Here are a couple of our favorites:

Our Growers’ Favorite Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups butter, softened

2 cups white sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 large eggs

3 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3 cups rolled oats

2 cups California raisins

2 cups pecan halves

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter, sugars and vanilla together until light and fluffy and sugar is completely dissolved. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with each addition. Combine flour, baking soda and cinnamon; mix well and gradually stir into creamed mixture. Fold in rolled oats, raisins and pecans. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in preheated oven at 350°F. Remove cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.

Raisin Nut Brownies

Ingredients

1 package (1 pound 3 1/2 ounces) brownie mix

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup water

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups California raisins

1 cup deluxe mixed nuts, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup vanilla milk chips, melted

1 teaspoon oil

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom of 13×9-inch pan. Prepare brownies as directed on package with oil, water and eggs. Stir in raisins. Spread in greased pan. Sprinkle nuts on top. Press in lightly. Bake at 350°F for 28 to 30 minutes. Cool completely.

Combine melted vanilla chips and oil. Drizzle over cooled brownies. Cut into squares while frosting is still slightly soft.

Snickerdoodles

Ingredients

1 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Dash of salt

1 cup California raisins

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cream butter and sugar in mixing bowl. Beat in egg. Sift together flour, soda, cream of tartar and salt; add to creamed mixture. Mix in raisins. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Then, roll balls in 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon mixed together. Flatten slightly and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes.

Then take our Let’s Keep It Real Healthy Snack Challenge on Facebook!

Once you sign up, you’ll be entered to win one of five California Raisin prize packs that include $1,000 and other goodies to help you get your healthy snack on.

We’ll even send you a healthy snack plan to provide you with a little snacking inspiration.

Join the challenge by heading to our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/CaliforniaRaisins!

“Raisins have intrinsic properties that could support heart and vascular health; however, we believe this is the first controlled study to specifically and scientifically support raisins’ blood pressure-lowering effects compared to other snacks,” said Dr. Bays.

The study was conducted among 46 men and women with prehypertension. Participants were randomly assigned to snack on raisins or pre-packaged commercial snacks that did not contain raisins or other fruits or vegetables, three times a day for 12 weeks. Findings include:

• Data analyses reveal that compared to other popular snacks, raisins significantly reduce systolic blood pressure at weeks four, eight, and 12, ranging from -4.8 to -7.2% or -6.0 to -10.2 mmHg (p values <0.05).
• Within group analysis demonstrates that raisins significantly reduce mean diastolic blood pressure at all study visits, with changes ranging from -2.4 to -5.2 mmHg (p values <0.05).
• Pre-packaged snacks (including crackers and cookies) did not significantly reduce systolic or diastolic blood pressure at any study visit.

“Overall, these findings support what many people intrinsically believe; natural foods often have greater benefits than processed foods,” said Dr. Bays.

The study was funded by the California Raisin Marketing Board through a grant to the L-MARC Research Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

“Raisins deliver dietary fiber and beneficial nutrients like potassium and antioxidants associated with cardio-protective benefits, such as reduced blood pressure – as shown in this new research,” said James Painter, Ph.D., R.D., and nutrition research advisor for the California Raisin Marketing Board. “These findings add to the growing body of scientific evidence that indicates there may be numerous, positive health benefits linked to raisin consumption.”

To celebrate, try this flavorsome combination today. Here’s a super simple recipe you and your family can try at home as a special treat:

Chocolate-Covered Raisin Clusters

Ingredients

1 package (6 ounces) chocolate chips

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 tablespoon water

1 1/2 cups California Raisins

Procedure

Combine first three ingredients and place over hot (not boiling) water until chocolate melts, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in raisins, coating well. With teaspoon, drop in small clusters onto waxed paper. Chill until firm.

National Nutrition Month is here with plenty of reasons to make over your plate into a one that is better for you. In case you don’t know, National Nutrition Month is celebrated every March by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association) as a reminder to return to the basics of healthy eating. This year’s theme, “Get Your Plate in Shape,” is a natural extension of the latest graphic of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Make Over YOUR Plate:

Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.

• Make sure every meal and snack has at least one fruit or vegetable – or both!
• Dried and frozen fruits and those canned in water or their own juice are good options with a similar nutrition content as fresh.
• Eat all the colors of vegetables including white. Make it a game to see how many colors you can enjoy in a given week. Try a new one every time you grocery shop. Seek out unfamiliar ones by frequenting ethnic or “fresh” stores.

TIP: Cook a satisfying bowl of oatmeal in the microwave in just 2½ minutes by adding ¼ cup of California Raisins and a little sprinkle of cinnamon to the oats and water. Top with a few chopped walnuts after it’s cooked.

TIP: Make “Ants on a Log” with peanut or almond butter spread on celery and studded with California Raisins. Kids can help with this one!

Make at least half your grains whole.

• Choose whole wheat couscous, brown rice, barley and oats and other whole grains for your sides and ingredients.
• Switch to 100 percent whole-grain breads, cereals and crackers. Note: multi-grain is NOT the same as whole grain.
• Read the fine print on ingredient lists on food packages. Look for the word “whole” as the first on the list, or at least close to the top.

TIP: When preparing a whole grain that takes a long time to cook, such as brown rice, wheat berries or barley, make a double or triple batch and freeze the rest in small freezer-safe containers. Make sure you label them.

