Weekend Specials

On October 22, 2017 By felisrecipesIn Muffins and other sweets, Uncategorized16 Comments

Saturday morning I woke up way too early for a weekend morning, but I decided to get some things done instead of going back to sleep, so I choose all the ingredients to make some muffins: Carrot Raisin Muffins that my husband said they were one of the most delicious I’ve ever done 😉

Here are the ingredients:

2 eggs
3/4 cup of sugar
1 cup of apple cider ( I use it to soak the raisins )
2/3 cup of raisins
2 cups of grated carrots
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 stick butter, melted
1 2/3 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
juice from half a lemon ( to activate the baking powder )

Directions:

Beat the eggs with sugar until creamy. I didn’t use the electric mixer as it was too early but you could do so to save your energy and time ;). Add the melted butter and whisk a bit more. With a wooden spoon mix in the apple cider and raisins followed by the grated carrots. Add the sifted flour mixed with cinnamon and the baking powder on top. Activate the baking powder by adding the lemon juice. Fold in the flour careful not to over mix the batter.

Carrot muffins

If you believe it or not all 12 muffins disappeared on Saturday as we had them for breakfast, dessert and some of us, the luckiest ones, for dinner. For the Butternut squash Muffins, I used exactly the same ingredients and directions, but I substituted the carrots with the squash. And because I started with the butternut squash I decided to continue on the same note for lunch and snacks for the day.

Butternut Squash Muffins

Sunday’s lunch: Spaghetti Squash with Oven-roasted Butternut Squash:

And the weekend’s snacks: Backed oven Acorn Squash and Butternut squash …

Well, I think it enough squash for this week, don’t you? Lol

Weekend specials

On July 18, 2017 By felisrecipesIn Bread and Pizza, Breakfast, Brunch, Muffins and other sweets, Uncategorized3 Comments

As much as I wanted these days to stay away from the kitchen, and mostly for the oven, we still had to eat something. The idea to stay away from the oven it’s not as easy as it seems.

Like almost every Saturday, we indulged a frittata for breakfast. Usually, when I make the weekend frittatas, I just check the fridge and decide pretty quick what should I throw into the pan. This time the winners were: green olives; red pepper and tuna. The greens you can see in the picture is fresh dill. In my opinion, there is no frittata without fresh herbs. They make such huge difference in frittatas. I have to admit though, that I don’t have them always handy so I will use dry herbs instead. The herbs I used the most are dill, parsley, oregano or basil.

Saturday’s lunch followed with a homemade (from scratch) pizza: Artichoke, Tuna, and Feta Cheese Pizza. Some of you might think tuna again? Well, the tuna can in olive oil I like to buy is pretty big, so I try to use it throughout the day. When it’s not possible, I would store the rest in an airtight glass container and use it in the next days. Most of the time the other half of the can will end up in a Greek Pasta Salad or Potato Tuna Salad.

What I like about making pizza is that you have just enough for lunch and dinner and you have time to focus on other projects.

And, of course, there’s no such thing as not indulging our sweet tooth during the weekend 😉

I checked what we had in the fridge and pantry, and the winner was chosen: Cinnamon – chocolate chips buns! You might ask: why chocolate chips in a cinnamon bun but it was my daughter’s request to try them this way, and I have to say I will most definitely make them again. They were yummy!

And because is Summer and it’s so hot, and it’s very humid here in Toronto, one way I ensure that we all stay hydrated is making citrus infused water that the whole family can enjoy.

Stay chilled!

Cocoa Cookies

On February 20, 2017 By felisrecipesIn Muffins and other sweets, Uncategorized7 Comments

On a Special Sunday’s post I made this delicious and easy cookies: Cocoa Cookies, that I found on one of my favorite Romanian blogs that I love to browse from time to time: Edith’s Kitchen.You can find the original recipe here.

My family was amazed by the results, despite the little changes that I made here and there. And my co-workers could not believe that something so delicious could come from so few (and let’s not forget HEALTHY) ingredients.

Ingredients

1/2 cup melted butter ( vegan )
3/4 cup of brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp of instant coffee
2 tbsp rum extract (you can add a bit more as the taste is not very strong after baking) ( you can also substitute the rum extract with other flavor of your choice; I made with almond extract as well )
a pinch of Himalayan salt

In a bowl mix together the melted butter, the sugar, the egg, salt and the rum extract.

In a different bowl mix the flour, cocoa and baking soda.

Add the flour mixture over the butter mixture and mix well.

I have also tried a second batch substituting the egg with apple sauce. I have to admit in look they were slightly different but the taste was just: YUMMY !!!

One thing is sure. I added this cookies on the family list and preferences and because today is Family Day in Ontario, I hope you all have a great day.

