By JODIE FITZ
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to get together with family and friends, but that also means more mouths to feed. This trio of recipes has got you covered!
Make part of the Cinnamon Apple Pancake Sandwiches ahead of time and enjoy a no-fuss breakfast one morning. Whip up a dairy-free Pumpkin Smoothie featuring the popular flavor of the season as a pick-me-up on busy days. And let the kids help assemble the Veggie Boats for a fun and whimsical addition to the Thanksgiving table.
Cinnamon Apple Pancake Sandwiches
2 apples
1-¾ cups flour, unbleached
1 cup milk
1 egg
4 ounces cinnamon applesauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
Nonstick cooking spray
Peanut butter
Wash, peel, core and dice one apple.
Whisk together the flour, milk, egg, applesauce, brown sugar, baking powder, vanilla extract, cinnamon and sea salt together. Fold in the diced apples.
Cook the pancake batter in a griddle style pan coated with nonstick spray over medium heat until both sides are golden brown and the inside is fully cooked.
Wash, core and slice the additional apple. Create a breakfast pancake sandwich with peanut butter and apple slices.
Tip: You can make the pancakes ahead of time. Let them cool completely and wrap each one individually in parchment paper or waxed paper. Place individually wrapped pancake in a freezer bag or container. Take them out and toast them on busy weekday mornings.
Veggie Boats
1 zucchini, medium
12 ounces corn, frozen
2 cups spinach, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper
2 tablespoons onions, finely chopped
4 tablespoons light olive oil
1 small clove of garlic
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
Non-stick cooking spray
Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
Pour two tablespoons of the light olive oil into a small glass bowl. Using a garlic press, crush the clove of garlic, add it to the oil and stir. Let it set while you are preparing the zucchini. Remove the edges of the zucchini. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and then cut each long length in half to create four zucchini boats. Remove the seeds to create a hollow center in each zucchini boat. Baste the zucchinis with the oil and garlic mixture. Add a very light layer of sea salt and bake the boats for approximately 20 minutes.
Cook the corn as directed. Wash the red bell pepper, remove the seeds and dice it into small pieces. In the remaining two tablespoons of light olive oil, Sautee the red peppers and onion until they are soft, but slightly crisp. Add in the chopped spinach and stir until it has fully softened. Add the sautéed vegetables to the corn along with the salt and white pepper and stir until they are fully coated and the spices are evenly distributed. Fill the center of each zucchini and add the sails as directed below.
Setting Sail: Create Mayflower sails by simply using the long wooden skewers cut in half with a sail that is made from a brown paper bag. The skewers do poke through the paper easier if you create a small hole with the tip of a pen before adding the skewer. Children can add thankful messages, Happy Thanksgiving wishes or Thanksgiving facts to share with guests at the table.
Tip: The corn mixture can be prepared and warmed ahead of time. However, the zucchini boats do work best if they are cooked just prior to serving.
Pumpkin Smoothie
2 cups ice
1 cup cashew milk, unsweetened
1/2 cup 100 percent pure pumpkin
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoons vanilla
Add the ice, cashew milk, 100 percent pure pumpkin, peanut butter, honey, cocoa powder, cinnamon and vanilla together in a blender. Blend and serve,
