Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms are not just a great hot appetizer that can be made ahead.  The cream cheese in the stuffing creates a creamy light sauce when tossed with hot pasta, rice or other hot grain so you can toss leftovers, whole or halved, into your next meal.

Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms
Makes 14-18 

Ingredients
10 ounces portobello mushrooms, capped removed
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
8 ounces fresh spinach
2 ounces cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried dill (4 springs fresh dill)
salt & pepper

Method
If serving right away preheat over to 350˚F.

1. Place mushroom caps on a baking dish coated with oil.
2. Steam well washed spinach until just wilted.  Drain very well, squeezing to expel water, and chop well.
3. Mix together cream cheese, dill, salt and pepper.  Add warm spinach and combine.  Taste and adjust seasonings.
4. Use a teaspoon to generously stuff mushroom caps, setting each one back in baking dish.  
5. At this point you can cover and refrigerate mushrooms to bake and serve the next day.  
6. To bake: preheat oven to 350˚F  .  Bake 12-15 minutes until cream cheese is heated and slightly melted.

Phyllis' Almond Butter & Yogurt Protein Dip

Lazy days poolside or hectic days deskside both benefit from a pure snack that's easy to whip up.  Our much loved cousin Phyllis shared her recipe for Almond Butter & Yogurt Protein Dip that will carry you through the afternoon.

Be sure to use plain yogurt, not flavored or even vanilla, to keep this dip really pure.  If you want to add a drop of vanilla extract, that's fine with us.

Phyllis' Almond Butter & Yogurt Protein Dip
Ingredients
Yield: a little over 1 cup

1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons almond butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
optional: milk to thin and stevia or honey for extra sweetness

Method

1. Combine yogurt and almond butter in a small bowl.  Use a fork or small whisk to combine yogurt and almond butter.
2. Add in cinnamon.  If the dip is very thick, add a little milk - up to a tablespoon-- to thin dip to your desired consistency.
3. Taste and add in a small amount of honey or stevia to sweeten.
4. Serve with slices of apple, banana even graham crackers.

Thanks Phyllis!

Denver Versus Carolina Wings

Super Bowl recipes are everywhere and I am no different in wanting something fun to serve while watching the "big game."  This year it's chicken wings with two sauces: one to celebrate Denver and the other for Carolina.

For the Broncos, it's got be chili verde wings. Denver residents, including my brother, put their famous green chili sauce on everything from breakfast to through dinner. We all know the Carolinas are famous for several types of great barbecue so for the Panthers we'll toss the wings in a thin vinegar-hot sauce that reminds me of little of Buffalo wings.

Get ready-- it's game on.

And by get ready, I mean the cook should enjoy the party too.  The wings are cooked right out of the freezer, drained then finished in their sauce.  You can even make them ahead. 

  

Denver Versus Carolina Wings

Recipe makes enough sauce for 3 dozen wings and can be doubled or tripled.

Start with the Wings:
Ingredients

36 frozen chicken wings  (about 3 pounds)

1. Preheat oven to 425˚F. 
2. Line two roasting pans with tin foil.   
3. Place half the wings in each pan and roast for 15 minutes then drain wings.  While wings roast, prepare sauces. 

...for the Denver Wings

Chile Verde Sauce

2 Poblano or Anaheim peppers (canned is OK according to Denver residents)

1 jalepeño chili pepper

1 medium tomatillo*

½ medium onion

1 clove garlic

½ teaspoon oregano

¼ teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon salt

handful fresh cilantro

¼ cup water

*If you cannot find tomatillos, substitute a seeded tomato and a tablespoon of lime juice

1. Roast, peel and seed fresh chilies if using.  If using canned, skip this step.   
2. Roughly chop chilies, onion and peeled garlic clove.  (You may use jalepeño without roasting.  Seed and remove veins before chopping.) 
3. Add chopped vegetables, spices and cilantro to a food processor.  Pulse to create a puree.   
4. Add water by tablespoonful if pulp is very thick.  You are looking for a thick but pourable sauce.

...for the Carolina Wings

Vinegar Barbecue Sauce

½ cup apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon maple syrup (or brown sugar)

2 teaspoons hot sauce (or ketchup if you do not want spicy wings)

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1. Combine all ingredients in a jar.  Seal the jar and shake well.

Finish Wings:

1. Pour the Chili Verde Sauce in one pan and the Vinegar Barbecue Sauce in the other.  Toss each sauce with the wings to coat completely.   You may have a little leftover sauce. 
2. Roast uncovered for 30 minutes.  Halfway through turn the wings over in the sauce and switch their positions in the oven.  Wings  are ready when they reach a temperaure of 170˚F.  Serve immediately or cool and store covered.  (If using fresh wings, check after 20 minutes.)
3. If you want your wings to have crisp skins, turn each wing so that it is sitting skin side up. Turn the oven to broil and place the roasting pan on the top rack.   Broil for 5 minutes, watching carefully.

Wings can be served plain or with dippers like sour cream, guacamole or buttermilk based dressings or drag them through some bean or beer-cheese dip. The Carolina wings also taste good with blue cheese dressing inthe style of Buffalo wings.

Store cooled wings covered in the refrigerator.  Reheat wings uncovered in a preheated 325˚F oven for 15-20 minutes.  Wings can be reheated in the microwave  with a cover --like a piece of paper towel to absorb any slattter.  They do not crisp up as well in the mircowave as in the oven.

If you have a litttle more time and care about the amount of fat associated with chicken wings you can roast the wings for 15 minutes, drain the fat and then combine the wings with their respective saauce.  Cook another 10-15 minutes until the wings reach a temperaure of 170˚F.

