Some More "Tried & True" Recipes!

No-Bake Energy Bites

1 C. old-fashioned oats
2/3 C. toasted coconut flakes
1/2 C. peanut butter
1/2 C. ground flaxseed or wheat germ
1/2 C. chocolate chips (optional)
1/3 C. honey
1 Tbsp. chia seeds (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. (Mine were about 1 inch in diameter.) Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Makes about 20-35 bites.

Substitutions
Feel free to substitute in your favorite nut butter (almond butter, sunflower seed butter, etc.) for the peanut butter. And you could also add in some wheat germ in place of some or all of the flaxseed. I would caution, though, against substituting agave nectar for the honey, as the honey's thickness helps hold things together.

Some fun substitutions for the chocolate chips (or an addition to them) could include:

• chopped dried fruit (apricots, dates, raisins, etc.)
• dried berries (cranberries, cherries, etc.)
• chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts, or sunflower seeds
• other chips (butterscotch, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, M&Ms, etc.)
• other grains (different kinds of oatmeal, rice cereal, etc.)

Thanks Shad for submitting this recipe!

Broccoli, Grape and Pasta Salad

1 C. chopped pecans

1/2 (16 oz.) package bow-tie pasta

1 lb. fresh broccoli

1 C. mayonnaise

1/3 C. sugar

1/3 C. diced red onion

1/3 C. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. salt

2 C. seedless red grapes, halved

8 cooked bacon slices, crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.

2. Prepare pasta according to package directions.

3. Meanwhile, cut broccoli florets from stems, and separate florets into small pieces using tip of a paring knife. Peel away tough outer layer of stems, and finely chop stems.

4. Whisk together mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; add broccoli, hot cooked pasta, and grapes, and stir to coat. Cover and chill 3 hours. Stir bacon and pecans into salad just before serving.

Thanks Diana for submitting this recipe!

Baked Oatmeal to go

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 C. applesauce, unsweetened

1 banana, mashed

6 packets of Sweetleaf Stevia or 1 1/2 tsp. stevia powder or use 1/2 C. honey

5 C. Old Fashioned rolled oats

1/4 C. flax seed meal

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 3/4 C. milk

optional toppings

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix eggs, vanilla, applesauce, banana and stevia together in bowl. Add in oats, flax, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and mix well with wet ingredients. Finally pour in milk and combine.

Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray or use cupcake liners. Pour mixture evenly into muffin tin cups. If using topping add them onto the tops of muffins now. If using fresh or frozen fruit, drop it right into the batter. 

Bake 30 minutes until a toothpick in center comes out clean. Cook and enjoy or freeze in gallon freezer bags.

Thanks Mike for submitting this recipe!