Grilled Guacamole

Yes, you read that correctly... grilled guacamole.

Why? Because we tried it, and it worked, and it was a.maz.ing.

If you like guac, you must try this before grilling season is over!

Grilled Guacamole
{click to print}

Ingredients:
2 avocados, sliced in half and pits removed
1 large onion, sliced
3 romas, seeded and diced
one clove garlic, minced
olive oil
sea salt

Brush olive oil on the avocado flesh and on the onion sliced. Place on hot grill, and cook until nicely browned. Let sit until cool enough to handle.

Scoop the avocado flesh out of the skin and mash in a medium-sized bowl. Chop onion and add to bowl. Add tomatoes, garlic, and sea salt to taste.

We love to add a dollop of this to our Chili's copycat fajitas. Yum!

Kefir Mint Julep

Ok, so we are those people...



... you know...



...the kind that soak their grains, drink non-dairy milk, avoid the "dirty dozen," and have water kefir culturing on the kitchen counter.

Yes, we thought only weird people did those things, but after doing lots of research, well.... We think it's weirder not to at least try to eat the healthiest food possible. Bring on the kefir!

Confession: Water kefir does not have a pleasant taste.

Marshall likes it, but I have to disguise it to make it palatable. We make water kefir by the quart, and I like to make mine into Kefir Mint Julep. I've never actually tasted alcoholic Mint Julep before, so I'm using my imagination here. Humor me.

Kefir Mint Julep
1 quart finished kefir water
1 mint tea bag
1/4 C bottled lemon juice
1/4 C stevia

Place tea bag in a coffee mug and add just enough boiling water to cover it (about 1/3 C). Steep for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, add lemon juice and stevia to the kefir water.

Add the concentrated tea, and mix well.

Sometimes we skip the mint tea and just make kefir "lemonade." It's pretty tasty, too. If you have any kefir recipes, I'd love for you to share them in the comment section below!

Strawberry Lemonade Cake

Do you remember my Key Lime Cupcakes? They were a party in my mouth.

As I was enjoying one of my cupcakes, the thought occurred to me that I could try it with lemon.

And strawberry filling.

And Strawberry Lemonade Cake was born. Mmmmmmm! I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate finishing up my spring cleaning.


Strawberry Lemonade Cake
{click to print}


2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
2/3 cup coconut oil, melted
2/3 cup bottled lemon juice
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
strawberry jam (for filling)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 8 inch cake pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.

Add the eggs, oil, lime juice, and yogurt. Mix until well blended.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool on wire racks. Using a rubber spatula, remove cakes carefully from the pans. Set the bottom cake layer on your cake plate or stand. Spread half of the jam evenly over the cake. Add another layer of cake, and spread the remaining jam on top. Add the top cake layer, and frost.

Lemonade Frosting
1 C butter, softened
4 C powdered sugar
2 t vanilla extract
4 T bottled lemon juice
yellow food coloring, optional


Cream the butter until smooth.

Add one cup of powdered sugar and mix well.

Mix in vanilla, lemon juice, and food coloring.

Add remaining powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Beat until smooth.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers with Avocado Cream Sauce and Feta

As I've mentioned before, Marshall and I have made a lot of changes to our diets over the past year. We eat "real" food about 95% of the time and cheat on the other 5%. We are by no means experts in nutrition but are constantly doing research and tweaking our diets as we learn what's best for our bodies.

One of the new foods we've been enjoying lately is quinoa. I love this infographic showing quinoa's health benefits.

{via}

Like rice, quinoa pretty much tastes like whatever you cook it with. If you've been putting off trying quinoa, find a rice dish you already enjoy, and substitute the rice for quinoa. One of our favorites is Quinoa Stuffed Peppers with Avocado Cream Sauce and Feta.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers with Avocado Cream Sauce and Feta

{click to print}

1 C uncooked quinoa

2 C water

4 bell peppers, sliced in half with seeds and membranes removed

1 onion, chopped

1 T minced garlic

1 C black beans

2 roma tomatoes, chopped

4 T crumbled feta cheese

For the avocado cream sauce:

1 avocado, pitted and skin removed

1 T lime juice

1 T garlic powder

1 t sea salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lay peppers, cut side down, on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, bring quinoa and water to a boil. Cover, and let sit for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed.

In a large pan, saute chopped onion until translucent. Add garlic, and cook for one minute longer. Turn off heat and add beans, tomatoes, and cooked quinoa. Mix well.

Mash or puree the avocado with the lime juice, garlic powder, and sea salt.

