Golden Glow Flourless Turmeric Muffins

Y’all, I have been trying new muffin recipes here, and not reaping much success. It’s just an easy thing to make for breakfast, you know? But the recipes I was trying (they were relatively low in carbs) just weren’t cutting it. I mean, they were fine, but there wasn’t one I wanted to make again. From Tous à table!, I tried the banana-poppy seed muffins, the fall muffins, and the coconut muffins stuffed with raspberries. From Famille futée 4, I tried the chocolate butternut muffins. Nothing to write home about.

Then, I came across these one-bowl turmeric flourless muffins that were actually good enough to write about. And to make again! I made these in a silicone muffin pan and they unmolded without any issues.

2 ⅓ cups almond or oat flour (I used 315 g. almond flour)
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. ground turmeric
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
⅛ tsp. freshly ground pepper (to activate the turmeric)
⅓ cup melted coconut oil, plus more for greasing the pan
2 large eggs
⅔ cup unsweetened applesauce
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
⅓ cup dairy-free chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350 °F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and pepper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, eggs, applesauce, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir in the dry ingredients until well incorporated.

Add the chocolate chips, stirring to combine.

Fill each section of a greased, 12-section muffin tin (see note above) with roughly ¼ cup batter. Sprinkle the tops with chocolate chips, then bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges begin to pull away from the sides and a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then cool the rest on a cooling rack.

10-Minutes Sheet-Pan Steak with Lemon Zucchini

I’ve adapted this 10-minutes sheet pan steak and zucchini recipe, and it was awesome! I will definitely have to make this again. I’d also consider serving the zucchinis in a raw salad with lemon and parmesan. I used 2 tablespoon of oil on the steak and 2 tablespoons with the zucchini slices.

1 ½ lb. (650g) sirloin steak, sliced against the grain
2-3 medium zucchinis, sliced in half moons
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
½ cup low-sodium soy sauce (or coconut amino if you’re strictly paleo)
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce (or any hot chili sauce you like; I used much less)
juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp. fresh oregano
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup chopped parsley, for garnish

Combine soy sauce, garlic powder, olive oil, and hot sauce in a shallow plate to make the marinade. Add the steak strips into the marinade and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to one hour.

Arrange zucchini slices in a shallow plate and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and fresh oregano, and drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Toss to combine and marinate in the fridge.

In the meantime, preheat your oven to 500 °F on grill or broiler mode. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (I set my rack at the second highest setting.)

Spread drained marinated steak strips and zucchini slices on the prepared baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for about 5-10 minutes, until zucchini is crisp-tender and steak is cooked through. (I did 10 minutes for the steak and 5 minutes for the zucchini.)

In the meantime, you can cook the remaining marinade in a small saucepan, to drizzle over after cooking.

Remove steak and zucchini from the oven and drizzle with cooked marinade over top and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and red chili pepper flakes. Serve the sheet pan steak and lemon zucchini immediately. Enjoy!

Brownie Baked Oatmeal with Avocado Frosting

 

I get bored if I always eat the same thing, and breakfast can be particularly challenging. This brownie baked oatmeal with avocado frosting was a nice change!

You know my position on chocolate and mint, so I used fresh mint instead of peppermint extract, and that’s what I’m writing below.

The original recipe does say you can swap out the zucchini with the same amount of another grated fruit or vegetable, or with 1/3 cup of purée (like pumpkin or banana, or the rest of the avocado).

For the oatmeal
½ cup peeled and diced zucchini
scant 1/3 cup lactose-free milk of choice, or water
½ cup rolled oats
½ tsp. vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
4 tsp. cocoa powder
¼ tsp baking powder
1 pinch of salt

For the avocado frosting
1/3 of a ripe avocado (I probably used ½)
1 Tbsp. milk of choice
fresh mint, finely chopped
1 tsp. maple syrup (can add more to suit your tastes)
a few spinach leaves (optional, for green color)

Preheat the oven to 350 °F and spray a single-serving ramekin with non-stick spray.

Purée all ingredients for the oatmeal together in a food processor. If it's too dry, add more milk one teaspoon at a time until it reaches a nice batter consistency. If it's too watery, add a little bit of oats. (It should not be as thick as cookie dough.)

