Starting off the year right with some green! Pea soup with fresh ginger, spinach & fresh herbs. It's an easy way to have your vegetables, without a cold salad!
Time: 30 mins
Ingredients:
2 cups frozen peas (can use fresh/canned)
1 vegetable boullion cube
2 cups water
1 cup spinach
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
1 large sage leaf, torn into smaller pieces
1 small white onion
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, minced
salt & pepper to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Recipe:
Dice the onion & place it in a medium sauce pan with the vegetable oil. Use medium-low heat.
Add the garlic, ginger, rosemary, sage & boullion cube into the pot. Stir to combine & stir every couple minutes until the boullion cube is melted.
Add the peas, sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the water, salt & pepper. Bring to a boil.
After about 10 minutes, turn the stove off & add in the spinach. Stir until the spinach is wilted.
Pour the soup mixture into a food processor & pulse until the mixture is smooth.
MmmmMmm!! This Guyanese classic will make your whole house smell like sweetened coconut! So flaky, soft, slightly sweet, simply delicious. My recipe caters to certain allergies - it is eggless & dairy free. Enjoy!
Time: 1.5 hours
Ingredients:
Dough:
3 cups all purpose flour
1.5 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup warm water
1 packet yeast
1 cup warm Lactaid (can use milk if you want)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon apple sauce (this replaces the egg)
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon I Can't Believe it's not Butter, melted
Filling:
2 cups dried coconut flakes
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 spoons water
5-6 drops red food coloring
Recipe:
Disolve the yeast in 1/4 cup water & the teaspoon white sugar.
Place it in a dark warm area to activate for 10 minutes (I put mine in the microwave with it turned off).
In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, salt, & cinnamon. Once the flour mixture is combined, cut the shortening in (until no chunks remain).
After the yeast activates, add the warm Lactaid, yeast mixture & applesauce to the flour. Knead to form a dough.
Place the dough in a greased basin (I used vegetable oil to grease mine) covered with foil for 1 hour. Dough will double in size.
While the dough is rising, you can make the filling. Combine all of the filling ingredients and mix well so the food coloring is absorbed by all of the coconut. You may need to add more water, you don't want the filling to be very dry.
Once the hour is up & the dough has risen, punch it in the middle so the air comes out. Then, split the dough into 2 equal parts (you'll be making 2 rolls).
Use a rolling pin & a light dusting of flour to roll out each dough to a rectangle.
Scoop half of the filling into each rectangle & spread to distribute evenly. Make sure the filling is all around the edges so you get a really good design!
Bake on 350 for 10 minutes, then brush on some of your melted I Can't Believe it's not Butter, and bake again for another 5-10 minutes until golden brown.
Winter is for yummy warm hearty soups! You don't have to go out in the cold to enjoy a nice bowl of Udon. Here's an easy vegetarian homemade recipe that will be worth your while.
Time: 2 hours (most of this is the mushrooms soaking)
Ingredients:
1 pack udon noodles
1 pack shiitake mushrooms (can be sliced or not)
water
green onion
soy sauce
salt & pepper to taste
egg if you'd like to add it to your udon
Recipe:
First, wash the mushrooms & then place them in a tall Tupperware / container. Add water to cover the mushrooms (and about 1/2 cup more)
Place another Tupperware / container pressing on top of the mushrooms to keep them from floating. Cover with clear wrap & refrigerate for at least 1.5 hours (overnight is better).
Next, make the udon according to the package (pretty much add them to boiling water then straining them & putting in an ice bath so they don't over cook).
In a medium sauce pan, add the broth along the mushrooms (you can slice them at this point if they aren't sliced).
Bring the broth to a boil, add in a couple splashes of soy sauce (depending on how much you like, I used about 1.5 teaspoons).
Add in the udon noodles and pepper if you like.
Crack an egg one by one into the pot so it poaches in the liquid (if you like).
