Breakfast: Apple, Potato Bread Sandwich

Homemade placemat on the table.

One half of a granny smith apple with a pat from a stick of M80 butter. (M80 is a local restaurant)

Two ends of potato bread toast with a smattering of sunflower seed butter. One with a little honey.

The last remains of Spicy Maple Cashew Mini Artisan Crisps, from Albertson's, including the crumbs on my fingers.

A 2-cup mug of 2-minute nuked tap water.

Yum Yum

P.S. The crisps, aka crackers, can serve many purposes and have a slight sweet date-like taste. M80 is a local restaurant in Missoula, and their butter blend is especially noteworthy. I wish I had their recipe. I was using my imagination and currently sticks of M80 butter are not available., At the M80 restaurant only about a tablespoon of their butter is accompanied with some meals. I"ll make that a project of mine and try to get their recipe or something close to share with us.

CB.

Breakfast: Grape Nuts

 Around 8ish this morning I got out of bed. Walked into the kitchen with a cup I left in my bedroom and man were the lights bright. I had to turn all of them off and use the one over the stove. 

I proceeded to fill a 2-cup mug with water and nuked it for 2 minutes and added a couple of teaspoons of Pero. This is my usual morning coffee, as I have a caffeine sensitivity. I asked myself what do I want for breakfast? I checked the fruit basket and there were some leftover dehydrated grapes from our garden. Then I checked the pantry and saw some grape nuts cereal. I bet these two will go good together.

I filled a 1-cup mug with half and half and a pat of butter and nuked it for one minute, added 1 teaspoon of Pero and proceeded to pour this mixture over the cereal and home-grown raisins. And said a little prayer, "Heavenly Father Bless this FOOD for the nourishment of OUR Body and help us grow in your Grace and Love. Amen. I proceeded to take a mindful taste. Oh, was it ever delicious. I think I could have settled for one bite but ate it all. 

Let's see who do I feel like today? Sally Clarkson?, Brooke Davis? Joyce Meyer? No, just plain Cathy.

Bulgur with Kale and Stewed Tomatoes

1/2 cup bulgur wheat

1 1/4 cup water

1/2-pound chopped kale

1 14.5-ounce can stewed tomatoes with Italian herbs

1 tablespoon vinegar, preferably Italian vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

olive oil, optional

Cook the bulgur wheat by bringing 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan, add 1/2 cup bulgur and cover and simmer 25 to 30 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.

In a large pot fill the pot with a little water, about 1/4 of an inch. On high bring water to a boil add kale and let cook on medium-low for a few minutes until steamed down and slightly wilted. Take the pot off the heat and carefully drain out the water, return the pot with kale to the stove. Add stewed tomatoes, juice and all, vinegar, salt, and cooked bulgur to the kale in the pot. Mix together and serve sprinkled with a little oil.

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Blessed Trinity Catholic Community, inspired by a recipe found on the Silk Road blog

Bulgur Wheat

2 1/2 cups water

1 cup bulgur wheat

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

Bring water to a boil, add bulgur, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Blessed Trinity Catholic Community, adapted from a recipe by the Good Food Store

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup neutral oil, like canola, grapeseed

1 tablespoon poppy seed (optional)

3/4 teaspoon cardamom

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/4 cups grated zucchini (use large holes of a box grater), squeezed to remove excess moisture

3/4 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Cot and 8X8X2 inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. Line the pan with [parchment paper that hangs over two of the edges.

In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs until pale and foamy, about 1 minute. Add the oil, poppy seed (optional), cardamom, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk until smooth and emulsified. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth.

Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda and stir until well-combined and smooth. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the grated zucchini and 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, tap the pan gently on the counter to release any air bubbles, and smooth the top of the batter with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips over the top of the cake.

Bake the cake until puffed and the tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. then use the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan and set it on a rack to cool completely. Store the cake, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to three days.

Adapted from Snacking Cakes, Yossy Arefi

Whole Wheat Banana Nut Muffins

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup honey

3 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

1 cup mashed bananas (2 to 3)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F and line a standard muffin tin with standard paper baking cups.

Sift the first 6 dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Combine honey, eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla flavoring, and mashed bananas in a separate large bowl and beat until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the banana batter and beat until smooth. Add and mix in walnuts. Scoop approximately 1/4 cup mix evenly into each muffin tin. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes. Yields 12 muffins.

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, adapted from Favorite Brand Name Recipe Cookbook