HONEYED HOME | NEAT & CLEAN EATING

Mediterranean Israeli Couscous w/ Cherry Tomatoes

“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.” - Sir John Lubbock

I woke up at 9;45am this morning and had a full-blown panic attack. How could I let myself sleep in so late on my day off? I have a million things to do today and now I am late! Great. I brushed my teeth with angst, turned on the Keurig, slammed my coffee while it burned on the way down, and then proceeded to tackle my list while my hands shook with anxiousness (or maybe it was the caffeine). Not a good start. No bueno amigos.

I often wonder how time flies by at, what seems to feel like, warp speed. How is it mid-June already? I am going to attribute this faster-than-light propulsion, at which we tend to live our lives, to one simple fact; we never allow ourselves the time to just stand still. I feel as though we plan tasks, events, and dates one after another, after another. I have realized that the only way I truly allow myself rest is when I happen to come down with a sickness that knocks me straight onto my bum. It is really only then, that I resist the urge to fill my entire day with to-do’s and I finally succumb to the fact that it is ok to let go. Rest is good people. We need to concede to the calmness. And, when I say we, I really mean me. Maybe, if I write these words I will actually believe them and pay attention to them. I am trying convince myself, you see. I shouldn’t have let myself be upset for the fact that I slept in, instead I should have relished in the achievement of actually sleeping. Rest is not idleness, it is time well-spent for the health of our minds, bodies, and souls.

My girlfriend at work was the first to share this recipe with me. She brought it as her lunch one day and I fell in love with combinations of flavors. I often make this on Monday’s for a healthy snack to last me throughout the week. The flavors only get better too, the longer it sits in the fridge. Sometimes, I add canned tuna for a bit of protein and other times I serve it over a spinach salad with toasted pine nuts and red pepper flakes. It is always a winner for entertaining too. I have doubled the recipe and served it at several luncheons and showers and it always seems to be the favorite. The secret ingredient is the garlic-infused olive oil drizzle that finishes the salad. It adds the perfect pungent flavor to round it out. It is only a small amount but so worth it!!

Mediterranean Israeli Couscous w/ Cherry Tomatoes {Vegetarian}

Prep time: 10 minutes, Cook time: 15 minutes

1 80x box Israeli couscous

2 1/4 cups hot water

2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 lemon, juice and zest

8oz cherry tomatoes, halved

3 green onions, green & white parts chopped

packed 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 cup herbed crumbled feta cheese

1 tsp garlic infused olive oil

1. In a large stockpot heat 1 TBSP of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the coucous and toast until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups of hot water, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover for about 10 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat and place the couscous in a large bowl to cool.

2. Add the other TBSP of olive oil and the lemon juice and zest to the couscous and stir to combine. Add the chopped basil, green onions, tomatoes, salt, and pepper and mix well. To finish the salad top with crumbled feta and the garlic infused olive oil. Taste and adjust seasonings (I added a teeny bit more salt).

Lemon Poppyseed Granola w/ Ginger Root

“Health is the natural condition. When sickness occurs, it is a sign that nature has gone off course because of a physical or mental imbalance. The road to health for everyone is through moderation, harmony, and a ‘sound mind in a sound body’.” ―Jostein Gaarder

I don’t know if this is true for everyone, but I am someone who could easily get caught in a routine and before I know it, I am just going through life on auto-pilot; sleep, eat, work, eat, workout, eat, clean, eat, relax, eat, and sleep…. day in and day out (notice the favorite, and the most abundant, part of my day??). Change is often very un-welcomed and, in fact, why wouldn’t it be? We tend to stray from change frequently because we already know what we like, what works for us, and what doesn’t. Why mess up a good thing? Don’t fix what isn’t broken. Although we can easily find ourselves in a habit-forming rut, I believe it’s beneficial to not allow it in all aspects of our lives. We have to concede to change and when we finally do, we can truly allow ourselves to grow, learn, and prosper. There is a fine line though, between change and routines, both are needed and both should be welcomed with moderation. Moderation is key when authentically experiencing all that our livelihoods and relationships have to offer. We must remind ourselves of this simple principle to ensure that we don’t end up in methodical grind. Which, by the way, is the reason I am mentioning this to begin with. I am someone that loves to try new things and experiment with variables but I find myself allowing habitual tendencies to dictate how I run my daily life. It’s easier this way. I don’t have to think as much when everything has a systematic pattern. But then sometimes, enough is enough.

