All Natural Gunk Removing Goo Off

If you have ever used Goof Off, Goo Gone or any of those crazy gunk removing substances you can attest to the harsh smells, chemicalized ingredients and the warning labels:

• extremely flammable
• fatal if swallowed
• eye and skin irritant

I don't know about you, but I don't want to don my safety goggles and solvent resistant gloves when I need a little sticky label removed. Nor do I want to use a 'potentially fatal' substance on a jar that I'm saving to put food into.

Mix a little coconut oil and baking soda and you get a superb, healthy substitute that leaves your bare hands soft and smelling great! You could even eat it (not that I'm suggesting you do.) Even the your pets will be safe when you need you use this on or in an area they can reach and lick.

This is another recipe that can be found posted all over the internet, not a Fat and Happy original, but it's too good not to share! It's a perfect stocking stuffer, hostess gift and great-friend present.

Spicy Lentils with Curry Leaves

Today I was given a new Strange Ingredient and I couldn't be more excited to play with ... curry leaves. I've never worked with them before so I'm forging new ground here.

First step was to Google curry leaves. Fascinating to find out that they have nothing to do with the ground curry we all know and love. I certainly made the assumption there was a connection, but you know what happens when you assume....

My first whiff of the curry leaves was powerfully perplexing. Almost unsettling. I read that you might catch a faint hint of tangerine if lucky, but I'd say the aroma is more earthy, smoky and maybe even a more like burnt rubber. Appealing, I know.

At first bite of the lentils, I almost detected a sweet, brown sugar flavor which is definitely not on my ingredient list. Then the flavors bursted and I still can't quite define it; it's a totally funky flavor. The dish is hearty, yet light, spicy and delicious!

After serving a little dish for each of us, I set aside my cup and pulled the whole serving dish in front of me and polished off the remaining lentils. I was hooked.

There are mixed reviews on whether to eat or not eat the curry leaves; I've read they have medicinal properties and are good for the eyes. Either way, go find some curry leaves today then make this utterly flavorful and so delicious Fat and Happy Spicy Lentil dish!

Grilled Corn with Ancho Chile Pepper Cashew Cream and Citron Salt: An Elote Experiment

Elote, the ever popular Mexican street fare that is seen both on a stick and served in a cup with a spoon. Is it the golden charred corn or the the scrumptious toppings that lures peckish patrons in?  Honestly, the corn just becomes a vessel for the creamy mayo, crumbled cheese and lime. But just thinking about the juicy corn nibbles rolling down my forearms makes me want to lick them now.

It's in my DNA to tweak recipes so you know already my version is going to have a twist or two. First enter twist one - their are sad people out there who can't (or don't) eat dairy. It's torture to watch your friends slobber over their dressed up corn while you push around your naked cob. Until now. With the help of raw cashew it's a snap to make a dairy free cream. It sounds daunting, I know. The idea of  'soaking cashews' sounded challenging, difficult and not all that yummy, quite honestly, when I first heard about it. But once I finally worked up some ambition to give this a try, I've learned cashew cream is pretty simple. The hardest part is to remember to soak them before you need them. Add in chili pepper, garlic and some fixings and the results are sorta magical.

Twist number two- a package of Citron Salt landed in my mailbox as a strange ingredient. What if lemon replaced the typical lime in the Elote? The pale yellow nodules created  perfect harmony with the corn and pepper cashew cream, not to mention adding a real nice little crunch too.

A Fat and Happy Elote experiment gone right. Oh, did I mention how much healthier my version is?

Boozy Marshmallow Popcorn Balls

Everybody has a weakness. First there was Achilles and his heel. Then came Superman and kryptonite. Now it's Monique and popcorn balls. Who knew??

A few weeks ago I asked Facebook fans what type of childhood snack they would like to see recreated. There were some great answers (many of the Fat and Happy viewers had impressive childhoods!) but the one that caught my eye was a boozy popcorn ball. At that moment I knew this would be my Halloween post.

Popcorn ball recipes are abundant but there's no real secret to them, just caramel and popcorn. I have an absolutely foolproof soft caramel that I use for drippy caramel needs. And I've created one for Chocolate Bacon Caramel Popcorn; it is the sticky ball portion that eludes me.

My first pumpkin batch curdled and was too wet to stick together. It was tasty though so I figured I was on to something. The next rum batch seized up - essentially 1/2 cup of rum makes the caramel too drunk to spread among all the popcorn. Between candy thermometers, hard and soft ball stage, and handling hot molten lava... it's complicated.

