C & C in the Kitchen: Apple Bundt Cake

It's me again...I told you my posts would be sporadic, but I'm trying. This whole going back to work thing is a major bummer. What, no mid-day walks, trips to the grocery store and lazy mornings drinking milk in bed (Baby McB, not me...although I guess a latte could be considered milk)? And, I was getting PAID!

I digress. A few weekends ago we headed to Homestead Farm for some apple and pumpkin picking. Nothing gets me in the spirit for fall like spending time with there rest of the D.C., Maryland and Virginia appropriately dressed in our tall boots, sweaters and other autumnal accoutrements.

  

 

Of course we came home with a mother load of apples...which means only one thing. BAKE my face off. Thankfully Regan had blogged about an apple crisp recipe that was calling my name.

And then blogger friend Christina over at Proper Hunt reminded us all of an amazing apple bundt cake recipe she'd shared a few years ago. To the kitchen I went.

 

And I must say, it was delicious! She gives some great tips throughout the baking process and I'd like to add another...if you've got extra apples, add them. I had some leftover and was hesitant to put them in. Big mistake. Huge. The cake was still really good (the citrus makes it), but it would have been even better with more fruit.

C & C in the Kitchen: Black Bean and Quinoa Enchilada Bake

I was browsing Pinterest recently and pinned a recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod (if you don't know this site, it's worth visiting - she has great recipes). When it was time to plan our dinner for the week, I remembered the Black Bean and Quinoa Enchilada Bake and thought I'd give it a go.



 

This recipe is so easy AND delicious! Especially with some tortilla chips on the side. This would be a great Super Bowl dish or for casual entertaining for a large group. I'll definitely be making it again soon. 

Yield: Serves 8-10

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed,diced
1 red pepper, seeds removed, diced
1 orange pepper, seeds removed, diced
1 cup corn frozen kernels
Juice of 1 small lime
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups red enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
Toppings: Sliced green onions, avocado slices, sour cream, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Add quinoa and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Cover quinoa and set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat the tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the peppers and corn. Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Add the lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and cilantro. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. In a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa and black beans. Add the sautéed vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Pour in the enchilada sauce and stir. Add 1/2 cup shredded cheese.
5.Pour the black bean and quinoa mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining shredded cheese. Cover the pan with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil. Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and edges are bubbling. Remove from the oven, and let cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with toppings, if desired. Serve warm.

C & C in the Kitchen: Tastes Like Fall

I love fall. It's hands down my most favorite time of year. From the weather and the fashion to the food (we've got a recipe you won't want to miss in today's post!)...fall does it right. This weekend, my first at home since Labor Day, was pure perfection. We had the most gorgeous Saturday for a hike at Sugarloaf Mountain in Maryland. 

Followed by a stop with all of of D.C. Maryland, and Virginia (the place was packed) at Homestead Farm to pick up some pumpkins, gourds and fresh fruit and veggies. 

We capped off the day with dinner at our MOST FAVORITE spot, Pizzeria Paradiso. I'm a sucker for their specials - and it didn't disappoint. They had me at pumpkin-ricotta pesto, locally smoked bacon, red onion, Parmesan and pine nuts. 

And on Sunday I put some of our fresh veggies to use with my MOST FAVORITE butternut squash soup to-date. Thanks to Blue Apron I'm much more confident with my cooking, and I threw this one together all on my own sans recipe! That's a first for me. Not to toot my own horn, but you should probably try it. It was delicious. 

Katie's Butternut Squash Soup

1 medium butternut squash

1 yellow onion

1 apple (I used an empire)

1 medium sweet potato

3 - 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 can coconut milk (I used light)

2 - 3 cloves of garlic (or a small spoonful if you use the pre-chopped like I often do). 

Seasoning (to your personal taste - I did a few shakes for each)

• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. 

Peel sweet potato and chop into small pieces. Cut butternut squash in half, drizzle with olive oil (I used Trader Joe's coconut oil cooking spray), and place face down on a cookie sheet. Spread sweet potatoes around the pan (also lightly drizzle with oil). Cook for 30 - 40 minutes or until squash is soft throughout (watch the sweet potatoes to make sure they don't burn - take out early if needed). 

While the squash roasts, chop the onion and apple. When the squash is finished and cool enough, scoop out of skin. 

