Fancy Nectarine Pancakes

Every Sunday I make a special breakfast. Usually it is nothing really special, just the simple act of me getting up extra early to make a nice big breakfast is special, and Riley getting a break from her usual oatmeal & apple sauce or Gorilla Munch. Sunday breakfast is usually french toast, whole wheat pancakes or potatoes and eggs. nothing too fancy. But a few weeks ago while reading the Summer Travel Issue of Martha Stewart Living (which BTW was collecting dust since my recent obsession) I came across this recipe for Nectarine Pancakes! Fancy right!? I thought so. So I picked up some farm fresh nectarines from the Farmers Market and informed Ry and Riley that they were not to be eaten! Sunday came and I was so excited to make my family some extra special pancakes! they are super simple, super tasty, and very fancy. Enjoy! -Jess

Fancy Nectarine Pancakes, adapted from Martha Stewart Living (august issue) 
Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups organic unsweetened soy milk (you can use regular milk too)
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3 1/2 Tbsp. organic sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 eggs, room temp
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. melted butter
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
2 nectarines, peeled and thinly sliced

 Combine milk and vinegar in measuring cup and set aside to curdle. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs, vanilla, melted butter and oil to milk mixture and whisk together. whisk egg/milk mixture into flour mixture until lumps are gone. Heat some butter in a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. working in batches, pour in 1/3 cup batter per pancake, place 2 or 3 nectarine slices on top of each pancake. Cook until small bubbles form on surface, about 3 minutes, underside should be golden brown. Flip, and cook until brown. Serve with REAL maple syrup please! or some freshly made whipped cream! yumm...    

I added this picture to this post because i think it is cute, and Riley has awesome style! <3

M.I.A + chocolate zucchini muffins

So I have been M.I.A and I blame it 100% on this:

 yes, it is true, I have given in to the hype and started reading The Hunger Games! It all started as kinda a joke...When we were visiting SoCal back in April for Riley's Birthday, Ryan and I had a date night and being the lame people we are, we had no idea what to do. So we decided to go see a 10pm showing of The Hunger Games. We left the theater talking about how the movie was not at all what we expected (with all the hype and it being compared to Twilight, I had already judged it, shame on me) the movie was great! When I got sick in June, Ryan came home one day with the book in hand..i laughed and said "I am NOT reading that"..but I did..and I couldnt stop..then i spent two weeks jonesing for Catching Fire, because I was unable to find it at any of the very limited bookstores in my area. Finally we found a copy at Costco and Ryan also grabbed Mockingjay, saying "Might as well, you are gonna finish that one in no time" I just smiled and told him there was no way I was going to finish Catching Fire so fast, but might as well have Mockingjay close at hand. so its been two weeks since that conversation and I am already well into Mockoingjay...I cant put these books down! All I want to do is read! I have been talking about posting this chocolate zucchini muffin recipe for weeks now! so I have put Katniss aside for a moment to share it with you.

I have Zucchinis coming out of my ears!

Riley and the giant zucchini

Riley likes it best raw, but she also likes it with chocolate! :D so without further ado here is my awesome chocolate zucchini muffins recipe. Happy baking! -Jess
p.s. it is not a good idea to bake these when it is 100degrees outside and you have no A/C :P

My little helper

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
ingredients:
4 cups flour (2 cups whole wheat + 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour)
1 1/2 cups organic sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup veggie oil
1 1/2 cup soy milk (or regular milk, whatever you have on hand)
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups zucchini, grated 
1 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375degrees, line muffin tins with paper liners, (this recipe will make about 36 small muffins) combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. in a small bowl, whisk together oil, milk, eggs and vanilla, add zucchini. add wet mixture to dry and mix until combined. mix in chocolate chips. use ice cream scoop and scoop into prepared muffin tins. bake for 20 minutes or until center comes out clean. 

her eyes say it all :)