Tag: gluten-free

Banana Bread French Toast

Brunch and Mother’s Day seems to go hand-in-hand, so what better way to celebrate mom than with a delicious, homemade breakfast?

We have teamed up with our local Whole Foods again this month to not only bring you this amazing recipe, but to launch a Mother’s Day Instagram giveaway for a $250 Whole Foods gift card AND a re-useable tote filled with all of the ingredients to make this recipe. So visit the @twofitmoms Instagram page for more details!

Since Mother’s Day is generally a day for pampering and splurging our goal was to create a decadent brunch dish. As you know, the vast majority of our recipes are healthy, so while healthy and decadent don’t always go together, we managed to merge the two to bring you Banana Bread French Toast! How amazing does that sound??!!

We took our traditional Banana Bread recipe (which happens to be gluten free!), sliced it, soaked it in an egg batter and pan fried it to create a delectable dish that any mom would love. The beauty of this recipe is that you can make the banana bread a day or two in advance and leave the frying for Mother’s Day morning.

You can serve it as is, with a dusting of powdered sugar (as shown) or topped with a bit of maple syrup (you don’t need much at all)!.

Banana Bread French Toast
Yields 12 slices (feeds approximately, 4-5 people)

1 loaf of banana bread, sliced into 12, 1/2 inch slices (find recipe here)
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup of milk (your choice)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons of butter
powdered sugar for dusting
maple syrup (optional)

Directions: Set a griddle or a large frying pan, over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. While the butter is melting, beat eggs, milk and vanilla in a shallow bowl. Dip both sides of banana bread into egg mixture and place on hot griddle/pan (We were able to fit 2-3 pieces of banana bread in our pan). Let the banana bread cook about one to one and a half minutes on each side — until nice and golden brown. Turn the banana bread onto a baking sheet and keep warm in a 300 degree oven while making the rest of the bread. You will use the rest of the butter once you work through the remaining slices of bread.

Serve warm, top with powdered sugar or maple syrup – fresh fruit, whatever you desire.

The Instagram giveaway is sponsored by Whole Foods.

Whole Foods Market®
“Mother’s Day Giveaway”

Official Rules

No payment or purchase is necessary to enter.

Dates: This promotion begins at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 05/06/17, and ends at 12:00 p.m. ET on 05/13/17 (the “Promotion Period”).

Eligibility: Entrants must be a legal US resident, and at least 18 years of age or older, to participate. Officers and employees of Whole Foods Market (the “Sponsor”), and its respective subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, their vendors and agents, and the immediate family members of the foregoing, are not eligible to win.

To Enter – Instagram: To participate using Instagram, participants must have a valid, public Instagram Account and be a follower of both @wholefoodsbergennj and @twofitmoms Instagram accounts. Participants are asked to comment on the Post telling us their favorite Mother’s Day tradition, share by tagging @wholefoodsbergennj and @twofitmoms, and include the hashtag #SweepstakesEntry for an entry. By using the hashtag, participant indicates his/her agreement to these Official Rules. Entrant’s Instagram settings must be public. Entries uploaded from “private” Instagram accounts will not be eligible. Entrants must follow and continue to follow @wholefoodsbergennj and @twofitmoms through at least 05/13/17 in order to be notified in the event he/she is a potential winner. By submitting an Instagram Entry, Entrants agree to Instagram’s Terms of Use. This Sweepstakes is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram LLC. IMPORTANT: MESSAGE AND DATA RATES MAY APPLY TO USE OF MOBILE PHONE/DEVICE TO PARTICIPATE IN SWEEPSTAKES. INSTAGRAM IS FREE TO DOWNLOAD AND AVAILABLE FOR iPHONE FROM THE APPLE APPLICATION STORE AND FOR ANDROID FROM THE GOOGLE PLAY STORE.

Limit: One (1) Entry per person per day.

Drawing/Prize: At approximately 1:00 p.m. ET on 05/13/17 one (1) winner will be selected in a random drawing, under the supervision of the Sponsor, from among all eligible entries received. Winner will receive a $250 WFM Gift Card and a re-useable tote filled with all the ingredients (and the recipe) to make decadent Banana Bread French Toast. Approximate retail value of prize is $350. Odds of winning will depend on the total number of eligible entries received.

