Category: Uncategorized

Oh So Good Banana Bread (Gluten Free!)

I have this great banana bread recipe. In fact, I had declared it THE best banana bread. It was clean and gluten free, which, let’s be honest, when combined can mean it doesn’t taste that great. But my friends and family will agree, it is darn good banana bread. You can get the recipe by clicking here. 

However, THE best banana bread requires the baker to create oat flour by putting all the dry ingredients in a food processor. I love my food processor, but the other evening, I was not interested in heading to the basement to grab it to make banana bread. Yes, I know this is slightly lazy. Okay, a lot lazy. But out of my refusal to grab an appliance, another great recipe was born. 

This recipe is STILL gluten free. While I am not gluten free myself, I dig being able to create for my friends who are. It still doesn’t have refined sugar. While I still love me some sugar, I enjoy finding good substitutes for my friends who try hard to cut extra sugar from their life. So if you are gluten free, watching your sugar, or you’re like me who really just loves a great banana bread recipe, I hope you give this a try. My husband (who doesn’t love banana bread) definitely went for seconds. And thirds. 

Ready? Let’s get baking!

Your Ingredients

  • 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (olive oil would do fine too!)
  • ¼ cup real maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups almond flour
  • ¾ cup old fashioned oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt 
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts 
  • ¼ cup dark chocolate chips 

Your Steps for Great Banana Bread 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×5 quick bread pan. In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla. Stir in oil. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Stir into the wet mixture. Fold in walnuts and chocolate chips. If you want it to look extra beautiful, sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 45-60 minutes, until cooked through. 

  • Start with the best–a few overly ripe bananas
  • Mix up some wet ingredients
  • Add the dry.
  • Stir it up. It will be moist. That’s okay!
  • Baked to perfection. Freaking yum.

Looking to bake other delicious treats? Head on over to my baking page for more inspiration!

Baking

Tools of the Trade

There isn’t much you need for a quick bread, but I want to share out the tools I love when I am baking!

Oh So Good Banana Bread

Oh So Good Banana Bread (Gluten Free!): Clean eating doesn't have to be flavorless. This banana bread is to die for and is gluten free too!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 3 very ripe bananas mashed
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted (olive oil would do fine too!)
  • ¼ cup real maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups almond flour
  • ¾ cup old fashioned oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts
  • ¼ cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×5 quick bread pan.
  • In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla.
  • Stir in oil. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Stir into the wet mixture.
  • Fold in walnuts and chocolate chips. Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top.
  • Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 45-60 minutes, until cooked through.
Keyword Banana Bread, bananas, Breakfast, Quick Bread
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Happy Mistake Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins

Isn’t it grand when a “happy little mistake” turns out to be a delight? While I have recently adopted the mentality of “what’s the worst that can happen?” when I am cooking and experimenting (by the way the worst that can happen is I learn what DOESN’T work and I throw away a little food), it is always exciting when the experiment turns out to be the best case scenario. That happened for me a week or so ago when I set out to make pumpkin scones. Scones were not the result, but the sourdough pumpkin muffins I created were a hit! 

Let me backtrack A little bit…

I have a great standard scone recipe that I adapt for all sorts of flavors of scones. You can check out one of my sourdough scone recipes here. I generally modify the spices and maybe add some diced fruit or lemon zest. This time, I had freshly roasted pumpkin that I was excited to use and figured it would mix well into the scone recipe. Needless to say, it became a little more damp than I am accustomed to, and I knew scones would be a no go. 

A few minutes of thinking and a few additional ingredients resulted in a batter the perfect consistency for muffins. I allowed it to rest (like a good sourdough bread should do), and lo and behold, a light, full of spice sourdough pumpkin muffins were born. I was so excited to share it with all of you! 

As an aside, it may not be traditional to share the mishaps turned to beauty in the kitchen. I believe in being real in life and on social media, and man, cooking isn’t always pretty. We make mistakes. Burn things, forget the salt, add one too many eggs, or forget just how many cups of flour you put in (Seriously, I use the least amount of measuring cups possible so if that means I have to use the ½ cup 5 times, I am down for it. Sometimes I lose track though. What can I say?) Bottom line, being in the kitchen should be an adventure. Take chances, embrace the mishaps and love the learning. It’s the only way to get better. 

Now let’s get cooking!

Your Ingredients for Sourdough Pumpkin muffins

  • 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves)
  • ⅓ cup cold butter
  • 1 ½ cups fresh, active sourdough starter
  • 1 cup fresh or thawed pumpkin puree
  • ¼-½ chocolate chips (optional)

Your Steps for Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare muffin tins by greasing or lining with muffin tin liners. Combine all dry ingredients. Cut cold butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. Mix by hand, pinching the butter in your fingers until it’s mixed together-ish. To that mixture, add starter, pumpkin, and chocolate chips. Mix by hand until just combined, making sure to reach the bottom of the bowl. Cover. Allow to rest 20-30 minutes. Scoop by ¼ cup full and fill muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes, or until they pass the toothpick test (a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean). 

Round out the fall flavor sensation by pairing your freshly baked muffins with some warm apple cider or maybe even a pumpkin spice latte. 

  • Dry ingredients..easy to measure!
  • Wet ingredients, starter and pumpkin, a great pair!
  • Mix by hand and let it rest 20 minutes!
  • Scoop into the muffin tin…
  • ..and perfection!

