No worries if you don’t have applesauce at home, make some in just 5 minutes! Click on applesauce below.

Black Bean Brownies

3/4 c black beans, cooked

1/2 c apple sauce

1 egg

1 egg white

2/3 c organic cane sugar

1/4 c cocoa powder

1/3 c flour

1/2 t sea salt

1/4 t cream of tartar

1/8 t baking soda

1 t vanilla

1/4 c melted dark chocolate

Puree beans then add all but the melted chocolate and mix well. Pour in the melted chocolate and stir until combined. Pour into a round cake pan or 9×9 pan that has been well-greased. Bake at 350 for 24 minutes.

For variations you can add one or more of the following: 1/4 c chocolate chips, 1-2 t mint extract, 1/4 c nuts, sprinkle with organic powdered sugar

*Next time I make these I plan to half the sugar amount. I think they will be just fine with less sugar and fewer calories is a big score too!

I do not usually have applesauce on hand so instead I make a quick batch of applesauce in the microwave as I need it.

Applesauce

Peel and core desired amount of apples, any variety. (3 small red delicious makes about a 1/2 cup)

Place in microwave safe bowl and cook for 5 minutes.

Puree in food processor or blender until smooth.

Viola! Easy peesy!

Berry-licious french Toast

Sliced bread (need a recipe for tasty bread?)

5 eggs, beaten

2 1/2 c heavy whipping cream (or milk)

1/2 c brown sugar

1 t vanilla

1/2 t nutmeg

Topping:

1/4 c butter, melted

1/2 c brown sugar

2 c berries (Raspberries are the best choice!)

Grease a 9×13 pan and lay slices of bread, covering the bottom. Whisk eggs, cream, sugar and nutmeg together and pour over bread. Refrigerate overnight.

In the morning take out of fridge and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Wash and clean berries and let drain. Whisk up topping and pour over top of the bread.

Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Sprinkle berries over bread and bake 10 more minutes.

Enjoy! No syrup or other toppings required.

Fruit Drop Cookies

1 ½ c rolled oats

1 c coconut flakes

½ t sea salt

1 t cinnamon

½ t all spice

½  c finely chopped nuts (optional)

Mix well then add:

1 c dried cranberries (or other favorite fruit)

Combine the following in a separate bowl and then add to the dry ingredients and mix well.

3 ripe bananas mashed

¼  c oil

1 t vanilla

Place by spoonfuls, use a cookie cutter or spread in a pan lined with parchment paper; bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until edges are browned.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Granola Bars

1/2 c honey

1/3 c brown sugar

1/4 – 1/2 c crunchy peanut butter

1/4 c butter

4 c Oats

2 c Rice Chex cereal

3 t vanilla

3/4 c chocolate chips

Crush the cereal and mix with the oats.

In a saucepan, over medium heat, mix the honey, sugar, butter, crunchy peanut butter and bring to a boil. Stir until sugar dissolves over low heat then add vanilla. Pour over oats and cereal stirring until it is well coated. Add the chocolate chips and stir well. They will melt some.

Line a jelly roll sheet with wax paper and press mixture into the pan, make sure it is no less than a 1/2 inch thick so the bars will hold together. Let sit on counter top and cool completely before cutting.

Stuffed French Toast (serves 2)

To start with I made sandwich bread.

You will need:

4 slices of bread

4 eggs

3 T milk or cream

1/2 t cinnamon

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 T organic powdered sugar

1 cup fresh berries

Whisk the egg, milk and cinnamon together and set aside. Mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.

Heat a skillet over med-high heat and add a pat of butter. Dip your bread slices into the egg mixture and coat both sides. Place bread on griddle, flipping once, cooking until golden brown on both sides. remove bread from skillet.

Spread, onto 2 slices of bread, the cream cheese mixture, top with fruit and top with 2 remaining slices. Sprinkle with more powdered sugar and/or top with warm maple syrup.

I added the recipe below with minor alterations.

Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

For the filling:

Two 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened

½ cup sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 large egg

For the cake:

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sour cream

For the streusel topping:

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup flour

3 tablespoons butter, chilled and cubed

For the glaze:

¼ cup organic powdered sugar

1 ½ teaspoons milk

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease/flour a 9 x 13 cake pan. Set aside.

Make the filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle, mix together the cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla on medium-low speed until creamy. Set aside for the filling.

Make the cake batter: In medium bowl, stir together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt until well combined. Set aside.

With an electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar on medium-low speed. Add eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla. Slowly pour in the flour mixture alternating with the sour cream until it is all combined.

Spread half of the batter into the prepared cake pan with a spatula. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly on top. Top with remaining cake batter and smooth with a spatula. Using a butter knife, gently swirl in the batter.

