Chocolate Bombs

It's the afternoon.  You're dragging.  And you're hungry.  "Is there still ice cream in the freezer?" you think to yourself.  "Wait, no, there's a bag of chips in the pantry!"  Or maybe you're at the office and there's leftover birthday cake in the break room.  Or donuts.  Or both!

Let me introduce you to my secret weapon against those junk food temptations.  I wage war on those moments with this recipe in my arsenal.  I call them....(pause for dramatic effect).....Chocolate Bombs!

Ever since I found this recipe from The Gabriel Method E-Cookbook, it's been my go-to for fighting hunger and snack attacks with a healthy and filling alternative.  One of my most vulnerable times for hunger is Sundays.  I try to eat something right before I leave, but by the time I get home after church (which is three hours long) I am ready to eat the front door!  Armed with a few of these tucked away in my purse or waiting for me in the car, I soothe the hunger beast during the twenty minute drive home.

You could make a breakfast of these if you like; or just snack on them when you need a pick me up or have an afternoon snack attack.  I always have a big glass of water (or water bottle) on hand with these as they are quite the mouthful!

It's the afternoon.  You're dragging.  And you're hungry.  "Chocolate bombs to the rescue!" you shout triumphantly.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup almonds

1 Tbsp chia seeds

1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds

unsweetened coconut (to taste)

1 tsp. sesame seeds

4 tsp raw cacao

3 Tbsp almond butter

2 Tbsp coconut palm sugar

1 Tbsp raw cashew butter

5-10 drops liquid stevia

1 tsp cinnamon

1.  Place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until the almonds are in very small pieces.

2.  Check the consistency by taking a small amount of the mixture and forming it into a ball.  If it's too crumbly, add more almond or cashew butter in small amounts and process again.  Once it will form a ball, you've gotten it right!
3.  Using your hand or a small cookie scoop, take out tablespoonfuls of the mixture, squeeze if necessary, and roll into a ball in your hands.  

4.  Eat immediately or store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Makes about 10-12 bombs, depending on how big you make them

A few notes:

• The original recipe calls for Tahini in place of cashew butter.  Not a Tahini fan, so I subbed.  The original also called for a teaspoon of stevia but I only had liquid.  For the cacao I increased the amount from 3 teaspoons in the original, to 4.
• How much coconut you say?  I'm a coconut lover, so I would guess I add 1/4 cup.  This will affect how much extra nut butter you need to add at the end (if any).
• I love these.  So when I make them, I triple the batch.  Tripling just fits the mixture in my Ninja food processor.

Source:  slightly adapted from the Choc Seed Treat recipe in The Gabriel Method E-Cookbook 

Italian Elvis Sandwiches

A recipe so weird, I just had to try it.

There I sat, thumbing through who-knows-what outdated magazine at the salon, color setting in my hair.  And I almost didn't read it.  I almost passed right by it.  But when I read the ingredients I couldn't help myself.  I snapped a pic of it with my cell phone and made a mental note to try it soon.

The family was up for it.  (They are adventurous with anything that involves Nutella.)  And when we bravely tried it for the first time, they were not disappointed.  It as a big hit!  And though this dish is a rich, not-every-day kind of food, it gets requested more often than I can tell you (especially from one kid in particular).

So tonight, when we had the missionaries over for dinner and served these for dessert (at the request of that one kid in particular), I remembered...."Oh yeah, I never put this on the blog, did I?"

It only took me a year and a half to remember to share it.  Once you try it, you may not forgive me for waiting so long!  My apologies.....but honestly, you'll be so transported by the unique flavor, you'll forget all about being mad at me.  :)

p.s.....comment below if you get why it's called an Italian Elvis.

