Snacks

Zucchini Brownies and Peach Smoothie- kid friendly recipes for the summer!

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This summer I have been taking cues from my kids…slowing down, fostering creativity and play, letting go of “perfect” and focusing on present instead.  Recently they revived their old swing set playhouse that was abandoned as they grew older.  They redecorated with comfy pillows, wall hangings and signs and dreamed of cool things they could add like lights and a beaded door.  Even if they don’t get all of their wish list, I think it’s cool they are dreaming and being creative.  But they also love their electronics and screens.  While it’s easy to say no and tell them to just go outside and play like I used to when I was little, I also think we need to embrace what’s in their world now and help them learn moderation and to use their creativity in new ways.  This weekend we had a compromise.  I said they can use their iPads to take pictures and create a guest blog post of something they make in the kitchen.  They could be my guest bloggers!!  Win, win for me.  I’ve been hung up on my photography not being good enough and inspiring and not posting unless I have something I think is relevant to say.  Silly excuses really.  Sharing recipes is something I enjoy and I choose not to because of insecurities or not living up to some made up expectations.  Whatever your passions are, let’s take some cues from the kids and just do it and have fun in the process!!

Here are the posts from my 9 and 10 year old…in their words!!

Peanut Butter Zucchini Brownies

Hi, I’m Alexa. I’m 10 years old and going into 5th grade. I’ve always loved cooking. I also love sports such as, lacrosse and swimming. I used to help my mom cook stuff by just putting the ingredients in the bowl, but now I’m the one cooking stuff and it’s really fun. The first thing I started making was homemade granola bars. Everyone loved them and that’s when my passion for cooking started. We had so many zucchinis in our garden and my mom showed me the recipe for these amazing zucchini brownies. I jazzed the recipe up and added peanut butter. We took these brownies to church and the plate was cleaned off. No one even noticed that there was zucchini in the brownies. I am also a very picky eater and hate chunks and weird tastes in food. These are the complete opposite of that. You can’t even taste the zucchini! They’re AMAZING! Now here’s the recipe!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups chopped zucchini
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1-1/4 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup of peanut butter
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • ½ unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ c chocolate chips (optional, for topping)
  • ½ chopped pecans (optional, for topping)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×13 pan. In blender or food processor, puree zucchini, oil, yogurt, sugar, peanut butter and vanilla. Set aside. In large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Add pureed wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until well incorporated. Pour into greased pan, spread evenly, add any toppings you desire (I added chocolate chips and chopped pecans) and bake for 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let cool for at least 5 minutes. Enjoy!!!!

 

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Summer Peach Smoothie

Hi, I’m Elise and, I am 9 years old and I am going into 4th grade.  I decided to make this peach smoothie because I LOVE peaches, they are one of my favorite fruits. I like this smoothie because it is super easy to make. There are only a few ingredients. It is also really good because it is really healthy. I really like to cook. I usually cook with my Grandma because she is at my house a lot. When I grow up, I want to be a baker. People say I’m really good at taking pictures. This drink is a really good summery drink. This smoothie is good for pool parties, appetizers, and just for refreshment. I just made it today and I loved it. I am going to make this drink a lot this summer so all of our peaches will be gone. I don’t like most kinds of smoothies that my mom makes, but this one I really like.

Ingredients

1 peach, peeled and cubed

1/2 frozen banana

4 oz. almond milk

2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt

3 ice cubes

Blend together and enjoy!!

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Green Smoothie and Notes for the New Year

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January is usually a time of reflection for me.  I don’t write resolutions or bold new goals, but I take stock of where I am; what is important to me, what I learned the previous year, what I want to accomplish this year.  I try and recalibrate and renew, not start again or rebuild, but build on what I learned already.  Last year was crazy…I could not have anticpated what 2015 brought in my life. It was an incredible time of growth, uncertainty, sacrifice, joy and life.  I learned to follow what really makes my heart race and say yes.

I love to use words to describe the seasons in life….2014 was a year of BRAVE, 2015 became ABLE then REST.  2016 is still REST but also feels like INSPIRE.  I learned how important rest and reflection are in my life and the need to create a rhythm that fosters growth.  That’s my intention for this year and that rhythm will include more self care, time to work on relationships, being present in small moments, time to encourage and inspire and intentional yeses/permission to say no.  For me, self care looks like eating well, exercising daily, tea and a good book, walks outdoors and sitting on park benches.  Taking this time for self care and rest will give me the energy to inspire and be inspired.

 

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Walks in the Winter…

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Small Moments….

 

This smoothie is a great way to start your day and pack in some healthy fruits and vegetables!

Ingredients:

1 cup almond milk or coconut water

1/3 cup pineapple

1/2 pear

1/2 frozen banana

1 cup kale or spinach

Blend in a high powered blender and enjoy!!

