One thing I think of when it comes to fun in the sun is good fresh food! And berries always TOP my list. Hence, the GGB Summer Challenge is getting berryific!

Entry Deadline for the SUMMER Challenge: July 31st

Challenge: Berry Blasting Bonanza!!!

Basically, anything your healthy heart desires …  made with berries! And ANY kind of berry!!! No discrimination here. YOU choose!

• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Blackberries
• Strawberries
• Boysenberries
• Cranberries

Did I miss any? If so, let me know! But, you get the point! Berry away your recipes and  send ‘em on in to GGB! Yay! And remember, your recipe doesn’t have to be Top Chef style–it can be, but doesn’t have to be–just make sure it’s GGB healthifying style!

Prize:A featured guest post on GGB

Submit your Berry Blasting recipes by July 31st  to:

Visit the Challenge Page for more details!

Anticipating your recipes!

Happy Healthifying!

Welcome to the Lentil Day winner announcement for the Super Breakfast Bowl Challenge! We had so many tasty looking lentil submissions to choose from. You guys really are creative using little legumes in your morning meal! I’m glad I cooked up and froze a big batch of lentils weeks ago so I have plenty to use in all of these new recipes. They all looked so tasty I had to leave it up to the random number generator to choose and the lentil winner is….Julie from The Doctors Rheum! I never would have thought to combine pear and lentils but love this Pear Lentil Patty recipe.

Pear-Lentil Patties

This was a total experiment based on what I had in the house!

• Cook 1/2 cup lentils in 1 cup water until soft.
• Caramelize 1/2 a sweet yellow onion in EVOO with a dash of cumin and a dash of cinnamon.
• Chop a ripe pear.
• Combine all ingredients in a food processor pulsing several times until just combined.
• Shape into patties and cook on a hot pan or griddle like pancakes.

Made: 4 large patties

I added a beaten egg to see if it would hold together better and it made it a little soupy. Use your imagination. They seem to me like “sausage” patties so I put one on a toasted English muffin and put a poached egg on top. The taste is a sweet/savory mix. They did not hold together too well but the ones that fell apart could be used as “sausage” crumbles.

Congrats Julie and thank you for the superb recipe and photos! Make sure you send your mailing address to thesuperbreakfastbowlchallenge@gmail.com so we can send you your prizes: the awesome book Thrive—The Vegan Nutrition Guide and the handy book 101 Optimal Life Foods by Registered Dietitian (aka Gu-a-titian) Dave Grotto.

Thanks again to everyone who submitted a recipe! And if you haven’t yet, don’t forget to send in your quinoa, and walnut recipes! It’s time to challenge your morning meal!

Janel from EatWellwithJanelblog.com

Thank you to everyone that submitted a Flax recipe! They all looked delicious and I can’t wait to try out some new recipes that all have our little omega-3 friend-Flax Seed. There’s no way I could have ever picked my favorite, or “the best” recipe, so I headed over to random.org to help me choose! Without further ado, The Winner of the Flax Seed Super Breakfast Bowl Challenge is….

Christine of Hot Mama Health with her Nutty Granola ‘n Flax

Ingredients/Instructions:

Dry Ingredients

• 1 1/2 C Oats
• 1/2 C Ground Flaxseed
• 3/4 C slivered almonds
• 3/4 C walnuts
• 3/4 C peanuts
• Salt to taste (added to dry ingredients above)

Mix dry ingredients above in a bowl and spread out onto a baking sheet with built up sides.  Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees, stirring occasionally.

• 3/4 C Apricots (Chopped) or your favorite dried fruit
• 1/2 C Raisins
• 1/2 C Dried Mango (Chopped) or another dried fruit of your choosing
• Chop the dried fruit and set aside.

In a pot melt:

• 4 TBSP of vegan butter

Once melted, mix in :

Wet Ingredients

• 1/2 C Packed brown sugar
• 1/3 C Honey
• 1/3 C Orange Juice
• Stir until ingredients are completely mixed, remove from heat and add
• 1 TSP vanilla
• Stir.

When the nuts (dry ingredients) are done roasting transfer to a bowl and add the melted wet  ingredients, stir.  Once mixed well, add the dried fruit. Mix well.

