hannah, Author at Salted Crown | Food, Fashion, and All things in between.

White Peach and Chia Seed Spread

04/01/2014

You’ll never believe what happened. I was piddling around in the kitchen thinking I was making a peach jam and I was so stinkin’ excited about it. I just knew deep down in my soul that it was going to be so amazing that everyone would fall in love with it. People all over the world would hear about how magnificent this jam was. I would be contacted by the owners of Smuckers and they would say,”Hey, you totally have this jam making stuff down, girl. You make it way better than we do so why don’t you come run our company for us?” Obviously I would take them up on that and we’d all live happily ever after. Well, okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration but hey, I was just trying to be optimistic. It’s time I get back to what actually happened. I’m making the jam, it’s smelling amazing, it’s tasting amazing, but something’s a little…off. The consistency wasn’t nearly what I had imagined. I had never had a jam like this, that’s for sure…and it turned out to be a GOOD thing! I would not consider this a jam but more of a spread. My initial name for this was going to be “White Peach and Chia Seed ‘Applesauce’ Jam” but I thought that was borderline ridiculous. It does describe this perfectly, though. It’s great on an english muffin, toast, or a warm, fluffy biscuit. When eaten alone, it has an applesauce consistency which makes for a fantastic snack (my recommendation). I’m eating it straight out of the jar as I type this. SO GOOD!

5 white peaches
2 tbsp. maple syrup (or agave)
3 tbsp. chia seeds
1 1/2 tsp. coconut sugar
1 tsp. organic vanilla extract

Cut white peaches and remove pits.
Place cut peaches into a food processor or blender and pulse until you reach your desired consistency.
Transfer peach mixture into a pan and mix in maple syrup, sugar, and chia seeds.
Cook over medium/high heat until it begins to simmer. Lower heat and cook for about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Let cool before storing.
Enjoy however you wish! :)

Flourless Fudge Brownie

03/17/2014

I would consider this recipe a “happy accident” if you will. My original plan was to make flourless chocolate cookies. Sounds rather simple, right? Well obviously I made it much harder than it needed to be. I got all the ingredients out and started the process. The batter looked amazing, tasted amazing, and the kitchen SMELLED amazing while the cookies were were baking. Unfortunately, they turned out absolutely ridiculous. I debated on getting our neighbor to play frisbee with me with one of the cookies. It was that bad. I had a bowl of leftover batter and it just seemed waaaay too good to just throw out and give up. Now I don’t give up on a recipe easily so I knew that I had to salvage this batter and make something delicious out of it. I mean, while the cookies were baking, I heard my husband from the living room say several times,”dang babe! That smells INCREDIBLE! I can’t wait to try it!” I just simply answered,”yep…uh, it should be good…” while in my head frantically trying to come up with a way to keep this situation from turning into a total disaster. Please tell me I’m not the only one here who’s been in this kind of predicament. Oh, you too? Good, I don’t feel so alone now. Anyway, I got the bright idea to just pour the batter into dish and make one big cookie/brownie/frisbee and just see what would come of it. About thirty minutes later, out of the oven came one of the most magnificent desserts I’ve ever indulged in. I don’t know if there are even words to describe how fantastically fantastic that tasted. It turned out so stinkin’ good that I honestly could not believe that it came out of my oven! What?! I mean, it took all the self control I had in my body not to do a total face plant into the dish. OH. MY. WORD. I wanted to shout it from the rooftops how delightful this dessert was! The top was glossy and slightly cracked. Under that was the most warm, gooey, fudgy, brownie goodness that has ever hit my tastebuds. I couldn’t stop myself. I could talk about it for dayssssss……

2 1/2 c. confectioner’s sugar
1 c. organic light brown sugar
2 pinches sea salt
4 large egg whites
1 tbsp. organic vanilla extract
1/2 tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. milk chocolate bar, chopped
3/4 c. cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a large bowl, whisk together the confectioner’s sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and salt.
Stir in vanilla and egg whites and whisk until the batter is moist.
Add in chopped chocolate.
Grease a brownie pan/dish.
Pour batter into dish and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until top is glossy and lightly cracked and the center is gooey.
Enjoy! (and trust me, you will enjoy!!)

