A classic Zucchini Bread recipe with warm notes of cinnamon spice, pure vanilla extract, brown sugar, and fresh zucchini. Moist and light, this is a quick recipe that can also be turned into muffins and savored any time of day. Continue reading “Zucchini Bread”→
Breakfast, on the go snack, or even a treat for the holidays, these Cranberry Orange Muffins are the perfect addition to your day. Each bite is filled with fresh cranberries, moist, tangy, and bursting with flavor. Continue reading “Cranberry Orange Muffins with a Cinnamon Streusel”→
These healthy almond butter muffins are the perfect tasty treat. They are perfect to add in the lunchbox for a snack or dessert, or even to eat for breakfast. Continue reading “Almond Butter Muffins”→
Rosemary Olive Artisan Bread has a beautiful crust with a chewy inside filled with olives and fresh rosemary. It is easy to make because there is no kneading required. The scent and taste of warm bread and the ease of this recipe will want you making this bread over and over again. Continue reading “Rosemary Olive Artisan Bread”→
A little variation on banana bread, I added in some sweet apples, lots of cinnamon (as requested by my little ones), just a hint of nutmeg, and a streusel topping to finish it off is the perfect afternoon snack. (Spoiler Alert: It doesn’t last more than a day – maybe two – in our house. It flies so quickly!)
I first made this loaf to take as a treat with me when I took the girls hiking last month. We did almost 4 miles with quite an uphill so I was proud of my littles ones who not only trekked without a single complaint, they also put up with me while I took pics of them with cows in the background as they thought their Mom was crazy!
Let me get back on track though and tell you a little more about this delicious loaf! The base recipe is similar to that of a banana bread but I wanted it a little more moist to balance the addition of spices so I added in a bit of yogurt. The sweetness of ripe bananas and the warm spices to give a hint of apple pie is so amazing of a combination. Who says you can only have apple pie in the fall?!
This recipe makes enough for two large loaves or 4 minis. I’ve made both depending on what occasion I’m using these. I love the minis for gifts or travel (the hike was a perfect example) and the large loaves I’ll use to pack in lunches, give as an afternoon snack, or even with breakfast on the weekends.
Here are a few other loaves to check out: Spiced Pear Loaf Pumpkin Bread Zucchini Bread Lemon Blueberry Mini Loaves
Can you tell we love fruity loaves in this house?!
From my kitchen to yours, I hope you enjoy eating this Apple Pie Bread.
1 c ripe bananas, mashed (2 large or 3 medium sized)
1 c peeled & diced apple (about 1 small apple)
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
For the Streusel Topping
3 Tbsp flour
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbsp butter, softened
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray two 9x5 loaf pans with non-stick baking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, yogurt and oil until completely emulsified. Add mashed bananas, sugars and vanilla and stir until well combined.
In a smaller bowl combine dry ingredients and whisk until well incorporated.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in apples.
Pour half the batter into each baking pan.
Combine streusel ingredients and stir until mixture is uniform and crumbly. Sprinkle half streusel mix over each loaf.
Bake for 60-70 minutes. Check with a toothpick in the center of the loaf to see if it comes out dry.
Remove from oven and let cool in bread pans for about 10 minutes. Overturn onto a cooling rack to cool fully.
Wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temp on your counter for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Notes
**To make the mini loaves, reduce baking time by 25% or bake for 40-45 minutes.
**Updated Feb 2021. Originally published May 2020**
Popeye muffins are one of the girls’ favorites. I started making these when the girls were too young to eat leafy greens but old enough to eat more than pureed meals. They were an instant hit then, and luckily they still are now. Vibrant green, sweet and soft…. you can’t go wrong with these!
A few days ago, my brother and sister-in-law were blessed with an adorable little baby! Throughout her pregnancy, we had nicknamed the baby Blueberry and called him as such. It is in honor of his birth that I dedicate this recipe to my little munchkin. He is so adorable and cute, I’m so excited and lucky to be his aunt!
In the spirit of welcoming the new baby, I made these loaves in mini pans but you can absolutely bake them in a regular 9×5 loaf pan.
