Pumpkin Pie Dessert

I feel guilty posting this on my nourishing blog since clearly this dessert is not nourishing, but I am not above sneaking the occasional sweet treat. When eating a treat there are several ways to still make good choices (i.e. no hydrogenated fats), choosing homemade over store-bought, if they have lots of sugar its better if they have lot of fat to make the sugar get in your bloodstream faster.....

So here goes a dessert that is to-die for and makes the cut of being worth it!

2 1/2 cups crushed organic butter-flavor crackers (not quite one box)
1/2 cup sugar (I used rapadura)
3/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups cold milk (I used half and half)
2 pkg. (3.4 oz each) instant vanilla pudding
1 can (15. oz.) solid pack pumpkin
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

In a bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press into a greased 9x13. Set aside. In a bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 min. Stir in pumpkin and spices. Spread over crust. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until set. Garnish with whipped cream and nuts if desired.

(Source: Taste of Home)

This is a great thing to bring to a potluck or make for a party otherwise you will be tempted to eat the whole thing yourself!!!

(I suppose to make it more nourishing I could make my own vanilla pudding to use in this.)

Blintz Pancakes

This is a nutrient dense, fairly low carb, very satisfying breakfast. This would be great for breakfast before a long day of snowmobiling or hunting. The kids love these spread with a thin layer of jam spread over them and rolled up.

1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (8oz.) sour cream
1 cup 4% cottage cheese
4 eggs, lightly beaten

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Stir in the sour cream, cottage cheese and eggs until blended.

Pour batter by 1/4 cupfull onto greased hot griddle. Turn when bubbles form on top.

I have been known to serve this for a quick dinner in desperate situations!!!

This recipe is adapted from a Taste of Home recipe.

Frozen "Mounds" Candy bar bites

1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (dessicated coconut)
1/2 cup of coconut oil
1/4 cup honey (raw is nice)
1 tsp. almond extract
1/2 cup chopped almonds

1. Melt the coconut oil and honey over low heat just until soft enough to stir together. Don't liquify. Whisk with fork to combine. Add the almond extract and chopped nuts.

2. Take out a mini-muffin tin. In each compartment, place about 1/2 Tbsp. of coconut oil mixture. Sprinkle with coconut flakes. Place in freezer on a flat surface for about 30 minutes.

Chocolate sauce:
3/4 cup cocoa powder (not dutch process)
1/4 cup honey
1 cup coconut oil
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

3. Combine these 4 ingredients in a 2 cup glass measuring cup and place in a pot of simmering water. Heat until everything is just melted and remove from heat. Either whisk briskly or use hand blender to combine well.

4. Take out your muffin tins with coconut mixture and divide chocolate sauce over it. About 1 Tbsp. per compartment.

5. Put back into freezer and freeze until hard. When solid you can pop them out and chop into pieces and store in a container. They need to be stored in the freezer since they melt quickly.

This recipe is based on a similar recipe here: www.thenourishinggourmet.com

This is a great way to have a treat that gets you your dose of coconut oil for the day.
I like the chopped nuts option especially for kids (unlike the original recipe).

Good luck!

Spaetzle (german dumpling noodles)

2 1/2 cups flour (I use half white whole wheat and half all-purpose)
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup butter

Beat eggs lightly, add milk and water. Place flour and salt in a bowl and gradually add the egg mixture. It will be pretty gluey and sticky.

Bring 3-4 quarts of salted water to a rolling boil. Squeeze dough through spaetzle maker into the boiling water. Cook til spaetzle floats, about 1 minute, stirring to keep from sticking together. Strain and remove excess water by placing on paper towel.
Toss with melted butter.

I actually just squeeze the spaetzle dough all in there and when its all in I drain it and add butter. And it's just fine. I don't remove it after a minute or stir much or put it on paper towel, so you would need to decide how much you want to fuss.

Crockpot Hungarian Goulash

This recipe is one of my favorite since it reminds me of my favorite dish at the Brauhaus restaurant.

2 lbs round steak or venison steak, cubed
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
I add curry powder since that is my favorite. Maybe 1/2 tsp. or more
1 can tomato soup (I use 1 pint home-made tomato soup)
1/2 soup can water
1 cup sour cream

Put meat into crockpot. Mix powders and flour and stir into meat. Add all remaining ingredients except the sour cream. Stir well. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 hours. Add sour cream and warm for 30 min.
Serve over Noodles or Spaetzle.

I always make Spaetzle for this recipe since it goes so well together and they are very fast to make. I do have a Spaetzle maker that I bought at http://www.lehmans.com/

Crockpot Pheasant or Duck

This is my favorite way to cook pheasant breasts or duck breasts (you could do it with chicken of course.)

About 4 breasts
2 cans of cream of Mushroom soup (or one batch homemade cream of mushroom soup made with two cups cream)
1 cup home-made chicken broth (or beef)
2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce (without MSG)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Selection of your favorite herbs, such as oregano, basil and parsley.

Combine ingredients, pour over breasts in crockpot and cook on low for about 7-8 hours. Serve over Wild Rice. (Wild Rice is more digestible and nutrients more available to you if you soak it for 7-12 hours first. To soak: Rinse wild Rice, put into a bowl with warm water and add 2 Tbsp. of kefir, buttermilk, vinegar or lemon juice, set into oven with the lamp on to keep the temperature up a little. Just before cooking drain and cook in fresh water.)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

This must be one of my favorite cookies. They still turned out great when I substituted healthier ingredients. Be warned: this makes a large batch.

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar (I used 2 cups rapadura plus about 2-3 Tbsp molasses to make it moister)
1 cup sugar (I used 1/2 cup brown sugar)
1 can (15 oz.) solid pack pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups all purpose flour (I used white whole wheat pastry flour and may have added a little more when it seemed to runny)
2 cups quick cooking oats
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
2 cups (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in the pumkin, egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, oats, baking soda, cinammon and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in Chocolate chips. Drop by Tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Make sure they are done or they will fall apart. Remove to wire racks to cool.

This is originally from Taste of Home or what used to be Quick Cooking Magazine.

Sorry, I have no photos but thought I would share this.