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Simple, Easy and Delicious Avocado Toast Recipe

by Deborah Cruz 2019/01/10

Have you been wondering how to make avocado toast but just don’t know where to start? A healthy avocado toast recipe is super easy to make and we live in a time where avocado recipes are everywhere. It’s the new “wonder food” plus it makes the perfect breakfast ( especially if you add an egg) or really the perfect anytime meal or snack.

For many, the idea of avocado toast is a fairly new one but not for me. I’ve been eating avocados since I could chew. I’m not even sure I needed teeth because they are so smooth and creamy. I’ve been feeding my own daughters avocado since they were allowed to eat solids. Avocados are healthy and delicious, why wouldn’t I?

READ ALSO: Elote Casserole Recipe

If we’re being honest, my family grows avocados in Mexico. We had to, we eat too many of them not to grow our own. Of course, that doesn’t help me at all here in the Midwest but it gives me something to look forward to when I take my family to visit the place I spent my summers as a child.

Avocado toast has become my new addiction.

It’s healthy, simple, and delicious. The best part of all, it’s super easy to make and ready in like 3 minutes minutes. I’m pretty sure that it takes me longer to eat it than it does to make it. This avocado toast recipe is so simple and easy that it’s hardly a recipe at all. But sometimes the simplest pleasures are overlooked and I didn’t want you to miss out on how to make avocado toast.

This avocado toast recipe isn’t one of those fancy, complicated avocado recipes. Some things are just better simple, like butter tortillas. Butter + a warm flour tortilla = crazy delicious.

This avocado recipe is simple but the possibilities are endless. You can make it into avocado toast or if you’re trying to keep it more keto-friendly, eat it straight out of the bowl. If you want to serve it without the bread to guests, you can present it on a crisp, clean piece of iceberg lettuce.

READ ALSO: Chicken Enchilada Recipe

Sometimes zest up our avocado toast and top it with jalapeños, siracha, tomatoes, bacon, beans, spinach, salsa macho or pretty much anything your avocado toast loving heart desires.

To begin, toast your bread. I like mine nice and golden. You can use any kind of toast or sliced bread you have but I like to use hearty whole grain or sourdough toast.

Next, mash an avocado in a small bowl with a fork. Add cilantro, lime, diced tomato and salt + pepper. Then, spread the creamy, smooth mixture on the toasted slice of bread. For me, 1 whole avocado makes 2 pieces of toast. Sprinkle with pepper flakes, if you like, and serve!

If you want a little extra protein, top the avocado with an egg cooked any way you like. We like it over easy and runny but sunny side up, scrambled, poached or sliced hard-boiled works too.

Simple, Easy and Delicious Avocado Toast Recipe

Deborah Cruz

If you love avocado recipes and want a simple, easy and delicious avocado toast recipe this is the one you want. Even a child can make it. I know because my girls make it. And it only takes 5 minutes with vegetarian ingredients. It's a healthy, delicious and amazing avocado toast recipe.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine Mexican, vegetarian

Servings 1

Ingredients

1 medium avocado peeled with seed removed
1/2 small tomato
1/4 wedge lime
1 tbsp cilantro to taste
olive oil drizzle
1-2 slices whole grain ( or whatever you prefer) bread toasted
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 eggs (optional) cooked to preference

Instructions

1. Toast 2 slices of whole grain bread ( or whatever kind you prefer) in a toaster until golden brown and crispy.
2. In a small bowl mash the avocado then combine cilantro, lime, tomato and salt + pepper to taste. Spread half of the mixture on each slice of toast. Drizzle with olive oil. Optional, top with fried, scrambled, or poached egg if desired.
3. Serve with love!
4. Enjoy.

