Green and Orange Smoothie

I have discovered a new love. Well, really an old/new love. I am back in the smoothie habit–but with a twist from the ones I was making during the summer.

I’ve tried to up the nutrient profile and lower the amount of fruit going into them (too much sugar).

My newest combo is as follows:

Green and Orange Smoothie

• 1 cup milk
• 1 frozen banana (I freeze them in halves so I know what I’m getting)
• 2-3 cubes frozen carrot puree (or 1/3 cup pumpkin)
• 1 1/2-2 cups spinach
• 1 T flax seed
• 1 T Salba
• 2 T hemp protein
• 1/2 t vanilla bean powder

Place in the blender and pulse until smooth. I usually have to add another 1/4-1/2 cup  of water so that everything blends properly.

Makes a generous serving of smoothie or two smaller ones.

6 WWP+

Lemon Curd with Agave Syrup

Tangy and tart. Cool and creamy.  Distinctly British.

It can be tucked tenderly into a pie crust and topped with toasted meringue or piped into puff pastry. It can drip deliciously from Danishes or doughnuts. It can be spread seductively on oven fresh scones.

But no matter how you chose to eat {or alliterate} it, lemon curd has a charm all its own. A charm, I might add, which tends to tantalize your tastebuds. {Alright, alright, I’ll stop now.}

With two lemons languishing in my refrigerator and a craving for something dessert-like not involving way too many carbs, I just had to make some lemon curd. And the lemons were pleased to be included in something decadent for a change.

There was only one snag: I remembered that the last time I had a craving for lemon curd, my curd had curdled. I cringed. {Really! That was the last time, I promise!} No one wants egg white chunks in their lemon curd. Ick.

But lucky for me {and you}, I discovered that someone had come up with a solution for just that very problem. {See the directions below.}

And a bit less butter and agave syrup instead of sugar make this a lighter, lower-carb version of a well-loved classic.

Lemon Curd With Agave Syrup

• 2 large lemons, juiced (1/2 cup strained lemon juice)
• 3 large eggs  (4 if you want a thicker curd)
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/3 cup raw agave syrup {I found mine almost a bit too tart using the original measurement I found, so I’ve upped it for you. If you like sour, leave it with the original 1/4 cup.}
• pinch of sea salt
• Lemon zest (about 1 tsp finely grated)

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar by hand {I started out with a wooden spoon, then switched to a whisk} or with an electric mixer. Slowly add the eggs. {If you want a thicker curd, say for lemon meringue pie, add a fourth egg. The agave syrup makes this a bit runnier than recipes made with sugar. Mine was a bit on the thin side.}   Beat for 1 min. Mix in the lemon juice. The mixture might look slightly curdled, but it will smooth out as it cooks.

In a medium, heavy-based saucepan, cook the mixture over low heat until it looks smooth. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. It should leave a path on the back of a spoon and will read 170°F on a thermometer. {I didn’t use a thermometer, but did burn my finger. Let it cool on the spoon before you draw a path with your finger, folks.} Don’t let the mixture boil.

Remove the curd from the heat; stir in the lemon zest. Transfer the curd to a  glass jar with a lid. {I used two small jam/canning jars.} Let cool {With the lids on, mine actually sealed like homemade jam does.} till about room temperature, then chill the curd in the refrigerator. The curd will thicken further as it cools. Covered tightly, it will keep in the refrigerator for a week and in the freezer for 2 months. {I haven’t frozen mine, but that is what the other recipe said . . .  don’t blame me if it doesn’t keep, okay?}

Makes approximately 1 1/2 cups.

1 Tablespoon (from a recipe made with 3 eggs) is 1 WWP+.

Recipe adapted from:  http://www.amysfoodroom.com/2009/05/lemon-curd-with-agave-nectar.html

Directions from: http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/lemon_curd.aspx

Autumnal pleasures

I love the autumn season. I love the crisp mornings, the way the sunlight is golden and bright. I love fall foods: apples, pumpkin, turkey. The smoke of  distant fires. Huddling in woolen sweaters and blue jeans. Scarves. Even those grey days when the chill gets into your bones and you long to curl up with a cup of hot spiced apple cider and a book.

It is not quite yet fall, but with the school year looming and the already shortening days, I felt a need for something that brings that autumnal nostalgia near.

And what says “autumn” any louder than pumpkin pie?

Nothing, in my opinion.

Now it is not yet pumpkin season, and although squash is a frequently used substitute for that vegetable, I chose to take the ingredient road even less followed than squash.

What then, you may ask, is the orange in the pie below?

It’s a secret.

One that I will tell you, however. And it’s not sweet potato, either. . .

