whole wheat zucchini bread

recently i made some goodies for some special people. one of those goodies was a wonderful zucchini bread i'd found via smitten kitchen (favorite it).  i anticipated this bread to taste much like the bread my mom makes because it has all the right ingredients for delicious results.  i was right.  i stole a slice from the loaf i'd delivered to my grandma a few weeks back when i visited her for lunch.  it was so good, i was glad i was leaving it behind on her kitchen counter.

the second loaf went to a deserving family and apparently, they enjoyed the taste as much as i had.   when i was asked for the recipe, i could tell it was assumed that the bread they'd eaten was a nutritious loaf of zucchini bread.  delicious? yes.  nutritious? not so much.  woops.

so i set out to recreate the bread with some better-for-you ingredients and i've just tasted my first slice.  SCORE!

seriously.  seriously, this recipe came straight out of my head, i amazed myself.  i've never done that before; just throw ingredients in a bowl and hope for the best.  it worked.  hooray!

whole wheat zucchini bread
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp each of (ground) nutmeg, cloves & allspice
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup canola oil
2 Tbsp light agave
3 large eggs
3 cups zucchini, grated
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 oz bittersweet baking chocolate, chopped (optional).

pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  spray two 8x4 loafs pans with non-stick spray and lightly flour.  set aside.

grate the zucchini and squeeze out excess moisture with a few paper towels.  fluff with a fork.

in a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and spices.

in a separate bowl, combine brown sugar, oil and agave.  mix until well blended.  add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each egg.  on the lowest speed setting, add zucchini and vanilla until just combined.

slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.  don't over mix.

gently fold the chocolate into the batter.

pour batter evenly into prepared pans.  smooth out tops.  bake for 40-45 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.  do not over bake.  cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing loaves from pans to finish cooling on a rack (don't leave the loaves in the pans for longer than 10 minutes).

eat it.

makes 2 loaves with approximately 12-13 slices per loaf.

Nutrition Facts whole wheat zucchini bread Serving Size: 1 serving Amount Per Serving Calories 114 Total Fat 3.7g       Saturated Fat 0.4g       Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 21mg Sodium 182mg Carbohydrate 17.7g       Dietary Fiber 1.6g       Sugars 7.1g Protein 2.3g Vitamin A 1% Vitamin C 4% Calcium    1% Iron 3%

i canned ~ canned salsa

{{!}}

we came home with a lot of anaheim peppers from the co-op.  the co-op.  i just like saying that.  the co-op. 

what do you do with a lot of anaheim peppers?  you make salsa. 

so, i did.

i invited my neighbor tryna over to assist me.  she's a newly accomplished canner (is that a word?).  she canned some delicious (like FOR REALS delicious) apricot jam that i love so much i've found myself standing at the counter, dipping my cracker straight into the jar.  i insist she assure me that it is sugar free.  

so anyway,  i said to tryna, do you want to can salsa?  and tryna said, yes. 

she provided the jars and the know how while i provided the peppers and 15 pounds of tomatoes.  oh, and the recipe, i found the recipe here.  it's a keeper.  promise.  

we made a few changes.  first, we only used about 2/3 of the recommended peppers and jalapeno.  the bite is just right (in our humble opinions) and, we ran the tomatoes through the processor for more of a restaurant style salsa rather than a chunkier version.  

this recipe says it makes approximately 13 pints.  we only ended up with 7.75 pints altogether so .... i don't know if we did something wrong or, if the recipe source sucks horribly at arithmetic.

canned salsa (copied and pasted directly from the source good life eats)

• Kerr pint canning jars - sterilized in the dishwasher
• Lids - thin, flat, metal lids with gum binder that seals them against the top of the jar. You need new lids each time.
• 15 lbs tomatoes - I used a mixture of on-the-vine and Roma for texture variation
• 7 Anaheim chilies - seeded
• 4 jalapenos - seeded
• 3 c chopped onion
• 1/2 c fresh cilantro
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 Tbs oregano - I used fresh from my herb garden
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbs salt
• 1 1/2 Tbs ground cumin
• 1 Tbs chili powder
• 1 c 5% apple cider vinegar
• 2 - 6 oz. cans tomato paste

Advance prep-work: make sure the jars have been sterilized in the dishwasher. Boil the lids gently for 3 minutes.

The first step is the most time intensive - removing the skins and seeds. I think it is best to have 2 people working in tandem with one removing the skins and another removing the seeds if you are able. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Put tomatoes a few at a time into boiling water (30-45 seconds), then plunge in ice water. This makes the skins very easy to remove.

After removing the skins, cut the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds and excess water. Squeeze each tomato and use your finger or a spoon to scoop and shake out most of the seeds. It doesn't need to be perfect. Put the peeled and de-seeded tomatoes into a colander as you work. Next, chop them into 1/2 inch pieces and set aside in a large pot.

