Flourless Mint Chocolate Cookies

    I think these cookies defy the science of baking. They make absolutely no sense to me but I'm ok with it because it's amazing. There is no flour and no butter/oil, yet they have nice texture and hold together great, without falling apart at all!

    I found the recipe on Amyinthekitchen.com and I was so curious on how it actually worked, so of course I went straight to the grocery store after work and picked up my supplies. Needless to say I'm happy that I did!

   I altered her recipe slightly, to what I thought worked better to my preference. They are chewy, fudgy, and super chocolatey; basically like thin little brownie cookies. I highly recommend giving these a try! Plus, in comparison to other cookies, these really aren't too unhealthy for you. There is a decent amount of sugar, of course, but they're gluten free and basically fat free too! (depending on the chocolate chips you use)

     The recipe calls for mint extract, but you could use another variety for a different flavor!





Flourless Mint Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
5 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp mint extract (or a little less for lighter mint flavor)
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheet with parchment paper (I wouldnt skip out on the parchment paper because the batter is pretty liquidy compared to other cookie batters and I think the paper really makes a difference)
Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips, and once mixed, fold in chocolate chips. The batter will closer resemble cake batter than cookie dough, so don't be alarmed!
Spoon tablespoons of the batter onto the parchment paper and bake for 12 minutes.
Let cookies cool for at least five minutes on the cookie sheet before moving to a cooling rack to allow them to set.
Store in airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy!

Roasted Carrots W/ Cilantro Greek Yogurt Sauce

     During my California to Maine road trip, I spent Thanksgiving at my friend's Uncle's house. It was a beautiful place in the suburbs of D.C, but I have to say that the most memorable thing was the carrots. (Yes, I am weird.) Her aunt made the most delicious carrots with the Thanksgiving dinner, and I loved them so much that I asked her for the recipe to recreate them.

    Though they paired wonderfully with turkey (and would go great with basically anything), I have to say I am always partial to those tender, beautiful lamb lollipops.....

      I definitely don't work with carrots enough. I'm a straight out of the bag, dunked in ranch kinda girl, but I think that's about to change. They're absolutely delicious roasted and they're super easy! Especially using baby carrots - no chopping or peeling. Hallelujah!

     This greek yogurt sauce definitely could be used in many ways. It tasted great on the lamb and even on the mashed potatoes. You could dip raw veggies in it, put it on a sandwich - literally anything. And it's fat free and packed with protein. (I may re-evaluate my ranch dunking now)

     I foresee this as a perfect side dish to your upcoming holiday meals :)



Roasted Carrots w/ Cilantro Greek Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients:
3 lbs baby carrots (or other if you feel like peelin and choppin!)
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
2 tsp thyme
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste (go with the sea salt on this one - the coarser grinds add great flavor!)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
About 1/2 cup cilantro - plus more for garnish if desired

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Toss carrots with OJ, thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper and spread onto baking sheet.
Roast about 35 minutes, (tossing around halfway through) or until they're tender and browned.
While they're roasting (or the day before to allow more time for flavors to set) puree Greek yogurt, cumin, coriander, lime juice and cilantro, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add more spices if desired.
Top cooked carrots with yogurt sauce and cilantro garnish.


 

Vietnamese Lamb Lollipops

       Every once in a while when I'm feeling rich and in the mood to treat myself, I'll buy a rack of lamb. In this particular case however, I was actually feeling extremely broke and dreading the upcoming finals so it was more of a coping mechanism than anything else. Cooking a good meal can do wonders on the mood, I can promise you that!

       Usually when I make lamb, I fall back on one of my all time favorite recipes. It also happens to be my first blog post ever, nearly two years ago. (Click here for Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Balsamic Reduction) I figured this time would be a good opportunity to blog about something new, and I found the perfect recipe!

       I'll be honest I'm not sure exactly what makes these Vietnamese, but that's what the original recipe was called so I'm sticking with it. Tender lamb lollipops marinated and cooked in soy sauce with sweet honey and chili powder.... They were absolutely delicious!


 

        They were extremely easy too. I always pan sear my lamb so I was a little uneasy about baking them, especially when the cut is so thin, but they came out super tender and perfectly cooked. In my opinion it's totally worth spending the extra money to get such a delicious cut.

