The Cowgirl Gourmet in Santa Fe

Good + Good for You in Santa Fe, New Mexico

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Banana Zucchini Bread

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If I have learned anything in my five-plus decades of life, it’s that what you want to happen and what often happens, aren’t always the same. Life is about change and adapting to these inevitable changes is imperative. Adapting is my claim to fame.

Change is the Only Constant

This is how this bread recipe came to be. With only three rotting bananas, that’s not enough to make banana bread. But with summer zucchini in full bloom, I figured I could add some shredded zucchini and make a bread that is not so sweet. And, as adapting to new and changing situations works in life, it also worked by bringing this banana zucchini bread to life in a beautiful way.

Because I had already shared The Ultimate Banana Bread recipe with you more than two years ago, this feels like a healthier spin on something everyone loves. Whether I make this bread for book club, the office, colleagues, neighbors or a friend in need, it is received with open arms and followed by requests for more banana bread. This updated recipe with zucchini brought the same appreciation.

Less Everything For Everyone

What I love best about this version is that I only used half a cup of sugar. Total. Dialing back the bananas and replacing them with zucchini adds vegetables and fiber to the mix, which we all need more of. Using gluten-free flour makes this even better for our gut health and I used vegan butter, but you could easily replace that with coconut oil. A single egg means this recipe is not vegan, but you could easily use a flax egg if you want.

The result is a moist and delicious bread that will have everyone talking. Little do they know that the recipe came to be because of necessity and, rather than fight what I didn’t have, I adapted and got something wonderful in return. The next time you don’t have the exact ingredients on hand, think about what you do have and modify. Get creative and make it work. Because it will. You just have to try.

Buen provecho!Banana Zucchini Bread

Banana zucchini bread horizontal
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Banana Zucchini Bread

When you don't have enough bananas for banana bread and it's zucchini season, this is the way to go! With less sugar and the addition of zucchini which adds vegetable and fiber, this may become your go-to summer bread of choice.

Course Bread, Breakfast, healthy snack
Cuisine American
Keyword banana, banana bread, zucchini
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 8
Author The Cowgirl Gourmet in Santa Fe adapted this recipe from thekitchn.com

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups zucchini shredded and all of the water squeezed from it
  • 3 overripe bananas
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 large pastured egg
  • 1/3 cup melted butter, vegan butter or coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cups gluten-free, rice or all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or turbinado sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a loaf pan by rubbing coconut oil on the inside to coat the pan so the bread doesn't stick. Set the loaf pan aside.

  2. Grate the zucchini into a tea towel and squeeze all of the water out. Squeeze some more and then squeeze again one last time.

  3. Place the zucchini in a large bowl.

  4. To the bowl, add the overripe bananas and mash.

  5. Add the melted butter or oil, egg, sugars, vanilla, cinnamon and salt and blend well to combine.

    Banana zucchini bread wet ingredients

  6. Add the flour, baking soda and baking powder and stir until the flour is thoroughly incorporated. But do not over stir.

    Banana zucchini bread adding flour

  7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with the turbinado or coconut sugar.

  8. Place on the center rack in the oven and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

    Banana zucchini bread in the oven

  9. Let the bread cool completely and then remove from the loaf pan. Slice into thick pieces and serve with coffee, tea or your drink of choice.

    Banana zucchini bread loaf

  10. Wrap up any leftovers and either freeze for up to a month or leave at room temperature for up to three days.

Banana Bread Brownies

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Yes, you read that right. Banana bread brownies. If you love banana bread and brownies, this creative and good + good for you combination is going to rock your world. The recipe swept into my life a few weeks ago and I thought, “I need to try that.”

It’s a Giada de Laurentiis recipe and though the reviews aren’t all that encouraging, I never let that stop me from trying something new. With three overripe bananas on the counter and a craving for brownies, banana bread brownies were inevitable. Happily, I discovered a trick to ensure they turn out perfectly and I am thrilled to pass this secret on to you.

Banana Bread Brownies

The recipe is simple enough. It requires only one bowl and it’s gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. The best part is that it uses one tablespoon of sugar which means the bananas serve as the natural sweetener. These healthy banana bread brownies can be a quick breakfast, tasty snack or light dessert.

The combination of almond butter, almond flour and a small amount of oats mixed in with the mushy bananas makes the brownies surprisingly moist and tender. Once you add half of the batter to the baking dish, a tablespoon of cacao powder goes into the remaining batter with a generous dose of dairy-free chocolate chips or chunks. Pour the brownie batter on top and spread evenly. The two-layered effect is not only beautiful but adds more flavors and textures making this banana bread brownie one will you want more of.

Banana bread brownies pre bake

This is the Trick

Most of the reviews indicate the brownies are crumbly and fall apart after baking. And that’s true. But if you refrigerate the brownies after they cool, they develop a more dense consistency that is brownie-like once they are thoroughly chilled. And this is the trick.

The brownies maintain their moisture even after being in the fridge for a few days. Whether a way to get the morning engines running or a celebration at night, these banana bread brownies offer a sense of decadence without the guilt of a truly decadent treat.

For banana bread lovers, this is a novel twist on a classic. For brownie lovers, it’s a healthy spin on a typically sugary and unhealthy option. And this simple combination of ingredients may await you at home, so why not give it a try? All you need are a few overripe bananas and we all know those are easy to come by.

