Cashew Butter & Fig Toast

It seems everywhere I turn, there is a toast craze going on! Avocado toast has become a permanent fixture on many restaurant menus. I love avocado toast and could eat it every day but I decided to do a take on the classic peanut butter and jelly flavor combination. I used cashew butter and fresh figs and the results were incredibly delicious! I also topped it off with a drizzle of honey and Maldon sea salt to give it that sweet and savory flavor combination. During the summer months, I am always looking for easy breakfast and snack ideas, and this one is perfect!

Since the fig season here in California is rather short, I couldn't resist these when I saw a fresh basket at my farmers market. I have been adding them to everything from this toast, to salads, to cheese plates.

If you are doing any upcoming entertaining, you could to set out a "toast bar" for people to make their own. A basket of rustic bread, and all the fixings make it not only a cute display but also such an easy and delicious menu item. 

I started by slicing up a rustic loaf of bread and lightly toasting it. From there, I spread an even layer of the cashew butter and topped it with the sliced figs, honey and Maldon sea salt. It comes together in minutes!

Of course as I was just getting in the zone of shooting this blog post, our puppy woke up from her nap and quickly discovered that she wanted to be my little "helper" in the kitchen! ;) I might not have ended up getting all the shots I wanted for this post but the silver lining was that we had so much fun even if I had to tell her to get off the table a million times! 

I would love to hear if you make this toast recipe or if you want to share any of your favorite toasts recipes! Be sure to comment below or on my Instagram. Enjoy! 

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Cashew Butter and Fig Toast Recipe

Ingredients:

• Loaf rustic bread (or favorite bread)
• Raw cashew Butter
• 3-5 fresh gigs, sliced 
• Raw honey
• Maldon sea salt

Directions:

1. Slice loaf of bread in 1 inch thickness and lightly toast. Spread an even layer of cashew butter, followed by a layer of sliced figs. Top with a drizzle of honey and maldon sea salt. Serve and enjoy!

Almond Butter Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread

Do you ever look over at your fruit bowl and see your bananas start to get just a little bit brown? And then choose to ignore them so you can bake something with them? I hate to admit I do this more often than not. I have made a lot of baked goods with bananas in them (remember these?), however I had never tried putting almond butter in the batter before. What a game changer! Combined with chocolate chunks, the flavor and texture is amazing. You are going to want to let your bananas get brown just so you can make this recipe! 

I cleaned up the ingredients for this bread so that it fits most allergy restrictions, and you don't have to feel bad about eating it. To insure each bite has that amazing chocolate flavor, I used my favorite semisweet chocolate chunks. A good quality chocolate makes a big difference in this recipe. 

When my husband got home from work the day I made this, he walked in the door saying how amazing the house smelled! After dinner we enjoyed a few too many slices of the bread for dessert and had some for breakfast the next morning. This bread did not last long in our house! In fact, I see some bananas on our counter that are turning brown and I am thinking of making another loaf. It's that good! 

I hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy it as much as we do! Be sure to let me know how you like it below or on my Instagram. Happy baking :) 

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Almond Butter Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup real maple syrup
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 cup overripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 1/2 cup extra fine almond flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chocolate chunks
• 1/2 cup creamy almond butter

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, combine the maple syrup, almond milk, egg, vanilla, banana, and coconut sugar until well combined. Beat in the almond flour, baking soda and salt until just combined.

2. Stir in the chocolate chunks. Now take the almond butter and add it to the batter in teaspoon full size dollops and then gently swirl it into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with chocolate chunks if desired...you may also now push in a few extra teaspoons of almond butter too!

3. Place loaf pan on a baking sheet and set in the oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until center is set. If the top begins to brown (mine did after about 45 minutes), tent the bread with aluminum foil. Remove and let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Bread will keep (covered) for 3-5 days. Serve and enjoy! 

* This recipe was adapted from this original recipe.