        I served them with roasted carrots with a greek yogurt sauce (I'm blogging about those next because they were sooooo good) and some garlic mashed potatoes. It was a delicious, hearty meal with a great balance of flavors.


     So treat yourself during finals week, or celebrate the holidays!

    (PS- Stay tuned for the carrot recipe! I highly recommend serving them with this lamb. An addition of greens would be good as well.)






Vietnamese Lamb Lollipops

Ingredients:
12 3oz lamb rib chops
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp sugar
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp lime juice
1 1/2 tbsp reduce sodium soy sauce/tamari
2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:
Season chops with garlic, chili powder, sugar and salt and pepper.
Place in a roasting pan.
Mix together lime juice, soy sauce and olive oil and pour over lamb. Marinate at least three hours, or overnight.
Remove lamb from fridge and allow to reach room temperature while you Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Roast in preheated oven for about 18-20 minutes (for medium to medium rare) or desired doneness.

Serve with the carrot recipe coming up next!







Recipe altered from allrecipes.com

Happy Holidays and My Excuse for Lack of Posts

     Ahhh it's that time of year again! I'm scraping ice off my car every morning and drowning in papers and study guides for finals, and yet still I find myself abnormally happy despite spending all my money on gifts and shivering to death from it being cold as #$&*^% in Orono. The Christmas decorations are up, festive music is playing, and there is a light at the end of the tunnel that involves wonderful food, loving family, my adorable dog and most importantly wonderful food (did I already mention that?)

    So you can imagine I have good reasons why I haven't posted much on the blog recently. Things such as online shopping (sooo much online shopping), craft making, Harry Potter watching and some half-assed homework doing have occupied most of my time, leaving me to cook some fairly basic meals that haven't quite made it to the blog yet. But don't worry, things are coming!

    I also drove from California to Maine over Thanksgiving break, which gives me a legitimate excuse for not posting a delicious casserole or dessert for the Holiday. You don't really have much time to cook and take pictures when you're pushing 600 miles a day. (On multiple occasions a bag of chips was to suffice for a meal). Needless to say I missed my family on Thanksgiving, but it was worth the adventure!

Some pictures of our favorite stops:

Coastal California

Santa Barbara with Ali, my travel buddy. 75 and sunny! 

The Grand Canyon

Purple Mountains in the South West

Square dancing in Nashville

Skyping with my family on Thanksgiving

Ali and some duck in a indoor food market at our last stop in Philly

    It was quite the adventure, but I'm looking forward to spending the upcoming Christmas holiday with my family! Now that I've shared some excuses for recently neglecting the blog, you can expect some good posts coming up to make up for it! 

  I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving and has a wonderful Christmas, too! 

Chicken Wings 3 Ways

     As I said in my last wing recipe post (Click here for Honey Soy Srircha Wings), chicken wings are the best game day snack. With football season in full swing, I figured I needed to add to my wing recipe repertoire so by the time the Superbowl comes around I'll be a pro.

     Again I was impressed with how delicious and crispy the wings come out when they are baked. Just remember to pat them dry and brush them with oil to allow the skin to mimic that deep fried texture.

    I like a good balance of sweet and spicy wings, with of course some ranch on the side for dipping! For the game against the Colts, I made traditional buffalo wings along with a spicy honey mustard sauce, and tangy caramelized wings. We divided up wings into the three sauces and it was such a great variety.

    Keep in mind when making buffalo wings, if you prefer a milder wing you can add a little melted butter to your buffalo sauce and it will reduce the heat. Also know that bottled hot sauce is different than buffalo wing sauce. I recommend adding butter to the sauce if you are using regular hot sauce. It will taste much more similar to the buffalo wings you are used to.



    Alter the sauce ingredients to your liking to make each recipe your own. Enjoy the game!




Traditional Buffalo Wings

Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken wings
1-2 tbsp oil
salt, pepper and garlic powder
1/2 cup Frank's Redhot Buffalo Wing sauce (or your preferred kind)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Pat wings dry, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder, then brush all sides with oil.
Bake in foil lined rimmed baking sheet for 35 minutes or until skin is nice and crispy, turning once halfway through.
Remove from pan and toss in bowl with buffalo sauce to coat.