Heat olive oil and add onion until soft and fragrant (3-4 minutes). Add garlic and apples and sauté for 1 minute. Add spices - stir for 30 seconds. Add coconut milk and broth (enough to cover ingredients - less if you want a thicker soup, more if you like it thin). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes. 

Place contents into blender and puree. 

Enjoy! 

C & C in the Kitchen: Sunday Sweet Swap

Last weekend I invited a group of women over for a sweet swap. What does that mean? Each person brings one dozen treats and they go home with a bakery box full of everyone else's goodies. Or in my case, you take all the leftovers to the office the next day. I was in the mood to make something totally over the top, but with a lot going on, couldn't take on something too time-intensive. Enter these loaded M & M Oreo Cookie Bars. The awesome thing about these delicious, sugar-packed morsels is that you can pretty much pick your "poison" - peanut butter cups, M & Ms, you name it. 

I doubled the recipe to make sure I had enough for all my guests. As you can tell from the table, we had no shortage of sweets. At one point I walked into the dining room and was overwhelmed by the smell of chocolate - and it was still lingering the next morning when I left for work. 

I set up a bar of drinks - Arnold Palmers, sparkling water, prosecco and mango puree, and watermelon juice. It was my first time making watermelon juice and it was a HUGE hit at the party.  

Fresh Watermelon Juice

1 Watermelon

1 Lime

Cut up the watermelon and place in blender (I've got a vitamix). 

Add one juice of lime. 

You can strain it if you don't like a little pulp, but I prefer it. 

Pour into a pitcher. 

Serve chilled. 

Enjoy!

C & C in the Kitchen: Snack Pro Tip

In the food world there are the things that just go together...peanut butter and jelly...french fries and ketchup....cheese and crackers. And then there are those combos that you think would be weird and gross, but are quite the opposite. A colleague at work recently introduced me to one of those combos. I love hummus. LOVE IT. My favorite is the regular Trader Joe's brand. I'll eat it with carrots, pita chips, rice crackers...you name it. 

So when my colleague was cutting up an apple to eat with hummus at work, I was intrigued. She gave me a slice and I WAS SOLD. I know it sounds weird, but if you like hummus and you like apples, this is for you. Happy snacking. 

C & C in the Kitchen: Apple Roses

This weekend we had some friends over for dinner...which means I got to tablescape - one of my favorite hobbies. When my mom came to visit a few weeks ago she brought with her my great grandmother's China. I inherited her obsession for dishes and it was so fun to mix and match them with our own Bernardaud "Athena" wedding China. 

My mom has been the bearer of all sorts of good gifts lately - including the dessert recipe I tackled for the first time. It was a good departure from my go-to flourless chocolate cake (blogged about here). And, there's a step-by-step video to boot! 

These Apple Roses will wow your guests, and you don't need the skills of a pastry chef - or even any skills at all really. 

Heading to the oven

Dessert is served

I didn't have powdered sugar with which to top them - they would have looked prettier, but paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, I'm pretty sure no one noticed. A few tips I'll be making sure to follow next time I make these. 

- Make sure to slice the apples as she shows in the video (I did the other way and it made them narrower).

- Thin slices are better. It will help make them more malleable when they come out of the microwave. You need them to be able to curve when you roll them up without breaking. 

- I prepared mine ahead of time, stored them in the refrigerator, and then popped them in the oven right before we sat down for dinner so I could serve them warm. 

- Don't forget the powdered sugar! It makes them look even more fancy! 

Enjoy! 

C & C in the Kitchen: Zucchini Basil Soup with Corn Croutons

I'm coming to the end of my six-week reboot, and with a few exceptions, I stayed on the wagon. I'm going to try to stay off refined sugars completely even after it's over. We'll see how that goes. This weekend we went out to dinner and I threw reboot caution to the wind, and paid for it. I felt so sick the entire night afterwards and it made me realize just how much better I feel when I'm eating good, whole foods. I headed to my reboot recipes to get back on track. This zucchini basil soup proves that healthy eating can be rich and delicious. 

Zucchini basil soup with corn croutons

Serves 6-8 (can be served warm or chilled)

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil or coconut oil

1/2 large yellow onion, rough chopped (I used a full medium-sized onion)

3 garlic cloves minced

3-4 large zucchini (about 1.5 lbs chopped)

3 cups chicken broth

1/2 large jalapeno, seeded and chopped (use the entire jalapeno for more spice)

1/2 generous cup cashews (soaked in water for about an hour)

2/3 cup fresh basil leaves

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tsp nutritional yeast, optional

salt and pepper

2-3 ears of corn, cooked, kernels removed from cob

Cooking Instructions

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.