Put granola in an 8 x 8 pan, pack in firmly. Put in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.  When you see the sides are browning, it’s time to remove. 

Let cool completely, overnight is best.

Cut into granola squares OR take the squares and place in a large bowl and pull apart with hands to make a chunky granola!

Eat plain, on top of oatmeal, or on top of your favorite yogurt!  Delicious and rich, also makes a great dessert

Congrats Christine and thank you for the excellent recipe and photos! Send your mailing address to thesuperbreakfastbowlchallenge@gmail.com She will be receiving a Perfect Pancake Mix from Purely Elizabeth(gluten free and delicious!) and a whole slew of Vega Goodies and a tea top brew travel mug from Mighty Leaf Tea Company!

Thanks again to everyone who submitted a recipe! And if you haven’t yet, don’t forget to send in your lentil, quinoa, and walnut recipes! It’s time to think outside the (cereal) box!

Cheers!

Elizabeth

Don’t (White) Sugar-Coat It

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine’s Day weekend, and I hope you’re ready for the winner of The Super Breakfast Bowl Challenge #1: Avocado!

First of all, thank you to everyone for all of your submissions. I was amazed with your breakfast creativity, and impressed that so many of you stepped up to take on the challenge – congrats to all of you on your breakfast creations!

Although all of your creations were amazing, unfortunately there can only be one winner. So using the random integer generator, the winner of The Super Breakfast Bowl Challenge #1 is… drum roll please…

Danielle of Coffee Run with her fabulous Rocky Road Oatmeal – congratulations Danielle!

Danielle took on our challenge and created a delicious Chocolate Chai Pudding with avocado, which she incorporated into a whole slew of breakfast creations – including her delicious looking Rocky Road Oatmeal. Congratulations on the win Danielle, send us your address at thesuperbreakfastbowlchallenge@gmail.com, and be on the look-out for your prizes in the mail: The Chef’n Vibe Avocado Slicer, courtesy of Kitchen Stuff Plus, an avocado gift pack, courtesy of Avocados from Mexico, and a ton of Newman’s Own Organic products.

Now, time to share Danielle’s Rockin’ Rocky Road Oatmeal recipe…

Rocky Road Oatmeal

Ingredients:

Chocolate Chai Pudding

• 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
• 12 oz. (1 block) silken tofu
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• Sweetener, to taste (I used 5 packets of Nu Naturals Stevia. You could also use agave- starting with 1/3 cup and adding more if desired)

Rocky Road Oatmeal

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup water
• Slices of banana
• Coconut Cream
• Crushed Walnuts
• Chocolate Chai Pudding

Directions:

Chocolate Chai Pudding

1. Blend ingredients together
2. Serve and enjoy as a pudding! Or incorporate into the oatmeal as follows…

Rocky Road Oatmeal

1. Cook oats with water
2. Top with/mix in rest of ingredients (including Chocolate Chai Pudding)
3. Serve and enjoy!

Thanks again to everyone who submitted a recipe for the avocado challenge, and stay tuned for the winner of the Flax Seed Challenge tomorrow. There’s still time to submit your Flax Seed breakfast recipes today, so challenge yourself today!

Happy Super Breakfast Bowl Snacking!

Lindsey Toth at Healthy Blog Snack

Okay—perhaps a semi-cheesy title, but hey—after ya read why quinoa should be your new ladle to your pot—or for those who don’t take a liken’ to the kitchen—bread to your sandwich … you’ll see why…

Quinoa, pronounced keen-wah, is a nutritional powerhouse, according to not just I, but the ancient Incas. In fact, quinoa was so highly revered by those from its motherland—South America—that this lil’ protein, fiber-filled nugget was referred to as “the mother grain.” That’s a pretty gosh darn BIG title, if I don’t say so myself!

Today, dozens of foodie-nutrition blogs, health mags, and popular press tout quinoa’s “mother grain” status and often refer to it as “the super grain of the future.” However, I like to think of quinoa as the super grain of all time—past, present, and future (ya know … just to be clear here). But, before we get ahead of ourselves, I must provide you with the disclaimer that although quinoa presents as a grain … it’s actually the seed of the plant, Chenopodium quinoa. This plant is related to beets, chard, and spinach … who knew?!? Okay, I’ll refrain my inner dorkdum…but, really—isn’t that cool?

