Fresh Raspberry Jam

$4.16 total / $0.60 per cup
(this is the price from my garden; I will update once I find out the seasonal price for raspberries in the store)

Fresh Raspberry Jam (yields 7 cups of jam)

3 cups crushed fresh raspberries (or blackberries)
5 1/4 cups sugar
Juice from 1/2 lemon
3/4 cup water
1 pkg Sure-Jell Fruit Pectin

Measure 3 cups of crushed berries. Mix in sugar and let sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Squeeze in lemon juice.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring water and Sure-Jell to boil. Boil for 1 minute. Add to the fruit mixture and stir for 3 minutes.

Fill 1 cup containers within 1/2-inch from top. Seal and leave at room temperature for 24 hours. Store in freezer until ready to use. Refrigerate after opening.

Adapted from Kraftfoods.com

Nutritional Analysis:

Per 2 Tbsp serving: 75 calories, 0g fat, 19.7g carbohydrates, .7g protein

Nectarine Muffins

$3.03 total / $0.26 per muffin

Summer is such a wonderful time for so many different things, but one of my favorites is all of the summer harvesting of berries and other tasty fruits that only ripen in the summer heat. There is nothing better than when I can finally get my hands on some nectarines! I love them so much. There is one thing about them though... Once they ripen, you have a small window of sweet tangy deliciousness before they start to bruise and go bad. Don't stress out too much. I came up with a recipe to make use of those nectarines that have seen better days. If there is nothing better than a ripe nectarine then there is nothing worse than having to throw out several that went bad before I knew it!

Nutritional Highlight: Nectarines. Foods that are brightly colored in red, orange and yellow (plant foods...sorry, cheetos don't count!!! :D) have a wonderful nutrient called Beta-Carotene, which is very important in human health. Beta-Carotene helps the body to produce Vitamin A, which is crucial in maintaining function of the immune system as well as your sight. Another important nutrient found in nectarines is lutein, an antioxidant that helps protect the body from damage to the skin and eyes through fighting free radicals in the body.

Nectarine Muffins (makes 12 muffins)

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup milk
2 eggs
3 ripe nectarines, pitted and diced (cut out bruised spots, if needed)


Preheat the oven to 375°; grease your muffin pan.

In a mixer or large bowl, combine all ingredients except fruit. Mix well. Fold in diced fruit.

Fill muffin tins with 1/4 cup scoop of batter. Sprinkle tops with brown sugar.

Bake 18 - 20 minutes.

If you can, let them cool. Enjoy!

(These are best right after you bake them. If you need to store them overnight, the fruit may cause them to get soggy. They are still delicious but the texture is changed somewhat.)


                  

Nutritional Analysis:

Per 1 muffin serving: 203 calories, 7.2g fat (.8 saturated, 2g polyunsaturated, 3.8g monounsaturated), 32.5g carbohydrates, 3.6g protein. High in Vitamin E, Calcium, Folate, Iron, Manganese, Niacin, Phosphorus, Riboflavin, Selenium, and Thiamin.

Peanut Butter Cup Martini

$1.89 per martini 

Valentine's Day is coming up and I was trying to think up a yummy chocolate themed menu for my sweetie when I remembered this gem. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are one of my favorite treats, especially the mini's! So obviously this martini is a winner in my book. My Mom came to visit me last summer and she showed me how to infuse vodka. We tried our hand at several variations and I was the most concerned about the peanut vodka we were making. I wasn't sure how it would turn out. Pineapple vodka? Sure! Peanut vodka? Wait, what? 

However, all of my doubts were put to rest when we mixed up all the ingredients for this cocktail. I cannot even begin to describe how delicious this is -or- how it tastes exactly like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup!!! If you want to impress someone with your bar-tending skills or just love the peanut butter and chocolate combination, then you have got to give this cocktail a try!

***Side Note: Unless you are on a weight loss plan, you should never have 'forbidden' foods. Denying yourself will only lead to the desire to binge. The key is moderation; don't keep sweets and junk in the house but occasionally, it is just fine to enjoy a treat. How you define 'occasionally' is up to you. For me, it is less than twice a month but especially on my Birthday and Valentine's Day, this girl's got to have her chocolate!***

Peanut Butter Cup Martini  (serves 1)

2 parts Cream Soda
1/2 part Chocolate Syrup
2 parts Peanut Vodka

Peanut Vodka:
1 cup Unsalted Roasted Peanuts
2-3 cups Vodka

Place peanuts in a glass container with an airtight seal. Cover the peanuts with vodka so that there is about 1/2 inch covering the top. Fit with the airtight lid and store in a dark, room temperature place. Swirl mixture every day for 4 consecutive days. On the 4th day, strain the peanuts from the vodka and discard. Place the strained vodka in the freeze until ready to use.

