Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa

Today's recipe comes from Skinnytaste.com.  I modified this recipe from the website for just one person, me.  My husband is not a breakfast person and I didn't want to end up with four servings.  Overall, the recipe came out pretty great, and you can add more flavor to it if you'd like, such as almond butter.

Here's what you'll need:

• 1/4 cup quinoa
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or apple pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (or almond extract)
• 2 tablespoons apple sauce (and 1 tablespoon almond butter)

Add water, quinoa, cinnamon and extract to a small pot, and wait for water to bowl.  Low heat and keep lid on until all the water has evaporated, usually 10 to 15 minutes.

Put the quinoa in a bowl and add the applesauce and stir.  Enjoy!

Annie's Granola with Coconut from Penzeys

Today is another Penzeys recipe and it was submitted by a woman named Ann W.  I've never made my own granola before and honestly never really knew what was in it.  I knew some things were in it, but not how it's made or how it gets stuck together.  This recipe was a little time consuming but the end result was delicious.  Ann W. suggests sprinkling it on some vanilla yogurt with some fresh in-season fruit or dried fruit.  As you can see, I topped my Greek yogurt with it.

Here's what you'll need:

• 3/4 cup safflower or olive oil (I used olive oil)
• 1/2 cup pure honey
• 2 teaspoons of Penzeys Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats (don't worry if you only have one, you can use it in place of the other)
• 2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes (I used shredded coconut, and if you use sweetened coconut cut the honey by 2 tablespoons)
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup cashew halves (I think I used walnuts in place of the cashews since I didn't have any cashews lying around)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the olive oil and honey and mix well.

Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, and mix thoroughly.  Add the oats, coconut, and nuts and mix on the lowest setting of your mixer or by hand until combined.

Spread the mixture onto a jellyroll pan or an 11"x17" baking pan with sides (or use 2 smaller pans).

Bake for 10 minutes then stir, especially getting the mixture in the corners.  Continue to bake, stirring every 10-15 minutes so as not to burn.  Remove from oven after 40-45 minutes so the mixture is browned but not burned.  Cool completely in the pan, about 1 hour.  Keep in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies/Cookie Sandwiches done the Babycakes way!

I know I've been on kind of a Babycakes kick, but what can I say?  Her recipes are delicious!  I have never been to the actual bakery in NYC, but I plan on it the next time I'm in the city.  Now, I know I've done a recipe before on chocolate chip cookies from the same author, but this is a different recipe from that one.  This is from her first Babycakes book.  It makes a crispier, larger cookie, which you can use as a cookie sandwich with your leftover frosting, like I did.  They were incredible, and a hazard to have in my apartment.  That being said, I am now back on my strict diet.  I have been so bad this summer with my diet, but for me summer is the most difficult time to pass up desserts.  There's desserts at barbeques, there's ice cream everywhere, especially at the shore.  It's difficult to pass up ice cream.  Anyway back to the recipe.

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 cup coconut oil
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups evaporated cane juice a.k.a. vegan sugar
• 2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour
• 1/4 cup flax meal
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
• 1 cup vegan chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, applesauce, salt, vanilla, and evaporated cane juice.

In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, flax meal, baking soda, and xanthan gum.  Using a rubber spatula, carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until a grainy dough is formed.

Gently fold in the chocolate chips just until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.  Using a melon baller, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the portions 1 inch apart.

Gently press each with the heel of your hand to help them spread.  Bake the cookies on the center rack for 15 minutes, rotating the sheets 180 degrees after 9 minutes.  The finished cookies will be crisp on the edges and soft in the center.

Let the cookies stand on the sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely before storing or frosting them.  Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Makes 36 cookies.  Enjoy! 

Red Velvet Cupcakes done the Babycakes way

Okay, now who doesn't love red velvet cupcakes?  Who can pass one up?  They are probably my favorite kind of cupcake vegan or not, gluten free or not, I cannot pass one up.  There's just something about the richness of how they taste.  The frosting always pops out more on red velvet cupcakes, in my opinion.  That being said, I used the Babycakes vanilla frosting recipe for these, and you can find that link here.

For these cupcakes you will need to use spelt flour, now spelt is wheat's cousin, so I don't think these are gluten free.  I have heard that people with Celiac's can digest spelt though, depending on how sensitive they are to gluten.  That being said, let's get to the recipe.

Here's what you'll need:

• 1/2 cup rice milk
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 1/4 cups whole spelt flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2/3 cup coconut oil
• 1 1/4 cups agave nectar
• 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 5 tablespoons natural red food coloring, or as needed to achieve your preferred color
• vanilla frosting (see above link)

First, preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Line 2 standard 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.  Pour the rice milk and apple cider into a small bowl, but do not stir, set aside to develop into "buttermilk."

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add the oil, agave nectar, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.  The batter will be thick.  Using a plastic spatula, add the "buttermilk" and mix just until combined.

