vanilla-lime cream cookies

I've been seeing a bunch of recipes lately using fresh citrus zest and it made me want to try and create a cookie--a creamy limey cookie.
I based these cookies off the very popular coconut cream cheese cookies.
With that said, if you do make these cookies, try adding a handful or two of toasted coconut in there.
Why I didn't do that I haven't a clue, but foodie hindsight is 20/20 right?


I baked some at a higher temp to see if I could get a crispy cookie since these are chewy by nature.
If you want crispier cookies bake at 375 degrees for 10-14 minutes.


I used 2 heaping tablespoons of fresh lime zest; I wanted a good amount of twang in there.

Using a combination of pure vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste really helped the vanilla flavor shine through.



vanilla-lime cream cookies
based on the coconut cream cheese cookies
print recipe

2 cups + 2 TB flour
1/2 ts baking soda
1/2 ts (oversized) salt
12 TB (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese softened
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
½ cup sugar
2 TB of fresh lime zest
the juice of 3 limes
1 ts pure vanilla extract
1 ts vanilla bean paste

cook notes: 
For crispier cookies, bake at 375 for 10-14 minutes.
For chewy cookies see instructions at bottom.
You can easily use lemon zest or orange zest.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.
With stand mixer, or by hand mix butter and cream cheese together until smooth.
Add in both sugars and beat until thoroughly combined.
Beat in vanilla extract, vanilla paste, lime juice and zest until combined.
Add dry ingredients & beat at low speed just until combined.
Cover dough securely with plastic wrap and chill two hours or overnight.
When ready to bake cookies preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Drop dough in round dough balls with a slight flatten, onto parchment lined baking sheets.  Bake for 12-14 minutes or until edges are set and bottoms are light brown. Do NOT overbake!
Cool cookies on sheets until able to lift without breaking and place on wire rack to cool.
Should make about 28-30 cookies.

friday links

Happy Friday!
The long weekend is ahead of us.
What are your plans?
I hope the traffic on cape cod won't be too bad. Ha, who am I kidding?
Anyone coming to the Cape?
They say kind of crappy weather Sat & Sun, but Monday is looking good.
Don't forget the Cape just got their own Whole Foods Market!

I was stuck in traffic on the Sagamore Bridge, and able to snap this photo of the cape cod canal.

Bonk Breakers are really good.
I love the almond butter & honey and the peanut butter-chocolate chip.
A very filling protein bar without all the junk and fillers.

Veggies & cream cheese the lazy way.

Is that true?

Veggie rolls with bread & butter pickles, really tasty. No really!

My favorite smoothie: blackberries, banana, protein powder, milk or almond milk.

My other bad addiction: strawberry shortcake made with pound cake and fresh whipped cream.
Found at Whole Foods. Don't buy it, you'll get hooked.  Their pound cake is INSANELY good.

around the web:

how to make doctors irrelevant
magnesium: the missing link to better health
the worst digestive health habits
gisele planning the next "goop"?
3 ways to face your phobia
a 'fat tax' on plus size clothing?
best foods for pure vitamin C
bay leaf creme brulee
real weight loss story: sarah
yoga poses for less stress & better sleep
stop the progress of pre-diabetes
how to make violet syrup
4 ways to beat allergies naturally
gluten intolerance may not exist?
mac & cheese with tomatoes (this one is a keeper)
homemade burrito bowls
peanut butter croutons
5 really good oatmeal recipes
20 foods you didn't know were named after people
lemon-vanilla pound cake
changing the bed linen: does this look familiar?
calming the working mind
cauliflower rice w/ peanuts & cilantro
best foods for your immune system
double dark chocolate excess cake
peanut butter cup cheesecake (dairy free)
brown butter popsicles!
26 baby photos that are so bad they're good!
"I write to explain things to myself" ~~Helen Vendler
roasted strawberry ice cream
cheddar buttermilk waffle BLT's!!
how to make beeswax candles
and finally, the best drum off in ages: will ferrell challenges chad smith to a drum off
PLUS more cowbell makes an appearance.


Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

braised chicken tacos with spicy carrot-raisin slaw

This would be that one big meal you make that could easily make a several smaller meals for the next couple days with its leftovers.
A little bit of extra work for two to three more meals for the rest of the work week.
These kicked up chicken tacos on day one, then BBQ chicken sliders, a quick veggie stir fry, and maybe even a stuffed omelet--just to name a few.

I stole this recipe from Marc over at No Recipes.
Craving tacos with a little bit of kicked up flavor and heat.
I added on the slaw for a 'cooling' aspect and a bit of crunch.
The slaw is so good, you can eat it on its own. The heat of the spicy mayo mixed with the crunch of chopped pecans and a bit of sweet from the honey and raisins--so good!
Use this slaw on any type of spicy taco filling really, very versatile.





