Banana Cranberry Breakfast Cookies

This recipe is simple to prepare and your body will be happy being fed such a healthy cookie! Can be enjoyed for breakfast, snack or even dessert. They are packed with protein and fiber and made without sugar or eggs.


Ingredients:

1 cup quick cook steel cut oats (Trader Joe's brand)
¼ cup ground flax seed
¼ cup Tera's whey (vanilla flavor)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 very ripe bananas
½ cup fruit juice sweetened dried cranberies

To make:

Preheat oven to 350° F. In a bowl mix together oats, flax seed, whey, chia seeds, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl mash bananas. Add the mashed bananas to the flour mixture and stir to combine. Fold in dried cranberries. Using a ¼ size measuring cup, scoop batter onto a parchment or a silpat lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

Sweet Potato Feta and Arugula Quiche

I made this quiche last week and had to make it again. It's that good. The crust is simple to make and chock-full of healthy fats from the flax and chia seeds. A piece of this for breakfast will keep your stomach happy and full till it's time for lunch. This recipe is gluten free and vegetarian.

Sweet Potato Feta and Arugula Quiche

Ingredients for the crust:

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon oat flour
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup ground flax seeds
2 tablespoons chia seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg

Ingredients for the filling:

1 small white onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 medium sweet potato, diced (about 3 heaping cups)
2 cups packed arugula
5 eggs
⅓ cup feta cheese
1 tablespoon pesto, store-bought or homemade
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon red chili flakes

Generous grinds of pepper

To make:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, mix together oat flour, flax, chia seeds, and parmesan cheese. Create a little well in the flour mixture and add the egg and olive oil. Mix well and let sit for 5 minutes. Form dough into a round disk and place between two sheets of wax paper. Using a rolling pin, flatten out the dough. Carefully remove the sheets of wax paper and place dough into a greased 9-inch pie dish. Press dough into the dish and up the sides. Pierce dough several times with a fork and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside until your filling is ready.

In a large frying pan on medium-high heat, add butter and oil. Once it’s nice and hot, add onions and 1 teaspoon salt. Give it a quick stir and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Add the sweet potato and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes. Add Italian seasoning, pepper and red chili flakes. Cook for about 3 more minutes. Add arugula, gently stir and remove pan from heat.

Crack eggs into a bowl. Reserve one of the yolks. Add pesto to the bowl of eggs and whisk for about a minute. Using a pastry brush, spread the reserved egg yolk all over the inside of the crust. Layer half of the sauteed veggie mixture, half of the feta cheese and half of the pesto egg mixture. Follow the same steps with the remaining ingredients. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin-Zucchini-Banana Bread

I've posted quite a few breakfast bread recipes here. That's because they are so easy to whip up and a great way to have breakfast all week. Now that the weather is finally cooling down it's actually starting to feel like Fall. What do we do in Fall? Eat everything pumpkin! I'm not a PSL drinker but I do love everything else pumpkin. Just the other night I made a vegetarian green curry with pumpkin. It was so spicy and delicious. That should be a future post. Having leftover roasted pumpkin from that evening, I mashed it up and turned it into Chocolate Chip Pumpkin-Zucchini-Banana Bread. This bread is really yummy! I like to serve it toasted (so the chocolate melts) with almond butter and sliced banana. It's also a filling fiber rich meal which will keep you going until lunch.

Ingredients:

Dry ingredients
½ cup gluten free oat flour (blended up oats)
½ cup rice flour
¼ cup gluten free oat bran
¼ cup ground flax
¼ cup tapioca starch
¼ cup coconut sugar
2½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon cinnamon
A few dashes of ground ginger
A dash or two of ground cloves

Wet ingredients
1 cup mashed pumpkin (canned pumpkin could also be used.)
1 medium banana, broken into smaller pieces
⅓ cup canola oil
⅓ cup blackstrap molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup almond milk
1 egg

Add ins
1 medium zucchini, grated
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

To make:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. Gently mix to combine. In a food processor, blend all of your wet ingredients except for the egg. Once all wet ingredients have been mixed, add your egg and blend for a few seconds. Pour wet ingredients into the dry and mix together until all of the flour blend is saturated. Fold in zucchini and chocolate chips. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes.

