Tiny Morsels

Pumpkin Almond Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 00:01:00 +0000

I've been making a batch of these great little grain-free muffins every week for months now. They're packed with nutrients, and they won't leave you in a carb coma. My whole family loves them, especially when I add chocolate chips.

Pumpkin Almond Muffins
Makes 10 standard sized muffins

2 cups blanched almonds
3/4 cup pureed pumpkin
3 large eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup raw honey
10 drops liquid stevia
2 tsp almond butter

Preheat oven to 350℉, and line 10 muffin tins with paper liners.

Put almonds in a high-powered blender or food processor, and process until you have flour. Add the remaining ingredients, and puree until smooth. Then divide batter evenly into prepared muffin tins.

Bake for 25 minutes on the middle rack.

Sweet Potato French Toast

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 20:22:00 +0000

Whoa! Where did the summer go?

We've been super busy.
BUSY HAVING FUN!

Way too much fun to take pictures of our food. So even though I don't have a photo, I wanted to record a French Toast recipe that my girls liked.

We made a whole loaf of French toast, and the girls only ate one slice each. We cut up the leftovers into "French Toast Fingers" that I will freeze. My big kid will take them school for lunch once in a while. French Toast Fingers with a side of maple syrup for dipping. For lunch. Yeah, we're not normal.

Sweet Potato French Toast
makes about enough batter for one loaf of bread

loaf of bread, sliced thick (my kids like Whole Wheat Sourdough)
4 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup cooked sweet potato
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
20 drops liquid stevia
1 tbsp. honey
coconut oil for pan

Add some coconut oil to a cast iron skillet, and let it warm up over medium heat.

In a blender, combine eggs, cream, sweet potato, cinnamon, vanilla, stevia, and honey. Blend 'til smooth, then pour into a shallow dish.

Dip bread slices into egg mixture, and make sure both sides are well coated.

Fry the battered bread in your preheated cast iron skillet, for 2-3 minutes per side.

Zucchini Noodles with Pesto

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Tue, 10 May 2011 01:43:00 +0000

Just some raw zucchini spirals (made with one of these), tossed with some pesto from my freezer, and topped with cherry tomatoes. We had this salad with some leftover chicken. YUM!

Natural Egg Dyes

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 01:34:00 +0000

I'm thinking I won't get my shit together enough to dye eggs with the kiddos this year. Which is fine because we don't really even get into the whole Easter thing. But if anyone is interested in making natural, food-based egg dyes, check out my post from last year. These dyes make some really beautiful natural colors, and cool looking eggs.

Chocolate Cherry Granola Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 02:12:00 +0000

Chocolate Cherry Granola Bars
Adapted from a bunch of different recipes

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup crispy brown rice cereal
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped or ground in a food processor
1/4 cup unsweetened dried coconut flakes
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup Butter or Earth Balance at room temperature
1/4 cup local honey*
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Grease or spray a 9x13- or 10x14-inch baking pan. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients (oats, rice cereal, walnuts, coconut, chocolate chips, cherries, coconut sugar and salt). Set aside.

In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients (butter, honey, and vanilla). Mix well with a fork until evenly combined. It's important to use room temperature butter instead of melted butter, because melted butter will melt your chocolate chips.

Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, and mix well with your clean hands. Spread evenly into prepared pan, and press down until it's tightly packed.

Bake for about 15-18 minutes. Allow to cool completely before cutting. Bars can be wrapped individually with waxed paper and stored in the refrigerator for several days, or frozen.

*Use honey that is local to you. It's supposed to help your body build up its own immunities and lesson symptoms of seasonal allergies.

Chai-Spiced, Blood-Orange Granita

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 02:29:00 +0000

We had blood oranges.
We had leftover spices from chai tea mix.
We needed dessert...

I don't know why blood oranges always make me think: GRANITA. Some food magazine or food blogger must've had a blood orange granita recipe at some point. So I googled it, at found inspiration here.

My recipe is pretty spicy. But the girls liked it. And my big girl, who doesn't eat fruit, got a healthy dose of citrus.

