November 30, 2020

Recipe: Vegan Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

¼ cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1 cup chopped zucchini

1 cup chopped sweet potato

2 cups chopped brussels sprouts

1 14 ounce can petite diced tomatoes

6 cups low sodium vegetable broth

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 15 ounce can Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 tbsp dry white wine

1 tbsp chopped italian parsley

2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

7 oz orzo or small pasta, cooked to package directions

Directions

Cook pasta to package directions, drain and set aside.

In a large soup pot or Dutch oven heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, celery, carrots, zucchini, sweet potato and Brussels sprouts. Cook 6-8 minutes (until fragrant and softened) stirring occasionally so veggies don’t stick to the pot.

Add in the broth, diced tomatoes, wine and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. In the last few minutes stir in the beans, rosemary and parsley.

Place some pasta in each bowl and ladle soup into bowls.

~ Marla Meridith

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November 6, 2020

Skillet Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Walnut Crumble

Ingredients

For the Cake

¾ cup unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup light brown sugar

¾ cup full fat sour cream

2 large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

For the crumble

½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

½ cup light brown sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 pinch salt

Directions

For the coffee cake

Pre heat oven to 350˚ Fahrenheit. Grease a 10 inch cast iron skillet with butter or vegetable oil.

Using a stand mixer and the paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the sour cream, eggs one at a time and vanilla.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and the salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 additions. Combine well but don’t over-mix.

Spread 1/2 of the batter into the prepared pan, smooth with a knife or offset spatula. Sprinkle 1/2 of the crumble onto the batter. Spread and smooth the rest of the batter over the crumble. Top with the rest of the crumble, pressing in very gently.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out virtually crumb free.

For the crumble

Whisk together the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Add in the butter and mix with clean hands or a pastry cutter. The crumble should stick together and the pieces of butter should be no larger than peas.

~ Marla Meridith

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October 20, 2020

Recipe: Sheet Pan Roasted Veggies with Feta

Ingredients

2 broccoli crowns, sliced into florets

1 pt cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

½ red onion, sliced

½ zucchini, sliced into half moons

½ lemon, cut into slices

1 8 ounce block of feta cheese

6 mini bell peppers, sliced in half

¼ cup olive oil

sea salt, pepper and dried oregano

Directions

Pre heat oven to 400˚ Fahrenheit.

Slice all the veggies, lemon and feta. Place on an unlined sheet pan in a single layer.

Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with quinoa, rice or pasta.

~ Marla Meridith

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August 31, 2020

Recipe: Raspberry Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins

Ingredients

2 ½ cups white whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ cup pure maple syrup

½ cup brown sugar (light or dark brown) loosely packed

1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 2 large)

¼ cup full fat sour cream

1 large egg, beaten

¾ cup milk (any milk you prefer)

½ cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips

1 ¾ cups fresh raspberries (frozen ok too)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350˚ Fahrenheit (177°C) with the rack in the middle. Grease a 12 count muffin pan with baking spray. If using muffin liners, spray them first so they don’t stick to the liners. This will make 15 muffins, if you have an extra muffin pan handy prep that as well.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and brown sugar getting out as many lumps as possible. Fold in the mashed banana, sour cream and beaten egg. Add the wet into the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Batter will be thick. Mix in the milk. Fold in the chocolate chips, then carefully the raspberries. Be very gentle with the berries so they don’t turn the batter pink. Do not overmix the batter as it will toughen the muffins.

Evenly divide the batter between the muffin tins, filling to the top. Top with more chocolate chips if desired. Bake for 17-18 minutes, until you see light brown edges. A toothpick inserted into the centers should come out virtually crumb-free. If you are using the same pan for the three extra muffins, fill the empty muffin time halfway with water so the muffins bake evenly and your pan doesn’t warp.

Let the muffins cool for 10 minutes before removing from the muffin pan. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

~ Marla Meridith

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August 6, 2020

Recipe: Strawberry Almond Baklava

Ingredients

4 cups fresh strawberries, quartered

1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, divided

¾ cup water

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp cornstarch (if needed to thicken)

1 (16 ounce) package phyllo pastry dough

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, melted

1 cup slivered almonds

½ cup pure maple syrup

1 tsp ground cinnamon, divided

1 pinch salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit with the rack in the middle.

In a saucepan, heat the strawberries with 3/4 cup sugar, water, lemon juice, vanilla and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Bring to a boil then down to a simmer, cooking for 30 minutes until the sauce thickens into a jammy consistency. Whisk in the cornstarch if needed. Set aside to cool and thicken a bit more.

Brush the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish with melted butter, add a layer of phyllo pastry, brush with more butter and add another layer of dough. Do this until you have 6 layers of pastry dough lining the dish.

Layer on a thin layer of the strawberries and then the almonds. Place a layer of phyllo dough, then some melted butter. Do this for 5 layers of dough. Continue these layers until you have 3 layers of strawberries/almonds, always brushing melted butter in between layers of phyllo dough. For the top layer, use 10 sheets of phyllo dough brushing butter between each. Brush the top layer with butter too. Score/slice the dough with a sharp knife into desired portions.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Top with 1/2 of the syrup and let cool. Serve with more syrup.

While the baklava is baking make the maple sauce. Boil the remainder of the granulated sugar (1/2 cup) with the maple syrup, the rest of the cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves into the maple syrup forming a syrup.

