A Yummy way to make Brown Rice taste a little better!

This is from the Epicurious website - I've tried it a few times and it's actually a recipe that makes me like brown rice.

Ingredients
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp unsalted butter
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1 cup brown basmati or long-grain brown rice
• 1/4 cup unsalted pistachios, finely chopped (divided use)
• 2 cups natural fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest (grated peel)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste


Directions

1. Add the oil and butter to a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter melts, add the shallot and saute for 1 minute. Add the rice and 2 Tbsp pistachios. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

2. Increase the heat to high. Add the broth and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 50 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.

3. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon zest and salt. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp pistachios.

Nutrition
Exchanges: 2 1/2 starch, 1 fat; 220 calories, 62 calories from fat, 7 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 475 mg sodium, 36 g total carbohydrate, 3 g dietary fiber, 2 g sugars, 7 g protein.

Cranberry Hootycreeks (I take no credit for the name of this one!)

INGREDIENTS
5/8 cup all-purpose fl our
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose fl our
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS
Layer the ingredients in a 1 quart or 1 liter jar, in the order listed.

Attach a tag with the following instructions (Use an address label or gift tag!)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla
until fl uffy. Add the entire jar of ingredients, and mix together by hand until well blended.
Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Cool on baking sheets, or remove
to cool on wire racks.

Brownie Biscotti

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose fl our
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 egg yolk, beaten
1 tablespoon water

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease baking sheets, or line with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at
a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the fl our, cocoa and baking powder; stir into the
creamed mixture until well blended. Dough will be stiff, so mix in the last bit by hand. Mix
in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
Divide dough into two equal parts. Shape into 9x2x1-inch loaves. Place onto baking sheet 4
inches apart. Brush with mixture of water and yolk.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm. Cool on baking sheet for
30 minutes.
Using a serrated knife, slice the loaves diagonally into 1-inch slices. Return the slices to the
baking sheet, placing them on their sides. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes on each side, or until
dry. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Snickerdoodles

2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine or butter
1/2 cup 2% low-fat milk
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
3 cups 0ats (Quick or Old fashioned, uncooked)

In large saucepan, combine sugar, milk, margarine and cocoa. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Continue boiling 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in oats; mix well. Quickly drop by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper or greased cookie sheet. Let stand until set. Store tightly covered at room temperature.
Makes 3 dozen

Per Cookie: Calories...100...Fat...3 g...Carbs...16 g...Sodium...35 mg...Fiber...1 g.



Banana Date Cookies

2 bananas -- mashed
1 cup dates -- chopped
1/3 cup oil
2 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350º. Mix together bananas, dates and oil. Add oats, chopped nuts, salt and vanilla; mix lightly. Let stand for a few minutes. Drop with teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 25 minutes or until done.
Serving Size : 36

Per cookie: 67 Calories ; 3g Total Fat; 1g fiber
**If you use unsweetened applesauce instead of oil
nutritional facts: 50 cal; 1 g fat; 1 g fiber.



Vegan Bean Cookies

1 can white navy beans, mashed

Cream them with,
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt, but obviously you can leave that out.

4 cups of rolled oats, grind in cuisinart until flour with a little grit to it.
Mix in,
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
Chop 1 cup dried apricots, and mix them in.

Heat the oven to 375ºF
Divide the batter into 24 big balls and bake for 10 minutes

***Now I'm finding these cookies a little on the dry side, so I think I'd add some unsweetened applesauce and maybe some mashed bananas to the mixture.

Banana Oat Cookies

Ingredients:

3 Ripe Bananas
2 Cups of Rolled Oats
1 cup Dates, Pitted and Chopped
1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 tsp Vanilla Extract.

Directions:

1. Prehead Oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Stir in the oats, dates oil and vanilla extract. Mix well and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drop by teaspoons full onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly brown.
4. Enjoy!