Spiced Zucchini Bread

I know, I know... another zucchini recipe. But like I said, when it rains, it pours zucchini. So this will be the last one (for a little while).

If you've checked out the picture of me on this site, you will understand why I have a collection of zucchini recipes. I named that baby sized zuke, 'Monster' because he truly was a monstrous guy!

I got 14-16 cups of shredded zucchini out of him- such a giving monster!

Spiced Zucchini Bread

3 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 cup soy milk/ zucchini juice
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups shredded zucchini, slightly squished out

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a loaf pan.
In the dry ingredient bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and allspice.
In the wet ingredient bowl, mix soy milk/ zucchini juice, vegetable oil, vanilla, sugar, brown sugar, and zucchini.
Add dry guys to wet guys. Add mix-ins like sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, or walnuts if you'd like. Pour into loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Let it cool and then munch, munch, munch!

A bunch of people in my office are vegetarian and vegan. I usually bake without using animal products so I can share with everyone. The sharing is my favorite part of baking, second to the lovely smells that fill my apartment, and third to the delightful, stress relieving properties of actually completing a task.

To get the original version, check out The Forest Feast.

xoxo Sam

Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Friends! I know what you really what... CHOCOLATE. Because honestly, who doesn't want chocolate?

(If you don't, I'm not sorry, I just don't understand you! We can still be friends though, I promise.)

I have a chocolate craving more than once a week. I try to tame it (currently) by eating peaches and frozen mango hunks. But nothing is quite like the gooey warmness of chocolate chips STRAIGHT OUTTA THE OVEN!

Meanwhile... The zucchini abundance persists! So...

chocolate + zucchini = a match made in What's On Hand Woman heaven

Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 pinch salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/3 cup honey/ maple syrup (because I didn't have enough of either)
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs (use flax eggs if you'd like)
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini 
1/4 cup mashed ripe banana
1/2 cup squeezed out zucchini liquid + soy milk to make it 1/2 cup
2 tbsp corn meal
2 regular sized milk chocolate bars smashed with spoon in packages (super fun smashing)

Preheat oven to 350. Spray muffin tins. Shred the zucchini. Squeeze zuke shred juice into a measuring cup. Add soy milk to make 1/2 cup.
In the dry ingredient bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. 
In the wet ingredient bowl, mix oil, honey/ maple syrup, vanilla, eggs, zucchini, banana, and zucchini liquid/ soy milk. 
Add the dry guys to the wet guys. Fold in corn meal and smashed chocolate bars.
Spoon into muffin tins, 3/4 of the way full. Bake 20-25 min, depends on your oven. ENJOY! YUM!

Office tested, coworker approved! Please make it your own, and use what you have on hand!

I often use other people's recipes as a launch pad for my own. Even the What's On Hand Woman needs a hand with the ratios in baking! To get the original version, check out The Ambitious Kitchen.

xoxo Sam

Zucchini Pizza Boats

When life gives you zucchini... you should make everything!

The next few recipes will feature zucchini! If you've ever grown zucchini- you know why...

Once they start growing, there are so many- all at once, that they start coming out of your ears! You may leave them on your neighbor's porches (like a magical zucchini fairy) just because you are already swamped with zukes! And nice.

So, what should you do with the zukes you keep? Make them into your favorite "guilty pleasure" foods. Because after all- you're putting vegetables in it! That counts for something.

Zucchini Pizza Boats

Zucchini (medium to large work best)
Sauce (of your choice)
Cheese (of your choice)
Toppings (of your choice)
Olive oil
Garlic cloves or powder
Pepper

Cut zucchini in half length-wise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and gushy bits so the zuke resembles a boat or potato skin! If the zuke is small, count on a whole zucchini per person (2 halves), otherwise a large half will do.

Drizzle a baking dish with olive oil. Place all boats in the dish like you were placing them in a river- hollow side up. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle pepper and garlic powder, or minced garlic. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. You do not want the zuke to be mushy! Just half-way cooked.

While the zucchini start cooking, prepare the insides! Choose your sauce, cheese, and toppings. Prepare them as necessary. Here are two of my favorite variations:

• chunky tomato sauce, top with sliced or shredded cheese, bake for 20 more minutes

• roasted garlic pesto sauce, roasted peppers and onions, topped with sliced or shredded cheese, bake for 20 more minutes
• 2 peppers chopped (a cubanelle and a bell) and 1 medium onion chopped- roast at 350 for 30 min just tossed in olive oil 
• 4 cracked garlic cloves on the corner of the same sheet pan- dipped in the olive oil too
• smash garlic cloves with 2 tbsp of pesto and 1 tbsp of olive oil
• split up pesto garlic sauce between the two halves
• fill with roasted veggies, top with cheese

The cheese gets all melty and really is thermo-nuclear hot, so give it a sec to rest and cool off. ENJOY!

This truly is a What's On Hand Woman classic. They are deliciously filling and mostly just veggies! Please make this recipe your own and share your favorite topping combinations!

xoxo Sam

BBCK Mex Soup

Happy Saturday Friends!

It's a hot day here in the city, so naturally I wanted a spicy, hot Tex Mex soup. Because, as most of you know, I am not a 'normal' human. Proud to be wacky.

