Raspberry Almond Muffins (Vegan)

Muffins should be a requirement in everyday life.

Fresh, slightly sweet and slightly tart raspberries.

The crunch of almond.

Heartiness (and a pretty blue color!) from rye flour.

Overall, a pretty delicious breakfast (or snack. or lunch. or dinner. Can I eat these always?)

Raspberry Almond Muffins
Serves 12

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup rye flour (optional: can replace with whole wheat flour)
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2cup sugar or splenda
• 1t baking power
• 1t baking soda
• 1/4t salt
• 1/2cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3/4cup + 2T unsweetened soy/almond milk
• 1t lemon juice
• 1/2t vanilla extract
• 1 cup raspberries (fresh, or frozen and thawed)
• 1/3cup slivered almonds

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Meanwhile, combine flours, sugar/splenda, baking power, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. In a separate bowl, combine applesauce, soy milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
3. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour wet mixture into the dry mixture. Mix with a spoon until the dry ingredients are half-moistened; at this point, add the raspberries. Mix just until there aren't dry spots left (lumps still may be present). Over-mixing can cause tough muffins (yay gluten formation!)
4. Divide batter evenly among 12 normal-sized muffin cups or 6 jumbo muffin cups. Evenly divide almonds among the tops of the muffins, pushing down gently to adhere them to the batter.
5. Cook in oven for 15-18 minutes (normal-sized) or 20-25 minutes (jumbo) at 375F, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool; remove from pan and serve for up to five days.

Nutrition Information (using Sugar):
Sodium: 208mg
Total Fat: 7g
       Saturated: 0g
       Trans: 0g
Protein: 5g
Sugar: 19g
Calories:227

Nutrition Information (using Splenda):
Sodium: 208mg
Total Fat: 7g
       Saturated: 0g
       Trans: 0g
Protein: 5g
Sugar: 2g
Calories:163

Update (Where I've Been) and some Pearl Barley Salad

Wow, long time no write!

I am so sorry about the almost month-long hiatus. I could give you a detailed list of exactly why I've been lacking in my normal weekly updates, but none of you really want to hear about that! Instead, I'll give you a fun little story: I've been working on a student-body political campaign for the last two weeks.

And guess what?

WE WON!!

So all of the sweat (literally), tears (literally), and blood (ok, maybe just a little of this one) were completely and totally worth it. But helping to run a campaign, even if I was just volunteer coordinator, really sucked up a ton of my time. My eating bills this month skyrocketed, because I was on a tight schedule that left no room for actually making food. I would get up at 5AM, bustle around getting all the campaign stuff ready, be on campus by 7, have classes and work from 8-4, go to campaign meetings from 4-6, and then head to the nearest coffee shop and do all my actual school work until about 1AM. Rinse and repeat.

Needless to say, I ate a lot of pre-made food. Even in Fort Collins, which is super granola and all about fresh/local, I felt so weighed down after about the first week. There's something about making a huge plate of vegetables at home, the way you like it, that is immensely more satisfying than scarfing down a bagel or even a pre-made salad. It just tastes better and lighter and all-around more fantastic.

Today is the first day I've really been able to sit back and get all of my daily routines and chores back on schedule. I ran a 5k this morning with a close friend called The Flying Pig, which was great, and then I came home and cleaned everything (I just get in these obsessive moods sometimes where I have to clean?? Does anyone else experience this?? The kind of mood where I-have-to-clean-before-I-can-even-think-of-anything-else?).

And then I cooked for the first time in two weeks.

When I was looking in my fridge I was trying to figure out what the heck I could do with all the random (almost dying) vegetables, and so I naturally moved to the pantry. The Pearl Barley was found, and voila. Introducing a chilled pearl barley salad with tons of vegetables.

