Pumpkin Muffins | New Addition

I haven't made pumpkin muffins since last year's recipe, and since we are in the season of pumpkin EVERYTHING I decided to try out a new recipe.
This recipe was definitely 'up there' on the delicious factor. One of my favorite pumpkin bread's to date.

Squash + Black Bean Enchiladas

This particular evening I was feeling adventurous and wanted to try out a new + more adventurous dinner when I came across Sprouted Kitchen's Roasted Zucchini, Black Bean, + Goat Cheese Enchiladas. As per the usual, I modified her recipe based on what I had in my house; but boy were these enchilada fantastic!

They turned out much much better than I had imagined.

This was my first time making enchiladas, I was surprised at how easy they were to create. They were time consuming as I roasted the squash + used dried beans, however, I don't mind things like that. I often roast my veggies or cook my beans while working on other projects so I don't even feel like I am cooking, plus I feel like preparing these on my own results in a better overall flavor. 

Continuing on my exploration of food I picked up a delicata squash and used it for this recipe. These squash have quickly become my new favorite! For a little more on winter squash varietals here is an explanation from Suzie's Farm.

Cauliflower Falafel

My love of falafel, cumin, tahini, and middle eastern food continues with this experiment. Falafels are one of my favorite things to pack for snacks (or lunch) because they are so easy to carry around. I use one of my glass jars and stack the little guys inside. They are so flavorful that I often eat them plain, but they would also be great if you wanted to create a sandwich or wrap and use them as the "meat" substitute. Either way, you can't go wrong.

Directions:

1. Use the cheese grater blade for the food processor and chop carrots and onion.

2. Change blades to the normal blade and chop the cauliflower.

3. Add wet ingredients into food processor with cauliflower and carrot mixture. Blend until combined.

- note: if you have a smaller food processor like I do you might need to just use half the cauliflower mixture and add the remaining by hand)

4. Transfer to a bowl and add flour, flax, and any other dry ingredients. (If you have a large good processor you can do everything in the there)

- if the mixture is too wet add more flour or starch, if it's too dry more olive oil or water

5. Add heaping spoonfuls to a well greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 15 minutes (or until golden brown)

6. Flip falafels and bake for another 15 minutes. I also push them down a little at this point to make them flat on each side.

7. Remove and enjoy

Yield: a lot! +/- 40

Tips: if I were to do it again I would half the recipe as I made too many. But they also freeze well so that is where my extras are currently residing.

links

Inside-out Almond Joy

I went out for a little dessert picnic at the Astoria Park with my girlfriend, which warranted a new creation that would be delicious and easily transportable.

If you hadn't noticed yet, I love coconut and particularly coconut macaroons. Simple to make, easy to share, and healthy as usual.

These little guys turned out lovely! They're the consistency of an oatmeal cookie but the flavors of coconut with the little gooey treat inside! Also perfect for travel and easy to eat on the run if you need a quick pick-me-up.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to: 350'

2. Mix together all ingredients until a stiff dough (except almonds and chocolate)

3. Rub hands with flour and grab a little scoop of the coconut mixture, pat it flat in your hand, place 1 almond + 1 chunk of chocolate in center, fold over, and roll into a ball. Repeat.

4. Place on oiled cookie sheet or parchment paper. 

5. Bake for 12 minutes

6. Let cool a little + enjoy

Yield: 10 balls

Tips: You can roll these in almond pieces, or in melted chocolate for a more refined appearance, or mix in the almond pieces for flavor throughout. But I like the idea of a little hidden treat in the center. 

Double the batch, they're addicting!

Enjoy!

-Nelli

Links

Fancy Toasts

This week I came upon a loaf of fresh baked sourdough bread; this of course has had me making yummy sandwiches all week + in this case has me brainstorming creative methods to use up the bread.

This concoction was my dinner last night, and as like many of my creations it's made up of random things I had lying around. If you happen to have these ingredients I highly recommend them both, if not I suggest you doing a little experimenting of your own!

Avocado Toast

1/4 Avocado

Sprinkling of Salt

Drizzle of Olive Oil

Fig Toast

1 tsp Apple Butter

Drizzle of Honey

Sprinkle of salt

1/2 Fig

Directions:

1. Toast bread

2. While bread is toasting cut figs + prep avocado. 

- Avocado: slice into cubes, place on wooden cutting board, mash with fork, add salt till desired (and any other spices), mash a little more.

3. Compile toast

- Fig: spread apple butter, add sliced figs, drizzle honey, and sprinkle with a touch of salt

- Avocado: drizzle toast with olive oil, add your mashed avocado

For something extra tye adding pumpkin or sunflower seeds to your fig toast or add cucumber or chia seeds to the avocado.

Another victory from "The Lazy Chef"

Cheers

-Nelli

Inspiration Salad

Over the years I've done a few different cleanses to fix this or improve that within my body. My most recent cleanse was eating raw fruits and veggies. One unknown consequence was seeking out new plant products that I've never tried or never cooked with. This particular shopping trip resulted in: golden beets, Tuscan kale, and porcini mushrooms. I made a delicious salad with a simple dressing of lemon juice.

