Chai Tea Latte Cupcakes

Soooo...I made these on a whim and didn't write all the measurements (but remember some) but they came out delicious! I'll do my best to remember what I added but I encourage you to try to guestimate/have faith along the way hah.

Recipe makes about 18 cupcakes (and a gazillion mini cupcakes if you're into that)

Ingredients

• 1 box of extra moist white cake (I use Duncan Hines but have also used Baker's Corner brand you can get from Aldi)
• 2 tbsp melted butter (instead of oil)
• 1 1/3 cup of water (or so)
• 3 large egg whites (I used Eggland's Best Egg Whites-- so for this, 9 tbsp of egg whites. It is pasteurized so I tasted the batter here and there [using clean spoon] assuming the eggs whites were safe to eat raw; however, be careful with that biotin! haha)
• 3 tbsp chai tea latte mix (I actually used Trader Joe's Pumpkin Chai Tea Latte mix [so I guess these are actually pumpkin chai tea latte cupcakes...]! If you do not have chai tea latte mix, you can also brew a few chai tea bags in the water above--try it out!)
• Additional sprinklings of spices (cinnamon, ground clove, ground ginger, ground nutmeg)
• 2 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1 tsp of almond extract
• 2-3 tbsp of instant coffee (add more to your liking)

For the frosting (optional):

• Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Vanilla (guestimate how much frosting you want! I scooped out about 1/2 to 3/4 cup)
• Assortment of spices to taste (cinnamon, clove, ginger, nutmeg)--I kept sprinkling!
• Little snack bag with a small cut at the corner. I used this as a piping bag

Set oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-muffin tin with cupcake liners if you want. I also had an extra little one that holds 6 cupcakes (for a toaster oven) so I lined that too.

Mix the eggs, butter, and water then add the cake mix. Add your chai tea mix and coffee, extracts, and additional spices if needed. I tasted it because the egg whites were pasteurized but I would not recommend doing so! You do not have to add additional spices but I wanted more of the chai flavor to stand out so I used similar spices found in the mix.

Mix until there are no lumps. If it's too thick, add more water (I did this and it was fine). Fill the muffin tin until half full in each cupcake liner. If there is extra, add a little more to each one. I think this cake mix I used was for 24 cupcakes, but I just made 18 bigger cupcakes.

Place in oven and bake for about 12-15 minutes (check doneness with a toothpick). 

While that's baking, make the frosting! This easy peezy frosting was just vanilla frosting and I added all the same spices until it was fragrant and flavorful (try a bit to your taste!). I don't like too much frosting on my cupcakes, so I just used a piping bag (a.k.a., snack bag with a hole in the corner hah), and made a small swirl on top.

Remove the cupcakes from oven and let them cool! When they are cool, pipe some frosting on top and you are done! Store in airtight container at room temperature. 

Enjoy these fun little [sort of pumpkin]chai tea latte cupcakes! 

Banana Nut PB Overnight Oats

I love me some overnight oats. I always seem to make this and figured I'd post it up. I think the combination of banana, peanut butter and chocolate is really delicious. This recipe has a slight hint of peanut butter and a delicious crunch from the added pecans. Try it out for your next breakfast. No need to heat. Just pack overnight in the fridge and enjoy the next morning.

Ingredients
1/2 - 1 medium banana, mushed
1 tbsp Chocolate PB2* or regular peanut butter
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup instant oats (old-fashioned oats work fine; steel cut oats may be a bit crunchy)
1 cup light soy milk
1 tbsp chopped pecans

Mush the banana in a mason jar or bowl. Add the cinnamon, cocoa powder, and PB2 and mix well. You can also use regular peanut butter but note the added calories and fat. Add your oats and mix well. Add your soy milk and remember it will thicken.

The next day, top with chopped pecans and enjoy!