Chai-Spiced, Blood-Orange Granita
Makes 6-8 servings

4 blood oranges, peeled and halved
1 cup filtered water
30 drops liquid stevia
2 tbsp. local honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground cardamom
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
tiny pinch ground white pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender and buzz 'til smoothe. Taste, and add more sweetener or water if you think it needs it. Pour onto a rimmed baking sheet (or 2) and freeze for one hour. Stir, and freeze for another hour. Serve.

NOTE: This is pretty spicy. It's really nice if you're a grown-up, but little kids often prefer more bland tastes. Halve all the spices measurements if you are feeding sensitive young palates.

Chard Salad with Green Apple Dressing

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 21:29:00 +0000

This salad is inspired by a salad I ate at Borrowed Earth Cafe. It's a tasty way to get some leafy greens, and it isn't a huge production to make. My recipe serves 4, but if your family (like my family) wouldn't touch this with a ten-foot pole, don't worry; the dressing will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. It's good stuff…good enough to make you wanna eat raw chard. Also good for dipping baby carrots.

Chard Salad with Green Apple Dressing
Serves 4

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped into 1" pieces
2 tbsp. fresh squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
hunk of ginger (about 1/2 the size of your thumb)
1/4 tsp. ground flax seed
12-15 drops liquid Stevia
1 bunch Swiss Chard, washed and cut into ribbons
dried coconut flakes (optional)

To make the dressing, put first 6 ingredients in a blender, and puree 'til creamy and smooth. Then put the chard on plates, sprinkle with coconut flakes (if using), and top with dressing.

Dragon Noodle Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 21:09:00 +0000

Have you seen the movie Kung Fu Panda? My big girl, who has the imagination of…well, a 5-year-old, thinks she may be the next Dragon Warrior. And that's where the idea for this soup came from.

I saw a package of Rice Noodles with dragons on it, and Dragon Noodle Soup was born.

Dragon Noodle Soup
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks
Serves 4

2 tbsp. coconut oil
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 Serrano pepper, sliced
hunk of ginger (1/2 the size of you thumb)
1 fat shallot
2 stalks of lemongrass
3 cloves of garlic
>1/8 tsp. ground turmeric
juice and zest of 1 lime
rice noodles, prepare according to instructions on box
6 cups vegetable broth
1 lb. halibut, cut into 1-inch hunks
1/2 cup frozen corn kernals
2 handfuls baby spinach
fresh green onions, cilantro, basil, and/or mint, for garnish

Coarsely chop the serrano, ginger, shallot, lemongrass, and garlic. Set aside.

Heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat, in a big soup pot, and add the ground cumin and coriander. Heat until it becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the serrano, ginger, shallot, lemongrass, garlic, and turmeric, and cook until things begin to soften a bit, and the shallot starts to turn transparent in color (about 3 minutes).

Next, stir in the lime juice and zest, and the vegetable broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Taste, and adjust to your liking (ie: add more lime juice, or more water, salt if necessary).

Lastly strain the vegetables from the broth, and discard them. This plain but flavorful broth will be the base of your soup. Return it to the big soup pot, and add the prepared rice noodles, halibut, and corn. When the halibut is cooked, stir in some baby spinach, and whatever fresh herbs you'd like. Stir until just wilted. Serve immediately.

This soup isn't very good the next day. But the broth alone will freeze beautifully.

Foolproof Egg Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 20:09:00 +0000

A rare moment of free time, and I've got to get this egg casserole recipe blogged. Vegan readers, please don't hate me for this one.
:)

Now, I don't know about you, but I am just so bored with oatmeal for breakfast. I know it's good for you, but a girl can only eat so much oatmeal. I like eggs for breakfast, but my mornings are way too hectic for eggs.

This make-ahead casserole is loaded with protein, and can be outfitted with whatever veggies or ingredients you'd like. I've made it with spinach and onions, broccoli and cheese, and most recently (at the request of my husband): spinach, green onion, cheese and BACON.

You can put it together ahead of time, and bake it in the morning if you're having guests. It also freezes well. I've been making it on Sunday and keeping it in the fridge for quick breakfasts during the week.

Egg Casserole
makes 9 servings

6 eggs
1 lb. cottage cheese
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. butter
3 generous handfuls of spinach, coarsely chopped
6 strips of cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350º F, and spray an 8"x8" (or 9"x9") baking dish with cooking spray.