A Nutrition Lover’s Ode to Quinoa

What makes quinoa so absolutely fantastic is:

• It’s a WHOLE GRAIN! …okay, a whole seed!
• It contains more protein than any other grain or seed!
• It’s a complete protein! Meaning quinoa contains all the essential amino acids, or building blocks, our bodies need to form new proteins and keep our lean, green, mean, disease-fighting machine system in top-notch!
• It’s splashed with a good dose of gut, heart, and healthy- weight lovin’ fiber
• It’s laced with lysine! No—this is NOT somethin’ to worry about! Lysine is an amino acid essential for tissue growth and repair.
• It’s gluten and wheat free—those with wheat/gluten allergies, rejoice!

A Foodie’s Ode to Quinoa

• Its fluffiness accompanied by crunchiness offers up an escape from the ordinary grain.
• Its delicate nutty flavor tantalizes the palate.
• It’s a pretty cheap tasty health food!
• Although mellow yellow is the most popular variety, quinoa exists in many different colors,  including orange, pink, yellow, purple, and black.  Get lookin’ for it and experiment with color in the kitchen!
• It’s versatile! Quinoa can be used in soups, salads, breads, puddings, breakfast cereal—you name it, and I betcha quinoa can do it!
• Quinoa will adjust to your foodie schedule. It can be cooked in a pinch–in the microwave—or with more time—on the stovetop.

Now, for a lil’ Super Breakfast Bowl Challenge Fun!

Today, we’re eating breakfast and lickin’ up new b-fast duds while we’re at it! The new b-fast food today is—can you guess?!?—quinoa! Now, I usually dig my quinoa ensconced in a smattering of veggies… at dinner time (I tell ya, I’m addicted to my oats), but NOP—not today my friends. See—even I had to challenge myself! Today, I had to get creative … so, I thought of what flavors, textures, and smells jive together. And, by-gosh-by-golly-gee … I think I got a winner!

Cinnamon-Cran Quinoa

Servings per recipe: 1

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup quinoa
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 Tablespoon of Cinnamon
• 1 Light Laughing Original Cow Wedge
• 1/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries
• 1 tablespoon of honey or brown sugar

Directions:

• Cook quinoa (microwave for 4-5 minutes in 1/2 cup water. If  heating on stovetop, follow package instructions. Generally, the ratio of quinoa to water is kept to a 1:2 ratio)
• When done cooking and still hot, add the Light Laughing Cow Wedge to the Quinoa and stir until creamy and dissolving
• Add cranberries, cinnamon, and honey or brown sugar to the mix and stir!
• Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts per Serving: 338 calories, 4 grams fat, 70 grams carbohydrate, 10 grams protein, 5 grams fiber

Step Up & Send in Your Quinoa Breakfasty Goodness!

If Ms. Healthy in a Skillet (aka yours truly) can whip something up, you can too! AND—I want to see watcha got! So … send in your quinoa breakfast duds by Wednesday, February 17th  to TheSuperBreakfastBowlChallenge@gmail.com along with a picture of your FAB dish and its recipe! If ya win, not only will YOU be featured on all 5 of our blogs, BUT you’ll get a bunch of Newman’s Own Organics products—everything from delicious, decadent, dark chocolate to dried fruit to super sassy soy crisps!

Looking forward to your Quinoa Recipes!

Happy Healthifying!

Corinne at Green Grapes Blog

Have you been trying new breakfast recipes this week? I like to tell my clients that breakfast never has to be a big sit down meal when you’re rushing to get ready in the morning. Any healthy food will do to jump start your metabolism and energize your day (aim to eat within 45 minutes of getting up!). Even if all you can manage is a little handful of almonds as you’re running out the door, or a piece of fruit on the train and a yogurt when you get to your desk will do for breakfast. But this week we’re hoping to inspire new breakfast ideas with the Breakfast Blog Challenge and I was challenged with finding a good breakfast recipe using lentils!