Sugar Alternatives

Ah, lists.  Here are six realistic ways to cut back on sugar.  Pick just one or try all six.   A goal of swearing off sugar for good is great and a way to get there is even more useful.  Don't be without a plan as the winter gets colder and New Year's pledges start to look small in the rear view mirror. 

Six Ways to Cut Back the Sugar in 2016

1. Plan to eat fruit at least once a day.  The fiber is satisfying and you will soon find you crave really sugary treats less.  Give it time; it takes most people about two weeks to adjust their taste buds back to non-artificial levels.  Look forward to how good real food is going to taste. 
2. Change what you buy at the food store starting today.  If it is not in the house, it will be easier to avoid.  Buy fruit instead of cookies, whole grain varieties of breads, flour, rice and pasta and low sodium canned whole beans and proteins instead of processed meals with a high amount sodium and sugar in the ingredients. 
3. Bake it yourself.  If you have to work harder to eat a cookie and see what goes into the recipe, you will learn how much sugar is enough.  When you bake, use whole grain flour (look for white whole wheat) and look for recipes using less sugar per serving.  I'll be postng a few of these in the coming year.
4. Measure what you do use with a real measuring spoon in order to reduce the amount you use over time. Use 1/2 and 1/4 teaspoon measures.  Consider replacing white sugar with smaller quantities of natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup.  If you like your morning coffee a little sweet, try stirring in maple syrup.  A little goes a long way.  
5. Take a long, hard look at the yogurt in your life.  If you are eating flavored yogurt because you think it is a healthy treat, you may be surprised to learn that the sugar content is often higher than that found in the pudding aisle.  Try buying plain yogurt and adding crushed fruit and a small amount, 1/2 teaspoon, of honey or maple syrup. Consider the whole milk or low fat varieties.  Non-fat does not always satisfy and can lead to more cravings.  
6. Speaking of sugar cravings, notice what is really happening during a craving.  When we are hungry our bodies often request the fastest way to refuel-- sugar and carbs.  If you have not eaten a real meal in several hours you may simply be hungry, and with good reason.  Eat some protein and a complex carbohydrate.  Plan for this at key times like the late afternoon and be ready with a handful of nuts, a piece of cheese or other pure, real food choice.  

Farmers Market Nectarines

Nectarines are overflowing their baskets at farmers' markets and its hard to resist this true taste of summer as the days grow shorter.  With an abundance of ripe fruit in the house we needed something fast that would compliment stone fruits at their peak.  Try this for breakfast or a snack-- sliced nectarines with good quality ricotta cheese drizzled with honey.  Whole grain bread goes with the ensemble perfectly.

If you have fresh basil in your garden, add a sprig to your breakfast plate.  Basil loves nectarines and so will you.

Salad Caprese To Go

Individual Salad Caprese is the perfect side to bring to gatherings if you just know you are going to forget the serving utensil.  The stiff romaine lettuce leaf underneath allows diners to pick up a single serving with their hands and move on down the buffet.

Salad Caprese requires only a few ingredients and begs to be served when tomatoes and basil come into season. 

Individual Salad Caprese
Yield- 10 servings

Ingredients
10 Romaine lettuce leaves
3 ripe tomatoes, medium size
1 ball mozzarella cheese (fresh recommended)
handful of fresh basil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil or vinaigrette dressing
salt and pepper
optional: roasted red pepper (try a variation with red pepper and no tomatoes when tomatoes are not yet ripe), baguette slices

Method:

1. Lay lettuce leaves on a serving tray
2. Lay alternating slices of tomatoes and mozzarella on each leaf. Tuck a few basil leaves in between the layers.
3. Cover and refrigerate until read to serve
4. Just before serving, drizzle with olive oil or dressing and finish with a sprinkle of salt and freshly ground black pepper
5. Serve as is or with sliced baguette or country loaf

Use medium sized romaine leaves that have a little backbone.  These salads can even be eaten without a fork.  Smaller leaf versions are a nice option for passed hors d'oeuvres.  Use the inner leaves of the lettuce to collect enough or break larger leaves in two. 

Pizza Dough Potato Knishes

For those who have not tasted a real old fashioned knish, these pastry wrapped bundles of mashed potatoes are baked not fried.  This recipe uses plain pizza dough to create a long roll stuffed with the potato filling rather than individual knishes.  It makes excellent buffet fare, cut into individual serving pieces.  And it can be made ahead, even frozen.  (See below for the trick to frozen mashed potatoes that are not watery when defrosted.) 

If you have a lot of dishes to prepare for a holiday buffet, make this mashed potato in pastry ahead and freeze it.  Defrost and reheat it in the oven (microwaving is not recommended to preserve the lovely crust).

Store-bought or homemade pizza dough is a good, pure substitute for the traditional bread dough casing used to make knishes.  Homemade mashed potatoes made with very little milk or broth and seasoned with salt, pepper and chives mimic the classic potato and onion mixture knish lovers admire.  Substituting chives for sauteed onions makes this version a little lighter and faster to prepare.  I use Yukon Gold potatoes which hold up well while the dough wrapping bakes and have a lot pure potato flavor. 