Buen provecho!Banana Bread Brownies

Banana bread brownies baked and plated horizontal
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Banana Bread Brownies

This brilliant combo of ripe bananas and chocolate makes for a great treat, a healthy breakfast on the go or a stellar dessert. However you enjoy them, you will enjoy them. They are gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and almost sugar-free. Made in one bowl, they come together easily and are another way to utilize those overripe bananas on the counter that no one wants to eat.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, healthy snack
Cuisine American
Keyword almond butter, bananas, chocolate
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 9
Author The Cowgirl Gourmet in Santa Fe thanks Giada de Laurentiis for this special recipe

Ingredients

  • 3 very ripe bananas
  • 1/4 cup almond butter
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil melted and cooled
  • 1/4 cup non-dairy milk of choice I use oat milk
  • 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 3/4 cup almond flour
  • 1/4 cup rolled oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon cacao powder
  • 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips I use Enjoy Life brand

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil an 8x8 inch baking dish with coconut oil. Line with parchment paper and set aside.

  2. In a medium bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Add the almond butter, coconut oil, non-dairy milk of choice, coconut sugar and salt and mix until almost smooth and few lumps remain.

    Banana bread brownies banana and almond butter

  3. Add the almond flour, rolled oats and baking powder and, using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet until thoroughly combined.

    Banana bread brownies all ingredients

  4. Pour half the batter in the prepared and lined dish.

    Banana bread brownies all banana

  5. To the remaining batter, add the cacao powder and carefully stir to incorporate.

    Banana bread brownies half and half

  6. Add the dairy-free chocolate chips and stir well.

  7. Pour the brownie batter on top of the banana batter and spread gently.

    Banana bread brownies pre bake

  8. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the edges are golden and the inside is set.

    Banana bread brownies baked

  9. Allow to cook thoroughly and refrigerate overnight or at least 5-6 hours.

    Banana bread brownies final

  10. Cut into squares and serve. Refrigerated brownies will keep up to 3 days, but they shouldn't last that long.

    Banana bread brownies stacked

 

 

Lemon Blueberry Almond Loaf Cake

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Winter is the time to celebrate citrus as these brightly colored, juicy fruits are at their peak of flavor. Start the day with half of a ruby red grapefruit or a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice. You’ll feel cheerful and get a dose of vitamin C. Add orange or grapefruit segments to enhance a hearty salad or treat yourself to a few extra juicy, often sweet Meyer lemons and make a sensational vinaigrette. Whatever citrus you choose, now is the time to make these juicy fruits your friends.

When Life Gives You Lemons

Over Valentine’s weekend, we safely gathered with a couple visiting from out of town. I mentioned that I was going to make a lemon blueberry cake and my friend was visibly thrilled. Her eyes lit up the room and I knew she was a lemon fan. And because this was a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe from his SIMPLE cookbook, I knew we were both going to be happy with the results.

Baked in a loaf pan, it’s called a cake but we’ll call it a loaf cake for clarity. The batter definitely made me feel like a kid making a homemade cake with my grandmother because it starts with creaming the butter, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla. The aroma of the lemon zest intoxicates as it blends and becomes the foundation of flavor. One at a time, the eggs are beaten in and the batter becomes a gorgeous and glowing golden yellow–very much like a yellow cake batter. In three parts, the dry ingredients are added and the result is a glorious batter that will make every grandmother proud.

Three Ways to Love this Loaf Cake

Even though it’s winter, this recipe can be adapted to whatever fruit is in season. Orange and Raspberries? Lime and cherries? Lemon and apples? You bet. The hardest part of this recipe is letting the cake cool thoroughly before you add the citrus juice and confectioner’s sugar drizzle. But be patient as this is how the glaze will harden and not melt right off the loaf onto the parchment paper.

Knowing you are waking up to this loaf cake is an excellent way to start the day. Combine this cake with a hot cup of coffee or tea in the morning though it’s equally sublime when enjoyed for dessert at the end of a long winter day. But, honestly, it’s best when served in the company of good friends. I sent our friends home with half the remaining loaf and David quickly requested another loaf when the leftovers were gone.

It’s that good and thank goodness it’s also that simple that I happily obliged because I, too, needed more. Being able to have it as a snack, breakfast or dessert offers three delicious ways to savor this lemon blueberry almond loaf cake. All that was missing the second time I made it was our friends. Luckily, we have already agreed to make it when they return this summer–when blueberries are in high season.

Buen provecho!

Lemon Blueberry Almond Loaf Cake

Lemon blueberry loaf cake in the snow
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Lemon Blueberry Almond Loaf Cake

Tart but sweet, this lemon blueberry loaf cake uses both almond flour and gluten-free flour to make a moist crumb that will have you licking the plate clean. The batter will remind you of the yellow cake your grandmother used to make and trust me when I tell you that your grandmother approves of this recipe. Light and tasty, you'll love that it's both versatile and simple to make.

Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword blueberry, lemon
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 8
Author The Cowgirl Gourmet in Santa Fe recipe was adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter or vegan butter at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 4 lemons, zested
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 2/3 cup gluten-free flour sifted
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries divided

Lemon Glaze

  • 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice or more as needed

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit/200 degrees Celsius.

  2. Line a 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.

  3. In a mixing bowl, add the softened butter, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla and, using a hand or stand mixer, beat on high for 3 to 4 minutes.

    Lemon blueberry butter creaming

  4. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs in one at a time, mixing thoroughly before adding the next egg.

    Lemon blueberry with egg

  5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary and continue to add the remaining two eggs. The mixture may separate briefly, but know it will come back together when you add the dry ingredients.

    Lemon blueberry with eggs

  6. In a separate bowl, place a sifter and add the dry ingredients into the sifter--the almond flour, gluten-free flour, baking powder and salt. Sift the ingredients into the bowl and stir well to combine.

  7. With the mixer on low, add a third of the dry ingredients at a time, mixing a bit each time and then adding the next third and mixing some more and the final third. Mix just until no specks of the dry ingredients remain and everything is well blended.

