Pear-Almond Butter Muffins with Spiced Greek Yogurt 'Frosting'

I'm not entirely sure why, but lately change has seemed to be on the agenda. There's a new mirror in my living room, new breakfasts at my table and last night I cut four inches off my hair on a whim. Like a breath of fresh air, this change feels good. Speaking of breakfast, I've been having so much fun rediscovering how exciting, varied and delicious the first meal of the day can be.

This week my breakfast of choice has moved on from last week's banana bread to this week's pear muffins. In part because they are healthy and contain whole grains, fruit and protein. Who am I kidding? I think what really drew me in was the feeling I get when eating them -- like I'm eating dessert for breakfast. They seriously look like cupcakes, don't they?

Incorporating pears into a bread typically reserved for bananas or zucchini was a natural choice, since pears are my absolute favorite fruit. That, and the fact that I had two pears sitting on my counter top when the urge to bake hit last night. Necessity truly is the mother of all invention, folks. And because my passion for nut butters is still burning strong, I incorporated a little almond butter into the batter. Pears, almond butter, cinnamon and allspice? I'm pretty sure no further explanation is necessary.

Pear Muffins with Spiced Greek Yogurt 'Frosting'
(Printable Recipe)

Hold off on 'frosting' these muffins with the Greek yogurt topper until just before eating, since the Greek yogurt needs to be refrigerated. If you're looking for a little extra something, topping these muffins with an extra dollop of almond butter is always a good idea.

Ingredients
*5 Tbsp. butter, softened
*1/3 cup almond butter or natural peanut butter
*1/3 cup Greek yogurt (I used 2% Fage)
*2 large eggs
*3/4 cup brown sugar
*1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

*1/4 cup ground flax seed
*3/4 tsp. baking soda
*1/2 tsp. salt
*1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
*1/4 tsp. allspice
*2 medium crisp pears, grated (on a box grater)

Greek Yogurt 'Frosting'
*3/4 cup Greek yogurt (2% Fage)
*2 tsp. Stevia, Splenda or granulated sugar
*1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners. Lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
*With an electric mixer, beat butter, almond butter and Greek yogurt with an electric mixer until creamy. Add in eggs, one at a time, and beat until just combined, followed by the brown sugar.
*In a medium bowl, combine the flour, flax seed, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice. Add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture and beat until just combined.
*Stir in the grated pears by hand until evenly combined. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
*Remove from oven and cool completely. Meanwhile, stir together the Greek yogurt, Stevia and ground cinnamon. Spoon the mixture atop cooled muffins. 

Happy Baking!

Madison

Quinoa with Spicy Tomato Peanut Sauce

I've been on a bit of a roll with quinoa lately. I'm not entirely sure why, though I do think it might have something to do with the fact that I'm trying to cut back on the number of dollars spent at the grocery store and use the ingredients I actually have at home instead. 

When I moved into my apartment 8 months ago my parents took me to Costco to stock up on the basics and get me on my feet. Evidently quinoa seemed like a basic necessity at the time, because I've had an embarrassingly large amount of unused quinoa lurking in my pantry ever since. 

And while using quinoa, or any other grain for that matter, may sound like a good idea in the morning, mustering the desire to cook it at night is another story. To remedy this, I've started cooking large batches of barley, quinoa and brown rice on Sunday, then storing them in the fridge for the week to come. All that's left to do at night is whip up some type of quick sauce, like this Spicy Tomato Peanut Sauce, to mix it up each meal. 

Quinoa with Spicy Tomato Peanut Sauce

(Printable Recipe)

The title of this recipe doesn't lie - it's spicy! Feel free to scale back on the chili powder if desired. Since a little bit of this sauce goes a long way, I had leftovers, which I stored in my fridge for a couple weeks and used as a dip/spread. 

Ingredients

*1 cup quinoa, prepared according to package instructions

*1 Tbsp. olive oil

*1 shallot, diced

*1/4 tsp. chili powder

*1/8 tsp. paprika

*1/4 tsp. salt

*1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

*1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes

*1 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter

*2 Tbsp. heavy cream

*1/4 cup tomato sauce 

*Chopped Peanuts (optional)

Instructions

*In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add in the shallot, chili powder, paprika, salt and black pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until shallots are softened and spices are well combined and fragrant. Remove from heat.