Last week, a friend was kind enough to share lemons from her lemon tree and they are absolutely amazing. The juice from the lemons were the perfect complement to brighten up these lovely blueberry loaves. In addition, I added a little yogurt and replaced the sugar with honey to give it just a hint of sweet without overpowering it. The addition of these two ingredients makes the loaves even more fluffy and light.
Pair it with coffee or chai to complement a slice of this delicious loaf for breakfast, snack, or dinner. Once you’ve baked them, they will keep at room temperature for up to 1 week and in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Though, we’re pretty good about making sure they are eaten pretty quickly!
From my kitchen to yours, enjoy these delicious Lemon Blueberry Mini Loaves.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease with cooking spray 4 mini loaf pans and set aside.
Combine flour, salt, and baking powder and mix well to incorporate.
In a separate bowl, add eggs and whisk until you start seeing bubbles and the eggs are light and airy. Add in yogurt, honey, oil, and lemon juice. Whisk well to combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until completely combined.
In a small bowl, combine the blueberries with the remaining 1 Tbsp flour and toss to coat all the blueberries evenly. This process will help prevent the blueberries from sinking.
Gently fold the blueberries into the batter with the lemon zest. Be careful to not over mix.
Transfer the batter to loaf pans and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
Loaves will keep at room temperature for up to 1 week and 2 weeks in the fridge.
Notes
**To make 1 large loaf, use a 9x5 loaf pan and bake 50 minutes at 350 degrees F.
One of the best things about the Fall season is pumpkin bread. The spices and the aroma when you are baking it compares to no other. It makes me feel so warm and cozy and ready for the winter.
I love this pumpkin bread recipe because:
It’s moist
Easy to make
Isn’t too dense
Has all the Fall spices: Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves, & Nutmeg
Fun to make with the kids
Here’s a little trick….. to keep it moist, I added applesauce to the batter. You can’t taste it but it makes the pumpkin bread so much better!
The girls have been eating it in the mornings with breakfast and I love having a slice in the afternoon with my cuppa chai. It’s perfect to snack on any time of the day! And with the holidays right around the corner, make an extra batch for a relative or neighbor. What a great gift to give too!
If you like this Pumpkin Bread recipe, try out….
I love bread. In any form. I love carbs, what can I say?!
One of my favorite recipes is this delicious Rosemary Focaccia Bread. It is so light, springy, soft, and oh so delicious straight out of the oven, it’s hard not to eat the entire loaf.
Even better is that making this bread is so easy. Doesn’t matter if you’ve never made bread before or are an experienced bread baker. This Rosemary Foccacia Bread is a fail safe recipe.
So, if you have more restraint than I do (literally have to stop myself from eating it straight out of the baking dish!) then here are a few different ways to serve this bread:
As an appetizer with a dipping oil
As a side with a main dish
Toast it up to serve with soup
Make sandwiches
What kind of flour do I use?
Good question! I’ve tried this with only All Purpose flour and only Whole Wheat flour and as a mix of both. Here are my results:
All Purpose: comes out amazingly soft, springy, and delicious. Not so healthy though but it does taste divine!
Whole Wheat flour: comes out tasting delicious but is very dense and doesn’t rise so well. Also, does tend to be a bit chewier.
50/50: a great combination for both. You get a little healthier flour in there but also the light, airy texture that you are looking for in a Focaccia.
In the recipe, I’ve included the ratios for the 50/50 combination. Try out both and let me know what you think!
From my kitchen to yours, enjoy this delicious Rosemary Focaccia Bread!
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine yeast, sugar and water. Mix together well with a whisk. Let stand for 5 minutes so the yeast can bloom.
In the following order, add butter, then flour then the salt.
On setting 2, mix for about 5 minutes or until dough has formed and is pulling away from the bowl.
Take 1 Tbsp oil and grease the bowl well, then use the remaining to coat the dough.
Cover with plastic film and let rest for 1 hour. Dough should double in size.
After an hour, reshape into a tight oval. Let rise in a greased dutch oven or baking sheet lined with silicone. Let rest another 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Right before placing dough in oven, brush remaining oil over the dough, use a knife to slit an X on the top and sprinkle the remaining rosemary all over the dough.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle coarse sea salt over the hot bread.
Serve warm with your favorite dipping oil, as a side to a main, or use as a sandwich or toast.
