Brussels Sprouts Sauté

serves 4 as a side

2 tbsp butter
1 small onion
1 tbsp chopped, fresh thyme
600g Brussels sprouts
salt to taste

Wash the Brussels sprouts well. Trim the stem ends and remove any loose or discoloured outer leaves. Stand the Brussels sprouts on their trimmed ends and thinly slice them into 3 or 4 slices.

Peel and slice the onion. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and add the onion, Brussels sprouts, and thyme. Sauté until the Brussels sprouts turn bright green and start to soften, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-high and sauté the Brussels sprouts for a minute or so, until some browning starts to occur. Take off the heat and salt to taste.

Oven-Roasted Mushrooms with Butter, Garlic and Parsley

Recipe type: Sides, Mushrooms

Author: Cheryl Bevergae Barnes

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh mushrooms, cleaned
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 3 tablespoons minced parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the mushrooms, garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a shallow baking pan. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. Scatter the butter evenly over the top and roast until the mushrooms are golden, about 20 minutes.
2. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle over the parsley. Serve warm.

Notes

…from the Picture-Perfect kitchen:
Planning: Many people fall into the “don’t ever wash your mushrooms” camp. I usually just wipe or brush mine off but have been known to give them a quick little rinse if they’re really dirty. Up to you. You can put this dish together several hours before and refrigerate. Just pop them into a hot oven about 20 minutes before you’re ready to devour them.
Product Purity: Use whatever variety of mushrooms you like or a combination of your favorites. I used white button mushrooms.
Presentation: Serve with a nice white wine and a loaf of good, crusty bread to sop up all those lovely, buttery juices.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Yields about 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs chuck roast
1 1/4 cups beef broth
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 3/4 tsp dried Italian seasoning
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 medium Russet potatoes, scrubbed and rinsed then diced into chunks about 3/4" - 1"
12 oz. baby carrots

Directions:
Place chuck roast in a slow cooker. Pour beef broth over roast, and drizzle with Worcestershire sauce. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder then season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on LOW heat 7 hours. 
Remove roast to a large plate or cutting board, reserving broth in slow cooker (it should be fall apart tender so it will likely break apart when you lift it out). Add diced potatoes and baby carrots to slow cooker in broth (the broth should cover the veggies), return roast to slow cooker placing on top of vegetables. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, or until vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork. Plate and ladle with broth in slow cooker.

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Braided Cinnamon Wreath

Dough

•   2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup lukewarm milk
• 6 Oz fresh yeast or 1 envelope active dry yeast
• 1/8 cup melted butter
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp sugar

Filling:

•  1/4 cup softened butter
• 4-5 tbsp sugar
• 3 tsp cinnamon

Method:

1. Mix the yeast and sugar with the lukewarm milk and let it sit a few minutes while the yeast bubbles and foams up.
2. Add the egg yolk, the melted butter, the flour and the salt, then knead the dough and shape into a ball.
3. Place the dough in a large, greased bowl, then cover and place in a warm space and let rise until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
4. Preheat oven to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Dust your work surface with flour, and roll the dough out to a thickness of 1cm.
5. Spread the melted butter across all of the dough, then sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
6. Roll up the dough, and using a knife, cut the log in half length-wise.
7. Twist the two halves together, keeping the open layers exposed as described in the photo tutorial. Give a round shape, then transfer to a baking tray (buttered or covered with cookie sheet).
8. Top the remaining butter and sprinkle some sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
9. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit after 5-10 minutes to stop it burning. Top with icing sugar mixed with water if you want, just sprinkle some sugar, or eat it like this.

http://totallyloveit.com/braided-cinnamon-rolls/

Slow Cooker Spicy Shredded Chicken Lettuce Wrap Tacos (or Tostadas) with Avocado Salsa

(Makes about 8 tacos or tostadas; recipe created by Kalyn)

Equipment:
I used my Crock-Pot 3-1/2-Quart Slow Cooker to make the chicken in this recipe.  You will need a slow cooker that's close to this size.