*Place tomatoes in a food processor or blender with the heavy cream and tomato sauce. Process until almost smooth and only small chunks remain. 

*Return skillet to heat and add in the processed tomato mixture. Heat through. Add in the peanut butter and stir until well combined. Remove from heat and spoon over quinoa. Garnish with chopped peanuts, if desired. 

MultiGrain PB&J Breakfast Cookies

Is it Monday already? If so, I seriously can't believe it. Every time I go somewhere on the weekend, it becomes so clear that two days just isn't long enough to get everything done, be rejuvenated and just be wherever you are. J and I made the trek out to Wisconsin for a weekend with some of our favorite people: J's aunt and uncle and their four very cute kids. I wish I had some photos of the weekend, but of course I took along my camera and completely forgot to use it. Some blogger I am. 

Friday was quite the day. Before the weekend even got started, I managed to throw my wallet down the trash shoot of my apartment building and didn't realize it until five hours later. I panicked. I cried. I called the maintenance man and dug through the trash. And I recovered my wallet! Thank goodness. 

Part of the wallet fiasco was due to just being scatterbrained, but it also had something to do with being run down and exhausted - at least the freak-out while digging through the trash part. This week I've resolved to letting myself rest and recharge. I've been chugging Emergen-C like there's no tomorrow, taking zinc tablets and trying to fuel my body with all the vitamins and minerals possible. And this week J is keeping me to a strict 9 p.m. bed time.   

And these cookies are most certainly part of the plan. They are peppered with quinoa (keen-wa) an edible seed that resembles a grain. Unlike other grains and seeds, quinoa is a complete protein on its own, making it especially important for vegetarians since it provides all the essential amino acids. On top of that, these breakfast cookies also contain Greek yogurt, whole wheat flour, and peanut butter. Can we say protein-packed?

Aside from eating healthy and taking loads of vitamin C, I'm clueless how to stay healthy and avoid getting sick. What are your best tips and tricks? I need em!   

MultiGrain PB&J Breakfast Cookies 

(Printable Recipe)

These cookies have quickly become a favorite of mine for taking along to work as an mid morning snack or to ward away the late afternoon hunger pains. Each cookie has about 120 calories - perfect snack-size. Forewarning: they aren't your typical cookie. The quinoa gives off a slightly nutty, chewy texture that's unique to the grain. It may take a little getting used to, but I think they'll grow on you, too.  

Ingredients

*1 stick unsalted butter, softened

*1/4 cup Greek yogurt (I used 2% Fage)

*3/4 tsp. baking powder

*1/4 tsp. salt

*3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

*1 large egg 

*1/4 cup natural-style peanut butter

*1/3 cup cooked quinoa 

*1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

*1/2 cup fruit preserves or jelly, such as red raspberry or strawberry

Instructions

*Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

*With an electric mixer, beat butter and yogurt together until creamy. Add in the brown sugar and peanut butter and beat until well combined, followed by the egg, beating until just combined. 

*Add in the baking powder, salt and quinoa and beat until combined, followed by the flour, beating until just combined. 

*Scoop dough by heaping tablespoons and roll into balls. Flatten with the heel of your palm or the bottom of a glass. Press your thumb into the center of each cookie to create a well. Spoon some of the jam into the well. 

*Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until cookies are slightly golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and transfer to wire racks. Cool. Makes 18 cookies. 

Happy Baking!

Madison

Greek Salad Pizza

J and I approach food in two completely different ways. It's almost comical sometimes; the food editor who muses about all things culinary and savors every morsel and the former football player who has spent the last eight years of his life eating for fuel, wolfing down thousands of calories without much of a second thought about the actual taste of his food.

I'm working on him, going to places off his beaten path, encouraging him to slow down and taste what it is he's eating. But truth be told, sometimes I need a lesson in slowing down and savoring each bite, too; because at the end of a long day, sometimes cooking a meal seems like the world's most daunting task and a bowl of cereal never looked so good.

This Greek Salad Pizza is here to tell you, and me, that a dinner worth savoring isn't out of reach. Trust me, I found myself with a bag of pitas and the fixings for Greek salad last week and ate this meal three days in a row. And while pita bread pizzas are hardly anything new or revolutionary, this dish was a fresh reminder of how deliciously easy a ten minute meal can be.

