banana protein muffins (gluten free)

let's be honest right up front: these muffins are not attractive.  in fact, they're pretty ugly as far as muffins are concerned . . . but this is a classic case of "don't judge a book by its cover" or in this instance, "please don't judge my unattractive muffins before you taste them!"

i found a variation of this recipe on instagram and i was intrigued because it incorporated banana, greek yogurt, almond meal, and coconut sugar.  those ingredients got me inspired.  i ended up making a bunch of changes, but still keeping the original essence of these muffins.  i created my own version which i'm calling "banana protein muffins" because they're packed full of protein thanks to the yogurt, two types of nuts, flaxseed, and powdered peanut butter.

i like that this is a mini recipe and only makes 6 muffins.  that way you don't have to commit to having a ton of muffins sitting on your kitchen counter looking at you.  i know they're ugly, but gosh, they sure are delicious!

banana protein muffins

prep time: 5 minutes

baking time: 25-27 minutes

yields: 6 muffins

adapted from dessert for two

ingredients:

1/4 cup peanuts

1/4 cup cashews

1/4 cup oats

1 tablespoon flaxseed meal

1 tablespoon powdered peanut butter

1 ripe banana, mashed

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt

1/4 cup coconut sugar

directions:

preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line six muffin cups with paper liners.  in a food processor, combine the peanuts, cashews, oats, and flaxseed meal.  pulse until finely ground.  add the mixture to a large bowl along with the powdered peanut butter, mashed banana, yogurt, and sugar.  mix well until combined.

scoop the batter into the lined muffin cups and bake for 25-27 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the muffins comes out clean.  allow the muffins to cool in the pans for 5 minutes before removing them from the pans and allowing them to finish cooling on a wire rack.

enjoy!

love, laurie

roasted red pepper hummus (vegan)

we absolutely love hummus in our house.  it's such a tasty snack that you don't have to feel guilty about eating because it's healthy for you!  (hummus packs a lot of protein too.)

over the weekend, i was in the mood for some hummus so i whipped up a batch.  one of my favorite things about hummus is that it's so versatile.  you can add just about anything to it.  i started out with my simple go-to base hummus recipe and then kicked up the flavor with roasted red peppers.  we enjoyed it with some pita crackers and carrot sticks.

roasted red pepper hummus
total time: 5-10 minutes

ingredients:
2 15 oz. cans low-sodium garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
8 oz. roasted red peppers
1 tablespoon tahini paste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

directions:
in a food processor, combine all ingredients.  puree until smooth.  serve chilled with cut vegetables and/or crackers.

enjoy!

love, laurie

vegan roasted cauliflower and garlic dip

over the weekend, we hopped in the car with my parents and took a drive to new jersey.  our family loves grocery stores, and we're willing to drive to investigate them.  family friends who live in new jersey had recently mentioned that we would enjoy corrado's market.  so, since we had nothing on our agendas for sunday, we headed to new jersey to check out corrado's and to stock up at trader joe's.  (side note: it's an absolute sin that we do not have a trader joe's closer to our house.  we're forced to either drive crazy long distances with a cooler in the car to stock up every few months, or we have to bring home only what we can carry when we make a trip into nyc.)  in the car we were joking about how we are all willing to drive such a long distance for a grocery store.  we are definitely a family of foodies.

luckily our hike to new jersery battling snow and crazy traffic was worth it because we loved corrado's.  their selection of produce was unreal and their prices couldn't be beat.  we were like kids in a candy store walking up and down the aisles.  while we were there, we bought a head of cauliflower, fresh parsley, and several heads of garlic (among many other things of course).  we also bought a bag of unsalted roasted sunflower seeds from trader joe's too.

i have had my eye on a cauliflower and garlic dip recipe for quite some time, and with these ingredients, i knew i had to make it this weekend.  the recipe was so easy and i was able to throw it together in no time on monday when we had the day off work.

