Peach and Blueberry Greek Yogurt Cake

I promised there would be another Blueberry recipe this week, well ladies and gentlemen here it is. This dessert is full of summer flavor with fresh blueberries and peaches. The Greek yogurt makes this cake lighter and still just sweet enough. I will admit this was my first time baking with Greek yogurt and after this recipe turning out so great I will for sure be trying different recipes with Greek yogurt. Go ahead and give this summery recipe a try!

Peach and Blueberry Greek Yogurt Cake:

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 stick butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 peaches, sliced into wedges
• 6 oz blueberries
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Grease the side and the bottom of the pan with butter or cooking spray. Line the bottom of a 9x3-inch springform pan (or 9 inch round cake pan) with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper too.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, together into a medium bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, beat butter, sugar, and 2 eggs until very light in color and fluffy, 2-3 minutes on high speed. Add vanilla and Greek yogurt and continue beating until very creamy and light in color, for about 1 more minute.
4. Keeping the mixer speed low, mix in the flour mix until combined. Do not overmix.
5. Transfer the cake batter to the springform pan. Top with sliced peaches, and scatter blueberries evenly on top in the spaces between the peach slices. Sprinkle the fruit with 1 teaspoon granulated sugar.
6. Bake until cake turns golden, and the tester comes out clean in the center, about 1 hour, depending on your oven. Midway through baking, I like to put some extra peach slices and extra blueberries on top of the cake for prettiness, and return cake to baking.
7. When the cake is done baking, let it cool (still in the baking pan) on a wire rack. After cake has cooled for about 40 minutes, release the cake from the springform pan. At this point, if the cake is cool enough, you can slide your hand under the cake, between the parchment paper and the bottom portion of the springform pan and move the cake with the parchment paper attached to its bottom onto a cake plate easily.
8. If using a 9 inch round cake pan, cook in pan for about 40 minutes or more (up to 1 hour, depending on your oven), then invert onto a plate.

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Summer Blueberry Crisp

Blueberries are the perfect summer fruit. I have been loving them so much this summer that I will be posting another blueberry dessert recipe next week also! This "Summer Blueberry Crisp" is perfect for a summer night because it is extremely easy to throw together and takes only 45 minutes total from prep to table. This recipe is also gluten free which makes it just a little lighter but still heavy on flavor. Be sure to check out the recipe below and I hope to see you here again tomorrow. 

Summer Blueberry Crisp:

Ingredients:

1 cup old fashioned oats (use gluten free oats to make this gluten free)

1/2 cup almond meal

1/3 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup maple syrup

3 tbsp melted coconut oil

1/2 tsp salt

5 cups fresh and washed blueberries

2 tsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice

2 tsp lemon zest

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Add oats, almond meal, almonds, maple syrup, coconut oil, and salt to a mixing bowl, and toss until combined.

3. Set aside.

4. Pour blueberries into an 8x8inch baking dish. 

5. Top evenly with lemon juice and lemon zest, and toss until combined and lightly coated. 

6. Sprinkle the oat crisp mixture evenly on top of the berries.

7. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the topping is crisp and golden and the fruit is bubbling. 

8. Top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and serve immediately.

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Red, White, and Blueberry Trifle

This Fourth of the July the dessert we made was this Red, White, and Blueberry Trifle. This dessert is super easy and looks very festive. The best parts about this recipe is that it requires no baking and can be prepared a day in advance. Check out this super easy recipe below!

Red, White, and Blueberry Trifle:

Ingredients:

1 Angel Food Cake

2 tubs of Whipped Topping

1 box Vanilla Instant Pudding plus milk

1 container of Strawberries

1 container of Blueberries

Directions:

1. Break or cut Angel Food Cake into pieces.

2. Place on bottom layer.

3. Mix pudding as directed on box, place in fridge to set.

4. Then fold in 1 tub of Whipped Topping.

5. Spoon over cake layer.

6. Then slice and add strawberries and blueberries on top of pudding.

7. Add a layer of Whipped Topping, about ½ the container. 

8. Then repeat layers.

9. Top with blueberries and strawberries.

10. Chill, eat, and enjoy!

Lots of Love, Natalie

Buttermilk Blueberry Banana Bread

Buttermilk Blueberry Banana Bread:

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup blueberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat four 5 3/4-inch mini loaf pans with nonstick spray.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

4.  Beat in eggs, buttermilk and vanilla until well combined. Beat in bananas until well combined.

5. Gradually add flour mixture to the sugar mixture at low speed, beating just until incorporated.

6. Add blueberries and gently toss to combine.

7. Scoop the batter evenly into the loaf pans.

8. Place into oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

9. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes before inverting the cake onto a wire rack.

Lots of Love, Natalie

Paleo Pancakes

I'm sure you might be asking what is Paleo? Paleo is called the "Caveman Diet" and is all about natural foods such as game meat, fish, vegetables, wild fruits, eggs and nuts to help achieve great health and a perfect physique. This is really all about cutting out processed foods and eating clean making it very healthy and good for you! Well, I am not on a Paleo diet I do enjoy using some of the recipes because they are so healthy. I have been hearing and seeing recipes for these yummy simple pancakes everywhere recently. I finally decided I would try them!

Ingredients:

 

Blueberries

1 Large Egg

1 Large Banana

* Recipe makes 3 pancakes

 

Directions: 

1. Peel and slice banana

2. Mash banana and add egg

3. Mix until fully combined

4. Heat a skillet on medium.

5. Spray with cooking spray.

6. Fill a 1/4 sized measuring cup with the pancake batter.

7. Pour measuring cup onto heated skillet. Add blueberries (5-7)

8. Cook each side until lightly brown. 

9. Enjoy! 

I think it would be fun to experiment with them by adding dark chocolate chips, sliced almonds, oatmeal, vanilla whey protein, or peanut butter. I drizzled mine with a little honey but they would be good with sugar free syrup or plain. I did add a little cinnamon to my batter. Also, if you are wondering if they taste like bananas to me they really didn't which was surprising. Lastly, each pancake is a filling 65 calories!

Lots of Love,  Natalie