Michigan Chocolate Cherry Bread

This bread is super moist and loaded with cherries.  It’s pretty healthy too because it has so many fresh cherries, bananas and I replaced half of the white flour with wheat flour which gives the bread some more fiber.  I love making this for Summer adventure retreats because cherries are in season and abundant.  They are so good for you too!  The chocolate in the bread adds a layer of decadence and just one big slice it is the perfect morning fuel for a long hike.  I want to try it with a gluten free flour and when I do I will let you know how it goes!  Enjoy!

Ingredients

3 ripe bananas, mashed
4 Tbsp butter softened
¼ cup vanilla Greek yogurt
¾ c light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup chopped fresh cherries
2 Tbsp flour
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Peel and mash the bananas.  Stir in the egg, butter, yogurt and brown sugar and mix until well combined.  Combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and stir just until combined. Do not overmix.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Toss cherries with two tablespoons of flour and fold into batter.  Grease a 9 in x 5 in loaf pan and then pour the mixture in.  Let the bread bake for about 50-6- minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing.  Enjoy!

Whole-Wheat Yogurt Strawberry Pancake Stacks

(Serves 6)

I served this breakfast a lot while working at The Clifton House Bed & Breakfast.  It has been a hit as well on retreats.  It is a fun and whimsical breakfast because the strawberries are stacked between the pancakes and the fresh whipped cream is thick, making for a fluffy and fantastic looking topper. Be sure to make fresh whipped cream.  It is so much better than store bought whipped cream.  I hope you enjoy!!

1 Cup flour
1 Cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 or 3 Tbsp sugar
2 eggs
1/3 Cup oil
2 Cups yogurt (use any kind)
1 Cup heavy cream, chilled
1/4-1/2 Cup sugar, to taste
1 pint strawberries, thinly sliced

Place a large bowl, preferable metal, plus whisk in the freezer for at least 20 minutes (this is for the whipped cream).  Mix flour with remaining dry ingredients.  Make a well in the middle and add eggs + oil + yogurt.  Fold all ingredients together.  Let batter sit while you make the whipping cream.  Remove the bowl and whisk from the freezer.  Pour heavy cream into bowl and begin to whip cream either with hand held whisk or a kitchen aid.  Whip, adding sugar gradually until stiff peaks form.  This takes a few minutes.  Meanwhile, heat the griddle.  Pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot, greased griddle. Flip when you see bubbling around the edges.  Cook 2-3 minutes on each side. Repeat with remaining pancakes.  Remove pancakes to a baking sheet and keep warm in a 200 degree oven if needed.  Serve each pancake stacked with strawberry slices and top with whipped cream.  Serve with maple syrup as well if desired.  

Quinoa Veggie Muffin Bites

1/2 Cup white quinoa
1/4 Cup red quinoa
1 1/2 Cups water
1 Cup broccoli, chopped
1/4 Cup shallots, diced
1/4 Cup carrot, grated
1 scallion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon grainy mustard
salt, pepper and sweet paprika to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a small pot, bring the mix of red and white quinoa and water to a boil.  Reduce heat, close with a lid, and simmer until quinoa is light and fluffy (about 15 minutes). Set aside to cool.  When the quinoa is cooled, place it in a bowl.  Add the remaining ingredients and fold until evenly combined.  Add salt, pepper and sweet paprika.  Scoop the mixture into a lightly greased min-muffin tin.  Pop in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are slightly browned and the bites hold together.  Serve with a dip like greek yogurt with garlic and dill.  
 

Chia Seed & Cornmeal Waffles

I found this recipe on The No Meat Athlete's website and tweaked it a bit to simplify the recipe.  They have fabulous recipes!  (Serves 4)

3/4 cup medium to finely ground cornmeal
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup quick oats
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup hemp milk
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat waffle iron.

Stir together the cornmeal, chia, oats, salt and baking powder.   In a separate bowl, mix together the applesauce, hemp milk, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla.  (The coconut oil needs to be at warm temperature or warmer to mix, so you may need to microwave it to get it to a liquid state.)

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry to combine into a smooth batter.  Spray the waffle iron with baking spray even if it is nonstick, and pour batter into hot iron and cook through.  These waffles take extra long to cook.  The waffles I cooked took twice as long.  

Carefully remove waffles from iron, respray with cooking spray, and repeat.  

To enjoy immediately, top with maple syrup and the fruits of your choice.  I served this on the "Love Yourself" Hocking Hills Adventure weekend with Tea Poached Pears.  It was perfection!  Alternatively, slice into bars, freeze and take on your next run, hike or walk!

Chocolate Grapes

This is the perfect Valentine's dessert.  You can pop them in the mouth without guilt AND they are deliciously easy.  ENJOY!

