Have a Thanksgiving potluck, Holiday party, or school bake sale coming up? Give these muffins a try! I make these muffins every year during the holiday season. You can check out my previous post--Whole Wheat Pumpkin muffins--for the batter recipe, and a healthier option, of course:).  However, if you have a sweet tooth, or you simply want to impress your guests, this sugar coating recipe is a great option.

I made these muffins last week for a Thanksgiving potluck and they were a success. The best part about these muffins, is that even though they are sweet, they are whole wheat! So after carving into that juicy turkey, and tasting all the great Thanksgiving sides, your guests won't feel too guilty about indulging in a tasty desert!


Ingredients:
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (King Arthur)

I love pizza. My only problem with ordering pizza is how little control I  have over the variety and quantity of the toppings. If you are a picky eater, a health nut, or just enjoy the smell of homemade pizza, you MUST try this easy recipe.

This is a great activity to do for a dinner party; each guest can create their own pizza and pair it with a red or white wine. It can also be a fun birthday party idea for kids; kids can create faces and fun designs with their toppings. Lastly, this is a great romantic date idea; it's interactive, sensual, and fun!


Ingredients:
1 pack Trader Joe's whole wheat pizza dough (they also sell regular pizza dough)
marinara sauce to taste
buffalo mozzarella cheese or regular skim mozzarella Cheese
Optional toppings: turkey, pineapple, basil, tomato

*Add any additional toppings of your choice.

Ingredients:
4 Bananas, peeled
Reduced Fat Jiff Peanut Butter
Optional: Pretzels, coconut 

Directions:
Slice peeled banana into small circles. Layer peanut butter on top of the slices and cover with another slice of banana. Place banana bites in the freezer and serve cold! 

Optional: If you want to add more crunch and flavor, add a pretzel at the bottom of the bite and sprinkle lightly with coconut. Enjoy!

If you are a peanut butter lover, you will LOVE this treat. It can a healthy desert, pre-workout snack, or school snack for kids! The frozen banana and peanut butter tastes like ice cream, but without the guilt! It can also be served at room temperature for a more traditional banana peanut butter treat. 

Ingredients:
1 red onion
1 box of cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon garlic finely chopped
fresh basil
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
garlic salt
pepper
1 loaf long French bread, sliced

Directions:
1. Chop tomatoes, red onion, garlic and basil and combine into a medium sized bowl.
2. Add red wine vinegar and oil.
3. Add garlic salt and pepper to your taste.
4. Bake bread at 350 degrees for 5-8 minutes.
5. Place tomato mix on each slice of bread and serve!

*This Bruschetta tomato mix is also good with the Papas recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 onion
2 medium tomatoes
1 seedless serrano pepper
cilantro
garlic salt
pepper
lemon pepper seasoning
2 limes

Directions:
Dice tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and serrano pepper. Add crushed tomato sauce and drizzle limes, salt, pepper and lemon pepper seasoning. Serve chilled with whole wheat chips!

Ingredients:
5 chicken breasts
a 14.5 oz diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 1/2 boxes of 32 oz reduced sodium chicken broth
15 oz low sodium black beans, drained
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 large red onion, chopped
1 chili serrano pepper, chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
4 limes
cilantro
3 teaspoons garlic powder
group pepper, to taste
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
garlic salt
1 bag of whole wheat tortilla chips

Healthy toppings:
Skim mozzarella cheese, cilantro, plain greek yogurt (sour cream replacement) and avocado

Directions:
Heat chicken broth and water (add more or less water depending on the quantity you are making). Add garlic salt, ground pepper, cumin, and chili powder to mix. Add diced chicken and chili serrano peppers and limes. Stir tomato paste and can of diced tomatoes and beans. While the soup simmers, chop vegetables and add to soup. Cook at a low temperature for 45 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Taste for seasoning, and if necessary at more. Dip whole wheat chips into each serving and sprinkle cilantro on top.

Ingredients:
1 small red onion, quartered
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
1. Slice one-quart of the onion and dice the rest of the onion. Mix onion with vinegar, oregano, and garlic. Combine 1/4 of mixture with the sliced onion and set aside.

2. Sprinkle both sides of steak with salt and pepper and prick well with a fork. In a large zip up bag combine steak with the 1/4 of marinade and marinate for an hour or overnight.

3. Heat broiler and cook steak with remaining marinade and onions for 4-5 minutes per side. Let cool and serve!

Ingredients:
4 teaspoons of garlic minced
3/4 cup light olive oil
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
4 fillets salmon




Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, mix garlic, olive oil, basil, salt, pepper, lemon and parsley.
2. Line a glass baking dish with tin foil and place fillets on top. Coat fillets with a thin layer of butter.
3. Drizzle marinade on salmon. Cover fillets with tin foil.
4. Preheat fillet to 350 degrees and cook for 10-15 minutes (thin fillets) 20-25 minutes (thick fillets).

Ingredients:
3 sweet potatoes
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon



Directions:
Peel and chop potatoes. Boil at a high temperature for 30 minutes. Drain and smash potatoes. Add butter, honey, cinnamon and salt.

Ingredients:

black pepper
lemon pepper seasoning

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking dish with tin foil. Rinse potatoes and pat dry. Add olive oil, garlic salt, pepper, paprika and lemon pepper. Bake for 40-45 minutes, tossing potatoes in between. Remove from oven and add Thyme and 1 tbsp of butter. Serve!

Ingredients:
2 (15 oz ) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 (15 oz ) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

Ingredients:
3-4 lbs chuck roast steak
1-2 white onions
4 carrots
4 celery stalks
4-5 potatoes
salt/garlic salt
pepper
garlic powder
olive oil
2 dried bay leaves
4 tbsp red wine vinegar

Directions:


Pat steak dry with a paper towel, then rub salt and pepper on all sides. In a large pot, add a thin layer of olive oil and heat at a low temperature. Simmer steak on all sides for several minutes until golden.


 Remove steak from skillet and add chopped onions to pot and cook for 5 minutes.


Add carrots, celery, and potatoes to veggie mix and sprinkle garlic salt, pepper, and garlic powder to your liking. Add beef to vegetable mixture and sprinkle with red wine vinegar and water. Cook at a really low temperature for 2-2.5 hours. Cut steak and serve!