New Year, New Food - Grain Free Raspberry Chocolate Muffins

As we do when a new year is upon us, I went in search of some healthy recipes to take me through the winter months.  I stumbled upon Detoxinista and have been eating well ever since.  The website is run by a holistic nutritionist and is organized by category.  It's very easy to find yummy, healthy recipes that cater to those of us who have tummy issues, food sensitivities and who also just like to eat quality meals that aren't full of preservatives and all that nasty stuff we should be avoiding as much as possible.  No one with a bad diet was ever accused of being 10 years younger than they actually are.  Isn't that motivation enough?

I have spent countless hours trolling the Detoxinista site and have made a list of all the ones I want to try.  Normally I could live on cheese, vegetables, chocolate and coffee...but with the Danish Exchange Student living with us now, I am forced to actually come up with, and provide proper meals.  Fortunately she likes cooking and is always asking what she can do to help - I might just survive this experience!  We tried the avocado chocolate pudding - it was phenomenal and really tastes like the best chocolate pudding ever.  I don't like avocados but I couldn't even taste them in this.  The site also includes recipes for cauliflower pizza crust, spaghetti squash 'pasta' casserole, and vegan/gluten free mac & cheese.  There is something for everyone, gluten free, celiac, paleo, low carb and how about...simply hungry!

I was looking for something we could make that would be easy for us to take in the morning, rushing for school, starving between meals (I had no idea how much teenagers eat) or when I just can't see myself putting a meal on the table.  I found these yummy looking muffins and decided to give them a try...

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Muffins (Grain-free)

• 2 cups almond flour (store-bought or homemade)
• 2 whole eggs
• ¼ cup coconut oil, softened (butter works, too)
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup fresh raspberries (or thawed from frozen)
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• 12 muffin liners

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
2. Combine all the ingredients– except for the raspberries and chocolate chips– and mix well, until the batter is a uniform consistency.
3. Gently fold in the raspberries and chocolate chips, until they are spread throughout the batter.
4. Using a ¼ cup to measure, drop batter into muffin liners and bake for 15 minutes at 350F, turning the pan halfway through for even baking. The final muffins should be golden brown around the edges and firm in the center.
5. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove to cool completely.

These came together quickly and I had them in the oven in under 5 minutes.  The mixture seemed very thick, much thicker than it looks on the Detoxinista website, but they taste good and held up well.  We will be keeping these in the food rotation with some variations from time to time.  Bananas and peanut butter perhaps?



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Have a fabulous day!

Cheesy Quinoa Cakes - Recipe

These are such a nice snack - I like them with hummus salad dressing but any sort of tangy sauce will do.  They are like latkes but with quinoa!  And cheese!  YUM!  Oh...did I mention they are gluten-free?  Perfect for those of us with tummy sensitivities!

To cook quinoa use a 2:1 ratio of water to quinoa, bring to a boil then put on 'low' and simmer for 15 minutes.  Easy peasy!

2 cups cooked quinoa
2/3 cup grated cheese
3 tablespoons flour (use gluten-free flour if you like)
2 green onions, thinly sliced (I use 5 or 6)
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

salt to taste

Mix everything but the oil together in a bowl and heat the oil over medium heat.  Spoon the mixture into the hot oil - I use a big tablespoon or a small ice cream scoop.

 Each side takes about 5 minutes to get nicely golden brown.  Squash them down a bit to make the 'pancakes' nice and crispy.  You will need to add a bit of oil for each batch but a little bit goes a long way!

My batch usually makes 10-12 pancakes depending on how big they are.  I have eaten them for every meal and snacks in the last few weeks and lost all of my Christmas flubber without even thinking about it!


Have a fabulous day!

Quinoa Casserole - Recipe!

Seriously...this is so yummy I have made it every second day for the last few weeks!  It's very easy to make and keeps well in the fridge.

Quinoa has so many great health benefits and is so easy to prepare and cook with...there's no reason it shouldn't be in everyone's diet!  Packed full of protein and magnesium (something women tend to suffer a lack of) it is a tiny little powerhouse of goodness!