You might wonder how all this moderation, change, and routine talk has anything to do with granola but I guarantee you it is precisely the reason. I think I have about 3 different go-to breakfast dishes that I consume on a regular basis. One of which, is a spiced granola with goat yogurt, hemp protein powder, and fresh berries. I honestly think that I could eat this every morning for the rest of my life. But, since we are practicing change around here, I thought I would finally make a new adaptation of one my favorite recipes. The flavors are distinctly different and it really does encompass a whole new essence. Ok, so I know what you are thinking…”All you are changing is the granola?? Shouldn’t you be trying something totally different? Eggs or something?!” Well, folks, baby steps. Everything in moderation, even moderation.

The lemon and ginger really give this granola some zesty character and the poppy seeds create this sweet aroma while it bakes that fills the whole kitchen. Poppy seeds have a ton of health benefits too. Not only are they high in anti-oxidants, they provide a good amount of fiber while containing plenty of essential vitamins and minerals, that promote health and fight disease, like a B-complex of thiamin, niacin, and folic acid. I hope that it inspires you to get in the kitchen and make something new! Get out of those habits and branch out to unchartered territory…even it if you just start with updating breakfast.

Lemon Poppyseed Granola w/ Ginger Root {Vegan, Gluten Free, Paleo}

Makes about 8 cups granola

Prep time: minutes, Bake time: 50 minutes

3 cups gluten free rolled oats

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/8 cup poppy seeds

1/4 cup flax seeds

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp sea salt

3/4 organic maple syrup

3 TBSP coconut oil, in liquid form

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 organic lemons, zest and juice

1 TBSP fresh ginger

1/2 cup dried wild blueberries (or any dried fruit that you like)

1.Preheat oven to 300° and line a large baking sheet with parchment or Silpat.

2. Using a knob at a time, slice the skin off all sides of the ginger root. Once the skin is removed, grate the ginger (I used a box grater and used the side with the big holes). Do not save the hair-like fibers of the ginger, just use the juicy grated “meat” of the root. Set the TBSP of grated ginger aside.

2.Mix all dry ingredients in large bowl, excluding the dried fruit. Add the coconut oil, vanilla, maple syrup, lemon juice and zest, and freshly grated ginger and toss to coat. Using a spatula, spread the granola on the entire baking sheet into an even layer.

3.Bake for 50 minutes, until golden brown, pulling out the granola and tossing halfway through the bake time (at 25 minutes).

4. Once the granola is cooled, add in the dried wild blueberries, mix together, and serve with your favorite tangy yogurt, or better yet, enjoy handfuls on it’s own!

Salted Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookies

The other day, a friend of mine asked me when it was that I decided to follow my passion for cooking. I couldn’t give her a definitive answer. Was it as a child when I would watch my mother cook? Was it when I received an Easy Bake Oven and baked mini cakes for all my neighbor friends? Or perhaps, it was when I started working in the restaurant industry and really was able to experience all that dining out had to offer. I didn’t know the moment it exactly happened, but I did tell her that it started when I was young. When I was about 10 years old, I used to beg my mom to take me to the grocery store so we could pick up some flour to make banana bread or for some chocolate chips for fresh baked cookies. I was enamored with the whole baking process. I loved that you had to be so precise with recipes and measure everything with accuracy. It was in this exactness that I would be guaranteed a perfect cookie or a perfect loaf every time. There is something lovely about knowing exactly what the finished product will be even before you start. That is why I still love baking and consider it one of my favorite pass times. It brings out a zen-like mood for me; a place where I can just focus on the task at hand and loose all the chaos around me, the hurried thoughts, or the anxiety of upcoming to-do’s.

The only difference in the adult version of myself,compared to that of my childhood, is that I do like to experiment a little now; think outside the box and manipulate recipes so that I can try new adaptations. Now, when attempting something the new, the finished product is not always known ahead of time. I usually modify a recipe that I’ve always loved, say a little prayer to the baking Gods, and hope for the best. I can say that this method doesn’t always have a successful turnout but the ratio isn’t too bad. This is what happened with these cookies and the result was exactly as I had hoped (and prayed) for. I was inspired by Not Without Salt’s Cherry, Almond, Chocolate Chip Cookies and I began to think of ways to make the recipe with a vegan twist. I love to bake using a “flax egg” (flax meal & water) because it adds a little nuttiness with the addition of those healthy omega-3′s and lots of fiber. These cookies are incredibly chewy because of the almond meal and the cherries give the perfect tanginess to balance the sweetness. The Maldon sea salt is key and once you taste this cookie, you might never cease this little addition on any cookie from now on. The sweet and salty combination is just heavenly. It seems like these need a lot of ingredients; but once you have almond meal, flax meal, and a fancy sea salt in stock you will find any excuse to use them (they are that good). I suggest you make these as soon as you can get your little booty into the kitchen and get in the mood to loose yourself into the craft. What a wonderful way to de-stress!

Dark Chocolate & Cherry Cookies {Vegan}

Makes about 18 cookies

Prep time: 5 minutes, Bake time: 15 minutes

FLAX EGG:

1 TBSP flax meal

1/4 cup water

DRY INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup almond meal

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup turbinado sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

WET INGREDIENTS:

5 TBSP coconut oil, in liquid form

1 TBSP organic maple syrup

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped

1 cup 72% dark chocolate, chopped (option to use Vegan chocolate)

1 or 2 TBSP Maldon salt, for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 350º. In a small dish make the “flax egg”; combine the flax meal and the water and set aside. In a large bowl combine all of the dry ingredients and whisk with a fork to combine and eliminate all the clumps. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, add the “flax egg” and mix to combine. Fold in the dark chocolate and the cherries. Using an ice cream scoop for even measurements, scoop out cookies on a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the cookies with a few flakes of Maldon salt and bake for 12-15 minutes. (These cookies will appear a bit under-done when bake time is up but don’t worry they are better this way!)

Linguini w/ Heirlooms & Leeks

After a long weekend at my girlfriend’s bachelorette party in San Diego, I felt I needed some redemption. I am not sure whether I mean redemption in character or simply in a healthy meal to put me back to a normal state. I came home, feeling a bit (ahem) under-the-weather, so to speak. I couldn’t let the wild night ruin my entire Sunday though, I would not waste the daylight! Get yourself together! (This was honestly the pep-talk I had to give myself). I decided I would not let day stray from me and I would make dinner for my sweet husband (whom I so missed while I was gone) and myself. Nonetheless my insides needed a little TLC. In the end, redemption would come in the form of dinner and a new blog post….I turned the day around I was productive! (Yes, making dinner was a celebratory event for me during said state of being).

Meet my new favorite quick yet healthy dinner. I don’t know whether it is the leeks (I am obsessed with these mild onion flavored stalks), or maybe the gorgeous mini heirlooms that brighten this dish right up, but I am not going to choose. I especially love the color combination of the vibrant tomatoes with the vivid green spinach making the presentation so pleasing to the eye. The vegetable stock makes a flavorful sauce to coat the noodles and the parmesan cheese makes it seem creamy in texture. It is super easy to prepare and is the perfect light and healthy pasta for a summer night.

Linguini w/ Heirlooms & Leeks {Vegetarian}

Makes 2 (large) servings or 4 (smaller) servings

Prep time: 5 minutes, Cook time: 20 minutes

1 8oz bag of linguini (I like the Garlic and Basil Linguini from Trader Joe’s)

1.5 TBSP of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided

2 leeks, sliced in half-moons and cleaned well

1 lb mini heirloom tomatoes, halved

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup vegetable stock

1 packed cup fresh spinach

1 or 2 tsps red wine vinegar

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

salt & pepper

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Prepare the linguini per package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. In a large sauté pan heat 1 TBSP of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped leeks to the pan, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the minced garlic to the pan and heat for a minute until fragrant. Add the vegetable stock and let simmer for 3-5 minutes before adding in the halved mini heirlooms. Cook the tomatoes in the sauce for 2 minutes before turning off the heat.

3. Add the tomato leek sauce to the pasta and toss to coat. Add the spinach, the grated parmesan, 2 tsps olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Add more salt and pepper to taste and the red pepper flakes if doing so. Toss together and serve immediately. Feel free to add some toasted pine nuts to this for a crunchy touch.

Baked Vanilla Almond Donuts

I woke up this morning with a new number….28. Wow. A whole year has passed in the blink of an eye. I can’t even believe how great 27 was to me. Some extremely wonderful things happened; I got married to the man of my dreams, gained an amazing family, traveled to some incredible places, worked harder than I knew possible, and started this little project of mine that I like to call Honeyed Home. I have to say it was the best year of my life. I am so grateful and so utterly humbled for the amazing people in it. I don’t know how I got so lucky. For this birthday, I realized I am no longer one that needs anything extravagant or over-the-top; just some good food, close friends, and you could maybe throw in a day off with nice weather. No program or schedule to follow, just the simplicity in knowing you have some good people surrounding you in your life. When you have no plans or expectations for a birthday it usually turns out for the best.

This is my new M.O. for future birthdays except for one thing; I will expect donuts. I think that I decided on a baked, health-ified, sprinkled donut as my own birthday breakfast because if there is one day a year I am going to really indulge, it’s going to be on my birthday. I don’t know what the rest of the day will hold, but at least I am certain about this one thing: donuts for breakfast. I once was “made fun of” for calling dibs on the old-fashioned buttermilk donut at a work meeting. I remember the moment when a co-worker said “No one calls dibs on old-fashioned’s”. Little did they know, there is a secret that lies within these perfect fried confectionaries. Buttermilk donuts have this impeccable glaze that creates an outer-layer that holds up unbelievably when dipping in hot coffee. This is not true for the old fashioned’s counterparts; like the crumb donut. Old fashioned’s are still my favorite and I totally had them in mind when I wanted to make my own at home. These donuts are baked, not fried, and this eliminated half of the calories. They are warmly spiced and sweetened naturally with honey instead of it’s refined white doppelgänger that normally inhabit these breakfast treats. I topped these donuts with a vanilla bean glaze to give it that extra gourmet touch and to recreate a little nostalgia in my old-time favorite. I do realize that vanilla beans are expensive but you just shouldn’t skip this fancy ingredient. Those little black flecks all throughout the glaze give it a special distinctive touch that affirms the “home-made-ness”. An important characteristic when cooking for your family, friends or even just for yourself; on your birthday.

This year I learned the significance in going all out to take care of yourself first and foremost; ultimately you are the one who can make yourself happy and I am sharing that with you in the form of a donut. I hope you enjoy and thank you for listening and giving Honeyed Home a chance at this new endeavor. Oh, and Happy Birthday to me!

Baked Vanilla Almond Donuts

Makes 6 Donuts

Prep time: 5 minutes, Bake time: 10 minutes

Inspired by: The Faux Martha's Vanilla Bean Donuts

DONUTS:

1/2 cup almond meal

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder, aluminum free

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 large brown organic egg

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup unsweetened organic vanilla almond milk

2 TBSP clover honey

3 TBSP coconut oil, melted at room temp

GLAZE:

1 TBSP organic half and half

1/4 vanilla bean pod

1/2 cup+ organic powdered sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350º. Spray a 6-welled donut pan with coconut oil. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl whisk the egg, add the milk, vanilla, honey and coconut oil and whisk to combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold together with as few strokes as possible (careful not to mix too much or donuts become too dense). Using a large spoon, divide the batter evenly into each of the wells (making sure to wipe the center clean so that a neat hole is formed). Bake the donuts for 10 minutes and then remove and let cool on a baking rack for 20 minutes.

2. While donuts are cooling make the glaze. Mix the half and half with the seeds of the vanilla bean in a medium bowl. Add the powdered sugar and whisk to combine; adding more powdered sugar if you like a thicker glaze. Once the donuts are cooled dunk each one into the glaze and then place back onto the baking rack to set for another 15 minutes (option to dust with sprinkles after dunking). You are always free to double the glaze recipe and dunk each donut for a second time to really ensure the thickness of the glaze. Best enjoyed immediately or store at room temperature in an air-tight container for a couple of days.