Fruit Goo

I love fruity yogurt in individual-sized cups, but the amount of sugar in those little guys is just too much for me!

In order to be less wasteful and to eat less sugar, Fruit Goo to the Rescue! It honestly couldn't be simpler to make and you won't believe how yummy breakfast can be with less sugar!

Fruit Goo

3 cups frozen berries

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp chia seeds

big tub of plain yogurt (Greek or regular)

In a microwave safe bowl, defrost the berries in the microwave for 2 minutes. 

Stir the berries and start to squish them with a fork.

Microwave for 2 more minutes.

Squish the berries with a fork until they are a pulpy texture. Stir in the honey and chia seeds.

Using a tupperware, layer the yogurt and fruit goo in your desired ratio. I do 1 tbsp fruit goo, 2 heaping tbsp Greek yogurt until my container is full. 

I take my fruity yogurt to work with a big container of granola and make a little parfait in a coffee mug or a bowl!

It makes my morning so much better, so pick a fruit you like and try it too!

xoxo Sam

Orange Pom Muffins

As I've mentioned before, I receive a random bunch of fruits and veggies in a box each week.

Last week, I had an orange and a pomegranate and I didn't want to just eat them with yogurt! So naturally, my dear mother suggested that I make muffins with them! (She's a smart cookie.)

Orange Pom Muffins

1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric (or pumpkin pie spice or ground ginger)
1/2 cup sugar
zest from 1 orange
2 flax eggs (or 2 real ones)
1 tbsp chia seeds
2/3 cup soy milk
2 tbsp oil
1/4 cup orange juice pulp (I just peeled the orange, took out the seeds, and blended until smooth in the blender.)
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
1/3 cup oats
+ pomegranate seeds to sprinkle on top

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your flax eggs in a medium sized bowl + the chia seeds.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, turmeric, and sugar into a large bowl. Add the orange zest and stir.
Add the soy milk, oil, orange pulp to the flax/ chia eggs.
Add the wet guys to the dry guys and stir until combined. Gently fold in the pomegranate seeds and oats.
Spray muffin pans with non-stick spray and spoon the batter into the cups about halfway. Sprinkle 5-6  pomegranate seeds in top of each muffin.
Bake for 20 minutes until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
Serve warm or room temp with a smear of butter and a drizzle of honey.

Yay muffins!

To get the original version, check out Food.com!
xoxo Sam

Pizza Zoodle Soup

Yes, you can have pizza in your soup and eat it too.

No bread was used in the making of this recipe. (I know all of the people scared of bread will be so happy, but I was not making this for them.)

After making about 145+ pizza boats over the past few years, it was time to reintroduce the same ingredients in a way that is equally as comforting and palatable.

Pizza Zoodle Soup

1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped finely
22ish slices pepperoni, chopped finely
1/2 red pepper, chopped finely
1 pint cherry tomatoes, blended in the blender or food processor
1/2 cup wine (optional)
1 can diced tomatoes (I use the garlic & basil flavor)
4+ cups water
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen greens (I used dandelion)
1 large zucchini or summer squash, shaved into noodles
salt & pepper & Italian seasoning

In your favorite soup pot, warm the olive oil, garlic, and onions for a minute. Then add the pepperoni. Sauté until the fat is rendered. Then add the red pepper and cook for 2 more minutes.
Add the cherry tomato puree, and cook for about 5 minutes until some of the water has evaporated.
Add the wine, canned tomatoes, and 4 cups of water. Bring to a simmer.
Add the zucchini noodles, beans, and greens. (If the noodles are not submerged, add more water.) Adjust seasonings to taste.
Simmer until the noodles are just tender, about 5-7 minutes.
Serve with a nice sprinkle of cheese!

YUM! Let me know if you give it a try!

xoxo Sam

Irene's Polenta

There will always be certain people that I associate with certain foods.

Mom- grilled cheese with pickles
Grandma- home made tomato sauce
Aunt Marsha- brick cheese toast
(Wow, we really are an Italian-y family!)

But the person who started my love for polenta is my great Aunt Irene. Our side of the family didn't make it, so I tried it once at her house. I LOVED IT. Each time after, she would save a piece of her polenta just for me! Ever since, I've made a dish inspired by hers, usually when its freezing outside, but with her recent passing, I couldn't help but make it in her honor.