Ingredients for Spicy Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise
1 cup mild or medium tomato salsa (homemade or from a jar)
1 tsp. onion powder
1 can ( 4 oz.) diced green chiles, not drained (Anaheim chiles)
1-2 T Cholula hot sauce, or other Mexican hot sauce of your choice
2 T fresh-squeezed lime juice

Avocado Salsa Ingredients:
2 medium or large avocados, diced into small pieces
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice

For Lettuce Wrap Tacos:
2 large heads iceberg lettuce, washed if needed

For Tostadas: 
8 medium-sized flour tortillas (use whole wheat or low-carb tortillas for South Beach Diet)
chopped tomatoes (optional but good)

Instructions:

Trim visible fat and other unwanted parts from chicken breasts and cut each one in half lengthwise.  Spray the inside of the slow cooker with olive oil or non-stick spray and arrange the chicken strips in the bottom.  Mix together the tomato salsa, onion powder, diced green chiles with juice, Cholula hot sauce and lime juice.  (Start with 1 tablespoon of hot sauce and taste the mixture on your finger to see if you want more.)  Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and cook on low for about 5 hours, or until chicken is very tender.  (You can cook for a shorter time on high, but I thought cooking on low gave more tender chicken.)

When the chicken is done, remove each piece with a slotted spoon and lay it on a cutting board to cool.  Turn the slow cooker to high and leave the lid partly off so steam can evaporate.  When the chicken has cooled enough to handle it, use your clean hands to pull it apart into shredded chicken pieces.  Put the chicken back into the slow cooker, stir to combine with the sauce, and let it heat back up while you prepare other ingredients.   (If there seems to be a lot of sauce in the slow cooker, you can drain the chicken when you use it, but I just scooped chicken out with a slotted spoon.)

Peel and dice the avocados and toss with the lime juice (in a bowl that's big enough for all the salsa ingredients.)  Add the chopped cilantro and chopped red onion and stir to combine.

For tacos, cut iceberg lettuce heads in half and wash in salad spinner if needed.  Peel off two pieces of lettuce and fill with a scoop of chicken mixture and a scoop of avocado salsa.  Eat tacos with your hands.

For tostadas, toast flour tortillas 2-3 minutes in an oven or toaster oven preheated to 400F/200C, turning them over a few times.  Spread a layer of spicy shredded chicken on teach tortilla, followed by a layer of avocado salsa and chopped tomatoes if desired.  Pick up and eat with your fingers or eat with a knife and fork.

The spicy shredded chicken can also be used to make regular tacos, burritos, nachos, or enchiladas.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Snack Bars

Yield: 9 bars
.
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cups crunchy peanut butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350º F
2. 2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add peanut butter and sugar and mix on high speed until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in vanilla extract and mix until combined.
3. Add in flour, oats, salt and baking soda, mixing on medium speed. The dough will look crumbly and you want the peanut butter mix to be broken up into clumps. Add milk with the mixer on low speed, and mix until a dough forms. Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Make sure dough is completely combined, and roll it into a ball with your hands. Place it in the middle of an 8×8 baking dish, pressing it to fit. Bake for 18 minutes, or until set and golden on top. Let cool completely, then cut into 9 squares.

Bake for 18 minutes. It’s really crucial that you don’t overbake these—they can dry out easily. Since there aren’t any eggs in this, it’s better to underbake a little than overbake to the point of dryness. You want them moist and chewy.

Carrot Slaw with Cranberries, Toasted Walnuts & Citrus Vinaigrette

Serving Size: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 1 pound grated carrots, or 1-1/3 pounds carrots, peeled and grated
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or walnut oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice, from one lemon
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice, from one orange
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 3 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
• Heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Set oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place walnuts on baking sheet and bake until toasted and fragrant, 7-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Combine all remaining ingredients in a large bowl and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Season to taste with salt, pepper, honey or more citrus. Toss in walnuts and serve.