Omg. Yep, that's the reaction I had too. I started out creating a brownie cake for my brother because he loves brownies. Then I had an idea to add bourbon, because he loves bourbon (who doesn't?). Then I decided the brownie cake looked too plain so I made my own icing... and you know the rest. So easy, so fabulous.
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
1 box brownie mix (I used Ghirardelli dark chocolate)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon bourbon for the cake mix & another for the icing (I used Angels Envy, use your favorite)
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 splashes of water
1/4 cup crushed pecans
Recipe:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brownie mix, 1 tablespoon bourbon, olive oil & vegetable oil. The recipe on the brownie box will most likely call for 1 egg, I didn't want to use any eggs so I adjusted with more vegetable oil instead. The above measurements work!)
Pour the brownie mix into a round cake pan (or honestly whatever shape you want!). Bake 2-3 minutes less than the instructions (mine was 325 for 40 minutes). The reason I bake it a little less is so the cake is chewy / fudgy. You can test with a toothpick.
While the cake is baking, mix 1/4 cup of the confectioners sugar with the remaining tablespoon of bourbon, cinnamon & a splash of water. Once the icing is combined, add in crushed pecans. I bought the pecans for baking because they're already crushed, you can use any kind you have/like.
Once you stir in the pecans, the mixture will become closer to a spread than an icing.
After the brownie cake bakes & cools, run a knife or spatula around the edges to loosen it up, then turn it over on a serving tray/plate. Now it's ready for icing!
Spread the pecan mixture on top of the brownie cake evenly.
Mix the remaining confectioners sugar with another splash of water to make white icing. A little water goes a long way! Tip: I mixed it in a measuring cup so there's a spout for pouring)
Once the icing is ready, hold the measuring cup about 6 inches above the brownie cake & drizzle in whatever design you like! I did zig zags all over my cake & then swirled the remaining on top.
Let the icing cool for about 20 minutes so it hardens before you cut the cake. Enjoy!
Ok it's been getting cold fast here in the tri-state area & to me that means give your food a little heat! Chicken thighs simmered in a creamy sauce of pulsed jalapeño peppers & coconut milk. Creamy with a kick!
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
1 pack chicken thighs, skinless (doesn't matter if it's boneless or not)
3-4 jalapeño peppers
1 can coconut milk
1/2 yellow onion
2-3 cloves garlic
salt & pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
Recipe:
In a large skillet, brown the chicken thighs in the olive oil for ~2-3 mins before adding the onion & garlic. Lower the heat so it stays warm but doesn't burn.
Slice open each jalapeño pepper, remove seeds.
Use a blender or food processor to grind the jalapeño, coconut milk, salt & pepper unless smooth.
If you'd like, dice a zucchini or any other type of vegetable & add it to the chicken, sauté for a minute.
Pour the sauce over the chicken thighs & raise the heat to medium, cover the pan.
Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Garnish with fresh jalapeño slices if you like it spicy!
Carbless heaven in 15 minutes!! Grilled portobello mushrooms seasoned to perfection & topped with tomatoes, spinach & olives! Top it with whatever you want - the possibilities are endless!!
Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
4 portobello mushrooms, stems removed
2-3 medium sized tomatoes, diced
1-2 handfuls of baby spinach, chopped
5-7 kalamata olives, pitted
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon of goat cheese
salt & pepper
Recipe:
Rinse the mushrooms & pat them dry. Lay them on a grill mat, tops down so the mushrooms form a bowl shape (to fill with the toppings).
Drizzle 1 tablesooon of the olive oil over the mushrooms.
Grill on medium-high heat for ~7 minutes.
Mix the diced tomatoes, chopped baby spinach, kalamata olives, the other tablespoon of olive oil, salt & pepper in a bowl. Add in the goat cheese, crumbled.
Remove the mushrooms from the grill & drain any excess liquid.
Top the mushrooms with the tomato mixture - add more crumbled goat cheese if desired. Enjoy!
Fall is here!! Time for some fall recipes. Squash in particular :) When it's still warm enough to fire up the grill, try these stuffed grilled acorn squash!! Fill them with whatever you like, they are so easy & delicious to make.
