Chocolate Walnut Butter

Chocolate Walnut Butter

I recently bought myself a food processor.  Nothing fancy, just a $40 one from Target, and I am having so much fun.  If you have been following my blog you can probably tell that I love everything chocolate, and the darker, richer, and denser, the better in my opinion.  So of course the first thing I blend up in my new toy is exactly that.  I had been hoping to make my own healthier version of Nutella but I have to order the hazelnuts online and haven't gotten around to doing that yet.  But I always have walnuts, and the rest of the basic ingredients in this recipe, so this was my first food processor creation.  And it is amazing.  Not overly sweet, and very intensely flavored, but after taste testing it over and over to make sure it was "ok", I finally realized that I was literally going to eat the whole bowl if I wasn't careful because it was not only "ok", but perfect. And the great thing about this recipe is that it can be changed up in numerous ways depending on what flavors you prefer and what you have stocked in your pantry.

*not only is this delicious to eat with a spoon, it is great on waffles, muffins or mixed into hot oatmeal...

Raspberry Cream Muffins

Raspberry Cream Muffins

Who doesn't love a red velvet cupcake?  I know my daughter does and always asks for a red velvet muffin at the grocery store.  But I don't let me kids eat food coloring or tons of white flour on a regular basis so I usually have to say no.  I realize that these muffins are not exactly as red, but they are about as close as you can get without adding coloring and they were good enough for my daughter to excitedly eat a couple as soon as they cooled off from the oven.  And they taste better than anything you could buy in a store.  Basically a combination of my recipes for raspberry fudge cookies and triple blueberry muffins, this recipe uses only fruit for sweetness, whole wheat flour and real organic raspberries.  So it's a treat you can feel good about serving to the sweet people in your life.

Cape Cod Potato Chip Codfish

Cape Cod Potato Chip Codfish

I recently spent five days at my favorite place in the world: Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  I am extremely lucky that my wonderful grandparents bought a modest vacation home in Harwich, MA back in the 1970s and the house is still owned by my family, namely my parents and my Aunt.  There is only one summer of my life (when I spent 6 weeks in Italy, so no complaints there) that I haven't spent at least a week, if not more, vacationing at the home.  One of the best parts about visiting the family homestead is seeing my kids enjoying the same things that I did thirty years ago with my brother.  They are developing the same love and appreciation for and building memories of the place that brought me so much joy as a child.

It wasn't until this last visit, over Easter weekend with just my husband and the two kids, when I realized how much I still don't know about the area.  My husband had to spend a great portion of the weekend working on the computer, so it was up to me to drive everywhere and keep the kids occupied without just relying on the beach (it was a bit cold and windy).  I honestly have never driven alone that much before at Cape Cod and it was like I was rediscovering the whole place as an adult.  I swear I could never get tired of it's pure beauty and totally understand what drew my grandparents to the area so many years ago.

As a child, one of my favorite non beach places to visit was the Cape Cod Potato Chip factory where you can literally peer down onto the factory floor and see the chips being made from start to finish.  It is really fun to see, and of course it smells amazing in there and you get free samples at the end.  We took my son there a few years ago and of course we need to make another trip soon for my chip loving daughter.  However, being a health food junky, I don't often let myself indulge.  But my parents had been at the house just days before we arrived so they thoughtfully left a jumbo family size bag of original Cape Cod chips.

Obviously, we could have eaten them straight from the bag without a problem, and did that with our lunch a few days, and on a hike at the Cape Cod National Seashore, which made me laugh because it seemed so perfect and so wrong at the same time... (junk food while exercising?) The second day we were there however, I was washing dishes and thinking of my grandpa and trying to decide what kind of fish to cook for dinner when the idea hit me.... what if I use chips instead of ritz crackers for the traditional codfish combination that my grandpa loved so much?  I had brought a bit of thai red chili paste with me from home with the intention of sauteing some shrimp in it, but I scratched that idea as this recipe formed in my head.  I did look up online to see if anyone had used chips as breading on fish before, and like I suspected, I am not the first.  But the rest of the recipe is all mine.  And without going into too much unnecessary description, let me assure you that this meal tasted even better than it looked.  Honestly one of the best meals, and best fish dishes I have ever had.  And it was purely, perfectly, Cape Cod.

