Elephant Ears

We love to make these after a zoo trip, the kids all love them! Adapted from here. 

Ingredients

2 C flour

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 C warm milk

2 TB melted butter

1 TB sugar

vegetable oil for frying

Cinnamon/sugar for sprinkling

Directions

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the warm milk, melted butter, and sugar until a ball forms. You can add a bit of water if it's too dry or flour if it's too wet. Cover with plastic wrap or waxed paper and set aside for 15 minutes. 

Knead dough several times on a floured surface and divide equal into 8 pieces. Use a rolling pin to flatten each piece. 

Cook in about 1/2 inch heated vegetable oil. Cook about 1 minute on each side or until golden brown. Cool on paper towels and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar while warm.

Quinoa Salad

This is a recipe I got from a friend which ultimately came from here. I made quite a few adaptions that made this amazing recipe below.

Ingredients
3 1/2 C quinoa, cooked (about 1 1/4 uncooked)
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 C fresh cilantro, chopped
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
Juice and zest from one medium lime (1-2 TB juice, adjusting for taste)
2 TB olive oil
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp minced garlic (I use the kind in the jar)
1 avocado, diced
chips



Directions
To make the quinoa: In a large saucepan add 1 1/4 C uncooked quinoa, 2 1/2 C water, and a dash of salt. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat off and cover with a lid for at least 25-30 minutes. I usually prepare this step a few hours in advance and just leave it on the stove until I'm ready to mix everything together. Fluff with a fork and you're ready to go.

Add all the rest of the ingredients to the quinoa and stir well. Add the avocado just before serving and enjoy with your favorite chips! Ours are Juanitas tortilla chips.

Apple Cinnamon Energy Bites

We've been looking for healthy snacks to eat during the summer, and this recipe for apple cinnamon energy bites fit the bill perfectly. Everyone loved them and asked for more. Plus, they're easy to make. I found the recipe here. I didn't make many changes, but I still like to post our favorites to my blog for easy access. If you like this recipe, you can also try Peanut Butter Cookie Granola Bars.

Ingredients

2 C oats

1/4 C ground (or whole) flaxseed

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 C almond butter

1/4 C honey 

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

3/4 C grated apple 

Directions

In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flaxseed, and cinnamon. Add the almond butter, honey, vanilla, and salt and stir until everything is evenly coated. Fold in the grated apple.

Use  cooking spray coated hands to form TB sized balls. You may want to let them set up a bit in the fridge before eating. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days or freeze for longer storage.

Homemade Granola Bars

Here's a great homemade granola bar recipe we have been making for a few years now. We all love them, kids and adults. I keep meaning to try out a homemade version of sweetened condensed milk, but for now I just use the canned stuff. I double the recipe and cook these in a 9X13 pan.

Ingredients
2 C oats
1/2 C wheat germ
1/2 C almonds (I pulse them in the blender so they aren't large chunks)
1/2 C chocolate chips (we like dark chocolate chunks)
1/2 C dried fruit (we usually use cranberries)
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan and coat with cooking spray. Mix all the dry ingredients well and then stir in the sweetened condensed milk. I use plastic wrap to press the mixture down into the pan. Bake about 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cool, then put the pan in the fridge or freezer. When they are firm, use a sharp knife to cut them into granola bar shape. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Refried Beans

My friend taught me how to make these authentic Mexican refried beans. The flavor is simply amazing. She doesn't follow a recipe, so I just took some notes and practiced a few times to create one of my own. These are pretty simple and simply delicious. I couldn't get my husband or kids to eat beans until I learned this recipe, and now they request them. Even my three-year-old will clear her serving of beans and ask for more. 

