My Favorite Granola

I absolutely love this granola! It is gluten free and sugar free, yet it has nothing but flavor! It only has four ingredients (optional five) and all you need is a food processor. It was inspired to copycat a granola served at one of my favorite local organic restaurants. I love having this granola on hand to sprinkle on yogurt parfaits.

When you are making it be sure to ONLY pulse it - do not hit "on" on your food processor and let it ride.....it'll turn into paste and that is not the consistency you are looking for. It should be crumbly. It takes about a minute or two of hitting the pulse button on and off before getting the desired texture. Using cold dates helps them to keep the texture better when pulsing.

This granola is full of fiber, healthy fats like Omega 3s, protein, antioxidants, magnesium, potassium, iron and vitamins E. And honestly, it just tastes delicious!
 
Ingredients:
1 cup raw organic walnuts
1/2 cup raw organic almonds
1/2 cup raw organic pistachios (shelled)
about 8 organic Medjool dates, pitted and cut in half, these should be cold from the refrigerator
pinch of salt, optional

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse on and off until granola is desired consistency - which is little, even sized "crumbles".  Store in the fridge for up to two weeks.

This makes about 1 1/2 cups of granola.

Candy Cane Christmas Cookies

These cookies were a BIG hit with everyone today! I used a little bit less sugar than I normally would when making cookies because the candy kisses and candy canes add quite a bit of sweetness. I'm really happy with how they turned out and all three kids said, "You need to blog these, Mom!" So, here ya go!  These are perfect cookies for the holidays!!

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup of flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 10 Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses, unwrapped and chopped
• 5 regular size candy canes, crushed into small pieces
• 1/4 mini semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Stir softened butter and sugar together; add egg and stir. Add vanilla and stir. Add salt, 1/2 cup flour and baking soda; stir together. Add remaining 1/2 cup of flour. 

Chop the ten Candy Cane Kisses into little pieces like this:

Add the chopped Candy Cane Kisses, crushed candy canes and 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips to the dough and fold in. Place dough in the refrigerator for at least two hours (up to overnight) before baking (I promise you there is an actual science to the why chilled cookies bake/taste better - go ahead and google it!). 

Lightly grease a cookie sheet with butter - I don't usually do this but the melted candy canes have a tendency to stick to the cookie sheet - greasing it makes them come of the pan more easily. Trust me!

Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a plate. Enjoy!

Udon Noodle Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

LOVE the way this Udon Noodle Bowl turned out!  It was scrumptious! My kids were mad I didn't give them bigger portions. Next time I'll make more! I would saw this makes enough for three large size portions, so if you have a big family, you may want to double it.  I added baked tofu to my family's meal (I offered chicken to my husband and he opted for the tofu), but I think shredded chicken or even thinly sliced flank steak would be amazing on this Asian inspired salad! Enjoy!
 
Ingredients:

Cilantro Dressing:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
2 Tbl Balsamic
1 Tbl honey, or a bit more if you like the sweetness
1/4 cup packed cilantro
juice of one lime
1 inch nub of fresh ginger, peeled
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of crushed chilies, or more if you like it spicy!

Salad:
8 oz Udon noodles, cooked
1 tsp to 1 Tbl sesame oil
8 - 10 white or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 cup of thinly sliced curly kale
2 cups of thinly sliced Napa cabbage (about half a head)
1/2 cucumber, julienne
1 large carrot, julienne
1 red bell pepper, julienne
4 green onions, chopped
1/3 cup peanuts OR cashews, roughly chopped
5-10 mint leaves, julienne, optional (but yummy!)
1 Tbl hemp seeds, optional

Optional Cooked Protein: 
1 block of extra firm tofu, cubed and baked OR 1 cup of shredded chicken OR thinly sliced flank steak OR grilled shrimp

Directions:

Cook the Udon noodles according to the directions on the package. After draining, rinse them well with cold water, use your hands to "fluff" the noodles as you rinse - this helps them from sticking together. After they are rinsed and all the excess water has been shaken off, drizzle with 1 tsp to 1 Tbl of sesame oil - this is for flavor and to prevent sticking.  Set the noodles aside until you are ready to assemble the salad.

To make the dressing place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and add more honey for sweetness, chilies for spice, salt for flavor, lime for tangy-ness.....always taste and add until it is to your liking. Cooking is not a science - it's all about taste. Set aside. 

Add a bit of olive oil to a pan and heat over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and saute for 6 minutes without touching them - let them caramelize in the pan. Then go ahead and stir them and cook for a bit longer until they are to your desired done-ness.

Thinly slice all the veggies - kale, Napa cabbage (definitely use Napa cabbage in this recipe - amazing!!), cucumbers, carrot, and red bell pepper. If you want to assemble the salad in a pretty way like the picture above, just layer the ingredients. Put the noodles down first, then the kale and cabbage. Add the other sliced veggies and mushrooms in a pretty pattern - alternating colors. Place chopped nuts in the middle, along with mint and your protein, if using. Sprinkle green onions on top. Sprinkle hemp seed if using (sesame seeds would be nice, too).  Drizzle the salad with dressing. Enjoy!