Roasted Banana Coconut Ice Cream with Chocolate Covered Almond Pieces

Ice cream is by far my favorite dessert. I always crave it. You would think that since I have my own ice cream maker, I would have a handmade batch on hand at all times. The truth is, I've only made real ice cream once. And it wasn't even for me! I have experimented with many alternative ice creams though. When I cook for myself at home, I always try to eat healthy and well. I don't worry about what I eat as much when my boyfriend and I prepare meals or go out. I love my burgers and will forever love him for introducing me to Queso, Texas style (Velveeta and Rotel). Having a balance in your diet is important. I give props to those who can restrict to the max, but for me, that is not possible. I love food too much! Anyway back to the ice cream. This is a non-dairy ice cream made with a base of bananas and coconut cream. The coconut cream gives off such a creamy texture!  The ice cream itself is made without any refined sugars. (Cane sugar is an ingredient in the chocolate used to make the chocolate covered almonds.) This is a super simple recipe that you can feel good about eating. 

 Roasted Banana Coconut Ice Cream with Chocolate Covered Almond Pieces

Ingredients:

For ice cream

4 ripe bananas
2 tbs coconut sugar
3 tbs melted coconut oil
1 can coconut cream (I use Trader Joe's brand)
4 tbs agave nectar
½ teaspoon almond extract
Juice from half a small lemon
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For chocolate covered almonds

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup slivered toasted almonds
1 teaspoon coconut oil
pinch of salt
generous pinch or two of coconut sugar

To make:

Preheat oven to 370 degrees F. Peel bananas and slice lengthwise. Lay bananas flat side down on a silpat or foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with coconut sugar and drizzle with the coconut oil. Gently roll bananas around the baking sheet to coat with the sugar and oil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Add bananas and sugary goop to a food processor and blend till smooth. Scrape down sides of the bowl and add coconut cream, agave, lemon juice and salt. Blend again to incorporate all ingredients. Transfer food processor bowl to the fridge and allow mixture to cool for at least 15 minutes. Pour into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions.

Now it's time for the chocolate covered almonds! In a small saucepan over very low heat add your chocolate chips and and coconut oil. Stir constantly to prevent chocolate from burning. Once your chocolate is melted and smooth, remove from heat and mix in almonds. Stir to coat evenly and spread out mixture on a small baking tray lined with parchment or foil. Sprinkle with salt and coconut sugar. Place in the freezer to set.

About 2 minutes before the ice cream churning is complete, remove chocolate covered almonds from the freezer. Break apart with your hands or roughly chop. Add them to the ice cream.
After ice cream is done, transfer to a loaf pan and place in freezer overnight or for at least a few hours, until firm.

Banana-Plum-Raisin Oatmeal Bake

Last week my mom and I were down in Anaheim. Disneyland used to be the only thing I cared about in the area, but now I have a new stop I must make every time I'm down there. 99 Ranch Market! On a previous trip to Disneyland, my coworker took me to this amazing Asian market on our way home. I was in heaven. We spent over an hour browsing through all the spices, sauces, teas and yummy treats. Once we left I couldn't wait to return. They also have a hot food station, which I was dying to try on my next visit.

 The food didn't disappoint. We got a few snacks to fuel us for shopping. Sugar cane shrimp, pork buns, scallion cakes, and turnip cakes. Everything was so fresh and delicious. I'm a huge Dim Sum fan, so this was perfect! The market is pretty big, so I suggested we start at one end and make our way down each aisle. I had a list of things I wanted to purchase again but also had my eyes open for new items I wanted to try. One item that caught my attention was a coconut spread (Ma Tamis Sa Bao). It's just coconut cream, brown sugar and water. It looks similar to caramel and has the same consistency.

 This stuff is delicious! It's smooth and creamy with a subtle coconut flavor. I read online that it can be substituted for molasses in pecan pie. Now that is something I must do soon. Instead of dessert, I decided to use it in place of maple syrup in an oatmeal breakfast bake. The finished product came out great. It's not too sweet and the flavors of the coconut with cooked bananas are just perfect. This oatmeal bake is gluten free and vegan friendly.