Slowly add red food coloring by the tablespoon until the batter is the desired color.  Do not exceed 6 tablespoons.

Pour the batter into the prepared tins.  Bake the cupcakes on the center rack for 24 minutes, rotating the tins 180 degrees after 14 minutes.  The finished cupcakes will bounce back slightly when pressed, and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.

I frosted the cupcakes at my bff's home.

Let the cupcakes stand in the tins for 20 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely.  Using a frosting knife, gently spread desired amount of frosting to each cupcake.

You can store these cupcakes in the fridge in an airtight  container for up to 3 days.

Enjoy! 

Paleo Bagels

Today recipe comes from Paleo Cooking from Elana's Pantry.  Since I am trying to go gluten free for a month and just eat healthier in general, these are my substitute for New York bagels.  Now, they are no where near as good as the bagels near me, but they are filling and still good.  You can top them with any type of nut butter to keep it paleo or cheat and put butter (like I did...not very healthy) or peanut butter on them. Elana also suggests smoked salmon or scrambled eggs would work well with these too.  I'll have to try that next time.

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
• 1/4 cup flax meal
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 5 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (optional)

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a donut pan with coconut oil and dust with coconut flour.  In a food processor (or mixer, like I used) pulse together the almond flour, flax meal, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt.

Add the eggs and vinegar and pulse until thoroughly combined.  Next, pipe the batter or spoon the batter (like I did) into the donut pan.  The recipe makes 6.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center of a bagel comes out clean.  Let the bagels cool in the pan for 1 hour, then serve.

To store, leave at room temperature overnight, then refrigerate in an airtight container.  Enjoy!

Oatmeal Cookies (done the Babycakes way)

I've been on kind of a baking kick lately, and one afternoon I was craving cookies, so I baked some oatmeal raisin cookies.  This recipe comes from Babycakes Covers the Classics, so since it's Babycakes, it's going to be gluten free and vegan.  I didn't have gluten free oats, so I just used regular oats.  They turned out great, but once I put them into the cookie jar, they fell apart, so they are a little cakey. 

I also found out some news, a lot of my family might have a gluten intolerance.  My cousin found out her son has Celiac's and my mom has Crohn's, which is a close relative to Celiac's.  A good portion of my mom's side of the family has had stomach problems, and just passing it off as, "well, it runs in the family..."  So now that I have found out this not-so-surprising news, I'm going to try and go gluten free for a month to see how I feel.  I usually thought it was the milk in the cheese from pasta, so I would always avoid anything with too much cheese in it at Italian restaurants or big gatherings.  We shall see the results of this experiment.  Sorry for rambling, now onto the recipe.

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 3/4 cups Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour
• 1 cup vegan sugar
• 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Oats
• 1/4 cup ground flax meal
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup melted refined coconut oil or canola oil
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, oats, flax meal, cinnamon, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt.

Add the coconut (or canola) oil, applesauce, and vanilla and stir with a rubber spatula until a thick dough forms.

Add the raisins and stir until evenly distributed.  Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto he prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.

Bake for 8 minutes, rotate the baking sheets, and bake for 7 minutes more, or until golden brown.

Let stand on the baking sheets for 15 minutes before serving.  Enjoy! 

Strawberry Power Pina Colada Smoothie

This was my breakfast this morning, and it was delicious, I didn't even need to add agave nectar, honey, or stevia to make it sweet.  My husband bought me Paleo Cooking from Elana's Pantry by Elana Amsterdam about a month ago.  She's also the author of the Gluten-Free Cupcakes and Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook, as well as a food blogger of www.elanaspantry.com. 

At first I wasn't sure what the paleo diet was, but apparently it is a gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and legume-free diet.  The diet also avoids processed food, but we all should avoid those type of foods.  Anyway, this recipe has a lot of coconut ingredients, but I honestly didn't taste any of it.  It wasn't an overwhelming flavor, you taste the pineapple and strawberries more.  It also called for egg white protein powder, but I just used my rice protein powder instead. 

Here's what you'll need:

• 3/4 cup bottled coconut water
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
• 1 cup frozen or fresh strawberries ( I used fresh to avoid brain freeze.)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup or 1 serving of rice protein powder (I used the vanilla flavored one by NutriBiotic.)

