our lovely kitchen

I apologize for the lapse in time since my last post. It's for good reason, though, I swear.

I've been busy pursuing my love for food and quest to spread balanced, healthy perspectives of all things culinary. In doing so, our lovely kitchen was founded.

Because I wanted our lovely kitchen  to be a space that nourished a loving relationship with food, I felt the need to incorporate outside voices into its pages. Each of our relationships with how we eat are so individual, that I thought it might be detrimental for the site to only carry my perspective.

Thus, our lovely kitchen was born. So far, it contains the work of six different women (with more in the works!). We've come together to share recipes, tell our food traditions, give cooking tips, review restaurants, and more.

This new project has been nothing short of inspiring. I hope you'll check it out.

xoxo,
Audrey

Whole30 - Week 4

We did it. And I'm so glad.

I'll post a separate Whole30 recap, but for now, let me say this: In 30 days, we got a glimpse of a healthier lifestyle that left us wanting for more.

Here's our final meal plan. Thursday was our last day. On Friday, we "eased" back into our regular eating habits with 4th of July hotdogs (buns included!), potato chips (the majority were sweet potato chips), and a teensy bit of wine ;-).

Monday

Breakfast - No-bake fruit and nut bar

Lunch - Curried cream of broccoli soup

Dinner - Fajitas & guacamole

Snacks - banana

Tuesday

Brunch*  - Sausage, bell pepper, and onion omelette

Dinner - Organic chicken apple sausages and sweet potato fries

Snacks - Apple with almond butter

*went into work late due to a DMV appt; had time to eat a big breakfast later into the morning

Wednesday

Breakfast - Banana, No-bake fruit and nut bar

Lunch - Leftover burgers and homemade guacamole

Dinner - Green curry with chicken and broccoli (3 tablespoons curry cooked in 1 tablespoon coconut oil, add 1 diced onion and cook for ~5 minutes over medium heat, add chicken and cook through, add broccoli and coconut milk, salt and pepper to taste, and simmer until broccoli is completely cooked and all is heated through)

Snacks - Apple with almond butter

Thursday

Breakfast - Banana, no-bake fruit and nut bar

Lunch - Curried cream of broccoli soup

Dinner - Burgers with avocado mango salsa in lettuce wraps, grilled onions, peppers, and zucchini 


See Whole30 - Week 1; Whole30 - Week 2; Whole30 - Week 3
(If you're looking for the remaining 5 meals of our Whole30 that I left out from the beginning (for the sake of satisfying my OCD tendencies of needing meal plans Monday - Sunday), just ask!)

Whole30 - Week 3

We're in the home stretch! Less than a week to go! And thank goodness. Because, I have to admit, I am over this.

I hit a wall last Thursday - I became tired of constantly meal planning, prepping, cooking and cleaning. But you know what? I feel good. And, although it is work, the Whole30 is not hard. I'm lucky to have the luxury of taking such good care of my body, or so I'm reminding myself.

While I may be tired of this whole ordeal, I am grateful for it. So, without further ado, here's our Whole30 week 3 meal plan:

Monday

Breakfast - Banana, Egg prosciutto muffin cups

Lunch - Curried cream of broccoli soup

Dinner - Slow cooker shoulder roast, broccoli

Snacks - No-bake fruit and nut bar

Tuesday

Breakfast - Banana, egg prosciutto muffin cups

Lunch - Curried cream of broccoli soup

Dinner - Southwest meatloaf

Snacks - Dried apricots (no sugar added)

Wednesday

Breakfast - Banana, no-bake fruit and nut bar

Lunch - Leftover burgers and homemade guacamole

Dinner - Leftover Whole30-friendly red curry from my sister

Snacks - Apple with almond butter

Thursday

Breakfast - Banana, no-bake fruit and nut bar

Lunch - Curried carrot soup

Dinner - Salsiccia styled cauliflower crust pizza
Snacks - Dried apricots (no sugar added)

Friday
Breakfast - Banana, egg prosciutto muffin cups
Lunch - Curried carrot soup

Dinner - Spaghetti squash with Paleo pesto

Saturday
Brunch - Sweet potato, apple, and pancetta hash topped with scrambled eggs
Dinner - Paleolithic plate at Samovar Tea Lounge (yay for eating out!)
Snacks  - Dried fruit (no sugar added)

Sunday
Brunch - All-natural breakfast sausage and scrambled eggs
Dinner - Mustard lime chicken and brussel sprouts
Snack - That's It bar

Whole30 - Week 2

Garrett and I are just over halfway through our Whole30, and we feel great! I think we've hit the "Tiger Blood" phase. For me, this means that I am full of energy and always ready to do something active. Other than at work, I'm spending less time sitting and more time attending yoga class, going for walks, cooking, cleaning, and anything, really, on my feet.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. This post is supposed to be devoted to week 2. 