Ingredients:

8 slices sturdy white bread*
6 strips of crispy bacon, in bit sized pieces

Nutella

1 ripe banana

8 ounce tub of mascarpone cheese

softened butter

lots of napkins

1.  Heat a griddle or skillet to medium-low heat (like you are making a grilled cheese sandwich, cuz well, you are!).

2.  Place the banana on a dinner plate and mash it well with a fork.  Empty the tub of cheese on top of the mashed banana and use the fork to incorporate the two together.  Set aside.

3.  Butter one side of a slice of bread.  Place this butter-side down on another slice of bread.  Then carefully spread Nutella on top of the slice that's face down with butter.  About 1/8" thick is fine--it's up to you how much you want.  Now place the bacon pieces on top of the Nutella.  (Each sandwich has about 1 1/2 strips of bacon.)

4.  Carefully lift just the Nutella slice of bread and place it butter side down on your griddle or skillet.  Immediately drop some scoops of your banana/cheese mixture on top of the Nutella/bacon and carefully spread it out (it will be about twice as thick as the Nutella).  

5.  Place the other slice of bread on top (you know, the one you used earlier).  Using your flipper/turner/spatula device, gently press down on that top piece.  Then carefully spread some butter on it.

6.  When the bottom slice is golden brown, VERY carefully lift and turn it over to cook on the other side.  All that gooey goodness might make this step a little challenging, but stick with me....it's worth it.

7.  Once the other side is done, lift it out carefully and place it on a flat surface to cool for a minute or two before slicing and eating.

Makes 4 sandwiches

A few notes:

• Regarding the bread*--super soft white bread will not hold up well to the spreading of Nutella and tends to flatten too much during cooking.  I recommend something like Pepperidge Farm breads, which are delicious and stand up well to this recipe.
• How many sandwiches this recipe makes will depend a lot on how thick you spread the ingredients on the bread slices.  The amounts listed above reflect my family's preferences and you may need to adjust the recipe based on your own preferences.
• Where to find mascarpone cheese?  In my grocery store, it's found in the deli department, but if you can't find it, just ask someone at the store.
• Yes, you do need to have the bacon in pieces.  If you just lay 3 half-strips on bacon down, those suckers will slide right out of the sandwich when you take a bite.  Also, my family prefers it crispy; yours may like it chewier (in which case it's even more important that the bacon be in pieces).
• Why lots of napkins? You obviously haven't tried to eat one yet.  Go make one, eat it, and then we'll talk.

source:  pretty sure it was out of a Food Network magazine

Mike's Baked Fritatta

We have a guest post today.  My husband decided to cook breakfast one day and he thought it might make a good Mormon Mavens post!  Perfect for me because I have had a long day and don't have time to whip up something myself.  Good thing he dictated the recipe to me that day.

Ingredients:

4-6 large eggs, beaten ( add 1 T. of water to this)

1 t. all-purpose seasoning

2 t. freeze-dried spinach, re-hydrated

1 t. chopped green onion

1 t. freeze-dried mixed bell peppers, re-hydrated

1/4 cup sausage crumbles

1 cup Colby Jack cubes

1.  Heat 1 T. of oil (he used coconut oil) over medium-high heat in a medium skillet.  Add vegetables and saute for a couple of minutes.

2.  Add beaten eggs with seasoning, and the cubed cheese.  Stir until cheese is melted and all ingredients are blended over medium heat.

3.  Transfer to a greased round baking dish and put in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.  Top with grated Mozzerella cheese and heat until that is melted.

Source: Mike Jenkins.

Breakfast Tostadas

I am currently in a breakfast funk. It's hard to come up with healthy choices when you are used to just throwing some milk and Cheerios in a bowl.   Anyone else out there grow up with cold cereal for the first meal of the day?  I would bet there are a lot of us.  Nothing against Mom--she did the best she could for her kiddos.  I can even remember a time when she was trying to get creative with some healthier options, but we just didn't cooperate very well, except with the frozen banana with peanut butter and wheat germ.  That is STILL a winner!  Maybe that should be a future post!  Stay tuned.