General Terms & Conditions: Potential Winner will be notified by a tag/direct message to the Potential Winner’s Instagram Account, and will have 3 days within which to claim their prize, or an alternate winner may be selected, at the sole discretion of the Sponsor. No substitution or exchange of prize will be allowed, except at the sole discretion of the Sponsor. Entry also constitutes permission, where allowable, for Sponsor to use the name, photograph and likeness of the winner for promotional purposes, without further compensation. Sponsor reserves the right in their sole discretion to disqualify any Entry at any time in the event it is determined that the Entry is offensive, inappropriate, not in keeping with Sponsors’ images or if it is determined that the entrant has not otherwise complied with these Official Rules. Entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which shall be final and binding in all respects. All taxes on prizes, if applicable, are the sole responsibility of the winner. All federal, state and local rules and regulations apply. Entrants/winner agree to “hold harmless” the Sponsor, Instagram, and agents affiliated with this promotion for any and all damages that may result from acceptance of the prize offered, and/or participation in the promotion. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

iPhone is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by Apple, Inc.

Instagram is a registered trademark of Instagram, Inc. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by Instagram, Inc.

May 5, 2017
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Sage Croutons

When I think of fall cooking, I think of pumpkins and apples and butternut squash! In the past few weeks, I’ve given you a pumpkin and an apple recipe, so I owe you a butternut squash one.

This recipe is particularly easy and especially delicious. It’s for Roasted Butternut Squash soup! It’s also hearty and perfect for the crisp weather. It can be eaten alone — a meal in and of itself — or you can enjoy it alongside a sandwich or a salad. Actually, it’s a perfect starter for your Thanksgiving dinner!

It requires only a handful of ingredients which you likely have on hand — with the exception of the fresh sage . . . And, the fresh sage is really what sets it apart.

I think sage is particularly comforting. Or maybe it’s just that the smell reminds me of the holidays, specifically Thanksgiving. In fact, sage makes an appearance in many traditional Thanksgiving dishes — from the seasoning on the turkey to the gravy to the stuffing (or dressing, depending on where you are from!). In the instance of this soup, the sage really complements the roasted, caramelized squash. It also tastes great infused in some croutons.

Speaking of croutons . . . this soups begs for a few. So, I included a recipe for those too!

Enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Yields 6 cups, enough for a family of four

1, 3lb butternut squash, cut into 1 inch cubes
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
8-10 fresh sage leaves, chopped (approximately 1 tablespoon)
6 cups of chicken stock (or non-tomato based vegetable stock)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In the meantime, arrange the butternut squash cubes on a large baking sheet, drizzle with approximately 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven until caramelized, approximately 20-30 minutes. Please keep in mind that the squash will not be fork tender when you remove it from the oven.

In a large pot over medium to low heat, add the remaining olive oil. Once the oil comes to temperature, add the chopped onion and celery and cook until translucent, approximately 5-7 minutes. Then add the chopped sage, salt and pepper to taste. Let the sage cook with the onions and celery for a few minutes so it infuses the vegetables. Then, add the roasted butternut squash and the chicken stock. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat and let the vegetables simmer on low until everything is fork tender, approximately 20 minutes. Then, in two batches, add the soup mixture to the base of a blender and blend until smooth. Serve hot or refrigerate for a later date. Croutons make an excellent accompaniment. See the recipe below!

Homemade Sage Croutons

2-3 cups of day old bread (I used leftover ciabatta bread)
2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
4-5 fresh sage leaves, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Add bread, olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh sage to a baking sheet. Toss the bread so that it’s lightly coated with olive oil. Toast in the oven until the bread browns lightly, approximately 10 minutes.

Helpful Hint: If your soup is too thick, add a little extra stock to thin it out. This may happen if you boil the soup longer than you should and too much of the stock evaporates. It’s an easy fix provided you have some extra stock on hand — and worse case, you can always add some water.

October 24, 2016
Back-to-School Blueberry Corn Muffins (gluten-free!)

