11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
10 Temmuz 2012 Salı
9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
Pumpkin Pancakes with Maple Pumpkin Sauce
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My opinion of rainy Saturdays differs from season to season. In the spring and summer, it's such a travesty. The overcast skies and steady pitter-patter of raindrops on the roof seem to mock me, reminding me of all the fun activities I could be doing outside. Could, but can't. You know, like fun activities I could have done on Tuesday - when it was sunny and beautiful - but can't, since I was at work. That kind of could, but can't.
This fall morning, however, it didn't seem like such a travesty. In fact, it seemed to be more of a relief. As the rain fell steadily outside, I shuffled around in my hoodie and wooly slippers. I perused Facebook and read the news while sipping on a steaming mug of hazelnut coffee. I watched an episode of Man v. Food (How does Adam Richman manage to eat that incendiary Phaal?). My biggest concern of the morning: What should I make for breakfast?
Since my blog reader has been overrun by pumpkin recipes over the past few weeks, the choice was not difficult at all. The wonderful folks at Libby have provided a fabulously fluffy pumpkin pancake, complete with a warm maple pumpkin sauce (via One Ordinary Day). Word of the wise: Do not skip the sauce. It makes the whole dish; I could even eat it alone with only a spoon. My fingers even, if a spoon eluded me. With a sprinkling of chopped walnuts to top it off, we couldn't have asked for a more satisfying breakfast.
Ingredients1/2 c. all-purpose flour1/2 c. whole wheat flour1 Tbs. light brown sugar1 1/2 tsp. baking powder1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice1/2 tsp. salt6 oz. evaporated milk1/4 c. pumpkin puree2 Tbs. water1 large egg1 Tbs. canola oil
1/2 c. maple syrup1/2 c. pumpkin puree1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon1/4 c. chopped walnuts
DirectionsIn a large bowl, combine flours, brown sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, combine evaporated milk, pumpkin puree, water, egg and oil. Mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring until just moistened; batter may be lumpy.
Heat griddle over medium heat and brush lightly with butter. Spoon 1/4 c. amounts of batter onto hot griddle. Cook until batter starts to bubble lightly and cooked side is golden brown. Flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.
To make the maple pumpkin sauce, heat maple syrup, pumpkin puree and ground cinnamon in a small saucepan over low heat until warmed.
Serve sauce over pancakes and garnish with chopped walnuts. Enjoy (we did).
This fall morning, however, it didn't seem like such a travesty. In fact, it seemed to be more of a relief. As the rain fell steadily outside, I shuffled around in my hoodie and wooly slippers. I perused Facebook and read the news while sipping on a steaming mug of hazelnut coffee. I watched an episode of Man v. Food (How does Adam Richman manage to eat that incendiary Phaal?). My biggest concern of the morning: What should I make for breakfast?
Since my blog reader has been overrun by pumpkin recipes over the past few weeks, the choice was not difficult at all. The wonderful folks at Libby have provided a fabulously fluffy pumpkin pancake, complete with a warm maple pumpkin sauce (via One Ordinary Day). Word of the wise: Do not skip the sauce. It makes the whole dish; I could even eat it alone with only a spoon. My fingers even, if a spoon eluded me. With a sprinkling of chopped walnuts to top it off, we couldn't have asked for a more satisfying breakfast.
Ingredients1/2 c. all-purpose flour1/2 c. whole wheat flour1 Tbs. light brown sugar1 1/2 tsp. baking powder1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice1/2 tsp. salt6 oz. evaporated milk1/4 c. pumpkin puree2 Tbs. water1 large egg1 Tbs. canola oil
1/2 c. maple syrup1/2 c. pumpkin puree1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon1/4 c. chopped walnuts
DirectionsIn a large bowl, combine flours, brown sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, combine evaporated milk, pumpkin puree, water, egg and oil. Mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring until just moistened; batter may be lumpy.
Heat griddle over medium heat and brush lightly with butter. Spoon 1/4 c. amounts of batter onto hot griddle. Cook until batter starts to bubble lightly and cooked side is golden brown. Flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.
To make the maple pumpkin sauce, heat maple syrup, pumpkin puree and ground cinnamon in a small saucepan over low heat until warmed.
Serve sauce over pancakes and garnish with chopped walnuts. Enjoy (we did).
Baked Haddock
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Red fish, blue fish. One fish, two fish. I heart eating fish (and shrimp, if you can't tell by my recipe index).
And, we've been tortured by said fish lately. Every which way I've turned (TV.... web... email...), there's awesome fish recipes waiting to be tasted and tested.
First, there was this fish kabob recipe on Giada at Home. Then, there was this tuna tetrazzini recipe on The Other Side of 50 blog. And finally, I started thinking about these dreamy fish tacos I made a few months back.
But making fish can be kinda scary. Fresh fish fillets can be rather expensive, and a lot of people can't handle the smell or texture of raw fish. But the end product, when properly prepared, is delicious and healthy (when you're not coating it in melted butter, that is, like I did. But that's a conversation for another day).
