Multigrain Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

I really need to start eating pancakes more often.

Especially when they are chocked full of the good stuff.  Local eggs, organic yogurt, local apples, and a blend of whole wheat and barley flour to give them some personality. 

Top them with pats of unsalted butter and a generous pour of real maple syrup.

Make a strong pot of coffee or tea. Or better yet, make some mulled hot cider. Maybe throw in a shot of whiskey. I won't tell anyone.

Share these with someone you love.  Or eat them all yourself (not in one sitting, although according to my husband it can be done).

Adapted from this recipe from smitten kitchen.  I swapped out the lemon and blueberries for apples and cinnamon.  This is my new go-to pancake recipe, so next time I may try replacing some of the whole wheat flour with another alternative flour, like millet or quinoa flour just to switch it up a bit.

Multigrain Apple Cinnamon Pancakes (makes 10- 4" pancakes) 


2 eggs
1 c. whole milk yogurt
2 T. almond milk (cows milk or any other alternative milk will work)
3 T. butter, plus extra for greasing pan
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. unbleached wheat flour
1/4 c. barley flour
2 T. organic sugar
1 T. + 1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. sea salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 apple, peeled and diced (about 1 c.)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
Heat half the butter in a small pan over medium heat. When it has melted, add it to the other half of the butter and stir until melted.  In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the eggs and yogurt.  Add the butter, vanilla and milk.  Stir to combine. In a separate bowl, mix together the flours, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  Pour the dry mixture into the wet and stir just to combine.
Heat a cast iron skillet or non stick pan over medium low heat.  Swirl a little butter around the pan and ladle a scant 1/4 c. batter at a time, leaving a bit of room between each pancake.  Flatten the pancakes out a bit with the back of a spoon and scatter some apple pieces on top of each one. Cook for 3-4 minutes each side, or until bubbles form on top and the pancakes become dry along the edges. Flip and then cook for an additional 3 minutes on the other side.  Transfer pancakes to a sheetpan and place in the oven to keep warm and repeat with remaining batter.
Serve with butter and maple syrup or whatever works for you.

Pizza with Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onions and Fried Sage

Another unconventional pizza.

No sauce. No mozzarella.

Not that there is anything wrong with that...

I just like to pimp up my pizzas with fresh seasonal ingredients.... shaved asparagus pizza in the spring and toppings like corn and zucchini at the peak of summer.  With the copious amounts of butternut squash kicking around the house (I swear I ate it at six different meals the past week) and a fierce craving for pizza.. this little gem was born.

This can come together really quickly if you have some pre roasted butternut squash on hand.  I like to roast a bunch up and use it to make a quick salad or pasta dish... or give it to my dogs for a little snackaroo. 
If you don't have any on hand, you just need to peel it, cube it, toss it with some olive oil, salt and pepper and roast it for 25 minutes or so at 425 degrees.  The most labor intensive part is the peeling and chopping, but with a good peeler and a sharp knife you should have no problem.

Now... onto the caramelized onions.. They take a little bit of time, but most of it is hands off (with the exception of an occasional stir).  They cook down like crazy so I use alot more than I think i will need. Three cups of sliced onions will yield roughly 1/2 -3/4 c. of caramelized onions.  With this pizza, the more onions, the better!

For the cheese I used nettle meadow farms fromage blanc.  It's very neutral flavored, almost like a chevre but not as creamy.. but not in a bad way.  They are a little pricy, but I like to buy their cheeses because they are local and freaking delicious.