2019/01/10 4 comments

Food

Easy and Delicious Roasted Orange and Lemon Chicken Recipe

by Deborah Cruz 2019/04/17

written by Deborah Cruz

I’ve been cooking dinner at home a lot lately in an effort to get healthy and save money. I’d say those are pretty good reasons for eating at home. It gives me a weird mom satisfaction knowing how much my family loves my cooking. These are people who enjoy food and are not afraid to tell you if it’s not up to par. When foodies are silent at the dinner table save for the sound of lips smacking, it feels like an accomplishment. My roasted orange and lemon chicken recipe shuts them right up and I love it.

I like to make meals that are as free from preservatives as possible. The more natural, the better. Farm to table, no additives or hormones is our jam. We’re Midwesterners so we do love our comfort foods that remind us of growing up and well, if there are leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch, even better. I want all of that but healthier. Comforting without the guilt. Know what I mean?

Currently, my family’s favorite meal that I’ve been cooking is a simple, but delicious, roasted orange and lemon chicken with baked rosemary potatoes and steamed asparagus. I’m going on the record and humble brag that it’s scrumptious and almost obscene how easy it is to prepare. It’s practically idiot proof. I’m pretty sure I could teach my middle schoolers how to make this roasted orange and lemon chicken recipe and it turn out just as awesome as when I make it. It’s that easy. If you’ve seen my Thanksgiving how to roast a turkey recipe, you already know how easy it is.

roasted orange and lemon chicken recipe, lemon chicken, chicken recipe, Easter recipe

I’m going to be honest with you, Easter is right around the corner and I’m not a huge fan of the traditional ham dinner so I’m going to make this roasted orange and lemon chicken recipe. Who says we have to do things the traditional way? Create your own traditions. Eat what you want. You’re cooking.

Easy and Delicious Roasted Orange and Lemon Chicken Recipe

Roasted Orange and Lemon Chicken Recipe

Easy to make ad deliciously moist roasted orange and lemon chicken recipe.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 3

Resting Time 15

Total Time 3 10

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

5-6 lb Whole Chicken
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 stick Unsalted butter
Olive Oil as needed, enough to cover chicken.
1 Orange
1 Lemon
Garlic Powder to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Remove the innards from the cavity of the chicken.
Put chicken in a roasting pan.
Gently wedge your fingers between the skin and meat and slightly loosen.
Place pats of butter inside the loosened area between skin and chicken meat.
Slice the lemon and orange into slices.
Place slices into the empty chicken cavity.
Cover the chicken with olive oil and massage the oil into the skin. This helps to lock in the juices while cooking.
Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper.
After that, lightly sprinkle with garlic powder.
Lastly, let sit for a couple minutes while you melt remainder of stick of butter.
Massage melted butter onto the exterior of the chicken.
Cover completely.
Generously season with salt and pepper.
Bake uncovered for 15 minutes in preheated oven, to lock in juices.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Cover loosely with aluminum foil.
Bake for about 30 minutes per lb.
Remove from heat, and baste with melted margarine and drippings about every 45 minutes.
Cook to a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).
When done, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest 30 minutes before serving.

Keyword Roasted orange and lemon chicken recipe, lemon chicken, chicken recipe

I’m thinking of pairing my Easter orange and lemon chicken recipe with garlic potatoes, glazed carrots, fresh rolls, fresh cut fruit and deviled eggs. Sounds like the perfect dinner to me. What’s your favorite Sunday dinner recipe?

2019/04/17 0 comments

red, white, blueberry, trifle, fourth of july, dessert, recipe, Wayfair

Food Lifestyle

Fourth of July Recipe: Red, White and Blueberry Trifle

by Deborah Cruz 2017/06/30

written by Deborah Cruz

Can you believe that the Fourth of July is right around the corner? When I think of the Fourth of July a few things come to mind; family, friends, the beach, a barbecue, fireworks, the red, white and blue of our American flag and a good dessert recipe like the red, white and blueberry trifle.

The Fourth of July is a day to celebrate all the freedoms that we have to pursue happiness and this beautiful country made up of so many diverse cultures and people all in search of the same thing, freedom from persecution. It really is a great country based on equal rights for all human beings.

