Carrot & Nut Muffins

It's been a while.

I have a lot of excuses...

but instead of typing them up, I'll share something delectably healthy with you.

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

...and Exhibit C:

Are we still friends?

Good.

Here's that recipe...

Carrot & Nut Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Slightly adapted from my mother

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp wheat germ

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

pinch (or two) salt

2 large eggs, beaten

1 Tbsp vanilla

2 cups grated carrot

1/2 cup crushed pineapple

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350.  Whisk together dry ingredients, then stir together wet ingredients and combine.  Spoon into greased muffin tin and bake 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.  Cool on wire rack.

Enjoy!

Sauteed Green Beans with Feta

This is a great, healthy side dish prepared in just a few minutes. You don't even have to measure anything!

I love to use Costco's frozen petite whole green beans.

Just imagine...crisp-tender green beans with creamy feta on top...

Olive oil

Small onion, chopped (or 1/2 of a medium; I like to use red onions)

A few handfuls of fresh or frozen green beans

Salt & Pepper, to taste (I've also used different garlic/herb seasoning blends)

Feta cheese (small handful, depending on how many green beans you're using)

Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Throw in chopped onion and cook until onions begin to soften.  Throw in green beans & saute until crisp-tender. Add in your favorite seasonings and crumble a small handful of feta cheese over beans; stir until melted (it only takes a few seconds). Remove from heat, place in a serving dish, and sprinkle a little extra feta cheese on top.

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

I love how spring gives me that new beginning/fresh start feeling!

Among my efforts to spring-clean around the house, I'm also going through my computer and deleting any unneeded items.

Happily, I came upon these pictures of the cranberry sauce I made for Thanksgiving last year...

It was delicious and went perfectly with our stuffing and turkey.

So I thought I'd post it before I forgot again--better late than never!

I love cooking the fresh cranberries and listening to them "pop" on the stove.

(Note:  This was taken near the beginning; it looks mushier when it's done cooking)

(Not sure where the recipe came from...one of those I wrote down years ago without a source.)

*Can be made two days ahead and stored in refrigerator*

New Cranberry Sauce

Makes 12 servings (1/4-cup each)

Source Unknown

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 12-oz bag fresh cranberries

1 cup 100% pomegranate or cranberry juice

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 medium apple (or persimmon), peeled/cored and cut into 1/4-inch cubes

rosemary sprig

In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in hot oil over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until onions begin to soften.  Add cranberries, pomegranate juice, sugar, and ginger.  Bring to boil; then reduce heat to medium-low.  Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 16-17 minutes, or until mixture is just thickened.  Remove from heat.  Stir in apple.  May serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled (cover and refrigerate up to 48 hours).  Top sauce with a rosemary sprig.  

Barley and Wild Rice Pilaf

I failed when I made this...

but only because I neglected to grab a picture of it before it was DEVOURED.  Ha.

Everything else about this recipe is an epic win.

Just imagine a nutty bite of chewy wild rice with barley

among wholesome and colorful bits of vegetables.

It's invigorating, I tell you.

This will be my side-dish-contribution to barbeques this summer!

*Note:  feel free to switch up the vegetables using whatever you have on hand

Wild Rice and Barley Pilaf

From my mother

Serves 8

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup uncooked pearl barley

1/2 cup uncooked wild rice (rinsed, if needed)

5 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth to make it vegetarian)

2 large bell peppers, chopped (red and yellow make it colorful)

4 oz fresh mushrooms, chopped (I like baby portobello)

1 cup peas (thawed if frozen)

1 cup shredded carrot

2 tsp dried oregano (or 2 Tbsp fresh, added at end)

salt, pepper, & garlic powder, to taste

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until tender (8-10 minutes).  Add barley, rice, and garlic.  Cook and stir for 1 minute.

Stir in broth.  Turn up heat and bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer about 1 hour or until barley and rice are tender.

Heat remaining 1 Tbsp oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add bell peppers, mushrooms, peas, carrot, and oregano.  Cook and stir 5-6 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  

Combine vegetable mixture with rice mixture; season with salt/pepper/garlic powder.  May serve warm or cold!