Transfer mixture to prepared ramekin. Transfer to the ramekin and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until it no longer looks “wet” on top.

As the oatmeal is cooling down, prepare the frosting: dump all ingredients in a small food processor or blend with an immersion blender (that is what I did). Taste and adjust sweetener as you see necessary. Frost oatmeal only once it has completely cooled (you can either spread the frosting on top or use a piping bag).

Bouchées de pain de viande à la plaque

J’ai adapté cette recette du livre Famille futée 4 (Geneviève O’Gleman et Alexandra Diaz). Nous avons tous beaucoup aimé ce plat, surtout le Petit Prince! Nous en avons eu assez pour 2 repas, mais avec un appétit un peu plus gros avec cette quantité de viande, ça ferait plutôt 4 portions.

1 ½ lb. de pommes de terre grelots, coupées en 2 ou en 4 selon la grosseur
1 c. à soupe d’huile d’olive
sel et poivre, au goût
2 lb. de bœuf haché extra-maigre
1 œuf
½ tasse de chapelure de blé entier à l’italienne
1 boîte de 6 oz. de pâte de tomates
1 pincée de flocons de piment fort
12 lanières de prosciutto (soit 6 tranches coupées en 2)
1 sac de 1 lb. de haricots verts extra-fins surgelés (j’en mettrais la moitié)

Préchauffer le four à 400 °F. Placer la grille au centre du four. Tapisser une grande plaque de cuisson de papier parchemin.

Déposer les pommes de terre sur la plaque. Verser l’huile, saler et poivrer généreusement. Mélanger avec les mains pour enrober les pommes de terre. (J’avoue que je préfère faire ça dans un bol et verser ensuite les pommes de terre sur la plaque.)

Dans un grand bol, mélanger le bœuf, l’œuf, la chapelure, la pâte de tomates et les flocons de piment fort. Saler et poivrer généreusement.

Diviser en 12 parts sans trop façonner et les déposer sur la plaque, entre les pommes de terre. Placer une lanière de prosciutto sur chaque part de viande, sans la recouvrir parfaitement (j’ai enrobé mes parts de viande). Presser légèrement.

Cuire au four 25 minutes.

Ajouter les haricots sur la plaque, autour de la viande. Poursuivre la cuisson de 5 à 7 minutes ou jusqu’à ce que les haricots soient chauds.

Pizzas à la mexicaine

 

Voici une autre recette de Tous à Table! par Isabelle Huot et Nathalie Regimbal. Pour le sans-viande haché, j’ai fait avec ce que j’ai pu trouver – ce n’était peut-être pas exactement la même quantité ou les mêmes saveurs, mais c’était bon! J’ai mis ça dans la boîte à lunch des enfants; le Petit Prince a bien aimé! J’ai servi ça avec de la roquette, des fraises et une galette pour superhéros; une pizza pour le Renard, deux pour le Petit Prince.

1 emballage de 340 g. de sans-viande haché assaisonné à la mexicaine
2 tomates moyennes, coupées en petits cubes
4 pains minces de grains entiers (j’avais 8 petits naans)
1 tasse de fromage mozzarella râpé sans lactose

Préchauffer le four à 450 °F.

Dans un grand bol, défaire le sans-viande haché en petits morceaux. Ajouter les cubes de tomates. Mélanger. Répartir ce mélange sur chaque pain mince et ajouter ensuite le fromage.

Déposer les pizzas sur une plaque de cuisson recouverte de papier parchemin. Cuire au four 10 minutes, ou jusqu’à ce que le mélange soit chaud et que le fromage soit fondu.

Instant Pot Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

 

Here’s an easy but satisfying recipe for the Instant Pot: a chicken and broccoli stir-fry with carrots. The recipe calls for grated carrots, but I think that next time, I would buy matchstick carrots. The amounts below make about 4 servings.

