Any Kitchen Will Do

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Archive for the category “eggs”

19 Jul 2013

Chef Salad

chef salad

I am avoiding a serious subject. A hot oven. I try to avoid it as much as possible in the Takoma Kitchen.  For one, it is an electric oven, which heats up very differently than gas, and regardless of electric or gas, it also makes our little place pretty warm. Here is one of the concoctions I do that does not take much stove or oven heat. The original chef salad is very American, originating in Pennsylvania or New York, depending on which claims you believe, first created in the 1930s or ’40s. Throw a few types of meat and cheese on a plate with a boiled egg and dressing and there you have it, a salad with a bunch of stuff on it so you don’t have to make a bunch of choices. I like the approach on a hot summer evening, and the reduced exposure to even more heat is a plus. Technically, the bacon and eggs require heat to prepare, but they are often left over and already in the fridge. That, or I send a heads up message to Big D and he takes a break from work and cooks up a pan of rashers while boiling some eggs ‘the way grandma did them’, with the shells practically falling off in the pan. Dinner can be custom made on each plate and put together pretty quickly – Little B gets eggs, bacon, cucumber and tomato, while Big D gets an extra pile of meat with ranch dressing, and I get a little bit of everything, especially the pepper jack cheese.

Chef Salad

6 ounces thin cut roast beef
6 ounces thin cut roast turkey
6 ounces thin cut virginia baked ham
4 ounces sliced swiss cheese
4 ounces sliced medium cheddar cheese
4 ounces sliced pepper jack cheese
8 ounces grape tomatoes
2 ounces baby portabello mushrooms, sliced
2 mini cucumbers, sliced into coins
2 – 4 medium boiled eggs, sliced in half
6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
8 ounces raw baby spinach leaves, rinsed and dried
4 – 6 ounces salad dressing (traditionally French or Thousand Islands)

On two large dinner plates divide the spinach and spread evenly. Slice cheese into ¼ inch wide strips. Roll each slice of meat individually. Alternate cheese strips and meat rolls in a circle on top of the spinach bed.  Arrange the mushrooms, tomatoes and cucumber coins between the cheese and meat. In the center of the salad place the egg halves. Sprinkle bacon over top of salad. Serve immediately after drizzling with preferred dressing.

Posted in cheese, cucumber, eggs, salad, Takoma Park Kitchen, tomato, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment
11 Jul 2013

Salmon Patties

salmon patties
I got nostalgic on this one, in many respects. I was craving salmon and began remembering the patties my mom used to make with the canned stuff when I was little. I liked them, but always got a little shiver when I came across one of the soft, yet still crunchy pieces of bone from the canned salmon. I still recall not being able to decide whether the shiver was fun or not. The soft bone was easily chewable but always a surprise in the otherwise non-chewy dish. Another nostalgia point was from my time living in Juneau, Alaska. In late summer and early fall the salmon pile up on each other in an effort to swim upstream and practically jump out of the water into your arms. You have to make sure they are not aiming for bear arms, but after the all clear on the bear front, you can just grab the slippery suckers. Needless to say, even if you don’t fish there is a bounty of salmon, from ‘dogs’, also known as chum salmon, to the sweet, naturally bright red meat of the sockeye salmon. Living in Juneau you are surrounded by fisherpeople who get their maximum catch as often as they can and they share share share. It can be smoked, steamed, grilled, marinated, chopped, dried, jarred, canned….which brings me to this recipe. For this recipe I used canned pink salmon, which in this case is wild caught from Alaska. Not ideal, compared to the taste of the stuff that was swimming in the creek this morning, but effective in my effort to combine the nostalgie, and the fact that the only fresh salmon found in Maryland is Atlantic. Sigh. And as Big D said, these were the first salmon patties he ever had that were not dry and Little B enjoyed them, too. Score!

