Friday, October 30, 2015
Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili
Earlier this week, as the rain was pattering down, I decided my dinner menu for the evening, did not seem to correspond with the weather. Comfort food, soup of some sort popped into my mind. As I went about my day and chores, I kept on thinking about what I could whip up, that was simple, not time consuming and yet just the right meal on a rainy damp fall day.
Searching through my recipes – I came across one for Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili. Sounded perfect, had all of the ingredients, and it was a pretty straightforward recipe in terms of time. It took less than 15 minutes to prepare and have it simmering away on the stove, allowing for 2 + hours to get “friendly” with each other. Makes approximately 3 quarts. That all said – this one is for you Anne Nordquist! Enjoy!
• 2 Tablespoons of avocado oil (can use olive as a substitute)
• 2 medium-large sweet potatoes, diced (I used purple ones in my last batch)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 medium size jicama – peeled and chopped into small cubes
• ¼ of a Hatch Chili – chopped fine
• ¼ of a small jalapeno pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 Tablespoons ground cumin
• 5 cups veggie stock (I make my own)
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
• 20 ounces of canned tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons of unsweetened baking cocoa/powder
• ½ fresh lime juice
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion, saute for several minutes, until onion softens. Add in the hatch pepper and jalapeno pepper, cook for several more minutes. Add in the black beans, stock, tomatoes and spices. Cook for an hour on low simmer. Add in the unsweetened baking cocoa powder, mix in well and cook for another hour. When close to serving time, add in the lime juice.
Note – I prefer to let my chili and soups cook for several hours in order to maximize the flavors melding together.
For serving – add any or all of the following garnishes: grated sharp cheddar cheese, chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream. Excellent with a side dish of spicy coleslaw and quesadillas.
Last but not least - as Julia would say... Bon Appetit!
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Lemon Lavender Pound Cake
Recently I came across a recipe for a lavender pound cake. Having a proven recipe for one in my files, I decided to tweak it. This one is GF and quite tasty! That all said, this recipe is for you Caro - dear friend!!
Lemon Lavender Pound Cake / Raspberry Glaze
(12 cup bundt pan, buttered and floured ~ preheat oven to 350)
1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
(note ~ I used ½ cup coconut oil and ½ cup unsalted butter)
3 eggs at room temperature
(note~~ could add an extra egg or two for moisture)
2 cups organic sugar (turbinado or coconut)
3 cups flour (I used GF flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2- 4 Tablespoons of dried lavender buds
juice of one lemon
zest of one lemon
This cake comes together easily, but it is extremely important all ingredients be at room temperature. When creaming the butter/coconut and sugar beat the mixture until very very fluffy,
1. In bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter/coconut oil and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add lemon zest. Add eggs one at a time, scraping bowl between additions. Making sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next. Add vanilla extract and mix until incorporated. Scrape bowl well in between egg additions.
2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt onto a piece of parchment paper. Add flour to butter mixture alternatively with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Add in the lavender (can also fold in). Remove bowl from mixer.
3. Scrape batter into bundt pan and smooth top.
4. Bake 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cake should be golden brown. Cool in pan 30+ minutes, then invert onto serving platter. Cool for another 60 minutes to add glaze.
Raspberry Glaze
½ cup of fresh or frozen raspberries
½ cup (or more) of coconut sugar
2 Tablespoons of fresh squeezed orange juice
2 Tablespoons of cornstarch
½ cup of water
Place berries into sauce pan with sugar, orange juice
Mix cornstarch into ½ cup of cold water
Add to berry mixture
Bring to boil – turn to simmer and cook for five minutes
Set aside to cool (or put in freezer for 5 + minutes)
Puree in food processor
Strain seeds
Drizzle on lemon pound cake
Extra glaze can be refrigerated for up to two weeks
Last but not least... as Julia would say "Bon appetit!"
Lemon Lavender Pound Cake / Raspberry Glaze
(12 cup bundt pan, buttered and floured ~ preheat oven to 350)
1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
(note ~ I used ½ cup coconut oil and ½ cup unsalted butter)
3 eggs at room temperature
(note~~ could add an extra egg or two for moisture)
2 cups organic sugar (turbinado or coconut)
3 cups flour (I used GF flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2- 4 Tablespoons of dried lavender buds
juice of one lemon
zest of one lemon
This cake comes together easily, but it is extremely important all ingredients be at room temperature. When creaming the butter/coconut and sugar beat the mixture until very very fluffy,
1. In bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter/coconut oil and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add lemon zest. Add eggs one at a time, scraping bowl between additions. Making sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next. Add vanilla extract and mix until incorporated. Scrape bowl well in between egg additions.
2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt onto a piece of parchment paper. Add flour to butter mixture alternatively with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Add in the lavender (can also fold in). Remove bowl from mixer.