Ingredients

4 C dried pinto beans

Water

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, or 1 tsp minced (I use the bottled kind that is already minced)
oil
4-5 serrano peppers

1-3 TB tomato bouillon  (we like 1 rounded TB)

salt to taste (we like 1 tsp)

Directions

Dump your beans on a clean counter space and sort through them to make sure there are no small rocks. Rinse the beans and put them in a large stock pot. Add the water, onions, and garlic. The amount of water should be 1/2 the height of the stock pot (about 15 cups in mine). Heat to boiling and reduce the heat slightly to maintain a lightly rolling boil (on my stove that's about heat level 7 out of 10 on the dial). Cover with a lid tilted in so it vents a little bit.

Every 20 minutes or so, add another cup or so of hot water to maintain the water level to 1/2 the stock pot. You want to end up with about the same amount of water in the pan as when you started. Cook for a total of 2 hours. The beans should be tender with the outsides splitting off a little bit. 

Saute the serrano peppers in oil until they are white all around. Remove from the pan and fill with half of the beans and water. Mash the beans with a potato masher and season with the tomato bouillon and salt. Start on the smaller end of the amounts and add more to taste. These make a fabulous side dish or chip dip.

Zucchini Bread

Here's my favorite zucchini bread recipe! Adapted from here.

Ingredients
1 C oil
2 1/4 C sugar
3 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 C white flour
1 1/2 C wheat flour
2 C grated zucchini

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and spray two 9x5 bread pans with cooking spray. Cream together the oil, sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the zucchini and pour into the bread pans.

Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack.

Banana Bread

After trying many, here's my favorite banana bread recipe. It always tastes great, but especially the next day (if it lasts that long!). I store it in a ziploc bag in the fridge. Adapted from here.

1/2 C butter, softened
1 C white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 C white flour
3/4 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C sour cream
2-3 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl or mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until fluffy, stirring the sides occasionally. Add the dry ingredients and mix again, then add the sour cream and mashed bananas.

Spread evenly into the loaf pan and bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Caribbean Zucchini Banana Coconut Bread

This is a fun bread with a unique and delicious flavor. A great recipe to use up all that garden zucchini! Adapted from here.

Ingredients
1 C brown sugar
3/4 C white sugar
1 C oil
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 C flour
1 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 TB cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 1/2 C grated zucchini
1/2 C shredded coconut

In a large bowl or electric mixer, mix together the sugars, oil, vanilla, eggs, and mashed bananas. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix well. Finally, mix in the zucchini and coconut.

Pour into two greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans and bake for 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 25 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Moist Whole Wheat Buttermilk Muffins

These can be thrown together in five minutes and make an easy, nutritious, and delicious addition to any meal. I often make them along with one of our favorite homemade soups.

2 C whole wheat flour
1 TB baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C brown sugar
1 C buttermilk
1/3 C oil
2 eggs

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Using a whisk, fluff together the dry ingredients. Then add the milk, oil, and eggs and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined. Use a 1/4 measuring cup and spoon to pour the batter into a greased muffin pan (or use muffin liners). Bake for about 12 minutes or until they just barely start to turn golden on the sides and/or top. Be careful not to overcook them. Makes 1 dozen delicious, moist muffins.

Zucchini Carrot Oatmeal Muffins

These were a big hit with our family. I'd highly recommend you give them a try! We used frozen zucchini left from our garden last fall.

Ingredients

1/3 C oats
2/3 C white flour
1 C whole wheat flour
3/4 C sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1/2 C oil
2/3 C grated zucchini
1/3 C grated carrot
optional: chocolate chips, craisins, raisins, nuts, etc.

Instructions

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Add to dry ingredients and stir until combined.

Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Adapted from here.

Peanut Butter Cookie Granola Balls

These are healthy, delicious, and only take 5 min to make! This week has been super hot, so I've been avoiding the oven. We were looking for a healthy snack to eat, so I looked online and found this delicious no bake treat. The kids ate them and came back for 2nds and 3rds. We will definitely be making them again. :)

Ingredients

2 C oats
1/4 C wheat germ or flax seed
1/4 chocolate chips (mini work best)
1 C Peanut Butter
1/2 C honey

Mix well and roll into bite sized balls. I sprayed the plate and my hands with Pam before rolling and they didn't stick at all.

Adapted from here.