Caramelized Tangy Wings

Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken wings
1-2 tbsp oil
salt and pepper
1/2 cup Catalina salad dressing
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1 tbsp onion soup mix
Hot sauce to taste if desired

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Pat wings dry, season with salt and pepper and brush all sides with oil.
Place on foil lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, and meanwhile mix dressing, preserves and onion soup mix together.
Remove wings from oven and cover with sauce. Place back in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes more.






Spicy Honey Mustard Wings

Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken wings
1-2 tbsp oil
Salt, pepper and garlic powder
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1 1/2 tbsp yellow mustard
3 tbsp honey (more if you want them a little sweeter)
2 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp hot sauce to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Pat wings dry, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder and brush all sides with oil.
Bake on foil lined rimmed baking sheet for 35 minutes or until skin is nice and crispy, turning over halfway through.
While baking, mix together mustards, honey, vinegar and hot sauce. Adjust to taste.
Toss wings in sauce to coat. Plate wings and pour remaining sauce in bowl on top of them.






Click Here for my Honey Soy Sriracha Wing Recipe!

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

      This is about the most simple peanut butter cookie recipe in existence, and you can assume from the time that has passed since my last post that simplicity is about all I have time for.

       All you need is peanut butter, sugar and an egg! It's that easy! They are super peanut buttery and dense, which is just how I like them. Beware though that because they are flourless, they are tender when coming out of the oven, so it's best to let them cool a couple minutes before indulging ;) The whole batch comes together in less than 15 minutes!

      In no time at all you'll have an effortlessly gluten free treat! We used sunflower seed butter for one batch and they were super good, so feel free to experiment. Chocolate chips are next on the list :)

 Best served with a tall glass of milk!






Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup natural peanut butter (or other nut butter)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients to combine. Scoop rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie shit.
Press down in criss cross pattern with fork. Top with sprinkle of coarse sea salt if desired.
Bake in preheated oven for 9-10 minutes

Turkey Dinner Stuffed Acorn Squash

      Not many things make me happier than a turkey dinner. A great feast of potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, vegetables galore and of course the beautifully roasted bird, leaving you in the most wonderful kind of food coma there is.
       Recently my mom sent me back up to school after fall break with a nice 15 lb turkey to cook up a roommate family dinner. Everyone contributed a side dish, and we had ourselves a wonderful meal!

      As all Thanksgiving lovers can attest, the left over meals after the big day are just as enjoyable. You can imagine that 6 girls can only do so much damage on such a big bird, so I had quite a bit remaining and decided to do something a little creative with the leftovers to get my boyfriend in on the feast. 

      Last year I made a Chipotle Chicken Stuffed Acorn Squash and I was absolutely in love with it. I decided that using a squash fresh from a farm in Maine and stuffing it with all the leftover fixings of a turkey dinner was the absolute greatest option I had. 

Topping them with melted cheese and leftover gravy wasn't half bad either.....

     You really could use whatever leftover turkey dinner ingredients you have. You could use leftover stuffing in the mixture, but if you need to keep it gluten free go with quinoa! It adds some great nutritional value and is fairly moist so it's a great binder. (Rice wouldn't be quite the same)

     This recipe is such a great way to create a leftover meal that is just as exciting as the first!





Turkey Dinner Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients:
1 acorn squash, halved lengthwise and guts removed
1 tbsp melted butter or oil
2 tsp brown sugar
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped leftover turkey
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/3 cup cranberry sauce
2 tbsp finely chopped onion
1 tsp thyme
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
Leftover gravy

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Brush acorn squash with butter or oil, sprinkle with brown sugar and season with salt and pepper.
Place squash cut side up on foil lined baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until just fork tender.
While squash is in oven, mix together turkey, quinoa, cranberry sauce, onion and thyme.
When squash is done, stuff each with half of the mixture. Place back in oven for another 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and top with cheese.
Put back in oven for 5-10 more minutes or until cheese is completely melted and edges have started to brown.
Top with gravy to serve.

Sweet and Spicy Rainbow Carrots

     These carrots are absolutely beautiful. I had never seen them before making this recipe, and I fell in love with their vibrant colors. They basically taste just the same as your regular old orange carrots, but it's hard to say no to something this pretty!

Behold! (It's hard to believe, but I promise I'm not even using a filter!)

    While I was cooking them I couldn't get over how bright they were. Initially when they were heated up, the colors just enhanced and It didnt even look real! After they cooked down a while, they absorbed some of the delicious orange juice and brown sugar sauce which allowed them to lose some of the bright color, but they still stayed so pretty!

