Pinterest ...Oh How I Love You!!

I have recently been finding and trying new recipes from Pinterest.  I love trying new recipes..don't you?  I secretly think I am becoming obsessed with this whole Pinterest thing.  What an amazing way to organize all you thoughts, ideas, plans, happy thoughts and creativity. 

For those few people who have not yet tried Pinterest...I encourage you to check it out and follow me!!

Below I have put together a few of my recipes I found on Pinterest and wanted to share.  My family loved all of them. 
First is Peanut Butter Granola.  My daughter and I made this and it was truly delicious!!  We were going out of town a few days later and the granola made such a good healthy snack in the car. 

Peanut Butter Granola

Sprinkled on top of Greek yogurt or enjoyed on its own, this peanut butter granola is made with pantry staples, making it an easy recipe to whip up without making a special trip to the grocery store. Ingredients:
Makes four ¼ c servings
2 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp. honey
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. oats
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. Combine peanut butter and honey in a bowl and microwave until peanut butter melts (approximately 20 seconds). Stir.
Stir cinnamon and vanilla into peanut butter and honey mixture. Add oats and stir until oats are completely covered in peanut butter mixture. Spread out oat mixture onto prepared cookie sheet and bake for 7 -8 minutes until granola is slightly browned. Let cool until granola is crunchy.

The next recipe was a HUGE success in my house.  My husband and daughter love, love, love seafood.  They simply could not get enough of those shrimp!


Baked Shrimp With Lemon

Melt a stick of butter in the pan. Slice one lemon and layer it on top of the butter. Put down fresh shrimp, then sprinkle one pack of dried Italian seasoning. Put in the oven and bake at 350 for 15 min.
(I only used a 1/2 stick of butter.  It really depends how much shrimp you have.  When I made this I had about 30-40 baby shrimp.

I had always wanted to try grilling vegetable or potatoes on the grill.  This was the perfect recipe for that.  It was easy, fun and delicious!!

Three-Cheese Potatoes Recipe

 

Ingredients

• 3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced chives
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Transfer to a double thickness of greased heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Dot with butter.
• Fold foil around potato mixture and seal tightly. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 15-18 minutes on each side or until potatoes are tender.
• Carefully open foil. Sprinkle the bacon cheeses over potato mixture. Grill 3-5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Open foil carefully to allow steam to escape. Yield: 4-6 servings.

THis last recipe was one I just made last night.  Another HUGE success.  It was so yummy and with only 4 ingredients supoer easy!



Easy Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing

 


Ingredients
• 4 thawed chicken breasts
• 6oz. package of Stove Top stuffing mix
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup

First put your chicken in the crock pot.
Pour the package of stuffing on top.
Mix sour cream, soup, and 1/4 cup water in a small bowl.
Pour the mixture over the top of the chicken and stuffing.
Cook on LOW for 4 hours.
Fluff and Serve! 

ENJOY!!  HAPPY COOKING!!

Avocodos Are A Good, Healthy Food For Our Bodies

Lately I have really started getting to like and cook more with Avocados.  I would have to say I liked them before, but I never really experimented with them or just new everything there is to know about them.  I think when you really want to learn something new it is always best to get all the information you can about that product.  Especially if you are trying to teach or share your thoughts or experiences with others.

Pinterest has been a big help in this process.  I have found so many fun, easy and just plan delicious recipes using Avocados on there.  Kudos to Pinterest and everyone I am following. 

A few facts I have learned about Avocados:

•  European sailors en route to the New World used avocados in place of butter.
•  There are more than 80 varieties of avocados. The most common is the year-round Hass avocado, whose original mother tree still stands in California.
•  The avocado is also known as an alligator pear, because of its shape, green skin, and rough texture of the Haas variety. (The Florida avocado has a shiny, smooth surface.)
•  The two main U.S. producers of the fruit are California and Florida. The Golden State far outranks the Sunshine State, however, with more than 6,000 groves accounting for about 90% of avocado crops.