Every year, our neighborhood has a huge block party that concludes with a huge fireworks display over our golf course. It’s something we look forward to every year and, in truth, it was a huge part of why we bought our home in this community. It’s part of our American dream.

Family and friends come over to celebrate the 4th of July because who can’t use more friends who feel like family? There’s always great food, good conversation and lots of love and laughter and no Fourth of July celebration would be complete without as much red, white and blue as possible.

Enter our favorite Fourth of July dessert recipe the red, white and blueberry trifle.

The red, white and blueberry trifle is super simple to make and very refreshing to eat. And I don’t know about you but when I’m enjoying my favorite people in the sunshine, drinking sangria, I want something light, refreshing and delicious that screams, “Summer” and that is exactly what the red, white and blueberry trifle does. Plus, it is pretty to look at on your Fourth of July tablescape.

Ingredients for the red, white and blueberry trifle ultimate Fourth of July dessert recipe

• Pound cake (11.5 oz), sliced (you can buy from the bakery or just get a frozen Sarah Lee. I promise it will all taste delicious.)
• 1 Box (6-serving size) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
• 1-Teaspoon vanilla
• 2-Cups whole milk
• ½ Cup sour cream
• 1 Cup of homemade whipped cream or 8 oz. of thawed Cool Whip
• 1 lb. fresh strawberries with the stems removed, sliced
• 1 pint (2 cups) fresh blueberries

Directions to make the red, white and blueberry Fourth of July dessert recipe

1. In a medium bowl, beat pudding mix, vanilla, milk and sour cream with electric mixer on medium speed until soft pudding forms. Cover; refrigerate.

red, white, blueberry, trifle, fourth of july, dessert, recipe, Wayfair
2. In a trifle bowl or large clear bowl, arrange 1 layer of sliced cake to cover the entire bottom of the bowl. Top with a layer of pudding, then a layer of whipped topping, and then a layer of strawberries. Repeat all layers except use blueberries. Continue with layers until bowl is full.

red, white, blueberry, trifle, fourth of july, dessert, recipe, Wayfair
3. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until ready to serve.
The thing about this recipe is that not only is it simple and delicious, it’s beautiful and easy. You can host the perfect Fourth of July party and almost everything you need is on sale during the Wayfair Fourth of July Sale. Your guests will be asking you for the recipe, guaranteed because they will love it so much.

red, white, blueberry, trifle, fourth of july, dessert, recipe, Wayfair

What is your favorite Fourth of July recipe that you make every year? Have you ever made the red, white and blueberry trifle or something similar?

Please feel free to share links to your favorite Fourth of July recipes in the comments below. I’d love to check them out.

red, white, blueberry, trifle, fourth of july, dessert, recipe, Wayfair

Disclosure: This post was written as part of a sponsored campaign between Wayfair and myself. However, all opinions expressed in this post about the Fourth of July and the dessert recipe for the red, white and blueberry trifle are my own.

2017/06/30 0 comments

Food Latina

Elote Casserole Recipe

by Deborah Cruz 2015/06/26

written by Deborah Cruz

Have you ever tasted elote? I make lots of Mexican dishes and have lots of favorite Mexican food recipes, my enchilada recipe is to die for. Seriously, but I also have developed a new take on an old favorite, elote! You may know it as esquites. I am calling it elote casserole because it’s not quite esquites either.

Growing up, I remember getting elote, the amazing steamed corn from street vendors. It was always a treat that we kids looked forward to, maybe more so than paletas! Anyways, I don’t currently live any where that I can get access to elote and you what they say, necessity is the mother of invention. In this case, it was the mother of the invention of this recipe. The same way it inspired me to develop my mexican hot chocolate milkshake recipe. There was no way I could let me kids grow up without knowing what this amazing food tastes like.

