Category Archives: cook

tomato, basil & bocconcini salad

13 Friday Jul 2012

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Summer is here and with it, fresh tomatoes and basil! My basil is flourishing in the greenhouse but I am relying on the Farmers Market and organic grocery stories to find the early fruit. I recommend using your highest quality extra virgin olive oil and sea salt flakes (i.e. Malden’s). A taste of juicy summer in every bite!

Tomato, Basil and Bocconcini Salad

This is a ‘rough’ recipe as the size of your salad will depend on how many people you are serving or how many fresh ripe tomatoes you bought at the farmers market.

3 medium-large ripe tomatoes

bocconcini, sliced (Note: I accidentally bought ‘cocktail balls’ of bocconcini but they worked just as well sliced in half)

fresh basil

extra-virgin olive oil

balsamic vinegar (just a sprinkling)

seal salt flakes and freshly ground pepper

Slice your tomatoes and bocconcini. Separate the basil into individual leaves. (You can coarsely chop these if your basil leaves are very large.) On a serving platter, begin laying the tomato slices and top each with a bocconcini slice. You’ll often see this salad arranged in a circle but play around and have fun with the design. This time around, I used a very long bread plate and arranged them in a long line.

Drizzle the tomatoes and cheese with olive oil and sprinkle with balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve. Enjoy every bite and keep in mind that this salad will never be this flavorful in the winter with store-bought fruit!

 

rice flour bread (wheat-free, gluten-free)

12 Thursday Jul 2012

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Here is a wheat-free, gluten-free bread recipe that is quite light and flavorful. I found it on yummly.com. I milled some basmati rice for this but the original recipe calls for brown rice flour (which you can easily find at your local grocery store or health food store). Despite the short rising time, I was impressed at how much this bread rose. It slices well so it is great as toast and sandwiches without becoming too crumbly.

Rice Flour Bread

3 large eggs

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1-¼ cup warm water

4 tablespoons sugar

1-1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast

2 cups tapioca flour

2 cups rice flour (white or brown)

2/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder (instant)

2 teaspoons zanthan gum

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 tablespoons ground flax seeds

Bring all cold ingredients to room temperature.

Butter a 5 x 9 inch loaf pan.

In a electric mixer bowl, combine eggs, oil and lemon juice. In a separate small bowl combine the water, 1 tablespoon of the sugar and the yeast. Let this stand for 5 minutes or until foamy. In a medium bowl, combine the tapioca flour, rice flour, dry milk powder, xanthan gum, salt, flax seed and remaining 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Add the yeast mixture to the egg mixture then slowly add the dry ingredients a little at a time until completely incorporated. Mix batter on high speed for 3-1/2 minutes then pour into the prepared pan.

Cover bread with foil and place in a cold oven. Set a pan of hot water on lower shelf underneath the bread. Leave for 10 minutes with oven door closed. (This will cause the bread to rise quickly.) Remove bread from oven (do not uncover) and place in a warm place. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Bread will continue to rise as the oven preheats.

Uncover the bread and bake for 10 minutes to brown the top. Re-cover the bread with the foil and continue to bake for 30 minutes. Turn bread onto a cooling rack. Once bread has cooled completely, wrap tightly to maintain freshness. Enjoy!

chocolate almond bark with smoked sea salt

11 Wednesday Jul 2012

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If you like chocolate-covered pretzels you will love this almond bark with its rich sweetness followed by a hit of salt. Hunt for the best quality chocolate you can find for this recipe and use sea salt flakes (or fine sea salt), such as Maldon’s or Contemporary Ocean Products found at specialty cooking shops or health food stores. A decadent treat for those special moments. I have to warn you, this is a very addictive treat and I am already planning on making a second batch only a few days after finishing the last one!

Chocolate Almond Bark with Smoked Sea Salt

1/2 cup maple syrup syrup or raw cane sugar

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1-1/2 cup raw almonds, freshly toasted

1 pound high-quality dark chocolate (62- 70% cacao), finely chopped

smoked sea salt flakes (to taste)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine maple syrup with 2 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat and cook until the mixture thickens and darkens in color. Remove from heat and add the butter, whisking until melted. Set aside 1/4 cup of the almonds and add the rest to the saucepan. Stir until well-coated.

