Breakfast Cookies

When I came across this recipe, I was so eager to try it.  I'm glad I did!  I am forever trying to sneak in extra goodness, and nutrients as camouflage into foods that I make for my family.  These moist, delicious, muffin like cookies are full of goodness.  Almonds, cranberries, and QUINOA!! I have been trying to use quinoa in a lot of cooking these days, it has a fairly neutral flavor, so it can be used in sweet or savory cooking.  The health benefits of this amazing little seed are amazing.

Quinoa is often thought of as a “super-grain,” it is actually not a grain at all, but the seed of a leafy plant that is a distant relative of spinach and beets.


Quinoa has a protein content of 16 percent, which is higher than other grain. Quinoa also has an abundance of amino acids that are essential to a healthy body. Though the Quinoa grain does have a higher fat content than most grains, this is far outweighed by Quinoa’s exceptional levels of amino acids, iron, and fiber. (umn.edu)

1 cup of dry Quinoa is 4 cups cooked. The nutrition for (1/4 cup dry) 1 cup as cooked:

Calories 158.95 kcal
Carbohydrate, 29.28 g
Protein 5.57 g
Total lipid (fat) 2.46 g
Fiber, total dietary 2.51 g
Fatty acids, total 0.25 g
Calcium, Ca 25.5 mg
Iron, Fe 3.93 mg
Potassium, K 314.5 mg
Sodium, Na 8.93 mg
Zinc, Zn 1.4 mg
Vitamin E – mg ATE
Folate, total 20.82 mcg
Magnesium, Mg 89.25 mg
Energy 665.12 kj
Phosphorus, P 174.25 mg
Isoleucine 0.2 g
Serine 0.21 g
Proline 0.17 g
Glycine 0.29 g
Glutamic acid 0.66 g
Aspartic acid 0.41 g
Alanine 0.26 g
Histidine 0.13 g
Arginine 0.39 g
Valine 0.25 g
Manganese, Mn 0.96 mg
Copper, Cu 0.35 mg
Threonine 0.2 g
Vitamin B-12 – mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.09 mg
Niacin 1.25 mg
Riboflavin 0.17 mg
Thiamin 0.08 mg
Phenylalanine 0.23 g
Pantothenic acid 0.44 g
Leucine 0.33 g
Lysine 0.31 g
Methionine 0.11 g
Tyrosine 0.16 g

                                      





This recipe comes from a recent Bon Appetit issue, and the cookies come in handy when you are on the go.....grab one and gobble it down in the car ride on your way out.


1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup slivered unsalted almonds, I used coarsely chopped whole almonds



Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, both sugars, and honey in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and extracts; beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time. Stir in quinoa, oats, cranberries, and almonds. Spoon dough in 2-tablespoon portions onto prepared sheets, spacing 1" apart.


Bake cookies until golden, 12–15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. DO AHEAD: Store cooled cookies airtight at room temperature for 1 day, or freeze for up to 1 month.

Tzazikki with fresh Naan.....

I always love a  home made tzazikki sauce with fresh pitas dipped in.  I stumbled upon a recipe for this naan bread and boy, what a treat.  Served warm with  the tangy cold tzazikki.......my mouth just begins to water!

Lucia's Tzazikki Dip

1 tub greek yogurt (you can substitute with sour cream, it is also delicious)

1 english cucumber, grated and excess juice squeezed out

1/2 lemon, squeezed

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 TBSP olive oil

2 tsp seasoning salt

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl. Done. This keeps well for a few days, and improves in flavor over time.  A great make ahead for company.

Fresh Naan Bread

adapted from: budgetbytes.blogspot.com

2 tsp dry active yeast

1 tsp sugar

1/2 cup water

2.5-3 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup plain greek yogurt

1 large egg

In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar and water. Stir to dissolve then let sit for a few minutes or until it is frothy on top. At that point, stir in the oil, yogurt and egg until evenly combined.

 In a medium sized bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour with the salt. Next, add the bowl of wet ingredients to the flour/salt mixture and stir until well combined.  Add remaining flour, 1/2 a cup at a time, for a total of up to 3 cups.  (you may not need all 3 cups, and you may need slightly more then 3 cups....this is the part where you really have to "feel" that the dough is right.  It should be smooth, soft, not sticky and easy to knead, like play dough texture.

 At that point, turn the ball of dough out onto a well floured counter top. Knead the ball of dough for about 3 minutes, adding flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. 

 Loosely cover the dough and let it rise until double in size (about 45 minutes). After it rises, gently flatten the dough and cut it into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a small ball by stretching the dough back under itself until the top is smooth and round.

Heat a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat and brush with olive oil. Working with one ball at a time, roll it out until it is about 1/4 inch thick or approximately 6 inches in diameter. Place the rolled out dough onto the hot skillet and cook until the under side is golden brown and large bubbles have formed on the surface (see photos below). Flip the dough and cook the other side until golden brown as well. Serve plain or brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with herbs!

TIP: For the most bubbles, don't roll out the ball of dough until just before it is ready to be placed in the skillet. I experimented with different skillet temperatures and found that a medium heat produces the most bubbles in the dough and does not burn the surface.

Happy 2012!

So Sorry.....

I've been on Blogcation and have been enjoying my beautiful kids and family for the holidays. I don't know about you, but with every New Year that passes, I get an overwhelming need to de-clutter, reorganize, and get organized! Wish me luck, I really am going to try hard to pursue my New Years resolution this year past January 2nd......LOL!

When I was grocery shopping today, they had all their fresh cranberries on sale.  I usually use sweetened dry cranberries in this muffin recipe, but I wanted to try using fresh, since they were available.  What a hit.  These muffins are one of our familys favorites, and with the addition of the tart little burst of fresh cranberries along with fresh orange, they are truly wonderful.  Enjoy!

Best wishes to you all for a year full of blessings, health and happiness.

XO

Lucia

                                               CRANBERRY ORANGE MUFFINS

1 entire orange, cut into quarters

1/2 cup orange juice

1 cup fresh cranberries or 1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 egg

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 375'

Place orange, orange juice,  egg and butter in a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth.  This will be very thick.  Combine all your dry ingredients in a large bowl, and mix together.  Add cranberries, and then add all of the wet ingreedients to the dry.  Mix just until moistened.  The batter will be very thick.  I love to use my pampered chef large scoop and scoop onto 12 muffin tins lined with muffin cups.  Bake for about 15 minutes.  Enjoy!