Greek Salad Pizza
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients
*2 small whole pita bread rounds
*4 Tbsp. hummus
*4 Tbsp. roasted tomato pesto or other jarred pesto
*1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
*4 to 6 pepperoncini peppers, thinly sliced
*1/4 cup thinly sliced black olives
*2 cups romaine lettuce, thinly sliced or chopped
*2 to 4 Tbsp. Greek style salad dressing

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil; set aside.
*Spread 2 tablespoons hummus on each of the pita breads, followed by 2 tablespoons of the pesto. Top each with a 1/4 cup feta cheese. Evenly divide the pepperoncini peppers and black olives between the two pitas.
*Place in the oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until the pita is crispy and the toppings are heated through.
*Toss the romaine in the Greek style salad dressing. Top each pita with some of the lettuce mixture, or serve along side the pitas.

Happy Cooking!

Madison

Whole Wheat-Flax Seed Banana Bread

I spent all summer eating the same thing for breakfast day-in and day-out. This is not an exaggeration in the least bit. Aside from times when I was traveling, and even then sometimes, my breakfast consisted of Greek yogurt, some type of berries, a little cereal, and a dollop of homemade nut butter.

Maybe that's strange; in fact, it more than likely is. But for me, breakfast is a particular meal. It really does set the tone for my eating choices throughout the rest of the day, and either makes me feel full of energy or dragging my feet. Anyone else with me on that?

But for the last few weeks, I've slowly been stepping out of my self-imposed breakfast box, exploring things like Buckwheat-Greek Yogurt Pancakes and this Whole Wheat-Flax Seed Banana Bread. By keeping a serving of fruit in my breakfast, paired with some healthy whole grains, I've found that feel-good breakfasts aren't really as cut and dried as I've made them lately. In fact, breakfast is starting to be a whole lot more fun.

So when I spotted banana bread on the cover of Cooking Light magazine this month, I jumped at the opportunity to put my own spin on an already delicious recipe. My only real complaint about the original was that it called for all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat. In its place I used whole wheat pastry flour, which gives you less gluten development and a lighter texture than regular whole wheat flour (aka it's better for getting all-purpose flour-like results). If you don't have whole wheat pastry flour on hand, use a 50/50 mix of whole wheat and all-purpose flour.

Whole Wheat-Flax Seed Banana Bread
Adapted from Cooking Light  
(Printable Recipe)

This recipe calls for baking the banana bread for 55 to 60 minutes. If you prefer your bread to be firm and fully-baked, shoot for 60 minutes. If, however, you are more like me and prefer it to be slightly soft and moist in the center, shoot for something closer to 55 minutes. After eating this for breakfast two days in a row, I can assure you it is even better the second day. 

Ingredients
*3 medium ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
*5 Tbsp. butter, melted
*1/3 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt (I used Danon Light and Fit)
*1/2 cup sugar
*1/2 cup brown sugar
*2 large eggs
*1 tsp. ground cinnamon
*3/4 tsp. baking soda
*1/2 tsp. salt
*1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
*1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
*1/4 cup ground flax meal

Instructions
*Preheat oven 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Set aside.
*With an electric mixer, beat together the bananas, butter, yogurt, sugars, and eggs until well combined. Beat in the cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract.
*Add in the flour and flax meal and beat until just combined. Do not over mix. Pour patter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
*Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Happy Baking!

Madison

Lazy Girl Apple Crisp

 

Despite what the sweets on this site may suggest, I'm a bit of a health nut. I bake because it soothes me, makes me feel happy and gives me a creative outlet. But after one slice, bite or piece is eaten by me, I typically take those baked goods and gift them off for others to enjoy, both because I like to share my baked goods and because I don't trust myself with an entire cake, pie or dozen cookies in the house.

So when a craving for something sweet hits, my house isn't exactly full of ready-to-eat junk food options. My solution? Lazy Girl Apple Crisp. The name says it all: it takes little to no time to prepare, it's in the realm of what might be considered healthy as far as desserts go, and it hits the spot when the craving for dessert strikes.

A couple years ago, I made a variation of this dessert for Jamie Oliver, with both apples and pears. I believe his exact words were, "That apple thingy, or whatever it was, was absolutely delicious." And hey, if it's good enough for Jamie then I think it's most certainly good enough to share with you all.

