As a divorced mother of two, transitioning from full-time parent to empty-nester was an adjustment while my sons were in college. I didn’t have to cook as much while college was in session, but it was business as usual during their breaks and after they finished grad school.
I’ve embraced life as an empty nester but as someone who likes to be in the kitchen, I had to learn how to scale down my meals and recipes. That’s when I happened up Dessert For Two. Blogger Christine is the author of four cookbooks and has scaled down many recipes for smaller servings, which was right up my alley. I love to bake and puff pastry is one of my favorite things to make and keep in the fridge or freezer. Christine’s recipe is perfectly sized, fast, and accessible. I adapted the recipe for dietary restrictions so everyone can make it.
Puff Pastry for Two by Dessert For Two adapted by Still A Chick Lit
Ingredients
1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour (gluten-free all-purpose flour, 1 to 1 gluten-free baking blend, white rice, brown rice, or sorghum flour with 1 tablespoon of xanthan gum)
In a medium bowl, add the flour and salt. Stir to mix.
Next, cube the butter and then add it to the flour bowl. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the dough. It will be very crumbly, and you’re done when the butter is in uniform pieces all about the size of peas.
Next, make a hole in the center of the dough and pour in all of the water. Using a fork, stir to combine the dough.
Flour a cutting board and add the dough. Pat it into a rough square. You will still see chunks of butter and it will seem too dry, but do not add extra water. The dough will come together with each roll.
Flour the rolling pin and roll the dough out in front of you into a rectangle about 10″ long. No need to be too precise here.
Fold the bottom third of the dough over the middle of the dough. Fold the upper third of the dough on top of the middle too. Rotate the dough one-quarter turn, and repeat. Use additional flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking.
Roll out, fold, and turn the dough at least 6 or 7 times.
When done, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour, or overnight. Dough may be frozen, too.
Roll out with flour for desired puff pastry use.
Note: Although the recipe is easily doubled, Christine advises against tripling the recipe. If you do double the recipe, be sure to divide it in half before you begin your rolling sessions.
If at any time during the rolling process it seems the butter is getting too soft, pop the dough into the fridge for ten minutes or put it in the freezer for five minutes. It’s critical that the butter remains chilled in order to achieve the flakey texture puff pastry is known for.
Puff pastry can be used for both sweet and savory appetizers and desserts.
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.
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
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.
There are basic factors recipes must meet in order to be the Makeover Monday Meal:
It has to have a fairly short prep time, and the meal or dish should come together in less than an hour.
The ingredients have to be easy to find in your grocery store, freezer, or fridge. The use of pantry items is a plus.
The recipe has to be adaptable, even traditional meat recipes.
It should be healthy
This week’s recipe for Cast Iron Baked Ziti comes from America’s Test Kitchen. This is a wonderful weeknight meal that comes together quickly and is easily adapted for a vegan/vegetarian or gluten-sensitive diet. The sauce is a combination of fresh tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, basil, mozzarella, and grated parmesan cheese. Moreover, as good as it tastes when you first make it, the leftovers actually taste better overnight in the fridge.
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup) (vegan cheese like Daiya Provolone or mozzarella shreds are quite good)
INSTRUCTIONS
Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Heat 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Toss tomatoes with oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Add tomatoes to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred and blistered, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Off heat, coarsely mash tomatoes using a potato masher.
2
Stir in pasta and water and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to vigorous simmer, cover, and cook, stirring often, until pasta is tender, 15 to 18 minutes.
3
Stir in Parmesan and adjust sauce consistency with extra hot water as needed. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Transfer skillet to oven and broil until cheese is melted and spotty brown, about 5 minutes. Serve.
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Breakfast cereals have long been a big business. They’re a quick and easy way to enjoy a good breakfast on busy mornings. There are a number of delicious granola brands on shelves to choose from, but there’s something special about making your own. Not only can you make it any way you like, but it’s also economical and the recipe is fairly simple.
The best part is, granola isn’t limited to your breakfast bowl, it makes a great topping on yogurt or you can dress it up to top a fancy yogurt parfait.