Anyway, as I was scouring my Pinterest folders for some ideas for my post this week, I found this gem and thought it would be a great recipe to share, plus maybe I will love breakfast again.  Plus, their picture looked so colorful and amazing.  By the way, this dish is so easy to prepare and you can do it with the messiest of counters. I had just gotten back from work and the store, plus as I was putting food away I noticed how nasty the fridge looked.  Took all the stuff off the shelves and out of the drawers and that was also on my counters, and I was able to make my tostada amidst the chaos.  Score!  And after my tostada, I cleaned/reorganized the fridge.

Ingredients:
1  16-oz. can of re-fried beans
6 tostada shells
6 eggs
1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco
1 avocado, sliced
cilantro
hot sauce

1.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  Place tostada shells in a single layer on baking sheet.  Bake 6-7 minutes or until crisp.

2.  Place re-fried beans in a small saucepan.  Heat over medium heat until warmed through. For those using freeze-dried beans, follow the directions on the package/can.  Mine was super easy and I made only as much as I needed.

3.  Cook eggs according to preference--I like slightly under cooked.

4.  Assemble the tostadas--put equal amounts of re-fried beans on each tostada and spread evenly.  Top each with queso, a few avocado slices.  Place an egg on each one and season with salt and pepper.  You can also use cilantro and some hot sauce or salsa, if you like.  I used hot sauce because, unfortunately, I did not have any fresh salsa ready.  Serve warm.


Source:  Taste and Tell via Pinterest.

Gluten-free and Dairy-Free Blueberry Muffins

Are you gluten-free?  Do you find that you are sometimes less than thrilled to try new gluten-free recipes because they often don't satisfy?  Maybe it's just me.  I guess I'm jaded now.  Nevertheless, I decided to try this one for breakfast today because, well, I suppose I haven't lost all hope.

I wasn't expecting much.  Actually, I was expecting a slightly sweet blob of cardboard.  But I was really happy with the result.  Happy, as in, I will make these again.  And that's saying a lot....for me, anyway.

Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Blueberry Muffins

2 large eggs, at room temp
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup palm shortening, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup warm water
1 3/4 cup Pancake Mix (see recipe below)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup fresh blueberries (or reconstituted freeze-dried blueberries--what I used)

Topping
1/3 cup pecan halves
1 Tbsp. unsweetened shredded coconut
1 Tbsp. solid coconut oil
1 Tbsp. blanched almond flour
1 Tbsp. honey
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 large date, pit removed
pinch of sea salt

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place an oven-safe dish filled with 2 cups of water on the bottom oven rack.  Place a rack in the middle--this is where the muffins will bake.
2.  Place all the muffin ingredients, except the blueberries, in a blender.  Process for half a minute, scrape down, and process again until smooth.  Pour mixture into a bowl and stir in the blueberries.
3.  In a muffin tin, place 10 paper liners.  Fill each liner 2/3 full.
4.  In a food processor, combine all the topping ingredients.  Pulse them together until like coarse crumbs.  Sprinkle atop each muffin.
5.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Test with a toothpick by inserting into the middle of a muffin; if it comes out clean, it should be ready.  Remove the baked muffins to a wire rack to cool for a bit.

Pancake Mix
3 cups blanched almond flour
1 cup coconut flour
1 Tbsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cream of tartar
3/4 tsp. sea salt
Whisk together and store in airtight container in fridge (will last for 6 months).

Source:  Against All Grain by Danielle Walker

Southwestern Frittata

One of the things I love about Thrive Life foods is the convenience.  This morning I awoke to realize that all my scheduled recipe posts have run out!  I thought I had a few more in the reservoir.  But alas, they are all gone.  And today is my posting day...what to do? 

Thrive Life to the rescue.  I quickly went to one of my newest cookbooks, Against All Grain, and tried to find a breakfast recipe that I could Thrivalize.  I had tagged this frittata recipe because I have always wanted to try making one and the ingredients sounded pretty tasty.