This is totally customizable, y'all. It's wonderful. You can throw in whatever vegetables you like. Personally, I always have mushrooms, carrots, and spinach on hand, and then I grabbed some frozen peas in to add a tiny bit of a pop and some more beautiful green color. When I tasted it initially, it was lacking some salt and zing, so to make it more interesting I added feta cheese and lemon juice (which, I admit, it my go-to. If something isn't perfect, cheese and lemon juice usually fix it). The pearl barley adds some awesome texture. It's so close to being like rice but with a bit more substance, almost chewy but no exactly?

Words are hard.

But yes, feel free to mix it up in any way you want. I made enough to last me the whole week, which is awesome because HOMEMADE FOOD. I've been missing it. Cooking and I used to be tight, but the past two weeks strained our relationship. So, clearly, I just need to make all the delicious things that way we can be friends again.

That's how it works, right?

Chilled Pearl Barley and Vegetable Salad
Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 5 large carrots, sliced into rounds
• 12 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced in half
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 cup cooked pearl barley
• 1 cup spinach, chopped
• juice of one lemon
• 1/2tsp salt
• 1/2tsp pepper
• 1/2c. reduced fat feta cheese

Instructions:

1. Steam the carrots and mushrooms, either by microwaving them with 1 tablespoon of water for approximately five minutes or bringing them to a simmer in a large pot with 1/4cup water and then removing from heat and sitting, covered, for ten minutes. (Or until tender).
2. Meanwhile, combine the peas, barley, and spinach. Add the steamed vegetables, and immediately squeeze the lemon juice over the mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Move to the fridge and allow to chill for at least thirty minutes.
3. Before serving, sprinkle with feta cheese. 

Nutrition Information:
Sodium: 383mg
Total Fat: 2g
        Saturated: 1g
        Trans: 0g
Sugar: 5g
Protein: 10g
Calories: 198

Citrus Rainbow Vegetable Salad

Traveling as a vegetarian (or vegan) can be hard.

I've spent too many airport visits desperately trying to find a sandwich without meat or scarfing down a dry muffin in an attempt to fill my rumbling stomach before a flight. Don't even get me started on road trips, which I've done both as a vegetarian and omnivore (years ago). Let me tell you, omnivoring (is that even a word? It is now) was waaaaay easier. More restaurants are thankfully trying to be more vegetarian-friendly, but I can't even imagine the pain that my vegan friends experience when attempting to get delicious food without having to travel down a back-country road to find a fruit cup.

Basically, I've given up buying things in the air or on the road at this point, and just bring my own. I brown-bag it, if you will. There are a few recipes that are super easy for me to transport and are equally as easy to prepare, since cooking is the last thing I want to be doing on the night before a trip. I can barely manage to remember to pack my toothbrush and deodorant, yet alone make something time-consuming in the same period.

I'm traveling to Arizona at 4AM tomorrow (or, I guess, it will be today by the time I post this on Monday), and I planned ahead. One trip to Whole Foods (yes, I am that person, but how can you blame me? Whole Foods is so cozy and everyone is so granola, plus there are so many kinds of cheese) and I was all set. Because I've found that the one go-to thing that I can pack on a consistent basis without messing it up is roasted vegetables.

You can use whatever combination of vegetables that you like, but I personally enjoy basically eating a rainbow and because of that like to pack in as many colors as possible. Add a touch of salt and pepper, plus some lemon juice, and a roasted vegetable salad works as the perfect pick-me-up. Because, being realistic here, we all know that traveling on a plane or driving for hours in a car isn't always the most invigorating experience. Citrus makes me feel way more refreshed and awake, which helps make the trip just a tad more bearable. Plus this travels so well and can be eaten with fingers if necessary.

It's happened.

Don't judge.