Chai Spice Banana Bread

Here I go again - ANOTHER banana bread recipe. I can't stop! I make a batch every week so the kids have a quick breakfast in the morning. I get bored making the same recipes over and over again - so I thought I would try something new - and with a little more spice! This one is inspired by chai tea. It has cardamon, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in it. I usually add yogurt in my bread to keep it moist, but this time I thought I would try canned coconut milk. The whole thing came together very nicely!! I had to share!

This recipe gets its sweetness from the very ripe bananas and organic coconut sugar. The chocolate chips are optional if you want to really cut back on the sugar (my kids love the chocolate chips, but if I were making this for myself I would use chopped walnuts instead).

4 very ripe medium bananas (about 2 cups of mashed bananas)
3/4 cup organic coconut sugar (also called coconut crystals)
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
2 eggs
1/2 cup of full-fat canned coconut milk, I use Organic Native Forest brand
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp ground cardamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup ground flaxseed*
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips or chopped walnuts, optional

Topping:
1 tsp cinnamon, optional
2 tsp coconut sugar, optional

Preheat Oven to 350F

In a large bowl, mash the bananas using a potato masher. Stir in the coconut sugar and melted coconut oil.  Add the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the coconut milk (when you open the can there will be separation - since you are only using 1/2 cup in this recipe and there are approx 2 cups in the can, you'll need to make sure you get a little of the sold cream and the watery liquid- I did about half and half). Add in the vanilla.

In a separate bowl combine all the spices, whole wheat pastry flour, flaxseed, soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Combine. Fold in the chocolate chips or walnuts, if using.

I use a glass 8X8 square dish to bake. I grease it with a thin layer of coconut oil to prevent sticking. Please take note, if you are using a metal 8X8 dish you will need to bake your bread for a longer length of time.

Transfer the batter to a greased glass baking dish, use the back of your spoon to spread the batter evenly. Stir the optional 1 tsp cinnamon and optional 2 tsp coconut sugar together. Evenly sprinkle this mixture on top of the bread.

Bake for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and let sit for about 30 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!!

*If you do not have ground flaxseed, sub in another 1/4 cup of whole wheat pastry flour yielding 2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour in total. (I absolutely love adding ground flaxseed to my baked goods, though. Flaxseeds are wonderful plant source of Omega-3s, as well as a number of other health benefits!)

Caesar Salad with Roasted Broccoli & Pomegranate Seeds

Oh my gosh this salad was SOOO delicious! I think it'll be a new go-to for me! I had a similar salad last week at a favorite cafe of mine - it inspired me to try to replicate it at home.  I also made the dressing from scratch - I did a Caesar, but instead of mayo based, I used plain Greek yogurt.  Healthy, delicious, filling, fresh, flavorful - I think this salad has it all! This is great as a side salad or add sliced chicken or a piece of salmon and eat it as a meal.  I served ours alongside a plate of gnocchi.

Hope you enjoy! 

2 heads of romaine lettuce, chopped
1 large head of broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
1 Tbl olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
1/3 cup almonds

Dressing:
2 or 3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 Tbl olive oil
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp lemon juice, fresh
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt,
1 to 2 Tbl milk
salt & pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400F

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Lay broccoli florets on baking sheet and drizzle with 1 Tbl olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use your hands to toss and then spread broccoli evenly on baking sheet. Roast for about 18 minutes, or to your liking.  Let cool slightly.

While the broccoli is roasting make the salad dressing.

Pour 1 (or 2) tablespoons of olive oil into a skillet on medium low.  Place to the cloves of garlic into the skillet and let slightly sizzle in the oil for about three minutes on each side. The garlic should be slightly browned on the outside and soft on the inside. I always saute my garlic like this before adding it to dressings. Cooking it just a bit really brings out a mild, delicious flavor - and it cuts down that sharp raw garlic spicy-ness. Remove the garlic from olive and chop.  Save the infused olive oil for the dressing.

Place the garlic, garlic infused olive oil, Dijon, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Greek yogurt and milk into a container. Use a fork to combine completely. If it's too thick add a splash more milk or lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Combine chopped romaine, roasted broccoli, Parmesan, pomegranate seeds and almonds. Drizzle with salad dressing. Toss. Enjoy!!!

Healthy Pumpkin Banana Bread

This pumpkin banana bread is delicious! I'm really excited that it doesn't contain any butter - I promise you will not notice! The applesauce, pumpkin and mashed banana make the bread really moist. I used coconut sugar and pure maple syrup instead of refined white sugar.  The whole wheat pastry flour replaces all purpose flour. I made sure to add lots of yummy spices that make this bread smell and taste amazing.  I hope you enjoy!

• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 or 3 very ripe bananas
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I like Enjoy Life vegan mini chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350F

Add applesauce and bananas to a large bowl. Mash bananas into the applesauce. I prefer the texture to be quite smooth. Add the pumpkin, stir. Then add the coconut sugar and maple syrup and stir. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring after each addition. Add vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour batter into a well greased (I use coconut oil to grease my pan)  8 X 8 Pyrex (glass) pan. Cooking times can vary, so if you are using a metal pan you will need to cook longer (so adjust accordingly). I baked my bread in a Pyrex pan for 35 minutes and it was perfect.  Check to make sure a toothpick comes out clean before removing from the oven.

