Author: ccanton84

Caregivers, Family Life

A Daughter’s Life

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I never knew how true that Irish saying was until I got older. Early on I learned that we were supposed to honor our fathers and mothers. It was something that would put us in good stead for life. However, with the fastest growing segment of the population being people aged 80 and older, many of us are taking a more active role in caring for our parents as they age.

My great-grandmother said to age was to be blessed with years. Unfortunately, aging does come with varying levels of disability, chronic conditions, and sickness. While these issues must be addressed medically, we must consider the emotional and mental health aspects of aging for both parents and their caregivers, who are more often than not, daughters.

For most daughters taking care of others is second nature, especially if they’re mothers. That said, you don’t have to be a mother to be caring in nature. For those of us who are either empty-nesters or winding down careers, we shift gears to assist and take care of aging parents. All of this results in juggling a number of balls at any given time to our own detriment. It’s important to remember that we are our own best resource.

We’ve got to take care of ourselves first otherwise we are of no use to anyone. It’s imperative to eat correctly, exercise, and get enough rest. We don’t want to forget our mental and emotional health. Take time to hit the reset button by talking to and socializing with friends. Pamper yourself with a trip to the salon, get a massage, or a mani-pedi. Whatever allows you to take a deep breath and feel good. You’re allowed to focus on yourself and me-time and still be a good daughter and your parents’ treasure.

Adaptable Recipes, Dinner, Easy Preparation Meals, Makeover Monday Meals

Makeover Monday Meal Quick and Easy International Edition

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Many people are experimenting with new flavors and trying out recipes to make meals a little less boring and repetitive. That’s great on the weekend or on a holiday when you have time. Trying that during your busy work week is something else altogether.

Fortunately, most supermarkets and grocery stores’ produce sections offer many of the usual suspects when it comes to building flavors such as onions, shallots, garlic, and bell peppers, diced, chopped, and ready to use. For this recipe, most people have curry, turmeric, and ginger powder in their spice racks. If you want to add the yellow curry paste to the mix for an added kick, you can find it in the international aisle of your supermarket, or you can order it online.

This ginger curry coconut shrimp recipe also contains coconut milk, which can also be found in most stores. Just be sure to get unsweetened coconut milk, creme de coconut is great for Pina Coladas, but it’s not right for this recipe.

Another ingredient, riced cauliflower can be found in steam-in bags in the frozen section. All of this comes together to make a healthy and easy Monday night meal that you can make in thirty minutes.

This recipe is easily adapted for vegetarians, and vegans, and is gluten-free. The recipe is fairly straightforward. You can adjust the seasoning to fit your taste.

 

Ginger Coconut Curry with Vegetables over Cauliflower rice.

1 large or 2 small shallots, diced finely

1 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger or 1 ½ tablespoon of ginger powder

4 cloves of garlic, minced

½ teaspoon yellow curry paste, optional

½ teaspoon turmeric

1 ½ tablespoon curry powder, or to taste

1 medium red bell pepper sliced into strips and halved

1 medium orange bell pepper sliced into strips and halved

½ a large green bell pepper or 1 small green bell pepper sliced into strips and halved

1 can of light or full-fat coconut milk

1 package of snow peas or sugar snap peas

Juice of 1 lime

2 teaspoons coconut sugar

1 can (14-ounces) of crushed or whole peeled tomatoes

1 pound of large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Vegetable oil

Chopped cilantro, optional to garnish

1 package of frozen riced cauliflower prepared according to the directions on the package.

In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil until it shimmers. Add shallots and sauté until they begin to soften. Add the ginger and garlic, and cook until fragrant. Add the bell peppers and continue sautéing. Then add the curry, turmeric, ginger powder (if you didn’t use fresh ginger), yellow curry paste if using, and stir in the coconut milk. tomatoes, followed by lime juice and coconut sugar. Allow it to simmer for five to eight minutes. Add the shrimp and the sugar snap peas. If it seems too thick, you can add a little water. Cover and let it simmer on low for an additional six minutes or until the shrimp has cooked through. Serve over cauliflower rice. If you’d like top with chopped fresh cilantro and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

To make vegetarian or vegan- omit the shrimp.