Quinoa & Black Bean Salad

This sweet and tangy,

protein and antioxidant-packed

side dish 

is the perfect pick-me-up in the middle of winter!

I made a batch for the sole purpose of having "grab-ready" in the fridge for a quick, healthy snack.

I even eat it right out of the bowl...(please tell me you do this too!).

And my one-year-old loved it too!

Quinoa & Black Bean Salad

From my mother-in-law

Makes about 6 servings

1 1/2 cups quinoa, cooked

1 can black beans, drained/rinsed

1 can corn, drained

1 cup unsweetened dried cranberries (or raisins--white raisins are yummy too!)

1 diced red bell pepper

dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil

4 Tbsp lime juice

1 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1 1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp ground coriander*

1/4 tsp salt

Combine first five ingredients in a medium bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients together.  Pour dressing over salad and stir well.  Chill for a few hours before eating.  Enjoy!

*If you don't have ground coriander, don't stress.  It'll taste great without it too!

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

I tend to talk about the weather a lot on here.

But it seems to me that weather and food go hand-in-hand...don't you think?

Fresh lemonade = summer, 

warm applesauce = fall, 

hearty soup = winter, 

carrot cake = spring,

homemade bread = cold, rainy days,

and fresh, raw vegetables = hot, dry days.

Anyway, the weather's been a lot milder since my last post,

when I complained about informed you of the icy cold temperatures over here.

Although the temps have been milder, there's been a whole lot of grey outside.

So if you're experiencing some drab days too, you should make these.

Nothing like a fresh, warm muffin with soft bits of apple to cheer you up!

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Makes 12 large muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark), packed + more for sprinkling

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup plain, nonfat yogurt

2 large apples, peeled, cored, and diced (I like big chunks!)

Preheat oven to 450.  Grease 12 muffin cups, or fill with cupcake liners.

Whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.

In a separate bowl, cream butter and add sugars; beat until fluffy.  Mix in egg and yogurt.  Stir in dry ingredients until just combined and gently fold in apple chunks.

Divide batter evenly between muffin cups and sprinkle brown sugar on top (about 1/4 cup or less).  Bake for 10 minutes, turn oven down to 400, and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes; until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.  Cool in muffin pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to finish cooling.

Strawberry Almond Yogurt Muffins

Winter officially came.

Last week I stepped outside to do my laundry-

(yes, I have to walk outside to access a washing machine...

yes, even in the winter...

yes, we are grad students...

no, I'm not complaining. :)

-and-

I was a little shocked,

to say the least.

Come to find out, weather.com said it was -27 or something with wind chill.

And whaddya know it was also the day I HAD to do laundry AND get to the grocery store

due to the fact that we just arrived back in town the night before.

It was a colder than cold,

running-errands-amidst-people-dressed-in-all-sorts-of-fur-paraphernalia 

day.

Poor baby boy didn't like it very much.

Needless to say, we have come to appreciate warm things around here.

Warm apartment, warm coats, warm mittens, hats, car, bed, etc.

And warm food, course.

Take muffins, for example.

Say...strawberry almond yogurt muffins?

Yes, please.

Take one look and you'll already feel cozier inside.

Baby boy gave these his stamp of approval!

Strawberry Almond Yogurt Muffins

Inspired by Penzey's Spices Catalog

Make 12 muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup white flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar*

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup plain, nonfat yogurt

1 cup chopped strawberries

Heat oven to 400 degrees and line muffin tin with 12 paper muffin cups. 

Combine flours, soda, and salt in a bowl and whisk together.

In a stand mixer, cream together butter and white sugar until fluffy.  Beat in brown sugar, eggs, almond and vanilla extracts, and yogurt.

Add dry ingredients and mix until just moistened.  Gently fold in strawberries.

Divide batter between muffin cups and bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

*Next time I might try decreasing the sugar; they were plenty flavorful with the strawberries and almond extract.

Summer Squash Bake

*Side note:  I just made crispy yam & black bean burritos the other day and served them with plain yogurt and mango salsa...and...let me tell you, it was divine!



Anyway,
you may have noticed that most of what I make is meatless.

However,
 this squash-bacon-cheese dish is a MUST-HAVE for me every summer.
At least once.