For the sauce and marinade
6 Tbsp. tamari or low-sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos for a Paleo version)
1 ½ Tbsp. oyster sauce (leave out for low carb & use fish sauce instead if you like)
1 ½ tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 tsp. coconut sugar (use low carb sweetener like erythritol, stevia or monk fruit for low carb)
½ tsp. mirin, Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry (omit for Paleo & keto version)
½ tsp. fresh minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 - ½ cup water OR chicken broth

For the chicken
1 ¼ lb. chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1-2 Tbsp. coconut oil or olive oil
3 ½ cups broccoli florets
1/3 cup very thinly sliced or grated carrots (see note above)
1 Tbsp. arrowroot starch or cornstarch , or 1 teaspoon xanthan gum for low carb
2 Tbsp. water plus more as needed to thin out sauce
red pepper chili flakes, toasted sesame seeds, thinly sliced green onion (for garnish)

In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sweetener (if using), Mirin (if using), ginger, and garlic for the sauce. Set aside.

Season chicken with salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of the sauce/marinade. Allow to sit while you chop and prep your vegetables.

Turn your Instant Pot to SAUTE, then add in oil. Once oil is hot, add the chicken and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes. Pour in the remaining sauce along with 1/3 cup water (or chicken broth). Cover with lid.

Press the valve to SEALING and press MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK for 4 minutes. The Instant Pot will take some time to come to pressure. Once the 4 minutes are up, use a long spoon and push the valve to VENTING for a QUICK RELEASE.

Once all the pressure is released, carefully unlock the lid. Press the SAUTE button, then whisk the arrowroot starch (or xanthan gum) with 2 tablespoons water until combined and stir into the Instant Pot.

Add the broccoli and carrots and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the sauce has thickened up. Adjust seasonings with salt, pepper or red pepper chili flakes; add more water as needed to thin out sauce. Give everything a final tossing to coat well.

Transfer to a platter and serve warm on a large platter or over zoodles, cauliflower rice (paleo), quinoa or regular rice or noodles. (I didn’t have an accompaniment and it was fine!) Sprinkle with pepper flakes, sesame seeds and green onions, if desired.

BBQ Chicken Roll-Ups

 

Here’s an easy recipe that I tried for the kids’ lunches – BBQ chicken roll-ups. The Fox wasn’t too fond of them (though he’s notoriously difficult to please), but the Little Prince says they are his new favorite lunch!

1 lb pizza dough, refrigerated
½ cup BBQ sauce (I like Whole Foods’ 365 brand)
1 ½ cups rôtisserie chicken, shredded
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 cup shredded lactose-free cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
¼ cup parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 425°F. Put a silpat on a baking sheet and set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza crust into a rectangle. Spread on the BBQ sauce. Top with chicken, onion, cheese, and parsley.

Roll it up longways and cut into slices (I got about 12). Bake face-up for 15 minutes. Enjoy!

No-Bake Peanut Butter Cup Bars

 

These no-bake peanut butter cup bars are not unlike my marzipan buckeye bars, but that’s a good thing! It’s a simple dessert, not too sweet, that everyone in my house seems to like.

Note that I used “regular” peanut butter that wasn’t the natural, drippy kind, and I liked the consistency of the bars; had I used the natural kind, I think I would have had to increase the almond flour a bit.

For the peanut butter base
¾ cup creamy salted peanut butter
½ cup almond flour
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
¼ tsp. sea salt

For the chocolate topping
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
2 Tbsp. creamy salted peanut butter
½ tsp. coconut oil
flaky sea salt, like Maldon (optional)

Line a standard-size loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.

In a double boiler, put the peanut butter, almond flour, maple syrup, and optional sea salt. (In my case, I did this over heat, as my peanut butter needed a bit of coaxing to melt enough to be mixed properly.) Use a spatula or spoon to stir until well combined. Scrape all of the peanut butter mixture out of the bowl and into the loaf pan. Set aside.

Place the chocolate chips into the (now empty) double-boiler until smooth and melted. Add the 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and coconut oil. Stir until a smooth mixture is achieved. Pour the chocolate mixture over the peanut butter base and top with optional flaky sea salt. Place in the freezer for about 20 minutes until the chocolate is set.

