Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes {dairy-free}

Hello neglected blog!  I had a baby almost 3 months ago and we're moving in 3 days, so things have been busy.  But I'm still always cooking and trying new recipes.  I am completely off of dairy these days due to a very sensitive nursing baby, so I've been trying a lot of new dairy free recipes.  This is one of my favorites.  The first time I made these pancakes I was in shock at how many my kids ate.  They were all gone before I could blink twice and I wished I'd made a double batch.  These are so easy to whip together in the morning and could totally be made with regular milk if you're not a fan or don't have a need for non-dairy milk.  These have quickly become a staple in our home for breakfast and we love them!  Especially topped with peanut butter and maple syrup.  Mmmm....

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes

Makes 1.5-2 dozen, but they're thin and go fast!

1 c. almond milk (or any other kind of milk, dairy or non-)
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 T. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 T. oil (vegetable or coconut)
1 ripe banana

Heat a griddle to medium heat and spray with cooking spray or lightly coat with oil.  Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend for 25-30 seconds.  Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.

Pour about a 1/4 cup of batter at a time onto the heated griddle.  Cook for 2-3 minutes, until bubbles start to appear, flip and cook another 1-2 minutes until cooked through.  Repeat with remaining batter.

Source: Sweet Treats and More

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Nut Cookies

Yummy!!!  I went to make these cookies the other day and couldn't believe they weren't on here!  These are my husband's favorite cookie.  He loves oats in any form, but who can resist them in a cookie along with chocolate chips and nuts?  Of course you can leave the nuts out if you like, but we love them around here.  These come from my mother-in-law, with a couple adaptations, and are definitely a family favorite.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Nut Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen cookies

1/2 c. butter, softened (1 cube)
1/4 c. applesauce
1 egg
1/4 c. water
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. all-purpose white flour
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 c. old-fashioned oats
1 c. chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
1 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, applesauce, egg, water, sugars, and vanilla.  Beat until creamy.  Sift together the flours, soda, and salt and add to the creamy mixture until smooth.  Add oats and combine until blended.  Add in nuts and chocolate chips and blend well.

Scoop onto baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart, and bake for 12-15 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

Source: Debbie Nowland

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

The past couple months I've been making all my own bread again.  I go in spurts with this, usually in the wintertime, and I finally have a system down that has worked out really well.  I love this whole wheat bread, but it can be a little dense for sandwiches, so I went on the hunt for a lighter bread.  I found this recipe on King Arthur Flour and I've been really happy with it.  Every 1.5-2 weeks I make 2 loaves of this bread and 3 loaves of the other whole wheat bread, which I use for toast or snacks or whatever (my 3 yr old loves it!).

 I slice all five loaves up after they cool and stick them in bags and pop them in the freezer.

I find the homemade bread doesn't stay fresh all that long, so if I pre-slice and keep it in the freezer I can just take it out as I need it.

I also save the bread crumbs for use in other recipes.  It tends to leave a lot of crumbs when I slice it up, so I don't want them to be wasted!

Anyway, so that's my little routine.  This bread is nice and fluffy with a great flavor.  I love that it's still 100% whole wheat, but isn't too dense for a sandwich.  Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
Makes two 9"x5" loaves

3 c. lukewarm water
1/4 c. butter or vegetable oil
3 tsp. salt
1/4 c. honey
1 c. nonfat dry milk
8-10 c. whole wheat flour
4 tsp. instant yeast

Combine all ingredients, starting just with 7 cups of flour.  Knead in mixer, adding more flour as needed, to form a smooth, fairly stiff (but not dry) dough.  Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise 60 to 90 minutes, until doubled.

Lightly grease two 9x5 loaf pans.  Divide the dough in two pieces and gently shape each piece into a smooth log.  Place it in the pan, smooth side up, cover the pan, and allow to rise about 30-45 minutes, or until it crowns about 1 inch over the top of the pan.  Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 375 degrees, or 350 if using a dark pan.

Bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes.  Remove it from the oven, turn the bread out of the pans, and allow to cool completely on a rack before slicing.

Source: Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Potato Leek Soup

We have really been enjoying soups this winter.  It seemed like my kids weren't quite at the age to enjoy soup or to be able to eat it very well last year, but this year, we've been eating soup probably once a week, if not more.  There are few things I love more on a cold day than a big pot of soup!

