Hot Chocolate

from Mother Nature Network

Try #5


In all of the recipes here you can play around with the proportions, adding more or less sweetener as you prefer — and you can also mix and match the milks, as these were developed so that either dairy or nut milks could be used. All of these will yield one regular or two small servings, you can double or quadruple as desired.

1. Traditional Hot Chocolate
This is the only one of the group here that includes chocolate pieces, which as mentioned before creates a beverage with more fat. That said, this recipe will yield a beautiful cup of hot chocolate that will still be better for you than a chemical- and preservative laden cup made from a crummy instant mix.

1 cup milk (or nut milk)
1/2 vanilla bean, split
3 ounces semisweet or milk chocolate, cut into small pieces

Heat milk to scalding in a medium saucepan, add vanilla, and let steep with the heat off for 10 minutes. Strain and return milk to saucepan to reheat milk. (You can use 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract instead and skip the steeping process.) Whisk in chocolate until melted and frothy. Serve, savor.

2. Dried Plum Cocoa
Okay, okay. Yes, you could call this one the “hot prune smoothie,” but we’re going to stand by it anyway. After all, if the French can make Pruneaux d’Agen (the decadent prune and chocolate cake) then we can make pruneaux d’ cocoa, by golly. (We’re just going to follow the lead of the prune industry and rename it dried plum cocoa.) The truth is, this one is so thick and rich it’s closer to drinking chocolate, and instead of sugar’s empty calories, you get a healthy dose of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

1 cup almond milk (or regular milk)
3 medium plums
2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
1 pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Put all ingredients in the blender and puree until very smooth, gently heat in a pot on the stove. Voila.

3. Coconut Hot Cocoa
Somehow, mixing the products of a tropical tree — coconut milk and dates — just seems all wrong for making the perfect drink for a blizzardy afternoon. And it’s true this one may not be the best if you’re considering food miles. But for dairy-free, sugar-free, nut-free diets this recipe may be as close as you get to cocoa nirvana. And for anyone else, if you’ve got the ingredients, this version is super salubrious and delicious.

3 tablespoons canned coconut milk
3/4 cup water
3 soft pitted Medjool dates
1 tablespoon cacao powder
Dash of cinnamon

Put all ingredients in the blender and puree until very smooth, gently heat in a pot on the stove. Sip and dream of the tropics.

4. Maple Cocoa
Maple syrup is one of a wholesome-cooking cook’s best-kept weapons in avoiding refined sugar. It not only adds a punch of sweetness, but that special almost-smoky maple taste adds incredible depth to baked goods and sweets that are hearty in flavor (meaning, great with chocolate and nutty things, not so good for angel food cake). This one is nice with the neutral flavors of regular dairy, but you can use any alternative milk you’d like as well.

1 cup milk
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt

Combine ingredients in a medium pot and warm on medium-low heat, whisking until frothy and hot.

5. Mexican Hot Cocoa
The original chocolate beverage lauded by the Mayans was a bitter spicy slurry drunk cold and nothing like the Swiss Miss we have come to rely on. Hot cocoa in Mexico and other southern realms retains the heat, which is very clever since chocolate and spice go together as well any pair of flavors possibly could.

1 cup soy milk (or regular milk)
1 tablespoon Sucanat (see note)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of cinnamon
1 pinch (or more, go crazy!) of cayenne

Combine ingredients in a medium pot and warm on medium-low heat, whisking until frothy and hot. Say "salud" to the Mayans for bringing us drinkable chocolate.

Note: Sucanat is the trade name for “Sugar Cane Natural,” a non-refined cane sugar that is made by crushing sugar cane, extracting the juice then heating and drying it. It’s a more wholesome sweetener than refined sugar – but if you don’t have it, agave syrup, stevia, or regular sugar can be used instead.

Roasted Mackerel with Paprika Garlic Rub, Mustard vinaigrette and sweet potatoes

From epicurious.com

Great find - never had mackerel before, but bought it when Whole Foods was out of salmon during a pre-blizzard supermarket run.  Good, meaty non-oily fish. The rub is very tasty, if not a bit bitter because of the garlic and paprika - but good.  The mustard vinaigrette tasted a bit lemony, and was excellent on the potatoes and with the quinoa I prepared with this dish.  Overall, very good dinner. Will definitely add mackerel to my repertoire of fish, which has been pretty much limited to salmon and halibut.

From epicurious:

I don't know why some people don't like mackerel and why it's not more widely served in the States. It's such a lovely fish, cheap and plentiful, and, served with this gently Spanish vinaigrette, an absolute winner. Make sure you dress the potatoes while they are still warm as they'll take on the dressing much better.

ingredients
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
Olive oil
8 mackerel fillets, skin on
1 pound new potatoes -I used sweet potatoes
2-3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

For the vinaigrette
Pinch of saffron
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Put the garlic and paprika into a mortar, add the salt, and pound to a smooth paste. Add a few drops of olive oil, then rub the flesh side of the mackerel fillets with the paste and set aside.
3. Make the vinaigrette. Put all the ingredients into a small bowl and whisk together with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay the mackerel fillets skin side up on the paper and season the skin with sea salt. Roast for 8-10 minutes until the skin is crisp and the fish is cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave to rest.
5. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in a large pan of salted water for about 15 minutes until tender, then drain. Return to the pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Crush lightly with the back of a fork, then add the scallions and stir to combine. Season with salt, then add a couple of tablespoons of the vinaigrette.
6. Serve the crushed potatoes topped with the mackerel and a drizzle of the remaining vinaigrette.

Recipes from Gordon Ramsay's Home Cooking by Gordon Ramsay. Copyright © 2013 by Gordon Ramsay. Reprinted by permission of Grand Central Publishing. All rights reserved.


Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roasted-Mackerel-with-Garlic-and-Paprika-51161600#ixzz2tD1VnVKz

African Bean Soup

From pcrm.org

Sweet potatoes and peanuts are familiar ingredients in many African cuisines. In this colorful soup they are combined with garbanzo beans and other vegetables and served over cooked rice.

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 onion, sliced
2 small sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth (see recipe) or water
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, undrained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1-2 teaspoons curry powder
4 cups cooked brown rice

Directions

Heat water and soy sauce in a large pot. Add onion and sweet potatoes or yams and cook over high heat, stirring often, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.

Add carrot, celery, and bell pepper. Cover and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add tomatoes, broth or water, beans and their liquid, cilantro, peanut butter, and curry powder. Stir to mix, then cover and simmer until vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes.
Per serving: 279 calories; 5.6 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 18% calories from fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 10.5 g protein; 48.9 g carbohydrates; 6.2 g sugar; 9 g fiber; 472 mg sodium; 80 mg calcium; 3.3 mg iron; 35.7 mg vitamin C; 3,251 mcg beta-carotene; 1.8 mg vitamin E

Source: Healthy Eating for Life for Women by Kristine Kieswer; recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S., R.D

Fruited Breakfast Quinoa

Adapted from The Cancer Survivor's Guide: Foods that help you fight back by Neal Barnard, MD and Jennifer Reilly, RD

Quinoa is technically a seed, but used as a grain.  It has a bitter resin-like coating, saponin, that must be rinsed off thoroughly before cooking.  I use a very fine mesh strainer to do this. Barnard's book suggests covering the quinoa with water in a mixing bowl and rub it between the palms of your hands.  Pour off the cloudy liquid through a strainer.  Repeat two or three more times until the rinse water remains clear.

I used the basic idea of this recipe, but mixed the non-dairy milk with water.

Ingredients:

1 cup vanilla rice or soy milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

mixture of raisins, dried cranberries, apricots and/or
 mango, to taste
1/4 tsp vanilla extract


Directions:

1) Combine the rice or soy milk and quinoa in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a gentle simmer.  COver and cook for about 15 minutes, until the quinoa is tender.  I like to leave it just a little crunchy.

2) Stir in the fruit and vanilla extract.  Cover and cook for 2 more minutes.  Serve warm or chilled.

3) Stored in a covered container in the refrigerator, leftover fruited quinoa will keep for up to 3 days.

Miso-Mustard-Glazed Tempeh with Collard Greens

from washingtonpost.com -- WEEKNIGHT VEGETARIAN DEC 18, 2013

Pan-frying and then glazing tempeh with a sweet-and-sour mixture of miso and mustard gives it a big hit of flavor. This dish pairs tempeh with collard greens that are quickly cooked so they keep more of their color and texture.  The dressing was also good on chicken, so I was able to satisfy my vegetarian and meat-eating diners with the same recipe.  Very tasty.  Note that by using seitan instead of tofu, it is not gluten free.

SERVINGS:   4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound soy tempeh - I only had seitan and it worked very well.
Vegetable or peanut oil, for frying
1 pound collard greens
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced (also had shallots, so used some)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons white miso
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1/4 cup water

DIRECTIONS:

Cut each tempeh block in half crosswise, then in half again horizontally to create eight 1/4-inch-thick slabs. Cut each slab diagonally to form two triangles.

Line a plate with paper towels.

Pour the vegetable or peanut oil to a depth of 1/4 inch in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, pan-fry the tempeh (working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan) until golden brown and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the tempeh to the paper-towel-lined plate to drain, and pour out and discard any excess oil; you will be using the skillet again.

Strip the collard leaves from their stems, discarding the stems. Rinse the leaves but don't dry them. Stack the leaves, roll them up tightly, then thinly slice to form ribbons.

Pour the olive oil into a separate large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the collard greens and vinegar, toss to combine, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens barely wilt, 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, then remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

Whisk together the miso, mustard and water in a small bowl.

Return the skillet you used for frying the tempeh to medium heat. Pour in the miso mixture and add the tempeh pieces, tossing them to thoroughly coat for just a minute or two as the glaze bubbles.

Divide the collard greens among serving plates; top with the glazed tempeh. Serve hot.

Sesame Miso Dressing

Adapted from Joe Yonan's Eat Your Vegetables

This dressing can be used on greens, portobello mushrooms, noodles, roasted sweet potatoes or broiled eggplant, to name just a few.  And it just takes a few minutes to prepare.  If using for portobellos, let them marinate for 15 minutes before grilling.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
2 Tbsp white miso
2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
6 Tbsp canola
6 Tbsp rice vinegar, unseasoned
3 tsp honey
pinch of sea salt

Directions:
1) Whisk the miso and sesame oil in a small jar.
2) Add the vinegar, canola, sesame seeds and honey; shake vigorously.
3) Add honey and/or salt as needed.

Brussel Sprouts with Orange Dressing

From Nutrition Action
Total time to prepare: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
½ cup orange juice
1 tsp. orange zest
2 Tbs. canola oil
1 cup thinly sliced shallots or red onions
1 lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced
freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp. kosher salt

Directions:
• In a small pot, simmer the orange juice until reduced to 2 Tbs. Remove from the heat and mix in the orange zest.
• In a medium sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Sauté the shallots until golden brown, 2-3 minutes.
• Steam the brussels sprouts until they are tender but still bright green, 3-5 minutes.
• Allow the brussels sprouts to cool slightly, then toss with the orange reduction and shallots. Season with pepper and up to ¼ tsp. of salt.

Serves 4.

Nutrition Information:
Per serving (1 cup)—
Calories: 150
Sodium: 150 mg
Total Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
Carbohydrates: 20 g
Protein: 5 g
Fiber: 6 g

Sweet Potato-Black Bean Stew with Sweet Peppers and Peanut Sauce

This is from Molly Katzen's newest cookbook, The Heart of the Plate.  You might recognize her name from her Moosewood Cookbook, published in 1977.  She was vegetarian way before it was as popular as it is today.  I just took a walk down memory lane and browsed through my old food-stained copy of that book.  Her recipes in this hardcover new book are more interesting, as evidenced by this peanut flavored sweet potato stew.  The color pictures add a lot more interest as well.

I didn't take the time to make the banana-cheese empanadas that were meant to accompany this stew, but made a 2-minute version of them by top broiling banana, pepper Jack cheese and a squirt of lime on thin bread in the toaster oven -- not bad!!  She gives much more direction about preparation than I'm including here.

Some other interesting sounding dishes are Roasted Eggplant Salad with Coconut-Lime Vinaigrette, Golden Lentils with Soft Sweet Onions and Brussel Sprouts with Cranberries.

Ingredients:
For the stew:
2 Tbsp olive or roasted peanut oil, or a combination
2 cups minced red onion (1 large)
2 Tbsp finely minced fresh ginger
1 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
2 tsp minced or crushed garlic
2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes (7 cups)
1/2 cup water
1 large sweet red bell pepper, in 1/4 inch dice (2 cups)
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice, or more to taste
3 cups cooked black beans or two 15-oz cans, rinsed and drained

For peanut sauce:
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup boiling water
1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 tsp agave nectar or light-colored honey
Crushed red pepper (optional)

Optional extras:
Roasted peanuts, lime wedges, chopped cilantro leaves

Directions:
1) Heat a soup pot over medium heat for about a minute; add the oil and swirl to coat the pan.
2) Add the onion, ginger and 1/2 tsp of the salt.  Cook, stirring often, for about 3 minutes.
3) Add 1 tsp on the garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes longer, or until the onion becomes translucent.
4) Stir in the sweet potatoes, plus the remaining 1 tsp of garlic and another 1/2 tsp of salt.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
5) Add 1/2 cup water, cover again, and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are almost done.  Stir every 10 minutes or so.
6) Add the bell pepper and lime juice, stir, and cover to cook for 5 minutes or so until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender.  Add more water or lime juice if the vegetables are sticking to the bottom.
7) Gently stir in the beans during the last few minutes of cooking.
8) Put the peanut butter in a medium bowl and slowly stir in the boiling water, then vinegar, sweetener and remaining 1/4 tsp of salt.  Adjust taste.
9) Use a rubber spatula to scrape all the sauce into the stew, then stir gently .  Adjust to taste with salt, lime or possibly crushed red pepper.

Corn Salad

This quick mustardy salad is one of our summertime favorites.

Ingredients:

2 cups corn kernels
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion (or less)
1 Tbsp minced fresh dill
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1) In a large bowl, combine corn, bell pepper,onion and dill.  Set aside

2) In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the oil, mustard, vinegar, sugar and salt to a simmer.  Remove pan from the heat; pour the warm vinaigrette over the corn mixture; toss to coat.

Set aside at room temperature.  May cover and refrigerate for several hours.

4 servings.  Per serving: 225 calories, 3 gm protein; 24 gm carbs, 15 gm fat, trace cholesterol, 1 gm saturated fat, 181 mg sodium, 2 gm dietary fiber.

Cranberry Pecan Relish

This is a good tart, crunchy accompaniment to turkey.  You can leave it tart, or add more sugar or chopped apple to make it sweet.

Ingredients:

3 cups whole cranberries, fresh or previously frozen and defrosted
1 orange, peeled and seeded
1 tsp grated orange peel
1/3 - 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans, lightly toasted in a 325 degree oven for 8 minutes (watch carefully)
  you can use a toaster oven for this
1 Tbsp chopped apple, skin on (optional)
(from an epicurious recipe, try adding a little mint, ginger (1" grated), and/or red onion)
Directions:

1) Chop the cranberries, orange, orange peel, pecans and sugar in a food processor until coarsely chopped.  Process with on/off bursts.
2) Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Couldn't be easier!

Sweet Potato Latkes

Blair Moser’s Sweet Potato Latkes

2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled
2 Idaho potatoes, scrubbed but unpeeled (equal in weight to the sweet potatoes)
Salt for soaking the potatoes, then add salt and pepper to mixture.
4 scallions, finely chopped, including some of the green stems - -- use more, maybe onions.
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Olive oil (or high-heat safflower oil) for frying

1. Grate or finely shred all the potatoes into a bowl of large cold, salted water (using about 1 tablespoon kosher salt) and let stand for 15 minutes.

2. Drain the potatoes in a sieve, then dump them into a clean kitchen towel and wring out as much moisture as possible.

3. In a bowl, mix the potatoes with scallions and garlic. -- add salt and pepper

4. Sprinkle flour over the veggies and toss to combine, then stir in the eggs and mix well.

5. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a heavy skillet (preferably nonstick). Firmly pack a heaping tablespoon of potato mixture and flatten it on the griddle with the back of a spoon. Do not crowd the skillet, but fry each batch until lightly browned, then turn and fry the other side, maybe 3 minutes per side, adding more oil as necessary.

6. Remove the latkes to a cookie sheet lined with paper-towels and keep warm in a 200 degree oven until all have been cooked.

7. Serve at once with sour cream and applesauce.  -- very good with cinnamon sugar - isn't everything?!

Apple latkes

Paula Shoyer’s Apple Latkes
From “The Holiday Kosher Baker”

These pancakes look just like potato latkes. You can serve them either as a dessert or a side dish during Hanukkah.

1/2 cup (65 grams) all-purpose flour, plus one tablespoon, if batter is very wet
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 apples (Fuji, Gala or Granny Smith)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar for dusting

1. Place a paper bag over a cookie sheet to use for draining the latkes after frying them. Heat 1/4 inch (6 mm) of oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat.

2. Place the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking powder into a large bowl and stir. Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Set aside. Peel and core the apples and grate them on the large holes of a box grater or the large holes of a food processor blade. Add the shredded apples to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Sprinkle with the lemon juice, add the beaten eggs and mix.

3. The oil is ready for frying when it feels very hot when you place your hand two inches above the pan. Scoop up a heaping tablespoon of the apple mixture and gently drop it into the pan, using the back of the tablespoon to flatten it. Fry the latkes for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side, until golden. Drain them on the paper bag and let them cool for about 15 minutes.

4. If the batter gets very watery halfway through the frying, add a tablespoon of flour to the mixture and mix it in.

5. Use a sieve to dust the latkes with confectioners’ sugar. These are best eaten fresh but can be reheated in the oven. Store them in the fridge for up to three days or freeze them for up the three months. To reheat, place frozen latkes onto a cookie sheet and bake them in a 400 degree Fahrenheit (200 degree Centigrade) oven until crisp.

Yield: 20 latkes.

Peppermint Oreo Bark

Included in asouthernfairytale.com/2013/11/09/oreo-peppermint-bark/
Asked my neighbor Melissa for this recipe after she sent over a container full and I couldn't stop eating eat.  If you're lucky, the thin delicious bottom chocolate layer will separate from the rest and you'll have the best thin chocolate 'crust' ever.

From the site:

I hope you enjoy! And come on over and visit me at Crazy for Crust sometime. I’ll ply you with sugar and talk your ear off. That’s a promise! {You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m all of those places obsessively.}

Ingredients:

10 mini candy canes, crushed (about 1/2 cup)
12 Oreos, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 cup milk chocolate chips (or semi-sweet)
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

Directions:

1) Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.

2) Add milk chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second increments, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Pour onto prepared cookie sheet and spread flat. Sprinkle with chopped Oreos. Chill for 10 minutes.

3) Add white chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl and heat on 50% power in 30 second increments, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. (I use 50% power for white chocolate because it’s so temperamental!) Pour over Oreos and spread to the edges of the milk chocolate. Sprinkle with chopped candy canes. Chill until set, break into pieces and serve or package to give!

Teff Stew

from Bob's Red Mill website
Read about teff on Wikipedia

Teff Stew
This reinterpretation of wat--an Ethiopian soup traditionally eaten with flatbread made from teff flour--includes whole grain teff in the stew itself.

2Tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup chopped Onion
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground Allspice
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 cup Teff 2 large Tomatoes, chopped
1 medium Zucchini, sliced
1 medium Yellow Summer Squash, sliced
4 cups Vegetable Broth
1 cup cooked Garbanzo Beans
1/2 cup Lemon Juice
1/4 cup chopped Cilantro
ground Black Pepper
Salt

Heat oil in a heavy 4-quart pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, spices and salt. Reduce heat to low and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add teff and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until teff is soft, about 15 minutes.

Add vegetables and beans; cook until tender, 10-15 minutes. Add lemon juice and cook 3 more minutes. Add cilantro just before serving. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 4-6 servings.