Add the onion and saute until they start to brown slightly (5-8 minutes), stirring occasionally.

Add the garlic and jalapeno and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes.

Add the zucchini and cook for 2 minutes, stirring as you go.

Add the broth - make sure you have enough to submerge the zucchini (add more if needed).

Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool.

While the soup cooks, in your blender, place the cashews (drained from the water), 1 cup of water, basil leaves, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast. Process everything until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Leave the basil sauce in your blender. 

Add soup to blender. Puree until smooth. Move to bowl, add corn kernels. Garnish with chopped basil and serve. 

C & C in the Kitchen: Katie's Morning Smoothie

We're HUGE fans of smoothies here at C & C (check out previous recipes), and like the mini fashionista, a smoothie is a daily part of my diet. I'm not one of those people that wakes up in the morning, has a cup of coffee, reads the news and leisurely takes time to get ready for the day. Nope, not me. I'm maximizing every second of sleep I can possibly get and rushing out the door to the office with little time to spare.

That means on most days my morning smoothie can't have too many ingredients. That being said, it still needs to be packed with protein, fruits and veggies to power me through the day. And that can be done with four simple ingredients.

Katie's Morning Smoothie

- 1 scoop Vega Chocolate Protein & Greens protein Powder (20 grams of protein)(

  Sometimes I'll switch up the protein powder with Vega vanilla)

- Trader Joe's frozen organic spinach

- 1 frozen banana

- Coconut Water (or almond milk)

I'm trying to switch things up as much as I can during the reboot, but love that old reliable is always there when I need it. 

C & C in the Kitchen: Roasted Broccoli & Fregola Sarda Salad

If you read the blog regularly, you know I'm a huge fan of Blue Apron (full details here). It's every working woman's dream. Last week we made a recipe that was too good (and easy) not to share. This will definitely be on my reboot meal plan in the coming weeks. So, without further ado, I give you Roasted Broccoli & Fregola Sarda Salad with Soft-Boiled Eggs & Tahini Dressing.

Roasted Broccoli & Fregola Sarda Salad with Soft-Boiled Eggs & Tahini Dressing

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1/2 cup fregola sarda pasta (you could easily substitute quinoa or another grain)
1 garlic clove
1 lemon
1lb broccoli
1 red onion
1 bunch mint
2 oz pecorino cheese
2 tbsp sesame tahini
2 tsp Za'atar spice blend
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Olive Oil

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450.
2. Cook the fregola sarda - heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Cook 10-12 minutes. Drain thoroughly and return to pot. Stir in a drizzle of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Prepare the ingredients - Heat a small pot of water to boiling on high. Separate the broccoli crowns and stems; thinly slice the stems and cut the crowns into florets. Peel and mince the garlic; using the flat side of your knife, smash until it resembles a paste. Quarter and deseed the lemon. Peel and thinly slice the onion. Pick the mint leaves off the stems; discard stems. Using a small knife, break the pecorino cheese into bite-sized pieces.
4. Roast the broccoli & onion - place the broccoli stems and florets and onion on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and the za'atar; toss to coat. Roast 20 to 22 minutes or until browned and tender.
5. Make the dressing - Combine the garlic paste, tahini, juice of 2 lemon wedges, and 2 tbsp of water; season with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in 2 tbsp of olive oil. Set aside.
6. Soft-boil the eggs - Add the eggs to the small pot of boiling water. Cook 7 minutes. Drain and run under cold water. Peel. Slice into thin rounds.
7. Finish and plate your dish - To the pot of fregola sarda, add the broccoli, onion, almonds, cheese, and the juice of the remaining lemon wedges. season with salt and pepper. Add enough dressing to coat the salad. Top with mint and sliced soft-boiled eggs.

C & C in the Kitchen: Sweet Potato Pizza

It's me, Katie. And I'm back in the kitchen. Two recipe posts this week. Tis the holiday season, I suppose. Remember my 6-week Reboot earlier this year under the tutelage of Dietitian on a Mission, well one of my most favorite recipes (and Dr. B's) from the program was the Sweet Potato Pizza. And we've made it several times since. It's just SOOOO good, and pretty good for you.