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Salsa, Roasted Tomato Sauce and Why it’s ok to not deal with the tomatoes…

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First of all, I wanted to post this a few weeks ago. I hope you all still have tomatoes and can enjoy these recipes!!  Just the story of my life right now!

The other week I looked at my kitchen counter and saw all of the tomatoes and I’m like, I just can’t.  I can’t deal with the tomatoes.  In a previous life (a mere few months ago actually), I would take joy in arranging these tomatoes in a nice scattered yet organized way on an old tray or cutting board and take pictures in preparation for a blog post.  Then I would cook something up that’s simple and nutritious and tell the world, hey, this is soooooo easy guys.  There is no excuse to not eat this way.  And the other day, I threw a away a whole bowl of tomatoes that rotted on my counter…..this is not ok.  What IS okay, is not dealing with the tomatoes.  If you love to grow tomatoes and you can’t deal with them, give them away to a neighbor, take them to work, put a table out of “free tomatoes”.  Or just don’t buy the tomatoes.  Buy a jar of sauce, cut up a few vegetables and be done with it because you have chosen to do other things with your time at the moment.  Maybe you have said “yes” to a big project that is taking your time, maybe you are being present with your family, maybe you are just busy enough with everyday life.  Whatever it is, it’s ok and you can’t do it all.  Obviously, this is not about the tomatoes but intentionally saying yes or no to the important things in your life and being okay with it.  Here are two very easy recipes so you can deal with those tomatoes without too much thinking involved!

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Salsa

6 Larger Tomatoes, diced

small red onion, minced (about 1-2 tablespoons)

Juice of 1 lime

1/2 tsp salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

Dash of balsamic vinegar

1 small jalapeño paper, minced (optional)

bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Combine the onion, lime juice and salt in a medium bowl first (this mellows out the onion).  Then mix all of the ingredients together.  Eat with tortilla chips and it’s also excellent with eggs!!

 

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Roasted Tomato Sauce

Tomatoes, quartered (around 2 lbs) or 6-8 larger tomatoes

1 onion, quartered

any type of pepper, quartered

fresh oregano and rosemary (or dried Italian herbs)

olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375.  Chop all of the vegetables and toss with herbs, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Place on a baking sheet with sides and line with parchment paper if you prefer easy clean up.  Roast for 45 min-1 hour.  Remove the vegetables and place in a pot and either puree with an immersion blender, place in a blender or just smash with a fork or potato masher if you prefer chunky  sauce.  Eat with pasta or over zucchini “noodles” or an easy dinner!

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Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette, Meyer Lemon Spicy Pecans and Massaged Kale Salad

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I rarely have unexpected spare time on my hands.  It’s always fun to see what activities I turn to when I do.  More often than not, I end up in the kitchen.  This day, my youngest took a nap, which never happens.  She never really napped which pretty much reduced my spare time in the past few years to little to none.  I had some amazing Meyer lemons and pecans that my brother and sister-in-law brought with them from Texas when they visited in January.  A huge perk of them visiting in the dead of winter!!  Fresh Meyer lemons from her parents trees…in their yard.  They are so good!  And the pecans…don’t even get me started.  They are the best pecans I’ve ever had.  So I went to work on some recipes to incorporate both.  I made the Meyer lemon spicy pecans and Meyer lemon vinaigrette to top a yummy kale salad.

MEYER LEMON SPICY PECANS

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Ingredients:

2.5 cups whole pecans

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp honey

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp curry powder

zest of 1/2 Meyer lemon

2 tbsp Meyer lemon juice

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground red pepper

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all of the ingredients (except the pecans) in a microwave safe bowl or saucepan. Heat the ingredients until melted and stir to incorporate.  Add the pecans and stir until they are coated.  Place on a parchment lined baking sheet (with sides) and spread out in a single layer.  Bake in the oven for 10 min, stir and bake another 10 minutes.  Let cool completely.

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MEYER LEMON VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1/2 Meyer lemon

zest of 1/2 Meyer lemon

1 tbsp honey

2 tbsp white vinegar

1 small shallot, minced

pinch of salt

Place all of the ingredients in a glass jar and shake!

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Next a make a massaged kale salad.  Rip the desired amount of kale into bite sized pieces.  Drizzle with olive oil and massage and knead with your hands until it’s bright green and soft in texture.  For your salad, use pumpkin seeds, dried cherries, the spicy pecans and the vinaigrette.  You can also use orange slices, blueberries or avacado and add feta or goat cheese if desired!!  The variations are endless!

