Knead to Cook

Food & fitness obsessed girl.

Healthy Zucchini Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Drizzle.

by Filed Under: Breads, Breakfast, Brunch, Cakes, Quick Bread, Vegetarian Leave a Comment

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With an abundance of zucchini in my kitchen and a desire to use my brand new bundt pan – I thought I would whip up a fun, yet healthy, zucchini cake with a cream cheese drizzle to make Monday dinner fun!  It worked.  The pretty cake was met with many oohhhh’s and ahhhh’s.

I’ll be honest, although I haven’t tried it, I’m quite certain this recipe would work beautifully as muffins or as a loaf of bread too.  I removed the oil from my recipe all together and lessened the sugar- added some honey and I have to tell you – my critics, ummm my family, loved it.  I still don’t think I’m the best at drizzling icing (I’m not a fan of icing) but you can work it however you prefer or just dust it with some powdered sugar as another option.  Healthy enough to eat for breakfast too!

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— Knead to Cook

Healthy strawberry banana pancakes.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Vegetarian, Yogurt 2 Comments

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I have been tapering my runs back this week because I’m running in a race this Sunday.  With that, short runs allow me to be home earlier so I can get to cracking on breakfast for my girls before they head off to school. Yesterday I made these and they loved them. You can use the fruit you have on hand.  This recipe is very versatile and forgiving!  These also store beautifully in the fridge for several days so breakfast isn’t a concern on the busy school mornings.

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— Knead to Cook

Honey Dijon Herbed Raspberry Turkey Tenderloin.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Chicken, Condiments, Gluten Free, Grilling, Grilling/Rubs/Sauces, Product Review., Turkey, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

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Maille mustards are my favorite.  Honestly, it’s all we use in our house.  The flavors and unparalleled and always yield the perfect result in my cooking, sauces or dips.  I was so excited when Maille reached out to me and asked me to create some recipes for them.  I do have some recipes on my website and this one is by far my standard, go-to, obsessed and can’t live without balsamic garlic bread dip.  This recipe I’m sharing today was a bit of a departure from how I typically use mustard and I have to say, it was so good!  My kids, husband and father alike couldn’t get enough for the sweet and savory combination of flavors.

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— Knead to Cook

Healthy Snacking Pumpkin Bars.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Holiday, Holiday Baking Ideas, Snacks, Thanksgiving, Yogurt 9 Comments

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Today I threw caution to the wind and decided to get back into the kitchen, regardless of finger pain.  I have to be honest… I’ve been going through serious withdrawal!  I kept vacillating on cooking/baking because I’m being so cautious with moving my finger but I can’t do it anymore!   So after my workout, taxing to school, doc appointment and walk with the dog I got to it.  And I cooked and baked until I had to leave to pick my daughter up and I have to tell you – it felt so good!  I felt like myself, finally!

To celebrate the first full day of fall that meant apple and pumpkin cooking in my kitchen.  I made my muffin pan mini apple pies because my family wouldn’t let up on how good they were (a big ol’ hint for me to make more) and these pumpkin bars.  I wanted a nice moist bar without added butter and less sugar than the typical bar recipes.  I wanted these for breakfast to-go ideas and for after-school snacking.  They are just perfect and totally portable.
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— Knead to Cook

Muffin Pan Mini Apple Pies.

by Filed Under: 4th of July/Patriotic, Brunch, Desserts, Holiday, Holiday Baking Ideas, Party Foods, Pies, Snacks, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, Vegetarian 15 Comments

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Get your fork ready…

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Yesterday  made me stop and really examine the last two weeks of my life.  I’m unsure if I’ve been really blessed (I’m leaning towards this) or someone is out there gunning for me.  Two weeks ago I had a fairly routine operation on my finger resulting in a case of staph infection that landed me in the hospital with IV antibiotics and another surgery to flush out any remaining staph bacteria.  The worse case scenario, the docs told me was that I would have a pic line installed and have to go to the hospital every single day for IV antibiotics for 30 days.  Thank heavens this wasn’t the case.  I walked out of the hospital with oral antibiotics and have been healing up, dealing with the pain of the surgery.  This, the docs said was because I was in great shape and I’m very healthy.  Okay great.  Plus, I have been granted permission upon discharge to continue training, something very important to me and my mental health.  I gain great enjoyment from working out and it is a simple way of keeping the endorphins flowing and me happy.  Win!  Win!  So yesterday I headed out about 5:20 am for a ten mile run.  I’m training for a half marathon that I have yet to determine (yes, I need to get on this).  As I just hit the 9 mile mark, very close to my home, a car that didn’t see me (because the driver wasn’t looking in my direction) hit me.  I was fortunate to act fast and catapult myself over his hood and land on the other side of the car.  It all happened in slow motion.  I landed on my feet and was partially in shock that this happened and that he was driving away!  He then must’ve got a glimpse of me running towards the car and stopped.  His comment “I never even saw you.”  Are you kidding me?  I turned and ran home finishing my ten miles in record time and a bit in shock.  Long story short, I walked away from a car hitting me. I remember my hands on the hood of the car and thinking is this for real?  The engine roaring underneath my palms, I was blessed with the thought of jumping on the hood an getting legs out of the way. I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried.  So I’m going with blessed!  I escaped two situations that could’ve left me very injured or even dead.  So what did I do… I shook it off, relished my ten mile run and made mini pies for my family.  One-handed I might add.