Struggling to get the kids up, dressed, fed and out the door? You are not alone! Breakfast is always the one part of my family’s routine that suffers. If your house is like mine, you are probably searching for quick and easy ways to get your kids to eat a healthy breakfast. I know it’s a challenge, especially if your kids are picky eaters. So, I thought a healthy breakfast muffin would be the best and most welcomed fuel for their busy school day! Muffins are also transportable, so if you and your family have no time to sit down and eat, you can take them on the road.

In addition to making a healthy muffin, I thought a gluten-free one would be an added bonus. I happen to love corn muffins, and corn meal is gluten free, so it works perfectly. In order to boost the health factor (and to ensure it is gluten-free), I replaced white flour with oatmeal. Oatmeal has lots of health benefits. In addition to being high in fiber, oatmeal helps lower cholesterol. However, not everyone loves the texture that rolled oats bring to baked goods. So, I threw my oats into the food processor and turned them into a flour. You will never know there’s oatmeal in these muffins, but you will reap the incredible health benefits! My muffins are also studded with blueberries which happen to be high in fiber, potassium, vitamin C — and also help lower cholesterol. I think they are the perfect addition. However, if you are not high on blueberries, try adding peaches or another berry of your choice!

If I were you, I would make a batch of muffins on Sunday, and save them for the week. They will last a few days if stored in an air-tight container. But, you might want to make two batches, these muffins are yummy!

Back-to-School Blueberry Corn Muffins
Yields 12 muffins

1 cup of rolled oats (broken down into a flour in the food processor)
1 cup of corn meal
1/4 cup of grade B maple syrup
1/4 cup of milk
1/4 cup of safflower oil
1 egg
1 banana (mashed)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup of fresh blueberries

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees.

Line a muffin tin with paper liners. You will only need a 12-cup tin for this recipe.

Put your oats in a food processor and pulse until it forms a flour-like consistency.

In a large bowl, add the wet ingredients (maple syrup, milk, oil, egg) and mix. Add the mashed banana and the oatmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. Stir until combined. Add the blueberries last, and mix gently so they don’t break up.

Spoon the mixture evenly amongst the 12 muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!

September 9, 2015
Banana Bread – An Updated Classic

The icy weather outside kept me indoors today, so I had some extra time on my hands to experiment in the kitchen.

I had two nearly black bananas staring at me — begging me to do something with them. So, I decided I’d try to make a gluten free banana bread — with no white sugar. I’ve never made such a thing before. When it comes to dessert, I generally go all in — white flour, white sugar, butter, oil. I don’t like to skimp on dessert since I hardly make them given my hectic schedule. However, today I thought I would try to alter a traditional banana bread recipe – a classic, if you will.

I knew there were certain items that I wanted to use — brown rice flour, almond meal and maple syrup, specifically — oh, and those two over-ripe bananas. So, I pulled together other traditional cake ingredients — eggs, a little vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon, and yogurt . . . . . and, voila, I had banana bread deliciousness baking in my oven!

I could hardly wait the 60 minutes it took for the bread to bake. To be honest, I wasn’t sure how the brown rice flour would work in this recipe so I was anxiously waiting for the timer on my oven to sound.

I’m happy to say, I was soooo pleased with the results! In fact, I was overjoyed. I can’t explain the excitement I feel when I make a healthy version of a generally not-too-healthy recipe — especially DESSERT! However, this recipes proves that you can lighten up your desserts and still retain the delicious flavor and texture you are used to – you just need to use some creativity.

Also, just a side note, banana bread is a completely acceptable breakfast — at least in my house!

So, here’s my Banana Bread recipe. I hope you try it — modify it — make it your own. Don’t be afraid to experiment in the kitchen — I’m so happy I wasn’t!

Banana Bread–An Updated Classic
Yields 1 loaf

1 ½ cups of brown rice flour
½ cup almond meal
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
½ cup of maple syrup
⅓ cup of coconut oil
⅓ cup of plain yogurt or sour cream
2 over-ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

optional — add ½ cup of chopped nuts or chocolate chips or shredded coconut — or whatever addition suits your fancy.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan with an oil of your choice.

In a bowl, add your dry ingredients — brown rice flour, almond meal, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

In a larger bowl add your wet ingredients — eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil (heat to liquid form), yogurt/sour cream, bananas, and vanilla extract. With a hand mixer, beat all wet ingredients until combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and beat until incorporated.

