A "frappachino" that is actually good for you

Is is possible to make a delicious iced coffee drink that is not only sugar-free but has protein and vitamins? Yes! and here it it:


Ingredients:

1 part whole milk
1 part unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 packet sugar-free ("diet") hot cocoa mix
1.5 scoops vanilla flavored whey protein powder
1 part strongly brewed coffee or espresso 

Directions:

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth and frothy, then serve over ice. If you make the coffee ahead of time, you can freeze it in an ice tray so you won't need the ice and your drink will have more of a "frappachino" texture.

The milk has Vitamin D and Calcium. Almond milk has omega 3, protein, Vitamin D, Calcium, Vitamin A, Iron, & Vitamin E. Soy milk can also be used but make sure the coffee is cold.

I used a Moka stovetop coffee pot (see below) and I used "salted carmel" flavored coffee. With flavored coffee you can add your taste preference to the drink without sugary syrups.

Lastly, I used Target brand (Market Pantry) vanilla whey protein powder. One scoop gives you 25 grams of protein, which is 50% of your daily value. The label has the best break down of amino acids I've seen and there are very little carbs in this product. The chocolate flavor is also quite good. 

Chocolate Banana Cream Trifle

"The bananas are nice and light"- Taste tester


Ingredients:

Chocolate Graham Crackers
Cook & Serve Chocolate pudding (2 cups milk)
3 ripe bananas
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
dash of powdered sugar
1 handful chocolate chips

Directions:

Lightly grease an 8x8x2 inch pyrex or glass baking dish with a touch of butter. This way the trifle will come out easily when it's time to serve up a slice.
Place the chocolate Graham Crackers on the bottom of the baking dish as the first layer. You only need to make the layer 1 cracker think because they will expand with the subsequent layers.
Combine the 3 bananas, vanilla, whipping cream and powdered sugar in a mixer or Kitchen Aid or use a mixing bowl with an electric egg beater. Whip ingredients until smooth and creamy. This is mixture is your next layer.
After you add the banana cream, add another layer of chocolate graham cracker and sprinkle some chocolate chips evenly about.
Prepare the chocolate pudding. Allow the chocolate pudding to cool slightly so it is no longer piping hot but don't let the pudding form a congealed top. Pour the pudding on top of the other layers. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top. They will melt into the pudding.
Place the trifle in the refrigerator for at least an hour to chill.

Optional: serve with whipped cream.

My Tuna Casserole

Ingredients:

1 cup Quinoa

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2-2/3 cup sweet corn kernels (I used frozen, not canned; of course, fresh is best)

2 (6 oz) cans tuna, drained

2 (10.75 oz) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup

2 small Zucchinis sliced

1 (5 oz) can water chestnuts

1/2 cup or so fried onions (you can make your own or use these)

fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

In a large casserole dish mix all ingredients together. Save the fried onions and 1 of the 2 cups of cheddar for the topping.

Bake covered for 15 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the casserole bubbles.

Uncover for the last 5 minute to make topping crispy.

Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free Almond Cookies

These turned out  tasting like a cross between a Sandies shortbread cookie, a scone, and a biscotti. I'm fine with this combination.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup	Butter, softened
1/4 cup + 2 tbs	Splenda or Stevia
1	Whole egg
1/2 tsp	Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp	Almond extract
1/2 cup	Soy Flour
1/2 cup	Ground slivered almonds
1/4 tsp	Baking powder
1/8 tsp	Salt

Directions:

Crush slivered almonds until they are slightly ground up, but not powder.

Add ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Whip together thoroughly.

Transfer dough to a sheet of parchment or wax paper.

Make a cookie dough log about 1& 1/2 inch in diameter.

Let the cookie dough log chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Grease a cookie sheet or prepare another piece of parchment paper.

Preheat oven to 375 ºF or 191ºC.

When the dough has chilled, slice 1/2 inch cookies off of the dough log. Place on the cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-13 minutes until just slightly brown.

EASY Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

This is an easy recipe that tastes like a peanut butter cup in pie slice form. You may choose from Regular or Sugar-free versions.

Version 1 "Regular" with sugar

Ingredients:

Pie Crust (unbaked)

handful chocolate chips

1/2 cup cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon powdered sugar

1 cup peanut butter

1 box Jello (or off brand) cook & serve (not instant) Chocolate pudding/pie filling (requires 2 cups milk)

Optional topping: whipped cream

Directions:

Bake empty pie crust. Use a second pie tin to retain form.