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 medium acorn squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt
filling of your choice
Recipe:
Cut the acorn squash in half long ways, scoop out the seeds. Shave off a small piece of the round end of each squash so that the sides will stand up without rolling.
Drizzle with olive oil & grill flesh-side down on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes or until tender. I used a grill mat for easier clean up!
While the squash is grilling, you can prepare your stuffing mixture. I used a mixture of farro, kale, roasted butternut squash, & pecans, tossed in a pomegranate balsamic vinaigrette.
Remove the squash from the grill & flip over so the flesh side is now up.
I know I know.. it's not red like normal kimchi. But guess what? It's really yummy. And you have a version of kimchi in 20 minutes. So try it.
Time: 20 mins
Ingredients:
1/2 head of cabbage, chopped
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspon sugar
1 teaspoon fresh chopped ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (I used Guyanese pepper sauce made with scotch bonnets)
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Recipe:
In a small pot, cook the cabbage & minced garlic in the water. It may seem like too little water for the cabbage, but remember cabbage already has a high water content so don't add more than 1/4 cup! Let it cook for ~4-5 minutes.
Take the heat off & move the pot off the burner. You can also transfer the cabbage at this time to a large bowl.
Add all of the remaining ingredients to the cabbage & mix to combine.
Refrigerate the kimchi & enjoy later or add to fried rice, fries, anything you want!
The yumminess is unbearable! Use the natural sweetness of mangoes & papayas for a quick & easy jam. I infused mine with a simple syrup with habaneros for a subtle kick!
Time: 1.5 hours
Ingredients:
3 ripe mangoes
1 small ripe papaya
1/2 cup corn starch
1/4 cup white sugar
1 Habanero, chopped fine with seeds removed
1 cup white sugar for the simple syrup
2 cups water for the simple syrup
Recipe:
Dice the mangoes & papaya into small cubes then add them to a large pot.
Slowly heat the fruit on medium so the cooled down. You don't need to add water because the fruit has its own juices.
After about 10 minutes, add the corn starch & sugar. Stir to combine.
Stir occasionally until the fruit boils down, sort of mushy.
After about 30 minutes, use an immersion blender to smooth out the fruit so it only has a few small chunks left.
In another small pot, make a simple syrup with the sugar, water & habanero.
Add the syrup in the pot with the jam & stir to infuse the jam with habanero.
Once the consistency is thick & jam-like, turn off the heat & let it cool.
What a delicious start to Fall soup meals!! There's nothing better than a creamy healthy bowl of Butternut squash soup infused with fresh ginger, chili powder & sage!
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
1 medium sized butternut squash
1/2 cup freshly chopped ginger
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon chili powder
2-3 Sage leaves (sage is pretty strong so you don't need a lot)
Salt & pepper to taste
water as needed
1 tablesooon vegetable oil
Recipe:
Peel & chop the butternut squash into small cubes.
Add the vegetable oil & onions to a large pot on medium heat. Let simmer until the onions are transparent, then add the ginger & garlic. Sauté for about 1-2 minutes.
Add the butternut squash, sage, & the chili powder (can add the salt & pepper at this time too). Stir to combine.
Once the squash is seasoned, add enough water to completely cover the top of the squash. You should raise the heat at this time to high so it boils.
Cover & let the squash boil for about 15-20 minutes (stirring & adding water as needed occasionally).
Once the squash is fork-tender, you can use an immersion blender to smooth it out.
You can test for salt at this time. Add fresh sage to garnish & serve!
Stuffed with amazing habanero lime shrimp! This delicious carbless meal promises to be a crowd pleaser! Try it for a small meal for two or as an appetizer or main for a party! The list of filling options is endless! Go crazy.
Scoop out the middle of the squash with a spoon. Leave enough flesh on the bottom & sides so that it can hold up to the filling & grilling (hey that rhymed!)
Drizzle olive oil around the top of the squash, then flip them over on grill mats, or a cookie sheet if you're baking them, so the flesh is facing down.
