Super Easy Banana Bread (dairy free, egg free) only 7 ingredients!

1/4 cup ground flax
1/2 cup warm water
3 bananas, mashed
scant 3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cup white whole wheat flour or AP flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flax and water. Set aside. Mash bananas in a mixing bowl. Add sugar and combine. Add in flax mixture. Combine dry ingredients into wet by gently folding with spatula. Do not over mix. Add batter to greased and floured loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until golden on edges. Turn out of pan after 5 minutes. Cool, slice, serve.

Chai Tea Oat Carrot Muffins

3 packets of Oregon Chai instant tea mix (The kind with sugar)
3 cups oats ground finely in food processor
3 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp ground flax
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1 1/2 cups cooked carrot finely chopped
2 tbsp melted butter
pinch salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/3 cups milk (I used sweetened almond milk)
2 eggs

Combine dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients. Gently fold both mixtures together. Line muffin tin with paper liners. Fill cups full. Bake at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes or until set. Makes about 15.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins

1 1/3 cups AP flour
1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups quick oats or rolled oats ground in food processor
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup raw sugar
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tbsp molasses
1 cup milk, any kind

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Add dry ingredients to bowl first and whisk to combine. Add wet ingredients on top of dry mixture. Gently fold together with a spatula, scraping sides as you go- about 10 "folds" around the bowl. The mixture will be lumpy and not all the flour will be mixed in. Once it's about 90% combined, it's ready for the muffin cups.
Line muffin tins with paper liners. Spray liners with non-stick spray. Scoop mixture into each cup (2/3 full).
Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean. Cool before serving.
Freezes well.
Makes 24.

Freezer Cooking: Tikka Masala in the Slow Cooker

In a 1 quart freezer bag, place:
12oz. boneless skinless chicken breast, in 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

In a gallon freezer bag, place:
1 large can diced tomatoes, with chiles
1 small can tomato paste
1 tsp ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp red curry paste
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder

Freeze bags for up to 3 months.

When you're ready to cook-
Remove bags from freezer. Place frozen contents in crock pot. Cook on high for 4 hours.

After 4 hours, add 1 1/4 cups brown rice or pearl barley and 2 cups very hot water to crock pot. Stir to mix in the grains. Cook on high for 2-3 more hours until grain is cooked.

Before serving, stir in 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp salt, & 1 cup half & half (or milk).

Serve with salad or carrot sticks and a piece of pita (naan) or crusty bread.

Serves 6

Thanksgiving Dinner- Wheat & Corn Bread Stuffing

 1- 1 1/2 lb. loaf whole wheat bread, cut into 1" cubes
1- 1 lb. loaf corn bread, cut into 1" cubes
1 large onion, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped small
3 tbsp. butter
salt, pepper to taste
1 tbsp sage
1 tbsp parsley
1/2 cup chardonnay
7-10 cups stock

Cut bread the day before and leave out on the counter overnight to dry out.

The day of-
Add onion, celery, and butter to pan.  Season with salt & pepper. Saute until onion is translucent. Add herbs and wine. Reduce liquid by half.

Add bread and onion mixture to a large bowl. Add 6 cups stock. Fold mixture together.

Add mixture to 13x9 baking dish, pressing it in with the back of a spoon.

Let rest for 15 minutes. Check moisture level by feeling a bread cube. If it falls apart, it moist enough. If it's still a little hard in the middle, pour 1 cup stock over mixture in pan & check again after a few minutes. Repeat until mixture is very moist.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 1hour-1 hour 15 minutes.

Millet Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins

Slightly sweet with a nutty crunch from the millet. Goes nicely with morning coffee.

1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 eggs
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup dry millet

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine butter, pumpkin, sugar, honey, eggs, yogurt, vanilla, & cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl.
Dump in flour, cinnamon, salt, soda, & millet. Fold mixture until mostly combined…not too much though- batter will be thick and lumpy.

Scoop with large-3tbsp size- scoop (I use this one) into greased muffin tins. Bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean.

Makes about 18.

inspired by Joy the Baker's recipe

Broccoli Millet Casserole

6 cups cooked millet- I used Bob's Red Mill Millet & Chicken Stock
1lb bag frozen broccoli cuts
1 12oz. bag italian cut green beans
2 1/2 cups stock
4 tablespoons corn starch
2/3 cup milk powder
2/3 cup greek yogurt, mayonnaise, or sour cream or a combo of them.
1 1/2 cup shredded cheese
seasonings to taste- salt, pepper, garlic, onion, Mrs. Dash

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the stock, corn starch, milk powder, yogurt, cheese and seasonings in a bowl. Add millet and veggies. Stir to combine.

Pour into greased 13x9 pan. Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on the edges.

Serve as a side or main dish.

Barley Tomato Risotto

1 cup pearl barley

1 tbsp EVOO

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

pepper

1 15oz. can diced tomatoes

2 cups milk (I use unsweetened almond)

Put barley and oil in pot on medium and toast until deep caramel color. Add garlic and let that toast a bit. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cook covered on medium/low, stirring every 10 minutes or so, for about  40 minutes. Then, switch to low for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn burner off, leave pot covered, and let sit until all moisture is absorbed. Serve slightly warm with Pea & Chive Pesto on top. 

Pizza Dough

Basic Pizza Dough

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon honey/raw sugar
• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 3 cups flour (AP, Whole Wheat, White Whole Wheat, or a combo)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

Add the water, yeast, & honey/sugar into your mixer bowl. Combine. Add the olive oil. Turn mixer on medium speed. Add the salt to your flour. Gradually add flour/salt mixture to mixer bowl. Combine everything until the dough comes away from the sides of the mixer bowl. Work quickly, and don't be afraid to really turn the mixer up. The whole process should only take about a minute. 

Let the dough rest in the bowl while you prep your other ingredients. It doesn't really NEED to rest, but I'm sure it helps the dough cooperate a little. 

Roll it out and top as you'd like. When baking it, use the highest temperature on your oven- like 550 degrees. It's the most promising way to end up with a "pizza place" type crust. Their ovens are usually at least 600 degrees.

You can also use this dough for calzones, stromboli, focaccia, breadsticks, even for quick cinnamon rolls.

Zucchini Cheese Biscuits

These biscuits are light and delicious!

Makes about 15

3/4 cup shredded zucchini, with excess moisture squeezed from it-(so start with about 1 cup, you'll end up with 3/4)
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 cup milk, I used almond milk
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheese, any kind

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Add zucchini, butter and yogurt to mixer bowl. Cream for about 20 seconds. Stop mixer and add the flour, salt, & baking powder. Combine until the mixture is coarsely combined-like wet sand. Add milk and cheese. Mix just until everything is combined.

Scoop out 2 tbsp. per biscuit onto a parchment lined  baking sheet or onto a stoneware pan. Sprinkle each biscuit with some garlic powder or minced garlic and more black pepper.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they are golden brown on the edges and springy to the touch.