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.

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.

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.

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'...

Breakfast Cookies

If you ate too much over Thanksgiving, raise your hands.  OK, put 'em down (wow, that was a lot of hands).  How many of you are now suffering from PHCG?  (That's post-holiday calorie guilt in case you were wondering).  Lots of hands again (I raised both).  Now, how many of us skipped breakfast this morning, thinking it was a perfectly acceptable way to kick-start our Monday-get-back-on-track plans?  Or, how many are guzzling sugar-free energy drinks instead?  Oh my...way too many hands.  Well, we all know the dangers and pitfalls of skipping real meals--research has shown that we usually end up taking in more calories in one sitting than we do by eating more frequent and smaller meals throughout the day.  Did you know that there is a definite link between obesity and higher BMIs for those who routinely skip breakfast compared to those that don't?  Breakfast is a golden opportunity to get those metabolisms going, and a chance to provide much-needed nutrients.  But, life is just too darn complicated sometimes!  That is where these super easy, delicious and nutrition-dense breakfast cookies come in.  After all those mashed potatoes and pies, I offer up a protein and fiber rich breakfast cookie, full of complex carbohydrates and heart-healthy nuts and fruit, to help jump start the day and get back on track with those health goals.  And (oh my goodness), more holiday meals are just around the corner.  Bake up a batch of these, pop them in the freezer, and gird your loins against the calorie onslaught that is looming.  A perfect grab and go breakfast.  Did I mention they were delicious, far more interesting, and definitely better for you than anything you could possibly find in a can?  

Gingerbread

This week I was honored to be asked to provide a guest post for a lovely and inspiring blog, The Novice Housewife.  When I first ran across Shumaila's blog, I was immediately struck by all the unique and colorful recipes there.  I bookmarked her site, started visiting often, and began accumulating posts in my 'favorites' folder at an alarming rate!  Shumaila has a wonderful variety of recipes (and beautiful photographs) on her site, everything from French Bread to Grilled Coriander Chicken Legs to Zucchini and Coconut Bread with Coconut Rum Lime Glaze.  I am always interested in new taste experiences, and The Novice Housewife always provides stellar inspiration.  I know you will be just as enthralled as I am when you visit!  Thank you so much, Shumaila, for letting me share a little bit of Luv'n Spoonfuls with your readers.


I.love.fall.  Waning sunshine captured by shimmering, colored trees.  Cool mornings when your breath is transformed into vanishing clouds that float away in front of your face.  Crisp, clear air, sharp with brightness.  A shifting carpet of leaves, shaping and reshaping itself in the breeze, crunching beneath your feet.  Fall...my favorite season here in the Midwest.  And when I think of fall, my mind invariable wanders towards all things spice.  Spices help warm the soul and body, and awaken the senses.  One of my favorite spices, or ingredients, is ginger.  I am crazy about the deep, warm and fruity bite of this delicious rhizome, and often cook and bake with it, especially this time of year.  Ginger has so many wonderful health benefits, which increases my affection for it even more (if that could be possible).  This gingerbread cake is layered throughout with a kaleidoscope of spices, made deep, dark and dense by the addition of molasses and brown sugar.  Gingerbread, another one of my favorite fall things.

Lemon Loaf

As I'm looking outside my windows right now, it is gray, chilly and damp, and I'm left wondering who the heck stole August, and when, I ask, are they bringing it back?!!  Well, I am already waxing nostalgic for those bright summer days (not too hot, mind you), pleasant breezes and blue skies.  Although I love all the yummy dishes that the cooler weather brings to mind, I'm just not quite ready for pumpkin bread, apple crisps, and maple scones...yet (I'm sure I'll wake up tomorrow with a totally different mindset).

But for now, I just happened to have three Meyer lemons calling lovingly to me from the fridge.  So, as a final adieu to summer (and my final citrus recipe for the season), I thought I would send you all a postcard in the form of a sweet recipe to remind you of those uncomplicated, bright, sunshiny days.  

Having a wonderful time...the weather's been lovely...wish you were here...

Lime Cake a.k.a. Sunshine on a Plate

This recipe is dedicated to all those citrus-aholics out there, myself included, who can't get enough of anything lime, lemon, tangerine, and/or orange, especially this time of year.  I feel pretty confidant that Patricia at Technicolor Kitchen is a card carrying member as well, and it is to her that I owe my inspiration for this recipe, which has been only slightly modified (I can't help it).I love keeping a stash of citrus in the fridge so that it is always on hand to brighten up any number of dishes.  This cake recipe is a cinch to throw together and could easily be made just an hour or two before eating.  The citrus flavor choice could be easily changed to accommodate whatever citrus obsession you are feeling at the moment, be it lemon, tangerine or orange.