Ingredients:

2¼ cup gluten free oats
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
1½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 bananas, 1 sliced and reserve the other for wet ingredients
1 plum, sliced
½ cup golden raisins
1 can (14oz) light coconut milk
⅓ cup coconut spread
1 teaspoon vanilla

To make:

Preheat oven to 370ºF. In a large bowl, add oats, ground flax, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine. Toss in sliced banana, plum and raisins and set aside. In a food processor, combine coconut milk, coconut spread, the remaining banana and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into the dry and gently stir to saturate all of the oat mixture. Pour into a greased 8x8 baking dish. Press the mixture down gently with a spatula. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. I made this the day before and once cooled, I covered it and stored in the fridge. It reheats easily in the microwave or oven and if you'd like an extra kick of protein top with a scoop of cottage cheese or yogurt.

Beet Greens Pesto

What to do with all those beet greens you have hanging around in your fridge? Make pesto! After I purchase beets from my local farmers market, I usually trim off all the greens, wash and store them in a gallon size ziplock in the fridge. I usually add them to juices throughout the week but wanted to try something different. I also didn't have much else to juice. I've also sauteed these greens with garlic and olive oil which makes a tasty alternative to sauteed kale or spinach. This pesto recipe is super quick and easy to make. You don't even need to dirty measuring cups.

What you will need:

About 4 handfuls of beet greens
2 handfuls of pumpkin seeds
2 cloves of garlic
Juice from 1 lemon
Olive oil (more or less depending on desired consistency)
Salt and pepper to taste.

Blend all ingredients in a food processor and enjoy! Your body will thank you as this recipe packs a punch in the nutrient department. Beet greens are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, which contain antioxidants that help protect your cells. They are also a good source of calcium, magnesium, folate, and iron. For those who are conscious of calories, 1 cup of cooked beet greens contains only 39 calories.

What are your favorite recipes using beet greens?

Balsamic Tomato Jam

It feels like my last few posts have all included jam. Well, I guess you can tell I love using it in everything and even more, I love making it. This pan jam is one of the easiest things to make. A friend of mine has the cutest little garden at her house. Her tomatoes are prime for the picking so she shared the abundance with me . Earlier in the week, I had already made some tomato soup and veggie quiche. I wanted to try something different so the jam idea sounded great! I was skeptical how it would turn out, as the cooking process was a bit different from the way fruit cooks down. But let me tell you, this stuff is amazing. My mom kept raving about the flavor and pairing it with cheese and crackers. I went the other route and added it to grilled cheese made with goat cheese and spinach. I'm excited to get more tomatoes so I can make this again soon. I already have some new yummy ideas of what I can do with it.

Ingredients:

5 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
(heirloom, cherry, plum, yellow)
Juice from ½ lemon
⅓ cup agave nectar
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

To make:

Chop and measure 5 cups of tomatoes. In a large pot or deep pan, add tomatoes, lemon juice, agave, and salt. Turn heat to high-medium and gently stir to combine. Once the mixture starts to boil, continue to stir frequently to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot. After about 5 minutes of cooking, add the balsamic vinegar. Continue to stir often for 25-30 minutes or until jam has reached a thickened consistency. Remove from heat and pour into two 8oz glass jars. Top with lids and store in fridge or freezer. I usually put one in each until I'm done with the first but I put both of these in the fridge this time because we couldn't stop eating it ;)

Jammin Gin & Tonic

I never had an appreciation for gin until now in my mid-twenties. Vodka was always the go-to when my girlfriends and I would go out. Ketel soda was our drink of choice. Now I prefer gin with its mild taste that pairs well with so many different flavors. There is a local restaurant my boyfriend and I go to where the bar offers an amazing selection of non-alcoholic drinks with great fruity and floral flavor combinations. I'll order one of those and ask the bartender if I can add gin. I was given a funny look the first time it happened but he took my request and delivered a delicious drink. The gin complemented the flavors so well.  It inspired me to make a drink of my own.
A few months back, I made a batch of cherry apricot pan jam. The batch yielded two jars so I put one in the freezer. Now I have the perfect use for it. The jam itself is on the tart side so I included a little honey in this drink for balance. The flavors of the jam pair well with the infusion of rose and cucumber in Hendrick's gin. The rosemary garnish is optional but I highly recommend it. The flavor comes out stronger as you sip your drink.