While the pie crust is baking, whip cream cheese with vanilla and powdered sugar.

Prepare pudding/pie filling.

When the pie crust is light brown and baked remove from oven. While the crust is still warm, sprinkle a handful of chocolate chips into baked pie crust. The chips will melt and you can spread the chocolate about with a spatula.

Add the whipped cream cheese on top and spread with the chocolate. Do the same with the peanut butter.

Finally, add the chocolate pudding/pie filling on top.

Let pie chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Serve with whipped cream.

___________________________________________________________________

Version 2 Sugar-Free

Ingredients:

*Pie Crust (unbaked)

2 Baker's unsweetened chocolate squares

1/2 cup cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla

Splenda to taste

1 cup natural (no sugar added) peanut butter

1 box Sugar-Free Jello (or off brand) cook & serve (not instant) Chocolate pudding/pie filling (requires 2 cups milk)

Whipping cream

Directions:

Bake empty pie crust. Use a second pie tin to retain form.

While the pie crust is baking, whip cream cheese with vanilla and 1teaspoon Splenda.

Prepare pudding/pie filling. Add one and a 1/2 squares of baker's chocolate to the pudding.

When the pie crust is light brown and baked remove from oven.

Break apart and shave 1/2 of the one remaining Baker's chocolate square into the crust. The chocolate will melt and create a thin layer of chocolate on the crust.

Add the whipped cream cheese on top and spread with the chocolate. Do the same with the peanut butter.

Finally, add the chocolate pudding/pie filling on top.

Let pie chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Serve with whipped cream made from whipping cream.

*To make recipe Gluten/Wheat Free- make or use pie crust with alternative flour

Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies

I had a surplus of flour and sugar so I made these for my class.

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup shortening, softened

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup water

ground cinnamon

honey

Cinnamon Imperials 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Mix ingredients thoroughly

3. Make small balls out of the dough about 1 inch in diameter

4. Space them out evenly on a greased baking sheet

5. Make criss crosses with a fork

6. Smoosh a cinnamon imperial/ red hot candy in the middle of each cookie

7. Sprinkle a dusting of ground cinnamon on each cookie

8. Add a drop of honey to the center of each cookie

9. Bake for 8-10 minutes until slightly brown

Grilled Shrimp with Mango Salsa

With the help of my newly found bodega, Mexican Fruits, I made a fresh mango salsa to accompany the shrimp. While, I admit I got the shrimp at Safeway on "Five dollar Friday", There is a large selection of fresh seafood to be had at the Maine Ave Seafood Market in Southwest

Ingredients:

1lb Shrimp shelled and deveined
Salsa Valentina (to taste, 1 to 3 tablespoons depending on how spicy you like it)
vegetable oil (enough to coat the shrimp)
1 handful fresh oregano leaves cut
1 yellow to orange bell pepper
1/2 red onion

1 serrano pepper
1 tangerine
1 handful fresh cilantro
2-3 green onions chopped
2 roma tomatoes
1 yellow mango (also know as Mexican, honey, Philippine, or Champagne mangos)
1 large fresh garlic clove
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Let shrimp marinate in Salsa Valentina, oil and oregano while you prepare the Mango Salsa

2. Slice 1/2 of bell pepper and 1/2 red onion to be grilled with the shrimp

2. Liquify serrano, the juice from the tangerine, cilantro leaves, and green onions in a blender

3. Dice tomatoes, mango, the other bell pepper 1/2, garlic

4. Combine diced ingredients, blended mixture and salt in a bowl and let chill in the refrigerator while you grill the shrimp.

5. Grill shrimp, red onion and 1/2 of yellow pepper on the grill.

6. Serve grilled veggies and shrimp with Mango Salsa, Queso Fresco and tortilla chips or tostadas.

Enjoy!