*PB2 is powdered peanut butter. It comes in regular flavor and chocolate flavor. It contains 85% less calories than than regular peanut butter (45 calories per 2 tbsp and 4g of protein, compared to 188 calories, and about 8g of protein in regular peanut butter). You mix it with water to get the peanut butter consistency.
Check it out: http://www.amazon.com/PB2-Powdered-Peanut-Butter-6-5/dp/B002GJ9JWS

Nutrition info (approx): 393 calories, 64g carbs, 12g fat, 16g protein, 151mg sodium, 18g sugar

Lemon Ricotta Soufflé Pancakes with Raspberry Glaze

I just love the taste of fresh lemon in pancakes! I have made lemon ricotta pancakes before, but wanted to add a small twist to these. Adding some fluffy egg white gives these pancakes a nice texture. I like to make a nice raspberry drizzle to finish it off.

Ingredients:

¾ cup flour

1 tbsp baking powder

½ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese

2 eggs

2/3 cup of unsweetened almond milk (or any type)

1 lemon (zested and juiced) 

3 tbsp of egg whites, whipped (or use 1-2 egg whites) 

Raspberry glaze:

1/2 6oz container of raspberries
1/2 lemon, juiced

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup water

Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until they form stiff peaks (don't over beat as you will lose these fluffy peaks! Also, make sure there is NO yolk as this will not allow the egg whites to whip up). 

Heat up a griddle, and a touch of butter, and cooked these pancakes until golden brown on each side. 

For the raspberry glaze, add about ½ of 6oz container of raspberries and ½ lemon squeezed into a small saucepan. Add the water and sugar (enough to your own preference) and just simmer over medium heat (until it gets slightly thicker). 

Drizzle that on the pancakes, top with some maple syrup and sprinkle some powdered sugar. Voila!

Farro with Spicy Chicken Korean Sausage

You may know my love for Trader Joe's and other great things it has. While shopping, I noticed a little package of farro. What is farro exactly? Is it barley or spelt? There's some confusion as to what it is. Farro is a type of whole grain that has been used in Italian cooking for years and is becoming increasingly popular in America. The whole grain variety typically take longer to cook because it has the bran and germ intact. More processed farro is quicker to cook but has some of these elements removed. It's nutty, chewy and delicious. It is also packed with fiber and protein, along with magnesium.

I've always wanted to try cooking with farro. This variety I saw at Trader Joe's takes about 10-minutes to prepare the farro and they had a lovely recipe on the side of the packaging. Seeing that I had bought another type of sausage at Trader Joe's, I modified the recipe a bit. I present to you this delicious farro with sausage, mushrooms and onions.

Ingredients:

1 package of Trader Joe's 10-minute farro (about 8.8oz)

2 cups of broth or water (I used beef broth but you can use any kind)

1 package of Trader Joe's Spicy Chicken Sausage (Korean-inspired Kalbi BBQ recipe) - or any chicken sausage

1 package of 8oz mini portabello mushrooms, chopped

1 white onion, diced

2 clove of garlic, chopped

Cilantro (garnish or to mix in)

I used maybe about 2 cups of broth but enough that I felt would cover the farro. You can use any kind of broth (I used some beef broth but added some water because I ran out of broth--still came out delicious!). Let this boil and then add the farro. Let that boil for about 10-12 minutes. Drain this and leave it to the side (there are also instructions on the packet)

To a large skillet, saute the sausages. Make sure to remove the casings! Once it has browned, move to a plate and save for later.

Add onions, garlic, and the mushrooms to the pan with the sausage drippings. Saute until soft and tender.

To this mixture, add your farro and sausage and mix well. Season with red pepper flakes to kick it up a notch, salt/pepper to taste! I added some cilantro as a nice final touch and it really made the flavors pop!

Easy Peezy Guacamole

Thinking of summer time while watching the snow slowly fall down? Are you watching football and craving some dip to go along with your chips?

I have forgotten to post this and have decided it was time to share my love for guacamole. I love it with fish tacos or sandwiches! If using with chips, make sure they don't break super easily like the ones pictured. Instead of a joyous experience, it became a most tormentous venture.

Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados, mashed
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 small onion, diced
1 clove of garlic
1 lime
Handful of cilantro
Salt and pepper

Mash up your avocados in a medium-sized bowl. Dice your tomatoes and onions and mince your garlic. Add these to the bowl and mix.

