It is that time of year again! Whether you have a green thumb yourself, or neighbors who do, the zucchini is bountiful and everyone is trying to pass it off. We used to joke about how you would find zucchinis in your car if you left it unlocked or stuffed into your mailbox this time of year. Whether you love zucchini or not, you will love this sourdough lemon zucchini bread! The zucchini imparts no flavor but a delicious moist texture. I hope you give it a try! Check below in the recipe for notes on how to do a long ferment option as well, for better digestion. Happy baking!

Zucchinis are one of the vegetables that grow well up north here in Montana. We can grow most squash varieties here without even trying. Every year I over plant them and regret it! I currently have a pumpkin plant in my garden taller than my 3 year old. Our growing season is on the shorter side, so these hardy gourds are our friends, as they can handle a bit of frost before harvest if it comes on earlier in the year.

Can you freeze lemon zucchini bread?

This loaf lasts for about 3-4 days at room temperature, 1 week in the fridge and you can freeze it for 4 months. Wait until your loaf is fully cool after removing from your pan, wrap in plastic wrap and then foil or a freezer proof ziplock bag. Enjoy the fresh flavors of summer into the next season!

What can I do with extra zucchini?

My favorite things to make with zucchini are loaves, muffins and cakes, so I pre-grate and freeze it into premeasured quantities to use when I’m in the baking mood later that winter.

1. Grate your zucchini ( I use a food processor to make quick work of it)
2. Measure out the portions that you commonly use in recipes- I do 1 cup and 3 cups portions
3. Zip each portion into it’s own smaller plastic bag.
4. Put the small bags together into a large plastic zipped freezer bag
5. When ready to bake put the portion to be used in it’s bag into a bowl of warm water to thaw
6. Drain if needed and use as per recipe suggestion
7. Enjoy delicious baked zucchini goods all winter!

TIP: Freezing the zucchini has the added benefit of making it easier to strain off the liquid. When it thaws the liquid naturally separates and makes straining much easier. If the recipe doesn’t call for straining off the liquid, just empty the entire contents you’ll be using. The liquid is required in some recipes.

Long ferment lemon poppyseed scones

Easy orange cranberry sourdough loaf

How do you make sourdough lemon zucchini bread?

This sourdough lemon zucchini bread comes together quickly because it doesn’t require any extra draining of the zucchini. You can just grate it and mix directly in with the wet ingredients.

You will beat the wet ingredients in a mixer or by hand with a hand mixer, mix the dry ingredients separately, and then add to the wet. The bread bakes in about an hour and lends a delightful moist crumb with a subtle yet bright lemony flavor. The zucchini imparts rich moisture without any zucchini flavor. No need to peel your zucchini either- just use as is.

What you’ll use

These tools are helpful but not absolutely necessary. I’ve included some links here to make it easy for you to find them.

• Standard whisk
• Kitchenaid mixer (just to make it easier, but not necessary with these)
• Bread pan
• Muffin tin (if you want to make these into muffins*)

* You can alternatively make these into muffins by scooping the batter into a prepared muffin tin and baking for 18-20 min. Until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

(Some of these are affiliate links, which just means I might make a tiny percentage, but it doesn’t change the cost to you. See my full disclosure here.)

What you’ll need for this sourdough lemon zucchini bread

Wet ingredients

• 1/2 cup melted butter or coconut oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sourdough starter (discard or fed)
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• Juice &zest from one (medium sized) lemon

Dry ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking power
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter or coconut oil increase to 1 teaspoon)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9″ loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
2. Beat the butter/oil with the sugar for a few minutes until light and fluffy
3. Add eggs, sourdough starter, lemon juice & zest, almond extract and grated zucchini and mix well.
4. In a separate bowl sift or mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just incorporated.
6. Pour into your prepared loaf pan.
7. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Check at 50 with a toothpick in center. Tent with foil if beginning to brown but toothpick still comes out wet.

Long fermented version:

1. Make your sponge 12-24 hours in advance. This gives your batter enough time for the ferment to maturate and make it more digestible and nutrients more bioavailable.
2. Sponge: combine sourdough starter, melted butter, eggs and flour together. Cover and allow to ferment for 6 hours. If a longer ferment is desired, you can put it in the fridge after that time for up to 24 hours.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Using a stand mixture with the paddle attachment (preferred, as the batter is thicker) add in the zucchini, sugar, lemon juice and zest, almond extract, baking powder and baking soda.
5. Proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Sourdough Lemon Zucchini Bread

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Sourdough Lemon Zucchini Bread

Yield: 1 dozen slices

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Tired of the same zucchini bread recipes? Try this bright, lemony version! With a moist and tender crumb, this is sure to become your new favorite way to use up extra zucchini.

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Ingredients

• Wet ingredients
• 1/2 cup melted butter or coconut oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sourdough starter (discard or fed)
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• Juice & zest from one (medium sized) lemon
• Dry ingredients:
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking power
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter or coconut oil increase to 1 teaspoon)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9" loaf pan or line with parchment paper.

Beat the butter/oil with the sugar for a few minutes until light and fluffy

Add eggs, sourdough starter, lemon juice & zest, almond extract and grated zucchini and mix well.

In a separate bowl sift or mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just incorporated.

Pour into your prepared loaf pan.

Bake for 50-60 minutes. Check at 50 with a toothpick in center. Tent with foil if beginning to brown but toothpick still comes out wet.

Notes

Long fermented version:

Make your sponge 12-24 hours in advance. This gives your batter enough time for the ferment to maturate and make it more digestible and nutrients more bioavailable.

Sponge: combine sourdough starter, melted butter, eggs and flour together. Cover and allow to ferment for 6 hours. If a longer ferment is desired, you can put it in the fridge after that time for up to 24 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a stand mixture with the paddle attachment (preferred, as the batter is thicker) add in the zucchini, sugar, lemon juice and zest, almond extract, baking powder and baking soda.

Proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 267Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 192mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 1gSugar: 20gProtein: 4g

The post Sourdough Lemon Zucchini Bread appeared first on A Legacy In Days.

This recipe makes 3 Italian style baguettes and only requires 3 hours of rising and some stretch and folds before you can tuck it away in the fridge for any day you have time to pull them out to shape and bake them. It only has 5 ingredients and really is a no fuss recipe. Once you’ve made it a couple of times you could make it by memory, it’s that simple. I hope you try it and let me know how it turns out for you in the comments. These easy no knead sourdough baguettes need anywhere from 12 hours up. They will need an overnight ferment as well as a couple hours to shape and rise before baking, but most of the time is hands off with these. Trust me- if I have time to keep these on rotation in our menu, you can too.

Ingredients needed for these easy sourdough no knead baguettes

• flour
• sourdough starter
• water
• sugar
• salt

Optional but helpful tools

• My favorite large capacity kitchenmaid mixer
• My favorite serrated bread knife
• baguette baker
• baking stone
• flour shaker
• baking sheet
• dough scraper
• dough cutter
• bread lame for scoring
• parchment paper

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog! See my full disclosure here.

Steps for making these easy no knead sourdough baguettes

1. This is the easiest part. You’re just going to mix all of your ingredients until well combined. If you’re doing this with a mixer you can beat it for a few minutes, but it’s not necessary.

2. Next up is the stretch and fold session. Don’t leave! This is not complicated. All that it requires of you is to be home long enough. After the dough is mixed you’re going to cover it and leave it for an hour. Don’t worry if it’s over or under that time by a bit. After an hour just pull up each side of the dough and sort of wiggle and stretch it up until it feels like it might break off and then fold it back up on top of itself. Go around the dough ball on each side. Then leave it again for an hour. You’re going to do that 2 more times for a total of 3 stretch and folds. For a more detailed video on stretching and folding see here.

3. Fermenting- Now you’re going to tuck that sweet little loaf in for a long nap, as I tell my kiddos. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 8 hours up to a week. Yup, a week is still totally fine. I’ve done it tons of times. The flavor really develops the longer you wait. Plus, the longer you can leave it, the more benefits you’ll get from the sourdough. This is not a quick recipe, but it is simple, doable and easy. You only need time.