I first tried this soup at my mother-in-law's house over Christmas.  They had made it before we got there, so we had some leftovers and thought it was really good.  I just made it myself this week and it was even better than I remembered!  And so simple and easy!  There are very few ingredients, but the taste is incredibly delicious.  I changed a few things, but not much.  It's very creamy without any cream, and it's soooo so satisfying.  I made these muffins to go along with it - because my husband likes me to find any excuse to make these as often as possible :) - and a big salad and it was the perfect wintry meal. I just the leftovers for lunch today and it was so good I had to get on here and post the recipe!

A note about leeks:  They are surprisingly very sandy and dirty, so make sure you wash them thoroughly before using.  I found the easiest way was this: chop of the dark green ends (you don't use that part) and the root, and then cut in half length-wise.  Chop/slice the leeks all up and then put them in a large bowl of cold water.  Swish them around a lot so the sand falls to the bottom and then let them sit for a few minutes to let any more dirt sink.  Have a colander handy and scoop the leeks into the colander to drain off the excess water.  That should do the trick!

Potato Leek Soup

1/4 c. butter
6 leeks, trimmed and chopped (see note above)
4 c. chicken stock (1 quart)
4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tsp. sea salt, or to taste
black pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.  Add leeks, stir, and cook until soft, about 10-15 minutes.

Stir in chicken stock and potatoes and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Pour about half of the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full.  Hold down the lid with a towel and pulse a few times and then leave it on long enough to puree.  Add the pureed half back into the pot with the rest of the soup.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.  There are so few ingredients, so make sure you get your seasonings right.  Potatoes need a lot of salt, so don't be afraid to keep adding it until it tastes great!

Source: Adapted from Allrecipes

Quinoa "Cakes" (Patties)

 These are one of our new favorite things.  We call them "Quinoa Cakes" because they are a similar idea to crab or salmon cakes.  They are delicious!  They are easy to put together - especially if you have some leftover quinoa or cook the quinoa ahead of time (since it needs to be cooled).  We've enjoyed them topped with a little tartar sauce or lemony-creamy kind of sauce like the one on this recipe, but they're great on their own or however you like them.  I even made them twice as big one time and we used them as hamburger patties and they were delicious!  We topped them with our usual burger toppings and I thought they were outstanding.  I've tried this with red and white quinoa, and both work really well.  Red quinoa has a more mellow flavor, so if you find that you haven't taken to quinoa because of it's flavor, you might want to give the red quinoa a try.  Enjoy!

Quinoa Patties

Makes 11-12 patties

2 1/2 c. cooked quinoa, room temperature*
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 c. chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 c. finely ground breadcrumbs, plus more if needed
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

Combine the quinoa, eggs, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.  Stir in the parsley, cheese and garlic.  Add the bread crumbs.  Stir in the mixture until combined.  If the mixture seems too wet, add a tablespoon or two more of bread crumbs.  If it seems to dry, add a tablespoon or two of water. Let it stand for about five minutes so the liquid can be somewhat absorbed.  Take small handfuls of the mixture and form into little patties, about 1-inch thick, yielding 11-12 patties.

In a large, non-stick skillet, heat the tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat until it is hot.  Add a single layer of patties (about half of them if using a 12-inch skillet) and cook until the bottoms are well browned, about 5-7 minutes.  Flip the patties and cook about 5 minutes more or until the second side is golden brown.  Remove from the skillet, add a little more oil if needed and repeat with the remaining patties.  Serve warm.

*1 cup uncooked quinoa yields about 3 cups cooked

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Bruschetta with Whipped Feta and Roasted Red Peppers

This is another recipe that blew me out of the water.  I was expecting it to be good, but I didn't expect it to be utterly AMAZING!  I'm a big feta-lover and whipping the feta and using it as a spread was the most genius thing ever.  It is so creamy and tangy and a perfect pair to the sweetness of the roasted red peppers.  This makes for an amazing appetizer, snack, or even dinner!  It comes together in a snap and is really worth trying.  Enjoy!

Bruschetta with Whipped Feta and Roasted Red Peppers

Please, PLEASE, buy your feta in a block instead of pre-crumbled.  It is SO much more moist and fresh and delicious.  Think the difference of pre-grated mozzarella cheese in a bag and fresh mozzarella.  Just crumble it yourself, it takes 10 seconds. :)

1-2 baguettes, sliced 1/2" thick diagonally
olive oil, for brushing

6 T. olive oil
1 1/2 c. jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 1/2" dice
2 T. red wine vinegar
2 T. sugar
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (2 cups)
2 tsp. lemon juice

Adjust oven rack 4 inches from broiler element and heat broiler.  Brush tops of baguette lightly with olive oil and place on baking sheet.  Broil until bread is deep golden, about 1-2 minutes (watch carefully!).  Flip and repeat on second side.  Remove and let sit while you prepare the rest.