Pot Holder – IKEA | Spoon – West Elm | Whisk – West Elm

Banana Lemon Tart

03/05/2014

Sometimes I like to be boring. I’m a self-proclaimed creature of habit actually. I know what I like and how I like it. Instead of venturing out of my little “food comfort zone”, I like to eat the same things in different ways (I’m sure I don’t have to tell you though. You’ve probably picked up on that already.) If I like something, I stick with it. I’m loyal to my favorites. I can’t help myself. Sometimes, though, I have rare moments of bravery where I venture out into the unknown. This time, I went for something that’s popular (and quite frankly, I’m somewhat afraid of) –VEGAN COOKING. Let’s all take a moment to let that soak in. Yep, it happened. Am I now vegan? No way, Jose. I couldn’t do that to myself. I have a hard time of letting go to my beloved foods such a dairy, meat, and all things non-vegan. For all those who are, you ROCK! It takes a lot of will power to give up those certain types of foods so y’all have my utmost respect! For real. This was an attempt to create a tart, and honestly, I think it turned out pretty darn good! At first, I wasn’t quite sure what to call it. My husband tried it and he agreed that a tart would be the most accurate description of it. Hope y’all like it!

Now, since this is my first go at this type of recipe, be gentle. I’m still learning! :)

3/4 c. tapioca flour
3/4 c. raw cane sugar
1/4 c. coconut oil, softened
1/4 tsp. salt
2 small bananas, mashed
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 grapefruit

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium bowl, mix together coconut oil and sugar.
Add in mashed bananas and mix well.
Mix in grapefruit juice and lemon zest.
Mix in flour and salt.
Pour into a greased or lined 8×8 brownie pan (or something similar) and bake for about 25 minutes.
**Optional: can make a crust for the tart (I didn’t get that adventurous) and can add ice cream or “nice cream” of choice :)
Enjoy!

Mortar and Pestal – West Elm | Glass Beaker – West Elm | Ceramic Plate – Target

Baked Egg with Polenta and Prosciutto

03/02/2014

Doesn’t that name just sound all fancy? Saying it makes me feel all sophisticated and what not. I feel like I should be in some elegant dining room admiring fine china on display while a guy in a cute little tux and an accent is serving this meal to guests on a silver platter. Okay, maybe not quite that fancy, but you catch my drift. Maybe it’s the prosciutto that gives it that fancy feeling. Who knows. Maybe I’m just being a weirdo who gets over excited about experimenting with new ingredients. That’s probably a little more accurate. Either way, the recipe is doggone delicious. The combination of ingredients is out of this world. It’s so good, in fact, that you might even catch yourself singing,”Glory, glory HALLELUJAH!” after taking bite number one. It could happen… You’d actually be surprised at just how easy it is to make, which you know is the way I roll around here. You will also notice that I didn’t go too specific with measurements of ingredients because honestly, I didn’t measure much. I fit as much of each ingredient in my ramekins as I would want to eat. For example, I LOVE cheese. Therefore, I made sure I had plenty of extra room for more cheese. Hopefully that makes sense.

Now whip out your best foreign accent and get out your silver platter because this is a recipe you’re going to want to serve to folks.

sliced prepared polenta, about 1/2 in. thick (or substitute with prepared grits-either way is magnificent)
thinly sliced prosciutto
shredded cheese (I used a four cheese blend – Asiago, Fontina, Parmesan, and Provolone)
organic purple kale, shredded
sea salt
pepper
organic brown eggs
non-stick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Lightly spray ramekins with non-stick cooking spray.
Place two polenta slices in each ramekin.
Next add some kale on top.
Take one slice of prosciutto per ramekin and layer on top of the kale.
Sprinkle a generous amount of cheese.
Crack an egg on top.
Season with sea salt and pepper.
Top with more cheese.
To stabilize ramekins while cooking, place on baking sheet and cook for about 18 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.
Let cool slightly before eating.
Enjoy!

