Tag: simple

Toddler and Husband Approved Apple Cinnamon Muffins (packed with nutrients and flavor too!)

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If you follow my Instagram page (thatcultivatedlife.life) than you have probably seen me baking a ton in the kitchen with my 1 year old.

Yeah that’s right, baking with my 1 year old! Call me crazy, but it has been so fun, and she absolutely LOVES it.

I’ve been looking for creative baking ideas that are easy (and nutritious) so that she can be more involved in the kitchen with me. I figure if I’m gonna be baking more, I am gonna let her eat it… and if I’m gonna let her eat, it I want it to be healthy and not a sugar bomb.

So I’ve been hitting the drawing board and creating new recipes to test in the kitchen with her.

She has mastered pancakes, and moved on to cookies, and I can only eat so many of those. So yesterday, I felt it was time to move on to the world of muffins! So I sat down and wrote down a recipe I hoped would work out… it worked out ridiculously well!

I wanted to make sure I wasn’t jaded about how delicious they were, so I shared them with a few people. First my daughter, who devoured hers, without sharing with her dog, or uttering a single noise… that means she was fully enjoying it. I also brought some to my in-laws, my husband and my cousin… all of them said they were great.

So I figured I would share it with you all too!

I highly encourage you to make these yummy muffins and get your kids involved.

It’s gonna get messy, they will probably spill things all over the place, but they will have so much fun! They will get a basic idea of where food comes from, and feel a better connection to it.

It also may show them a new hobby they never knew they loved! I have been baking and cooking in the kitchen since I was 5 (thanks Grandma Bracken), and to this day it’s my therapy.

Embrace the mess, let go of perfection, and get those kiddos cooking! And if it’s not your thing, no judgment here. Just give these a whirl yourself and enjoy!

So without further adieu, the yummy gluten free, egg free muffins of your dreams…

Ingredients

  • 2 cups almond or oat flour (I used almond)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 flax eggs (2 TBS flax meal, 6 Tbs water, mix together and set aside for 5 minutes)
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 1/2 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or oat milk)
  • 2 small Granny Smith apples diced and tossed in about 2 tsp of flour (this helps them from sinking to the bottom of the muffin)

Preheat your oven to 350°. Grease a muffin tin. This will make about 9 regular sized muffins.

Mix together all dry ingredients. Add the syrup, apple sauce and almond milk and mix well. Add the diced apples and fold into your batter. Pour into the muffin tin and bake for 1 hour, or until you can pull a toothpick out of the center cleanly. Allow to fully cool in the tin (they’ll continue to bake for a few minutes out of the oven), and enjoy!

Happy baking! Let me know if you made these and tag me on Instagram or Facebook! (@thatcultivated.life).

Creamy and Simple Butternut and Sweet Potato Soup

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It’s finally here! Autumn has officially hit! There’s a crispness to our morning air, the leaves are beginning to change, the days are a little bit shorter, and girls have officially broken out the PSL lattes!

I myself LOVE this season! I love the cooler weather, wearing sweaters, the smell in the air…. but mostly I love the food! The farm stand starts stocking my favorite veggies this time of year. Broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoes and winter squash…. one of my absolute favorites being Butternut!

I also have been known to love a good bowl of soup, so having the cool weather as an excuse to whip up a pot of soup on the regular makes me happy! I’ve already made about 3 different soups and it’s only been officially fall for a week now.

Sadly when I first met my husband he proclaimed that he HATED soup. I know! I was just as shocked as you are! How could anyone hate soup?! It’s warm, it’s comforting, filling and it’s flavorful!

This did not stop me from pumping out soup after soup on a mission to change his mind.

Happily, I can tell you that he no longer hates soup. He will eat any soup I give him and he usually asks for more! He does however favor a creamy soup (especially on colder days).