Heat butter in a big frying pan, and cook the green onions for a minute or 2, until they begin to soften. Add the spinach and toss until it's wilted (about 1 minute.) Turn off heat, set aside to cool slightly.

In a good-sized bowl, whisk the eggs until uniformly yellow in color. Stir in the cottage cheese. Then add the veggies, bacon, and cheddar, and stir until well combined.

Pour mixture into prepared pan, and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

This recipe is foolproof. Use full fat cottage cheese, or fat free. Add whatever other ingredients you'd like. Just make sure to use 6 eggs and a pound of cottage cheese every time, and you're golden!

Quinoa Cranberry Muffin

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 01:50:00 +0000

I really thought these muffins should be called Cardamom Quinoa Cranberry Christmas Muffins, but you totally get why that wouldn't fly. What's important here is that my 5-year-old (who eats nothing) ate these muffins! She thought the quinoa was some kind of candy sprinkle.

Anyway, they're nice little muffins for breakfast, because they've got protein, fiber, and carbs. Not too sweet, but have a lovely flavor and texture, and go well with coffee. Hope you like them as much as we did.

Quinoa Cranberry Muffin
Adapted from a recipe on No Meat Athlete

1 cup milk (I used my favorite So Delicious Coconut Milk)
1 egg at room temperature
1/4 cup coconut oil (liquified, but not hot)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp. vanilla extract (I like stuff real vanilla-y…feel free to use less)
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1 cup cooked red quinoa
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or silicone muffin cups.

 Stir together the milk, egg, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones, and stir until well combined (but don't over do it). Then fold in the quinoa and the cranberries.
Spoon into the prepared muffin tin and bake for 20 to 22 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Chai Tea Mix

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 04:10:00 +0000

I love chai. You love chai. Who doesn't love chai? It's like exotic hot cocoa, which sounds pretty dang good when it's cold outside.

This recipe makes a whole lotta powdered chai tea mix. So make some for yourself, and give the rest away. I made several batches, and am planning on giving it to anyone who stops by my house during the holidays.

Instant Chai Tea Powder
Makes a whole lot

1 1/2 cups unsweetened, instant, black tea (I used decaf)
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups dry milk (optional)
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground allspice
1 vanilla bean, sliced in half, inside scraped
1/4 tsp ground white pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor, and blend on high for 60 seconds, or until the mix is evenly combined and powdery (you may need to do this in batches).

Stir 1 tablespoon of this mix (or more, if you dare) into 3/4 cup hot (but not boiling) milk. Feel free to use whatever kind of milk you'd like, or even water.

You can store your chai mix in an airtight container until summer. But it won't last that long. Enjoy.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 02:38:00 +0000

I gave away my waffle iron because I needed to make some space in my tiny kitchen…which is a bummer because I woke up with a freakish pumpkin waffle craving the other day. I had to make pumpkin pancakes instead. It was cool though, they knocked out my craving.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes
Adapted from Eating Well magazine

1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk (I used So Delicious Coconut Milk)
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. fine grain sea salt
2 eggs
1 tsp. canola oil

In a mixing bowl, combine the non-dairy milk with the apple cider vinegar, and allow it to sit for 10 minutes (until it begins to curdle). Whisk in the pumpkin puree until evenly combined. Then, stir in the oats, and allow the mixture to sit for 20-30 minutes, until the oats soften up a bit. (You can do this step the night before, just let the oats soak overnight, in the fridge.)

Meanwhile, in another bowl, stir together the whole wheat pastry flour, wheat germ, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt.

Now back to the first bowl…when the oats are nice and soft, whisk in the eggs and oil. Then add the dry ingredients, and stir until combined (don't over mix). Now make pancakes!

Ninjabread Men

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 21:12:00 +0000

I was at Target the other day, looking for Halloween stuff, and they were already taking it all down and putting up Christmas stuff. Totally annoying, right?

Well I hope you'll forgive me for this holiday-related post. I know I'm getting ahead of myself here. It's just that these little Ninjabread Men are so bad-ass! (As is most of the stuff at Fred.) I can't wait to make them later this fall with my favorite gingerbread recipe.

Cheesy Twice-Baked Potatoes with Broccoli and Bacon

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 00:44:00 +0000

OMG, it's not even November and I'm already cooking with bacon and cheese. I miss the summer farmers' market already! Anyway, we sure did enjoy these Twice Baked Potatoes. I think they'd be good football food, if you're into that sort of thing.

