Perfect Guacamole

Avocados are still 5 for $5 at my local grocery store; therefore, in my opinion, they are still in season. Which means... this post is appropriate, despite the fact that tomorrow is November. Also, who doesn't like some good chips and guac while watching the football game?

This summer, I was tired of eating subpar guac that never turned out the same two times in a row from neglecting to measure the ingredients. Thus, I set out to perfect my guacamole recipe.

My family loves cilantro, so a lot of cilantro was a must. I know the like / dislike of cilantro is genetic; if you don't like cilantro, simply omit it. I like my guacamole to have a little kick, just barely, hence the cayenne pepper. Finally, this guac is also fairly lime-y, it's something everyone points out, yet they all love it and say not to change it.

I would say I reached my goal of perfecting my guacamole, so this post definitely earns the title "Perfect Guacamole," because it truly is delicious every single time.

Ingredients:

3 Avocados
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1/4 chopped tomatoes
1/4 chopped red onion
2 Tbsp lime juice (about 3/4 of a lime)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Mash avocado in a bowl using a fork
2. Stir in remaining ingredients
3. Enjoy with chips, on tacos, or anything else!

Buckwheat, Apple and Ginger Muffins

The unfinished recipe for these muffins has been sitting in my "drafts" folder for about 8 months now. I was hesitant to post it for so long because there were a few minor changes I wanted to make in order to perfect these muffins that I had never gotten around to doing last summer. Being home for easter for a couple of days, I decided I should finally get around to remaking these.

After cutting the coconut oil in half by replacing some with applesauce as well as adding a little extra ginger, these are now perfect!

These muffins definitely have a unique taste. The buckwheat gives them a nice earthy flavor. The molasses and brown sugar add the slightest bit of sweetness. Plus, of course, the ginger. Oh, the ginger. I love ginger. The chopped crystallized ginger is brilliant in adding a pop of ginger in every couple of bites; plus, the ground ginger gives them a nice ginger flavor throughout the whole muffin.

As always, these are dairy free since they use almond milk and coconut oil. If you don't have these on hand, canola oil or rice milk would also work! Although not completely gluten-free due to the spelt flour, the spelt flour can be replaced with rice flour.

Adapted from My Darling Lemon Thyme
Makes 12-14 muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup almond flour
2 Tbsp ground flax seed
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped crystalized ginger
1 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup spelt flour (or brown rice flour to make it gluten free)
1/4 cup corn starch
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch of sea salt

2 eggs, at room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp molasses
1/4 cup refined coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup almond milk, at room temp
2 medium apples, grated with skin on  (about 1 1/2 cups once grated)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin tins with 14 muffin tine liners nd set aside.
2. Whisk together flours, flax seeds, sugar, ginger and remaining dry ingredients in large bowl. Make a well in the center of the combined ingredients.
3. In a small bowl (actually use a separate bowl for this- no shortcuts), whisk together eggs, vanilla, molasses, oil, and milk. Pour mixture into dry ingredients, then add grated apple, stirring until just combined.
4. Spoon mixture evenly between muffin tins then bake for 17-21 minutes or until risen and cooked through, using a toothpick to test center of muffins.
5. Remove from oven and cool in tins for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack.

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Apple Cinnamon Bread

Fall is my favorite season. It always has been, and probably always will be. Growing up, this was because my birthday is in the Fall (October 15 to be exact). In high school, this also meant volleyball season and Friday night football games. I loved warm bonfires on a chilly night, having an excuse to drink warm drinks, and LOVED the Fall colors. Now, much of this is still the same, I love the colors, love drinking warm drinks, and shockingly, by birthday is still in the Fall. Soccer games have replaced football games (thanks Josh), and I spend a good majority of my time salivating over Fall recipes. If it has pumpkin, apple, or sweet potato in it, you better believe that recipe is getting saved to be made later. As I've mentioned previously though, I'm not a huge fan of sharing a kitchen with 300 girls (because yes, I do still live in a dorm). Therefore, these recipes pile up until I'm home for Thanksgiving, then voila! our empty kitchen turns into my test space for a week.

