Pretty Little Apron

eggs

Salted Caramel Sheet Cake

by

Salted Caramel Sheet Cake on a surface

Sheet Cakes are my new thing! I used to think they were boring, however lately I have realized that is just not so. This Salted Caramel Sheet Cake is anything but boring, and the perfect treat for a Birthday or special occasion.


Yesterday was my husband’s Birthday. It started as just “one of those days” where everything goes wrong all at one time. We started the day with no power due to a bad storm the night before. We figured by the time we woke up that the power would be restored, however it wasn’t. Next I decided I would go out to the grocery store to pick up a couple things we needed and our van wouldn’t start. When it rains it pours! Finally at about 5 Pm we had power and I thought great, I need to at least bake him a cake.

Totally on the fly I thought, Salted Caramel! He loves peanut butter but we didn’t have any on hand so this was the next best thing I could think of. I used my favorite Vanilla Sheet Cake base. Then I made some American Style buttercream with a hint of cream cheese while the cake was baking. At the end I boiled some sugar and made a homemade caramel sauce to put in the buttercream and top the cake. We had vanilla ice cream on hand as well, which was a perfect addition. At the end of the day we got to sing Happy Birthday to him and he got to enjoy a big piece of cake despite not having power most of the day.

Salted Caramel Sheet Cake with a candle on a plate with a spoon

Salted Caramel Sheet Cake Tips and Tricks

  • For the Vanilla Sheet Cake base, I use my favorite cake mixing and baking method. This calls for a cup of boiling water at the end. Do not fear, the boiling water will not cook your eggs. This helps yield a super moist cake.
  • I always use Watkin’s brand Vanilla Extract. You guys, trust me when I say this is the best vanilla extract I have found.
  • American style buttercream is basically butter and powered sugar. I always add a hint of cream cheese to my icing to add flavor. This will take your desserts from fine to amazing! I also added 2 Tablespoons of the homemade caramel sauce to the icing and it gives just a hint of caramel which is what I was looking for.
  • Cooking homemade caramel sauce is not as hard as you would think. You just boil sugar (without stirring) until you see it starting to turn an amber color. Then you add your heavy cream and butter and you are done. If you have never made homemade caramel sauce before my best advice is do not walk away from it. It can go from good to burnt very quickly. I was mixing my buttercream while my caramel sauce was cooking, however once I saw some color I stopped my buttercream and focused all of my attention on my caramel sauce.
  • I always use parchment paper to line the bottom of my sheet cake pan. This makes it easy to lift the cake out once it cools to icing and cut. I put my parchment paper right on a cutting board and use a large chef knife to cut the cake. After each cut, I wipe the knife off to ensure the next cut is clean and pretty.

Homemade Caramel Sauce

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions: Add sugar to a heavy bottomed pot. Add water to pot and mix to combine sugar and water. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, do not stir. When sugar is completely dissolved and clear, raise heat to medium high. Cook until sugar starts to turn from clear to amber in color, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat immediately. Stir in heavy cream, butter, and vanilla extract. Your mixture will bubble up when you add these ingredients, just keep stirring. When the caramel is cool enough to give it a try, stir in a dash of salt at a time until you’ve reached your desired taste. If your caramel is lumpy, give it some heat and stir until it is smooth.

Recipe adapted from Fifteen Spatulas. For a full caramel tutorial with pictures, go check out Fifteen Spatulas recipe!

Salted Caramel Buttercream

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese
  • 2-3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 Tablespoons homemade caramel sauce
  • dash of salt to taste

Directions: Place room temperature butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until smooth. Do not use cold butter and do not microwave your butter. Microwaving will cause hot spots that could cause your buttercream to become lumpy. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Add vanilla extract and homemade caramel sauce.

Salted Caramel Sheet cake on a plate with a spoon and a candle

A spoon and plate with a salted caramel cake and candle

Brioche French Toast

by

One thing that the 2020 Quarantine has brought my family is more delicious breakfasts together. Where we used to only have the weekends to sit down together as a family for breakfast, we now have everyday!


I posted my Summer Berry Stuffed French Toast recipe a while back, and that is a bit more complicated of a recipe. If you are making French Toast for a crowd, I would totally go with the Stuffed French Toast. It is way over the top and has gotten rave reviews from my friends. If you are making French Toast for just your family to enjoy, then this Brioche French Toast is for you! It is a classic French Toast recipe that my kids and husband all love. We like to serve our French Toast with a sprinkle of powdered sugar, real maple syrup, and whipped cream.

French Toast Recipe

Brioche French Toast Tips and Tricks

There isn’t anything particularly amazing or different about this French Toast recipe except the bread choice. I have tried to make French Toast with several different types of bread, and some have failed. My biggest fail was trying to make French Toast with sprouted grain bread. Obviously, sprouted grain bread is healthier than any white bread however let me just say it does not yield a French Toast worth the cooking time. Hard and eggy tasting is what I got. My kids didn’t want to touch it with a 10 foot pole and neither did I!

After that I learned my lesson. If I wanted to make French Toast, then I should use the bread that yields the best end product and enjoy it. A friend of mine mentioned using a Brioche loaf for a French Toast bake, so next time I was at the grocery store I picked one up. My friend was so right, Brioche is the perfect bread for French Toast for a few reasons:

  • The bread is very moist to begin with so you get a fluffy inside.
  • It has a bit of a sweetness to it already.
  • It is easy to slice up yourself for the perfect not too thick but not too thin slices.
  • With a hint of brown sugar and egg, the outside cooks into that perfect crust we all love.

For cooking, I use a cast iron skillet or my outdoor flat top grill. Both of these options yield the same result.

*We have found Brioche loaves at all of the grocery stores we shop at. They are in the bakery section, not the bread isle. We have always found that they are wrapped in clear white cellophane and usually have a liner on the bottom of them. Ours have never been sliced which is perfect.

 

 

Ultimate Red Velvet Cupcakes

by

Ultimate Red Velvet Cupcakes

The Ultimate Red Velvet Cupcake recipe is right here, you guys! I’ve seen a ton of complicated Red Velvet cake recipes but here is the truth: When I am baking I like to keep things simple. This Red Velvet recipe is just that, SIMPLE. No random mixing techniques or weird ingredients. A straight to the point and easy recipe that yields a delicate, flavorful cake. This is what we are all after when we bake, right?


Before we just into the recipe, I’ve been sharing quarantine updates so here we go!

We are in our third week in quarantine. This is honestly the longest I’ve been in the same house with my husband for as long as I can remember. I’m always with the kids all day because I am a stay at home Mom, so this isn’t entirely different then my normal life with them except we aren’t doing school drop offs and pick ups. My husband normally works long hours and goes to bed early so our new schedule is so different than our normal lives.

Today was the first day we literally could not figure out what day it was. For some reason I was thinking it was Friday. He was thinking it was Tuesday. It is in fact, Wednesday. He wins for being closer but we definitely had a good 5 minute discussion about what day it actually was. HAHA If that doesn’t sum up the third week of quarantine I don’t know what does!

The kids are completing their first week of at home learning today. Apparently they are still getting an Easter vacation from Thursday to Monday. How nice of the school, right?!? At home learning has been pretty good this week. Nothing too scary to report. I will admit, I do miss packing lunches a little bit and keeping on top of homework when they get home from school. I do also wish on these beautiful days we are having that we would be taking them to baseball practice and getting some fresh air at the park! I guess it is the little things I am missing the most. There are so many positives of this whole experience though and I feel they out weigh the negatives for sure. We are keeping a positive outlook over here!

Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe

Ultimate Red Velvet Cupcake Tips and Tricks

  • I am again, using a cup of boiling water at the end of this recipe. This makes for a very moist and delicate cake. The boiling water will not cook your eggs, I promise. I also use this technique in my Vanilla Sheet Cake recipe.
  • You need a whole heck of a lot of red food coloring to get these cupcakes to the right color. Do not freak when you see that you will be using almost an entire bottle of red food coloring, this is not a typo! When you are mixing, you will see exactly why you need so much.
  • The buttermilk in this recipe not only develops extra flavor, but also makes the texture nice and light. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, regular milk will work just fine.
  • The cake flour (also known as pastry flour) can be found in the baking isle near all the other flour options. I use Wegman’s brand pastry flour. I also suggest King Arthur’s Brand Cake Flour (sold in a box).
  • I do not like a sickeningly sweet cream cheese icing. I used about 3 and a half cups of powdered sugar in my recipe, however you can add more depending on your own taste.