I did love granola as a kid. Now, instead of buying granola, I’ve found it’s easier and more economical to make it. This way It allows me to make it my own. I hope this recipe will inspire you to do the same.
This recipe is based on a mash-up of Ina Garten and Catherine Fulvio’s homemade granola recipes.
Homemade Cinnamon Granola
4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup quinoa
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup desiccated coconut, unsweetened
3/4 cup vegetable oil
½ cup liquid raw cane sugar or clover honey (liquid monk fruit sweetener)
1 cup raisins, soaked for 1 hour
1 cup dried cranberries
Cinnamon or Vietnamese Cinnamon (your taste)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Whisk the oil and liquid raw cane sugar together in a small bowl. Toss the oats, quinoa, cinnamon, and coconut together in a large bowl. Pour the liquids over the oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated. Pour onto a 13 by 18 by 1-inch sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even, golden brown, about 40 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees, then add the soaked raisins, toss with a spatula and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes. Remove the granola from the oven and allow it to cool, stirring occasionally. Add dried cranberries. Store the cooled granola in an airtight container.
You can also add cashews, almonds, walnuts, or pecans, along with other dried fruits like cherries, figs, or apricots.
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It’s hard to believe that August is nearly over. School is already in session for some but will soon be in session for kids all over the country. As summer fades, so does summertime’s fresh produce, which gives way to fall staples like apples, pumpkins, and hearty butternut squash.
That doesn’t mean there isn’t still time to enjoy the berries of summer. Blueberries are a superfood. Packed with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, these berries are also high in potassium and vitamin C, making them a favorite of doctors and nutritionists. Moreover, blueberries don’t just lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, they’re anti-inflammatory. They are wonderful in muffins, buckles, coffee cakes, and pancakes. Or you can enjoy them by the handful.
Blueberry muffins have always been a favorite at my house. When you make them yourself, you are in control of the sugar, fat, and sodium content, unlike the muffins you get on the run from your favorite coffee place.
This blueberry muffin recipe is quick. easy, and delicious. The recipe has been adapted for:
Gluten-Sensitivities, Celiac disease
Low-Carb
Vegetarian, Vegan
No Sugar
Jumbo Blueberry Muffins
½ cup unsalted butter softened (vegan unsalted butter)
1 ¼ cups sugar (Swerve sweetener, Splenda granulated, monk fruit sweetener granulated, baker’s style coconut sugar, turbinado, or raw cane sugar pulsed)
2 eggs (1/4 cup Aquafaba, 1/2 cup silken tofu pureed with 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, 2 flaxseed or chia seed eggs, vegan egg replacer)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
zest from one lemon
½ cup buttermilk (1/2 cup whole 2% or skim milk mixed with 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Mix and let sit for five minutes) (1/2 cup rice, almond, soy, or light coconut milk mixed with 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Mix and let sit for five minutes)
2 cups all-purpose flour (gluten-free all-purpose flour, 1 to 1 gluten-free baking blend, sorghum, brown rice, quinoa, or millet flour)
1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups blueberries; or 2 cups frozen blueberries, thawed; or 2 cups rehydrated blueberries
3 teaspoons sanding sugar, optional
optional: 2 tbsp melted butter
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cream together the butter and 1 ¼ cups sugar until it becomes light and fluffy, preferably in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer.
Add in the eggs, one by one, making sure you beat well after each addition.
Stir in vanilla, lemon juice, and buttermilk and mix well to combine.
Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder into the sugar, buttermilk, butter, and eggs. Using a sifter will help to reduce clumping and prevent you from overworking muffins.
In a small bowl, lightly mash/smush about half of the blueberries with the back of a spoon (sort of like muddling mint in a drink) and then stir into the batter.
Fold in the remaining blueberries. We also like to save a couple to drop right on the tops of the muffins.
Line a 6 cup jumbo muffin tin or 12 cups standard muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Fill with batter – leave ⅓ muffin tin/liner for muffins to rise above.
Sprinkle the 3 teaspoons sanding sugar over the tops of the muffins, reduce oven heat to 375, and bake at 375 degrees for about 30-35 minutes.
