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Whole Wheat Zucchini Pancakes

September 24, 2013

zucchini pancakes

I know what you’re thinking: That’s a lot of pancake recipes. Is breakfast all she eats anymore? I realize this. And, I wish! I have been making breakfast more frequently lately, and with such success that I can’t keep all these recipes to myself. Summer might be over (as of yesterday) but zucchini still abounds and my favorite way to get rid of it is to stuff it into baked goods- quick breads, muffins, brownies, sheet cake, cupcakes, and today, pancakes. The thought of a vegetable tainting your breakfast or dessert might upset you- but don’t worry- in all of these cases you can hardly taste the zucchini. And it has a magical quality: moisture. It’s the secret to some seriously yummy things. Oh, and it’s healthy (well, without the rest of the ingredients).

These pancakes can definitely be classified as good-for-you. And tasty. I debated whether to post yet another pancake recipe. When I’m considering whether something is worth sharing I ask myself this: will I want to make this recipe again, and again? A dish can be enjoyable but not worth repeating. It must be memorable, for whatever reason. What made this stack of pancakes stand out was that they were light and fluffy and healthy and I ate the leftovers (frozen and reheated) for breakfast several days in a row and still wished for more.

So here they are. Pancakes with zucchini. I took the original author’s advice and ate them topped with cottage cheese, blueberries, and a drizzle of honey. Turns out it’s an amazing combination that I’m now putting on just about everything.

Whole Wheat Zucchini Pancakes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose)
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs, separated
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp. honey or sugar
2 Tbsp. butter, melted (I suspect you could replace it with unsweetened applesauce, but I haven’t tried it yet)
1 cup coarsely shredded zucchini
2 Tbsp. flaxmeal (ground flaxseed)

butter, maple syrup or honey, yogurt or cottage cheese, fresh blueberries, all for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the egg yolks and buttermilk and beat until just combined. Add the honey, melted butter, zucchini, and flaxmeal. Stir to combine.

2. Vigorously whisk the egg whites before folding them into the batter.

3. Preheat griddle or skillet to medium heat. Coat griddle with butter or cooking spray.

4. Pour batter by the 1/4-cup full onto the preheated griddle. Cook several minutes, until bubbles are forming on top and the bottoms are golden brown. Flip and cook several minutes on the second side, until golden and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining batter. (Cooked pancakes can be kept warm on a sheet pan in a 250 F oven until ready to serve.) Serve warm with butter, maple syrup or honey, yogurt or cottage cheese, and fresh blueberries (all optional).

Serves 4.

(Adapted from Pinch of Yum)

Grilled Summer Vegetable Pizza

August 30, 2013

summer vegetable pizza

Just because September is upon us doesn’t mean summer is over. We have a few official weeks left. And the peaches and tomatoes and berries aren’t going to disappear overnight. Thank goodness. I’m not ready to say goodbye yet. I picked up some end-of-summer veggies at the farmers market this week and decided they were destined for a pizza.

I didn’t actually grill the pizza (although you could- I did so here) but I grilled the zucchini and peppers and onion before I put them on the pizza. (Just with a little olive oil and s&p.) Those grilled veggies combined with sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and Parm, bits of shaved garlic, and chopped fresh basil made for one stunning pizza. (Oh, and I threw on some chicken sausage which is good, but not necessary.)

You really don’t need a recipe (other than a good pizza dough). Gather the most beautiful vegetables you can find (or fruit- fruit is awesome on pizza) and grill them. Add your favorite cheese(s) and fresh herbs. Bake it ’till it’s golden and crisp and the cheese oozes. And you’re there. Summer on a crust.

Grilled Summer Vegetable Pizza

INGREDIENTS
1 recipe pizza dough
extra virgin olive oil, for grilling vegetables and brushing crust 1-2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced as possible
summer vegetables (zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, etc.),
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
chicken sausage (optional)
fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
fresh basil, julienned

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. While the crust is rising, grill the vegetables. (I grilled everything except the tomatoes.) Preheat indoor grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Prepare vegetables (wash and stem, pit and slice, etc.), brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. (NOTE: You don’t want to chop your veggies up too small before grilling. Leave them in large pieces to go on the grill and then afterwards cut them up for topping the pizza.) Grill until tender and slightly charred. Set aside to cool before chopping into the size you want for topping the pizza.

3. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F.

4. Brush prepared crust with a thin layer of olive oil. Sprinkle with the sliced garlic and roasted vegetables and chicken sausage (if using). Top with slices of mozzarella and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.

5. Bake in preheated oven on pizza stone for about 10 minutes, until the crust is puffed and golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh basil. Slice and serve.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(an A Hint of Honey original)

Distracted

May 2, 2012

Please excuse me if things get a little neglected around here, we’re slightly distracted by this tiny face.

Clara Jade arrived just yesterday and now we’re a family of three!