Tools of the Trade

If you’re baking, you need a great muffin tin. If you are fortunate enough to have a pumpkin to roast, I recommend a nice thick baking sheet lined in foil. Looking to get a new one? Check out the links below!

Roasted Pumpkin Recipe

Looking to roast your own pie pumpkin? Click here to get the recipe!

Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins

Sourdough discard mixed with fresh roasted pumpkin puree make for a delightful sourdough pumpkin muffin.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings 16 muffins

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ⅓ cup cold butter
  • 1 ½ cups fresh active sourdough starter
  • 1 cup fresh or thawed pumpkin puree
  • ¼-½ chocolate chips optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Prepare muffin tins by greasing or lining with muffin tin liners.
  • Combine all dry ingredients. Cut cold butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture.
  • Mix by hand, pinching the butter in your fingers until it’s mixed together-ish.
  • To that mixture, add starter, pumpkin, and chocolate chips.
  • Mix by hand until just combined, making sure to reach the bottom of the bowl.
  • Cover. Allow to rest 20-30 minutes.
  • Scoop by ¼ cup full and fill muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes, or until they pass the toothpick test (a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean).
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Zesty Bread and Butter Pickles

What’s going on in the Jess’s kitchen lately? Let me tell you, so much processing and canning of vegetables from the garden. Most recently, we have had a bumper crop of cucumbers. I have been embracing serving them fresh from the garden, but we can’t quite keep up with them still. When that happens, I love to create some pickles; this week, it was bread and butter pickles that were to die for!

Until recently, I would have scoffed at bread and butter pickles. Pickles should be full of dill and garlic, and that’s it. At least that’s the way I used to feel. I’m not certain what turned me on to bread and butter (maybe a trip to the farmer’s market?), but once I had them, I was hooked. I love the combination of all the spices that mix to make a sweet pickle with a kick. 

A transition, covid style.

However, I had never done them truly by scratch. I had always purchased Mrs. Wage’s Zesty Bread and Butter mix. Family and friends raved about them and the Mrs. Wage’s mixes are a cinch to through together so I stuck with them. 

Then COVID hit and I especially loved the challenge of cooking with the items I had on hand. It just so happens that I had all the spices needed to make “from scratch” bread and butter pickles from the Ball canning book, so I had to give it a try. The results? Spectacular. I could eat these pickles all day and they truly are a special treat you might not know you love…yet. And lucky for you, I am going to share the recipe below 🙂 Give it a try! 

Your Ingredients

  • 4 pounds pickling cucumbers
  • 2 pounds onions
  • ⅓ cup pickling salt 
  • Ice cubes
  • 3 cups vinegar, 5% acidity
  • 2 cups white sugar 
  • 2 tablespoons whole mustard seed 
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric 
  • 2 teaspoons celery seed
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger 

Your Utensils

  • Water bath canner with rack and lid
  • Eight pint jars with lids and rings (wide or narrow mouth)
  • Large, non reactive kettle to cook the cucumbers and onions in the pickling brine

Before you begin…

If you’re new to canning, be sure to check out Ball’s Book of Canning or The National Center for Home Food Preservation for more detailed information. I will give you the low down, but it will be short and sweet. You will want to read up more, I promise 🙂

Let’s Get Canning! 

To begin, trim both ends of cucumbers. As you are doing so, slice into ¼ inch slices. In addition, slice the onions into thin slices. Layer ⅓ of the cucumbers and onions in a large bowl. Cover with ⅓ of the canning salt. Repeat two more times. Top the final layer with ice cubes. Allow the bowl to sit for 1 ½ hours. 

After approximately one hour, begin to prepare jars, lids, and rings by washing and keeping warm. I generally set the jars in the rack of canner and have it rest above the water.  Begin heating the water bath canner (make sure water will be at least one inch above jars once submerged). It is better to have too much water than too little. 

After the cucumbers and onions have rested, rinse with cold water and allow to drain. Combine vinegar, sugar, and spices in a large non-reactive kettle. Heat over a medium heat, slowly reaching a boil. Add drained pickles and onions. Cook until the liquid returns to a boil. Remove from heat. 

Time to finish it up !

Ladle cucumbers, onions, and liquid into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Be sure to equally distribute the pickling brine into each jar. Wipe jar rim with a damp, clean cloth. Put lids and rings on, tightening to finger tip tight. Lower into canner, raising heat and bringing to a rolling boil. Process for 15 min, adjusting for altitude (if over 1000 feet). Remove the canner from heat, and allow jars to rest 5 min. Remove from canner and allow to cool at least 12 hours before storing jars. Any jars that do not seal can go straight into the refrigerator for you to enjoy in the next few weeks.

There is no need to tighten rings. In fact, it is recommended they are removed entirely while storing. I have had enough pickles to fill anywhere from seven to eight pint jars. If you have extra, you can store them in a container with a lid and stick them right in the fridge!

Layers upon layers of cukes and onions.
Just a little bath.
Mingle with that brine for all the flavor!
All canned up and the ping has been heard!
Not going to complain about a little left overs in a bowl to enjoy! Yum! Check out all those spices. So good.

Tools of the Trade

While you can truly can with any deep kettle and rack to keep the jars off the bottom of the canner, it is definitely easier if you invest in a few of the tools listed below!

