Two Fit Moms

Tag: holiday

  • Banana Bread French Toast

    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?
    BBFrenchToast

    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.
  • Entertaining 101: Best Dishes for Feeding a Crowd

    Entertaining 101: Best Dishes for Feeding a Crowd

    Now that we’ve got our planning down, let’s figure out what types of dishes are best for entertaining.  When you are expecting a large crowd, individual portions become difficult to manage.  Family style (or buffet style), is the way to go. But, what will you serve that will feed a crowd?  You need dishes that spread.

    Here are my suggestions for the types of recipes (appetizers to desserts!) that work best when entertaining a group of people.
    Below view of people clinking glasses with each other
    Simple dips and crudite platters
    You can make them in advance, and they can generally work for vegetarians and meat-eating folks.  And, if you don’t have time to make your own dip or vegetable platter, you can purchase the individual items and assemble.  There’s no shame in picking up a store bought hummus or guacamole.  Do what works for you.

    Pasta
    A big bowl of pasta is hearty and can feed many.  Make a homemade pesto or marinara or any other sauce of choice and top it onto your favorite pasta.  We do not have dietary restrictions in our house, but some of our guests do, so we make brown rice pasta and semolina pasta — two big bowls — both with the same sauce.  You can also make a baked pasta — a lasagna or stuffed shells — or baked manicotti (which is what my family eats during the holidays). Generally, kids and adults are both happy with it!

    Salads
    They will go a mile and everyone enjoys them.  My recommendation is to make a green salad and a grain salad.  Not everyone at your party may be well versed on farro and quinoa, but everyone can relate to a nice green salad.  Make both. Throw some seasonal ingredients into them to make them more festive — like pomegranate seeds, cranberries, toasted walnuts.  You get the picture.

    Veggies
    A big platter of vegetables is always welcomed.  You can grill them and serve them along with other appetizers, including breads and cheeses.  Or, you can include them on your buffet along with your other dinner items.  You can never go wrong with grilled vegetables and they taste even better room temperature.

    If it’s too cold to bust out your grill, try a roasted vegetable platter instead — beets, butternut squash, throw some nuts and maybe cheese on top.  Yum!

    Meat or Fish
    This is a little more complicated because cooking meat and fish requires timing it, carving it, etc.  That being said, if you don’t mind stealing away from your guests to do so, there are definitely some options.  You can roast a whole fish or salmon fillets and arrange on a platter.  You can also bake a ham or roast a whole filet mignon and serve it room temperature.  I tend to include meat on my holiday table because the older crowd look for it, but I’m seriously considering skipping it this season — just to give myself a break and offer myself a chance to not cook while my guests are around.

    Dessert
    Well, dessert is easy.  Make a big fruit crisp.  You can make it in advance, and just pop it in the oven to warm it before serving (with ice cream, or whipped cream or nothing because it’s so delicious on it’s own!).  You can make cookies or cupcakes or a cake or pie or two.  Just don’t make too much.  I prefer quality over quantity.

    In addition to the sweets, put out some fruit and nuts as well.  Not everyone will be up for a heavy dessert after a big meal.

    I hope these tips help make your holiday entertaining a bit easier and a lot less stressful.

  • Apple Raisin Clafoutis

    Apple Raisin Clafoutis

    One of my favorite fall activities is apple picking.  Not only do our kids love apple picking, but so do my husband and I.  Needless to say, we end up leaving with tons of apples.

    Apple pie, baked apples, applesauce and apple crisp are usually the first recipes that come to mind, but I like to use the apples to make a really delicious, light — and not too sweet —  cake called Apple Raisin Clafoutis.

    apple cake sliceClafoutis is a french baked dessert that involves fruit and a custard-like filling.  Traditionally, cherries are incorporated, but my version is made with apples, raisins and topped with sliced almonds.

    Generally, the cake is made with butter, white sugar and white flour.  I’ve modified the recipe, replacing the white flour with brown rice flour, the butter with safflower oil and the white sugar with natural maple syrup.  And, to be honest, you would never know the difference!!

    The beauty of this cake is that it doesn’t require a lot of effort — not much more than peeling and slicing four apples and making a quick batter in the blender.  It’s a no-fuss cake that’s perfect for any day of the week – but it’s also elegant enough for a dinner party or holiday gathering.

    I like to serve the cake with whipped cream — or ice cream.  If you are limiting your dairy, try cashew cream, or our Banana Maple Walnut Ice Cream! However, you can totally forgo a topping since the cake itself is so delicious!

    Apple Raisin Clafoutis

    Serves eight

    4 apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
    2 tablespoons of safflower oil
    1/2 cup of raisins
    1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
    1/2 cup of maple syrup (*I prefer Grade B for baking)
    1/2 cup of milk
    4 eggs
    1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    2/3 cup of brown rice flour
    1/4 cup of sliced almonds

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-cup shallow baking dish or a 12-inch pie or tart pan.

    Add the safflower oil to a large skillet on medium/low heat.  Add sliced apples and cook until lightly browned and tender. Add the raisins, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg and 1/4 cup of maple syrup.  Mix to incorporate; turn off the heat and reserve.

    In the base of a blender add the eggs, milk, 1/4 cup of maple syrup, brown rice flour and vanilla extract. Blend on high for one minute.  If you are using a Vitamix or other high performance blender you might want to reduce the blending time.  At the end of the day, all of the ingredients should be well incorporated.

    Spread the apple/raisin mixture in the greased baking dish/pan and pour the batter over the apples.  Sprinkle sliced almonds on top of the cake. Bake one hour and serve warm.