This makes a lot of tacos, about 12-15?
I only used a 1/4 of this and made BBQ sliders the next day, and a nice stuffed omelet a couple days later.  The leftovers are very versatile, can be used for anything really.
It also freezes well!

braised chicken tacos with spicy carrot-raisin slaw
chicken recipe from No Recipes
slaw from vanillasugarblog.com
print recipe

2 pounds whole chicken thighs
3 small onions, sliced thinly
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
3 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed (I skipped this)
14 ounce can of chopped tomatoes in juice
2 cinnamon sticks
1 bay leaf
(I added in 1/2 cup of light brown sugar)
juice of 1 meyer lemon (or juice of 1/2 regular lemon)
salt to taste

carrot-raisin slaw
1 cup of shredded carrots (enough slaw for 2-3 people as a topping)
1/2 mayo
a few squirts of sriracha sauce
a handful or two of chopped pecans
a handful or two of raisins
a squirt or two of honey to your liking

Generously salt and pepper the chicken on both sides. Add about 2 TB of oil to a large heavy bottomed pot and heat until the oil is very hot. Brown the chicken in batches, leaving room between the pieces of chicken so they turn a golden brown on one side before flipping. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate and repeat.  Turn down the heat to medium low, add the onions and garlic to the pot, and cover with a lid for 10 minutes. When you remove the lid, the onions should be wilted and cooking in their own juices. Use a wooden paddle to scrape up all the browned bits (a.k.a. chicken flavor) from the pan, then turn up the heat to medium high to burn off the liquid. When most of the liquid has evaporated, turn the heat back down and stir and continue to caramelize the onions until they are brown and glossy (another 20-30 minutes).
Meanwhile, tear up the chiles into small flat pieces and place them in a single layer on a sheet pan. Roast in a 350 degree oven until they are fragrant, but be careful not to burn them as they will become bitter. Transfer the roasted peppers to a bowl and cover them with very hot water. Once the peppers are soft, transfer them to a food processor or blender adding in about 1/2 cup of the water they were soaking in along with the can of tomatoes. Puree the peppers and tomatoes until they form a smooth sauce.
When the onions are done caramelizing add the pepper puree, along with the chicken, cinnamon sticks, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, bay leaf and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting, partially cover with a lid and cook until the chicken falls apart when prodded with a fork (about 1 1/2 hours).
When the chicken is done, remove the bay leaf an cinnamon sticks, then use 2 forks to shred the meat. Taste the sauce and add salt to taste.
I served this with my carrot-raisin slaw, or you can serve it plain, or with sliced avocados, fresh cilantro, lime wedges and tortillas.
For the carrot-raisin slaw: just mix all to your liking, go easy with the hot sauce at first and add more as you taste-test.  I figured about 1 cup of shredded carrots for every 2-3 people?

Cape Cod Whole Foods Market now open! + Friday Links

May 14, 2014 was the grand opening for the Hyannis Whole Foods.
Cape Cod has waited a long long time for this day.
I was there for the opening, didn't get to stay long, but was able to snap a few photos.
I thought it would be a nightmare parking and getting in the store, but it was nothing of the sort.
Whole Foods really planned out traffic control with ample police and whole food employees directing traffic in and out of the parking lot--actually it was a breeze to go in and out.
Inside wasn't that bad either to move around, packed yes, but the aisles are nice and wide, plenty of room for people.
When you first walk in you see the lush produce aisles, to the back walk the huge seafood walls, the middle aisles are health & beauty, along with frozen foods--really nicely done.  The other side of the store is the meats, sandwich & burrito bars, hot dog bar, pizza bar, WAFFLE BAR (yes you heard right), bakery along with gourmet bakery (the strawberry & pb mousses are to die for btw), then in the middle of all this we have the prepared foods section and ample hot & cold salad bars.  I can't tell you, in a long enough post, how many sections, varieties and delicious tempting offerings they have in the prepared foods section--let's just say it's huge.
Everything (and I know I am missing some) from clean eating to exotic seafood, sandwiches, salads, soups, international foods, sweets, baked goods, breads, pies, seafood, etc...You need to see for yourself, and you need to grab a fresh Belgian waffle.
This Whole Foods, as with all Whole Foods, takes pride in sourcing it's meat, produce, dairy and other food items from local vendors in the northeast; natural and organic products mainly.
Local fishermen, produce farms, and even cape cod specialty food items will be featured in store.
On opening day, 5% of the profits will go to local cape cod charities.

What a great crew they have--they all worked so hard to get the opening done fast & right, and they did just that.  If memory serves correctly, the construction started back in early fall/late summer of 2013--so they worked fast.
Welcome to cape cod whole foods, you are so welcome here!

front door opens to fresh glorious produce.

they've designed the store so you make a giant circle, ending over there in the back by the registers; good flow for heavy traffic.

a protein powder bar

hot dog, burrito bar

the sandwich bar, one of my fav's, I highly recommend the Nobska with extra pickled onions

all the sandwiches there are good--all!

hard to see but a row of prepared foods, hot & cold salad bars, pizza bar, bakery, etc...

a real smoothie bar complete with all kinds of protein drinks, fruit smoothies, veggie smoothies, etc..
hard to see the menus but everything there is fresh and natural--zero fillers.


of course I ended up here: the waffle bar. red velvet waffles, chocolate waffles, plain--all with ice cream and all the fixings. it's crazy and I love it!
you can order it in-store OR use the walk up window outside! fabulous!

made fresh to order, served hot with literally any topping you want.