I made this particular soup after a busy day at the farm stand. One of my favorite parts of making soup is how easy it can be! You literally cut everything up, throw it in a pot and walk away. That’s the kind of dinner I can get on board with during this time of year… especially now when I’m working a full time job and helping out at the stand on weekends and I’m 5 months pregnant.

I literally stood at the farm stand after work and saw butternut squash and sweet potatoes and decided to challenge myself to a new soup. I am so glad I did because this one is definitely a new favorite!

Not only is this husband approved, but this one is also sister in law approved as well! She happened to be over for dinner that night and the two of them loved it!

So if you’re not sure to do with our butternut squash and want to try a twist on your usual butternut squash soup recipe, give this one a whirl! It is so simple, very minimal ingredients and SO delicious!

Happy cooking!

1 Butternut squash chopped

2 carrots chopped

2 sweet medium potatoes chopped

1 onion chopped

3 cloves garlic minced

1 tbs olive oil

4 cups veggie stock

1 can coconut milk

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp fresh pepper

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp sage

1/2 tsp thyme

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp chili powder

Optional topping: crumbled bacon…. I usually don’t add it because the soup is delicious on its own but my husband LOVES to!

  1. In a large soup pot heat olive oil and add onion and garlic. Sauté for about 2 minutes or until they begin to sweat (or the onions start to become translucent).
  2. Add the chopped carrots, butternut squash and sweet potato and stir. I like to let it cook for about a minute.
  3. Throw in your spices and stir everything together, again let them cook for another minute so the flavors can really sink into those veggies.
  4. Add you veggie or chicken stock and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil reduce to a simmer and cook for about 25 min.
  5. Add in your coconut milk stir well, and cook for another 5 min.
  6. Place soup in a blender or food processor or use my favorite tool and immersion blender to purée!

Serve it to your family, friends or company and enjoy!

Love and light,

Rachael Krupski

Guilt Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

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Happy September! It’s hard to believe it’s actually here! Where is this year going?

I can’t say I’m not excited to see September finally arrive. Something magical starts to happen this time of year. The leaves begin to change, the mornings get cooler and quieter, and fall decor and produce kicks into overdrive at the farm (and my house… yes I already have a pumpkin proudly displayed on my table… not even sorry).

As fall quickly approaches (sorry but it’s true!) this pregnant lady has been craving all types of baked goods! Something about fall makes me want to bake breads, cookies, and cakes. I have been trying to keep my diet as healthy and nutrient dense as possible for baby girl Krupski, while allowing myself to give into cravings once in a while.

A few weeks ago we were invited to a dinner party at a friends house, and I decided that was the perfect time to whip up a dessert! Still keeping baby in mind, I chose to make something that was not just yummy but also nutritious… without anyone knowing!

I had been craving brownies and chocolate chip cookies that week, so it made sense to me to try and make something that mixed that warm gooey brownie texture with a chocolate chip cookie flavor! I went to my pantry and gathered my ingredients, threw them into a food processor, and created a delicious batch of Guilt Free Chocolate Chip bars.

My husband was skeptical… as he always is when I make a healthy dessert. He fondly remembers the days of cookies, cupcakes and brownies when we first started dating. He somehow forgets the part where where both gained 20 LBs from all my baking back then. He wasn’t sure a healthy dessert was the right choice to bring to a dinner party.

Well, on the way home (clean cookie plate in hand), he apologized for ever doubting me. They were a hit! Nick even ate 2-3 of them! No one had any idea they were healthy until I revealed my ingredients… and even after that they continued to grab them. I will definitely be bringing them to a party again soon.

These bars came out gooey, soft, and sweet with just the right amount of chocolate flavor. They took 5 min to prep, and 30 min to bake. Best of all, the batter is made entirely in a food processor (or blender) so clean up is a breeze!

Try these bad boys out! Share them with friends and family, and I bet that plate will be clean by the end of the party.

