Trail Mix Quinoa Balls

Image courtesy of www.eatliverun.com I was looking for a gluten-free recipe to make for a friend when I stumbled across these delish little babies! They're healthy, sweet and satisfying. I found the recipe here. Chocolate Chip Quinoa Trail Mix Balls makes about 14 bite-sized balls Ingredients: 1 cup old fashioned or quick-cooking oats, dry 1/4 cup quinoa, dry + 3/4 cup water 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut 1/3 cup unsalted sunflower seeds 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips 1/3 cup dried cherries, raisins or cranberries 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp sea salt 1 tbsp peanut butter 1/3 cup honey Directions: Combine the quinoa and water in a small saucepot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 12 minutes, until quinoa has absorbed all the liquid. Fluff and scoop quinoa into a large mixing bowl. Add sunflower seeds, oats, dried cherries and coconut to quinoa and mix well. Bring honey to a simmer on the stove then stir in the vanilla extract and pour on top of nuts and seeds. Mix until well combined. Let mixture cool before adding the chocolate chips, peanut butter and sea salt. Mix well with your hands so the peanut butter is evenly dispersed but be careful not to melt the chocolate chips! Chill dough in fridge for an hour. Using wet hands, gently roll mixture into golf ball-sized balls. Place balls on a plate and chill for at least two hours until firm. Time: 2 1/2 hours (includes time to chill)

BANANA PUDDING

Bananas (the riper the better)
Nilla Wafers (vanilla wafers to people not from the South)
Large box of instant vanilla pudding (using pie directions)
6 oz sour cream
6 oz cool whip


Mix pudding as directed and then add the sour cream and cool whip.
Layer bananas and wafers on top of a layer of pudding, continue layering until full. Top with cool whip.

(Not Spaghetti) Squash

Cook the squash by cutting it in half and removing the seeds. Put it in a baking dish with 1/2 inch of water. Cover tightly with foil, bake 400 for 1 hour. In a frying pan add 1T olive oil, add 1 chopped onion and cook for a few minutes. Add 2 cloves of garlic, cook. Add squash and 1 can of diced tomatoes with liquid. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Uncover and cook until liquid reduces, 5-8 minutes more. Yummy! I think it would be even more yummy with a little parm cheese sprinkled on it. Makes 6 servings. 121 cals, 3g fat, 2g protein, 20g carbs, 0 cholesterol, 80mg sodium

Balsamic Chicken

I made Balsamic Chicken tonight and it was a big hit with my family. I super simplified a recipe a friend had posted on a low carb site- 6 chicken breasts, some shakes of italian seasoning, a can of diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar. Throw it all in the crockpot and cook all afternoon. My kids ate theirs over rice but I had mine over green beans and it was awesome! Plus it makes your house smell amazing!