Kettle Popcorn

I love this recipe!
Kettle Popcorn

3 T. Coconut Oil, melted in the bottom of a large saucepan
2 pkgs, or 1t. Truvia, sprinkled over the melted oil.
3 T. Unpopped Corn, sprinkled over oil and Truvia

Allow oil to get hot enough to sizzle corn, cover pan with lid and when the corn begins to pop turn down the heat to med-low. Shake the pan every few seconds to keep the popping going. When the corn stops popping, it's done!

This makes about 6 Cups of Kettle Corn.

How To Make Carob Candy Bars and Nut Clusters

I've tried to find carob candies in health food stores and diet sections of the grocery store to no avail, so I've resorted to making my own. The best thing about doing this is that you get exactly what you like! Today I'm just doing candy bars and nut clusters but at Christmas time I'll do some filled "chocolates". Here we go!

It all starts with a bag of Sunspire brand Carob Chips which I buy by the case from Amazon because my store no longer carries carob chips without milk and over-refined sugar, and the price is good.
Empty one 10 oz. bag of chips into a glass bowl with high sides or a large glass measuring cup. Using glass will help protect the carob from becoming too hot.
Add 1 1/2T. Coconut Oil
And 1/2t. Vanilla Flavoring or Peppermint, etc. (does not need to be oil-based)
Sweeten to taste if desired with 1 packet Xylitol or Stevia
Set into another bowl with medium hot tap water, not boiling. Remember that getting carob too hot will cause it to become stiff and chewy so warm only enough to gently melt carob. Stirring will help the chips melt with less heat and will blend in the other ingredients. Once the chips are melted and you're into your candy making, don't add more chips. Remelting means reheating, so wait until you use up what you've already melted and then start again with more chips. This melted carob can be used over ice cream like magic shell, or proceed to make candy bars.

Spoon a little of the melted carob into a chocolate mold. They have some that are meant specifically for candy bars or use whatever shapes you like! Tap the mold on the table lightly to remove air bubbles and place in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
Remove the mold from the freezer and gently loosen the hardened carob. When inverting onto the foil, catch the candy bar and set it down to keep it from breaking. It will be brittle.
If you want to divide the bar, wait until it warms to room temperature. Using a straight edged sharp knife, carefully cut the bar. If you are going to store the candy to serve later, wrap in foil and keep in a cool place or in the refrigerator.
If you are making nut clusters simply drop nuts into melted carob and stir to coat the nuts. I used roasted and salted peanuts. Drop by spoonfuls into candy cups or onto waxed paper. Cool and harden in the fridge or freezer. Store in covered container.
Now, when everyone is having a sweet treat, you can have one too! Or, you can share your goodies with your friends and family, helping them to learn to enjoy something a little healthier.
PS. If the carob turns grey it is only from being cold. Simply let it warm or you can use a blow dryer to warm it and it will brown right up! And by the way, chocolate does the same thing and can be fixed the same way, too :)

How-To Make Simple Peanut Butter Fudge

At my house we are a bit food-challenged. I am allergic to sugar, dairy products and chocolate. Some have wondered what's left?! There actually is a lot left, but for a long time I thought I'd never eat fudge again. Had I had to deal with these allergies several decades ago I'd have simply been out of luck ~ I've seen those "health food" cookbooks from the 70's and they sure leave something to be desired! Some call for wierd ingredients and many don't have much flavor. But nowadays there are healthy alternatives that are easy to find and taste good, too! So, how do you make fudge without chocolate, you may ask? Well, there is a substitute I use called Carob. I know it's not truly the same, but it works for me. And this recipe can be made with chocolate chips instead of the carob chips that I use here. Carob chips come in 10 oz. bags and chocolate chips come in 12 oz, so I measured them at 2C. Place chips in the microwave for about 30 seconds with 2/3 - 3/4 C. Peanut Butter (we like the crunchy kind). I prefer Adam's because it has no sugar or hardened fats, and add 2 tablespoons of milk. Adam's is very soft so with regular peanut butter you may need to increase milk. Stir the chips, peanut butter and milk, place back in the microwave for 15-20 seconds and stir again. If needed microwave another 10-15 seconds. Be careful though, carob is very heat sensitive and becomes chewy like a tootsie roll quickly if it get too hot. If there are bits of carob chips left, just stir the warm mixture until they finish melting. Add 2-3 packets of Truvia to taste and 1/8 t. of Vanilla. I use Butter Vanilla. Spread onto oiled plate. Allow to cool to room temperature. Carob Chips can be purchased at Health Food Stores and Whole Foods. Adam's Peanut Butter, Truvia (a no calorie natural and healthy sweetener), and Soymilk are available in many grocery stores. And, Butter Vanilla comes from from the specialty cake and candy maker's supply store, but regular Vanilla is OK, too! So there you have it; Fudge made without Chocolate, and taste's like a peanut butter cup! Well, at least to me it does!! Here're those 5 simple ingredients without all the chatter:
2C. Carob or Chocolate Chips
2/3 - 3/4 C. Peanut Butter
2T. Milk or Soymilk
2-3 Packets Truvia
1/8 t. Vanilla

