Strawberry Cheesecake

for the topping

1 pint of strawberries chopped, took 3/4 of them and added 
1/4 cup of (cane) sugar, a dash of vanilla extract, 
a dash of lemon juice,
a cornstarch paste (1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a little bit of water), 

put them all in a nonreactive pot and let it come to a boil while using a potato masher to mash up the strawberries and squeeze out the juice - when they were done (about 5 min on medium low heat) i mixed in the rest of the strawberries and waited till the cheesecake was cooled out of the oven to spread the topping on top ~

for the cheesecake filling, just follow the directions on the philly cream cheese package ~ 

Lemon Blast Cookies

Another easy, delicious, baking party!

SOURCE: http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2009/10/12/lemon-burst-cookies/

Yield: About 2 dozen Cookies

1 package lemon cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Zest of 2 lemons
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon lemon extract
1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

2. Pour cake mix into a large bowl. Stir in eggs, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon extract until well blended.

3. Place confectioner’s sugar in a bowl.

4. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough into balls and roll in confectioner’s sugar until lightly coated and place on baking sheet.

5. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Cool for 2-3 minutes on the cookie sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Peanut Butter, Banana, Chocolate Chip Cookies

These were EASY to make and really yummy!

Source: http://rarabakes.blogspot.com/2009/06/peanut-butter-banana-cookies.html

2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

In a medium bowl, combine the bananas, peanut butter, and sugars.

Add baking powder and salt. Stir.

Add flour in 3/4 cup increments, stirring after each addition.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop by large spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Flatten the top of each cookie with a rubber spatula.

Bake at 375 for 11-13 minutes. Makes 14 cookies.

Basic Basil Melt

1 Tomato (Sliced or Diced)
1/2 Cup of Fresh Basil
1 Tbs Olive Oil
Pinch of Salt
1/2 Cup of shredded cheese
*Favorite type of bakery bread sliced diagonally



Combine tomato, olive oil, basil, and salt in a small bowl and allow it to marinate just for a few minutes. Place the mixture onto sliced bread and sprinkle with cheese. Bake or cook on a frying pan (with lid) until cheese melts (only 5 minutes or so).

Oatmeal Raspberry Pancakes (Vegan)

I took this recipe and basically used a chia gel substitute in stead of the 4 eggs, and used vegan butter and nut milk (almond) instead of the buttermilk and milk ingredients.

Turned out great!

Chia Gel (egg substitute)
* 2 tablespoon chia seeds (I used ground up seeds)
* 1/2 cup of cold water
Combine cold water and chia seeds in a bowl and allow to sit

The Green Smoothie

You can pretty much blend all your favorite goodies together for a healthy green smoothie. I usually have either a kale or spinach leaf bunch, avocado, banana, and some berries (blue berries, strawberries, or raspberries). Then I sprinkle in a sea vegetable blend (which includes spirulina, e3live, irish moss, chlorella, red algae, and dulse).

Sometimes I'll throw in a little ginger and leave out the avocado to have a refreshing cleansing green blend! Lot's of ways to bathe and replenish your cells! Lot's!

Gnocchi Bok Choy Stir Fry

Ingredients

3 Garlic cloves (pressed)
1 Small piece of ginger (about the size of half your thumb, pressed)
2 cups of bok choy
1 pkg of gnocchi
3 cups of diced mushroom
1 Jalapeno pepper (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of peanut oil

Directions

Heat peanut oil and add the pressed garlic and ginger. Let the ginger and garlic flavor the oil for a few minutes and then add in mushrooms. Fry the mushrooms for three to five minutes then add the gnocchi. Cook together for about seven to ten minutes and add the chopped jalapeno pepper. Sprinkle in the salt and then add the bok choy (make sure you have taken the leaves apart and have rinsed all the dirt/sand off). Cook only for a few minutes, until the bok choy begins to soften. Turn the heat off and let the steam cook the bok choy for a few more minutes. Serve warm either as a side dish or on its own.