  • Guilt Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
  • Ingredients:
      • 1 can chickpeas
      3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
      1/4 cup pure maple syrup
      1/2 tsp vanilla
      1/4 tsp baking powder
      1/4 tsp baking soda
      1/2 cup chocolate chips

    1. Preheat oven to 350° and grease your baking dish. (I used coconut oil spray in a 13×9 inch pan but u can use a smaller pan for thicker pieces just add more time to bake).
    2. In a food processor add chickpeas, peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla, baking powder and baking soda and combine on high speed until mixture is creamy.
    3. Add the chocolate chips and pulse until they are evenly mixed in.
    4. Spread your batter onto your greased pan and bake for 25-30 min or until the edges begin to pull away from the pan. You can also use the toothpick test to see if they are ready!

    That’s it! I told you they were simple! When I told everyone there were chickpeas in them people were shocked!

    They add a nice serving of protein in this dessert that will help regulate your blood sugar. That’s right, instead of this dessert sending sugar surging through your blood stream, that protein will help to slow the process down and keep your blood sugar much steadier. Just an added bonus to a delicious treat!

    I hope you try these cookie bars out and let me know what you think! Happy baking!

    Love and light,

    Rachael Krupski

    Rainy Day Summer Soup!

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    Ok. So, I know it’s summer and all, but I can’t stop craving soup! I have had just about all the salad I can stand over the past few months. Once in a while mama wants a hot tasty comfort meal. My pregnancy cravings seem to sending me in a soup spiral! This baby is all about a comforting bowl of soup these days!

    Luckily, we’ve had quite a few rainy days which I felt justified me whipping up a yummy pot of homemade soup!

    My husband and I have very different views on what a meal should be. I could live on a bowl of soup or 3 a day, and Nick… well to be frank, he’s a soup hater. I KNOW?! Who hates soup? Am I right?

    Well as it turns out, he may be converted! After having a bowl of this summer veggie soup, Nick actually got up for seconds! Not only that but he said “babe are you sure this is healthy?! It’s so good!” Why yes this soup is absolutely 100% healthy, and still 100% Hubby approved. This is a huge win in my book!

    The best part about this soup is it could not be easier to throw together. There are only a few simple ingredients, all of which are in season at the moment. I literally walked around the farm and our farm stand and picked my favorite summer veggies and whipped this baby up. I grabbed a zucchini, yellow squash, onion, potatoes, and of course our famous Krupski Farms white corn (any corn will do though) and got to work! I think I will be making this soup again and again until summer ends!

    Like I said, the recipe is super simple and and quick! Give it a try, and see what you think!

    Prep time: 5 min

    Cook time: 35 min

    Servings: 4-5

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup potatoes chopped
    • 1 medium zuchinni
    • 1 yellow squash
    • 1/2 onion chopped
    • 2 gloves of garlic minced
    • 1 Tbs coconut oil (or EVOO)
    • 5 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
    • 1/4 tsp fresh rosemary
    • 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
    • 1 heaping tsp fresh parsley
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1/2 tsp chili powder
    • 1/2 tsp paprika
    • Salt and pepper to taste (I used about 1 tsp salt because my stock was unsalted)
      Heat coconut oil in large sauce pan, then add onion and sauté for 1 minute.
      Add garlic to pan and sauté garlic and onion until they both begin to sweat.
      Add potatoes and sauté for another 2 minutes, then add remaining vegetables and all seasoning. Cook for another 2 minutes.
      Pour in the 5 cups or vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Once the soup comes to a rapid boil, reduce to a simmer. Allow the soup to simmer for about 25 minutes then enjoy!

    See! How simple is that?! This soup is healthy, hearty, and so quick and simple to make! It’s a hit in our house and I’m sure I will be making a few more pots before summer is over to freeze for the winter!

    I hope you try this recipe out and enjoy it as much as we do! If you try it, leave me a comment letting me know what you think!

    Happy cooking!

    Love and light,

    Rachael Krupski

    Staying Active and Healthy Avocado Toast… for 2!

