Banana Blueberry Muffins (Whole Wheat)

I am always looking for new muffin recipes. Oh, and I am always looking for ways to use up bananas. Seemingly endless amounts of bananas.

You are probably wondering why I have so many bananas. It's not like I grow them in my backyard. I actually buy 2-3 bunches of organic bananas each week and always seem to have some overripe ones left over in the end. Why not buy less bananas you ask? Because my biggest pet peeve is not having ripe bananas around to eat and send to daycare, and we all know that the bananas in the grocery store are usually far from ripe and they ripen at varying speeds. So, I buy lots, using what we need throughout the week, and baking with or freezing the ones that ripen quicker than we can eat them. And this means that I always have bananas in the freezer for smoothies, baking, and popsicle making!

This week in particular, I was confronted with a ton a overripe bananas and a massive harvest of blueberries from our garden. So, off I went in search of a muffin in which I could use both. Of course, for those of you who follow my blog, I also like to make my food child friendly, which means less sugar and whole wheat flour or oats where possible.

And so this muffin came to be :) A banana blueberry whole wheat muffin with a tiny bit of citrus to kick things up. Yum yum!

Cheesy Sourdough Bread

So at dinner last weekend, my sister started talking about her favorite grocery store sourdough cheese bread and how good it was. However, she said that not every grocery store in the chain seemed to make it the same way and she was often disappointed by the lack of cheese. The best she said, was the one that not only has cheese melted on top of the bread, but also has cheese melted throughout. Yes, that's the most important part about this bread-- lots and lots of cheese.

As she talked about it, I mentioned that I have a sourdough starter in my kitchen and could make her some sourdough cheese bread. And since my sister is about 6 months pregnant, I figured it wasn't really fair to talk about this bread, then no somehow produce her some.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Oat Muffins

Right now, it's all about the muffins. They are portable and quick, and because of all the flavour options, they never really get boring. They can be made super healthy and could function as a "vessel" for all those veggies you want your children to eat!

Today, whole wheat, oats and blueberries were on the menu. Sometimes I also add nuts to this recipe for some extra crunch.

These muffins freeze beautifully and I often take one straight out of the freezer and into my bag as a snack. It thaws quickly and tastes just as good as the day it was made.

Banana Rye Nut Muffins

Do you every have a whole bunch of rye flour kicking around? I do. Usually because I buy it for one inspired recipe, use a couple of cups, and then the rest sits in my pantry until I figure out what else I can do with it.

I usually end up mixing it with wheat flour to make bread; that is, until I started making these muffins! They are so delicious and are made with 100% rye flour. They could also be made with whole wheat flour, in case you are reading this recipe and thinking "do I have to buy a bag of rye just to make these muffins?" Oh, and you can make them with some rye and some whole wheat, in case you are just trying to use up that last little bit of rye you have left!

Steamed Five Spice Pork Buns

For a lot of us, the fall is a time for foraging, harvesting, and preparing for winter. For me, the fall included stocking my freezer full of meals to get me through the first few months with my newborn. And today is one of the days in which I enjoyed the fruits of my labour from the fall.

I had been running around all morning tending to a 3 month old baby's every need, and before I knew it, my stomach was grumbling. Even though I pride myself in having a fully stocked fridge and pantry most of the time, I also pride myself in staying away from most process foods and making things from scratch. So of course, when I opened my fridge, I had lots of fruits and veggies that would need to be broken down (which is difficult with one arm holding a baby) and in my pantry, lots of dry ingredients waiting to be made into bread and muffins, or needing to be cooked (like legumes and grains). So, freezer it was. Oh, and there were so many choices! Thank goodness for that fall preparation.

Festive Eggnog Pancakes (can be whole wheat!)

So I recently did a post about these awesome eggnog muffins. I originally made them because I had some eggnog leftover from when my sister came over. Well, needless to say, I loved these muffins so much that I bought some eggnog to make some more. And what do you know, I still have eggnog left in the fridge. And so begins that vicious cycle of leftover eggnog.