Homemade Walnut Butter

We have been traveling a lot lately and just flat out busy! In an attempt to keep some sort of balance, I always try to keep healthy food on hand. Whether that means healthy snacks for road trips, or healthy food in the fridge when we return. Recently, I was looking for a healthy snack idea to have during the week and something we could take on the go. I love nut butter, but sometimes it can have a lot of additives and cost quite a bit. I came across the idea to make homemade walnut butter and decided to give it a try. The best part about it is that it only has 3 ingredients, it's easy to make and it's incredibly delicious! 

I always buy nuts in bulk and keep them in my freezer so they stay fresh. For this recipe you can just leave them frozen and put them directly in the food processor. 

To the food processor, I added 1 tsp. of honey and 1/2 tsp. of sea salt. After you blend it, test it for saltiness and sweetness. I added more honey since I tend to like things on the sweeter side. You can add up to another teaspoon of honey and half a teaspoon of salt, if needed.

I wasn't expecting these three simple ingredients blended together to be so delicious! It has the perfect nutty flavor yet it almost takes on the flavor of a cookie dough. It's that good! 

I had a bunch of apples on hand, which made for the perfect healthy snack. It is also delicious with celery sticks, and I even put a some of it in my morning smoothie. It is so versatile. 

I also decided to put some in my favorite jars to give as a gift. You could package it up with some fresh apples and it would make for a great hostess or Mother's Day gift. 

The next time you're looking for a healthy snack or gift idea, I hope you give this homemade walnut butter a try. I would love to hear what you think, so be sure to leave a comment here or on my Instagram! 

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Homemade Walnut Butter Recipe 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unsalted walnuts (or any nuts)
• 1-2 tsp. honey
• 1/2 tsp.- 1 tsp. sea salt

Directions:

1. Place the walnuts in the food processor and pulse for 2 minutes, or until it forms a butter-like consistency. Add 1 tsp. of honey and 1/2 tsp. of sea salt. Blend until smooth.
2. Remove the walnut butter and place into a bowl. By hand, mix in an additional teaspoon of honey or half a teaspoon of salt, according to personal taste. 
3. Serve with your favorite fruit or veggies and enjoy!

*This recipe was adapted from this original recipe. 

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins

When you have banana's in the kitchen that start to turn brown, what is your go-to approach? Do you eat them, throw them away, freeze them, bake something with them? Sometimes I do a combination of all the above (minus throwing them away) but this time I wanted to try something new. I am such a sucker for banana bread and with the Spring season approaching and lots of entertaining coming up, I thought muffins would be more fun. These chocolate chip banana bread muffins are perfect for brunch, a quick breakfast or to give as a gift! 

I had been dying to try What's Gaby Cooking's banana bread recipe ever since I saw her make it on her snapchat. When I finally got my hands on the recipe, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it had a few simple ingredients yet was packed with flavor- score! 

I originally wanted to add mini chocolate chips to the recipe but I was out of them, so I ended up using regular chocolate chips. I'm glad I did because you could really taste the banana bread and the chunks of chocolate. Sometimes when I use mini chocolate chips, it gives it a chocolate flavor throughout and you miss the flavor of the banana bread itself. 

The muffins don't rise very much since it is a banana bread recipe, so be sure to fill the muffin tin almost to the top. I used these in place of traditional muffin wrappers and they turned out great! 

One thing is for sure about this recipe: your kitchen will smell amazing as they bake! Once the muffins were slightly golden brown on top, I removed them from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes. 

Once they were (finally) cooled, I couldn't wait to try one. I was blown away at how amazing they were! All of the things I love about banana bread but in muffin form :)

These muffins are delicious on their own, or you could smear some softened butter or cream cheese to really take them to the next level! 

Once my husband and I had consumed one too many of these muffins, it was time to get them out of the house. He brought the rest of them to the office and everyone loved them! Let's just say there was not a single crumb left. 

I hope you add this muffin recipe to your brunch menu this Spring, to give as a hostess gift or to simply enjoy with your morning cup of joe. I would love to hear how you like this recipe, so be sure to leave a comment below or on my Instagram account. 

