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Holiday Breakfast

Julia Longueville — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:09:07 +0000

If you are expecting guests over the holidays, chances are you have it all planned out. What wine will be served, what music will be played, and of course, the fabulous food you will prepare. One piece you might have overlooked may make or break your hostess reputation- breakfast!

Instead of coffee cake or your typical bacon and eggs, make these amazingly simple banana nut muffins. You can even make the batter ahead of time and simply pour in your muffin pan and bake when you are ready! Serve with fresh fruit and coffee. Your guests will undoubtedly be dazzled by your hostess abilities.

The Fluffiest Banana Nut Muffins

by Julia Longueville of hazelnutblog.com

Recipe for Fluffy Banana Nut Muffins

2 ripe bananas
1 egg
1/3 cup melted butter
3 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts

Mash bananas with a fork in a medium sized bowl. Whisk in egg, butter, vanilla, and milk. In separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add to wet ingredient with walnuts and fold together until barely mixed. Bake in 350F oven for 25 minutes (or until toothpick comes clean). Serves 12.

What do you have planned for holiday breakfast?

A native of southern Illinois and graduate of The French Pastry School of Chicago, she is a midwestern girl who believes in butter and beef, but also staying healthy and looking her best. You can follow her blog here and also on Facebook.

Dark Chocolate Studded Zucchini Bread

Julia Longueville — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 11:26:10 +0000

Dark Chocolate Studded Zucchini Bread

by Julia Longueville of hazelnutblog.com

Have a hard time getting your kids (or yourself) enough veggies? Try this super easy chocolate zucchini bread!

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup dark chocolate chips (or any kind)

Directions
Whisk sugar, oil, and eggs together in large bowl until smooth. Add vanilla and zucchini and whisk for a few more strokes. In separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, a cinnamon. Add dry to wet ingredients and mix with spatula. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans (or muffin pans!) and bake at 350 for 1 hr to 1 hr 15 minutes.

Let cool and serve!

Vegan Sloppy “Faux Joe’s”

Julia Longueville — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:39:31 +0000

Whether you’re a full fledged vegan or a meat and potatoes girl, it’s hard to deny the benefits of eating less animal products. Giving your body a break from animal fats doesn’t have to mean eating giant bowls of leafy spinach. You can have tons of flavor and fulfillment by subbing in fiber rich beans and alternative protein sources!

This vegan sloppy joe recipe gives you all of the flavor of the nostalgic belly warming meal with way less fat and plenty of good for you nutrients.

Added bonus? You get to eat a big ole “meaty” sandwich and still look hot in that dress you just bought.

Recipe for Vegan Sloppy Joe’s

1/2 red onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

8 oz tempeh, crumbled

8 oz diced tomatoes

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 cup favorite bbq sauce

Sautee garlic and onion in large skillet until softened and browned. Add tempeh, tomatoes, chili powder, and bbq sauce and simmer for 8-10 minutes. With back of spatula, smash beans until desired consistency is reached. Simmer for another 10 minutes before scooping onto toasted, whole wheat hamburger buns.

I promise you, once you try this, you will be making it all the time. It’s so filling and delicious, I may never have the real thing ever again. What do you do to make your favorite recipes healthier?

Julia Longueville is the author of hazelnutblog.com. When she’s not blogging about amazingly simple, good for you recipes, she is working in the bakery at Whole Foods in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. A native of southern Illinois and graduate of The French Pastry School of Chicago, she is a midwestern girl who believes in butter and beef, but also staying healthy and looking her best. You can follow her blog here and also on Facebook.