First, the crust. 

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1.5 cups flour of choice (gluten free, almond, cashew, etc.)

1/4 cup shredded parmesan

1 Tbsp dried Italian herbs

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp salt

coconut flour to dust your hands

Pizza toppings of choice (minus tomato sauce)

Instructions:

Preheat over to 400.

Boil sweet potato pieces until very soft, about 20 minutes. Drain and place in large mixing bowl. Mash.

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix. With your hands coated in coconut flour, remove dough from bowl, and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 

Press dough thinly on the cookie sheet, using coconut flour as needed (mine covers most of the pan). 

Bake for 20 minutes until lightly browned.

While the crust cooks, I sautéed red onions, red peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and spicy chicken sausage. 

After the crust has cooked for 20 minutes, remove from oven, put on the toppings along with your cheese of choice - I use lite mozzarella sparingly, and return to the oven for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. 

An added bonus, it's good cold the next day for lunch too! 

C & C in the Kitchen: Belly Buttons

At Thanksgiving I was introduced to Belly Buttons. No, not the odd body part (I'm not a fan), these little amuse bouches of deliciousness. And, to top it off, they're crazy easy to make and the perfect treat to wrap up and give to teachers, colleagues, babysitters, friends, hostesses, neighbors…you name it. 

Belly Buttons:

Ingredients:

Square or round pretzels (Synder's of Hanover calls them Snaps)

Bag of Hersey's Kisses of your choice (I used half peppermint and half regular)

Bag of regular M & Ms (I used dark chocolate)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250.

Line up all the pretzels on a cookie sheet. 

Place one kiss in the middle of each pretzel (the unwrapping is the prefect job for a child or your +1 - Dr. by was my assistant). 

Place in the oven for 4 minutes (or until the kisses are at the very beginning of losing their shape and melting)

Take out of the oven, place one M & M on top and push down to spread out across the pretzel.

Place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to cool. 

Enjoy!  

XO

Katie

C & C in the Kitchen: Date Cookies

I love a good "health treat," as Dr. B calls them. He won't let me call them cookies because anything made without butter or chocolate doesn't qualify in his book. I beg to differ. Especially with this recipe for Date Cookies from Dietitian on a Mission.  

On Veterans Day I made a double batch - some for me and some to take to work. Before day's end I'd eaten five cookies. Yes, five. They were a big hit at work, and just as the recipe says, are worth freezing. I may like the frozen cookie even better - so don't think it will help in self control. Thanks Katie for the awesome recipe - these are definitely going to be a go-to in my "health treat" repertoire. 

Date Cookies 

Ingredients:

1.5 cups almond flour

1/4 cup Gluten-free flour blend

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3 Tbsp melted coconut oil

1/2 of a ripe banana, mashed

3 Tbsp honey or agave

1 egg (or flax egg made with 1 Tbsp ground flax + 3 Tbsp water)

1 Tbsp vanilla extract 

1/4 cup slivered almonds or chopped pecans (I used pecans)

1/3 cup dates, chopped (into a mush)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350.

Stir the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. In a small separate bowl mix the mashed melted coconut oil, banana, honey, egg, and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients.

Finish by stirring in the nuts and dates. Mix until combined.

Portion into 14 cookies and bake for about 12 minutes. Freeze what you don't want. 

C & C in the Kitchen: Black Bean Brownies

Who doesn't love brownies? Exactly. There's nothing better than sinking your teeth into rich, moist, chocolatey goodness. Add a scoop of ice cream and you've really outdone yourself. 

As you maybe know (post here), I'm on a 6-week reboot run by my awesome dietician friend Katie. And a reboot doesn't translate to food desert - quite the contrary in fact. Now that I'm further into the reboot, there are some delicious "health treats" as my husband calls them that are really speaking my language. Namely Katie's "Favorite Black Bean Brownies." Since we're all about sharing the love here at C & C, I thought it was only fair to pass this recipe along. I dare you to eat just one...

1 15 oz can, drained and rinsed black beans

3 tbsp cocoa powder

1/2 cup oat flour (or almond flour/whole wheat flour/gluten free flour)

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup pure maple syrup or agave (I used agave)

1/4 cup melted coconut oil (you can also use vegetable oil)

2 tsp pure vanilla extract 

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients except chips in a food processor and blend until smooth (a vitamix will work, but the food processor really gets the job done right). Stir in the chips, then pour into a greased 8 x 8 pan. Option - sprinkle extra chocolate chips over the top. Cook 15-18 minutes - then let them cool at least 20 minutes before cutting. 