Remove from the pan by lifting the sides of the parchment paper and slice into bars (I recommend about 14 bars as the recipe is written — they're rich!). Enjoy! Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

Chicken Meatball Curry

 

I really liked this chicken meatball curry! It’s not entirely unlike the turkey coconut curry meatballs I made recently, but if I had to choose between the two, I think I would pick this one. There’s zucchini in the meatballs, and I added an extra red bell pepper to the dish. As a matter of fact, I used the turkey meatball recipe to change this one a bit: I doubled the quantities for the meatballs and baked them in the oven instead of cooking them in a pan, but I left the amount of liquid in the sauce the same, and I really liked the results. I recommend the oven method because not only is it much more hands-off and easier to clean up, but since the meatballs were very soft, I suspect that some would fall apart if cooked in a pan, so this way is less frustrating.

The quantities below are what I used in order to have leftovers for a second night (a total of 40 meatballs). I served this with steamed carrots and cilantro-garlic Right Rice.

2 lbs. ground chicken
1 cup shredded zucchini (about 1 medium)
4 green onions, chopped
2 large shallots, chopped, divided
2 Tbsp. grated ginger, divided
3 cloves garlic, grated, divided
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
black pepper
1 Tbsp. tamari/soy sauce
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided (see note below)
2 red bell peppers, sliced (I chopped mine)
2 Tbsp. lactose-free butter
1-3 Tbsp. Thai red curry paste
1 (14-oz.) can of coconut milk
3 Tbsp. tamari/soy sauce
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
basil and limes, for serving

Put the chicken, zucchini, green onions, 1 shallot, 1 tablespoon ginger, 2 garlic cloves, cayenne, a pinch of pepper, and 1 tablespoon tamari/soy sauce in a bowl. Mix to combine. Coat your hands with oil (I didn’t, I just used my small scoop), and roll the meat into tablespoon-size balls (I got 40 meatballs).

Heat a large skillet with sides over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the meatballs. Sear until crisp, 4-5 minutes, turning them 2-3 times. Move to a plate. (I did this in the oven instead: Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with oil. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 °F.)

To the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, 1 shallot, 1 garlic clove, 1 tablespoon of ginger, the bell peppers, butter, and curry paste. Cook until fragrant, 2 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and 3 tablespoons of tamari or soy sauce. Slide the meatballs into the curry sauce. Simmer over medium heat until the meatballs are cooked through, 5 minutes. Stir in the cilantro.

Serve the meatballs and sauce over rice with a squeeze of fresh lime, some fresh basil, and/or green onions.

Fall 2023 outings

For once, we had slightly more than our goal of one monthly outing this fall, and it was really nice!

In September, we went to North Star Mall and I finally (finally!) got my picture taken next to the biggest cowboy boots in the world. It was like playing tourist in our own city, and I actually feel like I checked something off my bucket list, because I had been waiting so long to do that!

In October, we went to Canyon Lake to ride the Cliff Carver, the first (and, so far, only) alpine coaster in Texas. We bought our tickets in advance, and even then, there was more of a line-up than expected, but we really loved it! Without a lineup, I’d consider going twice in a row. The ride is roughly 10 minutes, with three points at which you are pulled uphill. You control the speed of your cart, though there are points where it’s obviously safer not to go beyond a certain speed. (I have no good pictures, sorry!)

In November, we finally went to Enchanted Rock State Park. (This is also definitely a place where you should buy tickets in advance!) The cooler weather and overcast sky were actually nice on the way up, though I could have done with a bit less wind. The climb was faster than I thought it would be upon looking at it, and there were interesting rocks formations on the way as well as ponds at the top. (I didn’t see any fairy shrimp, but I didn’t look thoroughly.) We only climbed on Summit Trail, but we felt like we had conquered the place.

After that, since my mother-in-law was visiting, we also went to the Doseum and we also went horseback riding at Westcreek Trail Rides. The ride itself was fine, though the guides failed to make the whole thing interactive (and this is coming from an introvert). The stables also have ponies, chickens, and goats for smaller kids to pet. It was a fun experience, though I’m not sure I’d necessarily recommend that place over another one locally.

In December, we made a last-minute decision to go see the Cirque du Soleil’s Bazzar, because it’s not every day that Quebec’s Cirque du Soleil is in San Antonio! There was ample parking, though we didn’t realize until we got there that we had to pay for parking in addition to the circus tickets... I really enjoyed the show itself, though the sound was much too loud (we were in the second-to-last row, not even in the front). It was loud enough that the Little Prince had to leave with the Engineer pretty quickly, and they returned after an attendant gave them a pair of ear plugs. I have to say, though, that the Engineer and I enjoyed it more than the kids – the Fox thought it was okay, and the Little Prince actually said he was bored (after he was done being overwhelmed by the noise). Oh well, we tried.