Mini Almond Cupcakes

Mini Almond Cupcakes

Happy Easter everyone!  Aren't these treats cute?  I made them for an Easter party at the gym daycare where I work out, and although kids can be picky about anything that isn't a brightly colored cupcake or a chocolate cookie, I know that a few smart kids, and a bunch of adults, enjoyed these mini cupcakes.  To be honest, they are my second attempt using almond flour, since my first try came out a little odd*, and although I always eat what I make no matter how strange looking it turns out, I was happy when I peeked into the oven this time around and saw perfect little cupcakes forming. The trick is in the combination of almond and coconut flours that I used which makes a perfectly light, moist and intensely flavorful cake.  This recipe made enough for 24 mini cupcakes as well as a 9- inch cake, so although I brought most of the minis to the party, I was able to enjoy the whole cake at home with my husband, over the course of a few days.  And it was honestly one of the best, non chocolate, treats I have ever had.  I definitely plan to make it again, probably for my birthday next month, in the form of a three layer strawberry shortcake recipe.  Stay tuned for more ideas!! And Happy Easter 2014!!!!

* photos of my slightly disastrous first attempt are displayed at the bottom of the page.

Whole Wheat Tropical Cupcakes

Whole Wheat Tropical Cupcakes

I am always on the search for a healthier cupcake recipe that will provide a few nutritious ingredients while still feeling like a treat.  My daughter loves cupcakes, but since I try to turn even the most healthful of muffins into "cupcakes" by adding a layer of peanut butter or cream cheese on top, she doesn't really trust me anymore.  So imagine her surprise when I made these and they really do taste like cupcakes. Granted they are a bit hearty since they are made with all whole wheat flour, so if your family is pickier than mine or not used to whole grain texture, you could definitely use half white flour as well.  I just try to stay away from simple carbohydrates as much as possible and leave treats like that to occasions when I am not in control of the baking process (like a friend's birthday party or an event at school, etc...)

Instead of the usual butter and sugar used in most cake recipes, I opted for organic virgin coconut oil and raw honey.  Not only do they add an intense tropical flavor, but they provide hidden nutrients that you would not expect in a cupcake.  Coconut oil* has been shown to boost the immune system, aid in weight loss, digestion, blood sugar regulation and the maintenance of a healthy level of cholesterol, among other things.  It is a saturated fat and as such, should be used sparingly, but as someone who does not consume a large amount of saturated fat often found in animal and dairy products, I consider it a vital part of my everyday diet.  Raw honey, which I don't use very often since it is quite expensive, is one of the healthiest sweeteners available.  It has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties while providing a unique blend of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes and phytonutrients.  Of course regular honey, maple syrup, or even plain white organic sugar could be used in place of the raw honey, if desired.

I made these for a bake sale at my daughter's preschool because as an avid baker it is hard to say no when asked for donations.  But all too often I have seen my healthful treats (usually made with expensive organic ingredients) get passed over for brightly colored cupcakes and old fashioned chocolate chip cookies.  I just can't bring myself to make something that I wouldn't normally serve my own family.  I added the Nutella frosting and the chocolate eggs on top in the hopes of attracting kids and I think they were my most successful sale yet.  I just hope that everyone who purchased one enjoyed them as much as my family and I did.  And I can rest assured that I helped to add a slight nutritional boost to someone's afternoon snack.