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Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffin Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar 
• 2 eggs
• 4 tsp. milk (I used almond milk)
• 3-4 ripe bananas (I used 4)
• 2 cups flour 
• 1 tsp. baking soda 
• 1 cup chocolate chips, plus extra 

Directions:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar and whip for 2 minutes until combined.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly combined.
4. Add the milk and the bananas and mix for 30 seconds. The batter will look a little curdled, this is normal.
5. Add the flour and the baking soda and mix for a few seconds until the flour is evenly combines. Add the chocolate chips and give it all a quick stir.
6. Line your muffin tin with muffin wrappers. Add about 2 Tbs. of batter to each, or enough to fill almost to the top. Sprinkle added chocolate chips on top. 
7. Transfer the muffin tin(s) to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until a knife can be inserted in the center and comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes before removing them from the pans and serving.

*This recipe was adapted from this original recipe.

Apple and Carrot Spice Bread

Before I hop on the all things pumpkin train for the next couple of months, I wanted to ease into the Fall season by trying out a new spice bread recipe. If you follow me on Instagram, you probably saw that I recently took a trip to Seattle. It felt amazing to be in Fall weather weaving in and out of coffee shops and browsing a handful of farmers markets. It was so fun to see all of the produce and flowers that were in season there. Rows upon rows of fresh vegetables and squash, dahlia flowers and barrels of apples. When I returned home (to the heat), I browsed my own farmers market and was inspired by these freshly picked carrots and crisp apples. Put the two together, add some spice, and you have the most amazing apple and carrot spice bread! 

What I love about this bread is that it instantly gets you in the spirit of the Fall season and the house smells absolutely amazing when you're baking it! In fact, if you're having guests over, pop a loaf of this bread in before they come and it will smell better than any scented candle. 

Whenever I am baking with spices, whether sweet or savory, I like to measure them out on a piece of natural parchment paper, and then just roll it up and add it directly to the mixing bowl. It makes for easy cleanup and prevents the spices from getting everywhere when you're measuring them.

I baked my bread in a 9x5 loaf pan and the bread does not rise very much, so it is a shorter loaf but very dense. If you're looking to make a taller loaf, I would suggest using an 8x4 loaf pan and increasing the bake time slightly. 

I not only wanted to enjoy a loaf of this spice bread at home, but I also wanted to send my husband to work with one. I doubled the recipe and packed it up with some simple baking supplies. I wrapped a piece of natural parchment paper and some baker's twine around it. This would also make for a great hostess gift during the holidays.

While my husband took it to work and it was gone in seconds, I enjoyed having a (few) slices  and also had some for breakfast with some butter smeared on it. Because afterall, everything is better with butter right? I'll let you be the judge.

I hope your Fall season is off to a wonderful start and that you enjoy this apple and carrot spice bread as much as I did!

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Apple and Carrot Spice Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/3 cup liquid-state coconut oil 
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cup full fat sour cream (Greek yogurt may be substituted)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2  teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2  teaspoon baking soda
• pinch salt
• 3/4 cup grated carrots (about 1 large or 2-3 medium peeled and trimmed carrot(s))
• 3/4 cup grated apples (I used 1 medium unpeeled Fuji)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan (or 8x4, as noted above); set aside. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, add the the first eight ingredients, through the nutmeg. Whisk the ingredients to combine (you do not have to use a mixer, you can use a whisk).
3. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the ingredients and fold with spatula until just combined; don't over mix.
4. Add the grated carrots and apples, and fold gently to combine.
5. Turn the batter (it's very thick, this is what you want) out into the prepared pan. Smooth the top lightly with a spatula.
6. Bake for about 35-45 minutes (I baked mine for 35 minutes) or until the top is golden, the center is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs. Baking times will vary based on moisture content of the carrots and apples, and oven variances. 
7. Allow bread to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving. Bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. 

This recipe was adapted from this original recipe.

Grain Free Freezer Waffles

A guilty pleasure in our house is definitely waffles. Another guilty pleasure in our house is when my husband grabs a bagel with cream cheese as he is running out the door for work. In an attempt to come up with a breakfast solution for something fast with healthier ingredients, I turned to Against All Grain's new cook book, Meals Made Simple. The book offers a grain free freezer waffles recipe. Score! 