How did I feel in week 2? Well, once I got past day 10, I started to feel really good. Days 8 and 9 were filled with mild flu-like symptoms, with heavy sinus drainage, overall weakness, and a headache. I continued to consistently blow my nose through day 14 (TMI?), but as a person with a mild dairy allergy that leads to sinus issues, I wasn't surprised. 

I also feel like we figured out a better meal and snack balance in week 2. I didn't really think of snacks in week 1, or size meals appropriately (large enough) for the husband. After making these adjustments and again devoting time to meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking, it really started to feel like smooth sailing.

We got this.

Here's our week 2 meal plan:

Monday

Breakfast - Banana, Egg prosciutto muffin cups

Lunch - Curried cream of broccoli soup

Dinner - Almond chicken fingers, braised kale, sweet potato fries

Snacks - No-bake fruit and nut bar

Tuesday

Breakfast - Banana, egg prosciutto muffin cups

Lunch - Leftover steak and homemade guacamole

Dinner - Cauliflower crust pizza with homemade tomato sauce, all natural chicken apple sausage, red onion, and red bell pepper

Snacks - Apple with almond butter

Wednesday

Breakfast - Banana

Lunch - Leftover steak and homemade guacamole

Dinner - Leftover Whole30-friendly red curry from my sister

Snacks - Dried fruit (no sugar added)

Thursday

Breakfast - Banana, no-bake fruit and nut bar

Lunch - Leftover cauliflower crust pizza 

Dinner - Tamale Pie & fresh guacamole
Snacks - Apple with almond butter

Friday
Breakfast - Banana, egg prosciutto muffin cups
Lunch - Leftover tamale Pie & fresh guacamole

Dinner - Salad from Roam Artisan Burgers

Saturday
Brunch - All-natural breakfast sausage, mushroom, and onion quiche
Dinner - Burgers topped with guacamole, sweet potato fries, and braised kale
Snacks  - Dried fruit

Sunday
Brunch - All-natural breakfast sausage and scrambled eggs
Dinner - Chicken tikka masala

Whole30

If you know me at all, you know that I love food.

Good food is one of the things that makes me happiest in life. For that reason, I hardly ever diet. I don't like to deny myself of happiness.

But over the past few months, good food started to lose its appeal. True to routine, I was eating too much. And all of the sudden, eating too much wasn't making me very happy.

I started my first desk job in March. While I absolutely love it, I began to notice that packing on the pounds became much easier when I was sitting all day opposed to chasing horses and kids around the clock.

Not to mention all of the snacks we have in our office. I am a Goldfish cracker fiend. And cereal? Hell, I hadn't eaten cereal in years until I started my new job. Then, almost immediately, I was eating cereal almost every morning.

My diet became full of processed foods, pumped with sugar and preservatives and all types of things that aren't so good for you. I started to feel unhealthy.

So, I decided to embark on the Whole30. Thirty days of cutting "out all of the psychologically unhealthy, hormone-unbalancing, gut-disrupting, inflammatory food groups for a full 30 days." What, exactly, does this mean? Well, this is what I can eat during the Whole30: meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruit, oils, nuts, and seeds. Things with very few ingredients, or no ingredients at all. What I can't have? Added sugar (real or artificial), grains, legumes, white potatoes, alcohol, carageenan, MSG, or sulfates. (If you're looking for more details, look here.)

Luckily, my husband is doing this with me. I'm not sure how strong my willpower would be if I had to do this alone, because, like I said before, I love food.

We're 10 days in and feeling pretty good. I've noticed some changes, which I'll share in the weekly meal plan posts. The most important thing that I'd like to share now, though, is that I haven't been hungry. At all.

I'll add our weekly meal plans as we go. Week 1 is up now:

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Whole30 - Week 1

Garrett and I have officially made it through one week of the Whole30. Hallelujah! I kid you not -- never have I made it this long before through any dietary restrictions. Seven days may seem minimal to you, but to me, this is huge.

