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Appetites and Adventures

Things That Make Me Go MMMMMM…

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Weekends make me go “Mmmm!”

Anyone remember this classic?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF2ayWcJfxo

So do these favorites from the week:

1. Spicie Foodie’s April YBR (check out my Meyer Lemon Ricotta Penne submission!)

2. Anything Indian-Spiced

Remember my epic trip to Whole Foods?  I am finally getting around to trying out the Seeds of Change Madras (a red curry simmer sauce).

It was really good over spaghetti squash and spinach!  I love that they left chunks of veggies in it.  It was spicy… but I added a little red pepper… ’cause some like it hot!

I am also loving my Indian-Spiced Chickpeas.

These crunchy little balls of flavor are addicting.  Try them over a salad with a little sweetness mixed in (I went with cantaloupe).

3. Spiced Almond Butter

OMG.  My first attempt at making nut butter was  sheer deliciousness.  From now on, I’m topping everything with this nutty, cumin-laced buttah.

4. Sweet + Salty Combos

Strawberry Pretzel Vegan Ice Cream.  Sweet berries, salty airplane pretzels.  Spring has sprung in my freezer.

And… how could I forget the post-Sweetwater 420 5K recovery?!

Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookie Bars.  Iced with peanut butter.  I’m beginning to think I have nut butter and pretzel addictions.

5. Vegan Oatmeal Cacao Nib Cookies

I’m headed to visit a friend this weekend and didn’t want to go empty handed!  Cookies are the perfect solution to that problem.  So is wine.

These are a great, healthy-ish option.  The maple syrup gave this cookie a perfect chewy center.  Don’t expect them to be super sweet, but they are delicious.  If you like a sweeter cookies, try adding some chocolate chips or light brown sugar.

The “quality control” cookies I kept at home are going to be perfect crumbled over Greek yogurt with blueberries for breakfast.

I used Angela @ Oh She Glows‘ recipe for Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with a couple of modifications.

Vegan Oatmeal Cacao Nib Cookies

  • 1 3/4 C halved walnuts, toasted
  • 1 1/2 C rolled oats, divided
  • 1/2 C white whole wheat flour (I used king Arthur)
  • 1/4 C whole grain pastry flour (I used Arrowhead Mills)
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/3 C pure maple syrup
  • 2 T unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 3 T coconut oil
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 oz cacao nibs
  • cinnamon-sugar mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the walnuts on baking sheet and toast in oven 10-12 mins until just beginning to darken, stirring half way through.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Put the toasted walnuts in a food processor and process until just finely ground – watch out or you’ll have walnut butter!  Add the flours, baking soda, 1 cup oats, cinnamon, and brown sugar to the food processor and process for ~20-30 secs until mixed.

In a small bowl mix coconut oil (softened in micro if necessary), maple syrup, almond milk, and vanilla.  Pour wet mixture into food processor with the dry.  Process until well-combined.

Dump the mixture into a large bowl.  Mix in the remaining 1/2 C oats (you can use your hands!).  Fold in the cacao nibs.  Make balls of ~2T of the dough, place on cookie sheet and and flatten with your palm.

Bake for 10-12 mins at 350 degrees.  Remove from oven and let cool. Makes about 15 medium cookies.

***

I’m pretending to be a college student – road-tripping to visit a friend from grad school!

Have you recovered from Friday’s early-morning royal wedding festivities? 

Are you doing anything fun this weekend in this amazing sunshine?

Chocolate Sweet Potato Shake

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Happy last day of the month!

This was a month of spectacular eats, so choosing a recipe to submit to Spicie Foodie’s Your Best Recipe was difficult!  She rounded up a ton of great, international recipes – check out her site for the line up!

Ultimately I went with the Tempeh Crab-Free Cakes.  They were so cool to make.

I’m crab-free!

Vegan-izing food is fun… even if you’re not vegan…

Other items I wanted to choose (click the pics for the recipes):

Chickpeas + Spiced Tomato Sauce

Egg-fin

Zucchini-Banana Muffins

Olive Basil Cookies

Mango-Cucumber Lentil Salad

Then there was the following tasty creation….

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I’ve made sweet potato shakes before.  They were good.  Delicious, in fact.

Like every other red-blooded female out there, chocolate is one of my favorite things to nosh on.

How is it that I never thought to combine the two tasty treats?!

Check out my new black border in the background!

Until now. *Insert evil cackle*

For this shake I used half of a Rich Dark Chocolate EAS drink.

I love these for a few reasons:

  • Taste = good
  • 17g protein
  • 0g sugar
  • 110 calories

That makes a perfect post-workout snack for me.  I also like the Strawberry flavor, but only in shakes.

I threw out the coffee flavor after trying it.  Not my cup of coffee tea.