Optional: Reserve sanding sugar until the end of cooking. In the final 10 minutes of baking, brush tops of muffin with melted butter. Top with sanding sugar. Continue baking the muffins until l the toothpick inserted comes out completely clean.
Remove muffins from tin and cool for at least 30 minutes.
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One of the very best things about summer is the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables. With fruits like blueberries, cherries, and blackberries in season, berries are wonderful on their own, on top of yogurt with a little granola, or baked up in a pie.
The same applies to the bounty of fresh vegetables. You can find zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, green beans, herbs, and tomatoes (which are technically not a vegetable) in many backyard gardens, farm stands, farmer’s markets, and your favorite market or grocery store’s produce section.
Summer corn is found everywhere. It’s so delicious this time of year and there are so many ways to enjoy it besides boiling or grilling it to indulge in its sweetness. When I came across this recipe by Simply Recipes, which was touted as their very favorite, I was intrigued enough to put aside a few other recipes I’d been eyeing to give this one a whirl. I wasn’t disappointed.
Simply Recipes has this along with many other recipes that feature corn as the star of the show. Check out their website for more ideas to enjoy it to the maximum.
The recipe includes bacon and milk, which won’t work for vegans or vegetarians. I have adapted it so you can still enjoy this lovely bowl of soup.
Sweet Corn Chowder by Simply Recipes
1 tablespoon unsalted butter ( For the vegetarian or vegan chowder: 2 tablespoons unsalted vegan butter, plus 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin or virgin olive oil)
1 strip bacon, or 1 teaspoon bacon fat (omit for vegetarian and vegan soup)
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup small-diced carrot
1/2 cup small-diced celery
4 to 5 ears sweet corn, kernels removed from the cobs (about 3 cups), cobs reserved
1 bay leaf
4 1/2 cups milk, whole or low fat (soy or rice milk)
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and large (1-inch) diced (about 3 cups)
3 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
For vegetarian and vegan chowder, go straight to sauteing the vegetables in the vegan butter/olive oil)
Cook the bacon:
Place butter and bacon into a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot. Heat on medium heat until the bacon renders its fat, 3-4 minutes.
Cook the vegetables (except the corn and potatoes):
Add the chopped onions, red bell pepper, carrot, and celery, lower the heat to medium-low and cook until vegetables soften about 5 minutes.
Add corn cobs and bring to a simmer:
Break the corn cobs in half (after you’ve stripped off the corn) and add the cobs to the pot. Add the milk and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a bare simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 20 minutes.
Make sure the heat is as low as can be and still maintain a gentle simmer (on our stove we had to use the “warm” setting) to prevent scalding the milk on the bottom of the pan.
Add potatoes:
After 20 minutes, add the potatoes, salt, and thyme to the pot. Increase the heat to return the soup to a simmer, then lower the heat to maintain the simmer and cook for another 10 minutes.
Finish the soup:
Discard the cobs, the bacon strip, and the bay leaf. Add the corn kernels and black pepper. Again raise the heat to bring the soup to a simmer, then lower the heat and cook for another 5 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
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It’s hard to believe that we are already more than halfway through the month of July. With summertime temperatures rising across the country, light, refreshing, and easy-to-prepare recipes are the order of the day.
In our search to find the best of light, healthy, and tasty, this recipe from Simply Recipes for Tex-Mex Chopped Chicken Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing fits the bill. Moreover, we were able to adapt it to add protein to fit with vegetarian and vegan diets too.
This recipe fits the dietary requirements for:
Gluten-free diets
Low Sugar or No Sugar diets
Low-Carb
Keto-Friendly (don’t add corn or tortilla chips)
Tex-Mex Chopped Chicken Salad by Simply Recipes adapted by Chamein Canton
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (2 medium ears) or frozen and thawed
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (1 package of extra-firm tofu, drained or 1 package seitan)
1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix (low-sodium taco seasoning or your favorite taco seasoning in the packet or homemade)
12 corn tortilla chips
1/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese (Feta cheese or Cheddar cheese can be substituted) (For Vegans mozzarella or cheddar shreds are a good choice)
For the dressing
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, lightly packed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Method
Combine salad ingredients:
Combine the lettuce, red pepper, cucumber, tomatoes, and scallions in a large serving bowl. Set aside.