This is truly a great starter recipe for anyone wanting to get over their fear of fixing fish and finding out how fabulous it is to feast on fresh fish (Ha! Say that three times fast!). Start to finish: 20 minutes, 25 perhaps if you're easily distracted like me (via Dawn's Recipes)
Ingredients1 lb. haddock fillets3 Tbs. butter, melted3 Tbs. white wine1 Tbs. lemon juicesalt and pepper to taste8 buttery crackers (like Ritz), crushedparsley or chives (garnish, optional)
DirectionsPreheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Combine melted butter, wine and lemon juice. Pour a small amount into the bottom of a glass baking dish and spread to evenly coat. Place haddock in dish and pour remaining butter mixture over fish fillets. Top with a sprinkle of salt, pepper and the crushed crackers.
Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until haddock flakes easily with a fork.
Remove from oven and garnish, if desired. Serve immediately.
And, we've been tortured by said fish lately. Every which way I've turned (TV.... web... email...), there's awesome fish recipes waiting to be tasted and tested.
First, there was this fish kabob recipe on Giada at Home. Then, there was this tuna tetrazzini recipe on The Other Side of 50 blog. And finally, I started thinking about these dreamy fish tacos I made a few months back.
But making fish can be kinda scary. Fresh fish fillets can be rather expensive, and a lot of people can't handle the smell or texture of raw fish. But the end product, when properly prepared, is delicious and healthy (when you're not coating it in melted butter, that is, like I did. But that's a conversation for another day).
This is truly a great starter recipe for anyone wanting to get over their fear of fixing fish and finding out how fabulous it is to feast on fresh fish (Ha! Say that three times fast!). Start to finish: 20 minutes, 25 perhaps if you're easily distracted like me (via Dawn's Recipes)
Ingredients1 lb. haddock fillets3 Tbs. butter, melted3 Tbs. white wine1 Tbs. lemon juicesalt and pepper to taste8 buttery crackers (like Ritz), crushedparsley or chives (garnish, optional)
DirectionsPreheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Combine melted butter, wine and lemon juice. Pour a small amount into the bottom of a glass baking dish and spread to evenly coat. Place haddock in dish and pour remaining butter mixture over fish fillets. Top with a sprinkle of salt, pepper and the crushed crackers.
Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until haddock flakes easily with a fork.
Remove from oven and garnish, if desired. Serve immediately.
Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries, Walnuts
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Nothing like a thick slice of pumpkin bread and a fresh, crispy apple for an afternoon snack. Yum!
After using pumpkin puree for some deliciously fluffy pancakes and mouth-watering streusel muffins, I still had about a cup of the good stuff left. Luckily, I came across this recipe for pumpkin bread at just the right moment, via The Curvy Carrot.
Pumpkin, like zucchini, bakes into a fabulously moist load of sweet bread. It's great for breakfast with a steaming cup of coffee, or an afternoon snack like I had today. Just another testament to the awesomeness that is pumpkin. Who says it's only an autumn treat? Not me!
Ingredients1 c. all-purpose flour1 c. whole wheat flour2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice1 tsp. baking powder1/2 tsp. baking soda1 tsp. Kosher salt6 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened3/4 c. white sugar2 large eggs1 c. pumpkin puree1 tsp. vanilla extract2/3 c. buttermilk1/2 c. dried cranberries1/2 c. coarsely chopped walnuts2 Tbs. brown sugar
DirectionsPreheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease one regular-sized loaf pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a separate bowl, beat butter until softened. Gradually add white sugar until blended. Beat in eggs one at a time, then beat in pumpkin and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients alternatively with buttermilk, two additions each. Fold in cranberries and walnuts. Transfer batter into loaf pan and sprinkle with brown sugar.
Bake in preheated oven for approximately 70 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean. Cool bread for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
After using pumpkin puree for some deliciously fluffy pancakes and mouth-watering streusel muffins, I still had about a cup of the good stuff left. Luckily, I came across this recipe for pumpkin bread at just the right moment, via The Curvy Carrot.
Pumpkin, like zucchini, bakes into a fabulously moist load of sweet bread. It's great for breakfast with a steaming cup of coffee, or an afternoon snack like I had today. Just another testament to the awesomeness that is pumpkin. Who says it's only an autumn treat? Not me!
Ingredients1 c. all-purpose flour1 c. whole wheat flour2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice1 tsp. baking powder1/2 tsp. baking soda1 tsp. Kosher salt6 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened3/4 c. white sugar2 large eggs1 c. pumpkin puree1 tsp. vanilla extract2/3 c. buttermilk1/2 c. dried cranberries1/2 c. coarsely chopped walnuts2 Tbs. brown sugar
DirectionsPreheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease one regular-sized loaf pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a separate bowl, beat butter until softened. Gradually add white sugar until blended. Beat in eggs one at a time, then beat in pumpkin and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients alternatively with buttermilk, two additions each. Fold in cranberries and walnuts. Transfer batter into loaf pan and sprinkle with brown sugar.
Bake in preheated oven for approximately 70 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean. Cool bread for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Mediterranean Mushroom Casserole
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For many people, one of the biggest challenges and obstacles to cooking is fear. Food is expensive, finding the right ingredients and cooking them takes time and there's a certain level of defeat associated with a dish that doesn't come out like you expected.
But, like anything, cooking takes practice. You don't get better unless you step outside your comfort zone and get down and dirty. I saw an insightful entry earlier this week on TheKitchn. "[It's] not about following a recipe perfectly or never making a mistake; [it's] about trying something out and occasionally discovering that it didn’t quite work the way we expected." It's about having fun! Trying new things! Experimenting! As one commenter to the post aptly noted, the worst case scenario is.... you order a pizza that night.