    It's a perfect side dish for a fall meal. The flavors are sweet, warm, and reminiscent of Thanksgiving. Plus the colors just scream Autumn!

   A forkful of these carrots, cranberry sauce, my mom's garlic roasted onions and fresh turkey is to die for.....

(I will have to write a post about the onions my mom makes because they're absolutely amazing!)

     This will definitely be a recipe I continue to make year round. It would be great with chicken or pork, as well!







Sweet and Spicy Rainbow Carrots
Ingredients:
2 lb bag rainbow carrots (regular works too)
3 tbsp butter
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp cinnamon
salt and pepper
garlic powder

Directions:
Peel and slice carrots fairly thin
In skillet over medium heat, melt butter.
Whisk together orange juice, brown sugar, cayenne and cinnamon, and mix into melted butter.
Increase heat to medium high.
Add in carrots and mix around to coat. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until sauce has reduced to a glaze and carrots are tender and browned slightly on the edges.

Kale Salad with Chicken Sausage and Curried Squash

   I've been making some variation of this kale salad basically every day. It's so good and so flexible based on whatever vegetables you have. This particular one I had to blog about, because it's a perfect fall dish, from the flavors to the colors of the ingredients.

     The Al Fresco sausages really are great because they have a variety of flavors, and they're perfect for a quick weeknight meal because they're totally cooked so they heat up in just a couple minutes. Plus they're not nearly as bad for you as regular italian sausages, without sacrificing any flavor. The sweet apple sausages and the curried squash was such a delicious combination, and it's a pretty healthy meal. I promise, once you make a kale salad like this, you'll be addicted.

   You could of course use another type of sausage, but because apples are in season, it seemed only fitting to use the apple sausages. Using a regular sweet sausage and then topping the salad with some apple pieces would be delicious as well. Anything that celebrates this beautiful fall season!






Kale Salad w/ Chicken Sausage and Curried Squash
(For One)
Ingredients:
1 cup cubed butternut squash (1" pieces)
2 tsp oil
1/4 tsp curry powder
pinch cumin, salt and pepper
2 tsp oil
1/2 small onion, sliced
1 Al Fresco Apple Chicken Sausage, chopped
1/4 cup halved cherry tomatoes
2 big handfuls chopped kale (with no big veins)
2 tsp rice vinegar
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Toss squash pieces with oil and season with curry powder, cumin, salt and pepper
Spread evenly on cookie sheet and roast til squash it tender and lightly browned, about 20-25 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet over medium/medium low heat.
Add sliced onions and cook slowly until they're tender and just starting to brown.
Add in sliced tomatoes and sausage pieces, and stir around.
Raise heat to medium/ medium high.
Add in kale and use a spatula to mix around the ingredients and get the kale moistened.
Add in rice vinegar and immediately cover pan and let steam for 2 minutes or so.
Season with salt and pepper and serve when kale is tender, top with butternut squash.



   

 

Cauliflower "Fried Rice"

     I wish I had come up with this on my own because this idea is pure genius! It is probably the first thing I've actually tried off of Pinterest and it's magical. I might be way overly excited about it, but I tend to do that about food. It tastes delicious, it's super healthy and it's really not that time consuming like other creative health conscious recipes tend to be. It makes me happy just looking at it!

       You can cook it just as you do traditional fried rice, and add even more veggies to the mix. I paired mine with my favorite coconut curry chicken thighs, (which I will post a recipe for sometime soon) and it was by far the most satisfying, feel-good meal I've eaten in a while.

       Cauliflower is a great vegetable to incorporate in your diet because it's loaded with Vitamin C (antioxidants) and K (anti inflammatory). And just look at it! You can't even tell that it's not rice! I'm talking to you, mothers with picky children. This would've been gold for me as a kid because I would hardly look at vegetables, let alone pick them up with a fork and eat them.

     
    You could add cooked an egg and pork, shrimp or chicken to the mix, too! The recipe below is very basic, so there's plenty of room for modification!



   

Cauliflower "Fried Rice" 
Ingredients:
1/2 large head cauliflower, chopped (for ease in food processor)
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce (or tamari)

Directions:
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and peas and saute until tender.
Meanwhile, pule cauliflower in food processor, until rice sized chunks. Don't over process because you won't end up with "rice".
Add garlic to pan with onions and peas and stir, then add in cauliflower and raise heat to medium-high. Pour soy sauce on top and stir to combine.
Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Cauliflower will be tender but not mushy- similar to rice!