It’s carrots!!

Yes, surprisingly enough, carrots can stand in for pumpkin or squash in your traditional  “pumpkin” pie.

And apparently, in places where they cannot grow pumpkins, this is done quite frequently. Who knew?

So without any more ado, here is the recipe.

Crustless “Pumpkin” (Carrot) Pie

• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp cardamom (you can omit this if it is not in your spice collection.)
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 2 cups cooked mashed carrot  (blend in food processor with some to all of the cooking water till the consistency of canned pumpkin)
• 11oz sweetened condensed milk (recipe below)
• (optional) top with Cinnamon Streusel Topping (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 375F.

Beat eggs lightly in medium bowl. Add and mix in the rest of the ingredients in order given.

Pour into a lightly sprayed 8″x8″ pan, and bake for 15-20 min. Turn down the oven to 300-325F and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.

Let cool to room temperature. When eaten warm, the pie does have a slight carrot taste, but once cooled and/or chilled in the refrigerator, it is difficult to detect the impersonator.

When cut into 12 squares, each square is 3WWP+. (This is without the streusel topping.)

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

• 3T margarine
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/3 cup milk powder
• 1/2 cup boiling water

Place first three ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour over boiling water and stir together. Makes about 11-14oz. (I used all of this in my pie filling.)

Cinnamon Streusel Topping

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Blend together all ingredients in a food processor. Sprinkle evenly over pie or use to top muffins, etc.

Happy Pre-Autumn!!

Mini Zucchini Casseroles

Casseroles have to be almost the epitome of comfort food. The smell alone emanating from the oven (or the crock pot) satisfies the senses.

Simple ingredients, simple construction, but a good casserole creates magic: the flavours percolate through each other to create a dish that speaks love to our taste buds.

I was in the mood for casserole, but didn’t want to wait for an hour to eat. So I came up with a simple combination of ingredients which would satisfy my yearning in record time.

Mini Zucchini Casseroles

Makes 6 mini casseroles; Serves 2

• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan

• 200g uncooked extra lean ground beef
• 3-4 TB ketchup
• 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 6 TB salsa (heat of your choice)
• grated parmesan or cheddar cheese to top

Stir together zucchini and parmesan. Press mixture evenly into 6 muffin tins.

Combine ground beef, ketchup, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Mold into six small patties and place on top of the zucchini in the muffin tins.

Spoon 1 TB salsa on top of the ground beef patties.

Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until meat is cooked.

Remove from the oven and (optional) let sit for 5 minutes or so, so the liquids in the bottom of the pan begin to reabsorb into the casserole.

Top with the cheese of your choice and serve as desired. You could easily pair this with mashed/baked potatoes or a salad. {I just ate it as it was and it was great.}

Each mini casserole is 2 WWP+.

NOTE: These also reheat very well in the microwave. 

Back to My Roots

A horrible thing has happened.

Something right out of The Little Shop of Horrors. . . . . . . . . . Okay, so it’s not that dramatic. My sweet potato sprouted. Warm, humid weather does that to potatoes. It makes them yearn for the deep dark earth and starts them wanting to be fruitful and multiply.

Yes.

Or reach for the  sky like some kind of magic beans. There’s only one way we can control this rampaging root. . . . . . It’s time to cut it down to size.

This unruly vegetable is going under the knife.

Chop chop.

It’s French Fry Time!

—

Sweet Potato Fries

Take one large sweet potato {Approx. 400 g.}.

Wash and cut out the eyes {and the tendrils}.

Chop into fries of small-to-medium thickness.

Place chopped sweet potato in cold water and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. {You can also soak them overnight.}

N.B. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP. Soaking the fries in water results in CRISPY fries, rather than soggy fries.

Once the fries have soaked for at least 1 hour, take them out of the water and blot them dry with paper towel or an old tea towel.

Then throw 2 tablespoons potato starch (or corn starch) and 1/4 tsp chili powder {I like chipotle pepper} in a large ziploc bag.

Shake gently till blended.

Add sweet potatoes, zip closed, and shake vigorously to cover fries. Dump {yes, dump: invert that ziploc bag over the tray and let the fries fall where they may} starch-covered fries on a (parchment-lined) baking sheet and drizzle with 4 tsp oil {The kind is up to you. I use safflower oil, but olive oil or vegetable oil would also be fine.}

Turn the fries over to coat them evenly with the oil.  {With your hands, of course–cooking gets you dirty, suck it up, princess.}

Spread ’em out so air can circulate freely about the fries.