What is elote? If you are not Mexican, you may be asking yourself this. Elote is basically corn on the cob, steamed or boiled in the husk. Then the husk is pulled back and the corn is dipped in mayonnaise, drizzled with limejuice, dusted with Parmesan cheese and then liberally covered in tajin. You can substitute limejuice for lemon pepper and tajin for chili powder, either way, it tastes like a taste explosion in your mouth.

The only problem is that it is a little messy to eat and, where I live, hard to find a street vendor who makes it so I created this recipe so that I can still have my elote without the mess.

Elote Casserole

Ingredients

1 can of corn
½ cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup of sour cream

¼ cup of Parmesan Cheese
2 tablespoons of Tajin
1 small lime

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Empty the can of corn into small casserole dish, spread evenly.
In small bowl mix mayonnaise, sour cream, Parmesan cheese and juice from half of one lime. Blend well.
Spread mayonnaise mixture over top of the corn.
*If you’ve never had Tajin, I recommend that you taste it first. I love it on everything, oranges, apples and corn. You may not, so you may opt for less than the 2 full teaspoons or more.
Sprinkle Tajin, to your desired liking, on top of the mayonnaise mixture.
Place in oven and cook until top is starting to get golden brown.
Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with your favorite dish, mine is everything, especially my enchiladas but if you want to serve it at a cook out, it pairs awesomely with my recipe for Chorizo hamburgers with avocado cream sauce. What’s your favorite casserole recipe?

Have you ever had elote before?

2015/06/26 2 comments

Food

Back to School Brain Food Homemade Granola Bar Recipe

by Deborah Cruz 2021/08/17

written by Deborah Cruz

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

School is back in session and it’s in person this year. Let’s be honest, it is exhausting peopling these days, even for kids (especially those old enough to know better). My girls are back in school after the longest 17 months in the history of their world; pandemic problems even in the first world suck. They come home hungry and in need of a pick-me-up. I want to give them comfort and listen over a healthy snack. One of my girls’ favorites is my back to school brain food homemade granola bar recipe.

I’ve been making this recipe for almost as long as my girls have been alive. They’ve requested it more times than I can count and I’m not mad at them about it. I love them too. This granola bar recipe is quick, easy and 100% customizable and goes great in breakfast parfaits too.

There is something reassuring and organic about making food with love for your children and knowing what’s in it, no preservatives. In fact, I just made a big batch earlier this week for their first week back to school! It’s Gabi’s first week in high school so I needed to give her all the comfort I could.

I used to make this recipe with the girls and we’d have a blast making it together and enjoying it as a snack with a huge glass of organic milk (wouldn’t do the hormones for my girls..but that is an entirely different post about precocious puberty). These granola bars also make a super awesome topping on French Vanilla yogurt.

Back to School Brain Food Homemade Granola Bar Recipe

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cut shredded coconut
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips or raisins or other dried fruit of your choice!

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl.

Line 9×13 pan with foil and spread mixture.

Granola Bars Goodness

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, let cool a bit and then cut into squares.

Wrap in cling wrap and eat within about a week. They are still good after a week, but dry out a bit and become crumbly.

The best part is that it’s so customizable to your family’s taste by simply switching the nuts, dried fruits or adding peanut butter ( or whatever chips you’d prefer) into these delicious granola bars. I promise your kids will be begging you to make this back-to-school brain food homemade granola bar recipe. Eat it alone, with milk, in a parfait or with some fruit as part of a bowl; perfect for breakfast, on the go or an after-school or late-night snack.

What is your favorite back to school brain food recipe?

2021/08/17 13 comments

recipe, Mexican food, easy recipes, chicken tacos with avocado cream sauce, elote casserole, Hass avocados, type 2 diabetes

Food Latina

Easy Recipe for Chicken Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce

by Deborah Cruz 2019/01/29

written by Deborah Cruz

This recipe for chicken tacos with avocado cream sauce is part of a sponsored campaign with DiMe Media and Hass Avocado Board. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

Did you know that in the United States, Latinos are twice as likely as non-Latino people to develop type 2 diabetes? That’s a scary statistic that I’ve been acutely aware of for a very long time. I lost someone very important to me, my favorite Great Uncle, to type 2 diabetes when I was 15-years-old and it was horrible. The worst part is that it could have been prevented with a few simple changes in his diet and a little education about eating healthy.

