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Currently: September

Posted on September 30, 2013 by kissmybroccoli

Hello, loves and happy ~~Monday~~…

LAST DAY OF SEPTEMBER?!!?

I should have seen it coming, what with the dwindling supply of “my Precious” summer berries and the appearance of EVERYTHING orange in blogworld lately, but nope, I still ended up getting totally blind-sighted! This year is just going by too quickly! And I swear if any of you mention Christmas, I will CUT YOU!

Obviously, this “Currently” post is going to be somewhat bittersweet…so get comfortable, grab something to sip on, and let’s take a look at how MARVELOUS September was to me…and for the love of God, somebody get me a tissue!

Current Book:

The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene’ Brown

Speaking of tissue, you ever been sitting in church and you felt like the preacher was totally “stepping on your toes”? Yeah, that’s EXACTLY how I feel with this book! I’ve mentioned several time about my struggles with perfectionism so when a good friend recommended this book to me, I was immediately curious. And even though I’m only a couple of chapters in, I can already tell that it was written JUST for me!

Current Music:

After my official Pancake Queen comeback, I set a Pandora station to “Bon Jovi” and have since been rocking out to the likes of Aerosmith, John Mellencamp, and JOURNEY! Only weird thing? When Creed popped in the other day…um, NO!

Current Guilty Pleasure:

Creating a few new recipes this weekend even though I already have FIVE that I still need to share AND you know, like a MILLION others that I can’t quit pinning!

Current Nail Color:

After nearly TWO MONTHS of perfectly polished nails (a record I think), I went ONE DAY without polish and all my nails broke off! So now I’m pouting…and refuse to paint them until they actually look decent again!

Current Drink:

Not sure what it is, but all of a sudden, I just haven’t had a taste for coffee lately…but I have been enjoying daily cupS of my new favorite green tea!

Current Food:

Between the salsas, the sandwiches, the salads and the breakfasts…I’d say this was one fruitFULL month!

Current Favorite Show:

I’ve only watched two episodes, but I just about pulled a Tom Cruise when I found out the SECOND SEASON OF NEW GIRL IS ON NETFLIX!!!!

Current Wish List:

For my NEXT foodie pen pal to be as thoughtful as the girl with the amazing pesto recipe! And for more of those ~~CRACK~~ coconut chips! But seriously, thank you SO much for my goodies, Lena! You seriously read my little foodie mind! 😀

If you’re interested in receiving an amazing package like this of your own, hop on over to Lindsay’s blog and check out the details about the Foodie Pen Pal Program!

Current Needs:

A massage…after sitting humped over this blog post for the last TWO HOURS, yo, my shoulders be tiiiiiiight! Nawwwwwmeeeeeeean?! 😉

Current Triumphs:

I mentioned last week how “normal” I’m starting to feel when it comes to food, but then I realized something else…it’s been almost a month since my last binge! Now granted, there have been a few instances of emotional eating, but seriously, the mentality behind it has changed SO MUCH! I honestly can’t even believe some of the (positive) thoughts that are going through my head now…but that my friends, is a post for another day!

Current Bane of Existence:

Besides the annoying appearance of fruit flies (MY fruit…MINE!), Tiger has been driving me NUTS! I let him out in the backyard for a few minutes a couple of weeks ago and now he will not SHUT UP! I’d let him out more, but he’s been de-clawed and I’m afraid of him wandering off and getting attacked! So…anyone have any tips for a DIY feline vocal chord removal procedure? Kidding…sort of! 😉

Current Celebrity Crush:

And my love for JGL grows…

Current Indulgence:

Choccccccc-o-LOT!!!

Seriously, for someone who swears she doesn’t like chocolate, this month, I’ve had an almost daily tryst with my ~~tall~~ short dark and ~~handsome~~ crunchy!

And look, I even found a way to incorporate it into ~~breakfast~~ dinner! 😉

Current Blessing:

Having this past weekend to completely decompress. I slept in, I ate ~~cookies~~ dough, and I even got the chance to spend Saturday evening with my parents!

Current Slang:

How about just belting out 80’s rock songs at the top of my lungs every chance I get? Kitchen…car…shower…I may or may not have used a stethoscope as a microphone at the hospital the other day…and that is why I work alone! 😉

Current Outfit:

Well, let’s just say after I got started on the party favors for Friday’s post, I went ahead and fashioned a little Garden of Eden type getup for myself. Hey, Halloween IS coming up ya know!

