tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51551040301213871042024-03-14T06:08:41.856-07:00burpees in the kitchenTrain hard. Eat well.Cecehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16322140265707899572noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5155104030121387104.post-70954642236428384452012-11-20T07:28:00.002-08:002013-09-26T08:58:30.823-07:00Ridiculously Healthy & Light Pumpkin Pie with Flaxseed Crust<a data-pin-config="none" data-pin-do="buttonPin" href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fburpeesinthekitchen.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F11%2Fridiculously-healthy-light-pumpkin-pie.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-PAhNf4oqttE%2FUKyhZ8yBzqI%2FAAAAAAAAAiI%2FhcJOePb8lek%2Fs640%2Fblog%2B2.jpg&description=Light%20and%20Healthy%20Pumpkin%20Pie%20with%20Optional%20Flaxseed%20Crust"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pin_it_button.png" /><script src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script></a>
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Today's recipe comes just in time for Thanksgiving! I'll be making our Thanksgiving dinner again this year. And just like last year unfortunately, it will also be away from all my family and friends. Besides them, one of the things I miss most about home is just being able to step out onto my porch and breathe in the autumn air, the smell of pine trees and smokey backyard bonfires wrapping around me like an old, familiar blanket. Every year without fail, as soon as September rolls around I have this strong urge to PUMPKIN ALL THE THINGS. Like Pavlov's dogs, there's something about the crisp fall air that immediately makes me want to ravenously consume pumpkin yummies and drink hot pumpkin spiced lattes. Even though the smell of fall is absent here, my body is still wired to want pumpkin things around this time. And what better way to get my pumpkin fix than in the form of the traditional pumpkin pie? </div>
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I've seen many gluten-free recipes that use nuts for the crust, and while I definitely agree that nut crusts are delicious, they're also very calorie dense. Flaxseeds are a great alternative in my opinion, especially if you are having digestive issues - for constipation, a tablespoon or two of flaxseeds will help that right along! Even though most brands tout the abundance of omega-3s in each serving, it seems the body is <a href="http://www.dhaomega3.org/Overview/Conversion-Efficiency-of-ALA-to-DHA-in-Humans">not very efficient</a> at converting the non-useable ALA form into the useable forms of EHA and DPA (the level of efficiency seems to be <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16188209">slightly better in women</a>, probably due to higher levels of estrogen). There are other concerns about flaxseed that I've read around the paleosphere as well. Still, I like to use flaxseed in special occasional treats such as this. If you do use flaxseed, always buy them whole and raw, never ground, and store them in the refrigerator. They go rancid very quickly, so only grind them right before using. </div>
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Many pumpkin pie recipes are also filled with sugar and dairy. The recipe on the back of Libby's pumpkin pie puree uses evaporated Carnation milk in addition to a ridiculous amount of sugar. I'd rather not slip into a diabetic coma, so I decided to come up with my own recipe for pumpkin pie using less sugar but still just as delicious. You can always sprinkle more honey on top if it turns out not sweet enough. In addition, I always taste my mixture and make sure it's to my liking before I pour it into the pan. I ain't scared of no raw eggs.</div>
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Pumpkin pie is really just a firm custard in a crust, and the basic recipe for a custard is eggs and milk with some sweetener to taste. I cut up a pumpkin and roasted the pieces, and I was able to save enough of them from going into my mouth to make some pumpkin filling, which ended up being about 200g worth of pumpkin. I made about 5 pies before deciding on the final recipe. Each time I didn't bother to measure anything except for the pumpkin, and every time the pie turned out great. You really can't mess this up!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A dollop of yogurt, cocoa powder and chocolate shavings make it look fancy-schmancy. </td></tr>
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<b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">LIGHT PUMPKIN CUSTARD / PIE WITH FLAXSEED CRUST</b></div>
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<b><u>What you'll need</u></b></div>
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For the crust:</div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">16 Tbsp / 1 cup whole raw flaxseed</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 egg</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 Tbsp / 15g butter (you can also use a Tbsp of coconut oil)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">3 tsp cinnamon</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Optional: 1-2 tsp honey (can also use 1-2 tsp sugar)</li>
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For the pumpkin pie filling:</div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">220g / ~ 1 cup cooked pumpkin pieces, or pumpkin puree. I used roasted pumpkin pieces.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 large egg</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">100ml / 1/2 cup canned coconut milk (can also use whole milk)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1/4 tsp salt</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 tsp vanilla extract</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Optional: 1-3 Tbsp sugar / honey, depending on how sweet you prefer your pie.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Optional: 1 tsp potato starch for a firmer pie filling. I didn't use Libby's pumpkin puree but if you are, I would use the potato starch since I think the canned puree is more liquidy.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">~ 1 1/2 Tbsp of your pumpkin pie spice mix. If you don't have it ready made, you can use mine below. Honestly though, I usually don't have any premade nor do I bother measuring - I just throw dashes of spices in here and there and it always comes out delicious!</li>
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Pumpkin spice mix:</div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">2 tsp cinnamon</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1/8 tsp cloves</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1/4 tsp nutmeg</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1/4 tsp ginger</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1/3 tsp ground cardamom (If you have some. Not necessary, but I love the flavor of cardamom!)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1/4 tsp allspice</li>
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Directions</u></div>
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Crust:</div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">Melt the butter and let it cool before whisking it with the egg. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Grind the flaxseeds, then mix it well with the cinnamon, egg and butter, and sugar / honey if you opt to. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Press the mixture into a 9" tart pan / quiche pan (I used <a href="http://www.cheftools.com/HIC-Porcelain-Round-Quiche-Dish-9-3-4-Inch/productinfo/02-1223-10/">HIC Porcelain Round Quiche Dish</a> and had quite a bit of the mixture left over, which I later pressed into ramekins and made mini pies!).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Bake at 170 C / 335 F for 8-10 minutes and keep an eye on it, until it is <i>slightly </i>browned and set. Don't overcook it! Let it cool.</li>
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Filling:</div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">This is easy. Throw everything together in your blender (I used my Magic Bullet) and blend until smooth. If you don't want to use your blender and the pumpkin puree is smooth enough, you can whisk everything in by hand. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Pour the filling into your crust, and bake at 175 C / 350 F for 30-40 minutes until set. The middle should barely jiggle when shaken. If it starts browning on top during baking, place some aluminium foil loosely on top.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Let cool, then serve. I've found that chilling it over night works best, but it tastes yummy when warm too. </li>
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<u>Nutritional Breakdown</u></div>
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With flax seed crust, canned coconut milk and honey:</div>
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<table style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none;"><colgroup><col width="110"></col><col width="179"></col><col width="211"></col></colgroup><tbody>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Per slice</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: -5.25pt; margin-right: 0.75pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whole pie</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Calories</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">90</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: -5.25pt; margin-right: 0.75pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">720</span></div>
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<tr style="height: 19px;"><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Protein</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5.5 g</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">44 g</span></div>
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<tr style="height: 19px;"><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fat</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6 g</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 48 g</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Carbs</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">7 g</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">56 g</span></div>
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This is also firm enough to make without the crust and eat it as a custard, which I have been doing for the past few weeks! If making it without the crust, the nutritional breakdown is as follows:</div>
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<div dir="ltr">
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none;"><colgroup><col width="110"></col><col width="179"></col><col width="223"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr style="height: 19px;"><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Per slice</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: -5.25pt; margin-right: 0.75pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Whole pie</b></span></div>
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<tr style="height: 19px;"><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Calories</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">38</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: -5.25pt; margin-right: 0.75pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">304</span></div>
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<tr style="height: 19px;"><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Protein</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2.3 g</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">18.4 g</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fat</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 g</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 16 g</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Carbs</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5 g</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
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<u>Some additional notes:</u><br />
- For a protein packed pie, replace the sugar with some vanilla whey protein. You might have to add a bit more milk if you do.<br />
- If you add too much potato starch, the custard might end up almost bread-like. I've found that when I use whole pumpkin pieces, the pumpkin has enough starch to hold it together and I never need potato starch.<br />
- You can use a pan / quiche dish larger than 9". If you do and you are afraid that the mixture isn't enough for your pie, you can add up to a cup more of pumpkin puree / pumpkin pieces and a bit more milk without affecting the overall recipe.<br />
- I used a smaller oven, so baking times may vary! Keep an eye on your pie.<br />
<br /></div>
Cecehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16322140265707899572noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5155104030121387104.post-16212756133116494212012-09-24T22:52:00.000-07:002013-09-26T08:59:47.423-07:00Omelette with Smoked Salmon, Sauerkraut, and Beets<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_oj_MvbbmYhHT7I3dW24g3m2pcZUCp3kFyfoLRxl4q3I-IHuTwqPM1eyQnbR6FZCdlL05PHdmpbqbDoMiVrsGxP7ntc7fNr3RZRhF288TChVkRA9xMb0eMJ-I-1DPdS1qIHrfwmiyw/s1600/omelette+2+reedit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pin_it_button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pin_it_button.png" /></a><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_oj_MvbbmYhHT7I3dW24g3m2pcZUCp3kFyfoLRxl4q3I-IHuTwqPM1eyQnbR6FZCdlL05PHdmpbqbDoMiVrsGxP7ntc7fNr3RZRhF288TChVkRA9xMb0eMJ-I-1DPdS1qIHrfwmiyw/s640/omelette+2+reedit.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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Omelettes are great. They're extremely versatile, and they can make such a filling meal. You can put absolutely anything you want in them, and you can make they savory or sweet. The best part of waking up for me is knowing that I am going to have a delicious omelette to start off my day. Seriously. I dream of omelettes at night, along with Bear Grylls. ;)<br />
<br />
I've been making all sorts of different omelettes every single morning for the past year and experimented with all sorts of ways to make them. Omelettes can be very personal - some people like their omelettes with big curds, some with small curds, some runny and some crispy. If you've never ever made an omelette in your life, you can look up some techniques on YouTube. Here is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgHgbn_sVUw">Jamie Oliver's version</a>, and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57afEWn-QDg">Jacques Pepin's version</a>.<br />
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This omelette is super quick and easy. I had some smoked salmon, sauerkraut, and some pickled beets laying around. Just threw them together and added some spices, and it turned out delicious!<br />
<br />
<br />
<b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">OMELETTE WITH SMOKED SALMON, SAUERKRAUT, AND BEETS</b><br />
<b><br /><u>
What you'll need:</u></b><br />
<ul>
<li>Two eggs, whisked (try to use local and true pastured raised ones at your local farmer's market if you can get them)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>A dab of grass-fed butter (I use Anchor butter. Kerrygold from Trader Joe's is also a good one)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Some sauerkraut</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Smoked salmon</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Cooked beets, sliced (regular or pickled, depending on your preference)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Green onions, chopped</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Dill</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Pepper</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Optional: Swiss / Emmental cheese</li>
</ul>
<b><u>
Directions:</u></b><br />
<ol>
<li>Heat up your skillet over medium high heat. Stick your dab of butter in the pan and spread it around, covering the skillet.</li>
<li>Depending on how you like your omelette (the French way or American way, big curds vs small curds, etc), pour your eggs in and make the base for your omelette. </li>
<li>When your omelette base is halfway set, add your cheese if you choose to on half the omelette, then your sauerkraut and smoked salmon, then the sliced beets, and finally the green onions. Sprinkle some dill and black pepper on to taste. </li>
<li>Let it cook a few more seconds until the base is set, then carefully fold the other half over. </li>
<li>Slide the omelette from the skillet onto your plate and enjoy! </li>
</ol>
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<u>Nutritional Breakdown:</u><br />
With two eggs, a dab of grass-fed butter, 2oz / 60g of smoked salmon, 1oz / 30g of pickled beets, and a scoop of sauerkraut:<br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-6488875f-5bb2-40d8-b51e-f7c92897bf18"></span><br />
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-6488875f-5bb2-40d8-b51e-f7c92897bf18"><span id="docs-internal-guid-6488875f-5bb6-2515-30c1-e93fe4bc66cc"></span></span><br />
<div dir="ltr">
<span id="docs-internal-guid-6488875f-5bb2-40d8-b51e-f7c92897bf18"><span id="docs-internal-guid-6488875f-5bb6-2515-30c1-e93fe4bc66cc"><span id="docs-internal-guid-6488875f-5bb8-6de3-a286-08f9dda2ad76"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></span></span>
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<table style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none;"><colgroup><col width="132"></col><col width="162"></col></colgroup><tbody>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Calories</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: -5.25pt; margin-right: 0.75pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">182</span></div>
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<tr style="height: 19px;"><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Protein</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">12 g</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fat</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">11 g</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Carbs</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">7 g</span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-6488875f-5bb2-40d8-b51e-f7c92897bf18"><span id="docs-internal-guid-6488875f-5bb6-2515-30c1-e93fe4bc66cc"><span id="docs-internal-guid-6488875f-5bb8-6de3-a286-08f9dda2ad76">
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A yummy breakfast or dinner option filled with good fats and protein!</div>
Cecehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16322140265707899572noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5155104030121387104.post-2379462265752222372012-08-16T07:03:00.000-07:002013-09-26T09:02:15.386-07:00Tempeh Pizza Chips<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A lot of people think that tofu is some sort of "miracle" food, at least that seems to be the consensus among vegetarians. They say it's a good source of protein, has lots of minerals, takes on the flavor of whatever you're cooking. While it may be a good source of protein, tofu / soy also has high levels of phytates which chelates certain minerals and prevents your body from absorbing them. All those minerals in tofu? They're bound up in phytic acid and are pretty much useless inside your body. It's not just tofu that you may want to think about. In addition to faux meat products like Tofurky, tofu hot dogs, and tofu bacon (fake bacon?! No, no, NO!), there's <a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/10-things-to-know-about-tofu/#axzz23gLDKtvE">soybean oil, soy milk, and soy nuts to consider</a>.<br />
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Of course, if you eat tofu occasionally or even once or twice a week, I highly doubt you'll come down with a mineral deficiency, <a href="http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/soys-negative-effects">man boobs</a>, or an enlarged thyroid. It's also been shown that eating tofu with meat reduces the phyates' effects. The problem comes when we over-consume soy in the form of over-processed tofu, Tofurky, Boca burgers, sugary soy milk, soy protein powder, and soy cheese. And that's easy to do, especially if you're a vegetarian living in America and you have meatless sausage links for breakfast, down it with a glass of soy milk, have a soy protein smoothie for lunch, and for dinner eat your soy burger with soy cheese and have soy ice cream for dessert.<br />
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Tofu also isn't going to be healthy if you are cooking it in bad oils like vegetable, soybean, or corn oil and you use sugary sauces like hoisin or oyster sauce. And obviously deep fried tofu won't do you any favors. If you do like to cook tofu, try lightly frying it in olive oil, grass-fed butter, or even coconut oil. Or bake it with your choice of veggies. I personally don't make an attempt to include tofu in my diet and I don't ever drink soy milk. I stick to eggs, grass-fed ruminants, chicken, and fish as my main source of protein.I would hunt my own deer and cow if I could.<br />
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Fermented forms of soy like miso are best, because fermenting them gets rid of some of the problems you encounter in their non-fermented counterparts. Speaking of fermented soy, <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempeh">tempeh</a></b> is the focus of my recipe and blog post today (finally!).<br />
<br />
If you've never had tempeh, you have to try it at least once. The taste and flavor is hard to describe, but it's very unique. It has a meaty and hearty texture, very different from tofu. I found tempeh here, and at first I baked it. It turned out okay. Not really a big fan of the taste. I did like the almost crispy texture of the outside part when I baked it, though. So I decided to cut the tempeh into thinner slices and throw some spices on them before baking, hoping for crispy chips. That worked pretty well! Then, I got a pizza craving. I threw some tomato sauce on the tempeh, some herbs and onions and cheese, popped that baby in the oven, and was able to satisfy my craving for pizza without resorting to gluten and grains.<br />
<br />
You can find tempeh at most Indonesian grocery stores. I got mine from the Indonesian store here in the city. I've heard that Whole Foods and Trader Joe's has tempeh. However, the <a href="http://traderjoesrecipes.net/trader-joes-organic-3-grain-tempeh/">Trader Joe's version</a> is made of barley, millet, rice and soybeans and should be avoided if you are eating paleo.<br />
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<b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">TEMPEH PIZZA CHIPS</b><br />
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<b>What you'll need: </b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Tempeh</li>
<li>Pizza / tomato sauce (flavor it with whatever you want!)</li>
<li>Thinly sliced baby button mushrooms</li>
<li>Thin red onion slices</li>
<li>Cheese (I used grated Parmesan on mine but you can do any type of cheese, even hard cheeses). Omit if you don't include dairy in your diet. </li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<b>Directions:</b><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 180C / 350F. </li>
<li>Cut your tempeh into thin slices about 1/4 inch thick. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and place your tempeh slices on. </li>
<li>Bake for about 20-30 minutes until they feel slightly crispy and lightly browned. </li>
<li>Take them out, spread some pizza / tomato sauce on the slices. Place your mushrooms and your onion slices on, top with cheese if you are using cheese, and sprinkle your choice of spices on top. I used oregano and black pepper.</li>
<li>Pop them back into the oven for about 10 more minutes, until the cheese starts to melt and the mushrooms are cooked. </li>
<li>Take them out, let them cool for a few minutes before enjoying!</li>
</ol>
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<br />Cecehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16322140265707899572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5155104030121387104.post-13912472357921714492012-08-07T11:39:00.003-07:002012-08-09T06:19:53.656-07:00Mini Food AdventuresThere aren't any recipes in this post, but I wanted to share with you some (old?) photos I found on my phone from when I was visiting home in the US back in May / June.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zzBgT2mhZKP8132eLC8oikIcFPB49fPtNLBtw1tgF_7b4oY1cuIeljYPblmaA67W62vONV3iS6pZX5lReHEPDf9yoPtf9JWNhFKUA5ThHPjfbDjJq3ptcUvvj-L0EelGsAWIAewJng/s1600/paleo+eating.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zzBgT2mhZKP8132eLC8oikIcFPB49fPtNLBtw1tgF_7b4oY1cuIeljYPblmaA67W62vONV3iS6pZX5lReHEPDf9yoPtf9JWNhFKUA5ThHPjfbDjJq3ptcUvvj-L0EelGsAWIAewJng/s200/paleo+eating.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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Ordering a burger at Five Guys. Apparently they didn't understand why I wanted extra lettuce on the side, seeing as they gave me shredded lettuce when I asked for extra lettuce. No matter, there's nothing I like better than tearing into a piece of meat with my own bare hands without silly lettuce getting in the way.</div>
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One of my good friends. Isn't she so pretty? We were at Egyptian Pizza, but we ordered their yummy lamb schwarma salad. I converted her to eating paleo and she's doing fabulously with it. Her body is bangin'! She is also my motivation - we've agreed to tell each other when we've cheated, which makes me less apt to cheat if I have to hold myself accountable. Of course, frozen yogurt doesn't count. Speaking of which ... </div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwKA5m6oIx2vFd58kaujg-Us7amOjpbibpVpwfueoGk03_ObSzfOKCZkMQ-OgFEpIdHYInGrkrWLt-z_q4OI3GuCbEr9aomi6KB0znjvoqnXQ1ZhMlCCmRPPkSQhBxq28Q4_d_xrQjw/s1600/eating+froyo.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwKA5m6oIx2vFd58kaujg-Us7amOjpbibpVpwfueoGk03_ObSzfOKCZkMQ-OgFEpIdHYInGrkrWLt-z_q4OI3GuCbEr9aomi6KB0znjvoqnXQ1ZhMlCCmRPPkSQhBxq28Q4_d_xrQjw/s320/eating+froyo.bmp" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">I think I might be addicted to frozen yogurt.</td></tr>
