Earthly Eating

• Quick and Easy Petit Fours
Serves: 12

1/4 cup mixed berry cream cheese spread
12 white fudge covered sandwich cookies
6 strawberries, halved
1 square of semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted

Spread 1 tsp. cream cheese onto each cookie and top with a strawberry half. Drizzle each creation with the melted chocolate through a piping bag or with a spoon dipped into the chocolate.

• Peanut Butter Berry Delights
Serves: 20-25

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tbs. milk chocolate chips, melted and cooled
2 tbs. whipped topping
20 to 25 large fresh strawberries or frozen will due
5 squared semi sweet baking chocolate, melted

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter with the melted chocolate and whipped topping.

Begin at the right of the stem, cut each strawberry in half diagonally. Scoop out the white portion of each berry. Spread or pip the peanut butter mixture between the two halves and press together.

Place on a prepared baking sheet, refrigerate for about 15 minutes or until solid. Dip the bottom half of each berry in semi sweet chocolate and place back on the pan. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes. Serve.

• Simple Lime Mousse
Serves: 4

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbs. lime juice
1 tbs. grated lime peel
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Lime slices and fresh mint, optional

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream, sugar, lime juice, peel and vanilla. Beat on high speed until soft peak form. Spoon the mixture into dessert dishes and garnish with lime and mint if desired before serving.
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Earthly Eating Recipe

Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle
Serves: 14-16

Drain the strawberries, reserving the juice and set the berries aside. Gently toss the cake cubes with reserved juice. Place have the cake in a 4-qt. trifle dish or serving bowl. Top with a third of the cream cheese mixture, half of the strawberries and half of the grated chocolate. Repeat layers and top with remaining cream cheese mixture. Garnish with chocolate curls and strawberries if desired. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Happy Eating!

People love peanut butter, unless, of course you have an allergy to peanuts. Americans, as a whole consume 800 million pounds of peanut butter a year. Even if you don’t have an allergy, you may stray away from peanut butter because of the 190, on the average, for every 2 tablespoons. But, there is good news. Recent research now shows that peanut butter is actually a very healthy addition to anyone’s diet. Even if you are watching your calories.

It is healthy in many ways. With its healthy monosaturated fat, can lower your risk of a serious heart disease and even diabetes. Peanut butter can also help you shed those added, extra pounds. With the peanut butter diet you can shed extra fat and weight. By having 2 level tablespoons of peanut butter a day, for women and three for men, it has been proven that weight loss will happen at about 1/2 a pound a day, which is 25 pounds in a year. By having 1,500 calories for women and 2,200 a day for men, the study states that peanut butter dieters stuck it out and they maintained their weight for over 18 months. The key to this weight loss is portion control and knowing when and what to pass on eating and how much is too much.

Reduced fat peanut butter is the best way to go when trying this diet. You get less monounsaturated fats and you save all those unnecessary added calories to your weight loss plan.

Some diet foods to try with adding peanut butter are:

• Toasted whole grain waffles topped with 2 tbs. peanut butter.
• Microwave 2 tbs. peanut butter for about 1 minutes and drizzle it over fat-free frozen yogurt.
• Stuff a large celery rib with 2 tbs. peanut butter.
• Fill 1 large dates with 2 tbs. peanut butter.
• Toast 1 slice of wheat bread and spread with 2 tbs. peanut butter.
• In a blender whip together 1 cup fat-free milk and 1 small ripe banana with 2 tbs. toasted wheat germ and 2 tbs. peanut butter.
• Spread a fat-free almond granola bar with 2 tbs. peanut butter.
• Stir up 1/4 cup dry old-fashioned oats, 1 cup fat-free milk, and 4 dried apricot halves, cut into quarters. Microwave for 3 minutes, then stir in 2 tbs. chunky peanut butter and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon.
• In a microwave dessert dish, microwave 2 tbs. peanut butter until melted (about 1 minute). Quickly stir in 3/4 cup fat-free plain yogurt. Top with a small sliced banana.
• Slice a Red Delicious apple, and spread with 2 tbs. peanut butter.
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Earthly Eating Recipe

Squash and Saffron Rice
Serves: 4 to 6

2. Add slivered squash blossoms, broth, salt, and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil. Cover; reduce to the lowest setting and simmer for 15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let steam 10 minutes longer. Fluff and serve immediately.

Happy Eating!