Using a food processor, process the onions, Anaheim chilies, and jalapeno peppers to about 1/8 of an inch. Process them separately so that you can add a little of the chilies and peppers at a time until you reach your desired heat.

Bring the tomatoes to a simmer and add the onions and seasonings. Start off adding half of the chilies and peppers. Bring to a gentle simmer. Taste it as it simmers to see if you would like additional seasonings or peppers. If you like a thicker salsa, you can add 4 Tbs of cornstarch to the vinegar mixture before adding. Add the vinegar, and cornstarch if using. Add the tomato paste. Simmer 5 minutes.

While you are filling the jars with salsa, bring a large pot of water to a boil to can the salsa. Fill the jars to within ¼-inch of the top, cover with the lid and hand-tighten the ring around them. Be sure the top of the jar and underside of the ring are clean to get a good seal. Put them in the canner and keep them covered with at least 1 inch of constant boiling water. Process the jars in a boiling-water bath for 15 minutes for 8 oz and pints. You will need to adjust the time if your altitude is different than sea level - it will tell you on the packaging for the lids how many minutes to add depending on your altitude.

Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping them. Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed. Just press in the center with your finger. If it pops up and down, it is not sealed. If you put the jar in the refrigerator right away, you can still use it. If they have successfully sealed you can store the salsa in your pantry until you're ready to eat it.

cooking with plantains ~ jamaican style!

:: grilled chicken and plantains ::

this past saturday morning was perfect.  my version of the perfect saturday morning.  the kids slept at grandma's on friday night (yes, you heard me, this perfect saturday morning did not involve the children) so husband and i woke up bright and early together and went for a run.  i loved that he joined me and i loved that we didn't have to rush back to relieve a babysitter.  

after our nice little run we went together to wait in line for our first basket of fruits and veggies from the co-op.  he was so patient while watching me drool over the baskets i saw people carrying away.  i have to say, i was super disappointed to miss the cut off time last night for ordering this weeks produce.  unfortunately, i had to deal with a toddler in time out after he bit his brother in the back during a fit of glee.  

anyway, back to my perfect morning.  once we returned from our co-op pick up and a quick visit to the local farmer's market, we decided to not shower off our stink and instead, we drove up town to the real farmer's market in salt lake where we people watched and tasted yummy samples.  

my perfect morning was that simple.  a little quality time with the husband doing things i love to do (and, i think he enjoys as well) turned out to be just what i needed.  a small peaceful break from the chaos that is raising three young children.  then they came home and we jumped right back in to full swing parenting.  yeah!

the point?  plantains.  plantains are the point.  the co-op basket came with three plantains.  i'd never heard of or seen a plantain before so as soon as i had a moment, i began my research.  turns out plantains are treated as a starch vegetable and have a lower sugar content than regular dessert bananas.  because of this, plantains typically require some sort of cooking and/or processing before consumption and as i searched for recipes, i found the traditional use is for making fried chips.  FRIED.  um ... no, thanks.

so, i did what i do and tried to find a more figure friendly recipe.  what i found was a nice sounding recipe titled "grilled chicken and plantains ~ jamaican style" which became dinner last night.  

  

the chicken marinade was great and we also used up the fresh broccoli from our bountiful basket.  as far as the plantains?  well, the kids ate them.  cayden's reaction was especially surprising.  he gobbled his up and i thought they tasted like barbecued banana's, not bad at all but i couldn't help but think how delicious they would have been battered and fried with a nice cinnamon and sugar coating.  the husband said they were "okay" but, he prefers grilled pineapple. 

so, there you have it.  grilled plantains are edible.  not our favorite and not something i'll go out of my way to make in the future but, the chicken marinade was really good.

grilled chicken and plantains ~ jamaican style

olive oil

1/4 cup mild flavor molasses (i only had full flavor so i used 1/8 cup)

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp finely chopped onion

1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1 large garlic clove, peeled

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp ground allspice

4 boneless chicken breast halves with skin (i used boneless, skinless)

2 semi-ripe plantains (yellow-black skin), peeled, cut on a diagonal into 1/3 to 1/2" thick slices

*recipe calls for 15 minutes of marinating.  i marinated the chicken all day and did not reserve any of the marinade for "drizzling" ... it was still really flavorful.

lightly brush the plantains with olive oil and then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

process the next 8 ingredients in a food processor until well blended.  pour mixture over chicken and marinate for at least 15 minutes (longer is better imo).

prepare grill over low heat by spraying with non-stick spray. grill chicken for 4-5 minutes per side and plantains for 2-3 minutes per side.

oatmeal blueberry applesauce muffins

make ahead for a perfect "on the go" breakfast.  these are good.

oatmeal blueberry applesauce muffins

via joy the baker

• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/4 cups oats
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp canola oil (I used the almond oil I had on hand)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• i added about 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper cases or spray with nonstick cooking spray. I simple greased and floured a muffin pan, saving the paper.