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Cooking With My Nanas Discovering Family, Traditions, and Love in The Kitchen

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Adaptable Recipes, Book Lovers, Cooking With My Nanas Cookbook, Food Glorious Food

Cooking With My Nanas Discovering Family, Traditions, & Love in the Kitchen

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Olive Garden uses the tagline, when you’re here, you’re family. This sentiment isn’t new when it comes to countless family tables across the globe. Family meals are a reflection of culture, traditions, and love on a plate.

According to Ecclesiastes”The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.” Most of us are aware of the paraphrased version of this quote as; “there’s nothing new under the sun.”

While this saying rings true, there are certain things that a more prevalent now than they once were. More people are embracing vegetarian and vegan diets. Some have issues with food allergies to gluten or have Celiac disease.  Diabetes and hypertension also require changes in diet. This leaves the cook to deal with how to make sure everyone is happy.

While it’s easy to make a plate of vegetables and maybe a fruit salad, family members and friends should feel special when sitting down to eat. A faux Philly Cheesesteak with vegan cheddar cheese, says I love with a warm and cheesy sauce.

Cooking with my Nanas contains recipes with the adaptations built-in. Instead of numerous cookbooks, it allows you to follow the recipe and adapt it to fit your meal.

There’s nothing like old-fashioned macaroni and cheese, and our recipe helps to make one that’s perfect for someone with gluten issues or a sensitivity to dairy milk.

You can currently see a few recipes that are on the Stone Pier Press website. Their focus is on plant-based recipes and we’ve contributed three recipes to their free newsletter.

We would love your support to bring this wonderful cookbook to a bookstore to you in the near future. Please follow us on Instagram at @chameinc and @stillachicklit. We are on TikTok @chamtherese

 

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Adaptable Recipes, Dinner, Easy Preparation Meals, Makeover Monday Meals, Summer Cooking Delights

Makeover Monday Meals- Salad Edition

ccanton84

 

 

 

 

The one thing most people can agree on is salads. The fact is a salad encompasses much more than just lettuce. By definition, a salad is a cold dish of various mixtures of raw or cooked vegetables, usually seasoned with oil, vinegar, or other dressing and sometimes accompanied by meat, fish, or other ingredients.

Salads fall into the following principal categories:

  • Green salads
  • Vegetable salads
  • Salads of pasta, legumes, or grains
  • Mixed salads incorporating meat, poultry, or seafood
  • Fruit salads

Salads are versatile and easy to prepare. Instead of picking up a pre-made salad for a light weeknight dinner, this recipe takes less than thirty minutes to make and some of the ingredients are pantry staples you already have on hand.

This pasta salad takes advantage of summer’s bounty of tomatoes, paired with black olives, fresh basil, and mozzarella. Moreover, it’s adaptable for low-carb lifestyles, vegans, vegetarians, and those with gluten sensitivities or Celiac disease.  You can even add more veggies like broccoli and red bell peppers, or whatever other vegetables you like.

We have included a recipe for a homemade dressing that takes no time to make and can be kept in an airtight container in the pantry.

 

Caprese Style Pasta Salad

1 box of tri-color penne or rotini style pasta prepared according to directions, rinsed then cooled. (gluten-free tricolor or regular penne or rotini pasta)

1 bottle of Italian dressing or homemade 4 Seasons Style Italian dressing

1 can of medium black olives, drained and sliced

1 package of cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in halves

1 package of whole milk or part-skim mozzarella, diced into medium size cubes (vegan mozzarella)

Extra virgin olive oil

A bunch of fresh basil

 

Add the cooked pasta, black olives, and tomatoes to a large bowl, then toss them together. Add the mozzarella, then drizzle enough olive oil to coat over the mixture, then lightly toss together while adding the Italian dressing. How much you use is up to you.

Roll the basil leaves together and cut them chiffonade style. Add to the pasta salad and toss with two spoons to get the bail distributed throughout the salad. You can serve the salad immediately or if you have time,  cover and let it chill in the fridge.  This pasta salad gets better with time.

