Sunday Morning Bliss - Banana Flax Muffins & Coffee Mate Natural Bliss Creamers

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You all know by know I am a coffee lover. At home, I normally drink it straight up black. But when I'm visiting folks who use flavored coffee creamer, I always like to give it a try. I never got in to buying it at home in part because I enjoy a well-brewed cup of black coffee -- but also because I've never found a creamer I'm comfortable using on a regular basis. Most of them have a laundry list of ingredients, which is never a good thing in my book. Why can't I just have some flavored cream?

Enter Coffee Mate's new Natural Bliss Creamers. Apparently, they caught on to such laments from people like me and created a new natural coffee creamer line that contains 4 simple ingredients: nonfat milk, heavy cream, sugar and natural flavor.

Nothing partially hydrogenated or mono-di-tri-blah-blah-blah - sounds good to me!

I first heard about the new line a couple of months ago, but they just started appearing in stores in my area recently. So when I was asked if I'd like to them a try, I jumped at the chance. Right now, Walmart is offering a coupon for $1 off 2, so that's where I went to pick them up. You can see my full #NaturalBlissWM shop here.There were 4 varieties to choose from:
Sweet cream, caramel, vanilla and low-fat vanilla. I decided to try the regular vanilla and the caramel.
This morning was my first chance to try them out. It worked out well, because in our house, Sundays often end up being the one morning each week we have the chance to laze around on the patio with a few cups of coffee, the newspaper and a yummy breakfast. I had some brown bananas in my fruit bowl, so I whipped up a batch of yummy banana flax muffins (see recipe below).

For my first "wake up cup," I tried out the vanilla flavor.
I used 1 serving of the creamer (1 Tbsp.). The coffee was nice & creamy with just a hint of sweetness and vanilla. I was impressed with the silky texture balanced with the fact that it didn't feel like a sugar bomb went off in my mouth, like some other creamers I've tried in the past.
By then I'd woken up enough to be ready for breakfast, so I grabbed a muffin & cup #2. This time I used the caramel creamer.
Again, this had a great silky, creamy texture. The caramel flavor was deep and just a little nutty. Just as with the vanilla, I used 1 Tbsp. of the caramel and found it to be a little bit sweeter, but still not too sweet.

These creamers were delicious in hot coffee and I bet they'd be just as good in iced coffee. I can definitely see using the caramel to pull off a mock iced caramel latte (a summertime fav!). I really enjoyed these - and love the fact that they are all natural. I'm not sure I'm ready to give up my black coffee everyday (what can I say - sometimes I'm a purist), but I would definitely buy Natural Bliss again when I'm craving an indulgent change of pace or when we have flavored-creamer-loving visitors.

You can learn more about Natural Bliss Creamer on Coffee Mate's Website or on their Facebook page.

Banana Flax Muffins
(Makes 6 large bakery-style or 12 regular size muffins)



Ingredients:
4 ripe bananas
1 egg
2 Tbsp. flax seed meal
1/4 c. oil
2/3 c. sugar
3/4 c. white whole wheat flour
3/4 c. unbleached white flour
1 tsp. baking powder

Method:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line muffin tins with paper wrappers or grease well.
In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Add egg, flax seed meal, oil and sugar. Mix until well blended. Sift flours and baking powder together in a separate bowl. Add to wet mixture. Stir just until combined.
Spoon batter evenly into muffin tins (each should be about 3/4 full).
Bake at 350°F until toothpick inserted comes out clean (about 20 minutes for regular size muffins, 30 minutes for large muffins).
Cool 5-10 minutes before serving.


This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias. All opinions and recipes are my own.

Southwest Quinoa Salad (Guilt- & Gluten-Free!)

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Earlier this year, I started swapping out some of our rice and pasta side dishes for quinoa in an effort to balance my protein and carb intake. For those of you who aren't familiar, quinoa is technically a seed (not a grain), so it's high in both protein and fiber. It's also a complete protein, which means it contains all the amino acids your body needs (something few plant-based proteins do).

It cooks up a lot like couscous, which we love, so it was a pretty easy transition for us. I started out cooking it as a hot side, but with grilling season upon us, I decided to try a cold salad version. After testing a few versions, I came up with this Southwest style salad that I am absolutely obsessed with. Loaded with veggies and packing some nice spice, it's delicious.


Seriously - I made batches 2 weeks in a row and ate it as a side with dinner a couple of nights AND for lunch every day - it's that good! If you're headed to a BBQ or picnic, it also makes a nice alternative to pasta salad for those who are gluten-free.