Pour mixture into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the oven for approximately 1 hour, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let it cool. Slice and serve.

January 26, 2015
Make Ahead Breakfast: Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cake

Who doesn’t love a hot bowl of oatmeal in the morning — especially as the weather starts to get a bit chilly? But, who has the time to prepare oats in the morning — aside from the instant ones that tend to be full of sugar? If you want to get your oatmeal fix, but have little time to prepare them in the morning, consider making an oatmeal cake. You can make it in advance and enjoy it throughout the week. All you need to do is pop it in the microwave to heat it, and voila, a healthy breakfast is served!

I got this idea from Cooking Light that offers a baked oatmeal recipe. However, the Cooking Light recipe includes butter and brown sugar. I wanted to lighten up the recipe, so I swapped out the butter and the brown sugar, replacing them with safflower oil and maple syrup.

By now, you probably know that I use maple syrup a lot as a processed sugar replacement. Maple syrup is a natural sugar, and I find that I can easily replace an equal amount of white sugar (or brown sugar) with maple syrup. It works really nicely in this oatmeal cake recipe.

You can flavor the oatmeal cake any way you’d like. I decided to make a pumpkin oatmeal cake, because it’s fall, and I love pumpkin! You can also use mashed banana or applesauce in place of the pumpkin puree. If you don’t consume dairy products, try making the cake with almond or soy milk. I added raisins to the Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cake, but you can throw in cranberries or currants or chocolate chips! You can also top it with a little extra maple syrup for some additional sweetness. It’s really a very versatile recipe. It’s also a great recipe for the non-oatmeal lover in your life.

If you happen to follow a gluten-free diet or have a gluten allergy, make sure to use oats that are labeled as gluten-free. While oats are naturally gluten-free, they are often cross contaminated with grains containing gluten during the growing process.

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cake
Yields nine servings

2 cups of oats (not quick cooking)
1/3 cup of raisins
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 1/2 cups of milk
1/4 cup of maple syrup (grade B)
1/2 cup of pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons of safflower oil
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8 by 8 inch square pan. Combine the first four ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, add the milk, maple syrup, pumpkin, oil and beaten egg. Mix to incorporate and then add the wet mixture to the dry mixture. Stir well. Pour the oat mixture into the greased pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until firm. Serve warm or refrigerate it and enjoy throughout the week!

Helpful hint: You can make the oat mixture the night before, store it in the refrigerator and bake it in the morning! I found the cooking time remained the same, but all ovens will vary.

September 25, 2014
Zucchini and Summer Squash Pappardelle

This dish is amazing. It looks like pasta, and you want to believe you are eating pasta, but it doesn’t taste like pasta. It just tastes really good.

I think it’s the combination of textures — the thinly cut — almost twirl-able squash — the carmelized garlic, the nutty cheese and the herbs. Whatever it is, it’s divine.

You have probably noticed all of these nifty gadgets that cut the zucchini and other vegetables into spiral shapes that resemble spaghetti. I don’t have any of these tools, but I do have a mandolin which I used in our Shaved Fennel Salad.

In fact, this recipe is a play on one that my brother recently concocted — what he calls “Zucchini Pappardelle” — which is a flat and wide pasta shape — and totally achievable with a mandolin. I made a garlic and olive oil based sauce with some red pepper flakes and fresh herbs. If you eat dairy, you must add parmigiano-reggiano cheese to this dish.

You can also top the blanched squash with other sauces — including a fresh tomato sauce. However, I think you will really enjoy this recipe — it’s a surprisingly delicious and healthy dish that can be served alone, as an entree (along with a salad), or as a side dish with chicken or fish or anything else you may have on your table this summer. Aside from tasting great, it just looks gorgeous!

If you can’t eat pasta, or if you are looking for a new recipe for all that squash in your garden, this recipe is for you.

Enjoy!

Zucchini and Summer Squash Pappardelle with Garlic & Olive Oil
Serves 4 people

3 medium sized zucchini
3 medium sized summer squash
1/4 cup olive oil
4 large cloves of garlic
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup of shaved parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1 tablespoon chopped basil
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
salt to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In the meantime, with a mandolin, slice the zucchini and summer squash about 1/16th of an inch thick. Blanch the zucchini for approximately one minute, or until the squash is tender. Remove the squash and submerge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain the squash and set aside in a large serving bowl.

In a pan over medium-low heat, add the olive oil, sliced garlic and crushed red pepper. Allow the garlic to brown slowly, and once it does, turn off the heat.

Add the olive oil mixture, the chopped basil, parsley and parmigiano-reggiano over the blanched zucchini. Toss and serve.

Helpful hint: Do NOT overcook the squash during the blanching stage. It will fall completely apart when you toss it! And, do NOT burn the garlic. If you do, start over!

August 15, 2014
Banana Maple Walnut “Ice Cream” (Dairy- and Gluten-Free!)

I had heard you could make mock-ice cream out of frozen bananas. I was skeptical, but I had a few spotted bananas on my counter, and I figured why not try! So, I peeled them, sliced them, wrapped them up and popped them into the freezer.

While they were freezing, I contemplated what type of ice cream I would make. You could easily make one-ingredient ice cream with just the frozen bananas, but I wanted to jazz it up a bit. While the ripened bananas are sweet on their own, I wanted to add a little more sweetness. I’m particularly fond of using maple syrup as a sweetener. I thought I’d also throw in some nuts — walnuts to be exact. Maple Walnut ice cream sounded pretty good to me — plus I figured the flavors would complement the bananas (think banana walnut muffin!).

I threw the chopped, frozen bananas into the food processor along with the maple syrup and pulsed it until it was smooth — like a softened ice cream texture. I then mixed in (by hand) the chopped walnuts.

The texture is definitely looser than ice cream, so you may want to put it in the freezer to set up a bit. If so, a loaf pan covered with plastic wrap works out nicely.

This is a great mock-ice cream. It’s creamy and delicious, and it is a perfect ice cream substitute. It’s also ideal for those who follow a dairy- or gluten-free diet.

As far as my family goes, they really enjoyed it — in fact, they were asking for more!

While an ice cream aficionado might turn their nose up, a health-conscious ice cream-loving mom will love this recipe — not only will she get rid of the spotted bananas in the house, but she will reap a healthy frozen dessert in return!

Banana Maple Walnut “Ice Cream”
Serves 4 people

4 ripe bananas cut into 1 inch slices and frozen
3-4 tablespoons maple syrup ( I use grade B for thickness)
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts

In the bowl of a food processor add your bananas and maple syrup (you can adjust the amount of syrup based on your desired level of sweetness). Pulse until the bananas break down, resembling a smooth creamy consistency. Remove mixture and add to a bowl. Mix in the chopped walnuts. Serve immediately or pop back into the freezer for a more solid consistency.

August 7, 2014
Roasted Potato Leek Soup (Gluten- and Dairy-Free!)

Leeks are a spring vegetable. And, now that they are in season, it’s the perfect time to incorporate them into into your cooking.

If you’ve never cooked with leeks, this roasted potato leek soup is a great, and simple, introductory recipe. The roasted vegetables offer depth of flavor and compensate for the lack of dairy in the soup (potato leek soup usually contains cream). It’s also gluten-free!

Leeks have a mild onion flavor. The dark green portion of the stalk, which is too tough to eat, is removed (wash and save it for stock!), using only the light green and white portion. Learning how to clean the leek is important since sand tends to get caught in the stalk. Therefore, you need to take a few steps to prep the leeks before proceeding with the recipe.

First, remove the dark green portion of the stalk.

Then cut about a 1/4-1/2 inch from the bottom, white portion, of the stalk.

Next, cut the leek lengthwise.

Rinse the leek under cold running water to remove the sand.

Then, put the leeks cut side down and cut the leeks in 1/2 inch slices.

Toss the leeks into a colander, separate the layers and run under cold water to make sure all of the sand is removed.

Now you are ready to prepare the soup.