Let bread cool completely on the counter before cutting. Enjoy!

Split Pea & Cauliflower Bisque

I am so excited about this new cookbook I ordered off Amazon last week. It is called Back to the Cutting Board by Christina Pirello. I cooked four recipes from the book last week and each one was better than the last! I'm cooking exclusively from it again this coming week and I especially cannot wait to try more of her delicious soups.

If you read my blog you will already know how much my family and I love soup. I cook it often, even during the summer. But now that fall is on the horizon and the temperatures are starting to cool, my desire to make more soups is at an all time high.

This split pea and cauliflower bisque was absolutely wonderful.  There are very few ingredients, which made it easy to throw together. It was rich and flavorful, yet there is no cream or butter - just healthy yumminess!! I served it with grilled cheese sandwiches made on thicky, whole grain brain.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family did!
Here it is word for word from the cookbook Back to the Cutting Board:

1 to 2 Tbl avocado oil <I used olive oil>
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
sea salt
1 tsp curry powder
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 cup yellow or green split peas, rinsed well
4 cups filtered water <I used a quart of vegetable broth, plus another cup of water to thin the soup>
2 tsp white miso paste
2 to 3 sprigs fresh parley, minced, for serving

Stir together the oil, onion, and garlic in a soup pot over medium heat. When the onion begins to sizzle, add a small pinch of salt and the curry powder and saute until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the cauliflower and saute until shiny with oil. Add the split peas and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the peas are quite soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Remove a small amount of broth from the pot and use it to dissolve the miso. Return the miso mixture to the pot; using a handheld blender or food processor <I used my Vitamix blender>, puree the soup until smooth <if the soup is hot make sure you have the vent on the blender lid open and covered with a dry, clean cloth so the steam can safely escape>. Return to the stove to warm through and serve garnished with fresh parsley.

Vegan Crunchwrap Supreme - Pinch of Yum

This recipe from the blog Pinch of Yum (LOVE this blog so much!) was absolutely delicious!!! It was so fun to put together and my kids (and husband) LOVED eating it! I caved and used Doritos inside the wrap - this makes me laugh since the rest of the ingredients were fairly healthy - but those cheesy chips definitely added some great flavor to the wrap. Oh and this vegan cashew queso was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!! Such a great meal! I know I'll be making it again.

Check out Pinch of Yum for great step-by-step pictures that will show you how to create the wrap. It wasn't complicated, but her pictures really help. 

In the crunchwraps I made I used her cashew queso recipe, refried beans, Doritos, bagged cabbage slaw, and her spicy sofritas tofu recipe.

Here are Pinch of Yum's instructions word for word:
 

Ingredients:
Spicy Sofritas Tofu

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 16 ounces firm tofu (press out some liquid first)
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (add about 1 teaspoon salt if it’s unsalted)
• 2 chipotle peppers, minced
• 1/2 cup salsa

Cashew Queso

• 1 cup cashews
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 can diced green chiles (or less, to taste)
• 1 teaspoon taco seasoning (add a pinch of salt if it’s unsalted)

Crunchwraps

• huge burrito-sized flour tortillas
• something crunchy: tostadas, tortilla chips or, dare I say, Doritos / Hot Cheetos (!!)
• roasted vegetables
• black beans
• avocados
• fresh stuff: tomatoes, cabbage slaw, lettuce, cilantro
• salsa

Directions:
 
Sofritas Tofu: Heat oil over medium high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add tofu and break apart into crumbles. Add taco seasoning, salt, chipotles, and salsa. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Finish by letting everything sit without stirring for another 7-10+ minutes (adding oil to prevent sticking as needed) until you get some nice browned, almost-crunchy pieces.
Cashew Queso: Blend everything together aggressively until smooth!
Crunch Wrap Time: Lay a large tortilla on a flat surface. Layer: tofu, queso, crunchy stuff, and any other extras you want in there. Fold in the edges of the tortilla toward the center. Place in a hot oiled skillet, seam side down. Cook for a few minutes on each side until the exterior is firm, crunchy, and golden brown. Cut and serve!

FOR REGULAR SIZE CRUNCHWRAPS: Keep your filling amounts minimal. It is very common to run into the issue of overflow, in which case, you can a) reduce filling amounts, b) fold it up as-is and hope for the best – I found even half-closed crunchwraps still grilled up nicely, c) break your tostadas into smaller pieces to allow you more space, or d) make a MEGA CRUNCHWRAP. See next note.
FOR MEGA CRUNCHWRAPS (this is what I demonstrated in the post): Cut a few of the large flour tortillas so they are the same size as your tostadas. Then, once you’ve layered all ingredients, just place a small flour cutout tortilla on top and fold edges over that. This should buy you a little extra space for filling.
FOR MARINATED CABBAGE: I just tossed some thinly chopped cabbage with olive oil, salt, pepper, and vinegar to taste.