Bake day: shaping these easy no knead sourdough baguettes

1. Quick Rest- Pull the dough out of the fridge and let it rest for 30. min to warm up a bit. I’ve jumped right into shaping them and they still turned out just fine though. If you let them sit a bit though the dough will be easier to handle and shape.

2. Shaping- Now that your dough is more supple from the rest, it’s time to shape it. I like to use a dough scraper to get all my dough out of the bowl. Next cut 3 sections with a dough cutter. A serrated bread knife will also work for this recipe. (As you get comfortable with the recipe, feel free to shape a boulé or 4-6 smaller French baguettes.) For ease of baking, I use a baguette pan. An alternative would be to use a bread couche or you can roll foil into logs and lay underneath parchment paper on a baking sheet in between your baguettes to keep them from spreading. (see the pic below) Otherwise you can shape the loaves and lay on parchment paper. Shape the loaves with the following instructions: (another helpful video here)

• On a flourless surface, flatten one section into a rectangular shape with your hands. Just as big as you can comfortably get it with your hands only- no rolling pin needed.
• Fold it in thirds like a letter. Flatten it down once again.
• Now fold it in half the same direction this time keep a seam side, pinching as you roll, and tuck the dough around onto counter back and forth with the seam side down rolling into a log about 16″ long.
• Roll each end between your hands to form a sort of point on the ends.
• Place on your parchment ready baking sheet and repeat with the other loaves.
• Cover with plastic wrap or l (I use a bread couche or large trash bag works too.) Let it rest 2-4 hours until almost double.

3. Baking these easy no knead sourdough baguettes-

1. Preheat you oven to 500*F about 30 min. to 1 hr. before ready to bake. When ready to bake, sprinkle flour over each loaf and then slice diagonals across the top about 2 inches apart with a lame.

2. Insert the loves on the baguette pan with the parchment directly onto a baking stone, or keep on the baking sheet if you don’t have a stone. Immediately lower temp to 450* and bake for 30 minutes. Check after 30. You want a deep golden to amber color on your loaf to insure a crispy crust and tender inside. You can check the internal temp if concerned. It should be 190-200* when fully baked. Resist cutting into them for at least 5 minutes, if you can. 😉

How to store and freeze leftovers

These baguettes are best eaten fresh otherwise, wrap then in plastic or store in an airtight container. They can be frozen for longer storage (up to 6 months). Wrap them in plastic and them heavy duty foil. Warm them up wrapped in only the foil in the oven.

If your bread is feeling a bit dry and getting old, don’t throw it out! It makes the perfect French toast, French toast casserole breakfast strata, or croutons.

More sourdough recipes

• Easy Cranberry Orange Sourdough Loaf
• Sourdough Pear Coffee Cake for a crowd!
• Long ferment lemon poppyseed sourdough scones

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Printable Recipe card

Easy No Knead Sourdough Baguettes

Yield: 3 loaves

Ingredients:

1 cup ripe (fed) sourdough starter
1 3/4 cups lukewarm water
5 cups Flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar

1. Mix all of your ingredients until well combined. If you're doing this with a mixer you can beat it for a few minutes, but it's not necessary.
2. Stretch and fold- After the dough is mixed you're going to cover it and leave it in the bowl (or a different one) for an hour. After an hour just pull up each side of the dough and sort of wiggle and stretch it up until it feels like it might break off and then fold it back up on top of itself. Go around the dough on each side. Then leave it again for an hour. You're going to do that 2 more times for a total of 3 stretch and folds. For more detailed instructions on stretching and folding see the full blog post.
3. Fermenting- Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 8 hours up to a week.

Bake day:

1. Quick Rest- Pull the dough out of the fridge and let it rest for 30. min to warm up a bit. You don’t have to, but it will be easier to handle if you do.
2. Shaping- Now that your dough is more supple from the rest, it's time to shape it. I like to use a dough scraper to get all my dough out of the bowl Then cut 3 sections with a dough cutter, or a serrated bread knife . (As you get comfortable with the recipe, feel free to shape a boulé or 4-6 smaller French baguettes.) For ease of baking, I use a baguette pan. An alternative would be to use a bread couche or you can roll foil into logs and lay underneath parchment paper on a baking sheet in between your baguettes to keep them from spreading. Otherwise you can shape the loaves and lay on parchment paper.

Shape the loaves with the following instructions (a helpful vidoe is on the blog post):
* On a flourless surface, flatten one section into a rectangular shape with your hands. Just as big as you can comfortably get it with your hands only- no rolling pin needed.
* Fold it in thirds like a letter. Flatten it down once again.
* Now fold it in half the same direction this time keep a seam side, pinching as you roll, tuck the dough around onto the counter back and forth with the seam side down rolling into a log about 16" long.
* Roll each end between your hands to form a sort of point on the ends.
* Place on your parchment ready baking sheet and repeat with the other loaves.
3. Proofing: Cover with plastic wrap or l (I use a bread couche or large trash bag works too.) Let it rest 2-4 hours until almost double.
Baking:
1. Preheat you oven to 500*F about 30 min. to 1 hr. before ready to bake. When ready to bake, sprinkle flour over each loaf and then slice diagonals across the top about 2 inches apart with razor, sharp knife or a lame.
2. Insert the loves on the baguette pan with the parchment directly onto a baking stone, or keep on the baking sheet if you don't have a stone. Immediately lower temp to 450* and bake for 30 minutes. Check after 30. You want a deep golden to amber color on your loaves to insure a crispy crust and tender inside. You can check the internal temp if concerned. It should be 190-200* when fully baked. Resist cutting into them for at least 5 minutes, if you can. 😉

**These baguettes are best eaten fresh otherwise, wrap them in plastic or store in an airtight container. They can be frozen for longer storage (up to 6 months). Wrap them in plastic and then heavy duty foil. Warm them up wrapped in only the foil in the oven.
If your bread is feeling a bit dry and getting old, don't throw it out! It makes the perfect French toast, French toast casserole, breakfast strata, or croutons!

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Share your thoughts below if you made this!

The post Easy No knead sourdough baguettes appeared first on A Legacy In Days.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog! See my full disclosure here.

Most time saving kitchen tips require buying more food that is premade or highly processed, which aren’t as good for our health. Sure they have their place, but the quality goes down when we buy something with added preservatives and ingredients to help keep it “shelf stable” after it’s been prepped for weeks. Instead, by batching, we can get ahead on prep and still keep the quality, flavor, and benefits of freshly prepared food.

Learn how to to use batching in all of these areas

• Planning
• Shopping
• Sorting and storing
• Prepping
• Baking
• Cooking 
• Serving
• Cleanup

Save time with meal planning

The first step in the order of kitchen prep is always meal planning. Take 15 minutes and use my meal planning formula to plan out what you’ll be eating. Planning ensures you will have the food on hand you need while in the kitchen, so you can prep ahead anything else you have on your menu as you make similar recipes.

Get my menu planning template here!

Make a list of every recipe you will need for the week, and print them at the same time. Batch this once at the beginning of the week. Likewise, you can look up your recipes on your phone and save a note with the links, as well.

Bonus tip: Put printed recipes on your fridge with a magnet for easy reference and cleanliness. 

Batch your grocery shopping

With a meal plan you now only need to shop once a week, or order your food for delivery or pickup. I usually buy a large amount of shelf stable and freezer items when they’re on sale. I also make most of my household purchases through an online delivery or pickup order separately, so that my weekly shopping need only consist of mostly fresh ingredients.

Bonus tip: To help you stay in budget, use a grocery store app to make your shopping list. This will give you the total cost automatically. Use the same list at other grocery stores that don’t offer an app to cost compare. For example, I make a list in the Walmart app even if I plan to shop at Winco (who doesn’t offer an app), and I can easily cost compare on the spot.

Save time putting groceries away

When you go through the checkout, place like items together by where they’ll be put away in your house. This ensures they’ll be bagged together. When you get home, carry the bags directly to where they go and put them away immediately. This batch organization is a bonus if your family helps unload the groceries.

I group the following:

• Pantry items 
• Items to freeze
• Bulk storage
• Refrigerated items
• Household things

Bonus tip: Buy bulk when you can and decant into smaller easy-to-squeeze bottles or jars. Store the larger containers in your secondary fridge or pantry.

