Chocolate Pancakes ~ Worth Writing About

Life cycles. The past year and a half has kept me pedaling at break neck speed trying to keep up with all the roles I've chosen to nourish in my life. Unfortunately there isn't always time for everything. Sometimes we have to put things on the back burner for a little while until we can catch up. Inspired cooking has been one of the things I've had to sacrifice a little bit lately. But, an unexpected "snow day*" left a little space for extra family time that I was happy to spend in the kitchen. The time spent cooking with my daughter AND these delicious, and not to sweet chocolate pancakes, were totally worth writing about!


Bela is already capable all on her own in the kitchen. It's always more fun, though, to cook with a friend. She is well on her way to posting some of her own cooking adventures on here soon I think. We picked out, modified a bit, and whipped up these heavenly pancakes inspired from the recipe posted below. 

Divine (but not TOO sweet) Chocolate Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 + 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 1 cup lite coconut milk 
• 1 cup almond milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

• Stir together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder. 
• In separate bowl, combine eggs, milks, and vanilla.
• Stir until ingredients are combined and batter is smooth.
• Preheat a skillet on medium heat. Drop a pat of butter or cooking oil to coat pan. Spoon 1/4 cup of batter on skillet and cook until bubbles form (about 2-3 minutes). Flip and cook until lightly browned (about 1 minute).
• The chocolate and sweetness is pretty subtle. To make them extra special today we added a dollop of cream and an extra sprinkle of cinnamon and cocoa.

This recipe serves 3-4 (about 12 pancakes) and is adapted from a "Chocolate French Silk Pancakes"
recipe that we found at: http://thewhimsicalcupcake.wordpress.com/2011/02/12/chocolate-french-silk-pancakes/#comments.

*Even though it's not really snowing, school is closed because of "excessive cold." These pancakes and time together sure did bring warm smiles to our faces.

Guilt-Free and Delicious ~ Peanut Butter, Banana, and Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Earlier this week I made up my own vegan muffin recipe and I am going to roll with this concept. Nut butter and mashed fruit form the base for these guilt-free muffins! This recipe is made especially for my little man!

~ Oven to 350°
~ Prepare muffin tins by coating with oil or cooking spray.
(You could also make this in a 4x9 loaf tin. Just cook it a little longer. Or use mini-muffin tins and bake only about 8 minutes.)

Prepare the wet mix in a wide mixing bowl. Combine:

• mash 1 medium size banana
• 1/2 nut butter (peanut butter today**)
• 1 cup "milk" of choice (it's soy here)

Prepare your dry ingredients in a separate medium/large mixing bowl.
Combine:

• 2 cups of flour of choice 
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks (if you are cooking for a strict vegan make sure to get vegan chocolate chips!)

Make a well in the center of the dry mix, pour in the wet mix, and stir just until combined. Scoop your mixture evenly in to your tins and bake at 350 for about 8 - 10 minutes. Put a fork in it. When it comes out clean, they are ready.


Believe it! no eggs, no dairy, no gluten (if you used a gluten-free mix), very low sugar, and no sacrificing taste! Enjoy with your kids.


**Peanut butter is one of those foods that is probably worth paying for the organic version. Most peanuts (except organic) are genetically modified. If that word doesn't scare you, I don't know what will. 

Zippy Vegan Sunrise Muffins (Only good stuff in these babies!)

Breakfast today. January 20th. Happy birthday sis! Wish I was with you to celebrate.

~ Oven to 350°
~ Prepare muffin tins by coating with oil or cooking spray.
~ (You could also make this in a 4x9 loaf tin. Just cook it a little longer.)

Prepare your dry ingredients in a medium/large mixing bowl.
Combine:

• 2 cups of flour of choice (I'm using a gluten-free mix today)
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• zest of one orange (juice the orange juice and set aside for your wet mix)
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom (opt. - I just love this flavor but it's potent - my kids aren't as crazy for it)

Prepare your optional mix-ins

This batter will hold about a cup of whatever you might want to add.