~ Marla Meridith

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July 24, 2020

Recipe: Southwest Chicken & Rice Bowls

Ingredients

2 cups long grain brown rice, cooked to package directions

4 tbsp olive oil, divided

3 medium chicken breasts cut into 1-2 inch pieces

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp sweet paprika

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp ground chipotle pepper (more if you love extra spicy)

juice from 1/2 lime

½ red bell pepper diced

½ yellow bell pepper diced

½ red onion, diced

1 cup canned or frozen corn, drained

1 can (15 ounce) black beans, drained and rinsed

½ cup sliced black olives

¼ cup freshly chopped cilantro

Optional Toppings

chopped fresh cilantro

crumbled queso fresco

pico de gallo

fresh lime wedges

sour cream

Directions

Cook the rice to package directions.

Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a 12 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken breast, seasonings and lime juice. Cook 3-4 minutes each side until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and transfer to a plate. DO NOT rinse the skillet.

Add the remainder of the olive oil to the skillet (2 tbsp) and saute the onions for 3 minutes. Add the bell peppers and saute another 4 minutes. Add the corn, black beans and olives. Cook another 3 minutes until hot. Mix in 1/4 cup chopped cilantro. Add the chicken back into the pan and cook 2 minutes.

Plate the rice into bowls. Top with the chicken mixture. Top with any additional toppings you desire. Serve immediately.

~ Marla Meridith

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July 20, 2020

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper.

Place the peanut butter, sugar and egg in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed with the paddle attachment until well combine.

Make small balls (about 1 1/2 inches) with your hands and evenly space apart on the baking sheet. Using the back of a fork make a criss- cross pattern on each cookie.

Bake for 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes before enjoying.

~ Marla Meridith

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July 16, 2020

Recipe: Quick Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs ripe tomatoes

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp sugar

freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ lb whole wheat spaghetti

¼ cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for topping

freshly grated parmesan for serving

Directions

While the pasta is cooking. Roughly chop 2/3 of the tomatoes. Over a large bowl, grate the rest of the tomatoes using the large holes of a box grater.

Combine the chopped and grated tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, sugar, garlic and pepper in the large bowl. Let rest 10 minutes for the flavors to combine.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Immediately place the pasta back into the pasta pot.

Add the tomato sauce into the pasta with the 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid. Cook over medium heat until hot and the cooking liquid is absorbed. Mix in the 1/4 cup chopped basil during the last minute.

Serve immediately with more basil and parmesan cheese.

~ Marla Meridith

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July 10, 2020

Recipe: Skillet Banana Bread with Double-Crumb Topping

Ingredients

Banana Bread

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

¾ cup light brown sugar, packed

1 large egg, room temperature

3 medium sized very ripe bananas, mashed (to equal 1 1/4 cups)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp salt

Double-Crumble Topping

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

½ cup granulated sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350˚ with the rack in the middle.
Grease a 10″ cast iron skillet (or any heatproof skillet) with butter or vegetable oil.

For the Banana Bread

Melt the butter and let it cool to room temperature. Mix the cooled butter with the brown sugar in a large bowl. Mix in the egg, mashed banana and vanilla.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in another bowl.

Add the banana mixture into the flour mixture, combining well. Do not over mix.

Transfer the batter into the prepared skillet, smooth with top with the back of a spoon or spatula. Top with the crumble, pressing the crumble gently down into the batter with your fingers. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out virtually crumb free. Let cool completely before slicing and serving.

For the Double-Crumble Topping

Combine the sugars, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Add the flour and stir with a rubber spatula until mostly combine. Using clean fingers, mix until everything is well combined.

~ Marla Meridith

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July 7, 2020

Recipe: Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and cooked to package directions

½ tsp salt

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ tsp garlic powder

1 large English hothouse cucumber or 2 Persian cucumbers, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

1 orange, yellow or red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

½ chopped red onion

1 pt cherry tomatoes, quartered

6 oz crumbled feta cheese

1 (15 ounce can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

⅔ cup chopped Italian parsley

½ cup chopped fresh mint

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Cook quinoa to package directions with the 1/2 tsp salt. Transfer cooked quinoa to a large bowl, fluff with a fork and let cool to room temperature.

Dressing: Whisk lemon juice and garlic powder in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil.

Toss the cooled quinoa with the dressing veggies, chickpeas, feta, mint and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

~ Marla Meridith

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July 2, 2020

Recipe: Skillet Brown Sugar Blueberry Cobbler

Ingredients

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp Kosher salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup whole milk

1 cup + 1 tbsp light brown sugar

juice from 1 lemon

½ tsp pure vanilla extract

2 cups fresh blueberries

Serve with

freshly whipped cream

vanilla ice cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350˚ Fahrenheit with the rack in the middle. Melt the butter in the oven in a 10 inch cast iron skillet. Remove from the oven when it’s melted.

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl: the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl combine the milk, vanilla, lemon juice and 1 cup of the brown sugar. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until smooth. Toss the blueberries with 1 tbsp of brown sugar. Pour the batter into the buttered skillet. Top with the blueberries.

Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool a few minutes then serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

~ Marla Meridith

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June 30, 2020

Recipe: Triple Berry Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 tbsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp Kosher salt

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 ¼ cups whole milk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

½ lb 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted

1 cup fresh blueberries

½ cup chopped strawberries

½ cup raspberries

turbinado sugar for topping

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a muffin tin with liners.

Whisk together the dry ingredients: both flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. In another bowl mix together both sugars, melted butter, milk, eggs and vanilla extract. Fold in the berries.

Place 1/3 cup batter in each muffin cup. Top with Turbinado (coarse sugar) Bake for 20-25 minutes. Insert a wooden skewer in the center and if it comes out virtually crumb free then the muffins are done. Let cool a few minutes then transfer the muffins to racks to cool completely.

~ Marla Meridith

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