I really prefer to live under the radar but lately that’s been quite difficult!

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— Knead to Cook

Whole Wheat Gnocchi with Brown Butter Sage Sauce.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Cheese, Italian-inspired, Pasta, Vegetarian 1 Comment

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I love gnocchi.  Always have.  It was the one pasta I always ordered when we went out to dinner with my family as a child and now even as an adult.  Funny, now my kids love it too!  I thought I would mix it up and not make the traditional red sauce and opted to do a brown butter sage sauce.  I have a ton of sage in my garden that I want to use it before the chilly weather takes it away from me.  The pasta, using whole wheat flour, definitely yielded a heavier gnocchi versus a traditional all-purpose flour that is lighter and airier so I will leave that up to you.  Buon appetito!

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— Knead to Cook

Sweet Potato, Pear and Sage Soup.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Featured, Fruit, Soups, Stocks/Broths, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian, Vitamix, Wheat Free 12 Comments

 

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As many of you know I was unfortunately down and out last week.  I had surgery on my finger the week prior and contracted a staph infection that landed me back in the hospital this past week hooked up to IV’s.  I’m so thankful to be home surrounded by family and good friends.  Boy the things we take for granted!  Despite my finger being bandaged and unable to really get in the kitchen and cook up a storm – I have to rely on my wonderful husband to help me, which he gladly obliged!  After my run on Sunday we whipped this up (had just picked up some fresh sweet potatoes and pears) and thought it would be the perfect dish on our first chill-in-the-air fall feeling Sunday.  It turned out beautifully and even my pickiest loved it.  Winner!

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— Knead to Cook

The best clean eating granola bars.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Desserts, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Nuts, Snacks, Vegetarian 23 Comments

 

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My youngest starts her new school on Tuesday!  Wait, where did the summer go?  Ha!  Well I’ve had healthy snacking ideas on the brain as this time of year approaches and whipped up a batch of these clean eating granola bars that you can customize to your taste or exactly what your kids love!  Face it, granola bars from the grocery store are packed with ingredients that you can’t pronounce or don’t want to eat.  So why eat it?  These bars take minutes to make and last all week or longer (in the freezer).  These are the best tasting granola bars you’ll taste, I promise!!  Snacking, breakfast on-the-go… perfect.  Mine are chilling now and I can’t wait to have one.

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— Knead to Cook

Banana Peanut Butter Yogurt Smoothie with a twist.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Fruit, Gluten Free, No bake/cooking required!, Smoothies, Snacks, Vegetarian, Vitamix, Wheat Free, Yogurt 4 Comments

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Can’t get your kids to eat “good” foods?  How about sneaking them in to what they love?  I posted a recipe for a smoothie a few months ago that had an avocado in it and I had several people email me questioning the taste and my sanity.  Ha!  Then they tried it on their 2, 3 and 4 year olds and guess what… the kids were asking for more!  Now I don’t go telling my kids what I put in their smoothies because then they would complain or not drink them.  Today was the perfect example… my oldest daughter went to the gym yesterday to workout with my 75 year old dad.  He kicked her tush!  I got a text this morning that stated simply “I’m broken.”  Ha ha.  Now, I shouldn’t laugh but every day of my life I have a sore muscle or muscles.  The constant pursuit of fitness will yield these results.  So with a chuckle, I knew I had to make her a nice big protein smoothie to help her sore muscles rebuild.  She, along with the workers that I have in my house today installing our pool table, all gobbled it down and loved it.  None the wiser of the ingredients!

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— Knead to Cook

Stone fruit gratin.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Desserts, Nuts, Vegetarian Leave a Comment

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Peach season is upon us and I couldn’t be happier!  I seriously get so excited with fresh fruits and veggies of summer.  Plus my husband is allergic to cocoa so I love making a dessert he can enjoy too.  This recipe is as clean-eating as I can get it.  Very little sugar, fruit is sweet enough after all, and I used coconut oil which is more heart-healthy.  I hope you enjoy this recipe.  It takes minutes to make and pairs up perfectly with some French vanilla ice cream.

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— Knead to Cook