Tuscan Pasta Salad

 

This was an easy weekend meal - very tasty! I think the addition of vegan sausage (we LOVE Beyond Sausage) or chicken sausage would be excellent. I served this meal with a fruit/veggie smoothie and good, crusty bread. 

I found this recipe on the blog Vegan Richa (I love this blog!)......and here it is word for word with my additions in italics.

 

Ingredients

• 8 oz farfalle , or other pasta <I used cavatappi pasta>
• 4 oz baby spinach or greens <I chopped my spinach> 
• 1/3 cup chopped sun dried tomato (oil packed)
• 1 small cucumber peeled and cubed
• 1/4 cup vegan feta <I used goat cheese crumbles>
• fresh parsley , black pepper, vegan parm (optional) for garnish
• other add ins: roasted zucchini or seasonal veggies , chopped artichoke hearts, olives <I used pine nuts>
• <I think Beyond Sausage, cooked and sliced, or chicken sausage would be a great add-on> 

Dressing:

• 1 large clove garlic pressed or minced <I used three cloves of garlic, sauteed in olive oil>
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp or more black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano or parsley
• 3 tbsp really good extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp or more lemon juice <I used 2 1/2 lemons>
• 1/4 tsp salt
• <I added 1 tsp of maple syrup> 

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta according to instruction on the package. Rinse in cold water to cool completely and add to a large bowl. Combine the rest of the salad ingredients except feta.
2. Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients in a small bowl. (variation: Replace some of the lemon juice with red wine vinegar).
3. Drizzle and mix the dressing with the salad when ready to serve. Toss well to coat all the greens. Add feta towards the end while tossing. Garnish with fresh parsley or thyme, black pepper and vegan parm(optional). Let sit for 5 mins and serve.

Citrus Sunshine Juice

So, I've been back to juicing regularly for the past three months - I drink a big glass of celery juice every morning (and yes, it taste about a yucky as it sounds - but boy is it good for you - so, for my health, I rally through it - hahaha). So, after all this celery juice, I was in the mood for something tangy and sweet.  I had all this citrus sitting in my fruit bowl and I thought throwing it all together would result in something delicious.  And oh boy this juice completely satisfied - it was actually and literally "lip smackingly" refreshing.  Enjoy!

1 grapefruit, peeled
2 oranges, peeled
2 clementines, peeled (optional)
1 lemon, peeled
1 lime, peeled
1 large apple
1 inch knob of fresh ginger

Put all the fruits and ginger through a juicer. Drink immediately. Enjoy!

Cauliflower Salad with Gruyere & Walnuts

I LOVE roasted cauliflower so much. I try to make it as often as I can.  I can get away with a roasted cauliflower dish about once every two weeks - maybe week and a half- without anyone noticing! HA! Anyway, I was in the mood for it today......and I was thinking a cold salad would be good. The other ingredients just came together - flavors I like - a little savory, a little sweet (craisins), a little salty (capers)....it all worked! The vinaigrette is light. This was a great side salad.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
Juice from one fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Tbl honey

1 medium head of cauliflower, trimmed, cut into small florets (about 3 cups)
2 large leaves of kale, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 large carrot, shredded
3 Tbl craisins
2 Tbl capers
1/3 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
 
Preheat oven to 400°F

Toss cauliflower florets with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast until edges are dark and caramelized. Stir after 15 minutes. Continue roasting for about another 10 minutes.

While cauliflower is roasting, make the dressing. Combine remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, rosemary, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, pepper and honey. Whisk til combined.

Combine roasted cauliflower and all the rest of the ingredients. Toss with dressing. Enoy!

Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Muffins

I would dare to say this is the best chocolate chip muffin recipe I have ever made - delicious! Just amazing! I found them on the blog Sugar Spun Run. I love the tip she gave about letting the batter "sit" to get a higher muffin top rise - genius! It worked! (I actually let the batter sit for her recommended 1 hour total). The muffins came out light and fluffy. The sugar on top gave them a perfect, crunchy "crust". I will be making these again!

I ended up using a 12 count muffin tin. I baked them at 425F for 7 min, then turned the oven down and baked them at 350F for another 10 minutes (total baking time was 17 minutes). 

Here is Sugar Spun Run's recipe word for word:

Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled at least 5 minutes (57g)
• ¼ cup canola oil may substitute vegetable oil (60ml)
• 1 cup sugar (200g) (granulated sugar)
• 1 large egg + 1 egg white room temperature preferred
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk* room temperature preferred -- please see note for buttermilk substitute
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 220g
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons corn starch
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips I used a mix of mini and regular sized, but you can use either or a combination (175g)
• 1/3 cup additional granulated sugar, coarse sugar preferred for topping (67g)