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Pumpkin Pecan Protein Smoothie

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A cold smoothie is not the first thing you think of for breakfast on these cold winter days, but I still have pumpkins and winter squash stored and decided to roast one this week for some pumpkin puree.  I’ve been making these smoothies all week, and they are really good!! If you don’t have a pumpkin or real puree to use, use the canned stuff.  It’s still packed with nutrients and this is so easy to make.  The added healthy fat from the pecans make this a satisfying treat for breakfast.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of whole pecans

1/2 cup of pumpkin puree

1 scoop of protein powder (I use plant based)

1 frozen ripe banana

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 cup almond milk

Blend the almonds in a high powered blender.  Add the rest of the ingredients and blend.  Add the almond milk to desired consistency.  Serve is a glass jar, sit in a sunny spot and enjoy!

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Peppermint Almond Milk Hot Chocolate

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It’s snowing out and the first thing the kids want is always hot chocolate!  Actually, me too.  It’s just so warm and soothing on a cold snowy day.  I love this hot chocolate because it’s not totally indulgent, but it’s so good. I am not eating sugar right now, but I allowed myself this teaspoon of maple syrup, which of course is sugar! It’s snowing, what can I do?  I make it with regular milk for the kids and almond milk for me.  I do not make mine very sweet, so adjust the maple syrup as you need to.  This is one serving, so it’s really easy to make a cup for yourself or adjust for more servings.

Ingredients

1 tsp real maple syrup

2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tbsp water

1 cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)

dash of peppermint extract

In a small saucepan, add the water, maple syrup and cocoa powder and bring to a boil and mix together to make a chocolate sauce.  Add the milk and heat to desired temperature, add the dash of peppermint extract.  You can also make in the microwave in a glass mug, add the water, maple syrup and cocoa powder and heat for 30 seconds.  Stir in the milk and heat.  Add the peppermint extract.  Add crushed candy candy cane bits and marshmallows if you desire! Enjoy!

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Cranberry and Orange Relish with Meyer Lemon

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I spotted these lovely cranberries and Meyer lemons at the market this week. And my mother-in-law brought some citrus for us, and I instantly thought of cranberry relish. Meyer lemons are one of my favorite foods- a cross between a lemon and an orange and smells heavenly!  I don’t make many jams and jellies, but I do really like cranberry relish.  I wanted to make something simple and found this recipe on the Ocean Spray website that was simply cranberries, a whole orange and sugar. No cooking involved. That is my kind of recipe!  I added the Meyer lemon and that’s it.  I didn’t know how much sugar to add because I only had one cup of cranberries.  I added a full 1/2 cup and it’s a tad too sweet for my taste, so I would reccomend adding less sugar and then add to your taste or use more cranberries. If I had time to “test” recipes, I would have tweaked this a little, but I had one cup of cranberries and one shot at it! I’ve been eating this relish with plain yogurt and walnuts! Very yummy and festive! And I’ll be adding this to baked brie for a simple New Years Eve appetizer!

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Ingredients:

1-2 cups of whole cranberries

1 orange, whole and quartered

1 Meyer lemon

1/4-1/2 cup of raw sugar

Add the cranberries, 1 whole orange (peel on) quartered and zest and juice of one Meyer lemon to a food processor and pulse until desired consistency.  Stir in the sugar to desired sweetness. Store in the refrigerator.  Eat by itself, use as a garnish on a turkey sandwich, add to baked brie or eat with plain yogurt and walnuts as a snack. I love all of the ways this relish can be used! Enjoy!

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Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies

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I make a variation of these cookies to have on hand all the time.  They are great to grab on the go for breakfast.  A much better option then a packaged granola bar.  These “cookies” have no added sugar, contain fiber and a little fat so you are not hungry right away.  The original recipe I got from the book “Bread and Wine” by Shauna Niequist.  I vary the ingredients, but keep the same basic recipe.  I added pumpkin to these (tis the season!) and made some with blueberries, some with dark chocolate chips and some plain.  My three year old insisted on adding the blueberries as she was snacking on them when we were making these and loves to add anything to the bowl!

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Ingredients:

2 very ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup of pumpkin puree

1/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups rolled oats

2/3 cup ground flax (or almond meal)

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp baking powder

2/3 cup shredded coconut (non sweetened)

1/2 chopped walnuts

dark chocolate chips (optional)

blueberries (optional)

Mix the banana, pumpkin, vanilla and coconut oil in a bowl.  Mix the dry ingredients together and incorporate all of the ingredients. Add the blueberries at the end if you are using them. Sometimes I just throw everything together in one bowl and mix it up and it turns out just fine!  I use an ice cream scooper to scoop them out in even cookies.  Add the chocolate chips to the top or mix them in the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes. Let cook and enjoy!  I freeze these for an easy breakfast or snack anytime.