Looking for more ways to savor summer in a jar? Check out the page below:

Canning and Perserving

Zesty Bread and Butter Pickles

A sweeter pickle with an extra kick of spice to make your taste buds dance!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Canning
Servings 12

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 4 pounds pickling cucumbers
  • 2 pounds onions
  • ⅓ cup pickling salt
  • Ice cubes
  • 3 cups vinegar 5% acidity
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons mustard seed
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons celery seed
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger

Instructions
 

  • Trim both ends of cucumbers and slice into ¼ inch slices. Slice the onions into thin slices.
  • Layer ⅓ of the cucumbers and onions in a large bowl. Cover with ⅓ of the canning salt. Repeat two more times.
  • Top the final layer with ice cubes. Allow the bowl to sit for 1 ½ hours.
  • After approximately one hour, begin to prepare jars, lids, and rings by washing and keeping warm. Begin heating the water bath canner over medium high heat.
  • After the cucumbers and onions have rested, rinse with cold water and allow to drain.
  • Combine vinegar, sugar, and spices in a large non-reactive kettle.
  • Heat over a medium heat, slowly reaching a boil. Add drained pickles and onions.
  • Cook until the liquid returns to a boil. Remove from heat.
  • Ladle cucumbers, onions, and liquid into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. (Be sure to equally distribute the pickling brine into each jar.)
  • Wipe jar rim with a damp, clean cloth. Put lids and rings on, tightening to fingertip tight.
  • Lower into canner, raising heat and bringing to a rolling boil.
  • Process for 15 min, adjusting for altitude (if over 1000 feet).
  • Remove the canner from heat, and allow jars to rest 5 min. Remove from the canner and allow to cool at least 12 hours before storing jars.
Keyword bread and butter pickles, Canning, from the garden, pickles, preserving
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

HEre are a few of my other favorite canning recipes!

Jess6 Comments

Pineapple Zucchini

Everyone who plants zucchini over plants zucchini. And because of this, pineapple zucchini is a recipe everyone needs in their back pocket as they harvest their bounty from the garden. 

Recently, I was visiting my mom and dad. I was out in the garden, helping my mother harvest her blueberries, beans, and other various vegetables. It’s funny, growing up I thought a few things: 

  1. Gardening was awful. I dreaded planting and harvesting. In particular, I hated cleaning the spinach and lettuce. However, it was always what my mom asked us to do for Mother’s Day: simply help her plant the garden. 
  2. My mom’s garden was HUGE! I couldn’t believe she would have such a big garden. 

As an adult, I adore gardening. It is one of my favorite things and as the snow melts, I just itch to get in the soil and get dirt under my nails. I also have a garden that is approximately seven times the size of my mom’s. The way perspective changes as you grow older and wiser makes me giggle. 

Now, why am I sharing this?

Well, I do love my mom and this is a fun little memory. I also share because she has this small little garden. Because of this, she chooses not to grow zucchini. However, she will tell you it’s because if you have any sort of friend who grows zucchini, you will be gifted with zucchini after zucchini after zucchini. I mean, the plants are prolific, aren’t they? 

Prolific zucchini plants are what lead me to pineapple zucchini. One particular year, we had a bumper crop of zucchini that often had “hidden zucchini.” You know, those zucchini (and cucumbers!) that you just don’t see under the leaves of the plant until they have grown past twice the size of ideal harvesting. I needed to do something with them. Fortunately, women in my canning group turned me on to the idea of pineapple zucchini.

What is it, you ask? 

Well, it’s a water bath canned diced zucchini that takes on the flavor of pineapple with the texture of a pear. I have relatives on both sides of the family that special request the recipe. It makes for a fun addition to the breakfast table and can be used anywhere pineapple pieces are used recipe wise. If you have a lot of zucchini on your hands, I highly recommend you give it a try! 

New to canning? Check out the Ball’s Book of Canning or The National Center for Home Food Preservation for more detailed information. I will give you the low down, but it will be short and sweet. You will want to read up more, I promise 🙂

Your Ingredients

  • 16 cups cubed zucchini (be sure to peel and seed beforehand) 
  • 46 ounces canned unsweetened pineapple juice
  • 2 cups sugar 
  • 1 ½ cups bottled lemon juice 

Your Utensils 

  • Water bath canner with rack and lid
  • Eight pint jars with lids and rings (wide or narrow mouth)
  • Large, non reactive kettle to cook the zucchini in the liquids and sugar

steps To Pineapple Zucchini

If you have not done so already, prepare the zucchini. To do so, peel skin. Cut the zucchini in half and scrap out any seeds (this is especially important if you are using some of those “larger than life” zucchini that get away from you). Dice into ½ inch pieces and measure out 16 cups worth. 

Prepare jars, lids, and rings by washing and keeping warm. I generally set the jars in the rack of canner and have it rest above the water.  Begin heating the water bath canner (make sure water will be at least one inch above jars once submerged). It is better to have too much water than too little. 

Meanwhile, combine the diced zucchini, sugar, lemon juice, and pineapple juice. Heat to a boil, stirring periodically. Lower to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Stir periodically to prevent sticking. 

Ladle zucchini and juice into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe jar rim with a damp, clean cloth. Put lids and rings on, tightening to finger tip tight. Lower into canner, raising heat and bringing to a rolling boil. Process for 15 min, adjusting for altitude (if over 1000 feet). Remove the canner from heat, and allow jars to rest 5 min. Remove from canner and allow to cool at least 12 hours before storing jars. 