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Yes, this is a compilation of a <i>few </i>of the times I went out to eat froyo with my friends / sister. There were a couple days where I went twice a day (okay, maybe more than a couple), and there were lots of times when I didn't have my camera with me. I'm sure I single-handedly kept the local froyo shops afloat when I was back home. They're probably all scratching their heads and wondering why there was a sudden decrease in profits when I left in June. Help me. I have a problem. </div>
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My sister, glassblowing. A couple friends and I went to watch her do her thang. It was pretty awesome watching everyone make glasses and bowls out of powdered glass, especially when they add the color. And it was <i>hot </i>(literally and figuratively)<i>! </i><a href="http://www.theglassgrill.com/">Here's</a> the link to the studio, in case you live near the Baltimore area. They also have a bar / restaurant next door. It's a super dive bar, atmosphere is very typical of the area, but their burgers are huge and juicy.</div>
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Mini cupcakes I made for a dinner with my in-laws. No, these are <i style="text-align: justify;">not</i><span style="text-align: justify;"> paleo. The banana trifle that I made that night however, was. Unfortunately I didn't take a picture of the trifle, but the recipe for that will come in the near future, I promise. I made these using my sister's leftover cupcake mix she was using (just white cake mix from a box with blue food coloring). Since I didn't have any frosting I decided to melt some green chocolate chips in a bowl and dip the naked cupcake in, coating the top. Before it set, I sprinkled some cocoa pearls I got from Trader Joe's.</span><br />
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Okay, this strawberry cheesecake here is my favorite. Made this on the spur of the moment for the hubby for his birthday. I don't have a recipe for this since I didn't follow one, I just threw stuff together using the basic knowledge I already had in my head of baking regular cheesecakes in hopes that it would turn out. Which it did. I used Stevia and a bit of honey instead of sugar, and I used full fat Greek yogurt and 4% fat cottage cheese (all from TJs) instead of cream cheese. It turned out absolutely divine. For the top, I whipped some more yogurt with TJ's lemon curd and spread it on top. </div>
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Saved the best for last! This is a zombie cake I made for one of my best friends for her birthday. I baked a red velvet cake in a circle pan, and used pink and green frosting (I used food coloring to color the buttercream frosting I made) for the inside and the frosting of the brain and skin. I couldn't find a gel red or black enough to color my frosting red, so I bought Wilton's pre-made red and black icing and used that for the blood and the brain and facial features. It was fun to make and she got a kick out of it. </div>
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Here she is with the cake! I love her and miss her dearly.</div>
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I have so many new dishes that I've been making every week but I usually make them for dinner at night, which isn't the ideal environment for taking photos since I like taking photos in natural light. I do have a few good ones though, which I will post very soon! </div>
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</div>Cecehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16322140265707899572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5155104030121387104.post-7415462769954331832012-07-15T23:50:00.000-07:002013-09-26T09:02:39.404-07:00Basic & Easy Chocolate Truffles with Goat Cheese (Make them latte, banana-rum, cinnamon, or just plain flavored!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ovRFoMUVTIVn6Y5f6gq0RVN8o802u9dVq2oJYvQhWaAqFQV_tY6ShMNBwsN1xQs9ph01GF-k4gnu4DFR5WjY8EVd2l1ACZRvqS0_3exONfMLBfGtCEmuQOwbGN4M096tbG4WBM4DyQ/s1600/DSC_1006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ovRFoMUVTIVn6Y5f6gq0RVN8o802u9dVq2oJYvQhWaAqFQV_tY6ShMNBwsN1xQs9ph01GF-k4gnu4DFR5WjY8EVd2l1ACZRvqS0_3exONfMLBfGtCEmuQOwbGN4M096tbG4WBM4DyQ/s400/DSC_1006.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So I'm back from my 3 month vacation to the US, hence the long hiatus in my blog. While back, I discovered The Fresh Market had opened up right in my town, across from Trader Joe's. The Fresh Market has officially replaced TJ's as my favorite grocery store (although TJ's is still a close second! And I just love the people who work there!). I also went to the beach a couple times, laid out for hours and got a tan that will last me for the rest of the year. On my last night there, my besties and sister gorged ourselves silly on crabs. Can't leave Baltimore without picking crabs smothered in Old Bay! Anyway, it felt so great to be back home with friends and family, but now I'm back and ready to share some more recipes!<br />
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These truffles are something I've been making for awhile now. I've seen a lot of recipes out there for raw brownies / truffles using dates as the sweetener, but most of them use a good bit of ground nuts, or melted chocolate, or heavy cream. Which is great, there's nothing wrong with using those ingredients. However, I try not to consume too many nuts for the sake of my omega 6:3 ratios. And sometimes (okay, most of the time) I just don't feel like setting up a double boiler to melt some chocolate. Also if I'm going to eat dark chocolate, I like to slowly savor a piece of 99%+ in my mouth, letting it melt as I bask in hedonistic joy, and then wash it down with a glass of red wine.<br />
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I got the idea of using goat cheese with these truffles while looking for recipes using dried dates, since we had bought a whole bag of them. Saw some recipes for some goat cheese stuffed dates, and I figured goat cheese and dates were a good match. I wondered if I could incorporate goat cheese and dates in a raw truffle. Tried it out, and I was right! The truffles are pretty primal / paleo friendly, unless you aren't eating goat cheese. <a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/cheese-unhealthy/#axzz20lKbVCYb">Here's Mark's stance on cheese</a>. I allow myself some goat cheese from time to time. Dates are a high fructose food and high in sugar though (as most dried fruits are), so if you are in the middle of leaning out and trying to lose body fat, don't overdose on these!<br />
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This recipe is pretty simple, you can't really mess it up. But it tastes like a bona fide gourmet truffle. The goat cheese is what really gives it its depth of flavor and richness. You can't really taste the goat cheese, but you can taste hints of the distinctive tartness that goat cheese has. It melds together so wonderfully with the cocoa. The first time I made these, I just threw some chopped up dates in my magic bullet, eyeballed about a tablespoon of goat cheese, and kept throwing some cocoa powder in there until it had the consistency I was looking for. And really, I never measure anything out when I make these. I just add stuff here and there until it's just right. So for the recipe below, you can measure everything out to the exact tablespoon, or you can just eyeball it and add more of this and that until it's perfect. I like keeping my recipes nice and simple.<br />
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The recipe below is more like a base for the truffles. I've added different things and made many different variations of these, and all have turned out fantastic.<br />
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<b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">EASY CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES WITH GOAT CHEESE</b><br />
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<b>What you'll need:</b><br />
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<li>Magic Bullet or food processor (I used my Magic Bullet)</li>
<li>~ 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more in a little bowl for dusting</li>
<li>~1-2 Tbsp Goat cheese</li>
<li>Dried medjool dates (about 13-14, coarsely chopped)</li>
<li>Optional: Chopped nuts (I used macadamia nuts) in a little bowl to cover the truffles</li>
<li>A little bit of cream, yogurt, or milk to soften up the paste if need be</li>
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<b>Directions:</b></div>
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<li>Place the dates, about 1 Tbsp of goat cheese, and half of the 1/4 cup of cocoa powder in your Magic Bullet / food processor. Pulse until a ball forms, or until it comes together and most of the dates aren't into chunks anymore. The consistency should be kind of mushy, but not too overly wet that you can't shape it into a small ball. If it's too sticky / wet, add more cocoa powder and pulse again until it's the right consistency. If it's too dry, add a <i>tiny</i> bit of cream / yogurt / milk. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides.</li>
<li>Wet your hands, and depending on how big you want your truffles, take about 1/2 a Tbsp or 1 Tbsp of the mixture and roll it into a ball. Drop it in the small bowl of cocoa powder and shake the bowl around until the truffle is covered in the cocoa powder. You can also cover it in the chopped nuts instead. </li>
<li>Take the truffle out, and place on a plate or on wax paper. Repeat until you use up all the mixture. </li>
<li>Chill in the refrigerator for a couple hours until set.</li>
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There are so many different variations of these truffles that you can make. </div>
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<li><span style="background-color: white;">For a latte-esque truffle, add a bit of instant coffee powder, vanilla extract, cinnamon and ground cardamon.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Feeling in the mood for s'mores? Add some marshmallows to the mixture when you are pulsing, and roll the truffles around in crushed graham crackers. And how about Oreos? R</span><span style="background-color: white;">olling them around in crushed Oreos may be non-paleo, but definitely tasty. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">For a fancy adult treat, add a bit of mashed banana, dark rum, and roll the truffle around in flaked coconut.</span></li>
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The possibilities are endless. What truffles will you make?</div>
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<br />Cecehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16322140265707899572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5155104030121387104.post-83734430907811714922012-03-18T01:08:00.000-07:002013-09-26T09:03:03.797-07:00Spaghetti-esque Shirataki Noodles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sorry it's been a whole month since my last post! The husband came down with the flu which left him bedridden for a week, and I've been busy running around the city and preparing for my trip next week.<br />
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I discovered <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirataki_noodles">Shirataki</a> noodles here, which are a completely carb-free alternative to your regular pasta noodles. They are derived from the konjac yam, and konjac jelly is pretty popular in Asia. It's used to make noodles, of course, as well a jelly desserts. Konjac has also been found to improve glycemic control and lipid profiles by delaying the absorption of glucose, which may make it useful in treating people with insulin resistance and high-risk diabetics (abstracts <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10857960">here</a> and <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10372241">here</a>). Both the noodle and jelly forms are virtually calorie-free and composed of glucomannan, and after absorbing water it expands up to 200x its original volume in the stomach, leaving you feeling full. So you can imagine that it's a pretty popular diet food here. Of course, knowing this, when I eat shirataki noodles I make sure I get enough nutrients by adding more veggies and protein to my meals.</div>