Batch food prep

I don’t prefer to prewash my produce too far in advance as it can make them spoil sooner, but I do batch rinse what I am using that day. Here’s a quick way I do this- First, I chop what I’ll be using that needs to be rinsed, then place them in my large salad spinner bowl. Next, I fill it with water and add 1 teaspoon of baking soda or hydrogen peroxide and let it soak for 15 min or so while I work on something else. When they’re ready I just pick up the strainer section, pour out the water, do a quick rinse and spin, and Voila! They’re all clean and ready to go! This is the large salad spinner I use.

Make using your items easier by storing the ones most used together in the same area or bin.

Here are some things I store together:

• Baking items like soda, baking powder, vanilla, salt, cinnamon
• Seasonings like garlic, onion and Italian herbs
• Flour, sugar, oats, baking oils, chocolate chips
• Toppings for oatmeal and smoothie bowls- chia seeds, small nuts, dried fruit, flax seeds, etc.

Bonus tip: Move any meat you plan to use that week from the freezer to the fridge. 

Save time with batching while you cook

 When you’re ready to cook, begin by gathering all of your ingredients out of your fridge at the same time. If your fridge is away from the counter you’re working on, put them on a sheet pan to transfer. Likewise, gather all items from your pantry that you’ll use in that time.

Get all dishes or pots needed out of the same cupboard together and set them on the stove. This saves so much time not going back and forth or rummaging around looking for something you need while food is boiling over!

Make extra portions or prep ahead what you have time for from the week’s meal plan.  

Bonus tip: Keep a small bowl for kitchen scraps if you compost or have chickens. Likewise, have a trash can nearby your prep station or use a small container on your counter to collect trash in. Save time and energy by not making extra trips around the kitchen.

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Some examples of what to batch cook

• Brown mulitple batches of meat at once. That initial browning lends a great deal of flavor in recipes and you can pre-brown then finish the rest of the recipe later. You can also use the same pans for different meats as it will be cooked to a higher temperature later. 
• Peel, grate, cut or chop extra of the same produce if being used in another recipe.
• Freeze delicate herbs and garlic in ice cube trays covered with oil.
• Place veggie scraps and bones in a plastic freezer bag to be used for stock at a later time, or put directly into your crockpot to use immediately.
• Grate or slice extra cheese and store in the fridge.
• Cook extra grains if using in another recipe. It only requires a larger pot and 25% more time, but saves you triple that later.
• Mix dough or batter in the same bowl after only a quick rinse.
• Bonus tip: Most doughs can sit in the fridge overnight for the first rise and batter can as well. No need to worry about baking now, just get a step ahead and save time by only washing the bowl once. Your future self will thank you!

Save time when serving dinner

To serve your food hot from the kitchen or table, cook food for slightly less time, then cover with foil or a lid. Keep your serving utensils by each food item. Stack your plates next to the dishes for quick serving. Batch cut your little one’s food all at once with a pizza cutter and flexible cutting board to easily cut and serve smaller portions.

Bonus tip: Quickly cut your kid’s noodles, veggies or salad with kitchen shears.

Cut your cleanup time with batching

Reverse the order you used for gathering your ingredients for a quicker and easier cleanup.

1. Gather all fridge items together (use a tray of sheet pan if needed) and put away.
2. Then gather the pantry items together and put away.
3. Clear your way across your counters towards your sink with your scrap bowl for trash.
4. Gather dirty dishes and deposit trash into bowl
5. Throw scraps from the bowl away
6. Place dirty dishes in the sink
7. While at the sink get your rag and spray bottle
8. Spray and wipe counters.
9. Load and wash your dishes immediately afterwards
10. Sweep or vacuum the floors.

Bonus tip: Scrub your sink clean and wipe dry. Use bar keeper’s friend if you haven’t been doing this regularly.

In summary

Always begin with a plan! Once you have a plan you can batch by category, location, and time. This will also help you save your energy in the kitchen so that you can get more done with less effort! I hope you found this post helpful to ensure you have time to make affordable, quality, and healthy food in less time.

As always, thanks for sharing my little corner of the interwebs with me today, friends! 

In His service,

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The post Save time in your kitchen with batching appeared first on A Legacy In Days.

After I realized how fast my kids gobbled up these healthy leftover-oatmeal chocolate muffins and this leftover oatmeal sandwich loaf I wanted to find more ways to use up that leftover oatmeal. These moist delicious leftover oatmeal blueberry muffins are the new favorite! They never last long in my kitchen. I always have to make a double batch for our 9 kiddos. Blueberry is my kids’ favorite, but I’ve tried quite a few other mix-ins with success, depending on what I have available. I hope you love these and enjoy this delicious use for your leftover oatmeal, as well.

I never quite know how much oatmeal to make for our growing family these days. Some days most of the kids will eat it cheerfully, and others, only some. Then I was left with a big pot of cold gooey oatmeal no one wanted. Now I no longer hesitate to make a big batch of oatmeal that might not get eaten.

Can you save leftover oatmeal?

You can save leftover oatmeal in the fridge to potentially reheat and eat as is, or even better, save it to use in this muffin recipe whenever you want a delicious snack that you can feel good about! These muffins make a tasty treat and even a healthy breakfast. Leftover oatmeal will keep in the fridge for up to a week, so don’t toss that leftover oatmeal. Tuck some away to whip up a batch of these when you get time.

What can I make with leftover cooked oatmeal?

These muffins are definitely the favorite option around here for using up leftover oatmeal, but here are a few more recipes we enjoy making with our leftover oatmeal.

Chocolate muffins with leftover oatmeal

Leftover Oatmeal Muffins with Salted Honey butter

Leftover oatmeal bread

How do you make leftover oatmeal blueberry muffins?

Having made these so frequently, I do have some tips, but don’t let that discourage you. You can whip these up in about 30 minutes start to finish in one bowl- except add the blueberries last with my tip down below. With a few simple ingredients, fiber from the oats, and honey to sweeten, these are a tasty snack you can feel good about.

What you’ll use

These tools are helpful but not absolutely necessary. I’ve included some links here to make it easy for you to find them.

• Standard whisk
• Dough whisk
• Kitchenaid mixer (just to make it easier, but not necessary with these)
• Muffin Scoop
• Parchment paper cupcake liners
• Muffin tin

(Some of these are affiliate links, which just means I might make a tiny percentage, but it doesn’t change the cost to you. See my full disclosure here.)

What you’ll need

• 3 tablespoons neutral oil or melted butter
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cooked oatmeal 
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup blueberries fresh or frozen
• 2 Tablespoons cinnamon sugar to sprinkle on top

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400. Grease or line a muffin tin.
2. Whisk the oil, egg, honey, vanilla and milk into a medium sized bowl.
3. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix the oatmeal in until just incorporated. Be careful to not overman.
4. Scoop the thick batter into prepared muffin tin.
5. Add 4-6 blueberries to each muffin and squish down in the batter. This prevents the batter from turning blue while mixing. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if desired.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes until they spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted comes out dry with some crumbs. Careful to not over bake.

If you want to play around with some different mix-ins, here are some we’ve tried!

• Add 1 Tablespoon lemon zest and omit the cinnamon and cinnamon sugar.
• 1/2 chocolate chips instead of the berries
• 1/2 dried fruit such as cherries, with 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Omit the cinnamon and cinnamon sugar.

Tips for making leftover oatmeal blueberry muffins

• The batter is thick. A dough whisk makes it easier to mix by hand when you add in the oatmeal.
• A muffin scoop makes it a dream to scoop out, if you have one.
• If your muffins are coming out a bit greasy on the bottom of the wrapper, try adding a small amount of rice to each compartment before adding your muffin liners. Bake as usual. The rice absorbs the extra oil.
• Add the blueberries after putting the batter in the tin.
• The baking powder amount is correct, and if you scale up, no need to double it.
• If you have no paper muffin liners- no worries. Cut parchment paper into 4″ strips and then into thirds and fold into tin. They pop right out of those.

• These will be just perfectly baked when they spring back to the touch. A toothpick inserted leaving just crumbs and no moisture also is a sign they are done.

• You don’t want to over bake them. A little bit under done makes for a moister muffin .
• You can make these dairy free easily by swapping out the milk for a dairy free option.

