Zucchini Bread

There is a brief moment in time, usually the middle to end of September, where the last of the summer produce sits alongside the first harvest of winter squash, pumpkins and apples.  The days still creep up into the upper 70’s, but the mornings and evenings are cooling down, for sure.  A warming corn chowder starts to sound a little more appealing than corn on the cob.  A salad of fresh picked tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella doesn’t sound nearly as appetizing as some hearty bitter greens sautéed with garlic and white beans served with a nice hunk of garlic bread.           

As much as I’m craving kabocha squash, apple cider donuts and roasted Brussels sprouts, I’m trying to cram as much zucchini, eggplant, cucumbers and bell peppers in my mouth as possible.  In a couple more weeks, it’s gonna be squash season until April, so I’m enjoying what I can get until it’s gone.

Luckily, I have several friends that know what the hell they are doing in a garden (unlike myself)and always have an excess of basil, cherry tomatoes, summer squash and zucchini that they are more than willing to give away.

Unfortunately, once I am given all these free vegetables I sometimes have a difficult time using them up before they make their way into the compost bin.  Basil is a no brainer. Freeze it or make an ass ton of pesto and eat it all week long.  Cherry tomatoes can be roasted and thrown into a quick pasta with some of that fresh basil.  Zucchini is one of those vegetables that can be grilled, stuffed or grated and made into fritters. Really, though..my favorite way to eat the stuff is in the form of bread.

I’ve been on the quest to find a tasty, zucchini bread that has SOME redeeming nutritional benefits.  That way when I eat over a half a loaf in a day (breakfast, afternoon snack and as an after dinner treat) I feel no gulit or remorse whatsoever.

Whole wheat flour, walnuts, zucchini, eggs... healthy, right?

Whatever...It could be worse.

Zucchini Bread (makes 2 loaves)

Slightly adapted from 101 cookbooks

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts, plus a few to sprinkle on top
1/3 cup poppy seeds
zest of two lemons
1/2 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups grated zucchini (about 3 medium), skins on, squeeze some of the moisture out and then fluff it up again before using
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Butter the two loaf pans, dust them with a bit of flour and set aside. In a small bowl combine the walnuts, poppy seeds, lemon zest, and ginger. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat again until mixture comes together and is no longer crumbly. Add the eggs one at a time mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition. Stir in the vanilla and then the zucchini.

In a separate bowl, combine the whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches, stirring between each addition.

By hand, fold in the walnut, poppy seed, lemon zest, and crystalized ginger mixture. Save a bit of this to sprinkle on the tops of the zucchini loaves before baking for a bit of texture. Avoid over mixing the batter.

Divide the batter equally between the two loaf pans. Make sure it is level in the pans, by running a spatula over the top of each loaf. Bake for about 40-45 minutes on a middle oven rack. Remove from the oven and cool the zucchini bread in pan for about ten minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to finish cooling.

Buckwheat Flax Crackers

A cracker that's 100% raw, super healthy and DOESN'T taste like cardboard...

Possible?

Why, yes..

Very possible, indeed...

Sprouted Buckwheat makes up the bulk of these tasty little nibbles. Flax seed, carrot pulp (leftover from juicing), some olive oil and spices give these crackers great flavor and pack a huge nutritional punch.

Buckwheat is a gluten free grain (despite the name) containing eight essential amino acids. It is known to balance the mood due the high amounts of the amino acid, tryptophan and is also high in calcium, iron and vitamins B and E. It's alkalizing (unlike most grains that contain gluten) and is a slow releasing carbohydrate, giving you long lasting energy and if eaten regularly, can lower cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Sprouted buckwheat is packed with live enzymes and vital nutrients, pimpin' up the nutritional benefits of this healthy little grain.

Wanna sprout some buckwheat? Let's get started...

Place 1 1/2 c. buckwheat into a large bowl or sprouting jar.
Add 2-3 times the amount of cool water and give it a stir.
Soak for 6 hours.
Drain in a fine mesh strainer and rinse REALLY well. Buckwheat becomes gelatinous when soaked, so don't be alarmed if it seems slimy, just make sure your grains are rinsed thouroughly.
Place in a large mesh strainer (or colander) and cover with a piece of cheesecloth. Rinse and drain your buckwheat every 4 hours (I usually do this three times). 8-12 hours after your final rinse, you should start to see little tails. Give one more final rinse and your buckwheat is ready to use. 

