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Thursday Things

Posted on September 29, 2011 by kissmybroccoli

Hey boos!

So there’s some things…

that I want to share…

on a Thursday…

hence the title 😉

Thing 1: Hello National Food Holidays!!

This has been MY week! First there’s National Pancake Day and now…

Happy National Coffee Day!!

I hope you all had a nice date with Joe at some point during the day…man, that guy really gets around…

Thing 2A: Healthified Banana Bread

Last week, I bought a crap-ton of bananas…like seriously, at 50 cents a bunch how the heck was I going to turn away from a cart overflowing with cheap banana goodness?

I bought 5 bunches…

to the tune of oh, about 10 pounds.

You only think I’m kidding.

So obviously banana bread HAD to make an appearance eventually…as in last night.

I feel in love with Kelsey’s banana bread recipe as soon as I saw the post on it last week and just knew I had to try it. Low in sugar and oil, but chocked full of healthy fats and fiber, it turned out to be one of the best banana breads I’ve ever tasted!

Thing 2B: Banana Bread for Breakfast

Nothing like a slice (or two) of warm dense banana bread for breakfast!

Which brings me to the next thing…

Thing 3A: Breakfast Condimentation

In a blind taste study (read: Heather BEFORE her morning date with Joe), Biscoff wins hands down!

I love the flavor of the pumpkin cream cheese (although I was a little disappointed in the whipped consistency…unlike TJ’s peanut butter cream cheese), but um, seriously, how could the thought of crumbled up cookies on top of banana bread not instantly make you drool?

Thing 3B: Making up words like “condimentation” 😉

Thing 4: Photogenic Fruit

So I found a dragon fruit at Whole Foods over the weekend and totally forgot to tell you guys…

Then, this morning I realized how much fun it is to take pictures of it and maaaaaaybe was a little late to work because of it. 😉

Isn’t it gorgeous?

And it looks like what would happen if kiwi and chia seeds made a fruit baby!

Unfortunately it didn’t really have much of a taste (maybe I got a dud?)

But at least I got some awesome shots. 🙂

Thing 5: Banana Bread Hummus

I told you I had a lot of bananas!

I have Nicky to thank for this stroke of genius…it’s been a while since I’ve had dessert hummus and this was just what I needed to remind me why I love it so much!

I ended up adding an extra banana (because obviously I had plenty) and a bit more cinnamon (because obviously I am an addict) and it turned out great!

Especially on graham crackers!

Mmm!

Thing 6: Tropical Traditions Coconut Peanut Butter

Full review to come!

Thing 7: Asics Compression socks

Since I bought these on Sunday, I’ve been wearing them every other night from the time I come home till the time I go to bed. I love the “hug” and I’m hoping that after a bit more rest, I can finally get back to running shin pain free!

*fingers crossed*

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’m going to end my day much like how I started it…I KNEW that Biscoff was gonna get me in trouble!

What are a few of your “Thursday things”?

Did you celebrate National Coffee Day today?

Posted in Breakfast, Desserts, Food Holidays | Tagged baking, bananas, coffee, shin splints, Thursday Things | 24 Comments

WIAW: Veggin’ Out

Posted on September 27, 2011 by kissmybroccoli

Hey guys!

So I’m guessing you all know what time it is, right?

Time to party!

Please, please, PLEASE don’t forget to drop by Jenn’s blog over at Peas & Crayons to show some love for her dedication to get this party going week after week even with all the struggles she’s been having getting internet installed at her new house…plus I’m sure there will be tons of link ups to get your mouths watering! 😉

So last Wednesday, I did a little protein tally with each of my meals and surprised myself with a pretty high number at the end of the day. So for this WIAW, I thought I’d take note of my veggie count for the day:

My morning started off with some of my new pumpkin spice coffee (LOVE) and a new vitamin…I’ve decided to go back to my roots…GNC women’s vitamins for the win!

I’ve noticed I have a bit more energy with these compared to my beloved gummies and you can’t beat the time released delivery!

Veggie Count = 1
(pumpkin spice coffee totally counts as a veggie, right?)

Then I dove into a mountain of leftover Pumpkin Bread Pudding Pancakes smothered, layered, and covered in Katie’s Pumpkin Protein Frosting!

Mmm!

Veggie Count = 2

The pancakes actually kept me full for about 4 hours, but I was still a couple of hours out from my lunch break, so I enjoyed two plum-cots that I picked up from Sam’s last week.

Plum + Apricot = Plum-cot
(Although, I thought that’s what a pluot was…hmm)

So juicy I almost needed a bib!

Lunch today was a surprise reappearance of the infamous “salad beast”

Spinach topped with edamame, carrots, green bell pepper, orange heirloom tomatoes, black olives, portobello mushrooms, and feta cheese topped with this dressing that I “borrowed” out of the fridge at work since I accidentally left mine at home.

