The Low-cal Mojito: All the Mojo without the Crazy Sugar

Recently, I was asked by a girlfriend to post to her new website, CurvyGirlHealth, that launched not too long ago. Let me tell you, her idea is fantastic: to link curvy women everywhere to share stories, information, perspectives, and more importantly inspiration to embrace and love their body. I am probably not doing the site justice, so you should see for yourself: curvygirlhealth.com

I recently posted a recipe that I use for that low-carb cocktail, to indulge without the belly bulge. It is such a perfect marriage of coconut and mint. I can't say it will help your marriage or that it has aided mine but certainly it can bring me or me+mate out on the patio for a relaxing time.

Check out the full details at http://curvygirlhealth.com/the-low-cal-mojito-all-the-mojo-without-all-the-crazy-sugar/

Enjoy!

Lemon - Apple Squares

It's been about a week since I last posted. And this time, words are quite necessary. I decided to try a NEW, yes a NEW, recipe from Kashi's website. You may be wondering why words are needed. Well let's just say I adapted this recipe to my own liking, higher protein, lower sugar, and lots of whole grain goodness. I have to also emphasize that this a new recipe attempt as my previous post about the Wholesome Sour Cream Apple Muffins has caused quite a stir in our house. My husband finally read the post, and let's just say he is now paying attention to ensure that his leg is not being pulled.

With this recipe, comes a warning, don't try it first thing out of the oven. You may wonder why the entire pan is empty in a few short minutes. It tastes like apple pie crossed with raisin bread. Yum.

Lemon - Apple Squares

Recipe adapted from Kashi recipes

Ingredients

2 cups, finely crushed Kashi GOLEAN® cereal
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup organic raisins
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder (aluminum free)
1/2 cup nonfat greek yogurt
1/2 cup cane syrup or sugar free pancake syrup
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup almond milk
1/8 cup canola or olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
9 packets of sugar substitute (7 Splenda, 2 Purevia)
2 cups apples, finely diced

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2. Spray 8"x11" or 6"x12" pyrex baking pan with Pam baking spray.

3. In a medium bowl, mix first five ingredients. Mix well, then set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together applesauce, greek yogurt, sugar substitute, egg substitute, milk, oil, lemon juice, and vanilla. Then add diced apples and mix well.

4. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and mix well. Spread evenly in oiled and floured 8" x 11" bake pan and bake 40-45 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Cut into squares. Makes 20-24 squares.

Eat up!

Wordless Wednesday: Zucchini Bread and other Sweet Treats

Sweet Bread and Zucchini Bread

Homemade Chocolate Fruit and Nut Biscotti

It was a wonderful Saturday morning and I caught myself thinking back about the bakeries in San Francisco, where I would do the marjority of my reading for classes. A typical trip to Tartine or Crepes on Cole would involve a mug of tea, either chai, vanilla jasmine, a smooth earl gray, or perhaps something floral, like hibiscus. Then, I would joyfully select a biscotti...that was my favorite pairing.

Over the last year, I have been learning how to make biscotti. It is my divine treat and quite a pricey one. My favorite one to purchase now is Irene's biscotti. It is sliced thin, full of flavor, and combined with fruit that caramelizes while baking....not too much but just enough to get a slightly chewy texture around the fruit, but remain otherwise very crispy....

After a few trials, I think I have it.
I promise you, this is a must try. It is delicious.

**Recipe adapted from King Arthur Whole Wheat Baking cookbook

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup raisins and dried cranberries

Recipe:

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) a large cookie sheet or a half-sheet (18" x 13") pan.

2) In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla till smooth.

3) Add the eggs and beat till the mixture is well combined. It may look a big coagulated, which is perfect.

4) Add the flour and oats, mixing to combine.

5) Stir in the chocolate chips, nuts, raisins, and cranberries.

6) Divide the dough into four equal pieces, placing them on the prepared baking sheet.

7) Shape each piece into a rough log about 10" to 11" long, placing the logs crosswise on the sheet, and spacing them about 2" apart. (Yes, your hands will get a little sticky). Using your wet fingers and/or a wet spatula, flatten and smooth the logs till they're about 3/4" thick, and about 1 1/4" wide.

8) Spritz the top of each log with water.

9) Bake the logs for 23 to 25 minutes, until they're beginning to brown around the bottom edges. Remove them from the oven, and allow them to cool right on the pan for about 10 minutes. Spritz with water and let them cool for another 15 to 20 minutes. While the logs are cooling, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

10) Cut the logs crosswise into 1/2" to 3/4" slices, using a sharp chef's knife.

11) Place the biscotti back on the baking sheet, spacing them close together without touching.

