Ep. 1005: Game 5 Recap

On Monday’s episode of “The Fix,” The Basketball Jones recap Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Topics discussed include: Manu’s breakout performance, Tony Parker killin’ Cole and Chalmers, Danny Green’s unprecedented three-point shooting, Diaw on LeBron, whether Spoelstra should go back to The Birdman, and transition D.

All that, plus Jay-Z’s commercial, Tim Duncan’s masked kids, and women razor blades.

Healthy One-Bowl Pumpkin Mini Muffins {Eggless & Dairy-Free!}

Learn how to make the best healthy pumpkin muffins from scratch! They’re so moist and soft, even with no butter, eggs, dairy, refined flour or sugar. They’re also easy to make (you just need 1 bowl and a fork!), and they have the same sweet flavor as pumpkin pie!

 

ULTIMATE Best Easy Healthy Low Calorie Gluten Free Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

 
During my first fall of full-time food blogging, my mom and I decided to meet in San Francisco for dinner one Saturday evening. I suggested my favorite sushi restaurant in Japantown, the one my best friend had introduced me to in high school, and although Mom typically avoids raw fish, she still agreed when I mentioned there were plenty of vegetarian sushi rolls, along with lots of other fully cooked dishes on the menu.

Ever since my friend taught me how to eat sushi and sashimi — with chopsticks and wasabi and just enough soy sauce — I’ve jumped at any chance I could get… Especially when it involves a trip to the city!
 

ULTIMATE Best Easy Healthy Moist Eggless No Sugar Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

 
That particular afternoon, I checked on traffic before hopping into my car for the drive. It normally took at least an hour, if not closer to two, from where I lived in the Sacramento suburbs, yet Mom only needed 45 minutes to get there from my hometown. I really didn’t want to be late or keep her waiting, so I left with plenty of time to spare.

Before leaving my house, I poured myself a mug of coffee and grabbed a big spiced pumpkin muffin, just in case there was a long line at the restaurant when we arrived. I didn’t want to be grumpy or hangry when I met my mom, so I ate my snack in the car on my way to San Francisco.
 

ULTIMATE Best Easy Healthy Low Fat Weight Watchers Pumpkin Muffins

 
Yet after exchanging hugs in the parking lot and walking to the sushi place, the hostess immediately led us to a vacant table and handed us menus. Completely startled, I glanced down at the sheet of paper in front of me and then back at my mom.

I had totally mistimed my pumpkin muffin snack… But at least my mom and I still had an amazing time laughing, talking, and catching up that night!
 

ULTIMATE Best Easy Healthy Whole Wheat Eggless Dairy Free Pumpkin Muffins

 
Memories of that fun dinner in San Francisco recently resurfaced, which left me craving both sushi and pumpkin muffins… But this time, I decided to bake these Healthy One-Bowl Pumpkin Mini Muffins instead so I’d have enough room to fully enjoy both!

These healthy pumpkin mini muffins have the same supremely moist and soft texture as bakery-style ones, even with no butter, eggs, dairy, refined flour or sugar. They’re also easy to make (you just need 1 bowl and a fork!) and have the same sweet and irresistible flavors as pumpkin pie!

Those are definitely my kind of muffins!
 

Continue reading & see the rest! ›› Healthy One-Bowl Pumpkin Mini Muffins {Eggless & Dairy-Free!}

Image Map

Buffalo Nate Oats 1 on 1 Transition Drill

Two short videos of transition drills from successful Division 1 Coaches.

The first is a 1 on 1 drill to work with players on developing an aggressive downhill mentality with Buffalo Men’s Coach Nate Oats. In addition to a demonstration of the drill, Coach Oats provides his 5 defensive non-negotiables.

The second video is Arkansas women’s coach Mike Neighbors with a 5 on 0 transition drill.

These videos of are hosted on You Tube, so you will not be able to access it unless you are on a server that allows You Tube access.

Click the play arrow to view the videos.

There is narration with the video, so please make sure that your sound is on.
 

