Chocolate Chip Cookie Toast with Ricotta and Raspberries

I�m THIRTY! I know a lot of people have meltdowns or get freaked out by turning the big three-oh, but I�m stoked! 


See ya later, twenties, you were fun, scary, crazy, confusing, sad, difficult, wild, adventurous, heartbreaking, lovely, and amazing. You were full of hard work, travel, new friends, goodbyes, and figuring it out. In my twenties I graduated college, lived alone, got my first adult job, got laid off, started a food blog, worked my ass off and tried to climb the corporate ladder, realized that maybe I don�t love climbing the ladder, wrote a novel in one month, got engaged, got married (!), became an aunt, watched friends get married and move away and come back and begin to welcome new little lives into the world (two this past week!). In my twenties I traveled to Mexico, Amsterdam, Belgium, Honduras, Tahiti, and Panama. I honeymooned in Hawaii, cruised in Alaska, and ate all the things in New York City. I ran three half marathons, and fell in love with hiking, carnitas, whiskey, and hoppy beer. I got over my fear and hatred of eggs. 

In my twenties, I said goodbye to my dad. I experienced incredible grief and loss, and learned about strength. I learned (and am still learning) to look for the beauty in life... even when it seems impossible.

I�m pretty excited for 30! What will I learn and celebrate? What challenges will I have? Who will I meet and where will I travel? Starting this new trip around the sun fills me with a sense of wonder and possibility that I don�t feel with every birthday. Thirty! 

But enough about that� you�re here for the food! I figured the best way to kick off the next decade of my life is with something totally silly and fun, but also grown-up and confident about its place in the world. COOKIE TOAST! I was thinking about the toast craze, and about how its trendy but for good reason�because if something is tasty on its own, there�s a really good chance it will be even better on top of toast! 
But cookies are perfect the way they are, right? Yes, true. I had that same thought... but then I crumbled up a few CCCs (these ones), and put them right on top of a crispy, slightly charred slice of French bread, with creamy ricotta, tart raspberries, lemon olive oil, a drizzle of honey, crunchy cocoa nibs, and a sprinkle of sea salt. I didn�t regret it. It�s not really even a recipe, but that�s ok. I think in your thirties you get to loosen up... you don't have to try so hard all the time! 
Chocolate Chip Cookie Toast with Ricotta and Raspberries  

Toast doesn�t really need a recipe�this makes as many toasts as you want, with as much of each ingredient as you desire. These are lightly sweet from the honey and cookies, but if you want more of a dessert-type sweet, stir a little powdered sugar into the ricotta. 

French bread or baguette, sliced 
Olive oil for toasting 
Ricotta 
Chocolate chip cookies 
Raspberries 
Lemon infused olive oil (or olive oil and a spritz of lemon juice) 
Honey 
Cocoa Nibs 
Flaky sea salt 

I like to grill my toast�which maybe makes it grilled bread instead of toast? Brush olive oil on bread, and cook on a hot grill or grill pan until just crispy and lightly charred. Top toasts with a ricotta, and drizzle with lemon infused olive oil and honey. Top with crumbled cookie pieces and raspberries, and sprinkle on cocoa nibs and flaky sea salt.

Coconut & Ground Hazelnut Banana Bread

This banana bread is a little different. It�s not that super banana-y bread you�re used to. It doesn�t have chocolate chips in it. But, it could. I mean. It should, right? Note to self.

I don�t trust banana bread that comes out of other people�s kitchens. I know this is weird, but it�s my life. Same thing with deviled eggs and tuna sandwiches. Until about a year ago, I never ate a tuna sandwich that was made by someone other than my mom, my sister, or myself. And then I gathered up my courage and ordered a tuna sandwich from a little store/caf� a few blocks from my apartment, and I loved it, and I ordered it like it was going out of style�which it was, because now that store/caf� has closed.

I also hate it when people say �tuna-fish sandwich.� That�s like saying you�re eating a chicken-bird sandwich, or a beef-cow burger. Sorry, I digress. We�re not here to talk about tuna. Or chicken or beef.

We�re here to talk about banana bread. This one is heartier than most, with earthy whole wheat and hints of nutty-coconutty goodness throughout. It�s not overly sweet�less of a snack bread, and more of a breakfast bread. In fact, I think its best sliced thick, toasted, and slathered with a bit of butter and sea salt, served with a cup of coffee or tea. Evan likes it because it�s nutty without having distinguishable nut pieces (I�m a big fan of nuts in baked goods, but I know I�m in the minority here), and because, as he put it, it�s not as mushy as some.

I like it because quick breads are my jam, and I typically have everything on hand to make it. And it tastes real real good. And, it came out of my own kitchen. So� there�s that.

Coconut & Ground Hazelnut Banana Bread

3 ripe bananas, mashed

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons sour cream or Greek yogurt

1.5 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup finely ground hazelnuts/ hazelnut meal

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup desiccated coconut (unsweetened, dried, and shredded)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a standard loaf pan.

Stir together bananas, eggs, and sour cream. Add remaining ingredients, and stir until combined. Scoop batter into loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes to an hour. Serve warm, room temperature, or sliced and toasted.