Bean Sprout Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup bean sprouts

small handful of fresh sugar-snap peas, cut into ½ inch pieces
small handful of fresh green beans, cut into ½ inch pieces
small handful baby carrots, cut into small pieces
1 green onion diced

3 strips turkey bacon cut into bite-sized slices
handful mushrooms sliced
1 pad butter

Dressing:

sesame oil
soy sauce
rice wine

Directions:

1) Mix vegetables in a large bowl
2) cook turkey bacon and mushrooms together in a pan, add butter as needed
3) Add cooked bacon and mushrooms to vegetables
4) Add dressing ingredients to the salad
5) Mix
6) Enjoy

Chicken Curry in a crock pot

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts
2 cups chicken broth
1 can of coconut milk
3 large garlic cloves, diced
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon garam masala powder
1 tablespoon madras curry powder
1 green onion chopped (including the greens)
2 carrots chopped
2-3 stalks celery chopped
5 small tomatoes sliced in rounds
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Let chicken marinade in broth in the fridge over night
2. Cut chicken into chunks
3. Add all ingredients to a crock pot set on low
4. Let the ingredients simmer for several hours (e.g. all afternoon)
5. Enjoy with rice or on its own.

Chicken-Quinoa Soup

Makes several cold-remedying bowls.

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken broth
2-3 chicken breasts
2 green onions chopped
1 lb frozen leaf spinach
½ lb frozen mixed vegetables
½ cube chicken bullion
4 large fresh garlic cloves crushed
1 pad butter or oil to grease a pan
Dashes of chili powder, sage, and thyme
Fresh ground pepper
1 can chicken soup*
1 can minestrone *

* I buy cans of soup when they’re 50% off and use them as soup base. You can just use more chicken broth and add your own extra veggies, rice, beans or what have you.


Directions:

Prepare quinoa in a microwavable bowl (ie Pyrex) with 1 part quinoa, 2 parts liquid; I used 1 cup quinoa + 2 cups chicken broth. Cook in the microwave for about 20 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

While quinoa cooks, grate/crush garlic and prepare chicken by cutting into small chunks.

Sauté chicken in 1/2 of the garlic on medium heat in a pan with butter or oil.

Add soup base and/or stock, the other ½ of the garlic, and vegetables to a large pot on the stove. Add seasonings. Stir and simmer.

Add chicken and quinoa to the mixture.

Add a cup of water to the chicken pan (to get garlic flavor and juices from the chicken) and add to soup.

Let soup simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Wheat-free, Low-cholesterol Meatballs &/or Meatloaf

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground chicken (or turkey)
3 eggs
4 green onions diced
2 tablespoons Za’atar or 1 tablespoon thyme + 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon sage
1 tablespoon onion powder
Dash soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
2 tablespoons soy flour*
2 tablespoons corn meal or maize flour*

*for soy and/or corn allergies, compensate with soy flour. The baking powder and eggs makes it rise and gives it a spongy texture.

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Add more soy flour/maize flour/flax seed for thicker consistency, especially for meatballs.

Grease pan.

Bake at 350 for about 30-45 minutes, longer for meatloaf than for meatballs.

Serve with tomato sauce, cheese, butter, gravy or enjoy plain.

Dirt Cake!

It’s a summer camp classic but this is also a fun dessert for Halloween.

Ingredients:

1 chocolate cake (Betty Crocker box Bundt works well)
4 boxes instant chocolate pudding (8 cups milk)
1 box Oreo or off brand chocolate sandwich cookies
1 box vanilla cream sandwich cookies
1 box Whoppers (malted milk balls)
2 bags gummy worms
1-2 bags of small chocolate marshmallows

Fudge sauce:
1 oz bar Bakers chocolate
3 tablespoons butter
Handful marshmallows

Container:
New 10 quart bucket



Directions:

Bake chocolate cake.

Prepare chocolate pudding. Let set and chill in the fridge. (This is mud)

Crush/ smash up Oreo & vanilla sandwich cookies by putting cookies in a large freezer bag and using a kitchen mallet. (This is like sand.)

After cake bakes and rests, cut into slices.

Melt fudge sauce ingredients in the microwave. (Also like mud)

Combine ingredients in the bucket by layering them. Drizzle fudge sauce in the middle. The worms are of course because it’s pretend dirt. The marshmallows and malted milk balls are the rocks.

Let the dirt cake chill in the fridge. Serve with a clean garden spade or plastic beach toy or large kitchen spoon that resembles a trowel.

Fake flowers optional

Enjoy.