Salmon Cakes

1 can pink salmon, drained with spine and other bones removed
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
3 eggs
1 lemon, juiced with meat included
½ – 2/3 cup golden flaxseed meal
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp dried dill
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp dried parsley leaves
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ cup coconut oil

In medium bowl add salmon and break it up into small flakes. Make a pool in the middle of the salmon and drop in yogurt, eggs, salt, thyme, parsley, garlic and dill. Whisk together egg, lemon juice and yogurt mixture with a fork until eggs are broken up. Toss egg mixture with salmon until combined. Add ½ cup of the meal and stir. Let sit for a minute or two. While you wait add the coconut oil to a medium skillet and heat to medium high. If the salmon mixture is not thick enough to drop into the oil and hold shape as patties (thicker than pancake batter, thinner than, say, tuna salad) add some more meal and stir it in until thicker. Drop a large spoonful of mixture into the skillet and gently flatten so it is of even thickness and about two inches in diameter. Cook until the patties set and begin to brown on the edges, about 2 minutes. Gently flip the patties and cook for another minute or two. Repeat process until all the patties are cooked. Serve with zucchini wedges or other veggies.

Posted in eggs, fish, flaxseed, garlic, parsley, seafood, Takoma Park Kitchen, wheat free | Leave a Comment
27 Jun 2013

Veggie Meatloaf

 

veggie meatloaf

For the most part I don’t have to hide veggies in food to get Little B to eat them. She goes after most of them with a vengeance or by way of an earnest request. Like her all time favorite snack, frozen broccoli “trees”. Yep. Straight out of the freezer. They started out as something to gnaw on when she was teething, but survived as a favorite long after. We try to offer her vegetables every chance we get, even in restaurants, in spite of the restaurants efforts to fill her otherwise. The kid menus at most places include breaded chicken tenders, pasta, sad little mini burgers or a hot dog. Besides being loaded with carbs and often deep fried, such offerings have little nutritional value or variety to expand little palates. More often than not we end up ordering soup or a side of vegetables for her from the non-kid menu. She dives right in. A few times I have tried to order the kid food, but she finds the food as unappealing as I do. It is refreshing to go to a restaurant and actually see smaller versions of the food offered on the rest of the menu, like 1/4 rack of ribs at a barbeque joint, or a kid size version of seafood at a seafood joint. What a concept! I rant because our travels recently have taken us to new restaurants in new places, and I am reminded that sometimes it is not easy to keep Little B eating our version of healthy away from home. This recipe actually stemmed from my desire to use up the vegetable odds and ends in the fridge. It worked very well, held together like meatloaf tends to not want to do. On top of it all Little B ate it up in spite of not being one of her favorite veggies – frozen broccoli, green beans or squash.

Veggie Meatloaf

1 ½ pounds ground beef
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 stalks celery
1 carrot (or 1 ½ cups mini carrots)
1 small yellow onion
2 cups fresh spinach
4 cloves garlic
3 eggs
½ cup fresh parsley
1 Tbsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

In a blender or food processor add tomato paste, celery, carrot, onion, spinach, garlic, eggs, thyme, cumin, salt, pepper and paprika. Pulse until vegetables are very small pieces and herbs are combined. In large bowl combine beef and vegetable mixture. With your bare hands mix meat and vegetables until all the meat is coated and the vegetables are combined with the meat. Press mixture into rectangular bread pan. Bake at 350 for 45 – 55 minutes, until cooked through. Sprinkle top of loaf with cheese and place in hot oven with heat off for five to ten minutes, until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let rest for about five minutes. Slice in pan, arrange on serving tray and serve.

Posted in baked, beef, eggs, garlic, onion, parsley, Silver Spring Kitchen, tomato, Uncategorized, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment
17 Jun 2013

Double Chocolate Cupcakes

dbl choco cupcakesThese cupcakes came from the mouth of my babe, Little B. As with our strawberry concoction from a while back, she got a baking hankering and we followed it through. Little chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting that don’t have any wheat or sugar. She is adamant about those two points, which meant we got to create a new recipe “with only really good tasting ingredients Mommy. Don’t forget they have to be really good” she tells me. Well, they are really good, and buttery and rich. Also a chance to crack eggs and spread frosting, which are always good things. Really good things.