I attribute my endurance to:

1) Preparation. Had I not planned out each meal of the week and grocery shopped accordingly over the weekend, this whole thing would have fallen through the cracks on day 1. (See the general grocery list I worked off of here.) 

2) Time. Other than a few yoga classes, I left my evenings open to allow myself the time to cook dinners and prepare breakfast and lunch for the day(s) to come.

3) Open Calendar. Garrett and I picked a month where our social engagements were low -- no big events, no traveling, etc. There's no way I would do this over a vacation or during a time busy with celebrations (you can't drink alcohol!).

But mostly, I think that I've been able to stick to this (so far) because I haven't been hungry. 

So, with that, let me share our filling Whole30 Week 1 meal plan:

Monday

Breakfast - Egg muffins (eggs scrambled with onion and green pepper, baked at 350F until done), banana

Lunch - Salad (chicken, lettuce, cucumber, jalepenos, onion, no dressing)

Dinner - Baked mustard lime chicken with cauliflower rice and snow peas

Snacks - Apple with almond butter*

Tuesday

Breakfast - Egg muffins, banana

Lunch - Homemade chicken salad (chicken, onion, celery) with homemade mayonnaise (1 egg, 1/2 c olive oil, 1 lemon juiced, tsp of mustard)

Dinner - Spaghetti squash with spinach marinara (5 tomatoes, 1/4 c water, salt, basil, oregano, pepper, onion, olive oil, garlic) and meatballs (1lb ground beef, 1 tsp basil, oregano, garlic, salt, pepper, 1/4 c sundried tomatoes in oil)

Snacks - Apple with almond butter

Wednesday

Breakfast - Banana. Egg scramble -- eggs, red onion, green pepper

Lunch - Salad

Dinner - Italian pork roast, broccoli, cauliflower rice

Snacks - Apple with almond butter

Thursday
Breakfast - Banana. Egg scramble -- eggs, red onion, green pepper
Lunch - Leftover pork roast, cauliflower rice, and broccoli
Dinner - Apple dijon burgers and sweet potato fries

Friday
Breakfast - Banana, apple
Lunch - Salad from Mixt Greens

Dinner - Chicken tikka masala

Saturday
Breakfast - Sweet potato hash topped with a fried egg
Lunch - All-natural turkey breast from the grocery inside of the San Francisco Ferry Building (they prepare their turkey breast daily), apricots, and leftover broth from Friday's tikka masala
Dinner - Keema (without peas) and cauliflower rice
Snacks  - Banana Bread Larabar**

Sunday
Breakfast - Sweet potato hash with onions and green pepper, topped with a fried egg
Lunch - Curried cream of broccoli soup
Dinner - Steak and sweet potato fries
Snacks  - Dried fruit (no sugar added)


Although I didn't feel hungry throughout week one, I did experience some changes in my mood and energy levels. On days 2 and 3 I was in a funk -- a little bit moody, testy, and down. The downswing of emotions was the side effect of my body going through sugar withdrawal (for real. See the Whole30 Expected Timeline here). On days 5, 6, and 7 I was pretty tired -- also totally normal. It wasn't necessarily fun, but once I passed day 7, my mood and energy levels were back to normal.

*I did a little overkill with the apple and almond butter as my snack in week 1 -- really, I shouldn't have had as many nuts as I did (read through Whole30 rules for explanation). I wasn't really thinking of snacks when I grocery shopped for week 1, so I made sure to add snacks to my list for week 2.
**Larabars are our "emergency" snack, as they're good to bring when you're on the go. Whole30 rules discourage you from eating them as treats, as your brain doesn't really know the difference between a Snickers bar and a Larabar. Each bar is different, so if you're picking some up, be sure to read the ingredient list. 

Also, sweet potato fries may have just become my new best friend. (Just wash, dry, cut into strips, toss in olive oil, sea salt and petter, and bake (lay out flat) at 400F until crispy, about 35 minutes.)

Crowd-pleasing Key Lime Pie

I started making key lime pie when my husband and I moved to Phoenix. The condo we rented had a huge, lush lime tree that was just begging to be picked. Sure, the limes weren't "key" limes, but they did the job for this pie just fine.