I was able to sub Thrive freeze dried foods for almost all of the ingredients.  And really, I could have also subbed the eggs for the scrambled egg mix (which is SO good) but I wanted to try it with traditional eggs first.  I could also have used Thrive zucchini, but I was out.

When I use Thrive in a skillet meal, I just keep adding water a few tablespoons at a time until things get hydrated the way I want them.  If I end up adding in too much, I just wait for it to simmer off and then move on with the recipe.  If you are not using Thrive, see the notes at the bottom of the recipe for conventional directions.

Ingredients:
oil or bacon grease for the pan
1 cup Thrive freeze dried ground beef (or 1/2 pound raw ground beef)
1/4 cup Thrive freeze dried onion (or 2 Tbsp. chopped onion)
1/2 cup Thrive freeze dried butternut squash (or 1/2 cup diced butternut squash)
2 1/2 tsp. taco seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup Thrive freeze dried spinach (or 2 cups fresh  baby spinach)
1/2 cup diced zucchini
1/3 cup Thrive freeze dried red bell pepper (or 1/3 cup diced red bell pepper)
10 eggs, beaten
cheddar cheese, grated
avocado
salsa
sour cream

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  In a cast iron skillet (mine is a square 10") melt some bacon grease over medium heat...about 1 Tbsp (or use your oil of choice).  Pour in the ground beef and onion and stir to toast a little.  Add in about 1/4 cup of water and allow the beef and onion to rehydrate.  Add in the butternut squash and keep adding water a little at a time.  You will see the squash change color a little as it rehydrates.
3.  Once these ingredients are well-hydrated, add in the taco seasoning and salt and stir well to combine.
4.  Add in the spinach, zucchini, and red bell pepper....adding in more water as needed to adequately hydrate the ingredients.  Cook for about 4 minutes.
5.  Turn off burner, pour eggs into skillet, and place skillet into preheated oven for 20 minutes OR until the eggs have puffed up AND are cooked through (no wet jigglies on the surface).  Immediately sprinkle with grated cheddar, if desired.  Allow to melt for a minute or two.

Serve with avocado, salsa, sour cream.

Conventional Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.   In a cast iron skillet (mine is a square 10") melt some bacon grease over medium heat...about 1 Tbsp (or use your oil of choice).  Add in ground beef, onion, squash, taco seasoning, and salt and saute until the meat is mostly cooked through.
3.  Add spinach, zucchini, and red bell pepper and cook for 4 more minutes.
4.  Turn off burner, pour eggs into skillet, and place skillet into preheated oven for 20 minutes OR until the eggs have puffed up AND are cooked through (no wet jigglies on the surface).  Immediately sprinkle with grated cheddar, if desired.  Allow to melt for a minute or two.

Notes:

• Original recipe stated 12 minutes of bake time, but I needed a full 20.  Check your frittata starting at 12 minutes.
• Make sure your skillet is oven-proof.
• Cast iron is the best!!!!!!

Recipe Source:  adapted from a recipe in Against All Grain, by Danielle Walker (her website: Against All Grain)

Whole Grain Buckwheat Pancakes

I love breakfast.  Love it!  But when you're trying to go dairy- and gluten-free, breakfast can be hard.  Well, hard if you're like me and love carbs for breakfast.  Pancakes weren't something I ate every morning but when they were gone, they were missed.  In the few months that I've been eating this way I've tried a few pancake recipes;  and they were okay.  When I found this recipe I really didn't have high expectations.  And when I saw the batter, my expectations dropped even lower.  (Seriously, it looks like mud.  And don't the pancakes look more like hamburger patties from a distance?)  But I was pleasantly surprised when I took my first bite.  So happy I decided to try these!