Char the corn:
Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a medium or large heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the corn.
Season corn with 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until blackened in spots and tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Season the chicken:
Sprinkle the taco seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon salt over the surface of the chicken, rubbing it in and coating it so the chicken is fully seasoned.
Cook the chicken:
In the same skillet used to cook the corn add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook until deeply brown along the bottom and the flesh turns opaque about halfway up the side, 4 to 5 minutes.
Flip the chicken and continue cooking, until brown on the second side and fully cooked through another 3 to 5 minutes.
Cut the chicken:
Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board. Once it is cool enough to handle, cut it into bite-sized pieces.
Make the salad dressing:
Place the lime juice, vinegar, honey, cumin, salt, pepper, cilantro, and olive oil into a blender and blend until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon of water, if needed, to get the blender going.
Alternatively, make this dressing by hand. Finely chop the cilantro and place it in a medium bowl. Combine all salad dressing ingredients and whisk until smooth.
Finish and serve the salad:
Add the corn and chicken into the bowl with the salad ingredients. Crumble the tortilla chips over the top.
Add about two-thirds of the dressing and toss to lightly coat. Add more dressing and toss again, if needed. Divide salad into 4 bowls, top with crumbled Cotija cheese, and serve.
Notes for Vegan and Vegetarians
To replace the chicken, you can use extra-firm tofu or seitan instead. Prepare it as you would the chicken, being mindful not to crowd the pan when sauteing in the pan. To keep it from steaming, cook the tofu or seitan in batches.
For those who don’t like Cilantro
You can use parsley to make the dressing in the same proportions.
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The fast-food restaurant wars are back! Only this time, it’s not to crown the best hamburger, it’s all about the best chicken sandwich.
According to QSR, roughly 65 percent of the U.S. population ordered a breaded chicken sandwich from a quick-service restaurant in the last six months.
Perhaps due to a frantic news cycle, around restaurants and across the country in general, it appears we’ve reached a lull in the chicken sandwich wars. But don’t expect that to last.
In Danny Klein’s April 2021 article, the reason brands jumped into the fray in the fall and winter of 2019 and over the duration of 2020, isn’t complicated. Ever since Popeyes’ August 2019 launch, quick-serves fixated on replicating its viral success. Even fast-food behemoth MacDonalds entered the wars with its chicken sandwich and saw a sizable boost in traffic in their restaurants.
I know people have definite favorites. Some love Popeye’s, while others head to Chick-Fil-A. There are a few new faces like the Florida-based PDQ, which recently opened a location in Farmingdale, New York.
While the fast-food chicken sandwiches are good, there is nothing like homemade fried chicken. There are countless recipes that all claim to be the best. As for this home cook, I prefer my grandmother’s recipe, but I am always up for a challenge. So, when a recipe says Best Ever Fried Chicken, I have to put it to the test.
The Woman’s Day recipe has all the essentials of southern cooking, buttermilk, and spices. However, the difference is in how the chicken is coated. The recipe works for a 10-piece chicken assortment or for the revered chicken breast. Not to mention when you make it home, you can add the spices you like. What’s not to like.
Is it the best ever fried chicken, no, but it is pretty good. You should give it a whirl.
Best Ever Fried Chicken Woman’s Day Recipe
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup sugar
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
6 cups low-fat buttermilk, divided
4 tbsp. celery seeds, divided
Kosher salt and pepper
1 whole chicken (5 to 6 pounds), cut into 10 pieces
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. cayenne
4 cups peanut or canola oil, for frying
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DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, garlic, 4 cups buttermilk, 2 Tbsp celery seeds, and 1/2 cup salt. Add chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together flour, cayenne, 1 tsp salt, 1 Tbsp pepper, and remaining 2 Tbsp celery seeds.
Attach a deep-fry thermometer to a large Dutch oven and heat oil on medium to 325°F. Place remaining 2 cups buttermilk in a second bowl. Working with a couple of pieces at a time, remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off. Coat in flour, shaking off excess, then coat in buttermilk and in flour once more. Shake off excess flour and add chicken to oil.