Lentils are a fan favorite in our home. Funk devours them daily in his lunch salad, and I love a good lentil soup or Indian dish that’s chock full o’ lentils. But for breakfast?! I was up for the challenge. The Breakfast Blog Challenge.

Elizabeth told me about a lentil breakfast muffin she discovered on the Malomeals blog and after lots of web searching, I found the recipe on Post Punk Kitchen (recipe below).

This was my first major attempt at baking since my hip surgery, which means my balance was off on all accounts. I wanted to have a batch of warm muffins in the oven when Funk came home from work but instead he came home to a batch of lentils all over the floor. Oops. Fortunately I had made a double batch of lentils so I went back to attempt the muffins again (with Funk’s supervision this time).

When I finally got to taste my Lentil Muffin, I really enjoyed the chai tea flavors! Delish! They taste fantastic with a berry jam smeared on top and they’re so filling! One muffin plus an orange kept me satisfied til lunch, which is a rarity! All that protein and fiber from the little lentils as well as whole wheat flour will help hold you over.

The true taste test was with my mom. She took me to a doctor’s appointment so I brought her some muffins, not telling her any ingredients, and just advising her to eat them with jam on top, and left it at that. When I came out of my appointment, mom told me she got hungry and enjoyed a muffin where she, “Could see and taste all of the ingredients! Raisins…coconuts. It was good!” I kept my lips zipped and decided to let my mom discover, when reading this post, that she loved a lentil muffin. Who woulda guessed it!? You love lentils, mom! Now that was a Breakfast Blog Challenge success!

I can’t wait to see what you submit for your lentil recipe in the Breakfast Blog Challenge. Don’t forget, you could win the awesome book Thrive—The Vegan Nutrition Guide. And a new prize was just added! You can ALSO win the book 101 Optimal Life Foods by Registered Dietitian (aka Gu-a-titian) Dave Grotto. Two prizes! Just remember to email your recipe and pics tothesuperbreakfastbowlchallenge@gmail.com by Tuesday, February 16^th. Good luck!

- Janel of Eat Well with Janel

Lentil Breakfast Muffins/Cake

Wet Ingredients:

• 2 c chai tea
• 2 c cooked lentils
• 4 T fresh ginger (I left this out)
• ¾ c coconut
• 1 T cinnamon
• 1 t ground cloves (I used pumpkin pie spice here)
• 1 t coconut extract (or vanilla or almond)
• ¼ c flax meal
• ¼ t kal stevia (optional) or 4 t liquid sweetener (I used 4t agave)
• 1 T vinegar

Dry Ingredients:

• 4 c whole wheat flour
• 1 T baking powder
• 1.5 t baking soda
• ½ c sugar
• 1 t salt
• Optional: 1 c raisins – great option! I’d suggest adding some plump raisins

Method:

• Pre-heat oven to 375
• Place the wet ingredients in a blender and blend
• Mix the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, make a well and fold the wet ingredients in until just combined.
• Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and scoop a quarter  cup into the tins.  Bake for 15- 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Or spray a 9 by 13 baking pan and place mixture in there.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

P.S. These muffins are delish…you really gotta try ‘em!

Hey there!
This is Elizabeth from Don’t (White) Sugar-Coat It and I’m here to represent Flax Seeds. So why should flax be a part of your Super Breakfast Bowl? Don’t underestimate these little seeds-they pack a nutritional punch! No doubt you’ve heard all the buzz about Omega 3 fatty acids. These good fats have been shown to lower heart disease risk. Flax seeds contain one of the greatest plant-sources of those omega-3 fatty acids. Flax is also very high in fiber, which helps to keep your cholesterol low, and intestines functioning. One tablespoon of ground flax has almost 4 g of fiber! It is loaded with phytochemicals, and lots of antioxidants. It is also high in lignans, a phytoestrogen, which may balance female hormones, and prevent cancer.