 
Finally, we didn’t get around to seeing Christmas light displays, though we did see an amazing installation at a private home near where we live – they probably had as many lights as any neighborhood, but concentrated in a single house, and it was amazing. We also took a walk on a nearby trail to get some air. A good way to end the year!

Gâteau Bundt au lait de coco, avec framboises et grenade

 

J’ai fait ce gâteau de Ricardo en octobre, mais je le trouve parfait pour Noël, alors voici voilà! J’ai ajouté quelques branches de romarin pour la décoration. C’était aussi bon que beau!

375 g (2 ½ tasses) de farine tout-usage (j’ai utilisé 200g de farine de blé blond et 175 de farine tout-usage)
1 c. à soupe de poudre à pâte
¼ c. à thé de sel
1 boîte de 14 oz de lait de coco léger
1 c. à soupe de jus de lime
1 c. à thé d’extrait de vanille
225 g (1 tasse ou 2 bâtons) de beurre sans lactose, ramolli
420 g (2 tasses) de sucre
3 œufs
sucre à glacer, pour le service
270 g (2 tasses) de framboises fraîches
45 g (¼ tasse) de grains de grenade

Placer la grille au centre du four. Préchauffer le four à 350 °F. Beurrer généreusement et fariner un moule Bundt de 2,5 à 3 litres (10 à 12 tasses).

Dans un bol, mélanger la farine, la poudre à pâte et le sel. Réserver.

Dans un autre bol, mélanger le lait de coco, le jus de lime et la vanille.

Dans un troisième bol, crémer le beurre avec le sucre au batteur électrique. Ajouter les œufs, un à la fois, et fouetter jusqu’à ce que le mélange soit homogène. À basse vitesse, incorporer les ingrédients secs en alternant avec le mélange de lait de coco. Répartir la pâte uniformément dans le moule.

Cuire au four 1 heure ou jusqu’à ce qu’un cure-dents inséré au centre du gâteau en ressorte propre. Laisser tiédir 15 minutes. Démouler le gâteau en le renversant sur une grille. Laisser refroidir complètement, soit environ 3 heures.

Sur une assiette de service, couvrir complètement le gâteau de sucre à glacer en le saupoudrant à l’aide d’un petit tamis. Déposer les fruits dans le centre du gâteau et servir avec de la crème fouettée sans lactose, si désiré.

Portobello Fajita Bowl

 

I made this portobello fajita bowl as a vegetarian meal in which everyone could find something they like, and it turns out it was all good. Even the mushrooms turned out better than I had hoped! Note that I started with 2 cups of dry brown rice; I think that I would use Right Rice next time just to be more carb-conscious, but this was really good!

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 tsp. salt, divided
½ tsp. cumin, divided
1 tsp. smoked paprika, divided
1 ½ tsp. chili powder, divided (I used much less)
1 tsp. red pepper flakes, divided (I used much less)
4 portobello mushroom caps
1 Tbsp. oil
1 large white onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups brown rice, cooked
1 cup pico de gallo
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup corn
1 cup shredded lactose-free cheddar cheese
1 avocado, sliced
1 lime, sliced into wedges
fresh cilantro, for garnish

Put the sliced bell peppers into a large bowl. Add ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon chili powder, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Toss to coat the peppers evenly in the spices and set aside.

Remove the stems from the portobello mushrooms and slice into 1-inch-wide pieces (mine were narrower), then transfer a medium bowl. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon cumin, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Toss to coat the mushrooms evenly in the spices and set aside.

Thinly slice the onion.

Heat the oil in a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and bell peppers, and cook for about 5 more minutes, stirring constantly until peppers are tender. Remove the pepper and onion mixture from the pan and set aside.

Add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook until the mushrooms are tender, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes

Divide the brown rice between 4 bowls or plates. Top each serving with pico de gallo, black beans, corn, cheddar cheese, the cooked bell peppers and onions, and the sliced portobello. Garnish with an avocado slice, a lime wedge, and cilantro. Enjoy!