Got A Sweet Tooth?

I do.
It's a shameful thing I know, but here I am needing something sweet to end my evening meal! It doesn't have to be big or fancy, just a nibble will do but it has to be something!
I decided several years ago to do some sleuthing around about what sweeteners were "good" and which ones were not. I'd already given up on processed, granulated white sugar, brown sugar, and powdered sugar, chemicals and all you know. But I took one look at the shelf at the health food store and felt so overwhelmed I uttered prayers right there on the spot!
I know honey is one of the best choices with it's trace minerals, but sometimes I just don't want my final product to taste like it. A good alternative is agave, although I'm still learning about how to cook with that one. Maple Syrup is wonderful when you're looking for the brown sugar flavor, and grade B does it best in recipes. Honey, Agave and Pure Maple Syrup are all low to med-low on the glycemic index.
Next on the list are the ones that are quite sweet but aren't sugars at all. There's Xylitol and Stevia.
Ever notice when label reading that there are usually multiple sweeteners in any given product? That's because they each have their strengths and weaknesses. Xylitol has the drawback of causing diarhea if too much is consumed. (A moderate amount is harmless) Stevia tends to have a bit of an aftertaste if too much is added to the recipe but Truvia brand doesn't. Each of these are calorie free, have no effect on blood sugar and do not promote candida or tooth decay. Xylitol actually strengthens bones and restores tooth enamel!So. How about that! There really are sweeteners out there that are good for you! Recipes to follow soon!

Fun Fabulous Fruit!

What person out there doesn't enjoy picking up a cold piece of their favorite fruit on a hot summer's day and biting into it's cool mouthwatering sweetness? Or drizzling a bit of milk over a warm fruit cobbler or crisp? Fruit is wonderful all by itself, just as God created it, or YOU (or better yet, the kids) can get creative. There are so many things that can be done with fruit. It's breakfast time here at my house, so off to the kitchen to do just that ~ create...! ...OK Here they are:

Poking two holes in the apple will make it easier to get the pretzels in for the ladybug's antenae, and the raisins are stuck on with peanut butter.

It doesn't take much fruit to make these little critters so use your leftover canned fruit to make this yummy Mixed Fruit Cobbler:
In a sprayed 8" square pyrex put remaining fruit from -
1 15 oz Can each of Fruit Cocktail, Pears and Peaches drain juice (about 2C.) into a saucepan, cutting the fruit halves into slices
Sprinkle with Raisins
Add to the juice in the pan -
2 T. Corn Starch
4 Packets Truvia, or sweeten to taste with other sweetener
1/4 t. Cinnamon, if you like
Bring the juice mixture to a simmer stirring constantly until it bubbles and thickens. Pour it over the Fruit. Now you're ready for the topping:
1 C. Flour (I use whole wheat)
3 Packets Truvia or Sweetener to taste
1 1/2 t. Baking Powder
3 T. room temp. cube margarine
1/2 C. Milk
Stir together and drop by tablespoonfulls onto the top of fruit. Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. If desired, pour a bit of sweetened milk over warm cobbler to serve. Options: If you don't want to take the time to make a cobbler, the fruit can be spooned over waffles or pancakes. You can also add the leftover pineapple to the cobbler which is yummy, but this time I'm saving it for a smoothie!