healthy cooking: lemon coconut pancakes

While I searched online for a new pancake mix recipe for the Easter morning breakfast  I had in mind and of course while staying  on my healthy eating kick, I discovered one, similar to pancakes I’d eaten at a restaurant in Emeryville, California several weeks ago and figured I’d try it. (Phew!!!)

So, here it goes:

Lemon Coconut Pancakes with Honey-Tart Yogurt Sauce
1 cup Gluten-Free flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 cup Brown Sugar
2 eggs
1 cup Coconut Milk
1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
Juice of 1 Lemon
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Yogurt Sauce
1/4 cup Plain Yogurt of Choice (Goat, Sheep, Cow)
1 Tbsp Honey
2 tsp Strawberry Preserves
Juice of 1/2 a Lemon
Mix all ingredients together well; set aside and serve with pancakes

First, mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl, and set aside. In a separate bowl mix all the wet ingredients together and whisk well. Slowly stir in wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients, and mix thoroughly until a smooth batter forms. Heat a pan with a drop of Coconut oil, and pour in a 1/4 cup of batter onto pan, forming a nice round shape. Cook until bubbles form- about 2-3 minutes, then flip. Repeat until all the batter is gone. Serve with yogurt sauce, and top with fresh berries.

{photo and recipe credit: click here}

healthy recipe: thanksgiving salad with kale, cauliflower and parmesan cheese

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays celebrated in the U.S., not because of what it stands for from  the historical aspect of it, but because I literally consider it a “thanks” giving day for my family and the many blessing which go unnoticed throughout the year.

So, although most of the fun of thanksgiving revolves around cooking a hearty meal to celebrate giving thanks, I can’t help but look for ways to make the meal  healthy and light.  In light of that fact, one must on our dinner table is a salad, so I was glad to come across a recipe  here which I can  surely include on  my menu, while I host this years Thanksgiving dinner.

Thanksgiving Sides :: Kale, Cauliflower + Parmesan Salad

Refreshing and clean—a welcomed crunch to your Thanksgiving plate.

½ head of cauliflower
large bunch of kale
Fresh parmigiano reggiano to grate
Juice of one lemon
2 Tbsp Olive oil
Salt + pepper

Wash and tear Kale, removing spine. Slice quartered Cauliflower with a mandolin. Pour good extra virgin olive oil in the bottom of your serving dish. Toss kale and Cauliflower in oil and lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Grate fresh parmesan generously (to taste) over greens. Serves 4-6 as a side.

healthy recipe: thanksgiving menu countdown with williams-sonoma in mind

One of my favorite stores happens to be, Williams Sonoma. I can walk through the store once a week and feel completely inspired to cook a meal just by all the wonderful gadgets and fancy boxed goods they have so perfectly displayed along the selves.

My most favorite time to visit the store however, is the holiday season, which is  from late October through early January, and explore what they suggest to include as part of your holiday menu. The most amazing of course is the smell of cinnamon, warmed apples and various other spices emanating throughout the store, enticing you to follow your nose straight to the cash register with something to take home for the holidays.

Anyway, in addition to the store’s charm and decor, they have an entire section on their website with recipes for the holidays. Since I am on a healthy eating kick, I couldn’t help but hone in on the Herbed Quinoa and Red Rice Stuffing with Kale and Pine Nuts. Check out the recipe here or below:

Looking for a gluten-free stuffing that tastes amazing? Try this version, made with our quinoa and red rice stuffing mix. To further enhance the flavor, we add Tuscan kale and fresh oregano plus pine nuts for a bit of crunch.

Ingredients:

• 1 packet quinoa and red rice (included with mix)
• 3 1/4 cups water
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Unsalted butter for baking dish, plus 3 Tbs.
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 bunch Tuscan kale, about 8 oz., stems removed and leaves thinly sliced
• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano
• 1 packet spices (included with mix)
• 1 packet dried cranberries (included with mix)
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup chicken stock, warmed
• Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for serving (optional)

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine the quinoa and red rice with the water and salt lightly. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until most of the water is absorbed and the grains are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.