I figured I should make something else besides the muffins. And since my husband was off from work yesterday, I decided to make something for breakfast besides our usual bowls of oatmeal. So I made pancakes. With eggnog. Oh, and I added a little extra nutmeg and cinnamon just to emphasize the fact that these were eggnog pancakes.

I made the pancakes with whole wheat flour, but you could use white flour or a mix of white and whole wheat. The pancakes were delicious and fluffy. You could eat these with maple syrup, butter or jam, but I highly recommend eating them with a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk. I think the milk adds to the spirit of the eggnog pancake.

They were fluffy and delicious and oh so festive.

Merry Christmas to you and your families!

Cornmeal Buttermilk Freezer Biscuits

As you may already know, I gave birth to an amazing, beautiful baby girl 8 weeks ago! Wow, people were not kidding when they said that time would fly with a newborn. It certainly has! 

My day's priorities are now determined by my daughter. Despite my "to-do" lists and "need to try" recipe spreadsheet, even if the only thing I accomplish during the day is keeping my daughter happy, healthy and active, that is enough.

But, here's the catch. A girl's got to eat at some point. And it's not the eating that's the problem. It's the "what to eat" that is. For me anyways. I mean, there are times when I learn to settle with a pile of cheese and crackers, or even just a pile of crackers, but a girl can only last so long on the basics. Especially someone like me that strives to make every meal healthy, fresh and tasty. And really, that boils down to homemade. Not store bought or pre-packaged or take away. Homemade.

Yup, homemade is hard to do when you are juggling a newborn on one arm and trying to brush your teeth with your free hand. Or, try doing the dishes with one hand. Yes, it's possible, but takes about four times as long to do. So, if I had to cook and bake everyday? Would not happen.

Don't get me wrong. I still cook and bake. But I do it on her time, not mine. That means that when I finally get her down in her crib for a nap, I frantically cut veggies, cook quinoa, make bread dough and do as much as I possibly can. And the thing is, I never know if that time I have is 5 minutes, or 2 hours. I just use every minute-- every second-- and do as much as I can.

And then there are the days when I can't do anything extra. My daughter won't nap, is extremely hungry, and needs me to hold her and rock her from morning until night. Those are the days when I am thankful for my organization and "to-do" lists. The ones that reminded me everyday in the last 2 months that I was pregnant to make meals ahead and freeze them. The ones that convinced me to make these cornmeal freezer biscuits so that one day, when I didn't have time to make a batch of fresh biscuits (which at the time I could not fathom-- I mean, after all, there is always time to cook or bake, isn't there?), that I could reach into the freezer, pop a few of my homemade frozen biscuits onto a tray, bake them, and enjoy them.

Yes, I am able to enjoy fresh, homemade biscuits with a newborn! 

Buttermilk Waffles

Nothing like an amazing breakfast to start off a long weekend!

What is your favourite breakfast? For me, it is usually something savory with eggs, bacon, sausages and good bread; however, I have taken a liking lately to pancakes and waffles, which my husband adores. Especially waffles, now that we have our own waffle iron. 

I got a waffle iron for my husband for Christmas. Unlike many households, who have an electric countertop waffle iron, I did not want yet another single use appliance sitting on our counter top. So I found a stove top waffle iron which is fantastic. Use it on the stove like a pan, then put it away. It takes very little space and it works great! No need to search for an electrical outlet or clear the counter to make space for it!

Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffins with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts

Yes, the gardens are still spilling over with squash!! And trust me, I am not complaining! Squash is one of the most versatile veggies. You can stuff them, saute them, fry them, grate them, add them to soups and stews... the possibilities really are endless!

In this case, I decided to turn them into one of my favorites-- Zucchini Muffins (or Bread). Great for eating now or freezing and eating later.  Also, the use of whole wheat flour in addition to the squash makes them a healthier muffin alternative. What a great way to get some veggies into your loved ones!

Blueberry Maple Muffins

There is definitely an abundance of blueberries in my fridge. Not that I am complaining. Nothing makes me happier that seeing lots and lots of blueberries.

