Cook Simply By Susan  Mykrantz

Cooking has always been a hobby for Rachel Schlabach. Schlabach was a presenter in the Organic Home Session at the 2022 Ohio Organic Conference at Mt. Hope, Ohio.

“Mom instilled a love of cooking in me and my sisters,” she said. “My sisters and I would argue about who got to help mom cook.”

Schlabach put her interest in cooking to good use as she presented a session on healthy appetizers. Schlabach said she tries to use healthy ingredients in her cooking, such as maple sugar, wheat flour and coconut sugar.

Coconut sugar is a relatively new trend in the United States. It is made from coconut palm sap and is believed to be lower on the glycemic index than white sugar and more nutritious.

“I like to use healthy fats such as butter, cream cheese and sour cream for flavor,” she added.

During her presentation, Schlabach shared some of her favorite recipes that are tasty and simple to cook. If you are looking for easy recipes to add flavor and color to your holiday table, give these tasty treats a try. And until next time, simply cook.

Spinach Dip

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

8 ounces sour cream

½ cup mayonnaise

1 ½ teaspoon Farm Dust seasoning (or 1 teaspoon garlic and 1 teaspoon black pepper)

1 cup Parmesan cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

10 ounces frozen spinach

½ cup milk (optional if you want the dip to be less thick)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat cream cheese until smooth. In an oven-safe dish, combine the rest of the ingredients. Heat in the oven until the cheese is melted, stirring occasionally. Serve with tortilla chips, crusty bread or Herbed Biscuits.   

Farm Dust Seasoning

4 Tablespoons. Salt

1 Tablespoon. Onion powder

1 Tablespoon. Garlic powder

1 Tablespoon. Black pepper

1 Tablespoon. Thyme

1-1/2 teaspoons. Oregano

1 teaspoon. Rosemary

1 teaspoon. Basil

Instructions

Mix all together and blend in a coffee mill or pulverize with a mortar and pestle. (The pieces will need to go through a salt shaker). Place into a spice shaker and use on just about anything.

Best Tasting Ever Herbed Biscuits

2 cups white spelt flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cane sugar

2 teaspoons cream of tarter

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter, melted

2/3 cup milk

topping

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients together. Add butter and milk. Stir until combined. Mix together butter and Italian seasoning. Drop biscuits into herb butter. Remove from the butter and place on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 20 minutes or until slightly golden. Makes 12 large biscuits or 24 small biscuits,

Source: My Favorite Blends Cookbook

Turkey Spinach Pinwheels

5 10” wheat tortillas

1 8-ounce container chive and onion cream cheese spread

½ cup dried cranberries

1 bag baby spinach

15 slices of smoked turkey breast, thinly sliced

Divide cream cheese between the tortillas and spread it evenly to the edge of the tortillas. Divide the cranberries among the tortillas and sprinkle them evenly over the tortillas. Layer the spinach on top of the cranberries and top with 2 to 3 slices of turkey. Roll each tortilla tightly and wrap each tortilla with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1-4 days. Slice each tortilla into 1-inch slices when you are ready to serve them. These are a tasty Christmas treat with the red cranberries and green spinach.

Marinated Cheese

8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed

8 ounces swiss cheese, cubed

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

½ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon minced, fresh parsley

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1 can olives (optional)

2 ounce can pimentos, drained and chopped (optional)

Place cheese in a bag and add vinegar, oil, parsley, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Close the bag and move cheese around until everything is covered. Refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator and place on a platter. Scatter olives, parsley and pimentos over the cheese. Serve with crackers.

Protein Bars

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup dry roasted peanuts, whole

1 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped

¾ cup walnuts, almonds or pecans, whole

¾ cup walnuts, almonds or pecans, chopped

6 tablespoons rolled oats

¼ cup raw honey

1/3 cup maple syrup

3 tablespoons peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

¾ teaspoon salt

In a saucepan, melt chocolate chips and spread into the bottom of an 8-inch square pan. Refrigerate until hardened. In a large bowl, mix together nuts and rolled oats. In a saucepan over medium heat, simmer together honey and maple syrup for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, vanilla and salt. Pour over nuts until evenly coated. Spread over chocolate and refrigerate until firm.

Healthy Chocolate

1 cup coconut oil

1 ½ cup cocoa

1 ½ cup peanut butter

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan and heat slowly until they are combined, Pour mixture into silicon molds or a pan lined with waxed paper. Place in the freezer until hardened. Cut chocolate into small pieces and store.