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Sweet Potato Banana Pancakes

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Get out of town!! That is exactly what you will say when you take your first bite of these warm, fluffy, sweet, pancakes. Why are pancakes so fun? It’s like you can put anything in the form of a pancake and it just makes you want to eat it! Well, at least that’s how we feel. And you will too after you try these guys. We did some experimenting to try and make them more healthy than your typical buttermilk pancake without compromising the flavor. We are not gonna lie, we knocked this one out of the park!! Here’s the deal, if the kids will devour them, it’s a win win right? Our kids cannot get enough of these. We suggest making some time whenever you can make that happen (I know we all have Tons of it these days) but seriously, set aside like 45 minutes one day and make up a big batch, let them cool and then put them in a large freezer bag to have for future days. They freeze and reheat very well and you will be so happy on those busy mornings to just grab one and heat it up. Drizzle with fresh maple syrup and you are done. Delish!

sweetpotatobananapancakes

Sweet Potato Banana Pancakes
 
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Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 cup flour
  • ½ cup oats
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk (dairy or nut milk of your choice, we used cashew milk)
  • ½ cup mashed sweet potatoes
  • ¼ cup ripe mashed banana
  • butter for greasing griddle
Instructions
  1. Peel sweet potato and dice into small cubes. In a medium saucepan, boil until tender. About 10-15 minutes. Drain and smash in a bowl. (Reserve any leftover potatoes in a ziploc bag in freezer for future use)
  2. Smash one half banana with fork and set aside
  3. In a blender, combine flour, oats, cinnamon, eggs and milk and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the smashed sweet potatoes and banana.
  4. Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Lightly grease with butter and pour about ¼ cup per pancake and cook until fluffy and slightly golden around edges. Flip and continue cooking other side. About 3-4 minutes per side. Continue with remaining batter.
  5. Serve with warm maple syrup
Good Thyme Tip: These pancakes freeze very well. We suggest making a large batch and storing them in freezer for those busy mornings.

Basic Basil Pesto – Homemade

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Make your own basic basil pesto. Fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan and olive oil, that’s it folks! Seriously, that’s all it takes to make ridiculously delicious, unbelievably fragrant (like, cannot stop smelling it…is that weird?) basil pesto. We are obsessed with this basil pesto, and it is just so much better when it is homemade. You will find that it’s really easy enough to make that you don’t need to waste your money buying it. Basic basil pesto is a versatile sauce.  There are so many things that you can do with it to totally transform a meal into something seriously awesome!

Here are our top 10 favorite ways to incorporate this deliciousness into your routine:

  1. Smothered on a wrap or panini
  2. Topped on your favorite fish
  3. Mixed into salad dressing
  4. Drizzled over caprese
  5. Used as a garnish on soup
  6. Tossed into a cold potato salad
  7. Served as a base for pizza or bruschetta
  8.  Topped over roasted chicken
  9. Mixed with avocado and spread on toast
  10. As a sauce for pasta, like our Pesto Pasta with Sausage, Spinach, and Jammy Tomatoes.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. We are confident that you cannot go wrong when cooking with basic basil pesto you made from scratch.

basicbasilpesto

Basic Basil Pesto
 
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Serves: 1 Cup
Ingredients
  • 2 C packed fresh basil leaves
  • ¼ C toasted pine nuts
  • 1 cloved garlic, chopped
  • ½ C grated parmesan cheese
  • ½ C good quality olive oil
  • S & P to taste
Instructions
  1. In a food processor combine basil, cheese, garlic, pine nuts and ¼ C olive oil. Slowly drizzle in the remaining ¼ C olive oil while the food processor is running. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Heirloom Tomato Caprese

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Caprese salad makes me think of an unforgettable summer vacation my husband and I took to Santa Margherita, Italy. I have memories of sitting at the quaint little restaurant overlooking the water at our hotel in beautiful Portofino while eating our caprese and enjoying a glass of wine. Oh how I would love to be back there now. I mean, the food and wine in Italy is some of the best I’ve ever had. Caprese is a basic salad served all over Italy. We even had a caprese sandwich at the train station one afternoon and it was the most delicious thing ever. I really don’t think there is anything better than beautifully ripened summer heirloom tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil? This amazingly simple salad is so easy to make and you can really elevate the flavor by making the simple balsamic reduction glaze to drizzle over the top.