Ingredients:
1 cup whole grain buckwheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 egg, separated
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. melted ghee
coconut oil for cooking

1.  In a medium bowl combine the dry ingredients (flour through cinnamon).  Whisk and set aside.
2.  In a smaller bowl, combine the milk, egg yolk, maple syrup, vanilla, and ghee.  Whisk well to combine.  Add this to the dry ingredients and stir well until just combined.
3.  In a small bowl, whisk the egg white until soft peaks form.  Fold this into the batter gently.
4.  Coat griddle at medium heat with coconut oil.  Pour batter onto griddle, forming 4" cakes.  Cook until bubbles form on top and the edges are no longer shiny.  Then flip and cook on the other side until done.

Serve with maple syrup.  Like, the real stuff!

Makes 8 four-inch pancakes

Source:  mountainmamacooks.com (very slighly adapted)

Itty Bitty Pancake Muffins

It's time for us to share some freezer meals on Mormon Mavens in the Kitchen!  I mean, it's back-to-school season and we are all pressed for time with all the added stresses that entails.  So how about we take the next couple o' weeks and share some of our favorite freezer-friendly recipes with you?

I chose to share a breakfast freezer recipe.   Pancakes?  Well, not exactly.  These are pancakes disguised as muffins!  Make a big batch ahead of time, cool, freeze, and take them out the night before to thaw.   Serve with warmed maple syrup and you've got a great breakfast treat without having to get up early!

Itty Bitty Pancake Muffins

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

2 1/2 cups milk

1 Tbsp. white vinegar

2 eggs

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

4 Tbsp. butter, melted

blueberries or chocolate chips, optional

warmed maple syrup for serving

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Combine dry ingredients and whisk well to combine.

2.  Combine milk and vinegar and allow to sit for one minute.  Then whisk in the eggs and the vanilla.  

3.  Pour the wet mix into the dry mix and mix by hand until just combined.  Then added the melted butter adn stir to combine.  (Add more milk if batter is too thick, more flour if it is too runny.)

4.  Spray a mini-muffin tin with baking spray and fill cups only 2/3 full.  Then top with 3 blueberries or a few chocolate chips (I use maxi chips, so I only need 3 chips).

5.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Tops don't really brown much, but the sides do.  Let them sit in the pan for a minute or two and then take them out of the pan.  I use a plain ol' cereal spoon for this.  I run it around the edge and then the muffin scoops out easily!

To freeze, just let them cool completely and then place them into a freezer bag in one layer, flat.  Seal the bag almost all the way and then use a drinking straw to suck out as much air as you can.  Seal, date, and freeze.  Use within a few weeks to avoid freezer burn.

Source:  very slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Baked Eggs in Avocado

Although I love oatmeal and have it most mornings, sometimes I grow tired of the same-old, same-old.  I thought I'd break out of my routine a bit and give this a shot.  Glad I did!

Ingredients:
1 ripe avocados
2 eggs
salt, pepper, chopped chives

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2.  Slice avocado in half and remove the pit.  Scoop out about 2 Tbsp. worth of avocado from pit area of each avocado half.  This allows for more room for the egg.
3.  In a loaf baking pan, arrange a large sheet of foil so that you can kind of scrunch it to make an area for the avocados to rest without moving.  Place avocado halves in pan.

4.  Sprinkle each avocado half with salt and pepper  (The pic doesn't show it, but I'm suggesting it after the fact!).  Crack an egg into each half, slowly.
5.  Bake until egg whites are set.  (Original recipe said 15-20 minutes but it took my oven 25-30 minutes.)
6.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with more salt and pepper, if desired, and garnish with the chopped chives.