Instructions

1. Combine butter and canola oil in a large bowl.  Stir well.
2. Stir in sugar.
3. Add egg, egg white, and vanilla extract.  Stir very well, until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
4. Add buttermilk and stir well.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, corn starch, and salt.
6. Fold dry ingredients into wet gently, taking care not to overmix.  Once about half of the dry ingredients have been incorporated into the batter, add in chocolate chips and continue to fold in to batter until all ingredients are just combined.
7. Cover bowl with a dry towel and allow batter to sit 15 minutes**
8. Preheat oven to 425F (218C) and line muffin tin with paper liners.  
9. Once oven has preheated, portion batter into 6-cavity large muffin tin (you may also use regular, 12 count muffin tin, you will just need to bake them for less time), filling each tin all the way to the top with batter (without overflowing).
10. Sprinkle tops generously with sugar and place muffin tin in preheated oven.
11. Bake on 425F (218C) for 8 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350 (177C) (do not open the oven door or remove the muffins, just leave them in and reduce the temperature) and bake another 15 minutes, or until tops are just beginning to turn golden brown (if you are using a 12-count muffin tin rather than jumbo-sized, these will not need to bake as long.  Start checking your muffins after 7-8 minutes on 350F (177C).
12. Allow to cool, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*If you don't happen to have buttermilk, you can use this substitute:  pour 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar into a measuring cup and then fill up to the 1/2 cup line with regular milk.  Stir well and allow mixture to sit for at least 5 minutes (it will thicken) before using.
**This is optional, it helps give the muffin tops a higher rise but you can certainly put them straight in the oven without waiting and they'll still taste delicious.  Ideally you would let the batter set at least one hour, but I found 15 minutes gives me a decent rise (the muffins in the photographs were allowed 15 minutes) while still not dragging out the process too much. 

Cacao Hemp Crispy Treats

I just love loVE LOVE the blog My New Roots (I own all her cookbooks, as well).  When I came across this recipe on her blog I knew I had to make it - and I KNEW it would be delicious (it really is). I love having these healthier desserts on hand.....because my sweet tooth is bad.....and these really satisfy my cravings!!  The freeze-dried strawberries make these pretty and add a tart sweetness. I also added a tablespoon of unsweetened cacao nibs for extra chocolately crunch.

Here is her recipe word for word (check out her blog because her photos are incredible):

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. virgin coconut oil, plus a little more for greasing
2/3 cup unsalted nut or seed butter of your choice <I used sunflower butter>
2/3 cup brown rice syrup <WF was out of brown rice syrup, so I used honey>
2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
heaping ¼ tsp. fine sea salt
1/3 cup raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
4 cups puffed brown rice crisps
1 cup hulled hemp seeds
3 Tbsp. chia seeds
a few pinches flaky sea salt
3-4 Tbsp. freeze-dried raspberries <I used freeze-dried strawberries>

<I also added 1 Tbl unsweetened cacao nibs>

 

Directions:
1. Rub a little coconut oil in an 7″x11″ (20x30cm) baking pan.

2. Melt the coconut oil in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the nut butter, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, vanilla and fine salt, and stir to combine. Remove from heat. Stir in the cacao powder until thoroughly incorporated.

3. Add the puffed brown rice, hemp seeds, chia, and stir quickly to combine, then pour the mixture into your baking pan and press firmly (using the back of a large spoon or spatula rubbed with a little coconut oil really helps). Once smooth and even, generously sprinkle the top with the freeze-dried raspberries and flaky salt. Place in the fridge or freezer to firm up, then slice into bars or squares and enjoy. Store the bars in a tightly sealed container in the fridge or freezer.

Crispy Polenta Squares with Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce

This is one of my family's favorite dinners. Polenta is so easy to make and it really is delicious. I usually cut the polenta into squares - but sometimes for a special treat I use cookie cutters for the kids....stars, hearts, butterflies....you can make it fun! 

The polenta recipe comes from The Vegan Bible cookbook by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.  When I make this dish I do make it vegan.....but you could easily use regular milk instead of non-dairy milk and you can also use powdered Parmesan cheese instead of nutritional yeast (but let me just tell you this recipe as is is just incredible- don't let the word "vegan" scare you!!)  

If you need a fast sauce you can certainly use regular marina sauce from a jar (we always eat Rao's because it's the best). But I like to shake my sauce up a bit and add a jar of roasted red bell peppers to the jarred sauce.

I serve this with a side side. Enjoy!

Polenta Ingredients:
2 cups water
2 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups polenta or coarse cornmeal
1/4 cup milk or almond milk or any non-dairy milk
1 to 2 tsp salt
3 Tbl nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil <I use a jar of finely chopped sun dried tomatoes bc my children prefer smooth sun dried tomatoes over chunks>
2 Tbl fresh chopped basil
2 Tbl chopped parsley <I use dried>
1 tsp olive oil

Sauce Ingredients:
2 cups marinara sauce (I like Rao's)
1 7oz jar of roasted red bell peppers (or homemade if you like)
1/4 cup milk or non-dairy milk
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Pinch of salt

Directions:
Heat water and broth to boiling in a 4 quart saucepan. When the water/broth has boiled, add polenta and stir frequently on low-medium heat using a whisk- be careful that the pot doesn't boil over. Slowly add "milk", salt, and nutritional yeast, and whisk until the liquid is absorbed and the polenta thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, basil and parsley, stir for one minute more and remove from heat. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

Pour the thickened polenta into a greased 9X12 pan and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Let the polenta set up for about an hour or two.

Heat the oven to 400F.

