CRANBERRY CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS

 

does anyone else have a ton of frozen cranberries left over from christmas? i always buy a big bag of fresh cranberries (pretty much the only time my grocery store carries them fresh) to make homemade cranberry sauce. then i am left with a giant bag to use up which i end up throwing in the freezer. not that i am complaining.. i absolutely love baking with tart cranberries. you can add them in fruit crisp, pies, muffins, loaf cakes, etc.. CUE: these muffins. the texture is light & fluffy, with a slight tang from the cream cheese & a little crunchy top from the sprinkled sugar. this batter will work as a perfect base for any fruit, chocolate, or nuts you would like to swap in!

ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup raw sugar, plus more for sprinkling
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider (can substitute equal parts orange juice or lemon juice)
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

directions

  • pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
  • in a mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda & salt. set aside.
  • in the bowl of a standmixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese & eggs until smooth. add the vanilla, oil, cider & milk.
  • slowly add in the dry ingredients & beat until batter appears lump free. stir in cranberries.
  • evenly divide the batter amongst 12 lined cupcake tins & sprinkle the top with raw sugar.
  • bake for 15-20 minutes, until muffins are golden brown & cooked throughout.

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WINTER KALE SALAD + CANDIED NUTS

 

kale! that's right, there is kale on modest marce. it took me a while to get on the kale train, i found it difficult to eat raw. BUT once it is added amongst some of my other favourite ingredients in a fancy winter salad, it tastes really good. i love putting a variety of ingredients in my salad. sometimes i go a little overboard because that is what makes a salad fun & not dreadful! if the potent blue cheese scares you (i love my stinky cheese), you can use a milder goat cheese. warning: the candied nuts are super addicting. the left overs make for a perfect snack, so while you're at it you might want to double the recipe for lots of leftover snacking! lastly, to turn this salad into a dinner worthy meal, toss in a grilled chicken breast.

ingredients

for the salad

  • 1 bunch of green kale, chopped
  • 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 apple, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup candied nuts (see recipe below)

for the honey dijon balsamic dressing

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon dijon or grain mustard
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 garlic glove, grated
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • salt & pepper, too taste

for the candied nuts

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 pinch of cinnamon
  • 1 cup whole walnuts
  • 1 cup whole pecans

directions

  • for the salad: fill a large salad bowl with kale. top with blue cheese, pomegranate seeds, red onion, apples & candied nuts. toss in desired amount of dressing!

  • for the dressing: whisk olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic, oregano, salt & pepper until well combined. store left over in sealed jar & keep at room temperature.

  • for the candied nuts: preheat oven to 350 degrees. in a sauce pan over medium-low heat add sugar, honey, water, salt & cinnamon. bring to a boil & cook for a couple minutes to ensure the sugar has dissolved. remove from heat & stir in walnuts & pecans. transfer nuts to a lined cookie sheet & bake for 10-15 minutes, tossing in between. remove from heat & let nuts cool to room temperature. store left over in a sealed jar.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CAKE

 

hello 2016!!! i hope everyone had a happy new years. i intended for my first post of the year to be a healthy winter salad (for real, i did) but.. chocolate cake. this is similar to my one bowl chocolate cake recipe, with the addition of coffee & dark chocolate. this cake can be served plain, with a little sprinkle of powdered sugar OR you can drizzle it with some whiskey caramel sauce like i did. cause yolo, it's 2016!

ingredients

  • 2 cups raw sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup dutch dark cocoa powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup brewed espresso or coffee, hot
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • powdered sugar, for dusting
  • get your hot cake's whiskey caramel sauce, for drizzling (optional)

directions

  • preheat oven to 325 degrees. in a mixing bowl beat raw sugar, oil and vanilla. add eggs and milk until well combined.
  • sift in cocoa powder, flour, salt and baking soda until just blended.
  • slowly pour in hot espresso/coffee and stir until the batter looks smooth & silky. fold in chocolate chips, dusted in flour to prevent sinking.
  • bake in two 8-inch round cake pans or a 9x13 greased dish for 30-40 minutes.
  • dust in powdered sugar & drizzle in caramel sauce once cake is fully cooled.