I've been making this pie for years, but this Memorial Day weekend was the first time I made it without my own, homegrown limes. I still opted for regular-sized limes at the store — have you seen how tiny key limes are? There was no way that I was going to juice 16 limes for this pie...

Anyway. The pie was still a huge success at our Memorial Day BBQ, with many people going back for seconds and claiming it was the best key lime pie they'd ever had.

Here's the recipe. Health fanatics, brace yourself, because healthy this pie is not. But trust me. Some things just are meant to be this way, and are better for it.

Step one: make the graham cracker crust. Yes, you heard me right. Homemaking it is extremely easy and makes all the difference in the world.

Ingredients:
1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs (I crush up a pack of Honey Maid's Honey graham crackers)
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons of butter, melted

Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and butter together. Press into a greased 8" pie dish (9" would work, too). Bake at 375 degrees F for 8 minutes. Take it out of the oven to cool while you prepare the pie filling. Turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees F.

Now it's time to make the key lime pie filling.

Ingredients:
3/4 cups fresh lime juice (about 4 regular sized limes), plus additional to taste
1 tablespoon grated lime zest
3 cups sweetened condensed milk (I use Eagle Brand, 3 of the 14 oz cans)
1/2 cup sour cream

Combine the lime juice, lime zest, sweetened condensed milk, and sour cream in a bowl. Mix well. If needed, add extra juice and zest in slowly until you get the flavor you desire. Pour the mix into the cooled graham cracker crust (let the crust cool for about 25 minutes before adding filling). Bake in the oven for 7 minutes, until tiny bubbles start to burst on the surface. Do not let the pie brown. Remove from the oven and chill completely before serving.

(Note: I usually have a little bit of extra filling. I store it in a mason jar and spread over graham crackers for a quick and easy small dessert!)

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Whole30 Fajitas & Guacamole

I don't diet. Ever.

My husband, on the other hand, sings a different tune. He's got this thing called self-control, something that I lack. When he diets, we try to cook dinners for the both of us that fit within his restrictions. Most of the time. I'll admit that there have been two different dinners for two different people on the same night. Because, well, I don't diet.

But then Garrett came home with his most recent diet plan, the Whole30. After looking into it to find what he could and could not have, I liked the idea of it. You see, the Whole30 isn't really a diet. It's a move toward being more healthy by eating

"...meat, seafood, eggs, tons of vegetables, some fruit, and plenty of good fats from fruits, oils, nuts and seeds. Eat foods with very few ingredients, all pronounceable ingredients, or better yet, no ingredients at all because they're totally natural and unprocessed." - whole30.com

It was the latter part of that statement that struck me: "no ingredients at all because they're totally natural and unprocessed."

While I don't diet, I am working on toward filling my body with more healthy, natural and unprocessed foods. (You can read more about the Whole30 rules here and get the shopping list here.) And while I'm not totally diving into the Whole30 as Garrett is (hey, I told you I have no self-control), I am going to cook a month's worth of healthy, Whole30-compliant dinners.

Which brings me to tonight's meal: Whole30 Steak Fajitas & Guacamole

Goodness, were these good.

I started by making the guacamole mid-day and sticking it in the fridge to chill. You will need:

• 2 ripe avocados, mashed
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1/2 tomato, diced
• 1/4 small yellow (or red) onion, diced
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl, cover, and set in the refrigerator (tip: save one of the avocado pits and stick it into the guacamole while it chills. This helps it from turning brown if any air sneaks in.)

After you have the guacamole done, make the marinade for the steak (or chicken would be great, too). You will need:

• 1/4 cup lime juice
• zest of 1 lime
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon southwest taco spice (you can substitute this with another teaspoon of cumin if needed)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, add 1lb of flank steak strips (or chicken breast), and let marinate for a minimum of an hour in the refrigerator (the longer you let it marinate, the better).

When you're ready to have dinner, heat up a skillet, add marinated steak, and cook through (for about 8 minutes). While it's cooking, slice one red bell pepper and one green pepper. Add to the skillet, mix into the marinade, and cook for 2 more minutes.

Substitute tortillas with whole butter lettuce leaves (2 recommended for each fajita). Add meat, bell peppers, and onions from the marinade to the lettuce wraps. Top with guacamole. 

