tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89170926081748498352024-03-05T18:25:51.182-05:00Got Cake?Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.comBlogger185125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-77152239166494400272016-07-18T22:26:00.000-04:002016-07-18T22:28:34.097-04:00oatmeal berry bars (vegan; can be gluten-free).<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Looking for the perfect breakfast item or healthy summer dessert? These berry oatmeal bars can serve as both. There is zero fat (no oil, butter, or eggs), but enough ingredients to keep these bars extremely moist and also satisfyingly delicious.</div>
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These bars are actually sort of like baked oatmeal bars - I've never made baked oatmeal, because I always thought it would be really dry and flavorless. But when you put 3 cups of rolled oats into bar form with a jammy fresh berry layer - totally different.<br />
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I will say - these bars aren't very crunchy. Even the top (which I top with some oil or melted ghee/butter sometimes) doesn't get that crunchy. This is because there is literally no fat in the oatmeal mixture - it's held together by the grace of applesauce! Or plain pumpkin puree, should you be brave enough to try that (I have - and although the oats turn orange, it's really good! And probably healthier than applesauce).</div>
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I used a combination of chopped fresh strawberries and frozen blackberries. I never use frozen fruits/veggies, but frozen berries worked perfectly in this case. I didn't even chop the blackberries - just mashed them in the pan, with the back of my wooden spoon.<br />
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The banana is added for sweetness - don't worry, I never get any banana flavor. The berries are all I ever taste or notice. In fact, every time I make this recipe, I forget I even need a banana. However, you can use a lot less sugar if you use a very ripe banana.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Oatmeal Berry Bars</span></u></b><br />
<i>slightly adapted from <a href="http://ohsheglows.com/2011/03/31/berry-bliss-oats-squares/" target="_blank">here</a>. You can use any kinds of berries! </i><br />
<u><br />
</u> <u>Berry Filling</u><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1 cup fresh strawberries, washed and chopped</li>
<li>1 cup blackberries or blueberries, washed</li>
<li>1 ripe banana (perfect for that banana that's completely darkened)</li>
<li>1/4 cup maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar</li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract</li>
<li>1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch</li>
<li>OPTIONAL: 1 Tablespoon flax </li>
</ul>
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<u>Oatmeal portion</u></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>3 cups oats (rolled or quick-cooking, doesn't matter)</li>
<li>1 teaspoon cinnamon</li>
<li>1.5 teaspoons (or 1/2 Tablespoon) baking powder</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>3/4 cup applesauce, or pumpkin puree (oats will be orange tinted)</li>
<li>1/4 cup maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar</li>
<li>1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons almond milk</li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract</li>
<li>OPTIONAL: 1-2 Tablespoons oil, melted butter or ghee</li>
</ul>
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<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><u>Berry Filling:</u> Chop banana finely. Chop berries roughly. Add berries, banana, and 1/4 cup maple syrup to a saucepan. Heat till it starts boiling, and then turn off heat. Stir in cornstarch and vanilla.</li>
<li><u>Oatmeal portion</u>: Grind 2.5 cups of oats in a food processor until it becomes oat flour - this should happen pretty quickly. Mix oat flour, remaining 1/2 cup of oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.</li>
<li>In a large bowl, mix applesauce, maple syrup/honey, milk, and vanilla. Add oil if using.</li>
<li>Add dry ingredients to wet mixture. Stir until combined. Transfer 2/3 of the batter into a <b><u>greased</u></b> 8 inch square pan. Glass pans work best. Spread berry mixture over this. Clump remaining oat mixture with hands and place over the berry filling.</li>
<li>Bake for about 30 minutes at 375 degrees F. The top oat layer should feel slightly toasted. Cool for about 30 minutes before slicing. They also taste very good cold. (If like me, you can't wait and must try it 10 mins after removing from oven, just be wary of the hot sugar from the berry filling!)</li>
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Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-81346571579934037332015-06-01T15:40:00.001-04:002015-06-01T15:40:21.651-04:00oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Oatmeal cookies can be tricky. At large gatherings, potlucks, or any catered events, there are usually oatmeal cookies. To be specific, there are usually oatmeal cookies with dark chunks in them. And it's always a risky game of discovering whether those chunks are raisins (bleh) or chocolate chips (YES).<br />
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As a result, whenever I make oatmeal cookies, I'm always quick to affirm that they have chocolate, and NOT raisins. Nothing against them, but they have no purpose being in cookies. (<a href="http://gotcakee.blogspot.com/2011/11/spiced-sweet-potato-cookies-rum-soaked.html" target="_blank">unless</a> they're soaked in rum and paired with sweet potato).<br />
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These cookies are nice because they have all the attributes of a regular choco chip cookie (chewy edges, soft center, gooey chocolate) with a little more heartiness and texture from the oatmeal, without being crunchy or dry.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies</span></u></b><br />
<i>from <a href="http://www.averiecooks.com/2014/11/the-best-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </i><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1/2 cup (or one stick) unsalted butter, room temperature</li>
<li>1/2 packed cup brown sugar (any kind)</li>
<li>1/4 cup granulated sugar</li>
<li>1 large egg</li>
<li>1 Tablespoon vanilla extract</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant or from a packet)</li>
<li>3/4 cup flour</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon cinnamon</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1 heaping cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks</li>
</ul>
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<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Cream the butter and sugars for 2 minutes.</li>
<li>Add egg and vanilla. Beat for 1-2 more minutes until everything is incorporated.</li>
<li>In separate bowl, stir together the dry ingredients (oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt). Add to the butter mixture. Mix carefully until just combined, and a few flour streaks remains.</li>
<li>Add chocolate chips. Mix until no more flour shows and chocolate chips are evenly distributed.</li>
<li>Cover bowl and let chill for at least 1 hours (up to 2-3 days).</li>
<li>Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 if using convection setting). Lightly grease baking sheet or line with parchment paper. </li>
<li>Make balls of dough and gently pat down in the middle to flatten just very slightly. The dough will spread. Space evenly across the baking sheet, about 2-3 inches apart. </li>
<li>Bake 10 - 13 minutes, depending on your oven. Cookies might look a tiny bit not set in the middle, but will set upon cooling. Cool for 2-3 minutes on the sheet before transferring to a rack (or plate). </li>
<li>Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Alternatively, they can be stored in ziplock bags and frozen for a few months. </li>
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Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-88898739749960439322015-03-28T13:16:00.003-04:002015-03-28T13:16:38.646-04:00Charleston, South Carolina<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Who knew Charleston was such a foodie haven?!<br />
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The south is known for grits, fried okra, biscuits, and BBQ. Traveling around Charleston, almost everything emphasizes the Lowcountry territory: the marshlands, pretty piers, street names like "Sweetgrass Blvd," <a href="http://www.boonehallplantation.com/" target="_blank">plantations</a> that have been featured in movies, and gorgeous 3-story, pastel colored, old-fashioned houses casually clustered in downtown.<br />
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But do a quick yelp search for any eatery in Charleston, and you'll see the most incredible (and accessible!) restaurants, cafes, dessert bars (yes, there are literally places to eat dessert and sit outside by the waterfront), and sooo many more.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A donut (baked that morning) from "Glazed" -- King Street</span></td></tr>
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I went to Glazed on a Sunday around noon. I was looking at the menu at some super interesting rum apple custard donut, and then the girl at the counter told me the only things left were: honey buns, these chocolate covered cherry donuts, and I think some other biscuit thing .. what?! Apparently they sell out real quick, and on Sundays especially, the church crowd kinda empties them out. <br />
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TIP: If visiting Glazed, get there as early in the morning as possible! Once they sell out, they close. Also, try to avoid Sundays so you skip the church rush.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Flavor: Chocolate covered cherry</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Left: Jalapeno chocolate Right: Amaretto chocolate (From City Market)</span></td></tr>
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Charleston is apparently known for its gourmet chocolates - and now I know why! Seriously incredible chocolates. I got these from a City Market stall, along with some dehydrated okra. It's hard to find the dehydrated okra anywhere else (even in Charleston), so def pick some up there!! The guy at the counter even let me sample one before I purchased.<br />
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SIDENOTE: If you're generally vegetarian and not a big fan of meat, DO NOT get pulled pork just to "try BBQ cause I'm in the south." That was my worst decision of the trip, as I watched a guy stuff meaty, juicy, dripping-in-fat pieces of whole meat and skin into a cup for me. My maybe once a month grilled chicken meals did not prepare me for that.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The amaretto flavor was incredible! And what a perfect ganache filling</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">View from boardwalk at Battery Park</span></td></tr>
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In my dreams, I live in one of the huge beautiful houses (ALL with Mercedes. Is there some prerequisite I don't know about?) near this pier. And run the length of this boardwalk everyday. And then pick up some pistachio belgian gelato later on.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chocolate Mandarin cupcake</span></td></tr>
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We went to a smoothie place (called Main Squeeze) in Mount Pleasant and nearby was a cupcake place. We picked this up and obviously, it was delicious, just as every other thing I've eaten in the area. I'm convinced that you could literally go anywhere in Charleston/surrounding area and find something wonderful.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Halfsies</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tiny canelé<!--EndFragment--> -- </span><span style="font-size: small;"> "Christophe Artisan Chocolatier" -- Society Street</span></td></tr>
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In regards to this last dessert - ever since hearing about it, I have never found it at any bakeries by me. NEVER. Not even some of the French bakeries I checked out in New York City. And when I found out they sold <span style="text-align: center;">canel</span><span style="text-align: center;">és at Christophe Artisan Chocolatier in Charleston, I HAD to go. The place is a very upscale (artisan, as the name implies) French dessert place. By upscale, I mean a bar of 91% dark chocolate cost $10. But I also never see 91% bars commercially available. They had cherry almond tarts, financiers, florentines, almond meringues, ETC, as well as an incredible and expansive array of truffles. </span><br />
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</span> <span style="text-align: center;">The </span><span style="text-align: center;">canel</span><span style="text-align: center;">é was fantastic (if smaller than expected). Golden crust and custardy center, just as I imagined. </span><br />
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Charleston is not kidding around when it comes to food, and the history, beauty, and culture of the city are so wonderful! It is a great place to visit and stay for a few days - you don't even need a whole week to explore the many areas. If you choose to visit, here are some places that warrant a visit and that I enjoyed: (included prices because that's always helpful)<br />
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- Fort Sumter (by ferry) $19 -- this was nice, although I learned nothing from my tour guide (who droned on) and the Fort was heavily used/barraged, so there's not much left! I actually enjoyed Fort Moultrie a lot more. The ferry DID give a great view of the Ravenel Bridge, though. There are 2 areas from which the ferry leaves - one in downtown, and one at Patriots Point. I did the latter, so there was less traffic/crowd.<br />
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- Fort Moultrie (nearby Patriots Point) $3/person -- learned so much more from here. We had a woman guide us, and she knew her stuff. The fort also has real cannons, this cool brick barrier for their gunpowder store, and a little museum with a huge map that clearly shows the many forts and areas of Charleston.<br />
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- Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon (in downtown by Broad St) $10/adult and $5/student I think? .. I had a soon-to-be grad student majoring in history give the tour. He knew a lot.<br />
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- City Market (Market St) $$ for buying things -- there is a FANTASTIC lemonade place. They literally squeeze lemons in front of you, and then mix lemon juice/pulp + cane sugar syrup + water in a shaker before pouring over ice. Wonderful.<br />