I decided to give the recipe a try and not tell my husband that they were a healthier version of the norm before he ate them since that hasn't gone well in the past. To my surprise, he loved them and would never have guessed they were grain free. The ingredients are simple and clean, and you can find all of them either in your local health food store or on Amazon. 

These waffles taste exactly like the waffles we are used to. They are light and fluffy with a great texture. They are a great solution if you are looking for a quick breakfast or a recipe to make ahead if you're hosting brunch. 

Besides the amazing taste of the waffles, I think the best part is that my husband can pop one in the toaster oven as he is heading out the door and forego the bagel and cream cheese. Whatever your reason might be for trying these, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Meals Made Simple and trying them! 

Weekly Food Prep Staples

Taking time each week to prep some homemade staples to keep in the fridge, is key for me! I get asked all the time what some of my staples are, so I am finally sharing them with you. These are in addition to stocking the pantry and fridge with healthy food each week, which I will be sharing in a separate blog post. I choose a day each week (usually Sunday or Monday) to prepare these go-to items so I can just grab them as needed. 

Glass Jar Staples

1. Almond Milk. Ever since I posted about making this homemade almond milk recipe, I have been making a weekly batch ever since. I love to use it in my morning tea or coffee, baked goods, chia seed pudding, oatmeal, desserts, etc. It is also amazing to have a glass on its own!

2. Chia Seed Pudding. I recently started making this for a quick breakfast and absolutely love it because it contains 2 ingredients and is delicious! Combine 1 cup of almond milk (above) and 3 Tbs. chia seeds. Mix it together and leave it in the fridge overnight and you have breakfast in the morning. I like to top mine with fruit and nuts! 

3. Homemade Salad Dressing. I grew up on my mom's homemade salad dressing recipe and absolutely love it. In a jar combine 2 Tbs. olive oil, 1 Tbs. vinegar (of your choice), 1 Tbs. dijon mustard and salt and pepper. Shake it to combine and leave it in the fridge to enjoy on your salads throughout the week. I usually double the recipe for a whole weeks worth. You can also add other flavor enhancers: herbs, garlic or shallots, seasoning salts, etc. 

Tupperware Staples

1. Cooked Quinoa. I love having quinoa on hand to add to salads, breakfasts, or as a side dish. I usually make 1-2 cups cooked quinoa which is plenty for my husband and I to get through the week. 

2. Hardboiled Eggs. In addition to fresh eggs, I like to have half a dozen hardboiled eggs on hand for my husband to take to work as an easy breakfast. They also make for a great salad topper or snack!  

3. Cooked Poultry. I love to have grilled or baked poultry of some kind on hand. I usually have chicken, steak or shrimp that I can easily take from the fridge to make a salad or add to a main dish. It takes the guesswork out of lunch for me! 

As expressed above, these staple items are in addition to the fruits, vegetables, dairy, poultry and pantry items that I keep on hand. I would love to know what some of your staple items are, so be sure to comment below! 

3 Ingredient Healthy Snacks →

I am the type of person who needs to snack in between meals otherwise I become what I call “hangry” (hungry-angry). To avoid that from happening, I have some go-to snacks that I am sharing with you today. These three 3 ingredient no fuss snacks are great for taking to the office, in your kids lunch box, a road trip or if you’re out running errands. 

Yogurt with Berries and Chia seeds

Take your favorite yogurt, top with some sliced berries (or any other fruit) and sprinkle with chia seeds.

Turkey, Cucumber and Cheese Stackers

Remove the skin from half a cucumber and slice diagonally into half inch pieces. Take 1 piece of cumber and layer on a slice of cheese and slice of turkey and top with another cucumber slice.  

Peanut Butter Banana Stackers

Peel 1 whole banana and cut up into 1 inch pieces. Take 1 banana slice and smear on your favorite peanut butter (or any other nut butter) and top with another slice of banana. Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon.

I hope you enjoy these three 3 ingredient snacks and they help you from getting "hangry"! I would love to know what your favorite snacks are so comment below or tag me on Instagram. 

