All posts in category Food

Chocolate Chip Butternut Squash Muffins

Chocolate Chip Butternut Squash Muffins

When I picked up our organic produce box a couple of weeks ago, it had a large butternut squash in it. I sliced it in half lengthwise, placed it flesh side down on a sprayed cookie sheet, and roasted it at 350 for about 30 minutes. After cooling, I scraped out the inside and had about 3 cups of cooked squash. Knowing that butternut squash has a sweetness to it, I decided to sneak it into muffins and came up with what my six-year-old deemed as “maybe the best muffin I’ve ever had!”

Butternut squash is packed full of vitamin A (for eye and skin health) and vitamin C (for wound healing and gum health). It is is an excellent source of potassium (for muscle development and cellular function) and fiber (for digestion and weight management). I would venture to say that frozen squash would work just as well too. If you try it, let me know how it turns out.

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup chickpea flour
1/2 Cup brown rice flour
1/3 Cup Uncooked, Regular Oats
2 teaspoons flaxseed, ground
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
¼ teaspoon Salt
1 cup cooked butternut squash
4 Tablespoons Apple Juice Concentrate, thawed
2 Tablespoons organic sugar
2 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup
2 Eggs, beaten
1/4 Cup extra virgin coconut oil or extra light olive oil
1 t Vanilla
1/3 cup Dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line or grease 1 dozen muffin tins. Combine the dry ingredients (flour-salt). Mix together remaining ingredients
(squash – vanilla) and then stir into the dry mixture. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill muffin tins about 2/3 of the way full and bake 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool on a cooling rack before enjoying.

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by M. Terry on March 5, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by M. Terry on March 5, 2012

https://wholetothecore.com/2012/03/05/chocolate-chip-butternut-squash-muffins/

Mixed Berry Buckwheat Pancakes

Mixed Berry Buckwheat Pancakes

1 1/3 cups Arrowhead Buckwheat pancake mix
1/4 cup oats
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/3 almond milk + 1 T white vinegar
2 T ground flax
2 tablespoons applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup fresh or frozen ( thawed and drained) mixed berries

Place milk and vinegar together and let set for a few minutes. Add in ground flax. Place pancake mix, oats, and cinnamon in a large bowl and stir. Add in applesauce, vanilla, and milk mixture. Stir until just combined. Gently fold in berries. Cook pancakes on a griddle over medium heat, flipping just once.

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by M. Terry on February 25, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by M. Terry on February 25, 2012

https://wholetothecore.com/2012/02/25/mixed-berry-buckwheat-pancakes/

Pineapple Upside Down Cake: Guilt- and Gluten-Free

I made this Pineapple Upside Down cake for our Sunday family dinner.  My stepbrother’s fiance’s mom was in town from Austria and she is gluten-free. So I whipped out my Babycakes Covers the Classics Cookbook and baked up this cinnamony and warm cake.

Since I did not want to spend a fortune on xanthum gum, I used ground flax seed. While that worked for the mini donuts we recently made (because they were small), it didn’t work as well work this full-sized cake. Even though it was more crumbly than I cared for, the taste was the best of any pineapple upside down cake that I’ve ever had!
The other changes I made included:
-Replacing the 1/4 cup of  vanilla and 1/4 cup of hot water (I still added 1 teaspoon of vanilla) with warmed,  reserved juice from the can of pineapple

-Using extra light virgin olive oil since I was out of coconut oil

-Replacing arrowroot with cornstarch

Baking gluten-free foods does require extra ingredients, but I love that it adds a variety of flours and tastes to our diets.

Gluten-Free Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients

  • ½ cup melted refined coconut oil or canola oil, plus more for brushing the pan
  • ¼ cup vegan sugar
  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 6 ½-inch-thick pineapple slices
  • ½ cup garbanzo and fava bean flour
  • ½ cup rice flour
  • ½ cup potato starch
  • ¼ cup arrowroot
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ cup agave nectar
  • 6 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
  • ¼ cup vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup hot water

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9-inch cake round with parchment paper and lightly coat with coconut oil.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and the 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Sprinkle the bottom of the cake pan with the cinnamon-sugar mix. Arrange the pineapple slices over it. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, potato starch, arrowroot, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, salt, xanthan gum, cardamom, and baking soda. Add the agave nectar, the ½ cup coconut oil, the applesauce, vanilla, and hot water. Stir with a rubber spatula until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter over the pineapple.

