The kids have been loving being independent in the kitchen lately – they want to do as much as possible without my help. Blender muffins have been one of my favorite projects to give them because they’re pretty much fool proof.
The measurements are forgiving if you go over or under, and thanks to the blender they always mix up perfectly. Whether you’re letting the kiddos fly solo or looking for an easy project for the them to help with, this is a great recipe to tackle!
Continue readingI 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!
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.
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.
Disclosure: This post is part of the Tresomega Nutrition Blogger Recipe Challenge. I received complimentary products to use in this post. All opinions are my own.
My last Tresomega for the week is a quick and easy weeknight dinner that’s also healthy! This mustard sauce is a great way to add a lot of flavor without adding a lot of calories. My kids (and us adults) gobbled it up!
Again, I was super impressed with Tresomega’s pasta. It’s gluten free, but we honestly wouldn’t be able to tell if we didn’t already know!
For more recipe inspiration, you can visit them on Facebook and Twitter. You can purchase Tresomega products at: Tresomega.com. Sams.com, Amazon.com and Walmart.com.
Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Creamy Mustard Sauce
(a Kate’s Recipe Box original)
Serves 4
1 box Tresomega Gluten-Free Organic Quinoa Fusilli Pasta
1 Tbsp. olive oil
12 oz. chicken apple sausage, coin sliced
2 green peppers, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
Prepare the pasta according to package directions.
While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Add in sausage, peppers, and onion and cook until the onion is translucent. Stir in the mustard, paprika, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
Stir in the pasta and serve.
Disclosure: This post is part of the Tresomega Nutrition Blogger Recipe Challenge. I received complimentary products to use in this post. All opinions are my own.
Another recipe for Tresomega, and another dish I’ll be re-making this holiday. The food sign-up list for the family Christmas Eve got emailed out – and I snatched up the cookies slot PDQ. Mostly because my freezer is already chock full of cookies (#ChristmasCookieWeek kicks off on Monday!)
But, the family also has two celiacs so I’ll be making up a tray of gluten-free cookies too – and these will be added to the plate for sure. These are a great (and easy!) gluten free treat and the flavor can be easily switched up by using a different flavor of preserves. I think raspberry would be perfect for the holidays!
For more recipe inspiration, you can visit them on Facebook and Twitter. You can purchase Tresomega products at: Tresomega.com. Sams.com, Amazon.com and Walmart.com.
Apricot Oatmeal Bars
(a Kate’s Recipe Box original)
Makes 18 bars
3/4 cup Tresomega Virgin Coconut Oil
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup apricot preserves
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9×9″ pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with baking parchment.
Mix together the coconut oil, brown sugar, oats, flour, salt and baking powder. Press half of the mixture into the pan.
Spread the preserves over the mixture in the pan and then crumble the remaining mixture over, pressing down lightly.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until edges are beginning to brown. Let cool to room temperature, then place in the refrigerator to cool completely.
When chilled, lift the bars out of the pan using the edges of the parchment. Slice and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Disclosure: This post is part of the Tresomega Nutrition Blogger Recipe Challenge. I received complimentary products to use in this post. All opinions are my own.
I have a plan for Christmas this year. Instead of doing the big ham dinner that involves being in the kitchen for hours, we’re just going to make a bunch of appetizers and spend the day hanging out. It sounds lovely, doesn’t it?
This is one of the dishes I’m planning to make. It’s filling enough that it could count as a meal, but it’s also something we can eat while lounging around the Christmas tree. It’s pretty much the prefect holiday bite: spaghetti smothered in a to-die-for alfredo sauce, topped off with a miniature meatball and some homemade tomato sauce. And some more cheese just for good measure. Are you drooling yet?
This recipe features Tresomega Gluten-Free Organic Quinoa Spaghetti. We have a few gluten-free family members so we’ve tried a bunch of gluten-free pastas and I can say that this is hands down the best one I’ve tried. My husband – who grew up in a very Italian family – admitted he wouldn’t have know it was gluten-free pasta if I hadn’t told him. Win!
For more recipe inspiration, you can visit them on Facebook and Twitter. You can purchase Tresomega products at: Tresomega.com. Sams.com, Amazon.com and Walmart.com.
One Bite Spaghetti and Meatballs
(a Kate’s Recipe Box original)
Makes 3 dozen
1 box Tresomega Gluten-Free Organic Quinoa Spaghetti
1/2 cup butter
2 cups heavy whipping cream
4 oz. cream cheese
5 cloves garlic, minced, divided
1 tsp. garlic power
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, divided
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
36 small meatballs – homemade or frozen
1 28 oz. can tomato sauce
Parmesan cheese, for topping
Cook the pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, combine the butter, whipping cream and cream cheese in a saucepan over medium heat – stirring frequently until all melted together. Stir in 2 minced garlic cloves, the garlic powder, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook, whisking frequently, until smooth. Add the parmesan and stir until melted. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes more.
Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a mini-muffin pan with non-stick spray.
Using a fork, twirl up some sauce-coated spaghetti and place in the well of a mini-muffin tin to form a little next of spaghetti. Press down slightly to pack and add more spaghetti if necessary. Repeat until all wells are filled.
Bake for 15 minutes.
While the spaghetti bakes, combine the remaining ingredients, except parmesan cheese, in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
When the spaghetti is done, let cool in the pan for 10 minutes then use a spoon to scoop out the spaghetti bundles and place on a serving platter. Top each bundle with a meatball, 1-2 tsp. of sauce, and parmesan cheese, to taste.
Every once in a while, we end up with a really healthy week of dinner plans. I don’t usually do it consciously – it seems that after a week of celebrating or heavy eating, I naturally go for something lighter. And, really healthy meals are always a bit of a gamble around here. Something drowning in cheese and butter? Sure to be a hit. Something naturally gluten free and heavy on the veggies? Maybe – or maybe not.
Luckily, this was a huge hit. Zoodles as a side dish were great and the chicken was super easy but super flavorful. I was really impressed on how quickly this meal came together – and how satisfying it was.
Chicken Piccata with Zoodles
(adapted slightly from Primal Palate)
Serves 2
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2″ thickness
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsps.. olive oil
1 lemon
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp. capers
2 Tbsp. white wine
1 Tbsp. butter
2 zucchini, ends cut off and spiralized
Whisk together the almond flour, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl and add chicken, one at a time, turning until thoroughly coated.
Cut half of the lemon into slices and juice the other half.
Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover with foil.
Add garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add in the chicken broth and lemon slices and cook several minutes, until the lemon gets soft. Add the capers, lemon juice and white wine and cook until it’s thickened a bit. Remove from heat and stir in butter until well combined. Pour into a bowl and cover with foil.
Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil in the skillet. When shimmering, add zucchini noodles and cook a few minutes, tossing occasionally, until they’re al dente. Sprinkle cooked noodles with salt.
Serve the noodles topped with a chicken breast topped with the sauce.
It’s super cliché, but we’re totally on holiday detox around here. I love indulging in all the holiday goodies, but by December 26th I just wanted a big salad. Does that officially make me old?
Either way, I’ve been mixing in some healthier meals during this last week. This has been one of those meals. These pork chops were pretty much everything I want in a dinner lately – quick, easy and super flavorful. Mark walked in the door from work and I handed off the baby for a diaper change. By the time he’d ditched his work clothes, changed the baby and made it back downstairs, I was plating them. Win all around!
Almond Crusted Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce
(from On My Way to Skinny)
Serves 2
2 pork chops, trimmed of fat and pounded to 1/4″ thickness
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup fat free half and half
1/2 tsp. dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp. almond meal
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil to shimmering. Season pork chops with salt and pepper and dredge in almond meal. Fry for 4-5 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.
In the same skillet, whisk in the half and half, Dijon mustard, almond meal and oregano. Bring a boil, whisking constantly, and cook for 2 more minutes, until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve sauce over pork chops.
I always get excited when a food blogger I admire releases a cookbook. I love having that little piece of the internet on my bookshelf. Nicole Morrissey’s (aka, Prevention RD) first cookbook, Prevention RD’s Everyday Healthy Cooking, is in frequent rotation around here so when her editor asked if I wanted to review her new cookbook, Prevention RD’s Cooking and Baking with Almond Flour, I jumped at the chance.
As the title suggests, this book is full of gluten-free recipes – but the recipes are also marked as sugar-free, paleo, vegetarian, vegan, low-carb, high-fiber and dairy-free as appropriate, making it a super friendly resource for anyone trying to stick to a specific diet. Neither Mark or I have food allergies, but we have friends and family that do so we’re always looking for tasty things we can make them. We’re also, naturally, a little skeptical of recipes that stick to special diets – I mean, how do you trust chocolate chip cookies that have no butter or flour?
Luckily, Nicole has this thing nailed – these cookies were amazing. If you didn’t know they were gluten-free (and dairy-free, vegetarian and low-carb), you never would guess. They taste like regular chocolate chip cookies – not always an easy feat when you’re making something allergy-friendly. We passed off most of the batch to a friend of Mark’s who has recently gone gluten-free and they went over wonderfully.
