Roasted Blackberrry Sauce

This is a delicious and versatile sauce which uses fresh blackberries.  In this recipe the sauce is the filling for a puff pancake.  The sauce can also be poured over ice cream, frozen yogurt, pancakes, or waffles.  Use it for the filling in dessert  crepes or spread it over french toast.  MMM delicious!

                              Puff Pancake with Roasted Blackberry Sauce

For the Roasted Blackberry Sauce:

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups fresh blackberries

1-tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1-teaspoon cornstarch

For the Puff Pancake:

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

2 eggs

½ cup milk

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dash of Salt

Dash of nutmeg

¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest

For the Sauce:

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

1. Place butter in an 8x8-baking dish and put it in the oven for about 4 minutes or until butter is melted.  Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl put the berries, balsamic vinegar, sugar and cornstarch.  Stir gently until combined well.

3. Let berries sit at room temperature for 25 minutes.

4.Place berries in the prepared baking dish and roast in the lower part of the oven for 25 minutes. 

5. Remove from the oven and let the sauce cool.

For the Puff Pancake:

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

1. Place the butter in a 9-inch deep dish pie pan and put it in the oven for about 3-4 minutes or until the better is melted.  Remove the pie pan from the oven.  Set aside.

2.In a small mixing bowl, beat the eggs and milk together. 

3. In another small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt nutmeg, and lemon zest.

4.Pour the egg mixture over the flour mixture and whisk until the mixture is smooth.

5. Pour the pancake batter into the prepared pan.

6.Bake for 18 minutes or until the pancake is a golden brown.

7. Remove the pancake from the oven pour the Blackberry Sauce in the middle and serve.

Make 4 servings

            

Food To Go: Fruit and Yogurt Bars

Today, I had Fruit and Yogurt Bars for my kids as they rushed out the door to school.  They are my version of the Breakfast Bars you find in the stores.

They have lots and lots of good-for-you ingredients - oats, wheat germ, flax seed, walnuts, yogurt, and fruit.  The taste is moist yet chewy, a little crunchy,  and of course fruity.  These bars are easy and quick to prepare.

                                    

Fruit and Yogurt Breakfast Bars

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose-flour

1-cup quick-cooking oats

¼ cup ground flax seed

¼ cup wheat germ

½ cup pumpkin seeds shelled

½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1-teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup vegetable oil

½ cup low fat vanilla yogurt

1-10 ounce jar of raspberry fruit spread – or your favorite fruit spread

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x9 inch-baking pan.  Set side
2. In a large mixing bowl combine the first ten ingredients and mix well.
3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the vegetable oil into the vanilla yogurt until incorporated.
4. Pour the yogurt mixture over the dry ingredients and mix until moistened.
5. Set aside 1-1/2 cups of the dough.  Press the remaining dough into the bottom of the prepared pan.
6. Spread the fruit spread over the dough.
7. Press the reserved dough on top of the fruit spread. Some areas may be uncovered which is fine.   Press the dough down gently over the fruit mixture.
8. Bake for 30 minutes or until a golden brown.
9. Cool completely and cut into 12 bars.

Makes 12 bars.

 Make some and enjoy.

Smart Eats: Apple Slices With Almond Butter Topped With Granola

Apples are a staple in my house.  It has long been said "An Apple A Day Keeps  The Doctor Away."  In doing some quick  research on the health benefits of apples  I am a true believer of the proverb.




Some apple health benefits are:

1. Bone Protection.
2. Asthma help.
3. Alzheimer's Protection.
4. Lower Cholesterol.
5. Protection from lung, breast, colon, and liver cancers.
6. Diabetes Management.
7. Weight loss.

The are 7,500 varieties of apples of which 2,500 are grown in the United States.  The Red Delicious is the most popular in the United States followed by the Golden Delicious. I  am partial to  Pink Lady  and Honey Crisp apples.

Apples are a quick, easy, healthy, and travel well.  You can grab an apple and go.  Apples are even packaged pre sliced which makes them great for lunches or food on the go.

One of my favorite "Apple A Day Snacks" has three healthy ingredients:

Apples Slices
Almond Butter
Granola

Directions:
Spread apple slices with almond butter and dip in your favorite granola.  MMMM good!

Have you had your apple for the day?

Flipping For Chocolate Chip Cookie Pancakes

Leisurely mornings are far and few between at our house. So when these days present themselves, I like to make something special for the family.

Today, started out with Chocolate Chip Cookie Pancakes.  They are like eating a fluffy chocolate chip cookie.  They are ooey gooey, and incredibly delicious.  Serve with a glass of cold milk.  What a way to start the day.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1-cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2-teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4-teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons  slightly melted butter
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg beaten
• 1/2-teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ c semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans
• 
  

Directions

1.  Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon,brown sugar, and salt  in a medium mixing bowl.  Whisk together and set aside. 
2. Melt butter and set aside for later use.
3. In a medium mixing bowl add the milk, egg, vanilla extract, and butter. Stir together until smooth.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
5. Stir until well combined.
6. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts.
7. Heat a frying pan over medium-low heat or an electric griddle to 350 degrees. To test if the skillet is hot enough, sprinkle a few drops of water on the pan surface. If the water “dances” on the surface the skillet is ready. Lightly grease the skillet and wipe off any excess with a paper towel.
8. Gently drop one ladle of batter mixture onto the skillet. When bubbles begin to form and the edges of the pancake are golden, flip and cook another 2 minutes or until pancake is set. Serve immediately with syrup.

• Makes approximately eight 4-inch pancakes. 

Quick Healthy Bites: Grapes

Grapes are crunchy,sweet,  and at times tart powerhouses.  You can eat them fresh, dried, or drink them as juice or wine. They contain three types of polyphenois which give grapes great health benefits.  One of the best known of these polyphenois is resveratrol.*

Resveratrol has been linked to:

1. Lowering the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
2. Promoting lung health.
3. Protecting against heart disease.
4. Cancer prevention.
5. Reducing the risk of atherosclerosis.

You can buy all different varieties of grapes from red to white to seedless.    All you need to do is wash them up, pat dry and eat.  They are usually sweet so you don't need to sweeten them.  Add them to your fruit salads, vegetables salads, or just eat them.

My kids like them frozen.  I wash the grapes, pat them dry, and put them on a cookie sheet or pan in the freezer.  Once frozen, I remove them from the freezer, put them in freezer bags, return them to the freezer and they are ready to be eaten.

At times, I serve the grapes with yogurt dip.

So eat or drink your grapes on a daily basis.





*Resveratrol is found in the skin of red grapes.