I received this recipe from a friend who served this delicious bread at one of the kids end of year parties.  Not only was it a hit with the adults, the children LOVED it.  Lemon-Thyme bread is light, favorable and easy to make.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used Whole Wheat Flour)
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Confectioners’ sugar

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Combine buttermilk and sour cream. Combine the flour, thyme, lemon peel, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beating well after each addition.
• Transfer to a greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Cool completely; sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. Yield: 1 loaf (12 slices).

After many attempts I have found the perfect vegetarian burger for our family.  In recent posts, I made what my husband and I considered great quinoa burgers, but the kids didn’t “love” them.  Tonight I tried a new Black Bean Burger mixture that hit the spot for everyone…a thumbs up from all!  I am happy to report this will be part of our summertime rotation.

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked 1(15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup plain whole wheat bread crumbs
1 teaspoon chile powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup water
1 egg (omit egg for vegan option)
1 tablespoon tomato paste (or ketchup)
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro (optional)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 small onion (diced small)
About 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions
Heat beans in microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds.  Drain and rinse.  Mash the beans with a fork in a mixing bowl.  Just mash them some so no whole beans are left.  You should leave some half beans, they don’t need to be pureed.

Add the bread crumbs, chili powder, cumin, onion, water, egg, and ketchup (and cilantro if using), but don’t mix yet.  Use a grater to grate the garlic in.  (A garlic press or very well mince garlic works, too.)

Mix everything together with a fork, and then knead with your hands until the mixture is firm and uniform.

Preheat a frying pan or saute pan over medium heat.

Divide the burger mixture into six equal pieces.  Roll each piece into a firm ball.  Press the ball down into the shape of a patty.

Pour a thin layer of olive oil into the pan.  Cook the patties for 5 minutes on each side, gently pressing down on them with a spatula until cooked.

Serve with your favorite toppings on burger buns.

Servings: 6

Kale has a distinct taste, stronger than that of spinach.  One of the benefits of blending is that I was able to disguise the taste with the ingredients below.  I have finally discovered the perfect combination! Kid-friendly.

Ingredients
2 large organic kale leafs
1.5 cups chopped fresh pineapple
1 cup frozen organic blueberries
3/4 cup water
1/2 ice

Blend and enjoy!

During this weeks visit to the grocery store I discovered Blood Oranges.  Having never tried blood oranges, I bagged up five of them thinking that might make for great smoothie ingredients.  Unlike other citrus fruits, blood oranges contain anthocyanins (super antioxidant), the same red flavonoid pigments that give blueberries their intense color and powerful health benefit. Score!  So this afternoons snack turned out to be a Blood Orange-Pineapple Smoothies for all.  The kids LOVE it, and I like it as well but will warn, it’s SUPER SWEET! I hope you will give it a try.

Ingredients
2 Blood Oranges (peeled and pulled apart)
2 cups of chopped pineapple
1 cup water
1 cup ice

BLEND and ENJOY!

Serves: 4

Tis the season for CLEMENTINES!  This creation was a new favorite with the whole family.  This recipe packs a very fresh and sweet flavor.  My neighbor gifted us with these wonderful Silicone Ice Pop Makers, so we even decided to freeze these for future afternoon snacks!  

Ingredients
3 clementines, peeled and segmented
1.5 cups cubed fresh pineapples
1 cup fresh peeled and sliced mango
3 tablespoons of Oikos Organic Plain Greek Yogurt
1 cup cubed ice
1.5 cups water

Directions
BLEND AND ENJOY!