Current Excitement:

This time next week, I’ll be hanging with THIS girl…getting our groove on in the kitchen, eating good, and throwing all maturity out the window as we make ridiculous jokes about phallic vegetables! 😉

Current Link:

21 Cooking Tips That Will Change Your Life…you’ve GOT to check this out!

Current Mood:

Marvelous!

What is your current triumph, indulgence, and excitement?
Let’s make this MONDAY happy!

Posted in Currently, MIMM | Tagged chocolate, cookies, fruit, music, Netflix, pancakes, peanut butter, salad, tea, tv | 67 Comments

Zucchini Bread Protein Pancakes

Posted on September 29, 2013 by kissmybroccoli

Happy Pancake Sunday!

Ohh, I thought today would NEVER get here…I’ve been so excited to share this recipe with you guys since last week! These were actually the FIRST ‘cakes I made for my Pancake Queen ROCKSTAR Comeback, they got bumped to the side since raspberries are more of a “summer” thing…plus, with the warm flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg, it helps me (finally) make my transition into fall.

Kiss My Broccoli's Zucchini Bread Protein Pancakes

I actually already have a zucchini bread pancake recipe from back in the day, but since it’s a little bit more on the decadent side, I thought I’d lighten them up and then, you know, stuff ’em with some protein powder…what can I say, I’m all about some superhuman pancakes! 😉

Now I can’t decide which ones I like better!

With the combination of shredded zucchini and creamy Greek yogurt, these babies were even SEXIER than last week’s!

Zucchini bread or zucchini CAKE?!

Zucchini BREAK?!

♫ Gimme a BREAK…gimme a BREAK…

Break me off a piece of that ZU-KEE-NI! ♫

I know, I know…

For the love of GOD, woman, shut up and just hand over the FORK! 😉

Sorry, can’t be done…as that plate was licked CLEAN within seconds of the camera leaving my hands, but after you’ve finished shaking your fist at me, wipe the drool off your keyboard, and whip up some for yourself!

Zucchini Bread Protein Pancakes

By: Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10-12 minutes

Keywords: stovetop breakfast pancakes high-protein gluten-free protein powder zucchini Pancake Sunday summer

Ingredients (Serves 1)

1/3 cup oat flour (regular or certified gluten-free)
1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein powder (30g scoop)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg white, whisked until frothy
2 Tablespoons vanilla-flavored Greek yogurt
2 Tablespoons water (or milk)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup grated zucchini
Toppings: Sliced banana, Greek yogurt thinned with water (or milk), toasted walnuts, and hemp seeds

Instructions

1. Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat and coat with cooking spray.
2. To a medium-sized bowl, add flours, protein powder, baking powder, and spices and stir to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk egg white until frothy.
4. Add yogurt, water (or milk), and extract to egg white and stir to combine.
5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until flour is incorporated.
6. Stir in shredded zucchini.
7. Spoon batter onto skillet, forming 3 small-medium sized pancakes and cook 5-6 minutes per side or until edges start to crisp and turn brown.
8. Transfer to a plate, add toppings and enjoy!

What are you up to this weekend?

Anyone started on their fall baking yet?
I’ve yet to crack open a can, but my Pumpkin Board is about to BUST!

Edited to add: Sorry for the posting snafu…that’s what happens when I get a little ahead of myself and type out a post for Sunday on a Friday…derrr! Just consider it a perk to being an early riser if you saw this post yesterday morning! 😉

Posted in Breakfast, Gluten-free, Pancake Sunday, Vegetarian | Tagged Greek yogurt, hemp seeds, pancakes, protein powder, walnuts, zucchini | 31 Comments

The Great PESTO Post!

Posted on September 27, 2013 by kissmybroccoli

Alternate titles:

Presto Pesto!

Pesto like it’s 1999!

The “Process” of Becoming Straaaaaange!

Hey, it’s Friday…you HAD to know the #strangebutgood was happening!

On Tuesday, I woke up only five shorrrrrt hours after snuggling my head into my perfectly formed memory foam pillow. Try as I might to go back to sleep, the longer I laid there, the harder that pillow got, the louder the dogs outside barked, and THEN I started thinking about all that basil my coworker gave me earlier this week and what the heck I was going to do with it! After nearly an hour, it became apparent…sleep was not in my future.

But creamy basil-y deliciousness WAS!

