Premier Treats for Valentines Day

These chocolate cookies are top end-made with 100% cacao chocolate, 1/2 whole wheat flour and reduced sugar to fit in the current Dietary Guidelines.  The finished product is as good as it gets-chewy and delicious!  Packed in 3-packs, these are tokens of the heart felt holiday for our adult friends.

Champion Chocolates

(4 dozen)

In a double boiler, melt the buttery spread and chocolate.
1/2 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread
4 ounce 100% Cacao unsweetened chocolate

Cool slightly.  Beat in:
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 vanilla beans, scraped innards

Stir together:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Dash salt

Add dry ingredients to bowl just until mixed.  

Shape dough into balls, 1 tablespoon each.
Roll in powdered sugar:
1/4 cup confectioners sugar 
Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Flatten slightly.
Bake at 350 F. for 12 minutes.

Sift more powdered sugar over cookies after cooling.  
The recipe was inspired by The Local Palate. 

 

Snow Day Sweetheart Cake

The snow was in a whirl as I studied Dietitian Amber's recipe for Chocolate Swirl Pumpkin Muffins.  I had all the ingredients on hand, including just the right amount of pumpkin in my freezer.  A few days ago, I purchased this sweet little heart cake pan at the thrift store (for a quarter).  So I adorned my apron and went at it!  

I measured 1/3 cup increments of water into the cake pan to determine the amount of batter to constitute about 2/3 of the depth.  That volume was 3 cups-or 9 muffins.  Since the recipe was for 12 muffins, I found a small bundt cake mold to hold the rest of the batter.

This recipe made 1-6 inch cake (9 servings) and 1-4 inch bundt cake (3 servings).

Chocolate Swirl Pumpkin Cake

(12 servings)

In an electric mixer bowl, beat egg and sugars for several minutes.
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar

Alternately dry mix, then liquid mix to the egg-sugar.  Stir in just to mix.  Do not over mix.
Dry Mix
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Liquid Mix
1 cup pumpkin
1/3 cup olive oil
3/4 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Separate 1/3 cup of the batter into a separate bowl.  Mix in cocoa powder.
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (not Dutch processed) 

Pour pumpkin batter into pans greased with an olive oil spray.  Spoon chocolate batter to the top.  With a pick, swirl chocolate into pumpkin batter.

Bake at 350 F. for 45 minutes.  Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Run spatula around edges of pan.  Invert and cool cake.

Garnish
I thinly sliced a washed apple and removed the small core centers.  Cut the apple slices into hearts with a small cookie cutter.  Spread almond butter between 2 slices.  Drizzle with berry syrup. 

Dust cake with 2 teaspoons confectioners sugar.

The berry syrup is just that-the liquid from the berry topping I made for our Strove Tuesday pancake dinner.

Very Berry Topping

(Serves 4)

1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup blackberries
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar

Combine water, sugar and berries in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer until 1/2 the liquid is absorbed.

     

A Sweetheart Meal to Start Off the Week

I always set a pretty table. . . and we always sit at the table for our evening meal.  Enjoying a meal is more than just good food.  The menu of Tomato Corn Soup with Quinoa, Sweetheart Cheddar, Seeded Whole Grain Crackers and Ruby Red Grapefruit was "good food".  The crackers were sold as seasonal holiday feature at Aldis.  The package displays the whole grain stamp.  I bought a couple boxes after Christmas during the sell out.  I couldn't resist the heart shaped red wax covered cheese-another seasonal item sold at Aldis.  While the crackers and cheese both have some sodium, the soup is very low in sodium.