Citrus Rainbow Vegetable Salad
Serves 8 sides, or 4 mains

Ingredients:

• 1 large head broccoli, florets only, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small head purple cauliflower, florets only, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small head orange cauliflower, florets only, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• Cooking spray
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced into 1/4-inch half-ringlets
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and quartered
• 5 carrots, sliced into rounds (approximately 1.5cups) 
• 1 cup chopped fresh kale
• 7 cloves garlic, whole but peeled
• 1 large shallot, sliced into 1/4-inch half-ringlets
• Juice of one lemon
• 1/4t salt
• 1/2t pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Meanwhile, combine broccoli, both cauliflower, and one tablespoon of olive oil in a large bowl. Toss to coat the vegetables with oil. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray, and dump vegetable mix onto the sheet. Spread into an even, single layer.
3. Repeat step 2 with the onion, bell pepper, kale, garlic, shallot, and remaining one tablespoon oil. Spray a medium baking sheet with cooking spray, and dump second vegetable mix onto the sheet. Spread into an even. single layer.
4. Put both trays in the oven. Cook vegetable mixture number 2 for approximately 15-20 minutes, and vegetable mixture number one for 25-30 minutes, or until tender. 
5. Remove from oven and immediately transfer both mixtures into the same heat-proof bowl. Pour lemon juice over the vegetable mix, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Best served semi-warm or cool, and can be stored for up to five days in the fridge.

Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Banana Crepes

Does anyone else find it impossible to walk into Barnes and Nobles without buying something?

Seriously. I've always had some type of a love affair with books, so B&N might as well just be labeled "Michelle Give Up Saving Money and Buy Books You Don't Have Time To Read Instead". It gets pretty intense when I walk in there. All the books are just so perfectly arranged with such pretty covers and endless ideas inside them! They're enticing. Especially because I am a naturally curious person (almost to a fault, in fact-- my questions often get me into uncomfortable situations with strangers). Books are just full of so many things that I want to learn and haven't yet, and they are never ending. I just love the idea of an infinite amount of knowledge floating around different societies, all impacting people in one way or another.

I'm pretty sure I'm just justifying my addiction to reading with some poetic and philosophical blabber, but whatever. It works. I actually branched out from my fiction section and invested about $150 in some Marketing, Management, and Psychology books that I've had my eye on for a few months. I also saw a new book concerning eating eisorders (actually, anorexia mainly), and so I pounced on that right away. When I first entered college, I was absolutely positive I was going to work with eating disorder patients. My goals have since changed to prenatal and early childhood nutritional counseling, but I can't help still sticking my nose into the eating disorder literature that I see. I actually finished the book, which is How To Disappear Completely: On Modern Anorexia, in a few days because it was so dang good.

Ok, I know that this is supposed to be a cooking blog, not a book one. I'll get on with it, and stop ranting about the money that I pour down the drain for cut-up trees, some ink, and a plethora of ideas and proverbial experiences.

Today's recipe really just fits the mood I'm in, which is chocolate + banana + peanut butter. I sometimes get random cravings for bananas (and, let's be honest, everyone always wants chocolate), and it can be boring to just keep adding them to yogurt/oatmeal each morning. So I've gotten into the habit of spreading some type of nut butter (usually almond, but peanut butter is good too) on the banana and eating it like that. I figured I would combine all three into a recipe, and it didn't take long for me to know exactly what I wanted the form to be. This weekend, I had some extra time to play around and decided that I was going to tackle the crepes that have been floating around my mind for a decent amount of time. These crepes are honestly just delicious, and they were fun to make!

Something that I know a few of you are thinking: Oh no. Crepes. I'm not a French chef, I just cook at home for fun, so why would I want to try something so hard? And to that I say: blasphemy! We are wayyyy too risk-adverse as a society, and we underestimate our own skills. People are really afraid of making crepes, because they seem to fancy, but I 100% believe that you (yes, YOU, right there) can take these crepes and not only make them, but make them awesomely! It's totally worth the first few mistakes, because you get an end result of creamy honey-peanut butter spread, a drizzle of decadent chocolate, and sweet banana, all wrapped up in an indulgent little package. For breakfast. Breakfast! Perfect excuse to eat sweets, particularly ones that are actually healthier for you.