Here's where it gets simple - a classic marshmallow mixture fills in for the troublesome caramel sauce. Turns out marshmallows are liquor friendly...and rather sticky to boot!

Sweet and Hot Pepper Relish Pasta - Gluten Free Optional

Summer conjures up emotions of carefree days and uncomplicated meals. Running through sprinklers and washing cars mean more than slaving in a hot kitchen. It just feels like the right time to simplify life.

At the beginning of summer, a jar of Sweet and Hot Pepper Relish came to me as a secret ingredient. Admittedly, this seemed like a challenging ingredient; most people would agree that this is an item enjoyed as is, nothing really needs to be done to it.

But my goal with secret ingredients is to make an actual recipe out of it, so I needed to pull out my thinking cap.  But summer-lovin means it had to be elementary, like tossing in a pasta dish that has the versatility of being served hot, cold or room temperature.

My love for all things pickled and relished is not a secret. I've been known to eat spoons of tangy, fiery and vinegary substances directly from the jar. I did question whether the sweet side of the relish would be too sweet for a savory pasta dish, but coupled with the chewy pasta, hot pepers and the salty cheese it worked great.

Cumin-scented Apple Cheese Pie Amuse Bouche

Amuse Bouche is a funny name. It rolls off the tongue okay, but it ultimately comes out like a drunken sailor attempting to fit in at a ladies afternoon tea party.

It's a single, bite sized appetizer that is meant to 'amuse' the palate; to tempt the senses for more. Often these are free tokens offered before your meal or between entrees which can help to set the tone of what is to come.

It can also be nothing more than showmanship of a chef's oversized ego as well.... but I love the hell out of these singular bites of intense flavors.

This can be an easy way to elevate your party and sneak in another nosh without adding a full course to the dinner. But don't be fooled at their tiny size, they can become as much work as your main entree if you let them.

This amuse bouche spoon of sauteed apple meets savory cumin and creamy triple cheese is a fun and simple tempting bite that could be used before a meal or maybe leading into a dessert course. It's a play on the Midwest tradition of adding a slice of cheddar cheese to your apple pie and it's just fun.

Homemade Creme de Menthe and Basil Mint Chocolate Shamrock Shakes

Recently I came across a couple of different recipes for making homemade creme de menthe; with St Patrick's day right around the corner and visions of shamrock shakes clouding my judgement, how could I say no.


Both recipes are great in their own right. The first is very much a knock-off of the classic green, bottled creme de menthe and only takes minutes to make. While the other is a more refined, upscale, sipping (if you will) creme de minth. If you are short on time go with the quick option and you won't be disappointed.

For the longer, steeping version I used natural cane sugar my sister brought back from Hawaii for me (another successful secret ingredient!) and I opted to let the color be natural rather than fake green. This method takes 2 days for steeping but the result is a subtle, almost caramel-ly mint liqueur. In both cases I preferred these chilled and opted to keep in the refrigerator for storage.

Now the questions is what to do with the creme de minth. This time of year it only makes sense that a shamrock shake is warranted. But rarely can I stick with the easy options; I wasn't looking to make a difficult recipe- just to elevate this yummy shake. The simple addition of fresh basil added to layers of mint shake and chocolate cookies and you've got a fricken delicious dessert!

Recipe Swap: Wild Rice Pancakes with Smoked Mahi Mahi

I've lost all sense of the days. So when I saw an email reminder for the February Recipe Swap happening today I nearly fell out of bed. I was sure I had another week to play in the kitchen. Nope, turns out I had about 5 hours. ACK!

This swap was to remake a wild rice salad. I sat stunned for a moment holding my coffee cup exactly 1 inch a way from my lips. The intoxicating smell snapped me out of my trance. There is always wild rice in my pantry thanks to my Minnesota connections. Hundred of wild rice salad variations have made their way through my kitchen...but I was feeling this recipe needed to be more just a salad. Savory pancakes came to mind as a wave of long forgotten creativity waved over me; then a moment of remembrance brought the whole dish home.

Just a few weeks ago we were battling to reel in beautiful Dorado (Mahi Mahi) while deep sea fishing in Cabo San Lucas. We grilled our catch for our group as a celebratory dinner on our last night; luckily we had one of the largest catches smoked to bring home with us. This smoked Mahi Mahi is a perfect accompaniment to the wild rice.