Double Chocolate Cupcakes

Cakes
6 eggs
½ cup butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
¼ cup coconut flour
½ cup golden flaxseed meal
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 tsp pure stevia powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Frosting
1 8 ounce block cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup butter, room temperature
½ tsp vanilla
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ cup granulated erythritol

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine eggs, butter and vanilla in a medium bowl. Whisk together until combined. In a separate bowl combine flour, meal, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and stevia. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and stir until well combined. Divide batter among a lined 12 regular sized or 24 mini muffin pan. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes until tops are firm. Remove from oven and let cool completely. For the frosting add the cheese, vanilla and butter in a medium bowl. Whisk until combined. Add cocoa and erythritol and continue whisking until combined. Chill a few minutes if it comes out thin. Spread frosting over cupcakes. Store cupcakes in the refrigerator until serving – mostly to keep the frosting firm, otherwise they can sit at room temperature.

Posted in baked, chocolate, coconut flour, eggs, flaxseed, Silver Spring Kitchen, snack, Uncategorized, wheat free | Leave a Comment
01 May 2013

Chocolate Stout Cake with Mint Frosting

Around here May Day (or Beltane for us) is a wonderful double celebration. On this day nine years ago Big D and I got married at sunset on a beach in Nassau, Bahamas. The golden light in the sky worked its magic to form a beautiful rainbow over the ocean, right in front of storm clouds, which were floating away after a brief afternoon shower. It was an unexpected symbol on the day of our joining I will never forget. Beltane is popular for Handfasting ceremonies, but we were past the year and a day temporary ‘contract’ of a Handfasting, so we dove right into getting fully hitched. We had a small, powerful group of friends and family with us on the beach that day, which makes the memories even more bittersweet as the years pass. The past nine years have been full of travel and adventure and appreciating the awesomeness of our world. Little B joined us about four years ago, which provided me a new perspective on the world as a mother. me and d great bearBeing a wife and mother has forced me to explore who I am and make sure my small corner of the world fits not only the people in my family, but me as well, in my ongoing quest to remain whole and well. I am so blessed and enriched because I joined forces with Big D. It has sometimes been a bumpy ride, but the bumps have made the whole ride a wondrous thing to behold. I wish for everyone such an experience with another person in their lifetime. Our little family has formed traditions that make for some slightly unconventional holidays during the year. We always celebrate Beltane and our Anniversary with food and drink, oftentimes with friends and family (when they are geographically convenient) and forever will include a rather obscure movie – The Wicker Man. Not the silly version with Nicholas Cage, but the original, released in 1973, with the usually cool and smooth Edward Woodward (aka The Equalizer). We don’t go so far in our celebration to (SPOILER) sacrifice a virgin, but we do dress up and decorate and dance, anticipating a late spring and summer full of fresh fruits, vegetables and everything being green. chocolate stout cakeSpeaking of green, maybe I should talk a bit about today’s recipe. We had a full house on St. Patrick’s Day this year. I was so busy posting about the Strawberry Chocolate Bacon Cake right before the Day and Shepherds Pie on the Day that I never got around to posting about the cake I made for dessert on the Day. This cake is not too sweet, which helps bring out the stout flavor, and the frosting gives it a balance for those who like sweeter sweets. It is very rich, which means not much is needed in a serving. The bright shade of frosting reminds me of spring and the nearing summer these days more than St. Patrick’s Day, so I thought it was a fitting post for our pending celebration incorporating stout, IPA, ale and other things decadent. Merry meet and have a blessed May Day! Slainté!

Chocolate Stout Cake with Mint Frosting

Cake
2/3 cup butter
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
8 egg whites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup stout (I suggest Guinness)
2 whole eggs
8 egg yolks
2 cups granulated sweetener or equivalent
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 cup coconut flour

Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup salted butter, softened
1 – 2 tsp mint extract
½ tsp vanilla
Green food coloring
1 cup sweetener or equivalent

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add vanilla and cocoa powder, then mix well. Remove from heat and let cool. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form; set aside. In another bowl mix together stout, 2 whole eggs, 8 egg yolks, sweetener and salt. Slowly mix in cocoa mixture. Add coconut flour into batter and mix until it is very smooth. Fold egg whites into batter until combined. Pour batter into greased bundt pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool and gently remove from pan. While cake cools make the frosting. Whip together the cream cheese, butter, mint extract and vanilla. When the frosting is smooth gently fold in 3 – 5 drops of food coloring, until it is the desired shade of green. Add the sweetener and continue whipping until it is combined. Chill frosting until cake is cooled and ready. Frost cake with a thin layer all over – it is okay if there are bits of cake sticking out – makes it look even more minty and chocolate. Slice and serve.