How Healthy are Avocados? 
Avocados provide nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid. They also act as a "nutrient booster" by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha and beta-carotene and lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, but a healthy diet and exercise plan may help reduce your risk of developing the life-threatening illness.
The American Heart Association (AHA) Dietary Guidelines recommend a diet that has at least five servings of fruits and vegetables, contains up to 30% of calories from fats (primarily unsaturated) and is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, trans fats and sodium while being rich in potassium. Avocados can help you meet the AHA dietary guidelines because they have both monosaturated and polyunsaturated fat and contain potassium.

Avocado Nutrients

Nutrient Dense and contains essential vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients:

Eating nutrient dense foods is one of the healthiest ways to eat.  Nutrient density is a measure of the amount of nutrients a food contains in comparison to the number of calories. California Avocados are naturally nutrient dense containing the following key nutrients:




Fresh. Natural. Wholesome.

Here’s The Scoop on the Goodness of Fresh California Avocados.

California Avocados are a fresh, natural, wholesome part of a healthful diet.  They’re irresistibly rich in flavor and, avocados also provide vital nutrients and phytochemicals.  Diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of some types of cancer and other chronic diseases.

There are 13 vitamins that the body absolutely needs: vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and folate). Avocados naturally contain many of these vitamins.

• MONOUNSATURATED FATS (3g per serving) – Helps to lower blood cholesterol if used in place of saturated fats.
• VITAMIN K (6.3 mcg/8% DV per serving) – Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in blood clotting. It is known as the clotting vitamin, because without it blood would not clot. Some studies indicate that it helps in maintaining strong bones in the elderly.
• FOLATE (27 mcg/6% DV per serving) – Promotes healthy cell and tissue development.  This is especially important during periods of rapid cell division and growth such as infancy and pregnancy.  Folate is also essential for metabolism of homocysteine and helps maintain normal levels of this amino acid.
• POTASSIUM (152 mg/4% DV per serving) – In the body, potassium is classified as an electrolyte.  Potassium is a very important mineral to the human body.  It has various roles in metabolism and body functions and is essential for the proper function of all cells, tissues, and organs:  It assists in the regulation of the acid-base balance; assists in protein synthesis from amino acids and in carbohydrate metabolism; and, it is necessary for the building of muscle and for normal body growth.
• VITAMIN E (.590 mg/4% DV per serving) – A fat-soluble vitamin that acts as an antioxidant that protects the body tissue from damage caused by unstable substances called free radicals.  Free radicals can harm cells, tissues, and organs.  They are believed to play a role in certain conditions associated with aging.  Vitamin E is important in the formation of red blood cells and helps the body use vitamin K.  At lower levels, vitamin E may help protect the heart.  Vitamin E also plays a role in healthy skin and hair.
• LUTEIN (81 mcg) – A carotenoid (a natural pigment) that may be associated with a lower risk of eye diseases. Lutein is an important antioxidant that may help your eyes stay healthy while maintaining the health of your skin. It provides nutritional support to your eyes and skin and has been linked to promoting healthy eyes through reducing the risk of macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in adults 65 years of age and older.
• MAGNESIUM (9.0 mg/2% DV per serving) –An essential mineral for human nutrition.  Magnesium in the body serves several important functions:  Contraction and relaxation of muscles; Function of certain enzymes in the body; Production and transport of energy; and Production of Protein.
• VITAMIN C (2.6 mg/4% DV per serving) –A water-soluble vitamin that is necessary for normal growth and development.  Vitamin C is one of many antioxidants.  Antioxidants are nutrients that block some of the damage caused by free radicals, which are by-products that result when our bodies transform food into energy. Vitamin C is required for the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of your body.  It is necessary to form collagen, an important protein used to make skin, scar tissue, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels.
• VITAMIN B6 (0.086 mg/4% DV per serving) –A water-soluble vitamin.  Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water.  The body cannot store them.  That means you need a continuous supply of such vitamins in your diet.  Vitamin B6 helps the immune system produce antibodies.  Antibodies are needed to fight many diseases.  Vitamin B6 helps maintain normal nerve function and form red blood cells.  The body uses it to help break down proteins.  The more protein you eat, the more vitamin B6 you need.

Thanks to Avocados.org for all your great information!!  Click on the link to learn more about California Avocados, facts, recipes and more!