Blueberry Peach Smoothie

Lunch crept up silently upon me today. I didn't even see it coming. And when it arrived I wanted something refreshing, easy to make and above all else, satisfying. I always have a variety fruit in the freezer and picked up a tub of Greek yogurt a few days ago. So obviously a smoothie came to mind.

This is a cinch to whip up. I use an immersion blender as it is convenient and makes for a quick clean up. All the ingredients get blended together right in your drinking glass!

For sweeteners, I like agave nectar or honey. Today was a day for honey. A tablespoon or two will do for a single serving but always taste as you go along adding a little at a time. Remember, you can always add more to taste but you cannot remove it if you accidentally make it too sweet!

Feel free to use any frozen fruits you like. I used blueberries and peaches which are a lovely flavor combination. If you like , toss in 1/2 a frozen banana too. It adds great flavor but also turns a smoothie very rich and creamy.

So why not whip one up right now?

RECIPE:

WHAT YOU NEED

1/4 cup frozen wild blueberries
1/2 cup frozen peaches
1/4 cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
3/4 cup milk
1-2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

MAKE IT

BLEND all ingredients together in a tall glass with your immersion blender until smooth.

You can add crushed ice too make it super frosty and thicken it even more.

ENJOY!

Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Loaf

I picked up a huge basket of wild blueberries this past week and have eaten most of them simply tossed with some vanilla sugar and topped with pouring cream. Beautiful ! But I was also in the mood for a baked sweetness too. In addition, I wanted to make a few treats to give to friends. A quick bread or sweet loaf of some kind was in order.

Recently Sweet Pea's Kitchen published a fantastic recipe (and gorgeous photos) for a Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Loaf and I thought it would be a perfect way to highlight this blueberry bounty I had on my hands.

This loaf is amazingly moist, sweet and wonderful to eat any time of day. I really love a slice accompanied with a black tea. A perfect combo.

The best way to ensure super moistness in any loaf is to add a simple sugar syrup to it after it is baked. I use long bamboo skewers to poke several holes throughout the loaf making sure the holes reach all the way to the bottom. Then I brush the syrup over the warm loaf in stages ensuring each brushing is totally absorbed before adding another layer of syrup. Lastly, this recipe calls for a lovely lemon glaze that does harden a bit as it cools resulting in a phenomenal crust.


Feel free to also switch things up a bit fruit-wise. In one loaf I added 1/2 the quantity of blueberries and then threw in fresh raspberries too. Fantastic.

For the yogurt, I used plain greek yogurt. I love the thick consistency of greek yogurt and it is superior in baked goods. Full fat sour cream would also be great too.

Lastly, this recipe can make one large loaf. But I managed to get 2 8"x4" loaves from one recipe. They rose beautifully and were the perfect size for gift-giving. If you want to go with 2 smaller loaves just reduce bake time to 50 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean when done.

So let's get baking!

Rather than repost Sweet Pea's Kitchen's recipe I will simply redirect you to the site.

RECIPE: Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Loaf

ENJOY !

Gluten-Free Blueberry Cupcakes

These gluten-free cupcakes are nothing short of amazing. They are packed with a sweet flavor and topped with a gorgeous blueberry cream cheese frosting. The best part? These are very easy to make and do not require a slew of gluten-free ingredients so commonly found in other allergy-sensitive recipes. The "flour" ingredient is coconut flour. I have never baked with it before. In fact I have never seen it outside of a bag. The closest I have gotten to it is buying it and stuffing it so far back in my cupboard that I forgot I even owned any...until recently.

I have been eying up Elana Amsterdam's Strawberry Cupcake recipe from her cookbook Gluten-Free Cupcakes for a few weeks now. So I started with that recipe as my base. As I recently made gluten-based strawberry cupcakes I decided to switch things up a bit. In fact, I pretty much changed 50% of the ingredients. Why not be daring? Isn't that what baking is all about?

My absolute favorite summer fruit is the glorious blueberry. I usually have several pints in the fridge during the summer months. Sure enough, an overflowing pint was in there today and was perfect for this recipe.

I also didn't have agave nectar on hand or arrowroot so using what I did have and substituting as I went along produced one incredible, if not kick-@ss, gluten free cupcake.

I also have a love of almonds. Blueberry and almonds go hand in hand. Instead of using vanilla extract (her recipe calls for a significant quantity: 1 tablespoon for just 8 cupcakes) I went with organic almond extract instead at a reduced amount - 1 teaspoon. The flavor combos? PERFECTION.