3. Scrape batter into bundt pan and smooth top.
4. Bake 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cake should be golden brown. Cool in pan 30+ minutes, then invert onto serving platter. Cool for another 60 minutes to add glaze.
Raspberry Glaze
½ cup of fresh or frozen raspberries
½ cup (or more) of coconut sugar
2 Tablespoons of fresh squeezed orange juice
2 Tablespoons of cornstarch
½ cup of water
Place berries into sauce pan with sugar, orange juice
Mix cornstarch into ½ cup of cold water
Add to berry mixture
Bring to boil – turn to simmer and cook for five minutes
Set aside to cool (or put in freezer for 5 + minutes)
Puree in food processor
Strain seeds
Drizzle on lemon pound cake
Extra glaze can be refrigerated for up to two weeks
Last but not least... as Julia would say "Bon appetit!"
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Coconut Macaroons
I have not always been a fan of coconut - but for Christmas I received a tin of "Jennies" Coconut Macaroons. They were TOO die for and not easy to resist. That said, I decided to try my hand a making my own version - tweaking and adding macadamia nuts and craisins. While I will need to play with this a bit to find the perfect end product, I am in the meantime, quite satisfied with the result. For those of you who wanted the recipe - here you go!
Coconut Macaroons
Yield: 24 – 36 based on size
Ingredients
3 cups organic coconut (if you use large flake variety, you might want to consider chopping it a bit finer)
4 organic egg whites
½ cup coconut cane sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon sea salt
** ½ cup of chopped macadamia nuts
** ½ cup of craisins
Equipment
Baking sheet
Silpat or parchment paper
Mixer (love my Kitchen Aid)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1.Toast the coconut (optional) – for extra crispy macaroons and a rich coconut flavored cookie, spread coconut on the baking sheet and toast for approximately 5 minutes – or- until coconut is showing a bit of color. Cool slightly.
2.Beat the egg whites, sugar, vanilla, add salt towards the end when the egg whites are stiff and fluffy.
3.Combine the coconut and egg white mixture, blending well, add the macadamia nuts and craisins, blend well.
4.Shaping the macaroons – line baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper. Shape the coconut mixture into small balls (play with the size you want, they don’t spread too much). If they are sticking to your hands, lightly coat your hands with coconut oil spray.
5.Space them an inch apart on a baking sheet.
6.Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until golden brown. I did 15 minutes, could have gone a bit longer for a crispier version. Your call as to the finished product.
7.Cool macaroons for 5 minutes, remove to a wire rack and cool completely.
8.Can store in an airtight container – for a week (or longer).
Last but not least - as Julia would say Bon Appetit!!
Coconut Macaroons
Yield: 24 – 36 based on size
Ingredients
3 cups organic coconut (if you use large flake variety, you might want to consider chopping it a bit finer)
4 organic egg whites
½ cup coconut cane sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon sea salt
** ½ cup of chopped macadamia nuts
** ½ cup of craisins
Equipment
Baking sheet
Silpat or parchment paper
Mixer (love my Kitchen Aid)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1.Toast the coconut (optional) – for extra crispy macaroons and a rich coconut flavored cookie, spread coconut on the baking sheet and toast for approximately 5 minutes – or- until coconut is showing a bit of color. Cool slightly.
2.Beat the egg whites, sugar, vanilla, add salt towards the end when the egg whites are stiff and fluffy.
3.Combine the coconut and egg white mixture, blending well, add the macadamia nuts and craisins, blend well.
4.Shaping the macaroons – line baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper. Shape the coconut mixture into small balls (play with the size you want, they don’t spread too much). If they are sticking to your hands, lightly coat your hands with coconut oil spray.
5.Space them an inch apart on a baking sheet.
6.Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until golden brown. I did 15 minutes, could have gone a bit longer for a crispier version. Your call as to the finished product.
7.Cool macaroons for 5 minutes, remove to a wire rack and cool completely.
8.Can store in an airtight container – for a week (or longer).
Last but not least - as Julia would say Bon Appetit!!
Monday, February 2, 2015
Chai Tea
I came across a recipe for Chai Tea several years back. Played with it a bit and came up with this formula. Last year following the holidays, I decided to do a cleanse. One of the requirements of the de-tox cleanse was "no coffee". In an effort to wean myself off of coffee, but still wanting something with a small hit of caffeine, I started making a batch of this weekly. The following recipe makes 64 oz after brewing and steeping and lasts me a week. Top it off with a bit of almond milk or rice milk after warming it up. Fact - I don't miss coffee at all and I like this as much as "Oregon Chai".