After reading through all the comments on Monday’s post, it was easy for me to decide what pesto recipe to make first…you know, since you guys all left me hanging! 😉 Luckily, Lena saved the day by linking me to her own recipe for traditional pesto!

In the food processor went basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan, a little less olive oil than her recipe called for annnnnnnd some last thought, lemon juice!

I’m not typically a fan of the grittiness of pestos with cheese so I was happy to see that the lemon juice was the perfect addition to help break it down a little more…and it let me use less oil and still have a nice creamy consistency!

Traditional Basil Pesto with Lemon

By: Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli

Adapted from: Lena’s Traditional Pesto
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: N/A

Keywords: food processor appetizer dip/spread vegetarian basil cheese

Ingredients (1 1/2 cups)

1 cup packed fresh basil
2 teaspoons minced garlic (from a jar)
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan
2 Tablespoons pine nuts (Toast them first for added flavor!)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

After that, I decided to FINALLY try out Kirsten’s recipe that Meghan is always raving about, but since I just can’t seem to leave well enough alone, I again, took the liberty of putting a little ~~strange~~ spin on it! 😉

Just a little bit of nutritional yeast added to the mix (I swear its in there somewhere) made this baby go from “Whoa!” to, “Holy MAMA!! Liquid PIZZA!”

Vegan Pizza Pesto from Kiss My Broccoli So you know, if you ever have your wisdom teeth out and are seeeeeeeeeriously craving a big ol’ pie, you know what to do! 😉

Vegan Pizza Pesto Sauce

By: Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli

Adapted from: Kirsten’s Fresh Tomato Pesto Sauce
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: N/A

Keywords: raw food processor dip/spread appetizer dairy-free vegan vegetarian basil tomatoes nutritional yeast summer

Ingredients (1 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup packed fresh basil
1/3 cup unsalted cashews
1 1/2 cups tomatoes
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

And THAT’S when the pesto party REALLY began! Speaking of wisdom teeth, Sarah posted an Apple Ginger Lemon Pesto last year that I absolutely died over! I remember how badly I wanted to make it…and then how sad I was when I let not one but TWO packages of basil go bad in the fridge while I kept forgetting. Well, it was time for me to redeem myself…

But can you believe those sneaky little cashews jumped in when I wasn’t looking? After that, things got a little craaaaaaaaazy!

Applesauce, nutritional yeast, cashews, ginger garlic paste, pepper honey, and some kale (why not?) all went in the food processor with a squeeze of lemon and a little prayer…

And out came something so amazing that I can’t quite think of a word for it!

~~Presto~~ PESTO magic? 😉

Sweet & Spicy Apple Ginger Pesto

By: Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli

Adapted from: Sarah’s Apple Lemon Ginger Pesto

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: N/A

Keywords: raw food processor dip/spread appetizer dairy-free vegan vegetarian basil apple sauce nutritional yeast #strangebutgood summer

Ingredients (1 3/4 cups)

1 cup packed fresh basil
1 1/2 cups steamed kale (or spinach)
1/4 cup unsalted cashews
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 Tablespoons hot pepper honey (or regular honey + 1/8 teaspoon cayenne)
1 Tablespoon ginger garlic paste (or 1/2 Tablespoon each minced ginger and minced garlic)
Juice from 1/2 a lemon

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

So just when you think that combining weird foodie powers would be the height of my strangeness, the basil love continues! I just HAD to make one of my very own…something a little different…something I’ve been thinking about since that GLORIOUS grilled cheese…

Blueberry Basil Pesto, anyone?

Wait a minute…I’m not done yet! 😉

After a little taste test, I thought the flavor was perfect, but the consistency was just…off. It needed something, but I wasn’t sure what…until I spied a perfect little avocado in the fridge! It really helped thicken it up and omg, it made it taste so BUTTERY!

Blueberry Avocado Pesto

By: Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: N/A

Keywords: raw food processor appetizer spread dairy-free nut-free vegan vegetarian avocado basil blueberries #strangebutgood summer

Ingredients (1 cup)

1 cup packed fresh basil
1 cup blueberries (fresh or thawed from frozen)
1/2 medium-sized avocado
1 teaspoon minced garlic (from a jar)
1 Tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon cardamom (optional)

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

I only wished the color would’ve come out a bit more attractive…but I took care of that too! No shame in admitting to polishing up an avocado pit to work as a bit of distraction for ya! I mean LOOK at it…it’s GORGEOUS!