Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon Brown Butter

Recipe from Taste of Home (just a minor change)

Ingredients

Pumpkin Pancakes

1 1/2 cups of flour

2 Tbs brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sea salt

2 eggs

1 1/3 cup vanilla coconut milk

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Cinnamon Brown Butter

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup grade B maple syrup

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, place pecans on baking sheet and toast in oven for 6-8 minutes

2. In a heavy-bottom saucepan, cook the butter on medium for 8-10 minutes until browned, stirring occasionally to prevent burning

3. In a bowl, mix maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg together; add to brown butter

4. Stir in pecans, simmer to keep warm until pancakes are done

5. Meanwhile, mix all the dry pancake ingredients together, then mix the wet ingredients together; combine

6. On a preheated lightly oiled griddle add 1/4 cup of pancake batter to form a circle, flip once bubbles start to form, keep cooked pancakes on a baking sheet in a 200 degree oven to keep warm while cooking the rest, serve with the sauce

My sister made these amazing pancakes for xmas and I was so impressed I wanted to try to make them myself. These were by far the best pancakes I have ever had! The flavors in the pancakes and in the sauce were amazing and they worked well together. These pancakes are so good that Eric and I ate some leftovers today cold out of the fridge for a snack and they were still delicious! I only made a few ingredient changes, so I can't take this credit for these. Eric was kind enough to cook the pancakes so I could work on the sauce:)

Red Pepper Cilantro Cream Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients

2 slices sunflower wheat bread, toasted

1/4 red pepper, thinly sliced

1 tsp safflower oil

2 slices fakin bacon

1 Tbs pickled jalapenos

1 Tbs cilantro, chopped

1 Tbs cream cheese

Directions

1. Heat safflower oil in cast iron pan on medium heat, add red peppers & saute 3 minutes

2. Add bacon to the pan and cook 1-2 mins on each side until golden

3. Spread cream cheese on toasted bread and spread cilantro onto each slice

4. Layer in red peppers, bacon, and jalapenos

I made this sandwich up quick for lunch today. I needed to use up a leftover chunk of red pepper and I thought it would work great with cream cheese. The pickled jalapenos were a special homemade treat that Eric and I got from his parents. It's hard to limit the amount you eat because they are so good! But we are trying to savor them. We also got lucky because we got some of their amazing pickles as well! Of course I had to have a pickle with my sandwich:)

Breakfast Burrito

Serves 3

Ingredients

3 large tortillas

6 eggs

1 can pinto beans, drained & rinsed

1/2 can corn

1 can sliced black olives

2 Tbs pickled jalapenos, chopped

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup daiya cheddar cheese

1/2 cup Mexi-Cheddar Cheese Dip (We Can't Say It's Cheese)

Guacamole

1 avocado, mashed

juice of 1/4 lime

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1 garlic clove, minced

1 Tbs cilantro, chopped

pinch of sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Scramble eggs in a non-stick pan

3. Mix in pinto beans, corn, olives, jalapenos, cumin, garlic powder, and cilantro; cook 1 minute

4. Divide the egg mixture between the 3 tortillas, top with cheese, roll up, spread mexi-cheddar cheese on top of each burrito, sprinkle with more cheese, and garnish with cilantro

5. Bake on a baking sheet for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese has melted

6. Meanwhile, mix the guacamole ingredients together; serve on the side

I whipped up these burritos the other day for Eric and his mom for breakfast. Breakfast burritos are always a hit and they are pretty easy to make. It's the perfect breakfast to fill you up when you have a busy day ahead of you.

This is also the first post using my new camera that Eric got me for xmas:) It will be a lot more fun taking pictures now for my blog and they should look much better! I just have to figure out how to use it now:)

Grandma's Banana Bread

Ingredients

3 ripe mashed bananas

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 cup sugar

2 eggs (vegan Ener-G egg replacer)

1/2 cup cold filtered water

2 cups spelt flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees & grease loaf pan with butter (Earth Balance)

2. In one bowl mix wet ingredients together, then in a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients together, and then mix the two together until smooth (don't over mix or use electric mixer)

3. Pour mixture into loaf pan and bake for 55-65 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

This is my Grandma's wonderful banana bread recipe that I slightly altered to make healthier. I added an extra banana, substituted crisco with coconut oil, the white flour with spelt flour, and the eggs with a vegan egg replacer. I was very pleased with how the bread turned out! I think it was the best banana bread I have ever made! I think the best switch was the coconut oil because it made the bread super moist. I will be making this more often. It's great for potlucks because it's easy to travel with and most people are fans of banana bread. I made it for my work's xmas party.

