Pork Cutlets

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded into fine powder)
• 1/4 cup coconut flour plus a few tablespoons for dredging
• 2 eggs
• 4 small, boneless porkchops 
• salt, pepper, seasonings 
• Worcestershire (optional)
• Cabbage
• 3 - 4 Tablespoons Coconut oil 

Directions:

1. Pound pork lightly until thin
2. Season pork with salt and pepper
3. Dredge pork in coconut flour
4. Beat eggs, dip pork into egg mixture
5. Combine Parmesan and coconut and then dip pork into that mixture as well
6. Heat oil 
7. Fry porkchops until dark golden brown and then flip it on the other side (10 min, depending on thickness)
8. Serve with cabbage

Shrimp and Avocado Salad

This makes a nice appetizer or light lunch.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb jumbo cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined and diced
• 1 medium tomato, diced 
• 1 avocado, diced 
• 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced fine 
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion 
• 2 limes, juice of 
• 1 tsp olive oil 
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro 
• salt and fresh pepper to taste 

Directions:

1. In a small bowl combine red onion, lime juice, olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper. 
2. Let them marinate at least 5 minutes to mellow the flavor of the onion.
3. In a large bowl combine chopped shrimp, avocado, tomato, jalapeño. 
4. Combine all the ingredients together, add cilantro and gently toss. 
5. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

If you need to prepare this ahead of time, combine all ingredients except the avocado and cliantro.  Refrigerate.  Add the avocado and cliantro immediately prior to serving.

Basic Tomato Sauce

If you are looking for a tomato sauce recipe with no added sugar, here is a simple, yet tasty recipe.  An added benefit is the extra vegetables added, and no one will know!

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1 small carrot or 1/2 large carrot, finely chopped

1 small stalk of celery, including the green tops, finely chopped

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 t. dried basil or 2 T. chopped fresh basil

1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, including the juice, or 1 3/4 pound of fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 t, tomato paste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large wide skillet on medium heat. 
2. Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery and parsley. 
3. Stir to coat. 
4. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are softened and cooked through.
5. Remove cover and add the minced garlic. 
6. Increase the heat to medium high. 
7. Cook garlic for 30 seconds. 
8. Add the tomatoes, including the juice and shredding them with your fingers if you are using canned whole tomatoes. 
9. Add the tomato paste and the basil. 
10. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
11. Bring to a low simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered until thickened, about 15 minutes. 
12. If you want, you can push the sauce through a food mill, or blend it with an immersion blender, to give it a smooth consistency. 

Cherry Tomatoes with Broccoli Filling

I served these at our Christmas Eve party and they were a very popular appetizer.

Ingredients:

48 cherry or grape tomatoes (about 2 pints)  1 10-oz. package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed1/2 cup  reduced-fat mayonnaise1/2 cup  nonfat sour cream1/4 cup  grated Parmesan1/2 teaspoon  crushed red pepper  Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Slice tops off tomatoes; reserve. 
2. Use a small spoon or melon baller to scoop out pulp; discard pulp. 
3. Invert tomatoes onto paper towels, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to fill
4. Squeeze as much moisture as possible from broccoli and pat dry with paper towels. 
5. Place in bowl of a food processor and add mayonnaise, sour cream, Parmesan and crushed red pepper. 
6. Pulse a few times to thoroughly mix, but do not completely puree. 
7. Season with salt and pepper. 
8. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
9. Spoon 1 tsp. filling into each tomato, mounding filling slightly. 
10. Set tops on filling. 
11. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

10 Servings

Cinnamon Apple Pecan Squares

Ingredients:
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted 
1 tablespoon Cinnamon Extract  
1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract  
1 egg 
3/4 cup flour 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup finely chopped peeled apple 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. Mix sugar, butter and extracts in large bowl until well blended. 
3. Stir in egg. 
4. Add flour and baking powder; mix well. 
5. Stir in pecans and apples.
6. Spread in greased 8-inch square pan.
7. Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 
8. Cool in pan on wire rack. 
9. Cut into 16 squares.

Note:  1 cup chopped walnuts can be substituted for the pecans if desired.

Almond Apple Bars

Crust ingredients:

1 1/4 C. all purpose flour 
1/2 t. kosher salt (or 1/4 t. table salt) 
3 oz. cream cheese, softened at room temp. 
2 oz. (4 T.) unsalted butter, softened at room temp. 
1/4 t. pure almond extract 
1/4 t. pure vanilla extract 
1/4 C. granulated sugar 
1/4 C. light brown sugar 
1/3 C. almonds, finely chopped

Topping ingredients:

2 T. all purpose flour 
2 T. granulated sugar 
2 T. light brown sugar 
1/4 C. almonds, coarsely chopped

Filling ingredients:

5 oz. cream cheese, softened at room temp. 
1/2 C. granulated sugar 
1 large egg 
1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice 
pinch of salt 
2-3 medium (~ 1 lb) Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored & cut into thin slices

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. Line a 9x9 inch square baking pan with parchment. 
3. Butter the parchment.

To make the crust:

1. Sift flour and salt. 
2. Set aside dry ingredients.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. 
4. Add the almond and vanilla extracts and beat on medium until smooth, about 1 minute. 
5. Add the granulated and brown sugars and beat on medium speed until blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
6. On low speed, mix in the flour-salt mixture and the 1/3 cup of finely chopped almonds just until the dough comes together. It should be crumbly.
7. Reserve about 2/3 cup of the crust mixture (for the topping). 
8. Press the remaining dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. 
9. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Bake until light golden, about 16-18 minutes. 
10. Remove crust from the oven.

To make the topping:

1. While the crust bakes, make the topping by adding the flour, granulated and brown sugars to the reserved dough. 
2. Mix until well combined. It should be crumbly. 
3. Set aside topping and 1/4 cup coarsely chopped almonds while you make the filling.

To make the filling:

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. 
2. Beat in the egg, lemon juice and salt until well mixed.

To assemble:

1. Arrange the apple slices over your baked crust. 
2. Pour the cream cheese filling over the apples and gently spread the filling to cover. 
3. Crumble the topping over the filling. 
4. Sprinkle with the almonds. 
5. Bake until light golden brown, about 45-50 minutes. 
6. Let the bars cool in the pan for about 30 minutes. 

Makes one 9x9 inch square pan

Lemon and Lavender Cuticle Cream

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz. Shea Butter
½ oz. Cocoa Butter
¼ oz. Beeswax
½ tsp. Vitamin E Oil or Coconut Oil
5 drops Lemon Essential Oil
5 drops Lavender Essential Oil

Directions:

1. Add the butters, beeswax and coconut oil (if using) to the double boiler, and heat gently to melt, stirring occasionally.
2. When fully melted, turn off heat and allow to cool slightly.
3. Before cuticle balm starts to solidify add the vitamin E oil (if using) and essential oils.
4. Mix gently to combine ingredients and pour into your container.
5. Leave to fully cool and set.

Use daily, and when your cuticles need a little extra moisturizer.  Keep in mind that a little goes a long way.