It’s almost the weekend. And the weather’s heating up and gorgeous red cherries are in season here in Istanbul. And while they are perfect eaten simply as is, by the mouthful, gracefully trying to spit out the pits, I thought I’d make a fun frozen beverage to liven up our socially distant spirits. Let’s face it, this summer isn’t going to look much like past years of poolside gatherings, bbq’s, birthday parties or happy hour cocktails with friends. So any little bits we can add in at home to spark even the slightest bit of out-of-the-ordinary spice, I say go for it.
Are you a fan of German chocolate cake? I can’t say it’s my favorite, but it’s definitely tasty and has it’s rightful place among great cake flavors. My dad on the other hand, loved this combo of chocolate cake layered between a decadent coconut and pecan filling. And we usually tried to include one any time we were celebrating him. Today would have been his 75th birthday. And I can imagine what kind of fun celebration it would have been. And more importantly, I know it would have included some delicious food and prize-worthy treats. The best for the best, right? And as usual, I’m sure there would have been some fabulous German chocolate cake at some point.
With all the quarantine baking going on, I think it’s safe to say banana bread might be at the top of the baked goods charts right now. I’ve been seeing so many beautiful loaves and loaves of banana bread swirling around social media. That’s not surprising during these difficult times as it’s such a comforting classic for so many of us. And it comes with two big bonuses. A guaranteed smile from it’s lucky recipients (at least in my family) and it makes use of the less desired brown bananas, so they don’t have to go to waste. A win-win all around. And if that isn’t enough, bananas being available all year long mean delicious banana bread is always in season.
While many might have a trusted banana bread recipe they turn to when the urge strikes to do some baking, do they have one that includes ripe summer zucchini and chocolate chips?? Well in case you don’t, or perhaps could use one that is absolutely scrumptious, let me tempt you to try what I call The Best Chocolate Chip & Zucchini Banana Bread.
Not sure where to even start here. This last week I’ve taken a break from posting to stop and pay attention to what’s going on back in my home country, and now all around the world. It’s been hard to be so far from it all here in Istanbul. But I’m listening, I’m learning, I’m reflecting and I’m feeling a lot. And while I have no idea what to say right now, and probably won’t say the right thing, I know that staying silent is not the answer either. My voice is small and my following tiny, but I’m here and pledging to continue to actively educate myself and especially my little ones, who are the voices of tomorrow, on how we can do better for our brothers and sisters, our friends and members of our own family who battle injustices everyday. I will continue to follow through not just with words or Instagram posts but in everyday life to be an active, loving ally to those facing this ugly monster that is racism.
And in a small gesture of admiration and love, today I thought I’d share a recipe from one of my favorite sites, Britney Breaks Bread. She has a great following and for good reason, her recipes and food photos are stunning and drool worthy. You can take a look here and here and see what I’m talking about. Britney definitely has raised the bar for me, inspiring big-time food blog goals. For that, I’m grateful. And very happy she shares the recipes too.
Today’s particular recipe, her Orange Poppy Seed Pancakes, are no exception. Her photo of the pancake stack paired with the oranges, whipped ricotta and chocolate shavings had me at first glance. I had never made anything with this combo before and I don’t know why not. They are so delicious. I only made the slightest of changes either due to ingredient necessity or to assist those using weighted measurements. The two things I absolutely didn’t touch are the star ingredients- the orange and poppy seeds. The orange is really something special in these and is brought out perfectly with the use of the zest plus the juice. Just wait till you smell them cooking on the pan. And the poppy seeds add a fun little pop of color and texture.
Please don’t let the name of these Strawberry Quinoa Bars turn you off if you think it sounds too healthy or don’t like quinoa. Because these are really delicious and a) don’t taste bland or chocked full of so many healthy ingredients that they don’t resemble anything close to a treat and b) if you tasted them without knowing what they consist of, you’d never guess it’s quinoa. These are lightly sweet. bursting with spring strawberry flavor, perfectly soft and all too easy to gobble up more than one at a time.