Lazy Girl Apple Crisp 
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients
*2 Tbsp. butter
*2 medium apples, roughly chopped*2 Tbsp. brown sugar
*1 tsp. ground cinnamon
*2 Tbsp. golden raisins
*1/2 cup granola
*1/4 cup whipped cream

Instructions
*In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add in apples and brown sugar. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until apples are softened.
*Add in the cinnamon and golden raisins. Cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat and divide among two glasses or bowls.
*Top with granola and whipped cream.

Happy Cooking!

Madison

Buckwheat-Greek Yogurt Pancakes

I've posted before about my ambivalent relationship with pancakes. How I never really crave them and can count on one hand the number of times I've made them in my own apartment. But fall weather has that way of doing funny things to your taste buds, and this week I found myself wanting, craving even, a warm stack of pancakes.

But, alas, when I really got down to making them it wasn't a stack of white fluffy pancakes that I really wanted. No, it was something heartier, denser and slightly healthier, too; so the timing seemed perfect when I came across this recipe from a cute little site called Never Home Maker.

It felt as if it was meant to be, Greek yogurt and pancakes together in one. What could be better than that? Of course I felt the need to meddle and play around a little with the recipe, and since I had buckwheat flour on hand I tossed a little in to replace the all-purpose flour. And because my love affair with all things almond and cinnamon continues, I tossed them in, too.

The resulting pancakes totally hit the spot and quenched my hot cake fever faster than you can say Aunt Jemima. Oh, the syrup. I left it out because I don't really like syrup all that much. For me, a little melted jam is always a much better alternative, but take your pick.

Buckwheat-Greek Yogurt Pancakes
(Printable Recipe)

The addition of buckwheat flour paired with the whole wheat flour makes for a dense, filling pancake that has a complex flavor and packs a nice nutritional punch. When paired with a little Greek yogurt for protein and some melted sugar-free jam, pancakes are suitable for any day of the year.

Ingredients
*1/2 cup whole wheat flour
*1/3 cup buckwheat flour or all-purpose flour
*1/2 tsp. baking powder
*1 large egg
*1/2 cup Greek yogurt (I used 2% Fage Greek Yogurt)
*1/2 cup buttermilk
*1 tsp. almond extract
*2 tsp. canola oil
*1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
*3 tsp. Stevia, Splenda or brown sugar
*1/2 cup red raspberry preserves (I used Smuckers Sugar-Free Red Raspberry)
Additional Greek Yogurt (optional)

Instructions
*In a mixing bowl, combine the flours and baking powder. Add in the egg, Greek yogurt, buttermilk, almond extract, oil, cinnamon and Stevia or desired sweetener. Stir until just combined. If you are using buckwheat flour the batter will be slightly gooey.
*Heat a nonstick skillet or a skillet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray over medium heat. Add batter to the heated skillet, 1/3 cup per pancake, and cook until small bubbles form at the surface of the pancake. Flip and continue to cook 1 to 2 minutes more, until dark golden brown on both sides.
*In a microwave-safe cup, heat the preserves for 30 seconds, until pourable. Pour a couple tablespoons over each pancake and top with a dollop of Greek yogurt, if desired.

Happy Cooking!

Madison

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

You all had to know another pumpkin recipe was waiting in the wings. After the great pumpkin hunt last week I could hardly wait to start cooking and baking up all sorts of pumpkin-related goodness. Not long after the pumpkin pasta, three days to be exact, I baked up a batch of these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. And since I like to send J on his way back home with a treat for the car ride, I packed theses babies up and sent them on their merry way to Illinois. Portion control at its very best, my friends.

These cookies are a little different than others I put up on the site. Adding pumpkin into the mix makes them of the cakey variety rather than crispy-chewy. A bit of ground cinnamon and nutmeg play up the pumpkin-pie vibe without being overpowering. And the chocolate? Well, why wouldn't you put chocolate in a cookie? Though now that I'm thinking about it, butterscotch chips would be absolutely divine.

Shoot, I wish I would have thought of that sooner...

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Printable Recipe)

If you're like me and prefer your cookies on the slightly underdone side, shoot for baking them 12 minutes, or just slightly under that. And if you're more like my mom, who loves her cookies well-done, aim for the high end at 15 minutes.