Chocolate Sweet Potato Shake

  • 1/4 large sweet potato (pre-baked)
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1/2 dark chocolate EAS drink
  • 1/2 C kale*
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • shake of salt
  • ice + water, to taste

Throw it all in a blender and blend until well-mixed.  Add straw and try to go drink it so fast you get an ice cream headache.

*Only 1/2 a cup because it was the Whole Food frozen variety.  Fresh is less condensed, so you’ll want to add more.  If green creeps you out, leave it out altogether!

***

My boss just called.  We’re meeting at a bar to watch the Brave’s opener.  Have I mentioned I love my job?!

Anyone else excited for baseball season?!

Raw Brazilian Flax Cookies

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It seems that the whole world is on the running train lately.

The whole world also continues to be on the weight-loss train.

Yes, running is a great way to shed some lbs… but it has other benefits!  In addition to the obvious (weight-loss and heart-health), running can also prevent bone/muscle loss and boost the immune system.

It can make you happier!  Exercise in general produces endorphins.  It also has a goal-achievement component.  Working towards and accomplishing a goal builds confidence.

Every time I have a new PR or run a little further than before, I’m proud of myself!  That’s a great feeling.

My favorite point the article make is that running is a social activity.  Often times running is boxed in as a solo sport.  It is to some extent – you can do it anywhere, anytime.  No special equipment or teammates required.  (Yet another benefit.)

However, as the popularity of running continues to grow, it is becoming an activity for friends/significant others/family to take part in together.  What better way to build friendships with other health-conscious people than by working out together?

Post-run with family on Thanksgiving

And you have a great excuse to share a well-deserved post-run beer with a new running buddy as it gets warmer. 🙂

While we’re on the healthy train, how about a healthy cookie?

Raw.  Vegan.  Brazilian (sort of… they  contain Brazil nuts!).

These cookies are filled with yummy “good” fats.

Averie made these @ Love Veggies and Yoga.  After seeing hers, I knew they had to be MINE.

Raw Brazilian Flax Cookies

by Laura Hall

Prep Time: 15 mins

Keywords: blender raw snack dessert gluten-free low-carb vegan vegetarian Brazil nuts flax seeds coconut butter healthy

Ingredients (5 cookie bites)

  • 1/2 C flax seeds
  • 1/8 C maple syrup
  • 1 T coconut butter
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/8 tsp butter extract (mine is super-concentrated)
  • 10 Brazil nuts

Instructions

Place flax seeds in blender and run until well-ground.

Add the syrup, coconut butter, spices, and extract to blender. Run until mixed. Then add Brazil nuts, blending until small-ish chunks are left (just enough to leave a little crunch).

Scoop out 1 HEAPING tablespoon at a time, forming into little cookies.

*I used toasted flax seeds, which a fantastic nuttiness to the cookies.

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***

I’m ready for this grey weather to end so the SUN can be my motivator again!

Do you run?  If so, what is your motivator?

Olive-Basil Shortbread Cookie [Recipe]

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It’s (finally) cookie time!

These are a different kind of cookie, but they may be my favorite.  Besides chocolate sea salt cookies.  Yes, I like sweet-salty combos.

Kalamata Olive-Basil Cookies

Before you turn your nose up, hear me out.  They are sweetened with powdered sugar and are very light.  That, combined with the olive oil, makes these melt-in-your-mouth good.

Bet you can’t eat just one!

For this version I used Sweetwater Growers‘ Basil-Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Because they are savory, these cookies make for an great appetizer.  They are also delicious with blue cheese.

 I’ve also done these with regular olive oil and added rosemary.  That was awesome too.

Olive Basil Cookies

by Laura Hall

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 12 mins

Keywords: bake appetizer dessert vegetarian olive oil olives powdered sugar cookie

Ingredients (20 cookies)

  • 8 T salted butter, room temp
  • 3/4 C powdered sugar
  • 1 T basil infused EVOO (I used Sweetwater Growers)
  • 1 C all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 C spelt flour
  • 1/4 C kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

Instructions

Place the softened butter in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and billowy

Add the sugar, stirring until incorporated

Drizzle in the olive oil, stirring until combined

Use a wooden spoon to stir in the flours by hand just until the dough is smooth

Add the olives and gently incorporate just until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. You may need to use your hands here – dough will be very sticky

Place the dough in the middle of a large piece of parchment paper. Roll into a single log, about 1-inch in diameter

Refrigerate the dough for at least 45 minutes, or overnight.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Gently slice cookies into ~1/4-inch rounds using a sharp knife. Sharp is key, as you need to cleanly cut through the olives

Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving some space between them (they spead a tad)

Bake until the edges of the cookies are golden, ~12 mins total.

