Vegan Teriyaki Eggplant & Pineapple Skewers

It feels like summer here today so it felt appropriate to share the most summer-worthy recipe of this year’s Lenten series!

When most people think of grilling, they think meat – steaks, burgers, etc. – but fruit and veggies are also also fabulous grilled.

This beautiful grilled skewers are simple, packed with flavor – and plant based. Chunks of eggplant and pineapple and grilled and glazed with a quick homemade teriyaki sauce. This is the perfect vegan option for your next cookout!

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Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Shortbread #ChristmasCookies

This post is sponsored on behalf of #ChristmasCookiesWeek. The generous sponsors, YumGoggle, Sprinkle Pop, Silpat and Adams Extracts have provided us with products for recipe creation and a giveaway for our readers. As always, all opinions are my own.

Welcome to Christmas Cookies Week! I’m so excited to be joining with a fabulous group of bloggers to bring you a week chock-full of Christmas cookie goodness.

Gingerbread Shortbread 1

I’m kicking off this week with these fabulous Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Shortbread cookies.  In true shortbread fashion, these are a little crisp, with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The spice of the ginger is balanced nicely by a dip in melted chocolate.

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Egg Roll in a Bowl

My friends have been raving about this recipe and now that I’ve tried it I totally understand why. This is super simple – but super good.

The idea here is that you make egg roll filling, but don’t go through actually wrapping it up – which is kind of brilliant. I’ve made egg rolls before, but they’re time consuming and deep fried, so they’re not something I make on the regular. This version is lighter and perfect for a weeknight!

Egg Roll in a Bowl

Egg Roll in a Bowl
(adapted from Mostly Homemade Mom)
Serves 4

1 lb. ground pork
1 bag coleslaw mix
1/2 cup soy sauce
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. Chinese five spice
1/2 tsp. sesame oil

In a large skillet, brown the ground pork, breaking up as it cooks. Once cooked, stir in the coleslaw mix.

Stir together remaining ingredients in a small bowl then add to the pan. Toss to coat. Cook for five more minutes, to let flavors combine.

Egg Roll in a Bowl

 

Carrot Ginger Muffins #ImprovCookingChallenge

I feel like the entire internet is dieting – especially the food blog world. And I feel like I’m totally playing into it by posting a gluten free/grain free/paleo recipe today – right after another lightened up recipe.  Am I dieting? Not really. But these muffins are in keeping with some resolutions.

Resolution #1 – Use up what’s already in the pantry/fridge.

Resolution # 2 – Make more of an effort to link up with the #ImprovCookingChallenge monthly.

I love this group because it regularly stretches me outside my comfort zone, but it’s something I dropped the ball on again and again in 2017. Here’s to a new year and more consistency!

CarrotGingerMuffins

The theme for January is Ginger and Spice – and I was immediately drawn to these muffins because I already had all the ingredients on hand (yay, resolution #1!) These make a nice grab-and-go breakfast or snack and my kids gobbled them up.

improvchallenge

The #ImprovCookingChallenge is a monthly blogging event where two ingredients are assigned to a month. Bloggers can make any recipe they like as long as it features the two ingredients. If you are a blogger and would like to join us, please visit our Facebook page.
You can also read more about the event on our home page.  If you’d like to see previous creations, check out our Pinterest board.

CarrotGingerMuffins2

Carrot Ginger Muffins
(from Savory Lotus)
Makes 12 muffins

2  cups blanched almond flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
Pinch of clove
3 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1 cup grated carrot
3/4 cup raisins, soaked in water for 15 minutes and drained

Preheat your oven to 350 and line a muffin tin with paper liners.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and clove.

In another bowl, beat together the eggs, maple syrup, and coconut oil. Stir in the ginger, coconut, carrot, and raisins. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until combined.

Divide between wells of the muffin tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies #ChristmasCookies

If gingerbread and chocolate chip cookies had a baby, these would be the result. They are the ultimate Christmas cookie. I love everything gingerbread-spiced this time of year, but I’m also a chocolate fanatic. Marrying them is a match made in heaven.

These unassuming cookies are going to be the star of your holiday cookie trays or the hit of your cookie exchange this year – trust me!

GingerChocolateChipCookies

Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies
(from Marsha’s Baking Addiction)
Makes 3 dozen

2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg until combined.

In another bowl, whisk together the butter and sugars until well combined. Mix in the egg and molasses.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet in increments, stirring until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Roll the dough into 1-1 1/2 balls and place on parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden around the edges. Let cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Can’t get enough cookies? For #ChristmasCookies Week, I’m linking up with lots of other bloggers sharing awesome recipes. You can find today’s batch of goodies below!

 

White Chocolate Dipped Ginger Cookies #FBLCookieExchange #ChristmasCookies

Guys, it’s COOKIE SEASON! I’m seriously so pumped. Baking is one of my favorite things of the holidays. All week I’m going to be sharing new-to-the-blog cookie recipes. Some are new to me, others are family favorites. All of them are on point if you’re looking for some cookies to add to your baking list!

These little beauties were the cookies I baked up for the annual Food Blogger Love Cookie Exchange. They’re pretty simple, but once they’re dipped in white chocolate and some sprinkles are added, they look like the star of the cookie tray. And who can say no to a ginger cookie this time of year?!

I mailed these out to three food blogger friends and in return I received Chocolate Caramel Chip Cookies from If Spoons Could Talk, Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chunks and Butterscotch from Jennifer Bakes, and Salted Caramel Kahlua Sugar Cookies from Seduction in the Kitchen. They were all amazing – be sure to check out those recipes today, too!

WhiteChocolateDippedGingerCookies

White Chocolate Dipped Ginger Cookies
(from Cooking Classy)
Makes 3 dozen

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup + 3 Tbsp. sugar , divided
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups white candy melt wafers
Sprinkles, for decorating

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg until combined.

Using a stand mixer, cream together the butter, 1/2 cup sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in egg. Mix in molasses and vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients in increments, mixing until just combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and add the remaining sugar to a small bowl.

Roll dough into 1-1 1/2″ balls, roll in the sugar, and place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Using the bottom of a cup, flatted the dough balls slightly. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Melt the candy melts according to package directions. Dip the cookies or drizzle the melted candy over. Top with sprinkles if desired.

The Food Blogger Love Cookie Exchange was full of delicious cookies from a great group of bloggers. You can see what everyone baked up here:

Can’t get enough cookies? Today kicks off #ChristmasCookieWeek so today – and all week! – I’m linking up with lots of other bloggers sharing awesome recipes. You can find today’s batch of goodies below!