Posted in baked, chocolate, coconut flour, eggs, Silver Spring Kitchen, wheat free | Leave a Comment
13 Apr 2013

Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting

strawberry cupcakes frosted small

These little cakes came out beautifully imperfect. And Little B frosted every single one of them. We were long overdue making a batch of cupcakes, so I started by asking her what flavor she wanted. Strawberry. Then, I asked her what kind of frosting she wanted. Strawberry. I followed up by asking what she wanted to put on top. Strawberries. I saw a theme. So, guess what we got at the store? You guessed it! Strawberries. She loves pushing buttons on the blender and watching all the ingredients swirl and twirl around. The frosting is very similar to what I put on the birthday cake I made a while back, but without the icky whipped topping. Fortunately, after her taste testing between the frosting of each cupcake, there was still enough to finish the job. We got so involved with making sure there was strawberry in the cupcakes we forgot to keep some for on top! Oh well. And Tall P really liked them too! This is actually a big deal, because he claims to not like sweets. Yep. The guy who drinks sweet tea and eats box after box of fresh strawberries coated in sugar. He does not like sweet stuff. I don’t quite understand where his line between sweet and not are actually drawn. I think he has taste bud issues. Regardless, he ate up these little guys! Score one for me and Little B! They definitely taste like strawberry. Just a little nudge of sweetener made them sweet treats and the berry flavor really shines. They taste like summer.

Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting

Cakes

1 pound strawberries, cored

1 Tbsp lime juice

1 tsp pure stevia powder

6 eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla

¾ cup coconut flour

¼ cup golden flax seed meal

1 Tbsp baking powder

½ tsp sea salt

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

½ cup salted butter, room temperature

½ cup granulated Splenda

2 Tbsp sugar free strawberry syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a blender or food processor add the strawberries and lime juice. Blend until there are no large strawberries remaining. Add the Stevia powder and eggs. Blend again until combined. In a separate bowl combine the coconut flour, meal, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and blend some more until combined. Let the batter sit for a few minutes – you will notice it thicken a bit. Pour batter into 24 lined regular sized muffin tins (or 12 regular muffin tins and 24 mini muffin tins). Bake for 20-25 minutes until set and browning. While the cupcakes are baking prepare the frosting. In a medium bowl combine the the cream cheese, butter and Splenda. In a small bowl combine the arrowroot powder and strawberry syrup. Mix until smooth and thick. Stir the syrup mixture with the cream cheese mixture until the color is evenly distributed. When cupcakes are cooled frost them. Store in the refrigerator.

Posted in baked, coconut flour, eggs, flaxseed, fruit, lime, Silver Spring Kitchen, snack, wheat free | Leave a Comment
04 Apr 2013

Cornless Corndogs

cornless corndogs

These are sooooo easy! Whip up a batch of coconut flour ‘cornbread’, impale the cornbread muffins with pieces of hotdog and pop them in the oven. Little B really loves corndogs, but I don’t like giving her the funky ones found in the freezer section of the store or deep fried versions at fast food restaurants. I’m not saying that when I am surrounded by a carnival, and there is a severe lack of protein or low sugar options I am going to deprive her of one. I am just saying that when I have an opportunity to give her (and myself) a more nutritious version, I am going to take it. Regardless of how nutritious I try to go, they are still hotdogs. I do try to stick with Hebrew National or uncured versions, but it is still macerated meat. Oh well. Nothing is perfect. Some day I may even figure out how to make these on a stick, but for now, they are delectable muffins. They are baked, portable picnic fare that I personally dip in yellow mustard. Living on the edge. That’s me.

Cornless Cordogs

1 batch cornless cornbread
6 hotdogs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Make a batch of cornless cornbread batter. Divide it equally in a 12-count muffin tin. Cut each hot dog into four pieces. Stick two pieces of hotdog in each muffin, trying to keep them away from the edges. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until the batter is cooked and the hotdog pieces are roasted. Let cool before removing from pan. Serve immediately with mustard.