And, there are so many equally delicious looking recipes in this book. I’m especially excited to work through the breakfast section and I’m loving that I’ll have a whole bunch of gluten-free cookie options for Christmas cookies for our Celiac family members this year.
Nicole’s editor was also kind enough to offer up a copy for a Kate’s Recipe Box reader. Want to win? Leave a comment below letting me know if you follow a gluten-free or other special diet and your favorite diet-friendly dish to make. I’ll pick one comment at random to receive a copy of Prevention RD’s Cooking and Baking with Almond Flour, compliments of Skyhorse Publishing. You have until midnight eastern time on September 7, 2014. Open to US residents only.
Ooey Gooey Chocolate Chip and Flax Cookies
(from Prevention RD’s Cooking and Baking with Almond Flour)
Makes 16 Cookies
1 1/4 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini dark chocolate chips (I used dairy-free chips)
In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, flaxseed, baking powder, salt and brown sugar. In a second bowl, lightly beat the egg. Slowly whisk in the coconut oil to the egg, whisking constantly.
Fold the wet ingredients into the dry, then fold in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
After chilling, preheat the oven to 375F degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and arrange on the baking sheet. Flatten slightly, to about 3/4 inch thickness.
Bake for 7-9 minutes, until dry-looking and slightly browned. Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
This week has felt kind of crazy.
I’m used to working from home three days a week. This week, I was in the office every day to help with some training. When you add up the one hour commute each way and the lunch hour I usually use to do housework, nine of my usual “doing stuff” hours have been chewed up. That’s like an extra day! Quite obviously, quick and easy has been the go-to for food this week.
I mixed these bars up over the weekend and they’ve been a great go-to for breakfast or a post-gym snack. Loaded with nuts and seeds, they’re quite filling – and since they’re no-bake, they only take about five minutes to prepare.
These can easily be made vegan – just use vegan chocolate chips – and gluten-free – just make sure you’re using gluten-free oats.
No-Bake Peanut Butter and Chocolate Granola Bars
(slightly adapted from 86 Lemons)
Makes an 8×8 pan worth
1 1/2 c. rolled oats
1/4 c. flax seed meal
1/8 c. chia seeds
1/4 c. sunflower seeds
1/3 c. pumpkin seeds
1/2 c. cashews
1/2 c. almonds
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips
1/2 c. agave nectar
3/4 c. natural peanut butter
Line an 8×8 pan with parchment.
In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flax meal, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds and chocolate chips. Stir agave nectar in until evenly distributed. Stir in peanut butter until well combined throughout.
Press mixture into prepared pan. Freeze for 1 hour, then remove from pan and cut into bars. Store in freezer until ready to eat.
As someone who doesn’t have food allergies, I always struggle a little when I have to cook for someone who does. It’s not because I can’t do it – it’s because I always want to make something that everyone will like. This cake is beautiful, perfect for Thanksgiving – and gluten free.
This is rich and chocolatey, which makes it an awesome dessert even for those who aren’t on a gluten-free diet and the apples and hazelnuts make it perfect for the season. It’s a little more involved than a normal cake, but it’s not very hard and totally worth the extra effort!
Apple Hazelnut Chocolate Cake
(from BakeBakeBake)
1 to 2 Granny Smith apples
1/3 c. hazelnuts, chopped
8.8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2/3 c. heavy whipping cream
3 eggs, separated
4 t. cornstarch
3 T. honey
Powdered sugar and cinnamon, for dusting
Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
Prepare an 8-inch or 9-inch springform pan. Use nonstick spray or softened butter to great the bottom and sides of the springform pan.
Peel, corn, and slice the apples into ½-inch pieces and set aside.
In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Pour the heavy cream over the chopped chocolate and let cool for about a minute. Mix thoroughly to make a smooth ganache. Using a rubber spatula, slowly mix in the egg yolks and cornstarch, until thoroughly incorporated. The mixture should be smooth and slightly thick.
In a separate bowl, add the honey to the egg whites, and whip to soft peaks.
Using a whisk, add about 1/3 of the whipped egg whites to the chocolate mixture to lighten. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the remaining whipped egg whites in two batches, taking care to avoid over-mixing. White streaks of egg white should still be visible in the chocolate.
Deposit the batter into the greased springform pan. Top with the chopped apples and hazelnuts, then dust lightly with confectioner’s sugar and ground cinnamon.
Place the springform pan on a cookie sheet, or sheet pan, and bake immediately for 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted to the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the springform pan for at least 15 minutes before unmolding.