And of course, a cupcake is not a cupcake until it is crowned with rich and creamy frosting. I considered a standard vanilla buttercream. Even a whipped cream frosting was a possibility. But in the end cream cheese won over (it usually does!). To jazz it up a bit I added 1/2 cup of blueberries processed in my food processor. For a bit of added flavor, I threw in a tablespoon of vanilla sugar during the processing phase. Piped on in a rosette style (Wilton 2D tip) and topped with more blueberries = Beautiful!

SO LET'S GET BAKING, SHALL WE?

RECIPE:
*adapted source recipe for cupcakes: Strawberry Cupcakes, Gluten-Free Cupcakes by Elana Amsterdam

WHAT YOU NEED

CUPCAKES

1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch (gluten-free)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 large eggs
1/2 cup honey
1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond extract (you choose, 1/2 tsp will give a milder flavor)
1 cup blueberries dusted with coconut flour to prevent settling in batter during baking

FROSTING

1/2 cup blueberries
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar (or 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)
4 ounces plain cream cheese at room temperature
2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar

EXTRAS

blueberries
powdered sugar

MAKE IT

CUPCAKES

PREHEAT oven to 350F
LINE 8 muffin cups with paper liners. Fill empty cups 1/2 way with water

IN LARGE BOWL, whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt and baking soda
IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together eggs, honey and almond extract
POUR wet ingredients into dry and blend with handheld electric beater until smooth
STIR in blueberries

FILL muffin cups 3/4 full
BAKE 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and tops feel dry to the touch

IMMEDIATELY remove from pan and allow to cool completely on cooling rack

FROSTING

IN SMALL FOOD PROCESSOR, blend blueberries and vanilla sugar until no large pieces remain. You will see a dark purple paste dotted with flecks of blueberry. Set aside
IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER fitted with paddle attachment (or handheld electric beater) combine blended blueberries, cream cheese and butter.
BEAT ON HIGH speed until thoroughly blended and no noticeable lumps can be seen
SLOWLY add in powdered sugar blending until just combined
ON HIGH SPEED, mix frosting for 2-3 minutes
PLACE frosting in the refrigerator to set for 10 minutes before piping

PIPE frosting onto cooled cupcakes, top with fresh berries and a sprinkling of powdered sugar

ENJOY!

Also seen here:

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes for One

Why a recipe just for one today? Well, I ended up eating later than the rest of the family today and was on my own. I started contemplating what to eat "solo". I am sure many of us find ourselves in that situation from time to time and a bowl of cereal or a bagel just won't cut it. Why do we have to wait for a family meal or a breakfast out to enjoy pancakes? Wait no more!

I love pancakes but let's face it, most recipes bake up enough to feed a small country. I didn't want to start messing with reducing ingredients with the hopes of getting that "just right" consistency on a scaled down version of our family favorite Banana Sour Cream Pancakes.

Plus I was craving, and I mean CRAVING, blueberries. I had about 1 cup left over from the weekend and knew that would be a superb amount for pancakes. Now add that to pancakes for one and you have puffed up blueberry pillows !

The original recipe can be found at Healthy Food for Living. I did stray from the recipe a tad adding extra flavorings as I went along. For some reason though my batter did not look remotely like the batter photos on the source recipe blog site. It was far thinner. Next time I will add a bit more flour to get the desired consistency.

Top these guys off with pure maple syrup and you have a single serving delight on your hands! In fact, this recipe would feed 2 as it made 6 pancakes when I tested it out today. Add a side of turkey bacon and boom, you are in heaven!

So brew yourself a cuppa and let's get crackin' !

p.s. My apologies for the lack of photos.
It was early and my ability to stand steady enough
to take anything without blur was a challenge!

RECIPE:
*source recipe: Buttermilk Pancakes for One, Healthy Food for Living

WHAT YOU NEED

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
tiny pinch of salt
1 egg white
1/2 cup low fat buttermilk, well-shaken
1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water
1 cup fresh blueberries, preferably organic
canola oil cooking spray
pure maple syrup, preferably grade B

MAKE IT

IN MEDIUM MIXING BOWL, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
IN LARGE MIXING BOWL, whisk together the egg white, buttermilk and orange blossom water.
STIR dry ingredients into the wet just until moistened.
FOLD blueberries into batter. Set aside to rest - 5 minutes should be sufficient.
HEAT a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Coat with cooking spray.
WHEN HOT, spoon the batter into the skillet by the 1/4 cupful.
WHEN BUBBLES APPEAR on the surface of the batter, (about 1-2 minutes), the pancakes are ready to be flipped.
FLIP pancakes and let cook for another minute or so, or until golden brown.
SERVE with maple syrup.