Ingredients
*1 stick butter, softened
*1/2 cup sugar
*1/2 cup brown sugar
*1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree

*1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
*1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
*1 tsp. vanilla extract
*1/2 tsp. baking soda
*1 large egg
*1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
*1/4 cup instant oats
*1 cup milk chocolate chips

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
*With an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy, Add in the sugars and mix until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and baking soda until just combined.
*Beat in the egg and stir until just combined. Add in the flour and mix until just combined, followed by the oats and chocolate chips.
*Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden around the edges and puffed in the center. Remove and transfer to wire racks to cool.

Happy Baking!

madison

Peanut Butter Spice Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream

One of these Mondays I'm going to be able to post about my relaxing, leisurely weekend where I got lots of sleep, painted my toenails, caught up on laundry and read all my untouched magazines cover-to-cover. But that day is not today. I'll spare you the details only to say it was a crazy, whirlwind of a weekend and I'm still scratching my head wondering where Saturday went.

In addition to traveling eight hours in the car on Saturday to see J's little brother play football, it was a weekend spent celebrating J's 23rd birthday! He might not have seen the reason to cause a fuss, but I most certainly did. I'm a big believer in the concept of 'birthday weekends' and was intent on making the entire three days a celebration of the man I love.

There were birthday cupcakes on Friday night when he arrived and a birthday dinner in Minneapolis with family on Saturday night after the game; there was also a man making balloon animals at the restaurant who catered to my request that he make J an birthday balloon hat to wear during dinner. And when his actual birthday arrived on Sunday, I put candles in both his chocolate chip pancakes and his sandwich at lunch. Like I said, birthdays are a big deal around here. 

Since J isn't a huge fan of overly-sweet desserts, I passed on most of my original ideas and decided to go with a simple spiced cupcake topped with a small dollop of peanut butter buttercream. Had this been my own birthday celebration there would have been a whole lot more buttercream involved. Thankfully, the birthday boy is generous and let me steal the buttercream off another cupcake to make up the difference.

Happy birthday, J!

Peanut Butter Spice Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients
Cake
*1 stick butter, softened
*1 cup sugar
*1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
*1 tsp. ground cinnamon
*1/4 tsp. salt
*1 tsp. vanilla extract
*2 large eggs
*3/4 cup self-rising flour
*1/2 cup buttermilk 
*2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Buttercream
*1 stick butter, softened
*1/2 cup peanut butter
*1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
*1-3 Tbsp. milk (start with 1 and add more if you want a thinner consistency)

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
*With an electric mixer, beat butter on medium speed until creamy. Add in the sugar and peanut butter and beat until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract until combined.
*Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until just combined. Reduce speed to low and beat in the self-rising flour until just combined, followed by the milk, then the all-purpose flour, being sure not to over beat and only mixing until ingredients are just combined.
*Spoon batter into prepared cupcake liners, filling 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
*Meanwhile, prepare the buttercream. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and peanut butter together until creamy. Add in the powdered sugar, a 1/2 cup at a time, followed by the milk, beating until smooth and creamy.
*Pipe or spread buttercream atop the cupcakes. Candles optional. :)

Happy Baking!

madison

Rigatoni with Pumpkin Cream Sauce

Wednesday night a craving for pumpkin hit me hard. It had been creeping up slowly, after weeks of seeing recipes for pumpkin french toast and pumpkin oatmeal pop up on some of my favorite blogs. And then there was the incessant talk about the return of Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte that rang throughout the Twitter universe. Seems like I wasn't the only one who had pumpkin on the brain.

So when Wednesday's pumpkin craving hit me like a Mack truck, I figured satisfying it would be pretty simple, right? Run to the store, pick up some pumpkin, make something yummy. Not a chance.

When Target was out, I drove over to our midwestern grocery store chain, Hy-Vee, where I demanded to speak to the manager to inquire about why there was a large OUT OF STOCK sign where the canned pumpkin was supposed to be. Turns out, they were having a tough time getting pumpkin in the store and weren't sure when the next shipment would come in.

I made calls that night to WalMart Supercenters and a few other specialty grocers until I found a store that had Libby's canned pumpkin. Not wanting to risk missing out, I threw on presentable clothes and rushed over to retrieve seven 30-oz. cans of pumpkin, wet hair and all.

It was so worth the trip, if just to enjoy this pumpkin pasta. With a bit of tomato soup, ricotta cheese, and plenty of pumpkin puree, it proves pasta dishes can be creamy, delicious and healthy. If the combination sounds strange to you, you're in good company. Most of those I've fed pumpkin pasta to have balked at the thought, only to fall it love with it upon first bite.

