Chai-Spiced Pear and Walnut Muffins

I came home to celebrate Christmas with two thoughts on my mind: pears and chai. I wanted to bake something that would taste sweet while still being somewhat wholesome (since I knew that I would be eating too many holiday treats this week anyway) for Christmas Eve morning. With so many tantalizing baked goods being passed around during the holiday season, I was overwhelmed by what I wanted to make: cookies? cake? bread? cupcakes? scones? Instead of carefully planning my recipe ahead of time, I just started dumping dry ingredients into one bowl and wet ingredients into another (under normal circumstances, this would turn into one big baking fiasco). By the time everything was mixed together, I realized that I had made the perfect dough for muffins...mini muffins to be exact.

Although I had made and taste-tested these little bites of goodness the night before, they were perfect on the morning of Christmas Eve. I knew I didn't want a heavy breakfast, so I had two (okay, maybe three) of these mini muffins so that I wouldn't be famished before my family's Christmas dinner that afternoon.

I started the muffin-making process by adding three peeled and diced pears to a sauce pan, adding about 2 tablespoons of agave nectar and cooking the mixture on medium heat for about 25-30 minutes. My goal was to make a pear sauce (think applesauce) to act as moisture in the muffins, while also adding that subtle pear flavor. After cooking the pears until they were very soft, I transferred them to a bowl and mashed the chunks with a fork. If the mixture appears too dry while cooking, feel free to add a half of a cup of water to the pan. The pears will become a slightly golden color, but should not brown.

Power Smoothie

With the sunshine disappearing earlier every day, I have been feeling the need for a little energy boost. No, I'm not talking caffeine...I'm talking fruit, people.

In an attempt to stave off the winter blues before they even start, I made myself a nutritious (and delicious!) power smoothie. Nothing says energy like the combination of raspberries, mango, orange, banana, and fresh ginger.

The trick to making a smoothie with the right consistency lies in the ratio of frozen fruits to regular-temperature fruits. Master that little secret and you will make tasty smoothies no matter what the ingredients.

Ingredients (makes about 2 servings):
1 banana
1 orange
juice from half a lime
3/4 cup frozen mango chunks
1 handful frozen raspberries
1 inch fresh minced ginger
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1/2 cup milk (I used unsweetened coconut milk)

Directions:
Plop ingredients into a blender, combine until smooth. ¡Fácil!

Grapefruit Morning

Breathe in. Breathe out. Ahhhhhhh...it's Friday morning and I have the day off of work. I slept in, practiced some yoga, and prepared broiled grapefruit for breakfast.

Did you know that the grapefruit is actually a hybrid fruit? According to On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen, the grapefruit "originated as a hybrid of the sweet orange and pummelo in the Caribbean in the 18th century" (McGee 376). I had no idea! Maybe it's just me, but I've always frowned upon "hybrid" fruits (like the grapple--looks like an apple, tastes like a grape) because they seem so unnatural. As it turns out, lots of fruits were once hybrids. Maybe I will have to give the grapple another try...but not today.

In college, my roommates and I used to steal grapefruits from the cafeteria. We would carefully peel the membrane from each segment and eat them as a snack just plain. Some people do not like the bitter taste of grapefruits, and I'll admit, the flavor does take some getting used to. I happen to love grapefruits, but had never broiled one before until this morning.

I am going to throw out a word of caution about grapefruits...they are packed full of vitamin C and antioxidants, but if you pile mounds of sugar on top of them, the citrus fruit ceases to be healthy. If you find the fruit too bitter for your tasting, add tiny bits of agave nectar or honey to curb the bite.

To make broiled grapefruit, set the oven to broil. Then cut a grapefruit horizontally and use a knife to slice around each segment. Slicing the fruit before cooking will make eating it all that much easier. Then sprinkle 1/4 of a teaspoon of nutmeg, and about a 1 teaspoon of minced ginger onto the grapefruit halves. Broil for 5-8 minutes and enjoy. :) Adding cinnamon, honey, agave nectar, or a dollop of plain Greek yogurt would be delicious as well. 

I don't know if this citation is necessary, but the English major inside of me couldn't wait to write it:

McGee, Harold. On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. New York: Scribner, 2004. Print.

Winter Sweets and a Holiday Soirée

  

When my lovely roommates and I decided to throw a little holiday soirée, I was delighted that we chose the first of December as our date. December is one of those months that flies by in a flash -- one minute I am making a list of gifts to purchase for my family, and the next I have a sparkly tiara on my head ringing in the new year. By hosting our party on the first, we now have several weeks to relax and take in all the joys this month has to offer.

With the aid of this recipe I was able to craft some gorgeous (and delicious, even if I do say so myself) speculoos button cookies. I found the metallic-colored decorative pearls and gold sugar sprinkles at a Michael's, for those of you wondering.

 

I would recommend making the dough a few days ahead of time, since it needs to be frozen anyway. These cookies were small, lightly spiced, and surprisingly chewy (not crunchy at all!). In my mind, crackers are crunchy and cookies should be soft...but that's just my personal taste.

Along with the cookies, I whipped together some vegan truffles (yay, vegan!) made of dates, crushed hazelnuts, coconut, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and a touch of espresso.

The recipe I used was based on these Choco-Almond Truffles. I substituted hazelnuts for the almonds and added espresso because...well, because I just dig espresso. After combining all the ingredients, I formed the truffles and rolled them in finely chopped hazelnuts, shaved coconut, and cocoa powder.