It is like a grain but it's actually a seed.  It can replace rice, couscous or anything else you would like to improve.  I have also seen quinoa flakes and flour and found a number of recipes for brownies and other goodies!  Quinoa is gluten free and easy on the tummy so it is perfect for anyone with digestive issues!

Quinoa cooking...use a 2:1 ratio of water to quinoa and bring to a boil.  Then turn down to low and let simmer for 15 minutes.  Let it sit for 5 minutes then fluff up with a fork.  Yes, that's a spurtle.  From Scotland.

One 10 oz container of condensed 'Cream of' soup.  I found organic mushroom in the health food section of my grocery store.

1/3 cup mayo

2 tablespoons milk

1 1/4 cups shredded cheese

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1tbsp nutmeg

2 cups raw broccoli

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa

Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a casserole dish.

In a large bowl combine the soup, mayonnaise, milk, shredded cheese, pepper, and nutmeg until well mixed. Stir in the quinoa and broccoli.

Spoon mixture into prepared casserole.  Sprinkle on a couple tablespoons of Parmesan and bake for 35-40 minute - should be bubbly with golden edges.

For those who asked about my new bakeware...I love it!  It is actually non-stick even tho it's not teflon.  I have baked this casserole in this pan loads of times and it comes out of the dishwasher looking perfect!

Have a fabulous day!

Cranberry feta filling and spread - Recipe!

 

I saw these on Pinterest and knew Christmas just wasn't going to survive without them!  One just can't go wrong when bringing cheese to the party!

They are easy to make...

1 package of cream cheese 

1 package or container of feta cheese 

1 bunch of green onions

Dried cranberries

Let all the ingredients come to room temperature so they blend easily.  Mix them all together and store in an airtight container in the fridge.  

I served this on Christmas day as a little snack in the afternoon.  I went extra festive and used green, spinach wraps and they looked great!  They don't have to be just for Christmas tho!  I keep a container of this in the fridge for anytime I need a little something to go with a bowl of homemade soup!

For anyone who is gluten free I suggest making this and spreading it on GF crackers...I have a couple of favourites and places like Costco now carry lots of GF products.

Don't forget to enter my seaglass jewelry giveaway!

Have a fabulous day!

Summer in a glass!

I was reading the May/June issue of Tea Time Magazine and spotted some adorable little desserts in miniature!  My in-laws were coming for a birthday dinner so I needed something special for dessert.

Key lime, Boston cream and strawberry shortcake parfaits!  How cute are they!?  They are all so easy to make and assemble and can easily be prepared with ready made ingredients!

Mine didn't look quite as pretty but then I have a 3 year old boy and any mom of a little boy knows one just gets it in the glass, on the table, in the oven, on the plate or anything else one needs too do with food and then runs off to find out what mischief one's little boy is up to! 

I didn't bother using the recipe...the little boy and everything else I need to manage means a lack of time...so I just used vanilla pudding mix, used lime juice in place of 1/4 of the milk and layered with whipped cream and graham crumbs.

It tastes like a day at the beach!  Just vanilla pudding, milk, lime juice, whipped cream and graham crumbs.  Easy peasy!

For the coffee service I channeled my inner Miss Janice and tied pretty little ribbons to my glass coffee mugs!  Everyone was duly impressed!


Have a fabulous day!

Roasted Beets - Recipe

One of my favourite things to eat all year is roasted beets!  We plant lots of them every spring to enjoy at the end of summer.  They are so perfectly earthy and crisp...topped with walnuts and feta they are practically candy!

Peel and slice beets and lightly toss in olive oil, salt and pepper.
Bake at 400 for 40 minutes, toss and bake for another 20 minutes.
When they are cooked plate them and top with walnuts and feta.
Enjoy!


Have a fabulous day!

Roasted Green Beans

Beans and carrots ready to go in the oven!

Dont forget my birthday giveaway!

My local grocery store has a frozen roasted vegetable mix that I have used a few times and tho it is quite good, it has too many potatoes in it for my liking.  This mix does include green beans which I thought was very interesting but trust me when I say how yummy they are!