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***

I do love sweet+salty.  In fact, I went to Morelli’s Ice Cream tonight and had a scoop of chocolate-hazelnut + one of salted caramel.  Perfection.

What is your favorite flavor combo?  

Did you ever eat Ruffles chips dipped in chocolate?

Christmas Cookies

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Tina at Faith, Fitness, and Fun hosted a Blogger Holiday Gift Exchange.

I was the lucky recipient of some of the tastiest treats of the season!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to Courtney at Sweet Tooth, Sweet Life.

She did such an awesome job packaging I almost didn’t want to open them!  The recipes were even included on cute laminated cards that I can keep.

Of course, I proceeded to open them and did a taste test before I even remembered to take pictures. Typical.

Mexican Wedding Cookies

These are looooong gone. 

(Courtney – the cookie monster my Mom says “nom nom… thank…. nom… you… nom nom.”)

I also was the lucky recipient of these Dark Chocolate Turtle Graham Crack Bars:

OMG. I need to have these everyday for the rest of my life.  I literally couldn’t stop eating these.

Courtney also hooked me up with some Bath & Body lotion/gel.  Perfect addition for the drying winter!

Thank you again, Courtney!

Merry Christmas!!!

***

Pressing questions of the day: Can I make myself run before the baking resumes?

Has anyone else been successful at this today?  So. Cold.

S’more Balls

By

Everyone has a favorite holiday video.  Maybe you watch It’s a Wonderful Life each year.  Or Elf (I love the part where he eats spaghetti topped with syrup and candy).

I watch Alec Baldwin’s SNL classic: Schweddy Balls.

A few weeks ago I made Cookie Dough Balls (based on Angela’s recipe at Oh She Glows).  They were amazing, and I couldn’t wait to try out my own interpretation(s).

Without further ado…

…in the spirit of tasty balls

…I give you:

S’more Cookie Dough Balls

Dipped in dark chocolate and topped with graham cracker crumbles.

By the time they cooled enough to take pictures, I had lost a couple of balls!

S’more Cookie Dough Balls

by Laura Hall

Prep Time: 30 mins

Keywords: raw dessert gluten-free vegan vegetarian cashews dates chocolate chips oatmeal Christmas healthy winter fall

Ingredients (15 balls)

  • 2/3 C raw, unsalted cashews
  • 1/4 C oats
  • 1/2 C spelt flour (can sub other flour)
  • 1/4 C graham crackers (smashed into a rough crumble)
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 3 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 T pure maple syrup
  • 2-3 T marshmallow fluff
  • 2- 3 tbsp dark chocolate, rough chopped
  • 1/3 cup dark chocolate, melted, for dipping

Instructions

Place cashews and oats in food processor until finely crumbled. Add in the flour, graham crackers, kosher salt, and roughly chopped dates. Process until fine.

Add vanilla and maple syrup. Blend until the mixture comes together in a ball. Manually stir in marshmallow fluff. If too crumbly, add more syrup or a tiny bit of water.

Stir in the 3-4 T of chopped dark chocolate. Roll into balls (about 2 tsp in size).

In a double boiler or microwave, melt 1/3 cup of dark chocolate in a small bowl. Now dip each ball into the chocolate and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle balls with crumbled graham crackers.

Freeze for 1 hour or overnight to set.

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***

I have to brave the mall to finish some Christmas shopping.  Christmas Eve is like amateur day at the mall… hopefully it won’t be too bad yet tonight.

Is everyone else done with their shopping?

Raw Dough Balls

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This post title makes me smile.  🙂

I haven’t gotten to exercise for 2… 3… 4 days and I am restless.  Mom is still having a helluva time trying to recover.  This means I refill a lot of water and juice glasses (hydration is key!), I make tons of PB + crackers, and – my favorite outlet – I bake.  It also means that this post has taken me 3 days to finish.

Some people go to spas, I can relax with a late-night grocery store trip.  No lines and I can wander around inspecting new items without running over screaming kids (sorry if that was your kid’s toe…).

Part 2 of my relaxation method is creating.  I love to cook/bake/thrown stuff together in the kitchen.  I like trying new things.

Cookie dough balls.  Sans egg.

But first, we all know that in order earn dessert, veggies must be eaten.  Yes, Mom.  It finally stuck.

When life gives you 1/2 a leftover roasted butternut squash, make Butternut Hummus.

It sounds weird, but it is good.

Butternut Hummus

  • 1/2 Roasted butternut squash
  • 2 T EVOO
  • 2 Garlic cloves
  • Salt & pepper
  • 2 T Tahini

Place ingredients in food processor, blend until smooth.  Add crackers, cucumber slices, zucchini sticks, and enjoy!

Notes: You can add anything to this!  Try rosemary, cumin, red pepper flakes, lemon, cilantro, cinnamon… butternut tastes good with it all!