Almost Too Spicy Gumbo

Serves about 5

Ingredients:

2 14oz cans of vegetable soup
3 cups crab stock
2 cups raw (shelled, deveined) shrimp
2 raw Swai (or other mild white fish) fillets cut into small chunks
2 cups okra (I used frozen pre-cut)
2 6.5oz cans of clams in clam juice
4 cloves of fresh garlic crushed
1 tablespoon fresh thyme (I used Zaatar)
3 sprigs of tarragon
1 jalapeño diced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup rice
2 strips of bacon diced
Dash of chili powder
Dash or cayenne pepper
Dash pimentón

Directions:

Let ingredients simmer on low for 2-4 hours or use a Crockpot.

Enjoy!

Broccoli Cheese + Cream of Mushroom: And/Both!

I like mushrooms and I like broccoli cheese soup, so why choose? It doesn’t always have to be Either/Or.

Ingredients:

½ cup chopped onions
1 lb bag of frozen broccoli
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup whole milk
1 cup water
Dash of ground mustard powder
½ cube of chicken bullion
Dash fresh ground pepper
2 cans Progresso Cream of Mushroom soup (gluten free)
Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

Let broccoli thaw or add 1 cup boiling water.

Chop up broccoli, separating stalks from florets.

In a blender, blend broccoli stalks, onions, and water until puréed.

Pour mixture into pot over medium heat. Add butter, milk, bullion, mustard powder, pepper and florets.

Reduce heat and let the mixture simmer for about 15 minutes.

Add the cream of mushroom soup and let simmer for about 15 minutes more.

Serve with cheddar cheese on top.

Enjoy.

Easy Sunday Morning Quiche

This quiche is easy like Sunday morning and vegetarian!

Ingredients:

1 red bell pepper
½ onion
Salt & pepper
10 oz pack or 2 cups spinach
4 tablespoons cream cheese
8 eggs
¼ cup milk
1 pie crust
Dusting of Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Dice up red bell pepper and onion. Sauté with salt and pepper and a bit of oil.

Thaw spinach or chop up if fresh.

In a bowl whip eggs with milk

Grease a pie pan and insert crust. Scallop the edges.

Put red bell pepper & onions in first, then spinach.

Dollop and spread around the cream cheese.

Pour in the egg mixture.

Finish the top off with some parmesan cheese.

Bake until the crust is brown and the egg is firm at 350 for about 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Cornish Hens- Moroccan style

My local grocery store was having a 50 % off sale on all poultry products. I initially picked up a whole roaster chicken thinking of frugality and efficiency but then decided I couldn’t possibly consume the whole thing, even with assistance of neighbors and house mates. Also, after the inevitable and numerous reinventions of the chicken, I’d just get sick of chicken altogether, further fueling my newly acquired pescatarianism. More is not always better. Then I saw a pair of Cornish Hens conveniently packaged together for $4. Perfect. Something new to try and the price is right.

As usual with new ingredients, I search for recipes on www.epicurious.com for ideas or to see how they are customarily prepared. To my delight on the top of the second page of recipe listings was Morrocan-Style Roast Cornish Hens with Vegetables

The recipe is more or less a tajine (dish) but without the tajine (conical ceramic pot). I used the recipe as a guide and made the following alterations:

1. Instead of cous-cous, I made lentils:

1 cups French lentils
4 cups water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 to 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
A few tablespoons tomato paste
½ chicken bullion cube
1 tablespoon ginger
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon garlic powder

I cooked it on low until the lentils were thick and saucy.


2. I took the sweetbreads out of the Cornish Hens and put them in a small crock pot with:

1 tablespoon fresh ginger chopped
1 cinnamon stick
1 ½ cup boiling water
1 green onion chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil

I let this simmer while I prepared the vegetables and spices. I later used a strainer and used the liquid as the “chicken broth” from the recipe.

3. Additions, substitutions, deletions, notes:

- I did not use any honey
- I used fennel seeds instead of caraway
- I didn’t use as much paprika as they recommended and instead added a teaspoon of turmeric.
- I only used a dash of cayenne. Moroccan food isn’t supposed to spicy like Mexican or Thai.
-I used a long white radish instead of a turnip
- I didn’t use the can of tomatoes. I put some tomato paste into the spice mix with my broth. That was liquidy enough.
-As for the herbs at the end, my guest doesn’t like cilantro so I didn’t bother. Cilantro and parsley are staples in Morocco cooking, though. Had I decided to use cilantro and parsley, (but not mint- that’s for tea, not chicken) I would have diced it up finely and stuffed the birds with it or stuffed it underneath the skin. This herb combination is generally cooked, not used as a garish.
- I didn’t have squash or zucchini so I used carrots.
- I didn’t “halve the hens”. This is generally done for serving size and does not affect how it cooks. After an hour at 425 degrees in a foil tent, the meat falls off the bone- as it should, just like a tajine.

