Healthy and Tasty!

The November 1988 edition of What's Cooking in the Bluegrass featured a section on health-conscious recipes. Many of the recipes were created by cooks who wanted to reduce the fat and calories in many of their favorite dishes.

Maria Gardner of Lewis County created these low cholesterol apple
muffins for her husband, Dennis.

Low cholesterol apple cinnamon muffins

2 cups oat bran cereal
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 cup skim milk
2 egg whites, slightly beaten
1/4 cup honey or molasses
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped apples (1 medium apple)
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line 12 medium muffin cups with paper baking liners or spray bottoms only with cooking spray. Combine cereal, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Add milk, egg whites, honey and oil. Mix just until dry ingredients are moistened. Then add apples, nuts and cinnamon. Fill prepared muffin cups almost full. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until golden brown. Try not to overcook, or they will be hard. A toothpick stuck in the middle should come out clean.

Margaret Lane, who was executive director of the Lieutenant Governor's Mansion in Frankfort in 1988, received the original recipe for overnight whole-grain pancakes from a friend in Idaho. "I've added a few odds and ends. My favorite way of enjoying them is to top them with natural peanut butter and fresh strawberries or peaches," she said. The pancakes are ideal for supper meals, especially with fried apples.

Overnight whole-grain pancakes

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
2 tablespoons sugar or honey
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt, optional
2 eggs, beaten, or may use egg substitute
6 tablespoons melted butter, or light oil
Milk, if needed

In a large bowl, combine oats, cornmeal and buttermilk. Cover and
refrigerate overnight. In the morning, sift baking soda, flour, sugar,
baking powder and salt, twice. Add to the overnight mixture. Stir in
eggs and butter. If thinner pancakes are desired, add milk to desired
consistency. Spoon batter onto a hot griddle. Turn when bubbles appear on top and keep warm until ready to serve.

Homemade brown sugar syrup

1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
Dash of salt
Vanilla or maple extract

Heat all ingredients except salt and vanilla or maple extract in
saucepan. Heat to boiling. Turn off heat and leave pan on burner for 2 more minutes. Add salt and vanilla to taste. If you like thicker syrup, boil for several more minutes.

Note: Other optional toppings are fresh fruit, peanut butter or 3/4 cup of crushed crackling oat bran.

Mary Jane Blain of Grant County said the original recipe for oat cakes came from Nova Scotia. "Several years ago, my husband and I went to Nova Scotia with a tour group. We spent one night at the Silver Dart Lodge in Baddeck, and the oatcakes were served at the evening meal. They were such a hit with the entire group that the baker at the lodge was kind enough to give us the recipe," Blain said.

Oatcakes

1 cup shortening
1 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
3 cups flour
3 cups rolled quick oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold water

Cream shortening, margarine and sugar. Combine flour, rolled oats, baking soda and salt and add to creamed mixture. Add cold water. Roll out thin and cut into squares. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Mary Colvin of Lexington created this dish when she was trying to get her young children to eat more vegetables.

Dijon chicken with vegetables

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup light Dijon vinaigrette dressing
4 cups fresh carrots, zucchini and green onions cut into julienne strips

Marinate chicken in dressing for 2 hours. Remove from marinade and broil on rack about 5 minutes each side, or until cooked through. Meanwhile, saute carrots in small amount of water over medium-high heat about 5 minutes. Add other vegetables and 2 tablespoons water. Cover tightly, lower heat and steam until slightly tender. Slice chicken and serve surrounded by vegetables.

Vivian H. Jones of Harrodsburg and her husband Plummer were beekeepers at the time she created this recipe. These healthy bars can be made by children with a little supervision and they make a wholesome snack for any age, Jones said.

Woodpecker Palace honeys

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 tablespoon margarine
1 cup peanut butter, smooth or chunky
5 cups plain cornflakes, or other cereal

Mix sugar, honey and margarine together in pan. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Add peanut butter. Pour over cereal. Mix gently and press into 9- by 13-inch buttered pan. When cool, cut into bars.

Fern Edgett of Lexington adapted this recipe given to her by a friend
several years ago.

Fern's low-cal tropical Tahitian treat

1 32-ounce carton non-fat yogurt
1 package (1.2 ounces) instant vanilla pudding
(made with Nutra-Sweet)
2 packets low-calorie sweetener
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple in unsweetened juice, drained
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

Whip together yogurt, pudding and sweetener. Stir in coconut, pineapple and extract. Makes 6 servings.

When her husband Gerald was diagnosed with high cholesterol, Connie Saunders of Hillsboro began to rethink her style of cooking. For a snack, she created banana surprise cookies.

Banana surprise cookies

3/4 cup corn oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup mashed bananas
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Mix together oil, sugar, bananas, egg and vanilla. Add flour, oats,
cinnamon, nutmeg and chopped nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 14 minutes. Makes approximately 3 1/2 dozen cookies.