Dark Chocolate Zucchini Bread - Tried out a new recipe!

In the past few months since our wedding, we have been having a really fun time trying out all our new kitchen toys!  I have been having a blast baking and cooking and trying out new recipes.  Recently, I ended up with a lot of extra zucchini because I was going to roast them with some other veggies, but then I had a ton of other veggies so then I saved them for zucchini bread!

I tried out a new recipe from America's Test Kitchen and I adapted it a tad to include dark chocolate chips.  I'm not sure I really believe in not including chocolate when the opportunity presents itself.  And so, I made this amazing Dark Chocolate Zucchini Bread.

This bread came out super amazing.  It was flavorful and stayed together nicely.  It stayed moist for a long time and was delicious with apple butter or regular butter.  This bread is great if you have a lot of zucchini lying around so make it before it goes out of season!

Dark Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 small zucchini shredded
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
pinch of cloves
3/4 cups dark chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 and grease a loaf pan.
2. Beat the brown sugar, canola oil, eggs, and vanilla together in a large bowl.
3. Shred the zucchini using a grater onto a paper towel.  Cover with another paper towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Add the zucchini to the wet mixture and beat to combine.
4. Add in the flour, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and cloves.  Beat until just combined.
5. Add in the dark chocolate chips and stir to combine.  Pour into prepared loaf pan.
6. Bake for 65 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy :)

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Is it summer yet?  I feel like I am just trudging my way towards summer. I swear each school day is a little longer than the previous one.  Any other teachers out there feel me?  I know you do because this facebook link keeps getting shared:


Now, don't get me wrong, I love my job and I love my students and I love my fellow teachers.  I just am also super freaking excited for this summer.  I have a pretty big summer ahead of me and with my first wedding shower (there are 3) this weekend, I just can't focus on anything else.

The weather is also (finally) getting nicer and that makes it extra hard to focus.  The longer days and warmer weather are making me so much happier.  I have also been cooking more because when it is lighter out I just feel less tired.  This lasagna happened because of one of those nights.

You are going to love this.  You roast a TON of vegetables and then you layer them with some pasta and a TON of cheese.  Then you bake it and someone it magically becomes a crazy good lasagna.  Even the vegetable haters out there are going to love this!  I was inspired by How Sweet It Is and then I just used my own vegetables and cheese and had way too much fun with it.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients:

8 oz sliced portobello mushrooms
10 oz broccoli florets
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, quartered
1 pint red grape or cherry tomatoes
1 pint yellow grape or cherry tomatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
2 cups light ricotta cheese
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
1 burrata ball
1 8 oz container of pearl mozzarella balls
1 8 oz container shaved parmesan cheese
8 oz smoked provolone cheese, shredded
1 24 oz jar of marinara sauce (your favorite)
1 box no-boil lasagna noodles

Directions:
1. Line 3 pans with parchment paper and preheat oven to 425.
2. Place mushrooms, broccoli, onion, pepper, and zucchini into a bowl and toss with 2 tbsp of olive oil, and salt and pepper (to taste).  Spread out the veggies onto two pans.
3. Place all the tomatoes in a bowl and toss with 2 tbsp of olive oil and some salt and pepper.  Spread these guys out on the third pan.
4. Place the pans in the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes.  Take out from oven.
5. While the veggies are roasting, in a medium bowl, mix the ricotta with half the parmesan, half the provolone, and the basil, oregano, salt and pepper.
6. In a 13 by 9 inch pan, spread a thin layer of marinara sauce.  Place three long lasagna noodles on this.  Spread some ricotta mixture on top and then sprinkle a few mozzarella pearls.  Then, take about 1/3 of the veggies and sprinkle on top.  Drizzle with marinara sauce, and in a few roasted tomatoes, and then shred about 1/3 of the burrata ball and sprinkle over the top.  Place more lasagna noodles over this and repeat with two more layers.  For the final layer, drizzle some marinara sauce on top and then sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and provolone.  Also add the remaining tomatoes on top.
7. Reduce the heat of the oven to 400 and bake the lasagna for 45 minutes.  Let sit for about 30-60 minutes.

Enjoy :)

Autumn Minestrone Soup

Today is the first official day of winter break! I stuck to my typical schedule of going to boot camp class at 5:45 am because I figured it was good for me.  I know I'm a little crazy.  However, it was a nice way to start my day and now I have the whole day ahead of me!  

What is really weirding me out is the fact that it is raining...on December 21st...in Chicago.  What???

So, I figured it would be lovely to share this soup recipe with you all because it is a soup kinda day.  