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Preparing them can be tricky. I did some research prior to purchasing them but there weren't many recipes out there, and the recipes I did find were all asian-based. It seemed a major issue that most people had with them was the smell. The noodles do smell a bit ... fishy. However, I experimented with various ways of preparing them and I found the best way to make them, which I'll share with you below! Texture was also another issue. The noodles definitely don't have the texture of wheat pasta. I would probably describe it more like the texture of rice noodles, the kind my parents use in some Vietnamese noodle dishes. If you've never tried shirataki noodles before, I advise you to try the thin, angel-hair noodles first before the bigger noodles.<br />
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This recipe takes a bit more time and effort, but it's totally worth it. I usually make a huge batch and keep them as leftovers for the next few days. In order for the noodles to completely soak in the flavors, it's best to make this the day before you want to eat these, and then heat them up in the oven (for a crispy texture!), fry them on a pan, or microwave the next day.<br />
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The only calories you'll be getting from this meal depends on how much beef you use and your pasta sauce, so make sure you also complement your meal with a decent sized portion of veggies on the side!<br />
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<b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">SPAGHETTI-ESQUE SHIRATAKI</b><br />
<br />
<b>What you'll need:</b><br />
(Serves 3-4, can easily be doubled or tripled)<br />
<br />
<i>For the meat sauce (you can use your own recipe or you can use mine below):</i><br />
<ul>
<li>1 can of pasta sauce, any brand or make your own tomato sauce to make sure it's completely gluten-free</li>
<li>Some lean, grass-fed ground beef (Use as much as you want, depending on how much beef you like. I used a little less than one lb.)</li>
<li>Butter / olive oil</li>
<li>1/2 red onion, diced</li>
<li>4 cloves of garlic, finely diced</li>
<li>A handful of button mushrooms, sliced</li>
<li>2 Tbsp oregano</li>
<li>1 Tbsp Basil</li>
<li>Some ground black pepper to taste</li>
</ul>
<i>For the noodles:</i><br />
<ul>
<li>1 1/2 packets of thin, angel hair shirataki noodles (or use 2 packets, you can always add another half can of pasta sauce if you need to).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<i>Kitchen utensils</i>:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>2 large, nonstick pans</li>
<li>1 colander</li>
<li>Spatula / wooden spoon</li>
</ul>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Directions:</b><br />
<br />
<i>To prepare the noodles</i>:<br />
<ol>
<li>Drain the noodles in a colander and place over running water for a few minutes to rinse. Cut the noodles into thirds, and then place in a pot filled with water.</li>
<li>Heat up the noodles and water, and bring up to a boil. Boil the noodles for about 5 minutes, then drain again. This is to get rid of the smell that most shirataki noodles come with.</li>
<li>Now you want to dry the noodles completely, so the noodles can soak up the sauce. (I like an almost crunchy taste to the noodles, so I personally dry-fry them for awhile to get rid of that chewy texture and make it thinner. Some people absolutely hate the texture of these noodles, so dry-frying them until they're almost crispy helps a little.). Throw the noodles in a large nonstick pan (don't add any olive oil / butter, you want the pan completely dry), and turn the heat up to med-high. Mix the noodles constantly with a spatula / wooden spoon. You'll hear the noodles squeak as they dry. This will probably take you around 5-10 minutes. Make sure all the moisture is out, and then turn off the heat and leave them in the skillet as you prepare your meat sauce.</li>
</ol>
<i>Meat sauce</i>:<br />
<ol>
<li>Heat up some butter or olive oil in another large nonstick pan. Add the ground beef, and break it up into little pieces with your spatula / spoon, and then fry on the pan over med heat until well browned and even crispy. Depending on how much beef you use, this might take 10-15 minutes. That's the key to getting the flavor in this meat sauce, I swear. I always cook it until the little bits are a deep dark brown and crispy.</li>
<li>After the meat is nice and browned, add in the onions and garlic. Stir and cook for a few more minutes, until the onions and garlic carmelize nicely.</li>
<li>Add in the pasta sauce, and adjust heat to a low simmer. Simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring occassionally.</li>
<li>Add in the oregano, black pepper, and basil. Stir well, and simmer for another couple minutes.</li>
</ol>
<i>Combining the meat sauce and noodles</i>:<br />
<ol>
<li>Pour the dried noodles into the pan with the meat sauce, and heat on med heat for a few minutes. If you're using two packets and you feel like you need more sauce, then by all means throw in some more tomato / pasta sauce!</li>
<li>Turn off the heat, transfer the noodles in the meat sauce into a large heat-proof container. Let it cool down completely, and then refrigerate for 12 hours or overnight. You could skip this step and just eat it as soon as you're done cooking, but I've found that the flavors incorporate better into the noodles when I refrigerate it first.</li>
<li>When you're ready to eat, reheat in the microwave, stovetop, or oven and serve with some grated Parmesan on top. Since I don't have a microwave, I always bake it in the oven at 375F for about 15 minutes. Baking it in the oven gives it a nice crispy texture on top, which I love!</li>
</ol>
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The texture of the noodles may not be for everyone, but I find that cooking it this way with the shirataki gives a little twist to the old school spaghetti that most of us are used to, especially when you bake it in the oven the next day! This dish is positively yummy. It might take a bit more effort than making regular pasta, but it's totally worth it if you're watching your caloric / carb intake but still want a tasty meal. I missed eating spaghetti a lot, but now I can have it anytime I want without having to worry about the carbs!</div>
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Cecehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16322140265707899572noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5155104030121387104.post-7196960405486207942012-02-15T10:15:00.000-08:002013-09-26T09:00:46.138-07:00Simple Flour-less Protein Chocolate Banana Cake - No Gluten, Sugar, or Butter!<a data-pin-config="none" data-pin-do="buttonPin" href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fburpeesinthekitchen.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F02%2Fpaleo-friendly-protein-packed-chocolate.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-3DHw6_nmBvE%2FTzvxVwjzcYI%2FAAAAAAAAASs%2FqqF0WiW33t4%2Fs640%2Fcake%2B6.jpg&description=Simple%20Protein-Packed%20Banana%20Cake%20-%20No%20sugar%2C%20butter%2C%20or%20flour%20of%20any%20kind!"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pin_it_button.png" /><script src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script></a>
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This cake is my new favorite obsession. It's sooooo freaking good, and takes care of those days when I crave cake. When I got the idea to make this, I literally shouted "Eureka!" (but in my mind). Pure laziness prompted me to think of this cake. I was tired of cleaning my frying pan and spatula every time I made crepes, so I wondered to myself whether I could <i>bake</i> the same batter I use to make my crepes. Parchment paper-lined pans are way easier to clean up. And lo and behold, by tweaking the proportions a bit and adding / omitting a few ingredients here and there, it worked.<br />
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My cake uses no flours (not even almond or coconut flour!), no sugar, and no butter. The only carbs you'll get from this is from the banana. It's also super versatile. I make this every day, and I've experimented with many different spices. Scroll down below for a list of ideas that I've tried and liked! I love making this with cardamom the best, though.<br />
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This cake won't have the consistency of a regular cake. It's more moist inside. Depending on how big and ripe your banana is, your texture might vary. Also, if you use more whey protein / cocoa powder, it will be less moist. I used to eat it warm and straight from the oven, but because it started to remind me of a tiramisu (but not as wet) I got the idea to make a mascarpone filling and chill the cake. Best idea ever.<br />
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Just for funsies, I calculated the caloric content. One egg (70 cal), one banana (~70-100 cal), and one scoop of whey protein (~140 cal) = 310 calories for the entire cake, rounded up. Sweet (literally).<br />
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<b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">PROTEIN PACKED BANANA CAKE</b><br />
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Makes 2-3 servings, or 1 if you have fat kid days like me.<br />
<br />
<b>What you'll need:</b><br />
<i>For the cake:</i><br />
<ul>
<li>One ripe banana</li>
<li>One egg</li>
<li>~ 1 scoop of chocolate or vanilla whey protein (I used chocolate. I've used 1/2 a scoop for wetter, moister cakes and 1 scoop for a less moist cake)</li>
<li>~ 1-2 Tbsp cocoa powder, unsweetned</li>
<li>~ 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon</li>
<li>2 cardamom pods, with the seeds crushed</li>
<li>1/4 tsp baking soda</li>
<li>Optional: some chopped nuts (I've used macadamia nuts, almonds, and walnuts - they're all great)</li>
</ul>
<div>
<i>For the filling (optional):</i></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>1 spoonful of Greek yogurt
</li>
<li>1 spoonful of mascarpone cheese
(or you can omit the mascarpone and use all Greek yogurt)</li>
<li>1/4 - 1/2 tsp instant coffee powder</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Directions:</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<i>For the cake: </i></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Preheat your oven to 350 F / 175 C if you're using a metal pan, 325 F / 160 C if you're using a glass pan like I did. <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60101652/">I used the 10x4 MIXTUR dish by IKEA.</a> Line your pan with parchment paper.</li>
<li>Mash up your banana really well in a bowl. Then mix the cardamom seeds and nuts (if you want) in.</li>
<li>Whip the egg in a separate bowl, then use a fork to mix the egg into the bowl with the mashed banana until combined. </li>
<li>In a separate bowl, combine the whey protein, baking soda, cocoa powder, and cinnamon. Mix well.</li>
<li>Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just mixed well. </li>
<li>Pour the mixture into the pan. Bake in the middle rack for about 30-40 minutes, or until your toothpick test comes out clean. Meanwhile, prepare your filling if you want.</li>
<li>When your cake is done, turn off the oven and open the door, and let the cake chill there for a minute. Then, take it out from its parchment paper home and set it to cool on a rack. You can either eat it plain, or read on if you want to do the filling. </li>
<li>When it's sufficiently cool (about 15 minutes), cut it into 2 or 3 pieces, then cut each piece in half lengthwise with a knife, and spread your mascarpone / yogurt mixture on the bottom half. Put the top half back on, and chill in the refrigerator until ready to eat. When I make this for other people, I like to sprinkle powdered sugar on top to make it look purdy. </li>
</ol>
<div>
<i>For the filling:</i></div>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>This is easy. Combine the mascarpone, Greek yogurt, and instant coffee together in a small bowl, and whip with a fork until the consistency is to your liking. You can add more yogurt or mascarpone if you want. Or leave out the mascarpone and just use the Greek yogurt with the coffee! </li>
<li>Spread on your cake. </li>
</ol>
<div>
Some variations that I've made of this cake that have worked out well:</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Cut up an Earl Grey tea bag and mix in about 1/2 Tbsp dried tea leaves in the batter. I love Earl Grey, and it tastes great with the cake and spices. </li>
<li>I've made this using 1 Tbsp of matcha too, and it turned out pretty good.</li>
<li>Use pumpkin spice instead of the cardamom. </li>
<li>For an extra kick in the mornings, add some instant coffee powder in the batter.</li>
<li>Cut up an extra banana into slices and top the batter with them before you put it in the oven. Or use any other fruit you wish.</li>
<li>Put some dessicated coconut in the batter and / or sprinkle some sesame seeds on top before you bake.</li>
<li>When I use only 1/2 a scoop of whey protein, I up the cocoa powder to about 2-3 Tbsp.</li>