 Ingredients:

1 tablespoon cherry apricot pan jam
Juice from ½ of a lime
1½ ounces Hendrick's gin
1 teaspoon honey
Fever Tree light tonic water
Ice cubes
Rosemary sprig for garnish

To make:

In a glass, add pan jam and muddle to break up any pieces of fruit. Pour in lime juice, gin, honey and give a quick stir. Add ice cubes, top off with tonic water and garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

Banana Coconut Fudgesicles

Here is a super easy recipe for Banana Coconut Fudgesicles. This quick summer treat is creamy, healthy, and delicious! I love having these on hand in my freezer.


Ingredients:

2 very ripe bananas, frozen
1 can coconut cream
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

To make:

A day or two in advance, freeze very ripe bananas in a ziplock bag. You can break apart pieces or cut into slices. Heat coconut cream in a small pot on the stove over medium-low heat. Add chocolate chips and continually whisk until all the chips have melted. Pour mixture into a blender and add frozen bananas. Blend until you get a smooth consistency. Pour evenly into 10 popsicle molds and place in freezer overnight or until frozen.

Summer Quinoa Salad

 

If you took a peek into my fridge, you would most likely find a big bowl of quinoa salad. I love having this stuff on hand. I used to just make a pot of plain quinoa but spending that extra time preparing the salad allows for quick lunch or dinner prep for the rest of the week. For lunch, I like to sprinkle over a salad and for dinner, I'll have it as a side with chicken and steamed veggies. Make this salad for yourself or try it out at your next get-together or weekend BBQ. It will pair wonderfully with grilled corn on the cob. This salad is gluten free and vegan friendly. It’s also a great source of protein, especially for those on a vegan diet, as quinoa contains a complete protein profile.

Ingredients:

Salad

1½ cups uncooked quinoa
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
½ tablespoon chili powder
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup sliced black olives
1 cup green onions, sliced
½ cup cilantro, chopped

Dressing

¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup low sodium tamari
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cumin

To make:

Using a fine mesh sieve, rinse quinoa under cold water. Add quinoa to a pot along with vegetable broth and chili powder. Give a quick stir and turn heat to high. Once the quinoa reaches a boil, turn heat to medium-low. You want a slow boil. Cook for about 25 minutes or until quinoa is done. Fluff with fork and allow to cool completely. Quinoa may be made a day in advance and refrigerated. In a large bowl, add cooked quinoa, and remaining ingredients for the salad. Gently mix well. In a smaller bowl, combine all your ingredients for the dressing. Whisk together and pour over salad. Stir to evenly distribute dressing. Cover and refrigerate until ready to eat. I like to chill it for an hour or two to allow the flavors to meld.

Cherry Apricot Pan Jam

Pan Jams are one of my favorite things to make. They are so easy and in a short amount of time you have delicious jam! No one will know the difference. Lately I’ve been using my last batch of strawberry jam to top my yogurt and granola in the mornings. It’s a great way to flavor and lightly sweeten plain Greek yogurt using natural sugars from the fruit and honey. This jam is also great as a topping for pancakes, added into smoothies or even muddled in cocktails. Since there is no canning process required, the jam needs to be kept refrigerated. It usually keeps for about a week or two in the fridge and up to a year in the freezer. One batch  yields 16oz. This jam in particular is on the tart side which I prefer. If you would like a sweeter jam, add 1-2 more tablespoons of honey.


Ingredients:

2½ cups cherries, halved and pitted
2½ cups apricots, pitted and diced
½ cup honey
Juice from 1 lemon
Pinch of salt

To make:

In a large saucepan, add prepared fruit, honey, lemon juice and salt. Turn heat to medium high and stir to incorporate ingredients. Once the mixture reaches a boil, cook for about 18-20 minutes stirring frequently.  About ¾ of the way through you may need to turn the heat down to medium low to prevent thickening jam from burning. Once jam is done, pour into two glass jars. Top with lids and place in fridge or freezer. I usually keep the second jar in the freezer until ready to use.