Preheat an oven to 375°F. Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the 3 Tbs. butter. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes, adding the kale during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Add the oregano and spices and season with salt. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl. Add the quinoa and red rice, cranberries, pine nuts, lemon zest and stock and stir until well combined.

Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes, then garnish with cheese and serve. Serves 8 to 10.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

healthy recipe – fig chutney

I have to admit, I love figs, fresh ones or otherwise. When they are in season, I gorge on them until I am sick to my stomach and just when I swear I wouldn’t eat  anymore, I find myself always in the gourmet section of a grocery store searching for anything made with figs.

So, of course, it’s not a surprise that after finishing a jar of fig jam and eating a dozen or so fresh ones out of a basket, like an addict, I began a desperate search for fig chutney to make during the impending holiday season. A good excuse to eat figs again

Although I search the internet extensively for most any recipe to compare the ingredients so that I can create my own version, for the fig chutney, since it’s my first time making it,  I have decided to go with my favorite chef/author/connoisseur/online mentor if you will and follow the recipe he suggests to the exact just to make sure it’s the right balance in flavor.

Fig Chutney
Two jars (2 cups, 500 g)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large red onion, peeled and finely diced
1/2-inch (2cm) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2/3 cup (120g) packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (125ml) apple cider vinegar
juice and zest of one lemon
3/4 cup (100g) raisins and diced dried fruits (any mix)
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 small cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
large pinch red pepper powder
1 pound (450g) fresh figs, stemmed and diced

1. In a wide saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, which will take about ten minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the figs. Let cook at a steady simmer for 20 minutes, then add the figs, cover the pot, and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the figs are tender and cooked through.

3. Remove the lid and cook 10 to 15 minutes over low heat, stirring, until the mixture thickens and becomes jam-like.

healthy recipe: chile with chocolate and chipotle

I love chile, but hate the ground meat version of it, so for this weekend’s football party I wanted to make a pot of chile and serve it up with some amazing San Francisco sourdough, cheddar cheese and lots of chopped onions. Check out the recipe I found here

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 2 cups diced onion (about 1 large)
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 1/4 pounds ground turkey breast
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2 chipotle chiles, canned in adobo sauce, minced
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• Chopped green onions (optional)

Preparation

1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and turkey to pan; sauté 8 minutes or until turkey is browned and vegetables are tender. Add sugar and next 9 ingredients (through chipotle) to pan, stirring to blend; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Add chocolate, stirring to melt. Ladle 1 1/4 cups chili in each of 8 bowls; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream. Garnish with green onions.

Kathy Farrell-Kingsley, Chocolate Therapy: Indulgent Recipes to Lift Your Spirits,Cooking Light 

new years eve party appetizers – my picks

Since I am hosting this year’s New Years Eve party, I had to, of course, find a few simple and quick appetizer recipes. Here are some of my favorites {click on photo to get the recipe}

Spinach and Goat Cheese Tartlets

Mustard Onion Jam crackers with figs

Artichoke Au Gratin - My Favorite

Flatbread with Bacon and Scallion Pesto - Yum!

Crostini with thyme-roasted tomatoes

healthy eating: avocado and roast carrot salad

The best thing about finding a great recipe like this, is that in between Christmas and the New Years festivites, I can actually take a break from all the goodies of the holiday season and indulge in something healthy.

Recipe

1 pound medium differently colored carrots, with their leafy tops
• 2 level teaspoons whole cumin seeds
• 1 or 2 small dried chillies, crumbled
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked
• extra virgin olive oil
• red or white wine vinegar
• 1 orange, halved
• 1 lemon, halved
• 3 ripe avocados
• red wine vinegar
• 4 x ½-inch-thick slices of ciabatta or other
• good-quality bread
• 2 handfuls of interesting mixed winter salad leaves (like Treviso, arugula, radicchio or cavolo nero tops), washed and spun dry
• 2 bunches of cress
• 2⁄3 cup of sour cream
• 4 tablespoons mixed seeds, toasted

