Vegetable Oil Biscuits

If you are reading labels to avoid shortening and all partially hydrogenated foods, these are the homemade biscuits for you! The nutrition facts were analyzed by Calorie Count!

No Shortening Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup milk, 2%

A little melted butter

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 F.

Spray non-stick spray on a baking sheet.

In one bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.

In a second bowl, or in one of those nice 2 cup Pyrex measuring cups, stir together the oil and milk.

Use a fork and quickly stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Count your stirs. Do not go past 20 or stir until the ingredients are only just mixed. Over mixing toughens the biscuit nor will they rise so prettily.

Drop by large spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave them lumpy or flatten slightly with your flour dusted fingers. Brush with melted butter and bake for about 10 minutes or until they are lightly browned.

Devour immediately, perhaps with a bit of honey…

Michael's Savory Crab Meat Egg Scramble

This morning, Michael got up and did not just automatically reach for that box of cereal. Instead he put on his creative Chefing hat and got to work! The nutrition facts were made at Calorie Count. Enjoy.

Savory Crab Meat Egg Scramble

Ingredients:

3 or 4 eggs, beaten for scrambling (or equiv egg substitute)
1/2 cup surimi (faux crabmeat) chopped
1 Tbsp. fat free half-and-half
1 Tbsp. Dijonaisse mustard
1 thick slice onion, minced
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. canola oil
1 spray round the pan with butter-flavored cooking spray
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, combine the egg, salt and pepper and half-and-half and blend well.

Add butter spray and oil to a nonstick fry pan.  Add minced onions to the pan and cook over medium heat until the onions become translucent.  

Add the beaten egg mixture.  As the eggs begin to cook, sprinkle them with the parsley flakes.  

Just as the eggs begin to firm up in the pan, stir in the Dijonaisse mustard, then add the chopped faux crabmeat and stir it in as the eggs finish cooking.

Serve with a side of sliced ripe strawberries or a fresh cut melon slice. 

 Makes two generous servings.

Meganr’s Yellow Squash and Tomato Chutney Frittata

Frittata recipes are a little loosy goosy. Mix and match seasonings based on your preference for that day. Meganr says the cast-iron skillet is necessary for a perfect frittata and an investment that is worth every penny. The nutrition facts were made at Calorie Count.

Meganr’s Yellow Squash and Tomato Chutney Frittata

four servings

Ingredients:

6  eggs (at room temperature)

¼ cup  water
½ cup tomato chutney

½ tsp oregano, dried

½ tsp basil, dried

½ tsp thyme

Pepper to taste

3 garlic cloves, minced

6 tbsp Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp olive oil 

2 cups yellow squash, diced

½ cup onions, minced (or 2 green onions)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 500 F.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs, chutney, water, herbs, and garlic. Add the Parmesan and mix well.

In a large cast-iron skillet, sauté the yellow squash and onions in the olive oil for 3 - 5 minutes, or until tender.

Before adding the egg mixture to the pan, make sure the sauté mixture is evenly spread across the bottom of the skillet. Then add the egg mixture, but do NOT mix or scramble, and cook for about 6 - 9 minutes or until the edges of the frittata are starting to separate from the sides of the pan.

Then place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for another 5 minutes or so, until the center of the frittata is fully cooked. Remove from the oven, let set a few minutes, slice and serve.

Sheila's Hash Brown Casserole

Sheila says that this is fantastic served with fruit at a family brunch. It makes a lot so make sure you have at least one teenaged boy about the place. The nutrition facts are at Calorie Count.

Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients:

12 eggs, gently beaten

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

½  tsp black pepper – alright some salt too if need … but with bacon or ham you really do not need it

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper

1 package (30 oz) frozen shredded hash browns or potatoes – or equivalent amount of home cooked hash browns

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 large onion, chopped

1 medium green Pepper, chopped

1 cup of cooked ham or bacon – ham is our go to

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350.

Large bowl combine eggs, milk, pepper, and cayenne…. Stir in potatoes, cheese, onion, gr.pep and ham or w/e.

Pour into 13/9 inch greased pan and bake uncovered for about 45-50 mins or til browned.

Cool slightly and then serve.

Michael's Skillet Frittata with Spinach and Cheese

Michael's recipe makes a nice skillet sized frittata that is so fast, you can make it on the most hectic of evenings. The nutrition facts are at Calorie Count!