All that to say, this was one of the Fall themed items I made during Thanksgiving break this year. This apple bread is amazing. It's moist and soft, and I can easily eat half the loaf by myself. The type of apple used plays a key part the success of this bread. Originally, I used Braeburn apples because it was all I had on hand, but this didn't give the bread the distinct apple taste I was going for. The next time I used a sweeter Cortland apple, which gave the bread the perfect sweet, apple taste I had hoped for. At first, I had some trouble with baking the bread all the way through. The first batch crumbled at the touch of a knife because it was so moist and undone, but a couple tries later, I nailed it. The bread definitely does not rise like banana bread (it is made of nuts and oats after all), which means it is more dense than a flour-made loaf of bread.

Hope you enjoy this Fall recipe as much as I do!


Adapted from Nutrition Stripped
Makes 1 large loaf or 2 small loaves

Ingredients:

5 small (about 520g) apples
2 whole eggs + 2 egg whites
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup oat flour
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line 9 x 5 in.  or two 6 x 3 in. bread pan with parchment paper
2. In a high speed blender, combine apples, eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla and blend until smooth.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine flours with baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Stir to combine. Pour wet ingredients from the blender into the dry mixing bowl. Stir until combined into a dough. Dough should hold its shape and stick to the sides of the bowl when stirred
4. Pour the batter in prepared pan and spread evenly
5. Bake for 50-55 minutes for a large loaf or 34-45 minutes for small loaves. If bread becomes too brown while baking, cover pan with tin foil. Test bread doneness by inserting a knife or toothpick; if it comes out clean, it's done.
6. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes before inverting and slicing
7. Enjoy toasted and serve with apple butter, pumpkin butter, honey, or simply plain!
8. Store leftover bread in fridge for 4-5 days or freeze individual slices for later use. Wrap bread in air-tight cling wrap for best results then toast to reheat.

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars

My willingness to write long descriptions of my food endeavors is close to nonexistent right now. I currently have 6 recipes written up and photographed simply waiting to get a description, therefore this is going to be brief. But who wants a long intro anyways? I'd rather just get to making some yummy food!

Anyways, last week my good friend Lauren (owner of Not Your Ordinary Kitchen) came over and we whipped up these babies, along with Fig Zucchini Pasta and 2 others things (to be posted soon). Basically, these bars are good- real good. They take about 5 minutes to make and an hour in the freezer. They are very rich, so the mini bar size is perfect. Eating these is almost like eating Muddy Buddies, but in a bar- so like heaven. There we go, brief intro! Now eat up!!

Adapted from Hungry Happens
Makes 24 mini bars; 200 calories per bar

Ingredients:

1 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup dairy free chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Line and 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper
2. In a medium bowl melt peanut butter, maple syrups, and coconut oil in microwave; takes about 1 minute. Stir occasionally to keep mixture from burning.
3. Remove from microwave and mix in the rest of the ingredients.
4. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish, smoothing top with spatula. Freeze for 1-2 hours or until set.
5. Pull entire dessert out of baking dish then cut into 24 bars. Do this quickly as bars soften fast! Enjoy! Store leftover bars in airtight container in fridge.

Banana Nut Granola

Granola truly is one of the best foods. It works as breakfast with a little bit of milk, mixed into yogurt, on top of a smoothie, and is a great snack on the go as well. This granola recipe is honestly amazing. The banana really shines through and makes it naturally sweet. I'm very proud of it because it's my own recipe, and I got it right the first time! Two serious victories for me.

When making this granola, I chose to use almonds and walnuts for their mild flavor in comparison to some other nuts and seeds. They are also two of my favorite nuts to eat once they are roasted, as roasting them brings out a whole new flavor and texture. I tested the recipe with and without cinnamon; both taste great, but the little bit of cinnamon helps balance out the sweetness just a touch. Finally, most granolas would call for some sort of oil. Instead, I used almond butter, which has fat and oil in it, but also keeps the granola a little more clumpy (which I love).

While baking, be sure to mix thoroughly after the first 10 minutes or you will end up with a big granola pancake. Also, you are going to want to pull it out a little early because it starts to darken pretty quickly after the first 15 minutes. Do not do this!! Be patient and stir more frequently if it starts to darken too much. Pulling it out early will make the granola more chewy and less crunchy.

Eat up!


Makes about 5 cups; 118 calories per 1/4 cup

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
3 small very ripe bananas (or 2 large), mashed
3 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp almond butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
2. Stir oats, almonds, walnuts, and flaxseed together in large bowl.
3. Add bananas, maple syrup, and almond butter to dry ingredients, stirring thoroughly to separate all banana and almond butter chunks.
4. Divide granola into two equal parts and spread mixture evenly on each baking tray.
5. Bake for 10 minutes then stir well, breaking the granola apart as you stir. Bake for another 10-15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes so granola does not burn.