Pizza Dough Potato Knishes
Yield: 2 knish loaves, serves 10-12 people

Ingredients
1 recipe pizza dough (store bought is fine)
8-9 medium potatoes
1/2-2/3 cup milk or broth, warmed
potato flakes*
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried chives (use 1 tablespoon fresh)
1/4 black pepper

Method

1. Remove pizza dough from refrigerator  and bring to room temperature while making mashed potatoes.
2. Peel potatoes.
3. Place potatoes in a large pot with water.  Water should be at least 2 inches over height of potatoes. Cover, bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium.  Cook potatoes, loosely covered until tender.  This will take 25-40 minutes. 
4. When potatoes are very tender, drain the water and place pot on a heat resistant surface.  Let the potatoes rest, uncovered, a few minutes while some steam (and moisture escapes).  
5. Use a masher to mash potatoes.  You may also use a ricer for this step.  
6. Once potatoes are mashed, add warmed milk or broth in small batches.  Your goal is to have a fairly thick potato mixture.  If you are freezing the knish loaf and using potato flakes, add them at this stage.
7. Stir in butter, salt, pepper and chives. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste.
8. Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
9. While the potatoes cool a bit, roll out dough.  You will have enough ingredients to make two potato loaves.  
10. Cut dough in half lengthwise and place cooled potatoes down center of each.  
11. Fold the sides up and create a seam.  Use a bit of water to seal the seam.  
12. Seal the edge of the loaves by pinching the dough together and turning under, towards the center seam.  
13. Place knish loaves seam side down on an un-greased baking sheet.  
14. Using a sharp knife, score the loaves just through the dough layer to mark servings.  This will make it easy to slice the loaves into serving sized pieces without pushing out the potatoes.
15. Bake the knish loaves at 400˚F for 15-20 minutes, until dough is completely cooked and browning.  
16. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.  

Three or more thinner rolls can be made with the same amount of dough and potato filling.  These make great finger food.

*The Trick to Freezing Mashed Potatoes
I've searched online to find out if this trick is generally known and was surprised to find so few references.  I credit Arthur Schwartz for teaching me how to handle freezing mashed potatoes.  (His  fabulous and authentic knish recipe in Jewish Home Cooking is the basis for this faster recipe.) The secret to freezing mashed potatoes is powdered potato flakes.  The flakes absorb excess water from the fresh potatoes and prevent a soggy knish.  Adding potato flakes will also create a mashed potato that will "stand up" a bit more.   For this recipe, add about 1/4 to 1/3 cup potato flakes.  Be sure to look for a pure potato product in the ingredients list on the box, NOT instant mashed potatoes. 

Brown Rice, Dried Fruit & Nut Bars

These pure ingredient, no-bake trail mix bars are inspired by the Lärabar which are simply fruit and nuts.   A combination of a few natural ingredients like dried cherries and almonds or dates and cashews create flavor combinations that seem more complex than the minimal  number of ingredients would imply.  I found a recipe for Cranberry Pistachio ones on the outdoorsy-food-adventure blog Use Real Butter and took the technique to create a version that is a little lighter. 

My secret ingredient is Rice Krispies made with brown rice.  These are a little less sweet the the original Rice Krispies and are made in a facility that is gluten free.  The cereal replaces half of the nuts while providing a satisfying crunch. I also squeeze some extra juice into these bars.  Perhaps my pantry is drier than most.  The dried fruit drinks it up to form the nice paste that holds the bars together. 

Brown Rice Dried Fruit & Nut Bars
Yield: about 20 3-inch bars

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups dates
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup Brown Rice Krispies
Zest of a 1 orange
Optional: juice of half an orange

Method

1. Line a loaf pan with wax paper or tin foil, leaving overhang on the long ends of the vessel.  
2. In a food processor, pulse the dates and cranberries until well ground.  If your fruit is very dry, add juice at this stage.  Continue to process until the fruit forms a sticky paste. Place ground fruit in a medium bowl.
3. Next, process the nuts until they are ground to the size of a grain of rice or a bit larger.  Add to the fruit.  
4. Add the rice krispies and orange zest to the fruit-nut mixture.
5. Use your (clean) hands to combine all the ingredients.
6. Once the ingredients are well combined, start to press the mixture together so that they hold together.  Add a bit more juice if needed.*
7. Press fruit-nut mixture into prepared loaf pan.   
8. Cover and freeze for one hour.  
9. The mixture will be very cold but not frozen solid.  Remove block of fruit-nut loaf from pan and slice into 1-inch slabs.  Cut slabs in half to form 3" X 1" bars.  Store at room temperature or in the refrigerator.  Wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap for travel.

*Our house tolerates a bit of crumble.  If you like your bars very firm, add a little extra juice.  

Strawberry Cream Cheese Panini

My mother used to make us cream cheese and strawberry jam sandwiches.   Made with tightly crumbed white bread, with the crusts cut off and perfectly square,  they added elegance to any child's tea party.  All grown up and more rustic, these strawberry and cream cheese panini provide the same flavorful delight plus a little whiff of spring during March's slow melt into sunnier days.

The filling in our panini is made with frozen strawberries that have been defrosted and macerated with a little lemon juice and cinnamon. Be sure to look for unsweetened strawberries.  You can always add a little sugar or honey if your strawberries are not as sweet as you'd like.  If you are seeing fresh strawberries that have some flavor, go ahead and use those.  The cream cheese is flavored with lemon zest.  A good quality (or homemade) strawberry jam is the only other essential ingredient.

For the bread, use a fairly plain loaf that will not compete with the filling.  Sliced plain white bread is fine and so is brioche, challah, a country loaf or french bread sliced on the diagonal.