I made this soup as part of Bri's and my vegetarian Thanksgiving.  This was just a dinner for the two of us where I went all out and made a ton of delicious vegetarian things.  This Autumn Minestrone was super easy to make and it was amazing!  If anyone else out there is looking out the window and thinking today is going to be one dreary Monday, make this soup!  It will totally brighten your day!

Autumn Minestrone Soup

(adapted from Cooking Classy)

Ingredients:

15 baby carrots, chopped

1 medium sweet onion, chopped

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups vegetable broth

2 - 2 1/2 cups 1 inch cubed sweet potato, peeled first

2 - 2 1/2 cups 1 inch cubed butternut squash

1 zucchini, quartered

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp cinnamon

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups kale and spinach mix

1 14.5 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

parmesan for topping

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium and add in the carrots and onion.  Cook for about 5 minutes and then add in the garlic and cook for another minute.  

2. Add in the vegetable broth, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, zucchini, rosemary, oregano, thyme, cinnamon, and bay leaves.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat and let simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or until sweet potatoes can be pierced with a fork.  

3. Add in the kale/spinach and the kidney beans.  Cover and let cook for an additional 5 minutes.  Remove the bay leaves and serve with parmesan if you want!

Enjoy :)

Dark Chocolate M&M Zucchini Bread

Marathon training makes me SO HUNGRY! Seriously, I am hungry all the time.  Plus, my lunch at school is at 1 in the afternoon.  So, when I eat breakfast at 5:30 and run in the morning I feel great, but by the time lunch rolls around, I am practically seeing stars I am so hungry.  I decided it would be a fantastic idea to hide some food in a drawer in my room so that I can discretely munch occasionally.  This was the motivation behind these Dark Chocolate M&M Zucchini Muffins...

This recipe made 24 mini muffins plus a whole loaf pan.  Bri was very excited when he saw what was happening in the kitchen and these guys came out great!  

Dark Chocolate M&M Zucchini Bread

(adapted from The Kitchn)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 small zucchini, shredded and squeezed dry with paper towels

4 eggs

1 cup non-fat, plain greek yogurt

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup dark chocolate m&ms

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a mini muffin pan and loaf pan.  

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, oats, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  

3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the greek yogurt and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Beat in the shredded zucchini.  Add in the dry ingredients and beat until just combined.

4. Stir in the m&ms and then spoon into the prepared muffin tin and loaf pan. 

5. Bake the muffins for about 20 minutes and bake the loaf for about 25-30 minutes.  A toothpick should come out clean from both.  Let cool and enjoy!

Roasted Summer Squash

Is it summer?  Because this is Chicago and it's 60 degrees! What is that about?  Yesterday, I went to a water park with one of my camps and it was only 65!  The kids, of course, still loved it and the water was warm, but it just felt weird.  I mean, I was standing at a water park in a sweatshirt...

Anyways, at least I can celebrate summer with food!  The Taste of Chicago has arrived so that is a HUGE food event that is currently happening.  Plus, I made this Summer Squash dish in honor of the "season."  

This squash dish is incredibly simple and you can even incorporate other veggies if you want.  Here's the gist: Place a bunch of veggies in an oven-safe dish.  Sprinkle some salt, and pepper over the top.  Then, sprinkle breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.  You can use other veggies, you can use other types of cheese, you can even use something other than breadcrumbs.  I am going to try this out with BBQ potato chips for a different kind of flavor!  Have fun with it! 

Roasted Summer Squash

Ingredients:

2 yellow squash, sliced

2 zucchini, sliced

1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Placed sliced veggies in a 9 inch cake pan

3. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top and then sprinkle the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.

4. Drizzle olive oil over the top and then cover with foil.

5. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes or until your breadcrumbs start to brown a little.

Enjoy :)

Veggie and Black Bean Enchiladas

I just love enchiladas.  They are a great way to get a ton of veggies into your dinner and they are so tasty! I am trying to be a little healthier now that it is summer and I am beginning to really focus on my wedding.  I want to get in shape and lose a few pounds, but I don't want to go crazy since I still have more than a year!  So, my plan is to incorporate veggies into all my meals, portion control, and stay away from all those delicious desserts (which is going to be the biggest challenge!).  This meal was a great way to kick of my healthy-eating plan and I am definitely going to be making these again soon! 

