Banana Breakfast Cookies

A delicious breakfast on-the-go treat that isn't packed full of calories and sugar. Also, it's super simple to make and who doesn't want cookies for breakfast?!

Ingredients: 

1 Banana 

6 TBS Natural Peanut Butter  

2 TBS Natural Almond Butter 

1/4 Tsp Cinnamon

1/4 Tsp Nutmeg  

Directions: 

•Preheat oven to 350

•Mash the banana in a bowl until creamy 

•Mix in nut butters and spices until well blended (will become thicker the more you mix) 

•Place spoon size batter onto greased cookie sheet 

•Place in oven for about 12 minutes or until cookies are firm (be careful not to burn the bottom) 

•Let cool and enjoy! 

A Trip to the Tulips

The weather held out and we were able to visit the Tulip Festival on Saturday. While there weren't blue skies, and it was a bit chilly... it didn't rain!

 

There are signs posted everywhere, "Do not step between rows." I'm a rebel, clearly.

I love when nice strangers offer to take our photo. :)

After the tulips, we got lunch and splurged on dessert. Look at this gigantic Cream Puff!!! Even the server didn't think we could finish it!

We proved him wrong.

Also, Happy Earth Day!!

Every day I try to make an effort to care for our planet. I always have my reusable grocery bags, I try and reduce my amount of waste, and I recycle, recycle, recyle! Did you know, the concept of Earth Day came from a Wisconsin Senator in 1970? Americans took to the streets to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies. You don't see much of that now.  

If you're interested, check out the video below.

Refrigerator Cucumber Salad

This yummy salad is perfect for on-the-go, and pickle lovers. AND... it can last in the refrigerator for up to 2 months!

Puff Pancakes

Saturday morning I was craving something a little special for breakfast. So...I pulled out all the fixin's for Puff Pancakes, or what Noah has delightfully renamed, Puffcakes.

Ingredients

(makes 1 Puffcake)

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk (I used Almond Milk)

1/2 cup flour

dash of salt

dash of cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. While the oven is preheating,melt the butter in a pie pan or 9 inch square pan.
2. Whisk together the eggs, milk, flour, salt and cinnamon in a bowl.
3. Pour batter in hot dish and bake 10-12 minutes (or until the pancake is firm and has puffed around the edges).

The pancake will shrink down a bit after coming out of the oven (that's okay). Serve right away with lemon juice, powdered sugar, maple syrup, fruit or whatever! This time, we used Nutella (I'm obsessed), a mix of berries and powdered sugar! 

    

Bits of My Weekend

This weekend was glorious. I slept in late, had breakfast waiting for me, and we went to Costco! Is it sad that I am excited for a new Ninja Blender… or Costco? Who cares...I'm ecstatic! It blends the crap outa fruit to make delicious smoothies!  

After the Costco adventure, we grabbed some food and finally saw ‘Silver Linings Playbook’! I think Noah and I both have a crush on Jennifer Lawrence now. Can you blame us? If she doesn’t win your heart in the movie, perhaps this will help: Click Here.

On Sunday, I checked out a new (to me) restaurant and indulged in a ginger beer and St. Patrick’s Day inspired macaroons. Also, I made my first attempts at homemade spring rolls. I stuffed the rice wraps with lettuce, sweet peppers, cucumber, carrots, and rice noodles. I dipped them in some spicy peanut sauce and BOOM… They were pretty fabulous… if-I-do-say-so-myself.

Gluten Free Lemon Bars

Ingredients

Filling:

6 whole eggs

1/2 cup honey

1 cup lemon juice (about 8 lemons)

1/2 cup coconut oil

Crust:

1 cup of raw almonds

1 cup of raw pecans

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup of melted coconut oil

2 eggs

Directions

Filling

1. Whisk eggs, honey, and lemon juice together in a small sauce pan.

2. Heat on medium/high and add coconut oil. Stir until the coconut oil has melted.

3. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens and bubbles.

4. Remove from heat and place in a bowl in the refrigerator to cool and thicken further.

Crust:

1. Place nuts in a food processor or blender until finely chopped, do not puree. They should be in tiny pieces but not as fine as almond flour.

2. Mix the nuts with the remaining ingredients until they are well combined.

3. Spread over the bottom of a greased 8 x 12 pan. I used olive oil spray.

4. Heat oven to 400* and bake for 15-18 minutes. The crust will be done when you can insert a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean. (Watch closely, it can easily burn)

5. Cool crust completely before layering the filling over the top. Return to the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Playing with Food

About 1 year and 4 months ago…. My boss and I decided to do a little experiment. Just like many other offices in America, the lunchroom can be a temptation room of sugary indulgences. I’ll admit, I love baking so often I am the culprit… however in October of 2011, my office had a box of store-bought donuts and mini autumn inspired cupcakes.

