Lemon Pancake muffins

Adapted from:http://katincooks.com/2009/04/14/stuffed-pancake-cupcakes/

Why just have pancakes for breakfast when you can have them, as muffins instead.

Serves: 6

2 c. Pancake mix
1 c. milk * (Almond, Rice,Soy Milk)
2 eggs* egg substitute
1/2 stick Margarine
12 Tbsp. cream cheese with lemon juice mixed in
confectioners sugar for sprinkling
syrup (Your choice)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Generously oil the muffin pan to coat the bottom & sides of a 12-muffin tin with margarine. Make pancakes according to you're recipe you're following.

3. Filling each cup in the muffin tin half-way. Add 1 tbsp of filling to the middle of each muffin, then cover with the remaining pancake mix. Bake 20 minutes.

4. Remove from oven, place on serving dish & use a flour sifter to sprinkle with sugar. Serve with warm syrup.

Zucchini-Carrot Tots

Adapted From: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/07/zucchini-tots.html

Why settle for Tater tots when you can have a much healthier version.

Serves: 3 (Makes: 4 Tots)

Non-stick cooking oil
1 pkg. c. Zucchini, grated
1 egg* egg substitute
1/4 med onion, minced
1/4 med carrots, grated
1/4 c. breadcrumbs
1/4 tsp. Course Himalayan Salt
1/4 tsp. freshly cracked pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. Using non-stick cooking spray, and spray baking sheet.

3. Grate the zucchini, carrots into a clean dish towel until 1 pkg c. Wringing out all the excess water out from the zucchini, discard excess water from zucchini, in a medium bowl, blend in pepper, Salt, garlic.

4. Spoon about 1 Tbsp. of mixture in your hands and roll into small ovals. Place mixture onto the cookie sheet and bake for 16 to 18 minutes, turning Zucchini -carrot tots halfway though cooking until golden.

Living Better Suggestion:
* If you want a more cheesy taste add 1/4 c. (cheese of you're choice) As you can also use vegan cheese with theses.

Mediterranean Paella

Adapted from: http://www.food.com/rec…/mediterranean-chicken-paella-167122

Lets step out of our comfort zone and into a more uptown feel. This dish is quick and easy to make without the worries of reading the back of a box.

Serves: 4

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh minced garlic
1 tsp. dried chili pepper flakes ( to taste)
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 c. frozen artichoke heart, thawed (or use canned drained)
3⁄4 c. sliced pitted olive (green or black)
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
1 c. water (or use 1 c. chicken or vegetable broth with the a 14-ounce can)
1 c. uncooked long-grain brown rice
1 tsp. Course Himalayan salt (to taste)
1⁄2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. old bay seasoning
1 pinch saffron thread
black pepper
2 c. cooked extra lean turkey, chopped
3⁄4 cup fresh green pea
1 c.Stew tomatoes
Directions:
1. In a large skillet over medium heat add oil.
2. Add in onions, garlic, bell pepper and chili flakes saute for about 3 minutes.
3. Add in artichokes and olives; cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
Add in broth and water; bring to a boil.
4.Add in the uncooked rice, salt and paprika; mix well, then add in saffron; season with black pepper cover and simmer over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes.
5.Add in the cooked turkey and peas, Tomatoes; mix to combine; cover and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender and the peas are cooked through.
6.Season with salt and pepper
7.Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
*Note: feel like going seafood tonight substitute the chicken and make it a clam/ shrimp/or even better "Lobster" ..... Just run with it on a budget.