* http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-oils/organic-coconut-oil/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil.html  
* http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/surprising-health-benefits-coconut-oil

Warm Kale Salad with Quinoa and Broiled Tempeh

Warm Kale Salad with Quinoa and Broiled Tempeh

I wrote my last post after a few days of summer like weather but now the weather has turned again and it feels more like winter!  So perhaps this is a good day to post a hearty salad that could hold up to a cold windy day. One look at the ingredient list and the health benefits of this dish should be obvious.  But if you aren't familiar with vegan fare, you might not have ever tried cooking with tempeh.  Even I have only used it a handful of times, so this recipe began as an experiment to see if I could broil it instead of fry it on the stove top and I was pleasantly surprised with the results.  I marinated the diced tempeh for a couple of hours and then cooked it for about 20 minutes while I prepared the rest of the salad. Even my husband, who is often weary of soy products like this, enjoyed the meal.  So try going meatless the next time you prepare a dinner salad and give broiled tempeh a try!

Springtime Quinoa with Green Peas, Feta and Mint

Springtime Quinoa with
Green Peas, Feta and Mint

It is finally Springtime here in Northeastern Pennsylvania, although this past weekend felt more like summer with temperatures reaching into the upper 70s.  The only things missing were the leaves on the trees, green grass and flowers.  Not that I was complaining.  I spent as much of the weekend as possible outdoors, raking my recently thawed garden beds, sitting on my front steps enjoying the sun and playing baseball with my kids.  And the best way to celebrate the end of what I think was one of the stormiest and coldest winters I have ever experienced, is to eat a couple of good meals outside, listening to the sounds of birds chirping, wind blowing and children yelling. :)

Although I couldn't go to my barren garden to get any of the fresh ingredients for this dish yet, I definitely plan to make it again once I have my own green peas and mint growing in abundance. The combination of the mint, the feta and the Greek olives give this salad a Mediterranean twist that tastes as fresh and wholesome as it is good for you.  If you are like my husband and I and have never been keen on the strong flavor of regular quinoa, you really should give organic red quinoa a chance.  It has a much milder flavor, while still providing a large serving of protein and fiber.  It cooks up quicker than rice and can be served warm or cold.  We ate this salad the night I made it with a side of rotisserie chicken and organic grape tomatoes, but it honestly tasted better the next day straight out of the fridge.  The perfect Spring (or Summer!) salad is only about 30 minutes away!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Granola

Chocolate Chip Cookie Granola
with chia seeds sprinkled on top

Late at night, when the kitchen is "officially closed" sometimes you just need to have a snack.  I have been known to eat spoonfuls of Nutella or peanut butter right out of the jar or grab a handful of dark chocolate candies.  So the other day when I got the bedtime munchies and saw the big container of tropical granola I had made, I thought, why not make a chocolate version that would be great for dessert as well as breakfast? This delicious treat is what I came up with.  It has no more sugar than my other varieties, but contains a good dose of antioxidant rich dark cocoa powder and some heart healthy walnuts.  There is only half a cup of mini dark chocolate chips, which I might use even less of next time, because the cocoa is so rich in and of itself.  It even turned the soy milk I poured on top of it chocolate, which I always think is fun. So the next time you find yourself reaching for a bag of cookies late at night, remember this recipe and plan ahead so you have something that tastes like a treat while still being full of the complex carbs and protein your body is craving for a reason!

Coconut Chili Lime Steamed Shrimp

Coconut Chili Lime Steamed Shrimp

It has been awhile since my last post, probably the longest I have gone since starting this adventure six months ago. I have a feeling I am not going to have much time to cook in the near future since I will be running around to my kids' sporting events every night for the next three months.  I have been joking that unless I write about all the ways in which to make a peanut butter sandwich, I will probably only be publishing one or two new posts per week.

During that time, this recipe might become a weekend staple, because after running around all week, and Saturdays too, the last thing I have energy for is an elaborate meal.  This is one of those one pot wonders that you can leave and forget about for a few minutes and it does the work for you.  The flavors are mild but complex and the shrimp can be served with whatever type of starch or salad you prefer.  Sometimes fast and easy food can be super nutritious.