They are one of my favorite fruits and in the peak of the season, I could eat them all day! On yogurt or ice cream, with cereal, and even in salads. And let's not forget the bowls and bowls of fresh blueberries that I eat by the handful when I need a sweet snack or a nibble which doing other things.  Nothing is better than fresh blueberries!

Today, however, I decided that I had so many blueberries, that I could spare some in a batch of muffins as a quick grab and go breakfast. They were so good, I am thinking of making a double batch and freezing some to have available to just warm in the oven later too!

Beef Dip with Rosemary Garlic Butter

There is something about beef dip that is so comforting. And in times like these, when the summer whether hasn't quite kicked in yet; when spring showers and grey skies push you into sweats and winter behaviour, a beef dip seems like the answer to life's problems.

The great thing about making a beef dip is that it requires very little effort and makes enough food to get you through the rainy day blues. Served with great bread and a rosemary garlic butter, this sandwich just cannot be beat!

In this recipe, I use a slow cooker for the first time. I borrowed this slow cooker from my sister to see how it works. To be honest, I still don't have any inclination to get one for myself. I find that it's another appliance that I need to store and that takes up counter space. If you are like me and don't have a slow cooker, this recipe works just the same in a large casserole covered and put into the oven and left to cook low and slow (at about 250-275 degrees Fahrenheit) or on a low stove top.

Manakeesh with Zaatar and Cheese (Middle Eastern Flatbread with Thyme and Cheese)

Some of my favorite memories from living in the Middle East involve food. Particularly in Syria where the people were so hospitable and the food was so fresh and delicious.

When walking down the street, you often pass bakeries with a variety of amazing baked goods, including these little mini "pizzas" with a variety of toppings. They are called Manakeesh and they are a typical quick lunch or snack. But you don't just find them in the city. Go for a drive in the country, open your windows and you will smell these delicious flat bread baking in the stone, tandoor type ovens long before you even see them. 

Manakeesh can have a wide variety of toppings and they can be filled and folded over, kind of like a calzone. My favorites are the classic Zaatar with Cheese or the folded over Spinach Manakeesh.  Zaatar is a spice combo involving dried thyme, sesame seeds, salt, and the middle eastern spice, sumac. (Sumac is a spice made from red berries that are ground into a powder. It gives a subtle lemony flavor and is used a lot in middle eastern cooking. If you can't find it, you could substitute some lemon zest.) Alternatively, you could find already mixed Zaater in middle eastern grocery stores. Add some olive oil to form a paste, and eat it with Arabic bread, cheese and olives for a very typical middle eastern breakfast. Or use that paste on top of your Manakeesh!

Panzanella Salad (Italian Bread Salad)

When people think of salads, they often think about them as accompaniments rather than main courses. However, there are a lot of ways to make a salad a hearty and filling meal. For example, you can add protein like meat, fish, nuts, beans or eggs or you could add a starch like rice, potatoes or pasta.

Today, I am making a Panzanella Salad which is essentially an Italian bread salad. The bread adds a heartiness to this salad making it a great side dish or main course. The bread is also toasted, giving nice texture to the salad while soaking up some of the tasty dressing.

I love this salad because it is full of some many amazing flavours. The salty anchovy adds great depth to the dressing, the olives or capers add tanginess and salt, and all the veggies and basil add a freshness that elevate this from just a simple salad with croutons to something spectacular.

Cheesy Corn Muffins (Blue and Cheddar)

 

Happy New Year everyone and thanks for trying and sharing my recipes this past year!

A new year means new beginnings, new challenges and new friends--- it also means new recipes! Typically in January, there are lots of low fat, get fit recipes and cleanses being passed around in an attempt to shed those extra holiday pounds.

I have never found the January diet craze to work for me to me honest. I actually prefer to continue to eat the things I love in moderation. What does that mean? Well, it doesn't mean loading up on fast and sweets all the time. It does mean choosing flavorful ingredients, eating 1 instead of 2, and looking for ways to add healthy components.

Breakfast Quesadillas

After about a month of hard work on our new house, we finally had a chance to sit and enjoy a moment on our deck.