(But you won't know it).

Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Banana Crepes

Makes 8 Crepes

Ingredients:

Batter:

• 1/4c. (34.5g) whole wheat flour
• 1/4c. (34g) all purpose flour
• 2tbl unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 3/4c. unsweetened almond milk
• 1/8tsp salt
• 2tsp melted butter
• 2 tbl sugar
• cooking spray
• 1tsp vanilla

Filling:

• 1/4c. smooth peanut butter
• 1/4c. honey, warmed (microwave works wonders)
• 1/2c. low fat cream cheese
• 4 small bananas
• 1/2c. sugar-free chocolate syrup (such as Hershey's)  

Instructions

1. Whisk all batter ingredients in a bowl until smooth. The batter will be watery.
2. Heat up a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray, and then gently wipe the pan with a paper towel so the spray is evenly covering all of it.
3. Using a ladle, pour 3tbl of batter onto the center of the pan.
4. Holding onto the handle of the pan, remove it from the heat and swirl the pan so the batter coats the bottom of the pan. You want to make the coating as thin as possible.
5. The batter will quickly (about 1 min or less) dry and loose its shine. It's time to turn the crepe over. Use a non-metal spatula to loosen the crepe from the pan. Use the spatula to flip over the crepe. It's perfectly acceptable to use your fingers if necessary.
6. Continue cooking the crepe until it is done. You will know because the sides will start to rise up very slightly, and it will no longer look "gummy" or "watery". After the crepe has finished cooking, gently slide it out onto a plate. If you like, you can stack the crepes in a ovenproof dish and keep them warm in the oven set at 195 degrees.
7. To make crepe filling, place peanut butter, honey, and cream cheese in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until well-mixed and creamy, about 1 minute. Cut each banana into round slices (cutting width-wise), making them very thin, and set aside.
8. To assemble the crepes: Take a cooked crepe and lay it out on a plate. Spread 1 and 1/2tbl of the peanut butter mixture on the top half of the circle, then cover it with banana slices (the equivalent of 1/2 of a banana). You can either fold the "unfrosted" half of the crepe on top of the frosted half and then fold again, or you can roll it up. Drizzle each crepe with 1tbl of the chocolate syrup. 

Nutritional Information (Per Crepe):

Sodium: 121mg

Total Fat: 8g

       Saturated: 3g

       Trans: 0g

Protein: 6g

Sugar: 23g

Calories: 242

Nutty Oat and Cereal Bars

Oatmeal bars, everyone.

Chewy and soft, with a tad of crunch mixed throughout.

Nutty.

Salty.

Sweet.

With cerealllllllllll.

Six ingredients. Customizable. No bake.

Everything about these is amazing.

That's literally all I have to say.

(Did I mention cereal??)


Nutty Oat and Cereal Bars
Serves 12

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked rolled oats
• 3/4 cup chopped nuts of your choice (I used sunflower and pepita seeds)
• 1/4cup Cheerio’s (or other cereal of your choice)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2cup almond butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spread the oats onto a half-sheet pan, and place in oven for 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown. When down, place into a large bowl with the nuts and cheerio’s.
2. Prepare an 8x8 pan with wax paper lining the bottom and sides.  
3. Combine the honey and almond butter in a small saucepan, and heat on low until melted and thin in consistency. Turn off the heat and add the extract. Pour the mixture over the oat-nut-cereal mixture, and stir while still hot to thoroughly combine and coat.
4. Allow to cool in the fridge for at least two hours. Cut into bars and store in an airtight container for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month. 

 
Nutrition Information (will vary largely based off of nut types and cereal choice)
Sodium: 14mg
Total Fat: 13g
       Saturated Fat: 1g
       Monounsaturated: 7g
       Trans Fat: 0g
Sugar: 7g
Protein: 3g
Calories: 237