Homemade Pita Chips

I love making pita chips! They taste so much better than the store bought ones and it makes me feel like I am still eating chips! I like using Greek Style Pita's. They're thicker and so they have more calories, but they are just so darn good. I use whole wheat ones for the healthiest version. The pita you choose will be the determining factor for calorie intake since they vary so widely.

Greek 100% Whole Wheat Pita

Spray Oil (or Cooking Spray)

Coarse Kosher Salt

Herbs & Spices

Spray one side of the pita with oil or cooking spray. Sprinkle, very sparsely, the kosher salt all over the pita. Then sprinkle the pita with your desired herb or spice. Turn it over and repeat (if you want, I like the taste better when its on both sides). Cut the pita into "chips" or use a cookie cutter for fun shapes. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 6-7 minutes on each side (depending on how crispy you want them). Keep an eye on them the second half as they can burn fast.

I have also butterflied the pita. Cutting the pita thickness in half. These make very light, fragile chips. Keep the pita whole for heartier dipping chips. If you butterfly the pita you don't need to cook them as long.

I like flavor combo's like Salt and Garlic Powder, Salt, Salt and Dill, Cinnamon and Sugar, Cajun, Salt and Lime (instead of cooking spread, rub with a lime wedge and then sprinkle with salt or cumin), Pizza (salt, garlic, Italian seasoning). I'd love to hear your flavor combo's. I heard about dry ranch mix too!

Baked Chicken Fingers

** Since my girls would normally whine about "weird foods" as a breading on thier nugs, I first crushed the almonds and the oats. That made them blend in well with the bread crumbs.

Ingredients:

Olive Oil Spray (or your choice)
1 1/2 pds chicken breast (I used 2 breasts for my girls)
1/2 C Skim milk
1tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4C Sliced Almonds
1/4 C Rolled Oats
1/2 C bread crumbs
1 Tbsp Dried Parsley flakes
1/4 tsp black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a baking sheet with olive oil.Trim any fat from chicken and cut into strips (approx. 6-8 per breast).

Stir milk and mustard together in a bowl. In a separate container mix together almonds, oats, bread crumbs, parsley, and black pepper. One at a time, dip chicken into milk mixture then dredge them in oatmeal mixture, making sure each piece is evenly coated.

Arrange on baking sheet and bake for 14 to 16 minutes, turning once, or until chicken is cooked through and coating is golden brown. Nutritional Information: Calories: 250, Fat: 8 g., Carbs: 7 g., Protein: 37 g.

Clean Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is something I found online, and baked this past weekend. They were really good for a weird cookie! :) I didn't find "sucanat" sugar while I was out, so I just used my organic cane sugar. I also didn't order $6.00 grain chocolate chips online (can you believe that?!?) So I guess my chocolate chips weren't up to snuff. ;) But I still felt these were pretty healthy considering!

Also, they have 115 calories each

Ingredients:

1 cup spelt flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup Sucanat
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp. molasses
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup grain sweetened chocolate chips
1/3 cup walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350*

In a large bowl combine spelt flour, baking powder, baking soda, Sucanat and salt. In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, molasses, vanilla extract and canola oil until well combined. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix JUST until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. Place teaspoonfuls of batter on cookie sheets and bake for 10-11 minutes.

Makes 12 cookies

*I found they were better chewy! Don't overbake!

Corncakes with Maple-Yogurt Topping

Picture credit goes to Heather! :)

From EatingWell.com
See the original recipe here.

Made from stone-ground cornmeal, these pancakes are light and crunchy. Make the pancakes immediately; this batter does not hold.

6 servings, 2 pancakes each
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
3/4 cup stone-ground cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups nonfat milk
1/4 cup low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons canola or corn oil
4 large egg whites

Topping
8 ounces (1 cup) low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt
1/4-1/2 cup maple syrup


Preparation
1.To make corncakes: Combine cornmeal, all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Mix together milk, 1/4 cup yogurt and oil in a medium bowl and stir into the dry ingredients mixture until blended. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks and fold gently into batter.

2.Fry pancakes in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat until brown and puffed, about 5 minutes on each side.

3.To make topping: Combine 8 ounces yogurt and maple syrup in a small bowl and spoon over pancakes.


Nutrition
Per serving : 272 Calories; 6 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 3 g Mono; 4 mg Cholesterol; 45 g Carbohydrates; 11 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 384 mg Sodium; 311 mg Potassium;
3 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 other carbohydrate, 1 fat

Notes: I prefer using Vanilla Yogurt in the cakes and in the sauce. I also prefer adding a touch more sugar to the cakes, though they are delicious with out. Topping with fruit is a wonderful addition. I also use this sauce (3 parts yogurt to 2 parts syrup) on all of my pancakes and waffles these days. I feel like this sauce is far superior to plain syrup and I may never go back!