Pumpkin Bread

Nothing says fall around here like the first batch of pumpkin bread, delicious both plain or fancy (quasi fancy version here).  Super moist, loaded with spices and definitely pumpkin-forward, this recipe is a love letter to fall and a delicious way to celebrate the flavors of the season.

Roasted Tomatoes and Pasta

True confession time: I'm not a big fan of raw tomatoes.  I know...I know!  Practically sacrilege this time of year.  I do like them though in small doses, diced up in a salad, or cooked down into a lovely sauce.  But as much as I wish I was one of those people that could just sit down to a plate of sliced tomatoes, fresh from the garden, lightly salted and dressed, it just isn't going to happen for me.   There's just too much, well, tomatoiness going on.  However, slice up some little beauties, throw them in a pool of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and a touch of sugar, pop them in the oven for a long and low roast...well, that, as they say, changes everything.

Cornmeal Shortcake

Just a quick and simple post for today, complete with a quick and simple, but much less-than-ordinary, shortcake (sure to become your new favorite as it has mine).  I've taken advantage of the strawberry bounty, but any fruit would be proud to poise atop these light and delicate cakes, made more interesting by the addition of cornmeal.  Although you can't really tell from the photos, I used my favorite blue cornmeal (see my lovely corn muffin recipe here), thinking all patriotic and such...red, white and blue for Independence Day.  All in all, a stellar recipe to help celebrate the 4th...or any other special occasion you might have.

Lemon Pound Cake

 I.Love.Lemons.  There's really not much more to say.  I'm actually a citrus-a-holic and go crazy for anything with orange, lemon, lime or grapefruit, desserts especially.  Nothing says sunshine to me like lemons and this bright cake with wave after wave of cool citrus flavor is perfect for the sultry days of summer just ahead.

When I ran across this recipe at King Arthur Flour, called Lemon Bliss, and saw that it had a five-star rating from 98 respondents, well, I knew I had to give it a try.  However, I was having serious saturated fat guilt after seeing that the recipe called for one cup of butter.  I mean, this is late spring/early summer and I'm sure I'm not the only one still trying to figure out where those few extra winter pounds came from and what the heck am I going to do with them.  So, in typical Luv'n Spoonfuls fashion, I performed some cosmetic surgery and loved this recipe up just a bit.  The result...beyond blissful.  If I told you I've made three cakes in one week, would you believe me or need more of a testimonial?  Yes, it's that good.  Now, go break out your lemons.

Blueberry Almond Coffee Cake

Blueberry season is here (hoo-ray), so I thought a coffee cake with fresh berries and almonds would be a perfect way to herald the season.  The taste of almond and blueberries goes perfectly together and this recipe sings loud with both flavors; the almond notes are featured four ways (extract, meal, sliced and oil).  Lovely for breakfast, coffee, or dessert, this is a delicious way to celebrate the bounty of the season...blue-tifully!

Hazelnut Cake with Cherries

A short but sweet post for today...lots of spring cleaning inside and outside, soccer games, unveiling the grill for some long-awaited outdoor meals...you know what I mean.  So, what could be better than a super-easy, come-together-in-a-flash coffee cake recipe, I ask?  Not much, especially when the spring fruit bounty has yet to make a real appearance.  I had some hazelnut flour languishing in the fridge and a bag of frozen cherries hibernating in the freezer, and decided it was time the two should meet.

Corn Muffins

Sometimes, simple foods are the best foods, and are very often the most-loved.  They are comforting and nostalgic, and take us back to seemingly less complicated times.  Case in point, the humble corn muffin, a mainstay of many a hearty and rustic meal.  Corn bread and muffins appear in one version or another in all of the regions across the country, north, south, east and west.  They are, however, often sadly ignored for being too simple for fancier affairs.  Perhaps it is the lowly pedigree, the corn grain, shunned as fodder for those too poor for wheat, or the fact that is used as a major component in livestock feed (something I could get on my soapbox for a while about...I mean, cows are grass-eaters for Heaven's sake...right?).  Maybe it is the grittiness and the inevitable crumbliness that occurs following buttering and munching.  For whatever reason the often overlooked corn muffin has been relegated to the role of bread wallflower, I dedicate this post to you, corn muffin, and hope you will feel the love and admiration you deserve, in all your crunchy, hearty, satisfying and unpretentious glory.

Wild Rice Stuffed Peppers

In an effort to prove that it isn't all about the sweet stuff on Luv'n Spoonfuls, I present another savory recipe, which just happens to be vegetarian and packed full of flavor.  This stuffed pepper leans towards Spanish with a hint of Aleppo pepper (not Spanish, I know), Manchego cheese, and a sprinkling of Marcona almonds.  The wild rice mixture provides fabulous texture and chew, while providing a healthy dose of fiber.  If you're still struggling, like some of us, with a few left over pounds from the holidays (I'm almost there), this is a delicious and satisfying way to get that healthy eating plan back on track, all the while kickin' it with a fiesta for the mouth!

Turkey Chili

When there's two feet of snow on the ground (holy cow it's almost March for Heaven's sake!), nothing warms the soul quite like a heaping bowl of smokin' chili.  And, in keeping with the Luv'n Spoonfuls way, this chili also warms the heart by being chock full of healthy ingredients.  I've used ground turkey breast instead of beef, which reduces the amount of 'bad' fat considerably, but nothing is lost in the flavor department.  This chili can hold its own next to any beef-based version; I've employed a little 'trick' to steer things more toward 'moo' than 'gobble' (see below).  This is a spicy recipe, not for sissies, and packs a punch, but could easily be toned down a bit to suit anyone's heat tolerance.  

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cake

Just in time for Valentine's Day, a simple but incredibly delicious chocolate chip cake that can be dressed up or dressed down, depending on the occasion.  When I tell you that my three EXTREMELY PICKY boys love, love, love this cake, no further testimonial is needed.  They have no idea that it is actually a fairly healthy dessert, which makes this mom extremely happy (I know I've shared in the past about my somewhat twisted compulsion about sneaking healthy things into their food).  It's made with more than half whole wheat flour, and the only fat in the cake is olive oil!  What could be more appropriate for the official day of love than a decadent dessert to feel great about making for your loved ones?

Whole Wheat Bran Muffins with Roasted Grapes

Holidays...good.  Overindulging...bad.  Sometimes it's hard to get back in the healthy groove once one's fallen off the proverbial wagon.  So, I thought I'd offer up a fairly quick and healthy bran muffin, with a tasty twist, to help with those new and improved best intentions (aka resolutions).  Read on for said 'twist'...