My perfect Saturday mornings include- sitting in bed, eating bowls of cereal with fruit, and watching all of the cooking shows that I can cram into my morning before I have to go do real things. Normally, cooking shows inspire my creative kitchen experiments.

A lot of the shows today featured Mexican inspired foods, so I started thinking about the foods I have on hand and produce that I purchased at the farmer's market down the street...

And BBCK Mex Soup was born.

BBCK Mex Soup 
(Black Bean, Corn, & Kale)

olive oil
1/2 onion (diced)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
2 peppers (1 bell, 1 cubanelle)
1/4 cup random mushrooms (diced)
1 cup cherry tomatoes (cut in fourths or sixes)
2 cups tomatillos (chopped)
2 chilis in Adobo (I keep mine in the freezer for such occasions)
3 cups veggie broth
3 cups water
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 ear of corn (kernels shaved)
2-3 cups kale (ribs removed and shaved)
Toppings of your choice: Greek yogurt (sour cream), cheese, cilantro, lime wedge, tortilla chips, etc.


In your favorite soup pot, sauté the onions, garlic, and peppers with olive oil. Add mushrooms. Add the tomatoes and tomatillos. Add 2 chilis in Adobo, 2 cups of veggie broth, 2 cups of water, and the spices. Bring to a simmer. Let simmer 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and let the soup cool. (I was impatient and did not wait, but you probably should.) Use an immersion blender to blend the soup to a smoother consistency. Return to the heat. Add last cups of water and broth.
Add black beans, corn, and kale. Heat until kale becomes softer and beans/ corn heat through.

I topped mine with shredded cheddar, cilantro leaves, and tortilla chips. Use what you have on hand to make your own version! I'd love to hear what you changed!

Man, I love soup. Its always like a hug from your best friend.

xoxo Sam

Be a Foxy Food Forager

No, that doesn't mean that you should steal french fries from your beau's plate while looking foxy. (Though that may be fun- I know, I've done it.)

You have to be A Pantry Raider Extraordinaire.

How do you become these fabulous things? Premeditated pantry planning, my friends!

Here's a list of all the go-tos that keep me a top-notch Foxy Food Forager:

• Dance the cancan with your beans (pick your favorites), refried beans (vegetarian), tomatoes & chilis, crushed tomatoes, and any canned veggie that you like
• Hop out from under your bell jar with tomato sauce (your favorite), pickles, roasted red peppers, pesto, jam, apple sauce, mustard, salsa, hot sauce, honey, maple syrup, sesame oil, olive & veggie oil, vinegar, broth (your favorite), and what ever else you like
• Because you like your humor good and dry, always keep flour, sugar, brown sugar, corn meal, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda & powder, big tubs of oats, rice, quinoa, couscous, and pasta
• Prepackaged nonsense is all about tortilla chips, cereals, graham crackers, and savory crackers
• Let's get nutty with your favorite nuts and seeds! I keep cashews, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and chia. Usually some peanut and almond butter too.
• You're all pruny! I love raisins, dried cranberries, and dates. 
• Spice up your life! My favorites are cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, red pepper flakes, seasoned salt, black pepper, curry powder, garlic, and Italian herb blend. Vanilla!
• Pan spray!
• Marshmallows need no explanation. 
• Semi sweet chocolate chips. My first real boyfriend.
• Don't forget your pantry zombies- garlic cloves and onions!
• Check out the freshies! Pick up your favorite fresh fruits and veggies from the farmer's market or grocery. This week I picked up...

Obviously, you don't need to run out and buy all of these items. Its just what I always have on hand because they are my favorites! Figure out your favorites and run out and buy those things. Its easier to go with the flow and cook what you have on hand once you have it. 

Next up, recipes.

xoxo Sam

In the beginning, there was... pasta sauce

This will not be a normal food blog. So be ready, because I'm not sorry about it.

I will not be teaching you how to cook.

I am an impatient cook. I adore the fact that I am normally lacking at least one ingredient in the recipes I attempt to make. I end up experimenting with ingredients and really trying to use what I have on hand. I despise running out to the store to get a specific missing ingredient. When I've found a recipe worthy of my time, I intend to cook it right away. This usually involves improvising, and sometimes my creations do not work out. But when they do, I give myself a high-5 and share the goodness with my favorite people.

You may be wondering how I became such a fearless home cook and I can tell you that it grew from many years of practice. I believe that all cooks go through stages:

1. Realizing that cooking happens
2. Wondering if you can learn to cook, too
3. Researching cooking methods and recipes
4. Acquiring the appropriate equipment
5. Attempting recipes and actually following each step
6. Gradually adding more improvisation to recipes
7. Only needing to read ingredients, mostly improvisation
8. A free- for- all in the kitchen, with amazingly creative results

If you are reading this, I hope that you are at least at stage 6. This means that we can have fun together and you won't judge me for not measuring everything. (If you are baking, you should definitely still measure, or better yet, weigh out your ingredients.)

I may be a 20-something, but I have been cooking since I was able to stand up and stir my grandma's tomato sauce pot. I've been around and involved in making food for practically my whole life. So please get ready to join me in food experiments made with love, impatience, and a passion for enjoying the yummy things in life.

xoxo Sam