Loved the dressing…couldn’t believe I found it hidden among the other bottles sporting HFCS’s, hydrogenated oils, and other scary unpronounceable ingredients.

Veggie Count = a bajillion

A couple hours after lunch and it was tea time…aka warm Heather up in the sub-arctic temperatures that come standard with working in a hospital.

Yogi teas are the best…and the lemon ginger is one of my favorites!

I guess I didn’t get enough pizza after my Mellow Mushroom experience on Sunday, because all I thought about today was baking up a big ol’ pie of my own!

Instead of a tomato based sauce, I used Trader Joe’s cilantro jalapeno hummus for one side and (thanks to a tip from Jenn) pureed pumpkin for the other.

Halfway through cooking, a friend of mine stopped by with a bottle of my latest obsession.

And I may have indulged in a glass…or two 😉

Along with a few nibbles of the pizza toppings that just wouldn’t fit on the pizza…darn, I hate it when that happens!

20 minutes later and it was time to feast!

Roasted veggie pizza on whole wheat crust with sharp cheddar cheese, roasted tomatoes, yellow squash, onions, bell pepper, asparagus, and portobello mushrooms topped with smoked paprika, garlic, and chili pepper flakes.

2 slices (one with hummus and one with pumpkin puree) minus a couple of bites that my friend who was “too stuffed from dinner to eat” just had to steal!

Yeah, it smelled THAT good! 😉

Veggie Count = 2

And finally, a little dessert for the pizza making champion 😉

Honey-nana Chobani topped with peanut flour and Crunchy Nuggets!

Oh yeah, and there was also water…lots and lots of water!

Still doing good with my pink camelback…I downed about 96 ounces today!

So, if I’m doing my math correctly, (which we all know is not my best subject)

I’d say I had about

98263 servings of veggies today…oh wait, forgot to carry the one…

98264!

Whew! I was worried for a second there that I wouldn’t have enough! 😉

Ok, so I know I wasn’t exactly serious with this one, but on average, how many servings of vegetables do you normally eat a day?

What’s was/is your favorite subject in school?
I always loved English class…except for when it came to writing…go figure!

Posted in Breakfast, Entree, Snacks, Vegetarian, What I Ate Wednesday | Tagged Chobani, coffee, hummus, pancakes, peanut flour, pizza, protein powder, pumpkin, salad, veggies, vitamins, water | 32 Comments

Pumpkin Bread Pudding Pancakes

Posted on September 26, 2011 by kissmybroccoli

How’s that title for an attention grabber? 😉

And I don’t exaggerate in the slightest…tonight’s dinner was a stack of super fluffy pancakes that were perfectly crisp on the outside yet soft and smooth on the inside JUST like bread pudding!

Which by the way, if you’re ever in the Nashville area and have a hankering for bread pudding you have got to ~~call me and I’ll come meet you~~ try South Street’s New Orleans Bread Pudding with Jack Daniels Sauce…seriously, to.die.for!

But before we get on to the recipe and pictures, a little aside:

I take a lot of pride in the pictures that I post here on the blog…possibly more so than I feel for the recipes I come up with, because let’s face it, you eat with your eyes first! That being said, you’ll imagine my upset when I realized the sun’s cruelty as it stretched it’s final light-filled streak across the sky about 10 minutes BEFORE I plated my pancakes.

*Insert grumbling and fumbling around with camera settings*

Playing around with a custom white balance works wonders, but it’s still no substitute for natural light…if it weren’t so darn cold, I’d actually consider moving to Alaska!

*Insert more grumbling once I upload the pictures to the computer and see the odd greenish tint they all seem to have*

Zucchini pancakes can be green, spinach pancakes can be green, pumpkin pancakes can NOT be green!

*Insert the “lightbulb-over-the-head eureka moment” when I realize there may still a chance*

Thank you iPhoto for the “antique effect”!

Because, you know, these pancakes aren’t just delicious…but they’re also vintage! 😉

Pumpkin Bread Pudding Pancakes

By: Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli

Prep Time: 3-5 minutes

Cook Time: 8-10 minutes

Keywords: breakfast pancakes pumpkin puree fall winter

Ingredients (Serves 2)

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
1 medium ripe banana, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
1 Tablespoon melted butter
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

1. Preheat a non-stick skillet to medium heat and coat with cooking spray.
2. Combine flour, soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a medium-sized bowl and whisk together to break up any lumps.
3. In a separate bowl, mix pumpkin with the mashed banana.
4. Add vanilla extract and milk to pumpkin mixture and stir to incorporate.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
6. Mix in the dried cranberries and pecans (batter will be thick).
7. Spoon batter into skillet, forming 6 small to medium-sized pancakes, and cook approximately 4-5 minutes before flipping.
8. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes before transferring to a plate.
9. Top with butter and syrup.

Warm and inviting with the spicy smells of pumpkin spice!