Enjoy Each Bite

I thought this idea was a little weird at first, just because of my past feelings about mayonaise. But mayonaise gives a nice creamy-like touch to pasta dishes and the meal still remains dairy-free.  This dish is whole wheat penne pasta, cooked shrimp and asparagus. The "sauce" is created by stirring in about 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil mayo, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1-2 Tablespoons Italian salad dressing (check for dairy ingredients), garlic salt, Italian seasoning blend and Mrs Dash Garlic and Herb seasonings to taste.

I used this recipe as the inspiration for my black bean soup. I made a few alterations, mainly cooking my own black beans rather than using canned beans. Also, for dairy-free eaters, no sour cream. I also used the chicken broth that I made last year that was in my freezer. And I altered the garnish for the top. I made my simple garnish out of green onion, cilantro and lime juice. Ingredients ·          6 slices bacon, chopped ·          1 large onion, diced ·          3 cloves garlic, minced ·          2 cups chicken broth ·          pinch of dried oregano ·          pinch of cayenne pepper ·          1/2 teaspoon ground cumin ·          salt to taste ·          2 (14.5 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained ·          14 1/2 fluid ounces water ·          1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper ·            ·        Garnish: ·          1/3 cup minced green onion ·          chopped cilantro ·          juice of 1 lime ·            ·      Directions 1.       Place bacon in a cold pot. T

These oatmeal cookies have a little extra goodness, in the forms of oat flour, cranberries, walnuts and optional chocolate chips. Perfectly chewy and full of flavor, and even better, some nutrition in there too. In a large bowl, beat together until smooth: 3/4 cup butter/margarine (Smart Balance = no dairy) 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla Add and mix well: 1 1/2 cups flour (I used 1 cup unbleached all purpose and 1/2 cup oat flour) 1 tsp baking soda 1 heaping tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt (optional) Stir in: 3 cups oats (quick or rolled, I prefer quick) 1 cup dried cranberries 1/4-1/2 cup chopped walnuts chocolate chips (optional) Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, cool and eat!

My first attempt at making cinnamon rolls and I am so pleased! They were easier than I expected and delicious as anticipated. This recipe makes about 20 large cinnamon rolls. Mix together in a large bowl: 2 1/2 cups warm water 1 1/2 T yeast 1 T salt 1/3 cup white sugar Add and mix in: 1 egg 1/3 cup oil 7 cups flour (add a little at a time) Knead the dough until smooth and let rise in a warm place for about 10 minutes. Roll out the dough using a rolling pin trying to get it into a rectangular shape, about  1/2-1 inch thick. Spread melted butter (Smart Balance) all over rolled out dough and sprinkle lots of cinnamon sugar and optional walnuts, raisins, cranraisins, etc. Roll it up and pinch off the ends. Cut the roll into about 1 inch pieces using clean dental floss.  Here are the cinnamon rolls before baking: Bake on a cookie sheet or baking pan for about 18-20 minutes at 350 degrees F. I made some without nuts and some with. Icing:  Almond milk (just enough to achieve drizzli