Cardiometabolic abnormalities, a cluster of risk factors for both cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes such as abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglycerides and high blood glucose levels are higher in the Latino population overall than among non-Hispanic whites.

We can help prevent ourselves from developing type 2 diabetes. One of the most important and effective things we can do to lower our risk for type 2 diabetes is to eat well to maintain a healthy weight. This can be done in many ways and one of the easier ways is to take some of our favorite Latino recipes and reconfigure them to be healthier.

One of our favorite recipes in my house is beef tacos. We love tacos. We can eat them every day of the week. Literally. We could eat anything in a tortilla but tortillas are not the best things for us to eat, especially since our favorite is flour tortillas filled with sour cream, cheese and ground beef. But with a few simple tweaks we can make tacos less hazardous to our health.

Here is my recipe for Chicken Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce:

Ingredients

Tortillas (or you can go the healthier route and eat as a bowl on a bed of lettuce)

Olive Oil

Taco Meat

3 Chicken Breasts

1 Garlic Clove, diced

3 lemons juiced

1 onion, diced

Salt/ Pepper to taste

Directions:

Boil the 3 chicken breasts for 45 minutes to an hour.
Shred chicken.
Heat a frying pan on medium heat until water sizzles when splashed on pan.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
Add onion and garlic to hot oil, sauté until golden brown.
Add shredded chicken, stirring thoroughly until slightly golden.
Add lemon from three lemons.
Salt and pepper to taste.
When thoroughly heated, turn heat down and start working on Avocado cream sauce.

Avocado Cream Sauce

Ingredients

2 Hass avocados
1 lemon, juiced
1 large clove garlic, pasted or grated
A small handful fresh cilantro leaves, optional
About 1/3 cup light sour cream

Directions
Place the Hass avocados in a food processor. Add the lemon juice, garlic, cilantro, if desired, and sour cream and process until very smooth and mayo-like in consistency.

Avocados are virtually the only fruit that contains monounsaturated fat, and they are sodium, cholesterol and trans-fat free. How can something that tastes so good be so good for you?

Toppings

Salsa

Shredded Quesadilla Cheese

Refried beans with Sazon seasoning

Tomato, diced

Shredded Lettuce

Next, heat your tortillas up on a comal (ten seconds, flip, five seconds, flip, five more seconds and then remove) or in the microwave, 35 seconds for a pack of ten. I’ll be honest they taste better heated up on the comal (griddle) and if you want to go healthier eat on a bed of lettuce.

Then spread your warm refried beans with Sazon seasoning (about 1 tablespoon), next add your quesadilla cheese (about ½ a teaspoon), top with sautéed chicken breasts.

Top your chicken tacos with avocado cream sauce, salsa and diced tomatoes. For extra crunch, shredded lettuce will do the job.

If you really want an authentic meal, make elote casserole or Mexican rice (recipe coming soon) to accompany the meal.

Enjoy this easy recipe for chicken tacos and avocado cream sauce with your family knowing you are serving them a meal that you made with love and is good for them.

For more information about type 2 diabetes visit saboreaunohoy.com/aguacatesydiabetes. Share your favorite avocado recipe and follow the #SaboreaUnoHoy 10-day photo challenge for a chance to win prizes.

My favorite recipe for Hass Avocados is Chicken tacos with avocado cream sauce, what’s yours?

2019/01/29 3 comments

Food

Pina Colada Cupcake Recipe

by Deborah Cruz 2016/02/25

written by Deborah Cruz

If you like Pina coladas and getting caught in the rain, my pina colada cupcake recipe is going to make your mouth happy. When I think of Pina Coladas, I think of lying on a beach somewhere like Hawaii relaxing in the sun as the surf hits the shore. This is my happy place and I can’t think of anywhere else more perfect to spend an afternoon, unless it was on that same beach in a hammock lying in the arms of the Big Guy.