Fry chicken until golden brown and cooked through, 4 to 10 minutes depending on piece. Repeat with remaining chicken, adjusting heat to keep oil between 300°F and 325°F.
PER SERVING: 485 calories, 27.5 g fat (6.5 g saturated fat), 37 g protein, 1,005 mg sodium, 21 g carbs, 1 g fiber
COST PER SERVING: $1.83
WD TEST KITCHEN TIP: Dip chicken in marinade and flour twice before frying for a shatteringly crisp crust. Switch it up by adding sugar, salt, and other seasonings to the buttermilk marinade. Remember, the temperature of the oils changes when the chicken is added. Be sure to temp the oil between batches to make sure it stays at 325-degrees.
Welcome to the premier posting for Monday Meal Makeover. Here we will try to up your Monday meal game for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, or snacks. All the recipes that can be adapted will include:
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten-Free, Celiac Disease
Low Sugar/ Low Carb
No Sugar
Lactose Intolerance/Egg Allergies
For what I hope will be the first of many, welcome to the first Monday Meal Makeover.
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Blueberry Muffins by Tastes Better From Scratch adapted by Chamein Canton
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (gluten-free all-purpose flour, 1 to 1 gluten-free baking blend, sorghum, millet, sweet or brown rice flour)
3/4 cup granulated sugar (Swerve sweetener, Splenda granulated, coconut, raw cane, or turbinado sugar, pulsed fine)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon or orange zest
1/3 cup oil (vegetable or canola oil)
1 large egg (2 tablespoons Aquafaba, ¼ cup silken tofu pureed with 1/8 teaspoon baking soda, 1 flaxseed or chia seed egg, or egg replacer)
1/3 cup buttermilk (dairy: full-fat, low-fat, or light) (non-dairy: almond, rice, soy, or light coconut milk with 1 teaspoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, mixed. Let stand for at least five minutes before using)
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon lemon or orange extract, optional
1 cup blueberries , fresh or frozen
Crumb topping:
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar (Swerve sweetener, Splenda granulated, coconut, raw cane, or turbinado sugar pulsed fine)
2 Tablespoons light brown sugar (Swerve brown sugar substitute, organic light brown sugar)
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour (gluten-free all-purpose flour, 1 to 1 gluten-free baking blend, sorghum, millet, sweet or brown rice flour)
2 Tablespoons cold unsalted or salted butter, chopped (vegan unsalted or salted butter)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a standard size muffin tin with liners, or grease well with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt, orange or lemon zest, and baking powder.
Add oil, egg, buttermilk, vanilla, and orange or lemon extract (if using), and mix just until combined. Don’t over mix (the batter doesn’t need to be “smooth”)
Toss the blueberries in a spoonful of flour. This will help them not to sink to the bottom of the muffin. Gently fold blueberries into the batter.
Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter.
If you are making the crumb topping:
Add all of the ingredients to a bowl. Use your fingers, pastry cutter, or a fork to work the butter into the mixture.
Sprinkle crumb mixture over the tops of muffins in the pan.
Bake for about 5 minutes at 400-degrees, then reduce the temperature to 375-degrees. Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
Remove muffins from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
The bake time may vary by ovens. It may take a little longer or a shorter time depending on your oven. I tend to err on the side of a toothpick coming out clean or with a few crumbs when inserted in the center of the muffins.
I don’t recommend using shortening or butter-flavor shortening. It makes the batter heavier and the muffins oily.
Dinner
Cast Iron Roasted Chicken- Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen adapted by me
1 whole chicken. Fryer or young chicken
Canola or vegetable oil
This is the seasoning rub I use, adapt it to your likes and measure it out to the size of the chicken.
Paprika sweet or smoked
Onion powder
Granulated garlic
Black pepper
Chili powder
Kosher salt
Remove the chicken back. Set aside to make stock
Combine the seasoning in a bowl
Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
Season the chicken skin side down
Place into a cast iron skillet
Make sure the skin of the chicken is dry. Rub the skin with oil. Season liberally and tuck the wings underneath. Roast In hot oven 450-475. Make sure there’s about seven inches from the rack to the top of the oven.