• I have not experimented with alternate flours for this recipe, but subbing half whole wheat still makes a delicious muffin! You sure could give other flours a try and let me know how it goes!

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Leftover Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Moist fluffy blueberry muffins using leftover cooked oatmeal. Sweetend with honey for a tasty snack or breakfast you can feel good about!

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Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons neutral oil or melted butter
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cooked oatmeal
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup blueberries fresh or frozen
• 2 Tablespoons cinnamon sugar to sprinkle on top

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400. Grease or line with paper muffin liners (See notes for tips).
2. Whisk the oil, egg, honey, vanilla and milk into a medium sized bowl.
3. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix the oatmeal in until just incorporated. Careful to not over mix.
4. Scoop the thick batter into prepared muffin tin.
   Add 4-6 blueberries to each muffin and squish down in the batter. This prevents the batter from turning blue while mixing. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if desired.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until they spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted comes out dry with some crumbs. Careful to not overbake.
   
   
   

Notes

• If your muffins are coming out a bit greasy on the bottom of the paper wrapper, try adding a small amount of rice to each compartment before adding your muffin liners. Bake as usual. The rice absorbs the extra oil.
• The baking powder amount is correct, and if you scale up, no need to double it.
• If you have no paper muffin liners- no worries. Cut parchment paper into 4" strips and then into thirds and fold into tin. They pop right out of those.
• You don't want to over bake them. A little bit under done makes for a moister muffin.
• You can make these dairy free easily by swapping out the milk for a dairy free option.

The post Leftover oatmeal blueberry muffins appeared first on A Legacy In Days.

This leftover oatmeal sandwich loaf is the perfect loaf to make for your regular weekly sandwich bread. Full of whole grains made with half whole wheat and leftover cooked oatmeal. Sourdough is our favorite, but this is our go to loaf when we need a quick yeasted bread for toast or sandwiches. I also seem to always have a cup or two of leftover oatmeal to use up, anyways, so this is a regular in our rotation!

While I am typing this, it is currently -17*F. SEVENTEEN BELOW ZERO. Yes, it’s colder here than in Antarctica right now! (It also happens to be summer in Antartica, but what does that matter?LOL) There is just nothing like the smell of fresh bread baking on a cold, blustery, winter day. We are all cozied up by the fire practicing our best Hygge. The extra heat of the oven is certainly welcomed, as well.

What you’ll love about this leftover oatmeal sandwich loaf

1. It’s a super easy and forgivable sandwich loaf

This is the most forgivable loaf! I have made this recipe wrong quite a few times and it stills turns out scrumptious and I have to fend off my kids from gobbling it up too fast! I have over risen both rises, over baked it, added too much oatmeal or flour and it has still turned out decent enough to be tasty

2. Such a great way to use up leftover oatmeal

I don’t know about you, but in a family of 11 I make a BIG OL’ pot of oatmeal on such cold mornings as we’ve ben having up here north in Montana. Some mornings my kids aren’t as excited about that pot of oatmeal as I expected and so I end up with extra cups of it tucked away in the fridge for our favorite uses. I make leftover muffins, banana bread and this loaf regularly now. I have even used oatmeal that has a bit of flavors in it and the bread only tasted yummier! Bonus- extra fiber and whole grains while adding moisture for a velvety texture.

3. A sandwich loaf with hearty whole grains AND a luscious texture

Speaking of velvety texture, this loaf has it! Even when’t I’ve messed it up it still has a sliceable, smooth, nutty and rich flavor. I have never had success with a loaf that slices well consistently, but this one does. I think because it is a shallower loaf instead of being baked in a bread pan and getting too high. The lower height lends itself to not getting too airy and crumbly.

4. This bread is not complicated and easy to make a weekly staple

I can whip this bread up in 20 minutes and the rest of the time is just resting, with some shaping. It really isn’t complicated at all, and neither are the ingredients. It has a great texture without all the complicated dough conditions or additions other than the flour and oatmeal. I always have these staples on hand and can bake up a loaf whenever I have leftover oatmeal to use.

What you’ll need for this Leftover Oatmeal Sandwich Loaf

Ingredients

(The recipe was inspired and tested from this recipe)

The basic ingredients are simple.

You will only need:

2 cups of whole wheat flour (I use fresh milled Prairie Gold wheat berries)

2-3 cups unbleached all purpose flour (I love Montana Wheat company)

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 1/4 cup warm water

2 Tablespoons honey

1 cup leftover cooked oatmeal (I’ve used quick and regular whole oats successfully)

2 tablespoons light oil- such as avocado oil (can substitute with softened butter)

Extra 2 tablespoons of butter for basting after baking.

Basic tools you will need

• Kitchen stand mixer (optional)
• Parchment paper
• Bread basket or banneton for rising (optional)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• I love using a dough whisk when mixing the dough by hand
• Baking Stone (not neccessary but helpful)
• Lame or razor blade for scoring

Steps for this Leftover Oatmeal Sandwich Loaf

1. The wet ingredients- To a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the honey in water and sprinkle the yeast over and let sit until creamy. (5-10 minutes) Add in the oil and oatmeal.
2. The dry ingredients- Meausure your flours by loosely scooping and leveling each cup. Mix well between each addition. Add the salt with the flour. An additional 1/2- 2 cups more all purpose flour might be needed. The dough should be a bit sticky still, but pulling away from the sides of the bowl when kneading. The amount of extra flour you will need depends on how moist the oatmeal you added was as well as the humidity, barometer etc.
3. Kneading- Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface to knead by hand for 5-10 minutes. Alternately, you can change to a dough hook and mix in the stand mixer on low for 5-10 until you can stretch the dough and it doesn’t tear easily.
4. First rise- Remove the loaf from the bowl and lightly oil the bowl or spray with cooking spray. You can then add the loaf back to the bowl. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise until double. Check after 1 hour.
5. Final rise and shaping– Remove the ball of dough from the bowl and shape ball as you tuck the sides under and roll around on the counter. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet or bread bowl. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk. Check after 30 min. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F after 30 min.
6. Bake– Score the loaf with a lame or razor blade. Place your loaf with the parchment paper on a cookie sheet or baking stone. Bake your loaf at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Your loaf should be deep golden brown and a flick to the bottom should produce a hollow sound. (The center should read 190 on a digital thermometer). For a shiny and soft crust, spread a cool stick of butter over the still warm crust (about 1-2 tablespoons worth).
7. Let bread cool on a cooling rack. Wrap in plastic and store in a cool dry place for several days.

Printable Recipe

Leftover Oatmeal Sandwich Loaf

Yield: 1 loaf

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes

A simple and forgiving loaf with plenty of whole grains, yet still yields a delicious slicebale loaf with velvety texture!

Print

Ingredients

• 2 cups of whole wheat flour (I use fresh milled Prairie Gold wheat berries)
• 2-3 cups unbleached all purpose flour (I love Montana Wheat company)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 cups warm water
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 cup leftover cooked oatmeal (I've used quick and regular whole oats successfully)
• 2 tablespoons light oil- such as avocado oil (can substitute with softened butter)
• Extra 2 tablespoons of butter for softening after baking.

Instructions

Steps for this Leftover Oatmeal Sandwich Loaf

The wet ingredients- To a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the honey in water and sprinkle the yeast over and let sit until creamy. (5-10 minutes) Add in the oil and oatmeal.

The dry ingredients- Meausure your flours by loosely scooping and leveling each cup. Mix well between each addition. Add the salt with the flour. An additional 1/2- 2 cups more all purpose flour might be needed. The dough should be a bit sticky still, but pulling away from the sides of the bowl when kneading. The amount of extra flour you will need depends on how moist the oatmeal you added was as well as the humidity, barometer etc.

Kneading- Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface to knead by hand for 5-10 minutes. Alternately, you can change to a dough hook and mix in the stand mixer on low for 5-10 until you can stretch the dough and it doesn't tear easily.

First rise- Remove the loaf from the bowl and lightly oil the bowl or spray with cooking spray. You can then add the loaf back to the bowl. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise until double. Check after 1 hour.

Final rise and shaping- Remove the ball of dough from the bowl and shape ball as you tuck the sides under and roll around on the counter. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet or bread bowl. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk. Check after 30 min. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F after 30 min.

