Blueberry-Banana Yogurt Muffins

August is the season of Blueberries.
Well, so is July, but it’s still early August and blueberry season kind of runs over into August around here. It’s glorious. I have six little blueberry bushes in my garden and this is the first year they’ve produced fruit. It feels like a real victory. I so look forward to what future summers hold in the blueberry department. Good things ahead, people.

This morning, it seemed like a wise idea to do more than just nom those fresh berries straight from the bushes, so I picked what I could and decided muffins would showcase their sweetness best. Throw in a couple of over-ripe bananas and yogurt for consistency, and presto—muffins.
Enjoy!

BLUEBERRY-BANANA YOGURT MUFFINS

1/2 cup butter (1 stick, softened)
2 eggs
1 soft banana
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup Greek Yogurt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups flour
1 pint fresh blueberries

In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, blend butter (softened), sliced banana, sugar, yogurt, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until will combined. Feel free to really work the batter so no banana or butter lumps remain. Then mix in the flour, but don’t overdo it or the muffins will fall when they bake. A little visible flour in the batter is okay.
Fold in fresh berries with a soft spatula until they are well-dispersed.

Scoop batter into a greased muffin tin (about 2/3 full in each), and bake in a 350-degree preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden-brown across the top.

deviled eggs

I didn’t color Easter eggs with my kids this year. I am one third raging Mom guilt, one third relief (I didn’t have to clean up the chaotic mess!), and a final third healthier for not having to digest the dye which somehow manages to seep through the shells into my boiled eggs.
Emotions in thirds.
I love fractions.

So, when it comes to logical conclusions, it made sense to boil all the eggs I had left post Easter, and devil them. Is ‘devil’ a verb? To devil. Yes. Okay. The grammar girl in me is satisfied.

For your own satisfaction: Deviled Eggs, traditional style (and Whole 30 friendly!).

Enjoy!

DEVILED EGGS
 

6 eggs (or more if you’re serving a crowd)
Mayo (this is my favorite recipe!)
a dash of salt
a sprinkle of paprika

Boil eggs until hard. About 1.5 minute per egg, so for a batch of six eggs, 8-9 minutes. Adjust your time accordingly.

Once your eggs are boiled, drain off the hot water and cool them down ( I flood my pot and freshly boiled eggs with cold tap water) and then peel them.

Slice the cooled, peeled eggs in half, the long way, and scoop the yoke into a small mixing bowl. And then using a fork, (or if you prefer your deviled egg filling extra smooth—a hand mixer) mash the yokes until smooth. Add about 1 part mayo per three parts egg yokes. So if you end up with about 1 cup of mashed yoke, add 1/3 cup mayo. Blend well, add a dash of salt until the flavor is to your liking, and then with a small spoon (I use a baby spoon because I have a whole bunch of those on hand), scoop a dollop of yoke back into the empty egg. Do with with all of the eggs—you may have yoke filling left over (perfect for a slice of toast!). Top with a sprinkle of paprika and serve chilled.

 

chocolate-chip almond cookies

Happy Monday friends!

I wanted to write a post that would bring you off the Easter sugar high nice and easy. And I think this recipe will help. Because cookies are magic like that. Like literal magic.
Say, (in theory of course) you have a screaming toddler who refuses to nap. Then, my friend, then you 1) Brew yourself another pot of coffee, and 2) Pose this question:
“Do you want to make cookies with me?”
Watch. Magic. Happen.
Theoretical child will transform in into something else—at least until she can consume several cookies, fresh from the oven.
You know . . . in theory.

The cookies themselves are magic-tasting. No theories involved.
I love almond because it reminds me of Christmas, which in turn reminds me of childhood, which in turn reminds me that magic truly does exist in the world because mine was full of it.

If you need a dose of magic today, either for yourself or a theoretical child, these cookies may just be the answer you’re looking for.

Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE-CHIP ALMOND COOKIES

3/4 c sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 c butter-flavored crisco
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 teaspoons almond flavoring
1/2 c cake flour
2 c flour

I have a giant stand mixer that makes mixing up anything a snap, but you can use a bowl and a hand mixer, or a bowl and some elbow grease just as easily.

In a large mixing bowl, begin by whipping the butter and crisco with the brown and white sugar until well combined. (I think crisco is nasty and I never use it SAVE in this recipe. It helps the baked cookie consistency stay soft and chewy). Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the batter and mix until completely combined. Then add the eggs and almond flavoring and whip again. The batter should be almost frothy. Sprinkle in the cake flour (softest flour on earth and makes for a very smooth, soft cookie crumb) and gently mix, adding the rest of the flour one cup at a time, and the chocolate morsels with the final cup of flour.

The batter will be quite thick and heavy, which is exactly what you want for thick chewy cookies. Spoon and clump the dough into tablespoon-sized balls and place evenly on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes in a 350-degree preheated oven. I like my cookies lightly gold around the edges and almost (but not quite) soft in the middle. You can bake them a little longer if you prefer your cookies crunchy.

Serve warm with a tall glass of milk!

 

 

guacamole and carrot sticks

Snacking is an art form in my mind and ought to be practiced often. As such, one might as well snack right. Whole30 has some great snacking options if you can force yourself to see past the typical crackers and cheese route. And guacamole and carrot sticks are a perfect option in this regard.

Whenever I’m on the road, this is my go-to snack. It’s portable, rich in flavor, filling, and good for you. Does colorful count? Let’s go with colorful too. Totally counts.
Enjoy!

I like using a food processor for this recipe because it simplifies the process. But a knife, fork and bowl work just as well for mixing up a batch of guac. Even better: a guacamole molcajete! Whatever tools you use, this is simply about blending flavors and textures.

GUACAMOLE AND CARROT STICKS
 

1 avocado, pitted and diced
1 tomato, diced
1 teaspoon diced cilantro
1 teaspoon red onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon garlic
a dash of lemon juice

In a bowl, toss avocado, tomato, cilantro and onion together. Blend and mash with a fork until the diced pieces  begin to break down and combine. Blend in garlic and lemon juice and mix until well incorporated.
Add carrot sticks, and if you need some protein, some uncured salami.

Note: I adore cilantro. But not everyone does. If you hate the stuff, feel free to substitute diced scallions or fresh parsley.

If you are using a food processor, toss all of the ingredients, including the garlic and lemon juice, into the bowl and pulse several times until the mixture is blended but still chunky.

Cashew Butter

Back to snacking—I started posting about some favorite snacks last week, so let’s return to that subject. Because Snacks. It’s hard to go without a few in the course of a day, and making healthy snacking choices can be tough when you are SO TIRED OF BANANAS. (Bananas are the go-to snack at my house). So. Enter cashew butter and apple slices. Think: Carmel apple dip, only with nut butter. NomNomNom.
 

I started making all of my own nut butter back in September after reading an article about what kind of miscreant ingredients are contained in a typical jar of Skippy. And considering that we go through a large jar of peanut butter in about a week at my house, (lots of PB&J) a change was needed.

Nut butter is expensive no matter which way you spin it, because nuts in general are expensive. But if you can buy them in bulk, this will save you a bit. Cashews are my favorite nut, so cashew butter has become my nut-butter of choice. But you can make any flavor of nut butter with this method.

You will need a food processor for this job.

1 lb. of your favorite nuts, roasted.
1 tsp sea salt
2 teaspoons coconut oil

In a food processor, toss the roasted nuts, salt, and spoon the coconut oil on top. Snap the cover tightly into place, and whirl on high for about 3-5 minutes. This process is kinda noisy, so warn your little people or pets if they get nervous around loud noises.
When the butter is smooth, scrape into a sealable container. Refrigerate.
1 lb. of roasted nuts makes approximately 1 quart of nut butter.

cucumbers and hummus

I need a shirt that says, “Sorry for what I ate when I was tired.”
Man, I make the worst food choices when I’m exhausted. Anyone else?