Combine all ingredients in a chilled cocktail shaker, using a shot glass to measure.

Vigorously shake for 15-20 seconds.

Strain the liquid into a chilled martini glass. You can garnish with mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups or if you have some Nestle Quick, you could rim the glass with that!

Get ready to be amazed!

Nutritional Analysis:

Per Martini: 210 calories, 0g fat, 20g carbohydrates, 0g protein

Individual 'Baked' Apple Oatmeal

$1.07 total

Oatmeal is one of my favorite breakfasts in the winter because it warms me up instantly. It is also one of those meals that everyone makes their own special way. I like my oatmeal pretty thin and my husband likes his really thick. So, I decided to give baked oatmeal a try. Baked oatmeal comes out with more of a structure than regular oatmeal so that you can even cut it into bars. We both loved it. I, however, didn't love baking oatmeal for 30-45 minutes when it usually took me less than 5 minutes to make it the other way. That's when I came up with this recipe. You can still have the baked oatmeal taste and texture without wasting time in the kitchen! This recipe also happens to be packed with protein to help you get through your morning and keep you full until lunch time.

Nutritional Highlight: Oats. Research has shown that oats support heart health and can even help lower cholesterol when eaten daily. Oats are high in dietary fiber, which make them a valuable component in your diet if you are trying to lose weight. If you have a gluten sensitivity, oats can add more nutritional value to your diet as well. Overall, oats are one of the best breakfast foods you can eat.

'Baked' Apple Oatmeal  (serves 1)

1/2 cup Quick Cooking Oats
1 Egg
1/2 Apple, diced with skin on
1/4 cup Milk
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Honey
1/2 tsp Cinnamon

In a microwave safe bowl, mix together the oats, egg, brown sugar, honey and cinnamon. Add the milk and stir until incorporated. Now mix in the chopped apple. Cook in the microwave for 2 minutes 30 seconds and let rest for 1 minute. Take out of the microwave add anything you would like to your preference. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis:

Per serving: 456 calories, 8.5g fat, 96.3g carbohydrates, 16.3g protein and over 15% daily value of vitamin D, calcium, iron, phosphorus and riboflavin

Christmas Cocoa & Cinnamon Rolls

$7.93 / $.79 per serving

♫ "It's the most wonderful time of the year..."♫ I don't know about you, but I love this time of year. Christmas is my favorite. There are so many reasons why I love the holidays but one of the main reasons is because I love the treats. Yep. I love hot chocolate, spiced nuts, Christmas cookies, and I especially love cinnamon rolls. Today I'm going to share with you my recipe for stovetop (or crockpot) hot chocolate AND my all-time favorite cinnamon roll recipe - both of which are a must-have in my house for Christmas. 

For my favorite cinnamon roll recipe, visit Mel's Kitchen Cafe! 

These cinnamon rolls are labor intensive and you definitely can't be afraid to get your hands dirty. But let me tell you, they are the BEST! I opt to make them with half of the butter called for in the filling, other than that I follow this recipe to the letter. They are are so good, I only allow myself to make them when we have a large gathering. That way IF there are leftovers, I can only be tempted by a few. 


Nutritional Highlight: Cinnamon & Cacao. Cacao, the raw form of cocoa powder, is known for it's potent antioxidant properties that come from flavonoids. When choosing chocolate for the antioxidant properties, pick a dark chocolate with 70% or more cacao. Cinnamon is another way to get more antioxidants into your body. It also helps to naturally regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels. 

Christmas Cocoa      (serves 10)

1 1/2 cups Half & Half
1 14oz can Fat Free Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 1/2 cups Dark Chocolate Chips (at least 70% cacao)
6 cups 1% milk
2 tsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Instant Coffee
1 tsp Cinnamon

In a stockpot over medium-low heat, or in a crockpot set to High, mix all ingredients together. Stir occasionally until the chocolate chips are melted. This will take around 10 minutes on the stove or almost an hour in the crockpot. The bonus to putting it in the crockpot is that you don't have to worry about it burning once you get the chocolate melted. You can just turn it to low and enjoy watching Christmas movies!