There is no need to tighten rings. In fact, it is recommended they are removed entirely while storing. Enjoy the unique flavor of pineapple zucchini.

Halve and remove seeds.
Dice it up!
Add the sugar and liquids.
Nothing special at first.
But they cook down so nicely!
Get in the jars!
Serve that “pineapple” up!

A few notes

  • It’s okay if you are short on zucchini. Prepare as indicated, but know that you will fill less jars. It takes approximately 2 cups of zucchini to fill a jar.
  • Don’t toss out that left over liquid! My kiddos love to drink it.

Tools of the Trade

While you can truly can with any deep kettle and rack to keep the jars off the bottom of the canner, it is definitely easier if you invest in a few of the tools listed below!

Looking for more ways to savor summer in a jar? Check out the page below:

Canning and Perserving

Pineapple Zucchini

An abundance of zucchini paired with pineapple juice result in a delicious home canned treat that tastes like pineapple but has the texture of a pear.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 16 cups cubed zucchini be sure to peel and seed beforehand
  • 46 ounces canned unsweetened pineapple juice
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 ½ cups bottled lemon juice

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the zucchini. To do so, peel skin. Cut the zucchini in half and scrap out any seeds.
  • Dice into ½ inch pieces and measure out 16 cups worth.
  • Prepare jars, lids, and rings by washing and keeping warm. Begin heating the water bath canner over medium heat.
  • Meanwhile, combine the diced zucchini, sugar, lemon juice, and pineapple juice. Heat to a boil, stirring periodically. Lower to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Stir periodically to prevent sticking.
  • Ladle zucchini and juice into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace.
  • Wipe jar rim with a damp, clean cloth.
  • Put lids and rings on, tightening to finger tip tight. Lower into canner, raising heat and bringing to a rolling boil. Process for 15 min, adjusting for altitude (if over 1000 feet).
  • Remove the canner from heat, and allow jars to rest 5 min. Remove from canner and allow to cool at least 12 hours before storing jars.

Notes

If you are short on zucchini, that’s okay. Prepare as directed but prep for less jars. It will take approximately 2 cups of zucchini to fill a jar. 
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other Zucchini Treats?

Try some of my favorites below!

Jess3 Comments

Applesauce and Cinnamon Bread

I love an apple bread (or really, any apple baked good, let’s be honest), but peeling and coring apples is a tedious process I don’t love. Enter an applesauce and cinnamon bread. When I saw a version of this recipe on the back of a bran flakes box, I had to give it a try. I have modified it quite a lot to add more wholesome ingredients and cut down on some sugar. Believe me, the final result is equally delicious. The husband even gave it two thumbs up and was excited to eat it for breakfast this week. I always call that a big win! 

As an aside, I love adding oats to all of my recipes, but I know that some don’t love them. I even have a friend who is allergic, which I didn’t even know was possible until recently. If you don’t want to add oats, you can certainly modify this simple applesauce and cinnamon bread to have 1 ½ cups of flour and 1 ½ cups bran flakes.

Your Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 cup bran flakes cereal 
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon 
  • ¼ teaspoon salt 
  • 1 egg 
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce 
  • ½ cup maple syrup or honey 
  • ½ cup milk 
  • ¼ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Your Steps

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9×5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. 

In a large bowl, combine egg, applesauce, maple syrup, and milk. Whisk until well combined. Add flour, oats, bran flakes, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until just moistened throughout. Fold in chopped nuts if adding. 

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before removing from the pan. Enjoy!

  • Get those wet ingredients together.
  • Add the dry and mix.
  • All together now!
  • Yum!
  • Texture and flavor. What a delicious bread!

Interested in other baked goods? Go ahead, check out my baking page!

Baking

Applesauce and Cinnamon Bread

The classic combination of apple and cinnamon combine with bran flake cereal and oatmeal in this quick bread.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • 1 cup bran flakes cereal
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • ½ cup maple syrup or honey
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¼ cup chopped nuts optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9×5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, combine egg, applesauce, maple syrup, and milk.
  • Whisk until well combined.
  • Add flour, oats, bran flakes, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
  • Stir until just moistened throughout. Fold in chopped nuts if adding.
  • Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool before removing from the pan. Enjoy!

Notes

If you don’t want to add oats, you can modify to have 1 ½ cups of flour and 1 ½ cups bran flakes.
Keyword apple and cinnamon, applesauce, Breakfast Bread, cinnamon, Quick Bread
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Fresh Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Gardens and farmer’s markets alike are full of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. Often, I think preserve for pasta or create pickles, but if you have 10 minutes to spare, you can have a fresh tomato and cucumber salad prepped and ready to marinate for your next picnic or cook out. 

Truly, I am a preserver at heart. I want to save all our produce that we grow for the future. I love filling our shelves and freezer with our garden delights. It’s almost an addiction. What can I say? It’s quite the rewarding process and full shelves are beautiful. Plus, we will be prepared in the case of a zombie apocalypse or…shall I say it, world pandemic. Too soon? Anywho..

This year, I am trying to slow down and really appreciate the harvest as it is brought into our home. Recently, we had a set of pork chops to grill and I realized this light and simple tomato and cucumber salad would be the perfect side. It truly takes moments to prepare in the afternoon and by dinner time, the vinegar had created a sort of quick pickle our whole family can enjoy. 