Money Saving tip Tuesday....Plastic Wrap

* Adapted from: Life Hacker

* Picture from: Slate.com

Welcome to another edition of Money Saving tips.
In this edition I will be sharing some cool tips that won't break your bank, and will keep you smiling from ear to ear all the time.
Once again thank you for sticking around, for this first edition of Money saving tips for this November edition. I will be bring you different Money saving tip's daily on saving cash in your wallet, every Tuesday. Well this week I am bring you an "Awesome saving" on Plastic wrap. Have you ever tried placing you're food items into the freezer and notice that "Oh hot biscuits" the plastic wrap just won't act right.
Well I have the quick and easy money solution just for you, all it takes is for you to continue on reading and you will have the key to getting unstuck with that nagging Plastic wrap.
Unstick plastic wrap in the freezer:
Plastic Wrap loses it's static cling when placed in the freezer. It will attach to any bowl or plate that needs covering, but if you place you're food with Aluminum foil with plastic wrap then you're safe to go. First you want to: roll out your foil then place the plastic wrap over the foil, place you're food you want to save on the plastic wrap and wrap it up together.
Freezing meat in small potions with chopsticks:
Either you brought extra meat or made your own burgers, and you need extra storage place to store them. All it takes is just, an extra 10 minutes it takes to thaw ground meat in the microwave is time you could have spent doing something else. Eliminate it by pressing a chopstick into the meat on the outside of a zip top bag. It will allow you to break off as much as you need without thawing the entire amount.

Hot Out Of The Oven..... Bananas

Adapted from: Wikipedia, live science
*(Picture from: www.medicalnewstoday.com )
*Note:Please continue to read this blog article.
Living Better Cafe is bring you Fresh out of the oven news, that you're going to love. That no other blog source will ever take you close into the story. I say more good reasons to love L.B.C, not only are you revising original recipes. Your saving money while eating the way you want in a healthier way.
Welcome to the first edition of Hot Out of the Oven for the November Edition. I hope everything is going well for you all, as I am hanging in there doing what I need to do to get Better.
Within this edition as you can see I will be sharing some good information about health benefits on eating Bananas. Eating fruits in general is very beneficial to each and everyone health, as we may sit and frown over the taste of eating particular fruit's. These fruit's are doing what is best in our favor regardless of what we don't want to eat.
So lets get started on talking about the benefits of this natures natural fruit.This truth about bananas may hit you as a shocker, as it is set to be true that Bananas are believed to be botanically a berry. As they are produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus Musa. As In some countries, bananas used in for cooking may be called plantains. The fruit is variable in size, color and firmness, but is usually elongated and curved, with soft flesh rich in starch covered with a rind which may be green, yellow, red, purple, or brown when ripen.
Bananas are high in "potassium and pectin, which is a form of fiber " They can also be a good way to get magnesium and vitamins C and B6. "Bananas are high in antioxidants, which can provide protection from free radicals, which we come into contact with every day, from the sunlight to the lotion you put on we put on our skin".
Heart health:
Bananas are good for your heart. They are packed with potassium, a mineral electrolyte that keeps electricity flowing throughout your body, which is required to keep your heart beating. Bananas' high potassium and low sodium content may also help protect your cardiovascular system against high blood pressure, according to the FDA.
Depression plus Mood changes:
Bananas can be helpful in overcoming depression "due to high levels of tryptophan, which the body converts to serotonin, the mood-elevating brain neurotransmitter," Flores said. Plus, vitamin B6 can help you sleep well, and magnesium helps to relax muscles.
Digestion and Weight loss:
Bananas are high in fiber, which can help keep you regular. One banana can provide nearly 10 percent of your daily fiber requirement. Vitamin B6 can also help protect against type 2 diabetes and aid in weight loss, according to Flores. In general, bananas are a great weight loss food because they taste sweet and are filling, which helps curb cravings. They also help sustain blood sugar levels during workouts.
Vision:
As carrots may get all the glory for helping your eyes, but bananas do their share as well. The fruits contain a small but significant amount of vitamin A, which is essential for protecting your eyes, maintaining normal vision and improving vision at night, Bananas have vitamin A which contains compounds that preserve the membranes around your eyes and are an element in the proteins that bring light to your corneas. Like other fruits, bananas can help prevent macular degeneration, an incurable condition, which blurs central vision.
Bone Health:
Bananas may not be overflowing with calcium, but they are still helpful in keeping bones strong. Bananas contain an abundance of fructooligosaccharides. These are nondigestive carbohydrates that encourage digestive-friendly priobotics and enhance the body's ability to absorb calcium.
Cancer:
Bananas may be protective against kidney cancer. in a 2005 Swedish study found that women who ate more than 75 servings of fruits and vegetables cut their risk of kidney cancer by 40 percent, and that bananas were especially effective. Women eating four to six bananas a week halved their risk of developing kidney cancer. Bananas may be helpful in preventing kidney cancer because of their high levels of antioxidant phenolic compounds.
Health Risk:
Eating bananas in moderation, there are no significant side effects associated with eating bananas. However, eating the fruits in excess may trigger headaches and sleepiness, the amino acids in bananas that dilate blood vessels." Overripe bananas contain more of these amino acids than other bananas. "Bananas can also contribute to sleepiness when eating bananas in excess due to the high amount of tryptophan found in them," Magnesium also relaxes the muscles — another sometimes-benefit, sometimes-risk.
Bananas are a sugary fruit, so eating too many and not maintaining proper dental hygiene practices can lead to tooth decay. They also do not contain enough fat or protein to be a healthy meal on their own, or an effective post-workout snack.
Eating bananas becomes significantly risky only if you eat too many. The USDA recommends that adults eat about two cups of fruit a day, or about two bananas. If you eat dozens of bananas every day, there may be a risk of excessively high vitamin and mineral levels.
While the University of Maryland Medical Center reported that potassium over consumption can lead to hyperkalemia, which is characterized by muscle weakness, temporary paralysis and an irregular heartbeat. It can have serious consequences, but you would have to eat about 43 bananas in a short time for any symptoms of hyperkalemia to occur.
Consuming more than 500 milligrams of vitamin B6 daily can possibly lead to nerve damage in the arms and legs. You would have to eat thousands of bananas to reach that level of vitamin B6.