Ramekins – Bobby Flay | Measuring Cups – West Elm - similar here | Cutting Board – IKEA

Kale & Pesto Flatbread

01/23/2014

Ever had one of those days where the LAST thing you feel like doing when you get home is to cook? I definitely fall victim to that on occasion/once a week. It often would be so much easier just to go grab some takeout, put your feet up, and call it a day. The times I have fallen captive to this situation are always followed by a tummy ache, regret, and mourning over the loss of leftovers in the refrigerator. It never ends good. Next time you feel like that could be your evening, just say no to that greasy pizza. It’ll make you really fat anyway (totally just kidding. It helps me say no when I tell myself that. Whatever works, ya know?) Your new quick and easy dinner option: flatbread! It’s so pizza-like it’s not even funny. Also, this one comes grease free and you never have to leave the house. WIN.

The other night, I was unsure of what I wanted to make for supper. As I began my usual,”I forgot to meal plan. What the heck am I going to cook tonight?!”, I just decided to get creative. It’s so much fun to use what you have at home and end up with something better than you expected! I happened to have flatbread pitas that I had originally purchased for fajitas, some leftover pesto, and some frozen fire roasted corn. Put it all together and boom, new favorite recipe! And I know, I know, I’m back at that kale stuff again.Starting to see a pattern here? I mean obviously I can’t seem to deviate from recipes without it lately or so it seems. I just can’t stay away. It’s a good problem though, right? I mean, it definitely could be worse. I could be obsessively stuffing my face with white chocolate chips while no one is looking (which may or may not have happened also, but that’s neither here nor there). This time I’m using it as a flatbread topping. Oh yes, it’s just as good as it sounds. This flatbread will knock your socks off it’s so good. The corn and sauteed onions give it a slightly sweeter taste which is never a bad thing if you ask me. It’s way better than that ole greasy takeout pizza anyway. :)

Whole wheat flat bread pita
Parmesan & Romano cheese blend, shredded
Asaigo cheese, grated
1/4 of a sweet onion, chopped
1 c. fire roasted corn (I found this in the freezer section at Whole Foods)
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing onto flatbread
1/2 c. kale, chopped
basil pesto

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a skillet, add 1 tbsp. olive oil. Saute chopped onion until golden brown.
Add in frozen corn and cook until corn softens.
Brush some olive oil onto flatbread.
Brush pesto onto flatbread.
Top with cheeses.
Add sauteed onions and roasted corn.
Finish with adding kale to top.
Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until flatbread is a golden brown and kale is slightly crisp.
Enjoy!

*side note: if you need to alter amounts of ingredients, totally go for it. I made enough for 2 pitas so if you make more, add more of the toppings!*

Cheese Grater Box – West Elm – similar here & here | Basting Brush – West Elm | Cutting Board - IKEA

Spinach and Brussel Leaf Salad

01/07/2014

Hey y’all!! I’m back FINALLY! So sorry for that super long sabbatical. December was an incredibly hectic month to say the least. Between wrapping things up at work before the holidays to bouncing from one side of the country to the other makes things difficult. But, nobody likes excuses, so nevertheless I’M BACK and ready to go! I truly hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Years. This year is going to be great…I just know it! I hate New Years resolutions because I can’t stick with them and normally forget what my resolution even was to begin with. I’ve really got it together if you can’t tell. I have made one resolution that I am going to stick with no matter what: I’m going to stay consistent and bring the most amazing posts everrrrr (well, I’m sure our ideas of amazing might be slightly different, but you feel me). That’s not an impossible resolution. I mean it’s not like I’m promising to go to the gym 6 times a week.

