Pico de Gallo

Found this recipe on FB.  It's delicious!  Makes about 5 cups.
 
3 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 teaspoons chopped fresh jalapeno pepper (including seeds)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Stir all ingredients together. Refrigerate. Best to let marinate overnight. But several hours will suffice, if you can't wait to dig in! Serve chilled.

Chewy Granola Bars

Dallin and Erin love these!  Madison & Jason didn't try them.  Try adding 1/2 c peanut butter?
 
www.melskitchencafe.com


*Makes 10-12 bars
INGREDIENTS:
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 cups quick cooking oats*
1 cup rice krispies cereal
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
Lightly coat a 9X11-inch pan with cooking spray and set aside. If you don’t have a pan that size, use a similar sized pan, like a 8X12-inch. This recipe is a bit small for a 9X13-inch pan but if that’s all you have, just pack the granola bar mixture into a smaller portion of the pan – the mixture doesn’t spread so that should work fine. (I used a 7x11 glass pan)

In a large bowl, stir together the oats and rice krispies. Set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, honey and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture comes together, stirring frequently. Cook at a simmer (so the mixture is lightly bubbling) for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Pour the wet mixture over the oats/rice krispies and mix with a wooden spoon until evenly moistened. Press the mixture into the prepared pan, pressing down very firmly. If the mixture isn’t pressed down well enough, the bars will be crumbly once they cool. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips on top. Press lightly if you want them to stick to the bars. Mine tended to fall off, which was just fine since there were a lot of little fingers ready to eagerly pick them up and eat them anyway. Let the bars cool for at least 2 hours at room temperature. Cut into rectangles. Store well covered at room temperature for 2-3 days.

 *Note: Don’t substitute rolled oats for the quick oats because the granola bars will fall apart. If you only have rolled oats, give them a very quick process in a blender or food processor (don’t pulverize them!). Also, if you want to take these to a new level, toast the oats in the oven (350 degrees for 4-7 minutes) and let cool before using them in the recipe. Amazing.

Kale Chips

(Shanee VonStrahl)

Madison & Erin love these!  A great healthy "salty snack" alternative!
 
1 bunch kale
spray olive or vegetable oil (or water)
1 t seasoned salt

Preheat oven to 350°  Lightly spray cookie sheet with oil.

With knife or kitchen shears, carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces.  Wash and dry thoroughly.  Spray with olive oil or water and sprinkle with seasoning salt.

Bake until edges brown but aren't burnt, 10-15 minutes.

Butterfinger Dough Balls

(http://www.runningtothekitchen.com/2011/11/butterfinger-dough-balls/)
Yield: 10-12 balls

• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1/4 cup oats
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter (I used creamy)
• 2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (I used agave)
• 1/2 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
In a food processor, process cashews until they almost reach the consistency of flour (very finely chopped.) Add oats and process to combine. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until dough comes together and a ball forms. Turn dough out into small bowl and roll into balls. Keep in refrigerator.

12 1" balls = 68 calories each

Healthy Banana Oat Snack Bars

(www.melskitchencafe.com)

*Makes about 20 small bars (approx. 130 calories each)

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups puffed rice cereal, like Rice Krispies

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed

1/4 cup honey (I used agave)

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup peanut or other nut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment or foil, leaving a slight overhang on each of the long edges. Lightly coat the pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, rice cereal, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon, stirring well to combine. In a second large bowl, combine the banana, honey, yogurt, nut butter, and vanilla. Whisk together until the mixture is fairly uniform and smooth.

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ones and stir until they come together. Gently fold in the chocolate chips. Transfer to the prepared pan and flatten down lightly with a spatula or your hands.

Bake for anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. I baked mine for only 15-18 minutes because I wanted them soft like a cookie. If you want them firm and golden, continue baking until they are starting to brown on the top, more like 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the bars cool completely before removing from the pan and cutting into squares.