Chocolate Pie

This is a favorite of my family.  This recipe is fabulous for milk-free families.  Be sure to check your chocolate chip ingredients.  They typically have milk in them however, dairy-free chocolate chips are readily available. 

Ingredients
2 cups soy milk
3 yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Pinch salt
1 ready to use shortbread pie crust


Directions
In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together the milk, yolks and vanilla. Stir in the sugar, cornstarch, chocolate and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil for 1 minute, then immediately remove from heat. Mixture should be very thick!  Pour the pudding into the crust. Cover and chill for 3 hours, until set.

Top with a dollop of whipped cream (or dairy-free topping) and enjoy!

Cinnamon Baked Apples

Ingredients

4 apples, cored

3 tbls brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbls butter (cut into 4’s)

In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon.  Place apples into an oven safe dish.  Place a piece of the butter in the hole of each, then fill the holes evenly with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

When you remove the apples from the oven, spoon the cinnamon 'sauce' over the apples.

Nutrition Facts
  4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
  Calories 147.4
  Total Fat 3.1 g
     Saturated Fat 1.9 g
     Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g
     Monounsaturated Fat 0.8 g
  Cholesterol 7.8 mg
  Sodium 4.7 mg
  Potassium 198.5 mg
  Total Carbohydrate 35.4 g
     Dietary Fiber 4.1 g
     Sugars 27.6 g
  Protein 0.3 g

Spinach Cakes

I am always looking for ways to get more veggies into my kids.  Spinach is packed with Iron, Vit A, Vit C, Vit K, B vitamins, Antioxidants, and tons of minerals.  It's good stuff.  

Spinach Cakes are hands down my favorite veggie side dish.  They are super easy to make and so very good.  You have to try them!

Ingredients

2 boxes of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

½ onion

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup Italian Bread Crumbs

1 egg

salt and pepper

Sauté Onion in olive oil. 

In a bowl, combine all in ingredients.  

Form ¼ cup sized patties with the mix.  Sauté  on each side until browned, about 3 minutes each side.

Makes 8 Spinach Cakes.  (I made a couple small, so I ended up with 9)

Nutrition Facts

  8 Servings

Amount Per Serving

  Calories 70.9

  Total Fat 3.6 g

     Saturated Fat 1.0 g

     Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4 g

     Monounsaturated Fat 1.5 g

  Cholesterol 25.8 mg

  Sodium 151.6 mg

  Potassium 194.2 mg

  Total Carbohydrate 6.8 g

     Dietary Fiber 2.2 g

     Sugars 0.4 g

  Protein 4.3 g

Chicken Sausage and White Bean 'get well' soup.

The flu hit our home this week so you know what that means.... SOUP!

Ingredients

1/2 Onion

1-2 stalks of celery

1 pack of Italian Chicken Sausage (I use greenwise)

2 cloves of garlic

32oz chicken broth

2 cans cannelloni beans

2 bay leaves

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

2 cups water

Soup is one of the easiest things to make.  Really, anyone can make it!  Saute Onion, celery, sausage, garlic on Medium-High heat.  Once full cooked, pull sausage out and let sit while you add the remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Slice the sausage and add back to the pot.  Let simmer for 10 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  (Check prior to adding salt, it pulls quite a bit from the sausage)

Enjoy!