My darling husband is one of the best gift givers in the history of ever. He got me several cookbooks, all of which I had on my secret wishlist that no one knew about. He’s just that good. One book in particular was a book from The Sprouted Kitchen. I haven’t had tons of time to look at it, but from what I’ve seen so far, it’s amazing. While scanning through it one day, I came across a recipe that I’m literally obsessing over right now. It’s not something I would typically go for but it was rather intriguing to me. I will be the first to admit that I absolutely do not like brussels sprouts. Never have, and honestly thought I never would. Then along came this recipe and it rocked my taste buds. I’m a brussels sprout fan and I don’t care who knows! I’ve changed some things around to better suit my liking and it’s phenomenal. I want to eat it every single day until the end of time. Did I happen to mention it’s like the fastest cooking meal of all time? I will never bad mouth brussels sprouts again as long as I live.

1 lb. of brussels sprouts, trimmed and leaves separated
3 1/2 c. baby spinach leaves
3 cloves garlic, minced
bacon bits
extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tbsp. organic agave nectar
Parmigiano Reggiano, for topping
sea salt + pepper, to taste

Warm olive oil a large pan over low-medium heat.
Add garlic to pan and cook for about a minute or so.
Add in brussel leaves and saute for about 30 seconds.
In a small bowl, mix together vinegar and agave nectar and add to pan.
Toss to coat.
Add spinach and bacon bits to pan and cook until just wilted.
Top with Parmigiano Reggiano and salt + pepper (if needed) and serve immediately.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook

salad servers – IKEA | bowl – Christmas gift from my AMAZINGLY thoughtful brother [handmade in an Ecuador market] – similar here |
Pot holder – West Elm

Pomegranate Quinoa Scones

12/10/2013

Check out this recipe video!

I’m totally on a dessert kick lately, if you haven’t already noticed. Can someone just go ahead and make it a rule that all normal food be replaced with sweets? I mean, the world would be a happier place, don’t you think? I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks that way. Unfortunately, desserts generally lack nutritional benefits (sigh). But, there is good news. If you want a healthier alternative to a dessert, this one is for YOU, friend! It’s especially fantastic for those that are on a gluten free diet. And for those that aren’t, well, you’ll love it just as much!

The name hints to a unique and interesting treat. When I first came upon this recipe, naturally I wanted to know more when I saw that it had quinoa. Quinoa in a cookie? What?! I love quinoa in everything, but a cookie?? Yes!! So, I read on and instead of regular flour, quinoa flour is used. All those on gluten free diets I’m sure are very familiar with this but it was something all new to me. The quinoa flour gives the cookies somewhat of a nutty taste. Combine that with the juice of pomegranate seeds and you have quite a delightful cookie on your hands!

1 1/4 stick unsalted butter
1/2 c. unsweetened coconut milk
lemon juice + zest
seeds of one pomegranate
1 c. organic buckwheat flour
1 c. oats
1/3 c. quinoa flour
1/3 c. tapioca starch
1/3 c. organic cane sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
blonde coconut sugar
agave nectar + powdered sugar, for topping

Place butter in freezer for about 30 minutes before using.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a medium bowl, whisk coconut milk and juice of a lemon and chill for a few minutes.
In a large bowl, mix together buckwheat flour, oats, quinoa flour, tapioca starch, cane sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and lemon zest.
Remove butter from freezer and grate butter.
Fold grated butter into flour mixture.
Whisk 1 egg into coconut milk mixture. Add to butter and flour mixture. Fold in pomegranate seeds.
Roll mixture out. Use a floured cookie cutter to cut out scones.
Whisk 1 egg in a small bowl.
Brush egg wash on top of scones and sprinkle with coconut sugar.
Bake scones for 18 minutes.
Let them cool on baking sheet for about 15 minutes and then finish cooling on a baking rack.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and drizzle agave nectar on top.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Small Plates and Sweet Treats

**Big thanks to my sweet friend Rachelle for letting me shoot this video at her place! Love you, friend!**

Dress (sold out) – similar here & here | Plate – Anthropologie

Cherry Vanilla Crisp

12/05/2013

Check out this recipe video!