We think of these as a daytime snack or breakfast fare, but if you are serving them after dinner try blending a little liquor into the cream cheese or the jam.  If you have some Chambord, creme de cassis or Grand Marnier you can highlight the fruit notes in the sandwich or try something more unusual but complimentary like Drambuie or Amaretto.  You won't need much, just a teaspoon or two.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Panini
Makes 2 sandwiches

Ingredients
3 ounces cream cheese
1 lemon
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
pinch cinnamon
2 tablespoons strawberry jam
4 slices bread
1 tablespoon butter (if using skillet method or panini press allows)

Method

1. Place cream cheese in a small bowl.  Zest the lemon and mix into the cream cheese.  Set aside. 
2. Defrost strawberries and give them a rough chop. (You can defrost strawberries quickly in a microwave.  Use half power for 2-3 minutes.)  
3. Mix in juice of quarter of the lemon (about 2 teaspoons) and a good pinch of cinnamon.  Set aside while you prepare the bread slices.  
4. If you are using a panini press, preheat it now.

If using a pannini press, follow manufacturer's directions for oiling or not oiling the surface of the bread....

• Slice the defrosted strawberries and taste one.  Sprinkle a teeny, tiny amount of sugar on them if needed.  Set aside while you prepare the bread. 
• Spread some good quality strawberry jam on one side; the flavored cream cheese on the other.  Spoon the sliced strawberries over the jam side and cover with the cream cheese side.    
• Place the cream cheese side down and close the press. Most will beep when the pannini is ready.  Remove and cut in half or in quarters to serve. 

If using a skillet....

• Place the pan over medium heat. Slice the defrosted strawberries and taste one.  Sprinkle a teeny, tiny amount of sugar on them if needed.  Set aside while you prepare the bread. 
• Spread some good quality strawberry jam on one side; the flavored cream cheese on the other.  Spoon the sliced strawberries over the jam side and cover with the cream cheese side.  
• Brush the top with some melted or softened butter.  Place the cream cheese (buttered) side down and cook until browned on that side.  
• Lightly butter the top (jam side) while the flip side grills.  Flip and cook until browned on the jam side.  Remove and cut in half or in quarters and enjoy. 

Serving suggestion: These really are terrific on their own but if you know someone who loves chocolate, a little bowl of melted dark chocoalte or warm ganache can be served along side for dipping or drizzling.

Pass the Peppers, Please

Here are two easy and pure things to do with the colorful bell peppers in markets now.  First, a simple roasted pepper and mozzarella salad that will carry you through to summer when ripe tomatoes can be swapped in.  Next, homemade vegetable cream cheese that packs more punch than store bought versions that charge $3-4.00 per container.

When you roast bell peppers, their sweetness is concentrated and they contrast nicely with fresh mozzarella.  A drizzle of flavorful extra virgin olive oil is all you really need to pull together a non-lettuce side salad.  If you'd like, you can add in other roasted vegetables like asparagus, mushrooms and plum tomatoes.  (Roasting concentrates the sugar in these hardy tomatoes too. See Pure Foods post for  April 16, 2012 for more information.) Salad leftovers can be tossed with cooked pasta for another pure side dish or quick lunch.

Cooking shows roast peppers whole over open flames.  I have a simple method that is less messy and takes less supervision.  By cutting the peppers into large pieces first, the pieces can lay flat under a broiler and the inside seeds and veins can be removed discarded right away.   See Pure Foods post for the January 13, 2010  to see this simple technique.

 

Before roasting, reserve a small amount of your raw bell pepper, about one tablespoon minced, for a homemade veggie cream cheese.  This is a real treat with a weekend bagel.  We also use it on rye crackers, rolled into ham or turkey cold cuts and on a cheese platter complimented by a hot pepper jelly.  You can also stuff this flavored cream cheese under chicken breast or thigh skin for a moist and crispy-skinned baked chicken dinner.

Along with the diced bell pepper, mince a scallion, half a small carrot and a small celery stalk. Mince is just a very small dice. The smaller you can get the vegetables the more successful this recipe is.  Add these vegetables to 4 ounces softened cream cheese and finish with a few grinds of black pepper and the zest of half a lemon. 

 You can customize your mixture to suit your tastes, the items in your refrigerator or your meal.  Try minced radish, jicama, even tart apple along with the bell peppers. Add herbs like dried dill, marjoram or basil.  A large pinch will do the trick.

Figs, So Simple

It's hard to beat the perfection of fresh figs over plain, whole milk yogurt.  Indulge while figs are in season. Today, no recipe; just cut the figs in slices or quarters. 

Perfect little 4pm snack, breakfast treat, late night dessert too.  No need to add honey even; the sweetness is inside each fig. 

Corn Muffins with Grapes

We do not all feel harvest time in the same way that our grandparents did.  Then, even city-dwellers were aware of when certain foods were at their peak and ready for market.  We see grapes all year these days but some varieties, like red grapes from our northern hemisphere, are abundant now.  It's nice to acknowledge the harvest season and nicer still when you can make something easy and pure. 

These corn muffins with grapes are a fun school lunch or after-school treat.  Adults really like the grape surprise inside too.  Simply take your favorite corn muffin recipe (or the one below) and drop a few grapes into each muffin tin before baking. 

This recipe was inspired by Harvest Grape Breads, a wonderful slightly sweet flat bread or focaccia from Tuscany. After looking around at Harvest Grape Bread recipes, I found a Harvest Cake made with grapes, olive oil and semolina.  Thus was born an original recipe for corn muffins with grapes.  In the recipe below, you may substitute olive oil for up to half of the butter. 

