Summer bloggin’ is a challenge when you want to spend less time in the kitchen and more time outside, especially with all those cookouts and parties. So being a bit short on time this week I was looking for a quick snack and thought about …
Eyeing the vegetables this past week at the grocery store I thought I was going to make my eggplant Parmesan recipe that has fooled many. “How is there eggplant in that?” is a typical response, or “I’m not sure I will like that.” And then …
Yes – you read this correctly!
My friend Deanna recently posted that she had found chocolate hummus at her local grocery store, so I had to try it. I didn’t find that particular brand but did find another – and what a surprise! It was a deep, rich flavor and thick – like frosting.
Right away I’m thinking – “I’m making this!” After looking at the minimal ingredients on my purchased hummus, I decided to give it a go.
There are some variations on the sweetener to use. From organic sugar, to agave to liquid Stevia, I used maple syrup since I had that on hand. I found I could reduce the maple syrup and add Stevia which cuts the calories in half.
There are so many variations you can make. Since beans are pretty neutral in flavor, you can try different varieties and peanut butter seems to be a natural addition.
What a great treat for kids! Make this healthy home-made spread a replacement for those chocolate spreads on the market that use a lot of unnecessary ingredients. This dip is so versatile, think of using it in other recipes, cookies – even as a sundae topping – see below.
Recipe – Makes 4 servings
1 can of low sodium garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup of good quality cocoa (I like Ghirardelli Dutch-process)
1/4 cup of maple syrup (or 1/8 cup plus 6 Stevia packets)
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2 -3 tablespoons of water
Run your hands through the rinsed beans to remove the skins And discard. Place beans in microwaveable bowl and warm in microwave for 30-45 seconds. Place beans and a couple tablespoons of water into a food processor and blend for about one minute until very smooth. Add the sweeteners, cocoa, vanilla, salt and blend well. Taste mixture and decide if you need any additions of cocoa or sweetener.
Chill for at least an hour. Serve with fruit, graham crackers or pretzels. Refrigerate unused portion.
Note:
This may create a creamier consistency with other types of beans. I’ve read that black beans also work well.
A healthified sundae shooter: Greek yogurt, rasberries, light chocolate hummus and crushed graham cracker.
With Memorial Day in the rear view mirror, we are officially entering the summer season. Soon we will be picking ripe tomatoes, fresh corn and juicy melons from our local road-side stands, farmers’ markets and back yard gardens. It’s a foodie’s paradise! There’s nothing like …
Versatile cauliflower. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten as much as I have in the last several months writing this blog! I’ve found it to be a yummy meat substitution in my Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Bites recipe and a low carb and filling crust for …
When I was vacationing in The Keys, I came across this really yummy salad at the hotel where we were staying. It was so good I ordered it two days in a row. It’s very simple but it had some interesting ingredients that made it special including Marcona almonds and pomegranate seeds.
This was actually the first time I tasted Marcona almonds. Hailing from Spain, these almonds are larger and flatter and have a really good flavor. I remember Ina (the Barefoot Contessa) roasting them for a dinner party on her cooking show. I purchased some at Trader Joe’s that were seasoned with oil and rosemary (very yummy for snacking) but I liked the simplicity of those I had in Florida. They may have been dry roasted as I don’t recall any excess oil and they were darker in color. If you haven’t seen them at your local grocer or specialty grocery store, you can order them online.
You may be saying “where are the pomegranate seeds?” I would have gladly added them but unbeknownst to me, they were out of season as I was making this. Although pomegranate season is typically October through February, you don’t need to wait that long to make this salad. It’s just as tasty without them. If you want some brightness, add a fruit that provides a similar tartness – like cherries or diced green apple. But it’s awfully hard to replicate those unique little seeds!
Recipe – Makes 1 salad
4 cups of arugula or your favorite greens
1/2 cup of cooked quinoa
1/4 cup of Marcona almonds
1/4 cup of pomegranate seeds
Half of an avocado – split into two equal pieces
1/2 teaspoon of lime juice
Salt and pepper
Take one piece of the avacado and put into blender with lime juice, salt and pepper. Add water if needed to get it to a dressing consistency. Set aside. Assemble the salad with remaining ingredients except for avocado. Slice remaining avocado half and add to top of salad. Pour dressing over salad.
Full disclosure: I’ve been reworking my diet to include more protein. Getting older I noticed that I need to find that healthy balance of protein, fat and carbs to get to a healthier weight. As part of that mission I’ve been introduced to protein pancakes. …
Who doesn’t love a good pesto? Sometimes too much of a good thing can sneak up upon us. There’s so much oil in traditional pesto recipes that I always feel guilty when I’m pouring it into my food processor. I do try to use less …
Don’t you just love when you can eat the “bowl?” You know those recipes…like a bowl of hearty soup served in a bread bowl. There’s something about tearing off the pieces and dipping it in the soup, right? Or how about a perfect stuffed summer tomato? And then there’s the taco salad. I know I could never finish one without at least a few nibbles of the shell!
No fried, calorie-laden shell here. A low cal and low carb vessel for a light dinner, roasted peppers are even more satisfying. Rather than filling it with your typical southwestern filling or heavy sausage, we look to spring for inspiration. The orzo, feta and spinach trifecta along with some pistachios and a hint of lemon make this the perfect combination with a roasted, sweet pepper.
Perfect as a main dish or a side, this comes together quickly. A great dish to take to a party – good warm or at room temperature.
Can’t you see those mini peppers from the grocery store roasted and stuffed as a colorful appetizer? That may be next on the list!
Recipe – Serves 1 or 2
One pepper sliced lengthwise and seeded
3 oz of orzo
2 cups of chopped spinach
2 tablespoons of shelled pistachios
1/4 cup of feta cheese
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Squeeze of lemon
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place pepper halves on nonstick sheet pan and bake for 10-15 minutes until softened and starting to brown. You can also broil the peppers for a few minutes first to blister quickly.
Meanwhile cook orzo per package directions. In the last 30 seconds of cooking, add the chopped spinach. Drain. Add spinach and orzo to bowl and stir in feta, oil and lemon and mix well. Add in pistachios and stir to combine. Fill each pepper half with half of the mixture and serve.
Wheat berries – who knew! I must confess that my first experience with these little chewy nuggets all started with Central Market in Lancaster. I always stop at The Goodie Shoppe because they have a wide variety of veggie and pasta combos (and a killer …