Recipe Swap: Pumpkin Maple Zabaglione over French Toast

Zabaglione - sounds fancy, doesn't it? Simply put, it's a delightfully light egg and alcohol custard. Deceivingly easy to make, the required constant whipping creates tiny bubbles that give this custard its light and airy 'foam' texture.

There are many versions of Zabaglione but traditionally it's a dessert made with Marsala and often served with fruit or spooned over a cake.

Because this is a Recipe Swap, how could I stick with a dessert version? Savory ideas from cheese to spicy pepper meandered through my mind, yet the idea of a sweet custard would not stop interfering.

A Pumpkin Liquor sent by great friends as a Strange Ingredient gave me the inspiration and base for this recipe. Imagine a Pumpkin Zabaglione with a hint of maple dripping down the side of buttery golden brown french toast. Plus Dave loves french toast and I've been forcing him to eat a lot of healthy dishes this past week, so it will be the perfect surprise breakfast.

Recipe Swap: Blueberry Applesauce Wacky Cake with Crumb Topping

 

When this months Recipe Swap recipe came through for a wacky cake, I thought how fun, and what easy cleanup. A wacky cake is one of a group of cakes that were popular in the depression era; popular thanks to their ease and accessibility to cheap ingredients. Containing no eggs or butter, they are stirred together in the same pan as cooked in.

The recipe swap rules state you must change at least 3 ingredients and/or the cooking method; essentially make it your own. Initially I set out to keep true to the depression ease and simplistic-ness of the original recipe and ingredients, but somehow Grand Marnier fell into my cake and it just went from there.

Instead of using cocoa as the base, this was my first opportunity to use one of my new Strange Ingredients a friend sent in, vanilla powder. To keep the calories down, I opted for applesauce in place of the oil, for that reason, the texture of this cake is reminiscent of a quick bread. When you get a good forkful of the cake, a blueberry and the crumb topping, it makes for one good fat and happy bite.




Tips and Techniques: Switch up the flavor of this cake with ease by changing the fruit filling. Try Strawberries, peaches or apples! If you don't have vanilla powder, either add an extra tablespoon of the Grand Marnier or add a teaspoon of liquid vanilla extract.


Burwell General Store Recipe Swap: Blueberry Applesauce Wacky Cake with Crumb Topping


Blueberry Filling for Wacky Cake
1 cup frozen blueberries
2 Tbls sugar
squeeze of lemon
1 tsp corn starch

Make the blueberry filling first.  Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan, cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to use. This step can be done a day or two ahead of time.

Butter Crumb Topping
2 Tbls butter, room temperature
2 Tbls flour
2 Tbls powder sugar


Place all the ingredients on a plate, use a fork to mash the dry ingredients into the butter. Once it is all combined, set aside until ready to use.

Vanilla Powder Wacky Cake

1 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbls vanilla powder
1 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup water
1 tsp champagne vinegar
1 Tbls Grand Marnier
5 Tbls applesauce

Have the blueberry filling and the crumb topping ready. Once you add the vinegar to this cake, you need to work quickly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Have the one cup of water ready. In a greased 8 1/2 x 8 1/2 baking dish, sift in all the dry ingredients and stir with a fork. Make 3 holes in the flour and place the Grand Marnier in one hole and the applesauce in the second. Quickly add the vinegar to the third and then pour in the water while stirring everything together with a fork.

Spoon the blueberry filling over the top of the cake, and then crumble the butter crumb topping on top of the filling.  Place in the oven until a toothpick comes out just about clean, the crumb topping will not brown so don't look to that as an identifier. My cake took around 40 minutes or so but keep an eye on it - it's better to under cook this than over cook.

Remove from the oven and cool slightly. If serving this warm, a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipping cream would be a fantastic addition.

Please take a moment to visit my fellow Recipe Swappers

Lindsay was the first blogger I asked to do the swap.  I found her blog after a day of surfing around looking for new recipes, and became hooked by the honesty and simplicity written into her recipes. She loves Oregon, its ingredients and Portland's lifestyle, and it shows.

Chef Dennis joined us on the Lemon Cake swap.  A veteran chef in his own right, we are lucky to have his Italian Lemon Pear Cake contribution to the swap.  The rest of his fantastic food blog can be seen at morethanamountfull.

Mari lives in Oregon wine country and is a budding wine connoisseur.  I fell in love with her use of Pinot Gris in the glaze for her (gluten-free!) Lemon Cake swap, which was her inaugural recipe with us. Visit her at The Unexpected Harvest.

Boulder Locavore’s  starting point for the recipe swap is always a local-seasonal-organic combination, though her love of international cuisine and cocktails often work their way into the mix!