Savory Saver recipe for Copycat Good Seasons Garlic and Herb Dressing

2 Tbsps Garlic Powder ·

1 Tbsp Sugar ·

2 tsp Salt ·

2 tsp Dried Parsley ·

1 tablespoon Dried Basil ·

1 ½ tsp Onion Powder ·

½ tsp Dried Mustard …

½ tsp Black Pepper

¼ tsp Dried Oregano

¼ tsp Dried Thyme

¼ tsp Celery Seed

Ingredients for Making Dressing

2 Tbs Dressing Mix

2 Tbs Water

¼ Cup White Vinegar

⅔ Cup Neutral Oil (Canola, Vegetable, Safflower, Grapeseed or Peanut)

Instructions

Mix all dry ingredients in a small bowl.

Store in an airtight container.

To Make Dressing

Put 2 Tablespoons of the dressing mix in a Salad Dressing Shaker or Small Mason Jar.

Add 2 tablespoons of water and ¼ cup of white vinegar to the shaker.

Close Shaker and shake up well to mix and dissolve the ingredients.

Add oil to the mix and shake again until fully combined.

To Make the Carb-free version of this salad, spiralized 1 large or 2 small zucchini. In a lightly salted boiling water pot, add the zucchini noodles, and cook for 1-3 minutes. Remove from the pot, drain in a colander, and run cold water over the noodles. Set them aside and let them cool before proceeding with the recipe.

For a Vegan version of the pasta salad, you can use a vegan mozzarella. Miyoko’s Creamery makes a vegan mozzarella, there are also Great Value, Earth Grown, and Violife versions of vegan mozzarella, that are available commercially either in stores or ordered online.

Adaptable Recipes, Dessert, Makeover Monday Meals

Makeover Monday Meals-No Bake Dessert Edition

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We are dedicated to bringing you recipes to make breakfast, lunch, or dinner a little easier for you on a Monday. However, now that it’s almost summetime, a lot of us will be taking things outside to grill and spending less time in the kitchen.  That said, we will continue tobring you recipes for the grill along with easy salads that come together in a flash.

Nevertheless, there’s one thing that everyone loves and that’s dessert. The only problem is when the mercury is rising, no one wants to turn on an oven. Ice cream, gelato, Italian ices, milkshakes, and sorbet are great frozen treats that are perfect for those hot summer evenings, but we found a dessert that you can make at home and it only has two ingredients.

This no-bake berry cloud cake comes from Kirbie’s Cravings

I’d long been intrigued when I see posts for cakes recipes that only have  2, 3, or 4 ingredients. I’m an old-school baker and I love to make everything from scratch, which means the minute I see a cake recipe with a box mix, it’s a pass for me. (By no means do I have anything against cake mixes, if you love them, use them). Nonetheless, in this case it was the two ingredients and no butter, eggs, sugar, flour, or oil that moved me to give it a try.

I wasn’t sure what to think, but it worked. I didn’t add any sugar to the mixed berry applesauce, and I whipped it for 15 minutes to get a light cloud-like texture. It took no time to prep or cook, then all I did was put it in the refrigerator for an hour. The consistency is very light and airy. I reccommend using an 8-inch or a 6-inch square pan.

I adapted the recipe for vegans, by adding the substitute for gelatin.

All in all, I think this dessert would be a breeze and something everyone can enjoy guilt-free.

Servings: 12 slices

 

Prep Time: 20 minutes

 

Cook Time: 3 minutes

 

Chilling Time: 1 hour

 

Total Time: 1 hour 23 minutes

 

 

Course: Dessert

 

Cuisine: American

 

 

2 Ingredient No Bake Berry Cloud Cake by Kirbie Cravings

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups (408 g) unsweetened mixed berry applesauce

4 1/2 tsp (15 g) unflavored gelatin powder

  • For vegans use 3 teaspoons (6g) agar-agar powder to replace gelatin

Instructions

Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.

Add applesauce and gelatin to a large heat-proof mixing bowl. Whisk until the gelatin is fully incorporated. The gelatin powder should make your applesauce thick and a little chunky.

Using the double boiler method on the stove, dissolve the gelatin completely. When the gelatin is dissolved, your mixture should become thinner and smoother. The applesauce should feel warm to the touch, but not hot. Be careful to not let the mixture get hot or boil. Remove bowl from stove and let it sit for about 5 minutes to cool to room temperature.

Pour applesauce mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the wire whisk attachment, beat on highest speed for about 15 minutes. Your mixture should more than triple in volume and should look like airy whipped cream. When you stop your mixer, your wire whisk should be able to hold a soft peak. See photo in post for reference.