Eat and be amazed at how much you actually prefer eating your fajitas with lettuce wraps - the taste is SO much better!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

I don't know about you, but my husband and I just cannot shake this head cold. One day we're fine and the next, well, we're not. Our voices are scratchy and noses are runny. We sound a lot worse than we feel, but we still don't feel 100%. So, to give us some comfort, I whipped up a batch of homemade chicken noodle soup.

And damn, this batch was good. Head cold or not, this chicken noodle soup will make your life a little bit better.

Ingredients

5 cups chicken broth

2 chicken breasts

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp Herbs de Provence

3/4 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

1-2 handfuls of fresh baby spinach

6 oz egg noodles

2 tbsp butter

Preparation

Add broth, uncooked chicken (cut each breast into a few pieces), salt, pepper and Herbs de Provence to a stockpot. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for about 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

(This 20 minute window is a great time to chop your veggies!)

Once chicken is finished cooking, remove from broth and shred. (Life-changing) TIP: if you have a Kitchen-Aid stand mixer, add the chicken to the bowl and set on low with the flat beater for 1-2 minutes. This will shred your chicken completely. (Is your mind blown? I thought so.) Set shredded chicken aside.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, carrots and onion and sauté for about 5 minutes (add spinach in after about 3 minutes). Add chicken, stir together, and sauté for another 3-5 minutes.

Add egg noodles and the veggie and chicken mixture to the stockpot with the broth. Bring to a boil and cover. Boil for about 6 minutes, or until noodles are cooked through.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

By far my favorite cold weather meal, I patiently count down the late spring and summer days to a time that it is acceptable to eat soup again. This soup is so flavorful, so creamy, and so comforting. I could very possibly eat it every day. Enjoy!

Ingredients

4 cups chicken broth

2 chicken breasts, boiled and cut into tiny pieces

2 cups water

1 box Uncle Ben’s long grain wild rice

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

½ cup flour

½ cup butter

2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream (half and half works too, if you want to go lighter)

Preparation

Over medium heat combine broth, water and chicken. Bring to a boil, add rice, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

In a bowl combine salt, pepper, flour, and seasoning packet.

In a medium sauce pan melt butter; stir in seasoning mix until bubbly. Reduce to low heat and whisk in cream slowly. Cook until thick (about 5 minutes).

Stir mix into broth, cook over medium heat for 15 minutes or until soup is warmed through and rice is cooked completely.

Ham and Potato Soup

It’s officially my favorite cooking season! To celebrate the first day of fall, I whipped up a batch of this ham and potato soup. If you’re looking for something delicious, comforting, and fairly quick to prepare, give this soup a try!

 

 

Ingredients

4 cups peeled and diced potatoes

1/2 cup diced celery
1 finely chopped yellow onion (about 1 cup)

1 cup diced cook ham

3/4 cups water

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

½ tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

2 cups milk

5 tbsp butter

5 tbsp all-purpose flour

 

Preparation

Combine potatoes, celery, onion, ham, water, and chicken broth in a stockpot over high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper.

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook until thick, about 1 minute (whisk constantly during this time). Slowly stir in milk. Continue stirring so lumps do not form for about 5 minutes, or until mixture thickens.

Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

 

Lemon Marinated Chicken Over Garlic Pasta

I've got a thing for pasta. I wish I didn't, but it's true. Garlic, too. I just can't get enough of each. This recipe is quite satisfying for those needs.

You will need: 1lb chicken breast, 5 tablespoons EVOO, 1 lemon, black pepper, kosher salt, dried thyme, rosemary, and parsley, 1/4 cup butter, 4 large garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, 1.5 cups of chicken stock, fresh basil, 1/2 lb pasta (I prefer Angel Hair), 1 cup cherry tomatoes, and parmesan cheese.

Ingredients for the chicken marinade:

1 pound chicken breast, cut into 1" chunks

2 tablespoons EVOO

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

Preparation:

Mix chicken and all marinade ingredients into a bowl, coating chicken completely. Cover bowl and set in fridge for a minimum of 25 minutes (the longer you let it sit, the better).

While the chicken marinades, prepare the sauce.

Ingredients for garlic sauce:

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 Tablespoons EVOO

4 large cloves garlic, finely minced

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups chicken stock

1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1) Add butter and EVOO to a skillet and warm over medium heat.

