Gently make an indentation in the centure of each with your thumb.
Spoon about half a teaspoonful of blueberry preserves into the centre of each.
 Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges are golden brown and they are dry and golden brown on the bottoms.
 Remove from the oven and let stand for about five minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Sift the icing sugar into a small bowl together with the ground cardamom.
 Whisk in the lemon juice and enough water to give you a smooth and drizzable consistency.
 Drizzle this icing across the cooled scones.
Let set for 30 minutes before serving or storing.
 Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days