Veggie and Black Bean Enchiladas

Ingredients:

8 whole wheat tortillas or gluten-free

1 can red enchilada sauce

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

extra virgin olive oil

1 eggplant, peeled and diced

1 zucchini, quartered

1 squash, quartered

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

pinch of cayenne

1/2 red onion, chopped

your favorite salsa

your favorite shredded cheese, I used a blend

3 green onions, chopped (optional)

1 avocado, sliced (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large pan, pour 1 tbsp of olive oil and heat over medium.  Add in the eggplant, zucchini, and squash.  Season with cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne.  Toss to combine and cook until veggies start to soften.  Add in olive oil as needed.  Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and pour a little enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch pan.  

3. In each tortilla, place a couple spoonfuls of the veggie mixture, a spoonful of salsa, some black beans, shredded cheese, and chopped red onion.  Roll the tortilla and place seam down in the prepared pan.  

4. Once all the tortillas are done, pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the tops and sprinkle with some more cheese.  Cover in tinfoil and place in oven for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted.

5. Top with some green onion and avocado slices.

Enjoy :)

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day! 

Every day is mother's day.  I mean, what would we do without mom's?  Literally, no one would exist!  My mom is pretty amazing and I just wanted to say, I love you!  Bri and I are planning on having brunch with my mommy today and then dinner with his mommy later.  It is going to be a really nice day!  

Here is a round-up of some of my mommy's favorite recipes that I have made in the past:

Oreo Coffee Ice Cream Cake

Skinny Mocha Cupcakes

Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa

Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

Chocolate Chip Banana Cupcakes with Creamy Peanut Butter Frosting

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread

I hope that all the mother's out there have a really great day!

Enjoy :)

Vegetable Fajitas

Well, I just enjoyed some good ol' TGIT time with Grey's and Scandal.  I don't want to give anything away, but I am a little bit in shock...which is basically how I feel at the end of every Thursday after watching these shows.  I am also pretty pumped that tomorrow is FRIDAY.  And I can finally sleep in and enjoy some relaxation after a LONG week of school.

I am so excited to tell you about another great weeknight meal I have cooked up!  This recipe is so simple and you can make it with whatever you have in the kitchen.  It is a great recipe when you don't have a ton of time, but you want something delicious and healthy.

One of our favorite places to go to is Garcia's in the Lincoln Square area.  It is super yummy, they have great margaritas, and it is super reasonable.  Plus, you end up with leftovers for days.  One of my favorite dishes there is there Vegetarian Fajitas.  They throw in a ton of different vegetables and it is unpredictable every time!

Today, I was at school all day, took an hour train home, ran 4.5 miles and then just about crashed into the couch because I was tired, and I had to watch Grey's Anatomy and Scandal (of course).  Homemade Vegetable Fajitas were easy, quick, and absolutely perfect for dinner!

Vegetable Fajitas

Ingredients:
About 3 cups of vegetables
Here is what I used:
Squash, Zucchini, Mushrooms, Onions, Whole Kernel Corn and Red Peppers
4 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp cumin
pinch cayenne
olive oil
salt and pepper
corn or flour tortillas
Toppings:
Guacamole
Sour Cream/Greek Yogurt
Salsa
Shredded Cheese

Directions:
1. Chop vegetables and heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add in the onions and garlic first and cook until the onions become translucent.  Add in the rest of the veggies and the seasonings and cook until they also become soft and translucent.
3. Create your fajitas with your tortillas and any toppings you want.

Enjoy :)

Ingredients:

Zucchini Lasagna

I'm pretty excited about this recipe because I just made it up!  Everyone has been so zucchini crazy lately and Bri wanted to make a lasagna, so I combined the two!  This recipe was so easy and we ended up with tons of delicious left overs.  I used the lasagna noodles that you need to boil first, but you can use the no-boil kind as well.  I just think that the boil ones taste a little better.  This is such an awesome way to use up all that great zucchini that is in season!

Zucchini Lasagna

Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini, grated and squeezed dry
12 oz light ricotta
1 egg
8 oz light mozzarella
your favorite tomato sauce
salt and pepper
lasagna noodles
parmesan, grated

Directions:
1. Cook lasagna noodles according to directions and drain.
2. In a bowl, combine the zucchini, ricotta, egg, and mozzarella cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. In a 9 by 13 inch pan, spread some tomato sauce on the bottom. Lay down a layer of lasagna noodles.  Spread some of the ricotta mixture over the noodles and then spread a layer of tomato sauce.  Repeat this process until you reach the top of your pan.  End with a layer of noodles.  Top with some tomato sauce and sprinkle on some parmesan cheese.
4. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Enjoy :)

5 Courses to Celebrate 5 Years

August, 3rd: Bri and I had a really great year.  One year ago, we moved into our apartment and celebrated our 4-year anniversary.  Now, we have been living together for a year and are on year 5 of our relationship!  It has been really great and I am so appreciative for all the amazing times we have experienced together.  To celebrate year 5, I thought it would be cute to cook dinner together and have 5 courses in honor of 5 years.  We shared this amazing meal and watched a movie and it was a quiet and lovely anniversary.