Puree in a blender and enjoy! Serves two just in case you wanted to know.  ;-)

Teriyaki Salmon with Mushrooms

I made this recipe for dinner almost two weeks ago but have had other things on my mind so that's why I'm late in blogging it.  My spring break was this past week and all I really did was go roller skating, study for my second Financial Accounting exam, and help in a roller derby scrimmage.  I know it doesn't sound like much, but I've also been running errands, and reading a book that's been saved on my iPad for a long time, that I didn't have time to get to until now.  So, this recipe comes from my Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast Weeknight Meals cookbook. The recipe also has a side to go with the teriyaki salmon, orange-ginger sugar snaps, but I chose to use rice instead.   The salmon was delicious and the teriyaki and mushrooms gave the rice an extra flavor, since rice is so flavorful to begin with. ;-) 

Here's what you'll need:

• 1/4 cup sherry (I used white cooking wine)
• 1/4 cup low-sodium teriyaki sauce
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 8-ounce package presliced baby portobello mushrooms
• 4 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets (about 1"-1 1/2" thick)

Combine the first three ingredients in a small bowl;  stir to dissolve sugar.  Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat;  add mushrooms, and saute 4 minutes or until tender (it took more than 4 minutes for me, I don't remember how long though).  Add 1/3 cup sherry mixture to mushrooms.  Reduce heat, and simmer 1 to 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates (it will take longer, again, I don't remember how long.

Spoon mushroom mixture into a bowl and set aside.  Heat pan over medium-high heat;  add fillets.  Cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until browned on all sides (depending on how thick the fillets are, it will probably take more than 4 minutes).  Add mushrooms and remaining sherry mixture to pan;  cook 2 minutes.

Transfer fillets to a serving platter, and top with sauce and mushrooms.  Enjoy! 

Fruit Crisp

This recipe also comes from my Everyday Happy Herbivore cookbook.  I was looking for something warm to eat for breakfast on Saturday and since I'm watching my weight, I didn't want to eat too much, so pancakes and waffles were out.  This recipe was small, healthy, and delicious.  I think it would make a great snack and dessert too, especially with vanilla ice cream on top...mmmm! 

Something to remember before I give you the recipe, raspberries become very watery in the oven.  I completely forgot this happens, but I wanted more than one berry in it.  Maybe next time I'll add blackberries.  Do those become watery in the oven?

Anyway, here you go:

• 12 oz. frozen blueberries 
• 2 tablespoons raw sugar (optional, I didn't need it)
• 2/3 cup rolled oats
• 1/3 cup whole-wheat or oat flour (I used whole wheat)
• 5 tablespoons agave nectar (I used a light colored one)
• cinnamon to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place blueberries in a 10-inch baking dish, sprinkle with sugar if desired, set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whisk oats, and flour together, then add agave nectar 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring after each addition, until the mixture crumbles.  Place crumbs over blueberries and sprinkle generously with cinnamon.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the top is crisp and the fruit soft. 

Enjoy!

Kidney-Quinoa Burgers

I know these were probably meant to be eaten the vegan way, but I added some turkey bacon since I hadn't eaten any meat all day. 

This recipe comes from Everyday Happy Herbivore by Lindsay S. Nixon.  This was probably the first vegan cookbook I ever got and I was surprised how easy all the recipes were.  Sure there were some ingredients I've never heard of, but they weren't difficult to find.  I had never heard of things like tempeh or turmeric only because while I was growing up my parents never used these ingredients.  I love discovering new food, recipes, and spices, so when I came across this recipe, I had to try it.  The burgers turned out to be very tasty with or without the turkey bacon.  ;-)

Here's what you'll need:

• 1/4 cup quinoa
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 15-oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon onion powder (granulated)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (granulated)
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/3 cup vital wheat gluten

In a small saucepan, combine quinoa with 1/2 cup of water, cover and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce heat to low and continue to cook until fluffy and all water has evaporated, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mash beans with a fork in a mixing bowl until the consistency of refried beans.  Add remaining ingredients in order, plus cooked quinoa, and stir to combine.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a greased cookie sheet.  Break mixture into 6 equal segments.  Roll each into a ball, flatten it, and shape it into a patty using your hands.

Bake for 8 minutes, flip, and bake for 8 more minutes, then flip again for 5 minutes, but only if necessary.  When the burgers are brown and crisp on the outside, they are done.

Enjoy!

Walnut Coffee Cake

Today's recipe comes from Cooking Light Everyday Baking, it's one of the cookbooks I got for Christmas from my secret santa, who happened to be my sister-in-law, Meghan.  This was the first recipe I have cooked from this book, and it was great.  It was your classic coffee cake without all the really horrible stuff in it you'd find in an Entenmann's.  There's a sweet streak of brown sugar, cinnamon and a little bit of a crunch of walnuts.  If you're allergic to walnuts you can substitute them for pecans.

Here's what you'll need:

• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (chopped to the size of a pea)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 14.5 oz. or 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 10 tablespoons butter, softened
• 6 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups nonfat buttermilk
• Cooking spray

First preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the first 3 ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Weight or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.  Combine flour and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk.  Combine granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium-high speed until well combined (about 3 minutes).  Add egg whites; beat 3 minutes or until combined.  Beat in vanilla.  Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating well after each addition and scraping sides of bowl.