The sun was shining and we wanted to take a break and grab a bite, and breakfast quesadillas came immediately to mind.

I am not sure what it is about breakfast, but it's a comforting, relaxing sort of meal. The exact first meal that I would want to enjoy at our new house.

The quesadilla contained all the things I love... eggs, bacon and cheese and was served with guacamole and salsa. Fantastic!

Cheers to our new home!

Super Moist Cornbread

I make bread almost every week, but never think to make cornbread instead! Perhaps because it's uses aren't the same as regular bread--- sandwiches, spreads, cheese.

However, with so much cornmeal in my pantry, cornbread just came to mind, and I am glad it did. I love this particular recipe because the cornbread is so moist and packed with flavor and texture. I especially like the chunks of onion and pepper throughout.

It pairs perfectly with a bowl of soup, chili or stew, or just on it's own (with a little butter too!).

Super Moist Cornbread

Makes 1- 8 inch by 8 inch pan

1 1/2 cups Cornmeal

1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 tbsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Salt

1 Large Egg

1 cup Milk

1 can (14 oz) Cream Style Corn

1/4 cup Onion, chopped

1 tbsp Green Chili, chopped

1/3 cup Red Bell Pepper, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8 inch square baking pan and set aside.

In a bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Enjoy with a bowl of chili or soup!

Mom's Other Pork Chop Recipe (and Chicken too!)

My mom is a perfectionist just like me. If there is a chance that some kind of tweak can make a recipe even better, she will try it. In this case, the subject matter was pork chops.

My mom made some simple and fantastic pork chops which I shared with you in November (Mom Miranda's Crispy Pork Chops). At that time, she also made some similar pork chops that I will share with you today. Now, there is some debate amongst us as to which pork chops we like better, but the bottom line is, they are both delicious. The main difference is that the ones I will share today are wet marinated, which some may argue is just more work. Others however, will say that this makes the pork chops taste better and stay moist.

So, I leave it to you to decide which ones you like better. And please, if you do happen to try them both, I would love to know what you think...

P.S. I did use this recipe to make chicken too, which was delicious!

Chocolate Zucchini Walnut Bread

I am a savory person. Some people love sweets, but I love salt. So when it comes time for dessert, I usually prefer to have things that aren't too sugary sweet. I err on the side of fresh fruits and dark chocolate.

However, to appease those around me who thrive on more sweetness, I usually make some kind of "bread".... banana bread, carrot cake, or zucchini loaf. Somehow, these choices seem to satisfy both ends of the salty- sweet spectrum.  Plus as a bonus, they are full of fruit and veg.

And just in case there is any left over, no one will feel guilty snacking on the leftovers!

Chocolate Zucchini Walnut Bread

Makes 1 loaf

1/4 cup Butter

1/3 cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1/4 cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce

1/2 cup Buttermilk

1 cup Zucchini, shredded

1 1/4 cups Flour

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

2 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

Zest of 1/2 Lemon

1/3 cup Chopped Walnuts

1/3 cup Chocolate Chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf tin and set aside.

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then beat in the eggs.

Stir in the apple sauce, buttermilk and the zucchini.

Sift together the dry ingredients. Stir into wet ingredients until just combined. Stir in the walnuts and the chocolate chips.

Bake for about 45 minutes, or until done. Cool on a wire rack.

Whole Wheat Flax Tortillas

Bread. Starch. All that stuff that people nowadays are avoiding. For me, it's a staple food. And it's available everywhere. Yet so often, the breads in the grocery stores are packed with stuff that we have never even heard of and then end up sitting on shelves for who knows how long. Then, the consumer takes that bread home, slathers it in stuff to make it taste good, and eats it.

Well, for starters, the bread should taste good. By itself. Alone. With no accompaniments. And then, topped with a really good jam, salted butter, or cured meat, that bread is taken to a whole new level. Yes, that is what bread should taste like!

That is why I try to make my own bread. I would say I make a loaf every week. And it has just 4 ingredients. Good flour (whole wheat, white, rye, multigrain or a mix), yeast, salt and water. That's it.