Moroccan Lentil Soup

There is a magical herb shop I discovered a few years back. I’m trying to remember if I stumbled upon it myself or if someone took me there. Either way it’s one of my favorite places to visit when I’m up in San Luis Obispo. I pretty much planned my birthday afternoon around going to this place because I wanted to stock up on my favorite teas and spices. The Secret Garden Organic Herbs Shop's name pretty much sums up the place. It’s hidden off the main drag in a little outdoor type cottage surrounded by flowers and foliage. They have a large selection of medicinal herbs, spices, and teas which the owner blends herself. You could seriously spend an hour here admiring the wall holding rows of large mason jars filled with all sorts of goodness. My favorite tea that they offer is Candy Cane Lane. It’s a seasonal blend which consists of green tea, jasmine flowers, spearmint, peppermint, ginger, cinnamon, roses, and stevia leaves. I made sure to get a larger bag the last time before they ran out.
Awhile back I had purchased some different culinary spices including a Moroccan curry blend. It smelled so good. I’ve never done much Moroccan cuisine so it sat in my cupboard a bit longer than expected. Finally, I told myself I had to make something with it. And now we have Moroccan Lentil Soup! This is my go to soup recipe. It’s so easy and healthy. A bowl is a meal in itself. Lentils provide a great source of protein and fiber, keeping my stomach full and satisfied. My mom likes to serve this soup over a bowl of couscous.




Moroccan Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

1 medium white onion, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
2 medium zucchini, sliced in quarters
1 cup red lentils
1 can garbanzo beans
4 cups low sodium vegetable broth (chicken broth can be used in place but would not make the soup vegan)
2 cups water
2 tablespoons Moroccan spice blend from Secret Garden Herb Shop
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
pepper to taste
2 tablespoons canola oil

To make:

Rinse lentils in a fine mesh sieve until water runs clear and set aside.
Heat a large pot over medium heat and add oil.
Once the oil is hot, add onions and saute for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add carrots and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add zucchini and garbanzo beans along with the Moroccan spice blend, salt, red chili flakes and pepper. Mix well to coat vegetables.
Pour in the vegetable broth and water. Turn heat up to high.
Once it reaches a boil, add lentils and stir to combine. Reduce heat to a low boil for 30 minutes, stirring every so often.
After 30 minutes your soup is ready to enjoy!
Let the remaining soup cool before storing in the fridge.

Recently Shared Recipes

For those who don't know, I've recently started contributing recipes to an awesome new site called Collective Lifestyle. With that being said, I have been slacking with this blog. In case you missed them, here are the recent posts I've shared.


Matcha Latte

Superfood Pizza Crust

Cashew Coconut Butter Truffles

New Frontiers Quinoa Salad

Chocolate Chip Walnut Banana Bread

Chocolate Chip Walnut Banana Bread

Ingredients:

3/4 cup spelt flour

3/4 cup oat flour

1 cup coconut sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

 2 eggs

2 ripe bananas mashed, about 1 cup

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

To make:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Butter and flour a loaf pan. I used spelt flour.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Using a spatula, gently mix well to incorporate all ingredients. 

Using a hand mixer, blend butter in a medium bowl. 

Add eggs and blend to incorporate.

Lastly, add Greek yogurt and mashed banana. Blend until all ingredients are combined.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well.

Fold in nuts and chocolate chips and pour into prepared loaf pan.

Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until a toothpick/skewer comes out dry.

Leave in pan for 10 minutes, then remove and cool on a wired rack covered with parchment.

This recipe was adapted from one found in a Martha Stewart magazine. Couldn't tell you which one... My mom has a million magazines and is constantly cutting out recipes for me. All I can say is that this bread is delicious!

Saffron Simple Syrup and a Saffron & Bitters Cocktail

For Christmas last year, my dad sent me a bottle of Averna. I'm not a huge drinker so it sat on the shelf next to the other bottles in my brother's bar area. What was our Mom's hutch is now his liquor cabinet. For my birthday the following month, Dad sent me multiple bottles of truffle oil, which have been put to use many times, and a tin of saffron which had been left untouched until now. I would see the cute little tin from Spain every time I opened the cupboard and it would remind me that I needed to do something with it soon. So I finally did. I wasn't quite sure what I would be using it for but a simple syrup sounded like a good idea. A healthier version of a simple syrup that is. And I finally got a way to use the Averna.

Saffron Simple Syrup

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1 cup coconut sugar

1 tablespoon grated ginger

2 cinnamon sticks

4 generous pinches of saffron

To Make:

In a saucepan add the water and coconut sugar. Turn heat to medium-high. 

Gently stir till the coconut sugar has dissolved.

Add ginger, cinnamon sticks, and saffron and stir again to combine.

Once it reaches a boil, let it cook for 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool for at least 30 minutes.