Switch to fat-free or low-fat milk.

• Fat-free and low-fat milk have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but less fat and fewer calories.

TIP: There is no need to buy two different types of milk for your family. After the age of two, low fat or fat free milk is appropriate for everyone. If someone in the family says they don’t like fat-free milk, gradually wean them from the fattier variety, but keep it a secret. Pour the lower fat milk in a clean higher fat carton, and they won’t know the difference (eventually you can let on).

Vary your protein choices.

• Eat more plant-based proteins such as beans, peas, nuts, seeds, as well as whole soy foods like tofu and edamame.
• Trim visible fat from meats and poultry, and avoid buying heavily marbled meat which you cannot trim.
• Limit meat and poultry portions to three ounces per meal, about the size of a deck of cards.

TIP: Seek out recipes where the meat is not the “star” of the dinner. Stir frys are a great way to use just a little meat.

Cut back on sodium

• Cook more fresh foods at home. Experts say that 77 percent of our sodium intake comes from prepared foods and eating out.
• Gradually reduce the amount of salt you use when cooking and at the table. It’s amazing how quickly your taste buds will adapt.
• Compare sodium in foods and choose those with the least amount listed on the Nutrition Facts Panel.

TIP: Season foods with lemon juice, vinegar, spices, herbs or even hot sauce!

Trim empty calories from added sugars.

• Incorporate healthy, no-added-sugar snacks into your diet, like California Raisins. The ingredient label says it all: raisins.
• Not all dried fruits are created equal, though. Craisins® sweetened dried cranberries contain at least 40% added sugar. Be a label reader and leave the processed, sugar-added options on the shelf.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks like regular sodas, fruit-flavored drinks and sweetened teas and coffees.

TIP: Don’t like the taste of your water? Make “spa water” by floating some sliced cucumber, citrus fruit, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries or mint leaves in a pitcher that you leave in the fridge.

What is your bliss?

Ours was getting the opportunity to connect with hundreds of bloggers (and raisin lovers!) at this year’s BlissDom conference in Nashville, Tenn., last week.

We cooked up some tasty (and wholesome!) snacks at the Opryland Hotel in our comfy country kitchen, and our beloved dancing California Raisin made a special appearance!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and tweeted us at #CaliforniaRaisins.

We hope to see you next year!

Regular consumption of antioxidant-rich fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains provides protection against free radicals that are related to disease and aging in the body.

This is just another good reason to add raisins into your diet each day, whether you’re looking for gluten-free, high-fiber or low-fat options.

Here are some of our favorite special diet options that include raisins:

Gluten-Free

Savory California Raisin Trail Mix

Chicken with California Raisin Mole

High Fiber

California Raisin Peanut Butter Griddlers

Ham Pitawiches

Low Calorie

Harvest Salsa

Tomato-Raisin Coulis

Low Fat

California Raisin and Orange Salad

Raisin Apple Butter

Low Sodium

Sweet and Sour Coleslaw

Raisin Oatmeal Crispies

Raisins are a pie’s best accessory – they add texture and flavor, while simultaneously offering numerous nutritional benefits.

So celebrate this day by baking a sweet treat. We’ve got tons of pie recipes here.

These are some of our favorites:

California Sunshine Raisin Pie (right)

California Nuggets of Gold Raisin Pie

Chocolate Raisin Walnut Pie

California Raisin and Maple Crunch Pie

Best California Raisin Pie Under the Sun

Do you have a pie that’s always a big hit? Then enter the 2012 American Pie Council’s National Pie Championships – there’s even a raisin category! Entry forms and more information can be found here.

Bill’s tip for bakers? If you’re trying to lessen the fat and increase fiber for recipes, substituting flax meal for whole eggs is a wonderful way to go. You can’t take out all of the eggs, but you can substitute for half, he says.

This is just what Bill did for his winning recipe, Sunrise Bagels, when he took home the Judge’s Prize in the Breakfast category at the America’s Best Raisin Bread Contest last year.

A Certified Master Baker and Certified Executive Pastry Chef, Bill’s winning formula started as granola. He was looking for a way to create a bagel that would do all of the things granola did. He used a basic bagel recipe and then added interesting ingredients, such as flax meal, almonds, California golden and natural raisins, and rolled oats. The bagel itself is dense, moist, chewy on the inside and crunchy on the outside but doesn’t contain a lot of fat.

Bill’s love of baking began when he washed pots in a college cafeteria at the age of 14. His incentive was that he could help out in the bakery when the dishes were caught up. He is currently in the process of becoming a Certified Research Chef and Certified Master Pastry Chef, and works at Crestone Group Baking Co., which supplies chain restaurants with custom bakery items.

Congratulations, Bill, and thanks for the tip!

It’s no surprise we love to put raisins in our oatmeal – on their own, raisins are always tasty, but they work as a healthy flavor enhancer in oatmeal too!

We know kids are big fans of oatmeal as well, so why not involve them in the kitchen?

Here is an easy, kid-friendly recipe for oatmeal bars. Enjoy these this month and all throughout the year!

Jiffy Oatmeal Crunch

Ingredients

1/2 c. butter or margarine

3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 c. quick oats, uncooked

1 c. California raisins

Procedure

In large skillet, melt butter and brown sugar. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining ingredients. Spread into greased 13×9-inch pan. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool; cut into squares.