<li>Sometimes after cutting the cake in half lengthwise, I'll cut both halves into smaller pieces (to make about 24 pieces total), and re-bake in the oven on the rack at 200C for 5-10 minutes for deliciously crispy edges but a soft, warm, and chocolaty interior. Like mini cookies! This is probably my favorite thing to do with this cake. A small toaster oven is great for this, and the toasted cake tastes awesome with a glass of milk.</li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfqIj3ObDqMEFgCdePwOm8-THasHiWzZS_-FXDcCL7FMx-EFTC1qDmuDYj1mEUlF4nBStrxRo3h7ZsnSV_yVQosi1t_0xMs_T6Xss4Kl78wXh-wCn6ll-ack2a2kul3DBJC3-C8HOXTg/s1600/969+cropped+with+name.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfqIj3ObDqMEFgCdePwOm8-THasHiWzZS_-FXDcCL7FMx-EFTC1qDmuDYj1mEUlF4nBStrxRo3h7ZsnSV_yVQosi1t_0xMs_T6Xss4Kl78wXh-wCn6ll-ack2a2kul3DBJC3-C8HOXTg/s640/969+cropped+with+name.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the cake I made for James on Valentine's Day.</td></tr>
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<u>Nutritional Breakdown</u><br />
With one egg, one medium sized 105g banana, and 1 full scoop of whey protein:<br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-6488875f-5bc2-faa6-bc22-e3fd0ba91b03"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr">
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none;"><colgroup><col width="132"></col><col width="162"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr style="height: 19px;"><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Calories</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: -5.25pt; margin-right: 0.75pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">315</span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;"><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Protein</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">34 g</span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;"><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fat</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">11 g</span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;"><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Carbs</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f2f9ff; border: 1px solid #f3f3f3; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">31 g</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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The banana contributes to the relatively higher carb content. Also, the ripeness of the banana will also impact your cake somewhat. A riper, mushier banana will result in a sweeter and slightly moister cake. You can keep the sweetness and add in some mashed sweet potato if you find the cake is too moist. A less ripe, starchier banana will result in a less sweet cake but perhaps not as moist.<br />
<br />
Other notes:<br />
<ul>
<li>I used a glass pan and baked it in a small oven. Around 165 - 175C is what worked for me. Depending on the type of pan you use and your oven, you may have to adjust your temperature. </li>
<li>Again, like my <a href="http://burpeesinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/02/easy-chai-spiced-banana-oat-cookies.html">Chai Banana Oat Cookies</a>, depending on how big the banana you're using is, you might end up with a moister cake than you like. If that's the case, just slice it in half lengthwise and pop it back into the oven for about 5-10 more minutes, and it will be perfect. You can also add in some mashed sweet potato. Or use more protein / cocoa powder next time. I actually like these cakes to be more moist if I'm going to put mascarpone / yogurt in the middle and chill in the fridge, they have a wonderful texture to them after chilling. </li>
</ul>
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Cecehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16322140265707899572noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5155104030121387104.post-62774408059531059832012-02-11T20:53:00.000-08:002013-09-26T09:03:46.723-07:00Balsamic Roasted Carrots with Feta / Goat Cheese and RosemaryI'm not a fan of raw carrots, but I love them when they're roasted. Roasting them brings out their flavor, and when you add herbs and cheese, it's positively divine.<br />
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For awhile, I had been baking carrots and then mixing some feta cheese in after they were baked. One day, I decided to just toss the feta in with the carrots. I was thinking the feta might melt, making it a gooey but delicious mess. The result? The feta cheese retained their shape, but had an amazing crispiness on the outside and a complex smokey flavor that I just fell in love with.<br />
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I'm also obsessed with goat cheese. We had bought a bunch of it from Costco, so I decided to try and bake them with the goat cheese too. I was not disappointed at all. It tasted fantastic. So you can use either feta or goat cheese with these, whatever you prefer.<br />
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At first, I was just making these carrots with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Then, I started adding different spices. Thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil ... basically different combinations of the 40+ different spices I have. The best combination? Rosemary and paprika. I don't know why, it just works. I make these pretty much every day. I just stick them in the oven right before I start my workouts, and by the time I'm done my cool-down / stretching, they're done.<br />
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<b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">BALSAMIC ROASTED CARROTS WITH FETA / GOAT CHEESE AND ROSEMARY</b><br />
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<b>What you'll need:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Couple of carrots</li>
<li>~ 1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar</li>
<li>~1 tsp Olive oil</li>
<li>Feta or goat cheese</li>
<li>1 Tbsp rosemary</li>
<li>1 Tbsp paprika</li>
<li>Black ground pepper (optional)</li>
<li>Slice of lemon (optional, sometimes I do this but it tastes great without the lemon too!)</li>
</ul>
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<b>Directions:</b></div>
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<br />
<ol>
<li>Preheat your oven to 360F or 180C. Cut up your carrots. You can cut them into circles like I did, or chop them like fries. If you like your carrots crispy on the outside (which I love), cut them smaller. Want them more tender but with a firmer bite? Make them a bit bigger.
</li>
<li>Drizzle some balsamic vinegar and olive oil all over. Add the rosemary and paprika, and mix them all together with your hands until the carrots are well coated.</li>
<li>If you cut them like fries, spread them out in a single layer on a pan lined with parchment paper (for easy cleanup) and then sprinkle the cheese over top. If you cut them into circles, spread them out in a single layer, then cut the cheese into pieces and them top each carrot piece with the cheese. You can make them as small or big as you want. It takes a bit longer this way, but it's worth it - trust me.</li>
<li>Bake for about 25-40 minutes, depending on how big your pieces are, until the tops of the cheese are browning. I like my cheese extra crispy on the outside. </li>
<li>Sprinkle some black ground pepper on if you'd like, and squeeze a slice of lemon over the carrots if you opt to. </li>
</ol>
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These would be great as a side dish. I eat these as an appetizer, right after my workout, before a main protein dish. </div>
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Cecehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16322140265707899572noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5155104030121387104.post-35831055306469347982012-02-03T21:00:00.000-08:002013-09-26T09:04:32.315-07:00Easy Chai Spiced Banana Oat Cookies - Healthy, Simple, and Gluten Free!I love cardamom. Love love <b>LOVE</b> it. My husband was in Saudi Arabia for business, and he came back bearing spices. Za'atar, sumac, cloves, mastic, etc ... and cardamom pods. I'm addicted to cardamom. I put it in everything - my tea, post-workout smoothies, and I've discovered it's absolutely amazing with banana and cinnamon.<br />
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I've been making my banana oat cookies for a few months now. While eating some baked oatmeal, I came across the simple idea of mashing a banana, mixing it with just oats, and baking it like a cookie. Oats aren't exactly paleo / primal, but they're not something I'm willing to cut out completely. I'll have it probably once a month or every other month, when I crave a cookie. Anyway, I started experimenting with different spices, and I think I've finally put together the perfect blend in this cookie.<br />
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<b>This is seriously like a chai latte in a cookie.</b> You don't need to add any sugar at all in these, if you're using ripe bananas. If you have a serious sweet tooth, then feel free to add honey or sugar if you want. </div>
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If you don't have any cardamom lying around, you can still make these - but I highly recommend you invest in some cardamom. It makes a world of a difference. So does the added coffee in these.<br />
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By the way, to my friends who frequent my blog, Patrick and Susanna are biking the 4K for cancer - a 70 day 4000k mile bike ride from Baltimore to San Francisco. Please show your support!<br />
<a href="http://4kforcancer.org/profiles/patrick-schneider/">Patrick's page</a><br />
<a href="http://4kforcancer.org/profiles/susanna-creed/">Susanna's page</a><br />
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<b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">EASY, SIMPLE AND HEALTHY CHAI SPICED BANANA OAT COOKIES</b></div>
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Depending on how big your banana is and how big you make your cookies, this makes about 6-12 cookies. If you use 1/2 cup Quaker Rolled Oats and a large 100 calorie banana, this whole batch is only 250 calories! That's 20 calories / cookie if you make 12 cookies, or 40 calories / cookie if you make 6 big cookies. I don't normally count calories, but I know some people that do to help maintain their caloric intake, which can be very helpful! (Edit: It's just been brought to my attention that Quaker Oats are cross-contaminated. Thanks, Annie! If you have a severe gluten allergy, I recommend you check out <a href="http://www.traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/article.asp?article_id=251">Trader Joe's Gluten-Free Rolled Oats</a> or another brand that you are familiar with)<br />
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<b>What you'll need:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>One banana, mashed</li>
<li>~1/4 - 1/2 cup of non-contaminated gluten-free rolled oats, depending on how big your bananas are (I usually use only 2 Tbsp to cut down on my carb intake, but you can use up to 3/4 cup for crispier cookies. When I make these for people, I use about 1/2 cup whole rolled oats in addition to 1/4 ground oats).</li>
<li>One cardamom pod or you can use 1/4 tsp ground cardamom</li>
<li>1/4 tsp baking powder</li>
<li>1/4 tsp cinnamon</li>
<li>Pinch of nutmeg</li>
<li>Pinch of cloves</li>
<li>1/4 tsp vanilla extract</li>
<li>Optional: 1/4 tsp instant coffee powder and a couple pieces of chocolate, or 4-5 pieces of Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Covered Expresso Beans, chopped. The coffee adds a complex flavor and really makes it taste like a chai latte, so I highly recommend adding it!</li>
</ul>
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<b>Directions:</b></div>
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<ol>
<li>Remove the cardamom seeds from its pod and crush with a mortar and pestle, or you can be ghetto fab like me and use a spoon to crush it. Preheat the oven to 340F / 170C if you're using 1/4 cup of oats or less, ~ 365F / 185F if you're using 1/2 - 3/4 cup of oats for crispier cookies. </li>
<li>Mash the banana. Add the vanilla extract. Sprinkle the crushed cardamom seeds in, add the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and baking powder, and mix well. </li>
<li>If you choose to, add the coffee and chocolate / chopped TJs chocolate expresso beans, and mix in. </li>
<li>Fold in the oats until just mixed - do not over mix! The dough will be wet.</li>
<li>Scoop them by small spoonfuls onto a parchment lined baking sheet, and bake for ~20-30 minutes, until they start to brown or until the texture is the way you like them. These smell <i>amazing</i> when baking.</li>
<li>Eat them straight from the oven with milk. Try to restrain yourself from eating the whole batch.</li>
</ol>
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Since I don't use a lot of oats when I make these, mine tend to be very very soft, and perfect with a glass of milk. If you use more oats, yours will be crispier on the outside but still moist on the inside! Be careful if you decide to make these - they are <i>very</i> addictive.<br />