To the woman who showed me so much love and a serious appreciation for polenta- to Aunt Irene! <3

Irene's Polenta

olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
1 box mushrooms, cut the same size at the peppers/ onions
1/2 lb. sausage (meaty or not)
1 jar tomato sauce
1/2 cup wine (totally optional)
seasonings to taste (like Italian seasoning, salt & pepper)
polenta (I buy Quaker cornmeal and follow the package directions for corn meal mush)

In your favorite deep skillet, sauté the onions and garlic in a little oil for a minute. Add the peppers and cook a few more minutes. Pour the peppers and onions into a bowl and set aside.
Add a little more oil to the pan. Sauté the mushrooms until golden brown. Add to the peppers and onions.
Crumble the sausage into the pan and cook it through. Break up the sausage lumps with a spoon while cooking.
Add the tomato sauce, peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Gently scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen all of the goodness into the sauce. Add the wine. Adjust seasonings as needed.
Turn the burner to medium low and let the sauce simmer for 20-25 minutes. Stir to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom. (Make the polenta during this time. Follow the package directions and it will turn out perfectly! Stir through a pat of butter at the end.)
Serve the polenta in a pasta bowl topped with the thick, hearty sauce. A good sprinkle of cheese on top is a must! (Or a slice of provolone and then stuck under the broiler.)

Aunt Irene's version used super hard to find wild mushrooms and a homemade tomato sauce, so this isn't her exact recipe. But its a pretty good improvised version, and since that it what we are all about here at The What's On Hand Woman, I call it a win. Woo!

xoxo Sam

Pickled AF Salad

I receive a box of over stock/ blemished fruits and veggies each week from Hungry Harvest. If I don't eat everything before the next box comes, I feel like a real jag! So I try to do my best.

I had cucumbers, kale, and broccoli at the end of the box this week. A weird combo? Yes! Was I scared? Hell no!

Since I have an affinity for pickles, I decided to quick pickle the whole lot of it into a pretty cool, (well actually warm) crunchy salad.

Pickled AF Salad

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp sugar

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup white distilled vinegar

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

2 medium cucumbers, washed, peeled, sliced very thinly or spiralized

1 broccoli crown, cut into florets, tender stems cut thinly

3 cups kale, sliced as thinly as possible

salt & pepper to taste along the way

In a skillet, heat the sugar, vinegars, water, and salt until dissolved. In a medium sized bowl, toss the cucumbers with the warm vinegar mixture. Sprinkle with a little ground black pepper. Set aside.

In the same skillet, add a little oil and sauté the broccoli for a few minutes over medium heat. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Cover with a lid so the florets steam/ slightly brown for a few more minutes. No soggy broccoli please! Add to the cucumbers.

Again in your skillet, add a little more oil. Sauté the kale the same way as the broccoli and season with salt and black pepper. Add to the cucumbers and broccoli. Toss it all together and serve!

Yes, it totally sounds weird, but this salad is so delicious! You have to try it out. 

A big thank you to Magda over at DIYontheside for my new favorite kitchen gadget, a spiralizer!! Check out her lovely new house and blog about it! :)

xoxo Sam

I Think You're Grape Pizza

A year ago I started this blog with a post about my grandma's tomato sauce. I have no plans to share that recipe with you, so don't get too excited.

But there is one food, that I love, that I should have tried making from scratch forever ago.... PIZZA.

I've made yeast doughs before, but I'll be honest- I am impatient! If you know anything about me or my blog, you know that is the exact reason why I am The What's On Hand Woman!

So I had a little extra time and decided to tackle pizza dough. I'm a fan of thin, crisp crust, so if you like that too, you've got to try it out. I understand that waiting an hour for dough to rise is often asking too much- so you should definitely buy dough that someone else waited on!

If you don't make your own crust, you cut out half of the steps, but I urge you to try my crusty creation sometime. REGARDLESS, YOU MUST TRY GRAPES ON PIZZA!

