What's For Dinner: Cottage Pie


It must have been a recent trip to an Irish pub in Minneapolis that inspired me to make a cottage pie for dinner this week -- as it's not something that's particularly typical of my usual repertoire. Regardless, this cottage pie made for a hearty and deliciously savory dinner meal. I initially intended to make a traditional shepherd's pie, but, alas, couldn't get my hands on any ground lamb. So, with grass-fed beef easily accessible (and handily, already in my refrigerator), I made a cottage pie instead. Which for all intents and purposes, is basically the same thing, at least according to my perfunctory Google search. :) The only thing that would make this cottage pie better would be to pair it with a Guinness. But, alas, given my recent foray into the world of gluten-free eating, a glass of red wine will (and did!) have to do for me.

Cottage Pie (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings

For the mashed potatoes:
3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 2-inch pieces
1/4 cup organic half-and-half
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the meat filling:
1 pound grass-fed ground beef
1 small or medium white onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence
2 tablespoons tapioca flour (use all-purpose flour if you aren't gluten-sensitive)
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup frozen shelled peas

1. Place the peeled and chopped potatoes into a large pot filled with cold water. Set the pot over high heat, cover, and bring to a boil. Once the water begins to boil, remove the cover, reduce the heat, and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Stir in the half-and-half and butter and mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
3. Add the ground beef to a medium-size skillet and cook over medium-high until browned through, about 3-5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked beef from the skillet and place on a paper-towel lined plate to drain off the excess fat. Carefully pour the excess grease out of the skillet then return the skillet to the heat. Add in the chopped onion and carrots, and saute until slightly softened and lightly golden, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute until fragrant, 30 seconds.
4. Add the ground beef back into the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomato paste, vegetable broth, Worcestershire sauce, and herbes de Provence. Then stir in the tapioca flour and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly.
5. Add in the corn and peas and stir to combine.
6. Spoon the meat mixture into an 9"x9" glass baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, starting by adding them around the edges to seal the meat mixture in. Use a fork to create a cross-hatch pattern in the potatoes if desired. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are lightly browned. Let cool at least 5 minutes on a wire rack before serving. (It will be warm!)

(adapted from this Alton Brown recipe)

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What's For Dinner: Crustless Spinach, Sun-dried Tomato, and Goat Cheese Quiche


When it comes to weeknight dinners, I much prefer simple and convenient over complicated and time-consuming. I think that's why I love making quiche so much -- aside from the tastiness factor, of course! We eat quiche literally once a week, but the great thing about a quiche is that it is the ultimate in customizable meals -- switch out the vegetables, change up the cheeses, add in some cooked meat -- every week it has the potential to be completely different. Although I've been on a cheese and broccoli kick of late, this week I went a completely different direction with the combination of spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and goat cheese. Oh, man, the goat cheese! So ridiculously creamy and delicious.

I tend to always start all my quiches with a base of sauteed onions, mushrooms, and garlic, which brings in plenty of caramelized and savory flavor to the end-product. Served with a salad on the side, a quiche makes for a filling -- yet light -- evening meal.


Crustless Spinach, Sun-dried Tomato, and Goat Cheese Quiche
(printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small white onion, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2 eggs 
4 egg whites
1 cup organic skim milk
1/4 cup organic half-and-half
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 ounces (about 1/2 cup) goat cheese, crumbled

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9- or 10-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and mushrooms and saute until softened and the onion is golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and saute until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in the spinach and saute until wilted, 1-2 minutes. Stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and remove the pan from the heat.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, skim milk, and half-and-half. Stir in the Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, herbs, and grated Parmesan.
4. Carefully spread the cooked vegetables into the prepped pie dish. Then carefully pour the egg mixture over the vegetable mixture. Finally, add the crumbled goat cheese evenly over top.
5. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the quiche comes out clean. Let cool for five minutes before serving.

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What's Baking: Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins


The arrival of Spring has me craving lighter flavors. So, for this week's installment of Muffin Tuesday, I whipped up a batch of gluten-free lemon poppyseed muffins. These muffins get a double dose of lemon flavor from the addition of fresh lemon juice and fresh lemon zest. A sprinkle of turbinado sugar on top of the batter adds a subtle sweet crunch to the baked muffins.


These citrusy lemon poppy seed muffins definitely taste like Spring -- now if only we could do something about all those massive piles of snow outside my door to match the Spring-like conditions inside my kitchen!

Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (printer-friendly version)
makes 10 muffins

2/3 cup organic skim milk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1/2 large lemon)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour mix
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
turbinado sugar for sprinkling (about 1-2 teaspoons should do)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a muffin tin with cooking spray or butter, or line with paper liners. Set aside.
2. Pour the milk into a small bowl and add in the fresh lemon juice. Let sit, undisturbed, for a couple of minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in one egg. Once the egg is completely incorporated, stir in the yogurt, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Then stir in the lemon-milk mixture, which will be slightly curdled.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
5. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.
6. Use a small scoop to distribute the batter into 10 lined or greased muffin cups. Each muffin cup should be almost completely full. Sprinkle the top of each muffin cup with turbinado sugar.
7. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
8. Let the muffins cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove them from the tin and let cool completely on a wire rack.

(adapted from this recipe from An Edible Mosaic)


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What's For Breakfast: Gluten-Free Buttermilk Waffles


It pretty much goes without saying that I adore many breakfast foods, and oftentimes, the carbier, the better. Pancakes, French toast, waffles ... these are just a few of my favorite breakfast indulgences. We were lucky enough to inherit an electric Belgian waffle maker from my grandparents, and I like to put it to use as much as possible. Since Belgian waffles are a hearty meal, we often have them as part of a breakfast-for-dinner meal. But I found myself in the mood for waffles the other morning, and having come across a recipe for gluten-free buttermilk waffles from America's Test Kitchen, I decided to lug the waffle maker from the pantry and make a batch for breakfast.

These buttermilk waffles are fantastic. They are crisp on the outside, but tender and chewy inside. Like the other America's Test Kitchen gluten-free recipes I have tried thus far, I would be hard-pressed to tell you these weren't made from all-purpose flour. They taste just like the real thing!


Gluten-Free Buttermilk Waffles (printer-friendly version)
makes 5 Belgian waffles

2 2/3 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour mix
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1. Heat your waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla, eggs, and cooled melted butter.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well-combined.
5. Bake the waffles in your waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions. (I find that a measuring cup works best to pour the batter onto the iron; I used about 2/3-3/4 cup of batter per waffle.)
6. Serve immediately or place in a warm oven to keep hot before serving.

(adapted from this America's Test Kitchen recipe)
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What's Baking: Gluten-Free Morning Glory Muffins


This week's installment of Muffin Tuesday found me in the kitchen baking my first batch of gluten-free morning glory muffins. Spoiler alert: these muffins rocked my socks off. I'm not sure what it is about morning glory muffins that I like so much -- perhaps it's just that they are stuffed with carrots, raisins, pineapple, and walnuts, making them a bit more wholesome than your typical sweet breakfast muffin? Or at least these ingredients make me think they are more wholesome and healthy than your typical muffin? (Kind of like how carrot cake seems like a healthier option than chocolate cake. Well, aside from that generous slathering of cream cheese frosting ... not to mention all that oil in the cake batter...) Whatever it is, if morning glory muffins are wrong, I don't want to be right.


Gluten-Free Morning Glory Muffins (printer-friendly version)
makes 10 muffins

1/2 cup raisins
1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour mix
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup peeled, grated carrots
1/2 cup drained crushed pineapple
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 large eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons filtered water

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a muffin tin with 10 paper liners. Set aside.
2. Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and xanthan gum. Stir in the grated carrots, crushed pineapple, shredded coconut, and walnuts.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, canola oil, vanilla extract, and filtered water.
5. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then stir until well-combined and evenly moistened. Drain and stir in the plumped raisins.
6. Use a scoop or large spoon to distribute the batter into the prepped muffin cups. The muffin cups should be almost completely full.
7. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the muffin tin for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and let cool completely on a wire rack. Muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or wrapped and placed in a freezer bag to freeze for longer storage.

(from this King Arthur Flour recipe)
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Made From Scratch: Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mix


As luck would have it, about the time I was considering going gluten-free, the America's Test Kitchen (ATK) podcast aired an episode called "Breaking The Code of Gluten-Free Baking: The Secrets, Science, and Techniques of Great Gluten-Free Recipes." As baking is one of my favorite things, this episode was right up my alley, since giving up my favorite baked goods was a potential roadblock for me. Topics covered in the podcast included advances in gluten-free baking, a taste test of gluten-free white bread, and a recipe for gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. Key to their cookie recipe was the development of their own gluten-free flour blend. Though there are now several commercial varieties of gluten-free all-purpose flour mixes available for purchase, many tend to be quite expensive. 