Bake- Score the loaf with a lame or razor blade. Place your loaf with the parchment paper on a cookie sheet or baking stone. Bake your loaf at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Your loaf should be deep golden brown and a flick to the bottom should produce a hollow sound. (The center should read 190 on a digital thermometer). For a shiny and soft crust, spread a cool stick of butter over the still warm crust (about 1-2 tablespoons worth).

Let bread cool on a cooling rack. Wrap in plastic and store in a cool dry place for several days.

As always, thanks for joining me here!

The post Leftover Oatmeal Sandwich Loaf appeared first on A Legacy In Days.

These healthy leftover-oatmeal chocolate muffins will have your kids eating breakfast feeling like it’s dessert. Even my kids that don’t really care for muffins, or even oatmeal gobble these up.

I never quite know how much oatmeal to make for our growing family these days. Some days most of the kids will eat it cheerfully, and others, only some. Then I was left with a big pot of cold gooey oatmeal no one wanted. So, I began trying different leftover-oatmeal recipes. This one was our fave, until I decided to recreate them into a chocolate muffin! Now I no longer hesitate to make a big batch of oatmeal that might not get eaten, because these muffins are such a favorite, my kids now request them!

Can you save leftover oatmeal?

You can save leftover oatmeal in the fridge to potentially reheat and eat as is, or even better, save it to use in this muffin recipe whenever you want some delicious chocolatey goodness that you can feel good about! They make a tasty treat and even a healthy breakfast. The leftover-oatmeal will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

What can I make with leftover cooked oatmeal?

These muffins are definitely the favorite option around here for using up leftover oatmeal, but here are a few more recipes we enjoy making with our leftoveroatmeal.

Cinnamon Coffee-cake muffins

Leftover Oatmeal Muffins with Salted Honey butter

Leftover oatmeal bread

How do you make leftover oatmeal chocolate muffins?

These muffins whip up quick in just one bowl and have a simple list of ingredients. I love how uncomplicated this recipe is. You can whip these up in about 30 minutes start to finish. That is how it has easily become a favorite, as I know I can make them even on a busy morning!

What you’ll use

These tools are helpful but not absolutely necessary. I’ve included some links here to make it easy for you to find them.

• Standard whisk
• Dough whisk
• Kitchenaid mixer (just to make it easier, but not necessary with these)
• Muffin Scoop
• Parchment paper cupcake liners
• Muffin tin

(Some of these are affiliate links, which just means I might make a tiny percentage, but it doesn’t change the cost to you. See my full disclosure here.)

What you’ll need

• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cooked oatmeal 
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (not optional *wink)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400. Grease or line a muffin tin.
2. Whisk the egg, honey, melted butter, vanilla and milk into a medium sized bowl.
3. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Mix in the oatmeal and chocolate chips.
4. Scoop the thick batter into prepared muffin tin.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Careful to not overbake.

If you want to play around with some added in flavorings, here are some we’ve tried that are a fun compliment to the chocolate.

• cinnamon
• instant coffee or espresso powder
• flaked sea salt sprinkled on top
• salted honey butter drizzled over the top
• 1/4 chopped nuts added

A few tips for making leftover-oatmeal chocolate muffins

• The batter is thick. A dough whisk makes it easier to mix by hand when you add in the oatmeal and chocolate chips.
• A muffin scoop makes it a dream to scoop out, if you have one.
• These are really good- so make a double batch! The measurements are super easy to scale.
• The baking powder amount is correct, and if you scale up, no need to double it.
• I love to cutout parchment paper into 4″ strips and then into thirds and smooth into my tin. They pop right out of those. Cupcake liners tend to stick more than I like

• These will be just perfectly baked when they spring back to the touch. Because they are dark, it is harder to tell when they are baked without a golden hint to gauge by. A toothpick inserted leaving just crumbs and no moisture also is a sign they are done.

• You don’t want to over bake them. A little bit under done makes for a moister muffin .
• You can make these dairy free easily by swapping out the milk for a dairy free option and the butter for coconut oil.

• I have not experimented with alternate flours for this recipe, but subbing half whole wheat still makes a delicious muffin! You sure could give other flours a try and let me know how it goes!

Pin to save for later!

Leftover Oatmeal Chocolate Muffins

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 17 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

A moist chocolate muffin with healthy whole grain oats! A delicious way to use up leftover oatmeal!

Print

Ingredients

• Ingredients:
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cooked oatmeal 
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400. Grease or line a muffin tin.
2. Whisk the egg, honey, melted butter and milk into a medium sized bowl.
3. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Mix in the oatmeal and chocolate chips.
4. Scoop the thick batter into prepared muffin tin.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Careful to not overbake.

Notes

• The batter is thick!
• The baking powder amount is correct, and if you scale up, no need to double it.
• These will be just perfectly baked when they spring back to the touch. Because they are dark, it is harder to tell when they are baked without a golden hint to gauge by. A toothpick inserted leaving just crumbs and no moisture also is a sign they are done.

• You don't want to over bake them. A little bit under done makes for a moister muffin.

The post Leftover oatmeal chocolate muffins appeared first on A Legacy In Days.

As I am writing, a Lemon poppyseed macaron my daughter made is melting in my mouth! This is not what we’ve been eating for dinner, but it definitely has the flavors of spring delight in it! These were her first macarons and I’m only a little jealous they turned out so well. However, you are likely not here to see what treats we’ve been enjoying. If you are reading this you likely, like me, are looking for some fresh dinner inspiration and are curious what our large family eats on the reg. I’m happy to share 10 of our large family spring dinner ideas with you today that we have been making recently!

We spend so much time in the kitchen that a fresh recipe can give us that inspiration needed to make yet one more meal. It can be difficult to find the ideal meal- healthy, easy to prepare, budget-friendly, and generally accepted by all age groups, that easily feeds crowd. Othewise known as the impossible meal? I kid.. sorta.

What to make for dinner when feeding a large family?

• Healthy
• Uncomplicated
• Budget-friendly
• Generally accepted by all
• Easy to upsize

Most of the meals listed below fit most of these and have customizemable options to accomodate pickeir eaters. I hope this list gives you a little inspiration to keep feeding souls and filling bellies.

I follow a meal planning formula for the most part. You can also watch the video here. But I am not super strict with it. It is there to help me make a quick decision when my brain feels bleh. If I have new inspiration and a new recipe I want to try, I go ahead and make it. On even my busiest weeks the formula is simple enough to maintain. When there is little to no inspiration I just stick to the old family favorites.

We keep a stock of half a cow, some lamb, chicken and fish that we purchase direct or wholesale in our freezer. I love to keep a variety of whole grains and beans stocked in our storage room, as well. This limits me to mostly needing to purchase fresh items weekly and restock what we run out of from the pantry. This still ends up being quite a bit of food to buy each week, but not as much as you’d expect. You can see a grocery haul of ours here if you’re curious.

Large family spring dinner ideas

1. Vietnamese inspired noodle soup ”pho”

This recipe is my inspiration, but I just use what ingredients I have on hand. Sometimes its lots of spring veggies with hard boiled eggs. Some nights I can make it more fancy depending on time. This whips up quick if you just include lots of veggies, spiced broth, some leftover meat and your choice of noodles. I use udon, rice or soba noodles.

2. Mexican lasagna, Spanish rice, pinto beans

This is a meal we make regularly now after enjoying it at a friend’s house. It is a great crowd pleaser, and easier to put together than rolling up the tortillas for traditional enchiladas. I make my pinto beans from scratch with lots of garlic and canned chopped green chilies.

Easy Spanish rice

4 cups white or brown rice made as usual ( I prefer a 1: 1.5 rice to water ratio for long grain varieities, which are my preference)

Add in 1 can of fire roasted tomatoes

4 gloves of garlic

Salt to taste

3. Tom Kha Gai thai soup

We all love this soup! I serve it over rice as an option. My little guys love the creamy coconut milk broth over a larger bowl of rice, while we that have more sophisticated pallets enjoy some spicier additions!