Both of us being a bit health conscious and knowing very well that these sweet treats were filled with fats, corn syrup and preservatives… we wondered….

How long would it take for them to decompose?

We set them on a plate with the day’s date, and put them in a spot where they wouldn’t be disturbed.  Months went by…. Months…. And then a year….

The cupcake looks fresh as it did on day ONE!

They are hard as rock, and without any sign of decay whatsoever. *

I took a nutrition class in college and if I learned anything it was to fear preservatives. Food should expire! A little lesson here….Preservatives can be categorized into three general types: antimicrobials that inhibit growth of bacteria, yeasts, or molds; antioxidants that slow air oxidation of fats and lipids, which leads to rancidity; and a third type that blocks the natural ripening and enzymatic processes that continue to occur in foodstuffs after harvest.

I think it’s safe to say that the donut and cupcake are highly preserved. Imagine what your body goes through to process this “food”. Gross. I’m not saying I won’t eat another donut in my life (maple bars call to me)… but seriously…..WTF?

**We put an end to the experiment by seeing what would happen if we put the aged treats in the microwave. I kid you not, the donut caught on fire and the cupcake morphed into a powder.

Product Love: Nature Box

Quick tidbit about me: I hate grocery shopping. I become completely overwhelmed by all the options, the labels, and the crowds. My anxiety levels rise when I am trying to make healthy choices, and those damn Fritos call to me.   

My solution: I have healthy foods delivered right to my door. I have posted about Full Circle before, and I swear by it. I have even gotten a few of my friends hooked. Now, I introduce to you….

Nature Box

A variety of healthy snack foods delivered once a month. No chemicals. No High Fructose Corn Syrup. No artificial ANYTHING. They are natural… and most of them are actually vegan! You can choose which snacks you'll receive or if you like the element of surprise, they can choose for you.

I received my first box yesterday, and the contents all look delicious. Dried cranberries, citrus granola, flax crisps…. Yum!

If you are interested in giving them a try…. You can use this code: REFER25You will get 25% of your first order. That’s a great deal considering a box is only $19.95/ month.

Another bonus, as if the deliciousness and the discount isn't enough.... for each box delivered, they feed a child in need.

"For every NatureBox delivered, together we’re helping to feed the hungry through our partnership with Feeding America. NatureBox donates one meal for every box to feed the over 14 million children in America who go hungry. We believe in doing good and eating well."

How it's Made: Hot Dogs

Sorry to post about food again, but this I just had to share.

Again, to answer the question of "Why don't you eat meat?".... here is another reason why:

How can this be called "food"? And... my favorite part is when the narrator says, "Corn syrup adds a dash of sweetness." I love the reframing of trying to make hot dogs sound innocently healthy. Ha. WTF?

Vegan Quinoa & Sweet Potato Chili

Makes about 6 Bowls

Ingredients:

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 12oz can crushed tomatos

32 oz vegetable stock

1 onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute

1 teaspoon oregano

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite sized chunks

1 cup dry quinoa

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium low heat. Add onions, and cook until soft and they start to turn brown (about 10 minutes). Add the garlic, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, chili powder, T Seasoning, and oregano and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the beans, stock, and potatoes, and season with salt and pepper . Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the quinoa. Continue cooking for about 15 minutes – 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until quinoa and potatoes are cooked and the chili has thickened. Add a bit of water if the chili becomes too thick for your liking.

Enjoy!!

Crossfit, Football, Food & Plenty of Thanks

As I have written about before (see here, here and here) Noah and I have gotten really into Crossfit. So into it, Noah participated in his first competition this past Saturday. Insert gross little moment here: I am so proud of him.

Okay, so moving on….

For Thanksgiving, both our fathers are coming to stay with us. This means that I will be cooking for three grown men. Yikes. But before we stuff our faces with deliciousness… the four of us are headed to the gym Thanksgiving morning to do what they call the ‘Cornucopia WOD’. This team workout is supposed to burn so many calories you can eat your Thanksgiving feast guilt free. I usually just put on stretchy pants and don’t give it a second thought…. But THIS year, we thought the family team would be fun! Let’s hope we can survive!