Apple Crisp

    It's plain to see why New Englanders are obsessed with fall. It's such a beautiful season, and we've been fortunate to have wonderful weather so far, making it easy to enjoy some outdoor activities.

Exhibit A:   Acadia

Exhibit B:   In the woods somewhere

    Although the weather and foliage is first on the list of my favorite things about fall, the second is (you guessed it) the food. Fall comfort food is absolutely the best, and there's no way I would let winter come without first making a delicious apple crisp!

    There's nothing fancy about this recipe. It's traditional, basic, and absolutely perfect. With the warm cinnamon apples and sweet crunchy topping paired with ice cream, I honestly don't know what could be better for a fall dessert.

(Please ignore the poor photo quality - I use my iphone and the lighting in my kitchen is so terrible that I literally have to use one of my roommate's flashlight on their phone to even be able to see the dish. No professional blog photography here haha!)


      It is a perfect comfort food dessert, which happened to be a current necessity. My roommates and I ate half the pan in impressive timing, then dished the rest out to kids at a party we had, so I promise you it was thoroughly enjoyed.

      My roommates and I have a slight froyo obsession (I know, typical girl thing), so when I asked one of them to bring home ice cream to go with the crisp, it was no surprise she came home with a yogurt blend. Generally vanilla is great with crisp, but this caramel one was so good, especially with the little pecan crunchy bites in it! I think a maple walnut ice cream would be a great pairing as well :)


    It's a super simple recipe, and apple picking season is in full swing - so get to it!





Traditional Apple Crisp
Ingredients:
4-5 lb apples, peeled, cored and sliced (I used McIntosh)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp flour - gluten free if necessary
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp water
1 1/2 cup oats - gluten free if necessary
1 cup flour - gluten free if necessary
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 cup softened butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss with apples to coat and pour into 9x13 baking dish. Top with lemon juice and water.
Mix together oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder & soda and salt. Mix in butter, with your hands if necessary, until mixed and crumbly. Top the apples evenly with the mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, top will be browned and sides bubbling.
Serve warm with ice cream.






Recipe altered from allrecipes.com

Pomegranate Chicken and Brussels Sprouts

     This post is devoted to two of my newest favorite recipes, one of which I've made about 10 times and I've yet to post about (most likely because I'm too eager to eat them to take the time to take a decent photo), and the other is totally credited to Stonewall Kitchen. Though my internship there has technically ended, I have a stockpile of their products and I am more than happy to blog about how much I enjoy cooking with them.

(Before I sell you on their product though, I'll let you know that the Pomegranate Grille Sauce used in the recipe is being discontinued. They are available online through the barn sale or there might be some left in the warehouse store in Rochester, NH. I have tasted many of their other sauces though, and I can promise you that the Roasted Apple Grille Sauce (which I currently have a bottle of so you can expect a recipe soon) or the Garlic Rosemary Citrus Sauce, would both be delicious following the same recipe!)

    Stonewall Kitchen products really do make life easier in the kitchen because the sauces are soooo delicious and therefore lessen the amount of work you end up doing to get a final dish that is super good, and still tastes homemade.

So now I'll begin with this chicken....

     The pomegranate taste is unique and sweet (but not overly!) and the wine helps add another dimension and bring out those flavors. My boyfriend and I were very impressed, literally saying "wow this is good" between each bite. Serving it with quinoa was also a great choice because it soaks up the sauce so nicely. And it's gluten free! Hallelujah!

   Serving this chicken with one of my favorite brussels sprouts recipe just makes it a perfect meal. I would honestly eat this for dinner every day!

       I am so in love with brussels sprouts. They're my favorite vegetable and coming up close to my favorite food in general (call me crazy). I eat them 10x more than I end up blogging about, but I will try and change that!

      The recipe below is my current go to, and it couldn't be easier. Just toss the little guys in oil, season and roast them, then toss in a little bit of balsamic salad dressing and serve with feta or goat cheese. I also love using Stonewall Kitchen Balsamic Fig Dressing for this same recipe, but I'm not trying to go all sales woman-y on you and freak you out. Just keep in mind it's a really good option :)

     You really could toss the sprouts in any of your favorite salad dressings, and try and pair the flavors to match the main portion of your meal!