Pizza with butternut squash, caramelized onions and fried sage (makes 2- 10" pizzas)

1 batch of thin crust pizza
1 lb. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
3 c. sliced onion
2 c. fresh spinach
3-4 oz. fromage blanc, chevre (goat cheese) or feta
1/2 c. grated pecorino romano or parmesan
8 sprigs of fresh sage
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Place peeled, chopped butternut squash on a sheetpan and drizzle with 2-3 T. olive oil, and a liberal amount of salt and pepper.
Roast for 20-25 minutes until fork tender.
Meanwhile, heat 1-2 T. olive oil in a sautee pan over medium heat.  Add your onions, a pinch of salt and pepper and stir to coat the onions with the oil. Reduce the heat to medium low and stir onions every five minutes or so.  If they begin to stick you can add a splash of water and continue to stir.  Cook the onions for 20-25 minutes until they turn a medium shade of brown.  Set aside.
To fry the sage, heat 1/2 T. olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat.  Add the sage and fry until crispy, about 1 minute. Transfer to a paper towel to drain.

To prepare the pizza, roll out the crust. Drizzle 1/2 T. olive oil on the crust and spread out with your fingers. Add the spinach, followed by the onions, butternut squash, and fromage blanc. Bake according to the thin crust recipe above, or until the crust is browned. Crumble the sage and scatter it over the pizza along with a dusting of pecorino romano and salt and pepper, to taste

...up close and personal...

Whole Wheat Millet Muffins

I like to call 'em birdseed muffins..

Millet is a delicious grain that, in my opinion, is under appreciated.  It's a whole grain, chocked full of fiber and magnesium and is gluten free.
You can cook it up as a breakfast porridge and top it with fruit (fresh or dried), nuts or seeds and your favorite milk and/or sweetner, much like you would with oatmeal.  It can be used as substitute for rice or ground to a flour to be used in baked goods. I like to throw some whole uncooked millet into my breads and muffins for a little crunch and texture.

I've been trying to add more alternative grains to my diet... like quinoa, amaranth and farro, so I bought a crapload of millet and searched the internet for something fun and healthy to make.

I came up with these muffins from Heidi Swansons recipe sampler over at 101 cookbooks. 
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/super-natural-every-day-six-recipe-sampler-recipe.html

Yeah, the recipe calls for a stick of butter...but they also have yogurt, honey and whole wheat pastry flour.  Much, much healther than a muffin made with white flour, sugar and vegetable oil.

When you tell your friends you are eating a millet muffin, they will think you are super healthy and awesome.

Millet Muffins (makes 1 dozen muffins)

2 1/4 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 c. millet
1 t. baking powder
1 t. soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. yogurt (I used whole milk yogurt because it's delicious)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c. barely melted butter
1/2 c. honey
grated zest and juice from 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin tins with papers. In a large bowl combine the flour, millet, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together the yogurt, eggs, butter, honey and lemon juice/zest. Add the wet to the dry and mix until everything comes together (don't overmix). Add 1/4 c. of batter to each muffin tin.  Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned and cracks just begin to form. Let cool for five minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. 

Butternut and root vegetable soup

It may look like baby food.

It's not.

It's soup.

Soups are one of my favorite fall/winter time dishes.  Throw a bunch of vegetables/ beans in a pot. Add some stock. Cook it while you snuggle on the couch, drink wine and facebook stalk people from your past.

In no time you'll have a bowl of piping hot deliciousness. 

This soups has fall written all over it.  Look closely.

Butternut squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips... some stock and a little onion and thyme.

The great thing about soups is that they can be made with whatever you have lying around the house.  I just happened to have all of these vegetables on hand. Don't like parnips, leave 'em out. No broccoli, so what.. I just added it to bump up the nutritional content.

Butternut and root vegetable soup (serves 2-3)

2 c. butternut squash
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 large parsnip
1 medium potato
3 medium carrots
1 small onion, diced
1 c. broccoli floretts
vegetable stock (or broth)
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 t. dried thyme, or more to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

Peel the carrots, potato, sweet potato, parsnip and butternut squash and cut into 2 inch pieces.  Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and sautee 3-4 minutes.  Stir in the carrots, sweet potato, potato, parnip, and butternut squash, thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add enough vegetable stock to just cover the vegetables.  Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables can be easily pierced with a fork (about 20 minutes). Add the broccoli, turn off the heat and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.  Scoop vegetables, along with a little bit of the cooking broth into a blender and blend until creamy, adding additional broth if the soup seems to thick.  Pour into a separate soup pot, and repeat with the remaining vegetables. You may not use all of the broth, depending on how thick you like your soup.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and reheat if necessary.