Cincinnati 1-on-1 Drill

You can find out more about the Championship Productions video that this clip is from at this link: Nate Oats: Transition Offense

Arkansas 5 Trips Drill

You can find out more about the Championship Productions video that this clip is from at this link: Green Light Shooting: Determining Shot Selection and Shot Distribution

The post Buffalo Nate Oats 1 on 1 Transition Drill appeared first on .

Healthy One-Bowl Pumpkin Mini Muffins {Eggless & Dairy-Free!}

Learn how to make the best healthy pumpkin muffins from scratch! They’re so moist and soft, even with no butter, eggs, dairy, refined flour or sugar. They’re also easy to make (you just need 1 bowl and a fork!), and they have the same sweet flavor as pumpkin pie!

 

ULTIMATE Best Easy Healthy Low Calorie Gluten Free Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

 
During my first fall of full-time food blogging, my mom and I decided to meet in San Francisco for dinner one Saturday evening. I suggested my favorite sushi restaurant in Japantown, the one my best friend had introduced me to in high school, and although Mom typically avoids raw fish, she still agreed when I mentioned there were plenty of vegetarian sushi rolls, along with lots of other fully cooked dishes on the menu.

Ever since my friend taught me how to eat sushi and sashimi — with chopsticks and wasabi and just enough soy sauce — I’ve jumped at any chance I could get… Especially when it involves a trip to the city!
 

ULTIMATE Best Easy Healthy Moist Eggless No Sugar Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

 
That particular afternoon, I checked on traffic before hopping into my car for the drive. It normally took at least an hour, if not closer to two, from where I lived in the Sacramento suburbs, yet Mom only needed 45 minutes to get there from my hometown. I really didn’t want to be late or keep her waiting, so I left with plenty of time to spare.

Before leaving my house, I poured myself a mug of coffee and grabbed a big spiced pumpkin muffin, just in case there was a long line at the restaurant when we arrived. I didn’t want to be grumpy or hangry when I met my mom, so I ate my snack in the car on my way to San Francisco.
 

ULTIMATE Best Easy Healthy Low Fat Weight Watchers Pumpkin Muffins

 
Yet after exchanging hugs in the parking lot and walking to the sushi place, the hostess immediately led us to a vacant table and handed us menus. Completely startled, I glanced down at the sheet of paper in front of me and then back at my mom.

I had totally mistimed my pumpkin muffin snack… But at least my mom and I still had an amazing time laughing, talking, and catching up that night!
 

ULTIMATE Best Easy Healthy Whole Wheat Eggless Dairy Free Pumpkin Muffins

 
Memories of that fun dinner in San Francisco recently resurfaced, which left me craving both sushi and pumpkin muffins… But this time, I decided to bake these Healthy One-Bowl Pumpkin Mini Muffins instead so I’d have enough room to fully enjoy both!

These healthy pumpkin mini muffins have the same supremely moist and soft texture as bakery-style ones, even with no butter, eggs, dairy, refined flour or sugar. They’re also easy to make (you just need 1 bowl and a fork!) and have the same sweet and irresistible flavors as pumpkin pie!

Those are definitely my kind of muffins!
 

Continue reading & see the rest! ›› Healthy One-Bowl Pumpkin Mini Muffins {Eggless & Dairy-Free!}

Image Map

Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Coconut lovers: These moist and tender Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting will thrill your palate with your first nibble. The decadent mound of cream cheese frosting guarantees that these will be unforgettable!

If you love a Coconut Cake Recipe, these delectable cupcakes provide built-in portion control. Though, I’d never fault anyone for going back for seconds. They’re just that irresistible!!!

Coconut cupcakes on a white tray

(more…)

The post Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting appeared first on That Skinny Chick Can Bake.

My New Breville Oven & an Exciting New Technique for Melting Chocolate

Smart_Oven_Air_Hero_ Hig Res.jpg

It’s been over five years since I wrote about my first Breville oven, calling it the perfectly even oven. My test was to pipe a spiral of cream puff pastry to see how it browned and it was perfectly even.

I have been so enamored of this oven, I have since purchased one as a wedding gift and another to have in my weekend home.