Cheesy Twice-Baked Potatoes with Broccoli and Bacon
makes 8

4 small Russet potatoes
2 tbsp. canola oil
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup non-fat milk
3/4 cup reduced fat cheddar (shredded), divided
4 strips of crispy bacon, crumbled (optional)
2 cups of steamed broccoli, chopped
8 green onions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
sea salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400º F

Wash (and scrub) the potatoes well, then dry, and pierce several times with a fork. Wrap in foil, and stick in the oven for 45-60 minutes. When they're done, allow them to cool completely. You can do this part ahead of time, like in the morning, or even the night before.

Preheat oven again, this time to 375º F.

Slice the potatoes in half, and scoop out the potatoey part in the middle. Brush the skins (inside and out) with 1 tbsp. of the canola oil, and sprinkle them with a pinch or 2 of salt. Stick them in the oven for 5-10 minutes, until they start to get a little crispy.

While the potato skins are getting crispy, cook the green onions in small pan with 1 tbsp. of canola oil, until they soften and turn bright green (2-3 minutes). Add them to the potato middles, along with the yogurt, milk, half of the cheese, and bacon. Mix well, using a hand mixer (or stand mixer). Taste, then add salt and pepper to your liking.

Carefully spoon the potato mixture into the crispy potato skins, and top with remaining cheese. Heat in the oven just to warm, and until the cheese on top gets all melty and bubbly.

Some cool pancakes…

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 17:43:00 +0000

Check out this blog, Jim's Pancakes. He claims he is "just trying to make some cool pancakes for (his) daughter." This is some amazing pancake art, and his creations are so cool! I'm all inspired now…and craving pancakes.

Rosemary Roasted Root Vegetables

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:21:00 +0000

The baby is all into exploring finger food - and while it's easy to just give her Cheerios, I try not to do that all the time. She seems to really dig these roasted root vegetables; they're easy for her little fingers to pick up.

I think they're delicious too, served over quinoa or rice. Even my husband liked 'em, and he's not usually into this kind of thing. Wookie, well, she at least tried them, but they made her gag and throw up. My big girl is…um, special.

Rosemary Roasted Root Vegetables

1 sweet potato, cut into 1/2 cubes
1 big fat carrot, cut into 1/2 cubes
1 parsnip, cut into 1/2 cubes
1 tbsp. coconut oil
2 pinches of dried rosemary (or by all means use fresh if you've got it)
pinch of salt (optional)

Preheat oven to 400º F.
Using your hands, toss all ingredients together on a baking sheet.
Roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring once.

Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Puree

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:02:00 +0000

Even though the baby loves this stuff, it's not just for babies. You can spread it on sandwiches, use it as pasta or pizza sauce, or dip carrots in it. It's yummy on toast too. (Excuse my phone picture, the house is a mess and I'm too busy to look for my real camera).

Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Puree

1 jar (16 oz.) Roasted Red Peppers, packed in water*
2 oz. soft goat cheese (pasteurized)

Combine ingredients in a blender or food processor, and blend 'til smooth. Feel free to adjust the measurements to your liking. This stuff will be fine in the fridge for a couple of days.

*Definitely try to get organic Roasted Red Peppers, because conventional ones usually have high levels of pesticides and chemicals (compared to other conventional fruits and veggies). You could also roast your own peppers.

Delicata Squash Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 01:30:00 +0000

Delicata is my new favorite squash. It tastes similar to butternut squash, but it's easier to cut. And I'm all about easier.

3 delicata squash (peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4" cubes)
1 small onion, diced
2 tbsp. coconut oil, divided
4 cups chicken broth (or veggie)
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
sea salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 400º F. Toss cubed squash with 1 tbsp. coconut oil, and spread onto a baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring once.

Meanwhile, put the other tablespoon of coconut oil into a heavy soup pot, and cook the onion until it begins to soften, and turn translucent.

When the squash and the onions are ready, put them into a blender with 1/2 of the broth and cashews. Blend until smooth, then return to the soup pot, stir in the remaining broth, and season with dried thyme and salt. Warm the soup over low heat until you're ready to serve (or eat) it.