Homemade Almond Milk

A few years ago I would never have guessed I would be drinking almond milk. I used to drink fat free or 1% milk. Until the craze of almond milk hit and I jumped on the bandwagon and haven't looked back. 

I had been wanting to try my hand at homemade almond milk because I heard how much healthier it was and how much better it tasted than store bought. I used this almond milk recipe, and it turned out amazing! It was so easy to make and it is so creamy. 

I like to add a splash of almond milk in my morning tea or coffee, blend it in smoothies, add to baked goods, and in countless other recipes. Although it took more effort than pulling it off the grocery store shelf, I plan to keep a jar of almond milk in the fridge. Have you jumped on the almond milk bandwagon or is regular milk still your muse?

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Homemade Almond Milk, Against All Grain

Serving Size: 1 Quart

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 8 cups filtered water, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided
• 1 small date, pitted

Instructions:

1. Place almonds in a bowl with 4 cups of filtered water and 1/8 teaspoon of the salt and soak for 10 hours or overnight.
2. Drain the nuts and rinse well. Transfer them to a blender and fill with 4 cups filtered water. Add the date and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and puree until smooth.
3. Strain the milk through a fine-mesh sieve, a nut milk bag, or doubled cheesecloth. Squeeze to remove all of the liquid. Store in the refrigerator for 5 days.

Meyer Lemon Curd

Happy first day of Spring! I am welcoming this new season with open arms and some delicious Meyer lemon curd. The color alone screams Spring and the taste magically transports you to a sunny day. 

As I was squeezing the lemons that I had received in my Farm Fresh to You shipment, the smell brought me back to my childhood playing in the sandbox next to our huge lemon tree. I was either picking lemons to make lemonade for our lemonade stand or making "creations" with them in the sandbox. I guess you could say I had a thing for lemons early on.

Given that it is Meyer lemon season and I had a bunch on hand,  I wanted to try something new this year. This lemon curd recipe will knock your winter socks off! It is rich and creamy without being overly sweet or tart. It is a perfect breakfast condiment, in between cake layers or to sneak by the spoonful! It also makes for a great hostess gift for Easter, which I will be sharing on the blog next week :)

I hope you enjoy this recipe this Spring! 

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Meyer Lemon Curd, Recipe from The Galley Gourmet

• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed tart lemon juice (from ordinary lemons)
• Grated zest of 1 Meyer lemon
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 extra large eggs
• 3 extra large egg yolks

In a heavy-bottom saucepan, combine the lemon juices, zest, sugar, butter and salt. Stir gently over low heat until the butter has melted and sugar dissolved. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks. Whisking constantly, gradually add half the hot lemon mixture into the eggs, then slowly whisk the egg mixture back into the remaining lemon mixture. Cook over low heat, scraping the bottom constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 5-7 minutes (mine took about 10 minutes). Do not allow to boil. Pour the curd through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl. Cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate. Curd can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Makes about 2 cups. Enjoy!

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Banana Bread

Do you ever "accidentally" buy a larger bunch of banana's at the store, secretly hoping that some of them will go bad before you can eat them all so you can bake something with them? Yeah, me too. In this instance, my husband, actually bought too many banana's, so I blame the urge to bake banana bread on him! 

I am not a very picky person, until it comes to banana bread (and peanut butter cookies). It needs to contain the right amount of banana flavor, be moist and leave you wanting another slice (or the whole loaf). Well, my friends, after trying a ton of banana bread recipes over the years and wishing each one would be my "go-to" recipe, I think I have finally found "the one". Let me tell you, this banana bread recipe did NOT dissapoint! It checked all the boxes of being the perfect balance of banana flavor without being overbearing, very moist and definitely left me wanting to eat the whole loaf! 

The next time your banana's just happen to get a little too brown, you must try this bread! Oh, and it's extra yummy with a little (or a lot) of cream cheese on it. Enjoy! 

*A little side note: I always leave out nuts from my banana bread if I'm baking it for someone, in case of allergy restrictions.