A few weeks ago, I discovered the latest model, the Smart Oven Air. When I learned about the extra features this newer slightly larger model offers I had to have it. And I’m totally smitten! I’ve even put it to use for a newly developed terrific technique, which I will share at the end of this posting. First: here are the new features that I most value:

  • An oven light that can be turned off or on at will (oh joy!)
  • Two oven racks
  • A dehydrating setting and mesh basket (I’ll be using this for my citrus powder)
  • A proofing setting for bread dough between 80°F/27°C and 100°F°/38°C

(I tested it and it holds true to temperature with no more than 3°F fluctuation.)

Now here is my great new discovery: Anyone who has ever tried to melt white or milk chocolate without stirring it constantly, has learned the hard way that it will seed. This is caused by the milk solids in the chocolate. And there is no way of restoring the little specks of hardened milk solids. But, if you heat the chocolate at 100°F/38°C it will melt gradually to be as smooth as silk. In short, you can place it in a container in the Breville, turn it to the proofing setting, set the temperature to 100°F/38°C, and leave it to melt on its own.

Breville BOV900BSS The Smart Oven Air, Silver

Homemade Pumpkin Granola

Pumpkin Granola
During the fall, when I’m using a lot of pumpkin in my baking, I’m always looking for new pumpkin recipes to use up leftover pumpkin that I might have sitting around in my refrigerator. This Pumpkin Granola is definitely worth making even if you don’t have leftover pumpkin that needs to be used up because it is so tasty, but you have no excuse not to make it if you have a half-used can of pumpkin puree waiting to be stirred into something.

This granola recipe is a bit unusual in that it only contains a very small amount of added fat, just a tablespoon of oil. The rest of the moisture in this recipe comes from the pumpkin puree itself, which binds all the granola components together. You might think that this would result in a soggy granola, but it bakes up to be perfectly crisp in the oven, just as you would want it to! The granola is packed with rolled oats, pumpkin pie spices, sugar and maple syrup. It also has generous quantities of both slivered almonds and toasted pumpkin seeds, which add a great texture to the granola. You can use untoasted nuts in the granola, since they will toast in the oven, however toasted nuts can also be used and they should hold up to the additional baking time without a problem.

I usually use puffed rice cereals in my granolas to lighten them up and give them a bit more crunch, however I opted to use a chocolate cereal in this batch of granola. Specifically, I used Count Chocula cereal, which is a cocoa flavored seasonal cereal that you can find around Halloween. It has a great texture and flavor (though I remove all the little marshmallows that come in it), and the chocolate adds a little complexity to the granola. If you don’t have Count Chocula available, you can use something like chocolate rice krispy cereal or simply use plain puffed rice cereal and you will still get a delicious granola.

This granola has a nice blend of flavors and is perfect for breakfast or a snack anytime during the fall. It keeps very well in an airtight container, so you can also consider packing it up as a homemade gift for pumpkin-loving friends and family members!

Pumpkin Granola
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups chocolate puffed rice cereal (such as Count Chocula or Cocoa Krispies)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground pumpkin pie spice
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup real maple syrup (pref. Grade B)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup slivered almonds
3/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Preheat the oven to 325F and line a large baking sheet (or two smaller sheets) with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine oats, cereal, and spices. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vegetable oil and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients along with nuts and pumpkin seeds and stir to combine. Spread on prepared baking sheet(s) in an even layer.
Bake for 30 minutes, then turn over the granola carefully using a large wide spatula, and bake for additional 10-15 minutes, until crisp and golden. Depending on the size of your baking sheet, the center might not be fully dried if your granola layer is thick, so if necessary remove the edges of the cooked granola to a cooling rack and let the rest cook for another 10 minutes until done.
Cool on pan or on a wire rack.
Break granola up and transfer to an airtight container for storage.

Makes about 6-8 servings.

The post Homemade Pumpkin Granola appeared first on Baking Bites.