Spoon the quinoa mixture into the cooked peppers, and top with the avocado cream sauce and feta. These stuffed peppers are just as good leftover!

The avocado cream sauce is also wonderful over spaghetti with some chopped romas and a little parmesan! Who said healthy food couldn't taste good?!

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Key Lime Cream Cupcakes with Vanilla Lime Buttercream

Stop whatever you're doing and make these cupcakes.

Seriously.

They are that amazing.

I adapted a recipe from Bakerella for the cupcakes and made up my own frosting to top them off.

Key Lime Cream Cupcakes
{click to print}

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
2/3 cup coconut oil, melted
2/3 cup bottled lime juice
3/4 cup Greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.

Add the eggs, oil, lime juice, and yogurt. Mix until well blended.

Pour into cupcake tins.

After putting the tins in the oven, turn the oven down to 325 degrees, and bake for 25 minutes.

Cool on wire racks.

Vanilla Lime Buttercream Frosting

1 C butter, softened
4 C powdered sugar
2 t vanilla extract
2 t bottled lime juice
green food coloring, optional

Cream the butter until smooth.

Add one cup of powdered sugar and mix well.

Mix in vanilla, lime juice, and food coloring.

Add remaining powdered sugar, one cup at a time.

Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

Refrigerate leftovers... if you have any!

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Soaked Whole Wheat Bread

For the past year, we have been trying to feed our bodies the best possible food that we can. It began with some health concerns that we wanted to solve at home, and I started doing a lot of research to see what we could do to eat better food. We were primarily needing to rid our diets of high fructose corn syrup, and I am still amazed by how many products contain it! There were the obvious things, like bottled and fountain drinks, but then we found it in a lot of condiments and even in our favorite whole wheat bread.

One search led to another, and I discovered that our beloved store bought bread also contained bleached flour, quite a bit of sodium, and a lot of ingredients that I couldn't pronounce. Not only were the ingredients all wrong, but unless the grains that are in the bread are sprouted or soaked, your body can't even absorb the good stuff in it!

I looked all over for bread made with sprouted grains, and all I could find was Ezekiel bread. It's too pricey for our budget and isn't sold in any stores close to home, so I resorted to making my own. I found a great recipe from Shaye at The Elliott Homestead and have adapted it just a bit. It is SO good that I just had to pass it along to you.

This recipe makes three loaves at a time and freezes wonderfully. With only two of us, I usually just make bread once a month. I love being able to do the work all at once and then enjoy the fruits of my labor for a few weeks.

Soaked Whole Wheat Bread
{click to print}

11 C white whole wheat flour
2 C old fashioned oats
3/4 C butter, melted
1 C honey
3 3/4 C warm water
1/4 C apple cider vinegar
--
1/2 C warm water (about 100* F)
1 t honey
2 1/2 T active dry yeast
--
3 T vital wheat gluten
1 1/2 T sea salt

Step 1: In a large bowl, stir together the flour and oats. Make a well in the center.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, mix the butter, honey, water, and vinegar.
Step 3: Pour the liquid into the well in the flour/oat mixture.
Step 4: Stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.
Step 5: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and lay a wet towel over the top. Let sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours.
Step 6: After 12-24 hours, proof your yeast. Stir it in to the dough. You may have to ditch the spoon and go at it like you are mashing up hamburgers.
Step 7: Add the gluten and salt. Mix well.
Step 8: Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes. Resist the urge to add extra flour unless you absolutely must. The longer you knead, the smoother the dough will become.
Step 9: Place the dough in a greased bowl. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size (about one hour).
Step 10: When dough has doubled, punch it down, rotate it, and cover with a towel. Let it rise until doubled again (about thirty minutes).
Step 11: When dough has doubled, divide it into three even portions. Shape them into loaves, and set them in greased loaf pans. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise. Preheat your oven to 350* F.
Step 12: Bake loaves for 45-55 minutes, or until they sound hollow when tapped. Cool on wire racks.

Unlike many homemade breads, it can be sliced thinly!

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Cherry Rice Krispie Pops

We are busy making last minute preparations for our church's Valentine Banquet, hence the lack of posts.

Other than fresh flowers, the decorating is complete.

(This was taken before the place settings were complete.)

place card graphic courtesy of The Graphics Fairy

Now it's time to prepare the food. It's a little early to do too much, but these krispie pops will stay fresh until the banquet... if they last that long!

