Churro Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes last week for the team at MediaValet for Cinco de Mayo.  They were a big hit and I’ve had multiple requests for the recipe. If cinnamon and sugar flavours are your thing, these cupcakes will not disappoint.  I skipped adding a piece of crispy churro on top, (to save on calories lol) and just went with the cupcake and frosting.  Thank you Hayley Parker of The Domestic Rebel for sharing such a fabulous recipe.

Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 1 box French Vanilla cake mix, plus ingredients on back of box
• 1 small box sugar free/fat free instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• FOR FROSTING:
• ¾ cup butter, softened
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 1-2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2-3 Tbsp milk
• About 3 cups powdered sugar
• Baked churros, chopped into 1-2″ pieces (you can find these in the frozen section typically)
• Cinnamon sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two muffin tins with about 16 paper liners. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, prepare the cake mix according to package directions. Stir the pudding mix and cinnamon into the batter to combine. Portion the batter evenly among the muffin tins, filling about ¾” of the way full. Bake for approx. 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Cool completely.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, vanilla and cinnamon until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar in, about one cup at a time, until thick and fluffy. Use the milk to thin out the frosting if needed.
4. Pipe frosting high onto cooled cupcakes and garnish with a freshly baked churro piece and a dusting of cinnamon sugar.

Banana Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Thank you to lilluna.com for sharing the recipe for these fabulous cupcakes.  If you’re looking for something that is a change up from banana bread, these cupcakes are just the ticket.  The whipped egg whites make them light and fluffy, and the cinnamon cream cheese frosting isn’t nearly as rich as it sounds.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

for the cupcakes:

• 4 large eggs
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 1½ cups mashed bananas (from 3-4 mashed bananas)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 1½ cups cake flour (all-purpose flour can also be substituted)
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

for the frosting:

• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 4 ounces of cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar (more as needed)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 1½ teaspoons cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare two muffin tins by lining with paper liners.
2. Separate the eggs and beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then set aside.
3. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the mashed bananas, egg yolks, and vanilla, and mix until smooth. Gently fold in ⅓ of the egg white mixture.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Gently fold in remaining egg whites.
5. Fill paper baking cups half full and bake 11-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove and let cool completely.
6. To make the frosting, beat together the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar slowly and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and cinnamon.
7. If necessary, add more powdered sugar until the frosting is firm enough to hold its shape but still light and fluffy. Frost the cooled cupcakes and enjoy!

Jamie Oliver’s Smoothie Pancakes with Berries, Banana, Yogurt and Nuts

How many pancakes recipes is too many recipes to have?  I have to admit I have quite a few. Ilsa Does It Carrot Cake Pancakes are one of my fav’s.  Oddly enough until now I didn’t have a favourite blueberry one.  They were all good, but this uber quick blueberry recipe from Jamie Oliver will be my new go to one. It’s super quick to make thanks to using the blender, and could easily be made by kids who are little older.  The banana adds just enough sweet to the batter, without tasting banana in the pancake.  I hadn’t tried yogurt, nuts, cinnamon and maple syrup for toppings before -uhm hello, yumminess!  I made a couple of changes based on my dietary requirements which I’ve noted below, and they tasted terrific.  Enjoy!

Makes 4 servings

Recipe by Jamie Oliver, from Everyday Super Food

INGREDIENTS
11 ounces (about 1½ cups) blueberries ( I used frozen)
1 large, ripe banana
¾ cup 2% milk ( I used Almond Milk)
1 large egg
1¾ cup whole-wheat flour ( I used oat flour – oats ground up in the Vitamix)
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil, to coat the pan

Optional, to garnish:
¼ cup plain yogurt
Ground cinnamon
1 ounce chopped raw, unsalted pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts
Manuka honey (an extra-nutritious raw honey; buy it here) I used maple syrup

PREPARATION
Blitz half the blueberries, peeled banana, milk, egg, and flour in a blender to make a smoothie pancake batter. Tip into a bowl and fold in the remaining berries. Place a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour in a little bit of olive oil, then use a paper towel to wipe it around the pan and absorb the excess. Once hot, put your batter into the pan to make large pancakes or little ones, whichever you fancy. Either way, cook for a couple of minutes on each side, or until crisp and golden. Sometimes I flip them for an additional 30 seconds on each brown side to ensure they get super crispy. Serve as and when they’re ready, while you get on with more.

