Top 10 TCL Recipes of 2010

I know it’s a bit late for this, and I had hoped to post this during the last week of December, but…better late than never, right? I’ve had my list jotted down for awhile now, but finally got around this weekend to putting together the full post.

Here are my top 10 Favorite TCL Recipes of 2010. Let’s count them down, shall we?

10 – Quick Candied Pecans

Traditional candied pecans use eggs, but these are much simpler (and they’re vegan, too!). Thusly, they are easier to make and increase and decrease in batch size. I love these on salads or put out in dishes at dinner parties for snacking. Click here for TCL’s Quick Candied Pecan recipe.

9 – Marinated Kale

I first tried marinated kale when I bought some already prepared marinated kale at the grocery store (either Healthy Home Market or Earthfare). It was love at first bite. I love how flavorful this dish is and how easy it is to pack for lunch on the go. There aren’t many foods I like to eat cold, but this is one of them! Not only does marinated kale make brown bagging it a cinch, but it’s super easy to make, too. Click here for TCL’s Marinated Kale recipe.

8 – Quinoa Burgers

Hubby and I are meat eaters, but we also appreciate vegetarian/vegan fare. This is especially handy when we’re entertaining and half of our guests are non-meat-eaters. I wanted to create a burger recipe that would be edible for my vegan friends, but delicious for those used to cheeseburgers. Bring on the Southwest Quinoa Veggie Burger!

7 – Green Tea Soup

Green tea soup was another love-at-first-bite dish, though definitely the most unique. I first had this at the Samovar tea lounge in San Francisco when I was having afternoon tea with my friend Rachel just after the Foodbuzz Festival ended. I knew I had to re-create it back home. Turns out, green tea soup is easier than I thought it would be to make. I even called it a non-recipe because you can easily make this dish with leftover cooked vegetables, rice, and whatever else you have on hand. Behold – Green Tea Soup Non-Recipe.

6 – Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

The Southwest Quinoa Breakfast Bowl (click for recipe) was another Foodbuzz-Festival-inspired dish, after a few of us fell in love with the quinoa bowls at Cafe Gratitude. Since then, I’ve also enjoyed fried eggs over herbed quinoa and cous cous when I don’t have time to make the steamed kale and tahini sauce. Either way, eggs and quinoa are a great way to switch up your breakfast routine.

5 – Breakfast Cups

I love making breakfast cups for many reasons. They’re great to use up leftovers (throw in lunch meat, cooked turkey, leftover cooked vegetables, whatever!). Breakfast cups are a nice hands-free breakfast – prepare and then work on something else while they bake away. These little guys are also very versatile – you can do them savory or sweet. Click here for the Coco-Loco French Toast Cups or here for Turkey Vegetable Breakfast Cups.

4 – Individual Breakfast Crisps

I haven’t made these as often lately because I was making them with fresh fruit from the farmer’s market, but Individual Breakfast Crisps can easily be made with frozen fruit, too. I love these crisps because I feel like I’m eating dessert for breakfast, even though the sugar and fats are toned down to make this more healthful for starting your day. These crisps are so simple to put together and can be made with a variety of fruits and fruit combos. Let them bake while you get ready for the day. Click here to view the Individual Berry Breakfast Crisp.

3 – Balsamic Roasted Chick Peas

I fell in love with roasted chick peas after trying the recipe I saw on 5-Ingredient fix. Balsamic was my flavor contribution and update to the original recipe by Claire Robinson. I love these guys for a snack or for entertaining – they’re great for dinner parties and pot lucks and are great served at room temperature. Click here for the TCL Balsamic Roasted Chick Peas recipe.

2 – Green Monster Muffins

Green Monster muffins hold a special place in my heart. These little guys are so unique, and I’m so proud of my little creation. Not only are the muffins unusual, they’re delicious, too! I’ve loved reading all the wonderful comments from people telling me how much they enjoyed baking these and from all the moms who have tricked their kiddos into eating spinach thanks to the muffins. Hazzah! 🙂 Click here for the Green Monster Muffin recipe (regular) and here for the Vegan Green Monster Muffin recipe.

1 – Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls

When I was on my third of fourth batch trying to re-create Annie the Baker’s famous cookie dough balls (a Foodbuzz Festival star), and coming to the realization that I still hadn’t gotten the recipe right, I started to wonder why I was still trying. Perhaps it was my own stubbornness that kept me going, but I knew I could come up with a recipe if I just kept trying my hardest. After turning my kitchen into a mini America’s Test Kitchen with experiment after experiment, I finally made it – only 7 test batches in total. lol. I figured a few people may try out my recipe, but I was blown away by the response! Reading all the comments and emails about how much everyone loved my recipe made (and still makes) my heart glow with such happiness! Click here to view the chocolate chip dough ball recipe and be sure to check out the other flavors!

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I just want to say thank you so much to everyone who has tried one of my recipes. I love trying new recipes, tweaking them, and developing my own from scratch, and sharing them with all of you is such a joy! You’ll never know how much your sweet comments make my day. I’ve loved reading about the girl whose mom made a double batch of roasted chick peas for a holiday party, the mom who wrote it to say her kids thought “Green Monster Muffins” sounded cool so they ate them (spinach and all), and the girl who said she and her roommates make the dough balls almost every day!

Thank you all for helping me make 2010 such a tasty year!

I can’t wait to see, test, and taste what’s in store for 2011! Here we go!

Reader question: What’s your favorite or most memorable TCL recipe from 2010?