Today I'm using:

• 1 very small apple, peeled because it was nasty waxy, and diced
• 1 large handful of walnuts, chopped
• 2 handfuls of fresh cranberries, cut in half (in summer I might use cherries)

Drop your mix-ins into your dry ingredients and stir to combine.

Prepare the wet mix:

• juice of one orange
• 1/4 nut butter (I'm using almond butter)
• 1/4 cup applesauce (mashed banana will also work)
• 1 cup "milk" of choice (it's soy for me today)

Make a well in the center of the dry mix, pour in the wet mix, and stir just until combined. Scoop your mixture evenly in to your tins and bake at 350 for about 8 - 10 minutes. Put a fork in it. When it comes out clean, they are ready.

Hope you have a great day today!

Wheat-Free Orange Oatmeal Drop Biscuits

Prep. Work:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Line a cookie sheet with a non-stick Silpat pad or parchment paper.
Zest and juice 1 orange - set aside in separate containers.
In a small container, add 1/4 orange juice to 1/2 cup "milk" of choice (I'm using soy milk) - set aside.


Prepare your dry mixture:
In a mixing bowl, combine:
3/4 cup oat flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour or potato starch*
2 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
zest of one orange
ginger optional (1/4 cup crystallized ginger chopped fine, 1/2 inch piece of grated fresh ginger, or use 1 tsp. dried ginger)


Make sure dry mix is combined well and then add:
1/2 cup oats*


"Cut" butter into your dry mixture. 
If you are cooking vegan, you can use Earth Balance or some other veggie butter replacement. 

Cut 4 Tb. of cold butter medium sized chunks. Add the chunks of butter to your dry mixture. Use a pastry cutter or 2 knives to chop your butter up into tiny pieces that combine with your flour mix.

Visit my pastry cutting entry for a little more info if you need it (to come - for now you can google it;-) This process is what helps make pastry more flaky.

Add 1/2 cup of your milk/oj mix. 
Don't be surprised! The milk is curdled and it's good to go.

• Mix the 1/2 cup milk mix and dry ingredients. If the mixture is not sticking together yet, add a bit more milk mix. You may not use all the milk mix.

Drop the dough onto your prepared pan.

I use an ice-cream scoop to drop the biscuits onto the pan. The lever helps release the dough from the scoop. You could use a large table spoon though too.

Bake biscuits for about 8 minutes in 350° oven. They will be golden on the bottom and still light on top. Stick a fork in it. If it comes out clean, they are done. You'll need a plate for these biscuits. They are on the crumbly side but quite delish with all the health benefits of a bowl of morning oatmeal.

*It's the gluten in wheat (and a few other grains) that helps the dough stick. Tapioca Flour and Potato Starch replace the gluten. If you don't want to use the flour replacers and your not worried about gluten just 1 cup of regular all-purpose flour. Keep in mind that if gluten is an issue, you need to be careful of the oats and oat flour. If you look you can find gluten-free oats and then use another gluten-free flour.

I have to admit these biscuits need a little work. The taste is great but the texture is a little gummy. This is the challenge of gluten-free. Maybe a little less potato starch next time?

Holiday Cranberry Tea Muffins

This recipe is my absolute favorite breakfast item during the holiday season that spans Thanksgiving through New Years when you can easily snag some fresh cranberries. I adapted this recipe from a Martha Stewart Cranberry Tea Bread which is posted below. With my busy mornings I love having a hand-held breakfast ready for me as I pack lunches and brush teeth:-) Usually I like to make mini-muffins because I just don't eat that much first thing in the morning. But, these muffins are chunky so you need to use the regular tins. 

A note about the cranberries... being cooked in the muffins mellows them a bit but they are tart. I like them for the pick-up they give me. Dried cranberries are sweeter and would be a fine substitute.

This recipe makes 12 muffins

Preheat Oven to 350°

Coat muffin tins with oil, butter, or cooking spray so the muffins don't stick.

