Faithy's Favorite Red, White & Blue Salad

Just thought I'd share this quick & easy salad recipe in case you're looking for something healthy and delicious for the 4th of July. 

Ingredients:
--salad greens (I used a mix of red leaf lettuce, spring mix and spinach - but just use whatever you like!)
--fresh blueberries & raspberries (you could also use strawberries or even watermelon)
--crumbled feta cheese
--sugared nuts (This time I used store-bought sweet & spicy pumpkin seeds with black pepper, but you could also use sugared pecans or walnuts or even almonds.  I like to just dump some in a pan with sugar and seasoned salt, and stir them over low to medium heat until the sugar is melted and coats the nuts.  The you just spread them on parchment paper to cool, and break them up before using.)

Just toss everything together and serve in a clear glass or plastic bowl.  I generally serve it with poppy seed dressing and/or raspberry vinaigrette on the side.  (It stays fresh much longer if you don't "dress" the salad before serving.)

"Dressed" Salad

Quick, easy & delicious!

Happy 4th y'all!!
Blessings,
--Faithy 

Pumpkin Oat Muffins

HOWDY and Happy Halloween my friends!  I hope you and yours are warm and dry this rainy morning.  Concerned for many in our wonderful state of Texas who have been slammed with massive flooding the past couple of days.  Please join me in praying for all who have suffered losses from these massive storms, and for all the rescue & relief workers involved as well.

As usual, the cooler weather has me in a fall mood, and wanting to try some new pumpkin recipes.  I came across this one by Jessica over at A Kitchen Addiction a couple of days ago, and knew I had I had to try it.  I got up early this morning to give it a go, and it definitely didn’t let me down.  These muffins are DELISH!!

They were super easy to throw together, and made my house smell soooooo good while they were baking!  They taste a little like a super pumped up bran muffin…only better.  They look good, AND they taste good, so you can’t go wrong with that!

As usual, I made a few very minor adaptations to the recipe (below), but whether you try Jessica’s original recipe or my version…just TRY THIS!!  You won’t regret it!

Pumpkin Oat Muffins

Ingredients

1-1/2 cup whole wheat flour (you can use all-purpose flour for all or part, but this recipe works really good with all whole wheat flour…kinda tastes like a bran muffin)

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup Whey Low Gold (or packed brown sugar)

1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. cloves

1 cup 100% pumpkin puree (I normally use homemade, but I was out, so canned it was.  Whatever you use though, DO NOT use canned pumpkin pie mix!)

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (I’m sure you could use any oil you like, but this adds a delicious mild flavor)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup egg substitute (or 2 eggs)
Topping (optional)  (I know this is optional, but I think the toasty pepitas on top add a delightful crunch to these muffins!!)
pepitas, for topping

rolled oats, for topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. (you can use cupcake liners if you want, but I prefer not too…I hate having any of the yumminess left stuck to the paper!).
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, Whey Low Gold, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cloves.

Add pumpkin puree, honey, coconut oil, egg substitute, and vanilla extract.  Stir until just combined, making sure that the eggs are incorporated.

Scoop batter into prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about 2/3 full (I always use my large cookie scoop, which is the perfect amount, but an ice cream scoop would work too).  Sprinkle with a few pepitas and oats.

 

Bake for 20-25 minutes (mine took 25) or until toothpick inserted in the center of muffin comes out clean.

The original recipe said that it made 12 muffins.  I ended up with 15.  (Yaaaaaaaaaaaaayyy!!!  Bonus muffins!!)

Anyway…just had to stop by and share this recipe before I got too busy.  It’s THAT good!  (I'm thinking I might even try adding a few dried cranberries next time...hmmmm...I may even try making it into some small loaves for gifts...hmmmm...I'm really liking this recipe!)

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!!  Stay safe if you’re out there trick-or-treating tonight!  And don't forget to stop by and say howdy to Jessica over at A Kitchen Addiction!!

Blessings,

--Faithy

UPDATE:  This has become one of my favorite recipes, and it works really well with the homemade pumpkin puree.   Also, I did try adding the dried cranberries, and they add an extra layer of yumminess.  Definitely worth tossing in if you have some.  I may try some diced apples next.  I've did made it into small loaves to give as gifts too.  They were a hit!  The leftover muffins are especially good if you split them in half, then butter them and toast them under the broiler until lightly browned.  Mmmmmm...

Sweet & Salty Brittle Bites

HOWDY!  Once again, I've been away longer than I planned to be.  I hope everyone has been doing well in the meanwhile.  Here in Zig Zag, we’ve been blessed with lots of wonderful drought-ending rain!  It’s wonderful and amazing to see green grass growing, and to have to actually worry about finding time to keep the yard mowed after several years of drought.

I found this recipe quite a while back in a flier (HEB Texas Life) at my local grocery store.  It took me quite a while to get around to actually making it, but boy was it good!

They don’t have the recipe posted online, or I’d share a link for you.  I contacted them about it, and they told me to just give general credit to the HEB Chefs, so I’m more than happy to do that.  I’ve found lots of wonderful recipes in their store publications and on their website.  Check them out if you have a chance.

Anyway, I made a batch of these yummy snacks for our annual family Easter BBQ (with about 200 people in attendance), and they were a hit.  (Yes, there were some folks in my traditional family that thought they was a bit odd, and didn’t even want to try them, but almost all those who actually tasted them thought they were fantastic!)  This recipe is definitely on my “keeper” list now.

My batch turned out a little chewy (not sure if it was the humidity or that I just needed to cook it a little longer) but as it turned out, that was one of the things that folks liked about it, so I’m hoping I can achieve that same texture again sometime.

If you can keep these around for a day or two, the flavors will develop over time, and they’ll be even better.  However, let me warn you, keeping them that long WILL be a challenge!

Without further ado, here’s the recipe…

Sweet & Salty Brittle Bites

Ingredients:

NONSTICK COOKING SPRAY

1 cup sugar

¼ cup water

1 tsp. Kosher salt

2 Tbsp. Adobo sauce (from one 7 oz. can chipotle peppers)

1 cup pepitas (those little green pumpkin seeds)

1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts

1/2 cup unsalted roasted cashews

4 slices bacon, cooked, chopped

Instructions:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray (or you can just use a very well-greased flexible baking sheet).

Combine sugar and water over high heat, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved.  Continue cooking unstirred until sugar reaches a golden syrup like color.  Approximately 4 minutes.  Cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes while gently swirling pan over flame until sugar reaches a darker color.

Carefully stir in adobo sauce then remove from heat.

Stir in nuts and bacon to coat and pour onto prepared baking sheet.

Be sure to allow the brittle cool completely before cracking, then store in an airtight container (after sampling a piece!).

These wonderful little bites of yumminess would make a great gift…especially for the folks in your circles who like anything with bacon and a bit of spiciness.

Step out there on the edge and give these a try…they’re totally delicious and addictive.  After you’ve tried them, let me know your thoughts.  I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

Blessings,

--Faithy