Mini Lemon Thyme Pound Cakes

 

I tried these mini chocolate olive oil cakes with orange and Earl Grey. The recipe calls for mini bundt pans, but this was a mistake, because the cakes completely fell apart upon unmolding! Some parts stuck to the pan, but really, it looked like the crumb was much too loose and light to survive. (Judging from the comments online, it’s not me, it’s the recipe!) I ended up serving piles of chocolate crumbs topped with chocolate glaze and orange zest, and they were good, but not the mini bundt cakes I wanted. And I decided that if mini bundt cakes were going to fall apart all the time (because it’s happened before), maybe I should just stop doing this to myself and get rid of the pans.
    

This made me think back to why I got the mini bundt pan in the first place – it was a recipe from Martha Stewart for mini lemon thyme pound cakes that, as far as I could remember, had been very good. So I pulled out the recipe and tried it again – it works super well! I think it’s because pound cake has a crumb that is dense enough to hold together when unmolded.

I didn’t have lemon thyme growing in my garden this time, just regular thyme, so that’s what I used. I love the result, and the Engineer was surprised at how well thyme works in dessert form.

The original recipe called for a muscat and lemon thyme syrup, but I made an alcohol-free version with simple syrup, lemon, and thyme – my version is below.

For the pound cakes
18 Tbsp. (2 sticks plus 2 Tbsp.) lactose-free butter, softened, plus more for pan
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted, plus more for pan
12 sprigs fresh lemon thyme, divided, plus more for garnish
½ tsp. saltv finely grated zest of 1 lemon (about 2 tsp. zest)
1 ¼ cups sugar
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
6 large eggs, room temperature

For the syrup
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup water
some lemon zest
some thyme sprigs


For the pound cakes
Preheat oven to 350 °F, with rack in lower third. Butter six (1-cup) molds of a mini angel food cake pan or mini bundt pan. Dust with flour, and tap out excess. Pick 2 teaspoons small sprigs from tops of lemon thyme sprigs, and divide evenly among molds; set aside.

Coarsely chop remaining lemon thyme leaves to make tablespoons; whisk chopped lemon thyme with the flour, salt, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Set aside.

Put butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until pale and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, about 4 minutes. Add sugar. Mix until pale and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, about 3 minutes.

Mix in vanilla. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition; mix until smooth. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing until just combined after each addition.

Spoon batter over lemon thyme in prepared molds. Smooth tops using a small rubber spatula. Firmly tap the pan on counter to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake until a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cakes cool slightly in pan on a wire rack, about 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of molds to loosen; unmold cakes. Place each cake on a serving plate, and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon syrup. Garnish with lemon thyme sprigs.


For the syrup
Stir water, sugar, lemon zest, and thyme in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 20 minutes.

Pour syrup through a fine sieve into a bowl; discard lemon zest and thyme. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes, before serving. Syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week; reheat over medium-low heat before serving.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread

 

I ended up browsing the recipes on the Skippy website because the Fox became interested in a picture he saw on our jar of Skippy Natural peanut butter. And then I got sidetracked looking for the recipe and bookmarked several things to try, such as this chocolate peanut butter banana bread, which my kids liked! I rearranged the order of the ingredients below to make more sense. You can garnish the cooled loaf with a drizzle of warm peanut butter and a handful of chocolate chips, if you are so inclined.

1 cup all-purpose (or white whole wheat) flour 

½ cup dark chocolate morsels 

½ cup cocoa powder, sifted 

¾ cup sugar 

1 tsp. baking soda 

¾ tsp. baking powder 

½ tsp. salt 

1 cup mashed ripened bananas 

½ cup melted lactose-free butter 

2 large eggs, lightly beaten 

1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 °F. Grease a loaf pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, chocolate morsels, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In large bowl, stir together the bananas, butter, eggs, and vanilla.

Stir flour mixture into banana mixture until blended.

Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool completely on a wire rack 20 minutes.

Creamy Chickpea and Roasted Garlic Soup For One

 

I tried a few dishes for lunch that looked good, but fell flat (looking at you, frittata with chips and caramelized onions or avocado baked eggs!). Then there was this very simple creamy chickpea and roasted garlic soup for one by America’s Test Kitchen, which perked me right up. 