I don’t have Pina Coladas often but when I do, I’m in my happy place. I’ve even shared the virgin kind with my girls. There is just something about all that pineapple, coconut goodness that makes it impossible to be in a bad mood.

So when I was asked to make a cupcake inspired by my favorite cocktail, a Pina Colada cupcake recipe was the first thing that came to mind. I actually came up with this recipe last year for my daughter’s Luau themed golden birthday party.

Ingredients for Pina Colada Cupcake Recipe:

½ c. butter, melted

1 egg + 1 egg yolk

1 cup of brown sugar

½ cup pineapple juice, from crushed pineapple

1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained (Save juice)

½ cup whole milk

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

1 teaspoon of coconut extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 2/3 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line muffin cups with paper liners.

Combine all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, pineapple juice and salt in a large mixing bowl; mix with hand mixer on Low until combined, about 3 minutes; add butter and mix.

Beat 1 egg into the flour mixture at a time, assuring each is integrated fully before introducing the next; beat until the mixture forms a cake batter.

Slowly add milk, vanilla extract and coconut extract to the batter, beating and intermittently scraping down the sides of the bowl as you mix, until fully integrated. Fold in crushed pineapple.

Spoon batter into paper liners to about 2/3 full.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

Cool completely for 30 minutes before icing.

Cream Cheese frosting

Ingredients

3 cups powdered sugar

½ cup butter, room temperature

8 oz. package of cream cheese

1-teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon of coconut extract

1 cup of toasted coconut flakes

Maraschino cherries

Directions

To prepare the frosting, use the paddle attachment on your mixer and cream the butter, vanilla extract, and coconut extract for 2 minutes until fluffy and light. On low speed add powdered sugar. Beat until it forms a ball. Add cream cheese and mix on lowest speed for 1 minute.

Place in refrigerator and chill for 20 minutes.

Frost cupcakes, sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes and top with maraschino cherry. For extra fun, we placed cocktail umbrellas on some of the pina colada cupcakes. My girls loved it.

If you could turn any cocktail into a cupcake recipe what would it be? If you already have, please share a link in the comments. I’d love to give it a try.

Hope your family enjoys my pina colada cupcake recipe as much as we did.

2016/02/25 2 comments

Chocolate Chip Banana Nut bread recipe, banana nut bread, bread recipes, easy recipes, desserts, snacks, easy homemade recipes

Food

Delicious and Easy Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread Recipe

by Deborah Cruz 2019/02/01

written by Deborah Cruz

There are some recipes that are so simple and so delicious that you practically want to punch yourself in the face for not making them more often. That’s how easy and obscenely delicious this chocolate chip banana nut bread is. It’s so basic that I can almost guarantee that you will have all the ingredients in your fridge.RIGHT.NOW.

We just survived the polar vortex in the longest month of the year here in the Midwest. I don’t know how the heck January can be eleventy billion days long but it was. I am sure of it. I was just whining to the Big Guy about how I was missing my mom. He looked at me and said, it’s been 4 weeks, not 4 years! What? Only 4 weeks? Maybe it’s been because of the holidays and the snow days but it really feels like January was so long this year. I’m just going to go ahead and call it; January is its own year.

But no fear. Snow days, winter breaks and polar vortex be damned, this chocolate chip banana nut bread paired with a cup of hot cocoa ( champurrado if you’re really feeling decadent) is just what we all need to warm up from the inside out. Nothing says happiness like a mouthful of warm deliciousness. Welp never thought I’d use that line on a bunch of moms in reference to chocolate chip banana nut bread but this is the one instance that statement might actually be true.

Now, back to this delicious and easy chocolate chip banana nut bread.

I know you’re thinking to yourself, banana nut bread is not that impressive. It’s just…BREAD! Only it’s not. It’s fresh bread that takes less than an hour to make from scratch and it is delicious. Bonus, the kids can help. Actually, it’s so easy, they could make it themselves.