But lately I have found myself gravitating towards flat breads. I like them because they are easy to eat during the week. They serve as a vessel for a whole variety of things, such as left over chicken and alfalfa sprouts, ground pork with barbeque sauce, veggies and cream cheese. You name it, it can be wrapped and eaten in a flat bread.

So, I decided to try to make my own. After all, $3 for 6 tortillas doesn't go far. Plus, they are once again packed with so many unnecessary ingredients that I am sure they cannot be that healthy.

Yes, it did take a little more labor than making a loaf of bread, however, there was no rising time. And the result was fantastic. I let them cool, put them in a ziplock bag, and left them in the fridge for a week of tortilla pleasure!

Whole Wheat Flax Tortillas

Makes 12 tortillas

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

1 1/2 cups White Flour

1/2 cup Ground Flax Seeds

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Salt

1/4 cup Canola Oil

1 1/2 cups Warm Water

In a large bowl, mix together all dry ingredients.

Add water and oil and mix until just incorporated.

Knead for a few minutes to form a soft, smooth dough.

Divide into 12 balls. Cover with a towel.

Take one ball and roll it into about a 10 inch round (roll it as thin as possible).

Heat a flat griddle pan or grill pan over medium high heat.

Place the rolled out tortilla onto the heated pan and cook for about 30 seconds on each side, or until air pockets start to form in the tortilla.

Use immediately or store in a ziplock bag in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.

Potato Parathas (Indian Flat Bread)

I think Indian food has to be one of my absolute favorites. The flavors are so warm, earthy and pungent. It is definitely one of the cuisines that I crave the most because of its distinctive qualities.

However, sometimes it is difficult for me to find good Indian food in restaurants, and I find that I am often disappointed. So, I have taken to making it myself. I was blessed to have visited India and tasted the cooking of a true Indian household, and am always trying to replicate these flavors at home.

And I have found a way to fit it into my work-life schedule. I mean, after all, the rumour on the street is that Indian food takes time to cook. Yes, it is true that some low and slow cooking is required, but this can be overcome with either a pressure cooker (which I have never used), or a weekend cook up. During these weekend cook ups, I make a bunch of dahl (indian lentil curry), pre portion it, and place it in my fridge and freezer for many meals to come! The best part is that it tastes better and better as the time passes.

So what is better with Indian curry than fresh Indian flat bread? And I am telling you, this is the easiest, quickest, tastiest flat bread that you will ever make!

Enjoy it with:

Quick & Easy Chicken Curry, 

Indian Style Fish Curry,  

Sweet Potato & Two Pea Curry 

or my absolute, all time favorite dish,  

Dahl Makhani (Creamy Indian Lentils).

Potato Parathas (Indian Flat Bread)

Recipe modified slighty from Bal Arneson, The Spice Goddess

 Makes 6-8 Parathas

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

3/4 to 1 cup Water

1 cup Mashed Potatoes, room temperature

1/4 cup Red Onion, minced

1 tbsp Whole Mustard Seeds

1 tbsp Garam Masala (I made my own by using the ingredients below)

2 tbsp Fresh Cilantro, chopped

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper

For Garam Masala:

1 tbsp Ground Cumin

1 1/2 tsp Ground Coriander

1 1/2 tsp Ground Cardamom

1 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Ground Cloves

1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg

Combine the flour and water in a bowl and knead until it forms a smooth round ball similar to a stiff pizza dough. Cover the dough and set aside.

Put the mashed potatoes, red onion, mustard seeds, garam masala, cilantro, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix well.

Take a piece of dough about the size of a golf ball and roll it into a disc with your fingers. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and using a lightly-floured rolling pin, roll out the disc into a thin patty (like a tortilla).

Place 1/4 cup of the filling into the middle of the patty and then fold the edge of the dough over the mixture and form into a ball, with the filling in the center. Roll out the paratha gently, being careful not to squeeze the filling out.

Put a nonstick skillet or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and place a paratha into it. Cook until brown bubbly spots appear and then flip the paratha and cook the second side until it is done, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat and brush with a little vegetable oil.

Continue until all the parathas are done.