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- Boone Hall Plantation (on way to Patriots Point) $20/adult, no student discount -- oldest plantation apparently! This was Allie's summer house in the Notebook. The driving tour was very nice, and nearby Boone Farms (the little shop with produce, etc.) is so cute. [Boone Farms: They have enormous cakes which they can slice for you, as well as a cafe that closes at 6pm. They also have this peanut butter machine that grinds honey roasted peanuts - they have little sample cups for you to try and IT'S AMAZING.]<br />
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- Palmetto Island County Park, $1/person -- fun for a quick walk if you want something extra to do during your stay<br />
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- Folly Beach (quite far from downtown) $7/parking, but we went in off season so we paid nada -- the County Park side was less packed and is pretty much ALL beach, not really houses in the background or anything. Black Magic Cafe near there is also supposed to be good, but it closed (by 3pm) before we got there.<br />
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- Brickhouse Kitchen (restaurant) -- If you visit Folly Beach, you must make a reservation for this place. The food was so fresh and delicious, and the staff was very friendly. I ate the best eggrolls, crab cakes, and strawberry shortcake (true Southern style) I've ever had. The restaurant looks like a house, which at first is weird and then it's awesome. There's live music outdoors, and it's just great.<br />
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- Isle of Palms (the County Park area), off season so didn't have to pay for parking -- has a beautiful beach.<br />
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Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0Charleston, SC, USA32.7764749 -79.93105120000001332.3494714 -80.576498200000017 33.203478399999995 -79.285604200000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-80197875255690323622015-03-21T03:35:00.001-04:002015-03-21T03:36:05.319-04:00pickled fennel.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The time this fennel takes to pickle is (significantly) faster than the time spring is taking to mosey its way over to North America right now.<br />
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Which is good because woohoo quick homemade topping in time for an impromptu burger dinner! but bad because snow. So much snow.<br />
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The great thing about this "pickle" is that it doesn't require sterilized jars, lots of time, or even lots of effort. It's literally fennel chopped or sliced however you like + some pickling liquid (vinegar + sweetness).</div>
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I've eaten slices of this on burgers, in salads, and with Indian food. It's pretty versatile, and if I find something lacking some crunch or some acid, I'll just grab the big jar & fish out a few slices!</div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Quick Pickled Fennel</span></u></b></div>
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<i>pretty straightforward recipe from <a href="http://www.happyheartedkitchen.com/mains/lentil-beet-walnut-burgers-with-quick-pickled-fennel-sunflower-seed-aioli" target="_blank">here</a>. Placing the jar upside down ensures that the fennel at the top of the jar (when removing the fennel slices) will be best pickled/submerged in the liquid.</i></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1/4 + 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar</li>
<li>3/4 cup water</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons maple syrup or honey</li>
<li>1 smashed garlic clove</li>
<li>spoonful of peppercorns</li>
<li>1 fennel bulb, sliced thinly (the slices will maintain their size, so slice into desired thickness)</li>
</ul>
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<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Combine vinegar, water, and sweetener until the syrup/honey is dissolved. </li>
<li>When cutting fennel, cut a wedge to remove the core (as in picture above). Add garlic, peppercorns, and fennel into a big jar. </li>
<li>Pour pickling liquid over the fennel. Make sure jar lid is tightly fitted. Shake the jar a few times and place upside down in the fridge for at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight and longer. Flip jar over when removing slices (storing upside down ensures submersion of fennel slices).</li>
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Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-6184564246781165462015-01-28T23:23:00.000-05:002015-01-28T23:25:48.808-05:00veggie beet burgers (vegan, gluten-free).<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Drops of liquidy red stipple the counter .... the remains of some recent mess are evidenced by the now diluted pink water in the mugs sitting in the sink .... a pair of hands working hard nearby are deeply stained with red.<br />
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Is this a murder scene? Some crime show? </div>
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NOPE. It's all the result of working with beets! And messy as they may be, they make for great veggie (and vegan) burgers.</div>
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My first commercial veggie burger was a Boca burger. I thought they had accidentally roasted and gave me the cardboard freezer box instead of the burger. It was TERRIBLE.<br />
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Mind you, this was a time where I was able to eat plain unflavored/unsalted/no sugar oatmeal made with water for breakfast ... by itself. I was okay with that. Not with this Boca thing though, for edible it was not.</div>
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I have since never had a satisfying commercial veggie burger. I've heard the smashburger black bean burger is good ... but what's a veggie burger made of simply gassy beans! Where are the veggies?!?!!</div>
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Recently, I stumbled upon the Kitchn's post about a veggie burger recipe that was meant to imitate a famous one from Northstar Cafe in Ohio. I immediately loved that the burger had beets (IRON), brown rice (FIBER), some beans but not overwhelmingly so (PROTEIN), and prunes (JUST PLAIN INTERESTING). That the burger is also vegan is kinda cool too, I guess.</div>
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It's kind of a lot of work to assemble the different components - but def worth it. It makes a lot of patty mixture! While the brown rice took 5 years to cook, the beets cooked in a mini pressure cooker (I was aggressively guarding my clothing lest splatters stain them forever), I sauteed onions with mushrooms, mashed the beans, ground the oat flour, and started combining the spices.</div>
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The final result is delicious! It really is a great burger recipe, and I love that it's healthy & hearty, as well. It's equally fantastic both atop a bed of spinach with avocado and between slightly roasted hamburger buns.<br />
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My only negative comment was the lack of crunch, but I addressed that issue below with the addition of sesame seeds pressed into the burger before roasting. I actually literally used the leftover pile of seeds from the sesame hamburger buns LOL. Worked pretty damn well.</div>
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Anyone as dubious as me about veggie burgers should try this out!<br />
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PS - sorry for the lack of pictures. It was late, I was starving, and I just could not bear to wash my hands again & take a picture of my what would by then be cold burger. Just trust that it was good!</div>
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<b><u>Veggie Beet Burgers</u></b></div>
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<i>Very slightly adapted from <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-best-ever-veggie-burger-96967" target="_blank">here</a>. My yield: 9-10 burgers</i><br />
<i>I've highlighted the ingredients in the actual recipe, as there are kind of a lot.</i></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>3 large red beets </li>
<li>1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked </li>
<li>1 teaspoon coconut or canola oil</li>
<li>1 Tablespoon finely minced jalapeno or green Indian chili, optional (can use more or less) </li>
<li>1 medium yellow onion, chopped small</li>
<li>3 cloves garlic, minced</li>
<li>5 baby bella mushrooms, chopped into small-ish pieces</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons cider vinegar (or red wine)</li>
<li>1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, ground to a flour in food processor (gluten-free if necessary)</li>
<li>1 (15.5 oz) can black beans</li>
<li>1 (15.5 oz) can dark red kidney beans</li>
<li>5 - 6 prunes, roughly chopped small</li>
<li>1 Tablespoon chili powder</li>
<li>1 big squirt brown spicy mustard (about 2 teaspoons)</li>
<li>1 teaspoon cumin</li>
<li>1 teaspoon salt, to taste</li>
<li>pepper, to taste</li>
<li>sesame seeds, optional <span style="color: purple;">(this adds much welcome crunch)</span></li>
<li>oil (any kind) for roasting</li>
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<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><u><b><span style="font-size: large;">RICE</span></b>:</u> It's not necessary, but if you have even an hour, immerse rice in water & soak for as long as possible. You want it just slightly overcooked. Use a slightly more than 2:1 liquid to rice ratio. Add 1/2 cup rice with 1 1/4 cups water into small pan. Bring to boiling, and then cover. Lower heat and simmer for about 35 minutes, without stirring! Keep an eye out after 25 minutes to ensure rice does not dry out. </li>
<li>While rice is cooking, start the <u><b><span style="font-size: large;">BEETS</span></b></u>: Rinse beets. Cut stems if there are any. If the beets are large, cut in half. Add to pressure cooker with a little water, and cook until a few whistles go - about 10-15 mins. Alternatively, cover in foil and roast at 400 degrees for 50 - 60 minutes. Beets should be easily pierced by fork. Let cool.</li>
<li>Meanwhile, prepare <u><b><span style="font-size: large;">BEANS</span></b></u>: Drain both cans of beans. Smash in food processor or with your fingers into large bowl. Add <b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><u>prunes</u></i></span></b>. Squeeze as much juice as possible out of beets into a glass or over sink. Add drained beets to large bowl and discard/drink the juice.</li>
<li>Heat the teaspoon of coconut or canola <b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><u>oil</u></i></span></b>. Saute minced <b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><u>jalapenos</u></i></span></b>. Make sure to keep all jalapeno in the oil. Let simmer for a minute or two. Then add <b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><u>garlic</u></i></span></b>. Saute for 30 - 60 seconds. Then add <b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><u>onion</u></i></span></b>. Saute on high heat for about 5 minutes. Add cider <span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><u>vinegar</u></b></i></span> (or wine) and deglaze the sticky bits at bottom of pan. Add <b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><u>mushrooms</u></i></span></b>, and cook for another 5 minutes. Leave to mostly cool.</li>
<li>In the bean and beet mixture, add all your <b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><u>spices</u></i></span></b>. Rice should be done by now. Let cool slightly and add. Add onion mixture. Mix everything up. Gently stir in <b><i><span style="font-size: large;"><u>oat flour</u></span></i></b>.</li>
<li>Refrigerate for a few hours - overnight, if possible. Can leave in fridge for up to 3 days.</li>
<li>When ready to cook, form patties, press into some sesame seeds, and cook in some oil. Serve over salad or in buns, perhaps with nice relish, spicy mayo, or just good ole avocado slices, spinach, and tomato. Enjoy!</li>
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Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-65458600609286733622014-11-06T12:00:00.000-05:002015-06-10T12:02:56.337-04:00rhubarb bars (with cardamom + pistachio). <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Have you ever not eaten enough during the day and gotten massive stomach cramps?<br />
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This happened to me recently and I swear, I would not wish this pain on my worst enemy. A long day at work meant 7 hours of not eating, followed by the really bad stomach pain. By the time I was able to scarf down an apple on my drive home, it was just too late.<br />
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How can the stomach inflict so much pain on the body it belongs to? I tried googling it - nothin. My mom explained it like this: the intestines, neglected and empty, are all curled up in a little withering heap. When you finally reach the point where you absolutely have to eat, or even worse, when you DO eat, your intestines are so sluggish and food is so foreign, that they really have to wake up ... leading to pain.<br />
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At least this makes more sense than gall stones or diverticulitis (or cancer), as suggested by WebMD.<br />
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Anyway, stomach issues mostly suck because they destroy your desire to consume food. And if I am proud of anything in my life, it is my capacity to always be able to eat. How would one be able to enjoy these rhubarb bars, delicately flavored with cardamom and ground pistachios, through abdominal pain?<br />
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Roasting the rhubarb quickly softens and breaks down its otherwise fibrous stalks. Ground pistachios add vibrant green to the rhubarb jam, which can look a little lackluster if the stalks are more green than red.<br />
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Regardless of appearance (although I think they look pretty nice), these bars are delicious! The shortbread is nice and buttery, while the rhubarb jam lends the perfect sweet / tart flavor. The pistachios and cardamom also pair well together.<br />
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<b><u>Rhubarb Bars (with cardamom + pistachio)</u></b><br />
<i>inspired from <a href="http://figandhoney.co/2014/05/20/roasted-rhubarb-ginger-pistachio-bars/" target="_blank">here</a>.</i><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1 lb rhubarb, sliced into small 3/4" wide chunks</li>