Even better is how easy it is to let a little flax into your life. Flax can be added to your cooking in its milled or whole seed form. The whole seeds will give a tasty crunch to baked goods, while milled flax greatly increases the nutritional value. You see, by grinding the seeds, you let your body easily absorb the nutrients, rather than letting them just pass through. You can put it on top of cereal or oatmeal, or toss it in your smoothies, muffins, scones, crepes, waffles and pancakes. Need an egg? Grind up 1 Tablespoon of whole flax seeds (2.5 T flaxmeal) to replace one egg. Transfer to a bowl and beat in 3 tablespoons of water using a whisk or fork. Not only can these “flax eggs” make a recipe vegan, but they add a little omega-3 boost to your baked goodies!

So what are you waiting for? Head over to your grocery store of choice and pick up some flax seeds! If you’re still a little afraid, you have some time to warm up to these little powerhouses. According to the Flax Council of Canada, whole flax seeds can be stored at room temperature for up to a year. Ground flax seed should be refrigerated in an airtight, opaque container, eh? There’s also flax seed oil, but then you miss out on a great source of fiber-so I stick with the seeds!

I use flax on a daily basis, but here’s a recipe I’d love to share with you for breakfast scone! I like manipulating recipes, so significantly adapted one from Ricki Heller’s Sweet Freedom

Pear Ginger Scones

• 1tsp apple cider vinegar + almond milk to make 1/2 cup (rice or soy milk would work as well)
• 1/4 cup honey (or agave)
• 3 Tbsp Apple Sauce (or if you don’t want to make it lowfat, 3 Tbsp light tasting oil)
• 1Tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 1.75 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 Tbsp ground flax meal
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp baking soda
• 0.75 tsp salt
• 1 pear, diced. or if you want to use dried pears, about 1/2 cup, diced
• 2 T almond milk to brush tops with

• Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
• Mix the wet ingredients together and set aside. Then, mix the dry ingredients and slowly add the wet to the dry. Once mixed, fold in the diced pear, and then scoop onto baking sheet in desired scone shape.
• Put in pre-heated over for 6-8 minutes. Remove, brush tops with almond milk and return to oven for another 6-8 minutes. Knowing thy oven is almost as important as knowing thy self, so your baking times may differ from mine.
• This recipe is so easy to play with–try Apricot Pear, Orange Anise, Plum Pecan, Lemon Blueberry, and any other combination!

What breakfast bowl would you put flax in? I’d love to know! And for a little extra incentive, there’re prizes!!! If you send in a picture of your breakfast item along with its recipe to thesuperbreakfastbowlchallenge@gmail.com by next Monday, you will be entered, and I will randomly choose a winner of a SUPER Prize pack which includes: Fantastic Grab bag of Vega Products and Purely Elizabeth’s Perfect Pancake Mix and A wonderful Might Leaf Tea Top Brew Mug. Not only that but we’ll feature your winning recipe on all four blogs

Look at that- Cooking experience, health, creativity, great prizes, and free publicity all in one-what more could you ask for??

Don’t forget about Lindsey’s avocado richness, and stay tuned for Janel’s lentil bake-off tomorrow!!
Cheers!
Elizabeth
Don’t (White) Sugar Coat-It

By Lindsey Toth from Healthy Blog Snack

Welcome to the beginning of The Super Breakfast Bowl Challenge everyone! I hope you are all revved up and ready to challenge your early-morning selves with some breakfasty goodness.

Today’s the day we tout the wonderful characteristics of the Avocado. You can review the complete challenge perks and guidelines here, but to recap, send your creative avocado breakfast creations +pictures to thesuperbreakfastbowlchallenge@gmail.com by Sunday, February 14^th. The winner of today’s challenge will get The Chef’n Vibe Avocado Slicer, courtesy of Kitchen Stuff Plus, in addition to boat loads of Newman’s Own Organics products AND an avocado gift pack courtesy of Avocados from Mexico.

Now for the Avocado Fun!

The avocado is actually a fruit, not a vegetable, and is native to the Caribbean, Mexico, South America, and Central America, although you could try growing one in your own home or backyard if you’d like. These pear-shaped fruits pack a mean nutrient-rich punch, weighing in at about 250 calories each, less than 5 grams of fat per serving, 80 micrograms of lutein and 19 micrograms of beta-carotene (which both help to maintain eye health), and over 20 other vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. In short, avocados are nutrient powerhouses!