Lucky enough for me, my mom made it when we visited this summer (thanks, Mom!)

I told her I could live on this stuff.

That is, until I die of overconsumption of bacon.

A diagnosis I didn't learn in nursing school,

but,

what a way to go.

I literally buy bacon once or twice...maybe three times a year...and this recipe indubitably makes it onto the reasons-to-buy-bacon list.

I've loved that word, indubitably, ever since I learned it from Schoolhouse Grammar Rock (watch it and it'll be the best three minutes of your life).

Lolly, lolly, lolly get your adverbs here...

Anybody with me?

Summer Squash Bake

From my mother
6 side dish servings

8 cups sliced yellow summer squash

6 slices bacon

1 onion, chopped

2 large eggs

1 cup cottage cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 Tbsp flour

1 tsp chicken bouillon

Cook sliced squash in large pot until fork-tender; drain.  Meanwhile, cook bacon until crispy.  Remove bacon from pan, add chopped onion to bacon drippings, and cook onion until soft.  Roughly chop or crumble bacon into pieces (about 1/2-inch pieces).

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, then add rest of ingredients, including the bacon pieces and cooked onion.  Add the cooked & drained squash.

Bake in a casserole dish (2-quart size) at 350 for 25-30 minutes.  Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Whole-Wheat Couscous & Fruit Salad

Just imagine biting into crisp, juicy berries, crunchy, sliced almonds, and nutty--almost tangy--couscous.

Wow.

Well your dreams just became a reality.

This is another winner from Better Homes and Gardens. It was my first time cooking couscous, and I'll be honest--I was a little skeptical--but pleasantly surprised. :)

Super easy to make, too! Yumm-o summer side dish.

The only change I made was substituting green onion for the shallots...that's what I had in my fridge.

Whole-Wheat Couscous & Fruit Salad

4 servings

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp orange juice

1 Tbsp cider vinegar

2 tsp finely chopped shallots

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

2 cups cooked whole-wheat couscous

1 cup chopped nectarine

1 cup mixed fresh berries (I used blueberries & raspberries)

2 Tbsp toasted, sliced almonds*

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, vinegar, shallots, salt, & pepper. Add cooked couscous and fruit; gently toss to combine.

*Toasting almonds is easy! Just heat a dry skillet over medium-low heat, add almonds and cook while stirring, for about 2-3 minutes or until they are lightly browned and fragrant.

Whole Wheat Pasta Salad with Homemade Dressing

I am still living in jacket-weather.

And we're nearing the end of June.

Seriously.

So, to combat the grossness outside, I made something yummy:

The perfect summer pasta salad.

(Take that, yucky-cold-rainy-44-degree-weather!)

And this one's good, trust me. It's not covered in a bunch of globby mayo or sugar-infested dressing.

Simply fresh and lovely.

I slightly adapted the dressing recipe from allrecipes.com.

As for the pasta and veggies, I used whole wheat rotini and whatever vegetables I had in the fridge and added some creamy feta. This could easily be your clean-out-the-produce-drawer go-to recipe! :)

(I didn't exactly measure the veggies...just throw in whatever looks good.)

Makes about 8 servings

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

Salad:

8 oz. whole wheat rotini pasta

1 small cucumber, thinly sliced

1 handful cherry tomatoes, quartered

3-4 carrots, sliced

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

Place all dressing ingredients into a closed container and shake to combine (this can be made ahead and refrigerated; I think refrigerating also gives it more flavor).

Cook pasta according to directions, let cool, and mix in prepared veggies & cheese. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight before serving.

...I think I can smell summer coming...

Fiesta Rice

Throw on your sombrero and heat up the stove...this versatile rice dish is muy delicioso!

Use it in a taco salad, add it to burritos, serve it up with tortilla chips & fresh guacamole or some chicken fresh off the grill. It works great as a side or main dish.

Last night, my husband and I had it on top of raw baby spinach with sour cream, cheese, & tortilla chips crumbled on top. Like I said, it's muy, muy bueno! (I know, my friends tell me I should start a spanish blog.)

My mom stumbled upon this recipe a few years ago and it's been a favorite ever since.