<li>1/2 cup granulated sugar </li>
<li>12 Tablespoons butter, softened</li>
<li>1/2 cup granulated sugar</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon cardamom</li>
<li>1/8 teaspoon ground ginger, optional</li>
<li>1/4 cup chopped pistachios</li>
</ul>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together rhubarb chunks and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Spread evenly into a large baking sheet/pan. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, taking out a few times to stir. The rhubarb should be soft. Towards the end, while stirring, smash the rhubarb slightly so it forms a paste. Remove from oven before it starts to brown.</li>
<li>Meanwhile, prepare the crust. Cream butter and sugar well. Then add flour, cardamom, and ginger, if using. Mix gently to incorporate.</li>
<li>Press crust mixture into an approximately 11 x 7" pan.</li>
<li>Turn down heat in oven to 350 degree F. Take the rhubarb paste and spread onto the unbaked crust, leaving a slight border on the edges.</li>
<li>Bake for about 30 minutes. Edges should be lightly brown. Sprinkle chopped pistachios on top. Let cool completely. Slice and serve! Bars will keep for a few days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. </li>
</ol>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
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Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-30344342478192657072014-11-03T18:32:00.000-05:002015-01-22T23:29:09.520-05:00halloween-inspired treats.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I'm not the scary Halloween type - I'm more the "let's make halloween-themed desserts and decorate the house with huge spiders, witches, ghosts, and pumpkins so I can pretend I can handle scary" person.<br />
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Hence these desserts came out a little cuter than planned. Nonetheless! I made a vow to make one themed dessert for every week of October, and I was able to mostly stick to it. Below are a couple examples that of what I made to celebrate Halloween.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spider chocolate chip cookies! What inspired my vow. Totally stole this idea from the Internet.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oi84fHOHAIg/VFljNKyC6aI/AAAAAAAAEls/ChWJ7BMEV3c/s1600/IMG_0980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oi84fHOHAIg/VFljNKyC6aI/AAAAAAAAEls/ChWJ7BMEV3c/s1600/IMG_0980.JPG" height="379" width="570" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green mummy cupcake bodies! (Vanilla cupcake + vanilla frosting)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cYKjRj587CM/VFljL-eCglI/AAAAAAAAElk/izlBUXt5Z94/s1600/IMG_0986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cYKjRj587CM/VFljL-eCglI/AAAAAAAAElk/izlBUXt5Z94/s1600/IMG_0986.JPG" height="379" width="570" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at dem creepy eyeballs.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These eyes were easier to place.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G8FoiLxkvfM/VFljWRvBlTI/AAAAAAAAEmE/f32OABNd20U/s1600/IMG_0995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G8FoiLxkvfM/VFljWRvBlTI/AAAAAAAAEmE/f32OABNd20U/s1600/IMG_0995.JPG" height="379" width="570" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finale! Made these for my coworkers -- Pumpkin-shaped, blood-splattered, and a little cute.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9AZMMcJoRZ4/VFljYFevx2I/AAAAAAAAEmU/d6d37P20ywc/s1600/IMG_1000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9AZMMcJoRZ4/VFljYFevx2I/AAAAAAAAEmU/d6d37P20ywc/s1600/IMG_1000.JPG" height="379" width="570" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you see the pumpkin and bat sprinkles?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZhTmAF0BtZM/VFljW8EAbVI/AAAAAAAAEmI/iwOKCs9RcSk/s1600/IMG_0997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZhTmAF0BtZM/VFljW8EAbVI/AAAAAAAAEmI/iwOKCs9RcSk/s1600/IMG_0997.JPG" height="379" width="570" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was most proud of this splatter. </td></tr>
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Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-42943259180200025862014-10-02T21:45:00.000-04:002014-10-02T21:45:04.088-04:00carrots, with black sesame + ginger.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I made up a new diet plan.<br />
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I know there are tons out there - Atkins (do people still do that?), Weight Watchers, low carb, low fat, high-protein, low calorie, Whole30 ... that last one strikes me as really controversial. I understand all of it except for the no legume/soy thing. No peanut butter?!?!? C'mon.<br />
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Anyway, my diet is called: the don't be lazy diet. It has 2 rules: Don't be lazy. Cook your own meals as much as possible, and only eat what you cook.<br />
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I understand the downfalls of this method - such as if someone ate homemade pizza and fried foods for every meal. And I'm not really being serious about it being a new diet, but I do strongly feel that if everyone took some time ("no time" is not an option) to think about their health, just for a bit, and keep their kitchen stocked with healthy items, and then overcome laziness (major reason I don't always cook), meals could be a whole lot healthier.<br />
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Hardest part = cutting the carrots. I swear, everything that follows is merely throwing all those perfect little orange matchsticks into a hot skillet and adding flavor. But the cutting, well that can take some time.<br />
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So worth it, though! The natural sweetness of the carrot is majorly highlighted, and the seasonings are simple, but potent - ginger, a little soy sauce, sesame oil, black sesame seeds.<br />
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I used these carrots in many different ways - on avocado toast. In burgers. And they're just perfect for wraps and sandwiches.<br />
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</u></b> <b><u>Carrots with Black Sesame + Ginger</u></b><br />
<i>- very slightly adapted from Gwyneth Paltrow's cookbook, It's All Good</i><br />
<i>- suitable for an elimination or vegan diet</i><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>2 Tablespoons olive oil</li>
<li>2 teaspoons finely minced or ground fresh ginger</li>
<li>4 large carrots, washed and cut into matchsticks (no need to peel)</li>
<li>salt</li>
<li>couple drops sesame oil</li>
<li>1 teaspoon soy sauce</li>
<li>1 Tablespoon black sesame seeds</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon ground red chili powder, optional for more spice</li>
</ul>
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<li>Heat oil in large skillet over high heat.</li>
<li>Stir in ginger and let cook about 30 seconds, until fragrant.</li>
<li>Add carrots and stir to coat them with the gingery oil. Add red chili powder, if using.</li>
<li>Stir in a big pinch salt and 2 tablespoons water. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. </li>
<li>Uncover and let cook until water and natural juices from carrots evaporates and carrots just begin to soften, 4 - 5 minutes.</li>
<li>Turn off heat. Stir in sesame oil, soy sauce, and black sesame seeds. Can be served hot or cold.</li>
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Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-40877747857791900242014-09-10T15:12:00.000-04:002014-11-05T18:33:05.733-05:00peachy breakfast quinoa.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Oatmeal definitely gets all the attention for breakfast. Whether cooked in a bowl with some flax and sunflower seeds, or crumbled with cinnamon, butter and clumped over apples, it's always oatmeal.<br />
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I recently got Gwyneth Paltrow's cookbook It's All Good ("all iz well" what up movie reference, what up <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/IISuperwomanII" target="_blank">superwoman</a> reference). In it, she talks about how she was really feeling the ill effects of her stressful, crazy lifestyle, and so went about eating better. The cookbook is a culmination of mostly vegan, pretty simple recipes with basic ingredients.<br />
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I haven't actually made any of her recipes yet, but they are pushing me to cook more random, new-to-me things. I haphazardly made huevos rancheros the other day, and they were AWESOME. And beyond easy to throw together.<br />
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I've made avocado toast a couple times for myself - my favorite reincarnation of that also simple meal includes feta, a fried egg, and lots of lime/lemon juice.<br />
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And then I tried this breakfast quinoa. After seeing it on foodgawker, it looked too good to not try. Dry quinoa and cinnamon are toasted in a pan. Peaches are allowed to warm and caramelize without any butter or oil in the pan. Just as they start to stick, almond milk and the spiced quinoa are tossed back in. Twenty minutes of simmering results in a very interesting breakfast dish.<br />
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I don't think I was a fan of the cinnamon. But the entire thing was insanely filling! And softening the peaches like that releases their natural sugars so much that it was almost too sweet for me. I ate half of it, and gave half to my mom, who said that all the chewing was enough to fill her up. Whatever works, right? he he<br />
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I will most likely make this again. Tryna give oatmeal a break, you know?<br />
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<u><b>Peachy Breakfast Quinoa</b></u><br />
<i>slightly adapted from <a href="http://neatstuff.info/just-peachy-quinoa-vegan-gluten-free" target="_blank">here</a>.</i><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1/3 cup quinoa, rinsed</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon cinnamon</li>
<li>tiny pinch nutmeg</li>
<li>optional: a teeny bit of coconut oil <span style="color: purple;">(I did this)</span></li>
<li>1 peach, washed and sliced <span style="color: purple;">(I like the skin on)</span></li>
<li>3/4 cup almond milk <span style="color: purple;">(I used unsweetened)</span></li>
<li>1/4 cup water (or could just use almond milk)</li>
<li>a glug (about 1/2 Tablespoon) maple syrup, optional <span style="color: purple;">(I did this, but it was too sweet for me; my peaches were sweet enough alone)</span></li>
</ul>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Add quinoa and spices to saucepan. Toast on medium-low for about 5 minutes. If you'd like, add a small chunk (1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon) of coconut oil to coat the quinoa grains. Remove quinoa to a bowl. </li>
<li>Microwave (or heat on stove) almond milk and water until very hot and slightly steaming.</li>
<li>Add peach slices to saucepan. Heat on low-medium for about 5 minutes. Just as the peaches start sticking, add quinoa and hot almond milk into pan. Stir.</li>
<li>Partially cover and simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once quinoa is cooked (you can see its little spirals), it is ready!</li>
</ol>
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Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-67187963610446147732014-08-09T20:05:00.003-04:002014-08-09T20:05:59.905-04:00healthy fig bars. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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At this point, I've tried almost every single flavor of <a href="http://naturesbakery.com/in-our-pantry" target="_blank">Nature's Bakery</a> fig bars. They're like a fancier fig newton. Although I dislike how the nutrition facts are for one bar vs. one package (contains 2 bars, which I find incredibly easy to devour), I just can't get enough of these bars.<br />
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In recent efforts to cut down on the amount of refined products I consume, I have been looking for snack options I can make myself. So the next time I was at the store, instead of buying a few more packs of these fig bars, I bought a pack of dried figs. After getting home I Googled around, and these are what I came up with.<br />
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The Nature's Bakery bars are difficult to duplicate. The whole wheat outside sheath is soft, yet firm enough to enclose the perfect amount of fig filling. It seems like the perfect healthy snack.</div>
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Yet, I knew I could make these healthier. Most recipes online included at least 1/2 stick butter and large amounts of sugar. While this makes for a softer dough that bakes up similar to that of Fig Newtons or Nature's Bakery Fig Bars, I didn't want that in what was supposed to be a healthy treat. </div>
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So I took a basic recipe and adjusted it pretty heavily to my own preferences. These are some of the awesome things in this bar that will provide fiber, protein, and whole grains, to provide long-lasting energy and sufficiently satiate hunger.</div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><u>Quick-cooking oats</u> -- I don't like the texture of oatmeal in bars, so I dry-toasted the oats on a pan and ground them, not completely to a fine powder, in order to leave some texture.</li>
<li><u>Whole wheat flour</u></li>
<li><u>Pumpkin seeds</u></li>
<li><u>Orange juice</u> -- to rehydrate the figs</li>
<li><u>Sweet potato</u> -- hear me out! While blending the figs to make a paste, I added in some sweet potato. It had no impact on the color of the filling, the flavor, or anything except the nutrition, by adding beta-carotene, vit A and C, fiber, and antioxidants</li>
<li><u>Coconut oil</u> - optional. Some fat is necessary, even if to better absorb some of the other nutrients in the bars. Coconut oil is a healthier alternative to butter.</li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4WVjnRbpa7k/U-ayfKIegLI/AAAAAAAAEfc/XnOujUcVEm0/s1600/IMG_0919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4WVjnRbpa7k/U-ayfKIegLI/AAAAAAAAEfc/XnOujUcVEm0/s1600/IMG_0919.JPG" height="379" width="570" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">STRONGLY recommend wrapping right after they cool, then storing in the fridge. Turn out moister.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><u><br />
</u></b> <b><u>Healthy Fig Bars</u></b><br />