2) Add garlic and cook until soft on med-low heat, for a couple of minutes

3) Add flour and mix in until thick

4) Add chicken stock, basil, salt and pepper

5) Bring sauce to a boil and reduce to a simmer

 

In the meantime, cook 1/2 pound of Angel Hair pasta according to the instructions on the bag (boil for about 6 minutes, until al dente).

When chicken is done marinating, cook in a separate skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook until no longer pink in the middle and juices run clear, about 6 minutes.

Add cooked pasta and chicken to the sauce and heat through. Mix in 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes and cook over low for a few minutes. Serve and garnish dish with parmesan cheese and parsley.

Smitten Kitchen Blueberry Cornmeal Butter Cake

A good friend of mine gifted me the Smitten Kitchen cookbook for Christmas, and I have been obsessed with Deb Perelman's recipes ever since.

The below recipe for SK's Blueberry Cornmeal Butter Cake bars is a favorite amongst my family and friends--they're always eaten in full within 24 hours! These bars are super easy to make, look pretty, and are for sure a crowd pleaser.

 

 

 

Ingredients

    

8 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 c all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
½ c cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp table salt
1 c sugar
2 large eggs
¼ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp freshly grated lemon zest
½ c sour cream
2 c blueberries, rinsed and patted dry

For the streusel:

½ c sugar

6 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cornmeal
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of table salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of an 8-inch square pan with parchment, then either butter and flour the bottom and sides or coat them with a nonstick spray.

Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, set aside. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions, then add the vanilla and lime zest. Add 1/3 of flour mixture, all of the sour cream, and another third of the flour, beating until just blended. Mix the remaining flour with the blueberries. Fold the blueberry-flour mixture gently into the cake batter.

Spread the cake batter in the prepared cake pan. Using the original dry-ingredients bowl, combine the streusel ingredients with a fork. Mash in the butter with your fork, fingertips, or pastry blender. Scatter topping over the batter.

Bake the cake about 35 minutes, or until top is golden brown and toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for about 5 minutes, then cut and serve!

Avocado Chicken Salad

I'm getting quite excited about my recent discovery of the versatility of avocados. I've always just eaten them alone or in a good old bowl of guac, but had no clue they could be used in so many more different ways! This is my second "Avocado Replacement Recipe", where I've used avocado in place of an unhealthy, and therefore, undesirable ingredient. In this Avocado Chicken Salad, I used an avocado in lieu of mayonnaise. (In my first Avocado Replacement Recipe, Creamy Avocado & Tomato Pasta, I used an avocado to replace heavy cream.)

 

So go ahead, stock up on avocados and take the leap into healthier eating. Why don't you start with this Avocado Chicken Salad recipe? I promise you won't be disappointed.

Ingredients

Two chicken breasts, cooked through and chopped up (or shredded)

1 1/2 medium-sized avocados, peeled, pitted, and halved

1/4 cup packed fresh basil

2 tablespoons EVOO (you may need a 3rd later if you're using a blender)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preparation

Place cooked chicken in a bowl and set aside

Add EVOO, kosher salt, and basil to food processor/blender.

Once the basil is broken down completely, add the avocado and ground black pepper. Process/blend until mixture is completely broken down and has a liquid-base consistency (this is where I had to put an additional tablespoon of EVOO in the mix. You may have to do the same if using a blender.).

Pour mix over chicken, toss to coat completely.

Serve on your favorite bread or greens. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.





...So? What did you think?

Strawberry Streusel Muffins

These muffins are really simple and fast to whip up on a weekend morning. And, they're sure to fill your house with a smell that will draw the heaviest sleepers from their beds :). This recipe calls for fresh or frozen strawberries, but of course, fresh are better. I mean, just look at these beauties:

Anyway. To turn those into this:

You will need...

Ingredients

For the muffins:
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 c white sugar
1/4 c brown sugar
1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 c chopped strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1/4 c canola oil
1/2 c milk
1 egg
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

For the streusel:
1/4 c sugar
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of table salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Oil an 8 cup muffin pan or use paper liners.

For the muffins:

In a small bowl, combine the oil, milk, vanilla and egg. Beat lightly.

 In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and sugar. Toss in chopped strawberries and stir to coat with flour. Pour in milk mixture and stir together.

Fill muffin cups.

For the streusel:

In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter. Mash butter into dry ingredients with a fork or your fingertips.

Sprinkle mixture on top of filled muffin cups.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool in pan on a drying rack for 10 minutes (if you can wait!).