Fat?! What?!

You heard correctly when I said avocados have fat in them – did you know they had fat? Yep, a fruit with fat. Who’da thunk? This isn’t greasy, fried-food fat though, it’s a heart-healthy fat called monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fat is good for your heart because it has actually been shown to reduce bad cholesterol levels – LDL cholesterol – in your blood, lowering your risk for heart disease and stroke.

Shopping for Avocados

So how do you know if an avocado is ripe for the pickin’ at your local supermarket? First off, try to avoid ones with dark blemishes on the skin, or ones that are overly soft. The best way to tell if an avocado is ready for immediate consumption is to gently squeeze the fruit in the palm of your hand. Ripe, ready-to-eat fruit will be firm, but it will wield slightly to the pressure. If you plan to use the fruit in a few days, pick avocados that are extra-firm, so they will be ripe by the time you want to use them. Only hard, and unripened avocados at your stores? When you get home, place the unripened fruit in a brown paper bag and store it at room temperature until it’s ready to eat – you can even throw in an apple or a banana to accelerate the process, as these fruits give off a ripening agent called ethylene. Soft fruit can be placed in the refrigerator until it is ready to eat, but not more than a few days because it can become too ripe.

How Do I Eat an Avocado?

One of the trickiest things about avocados, I think, is figuring out how to eat them. They are an awkward shape, with an awkward pit, and an awkward skin. Awwwkwaaaaaaaard. So, what’s the trick to digging into this delicious fruit?

1) Start with a ripe avocado, and run your knife lengthwise around it to split the avocado in half.

2) Now the tricky part: removing the pit. If you’re up to the challenge, use a knife to strike the pit, making it stick. Once the knife is stuck in the pit, rotate it, and pull the knife and pit out of the avocado. If that seems a little too Evel Knievel for you, you can use a spoon to scoop it out.

3) If you’re looking for pretty slices, gently use a butter knife to slice strips of avocado (careful not to slice through the skin), and then turn the skin inside out to release the meat. If you’re making a spread or a dip, and don’t care what it looks like, just use a spoon to scoop the avocado out.

Avocado Breakfast Toast

There are a zillion ways to eat an avocado: topped on a salad, mixed as guacamole, rolled into sushi – the list is endless! My all-time favorite way to eat avocado though, is in Avocado Toast. I found this recipe in the cookbook Muscle Chow, from the fabulous folks at Men’s Health magazine, and made a few tiny recipe tweaks to fit my personal fancy. The foreword of the book was written by David Grotto, RD, LDN, who is a leader in the field of nutrition and dietetics. I figured if he was on board, the book must be worth checking out. Use your shopping and eating skills from above to take this toast for morning test drive!

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of whole wheat bread, toasted
• 2 teaspoons of Dijon-honey mustard
• ½ avocado, peeled and sliced
• ½ tomato, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of dried basil
• ½ tablespoon of ground flaxseed
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Spread 1 teaspoon of the Dijon-honey mustard on each piece of toast.

2) Add half of the avocado and half of the tomato to each slice.

3) Drizzle each slice of toast with the olive oil.

4) Sprinkle both slices with the basil, ground flaxseed, and the salt and pepper

5) Eat with caution – this can get messy but it’s totally worth it!!

We Challenge YOU!

Now that you’re in-the-know on the awesomeness of avocados, don’t forget to send us YOUR crazy avocado breakfast creations. If your creation is chosen, you’ll be the lucky winner of The Chef’n Vibe Avocado Slicer, a ton of Newman’s Own Organics products, an avocado gift pack courtesy of Avocados from Mexico, AND your recipe will be featured on all four of our blogs!

Stay tuned for Elizabeth’s flax seed post tomorrow!

Happy Super Breakfast Bowl Snacking!

Lindsey Toth at Healthy Blog Snack

P.S. Speaking of Challenges … don’t forget to VOTE for the winner of GGB’s January Challenge HERE!