Make the topping: Add the sugar, flour and chilled butter in a small bowl. Stir using a fork or pastry blender until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle the streusel on top of cake batter.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack.

To make the glaze: In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar and milk until creamy. Drizzle over cake.

It is a savory pie not to be served with coffee or hot tea. Iced tea maybe, maybe some wine. You can find the original recipe here. I changed the topping from almonds to Rice Chex. I have a tree nut allergic in the house.

Blueberry Goat Cheese Pie

Crust: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 to 3/4 cups cold butter 1 tablespoon sugar Pinch salt Cold water

Filling: 1/2 cup soft goat cheese 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 large egg 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup all-purpose flour Pinch salt 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil 5 cups fresh blueberries

Topping: 1 cup Rice Chex 1/2 cup sugar 1/3 cup melted butter

For the crust:

Combine the flour, margarine, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Work with your fingers   gathering and crumbling until you have a crumbly mixture, about the size of peas.

In small amounts, slowly add cold water, gently incorporating by hand. As soon as the dough comes together in a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.  Roll out and place in pie dish pressing against sides, cut off excess. Pour all of the blueberries into the pie.

For the filling:

Mix the goat cheese, heavy cream, egg, sugar, flour, salt and basil together in a bowl. Add the blueberries and mix to desired texture. Pour mixture over the blueberries.

For the topping:

Mix the Rice Chex, sugar and butter in bowl and cover the pie.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, turn halfway through and cover edges of crust if needed.

So eat lightly the day you plan to eat this and plan to eat lightly the next day! Enjoy!!!

Creamy Chicken Piccata

4 chicken breasts

1 pound pasta

2 cups heavy cream

1 c parmesan cheese, grated

2 t capers (I hardly ever eat these but I use Organic Mediterranean)

1-2 t Parsley

Marinate  your chicken for about 30 minutes in 1/2 c olive oil & juice from 2 lemons, sprinkle in some basil, oregano and parsley and about 3 cloves garlic, minced. Grill over medium heat, flipping once until juices run clear.

Cook pasta according to package. Meanwhile in a saucepan warm the heavy cream on medium-low heat stirring in the parmesan cheese till it melts. Season with salt and pepper as desired along with parsley and capers. Once pasta and chicken are cooked toss with the cream sauce and serve. Top with grated cheese if desired.

* I do not know the source of the citric acid in the capers I used, I hardly ever eat capers and I picked around them in this dish to be safe… I wanted to zesty flavor of the capers and ate 1 or 2. So please be cautious, I have not had time to call Organic Mediterranean to verify ingredients and where they source them.

I am hoping to get back into the routine of weekly menus and more recipes. I just can’t seem to get it all done some days. By day I am a party planner and a social media coordinator for an author, both jobs have been super busy lately with some pretty big deadlines. I have not cooked anything new lately just trying to keep the family fed and get the freezer stocked with goodies so during the summer I am using the oven less.

However a few weekends ago we had some of our favorite out-of-town visitors and I had to throw a good meal together last-minute. So I whipped up some roasted potatoes and stuffed greek chicken and veggies on the side. I had not made the greek chicken in a while and we all forgot how much we loved it! I wish I had gotten a picture of it for you. I think it is a pretty chicken dish.

I have also added the recipes for the seasoning mixes needed for the chicken since store pre-made seasonings are usually corny. If you are making the lemon pepper seasoning be sure to plan ahead. It dries in the oven over night. If you need a quick and tasty appetizer you can serve the stuffing mix on fresh baquettes or on toasted pitas. Be sure to look for olives and capers in wine vinegar only.

Stuffed Greek Chicken

Stuffing:

¾ c feta cheese crumbled

2 T organic kalamata olives, chopped

1 T Greek seasoning

1 T capers

2 t olive oil

Juice from ¼ of lemon

Mix together in a bowl.

Cut a pocket into your chicken breast and fill with stuffing. Secure with toothpicks and place in a shallow container.

In a small bowl combine ¼ c olive oil, 2 T lemon pepper seasoning and juice from 1 lemon.

Pour over chicken breasts; can marinade for up to 2 hours. Grill over medium heat flipping once until juices run clear. About 6 minutes per side.

Greek Seasoning

2 t dried oregano

2 t sea salt

1 ½  t onion powder

1 ½  t garlic powder

1 t potato starch

1 t black pepper

1 t dried parsley

1 t paprika

½  t ground cinnamon

½ t nutmeg

½  t thyme

Mix together and store in an air tight container.

Lemon Pepper

½  c peppercorns

3 T dried lemon peel (1 lemon)

Zest the lemon peel & Crack the peppercorns in a grinder; combine and place in a baking sheet. Place in oven overnight to dry. (Leave your oven off) Next day remove and place in grinder to pulverize; store in air tight container.