<i>I made em up! I think the coconut oil + oats combo makes them turn out crispy - the texture was almost reminiscent of Nature Valley bars (not the fig bars). Also, these are excellent after being wrapped immediately after cool & stored in the fridge.</i></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>8 oz dried figs, stems removed and chopped </li>
<li>1/2 orange juice</li>
<li>1/4 cup sweet potato (no need to mash)</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats (optional: dry toast for 5-10 mins on a pan)</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons pumpkin or sunflower seeds</li>
<li>1/2 cup whole wheat flour</li>
<li>1/2 cup all-purpose flour</li>
<li>scant 3/4 cup brown sugar</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1/3 cup melted butter (I used half coconut oil, half butter)</li>
<li>1 egg white</li>
</ul>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.</li>
<li>Combine figs and orange juice in a medium pot over low-medium heat. Juice will start to boil. Turn off heat once figs are completely rehydrated and no juice remains. Cool completely.</li>
<li>Meanwhile, roughly grind the oats and pumpkin seeds. Combine with flours, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix with hands, breaking up brown sugar clumps as you go.</li>
<li>Incorporate melted oil/butter and egg white into the dry mixture.</li>
<li>The fig mixture is most likely cool by now. Blend in food processor with sweet potato till mostly smooth. </li>
<li>Grease a 8-inch square baking pan. Pat half of the oatmeal mixture into the pan with hands, packing evenly to make a crust. Spread the fig mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the fig paste, packing in somewhat tightly with hands to form a solid top crust.</li>
<li>Bake 20 - 25 minutes, until browned. Let cool 15-20 minutes before gently cutting into bars. Before separating the bars, let cool completely. Wrap individual bars in plastic wrap for a quick portable snack. </li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-27893586881272352262014-07-29T15:23:00.003-04:002014-07-29T16:59:45.033-04:00buffalo chicken dip.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I gave in to making this. It goes against every bone and fiber of my being that says to not eat processed food and unnecessary cheese and salt, but but .... I've been having this everywhere! At a potluck. At a work party. At a graduation party.<br />
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<div>
A person can only stand enjoying something at so many places before making it herself. So I made it, and it was delicious. I even used real chicken (instead of canned, which apparently is common). No regrets!<br />
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<div>
I'm not a big meat-eater, and I haven't eaten meat off bone (like wings) in probably ten years. But once in a while, I'll have something with meat that I enjoy. And this is one such dip. </div>
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<div>
I think I'm just a dip person. I really like this bean dip that my mom makes, seven layer dip, and the idea of a sweet dip (mixture of cream cheese and Fluff, I think it is) appeals to me. So this was no exception.</div>
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<div>
The recipe is super simple and a combination of almost all things pre-packaged. First, chicken gets mixed with Frank's buffalo wing sauce. Don't use hot sauce, even if you find it in a smaller, more convenient bottle.</div>
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Then you add cream cheese and Ranch dressing. (I didn't have Ranch, so I added a little reduced fat sour cream instead. I also used some 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese.)</div>
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<div>
Add cheddar cheese, which melts due to the heat of the chicken.</div>
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And that's it! It's incredibly easy and usually a hit at parties. Enjoy!</div>
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<div>
<b><u>Buffalo Chicken Dip</u></b></div>
<div>
<i>from <a href="http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2009/09/football-kickoff-buffalo-chicken-dip.html" target="_blank">here</a>. This actually wasn't spicy enough for me, so I added another hot sauce for flavor instead of adding more buffalo sauce, which tends to be too vinegary if too much is added.</i></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1 1/2 cups cooked, finely chopped chicken (I poached mine)</li>
<li>1/2 cup Frank's Buffalo Wings sauce (can add more, to taste)</li>
<li>8 oz package cream cheese (can use 4 oz reduced fat, 4 oz regular)</li>
<li>1/2 cup Ranch dressing (can substitute with a little reduced fat sour cream)</li>
<li>3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese</li>
<li>blue cheese crumbles</li>
</ul>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Heat the chicken and Buffalo sauce in a saucepan. Mix to evenly coat the chicken.</li>
<li>Add cream cheese and Ranch. Stir in till well combined.</li>
<li>Remove pan from heat. Stir in cheese till melted.</li>
<li>Serve with chips! If desired, add blue cheese crumbles on top.</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-40845137495052869432014-06-26T22:32:00.000-04:002014-06-26T22:32:06.890-04:00mango vanilla pastry cups.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I had this one dessert the other day. Its simple novelty stuck with me.<br />
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It looked like a teeny layered parfait. The very small glass was half-filled with vanilla bean pastry cream, topped with tiny cubes of cake, strawberry pie filling and then sweetened whipped cream.<br />
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I loved how perfect it seemed for summer. An upcoming BBQ was the perfect excuse to recreate them myself.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">I began, as a true science </span><strike style="text-align: left;">nerd</strike><span style="text-align: left;"> person, by dissecting the components. The pastry cream could easily be made at home. I decided to forgo the whipped cream to keep the whole thing lighter. But the cake and the fruit - such possibility!</span></div>
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I used store-bought pound cake, with no qualms whatsoever. As a homemade touch, I toasted some slices with just a small amount of coconut oil for a more golden appearance and less fake flavor. Mango ended up being the fruit of choice - so in season and so delicious!<br />
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So how were these fancy little pastry cups made?<br />
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First the pastry cream was prepared, with whipped cream folded in for an even lighter texture.<br />
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Also, the toasted pound cake slices were chopped into teeny cubes.<br />
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Then the fun began! I really enjoy small bite-size versions of things, and to me, these pastry cups are a much more manageable version of cake, or a trifle.<br />
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Little pieces of pound cake get tossed in first.<br />
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Followed by some of the super creamy pastry cream. I dare you to go through this process without at least once "accidentally" getting some of this on your hand. Do you accept this challenge?<br />
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Some more cake cubes. Soooooo tiny, they were smaller than my thumb.<br />
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Fruit + more pastry cream. I made sure that the fruit was visible from the side of the cup, so it would look more layered. I could've done a better job with the layering image on the side, but let's be real: a fruity custardy mess enveloping cake cubes sounds just as good as a perfectly layered dessert.<br />
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These are perfect for a gathering or party, especially since every single component can be made ahead of time. The cups can be assembled on the morning of, to be served later in the evening. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did!<br />
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<b><u>Mango Vanilla Pastry Cups</u></b><br />
<i>yield: 15 small-medium servings, but it really all depends on how you divide it!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
-- <b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Pastry cream</u></span></b> (recipe <a href="http://gotcakee.blogspot.com/2014/06/vanilla-pastry-cream.html" target="_blank">here</a>) - MAKE FIRST so it has time to cool.<br />
-- <b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Pound cake</u></span></b>, cut into teeny cubes (half a loaf was enough for me, for 15 small-medium servings) --- if desired, can toast pound cake on a pan with coconut oil for enhanced golden color & flavor.<br />
-- <b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Mango</u></span></b>, chopped into tiny pieces roughly the same size as the pound cake (can use any fruit)<br />
-- 1 cup heavy cream, whipped (optional)<br />
-- raspberries, one per serving (optional)<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<u>Short version:</u> Place in the following order - </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
cake // pastry cream // cake // fruit // pastry cream // whipped cream and raspberry</div>
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<div>
<b><u>Assembly: </u></b></div>
<div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Lay out as many cups as you want to make.</li>
<li>Cover bottom of cup with cake cubes.</li>
<li>Spoon some pastry cream, enough to just barely cover, over the cake.</li>
<li>Add 4-5 more cake cubes.</li>
<li>Sprinkle with some fruit, making sure to concentrate fruit more along the edges of the cup, so that they show when looking at the cup from the side.</li>
<li>Dollop more pastry cream. </li>
<li>Top with whipped cream, if desired. </li>
<li>Place a raspberry on top, for presentation.</li>
<li>Store in fridge for up to 2 days. Pastry cream will soften the pound cake as time goes on.</li>
<li>Optimally - serve within a few hours of making (so make in morning, to serve in evening). Enjoy!</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-2472554893790619482014-06-24T14:38:00.001-04:002014-06-26T22:33:35.723-04:00vanilla pastry cream.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Don't you love it when you make a list of things to do, and at the end of the day, you've actually crossed off almost every item?<br />
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I have always been a list-maker (before I realized during college that they usually made me more stressed, and then I obsessively turned to Google calendars). When I was younger, I would put things like "Brush teeth" and "Make bed" on my summer to-do list, oftentimes after I had already done them, just to feel better about myself.<br />
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My list has developed to slightly more important things - like "check 401(k) policy" and "apply to med school." It's a nice day, however, when my to-do list tells me to make pastry cream. I can certainly oblige to that.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J97hrQD88_M/U6m5ZY7hpUI/AAAAAAAAERE/6JgYivra6Uo/s1600/IMG_0851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J97hrQD88_M/U6m5ZY7hpUI/AAAAAAAAERE/6JgYivra6Uo/s1600/IMG_0851.JPG" height="379" width="570" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before whipped cream.</td></tr>
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<span id="goog_271759521"></span><span id="goog_271759522"></span><br />
I had a dessert the other day that spurred the making of this pastry cream - I'll talk about it later, but it included a type of vanilla bean custard that wasn't as heavy as pastry creams I have had in the past.<br />
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I realized they had probably folded whipped cream into it! Wow, what a revelation. A fan of all things custard and creamy, I had to look up the perfect recipe for this.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZT0BQYje5hg/U6m5dsvOwZI/AAAAAAAAERU/ODJn-v_uEJU/s1600/IMG_0854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZT0BQYje5hg/U6m5dsvOwZI/AAAAAAAAERU/ODJn-v_uEJU/s1600/IMG_0854.JPG" height="379" width="570" /></a></div>
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I found a couple solid recipes, but settled on one from King Arthur, the flour company. Lately, I've found them to be very reliable when it comes to recipes, and not just the ones involving flour. I initially wondered why a flour company would have a pastry cream recipe ... and chuckled when I found out that this recipe has one tablespoon of flour included, which probably explains it.<br />
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Regardless, I highly enjoyed it, and have made it twice already!<br />
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And if you're wondering what you can do with pastry cream (besides eat it all yourself..), consider making a trifle, dolloping some between cake layers, filling baked phyllo cups with it, serving it with fruit, or using it the way I did, which I will explain soon in an upcoming blogpost. Enjoy!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fiUAGC3wRP4/U6m5ekAUNlI/AAAAAAAAERk/OKEn2KuLr5w/s1600/IMG_0856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fiUAGC3wRP4/U6m5ekAUNlI/AAAAAAAAERk/OKEn2KuLr5w/s1600/IMG_0856.JPG" height="379" width="570" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After whipped cream!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<u><b>Vanilla Pastry Cream:</b></u><br />
<i>from <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/pastry-cream-recipe" target="_blank">here</a>.</i><br />
<ul>
<li>3 cups milk</li>
<li>1/2 cup sugar</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1/4 cup cornstarch </li>
<li>1 Tablespoon flour</li>
<li>4 large egg yolks</li>
<li>2 teaspoons vanilla extract (substituting vanilla bean would give beautiful specks!)</li>
<li>1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter (I used half coconut oil, half butter for a hint of coconut)</li>
<li>1 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks</li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li>In a medium saucepan, whisk 2 1/2 cups milk, sugar, and salt. Bring to a simmer over low-medium heat, stirring frequently. </li>
<li>Meanwhile, whisk cornstarch, flour, and egg yolks with remaining 1/2 cup milk. </li>
<li>Whisk a ladleful of the hot milk mixture into the yolk mixture, stirring constantly. Continue to add 5 more ladlefuls. </li>