Ginger Drizzle Cookies from Liz Weiss at MEAL MAKEOVER MOMS’ KITCHEN

Prep Time:  30 Minutes

Cook Time:  35 Minutes

Serving Size:  1 Cookie

Servings per Recipe:  3 Dozen Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed or wheat germ
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 ½ tablespoons 1% low-fat milk

Directions:

1. Whisk the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, flaxseed, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and canola oil and beat on medium speed until well blended, 1 minute.  Add the egg and molasses and continue to beat until smooth, about 1 minute.
2. On low-speed, gradually beat in the dry ingredients until just combined.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill until firm, about 1 hour (note: If the batter feels firm after mixing, feel free to forgo the chilling and move on to the next step).
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Lightly oil or coat two large baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.  With your hands, roll the dough into 1 ¼-inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a 2-inch space in between.
4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.  Transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
5. Meanwhile, to make the glaze, place sugar and milk in a bowl and stir until mixed thoroughly.  If it’s too thick, add a few drops of milk as needed.  Drizzle glaze over each cookie in a lattice or squiggle-shaped design.

Tip: If you want your icing to harden, replace one tablespoon of the milk with 1 tablespoon light corn syrup.

Nutrition Information per Serving (1 cookie): 80 calories, 3.5g fat (0g saturated, 0.3g omega-3), 105 g sodium, 13 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein

Don’t forget to submit your Scrumptious Soups for GGB’s January Challenge!

I am home visiting the fam for Christmas in San Fran. I had to take a step back from “bean town” and show my West coast origins some love. With that said—I was around my little sister, Jackie, when she said she needed cookies for a Holiday classroom party. With her request and my desire to highlight my fav lil’ cookies—the Spritz—this week on GGB, I graciously asked, okay— actually I kind of stated, that I’d  be the one to make the cookies.

What are Spritz?

Spritz are crisp, fragile cookies with a buttery-smooth finish. That’s right—I said butter! Today, we’re taking a slight step down from the uber healthy notes on GGB in order to celebrate the Holidays AND Share my Spritz LOVE with you!

Spritz have been making mouths smile since the early 1500s. In the cookie world, Spritz are defined as simple butter cookies that are shaped using a cookie press. Their name comes from “spritzen,” which means to “squirt or spray” in German. Perhaps their ease in preparation coupled with their addictive crunch and velvety richness explains why they are the traditional Christmas cookie in Scandinavian countries.

The Spritz LOVE in My Family

These cheerful bites have been a staple in my family since the 1960s. My proud Swiss grandmama baked the first batch after her neighbor gave her the recipe. Although my grandmama didn’t have a cookie press—a tool that traditional Spritz call for—she got creative and invented her own “fork pressing” method to shape the cookies. Then, in the 1970s, my aunt further adapted my grandmama’s Spritz baking method and recipe. She began shaping the cookie dough using her hands, and then employed grandmama’s “fork pressing” method.

As a result, the cookies’ preparation time decreased and their attractiveness increased—fewer burn spots, a more even shape, and enhanced goldenness. Hence, through two generations of Spritz baking, my family perfected the “quick and dirty” Spritz cookie recipe that will accommodate your busy schedule! These treats move quickly from your kitchen counter onto your plate—with no cookie press in sight. This recipe will have everyone thinking you slaved for hours on these crispy, buttery wonders! … Unless you have a tweenie sister and not the proper ingredients…

Why I Need to Not Add a Third Generation to the Mix

Please follow the below recipe to a “T.” I did not and as a result my lil’ Spritz wonders were good—just not very Spritz like …

Now—I must defend! The ONLY reason I didn’t follow the EXACT recipe was that I didn’t have all the ingredients, as the lil’ sister gave me a “ton” of “heads-up” time …

• Jackie at 8 PM—“Corinney I need to bring something like cookies/cake to class.”
• Me at 8:01 PM—“Okay, when do you need them?”
• Jackie at 8:03 PM—“Oh, by like 7 tomorrow … 7 in the morning.”
• Me at 8:04 PM—“Ummmm … okay well, I’ll just use what’s here.”

So—What Happened?

