Thanksgiving is like the Food Superbowl to me. I love spending time with family and friends and enjoying a wonderful meal together. I do not like feeling stressed and running around the kitchen right before dinner is ready. It doesn’t have to be that way; it shouldn’t be that way! Continue reading
Okay, so it’s January, a time when we all resolve to eat healthier, etc. After indulging quite a bit over the holidays, I am one of those people who is looking to balance my indulgences out with some healthy fare. I wanted to shake up my breakfast routine with something different and so I’ve been experimenting with chia pudding (which also makes a great dessert). Ch-ch-ch-chia, ch-ch-ch-chia pudding. Continue reading
Donuts of Doom!
It’s that time of year for Bake Sales! For those that don’t bake or are short on time, here are some super easy and fun ideas. (For those that do like to bake, scroll down for some recipes).
Donuts of Doom! You can get a dozen donuts at the regular grocery store for about 5 bucks, pick up some plastic fang teeth and you are done. If you’re feeling fancy, add some chocolate chip eyeballs. No oven required.
Popcorn hands. Pick up some food handler gloves, candy corn, and popcorn. Salty, sweet, and a little creepy. Popcorn hands.
Bugs and kisses. Hershey kisses and a plastic spider ring. Clever and fun.
Chocolate covered strawberries that look like ghosts. Delicious and adorable.
For those that like to bake, here are some of my favorite recipes:
Caramels. Okay, so this isn’t baked, but they are still delicious and different from the traditional bake sale items. You could also use the caramel to dip granny smith apples in, which would be big sellers. See recipe here.
Snickerdoodles. This is my favorite cookie recipe! Besides the fact that it’s fun to say “Snickerdoodle Dough”, they taste great, the kids love rolling the dough balls into cinnamon and sugar, and you can freeze the dough. Check out Emeril Lagasse’s recipe here.
Puffed rice treats. Who doesn’t like these? You can also make these with colored (fruity) cereal. Here is my recipe for Extra Marshmallowy Puffed Rice Treats:
6 T unsalted butter
1-16oz. bag of large marshmallows
6 cups puffed rice cereal
pinch of kosher salt
Melt butter and marshmallows over low heat. Turn off heat before marshmallows have melted completely. Stir in cereal. Using wet fingers, press into a 9 x 13 dish. When cool, cut into squares. Final step: Eat!
Blueberry muffins. I may have mentioned this before, but these are the best blueberry muffins in the world. Nice to add something fruity into the bake sale mix. See recipe here.
French apple cake. First of all, this cake is ridiculously easy. Second of all, it’s soooo yummy. Thank you, Dorie Greenspan. Recipe is here.
Pumpkin Pie. What would a fall bake sale be without pumpkin pie? Start off with a Trader joes pie crust and use the recipe from Libby’s, and you’ve got a pie that’s as easy as pie.
Happy Selling for your special cause!
Me, resisting the temptation of donuts.
Ah the sweet tooth, you are a stranger to me. To clarify, I do like a rhubarb crumble, crème brulee and a donut every once in awhile, but that’s about it. And that was good news during my Whole30 Paleo challenge, as sugar or sweeteners of any kind are not allowed. I never really had any sweet cravings while doing my Paleo thing, but it was a bit of a challenge to go and get donuts with my kids after swim lessons, and not have one (see pic above)! There are lots of Paleo baked goods using ingredients like coconut flour and almond meal, which you can use during regular Paleo, but not during the Whole 30, so I haven’t made any yet. But I have a recipe for Banana Macadamia Coconut Muffins that I want to try out soon… For now, here’s Chocolate Pudding.
Paleo chocolate pudding may not sound enticing, but it’s surprisingly silky and satisfying. Here’s the recipe:
Paleo Chocolate Pudding
1 ripe avocado
½ very ripe banana
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup honey (skip if doing the Whole30)
1 Tablespoon melted coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
Combine all ingredients in bowl of food processor. Process until consistency is smooth and pudding-like.
This is a standard Paleo pancake recipe that you can find on many Paleo websites. They are eggy compared to a regular pancake, but they are very satisfying when you are looking for something sweet(ish).
Paleo Banana Pancakes
1 mashed banana
1 or 2 Tablespoons of almond butter
1 egg
Mix together and use as you would pancake batter. I cooked mine in ghee.
My favorite Paleo “treat” was young coconut! The coconut water is refreshing and light (and supposedly very good for you), and the “meat” is like coconut pudding. Yum. If you’ve never tried one (even if you think you don’t like coconut) go to the market and try one. Please. Our Whole Foods has them near the pizza station, with the tops cut off and they are ready for a straw – no knife needed.
Some other treats I liked were frozen banana slices (yum), strawberry banana smoothie, and raisins. However, after swim lessons this Saturday, I will be enjoying a French Cruller. Or two.
“A dessert without cheese is like a beautiful woman with only one eye.” – Jean anthelme brillat-savarin
tiny cook BIG APPETITE 