Here’s the full recipe:

Roasted Potato Leek Soup

4 leeks, washed and prepared as noted above (1/4-1/2 inch slices)

3 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch dice

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

3-4 tablespoons of olive oil

6 cups of organic, gluten-free chicken stock or vegetable stock (non-tomato based)

chopped chives for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Arrange sliced leeks and diced potatoes on a large cookie sheet. Top with salt, thyme, pepper and olive oil (feel free to add more olive oil if necessary) and mix to coat. Roast the vegetables for approximately 50 minutes, stirring them frequently. Once potatoes are tender, remove from oven. At this point, you might notice a few dark pieces of leek, you can toss those. Transfer roasted leeks and potatoes to a large stock pot. Add the six cups of chicken stock and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove mixture from the heat. Blend the soup in two batches in a blender (please note, a Vitamix or other high powered blender, may be too strong for this job — you do not want to over-blend the soup. It will yield a gummy consistency).

Serve hot or at room temperature. Top with chives.

Yields two quarts of soup.

April 12, 2014
Simple Broccoli Rabe Pesto

Do you ever get sick and tired of the taste of your own recipes? Some days, I feel like all of my meals taste the same, even if I change most of the ingredients. When I fall into this kind of cooking funk, I call up my childhood friend, Kate, for inspiration. I know that Kate will have a delicious recipe for me that can be modified to fit my diet, even on its strictest days. She also has an amazing knack for creating meals that my children find just as delicious as I do. This recipe is no exception and will become a staple in your house, as it is in mine.

Today, I want to introduce you to a versatile, easy-to-make sauce: broccoli rabe pesto. In the summer, we generally turn to herbs like basil and parsley for pesto, but this time of year, let’s work with a cold weather green like broccoli rabe.

Broccoli rabe is known to be a little bitter, however, blanching it takes away the bitterness and makes it perfect for blending into a tasty pesto.

Traditionally, pignoli nuts (and sometimes walnuts) appear in pesto recipes. This recipe, however, is nut free. Feel free to experiment and make this recipe your own! Throw a handful of toasted nuts into the food processor along with the rest of the ingredients.

This pesto can also be used as a condiment on sandwiches, a marinade for fish and poultry, or a sauce to toss with pasta. While Kate’s original recipe was made with cheese and wheat pasta, we were able to modify it so that it was both gluten and dairy free.

Enjoy!

Broccoli Rabe Pesto

1 large bunch of broccoli rabe (stems removed)

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

¼ cup of olive oil

Salt

Pepper

1 lb of cooked pasta of your choice

Cook broccoli rabe in a large pot of salted boiling water for 3-5 minutes – until just tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Pat dry with a towel/paper towel. Add broccoli rabe to the bowl of a food processor, add crushed garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper. Pulse until emulsified.

If you would like to add cheese, feel free to mix in ¼ cup of parmigiano reggiano cheese after the mixture has been pureed.

Serve over pasta — or any other way you would like!

Yields 1 healthy cup of pesto (enough to top approximately a pound and a half of pasta)

March 19, 2014
Two-Ingredient Pancakes

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any easier than 5-ingredient banana-oat muffins, I am introducing you to two-ingredient banana pancakes. You know why I love these pancakes? I get the SAME amount of credit from my kids for making these pancakes as I do for making a more time intensive flour-based pancake batter from scratch—And you KNOW how annoying it is to pull out all of the ingredients to make real pancake batter with flour, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs, etc. Who has time for all of that on a weekday? Or even on a weekend, for that matter. If the kids don’t even have a preference, I’m going with the two-ingredient version.

Another benefit of these pancakes is that they don’t need syrup. They are naturally sweet. Do they taste like “regular” pancakes? No, not exactly. The eggs certainly give these pancakes a little more of an omelette consistency, but they are passable, and my kids have never asked whether these are “real” pancakes. If you need more of a flour-y texture, add a third ingredient—2 tablespoons of brown rice flour or another flour of your choice! Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1 ripe banana (with brown spots is best!)
1 egg

Optional ingredients: Add 2 tablespoons of brown rice flour for a more typical pancake consistency. Feel free to top each pancake while cooking with mini chocolate chips, blueberries or nuts.

Directions:
Mash the banana and egg together. Mix ingredients into a smooth batter. Heat and grease a frying pan/griddle, and drop tablespoon-sized dollops of batter into the pan. Cook on medium heat, lifting the edges occasionally to check the underside of the pancakes for doneness and to avoid burning.

February 9, 2014