Double Chocolate Biscotti

Happy Halloween!

This was Monday, when Charlie was watching Sandy roll in.

Right now we're giving out candy to the cute trick-or-treaters, sipping hot cider, and reminiscing about past Halloweens. I'm a little worried we're going to have a lot of candy left over, in addition to the cookies I made last night and the double chocolate biscotti the day before, as we were waiting for Sandy to hit.  I guess I've been in the baking mood, but bad timing with Halloween!

Double Chocolate Biscotti
Makes 3 dozen
Adapted from MyRecipes.com

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg white

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, baking powder and soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine vanilla, eggs, and egg white. Add flour mixture to vanilla mixture; stir until well blended. 

Coat baking sheet with non-stck cooking spray. With floured hands, divide dough in half and place on baking sheet. Shape each dough half into a 12-inch long roll; pat to 1/2-inch thickness. 

Bake at 350 for 22 minutes. Remove rolls from baking sheet; cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cut each roll diagonally into 18 (1/2-inch) slices. Bake biscotti an additional 15 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack. 

Delicious with coffee in the morning!

Toasted Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Upside-down. Oops!!

I feel so silly. We carved our pumpkin over the weekend. After tracing and carving our design, my husband started laughing. I kept asking him what's so funny! He said, "you'll see..." I couldn't figure out what he was laughing at, until I realized our design was upside-down on the pumpkin! We had a good laugh about it, and finally figured out we could just display our pumpkin bottom-side up. It looks a little goofy, but at least we can use it on Halloween and the kids won't make fun of us.

That's better, flipped over. 

I have never really liked pumpkin seeds, but I saw this recipe from 101 cookbooks, and thought it looked good. You have my attention with sweet and spicy.

Crunchy, sweet, a little spicy, and way too easy to keep popping in my mouth! I'm really enjoying these seeds. Now I have to make myself stop munching before they're all gone!

Toasted Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

• 1 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 egg white
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

First, I cleaned off the pumpkin seeds in a colander, rinsing all the orange slimy strings away. Then I boiled 2 cups of water with a teaspoon salt and 1 cup pumpkin seeds for 10 minutes. Drain and let dry (overnight).

Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together egg white, sugar, cayenne, and salt. Add pumpkin seeds and coat well. Strain excess egg in colander, then spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden. Sprinkle a little more cayenne and sugar, and let cool. 

Grilled Swordfish with Roasted Squash

I have to give my husband credit for this meal. Sundays are usually his day to cook. I'll help where I'm needed, but he comes up with the ideas and heads up the project.

I love the firmness of swordfish, and how easily it grills. With a simple marinade, quick grilling, and roasted veggies on the side, I can't think of an easier and tastier meal for a Sunday night.

Grilled Swordfish with Roasted Squash
Marinade from AllRecipes

• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup white wine 
• 1/8 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• dash salt and pepper
• 2 swordfish steaks

Combine ingredients and add fish. Marinade for 1 hour, flipping after 30 minutes.

Grill over high heat, 5 minutes per side. 

Roasted Squash

• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 yellow squash, sliced
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Drizzle sliced veggies with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Cook in glass baking dish for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through baking.

Turkey Sausage Breakfast Burrito

Have I mentioned how much I love breakfast? This morning we indulged in breakfast burritos AND french toast. Savory and sweet. I can't think of a better combination! I said I'll never need to eat again after this breakfast.  I was more stuffed than my husbands' burrito (which was so full he couldn't roll it up, instead he ate it like a huge taco).

Meals like this make me thankful for how much I work out. Every day I go to the gym makes up for occasional splurges. And it's so worth it!

Turkey Sausage Breakfast Burrito

• 1 pound lean turkey sausage
• 1 baked potato, cubed
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 6 eggs, beaten
• tortillas
• black beans
• salsa
• cheese

Brown turkey sausage in skillet until fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Set aside on paper towel-lined plate. Cook onions and peppers in skillet until soft. In another skillet, cook baked potato cubes with a  little bit of oil. Add beaten eggs to onions and peppers, cook over medium heat, turning constantly for about 4 minutes, until eggs are scrambled. Warm tortillas, and STUFF!! 