<li>Pour egg yolks into saucepan, stirring constantly to prevent yolks from scrambling. Simmer until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in butter (or coconut oil) and vanilla extract. </li>
<li>Pour custard into a heatproof bowl, and place plastic wrap directly on surface of filling. </li>
<li>Once completely cool, fold whipped cream into custard. Leave in fridge until ready to use. Will last a few days before it starts weeping.</li>
</ol>
</div>
Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-22252047670554458762014-06-08T15:57:00.000-04:002014-06-24T11:28:45.142-04:00coconut cream pie bars. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2BbFS1htRDc/U6NAnJxe1dI/AAAAAAAAEOc/GVX6PJbfoYc/s1600/IMG_0839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2BbFS1htRDc/U6NAnJxe1dI/AAAAAAAAEOc/GVX6PJbfoYc/s1600/IMG_0839.JPG" height="423" width="570" /></a></div>
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Whenever I watch tennis, soccer, or any really athletic sport (sorry golf), I at some point appreciate how fit those people are. The thought sometimes continues, in-between admiring Rafa's outbursts of greatness and Djokovic's insane flexibility (can you tell I've been watching the French Open?). Commercial breaks come, and I start to plot out a regime of health foods & exercise to get my heart pumping on the level of the players I was just watching. The game comes back, and an exciting rally reinforces my vow to reform my life.<br />
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Eventually, the game ends. And instead of immediately going for a hike or run, I stay on my bed, stalk foodgawker, and decide to make coconut cream pie bars. Well ... everyone has their own thing to love, right?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The barely there layer of chocolate prevents the crust from getting soggy.</td></tr>
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I gotta say though, it has been hard finding motivation to bake lately. Don't get me wrong, my sweet tooth is strong as ever. But the mangoes, pineapples, melon, and berries right now are just too sweet and delicious to substitute with heavy cakes or cookies.<br />
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I had a recipe for these bars bookmarked, but looking at it again, the levels of half-and-half and cream were just too high for me to conscionably make. </div>
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So I cobbled together some components to form my own version - not healthy, but definitely lighter. The crust is an indulgent shortbread crust - basically just butter and flour, with very little sugar and salt. </div>
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The filling is an adapted version of a coconut cream pie recipe. Although I used 2% milk and light coconut milk, I have included alternatives which would undeniably result in a richer, more indulgent bar. The lighter version was still highly enjoyable, though. The only thing I wish I had was more coconut milk, for a stronger flavor of coconut.</div>
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Lightly toasting the flaked coconut (for the filling) adds a slightly richer flavor, as well. The filling is not super sweet, so sweetening the whipped cream is okay. I did not top it with more toasted coconut because I preferred to maintain the creamy texture of the whipped cream.</div>
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<u><b>Coconut Cream Pie Bars</b></u></div>
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filling from Lee Bailey's Country Desserts cookbook. </div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1 stick unsalted butter (reserve one Tablespoon for the filling)</li>
<li>1 cup all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon salt </li>
<li>2 Tablespoons confectioner's (powdered) sugar</li>
</ul>
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</div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1/4 cup cornstarch</li>
<li>1/2 cup granulated sugar</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>2 cups milk (I used 2% and the remainder of the can of coconut milk - whole milk will make richer custard)</li>
<li>2/3 cup coconut milk (I used light, but any will do)</li>
<li>3 large egg yolks, room temperature</li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract </li>
<li>1 tablespoon coconut oil or unsalted butter</li>
<li>1 cup shredded coconut, lightly toasted (both sweetened or unsweetened work)</li>
</ul>
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</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1 cup heavy cream</li>
<li>2 - 4 Tablespoons powdered sugar</li>
</ul>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><u>Prepare crust:</u> Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the butter into the flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Press onto the bottom of an 8x8" glass pan, or one that has been lined with parchment paper (leave some paper hanging out over the sides for easier removal later). Bake for 18 - 21 minutes, until light brown.</li>
<li><u>Meanwhile, prepare filling:</u> Combine cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk in some of the milk to dissolve the dry ingredients. Then whisk in the rest of the milk, while turning on stove to medium heat. Stir frequently. </li>
<li>When the milk mixture is quite warm, just before it starts steaming, stir egg yolks in a separate bowl. Add a ladleful of the very warm milk mixture to the egg yolks, stirring constantly. Continue doing so for 5-7 ladlefuls. Then, whisk the diluted egg yolks into the saucepan, stirring constantly to prevent the yolks from cooking.</li>
<li>Whisk mixture over low heat until it starts to thicken and bubble. Then, remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract and coconut oil (or butter). Fold in coconut. Pour filling into a bowl, cover by placing plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard, and let cool completely in the fridge.</li>
<li>Remove crust from oven when baked, and let cool completely.</li>
<li><u>Finally</u>, place whisk and bowl (in which the refrigerated cream will be whipped) in the freezer for at least 10 minutes. Whip cream until it forms soft peaks. Add in sugar. Whip till peaks stiffen slightly more.</li>
<li><u>Assembly:</u> Stir custard filling till smooth. Pour over the crust. Top with whipped cream. Top with more toasted shredded coconut if desired.</li>
</ol>
</div>
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Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-3241297810247286502014-05-27T21:09:00.002-04:002014-06-15T16:41:14.786-04:00pina colada bars (using cake mix). <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I posted a recipe for <a href="http://gotcakee.blogspot.com/2014/02/snickerdoodle-cheesecake-bars.html" target="_blank">snickerdoodle cheesecake bars</a> some time ago, also using cake mix. Although homemade baked goods are favorable <strike>most</strike> 100% of the time, cake mix does have its role in baking. Oftentimes for bake sales, you don't want to spend a lot of money. Or there's just not enough time to make from-scratch dessert.<br />
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For these instances, cake mixes work wonderfully. One of the reasons they work so well is not just because they're pre-packaged, but because they're versatile! I Googled extensively on how to manipulate cake mixes into interesting creations. I didn't find as much as I expected. </div>
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In order to increase the doctoring-cake-mix database the Interweb, I thought I'd start adding some of my recipes. I made these pina colada bars for a friend's bake sale, and apparently they sold out first, if that says anything. </div>
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Look at the coconut being folded in. Mmmm yummy crunchy toasted coconut. </div>
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They were for a bake sale, so I couldn't get too many pictures of the texture, etc. I cut the bars in 9 big squares, and then cut each square in half diagonally to get triangles. They give a nice summery or spring feel, especially with the coconut on top. </div>
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In my batch, I actually grated some lemon zest in for some zinger ... you don't want zing, in this case. I didn't add much, but the lemon wasn't particularly good, hence the frosting and coconut on top. Frosting fixes everything. </div>
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<b><u>Pina Colada Bars</u></b></div>
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<i>made it up myself.</i></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1 stick butter</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
<li>1/4 cup pina colada mix</li>
<li>1 boxed white cake mix (I used the 15.25 oz box of Pillsbury Moist Supreme Classic White mix)</li>
<li>1/2 cup coconut</li>
</ul>
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<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1/2 block cream cheese</li>
<li>1 stick butter, softened</li>
<li>1 - 3 cups powdered sugar</li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract </li>
<li>1 - 2 Tablespoons pina colada mix</li>
<li>1/4 cup toasted coconut</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray or grease a 9x13" pan.</li>
<li>Melt butter. Brown the butter, if desired, but not necessary. </li>
<li>While allowing butter to cool, spread all coconut (3/4 cup) on a pan to toast in oven or over stovetop. Let coconut brown to golden.</li>
<li>Mix in egg, 1/2 cup toasted coconut, and pina colada mix to cooled butter. Then mix in cake mix.</li>
<li>Transfer batter to cake pan. Bake 20 - 30 minutes.</li>
<li>As the bars bake, <u>make the frosting</u>. Beat cream cheese till smooth. Beat in butter. Add sugar, starting with 2 cups. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add 2 Tablespoons pina colada mix. Add more sugar and pina colada mix, as desired.</li>
<li>After bars are baked, let cool completely. Frost and top with 1/4 cup toasted coconut. Cut into 9 big roughly even squares. Cut each square in half diagonally to make triangles. </li>
</ol>
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Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-35161386608515149212014-05-02T12:10:00.001-04:002015-07-20T11:55:20.436-04:00vanilla strawberry chia seed pudding. (paleo, gf, vegan)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AfGE_5JGkQs/U2O3kXm_64I/AAAAAAAAD80/Kb9CnnlLPkI/s1600/IMG_0719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="379" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AfGE_5JGkQs/U2O3kXm_64I/AAAAAAAAD80/Kb9CnnlLPkI/s1600/IMG_0719.JPG" width="570" /></a></div>
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Have you heard of chia seeds? I reviewed them <a href="http://gotcakee.blogspot.com/2012/09/tell-me-about-chia-seeds.html" target="_blank">before</a>. They have an insane amount of fiber, and make their presence known by texture more than taste. Dry chia seeds are crunchy. When soaked, the seeds absorb the liquid and develop mucilage - which just means they get a little polysaccharide gelatinous coating.<br />
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This property is vital in order for chia seed puddings to work. In all the variations I've found, chia seeds are mixed with a non-dairy milk (probably to retain the vegan aspect), and let sit, with occasional stirring. After a couple hours (or overnight), the mixture has thickened substantially, forming a "pudding." Fruit, purees, nuts, and flavorings are added afterwards.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ABKPELiqX9k/U2O3kiQ1K3I/AAAAAAAAD88/7Zs2TS6k5WU/s1600/IMG_0725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="379" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ABKPELiqX9k/U2O3kiQ1K3I/AAAAAAAAD88/7Zs2TS6k5WU/s1600/IMG_0725.JPG" width="570" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Practicing my shutter speed skills -- see how you can see the individual seeds falling?</td></tr>
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These puddings comply with paleo, gf, or vegan diets. I have always understood gluten-free diets as being appropriate for those with Celiac's, gluten allergies, or gluten sensitivities. Or Miley Cyrus who really blew up the idea that eating gf was healthier (not always true). Being vegan generally stems from wanting to respect all living things. Paleo diets are new to me.<br />
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Lately I've been questioning the actual validity of all these restrictions. Or liberations, if you feel that way at the end of this blogpost. Warning: it gets a little info-y from here on.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aJ1OebeRegM/U2O3kcZgFJI/AAAAAAAAD8s/YqnxUGTO7K0/s1600/IMG_0717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="379" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aJ1OebeRegM/U2O3kcZgFJI/AAAAAAAAD8s/YqnxUGTO7K0/s1600/IMG_0717.JPG" width="570" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"the morning after" -- only seeds + milk</td></tr>
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It all started with a discussion I had with a friend who runs a lot and eats more fruit than anyone I know. He has proposed the concept of cutting grains completely out of my diet many times. I said he was crazy - in the decade I grew up, the "bread" category still made up a large part of the food pyramid, and even though now we have a revised pyramid, or MyPlate or whatever, grains are just too huge a component in everyone's diets to entirely cut out voluntarily. Right?<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>PALEO</u> =</span> </b></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">--> no grains or grain-like things (quinoa, corn, etc.), legumes (peanuts & beans), dairy</span> </b></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">--> unlimited veggies + fruits</span> </b></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--cnXQqhHzc8/U2O4BTMcZNI/AAAAAAAAD9Q/xRsPZPYZC6g/s1600/IMG_0729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="379" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--cnXQqhHzc8/U2O4BTMcZNI/AAAAAAAAD9Q/xRsPZPYZC6g/s1600/IMG_0729.JPG" width="570" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Definitely not genetically engineered ..</td></tr>
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Recently, I've been researching the paleo diet, which to me seems more logical than other trends. Logic aside, there is substantial anecdotal and even scientific reasoning/evidence to support the idea that grains are not a natural part of humans' diets. They can actually hurt you.<br />
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First, grains have phytic acids that are "anti-nutrients," and bind to metals (ie - magnesium, calcium, iron) that our body needs.<br />