Homemade Chicken Broth

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 14:42:00 +0000

On the weekend, my husband will often cook a whole chicken on the grill. We'll use the meat throughout the week on salads, sandwiches, or quesadillas for lunch. With the leftover chicken bones (and some of the dark meat and skin) we've been making flavorful chicken broth.

I'm not opposed to buying chicken broth in a carton at the store, but homemade broth is a total no-brainer. And it's It keeps well in the freezer, so we're stocking up now for soup season.

Chicken Broth
makes about a gallon

Throw one chicken carcass in a stock pot, along with any skin and dark meat you're not going to eat. Cover it with filtered water, and add a teaspoon of coarse sea salt. Throw in a bay leaf if you have one, and maybe a few whole peppercorns.

Add some coarsely chopped, aromatic vegetables, like:

carrots (we sometimes use dried out baby carrots)
celery
onions
garlic

Feel free to use up any veggies you have sitting around. Sometimes my husband also uses:

leeks
parsnips
potatoes
fresh herbs

Bring the contents of the stock pot to a boil, then reduce heat, loosely cover, and simmer for an hour or 2. Pour through a fine mesh strainer. Broth can be stored in a glass pitcher the fridge for a few days, or frozen in ice cube trays for later use.

Black Bean Brownies

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 02:07:00 +0000

I finally got around to making a version of those black bean brownies everyone was talking about last year. I compared a few different recipes before coming up with one that worked for us. This recipe is definitely a keeper; I hope you like it as much as we did.

Black Bean Brownies
makes 16 (2-inch) brownies

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup canned black beans
1/4 walnuts
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 packet Starbucks VIA® Ready Brew Decaf
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 large eggs
1 cup coconut sugar*

Preheat oven to 325º F, and grease an 8x8" baking dish.

In a microwave safe dish, zap the chocolate and butter together, and stir until uniformly melted. Pour the mixture into a blender, and add the black beans, walnuts, vanilla, Starbucks VIA®, and salt. Blend 'til smooth. Then add the eggs and sugar, and blend until the batter starts to get light and fluffy.

Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish, and bake for 30-40 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean). Allow brownies to cool completely before cutting.

* If you can't find—or just don't want to use—coconut sugar, feel free to substitute agave nectar, or regular sugar. You may have to adjust the measurements slightly.

Delicata Squash and Quinoa Pilaf

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:57:00 +0000

The baby is now 8 months old, and unlike her big sister, this kid loves food. She gets so excited at meal time, and opens her tiny mouth wide for every bite. She likes everything we've given her so far.

I hadn't planned giving her any of this meal, but as the rest of us were eating, I could tell she really wanted some. So I gave her a bite. And then another. And another…

The kid loved it. And so did I. Not totally sure if this is what I should be feeding my 8 month old, but I am just so tickled that someone in my house is down with the way I cook. (Hopefully it will stay this way).

Delicata Squash and Quinoa Pilaf
Adapted from The Kind Life (blog)
Serves 3-4

1 small peeled delicata squash, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, cut into 1/4" coins
1 small zucchini, cut into 3/4" cubes
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Coarse sea salt
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon Earth Balance
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed well
2 green onions, white and light green parts, chopped

Preheat the oven to 375º F.

Toss the squash, onion, carrots and zucchini with the coconut oil, and spread out on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of coarse sea salt. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once about halfway through.

While the vegetables are roasting, boil the broth to in a saucepan. Add the butter, cumin, and saffron. Cover and let steep for a minute or 2, then stir in the quinoa. Let the mixture come to a boil again, then reduce heat and simmer (loosely covered) until quinoa is cooked, about 20 minutes.

When both the vegetables and the quinoa are done, stir them together. Serve in bowls and top with thinly sliced green onions.

I am totally having the leftovers for breakfast.

Back-to-School Breakfast Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 20:24:00 +0000

My big girl is heading back to school tomorrow, and she's super excited. I'm excited too, but I'm also a little nervous. See, this year she starts at 8:45 am. That may not seem like a big deal to most, but we're not really morning people, so it's a HUGE deal to us.

Since we won't have time for leisurely pancake breakfasts anymore, we decided to bake some muffins. I think homemade muffins are better than a bowl of cereal or a Nutri-Grain bar. We've stashed them in the freezer for easy breakfasts. Just one less thing we'll have to worry about while we're rushing around in the morning.