Bake for 20 minutes, rotate, then continue baking until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes more. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes. Run a knife along the pan’s edge and invert onto a serving plate.

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by M. Terry on February 22, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by M. Terry on February 22, 2012

https://wholetothecore.com/2012/02/22/pineapple-upside-down-cake-guilt-and-gluten-free/

Mardis Gras Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

I LOVE Jambalaya and all the robust flavors that come in every spoonful! I made this over the weekend to accompany my Whole Foods cornbread that I picked up on my trip over on Saturday.

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

2 cups brown rice, cooked but al dente

1 pkg Al Fresco Chicken Sausage (or any other all-natural sausage)

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped

½ onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large tomato, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

2 bay leaves

2 cups beef broth

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Fresh parsley

Brown sausage in a large pot over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to pot and cook onion, celery, red pepper, and garlic and cook 5-7 minutes. Add in tomatoes and cook another 3-5 minutes. Add bay leaves, thyme, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper. Place sausage and chicken into pot and stir. Add in broth and rice and simmer 20 minutes. Pull out bay leaves. Spoon into bowls, top with fresh parsley, and serve.   

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by M. Terry on February 21, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by M. Terry on February 21, 2012

https://wholetothecore.com/2012/02/21/mardis-gras-chicken-and-sausage-jambalaya/

Frozen Apples

I love having frozen apples on hand to put in smoothies, desserts, and other fruity treats. Here is what I do to freeze apples:

  • Peel and slice apples
  • Sprinkle apple slices with lemon juice, toss to coat
  • Lay apple slices in a single layer on a cookie sheet
  • Place in freezer
  • Once frozen, place apples in a freezer bag and place back in freezer

Now you can pull out desired amount whenever you need them! Try them in any of these recipes:

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by M. Terry on February 20, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by M. Terry on February 20, 2012

https://wholetothecore.com/2012/02/20/frozen-apples/

An Apple Pie Smoothie for President’s Day

Happy President’s Day! Here is a great treat for today’s patriotic holiday, or for just any ordinary, American day.

Apple Pie Smoothie

Makes 1 smoothie

  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 1/2  cup frozen apples (about 1 large apple, peeled and sliced)
  • 2 Tablespoons whole oats
  • 2 Tablespoons walnuts
  • 1-2 Tablespoons vanilla brown rice protein powder
  • 2 teaspoons apple pie spice (or cinnamon)
  • 1 teaspoon agave nectar or honey

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix. Serve and enjoy!

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by M. Terry on February 20, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by M. Terry on February 20, 2012

https://wholetothecore.com/2012/02/20/an-apple-pie-smoothie-for-presidents-day/

Red Velvet Cupcakes au Naturel (i.e. – No food coloring!)

Anna requested red velvet cupcakes for her birthday. The thought of pouring bottles (yes, that is plural) of red artificial dye into her cupcakes was enough to send me searching. I am glad I did because I found this WONDERFUL recipe that uses beets to create a moist and red-colored cake. These cupcakes received rave reviews, and this is a recipe that will be used again! So thank you to sophistimom for all the time you took to put together and post this recipe! And thank you to God for giving us such rich and vibrant food that is both a treat to the tummy and to the eyes! I have reposted the recipe, but be sure to check out her sight for some extra tips and beautiful pictures (she made a layered cake).

Red Velvet Cake

(I used 3 medium beets and it was exactly 1 1/2 cups pureed. Also, I used just 2 tablespoons of cocoa, reduced-fat cream cheese, and organic sugar. It made 2 dozen cupcakes.)