Cut the polenta into squares or use a large cookie cutter to punch out shapes. Grease a foil lined baking sheet with 1/2 tsp olive oil. Place polenta pieces onto foil and brush the remaining oil on top. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Flip polenta to the other side and bake for another 10-15 minutes until crispy on the outside and soft in the center.

To make the sauce - place all sauce ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Heat in a saucepan. Serve warm with baked polenta.

Chickpea "Meatball" Sub Sandwiches

Oooh these were so yummy! My husband loved them; the kids loved them - I will definitely be making them again!! I served these subs with a salad and a fries. It was a tasty, easy weeknight meal.

I found this recipe on the blog Karrissa's Vegan Kitchen. This blog is really fun and I'm looking forward to trying more of her recipes.  I did make a couple of changes (I'm a vegetarian, not vegan, so I used eggs instead of making flax eggs and I used real cheese).  All of my changes are in italics.

Here is Karrissa's recipe word for word! Enjoy!

Ingredients for Chickpea "Meatballs":

• 2 cups chickpeas - reserve chickpea liquid if using canned
• 2.5 tablespoons ground flax seed *<Instead of using flax and water to make a flax egg, I used one regular egg>
• 6 tablespoons water *<see note above about egg>
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions for "Meatballs":

1. If you're using dried chickpeas, soak for 4 hours. Boil them until they are splitting, about 45 minutes to an hour. Skip to Step 2 if using canned chickpeas!
2. Drain the chickpeas & pinch the skin off as many as you have the patience for. Blend chickpeas in a blender until broken down. <I used my food processor to combine all the "meatball" ingredients>
3. Make your flax seed "eggs" - mix 2.5 tablespoons of ground flax seed with 6 tablespoons of water. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. <I used one egg instead of the flax seed and water>
4. Mix together the chickpeas and flax seed eggs <I used one regular egg>. 
5. Mix in the remaining ingredients. If the mixture is too sticky, add more breadcrumbs half a tablespoon at a time. If too dry, add a little chickpea liquid or oil. You want a consistency that will be easy to roll into balls without sticking to your hands or cracking. <I ended up adding 1 Tbl of the chickpea liquid>
6. Taste it - does it need something? Add more of your favorite seasonings if you want! The perk of veggie meatballs is that you can taste test before cooking! <I didn't add anything, mine tasted perfect after following the recipe>
7. Form the chickpea mixture into "meatballs" and place onto a greased or parchment-lined baking dish.
8. In a 450 degree oven, bake the chickpea meatballs for 20-25 minutes, turning over halfway through. They will be golden and crispy on the outside when done!

 Ingredients for "Meatball" Subs:

• chickpea meatballs
• vegan Parmesan <or Parmesan or Provolone - I used Provolone>
• sub rolls
• marinara sauce <I only use Rao's sauce- it's the best!>

Instructions for "Meatball" Subs:

1. In a 400 degree oven, toast your subs on a baking sheet until desired level of "toastiness".
2. Meanwhile, warm up the marinara sauce in a sauce pot on the stove.
3. Place the chickpea meatballs in the toasted sub rolls, top with the amount of marinara you desire, and sprinkle with Parmesan.  <OR if you want to use Provolone like I did, place the cheese on top of the "meatballs" and sauce. Place in the oven for 3-5 minutes until the cheese has melted>. Devour!
   
   

   

   
   

Orange Blueberry Dream Cake

I am telling you right now that this is one of the tastiest creations I have ever made. This cake is absolutely delicious and I'm feeling quite proud! I really hope you enjoy it as much as my family does. It is quite sweet for a breakfast cake - but it would certainly do for brunch or dessert.

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup real maple syrup
• 3 large eggs
• zest of one orange – about 1 tablespoon
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (I use Wyman's frozen wild blueberries)

For the Icing:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3 Tbl fresh orange juice 

Preheat oven to 325F

Generously grease an 8 inch loaf pan.


Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In another bowl, combine sour cream, sugar, maple syrup, eggs, orange zest, fresh orange juice, vanilla, and coconut oil. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat with a hand mixer until well combined.


Fold in blueberries and pour batter into the pan. Bake for 53-55 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.  Let cake cool for 20 minutes in the loaf pan. Use a knife to loosen the cake from the edge of the pan. Turn cake over and remove from the pan (you may want to put the cake on top of a piece of parchment to make for easy clean up after drizzling the icing).

Make the icing while the cake is baking. Place powdered sugar and fresh orange juice in a small bowl. Use a small whisk or a fork to combine. I always sift my powdered sugar when making icing - it is an extra step that is always worth it - it keeps the lumps out of the icing.

Drizzle the icing over the turned out cake. Let sit for a few minutes so the icing hardens.  Slice and ENJOY!!

Sweet Potato, Roasted Tomatoes & Pesto Pizza

I was inspired to make this pizza after seeing a similar one on a favorite blog of mine- that recipe involved bacon and I won't lie, adding bacon to this would be delicious! But no surprise, I omitted the bacon and added roasted cherry tomatoes, arugula and balsamic glaze to finish it off. I have to say this pizza was AMAZING!!!! I can't wait to make it again.