Conversely, there's a certain level of pride associated with tweaking a recipe to make it your own and loving the results. Which is what happened with me recently when I made this mediterranean mushroom casserole. I loved the idea of stuffed mushrooms via Aggie's Kitchen, but didn't quite have all the ingredients needed. So I adapted a little based on what I did have, and voila! We have a delicious, easy weeknight meal that we can enjoy again. One that we wouldn't have had if I hadn't experimented just a little bit.
Ingredients2 Tbs. olive oil1 (8 oz.) package whole mushrooms, sliced1 red bell pepper, sliced1 onion, sliced3 garlic cloves, minced4 oz. Hot Italian sausage, casing removed and broken up1 tsp. Greek seasoning*1/4 c. panko bread crumbs1/4 c. crumbled feta cheese1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheesesalt and pepper to tasteFresh parsley, chopped (garnish, optional)
1 c. chicken stock1 tsp. olive oil3/4 c. uncooked couscoussalt to taste
DirectionsPreheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a small casserole dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add 1 tsp. olive oil, salt and uncooked couscous and stir to incorporate. Remove from heat, cover and let sit 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbs. olive oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms, red pepper, onion, sausage and garlic. Season with Greek seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add cooked couscous and feta cheese; stir to combine.
Pour mixture into the greased casserole dish. Sprinkle with panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until Parmesan is melted and topping is browned. Spoon onto plates and garnish with fresh parsley.
*Greek seasoning recipe (adapted from AllRecipes)1 tsp. dried oregano1/2 tsp. dried thyme1/4 tsp. dried basil1/4 tsp. dried marjoram1/4 tsp. onion salt1/4 tsp. garlic powder1/8 tsp. black pepper
But, like anything, cooking takes practice. You don't get better unless you step outside your comfort zone and get down and dirty. I saw an insightful entry earlier this week on TheKitchn. "[It's] not about following a recipe perfectly or never making a mistake; [it's] about trying something out and occasionally discovering that it didn’t quite work the way we expected." It's about having fun! Trying new things! Experimenting! As one commenter to the post aptly noted, the worst case scenario is.... you order a pizza that night.
Conversely, there's a certain level of pride associated with tweaking a recipe to make it your own and loving the results. Which is what happened with me recently when I made this mediterranean mushroom casserole. I loved the idea of stuffed mushrooms via Aggie's Kitchen, but didn't quite have all the ingredients needed. So I adapted a little based on what I did have, and voila! We have a delicious, easy weeknight meal that we can enjoy again. One that we wouldn't have had if I hadn't experimented just a little bit.
Ingredients2 Tbs. olive oil1 (8 oz.) package whole mushrooms, sliced1 red bell pepper, sliced1 onion, sliced3 garlic cloves, minced4 oz. Hot Italian sausage, casing removed and broken up1 tsp. Greek seasoning*1/4 c. panko bread crumbs1/4 c. crumbled feta cheese1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheesesalt and pepper to tasteFresh parsley, chopped (garnish, optional)
1 c. chicken stock1 tsp. olive oil3/4 c. uncooked couscoussalt to taste
DirectionsPreheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a small casserole dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add 1 tsp. olive oil, salt and uncooked couscous and stir to incorporate. Remove from heat, cover and let sit 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbs. olive oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms, red pepper, onion, sausage and garlic. Season with Greek seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add cooked couscous and feta cheese; stir to combine.
Pour mixture into the greased casserole dish. Sprinkle with panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until Parmesan is melted and topping is browned. Spoon onto plates and garnish with fresh parsley.
*Greek seasoning recipe (adapted from AllRecipes)1 tsp. dried oregano1/2 tsp. dried thyme1/4 tsp. dried basil1/4 tsp. dried marjoram1/4 tsp. onion salt1/4 tsp. garlic powder1/8 tsp. black pepper
Eggs Havana
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Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, more so on the weekends because we have more time to make something delicious and filling to fuel us through the day. While I love the basics - pancakes, French toast, fried or scrambled eggs - I'm always looking for variations to shake things up.
Enter eggs Havana (via The Little Teochow). These delicious eggs are nestled atop a flavorful tomato sauce in a ramekin and baked to desired egg doneness (Gabe likes his eggs a little more runny than I do). I would have loved some nice wheat toast for dipping in the eggs, but had to settle for half a bagel since that was all we had.
It may be a little time-consuming for a breakfast meal, especially if you're starving in the morning like me. But well worth the wait, I assure you.
Ingredients3 Tbs. olive oil1 small onion, finely chopped1 small red or green bell pepper, finely chopped2 cloves garlic, finely chopped3/4 c. canned tomatoes1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes1 bay leafsalt and pepper to tastedash of sugar (if needed)
6 large eggs1 Tbs. butter, meltedsalt and pepper to tasteparsley and red pepper flakes (optional, garnish)
DirectionsPreheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly oil 3 ramekins with olive oil. Set aside momentarily.
Heat 3 Tbs. olive oil in a skillet over low heat. Add onions, bell pepper and garlic. Cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper (sugar, too, if needed). Cook until reduced and thickened, about 15 minutes.
Discard bay leaf, and divide tomato sauce equally among the 3 ramekins. Crack two eggs per ramekin, season lightly with salt and pepper. Drizzle with melted butter.