Buckwheat Flax Crackers

1 1/2 c. raw buckwheat groats
1/2 c. ground flaxseed
1 1/2 c. carrot pulp
2 t. sea salt
1 1/2 T. Italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 T. extra virgin olive oil

Soak and sprout buckwheat according to the directions above. Place buckwheat, flaxseed, carrot pulp, sea salt, Italian seasoning, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Add half of the mixture to a food processor and process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remainaing mixture. Stir the mixture thoroughly. With a rubber spatula, spread the mixture onto teflex sheets, about 1/4" thick (I got three trays worth). Score the crackers into desired shapes with a butter knife. You could do basic squares or triangles, or make larger shapes to use a a raw pizza cracker base. Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 8 hours, then transfer to mesh trays. Dehydrate an additional 10 hours, or until crackers are crispy.

Oatmeal Chia Chocolate Balls

It's 8:27 p.m.
You are craving chocolate (more specifically, chocolate chip cookies) like nobodys business.

Option number 1:  Throw on several layers of clothes (hey, it's cold out there) and haul ass to the grocery store, only to lose your parking spot, having to park four blocks away upon your return.

Option number 2: Beg your significant other or housemate to go the store for you. Bribe them.

Option number 3: Peel your butt of the couch and make these oatmeal chia chocolate balls! They take around 10 minutes from start to finish and are loads healthier than eating the real deal.

I'm not going to lie and say these taste like chocolate chip cookies, 'cause they don't. If you are expecting a sugar/white flour/butter bomb (which I do love on occasion) then these aren't for you.

But... if you are looking for something quick to satisfy that sweet tooth, that is actually healthy for you, and isn't a piece of fruit, then these are the treats for you!


Let's talk superfoods.

We've got dates, oats, raw cacao, chia seeds and some lucuma powder.

Dates are a great source of fiber and contain high amounts of potassium, magnesium, and B vitamins. They are also a great natural source of energy as they have natural food based sugar like glucose, sucrose and fructose, making them perfect when you need a quick boost without the crash.

Oats help to lower cholesterol, boost immuinity and help stabilize blood sugar. They contains loads of soluble fiber and contain high amounts of vitamin E, zinc, selenium, iron and magnesium and have a good amount of protein. Now you know why you start your day with a bowl of oatmeal!

Raw cacao (unprocessed chocolate) contains high amounts of anti-oxidants and is one of the best sources of magnesium (which happens to be the most deficient mineral in the diet of modern cultures. Magnesium helps to relax muscles, improve digestion and is benefical to the heart and cardiovascular system. Chocolate gets a bad reputation for causing weight gain, cavities and diabetes, which only occurs when you add dairy, sugar and other fillers.  Chocolate in it's unprocessed form, however can help you LOSE weight (because of it's high chromium content) prevent cavities (theobromine actually kills one of the strains of bacteria that causes tooth decay) and can regulate blood sugar (again, due to the chromium content) which is beneficial for diabetes.

Chia seeds (ch-ch-ch chia) are the best source of omega 3 fatty acids with high amounts of calcium, protein, fiber, antioxidants and other vitamins and minerals. They help improve stamina, digestion and help reduce cravings because of their high levels of soluble fiber.

Lucuma powder is made from the subtropical fruit of the pouteria lucuma tree native to Peru and Equador. It has a sweet, almost butterscoth like flavor and is high in calcium, magnesium and potassium and iron. It has anti-inflammatory properties and helps boost immunity.



Oatmeal Chia Chocolate Bites (makes 8 balls, or 16 little bites)
Adapted from Tasty-yummies


6 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1 1/4 c. oats
1/3 c. raw cacao nibs
1 T. chia seeds
1/2 t. lucuma powder (optional)
2 T. honey
1/4 t. vanilla extract
1-2 T. water (if needed)


Place the pitted chopped dates in the food processor with 1 T. water and the vanilla extract and process to create a uniform paste, scraping down the sides, as needed. If the mixture seems a little dry, add a bit more water.
Add 1 c. of the oats, chia seeds, honey, and lucuma (if using) and process until combined. Add the raw cacao nibs and the remaining 1/4 c. oats and pulse to combine. If the dough seems too dry, add a bit more water. If it's too goopy add a bit more oats.


Roll mixture into balls with the palms of your hands (I used 1 T. for the small bites and 2 T. for the larger ones). Allow them to chill for 20 minutes in the frige before digging in.
Store in an airtight container for up five days in the refigerator.

Easy.

Now go and satisfy that craving with zero effort and zero guilt.

Spirulina Cacao Goji Treats

Superfood crackalicious balls of energy.