Fun toppings:

• green onions
• cilantro
• toasted pine nuts or penuts
• toasted coconut flakes
• red chilli pepper flakes
• fresh lim wedges
• siracha

4. Spaghetti, focaccia bread, Caesar salad

Just a simple easy dinner with our grass fed beef. We don’t need a pic or recipe for that do we? But, you do need this easy focaccia bread recipe! It’s fool proof enough even my kids whip this up for me. It comes together quick, too, if you’re in a pinch for time. I have yet to try a sourdough version but I’m eager to try this one! I just make homemade sauce with canned tomato sauce a little wine and lots of spices.

5. Hamburgers, potato salad

This is a go to when I need a break or have a busy evening. It’s a meal that pleases everyone and a different way to use up our large quantity of ground beef besides another casserole. I thaw the meat, shape the patties and freeze them between wax paper until my hubby is ready to grill them up. Making time to bake homemade sourdough buns is my family’s favorite. Warning: once you’ve made them from scratch it’s hard to enjoy the store bought ones! The potato salad can be made in advance, as well. If you have leftover peanut sauce- make these chicken satay burgers! So yummy!

Hamburger patties from scratch:

2-3 lbs ground beef

2 Tb. steak seasoning

1 egg

Tip: Shape the patties 50% larger than you want the finished size, as they shrink when cooked!

6. Roasted chicken, roasted green beans, rice

Another easy dinner to have prepped ahead. Just rub a whole rinsed chicken (we eat 2) down with oil, garlic and herbs and roast. I toss the beans with olive oil and garlic and salt and put those on a sheet pan on the bottom rack for the last 20 min of bake time. Make some rice or quinoa and you’re set!

7. Tacos, black beans

Another quick Taco Tuesday dinner I can always whip up with what I have on hand. I always have grass-fed ground beef and dry beans. Or I throw a roast in my crockpot all day with 3 ingredients and it’s ready for a delicious dinner later. My sister makes amazing authentic cuban black beans, and when I have extra time, I use the recipe above, which is closest to the one her Cuban mother-in-law passed on to her (except the sherry and olives).

We pile high with whatever veggies and sauces we have on hand. To make prep for a large group easier, I mix the meat with cheese and beans and place in a tortilla. Place on a sheet pan, spray with a little oil and bake for 20 min. Then everyone can put their own toppings on afterwards.

8. Beef minestrone soup and sourdough biscuits

This is a quick meal I can whip up on a pinch with ground beef and macaroni noodles. Soups are always an easy meal to upsize. A big pot guarantees an easy lunch the next day. I include any veggies on hand- carrots, peas, potatoes etc. I love to top with fresh parsley and a pinch of freshly grated parmesan cheese. Of course this soup is best paired with our favorite sourdough biscuits.

Most of our kids like this soup but it makes me laugh that the littles love macaroni noodles, ground beef, and brothy soups, but add veggies and they pick through it sullenly. Just us? heheh

9. Thai chicken peanut noodles and lettuce cups

This recipe is the bomb combo! I love how versatile this is for different age groups. My littles love the noodles and chicken with some of their fave veggies on the side, like the carrots and cucumbers. But the rest of us get creative piling the toppings high or all rolled up into one rainbow in the mouth experience via the lettuce cups! Don’t forget to add some peanut sauce over your lettuce wrap. We also prefer to use butter lettuce.

I just cook up some rice, soba or udon noodles, along with terryaki chicken thighs. Then I make the peanut sauce and chop up a ton of fun veggie toppings. A delicious customizable dinner that everyone enjoys. It really is a rainbow on your plate and in your mouth!

Our favorite toppings:

• Diced cucumbers
• matchstick carrots
• diced green onions
• cilantro
• sesame seeds
• peanuts
• sriracha
• Chopped red, orange and yellow bell peppers
• thinly minced red cabbage
• Mau Poi sauce
• Sambel Olek suace
• Sriracha Mayo
• Endless options! Have fun with it!

10. Homemade pizza

Who doesn’t love pizza? My favorite way to mix it up is some fun fresh seasonal ingredients. This is my go to dough recipe in a pinch or this sourdough one. When it warms up enough we even bake these up on the grill for a more authentic fired flavor.

Our favorite spring toppings we are enjoying right now:

• Baby arugula, goat cheese, dates, honey, prosciutto, with garlic sauce
• Fresh mozzarella, basil, sun dried tomatoes, with red sauce
• Pineapple, ham, red oinion, peppers, pickled jalapeños, with bbq sauce

HAPPY COOKING!

Pin for later & Share!

The post Large family Spring dinner ideas appeared first on A Legacy In Days.

Today I am delighted to share this easy no knead sourdough loaf. This cranberry orange combination is slightly sweet, and mildly flavored with orange essence. Even my non cranberry fans love it! It actually pairs lovely with a savory dish, lending some slight sweetness and tang. The tart orange and sweet cranberry is the perfect compliment to the sourdough flavor. A simple way to dress up your standard loaf and give it a fancier feel, yet easy enough for a weeknight meal.

What you’ll love about this cranberry orange sourdough loaf

Cranberry orange is my favorite scone flavor. I had an inspirational idea one year to fold the same components into my sourdough loaf. The result was fabulous and paired so well with a savory soup- particularly butternut squash soup. We’ve been enjoying it in the fall and winter regularly ever since.

Dried cranberries lend a sweetness, without being overly sweet, and add just a little bit of tartness. The orange essence is deeply developed with just the zest. No juice is needed in this recipe. The zest and the leaven work together and allow the flavors to develop and permeate the loaf as it proofs. The dried cranberries also will swell a bit as it proofs lending them a softer more palatable less chewy texture.

Although I have been baking with sourdough for over 10 years now, converting my old stand-by recipes has been a slower process. It has only been in the last 5 years that I have been comfortable with the longer leavening loaves. I used to shy away from the fully leavened loaf and just stayed in the territory of discard quick bread recipes. Boy, was I missing out! These sourdough loaves are so easy and the flavor is unbeatably rich. I just need to plan enough time is all.

The benefits of sourdough

If you’re here reading this recipe, chances are you have treaded into the sourdough territory already, and know it’s many benefits. But in case you don’t, here are a few reasons I prefer baking with sourdough for it’s health benefits, aside from the delicious flavor and texture.

1. Sourdough has been around for thousands of years.

The first discovered sourdough levain was said to be made by the Swiss in 3700 BC. However, it basically originated when farming and agriculture was established.

2. It’s full of healthy bacteria that makes the wheat more digestible

Even though there are many probiotics present in the starter, they are not there after the high temps during the bake. But there’s good news because of that! Those little probiotics get to work during the proof and actually break down the phytic acid in the wheat that is hard for humans to digest.

3. Vitamins and minerals become more absorable.

Because the phytic acid binds to vital minerals and nutrients that are found in wheat, when the sourdough breaks it down, those nutrients become more bioavailable to our bodies. Good news indeed!

4. Lowers the sugar and gluten content in your baked goods

When your starter is mixed with fresh flour it has a party eating away at the gluten and sugars found in it. This means you consume much less gluten and sugar the longer your sourdough ferments, as those little probiotic bacteria are a hungry bunch!

It’s really not that complicated. Once you have a starter, all that is required more than any other type of baking is a bit more time. So, don’t let it scare you away. If you’ve done any yeasted baking before, you have all the experience you need. Go find yourself some starter. Or make your own! Just some folding and resting is what else you’ll add. Nothing less complicated than that. I actually prefer to do this for my breaks, too- fold and rest.

What you’ll need for this Cranberry orange sourdough loaf

Ingredients

The basic ingredients are simple.

You will only need:

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Zest from 1 orange

3 cups all purpose unbleached white flour

1/2 cup fed and active Sourdough starter

1 cup room temp water

2 teas. salt

All of the ingredients get mixed up the night before and left to develop overnight.

Depending on where you’re at in your sourdough journey, you can use your favorite sourdough rustic loaf recipe with the additional cranberries and zest added.

If you are a beginner, here is the easy no knead basic recipe that I started with until I gained confidence to branch out into more complex recipes. There are more steps to a fuller higher air pocketed loaf, but I don’t want to scare any beginners away at this point. You can still achieve a lovely tasty loaf with minimal hands on time.

This recipe is simple. There is some time that needs to pass, but the hands on time is quite minimal.