Yes I use frozen vegetables, especially at this time of year as they are the best value but also the best quality.  Fresh veggies come from so far away they are quite old by the time they are in the grocery store but frozen veggies are frozen very shortly after being picked so little is lost by the time they find themselves in my kitchen.  When I weigh the cost of a fresh cauliflower that is weeks old vs the cost of frozen cauliflower that has been 'preserved' at maybe one day old...I take the frozen.

I was in the M&Ms store the other day buying a few things for the freezer when I saw they have a big bag of green beans mixed with carrots and I thought I would try roasting them for dinner that night.  I love that I didnt have to pick anything out of the mix!  One of their mixes includes snow peas (not Snoopy's) and they just dont do it for me so I pick them out.

Oh.Em.Gee.  Just like french fries!  The Suburban Prince took them with his dinner to work and his co-workers kept asking who made fries!

Did we know 2/3 cup of green beans has 30 calories? 

I strongly suggest you get these on your dinner table asap!

Tips...

- Defrost the green beans.  I put a tea town in the pan and pour the green beans onto it and let them 'melt' for a couple of hours.  Wet food wont caramelize so skipping this step will mean you dont get lovely crisp beans and wont have the french fry effect.

- When the beans are ready take them and the tea towel out of the pan and pour some olive oil into the pan...a few tbsps is fine...and then put the beans in the pan.  Use lots of salt (I use Himalayan sea salt and kelp in my grinder) and give the beans a toss in the pan.

- Roast at 400 for 30 minutes then toss them to make sure the ones on the bottom dont end up charred and bake for another 20 minutes...toss again and bake for another 15 minutes.  Depending on your oven you might need to adjust the timing but that's what works for me.

Enjoy!

Have a fabulous day!

Yummy Chicken Salad

Dont miss my Back to School Giveaway!

I decided to try Bethenny's Chicken Salad recipe and I am so glad I did!  It reminds me of my favourite Moroccan dish, Bastilla and was very simple to put together.  It tasted great the next day too!

Here is Bethenny's recipe - I never bother measuring as I feel we should cook by taste and feel so dont be a slave to this, make substitutions as you wish but you must, must use the cinnamon...more than a pinch though!  It really takes chicken salad to a whole new level!  It took me about 20 minutes from the time I got home 'til the Suburban Prince had dinner in front of him...I served this on a salad for dinner and as a sandwich for lunch the next day.  I think this recipe would serve 1, maybe 2 if you have small portions but I made a big batch and froze the leftovers for another day!

•1 cup shredded cooked chicken (I have no idea how to shred a chicken so I just chopped it up)
•1 tbsp. slivered almonds
•1 1/2 tbsp. dried cranberries
•1 1/2 tbsp. nondairy mayonnaise (I used normal mayo)
•pinch of cinnamon
•1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard (I used an old style grainy mustard)
•1/2 tsp. salt
•1/2 tsp. black pepper
 
 
Have a fabulous day!

The best ice cream I have ever tasted!

Last week High Heeled Life and her hubby came to spend the day which was so much fun!  We went for lunch, roamed the town and poked about in the shops, laughed our heads off so much MrG had to leave the table and I had tears running down my face, made dinner and all gathered around the little tv in our kitchen to watch Y&R while my home made ice cream was churned.  It was an awesome day and we can't wait to do it again! 

I decided to try Barefoot Contessa's chocolate gelato for our dessert and I am so glad I took a chance and tried this recipe!  It is very easy to make and easily stands alone since it is so dark, rich and delicious (I recall this was my criteria when I was single and dating!).  I usually don't like chocolate cake or ice cream as it just isn't rich or chocolatey enough.  I believe if you are going to eat chocolate it should be deep, dark and intense.  I like an extreme chocolate experience and this gelato fits the bill!