Sunny Ginger Lemonade

Spring break is upon us, which means I have spent the last few days basking in the sun and drinking cold, fruity drinks. Spring break was much needed for me this year. With school and the amount I am working, I was in need of some Arizona sun and time to relax. Arizona is one of my favorite places to go. There's great food everywhere, countless mountains for hiking, and it's the perfect temperature this time of year. 

With the amount of time I spend (sweating) in the sun, I end up drinking so much liquid. The majority is water, but this drink is a fun way to mix it up in the middle of the day. It's quick to make, and so refreshing. The ginger gives it a little kick and also gives it a little effervescence. I used strawberries because that's what we had on hand, but the original recipe used soaked goji berries, which I can only imagine would be amazing. Feel free to use agave or honey, depending on your taste and dietary (vegan) preference.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Juice from 1 large lemon

3 cups water

5 strawberries

1-2 tsp fresh grated ginger

Agave/honey to taste

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to blender and blend until liquefied

2. Fill two large glasses 2/3 full with ice and pour drink to fill cup

3. Enjoy!

Cranberry Oat Muffins

Staple recipes are something that are hard to come by in my family. Between my moms cooking and my baking, we are always trying new recipes. These oat muffins are an exception: they are a staple. Mom makes a big batch then throws them in the freezer, and we have them to pull out for breakfast on the run. I guess I'd have to say these come from My Mother's Kitchen, not mine, but I still love them enough to share. (plus they're so pretty looking)

The originally recipe called for a cup or so of oil, but one time mom accidentally forgot put the oil in. One of those freak things that usually ruins the whole batch, but in this case made them even better! Ever since then these have been oil free.

These muffins are a perfect balance of sweet and tart. The agave and oats make them sweet, then when you bite in to one of the fresh cranberries and get a little pop of tart. Like I said before, they make a large batch, 32 muffins, which makes them great for freezing and pulling out for later. 

Makes 32 muffins

115 calories per muffin 

Ingredients:

6 eggs
1 tsp baking powder 
1 tsp baking soda
1 1⁄2 cups agave syrup
1 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract 
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
4 cups rolled oats
1 cups spelt flour
2 cups fresh/frozen cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line two and a half 12-cup muffin tins with muffin liners. 
2. Combine eggs, baking powder, and soda in large bowl. Add agave syrup, vanilla, ginger and salt.
3. Blend oats into wet ingredients using spoon or whisk. Stir in flour then add cranberries.
4. Fill muffin cups 3⁄4 full with batter. Bake 15-20 Min.
5. Allow muffins to cool in pans then turn out.

Creamy Chocolate Shake

Sometimes I get this crazy chocolate shake craving. It's rare, but when it happens this is the perfect fix. Smooth, creamy, and chocolatey; this shake hits the spot every time.

The avocado is great in here because it makes it super creamy, but you can't taste it at all. If you don't have hemp protein powder, don't worry about it. I like to add it in for a little extra protein, but it's not necessary.

makes 1 large shake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 avocado
1 frozen banana OR 1 banana and 4 ice cubes
2 Tbsp hemp protein powder
1 Tbsp honey
1.5 Tbsp raw cacao powder

Directions:

1. Put all items in blender and blend until smooth.
2. Enjoy!

Graham Crackers

Graham Crackers. What's not to love? These have always been one of my weaknesses; I could literally eat them all day. They go well with coffee, milk, applesauce, yogurt, peanut butter, frosting, and of course, in s'mores. But what did I find out last week? They are made with high fructose corn syrup. This did not sit well with me. Even people who don't know a lot about nutrition know that this ingredient is bad; basically, it's a big no no. When I was talking to one of my closest friends, Lauren and she said she had made graham crackers, I knew I had to try as well. Lucky us, Lauren has a blog too, so that's where I found the recipe.