Frittata with Spinach and Cheese

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
6 large eggs, beaten
1 lb. spinach, stems removed, washed and blanched, squeezed dry and finely chopped
salt and black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup grated cacio (sheep’s milk cheese from Rome)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions:

Squeeze the spinach dry and finely chop.
In a 9-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, spinach, salt and pepper, to taste. Add the cheeses and mix well to combine. Pour this mixture into the skillet and cook until the bottom has set, about 5 minutes.

Holding a flat lid over the skillet, turn the fritatta over onto the other side and slide back into the skillet. Cook 5 minutes more and serve immediately.

EASY! ..and very tasty.

Chuck's Breakfast

Sometimes the best recipes are the simplest ones. Chuck has a great idea for a very filling breakfast with an interesting taste twist - Lime Yogurt! The nutrition facts are at Calorie Count, the best FREE website to count your calories.

1 Cup Cheerios
1 Carton Light Yogurt (I like to use Lime flavor but any flavor you like will work)
1 Sliced banana(Small or Medium)

Mix it up and enjoy. Do give the Lime flavor yogurt a try. Such a refreshing way to start the day!

Crazypotato98's Nopales Con Huevo Y Salchicha Polaka

Nopales are the pad of the prickly pear carefully de-spined and peeled. They are readily available in the Southwest United States, Mexico, and any grocery that carries a good variety of Hispanic foods.

The nutrition facts for this wonderful breakfast are at Calorie Count!

Nopales Con Huevo Y Salchicha Polaka

Ingredients:

2 cups nopales, spines removed, diced

2 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp minced garlic

1/4 cup onion

4 eggs

2 tsp salt

50 g polish sausage

Directions:

You can prepare the nopales the night before or in the morning. Boil the nopales with the 1 tbsp salt, garlic and onion. Make sure to use a pot that is large enough so that the nopales are not near the top of your pot. Once they have boiled for a few minutes and appear soft, turn off the heat and add the baking soda by sprinkling it all over. Be careful -- the water will begin to fizz and foam, so if you don't have enough room at the top of the pot, it will boil over. You may refrigerate the nopales for the next morning or go on to the next step.

Dice your polish sausage into whatever sized pieces you like, and saute it in a frying pan coated with cooking spray. Once the juices are coming out, add the drained nopal/garlic/onion mixture and cook, stirring, for a few minutes until the nopales are warmed through.

Add the eggs and salt and cook to your desired consistency.

Note: Here's some more info on how to prep the nopales and why you add the baking soda!

Meganr's Breakfast Thingies

These delicious grab and go breakfast treats are made with peanut flour.  Peanut flour is actually just defatted peanuts that are ground into something resembling flour.  It is very high protein and there are a few different types.  I get the 12% light version, which has 12 gram of protein for 100 calories and does not have much of a peanutty taste, which supposedly the dark version does.  The web site would have you think that this stuff can be mixed with water and then eaten like peanut butter - don't believe it, it's disgusting that way.  But it's super good in these baked numbers.

The nutrition facts can be found at Calorie Count. 

Breakfast Thingies 

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Waffle Mix (Bob's Red Mill 10-Grain Pancake and Waffle Mix)

1 cup 12% light peanut flour

1 large sliced peach (this time of year, it's thawed frozen peaches, a half bag)

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

3/4 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

4 eggs

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F

Put peaches in a food processer until well mashed up and liquefy.

Add everything else into the food processor and mix well.

Pour into individual baking dishes and put into oven. The baking dishes that Meangr uses are bigger than muffin tins. They hold about 2 cups of product, but should only be 2/3 filled before baking.

Bake for 24 -27 minutes until center is done, not jiggly or soft.

Since I warm these into the microwave before I eat them in the morning, I'm probably underbaking a bit, and the microwave finishes them up.  You'll want to adjust for your desired moistness. So test with a toothpick or use any of your favorite techniques to tell when your baked bready product is done.

More notes on peanut flour:

I also will put 1/4 cup or so into chilis and stews sometimes;  I did that last night with my sweet potato chili and it was ever so good.

More notes on the use of peaches:

Also, I use peaches for the "sweetener".  I've tried a bunch of different things, but these seems to mush up really well.  Berries taste good, but the seeds I found a little annoying.  Probably applesauce would work too, but I haven't tried it.

Laura's Blueberry Banana Bran Muffins

The three B's in Laura's muffins are packed with loads of nutrition and are an awesome way to start your calorie counting day!

The nutrition facts are at Calorie Count! 

Blueberry Banana Bran Muffins 

Ingredients:

1 cup bran
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 ts baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
2 Tbsp vegetable oil or butter
1 cup low fat milk or yogurt
1 cup blueberries (can be frozen)

1 very ripe banana, mashed 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 425 F. Spray oil into muffin tins.

Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.

Beat together the egg, oil and banana in another bowl.

Stir in blueberries and milk (or yogurt)

Add the liquid to the dry and stir only just until the ingredients are mixed and damp.

Spoon into the muffin tins and bake for about 20 minutes. 

Options:

Add sunflower seeds, nuts, or any of your favorite fresh or dried fruit!

Bonnie's Doughnut French Toast

The following is the full on just gotta do it right Doughnut French Toast. Just like a warm jelly doughnut fresh from the bakery...except that it's a lot less fatty. In the Notes section are suggestions for changes to make a light version for those days when you want flavor, but feel more virtuous.

The nutrition facts for both the full tilt deliciousness and the light version await you at Calorie Count!

serving suggestion: sliced mixed berries

Doughnut French Toast

Serves two

Ingredients:

4 thick slices of bread
2 eggs
4 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1 T butter
2 T sugar
1 pint strawberries
1 t lemon juice
4 T sugar, powdered or granulated

Directions:

Whip the eggs, vanilla, and milk together in a bowl. Soak the bread and use up every last little bit of the good stuff.

While the bread soaks, put the sugar, strawberries, and lemon juice in a blender and give it a good spin.

In a pan, melt the butter over medium heat and fry up the french toast till nice and brown, dredge each peace in a little sugar (or sprinkle with powdered sugar), and top with the strawberry mix..

Notes:

To make this much lighter, use egg substitute, fry up in a spray of oil or Pam, use the sugar substitute of your preference, or simply leave the strawberries unblended and ladle over the toast in slices.

Laura's Experimental Crunchy Almond Butter Granola Bars

Easily varied to your taste for a delicious snack or quick breakfast. This recipe is currently under construction and testing, but the most recent version (below) was pronounced DELICIOUS! The bar does not yet quite hold together, but was so tasty the testers were picking up each crumb.

If you would like to collaborate with us on this recipe, give it a try with modifications you think necessary to make the bar stay together but not be like a rock, then post your suggestions below.

The nutrition facts can be found at Calorie Count!

Crunchy Almond Butter Granola Bars

makes 12 bars

Ingredients:

3 1/2 T chunky almond butter
3 T. honey
3 1/2 T pure maple syrup
1 T vanilla
1 T brown sugar
1 1/2 cups Kashi Go Lean cereal (not the crunchy type)
1/2 cup bran cereal
1 1/2 cups rolled oats (not the quick-cook kind)
1/3 cup dried fruit such as cranberries or blueberries
1/3 cup salted sunflower seeds
1-2 t cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°.

8- or 9-inch square pan lined with a long sheet of parchment paper that extends up the side of the pan a bit and then lightly sprayed with Pam.

In a medium pot, warm almond butter, honey, syrup, vanilla, and brown sugar until sugar has melted and almond butter has thinned. In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients and sprinkle with cinnamon. Pour warm liquid over the dry ingredients, mixing well.

Spread the mixture into the pan and press well (use a piece of parchment paper. Bake for about 25 minutes. When you remove the pan from the oven, use a piece of parchment paper to flatten the bars a bit. Allow to cool completely. Lisft the ends of the parchment and place the granola onto a cutting board and cut into bars or squares.

Note:

substitute your favorite nut butters, syrups, cereals, dried fruit, seeds, or nuts. Try it with a bit of coconut either raw or toasted.

Meganr's Frittata with Broccoli and Mushrooms

The nutrition facts for this wonderful frittata that can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner can be found at Calorie Count!

Frittata with Broccoli and Mushrooms

four servings

Ingredients:

6  eggs (at room temperature)

¼ cup  water

¼ cup  mustard (a spicy brown type or Dijon)

½ tsp  oregano, dried

½ tsp  basil, dried

3  garlic cloves, minced

6 tbsp  Parmesan cheese

½ cup  tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil

2 cups  broccoli, cut into small pieces

¾ cup  mushrooms, sliced

½ cup  onions, minced (or 2 green onions)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 500 F.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs, water, mustard, herbs and garlic. Add the Parmesan and tomatoes and mix well.

In a large oven proof skillet (cast-iron is great), saute the broccoli and onions in the olive oil for 3 - 5 minutes, until mostly tender. Add the mushrooms and saute for another 3 minutes.

Before adding the egg mixture to the pan, make sure the saute mixture is evenly spread out. Then add the egg mixture, but do NOT mix or scramble, and cook for about 6 - 9 minutes or until the edges of the frittata are starting to separate from the sides of the pan.