Pour the applesauce mixture into your prepared pan. Use a spatula to spread it evenly across and smooth the surface. Place into the fridge for at least 1 hour to set.

Keep the cake in the fridge until ready to serve. Before serving, you can first decorate the cake with whipped cream or another frosting. Slice the cake with a very large and sharp knife. The cake is best served chilled. Store any uneaten cake in the fridge.

Notes

This recipe must be made with unsweetened applesauce. Sweetened applesauce will not work because the added sugar makes the cake batter too dense and moist.

This berry cloud cake is tart from the berry applesauce. It doesn’t really have much sweetness to it. If you are on a low sugar diet, I don’t think you will mind. The cake is flavorful even though it’s not sweet.

If you want to add sweetness, it has to be in the form of the frosting. I made a whipped cream frosting lightly sweetened with sugar. The whipped cream can also be sweetened with stevia or other sugar substitutes.

I recommend using a stand mixer if you have one to mix this. You do need to whip the batter for about 15 minutes on highest speed and it’s just easier to do with a stand mixer. There is also less splatter because a stand mixer bowl is generally deeper.

The double boiler method is a stovetop method used to heat up your applesauce mixture using indirect heat. Use a saucepan that is smaller than your mixing bowl and add about 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer. You want to choose a saucepan where you will be able to place the bowl on top that fits snugly and won’t touch the water in the saucepan. Once the water has reached a simmer, place your mixing bowl on top. Stir the applesauce mixture with a whisk to dissolve the gelatin as the mixture begins to heat up. Be careful to not let the mixture boil or get too hot.

For the whipped cream frosting, add 1 cup of cold heavy cream and 3 tbsp of sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat on highest speed until stiff peaks form.  You can add more or less sugar to taste. You can substitute the sugar with stevia or other sugar substitutes. You can also use Cool Whip instead.

 

 

Adaptable Recipes, Dinner, Healthy Food Makeover

Makeover Monday Meal- Out of the Deep Blue Sea Edition

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Makeover Monday Meals- Air Fryer Crab Cakes

 

As the signs of summer begin to appear, many people are moving their weekend meal game to the grill. However, taking out the grill after a long day at work or school, might not be in the cards.  However, when the temperatures begin to rise, it’s not a great time to turn the oven on. The air fryer has changed that for many families who are looking for a quick and healthy way to enjoy family favorites.

When it comes to seafood, fish can be polarizing. Some people aren’t crazy about the texture. However, a lot more people are likely to love shellfish. If you are from the Mid-Atlantic or Northeast, you probably enjoy crab and crab cakes. Crab cakes highlight the subtle sweetness of crab combined with a little breadcrumb, scallions or chives, red bell pepper, and seafood seasoning. These little treasures are then pan-fried in a little oil and butter to make them even more irresistible

Nevertheless, what most of us don’t want to indulge in is the extra calories and this recipe from the Food Network for air fryer crab cakes allows us to enjoy all the flavor we love, without all the extra fat.

.

Never fear for those of you who are vegan or perhaps are allergic to shellfish, we’ve found a recipe from the Power Hungry blog for vegan crab cakes made with hearts of palm. So, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Best of all, both recipes come together in less than an hour, which is perfect for a busy weekday night.

Air Fryer Crabcakes by Food Network adapted by Still A Chick Lit

Crab Cakes:

1 large egg (3 tablespoons Aquafaba or ¼ cup silken tofu pureed with 1/8 teaspoon baking soda, vegan egg replacer, or liquid vegan egg replacer = 1 egg)

1/3 cup mayonnaise (light mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise)

1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper (about 1 small bell pepper)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

A 1-pound fresh lump or jumbo lump crabmeat picked over for shells and cartilage

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (gluten-free panko breadcrumbs)

Nonstick cooking spray, for the air-fryer basket and crab cakes

 

 

For the crab cakes: Whisk together the egg, mayonnaise, bell pepper, chives, parsley, lemon zest and juice, mustard, seafood seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of black pepper in a large bowl. With a rubber spatula or large spoon, very gently fold the crab and panko into the mixture. Try to avoid breaking up lumps of crab as much as possible. Cover the crab mixture with plastic wrap and allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day. This will allow the panko to absorb more liquid and help bind the crab cakes together.

