Zucchini Honey Cake

3 eggs
1 1/2 cups liquid honey
1 cup oil
2 cups finely shredded zucchini
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour, sifted
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup choppednuts or 1 cup raisins or 1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Set oven rack to second lowest position.
Oil and flour 2 medium or 3 mini loaf pans. ( I used a 9x13 baking pan)
In a mixing bowl using an electric mixer beat eggs well; add honey and oil, beat until well combined.
Add zucchini and vanilla, mix.
Sift dry ingredients, then add to egg mixture.
Fold in nuts/raisins/chocolate chips.
Pour batter into prepared pan about 3/4 full.
Bake for about 50 minutes or until cake tests done.

Butter Honey Wheat Bread

1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons honey
2 cups bread flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/3 cup powdered milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 package active dry yeast - (1/4 oz) or 1 tsp. fast acting yeast

Put ingredients into bread machine in the order suggested by the machine's
manufacturer. Process for large (1 1/2 pound) loaf, wheat setting.

This recipe yields a 1 1/2 pound loaf.

Natural sugars

We are trying something new this week. We are trying to take out refined sugars from our diet as much as possible and replace it with natural sugars such as honey, maple syrup and granulated whole cane sugar. I would love for myself to get rid of my body's dependency on sugar as a whole. We are trying to follow the steps outlined in this blog to do just that. http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/2011/01/slay-the-sugar-monster-in-four-doable-steps/
We'll see how this goes as my body does not tolerate pasteurized dairy these days. Or could it be the refined sugars that are causing the headaches? I must say that our food tastes much better when using butter, whole milk and whipping cream. I was told by Sarah "the healthy home economist" that usually people tolerate raw unpasteurized milk even if they can't tolerate store bought milk. I grew up drinking raw milk and never experienced headaches. It makes one think.... Unfortunately it does not seem like one can buy raw milk in Manitoba, oh politics, need I say more? We'll see how this goes. I'll keep you all posted.

Frosted Rhubarb Coconut Cookies

Cookie:
1 cup margarine
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups diced rhubarb
3/4 cup flaked coconut

Cream shortening and sugar till fluffy, beat in eggs. Combine flour, soda and salt. Gradually add this to creamed mixture and mix well. Fold in rhubarb and coconut. Drop by tbsp. full onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-14 minutes. Let cool on pan for a minute before removing from the pan. Makes 3 - 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

Frosting:
3 oz. package cream cheese
1 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 cup icing sugar
3 tsp. vanilla

Mix frosting in order given and ice cooled cookies.

Tasty Lentil Tacos

1 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup salsa
12 taco shells or tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup chopped fresh tomato
1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
6 tablespoons fat free sour cream


In a large nonstick skillet, saute the onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the lentils, chili powder, cumin and oregano; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Uncover; cook for 6-8 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Mash lentils slightly.
Stir in salsa. Spoon about 1/4 cup lentil mixture into each taco shell. Top with lettuce, tomato, cheese and sour cream.
I did not stir the salsa into the lentils. We added the salsa to the tacos as desired.

Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

3 lg. eggs
2 c. white sugar
3/4 c. oil
1/2 c. cocoa
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
2 c. zucchini, shredded
2 1/2 c. flour
Chocolate chips

Beat egg, add sugar, oil, and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and add. Stir in zucchini. Spoon into greased and floured sheet cake pan. Sprinkle chips over top. (To make a cake, bake in a 9 x 13 inch pan.) Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.