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Good job eating your veggies.  Now you may have dessert, courtesy of Angela at Oh She Glows.


Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls

  • 2/3 C Raw, unsalted cashews
  • 1/4 C Oats
  • 3/4 C Spelt flour (can sub other flour)
  • 1 tsp Sea salt
  • 5 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 3 T + 2 tsp Pure maple syrup
  • 2- 3 tbsp Dark chocolate, chopped
  • 1/3 cup Dark chocolate, melted, for dipping

Place cashews and oats in food processor until finely crumbled.  Add in the flour, kosher salt, and roughly chopped dates. Process until fine.

Add vanilla and maple syrup.  Blend until the mixture comes together in a ball. If too crumbly, add more syrup or a tiny bit of water.

Stir in the 3-4 T of chopped dark chocolate.  Roll into balls (about 2 tsp in size).

In a double boiler or microwave, melt 1/3 cup of dark chocolate in a small bowl.  Now dip each ball into the chocolate and place on baking sheet.

Freeze for 1 hour or overnight to set.

Makes about 20 balls.

***

I am pretty sure there aren’t any of these left in the house.

Now that I have these down, I’m looking forward to making more flavors.

What should be next?  Cinnamon Roll?  Pumpkin Pie Spice?  S’Mores???

 

Baking Binge

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Last night I returned to Mom’s house for a post-cleanse baking binge.

Ok, ok… it didn’t start out about food.  I was staying with her becasue I had to take her to the hospital today for a procedure… which is where I’m writing this from.  (Everything went perfectly – just have to stay for precaution.)

Anyway, I walked in the door last night and was ordered to find a use for 5 bananas that were about to go bad.

I take BAKING orders well. 🙂

What is the best resource for spur-of-the-moment banana-based recipes?

Food blogs. (Duh.)

It was a tough choice, but I settled on the following from two of my fav food bloggers.

Pumpkin Pie Banana Chunk Oatmeal Cookies from Oh She Glows

I followed Angela’s cookie recipe almost exactly, but here it is with a couple edits:

  • 1 egg
  • 1 C regular oats
  • 1 C whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 T chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 T cacao nibs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 C pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 C agave syrup
  • 1 small ripe banana, chopped
  • 3/4 C canned pumpkin

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside. Mix wet ingredients in a small bowl.  Pour wet into dry ingredients, stirring well.  Place batter onto parchment-lined pan in 2 T sized scoops.  Bake for 15 mins.

Makes 15 cookies.

Verdict: I would totally make these again.  Mine appear to be “fluffier” than hers (maybe because she used rice crisps originally?).  These are like little muffin balls of goodness.

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Roasted Banana-Rum Raisin Breakfast Bread

(from 101 Cookbooks)

  • 3/4 C golden raisins
  • 1/2 C dark rum
  • 2 ripe bananas, unpeeled
  • 2 C cake flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 6 T unsalted butter, softened
  • 2/3 C sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 C unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 C toasted walnut halves

Preheat the oven to 325F.

In a small saucepan, combine the raisins and rum.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, and let stand for 1 hour. Strain the plumped raisins and set aside.  Find creative use for remaining liquid.

Place the bananas on a cookie sheet (yes, in the peel).  Bake in the oven for 12 mins, or until the skins are black and they have just started to seep.  Remove from the oven , set aside, and let cool.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl.  Set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes.  Turn the machine to low and add 1 egg.  Mix until completely incorporated and then add the second egg.  Mix again until completely incorporated.

Meanwhile, squeeze the flesh of the bananas out of the skins and into a small mixing bowl.  Add the coconut milk and vanilla and mash together.  Add half of the banana mixture to the electric mixer bowl and blend thoroughly on low speed.  Add half of the flour mixture and mix until combined.  Add the remaining banana mixture, blend thoroughly, and add the remaining flour mixture; mix just enough to thoroughly blend the ingredients.  Fold the walnuts and reserved raisins into the batter and pour it into a lightly greased 9 x 5-in loaf pan.

Bake in the oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool, slice, and serve warm.  Alternately, sprinkle with the powdered sugar and glaze briefly under a preheated broiler. (I didn’t try the glaze, but I will be when we get home tomorrow!)

Makes 1 loaf.


Verdict: Wow.  I was about to eat the coconut/banana mixture alone.  The only changes I made were the nut choice (she used pumpkin seeds) and, consequently, the name (she said pumpkin instead of rum raisin… I think rum adds a certain something).

Go make this bread.  Now.

Why are you still reading this???

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In other news, being stuck in a hospital make me super productive at work.  And my butt is numb. 🙂

Hospital food is gross, but I was smart and brought overnight oats for breakfast, the 5th banana, flax crackers, and a cookie to get me through most of the day.

Time for Mamma’s walk!

 

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