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Second, grains can stimulate inflammation and an immune response in the intestinal system. And if there is anything I learned from writing my thesis, it is that chronic inflammation can lead to inflammatory disorders (like Crohn's or leaky gut syndrome). Robb Wolf explains it extremely well <a href="http://robbwolf.com/2012/02/08/the-carbohydrate-loading-conundrum/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Let's not get too extreme - eating, for breakfast, that delicious double chocolate muffin with oozy chocolate chips lightly dusted with powdered sugar does not mean you will get a disease. But even on a basic level, <i>apparently </i>grains can prevent you from functioning and living at your best.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zd4-3jHaLqY/U2O4BQCru-I/AAAAAAAAD9Y/gWUfgfg4EPE/s1600/IMG_0730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="379" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zd4-3jHaLqY/U2O4BQCru-I/AAAAAAAAD9Y/gWUfgfg4EPE/s1600/IMG_0730.JPG" width="570" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See the thickened texture?!</td></tr>
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Anyway, here are counter-thoughts.<br />
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<b>1.</b> We were cavemen very, very long ago. We've survived thus far eating grains, haven't we? So although eliminating grains might help us, it hasn't hurt us SO terribly so far, has it?<br />
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<b>2.</b> Grains are everywhere, and having grown up consuming them, it is near impossible (for me at least) to eliminate them completely from my diet. Consuming less of them, yes. But total elimination? Sorry, but no.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OEvb-BTDHwM/U2O3nFSBRcI/AAAAAAAAD9g/SRrcSfLyJgQ/s1600/IMG_0731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="379" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OEvb-BTDHwM/U2O3nFSBRcI/AAAAAAAAD9g/SRrcSfLyJgQ/s1600/IMG_0731.JPG" width="570" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unadulterated version</td></tr>
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<b>3.</b> I thought whole wheats were good?! Don't grains and things like quinoa, bulgur, and farro have useful nutrients? FYI, quinoa is called "mother seed" in the Incan language - something doesn't get so lofty an epithet that easily.<br />
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<b>4.</b> Also - dairy can be healthy! milk mustaches on celebrities touting the benefits of having dairy 3x/day told me so! and never in my life will I give up peanut butter.<br />
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I'm not totally sold. I have decided to make an effort to reduce my grains intake when I can but otherwise just gonna keep on practicing moderation.<br />
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This chia seed pudding recipe is an ode to the paleo guidelines. I made a "pumpkin pie" version a while ago, which had pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and a Splenda (certainly not paleo) packet stirred in. It was delicious. Play around with it! Vanilla + strawberry is a new favorite flavor pair of mine. Coconut milk would be nice for a slightly more decadent feel.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kHWZNkpz01w/U2O3nGCdFsI/AAAAAAAAD9o/7aMhfZhQeKg/s1600/IMG_0732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="379" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kHWZNkpz01w/U2O3nGCdFsI/AAAAAAAAD9o/7aMhfZhQeKg/s1600/IMG_0732.JPG" width="570" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Highly recommended -- cinnamon + toasted walnuts crumbled in by hand</td></tr>
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<b><u>Vanilla Strawberry Chia Seed Pudding</u></b><br />
<i>I just sort of made this up myself. </i><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>2 Tablespoons chia seeds</li>
<li>1 teaspoon ground flax seed (optional - for extra thickening)</li>
<li>2/3 cup almond milk (vanilla flavor preferred, though regular is prob healthier)</li>
<li>1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract</li>
<li>2-3 strawberries, washed, hulled & sliced</li>
<li><u>optional toppings</u>: cinnamon, chopped fruit, toasted nuts (toasted, shredded coconut would be fabulous)</li>
</ul>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Stir together the chia seeds and milk. Let sit for 3-5 minutes. Stir again.
</li>
<li>Cover and place in fridge overnight.</li>
<li>In the morning, stir in vanilla extract (if using). </li>
<li>Add chopped berries.</li>
<li>Add optional add-ins.</li>
<li>Enjoy!</li>
</ol>
</div>
Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-70575322418455253142014-04-19T13:45:00.000-04:002014-06-15T16:43:33.161-04:00whole wheat carrot zucchini muffins.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The two busiest weeks of my senior year ended today, and I cannot be more at peace. Before 9pm, I had washed my face, brushed my teeth, climbed into bed, and was watching a movie, and IT WAS GREAT.<br />
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I figured I would blog since I had the time, even if I made these muffins a while ago.<br />
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They are super healthy, and a good way to use up extra zucchini & carrots. There's the usual whole wheat flour + bran, with vegetables adding their own moisture and sweetness, with raisins/dates contributing, as well.<br />
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I feel like all healthy muffin recipes end up being the same, and yet I'm always looking for a new one. Anyway, enjoy! I tend to make these when I also make something unhealthy (ie - <a href="http://gotcakee.blogspot.com/2014/04/tres-leches-cake.html" target="_blank">tres leches cake</a>), so I have healthier options for snacking.<br />
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<b><u>Whole Wheat Carrot Zucchini Muffins</u></b><br />
<i>adapted from <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/morning-glory-muffins-recipe" target="_blank">King Arthur Flour</a>.</i><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1/2 cup chopped raisins or dates</li>
<li>orange juice (at least 1/2 - 3/4 cup)</li>
<li>2 cups whole wheat flour</li>
<li>1/3 cup wheat bran</li>
<li>2 teaspoons baking soda</li>
<li>1 Tablespoon cinnamon</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon nutmeg</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon ground ginger</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>3 large eggs</li>
<li>1/3 cup neutral oil</li>
<li>1/3 cup buttermilk, yogurt, or sour cream</li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract </li>
<li>3/4 cup brown sugar, packed</li>
<li>2 cups peeled, grated carrot</li>
<li>1 medium size zucchini, grated </li>
<li>1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened or sweetened coconut (optional)</li>
<li>1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)</li>
<li>1/3 cup sunflower seeds.</li>
</ul>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a muffin tin.</li>
<li>Add dried fruit to a microwaveable bowl. Pour enough orange juice over it to just submerge them. Heat for 30 - 45 seconds. Let soak.</li>
<li>Stir together everything from wheat bran - salt. Set aside.</li>
<li>Whisk eggs, oil, yogurt, and vanilla well. Measure out 1/4 cup of orange juice from rehydrated dried fruit, and add to the wet ingredients. Discard (or drink ..) rest of the juice. Whisk in brown sugar. </li>
<li>Carefully mix dry mixture into wet mixture, until dry streaks remain. </li>
<li>Add carrot and zucchini. Mix just until combined. Add dried fruit, coconut, and nuts, if using. Mix till just combined. </li>
<li>Dollop batter into greased muffin tins. It's okay if they are full almost to the top. Press sunflower seeds on top.</li>
<li>Bake for about 25 minutes. They will be beautifully domed. They should feel done when gently pressed. Toothpick in center should come out clean. </li>
<li>Remove from oven, and let cool for about 5 minutes. Run a plastic knife around edges of each muffin before transferring them to cool on a wire rack. Store in airtight container for a few days. If you have them longer, move to the fridge.</li>
</ol>
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Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-42383462175462679412014-04-01T20:13:00.000-04:002015-12-12T11:36:37.387-05:00tres leches cake.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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WHOLE, EVAPORATED, CONDENSED.</div>
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Whew, now that's out of the way - I read somewhere that tres leches cake (which means three milks' cake) was invented by canned milk companies in a ploy to increase their sales. Isn't that interesting? The recipe has really stuck around.<br />
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For good reason. The just perfectly viscous mixture of milks. The way the cake has a gradation of custardiness - the top retaining more of the original sponge texture, and the bottom also with a sponge texture, just that of one absolutely saturated with sweet milk. The lightly sweetened cushion of whipped cream on top.<br />
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I could go on and on. When you're deluged with work, emails, and just general stress, I highly recommend stopping whatever you're doing, remembering that chronic stress leads to cancer (I will have written & defended at least 35 pages on the matter by mid-April), and making this cake!<br />
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It's a great spring cake, too. Not like spring feels anywhere near, but we can imagine.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You want all that brown soaked crust on the bottom. Just gotta hog that stuff. </td></tr>
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This was hard to photograph! Because it's so white. I'm definitely utilizing my digital photography class skills ... that whole smaller f-stop value / smaller aperture allowing you to focus on one thing and blur the background? Love it. I also wish I had an opportunity to play with shutter speed - that's for moving objects, though. None of my cakes have tried running away, yet, even if there is a big silver fork descending down upon (into?) it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LOOK AT THE CUSTARDINESS LOOK AT IT</td></tr>
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I guess I can note this cake isn't healthy at all. I haven't made anything this indulgent in forever, but it was a nice change of pace! There's something very healthy coming up next in the form of muffins, which I made on the same day. Keeping that balance, you know?<br />
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<b><u>Tres Leches Cake</u></b><br />
<div>
<i>the pictures from <a href="http://somekitchenstories.com/2012/08/24/tres-leches-cake-recipe/" target="_blank">this site</a> really lured me in. </i><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1 1/2 cups flour</li>
<li>1 teaspoon baking powder</li>
<li>1/2 cup unsalted butter</li>
<li>1 cup granulated sugar</li>
<li>5 eggs</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract</li>
<li>2 cups whole milk</li>
<li>1 (14 oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk</li>
<li>1 (12 oz.) can of evaporated milk</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups heavy cream</li>
<li>1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract</li>
<li>3 Tablespoons powdered sugar </li>
</ul>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13" baking pan.</li>
<li>Mix flour and baking powder together.</li>
<li>Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one by one. Add vanilla extract.</li>
<li>Add flour mixture by spoonfuls, in 3 - 4 batches. Mix until well-blended.</li>
<li>Transfer batter to pan. Bake about 30 minutes. Top will look golden.</li>
<li>While allowing cake to cool, mix together the whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk. </li>
<li>After cake is cool, pierce several times with a fork. Really get your anger out. It may also be helpful to level out the cake, so the milk does not pour down to the edges. The milk will distribute much more evenly after just a bit of leveling out.</li>
<li>Pour milk mixture over cooled cake. It looks like it will be too much milk, but it is enough and necessary, trust me!</li>
<li>Give cake at least 15 minutes to soak. While waiting, whip cream to soft peaks. Mix in vanilla and sugar, then beat to slightly stiffer peaks. Spread over top of cake. Add maraschino cherries to each slice if desired. </li>
</ol>
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Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-5949936970891213922014-03-17T11:45:00.001-04:002014-06-15T16:47:19.092-04:00chocolate zucchini bread.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Spring Break!!<br />
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I could've been blogging this from the sunny, sparkling beaches of PCB or Mexico or Cancun. Of course, if I were in any of those places, I wouldn't be blogging - I'd be letting the sun's warm rays blotting my stresses away. That blue sky breeze would be welcome, not just another hurdle to run through. And my only worry would be whether the waves would reach my chair on the shore.<br />
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At that point, I'd be obligated to play <a href="http://youtu.be/9n5G0qFBsHM" target="_blank">Knee Deep</a> [by Zac Brown Band].<br />
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As it is, I'm still wearing a sweatshirt, am still hesitant to shower for fear that maybe this will be the time I dilly dally a little too long & lose an appendage to hypothermia, and would still rather stay in my warm bed than do anything else. The latter works perfectly with my recent House of Cards obsession.<br />
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Do you guys watch? If not, I recommend it .. it fluctuates between WHAT JUST HAPPENED and boring political story-lines, but is worth it. It's also had a surprising overlap with an interesting public health course I'm taking - "Addiction Policy." Who knew the role of lobbyists today didn't include a ton of back-slapping, booze, and cigars? The show even had a little comment on e-cigarettes - how they're still addictive (because they have nicotine), but they have <a href="http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/smoking-cessation/10-facts-about-e-cigarettes.htm" target="_blank">less</a> bad ingredients than regular cigarettes.<br />
