Macaroons

Macaroon recipe: 3 egg whites, 1/2 cup of sugar 1/4 tsp of almond extract or vanilla extract. 14 ounce bag of shredded coconut. Preheat oven 325. Mix all ingredients thoroughly together with your hands. Form into 1 inch balls place on parchment lined cookie sheet about an inch apart for approx. 22 mins. Makes approximately 24. Sometimes I melt chocolate and drizzle on top.

Homemade Granola

• 
  YIELDMakes 8 cups

INGREDIENTS

• Vegetable cooking spray
• 4 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried cherries
• 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. STEP 1

   Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir together oats, almonds, pecans, cherries, coconut, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

2. STEP 2

   In a small saucepan, combine oil, honey, and sugar. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Drizzle syrup over oat mixture; toss with a wooden spoon. Pour granola onto sheet pan and spread evenly. Bake, stirring occasionally, until golden (about 25 minutes). Let granola cool completely on a wire rack. Break it into chunks and store in an airtight container.
   
   
   from Martha Stewart

Mini Zucchini Cheese Bites

Ingredients
◾2 cups grated zucchini ( about 1 medium)
◾1 egg
◾1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
◾optional: 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, salt & pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a bowl mix the zucchini, egg, cheese and cilantro. You do not have to add any salt or pepper since the Parmesan is salty enough . Evenly divide the mixture into the mini muffin pan filling to the top, packed down in each cup. Bake for 15- 18 minutes until golden brown around the edges.

Nutrition Info

Servings: 12* Calories for one: 27* Fat: 2g* Fiber: 0g* Carbs: 1g* Protein: 2g

Pink Pancakes

 3/4 cup water

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/4 cup beet puree

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup pancake mix

1/4 cup grated apple

Nonstick cooking spray

1 tbsp canola oil

Maple syrup or fruit for serving

 

1) In a blender or food processor, combine the water, ricotta cheese, beet puree, vanilla, and cinnamon and blend.  Dump the mixture into a medium bowl, add the pancake mix and apple, and stir just until combined.  Do not overmix - the batter will be a little lumpy.

 

2) Coat a griddle or large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat.  When hot, add the oil.  Spoon the batter onto the griddle or skillet, using about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake.  Cook the pancake until bubbles form on top and the batter is set, 1 to 2 minutes.  Then flip the pancakes with a spatula and cook until golden brown on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes.  Serve warm, with fruit or syrup.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus additional for sprinkling

Accompaniment if desired: Coconut Lime Sorbet

Preheat oven to 375°F and butter an 8-inch round baking pan. Line bottom with a round of wax paper and butter paper.

Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs and whisk well. Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.

Dust cake with additional cocoa powder and serve with sorbet if desired. (Cake keeps, after being cooled completely, in an airtight container, 1 week.)

Gourmet
November 1997
1998-09-17 00:00:00.0 

Apples, a How To Guide

Maryland Crab Cakes

1 lb Jumbo Lump Crabmeat (I get mine at Costco)
1 large egg
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 and 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/2 cups fine breadcrumbs made from white bread
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk the egg, mayo, mustard, Old Bay, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Gently stir in crabmeat and breadcrumbs and mix with hands lightly without breaking up the lumps. Mixture will be somewhat wet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or more.

Once chilled, shape the mixture into rounded mounds whatever size you'd like. I usually make mine the size of baseballs and get about 4 crab cakes from one pound. Do not flatten or make into patties. Place on lightly sprayed baking sheet with sides. Drizzle tops with just a little olive to speed up browning.pray the tops very lightly with non stick spray for browning.

Just before putting crab cakes in the oven, drop two or three ice cubes onto the baking pan between crab cakes. This will keep the high temperature from burning the bottoms of the cakes. Bake in hot 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes depending on the size you made your crab cakes. If they are not brown enough at this point turn your oven to broil and watch them closely until they brown to the point you prefer. No more than 1-2 minutes. Enjoy!

You may also fry these in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. While they are wonderful this way, they have a tendency to fall apart when you attempt to turn them and they also flatten out and are more like patties. Still delicious...not as pretty. I recommend baking them.

NOTE: If you don't have a Costco, you buy fresh crab at any Sams Club, any seafood shop, and even at your seafood department at your grocer. If you do find a Costco they also sell Phillips brand which if Maryland Jumbo Lump...shipped right from Phillips here in Maryland.

Photography and recipe ©Welcome Home

Salmon and Lentils With Moroccan Tomato Sauce

from Jillian Michaels

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup sliced organic almonds, divided
• 1 cup lentils, rinsed
• 14 1/2 ounces reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seed (whole or ground)
• 1 teaspoon coriander seed (whole or ground)
• 3/4 teaspoon cardamom pods (whole or ground)
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds (whole or ground)
• 3 whole cloves or 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• Vegetable cooking spray
• 1 shallot, peeled and chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 14 1/2 ounces peeled, no-salt-added tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste
• 12 ounces salmon fillet, (4 3-ounce fillets), boned and skinned

Preparation

1. Spread the organic almonds in a single layer on an ungreased, rimmed baking pan. Place in a 350° oven and bake 5 to 10 minutes or until almonds are light brown. Stir once or twice to ensure even browning. Note that the almonds will continue to brown slightly after they are removed from the oven.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the lentils and broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until lentils are tender.
3. Meanwhile, put all whole spices in a grinder and process until well ground. If using ground spices, combine them in a small bowl.
4. Coat a skillet lightly with vegetable cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add shallot and garlic and sauté about 5 minutes until translucent. Mix in 1 1/4 teaspoons of the spice mixture, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
5. In an electric blender, pulse tomatoes just until roughly puréed. Add to pan with hot pepper sauce and heat through. Set aside.
6. In a small bowl, mix the remaining spices, salt and pepper. Rub onto both sides of salmon pan withoufillets.
7. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat lightly with vegetable cooking spray; add salmon to pan without crowding. Sauté salmon for 4 minutes; turn, cover and cook 3 to 6 minutes longer, depending on thickness, or until cooked throughout.
8. Stir two tablespoons of organic almonds into lentils. Divide among four plates. Top with salmon and tomato sauce. Sprinkle with remaining almonds.

Makes 4 servings.

Avocado Chocolate Mousse

1 avocado

1 cup almond milk
2/3 cup dates, pitted and soaked
½ cup cacao, cocoa, or carob powder
1/8 cup coconut butter

1. Place all ingredients into the Vitamix container and secure lid.
2. Select Variable 1.
3. Turn machine on and slowly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High.
4. Blend until smooth and creamy.
5. Chill for an hour and serve.