Smoothie: Green Goodness

Zucchini is something that gets so overwhelming in the summer that people can’t find enough uses for it! I do not find that it freezes very nicely, so you have to get creative on how to make this bounty last. Everyone needs a good zucchini muffin recipe, and these little guys can freeze easily for later months. I use more spice than most other recipes because I want my muffins to have that cinnamon flavor I crave from zucchini bread. This is an all coconut flour recipe, too which means it uses quite a few eggs. Use this to your advantage and eat a couple for breakfast!
Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Melt the butter and add all the ingredients together except for the zucchini. Once combined, fold in the zucchini and portion among 12 lined muffin tins. Bake for 25-30 minutes and let cool completely in the pan after removing from the oven (they will keep cooking slightly). Store in the fridge!
I saw these little guys on PaleOMG’s blog the other day, and thought to myself: “There’s not much to those. I bet you could make tons of flavors!” So, I decided that night that I was going to make one batch of six and in case it was an epic fail, I would make 3 savory and 3 sweet. I have thyme in my garden right now and tons of garlic scapes from the CSA so one flavor was garlic thyme. Cinnamon was an easy choice because who doesn’t love cinnamon? These are like pillowy dinner rolls with an indented center that would be amazing filled with custards, curds, compound butters, or whatever your little heart desires. When I made these, the process seemed to be very forgiving because my eggs were sort of a disaster. Farm fresh eggs means sometimes you get double yolks. I had 2 double yolks and decided that I was worried it may alter the texture. So, at least you know that a mishap like that will still allow for a good outcome!
Sweet and Savory Popovers
(basic popover from My Paleo Patisserie)
Ingredients:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450F. In a small bowl combine the flours and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs up lightly and add the coconut milk, water, and flour mixture and combine until school. Put a little bit of the ghee into each of the 6 muffin tins. Put the muffin tin and fat into the oven for about 5 minutes and then remove. Put 1/4 cup of the batter in each muffin tin. Cook for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350F and cook until golden brown, which could be another 15 minutes.
I have used plantains quite a bit in their ripe form, but I have never really done much with them when they are green. I’ve seen people use them as tostones and what not and for some reason it hit me one morning that would probably make a darn good breakfast sandwich. When you have an idea like that, you must try it. That’s what I did! The crispy salty “bun” hit my tastes just like I wanted. It does not resemble an English muffin or anything of that sort, but it it does give a starchy accompaniment to your protein. I made two different versions, sausage and bacon. Both were so good! I do not typically eat any dairy products because access to quality versions are sparse, but I did order some raw chive cheese the last time I picked up meat. Therefore, I used a couple slices of chive cheddar for these little sandwiches. It was perfect! You could easily use avocado, sliced tomato, or whatever your heart desires. You could also easily use these to make any sort of sandwich that you may not eat before noon. ;)
Ingredients:
Directions:
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the plantain pieces. Boil for about 5-6 minutes or until fork tender. Drain from the water and use the bottom of a mason jar to mash down the plantain pieces into thin discs. Once mashed, add the discs to hot oil in a skillet and cook until crispy, which should take about 3 minutes a side. Once browned nicely, place on a paper towel to drain and salt generously. Use to construct your sandwich!
Every year I get overly excited about the Organic Blueberry Ranch and those dang Bluecrop Blueberries. I have no clue why I love them so much, but they are the best variety!!!! Some may argue otherwise, and in that case, use your own favorite variety. ;) I get so excited that I buy over 30lbs every year and have packages in the freezer until the next season starts. Right after blueberry season comes apple season; therefore I take a break from berries and move to applesauce, etc. However, when April and May come around, I start to think about blueberries again and exactly how many I still have frozen! This is a perfect way to use some of your frozen berries if you still have some around from last season. If you have a family, I suggest making a double batch. You can assess whether or not you will eat it all within a week or so or if you should freeze a small container of it for the next time you need jam.
I’ve never made jam until now because I have no patience for reducing, canning, etc. This jam is perfect because you can tailor the berries to your liking, make the amount you want, you only truly need two ingredients, and its made in 10 minutes.
Chia Berry Jam
Ingredients:
Directions:
In a saucepan over medium heat, place berries and honey and let breakdown. Use a spatula to occasionally break up the berries for about 10 minutes until you have a chunk, jam-like consistency. Take off heat and add the chia seeds. Stir them in evenly and place in a mason jar in the fridge. Let sit for an hour before serving.