Summer Squash Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

I figured it was time I dust off the ol' blog because I finally made something good enough today worth repeating. Life has been crazy and lots of quick meals and eating out has been happening but today I cooked, I grilled, and I baked. The winner recipe of all my efforts today was this delicious lemon poppy seed cake. It tastes as delicious as the stuff made by store bakeries, but the ingredients are a lot more simple and probably a lot more healthy. Sorry my photos aren't food blogger worthy, but the recipe is so good I'm documenting it anyway.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup melted butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon and 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups grated summer squash
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Directions, add all ingredients together slowly in order on low in mixer. Spray 2 loaf pans with non stick spray (generously) and bake at 325 for 1 hour or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean when inserted. 

I've seen several of these types of recipes include and icing glaze but these are perfect without one. 

Lemon Poppyseed Waffles

When you are a mom of a toddler, anything they are willing to consume without a fight feels like a victory. Most mornings when I ask my 2 year old what he wants to eat, he will answer "broccoli!" but some mornings we are out of broccoli. So I will usually get him to agree to a bagel or french toast. Well recently he has decided to be a little bit more high maintenance and ask for waffles. Now mind you its my own fault that I don't just pull some eggo waffles from the freezer, but these bad boys are soooooo much better. This recipe makes about 4 large waffles, you can easily double it and throw the extras in the freezer. Then in the following mornings you can just whip them out of the freezer, pop them in the toaster, and you have a gourmet breakfast with very little work. Love that. 

I love a fluffy, crisp waffle that you can load up with delicious toppings. These waffles are special due to several unusual ingredients and I think you will find them to be a nice little wander away from your every day waffles. 

Ingredients: 

1/3 cup coconut oil (you can sub with vegetable oil) 

1 lemon

2 eggs

2 Tbs cane sugar

1 1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp lavender salt (you can sub with regular salt) 

2 tsp poppy seeds 

Melt your coconut oil in microwave until it is in liquid form. Add that to a large bowl. Zest and juice your lemon into that bowl as well. Add your eggs, sugar, and milk, then wisk until combined. Add your flour, baking powder & soda, salt, and then add a few tsp of poppy seeds until you reach an amount that looks good to you. Simply pour your batter into a preheated waffle iron, and cook until crisp and golden. This will make about 4 full sized waffles. 

You can top with toasted coconut or your favorite syrup. The combination of the zesty lemon with the floral notes of the lavender salt, make this a breakfast you will not quickly forget. And your toddler will not forget either! 

Lemon Dill Salmon

Came up with another fish recipe that doesn't taste like fish! Don't you love when the planets align like that? 

This serves 2 people, multiply as needed.

Put down a large sheet of foil on a pan

 

Place 2 Salmon Filets on the foil 

Salt and Pepper the fish

Place fresh dill on the fish

Cut 1 Tbs Butter into 8 pats 

Place butter onto fish 

Cut up 1 lemon into 8 slices

Place lemon on the fish 

Tent the foil around the fish so no steam will escape. 

Cook at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. 

We paired this with rosemary red potatoes and just roasted the potatoes at the same time as the fish. You could also add asparagus or another vegetable to the foil. Enjoy!