GREAT SERVED WITH A SIDE OF BACON OR HAM
ENJOY!

Blueberry Orange Muffins

I cannot get enough of blueberries lately. It doesn't hurt that they are selling at incredible prices right now in the grocery stores too. I had another large pint aching to be eaten and today I was craving a muffin for breakfast. That craving led me to this glorious recipe and in turn, a perfect Friday morning breakfast. I had a fresh muffin within 1/2 hr from start to finish.

Most people add lemon zest to blueberry baked goods and hey, I am not knocking it at all. But sometimes switching things up a bit can add a fantastic fresh take on things. Today was one of those days. Instead of lemon zest I added the zest of an orange. A wonderful flavor enhancer when paired with plump and juicy blueberries.

To top these off, I sprinkled 1/4 teaspoon of granulated sugar on each one right before baking. The result is a golden and crunchy topping that is absolutely delicious.



So let's get started!

RECIPE:
adapted source recipe: Family Circle, Ultimate Comfort Food Cookbook

WHAT YOU NEED

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar plus more for topping muffins before baking
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil (canola works well - stick with a neutral flavor)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 cup fresh blueberries

MAKE IT

PREHEAT OVEN to 375F
LINE muffin tin with paper liners. This recipe makes 12 regular sized muffins

IN LARGE BOWL, whisk together first 7 dry ingredients
IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together remaining ingredients except blueberries
FOLD wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until combined
GENTLY fold in blueberries
FILL LINERS to top with batter
SPRINKLE 1/4 teaspoon of granulated sugar over top of each muffin

BAKE 23 minutes. Toothpick inserted in center should come out clean
COOL in pan 5 minutes
REMOVE and cool completely on cooling rack

ENJOY !

Also seen here:

Blueberry Cornish Fairings

Cornish Fairings are sweet and spicy little cookies traditionally made with very finely diced mixed peel. As I didn't have any such thing on hand I decided to switch things up a bit. My attention shifted to the stacks of dried fruits in my pantry and I started to contemplate which one would pair well with allspice. I had recently purchased a little container of dried blueberries at my local health food store and had some left over after making another batch of Jonnie's Granola.

Blueberries and allspice go very well together so I decided to give it a try. Happy to say that the result is an amazing little cookie, perfectly sweetened and wonderfully highlighted with the dried fruit.

These are so fast to make and bake that I sat back stunned as to why I have never stumbled upon this recipe in the past. They are truly great little cookies ! Well, it is safe to say , after further research, that the cause of delay in my meet-and-greet with Cornish Fairings lies with my geographical location. I do no live near or even remotely close to Cornwall, UK. You see, the Cornish Fairing originates from Cornwall - a quite lengthy plane or boat ride away for me. Regardless, I have found them now and this recipe is a keeper.

During my Cornish Fairings research, I found this interesting video on YouTube and thought I would share here too. A little history lesson for us all and a chance to see the way these are made in bulk!

NOW ON TO THE RECIPE!

Here they are, rolled and ready for baking


Fresh out of the oven



A gorgeous batch of cookies

RECIPE:
*source recipe (adapted) : Cornish Fairings, The Great British Book of Baking

WHAT YOU NEED

100g all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
40g fine granulated sugar
50g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
1 heaping tablespoon dried blueberries
3 tablespoons golden corn syrup (warmed in microwave for 15 seconds on HIGH)


MAKE IT

PREHEAT OVEN 375F
LINE 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper

IN MEDIUM BOWL, combine first 5 ingredients
ADD butter and cut in with pastry cutter until crumb-like consistency is reached
STIR in blueberries
ADD CORN SYRUP and stir with wooden spoon until combined into a somewhat stiff dough

ROLL dough into marble sized balls and place, spaced apart, on cookie sheet. This recipe yields approx. 18 cookies
BAKE 7-8 minutes rotating 1/2 way

LET COOL in pans 1-2 minutes before moving cookies to a cooling rack. Let cool completely

PERFECT WITH A CUP OF TEA!


Also seen here: