"Ice-cream is exquisite. What a pity it isn't illegal." – Voltaire
I keep trying to hack Sweetgreen’s dressing because everyone knows Sweetgreen’s dressings are the bomb; it’s what makes the salad. Here’s my take on their Spicy Cashew Dressing. It’s full of healthy fat thanks to the EVOO and raw cashews. It’s sweet, tangy, obviously spicy, and has a layer of umami to it. I can’t wait to add this to lots o’ salads and bowls because when you want to eat it with a spoon, it’s that good, right?
Continue reading “Copycat Sweetgreen’s Spicy Cashew Dressing”
While I do not claim for these cookies to be true Anzac biscuits, the basis for the ingredients screamed like an Annie cookie. Without eggs, the cookies held up quite well despite lacking eggs when families sent these biscuits to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps–hence Anzac–circa WWI. The true recipe calls for oats, flour, sugar, butter, “golden syrup,” and coconut. I found a recipe for these in Sweet, and I decided to tweak these to be my own. I call them Coconut Oatmeal Cookies with Raisins & Lemon. They’re still sweet (despite using only 3/4 c sugar instead of almost 2 c), bright from the cardamom and lemon zest, and perfectly chewy thanks to the oats and raisins. They’re like an updated version of your grandmother’s oatmeal raisin cookies.
I haven’t posted an oatmeal recipe in a while. I’ve recently gone back to steel-cut oats to switch it up from my traditional and usually stock old-fashioned oats. I also have an important PSA: if you don’t have a milk frother, go out and buy one. It’s life-changing. That’s a gross hyperbole, but I have noticed I’m quite excited every morning before my cup of coffee. I’ve been using one by Nepresso that does both cold and hot foam. Full disclosure that I received this as a present, but it’s wonderful nonetheless. Adding frothed vanilla almond milk interestingly tastes like marshmallows. While not a “latte” in a traditional sense, Cinnamon Oatmeal Latte are a delicious alternative to your sweet or savory oats, and another way to invigorate your morning.
This Ginger Avocado Latte is the most unexpected sort of latte. It’s not how you’d think of a latte in a traditional sense. There’s no coffee or caffeine. The avocado just adds a frothy, creamy goodness. Play around with flavors of the fresh ginger like cinnamon for some spice or cardamom for a citrusy addition.
Too many carrots from your garden? Have them for breakfast as a Coconut Carrot Oatmeal Bake. What can I say? I love cardamom and the citrusy flavor it gives to the cinnamon, ginger, carrots & apple. Like my other oatmeal bakes, this is lightened up with applesauce instead of butter, coconut milk and egg whites. I love the crunch from the walnuts and carrots, and sweetness from the raisins and apple. Oatmeal bake is a great meal prep and if you can use your over in the summer, you can still enjoy the end result hot or cold. Add a little yogurt and maple syrup for a deliciously easy breakfast.
Continue reading “Toasted Coconut & Spiced Carrot Oatmeal For Breakfast”
Healthy chocolate muffins!? Is this a thing? Absolutely. I feel like I’ve been killing this muffin meal prep game. I love having these as a snack or before a workout. Mixed Berry Chocolate Protein Muffins are no exception. You satisfy your chocolate craving as a yummy breakfast or snack. I used my strawberry rhubarb compote to act as the berries, but feel free to use mashed raspberries instead; plus, I don’t know about you, but there’s something I love about the way blueberries bake into muffins.
These may not be my best looking muffins, but they’re like a chocolate chip cookie and fig newton wrapped into one. They’re dense, the figs are complimented by cardamom and the dark chocolate adds a bittersweet taste. I stumbled upon dried whole figs at a TJ Maxx/Homegoods when home in Maine, but I’m sure you can find them anywhere. As you know, I like making muffins with protein powder so they’re a bit heartier, nutrient-dense and keep me full longer. I reallyyyyy enjoyed these Chocolate Fig Protein Muffins, and they were both friend and boyfriend approved (which are both necessary measures of approval).
Mmmm, (Gluten-Free) Banana Bread. I’ve been searching for a butter-free, less added sugar banana bread and saw this version on Minimalist Baker. (MB is all about 1 pot/bowl recipes, ones involving 10 ingredients or less or a meal coming together in 30 min. Great philosophy, right?) Since this version was gluten-free, I decided to go with it. I still cut back on the added sugar, opting for less sweet taste, but the bananas still add their own sweetness. The almond flour and whole oats definitely add hearty notes to the bread. Have a slice for breakfast with a cup of coffee or one as a snack. I see some banana bread variations in the future…
Mmmmm, French toast. I don’t know the last time I had French toast. I’ve been a bit tired of omelets, quiche, avocado toast, smoothies, overnight oats…you know the drill, so I tried my hand at Multigrain French Toast with Mixed Berries. I swapped in multigrain bread, egg whites and almond milk. The multigrain bread added a gnarly texture. Top with an easy berry sauce, maple syrup and powdered sugar. Great and easy brunch!