Individual Maple-Brown Butter Monkey Breads

A few weeks ago, at the beginning of March, we were sugaring. We’d tapped our trees and collected a decent amount of sap. Sap runs when it gets above freezing during the day and still drops below freezing at night. We’d boiled and bottled, reveling in this very Vermont harbinger of spring. And then it snowed 17 inches and in an instant, winter was back with a vengeance and the trees were all, “What the what?” and promptly stopped supplying us with their magnificent tree juice.

The day before yesterday, it was warm enough that we started collecting again. Huzzah! And then today, it snowed a bit and decided not to get about 20º. Boo! And then I remembered a picture my friend Nancy Hopkins, the fabulous Food and Lifestyle editor at Better Homes and Gardens, posted to Instagram. She’s forever traveling the world, experiencing wonderful food moments. This one was a close-up of a small pile of ooey-gooey Monkey Bread. It seemed just the thing to drive away the “spring but not acting like spring” doldrums and a way to honor the goodness of the small bit of syrup we’d managed to make.

I gotta say, it worked.

Brown Butter and Maple Monkey Bread
For the brown butter/maple brioche
1 pound plus 2 ounces all-purpose flour (King Arthur Flour)
2 ounces instant potato flakes, plain and finely ground
½ ounce instant yeast (I use Red Star)
½ ounce fine sea salt
3 ounces maple syrup
4 ounces whole milk
8 ounces unsalted butter
4 large eggs, room temperature
In a large bowl, combine the flour, potato flakes, yeast and salt. Whisk together. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Continue cooking after  the butter has melted until the butter starts to brown at the bottom of the pan and starts to smell “nutty.” Take from the heat and add the milk. Allow to cool until just warm.
In the bowl of a stand mixer whisk together the eggs and the maple. Continue whisking and add the butter/milk mixture, making sure not to scrape the bottom of the saucepan but if some small browned bits join the party, don’t worry.
Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix with the paddle attachment until the dough just comes together. Switch to the dough hook and continue mixing, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a bowl scraper, until the dough smooths out and is concentrated around the hook. It’s ok if a small portion of the dough still sticks to the very bottom of the bowl but the sides should be clean. This can take quite some time, 15-20 minutes, for the dough to properly develop. It will be a very soft, almost sticky dough.
Transfer the dough to a bowl sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and transfer the dough to the bowl, spraying the dough with non-stick spray and covering with plastic wrap to proof for 1 hour, to almost double in size.
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Cut the dough into small pieces, about 120, and lay out on parchment lined sheet pans, spacing the pieces about ½ an inch apart. Spray with non-stick spray and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Allow to proof until the pieces are puffy and barely double their original size.
For the caramel
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup maple syrup
½ cup unsalted butter
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients but the vanilla in a saucepan, stirring over low heat until the butter melts and the caramel becomes homogenous. Continue cooking and stirring until the caramel thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.
Take from the heat and allow to cool about 5 minutes, then add the vanilla extract and stir.
On a sheet pan lined with parchment, grease eight (1 cup capacity) cocottes or ramekins with butter. Add 2 tablespoons of the caramel mixture to the bottom of each. Set aside.
For the coating
1 cup sugar
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a large plastic Ziploc bag. Shake to distribute the cinnamon. Gently add a few pieces of dough at a time and coat in the sugar. Place a few pieces at the bottom of each prepared cocottes, being careful not to squeeze the pieces and don’t place them too closely together. Sprinkle another teaspoon of  sugar on top of the pieces and then drizzle about 1 tablespoon of caramel on top of that. Continue adding layers of sugar coated dough to the containers, sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar and then caramel until all the dough pieces are added.
Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the top is browned and a thermometer inserted into the brioche reads 210ºF.
Allow the monkey breads to rest about 10 minutes and then turn them out onto plates. Serve immediately alone or with ice cream. Make sure to serve warm.

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Vegan Halloween Spooktacular

From BakeandDestroy.net:

So many vegan apparel brands released Halloween collections this year that what started out as a Friday Five idea turned into a big ‘ol roundup. Here I’ve pulled together some favorites from those collections, on-theme cookbooks, and other spooky things. Did I miss something cool you spotted this year? Tell me in the comments!

Bake and Destroy – Recipes with mosh parts since 2006.