“Takeout” Beef and Broccoli

• 3 tbs of low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp of light brown sugar
• 1 tbs of cornstarch
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 tbs of canola oil
• sirloin steak, cut into thin strips (enough for two people)

• 10-minute brown rice
• 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets

Prepare the water for the rice and a pan to steam the broccoli.  Mix together the first 5 ingredients.  Add the steak and let marinate for 10 minutes on the counter.  Heat a non-stick skillet with canola oil and brown the steak.  Pour brown rice in a bowl, top with cooked beef and broccoli.  Enjoy!

Homemade Granola Bars

• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup of wheat germ
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup almonds, chopped/crushed

• 1/4 dried golden raisins, chopped
• 1/4 cup flax seeds
• 1/4 dried apricots, chopped

• 2 tbs butter, melted
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Pour the oats, wheat germ, salt, and almonds onto an ungreased backing sheet.  Mix them around.  Toast them in the oven for about 10 minutes.  Watch carefully as they will burn if left in for too long.  Lower the oven to 300 degrees.

While the oats are toasting, melt butter in a microwave-safe measuring cup.  Pour it into a small saucepan over low heat.  Use this same measuring cup (now greased up!) to measure out the honey.  (This will help the honey to slide smoothly out of the cup.)  Still over low heat, add in the brown sugar and cinnamon.  Once it is all blended together, pour in the vanilla.  Remove from heat.

Mix the flax seeds, raisins, and apricots together in a large bowl.  Once the oat mixture is taken out of the oven and cooled, add it to the dried fruit.  Stir together well.  Pour in the sticky mixture and stir with a large spoon until mixed well.

Use parchment paper to line a baking pan and butter the sides not covered with parchment paper.  Spread the granola mixture into the pan, pressing it firmly to flatten out.  (You can butter your fingers to do this or pack it down with another, smaller bread pan.)

Bake at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes or until very lightly golden brown.  Let cool completely before removing from pan and slicing.  Enjoy!