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Cecehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16322140265707899572noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5155104030121387104.post-31535946285479435662012-02-02T09:13:00.000-08:002012-03-18T05:17:02.851-07:00Healthy and Gluten-Free Cinnamon Persimmon Cookies (Only 4 Ingredients!)<div>
Persimmons are amazing. They're delicious. My parents started growing a bunch of fruit trees in their backyard while I was growing up, and now they have practically a whole orchard in the back of their house. Cherries, pears, peaches, plums, persimmons, tomatoes, different herbs, etc. My favorite out of all these? Persimmons. During late fall every year, we live in persimmon heaven. Lucky for us too, since persimmons are expensive where we are - I've seen them priced at $2-$3 each!</div>
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If you've never eaten a persimmon, put that on your bucket list. The taste is indescribable. Sweet and addictive. The riper they are, the better they taste. However, if they get too ripe, they get very mushy (some people prefer that texture; I prefer them more firm). Make sure you don't bite into an under-ripe one, though. Under-ripe persimmons have a higher tannin content and are more astringent. You'll get that dry and puckered feeling in your mouth. </div>
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Persimmons, like most fruits, have many benefits. They're high in catechins, which are polyphenolic antioxidants. Why are catechins good? As you may already know, there are 5 main groups of lipoproteins. You've most likely heard of the two most common ones associated with cholestorol - LDL and HDL. HDL, or high density lipoprotein, is referred to as "good". LDL, or low density protein, is usually referred to as "bad". <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/000629529290562W">Catechins inhibits LDL oxidation</a>, which is good - there are subcategories of LDL and it's oxidized LDL, not regular LDL, that clogs up your arteries. And contrary to popular belief, the levels of LDL rise with inflammation caused by consuming carbs and trans fats, <b>not</b> by consuming saturated fats. I'll stop here to prevent myself from preaching about the evils in consuming sugars and grains. You're here for yummy persimmon cookies, not a rant!</div>
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So. Persimmon cookies. I'm all for simplicity when it comes to making quick snacks. The less ingredients, the better. The idea of these cookies came to me while I was eating oatmeal. I mashed up a persimmon and mixed it into my oatmeal one morning, had a sudden craving for cookies, and thought to myself ... I need this oatmeal to be in cookie form. These cookies are perfect when you have a sudden craving for some fruit but in a nice warm cookie form without all that excess sugar. These are low glycemic, so they won't spike your blood sugar like most cookies. And they are so incredibly simple and easy to make! I didn't add any sugar because my persimmons were pretty sweet, but you can if you want.<br />
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I made two versions. Both are gluten free, one is made with oats, one without oats for those eating paleo / primal.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Cinnamon Persimmon Oat Cookies</span></b></div>
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Makes about 4-6 cookies, depending on how big they are. This recipe can easily be doubled / tripled. </div>
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<b>What you'll need:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>One very ripe and mushy persimmon</li>
<li>1/4 tsp baking powder
</li>
<li>1/4 cinnamon, more or less to taste
</li>
<li>1/3 cup of non-contaminated gluten-free rolled oats (<a href="http://www.traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/article.asp?article_id=251">check out Trader Joe's gluten-free oats</a>) and 2 Tbsp of almond flour, or you can just use grind up 2 Tbsp rolled oats if you don't have almond flour. Alternatively, you can use 1/2 cup almond flour if you're primal / paleo</li>
<li>~ 1/2 Tbsp honey (optional)</li>
</ul>
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<b>Directions:</b></div>
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<div>
<ul>
<li>Preheat the oven to 175 C / 340 F. Mash the persimmon with a fork or potato masher. I like using the potato masher, since I find it easier. I can also use it to scoop up the mixture to the baking sheet - which means one less utensil to wash at the end! </li>
<li>Add the baking powder, cinnamon, and honey if you choose to, and mix well. </li>
<li>Fold in the oats and almond flour until just mixed. Don't over-mix! The mixture will be wetter than normal cookie dough.</li>
<li>Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and scoop about a spoonful onto the sheet, leaving about an inch of space between each. </li>
<li>Bake about 20 minutes, or until the tops begin to brown.</li>
</ul>
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These cookies are incredibly moist on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside - just the way I like them! They're super healthy and are amazing when they're warm and right out of the oven. </div>
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<i>Tip: If your cookies come out too moist for your liking, there are a few things you can do. You can either pop them back into the oven. If they've already browned, then cover them with foil and bake at a slightly lower temperature until the texture is to your liking. You can also bake at 150 C / 300 F for about 30 minutes next time. Finally, you can also add about another 1/4 cup of ground / whole oats (in addition to the 1/3 cup of oats) to the mixture next time you make these. </i><br />
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If you like these, check out my <a href="http://burpeesinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/02/easy-chai-spiced-banana-oat-cookies.html">Chai Spiced Banana Oat Cookies</a>!</div>Cecehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16322140265707899572noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5155104030121387104.post-28975358039284823732012-01-23T05:18:00.000-08:002012-03-18T05:10:15.873-07:00Olive, Onion, and Rosemary FocacciaIt was one of those impromptu baking sessions. The husband was at soccer practice, and I was bored. Baking bread is one of my favorite ways to pass the time here. Even though I try to stay away from gluten and grains, there's nothing more I love than the smell of freshly baked bread. I'll walk into one of the many bakeries here, just to bask in the aroma of freshly baked loaves of bread and cookies. It takes a lot of willpower not to buy anything. Masochistic tendencies, perhaps?<br />
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Luckily my husband isn't a primal / paleo nut like me, so he'll gladly eat any bread I bake. This focaccia though, I decided to make for the girls in his office. One of the things I love about us moving up here is now I feel like I can make a wider variety of baked goods. Before, it was just me and him, and I don't like keeping sweets / breads in the house - it invites too much temptation. Now however, I have more people to cook for. Whee!<br />
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This focaccia turned out amazing. Everyone loved it, and I have to admit even I nibbled at a piece. It went perfect with my <a href="http://burpeesinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/01/black-bean-hummus.html">Black Bean Hummus</a>. The original recipe called for either thyme or oregano. Even though I had thyme, I decided to use both rosemary and oregano instead, and I'm so glad I did.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Olive, Onion, and Rosemary Focaccia </b></span><br />
<i>Adapted from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393331393/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=technikitche-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0393331393">The Weekend Baker</a></i><br />
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<b>What you'll need:</b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b><i>For the focaccia dough:</i></b><br />
<ul>
<li>3 cups + 1 Tbsp all purpose flour</li>
<li>1/2 Tbsp oregano and 1/2 rosemary (be generous here if you want delicious herby bread; I overfilled the measuring tbsp!)</li>
<li>1 tsp fine sugar</li>
<li>2 tsp salt</li>
<li>2 1/4 tsp yeast</li>
<li>1 1/4 cups warm water</li>
<li>1 Tbsp olive oil</li>
</ul>
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<b><i>For the topping:</i></b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Pitted olives, chopped into quarters. I used small green olives, but you can use any kind - black or kalamata, etc.</li>
<li>Some chopped red onions</li>
<li>~ 1 Tbsp olive oil</li>
<li>1 tsp oregano and 1 tsp rosemary </li>
<li>1 tsp course sea salt, optional (leave this out if you're watching your sodium intake. I didn't add any salt to mine)</li>
</ul>
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<b>Directions</b>:</div>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Combine the flour, oregano and rosemary, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl, and mix together. Drizzle in the water and olive oil, and stir with a spoon until you get a shaggy dough. </li>
<li>Move it to a floured surface and start kneading until it's smooth and no longer sticky. It'll be super sticky to begin with, but try not to add any extra flour. If you must, add no more than 1 tsp. You'll know it's read when you can stretch out the dough and it doesn't break / tear. I kneaded for about 10 - 15 minutes.</li>
<li>Lightly oil a bowl, shape the dough into a ball, and place the ball of dough into the bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 45 minutes to an hour. I turned my oven on to 400 F for a minute, then turned it off and placed the bowl in there for about an hour. </li>
<li>After it rises, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the dough on it. Gently deflate, then shape into an oval about 2 cm thick. Lightly brush the top of the dough with a bit of olive oil and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Rise the dough again until it puffs and nearly doubles, about 20-30 minutes. </li>
<li>Preheat the oven to 220 C / 428 F. Take the plastic wrap off. Coat your fingers lightly with flour, then press your fingers in the dough, making dimples all over. Press the olive pieces and red onion into the dimples. Drizzle the olive oil all over the dough, then sprinkle with the oregano, rosemary, and sea salt. </li>
<li>Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is a nice golden brown color. You can knock on the back of the bread to see if it makes a hollow sound, indicating that it's cooked through. Transfer the bread to a wire rack and let cool a bit. Try not to eat the whole thing. </li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJeEtnEoUdeWyoakirlsBxidCQk2gSFtvpdOUQydx8cgv3X8sjFkQEJ162ph60ayu3naTBiYlzEXeFez6wNXUHYuMPWIFyHeQe8zwyIAAKdEGu8FnG0_F0Jci0D64tDXnzBy1M5vURA/s1600/focaccia+2+with+stamp.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJeEtnEoUdeWyoakirlsBxidCQk2gSFtvpdOUQydx8cgv3X8sjFkQEJ162ph60ayu3naTBiYlzEXeFez6wNXUHYuMPWIFyHeQe8zwyIAAKdEGu8FnG0_F0Jci0D64tDXnzBy1M5vURA/s400/focaccia+2+with+stamp.bmp" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made a smaller one, just for the husband.</td></tr>
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After making the focaccia, I decided to make some <a href="http://burpeesinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/01/black-bean-hummus.html">black bean hummus</a> to go along with it. And believe me, it was worth it. The focaccia tasted best fresh out of the oven, but it still tasted delicious the next morning. </div>
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PS: I'm still working on ways to get better lighting in our place. Since this was taken at night, I didn't have much to work with.<br />
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</div>Cecehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16322140265707899572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5155104030121387104.post-64765877338457450372012-01-18T09:22:00.000-08:002012-03-18T05:11:54.868-07:00Black Bean HummusBefore we get started, I have to share with you my sister's <a href="http://catherinephungfood.blogspot.com/">food blog</a>. She makes pretty yummy stuff, so take a look! Maybe it's a good thing we're on opposite sides of the world from each other. If I were home, we would most likely be making 5 course meals every single day, and I would be wobbling instead of walking down the street.<br />
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Now, back to the business of hummus. I love hummus. I adore it. I'm obsessed with it. I could marry it and have little hummus babies. I used to get the Roasted Garlic Hummus from Trader Joe's once a week, and finish it off within days. Having a Trader Joe's within walking distance of me was dangerous. I could write a whole blog entry on how much I love Trader Joe's and the wonderful, amazing things you could get from there.<br />
