I’ve wanted to make this recipe for nearly a year.

I originally had it bookmarked as a Year of the Noodle recipe, but decided it wasn’t complicated enough to count.  I mean, there are only three ingredients and hardly any directions.  Too simple.

But for a quiet weeknight, it’s just right.

You probably have the ingredients in your pantry right now, and it only takes 45 minutes to transform them into a simple but lovely sauce.  Add some fresh shredded basil and grated cheese, and you’ve got a tasty meal.

That’s about all there is to say.  Simple recipe – simple post.

Ingredients

28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium-sized yellow onion, peeled and halved
Salt to taste

Directions

Put the tomatoes, onion and butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer then lower the heat to keep the sauce at a slow, steady simmer for about 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free of the tomatoes. Stir occasionally, crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat, discard the onion, add salt to taste and keep warm while you prepare your pasta.

Serve with spaghetti, with or without grated parmesan cheese to pass.

Source: Smitten Kitchen

I’m going to miss our blender when we are traveling.

It has a nice little pour spout attachment, and crushes ice like butter.  Plus it transforms into our food processor.

Oh man, don’t even get me started on how much I’m going to miss the food processor.  But alas, there are sacrifices that must be made in the name of travel.

Middle class white girl problems, I know.  I’ll hush up about that and instead tell you about the amazing smoothie recipe I’ve perfected over the last few months.  I know the ingredient list looks more like a salad recipe than a smoothie, but trust me, it’s delicious.  Close your eyes and you’ll swear you’re drinking a creamy vanilla shake.  With WAY more health benefits.

It’s perfect for after a workout, a nice addition to breakfast, or late night snack when you realize you haven’t had nearly as many veggies as you meant to during the day.  If you use unsweetened almond milk, it’s even sugar free.

Go make it.  I’m going to go use the food processor for something, anything.

Just because I still can.

Ingredients

3/4 cup almond milk
1 big handful baby spinach
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
1/2 and avocado
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/4 cup ice

Directions

Place items into blender in order listed.  Blend until smooth.  Enjoy!

I’ve been in the car a lot lately.

Driving to prenatal yoga training.  Driving to the mountains for the weekend.  Driving to teach private yoga sessions.  Driving to dentists, chiropractor, and doctor visits.

So.  Much.  Driving.

The worst part about driving so much?  Well, traffic.  But the second worst part is getting HAR* while driving in traffic.

I get really feisty when I’m hungry.  It’s a bad scene.

The only way to bring me back to my calm, even keeled self is with a snack.

These little oatmeal bars/muffins are my new HAR aversion strategy.  Pop one into a Ziplock or Tupperware and keep it in your bag for a quick emergency snack.  They also make a great breakfast if you are running late and have to eat on the go.

You can dress these up with whatever mix ins you like, such as dried fruit, nuts, or chocolate chips.  The oats and flax make them a bit spongy, but also super healthy.  If you’re going to need an emergency snack, why not make it one packed with protein and fiber?

Keep two in your car for longer drives.  Trust me, you’ll arrive at your destination in a far better mood.

(*HAR is an acronym my sister and I coined during a particularly hungry trip to Scandinavia.  It stands for Hunger Aided Rage – that state you go into when you haven’t eaten in a while and get really mean and angry.  It’s not pretty.)

Ingredients

2.5 cups regular rolled oats (not instant oats), divided
3 tbsp chia seed
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp ground flax
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1.5 cups almond milk (or other milk)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener – I used agave)
2 tbsp nut or seed butter
1 banana, chopped small
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
Chocolate chips, dried fruit, or nuts to mix in

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8 inch square pan with two pieces of parchment paper. (Note: I used a muffin tin because I find it easier than cutting them into squares.)

2. In a blender or food processor, blend/process 1 cup of the oats until a flour forms. Or you can just use 1 cup of oat flour.

3. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: oat flour, 1.5 cups rolled oats, chia, flax, baking powder, salt, cinnamon. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: milk, syrup, nut/seed butter, banana, vanilla until no clumps remain. Add wet to dry and stir until combined. Add dry sweetener to taste if desired. Fold in any nuts or dried fruit that you desire.

4. Pour mixture into prepared pan and smooth out. Bake for 35-40 minutes until lightly golden along edge and it springs back slowly when touched. (Muffin tin bake time is about 30 minutes.) Place pan on cooling rack for 10 minutes, carefully remove, and cool on rack before slicing.

Source: Oh She Glows

Do you get to the mountains enough?  I don’t.

We have two mountain weekend trips planned this spring, and I’m looking forward to snowshoeing in the crisp Colorado air.  I’m also looking forward to sitting in a hot tub with a beer after said snowshoe trip.

You know what tastes amazing after both of those activities?  Fresh, homemade pizza.

I’m telling you, it’s the perfect post-mountain meal.  Whip up this perfect pizza dough, top it with your favorites and throw it in the oven.  You can even make the dough before you leave for the day and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to eat.

Simple, fast, satisfying, and excellent for a group.

If you don’t happen to live in the beautiful state of Colorado, have you asked yourself why not?

There are mountains, hot tubs, and homemade pizza here.  I’m just saying.

(If you want to see a photo of the finished product, see this post.)

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 package of dry active yeast
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 cup warm water

Directions

Whisk all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and the warm water and bring it together with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Transfer dough to board and knead by hand for 4-5 minutes until dough becomes smooth.  Transfer dough to a lightly oiled clean bowl and cover it with a kitchen towel. Let it rest for about 1 hour in a dry, warm spot.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees with the pizza stone placed in the middle rack.

Punch down dough with your fist (flour your hands first). Transfer dough to a well floured surface and knead lightly, adding flour as necessary just until it comes together in a ball.

Roll pizza dough on a floured surface into a 12 inch round.  Top pizza as desired.

Bake on pizza stone or cookie sheet until crust is golden and cheese melts.

Source: Pink Bites

Earlier this week a friend stopped by for a quick visit.  I offered him one of these brownies.  He declined, saying it was too early in the morning for brownies.

Um, what?

First of all, who ever put a time frame on when it’s okay to eat brownies?  If you can have pancakes and scones for breakfast, you can have brownies.  Foolishness.

Second of all, I don’t care what time of day it is, you should never turn down the offer of a brownie.  Particularly one with fudge and peanut butter swirled together.

(Unless of course you are allergic to nuts.  Then you get a bye.  I don’t keep epi pens laying around the house.)

Even if you just want me to wrap it up and send it with you to eat at a more reasonable hour.  Trust me, at 2pm you will wish you had one of these yummy delights sitting at your desk.

Foolishness.

If you make this recipe, anticipate a large pan of brownies that is perfect for sharing.  No matter the time of day.

Ingredients

For the Brownies:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
11 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
5 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Peanut Butter Swirl:
½ cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup powdered sugar
1½ cups creamy peanut butter
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9×13-inch glass or light-colored baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and cocoa powder together.

3. Put the chocolate, butter and instant espresso powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature.

4. Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.

5. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

7. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the peanut butter swirl ingredients. Using a spoon, place dollops of the peanut butter mixture all over the top of the brownie batter. Using a butter knife, swirl the chocolate and peanut butter, running the knife crosswise and lengthwise through the batters.

8. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Let the brownies cool completely, then lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into squares and serve.

9. Store at room temperature in an airtight container or wrap with plastic wrap for up to 3 days.

Source: Brown Eyed Baker