Southwest Quinoa Salad
(Serves 6-8)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
3 cups water
1 can (1 1/2 cups) black beans
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1 large green pepper, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped (I leave the seeds in; if you don't like a lot of heat - remove them first)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 1 large lime)
5 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cumin

Method:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Spread corn on a baking sheet. Roast at 425°F for 10-15 minutes, turning every few minutes, until corn is lightly toasted on both sides. Set aside to cool.
Bring 3 cups water to a boil. Add rinsed quinoa. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Let sit 5 minutes. Pour and spread out on a baking sheet to cool.
In a large bowl, combine beans, roasted corn, cilantro and both kinds of peppers.
In a measuring cup or small bowl, combine lime juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and cumin. Stir well to dissolve salt. Pour over vegetables.
Once quinoa has cooled, add to the dressed vegetables and stir well to combine.
Refrigerate at least 8 hours before serving. Stays good in the fridge for several days!

Grilled Ginger Miso Chicken #sfsmarties

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Grilling season has definitely arrived in full - as has the season for BBQs and cookouts. While hamburgers & hot dogs are easy and crowd-pleasing, another good option to shake up your cookout fare are chicken drumsticks. They grill up very well, are easy to eat (no fork & knife required!) and very affordable.

When Smart & Final asked me to come up with a grilling recipe to showcase one of their sale items next week, I knew my ginger miso recipe would be perfect for their First Street Chicken Drumsticks. (The value pack is on sale 6/13-6/19 - just in time for your Father's Day BBQs!) These drumsticks are slightly sweet & slightly spicy, with just the right balance of sticky & smoky char - truly delicious!



I paired them with a simple asian-inspired salad (recipe also below), but they really work with any cookout fare - potato salad, pasta salad, etc.

First - I headed off to Smart & Final for my ingredients:
Ginger Miso Chicken Ingredients - fresh ginger root, soy sauce, sriracha, drumsticks
Salad ingredients - iceberg lettuce, purple cabbage, carrots, rice vinegar, cashews, ramen noodles
On to the recipes!
Grilled Ginger Miso Chicken  (printable recipe)(Makes 10 chicken drumsticks or thighs)Prep time: 15 minutesMarinating time: 4-24 hoursCook time: 20-25 minutesIngredients:10 First Street Chicken Drumsticks (or First Street Chicken Thighs - also on sale 6/13-6/19)1 2" piece fresh ginger root1 tsp + 1 Tbsp. sesame oil, divided1/4 cup white miso paste3 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce, divided2 tsp. hot chili sauce (sriracha)Directions:Remove any knobs from ginger and peel, so you have a fairly uniform 2" chunk:
Mince and add to bowl with miso paste, 1 Tbsp. soy sauce and 1 tsp. sesame oil:Stir until all ingredients are well combined into a light brown paste:Spread over all sides of drumsticks, pushing some under the skin where you can:
Place in a glass baking dish, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 8. When ready to cook, preheat grill to medium-high heat. While you're waiting for it to get hot, make your glaze. Combine the remaining 1 Tbsp. sesame oil and 2 Tbsp. soy sauce with 2 tsp. sriracha.
Once grill is heated, place drumsticks evenly across the grill plates.

Put the cover of the grill down and let the chicken cook for 5 minutes. Then baste with sesame oil/soy/sriracha mixture.
Let cook about another 7 minutes, turn drumsticks and baste the other side.
Close the grill cover and cook another 12-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through to at least 165°F - about 25-30 minutes total.
Remove from heat and let rest about 5 minutes before serving.
Asian Salad (printable recipe)(Serves 4)

Prep time: 15 minutesIngredients:1 head iceberg lettuce1/4 head purple cabbage10 baby carrots2 tangerines, peeled and sectioned1 packet ramen - noodles only (discard seasoning packet)1/3 cup cashew pieces
For the dressing:2 Tbsp. packed light brown sugar 2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce3 Tbsp. rice vinegar1 Tbsp. sesame oil3 Tbsp. canola oil
Directions:Chop lettuce and cabbage into shreds. Shred carrots with a large box grater. Combine shredded lettuce, cabbage and carrots in a large bowl with tangerines. In a separate bowl, combine all ingredients for the dressing. Whisk until brown sugar dissolves. Pour over lettuce mixture.Crush ramen noodles over top and sprinkle with cashew pieces. Toss everything together until well mixed. Serve immediately.

