Tasty Treats By Michi

This jello has been a staple for the holidays for the last few years, and even though we only had a Thanksgiving for two, I had to make it for the first time! It is that sweet, cold, crunchy textured dish that you need to even out the rest of the sides you are eating on Thanksgiving.  This is a favorite in our household and most often referred to as "refreshing" :) (that's an inside joke for my family).  Try this recipe, it's easy and delicious! Thanks to my sister-in-law, Lynn, to introducing it to us! 

Ingredients: 

• 6 oz of strawberry jello (prepared with 1/2 cup less water than package lists)
• 1 box of frozen strawberries with liquid, sliced
• 1 small can of crushed pineapple, strained 
• 1 cup of walnuts, chopped
• 3/4 cup of Nonfat Greek Yogurt

Directions: 


Begin by preparing your ingredients.  Strain the pineapple and make sure to remove all the liquid, chop the walnuts and slice the strawberries.  Then, make the jello according to the package directions.  Make sure to use 1/2 cup less water than listed on the package.  You will already have some extra liquid from the strawberries and the juice that is inside the pineapple. 


Add the strawberries, walnut, and pineapple to the jello mixture. 


Spray your jello mold with canola spray.  Pour the mixture into the sprayed mold , filling it halfway.   Refrigerate the mold for at least 4 hours, so the mixture has time to harden.  Then, add the 3/4 cup of non-fat yogurt in an even layer on top of the jello inside the mold. Finally, add more jello mixture to fill the mold.  Cover the mold with some saran wrap and refrigerate overnight.  *If you have any extra jello mixture, put it in another container to refrigerate and enjoy later.* 


Leave the mold in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.  Once ready, put the mold in a small mixing bowl filed with warm water.  Use a knife to slide around the mixture inside mold and then flip the mold out onto a plate carefully. 


Serve immediately and enjoy!  Refrigerate any leftovers immediately before the mold melts and turns into a slop :). 
  

The bananas went rotten in the house (it's hard to buy fruit when only two people are eating it!) so I decided to make some banana bread.  I had a momentary freak out because I cannot find my bread loaf pan, but then I decided I would just make banana nut muffins instead.  They came out absolutely amazing!  This is actually a recipe from the Swank MS Diet book, I just altered it slightly.  Yum! 

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 and 1/2 ripened bananas (black!), about 1 cup when mashed
• 1/2 cup nonfat/low fat plain yogurt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (tasteless oil!)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts plus extra for topping (optional)
• Cinnamon for sprinkling 
• Brown sugar for sprinkling
• Pam for Baking

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 

Break peeled bananas in chunks and place in standing mixer.  Blend on low for a few seconds, then on high until bananas are completely mashed and smooth. Add yogurt, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract.  Gradually add the oil and mix some more.  

Once the mixture is smooth, gradually add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and mix everything together by hand.  Scrape the sides of the bowl and continue mixing until everything is incorporated and smooth.  

Spray a cupcake pan with Pam for Baking and fill each cup halfway with the batter.  Sprinkle some brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts on the top of each cupcake.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the edges of the cupcakes are slightly browned.  Enjoy this delicious treat!