12) Bake the biscotti for 25 minutes, until their cut edges are a light golden brown. Remove them from the oven. Allow to cool completely on the pan (especially before storing, otherwise these will be soggy the next day).

Sweet and Spicy Black Bean Salad

For a festive start to the new year, we brought our friends together for a great bash. It involved some football, some delicious bites, followed by some soca music and tasty beverages.

In order to create something light, yet delicious, especially after many holiday parties, we made a menu of ginger-peach chicken with multigrain waffles, sweet potato fries, and black bean salad. The latter could be eaten alone or topped onto a chip.

All of the food was joyfully received (and eaten. I may even saw a licked serving platter.) Additionally, I received many complements on the black bean salad. especially as everyone was shocked by the sweet, tangy, and subtly spicy combination.

To satisfy the many questions, I have provided the recipe here for more to enjoy. Happy 2013!!

Sweet & Spicy Black Bean Salad

Ingredients:

2 cans - reduced sodium black beans
1 can - whole kernel sweet corn
1/4 cup mild salsa
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp adobo light
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp habanero hot sauce
1 splenda packet or sugar substitute
1 tsp lime juice

1/2 red onion, diced
1-2 tsp cilantro, fresh & finely chopped

Recipe:

(1) Drain and rinse the black beans and corn kernels. Set aside.
(2) Mix the salsa, diced cilantro, hot sauce, lemon and lime juices, black pepper, splenda, garlic powder, and adobo until well combined.
(3) Combine the black beans, corn, diced red onion, and spiced salsa.
(4) All to marinate for 4 hours to overnight in the refrigerator.
(5) Garnish with cherry tomatoes or fresh cilantro sprigs and serve.

Berry Shortbread Bars

As an active member of various organizations, I often have to prepare a dish or light bite for socials and other networking events. With an over-flowing freezer and the need to clear some space, I pulled out a bag of frozen berries and decided to make a shortbread based bar, but incorporating a little granola (i.e. granola bars) to make this a quicker, easier, and more fiber-full treat. I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. 

Berry Shortbread Bars

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup sugar or sugar substitute
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
1 1/2 chewy granola bars

Filling:
3 cups frozen or fresh blueberries
1/4 cup sugar or sugar substitute
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp whole wheat flour
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Topping:
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp nonfat greek yogurt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar or substitute
1 cup whole wheat flour

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
• Start by making the crust. In a medium bowl, stir together the 1 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, crumbled granola bars, and salt. I used the kashi vanilla almond bars because they are awesome and the flavor will not overwhelm the filling. An oat and honey granola bar would work also. Cut in the 1/2 cup sour cream until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat egg and vanilla together; stir into the crumb mixture until a dough forms. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Note: If the mixture is too sticky, add a little oatmeal and mix in until combined.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden. Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile, prepare the blueberry mixture.
• Combine the 1/4 cup sugar or sugar substitute and nutmeg; sprinkle over the blueberries. Add the lemon juice. Set aside.
• Make the topping: In a medium bowl, cream together the 5 tablespoons butter and brown sugar until smooth. Alternatively put in a mini food processor to make this even faster. Lastly, mix in the flour, so that the mixture is crumbly like streusel. Sprinkle over the blueberry layer.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until browned. Cool before cutting into bars.

Moroccan Pickles: Using surplus home-grown goodness

I planted my first garden this year, or should I say my mom planted my first garden. I called will a "help me" plea. I didn't know how to use the hard-clay soil in North Carolina. I was use to the soft soil of Massachusetts. She was excited to visit and to help. I was thrilled and I have been reaping the benefits since. We decided to plant several herbs, including scallions, green onions, basil, thyme, and more. For the vegetables, I insisted on lettuce, so, of course my mom planted three different types, 4 heads of each. So you get the idea, when I would be satisfied with one or two plants of each vegetable or fruit, she went all out and doubled, sometimes tripled, the number. It has been terrific and so far controllable (however, this is only the beginning of the harvest season).

With extra herbs on hand, extra vegetables, I decided my first try at quick pickles using the recipe from Joy of Cooking plus several additional seasoning. Think Moroccan Sweet Pickles:

Moroccan Sweet and Spicy Pickles:

Ingredients:
1 tbsp whole mustard seeds
1 tsp Harissa
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
3 cloves garlic
black pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 cup sugar or sugar substitute (I prefer Stevia + Splenda)
2 dashes of garlic powder
Surplus veggies (I used cucumbers, green onions, scallions, zucchini)

Recipe: see the Joy of Cooking

Importantly, make sure to pre-clean and sterilize your mason jars before pickling. I usually do it the day before to have it ready for the process.