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    Surprise! Nick and I are expecting our first child in February! We found out the first weekend of June and have been ecstatic ever since!

    I had fully planned on starting up the blog again once Farm season had begun and I had plenty of resources for my recipes… baby had other plans! I have never experience fatigue like I did the first 2.5 months of pregnancy! I napped in my car at work on my lunch break, when I got home, and was in bed by 8:30, 9 pm latest! Apparently this whole growing a human thing really takes it out of you!

    Luckily, that was the only bad symptom I experienced during my first trimester. I am beyond grateful that I missed the whole morning sickness fiasco most women deal with! Fatigue was tough, but it wasn’t unbearable.

    I was determined from the beginning of my pregnancy to remain fit and healthy for myself and most importantly for baby K. My morning workouts not only keep me in shape but keep me sane. It’s my only time for myself all day, before my husband gets up, before my workday begins, before that list of chores becomes a reality….. I need that time! Thankfully, the little energy I had during the first trimester was at the very start of my morning, so my workouts never stopped!I’ve continued to workout 6 days a week, but have been following prenatal weight lifting workouts and running on my off days (as cleared by my doctors).

    There is so much research saying how important it is for women to continue working out during pregnancy. It helps us prepare to be fit for delivery, it helps maintain a healthy weight gain, and also has been shown to help with brain development for baby!

    Fitness hasn’t been difficult to keep up with….. my healthy eating habits however have taken a LOT more discipline.

    Apparently all this baby wants is mint chocolate chip ice cream and carbs (not that I blame them). Before pregnancy, my will power around sweets was unbreakable…. somehow this baby has made me crazy for ice cream! This was the first thing that tipped my sister in laws off that I might be expecting.

    Although I just want to spend my days shoveling in nachos and ice cream, I really want to give my baby the best nutrition I can. I have been focusing my meals around what nutrients are especially important to baby K’s growth and development… not to say that I don’t occasionally allow myself to indulge in a treat or two or three every week. Everyday I try my best to make sure I am taking in enough Folate, vitamin D, calcium, vitamin c, protein, Omega 3s, etc.

    I have personally found it easiest to stick to healthy eating when I begin my day with a healthy breakfast!

    Almost everyday since the beginning of July I have had the exact same DELICIOUS and most of all NUTRITIOUS breakfast! I call it 1st Trimester Avocado toast. It is so simple, quick and easy to make plus packs a ton of nutritional value!

    All you need for this recipe are the following:

    1 tsp coconut oil

    2 pasture raised eggs

    1 cup spinach

    1 clove garlic minced

    1/2 avocado

    1 toasted Ezekiel bread English muffin (or your bread of choice)

    Seasoning of choice (I use Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel seasoning)

    • First melt the coconut oil in a large pan. Once you have done this, crack the two eggs into one side of the skillet to fry.
    • Once the eggs are about halfway cooked, add garlic to the opposite side of the pan and allow to sweat for 1 minute. Then add in the spinach and cover pan until it begins to wilt.
    • While the spinach is wilting and your eggs are cooking, mash and spread your half an avocado onto each half of your toast.
    • Remove the pan from heat, layer the spinach onto the avocado toast and top it with your fried eggs… that’s all folks!
  • See how simple that is?! You definitely don’t have to be pregnant to enjoy this, but if you are it has so many benefits. This meal is rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B-6, E, K, Folic acid, potassium, magnesium, protein and fiber! It is also absolutely scrumptious! I wake up wanting this meal every morning, and it fills me up and keeps me going until lunch time!
  • I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you try it out let me know what you think.
  • Now that I am feeling myself again, I plan to create and post many more recipes this summer to share with you all, as well as more about my pregnancy journey!
  • Until the next one,
  • Rachael Krupski

  • Keep it Simple Silly! The Hubby’s Favorite Avocado Toast

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    I didn’t just wake up one day and know all the health food answers (I am still learning day by day). It’s been 4 years of trial and error, food combining, testing seasonings and watching my husbands facial expressions as he’s eating to really get my methods where they are today.