Vegan Cinnamon Buns

On January 28, 2017January 29, 2017 By felisrecipesIn Muffins and other sweets, vegan2 Comments

When I found Dana’s post from minimalistbaker.com I was very impressed by her result.

I can say I am in love with this dessert because it is very easy to make and very versatile.

I browsed through my posts and my computer folders I found that I was filling those buns with various things: from plum jam to cheese and pesto.

So why am I making them yet again? Well I had never tried a vegan version. It seemed interesting and I really wanted to see the result.

Here are the ingredients:

1 tbsp of instant yeast
1 1/2 cup warm unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups whole grain flour
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
50 grams of ground almond
1/2 cup = 1 extra tbsp Earth balance (vegan butter)

Heat the water but never reaching the boiling point.

In a bowl add the warm water, the sugar and the instant yeast. Let it activate for about 10-15 minutes.

In a large bowl add the flour and salt. Mix together. Make an indentation, add the yeast mixture and half of the melted butter. Start kneading until the dough is coming from your hands and it’s not sticky. You might have to add a bit of extra flour. Knead for about 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a clean, oily bowl and cover it with a kitchen towel or plastic foil. Let it rise for about 1 hour or until the dough is double the size. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a thin rectangle. Brush with the melted butter left. Mix together the sugar, cinnamon and the ground almond. Top the buttered dough with the sugar cinnamon mixture.

Starting at one end, tightly roll up the dough. Cut the dough into 2 inch pieces. Add the pieces in a square or round greasy pan. Brush the rolls with the extra tbsp of butter for a reach golden color. Cover them with plastic wrap and let them on the top of your preheat oven ( 375 F ) for about 30 more minutes.

Bake the buns for about 30 minutes or until slightly golden.

Let them cool for a few minutes and then enjoy 🙂

vegan-cinnamon-buns

vegan-cinnamon-buns3

♦

Orange – Apricot Crumble Bars

On January 6, 2017 By felisrecipesIn Muffins and other sweets17 Comments

Inspired by Gail from Snapshotsincursive.com I tried my first dessert of 2017 which is also my first Crumble Bar. I have to admit I have a “bad” habit of changing the recipe which inspired me. This time, I substituted half of the flour with quinoa flour, even though I did not research the properties of quinoa flour to see what effect it can have on the dessert. I just risked it. After all, where’s the fun without a little risk, right? Well, I was lucky this time 🙂 Would I use the quinoa flour again ? Absolutely! I will use a different proportion though: 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of all purpose flour.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups of all purpose flour

1.5 cups of quinoa flour

50 gr of ground almond

1 tsp of baking soda

1 stick of butter

3/4 cup of sugar

1 jar of orange jam plus 4 tbsp of apricot jam

Mix the two flour together. Add the sugar, almond ground and baking soda. Rub the butter and flour mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add half of the mixture over a prepared greased baking tin ( 9 inch x 9 inch ) and press down gently. Spread the orange jam over followed by the apricot jam. Crumble the remaining batter on top. Sprinkle the almond flakes and bake in the preheated oven for about 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let it cool completely ( if you can resist it, LOL ) and cut into squares.

Thank you, Gail, for the inspiration! 🙂

∗

Savory muffins

On November 26, 2016 By felisrecipesIn Breakfast, Brunch, Muffins and other sweets5 Comments

After we ‘overloaded’ on the Overloaded Muffins I was just craving for some savory ones for a change. Personally, I love both. These goodies are called Grab and Go Muffins. I had two for breakfast and two for lunch at work. I could have another two for dinner, no problem if I wouldn’t have to share them 🙂

Ingredients:

1/2 chicken breast cooked and chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1 cup mushrooms, diced
1 cup frozen spinach, (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
4 free run eggs
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp Parmesan flakes ( save a few cheese flakes for the muffin’s top )
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup cashew milk ( you can use any milk of your choice )
3 strings green onion ( I would say that green onion is highly recommended in savory muffins. However, I had no green onions handy so I substitute them with 1/4 red onion diced )
Himalayan salt
pinch of sweet paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Lined a 12-cup muffin pan with muffin papers.

In a on stick skillet saute the onion, spinach and mushrooms for a few minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Set aside to cool down.

In a small bowl mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Not too much as you have already seasoned for salt the veggies.

In a large bowl mix together the eggs and the milk. Add the chicken, red pepper, Parmesan cheese and veggies mix. Stir until well combined.

Add the dry ingredients over the wet ones and stir gently until well combined.