Ultimate Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Cream Cheese Icing Recipe

  • 1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 2 (8 ounce) blocks of cream cheese (room temperature)
  • 3-4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I use Watkin’s brand)
  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment add your butter and cream cheese. Make sure these ingredients are room temperature! Cold cream cheese will yield a lumpy icing. I do not suggest microwaving these ingredients to soften.
  2. Mix butter and cream cheese until smooth, scraping down your bowl several times to avoid any lumps.
  3. Add 3-4 cups powdered sugar (or more to taste). Add vanilla extract.
  4. Place cream cheese icing in a piping bag and pipe icing on top of cupcakes. I used a Wilton #307 tip for piping.

Recipe adapted from Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Cake Recipe.

Heath Brownies

by

 

Heath Brownies


Attention! They may not have chocolate chips at the grocery store right now, but they have Heath chips. If you love a decadent, fudge brownie base with little bits of toffee throughout and a big scoop of ice cream on top, then these Heath Brownies are just for you.

Speaking of grocery stores, I went to Wegman’s today. My home away from home. My happy place. They don’t beat Target, but man they are pretty close. There were many items I could not get (Covid-19 hoarding), and I’ll be honest, I was a bit disappointed. I REALLY wanted Jasmine Rice. I REALLY wanted yeast. The produce section wasn’t what it normally is. There was no sanitizing wipes or cleaners at all, and toilet paper was scarce.

What I can say, is that all the workers at Wegman’s were doing a fantastic job. They were smiling, and moving about their day as if nothing was going on in the world. They are braver then myself, and I have so much respect for the essential workers there who are putting their own lives in danger to serve the community.

Wegman’s was taking a couple extra precautions to try to keep customers as safe as possible. Hand sanitizer was located at the entrance. The cashiers had plexiglass barriers to prevent customers from getting too close or coughing/sneezing/breathing on them, and they had a security guard at the front of the store. It was definitely a different shopping experience but again, I am just Thankful I am still able to get what I need for my family.

Heath Brownie Recipe

Heath Brownie Tips and Tricks

  • I love a fudgy, decadent brownie. Some brownies are cake-like, and while they have their place in the world, these brownies are not cakey. They are moist, dense, and loaded with chocolate flavor. For this reason, I am using an 8×8 baking pan. You really only need one brownie (or even a half!) to satisfy your chocolate dreams.
  • I always line my baking pan with parchment paper. It is totally fine if it isn’t perfect. You will want some paper to go up the sides so you can grab the paper and lift your brownies out to cut. This is perfect for two reasons. You don’t cut up the bottom of your pan, and your brownies can be cut perfectly. If you have kids, this is even better so that your kids can’t go butcher the whole pan trying to get one brownie out. If you are serving them at a gathering or party this will also enable you to cut perfect brownies.
  • I lift my parchment paper and brownies right out of the pan and place them onto a cutting board. I use a large chef knife to cut them. Instead of dragging your knife through the brownies, I suggest placing your knife on top and cutting down. After each cut, use a cloth with hot water to wipe your chef knife off. This technique will get you perfect brownies!
  • The Heath baking bits can be found in the baking isle of most grocery stores. They are in the same section as the chocolate chips. Heath Brownies would obviously not be a thing without the Heath baking bits.

Heath Brownie Recipe

Vanilla Sheet Cake

by

We are in unprecedented times people. What am I doing to take my mind off of all the scary things going on in the world, you ask?

I am cooking and baking! I have been lucky enough to keep a stock of flour, sugar, butter, and other baking items on hand. I know some grocery stores are not able to stock these items, so if you have them consider yourself lucky! Cooking and baking (and photographing food) is something that I have always loved, but these past couple of weeks it has kept me sane and moving. I’ve absolutely loved spending time in the kitchen.


My hope is to continue posting recipes I have made in quarantine and talk about what my family is experiencing and the things we have been doing to keep ourselves busy. 🙂

Vanilla Sheet Cake Recipe

Let’s Talk Vanilla Sheet Cake!

Ok, I’ll admit that I am not a huge fan of icing round layer cakes. The Instagram videos make it look really easy, however in my experience, it can be frustrating. We have all seen the Pinterest and Instagram fails and I have been there.

It takes a level of skill and understanding to make a layer cake look perfect. For most home bakers, we haven’t spent the time perfecting those skills because we aren’t making dozens of cakes a day.

Here is where the sheet cake comes in! You can practically put icing on a sheet cake with your eyes closed and it looks wonderful. Add some sprinkles and perhaps a few rosettes, and you have a semi-professional looking cake without all the hassle and tools it takes to put together a layer cake.

This particular recipe is a home run! I adapted this recipe using my favorite chocolate cake recipe (coming soon) and I had no idea how it was going to turn out. The results were one of the best cakes I have ever made. This vanilla cake tastes VERY similar to something that comes out of a box, I would argue way better. It is moist and not lacking flavor. That is exactly what I am looking for with any cake recipe.

Vanilla Sheet Cake

Vanilla Sheet Cake Tips and Tricks

  • Ingredients. I know I just explained that some grocery store shelves in the baking isle are empty but I would NOT use old ingredients. Have you ever tasted a baked good and thought you could taste “something else” in it too? It was probably because ingredients were sitting next to spices and were OLD. If you don’t remember when it was purchased, then toss it and get some fresh ingredients.
  • Using Pastry Flour (cake flour) will give you a delicate, moist cake. I used Wegman’s brand pastry flour because King Arthur was not stocked. My top pick is always King Arthur though.
  • Good quality Vanilla extract is also very important. I have a brand, Watkins, that I 100% recommend over any other brand for taste alone.
  • I always use butter over oil in baking recipes. Oil is lacking flavor and although it can make the texture of some baked goods better, it does not add flavor so I avoid it all together. The original recipe I adapted from suggested 1/2 cup oil so I replaced it with 1 stick of unsalted butter.
  • When you line your sheet cake pan with parchment paper, don’t worry if it isn’t perfect. When your cake is cooled and you remove it from the pan, you can always trim the edges. Simply place your cake on a large cutting board and use a large chef knife to trim any edges that are uneven.
  • POURING IN THE HOT WATER: What sets this cake apart from most all other vanilla cake recipes is the use of boiling water at the very end. This yields an extremely moist cake. The first time I made a cake like this I kept imagining the boiling water cooking the eggs in the batter, however that did not happen.
  • ICING THE CAKE: Do not try to ice a cake that is still warm. I have been tempted many times myself, but don’t do it! Your icing will melt all over the place creating a huge mess. I plopped all of my icing right in the middle of the cake and used an offset spatula to move the icing around. When getting close to the edges, don’t worry if you aren’t right at the edge with your icing. Nobody will notice and it can become a hassle trying to get it perfect.
  • CUTTING THE CAKE: One thing that will also make your sheet cake look beautiful is cutting it properly. Put away the butter knives! You will get a nice and precise cut from a large chef knife. I also avoid “running my knife though” the cake. You want to insert the knife and press down instead of running it sideways. When you run it sideways you will grab cake crumbs and tear up your cake, making it look ugly. We eat with our eyes first so cutting it nicely is important. After each cut wipe off your knife. This also ensures with your next cut you will not tear up your cake.
  • DECORATING THE CAKE: I used a mix of rainbow sprinkles and flat round Wilton Sprinkles. I could not find a link to the flat sprinkles I used. I also used a piping bag with a large star tip to make the rosettes.
Vanilla Birthday Cake

Vanilla Icing Recipe

I will start by saying, I love using cream cheese in icing. It will set apart your cake from all others and create a deeper flavor. By mixing butter and cream cheese, you develop a beautiful American style buttercream with a hint of cream cheese to make it really pop. It doesn’t stand out as cream cheese icing, however it doesn’t taste like sickeningly sweet American style buttercream using powdered sugar to sweeten it. It is the perfect balance and will not disappoint.