Yummy Tex-Mex Slaw

For our monthly potluck, I recently put together a southwestern slaw that I adapted from allrecipes.com. I didn't realize it would be such a hit so even though I don't have a picture, I will post the recipe. If I were you, scale up how much you make because this one is hard to stop eating, the cabbage does shrink in size after the incubation, and you might want to leave some aside for yourself after serving it.

Spicy Tex-Mex Slaw
adapted from Allrecipes.com

• Ingredients:
• 
  
• 3 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 can corn, drained and rinsed
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 jalapeno pepper, diced (seed only if you don't want it spicy)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup canola oil (optional: I left it out)
• 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon white sugar or 2 stevia (sugar alternatives)
• 1 tablespoon pimento sauce (can be found in the caribbean food section)
• 2 tablespoons dried garlic 
• 1 tablespoon barbeque sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• pepper to taste

Recipe:

1. In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, corn, onion, red pepper, jalapenos, and cilantro. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, bbq sauce, sugar, garlic salt, and pepper. Pour over vegetable mixture and toss to combine. 
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. I refrigerated overnight.

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Chickpeas

A quick, easy, and delicious preparation for lunch is a roasted vegetable salad tossed with chickpeas. I made this for lunch for the week and it was the perfect thing to look forward to on the rainy, wet days. I used green beans, tomatoes, and yellow squash. Incorporate whichever veggies are convenient, your favorite, and even better, in season.

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Chickpeas


Ingredients:


2 tomatoes, sliced
2 yellow squash, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, finely diced or minced in can
canola oil spray
1/2 tsp seasoning salt, such as Adobo
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp Za'taar spice blend
1 tbsp red pepper flakes


Recipe:


(1) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.


(2) In a bowl, toss the chopped vegetables with the garlic, seasonings, and spray with a few sprays of canola oil. This is definitely a way to reduce the fat and calories from a dish incorporating roasted vegetables. Tossing before laying on a tray, will reduce the amount of oil needed to coat.


(3) If you are patient, separate and spread the vegetables on a baking trays lined with aluminum foil. If you are not patient, simply pour the vegetables out onto the lined trays without sorting. The sorting will help as some vegetables will cook faster than others (e.g. tomatoes will finish before the squash). Bake for 15-25 minutes. If you do sort, pull out the baking trays when the vegetable looks slightly brown at the edges and look and feel tender to the touch.


(4) Toss the roasted vegetables with the drained and rinsed chickpeas. Finish with the red pepper flakes, Za'taar, and salt/pepper to taste.






Enjoy this salad alone or with your favorite sandwich...a fall/winter treat.

Cherry Pepper Corn Muffins

My husband has been craving cornbread. I have been craving all things spicy lately. In preparation for his upcoming exam, I decided to create a cornbread that was inspired by delicious jalapeño cornbread but also sweetly inspired by pie.


Cherry Pepper Corn Muffins




Ingredients:


2/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
5 packets of splenda + 1 packet of Stevia or 1/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp Smart Balance margarine or butter, melted
1/3 cup unsweetned applesauce or 1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup dried cherries, finely chopped
1 HOT pepper, finely chopped


Recipe:


(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin pans with canola oil or line with muffin liners.
(2) In a small bowl, mix the flours, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add the dried cherries and pepper to the mix.
(3) In a medium bowl, mix the margarine and apple sauce. 
(4) Carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing only until everything is combined. Since using the whole wheat flour, gluten formation will happen quickly so minimize mixing.
(4) Add 2-3 tbsp of the batter per muffin cup.
(5) Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick in the center of a muffin pulls out cleanly.


Enjoy the sweet and spicy combo. I certainly enjoyed them with a cup of cinnamon tea and also with a bowl of chili. A multipurpose food ;)

Apple-Pear Cobbler

In preparation for a friend's dinner, I decided to prepare a simple and easy recipe using fruit that was both in season and in my refrigerator. Apples and Pears!!! I love the fall harvest. While I am usually a Crisp kind of gal, I decided to venture into Cobbler territory, where the crust is shaped from a buttery, biscuit-like dough. In fact, the leftover dough is perfect for a small crust, which is why I am keeping all the ends in my freezer for a rainy day. 




Apple-Pear Cobbler
Recipe adapted from MayoClinic healthy recipes


4 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 large apple and 1 pear, cored and diced 

1 tablespoon orange juice 

1 tablespoons splenda 

1 tablespoons whole wheat flour 

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the topping: 

1/4 cup oat flour + 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour 

2 tablespoons sugar or 4 packets of splenda 

3/4 teaspoons baking powder 

1/8 teaspoon salt 

2 tablespoons cold trans-free margarine, cut into pieces 

1/4 cup fat-free milk or vanilla soymilk 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe

(1) Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.