This was no easy feat though. I ended up making the recipe 3 separate times because I wanted to perfect it. Lauren made them gluten free using spelt flour, but I was in a whole wheat flour mood (which is what the original recipe uses). The first time I made them, they tasted too much like molasses cookies. The second time, they were too dry. The third time, after adjusting the molasses, coconut milk, and honey, I did it. They were perfect; or at least perfect to my tastebuds.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 + 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, separated
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbs. mollasses
3 Tbs. honey
2 Tbs. coconut oil
2 Tbs. unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbs. coconut milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine dry ingredients (except 1/2 cup extra flour), and whisk until combined.
3. Add wet ingredients, stir until combined.
4. Using the 1/2 cup of flour that was set aside, flour surface then slowly add flour to dough as needed, combining as you go, until dough is kneadable.
5. Knead dough on floured surface, using remaining flour (remember the less you touch the dough, the better). divide the dough in 2 and form into balls, let the balls of dough sit for 10 minutes.
6. Place a ball of dough on each baking sheet and roll out until 1/8 inch thick, or thinner. Once rolled out, cut into pieces using a pizza cutter and poke holes with fork ( I used a shish-kabob stick so they would look more like graham crackers, but this is more tedious). Separate the pieces from one another; this will help them bake evenly.
7. Place baking sheets in oven one at a time for 10-12 minutes, until edges are barely brown.
8. Let cool completely before storing.

Mango Cashew Coconut Bites

I currently have four recipes in my drafts, just waiting for me to finish up and post. These mango bites were one of them! I made these snacks before heading back to school after Easter. I always make a bunch of snacks that I can easily store in my dorm room or freeze and eat between meals when I am hungry. My body seems to need food every three hours-on the dot- whether I like it or not.

Once again this recipe is from Sarah at My New Roots. She made them for traveling, and I would agree that they work perfect for travel. I stored mine in my freezer at school and would just eat them frozen (mostly because I was too impatient to let them thaw). They were still soft while frozen, so it worked well.

These are so yummy, it is hard to only eat one. Be careful to not over-soak or over-process them while making them or they become too mushy and the texture of each ingredient mixes together. The pinch of salt and the lime zest really bring out each of the flavors in these bites, so don't skip out on them!

Recipe makes about 32 mango bites; 40 calories each

Ingredients:

2/3 cup raw cashews
1 cup dried mango pieces (purchase unsweetened, unsulfured)
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, plus more for garnish
1-2 tsp. honey, for sweetness if desired
seeds of 1 vanilla bean
lime zest
pinch sea salt
pinch ground turmeric (optional)

Directions:

1. Soak cashews for 3-4 hours. Drain and rinse.
2. Soak mango for 15-20 minutes until slightly softened, but not mushy.
3. In a food processor combine all ingredients except honey. Pulse to combine until a sticky dough is formed. It is important to process the minimum amount in order to keep some texture in the dough. Taste for sweetness and add honey if desired.
4. Spoon out about a ½ tablespoon amount of mixture at a time and roll into a ball with your hands. Roll in coconut to coat. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in freezer indefinitely.

*Try not to over-soak, cashews and mangoes become very mushy very quickly

Fig Newtons

Growing up I LOVED fig newtons... but Mama Wendy never bought them. They were on her list of junk food. There were a lot of foods on this list now that I come to think of it; no pop, no fruit rollups, no sugar cereal, no white bread, not even chocolate milk. But, now that I'm older, I thank her for raising us kids like this. If we're being completely honest, I will do the same with my kids. 

Lately, I've also been kind of fig obsessed. I'm not sure why I didn't discover them earlier in life. So once I found this recipe, I decided I had to make it. It fulfills my childhood craving, and my current love. As with all my recipes, I did not come up with it on my own, I found this one on My New Roots. Sarah, the author, has become someone I admire and would love to meet someday. Her recipes are always delicious, good for you, and never cease to amaze me.

These are best eaten straight from the oven, Lauren and I may or may not have eaten the whole pan the first time we made them (oops). They are the perfect cookie to satisfy that cookie craving too!

Makes 20-24 newtons

Ingredients:

Filling:

1 cup dried figs (any variety will work)

½ - ¾ cup strong-brewed rooibos tea

½ vanilla bean, scraped

2 tsp. lemon juice

pinch sea salt

Dough:

1 cup rolled oats (try half as almond flour to boost the protein)

¼ cup coconut sugar

¼ tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. salt

1 tsp. of cinnamon

1 Tbsp. maple syrup

1 ½ Tbsp. chia seeds

3 Tbsp. strong-brewed rooibos tea

3 Tbsp. coconut oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Brew the tea. Use two bags to make the tea very strong. Boil ¾ cup water and pour over the tea. Let steep for 15-20 minutes, then remove the bags or strain. Take out three tablespoons and stir in 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, set aside to gel.