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Maple Pecan Granola and Homemade Greek Yogurt

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I have had several people tell me recently that they make their own greek yogurt.  So I finally got over all of the “heating to this” and “cooling to this” directions and tired it. It was not as difficult as I imagined.  I am blown away by how much better it tastes than the brand name greek yogurt in the stores.  I was never a fan of plain greek yogurt. Even if I added a bunch of fruit,  I inevitably needed to add honey or maple syrup for sweetness and the sugar just added up and it was still too tart for me.  But THIS yogurt tastes good, even with just the addition of a lightly sweetened granola.  If you have the time, try it.  I think once I have a system down, it will not take long at all and I can make this on a regular basis instead of buying greek yogurt.

You can use any milk.  Living here in Lancaster County, I am lucky to have some pretty cool local sources for dairy around.  I bought a brand called Oasis at our local farm market. Oasis farmers work on small, diversified farms where animals roam on healthy pastures and synthetic chemicals are not allowed.  The milk from Oasis farmers comes from grass fed cows and is pasteurized at the lowest possible heat to preserve as many health benefits as possible.   This milk is more expensive than milk in the grocery store, but to make 2 quarts of high quality, tasty greek yogurt still cost effective. You can also use regular milk from the grocery store and that works great too! There are several sites on the internet that explain how to make greek yogurt.  This is how I made it, but there are variations.  Find what works best for you!

Homemade Greek Yogurt

Ingredients:

1 gallon milk (I used whole)

1/2 cup of yogurt with live cultures

Place the milk in a large pot and scald it, stirring often, bringing it up to a temp of 178 degrees.  Remove the pot from the burner and into an ice bath until the temp lowers to 110 degrees. Wisk in the 1/2 cup of yogurt.  Pour into clean jars and place in a cooler wrapped in blankets to maintain the heat and let it sit for at least 6 hours.  I had mine in overnight, about 9 hours.  To make the thick greek yogurt, strain it using layers of cheesecloth (or you can use an old t shirt or pillowcase).  Strain it for 2 hours or until desired consistency.  Place in jars and refrigerate.

There is nothing better to go with your yogurt than granola.  This granola is packed with seeds and nuts and has the perfect amount of sweetness.

Maple Pecan Granola

Ingredients:

3 cups of rolled oats

1 cup ground flax

1 cup of raw sunflower seeds

1 cup of raw pumpkin seeds

1 cup pecans, roughly chopped

1/2 cup hemp seeds

1/2  cup slivered almonds or copped whole almonds

1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

2 teaspoons vanilla

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Mix the ingredients together in a  big bowl.  Place on a baking sheet with sides. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, stir and bake another 10 minutes until golden brown.  Let the granola cool completely so you will have bigger chunks of granola.  Then place in an airtight container.

Layer the yogurt and granola together for a perfect parfait!! I used blueberries, granola and yogurt and I also tried pumpkin puree, granola and yogurt and pumpkin pie spice for a more seasonal version. Enjoy!

Spicy Honey Almonds and Honey Sea Salt Almonds

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I am always looking for a quick, healthy snack these days. These almonds are a great blend of sweet and salty.  I made two versions- the spicy one for me and the plain for the rest of the family.  My kids love the honey and sea salt almonds and I have to admit, they are pretty tasty! They are great for an after school snack with a piece of fruit.  I have stored them now for about a week, and they do tend to stick in the jar.  I just use a spoon and break them up and it’s not really a problem.  And the almonds are still crunchy and taste great. I have made many different kinds of roasted almonds and I always roast them in the oven.  That’s not difficult, but I find this pan method even easier.  No oven required!  They are very easy to whip up in about 10 minutes!

Spicy Almonds

Ingredients:

1/2 cup raw almonds

2 teaspoons honey

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

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Toast the almonds in a dry skillet on the stove on medium heat.  Watch the almonds carefully and keep turning them until they are toasted and fragrant.  Be careful because they can burn quickly.  Mix the spices and honey in a microwave safe bowl.  Warm in the microwave for about 30 seconds until the honey is liquified.  Pour the mixture on the almonds in the skillet and stir on medium heat until the almonds are coated.  Pour the coated almonds on parchment paper or wax paper and let cool.  Once cooled, break the almonds apart.

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Honey Sea Salt Almonds

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of  raw almonds

2 tablespoons of honey

1/2 teaspoon of sea salt

Toast the almonds in a dry skillet on medium heat until browned and fragrant. Microwave the honey for about 30 seconds until liquified.  Pour the honey and sea salt over the almonds and stir the almonds and honey over medium heat until coated.  Cool the almonds on wax paper or parchment paper.  When cooled completely, break almonds apart and enjoy!

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