Tomato Corn Soup with Quinoa

(Serves 4)

In a 12-inch cast aluminum pan, saute carrot, celery, shallot, garlic and fennel in olive oil, covered, for 6 minutes.
1 carrot, peeled and sliced in 1/2 moons
1 stalk of celery, with leaves, diced
1/2 shallot, diced
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1/3 cup fennel, diced
1 teaspoon olive oil

Add tomatoes, broth and seasoning.  Bring to a boil;  lower heat to simmer.  Simmer for 20 minutes while quinoa cooks.
10 ounce diced tomatoes in juice, no salt added
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Add corn.  Return soup to a boil.
3/4 cup corn, frozen

Turn off heat.  Add leaves and parsley.  Cover and stir, allowing leaves to wilt.
1 1/2 cups spinach leaves, stems removed
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Garnish each bowl of soup with cooked, drained quinoa.
1/2 cup cooked quinoa

The soup was inspired by Clean Eating Magazine.   

 

Babka- The Sweet Taste of Home

A slice of toasty bread accompanies my meals.  This sweet yeast bread-"Babka"- is a dessert.  I took the recipe , substituted 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour, decreased the total sugar by 1/2 and decreased the butter by 1/2 to make a still luscious, lower calorie, less total sugar and whole grain version.  And the bread has raisins and walnuts!

Babka

(1 loaf-13 slices)

Dough
Mix 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a mixing bowl with dough hook in place.
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/8 teaspoon rapid rise yeast

Heat milk to 125 F.  Slowly add to dry mix in bowl.  Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.
1/2 cup skim milk

Add 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour, egg and buttery spread.  Beat 2 minutes at medium speed.
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 egg, warmed by placing in a cup of warm water for a few minutes
3 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Spread

At low speed of electric mixer, slowly add flour, kneading after each addition, until dough leaves the sides of the bowl (about 8 minutes).  Place dough in a bowl greased with olive oil spray.  Turn to grease the top of the dough.  Cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise until double, about 45 minutes.
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

Punch dough down.  On a floured surface, with a covered pin, roll to a rectangle, about 12 inches long and 1/4 inch high.  Spread with filling to about 1/2 inch from edges.

Filling
Puree raisins, sugar, buttery spread, cinnamon, salt and walnuts in a food processor.
1 cup raisins, soaked in warm water 10 minutes and drained
3 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery spread
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash salt
6 tablespoon toasted walnuts
Using a spatula, spread filling on rolled dough to about 1/2 inch from edges.

With floured hands, roll filled dough to a skinny log.
With a sharp knife, cut dough in half lengthwise.
Braid 2 dough pieces.
Fold and place dough in a 9 inch loaf pan, greased with and olive oil spray.
Bake at 375 F. for 45 minutes. 

Glaze
In a saucepan, heat buttery spread and milk.  Add combined dry ingredients.
2 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1 1/2 tablespoon fat free evaporated milk
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash salt
6 tablespoon confectioners sugar 
Pour glaze over the warm bread.  (I placed a piece of plastic wrap under the bread and lifted the plastic wrap up along the sides of the bread to contain the glaze.  As the bread cooled, I moved it along the plastic wrap to glaze the bottom of the bread.  The bread was sweet all over!)

  

I Went Red on February 5th

I've marked the day many years in a row, wearing red and marketing heart healthy foods.  When I managed the Healthy Cafe, I got red dress pins for all the staff. One year I made the red dress pins!  My friend Denise, a registered nurse, would come to our dining room and take blood pressures for any customer who chose the service.  Of course, my daily meals, at work and at home, featured heart healthy ingredients.

Yesterday I traveled to Charleston to visit the Chef at the Capital Food Court who graciously works with the West Virginia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics on our day at the legislature.  That day-we call it Eatright WV Day-is February 17th.  Chef Jeremy Lucas has planned a heart healthy meal to support our cause. His platter includes Chicken Sante Fe, Black Beans & Corn and Mexican (Brown) Rice.

I visited with my old friend Evelyn, another "Scrappy" RD.  Evelyn and I worked together in the 1980s, as traveling consultants with the Child Nutrition Programs.  We had so much fun, I forgot to take a picture.  This is an old picture of Evelyn from the early 2000s:

I did wear red yesterday, and when I returned home, a made a one pan meal with seafood, beans, sprouts, vegetables and a citrus vinaigrette all baked together to create a delicious combination.  Because I was late getting started, I microwave the dish slightly in between baking in the toaster oven, to heat the food more quickly. This morning, I enjoyed the leftovers as a salad platter:

Blood Orange, Flounder & Sprouts

(Serves 3)

Sprinkle fish fillets with no salt herb seasoning.  Pour lime juice, oil and vinegar over.