Sweet Potato Hummus Sandwich

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 slices sourdough bread, toasted

4 slices savoy cabbage

2 portobello mushrooms

1 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

Sweet Potato Hummus (Adapted from "My New Roots")

1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed

1 large sweet potato, poke with fork

zest & juice of half lemon

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp sea salt

3 Tbs olive oil

2 garlic cloves, pressed

Directions

1. Roast the sweet potato on a baking sheet for 45 minutes at 400 degrees, allow to cool

2. In the food processor add the insides of the sweet potato and the remaining hummus ingredients, process until smooth

3. Meanwhile, coat the mushrooms in olive oil, garlic powder, and cumin; place on baking sheet under broiler for 1-2 minutes on each side until cooked through; slice

4. Spread the hummus on each slice of bread, layer in the remaining ingredients

When I saw the recipe for the sweet potato hummus I thought it would be amazing in a portobello mushroom sandwich. The original recipe called for 3 sweet potatoes, but I only had one on hand. I am going to make it again and try it with more sweet potatoes because I think it would be even better. Even though this hummus was still full of flavor. The leftovers are great as a dip. I think I will make it for my family for xmas and serve it with warm pita bread. This is a super healthy sandwich! You get tons of nutrients from the sweet potatoes and lots of protein from the chickpeas and mushrooms.

Leek Pesto Pasta

Adapted from "My New Roots"

Ingredients

1/2 pkg whole wheat fettucini noodles

1 can extra large black olives

2 cups grape tomatoes

1 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper

Leek Pesto

2 leeks, sliced

1/2 cup raw cashews

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 Tbs honey

3 Tbs olive oil

Zest & juice of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions

1. Roast cashews on a baking sheet at 400 degrees for 8 minutes

2. Transfer cashews to the bowl of a food processor

4. On the same baking sheet coat the tomatoes in olive oil, salt, & pepper; roast for 10 minutes at 450 degrees

5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add pasta, cook for 9 minutes, and drain

6. Add all the pesto ingredients food processor and blend until smooth

7. Add pesto to the warm pasta and mix in the tomatoes and olives

I saw a version of this recipe on "My New Roots" blog and I thought it looked amazing! Her recipe would be even better because she used wild leeks, but since I couldn't find wild leeks this time of year I just used the regular ones. I do have to warn that since they are raw they have a strong onion burn when you add them to the warm pasta. Eric and I were crying from the onion-burn during our first few bites, but then it subsided. So I would recommend blanching the leeks to take the bite out of them. However, it is more nutritious to leave them raw. I was very happy with the pesto! I think my favorite ingredient was the roasted cashews because of the amazing flavor it adds. I also loved the saltiness of the black olives. Eric was more of a fan of the roasted tomatoes. The leftovers made a delicious lunch at work today too!

Sourdough Egg, Avocado, Bacon Sandwich

Ingredients

2 slices garlic sourdough bread, toasted

2 slices fakin bacon

2 slice savoy cabbage

1 hard boiled egg, sliced

Avocado Mayo

1 avocado, mashed

1/4 lime juice

1 garlic clove

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

2 Tbs tomatoes, diced

1 Tbs cilantro, chopped

2 Tbs veganaise

Directions

1. Brown bacon slices in a non-stick pan

2. Mix all the avocado mayo ingredients together

3. Spread 2 Tbs of avocado mayo on the bread slices

4. Layer remaining ingredients on the bread slices

When I decide to hard boil eggs I love to make extras so I can make quick yummy lunches like this. I found a great garlic sourdough bread at the co-op, so it made the sandwich even better! I like to add a mild cabbage like savoy to my sandwiches rather than salad greens because it adds a nice crunch and a powerful nutrient punch. The extra avocado mayo can be saved in the fridge. Just add some lime juice to the top and secure tightly with plastic wrap to prevent oxidizing.

Potato Corn Chowder

Ingredients

1 leek, sliced

3 garlic cloves, pressed

2 Tbs butter

1 poblano pepper, sliced

3 carrots, sliced

2 green onions, sliced

4 slices fakin bacon, diced

3 vegetable bouillon cubes

6 cups water

4 cups skim milk

1 cup chives, minced

6 red potatoes, cubed

1 bag frozen corn

2 cups savoy cabbage, sliced

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper

Directions

1. Saute leek, poblano pepper, and garlic in 1 Tbs butter for 3 minutes in a large pot

2. Add water, cabbage, carrots, and potatoes; bring to a boil then add vegetable bouillon cubes, boil 10 minutes

3. Meanwhile, in a separate pan brown the bacon

4. Turn the soup pot on simmer, add remaining ingredients (including bacon), and simmer for 10 minutes

I was in the mood for a potato-based soup, so this is what I invented. This makes a large amount of soup, so it's great to have for a x-mas party (like I did) or to have for leftovers for lunch at work. The longer the soup simmers the better it tastes. I made this soup the night before I had my girlfriends over. I took it out of the refrigerator when I got home from work and then I just let the soup simmer slowly until we served it.