To serve, top with a dollop of yogurt, a sprinkling of cinnamon, and a scattering of toasted nuts, then finish with a little drizzle of honey.

Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers

I found this recipe on About.com.  Veggie Burgers are so hit and miss on if they will turn out or not. Sometimes the texture is right, but the flavour is UGH. Other times the flavour is fabulous, but you end up with something that resembles a piece of cardboard, or a mashy mess.  These are a winning combination of texture and flavour. I had the burgers on the first night for dinner, and then crumbled up the leftovers and added them into a lunch bowl the next day. These burgers are on the sweet side, not savoury (which is probably why I like them so much).

• 3 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1/4 cup quinoa uncooked
• 2 tablespoons vegan butter substitute, or butter
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup chopped kale
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• Salt
• 1 small sweet onion, very coarsely chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 hamburger buns

How To Make The Burgers

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake the potatoes in the oven for about 35 minutes or so until the potatoes are soft and able to be mashed.  Allow the potatoes to cool, remove the skin and mash to make 2 cups; transfer to a medium mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring 3/4 cup water and the quinoa to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and cover, until the water is nearly absorbed and the quinoa appears transparent, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove quinoa from the stove; allow to sit covered, for 5 minutes.

In a separate saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the vegan butter substitute or butter. Stir in 1 tablespoon of maple syrup and the cayenne pepper. Add mixture to the mashed sweet potatoes along with the kale, cooked quinoa,  onions, pecans and 1/2 teaspoon salt; mix well.

Form the mixture into patties; place on a well-greased baking sheet. Bake for 35 minutes, turning once at the halfway point.  I like my burgers to be a little dark and crispy as it makes the sweet potato and maple syrup become a little caramelized. Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.  I top mine with a little avocado lime dressing.

Avocado Lime Dressing – 1 clove of garlic, 1 large pitted avocado, 1 lime juiced, 1/4 tsp of sea salt – whirled up in the blender until smooth.

Enjoy!

 

Thai Red Lentil Soup with Aromatic Chile Oil

On Saturday after celebrating Dave’s birthday breakfast in Deep Cove, I found a cookbook called Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi (it’s also available at Chapters, Amazon etc) I didn’t make the infused oil as noted below, as we have a terrific olive oil company here in Vancouver called …Vancouver Olive Oil Company. They have a wickedly delicious Baklouti Green Chili Olive Oil that is smooth, yet spicy, offering just the right amount of kick – so I thought I’d try it first.  Below is the original recipe in case you can’t get to the the Vancouver Olive Oil Company.  Enjoy!

4 oz/120 grams sugar snap peas
3 tablespoons oliveoil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced (1½ cups/160 grams)
1½ tablespoon vegetarian red curry paste
2 lemongrass stalks, gently bashed with a rolling pin
4 fresh Kaffir lime leaves (or 12 dried)
1¼ cups/250 grams red lentils
1 cup/250 ml coconut milk
1½ tablespoons lime juice
1½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup/15 grams cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
salt

Chile-infused oil**

¾ cup/180 ml olive oil
1 banana shallot, or 2 regular shallots, coarsely chopped (½ cup/50 grams)
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon peeled and coarsely chopped fresh ginger
½ red chile, coarsely chopped
½ star anise pod
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon tomato paste
grated zest of ½ small lemon

First make the chile oil. Heat 2 tablespoons of the sunflower oil in a small saucepan. Add the shallot, garlic, ginger, chile, star anise, and curry powder and fry over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the shallot is soft. Add the tomato paste and cook gently for 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining oil and the lemon zest and simmer very gently for 30 minutes. Leave to cool and then strain through a cheesecloth-lined sieve.

For the soup, bring a small pan of water to boil and throw in the sugar snap peas. Cook for 90 seconds, drain, refresh under cold water, and set aside to dry. Once cool, cut them on the diagonal into slices 1/16-inch/2-mm thick.

Heat the oil in a large pot and add the onion. Cook over low heat, with a lid on, for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the onion is completely soft and sweet. Stir in the red curry paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the lemongrass, lime leaves, red lentils, and 3 cups/700 ml water. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat to low, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the lentils are completely soft.