Pomegranate Chicken
Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breast
Salt, Pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup sliced onion
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup Stonewall Kitchen Pomegranate Grille Sauce (or Roasted Apple Grille Sauce or Garlic Rosemary Citrus Sauce)

Directions:
Season chicken with salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat, and add chicken, onions and garlic.
Cook chicken until browned on first side, about 4 minutes, then turn over and cook about a minute or so on the other side and add in wine and simmer to reduce by about half.
Pour pomegranate sauce on top and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low about 2 minutes more.




Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients:
1 lb brussels sprouts
2 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt
Pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2-3 tbsp balsamic salad dressing (or other)
1/3 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Remove the little root off of the brussels sprouts and slice them in half. Toss to coat in olive oil and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Spread on baking sheet and roast in preheated oven about 30 minutes, depending on the size of the brussels sprouts.
Remove from oven, and toss to coat in medium bowl with salad dressing.
Serve with cheese as garnish.

Coconut Banana Pumpkin Pancakes

      So remember when I made those Pumpkin Seven Layer Bars and claimed I had leftover pumpkin that I was sure to use for another recipe post?! Well ta-daaaaa, here it is! These pumpkin banana pancakes are a great way to celebrate the fall season, without clogging an artery like the seven layer bars might....

      They're about the healthiest pancakes you can get, and I'll tell you they smell absolutely amazing when cooking. Plus the recipe is really convenient because it makes two perfect pancakes all for yourself :)


(yes one is missing from the photo because I ate it while the other one was cooking....)

      I've seen plenty of variations of these simple, and often paleo, pancakes, and I'd have to say my favorite part about this one is the combination of flavors, especially with the use of coconut oil. It's a super healthy fat and it tastes like (you guessed it!) coconut! Then it's smothered in maple syrup and you eat both of them and maybe even lick the plate and you still don't feel like a beached whale. That is the glory of healthy cooking.

     As always, you can add fruits, nuts or even chocolate!

       I'm definitely going to start making more pancakes like these. They're simple to make, nutritious, filling, and you eat them with maple syrup and that is basically the only excuse I need to make more :)






Coconut Banana Pumpkin Pancakes
Ingredients:
1 medium ripe banana, mashed
Heaping scoop of pumpkin puree (a little less than 1/4 cup)
1 egg
1/3 cup oats (gluten free if necessary)
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
2 tsp coconut oil

Directions:
Mix together banana and pumpkin, then add egg and stir to combine.
Mix in remaining ingredients, and any additional nuts, fruit, etc.
Heat coconut oil in large skillet or griddle over medium heat. (no higher!)
Pour in batter and spread fairly thin, making about 2 pancakes depending on size of banana. Cook in oil until both sides are browned.
Serve with maple syrup.

Turkey Gyro Salad w/ Homemade Tzatziki

       A Gyro is a Greek dish that is made from meat being vertically roasted rotisserie style and is often served in a sandwich with tomatoes, onions and tzatziki sauce. This version is more college kid friendly because it uses ground turkey instead, and there's also a gluten free option! It has such a unique flavor and is a great change of pace from my usual uses of ground turkey (chili, burgers, shepherd's pie).

       The homemade tzatziki sauce is delicious. You definitely cannot have a gyro without it! It also has many other uses so save the leftovers for anything from a dip for veggies or chips, a sandwich spread, or a sauce for any cooked meat or fish. (Follow up recipes coming soon!)

      It's a good idea to make the sauce a day in advance because the flavors will have time to develop and it tastes much better.

      I served mine a little different from the traditional style, because I've yet to see gluten free pita bread, and I have a feeling that if I did find any it would taste like straight up cardboard. Instead, I pan fried a corn tortilla in a little oil over the stove to create a tostada, and I also ate it as a salad with the tzatziki sauce for dressing.

      You could of course stick to the traditional pita if you aren't gluten free, but the salad is a low carb, healthy option! Plus it omits any oil based dressing and the Greek yogurt is fat free, so it is an extremely low-cal dish, packed with protein.