    I’m not gonna lie…. in the beginning, it wasn’t pretty! This girl fell into the trap most people fall into when learning to eat healthier. That’s right, I fell into the steamed veggies and under seasoned chicken breast rut.

    I can remember poor Nick trying to be supportive of me getting a grip on my health, and trying to hide his distaste for my new methods of cooking.

    Let me paint a picture… we had just moved in together. Nick had fallen in love with not only me, but my delicious cooking and baking. I had gotten him so used to coming over my apartment for Cheesy Chicken Corn Chowder, fried chicken cutlets, homemade Mac n’ cheese (with no less than four cheeses!), and countless other Paula Deen classics…. and then just as we committed to living our lives together I ripped it all away.

    Instead he was welcomed home to me fumbling in the kitchen trying to relearn how to cook! I no longer had the crutch of heavy cream, butter, salt and mayo to lean on! My foods were lack luster and flavorless. He was such a good sport that it took him months before actually admitting to me he needed some more flavor in his dinners.

    So after a while I scoured Pinterest, and my healthy cookbooks and taught myself all about food combining and seasoning. I ventured out of my comfort zone of salt and pepper, and learned all about my new friends turmeric, paprika, thyme, rosemary and countless other yummy and healthy spices!

    After endless recipe testing, I learned toskip the scary 100 ingredient nightmare recipes. They were stressful and usually not as tasty as the picture looked! Those simple 5 ingredient healthy dishes can be the tastiest!

    I’m not trying to brag, but my sweet husband has not complained about a single meal in about 3 years! In fact, he’s usually telling me “this is one of the best things you’ve ever made!”

    I sincerely give all the credit to getting out of my comfort zone and experimenting! Once you get busy in the kitchen making all kinds of different foods from all over the world, you will gain knowledge of what spices mesh well together! You may even gain the confidence to experiment and create something all your own!

    Experimenting is exactly how this delectable recipe came about! In the summer and fall my husband and I are both extremely busy! He’s out in the fields day in and day out planting, cultivating, harvesting etc. while I’m working 9-5 Mon.- Fri., and weekends at the farm stand. Finding time for a well planned lunch or dinner is not easy, and usually culminates in me just taking what I have and tossing it all together.

    This is how Nick’s favorite brunch item came into existence:

    One afternoon, after a hot morning on the farm he asked me to make him something to eat. Newly married, I felt ashamed to tell him I had yet to food shop and had barely anything in the house (just kidding… what do I look like? A stepford wife?). With about 10 minutes to spare I grabbed the 5 things I actually had available:

    • Fresh cherry tomatoes halved (I like mixing heirloom and red)
    • Ezekiel bread (any bread will do)
    • Half an avocado
    • Rosemary
    • Balsamic Vinegar

    Here is how divinely simple this recipe is! It’s so simple that when my husband said it was his absolute favorite thing I make, I was a little blindsided! Lol I mean it’s that easy!

    1. Heat a tsp of coconut oil in a pan over medium heat.

    2. Add the cherry tomatoes, and sprinkle with salt and pepper and rosemary to taste. I usually add about a tsp of rosemary but that’s only because I am obsessed! Sauté them for about 2-3 min, just until they start popping.

    3. While sautéing the tomatoes, toast a slice of bread.

    4. Mash your avocado with the back of a fork, then spread it on your piece of toast.

    5. Top the avocado toast with the tomato sautéed and drizzle with a tsp of balsamic vinegar!

    6. Eat that yummy piece of brunch heaven!

    You see, you can have a seriously savory and delicious meal with less than 10 ingredients, that not only fills you (thank you healthy fats), but is good for you too! It takes all of 5 minutes and I guarantee that you will love it!