Mix These Dry Ingredients in a large bowl:

• 2 cups flour (I'm using Namaste Foods Gluten Free Perfect Flour Blend)
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Cardamom (cinnamon or nutmeg would be good substitutes)
• 3/4 cup Fresh Cranberries - cut in half
• 1/2 cup Walnuts - chopped
• 1/4 cup Crystalized Ginger - chopped fine

In a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients:

• 2 eggs (vegans can use 1/4 cup applesauce, pumpkin puree, smashed banana etc.)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (or other sweetener of choice)
• 1/4 cup melted butter or mild oil (I love using nut oils in my muffin mixes)
• 3/4 cup milk of choice (cow, rice, soy - all will do based on your diet needs)

Make a "well" in the middle of the dry ingredients, pour in the wet mix and stir to combine. Scoop into prepared muffin tins. Bake in 350° oven for 10 - 12 minutes. Keep your eye on them. You'll know they are done when you insert a fork and it comes out dry.

http://www.wholeliving.com/132996/cranberry-tea-bread

Enjoy!

So after I posted this, I wondered, "is this really family food." Well hubby came home from work and had one and replied "that didn't really look that great but it was delicious." Then my 8-year old came home and scarfed down two of them. I had to smile when she asked for the second one. So yes, these are family-friendly. 

Chai Spiced Chocolate Chip Muffins

With a warm green chai latte, this is my favorite "breakfast"! 
(Really it kind of feels like dessert.)


I made 24 mini muffins with this recipe.
Preheat Oven to 350°
Coat muffin tins with oil, butter, or cooking spray so the muffins don't stick.


Mix These Dry Ingredients in a large bowl:

• 2 cups flour (I'm using Namaste Foods Gluten Free Perfect Flour Blend)
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
• 1/4 tsp Cardamom 
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

In a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients:

• 2 eggs (vegans can use 1/4 cup applesauce, pumpkin puree, smashed banana etc.)
• 1/2 cup sweetener of choice (sugar, honey, agave, maple syrup)
• 1/4 cup melted butter or mild oil (I love using nut oils in my muffin mixes)
• 3/4 cup milk of choice (cow, rice, soy - all will do based on your diet needs)

Make a "well" in the middle of the dry ingredients, pour in the wet mix and stir to combine. I use a large tablespoon of batter in each mini muffin cup. If you are using regular size muffin tins, fill the cup about 3/4 full. The muffins will pouf a bit.

The mini-muffins cook in about 8 minutes. Regular muffins will cook in about 10 - 12. Keep your eye on them. You'll know they are done when you insert a fork and it comes out dry.

Enjoy!

Balsamic Glazed Tomatoes and Goat Cheese Crostini and Al Fresco Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for the Kids

Oh my gosh! These are so good! I used a classic french baguette for the crostini but the tomatoes would be delicious with most anything. For the kids I often keep the flavors more simple so I just grilled the bread on the outdoor grill and added cheese and tomato slices with a piece of romaine lettuce. We call romaine "crunchy lettuce" which seems to make it so much more appealing.

Balsamic Glazed Roma Tomatoes
To prepare the glaze, combine the following ingredients in a small bowl:

• 3 ounces balsamic vinegar
• 3 ounces extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 chopped shallot (or garlic)
• 2 sprigs fresh basil
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the tomatoes:

• Cut 4 Roma tomatoes lengthwise into slices 1/4 inch slices
• Place the tomatoes in a large skillet and pour the glaze over the tomatoes
• Simmer for about 5 minutes then flip and continue to cook the second side for another minute or two
• Keep the tomatoes warm until ready to prepare the crostini

Prepare bread for Balsamic Glazed Tomato and Goat Cheese Crostini
Really any way you like to make toast would work just fine. For this dish I brushed cut slices of baguette with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. I then toasted the bread on our outdoor grill for about 3-4 minutes on each side.

Smooth goat cheese on warm crostini and top with a tomato and basil leaf to finish.

Power Packed Corn Cakes with Zucchini and Chick Peas

These little cakes are adorable and delicious. They still need a little work to pass the "kids love them test" but my husband and I  can't get enough of them. They are my new favorite snack in fact. I started with another published recipe and wanted to give them a little more nutrition so I took out some of the wheat flour and added chickpeas instead. I'll be playing with the quantities in the next batches so watch out for a refined version of these coming soon. I had a request for the recipe though, so I wanted to get them out there for you. Frying them in a cast iron skillet will make them especially crispy.