Fiesta Rice

Makes about 8 servings

2 tsp olive oil

10 oz. frozen corn, thawed

1 Tbsp butter

1 cup chopped green onions

1 1/2 cups uncooked brown rice

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp fresh minced garlic

3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth (use vegetable broth to make this vegetarian)

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

dash salt

1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained

1 can black beans, rinsed & drained

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1-2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add corn & cook 10 minutes or until corn starts to brown. Remove from pan & set aside. Melt butter in pan, add onions, and saute 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in uncooked rice, cumin, & garlic. Cook 1 minute. Add broth, black pepper, salt, & diced tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, & simmer for about 45 minutes, or until rice is done. Remove from heat and stir in reserved corn & black beans. Heat through and stir in cilantro & lime juice.

Berry Muffins with Whole Wheat

Or should I say, Berry Swirl Muffins?

No, I didn't photoshop my muffins to have the blue swirls in the batter. It's actually a lot simpler than that. Just get your frozen berries out of the freezer, get distracted by your 3-month-old, and then proceed to fold thawed blueberries into the muffin batter. :)

Maybe I should've told you I did it on purpose. It's the new trendy muffin.

(Please note the uniformity in size...

and by uniformity, I mean non-uniformity)

Fresh or frozen, any berry works wonderfully in this recipe. Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries...yum.

1 cup white flour

1 cup wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2-1 tsp cinnamon (I like a lot of cinnamon)

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/4 cup melted butter

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen berries

Mix dry ingredients together, then add in egg, milk, and butter. Gently fold in berries and spoon into 12 muffin cups. If desired, sprinkle extra cinnamon/sugar on top. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes (or less-don't let them get really brown).

*The original recipe (from my mom) called for 1 cup of berries, but I like 1 1/2 cups--it will seem like a LOT, but if you love berries, you'll love it!

Whole Grain Cornbread

Everything tastes better when my mom makes it...but especially her cornbread! Her secret? She grinds her own cornmeal! It just gives it that perfect nutty texture to make it special. Someday I'll own a wheat grinder and then my cornbread will taste as good as hers. In the meantime, I'll settle for store-bought cornmeal. But even with store-bought cornmeal, this is the tastiest, moistest (is that a word?) cornbread I've ever had. Hands down.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (light or dark)

2 eggs

1 cup cornmeal (freshly ground is best)

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cups almond or soy milk (or cow's milk if you wish)

Cream together butter & sugar; add in eggs and cornmeal. Separately mix flour, salt, and baking powder. Alternately add milk & dry ingredients to cornmeal mixture. Beat together (but don't overbeat!). Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes in a greased baking dish (I use a small rectangular dish-smaller than a 9x13). Although it tastes wonderful plain, drizzling honey butter on top will give you a special treat!

Roasted Asparagus

Simple, healthy, and delicious. A perfect spring meal addition!

A bunch of asparagus

Olive oil for drizzling

Salt & Pepper and/or your favorite seasonings

Cover a baking sheet with foil for easy clean up. Place asparagus on foil, drizzle with olive oil (I love the word drizzle), and sprinkle your favorite seasonings on top. I like to use Costco's no-salt seasoning (is that cheating?). Even just a little salt & pepper is delicious. Toss asparagus around a little to distribute oil & seasonings, then roast at 450 for about 12 minutes, turning half-way through. How can you not love the perfect "crunch" of roasted asparagus?

Craisin Salad

I say yes to anything with cashews and feta cheese in it! The recipe for the dressing comes from an old neighborhood cookbook I have. Other than the dressing ingredients, I don't really measure anything else. Just use your best judgement--and enjoy!

Salad:

Leafy greens--Fill a large bowl with your favorites (I usually use almost a whole head of romaine and some baby spinach)

2 crisp apples, thinly sliced

1/2 cup (or more) dried cranberries (craisins)

1/2 cup (or more) cashews

Feta cheese (however much looks good!)

Dressing:

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1 1/2 Tbs lemon juice

1 1/2 Tbs onions, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup canola oil

1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds

Toss the salad ingredients together, then mix dressing ingredients together in a blender. Drizzle dressing over the salad, toss it, and serve immediately.