    If you want to up the flavor profile even more add an egg! Do you! Make it your own! Just get creative in that kitchen, and remember healthy foods that nourish you can be simple and still taste amazing!

    Now get cooking good looking!

    Love and Light,

    Xoxo Rachael Krupski

    Dessert for Breakfast? (Berry Chocolate Oatmeal, yum!)

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    We have all heard the age old words “breakfast is the most important meal of the day!” My Mom used to recite that phrase every morning as she chased me out the door to the school bus with a glass of Carnation Instant Breakfast (the only thing she could get me to choke down in the morning).

    It took me years to start a practice of eating in the morning. Putting food in my mouth first thing in the morning made my stomach hurt…. not to mention that I was never a huge fan of breakfast foods. Instant oatmeal was bland, cereals were not exactly what I was craving at 6 am, and there was no chance I was getting eggs bacon and toast unless I was heading to a diner first thing in the morning (ain’t nobody got time for that!)

    I finally started eating breakfast when I began my health journey and learned the importance of kickstarting my metabolism first thing in the morning. I started practicing chugging a full glass of water as soon as I woke up, and following it with whatever easy breakfast I could find.

    I was very skeptical at first of the importance of a breakfast, but lo and behold, once I started eating breakfast my life did change! I had more energy, I actually started losing a few pounds, and I wasn’t as cranky or groggy when I got to work.

    Once I got on the breakfast train I couldn’t help but expand my morning menu. I’ve always been pretty excited about cooking, but the breakfast world was pretty limited to me. Sure I could make myself some scrambled eggs but other than that, it was cereal and almond milk.

    I started with smoothies, omelettes, and avocado toast, but I have also expanded into the world of homemade oats.

    For my entire life I was under the impression that homemade oatmeal must be super difficult… I mean why else would everyone choose super processed, cardboard flavored, instant oats? Well folks… I was SO wrong!

    Who new making your own oatmeal takes only 10 minutes and can taste like heaven in a bowl?! You can make so many different flavors, add any toppings you want, and sweeten them with maple syrup, honey or agave without sacrificing health!

    Some of my favorite homemade oatmeal’s include apple cinnamon, pumpkin spice, banana peanut butter, and my latest obsession Chocolate Berry!

    Chocolate berry has become a favorite not only for its delicious taste, but for its health benefits! It is choc full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and is sure to leave you satisfied! Not only is it delicious, nutritious and chocolates, it’s one of the easiest breakfasts to whip up! So follow along with the recipe and enjoy!

    Here’s what you’ll need for 1 serving:

    1/2 cup oats

    1/2 tsp cacao powder

    1 banana mashed (optional but so good!)

    1tsp maple syrup

    1/2 cup berries

    1 Tbs pecans

    Coconut flakes for garnish

    1/2 tsp cinnamon

    1. First you’ll need to bring one cup of water to a boil, and then add in your oats and reduce to a simmer.
    2. Allow the oats to simmer for about 3 minutes, or until the oats appear to be thickening. Once this happens add in that mashed banana. Cook for another 5 minutes.
    3. Add the remaining ingredients, stirring well. Cool for another 2 minutes or until the oatmeal has reached your desired thickness. You may choose to wait to add the berries until the end, which will keep them from breaking up in the mixture (which I prefer), or to save a few to add as topping!
    4. Once your oats appear fully cooked, remove them from the stove, top with your coconut flakes and any remaining berries for garnish and enjoy!

    I literally can’t stop making this recipe. It’s simple, delicious, and highly nutritious! It only takes about 10 minutes to whip up, and leaves me full and happy (not to mention I get to eat chocolate before I even start my day!)

    I hope you enjoy this yummy breakfast treat! Get creative and swap out pecans for you’re favorite nuts, choose whatever berries you like, and garnish with whatever toppings you see fit! It’s your breakfast, so make it the way you like it!

    If you try this out, let me know in the comments below! I would love to hear from you!

    Happy cooking!

    – Love & light,

    Rachael