    Lemon blueberry with flour

  8. Mix just until no specks of the dry ingredients remain and everything is well blended. The batter will be a beautiful golden yellow.

    Lemon blueberry batter

  9. Fold in half of the blueberries and scoop the batter into the lined loaf pan.

    Lemon blueberry with blueberries

  10. Bake for 15 minutes and then sprinkle with the remaining blueberries.

  11. Return to the oven for another 15-20 minutes, until the top turns slightly golden brown but is still uncooked.

    Lemon blueberry in the oven

  12. Tent the loaf with aluminum foil and continue to cook for 25-30 minutes or until risen and cooked, and a knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

  13. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Then remove the cake from the pan and pace it on a wire rack to cool completely.

    Lemon blueberry loaf cake

  14. When the cake is cool, make the icing--add lemon juice and confectioner's sugar to a small bowl and whisk together until smooth, adding a bit more juice if needed. Using a spoon, drizzle the icing over the cake. Let icing set (about 30 minutes), slice and serve.

    Lemon blueberry loaf cake in the snow

  15. Place any leftovers in foil and leave at room temperature.

    Lemon blueberry loaf cake with Guero

Ultimate Banana Bread

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Waste not, want not.

I can hear my grandmother say it now. It was her go-to comment for so many things in life. Born in the Depression, she knew how to stretch a dollar, repurpose ingredients and never waste anything.

As we begin to wrap up our fifth week of staying-at-home with limited access to ingredients and stores, but plenty of time, I find myself connecting with my long-gone grandmother in profound ways. I lean on her to guide me down this path of unknown scarcity and economic shutdown, a road she knew all too well.

For example, I am now saving the tea leaves from used tea bags to use later as plant food. Yes, I know, this may sound extreme, but isn’t that what this “Great Pause” is all about? Extreme highs and lows. Extreme isolation. Extreme kindness. Extreme boredom. Extreme creativity. Extreme fear. Extreme resourcefulness. Extreme contemplation. Extreme everything. Extreme times call for extreme measures. And, with nothing but time to learn new things, I’m all in.

How to Repurpose and Reuse Ingredients

Since we are cooking every meal, we are forced to get organized and plan out our menus a week in advance. Whether repurposing leftovers by turning green chile pork stew into an unforgettable breakfast dish topped with a crispy fried egg or making a pot of dark and rich vegetable stock from a bag of vegetable scraps in the freezer, there is no shortage of opportunities to make great food in our kitchen.

Last weekend, when David reached for one of the five slightly rotting bananas to slice over his oatmeal, I sweetly asked him to use the new bananas so we could make banana bread. He happily released the rotting banana. The look in his eye knew I had a recipe up my sleeve that would dazzle us both and bring great joy in this time when food is one of our few thrills.

Bananas

A Little Sugar and Butter May Be Exactly What We Need Right Now

He was right about that recipe. It’s from smitten kitchen and, just as Deb Perelman admits to having an obsession with banana bread, my obsession is chocolate chip cookies, though I also have a few banana bread recipes on this blog. Banana-cranberry-walnut bread. Paleo banana bread 1. Paleo banana bread 2. And there are also these banana-carrot-date-walnut-muffins.

Because I can deeply relate to food obsessions, knowing how many times she has tried to perfect her banana bread recipe, I knew this version would live up to its Ultimate Banana Bread name. It calls for brown sugar, which I bought for this recipe. This clearly means, after 35 days of isolation, my culinary rules have softened significantly, which is, in itself, extreme for me.

Thirty-six days ago, I would never have intentionally purchased brown sugar, and even organic cane sugar would have been rejected. It wasn’t part of my routine. However, today, sugar seems like an ok thing to bring into the kitchen. We all need to find a comfortable space in the midst of this insanity and sugar and butter aren’t the enemies right now. In fact, we may need a little more butter and sugar to push through. (Full disclosure: the gluten-free lemon pound cake I made for Easter called for one cup of sugar and I conceded. And it was everything I imagined.)

Lemon pound cake

Honoring Our Ancestors

To honor my grandmother who made a loaf of wickedly good banana bread–with butter and sugar, of course–and to uphold her tradition of waste not, want not, I made this banana bread. There is something beautiful about taking rotten bananas and transforming them into a dish that will make us happy. Or, as I like to say, we are making lemonade with life’s lemons.

Buen provecho!Ultimate Banana Bread

Ultimate Banana Bread
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Ultimate Banana Bread

Hold on to those rotting bananas because this recipe is going to save them from the trash and make you and your loved ones very, very happy. This bread requires five rotting bananas, one bowl and one loaf pan. It's so easy and comes together without a lot of effort, but tastes like it is a masterpiece. And it is. Moist and rich but not too sweet, this is the only banana bread recipe you will ever need. I recommend baking this at the end of the day so it's ready when you wake up the next morning. It's good the first day, but even better the next day, so be patient and wait.

Course Bread, Breakfast
Cuisine American
Keyword banana bread
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 8
Author The Cowgirl Gourmet in Santa Fe slightly adapted this recipe from smitten kitchen

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter for greasing the loaf pan
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted, I used Miyokos vegan butter
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 cups mashed bananas which turns out to be 5 bananas
  • 2 large pastured eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla or vanilla bean paste
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon make this a heaping teaspoon
  • 1 pinch grated nutmeg optional
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 cups gluten-free flour I use Bob's Red Mill gluten-free baking flour
  • 2 tablespoons coconut sugar for dusting on top before baking

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan (9x5) with coconut oil or butter and set aside.

  2. Melt butter in a large bowl and whisk in the brown sugar until it melts and it a beautiful caramel color.

    Melted butter and brown sugar

  3. Then stir in the mashed bananas.

  4. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla.