2 large beets (enough for 1 1/2 cups puree)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened, but not quite room temperature
1 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened slightly
2 1/3 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons natural (not dark or dutch processed) cocoa powder*
cream cheese frosting (recipe on sophistimom)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (165 degrees celsius). Place beets in a small baking dish and add a 1/2 cup of water. Cover with parchment paper and foil, and roast until quite tender, about 60-90 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

2. Butter 3 8 inch cake pans. Cut out parchment paper circles and place in the bottoms of the pans. Butter the parchment paper and dust with flour. Set aside. Peel the beets and cut into large chunks. Place in a food processor (or a very good blender) with the lemon juice, and pulse until smooth and pureed.** Stir in the vinegar.

3. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and cream cheese. Pour in sugar and mix until smooth. Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing well until each is incorporated. Mix in vanilla.

4. While ingredients are mixing, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder in a separate bowl. Slowly add flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the beet puree mixture, and fold into the cake batter. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans. Tap pans on the counter to remove any air bubbles.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Invert cakes onto cooling racks, and allow to cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze until ready to frost.

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by M. Terry on February 15, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by M. Terry on February 15, 2012

https://wholetothecore.com/2012/02/15/red-velvet-cupcakes-au-naturel-i-e-no-food-coloring/

200 Miles

No, this is not an ultra run distance for which I am training (although, some people are crazy enough to do so!). This is a mind-boggling fact that Scott read in his textbook for his seminary class, The Health and Well-being of the Minister. Here is the actual stat:

If you have too high a percentage of body fat, that converts into too many additional pounds. Each extra pound of body fat contains an additional 200 miles of blood vessels and capillaries. That translates into extra work for your heart.

So here is the challenge:

Rather than your heart working hard to feed those extra 200 miles of blood vessels and capillaries, how about making it stronger by:

  • walking or running 2 miles
  • completing a 20-minute toning circuit
  • Spending $20 a month on a gym membership (and actually using it!)

As we celebrate American Heart Month, give your heart the gift of strength and get moving!

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by M. Terry on February 13, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Fitness, Motivation, Nutrition
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Posted by M. Terry on February 13, 2012

https://wholetothecore.com/2012/02/13/200-miles/

Sacrifice to Savor

Sacrifice to Savor- that is my motto when it comes to eating a special treat.

As we approach Valentine’s Day, we are surround by candy, chocolate, cakes, and other goodies. When these sweets are so readily available, we often eat them without much thought as to what we are putting into our mouths and ultimately into our bodies. Even during a typical day, sometimes we are in the habit of eating those 2 cookies after lunch, and then we really don’t enjoy them- we just pop them into our mouth, chew, and swallow.

One of my favorite desserts is tiramisu. If I ate it everyday or even once a week, it would no longer be treat- it would be a habit. So when I have the opportunity to partake of this coffee creation (or any of my favorite desserts), I make sure to savor every bite! I “sacrifice” many other treats so I can truly enjoy the moment.  I don’t want my tiramisu to become ordinary- I want it to always be extraordinary!

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by M. Terry on February 8, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Food, Motivation, Nutrition
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Posted by M. Terry on February 8, 2012

https://wholetothecore.com/2012/02/08/sacrifice-to-savor/

Sneaking in Chia Seeds

Last month, I made my “top 10” list of foods that I eat daily (or almost daily). One of the items on my list, chia seeds, are a new addition to my diet. I mainly add them to my shakes, but sometimes they top my granola and Greek yogurt. I have begun to “sneak” them into my kids’ sandwiches by spreading a little onto their PB & Js. I buy the seedless all-fruit spread, and simply add the chia seeds to the jam when I am spreading it on the bread. Voila- Omega-3 fats slathered onto their favorite lunch box staple!

You can actually make some chia seed jam since those tiny, little guys are a natural thickening agent. Check out one of my favorite fellow bloggers at The Gracious Pantry for her Strawberry Chia Seed Spread recipe.

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by M. Terry on February 6, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by M. Terry on February 6, 2012

https://wholetothecore.com/2012/02/06/sneaking-in-chia-seeds/

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