Easy Guacamole

When avocados are on sale, I buy a bunch and use it for many things but one of my favorite ways to use them is in a guacamole. I like to make mine nice and chunky.

Guacamole

Guacamole

• 2 ripe avocados
• Juice of one lime
• 1 small tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• 2 T of chopped cilantro
• 2 T. chopped onions
• cayenne pepper to taste or 1 chopped jalapeno
• salt to taste

In a bowl, mash the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Add and mix in the onions, garlic, tomato, cilantro and cayenne pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge for about 30 mintues before you serve to allow the flavors to develop. Serve with chips or with your favorite mexican dish.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pancakes

I get excited when diner restaurants start serving pumpkin pancakes. They taste exactly like pumpkin bread, flavored with cinnamon and spices. They are denser than regular pancakes, moist, and delicious! Since I had some pumpkin puree left from the cupcakes I made previously, I decided to make them for dinner. Dinner for breakfast is the best; people should do it more often.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin Pancakes

Yields 3 servings

• 1 C. flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 C. milk
• 1 T. vinegar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 C. pumpkin puree
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 T. brown sugar
• 2 T melted butter
• oil

Add 1 T. of vinegar to the milk and set aside for it to curdle.

In a bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, ground ginger, and nutmeg.

In another bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, egg, melted butter, vanilla, brown sugar, and the curdled milk.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Using a 1/4 measuring cup, scoop the batter onto a heated and oiled skillet over medium heat. Spread the batter out a little since it's thicker than regular pancake batter. When the batter forms bubbles and the edges are puffy, flip it to cook the other side.

Serve with butter and syrup. This recipe should make 9 pancakes.

Enjoy!

Fluffy Pancakes

I made these pancakes inspired by the ones I had at Chapter One: the modern local's apple pancakes from their brunch menu: very light, fluffy pancakes made with some beaten egg whites topped with apple relish. YUM! My version didn't turn out as light as their's but it was still fluffy and delicious. Make these for your next sunday brunch!

Fluffy Pancakes!

Fluffy Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 2 C. Flour
• 2 T. sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 3/4 C. milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1/4 C. of melted butter 
• vegetable oil

In a bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder. In another bowl, whisk together milk, egg yolks, vanilla extract, butter, and sugar. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Set aside.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites into the batter.


Heat a little bit of vegetable oil onto a large skillet over medium heat. Scoop the batter using 1/4 measuring cup onto the heated skillet. When the batter starts forming bubbles and the edges are dry, flip it to cook the other side.


Serve with butter and syrup

I added some chocolate chips to some of my pancakes :-)

Try my oatmeal pancakes if you want heartier pancakes!

Egg in a Basket

This has become one of my favorite breakfast foods to make. Thanks to Sunday Baker's Egg in a Basket; It's different from the traditional version, and I love it!

Egg in a Basket

Egg in a Basket (derived from Sunday Baker)

• 1 T. of butter, melted
• 2 T. of maple syrup or honey
• 4 slices of bread
• 4 medium eggs
• salt and pepper

Method:
Preheat oven to 400 F.

Combine and mix the butter,maple syrup or honey, and a pinch of salt.

Melted Maple Butter

Cut out the bread slices in circles using a large circular cookie cutter or a large mouthed cup. I actually used my knife to cut around the cup.

Spread the maple butter mixture on the top side of the bread circles and put them in a muffin pan, forming a basket. Crack an egg into the bread basket and season with salt and pepper. 

ooo...twins!

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the egg is set and the edges are golden brown.

Enjoy!

Panna Cotta with Blueberry Sauce

Panna cotta is an Italian dessert made by simmering cream, milk, and sugar, mixing with gelatin. The finished product has a texture similar to custard; very soft and silky, but much easier to make. You can use ramekins or your favorite moulds.

Panna Cotta with Blueberry Sauce

Panna Cotta with Blueberry Sauce (makes 5 (4oz) ramekins)

For the Panna Cotta:

• 1 (.25 oz) envelope of unflavored gelatin
• 2 T of cold water
• 3 C. of half & half or heavy cream
• 1/2 C. sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

For the Blueberry Sauce:

• 1 C. of blueberries
• 2 T. of sugar
• 1 T. of lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp grated lemon zest.
• 1/4 tsp of cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
• a pinch of salt

In a medium bowl, combine gelatin and water. Set aside to allow the gelatin to bloom.

Heat sugar and half & half in a saucepan over medium heat until simmer. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the cream mixture into the bowl with the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Pour the mixture into the ramekins and let them cool in room temperature. Once they're cool, cover them with saran wrap and put them in the fridge for 4-6 hours or overnight.

I love to eat right out of the ramekin.

looks cute in a teacup.