• No white all-purpose flour was present, so I used unbleached white whole wheat  (WW) flour (a lighter, milder 100% WW flour, but it still yields a wheaty taste)
• No butter was present, so I used Earth Balance Organic Buttery Spread (original whipped) (this was actually good, I’d likely still use a heart healthy buttery spread next time, but it didn’t yield the same rich creamy taste as butter)
• No sifter was available, so the flour wasn’t sifted (using whole wheat with no sifter= a harder, less airy, crunchier product)
• No nonpareil decors were around, so I topped the Spritz with cinnamon and raw sugar (good topping actually, but I missed the pop of sugary color!)

The cookies I made using the above ingredients still resulted in very buttery lil’ numbers, BUT lacked the crisp, fragile texture classic to Spritz that my grandmama’s and aunt’s ALWAYS have. The outcome primarily resulted from the unsifted WW flour.

Hence, as we talked about last week—stick to the 90-10 rule (90% healthy and 10% less healthy) and use sifted WHITE all-purpose flour—so strange for my fiber fanatic self to say. But, this is one time where I will STRESS the use of WHITE, processed, nutrient-stripped flour. Ha! NEVER thought I’d say that!

Okay—enough of my jibber-jabber! Here’s the recipe! ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spritz Recipe

Level: Easy

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 6-9 minutes

Yield: approximately 4 dozen cookies

Equipment needed: Oven, mixer, baking sheet/s, metal spatula, aluminum tin for storage (optional)

Ingredients

• 1 cup softened butter
• ½ cup white, granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1 teaspoon flavoring (vanilla or almond extract)
• 2 ¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour
• Nonpareil decors (e.g. multi-color sugar sprinkles) (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. In a mixer on medium speed, mix butter, sugar, egg, salt, and flavoring (shortening mixture) until creamy.
3. Sift all-purpose flour in a flour sifter and measure sifted flour to desired amount of 2 ¼ cups.
4. On low speed, work flour into shortening mixture by using ¼ cup of flour at a time to form a smooth, soft, doughy batter.
5. Spoon out tablespoon-sized amounts of dough into slightly floured hands and mold into oval balls.
6. Place dough balls onto ungreased baking sheet/s and press down with lightly floured fingers to form desired oval shape.
7. Flatten each cookie slightly with the back of a lightly floured fork, keeping the shape as even as possible—preventing cookies from rising unevenly and forming a decorative, fine-line design.
8. For a festive look, sprinkle your favorite nonpareil decors (e.g. multi-color sugar sprinkles) atop cookie dough before baking.
9. Bake for 6-9 minutes in middle rack of oven, until golden, but not browned.
10. After baking is complete, remove immediately from the baking sheet with a metal spatula and place onto a cold flat surface to cool.
11. Once cooled, place into an aluminum lined metal tin to ensure maximum crispness.

Nutrition Breakdown per Spritz Cookie (about 0.5 ounces): 70 calories, 4 grams fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 6.5 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fiber, 2 grams of sugar, 1 grams of protein, 15 milligrams cholesterol, 52 milligrams sodium

Spicing Up Your Spritz Cookies: Some Variations on the Classic Recipe

• Chocolate Spritz: After the shortening mixture is thoroughly blended, mix on low speed 2 ounces of unsweetened melted chocolate into the mixture until chocolate is evenly dispersed.
• Coffee Spritz: add 1 tablespoon of instant coffee and ¼ cup pecans to the sugar.
• Butterscotch Spritz: substitute brown sugar for white sugar.
• Lemon Spritz: replace the vanilla or almond extract with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest (rind).
• Orange Pecan Spritz: After the shortening mixture is thoroughly blended, mix on low speed 2 tablespoons of grated orange peel and ½ cup pecans into the mixture until orange peel and pecans are evenly dispersed.

Side Notes

• My mom refused to believe the blender was broken, turned it off/on, changed plugs, and kept replugging—finally, the thing turned on and Spritz batter FLEW everywhere. She didn’t think it was too funny … but I did!
• My sister decided the cookies were too “unkid” like, so dissed them and bought store bought ones! I was highly offended! Don’t worry—the above recipe is loved by ALL ages
• My dad loved the cookies and had already eaten 4 before 8 AM … oh dad …
• I like them! And, am currently noshing on ONE with my coffee. You gotta enjoy yourself I’ll healthify it with some fruit!!!!

Happy Spritzing!