    Banana bread batter with eggs and vanilla

  5. Sprinkle the surface of the batter with salt, cinnamon, nutmeg (if using), baking soda and baking powder and stir until the ingredients are fully dispersed in the batter, and then stir a few more times just because.

  6. Add the flour and stir until combined. Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan. It should come just under the top rim.

  7. Sprinkle the top of the batter with coconut sugar and don't be shy because this is how the crust will get super crispy. Bake banana bread for 55-65 minutes. It is done when a toothpick comes out clean.

    Banana bread in the oven

  8. Let the bread cool in the loaf pan and let it sit out overnight.

    Banana bread baked

  9. The next morning, wake up early and cut into the beautiful banana bread. Make yourself a strong cup or coffee or tea and sit down to savor your culinary work and celebrate that you gave those rotting bananas a beautiful new life.

    Banana bread with coffee and tea

  10. To store: continue to leave the top of the banana bread uncovered, as you won't want to lose that crunchy top. Merely cover the cut side with aluminum foil.

Vegan, Gluten-Free and Paleo Pancakes

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The new year is off with a big bang, and, like many of you, we seriously dialed back our daily culinary experiences after a mildly gluttonous holiday. Stepping away from the table means we have been eating for sustenance and not for pleasure or entertainment. And our waists are thanking us. Plenty of vegetables, baked potatoes, salads, soups and smoothies. Always plenty of smoothies.

Truthfully, it’s been slightly boring in my kitchen for the past month. David has completely removed simple carbs from his diet and we have both been grasping for culinary inspiration. These are some of the reasons I haven’t shared any new recipes in 2020. To complicate our food program, the sparse selection of vegetables at the farmers market means I have to get creative, and I don’t have a lot of time for culinary creativity these days.

Sundays are Special

But we have to subsist on something nutritious and delicious in spite of these challenges and Sunday morning always calls for a special treat. On a recent Sunday in January, I made our favorite recipe for latkes and served them with smoked salmon, capers and red onion. Last week, David asked me to make the vegan almond flour pancakes we love. Because it’s something we both can enjoy, these pancakes were what we needed to spark up our Sunday.

We first had these vegan, gluten-free and paleo pancakes when we were in Jamaica with friends. The same chef who shared our favorite Chardonnay Dijon vinaigrette with us is the one who stunned our nifty group of nine with these sensational pancakes. Our fellow guests never questioned if they were the real deal or not. Instead, the clean eaters, heavy drinkers, gluten-free and carnivores all devoured these flapjacks. A few days later, when everyone requested more pancakes before we returned home, David and I knew this recipe was one we would hold on to.

Good and Good-for-You Pancakes

It’s been more than a year since we first had these healthy pancakes. And whenever the mood strikes, we dive back in because these won’t make you feel guilty or bloated. Light and fluffy thanks to a generous dose of baking powder, the ground cinnamon provides a boost of flavor, while the tapioca flour adds a crispness not typically found in traditional pancakes. We add sliced bananas, blueberries and chopped pecans, and these various extra layers of flavor and texture bring these good-for-you pancakes to the top of the pancake chart.

With only one bowl and seven ingredients, they come together in a jiffy. Whether you serve them for breakfast or dinner, everyone will think they are the authentic version loaded with flour, butter and sugar. But these are vegan, gluten-free and paleo and absolutely delicious. Eating healthy isn’t about deprivation, but rather using alternative ingredients that are good and good-for-you.

Buen provecho!

vegan gluten-freeand paleo pancakes

vegan gluten-freeand paleo pancakes
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Vegan, Gluten-Free and Paleo Pancakes

One bowl and seven ingredients make these simple good-for-you pancakes the ones you will want when the craving strikes. Light and fluffy, and loaded with protein, top with your favorite fruits and drizzle with real maple syrup for a stellar Sunday.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Author The Cowgirl Gourmet thanks Chef Jerome for this easy and healthy pancake recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 cups almond flour
  • 1/4 cup tapioca flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon sugar I use coconut sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup plant-based milk I use oat milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  • Sliced bananas, blueberries or other fruit, for serving
  • Chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts, for serving
  • Plant-based butter, butter or coconut oil, for cooking
  • Maple syrup, for serving

Instructions

  1. In a mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients (almond flour, tapioca, baking powder, sugar, ground cinnamon).

    vegan pancakes dry ingredients

  2. Add the plant milk and whisk to combine.

  3. Add the vanilla and stir well.

  4. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes and allow the baking powder to react. This will create a light and fluffy batter.

    vegan pancake batter

  5. Using a large non-stick skillet, add some plant-based butter, butter or coconut oil and place over medium-high heat.

  6. Once the oil melts and is bubbling, add 1/3 cup batter to the skillet so there is room to spread out. Add more batter to the pan as it will allow so the pancakes don't touch. Place the fruit and nuts on top and let the pancake cook, about three minutes per side, until they turn golden delicious.

    vegan pancakes cooking

  7. When the underside is golden, flip the pancakes and cook the other side until equally golden delicious.

  8. When fully cooked, serve with additional fruit and nuts on top and a generous amount of real maple syrup.

  9. Reserve any leftover batter in the fridge for up to three days.

 

 

 

Top 10 Recipes of 2019

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There’s a reason everyone loves to dive deep into analytics. It shows what’s gaining traction, what is on-trend, what most people like best and also what they like least. As I was looking back on this year’s recipe analytics, my favorites are certainly different from yours. But it’s your voice that matters–because I like every recipe–and I am thrilled to share the top 10 from 2019. And analytics are also announcing that this is my 500th post in 10 years which brings even more joy!