this dip starts out in the oven.  you roast a whole head of cauliflower and an entire head of garlic.  roasted garlic is really something special.  garlic takes on a whole new flavor as it roasts in the oven and it becomes decadently sweet.

cauliflower is both healthy and hearty.  it makes the perfect base for this dip.  the combination of the roasted cauliflower, roasted garlic, and roasted sunflower seeds blends together perfectly and gives this dip a smokey flavor unlike anything else.  extra virgin olive oil smooths out the dip, fresh lemon juice brightens it up, and freshly ground nutmeg gives it a nice depth of flavor.

the consistency of this dip reminds me of a chunky hummus.  to jazz it up, we topped our dip with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of cayenne pepper, additional roasted sunflower seeds, and some fresh parsley.  it really took it over the top.  you can enjoy this dip with pita bread, crackers, chips, or veggies.

this dip is such a nice alternative to heavy, rich dips made with sour cream or mayo.  it is so light and bright.  it would be great as an appetizer, as a dip for a party, or as a late night snack.  let's be honest here . . . ryan and i sat in bed the other night with a bag of tortilla chips and this dip and went to town.

roasted cauliflower and garlic dip
prep time: 10 minutes
cooking time: 25 minutes
yields: approximately 2-3 cups
adapted from brooklyn supper

ingredients:
1 large head of cauliflower
1 head of garlic
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 tablespoons unsalted roasted sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
salt and cayenne pepper to taste

directions:
preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.  line two small baking sheets with aluminum foil.  cut the cauliflower into florets and break the head of garlic into cloves (leaving the papery skin on the garlic cloves).  arrange the cauliflower florets on one baking sheet and the garlic cloves on the other.  sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss to evenly coat.  place both pans in the oven and roast for about 20-25 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and golden, and the garlic is fragrant, tossing occasionally to make sure it does not burn.  set aside to cool.

when cool enough to handle, squeeze the roasted garlic out of the papery skins.  in a food processor, combine the garlic, cauliflower, lemon juice, nutmeg, and sunflower seeds.  pulse to combine.  with the food processor running, drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil in until creamy.  add salt and cayenne pepper to taste.

serve topped with an additional drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of cayenne pepper, additional sunflower seeds, and minced parsley.  enjoy with pita, crackers, or veggies!

enjoy!

love, laurie

no-bake cranberry pistachio chocolate ginger granola bars

i'm absolutely in love with making homemade granola and granola bars.  don't get me wrong, store-bought granola is great and all, but there's nothing quite like making your own and knowing exactly what's in it.

over the weekend i made these no-bake granola bars.  they have such a wonderful depth of flavor thanks to everything that's packed in them: cinnamon, peanut butter, oats, pistachios, cranberries, chocolate, and ginger.  i opened up my kitchen cabinets and threw into these granola bars whatever i could find.  all of those ingredients are held together by dates.  dates are truly amazing.  they are like a natural sweetener (no need for sugar or honey in this recipe) and they act like glue to hold all of the ingredients together.

these granola bars taste amazing and they come together in no time at all.  you don't even need to turn on your oven to bake them.

they are packed with power ingredients, they are hearty, they are wholesome, and they are naturally sweetened.  they're vegan and gluten free too!

they make a great on-the-go snack.  healthy and easy!

no-bake cranberry pistachio chocolate ginger granola bars
total time: 10 minutes
yields: 8 granola bars

ingredients:
12 medjool dates, pitted
2-3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup unsalted pistachios, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1/2 cup 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips, chopped
1/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped

directions:
in a food processor, puree the dates.  add the water gradually as the food processor purees the dates until a moist paste forms.  blend in the cinnamon and peanut butter.  transfer the paste to a large bowl and add the salt, oats, pistachios, cranberries, chocolate, and ginger.  stir well until everything is evenly incorporated.  line a 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper.  spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish.  press the mixture down firmly with your hands.  cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into bars with a sharp knife.  store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

enjoy!