 

Just before cooking, divide the crab-cake mixture into 4 portions. Lightly compact each portion to form a patty (about 3 1/2 inches in diameter) with your hands to ensure they hold their shape while cooking and place it onto a large plate.

Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F and spray the basket with cooking spray. Place the crab cakes into the basket and spray the tops with cooking spray. Cook until deep golden brown and crisp, flipping halfway through and spraying again with cooking spray, about 16 minutes. Serve warm

 

Vegan Crab Cakes by Power Hungry

Ingredients

1 can (14 to 15 ounces) hearts of palm, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Old Bay or another seafood seasoning

1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped green onions

1 cup gluten-free panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided

Garnish with, optional

Lemon wedges

Chopped fresh parsley

Serve with, optional

Cocktail sauce

Instructions

Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F and spray the basket with cooking spray.

Cut the hearts of palm lengthwise; cut slices crosswise into 3/4-inch lengths. Transfer to a medium bowl and, using fingers, gently press and break apart into shreds.

In another medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Old Bay seasoning, salt, and pepper until well blended. Stir in hearts of palm and green onions until well combined (I like to get my hands in, to further break up hearts of palm).

Sprinkle half the panko over the hearts of palm mixture and mix in thoroughly (do not mash). Form into fourteen 1.2-inch-thick patties (I used a #40 cookie scoop to portion).

Spread the remaining panko in a small dish. Dredge patties in panko, pressing gently to adhere. As they are dredged, place patties into the basket and spray the tops with cooking spray. Cook until deep golden brown and crisp, flipping halfway through and spraying again with cooking spray, about 12-14 minutes.

Serve warm

 

Adaptable Recipes, Breakfast, Makeover Monday Meals

Makeover Monday Meals- Breakfast Edition

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Bursting with Berries

If you haven’t guessed it by now, we are obsessed with blueberries. They are hands down our favorite berry. We love the versatility of blueberries. They are great in a smoothie, perfect in salads, delicious in scones, and are out of this world in a muffin.

 

However, there is a debate when it comes to which blueberries are the best.

Maine blueberries are smaller, but these wild berries boast an intense blueberry taste; ranging from tangy tartness to succulent sweetness. Wild Maine blueberries are frozen fresh and have more brain-healthy anthocyanins than larger blueberries.

Unlike cultivated blueberries, wild blueberries have a season, which runs from summer to early fall. Moreover, these blueberries are only commercially harvested in Maine, Eastern Canada, and Quebec.

Cultivated blueberries are the ones most of us see in our produce departments. They are larger and tend to be more uniform in size. These blueberries are also grown all year round in various states such as North Carolina, and New Jersey.

Regardless of the specifics, blueberries are delicious and we love discovering new recipes to adapt and share with you. More importantly, the batter for these muffins can be made the night before, refrigerated, and baked off the next morning.

 

Bakery Style Blueberry Muffins Small batch recipe by Butter Your Biscuit adapted by Still A Chick Lit

1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon (gluten-free all-purpose flour, 1 to 1 gluten-free baking blend, white rice, brown rice, millet, or sorghum flour. If the flour doesn’t contain a binder add ½ teaspoon xanthan gum)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg (3 tablespoons Aquafaba, ¼ cup silken tofu pureed with 1/8 teaspoon baking soda, vegan egg replacer, or liquid vegan egg replacer= 1 egg)

1/2 cup granulated sugar (Swerve sweetener, Splenda granulated, monk fruit sweetener granulated, golden sugar, coconut, raw cane, or turbinado sugar, pulsed finely)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream (dairy: light sour cream, plain yogurt, plain Greek yogurt) (non-dairy: vegan sour cream, plain unsweetened almond or soy yogurt)
1 1/8 cups fresh blueberries

CRUMB TOPPING
3/8 cup (6 tablespoons) cake flour **
1/3 cup granulated sugar (Swerve sweetener, Splenda granulated, monk fruit sweetener granulated, golden sugar, coconut, raw cane, or turbinado sugar, pulsed finely)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (vegan unsalted butter)
1/2 -2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

** To make gluten-free cake flour

1 Part Sweet White Rice Flour

1 Part Brown Rice Flour 1 Part Tapioca starch or tapioca flour, they are the same

 

Mix dry ingredients and store the blend in an airtight container.