From smoothies to salads, pasta to salad dressings and a few good + good for you desserts, this is a list that will help you succeed in the kitchen in the new year and for years to come.

#10

This Smoothie 2.0 recipe takes us all the way back to the beginning of the year when we are virtuous and committed to making excellent food decisions like drinking lots of smoothies. Adding frozen cauliflower to your smoothie instead of bananas is an easy switch that lessens your sugar consumption and ups your veggie count. And isn’t that what we all want more of?

Blueberry-Cauliflower smoothie

#9

Your number nine choice is one of my top choices–the Emergency Brownies. Because we all know the feeling of needing dessert. Not wanting, but needing something sweet. Nigella’s emergency brownie to the rescue. One bowl and 30 minutes later, you will have enough brownies to satisfy two people generously and four people conservatively. Isn’t that sweet?

Emergency Brownies

#8

If you are looking for an entree that comes together in 15-minutes, let this 15-Minute Pasta be the recipe you lean on time and again. It’s quick, easy, economical and mind-blowingly delicious. Thanks to my friend, Stephanie, for sharing this gem with me.

15-minute pasta

#7

Salads are my jam, as you can tell by the number of hearty salad recipes I share. But, please, no boring salads. I like salads with a bold personality. Salads that are hearty, memorable and desirable to all kinds of picky eaters. The Ultimate Green Salad from New York’s Via Carota is simple but stunning. Mixed greens are dressed with a flavorful sherry vinaigrette and are piled high like a sturdy mountain. When it is placed before you, even the most salad-averse will want to dive into this masterpiece of greens.

Via Carota The Ultimate Green Salad

#6

Summertime is all about outdoor cooking, frolicking, swimming and fun in the sun. It’s no surprise that the sixth favorite post is the collection of 28 Recipes to Celebrate the 4th of July. From breakfasts to beverages, soups to salads, sides to burgers and plenty of sweet treats, there’s something everyone will love in this robust compilation of great eats for our favorite summer holiday.

28 recipes to celebrate the 4th of July

#5

We traveled to Jamaica to discover this recipe which is one you need to put to memory. Big and bright flavors, but few ingredients, this Chardonnay Dijon Vinaigrette will make you crave salads. It’s that good.

Chardonnay Dijon Vinaigrette

#4

As a gazpacho expert–maker of the soup and eater of the soup, any chance to eat more tomatoes and fruits and I am on it. This watermelon-tomato gazpacho is proof. Luckily, this Peach and Tomato Salad with Basil and Fresh Mozzarella is serious enough to be an entree and stunning enough to be the talk of the dinner table. Perfect for a summer cookout with friends, the trick is to make enough of this salad because it will disappear quickly.

Peach and tomato salad

#3

I waited years to share this recipe with you and I still don’t know why it took me so long. I am not the selfish type. But now that you have this decadent recipe for a dairy-free Chocolate Pot de Creme that rivals its heavy, dairy-full cousin, you can make it whenever the desire hits. Cashews provide the heft along with the coconut oil, while the maple syrup and cacao bring in the chocolate flavor. O. M. G.

Chocolate pot de creme

#2

As a lover of Reese’s cups, but not a lover of cheap chocolate and ingredients I may not want to eat, it’s hard to get my chocolate and peanut butter fix. Until now. These No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars come together in a jiffy and are exactly what you and I both want in a peanut butter and chocolate concoction.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

#1

Virtual balls of happiness. That’s what these Apricot, Cashew and Coconut Energy Balls are, which may be why they landed in the top spot for this year’s most popular recipe. Made in a food processor, they can save you from hanger when the moment hits. Switch out the dried fruit and nuts to come up with your own combos or stick with the apricot and cashew which is tried and true. (And, as one dear reader pointed out, be sure and seek out the unsulphured apricots, which are not pictured here. The color is more brown-orange, but they are better for us.)

Apricot cashew coconut energy balls

As we close the chapter on another year and another decade, let’s agree to be more gentle. On ourselves and with others. To love a little more and be kinder. To ourselves and others. And to celebrate with our beloveds by cooking at home with more Cowgirl Gourmet in Santa Fe recipes that are good + good for you.

Buen provecho and cheers to an incredibly bright 2020!

Celery Salad with Apples, Blue Cheese and Roasted Almonds

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It’s not often I go to bed knowing exactly what I want to eat the next morning, but the salad I made on Thanksgiving Eve was nothing normal. It was an incredibly flavorful yet oh-so-simple salad that screams “holidays.” And when there are leftovers of this salad in the fridge, that is exactly what I will be having in the morning for breakfast.

A Lighter Lunch Before Thanksgiving Brings Big Surprise

In prep for the holiday feast, I decided to dial our meal plan back a bit on Wednesday. I wanted to make something light and healthy, so I leaned on one of our favorite butternut squash soups (a 2010 recipe) and tried a new salad. David was the one who spotted this in last week’s Food section of the New York Times, where so many fabulous recipes are introduced to the world. It calls on an often disregarded but essential ingredient in the traditional Thanksgiving meal. Celery.

Hold on, because here’s where the alchemy comes into play. Couple crisp celery with thinly sliced sweet apples, blue cheese and roasted almonds. Bring it together with a stellar shallot-mustard vinaigrette and my motor is running. Clearly, this was not an ordinary salad, by any stretch of the imagination. There is zero lettuce–but that’s what I like about it–and it is hearty without being fussy.

Waldorf Salad 3.0

Think of the traditional Waldorf salad of apples, walnuts, grapes and mayonnaise dressing and think of everything you love about it and everything you don’t. This contemporary spin celebrates the good of the classic Waldorf salad–celery, apples and toasted nuts–and leaves out everything bad–grapes and that mayonnaise dressing thing that feels more like glue than a clean, light vinaigrette.