(2) In a large bowl, add the apple and pear pieces. Sprinkle with orange (or lemon) juice.

(3) In small bowl, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add the mixture to the chopped apples and pears and toss gently to mix. Stir in the Spread the apple-pear mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Set aside.

(4) In another large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a fork, cut the cold margarine into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the milk and vanilla. Stir just until a moist dough forms.

(5) Turn the dough onto a generously floured work surface and, with floured hands, knead gently 6 to 8 times until the dough is smooth and manageable. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle 1/2-inch thick. Use a cookie cutter or knife to cut out shapes. Cut close together for a minimum of scraps. Gather the scraps and roll out to make more cuts.

(6) Place the dough pieces over the apple-pear mixture, until the top is covered. Bake until the apples are tender and the topping is golden, about 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Notice, that I used orange, instead of lemon juice to bring out the tartness of the fruit. If I did apple-cranberry I would definitely use lemon instead. Here I loved the combination of apple, pear, nutmeg, with the hint of orange. Experiment, like I did, and let me know what you come up with.

Apple Cider Swiss Chard

It was middle of the week, after a long day and running behind schedule, I needed a recipe that would be quick and under 10 minutes to prepare for guests that arriving any moment. I decided to finesse Swiss Chard that was sitting in the refrigerator, waiting for some attention.

Apple Cider Swiss Chard


Ingredients:


1 bunch Swiss Chard, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Canola oil cooking spray
salt and pepper, to taste


Recipe:


(1) Thoroughly wash and pat dry the swiss chard before use.


(2) Spray a medium saucepan with canola oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to brown. 


(3) Add Swiss chard to the saucepan, with any residual liquid serving to aide the cooking process. Add the apple cider vinegar. Sauté the chard until wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste.


This side pairs well with seafood, poultry, and red meat. The acidity of the vinegar will also pair well with many wines, such as a dry pinot grigio or very dry riesling. Feel free to add some spice like Cayenne if you want some heat and most importantly, enjoy!

Lemon bars with Almond-Cardamom crusts (Gluten-free delights)

In preparation for a monthly dinner with some girlfriends, one of whom doesn't do well with gluten, I investigated options for dessert. This course of the meal I have read, many gluten-free folks unfortunately have to pass up. 


With many lemons on hand, I decided to do a lemon bar using a version of an almond meal crust that I have done before. This time, however, I felt that something was needed to carefully pull together the flavor of the almonds with lemons. I added some cardamom and it did the trick. Hopefully, you enjoy it as much as I did. I almost couldn't stop licking the mixing spoon....I know, TMI.

Almond-Cardamom crust

Ingredients:

1 cup ground almond meal (processed almonds)

14 packets of Splenda + 1 packet of PureVia (or 3/4 cup cane sugar)

1/4 cup egg white

1/4 tsp cardamom, ground

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

1/8 tsp nutmeg

Spray oil (Vegetable or Canola...avoid Olive oil due to the flavor)

Recipe:

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x8-inch square Pyrex dish with Pam or canola oil.

(2) In a mixing bowl, mix together the ground almonds, sugar, salt, cardamom & nutmeg. After thoroughly mixing, add the egg white. Mix to combine and spread the mixture into the baking dish and press lightly (with moist spatula) to form a crust.

(3) Bake the crust for 20 minutes. Cool completely before filling, allowing the crust to crisp more.

Lemon filling

Ingredients:


2 large eggs + 1/2 cup egg whites
14 packets of Splenda with 3 packets of PureVia or 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp greek yogurt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup tapioca flour (best if freshly ground) or another gluten-free flour
zest of two small lemons (about 2 tbsp)
1-2 tsp powdered sugar (optional, for garnish)


Recipe:


(1) In a spice grinder, grind dry tapioca pearls, enough for 1/4 cup.


(2) Grate lemon zest and juice 2 lemons (1/4 cup lemon juice). 


(3) In a small bowl, beat together the eggs, egg whites, sweeteners, vanilla extract, lemon juice, lemon zest, greek yogurt, and tapioca flour.


(4) Pour filling on top of pre-baked almond-cardamom crust.


(5) Bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely and serve. 


This is a very fast recipe and great if you have other things going on in the background (during those cooling times)... I find it is best to stay out of the kitchen during these times so there is actually dessert left for guests. Hope you enjoy it. Next time, I will totally add finely chopped basil to the filling mix for an surprising and delicious twist.