Sloppy Joe Macaroni and Cheese

Adapted from:http://allrecipes.com/reci…/87531/sloppy-joe-mac-and-cheese/

This Two in one dish pack's Whopper of a taste.

Serves: 9

1 (16 oz.) pkg. elbow noodles
1 3/4 lb. Ground extra lean turkey
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 ( 6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 (1.3 oz.) sloppy Joe seasoning
1/4 c. plus 1 tsp. Margarine
1 small onions
1/4 c. plus 1 tsp. all purpose flour* gluten free flour
1 tsp. dried mustard
1 tsp. course Himalayan salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
3 1/3 c. half & half
1 Tbsp. plus 1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar
4 1/2 c. shredded monterrey Jack cheese
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place macaroni in the pot, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease a large casserole baking dish.
.
3. Place the ground turkey in a skillet over medium heat, and cook until evenly brown. Drain grease. Mix in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and sloppy joe seasoning. Reducing the heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes.
4. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until tender. Mix in flour, mustard, salt, and pepper. In a bowl, mix the half and half and Worcestershire sauce. Gradually whisk half and half mixture into the pot. Bring to a boil, and cook 1 minute, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Mix in 3 cups of each cheese. Stir cooked pasta into the pot, evenly coating with the sauce. Transfer to the casserole dish. Layer with the beef mixture and top with remaining cheese.
5. Cover, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove cover, and continue baking 10 minutes, until bubbly.

Apple crisp cookies

(Inspired by: Baked apple crisp & Adapted

from:http://allrecipes.com/recipe/216023/apple-crisp-cookies/

Serves: 24 dozen

2 c. plus 2 Tbsp. All purpose flour, * gluten free flour
1 1/2 tsp. Ground cinnamon
1 tsp. Baking powder
1 tsp. Course Himalayan salt
1/2 c. Margarine, softened
1/2 c. Organic pure sugar
1/2 c. Organic brown sugar
7 Tbsp. Apple butter
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. Apple juice
2 c. Old fashion oat's
1 Granny Smith apple, finely chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375. In a large mixing bowl, mix all flour together with the cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
2. In a separate mixing bowl, mash margarine, Organic sugar, and brown sugar together until thoroughly combined, then stir in the apple butter until smooth. Stir in eggs, vanilla extract, and apple juice until well blended together; pour in the liquid mixture into the flour mixture about 1/3 c. at a time, stirring after each addition. Mixing in the oats and chopped apple.
3. With 2 teaspoons, form the dough into balls and place onto a prepared un greased baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
4. Baking in the oven until the cookies are lightly golden brown and set in the centers, for about 10 minutes; allow to cool for about 2 minutes on baking sheets until removing to cool on a cooling racks.