The original recipe called for the chickpeas *and* the liquid in the can, but I didn’t realize this until they were drained and rinsed, and this dish turned out great, so do as you will. Also, the cloves of garlic were meant to be pan-roasted whole, but I decided to slice them and pan-fry them because it makes for a nicer topping. Either way, roasting really deepens the flavor of the garlic, and the simple flavors go really well together! If you happen to have some crumbled bacon on hand, it would be a great topper for this. 

4 garlic cloves, unpeeled 

1 15-oz. can of chickpeas 

1 ¼ cups chicken or vegetable broth 

1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley, tarragon, or chives 

1 Tbsp. lemon juice 

Toast garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and skins are just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove garlic from saucepan and let cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, peel the garlic, then return to the now-empty saucepan along with the chickpeas and broth. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas begin to break down, about 5 to 7 minutes. 

Process soup in a blender until smooth (you can also use an immersion blender or a food processor), about 2 minutes. Return soup to now-empty saucepan and adjust consistency if needed (by adding extra broth, for example; mine was fine). Off heat, stir in parsley and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Triple-Chocolate Pudding

 

I know, I know. I should just find a good chocolate pudding recipe and stick with it, right? But then there’s a name like triple-chocolate chocolate pudding, and how can I say no? It’s an easy dessert, and since I was going to post either this or crème caramel but the pictures of the crème didn’t turn out too well, chocolate pudding it is. I got 6 ramekins (I believe they are 4 ounces each) plus 2 little glass jars. 

3 Tbsp. lactose-free butter 

4 ½ oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (no more than 62% cacao), finely chopped 

1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped 

3 cups lactose-free whole milk 

1 cup granulated sugar, divided 

¼ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder 

3 Tbsp. cornstarch 

⅛ tsp. fine sea salt 

3 large eggs, at room temperature 

1 large egg yolk, at room temperature 

¼ cup lactose-free cream (mine was vegan) 

1 Tbsp. dark rum (optional) 

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 

lactose-free whipped cream, for garnish 

chocolate shavings, for garnish 

Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan over low heat. Place butter in a heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water and melt butter. Add semisweet and unsweetened chocolates and let stand, stirring often, until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from heat and set aside. 

Heat milk and 1/3 cup sugar in a medium saucepan over low heat until it begins to steam. Meanwhile, whisk remaining 2/3 cup sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl. Add eggs, yolk, and cream; whisk until well combined. Gradually whisk in half of the hot milk mixture. Add cocoa mixture to saucepan with remaining milk mixture and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking often, making sure to whisk into the corners of the pan. Reduce heat to low and let boil for 30 seconds. 

Remove from heat. Add melted chocolate mixture, rum, and vanilla; whisk until combined. Pour into six 6-ounce glass jars or individual bowls. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Pierce the plastic with the tip of a knife a few times and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. 

Transfer puddings to a refrigerator; refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. Serve topped with whipped cream and garnished with chocolate shavings.

Boursin-Stuffed Chicken

I made a chicken shawarma sheet-pan dinner that was very good, but somehow it didn’t look photogenic over at my house, so I’m not posting it. This dish turned out a bit prettier – when I saw this recipe for Boursin-stuffed chicken, I knew I had to make it! Ever since I realized that they make vegan Boursin last year, I’ve been buying it occasionally. It works well in this recipe, though I suspect that it melts more than the regular dairy kind. I used 6 chicken breasts and 6 slices of prosciutto; it was great! I served it with broccoli slaw. 

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 

kosher salt 

freshly ground black pepper 

1 4-oz. package vegan Boursin cheese or lactose-free herbed goat cheese 

½ cup lactose-free shredded mozzarella 

4 slices prosciutto 

Preheat oven to 400 °F. 

Using a meat tenderizer, pound the chicken until ¼" thick. Pat dry and liberally season it with salt and pepper on both sides. Place a spoonful or two of Boursin on one end of each piece, top with a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese, and roll the chicken up, starting at the cheese-topped end. Wrap chicken with a slice of prosciutto and place in a baking dish seam-side down, so the prosciutto doesn't unravel. Repeat with each piece of chicken. 

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear when pierced with a fork or knife.