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups whole milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 extra-large egg yolks
2 tablespoons Kahlua or similar coffee flavoured liqueur
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Large pinch kosher salt
8 chocolates, roughly chopped, optional

Directions

Heat the milk, cream, and 1/2 cup sugar in a 2-quart saucepan, until the sugar dissolves and the milk starts to simmer. Add the cocoa powder and chocolate and whisk until smooth. Pour into a heat-proof measuring cup.

Place the egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and very thick. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the hot chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Pour the egg and chocolate mixture back into the 2-quart saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. A candy thermometer will register about 180 degrees F. Don't allow the mixture to boil!

Pour the mixture through a sieve into a bowl and stir in the coffee liqueur, vanilla, and salt. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the custard and chill completely.

Pour the custard into the bowl of an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's directions. Stir in the roughly chopped chocolate, if using, and freeze in covered containers. Allow the gelato to thaw slightly before serving.


My suggestions

Don't skip the Kahlua - you need it to bring out the flavour of the chocolate and to prevent ice crystals from forming.  Don't worry, you wont send anyone to AA for 2 teaspoons in a batch of ice cream and your children wont be getting drunk.

Make the liquid the day before you want to eat it, let it cool to room temperature then refrigerate.  Churn it the day you want to eat it.  For best results, make sure your liquid is very cold before you put it in the machine.

Store the frozen part of your ice cream maker in your freezer - this will ensure it is frozen for the 24 hours it really needs to make the best ice cream.

Make sure your machine is assembled and ready to go before pouring the liquid in it.  If you dont churn it right away the liquid will start to solidify and you wont be able to churn it.  Yes, we did learn this the hard way.

Churn the ice cream a few hours before you want to serve it so there is enough time for it to freeze and become solid.

Have a fabulous day!

In protest of Summer....

...I made a favourite Autumn dinner!  Roasted butternut squash, brussell sprouts and baked ham with a yummy glaze!  I have been ready for Autumn to come and couldn't wait any longer!

Organic butternut squash. 

It's always best to choose organic when it is available as organic foods dont have pestidices and are not genetically altered to survive the effects of pesticides.  Organic is becoming more and more affordable - the day I bought the squash I paid 1.49 a pound, the non-organic squash was 1.29 a lb so I paid maybe 1.00 more for all of this squash.

Ready to be scooped!

I used a vegetable peeler to peel the squash, cut it in half, scooped out the seeds and chopped it up.  I prefer smaller pieces for maximum roastability.

Brussell sprouts defrosting along side the squash. 

Cut the sprouts in half and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.  I often sprinkle kelp granules on them before baking for depth of flavour.

I tossed the squash with olive oil and curry powder. 

My fancy mise en place!  Brown suger, marmalade, cloves and grainy mustard.

I made a glaze and poured it over the clove-studded ham.

I put a little bit of water in the bottom of the pan.  I popped it into the over at 400 for about an hour - half way through I covered it with tin foil.  The vegetables took about 30 minutes but keep an eye on them because the sprouts can easily burn.

YUM!  I use small plates so no we aren't piggies!

Be light handed with the oil when prepping the squash - it really just needs a dribble otherwise it wont crisp up at all.  The glaze made a nice sauce and the cloves just put the ham over the top!  Stud the ham and make the glaze from the sugar, marmalade, and mustard.  Easy Peasy!

Have a fabulous day!

Winter Potato Salad

I made this potato salad to go with dinner on New Year's Eve and everyone loved it! I have made it a few times in the past and it is always very easy to prepare and tasty! It comes from French Food at Home by Laura Calder. In the book it is listed as Alsatian Potato Salad but on her show it is called Warm Potato Salad. To keep things complicated I call it Winter Potato Salad because it is served warm. The combination of the light grape seed oil and the tangy white wine vinegar is warm and cozy - just like a winter blanket!

Ingredients

1-1/4 pounds new waxy potatoes, unpeeled
1 cup shelled peas
1/4 Pound bacon, cut into pieces
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup grape seed oil
salt and pepper to season

Directions

Boil the potatoes in a large pot of salted water until tender. Drain, peel, and slice into a large bowl. Meanwhile, cook the peas in a saucepan of boiling salted water until tender. Rinse immediately under cold water, drain, and set aside.