I Think You're Grape Pizza

For the Crisp Crust:
1 packet of yeast
2 tsp sugar
3/4 cup warm water (around 105 degrees)
1 cup oats blended into a course flour
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
corn meal sprinkling

Mix the sugar and yeast with the warm water. Set aside for 10 minutes to froth up.
Meanwhile, mix the blended oats, salt, and flour in a large bowl.
Once the yeast is ready, add it to the flours along with the olive oil. Mix until just combined.
Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5ish minutes.
Lightly oil a clean bowl and the dough ball. Set aside in a warm place under a kitchen towel so it can rise.
After an hour, punch the dough and divide it in half. Save the other half (in the fridge or freezer) or make two pizzas!

For the Grapes & Toppings:
1/3 block of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella
1/2 container Ricotta cheese (7oz)
1 tbsp olive oil
black pepper to taste
1 -- 1 1/2 cups red grapes, cut in half (enough to cover the pizza like pepperoni)
1 tbsp lemon flavored olive oil (save until the very end)

Mix the cream cheese, mozzarella, ricotta, olive oil, and black pepper well. (Save the grapes and lemon olive oil for now.)

Lets bring everyone to the pizza party!

Preheat the oven to its highest setting (550 degrees or higher.) Flip a cookie sheet over (using the bottom) so that you have a smooth surface without sides (or use a pizza stone).
Sprinkle a small amount of cornmeal on the pan's bottom.
Roll out the dough into a pizza-y shape and then place it on the cornmeal. Bake for 4 minutes.
Flip the crust over once and bake for 1-3 more minutes. (It depends on how brown you like your crust and how hot your oven is.)

Take out the crust. Flip it back over so the cornmealy side is touching the pan. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees.
Rub a very small amount of olive oil on the crisp crust. (Use the back of a spoon- its hot!) Spread the cheese mixture evenly, followed by the grapes arranged cut side up.
Bake 3-5 more minutes until the cheese is gooey and the grapes are warm. Drizzle the lemon flavored olive oil on top.
Cut and enjoy! I've served this topped with quick pickled onion slices and arugula salad, but my favorite topping is mild, crunchy greens tossed in a sweet mustard vinaigrette.


Greens & Sweet Mustard Vinaigrette
1 tsp grainy mustard
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
tiny drizzle of honey (maybe 1/2 tsp)
salt & pepper to taste
2-3 cups red leaf lettuce, romaine, bib lettuce- what ever you have

Wisk the dressing together in a medium bowl. Toss the greens in. Serve on top of the pizza (my favorite) or on the side. Enjoy!!!

Beautiful dough ball

A delicious plate all for me!

To get the original version, check out Dinner at Tiffani's.

xoxo Sam

Joyous Ice Cream Sammies

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, FRIENDS!!!

Today is a day to celebrate! We have spent a whole year together! Can you believe it?

I wanted to say thank you for following me on this impatiently delicious food journey!!

To celebrate, I made a really special treat....

Joyous Ice Cream Sammies

For the Salted Chocolate Ice Cream:
2 3/4 cup coconut creme (I use the kind in an aseptic box)
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp honey
1 tbsp Kahlúa
1/2 tsp salt

The day before, place the ice cream maker insert into the freezer until frozen solid.
Blend all ingredients in a blender and chill in the fridge until you are ready to churn the ice cream.
Follow the directions for your ice cream maker for churning. Mine took 20-25 minutes.

Wait for it......

For the Coconut Walnut Oat Cookies:
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup coconut oil
2 tbsp honey
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs (or flax eggs)
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp creme de cocoa
1 cup oats (minced in food processor)
1 cup walnuts (minced in food processor)
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, salt, and baking soda well. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix the coconut oil, honey, brown sugar, and sugar. Then add the eggs, vanilla, and creme de cocoa.
Add the flour mixture and combine.
Finally, add the oats, walnuts, and coconut flakes. Once everything is incorporated, cover the dough and refrigerate for a 2-3 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet.
Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. I got about 24-26.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. (When you pull out the cookies, if they seem a little too puffed-up in their centers, just use a fork to gently make them flatter.)
Cool the cookies!

To make the sammies:
Spread the ice cream on one cookie and top with another! Freeze for an hour- if you can wait that long- before serving. ENJOY! YUM YUM! (I'm screaming for ice cream :))

To get the original ice cream recipe, check out The Minimalist Baker.

xoxo Sam