Your Ingredients 

  • 2 cups sliced Roma tomatoes
  • 2 cups sliced cucumber
  • ½ cup diced red onion 
  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil 
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
  • ¼ teaspoon salt 
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper 

Your Steps

Combine sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion in a large bowl. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk the remaining ingredients together. I recommend taste testing the dressing here. Everyone has their own preference in terms of the bite of vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add more as needed. Whisk once more and immediately pour over vegetables. Stir. Cover and allow to chill for at least an hour prior to serving for best flavor. 

  • Can’t get enough of all the colors
  • Whisk up the dressing. Easy peasy!
  • Pour..
  • ..Mix..
  • ..And Serve!

Notes 

  • The Roma tomato isn’t required, but nice because of firmness. Two cups of halved cherry or grape tomatoes would work great as well. 
  • If you are purchasing cucumbers from the store, English cucumbers work great since they have a lower seed count. However, any smaller cucumber will do. 

Looking for other fun and fresh side dishes? Or maybe you want to preserve the bounty from your garden or farmer’s market? Check out the links below!

Cooking
Canning and Preserving

Fresh Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Fresh, crisp flavors of the garden combine with vinegar and oil to make this light tomato and cucumber salad perfect for any cookout or barbecue.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups sliced Roma tomatoes
  • 2 cups sliced cucumber
  • ½ cup diced red onion
  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions
 

  • Combine sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion in a large bowl.
  • In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk the remaining ingredients together.
  • Taste test dressing here, adding more salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed.
  • Whisk once more and immediately pour over vegetables.
  • Stir.
  • Cover and allow to chill for at least an hour prior to serving for best flavor.

Notes

The Roma tomato isn’t required, but nice because of their firmness. Two cups of halved cherry or grape tomatoes would work great as well.
If you are purchasing cucumbers from the store, English cucumbers work great since they have a lower seed count. However, any smaller cucumber will do.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Quick Dish: Fried Rice

Recently, my family and I were away from home for a week. I don’t know about you, but when I get home from a week away, I need at least another day to reset. I do not want to do a thing but sit on the couch for hours, even if I was in the car for six hours leading up to getting home. And although the fridge is empty (if we did things right before we left), I certainly do not want to go grocery shopping. That, my friends, is unfortunate because I still need food for lunch the next day. However, I have discovered quick fried rice and my life has become a little easier and definitely a lot tastier.

After said trip, I looked around at what we had for food and realized we were low on proteins, at least any that were thawed. I am passionate about eating wholesome foods that are minimally processed, so this was a bit of a problem. However, I love me some brown rice with vegetables. I had some instant brown rice on hand as well as frozen Asian vegetables. Good. We also had cooked some Asian food while on vacation, so those flavors were on my mind. I opened the refrigerator to gather some liquid aminos and saw eggs. Eggs! Oh man, I can make a quick fried rice for lunch!

I felt as though I was winning at life. This meal had a starch/carb, vegetables, and a protein; a complete meal. It came together in less than 15 minutes, which is a major win in my book. Measuring is somewhat optional as you can really find flavors you love. Finally, nothing was processed and the ingredients are pantry items at our house. Let me tell you, this recipe is going into my everyday cooking brain when I need a quick, wholesome meal. I hope it does for you too!

Your Ingredients

  • 2 cups brown rice, cooked (instant or regular)
  • 8 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
  • 1-2 eggs, whisked
  • ½ tablespoon sesame oil 
  • ½ teaspoon minced garlic 

Seasonings, to taste: 

  • Ground ginger (¼-½ teaspoon) 
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • Onion Powder
  • Soy sauce or liquid aminos (½ – 1 tablespoon)

Cook the vegetables according to the directions on the package. We adore these awesome steam bags that Ziploc makes for steaming frozen and raw vegetables in the microwave. (Here’s the link for them if you want to check them out: Ziploc Zip n’ Steam Bags)

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the rice, steamed vegetables, and seasonings to taste. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so. 

Push rice and vegetable mixture to the side. Pour in the whisked egg(s) in the cleared spot (spraying with cooking spray prior if there is worry the egg will stick. I add a touch more sesame oil). Allow to cook 1-2 minutes, as though you are going to scramble the egg. Once the egg is starting to become solid, fully incorporate it into the rice and vegetable mixture. Saute until the egg is fully cooked. Taste and add more soy sauce, ginger, or red pepper flakes as needed. 

Quick and easy. Delish, wholesome, and a complete meal from your pantry. That’s what I call a winner in my book. Give it a try next time you’re not quite ready to make a run to the grocery store. Or maybe anytime you need a meal at your fingertip in minutes. 

  • Push the rice aside. Eggs need room!
  • Add the eggs. Cook away little eggs.
  • Mix it up…
  • …and serve!

Looking for other from scratch recipes to cook for a meal? Click below.