Chatty’s Chai Tea Recipe
• 12 cups of filtered water
• 8 tablespoons of loose black tea
(I use a blend of Assam, Lapsang Soouchong and Black Jasmine)
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar, date sugar or raw cane sugar
• 2 vanilla beans, split in half to expose the beans
• 25 whole cloves
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 25 cardamom pods
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (or a piece of fresh)
• 4-5 whole star anise pods
• 1/2 teaspoon of whole black peppercorns
• 1 inch (or more depending on your taste) of fresh ginger, sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon of orange zest ( I use 2- 4 fresh orange slices)
• 1 -2 tablespoons of raw honey (use to your taste)
Place cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and peppercorns in a tea ball. Place loose tea in a tea ball.
Bring water to a boil in a 4 quart sauce pan; add sugar to a medium sized sauce, add the tea balls, vanilla bean, anise pods, cinnamon sticks, boil for 5 minutes; reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, remove tea and continue to steep with spices to desired flavor. Remove large spices (vanilla etc) and pour through strainer/sieve. Keep in the refrigerator for one week max. If you want to stretch your vanilla bean, star anise and cinnamon sticks, reserve them for the next use. I put them in a small mason jar and let them air dry. This can help cut back on costs, but still achieve the spicy flavor of this recipe.
Chatty’s Chai Tea Recipe
• 12 cups of filtered water
• 8 tablespoons of loose black tea
(I use a blend of Assam, Lapsang Soouchong and Black Jasmine)
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar, date sugar or raw cane sugar
• 2 vanilla beans, split in half to expose the beans
• 25 whole cloves
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 25 cardamom pods
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (or a piece of fresh)
• 4-5 whole star anise pods
• 1/2 teaspoon of whole black peppercorns
• 1 inch (or more depending on your taste) of fresh ginger, sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon of orange zest ( I use 2- 4 fresh orange slices)
• 1 -2 tablespoons of raw honey (use to your taste)
Place cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and peppercorns in a tea ball. Place loose tea in a tea ball.
Bring water to a boil in a 4 quart sauce pan; add sugar to a medium sized sauce, add the tea balls, vanilla bean, anise pods, cinnamon sticks, boil for 5 minutes; reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, remove tea and continue to steep with spices to desired flavor. Remove large spices (vanilla etc) and pour through strainer/sieve. Keep in the refrigerator for one week max. If you want to stretch your vanilla bean, star anise and cinnamon sticks, reserve them for the next use. I put them in a small mason jar and let them air dry. This can help cut back on costs, but still achieve the spicy flavor of this recipe.
Saturday, January 17, 2015
GF Oatmeal Muffins
Gluten Free Oatmeal Muffins
I have been making this muffin recipe for years - a stand by that I have tweaked from the classic Betty Crocker. I still have the cookbook my parents gave me for my 18th birthday. Over the years, I have modified, altered and
"doctored" this recipe.
Today's change... subbing Brown Rice Syrup for sugar (usually I use organic/turbinado sugar). Also changed up the recipe - using coconut milk and coconut oil. Recipe as follows:
1/2 ripe banana
1 egg
3/4 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup brown rice syrup
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
1 cup GF oats
1 cup Bob's Red Mill GF flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Mash the banana in the mixing bowl
add the next four ingredients (wet)
measure the dry ingredients
mix together, just until flour is moistened
batter should be lumpy
Spoon into silicone baking cups (I place them in a muffin tin)
For this batch I put a raspberry in the top of each muffin.
Bake @ 400 for 20 minutes - rotate pan after 10.
Let cool, remove from silicone cups and as Julia would say... Bon Appetit!
Note - these turned out very moist, thus you might be able to reduce the brown rice sugar to 1/2 cup. Play with it - it is a simple easy recipe, and I have always had great results.
I have been making this muffin recipe for years - a stand by that I have tweaked from the classic Betty Crocker. I still have the cookbook my parents gave me for my 18th birthday. Over the years, I have modified, altered and
"doctored" this recipe.
Today's change... subbing Brown Rice Syrup for sugar (usually I use organic/turbinado sugar). Also changed up the recipe - using coconut milk and coconut oil. Recipe as follows:
1/2 ripe banana
1 egg
3/4 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup brown rice syrup
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
1 cup GF oats
1 cup Bob's Red Mill GF flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Mash the banana in the mixing bowl
add the next four ingredients (wet)
measure the dry ingredients
mix together, just until flour is moistened
batter should be lumpy
Spoon into silicone baking cups (I place them in a muffin tin)
For this batch I put a raspberry in the top of each muffin.
Bake @ 400 for 20 minutes - rotate pan after 10.
Let cool, remove from silicone cups and as Julia would say... Bon Appetit!
Note - these turned out very moist, thus you might be able to reduce the brown rice sugar to 1/2 cup. Play with it - it is a simple easy recipe, and I have always had great results.
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