Make the Veggie Base
In a food processor combine:

• 1 zucchini diced
  
• Chick peas - I used 1 cup for this recipe but will reduce this amount next time so not sure how it will affect the texture.
• 1 small shallot cut into chunks for easy processing (or onion and garlic if you prefer)
• 2 - 4 Tbs. water to make the puree smooth but not runny

Mix Your Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl combine:

• 1 cup of cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Make the Batter

• Add 1 beaten egg to the veggie base and mix well
• Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and pour the veggie base into the dry ingredients
• Add about 3/4 cup corn kernels (1 large or 2 small ears of corn worth if using fresh)
• Combine and add about 2 Tablespoons milk of your choice - any will work. I had buttermilk left over which is notorious for helping to make things a little fluffier and soft. Your mixture should stick together although it will feel just slightly crumbly. The egg will bind it as it cooks.

Make the Cakes

• Heat 1-2 Tbs. olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat for each new batch
• Use an ice-cream scoop to dollop the batter into the plan
• Gently flatten the scoops and fry until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes each side on my stove)
• Keep the cakes warm in the oven until it's time to serve them

Serving
My favorite way to enjoy these is with my Summer Salsa Verde and a little Green Jalapeno Pepper Sauce, which is by the way, my new favorite condiment. Red salsa is also a good complement.

French Fried Potato and Carrot Pancakes

Don't let the name fool you these little cakes are delicious AND healthy. Like my four-year old, it might take a little practice for your kids to enjoy the form of the food but they taste yummy. My seven year old ate her first one and then said, "These are sooo good - I NEED another one." The inspiration for these came from a recipe I made awhile back from Mark Bittman. He had a recipe for carrot cakes as a suggestion for breakfast. The recipe was little more than grated carrot, eggs, salt, and a dash of cornmeal. After recently falling in love with corn cakes and watching the zucchini grow in the garden, I thought they would combine well. Then my new Vegetarian Times Magazine came in the mail. In a glossy centerfold was a stack of Potato, Carrot, Zucchini Pancakes. I love synchronicity like this. I modified their recipe and decided to use the chick pea flour for protein instead of the cornmeal I had used in my previous carrot cakes and a star was born in these crunchy, savory pancakes. Writing about them now, I feel excited to have not only a yummy dinner option but I think they will be fantastic for brunch and maybe combined into a nice casserole when it comes time for buffet season this fall.

Prepare the Veggies

• Saute 1 large shallot* in a cast iron skillet (any other skillet is fine but the cast iron will give your cakes more crispness) 

In a large bowl grate:

• 1 medium potato (I used an Idaho potato but I think a sweet potato would be great too!)
• 2 large carrots
• 1 small zucchini
• Wrap the veggies in a kitchen towel and squeeze out as much of the liquid as you can over the sink

Prepare the Batter
In a separate small bowl mix:

• 1/4 cup flour - I used chick pea flour for added protein and to make it gluten-free but any type will work fine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

In the large bowl that once held your veggies (which are now wrapped in a towel in your sink;-)

• Whisk 2 eggs
• Add the sauteed shallot*
• Add the veggies
• Dust with your seasoned flour and mix well - Your batter will look a little like the texture of coleslaw and you might wonder will this work? As the eggs cook around the veggies it will bind the cake.

Making Cake

• Coat your skillet with a thin layer of olive oil for each new batch
• Use an ice-cream scoop to dollop the batter into the pan
• Gently flatten and shape your cakes
• Cook over med-high heat until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes per side)
• Keep the cakes warm in the oven until ready to serve

Serving
I'm going to work on some type of creamy sauce for these the next time. In the meantime, the adults ate them with green jalapeno sauce and the kids used, what else, ketchup! Vegetarian Times served them with a tomato corn relish.


* I prefer shallots but a little chopped onion and garlic work in the same way as the shallot