Corn Muffins with Grapes
Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup red seedless grapes (about 40 grapes) washed and dried

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Grease a regular sized muffin pan (12 muffins) with vegetable oil or spray.
3. Melt butter in microwave or small pot over low heat.
4. While butter melts combine cornmeal, flour and salt in a small bowl. 
5. Stir melted butter and sugar together in a medium bowl.
6. Add eggs and beat until well blended. 
7. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture sugar mixture.
8. Stir in cornmeal mixture until well blended and few lumps remain. 
9. Scoop batter into the prepared muffin pan.
10. Press a few grapes into the tops of each muffin.  (Batter will rise up around grapes.
11. Bake at 375˚F for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center muffin comes away clean.

Spiced Party Nuts

May is devoted to quick party foods that you can put out for guests or bring to a friend's.  Last week: olives.  This week: nuts. 

Most recipes for roasted nuts involve a bit of egg white to help the seasonings bind to the nuts.  I wanted something a little less messy but with similar adherence results. 

I use a 50/50 mixture of maple syrup and canola oil as the base for my spice blend.  This is the blend used in our house granola.  Roasted at the right temperature for just the right amount of time, these nuts lose their stickiness and crisp up the way granola coated with syrup, oil and cinnamon does.

Any nut variety works or you can use all one type of nut.  If you are using pecans, which roast much faster than most other nuts separate them to roast separately then mix in with the larger batch once cooled. 

Here’s the recipe:

Spiced Party Nuts
Makes 2 cups
Ingredients
2 cups mixed nuts, unsalted & raw nuts work best
pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon canola oil

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. 
2. Spread nuts out onto a rimmed cookie sheet or roasting pan.  
3. Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl.  Taste—add more spices to suit your taste.  You and your friends might like more cayenne.  To sweeten add a pinch of table sugar.  
4. Now, pour the spice coating over the nuts and toss to coat them very well.  
5. Place nuts in oven and bake 10-12 minutes.  Use a spatula to turn/toss nuts midway through.  This will help prevent sticking.  
6. Check the nuts after 10 minutes.  (Check pecans in 7-8 minutes.)  The nuts are ready when the coating has almost lost its stickiness.  As the nuts cool, the coating will continue to harden.  Store cooled nuts in an airtight container. 

Nuts may be prepared several days in advance, but hide them so loved ones don’t devour them before the party!

Cocktail Party Olives

Your own quick-marinated olives will have a freshness no deli or salad bar offering can match.  This combination of citrus peel, fennel seed and a little heat can be customized for your menu by selecting fresh herbs that match the rest of the meal or made to stand out with an extra dash of red chili flakes.  Both green and black olives take to this treatment well.  I usually use olives packed only in brine but if I have a few remaining olives in a flavored jar, they can join the party too.   By heating the olives, you speed up the flavor process.  Alternately, you can marinate the olives overnight to get a subtler effect. 

Cocktail Party Olives
Makes 3 cups

Ingredients
2 14-oz cans olives packed in brine
1-2 strips lemon or orange peel*
½ teaspoon fennel seed
¼-½ teaspoon red chili flakes
1 large spring of fresh herbs like thyme, marjoram, dill or rosemary
1 tablespoon high quality olive oil

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.  
2. Create a roasting envelope by lining a small roasting pan with a long sheet of foil with extra foil hanging over two sides.  Allow enough extra foil to close and seal packet over olives.   
3. Drain the olives and place in foil-lined pan.  
4. Add reaming ingredients and toss lightly.  Fold foil over olives and seal tightly.  
5. Place olive sin oven and bake 15-20 minutes.  
6. Remove and open foil.  Allow olives to cool to room temperature before serving.  
7. If not serving right away, store in the refrigerator, covered.   Olives keep for 4-5 days. 

Elegant Life Leftovers: Tapenade
The yield for this recipe is three cups.  That might sound like a lot but they will go quickly.  You can cut the recipe in half for a small group or make tapenade with the leftovers.  To make tapenade, chop the olives finely by hand or in a mini food processor and add capers, anchovies and a bit of olive oil.  The proportions should be roughly 3 parts olive to 1 part each of caper and anchovy, but go with your own tastes. Add olive oil to get the consistency you like.  Thick and spreadable is nice.  You can also add a dash of sherry wine vinegar if it needs more acid but the capers should manage that area well.  Tapenades are another cocktail party guest—usually spread on bruschetta.  Or use it as a spread on sandwiches in place of mayonnaise or mustard.  This is really good on an Italian hero,  a roasted veggie pannini or a simple tomato open-faced sandwich.  Dot a reheated slice of pizza with tapenade to wake up the flavors.

* For a primer on how to get a perfect peel of lemon or orange, check out the post on this blog, "Bring Back the Twist" (4/25/2011).

Car Trip Trail Mix

A recent trip to Vermont reminded me of the pleasures of trail mix.  Yes, its great for a hike but it's also a good snack to get you through the divide between lunch and dinner when you are too busy to stop but need something that can sustain you for just a little while.  Long car trips, an extra hour at the beach, a late dinner are all good times to reach for trail mix. 

You can buy packaged trail mix on the road but making it yourself gives you complete control over the flavor, saves money and allows you to source the most pure and fresh ingredients. Who knows how long that bag of GORP has been sitting at the gas station?

The proportions are roughly 2/3 nuts and seeds to 1/3 dried fruit.   I like to have at least two types of either nuts or seeds.  Some recipes add chocolate but beware in warm conditions.  I hold off until  colder weather to include chocolate chips in my mix. 

The trail mix in the photo includes almonds, sunflowers, pepitas, dried cherries and dried apricots.  Cut large pieces of fruit with kitchen sheers rather than a knife.  Simple and less rippage.

Holiday Cheez-ies

The Lee Brothers of southern cooking fame made goldfish crackers a pure thing—all natural ingredients.  From there bloggers everywhere saw the potential for cheez-its. Before Cheez-its were boxed up by a corporate kitchen they were mini cheese crackers baked up with real cheese and lots of it.

