SLOW COOKER GARLIC PARMESAN POTATOES

Ingredients

• 3 pounds baby potatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 
  
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

• Lightly coat the inside of a slow cooker with nonstick spray. Place potatoes, olive oil, butter, garlic, oregano, basil and dill into the slow cooker; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 hours or high heat for 2-3 hours, or until tender.*
• Serve immediately, sprinkled with Parmesan and garnished with parsley, if desired.

Fix and Forget Hawaiian Chicken

Ingredients

• 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple
• 1 bottle (16 ounces) barbeque sauce (whatever brand is safe for you or homemade)

Instructions

1. Place chicken in a greases 3.5-5 quart crock pot
2. Combine pineapple and BBQ sauce and pour over meat
3. Cook on high heat for 3-4 hours or on low heat for 6-8 hours

Ready to eat with a side of green beans or a topping on rice (or cauliflower rice) 

Homemade Tootsie Rolls (without the junk)

http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2013/03/homemade-tootsie-rolls-without-the-junk.html

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raw honey
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil OR butter, melted
• 1/4 cup organic powdered sugar (see note below)
• pinch of fine sea salt
• 1 cup tapioca flour (may need slightly more or less)
• 1 drop wild orange essential oil OR 1/8 teaspoon of orange extract (optional- but it gives that “fruit-flavor” which is reminiscent of traditional Tootsie Rolls)

Instructions:

Combine the honey, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. When you first start mixing it, it will be a clumpy mess. But just keep mixing and it will come together after a few minutes.

Mix in the melted coconut oil (or butter) and then the powdered sugar and salt.

Stir thoroughly, then begin to slowly add the tapioca flour (1/4 cup at a time). When the dough becomes too stiff to mix with your fork, use your fingers to knead the mixture together until you have a stiff, mildly sticky dough.

Shape the dough into a ball and set aside on a piece of waxed paper for about 10 minutes. Depending on how much tapioca flour you added, the dough should relax a bit and spread out. If it doesn’t, help it out by gently pressing it into a thick circle.

Cut the circle into strips (or whatever shape you’d like), and individually wrap each chunk in a small piece of waxed paper.

If you are finding that the dough is too sticky to cut, place it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes.

I would definitely store these in the fridge– they are just a bit too sticky at room temp.

Kitchen Notes:

• You can purchase organic powdered sugar, or make your own: Simply place granulated organic sugar into a high-powered blender and blend for several minutes until the granules turn into a powder. 
• (HW: I actually use beet sugar to do this - tastes just like the confectioners sugar I grew up with-light and fluffy)
• Tapioca flour is also known as tapioca starch.

Healthy No Bake Breakfast Brownies

http://thebigmansworld.com/2016/06/24/healthy-no-bake-breakfast-brownies/

For the brownies

1. 1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted
2. 1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
3. 1 scoop chocolate protein powder (optional)
4. 1/2 cup nut butter of choice (I used drippy almond)
5. 3/4 cup pure maple syrup (can sub for honey, agave or brown rice syrup)
6. 1/2 cup mashed sweet potato (can sub for mashed pumpkin) (HW: baby food perfect size) 

For the frosting

1. 1/2 cup cocoa powder
2. 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
3. 3 T maple syrup
4. pinch vanilla extract

For the protein frosting

1. 2 scoops chocolate protein powder 
2. 1-2 T granulated sweetener of choice (optional)
3. 1-2 T nut butter of choice (optional)
4. Milk of choice, to form batter

Instructions

1. Line a small, deep baking tray with baking paper and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add your coconut flour, cocoa and protein powder and set aside.
3. In a microwave safe bowl or stovetop, melt your nut butter with your maple syrup until combined. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Stir through the mashed sweet potato until fully incorporated and batter is even. If batter is too thick, add a tablespoon or more of milk of choice until a very thick batter is formed. If batter is too thin, add a dash more coconut flour.
4. Pour batter into the lined baking dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up. While no bake brownies are firming up, make your frosting and enjoy.

To make the frosting

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until fully combined and thick.

To make the protein frosting

1. Combine all the ingredients and using a tablespoon, add milk of choice until a thick, firm batter is formed. Spread on cooled cake.

Notes

1. Breakfast brownies are best kept in the refrigerator, but are also freezer friendly. It is best to keep brownies unfrosted if you go the latter route.

Cantaloupe Melon Sorbet

http://thekitchenmccabe.com/2014/06/23/cantaloupe-melon-sorbet/

INGREDIENTS

• 1 C. Sugar (hw:I would use half this amount- could use honey, beet  sugar, maple syrup...) 
• 1 C. Water
• 4 C. Cantaloupe, cubed & chilled
• Juice of 1 small Lemon  (probably not necessary but if you have and want)

1. Make a simple syrup by placing the water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to completely dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat, place in a airtight container, and refrigerate until cold.
2. Place the chilled cantaloupe cubes, cold simple syrup, and lemon juice in a blender. Puree until very smooth.
3. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturers directions.
4. When thick and frozen, scoop into a container and freeze until firm.
5. Let sit out for 5 minutes before scooping.

Heartweed: optional could blend it all and chill in blender and then right before  putting in ice cream maker give it a little stir (by hand or with blender)