On that note, it seemed time for a post on snacks. A series of them actually. Healthy snacks. Because frankly, I’m tired all the time and I could use some snacking help. So let’s get started with this one. One of my top favs.

CUCUMBERS AND HUMMUS

Seedless, or French cucumbers as they are also called, aren’t seedless actually, but their seeds are softer and smaller than traditional cucumbers. This makes them more palatable to kids too, so tuck that away for snacking hour!
Hummus is one of the easiest sauces/dips/garnishes I know how to make. And also the most versatile. You can throw just about any herb or spice in the mix to change up the flavor, but I think I like it best with the traditional shot of lemon juice and garlic.

Here’s what you’ll need to whirl up a batch of traditional hummus

1 15 oz can of Garbanzo beans/Chickpeas in water, drained.
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh garlic
1 teaspoon tahini (sesame paste) —this last one is optional and I find that the flavor doesn’t change a great deal if it is omitted. It’s not a typical pantry staple, so no worries if you don’t have it on hand.

Toss all the ingredients in a food processor or blender, whirl on high until smooth. scrape down sides and whirl again.
Serve with cut up veggies of any kind or pretzels, pita bread, or other firm cracker.

Enjoy!

pumpkin-almond fruit and nut

Dear Lara,
Your bars are fantastic. Like whoa. When I stripped sugar and dairy and ALL THE TASTY THINGS out of my life for a while, you were there to pull me out of my emotional slump and remind me it was going to be okay. And you were right.
No apple pie? That’s okay because Apple Pie Larabars.
No chewy nut-ridden candy bars? That’s okay. You and your friend Clif, and Clif’s son Kit, devised a Cashew nut bar. (You are friends, right? Cuz he’s awesome. Or his bars are awesome anyway.)
Coconut cream pie? Coconut Cream Pie Larabar.
Pumpkin spice? Kit’s Cherry and Pumpkin Seed Bar. 
It’s all good!
But Lara, and I really hope you don’t mind me saying this, your bar-count-per-box is way low. Like, for real. It just doesn’t work. I need more than five bars! At least Clif and Kit upped their game a little there. 12 bars per box. On point.
Whatever. It doesn’t matter. I can deal. In fact, I can more than deal!
Because all this to say thank you. Thanks for coming to my hangry rescue more than once and also for the inspiration.
Yah. You inspired me. Imitation is the highest form of flattery, right? Right.
So this is my best compliment then. And I can make more than 5 bars at a time. More than 12 even! So thanks Lara.
Hugs and kisses,
—b

PUMPKIN-ALMOND FRUIT AND NUT BAR

(Inspired by Lara, Clif, and Kit)

1 cup dry roasted almonds
1/2 cup dry roasted and salted cashews
1/2 prunes
1/2 cup figs
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup dry unsweetened coconut flakes

In a food processor, whirl all of the above ingredients except the coconut flakes. Keep in mind that depending on the size of your food processor, you may have to do this in batches.
The mixture should be very thick. You should not be able to really do more than poke it or move it around with a spoon. If it is more malleable than that, add coconut flakes as needed to thicken. If it is too thick, add more pumpkin. When you feel the consistency is good, dump and scrape the mixture into a foil or parchment lined 11×14 cake pan and press into the pan. Be quite firm, packing down the mixture until it is smooth and compressed. Pop the pan into the fridge for a couple of hours and then lift the whole thing from the pan within the foil or parchment paper. peal back the edges of the paper/foil and cut your bars to the desired size. Enjoy!

Ps. Lara, Clif, and Kit have no idea who I am. Neither do their affiliates, companies, organizations, or nutrition-gurus. This isn’t a sales plug so much as a tongue-in-cheek look at my own life-in-food. Kthanksbye.