Source:  fitsugar.com

Wheat-Free, Dairy-Free Pancakes

About three months ago I was diagnosed with Leaky Gut Syndrome and was taken off of a HUGE list of foods that my body is sensitive to.  Sadly, wheat is on that list as well as all dairy.  Hopefully my gut will heal soon and I can reintroduce some of the "illegal" foods back into my diet in moderation.  For now though, I have to find ways to make do without them.  My naturopathic doctor gave me this pancake recipe when I told her I was struggling with breakfast choices and it has been very helpful.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. coconut flour
1 to 1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup ground flax seed
5-6 eggs
2 Tbsp. melted coconut oil or ghee
1 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 banana or 1 apple or 1 cup applesauce*

1.  Combine the flours and flax seed.  Combine the wet ingredients and add to the dry.
2.  Sprinkle the baking soda onto the mixture and stir to combine.
3.  Add the fruit and stir to combine.
4.  Drop by 1/4-cupfuls onto hot griddle (grease if necessary) and cook on both sides until done.

Makes about a dozen pancakes.
*Mash banana.  Finely dice apple.

Source: my doctor

Ham and Cheese Omelet Roll

Yesterday my friend Marcia made this for us, and my family went crazy over it! It is delicious and quite easy to make!

Ingredients:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup milk
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 eggs
1 1/2 cups chopped ham (approx 8 oz)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or your favorite cheese)
1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced (optional)
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and milk. Whisk until smooth. Add flour and salt. Whisk to combine.

3. In larger bowl, gently whisk eggs until blended. Add cream cheese mixture and mix well.

4. Line your pan with parchment paper, making sure the paper is long enough to go over the sides, so the egg mixture cannot run under the parchment paper. She used a "jelly roll pan", which is about 12" x 17". 

5. Pour egg mixture into pan. Bake 30-33 minutes or until omelet is puffy and golden. 

6. While that's cooking, chop ham, shred your cheese if you need to, and slice the green onions. 

7. Remove omelet from the oven, and immediately spread on a thin layer of Dijon mustard. (Optional) It doesn't have to be an even coat. Just spread some around on the omelet. Sprinkle on ham and cheese and onions if you desire (saving a little to garnish the finished omelet roll).

8. Roll up the omelet, removing the parchment as you go. Garnish with cheese, ham and onions. Let sit for 5 minutes or so until the cheese melts. Slice and serve! Delicious!

Notes: I could imagine all kinds of variations with crumbled bacon, ground sausage, different cheeses, sauteed onions and mushrooms, or other veggies. I think I'm doing a veggie bacon omelet roll up this morning!!

The egg mixture has been cooked, and she just sprinkled ham and cheese on it.

Now she is rolling it up, while removing the parchment as she rolls it.

Here is the finished omelet roll. It's so yummy! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Source: My amazing friend Marcia Ennis. I think this recipe was adapted from a Pampered Chef cookbook. 

French Toast Roll Ups

Sometimes I like to try recipes that just look fun!  The precooking steps on this one would be fun to do with kids, especially rolling out the bread slices.  You can experiment with any fillings that have similar consistencies to the ones listed.

Ingredients:
8 slices bread (should be somewhat soft--I used whole wheat)
Nutella, cream cheese, jelly/jam, peanut butter
2 eggs
3 Tbps. milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 heaping tsp. ground cinnamon
butter for skillet
maple syrup for serving

1.  Trim the crust off the bread slices.  This goes quick if you use a pizza cutter.  Then roll each bread slice flat with a rolling pin.
2.  Take about 2-3 teaspoons of your filling (Nutella, cream cheese, jelly, etc.) and spread down one end of the bread slice (see the pic above).  Roll up the bread tightly, starting on the filling end.  Do this with all the bread pieces.
3.  Whisk the egg and milk together in a loaf pan.  In another loaf pan combine the sugar and cinnamon.
4.  In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.  When skillet is ready, use tongs to dip roll-ups one at a time into the egg mixture, allowing the excess to drip off.  Place in hot, buttered skillet and cook on all sides until golden brown.  Cook just a few at a time so you can keep an eye on them.
5.  When each roll-up is done, remove it from the pan with tongs and roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Serve warm with maple syrup, or even just plain!

Source:  It's made the rounds on Pinterest but I found it on Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice.

Easy Whole Wheat Waffles (Dairy Free)

I have used this recipe for 12 years because it is so simple and easy!  My kids love it with frozen berries and hot syrup on top (We usually make our own syrup).

3 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 Tbl. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Salt
1/4 Cup Oil (I use EVOO and we like it but if that doesn't fit your taste buds another healthy alternative is Coconut Oil)
3 Eggs
3 Cups Water

If you like your waffles a little sweet you can add:
A squeeze of honey (I probably use about 2 tsp. worth), or one mashed Banana

Mix all ingredients together and cook in greased waffle iron.  Serve hot.

Pink Grapefruit Smoothie

Ingredients:

pink or ruby red grapefruit, peeled, membrane removed
1 banana
1 c. frozen strawberries
1/2 c. orange juice, chilled

Directions:

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.   You may find a whole grapefruit is too sour for your taste buds so add half first and do a taste test to see if it needs more.

Source:  craftylittlegnome.com

Quinoa Cakes with Poached Eggs

    Quinoa is such a popular grain these days, I decided to give it a try. And boy, is this the way to try it! These cakes are savory, hearty, satisfying, and bursting with flavor! My kids gobbled them up. This was also the first time I tried to poach an egg without a poaching pan, and it was a little bit exciting, like a delicious science experiment.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked Quinoa, at room temperature
2 large eggs, beaten
1/3 cup minced fresh chives
1/2 tsp coarse salt
2 green onions or large shallots, finely chopped
3 cloves minced garlic
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs plus more if needed

To make cakes:

Combine quinoa, eggs, chives, salt, onions, garlic, and parmesan. Gently add bread crumbs until incorporated. Form into 6 cakes, 3-4 inches each.

Heat enough olive oil to coat the bottom of  large saute pan over medium heat. Add patties, not touching. Cook about 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Put on paper towels to drain. serve with additional salt and pepper, parmesan cheese, and top with poached egg. For instructions on how to poach an egg, see http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/easy_poached_eggs/.

Notes: It is very important to thoroughly rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer for at least two minutes to remove the bitter coating. To cook it, boil 2 cups of water, add 1 cup rinsed quinoa, cover and simmer about 20 minutes. Fluff with fork. This makes 3 cups of cooked quinoa, so I just 1 1/2 times the recipe because these are so good!

Source: Annie's Eats

Easy Donuts

 

Every once in a while my mom would break out the canned biscuit dough and make us these sugary treats. They are so simple and so yummy! Maybe everyone know about these already, but I thought they were worth the reminder. These are best with Pillsbury Grands, but you can use the smaller ones too.

 

Pillsbury Grands, 1-2 cans

sugar

oil, for frying

 

Pour oil into a pot until its about 2-3 inches deep, and heat on medium. While its heating up, open the biscuits and use something to cut a perfect circle into the center of each biscuit. Then drop 2-3  donuts at a time into the oil to fry. The trick to this, is you don't want the donuts to cook too fast or they will be doughy in the center. So, it should take 25-30 seconds on each side, maybe a bit more if you cook it on lower heat. Using tongs, lift the donuts out of the oil and let the oil drip off good then place the donut into the sugar. Lift all of the donuts and place into the sugar and then transfer to a plate to rest.  Toss the donuts around in the sugar until they are thoroughly coated.  These are really great and so quick.

 

 

 

Brown Sugar Muffins

My children ask for these muffins more than any other I make! They are DELICIOUS! 

Ingredients: 

½ cup oil

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg (I have used powdered eggs and it turns out great! 1 TBSP Egg Powder plus 2 TBSP water)

2 cups flour (we think whole wheat flour taste the best in this recipe, but white flour is good too)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup milk (you can stir in a few TBSP milk powder with the flour and then add 1 cup water)

1 tsp baking soda

Instructions:

1. Stir oil, egg, vanilla, milk and brown sugar together in a bowl. 

2. Then stir in dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda.) 

3. Spray muffin tins with non stick spray or use cupcake liners. Fill 12 muffin cups with the batter.

4, Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until center of muffin is done. Better grab one, because they disappear quickly!