Rigatoni with Pumpkin Cream Sauce
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients
*8 oz. rigatoni pasta
*1 Tbsp. butter
*3/4 cup milk (I used 1% milk)
*3/4 tsp. salt
*1/2 tsp. black pepper
*1/2 tsp. rubbed sage
*1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
*1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
*1/4 cup tomato soup
*14.5 oz. can diced southwestern-style tomatoes, rinsed and drained
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions
*Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and keep warm.
*In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the milk, salt, black pepper and sage. Cook, stirring often, until milk is warm but not hot, about 2 to 3 minutes.
*Add in the pumpkin and ricotta cheese, stirring until all ingredients are well-combined and the mixture is creamy. Stir in the tomato soup and continue to cook until mixture is hot but not boiling, about 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in the diced tomatoes.
*Add pumpkin cream sauce mixture to pasta and toss to coat evenly. Divide among four bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Happy Cooking!

madison

Favorite Veggie Sandwich with Parsley-Curry Hummus

There are few things in life that bring me as much peace and satisfaction as a fully-stocked fridge. Call me weird but the ritual of cleaning out the fridge and filling it with colorful produce, milk, Greek yogurt, and yummy extras is just so settling. Maybe it's knowing that I won't starve if all the grocery stores in Des Moines abruptly close. Or maybe it's because I know that I'll be able to make sandwiches like this.

Don't let the fact that it's healthy to the max scare you away, because it's also super tasty and complex, thanks to a layer of homemade Parsley-Curry Hummus, Dijon mustard and mashed avocado. Mashed avocado makes everything divine.

While we're on the topic of sandwich spreads, let's chat hummus: it's creamy, adaptable, healthy, expensive to buy and cheap to make at home. The bulk of the cost comes from two cans of garbanzo beans, which cost me $0.79 each, and it stores well in the fridge for weeks. Once you've tried this variety, try mixing it up with roasted red peppers, jarred olives, or fresh basil in place of the parsley.

Parsley-Curry Hummus
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients
*2 (16-oz.) cans garbanzo beans (chick peas), rinsed and drained
*1/2 cup olive oil
*2 Tbsp. milk 
*1/2 cup Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
*1/2 tsp. salt
*1/2 tsp. curry powder
*1/2 tsp. paprika
*1/4 tsp. black pepper

Instructions
*Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, about 2 to 3 minutes.
*Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.

Favorite Veggie Sandwich

*2 slices 100% Whole Wheat Bread
*1 Tbsp. Parsley-Curry Hummus or other hummus spread
*2 tsp. Dijon mustard
*1/2 of a medium avocado, mashed
*1/2 of a small tomato, sliced
*1/4 cup sprouts
*Lettuce leaves
*1/3 to 1/2 cup sliced cucumbers
*1 slice provolone or sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

Instructions
*Spread one slice of bread with the hummus. Spread the other side with the Dijon mustard, followed by the mashed avocado.
*Stack on the veggies and eat.

Happy Cooking!

Madison

Homemade Larabars

A couple weeks ago after a trip to Florida, I wrote about healthy eating strategies for traveling. And since J. lives in Illinois, it seems like I spend a whole lot of time traveling, eating on the go, and trying my best to stick to a healthy eating schedule. Not an easy thing to do!

Larabars have fast become one of my favorite nutrition bars, and it takes only a quick look at the ingredient list to know why. Most contain only four or five ingredients and absolutely nothing hard to pronounce. But as much as I love Larabars, I find it hard to justify shelling out $2.50 a bar when I can make them at home.

Cue the Homemade Larabar.

A base of dates and prunes keep these bars chewy and moist, while nuts and peanut butter provide healthy fat to keep you full and satisfied. If you’re adverse to prunes, swap them out for another favorite dried fruit, like apricots, cherries, or cranberries. And if peanut butter isn’t your thing, give another nut butter, like one made with almonds or walnuts, a try - or maybe even Nutella if you’re feeling decadent.

Anyone else have a favorite nutrition bar they go to when on the road?

Happy Labor Day!