Cooking

Tools of the Trade

Quick Fried Rice

Short on grocery store items? Put together this quick fried rice using ingredients from your fridge and pantry in 15 minutes flat!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups brown rice cooked (instant or regular)
  • 8 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
  • 1-2 eggs whisked
  • ½ tablespoon sesame oil
  • ½ teaspoon minced garlic

Seasonings, to taste:

  • Ground ginger ¼-½ teaspoon
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • Soy sauce or liquid aminos ½ – 1 tablespoon
  • onion powder

Instructions
 

  • Cook the vegetables according to the directions on the package.
  • Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
  • Add the rice, steamed vegetables, and seasonings to taste. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so.
  • Push rice and vegetable mixture to the side.
  • Pour in the whisked egg(s) in the cleared spot, spraying with cooking spray if necessary.
  • Allow to cook 1-2 minutes.
  • Once the egg is starting to become solid, fully incorporate it into the rice and vegetable mixture.
  • Sauté until the egg is fully cooked.
  • Taste and add more soy sauce, ginger, or red pepper flakes as needed.

Notes

This will always be better if you use rice you cooked a day or two before. But I get it, you may not always have thought ahead. Go ahead and use what you have. 
Keyword Brown Rice, Eggs, Fried Rice
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JessLeave a comment

Zucchini Margherita Pizza Bites

It’s Summer Time…

I love summer. I know, everyone loves summer, right? Sure, I dig the sunshine, time at the beach, and the longer days. But summer means it’s gardening season, and this girl loves some dirt under her nails and having fresh, homegrown produce straight from the garden. It brings me such immense joy to fill my family’s bellies with good for you food that is full of flavor. 

Right now, it is hitting zucchini harvest time. If you’ve ever had a garden or know someone with a garden, you know that zucchinis typically grow like crazy. You think you need 4 plants, and then you are trying to give zucchinis to every stranger because you can’t keep up! Sure you can bake bread, cake, you name it. Zoodling is popular too. But I wanted something simple as a side that would take 10-15 minutes to put together. Zucchini Margherita Pizza Bites were born. From the first bite, I was in love. 

From the Garden

It’s my absolute favorite when all the ingredients in a recipe come from things we have grown, harvested, or hunted. This comes darn close (If only I had a cow to make cheese! That sounds like a joke, and it mostly is….but seriously, how cool would that be?). 

What I love in these Zucchini Margherita Pizza Bites is the limited ingredients while still being full of flavor. I dig a recipe that everything is on hand, and if you grow herbs and you’re like me, this will be right up your alley. Ready to go? Head out to the garden (or store or farmer’s market), pick up a few tomatoes, a zucchini, and some fresh basil and let’s create!

Note: You’ll want to have a pan that can go from stove top to oven. I ADORE my cast iron pan by Lodge. It gets used multiple times a week for anything from corn bread to chicken breasts and venison to seared vegetables. If you have never cooked with cast iron, I can not recommend it enough. 

Your Ingredients (3-4 servings)

  • 1 medium sized zucchini 
  • ¾ cup diced roma tomatoes (you want a meatier tomato) 
  • 6-10 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (thinly sliced) 
  • ⅓-½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • garlic salt and pepper, to taste
  • ½ tablespoon olive oil 

Your Steps

Preheat oven broiler to 500 degrees. (In addition to adoring cast iron, I really dig the broiler. It allows you to heat-crispy vegetables and give them that little char. It’s highly underrated, in my opinion). 

Begin preheating oven safe sauce pan or cast iron pan with olive oil over medium-high to high heat. 

Meanwhile, slice zucchini in thicker slices, ½ inch or so. Sprinkle both sides of zucchini with garlic salt and pepper, to taste. Once cast iron pan and oil is hot, place zucchini in pan. You want it to sizzle as you place them. If it doesn’t, the oil isn’t hot enough. Sear zucchini for 90 seconds. Flip and top with diced tomatoes, sliced basil, and mozzarella, in that order. Once topped, place pan under the broiler for 1-3 minutes, until cheese is melty and slightly browned. Watch it closely. The broiler is amazing, but food can go from just under cooked to burned in what seems like seconds. 

Serve these zucchini margherita pizza bites as a side or as a snack. We eat ours with some grilled chicken, a salad (I love ALL the vegetables), and some slices of homemade sourdough bread. Yum! 

  • Three simple ingredients.
  • Season it up.
  • Top with tomatoes…
  • ..and basil.
  • Finally, the cheese!
  • Get on that plate and in my belly!

Looking for other recipes? Check out the pages below!

Cooking
Preserving from the Garden
Clean Eating

Tool of the Trade

My husband and I both love love love our cast iron pan. In fact, it is used so often in our home that we just leave it on the stove top. It’s great for searing all sorts of meat. However, it has so many other uses. Completing a quick Pinterest search will result in all sorts of cast iron desserts, homemade breads, etc. Holy yum. I can’t recommend it enough. If you have never invested, make the jump. It’s worth every penny. This is guy we use multiple times a week.

Zucchini Margherita Pizza Bites

Garden fresh zucchini, basil, and tomatoes combine to make a quick pizza bite side dish for couple or light meal for one.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 3

Equipment

  • Cast Iron Pan or other stove to oven safe pan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium sized zucchini
  • ¾ cup diced roma tomatoes you want a meatier tomato
  • 6-10 fresh basil leaves chiffonade (thinly sliced)
  • ⅓-½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • garlic salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ tablespoon olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven broiler to 500 degrees.
  • Begin preheating oven safe sauce pan or cast iron pan with olive oil over medium-high to high heat.
  • Meanwhile, slice zucchini in thicker slices, ½ inch or so.
  • Sprinkle both sides of zucchini with garlic salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Once cast iron pan and oil is hot, place zucchini in pan. You want it to sizzle as you place them. If it doesn’t, the oil isn’t hot enough.
  • Sear zucchini for 90 seconds.
  • Flip and top with diced tomatoes, sliced basil, and mozzarella, in that order.
  • Once topped, place pan under the broiler for 1-3 minutes, until cheese is melty and slightly browned, watching closely.
Keyword basil, Margherita Pizza, summer side dish, tomatoes, zucchini
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Dilly Beans

It’s pickling season! Okay, really, it’s gardening season which means it’s canning season around our house. But if it is canning season, you can bet some pickling is going to go down. One of my favorite things to pickle are dilly beans. 