In a large bowl combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a medium bowl combine applesauce, buttermilk, sugar, oil and egg. Make a well in dry ingredients and add applesauce mixture. Stir until just moist. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.

Bake for 16-18 minutes.

Nutrition Facts oatmeal applesauce blueberry muffins Serving Size: 1 serving Amount Per Serving Calories 138 Total Fat 3.3g       Saturated Fat 0.3g       Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 15mg Sodium 165mg Carbohydrate 24.8g       Dietary Fiber 2.3g       Sugars 12.3g Protein 3.2g Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 7% Calcium    5% Iron 3%

bountiful baskets co-op & baked zucchini fries

you can never imagine how excited i was to pick up my first share of fruits and veggies from the co-op this morning.  you also might die right now when you learn that our $15 contributions bought all of this

what happens now?  

well, i get to learn how to cook with plantains and use up all this produce before it goes bad.  i have a few ideas that should (hopefully) result in posts on this here blog.  it's been awhile since i made anything too exciting or new so, i'm looking forward to what the week will bring.  for starters, i'll be making oatmeal applesauce blueberry muffins tomorrow morning breakfast.  also on the list; mango sorbet and grilled peaches with rosemary chicken.  i'm looking for a mouth watering salsa recipe to use up all those green peppers, tomatoes and onions.  anyone have one they'd be willing to pass on? (i know i have a huge readership so i'm expecting several salsa recipes in my inbox very soon).

see how overwhelmed my counter is?

earlier in the week my neighbor dropped off a basket of deliciousness from her garden so i have a lot of food to get through.  i've used some of the rosemary already in my new favorite salad and the basil became a nice pesto blend.

i've also made a couple of loaves of zucchini bread and tonight, i had baked zucchini fries for dinner with a side of marinara.  please check back this week to see the rest of my experiments.  

baked zucchini fries

{source)

3 medium zucchini,  sliced into skinny sticks (i used one massive zucchini)
2 large egg whites, beaten
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (we make our own)
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp dried basil
Pinch of dried oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a small bowl, beat egg whites with a fork until frothy.

Put the breadcrumbs, basil, oregano, garlic powder and cheese on a plate-I used a pie tin. Mix well.

Dip the zucchini sticks in the egg whites and then into the bread crumb mixture, make sure all sides get coated well. Place the sticks on the prepared baking sheet.  I did the sticks one by one.

Bake at 425° for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and a little crispy. I turned over the fries half way through.  Serve warm. We like to dip ours in marinara sauce.

winter fruit salad with lemon poppyseed dressing

{image and recipe source}

my brother and sister in law came over the other night to hang out and i hadn't really planned much for dinner but i did have all the ingredients for this salad i had been hoping to make so i whipped it up super quick and served it with a poor version of homemade pizza.  it was really good.  i'm learning to love salad again.  there are so many yummy variations and homemade dressings are the best!  give this one a try.

winter fruit salad with lemon poppyseed dressing

INGREDIENTS

Lemon Poppy Seed Vinaigrette:

1 Tbsp. honey

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. diced onion

1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard

dash of salt

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. poppy seeds

Salad:

4 cups romaine lettuce

4 cups mixed greens

1/2 cup roasted cashews

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1 apple, cored and sliced

1 pear, cored and sliced

DIRECTIONS
To make the vinaigrette:
1. In a blender or food processor, combine the honey, lemon juice, mustard, and salt. Process until well blended. With the motor running, add the oil in a slow, steady stream, until mixture is thick and smooth. Add poppy seeds and process just a few seconds more to mix.

To assemble the salad:
1. In a large bowl, combine the romaine and mixed greens. Top with cashews, cranberries, apple, and pear. Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Serves 2-4.

chocolate, banana, peanut butter protein shake

another favorite post-workout shake.

chocolate banana, peanut butter protein shake
1 cup light, chocolate soy milk
1 tbsp natural peanut butter
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 tbsp ground flax
1 banana, the riper, the better
ice

blend!

kid tested, mother approved {is it legal to say that?}

i'm always on the hunt for healthy "snack" options for the kids (and husband).  i'm sure you all know that this is not an easy feat.  for the most part, commercially prepared and packaged snacks are not usually all that nutritious and the ones that come close enough don't always pass the taste test.

sometimes i bring things home hoping the kids will love them only to have them turn their noses up in disgust.  however, every now and then, the opposite happens.  i put things out on the counter nonchalantly, not asking them to try anything but, their curious minds and constant desire to get away with sneaking food has proven to be an effective way for taste testing.

these two items, purchased yesterday, both passed the taste test x3 with flying colors.

both purchased from costco.  

other taste test approved snacks currently filling our pantry include items such as these:

i'll be adding to this list as i find new wonderful products to share.  in the meantime, will you share yours?  i'm still looking for hfcs free fruit snacks that won't cost me an arm and a leg. 

grilled veggie panini*

check out my new "recipe index" above.