Squeeze some lime and chop up some cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste. To prevent it from browning, make sure you snuggly cover with plastic wrap directly on guacamole to prevent contact with air (it'll still brown, but not as fast if you were to loosely cover it).

Below, I have enjoyed this guacamole in this delicious cod fish taco (recipe to follow). Enjoy!

Blueberry-Banana Nut Overnight Oats

Yah, maybe I like overnight oats a lot. You can definitely make this warm. But if you choose to prepare the night before, you need the following:

Ingredients
1/2 banana (or a very small banana)
1/2 cup oats
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsweetened light almond milk
1/4 cup of fat free Greek yogurt (optional, but adds more protein and thickness)
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tbsp chopped pecans
1/4 cup blueberries

The night before, mash your banana, and add your cinnamon and vanilla and mix well. Sprinkle in your oatmeal and mix, and finally mix in the almond milk.

The next day, top with 1 tsp maple syrup, your pecans, and 1/4 cup of blueberries.

Enjoy this yummy treat!
Nutrition info (approx.): 387 calories, 69g carbs, 10g fat, 12g protein, 137mg sodium, 20g sugar

Slow Cooker Honey BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

Yes, summer is coming to an end. School has started for quite a few people and some have yet to start school. Time to indulge in some barbecue, delicious frozen drinks, fresh seasonal fruit, and water fun.

In case you don't have a grill and own a crock pot, you can try making these honey bbq chicken drumsticks in your slow cooker. I absolutely love crock pot meals and this one is really simple!

Ingredients:
2 lbs of drumsticks (Around 6-8 drumsticks should work)
3/4 cup of your favorite bbq sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)
1/8-1/4 cup of honey
A dash of red hot pepper flakes

Place the drumsticks in a slow cooker. Mix the bbq sauce and honey. Pour over the slow cooker and I add a dash of the red hot pepper flakes. You can omit them if you want.

Cook the drumsticks for 6-8 hours on the LOW setting of the crock pot. The result will be some tender, fall off the bone, chicken. Mmm...

Enjoy with some roasted vegetables and potatoes. Enjoy the last of the summer days!

Chocolate Strawberry Overnight Oats

I'm really on an overnight oats craze lately. Maybe I'll just dedicate a section of my blog to oats like this...

Anyway, berries are on sale ya'll. Get your strawberry and chocolate fix!

Chocolate and strawberries, what better combination?

Ingredients
1/2 cup instant oats (or old-fashioned oats)
1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/8 tsp cinnamon (dash of cinnamon)
1 tsbp almond butter
3/4 cup light almond milk (soy milk or skim milk would be great too)
1/2 cup of strawberries (then slice them)
1 tbsp sliced almond

Mix the instant oats, cocoa powder, almond butter, and then mix in the almond milk. Place in fridge overnight and the next morning, top with the strawberries and sliced almonds.

Yummy breakfast! High protein as well with the added almond butter.

Nutrition info (approx.): 363 calories, 48g carbs, 18g fat, 13g protein, 206mg sodium, 10g sugar

Easy Chicken and Dumplings - Crock Pot Recipe

I am big into comfort food. Once I got my crock pot, I knew it was the beginning of a fun friendship...

Mine is only 3 qt crock pot and this dish fits pretty well in it. However, it would probably be best in a 5 qt one. I introduce to you my eazy-peezy chicken and dumplings!

Ingredients
2-3 chicken breasts (1 lb chicken), cut into bite-sized pieces
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 tsp chicken bouillon seasoning
1 bay leaf
1-2 carrots, chopped or about 1/4 bag of baby carrots
1/2 cup potatoes (I use about 3-4 mini potatoes)
1 small onion, chopped
2 celery stalks (optional)
1 10-ounce package of refrigerated biscuits (cut into smaller bite-sized pieces)

Place the carrots, potatoes, and onion in the bottom of the slow cooker. I use a 3-qt slow-cooker and it works just fine.

I cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Make sure to use separate cutting boards for your meats and vegetables to avoid cross-contamination! Put the chicken on top and pour the cream of mushroom can with the one can of water. I also add and mix in the chicken bouillon powder. The bay leaf can be stacked on top.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours. About 20-30 minutes before serving, place the uncooked biscuit pieces in the slow cooker and let it cook.