We always plant two to three rows of beans. This results in enough to eat plenty raw, put some in the freezer, pressure can some for meals, and then when I am feeling ambitious, some for dilly beans. Never had a dilly bean? They are similar to a dill pickle, but have a little more kick (if you want it), and stay crisp longer. 

In our home, we eat them when we grill out or simply for a snack. The bonus treat is the pickled garlic clove at the bottom of the jar. My kids fight over it every time. I don’t love a Bloody Mary, but they are a great addition to a killer Bloody. 

Originally, this recipe came from the Ball Canning and Perserving Book, but like any good recipe, has been modified to suit our needs in our home. I hope you enjoy them as much as my family does!

New to canning? Check out the Ball’s Book of Canning or The National Center for Home Food Preservation for more detailed information. I will give you the low down, but it will be short and sweet. You will want to read up more, I promise 🙂 

Your Ingredients (per six pint jars) 

  • 2 ½ pounds green beans and/or yellow wax beans, washed and trimmed 
  • 4 cups vinegar
  • 4 cups water 
  • 6 tablespoons pickling salt 
  • ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, PER jar (to taste) 
  • 6 heads of dill 
  • 6-12 cloves of garlic (1-2 cloves per jar) 

The Utensils 

  • Water bath canner with rack and lid
  • Six pint jars with lids and rings (wide or narrow mouth)
  • Large, non reactive kettle for pickling liquid 

Your Preparation 

The prep: the most time consuming portion of this recipe. When you make regular pickles, you just slice and fill jars. However, dilly beans need to be cut to length. After a number of years of canning, the following method has worked the best for me. Trim one bean to length so that it will fit just under the rim of the jar, approximately 4 inches. Now you have two options: 

-Use this bean as your fondly called “measuring bean.” Measure the rest of the beans to that length, double checking from time to time because it’s easy to cut too long. 

-If you have a non-opaque cutting board (think thin, flexible boards), make a mark with a permanent marker on the bottom of the board. Use this line to cut your beans to length. This is my preferred method. 

Ultimately, you need to trim your beans so they will fit in your jar. Get there how you get there 🙂 

Additionally, peel the garlic cloves and have them prepared. 

Time to Can

Prepare jars, lids, and rings by washing and keeping warm. I generally set the jars in the rack of canner and have it rest above the water.  Begin heating the water bath canner (make sure water will be at least one inch above jars once submerged). It is better to have too much water than too little. 

Fill each jar with one to two cloves of garlic, one head of dill, and 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Stuff jars with trimmed beans, keeping the beans below the top ring portion. This generally takes longer than I think it should, but not too terribly long. 

Meanwhile, bring salt, vinegar, and water to a boil reduce to a simmer until the jars are prepped.  Pour the pickling liquid over beans, wipe the top of the jar with a damp piece of paper towel. Put lids and rings on, tightening to finger tip tight. Lower into canner, raising heat and bringing to a rolling boil. Process for 10 min, adjusting for altitude (if over 1000 feet). Remove the canner from heat, and allow jars to rest 5 min. Remove from canner and allow to cool at least 12 hours before storing jars. 

There is no need to tighten rings. In fact, it is recommended they are removed entirely while storing. Enjoy! My kids say the best part is the garlic but those beans don’t last long either 😉 

Trimming: the longest part of the process.
Dill and garlic: a must!
All stuffed.
I dig the double garlic. My kids will too!
Don’t forget the extra kick!
Ladle the pickling brine. Mmmm…vinegar.
Let’s get a waterbath!
Complete!

Dilly Beans with Garlic

Whether you are simply a pickle lover or you really dig a good Bloody Mary, these dilly beans are for you! A little garlic and cayenne pepper add zip!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Canning
Servings 6 pint jars

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ½ pounds green beans and/or yellow wax beans washed and trimmed
  • 4 cups vinegar
  • 4 cups water
  • 6 tablespoons pickling salt
  • ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper PER jar (to taste)
  • 6 heads of dill
  • 6-12 cloves of garlic 1-2 cloves per jar

Instructions
 

  • To prepare, trim beans so that they will just fit under the rim of pint jars, approximately 4 inches long. Additionally, peel the garlic cloves and have them prepared for canning.
  • Prepare jars, lids, and rings by washing and keeping warm. Begin heating the water bath canner (make sure water will be at least one inch above jars once submerged).
  • Fill each jar with one to two cloves of garlic, one head of dill, and 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Stuff jars with trimmed beans, keeping the beans below the top ring portion.
  • Meanwhile, bring salt, vinegar, and water to a boil reduce to a simmer until the jars are prepped. Pour the pickling liquid over beans. Remove air bubbles.
  • Wipe the top of the jar with a damp piece of paper towel. Put lids and rings on, tightening to finger tip tight.
  • Lower into canner, raising heat and bringing to a rolling boil. Process for 10 min, adjusting for altitude (if over 1000 feet).
  • Remove the canner from heat, and allow jars to rest 5 min. Remove from canner and allow to cool at least 12 hours before storing jars.