Recipe:

  • 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
  • 8 ounces cream cheese (I prefer Philadelphia brand)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar (more to taste)

Directions: Soften cream cheese and butter ahead of time. Temperature of these items matters as you do not want lumps in your icing. Once the lumps are there, they are hard to get out.

Cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla extract, and powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time. As I mentioned, I am not a fan of sickeningly sweet American style buttercream, so you may want to add an additional cup or two of powered sugar depending on your taste.

 

Chocolate Ganache Brownies

by

Chocolate Ganache Brownies

Hands up if you like a big old chocolate explosion of a brownie? These Chocolate Ganache Brownies are just that… Rich, decadent brownies topped with a delightfully creamy ganache. Basically Little Debbie on steroids. 🙂


Truth: In high school I worked at a buffet. We used to make boxed brownies and slather them with canned frosting. We didn’t even cover them up at night and I would still eat them, all dried out 3 days later, especially if the soft served ice cream they also had was involved. Brownies + Frosting = Heart Eyed Emoji.

Fast forward to when I went to Pastry Arts school. I realized there was a much, much better way to achieve this type of frosted brownie. GANACHE. The epitome of chocolate awesomeness. So versatile, so deliciously smooth and pretty. You can put it on cakes, pour it over desserts, and yes… you can also frost brownies with ganache.

Chocolate Ganache Brownies

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, you may want to show someone some love by whipping up a batch of these brownies as dessert. If your Valentine is into a super fudgy, semi-sweet chocolate brownie, then this recipe is perfect!

Valentine’s Day to me this year means my baby is almost full term. When I saw the Valentine’s Day stuff popping up at all the store’s my mind just kept telling me… you are one day closer. Keep going. It is almost over! 🙂 Being a mom of 4 boys already and being pregnant has been… well… hard. Everything hurts, I’m out of breath, my body is just tired of being pregnant. But alas, one day closer… one day closer.

Chocolate Ganche Brownies

Recipe Tips

This recipe is super easy, yet super easy to totally bomb. Take it from me, I’ve done it before!

  1. Please, for the love of all things… line your 8×8 inch brownie pan with parchment paper. It will change your brownie life forever. More importantly, it will give you a nice little slab of perfect brownies that you can easily pull right out of the pan and top with your ganache.
  2. If you are wondering who on earth bakes brownies in such a small pan, you are not alone my friend! Generally I scoff at all of the recipes that suggest a dinky little 8×8 pan. I have 4 and a half kids and a husband. I’m not here to waste my time making 9 brownies. HOWEVER…. these brownies are extremely decadent and one brownie will suffice. This is the ONLY brownies you will see coming out of my kitchen in an 8×8 pan. If you happen to be feeding your own little army and feel you might need more, go ahead and double the recipe and use a larger pan.
  3. Ganache is super easy to make, but does require some cooling time. When you first mix your ganache, the consistency will not be right to put on the brownies immediately. You will need to put your ganache in the refrigerator until the consistency becomes thick and spreadable.
  4. When cutting your beautiful Chocolate Ganache Brownies, there is a method to the madness. First, using a large chef knife is the best way to get a perfectly cut brownie. Second, running the knife under hot water and wiping it off before each cut will ensure you don’t mess up your ganache. I know, I know… tedious… however… aren’t they beautiful?!?! What I’m really saying is don’t take a butter knife and run it through your ganache topped brownies and expect it to look the way mine do. THEY WILL BE A HOT MESS.

Chocolate Ganche Brownies

*Brownie recipe borrowed from this here wee little website. 🙂 I have attempted several times to make this recipe “my own” by switching things out. What I learned is if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The original recipe is perfect.

Chocolate Ganache Brownies

 

The Best White Bread

by

*This white bread recipe is simply The Best White Bread I have ever had! I have shared this recipe time and time again with friends who rave that it “Tastes just like the bread their Grandfather used to make!” My tried and true recipe that will leave you wondering why grocery stores even bother selling shelf stable white bread. No comparison here!

The Best White Bread || Easy to follow recipe. Hands down the best white bread I have ever baked! Perfect for grilled cheese sandwiches, french toast, and everything in between. Nothing on the grocery store shelves can compare! || www.3boysunprocessed.com


 

The smell of fresh bread baking. Just close your eyes and imagine where that smell takes you. Maybe it is nostalgic, or maybe it takes you back to a job that you loved, or that guy you went on the horrible blind date with that one time, or Grandma’s house growing up. It is a beautiful, wonderful, amazing smell, isn’t it? I love the smell of fresh bread baking and this white bread does not disappoint in the amazing aroma department!

Hello beautiful, wonderful, amazing smells that are about to swirl through my home! 🙂

A fresh bread baking situation going on in my house means this Momma is so on point that given day. On point like doing a weeks worth of crap all in one day and possibly running around like a mad woman trying to understand why I all of a sudden have a million ounces of energy running through my body to do everything I’ve been procrastinating for weeks. You have those days too, right? Or did someone just spike my coffee?

Spiked coffee or not I usually bake this bread on the same day I make a pot of creamy tomato soup. Do you see where I’m going here? Yes, grilled cheese sandwiches. Who doesn’t love a grilled cheese sandwich on The Best White Bread you have EVER had dipped in creamy, cheesy, delicious homemade tomato soup? My goodness, if that isn’t food heaven I don’t know what is!

The Best White Bread || www.3boysunprocessed.com

 

The Best White Bread || Easy to follow recipe. Hands down the best white bread I have ever baked! Perfect for grilled cheese sandwiches, french toast, and everything in between. Nothing on the grocery store shelves can compare! || www.3boysunprocessed.com

Baking Tips for The Best White Bread

  • Take extra precaution with the temperature of your milk. Too hot will kill the yeast, and too cold will not activate it! A nice lukewarm is where you want to be.
  • Room temperatures do cause breads to rise at different speeds. In the summer I may get a really quick and puffy rise, while in the winter my dough may not be as quick to rise. If you feel like you aren’t getting the rise you should be, preheat your oven to the lowest temperature option, then turn your oven off. Leave some of the heat out, then place your dough bowl in the oven to rise. This works like a charm every time!
  • Make sure you cover your dough while it is rising or a hard crust will form on the outside of the dough. I always use a warm, wet paper towel and that works perfectly. DO NOT however leave it on there for hours on end to go run a million errands because you will likely come back to a big ol’ dough ball covered in paper towel that you cannot get off. Can you tell I’ve experienced this first hand?
  • I always use bread flour when baking breads. Give it a try, you will not be disappointed with the results!

This recipe first appeared here on NYT Cooking. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!

The Best White Bread || Easy to follow recipe. Hands down the best white bread I have ever baked! Perfect for grilled cheese sandwiches, french toast, and everything in between. Nothing on the grocery store shelves can compare! || www.3boysunprocessed.com

Black Bean and Corn Fritters

by

Fritters5 (1 of 1)

Can I just go right ahead and admit today was just one of those days. If you have kids then I know you know what I’m talking about! Having my 8 year old son home for summer vacation and being super preggo is a lot more then I bargained for. Hello… when you can’t see your feet how are you supposed to bend over and pick random things up?? Or bend over and give the babes a bath?? Or put your own shoes on??  The big belly struggle is real! #pregnancyproblems


However…. somehow I managed to throw these super fun and delicious Black Bean and Corn Fritters together and the kids gobbled them up for lunch. I wish I could say that I served them with a green veggie or fruit salad but no, the kids are on a hard boiled egg kick so protein + protein it was. Hey, nothing wrong with that…. until tomorrow morning when I have to smell the aftermath of this bean + hard boiled egg meal. Thankfully my husband wasn’t here!

In other news my husband wants me to stop purchasing kitchen stuff. How do I put this…nevergonnahappenhubby.