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If chicken drumsticks or thighs aren't quite for you, Smart & Final has plenty more on sale next week, including:
Beef Loin New York Steak
First Street Ground Beef, 73% Lean
First Street Shredded Cheese, selected varieties, 2 lb
Enjoy!

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric #sfsmarties 

Candied Lemon Slices

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For my mother's birthday last week, I put together a box of fresh citrus from our trees out back, as well as some of her favorite marmalade. I also decided to try out a new recipe - candied lemon slices. I started with a Marth Steward recipe, and ended up adapting it to suit my purposes (the slices needed to be stored & shipped, so I wanted them a little less gooey than Martha's recipe originally resulted).

In the end, I got a nice sweet treat perfect for a refreshing afternoon pick-me-up or to add to a nice hot cup of tea.

My husband says they taste a lot like a lemon drop. Which has my gears turning on a lemon drop martini that these would probably make a good garnish for... Anyway - if you love lemon sweets, give these a try!

Candied Lemon Slices
adapted from Martha Stewart
(Makes about 12 slices, depending on lemon size)

Ingredients:
1 large or 2 small lemons
2 cups granulated sugar
5 cups water
1 cup ice
parchment paper

Method:
In a medium-sized saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil.
In a separate bowl, combine 2 cups water and 1 cup ice.
Slice lemons as thinly as possible without the flesh breaking apart. Carefully place slices into the boil water and boil for 1 minute. Remove with slotted spoon, drain and place into ice water bath. Let cool 2-3 minutes, then drain. Set lemon slices aside.
Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Add 1 cup sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar. Bring back to a light boil, then reduce heat to medium-low so mixture just simmers. Add cooled lemon slices. Let simmer for about 1 hour.
Carefully remove lemon slices from sugar mixture one at a time and place on parchment paper. Let cool fully - about 1 to 2 hours.
Pour remaining 1 cup sugar on a small plate. One at a time, dip lemon slices into sugar and turn to coat well on all sides. Place back on parchment paper and let dry overnight.
To store until ready to use (within a few days), layer slices separated by squares of parchment paper in an airtight container, like so:

Zucchini Lasagna

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We planted a vegetable garden in late April and everything is growing like gangbusters right now - especially the zucchini. I thought we just had a bunch of smallish ones coming in, but then my husband went out and found this monster hiding under one of the large leaves:
I knew right away that I wanted to try making lasagna with it. Last fall, I tried using ribbons of squash and zucchini in place of pasta and loved it. But the zucchini in the stores here are little things - only about an inch wide, which definitely isn't big enough to make into lasagna strips. Fortunately, this "forgotten monster" was perfect!
I cut it in half and then cut the other end off so I could balance the zucchini on the cutting board. Then I sliced it lengthwise into as thin slices as possible. (A mandolin would've been handy, but I don't have one - so I can assure a good knife works just fine.)To help get the excess moisture out, I laid the spread out the zucchini strips on oiled baking sheets in a single layer and baked at 350°F for 15 minutes.
Then I let them cool while I prepped my other ingredients. From there, I used them just like you would lasagna sheets made from pasta.
The results were delicious! It was like a lighter version of pasta lasagna, with the zucchini providing the right structure and texture, but not leaving you overly full. (It's also gluten-free!)
Give it a try with your favorite lasagna recipe or check out mine below.
Zucchini Lasagna (printable recipe) (Serves 4-6)
Ingredients:1 large or 2 medium zucchinis, sliced into thin strips and roasted1 Tbsp. olive oil2 cloves garlic, chopped2 links Italian turkey sausage1 can tomato puree1 can diced tomatoes1/4 c. fresh basil, chopped1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped2 tsp. crushed red pepper2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese1 egg1/4 c. grated Parmesan1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
Method:Preheat oven to 350°F.Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped garlic and cook just until fragrant. Add turkey sausage. Cook until no longer pink, breaking into smaller chunks as you go.Add tomato puree and diced tomatoes. Bring to a simmer. Add chopped basil, 2 Tbsp. parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.In a small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg, grated Parmesan and remaining 2 Tbsp. parsley.Spoon about 1/2 c. of sauce mixture into the bottom of a 7" x 11" casserole dish. Cover the sauce with 1/3 of roasted zucchini slices, creating a single, mostly solid layer. Spread 1/2 of the ricotta mixture on top. Sprinkle with 1/3 c. mozzarella. Spoon 1/3 remaining sauce over top. Repeat zucchini, ricotta, mozzarella and sauce layer. Top with remaining zucchini. Pour remaining sauce on top, then sprinkle remaining mozzarella over that. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes until cheese is fully melted.Let cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving.