Tummy Bug

An update for my miniscule amount of loyal readers:

My poor hubby has a bit of a tummy bug and has wanted to eat barely nothing at all this week, hence my lack of blog entries. With no one to cook for except myself, there really isn't much point in making a substantial dinner. I hope to have him back to full health and full appetite by the weekend!

Stay tuned for post-illness recipes!

Our Wolf Dog, Breeze

Wolves are a frequently misunderstood animal.

And it wasn't until I met my father and mother-in-law's family wolf dog that I began to truly understand and appreciate their beauty, intelligence, and friendliness.

She is an extremely intimidating creature upon first glance, as she stands over five feet tall on her hind legs, but a curiosity and playfulness often get the better of her. A black tip at the end of her tail denotes the pure wolf lineage in her blood and explains her great reliance on pack and family structure. A desperate howl fills the house each time her parents are away and she can only find comfort sitting with a pack sister, me.

Spiritually, wolves represent loyalty, perseverance, and success.

They have long been revered as teachers or pathfinders by Native Americans. They are free spirits who devise security and comfort within a pack and differences in their body language, vocal intonation, and eye contact set each wolf apart from the others. They are a truly majestic animal and should be regarded as such in the wild. The world is a place of life and death. The behavior observed in wild wolves is simply their response to the cycle of life, so let’s leave it that way.

Our Breeze is the friendliest, most playful wolf hybrid that any family could ask for and she means everything to our pack. Each and every day, she becomes a bigger part of our lives and we wouldn't want it any other way.

Give your pet a heartwarming hug and kiss today, because our lives just wouldn't be the same without them!

Carrot Cake Topped with Yogurt and Granola

Two of my favorite cakes to eat and prepare involve grated carrots and zucchini... not only are they incredibly moist and delicious, but you can easily convince yourself of their health factor because they contain vegetables. And it's a great way to use up leftover veggies from your garden, because we all know there's a lot of them lying around this time of year.

I decided to make my version of this recipe even healthier by topping it with yogurt and granola instead of the typical cream cheese frosting. Oftentimes, frosting is too sweet for my taste and I end up scraping it off to enjoy the cake on its own, so yogurt was a perfect substitute. Feel free to add your favorite topping or leave it plain to simply enjoy the moistness and flavor of the cake by itself. However you prefer it, just know the recipe is totally worth it!

Carrot Cake

Recipe adapted from The Crafty Penguin

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
¾ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
½ tsp vanilla
2 carrots, peeled and grated

Line a square 8 x 8 inch cake pan with baking paper and grease the sides. 
Sift the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt) and place in a large mixing bowl.

Add the oil and beat vigorously to combine.
Add the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the vanilla and then fold in the carrots. 
Bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees.
Cool completely on a rack and serve.

Chickpea Egg Salad

[(Hummus - Olive Oil) + Egg Salad] = Chickpea Egg Salad

It may seem like a strange combination of ingredients, but it is a surprisingly tasty lunch option. My priorities when it comes to preparing lunch for myself include, easy, quick, healthy, and delicious meals. This recipe certainly ticks all the boxes and is a great way to use up that extra can of chickpeas in the pantry. The flavor is basically a mix between hummus and egg salad, but with a hint more texture due to the gently crushed chickpeas. Chives add a delicate onion flavor, while the lemon juice really cuts through the richness of the mayonnaise to impart a truly scrumptious taste to the dish.

My psychic palate can definitely taste the beauty and see the flavor in this simple meal. Can yours?

Chickpea Egg Salad

Recipe adapted from A Couple Cooks 

2 eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
1 green onion, finely sliced 
2 tbsp. mayonnaise 
2 tbsp. lemon juice 
1 tsp. chives 
1 tsp. garlic pepper 
salt, to taste

your choice of bread, toasted
olive oil or butter

In a medium bowl, smash the chickpeas with a fork until they reach a desired consistency.
Combine the chickpeas with the eggs, mayonnaise, lemon juice, chives, garlic pepper, and salt.
Toast the bread in a frying pan with a little olive oil or butter.
Top with the chickpea and egg mixture and serve.
 

Easy Peasy Chocolate Squeezy... Banana Dessert

Elegance in a glass...

Elegance in a glass that does not get much simpler than this! My hubby is not a big lover of desserts (God only knows why), so I never feel the need to go over-the-top to satisfy him in this department. Decadent desserts are for my benefit only and I gladly eat the majority of them myself. The original concept for this layered pudding came from a back-of-the-box recipe of Ambrosia Chocolate Custard. After a few tweaks and twonks, I produced this simple, yet tasty, after dinner delight.

Dive in to the chocolately whirlpool of perfection...

Layered Chocolate Banana Dessert

Recipe adapted from back-of-the-box of Ambrosia Chocolate Custard

4 digestive cookies, crushed

1 carton Ambrosia Chocolate Custard (or chocolate pudding)

1 banana, sliced

Crush the digestive cookies with a rolling pin or mallet inside a plastic bag.
Divide between two wine glasses or dessert cups and press firmly into the bottom.

Spoon the chocolate custard on top of the crushed cookies.

Arrange the banana slices on top of the custard.

Dig in and enjoy!