In other, other news Donald Trump is running for president. Am I missing something here? Is he a politician now? Is he just going to pay someone off to make important decisions? Am I the only one super confused about this? And by the way, if you haven’t seen his Toupee memes I suggest you Google that immediately and have a good laugh!

Fritters7 (1 of 1)

AAAANNNNDDD…. Back to the fritters because they are super easy to make and come together in about 30 minutes from start to finish. 30 minutes!! They are so easy I would say this would be a great recipe to let the kids help out with. I served mine with a nice dollop of sour cream and a little extra cheese on top and they were just perfect. Hope you all enjoy as much I we did!

Black Bean and Corn Fritters || www.3boysunprocessed.com

Coconut Chicken Fried Rice

by

coconutchix1 (1 of 1)

Well Christmas just flew right by, didn’t it? Of course the last few days have been an absolute hurricane at my house, however today I managed to get a few things in order. My oldest son is home from school this week, so you know what that means, I’m officially a referee now! I think I heard the words “He hit me” more times today then I ever really wanted to hear them. Actually, I’d be totally fine if I never had to hear those words again! 🙂


Amongst all of the chaos I somehow managed to muster up the energy to put dinner together tonight and it was one of those Ohhhh-Soooo-Takeout inspired dishes that did the trick BUT was made with all real, healthier ingredients then you would typically find in takeout food. I was surprised how great the consistency of the sauce turned out because it reminded me of something JUST LIKE you would get from Panda Express. Three Cheers for creating a great sauce with a few simple ingredients that would surely rival Panda Express!

Speaking of Panda Express, I actually looked for their ingredients online and wasn’t able to find ANYTHING. Being tight-lipped about ingredients? Not cool Panda Express! Of course, I know their food is GMO-laden, and probably contains a lot of soybean oil and high fructose corn syrup, but I’d be curious to see what else is hiding in there. They do claim that they only use “natural forms” of MSG so that makes me think they use yeast extract or other flavor enhancers instead. Tricky, tricky! If anyone knows where to find their ingredients shoot me a comment! 🙂 Or better yet forget about them all together and make your own!

I put this delish Coconut Chicken over fried rice, but it would also go great with sticky white rice (GASP!) or brown rice. Ok, I know… the white rice. But there is just something about it that is so wonderful and amazing in every way that makes it perfect for a sticky sweet/spicy/salty sauce. Food heaven is that you???? I have to admit I can eat 100% whole wheat bread and pasta all day every day and never miss the bleached/refined stuff but the sticky rice with takeout-style food is my bleached grains pitfall. Just being honest! If you decide to forgo the extra fried rice steps I would recommend doubling the sauce recipe so that you have a little extra goodness for the rice.

 

coconutchix3 (1 of 1)

Cooking Tips and Techniques

  • For best chicken results filet chicken (cut in half lengthwise) first, then cut into small chunks, and finally thin slightly with a meat tenderizer. This will ensure your chicken will cook through easily because it is thinner, and it will be nice and flat for a crispy finish. It sounds like a lot but I promise the extra few minutes of effort it takes will save you cooking time and yield a perfect bite of chicken!
  • Rinse pan after each batch of chicken is cooked (unless you are using a non-stick surface, then you can just wipe down with a paper towel, and add more olive oil). I used two chicken breasts, and only had to rinse pan one time. This ensures none of your chicken will end up stuck to your pan!
  • Heat your pan well in advance. I put my oil in the pan and allow it to heat up on low while I’m breading my chicken. When I’m about to cook my chicken I turn it up to medium.  I don’t go any hotter then medium/medium low because I’m using olive oil.
  • Sauce can be cooked in the same pan as your chicken! Save yourself a dish, and use the flavor of the stuff on the bottom of your pan for a delicious sauce. Yumm!
  • Any veggies you have on hand can be used in the fried rice. Have a ball, throw in them all! I went broccoli  heavy cause that’s just how we roll. Hello Cruciferous veggies!

coconutchixfriedrice

 

Whole Wheat Gingerbread Pancakes

by

 

 


gingerbreadpancakes2 (1 of 1)

I am telling you…these Gingerbread Pancakes totally exceeded my pancake expectations! So much so that I’ve made them for my kids 3 times in the last week. You know, because I just love hearing the words “We want pancakes” before I even step foot out of bed! #mommyproblems

I just read a meme that said “Honesty trumps sugar-coated bullshit.” YES! This is exactly how I feel today as I’m writing this because truth is, I am having major technical issues. Scratch that. I’m having massive technical issues. The kind of issues that warrant taking my computer outside with a shotgun, or maybe a baseball bat. Either way, I have no idea what is wrong with my computer and it is driving me insane! Meltdown anyone?

These computer issues also warrant a big coffee, a good cry, and some chocolate. You know, because there’s nothing chocolate can’t fix, right? But seriously, if you don’t see any new posts this week just know that I’m undergoing massive reboots and techie stuff that I don’t really understand and I’ll be back soon. 🙂 Praying I can figure it out soon because my computer is virtually un-usable and SLLLOOWWW.

In (better) news, I took all 3 boys to the dentist today and nobody embarrassed me. That’s right… nobody ran away from me, I didn’t have to chase anyone down the hallway, or pull anyone off the decorations they just love to try to climb on. There were no looks from strangers, or older folks judging me. We came, we dentist’d, we conquered. Yes!!!! 🙂

DSC_7786

 

Ok, now let’s get to the fun part, these Gingy-Men pancakes! I even busted out my naturally dyed sprinkles I’ve been saving just for Holiday baking to dress these pancakes up a bit, and how cute did they turn out? I’ve been known to hate on sprinkles in the past (among other things like bunnies) because they are nasty *ahem partially hydrogenated oils and artificial color-bombs.* However I can totally get down with a few naturally dyed sprinkles on some festive pancakes to put a smile on my boy’s faces! They thought it was something really special and I got to enjoy a pancake with my coffee. Win-win all around!

*Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma

 

 

 

 

#betterbaking Whole Wheat Caramel Blondies

by

caramelblondies2 (1 of 1) l

That’s a big blondie, isn’t it? A big, rich, caramel-y blondie that is all whole wheat!


Is it just me or are people totally scurred of committing to using all whole wheat flour in recipes? I can’t even count the amount of times I have been foodgawking and thought to myself “cool no refined grains!” only to click on the recipe and realize it isn’t  a whole wheat recipe because it contains 1/2 refined flour. What gives people, what gives!?!?!

Not only that, why label a recipe whole wheat if in fact, it isn’t? Maybe I’m missing something there. 🙂

Fear not though, because here at 3Boys we don’t play those games. All of our recipes are 100% whole wheat, and #betterbaking is taking the internet by storm! Ok, maybe the second part of that was kind of a long shot but people really seem to be interested in baking recipes using better ingredients, so I am here to give you more options and better recipes.

Whole wheat recipes don’t have to be bland, boring, and standard. They don’t have to be limited to just one version of a classic, the possibilities are endless. You don’t have to worry about trying something in whole wheat form and it turning out horrible, and I get to take pictures of pretty desserts that make me happy. Sounds like a  win-win situation, doesn’t it? Even my husband thinks it is genius because he gets to taste all of my creations! After all, I have to put that Pastry Arts degree to use somehow, don’t I?

caramelblondies3 (1 of 1)

Now that ^^^^ is a caramel blondie! With this recipe I’m really tackling those boxed mixes with the little pouch of gooey caramel intact to drizzle right over those trans fat laden boxed brownies. I know, I know, I’m sorry I just can’t help myself! I have to get all health-freak up in here and talk about the nastyt ingredients in boxed mixes so people understand those mixes are not frowned upon simply because they are supposedly quicker (which I highly debate). They are frowned upon because they contain trans fats, preservatives, and a bunch of other crap. But aren’t brownies just flour, cocoa powder, and leavening agents anyway? Please, someone, anyone…. tell me how this makes ANY sense!

I got to wondering what else Ghiradelli was throwing into those gooey caramel packets and it was just the icing on top of the nasty ingredient cake! It was ugly folks, really ugly. Corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, and preservatives. Just a few little extras, right?

Ok, I promise I’m off the trans fats are bad train and we are now going back to our regularly scheduled programming! 🙂

caramelblondies4 (1 of 1)

These blondies sound complicated but I promise they are not! Putting together the caramel from scratch could NOT be easier. A few simple ingredients, 5 minutes, and a stovetop is all you need. After you do it once you’ll be wondering why you ever thought caramel was complicated. Not to mention, the FLAVOR from real caramel is totally different and so much better then those plastic wrapped chunks of high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils. Come to the real caramel dark side, I promise we have more fun here! 🙂

For more #betterbaking recipes check out these posts!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pie Cupcakes

PB and Apple Muffins

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

German Chocolate Cupcakes

Fudgy Trip Chocolate Cupcakes

caramelblondies

*Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

German Chocolate Cupcakes

by

Dana Carvell (3BoysUnprocessed)
germanchocolate7 (1 of 1)

You didn’t think the week was going to end without a cute #betterbaking cupcake recipe, did you? Not only was it my Birthday week, I’m also going to a party tonight so I had a few pretty good reasons to start baking up a storm and turning my kitchen upside down! Would you like some cocoa powder on that? 🙂


Yes, you read that right. I AM GOING TO A PARTY. I know, this never happens. I can’t even think of the last time I went to a party but it is happening tonight and the theme is Oktoberfest. How about some German Chocolate Cupcakes? Seems like the perfect dessert addition to an Oktoberfest party, right? I thought so too, until I Googled German Chocolate only to find out it has NOTHING to do with Germany. *palm to my face*

Well then, I guess I won’t be asking the German guy there (yes there’s a guy from Germany coming) if these babes are authentic because he may just laugh in my face! Come to find out, through Google too of course, that German chocolate was named after the guy who created it, and the cake came after that. Doesn’t this remind you of the time we found out Betty Crocker wasn’t even a real person? Seriously, all these things I thought I knew just went down the drain. But have no fear because these cupcakes are:

  • delicious
  • cute
  • whole wheat
  • 100% from scratch

Yes, I think that makes this whole German chocolate snafoo a little bit better, don’t you? Who cares where the term German chocolate came from because we have these awesome cupcakes to blame for that term, and boy these are a great Oktoberfest mistake! Did I mention we are making homemade caramel again? Yeah, that too! There is just no way to go wrong with chocolate cupcakes filled with a gooey, caramel/pecan/coconut filling, and topped with chocolate icing and more caramel and pecans. Is this a cupcake dream or what?

You know what else is really dreamy? Caramel that doesn’t come from a can or a wrapper!

germanchocolate13 (1 of 1)

Ok, ok, now that we got that pour shot out of the way let’s talk about assembling these babes because it is super easy. I made the filling using the caramel sauce, toasted pecans, and finely shredded coconut. It was like killing two birds with one stone (seriously who would kill a bird anyway?) because the caramel is the base of the filling, and the topping.

After I made the filling/topping, I whipped up the amazing cream cheese/chocolate/buttercream icing concoction and started assembling. I hollowed a hole in the middle of the cupcakes using the bottom of a piping tip (I’ve also used a melon baller to do that), then I filled the hole, piped the icing, dusted with finely shredded coconut, drizzled with caramel topping, and added some extra pecans. Then of course I had to eat one because I can’t take something to a party that I haven’t tasted yet, and wow… these are just pure amazing-ness. I mean, I just made up a word to describe these because they are that good. I promise, if you like chocolate and caramel, these cupcakes are just for you!

Homemade Caramel Filling/Topping

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup organic sugar
  • 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 tsp molasses
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp milk
  • 1/4 cup toasted pecans (for filling)
  • 1/4 cup finely shredded coconut (unsweetened, for filling)

Directions: In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients except milk. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar is melted, bubbly, and begins to turn darker in color. Remove from heat, stir in milk, and allow to sit to thicken for a few minutes. Set aside 1/4 of the caramel for drizzle, then add pecans and coconut to remaining caramel (you can put it all in the same pan you used to make the caramel). Stir to combine. Filling may harden after caramel is cooled, but still makes an amazing cupcake center!

Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream

Ingredients:

  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup organic sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3-4 Tbsp Tapioca Starch (or Non-GMO verified corn starch)

Directions: Allow cream cheese and butter to soften on countertop for 30+ minutes before starting. Beat cream cheese and butter until very smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl numerous times to ensure all lumps are out of mixture. Slowly add sugar, beat for another 5 minutes to allow sugar to incorporate, continuing to scrape down bowl to ensure everything is evenly mixed. Add cocoa powder (I always sift cocoa powder first), and Tapioca Starch to finish.

germanchocolate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fudgy Triple Chocolate Cupcakes PLUS #betterbaking

by

I know, I know, ANOTHER cupcake post!??! A bit over-board? Maybe. But keep reading!

triplechocolatecupcakes7 (1 of 1)


BUT wait just a hot second because this isn’t just another cupcake post. It is the start of something really awesome here at 3Boys Unprocessed because I’ve taken notice to TONS of crappy dessert recipes floating around the internet. You know, the dump cakes, the poke cakes, the boxed this and that, the cool whip, and the totally refined and semi-homemade desserts that aren’t just 3 ingredients like the title says. Boxed cake mix + box of jello = A LOT MORE than 3 ingredients! Not just that, it also = trans fats, artificial everything, unhealthy oils, and weird preservatives banned in other countries. Say whhhahattt!?!?!

Now, I try my hardest to ignore these dessert disasters because let’s face it, we live in a processed world and our food supply is nothing short of a complete disaster as it stands. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel because all of these recipes can be tweaked just a bit to be turned into something that isn’t so much of a processed mess. You know, like using whole wheat flour, and substituting real stuff for the boxed stuff. It is SO easy, yet people are so afraid of ruining a batch of cupcakes or running the risk that they don’t turn out tasting superb. Using trans fats instead of trying something new out of baking fear??? Doesn’t sound like such a good idea to me! Of course, these recipes are going to contain sugar. Sugar = desserts. I want to post relate-able content that doesn’t make the dump cake people say “Oh no, I’d never try using those weird ingredients,” therefore, I’m sticking to the simple stuff but making it a tad better by using organic versions that aren’t as processed, and don’t contain GMO’s. All of these things are important to me, and I’d much rather see people using organic sugar in their own home before going to the grocery store and buying a cake that contains 100 ingredients, including trans fats and everything else I’m going to talk about here. You get the drift? Good!

Now, I also know most of you aren’t trained Pastry Chefs like myself. That’s why I’m taking the guess-work out of all of this and bringing you #betterbaking (yes I just hashtagged in a post!) so that you can create desserts in your own home, without the processed crap, that taste nothing short of a product that comes from an upscale bakery and is totally amazing. Ready?? Let’s go! Each week I’m going to be posting a brand new recipe that DOESN’T include any of these ingredients:

  • boxed cake mixes
  • boxed jello
  • cool whip
  • soybean/canola oil
  • refined grains
  • artificially dyed and trans fat containing sprinkles (pretty much ALL mainstream sprinkles)
  • other artificial ingredients (flavors, colors, products, etc.)

Now, just so you know, none of my other baking recipes posted so far contain any of this stuff because truth is, these products don’t exist in my household. A few years ago I woke up to the fact that these products aren’t good for any of us. I know there are lots of people who haven’t realized this yet, so that’s why I’m doing this! The interwebs need #betterbaking recipes! triplechocolatecupcakes8 (1 of 1)

No sprinkles though!?!? Come now, how can that be? You see, there are these little things called naturally dyed sprinkles, and there are also these little things called cupcake toppers. They both make cupcakes as cute as they should be, without adding a bunch of chemicals and artificial dyes to your food. Problem solved! See how easy that was? I knew you would totally understand the whole no sprinkles thing, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

Since I’m promoting cute cupcake toppers, I’m about to make it ALOT easier by offering FREE printable cupcake toppers. Print them, cut them with those crafty folk scissors, tape them to a paper straw or toothpick, and BAM! Cute and frugal cupcake topper. For reals though, how cute are these fall inspired toppers? More to come, I promise! To get these cuties, just scroll to the bottom of the post, and click the dropbox link.

triplechocolatecupcakes9 (1 of 1)

Now that we have all of that exciting news out of the way, let’s focus on these heavenly chocolate cupcakes that not only look stunning and taste stunning, but use ingredients that are better! These are inspired by all of those “Fudgy Cupcake” recipes that include boxed Jello. I’ve tasted cupcakes with boxed Jello in the past, and yes, they are moist and yummy. But you can do the same thing using milk and yogurt, and yield the exact same texture and fudgy goodness without the boxed stuff! Yes, this is happening! No more boxed stuff just to yield a fudgy cupcake because you can do it with REAL STUFF! Ya digggg? Keep it coming, keep it coming!