love, laurie

chocolate-dipped mini pretzels for valentine's day

we tend to keep valentine's day pretty low key around our house.  we usually skip the overpriced dinners at crowded restaurants on february 14th and instead stay at home and make a nice meal together.  we like exchanging handmade cards and keeping things simple.

over the weekend i decided to make ryan a little valentine treat.  i used mini pretzels and chocolate that we already had in our kitchen to make chocolate-dipped pretzels.  (ryan is a big fan of chocolate covered pretzels.)

there is hardly a "recipe" for this.  all i did was melt white chocolate and dark chocolate, dip the pretzels in the melted chocolate, and then decorate them with red and white sprinkles, red sugar, and white nonpareils.  super easy.

once the chocolate set, i put the dipped pretzels in a little bag, tied it up with a ribbon, and decorated it with a label.  if your looking to make a simple, easy, and inexpensive treat for your valentine, chocolate-dipped pretzels are just about as easy as you can get.

happy valentine's day!

love, laurie

spinach artichoke dip

one of the snacks that i threw together for our impromptu little super bowl party on sunday was spinach artichoke dip.  it couldn't get any easier.  just mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl, spread the mixture out in a pie plate, and bake it in the oven.  voila!  a dip that is easy to assemble and super yummy.  it's a crowd pleaser for sure!

this dip is dangerous.  it's easy to make and it's easy to eat.  especially if you are distracted by watching something like the super bowl.  you'll look down and realize you ate half of the dip without even noticing.  oops!  (calories don't count on super bowl sunday, right?)

spinach and artichokes are such a great combination.  the artichokes give the dip a bit of a tang, and of course all of the cheese makes it so creamy and wonderful.  there are three different types of cheese in this dip, and there's more cheese on top too.  after the dip is done baking in the oven, a few moments under the broiler will make the cheese golden brown and delicious.  yum!

spinach artichoke dip
prep time: 5-10 minutes
baking time: 30 minutes
adapted from yammie's noshery

ingredients:
1 (10oz.) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons mayonnaise 
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

directions:
preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.  in a large bowl, mix all ingredients together until well combined then pour into a greased pie plate.  smooth the mixture evenly in the pie plate.  top the mixture with additional mozzarella.  bake for 30 minutes until golden and bubbling.  (optional: after baking put the dip under a broiler for a few moments to brown the cheese.)  serve warm with chips, crackers, pretzels, or veggies.

enjoy!

love, laurie

baked apple chips

we always seem to have an abundance of apples around our house during this time of year.  i'm certainly not complaining.  we love apples and we eat them in and on just about everything.

over the weekend we used a couple of our apples to make baked apple chips.  these baked apple chips are ridiculously easy to make.  all you have to do is just slice up the apples, sprinkle spices on them, and throw them in the oven.  it's hardly a recipe!

the hardest part is waiting for them to bake.  they take 2 hours to dry out in the oven, but it is worth it because once they are done they are wonderfully sweet and crisp.  they make a great healthy snack!  you can use any type of apples that you like (our favorite types of apples are honey crisp and mcintosh).

a nice added bonus is that your house will smell amazing while these apple chips are baking.  you just can't beat the smell of fresh apples baking with fall spices during this time of the year.

baked apple chips
prep time: 5 minutes
baking time: 2 hours

ingredients:
2 large apples
2-3 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

directions:
preheat your oven to 225 degrees F.  core the apples to remove the seeds.  using a mandolin, slice the apples 1/8 inch thick.  arrange the apple slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (be sure that the slices do not overlap).  dust the apple slices with pumpkin pie spice.  bake for 2 hours, flipping the apple slices every 30 minutes.  once crisp, remove the apples from the oven and allow them to cool before serving.

enjoy!

love, laurie

roasted acorn squash seeds

yesterday i shared my recipe for vegan creamy acorn squash soup.  when cooking with acorn squash, there's no need to throw away the seeds.  you can roast them just like pumpkin seeds!