Here's what we made:

Strawberry Almond Muffins
When I first asked Wookie what kind of muffins she'd like for breakfast, she told me strawberry. I remembered this recipe I saw a while back, for strawberry almond muffins. I was skeptical at first because they're grain free, dairy free, and refined sugar free. But we bought some out of season strawberries and followed the recipe exactly. They're unbelievably yummy.

Zucchini Raisin Muffins (pictured above)
Wookie is getting more and more ridiculous about what she will and what she won't eat. I made a version of these zucchini muffins from Simply Recipes, where I peeled the zucchini before grating it, so there wouldn't be any "green" in her muffins. And I chopped the walnuts superfine, so she wouldn't whine about that. I also used 1 cup of coconut sugar instead of regular sugar, a mixture of oats and whole spelt flour instead of all-purpose flour, and coconut oil instead of butter. Lastly, I added 2 tablespoons of blackstrap molasses, you know, for the nutrition.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Adapted from this Ellie Kreiger recipe. Pretty healthy to begin with, but there's always room for improvement. Again, I used coconut sugar instead of brown sugar, a mixture of oat flour and whole spelt flour instead whatever she called for, and coconut oil instead of canola oil. I also added a cup of chocolate chips. We will probably eat all of these muffins first.

Now what the heck are we gonna have for lunch?

Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Basil and Lemon

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 15:39:00 +0000

Have you ever eaten uncooked zucchini? Neither had I until my friend Amy whipped up this amazing little salad. Seriously, raw zucchini is like a delicacy. It was so good, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I had to make it again. Thankfully Amy sent me the recipe, which was from Bon Appétit.

Amy used a mandolin to slice the zucchini into ribbons. Lucky girl has a mandolin…I had to use a vegetable peeler, which was slow-going, buy made an equally delicious salad.

Zucchini Ribbon Salad
from Bon Appétit
Serves 2-3

1/4 cup good quality olive oil
1 tbsp. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
generous pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. sea salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2-3 medium zucchini
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp. toasted pine nuts
Small wedge of Pecorino (sheep milk) Cheese

To make the dressing, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper, and red pepper flakes. Set aside so the flavors can mingle.

Next, cut the ends off your zucchini. Using a vegetable peeler, slice each zucchini from end to end, making ribbons (about 1/16 inch thick). Put ribbons into a large bowl. Add basil and pine nuts, then dressing, and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Using vegetable peeler, shave strips from Parmesan wedge over salad.

Pomegranate Beet Smoothie

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 03:43:00 +0000

First things first, I am not a big fan of beets. Too earthy.

But they're so good for you. So when I saw this Pomegranate Beet Smoothie recipe, I knew I had to try it. And it turned out super delicious (not earthy tasting at all). So I made it again, and modified it slightly for Wookie. And she totally dug it. Which is great because that kid is getting more and more difficult every day.

Pomegranate Beet Smoothie
Serves 1 kid

1/2 cup pomegranate juice
6-8 frozen strawberries
hunk of cooked beet* (like the size of your thumb)
a few spinach leaves
4 walnut halves
2 tsp. liquid cal/mag citrate (Wookie hates this stuff, I have to sneak it in)
10-15 drops liquid stevia

Blend in a high-speed blender until smooth. Taste, and add more stevia if you think it needs it. If you have too much smoothie, freeze some in popsicle molds.

* I wrapped a beet in foil and grilled it for about 20 minutes.

Cashew and Herb Spread

noreply@blogger.com (Tree) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 18:00:00 +0000

Saw this recipe (here) and NEEDED to try it. It turned out pretty delicious.

Cashew and Herb Spread

1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 4 hours
1 clove of garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
sea salt, to taste
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley

Drain and rinse cashews, then blend in a food processor cashews until chunky. Add garlic, lemon juice, sea salt, and herbs., and blend 'til smooth. Taste to check the flavor, and add more salt if needed. If the spread is too thick to blend, add a tablespoon or so of water.

Line a small round dish with plastic wrap, then scrape the spread into the dish and fold the plastic wrap tightly over the top. Refrigerate for an hour (or overnight), then unwrap and flip over onto a plate and remove the plastic wrap.