carrot, raisin and walnut bread

enjoy!


3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup organic spelt flour
1/2 cup organic oats
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp mutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 cup organic carrots, shredded
1/2 cup organic natural brown sugar
1/2 cup organic raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup light coconut milk
3 tbl unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

preheat overn to 350F.

in a large bowl combine whole wheat flour thru ginger.

in a med bowl combine and stir together carrots thru vanilla. pour into dry ingredients and combine until moist.

pour into loaf pan and bake 1 hr. cool and enjoy!

dark chocolate and almond bundt cake

well, i have found nirvana...in this cake. and yes, it really contains healthful ingredients that your body will love you for and yes it contains the all mighty dark chocolate. oh, and low fat too. if there is one thing to try on this blog of mine it is this! it is super light and airy with a deep chocolatey flavor.
i used sunspire brand grain sweetened dark chocolate chips...i get them a wild oats. next time i make this, and i am thinking next week, i am going to spring for green&blacks organic dark chocolate cocoa powder...to.die.for!
i adapted it from a recipe i found on cookinglight.com that was a german chocolate bundt cake...i can't imagine that recipe holding a candle to this one though. littlefoodie is out of luck tonight on this cake...bigfoodie daddy and i will be indulging once the beast is settled!

enjoy!

1/4 cup organic cocoa
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips, grain sweetened sunspire brand
1/2 cup boiling water
3/4 cup organic natural cane sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp pure almond extract
1 lg organic egg
1/2 cup organic quinoa flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup light coconut milk

topping:
1/4 cup organic oats
1/4 cup organic natural brown sugar
2 tbl unsalted butter
1/2 cup sliced, toasted almonds

preheat oven to 325F. grease bundt cake pan or 9x13 in baking pan.

combine cocoa powder, chocolate chips and boiling water...stir until combined. set aside.

beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy. add vanilla and almond extract and egg. beat until combined.

in a small bowl combine quinoa and whole wheat flour, baking powder and baking soda, cardamom, and salt.

add flour and coconut milk to the butter mixture alternatley....beginning and ending with flour. mix in chocolate.

for streusel:
combine oats, brown sugar, butter and almonds.

pour half of batter into pan. sprinkle oat/almond mixture over it.
pour remaining batter over it and bake 1 hr.

cool and eat!!!

black lentil and sweet potato chili

i am in love with black lentils...i am pretty sure a lot has to do with the texture. they are small and round and seem to hold their shape well when cooked. they have a black bean type quality to them which is why it is fun to use them in place of regular black beans.

little foodie had an enourmous plate of this chili tonight. he loved the sweet potato chunks and kidney beans in it...not to mention the mound of brown rice served under the chili goodness. this littlecrazyfoodie loves him some rice.

this is another recipe so easily adaptable to different veggies and served over different things. i do think the spices are right on though..chili powder, cinnamon and sweet potatoes are an amazing combo..always!

enjoy!

1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup diced organic carrots
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 tbl minced garlic
2 large sweet potatoes, diced into bite sized peices
1 cup chopped bell peppers (i use a frozen melange of green, red, and yellow)
2 zucchini, scrubbed and diced into small pieces
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1 bay leaf
s&p
2 small can (14oz) muir glen fire roasted tomatoes, squashed before adding
1 cup black lentils
1 can organic kidney beans
organic veggie broth, enough to cover it

in dutch oven saute onion, carrots, celery and garlic over med heat in olive oil until translucent. add sweet potatoes, bell peppers, zucchini and spices. cook a few minutes until heated through.
transfer to a crock pot on low heat.
add bay leaf, tomatoes (squashed w/juice), lentils and kidney beans.
add enough broth to cover it and cook on low for about 6-8 hrs.

berry lemon coffee cake

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup oatmeal
2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup organic natural cane sugar
1 mashed ripe banana
2 tbl unsalted chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1 lg organic egg
juice of meyer lemon juice
3/4 cup almond milk
3/4 cup blackberries
1/2 cup raspberries
zest of 1 meyer lemon

1/4 cup organic natural cane sugar
3 tablespoons sliced almonds, chopped
juice of half of meyer lemon
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F.

combine flour, oats, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom and salt in a small bowl, stir.
beat sugar, banana, and butter in mixer; beat at medium speed until blended. add egg and lemon juice, beat well.

ad dry ingredients and almond milk alternately, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

fold in berries and zest.

pour into a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray.

for topping combine sugar, lrmon juice, almonds and cinnamon and sprinkle over top. bake for 35 minutes. cool.

meyer lemon and ginger madelines

i was recently given a big ol batch of beautiful meyer lemons. they are my favorite. the flesh is thinner and the taste is more floral and fragrant and much juicer than ordinary lemons. i finally got around to using them this morning.

madelines are so light and delicate. lemon is a perfect flavor for them and the added spice of finely minced crystallized ginger makes the flavor have an even better zing to it.

i used almond meal and wow did that make this stand out even more. almond meal is a great addition to baked goods and can be bought already ground up at trader joes.

little foodie gave them his usual horray..perhaps only 1 thumb up this time though. if it seems like this kid will eat anything....he will, but some things are met with more ferver than others.

madelines molds are easy to find but if you don't have one feel free to use a muffin tin instead.




enjoy!