Spoon half of batter into a 10-inch Bundt pan coated with cooking spray.  Sprinkle half of brown sugar mixture evenly over batter.

Spoon remaining half of batter into pan.  Top with remaining brown sugar mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan.  Cool completely on wire rack.

My version of the Green Smoothie

Lately, when I don't have enough time in the morning to make my oatmeal, I make a smoothie instead.  I've seen this type of smoothie all over the place, in food blogs, on youtube.com, and some of my vegan cookbooks.  I mix it up every now and then and either leave out the banana, same with the flax seeds and protein powder

Here's what you'll need:

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
a handful or two of spinach leaves (don't worry you won't taste it in the smoothie)
1 banana (optional)
4 pieces of frozen mango
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup mixed frozen berries (I usually use Trader Joe's frozen berry medley or blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries.)
 1 tablespoon of flax seed meal (optional)
1 tablespoon vanilla rice protein powder (optional)

In a blender combine the almond milk and spinach and blend until smooth.  Next add the banana, mango, and flax seeds, and blend once again.  Finally add the berries and the protein powder and blend until smooth.  You may not need to blend it three times, but I try to get my smoothies as smooth as possible.

Enjoy! 

Chocolate Cream Cheese Cake

Yes, that's my homework under my dessert.

Let's make this clear, this isn't a cheese cake, this is a cake with cream cheese in it.  I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but it came out very tasty and filling.  It was very chocolaty, not very moist, but still very good.  I baked this last weekend when I should have been doing my homework.  I had a huge craving for chocolate though, so I took a break from my accounting studies. 

Here's what you'll need:
2 cups hazelnut flour
2 cups almond flour
2 1/2 cups Stevia Extract in the Raw or 1 1/4 cups New Roots Stevia Sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 eggs
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup salted butter melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons liquid stevia

First preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a Bundt pan entirely with butter and place it in the freezer.

In a large bowl, combine the hazelnut flour, almond flour, stevia, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and whisk until well mixed.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and liquid stevia and mix with an electric mixer at medium-low speed.

Add the flour mixture one or two cups at a time, and mix at medium-low speed until it makes a smooth, thick, pourable batter. 

Remove your prepared pan from the freezer, then dust the entire inner surface with almond, pecan, or coconut flour (I used coconut because I have a lot more of it than the other two).  Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and jiggle it to evenly distribute the batter into every nook and cranny.

Bake for 30 minutes, then gently rotate and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the cake is springy when pressed in the center and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack.  Let the cool for at least 20 more minutes before slicing and serving.

Enjoy!

Raisin Cinnamon Oatmeal

 This was my breakfast this morning.  I haven't eaten oatmeal since I was a little kid, and back then it was the junky instant stuff from a tiny package.  Today was the grown-up version of my favorite flavor from back then, raisin cinnamon.  I didn't take any pictures because I wasn't thinking of posting this, but since it turned out so well, I decided to.

What you'll need:
1/2 cup rolled oats (no added sugar and no added flavor)
dash of salt
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
1/4 cup raisins
1 package of flaxseed from Carrington Farms' Organic Flax Paks Milled Flax Seeds
1-2 teaspoons of cinnamon (I used Penzeys' because it is the best cinnamon out there, in my opinion.)

Bring the soy milk and tiny bit of salt to a boil.  Lower the heat and add oats.  Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in flaxseed meal and raisins.  Add the cinnamon and stir once more.  Eat and enjoy! 

Cinnamon-Apple Muffins

This recipe comes from The Joy of Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Baking (I told you I would be using this cookbook a lot).  I made the recipe yesterday morning and they turned out very yummy.  The recipe didn't make a lot of them, the recipe says 9, but I was only able to make 8.  I'm trying not to eat them all within a couple of days, it's been difficult because they're really good.

Here's what you'll need:
3/4 cup hazelnut flour
3/4 cup almond flour
1/2 cup Stevia Extract in the Raw
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 eggs
6 tablespoons unsweetened soy milk or other milk
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon liquid stevia
1/2 cup coarsely chopped apple (about 1 large apple)
1/4 cup chopped almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, or walnuts (which was used in this recipe) for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 8 or 9 muffin cups with paper or foil liners, then mist them with spray oil.

In a medium bowl, combine the hazelnut flour, almond flour, stevia, baking powder, and cinnamon and whisk until well mixed.

In a large bowl whisk the eggs, milk, applesauce, vanilla, and liquid stevia together until thoroughly blended.

Add flour mixture and stir with a large spoon for 1 to 2 minutes to make a smooth, sticky batter.  Fold in the apples.

Spoon or scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, dividing it evenly among them; the muffin cups should be just about full.  Sprinkle the nuts evenly over the muffins.

Bake for 20 minutes, then rotate and bake for about 20 to 25 more minutes, until golden brown and springy when pressed in the center.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for at least 5 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack.

Enjoy!