Place ramekins in a small casserole dish, and and add 1 c. boiling water to the dish to create a water bath. Bake until whites are set, and yolks are still soft (this took approximately 20-23 minutes for me). Check frequently towards end, and remove from oven when desired egg doneness is achieved. Top with parsley and red pepper flakes. Serve immediately in ramekins.
Enter eggs Havana (via The Little Teochow). These delicious eggs are nestled atop a flavorful tomato sauce in a ramekin and baked to desired egg doneness (Gabe likes his eggs a little more runny than I do). I would have loved some nice wheat toast for dipping in the eggs, but had to settle for half a bagel since that was all we had.
It may be a little time-consuming for a breakfast meal, especially if you're starving in the morning like me. But well worth the wait, I assure you.
Ingredients3 Tbs. olive oil1 small onion, finely chopped1 small red or green bell pepper, finely chopped2 cloves garlic, finely chopped3/4 c. canned tomatoes1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes1 bay leafsalt and pepper to tastedash of sugar (if needed)
6 large eggs1 Tbs. butter, meltedsalt and pepper to tasteparsley and red pepper flakes (optional, garnish)
DirectionsPreheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly oil 3 ramekins with olive oil. Set aside momentarily.
Heat 3 Tbs. olive oil in a skillet over low heat. Add onions, bell pepper and garlic. Cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper (sugar, too, if needed). Cook until reduced and thickened, about 15 minutes.
Discard bay leaf, and divide tomato sauce equally among the 3 ramekins. Crack two eggs per ramekin, season lightly with salt and pepper. Drizzle with melted butter.
Place ramekins in a small casserole dish, and and add 1 c. boiling water to the dish to create a water bath. Bake until whites are set, and yolks are still soft (this took approximately 20-23 minutes for me). Check frequently towards end, and remove from oven when desired egg doneness is achieved. Top with parsley and red pepper flakes. Serve immediately in ramekins.
8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar
Watermelon Mint Smoothie
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A few months ago we jumped on the smoothie bandwagon and purchased a *Vitamix blender.
It wasn't a cheap investment but I can honestly tell you that we've been using it nearly every day and have never looked at it as a bad investment. It was a complete investment in our good health and, as we all know you can't put a price on that!!!
I have to be honest with you here and tell you that some of our concoctions taste pretty nasty and are not at all fun to drink! However, we drink them down anyway because the health benefits far outweigh the occasional short term bad taste.
More times that not though, we blend up some really great tasting smoothies. At times we combine both fruits and veggies into one drink and at other times, it's just fruits or just veggies. There are no rules here.
I've decided that, when great smoothies happen, I'd like to share with you my particular "recipe" (note - I'll not be giving measurements here, just ingredients) and a few of the health benefits from each ingredient I've used.
I'm only scratching the surface when I speak to the health benefits of these ingredients as there is so much more information available (for each item) than what I'll be listing here. This is just my quick encapsulated version to get you excited about making your own smoothies and how becoming an "avid blender buff" can aid you and your family into becoming more healthy, active and vibrant!
WATERMELON MINT SMOOTHIE
Watermelon, chopped into chunks
Frozen berries (I used raspberries, blueberries and blackberries)
Pomegranate Juice
Fresh mint leaves
Fresh lime juice
Orange juice
Add all items to the blender and blend until smooth.
All that and it's tastes great too!!! Drink it up...Your body will thank you!
Watermelon - A great source of vitamin A that helps maintain proper eye health!
Vitamin C that strengthens immunity
Vitamin B6 which converts protein to energy.
Blueberries - A great source on manganese the promotes bone health.
BlackBerries - Contain polyphenols that help to prevent cancer and heart disease.
Their deep color also helps with memory retention.
Raspberries - An excellent source of fiber. They can also reduce inflammation.
Mint - Cleanses the stomach and is a strong diuretic which helps eleminate toxins from
the body.
Pomegranate juice - Contains pantohenic acid, floate, potassium and vitamin K.
Lowers bad cholesterol and reduces plaque from the arteries.
Also decreases blood pressure and increases blood flow to the heart.
Lime - Contains more vitamic C than a lemon.
It increases the body's resistance to disease and improves digestion.
Orange juice - Fights cancer, lowers cholesterol, improves blood pressure and
protects against inflammation.
Here's to you good health! Please visit again as I'll be add more "recipes" as we continue to experiment with interesting ingredients and combinations.
*Please note, this post was not sponsored in anyway by Vitamix or is a Vitamix blender required to make this smoothie. There are many blenders on the market that work well for this type of application. We just wanted the Rolls Royce of blenders :)
It wasn't a cheap investment but I can honestly tell you that we've been using it nearly every day and have never looked at it as a bad investment. It was a complete investment in our good health and, as we all know you can't put a price on that!!!
I have to be honest with you here and tell you that some of our concoctions taste pretty nasty and are not at all fun to drink! However, we drink them down anyway because the health benefits far outweigh the occasional short term bad taste.
More times that not though, we blend up some really great tasting smoothies. At times we combine both fruits and veggies into one drink and at other times, it's just fruits or just veggies. There are no rules here.
I've decided that, when great smoothies happen, I'd like to share with you my particular "recipe" (note - I'll not be giving measurements here, just ingredients) and a few of the health benefits from each ingredient I've used.
I'm only scratching the surface when I speak to the health benefits of these ingredients as there is so much more information available (for each item) than what I'll be listing here. This is just my quick encapsulated version to get you excited about making your own smoothies and how becoming an "avid blender buff" can aid you and your family into becoming more healthy, active and vibrant!