2-4 ounce flounder fillets

1/2 teaspoon Caribbee herb pepper seasoning (no salt) 

1/2 lime, juiced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Grease baking dish with an olive spray.  Place half of vegetables on the bottom of the pan.  Top with fish fillets.  Add other half of vegetables to the top along with the juice-oil-vinaigrette.  Bake at 350 F. for 20 minutes or until internal temperature is 150 F.

1/4 cup fennel, diced

3/4 small zucchini, quartered and sliced

1 small yellow squash, quartered and sliced

1/3 cup cannelloni beans, cooked

2 tablespoon shallots, diced

1/2 cup mung beans, sprouted

1 blood orange, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved 

  

 

 

 

Heart Healthy Helping of Shrimp Pilaf

Seafood, whole grains, beans, nuts, fresh vegetables and olive oil all make the heart healthy foods list and all comprise this meal in a bowl we ate for dinner.  The recipe was inspired by Clean Eating Magazine.  While I've cooked whole grain farro before, I've never pre-soaked it before as recommended in the recipe.  Today I did that, soaking it during the day, then draining on a baking sheet prior to toasting and simmering.  I do believe it reduced the cooking time, and the taste was delicious.

Shrimp Pilaf

(Serves 4)

Soak farro 8 hours in double the amount of water.
1/2 cup dry farro
Drain and dry slightly on baking sheet.

In a 12 inch non-stick skillet, saute shallots, fennel, carrot, celery,and garlic in olive oil for 3 minutes.
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoon shallots, diced
1/3 cup fennel, diced
1/2 carrot, peeled and diced
1/3 cup celery, diced
1 garlic clove, crushed


Add squash and farro.  Saute for one minute.
1/2 small yellow squash, diced
Soaked and drained farro

Add broth, oregano and parsley.  Bring to a boil.  Lower heat and cover.  Simmer for 30 minutes.
2 cups vegetable broth, low sodium
2 teaspoon oregano, dried leaves
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

Stir in broccoli, lemon, honey, olives and beans.
1/2 cup broccoli flowers
1/2 lemon, juice and zest
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced
1/2 cup soybeans, cooked and drained

In a separate pan, saute shrimp in garlic and buttery spread 3 minutes per side.
1 pound jumbo shrimp, tail intact, peeled
1 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1 garlic clove, crushed

Serve pilaf topped with shrimp and garnished with feta and walnuts.
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup toasted walnuts 

   

Grainy Groundhog

Groundhog Sausage is not my bag, though I loved the groundhog cookies a local bakery was selling.  The closest thing I had to the creature cutout was my squirrel cupcake mold. . . so I flattened the tail and made these onion yogurt muffins for dinner.  The entree is Curried Vegetable and Soybean Stew, which I made in the crock pot using dry soy beans. 

Onion Yogurt Muffins

(Serves 5)

Beat egg in mixing bowl.
1 egg

Saute shallots in buttery spread until starting to brown.  Remove from heat.
2 tablespoon shallots, diced
2 tablespoon Earth Balance buttery spread

Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon Mrs. Dash

Add milk and yogurt to egg in mixing bowl.  Beat in just until mixed.
1/2 cup skim milk
6 tablespoon Greek yogurt

Add dry ingredients and parsley and mix just until combined.
2 tablespoon parsley, snipped 

Spoon 1/4 cup batter into muffin tins greased with an olive oil spray.
Bake at 375 F. for 20 minutes.

I wanted to share the frittata I made last night with spaghetti squash.  I'd roasted a whole spaghetti squash for Friday's dinner and removed the squash from the shells.  The 1/2 I did not need for that dinner went into this dinner.  I simply substituted the squash for the spinach in my Ricotta Frittata recipe.  Isn't this pretty?

  
 Hope you had a good start to the week!