Recipe for the gluten-free cake flour mix

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

To make the crumb topping, in a small bowl mix melted butter, flour, granulated sugar, and cinnamon with a fork and set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together 1 cup of flour, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.

In another bowl whisk together the egg and sugar until combined. Add in oil, sour cream, and vanilla and mix until combined. Then add wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until combined. Do not over-mix.

In a small bowl add 1 1/8 cup blueberries and toss with 1 tablespoon flour and gently fold into the batter. Fill each muffin tin about 2/3 full. Scatter the remaining blueberries on the top of the muffins, then top with generous portions of the crumb topping.

Bake at 400-degrees for five minutes. Then drop the temperature down to 350-degrees for the remaining 13-20 minutes until muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. Makes about 8 standard muffins or 6 jumbo muffins

Notes

  • You can make the muffin batter the night before. You can leave the batter in the bowl and cover it with plastic wrap.
  • You can substitute all-purpose flour to make the crumb topping.

 

Breakfast, Healthy Food Makeover, Makeover Monday Meals

Makeover Monday Meal- Breakfast and Snack Edition Edition

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Blueberries are little berries that pack a big punch. Not only are they delicious, but they are also good for you.

 

Blueberries are nature’s candy. Whether you eat them by the handful, in a salad, or in a pie, blueberries are nature’s candy. Not only are they delicious, but they’re also good for you.

Here are seven science-backed health benefits of blueberries:

  • Blueberries are an incredible source of nutrients.
  • Are high in antioxidants.
  • Improve cholesterol levels.
  • Lower blood pressure.
  • Improve insulin sensitivity.
  • Boost cognitive functioning.
  • Contain prebiotics.

July 12th is National Blueberry Muffin Day, which is fitting since blueberries are at their best in terms of flavor in the summer.

If you’d like to enjoy the bounty of blueberries now, this recipe for a blueberry corn muffin is a tasty way to begin your Monday morning and it only takes fifteen minutes from mixing it to putting the muffins in the oven.

 

This recipe is based on Martha Stewart’s Blue-Barb Corn Muffins in the May 2022 issue of Living

 

Blueberry Corn Muffins by Still A Chick Lit

Active Time 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Makes: 12 muffins or 6 jumbo muffins

1 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (gluten-free all-purpose flour, 1 to 1 gluten-free baking blend, white rice, brown rice, millet, or sorghum flour. If the flour doesn’t contain a binder add ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum)

¼ cup fine yellow cornmeal

¾ cup granulated sugar (Swerve sweetener, Splenda granulated, monk fruit sweetener granulated, golden sugar, coconut, raw cane, or turbinado sugar, pulsed finely)

2 large eggs at room temperature (2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon Aquafaba, ½ cup silken tofu pureed with ¼ teaspoon baking soda, vegan egg replacer, or liquid vegan egg replacer= 2 eggs)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

 

8 ounces or 2 scant cups of fresh or frozen blueberries

¾ cup whole or 2% milk (non-dairy unsweetened almond milk, rice, soy, or light coconut milk)

1 stick unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (unsalted vegan butter)

2 teaspoons vanilla

 

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Line a standard 12-muffin tin with baking cups. In a medium-size bowl whisk together, flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Reserve 6 tablespoons of blueberries and set them aside. Stir into the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of the mixture; add eggs and whisk. Then whisk in the melted butter, milk, and vanilla.

Divide the batter evenly among muffin cups, about 1/3 cup ( they will be very full) Press a few pieces of the reserved fruit into the tops of each muffin., then sprinkle with sugar. Bake until tops spring back when lightly touched, about 24 to 30 minutes. Let the muffins cool for five minutes in the muffin tin. Remove the muffing and transfer it to a wire rack. Let cool completely for about 30 minutes.

 

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Adaptable Recipes, Dessert, Makeover Monday Meals

Makeover Monday Meals- Who Needs A Cookie Edition

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Cowboy Cookies

 

After a long day of meetings, phone calls, IT issues, mass transit delays, and traffic, sometimes you just need a cookie. Whether large or small, you can’t stay mad when you have cookies.

Cowboy cookies seem to be a fusion combination of chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, coconut macaroons, and pecan Sandies with a hint of cinnamon.

