Zucchini Oat Bread

Let me start off by saying, I would love to hear your comments and feedback!  Let me know what you think of the pictures, directions, layout, etc...Good or bad, I really appreciate what you have to say!

Now, the next few posts will most likely be dedicated to ZUCCHINI!!!!  I went to the farmer's market yesterday after a 10k run and found zucchini on sale.  Do now, I have almost more zucchini on my hands than I know what to do with. But no worries, I have many plans in my mind of what I want to cook and bake!  I was going to hold out on buying zucchini and just wait for it to grow in my garden, but I became too impatient...I don't really think I am meant to be a gardener...I planted some seeds the other day, and at that moment,I was ready for them to sprout...stupid 7 to 10 day germination period.  But hey, that is what the farmers market is for!

makes a good amount of muffins or 2 loaves of bread

Zucchini Oat Bread

• 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour (or wheat flour...sadly I had run out and really had no desire to go to the store for one item...save on gas...and I still have 2 flat bike tires)
• 1/2 c. quick oats
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1 T. ground cinnamon
• 3/4 t. ginger
• 1/4 t. nutmeg
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 1/2 c. applesauce
• 1 c. white sugar
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 T. vanilla extract
• 4 C. grated zucchini (about 1 large zucchini)

optional ingredients to add more character or flavor to your bread...pick and choose to your liking!

• 1/2 c. chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. raisins or craisins or your favorite dried fruit
• 1 c. walnuts

1. Spray two 8x4 inch pans or start spraying muffin pans.  
2. Preheat oven to 325 F.
3. In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients.
4. Pour batter into prepared pans or muffin tins.
5. If you are using the 8x4 inch pans bake for 45-55 minutes...If you use muffin pans bake for 25-30 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean

Inspiration courtesy of: http://www.lovintheoven.com/2011/08/zucchini-bread.html

Rosemary Olive Oil Bread

My 2 weeks at Starbucks has been put in!  Actually, it is kind of bitter sweet which I never thought would happen.  I am really excited to be done working there (it has never really been my dream job...go figure), but I am going to miss my coworkers.  But now, I am off to the next phase of life which happens to be grad school at CSU in Fort Collins to get my Master's in Management.  I know that the next year will be super busy and crazy, so I am trying to get all of my crazy cooking out of the way...maybe I am hinting at a future career.  I am also experimenting to try to find recipes that are going to be super quick and easy to prepare but still healthy for the upcoming year.

Makes 1 loaf

Rosemary Olive Oil Bread

• 1 c. warm water (100 to 110F)
• 1 T. cane sugar
• 2 t. active dry yeast
• 1 t. salt
• 2 T fresh rosemary, chopped (or 2 tsp. dried)
• 1/4 t. Italian seasoning (or pinch of each or garlic, dried oregano and dried basil)
• 1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 11/2 c. whole wheat flour
• 1/2 c. bread flour + extra for kneading
• 1 egg whisked + 1 T water for egg wash
• dried rosemary for sprinkling

1. In a large bowl, combine the warm water, sugar and yeast.  Let sit 10 minutes to proof
2. Stir in the salt, rosemary, seasonings, pepper, olive oil, whole wheat flour, and the bread flour.  Stir until the dough forms a ball.  Knead on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, until smooth, adding more flour as necessary to prevent sticking.
3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
4. Punch down the dough and form it into a round loaf.  Place it on a cornmeal dusted parchment paper. (critical step...I forgot to place cornmeal on it (meaning I used wax paper, so I had to remove the bread before cooking)...it stuck, and fell a bit) Cover and let rise again until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
5. Prepare the egg wash by combining the egg and water, whisking until evenly stirred. 
6. About 20 minutes before the 45 minutes are up, preheat oven (and pizza stone or baking sheet) to 400 F.  Once the dough has risen, gently brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with dried rosemary.
7. Transfer to preheated pizza stone and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped.

Inspiration courtesy of: http://www.ahintofhoney.com/2011/04/rosemary-olive-oil-bread.html

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Cucumber Avocado Spring Rolls

Summer has arrived!  It was 90+ yesterday...not really weather to be doing a whole lot outside, and way too hot to be cooking much.  Which means out comes the delicious raw veggies.  This dish is so easy to prepare and very delicious (I think I say this about all of my cooking, I could be partial).  One of my favorite things about this dish is the dipping sauce that goes with the egg rolls.  I want to make a large portion of it so that I can use it on my salads this summer.