Strain simple syrup into a glass jar and store in fridge until ready for use.

Saffron & Bitters Cocktail

In a glass with ice add:

1oz Averna

2 tablespoon saffron simple syrup

& top with tonic water.

Cranberry Orange Pan Jam

Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner. My love for recipes with cranberries is so great this time of year. One of my favorites is what we do at work. We top cupcakes with the sugared berries. It's just so pretty with the contrast of the deep berry color and the whiteness of the sugar. Definitely brings on that joyous feeling of winter.

During the summer, I made a few batches of pan jams using stone fruit. I thought it would be great to make a batch using cranberries. I love pan jams because they are so easy to make. Since there is no canning process required, they need to be kept refrigerated. They usually keep for about a week or two in the fridge and up to a year in the freezer.

Cranberry Orange Pan Jam 

Ingredients:

1 12oz bag of cranberries

1 orange - zest and juice

1/2 cup honey

2 tablespoons coconut sugar

2 stevia packets 

(If you don't use stevia, I would suggest adding more coconut sugar since the berries are so tart.)

1oz Grand Marnier (Optional)

To Make:

Rinse cranberries and place in large bowl.

Heat 3 cups water in a pot just until it starts to boil. 

Pour water over cranberries and let sit for 10 minutes.

During this time, zest the orange and set both zest and orange aside. 

You will need the juice from the orange in the next step.

Drain cranberries and place back in the pot along with zest, 

juice from the whole orange, honey, coconut sugar, and stevia. 

Turn heat to medium-high and stir gently to combine all ingredients. 

Continue to stir every few minutes.

After about 5 minutes cranberries will begin to burst. 

Use a wooden spoon or silicon spatula to mash berries down.  

Turn heat slightly lower after 5 more minutes and add 1oz Grand Marnier.

Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until jam looks thick.

Store jam in glass jars in the fridge or freezer. 

This jam makes a great topping for pancakes as well as oatmeal and ice cream. 

Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies, Gluten & Egg Free

 Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

3/4 cup gluten free oat flour
3/4 cup hazelnut flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
2 tablespoons tapioca starch
1 cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Wet Ingredients:

4 oz butter, browned
(All I had at home was salted butter so if you
 use unsalted add about 1/2 teaspoon salt.)
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flax meal plus 6 tablespoons hot water. Gently stir to saturate the flax meal.)


To Prepare:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
First thing in order is to brown the butter. For those who are not familiar, here is an easy tutorial. 

How to make brown butter.
Once the brown butter is done, pour into large bowl. Let sit for about 5 minutes and then add the 2 tablespoons of pumpkin puree. Whisk till combined.
At this stage you can prepare your flax eggs. It’s best to let them sit after the water has been added.
In a medium size bowl, sift together all dry ingredients except the coconut sugar and chocolate chips.
Gently mix well until flour blend is combined evenly.
Add the flax eggs to the brown butter and mix to incorporate.
Cream sugar into butter mixture.
Add flour blend a little bit at a time while mixing together in between additions. A spatula was handy at this stage.
Once the dough is uniform, fold in chocolate chips.
Form dough into 2 tablespoon size balls and place evenly spaced on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat mat.
Bake for 12 minutes.
I don’t know if it’s just me or because I use alternative flours and sugar but the cookies I bake never seem to flatten and expand outward. About 10 minutes into the baking I pressed down on them a little with the back of a spatula.

Spelt Lemon & Chia Pancakes Topped With Blueberry Honey Compote

Mondays are my Saturdays. After having worked with cupcakes all weekend, you would think the last thing I would want to do is bake or cook. Wrong. I find myself staying awake after I've gone to bed on Sunday nights thinking of what I can create on my days off. As breakfast will be my next meal, pancake recipe ideas tend to float around my head quite a bit. So this morning I got into my kitchen with the intent of making lemon pancakes. The end result was Spelt Lemon and Chia Pancakes with a Blueberry Honey Compote. These pancakes are full of fiber from the flax and chia seeds and made with stevia as the sweetener. The compote is sweetened with honey, and for serving, I drizzled a little more honey on top.

Spelt Lemon and Chia Pancakes with a Blueberry Honey Compote 

Ingredients for Pancakes (makes 6 pancakes)

Dry Ingredients:

1/2 cup spelt flour

2 Tablespoons coconut flour

1 Tablespoon ground flax seed

1 Tablespoon chia seeds

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 packets of stevia (I use NuNaturals brand.)