At that point, put the pan directly into the oven and bake for another 5 minutes or so, until the center of the frittata is fully cooked. Remove from the oven.

Cut into four wedges.

Buggy's Granola

Yes, I know, it makes a lot, but, think Christmas gifts.....yummy Christmas gifts from your kitchen.

The nutrition facts for this fantastic granola can be found at Calorie Count!

Granola

Ingredients:

16 cups  oats

¼ cup  almonds, sliced

¼ cup  pine nuts

½ cup  pecans, chopped

6 teaspoons  cinnamon, ground

1 teaspoon  salt

1 1/3 cup  water

1 1/3 cup  honey

1 1/3 cup  roasted pecan syrup, sugar free

8 tablespoons  brown sugar

8 tablespoons  canola oil

¼ cup  sunflower seeds

1 cup  raisins, golden

1 cup  craisins, cherry flavored

2 cups  blueberries, dried

Directions:

Mix oats, almonds, pine nuts, pecans, cinnamon & salt in a large bowl.

Put water, honey, syrup, brown sugar, & canola oil into a pot and bring to a slow boil.

Pour liquids into dry ingredients and mix to coat.

Bake at 325 F for 25-35 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes.

Let cool.

Stir in dried fruits & sunflower seeds.

Store in the refrigerator.

Janette's Vegan Granola

The nutrition facts for this simple and delicious vegan granola can be found at Calorie Count!

Vegan Granola

Ingredients:

3 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup chopped (or slivered) almonds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon light olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, making sure they are well-blended.

Spread mixture evenly on the parchment paper. Bake until golden brown, which will take about 25 to 30 minutes.

Take the granola out of the oven every 5 to 6 minutes and stir.

Allow the granola to cool completely and store in an airtight container. (I simply lifted the edges of the parchment paper and put the entire thing in a container.)

Notes:

If you are not vegan, you may consider substituting honey for molasses.

Consider adding your favorite dried fruit to the mix when it is cool.

Linda's Famous Granola

This will become your family's favorite granola!

The nutrition facts for this wonderful granola can be found at Calorie Count! Calories in the nutrition facts indicate a breakfast sized portion. If you only enjoy granola as a snack and want to know what your calories are, join Calorie Count and create your own nutrition facts!

Famous Granola

Ingredients:

8 C oats
1 C brown sugar
1 C wheat germ
1 C coconut
1 C nuts

3/4 C canola oil
3/4 C water
1/4 C molasses or honey
1 tsp salt
1 T vanilla

Directions:

Mix first 5 ingredients.  Mix remaining ingredients and pour over the dry mixture.  Mix well.  Spread on cookie sheets.  Bake at 200 for 3-4 hours, stirring/turning every 15-30 minutes.  When cereal starts to brown, let cool in oven with the heat turned off.

Bonnie's Breakfast Dover Sole

The nutrition facts for this high protein breakfast is at Calorie Count!

Breakfast Dover Sole

Ingredients:

1 4 oz Dover Sole Fillet
1 egg white
1/4 cup Corn Flakes, crushed
1/4 t Herbes de Provence

Directions:

Spray Pam on a small skillet and heat over medium.

Mix the crushed Corn Flakes (blend them fine in a blender or use a mortar and pestle) with the Herbes de Provence in a small bowl.

In another bowl, beat the egg white.

Dip the filet in the egg white and then in the corn flakes to coat both sides well.

When the pan is hot fry the filet for two minutes on each side. Serve immediately.

Janice's Healthy Egg Scramble

Get your day off to a fabulous and filling start with this delicious breakfast. You can check off at least two servings of your day's veggies with this 192* calorie dish. When served with a slice of whole grain bread spread with a bit of jam it will keep you going strong til lunch.

* If you do not want to add oil at all, reduce the calories by 44. You can simply steam saute the onions, peppers, and veggies in a little water (about 1 tablespoon to start). You are not really sauteing as the word implies the use of oil, but we will throw caution to the wind and say that sauteing in water is a far healthier way to saute for those that need to reduce fat in their diet. Add more water a little bits (a teaspoon or so) at a time as it evaporates and stir until the veggies are softened - a short time left alone in the pan after evaporation with very little stirring will give you some nice browned bits and make it as visually appealing as the traditional olive oil saute. The World's Healthiest Foods suggests that it is better to add the olive oil after cooking anyway as it's properties are compromised when heated.

The nutrition facts for this recipe can be found at Calorie Count!