Makes 10 rolls

Cucumber Avocado Springs Rolls

• 1 T lemon juice
• 2 T. oil
• 1/2 t. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 t. soy sauce
• 1 t. brown sugar
• 2 avocados
• 20 rice paper rounds- 6 or 8 inches in diameter
• 10 green lettuce leaves
• leaves from 1 bunch fresh basil
• leaves from 1 bunch fresh mint
• 2 carrots shredded
• 1/2 cucumber, cut into thin strips

1. In a small bowl, stir together lemon juice, oil, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, and brown sugar until the brown sugar dissolves.  Set aside for later use!
2. Halve, pit and peel the avocados.  Slice into 1/2 inch cubes.
3. Fill a wide shallow bowl with warm water and lay a clean kitchen towel next to the bowl.  
4. Dip 1 rice paper in the warm water and let soften in the water for a few seconds.  Remove from the water and lay it on the towel.  Repeat with a second rice paper and place directly on top of the first rice paper.  
5. Center a leaf lettuce on the stacked rice papers.  Starting about 1/3 in from the edge closest to you, place a few basil and mint leaves on the lettuce.  Top with a small row of each the shredded carrots, sliced cucumber and diced avocado taking special care not to overstuff the rolls.  Lift the bottom edge of the rice paper up and over the filling and then roll, folding in the sides as you go, rolling into a tight cylinder.  Set aside seam side down.  Repeat with remaining ingredients, making 10 rolls total.
6. Cut each roll in half and place on a platter with the dipping sauce.  
7. Serve immediately and enjoy.  

(I did learn from experience trying to make my lunch for the next day, these delicious rolls are to be enjoyed asap...not really the best the next day.  The rice paper rolls tend to dry out and harden, making not the perfect spring roll)

Inspiration courtesy of: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/cucumber-and-avocado-summer-rolls-with-mustard-soy-sauce.html

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Sweet Potato Cannelloni

I don't know if I have mentioned it, but I have gotten accepted into grad school at CSU!  I am beyond stoked. This however means, that I will not have as much free time for cooking and such, so I am trying to get it all out of my system before I get crazy busy.   And again I love sweet potatoes so much, I just keep cooking with them.  (Did I mention that I turned orange as a little tot because I at so many sweet potatoes.)  This one is perfect for sweet potato lovers: sweet potato puree wrapped in sweet potatoes!  This dish is a bit time consuming, but not very complicated, and totally worth your time.

Sweet Potato Cannelloni

• 3 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound each
• 3/4 c. low fat cottage cheese
• 3/4 c. diced apple
• 3 T. chopped fresh chives
• 2 ounces Parmesan cheese
• dash salt
• ground pepper to taste
• cooking spray
• 1 T. oil
• 1/3 c. chopped toasted walnuts or almonds

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Thoroughly cook 1 sweet potato in your choice of cooking.  (I cooked mine in the microwave wrapped in plastic wrap.)
3. While the sweet potato is cooking, wash and peel the remaining 2 sweet potatoes.  Using a mandoline  thinly slice the sweet potatoes, making about 30 slices in total.  
4. Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Place half the sliced sweet potatoes in the boiling water.  Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the slices are tender.  Remove the slices from the water and repeat with the other half of the slices.  
5. Remove the peeling from the whole cooked potato.  Puree the sweet potato with the cottage cheese.  
6. Move the puree mixture to a bowl and stir in the diced apple, chives, 1 ounce of the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.  
7. Spray a 9x13 inch pan.  
8. Place 1 heaping tablespponful in the center of each sweet potato slice and roll up.  Place each roll, seam side down in the baking dish. 
9. Brush the oil over the cannelloni and bake for 10-15 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with the almonds/walnuts and Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Inspiration courtesy of: http://www.marthastewart.com/314723/sweet-potato-cannelloni?czone=food/vegetarian-cnt/vegetarian-favorite-recipes&czone=food/vegetarian-cnt/vegetarian-favorite-recipes&czone=food/vegetarian-cnt/vegetarian-favorite-recipes&czone=food/vegetarian-cnt/vegetarian-favorite-recipes&center=852566&gallery=275563&slide=285103