Place chocolate in a double boiler or in a bowl over a pot of boiling water. Stir until melted, then add the nut mixture, again, stirring well. Transfer to the baking sheet, spreading the mixture out, topping with the reserved toasted nuts and sprinkling with salt flakes (to taste). Chill until chocolate sets, about 3 hours. Break bark into pieces and store between layers of parchment paper or waxed paper. Can be made up to a week ahead. Store in the fridge. Enjoy!

espresso banana muffins

25 Monday Jun 2012

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I adapted this recipe from Heidi Swanson’s cookbook: Super Natural Cooking: Five Ways to Incorporate Whole and Natural Ingredients into our Cooking. These turned out moist and delicious. I love the coffee, chocolate, banana and toasted nut combination. These are great for breakfast or as a mid-day snack with, what else, coffee. Yum…

Espresso Banana Muffins

2 cups spelt flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1-1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1 tablespoon fine espresso powder

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup natural cane sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon banana extract

1 cup buttermilk

1-1/2 cup mashed overripe bananas (about 3 large bananas)

1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Grease and/or line muffin tins (for 18 muffins).

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, 3/4 cup of the walnuts, espresso powder and chocolate chips (if using) in a bowl and whisk to combine.

In a separate large bowl or stand mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy.  Beat in the sugar and then the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the vanilla and banana extracts, buttermilk and mashed bananas. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until mixed.

Spoon into the prepared tuns and top with the reaming 1/2 cup walnuts. Bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Cool in muffin tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 18 muffins. Enjoy!

Resource:

Swanson, H. (2007). Super Natural Cooking: Five Ways to Incorporate Whole and Natural Ingredients into our Cooking. New York: Celestial Arts.

pavlova

22 Friday Jun 2012

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This is a wonderfully light, sweet and colorful summer dessert! I made this for the first time in 1994 from a recipe in Fine Cooking magazine and have been making it every summer since then. This is a great dessert for potlucks and picnics and I like to make this when fresh raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries are in season and just pile the fruit on! The bright colors of the berries make for a spectacular display and kids can’t resist stealing bits of the meringue before it even reaches the table!

Pavlova

For the Meringue:

5 egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

pinch of salt

1-2/3 cup superfine sugar

5 teaspoons cornstarch, more for the baking sheet

2 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

For the Filling:

2 cups whipping cream, chilled

1 tablespoon honey (optional)

approximately 3 cups fresh berries

mint sprigs to garnish

Preheat oven to 275 degrees (F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and dust the sheet with cornstarch.

In a large mixing bowl, whip the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt on high speed until stiff peaks form. Add the sugar slowly, about a tablespoon at a time. Combine the cornstarch with the last 2 tablespoons of sugar and add them together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, continue whipping and slowly add the vinegar and vanilla. Whip for another minute. The mixture should be very glossy and fluffy.

For a Large Pavlova:

Spread the meringue on the prepared baking sheet into a 7-inch round, about 3 inches high, using a spatula or spoon. Make a shallow depression in the center to allow room for the filling.

For Individual Pavlovas:

Use a three ounce ice cream scoop and stack two scoops, snowman style, for each pavlova. With a spatula, smooth the sides to join the two scoops and make a shallow depression in the center.

For Mini-Pavlovas:

Use a one-ounce ice cream scoop or two tablespoons. Drop one scoop onto the parchment for each pavlova and make a shallow depression in the center of each.

To Bake:

Put the pavlova in the heated oven and immediately turn down the heat to 250 degrees (F). Bake, without opening the door for at least the first 45 minutes (less for the minis), until they’re crisp and dry-looking on the outside with just a hint of ivory color (individual, 1-1/4 hour; minis, 35-40 minutes) and then turn off the heat and leave in the oven with the door cracked for another 30 minutes. Remove the pavlova from the oven and put the baking sheet on a rack to cool.