A Winning Holiday Salad

Though conceptually valid, Waldorf salad is too heavy for the Thanksgiving buffet table. Something lighter, crisper and more robust is warranted and this celery salad hits all of the notes. Crisp, watery celery, sweet apple, herby parsley, nutty roasted and salted almonds and stinky gorgonzola or blue cheese make an incredibly satisfying salad that will have everyone asking for more. Made ahead, it can stand on its own for a few hours.

The subtle but flavorful vinaigrette brings it all together so that each ingredient plays a starring role in this seasonal salad that will be a welcome addition to your upcoming holiday parties and gatherings. And, yes, breakfasts, too.

Buen provecho!

Celery salad with apples and blue cheese

Celery salad with apples, blue cheese and almonds
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Celery Salad with Apples, Blue Cheese and Roasted Almonds

Hearty but not heavy, this salad hits all of the notes and is worthy of being a star at your next gathering. Perfect for the holidays, celery is the star of the show, but the supporting ingredients can and do play starring roles. Believe me when I tell you this simple salad comes together in a few minutes and will likely disappear in the same amount of time.

Course Breakfast, Salad
Cuisine American
Keyword almonds, apples, blue cheese, celery
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 6
Author The Cowgirl Gourmet adapted this recipe from The New York Times

Ingredients

For the salad

  • 1 head celery, organic root end cut off, rinsed, brown ends chopped off, leaves set aside and celery sliced on the diagonal
  • 1 sweet big red apple such as Honeycrisp or Pink Lady
  • 1 cup crumbled blue cheese divided, half for garnish
  • 1/2 cup chopped roasted and salted almonds plus a small handful for garnish
  • 1 cup chopped parsley reserve a few tablespoons for garnish
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and for garnish

For the shallot-vinaigrette

  • 1/4 cup minced shallot
  • 4 teaspoons coarse mustard
  • 1 lemon zested and juiced
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Instructions

To make the vinaigrette

  1. In a large bowl, add the shallot, mustard, lemon zest and juice and apple cider vinegar and stir to combine. Allow to meld and sit for five minutes while you make the salad.

  2. When you are ready to add the celery and apples to the vinaigrette, whisk in the olive oil and sugar until everything is emulsified.

To make the salad

  1. Slice the celery on the diagonal and reserve the leaves.

    Celery salad with apples and blue cheese

  2. Core the apples and slice them lengthwise into thin wedges using a knife or mandoline.

  3. Now you can go back and finish the vinaigrette.

  4. Add the celery and apples to the vinaigrette and toss the coat. At this point, the salad will hold up well for a few hours--and even overnight--if you want to make it ahead.

  5. Then to the dressed celery and apples, add the parsley, chopped almonds and half the cheese. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper.

    Celery salad with apple and blue cheese

  6. Transfer to a shallow bowl or platter and top with remaining blue cheese crumbles, reserved celery leaves, fresh parsley and a small handful of roasted almonds for garnish. Add a few more grinds of black pepper over it all and serve immediately.

    Celery salad with apples and blue cheese

28 Recipes to Celebrate the 4th of July

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Because this year’s 4th of July celebration lands on a Thursday, we are all in for an extended holiday weekend. And that’s fine by me. We have a party to attend every night, beginning Wednesday through Sunday. Naturally, I have been tapped to bring desserts to two of the four gatherings and I am currently debating my options.

This blueberry crisp is mighty fine and celebrates the colors of the season, but these key lime pie popsicles always steal the show. Considering most adults don’t enjoy the revelry of a popsicle often enough, this seems like a mandatory choice for the smaller gathering and the crisp is likely better for the larger event. But, then again, these raw, vegan blueberry tartlets are mind-blowingly simple, made into individual servings and something everyone always flips for.

Decisions, decisions.

These decisions have been weighing heavy on my mind as the holiday inches closer and I am betting many of you are also wondering “what the hell am I going to make for the 4th of July celebrations?” Recipes that are simple and don’t require much heat. Recipes that are good + good for you and ones that will offer something for everyone, including omnivores, gluten-free eaters, paleo types and vegans.

For you (and me), I have compiled 28 of my favorite recipes featured on the blog that respond to these high demands of assorted eaters and promise to add a sparkling contribution to any 4th of July holiday gathering.

28 Dishes to Spark Fireworks

Over the last 10 years of this blog, I have featured dozens of illuminating recipes. Any of these would be the perfect dish to take to your events or make for your loved ones at home as you celebrate our country’s independence.

Red, white and blue are the primary colors, but these recipes span the rainbow of colors and day parts. Look for simple and sensational options for good + good for you breakfasts, beverages, soups, salads, sides, sauces and vinaigrettes and burgers, as well as popsicles and desserts.

Breakfast

Whether you are a wake-up and slave away in the kitchen person, a short order cook or one who likes to have everything made in advance so your guests and family can serve themselves, here are some of my favorite breakfast recipes that are sure to please a crowd.

paleo granolaGranola

Overnight oats

Blueberry coffee cake

Blue cornmeal pancakes and waffles

blue cornmeal waffles

Beverages

No party is complete without a variety of sips for the guests which includes children and adults. On a hot summer day, cold beverages are the main priority. All but one of these drinks are alcohol-free, but, if needed, a splash of this or that can easily be added to make the day more tolerable. The white sangria uses lots of fruit that marinate in the wine, which will make everyone a tad bit happier.

blueberry lemonade

Peach tea

Blueberry lemonade

Strawberry-basil tropical cooler

Matcha mint tea

Mango-cucumber wine cooler

mango cucumber wine cooler

Soups

What’s better on a hot day than a cold soup? I have always been a cold soup fan and see them playing a more prominent role in restaurant menus as well. What I love best about a cold soup, it that is can be sipped rather than spooned. Serve in a cup and let everyone sip away the heat. Because one sip of any of these chilled soups will make everything better.

pineapple cucumber gazpacho

watermelon gazpacho

Pineapple-Cucumber Gazpacho

Watermelon gazpacho

Gazpacho

gazpacho

Salads

In the summer months, I live on salads. Perhaps that’s why there are so many salad options for you to choose from. I selected these because they focus on seasonal ingredients, which requires little work on our part and the ripe produce is the shining star. Tomatoes to peaches, watermelon to slaw, any of these salads will ensure your dish goes empty long before everyone has eaten.