For our holiday meal, we are planning on having:

My Mom’s Famous* stuffing
My Mom’s Famous* scalloped potatoes
Cream Braised Brussels Sprouts
Sweet Potato Biscuits
Cranberry Sauce – still deciding if I want to try to make my own. A part of me really likes my sauce shaped like a tin can
Pumpkin & Apple Pie
And of course, for the men…. Turkey. The bird is Noah’s gig.  :)

*My mother’s recipes aren’t globally known…but they make me nostalgic for my childhood. Lucky me, she sent me up to Washington with a book of her delicious handwritten recipes.

With the morning workout, football, the delicious food and so much to be thankful for…I am so very excited for Thursday!

Have You Heard?

Time to stock up on Twinkies, Hostess is going out of business. I've never been a fan of Ding Dongs, Donettes, Sno Balls and Devil Dog, but I did like me some Wonder Bread.

Honestly, with the nation's obesity epidemic... I think we will survive just fine. 

In case you do stock up, here are some ideas of what to do with your loot. 

 Also, I am reminded of this awesome scene from Zombieland:

Call Me Martha

Regardless of how exhausted I'm feeling these days, today I somehow managed to:

1)Work 10 hours
2)Go to the gym (incline bench pressed 97 lbs, hooray!)
3)Make homemade White Bean & Kale Soup with cornbread
4) Make homemade apple pie (I admit, it's store bought crust)
5) Make PB & Chocolate chip cookies for a coworker

Martha Stewart has nothin' on me.

The pie. 

As Noah put it, "It's so good, it's too good."

Mango Cucumber Salsa

All ingredients fresh from our produce box!

Ingredients:

2 ripe mangos
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 red onion, diced
2 to 3 serrano chiles, minced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced
Salt

Directions:

Peel the mangos with a small sharp knife. It’s easiest to cut a flat piece off opposite of the stem. Stand up and slice down towards the bottom. Cut the flesh away from the large flat pit on both sides, then remove it from the narrow edges. Cut into quarter-inch dice.

Mix mango with onion, cucumber, chiles and cilantro in a medium bowl, sprinkle with salt and lime juice to taste. Let sit for 10 minutes prior to serving for the flavors to blend.

What's For Dinner?

About a month ago I posted about the produce box we get once a week from Full Circle. Getting fresh produce delivered right to my door is beyond amazing! Organic spinach, carrots… apples and pears… YUM! But I can't keep up!

Tonight I had two problems: 1) I didn't know what to eat for dinner and, 2) I have lots of leafy greens and fruit… what to do??

JUICE!!!!

On the Board: 

1 bunch Spinach

1/2 bunch Rainbow Lettuce

1/2 bunch Green Chard

1/2 bunch Kale

1 Parsnip

2 Carrots

3 Apples

1 Pear

Splash of lemon juice (to tame down the leafy-swampy taste) :) 

Look at all the nutrients! 

There you have it. Dinner is served!

Stress+Cravings= Sugar Cookies

When I am stressed, I eat. Not only do I eat, but I have cravings. Since starting grad school, I have used these cravings and turned them into opportunities to procrastinate writing papers. It seems to be working. 

Needless to say, I was stressed with going back and forth between two papers, and I wanted a way out.  

I wanted to eat. I wanted to eat sugar. I wanted to eat cookies. I wanted to eat sugar cookies. I had all almost all ingredients. I was missing eggs. What's a girl to do? Improvise. 

I made sugar cookies without eggs. 

Here's how: 

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Oven
• Cookie sheets
• Parchment paper
• Mixing bowl
• Measuring cup
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup shortening or butter
• Electric mixer
• 1 cup milk
• Measuring spoons
• 1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Spatula
• Cooling rack

1. • 1
     Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
   • 2
     Line cookie sheets with parchment paper for an easy clean-up.
   • 3
     Put 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of solid shortening or butter into a mixing bowl. Beat together with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
   • 4
     Pour 1 cup milk into a measuring cup. Add 1 1/2 tbsp. of lemon juice. This is called "soured milk" and is a common substitute for buttermilk. Add the soured milk to the mixing bowl.
   • 5
     Add 2 cups flour and combine well.
   • 6
     Place 1 tsp. each of salt, baking powder, baking soda and vanilla to the sugar cookie dough mixture.
   • 7
     Mix the dough well until all of the ingredients are incorporated.
   • 8
     Use a teaspoon to measure out the sugar cookies. Roll into balls with your hands and place on the cookie sheet. Sprinkle additional sugar on top of each cookie if you wish.
   • 9
     Bake cookies for about eight minutes or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden brown. Remove from the cookie sheets with a spatula and cool on a wire cooling rack.