Posted in baked, beef, bread, coconut flour, eggs, muffins, Silver Spring Kitchen, wheat free | Leave a Comment
31 Mar 2013

Don’t Have To Choose Salad

donthavetochoosesalad

My food hankering today was conflicting. Do I want egg salad, tuna salad or guacamole? To take full advantage of my indecisiveness I decided to combine them all. I have never combined the three dishes before, so why not now? I wanted the flavor of all three to be present and also work together. I think I did a pretty good job, and it was a great way to use up the last avocado sitting on the counter – not enough for guacamole, or for topping a batch of chicken, but such a delicious thing shouldn’t go to waste. Tuna is a great way to add protein to a dish, even if there is already protein eking out of the avocado and egg. This salad was delicious sitting atop toasted Julian’s paleo bread. Reminded me of egg salad sandwiches on Lenten Fridays when I was a kid. We would have macaroni and cheese, salmon patties, tuna or egg salad. I understand the symbolism of no meat on Fridays, but feeling less lust or anger in the absence of meat on my part was not actually achieved. Feeling an excess of either was not an issue when I was a child, but one day a week is not what I consider an actual test. To get away from the nostalgic and dogmatic reasons for making the salad, it met my hankering and indecisive needs.

Don’t Have To Choose Salad

1 large ripe avocado
8 – 10 hard boiled eggs
1 5-ounce can tuna packed in water, drained
½ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp stone ground mustard
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp chili powder
Sprinkle of ground black pepper

In a large bowl mix yogurt, juice, mustard, salt, cumin, chili powder and pepper. Roughly chop eggs and avocado into pieces about the same size. Gently mix the tuna, avocado and eggs with the dressing, trying not to smash much of it. Chill for about an hour before serving.

 

Posted in avocado, bread, eggs, fish, onion, salad, sandwich, Silver Spring Kitchen, wheat free | Leave a Comment
17 Mar 2013

Shepherd’s Pie with Cauliflower

shepherds pie whole

Last year for St. Patrick’s Day I made the traditional American St. Patrick’s Day meal with corned beef. That is all well and good, but not the only Americanized Irish food available. The Shepherd’s Pie is another dish that actually has Irish roots much closer than the corned beef. Here is a version that is very Americanized, or more accurately low carb-ized, for it has not a speck of potato, but as with other manipulations that can be done with cauliflower, you might not miss the ‘taters. This dish is usually called cottage pie when beef is used, and Shepherd’s Pie when lamb is used. I used ground lamb, so I at least kept to some traditional aspects, even if the top is from a cauliflower patch! If I did not tell you, you would never have known. I got the idea for the topping here. I hope for you fun and festivities on this St. Patrick’s Day, and eat cauliflower!shepherds pie piece

Shepherd’s Pie

For the Stew

2 Tbsp butter
1 pound stew beef or lamb, ground or cut into small bite-sized pieces
½ – 1 cup red wine
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup chopped carrots
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn

For the Topping
1 medium head of cauliflower
2 Tbsp heavy cream
2 Tbsp butter
½ cup plus 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 egg whites
Salt & pepper to taste

Clean and trim cauliflower, adding florets to a microwave safe bowl with ¼ cup water. Cover with cling wrap or a vented cover and microwave for 5 – 8 minutes until soft. Drain water. Add the cream and butter to the bowl and toss until butter is melted. Add the cauliflower and ½ cup of cheese to a food processor or use a hand blender to process until the mixture is a smooth consistency. It should look like thick mashed potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a skillet over medium high heat melt the butter, then add the meat. Saute until browned, about five minutes. If an overwhelming amount of liquid is in the meat, partially drain and continue cooking. Add red wine and cook until sauce bubbles. Add tomato paste, garlic and Worcestershire sauce, stirring until blended. Add onion, corn and peas. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes over low heat. Turn off heat and set aside while you finish the topping.