Zucchini Soup

Strawberry Poppyseed Salad

Whole Wheat Gnocchi with Feta and Peas in a Brown Butter Balsamic Sauce

Toasty Parmesan Tomatoes

Creme Brûlée Cupcakes

Zucchini Soup

Zucchini Soup
(adapted from Skinnytaste)

Ingredients: 
3 medium zucchini, cut into 1-2 inch chunks
1/2 sweet onion, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves
salt and pepper
32 oz vegetable broth
3 tbsp nonfat, plain greek yogurt
cornstarch (optional)

Directions:
1. Place broth, zucchini chunks, onion chunks, and minced garlic into a large pot.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer and cover and cook for 20 minutes.
2. Pour mixture into a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour back into the pot and stir in the greek yogurt.  If the mixture is too watery, add about a tsp of cornstarch and stir until it thickens.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy :)

Healthy Vegetarian Soup

Oh my! It has been a while! I became super wrapped up with camp and running!

Today is the last day of camp! I could not have asked for a nicer summer.  Everyone I work with has been great and camp has run super smoothly.  All the kids are so much fun! Just yesterday, I played dodgeball so much that now my arm hurts! Today I am brining in Inception Cookies for all the staff members to thank them for one awesome summer!

My marathon training is also off to a great start.  This weekend I am running 13 miles (a half marathon) and I am officially entering week 9 of my 18 week program.  I have been running my long runs on weekends with a group called CARA.  This group has really helped me to have fun and run better because of it.  I am running with the 10:00 minute mile pace group.  Every Saturday, we meet at 6 a.m. and run as a pack.  It's great because we get to chat about our lives/running/whatever and it makes the runs go so much faster.  Plus, since we start early, we beat the heat and get home with our whole Saturday still in front of us.  I can't believe I'm already halfway through the training and I know it is going to get pretty intense here on out.  I will keep you posted!

Today I am sharing a really great healthy, vegetarian recipe.  I have been trying to shed a few pounds this summer and get in shape and this soup helped me to do that! Plus, it is great to make a huge batch of because the leftovers are awesome and I like having something planned out to take in for lunch.

Healthy Vegetarian Soup
(adapted from Favorite Family Recipes)

Ingredients:
2 containers of vegetable stock
3 cups low-sodium V-8 juice
2 cans Italian diced tomatoes
1 onion, copped
3 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz mushrooms, sliced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
2 cups fresh green beans, chopped
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3-4 cups shredded cabbage (I used red)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In a large frying pan, sprayed with olive oil spray, sauté the chopped onion with the garlic over medium heat.  After about 5 minutes, add in the carrots and mushrooms.  Continue cooking over medium heat until vegetables soften (about 5 minutes).
2. In a large crock-pot, pour in the vegetable stock and V-8 juice.  Add in the sautéed vegetables and the rest of the ingredients.  Cook on high for 3-4 hours or until the cabbage has softened.

Enjoy :)

Slow-Cooker Minestrone Soup

I've been really into soup lately.  It is great to have when it is so freaking cold out and it is a super easy lunch for me to take to school.  Since Bri is a vegetarian and since I am always so busy, I have started looking for vegetarian soup recipes that I can make in my crock-pot.  This way, it is a low maintenance meal and we end up with tons of leftovers.

Minestrone soup is one of my favorites and this recipe is just like the Olive Garden minestrone.  It is vegetarian and the noodles and beans make it a filling meal.  Plus, you can make it in a crock pot!  It is perfect!

Slow-Cooker Minestrone Soup
(adapted from Cooking Classy)

Ingredients:
32 oz vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups water
2 14.5 oz cans low-sodium diced tomatoes
3 stalks celery, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 small zucchini, diced
1 1/2 cups small shell pasta, whole wheat
5 cloves garlic, minced
15 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz can cannellini beans, drained rinsed
14.5 oz can green beans, drained
2 cups packed baby spinach
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Add vegetable stock, water, diced tomatoes, celery, carrots, onion, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and sugar to your slow cooker.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
2.  Add in zucchini, pasta, garlic, kidney beans, cannellini beans, green beans, and spinach.  Cook for another 40 minutes on high or until pasta is tender.  Season more with salt and pepper if needed.  Serve with shredded parmesan on top.

Enjoy :)

Bibimbap

Well, Happy New Year! I can't believe 2014 is here.  2013 was always such an important year in my mind because of my graduation, job search, and move to a new apartment.  Growing up, I always thought of myself as a member of the "Class of 2013."  I never really thought about 2014, but here it is!

In the spirit of New Years Resolutions, I am trying to be healthy and happy in this new year.  While I'm not sure that I believe in hard-core dieting to lose weight, I do want to focus on maintaining my health and keeping up my workout routine.  I downloaded a cool app yesterday that encourages a healthy lifestyle.  It is called Lose It! and it is about weight loss.  You log what you eat and how you exercise.  What I like about the app is that it creates a calorie budget for you based on your age, height, and weight.  Then, you get to set your personal goals, join communities, and record your progress.  I like that this app is personalized and allows me to create a totally manageable goal.  I don't want to do anything extreme, just stay healthy and this app is great for that purpose.  Plus, this app is available for iPhone and Droid as well as a website if you don't want to get the app!

In the spirit of healthy choices, today's recipe is super healthy and easily adapted for any diet.  Bri and I made this to use up a ton of veggies that we had on hand and it ended up being a fantastic meal!

Bibimbap
(adapted from Snapfood)

Ingredients:
2 cups brown rice, cooked according to directions
sesame oil
light soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
assorted fresh vegetables, your favorites!
(I used mushrooms, green onions, shredded carrots, zucchini, spinach and sweet onion)
2 eggs

Directions:
1. All you have to do is sauté the veggies in the sesame and soy sauce.  Use as much oil as you like, less if you want to be healthier!
2. Serve mixed vegetables on top of the cooked brown rice in a bowl.  Top with a fried egg, more soy sauce, and siracha (to taste).

Enjoy :)

Tomato Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tart

I just had my first day of new teacher training!  It was a really great day and it made me feel less overwhelmed about school starting.  I was able to meet my mentor and talk with her and another math teacher.  I had tons of questions and they probably think I'm slightly silly, but it was great to be able to ask those questions.  I also listened to some great advice about classroom management and the first day of school.  Both of these topics gave me some confidence in that I know about them and have a sense of what I believe and they made me nervous because I am going to need to adjust based on my classes!  I wish I could know my students, but I know that will come soon enough.  We also took a tour in a school bus of the entire district and I was amazed at how much land is encompassed!  Finally, I got my school ID!  I am officially official!  I still have two more days of training and I am just grateful to have so much time in the school and around more of the teachers.

Today I have a yummy vegetarian recipe that I made the other day to use up some fresh veggies!  I saw this tart recipe on Recipe Girl and adapted it slightly based on my taste.  The dough is almost exact and it was great.  The veggies and cheese are what I was in the mood for!

Tomato Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tart

Ingredients:
For the Crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/3 cup nonfat buttermilk
For the Filling:
1/2 onion, cut into thin strips
8 oz herbed goat cheese
1/2 zucchini, sliced
1/2 squash, sliced
1 large tomato, sliced
fresh basil
salt and pepper
olive oil

Directions:
1. In a food processor, process the flour, cornmeal, salt, and sugar.  Continue to process as you add in the butter.  Slowly pour in the buttermilk and continue to process until dough forms into a ball.
2. On a piece of parchment paper, roll out the ball of dough until you have a round piece about 11 inches in diameter.  Carefully, place the rolled out dough into your tart pan and trim the sides.
3. Preheat oven to 350
4. Placed sliced onion into a pan with olive oil and sautee until onions become translucent and soften.  Sprinkle onions on the tart.
5.  Crumble the goat cheese over the onions and then top with sliced zucchini, squash, and tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper and top with fresh basil.
6. Place in oven and let bake for 45 minutes.  Cheese will be melted and crust will become slightly browned

Enjoy :)

Gluten Free Carrot Zucchini Muffins

It's the weekend! Finally! This week of camp seemed to go on FOREVER and I am so excited to rest for a bit.  Of course I didn't sleep in today, but I have been having a great weekend so far!

I went downtown to the Taste of Chicago last night and it was a blast!  My two friends and I tasted a ton of stuff because we shared everything!  The food was great and I can't wait to share here what I tried.

Today I'm not sure what I will be up to, but tonight my friend Alyson is turing 21 and we are all going downtown to celebrate!!  I can't wait to celebrate the special birthday girl and I am super duper excited.

