Bites of My Life

4th of July, please don't ever fall on a Wednesday again. I beg of you. Weirdest week ever. Not a bad week in hindsight, just weird. I know most of you can agree. The double two day week wasn't the worst either. 

Lot's of festive food, summer food, breakfast food and all around delicious food last week. As you can see more of below. This week is looking like a birthday celebration, taco tuesday, VIP movie screening and then off to the lake. Chat next Monday! 

-Eat the rainbow. My favorite way to eat. Ingredient details including a killer dressing recipe in my post here.
-Breakfast with mom at our favorite, EnCroute.
-All the office vibes in our new workspace. More pictures to come I'm sure, but for now, back to Kathy Lee and Hoda.
-Y'all know me and my love for festive food. So festive fruit to start the 4th was a must.
-4th of July, please don't ever fall on a Wednesday again. All smiles despite.
-Celebrating America and my girl Maddie's bday!
-Breakfast with dad, trying out Buttermilk. A biscuit breakfast spot but couldn't resist the smoothie bowl!
-Sunday spin with my girl. 
-Little fish is almost a year old!

Annie

Raspberry Lemon Protein Muffins

These muffins. Hearty, fresh, naturally sweetened and filled with 5 grams of protein per muffin and only 170 calories each. 

A friend of mine is the mastermind behind the recipe, but I changed things up a bit making them dairy free. The raspberry lemon combo is everything I want in a muffin. Slathered with shmear of almond butter in the morning and they make for the perfect breakfast. 

Not to mention these would be incredible on your Easter brunch menu, perfect for a shower, and even better for your everyday life. 

Raspberry Lemon Protein Muffins
yields 12 muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups oat flour*
2 scoops Arbonne vanilla protein powder
2 scoops Arbonne fiber powder (optional)
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup agave
3/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup olive oil
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
zest from 1 whole lemon
juice from 1/2 lemon
10 oz fresh raspberries (reserve 12 raspberries for topping) 

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.

*Take 2 cups of old fashioned rolled oats (steel cut will not work) and pulse in your blender until the texture of flower.

In a medium bowl, whisk oat flour, protein powder, fiber powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk agave, almond milk, olive oil, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir wet ingredients into your dry ingredients. Fold your raspberries into the batter. Using an ice cream scoop, divide batter into muffin cups making sure you evenly distribute the raspberries into each muffin. Top each muffin with a raspberry. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the edges are just golden and a toothpick comes out clean. 

Annie 

*to purchase Arbonne's protein powder, please email me at annie@takeabiteblog.com!

Lite Bite: Cherry Vanilla Protein Shake

Cherry Vanilla Protein Shake
serves 1

Ingredients:
2 scoops Arbonne Vanilla Protein Powder
1 tsp. Arbonne Fiber Boost
1/2 cup frozen cherries
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
shake of cinnamon
1/2-1 cup almond milk
handful of ice

Directions:
Blend items together. Serve with an extra frozen cherry. #cherryontop! 

Lemon Loaf

About two weeks ago an old co-worker/work bff sent me a food video of a riff on Starbuck's Lemon Loaf, with the message "I love their lemon loaf, but I don't think I could handle buying all of those ingredients and doing a million steps..." I easily took this as a challenge to recreate the recipe in a more approachable manor.

Side note really quick. The word "approachable" keeps following me around. I've really honed in on realizing my style of cooking and baking is "approachable." I work to create recipes that any one can make and enjoy. I hope you agree. 

When my friend plotted the idea in me for this lemon loaf I was more than happy to follow through. I love a good banana or pumpkin bread, but this lemon version is just what my spring taste buds were craving.

If you are planning an Easter brunch for this weekend or have any spring baking to-do's, add this to your list. It is friends and family taste tested approved! I love leaving my bake goods out on the counter, to come back to find only a plate of crumbs. This is the best compliment in my opinion.

Lemon Loaf
yields 8-9 pieces, 1-9x5 loaf

Ingredients:
3 eggs
8 oz sour cream or greek yogurt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. lemon zest (about 3 lemons)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Icing:
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. lemon juice (1 large lemon)
1 Tbsp. of butter, very soft

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x5 loaf pan and set aside. 

In an electric mixer, cream eggs, sour cream (or greek yogurt) and sugar. Mix in oil. Add vanilla extract, lemon zest and lemon juice. Scrape down the sides then add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix until fully combined. Pour into your prepared pan and bake for 40-50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire wrack for at least 15 minutes. Remove from pan and place back on wire rack until completely cool (or for the impatient like myself, throw it in the freezer for a bit). While cooling, make your icing.

You want really soft butter, but not fully melted. Whisk soft butter, powdered sugar and lemon juice until the consistency of thick glue. Pour over the top of your cool loaf and let it drip down the sides. Garnish with lemon zest. Once the icing is set, slice into pieces!

Similar to Starbucks-yes? Better than Starbucks-yes. Make/bake and you will see. Happy Spring!

Take a lick?

Annie

Spring Green Frittata

I used to never eat eggs for breakfast. At brunch, give me all the eggs, but during the week I was a regular with smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt and granola. Once I did Whole 30, I quickly realized with oatmeal and yogurt out, eggs needed to join the breakfast rotation. I'm now eating more eggs in the morning, but I've always loved them for lunch and for dinner. What I'm getting at is that eggs are equally a breakfast, lunch and dinner staple for me. 

My favorite childhood meal my mom used to and still makes is her hashbrown quiche. While it is very much a breakfast dish, we only ever made it for dinner. Last week I picked up the Mushroom, Spinach and Cheese Frozen Quiche from Trader Joe's. If you haven't tried their frozen quiches yet, I urge you to. Such a good freezer staple. I heated up my quiche this weekend for lunch and served with an arugula salad. All this egg and quiche ramble is a long way to let you know what inspired this frittata. 

I've done this before, but I love making a frittata and then toasting a wedge to have for lunch each day during the week. This veggie packed egg dish is really satisfying mid day and actually reheats great! With spring fever I was inspired to keep things springy and green. Leeks, zucchini and spinach with a little salt and pepper is all you need for this dish! Leeks are a personal favorite. They look like massive green onions and kind of taste like them too. 

Cooking for one? Make this frittata and reheat through the week. Cooking for a crowd? This dish is perfect for an Easter brunch or a girl's lunch.

Spring Green Frittata
serves 4-5

Ingredients:
1 large leek, thinly sliced including greens and whites
1 medium zucchini, sliced in half and thinly chopped
1 large handful of spinach
1 Tbsp. butter, ghee or olive oil
8 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions:
Preheat the broiler setting on your oven (your oven should have a broiler setting, but if it doesn't this is about 525 degrees). Place a 10-inch cast iron pan or heavy bottom, broilerproof, non-stick pan over medium heat. Add your ghee or oil and heat. Add your sliced leeks and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook with the leeks for 2 more minutes. Sauté together until both veggies are tender. Add the handful of spinach, stir and cook until wilted. Should only take about a minute.

In a large bowl whisk eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Make sure your veggies are evenly spread out in your pan. Pour the eggs into skillet. Cook until almost set, about 3 minutes. Once the bottom is starting to set but the middle is still jiggly, place into your oven to broil. Broil until frittata is puffed and the top is golden, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the top with salt, cut into wedges and serve! Serve next to arugula tossed in a light lemon/olive oil dressing!

Annie