Pinch of salt

Wet Ingredients:

1 egg

3/4 cup almond milk

2 Tablespoons Greek yogurt

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Juice from 1/2 lemon

1/4 teaspoon lemon extract

How to Prepare:

Preheat large frying pan on stove over low heat.

In a medium-large bowl, sift all of your dry ingredients (expect chia seeds). Once everything is sifted, add chia seeds and mix together till flour mixture is evenly blended.

In another medium size bowl, add all of your wet ingredients and whisk together. 

Add the wet ingredients to dry and mix well till evenly combined. 

Adjust heat on stove to medium-high. Grease frying pan with oil or butter.

Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop pancake batter into pan. 

Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side. If you are familiar with making pancakes, you will be able to tell when they need to be flipped (when you see bubbles forming around sides.)

Blueberry Honey Compote

1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen).

2 Tablespoons honey

Juice from 1/2 lemon

2 pinches of lemon zest

In a medium size frying pan over medium-high heat, add blueberries, honey, lemon juice and lemon zest.  Mix well.  Turn the heat up to high and let cook, stirring frequently until compote thickens. Cooking time varies depending on how thick you like it.

Panko Breaded & Baked Zucchini

Panko Breaded & Baked Zucchini, Gluten Free

Ingredients

Zucchini (I used 1 1/2 for this batch.)

Brown rice flour

Gluten Free Panko Breadcrumbs. Ian's brand is the best!

1 egg

Spices of your choice. I used salt, pepper & cayenne.

Prep

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F

Line baking sheet with foil and grease generously with oil. 

Using a shallow bowl or dish, place 1/4 cup brown rice flour.  

In another dish, place 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs.

In a shallow bowl, add 1 egg and whisk with fork. 

(Use additional egg, flour, and breadcrumbs if you want to increase the recipe.)

To prepare

Slice desired amount of zucchini.

 Sprinkle slices with spices... that rhymes :)

Dip sliced zucchini in brown rice flour, then egg wash and finish with the panko breading. 

Place on baking sheet and repeat till all are covered with breading.

Place in oven and bake about 7 minutes. Turn zucchini slices over and turn oven up to broil. Cook for about 5 minutes, maybe a little less. You want them to be a golden brown color. 

Remove from oven and enjoy! They go well with various dipping sauces.

 

Afternoon Adventure & an Ice Cream Float

I don't know how long Clairmont Farms has been around but I've been driving by it for many years, it seems, and never once stopped to check it out. Until yesterday that is. I had a jar of Sweet Lady Cook's strawberry lavender jam and wanted to make something yummy with it. My intent was to go to the farm to purchase some culinary lavender and make a honey lavender syrup. 

Just driving into the farm felt magical. It looks like one of those French rustic farms you see in movies. The long driveway is lined with tall trees and to the left you see all the beautiful bushes of lavender. 

Their little shop is situated at the end of the driveway. They carry a variety of body care products as well as lavender infused teas, honey, salts, and other herbs and spices. I left with a jar of lavender rooibos tea, lavender infused honey and a bouquet of dried lavender just because it's so pretty. I took a quick walk through the lavender field before leaving. This place is just so darn cute. They even have picnic tables set up so visitors can bring and enjoy their lunch in this gorgeous place.

Having acquired that lavender honey, it was time to make something delicious. What better way to end a summer night than with an ice cream float.

Summer Ice Cream Float

What you will need:

Sweet Lady Cook strawberry lavender jam
Both vanilla and caramel ice cream 

(You can use just one flavor if you prefer) I used the Talenti brand gelato.
Lavender infused honey.
Club soda

How to prepare:

In a tall glass, add two heaping tablespoons of Sweet Lady Cook strawberry lavender jam. Using a muddler, mash down any larger chunks of fruit.
Add a scoop of each vanilla and caramel ice cream. Top with a generous spoonful of lavender honey. Pour in the club soda and enjoy. I forwent the straw on this one and dug in with a spoon.

Don’t feel limited to the ingredients in this recipe. I’m confident that any of Sweet Lady Cook’s jams would be great in an ice cream float. You can even change up the ice cream flavors and use regular honey to get new and fun flavor combinations.