I absolutely LOVE salad with my pizza - in fact, I usually put the whole salad on top of my pizza. Arugula is my favorite pizza topper and I went crazy with this one. I took a pretty picture for the blog with a tiny bit of arugula just to give you an idea.  Many times the pictures that I post do not look anything like what I actually serve. I mean, do you really think I sprinkle five shreds of Parmesan cheese on my pasta dishes? But dinner realities aren't as pretty and so I take a quick pic for my readers and then I load up my plates with all the extra goodies I want to inhale.  I thought you would get a kick out of the way my pizza really looked, LOADED with arugula, before I ate it! It was so yummy!!
Here is a beautiful piece of pizza with a bit of arugula and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

And here is what my pizza actually looked like,
loaded down with arugula and drenched in
balsamic glaze!

 Now on to the recipe.......

*One pizza was enough for my husband and myself. The kids got a boring ol' cheese pizza upon request (too bad for them).

Ingredients:

1 sweet potato, peeled and sliced into thin circles
20ish cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 Tbl dried oregano or basil
1/3 cup pecans
Pesto sauce, homemade or store bought (I used store bought)
2 cups mozzarella, shredded (you know I used the bagged stuff)
pizza dough, homemade or store bought (I used store bought)
olive oil
arugula
balsamic glaze
salt & pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400F

Toss the sliced sweet potatoes in 1 or 2 Tbl olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Spread the potatoes out on a lined baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes and then flip. Roast for another 5 to 10 minutes or until nearly done (they cook a bit more when you bake the pizza).  Set aside.

Toss the sliced cherry tomatoes in 1 Tbl olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sprinkle with oregano/basil. Toss to coat. Spread on a lined baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes. Set aside.

After the veggies have been roasted you may need to adjust the temperature on your oven. Many crusts bake on 425F or 450F. Just check the label on the dough you are using. If your dough doesn't give a temperature, go with 450F.

Roll out the pizza dough in the shape that you like and place it on a greased baking sheet or pizza tray.  I generally use store bought pizza dough because it's just easier for a weeknight dinner. I like to par-bake dough so that the bottom is cooked through by the time I'm ready to take it out of the oven. I find if I don't par-bake, the center isn't as crisp as I like it. I usually poke a few holes in the dough (if you don't poke some holes huge dough bubbles will form while par-baking) with the tip of my knife and then bake for about 5 minutes.

After your dough is par-baked spread on the pesto sauce. Spread the mozzarella cheese on top of the pesto.  Layer evenly with roasted sweet potatoes, roasted tomatoes and pecans (don't skip the pecans, they are unusual I know - but they are super yummy). 

Bake the pizza for 10-12 minutes. Just keep checking to make sure the crust doesn't burn. Let sit for a couple minutes and then slice. Top each slice with arugula and drizzle with balsamic glaze. ENJOY!

Spiced Applesauce Muffins

 

Another snow day, another reason for me to try a new muffin recipe! I found these on the blog A Homemade Living. They are light and airy and super yummy! The perfect muffin for breakfast or an afternoon snack. Hope you enjoy!

Here is the recipe word for word from A Homemade Living:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) + 3 tbs unsalted butter, melted <I only used one sick of butter>
1 cup applesauce, unsweetened
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Topping:
1 tbs granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon


Directions:

1. First, preheat your oven to 400 deg F, and line a standard sized muffin pan with 12 paper liners. In a medium sized bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground allspice and nutmeg. Set aside.

2. In your electric mixer bowl, whisk together the eggs and the brown sugar, then slowly begin pouring in the melted butter, and mix until you have a smooth mixture. Add in the vanilla extract and applesauce, then begin adding in the dry ingredient mixture. Gently fold in the chopped nuts (you could substitute raisins for chopped nuts, those would work well too!) and then divide the batter equally between the 12 muffin cups (you want them to be about 3/4 full). Sprinkle the tops with the cinnamon sugar topping mixture (this will form a thin “crust” on top of the muffins as they bake), then bake the muffins for 18 – 20 minutes <I only baked mine for 16 minutes>, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Once baked, let the muffins cool for a couple minutes before eating.

Pesto Potato & Burrata Pizza

 

 This pizza was downright delicious! The little seed/spice/zest mix that is added to the dough is completely delicious and I wonder if I can ever make a pizza now without sprinkling lemon zest all over it!!!  The recipe comes from the blog Half Baked Harvest and the blogger instructs using thinly sliced potatoes (which look so pretty). We actually had some fried potatoes left over from our Sunday morning breakfast so I used those instead and really the whole thing was so amazingly good. Please try this recipe!!! Here it is from Half Baked Harvest word for word (and also check out her blog because her pictures are so much prettier than mine!):

• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon raw sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/2 pound homemade or store-bought pizza dough, at room temperature
• extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 1/3 cup basil pesto
• 1 medium potato, very thinly sliced
• 8 ounces burrata cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon micro basil or basil leaves
• crushed red pepper flakes

 Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet with olive oil.
In a small bowl, combine the oregano, sesame seeds, lemon zest, cumin, an a generous pinch of both salt and pepper.