WATERMELON MINT SMOOTHIE
Watermelon, chopped into chunks
Frozen berries (I used raspberries, blueberries and blackberries)
Pomegranate Juice
Fresh mint leaves
Fresh lime juice
Orange juice
Add all items to the blender and blend until smooth.
All that and it's tastes great too!!! Drink it up...Your body will thank you!
Watermelon - A great source of vitamin A that helps maintain proper eye health!
Vitamin C that strengthens immunity
Vitamin B6 which converts protein to energy.
Blueberries - A great source on manganese the promotes bone health.
BlackBerries - Contain polyphenols that help to prevent cancer and heart disease.
Their deep color also helps with memory retention.
Raspberries - An excellent source of fiber. They can also reduce inflammation.
Mint - Cleanses the stomach and is a strong diuretic which helps eleminate toxins from
the body.
Pomegranate juice - Contains pantohenic acid, floate, potassium and vitamin K.
Lowers bad cholesterol and reduces plaque from the arteries.
Also decreases blood pressure and increases blood flow to the heart.
Lime - Contains more vitamic C than a lemon.
It increases the body's resistance to disease and improves digestion.
Orange juice - Fights cancer, lowers cholesterol, improves blood pressure and
protects against inflammation.
Here's to you good health! Please visit again as I'll be add more "recipes" as we continue to experiment with interesting ingredients and combinations.
*Please note, this post was not sponsored in anyway by Vitamix or is a Vitamix blender required to make this smoothie. There are many blenders on the market that work well for this type of application. We just wanted the Rolls Royce of blenders :)
CCRCPA - Blender Benders
To contact us Click HERE
I've been becoming increasingly more interested in nutrition and healthful eating. Maybe you're like me and are trying to live a little healthier yourself. I certainly believe we can all benefit from a few small changes.
Now don't get me wrong, I still have my vices (and plenty of them) but at the end of the day, if I have eaten a good amount of healthy fruits and veggies, I feel as though I'm well on my way to living a longer, stronger, leaner (crossing fingers) more healthy and fit life.
As my quest to bring you delicious and nutritious tasting smoothies continues, today I bring you the CCRCPA. Sounds good right?
It IS!!! It's totally yummy and SO, SO good for you!
Here are the ingredients and some of the health benefits of each, just to whet your whistle.
C - CANTELOUPE - A wonderful source of flolate that maintains healthy cells and prevents anemia.
Excellent source of potassium which is an important mineral for the entire body,
especially for muscle and heart contraction.
C - CARROTS - B1, B2, B6 vitamin K and many more.
Reduces the risk of stroke and nourishes the skin with cleansing properties and
aids in detoxifying the liver.
R - ROMAINE - Promotes healthy weight loss because of it's high water content and also a healthy
digestive tract. Romaine also lowers the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
C - CUCUMBER - Does not contain saturated fats or cholesterol. Cucumbers are rich in potassium
which is a heart friendly electrolyte and helps reduce blood pressure and heart
rates by countering the effects of sodium.
P - PEAR - Pears have a high content of pectin that helps lower cholesterol and is a wonderful
anti inflammatory. The high level of Boron in pears can also help prevent and
retard osteoporosis.
A - APPLE - Apples have zero fat and cholesterol and almost no sodium. With an abundance of
vitamin's C, K and B6, apples promote fat burning polyphenols which reduce
artery clogging. Apples also have anti inflammatory properties that help reduce
asthma related swelling.
Cheers to your good health! Drink up and enjoy...
I feel better already. Now it's your turn... :)
Now don't get me wrong, I still have my vices (and plenty of them) but at the end of the day, if I have eaten a good amount of healthy fruits and veggies, I feel as though I'm well on my way to living a longer, stronger, leaner (crossing fingers) more healthy and fit life.
As my quest to bring you delicious and nutritious tasting smoothies continues, today I bring you the CCRCPA. Sounds good right?
It IS!!! It's totally yummy and SO, SO good for you!
Here are the ingredients and some of the health benefits of each, just to whet your whistle.
C - CANTELOUPE - A wonderful source of flolate that maintains healthy cells and prevents anemia.
Excellent source of potassium which is an important mineral for the entire body,
especially for muscle and heart contraction.
C - CARROTS - B1, B2, B6 vitamin K and many more.
Reduces the risk of stroke and nourishes the skin with cleansing properties and
aids in detoxifying the liver.
R - ROMAINE - Promotes healthy weight loss because of it's high water content and also a healthy
digestive tract. Romaine also lowers the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
C - CUCUMBER - Does not contain saturated fats or cholesterol. Cucumbers are rich in potassium
which is a heart friendly electrolyte and helps reduce blood pressure and heart
rates by countering the effects of sodium.
P - PEAR - Pears have a high content of pectin that helps lower cholesterol and is a wonderful
anti inflammatory. The high level of Boron in pears can also help prevent and
retard osteoporosis.
A - APPLE - Apples have zero fat and cholesterol and almost no sodium. With an abundance of
vitamin's C, K and B6, apples promote fat burning polyphenols which reduce
artery clogging. Apples also have anti inflammatory properties that help reduce
asthma related swelling.
Cheers to your good health! Drink up and enjoy...