Yeah, we're about to get crazy here.

These tasty treats will give you superpowers.

No Joke.

O.K......Maybe they won't give you superpowers, but they WILL make you feel amazeballs, give you a boost of energy and supply your body with antioxidants, chlorophyll, omega 3 fatty acids, fiber, and a crapload of vitamins and minerals.

Spirulina Cacao Goji Treats (makes 6-8 balls)
From Meghan Telpner


1/2 c. raw cacao, ground to a coarse powder
1/4 c. goji berries, ground to a fine powder
1/4 c. hemp seeds
2 T. coconut oil (in liquid form)
2 T. honey
2 T. spirulina
1 T. chia seeds
1 T. rice bran
pinch of sea salt
1/4 t. vanilla extract


Mix all ingredients together thoroughly.
Roll 1-2 T. mixture into balls.
Freeze for 20 minutes.
Store in the fridge.

Kale Chips

I am one of those people that (on most occasions) would rather dig into a bowl of kale than eat, fresh baked cookies or ice cream or chocolate. For some reason I get fierce cravings for the stuff and can pack away an entire bunch in one sitting.

Why? Because I'm hardcore.

Yeah, I realize I'm pretty much in the minority here. 

Getting people to LIKE kale, let alone choose kale over a bag of kettle krinkle cut salt and pepper potato chips (which I'm currently obsessed with, by the way) is not easy.

Enter kale chips.

Ok, so they don't taste like potato chips, I'm not trying to kid anyone here. But, they are salty and crunchy and addictive. I've been known to inhale an entire batch in ten minutes, flat.

The best part. Zero guilt.

Olive oil, salt and lemon and a buttload of chlorophyll.

These couldn't be easier to make. I used my food dehydrator, but I'm sure you could make them in the oven.  Just follow the directions below and bake 'em.  I'm guessing maybe 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Then again, I've never made them this way so keep your eye on them. Some blackened foods are delicious, but kale isn't one of them!

Remove the stem and cut into small pieces (about 2-3" in size).

Break out some lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt.

Place kale in a large bowl. Drizzle some olive oil on the kale (enough to moisten) along with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Massage the kale with your hands until nice and soft (about a minute or so). Taste and add more lemon and salt if desired. 

Spread kale in a single layer onto mesh dehydrator trays (I used three trays for one large bunch of kale). Dehydrate for one hour at 145 degrees.  Turn the heat down to 115 degrees and continue to dehydrate until kale is nice and crispy (about 4-5 hours).

Pumpkin, Sunflower and Flax seed butter

When it comes to nut butters, most people ride the peanut butter train.  I don't blame them.  It's cheap, easy, and healthy.  It is also good to give to your dogs when they are running laps around the house trying to kill each other.  It's like a spoonful of valium for them.

I'm a fan of peanut butter myself, but there are a whole lotta other nut and seed butters out there that are worth exploring... cashew, almond, sunflower, pumpkin seed, hemp seed etc...
Each one has a unique flavor and offers different health benefits... and different price tags!

My latest obsession has been sunflower seed butter.  I had been shelling out six dollars a pound for this stuff... whereas, one pound of sunflower seeds only cost a buck and some change.

You do the math.

I figured I would try making it at home.

Why not?

I was going to use straight up sunflower seeds which, by the way, are great for you.. They are high in vitamin E (good for the skin) and magnesium (good for frazzled nerves) and they help to lower cholesterol.

To up the nutritional profile I added some pumpkin seeds (aka pepitas) and ground flax seed.

Pumpkin seeds are a great source of magnesium too, as well as iron and zinc. They are good for the prostate (eat up boys!) and have anti-inflammatory effects for people with arthritis.

Flax seed is pimpin' in terms of nutritonal benefits.  It contains alpha linolenic acid, an omega 3 fat, which has anti-inflammatory effects, protects against heart disease, cancer, diabetes and helps to control high blood pressure.  It's high in fiber and is particularly rich in lignans, which can help protect women from developing breast cancer.  It's also super cheap.  Add some ground flax to a smoothie or oatmeal. Sprinkle some on a salad or make some delicious sunflower, pumpkin and flax seed butter, and do your body a favor!

Pumpkin, Sunflower and Flax Seed Butter (makes 1 1/4 c.)