I made it Wednesday when the entire of the Midwest was on polar vortex 2019 lockdown. We were all in the house and we needed a snack, so thanks to 4 very ripe bananas and a look-see around out pantry and voila, baked deliciousness. The entire loaf was gone by the end of the night.

Chocolate Chip Banana Nut bread recipe, banana nut bread, bread recipes, easy recipes, desserts, snacks, easy homemade recipes

Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread Recipe

Deborah Cruz

Easy and Delicious Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Resting Time 15

Total Time 1

Servings 8 slices

Ingredients

4 Medium Ripe Bananas the riper the sweeter
3/4 cup Sugar
1 EGG
2 tsp Vanilla
1/4 cup Vegetable Oile
1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tbsp Ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp Salt
1 cup Chocolate chips
1 cup Walnuts

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F
Mash the bananas until smooth with a fork.
Whisk in the sugar, egg, vanilla, and vegetable oil.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Fold the dry mixture into the wet and mix just until batter forms. Don't overwork or it will become mushy.
Gently fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking loaf. Bake for 45-55 minutes.
Bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cool. Serve warm.

Keyword banana nut bread

I hope you love this easy and delicious chocolate chip banana walnut bread recipe as much as my family did.

What’s your favorite snow day recipe?

2019/02/01 0 comments

Food

Cotton Candy Cosmopolitan Recipe

by Deborah Cruz 2016/04/28

written by Deborah Cruz

You know how they say that necessity is the mother of invention, well, I just created a cotton candy cosmopolitan recipe. I’ve always associated the sticky sweet loveliness that is cotton candy with the carnivals of my youth but now, I associate it with my daughters’ adorable little faces happily enjoying the days of summer. Something so simple has given me an authentic appreciation for the sugary sweet air.

Cotton Candy is not longer about whether or not I love the sugary sweet delight but it’s about how it reminds me of my children and unadulterated happiness of youth. Cotton candy is like an old friend that takes my hand and comforts me. Cotton candy fills the room with melodious laughter and gargantuan sticky sweet smiles.

I got myself a cotton candy machine so that we could have the happiness cotton candy brings any time of the year. Then I realized that I could make the sweet confection in just about any flavor I’d like simply by using common candies around the house; gummi bears, peppermints and my favorite, jolly ranchers.

On some days, I just need an adult version of that happiness that cotton candy brings so I thought why not make an adult beverage that incorporates that same sticky happiness. Why not a cotton candy alcoholic drink recipe?

Here’s the Cotton Candy Cosmopolitan Recipe:

Ingredients

2 ounces of Reyka vodka

2 ounces of cranberry juice

1 ounce of pineapple juice

Cotton Candy (I made cherry jolly rancher flavor or you can make bubblegum flavor by using flossugar)

A Martini Glass

READ ALSO: Pina Colada Cupcake Recipe

Directions

Combine the vodka and juices over crushed ice in a Martini shaker. Shake vigorously for a slow count to 10, until well mixed and chilled.
Then take a heaping handful of cotton candy and place in martini glass. I used a margarita glass because I wanted to use a lot of cotton candy.
Slowly pour mixture directly over cotton candy.
The cotton candy will disappear and crystallize at the bottom of the martini glass.
Enjoy!

This Cotton Candy Cosmopolitan Recipe is the perfect cocktail to enjoy on a warm spring evening while the kids chase fireflies.

2016/04/28 0 comments

cooking with kids, french cuisine, brunch, homemade crepes, crepe recipe, breakfast recipe, dessert recipe

Food

Easy, Delicious Crepe Recipe

by Deborah Cruz 2018/07/11

written by Deborah Cruz

What reminds you of summer? For me, it’s togetherness, traveling, late nights under the stars, laughing until my heart felt like it would burst, bonfires, homemade ice cream, watermelon and barbecues. Sleepovers, the beach and homemade crepes. The crepe recipe reminds me of my inbetween years.