We had quite a bit leftover, so I made a few more burritos and froze them.

Peanut Butter Dog Biscuit

Sometimes I wonder what is going on in my dog's little brain. I know he's very smart...sometimes...as long as he's not distracted by a bird, or a ball, or another dog. I also wonder if he ever gets in a bad mood. If he does, I wouldn't know it! He seems to always want to play, any time of the day and night. Even if I wake him up suddenly, he's so happy and excited to see me. I can't say the same about my husband. He treasures his sleep, probably because he doesn't get much of it!

Anyways, I made some treats for Charlie last week. I wish I knew if these were really his favorites, or if I'm just imagining his enjoyment when he eats these treats. My step-mom gave me the recipe for a basic dog biscuit, and there are countless ways to mix it up! Peanut butter, sweet potato, cheese, peas and carrots; the list is really endless.

Since I love peanut butter, I imagine that Charlie does too.

Peanut Butter Dog Biscuit

• 3 cups wheat flour
• 1/2 cup powdered milk (I've been using almond milk--seems to work just fine)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350. Mix everything together to make a stiff dough. 

Roll out to about 1/4-inch thickness, and cut out whatever cookie shapes you want. I found that an old protein powder scoop is the perfect size for a Charlie treat!

Bake for 30 minutes, then dehydrate so they don't mold. Since I don't have a dehydrator, I've been doing it in the oven, with the door cracked open to let the moisture out, at the lowest temperature possible for 3 hours. 

This recipe made a TON of Charlie-size biscuits. 

I think he loves it. 

Mid-Chew

Thai Chicken Pizza

I think I've finally mastered the wheat pizza crust! Yay! I have always had problems with my pizza crusts: too sticky, too thin, too thick; but I'm so excited that I figured out the exact combination of white bread flour and whole wheat flour, how long to let rise, and how to roll out and bake ahead! Phew! Sounds like a lot of work compared to picking up a pre-made crust at the store, right? I think it's worth it.

While I'm not sharing that recipe right now, I want to talk about the Thai Pizza that my husband and I love. One of the reasons we enjoy this pizza so much is because it has some of our favorite flavors! Spicy peanut sauce, topped with chicken, green onions, red pepper, and cilantro; we probably have this at least once a month.

Thai Chicken Pizza

• Wheat pizza crust
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup spicy peanut sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
• 1 cup cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
• 1/3 cup chopped green onion
• shredded cheese (optional)
• 1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup julienned carrots
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Pre-heat oven to 400. Mix chili garlic sauce with peanut sauce. Spread evenly over crust. Top with chicken, green onions, and cheese (if you like cheese!). Bake for 15 minutes.

Take out of oven and sprinkle bell pepper, carrots, cilantro, and peanuts over pizza. Slice and EAT!

Sweet Potato and Chicken Breakfast Hash

Over the weekend, my husband and I ate like royalty! We had sauteed scallops (I'm a little obsessed with scallops at the moment), grilled chicken and steak, baked asparagus and sweet potatoes, garlic quinoa and brown rice, and toasty sourdough bread. Oh, and a fabulous bottle of pinot nior we got on sale! We both kept saying how we felt like we were out to eat at a fancy restaurant. If I just closed my eyes and blocked out the fact that I was wearing sweatpants and a pony tail, I could imagine sitting at a candle lit table; soft music playing in the background, with an attentive server filling my wine glass and fetching another cloth napkin for me when mine fell off my lap.

Needless to say we were pretty stuffed at the end of the night. With only a little left over, I decided a breakfast hash the next morning was in order. Making good use of the leftover sweet potato and chicken, I threw together a surprisingly delightful breakfast that reminded us of the amazing restaurant-quality meal from the night before.