To Assemble:

Up to 1 hour before serving, whip the chilled cream until it holds soft peaks. Add the honey, if using, and whip another few seconds to blend. Carefully peel off the meringue from the parchment paper and set it on a serving platter or plates. Fill the center with whipped cream and top with fresh fruit. Decorate with sprigs of fresh mint and a light sprinkling of icing sugar. Keep cool and serve within one hour. Enjoy!

adventures with whole grains: quinoa cake with crystalized ginger

20 Wednesday Jun 2012

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I needed to make a birthday cake this past weekend and wanted to try something different. I found this recipe in Lorna Sass’s Whole Grains Every Day Every Way cookbook. I have never used cooked quinoa in a baking recipe before and was really surprised at how versatile this grain is. If you don’t like crystallized ginger you can add raisons or any other dried fruit, or none at all. Normally I don’t ice my cakes but as this was a birthday cake, I thought it would look more festive and decadent with some extra sweetness. I iced the cake with a simple Betty Crocker cream cheese frosting and included the recipe below.

Quinoa Cake with Crystalized Ginger

1 cup uncooked quinoa

1 cup spelt flour, plus more for the pan (or substitute with your flour of choice)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup coarsely chopped Brazil nuts, toasted (or walnuts or pecans)

4 to 6 tablespoons coarsely chopped crystalized ginger, to taste

1/2 cup golden raisons

3 large eggs

1/2 cup orange juice

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing the pan

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the quinoa and cook until the grains are translucent and tender (there should be a white dot of uncooked starch at the center), 11 to 14 minutes. Drain thoroughly in a fine-meshed strainer. Spread the quinoa out on a large platter to cool.

Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Butter and lightly flour a rectangular baking pan that measures 11 by 7 inches. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, salt, nuts, ginger and raisons.

In a small bowl, combine the eggs, orange juice, butter and vanilla extract. Stir the liquid ingredients and the quinoa into the dry ingredients until just blended. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of pan. Rotate the pan halfway through for more even baking.

Set the pan on a cooling rack. When cool, cut into squares and serve. Note: I used two round cake tins and iced this as a birthday cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese, milk and vanilla in medium bowl on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until smooth and of spreading consistency. Frosts a 13 x 9 inch cake or fills and frosts two 8- or 9- inch cake layers. Refrigerate any remaining frosting.

Resources:

Sass, L. (2006). Whole Grains Every Day Every Way. New York: Clarkson Potter/Publishers.

Zeman, A. (1991). Betty Crocker’s 40th Anniversary Edition Cookbook. New York: Prentice Hall.

crunchy cole slaw

18 Monday Jun 2012

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Cole slaw is such a versatile dish and can be served in a variety of ways: as a side dish, in a taco or even on a sandwich or burger. It’s a fantastic picnic or barbeque salad and I find that it tastes better the longer it sits. Just add the toasted nuts at the last minute so that they stay crunchy. Try substituting toasted walnuts instead of sunflower seeds and toasted black sesame seeds instead of poppy seeds.

Crunchy Cole Slaw

2 tablespoons apple cidar vinegar

juice of 1 lemon, reserve 1 tablespoon

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon sourcream

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 apple

1 small savoy or green cabbage

1 cup sunflower seeds, freshly toasted

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, sour cream and mustard. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Peel the apple and grate over a coarse grater. Place the grated apple in a bowl of cold water and add the reserved tablespoon of lemon juice to keep the apple from browning. Cut the cabbage into quarters and core each section. Slice very finely and place in a large bowl. Drain the apples and add them to the bowl along with the vinaigrette and toasted sunflower and poppy seeds. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

adventures with whole grains: blue cornmeal muffins with chili

05 Tuesday Jun 2012

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I realize that at first glance these muffins may not look very appetizing but they are actually quite delicious! Baking with blue cornmeal was a bit of a novelty for me as I had never eaten either blue or stone ground cornmeal before. I found mine at my local health food store. The blue color reminds me of eating blue potatoes and when I cooked some up as hot cereal for breakfast I was pleasantly surprised at how much they tasted like fresh corn (unlike the granulated cornmeal we are used to which has its own unique taste). These muffins are light and cake-like but also very ‘grainy’, a texture that I like in breads and muffins. If you like corn bread, I would highly recommend trying these!

Blue Cornmeal Muffins with Chili

1 cup spelt flour

1 cup blue cornmeal

2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 large eggs

1-1/2 cup buttermilk, well-shaken

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees (F). Grease 12 standard muffin cups.

In a large bowl, combine the spelt flour and cornmeal, baking powders, baking soda, chili powder, oregano and salt. In a smaller bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Blend in the buttermilk, oil and honey.