Thai slaw

thai slaw

Thierry’s tomatoes

Thierry's tomatoesBlue cheese cole slaw

blue cheese cole slaw

Peach and tomato salad with fresh mozzarella and basil

Peach and tomato salad

Israeli cucumber salad

Israeli cucumber salad

Watermelon-feta salad

watermelon feta salad

Sauces, Salad Dressings and Vinaigrettes

No party is complete without a few sauces, salad dressings and vinaigrettes that elevate standard dishes to new heights. These do it, hands down. Add the green harissa to any and all grilled meats or burgers. Use the Italian dressing on a tossed salad and drizzle the basil vinaigrette over a plate of juicy, ripe tomatoes dotted with mozzarella and more basil.

Green harissa

green harissa

Classic Italian salad dressing

Basil vinaigrette

basil vinaigrette

Sides

Corn is in full force these days, so why not make it one of the stars of the 4th of July feast? And since the grill is already in action, grill the corn. Either with or without the shuck.

Mexican grilled corn

Vegetable cornbread

Mexican-style grilled corn

Burgers

Is there anything else to serve on the 4th of July but burgers and hot dogs? I think not. These classic American staples are adored by all and make cooking for a large group easy.

Fire up the grill, open a cold beer and sit back as everyone gathers around to see what’s cooking. And be ready for them to beg for samples. Maybe you want to offer traditional burgers with cheese, lettuce and tomato. Or perhaps you are up for something a little bit more flavorful and global? Try the Argentinean burger out for size as it will not disappoint. The trick is this sensational chimichurri sauce and, once you try these, it may be the only burger you ever want from now on. Tuna burgers are favored by pescatarians, while the vegetarian burger featuring eggplant is the one vegetarians and vegans will fight for. If you do have a few vegans in the group, be sure to use dairy-free cheese and gluten-free breadcrumbs are always preferred.

Argentinean burger

Argentinean burger

Grilled tuna burgers

Vegetarian burger

vegetarian burger

Popsicles

Because summer is for kids, so are these popsicles, but beware that the adults may steal them before the kids can get their sticky little hands on them.

Key lime pie popsicles

Key lime pie popsiclesChocolate popsicles

Banana-peanut butter popsicles

Watermelon-mint popsicles

watermelon mint popsicles

Desserts

Always saving the best for last, these desserts are quick to make, lean in to being good for you and will ensure your group ends the party on a sweet note.

If you are feeling particularly daring, the Paleo chocolate chip cookies can be the base for a smashingly memorable and delicious DIY ice cream sandwich bar. Because who doesn’t love ice cream sammies? Offer a selection of dairy and dairy-free ice creams to choose from and watch the real fun commence.

Fruit crisp

vegan fruit crisp

Blueberry tartlets

blueberry tarlet

Paleo chocolate chip cookies

paleo chocolate chip cookies

Coconut-chocolate chip ice cream

coconut chocolate chip ice cream

Affogato

affogato

From my cocina to yours, wishing you and your family a dynamite 4th of July celebration.

Buen provecho!

Santa Fe fireworks

Smoothie 2.0

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It seems cauliflower may have hit a high note as we roll into 2019.  Honestly, I am surprised to see such chatter about it on social media, even though the growing variety of products in the grocery store featuring cauliflower should have warned me that we have finally reached a tipping point.

No matter where you live, it is highly probable you can find some form of this cruciferous vegetable at your favorite grocery store. I have seen it lurking in the frozen foods section as riced cauliflower, colorful and gorgeous whole heads in the produce department and now as a starring ingredient in pizza crusts and crackers.

The Power of Cauliflower

Everyone has their day in the sun and I am happy to see cauliflower, which was once considered one of the worst vegetables ever, elevate its reputation to the cool kid in town. It’s always been one of my favorites and, looking back, it was nine years ago (on May 19, 2010) when I first shared a recipe for mashed cauliflower aka faux taters with you, dear readers.

Since then, I have shared a recipe for cauliflower rice at the beginning of 2011, dirty cauliflower rice with meat (2015), cauliflower mac’n’cheese (2013), dirty cauliflower rice without meat (2013), this spectacular whole roasted cauliflower (2013), paprika and cayenne spicy cauliflower (2012) and now this more contemporary use of cauliflower.

Because we are still fresh into the new year, this is when I like to test new, more rigid recipes that are bordering on extreme. These wild recipes assist us in keeping some sort of connection with those healthy intentions we wrote down a few weeks ago–or the ones that just float around in our heads.

A Clean Plate

As if it were meant to be, a super healthy cookbook I requested from the library arrived in time to make it particularly meaningful, mid-January. It’s Gwyneth Paltrow’s newest cookbook, The Clean Plate, and it’s her most progressive and rigid food philosophy to date. The focus is about resetting your palate by eliminating lots of foods and focusing on clean foods that heal your body from the inside-out and I dove right in.