I feel better already. Now it's your turn... :)
Garlic Thyme Pretzel Bites
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I've made these soft little pretzel bites several times and they're always a huge hit! So much so that I've started giving them as gifts. After all, a gift made with love is the best gift of all!
Most recently I gave a huge bag of them to my dad for Father's Day and I'm happy to report that he and my mom have been munching away on them and enjoying them immensely. My mom even mentioned to me that they've been eating them with butter and to that I reply "Heck yeah"! Mustard is great but I'll bet butter is better!
Here's my recipe if you'd like to make them yourself. I know you'll love them too, no matter how you choose to eat them :)
GARLIC THYME PRETZEL BITES
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar
1-1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees or warm to the touch)
-In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and the sugar in the warm water.
-Let stand until foamy (about 10 minutes)
5 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup white sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (plus more for topping)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
3 teaspoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
-In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, pepper garlic powder and thyme leaves and Parmesan cheese.
-Add the yeast mixture and olive oil and mix with your hands to form a soft dough. Depending on your weather, you may have to add more warm water (1 tablespoon at a time) or possibly flour if your dough is too sticky.
-Turn your dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 7-8 minutes)
Here's the part when I realized that I'd forgotten to add the olive oil to the mixture. Oops! My bad.
Ah well, this was not a serious disaster. I just added the oil into an indentation I'd formed in the dough and carefully continued to knead it throughout.
-Place your dough into a lightly oiled bowl, oil the top of the dough and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
-Allow your dough to rise in a warm place for about an hour or until your dough has doubled in size.
-When the dough has doubled, punch it down and preheat your oven to 425 degrees. *Or if you'd like to try making these on the outdoor grill, now is the time to preheat your grill to hot, hot, hot. To use this method, you'll also need two foil covered bricks and place them on the grate of the grill in order to lift the baking sheets from the direct heat, making your grill more like an oven.
4 cups boiling water
1/2 cup baking soda
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
kosher salt for sprinkling
1 egg with 1 teaspoon water, mixed
-Bring the water and baking soda to a rapid boil on your stove top.
-Breaking off golf ball sizes of dough, roll each piece in the palm of your hands to form a rough looking ball.
-Drop the balls into the boiling water until the dough balls rise to the surface of the water and float. Do not over crowd the pot. You'll have to do this in batches.
-Remove the balls with a slotted spoon to two awaiting parchment lined baking sheets being careful not to have them touch each other.
-Brush each pretzel bite with the egg and water wash.
-Sprinkle each ball with additional kosher salt and Parmesan cheese.
-Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets half way through the cooking process.
*If you're using the grill, keep a careful eye on them so they don't cook too quickly and burn on the bottom. (Please be aware that the cooking time while using the grill may need to be adjusted slightly depending on your grill.)
-Allow your pretzel bites to cool slightly and then DIG IN!!!
I hope you've enjoyed this recipe and will decide to make these soft little pretzel morsels yourself. I guarantee they'll be a complete hit with your family and friends and who knows, you may even start giving them as gifts too...because we all know: Nothin' beats a little lovin' from your oven or an unexpected thrill off your grill!
Most recently I gave a huge bag of them to my dad for Father's Day and I'm happy to report that he and my mom have been munching away on them and enjoying them immensely. My mom even mentioned to me that they've been eating them with butter and to that I reply "Heck yeah"! Mustard is great but I'll bet butter is better!
Here's my recipe if you'd like to make them yourself. I know you'll love them too, no matter how you choose to eat them :)
GARLIC THYME PRETZEL BITES
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar
1-1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees or warm to the touch)
-In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and the sugar in the warm water.
-Let stand until foamy (about 10 minutes)
5 cups all purpose flour1/3 cup white sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (plus more for topping)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
3 teaspoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
-In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, pepper garlic powder and thyme leaves and Parmesan cheese.
-Add the yeast mixture and olive oil and mix with your hands to form a soft dough. Depending on your weather, you may have to add more warm water (1 tablespoon at a time) or possibly flour if your dough is too sticky.
-Turn your dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 7-8 minutes)
Here's the part when I realized that I'd forgotten to add the olive oil to the mixture. Oops! My bad.
Ah well, this was not a serious disaster. I just added the oil into an indentation I'd formed in the dough and carefully continued to knead it throughout.
-Place your dough into a lightly oiled bowl, oil the top of the dough and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
-Allow your dough to rise in a warm place for about an hour or until your dough has doubled in size.
-When the dough has doubled, punch it down and preheat your oven to 425 degrees. *Or if you'd like to try making these on the outdoor grill, now is the time to preheat your grill to hot, hot, hot. To use this method, you'll also need two foil covered bricks and place them on the grate of the grill in order to lift the baking sheets from the direct heat, making your grill more like an oven.
4 cups boiling water
1/2 cup baking soda
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
kosher salt for sprinkling
1 egg with 1 teaspoon water, mixed
-Bring the water and baking soda to a rapid boil on your stove top.
-Breaking off golf ball sizes of dough, roll each piece in the palm of your hands to form a rough looking ball.
-Drop the balls into the boiling water until the dough balls rise to the surface of the water and float. Do not over crowd the pot. You'll have to do this in batches.
-Remove the balls with a slotted spoon to two awaiting parchment lined baking sheets being careful not to have them touch each other.
-Brush each pretzel bite with the egg and water wash.
-Sprinkle each ball with additional kosher salt and Parmesan cheese.
-Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets half way through the cooking process.
*If you're using the grill, keep a careful eye on them so they don't cook too quickly and burn on the bottom. (Please be aware that the cooking time while using the grill may need to be adjusted slightly depending on your grill.)
-Allow your pretzel bites to cool slightly and then DIG IN!!!
I hope you've enjoyed this recipe and will decide to make these soft little pretzel morsels yourself. I guarantee they'll be a complete hit with your family and friends and who knows, you may even start giving them as gifts too...because we all know: Nothin' beats a little lovin' from your oven or an unexpected thrill off your grill!
Rainbow Chicken Salad
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I know we're all familiar with the term "Eat The Rainbow" when it comes to health and nutrition lately. It's because of that reason that I came up with my recipe for Rainbow Chicken Salad.
This recipe is cool, refreshing and it's super tasty. Not to mention that it's lower in calories and fat than other chicken salads I've run across over the years. That's not to say the other chicken salads aren't good, they are. It's just that when you're looking for a little healthier alternative, you might want to give mine a try.
RAINBOW CHICKEN SALAD
1 Store-bought rotisserie chicken, skin removed and taken off the bone. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 medium purple onion, diced
1/2 large orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 large yellow bell pepper, diced
1 gala apple, peeled and diced
1 lime, zest and juice
1 4 ounce can of fire roasted chilies
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/4 cup light mayonaisse
1/4 cup light Greek yogurt
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
-In a large bowl, add all the ingredients and stir to combine well.
-Taste and adjust with a bit more salt and pepper if needed.
-Refrigerate until ready to serve.
There you have it. This quick, crunchy and healthy chicken salad comes together in no time and is enough to make a good 6-8 sandwiches. You can serve this on some toasted whole wheat buns or what about inside some pita bread? Yummy! Or, add a little lettuce and serve this as a salad...
However you chose to serve it is up to you! I just hope you do because I know you'll enjoy it. Your body and taste buds will thank you!
If you have any questions or comments, I'd love to hear them. I'll be sure to answer back if you have something you'd like to say.
Thanks so much for visiting,
Renée
This recipe is cool, refreshing and it's super tasty. Not to mention that it's lower in calories and fat than other chicken salads I've run across over the years. That's not to say the other chicken salads aren't good, they are. It's just that when you're looking for a little healthier alternative, you might want to give mine a try. RAINBOW CHICKEN SALAD
1 Store-bought rotisserie chicken, skin removed and taken off the bone. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 medium purple onion, diced
1/2 large orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 large yellow bell pepper, diced
1 gala apple, peeled and diced
1 lime, zest and juice
1 4 ounce can of fire roasted chilies
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/4 cup light mayonaisse
1/4 cup light Greek yogurt
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
-In a large bowl, add all the ingredients and stir to combine well.
-Taste and adjust with a bit more salt and pepper if needed.
-Refrigerate until ready to serve.
There you have it. This quick, crunchy and healthy chicken salad comes together in no time and is enough to make a good 6-8 sandwiches. You can serve this on some toasted whole wheat buns or what about inside some pita bread? Yummy! Or, add a little lettuce and serve this as a salad...
However you chose to serve it is up to you! I just hope you do because I know you'll enjoy it. Your body and taste buds will thank you!
If you have any questions or comments, I'd love to hear them. I'll be sure to answer back if you have something you'd like to say.
Thanks so much for visiting,
Renée
Peanut Butter And Chocolate Cookie Bars
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This month's installment of the Secret Recipe Club has me visiting and perusing the recipes (and crafts) of Avril over at Baking and Creating With Avril.
I do believe that Avril and I are a lot alike. We both like to cook, bake and craft and we both blog simply for the joy and sense of accomplishment it brings.
Avril has TONS of excellent sounding recipes on her blog so it took me awhile to decide which one to choose. That is until I found this one. In an instant I knew it was the one for me (well, not just me, I did share it)!
I made only a few "minor" adaptations to Avril's original recipe. I added chopped peanuts and milk chocolate chips to the batter. Mmmmm. After all, they're "Two great tastes that go great together!"
PEANUT BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE COOKIE BARS
* denotes additions to the original recipe
1 1/2 sticks of butter, softened (I always use salted, just to be different :)
1/4 heaping cup of peanut butter (I used a natural smooth but any brand or style will work).
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
*1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1 large egg, room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1 cup chopped peanuts (I shelled and chopped them)
*1 cup milk chocolate chips
-Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
-Line a 9" square baking dish with long parchment strips so that you can easily lift the bars out of the pan after baking. (see photo)
-In a medium bowl whisk together your flour, baking powder and salt.
-Using a stand mixer or hand held mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter, vanilla and coconut extract until light and fluffy.
-Add the egg and beat until combined.
-Stir in the flour mixture.
-Stir in the chopped peanuts and chocolate chips making sure they're incorporated well.
-Spread the mixture evenly into your prepared parchment lined pan.
-Bake for 30-35 minutes (or until the cookie bars are a wonderful golden brown)
-Cool for approximately 30 minutes and then remove the bars from the pan by lifting on the parchment paper strips.
-Slice the bars however you choose and serve.
These bars are incredibly moist with a super intense peanut butter flavor! Yippee! If you're a peanut butter lover like me, then this is a dessert your sweet dreams are made of! After all, we all need to go a little nutty every now and then! Thanks for the recipe Avril!
