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findvegan:

Carrot Cake with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

findvegan:

Berry-Filled Banana Cupcakes with Lemon Coconut Frosting

blackkbird-fly:

Blackberry Goat Cheese Tart 
Inspired by Always With Butter

Yields 1 9-inch tart (or 8 tartlets)

Basil Infused Tart Crust 
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, room temperature 
1/2 cup powdered sugar 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 egg 
1 sprig (5-6 large leaves) fresh basil, shredded 
1 cup whole wheat flour 
1 cup all purpose flour

In a food processor, blend the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and process until well mixed. Add in the salt, vanilla extract, and egg and process again. Throw in the basil leaves. Scrape around the bowl if necessary. Add the flours and pulse just until the dough forms a ball. The dough will be the consistency of very soft and sticky cookie dough.

Remove the dough from the bowl, shape into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Chill in refrigerator for 3-4 hours or overnight to firm up the dough.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

When chilled until firm, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is 1/8-inch thick (you may have to wait a few minutes for the dough to soften). Cut out rounds of dough to fit the tartlet pans (alternatively, if you are making a large, single tart, roll out the dough and cut a large circle to fit the tart pan). Press the dough carefully into the pans and mend any breaks or tears with excess dough. Stab the bottom several times with a fork so the dough will not rise in the oven.

Bake the tart shells for 15-18 minutes, or until they are lightly colored and the shell feels dry to the touch.

Goat Cheese Filling 
5 ounces goat cheese, softened 
1/3 cup sour cream 
1 large egg 
1/4 cup honey

In a small bowl, stir together the goat cheese, sour cream, egg, and honey until absolutely smooth. Pour mixture into large tart shell or divide evenly between individual tart shells. Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until filling is puffed and golden. Allow tarts to cool completely.

Topping 
12 ounces fresh blackberries 
2-3 tablespoons honey, warmed 
Fresh basil leaves, shredded

Once tarts are cooled, top with blackberries and drizzle with warm honey. Garnish with shredded basil leaves, if desired. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

To store, chill tarts in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

s-a-v-o-r-y:

Baked Tostadas with Tomatillo Black Bean Salsa

Tomatillo Black Bean Salsa

Ingredients

1 pound tomatillos, chopped (about two heaping cups of chopped tomatillos)

1 small shallot (an entire bulb), finely chopped

2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

½ cup cilantro, chopped

1 small lime, juiced

1 cup cooked black beans, rinsed and drained

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine all of the prepared ingredients. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary (more lime juice, salt and pepper, etc.). Cover the salsa and let it rest for at least 30 minutes in order for the flavors to meld and the beans to soak up the surrounding flavors.

Baked Tostadas with Tomatillo Black Bean Salsa

Ingredients

Corn tortillas (about 2 per person)

Cooking spray

Extra-virgin olive oil

Black beans, cooked (canned beans are fine), cooking liquid reserved

Hot sauce of your choice

Red pepper flakes (optional)

Tomatillo black bean salsa (see recipe above)

Toppings: crumbled feta cheese (highly recommended), diced avocado, sour cream or plain greek yogurt, red pepper flakes and/or more cilantro.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spray each tortilla with cooking spray on both sides and place on baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 10 minutes, until golden and crispy.

In a skillet over medium heat, pour in a little drizzle of olive oil. Add black beans and their cooking liquid, and mix in some hot sauce and red pepper flakes. Mash the mixture with a potato masher for five minutes or longer, until the beans have reduced to your desired consistency.

Spread bean mixture evenly over each tortilla and top with tomatillo salsa. Finish with your selected toppings.

goodmood-food:

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 2 egg whites
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• 20g extra sharp cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper
• watercress leaves
• 3 poached eggs

How to do

In a bowl mix the quinoa, eggs, egg whites, onion, cheese, salt and pepper. Add the bread crumbs and leave for a couple of minutes. Form into three cakes. On a large frying pan heat an oil and fry on a medium heat for about 7-10 minutes on each side.

Serve with the watercress leaves and a poached egg.

littleladieswholunch:

Today’s recipe for Fresh-Baked Honey Whole Wheat Soft Pretzels comes from my friend Kristina Wiedenhoeft of Mineral Point, Wisconsin.

Kristina has been a source of inspiration for me over the years with the meals she lovingly prepares for her family of 7. In addition to choosing local…

lifeisapickle:

stacieface:

I totally stole this idea.  But, it’s amazing.

See, I love salad.  But it takes so many containers to bring it to work, it’s pretty annoying.  So I usually just blow it off and get Subway when I’m at work.  Which, their salads SUCK, and are overpriced.  So I usually just get a sandwich, which defeats the purpose of the whole “cut back on sugar thing”.  Anyway.

I saw this.  And you can make a salad like this up to 4 days in advance before it starts being less fresh.  AS LONG AS THE DRESSING DOESN’T TOUCH THE SPINACH/LETTUCE.

This particular layering was amazing, because my onions and mushrooms marinated all day in this amazing home made vinaigrette dressing.  

The order I put things in the jar?

1. Dressing
2. Onions
3. Mushrooms
4. Cherry Tomatoes
5. Cucumbers
6. Spinach

Seal it up tight, and you’re good to go.

In 2 baggies I brought along some cubed chicken and some cheese.  I just shook the salad to coat in dressing, poured on a plate and topped with the chicken and cheese.  It was a wonderful lunch.

This is the most awesome!

projecttastytreats:

No Bake Nutella Cheesecakes

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Crust

12 Oreo Cookies, crushed into crumbs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup Nutella
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (8 ounce) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed

For the Garnish

whipped topping, optional
chocolate shavings, optional
toasted, chopped hazelnuts, optional

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the Oreo cookie crumbs and melted butter. Evenly divide the crumbs between your individual serving dishes and press into the bottoms of the dishes to form a crust layer.

2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and Nutella until smooth. Add vanilla and mix to combine. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the whipped topping until well blended and no streaks remain.

3. Evenly pipe or spoon the filling into individual serving dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

4. If desired, garnish with additional whipped topping, chocolate shavings, and/or toasted, chopped hazelnuts.

tango-mango:

I love a good bran muffin. I have two recipes for great ones; the other I will save for another day. You can taste the subtle, delicious tang of the buttermilk in these muffins. I put raisins in them if I have them on hand (which I didn’t).

Classic Bran muffins - adapted from a recipe from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups wheat bran
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.

Mix wheat bran with buttermilk; let stand for 10 minutes.

Whisk together oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and add to buttermilk/bran mixture. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir flour mixture into buttermilk mixture until just blended. Fold in raisins and spoon batter into prepared muffin tins.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.