Coconut Pecan Crunch Muffins

These muffins are a delicious morning treat and (relatively) healthy with whole wheat flour, coconut, and pecans. The cake is light and fluffy. The topping is crisp and sweet. Perfect.

Coconut Pecan Crunch Muffins
for the muffins…

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely ground pecans
3/4 cup shredded coconut
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup granulated cane sugar
1 large egg
1 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

for the coconut-pecan crunch topping...
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Pinch of sea salt
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, mix together the coconut oil, syrup, sugar, egg, yogurt, and vanilla until well blended. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flours, ground pecans, coconut, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry mixture to the oil and egg mixture. Stir gently to combine. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups.

In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients. Sprinkle topping over each batter-filled muffin cup.

Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

recipe from foodandwine.com

Crab Cakes with Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette

Crab cakes sound like a great dinner or appetizer on a warm spring evening… Don't you think? These crab cakes taste so fresh, bursting with a mixture of fresh herbs and lemon. They are divine! Pair them will a little arugula salad and a glass of your favorite white wine.

Crab Cakes with Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette
for the crab cakes…
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 cup green onions, minced
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound cooked crabmeat
2 cups panko breadcrumbs*

2 tablespoons butter & 2 tablespoons olive oil for cooking

*if you're making these crab cakes gluten-free, simply substitute gluten-free bread crumbs, available in most markets now

for the vinaigrette...
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh dill
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon green onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

to make the crab cakes…

In a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, egg yolks, lemon juice, herbs, mustard, lemon zest, and pepper. Carefully stir in the crabmeat and 1 cup of the breadcrumbs. Form the mixture into patties about 1/2 inch thick and 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Place the remaining 1 cup of breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl and pat each crab cake into the breadcrumbs to coat. Place prepared crab cakes on a waxed paper lined plate or baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. It's important that you not skip the refrigeration step. This helps the crab cakes hold together when you cook them. If you try to cook them right after forming the patties, they will fall apart.

meanwhile, make the vinaigrette…

Place all ingredients in a small blender. (I like to use my magic bullet. It's such a useful little tool in the kitchen.) Puree until herbs are chopped and ingredients are well-blended. If you don't have a blender, you could simply chop the herbs and whisk all ingredients in a bowl until well-blended.

to cook the crab cakes…

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of olive oil until glistening. Cook the crab cakes until golden on both sides (about 5 or 6 minutes total). You will likely need to cook them in batches. Be sure to leave enough room in the skillet for flipping the cakes over to cook both sides. Place cooked crab cakes on a paper towel lined plate until ready to serve.

Serve with the vinaigrette drizzled on top. And maybe a little arugula salad too.

Enjoy!

recipe adapted from epicurious.com

DIY Refrigerator Deodorizer

I don't know about you, but I love it when my refrigerator is fresh and clean. I've used the traditional box of baking soda to keep smells in check in the refrigerator before, but I like this do-it-yourself deodorizer better. I think it works better than baking soda too… it uses ground coffee beans. I always loved the smell of coffee. I can remember going to the super market with my mom as a kid and my very favorite aisle to walk down was the coffee aisle. I just loved that smell. The coffee also absorbs unpleasant odors in your refrigerator.

DIY Refrigerator Deodorizer
1 small mason jar
1 coffee filter
scissors
enough ground coffee beans to fill the jar

I used a small, short mason jar for this project with the widest mouth I could find. This allows maximum area to absorb smells.

This is so simple… Place coffee in mason jar. Place coffee filter over the mouth of the jar. Twist on the ring portion of the lid only. Trim excess coffee filter. Done!

Shake the jar every so often to release more of the smell. Replace the ground coffee beans every couple of months.

Enjoy your fresh and clean refrigerator!

Gluten-Free Banana Muffins with Pecans & Toffee

Here's a twist on my go-to banana bread muffin recipe. I decided to try some toasted pecans and toffee bits rather than the mini chocolate chips I typically use. They are a perfect breakfast treat!

Gluten-Free Banana Muffins with Pecans & Toffee
1 cup coconut flour
1 cup oat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons canola oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
4 very ripe bananas
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

1/4 cup toffee bits, plus extra for sprinkling on top

  

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare a muffin pan with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Using an electric mixer in a large bowl, cream the butter, canola oil, and sugar together. Add the eggs and bananas and mix. Add the the flour mixture slowly and stir until just combined. Stir in the chopped pecans and toffee bits.

Evenly divide the batter into the 12 cups of a muffin pan prepared with paper liners. Sprinkle extra toffee bits on each muffin before baking.

Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Yogurt

I've seen a few recipes on Pinterest for cookie dough yogurt, so I decided to give it a try. I used a Yoplait vanilla yogurt because that's what I had in my refrigerator. I think it would work a bit better if you use Greek yogurt because it's typically thicker. You could also substitute peanut butter if you prefer. This is a protein-packed treat that you can enjoy without too much guilt (even for breakfast)!

    

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Yogurt
1 container yogurt (plain or vanilla)
2 tablespoons almond butter
pinch salt
a couple drops of vanilla
1 tablespoon mini chocolate chips

Stir all ingredients together and enjoy!

Hint: If you're using plain yogurt (rather than vanilla), add a bit of sugar or honey to sweeten.

Crab Deviled Eggs

Here's a twist on the traditional deviled egg. Mark made these for lunch today and they were delicious. This would be a great way to use those colored Easter eggs you'll have in a few weeks!

Crab Deviled Eggs
6 eggs, hard boiled*
1/4 cup lump crab meat
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 cornichons, chopped**
1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
about a teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning (for garnish)

*Here's my method for hard boiled eggs (learned this one from my mom). Place the eggs in a medium pot, cover with water, top with the lid and cook over medium heat. When the water starts to boil, turn the heat completely off. Leave the lid on and set a timer for 12 minutes. Allow the eggs to simply sit in the hot water for 12 minutes. Then pour the hot water out of the pot and run cold water over the eggs. Store cooked eggs in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

**Cornichons are little mini pickles. You'll find them in the aisle with the pickles and olives at your local market. If you don't have cornichons, you could substitute dill pickles.

Now… to make the crab deviled eggs…
Cut each egg in half lengthwise. Remove the cooked yolks and place in a medium bowl. Stir in the crab, mayo, cornichons, dijon, and sat until creamy. Transfer the crab mixture to a large ziplock bag or a piping bag. Snip off the corner of the bag to for a hole about 1/2 inch in diameter. Pipe a bit of the crab mixture into each egg white. Sprinkle Old Bay seasoning on each egg.

Enjoy!

California Roll Salad

Have you ever tried to make sushi at home? I have. It's not easy. Getting the rice nice and sticky… cutting fish and vegetables into tiny strips… warming the nori (seaweed) so it's flexible enough to roll… then trying to roll everything tightly together… ugh! This is salad is waaaay easier, but will still satisfy your craving for sushi until you can get to your favorite sushi bar (mine is Wasa Sushi - locations in Irvine and Newport Beach). 

California Roll Salad

1/2 cup white rice (cooked)

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce (use gluten-free soy sauce if desired)

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced

1/4 cup carrot, shredded

1 cucumber, cut into strips

1 avocado, diced

1 cup imitation crab, shredded

2 scallions, green parts only, chopped

2 sheets toasted nori, torn into pieces

2 tablespoons pickled ginger

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, salt, oil, soy sauce, and fresh ginger. Mix dressing into the rice. Top the rice with all remaining ingredients. Toss lightly to combine.

Enjoy!