Today I have a fun Gluten Free recipe to share that is perfect for breakfast or as a yummy snack.  I saw Giada make these Gluten Free Carrot Zucchini Muffins while working out one day and I just had to make them.  I adapted the recipe slightly to fit with the ingredients I had lying around and they were amazing!  I brought these in for my camp counselors as a breakfast treat and they were a huge hit!

Gluten Free Carrot Zucchini Muffins

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 heaping tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup light maple syrup
1 egg
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
1 medium zucchini, grated
1/2 cup dried blueberries or chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a mini muffin pan with liners.
2. Drain the zucchini by placing the grated zucchini on a paper towel, wrapping it in the paper towels, and squeezing dry. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the egg with the canola oil and maple syrup.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.  Pour dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.  Mix in the carrot and zucchini.  Mix in the blueberries.
5.  Fill muffin wells almost to the top.  Bake for 15-18 minutes.  Let cool completely.

Enjoy :)

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread

I just read a really excellent book.  Yeah, that's right, I read occasionally too.  I don't know how I find time, but I make myself read a little bit of a book every night before I go to sleep.  This helps me relax and it makes me feel really good to do something for myself and by myself.  It's a nice way to end the day.

My mom suggested I read this one and it was fantastic.  I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good read.  It's called 1000 White Women and it was based on true journals of a woman who marries a Native American.  It was a remarkable story.

Also, I recently made the best Zucchini Bread of my entire life and I am quite excited about it.  Bri and I got some fresh zucchinis from the farmers market and then made zucchini bread! It was delicious, healthy, and the perfect way to use up some fresh produce.  So, go out and get this book, make this bread, and read while it's in the oven.  Sometimes we need to do that sort of stuff because its just good for you!

Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup non-fat, plain greek yogurt
2 medium zucchini

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, beat both sugars with the greek yogurt.  Beat in the eggs until well combined.
4.  Grate the zucchini and then place on a paper towel.  Wrap towel around the grated zucchini and squeeze to remove as much moisture as you can.
5.  Beat dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.  Stir in zucchini.
6. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy :)

Spring Break! St. Louis Adventures

It's Spring Break! I am finally off on Spring Break and I couldn't be more ready to relax.  I left for St. Louis on Friday and I have been having an amazing weekend.  Of course, I kept up with my running and this week officially starts the beginning of my 10-Week Half Marathon Training Schedule! I even got in a 7.5 mile run through beautiful Forest Park before St. Louis got hit with a crazy snowstorm! But anyways...

Friday was great because I got to just chill with Bri before heading off to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory with a bunch of his friends.  After, we hit up FroYo for some great dessert.  I know you must think I am crazy for skipping the cheesecake for froyo, but I just can't handle a dessert that rich.  I know I'm lame, but I wanted to do something light and healthy.  Maybe next time I will splurge a little.

On Saturday, after my 7.5 mile run, Bri and I got ready to head out and check out the Soulard Farmers Market.  It was a ton of fun.  We had yummy mini donuts, bought a ton of produce to make dinner and dessert (more on that later) and then found a great place for lunch!

We had lunch at Blues City Deli.  This was great because they had awesome vegetarian options (I got the Cheese Po Boy and it was amazing) and we heard some great live music! After lunch it was off for a few groceries to complete our dinner.  We planned on Homemade Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers with a Spicy Chipotle Avocado Sauce and Zucchini Bread for dessert.

Dinner was a hit.  We had a ton of food leftover for Sunday night dinner and then some! Plus, it was so cheap with all those veggies from the farmers market! After dinner, we got ready to go out and check out a great bar in the area with a bunch of friends.

We went to the Flying Saucer Draught Emporium.  It was right by Busch Stadium and had a crazy huge selection of beer as well as wine and other drinks! I got to try two new ciders and both were great.  Then, of course, I got super tired and we came home.

Sunday turned out to be quite snowy.  I woke up and did a little work out in the apartment, and then Bri and I went to Jilly's Cupcake Bar and Cafe for an amazing brunch! It was $15 dollars a person and it included drinks, an all-you-can-eat buffet and a dessert bar.  Oh my it was awesome.  The food was great (definitely get the scrambled eggs and 6-cheese macaroni) and then dessert was fantastic.  They even had a make-your-own cupcake table.  We left pleasantly stuffed and headed home for a cozy "snowed in" Sunday filled with movies and leftovers.

Now, it's time for me to head home for a nice week off from school! Happy Spring Break!