Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa

lightly adapted from thecookierookie.com

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs salmon (cut into portions if you're going to grill)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp black pepper

Avocado Salsa:

2 avocados, cubed

1/3-1/2 red onion, diced (depending on your raw onion tolerance)

2 limes, juiced

1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions:

1. Mix the salt, chili powder, cumin, paprika, onion and black pepper together. Rub the salmon with olive oil and this seasoning mix.

2. Refrigerate the salmon for at least 30 minutes. If you're going to bake the salmon, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

3. Chop the avocado, onion, cilantro and juice the limes. Chill until serving time.

4. Pre-heat the grill or stove top grill pan. Grill the salmon to desired doneness. Or, bake the salmon for about 20 minutes (until it flakes easily with a fork). 

5. Top with avocado salsa and enjoy!

We like putting this in small flour tortillas. The boys requested I add mango next time to the salsa. Sounds like a great idea to me. 

This recipe is easy, fresh and healthy. I hope you love it as much as we do. 

Boys: thumbs up

Pumpkin Muffins

 

adapted from cookieandkate.com recipe

muffin ingredients:

1/3 c melted coconut oil

1/2 c maple syrup

2 eggs, room temperature

1 c pumpkin puree

1/4 c almond milk

2 tsp pumpkin spice blend

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

1 3/4 c gluten free flour (or whole wheat flour if you're okay with gluten)

1/3 c old-fashioned oats

topping ingredients:

2 tsp turbinado (raw) sugar

2 tsp finely chopped pecans

2 tsp oats

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Put parchment paper cups in muffin tin.

2. In a large bowl beat the oil and maple syrup. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the pumpkin puree, milk, pumpkin spice blend, baking soda, vanilla extract and salt. Stir.

3. Mix in the flour and oats, just until combined.

4. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with topping mix. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

5. Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool. These muffins are delicate until they cool down. 

Muffins keep at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. In a freezer-safe bag in the freezer you can keep these for up to 3 months.

Boys say: thumbs up

Special Stuffing

 

adapted from Costco Connection

Stuffing is not bland or too mushy with this recipe! We loved this flavorful twist on a classic dish.

3 c fresh butternut squash, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp pepper, or to taste
1 lb Italian sausage
1 yellow onion, diced
3 celery sticks, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (12 oz) package herb-seasoned cubed stuffing
1 1/2 cups pecans, finely chopped
2 c low-sodium chicken broth

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place a piece of foil on a cookie sheet and spray with cooking spray. Toss squash with 1 tbsp oil and a little salt. Place squash on cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until tender.

In a large skillet, brown Italian sausage, breaking into crumbles. Drain sausage, if needed. Remove sausage from pan and set aside. In the pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, until soft and onion is translucent. 

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Put the sausage, onion mixture, stuffing cubes, roasted squash and pecans in dish. Mix. Pour chicken broth over mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Makes 10 servings

Boys say: 2 thumbs up

Chocolate Zucchini Treats

My mother has a great chocolate zucchini cake recipe. I played around with it to make it gluten free and dairy free. I will include both recipes here. I wasn't sure whether to call my version of this recipe muffins or cupcakes (no frosting so not a cupcake, right?!) so I have called them treats!

1/2 c coconut oil
1/2 c applesauce
1 3/4 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c almond milk
2 1/2 c oat flour (put 3 cups oatmeal in your blender and blend until you have a fine powder)
4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
2 c grated zucchini
turbinado cane sugar (to sprinkle on muffins)
1/4 c semisweet chocolate pieces (optional)
1/4 c chopped walnuts (optional)

Put cupcake liners into cupcake tin. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream coconut oil, applesauce and sugar together. Add eggs, vanilla and almond milk. Blend thoroughly. Mix together flour, cocoa, soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Blend with creamed mixture. Stir in zucchini (and chocolate chips or nuts, if using). Spoon into cupcake tins. Fill about 2/3 full. Sprinkle with turbinado cane sugar.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Original Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe:

1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 3/4 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 buttermilk
2 1/2 c all purpose flour
4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
2 c grated zucchini
1/4 c semisweet chocolate chips (optional)
1/4 c chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 9x13 pan.

Cream butter, oil and sugar together. Add eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Blend thoroughly. Sift together flour, cocoa, soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Blend with creamed mixture. Stir in zucchini. Spoon into greased and floured 9x13 pan. Sprinkle chocolate pieces and nuts. Bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool cake completely. Cover with frosting.

Frosting recipe:
1/4 c butter
6 oz cream cheese
1 3/4 c powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c chopped walnuts

Beat butter and cream cheese. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and nuts.

Cowboy Caviar

Last week I decided to minimize my cookbooks. I went through all of them, kept the recipes I still wanted to try and gave away (or recycled) the rest. It felt great! In that process I found this recipe. It was the perfect timing too because I wanted a tasty side dish to go with the meat we grilled on the 4th of July. Yum!

1 cup black eyed peas

1 cup black beans

1 cup sweet corn

3 avocados, chopped

3 roma tomatoes, chopped

juice from 1 lime

5 green onions, tops only, chopped

1 package Italian Good Seasonings Mix

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

Mix ingredients together and serve with tortilla chips or your favorite crackers.

Double Chocolate Cookies

lightly adapted from crazyforcrust.com

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted 
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 
1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not dutch process) 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk)

• Note: This dough requires chilling.
• Place melted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer). You can also just use a wooden spoon to mix these! Add granulated and brown sugars and mix on low speed until the mixture is smooth. Mix in egg and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed until combined.
• Mix in cocoa, baking soda, and salt, then slowly mix in flour and mix just until the batter is smooth and comes together. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl during mixing. Slowly mix in chocolate chips.
• Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Scoop 2 tablespoon balls of dough onto the cookie sheet. Spacing doesn’t matter because you will be chilling the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1-2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a second cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Remove the chilled cookie dough balls from the refrigerator and space them 2-inches apart on the cookie sheets. Bake for 11 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheets at least 10 minutes before removing.
  
  

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

When a friend asked if I'd like a bushel of apples I said sure. I didn't realize that meant about 125 apples! This gave me a perfect opportunity to find a few new recipes. I LOVE this recipe. I think you will love it too!

adapted from addapinch.com

2 c flour (2 tsp extra for coating apples)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon (1/2 tsp more for coating apples)

2 c diced apples (peeled and cored)

1/2 c coconut oil

1 c sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 c almond milk or oat milk

Topping:

1/4 c melted coconut oil

1/4 c sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cupcake tin with baking cups. 

In a medium bowl mix together 2 cups flour, baking powder, salt and 2 tsp cinnamon. 

In a different bowl mix together 2 tsp flour, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and diced apples.

In another bowl cream together coconut oil and sugar. Add one egg, mix, add the other egg and mix again. Add vanilla.

Add half of flour mixture and mix. Add almond milk. Stir in remaining flour mixture until just combined. Fold in diced apples.

Fill muffin tins about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out clean and the muffins are a light golden brown. 

Mix sugar and cinnamon for topping.

Remove muffins from the oven. Cool for five minutes in the muffin pan. Melt coconut oil for the topping.

Remove each muffin and brush with melted coconut oil. Dip muffin into topping mixture of sugar and cinnamon. Let muffins finish cooling on a cooling rack.