Based on this recipe:
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/diy-recipe/recipe-pumpkinsunflowerflax-seed-butter-154946

1 c. raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 c. raw sunflower seeds
1/4 c. ground flax seed
6 T. sunflower oil (I used more than the original recipe.  The amount you use mary vary depending on how creamy you like it!)
a pinch of salt

Toast the sunflower and pumpkin seeds in a skillet over low heat until fragrant. Set aside to cool.  Place the seeds along with the ground flax in a food processor and process for a minute.  Scrape down the sides.  With the processor running, stream in the oil a little at a time until it becomes creamy, scraping down the bottom and the sides as needed. Add the salt and process again.

Be sure to share some with your dogs...

corn fritters

So crispy. So good.

I headed to the farmers market with $20 in hand.  I had to practice some restraint because I could easily drop $100 on food, no joke. The markets in upstate NY are pretty abundant this time of year, compared to say, January where potatoes and cabbage are your only choices.  I picked up a couple ears of corn, a bunch of radishes, arugula, a quart of peaches, basil, parsley, some local bread and fresh mozzarella for $17!  Shazzam!
These fritters are super easy, they take less than 10 minutes to throw together and another 10 to cook. 

Corn fritters (makes 6-8 3" fritters)

1/2 c. flour (I used white spelt, but you could use all purpose)
3/4 c. cornmeal
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. cumin
1/4 t. smoked paprika
1/2 c. almond milk (or soymilk, rice milk.. or just plain 'ol milk)
1/4 c. water
2 c. fresh corn
3 scallions, sliced
1/3 c. cilantro, chopped
1 small jalapeno, minced
grapeseed oil (or any neutral oil) for frying

Combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, cumin, and smoked paprika in a large bowl.  Stir in the almond milk and water, creating a smooth batter. Fold in the corn, jalapeno, scallion and cilantro.
Heat a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan over medium high heat.  Add 1 T. of oil.  When the oil is hot drop 3-4 large spoonfulls of batter into the pan.  Cook 3-4 minutes or until the bottom is lightly browned.  Flip and cook an additional 3-4 minutes.  Trasfer to a plate line with a paper towel to absorb any extra oil.  Repeat with the remaining batter.

You could serve these as an appetizer or alongside a hearty bowl of black bean soup or chili.  I threw together a simple arugula salad with some radishes that were part of my farmers market loot.

When life gives you avocados.....

MAKE GUACAMOLE!!!

Seriously. 

Avocados are pretty much like food from the heavens.  They are high in good fats (monosaturated).  These kind of fats make your heart tick and help to lower cholesterol.  Avocados are also also high in potassium and are great source of vitamin E.. which gives you shiny hair and makes your skin glow.

I like my guacamole pretty unadulterated.  Some people like to add tomatoes or salsa or garlic or other things that don't belong.  Nope.  I keep it simple.

Five Minute Guacamole (serves two.. or one if you're like me)

1 avocado
1/4 c. diced red onion
2 T. chopped cilantro
1 small jalapeno, minced
1 lime, juiced
salt, to taste

Mash avocado with a fork.  Add remaining ingredients.

Grab a bag of tortilla chips.  I like the blue ones, 'cause they're pretty.
Dip. Eat. Repeat.

Edamame Hummus

Every so often I get a fierce craving for hummus.  Sure, I could shell out $5 for some sabra hummus (which, by the way is like creamy chicpea crack), but I'm usually way too lazy to go the store and it's waaaaay cheaper to make at home.  Traditionally, hummus is made with garbanzo beans, but as my luck would have it, there were none in the house.  Enter the edamame bean. 

Edamame, which translates to "twig bean" are young green soybeans cropped with it's twig (eda="twig" + mame=bean). They are high in protein and fiber, low in fat and make a killer hummus!

Edamame Hummus (makes 1 c.)

1 c. frozen shelled edamame
1 1/2 T. tahini
1 lemon, juiced
1-2 cloves chopped garlic
2 T. chopped parsley
1 T. chopped chives or scallions
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. cracked black pepper
2 T. olive oil

Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil.  Add edamame, bring to a boil and cook for three minutes.  Drain and "shock" in a bowl of ice water (this helps the edamame retain it's bright color and cools them quickly).  Once your beans have cooled (this only takes a couple minutes), drain again and place in a food processor with the tahini, lemon, garlic, salt and pepper.  With the motor running stream in the olive oil.  Scrape down the sides and pulse a couple more times.  I like my hummus a little chunky.  If you like a creamier dip give it a whirl for another 15 seconds.  Add the parsley and chives and pulse a couple times to incorporate. 

This dip is super tasty with raw veggies, or can be used as a sandwich spread.  I took the lazy route and tore open a bag of multigrain pita chips.
Craving. Satisfied.