Pumpkin Harvest Cookies (Kerstin's Sweet Spicy Goodness)

Recipe status: These are the ultimate health nut harvest cookie. There is no sugar other than the natural sugar in the pumpkin (and the sugar from the morsels). It's almost like having one of those nature bars, or a very chewy granola bar. I will definitely be packing these on my hikes.

1 small can pumpkin

1 stick butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

(or 1/2 tsp each nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger & allspice)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup wheat flour

1 cup flour

1 cup combination of any of the following: Chopped pecans, walnuts or cashews, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, golden raisins, craisins or raisins *

1 cup butterscotch or cinnamon morsels, carob or chocolate chips

Blend pumpkin and butter. Mix in egg & vanilla. Add dry ingredients until completely blended. Fold in remaining nuts, berries & morsels.

Drop by spoonfuls on a baking sheet about an inch apart. These hardly spread, so press them down a bit. Bake @ 375° for 12-15 minutes, depending on size. I've been told these freeze well. Not sure of these will last long enough to find out.

*In addition to the 1 cup, I also added a cup of uncooked 9 grain cereal (looks like oats) & a handful of shredded zucchini because I so desired. Had I had any flaked coconut left, I'd have added that also. Not the sweetened coconut, but the dried shaved coconut from the bulk bin at the health food store. That would have been amazing.

12-Grain Bread

Recipe Status: The first time I had this bread, it was the most amazing thing I had ever tasted. Now either I've since made better bread, or it didn't turn out as well as it could have. Or, I just plain wasn't feeling good and it didn't agree with me. Also, since making amazing bread without dough enhancer and extra gluten, I don't see the necessity for either of them. But I'm not knocking the recipe, I'll try again. Perhaps I'll be more impressed next time.

The original recipe made a lot of dough, so I've cut it in half. However, if you have a Bosch, it'll handle the full recipe, so knock yourself out if you so choose.

The altered recipe makes 3 loaves.

3 cups hot water

1 cup 9-grain cracked cereal, uncooked

1/4 cup millet

1/2 cup sunflower seeds (cracked if desired)

1 cup high gluten flour or vital gluten

1/3 honey or molasses

1/3 cup oil

1 tbsp salt

1 heaping tbsp yeast

1 1/2 tbsp dough enhancer

6-7 cups whole wheat flour

Measure first 5 ingredients into bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. Add honey, oil, salt & 5 cups flour and mix to a paste. Stir in yeast and remaining flour, a bit at a time, until mixture cleans sides of the bowl. Knead for 5-7 minutes. Add dough enhancer and knead until mixed through. Form into 3 loaves. Let rise in greased loaf pans until about 2 inches above pan. Bake @ 350° for 30 minutes.

Orange Ginger Chicken (HCG Friendly)

Recipe Status: I guess I've been spoiled with orange chicken recipes that have been very bold in flavor and at times very spicy. This in comparison was very bland. I liked it okay, but if I made it again, I'd definitely have to spice it up. A little cayenne and crushed red peppers, probably. Oh and more ginger. I could not taste any ginger. :(

100 g chicken breast, cut into cubes

1 orange cut into quarters

2-3 cloves minced garlic

1 tbsp fresh ginger root (roughly 1/2" to 1" piece of root)

1/2 tsp basil

Juice from half a lemon

Pepper to taste

Sprinkle chicken with pepper. Add chicken to heated pan and stir fry until all edges are no longer pink. Add garlic and cook 1 additional minute. Squeeze juice of orange quarters & lemon over chicken, then peel and separate sections of orange and add to the chicken. Stir in ginger & basil. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

*This counts as one meat and one fruit serving.

Tomato Frittata (HCG Friendly)

Recipe Status: Remember that Asparagus Frittata recipe I posted and said "I'll bet it'd taste awesome with a vine ripe tomato instead."? Well, I tried that recipe with a vine ripe tomato. And it was delicious. (Although I did alter how I made it just a bit.)

3 egg whites

1 full egg

2 cloves minced garlic

1 tbsp dried minced onion

1 tbsp water

1 tsp parsley (or savory, as I like to add.)

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 vine ripe tomato

Mix eggs in a bowl. Add garlic, onions, water, salt & pepper. Pour onto heated non-stick skillet. While that's starting to cook, chop up the tomato into small chunks. (Try to leave behind as many seeds as possible.) Place on top of eggs. Sprinkle savory over tomatoes. When eggs look ready to, flip over so the top layer can cook around the tomatoes.

*This counts as one meat and one vegetable serving.

Strawberry Julius (HCG Friendly)

Recipe Status: This is pretty much the same exact recipe as the Orange Julius, with the exception, of course, of strawberries. And I think I prefer this better! It's almost like strawberries & cream. Yum!

8 Strawberries

A handful or two of ice

A little bit of water (or your alloted 1 tablespoon of skim milk)

1 dropper full of Vanilla Creme liquid Stevia

Blend. Enjoy.

Lemon Shrimp & Spinach (HCG Friendly)

Recipe Status: I wasn't eating it thinking of how amazing it was. I was nervous about putting that much garlic in it, and I thought 200 g of spinach was waaaay too much. But I was wrong! There wasn't very much flavor at all. I sprinkled some dill over everything, and that made it much better.

100 g shrimp (shelled & deveined)

200 g spinach

3 tbsp water

Juice from one lemon (or half lemon if it's large)

4-5 garlic cloves, minced

Salt & Pepper to taste

Dill to taste (My addition)

Preheat non stick skillet over medium heat. Add water, garlic & shrimp, and cook until shrimp turns pink. Squeeze lemon juice over shrimp. Add spinach, salt and pepper. Cook until spinach wilts.