Zucchini Bread

2 cups sugar                                                    
1 cup oil                                                          
3 eggs                                                              
2 cups raw grated Zucchini, unpeeled            
2 t. cinnamon                                                  
3 t. vanilla

2 cups flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 cup nuts

Blend sugar and oil: add eggs and vanilla,
then zucchini, cinnamon and sifted dry ingredients.
Add nut last.
Grease and flour 2 large loaf pans.
Bake at 325-350 for 1 hour.

Pumpkin Bread

1 (16-oz.) can pumpkin
2 sticks melted margarine
4 beaten eggs
1/4 cup water
3-1/2 cups plain flour
3 cups sugar
4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. baking soda1-1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped nuts  (I did not add the nuts)

Combine pumpkin, water, eggs and margarine.
Add combined dry ingredients, except for the nuts.
Mix well; stir in nuts.
Pour into greased 9x5 loaf pans.
Bake for 1 hour at 350.
Cool in pans 5 minutes, then remove.
Makes 2 loaves of bread.

Cinnamon Nut Bread

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
 3 eggs 1-1/3 cups water
 1/4 cup canola oil
1-1/4 cups finely chopped walnuts
7-1/2 teaspoons sugar
 4-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, water and oil. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Combine walnuts, sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle a third of the nut mixture into a greased 10-in. fluted tube pan. Top with half of the batter and another third of the nut mixture. Repeat layers. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 12-14 servings. (less info)

ALMOND BUTTER DRESSING

1/4 cup almond butter
1t minced fresh ginger
1t garlic
T soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
3T apple cider vinegar

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend until creamy. Keeps in the fridge for at least a week.

Basil Pesto

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves

1 cup grated parmesan

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

3 garlic cloves

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients except the olive oil in your VitaMix or food processor. Pulse gently to roughly chop ingredients. On low speed, continue to process and slowly drizzle in the olive oil until well blended. 

Tips: 

• For thicker pesto, reduce the amount of olive oil.

• Pesto freezes well. You can put it in small containers for an entire meal or freeze in ice cube trays for smaller requirements.

• Keep pesto covered prior to serving so it doesn't discolor (like guacamole). 

Uses: 

• Toss on pasta

• Serve on fish or chicken

• Add as a pizza topping

• Garnish appetizers

• Use as a dip

• Make it into a salad dressing!

Pesto Salad Dressing

1/4 - 1/2 cup homemade pesto (recipe above)

1 - 2 T. mayonnaise

juice of one lemon

Add mayo and lemon juice to pesto as desired. This isn't scientific, so just taste as you go. I like mine very lemony and creamy. 

If you freeze the pesto in ice cubes, you can make small batches of this dressing all winter! 

Banana Nut Granola

6 cups rolled oats (not quick cook variety)

1 1/2 - 2 cups chopped walnuts (or any nut you like!)

1 - 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (or you can use coconut oil)

1/2 - 3/4 cup raw honey (adjust to your own taste preferences)

1-2 bananas, slightly soft

*Note: the more honey you add the stickier the cereal will be and the more 'clumps' you'll have.

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well. Next combine the olive or coconut oil and honey in a small pot and heat gently until bubbles begin to form on sides. Mash bananas and add to the warm liquid mixture and then pour over the dry ingredients. Keep mixing until well incorporated. There may be small chunks of banana and granola, which is fine, however, try to break up any large portions. 

Spread evenly on two or three jelly roll pans and bake at 300 degrees for approximately 40 minutes. Be sure to stir granola every 10 minutes so that it browns evenly. When it is toasted to your liking, remove and cool. Since this has banana in it, I recommend storing it in glass jars in the refrigerator.

Homemade Granola

Simple 
Homemade Granola

6 cups rolled oats (not quick cook variety)
1 1/2 - 2 cups chopped walnuts (or any nut you like!)
1 cup shredded coconut (I don't like fresh, but toasted it's great)
1 - 2 tsp. ground cinnamon


Combine in a large bowl...


1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (or you can use coconut oil)
1/2 - 3/4 cup raw honey (adjust to your own taste preferences)
*Note: the more honey you add the stickier the cereal will be and the more 'clumps' you'll have.


Combine in a small pot and heat gently until bubbles begin to form on sides... Pour warm olive oil and honey over dry ingredients, tossing until well combined.. Spread evenly on two jelly roll pans...aka baking sheets .. Bake at 300 degrees for about 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.  Remove and cool. At this point you can add raisins, dried cranberries, or ground flax seed (although I find that flax seed settles to the bottom and is best added to each bowl individually)... Store extras in a half gallon mason jar (it won't all fit, so you'll just have to eat some right away!) or 2-3 quart size jars...