The Clean Plate

Historically, I haven’t had much luck with recipes from her previous cookbooks. But I decided to give her another chance because we all need to reset, rebalance and refocus what we put in our bodies. The recipes are all free from gluten, dairy, processed foods and added sugars, soy, peanuts, nightshades, alcohol and caffeine.

It might sound over the top, but it’s a great way to embark on a new year or commence a new way of life by literally resetting your palate. This elimination approach steps on the heels of Whole30 which many people start on January 1. But because I have found the recipes in this cookbook to be super easy, definitely tasty and beyond beautiful, it’s time to share.

The acai-blueberry-beet smoothie bowl I made from the cookbook is picture perfect and I proclaimed it a star. I served it to David as a traditional smoothie in a glass and, even though he could tell right away it had a roasted beet in it, he enjoyed every last sip before heading off to the gym.acai-blueberry-beet smoothie bowl

Clearly, the snow we have been getting (and there’s been plenty with more to come) has not curbed our interest in sipping cold smoothies to jump-start our day. It feels virtuous (especially when you add green powder) and requires only a blender to pull breakfast together in a  minute. The Clean Plate cookbook includes two smoothie recipes that combine frozen cauliflower with frozen berries and, after seeing this idea tossed around for at least the last year in magazines, blogs and on social media, I decided to finally give in.

Smoothie with Vegetables

I know what you are thinking, cauliflower in a smoothie? But, yes, it’s frozen riced cauliflower and it works as an ideal replacement to the frozen bananas that normally give the smoothie both balanced sweetness and a creamy texture. Replacing the bananas with the frozen riced cauliflower still generates a nice, creamy texture, has absolutely no taste (I promise) and also no sugar.

Though the recipe does call for pitted dates, this single, mineral and nutrient-dense date for each serving offers just enough sweet taste to make it pleasant and serves as a super healthy start to the day. The fruit can easily be switched out to keep the flavors interesting, but sticking with strawberries or cherries will keep it packed with antioxidants and low in sugar.

When I served David the purple smoothie, he tasted it, paused for a few seconds and asked, “What is the different flavor?”

I tightened up a bit knowing his repulsion to cauliflower and said, “There’s a spoonful of almond butter in there for protein.”

And he agreed that, yes, it was almond butter that provided a different taste, which it does. Obviously, I didn’t say anything about the frozen cauliflower and he suspected nothing and then declared, “It’s a great smoothie.”

If I have learned anything over this long-term progression of seeking healthier, more nutritious alternatives to all of the foods we love, I know it’s a winner when David gives the thumbs up to something that veers on the side of uber-healthy. Since this smoothie passed the test, I bet you, too, will think this is good + good for you smoothie is a novel way to use frozen riced cauliflower in 2019, because sauteed cauliflower rice is so 2011.

Buen provecho!Blueberry-Cauliflower smoothie

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Blueberry-Cauliflower Smoothie

As we begin a new year, we all want to eliminate certain foods in our diet and sugar is the number one evil, making this smoothie a welcome treat. It's sweetened with one singular date per serving and it replaces the traditional frozen bananas we would normally use in a smoothie with frozen cauliflower. Don't knock it until you've tried it as cauliflower has zero flavor, but eliminates the unwanted sugar from bananas and gives this smoothie a great texture. This recipe can easily be halved or doubled to make fewer or more servings.

Course beverage, Breakfast, healthy snack
Cuisine American
Keyword smoothie
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 2
Author The Cowgirl Gourmet in Santa Fe adapted this recipe from The Clean Plate cookbook by Gywneth Paltrow

Ingredients

  • 1 cup frozen organic blueberries strawberries or cherries
  • 1 cup frozen riced cauliflower
  • 2 tablespoons almond butter
  • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 pitted dates roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
  • 1 lime juiced

Instructions

  1. Add all of the ingredients to the blender and let the blender work its magic until it's a smooth purple concoction.

  2. Pour into two glasses, add metal straws and enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s Make 2019 the Best Year Yet

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As we linger in the last few hours of 2018, reflect on the years highs and lows, celebrations and sadness and contemplate everything we want 2019 to be, I want to thank you for being a subscriber and following along in this good + good for you journey which will observe the 10th anniversary in the coming year.

What started as a way to share my passion for real food and impart the inherent healing properties of real food has grown into a vast community of readers seeking new inspiration for making food good + good for you. Whether you seek comfort foods like this or healthier desserts like this or alternatives to foods you love but can no longer eat like this, I hope you find an abundance of creative dishes within this blog that you want to make for yourself and share with your family and friends.

This was the first full year we have lived in Santa Fe and each and every day was a gift. The natural beauty, the weather, the expansive skies, the kind people, amazing new friends, generous and caring neighbors, living at the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo mountains and exploring on foot the miles and miles of hiking trails was beyond anything I dreamed. And the dogs are also in love with their new home that welcomes the canines as part of the family.

We enjoyed stepping out and exploring our new hometown as often as possible, visiting our go-to restaurants that never let us down and finding plenty of new healthier flavors to sink our teeth into. We reveled in plenty of expeditions to Madrid, Taos, Espanola, Albuquerque and more which inspired us to jump in the car and seek even more adventures and culinary experiences in neighboring towns and cities.

As we reflect on the year’s posts, these were some of your favorites:

Treasure Hunting at Trader Joe’s

Sweet Basil

Thankful

Grab and Go Muffins

Chai, Chai, Chai

Coconut Curried Red Lentil Soup with Spinach

Little Cacao Cake

When 2018 has been filled with such exquisite bites and sips, it makes it hard to top that in 2019. But know that I am already working on perfecting new recipes to share with you to ensure the new year are equally good + good for you.

Buen provecho y Feliz Ano Nuevo!

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