healthier

• Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Cut parchment paper to fit like a sling into an 8.5 by 4.5-inch loaf pan. Apply nonstick spray inside pan then on the paper positioned within the pan.
• In a large bowl, combine both flours, herbs, baking soda, and salt. Add figs and hazelnuts. Gradually stir in the half & half and honey, scraping the bottom of the bowl. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Go ahead and turn off the oven, as it’s not going to be used for this recipe again for a couple hours, minimum. Let the little loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out to completely cool on a rack.
• Wrap it in plastic wrap and stash in the freezer for 2 hours, or until whenever you plan to finish the recipe.
• Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Use a large serrated knife, such as a bread knife, to slice loaf into 1/8-inch thick pieces. Lay pieces on pan.
• Bake 10 minutes. Gently flip to other side. Bake for an additional 20 to 35 minutes, until pieces are crispy and dried, not squishy at all. Keep in mind, bake time will be impacted by cracker thickness; a thin cut will cook quickly, a thick cut, at the higher end of the spectrum.
• Let them cool on pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to fully cool. They will keep well in a sealed container at room temperature for up to a week, but are also great to freeze (and will thaw quickly, too).

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• Place carrots, celery flakes, dried onion, and garlic powder in a large pot along with 1 can of chicken broth (if using a box of broth, just pour in about 1/2 of one; no need to be exact). Sauté on medium heat for 10 minutes, until carrots are tender. Sprinkle in flour and stir for another few minutes.
• Add rest of broth along with the rice, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Bring pot to boil.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and cover pot. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes. When the rice is tender, add the chicken or turkey. Cook for 10 minutes. Stir in half & half and cook for another 10 minutes.
• Remove both bay leaves. Add salt and pepper to preference. Serve hot. Leftovers can keep in the fridge or days or can be frozen.

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• Line a 9×9 square pan with foil and apply nonstick spray.
• If the almonds are whole, give them a rough chop in food processor, just a few pulses.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, cinnamon, and salt, and stir to blend. If the almond butter is stiff, measure it into a separate microwave-safe bowl and heat it for 20-30 seconds to soften it. Add almond butter, maple syrup or honey, and vanilla extract to the big bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir together until it forms a cohesive mass. If it seems too liquid, add more oats; if it’s too dry, add more almond butter. Stir in the chopped almonds to distribute them throughout.
• Dump the mixture into the prepared pan. Even out some, then use a pan-size piece of wax paper and a heavy glass to compress the dough evenly.
• Stash the pan in the fridge for at least an hour, or until the next day. Slice into bars of desired size. Store between stacked waxed paper layers in the fridge, or freeze for later enjoyment.

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• Place all ingredients in slow cooker and stir to distribute. Place lid on pot and put heat level to LOW. Cook for 3 hours before lifting lid again. Stir and taste to test doneness. Continue to cook for 30 minutes to an hour more, dependent on the desired texture for the oats. The longer it cooks, the thicker it will be.
• Serve oats fresh, or stash in fridge to reheat in microwave over the next week. These oats are great to portion out and freeze for later. If desired, add more spices, fresh fruit, or extra milk when serving–the customization possibilities are endless!

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• Preheat oven at 400-degrees. Wash and dry the lemon, then zest it; set aside lemon. If using fresh rosemary, shear leaves from the stem. Place zest in 13x9 pan along with olive oil, thyme, and rosemary. Bake pan in oven for 12 minutes.
• While the zest is infusing the oil, thinly slice the lemon and remove seeds. If desired, remove tails from shrimp.
• Pull out pan. Add shrimp and lemon slices--be wary, oil may pop from the dish! Mince garlic cloves into the pan; gently stir everything. Place back in oven to cook for another 8 to 10 minutes, until shrimp is heated through. Add sprinkle of salt and pepper.
• Serve atop pasta, rice, zoodles, cauliflower rice, etcetera. The hot lemon oil is also great for dipping bread.

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• Preheat oven at 425-degrees. Place muffin liners in two 12-count pans and apply a heavy dose of nonstick spray. Set aside.
• Wash and sort through blueberries, picking out stems or mushy berries. Pat dry. Place in a bowl. Add a tablespoon or so of flour and gently stir to coat berries. This will prevent them from sinking in the batter.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
• In a big mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, vanilla, apple butter, and coconut oil. Gradually pour in the dry ingredients, scraping bottom several times, until everything is just incorporated. Carefully fold in the blueberries.
• Scoop batter into prepared liners, filling each no more than 3/4 full.
• Bake for 5 minutes at 425-degrees. Don't open oven door. Lower temperature to 375-degrees and bake for an additional 16 to 18 minutes, until middle muffins pass the toothpick test.
• Remove pans from oven. Immediately (and carefully) use a fork to pry out each muffin. Keeping them in liners, set on rack to completely cool.
• Once cooled, pack in sealed containers. If freezing muffins, remove liners first.

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