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Back to right now though .. there was one major benefit to not going on a Spring Break trip - being able to make and eat this bread!<br />
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By the way, bread was not a mistype. I would still call it a bread - I just happened to treat it more like a cake and frost it thinly. It's great without the frosting, too! I actually left some pieces unfrosted (all the ones that are gone in the picture he he)<br />
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This bread is incredibly moist - as long as you use good zucchini that has noticeable moisture when you're grating it. You can't detect the zucchini - it just melds into the bread for a fudgy texture. The addition of brown sugar also makes for more depth of flavor and lends extra moistness.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only piece that betrayed my zucchini inclusion (bottom left).</td></tr>
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Mini chocolate chips are better for even distribution, but chocolate chunks create the most amazing pockets of gooey-ness. I prefer more chocolate, but used mini because it's what was on hand.<br />
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I won't include a frosting recipe below, but here's what I mixed: 6 tablespoons room temp <b style="font-style: italic;">butter</b> + least 1.5 cups <b><i>powdered sugar</i></b> (will probably need more, see as you go) + a couple large spoonfuls of <b><i>cocoa</i></b> + teeny bit <b><i>vanilla</i></b> + some cooled, <b><i>melted chocolate</i></b> (so butter doesn't melt) if you're feeling up to it.<br />
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<b><u>Chocolate Zucchini Bread </u></b><br />
<i>from <a href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/breakfast/ChocolateZucchiniBread.html" target="_blank">here</a>. In an effort to keep it a little healthier, I put a big spoonful of Greek yogurt into the 1/2 cup measure before filling it to the brim with oil.</i><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1 cup all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1/2 cup natural cocoa powder </li>
<li>3/4 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon baking powder</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (any size will work)</li>
<li>2 eggs</li>
<li>1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil</li>
<li>1/2 cup white granulated sugar</li>
<li>1/2 cup brown sugar, packed</li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla </li>
<li>1 1/2 cups grated raw unpeeled zucchini (courgette, as it's also called) </li>
</ul>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.</li>
<li>Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, and salt. Set aside.</li>
<li>Whisk eggs, oil, sugars, and vanilla well. Gently mix in zucchini. </li>
<li>Fold dry mixture into wet mixture. Fold in chocolate chips. </li>
<li>Pour batter into a greased (9"x5") loaf pan, or a 9" square baking pan. </li>
<li>If using loaf pan, bak 55-65 minutes. For the square pan, bake for about 45 - 55 minutes. Check a little before time for doneness by gently pressing the middle of the bread. It should rise up in response. A clean toothpick in the center also indicates doneness. Do not mistake melted chocolate for unbaked batter. </li>
<li>After removing from oven, let cool in pan for 15 - 20 minutes. The bread can then be cooled on a wire rack. I was able to store this bread in the pan, tightly covered with foil, for about a week with almost no loss of moisture. Enjoy!</li>
</ol>
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Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-37833198334298822622014-03-03T00:57:00.002-05:002014-06-15T16:50:27.285-04:00(three-ingredient) spinach smoothie.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I am FINALLY finally finally blogging about these smoothies. I've been making them pretty regularly for at least a year, and make it a point to buy spinach and steal bananas from the dining hall purely for this.<br />
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Green smoothies are nothing new at this point. It feels like between every 10-12 butter laden or themed food items on foodgawker, there is a new green smoothie recipe. Well, here's another.<br />
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It might be sad to admit that I am really fond of these. They're just too healthy and easy. There was a period of two weeks where I had one everyday. Then I stopped because spinach was expensive that week ... and I think my digestive health was a little too healthy.<br />
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I have been making them with exactly the same ingredients ever since I've started. The only tweaks have been minor.<br />
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I think I'm slowing down. It was always the weird or seasonal stuff that caught my eye. Bring on the "Cheez-it breaded chicken nuggets" and "cereal milk soft serve." But as of late, I've been sticking to things I know I like.<br />
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Ugh, how predictable.<br />
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In an effort to change it up a little, I've included tips in the recipe below on how to enhance this already great smoothie. I only recommend the following additions because they do, in fact, make the smoothie better (and healthier).<br />
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<b><u>Here are some comments, so the recipe itself isn't super long</u>:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>BANANAS </b>-- I adore super ripe bananas. But the more green (unripe) a banana is, the more nutrients it has. And since they're being frozen and blended, you don't get that itchy tongue feeling. I recommend buying bananas (that are a little unripe), cutting them into quarters, and freezing beforehand. </li>
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<li><b>SPINACH </b>-- baby spinach >> regular spinach. Also, I don't measure - I just stuff in as much as I can. Use a small handful if just starting out - if you make these drinks frequently, you'll find yourself adding more and more. If you add too much, it can get bitter, although you can fix that by adding more banana and milk. </li>
</ul>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>MILK </b>-- Almond milk or 1% is best. This is coming from a person who generally drinks fat-free skim milk. DO NOT use fat-free milk for your smoothies. Using 1% (or higher) reduced fat milk makes for a creamier smoothie than if you used almond milk. </li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
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<b><u>Some notes on optional add-ins</u>:</b></div>
<div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Whey Protein Powder</b> -- I use a vanilla-flavored one that has low sugar. It helps thicken the smoothie and add some nice flavor. If using fat-free milk (even though I told you not to), this would probably help make it more palatable. Also, yay protein!</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Tofu</b> -- Yay, more protein! Using silken is your best bet for smoother blending. This also thickens. I used a regular firm tofu once, and there were all these little soft chunks left, despite blending for a while. I loved them though! They seemed almost custardy. Do however you please. </li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Peanut Butter</b> -- Eh, I am a self-proclaimed pb addict, but I wouldn't recommend using in these smoothies. It does something weird to the texture and taste.</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Ground flaxseed</b> -- I would pass on this, too. It does not help at all, and makes the texture quite gritty. If you want the nutrients and its omega-3 fatty acids, stir it into oatmeal.</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
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Okay, the background is longer than the recipe, I swear!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yup, same as before. I didn't take enough pictures, my b. But I like this one.</td></tr>
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<u><b>Three-ingredient Spinach Smoothies</b></u><br />
<i>I made up this recipe by myself - though there's not much to it that needed to be made. // </i><i>Yield: 1 serving.</i><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>half a frozen banana (or nonfrozen banana + 2-3 ice cubes)</li>
<li>as much spinach (preferably baby spinach) as you can muster </li>
<li>milk just poured in, to desired consistency -- start with 1/2 cup</li>
<li><u>optional</u>: whey protein (1/2-1 whole scoop), tofu (1/8-1/4 cup), ice cubes for more thickness</li>
</ul>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Stuff spinach into mini blender first. Using a big blender may not work for such a small batch.</li>
<li>Add whey protein, tofu, and ice cubes next, if desired.</li>
<li>Add banana.</li>
<li>Pour milk over everything. </li>
<li>Blend until smooth. Drink up that beautiful, creamy elixir.</li>
</ol>
</div>
Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-38753968127797504612014-02-20T00:10:00.001-05:002014-06-15T16:53:10.946-04:00snickerdoodle cheesecake bars.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Big things are coming! In life, that is. Graduation in a few months is not even in my mind - there are other important things to do first.<br />
<br />
Have (survive) a successful <a href="http://rudm.org/" target="_blank">Dance Marathon</a>.<br />
Finish my thesis. (LOL. SOS.)<br />
Run the <strike>half marathon</strike> 8K I signed up for.<br />
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And THEN, a mere few days after the end of finals period, I can don my cap and gown, stumble down the aisle to pose for a quick candid shot for my parents, and head back. A 2-minute walk and 2-hour ceremony to mark the end of my four years of higher level education.<br />
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I'm gonna stop with the description because it's actually making it hit me a little bit.<br />
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I made these bars for a Superbowl potluck. As a <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/mandys24/13-signs-you-are-chronically-over-scheduled-hw75" target="_blank">chronic overscheduler</a>, I had very little time to make something. So I succumbed to using cake mix, but definitely mixed it up.<br />
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These bars begin with a box of white cake mix - a great base to start. Some cinnamon starts creating the snickerdoodle flavor profile. Browning the butter (instead of oil) lends a deeper flavor ... and it's browned butter. C'mon.<br />
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The cheesecake layer consists very simply of cream cheese and brown sugaaaaaaa. You can see it clearly in the first picture.<br />
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Some of the bar mixture is reserved to crumble on top, in order to make the cheesecake layer sandwiched and sort of hidden.<br />
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See? You can't even tell the bars started with a cake mix. They come out soft, but firm. They don't really crisp or get hard/crunchy.<br />
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Enjoy! Hope this can be of use in a pinch, like it was for me. </div>
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<b><u>Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars</u></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<i>Snickerdoodle</i><br />
<ul>
<li>1 box white cake mix</li>
<li>1 stick butter</li>
<li>1 large egg</li>
<li>1 teaspoon cinnamon</li>
</ul>
<div>
<i>Cheesecake Layer</i></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature </li>
<li>1 Tablespoon brown sugar</li>
</ul>
<div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.</li>
<li>Brown butter - place stick of butter in a pan and let melt completely. Leaving heat on low, continue to simmer butter until fragrant and the foam starts to dissipate. The foam will start to brown. Keep checking butter, so it does not burn! After it is browned, set aside and let cool.</li>
<li>Mix egg and cooled butter. Beat in cake mix and cinnamon until no dry mix is left.</li>
<li>Reserve 1 cup of dough. Pat the rest into a greased 9x9" pan. </li>
<li>Mix cream cheese and sugar. Dollop and spread into even layer on top of dough.</li>
<li>Crumble and pat the remaining dough over the cream cheese layer. </li>
<li>Bake about 30 minutes. </li>
<li>Remove from oven. Let cool before slicing. Refrigerate for best cheesecake texture! </li>
</ol>
</div>
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Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-75525613650085014022014-01-31T00:39:00.000-05:002014-06-15T16:55:42.931-04:00review: Federal Donuts (in Philadelphia).<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Remember when I mentioned I had gone on a road trip earlier in the year - late December into January? Well, one of the places we went to was Philly. Once there, we decided we needed to visit Federal Donuts.<br />
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Bring up just the word "donuts" in Philly, and people will direct you here. It's pretty famous, in general. They have a few locations. The one we visited was very small (as most of the best places are). They are known for offering fried chicken, donuts, and coffee. Odd combination, but I guess 2/3 are fried, so same equipment.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Which would you have gotten?</td></tr>
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The donuts they offer encompass some untraditional, as well as seasonal, flavors. I know their spicy pbj donuts are highly acclaimed.<br />
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We were so hungry and tired by the time we got to this place that I didn't even stop to take a picture of the "Federal Donuts" sign, with its customary red chicken silhouette. We literally ran in and let the delicious scent of sugar and frying inundate our olfactory cells. I became appeased enough after we got our donuts to have the patience to take pictures of the little fried beauties themselves.<br />
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I got the vanilla lavender and the sticky bun donuts.<br />
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The specialty "fancy donuts" are only served fresh earlier in the morning, whereas the "hot donuts" are fried as ordered.<br />