*because i don't actually own a panini maker.  i faked it.

on friday my mom took the kids and i to corner bakery cafe for lunch.  i ordered a grilled veggie panini on whole wheat bread.  so i decided to try and recreate it for dinner tonight.  the result;  a success. 

i didn't follow a recipe, i just threw together what i had in the fridge.  the zucchini and yellow squash i'd been needing to use for a couple of days now and i'm glad i did, they were ready to become trash and i hate throwing away produce!  the only thing i didn't have was tomatoes and i really wanted roasted tomatoes (so amazing!) so i picked some up at the store today along with some fresh berries and made some fake paninis.

grilled veggie panini

2 medium zucchini, halved length wise

2 small yellow squash, halved length wise

1/2 medium yellow onion, halved for rings

12 oz cherry tomatoes, halved (or sun dried tomatoes if you don't feel like roasting ahead of time)

5-6 cloves of garlic, un-peeled

3 tbsp olive oil, divided

salt and pepper

7 oz artichoke hearts (i used water packed but marinated would have been good too)

1 tbsp pesto

1/2 cup baby spinach leaves

2-4 slices low sodium provolone cheese

4 slices whole wheat bread (thick sliced sourdough bread would be delicious!)

1. roast tomatoes by preheating oven to 375 degrees.  place halved tomatoes on a lined baking sheet with garlic cloves.  drizzle evoo over tomatoes and garlic. sprinkle with sea salt and crushed pepper.  roast for 50-60 minutes.

2. turn grill to low heat.  baste zucchini, squash and onions with 1 tbsp of the olive oil.  sprinkle with salt and pepper.  grill until soft, 3-4 minutes per side (turning once).

3.  chop all ingredients and combine in bowl. (look at those tomatoes ~ YUM!)

4. preheat grill pan or panini press over medium heat.  

5. make sandwiches: start by brushing the first slice of bread (grill side) with olive oil.  spread pesto on the first slice (bottom piece) of bread.  lay spinach on pesto then add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of veggie mixture on top of spinach.  lay slices of cheese on top of veggie mixture then top with the last slice of bread.  brush top piece of bread lightly with olive oil.

6. grill for 4-5 minutes per side with a fake panini maker like i did (yes, i actually smashed the sandwiches flat with a stock pot)

or, follow the directions for the panini press.  i wouldn't know what they are.  did i mention i don't have one?

yum!

sunshine and salad!

a few days ago my cousin gwen said some nice things about me on her blog and, as if that weren't enough, she gave me a sunshine award! now, i don't know what a sunshine award is but, i'll take any kind of award i can get these days.  thanks gwen!

she told some folks i have a great blog and i really appreciate this although i realize that lately, it's not been so great.  i guess i have been busy?  not really.

really, our grocery budget is tight lately with the husbands employer asking each employee to take an unpaid day off each month for the next six months.  i have a hard time not sticking to my "go to" meals when i'm trying to pinch pennies.  but, that doesn't mean i haven't been cooking.  actually, we've had some yummy things as of late such as this wonderful recipe for barbecue chicken sandwiches grilled with smoked gouda and sliced apples.  it was good, we had it more than once but, the gouda isn't all that nutritious, just really delicious.

we've been enjoying lots of homemade ice cream too.  maybe a little too much.  and one day last week i made some amazing coconut cupcakes to "sample" before i serve them to a large group of people here soon at my cousins bridal shower.  i'll have to share that recipe on my other blog, amazing!

mostly though, we've been sticking to the basics and eating lots of leftovers.  here's one concoction i came up with using what i had on hand which turned out to be super awesome.

spinach salad with teriyaki chicken, mandarin oranges and toasted almonds

this salad was super easy to throw together.  i had some leftover teriyaki chicken in the fridge and a box of mini bow tie pasta that took 5 minutes to cook (rinse with cold water).  i toasted some almonds and sesame seeds in a small saute pan over medium heat for about 7 minutes and then drained some canned mandarins (packed in light syrup).  throw this all together with a bunch of spinach and top with newman's sesame ginger dressing = YUM!  (p.s. i like cold chicken so i didn't heat it up but, it be great either way).

give it a try, okay?

in the meantime, i'm going to share the sunshine award with my friend melissa.  her blog isn't technically a "foodie" blog but, she's a mom (a great one at that) and, she posts a lot of super yummy and sometimes even nutritious recipes so, go check her out!

here's what you do:

1. put the award on your blog and/or within your post.

2. pass the award onto other bloggers.

3. link to nominees within your post.

4. let them know they received the award by commenting on their blog.

5. share the love and link the person from whom you received the award.