Homemade Larabars
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients
*10 oz. pitted dates
*1 cup prunes
*2 cups slivered almonds
*1 tsp. almond extract
*1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
*1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
*5 oz. dried mixed fruits (I used a mix from Target of dried blueberries, cherries, and cranberries)

Instructions
*In a food processor combine all ingredients and pulse until nuts and fruit are finely chopped and begin to come together in a paste, about 1 to 2 minutes.
*Remove ingredients from food processor and press into an 8x8-inch foil-lined baking pan or dish.
*Refrigerate overnight or freeze for 30 minutes before cutting into bars of desired size. I cut mine smaller to serve as snacks between meals, but you can cut them into larger bars to serve as a meal replacement, too.

madison

Roasted Confetti Corn Salad

I've got a pile of clothes waiting to be folded, laundry running, dishes washing and a whole lot of packing to do before hitting I-80 tomorrow afternoon for a trip to Illinois (again!).

But before I take off for a much needed three day weekend and break from technology, I'm going to fulfill a request from my mom at the beginning of the summer: a fun, light, summer salad. Well, it's not exactly a salad, per say. It's more of a side-dish actually, but if you refrigerate it and serve it atop lettuce, it's can pass for a salad, right?

This dish is right up my alley: a play on salty and sweet. Lime juice balances out the sweetness of the corn and peppers, which retain their crunch ever so slightly after being roasted in the oven. And because summer produce is perfect on its own, I've kept the seasonings to a minimum; just salt, pepper, and a bit of smoky paprika.

Roasted Confetti Corn Salad
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients
*1 1/2 lbs. corn on the cob,  kernels removed from the cob (about 3-4 cups of corn)
*2 medium red and/or orange sweet peppers, seeded and chopped
*2 Tbsp. olive oil
*3/4 tsp. salt
*1/4 tsp. paprika
*1 1/2 Tbsp. lime juice
*1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
*1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 400°F. Place corn and chopped red peppers in a shallow baking sheet. drizzle with olive oil, salt, paprika, lime juice and black pepper. Toss with your hands to coat evenly.
*Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, stirring once half way through. During the last five minutes of roasting, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
*Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve cold.

Happy Cooking!

madison

Berry Shortbread Cobbler

Anyone want to join me while I go and stick my head under a rock and pretend summer is going to stick around forever? Summer with its juicy berries and crispy veggies, lots of sunlight and dresses-no jacket required. But as the nights get shorter and September comes rushing in, there's no denying fall, and winter, are on their way.

What to do when you can't stop summer's departure? Develop a strategy for survival through the cold, winter months and start practicing...now.

I'm a huge fan of frozen berries. There's no sense of urgency to eat them, and while not the same as fresh berries, they make a pretty darn good substitute. More often than not my freezer is stocked with a large bag of frozen berries from Costco, berries that will get me through the winter and help me make cobblers like this even on the coldest nights.

Atop the gooey, berry base is a buttery, crumbly cobbler topping. If you're anything like me, it will make you swoon and lose all sense of self control. Butter, sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and on a whim the addition of a little creamy peanut butter adds interest and complexity to an otherwise straightforward cobbler topping.

Triple Berry Shortbread Cobbler (Printable Recipe)

Since my self-control is pathetic around fruit desserts, I adjusted this recipe to serve four and baked it in an 6x6-inch baking dish. If you're looking to feed more, or just want a little more for yourself, doubling the recipe and serving it in a 10- or 12-inch baking dish should work just fine.

Ingredients

Topping
*1 stick butter, melted
*1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, melted
*3/4 cup all-purpose flour
*1/2 cup rolled oats
*1/4 cup granulated sugar
*1/8 tsp. salt
*1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Berry Filling
*2 cups frozen mixed berries (blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries)
*1/4 cup all-purpose flour
*1/4 cup granulated sugar

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 6x6-inch baking dish and set aside.
*In a large bowl, stir together the butter and peanut butter until well-combined. Add in the flour, oats, sugar, salt and ground cinnamon and stir until wet and dry ingredients are evenly mixed. Set aside.
*In a bowl, toss together the berries, (they can be frozen or thawed - mine were frozen when I made this and it turned out great) the flour and the sugar. Pour into the greased baking dish.
*Sprinkle the topping mixture in clumps atop the berries. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the topping is slightly golden and berry mixture is bubbly.
*Remove from the oven and allow to rest at least 10 minutes before serving. Serving with vanilla ice cream is strongly recommended if you have some on hand.

Happy Baking!

Madison