2. To make the dough, blend 1 cup of rolled oats in a food processor to make a rough flour. Add coconut sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, and pulse to mix. Next add the coconut oil, chia-rooibos gel, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Pulse to mix until the mixture forms a ball. Turn out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, cover tightly and place in the fridge to chill for at least one hour (this can be done a day ahead if desired).

3. To make filling, roughly chop figs and place them in a small saucepan with ½ cup brewed tea, lemon juice, salt and scraped vanilla seeds, including the pod.  Cook over low-medium heat until the figs start to break down and the mixture thickens (about 10-15 minutes). Add more tea or water if necessary. Let cool slightly, remove vanilla pod, then blend in a food processor. You can make the filling as smooth or chunky as you like. The filling can also be made in advance, if desired.

4. Remove dough from fridge, place on a piece of parchment paper and lay another sheet on top. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out until the dough is a little larger than 4.5” x 20” To make a rectangle trim off any excess dough around the sides. Spoon fig filling along the center, then fold in both sides and press lightly to seal. Cut 20-24 pieces out and place each one, seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

5. Bake cookies in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes. Remove and let cool completely. Enjoy.

Roasting Almonds + Almond Butter

There is something about homemade almond butter. It is just so good. I made my first batch of almond butter this past fall before college and haven't turned back since. I honestly can't even eat almond butter from the store anymore because the taste just can't compare to when I make it on my own.  This recipe is so simple, everyone is surprised when they find out that the only ingredient is almonds!

Before the almond butter can be made, the almonds must be roasted. These too are delicious and I end up eating a good portion of them before they even make it in the blender. Roasting them beforehand gives the almond butter a whole new taste, maybe that's why store-bought just can't compete. Also, by roasting them many more nutrients are released! Since almonds are technically seeds, they have enzyme inhibitors on them that keep them from sprouting as they sit on the shelf. The only way to get rid of these is to soak them or roast them. Since I'm all about the nutrition aspect, this fascinates me- but not everyone... so if you want to read more Sarah Britton writes more about it here. 

Makes 1 cup of almond butter

Ingredients:

2 cups raw almonds

Directions:

1. Roast almonds by heating oven 300 F and spreading in a single layer on a metal baking sheet.

2. Roast for 18-25 minutes. Almonds will be a golden caramel color on the inside when done, test by biting in half. They can burn easily if left in for too long, so keep a careful eye.

3. Let almonds cool completely then put in a food processor (I use our Vitamix). Blend on highest speed until smooth and creamy, scraping as you go.

4. Store in an airtight container in fridge for up to 1 month

*If you want to make chunky almond butter remove 1/4 cup of almonds from the blender once almonds have been broken up a bit but before they become a powder. Stir back in when butter is finished.

**Tips for cleaning the Vitamix: Rinse with water and get big chunks out with fingers. Fill with warm, soapy water and blend on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Rinse. Repeat if necessary.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

This one is a staple in the Hawkins' household. I can't even tell you how much hummus we go through. In the summers, when red peppers are in-season, we make our own. Last summer, I tried four different recipes, messed with the ingredient proportions of them all, and finally came upon what I like to call "the perfect hummus." Not going to lie, I brag about how good my hummus is a lot- but then again, so does my family- so it must be pretty dang good.

Eventually I will get my own picture. It's a working progress.

There are two keys to making this recipe delicious: roasting your own peppers, and using cayenne pepper. Peppers from a jar really cannot compare in taste to roasting your own. Also, the cayenne pepper adds a little kick- not a lot- just a little. We're not talking spicy here, just a little edge.

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves

1.5-2 cups cooked chickpeas (15oz can)

3 roasted red peppers

1/4 cup tahini

5 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)

2 Tbsp water

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste

1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

       

Directions: 

1. Roast red peppers by pithing each pepper and cutting in 3 pieces. Place on pizza stone covered in tin foil.
2. Put in oven on 2^nd highest rack at 500 degrees on broil for 15 minutes until blackened.
3.Take out and wrap in tin foil for 20-25 minutes to soften skin. Peel and throw away skin.
4. Place all ingredients in food processer (I use our vita-mix) and blend until smooth.