Cherry Rice Krispie Pops
{click to print}

Ingredients:
4 TBS butter
6 C (one 10.5 oz pkg) mini marshmallows
1 packet of flavored gelatin (I used cherry)
6 C Rice Krispie cereal

Optional:
white candy melts
Valentine sprinkles
lollipop sticks

Melt the butter in a large pot on low. Add the gelatin and marshmallows, and stir until the marshmallows are melted and gooey.

Add the cereal, and stir until well mixed. Pour the mixture onto a greased cookie sheet or a 9 x 13 baking dish. Use a buttered spatula, wax paper, or a buttered ziploc bag (worn as a glove, and yes, I made that up today) to press the mixture evenly across the pan.

Allow the mix to cool completely. You can stop here and cut the krispies into bars, or you can keep going and make krispie pops.

For krispie pops, use a cookie cutter to cut out individual sized pieces.

Stick a lollipop stick about one inch up through the bottom of the piece.

Melt the candy melts according to the directions on the bag, and drizzle over the krispie pops.

Add sprinkles before the candy hardens.

Yum! If you don't want to bother with the lollipops, you can still drizzle the candy coating and sprinkles on the krispie bars before cutting them. Enjoy!

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Better than Store Bought {Brownies}

I am not really a junk food or candy lover.

Hard candy? Nah.

Sour Patch Kids? Definitely not.

Pre-packaged cookies? Not on your life.

But brownies, oh, brownies are another story. I love brownies. Even boxed brownies taste good.

The brownie recipe I'm about to share with you is even better than boxed.

"Better than Boxed" Brownies
{click to print}

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, melted
3 cups brown sugar
1 T vanilla
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t salt
1 cup chocolate semisweet chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Mix together the butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and salt and add to the egg mixture. Beat on low until just combined.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Bake in prepared dish for 35 to 40 minutes.

Try not to eat them all in one sitting, okay?

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Earl Grey Cake

I am not a hot tea drinker.  I did, however, marry into a family that really, really loves it.  Marshall has told me several times that real tea snobs like Earl Grey tea.  So when I stumbled upon this recipe for Earl Grey cake, I knew exactly who I wanted to make it for.

It just so happens that my wonderful mother-in-law celebrated her birthday last Saturday, and season three of Downton Abbey began on Sunday.  Talk about reasons to celebrate!  It seemed really appropriate to enjoy our tea-flavored cake while catching up with our British friends.

Earl Grey Cake
{click to print}

Ingredients:
2 Earl Grey tea bags
1/4 C boiling water
1/3 C milk
7 T butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
2/3 C white sugar
1 1/4 C cake flour

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8-inch cast iron skillet, and coat it with sugar (You can "flour" a pan with sugar for just about any recipe.  It prevents sticking and tastes good!).

Cut the tea bags open and empty the leaves into a glass measuring cup.  Add the boiling water and let sit for three minutes.  Add the milk.

Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy.  Reduce the mixer speed to medium, and add eggs, one at a time.

Reduce the speed to low.  Add one third of the tea mixture and then one third of the flour.  Continue alternating the tea mixture and flour until the batter is evenly mixed.

Pour batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Wait until the cake is completely cooled before frosting.  I used a basic cream cheese frosting, and it paired well with the dense cake.

(adapted from Raspberri Cupcakes)

Eggnog Cheesecake

If you're still looking for a tasty Christmas dinner dessert, this post is for you!

Since we have several family gatherings this coming week, Marshall and I celebrated our Christmas for just the two of us last night.  It was such a wonderful time!

We turned off all the lights and lit the candles...

The evening started with dinner.  I wrapped Marshall's Cornish hen in bacon, and he said it's the best chicken he's ever tasted.

I don't eat meat, so I made myself a stuffed portobello mushroom.  So, so good!  The twice baked potatoes were wonderful, too.

And now, the real reason why you're here... dessert!

We ended the evening with It's a Wonderful Life and eggnog cheesecake.  This cheesecake is amazing.  If your life isn't wonderful already, it will be now!  I think this may become our traditional Christmas dessert!

Eggnog Cheesecake
{click to print}

2 C graham cracker crumbs
6 T butter, melted
4 8-oz pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 C sugar
4 eggs
3/4 C eggnog
1 C sour cream
1 T vanilla
1 T nutmeg
1/4 C flour

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9-inch springform pan.  Combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter, and press into the bottom of the pan.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar.  Add the eggnog and then the eggs, one at a time.  Add the sour cream, vanilla, nutmeg, and flour.

Step 3: Pour the filling into the prepared pan.  Place a bowl of water in the oven on the rack below the cheesecake, and bake for one hour.  When the cheesecake is finished baking, turn the oven off, and leave the door closed for 6 hours.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.