Notes: The food storage substitutions turn out really well. And the whole wheat flour gives it a great texture and density that we all love. My family does not love it when I make oatmeal for breakfast, but when I have brown sugar muffins to go with it, they do not complain!

Source: Original recipe from my sister-in-law Margo Coombs

Summertime Quiche

Summer is quickly coming to a close here in Idaho. But before I start posting my fall/winter recipes, I gotta post another recipe that uses zucchini and squash. I think this will be the last one with either of those ingredients for a while, at least I hope.
Oh and another thing. I am all about home made. I am kind of a snob when it comes to home made vs. store bought items. However, I have been trying to simplify and one way that I have, is to buy pre-made pie shells for this recipe (cringe!) I have the best home made pie crust recipe but I have accepted the fact that it is okay to buy pre-made pie shells every once in a while.

I love quiche. So versatile. This was a good way to use up some zucchini that I had lying around. You can also use summer squash, etc. Here is how I made this one:

Summertime Quiche 

1 deep dish pie crust
4 eggs
1 C. Half and half
1 C. Shredded zucchini 
1/4 C. chopped green onion
1/4 C. Crumbled bacon
1- 1 1/2 C. Shredded Cheese (I used half monterey jack half swiss)
Salt and Pepper to taste 
Fresh grated nutmeg (optional) 

Preheat oven to 450. Lightly cover the pie shell with foil. Bake 8 minutes, remove foil and back another 5 minutes or so. Remove from oven.

Meanwhile in a large bowl, beat eggs and half/half. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Pour into the warm pie shell. Use a pie saver or foil to cover the edges of the crust. Place in the oven, reduce temperature to 350 and bake until a knife inserted comes clean, about 30-45 minutes. Let rest little bit before cutting. 

Good Morning Bars

I love oats. Must be my Scottish roots coming out in me. These bars were a big hit in my house for breakfast and they were gone pretty dang fast!

(this recipe post comes from my personal blog)

Ingredients 
 1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, melted (or 1/4 cup mashed banana or applesauce)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (can reduce or use natural sweetener)
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup (can reduce or use natural sweetener)
3 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract, optional
3 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup flaked coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup dried fruit (raisins, craisins, currants, etc.)
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
optional: chia seeds, sesame seeds

Instructions 
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl combine the peanut butter, butter, brown sugar, honey, and extracts stirring until well combined. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine.
2.  Press into a greased 9"x13" baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until they begin to brown around the edge. With a knife, gently cut the bars but do NOT remove. Allow to cool completely or they will fall apart.

Notes--These tasty bars are a little fragile, especially when still warm. So make sure you let them cool completely before eating them. They will firm up some while they cool.

Source:  Just a Pinch

Mini German Pancakes

My friend Jillian Ennis (soon to be Jillian Mendez in 26 days!) made these scrumptious Mini German Pancakes for us yesterday! They were DELICIOUS! You can top them with any kind of fruit, powdered sugar, syrup, cinnamon sugar, lemon sauce, or whatever your heart desires!

Mini German Pancakes

Ingredients:

6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease or spray muffin tins well.

2. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Or you could whirl it in a blender for a few seconds until smooth. 

3. Fill baking cups with the batter almost full if you want them to puff up high like the picture below. (Makes 12-18 depending on how high you fill the muffin cups.)

4. Bake about 12 minutes or until golden brown. They will puff up really high while baking, and then deflate a bit as they are cooling.

5. You can fill with fruit topping or a lemon sauce, sprinkle with powdered sugar, or use cinnamon sugar and maple syrup, whipped cream, or whatever sounds good to you! 

This one came out with a heart in the middle! How sweet!