You'll have some tasty and yummy chicken n' dumplings. Pair with a nice comforting movie and you got yourself an awesome night.

Summer Berry Cobbler

I made this for Fourth and July and what a festive way to celebrate the day! Summertime is a good time to start eating some berries. Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries--a lot of them are in season!

Ingredients
1/2 cup of light almond milk (or any type of milk or milk alternative)
1 cup Bisquick
2 tsp canola oil
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup of sugar (I used 1/6 cup of sugar, 1/6 cup of Splenda)

2 cups berries (I used fresh blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries. Frozen works as well. You can use any fruit you want. Try peaches and mango. Mmm!)
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup water

Preheat your oven to 375F.

Mix the first ingredients and pour in a greased 9.5" or 9" glass pie pan (I used PAM spray). You can use either a round or square pie/cake tin. I used glass and this heats up very well! Baking time was about 20 minutes for this type of bakeware.

In a small bowl, mix your sugar and water and dissolve the sugar. Then fold in your berries into the sugar-water mixture. This will be really liquidy but it's okay! Once you place it in the pie tin and once it starts to bake, it will thicken up and become a syrup! Depending on how tart you want the cobbler, you can add more sugar. I felt 2 tbsp was enough because the berries were already sweet.

Pour this over the Bisquick mixture and bake for 20 minutes or so.

Enjoy with some yummy ice cream!

Salmon with White Wine and Caper Sauce

This is a really simple salmon dish and it pairs well with the mushroom-onion orzo recipe.

Ingredients
1 thick salmon fillet (about 8 oz), cut into two-pieces
1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tbsp butter
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
2 tsp capers
1/2 cup white wine (I used pinot grigio)

Season the salmon with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

In a non-stick pan, I heat the olive oil and butter. The butter adds a nice nutty flavor and it pairs well with the capers and white wine. You can omit it as well.

Pan-sear the salmon (about 3 minutes), I flip it once. Set aside and take out of pan.

In the pan, add the white wine and capers and simmer until slightly reduced.

Place over the salmon and enjoy!

I paired it with a mushroom-onion orzo, but can go well over rice or some pasta. 

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Salmon with White Wine and Caper Sauce Recipe:

Ingredients
1 thick salmon fillet (about 8 oz), cut into two-pieces
1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tbsp butter
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
2 tsp capers
1/2 cup white wine (I used pinot grigio)

Season the salmon with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. In a non-stick pan, I heat the olive oil and butter. The butter adds a nice nutty flavor and it pairs well with the capers and white wine.

Pan-sear the salmon (about 3 minutes), I flip it once. Set aside and take out of pan. In the pan, add the white wine and capers and simmer until slightly reduced.

Place over the salmon and serve with a side of orzo, rice, or pasta!

Mushroom and Onion Orzo

This is a great side dish for seafood, chicken, or pork (or even...tofu!).

I just made it recipe and paired it with a simple salmon recipe that I will also post.

Ingredients
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 8oz of sliced mushroom (I used mini bellas, I love these!)
1 lb orzo (I used De Cecco brand)
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine (I used pinot grigio. You can try chardonnay as well)
Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste

Heat up 1 tbsp of the olive oil and saute your mushrooms and onions. When it gets a bit soft, after 5 minutes, add the orzo and continue sauteing for about 2-3 minutes until the orzo is a bit golden brown.

Add your chicken broth and white wine and boil. Once it boils, simmer it on low for about 7-10 minutes until it is al dente (slightly firm and chewy). Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. The chicken broth has sodium in it so you may not need to add excess salt.

You can also mix in some parmesan cheese and parsley to make this more of a risotto. I didn't have these ingredients so I just added what I had.

Voila!

Beef and Mushroom Oven Bake

If you've seen Sweeney Todd, don't let this meat bake scare you!

I like the idea of pot pies or cheeseburger bakes and also enjoy the taste of beef and mushroom. What better way of combining this idea!