Here’s my version, made holiday ready with mini-cookie cutters in snowman, tree and star patterns (as well as the traditional square with center hole).  Pick a cookie cutter pattern that benefits from little holes poked into the dough with a skewer.  It helps the cheese puff more evenly and provides an artistic touch to your work. 

This is an easy dough to make and work with.  Kids will enjoy helping.  If the dough stays out a while and becomes too pliable put it the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. This dough is like pie pastry and likes to be kept chilled.  You can also cut out the cheez-ies then chill the cut-outs on the baking sheet in the freezer for about 5 minutes or for a few hours.  Bake as usual. 

Homemade Holiday Cheez-ies
Yield: never enough

1 1/2 (6 ounces) cups grated hard cheese*
4 ounces unsalted butter
3/4 cup flour (all purpose or whole wheat)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon tumeric
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1-2 tablespoons milk (or light cream)

Method

1. Preheat  oven to 350˚F. 
2. Place cheese, butter, flour, salt and spices in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is just combined and the flour mixture looks a bit crumbly.  
3. Add milk, a little at a time and pulse again.  Add more milk until dough just comes together. 
4. Place dough on a floured surface or wax paper. Use lightly floured hands to form the dough into a flat disc, about 1 inch thick.  Refrigerate dough for 15 minutes or overnight.  
5. When ready to bake cheez-ies, place dough on a floured surface and roll into a rectangle, about 1/16 inch thick. Use mini cookie cutters to cut dough into shapes and transfer to a cookie sheet.  (You can also cut the dough into 1-inch squares using a knife or pasta wheel.) 
6. With a skewer, poke a few holes into each cheez-ie either in the center or create a pattern that matches the shape.  (Buttons for the snowman, garland for the tree, etc.)
7. Bake cheez-ies for 15 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown.  Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. 

Cooled cheez-ies should be stored in an air-tight container. They can be frozen and reheated in a warm oven (under 200˚F).
Cheez-ies are a grown-up cocktail snack but still kid friendly. They go well with soup and can even stand in as croutons in salads. 

Carrot Coconut Bran Muffins

The muffin pan has been out recently to make Breakfast Egg Cups for the weekdays.  The weekend is calling out a different tune: bran muffins with carrot cake overtones.  I extracted from a few favorite bran muffin recipes to make this low fat version and then added my favorite extras- grated carrot, coconut, raisins and walnuts.  For you, these can be plain bran muffins or add blueberries or dried cranberries and almonds, or even some banana  chunks (1 small banana) and chopped peanuts.

Carrot Coconut Bran Muffins with Walnuts and Raisins
Makes 12 regular muffins
Ingredients
1 cup unprocessed (miller's) wheat bran
1 1/3 cup white whole wheat four (or half all purpose, half whole wheat flour)
2/3 cup whole wheat flour (spoon into a measuring cup and level top)
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/4 cups low-fat or skim milk
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 large egg
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Method

1. Preheat to 350°.  Lightly spray twelve regular size muffin cups with oil. 
2. In a medium bowl, combine bran, flours, baking soda, and salt.  
3. In a small bowl combine grated carrots, raisins, coconut and walnuts.
4. In another medium bowl, whisk together the milk, vinegar, sugar, applesauce, egg, oil and vanilla. 
5. Add the carrot mixture to the dry ingredients and combine thoroughly with a spoon or your (very clean) hands.  Make a well in the center of this dry mixture, and pour in the liquid mixture. Using a spoon, stir just until combined. Spoon the batter equally among the prepared muffin cups. Bake until the tops spring back when pressed gently in the center, about 18-20 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes before removing from the cups. Enjoy immediately or cool completely on the rack.  Cooled muffins can be stored in an airtight container 2 days or placed in plastic bags and frozen for up to 2 months.

These are moist so yo can enjoy them plain or, to bring our the carrot cake lurking inside, dab yours with a little softened cream cheese.

No Fuss Granola; Pure & Simple

Even though granola sounds healthy some store bought versions include some iffy ingredients or need some processing to be shelf stable. Homemade granola can be so simple and this no fuss version uses just a few pantry items. Fewer ingredients not only gives you a pure flavor, its saves time so you will make your own granola more often.  Here’s our honed down version with our favorite flavors.  It used to have twice the number of ingredients and we think it tastes better pared back.

No Fuss Granola
Ingredients
3 cups rolled oats (not instant)
1/3 cup each wheat germ, coconut, sliced almonds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup each vegetable oil, maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
post-bake add ins: 1 cup dried fruits including raisins, cherries, chopped apricots or figs, etc

Method

1. Preheat oven to 300˚F.
2. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (oats through salt) and stir to combine thoroughly.  
3. Add liquid ingredients: oil, maple syrup and vanilla.  Stir to coat all dry ingredients.  (You may use your very clean hands).  
4. Pour granola mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet and spread out evenly.  Bake a total of 25-30 minutes until oats are crisp and lightly browned.  Check and stir mixture halfway through cooking to gauge progress.  
5. Cool cooked granola and, once cool, add dried fruit.  Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks. (It won’t last that long.) 

Your No Fuss Granola
Toasted coconut and almonds spiked with vanilla and cinnamon flavor our favorite granola.  Make substitutions for these ingredients slowly to find your favorite yet still pure flavor profile.  Oat flakes aren’t the only grain – try wheat or rye flakes or a five-grain flakes mixture as your base.  If you don’t like coconut, skip it and add sunflower or sesame seeds.  Try replacing the almonds with other nuts like walnuts, chopped hazelnuts, peanuts or even pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds).  Almond extract is an alternative to vanilla and nutmeg, ginger or cardamon can stand in for cinnamon.  After baking add tropical dried fruits from mangoes and pineapple to banana chips and papaya.  Some households I know will try a chocolate chip version.  :)  And others will experiment with cayenne or chai spices.  Let me know how that goes.