Right before putting the cauliflower on top of the meat filling, whip the egg whites to a stiff peak. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the cauliflower mixture to lighten it up. Then fold the remaining egg whites into the cauliflower mixture and gently mix until combined. In a 9×13 baking dish add the stew and spread until even. Gently top with cauliflower topping, spreading it evenly and not pressing down too far. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese over the top. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until topping is puffed and cheese is browning slightly. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Sprinkle more Worcestershire Sauce on individual servings if needed.

Posted in baked, casserole, cauliflower, cheese, eggs, garlic, onion, Silver Spring Kitchen, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment
10 Feb 2013

King Cakelettes

king cakelettes_edited-1

Laissez les bon temp rouler! Let the good times roll! Mardi Gras is near and as always we are celebrating. We closely followed up defrocking the house of Yule and Christmas decorations with putting up green, gold and purple for Mardi Gras. After living in New Orleans a few years back I cannot help but get in the spirit of Mardi Gras. There is never a lull down there after Christmas – the frivolity of New Years quickly turns to the Mardi Gras celebrations. Parades begin in mid-January so there is no time to waste. Last year I did a king cake marathon, making sure everyone in the house had some for celebrating. I made a regular, yeasty, cinnamon-y king cake, including sharing of details about king cake history, followed by a gluten free version of the cake. They were both delectable and fun to make. This year Mardi Gras arrives during a time when we are highly sensitive to sugar, wheat and carbohydrates. What is a girl to do? Well, adapt. That is what she does. I used my experimenting with low carb muffins over the past year and incorporated my love of king cakes into these little treats. Although not the traditional ring with colored sugar, the result definitely has the right flavors and textures in play. I usually avoid making king cakes most of the year, but this time I may not. These things are stupendous and I doubt they will last us through Fat Tuesday. I really need them to, if for no other reason but to balance the green potency of chartreuse. Enjoy!

Low Carb King Cakelettes

6 eggs
4 Tbsp heavy cream or half and half
1 tsp vanilla
3 drops liquid stevia
½ tsp sea salt
2/3 cup coconut flour
¼ cup golden flaxseed meal
½ cup splenda
½ tsp baking powder
1 cup pecans, shelled

For the Filling
6 Tbsp butter, melted
¼ cup splenda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ cup pecans

For the Icing
1 Tbsp water
1 tsp lime or lemon juice
½ cup splenda
Green, yellow, red and blue (2 drops blue, 3 drops red for purple) food coloring (optional, if coloring icing instead of using colored sugar)

For Decorating
Purple, green and gold/yellow colored sugar or Splenda (or add color to the icing)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a baking pan spread out pecans in one layer. Bake in oven for about 5 minutes until they begin to brown. Prepare muffin pan with liners. In blender add wet ingredients and nuts together. Blend on low until nuts are broken up in small pieces. In separate bowl combine dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Divide batter among the 12 muffin cups. For the filling mix together butter, ¼ cup Splenda and cinnamon in a bowl. Grind into a powder the ½ cup pecans and combine with other filling ingredients. With a teaspoon drop some filling into the middle of each muffin. It will sink a bit and be covered by the muffin batter during the baking time. Bake for about 15 minutes until tops begin to brown. While the muffins are baking combine the water, juice and Splenda until smooth (make three different batches if coloring it instead of using colored sugar. A soon as the muffins come out of the oven drizzle the icing on top (drizzle all three colors on every muffin if using colored icing). Let cool for about ten minutes. If using colored sugar, sprinkle by alternating green, purple and yellow/gold*. Use all three colors on every muffin. Serve at room temperature or freeze and gently defrost in the microwave before serving.

*I planned on using colored Splenda for sprinkling, and got good information about coloring it here. My color to sweetener ratio did not turn out as well as it did for Millie, I think it was because I did not have enough coloring gel. It was definitely on its way, but I did not have time to go get more with an eager and waiting Little B, so I improvised. I added water and lemon juice to the colored sweetener and colored the icing and drizzled instead of sprinkled. Even though it did not work out this time, I am going to follow Millie’s coloring process in the future, for springtime is coming and more sprinkling opportunities are on the horizon!

Posted in baked, cinnamon, coconut flour, eggs, flaxseed, muffins, seasonal, Silver Spring Kitchen, wheat free | Leave a Comment

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