Basic tools you will need

• (Optional) kitchen stand mixer,
• Parchment paper
• Enameled Dutch oven or cast iron pot with lid
• Parchment paper
• zester or small grater
• measuing cups and spoons
• I love using a dough whisk for the the first mix

The Steps

The night before

Combine all the ingredients together and cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid. It might be shaggy. You can mix it in a stand mixer if you prefer, but you don’t need to get it perfectly stretchy. The dough will develop with time in the fridge. Let rest and ferment overnight in the fridge- up to 18 hours.

The next day

Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it around into a ball as you tuck it under creating tension on the exterior of the loaf.

Place onto some parchment paper and lightly cover with flour and let rest for 2-4 hours.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog! See my full disclosure here.

When getting close to bake time. Put your dutch oven into your oven with the lid on and preheat to 450*.

When oven is hot, score your loaf with a sharp razor edges, focusing on the curved top edges and center. Just make some light marks.

Open your oven and take the lid off the dutch oven. Pick up your dough with the parchment paper and place inside the pot. Place lid back on- tucking paper in.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove lid, turn down temp to 400* and bake another 10 min.

Remove loaf to a cooling rack and let cool before slicing.

Printable Recipe

Cranberry orange sourdough loaf

Yield: 1 loaf

This cranberry orange combination is slightly sweet and essences with a delicate orange flavor. It pairs lovely with a savory dish, The tart orange and sweet cranberry is the perfect compliment to the sourdough flavor. A simple way to dress up your standard loaf and give it a fancier feel, yet simple enough for a weeknight meal.

Print

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• Zest from 1 orange
• 3 cups all purpose unbleached white flour
• 1/2 cup fed and active Sourdough starter.
• 1 cup room temp water
• 2 teas. salt

Instructions

1. THE NIGHT BEFORE: Combine all the ingredients together and cover the bowl. It might be shaggy. You can mix it in a stand mixer if you prefer, but you don’t need to get it perfectly stretchy. The dough will develop with time in the fridge. Let rest and ferment overnight in the fridge- up to 18 hours.
2. THE NEXT DAY: Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it around into a ball as you tuck it under creating tension on the exterior of the loaf.
3. Place onto some parchement paper and lightly cover with flour and let rest for 2-4 hours.
4. When getting close to bake time. Put your dutch oven into your oven with the lid on and preheat to 450*.
5. When oven is hot, score your loaf with a sharp razor, focusing on the curved top edges and center. Just make some light marks.
6. Open your oven and take the lid off the dutch oven. Pick up your dough with the parchment paper and place inside the pot. Place lid back on- tucking paper in.
7. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove lid, turn down temp to 400 and bake another 10 min.
8. Remove loaf to a cooling rack until cooled.

As always, thanks for joining me here!

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Today I am delighted to share this long ferment lemon poppyseed sourdough scones recipe with you! This recipe is very simple and uncomplicated. Hands on time is minimal, with just an overnight rise, and freeze until ready to bake! I have included a refined sugar free honey lemon glaze to complete this refined sugar-free treat. The flavor can develop as well as the gluten, making them more digestible yet without compromising texture.

Long ferment lemon poppyseed sourdough scones- the background

Waking up on a weekend lured into the warm kitchen by the plesasing aroma of scones baking was a familiar event growing up. My mother made scones regularly, and especially when we had company staying over. The buttery flakiness and crispy edges created a love that has lasted into my adulthood.

I have been making my own variations of my mother’s recipe for years. She got her original recipe from an old restaruenat cookbook in our local area where I grew up. Biting into a soft warm scone fresh out of the oven alongside a warm cup of coffee on a cold morning evokes pleasant childhood memories for me, still to this day!

Although I have been baking with sourdough for over 10 years now, converting my old stand-by recipes has been a slower process. I am thrilled to be able to have delicious scones to enjoy now with the added health benefit and flavor developement of the sourdough fermentation addition.

Even though I was hesitant to venture into this experiment, these are actually much better than I anticipated! The reason being, I did not trust a cold cut butter with an overnight fermentation. I knew that the perfect texture of a just barely crispy outer layer and flakey tender middle is only achieved by the butter remaining cold and letting that moisture evaporate and create those delightful air pockets. How could this be achieved with a long ferment?

Well, the solution is to use the freezer! Freezing the scones in the freezer after shaping gives them a chance to let the butter solidify and lends a beautiful rise and flake to the scone.

The benefits of a long ferment

Sourdough that has had time to ferment has many benefits, but it also pairs lovely in a scone. The best scones I have enjoyed have either buttermilk, or some soured milk like yogurt of sour cream in them. The sourdough flavor pairs nicely in these scones and develops through fermentation without becoming too acidic or bitter. They really are a lovely treat and I am excited to have a healthier option to one of my favorite treats!

Even though this process takes longer time over all, it really is an easy way to prep the scones in advance. Scones take some time and mess to mix up and then bake. They are not known for being a quick weekday breakfast staple. But, fermenting the dough and then freezing them allows for a quick mix, then ferment, then mix, quick freeze, and you have scones ready to pop in the oven any weekend morning you fancy. You could make them at your leisure on weekday evenings in stages and then they can be popped in and enjoyed warm from the oven any weekend morning.

*(After they have frozen set on your baking sheet you can put them into a freezer bag for longer storage.)

Long ferment lemon poppyseed sourdough scones- the method

This recipe is simple. There is some time that needs to pass, but the hands on time is quite minimal.

The night before mix 2 cups flour, 1/2 coconut (or other) sugar and 1/2 tsp. salt together in a bowl.

Cut in the very cold grated butter.

Stir together the 1/2 cup sourdough starter with 1/4 cup cream. It will be crumbly.

Cover and leave out for 8-12 hrs. (Or refrigerate for up to 3 days).

Next, add a lightly beaten egg, zest from 1 lemon, 1/2 tsp. almond extract, 3 Tb. Poppyseeds, and 1 Tb. Baking powder. Mix just until incorporated, preferable with a dough whisk.

Sprinkle your working surface with a light dusting of flour and dump your dough onto the surface. Gently shape the dough into a circle patting down the edges to achieve 1“ high in the center and 1/2” at the edges.

Cut into 8 equal triangles with a sharp knife. Place the shaped scones on a parchment or mat covered cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap or foil. Freeze until frozen (1 hour- 1 week).

When ready to bake transfer mat and scones to a room temp cookie sheet and bake at 425* for 20 min. Or until the bottom is golden and set, with a slightly golden top. A toothpick inserted should have a few crumbs but no stickiness.

Cool, and glaze if desired! (Recipe below)

Long ferment lemon poppyseed sourdough scones- the ingredients

Ingredients

1. All purpose flour or unbleached flour: 2 cups
2. Baking powder: 1 Tablespoon
3. 1 lemon: zest and 1 Tab. Juice
4. Coconut sugar: 1/2 cup (regular sugar can be used for a lighter colored and textured scone)
5. Poppyseeds: 3 Tbs.
6. Salt, I use Celtic or himalayan: 1/2 tsp.
7. Butter: CHILLED or frozen 1/2 cup or 1 stick (salted or not. Just adjust your salt accordingly
8. Egg: 1 beaten slightly
9. Heavy cream: 1/4 cup (half and half or possibly whole milk could be substituted but I wouldn’t go much lower)
10. Almond extract: 1/2 tsp.
11. Sourdough starter that is 75-100% hydration- active or discard (explained here): 1/2 cup

For the glaze

1. Lemon juice: 1 Tab. from remaining lemon
2. almond extract: 1/4 tsp.
3. coconut oil: 1/4 cup
4. honey: 1/4 cup
5. Milk or cream; 1-2 Tabs. to thin

Tools you will need

• (Optional) kitchen stand mixer, or food processor. I prefer the processor to quickly cut the butter
• Spatula
• Baking sheet
• Silpat baking mat or parchment paper
• Large hole cheese grater
• zester or small grater
• measuing cups and spoons
• If mixing the night before by hand I love using a dough whisk

Tips

• Do not overwork the dough
• Very cold butter is essential, even with an overnight ferment. It creates space between the butter and flour allowing a better rise.
• Grating the butter works best, but small cubed will suffice
• Shape the dough with a slightly higher peak in the middle and more pressed down around the edges
• When combining the dry and wet ingredients in an overnight soak it will be slightly dry & crumbly. This is good! (See photos)
• If baking right away, keep your ingredients as cold as possible
• You can throw these in a freezer bag after that have set on the tray for longer storage.
• Cream is best in this recipe. You can substitute half & half or possibly whole milk, but you will have a drier less tender scone.
• Moving the frozen scones to a fresh room temperature baking sheet will help with the baking time. If you use the frozen sheet they were on, the timing will be off in the oven. Ask me how I know

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Lemon Poppyseed long ferment sourdough scones- Standard version

You can make this recipe without the overnight ferment. Just mix the dry ingredients in a food processor or stand mixer. Then cut in the grated cold butter. Combine the wet ingredients together, and add to the crumbly butter mixture. Do not over mix. Shape the scones into a circle then cut in 8 triangles. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze them until ready to bake. Freezing aids the rise, but you can also bake immediately.