acorn squash seeds look just like small pumpkin seeds, and when roasted they are just as good if not better.  we roasted our acorn squash seeds with a little bit of olive oil and seasoned them with salt and pepper.  they make a great fall snack!

roasted acorn squash seeds
prep time: 5 minutes
baking time: 10 minutes

ingredients:
seeds from one large acorn squash
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

directions:
preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.  remove the seeds from an acorn squash.  rinse then pat dry with a paper towel.  place the seeds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  lightly drizzle olive oil over the top and season with salt and pepper.  toss with your hands and evenly spread the seeds out on the baking sheet.  bake for 10 minutes, until dried out and golden brown.  allow to cool before serving.

enjoy!

love, laurie

apple crisp granola

one of my favorite fall desserts is homemade apple crisp served with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream.  it is a classic fall treat, but it is not the healthiest thing to eat.  in an effort to make a slightly healthier version that still incorporated all of the same great flavors, i made a batch of apple crisp granola recently.

this granola is so good!  it is loaded with apples and oats.  pecans give it a bit of a crunch and flaxseed meal makes it a bit healthy.  it is sweetened with pure maple syrup, although it is not sweet at all.  ground cinnamon and pumpkin pie spices give it that unmistakable fall flavor.  it really does taste just like apple crisp!

we served our apple crisp granola with vanilla yogurt.  it was just like eating apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, except healthier.

this granola comes together so easily.  there are just a few simple ingredients which you simply toss together on a baking sheet.  you don't even need to dirty a bowl!  how easy is that?

apple crisp granola is the perfect fall treat when you are craving a serving of apple crisp but want to watch your waist line.

apple crisp granola
prep time: 10 minutes
baking time: 50 minutes
yields: approximately 5 cups of granola
adapted from a cup of jo

ingredients:
3 large honeycrisp apples, chopped
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup salted butter, softened
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

directions:
preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.  line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  place the chopped apples, oats, chopped pecans, flaxseed meal, and spices on the baking sheet and toss together.  cut the butter into small pieces and distribute it evenly over the mixture.  use your hands to incorporate the butter into the mixture.  pour the maple syrup and vanilla evenly over the mixture.  toss gently with your hands to make sure all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated.  bake for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven and toss with a spatula.  place back in the oven and bake for another 20 minutes.  once baked, remove the granola from the oven and allow it to cool completely on the baking sheet before serving or storing.

enjoy!

love, laurie

healthy snack: apple slices with peanut butter and yogurt topped with granola

i share a lot of recipes here on the blog, and i thought it might be helpful to also share a few simple healthy snacks that we like to make.  so, i decided to start a new series called healthy snacks.  to kick things off, here's a healthy snack that is super easy to make and incorporates apples.  tis the season for apples!

i sliced a honeycrisp apple and removed the seeds.  i spread natural peanut butter on some of the slices and vanilla yogurt on the rest of the slices.  (almond butter or sunflower butter would be great instead of peanut butter too, and you could use any flavor yogurt you like.)  then i sprinkled some granola on top of the peanut butter and yogurt.  the granola adds a great crunch and balances the whole thing out.  yum!

happy snacking!

love, laurie

cherry almond coconut chocolate ginger granola

i know that title is a mouthful, but wait until you get a mouthful of this granola!

i am totally obsessed with granola.  i love to eat it plain as a snack, mixed in with yogurt, on top of ice cream . . .  really, any way i can.  most types of store-bought granola aren't too bad (i love trader joe's granola) but nothing beats homemade granola.  i have made many different types of homemade granola (hello, peanut butter granola!) but by far this recipe has got to be my favorite so far.

i've made this recipe twice, and it is so incredibly good.  the combination of flavors in this granola is out of this world.  

it is chock full of so many delicious ingredients: old-fashioned oats, dried cherries, sliced almonds, coconut flakes, 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips, crystallized ginger, and cinnamon.  all of those yummy dry ingredients are held together with honey, almond butter, and coconut oil.