Stir the egg mixture into the dry ingredients, just until most of the flour is absorbed. Do not over-mix. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Sprinkle a few pumpkin seeds over each muffin. (Note: I also sprinkled a bit of parmesan cheese this time around.)

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set the muffin tin on a cooling rack. Let cool for a few minutes, then twist the muffins to release them or run a knife around the edges to pop them out. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Note: If not eating the same day, freeze in a zipper-topped freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in a warm oven.

Resource:

Sass, L. (2006). Whole Grains Every Day Every Way. New York: Clarkson Potter/Publishers.

oatcakes

30 Wednesday May 2012

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Another fantastic recipe from Heidi Swanson’s super natural every day cookbook. These are excellent as breakfast muffins as they are quite filling. I also love the taste of the coconut oil in these.

Oatcakes

3 cups rolled oats

2 cups spelt flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)

1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

2 teaspoons fine-grain sea salt

1/4 cup flax seeds

3/4 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted

1/3 cup extra-virgin coconut oil

1/3 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup natural cane sugar

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F). Butter a standard 12-cup muffin pan.

Combine the oats, flour, baking powder, salt, flax seeds and walnuts in a large mixing bowl.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the coconut oil, butter, maple syrup and sugar and slowly melt together. Stir until the butter melts and sugar has dissolved but don’t let the mixture get too hot. You don’t want it to cook the eggs on contact in the next step.

Pour the coconut oil mixture over the oat mixture. Stir with a fork, add the eggs and stir again until everything comes together into a wet dough. Spoon the dough into the muffin cups, nearly filling them.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges of each oatcake are deeply golden. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for a couple of minutes. Then run a knife around the edges of the cakes and tip them onto a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Yield: 1 dozen oatcakes.

Resource:

Swanson, H. (2011). super natural every day: Well-Loved Recipe From My Natural Foods Kitchen. New York: Ten Speed Press.

black sesame otsu (soba noodles, black sesame paste, tofu and green onions)

28 Monday May 2012

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A wonderful recipe when you need something a little different to tease your palette. I love black sesame paste, especially when sweetened in Chinese desserts. Soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour, so if you are wheat-free these are a very flavorful alternative! This recipe comes from Heidi Swanson’s super natural every day cookbook. She also has a gorgeous cooking blog filled with interesting stories and eye-candy photographs.

Black Sesame Otsu (soba noodles, black sesame paste, tofu and green onions)

1 teaspoon pine nuts

1 teaspoon raw sunflower seeds

½ cup black sesame seeds

1-½ tablespoons natural cane sugar

1-½ tablespoons shoya, tamari or soy sauce

1-½ teaspoons mirin

Scant 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Fine grain sea salt

1-½ cup extra firm tofu

Extra virgin olive oil

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

Toast the pine nuts and sunflower seeds in a large skillet over medium heat until golden, shaking the pan regularly. Add the sesame seeds to the pan and toast for a minute or so. It’s hard to tell when they are toasted; look closely and use your nose. Remove from heat as soon as you smell a hint of toasted sesame; if you let them go beyond that, you’ll start smelling burned sesame- not good.

Transfer to a mortar and pestle and crush the mixture. The mixture should be like black sand.  Alternatively, you can use a food processor. Stir in the sugar, shoyu, mirin, sesame oil, brown rice vinegar and cayenne pepper. Taste and adjust if needed.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the soba and cook according to the package instructions until tender. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup of the noodle cooking water, and rinse under cold water.

While the noodles are cooking, drain the tofu, pat dry and cut into matchstick pieces. Season the tofu with a pinch of salt, toss with a small amount of oil and cook in a large skillet under medium-high heat for a few minutes, tossing every couple of minutes until the pieces are browned on all sides.

Reserve a heaping tablespoon of the sesame paste, then thin the rest with the hot noodle water. In a large mixing bowl, combine the soba, half of the green onions and the black sesame paste. Toss until well combined. Add the tofu and toss gently again. Serve topped with a tiny dollop of the reserved sesame paste and the remaining green onions.

I served mine tonight with a side of sautéed asparagus, beet greens and shiitake mushrooms. Delicious!

Resource:

Swanson, H. (2011). super natural every day: Well-Loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen. New York: Ten Speed Press.