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Parboil your carrots in boiling, salted water for 10 minutes, until they are very nearly cooked, then drain and put them into a roasting pan. You should flavor them while they’re steaming hot, so while the carrots are cooking get a pestle and mortar and smash up the cumin seeds, chillies, salt and pepper. Add the garlic and thyme leaves and smash up again until you have a kind of paste. The idea here is to build up the flavors. Add enough extra virgin olive oil to generously cover the paste, and a good swig of vinegar. This will be like a marinade, a rub and a dressing all in one! Stir together, then pour over the carrots in the pan, coating them well. Add the orange and lemon halves, cut-side down. These will roast along with the carrots, and their juice can be used as the basis of the dressing. Place in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden.

While the carrots are roasting, halve and peel your avocados, discarding the pits, then cut them into wedges lengthwise and place in a big bowl. Remove the carrots from the oven and add them to the avocados. Carefully, using some tongs, squeeze the roasted orange and lemon juice into a bowl and add the same amount of extra virgin olive oil and a little swig of red wine vinegar. Season, and pour this dressing over the carrots and avocados. Mix together, have a taste and correct the seasoning. Call your gang round the table while you toast or broil your ciabatta slices.

Tear the toasted bread into little pieces and add to the dressed carrot and avocado. Mix together, toss in the salad leaves and cress and transfer to a big platter or divide between individual plates. Spoon over a nice dollop of sour cream, sprinkle over your toasted seeds and drizzle over some extra virgin olive oil.

holiday dinner recipe ideas – christmas 2011

Ham, turkey, lamb or roast, whatever the main dish may be, I have found some interesting side dishes to compliment just about any variation.  Click on photo to get recipe:

Vegetable Tarte

Buckwheat crepe with vegetables

Beet and Orange Salad - my fave

Pine nut cheese crisps

Roasted Celery Roots and Carrots

 

 

side dishes galore for thanksgiving dinner

I  spent this past weekend, choosing my recipes and planning my  Thanksgiving menu.  Since I am not a fan of turkey and neither are the members of my family, it is very important to have a fun selection of side dishes which are not only easy to prepare but also fun to eat. So below are the side dishes on my menu for this year’s Thanksgiving dinner. {Click on the photo to get the recipe}

Butter-Pecan Sweet Potatoes

Orange Scented Cranberry Sauce

Spiced Lemony Brussel Sprouts

Salad With Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Broccoli and Feta Galette

healthy baking: fall cake recipe

I am not a fan of frosted bland layer cakes. I  much prefer bundt cakes made with dried fruits and nuts, maybe some fresh lemon or orange peel shavings (aka rinds), and definitely infused with  cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.

Since this type of cake is not very popular in the U.S., most restaurants and cafes offer either carrot cake or zucchini bread as an alternative. So I usually order either to give me the fix I need, if and when I crave for a slice of  ”robust” cake. I want to state here that I can only tolerate the cream frosting on either cake since it actually and truly compliments the flavors throughout it.

Over the weekend, while I searched for a cake to bake for this year’s Thanksgiving dinner, I came across this visually amazing blog and found an interesting recipe for a cake which I wanted to share with everyone who comes across my blog and also make for this year’s Thanksgiving dessert table.

Harvest Cake (Makes 1-9inch cake, to make a layered cake like pictured above double the recipe)

• 3 cups almond flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup ghee (or oil of your choice) if you use ghee make sure it is melted
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup grated carrot
• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 1 cup chopped apple

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9inch cake pan (you can use a regular cake pan if you prefer, not the fluted one pictured above). In a bowl combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl combine wet ingredients. Pour wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir to incorporate. Pour into prepared cake pan and cook in oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Vanilla Cream (makes almost 2 cups)

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for three hours, water discarded
• 1/2 cup fresh apple juice
• 2 Medjool dates, pitted
• 1 TBS honey
• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped and pod discarded

In a high speed blender combine ingredients until very smooth. Spread on cake or muffins.

Cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 days or in the fridge for 1 week.

{click here for photo and recipe credits}