Not only are these cupcakes fudgy and moist, they also are dipped in ganache, which is a fancy-pants way to say chocolate and cream, and topped with a DOUBLE CHOCOLATE cream cheese icing. Did those words really just come out of my mouth. Yes, yes I do believe this is real life and if this is what real life tastes like I’m so in. Just incase you didn’t get all that… I created this: Do you feel like you are in high schoolBiology again? 🙂

triplechocolatecupcakes3 (1 of 1)

Why yes, that is a chocolate smudge in the bottom on that picture because I said this was real life, remember? And in real life these cupcakes are a tad messy, so don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Can we talk ganache now because I kind of love that word and it is one of the most ridiculously good chocolate creations ever. I mean, if you’ve never had anything dipped or filled with ganache your life is not complete. Not to mention, it is SO EASY and looks really nice. When choosing a semi-sweet baking chocolate be sure to look for a brand that is using the least ingredients possible, and not using GMO’s. My favorite brand is Alter-Eco, and they have many products with basic ingredients.

To dip the cupcakes all you do is  make the ganache in 2 easy steps and dip them. Everything seemed to fall together perfectly when I did this because I chose to use foil cupcake wrappers that include a white wrapper on the inside, so they are double wrapped. This made is so easy to dip them because then the outside wrapper was able to be removed, and therefore didn’t get messy. Dipping the cupcakes isn’t really messy to begin with, but I would highly suggest double wrapping just to mess-proof them.   Whew! That was ALOT of info… so let’s recap this post since we are going all Biology Class style today:

  • We don’t like dump cakes or cool whip
  • We are providing recipes that are #betterbaking recipes, using whole ingredients and no artificial stuff
  • We think cupcake toppers are way better then sprinkles with chemicals and trans fats!!!!
  • We are providing FREE printable fall cupcake toppers and more to come
  • Ganche is awesome
  • Fudgy Triple Chocolate Cupcakes are about the best thing that ever happened to whole wheat white flour in it’s entire little shelf life
  • Double wrap your cupcakes if you want to dip them in ganache
  • This was a super long post, so thanks for reading! 😉

And here’s more cupcake porn, just incase we didn’t cover that well enough. triplechocolatecupcakes4 (1 of 1)

As promised.. here is the link to the FREE printable cupcake toppers! Simply click the dropbox link, and download the file. I’m using dropbox links to ensure everyone this is a safe download.

*I use homemade brown sugar, which is simply 1 cup of organic cane sugar to 1 Tbsp of un-sulphered blackstrap molasses. This enables me to always have fresh brown sugar, instead of a hard clump when I want to use it. For more on this check out my Homemade Brown Sugar post.

Double Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients:

  • 1 (8 ounce) package full fat cream cheese
  • 1.5 ounce semi-sweet baking chocolate (non-GMO preferred)
  • 2 Tbsp heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup organic 10x sugar
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions: Allow cream cheese to soften on countertop. Beat softened cream cheese until very smooth, scraping down the sides of your mixing bowl several times to make sure all lumps are out. In a microwave safe bowl or stove top melt heavy cream and chocolate together. Pour mixture into cream cheese. Sift cocoa powder and 10x sugar into mixing bowl slowly. Add vanilla extract, and additional Tbsp of heavy cream if needed to smooth.

Chocolate Dipping Ganache:

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate (non-GMO preferred)
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions: Chop chocolate finely. Bring heavy cream to the brink of a boil in a small saucepan on the stove, then pour over chopped chocolate. Allow to sit, unstirred, for 1-2 minutes. Begin stirring, and continue until smooth and silky.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pie Cupcakes

by

pumpkinwhoopie4 (1 of 1)
This might just be the best thing I have EVER made. Scratch that. This is totally the best thing that has ever come out of my oven, and my husband would agree. Of course he would agree with a big ol’ smear of icing in his beard, but hey we’ll take it! 😉

Speaking of the wonderful man I married, he inspired this cupcake creation. Looking for new inspiration I asked him “What kind of cupcakes should I make?” and being a man he said “Whatever kind you want.” *head scratch*


Well gee Mr. Construction Man thanks for helping me. BUT THEN…. in a moment of manly clarity he said “Why don’t you just think of all the ice cream flavors you like and pick one of those.” Then I began to think of the whoopie pie ice cream I had last week (NOT real food btw) and it came to me…. Pumpkin Whoopie Pie Cupcakes!

pumpkinwhoopie2 (1 of 1)

I started thinking about executing this fab idea, and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Next month marks 6 years since I graduated from Pastry Arts school. 6 years! Am I old now or am I old now? Ugh I think I’m old! Ask me about it in 20 years and I’ll talk about how young I was back when I was a food blogger. 🙂

In all of my time as a Pastry chef working in bakeries and restaurants I had not come across a Whoopie Pie Cupcake so I knew I had to make this over the top fab because if I’m putting something on the map it better be amazing!

And believe me… this baby is over the top fab, delish, and cute. So cute I even went against all real food rules and sprinkled some powdered sugar on it (organic that is!). Oh the cupcake madness! Of course I also decided to use a dented cupcake for my epic powdered sugar dusting picture so please excuse that lil’ old snaffoo. Trying to dust and shoot proved to be a daunting task so the dent was overlooked.

pumpkinwhoopie6 (1 of 1)

But WAIT… there’s even more madness to these cupcakes because I’m totally not even close to being over my paper straw obsession. My husband was also wondering why there was a straw in the cupcake. Ummm HELLO! Because paper straws are awesome and they need to be put into various cupcake porn shots to make things even more beautiful. The nerve of him to question my paper straws! hehe He will never understand because he’s a man, and they don’t understand things like cute cupcakes and pretty food. They just want to eat, that’s all. Heck, this cupcake could be in a pile on the floor and he would probably still try to find a way to eat it.

Now before we finish let me tell you about how great the texture of these came out. I wasn’t sure how they would turn out because well.. I was adapting from a recipe that was not created to be a cupcake. But the texture is SPOT ON. Super duper moist and cakey, almost so that it reminded me of a cake pop. With the pumpkin, the extra egg, and the yogurt the texture is out of this world perfect. Like I said, these are probably the BEST thing to ever come out of my oven!

*Whoopie Pie recipe adapted from Martha Stewart’s Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Filling

pumpkinwhoopiepiecupcake1

100 Days of Real Food Cookbook Review

by

realfoodreview1

I’ve been a huge fan of Lisa Leake of 100 Days of Real Food for quite some time. Lisa’s blog was actually the first real blog that I followed, so I am honored to be reviewing her book today!


First, I’m going to have to bring out the warm fuzzies for a minute because like I said, Lisa is awesome! Not only is she super classy (because she doesn’t even bat an eye at the drama people bring to her peanut butter posts), she is what I would call a Real Food Pioneer. Before Lisa, I’m not sure that people were really throwing around the term “Real Food” as much as they are today. That speaks volumes about how much she has accomplished through her blog, and is super inspiring.

Now I’m going to fan-girl out a little because Lisa SIGNED my book. *insert teenage-girl-pitched scream here* Yes, I’m officially cool! Ok I’m not but please don’t burst my bubble while I’m fan-girling (and don’t get a restraining order either) 😉

realfoodreview2

So what makes Lisa’s book so awesome you ask? Everything! The book is broken up into two parts so I’m going to discuss my thoughts on both parts because… well I like to pretend like I’m organized sometimes. Just go with it. I promise I know what I’m doing, I’m a food blogger with a signed booked. That means I’ve got it together, right? Right.