Nutritional Analysis:

Per Serving: 394 calories, 16.5g fat, 55g carbohydrates, 9.1g protein, and over 15% daily value of Vitamin D, Calcium, Phosphorous and Riboflavin.

Cinnamon Apple Waffles

$3.39 total / $.42 per serving

I can honestly say this recipe changed my day for the better! Not only because it is delicious but because it also gave me the opportunity to help someone. I was thinking up what I wanted to make this morning and I had everything I needed for some tasty cinnamon apple waffles. Sounds delicious, right? Alas, for some reason, I felt like I just had to have some apple cider to put in the batter. I mean, I HAD to have it!

So I ran to the new Trader Joe's that just opened and scored a 64oz bottle for $2.99. I bought my precious apple cider and I got in the car, turned up the heat because it was 25 degrees and snowing outside, and started to drive home. As I exited the parking lot, I saw a man that I have become familiar with over the last year. I see this man almost every day on my way to the University; he is homeless and he was wearing only a hooded sweatshirt and jeans. I am immediately struck with a feeling of relief because it has been a while since he has been on his usual corner, I was worried he had died. Then, I realize that he has probably been standing in the snow for hours. I cried the whole way home; I couldn't help it. I was overcome by the obvious need that he had while I was fixating on 'needing' apple cider for my waffles!

So when I got home, I asked my husband through tears how we could help. We rummaged through the house and gathered up some cold weather gear. I decided that our breakfast could wait so that I could heat up some of the Scalloped Potato and Ham Chowder from our dinner the night before. We got everything together and went on our way to provide some sort of warmth for a homeless man on this snowy freezing day. Turns out, that homeless man's name is Bill. When my husband asked him how old he was, he smiled and said that he will be turning 62 on Thursday. As he ate the food that we brought him, he began to tell us his hopes of being off the streets at the new year. Turning 62 means that Bill will qualify for Social Security and get to the top of the list for housing. He realized that he would be penalized for not waiting until he was 65 to receive SS but he also said that he didn't know if he'd make it that long either. Bill was just released from the hospital after being treated for severe pneumonia.

I didn't anticipate when I woke up how much of an impact today would have on me. I feel truly blessed to have gotten the chance to finally talk with Bill and hear his story. When my husband and I got home, he asked me if I had read Bill's sign. I had taken a glimpse of it but hadn't read it the whole way through. He told me the sign read "Help the homeless." The simple fact that Bill had not just been concerned about himself but also other homeless people really struck a chord with Jake. He felt encouraged to keep giving and to tell others about this story. The Christmas season is upon us and many feel more generous this time of year. I hope that through reading this story, you can find something that you can give to someone in need. Whether it is your food or simply your conversation, someone can be blessed by your outreach of kindess and you can too. I know that this recipe will now hold a place close to my heart for that very reason.

Nutritional Highlight: Apples. Leaving the skins on the apples is very important for nutritional purposes. The skins are full of dietary fiber, phytochemicals (which are naturally found in plant foods and help prevent diseases like cancer) and other trace minerals and nutrients. 

Cinnamon Apple Waffles
(Serves 6-8)

2 Eggs
2 Cups Flour
1 3/4 Cups Apple Cider (or milk)
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
4 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Nutmeg


Apple Syrup

2 Apples, cored and chopped
1/2 Cup Sugar
4 Tbsp Water
4 Tbsp Honey
2 tsp Cinnamon

Preheat your waffle iron. For the waffles, beat eggs in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in all other ingredients just until the batter is smooth.

In between cooking the waffles or while someone else is manning the waffle iron, grab a small saucepan. Mix all ingredients for the syrup over medium-high heat until it begins to boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 7-10 minutes. Stir the syrup occasionally to make sure the sugar doesn't burn. When you have your desired consistency, remove from the heat.

Prepare your waffles however you wish (my husband likes tons of butter, me not so much!) and then top with syrup. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis:

Waffles: 294 calories, 15.3g fat, 35.4g carbohydrates, 4.8g protein, over 15% daily value of calcium, manganese, selenium and thiamin

Syrup: 134 calories, 0g fat, 35.8g carbohydrates, 0g protein