Healthy Egg Scramble

before adding the eggs

Serves one

Ingredients:

1/4 cup or more of chopped onions
1/4 cup or more of chopped sweet red pepper
1 t habanero olive oil
1 cup or more of torn fresh spinach
1/8 t or more of turmeric
2 good quality eggs, beaten well with a fork

Directions:

Coarsely chop the onions and sweet red pepper. I like to have it sit a few minutes as research suggests that there is a chemical reaction when onions and garlic are cut and exposed to air that allows a health-promoting allicin to form.

Add one teaspoon of olive oil to a good non-stick pan and bring to a shimmer over medium heat. Add the onions and sweet red pepper - stir occasionally until the onions start to turn translucent. Sprinkle with turmeric and stir one minute. I use more, but if you are new to turmeric, start with 1/8 of a teaspoon. Turmeric is one of the foods and herbs that work wonders for my arthritis. Add a cup or two of torn spinach and saute until wilted. Finally add two eggs (if you can't get good eggs from a farmers market, try looking for Country Hen eggs or any free range eggs) and scramble til you get the consistency you like. 
Remove from heat. You can drizzle with more olive oil after cooking or use more to saute if you need more healthy fat in your day. Incredibly aromatic way to start the day.  

Notes:

Try folding the egg scramble inside of a slightly warmed tortilla.

Don't add cheese - I've tried it and it competes with rather than enhancing the other flavors, this may be due to the turmeric.

Aline's Shrimp Scrambled Eggs

Aline had a few extra shrimp one day and decided to see how they worked in an egg scramble - this is a terrific idea for something different! Lots of other ways to take this recipe - it can be an omelet, use habanero olive oil or add some jalapeno, turmeric, or any of your favorite things to eat with an egg.

The nutrition facts for this delicious filling breakfast are found at Calorie Count!

Shrimp Scrambled Eggs 

Ingredients:

8 eggs, beaten

¼ - Large onion

2 Tablespoons sun dried tomatoes

1/3 lb. shrimp, medium sized and sliced length-wise

½ - Bell pepper (red or green or both) If you don’t have any good without.

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

Sauté onions, peppers, or other veggies in olive oil until the onion is clear clear. Add shrimp and sauté for just a few minutes until they start to turn opaque.  Add eggs and cook the way you like them.

Hint:

Try adding some salsa at the table!

Laura's Dried Fruit and Flax Oatmeal

It is so easy to get in a rut with breakfast, same thing day after day. Laura's deliciously simple recipe adds even more nutrition to the ubiquitous rolled oats. Enjoy it with a mug of hot tea for a great start to your day.

The nutrition facts are at Calorie Count!

Dried Fruit & Flax Oatmeal (1 serving)

1/2 cup 1% milk

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup dried fruit (such as dried blueberries or craisins)

1 tbsp. ground flaxseed

1 tsp honey

dash cinnamon

Bring milk, water and oats to a boil; simmer & stir for 5 minutes.

Add fruit, flaxseed, honey and cinnamon.

Suggestion: microwave, stirring at the halfway point. Stock up on a variety of dried fruits and experiment until you find the ones you love the most!

Buggy's Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies

Easy and tasty nutrition for on the go calorie conscious eating anytime! The variations on the following recipe are endless, to find out the calories of any of your changes, click on the link to Calorie Count and search their free database for calories for ingredients like raisins, grated carrot, nuts, chocolate chips, etc. Please see the Notes section below for ingredient substitutions.

The nutrition facts for this great recipe are at Calorie Count!

Carrot Breakfast Cookies to left, Pumpkin to the right!

Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies

18 servings

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups date sugar
3/4 cup brown rice syrup
2 tbsp canola oil 
10 ounces prune puree
4 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups oats  
2 cups bran***
1/4 cup flax seed, ground  
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup peanut butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Coat cookie sheets with non stick cooking spray.

Combine sugar, syrup, oil, plums, egg whites, peanut butter and vanilla.

Add oats, bran, flax seed, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Drop 1/2 cup at a time onto prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 20 minutes or until light golden.

Notes:

Some ingredients may not be readily available where you live. Below are some well tested substitutions -

Substitute brown sugar for the date sugar (raw sugar would probably work fine, too - let me know if anyone tries this).  

Use honey in place of the brown rice syrup.  

Prune puree is easily acquired in the baby food section at the store, OR you can use applesauce instead.

*** "2 cups bran" means wheat germ.  Or you can use oat bran with equal success.

These delectable breakfast cookies freeze beautifully!