heirloomtomatocaprese

Heirloom Tomato Caprese
 
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Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 heirloom tomatoes
  • ¼ cup good quality balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp good quality olive oil (we use basil infused for this recipe)
  • 1 package quality mozzarella cheese
  • 1 tbspn fresh basil - chopped or thinly sliced
  • salt and cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a small saucepan, heat the balsamic vinegar over medium until thickened and coats back of spoon - it will be like syrup - set aside to cool
  2. Slice heirloom tomatoes into thick round pieces
  3. Slice mozzarella cheese into thick round pieces
  4. Arrange tomatoes and cheese on serving platter, top with chopped fresh basil. Drizzle with balsamic reduction and olive oil
  5. Season with salt and freshly cracked pepper

Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

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Introducing our GTK Lemon Basil Vinaigrette. Let us just preface this with some quotes from friends who have tried this dressing:

“I could drink this entire bottle right here, right now”

“This is THE best salad dressing I have ever had in my life”

“I can’t wait to go home and make this”

“Please look the other way because I’m going to lick my plate now”

Really, this dressing has been a hit with everyone. Whenever we serve it, for whatever occasion, the raves keep coming. I keep a bottle of this lemon basil vinaigrette in my fridge all the time.  Like all of our recipes, it’s simple and requires very few ingredients.   Lemons, garlic, fresh basil, greek yogurt, honey and olive oil….that’s it! Oh, and a dash of S&P. You will be thanking us for this one!

This lemon basil vinaigrette is a staple on a lot of our salads and bowls. Here are a few ideas for this versatile dressing:

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Serves: 10
Ingredients
  • juice of 1 extra large lemon or 2 medium lemons
  • 1 clove garlic chopped
  • 1 C loosely packed fresh basil leaves
  • ¼ C 0% plain greek yogurt
  • 1½ Tbsp honey
  • ¼ C good quality olive oil
  • S & P to taste
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients except for olive oil into a blender or use an immersion blender. Blend until basil is thoroughly mixed. Slowly drizzle olive oil in with blender on until combined. Add S & P to taste.

Shrimp Tacos with Guacamole and Spicy Chipotle Crema

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What do you do when you’re having a bad day and your kids are driving you nuts? You make shrimp tacos with guacamole and spicy chipotle crema, of course! No but seriously, my kids have been extra cray cray…is it a full moon or something? Ugh! I’m not hopping on their crazy train so I’m just going to drown my sorrows in this amazing meal…and maybe a nice cold Corona with lime, suddenly the bad day is a thing of the past.

So let’s get serious for a second starting with the chipotle crema. Warning – you cannot make this meal without making the chipotle crema, it’s just not allowed. Also, do yourself a big favor, don’t skip the guacamole either. I mean that that would just be borderline criminal to serve tacos without guacamole. Now that we have the ground rules established, let’s get down to business. The chipotle crema is simply a mixture of chipotle peppers in adobo, greek yogurt and a sour cream. The chipotle peppers in adobo can be found in the Hispanic section in any grocery store. Use what you need for this recipe and freeze the rest in an airtight container for next time.

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The combination of the pop of the shrimp, the smokey/spicy chipotle crema, the crunch from the purple cabbage and the guacamole to balance everything out will leave you dreaming about this meal. Dinner just got 100X better with these shrimp tacos, now I just need super nanny to knock on my door!

shrimptacos

Shrimp Tacos with Guacamole and Spicy Chipotle Crema
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
  • 1 Tbsp canola oil
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ C purple cabbage sliced thin
  • ¼ C cotija cheese
  • ⅓ C chopped cilantro
  • 1 lime cut into wedges
  • 8 corn tortillas - warmed
For the Spicy Chipotle Crema:
  • 1 C Fage 0% greek yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo + 1 Tbsp sauce (can find this in the Hispanic section in any grocery store - freeze unused chipotle peppers in a ziploc bag and reuse when needed)
  • ½ tsp kosher salt + more to taste
For the Guacamole:
  • 3 large or 4 medium avocados
  • ½ jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • ⅓ C red onion, minced
  • ½ C loosely packed chopped cilantro
  • juice of 1 lime
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
For the Spicy Chipotle Crema:
  1. Add all ingredients to a blender or use an immersion blender until all ingredients are boken down and thoroughly incorporated. Set aside
For the Guacamole:
  1. In a bowl add the avocado and mash with a fork, mashing the avocado to desired consistancy. Add remaining ingredients and stir to incorporate.
For the Tacos:
  1. Heat a large skillet with canola oil over medium-high heat. While the skillet is heating, mix the cumin, cayenne, chili powder, garlic powder and salt together in a small bowl. Sprinkle the dry powder on both sides of the shrimp (scale back on the cayenne and chili powder or add more depending on how much spice you prefer). Add shrimp to the hot skillet, don't overfill the skillet with shrimp, cook in batches if necessary. Cook each side approximately 2-3 minutes until shrimp is cooked through but not overcooked.
  2. Line tortillas with guacamole. Add shrimp (about 3) on top of the guacamole. Top with purple cabbage, cotija, cilantro and spicy chipotle crema. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Lemon Basil Zoodle Salad