Roast for about 1 hour. It could be more or less depending upon your oven. So keep a watchful eye. The temp of the chicken should be about 160-165 degrees from the thickest part of the chicken.
Barbecue Sauce
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion finely chopped
3 cloves of chopped garlic
1 cup of ketchup
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup molasses * (sorghum syrup)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire
1 teaspoon mustard powder
pinch of cayenne
1 tablespoon chili powder
pinch of allspice
In a saucepan over medium heat, saute onions until tender, about four to five minutes. Add garlic, and stir for one minute. Add the tomato paste, and carmelize it stirring for two minutes. Add the ketchup, molasses, cider vinegar, and brown sugar. Stir for one minute. Add the chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, pinch of cayenne, and allspice. Stir. Add 1/4 cup water and cook stirring for four minutes until thickened. Take the sauce off the heat and let cool. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. You can also use a blender or food processor, but be sure it’s cool. It will make for quite the science lesson and a mess.
Spruce Eats list of molasses substitutes
If you don’t have molasses, you can make one of several quick substitutes. Replace one cup of molasses with one of the following: 1 cup dark corn syrup, honey, or maple syrup. 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/4 cup water
These substitutions may alter the taste of your recipe a bit. If the molasses flavor is vital to the success of your recipe, try the brown sugar substitute. Since brown sugar is granulated sugar and molasses it’ll be the closest flavor match. Maple syrup or dark corn syrup would be the next best choice.
If you have to use granulated sugar or honey as the substitute, consider increasing the spices in the recipe a bit to make up for the flavors that the molasses would have contributed.
The first week after Daylight Savings Time is usually pretty hard for most people. However, the arrival of spring helps make the time change a little more bearable. The days are longer and we begin to see more spring vegetables and fruits in the market.
I love blueberries. They are rich in antioxidants, sweet, and a good source of fiber. I am always on the hunt for a good blueberry muffin recipe. Luckily, the majority of the recipes I’ve tried have turned out well.
I’m sharing this recipe from the Life Made Simple blog. I adapted it for vegetarians, vegans, gluten-sensitivities, low and no-sugar diets. It’s a tasty way to get more fiber in your family’s diets. I hope you try this recipe for one fine spring morning at your home.
Blueberry muffins by Life Made Simple adapted by me
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (gluten-free all-purpose flour, 1 to 1 gluten-free baking blend, sorghum, or brown rice flour)
1/2 cup cake flour ( ½ cup gluten-free all-purpose less 3 tablespoons, then add 3 tablespoons gluten-free cornstarch, sift together)
1 cup sugar (Swerve sweetener, Splenda granulated, coconut, raw cane, or turbinado sugar, pulsed fine)
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk (3/4 cup of soy, rice, almond, oat, or light coconut milk with 1 ½ teaspoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, combine and let stand for five minutes before using)
2 eggs ( ¼ cup Aquafaba, ½ cup silken tofu pureed with ¼ teaspoon baking soda, 2 flaxseed or chia seed eggs, or vegan egg replacer)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
11/2 tsp vanilla extract
zest of 2 lemons or the zest of 1 lemon and 2 teaspoons of orange zest
1 1/4 cup blueberries – fresh or frozen
3 tbsp coarse sugar or raw cane sugar – optional topping
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 12 standard muffin cups with liners.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, lightly beat together oil, butter, vanilla, eggs, and milk.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt.
With mixing speed on low, slowly add dry ingredients. Mix until combined.
Remove bowl from stand, gently fold in blueberries. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups, filling 2/3 of the way full. Sprinkle with sanding sugar.
Place into oven and bake for 24-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Place muffins on wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
I used a combination of orange and lemon zest in this recipe. I also prefer adding the zest to the flour. I find that even when you mix the wet ingredients well, the zest has a habit of clumping together. If you add the zest to the flour mixture, it gets evenly distributed, and you don’t run the risk of clumps or over-stirring your batter.