Notes

  • Sealed jars are shelf-stable, meaning they can be stored on a shelf unrefrigerated. If your jars don’t ping (a sign that they have sealed), they are still good. Simply store them in the refrigerator.
  • Most sources recommend removing the rings from jars for storage so that you will know if they unseal for any reason. I generally just loosen them as much as I can without removing them.
Keyword Canning, Dilly Beans, Pickled Beans, Pickling, Waterbath Canning
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other canning and preserving recipes? Check out the page below!

Canning and Preserving
Tools of the Trade

There are a handful of canning tools I can not live without. I love my water bath canner but also use my pressure canner as a water bath canner when I don’t want to use two different ones! You also need a set of canning tools to make the process so much easier!

Jess1 Comment

Whole Wheat Gooseberry Muffins

A number of years ago, I tried a berry at a farmer’s market. There must have been samples, but the memory is vague. I loved the berry I tried, and told my husband we had to grow them. The following year, we purchased two gooseberry plants. I was so excited! A year later, we had berries. I tried them, and they weren’t at all what I remembered. (In hindsight, I think I had currants at the farmer’s market.) That’s life, right? Maybe it’s just my life. But luckily, I really loved the flavor that gooseberries had. Needless to say, I was grateful for my mishap. Recently, a friend stopped by, asked, what the plant was, and subsequently, what I use them for. Previously, I had only just snacked on them. Once I made a gooseberry gin jam (YUM!). Now I can say with confidence that they make slightly tart and sweet whole wheat gooseberry muffins that are delish! 

They are kind of cute, aren’t they?

But what does a gooseberry taste like?

Never had a gooseberry? They are about the size of a large blueberry, but look like a miniature watermelon with the texture of a grape. Typing that just makes me smile. It almost sounds like a description from a Dr. Seuss book, but I think it’s a great description. They can tart like a green grape or sweeter like a red grape. They grow on bushes with some gnarly thorns. I see that as part of the adventure of having them…can I get away without getting pricked? 

Anywho…we had a bumper crop this year, and I wanted to do more than freeze them. I wanted to bake. I love the way this recipe turned out. They have texture and beautiful color. The flavor is reminiscent of rhubarb with the sweet tart combination. Don’t have gooseberries on hand? I am certain that blueberries would be a great alternative and can’t wait to give that a try too! 

Your Ingredients for Gooseberry Muffins

  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • 1 cup wheat flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder 
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 egg 
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt
  • ⅓ cup milk 
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil 
  • 1 ½ cups gooseberries, cleaned (1 ½ cups if you dig the tart flavor. 1 cup if you want it a little sweeter) 

Your steps 

If you haven’t yet, nip off the ends on the gooseberries. You only want the berry portion in the muffin. Then, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease or line a muffin tin. This recipe will result in approximately 12 muffins. 

In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Set aside. 

In a small bowl, whisk egg. Add the yogurt, milk, vanilla, and olive oil. Whisk well. After the wet ingredients have combined, pour into the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Fold in cleaned gooseberries. Again, you can use one to one and a half cups, depending on your preference of flavor. My family loves tart (think, rhubarb bread and pie), so I add more berries. 

Divide the batter among the 12 muffin cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through. Allow to cool in the tin a few minutes before removing. I think these gooseberry muffins are best served warm with a cup of coffee. 🙂 

Dry ingredients mixed together.
Whisk the wet ingredients. I like to use a fork.
Combine together.
Fold in berries.
Fill 3/4 of the way full.
Rest a little sweet muffins.
Just check out that texture. Yum!

Gooseberry Muffins

Sweet and tart combine for a muffin reminiscent of a rhubarb bread in these gooseberry muffins. You'll love the tart surprise you get as you bite into one.
1 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients
  

  • 1 – 1 ½ cups gooseberries cleaned (1 ½ cups if you dig the tart flavor. 1 cup if you want it a little sweeter)
  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • 1 cup wheat flour
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions
 

  • If you haven’t yet, nip off the ends on the gooseberries. You only want the berry portion in the muffin.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease or line a muffin tin. This recipe will result in approximately 12 muffins.
  • In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, whisk egg. Add the yogurt, milk, vanilla, and olive oil. Whisk well.
  • Pour into the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Fold in cleaned gooseberries.
  • Again, you can use one to one and a half cups, depending on your preference of flavor.
  • Divide the batter among the 12 muffin cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through.
  • Allow to cool in the tin a few minutes before removing.
Keyword Breakfast, gooseberry, muffin, muffins
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Hints and Tips

If you opt for all purpose flour rather than whole wheat, you may want to decrease the milk by a ½ tablespoon or so. Whole wheat flour absorbs more liquid than all purpose flour does. If you don’t decrease it, you may have a wetter batter. 

Fun fact! Upon further research, I learned that gooseberries were made illegal in the United States in the early 1900’s. They are also in the currant family! No wonder I confused the two 🙂 If you’re interested in the history, check it out here!

Looking for more recipes? Click the links below:

Baking
Canning and Perserving

Jess7 Comments