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Let me interject with a somewhat lengthy comment on freshly fried donuts. They are literally one of the most amazing things to eat ever (in the realm of attainable, normal food at least). Fresh donuts are NOTHING like the ones you can get at Dunkin Donuts, or even the specialty donuts we had. Once they cool, it's basically completely different. When fresh, they are warm, soft, the sugar has not yet melted and encrusted into a shell, but instead bends and crumbles with the donut as you use your hands to gently pick it up. A tentative bite yields to incredibly plush dough, sugar adorned lips, and the irreversible switch to only being able to eat fresh donuts for the rest of your life.<br />
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The vanilla lavender one actually did not taste anything like either of those flavors. It was just a sugar coated fresh donut to me, which I thoroughly enjoyed (although some lavender hints would have been really nice). The sticky bun donut was super sweet - as sticky buns are, so true to name - and I loved it. One of my friends thought it was too sweet, but my sweet tooth knows no bounds. If you really want a unique donut experience, I recommend looking up what flavors each location is offering that day, and reading some reviews on what the most memorable flavors are.<br />
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I've had fresh apple cider donuts when I went apple picking in September, and again at Federal Donuts. Both times I have been so surprised by their deliciousness. I wonder what a fresh cronut tastes like. I'll have to trek over to see what Dominique Ansel is up to, soon.<br />
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Regardless of whether you think you like donuts or not (I didn't think I did), this is a must-visit in Philadelphia, PA.<br />
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Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-2390700664025000942014-01-22T00:00:00.002-05:002014-06-15T16:58:16.862-04:00orange clove bars.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I feel like it's the little things that make the biggest differences in life. A little argument could blow up into the biggest deal, or reveal deeper issues. Or in a more positive light, getting lunch during Restaurant Week at Buddakan in Philly with someone I haven't talked to in forever, but was easily able to hold a conversation with, could turn out to be a very relaxing day trip.<br />
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The little things characterize this bar, as well. I found a lemon bar recipe and remembered how delicious they are. "I'll bake them!" I thought. Then I looked in my fridge and saw chole, samosa filling (remnants of some amazing samosa chaat), cooked kaniwa, and some ricotta-spinach stuffed chicken, but no lemons.<br />
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Next best citrus? Oranges! I don't recall ever really having seen an "orange bar" recipe .. but I figured it would work just as well, so I ran with it.<br />
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I set about vigorously zesting an orange. Its light, fruity fragrance leeched into the air. The oils from the peel were staining my fingers a faint orange every time I paused to check I wasn't getting any bitter pith into the bowl.<br />
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Some way through, I recalled an excellent orange clove jam I had in Costa Rica a few years back. The addition of clove heightened a typical marmalade to something unique and even more delicious. I decided to add some clove to the crust and filling, in an effort to replicate the awesomeness of that flavor combo.<br />
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I know I paired orange with cardamom in my last cookie recipe .. what can I say, orange has such a versatile flavor profile. And it really brightens up winter! Spice (whether cardamom or clove) adds a hint of warmth, too.<br />
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Try this out - I hope you like it! And remember to enjoy the little things in life, as they will most likely be the most memorable.<br />
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<b><u>Orange Clove Bars </u></b><br />
<i>adapted from <a href="http://joythebaker.com/2014/01/classic-lemon-bars/" target="_blank">here</a>. I baked mine in a 9x9 bar (all I have), and they came out too thin, but still delicious. also, I included cloves in just the crust here - it should be sufficient for a bit of warmth.</i><br />
<br />
<u>Crust</u>:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1 stick butter </li>
<li>1/2 cup granulated sugar</li>
<li>1 cup all-purpose flour</li>
<li>pinch of salt </li>
<li>1/8 teaspoon ground cloves</li>
</ul>
<div>
<u>Filling</u>:</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>2 large eggs</li>
<li>3/4 cup granulated sugar</li>
<li>zest of 3/4 of an orange</li>
<li>3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1/4 cup fresh orange juice</li>
</ul>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Grease an 8x8" pan (you can also use 9x9", but the bars will be much more thin). Line with parchment paper and let some hang out over the sides so the bars can be removed later. Grease parchment paper lightly. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.</li>
<li>Make crust: Cream butter and sugar till lighter in color, almost white, 3-5 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add flour, salt, and cloves. Beat again on low speed until a dough is formed.</li>
<li>Press dough with slightly wetted or greased hands into the prepared pan. Bake about 15 minutes, until lightly browned on edges.</li>
<li>Make filling meanwhile: Whisk eggs and sugar well. Add zest, flour, and juice.</li>
<li>Pour filling over still warm crust. Bake again for 18 - 20 minutes. It should not be jiggling in the center. </li>
<li>Cool completely in pan. Slice into bars. Dust with powdered sugar, and remove from pan using parchment paper. Store in airtight container, with wax or parchment paper between each layer.</li>
</ol>
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Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-89539164084379136772014-01-06T18:00:00.000-05:002014-06-15T17:04:29.607-04:00orange cardamom meltaways.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It's interesting, how close my birthday coincides with the New Year. Two reasons to start afresh and finally implement those lifestyle changes.<br />
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Sleeping this late wasn't the plan .. I'm in bed with the glare of my laptop screen burning into my retinas, prolonging my descent into sleep even further. I took a Neuroendocrinology class where someone presented on the topic of how artificial light (from laptops, cell phones) is effective at preventing sleep, contributing to long-term problems, especially for my generation.<br />
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So much of our lives are affected by electronics. On the recent roadtrip I was in the passenger seat, and had so many electronics to handle - my phone, the driver's phone for Google Maps, Spotify, Snapchat, and my iPod for music. Oh, and my DSLR nestled carefully in my lap, being high maintenance as usual.<br />
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I felt ridiculous most of the time, primarily the <strike>many times</strike> the GPS would chastise us for getting lost so often.<br />
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One of my goals is to shift importance away from social media. In older days, if someone wanted to see someone, that required going to their house or calling their house phone. They would only do so for people that mattered.<br />
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I look forward to 2014 being a year in which I can stop dwelling on the superficial worries associated with the rise of social media and constant communication, and divert my attention to the causes I have committed myself to (can I hear an <a href="http://rudm.org/" target="_blank">FTK</a> please? and let's not forget <a href="http://rualtbreaks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Beards Fork</a>), my education, my close friends, and my individual growth. You know, the things that kinda matter and have some influence on my future.<br />
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Writing it on here - again, whether anyone reads it or not - reinforces it for me. So I apologize for the journal-esque theme today. If you are internally berating me for not getting to the cookies, your wait ends now!<br />
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These cookies seem so sophisticated to me. They would go perfectly on a vintage tray with other delicate cookies, alongside some skinny-handled cups filled with steaming Indian chai - the cardamom in the cookies complementing the earthiness of the tea.<br />
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Or they could be brought alongside heartier chocolate chip cookies on a roadtrip. They be so versatile.<br />
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They are heavy on flavor, both of which come through naturally - via orange zest and ground cardamom, an excellent combination. The cookies are easy to prep, but quite fragile after baking. Just be careful transferring to the cooling rack and storing! I chose to forgo coating them in powdered sugar, as they really don't need it. It does make them look nicer, but makes for a bit more of a mess.<br />
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<b><u>Orange Cardamom Meltaways</u></b><br />
<i>from <a href="http://www.nalleshouse.com/2013/12/bake-orange-cardamom-meltaways.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</i><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons cornstarch</li>
<li>1 teaspoon ground cardamom</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>3/4 cup unsalted butter (or 1.5 sticks)</li>
<li>1/3 cup confectioner's sugar</li>
<li>zest of one orange</li>
<li>2 Tablespoons orange juice</li>
<li>1 Tablespoon vanilla extract</li>
</ul>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Mix flour, cornstarch, cardamom, and salt.</li>
<li>Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Beat in juice, zest, and vanilla.</li>
<li>Add dry to wet mixture gently, until combined. </li>
<li>Divide dough into two parts. Roll into (approx. 2") logs, and wrap in parchment paper. Chill at least one hour, although overnight is also fine.</li>
<li>Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unwrap and slice logs into desired thickness - 1/4" is a good width.</li>
<li>Place rounds on baking sheet. They will not spread, but leave about an inch all around each cookie. Bake 12-15 minutes. Let cool on rack a few minutes, then transfer carefully to cooling rack.</li>
<li>** [[ If coating in powdered sugar, use 2/3 cup confectioner's sugar in a plastic baggie. Add warm (not hot) cookies into baggie a few at a time, shake gently, then allow to cool completely. ]]</li>
<li>Store in fridge if they last more than a few days. </li>
</ol>
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Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917092608174849835.post-52344761888806065002014-01-04T01:48:00.001-05:002014-06-15T17:08:29.813-04:00chocolate chip cookies III.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I just wrote a blogpost for a community service <a href="http://rualtbreaks.blogspot.com/2014/01/nailed-it-west-va-pre-trip.html" target="_blank">trip</a> I'm going on soon, and doing so encouraged me to write a post here, too. Well, in addition to the fact that it's past 1 am .. I stayed up too late and am not sleepy now.<br />
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These delicious cookies were consumed partially by my brother within five minutes of their transfer from baking sheet to <strike>cooling rack</strike> his plate. The rest, I brought with me on a road trip with friends. I've been wanting to road trip for so long and it finally happened!<br />
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We started in Jersey, and travelled to Philly, DC, and Shenandoah before coming back up. Philly is so pretty! I had never really visited. We visited Independence Hall, strolled along the streets chatting and aww-ing over the cutest dogs (everyone has a dog there! so many dog cafes!), and had a delicious lunch at Wedge + Fig. Our visit of Philly ended with a carousel ride. I turned 22 a few days after that trip. Young at heart, y'all.<br />
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DC was fun, too! Except the roads. Seriously. The Quakers built Philly according to a, what was at the time, novel grid system. Tell me - who built DC? Because it's no grid, all one-ways and confusing traffic circles.<br />
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Shenandoah was gorgeous, albeit cold. Definitely need to go back there in warmer months and explore more!<br />
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These cookies were eaten throughout the trip. There's mostly brown sugar and only a little granulated sugar, leading to a cookie dough with much more depth, as well as a chewier cookie. A chocolate chip cookie should be just as delicious with or without the chocolate chips. Using a nice semisweet chocolate will also stand out, and is recommended - if you're into that sorta thing. I would rather eat nothing than eat milk chocolate.<br />
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I prefer these to the <a href="http://gotcakee.blogspot.com/2013/11/chocolate-chip-cookies-ii.html" target="_blank">Chocolate Chip Cookies II</a> I posted earlier! It all depends on preference. These fit my ideal vision of a CCC more ... and they're pretty fuss-free. No chilling or shaping. Just prepare, plop, and bake.<br />
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<b><u>Chocolate Chip Cookies III</u></b><br />
<i>from <a href="http://www.eatliverun.com/my-favorite-chocolate-chip-cookies/" target="_blank">here</a>. </i><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1 teaspoon baking soda </li>
<li>1 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup), softened</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups brown sugar </li>
<li>1/2 cup granulated sugar </li>
<li>2 eggs</li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract </li>
<li>2 cups (12 oz. total) semi-sweet chocolate chips </li>
</ul>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Mix flour, baking soda, and salt.</li>
<li>Cream butter and sugar.</li>
<li>Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in vanilla.</li>
<li>Add dry ingredients to wet mixture, until just combined. Add chocolate chips. </li>
<li>Bake heaping tablespoon-sized dough balls at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. </li>
</ol>
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Yathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01219965706508778687noreply@blogger.com0