Even Dr. B said they were good! 

C & C in the Kitchen: Labor Day Dining

While I may not love cooking during the week, I LOVE to entertain on the weekends. And on Saturday we had some friends over to celebrate the end of summer. With some of the season's best ingredients still at their prime, I made sure the menu took full advantage. Nectarines might be my favorite fruit. Add some Raincoast Crisps and pepper jack cheese and, voila, it's an appetizer plate.  I also grabbed some kale and spinach bites (I think they're a new product) from Trader Joe's, and they were awesome! Like little bundles of spinach dip popped right in your mouth. 

For the main course we had beef shish kabobs, corn salad (recipe below), and orzo salad (brought by our guests). 

And a dinner party isn't complete without dessert. And I knew molten chocolate cakes would be a crowd-pleaser. I'd never made these before, and they were SO easy, and SO good. The recipe makes 12 little cakes, so I'd definitely half the recipe if you aren't entertaining a large number of people - although they're pretty good the next day too. What I also love about this recipe is that you can make the batter well ahead of time, which is a hostess's dream. 

Bon Appetit!

Corn Salad (serves 6)

4 ears of corn cut off cob

4 green onions (separate the white bottoms and green tops)

3 tomatoes chopped

1 avocado chopped

Cilantro 

1 lime

Cut the corn off the cob (put it on a cookie sheet and it won't go everywhere). 

Saute the corn, white parts of the onion in olive oil for 3-5 minutes). 

When cool, add to the avocado, tomato, cilantro, 1/2 the green onion tops, and juice of the lime. 

Add salt and pepper and you're ready to go! 

C & C in the Kitchen: Easy Weeknight Frittata

Weeknight cooking is my least favorite thing. And I don't say that lightly. Thank the Lord for Blue Apron which has truly added years back onto my life in the last 10 months. But…they only provide us with three meals, leaving four days to either cook, eat out, or order take out. Last week we'd made all of our Blue Apron meals but were home for the night. I needed to use up some eggs that were at their prime along with some veggies. Enter the frittata. The frittata is an Italian egg-based dish that similar to an omelet or quiche (but without the crust). It roughly translates to "egg-cake." And you can pretty much put anything in it. Here's how to make a frittata. 

Ingredients

8 eggs (beat the eggs in a small bowl)

1/2 cup grated pepper jack cheese (roughly)

1 cup diced peppers (roughly)

1 corn on the cob (cut off)

Handful of cherry tomatoes cut in half

2 tsp of basil (I used the frozen cubes from Trader Joe's)

1 tsp of Oregano

1 clove of garlic

*I wish I'd also had some onion and spinach to add

* You can add any ingredients you want - veggies, sausage, etc. - although I'd stick with a max of 3-4. 

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. 

Heat olive oil in a pan until hot (I used my Le Creuset).

Add garlic and sauté until fragrant

Add the peppers (vegetables that take longer to cook) and sauté until soft

Add the corn and continue to cook

Add the tomatoes last (I don't' like mine too cooked)

Add in herbs and stir for 30 seconds

Evenly spread vegetables on the bottom of the pan, and cover with grated cheese until it melts slightly. Pour the eggs over top of the vegetables - continue cooking on the stove top until the egg cooks slightly around the edges

Transfer pan to oven for 10 minutes (you'll know when it's done by sticking a knife in the middle without having any egg run)

I stuck mine under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to slightly brown the top

Let cool for 5 minutes, cut, and serve!

C & C in the Kitchen: Super Smoothie

Happy Wednesday! Katie here...

Its been a while since we posted a smoothie, and since I have one EVERY day, I figured the least I could do for you faithful readers is share another recipe. We had this one on Saturday after a workout at the gym. I'm a "little of this," "little of that" girl, so the measurements aren't going to be exact.  

1 cup of almond milk

2 dates

1/4 cup blueberries (frozen from Costco)

1/4 cup mango (frozen from Trader Joe's)

1/2 cup power greens (Trader Joe's)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp almond butter (Trader Joe's)

1 tbsp flax seed (Trader Joe's)

And voila! Delicious fuel in a glass.