Pickled Beet Salad

Ingredients

2 cups red bibb lettuce

1/2 cup pickled beets

1 hard boiled egg, sliced

1/4 cup walnuts

2 Tbs blue cheese, crumbled

1 Tbs Braggs Healthy Vinaigrette

Directions

1. Place lettuce on large dinner plate and layer on remaining ingredients

This was a quick light dinner. The pickled beets are from this summer when I made them with my mom. They were the star in the salad! The blue cheese paired well with the beets.

Spicy Noodles

Ingredients

1 pkg whole wheat fettuccine noodles

1/2 cup green beans

2 carrots, sliced

1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced

2 cups kale, chopped

1/2 pkg firm tofu, diced

Spicy Sauce

6 Tbs soy sauce

3 Tbs sriracha sauce

4 Tbs rice vinegar

2 Tbs maple syrup

4 tsp sesame oil

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, cook pasta according to directions, add green beans & carrots for the last 2 minutes, and drain

2. Meanwhile, in a nonstick pan, cook the tofu on medium heat until golden.

3. Mix sauce ingredients together and pour half onto the golden tofu and simmer until reduce by half

4. Meanwhile, saute mushrooms for 3 minutes on medium low, add kale and saute until wilted, add remaining sauce, toss in the pasta and tofu, and mix until combined

I love this spicy sauce recipe, so I have been adding it to everything. If you are not a big spice fan you can cut the amount of sriracha by half. I thought it would be fun to use fettuccine noodles instead of the typical udon or soba noodles.

Mexican Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups whole wheat elbow macaroni

1 Tbs Earth Balance butter

1/2 onion, sliced

1 poblano pepper, sliced

1 cup kale, minced

2 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced

3 carrots, sliced

1 can black olives, drained & rinsed

1 can pinto beans, drained & rinsed

1/2 cup jalapeno queso cheese dip

1 cup mild cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup mexican blend cheese, shredded

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add pasta, cook for 8 mins, add carrots for the last minute, drain, and mix in jalapeno queso dip.

2. Meanwhile, saute onion for 2 minutes, add poblano pepper and mushrooms and saute another 4 minutes on medium low.

3. Add garlic, kale, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper; saute 2 minutes

4. Stir in pinto beans and black olives; then mix with the cooked pasta

5. Mix in cilantro

6. In a 9X13 pan layer in pasta, sprinkling both cheeses in between the layers, and finish with a layer of cheese

7. Cover with tin foil and bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes until cheese is melted

I was in the mood to make a baked mac & cheese and I wanted to make it healthier by adding veggies, so this is what I came up with. It's the perfect comfort food for this cold season. It's also great cold as leftovers.

Herbed Baked Eggs

Ingredients

2 eggs

2 tsp Earth Balance butter

1 green onion, white part finely minced, greens sliced at an angle

2 smaller garlic cloves, pressed

2 Tbs cilantro, chopped

2 tsp mild cheddar cheese, shredded

pinch of sea salt

freshly cracked pepper

Directions

1. Preheat broiler

2. Place 2 oven safe dishes on a baking sheet and place the butter and white parts of the green onion in the bottom of each dish

3. Place under broiler for 1 minute (watch carefully!)

4. Put each egg in a cup and scramble with a fork

5. Mix in a garlic clove in each glass

6. Take baking sheet out of oven after the one min is up, pour an egg into each dish, top with cilantro, green onions, cheese, salt, and pepper

7. Place under broiler for 1-2 minutes, until eggs are set

These eggs are super quick and they look like a sophisticated breakfast. You can experiment with different herbs and cheeses. My broiler is very hot and I wasn't paying as close of attention, so they got a little more golden than I would prefer, but they were still delicious. That's why I state twice to watch carefully.

Chili Burrito

Ingredients

2 large tortillas

2 cups chili (preferably home-made)

1/2 cup tomatoes, diced

1 can black olives, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup daiya cheddar cheese

1/2 cup cilantro

1/4 cup Mexi Cheddar dip from "We Can't Say it's Cheese"

Guacamole

1 avocado, mashed

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 tsp cumin

juice of 1/4 lime

2 Tbs salsa

1 Tbs cilantro

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Layer chili in each tortilla, top with tomatoes, black olives, cheese, roll up, spread cheddar dip on top of each burrito, and sprinkle with cheese and olives

3. Place on baking sheet in oven; bake 15-20 mins until cheese is melted

4. Meanwhile, make guacamole by mixing all the ingredients together, serve on the side

Eric had made a large batch of chili and I wanted to find a new way to reinvent it. These burritos turned out amazing! Eric found the "We Can't Say it's Cheese" dip at a little co-op by his work and we are in love with it! They make several different flavors, which we have all tried, and they are all equally great. The crazy thing is that they are made out of oatmeal! I have no clue how they made oatmeal turn into an amazing cheesy dip.