Long ferment version

For the long ferment version, there is just a sleep overnight and that’s it! Mix up the flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in the grated butter until crumbly. Combine the cream and starter together and mix until just combined with the dry ingredients. It will be rather dry and crumbly. Cover and let sit overnight 8-12 hrs. or in the fridge up to 3 days.

Add the whisked egg, extracts, zest together and add to the dough. Mix in the baking powder and poppyseeds. Stirring around, with a dough wisk preferably, until just combined. Shape into a round disk with a 1” center and pat down edges to 1/2”. Cut into 8 triangles. Place on lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze 1 hr- 1 week until ready to bake. Transfer from the freezer on the mat to a new sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 425* for 20 min. Until bottom is golden and top is slightly colored. Toothpick inserted should leave a crumb but no stickiness.

Long ferment lemon poppyseed sourdough scones

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes

These long fermented sourdough scones are flaky and buttery with a cripy outer crust and a tender middle. The fresh lemon and poppyseed flavor combined with no refined sugar makes this a healthier weekend, or any day, treat! Paired with a honey lemon glaze they are sure to please even the most discerning scone conniseur.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose or unbleached flour
• 1 Tbs. baking powder
• 1 lemon: zest and 1 Tab. juice
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 3 Tbs. poppyseeds
• 1/2 tsp. salt, I use Celtic or himalayan
• 1/2 cup or 1 stick chilled or frozen butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1/2 cup sourdough starter
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• FOR THE GLAZE:
• 1 Tab. lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• Milk or cream 1-2 Tabs. to thin

Instructions

For the long ferment version, there is just an extra rest overnight and that’s it!

1. Mix up the flour, salt, and sugar.

2. Cut in the grated butter until crumbly.

3. Combine the cream and starter together and mix until just combined with the dry ingredients. It will be rather dry and crumbly.

4. Cover and let sit overnight 8-12 hrs. or in the fridge up to 3 days.

The next day:

1. Add the whisked egg, extracts, zest together and add to the dough.

2. Mix in the baking powder and poppyseeds. Stirring around, with a dough wisk preferably, until just combined.

3. Shape into a round disk with a 1” center and pat down edges to 1/2”.

4. Cut into 8 triangles. Place on lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze 1 hr- 1 week until ready to bake.

5. Transfer from the freezer onto a new sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 425* for 20 min. Until bottom is golden and top is slightly colored. Toothpick inserted should leave a crumb but no stickiness.

I hope you enjoy these lovely healthy scones as much as we all do! Let me know in the comments below if you try them!

As always, thanks for being here!

The post Long ferment lemon poppyseed sourdough scones appeared first on A Legacy In Days.

Reasons why meal planning might not be working for you

• Requires making a lot of decisions every week
• Takes a lot of time
• Can make you feel boxed in
• Too many choices
• LImits creativity & flexibility
• Adds to decision fatigue

I don’t know about you, but I hate meal planning! I love to eat what sounds good, and I feel like meal planning locks me into a meal I might not feel like making that night! Does this resonate with you? But meal planning works, and I equally despise not knowing what I’ll be making for dinner! Hah! Talus the fact that we have a large family- 11 of us- yes ELEVEN- to feed every single night. I can’t just wing it like I used to enjoy doing back when our family was much smaller.

For me, finding a large chunk of time to decide all my recipes for the week sounds too daunting. So daunting, in fact, that I’ll put it off. Something else I’m prone to, is over confidence on how many fun new recipes I can try in a week. I’ll jump on PInterest for inspiration and before I know it I get carried away with an overwhelming list of ingredients and new recipes to try. This does not set me up well to stick with consistency. However, if I already have a simple framework to decide from, my planning is much quicker and I might only plan one special recipe that week to mix things up.

So, I have adapted a new approach that is a balance that works well for me. This formula gives me creative flexibility, but still helps eliminate the dreaded “WHAT’S FOR DINNER?” lingering all day on my mind or my kids’ lips. I am sharing here today in case this formula helps simplify you getting dinner on the table, too.

Benefits of a seasonal meal planning formula

• Reduces decision fatigue
• Budget friendly
• Utilizes seasonal and sale ingredients
• Minimizes your daily to do list
• Allows for flexibility and creativity
• Streamlines grocery shopping
• Makes healthy choices easier
• Helps you cook more of the dishes you want to make

Planning your meal strategy around the season also helps you take advantage of seasonal produce that is more readily available and affordable. If all I have to know is that we’re having Italian I can work around whatever is fresh or on sale at the grocery store that fits within that category. It is much less intimidating of a decision to make when the option is slightly limited but still has flexibility.

I actually feel like my creativity in the kitchen has increased since implementing this approach. It helps me remember to cook more of the types of dishes I like making when I have more time, rather than getting stuck in a rut of making only what’s easiest. Breakfast for dinner again! Anyone else?

Steps for creating a seasonal meal planning formula

I think one of the struggles with getting dinner on the table in our modern era, is not that we lack time, resources or even energy but we have TOO MANY CHOICES. Most of us are blessed to live where we have an abundance of food and choices around us. This can create a problem when it’s time to decide what to actually make! We all want a meal that is easy, quick, healthy, and that we have all the ingredients for on hand! Hah! Well, this can be an overwhelming decision when there are myriad of options but none that seem to fit that criteria in the moment. This can however, be achieved easier when we actually just narrow things down and limit our options.

Some meal category variations

Ethnic cuisine: Mexican, French, American, Asian, Italian, Thai, Indian, Brazilian…..

Cooking method: slow cooker, instapot, grilled or smoked, stewed, roasted, fried

Type of meal: vegetarian, pasta, soup, crockpot, in tortilla, wrap/ sandwich

By the day: Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday, World Wednesday, etc.

A few seasonal meal ideas

The possibilities are endless here! Hope this is enough to at least get you started thinking.

Winter: soups & stews, casseroles, slow cooker, roasted meats, braised meats

Summer: Green/pasta/potato/grain cold salads, stir fry, BBQ/smoked meats and veggies, grilled pizza, spicy foods, sandwich & burger varieties

Spring: Roasted meat and veggies, light soups, green & grain salads, fresh herb & veggie pastas, sandwiches and burger varieties

Fall: roasted/braised meats, ethnic noodle dishes, soups & stews, pasta, casseroles

Amazingly, having at least an idea of what you are going to make in a given week can really benefit not only your mental energy, but also your budget, and your health. We all know it is less intimidating to get a healthy meal on the table if we have a plan in advance and healthy ingredients available.

Our current list: Summertime

• Monday: Chicken & Rice
• Tuesday: Taco Tuesday
• Wednesday: World Wednesday- Asian, Indian, Thai
• Thursdays: Grilled- Dad’s night
• Friday: American- burgers, pizza etc.
• Weekend: Free flex day or Fish

Having a simple formula like this really helps me find a rhythm with my weekly meal planning that keeps things simple, fresh and still inspiring in the kitchen. I hope this has helped you figure out a way to simplify your dinnertime routine as well!

Save & Share!

My favorite Places to find recipes

• Allrecipes
• Simplyrecipes
• Ambitions kitchen
• Nourished Kitchen
• America’s test kitchen
• Damndelicious
• Food 52
• Farmhouse On Boone

Please, let me know in the comments if you have any other great ideas you have incorporated for this type of meal planning!

Thanks for joining me here in my little corner of the inter-webs!

The post A seasonal meal planning formula to simplify dinnertime appeared first on A Legacy In Days.