I do believe that Avril and I are a lot alike. We both like to cook, bake and craft and we both blog simply for the joy and sense of accomplishment it brings.
Avril has TONS of excellent sounding recipes on her blog so it took me awhile to decide which one to choose. That is until I found this one. In an instant I knew it was the one for me (well, not just me, I did share it)!
I made only a few "minor" adaptations to Avril's original recipe. I added chopped peanuts and milk chocolate chips to the batter. Mmmmm. After all, they're "Two great tastes that go great together!"
PEANUT BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE COOKIE BARS
* denotes additions to the original recipe
1 1/2 sticks of butter, softened (I always use salted, just to be different :)
1/4 heaping cup of peanut butter (I used a natural smooth but any brand or style will work).
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
*1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1 large egg, room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1 cup chopped peanuts (I shelled and chopped them)
*1 cup milk chocolate chips
-Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
-Line a 9" square baking dish with long parchment strips so that you can easily lift the bars out of the pan after baking. (see photo)
-In a medium bowl whisk together your flour, baking powder and salt.
-Using a stand mixer or hand held mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter, vanilla and coconut extract until light and fluffy.
-Add the egg and beat until combined.
-Stir in the flour mixture.
-Stir in the chopped peanuts and chocolate chips making sure they're incorporated well.
-Spread the mixture evenly into your prepared parchment lined pan.
-Bake for 30-35 minutes (or until the cookie bars are a wonderful golden brown)
-Cool for approximately 30 minutes and then remove the bars from the pan by lifting on the parchment paper strips.
-Slice the bars however you choose and serve.
These bars are incredibly moist with a super intense peanut butter flavor! Yippee! If you're a peanut butter lover like me, then this is a dessert your sweet dreams are made of! After all, we all need to go a little nutty every now and then! Thanks for the recipe Avril!
7 Temmuz 2012 Cumartesi
Spring Green Mac and Cheese
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When it's garlic scape season at the farmers market we can't resist taking home a big bag.
A garlic scape is the flower stem of the garlic plant. It is removed so the garlic plant will put its energy into growing a bigger bulb instead of a flower. Those stems have a wonderful fresh garlic flavor. I find they tend to be a little milder than your average garlic clove. You can chop them up and use them to replace garlic in recipes, but we like to turn them into Garlic Scape Pesto that we can freeze to use all year.
Matt thought the mild garlic flavor would be great with the spring peas we picked up last week. And even better in a mac and cheese.
This was a fabulous spring mac and cheese. The flavors are so balanced between the spicy scapes, sweet peas and salty cheese. The peas are puréed, so when they and the pesto are added to the cheese sauce everything turns a lovely shade of light green. Fusilli is a great shape pasta for this dish because it holds lots of the sauce in its corkscrews.
Spring Green Mac and Cheese
2/3 lb fusilli
1 T unsalted butter
2 T all-purpose flour
1 c half and half (you could also just use milk)
5 oz gruyere, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
3 oz white cheddar, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 c garlic scape pesto
1 1/2 - 2 c sweet pea pods, puréed (you want to end up with about 1 cup of pea purée)
salt
freshly ground pepper
panko
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook while stirring for 1 minute, do not let it brown. Slowly whisk in the half and half to create a thick white sauce. Stir in the cheese until melted. Add the pesto and pea purée and stir to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Mix the pasta and sauce together until the pasta is completely covered. Pour into a large casserole.
Sprinkle some panko on top. Bake for 30 minutes until the top is crispy.
Makes about 4 servings.
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://agoodappetite.blogspot.com OR at http://agoodappetite.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at katbaro AT yahoo DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author unless otherwise noted. © 2007-2012 Kathy Lewinski
A garlic scape is the flower stem of the garlic plant. It is removed so the garlic plant will put its energy into growing a bigger bulb instead of a flower. Those stems have a wonderful fresh garlic flavor. I find they tend to be a little milder than your average garlic clove. You can chop them up and use them to replace garlic in recipes, but we like to turn them into Garlic Scape Pesto that we can freeze to use all year.
Matt thought the mild garlic flavor would be great with the spring peas we picked up last week. And even better in a mac and cheese.
This was a fabulous spring mac and cheese. The flavors are so balanced between the spicy scapes, sweet peas and salty cheese. The peas are puréed, so when they and the pesto are added to the cheese sauce everything turns a lovely shade of light green. Fusilli is a great shape pasta for this dish because it holds lots of the sauce in its corkscrews.
Spring Green Mac and Cheese
2/3 lb fusilli
1 T unsalted butter
2 T all-purpose flour
1 c half and half (you could also just use milk)
5 oz gruyere, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
3 oz white cheddar, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 c garlic scape pesto
1 1/2 - 2 c sweet pea pods, puréed (you want to end up with about 1 cup of pea purée)
salt
freshly ground pepper
panko
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook while stirring for 1 minute, do not let it brown. Slowly whisk in the half and half to create a thick white sauce. Stir in the cheese until melted. Add the pesto and pea purée and stir to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Mix the pasta and sauce together until the pasta is completely covered. Pour into a large casserole.
Sprinkle some panko on top. Bake for 30 minutes until the top is crispy.
Makes about 4 servings.
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://agoodappetite.blogspot.com OR at http://agoodappetite.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at katbaro AT yahoo DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author unless otherwise noted. © 2007-2012 Kathy Lewinski
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