Zany Zucchini Muffins

‘Tis the season for a delectable summer squash selection at the farmer’s market, so go ahead — get a little zany with your zucchini! What’s so “zany” about these particular muffins? You know me  — So many more wholesome ingredients than your average baked good. Yes, you guessed it: whole wheat flour, almond meal, agave, applesauce and heart-healthy olive oil. Not to mention loads of zucchini, which is bursting with vitamins C and B6, to name a few. I promise, the kiddos LOVE  them. (The zucchini and applesauce make them ultra-moist, despite the whole wheat flour.)

ZANY ZUCCHINI MUFFINS

• 18-20 muffin papers
• 1 large zucchini, grated (2 cups)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup agave nectar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ginger
• a pinch ground cloves

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 20 muffin papers into 2 muffin trays. In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, agave, applesauce, olive oil, vanilla, and eggs.

2. Sift together flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, and stir to combine well. Stir in grated zucchini.

3. Pour batter into prepared muffin papers, filling almost completely to top (will yield 18-20 muffins). Bake until a toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Summer Fresh Pasta with Grilled Pepper-Tomato Sauce

There’s no denying that real, actual, freshly-picked summer tomatoes taste a gajillion times better than those icky red things passed off as tomatoes year-round in the produce department. And when we’re talking sweet cherry tomatoes — come on! So what does one do with these coveted treats (other than straight-up noshing)? Fresh pasta sauce! And since you don’t want to cook the tomato-ey goodness right of them, this sauce is super quick and easy.

Summer Fresh Pasta with Grilled Pepper-Tomato Sauce

10 oz. package whole wheat rigatoni

3 Tbsp + 1/8 cup olive oil

1 red bell pepper

2 pints fresh cherry tomatoes

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. salt

8 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

Freshly grated parmesan (to taste)

Prepare grill. Halve bell pepper, remove stem and seeds, and drizzle with 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Grill pepper for a few minutes until char marks appear. Coursely chop and add to food processor, along with tomatoes. Pulse until finely chopped but still chunky, about 10 pulses. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a heavy skillet, add garlic and cook about 30 seconds, then add tomato/pepper mixture and salt. Cook over medium heat until simmering, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions, drain and toss with 1/8 cup olive oil. Add tomato sauce and stir. Top with basil and parmesan.

We enjoyed our big bowls of pasta alfresco. Mommy and Daddy paired ours with a beautiful glass of cabernet, and both kids had seconds — a summer success!

A Sunny, Strawberry-Picking, Summer Afternoon

2 kids plus $20 worth of strawberries that they picked — sounds like fond childhood summertime memories being made!

p.s. we finally finished (ate / baked with / gave to friends / enjoyed) said $20 worth of strawberries after 10 strawberry-studded, sensational summer days!

Super-Goodest (Hearty and Healthier) Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Okay, it’s about time I shared my recipe for what Oliver calls “The Super-Goodest Cookies in the World.” Way to set high expectations, right? Maybe if I ever made a traditional sugary, buttery recipe he would change his tune. But for now I’m happy to propagate the belief that these nutritionally loaded cookies are superior! I cut the sugar by using part brown sugar/part agave nectar — a natural sugar substitute that is sweeter yet has a much lower glycemic index (read: no mega sugar highs or crashes). I cut the fat by using applesauce. I up the protein by using whole wheat flour and almond meal (ground almonds). It’s the almond meal that gives these cookies their rich, nutty character. Not your typical cookie, they are fluffy and cake-y. Although you can get them to last longer (out of sight, out of mind) and give them a “bite” by freezing them.

Find the recipe below. Now I’d better go make sure the kids don’t have their hands in the — err — actual cookie jar!

Super-Goodest (Hearty and Healthier) Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Makes about 24-30 cookies)

3/4 cup almond meal*

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 Tbsp. butter, at room-temperature

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup amber agave nectar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat convection oven to 350°F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, combine almond meal, flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, applesauce, brown sugar, agave nectar, egg and vanilla until smooth. With the mixer running, add the dry ingredients, beating on low speed until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop the dough by heaping teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheets. Bake cookies about 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Once cookies are cool enough to handle, transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

*Almond meal can be purchased in some grocery store’s baking goods sections. Otherwise, feel free to grind your own unsalted almonds in a food processor. Best stored in the refrigerator.

Life is Just a Bowl of (Pitted) Cherries

You will rarely catch me cooking without a garlic press and a lemon squeezer — my year-round trusted sidekicks in the kitchen. But summertime brings a new friend to the table: the cherry pitter! My kids are head over heels for summertime cherries (who isn’t, really?). They love the sugary-sweet tang, I love the mega-dose of antioxidants (a recent USDA study found that Bing cherries have powerful anti-inflammatory properties). We don’t do much in the way of fussy cherry recipes at our house — just good ol’, pop-in-your-mouth fresh cherries as a side, snack or dessert.

I started pitting cherries for Oliver when he was just a babe to avoid choking. But at 4 and 3/4, that’s still his preferred method of cherry delivery. And now that Ruby has discovered the joy of pitted cherries, I find myself squeezing this handy tool more times a day than I’d prefer. But there is something so motherly and nurturing about taking the bad out of something so good, all for the joy of your kiddos. Sure, they’ll be at a disadvantage come their first cherry-pit spitting contest. But seeing their red-stained, smiling cheeks and chins as they devour ripe summer cherries is so worth it!

p.s. I assume the cherry pitter is self explanatory, but in the name of education I will add instructions.

Step 1. Wash your cherries! I try to go organic or at least rinse non-organics with a fruit and veggie wash.

Step 2. Remove stem.

Step 3. Place cherry in pitter, so that the mark left by the stem is on top.

Step 4. Press down firmly until pit is removed. (Watch out, the juice almost always splatters. So point the cherry away from you and aim at a paper-towel lined plate or bowl.)

Step 5. Try to not eat every other one.

Lovely Sunscreen Find!

I’m totally crushing on this all-natural, mineral sunscreen spray: Goddess Garden Organics Sunny Body Natural Sunscreen.

It mists on skin (though you do need to rub it in) and has a lovely lavender and honeysuckle scent — nothing like those stinky chemical sprays. And it feels so light on my skin that I’m down with wearing it as my daily moisturizer on my oft-sunned spots (bonus: it’s 1st non-active ingredient is aloe vera, so it actually does moisturize and soothe!)

It’s 94% organic and mineral-based (titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, meaning it’s a physical sunblock vs. chemical), so I can slather it on my kids in good conscience. Oh, and the aerosol-free can (it uses air to spray) is recyclable — how cool is that!?

Loo-oove!

did you ever see a (wheatgrass-mango) lassi?

I’ve always loved a creamy mango lassi (a traditional Indian yogurt drink). So why not up the vitamin boost with a little green, wheatgrass garnish? Here’s how… Wheatgrass-Mango Lassi 2 cups frozen mango cubes 1 cup nonfat, organic Greek yogurt …