On a lightly floured surface, push/roll the dough out until it is pretty thin (about a 10-12 inch circle). Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet. Rub the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with the seed mix, using as little or as much as you'd like. Dollop the dough with pesto and layer on the sliced potatoes, drizzling them lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper.

 Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust is golden and the potatoes are crisp. Remove from the oven and top with burrata. Allow the burrata to sit on the pizza and warm through, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle on the basil, and crushed red pepper flakes. Slice and enjoy!

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Chocolate Banana Milkshake

Smoothie or healthy milkshake!? You decide! I drank this for dessert tonight and it was just delicious!!! I absolutely LOVE cacao nibs- they are a superfood full of antioxidants. I sprinkled them on top of the milkshake (to me this is definitely a milkshake) and it was super yum.

You can also put your shake in the freezer for a few hours and let it freeze a bit. You can then eat it with a spoon and it'll be more like an ice cream-ish slushy.

This makes one smoothie:

1 ripe banana
2 dates, pitted
1 heaping Tbl of nut butter (I used almond)
1 Tbl hemp seeds
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup of milk (I used almond milk)
3 - 4 ice cubes
1 tsp raw cacao nibs, optional

Put all the ingredients, except the cacao nibs, into a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Sprinkle with cacao nibs if you like.

You can also put it in the freezer for 3 - 4 hours and turn it into a pseudo ice cream - YUM-O!! Enjoy!

Raw Chocolate Cashew Bars

Oh my goodness, these cashew bars are so delicious! They are no-bake, healthy and make a yummy chocolatey dessert.  My kids and I couldn't get enough of them.  Plus, they are raw, vegan (as long as you don't use honey) and gluten free.

I found the recipe on the blog Dishing Out Health. Here it is word for word:

Ingredients:

**Base**

• 1½ cups raw unsalted cashews
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
• ¼ cup + 2-3 tsp liquid sweetener (honey, brown rice syrup, maple syrup)
• Pinch of sea salt

**Chocolate Coconut Topping**

• ¼ cup liquid sweetener (honey, brown rice syrup, maple syrup)
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
• <2 tbsp hemp seeds, optional - this was my addition>
• A few pinches of sea salt

Instructions:

1. Add cashews to food processor and blend for 2-3 minutes, stopping to scrap down the sides every 30 seconds or so. You want to process the nuts until they start to form somewhat of a paste.
2. Add oats, coconut oil, liquid sweetener and sea salt and blend for another 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed, until ingredients form a dough (refer to picture).
3. Line a loaf pan or 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly coat with non-stick spray. Empty dough into pan and press down firmly, spreading evenly to all edges. It's helpful to use the bottom of a measuring cup to really compact dough.
4. Chocolate topping: In a large glass measuring cup or bowl, whisk together liquid sweetener, melted coconut oil and cocoa powder until smooth and well-combined. Pour over dough, spreading evenly with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with coconut flakes and sea salt.
5. Freeze for 1 hour or refrigerate for 3 hours before slicing. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Fajita Pasta with Verde Cream Sauce and Roasted Chickpeas

I saw a similar recipe to this on Pinterest and was inspired to give it a try with my own spin. I loved the idea of combining pasta with fajita veggies. And it worked! My husband, especially, loved it.  He added a ton of hot sauce to his bowl! My son did, too.

This dish would taste scrumptious with thinly sliced, marinated flank steak or marinated chicken. You can add this in addition to the roasted chickpeas or sub them out. Enjoy!

Pasta & Fajita Veggies:
8 oz of penne pasta AND
8 oz of spiral pasta (this mixing is just for fun! If you want to use only one type of pasta, that's fine, too. Use 16 oz of one type)

2 Tbl olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 to 1 whole large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 to 1 whole large green pepper, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp dried oregano
Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional (use more if you like it spicy)

Parmesan, if you like

Simple Verde Sauce:
3/4 cup verde salsa (my favorite brand is Herdez)
1/2 cup sour cream

Roasted Chickpeas:
1 15 oz can of chickpeas
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika

**If you would like to add protein to this meal, shredded chicken or flank steak would taste great!

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and drizzle a bit of olive oil on top to prevent sticking - toss and set aside.

To roast chickpeas:
Rinse and drain canned chickpeas. Spread onto a foil or parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle on olive oil and add salt and spices. Toss to coat. Smooth seasoned chickpeas into an even layer on the baking sheet. Bake on 400F for 20 minutes. Stir when you take them out of the oven. Set aside.

Simple Verde Sauce:
Add verde salsa and sour cream to a small saucepan. Heat over medium low until heated through. Set aside until ready.  If this doesn't seem like enough sauce to you, add more of each ingredient until you deem it enough. Can't go wrong......

To cook the veggies, put 2 Tbl of olive oil in a large pan. Saute onions for 5 minutes. Add bell peppers, garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes, if using, and saute for another 5-7 minutes until everything is cooked to your desired crispness.

Combine pasta and sauce, toss to coat.  Place saucy noodles in a bowl and top with pepper mix and roasted chickpeas (and meat, if using) and Parmesan, if you like. Enjoy!!