Ingredients
1 lb lean ground beef
8oz mini bella mushrooms (mini portabello or just regular mushrooms will do)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste (additional garlic oomph!)
1 cup Bisquick mix
1 cup skim milk
2 eggs (or 1/2 cup of egg whites)

Preheat oven to 400F.

Saute the beef, mushrooms, garlic, and onions and add seasonings. I didn't add any oil and used a non-stick pan (as the meat already has fat in it). Drain the fat if possible or pat dry with a paper towel.

Place mixture in 9.5 inch glass pie plate (you can also use aluminum or other baking pans but keep an eye out on the baking time. Glass heats very effectively!)

In a bowl, mix the Bisquick, 1 cup of milk, and eggs until smooth. Top the mixture with this Bisquick mix and place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

Let it cool and be ready for some yummy beef/mushroom bake!

Want more veggies? Try a side of steamed carrots or broccoli. Yum!

Happy National Doughnut Day!

Happy Donut Day everybody. :P

I wish I had a nice donut recipe but that'll come in due time.

More recipes to come next week!

Baked Kale Chips

Oh kale...what to do with you kale. You see it in stores, you hear about people putting it in smoothies, and you want to give it a go but you're not sure how?

Well kale chips are pretty simple to make and they taste great. They're crunchy and packed full of antioxidants. Kale is a great source of vitamin K, vitamin A, and vitamin C.

Baked Kale Chips
Ingredients
1 bunch of kale
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper to season
Red pepper flakes (optional)

Preheat oven to 300F.

Wash and remove the leaves of the kale from the thick stems. Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces. To dry, use a paper towel or salad spinner. There's also an interesting way to dry greens with a pillow case...

Place on a cookie sheet and cover with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Coat with the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in oven for 15-20 minutes until crispy.

Enjoy this delicious snack! I paired it with a sandwich below...

Looking for a sweeter snack? Use a milder oil (I suggest canola) and top with some cinnamon and sugar instead of salt and pepper. Cinnamon/nutmeg complement dark leafy greens pretty well!

Blueberry Almond Overnight Oats

I just tried this recently and I absolutely loved it as a nice and refreshing breakfast. The best part is that you can prepare it the night before.

Ingredients
1/2 cup instant oats (old-fashioned oats work fine; steel cut oats may be a bit crunchy)
1 tbsp chia seeds (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp maple syrup
3/4 cup light soy milk (add more milk if you prefer thinner oatmeal)
1-1 1/2 tbsp sliced almonds
1/4 cup blueberries

Combine the oats, chia seeds, vanilla, maple syrup and light soy milk in a bowl (or a mason jar if you prefer it that way) and store in the fridge covered (you can cover with plastic wrap).

The next morning, just top it with sliced almonds and blueberries and mix!

You'll notice the chia seeds create a more gel-like texture. It also provided heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. It also adds some protein to keep you full a bit longer (and you have the added protein from soy milk and the almonds). Add more sweetener to taste.

It's crunchy and delicious!

Want an added almond flavor? Add about 1/2 tsp of almond extract for an added oomph of almond.

Nutrition info (approx.): 371 calories, 53g carbs, 13g fat, 15g protein, 170mg sodium, 16g sugar

Welcome to Natalie's Noms!

To start, welcome and thanks for checking out my blog!

I consider myself pretty lucky. I'm studying about food and get to explore more things about food than I ever thought I would! I have a background in food science and nutritional sciences and you could imagine what typical conversations among foodies can be about,

"I wonder what kind of oil they cooked this in..."
"Should I add chia seeds, or hemp seeds to my oatmeal? Hmm..."
"What kind of sweetener is in this?"

Nah, we're actually not that particular. The fun thing about my major is that food is always a constant subject, but it's really fun to talk and think about.

In this blog, I'll bring you some fun recipes you can try at home, some healthy and some a bit more...indulgent. Also, some recipes will be simpler for those people who are living the college lifestyle (buying less products or making more in advance for your week's lunch), or for those living alone. Living on my own, I've made a few staple dishes that I find pretty easy and quick to make without having to make a large amount.

In addition, some of my foodie friends have some really cool recipes they want to share!

I welcome you to my world. Cheers to simple, fun, and delicious food!