Scoop the mixture in the prepared tray. Bake for about 20 – 25 minutes until golden brown on top. Let it cool in the tray for about 5 minutes and than place the muffins of a cooling rack and just enjoy them 😉

Muffins overloaded ;)

On November 20, 2016November 20, 2016 By felisrecipesIn Muffins and other sweetsLeave a comment

Is there such a thing as too many berries for you? Well if there is, it’s OK. There is no such thing for me. I just love them in any form: fresh, frozen, added in muffins, cakes and pancakes … and in any quantity 😉

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups unsweetened cashew milk
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
juice from one large lemon
2 cups frozen blueberries ( one cup should be enough, I just wanted more ;))

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 175 C. Line a muffin tray with the muffin baking paper and set aside.

Mix the two types of flour in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl mix together the eggs and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Add the vanilla extract and milk and mix well.

Place the frozen blueberries in a bowl then steal about two tbsp of flour and cover the berries so they won’t become watery.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients. Add the baking powder and drizzle the lemon juice over to activate it. mix all together. Add the berries and fold them slowly.

Pour the batter with an ice scoop in each muffin paper and bake for about 20 – 25 minutes depending on the oven.

Let them stay in the tray for about 5 minutes.

Place the muffins on a rack and wait for them to cool, then enjoy them.

I hope you enjoyed them. I sure did 😉

Chocolate chip sour cream coffee muffins

On November 17, 2016 By felisrecipesIn Muffins and other sweetsLeave a comment

I invite you all to indulge in these sinfully delicious chocolate chip coffee muffins alongside a cup of tea or coffee. You won’t regret it. 🙂

For the muffins:

1/4 cup of grape seeds oil (the recipe was calling for 1/2 cup of unsalted butter)
1/2 cup of brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cups sour cream
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 lemon ( juice )

For the filling and topping

1 cups semisweet dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon grounded cocoa beans (optional)
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee

chocolate-chips-sour-cream-coffe-muffins-1

I hope you enjoy them 😉

Semi-sweet dark chocolate chip scones

On November 5, 2016 By felisrecipesIn Muffins and other sweets3 Comments

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Recently, my hubby became a huge fan of scones. He started buying some scones from a bakery store and while they were not bad at all (obviously), I decided I could do better AND healthier. 😉 Now, I have never made scones before but as you might have guessed from reading my other posts, I am never one to shy away from a challenge. For a first attempt, they came out quite delicious if I do say so myself.

Ingredients:

1 cup semi-sweet dark chocolate chips
1 ½ cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup sour cream
2 Eggs
1 1/2 tbsp raw honey
2 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Cinnamon
¼ tsp Salt

Preheat oven to 350°F
In a large bowl combine, all dry ingredients.Stir in the chocolate chips.
Add the oil and sour cream, eggs and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
Using your hand, shape about 2 tablespoons of dough into a round kind of shape.
Place on cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until outer edges are golden.
Let them cool
Store in an airtight container.
Makes about 10 yummy scones

Enjoy 🙂

No Butter Cinnamon Raisins Buns

On October 16, 2016January 15, 2017 By felisrecipesIn Muffins and other sweetsLeave a comment

As you might know, the main ingredients in a cinnamon roll are flour, cinnamon, sugar and butter. So you might think why no butter ? It’s not because I don’t like butter; I love butter. I love it too much and sometimes I prefer not to buy it so I can stay away from it

But who can stay away from cinnamon buns ?!? If you don’t use butter you can substitute with olive oil ( any oil of your choice it works ) and believe me there was almost no difference 😉

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp instant traditional yeast
1/4 tsp salt
1 large run free egg
1/4 cup organic cane sugar
4 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 ground cinnamon
1 cup of 1% lactose free milk

Heat the milk but never reach boiling point.

In a bowl add 1/2 cup of warm water and 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 2 tbsp instant yeast. Let it activate for about 10-15 minutes.

In a large bowl add the flour, salt sugar and mix. Make an indentation, add the egg lightly beaten, milk and the yeast mixture. Start kneading until the dough is coming from your hands and it’s no sticky. You might have to add a bit of all-purpose flour. Knead for about 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a clean, oily bowl and cover with a kitchen towel or plastic foil. Let it rise for about 1 hour in a warm place.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a thin rectangle. Brush with 3 Tbsp of olive oil ( you could also use grape seeds oil ). Top the dough with 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 – 1 Tbsp cinnamon (to taste).

Starting at one end, tightly roll up the dough. Cut the dough into 2 inch pieces. Add the pieces in a square or round pan lined with oily baking paper. Brush the rolls with olive oil for a reach golden color. Cover them with plastic wrap and let them stend on the top of your preheat oven ( 375 F ) for about 30 more minutes.

Bake the rolls for about 25 – 35m minutes until nice and golden on top. While fresh from the oven brush them with some honey ( optional )

Let them cool for a few minutes and then serve and enjoy them 🙂

♥