Chocolate Stocking Report

Dark chocolate is very popular in this household.  Our siblings know this and treat us to some truly special ones at this time of year. 

This year we received a stockingful of dark chocolate bars to sample and compare.  It’s every chocoholic’s dream holiday.  We try to restrain ourselves and only sample one or two at a time.  It helps us keep the nuances of flavor clear and our heads from spinning.  So far we have broken into three bars and thought we had a clear favorite.  Today there was a split decision.  As we sample we are contemplating what to cook with the briefcase-sized brick of semi-sweet chocolate sent by another sibling.  Grated semi-sweet chocolate in hot milk makes very nice hot chocolate.  I have several fondue recipes floating around that would put the giant bar to good use.  A neighbor told me that the chocolate cake she recently baked for a crowd required a full two pounds of chocolate.  I think I’m set for any eventuality.  And then there are the profiteroles we made the other day that only require freshly made fudge sauce as a topping. 

I won’t divulge the winner of this year’s dark chocolate competition but I do encourage you to set up a sampling too.  It may be too late for stockings, but New Year’s is around the corner and a tray or table stocked with a variety of chocolates is fun for guests.  Many people like to sip red wine with really dark chocolate.  Others like a snifter of rum or brandy.

Chocolate isn’t the only food that lends itself to party sampling.  Now that craft-level caramels and toffees are popular and abundant, you can create a sampling of salted caramels, chocolate-covered  toffee, dulce de leche cheesecake and butterscotch brownies either homemade or from speacialty stores.  On the savory side, a salsa tasting or cheese sampling is very easy.  Pick a theme to create a focus, like goat cheeses or blues and dig in.  It’s a great way to find a new favorite.

Special thanks to Diana, Jim, Julia, Liam, Chester and Bill.  This blog entry would not have been possible without you.

Calcium Loading

The New York City Marathon is one of the city’s big fall events.  Runners enjoy an annual pasta meal the night before the big race.  Everyone knows its called “carb-loading” and it helps lean marathoners go the distance without depletion. 

There’s another race that more if us are involved in, the slightly longer marathon to maintain strong bones throughout our lives.  While marathoners are carb-loading, you can be calcium-loading. 

Calcium-loading is a mindful approach to getting calcium at as many meals as possible every day.  The body can only absorb about 500 mg of calcium at a time but the recommended daily amount is between 1,000-1,500 mg for most adults.  Taking a calcium supplement is recommended for many women but keeping up with the dosage can be taxing.  Take it all at once and most is lost to the body.  Try to take a pill at every meal and risk forgetting. Healthy bones are too important to neglect so here is a plan to keep calcium flowing through your system via- surprise- food.  Many low fat options make this possible for all but the lactose intolerant.  Add a few of these to your routine on a consistent basis and your doctor may suggest cutting back on the supplements.

There are choices at every meal and snack opportunity:

Breakfast
Coffee Latte—Get you caffeine with a bigger shot of milk and add 33mg calcium for every ounce (regardless of fat content).   I like strong hot coffee with at least 1/3 of the mug filled with milk.  That’s almost 100 mg* and plenty of caffeine.

Hot Chocolate-- Don't feel guilty about a morning hot cocoa.  If you can make it yourself,  it's likely you'll get out the door with less sugar and fewer calories than a coffeehouse special latte.  Hold the marshmallows.

Orange Juice—you can buy calcium-fortified versions but plain is also a contributor at 52 mg. calcium in 4 ounces.

Egg- one large egg contributes 27 mg calcium to your morning.  (Note: over 90% of the calcium is in the yolk.)

Yogurt- dollop it on oatmeal, which itself contributes about 85 mg of calcium in a cup, eat it plain or in a breakfast parfait with fresh or stewed fruit and a handful of low fat granola.   Eight ounces provides from 300-500 mg of calcium  (check the label on your favorite).

Cream cheese- replace butter with an ounce of regular or low fat cream cheese on toast, muffins, rolls and bagels.  Skimp on that huge bagel by cutting it in half but don’t cheat yourself out of the nutrition-rich cheese.   It also delivers a nice quantity of protein, keeping you satisfied through the morning.  One ounce gives you 25+ mg calcium bonus over butter or jams.  Mix in some cinnamon or a teaspoon of maple syrup for a terrific pancake or whole wheat waffle spread. 

Almond butter is a second option on breakfast breads.  It tastes good with cream cheese or on its own.  One tablespoon gives you 43 mg of calcium.

Smoothies made with low fat milk, plain yogurt and fruits including banana as a thickener make a quick breakfast protein shake.  Here’s a seasonal recipe that tastes like pumpkin pie:

Pumpkin Smoothie:
Serves 1

Ingredients
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup pureed pumpkin (canned is fine
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

1. Shake all ingredients together in a lidded jar with a few ice cubes or, if doubling the recipe, mix it up in a blender. 

Lunch
Beverage of choice: Milk- your kids are (perhaps) having a glass of milk with their school lunch.  Maybe you should try it too.  Skim milk goes well with a sandwich and adds a big boost of both calcium and protein to your day.