Yield
4 large cups & 4 popsicles

Happy Holidays!  I am finally getting around to sharing one of my favorite appetizers, Autumn Brie.  This recipe is perfect for fall/winter events and is always a hit.  I serve this brie with Carr’s Table Water Crackers.  I also double the below recipe, using around a 7 inch brie.  Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients
1 small McIntosh or Cortland apple
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 cup apple cider
1 (4-inch) round Brie cheese
Chopped pecans for garnish

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Core and chop the apple.  Place in a saucepan with the raisins and cider and boil gently until the apples are tender but not mush (approximately 1/2 to 2 minutes).  Put the Brie in an ovenproof dish slightly larger than the Brie.  Strain the liquid from the apple/raisin mixture and put the drained apple and raisins on top of the Brie.  Garnish with chopped pecans and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 cups unbleached whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur’s)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened (applesauce is a healthier substitute)
2 large organic eggs
1.5 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt (I use Oiko’s Organic Fat Free Plain Yogurt)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
3. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute).  Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla, beat until blended.  Add flour mixture, beat at low speed just until moist.  Spoon batter into muffin tin.  If you are not using cupcake liners, be sure to coat your pan with cooking spray.
4. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, let cool for 10 minutes.

*If you choose to make Banana Bread, follow the above directions.  Spoon batter into a 8.5×4.5 inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray or you may choose to line your baking pan with parchment paper. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes in a pan on a wire rack

Ingredients for Tilapia
Fresh Tilapia
Organic Bread Crumbs (Trader Joe’s or Ian’s All Natural Panko Breadcrumbs)
Organic Valley Cultured Lowfat Buttermilk

Directions for Tilapia
Rinse off the fresh Tilapia and pat dry with paper towels (set aside)
Pour buttermilk into a bowl
Pour breadcrumbs onto a plate or into a separate bowl
Take the Tilapia, immerse in the buttermilk, then coat or press against the breadcrumbs
Place Tilapia on a foil covered baking sheet
Bake Tilapia at 375 for 20 minutes or until flaky.  Turn halfway through.

Ingredients for Sauteed Spinach
Fresh Organic Spinach
1 tablespoon of Olive Oil
garlic to season

Directions for Sauteed Spinach
Over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and garlic to pan, add spinach and saute for 5-7 minutes.

These pumpkin pancakes are sweet with a light taste of pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.  We serve ours with 100% pure maple syrup which is less sweet and is from an actual maple tree (store bought). If you have time, take a look at Aunt Jemima’s Original Pancake Syrup.  Ingredients include: CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, WATER, CELLULOSE GUM, CARAMEL COLOR, SALT, SODIUM BENZOATE AND SORBIC ACID (PRESERVATIVES), ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL FLAVORS, SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE. We are serious transition of trying to eliminate preservatives and artificial ingredients and eat more natural whole based foods.

Hope you enjoy these Pumpkin Pancakes as much as we do.  If you have a “homemade” version, I’d love for you to share!

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah), it a highly nutritious gluten-free seed (usually considered to be a whole grain) that contains all eight amino acids, a great source of dietary fiber, B vitamins, iron and PROTEIN!  Quinoa is cooked by boiling water and simmering for around 15 minutes.  I usually cook extra Quinoa , keeping some on hand for vegetable stir fry.

The Quinoa Black Bean Burger was my favorite thus far, and somewhat of a hit with the kids.  They would have preferred if I had left out the chopped yellow bell pepper, but otherwise, they enjoyed it!

Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can organic black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup cooked organic quinoa (I use Nature’s Earthly Choice from Costco)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup bread crumbs (I use Trader Joe’s organic or Ian’s brand from Earthfare)
1/4 cup minced yellow bell pepper
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
*1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (*optional)
1 egg
3 tablespoons olive

Directions
Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Roughly mash the black beans with a fork leaving some whole black beans in a paste-like mixture.

Mix the quinoa, bread crumbs, bell pepper, onion, garlic, cumin, salt, hot pepper sauce, and egg into the black bean mixture using your hands.

Form the black bean mixture into 5 patties.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.

Cook the patties in the hot oil until heated through, about 3 minutes on each side.

*I served our burgers on Arnold’s Whole Wheat thins and added Pepper Jack cheese to the adult burgers and Cheddar Cheese to the children’s burgers.
Servings: 5