FINALLY cape cod has decent sushi

the dangerous section

the very dangerous section (see the windows in the back? those are all the walk up windows)

I made away with healthy (rice paper avocado roll with spicy peanut, salmon & rice teriyaki bowl)
and just a little bit of heaven: fresh peanut butter mousse.
You have not lived until you try the pb mousse from whole foods (don't read the ingredients or calories).
Want to find out more about Whole Foods Hyannis?
Follow them on Facebook & Twitter.
I'll post more photos when it's less crowded; there is so much to see there.  It's a 28,000 sq. ft. store.
Located on 990 Iyannough Rd. Hyannis, MA. (in the old Borders Books building, Iyannough Rd aka Route 132).

around the web:

how to dry herbs
buffalo chicken puff pastry waffles
mexican hot chocolate shortbread
four orange cake
chocolate chip yogurt cookies
an honest wedding invitation
this woman cooks everything in a coffee maker
hair cuticle facts
kefir ranch dressing
easy ways to protect your kidneys
red onion tarte tatin
chocolate cookie cups w/ strawberry buttercream
different types of kitchen whisks
yogi cookie cutters (LOVE!)
10 raw food staples to keep you healthy if you're on a budget
salted honey lavender caramels
why people self sabotage their happiness
mike mullins granted his wish: sing the national anthem for the Boston Red Sox
why writing is good for your health
4 foods that have surprising medicinal benefits
orange supremesicle cookies
old fashioned raisin pie
thai herb pork salad
nutella buttercream frosting
found after 500 years: the wreck of Columbus' Santa Maria
the dangerous impacts of social media & the rise of depression
strange food blog about either bad photos or bad meal combos (can't figure it out)
buttermilk-berry crumb cake
grain free & paleo pizza crust
butterscotch muffin pan cookies
curried chicken
BLT deviled eggs
5 tips to help you deal with toxic people
health risks of calcium supplements
poop apps for tracking your poop? (LOL)
doctors prescribe 'exercise' as best preventative drug
recipe tattoos (is this the new thing?)
#1 weight loss tips from the fitness pro's
touching WWE video of 9-year old with brain cancer get his wish (very sweet)

peanut butter morning cookies (GF)

Peanut butter cookies for breakfast?
YES!
Chock full of nuts, oats, and protein. Gluten free and 1-bowl easy!
But they taste good. They don't taste like those horrid GF cookies that are either too bland or too chewy.
These have texture, substance, are hearty and filling. So good!
So before you scroll down and read the ingredients, stay here!
Stay with me--there is toasted coconut in there.  Before you say hmm or eww.
It's not ewww, its yum.
If you toast the coconut it will not only add a nice crunch to the cookie.   You cannot taste the coconut in there because the peanut butter is overpowering and the sweetness of the coconut is baked out a little bit when toasted.  Trust me on this cookie, so easy to whip up; one bowl easy and they go so well with hot coffee in the morning.
And I don't know the exact nutritional ingredients, but I'm willing to bet these are almost like a protein bar, maybe not as much protein, but far less sugar.
If you want to cut back on the sugar, just omit the molasses or keep the molasses and use half the brown sugar.
I made a couple batches, one had cinnamon chips and the other had raisins.
I liked them both, so I left in the recipe ingredients to use either, but I wouldn't go with both at the same time.





A hearty cookie that you can easily have for breakfast when you're strapped for time.

peanut butter morning cookies (GF)
recipe from vanillasugarblog.com
print recipe

2 cups chunky peanut butter (not an oily peanut butter choose a creamy one)
¾ cup dark brown sugar, NOT packed, but loose
2 eggs + 1 egg yolk
1 ts pure vanilla extract
1 TB molasses
½ ts baking soda
1 ts sea salt
1 ½ cups rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup toasted coconut
½ cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
½ cup raisins (or cinnamon chips, not both or neither)

cook notes:
I would not add in the raisins and the cinnamon chips in the same batch; use either one or none.
I made two batches, one with the chips and one with the cinnamon chips and they were both tasty.  For a healthier cookie, omit the molasses and the cinnamon chips.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the peanut butter, the dark brown sugar, the eggs and egg yolk well.  Then add in the vanilla extract, molasses, baking soda, salt,  and mix again.
Next add in the rolled oats, toasted coconut, nuts and raisins and mix.
Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in fridge about an hour to firm up.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop out dough onto parchment lined baking sheets about an inch apart. You can try using your hands to roll dough balls, but dough is very sticky.
Gently press down on the dough balls, do not flatten, just a small push down.
The cookies won’t spread much during baking, but they do rise up a bit.
Bake cookies for 13-16 minutes.
It’s hard to know when the cookies are done, they stay soft and puffy while baking (firm up after cooling )
I looked for almost-crisp, light golden brown edges.
After you remove from oven, let them sit on the cookie sheet for  at least 15-20 minutes or longer if you can.
If you try and take them off the sheet right out of the oven they will break apart; very delicate after baking, so let them set up/firm up after baking.
They keep about 3-5 days at best?
Made about 21-25 cookies