Remove the soup from the heat and take out and discard the lemongrass and lime leaves. Use a blender to process the soup until it is completely smooth. Add the coconut milk, lime juice, soy sauce, and ½ teaspoon salt and stir. Return the soup to medium heat, and once the soup is almost boiling, ladle into bowls. Scatter the snap peas on top, sprinkle with cilantro, and finish with ½ teaspoon chile oil drizzled over each portion.

Banana Layer Cake With Butter Cream Frosting

This cake is perfect for those who love banana bread, but want something that isn’t quite as dense.  The butter cream frosting is wickedly sweet and makes this taste like a dessert instead of a loaf/bread type of treat for sure.   We had the first pieces as just single layer hot from the oven with the frosting drizzled over the top.  Once it cooled I then made it into a layer cake.

Ingredients for Banana Layer Cake:
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
2-1/2 cups cake flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, fine quality
1/4 cup of buttermilk (or 1/4 cup milk with 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar)

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.  Cook cakes for at least 25 minutes.

Prepare two 9″ cake pans by buttering and dusting with a little flour.

Mash 3-4 brown bananas to make 1 cup banana puree.

Measure out into a large bowl all the dry ingredients:
2-1/2 cups cake flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes. Then add the eggs and vanilla.

Mix the banana mixture with sour milk and then add to butter, sugar, egg and vanilla mixture.  Add in dry ingredients, mix well and pour into pans.

Cool the cakes for 10 minutes in the pans before removing and then continue cooling for an additional 30 minutes to an hour before frosting.

FROSTING

1cup of butter, 2 cups of icing sugar, 2tbsp of boiling water, 2 tbsp of milk, 1tsp of vanilla.

Cream butter with mixer, add in icing sugar, slowly add boiling water, followed by milk and vanilla.

Banana Pecan Granola Bars

Today is Granola Bar making day 🙂 These Banana Pecan Granola Bars are chewy and crunchy all at the same time. I found the original recipe on anjasfood4thought.com.  These are simple to make and offer far more nutrition than store bought granola bars.  If you have 20 -30 minutes to make yourself a healthier treat for the week, these are a perfect quick grab and go snack. Enjoy!

1 1/2 cups regular rolled oats

1 cup coconut flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup pecan nuts, chopped

1 cup dried fruit (I used 4 medijool dates cut up into small pieces, 1/4 cup of dried cranberries, and 1/4 cup of raisins, and 3 pieces of dried mango cut into little strips)

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Yields  ca. 15 bars/squares

————————————————————-
Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine rolled oats, pecan nuts, sesame seeds and coconut flakes. Stir in allspice and cinnamon. Add dried fruit and stir until well and evenly mixed. Make sure the dried fruit do not stick together in big batches.
In another bowl, combine oil, mashed banana and vanilla extract. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
Spread the batter evenly onto the baking sheet, about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch high.
Alternatively, use a large cookie cutter and press spoonfuls of the batter into it. Remove cookie cutter. Bake for about 20 minutes or longer until edges are golden brown. The granola bars tend to get brown at the bottom first. Make sure not to burn them. Let cool completely, store in airtight container and keep in the fridge.

Peanut Butter No Bake Breakfast Cookies

These cookies are so easy to make, easy to grab and go for when you just don’t have time to make breakfast (or can’t decide what you want).  They’re also great as a snack. The recipe makes about 10-12 cookies depending on the size you want. These are kid and adult approved and lasted less then a day in our house. I didn’t add any add-ins just a drop of chocolate on the top.  Prep time is 10 minutes or under. I found the recipe on chelseasmessyapron.com

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup peanut butter ( I used a natural and crunchy version)
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt, optional
1/2 cup rice krispies cereal
1/4 cup ground flaxseed or you can substitute with oat flour (to make oat flour – mix your oats in a high powered blender)
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats, not cooked

Optional:
Melted chocolate drizzle: 3 tablespoons milk or dark chocolate chips
Add-ins: raisins, chopped up nuts, craisins, mini chocolate chips (about 2 tbsp.)

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the peanut butter, honey, vanilla, and salt. Microwave for 20-30 seconds and stir until combined.