1 lb cold, firm seedless grapes, stems removed
4 oz 60% semisweet chocolate, melted in double boiler
1 to 2 Tbsp cocoa powder

Dry the grapes well and place them in a bowl large enough to toss them easily.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add the chocolate to the grapes about 1 Tbsp at a time, stirring well with a spatula, carefully scraping the sides of the bowl and folding through the center of the grapes to coat all of them evenly.

When the chocolate begins to set, using a small strainer, sprinkle the cocoa powder little by little over the surface.  Gently toss or stir the grapes as you sift continuing to add the cocoa powder until al of the grapes are coated and separated.  Spread on the prepared sheet.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the chocolate is set, or for up to 1 day.

Pear Oatmeal Cookies

Hey Everyone!  These cookies are so awesome for breakfast after a run or hike.  They are easy to make, not too sweet and pretty healthy!  I cut out half of the brown sugar in this recipe, so if you aren't concerned about the sweetness or sugar content of the cookie feel free to add it back in.  I actually made them with my niece and nephew over the weekend.  It was a fun activity to do with the kiddos.  Griffin is 8 years old and helped measure out the dry ingredients.  I also taught him to crack an egg!  Still a little work to do, but he had fun ;)  I chopped the pear and Olivia, who is 5 years old, helped stir everything together.  I formed the cookies which was a little difficult, but the trick is to press them firmly into an ice cream scoop and then turn them out onto a greased cookie sheet.  I think they are best after placing them in a sealed container and eating them the next day.  Guilty confession: I put them in a container and have been carting them around with me in the car so that post run or hike I have something to eat!  They are the perfect treat!  The pear chunks keep the cookies moist with little bursts of flavor.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup coconut oil
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2  tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon, ground
1/4 cup whole wheat flour or almond flour
1 1/2 cup old fashion oats
1 pear, diced small 

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 1 baking sheet & set aside.  In glass, microwaveable measuring cup add coconut oil and heat until melted.  Allow to cool and add egg and vanilla.  Mix oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon a large separate bowl.  Combine wet and dry ingredients and finally stir in pears.  Using a large cookie scoop (I used 3 tbsp. capacity scoop), scoop out the dough and pat it into the scoop to form a firm cookie. Place onto prepared baking sheet, spaced about 2" apart. I put 12 cookies on one baking sheet.  Bake in oven for 10-20 minutes, until bottom of cookie turns lightly brown. Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes; Enjoy immediately or place in containers and enjoy the next day.  I like them the next day!

Guinness Pear Bread

This recipe is awesome!  I was drawn to it because I thought it was beautiful!  The trick is to use a knife to lose then the edges of the bread from the pan after removing from the oven and then refrigerate the bread before removing it from the pan so the loaf doesn't fall apart.  This bread is a whole meal, so eat a big piece!!  I will be serving this on The Winter Wonderland Hocking Hills Yoga, Hiking & Food Adventure this year!

3 pears, peeled
6 Tbsp butter, softened
3/4 Cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 Cup guinness beer
1/4 Cup maple syrup
1/2 Cup sour cream
1 Cup white flour
2/4 Cup wheat or almond flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Slice off part of the bottom of each pear.  Poach pears.  Place pears in a strainer that fits in a large boiling pot.  Bring water to a boil, lower to a simmer and place strainer in pot.  Poach pears about 30 minutes and then cool.  Preheat oven.  Beat butter and brown sugar in a mixer until mixed.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Separately combine guinness, maple syrup and sour cream.  In another bowl combine flour, baking soda, powder and salt.  Add alternatively the guinness mixture and the flour mixture to the butter mixture.  Oil a bread pan.  Pour batter in bread pan.  Brush the bottom of each pear with a little flour and plunge each pear into the bread pan.  Bake for 50 minutes or until bread is cooked through.  Remove from the oven, cool and use a knife to loosen from the edges.  DO NOT REMOVE UNTIL COMPLETELY COOLED.  Place bread in the fridge to completely cool and gel.  Then you can remove the bread from the pan.  ENJOY!
 

Crunchy Pear & Celery Salad

This salad is super refreshing in the Winter when you might not be drinking enough water.  I don't know about you, but I can't seem to get enough water in my body.  This salad is so nourishing and delicious.  I tweaked the original recipe by omitting the cheese.  So, if you want to be decadent you could add grated cheese of your choosing!  Pears are loaded with antioxidants and are anti-inflammatory.  Pears may reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.  The skin of the pear is loaded with nutrients, so don't skip it!  Be sure to include the skin in the recipe.  

2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
4 celery stalks, chopped
2 pears, diced
1/2 Cup chopped pecans

Place honey, vinegar and salt in a bowl and mix together.  Add remaining ingredients and toss. Enjoy on it's own or you can serve on a bed of lettuce.  Yum!  Yum!