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Time to break out your spiralizer and get to work on this epic dish. Let us first just prepare you for the best salad dressing ever. You will be licking your bowl and possibly drinking the dressing straight, this is no joke! Then combine your new favorite salad dressing with sprialized zucchinis, tomatoes, feta and toasted pine nuts and we are in business. It’s fresh, it’s healthy, it’s ridiculously good…you need to try it. What are you waiting for…get busy!

lemonbasilzoodle

Lemon Basil Zoodle Salad
 
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Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the Zoodle Salad:
  • 2 large zucchinis, spiralized
  • 1 C cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 avocado cut into ½ inch chunks
  • 3 oz feta cheese, crumbled
  • ¼ C loosely packed fresh basil, cut into strips
  • 2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
  • S & P to taste
For the Lemon Basil Vinaigrette:
  • juice of 1 extra large lemon or 2 medium lemons
  • 1 clove garlic chopped
  • 1 C loosely packed fresh basil leaves
  • ¼ C 0% plain greek yogurt
  • 1½ Tbsp honey
  • ¼ C good quality olive oil
  • S & P to taste
Instructions
  1. Heat oil in large sautee pan over medium heat. Add fresh zucchini noodles "zoodles" and sautee for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and place in bowl. Add halved cherry tomatoes, avocado, feta, basil and toasted pine nuts.
For the Lemon Basil Vinaigrette:
  1. Add all ingredients except for olive oil into a blender or use an immersion blender. Blend until basil is thoroughly mixed. Slowly drizzle olive oil in the blender while the blender is running until combined. Add S & P to taste.
  2. Drizzle lemon basil vinaigrette over the zoodle salad. Season with S & P to taste.

Spicy Sriracha Shrimp

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We love this spicy shrimp and we guarantee you will be the hit of the next party you attend if you bring this dish to share! And the best part, it’s super easy and fast to prepare. Shrimp really makes a great vehicle for spicy foods. We like to use sriracha for the heat because we think it’s the perfect amount of spice but not overbearing. For this recipe, we grill the shrimp on skewers but you could also skip the skewers and use a grill basket or a saute pan on the stove. Serve over rice, salad, pasta or grain of your choice. Yum!

srirachashrimp

Stych Photography

Spicy Sriracha Shrimp
 
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Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 2 tablespoons sriracha
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Asian chili paste
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 pounds large shrimp - peeled and deveined
  • 12 skewers
Instructions
  1. Whisk together the olive oil, sesame oil, parsley, sriracha, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, chili paste, salt, pepper and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Set aside ⅓ of the marinade to baste shrimp while cooking.
  2. Place shrimp and marinade in a large resealable plastic bag and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  3. Thread shrimp onto skewers
  4. Preheat grill or grill pan on stove on high heat.
  5. Cook shrimp for 2-3 min per side. Baste with reserved marinade while cooking.

Southwest Corn Salad with Honey Lime Vinagrette

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Nothing says summer like this delicious Southwest corn salad. It’s kind of embarrassing how excited we get for sweet summer corn. It’s almost like candy and there really isn’t anything better.  Just cook the corn by either steaming or boiling it. Once it’s cooled, the kernels can be removed simply by standing the corn upright in a large shallow bowl and cutting from the top down. Make it at least a couple hours before serving so the flavors have time to come together. It’s also delicious the next day! And the next day after that too!! This corn salad recipe is a staple in both of our houses and we get asked by friends to bring it to parties all the time! You are sure to be a hit at your next gathering with friends if you make this salad. Pair this Southwest corn salad with our Carne Asada with Fresh Pico de Gallo for a special Mexican themed meal.