Part One: The Plan

Although I love the recipes in Lisa’s cookbook, I find Part One to be the MOST important part of this book. Lisa goes through everything from how to read ingredient labels, to understanding the sugar content of packaged foods, to going through ingredient lists from popular products. The stuff she packed into part one is so valuable because it is a great tool for helping other people understand where you are coming from if you’d like to start changing the way you look at food. The information is also a great tool for beginners. One of the biggest questions I get is “Where do I Start” and Lisa’s cookbook goes over ALL of that. It even includes a 14 Week Mini-Pledge for those on the fence about Real Food in their life, and a tracking chart for progress. Lisa also talks about portion sizes, how to shop at Farmer’s Markets, and all of the tricky labeling companies use to confuse people about the ingredients in packaged foods. If you can think of a Real Food question, Lisa probably covers it in Part One.

I can’t tell you how many times I would have loved to have a “handbook” to show people what is actually in processed foods and why the ingredients aren’t what I want my family to consume. When people you know just don’t get it, this book is the perfect solution. Here are a few other highlights from Part One:

  • Identifying Artificial Sweeteners
  • Why Low-Fat Products are Not Real Food
  • How to Find “Real” Eggs
  • More Tips on Reading Labels
  • And MUCH, MUCH, more!

Even for someone like myself who is a food blogger already living an unprocessed life, I learned a lot from Part One and was reminded just how awesome it is to be eating real food. Believe me, when I looked at the pages that contained the ingredients in all the processed foods that a lot of people are still consuming on a daily basis, I was reminded of why I choose a Real Food, Unprocessed life.

Part Two: The Recipes

What I love most about the recipes in Lisa’s book is that they are all relatable to the everyday family. This isn’t the GOOP, or a super fancy and out of your league lifestyle book. It is a down to earth approach to making meals that your family will love. There wasn’t one recipe that I looked at and thought “What the heck is that ingredient?” There were a ton of recipes that I thought my kids would just gobble up (especially the Macaroni Casserole), and every recipe was accompanied by a beautiful picture. I mean seriously, there isn’t anything NOT to like about these recipes because… well… just take a look at a few of the recipes I will be adding to my Real Food Bucket list:

  • The Best Pulled Pork in the Slow Cooker
  • Veggie Pancakes
  • Teriyaki Flank Steak Salad
  • Cinnamon Apple Chips
  • Southwest Chicken Wraps

I have already tried one of the recipes, which far exceeded my expectations. The recipe I went straight to was the Cinnamon-Raisin Quick Bread, which was pictured in one of the lunchbox idea pictures. Lisa spreads cream cheese in the middle of the bread and serves it as a sandwich, which goes perfectly with the bread. She also suggests using it to make French Toast which I might just have to try tomorrow morning!

I should admit, this recipe calls for applesauce and I have NEVER tried baking with applesauce. Boy, I must have missed the “Knowers That Applesauce Makes the Best Quick Bread” club because the bread was so light, fluffy, and texture-ific. I made the bread in both a loaf pan and muffin tins and of course I took pictures of the muffins because their tops were bangin’. You know how I feel about those muffin tops! Overall, I loved the recipe and am sending a muffin in my son’s lunchbox tomorrow. My husband also highly recommends the muffins slathered with sunflower butter (had to throw that in there just incase the peanut butter haters are upon us). 😉 😉 But really, he did slather it with sunflower butter immediately and proceeded to eat half of the loaf.

Realfoodreview3

Of course you can also throw some raisins around and put two liners on your muffins. I did, and it was really fun. Not to mention, it made for a great picture to show off those muffin tops!

Everything Else You Need to Know About The 100 Days of Real Food Cookbook (From 100 Days of Real Food)

  • No white flour or any refined grains are used
  • No sugar or any refined (or artificial) sweeteners are used
  • No recipes call for packaged foods containing more than 5 ingredients
  • Familiar and easy-to-find ingredients are used (you probably already have most of them on hand!)
  • 71 recipes are (or can easily be) Gluten-Free
  • 79 recipes are (or can easily be) Vegetarian
  • 49 recipes are (or can easily be) Dairy-Free
  • 42 recipes are Freezer Friendly (my secret weapon when it comes to packing wholesome school lunches!)
  • A beautiful color photo is included with each and every recipe
  • 70% new recipes – not previously published on the blog

 

If you are not familiar with who Lisa Leake is, this video describes her family’s journey and gives you a look into their life. Her book is also ON SALE NOW in stores and on Amazon.com. I’ve attached a link for your linking pleasure. Be sure to get one for yourself and gift one to a friend in need of some Real Food inspiration!

Thank you so much Lisa for inspiring all of us to change the way we think about the food we are eating, and a big congrats on your book dreams coming true! Make sure you check out the recipe for Lisa’s Cinnamon-Raisin Quick Bread as well!


Whole Wheat Banana Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling

by

Follow on Bloglovin
bananamuffin4 (1 of 1)

I’ve been gawking… foodgawking that is! One thing I’ve really been gawking are all of those cutesy desserts covered in sprinkles galore. I’ve always loved sprinkles because they are cute, colorful, and well, they can make ugly things look pretty. However, once I grew up and realized what sprinkles actually were we kind of had a falling out. How could they have been lying to me this whole time? Pretending to be cute when in reality they are chemical bombs covered in artificial colorings! We’ve been broken up for quite some time now, and every time I see a sprinkle my heart sinks a little more. Until now!


I have no idea why it took me so long to realize that there ARE naturally dyed sprinkles out there, and they were right in front of my sprinkle-less little eyes this whole time. I’ve passed by them time and time again, never looking twice at their vegetable dyed awesomeness. One day when my kids weren’t screaming for Annie’s crackers (yes I do fall victim to those stupid bunnies sometimes too) I had a moment of clarity in the grocery store for the first time in over 7 years. All of a sudden there they were… the sprinkles I have been longing for all this time, so I scooped them up for $1.99 and was on my merry way home to think of reasons to use them.

Naturally I thought I’d be using the sprinkles for cupcakes but when I made these banana muffins I thought they needed a bit of a sprinkle face lift. My husband said “Don’t waste sprinkles on muffins” but seriously, he’s no food stylist so I started sprinkling, and how cute are these!?!? Muffins are no longer the “ugly cupcake” or the “stepchild of cupcakes” or the “duff” (totally not explaining that one if your not familiar with that term 😉 ), but they are now holding their own on the cuteness scale. These muffins are worthy of being a healthy classroom treat, or the lunchbox item all the kids are secretly longing for. We’ve re-invented muffins here people and I’m  loving these!

bananamuffins1

What I love most about these muffins is they aren’t just cute muffins… they are healthy muffins! I don’t play the “whole wheat” game that is actually half whole wheat and half refined flour. What is the point of that again? Not only are these muffins whole wheat, they are also naturally sweetened which is almost always my goal when baking. On top of that they have a rich and creamy center with just enough cream cheese to make you feel like your eating something dreamy and decadent. Even better then all of that, they are so easy to make. Simply mix wet, mix dry, and combine just until mixed and bake.

Muffin Tip: I always fill my muffins to the top of the liner because nobody likes a muffin without tops!

bananamuffin1 (1 of 1)
*If you are looking for naturally dyed sprinkles here are the ones I used. It is a bulk pack but if you love sprinkles as much as I do it might be worth it!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

by

When the words “whole wheat chocolate cupcakes” come out of my mouth you are probably envisioning a dry, cardboard-like cupcake that was better left un-eaten. SO not the case here people! I would never suggest a dessert recipe that my family hasn’t thoroughly enjoyed, and these cupcakes are no exception. They are dark chocolate, moist, and have the creamiest cream cheese icing in the world that goes perfectly with the chocolate. This is my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe, and being whole wheat is just a bonus. No flavor is compromised here because if I’m eating the calories that come packed in a cupcake…. it better taste delicious!