Our local natural foods store sells white and brown rice flours in bulk, making this flour mix quite wallet friendly. ATK strongly recommends using Bob's Red Mill rice flours, so for my first foray into gluten-free flour blends, I followed their advice. Thus far I have tried this flour blend in recipes for buttermilk waffles and muffins, and both turned out really well -- both the waffles and muffins tasted as if they had been baked using my favorite all-purpose wheat-a-licious flour -- definitely a win in my book.

Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mix (printer-friendly version)
makes about 9 1/3 cups

4 1/2 cups + 1/3 cup white rice flour
1 2/3 cups brown rice flour
1 1/3 cups potato starch (not potato flour)
3/4 cup tapioca starch (may also be called tapioca flour)
3 tablespoons nonfat organic milk powder

1. Whisk together all the ingredients.
2. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The flour mix is best used within three months. 

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What's Baking: Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Irish Cream Vanilla Bean Frosting


I am still in the midst of my gluten-free odyssey, but couldn't help but post this recipe for chocolate stout cupcakes I baked last year to share with friends at a St. Patrick's Day party. The chocolate and coffee flavors of a stout beer lend additional richness to the chocolate cupcake. And you really can't go wrong with a vanilla bean frosting that features the delicate taste of Irish cream. Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Stout Chocolate Cupcakes (printer-friendly version)
makes 24 cupcakes

1 cup Guinness stout (or other stout beer)
1 stick unsalted butter, sliced
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup 0% plain Chobani Greek yogurt
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking soda

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners and set aside.
2. Add the Guinness and sliced butter to a large sauce pot. Heat over medium heat until the butter has melted, Stirring occasionally.
3. Whisk in the cocoa powder and sugar. Remove from the heat.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, eggs, and vanilla. Pour the yogurt mixture into the chocolate mixture and stir until combined.
5. Whisk in the flour and baking soda. Stir until evenly combined. Carefully spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake tin. Fill each liner about 3/4 full.
6. Bake the cupcakes for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
7. Remove the baked cupcakes from the tin and set on a wire rack to cool completely.


Irish Cream Vanilla Bean Frosting
makes enough to frost at least 24 cupcakes

8 oz neufchatel cheese (you could also use cream cheese)
4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted powdered sugar
4 tablespoons Irish cream (I used Bailey's)

1. Cream together the neufchatel and butter, about 5 minutes.
2. Add in the vanilla extract and Irish cream. Stir at high speed to combine.
3. Add in the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Stir at medium speed between additions.
4. Use immediately. Refrigerate any leftovers in a tightly-closed container.

(adapted from a Nigella Lawson recipe via Shutterbean)
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What's For Lunch: Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup


Friends of ours came up to visit last Saturday, and I wanted to make a meal that was easy to throw together, so that I wouldn't have to slave over the stove while they were here. I decided on a simple menu of soup and salad and opted to make a slow cooker soup -- the only downside being that, since it took five hours to cook, and I wanted to serve the soup for lunch, I had to get up around 7a to get it started.

This soup is full of vegetable goodness -- and made even more colorful as I picked up some red, yellow, and purple carrots from our local natural foods store to use in the recipe. Great northern beans, onions, tomatoes, and zucchini, along with Italian spices, round out the flavor profile.

This soup recipe makes a ton of servings -- I don't know what it is about soup recipes, but any time one says that it makes "6-8 portions," I immediately amp up the value to at least 8-10. Because this soup includes pasta, I would recommend making the pasta separately rather than cooking it in the soup if you do not plan to eat the soup all in one sitting. Doing so lets you freeze the extras without ending up with mushy pasta bits once you defrost the soup. I find that even refrigerating the leftover soup with pasta in it tends to end up with mushy pasta, too. So, to combat the mushiness, cook the pasta on the stovetop then portion the pasta into individual serving bowls before ladling the soup into the bowls. After a quick stir, no one will know the difference. Then just add in some fresh-chopped basil and freshly-grated Parmesan, and lunch is ready to be served!


Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup (printer-friendly version)
makes 8 - 10 servings

1 cup dried great northern beans, rinsed and picked over
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 white onions, chopped fine
4 small to medium carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-ounce) can organic whole peeled tomatoes, roughly crushed by hand
8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 cups filtered water
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (plus additional for garnish)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise, seeded, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup elbow or small shell pasta (regular or gluten-free)
freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish)

1. Add the beans to a large pot and cover with 1" of water. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain the beans and place in the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Heat three tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and carrots, and cook until softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and cook until nearly all the liquid has cooked off, about 10-12 minutes. Then stir in the broth, water, basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then carefully transfer the soup to the slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours, or until the beans are tender.
4. Add the chopped zucchini to the soup and cook until tender, about 10-20 minutes. If you do not plan to eat the soup all in one sitting, cook the pasta separately. If you are cooking for a crowd, add the dried pasta to the slow cooker and cook until tender, 20-30 minutes. (I used a gluten-free quinoa-based pasta, which I cooked separately on the stove top.) If you cooked the pasta separately, add the cooked pasta to individual soup bowls, then spoon the soup over the pasta, and stir to combine.
5. Garnish with additional fresh-chopped basil and freshly grated Parmesan before serving.

(adapted from this Cook's Country recipe)
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What's Baking: Gluten-Free Cinnamon Swirl Muffins


I'm doing a little experiment by going gluten-free for 30 days. Mainly I'm just interested in seeing if removing wheat from my diet makes me feel any different. One week in, and I haven't noticed any changes (not that I expected to). Of course, I did manage to "cheat" on Saturday by taking a few sips of D's Glenfiddich. Whoopsies. (And, whether coincidental or not, I did feel a little extra bloaty that evening. TMI?) My major triumph thus far has been bringing a loaf of sourdough bread into our home without taking a bite.

As I'm sure you are aware if you're a long-time reader of this blog, I love me some carbs. Like, a whole lot. So far I haven't run into too many obstacles or cravings, though I am sure I will need to find a gluten-free pizza crust recipe to try sooner rather than later, since that is one of our weekly dinnertime staples.

The one thing I do miss (one week in) is my weekly celebration of Muffin Tuesday, in which I head to Golden Harvest on Tuesday mornings to pick up some groceries and a "healthy" morning glory muffin. Those wheat-filled muffins are now off-limits, meaning if I still want a muffin, I'm going to have to bake my own. I made these muffins to share with a friend on Sunday, and I have to say they turned out rather well. Though not quite meal-replacing, these cinnamon-rich muffins do make for a good mid-morning snack, and pair nicely with a cup of coffee or hot tea.

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Swirl Muffins (printer-friendly version)
makes about 9 muffins

For the muffin batter:
2 eggs
1/3 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

For the cinnamon swirl:
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 heaping tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 315 degrees. Line a muffin tin with nine paper liners and set aside.
2. Whisk together the eggs, yogurt, syrup, and vanilla extract. Add in the flour, salt, and baking soda and stir to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the honey, melted butter, cinnamon, and vanilla extract until smooth.
4. Use a small (1-2 tablespoon) scoop to place batter into the lined muffin cups, filling each cup about 1/3 full. Gently tap the sides of the pan to evenly coat the bottom of each muffin cup liner with the batter. Then add a small spoonful (about 1 teaspoon) of the cinnamon swirl mixture on top of the batter. Finally, place another scoopful of batter on top of the cinnamon swirl layer. Each muffin cup should be about 2/3-3/4 full. Next, use a toothpick to gently swirl the two layers together, spreading the cinnamon swirl throughout the batter. Lastly, use a fork to drizzle stripes of the remaining cinnamon swirl mixture over top each muffin. Clean any excess drizzle from the top of the muffin pan. If any muffin cups are empty, fill each empty cup halfway with water to ensure even baking.
5. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
6. Let cool in the muffin tin for 10 minutes before removing. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store any extra muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days or in the refrigerator for up to one week.

(adapted from this recipe from The Nourishing Home)

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What's For Breakfast: Banana Nut Granola


Spring hasn't exactly sprung yet 'round these parts (albeit, there are still 10 days until the season's official arrival) ... but we are expecting temperatures in the 40s(!!!!!) this week, and to say that I'm excited about that news would be an extreme understatement. (As noted by my excessive use of exclamation points.) We took Leroy for a walk last night, and I wore a light vest in lieu of my normal down jacket ... major progress! I may even get to go coatless this week -- can you believe it? :)

With the (relatively) warmer temperatures comes a desire to set aside my winter breakfast of hot oatmeal and toast and re-embrace my favorite yogurt and granola breakfast bowls. I haven't made granola in quite awhile, as I had been on a muesli kick of late after purchasing a ginormous bag of it at Costco. 