Cheese please- Diet guides often recommend peeling the cheese off a sandwich to lower calories.  Instead, add a slice of your favorite hard cheese and lose a slice of bread to create an open face sandwich.  One ounce of most hard cheese provides between 100-200 mg calcium with only about 100 extra nutrient rich calories. If you can’t get out of your own way on the calories front, enjoy low-calorie versions of cheddar, Swiss and many others.  Melted is really good!

Spinach salad- Toss a cup of baby spinach leaves into your next midday salad and scoop up an extra 30 mg of calcium with just 7 calories. 

And while you’re at the salad bar, reach for chick peas.  You’ll add 43 mg calcium for every half cup (143 calories and 6 grams of protein makes your salad a main dish).

Snacks
Cottage Cheese- Once considered “diet food” only, cottage cheese is still a great side or satisfying snack with melon or pineapple.  Now it’s also used by savvy cooks in dip and baked pasta recipes. 

Cheese, Glorious Cheese- When you snack well it feels satisfying, not hunger-inducing.  An ounce of cheese can get you through to dinner and if you are not serving something with calcium it’s the perfect pre-dinner appetizer or elegant dessert with fruit. At about 100-140 calories per ounce it competes with most energy bars.

Chocolate milk—Com’n, you know you like it.  You can grab one on the go or whip one up at home.  If you are making chocolate milk at home, add a drop of real vanilla extract to enhance the deep chocolate flavor and reduce the amount of sugar needed.

Nuts- One ounce of nuts goes farther than you’d think to curb your appetite and add calcium.   Almonds 75 mg calcium, 1 ounce = 22 nuts, brazilnuts 45 mg calcium, 1 ounce = 6 nuts. Pistachios 31 mg calcium, 1 ounce = 49 nuts, walnuts 28 mg calcium, 1 ounce = 14 nuts.

White beans- two ounces contributes 20 mg calcium.  Mash beans up with a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and dried rosemary, salt and pepper to taste.  Celery, carrots, steamed green beans, asparagus, and cauliflower are all calcium-contributing dippers.

Edamame (soy beans) 1 cup =261 mg

Dinner
Many vegetables are a surprising source of calcium.  Half cup of cabbage or bok choy provides 190 mg calcium, broccoli 33 and okra 65 each.  A cup of cooked spinach provides 250 mg calcium and collard greens are at close second at 226 mg per cup serving. 

Go Au Gratin: One ounce of grated Parmesan has 110 calories and a whopping 313 mg calcium.  Cheese and broccoli casserole is suddenly more meaningful.  Try it with a low-fat version of cheddar and a dusting of grated Parmesan.   See below for a fast and freezable broccoli-cheese-rice casserole.  (Even rice has a respectable amount of calcium.)

Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole
Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients
2 cups cooked rice
3 cups steamed broccoli
1/2 cup sliced, steamed celery
6 oz vegetable or chicken broth
1 /4 cup lite mayo
2 T sour cream
1/3 cup each grated mozzarella and cheddar
1/2 cup Parmesan, divided

1. Preheat oven to 350˚.  Spray a large casserole dish with spray oil.  
2. In a small bowl, slowly whisk mix broth into mayonnaise and sour cream a bit at a time to form a thick sauce.  
3. Add grated mozzarella and cheddar and half the Parmesan.  Set aside.
4. Place rice and vegetables in prepared casserole.  
5. Pour cheese mixture over and toss to combine.  
6. Cover and bake 20 minutes until heated through.  
7. Remove cover, sprinkle on remaining Parmesan cheese and bake another 5 minutes until cheese is melted.

Fish like salmon and sardines load on the calcium.  Three ounces give your between 300 and 350 mg calcium.  Finish fish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.  12 grams provides 80 mg, calcium.  (Make your favorite tuna recipe with canned salmon to boost mid-day calcium. A three ounce serving of canned salmon packs 234 mg calcium.

Tofu, made from soy beans, is another way to add calcium.  A 4oz serving provides 150 mg calcium.  See if it’s in your favorite veggie burger. 

Not just for baked potatoes, dairy toppings can garnish steamed or roasted vegetables and thick soups.  Choose Greek yogurt, “yogurt cheese” or sour cream.  (To make yogurt cheese, drain a cup of plain yogurt in cheesecloth or a coffee filter for a few hours or overnight over a shallow bowl.)

Dessert
Puddings made with low fat and skim milk are a lovely treat every once in a while.  Chocolate pudding, vanilla pudding, rice pudding, tapioca can be made from scratch but are also available in low fat versions already prepared.

Yogurt—yes, for dessert.  We use it on fruit crisps instead of ice cream or whipped cream.  Try the plain, whole milk type (some brands have cream on top).  It is the perfect foil to sweet crisps. 

Close out a meal with a cheese and fruit platter or serve as a side to a soup meal.  Add some calcium-rich nuts like almonds to the platter too.  Keep cheese plates simple and portions in control.  An ounce of cheese is usually equivalent to the size of 3 dice.

The Cheese Plate  (calcium in one ounce)
Cheese          Calcium     Calories
Gouda              196           100
Fontina            154           109
Brie                   51             94
Cheddar          202            113
Goat Cheese      83           102
Swiss               221           106
Roquefort        185           103
Feta                 138             74

*Calcium content noted sourced from http://nutritiondata.self.com/

Vitamin D
Your body requires a supply of Vitamin D to help your system absorb and regulate calcium.  There are not many sources (fatty fish, meat and eggs).  One source is sunlight and it only takes 10-15 outdoors daily with face and arms exposed (no sunscreen) to obtain your fill. (A daily walk outside is another important bone strengthener.) Those who live in colder climates or who cannot be without sunscreen for that length of time can also get Vitamin D via fortified foods.