Notes
**It is important that the water is not too hot or too cold when you are mixing it with the yeast. If it is too hot, the yeast will be killed and your dough will not rise. If it is too cold, the yeast will not activate properly and your dough will rise, but not by much and you will have a very dense bread.
**You do not need a stand mixer for this recipe. If you do not have one, feel free to use your hands!
Dough just before it’s smoothed and oiled to set aside so it can rise
Pizza is one food my girls are very picky about. I know… I was surprised too! Usually, kids love pizza but my oldest decided she didn’t like pizza after having it at 7 different birthday parties in a span of 1 month. I get it, I totally do. I would be tired of it too!
For me, pizza is the ultimate go to with unlimited toppings and variations. I didn’t want Sanaya to feel an aversion for one of the most loved foods on this planet so I stepped in. After trying so many different pizzerias, I finally decided to make it at home.
Obviously could not wait to eat this….!
This Garlic Herb Pizza Dough is so delicious and light. When the dough is rolled out, it’s not too thick and makes for a nice flatbread. Some days, I will roll it out into 1 large pizza and others, I’ll get the girls involved and have them decorate their own personal pizzas. Either way, you can’t go wrong with this delicious garlic-y, herb-y pizza dough!
Try it out! It is so delicious!
From my kitchen to yours, enjoy your pizza party!
In a bowl or stand mixer, add yeast, sugar, and water and mix well. Let stand for 5-7 minutes so the yeast can bloom.
Add the flour, garlic powder, and dried herbs. Finally add in the salt*. If mixing by hand, knead into a soft, tight dough. If using the stand mixer, set speed to 4 and knead until dough forms.
Transfer dough to a well oiled bowl and let sit for a minimum of 10 minutes and maximum of 4 hours.
Roll out on a flat surface with flour and top with your favorite toppings.
Bake topped pizza at 450 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until crust is browned and cheese is melted.
Notes
* Adding salt at the end is very important. If you add it in the beginning, it can kill of the yeast and your dough will not rise well.
I love a traditional banana bread but I also love changing out the fruits and making different types of loaves. This Spiced Pear Loaf gives me a peek into the fall with its hints of cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger; the sweet pear chunks added in… oh so delicious!
This bread uses milk and oil in addition to the pear chunks to give it just the right amount of moisture. Use a 1:1 ratio of whole wheat flour and oats for a healthy balance of carbs, and just enough brown sugar to combine with the warm spices to bring fall home any time of the year!
Use this loaf for a snack during recess, packed in your lunchboxes, or even as a sweet treat post meals. So delicious and scrumptious, you have to try it out! From my kitchen to yours, I hope you enjoy this delicious treat!
I was in need of bread to make sandwiches for lunch and decided I wanted to make my own loaves at home – at least I’ll know it’s healthier and what goes in it. Try it out and use it for sandwiches, toast with jam, bread crumbs, anything your mind asks you to create!
Ingredients:
1/2 c warm water
2 packages dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 c warm milk (I use 2% but you can use buttermilk also – it adds a bit of a tang to the taste)
6 Tbsp melted and cooled unsalted butter
2 egg yolks
4 c all purpose flour (plus a little extra to knead and roll the dough)
1 tbsp Kosher salt
1 egg white
Directions:
1. Place the water in an electric mixer bowl and add yeast and sugar. Mix with fingers lightly. Allow yeast and sugar to dissolve for 5 minutes.
2. Add milk, butter, and honey. Mix on medium speed until blended. Add egg yolks 1 at a time, 2 cups of flour and salt. Mix on low speed for 5 minutes. Add remaining 2 cups of flour and mix on medium speed until dough is not sticking to bowl. Knead on medium speed for 5-7 minutes.
3. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for a minute. Grease a bowl with butter (or EVOO), add dough then turn over so all of the dough is slightly oiled/buttered. Cover the dough with a damp towel and allow to rise for 1 hour.
4. Grease two 9×5 loaf pans with butter (or EVOO). Divide dough (which should have risen beautifully by now) in half and roll into loaf shaped. Place each in greased pans and cover again with damp towel for another hour.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly whip the egg white and brush over each loaf. Place both loaves in oven and bake for 40-45 minutes.
6. Bread will be golden brown on top when ready. Remove from oven and turn over on cooling rack to remove from loaf pans. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing.