2013/01 January Favourites

Lately I've been obsessed with extremely healthy foods for my course meals. I do have my share of junk food for snacks here and there also.

This month's food obsessions are...

Celery Sticks

Ruby Grapefruit

Quinoa
Turkey

Spinach

Soft Unripened Goat Cheese

Cashew Almond Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Here are all of this month's beverages that I've been loving...

You will see a reoccurring theme...

Brown Rice Milk

Bigelow Jasmine Green Tea

Arizona Green Tea

Aquafina Fuji Apple Pear Vitamin Water

David's Tea Coco Mint Cream Tea

Sencha Shots

Also for sweetener I have been using Blue Agave Nectar. I find it to be twice as sweet as honey. So I use very little.

Coco NUT Bars

2 cups brown rice flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
2/3 cup coconut oil
2 cups golden cane sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1-1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease a 9x9 brownie pan.

In a large bowl cream the coconut oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Sift flour, salt and baking powder into the wet mixture.  Slowly combining the wet and the dry ingredients. Mix until blended. Fold in chocolate,  nuts and coconut.

Spread this mixture evenly into greased pan. Bake for 22-27 minutes or until golden. Let cool before cutting into squares or bars. I personally like to cut them into little bite size pieces as a snack.

Hope you enjoy this chocolaty & nutty treat.

Happy Baking & Prosper!

Chimichurri Sauce

Makes approx. 8oz

1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup rice bran oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves, peeled & crushed
1 tsp dried crushed red chillies
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 pinch ground cumin
Juice of 1/2 lemon (this helps preserve the vibrant green colour)

Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Transfer to a glass bowl, cover with saran wrap and let stand at room temperature. This sauce can be made up to 2 hours ahead of time. Compliments grilled meats and seafood well.

Stir with a spoon before serving on meats and seafood.

Simple Chicken Pad Thai

1 pkg dried flat rice noodles, soaked drained
2 eggs, beaten
4 tbsps vegetable oil, separated into 2's

Pad Thai Sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1-2 tsps fish sauce or tamari sauce
1 tbsp tamarind paste

Topping
1 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup toasted crushed peanuts
1 lime, wedged

1 cup chicken breast, sliced boneless skinless
Chicken Marinate
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tbsp tamari sauce
1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1 lime leaf, shredded

In a sauce pan cook all the sauce ingredients till it reaches a syrupy consistency. Set aside.

Preheat a wok on medium high heat. Add 2 tbsps oil and swirl around the wok to coat it. Place chicken into wok and noodles pan fry till cooked. Push the noodles aside and add beaten eggs and scramble. Now mix the noodles,  eggs and chicken together.

Add sauce to the noodle mixture. Continue to toss noodles to coat evenly. Serve hot. Top with crunchy peanuts, crisp bean sprouts and wedges of lime.

Enjoy

Lady Finger Cookies

Ingredients
3 eggs whites
6 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
2 tbsp sorghum flour
1 tbsp millet flour
1/2 tsp agar agar

Preheat oven to 325F.

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Slowly add sugar, continue beating until whites are stiff and glossy.

In a small bowl, whisk together the tapioca, sweet rice, sorghum, millet and agar agar. Sift the flour mixture twice.

Slowly add flour mixture over the egg mixture, then fold gently until just mixed.

Transfer half the batter to a pastry bag or ziplock bag with a plain tip, pipe 3" stripes, about 1/2" apart.

Wait 5 minutes for batter to set.

Bake for 10 minutes, then turn cookie sheets around and bake for 5 additional minutes, until puffed and slightly golden.

Let cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet, then transfer to cooling rack.

So good for coffee dippers.

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Cooking Accessories & Gadgets Haul

I was in Toronto earlier last year in November. I went a little crazy in a Japanese cookware store as well as some other baking supply store.

I picked up a few things for myself as well as my Sister-in-Law. Below are a list of gadgets I purchased:

Heart Shaped Egg/Pancake Ring

Makes the perfect heart shaped egg or pancake. Just in time for valentine's day. Or any day for my beautiful Sister-in-Law and nieces :) Hope you ladies enjoy your 'hearty' breakfasts. 

Beautiful Blue & Pink Floral Cupcake Liners

Makes a simple cupcake look even more elegant. A childhood friend of mine is currently taking a Pastry Chef course. I gave her a set of these cupcake liners as a Christmas present and she loved them.

 

Sushi Press and Molds

 

Fill the mold with sushi rice. Press and remove from mold.

Dumpling Maker

 

Just line the press with dough sheet. Place filling in the middle. Fold the dumpling maker in half and voila.

Bacon Garlic Caesar Salad

Serves 2

Salad Ingredients:
2 heads of Roman Hearts roughly cut
6 slices turkey bacon, cooked till crispy and roughly chopped
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Dressing Ingredients:
4 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
2 tbsp sour cream
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp anchovy paste
2 cloves fresh garlic roughly chopped

Blend dressing ingredients in a food processor. Toss salad ingredients with dressing. Serve.