If you choose to go raw you have many more options than just eating the veggie plain. Another of my favorite raw meals is cucumber rounds with a scoop of avocado and a slice of tomato or onion on top. It's also cute and the combination helps me keep variety in the flavor profile. 

Directions: 

1. Clean and tear kale, place in bowl and squeeze fresh lemon juice on it. 

2. Using your hands massage te kale.

3. Add all other salad ingredients and mix.

4. Serve

Tips: Orange or any other citrus fruit is also a great alternative for salad dressing.

Let us know if you go raw, or try a cleanse. We would love to hear about your experience.

-Nelli

Beet + Carrot Slaw

This was a simple slaw I whipped up after being inspired by many bloggers beet recipes lately. Super simple, healthy, and refreshing what else could you ask for.

If you haven't noticed neither of us have been blogging as often lately, but -fingers crossed- that has come to an end and I will be back on track in no time!

Cheers!

-Nelli

Zucchini Boats

My days off almost always include a trip to my local natural food store (5th photo down), where I spend a good amount of time perusing the isles to see whats on sale + all of the goodies that I don't need but will inevitably come home with anyhow. This particular trip included the purchase of: zucchini, tomato, carrots, sunflower seed butter, tea, brazil nuts, cashews, beer, and some random health food bars. I often decide what I will make for dinner while wandering these isles, but on this day I found my dinner hours beforehand while I was sipping my morning coffee, watching the news, + skimming over blogs. I came upon one of my new favorite bloggers, In Sonnet's Kitchen, + this dish.

Simple, easy, healthy, what more can the lazy chef here ask for?

Directions:
1. Cut zucchini in 1/2 + scoop out insides with a spoon
2. Spread a layer of pesto (or sauce of your choosing)
3. Stack ingredients: tomato, olive, onion, etc.
4. Sprinkle with salt, olive oil, + balsamic vinegar (+ cheese if you desire)
5. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes
6. Enjoy

Tips:
Fill these little guys with anything you would like on a pizza.
The pesto recipe I used is one that I created a month or so ago, and is delicious!

Until we meet again,

-Nelli

Apple Banana Carrot Oat Muffins

Apple Banana Carrot Oat Muffins, these muffins have so many goodies in them that I figured they deserved an acronym, so ABC-O it is (which I intend to be pronounced as ABC-OHHHHH!).

This is the first recipe I've concocted all on my own. I set out to create a breakfast muffin that could replace the mass amounts of fruit I consume for breakfast (Typical Day: 1/2 apple, 1 orange, 1/2 cup berries, 1 carrot, 1 celery, + 1 mini muffin). Not because I don't enjoy the fruit, but because it takes me a good 20 minutes to eat + I figured I needed to give myself a challenge. Thus the ABC muffins were invented. I then decided to make + use oat flour because oatmeal is a breakfast food, so oat flour would make them more breakfast-y. The flavor of these muffins is wonderful, but I had a little trouble with them setting up, which you can read about below.

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325
2. Make oat flour: Place 2 cups of oats in food processor + blend until desired consistency
3. Mix oat flour + dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
4. In food processor: grate carrots + apple
5. In a separate bowl mash the banana
6. To the banana add: honey, oil, + milk. Stir.
7. Mix banana mixture with dry ingredients until well combined.
8. Add the carrots + apples. Stir.
9. Divide into muffin tins + bake for 20-30 minutes
10. Let cool + enjoy!

Yield:
12 mini muffins + 12 normal sized muffins

Tips:
I think this might work better if I had mixed 1/2 oat flour with 1/2 spelt or whole grain flour. They were quite wet and needed to cook on the longer side before they could set up, or I could have used less milk + wet ingredients. The recipe above has less milk than what I used (3/4 cup), which should improve future recipes.

Sweet Potato Croquettes

I've been smitten with sweet potatoes for some time now, they're good for digestion, they taste delicious, and there is a plethora of recipes for how to use them online.
So of course I go on a hunt for a croquette recipe, because what better way is there to eat your veggies than mashing them all up and rolling them into a ball?

These little guys turned out to be one of my absolute favorites, I don't know if the word 'croquette' does it justice, its more of: 'if a falafel + hush puppy had a baby + filled it with sweet potato it would be this.' These are so flavorful + delicious, just thinking about them has me drooling.

Any-who, I hope you enjoy!

Directions:
1. Bake or boil sweet potato for 1 hour
2. Cook quinoa (1/2 cup dry + 1 cup water, boil, cover + simmer for 12 minutes)
3. Mash sweet potato
4. Put all of the ingredients together and mix
5. Place rounded spoonfuls onto oiled baking sheet
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes

Yield:
15 croquettes

Tips:
Add Flour!
On my first round I attempted to do these flour-less (from the blog I was following) and they were a disaster. While the flavor was good they were basically the same as the 'mash' so if you want to bake them and make them into croquettes add some type of flour.

Until we meet again,

Nelli