{You’ll notice, of course, that I failed to follow my own directions. It’s not my fault–it’s the rebellious sweet potato!! Get away from each other, you naughty fries.}

Place fries in a preheated 400F oven. {Guess I should have told you that before. Oops.}

Bake for 20 minutes.

Flip. {Not with your fingers this time, unless you have asbestos fingers. And if you do, you shouldn’t be touching food–asbestos is dangerous, doncha know. Use a spatula.}

Bake for another 20 or so minutes–or until browned to your satisfaction. {It will depend on your oven.}

Sprinkle with sea salt. {Freshly ground is THE BEST!}

Serve piping hot with Chipotle Mayo (1/8 tsp chipotle chili pepper & 3 TB mayo: stir) OR Sriracha Mayo (1/2 tsp Sriracha Sauce and 3 TB mayo: stir).

Makes 2 servings. Each serving is 8 WWP+.

Recipe adapted from The Art of Doing Stuff.

Oh, by the way: if you would like to cut down on the calories a bit, you can substitute carrots for the sweet potato. The taste is very similar, though not quite the same. They are also very good. OH, do NOT skip the soaking step if you decide to use this alternative. It also makes a difference. You may want to soak them longer than 1 hour, however. Also you will want to use new carrots, not those which have been sitting in your fridge for almost a month {guilty}, since old carrots can be rather bitter.

Disclaimer: For those of you who are perhaps worried about me eating a sprouted potato, sweet potatoes are not in the same family as regular potatoes, despite the fact that they have the same name. Regular potatoes are from the Nightshade family, and green potatoes or potatoes that have green spots can be toxic because of the increased amount of solanine in them. See Potato-Toxicity. Sweet potatoes are from the Morning Glory family {Who knew?!} and are not toxic if sprouted, etc.

Zucchini-Crust Pizza

In my efforts to find alternatives for recipes including lots of refined carbs and my need {yes, NEED} to satisfy my pizza cravings,  I have been forced to find a replacement for the traditional wheat flour crust. I’ve found a recipe using cauliflower {Very good–I’ll have to post that recipe at a later time.}  and then I ran across the following recipe in The New Moosewood Cookbook, an excellent vegetarian recipe book which has been around for ages–since before vegetarianism became “normal”. {I also found some other recipes which I am eager to try in the near future.}

This is a delicious and amazingly simple  alternative to a traditional crust. Plus, it gets me another healthy serving of vegies, too. Bonus!

Zucchini-Crust Pizza (Adapted from The New Moosewood Cookbook)

• 1- 1 1/2  cup grated zucchini (approx. 1-7 inch zucchini)
• 1/2 cup mozzarella
• 2 T. flour
• 1/4 tsp basil
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• pinch freshly ground pepper
• 1 egg
• 3-4 three long sprays oil (I used garlic oil)

Pre-heat oven to 400F. Grate zucchini and squeeze out excess juice. {I just used my hands, taking a big handful and squeezing out the extra juice.} In a medium bowl, mix together zucchini,  mozzarella, flour, and spices. Add egg and stir until coated. Spray a cast iron pan/pie pan {or use whatever you have.  A parchment paper-lined cookie sheet also works.} with oil. {Make sure you spray the bottom enough that you can get the pizza out later on.} Pat zucchini mixture into the pan. Spray lightly with oil. Bake 35-40 minutes or until browned on top.

Remove from oven and let rest for five minutes. Loosen the edges and check to see that the bottom is free from the pan. {This will help you later when you try to remove your pizza.}

Look at that yumminess. It was still bubbling from the oven when I took this picture.

Top with whatever pizza “dressing” you desire.

I used:

• tomato sauce
• baby spinach
• pre-cooked cubed chicken breast
• sliced mushrooms
• more mozzarella

Return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes or so, or until cheese is melted and toppings are heated through.

Enjoy!

Serves 2 @ half a pizza per person. 1 serving (2 quarters) = 7 WWP+

Broccoli-Strawberry Salad

Need a quick and easy meal for a hot summer’s day?

Would you like to get in a few servings of fruits and vegies, and lots of fiber, too? Well, this simple salad will do the trick.

Salad:

• 1 1/2 cup broccoli florets, cut into small bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, cut into small pieces
• (I also like to add fresh blueberries)
• 20gm cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes

Dressing:

• 2 TB light whipped dressing (mayo)
• 1 TB red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar (I used 1/2 tsp agave syrup)

Stir together dressing ingredients. Toss together dressing with broccoli, strawberries, and cheese.

Top with a sprinkle of (imitation) bacon bits or sliced almonds (may result in extra points depending on how much you add)

Makes: One large salad (If you have any doubts about your capacity, you may want to split this with someone 🙂 )
WW Points Plus: 5 points