Roasted Roots

Yup. Fall is officially here.  When squash, apples and brussel sprouts push out the corn, zucchini and peaches I know it's time. 

I'm breaking out the red wine, drinking cider and eating apples like they are going out of style, and trading in light summer dishes for more hearty comfort foody delights. 

Root vegetables are in abundance right now... potatoes, parsnips, turnips, rutabeggas, along with squash and pumpkins.

Not only are they nutrient dense, but they are cheap, filling and they can kick around the house without dying or rotting in a couple days which is nice with my erratic schedule. 

You can mash 'em, make soup, throw 'em in a salad, or roast 'em up (my preparation of choice).

Roasting concentrates the sugars and makes them taste like candy.

Not really candy. But, they taste dee-licious.


Roasted Roots (serves 6 as a side, 3 as a main)

2 medium carrots
1 large parnip
2 medium sized sweet potatoes
1 medium yukon gold potato
1 medium turnip
1 medium rutabegga
1/4 c. olive oil
2 T. fresh chopped rosemary and/or thyme
sea salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425.
Peel all your vegetables and cut into 1-2 inch pieces (try to make them all around the same size so they cook evenly). Place in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss with rosemary and/ or thyme. Season with salt and pepper.. I would go with 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. black pepper to start (you can always add more later when the roots are fully cooked). Spread onto a sheetpan and bake for 30-40 minutes, until fork tender and lightly browned. 

* you can use any type of root vegetable you like... beets (golden or red) or butternut squash are also super tasty.

* this is great as a side dish. I decided to make it the star of the show and served it with some roasted brussel sprouts and quinoa 'cause that's how I do.

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...

pizza with zucchini, corn, feta and cilantro

The full title should actually read: thin crust pizza with zucchini, fresh corn, red onion, jalapenos, lime, feta, cilantro, and black wax pecorino romano with roasted garlic oil.
Yeah, there is alot going on here.

Fortunately, this is one of those recipes that comes together in no time. A little bit of slicing and dicing and a quick, no rise pizza crust and you are good to go. It honestly takes less time than ordering takeout... unless, of course you live next to a pizza joint.  But I'm guessing you don't.

This came together based on one of the pizzas at the famous Berkeley, California institution, The Cheeseboard Collective http://cheeseboardcollective.coop/pizza.
If you live in Berkeley or any where near Berkeley (I'm talkin' a 60 mile radius), do yourself a favor and hit up the joint.  It is probably hands down one of my top three pizzas evah.
And...I'm a New Yorker so I don't play when it comes to pizza..

This recipe is pretty versatile. Use as much or as little toppings as you prefer.  I heart vegetables and cheese so I went a little heavy on both...

Thin crust pizza with zucchini, corn, feta and cilantro (serves 2-4 people)

1 batch thin crust pizza (i like this one: http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/main-dish/recipe-homemade-thin-crust-pizza-045499)
1 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4" rounds
1-1/2 c. fresh corn (about 2 ears)
1/4 small red onion, sliced
1/2 c. feta, crumbled
1/2 c. grated pecorino romano
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped
1-2 jalapenos, seeds removed, diced
2-3 T. roasted garlic oil or extra virgin olive oil
juice from 1 lime
salt and pepper, to taste

Roll out your pizza crust.  Spread a layer of garlic oil on the bottom, just enough to coat the dough. Scatter the jalapenos on the dough. In a small bowl, toss the zucchini, corn and red onion with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Pile the toppings on the dough, followed by the feta.  Bake on a pizza stone until the edges of the crust are browned and the cheese is nice and melty. Top with the grated pecorino, cilantro, a squeeze of lime and a drizzle of roasted garlic oil or olive oil.  Sprinkle some salt and pepper on that pie and you're in business.