Banana Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Muffins

We like bananas around this house of mine, but we each have our own personal preference on the degree of ripeness that one should eat a banana.  I like a banana that still has a little green at the top.  Todd likes them like me, but doesn't mind eating a banana that is nearing the speckle stage.  Noah on the other hand, thinks that a banana that has a little green on it is gross and prefers a speckled banana because it's sweeter (I think it's just more mushy).  Preston only likes a banana in the actual banana form.  Sadly, he doesn't enjoy them in baked goods and Stella likes a banana one day and the next she doesn't.   One thing I know for sure about all of us (with the exception of Preston), once the banana is dotted with brown spots; we all can enjoy them in the form of a smoothie or a baked good of some sort.  On Saturday morning, I was browsing Instagram when I came across a picture of a muffin tin filled with banana buckwheat muffins that looked lovely and very tasty.  I glanced at my counter and there sat three brown speckled bananas calling out to be made into muffins.  I don't know if the deliciousness of these muffins was due to the fact that they gave me an excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast (they are filled with chocolate chips) or simply because they really are that dang good, but for whatever reason, I thought these muffins were amazing. 

Banana Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Muffins

3 ripe bananas
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of cloves
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup buckwheat flour
1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
Dark brown sugar
Toasted walnuts, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line muffin tin with liners (I made 18 muffins); set aside.  Mash the bananas in a large bowl, add butter and stir to combine.  Mix in brown sugar, egg, milk and spices.  Next, add the baking soda, salt and flour and beat until just incorporated.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Distribute batter evenly into muffin liners (I use a spring loaded ice cream scoop).  Sprinkle the top of each muffin with a teaspoon or two of dark brown sugar, toasted walnuts and a sprinkle of coarse sea salt.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.  Eat warm with butter.  Heaven!

Recipe slightly adapted from Reclaiming Provincial

Grilled Cabbage Wedges with Spicy Lime Dressing

I love when I don't know what I'm going to make for dinner and I don't want to go to the store, but somehow (once in a blue moon) a meal magically comes together from what I have floating around in my fridge and ends up being delicious.  This was the case the other night and these grilled cabbage wedges may have been the highlight of the meal (my 5 year old may beg to differ).

Grilled Cabbage Wedges with Spicy Lime Dressing

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fish sauce
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 head of cabbage (I used half of head of green and half a head of purple)
Canola oil

Preheat grill.

In the bowl of a food processor or blender combine the lime juice, olive oil, fish sauce, garlic, cilantro, salt, cayenne and sugar and pulse or blend until the sauce is pale orange color in color.  Set aside.

Remove the loosest, toughest outer leaves from the cabbage; cut into 8 evenly sized wedges.  Do not remove the stalk or inner core.  Lightly brush the wedges with canola oil.

Place the wedges on the grill and cover.  Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the edges of each layer are blackened and the cabbage is beginning to soften.  Flip each wedge over, cover the grill, and cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes on the other side.  Remove the cabbage when it is beginning to wilt, but is still firm in the middle.  If necessary, turn the heat down or move the wedges to a cooler part of the grill so they don't burn.  Don't be afraid of the blackened edges; you want a lot of grill and char marks on the cabbage.
Take the cabbage off the grill and place on a serving plate.  Pour the dressing over the top of the cabbage and serve immediately with wedges of lime.

Recipe from The Kitchn

Grilled Cauliflower with Harissa

This harissa packs a whole lot of flavor and is awesome served alongside grilled chicken that has been marinated in Greek yogurt, garlic, ground cumin and lemon juice, but is equally delicious served on top of grilled cauliflower or pretty much any grilled vegetable for that matter.

Harissa

1 roasted red pepper, seeds removed and roughly chopped

1 (14-ounce) can tomato puree

3 cups cold water

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 tablespoon sweet paprika

1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

15 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

6 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

6 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Put all of the ingredients except for the olive oil in a large saucepan.  Stir to combine.  Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a low simmer for 1-1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat when necessary, until the mixture has thickened and reduced to 2 1/4 cups.  Once mixture has reduced, transfer to a blender, turn blender on, and slowly drizzle in the olive oil.  Blend until smooth.  Store in the refrigerator in an airtight jar, with a film of the olive oil on top, for up to three months. 

Grilled Cauliflower

1 large head cauliflower

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Preheat grill.

Wash and dry cauliflower.  Place on a cutting board, stem side down, and slice vertically, top to bottom, into 1/4-inch slices. Drizzle olive oil over cauliflower steaks and season with salt and pepper.  Carefully place the cauliflower on hot grill and turn heat to medium high.  Cook cauliflower until both sides of cauliflower have nice dark grill marks.  Remove from grill and serve with harissa and chopped cilantro.  

Recipe slightly adapted from Not Without Salt