Saturday, March 9, 2013

on the table

Some good eats to share....

Keeping with our mission to cut processed foods from our weekly meals, we have been trying new pancake recipes.  With some real maple syrup this one has hit the spot!

Sour Cream Pancakes 
{adapted from the Barefoot Contessa}



  • 1 cup flour
  • 3 tablespoons of sugar
  • 1/2 cup wheat flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon of grated lemon or orange zest
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder 
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • butter
  • pure maple syrup 
  1. With a fork, mix all of your ingredients in a bowl.  Stir until just combined.  Try not to over mix.
  2. Melt a dab of butter in a frying pan and wipe up access.  Spoon in batter and wait for those bubbles before you flip!  The trick is to reapply the butter in between each batch. {we don't use cooking spray or non-stick pans because they just aren't good for ya!} I often put my oven on 200 degrees F to keep the whole batch warm so that we can eat together!  


I have posted this one before but something hit the fritz and it was erased.  I wanted to get it back up because it is a WONDERFUL cake filled with garden veggies.


Carrot and Zucchini Bars

  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded carrot
  • 1 cup shredded zucchini
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or raisins
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 1 {8 oz} package of cream cheese
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon zest
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, oil, honey, and vanilla.  Then mix in the carrot, zucchini, and walnuts....or in our case raisins.
  2. In another bowl combine your dry ingredients.  Flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.  
  3. Add your dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir just until combined. Spread batter into an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
  4. Bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool the cake completely in its pan on a wire rack.
  5. When the cake is cooled you are ready for the icing.  With a mixer, beat the frosting ingredients until fluffy.  Spread the frosting on your cake and you are ready for a light and delicious cake!











32 comments:

  1. Yum!

    Years ago when I started reading the ingredient labels, I was shocked and disgusted by all the ingredients in maple syrup. It is maple syrup! The ONLY ingredient should be 100% maple syrup. The natural stuff taste so much better than all the other junk on the shelves. I also was grossed out by all the filler that is put into peanut butter. Yuck!

    Loving your carrot and zucchini bread! One of my favorites! :p

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  2. OK, I just gained weight reading this post! lol! Those pancakes look so yummy my mouth is actually watering, OK so pancakes are one of my favorite breakfasts! :D
    Thanks for popping by my blog for a visit... in answer to your query on my painting in progress, I used acrylics and colored pencils. Still not sure what I want to do with the background... I'll let her sit for a few days and see if my muse comes up with something.
    Hugs,
    Beth P

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  3. Oh YUM! Thanks for sharing Nicole...think I may have to make pancakes sometime today now!

    Hope you're enjoying the weekend!
    Sarah xo

    PS Thanks for linking up :-)

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  4. You make me want to have pancakes for breakfast tomorrow. But, I am one week into a no starch regimen and already feel healthier. Volleyball season is upon me and I have to keep up with my 6th graders during practice. My kids are running the LA Marathon next weekend so maybe when they arrive on Saturday morning I will make the pancakes for them.

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  5. I have like five or six barefoot contessa books and I was thinking I need to cook more with them... especially the one titled 'how easy is that?'

    Your recipes looks delicious! I love maple syrup!

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  6. Ohhhhh, wish I was having breakfast at your house! Those pancakes look so good. I love them with bacon, banana and maple syrup on top too! The carrot and zucchini bars would be a great lunch box treat with the added bonus of veges in them. Have a great weekend! xo

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  7. Yummy! These look soo delicious ;) the carrot... mmmm!
    Have a great weekend,
    xoxo- K

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  8. These recipes are both mouth-watering, and I WILL be trying them, but the thing that takes the cake, is that last photo of the bean cradling the zucchini! Happy Sunday, Nicole - Tanya

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  9. Asy husband is making pancakes from a box I writing this! Those pancakes look DELISH!!! I am definatley going to try them next time!!

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  10. I once went camping with some friends and I told my friend that I make up the pancake ingredients at home and just add the liquids when we are ready for cooking them at the campsite. Her response was ... "there's a recipe for pancakes?? I thought you could only make them from a box!!" Here's to homemade pancakes! (and homemade maple syrup ... I can't imagine what she'd think if I told her we made syrup from tree sap!) Wendy

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  11. Yum--these both sound really good! Pinning them!

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  12. Those pancakes made from scratch with real maple syrup look wonderful!

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  13. YUM! I want BOTH right now!!!! :O)

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  14. Sour cream pancakes are one of the foods of the gods. You don't have some Russian heritage, do you? Because this is what Russians eat for the shrovetide holiday, although that was a while ago.

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  15. Your pancakes look so yummy. My daughter made some banana pancakes for me with real maple syrup and they were divine. I didn't know healthy could taste so good. The cake looks great too - cake is one of my major weaknesses.
    Cindy

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  16. Yum! These pancakes look so light and fluffy!

    Thanks for sharing

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  17. Okay yum!!! Like I was telling Stacey, Ina and I are going to have to part ways for a while. :( However I do like the idea of everything being fresh and I have to tell ya, those carrot and zucchini bars look mighty tasty.

    Thank you for the encouraging words today! :)

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  18. MMM, those pancakes look amazing. I am madly craving sweets today and this post just sealed the deal: pancakes for dinner!

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  19. great recipes thanks for sharing!
    Bec x

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  20. Those both look mouthwatering... Those sour cream pancakes must be incredibly moist! I {heart} Ina. :)

    toddlindsey.com

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  21. Hi just found your lovely Blog, those pancakes look so good.

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  22. Good morning, I am visiting from the tea party, homemade is always so much better tasting too-thanks for the recipe all looks delicious Kathy

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  23. My son and I are drooling! They look yummy! And I am a lover of any carrot or zucchini, bread, cake, muffin....you name it and cream cheese frosting? I am sooooo pinning! Thanks Nicole!

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  24. The carrot/zucchini bars look fabulous!!! My husband loves carrot cake...will definitely have to try these!! :)

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  25. How did I miss your last 2 entries?! We just had homade french toast this weekend with fresh maple syrup. Boy was that good! The soup looks great. I will put this on my to make list for next week. Great thing to put in the hubbys lunch! Stay warm!

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  26. Wowee! These look amazing. You are a wiz in the kitchen! I'm a sucker for cream cheese frosting. I've never tried it with lemon though!

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  27. Nicole, those pancakes look so good and the Carrot and Zucchini Bars make my mouth water! That zucchini your little one is holding is fabulous. I can't wait to see your garden this spring. I still have to bring in a load of garden soil for my newest raised bed which my sweet son-in-law and grandson built for me. I had wanted to have some things planted for an early spring garden but have gotten way behind on everything outside. Your garden and yard are awe-inspiring and your blog is wonderful! I pray you will have a joyful and blessed day.

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  28. I love the Barefoot Contessa recipes. I haven't tried one yet that wasn't delish and the two you posted look like winners. I will definitely give them a whirl! I have a gardening question for you....we have a terrible time growing tomatoes and it seems to get worse every year. They grow and look great, but when they start to ripen they rot. Aggravating! Any suggestions? I need tomato juice!

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  29. Yummmmm that all looks so sensational. Happy day beautiful lady xxx

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  30. Oh yum! that all looks so good... I love pancakes so will definitely be giving this recipe a whirl. Hazel x

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  31. Oh My!! That is one big zucchini!!! WOW!! I am printing the carrot cake recipe, love that stuff!! Thank you!!! Not a pancake fan, but they do look great!

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  32. Wow! That is one massive zucchini. Your pancakes look delicious. I bookmarked the recipe.

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