Combine roasted red peppers, vinegar, sugar, garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/4 tsp. salt in medium bowl; set aside.  Process feta, lemon juice, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper in food processor until smooth, about 10 seconds, scraping down bowl with spatula once during processing.  (You can do this very vigorously with a fork if you don't a food processor).

Brush remaining olive oil on toasts.  Spread feta mixture evenly between toasts and spread to edges.  Using a fork, life peppers from vinegar mixture and place on toast.  Drizzle with additional olive oil to taste, if desired, and serve.

Source: The Best of America's Test Kitchen

Naan

Ooohhhh Naan.  If you haven't had Naan, it is Indian flatbread that is similar to a pita.  It's very soft and extremely delicious and addicting!  My husband goes to school with a lot of Indian students and asked one of them for a recipe.  She suggested this one.  It takes some time for all the rising, but it's not too hard to put together and makes a wonderful addition to an Indian meal!  There are lots of variations you can try - some with garlic, herbs, even potato, but this is just a basic.  I did add a little parsley on top of a few, but nothing too crazy.  Enjoy!

It helps if you have a 900 degree Tandoor oven, but since most of us don't, this recipe has a stove-top and an oven method (with a pizza stone) that make for good substitutes. :)

Naan

4 c. all-purpose flour
1.5 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
2.5 tsp. active dry yeast
1/2 c. warm water
5 T. olive oil or ghee (clarified butter)
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1 cup or 10-12 heaping tablespoons plain yogurt

few T. of water, as needed
ghee or melted butter to brush on top
spices (like cumin, sesame) or herbs, dried or fresh (optional)

Dissolve the sugar in warm water.  Stir in the yeast until dissolved.  Cover and set aside for 10 minutes until the yeast begins to froth and rise.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, sift together flour, salt, and baking soda.  Add yogurt, 5 T. oil or ghee, and yeast mixture.

With a stand mixer, or with your hands, knead ingredients until they form a soft dough.  If you think you need more water, add a couple tablespoons more, just enough to make a soft dough, not a sticky dough.  Flour a flat surface and knead about 5 minutes until smooth and stretchy (or do this in your mixer for a couple minutes).

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise until double, about 2-4 hours.  Punch down, knead again for 3-4 minutes and divide into 8 equal parts (you can just slice it into triangles or divide with your hands).  Cover and let rise again 30-45 minutes.

Take one portion onto a floured surface, sprinkle with flour, and roll out into and oval/tear-drop shape, about 6-8 inches long.  Do not roll back and forth.  Stretch the dough as you roll out from the center.

If desired, sprinkle the top with spices or herbs, gently pressing down with the rolling pin so the stick.

Brush the other side of the Naan with water.

SKILLET METHOD: (this worked well for me)

Heat a thick-bottomed skillet, preferably cast-iron until very hot.  Place the Naan wet side down on the skillet and cover with a lid.  Reduce the heat a tiny bit and allow it to cook for 30-45 seconds.  The underside will be golden brown and will release easily.  You will see bubbles all over the surface.

Reduce the heat to medium, uncover, and cook another 30 seconds.  Flip the Naan and cook on the other side, pressing down with spatula as it puffs, golden brown with a few charred spots.  OR, if you have a gas stove, flip and cook the other side directly onto the flame (remove the skillet) until a few charred spots appear.

Remove from heat and brush with ghee/butter.

Stack them, keep them covered in aluminum foil and wrap the package with a kitchen towel to keep them warm.

OVEN METHOD:

Preheat pizza stone in oven to 425 degrees.  Place as many Naan pieces on the stone as will fit with the wet side down.  Cook for about 2 minutes.  The top will be light golden brown and the Naan might start to puff.  Flip the Naans over, cook for another 2 minutes.  If you want it lightly charred, set oven to broil and cook until the top starts getting charred, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Remove Naans, and brush with ghee or butter.

Stack them, keep them covered in aluminum foil and wrap the package with a kitchen towel to keep them warm.

Source: eCurry