I love a cupcake that tastes like it came straight from a high end bakery. One that uses whole, real ingredients and yields a product far superior to cake mixes and trans fat laden whipped topping. There is something so much tastier about a product that comes right out of your own oven, and looks beautiful! These babies are truly classic and satisfying. If your sweet tooth is over powering your brain take a few minutes out of your day and treat yourself, your family will love you for it! 😉


chocolatecupcakes2

My secret ingredient in these: coffee! Coffee is going to do two things in this recipe. 1) Give your cupcakes a “dark chocolate” flavor and 2) give your cupcakes a light, fluffy texture. I didn’t even tell my husband I put coffee in these and guess what? He didn’t know because you can’t taste the coffee. It is simply there as a flavor booster and acid. Acidity in baking makes things lighter and fluffier so it is always a good thing (just like the buttermilk in your pancakes). When I make cupcakes I always include something acidic for this reason.

My other secret ingredient: orange zest in the cream cheese icing. I learned this trick almost immediately in pastry school. I can vividly remember the day… we were making Danish. Our instructor presented us with the option of using a filling she made and when I tasted it I just about melted. It was one of the best fillings I had ever tasted! I just had to know what was in it and she filled me in. Zest, zest, zest! ZEST! Orange zest will kick up the flavor of a cream cheese icing and take it to a whole ‘nother level! I mean a whole ‘nother level you’ve never known before! You have got to zest them oranges baby because that is the key to the *in Oprah voice* best EEEEVVVVEEEERRRR cream cheese icing!!!! So gimmicky of me, yet so true. Please excuse my gimmicky food blogger talk… because… you know that’s not my style! 😉

 

chocolatecupcakes11 (1 of 1)

chocolatecupcakes14 (1 of 1)

*Recipe measurements adapted from Death By Chocolate Cupcakes by Sally’s Baking Addiction.

Whole Spelt, Lemon, and Ricotta Pancakes

by

ricottapancakes (1 of 1)

 


 

I can’t even explain how excited I am to announce… I have finally purchased a REAL camera! Please bear with me through the process of figuring out how to use it. I have never even operated a professional camera so this is a learning experience for me all around. I can honestly say this is the first picture I have ever taken with a real camera and while it isn’t perfect, it is much better then the iPad photos I have been using! I’m really excited to continue growing my photography and feedback is much appreciated. 🙂

On to the pancakes… my husband actually had a dream that someone from his past was baby-wearing and making lemon ricotta pancakes at the same time. Seriously, I couldn’t make this up if I tried! Sunday morning I woke up refreshed because somehow I managed to sleep 12 hours after a really long day. It was glorious! Making up for lost sleep usually equates to a big breakfast here, and he mentioned the dream pancakes so I looked around the web but couldn’t find a whole grain version. I found this recipe on Cooking Classy and adapted it to a whole grain version using whole wheat pastry flour and whole spelt. I also made them a second time with whole wheat pastry flour and oat flour, and I have to say I liked the spelt better! I made a few other revisions to their recipe and they turned out fabulous! They are super light, fluffy, and have just a touch of lemon.

*I cook these in a cast iron skillet with about a tablespoon of melted ghee. The key to the perfect pancakes in cast iron is heating it correctly. Put the ghee or butter in your skillet when you begin mixing your ingredients. Keep it on low and let it get nice and warm. I turn it up to just under medium when I begin cooking the pancakes. Low and slow is the way to go! If your skillet is seasoned nicely you should not have to add any more ghee to your pan after the first tablespoon.

 

Whole Grain Banana Bread

by

bananabread2

We had some bananas get brown really quick, so it was banana bread time! I adapted an old banana bread recipe to make it with whole, natural ingredients and it turned out fantastic! Quick breads are just that… quick! It takes only a few minutes to put together and it is delicious. This bread it great for lunchboxes or after school snacks.


This recipe features whole spelt flour, whole wheat pastry flour, mascobado sugar, maple syrup, and salted butter. I love using salted butter in recipes like this for a little touch of saltiness  to go with the sweet bananas.

Vanilla-Almond Freezer Pancakes

by

vanillaalmondpancakes

If your mornings are super busy making breakfast ahead, freezing it, and getting it out as needed is a great idea. These pancakes are loaded with nutrients and oats, which will give you lasting energy. I love knowing when I send my school aged son off to school that he won’t be super hungry before lunch time! If you don’t want to freeze this recipe I recommend cutting it in half.


Another reason to make your own pancakes to freeze instead of buying the store bought version are the ingredients. Here are the ingredients from Kellog’s Eggo Buttermilk Pancakes:

eggo

The Red Flags

  • Soybean oil: Highly refined, unhealthy fats, GMO, never a good option!
  • High Fructose Corn Syrup: Highly refined, GMO, will likely give a spike of energy, and a crash!
  • Enrichment: The fact that they are enriching these means they are not using a whole flour that still has natural nutrients in tact. If you are consuming whole, unrefined grains there is no need for enrichment. Our bodies are also more efficient at processing naturally occuring nutrients so that is always the best way to go.

Overall, the ingredient list is just in my opinion inferior. They use the worst ingredients in each category, then go back and enrich it. I know I don’t want to start my day with unhealthy fats, gmo’s, and HFCS!  Also, if you are thinking of going the boxed mix route, some of those are even worse! Check out this post for the reasons why.

*To freeze simply place in ziplock bags and store in freezer.

 

Whole Wheat Apple and Oat Pancakes

by

Apple and Oat Pancakes

I mentioned before I had been trying to perfect my pancake recipe. When I’m creating recipes to use for my kids it does take a bit of trail and error with ingredients to get things just right. I’ve been making pancakes from scratch for quite some time now, so I’m familiar with what makes a good pancake! I also have 3 tiny taste testers to let me know what they like as well.

Nutrients


Of course, being a health conscious mom I  also want to pack as many nutrients as I can into my kid’s breakfast. When my 7 year old son goes off to school in the morning I want to be sure he will have energy to last him until lunch time. The problem with sugary kids cereals and some frozen pancakes is that they are loaded with sugar and refined grains that give kids energy spikes, then crashes. Kids tend to loose focus easily and eating highly refined foods won’t help with that!

Oats provide long lasting energy and are iron rich, so I feel good about feeding them to my toddler and baby as well. Its awesome being able to make a breakfast like this and feed all 3 boys the same thing! The stone ground whole wheat flour in these is also naturally rich in iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folate so your getting nutrients from grains without the bleaching and enriching refined grains go through. I’ll never understand the concept of stripping grains of their natural nutrients, then adding them back in. Getting back to basics and using stone ground whole wheat flour, rolled oats, and real apples make these pancakes a delicious way to start the day. They are great for snacks and lunchboxes as well!

*Here is a link to the flour I use:

Whole Wheat Hummingbird Cake

by

Wholewheathummingbird

 


As I mentioned before it was my husband’s birthday. I made him a chocolate tart and fresh mint ice cream on the actual day then I made this cake to take to my in-law’s house. I know sometimes people feel like whole wheat equals a really dense end product but if you choose the right ingredients to substitute for the refined stuff your cake will turn out fantastic!

I took the recipe I found here and made a few switches to ensure I was using the best ingredients I possibly could for the cake. I was not able to find a recipe online that used whole wheat flour so I had to adapt my own and pray that for the effort I put in, my husband would enjoy it. I have to say he loved it and I would definitely make it again using the exact same recipe. The cake itself is pretty sweet because of the banana and pineapple so I went for an icing that wasn’t overly sweet and it was the perfect combination. I hope your family enjoys this as much as we did!

*I used Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour. Since discovering this product I use it for most of my baking. It has worked well for cakes, muffins, and pie crusts and is a great alternative to bleached, enriched white flours. If you can’t find it in your local grocery store here is a link to get it online. I also linked the mascobado sugar which is a great alternative to standard white sugar. Although sugar is still sugar and I don’t suggest over-doing it because it is “healthier,”  this is an unrefined and pure ingredient.