this granola is down right dangerous to have around the house.  i just can't get enough of it.  every time i walk by the refrigerator, i grab a handful.  needless to say, a batch of this granola doesn't last very long in our house!

if you are a granola fan, you have to try this recipe.  you are going to love it!

cherry almond coconut chocolate ginger granola
prep time: 5 minutes
cooking time: 5 minutes
yields: approximately 5 cups of granola
adapted from the year in food

ingredients:
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup dried cherries, chopped
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup toasted coconut flakes
1/4 cup 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons almond butter
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

direction:
in a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, chopped cherries, sliced almonds, coconut flakes, chocolate chips, and chopped crystallized ginger.  set aside.

in a medium sauce pot over medium-low heat, combine the honey, almond butter, coconut oil, sea salt, and cinnamon.  stir constantly until the mixture is hot and all of the ingredients have evenly combined.  remove from the heat and let cool for several minutes.

pour the sauce into the dry mixture.  stir thoroughly until all of the dry ingredients are evenly coated.  press the granola into an even layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  refrigerate for 1-2 hours.  break apart into large pieces.  store in the refrigerator.

enjoy!

love, laurie

parmesan truffle popcorn

popcorn is synonymous with movies, so it seemed only right to make some popcorn to eat while we watched to oscars last night.

instead of making traditional movie-theatre style popcorn, we decided to jazz things up a bit.  after all, the oscars are a classy event so our popcorn needed to be a bit classy too.

we gave our popcorn a rich flavor with black truffle oil and himalayan truffle salt (both of which we bought at trader joe's).  then we added freshly grated parmesan cheese to the popcorn to take it to a whole new level.

the combination of the black truffle oil, himalayan truffle salt, and freshly grated parmesan cheese was decedent.  it was a great snack, worthy of an oscar for sure!

parmesan truffle popcorn
prep time: 5 minutes
baking time: 10 minutes
yields: 2 servings

ingredients:
1/4 cup unpopped popcorn kernels
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon black truffle oil
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
himalayan truffle salt to taste

directions:
preheat your oven to 250 degrees F.  using an air popper, pop the popcorn into a very large bowl.  be sure to remove any unpopped kernels from the bowl.  pour the melted butter and the truffle oil evenly over the popcorn, and toss well.  toss in the cheese, and season with truffle salt to taste.  line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and evenly spread the popcorn on the baking sheet.  bake for 10 minutes to melt the cheese.  once baked, allow the popcorn to cool completely.

enjoy!

love, laurie

broccomole (broccoli guacamole)

we love broccoli and we love guacamole, so we thought we would give "broccomole" a try.  we made this dip over the weekend and served it when we were visiting ryan's family.

this dip is so simple to whip up.  there are only a few ingredients and it only takes a few minutes to throw it together.  it's vegetarian too!

you can serve this dip with crackers, chips, pita, or toasted bread.  it will be a crowd pleaser at your next gathering for sure!

broccomole
prep time: 5 minutes
cooking time: 5-10 minutes
yields: about 2 cups of dip
adapted from domestic fits

ingredients:
3 cups chopped broccoli
1 jalapeno, chopped (with the seeds removed)
2 tablespoons scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

directions:
steam the broccoli until soft.  transfer the cooked broccoli to a food processor.  add the chopped jalapeno and scallions.  add the olive oil, cream cheese, cilantro, and spices.  puree until smooth.  refrigerate until ready to serve.  serve with crackers, chips, pita, or toasted bread.

enjoy!

love, laurie

homemade cheez-it crackers

when we were in college, ryan had a roommate who was obsessed with cheez-it crackers.  they were his go-to snack at just about any hour of the day.

no doubt, cheez-its are a classic, but they are loaded with a long list of mystery ingredients and i find them to be incredibly salty.  so, the other day i decided to make my own homemade version of cheez-its.

these crackers were super simple to whip up (only 4 ingredients!) and they were absolutely delicious.  they were packed with an incredible cheddar cheese flavor (and no artificial ingredients, which is always a bonus).  in addition to being super cheesy, the homemade cheez-it crackers were crisp on the outside with a buttery finish.

i highly recommend making your own cheez-its, but watch out, they are seriously addictive.  consider yourself warned!