Grill the squash on medium heat for about 5-10 minutes depending how large they are. You want them still crunchy, not too soft.
While the squash is grilling, sauté the shrimp in the lime juice, habanero & vegetable oil.
Add salt & pepper to taste, then turn off the heat.
Use tongs to flip the squash over on the grill mats. Fill them with the habanero shrimp, and drizzle with any leftover sauce.
Close the grill to allow the shrimp to cook into the squash for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Remove the squash boats from the grill mats & serve on a platter. Enjoy!
It's gettin cold outside! Have no fear, my creamy vegetable soup will warm you right up! Soups are amazing because they're one-pot dishes that you can sort-of forget about after you throw the ingredients together!
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
2 cans unsalted tomato sauce
1.5 cups water
1 large potato, diced into bite sized chunks
1 can mixed vegetables (green beans, peas, carrots, corn, etc)
1/2 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup milk or lactaid
1 can beans of your choice
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Recipe:
Heat the vegetable oil for 30 seconds in a large pot. Add the onions & sauté until translucent.
Add the garlic & the potatoes, stir to combine.
Add the tomato sauce quickly after (so the garlic doesn't have a chance to burn).
Then, pour in the water and raise the heat to high so the soup can start to boil. Feel free to add your cans of veggies at this time also.
Once the soup is boiling, add the seasoning and the beans then cover the pot. Lower to a simmer.
Let the soup simmer about 30-40 minutes for the ingredients to fully marry in their flavors, turning every so often so it doesn't burn.
Turn off the heat.
Allow about 2 mins off the stove before you add in the milk. Slowly pour it in as you stir.
Feel free to garnish with Parmesan or your favorite cheese & enjoy!
Finally tried the beer-can chicken! It's a miracle recipe that really makes you want to eat chicken all day. Buh bye dry, boring chicken. This drunken chicken recipe will impress yourself & your guests with juicy, tender chicken using just a few simple ingredients.
Time: 1.5 hours
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
1 tablespoon garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, & chili powder
salt & pepper to taste
1 whole lemon
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 can of beer (with only half the beer in it)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
Recipe:
Remove all giblets from the center of the chicken. Pat it dry with a paper towel so all the water is removed.
Put the chicken in a large 13x9 Pyrex.
Pour the vegetable oil around the chicken, flipping it over so it coats in the oil.
Rub the rosemary around the chicken so that most of it sticks to the skin. Put any remaining rosemary leaves inside the cavity.
Make a spice rub with the spices, rub it all over the chicken. Add the salt & pepper at the same time.
Cut the lemon into slices, put some inside the skin if you can easily peel it away from the meat.
Open the butt of the chicken & place it on top of the beer can. Ensure there's only about 1/2 the beer left in the can!
Add any remaining lemons inside the chicken from the top, then pour the olive oil over it.
Bake on 400 for ~1 hour & 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Can't think of a better dish to post on the season finale of Game of Thrones!! A delicious lamb dinner honoring the head of the thrown, the crown! This Crown Roast is so easy & so fancy looking. Ready...set...eat!
Time: 1.5 hours or less depending on how long you marinate
Ingredients:
2 racks of lamb, frenched (ask your butcher to do this for you or check out simple YouTube videos on how to!)
2 tablespoons chopped mint, oregano, basil, cilantro (can sub a basic chimichuri sauce for a faster marinade!)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt/pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
Recipe:
Bend each rack into a semicircle with the meat side facing in & fat side out.
Use twine to tie them together like the picture above.
Rub on the olive oil, garlic, chimichuri mixture, salt, pepper, chili powder & cumin.
If you have one, put the crown in a bundt pan so that it holds its shape. You can let this marinate for 30 minutes if you have time. If not, it's fine to cook right away.
When ready, cook for 30 to 35 minutes on 375 degrees F depending on how rare you like your lamb.
Let it rest 15 minutes then cut the strong & the lamb chops & enjoy!