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Black bean hummus is a refreshing change from the familiar hummus made with chickpeas. The black beans give it a smokey, more complex taste, and the spices I used really brought out the flavor in the beans. You can use it in sandwiches, dip veggies in it, or eat it by the spoonful. My husband's face fills with childlike excitement whenever I tell him I'm making my black bean hummus. He could eat the entire batch in one sitting. And to be honest, so could I.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Black Bean Hummus</span></u></b><br />
<i>Loosely adapted from the recipe found on <a href="http://www.lifesambrosia.com/2010/06/black-bean-hummus-recipe.html">Life's Ambrosia</a></i><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>What you'll need:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>1 can of black beans, drained (the can I used was 15 oz)</li>
<li>6 cloves of roasted garlic (use less if you're not a big garlic fan. I love garlic, so I went a bit garlic-crazy.)</li>
<li>1/2 Tbsp tsp paprika</li>
<li>1/2 Tbsp cumin</li>
<li>1/4 tsp chili / cayenne powder </li>
<li>1/4 tsp rosemary</li>
<li>1/4 tsp tumeric (optional)</li>
<li>1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper</li>
<li>2 Tbsp tahini (see below for my own version of homemade tahini)</li>
<li>The juice of half a lime or lemon</li>
<li>A couple stalks of fresh cilantro (I love cilantro, so I used 5.)</li>
</ul>
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<div>
<b>Directions:</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>For the Tahini:</i></div>
<div>
Tahini is just a paste made from sesame seeds and oil. Here's my quick and lazy version: Toast some sesame seeds in the oven at 350F or 176C for a few minutes, until they're fragrant but not browned. I like to toast them until they're only <i>very slightly</i> brown, a very light tan. You could toast them on a pan, too. Then toss them in a blender / food processor / Magic Bullet with some olive oil until they're the right consistency, like runny peanut butter. I always eyeball the amounts. Depending on how many sesame seeds you start with, the ratio of sesame seeds to olive oil should be <i>about</i> 5:1. Start off with a little oil, then gradually add more until you get it to the right consistency.</div>
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<div>
<i>For the hummus:</i></div>
<div>
Throw everything in your blender / food processor / Magic Bullet and process that baby. Boom. You're done.<br />
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If you like your hummus a bit creamier, add more olive oil or lime / lemon juice when you're blending it. Top with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.<br />
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It's so good, you'll want to lick off the remaining hummus off the blades. Try not to cut your tongue (not that I know that from experience or anything ... ).</div>
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I'm trying to be more diligent in updating regularly. I have a bit more time now that we're done moving into our new place - which is right next to a big US pharmaceutical company, by the way. Perfect. I'll be sending my resume their way soon. Our place is very nice, and right across from the river and mountains. Beautiful view. Unfortunately, I don't get enough bright lighting in our new place to take decent food photos (as you can see from this photo), so I'm going to have to get creative with some lighting ideas. </div>Cecehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16322140265707899572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5155104030121387104.post-49302838113716245942012-01-15T23:20:00.000-08:002012-03-18T05:17:56.522-07:00Spiced Baked Cranberry ApplesauceApplesauce is so versatile. It can be eaten as a side dish with pork chops, dessert, used in baking cakes, anything you can think of. I can't stand the commercially mass produced applesauce like Mott's. Although it does remind me of my elementary school days, the stuff tastes bland. Lacking in flavor and texture. So, I decided to make my own.<br />
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After scouring recipes for applesauce, I found that all of them cooked the apples by way of boiling them. I am not a fan of boiling fruits or vegetables; boiling leeches all the nutrients out of them, and I like to keep the nutrients in my food. The only time I would boil veggies would be if I were making soup and would be drinking the broth after. Otherwise, I like to find other ways of cooking my fruits and veggies. </div>
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So, the idea came to me to <i>bake</i> the apples instead of boiling them. And since we had some frozen cranberries lying around, I decided to throw those in too. Best. Idea. Ever. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Baked Cranberry Applesauce</u></span></b></div>
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<b>What you'll need:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>2 apples, cored, peeled, and diced / sliced. I used Fuji apples. It doesn't matter what kind of apples you use. Use your favorite!</li>
<li>Some cranberries. Use as much or as little as you want, depending on preference. The more you use, the more tart your applesauce will be. I used about 1/2 a cup. </li>
<li>~ 1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon</li>
<li>Pinch of cloves </li>
<li>Pinch of nutmeg</li>
<li>1/4 tsp vanilla</li>
<li>Optional: Honey. Apples are naturally sweet, so I didn't use any. However, if you have a real sweet tooth, go ahead and drizzle some honey on there!</li>
<li>Optional: 1/2 Tbsp orange zest</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Directions:</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Toss the diced / sliced apples and the cranberries into a nonstick baking pan or line a baking pan with parchment paper. </li>
<li>Sprinkle the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves over the mixture, 1/4 tsp vanilla, and drizzle the honey if you choose to, as well as the orange zest. Mix it all up. </li>
<li>Cover with foil, and bake at 360F for 45 minutes or until you can easily mash them with a fork.</li>
<li>After they're done baking, take them out and get to mashing! Mash them with a fork until you get your desired texture. I like my applesauce on the chunky side. Alternatively, you can puree it in a blender / food processor / Magic Bullet if you like your applesauce smooth.</li>
<li>You can eat it warm, or chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Keeps up to 5 days. </li>
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</div>Cecehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16322140265707899572noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5155104030121387104.post-64362552895678483862011-12-25T01:38:00.000-08:002012-03-18T05:14:41.694-07:00Gluten-Free Chocolate Sauerkraut Brownie DropsI know what you're thinking. Sauerkraut? In a dessert? With chocolate?<br />
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Well, we ended up having a crapload of sauerkraut leftover from Christmas dinner. What to do? Obvious answer: make something yummy! I call these brownie drops because they looked like tiny bite-sized cookies, but the texture reminded me of a moist and rich brownie! Also, these require at most 4 Tbsp of honey and not that much butter - and they were still a big hit with the husband! I didn't tell him it was made with sauerkraut until he inhaled about 4 of them.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Gluten-Free Chocolate Banana Sauerkraut Brownie Drops </u>*</span></b><br />
(Will satisfy any sweet and chocolate cravings you have in no time, and better for you than a regular piece of brownie / cookie!)<br />
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*Adapted from <a href="http://www.sauerkrautrecipes.com/recipe15444.shtml">Joanie Grow's</a> recipe. I used her recipe as a base, but changed most of the ingredients and added my own. I cut her recipe in half, substituted a bunch of ingredients for others to make it more primal, and since we were out of eggs I mashed up half a banana and used that instead. I cut down on a lot of of the sugar / honey, since I try to avoid high spikes in blood sugar when possible. Plus, you'll get extra sweetness from the banana. I'm so glad I used the banana instead of the egg - banana and chocolate go SO well together. I also cut down on the butter. You seriously do not need that much butter!
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<br />
<b> What you'll need: </b><br />
<ul>
<li>~ 1 Tbsp butter</li>
<li>~ 2-4 Tbsp honey</li>
<li>1/2 banana, mashed</li>
<li>1/2 cup sauerkraut, rinsed, drained well, and chopped</li>
<li>1/2 tsp. vanilla extract</li>
<li>1/2 cup uncontaminated rolled oats, coarsely ground (or almond flour, if you're strictly paleo / primal)</li>
<li>1/4 cup almond flour</li>
<li>2 - 3 Tbsp cocoa powder</li>
<li>1/2 tsp. baking powder</li>
<li>1/4 tsp. baking soda</li>
<li>1/8 tsp. salt</li>
<li>1/4 tsp. instant coffee (optional, but I strongly recommend it - gives it a nice kick and more complex taste! I tend to always add some coffee to recipes that use bananas. They just go so well together, at least for me).</li>
</ul>
<b>Directions:</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Preheat the oven to 325 F. First, cream together the butter and honey. I didn't measure out the honey, I just sort of eyeballed it and drizzled it in, probably used at most 3 Tbsp. Add enough to your liking.You don't need to add a lot, since honey is very sweet and wetter than sugar, and you're also getting extra sweetness from the banana. You'll also be able to taste it later and adjust accordingly.</li>
<li>Add the mashed banana to the creamed butter and honey, and mix together.</li>
<li>Add the sauerkraut and vanilla extract and mix together (make sure you dry the sauerkraut well with paper towels).</li>
<li>Mix the ground oats, almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the instant coffee together in a separate bowl. Then stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just well blended. The good thing about this recipe is that there are no raw eggs, so you can taste the batter and add more honey if you think it's not sweet enough.</li>
<li>Drop into round little balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or onto a nonstick cookie sheet). Bake at 325 F for ~12 - 15 minutes (mine took about 14 minutes). Top with your choice of nuts, if you want.</li>
</ol>
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Makes about 20. Alternatively, you can make little muffins out of them, which is what I ended up doing for the second batch after my husband tasted them. He expected them to have the consistency of a cookie but when we bit into them, they were incredibly soft and tasted more cake/brownie-like. The sauerkraut added a luscious, moist texture to them, and it doesn't taste anything like sauerkraut at all! It was so chocolately and practically melted in my mouth. Perfect with a glass of milk. Seriously delish.<br />
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I know the recipe isn't exactly primal / paleo because of the oats, but I have not been able to cut out oats completely from my diet yet! I think using all almond flour would work just as well (if you don't have almond flour and you're not eating paleo / primal, using all ground oats would work just as well or all-purpose flour).Cecehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16322140265707899572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5155104030121387104.post-17730827535413782812011-12-13T04:24:00.000-08:002011-12-13T19:39:26.694-08:00A Quick Word on OvertrainingSorry for the lack of updates. The husband and I have been busy trying to find a new apartment, since our lease is up next month and we're moving to a new city. We've been taking the 1+ hour trip up to the city, staying in a hotel for a few days while we look at places, and then going back home. I've had to go about 3-4 days a week without training, which was probably a blessing in disguise. I had been exhibiting slight symptoms of overtraining, and after taking it easy for a few weeks but still eating well, I noticed a slight decrease in fat composition (I measured that by seeing how my abs and quads became more prominent without me flexing) as well as better performance when I went back into my workout (although I attribute the decrease in fat to mainly to my eating habits). Even if you're not a professional athlete, anyone can overtrain themselves if they're doing workouts (especially HIIT) everyday and pushing themselves to the max without adequate sleep, rest, and/or nutrition. Your body needs time to recover. Overtraining is almost as bad as not doing any exercise at all. My main concern with overtraining is disruption of the testosterone to cortisol ratio (decrease in testosterone and increase in cortisol), leading to decreased lean muscle mass and increased fat deposits - the opposite of what I want! A few other <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1317287/pdf/jathtrain00036-0066.pdf">symptoms of overtraining</a> include not being able to complete workouts with the same intensity as you used to be able to do, chronic fatigue, sleeplessness, and getting sick more often, among many others.<br />
