Pear Muffins

2  1/4 c flour
1/4 c flax meal
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 - 3/4 tsp stevia
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c milk
1 1/2 c pears, chopped
1/2 c butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tblsp honey or maple syrup

Preheat oven to 375. Mix dry ingredients and form a well. Stir in liquids until batter is moist. Line with cupcake liners and spray with oil. Fill cups three-fourths full and bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Chicken Scampi

1/2 c butter
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c chopped green onion
1 Tblsp minced garlic
1 lemon
2 lbs chicken breast, cut up
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 c parsley
1 tomato, sliced and cut in half
Angel hair pasta

Saute butter, oil, garlic and onions. Add the juice of l lemon. Put in the cut up chicken, salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is done. Add parsley and cut up tomato. Heat and add to the cooked angel hair pasta. Serve immediately.

Quinoa Waldorf Salad

1/3 c quinoa or 1 c leftover quinoa
1 apple, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium carrot, shredded
1/4 c chopped nuts
1 (5oz) can turkey, or chicken
2 Tblsp Mayonnaise
6 large lettuce leaves

Cook quinoa. Mix rest of ingredients, except lettuce, in a medium bowl. Add drained and cooled quinoa and mix well. Chill and serve on lettuce leaves.

6 servings.

Crock Pot Lemon Chicken

1 lb chicken breasts
1 packet Italian dressing mix
2 Tblsp butter
1/4 c lemon juice
1/4 c chicken stock
Noodles or rice

Put chicken, mix, butter, juice, and chicken stock in crock pot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. When done, shred chicken with 2 forks. Serve over noodles or rice and top with juices from crock pot.

Chocolate Cheesecake

4 squares (1 oz each) Baker's chocolate
4 c low-fat cottage cheese
2 Tblsp butter, melted
4 eggs
6-8 Tblsp honey or maple syrup
1 tsp stevia
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c flour

Melt the chocolate over low heat in a small pan. Add the butter and melt.

Press the cottage cheese through a fine strainer. Place in a mixing bowl. Add the melted chocolate and butter.

Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Add eggs one at a time to the cottage cheese, beating well after each addition. Mix in the honey or maple syrup, stevia, vanilla, salt, and flour. Stir until mixture is smooth and thoroughly blended.

Pour gently into cake pan lined with a graham cracker crust. Bake in 300 oven for 1 hour. Shut oven off but leave cake inside for 1 1/2 hours longer. Do not open oven door.

Cool on the counter then chill the cake in the refrigerator before serving. Up to 12 hours or more is recommended.

Graham Cracker Crust

1 1/2 c graham crackers, finely ground
5-6 Tblsp butter, melted

Mix the melted butter into the crumbs until well blended. Press the crumbs into the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of a 9-inch spring form pan. The crust may be baked in a 300 oven or left unbaked. If used unbaked, the crust must be thoroughly chilled before filling.

Cranberry Muffins

1 c cranberries, chopped
1 tsp stevia
1/3 c oil
2 eggs
1 c milk
1/4 c yogurt
1-2 Tblsp honey or maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners and spray with oil.  Yield: 12 muffins

Chop the cranberries by pulsing on grind in the blender a few times. Mix the stevia into the cranberries in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the oil and eggs together with a wire whisk. Mix the milk and yogurt together in a cup, then add to the egg mixture. Whisk in the honey or maple syrup and vanilla.

Sift the dry ingredients together. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet stirring as little as possible. Mix cranberries into batter just before flour is completely mixed in. Spoon into muffin pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a rack.

Chex Party Mix

6 Tblsp butter
1 Tblsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
4 1/2 c corn chex
4 1/2 c rice chex
1 c mixed nuts

Heat oven to 250. On large baking sheet, melt butter in oven. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in remaining ingredients until evenly coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container.