This was delicious.

Fish Stew with Sesame, Thyme, and Tomato

Ingredients:

2 Swai fillets
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can prepared chickpeas
2 large cloves garlic
2 tablespoons Za’atar ( I used Ziyad Brand, Product of Jordan, made of roasted wheat, roasted thyme, ground sumac, sesame seeds and salt)
1 tablespoon Tahini (approximately) Tahini is pure sesame paste.
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper


Directions.

Put tomatoes, Za’atar, and Tahini in a crock pot on low. Add salt and pepper.

Remove skins from chickpeas by placing them in a deep bowl with water and gently rubbing handfuls of them between your palms. The skins should come off easily and float to the top.

Add chickpeas and a few tablespoons of olive oil.

Let mixture stew on low for a few hours.

Prepare the Swai fillets by cutting them up into rough chunks.

Add the fish to the mixture.

Let the fish be infused with the stew’s flavors for at least 20 minutes. Swai is not a very delicate fish so you can leave it in for as long as you like and even re-heat it without it coming completely apart.

Drizzle olive oil, sprinkle some salt and serve with fresh pita bread.

Enjoy!

Post-Independence Day Dinner 2011

Salad:

Ingredients:

Base:
Organic Spring mix
Toppings:
Slivered almonds
1 dollop of fresh guacamole (avocado, fresh lime juice, fresh garlic diced, sour cream, cumin, salt & pepper)
Imitation lobster
Vinaigrette made with fresh lemon juice, Dijon or grainy mustard, and olive oil.

Directions:

Assemble toppings on the Spring mix. Enjoy.

Beverage:

Thai Tea with milk. I bought this at a store in Chinatown. It’s basically black tea, vanilla flavor and orange coloring. It is sometimes prepared with star anise or orange water blossom water. The vanilla kind tastes like white chocolate- it’s delicious.
Add 2 teaspoons of tea per 1 cup of boiling water. Let steep 3-5 minutes. Add milk and sugar (splenda) to taste.

Main Dish

Ingredients:

Swai fillet (fresh or thawed)
½ a medium purple shallot diced
handful of grape tomatoes sliced
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
dash of cayenne pepper
dash of spicy pimentón


Directions:

Sauté tomatoes, shallots, in the butter and spices
The shallots might absorb the butter; add a bit of water if the tomatoes aren’t saucy enough.
Add fish and cover on low heat. Turn fish over. Cook until the fish begins to flake.
Remove from the pan and cover.

Serve with…

Side

Ingredients:

2 small corn tortillas
shredded Vermont- Maple-Smoked Cheddar


Directions:

In the same pan as you used for the fish, heat one tortilla.
Place shredded cheese on top, and a second tortilla on top of the cheese.
Flip. Sizzle
Cut into quarters and arrange on plate beside fish.

Garnish with guacamole and green onion.

Recipe Endorsement: Saumon aux Lentilles

After my trip to the Italian Market in Chelsea Market I bought three kinds of lentils and I've been trying out different ways to prepare them. I also happened to have some salmon filets in the freezer so this recipe was perfect. *All I had to buy was the "grany mustard" (I'd recommend Inglehoffer full strength stone ground mustard) and the tarragon. The tarragon adds a slight fennel-y flavor but it is by no means over-powering lest the licorice-leery be deterred. Indeed, as the recipe says, the mustard-herb butter adds a "lemony pop" and it's simply delicious.

Enjoy!

Click here to view recipe

* I used shallots and green onions instead of leeks and chives.

Egg Salad! (Beat the Heat recipe 4)

Ingredients:

5 hard boiled eggs
½ a Claussen dill deli pickle
1 tablespoon mayo
1 tablespoon yellow mustard

Directions:

Dice up the dill pickle
Use an egg slicer to slice the eggs
Add mustard and mayo
Mix- don’t mash.
Enjoy on wheat toast

You can get creative- try adding curry powder or chipotle!

Easy, delicious.