Sweet Potato and Chicken Breakfast Hash

• 1/2 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 chicken breast, grilled and chopped
• 1/2 cup black beans, drained
• 2 eggs
• green onion, chopped
• diced tomato
• any other leftovers you might have in the fridge!

Boil the sweet potatoes for 5-8 minutes, if not already cooked. Drain and set aside.

Sautee onions, mushrooms, and garlic (and any other ingredients you want to throw in!) for 5 minutes over medium heat, or until onions are translucent. Add potatoes, chicken, and beans. Cook for about 3 more minutes.

Make two wells in the mixture, and crack an egg into each well. Season with salt and pepper; cover and cook for 5-7 minutes over medium-low heat. 

Top with chopped green onion and diced tomato. We also heat it up a bit with hot sauce. I suppose you could also add cheese, if that's your thing! De-lish!!

Always ready to play!

Mango and Red Pepper Salad

Last weekend my friend Heather invited me over to make dinner with her and watch a movie. In the past, we've made some absolutely AMAZING meals together, using lots of fresh ingredients from her garden. Sad to say, there have been some nights below freezing, and her garden is no more. But that didn't stop us from putting together and incredibly tasty and healthy meal for two!

Heather made a Thai coconut chicken soup with mushrooms, red pepper, and cilantro. It was so delicious! I can't wait to make it myself. I made a fresh salad with mango, red pepper, and red onion. It ended up pairing really well with the soup, and the chardonnay! It's not a girls' night without wine, right?

As we always do, we missed the first part of the movie because we were raving about the food.

Mango and Red Pepper Salad

• 1 ripe mango, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes 
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
• 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
• a big handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
• juice from 1/2 a lime

Toss together and enjoy!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies...I mean Pancakes!

Have you ever had a cookie (or two, or three) for breakfast? I must admit, I have...but only on the occasion when I'm in a rush, and want to grab something to go. I've heard it's better to eat something/anything in the morning, than not eat anything at all. I don't know if this is true when the "something" is a cookie!

Last weekend, I made oatmeal chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. It might seem like a diet-buster, but they're actually healthier than they sound. Sweetened with a ripe banana, these pancakes contain only healthy ingredients. Even the chocolate chips were dark chocolate, which contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties!

I found the recipe on Minimalist Baker via Pinterest (of course--my favorite pastime), and made a couple tiny adjustments. My only complaint about the pancakes is that I wish I had made more! I hope you enjoy!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies...I mean Pancakes
Makes 5-6 small pancakes

• 1 very ripe banana
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 tablespoons chocolate chips (dark, semi-sweet, carob...the choice is yours)

Heat skillet to medium heat. 

Mash the very ripe banana with baking powder.

Add egg, oil, salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and almond milk. I ended up putting the mixture in my food processor to get it very smooth. 

Then add oats and flour, stir until just combined.

Add in chocolate chips and fold gently. 

Scoop onto hot, greased skillet and cook 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown.

My husband topped his with maple syrup, but I don't think it needs any additional sweetness. 

Waldorf Salad

Yay, another apple recipe!

This one is a lighter version of the Waldorf salad, made with apples, grapes, walnuts, and celery. After trying it for the first time, I decided it would be even better with chunks of chicken! This helped to balance out the sweetness of the apples and grapes. It's very tasty over a bed of lettuce, on a slice of whole wheat bread, or on it's own as a side dish (or main dish).

It was very easy to make and took almost no time to put together.  Instead of a fatty mayonaise dressing, I used yogurt, milk and lemon juice.  

Waldorf Salad

• 1 cup chopped apples
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup halved grapes
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup walnut pieces
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup julienned carrots
• 1/4 cup plain, non-fat greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup cooked chicken, chopped (optional)

Combine apples, celery, grapes, walnuts, and carrots. In a separate bowl whisk together dressing ingredients. Combine with apple mixture, then add chicken.