. . .

homemade cheez-it crackers
prep time: 5 minutes
chill time: 1 hour
baking time: 15 minutes
yields: a whole bunch of little crackers
adapted from better homes and gardens

ingredients:
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
4 tablespoons salted butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons ice water

directions:
in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the cheese, butter, and flour on low.  the dough will be pebbly.  while the mixer is running, slowly add the water.  mix until the dough forms into a ball.  pat the dough into a disk, wrap the dough with plastic wrap, and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.

after the dough has chilled for 1 hour, remove the dough from the refrigerator.  preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.  divide the dough into two pieces and roll each piece of the dough into a very thin rectangle.  cut the dough into small squares using a pizza cutter.  transfer the small dough pieces to baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  bake for 15 minutes, until the crackers are puffed and golden brown.  watch the crackers carefully so that they do not burn or turn too brown.  remove the crackers from the oven and allow them to cool completely before serving.  store in an air-tight container.

enjoy!

love, laurie  

garlic sesame sticks

there is a local health-food store where we live that sells all sorts of healthy snacks.  one of our favorite snacks from the health-food store would have to be their garlic sesame sticks.  we buy them buy the bag full whenever we are there, and we love taking them to work with us for a little snack after lunch.

we recently tried making our own version of the garlic sesame sticks at home.  as it turns out, we like our version even better than the health-food store's version.  these garlic sesame sticks have just the right amount of crispness to them, and they are the perfect snack to satisfy that mid-afternoon hunger craving at work.

garlic sesame sticks
prep time: 5-10 minutes
inactive time: 30 minutes
baking time: 15-20 minutes
yields: 150-160 sticks
adapted from red chillies

ingredients:
4 tablespoons salted-butter
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sesame seeds

directions:
in a saucepan, over low heat, melt the butter.  once melted, set aside.  in a food processor, grind the oats until powdered.  add the flour, garlic powder, sugar, and baking powder and pulse to combine.  add the melted butter and pulse until the mixture forms a wet bread-crumb like consistency.  with the food processor running, gradually add the water until the dough forms into a ball.  remove the dough from the food processor and place it on a lightly floured surface.  knead the sesame seeds into the dough.  set the dough aside to rest for 30 minutes.

preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.  place the dough between two large sheets of wax paper.  using a rolling pin, roll the dough until very thin.  use a knife or a pizza cutter to cut the dough into small strips.  place the strips on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the sesame sticks are light brown and crisp.  remove from the oven and allow the sticks to cool completely.  store in an air-tight container.

enjoy!

love, laurie

pumpkin carving and roasted pumpkin seeds

over the weekend we carved our pumpkins and leko was pretty fascinated by the whole process.  he "helped" us to carve the designs and he liked chasing the pumpkin seeds too.

after we carved our pumpkins we cleaned off the pumpkin seeds and roasted them in the oven.  (i swear, i think that is ryan's favorite part of carving pumpkins each year.)  roasted pumpkin seeds sure do make a fun fall snack, and they are so easy to make too!

roasted pumpkin seeds
prep time: 5-10 minutes
baking time: 50-60 minutes

ingredients:
fresh pumpkin seeds
extra virgin olive oil
garlic powder
salt and ground black pepper
paprika (optional)

directions:
preheat your oven to 250 degrees F.  remove the seeds from a pumpkin, wash the seeds, and then dry them thoroughly.  line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spreed the seeds out evenly on the foil.  lightly coat the seeds with olive oil.  season with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.  stir to make sure that all of the seeds are evenly coated.  roast the seeds in the oven until the seeds become golden brown and crispy (about 50-60 minutes) stirring every 20 minutes.  once done, allow the seeds to cool completely before serving.

enjoy!

love, laurie