Not too long ago, I pinned a recipe for banana walnut granola posted on Shutterbean, so since I had two ripe bananas languishing on our kitchen countertop, I decided to give the recipe a whirl with a few tweaks here and there.

So how is it? Let's just say I am now officially obsessed with this granola. It is super clumpy (just how I like it) and tastes exactly like banana bread in granola form. I couldn't help but sneak a few -- okay, several -- bites as I spooned the cooled granola into a jar for storage. 


Banana Nut Granola (printer-friendly version)
makes about 7 cups

5 cups rolled oats
1 cup walnuts pieces
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 very ripe bananas
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup walnut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, walnuts, almonds, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and brown sugar.
3. In a small bowl, mash the bananas together. Then add in the maple syrup, walnut oil, and vanilla and stir to combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until everything is moistened. Spread the granola onto the prepped baking sheet and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
4. After 30 minutes, if the granola still seems a bit wet, reduce the heat to 275 degrees and continue baking in 10-minute increments until golden-brown and almost completely dry to the touch.
5. Let the granola cool in the pan completely before spooning into an airtight container to store.

(adapted from this Shutterbean recipe)


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Made From Scratch: Pumpkin Dog Treats


I suppose if I am trying to live a less processed life, there's no reason why my dog shouldn't either. As it turns out, for the most part, Leroy's diet is the most unprocessed in our family. After becoming less and less enamored with his dry food, followed by some major digestive issues after eating a purchased rawhide treat, we switched him to a raw diet late last summer, and he has really done well with it. Now his twice-daily meals consist of a combination of beef heart or venison, whole eggs, chicken necks, and fresh veggies. His new meal plan is definitely a bit more messy than his previously easily-scoopable one, but the important thing is that he's getting the nutrients he needs.


When it comes to treats, I typically purchase types that are wheat-free and have limited ingredients. Leroy has a peanut allergy, so we avoid giving him anything with peanut butter (which is unfortunately quite a popular dog treat ingredient!). We recently ran out of his favorite treats, and, since getting more would require a trip down to Wausau, I figured I might as well make him a batch from scratch.


These treats contain only three ingredients -- brown rice flour, pumpkin, and an egg to bind it all together. While I can't vouch for their taste (though given the ingredients, I could totally eat one if I wanted to), Leroy is a big fan. And if the puppy's happy, mama's happy, too.

Pumpkin Dog Treats (printer-friendly version)
makes at least 2 dozen treats (depending on size of cookie cutters used)

2 cups brown rice flour
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, pumpkin, and egg until a dough forms.
3. Take a handful of dough and form it into a small ball. Press it lightly onto a work surface until it's about 1/4" thick, flipping as you press to prevent it from sticking. Use a cookie cutter (I used the small and medium size cutters from this set.) to cut the dough into bone shapes, then place on the prepped baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
4. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Set on a wire rack to cool. Place in an airtight container to store. (These treats can also be frozen.)

(inspired by this My Baking Addiction recipe)
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What's For Breakfast: Gluten-Free Dutch Baby Pancake


Our standard weekend breakfast fare includes eggs and hashbrowns, pancakes, or waffles. This weekend I decided to up the ante slightly by making a Dutch baby pancake. Since the batter is made in a blender, it is super-simple to make and even easier to clean up. My only regret was not checking the pantry earlier to make sure we had a little powdered sugar on hand. But, no worries, a generous drizzle of maple syrup more than made up for it.

A Dutch baby pancake is light and fluffy -- its egg-custard-like texture reminds me of French toast, but the flavor is light like a crepe. I chose to make my Dutch baby pancake gluten-free by using almond flour. However, if grains aren't a problem for you, feel free to use all-purpose flour instead. Though this recipe theoretically makes four servings, it is just as easily consumed by two very hungry people. I think a couple of these pancakes, baked up in cast-iron skillets, would make for a stunning brunch presentation. 


Gluten-Free Dutch Baby Pancake (printer-friendly version)
makes 4 servings (or 2 very large servings)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1/2 cup organic skim milk
1/4 cup organic heavy cream
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated sugar
maple syrup, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Add the butter to a medium cast-iron (or oven-safe) skillet and melt over medium-high heat. Once  the butter has melted, turn off the heat.
3. Add the eggs, milk, cream, almond flour, salt, vanilla, and sugar to a blender. Blend at high speed for one minute (or until very foamy). Pour the batter into the prepped skillet and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. Slice into wedges and serve immediately with maple syrup. (The pancake will fall as it cools.)

(adapted from this Martha Stewart recipe)


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