Garlic and Basil Tomato Pasta

Simple and fast! This is a great recipe for using all those fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden!

Recipe

1 pound uncooked whole wheat pasta (I like angel hair)

4-5 pounds tomatoes, large or cherry cut in half or bite size chunks

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

1/2 cup fresh chopped basil

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Cook your noodles following the directions on the package. In the meantime, chop the tomatoes, garlic and basil and place in large bowl with oil and butter. Remove the noodles from the pot and strain. Pour them while still hot over the tomato, basil mixture and let melt the butter. Add salt and pepper to taste and the cheese. Toss well and serve.

September 23, 2013

Gingerbread with Spiced Berry Sauce

My favorite time of the year is here! I love everything about the Fall, from the flavors, smells, colors and cooler weather! This recipe is so rich with flavor! It’s perfect with your favorite herbal tea for breakfast or dessert!

Gingerbread

2 1/2 cups flour ( I like to use half all-purpose and half wheat or spelt)

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup organic sugar

1 cup molasses

3/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup buttermilk, sour cream or plain yogurt

1/2 cup milk ( I used almond milk)

1 large egg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch round or square pan. In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients first. Add the wet and mix until combined and smooth. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack. Flip over and place onto serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar or serve with spiced berry sauce and whip cream for a real treat!

Spiced Berry Sauce

4 cups frozen mixed berries

1/2 cup organic sugar

1/4 cup water

1 stick cinnamon (use 1/2 teaspoon ground if you like)

4 cloves (use 1/2 teaspoon if you like)

Place all ingredients in a medium sauce pan over high heat. Bring to a boil, turn down heat to medium and let simmer for 10 minutes until thickened slightly. Serve warm with gingerbread.

September 11, 2013

9-Grain Cracked Sandwich Bread

This is practically a fool proof recipe for anyone starting out making their own bread! It’s wholesome delicious and can be altered for any sour dough recipe too! I love it’s soft texture and sweet nutty flavor.

9-Grain Cracked Sandwich Bread

2 cups boiling water

1 cup 9-grain cracked cereal

3 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons organic canola oil or melted butter

2 cups spelt or whole wheat flour

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 envelope or 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Boil water in a tea kettle or pot. Measure out 2 cups of the hot water and pour over the cracked cereal in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes. Add the honey and oil or butter.

In a large electric bowl fitted with a dough hook mix the flour, yeast and salt.

Add the cereal mixture to the flour in the bowl fitted with the dough hook and mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add an additional 1/2 cup of flour if it is too sticky. Let knead for about 6-8 minutes. Cover and allow to rise for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.

Place dough onto floured or oiled surface and knead with your hands a few times. Roll out into a rectangle shape. Roll with hands from one end to the other, pinching of the end and tucking in the outside edges to make a loaf shape. Place in a prepared loaf pan that has been sprayed with a non-stick oil. Cover and let raise until doubled, about 40-60 minutes more.

Heat the oven to 350` and bake the loaf of bread for 45 minutes. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then flip out onto a wire rack and continue to let cool for another hour before serving.

August 10, 2013September 4, 2013

No-Bake Energy Bites

These no-bake energy bites are so good and healthy! Perfect for taking on a hike or field trip with the kids!

Recipe

You will need:

1 cup dry oatmeal

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup ground flax seed

1/3 cup honey

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Mix all ingredients together and roll into 1-2 inch balls. Enjoy!

June 12, 2013September 4, 2013

Rosemary Rustic Loaf

This is a wonderful recipe for those just beginning to bake bread! I love that it doesn’t take a lot of time to prepare, just a bit of thinking ahead! The crusty outside and soft chewy inside make this the perfect bread for dipping into soups or sauces! I found the recipe from “America’s Test Kitchen Baking Cookbook”. I recommend reading through the directions of the recipe first before proceeding.

3 cups all-purpose flour ( I used 2 cups spelt flour and 1 cup all-purpose flour)

1/4 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1-2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped (optional)

3/4 cup water, room temperature

1/2 cup mild beer (I use non-alcoholic Odoul’s and make 3 loaves at a time from one can), room temperature

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Whisk together the flour, yeast, salt and rosemary if using. Fold in the water, beer and vinegar until the dough starts to come together and looks shaggy (I like to make sure the flour is mixed in all the way). Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 18 hours.

Once the dough has risen and you are ready to continue, turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and knead by hand to form a smooth, round ball. Place a piece of parchment paper that is 18×12-inches inside a 10-inch skillet. Place the dough on the parchment and spray with non-stick oil, cover with plastic wrap and allow to raise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

About 30 minutes before baking turn the oven on to 500` with the rack at the lowest setting. Place a large, cast iron dutch oven with lid, on the rack and allow to heat up with the oven.

Score the top of the loaf with a very sharp knife and sprinkle a little flour on top. Once the oven has reached 500` carefully remove the dutch oven and lid. Place the entire loaf and parchment paper directly into the pot, place the lid back on and put the dutch oven back into the oven. It is okay to let some of the parchment hang over the edge of the pot.

Once the pot is back in the oven immediately turn the oven down to 425` and bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove the lid of the pot and bake for another 20-30 minutes until the crust is a deep golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack at room temperature for about 2 hours before serving.

June 4, 2013

Healthy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

Recipe:

These sweet cookies are packed with lots of good stuff! They didn’t even make it to a pretty plate before they were gone!

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 egg

1/4 cup organic canola oil

1 t. vanilla

3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/4 cup organic sugar

1/4 cup organic brown sugar

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. baking powder

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/4 t. cloves

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Heat the oven to 350`. Grease a jelly roll pan and set aside. In a large bowl mix together the first 4 ingredients. In another medium bowl mix together the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, soda , salt and spices. Add the wet and dry ingredients together until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips and cranberries. Bake for 12-14 minutes.