 




Turkey Gyros
Ingredients:
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp fresh dill
salt and pepper to taste

1 lb lean ground turkey
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper

salad greens
chopped tomatoes
chopped red onion
feta cheese

Directions:
Finely grate the cucumber and use paper towel to squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
Mix together yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, dill and salt and pepper to taste. Store in airtight container in fridge and wait at least a few hours for flavors to blend.
Heat a couple teaspoons of olive oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add turkey and garlic, stir and mix in oregano, thyme, basil, marjoram, onion powder and salt and pepper. Cook til browned, about 8 minutes, and drain the fat from pan.
Serve over salad greens with tomatoes, onion, feta and tzatziki sauce, or stuff all ingredients in a pita!

Pumpkin "Seven Layer" Bars

    Seven layer bars are probably the most delicious desserts on earth. They're nostalgic to me because I remember having them as treats after sports games or at potluck dinners and whoever's mom made them was basically the coolest.

They're moist and sweet with coconut, toffee and chocolate and are soooo damn addicting.....

And then we added pumpkin.

And then I cried tears of joy.

And then came heartburn.

Oh my god so gooey and perfect....
(Don't let the heartburn deter you from making these....)

          The addition of pumpkin is perfect for the season, of course. It adds a new element to the traditional bar, and I guess we can pretend that it makes them healthier to eat. A little butter never hurt anyone, right?! Trust me it's worth every. single. calorie.

          Also, they're easy to make gluten free! I used my favorite gluten free ginger snaps (well the only ones I've ever had) as the crust, which I've used before in Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bites.

       What's nice about these seven layer bars is that they're pretty flexible. You can use whatever you'd like for the crust, from graham crackers to wafers to ginger snaps, and then top it with whatever type of chocolate chip, candy or nut that you want. I also like to go heavy on the coconut, but that's just me! Just choose ingredients that you think pair well with pumpkin :)

       This recipe is also a blessing in disguise because it only uses 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree, leaving me with the majority of a can leftover. I guess this means you can expect another pumpkin recipe coming up real soon...... (Which probably would have happened regardless)

       Make sure to let them cool completely before cutting. I know it's hard because I broke that rule myself, but letting them set makes a difference and you're suppose to eat them cool or room temp. If you eat them warm they are pretty gooey - but then again, I'm not sure gooey is necessarily a bad thing ;)






Pumpkin Seven Layer Bars
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers (or ginger snaps, etc - gluten free if necessary)
6 tbsp melted butter
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts
1/3 cup toffee bits
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash nutmeg
1 cup shredded coconut

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350
Mix together crushed graham crackers with melted butter and press into bottom of 9x9 pan.
Layer chocolate chips, toffee and nuts over crust.
Mix together sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg and pour over top.
Top with shredded coconut.
Bake 25-30 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
Let cool before cutting.








Recipe adapted from www.alattefood.com

Honey Soy Srircha Chicken Wings

        I work at a bar called The Roost that specializes in wings, so I am constantly serving them to people, yet I've never made them on my own. I decided it was about time to try, because it is Sunday and what's a more perfect game day snack than wings?! That's right..... nothing.

      They're sticky and messy and delicious and that is exactly what I want while watching a good football game. They're baked until crispy and tossed in a sweet, salty and mildly spicy sauce that everyone's sure to love.

      I was tied between trying two different recipes - Asian sticky wings or Honey Srircha wings - so I asked my boyfriend which he'd rather have, and of course he recommended mixing the two together. It was a very good choice, indeed.

        Patting the skin dry and brushing it with the oil and butter allows it to crisp up really nicely (DO NOT skip that step!), so you won't miss the deep fryer. In my opinion they're just as good, and they're much healthier!

         I'm thinking that I will be serving up wings at home during Sunday football quite a bit this year, so you can expect some new and creative recipes!


They were gone all too soon.....

Honey Soy Srircha Chicken Wings
Ingredients:
12-15 chicken wings
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp melted butter
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari
1 1/4 cup water
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp srircha or to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 and line rimmed baking sheet with foil and grease.
Pat chicken wings dry.
Mix together oil, butter, garlic powder and salt, and brush wings liberally on all sides.
Cook in preheated oven 40-50 minutes or until skin is crispy.
While chicken is cooking, combine soy sauce, water and honey in saucepan over medium to medium-high and simmer 20-30 minutes to reduce, til it just coats the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in butter, lemon juice and srircha. Adjust srircha amounts to taste.
Toss wings to coat, and serve with remaining sauce drizzled on top.