Fry the bacon in a frying pan. When crisp, add the onion and garlic, and stir to warm through. Pour over the vinegar to deglaze, scraping up the good bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the stock and oil. Add the peas to warm through. Then combine all with the potatoes in the bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.


Have a fabulous day!

Gossip, Quiche and Bentos

Hello Blogger Friends! I hope you had a great weekend! My weekend was quiet and relaxing. The Suburban Prince worked all weekend so I got to do my own thing.

On Saturday a friend came over for lunch and to gossip/share our mutual concern about another friend. I made quiche and served it with flat bread and finished lunch off with gourmet hot chocolates and cookies.

We have a mutual friend we are very concerned about. She seems to be unravelling and her husband has pretty much checked out (we suspect it could be even worse than that) and she just doesn't seem to be able to or want to pull herself together. We really want to help her but cant figure out how to without letting her know we know more than we probably should - In fact, maybe more than our friend even knows herself. How does one let a friend know you know their husband is never home and doesn't sleep with her without letting her know you know that? Such a quandary!

The quiche was really yummy! Here is the recipe:

Suburban Princess's Yummy Lunch Quiche

1 pint of grape tomatoes
1 head of broccoli
1.5 cups of shredded cheese
12 eggs
Salt and pepper

You can use a pie crust if you want to but this works well with or without it.
If you don't use a pie shell you should spray your pan with Pam.
Cut the tomatoes in half and put them in the pan.
Chop up the broccoli and put it on top of the tomatoes.
Spread the cheese on top of the broccoli.
Beat the eggs with salt and pepper and pour over the cheese and veggies in the pan.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes and then turn up the oven to 400 for another 20 minutes.
Let it sit for a few minutes before cutting and serving.
This freezes well so you can enjoy it next week too without any effort!
Bon Appetit!

The Suburban Prince's Bento Lunch

I have been inspired by the wonderful lunches I have been seeing a lot of lately on the mommy blogs. They are based on the Bento style of packing lunch and are adorable! Who wouldn't love to open their lunch box and see this?! The Suburban Prince works very hard so I felt he deserved a change from the ordinary, run of the mill lunches I have been making all summer.

I gathered (code for I went on a shopping expedition) some supplies and got to work! The photo above is one of the lunches I made for the Suburban Prince this weekend. The container with the blue lid holds hummus and grape tomatoes, on the side is cauliflower under the broccoli (see how Bentos are a great way to use leftovers?), cookies, almonds, crackers and chocolates. On top of the small container is frozen grapes. There was a thermos of meatballs to go with this lunch. Very healthy and nice to look at! What it lacks in cuteness it makes up in nutrition and fun! There are all kinds of accessories to 'cuten' up Bento lunches - dividers, containers, picks etc etc etc! I need to plan a trip to the Asian mall to see what I can find.

Have a fabulous day!

My Favourite Summer Side Dish!

This is one of my favourite summer side dishes. I made it so much last summer I actually couldn't stomach the sight of cauliflower for a few months! This is the perfect accompaniment to a BBQ dinner - I like to have it with ribs, yams and a nice white wine. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!


1 cauliflower - chopped
2 green peppers - chopped
1 onion - chopped
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Feta cheese - crumbled (I like sun dried tomato or herb flavour already chopped up from the deli)


Lie a piece of tin foil on your counter (2 feet long should be fine) and put chopped up cauliflower, chopped green pepper and chopped onion on it. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put another piece of tin foil on top and roll up the edges of both sheets of tin foil to create a sealed package.

Put the package in the oven or on the BBQ with whatever else you are cooking at the time.

Put the feta cheese in a bowl and when the cauliflower package comes out of the oven or off the BBQ put all of the hot veggies in the bowl with the feta cheese. Stir it all together and serve!

I have made this for casual dinners for just the Suburban Prince and myself and also for fancier dinners with friends and family and it is always a hit!

Enjoy!

Have a fabulous day!