Y’all know by now that I have a thing for sweets. I also have a big thing for Food Network. I read every magazine of theirs that I can get my hands on. I found this fabulous recipe in an older edition and fell in love. I had to use some restraint to keep from eating the whole thing. My absolute favorite part of the dessert is the cherries. HELLO, YUM!! When cooked, they’re warm, soft, and gooey and just add so much sweet flavor. Even though it’s amazing on its own, my husband thought that it would be amazing on top of homemade vanilla ice cream. Talk about tasty!

It’s simply a perfect year-round dessert. t’s versatile enough that other fruits could easily be substituted in place of the cherries. I think it would be amazing if you used apples or peaches. Oh my, I think I feel new ideas coming on. Apples, cinnamon, caramel…oh yes. I’m going to have to work on that. In the meantime, try this out! If you make your own twist on it, I’d love to know allllllll about it! :)

1 lb. pitted cherries, fresh or frozen (thaw before using)
3/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. + 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. sliced almonds
2/3 c. rolled oats
pinch of salt
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, add cherries, 1/2 c. sugar, vanilla, and 2 tbsp. flour, cinnamon, and salt. Toss to coat.
Transfer to baking dish.
To make topping, whisk the remaining flour, oats, almonds, and sugar. Stir in melted butter.
Sprinkle topping over cherry mixture.
Bake until topping is golden brown and cherries are bubbly, about 45 minutes. Serve warm.
Enjoy!

Recipe found on Food Network

Candied Sweet Potato Rounds

11/28/2013

Happy Thanksgiving, y’all! I’ve been so excited and anxious for this time to finally arrive! I can’t wait to practically eat my weight in all the Thanksgiving food goodness. I’m spending this evening and tomorrow morning wrapping up my additions to this wonderful feast (’cause I’m a last minute girl – it’s just what I do). This recipe I’m sharing with you today is one I’m rather fond of, and I hope my family will be also! It’s a bite-sized treat that will make you smile with satisfaction. I’m a big promoter of sweet potatoes. I’m blaming it on the fact that I have a sweet tooth the size of Texas. At least it’s something healthy though, right??

Try not to overindulge on all the food tomorrow, but most importantly, enjoy the company you spend the day with. Treasure the moments and give thanks for the people that surround your dinner table.

2 sweet potatoes, slices into rounds
2 tbsp. coconut oil, ,melted
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. pecan halves
1/2 c. dried cranberries

for pecans:
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. cane sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. milk
1 tbsp. vanilla

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together coconut oil and brown sugar.
Place sliced sweet potatoes on a parchment-lined backing sheet.
Brush coconut oil and sugar mixture on both sides of potato slices.
Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Once done, flip potatoes and bake again for about 12 minutes or until they turn a more golden brown.
Let cool slightly.
While potatoes are in the oven, prepare the pecans.
Mix salt, can sugar, cinnamon, milk together in a medium bowl. Bring mixture to a slight boil, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and add vanilla and the pecan halves. Stir them in until pecans are evenly coated.
Remove coated pecans from mixture by using a fork and place them on a sheet of wax paper.
To assemble, top each caramelized potato with cranberries and candied pecans.
Enjoy!

Foodie Gift Guide

11/26/2013

I’d like to say that I’m the kind of gal who has all her gift shopping done before Thanksgiving arrives (like my Gram does! What?!) Unfortunately, I am far from that. I’m always on the lookout for gifts that I know others would love, but wouldn’t necessarily think to buy for themselves. We all know there’s a food lover in every family. People like that can be really tricky to buy for, that’s for sure. Here’s a quick inspiration guide for the food lover in your life! Hopefully this will inspire both you and me to get a move on Christmas shopping!

Crushed Large Bowl – Muuto | Salt Cellar – Scandinavian Design | Copper Cook’s Tools – West Elm