2 lg organic eggs
1/2 cup organic powdered sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup unbleached organic all purpose flour
1 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 lg meyer lemon, zested and minced and juiced
2 tbl finely minced crystallized ginger
sliced, toasted almonds
preheat oven to 375F.

in a mixer beat eggs and sift in powdered sugar; add butter and beat until combined.

on low, blend in almond meal, flour, baking powder, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla. fold in ginger.
cover the bowl with a towel and let sit for 1 hour to let the flavors really meld..beleive me...don't miss this step!
stir batter then fill about 3/4 the way up in madeline mold. sprinkle with almonds. bake 10 mins. cool.

fig and almond cookies (this ones for you owm!)

these were divine! i changed the original recipe up a bit, which i got from cookinglight.com and made tastier and healthier too.
i use quinoa flour for part but feel free to just use whole wheat for that...same for the oat bran but please keep the almond meal..cause yum, its way better with it. littlefoodie scarfed down a couple for breakfast with some apples satueed in butter and blackstrap mollases so they were a huge hit there.
easy to travel with and a healthy hearty snack too!
(and pics will be up today! promise!!!!)

1/2 cup organic natural brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and set at room temp
2 lg organic eggs
1/4 cup chopped dried mission figs
1/4 cup unsweetened dried cranberries
1 tsp pure almond extract
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup organic quinoa flour
1/2 cup organic almond meal
1/2 cup oat bran
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds

preheat oven to 350F.
combine brown sugar, butter and eggs in a large bowl. stir in figs and cranberries and almond extract.

sift ww flour and quinoa flour into bowl. add almond meal, oat bran, baking soda and spices. add to wet mixture until just moist. fold in almonds.

drop by huge heaping tablespoonfuls on cookie sheet covered with parchement, silpat or greased.
sprinkle w/natural organic cane sugar and bake 12-15 min. cool and eat!

cashew butter cookies

yummy! try these with any nut butter...roasted almond, chashew/macadamia, sunflower, etc. we don't do peanut butter around these parts but i am sure that would be equally as yummy too!
(sorry no pictures yesterday and today...i am working on that asap!)


Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup roasted organic cashew butter (i use the tj brand..no salt)
1/2 cup natural organic brown sugar
2 large organic eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup organic quinoa flour
1/4 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven at 350°.

in a mixer beat cashew butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. beat until combined.

add flour and salt to wet mixture and stir..knead a little with hands to combine it together.

shape into small balls..about 1 in or so. flatten with fork and bake 15 minutes.

Yield: 24 cookies

m is for mutigrain and muffins (multigrain banana nut muffins to be exact)

its been another long stretch in between posts. i've been finding it harder and harder to cook and bake how i used to with a growing boy pulling on my legs most of the day. littlefoodie has become enamored with the alphabet and letters....and EVERY time he sees a word he loves to tell me the sound it makes and say the first letter...then proceeds to "spell" in his own special 2 1/2 yr old way.
today m was the word and all day "m said muffin, m says muffin..evwey lettah makes a sound m says mulitgrain banana nut muffins". do you have this crazy leapfrog letter contraption/brainwasher? escape while you can. and yes, i do enjoy the constant conversation and curiosity but i'd like to get my baking on around here a little more than i have been...

i have been experimenting with different flours like organic spelt flour and organic quinoa flour and so far the results have been awesome. also, i have been using unsweetened almond milk in most of my baked goods and the results are incredible as well.
these muffins, despite being hearty and wholesome are very light and flaky. under bigfoodie dads supervision today littlefoodie jr. downed 3 and wanted more all day. these were definitley 2 thumbs up from the toddler palate and the parental palates gave it high ratings as well.

enjoy!

1 cup organic spelt flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup organic quinoa flour
1/2 cup oat bran
1/2 cup oatmeal
2 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 large organic eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup unsweetned almond milk
2 tsp pure natural vanilla extract
2 ripe banana, mashed
1 cup crushed walnuts
1/3 cup dried blueberries (preservative free)
sliced roasted almonds

preheat oven to 350F.

sift spelt, quinoa and whole wheat flour, baking powder, and baking soda into bowl. stir in oat bran, oatmeal, cinnamon and salt.

add flour mixture to mixer and beat in on low the butter and applesauce. add eggs, almond milk, vanilla, and bananas. beat just until moistened and combined.

add in walnuts and fruit.

spoon into muffin tins and top with sliced almonds. bake for 25 min.