Every summer, I try to slow down and unplug. This is a conscious choice I made a few years ago when I felt everything start to spin out of control. The girls started school and pretty soon extracurriculars that were once a week for half an hour were every day for an hour, then two and now, time together is extracurricular.

What I mean is life started running us and I just wasn’t ready for that to happen yet. Something had to be done. I want to be present for these fleeting summers we have left with our children. They really do grow up so fast. One day, you are praying to God that they will be able to crawl and the next day, you are teaching them about how to put on make-up and listening to them tell you who they think is cute at school. Before I know it, they will be off to college, moving away and getting married. I need more hours, more days, more weeks…more moments together.

So when summer comes along, I am ecstatic. My family loves to travel together. We love to eat together. Love going for bike rides and night swims. Rushing into the surf and baking in the sun, we’ll take it. Connecting freckles and impromptu dance parties? We’ll take those too. We love bonfires and singing Cardi B songs at the top of our lungs while laughing so hard that our bellies hurt. I want more of all of that.

I don’t care how anybody else does their summers. I just hope they are happy doing it. For us, summer is when we slow down and just be. I confiscate the electronics. We stay up late. We sleep in. We visit family. We watch movies outside and count the stars. We celebrate the time to slow down and enjoy the journey. And we cook. As a Latina foodie mom, food is one of my love languages. Some of my fondest childhood memories involve food.

This summer the girls are a little older so I have been teaching them to cook some of their favorites. One thing we all love is crepes. I learned to make them when I was in 7th grade in home economics class. Remember that class? Anyways, they don’t offer anything like that in our school so I am taking it upon myself to teach the girls how to sew on buttons, cook some basics and favorites and the fine art of separating, folding and putting away laundry.

One of the first things we cooked together this summer was crepes because, as you know, there is nothing better than homemade crepes for breakfast.

Recipe for homemade crepes

Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 5 mins Total Time: 15 mins Makes about 15 crepes

This is a simple, easy recipe for crepes with strawberry and cream filling. We also make other variations with Nutella and bananas and lemon crepes with fresh blueberry filling, my husband’s favorite. I will share those recipes in the upcoming weeks.

Ingredients

Crepes:

4 eggs
2 cups milk
1 1/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoon raw sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil

For the filling:

2 cups sliced strawberries
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 pint heavy cream
3 Tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions

Crepes:

Add eggs, milk, flour, salt, sugar, vanilla and oil to a bowl and mix on medium until smooth. The mixture will be runny.
Refrigerate batter for 30 minutes.
Heat a large non-stick skillet to medium heat. When skillet is hot, lightly grease it with butter.
Hold the handle of the skillet and as you pour a few tablespoons of batter in, tilt the skillet around in a circular motion to allow the batter to evenly coat the bottom of the pan, in a thin layer.
Cook for 30 seconds-1 minute until the edges of the crepe curls slightly and the bottom of the crepe is light golden brown. Flip to the other side and cook for another 30 seconds.
(Adjust your heat between medium-medium high until your crepes are cooking in about 30 seconds on each side. Re-grease your pan every few crepes, as needed.
Remove crepe to a plate. Add more crepes to the plate as you cook them, and cover the plate with tinfoil to keep them warm.

Filling:  

In a small bowl mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
In another mixing bowl, beat the cream and powdered sugar on high speed until stiff peaks.
Spoon most of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and fold in until smooth. Save a little bit of whipped cream for topping on the crepes.
Spoon a thin layer of the filling into on a crepe. Add some fresh strawberries on top and then roll it up.
Serve sprinkled with powdered sugar, extra strawberries and whipped cream, if desired.

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Just a warning the filling is so good, you will want to eat it by itself. Try to resist the urge to do so because believe me, it is even more delicious inside of these homemade crepes!

Maybe it’s not a crepe recipe that reminds you of your childhood summers but what does?

2018/07/11 0 comments

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