This cowboy cookie recipe came to prominence courtesy of Family Circle magazine’s First Lady’s Cookie Contest. Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookie recipe bested Tipper Gore’s Gingersnaps in 2000, and it remains one of the most popular recipes. In any case, if you’re a fan of chocolate chips, oatmeal, coconut, and pecans, this cookie is for you.

 

This particular recipe comes from the Baker By Nature Blog and highlights melted brown butter to add a little extra nuttiness to the cookies. These cookies are also pretty easy to make for the perfect Monday post-work detox.

Cowboy Cookies by Baker By Nature adapted by Still A Chick Lit

1/2 cup unsalted butter melted until browned. (vegan unsalted butter)
1/2 light brown sugar, packed (Swerve brown sugar substitute, organic light brown sugar, vegan light brown sugar)
1/4 cup (99 grams) granulated sugar (Swerve sweetener, Splenda granulated, monk fruit sweetener granulated, golden sugar, coconut, raw cane, or turbinado sugar, pulsed finely)
1 large egg at room temperature (3 tablespoons Aquafaba, ¼ cup silken tofu pureed with 1/8 teaspoon baking soda, vegan egg replacer, or liquid vegan egg replacer= 1 egg)

1/2 large egg yolk at room temperature (1 tablespoon of whisked egg yolk) ( ½ tablespoon Aquafaba, ½ tablespoon chickpea flour plus ½ tablespoon cold water, mix well, or ½ tablespoon full-fat coconut milk)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 and 1/3 cups (270 grams) all-purpose flour (gluten-free all-purpose flour, 1 to 1 gluten-free baking blend, sorghum, white rice, or brown rice flour. If the flour blend doesn’t contain a binder add ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (178 grams) of old-fashioned oats (not steel-cut or quick oats)
3/8 cup (60 grams) sweetened flaked coconut
1/4 cup (64 grams) pecans, roughly chopped plus more for decorating
6 ounces (340 grams) of semi-sweet chocolate chips (vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips)
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt optional

Instructions

 

Preheat the oven to 350 (F). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

In a large bowl using a whisk, beat together the browned butter and both sugars until well combined, about 2 minutes. Don’t worry if they look a little separated here.

Whisk in the eggs and yolk, beating until well combined. About 45 seconds. Whisk in the vanilla.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, oats, coconut, pecans, and chocolate chips.

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined.

Scoop 2-inch balls of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2-inches between each ball so they have room to spread.

Bake, one sheet at a time, in preheated oven for 12 minutes, or until cookies are golden and set at the edges, and still slightly soft in the center.

Press extra chocolate chips and pecans on top of cookies when they come out of the oven (optional). Sprinkle with sea salt, if desired.

 

Notes

  • Let the dough rest for about 5-10 minutes to give the flour an opportunity to hydrate. This is an optional step but helps to ensure a tender crumb.
  • Do not overbake
  • It’s important to let the cookies cool on the baking sheet to allow for carry-over baking.

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Book Lovers, Book Reviews, Fiction, North of 40 and 50 plus Authors

Book Review- Serpent’s Loop by Lynn Lipinski

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Witnessing a murder at the carnival he works for was a painful reminder of Zane Clearwater’s dark past. He had hoped all that was behind him, but one look at the fear on his sister Lettie’s face and he’s right back in the thick of it. Even if means jeopardizing his dream of becoming a police officer, he’s desperate to protect her at all costs.

Unfortunately, that may be harder than anticipated. Zane knew Lettie was a whiz with a computer, yet he had no idea she was putting some of those skills to work on the dark web in questionable schemes that have landed her in serious trouble.

Zane has a slew of questions.

As do the police… and the FBI.

When Lettie takes off for California, Zane embarks on a journey of discovery that will test the limits of their unbreakable bond. Can he keep the promise he made to himself and protect Lettie? Or is this one mess she will have to face on her own?

 

Written by Lynn Lipinski, Kirkus Review said that readers of Serpent’s Loop will be hooked on the brother-sister team and assorted shady characters.”  They were right.

 

If you’re a fan of mysteries and suspense novels, this story delivers. However, if this genre isn’t your usual cup of tea, it’s well worth your time. The dialogue is smart, the characters are memorable, and it’s just a great read.

 

Serpent’s Loop is available on Amazon.

 

Lynn Lipinski

Follow her on Instagram @lynnlipinskiauthor