southwestcornsalad

Southwest Corn Salad with Honey Lime Vinagrette
 
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Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • For the Corn Salad:
  • 4 ears corn - shucked
  • 1 15oz can black beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 C cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ¼ red onion sliced thin
  • ½ C cilantro, chopped
  • ⅓ C feta crumbled
  • S & P to taste
  • For the Honey Lime Vinaigrette:
  • juice of 2 large limes
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • ⅓ C white balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ C good quality olive oil
Instructions
For the Corn Salad:
  1. Steam or boil corn for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. (For a thyme saving tip you can also steam in microwave - wrap corn individually in damp paper towel. Heat in microwave for 3-4 minutes until corn is cooked).
  2. Allow corn to cool thoroughly, remove corn from the cob.
  3. In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients for salad and gently fold together. Set aside.
For the Honey Lime Vinaigrette:
  1. In a small bowl add all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette except for the olive oil. Slowly drizzle the olive oil while whisking.
  2. Drizzle the desired amount of vinaigrette over the corn salad and stir to distribute evenly. Can serve immediately or make 1 day in advanced.
This recipe makes more vinaigrette than you will need for the corn salad, store the remaining dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Cinnamon Salted Caramel Root Beer Floats

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The nostalgia of an old-fashioned root beer float; it wasn’t very often that I had one growing up, but when I did you bet it was a memorable experience! The way the root beer makes the ice cream turn frothy and somewhat icy and the consistency of the two make for a perfectly creamy and refreshing dessert all in one glass. For Father’s Day this year we thought we would take the traditional root beer float and kick it up a notch to make it even more decadent and memorable. I think we accomplished what we set out to do with this cinnamon salted caramel root beer float. It is seriously everything!! Let’s just start with the salted caramel rim…I mean really, I would just be happy with that. Then add in some cinnamon ice cream, old-fashioned root beer and perhaps a drizzle more of the salted caramel on top. Heck ya! I will tell you that Dad was happy and nobody else was complaining either!

cinnamoncaramelrootbeer

Cinnamon Salted Caramel Root Beer Floats
 
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Serves: 2
Ingredients
For salted caramel sauce:
  • 1 C sugar
  • ¼ C cold water
  • ½ C heavy cream
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • ¼ Tbsp kosher salt
For the root beer float:
  • 4 scoops cinnamon ice cream
  • 1 bottle root beer
  • kosher salt
Instructions
  1. For the salted caramel sauce:
  2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water and stir to combine. Without stirring, cook until the sugar turns an amber hue, approx 12 minutes.
  3. While the sugar and water are cooking, warm cream in a small saucepan, do not boil. When the caramel is ready slowly whisk in the cream until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, whisk in butter and salt to taste.
  4. For the root beer float:
  5. Using 2 drinking glasses (or mason jars) dip rim in salted caramel and sprinkle with kosher salt so it sticks to the caramel. Turn glass over in the sink to remove any salt from the inside of the glass. Add 2 scoops of ice cream into each glass and add root beer. Drizzle additional caramel sauce over the top.
Good Thyme Tip - Caramel ice cream or traditional vanilla are also great options instead.

Coconut Whipped Cream

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When we discovered that a healthier/non-diary whipped cream option existed we were all over it like a fly on you know what!! Kinda gross analogy since we’re talking about food here but you get the jest of it, we were pretty excited! Once we whipped up our first batch we knew we were forever hooked. Who knew that coconut cream could turn into the most decadent flavorful whipped cream? Even better, the consistency changes once it’s refrigerated for a few hours and it becomes somewhat dense, turning it more into a frosting. So what are you in the mood for…whipped cream or frosting? Take your pick! We are talking about the full fat coconut cream, we like the Trader Joe’s brand (pictured) but there are other brands out there that work just as well. Here are a few tricks to making successful coconut whipped cream:

coconutcream

1. Do not under any circumstances shake the jar! We like to grab the can from the back of the shelf at the store because it probably hasn’t been picked up and jostled around as much…at least that’s our theory and we’re sticking with it!

2. Store the jar of coconut cream in the refrigerator – this way you are all set to go when the moment arises and you need whipped cream STAT!

3. Enjoy every bite and slather it on anything and everything.

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Coconut Whipped Cream
 
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Serves: Approx 1 Cup
Ingredients
  • 1 - 14 oz can coconut cream (we like Trader Joe's brand)
  • ¼ C powdered sugar (may adjust depending on sweetness preference)
  • ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
  1. Chill can of coconut cream in the refrigerator overnight. At least 15 minutes before making the cream, chill beaters and bowl in the freezer (not mandatory but helps keep the cream chilled when making). Remove the coconut cream from the fridge, making sure to keep the can upright -do not shake. Removed hardened cream from the can, leaving any liquid behind and place in mixing bowl. Beat until creamy, approx 30 seconds. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and continue to beat for about a minute. Serve immediately or refrigerate. If refrigerating, the coconut cream will harden slightly. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 10 days.