For the blueberry sauce, combine and stir blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, pinch of salt and cornstarch in a saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly and slightly thickened. Cook for additional 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla once you have taken the sauce off the heat. Transfer it to a small bowl, cover and chill in the fridge before you serve with your panna cotta.

If you want to get the panna cotta out of your ramekins or your moulds onto a serving plate, here is a great trick:

Dip the bottom of the ramekin in hot water for 5 to 10 seconds. Invert over a serving plate, place your thumbs over the ramekin and hold the plate with you fingers. Give a little shake to loosen and remove the ramekin carefully.

Dip

Shake

Ta-da!

Enjoy!

"Cheesecake" with a Twist

So what's the "twist" in this cheesecake? Well, this cheesecake is completely RAW!! That means nothing is cooked, it's dairy free, gluten-free and super healthy for you! You will be pleasantly surprised how delicious this cheesecake is. It's creamy and rich, just like a regular cheesecake, but way better for you.

The main ingredient in this recipe is  CASHEWS! Cashews?? YES, cashews!! You won't believe it when you taste it; I even tricked my boyfriend, haha. I'm telling you, you won't miss the cream cheese! Give it a try with an open mind!

Pretty in Pink, Raspberry Cheesecake!

Raw Raspberry Cheesecake

For the Crust:

• 1 C. raw almonds
• 1 C. raw macadamia nits
• 1 1/2 C. pitted dates
• 1/2 C. dehydrated coconut flakes
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt

For the Filling:

• 3 C. raw cashews ( soaked in water for at least an hour, rinsed and drained)
• 3/4 C. fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 C. coconut oil, melted
• 3/4 C. raw agave nectar
• 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 C. fresh raspberries

For the Raspberry Sauce:

• 1 C. fresh raspberries
• 1/4 C. pitted dates

Combine all the ingredients for the crust, and process in the food processor until they come together (when you squeeze the mixture between your fingers, it should hold its shape) Form a crust on the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan by patting the crust out evenly with your hands. Set aside.

The crust

Combine all the ingredients for the filling into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour 3/4 of the filling over the prepared crust, and smooth it out with a spatula, tap out any air bubbles. Add 1/2 C of fresh raspberries into the remaining filling and blend until it turns pink and the raspberries are blended. Pour the pink filling over the white filling and smooth it out with a spatula, tap out any air bubbles. Place the cheesecake into a freezer for 4-6 hours. Defrost for an hour before serving.

Ready for the freezer!

For the sauce, combine raspberries and dates into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the sauce through a mesh strainer to strain out the seeds. Drizzle the sauce over the cheesecake when you serve.

I didn't have a spring form pan, so I used a regular cake pan and lined it with saran wrap, so I can easily take the cheesecake out when it's done. I also poured my raspberry sauce evenly over the cheesecake before I stuck in the freezer for another pretty layer.

This cheesecake is so healthy with protein, minerals, and healthy fats, I actually ate some for breakfast! YUM!

Interesting facts about cashews: a few handfuls of cashews provide 1000-2000 mg of tryptophan, which will work as well as prescription antidepressant. Who would've thought??

Sunday Funday Breakfast

Every Sunday, I try to make nice breakfast for my man.  Anything I make for him, I try to make it as healthy as I can. Today, I made some strawberry oatmeal pancakes, since it's strawberry season. I always buy strawberries at the farmers market because they carry the sweetest and the yummiest ones! To accompany my pancakes, I also made cinnamon brown sugar butter (my love is a huge fan of cinnamon).

They were so delicious! The oatmeal gives a nutty flavor to the pancakes. A hearty and healthy breakfast! This recipe is definitely a keeper! I hope you enjoy them as much as we did. Here is the recipe:

Strawberry Oatmeal Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 C. of all purpose flour
• 1/2 C. Quick cooking rolled oats
• 1 T. sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 C. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 T. melted butter
• 1 egg
• 1 C. of chopped strawberries

1. Soak the oats in the milk overnight.
2. Mix the flour, sugar. baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl
3. In another bowl, combine and mix the egg, melted butter, vanilla and the oats/milk mixture. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until combined. let it set for 5 to 10 min.
4. Using a 1/4 C. measuring cup, pour the batter onto a greased griddle on a med-low heat. Top the pancake with the chopped strawberries. When you see the batter bubble, flip it to cook the other side.

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Butter

Ingredients:

• 1/2 C. of butter ( 1 stick), softened at room temp.
• 1 T. brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 t. salt

Combine and mix all the ingredients together. Put the mixture on a saran wrap and roll it into a log. Twist the sides and put it in the fridge or the freezer to harden. Cut and serve on top of the pancakes.