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Lately I've augmented my workout schedule to complement life's current events, and from what I can tell it has been beneficial. I have 2-3 days a week where I'm not doing HIIT, but I'm still active - we're walking around the city, taking a break here and there to grab food. Bouts of low-intensity aerobic exercise coupled with high intensity workouts complement each other perfectly. Even though we've had to eat out a lot more often than usual, I've still been able to eat healthy by choosing protein dishes for my meals. I've made a more conscious effort to eat paleo / primal, which I'll discuss in a future blog update. Paleo isn't a fad diet to lose weight, but it's a way of eating for optimal health and fitness performance. </div>
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Basically what I've learned from the past few weeks is don't overtrain! Make sure you get enough food (healthy, nutritious and unprocessed food), enough sleep, and enough downtime. It takes some time and some trial and error to find that line between eating too much / being too sedentary, and overdoing it. </div>
</div>Cecehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16322140265707899572noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5155104030121387104.post-59014093510299733862011-11-22T02:26:00.001-08:002012-01-05T01:30:47.999-08:00Favorite Healthy Thanksgiving RecipesOne of my favorite holidays is coming up in two days! I love Thanksgiving, because it's a time for family and good food. However, just because it's a special occasion, it does not mean you should gobble up everything in sight and stuff yourself silly. Keep portion sizes in mind when you're sitting at the dinner table with that huge turkey and vast dishes of casseroles in front of you. For women, a portion of lean protein should be the size of your palm. For men, a portion equals two palms. Opt for sweet potatoes instead of regular white potatoes. That green bean casserole? Don't be fooled and think that because it's a vegetable, it's a healthy dish. Green bean casseroles are generally made with lots of cream and milk, not to mention the fried onions on top. The Kraft's Stove Top stuffing that most people use? It's pretty much pure butter and processed carbs, so go lightly. Bread pudding? If you must, limit yourself to a couple spoonfuls. Have wine instead of beer. But don't drink like you're at a frat party - a glass should suffice. Just sip it slowly throughout your meal. Drinking alcohol inhibits enzymes that oxidize fat and carbohydrates, so eating a big meal and drinking alcohol at the same time is a surefire way to pack on the fat and flab. Eyeing up the pumpkin pie and apple pie for dessert? Cut yourself a little piece (the size of two or three fingers) and eat it slowly, or share a piece with someone.<br />
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You don't have to deprive yourself. You can have a bit of everything, as long as you don't go overboard. Of course, sometimes there will always be that one pesky family member nagging you to eat more and more. Don't give in, and just politely decline. For me, there's nothing I hate more than someone pushing me to eat this or that. Everyone has preferences on what they like to eat or not eat, whether it's due to their religion, culture, or lifestyle. Others should be mindful and respectful of that.<br />
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The day of Thanksgiving, try to get in a quick 10 minute, high intensity interval workout before dinner.<br />
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Now that I've made your eyes bleed by preaching about the evils of Thanksgiving dishes, here are some recipes that I'm cooking up on Thanksgiving, including healthy modifications with each one. I've had these dishes every single Thanksgiving for the past 25 years, and I'm not about to break tradition now. We were able to snag a Kirkland's USDA inspected, 99% fat free, extra lean turkey breast from the Costco here (yes, there's an actual Costco here, stocked with American brand items, just like home!).<br />
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<b>Vegan Turkey Gravy</b><br />
<a href="http://www.whatwouldcathyeat.com/2010/11/healthy-thanksgiving-series-vegan-gravy/">http://www.whatwouldcathyeat.com/2010/11/healthy-thanksgiving-series-vegan-gravy/</a><br />
I'm halving this recipe since I'm only making dinner for James and I, and gravy keeps only 2 days (3 days tops) in the fridge. Not much to modify here; it's a pretty good recipe.<br />
- I'm using ground up rolled oats instead of all purpose flour. Rolled oats generally have a lower glycemic index and don't cause huge spikes in insulin. They're also higher in nutritional value than white flour.<br />
- I'm adding a bay leaf.<br />
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<b>Quinoa Stuffing</b><br />
<a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/quinoa-turkey-stuffing/detail.aspx">http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/quinoa-turkey-stuffing/detail.aspx</a><br />
Since I don't eat bread or processed carbs, I found this recipe which uses quinoa instead of bread. Quinoa is fantastic. It's high in complete protein (contains all nine essential amino acids) and fiber, and gluten free. When James was in GA last weekend, he stopped by the Trader Joe's in Atlanta and was able to bring back 3 boxes of organic quinoa for me. Oh, how I miss Trader Joe's.<br />
- I'm substituting fresh cranberries for raisins.<br />
- Coarsely chopped almonds for pine nuts (I don't have pine nuts).<br />
- For more flavor, I'm using chicken broth to cook the quinoa. I'm going to follow the directions on the box on how to cook it.<br />
- Instead of stuffing the turkey (since we have a turkey breast), I'm going to toss everything except the quinoa into a baking dish and bake at ~ 400 F for 15-20 mins, then mix in the cooked quinoa, cover with foil, and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.<br />
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<b>Green Bean Casserole</b><br />
<a href="http://www.thebittenword.com/thebittenword/2011/11/thanksgiving-green-bean-casserole-with-crispy-shallots-.html">http://www.thebittenword.com/thebittenword/2011/11/thanksgiving-green-bean-casserole-with-crispy-shallots-.html</a><br />
- I'm not frying the shallots like the recipe says to. Instead, I'm going to use baked onion rings. Cut up a yellow onion. Mix an egg and 3 Tbsp of milk together. Dip the onion pieces in the egg/milk mix, then coat with coarsely ground up oats. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a wire rack, and bake at 450 F for ~20 mins, turning them once after 10 minutes. Sprinkle on top of the casserole after it's baked. Or, you can wait and bake them with the casserole.<br />
- I'm using ground up rolled oats in place of flour.<br />
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, instead of 1/3 cup.<br />
- Cilantro instead of parsley (I can't find parsley here, plus I love the taste of cilantro).<br />
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<b>Mashed Sweet Potatoes</b><br />
<a href="http://afoodcentriclife.com/healthy-mashed-sweet-potatoes-with-rosemary/">http://afoodcentriclife.com/healthy-mashed-sweet-potatoes-with-rosemary/</a><br />
- I'm probably going to add a couple cloves of roasted garlic, just because I <i>loooove</i> garlic.<br />
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<b>Cranberry Sauce</b><br />
<a href="http://www.texanerin.com/2011/11/honey-sweetened-orange-cranberry-sauce.html">http://www.texanerin.com/2011/11/honey-sweetened-orange-cranberry-sauce.html</a><br />
- I'll probably use a 1/4 cup of honey to start, and gradually add a bit more if needed.<br />
- Freshly squeezed OJ. Bottled juice is just full of sugar and few or no nutrients.<br />
- No orange zest, but I'm going to jazz it up with some grated ginger and a dash of cinnamon.<br />
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<b>Pumpkin Pie</b><br />
<a href="http://danazia.wordpress.com/2010/11/17/pumpkin-pie-socks/">http://danazia.wordpress.com/2010/11/17/pumpkin-pie-socks/</a><br />
- I'm not using the crust recipe provided. Instead, I'm using another one. See below.<br />
- I'm not topping it with the streusel, either. I'll probably top it with a mix of rolled oats, cinnamon, chopped almonds, and a drizzle of honey.<br />
- I'm making my own pumpkin puree.<br />
- I'm using light coconut milk. <i>EDIT: Ended up using half a cup.</i><br />
- 1/4 cup of brown sugar instead of 1/2 cup of white sugar. <i>EDIT: The 1/4 cup of brown sugar was perfect! It was still very sweet!</i><br />
<i>- EDIT: The pumpkin I roasted ended up being under 2 cups, so I threw in a roasted sweet potato as well. Turned out it was a great idea. I think it gave the pie a nice, deep flavor!</i><br />
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<b>Oatmeal Pie Crust</b><br />
<a href="http://gnowfglins.com/2006/11/21/oatmeal-pie-crust/">http://gnowfglins.com/2006/11/21/oatmeal-pie-crust/</a><br />
- Olive oil instead of grapeseed oil.<br />
- I'm going to sprinkle in some pumpkin pie spice, cocoa powder, and grated ginger in as well! I think it will give it a nice twist and complement the pumpkin filling nicely. <i>EDIT: Ended up throwing in some whey protein as well! It was delicious!</i><br />
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I'm making the cranberry sauce and the pumpkin pie the night before to save some time. The husband has been in the Philippines, and gets into town late afternoon. So, I'm planning on cooking the sweet potatoes and roasting the cloves while I do my workout, then get started on making the rest of the dishes in time for dinner.<br />
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And I'm going to blast Red Hot Chili Peppers all day while I do everything, because everything is better when RHCP is playing in the background!Cecehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16322140265707899572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5155104030121387104.post-21436702684350173322011-11-09T01:34:00.000-08:002012-03-18T05:23:30.216-07:00Nutella Tofu MousseI wanted to devote one blog to updating my friends and family about my life on the other side of the world, and have another devoted to fitness and food / good nutrition - two of the four passions in my life.<br />
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The other two passions? Friends and science. And unfortunately I have not been able to have them in my life recently because of my big move. However, working out and cooking helps!<br />
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I'll kick off my first post with one of my favorite desserts ...<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><u>Nutella Tofu Mousse</u></span></b>
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<b>What you'll need:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>1 block of tofu (firm tofu willl give you stiffer mousse, soft / silken tofu will be more of a pudding) </li>
<li>1 Tbsp of Nutella (add more or less, depending on taste) </li>
<li>~ 2 Tbsp warm coconut milk (or you can use any other kind of milk - almond, soy, cow)</li>
</ul>
<b>Directions:</b><br />
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Combine everything in the food processor or your Magic Bullet using the cross-blade, and blend until smooth. Put in a container, place in the refrigerator, and let it sit for at least 5 hours. I crushed pistachios and sprinkled them on top, and had a piece of 85% Lindt dark chocolate. Heavenly.<br />
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<i>Notes:</i><br />
I found that the Nutella kept sticking to the side of the bullet, so I had to keep pushing it down on the side. I also boiled some water in a saucepan and turned the bullet upside down, and placed it in the water for a few seconds so it would warm up a bit and mesh together quicker. Did that a couple times.<br />
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The mousse tasted delicious, and I didn't feel guilty eating it!<br />
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* Tofu contains phytic acid, which interferes with nutrient absorption. So eat in moderation! Here's a <a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/10-things-to-know-about-tofu/#axzz1hXdoObNe">link</a> to some more information about soy and tofu products. I've actually cut out tofu and soy milk from my diet, but I will make this for special occasions.Cecehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16322140265707899572noreply@blogger.com1