In that same bowl, add in the rice krispy type cereal, flaxseed, and oats. Stir together until completely combined.
Add in the optional add-ins if desired.
If your batter is a little to soft to shape into cookies just place in the fridge for 20-30 minutes for easier forming.
Form balls with the mixture and then flatten the balls in your hand to create a cookie shape.
If desired, melt 3 tbsp. of milk chocolate chips in the microwave. Put the melted chocolate in a small Ziploc bag and cut a small hole in the tip of the bag. Drizzle the chocolate across the cookies and let the chocolate harden.
Store cookies in an airtight container for 4-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Lemon Blueberry Breakfast Cookies

These breakfast cookies are perfect for busy mornings and a switch up from a bowl of oatmeal.  Don’t forget to add the lemon zest as it really makes the cookies have flavour.  This makes about 15+ cookies. I found the original recipe on Iowa Girl Eats.

Ingredients

MAKES 15 BREAKFAST COOKIES

• 3-3/4 cups gluten-free certified old fashioned oats, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup mashed very ripe banana (about 1 medium banana)
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
• 1 cup or more of blueberries, rinsed then patted dry

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees then line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper and set aside. Add 1-3/4 cups oats to a food processor then process for 3-4 minutes or until very fine to make oat flour.
2. Add oat flour, remaining 2 cups oats, baking soda, salt, and ground flaxseed to a large bowl then mix to combine. Add applesauce, banana, honey, coconut oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice then mix until just combined. Carefully fold in blueberries then let batter sit for 10 minutes to thicken.
3. Scoop 1/4 cup batter  onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cookies are golden brown around the edges and set on top. Cool completely then store in an airtight container for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or wrap individually in plastic wrap then freeze in a freezer bag.

Toasted Oats With Blueberry Chia Jam & Coconut Whipped Cream

These toasted oats are a great treat to have on days when you want to have a breakfast that is a little sweeter.  I under cooked the oats in the pot, so that they didn’t loose the toasted flavour from browning in the skillet.  When I browned the oats I sprinkled some extra cinnamon on them.  The blueberry jam can easily replace a traditional jam, and took under 5 minutes to make.  I used butter for the oats in the cast iron skillet, maple syrup as my sweetener (but honey could also be used). I used almond milk to cook the oats in instead of water. For my whip cream I used 1/2 cup of cold coconut cream (canned coconut milk that sat in the fridge over night) and sweetened it with maple syrup and 1/2 tsp of water, instead of vanilla.

     Blueberry Chia Jam

•    1 1/2 cups of fresh organic blueberries (frozen works too and you can switch up the fruit)

• 2 to 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

      Toasted oatmeal

• 1 to 2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1½ cups almond milk
• Generous pinch of sea salt
• Pinch of ground cinnamon (optional)
• Pinch of ground ginger (optional)

     Coconut whipped cream

• 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk, chilled at least 10 hours (the coconut milk MUST be full fat and MUST be refrigerated for at least 10 hours.
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon water (you could also use vanilla)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the berries (no need to defrost if they are frozen) and sweetener. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. Once the berries are warmed throughout and saucy, lightly mash the berries with a potato masher or fork.
2. Reduce the heat to medium low. Stir in the chia seeds and cook, stirring frequently, until the jam is looking jammy.  The original recipe said 15 to 20 minutes. Mine was at a texture I like within 5 minutes or less. If you want thick jam then longer is better. *** The jam will thicken up as it cools. Remove the pan from heat and add more sweetener if you’d like.
3.  For the oatmeal – Melt the coconut oil/butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oats and a sprinkle of cinnamon into a skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the oats start smelling fragrant and toasty, around 6 to 8 minutes.
4. In a large, heavy bottomed pot, combine the milk, salt, cinnamon and ginger. Bring the mixture to a slow boil over medium heat. Add the toasted oats and gently stir once or twice to incorporate the oats into the liquid. Cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let the oats sit on the burner, untouched, for 7 minutes. After 7 minutes, uncover and check the oats.
5. To make the coconut whipped cream: Pull out the chilled can of coconut milk and mixing bowl. The coconut cream should have separated from the liquid by now. Flip the can over and open it from the bottom with a can opener. Pour out the coconut water (reserve for smoothies if you’d like).
6. Scoop 1/2 cup of the solid coconut cream into a bowl (chilled if you like). Using a mixer, beat the cream until fluffy and smooth. Add the sweetener and water and gently blend again to combine. Use the coconut cream immediately or cover and store in the fridge for later (it will be soft at room temperature and firm when cold).

Enjoy 🙂