Joy, holding down a dairy-intolerant household, doesn't let that restrict her love of flavors and food, in fact, I think it inspires her to do what she does. When you visit her blog, be sure to check out her "ubiquitous about page" and the balcony gardening category.

Monique has been food blogging since 2007, and was very gracious as I talked to her about my personal project of the recipe swap while on a professional work call with her. It must have gone okay, because she joined in, and her first recipe was a BLT-inspired chicken pot pie.  I'm so glad to have her on board.  

Shari is our first International participant!  Writing from down under, we cherish her voice in the swap because she brings the results of additional recipe challenges; the seasons are flipped from where most of us are blogging.  Her first swap was Grandma's Chicken Pie and Drop Biscuits, which she made in the dead of summer.

Jennifer's tag line says it all: Life is too short to eat bad food.  At her blog, Adventuresome Kitchen, you will find a passionate food-type, feeding her family amazing meals and living to blog about it. Jennifer joined in at Grandma's Chicken Pie and Drop Biscuits. 

The Cake Duchess.  The name says it all, and Lora's recipes are rock solid, creative, decadent, inspiring. What other adjectives can I throw at her?  Her innaugural recipe was Grandma's Chicken Pie and Drop Biscuits, a rare savory recipe for her to develop. 

Pola is a new blogger from Italy, transplanted to the cold Midwestern plains. After years of calling mom to check on cooking times and temperatures of family Italian recipes, she started writing them down. In the process, she is hoping to help new friends discover how to cook simple and authentic Italian food. 

Mary is a lifelong resident of the San Francisco Peninsula and was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2007. Her search fora  gluten-free chocolate chip cooke that didn't taste, look or feel gluten-free inspired her blog and she's been happily baking ever since.

Jamie blogs at Random Acts of Food and has a love for food that only an Italian could! She enjoys cooking and baking in all cuisines for her family and friends.  Originally from Long Island, Jamie now resides in Boston with her amazing boyfriend.

Crissy and Lauren are two recent college graduates who are embracing their passion for all things culinary in the smallest yellow kitchen that ever was.  Their balanced diet of equal parts savory and sweet helps them add a little zest to what they do best!

Claire blogs with Texas pride from Dallas. She loves chicken fingers, Law and Order SVU and is left handed. We are excited to have her!

Nay blogs about food at Spicy Living from Portland, Oregon, and joined in on the Lemon Cake swap.  She incorporated lavender and lemon into cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

Cindy, co-worker, food lover, all-around awesome person.  I may have guilted her into the swap, and then I found out her knowledge about US restaurants is almost encyclopedic so I know she's game. Check out her quirky and fun blog.

Sabrina Modelle blogs at The Tomato Tart from the San Francisco bay area, and for her first swap (the Lemon Cake) she made a Brown Sugar Lemon Rosemary Cake with Rosemary Caramel.  How's that for inspiration?

Sandwich Series: Quinoa Filled Rice Paper with Pistachio Citrus Vinaigrette

 
When you hear the word sandwich, does your brain immediately conjure up slices of meat and cheese between two slabs of bread? Welcome to the modern sandwich age where bread, meat and cheese are not required

But what does that leave you with, you ask? For starters, how about wrapping a quinoa salad with see-through rice paper. It's a great change from a salad, delicious and healthy! The quinoa is loaded with protein and the addition of fresh spinach rounds out the nutritional value.

To really punch it up, the pistachio citrus vinaigrette takes advantage of pistachio oil with its deep complex flavor derived from pistachio nuts. Plus this is another Strange Ingredient sent by great friends of the Fat and Happy blog!

Take a walk on the wild side of sandwiches with a fat and happy quinoa filled rice paper wrap. Who knows where this crazy new-age inspiration might lead you after lunch!


Tips and techniques:  Easily substituting rice in place of the quinoa for a simple change in flavor and textures.


Sandwich Series:  Quinoa Filled Rice Paper with Pistachio Citrus Vinaigrette

3 cups cooked quinoa
1 tomato
1 apple
1 small yellow pepper
4 radishes
1/2 cup fresh parsley
2 celery stalks
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
salt and pepper

Pistachio Citrus Vinaigrette

zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
chives
2 Tbls grape seed oil
3 Tbls pistachio oil
1 Tbls sugar
salt and pepper

For the sandwich

4 Rice papers
2 cups fresh spinach (1/4 cup per sandwich)

Cook the quinoa according to package directions. While that is cooking, dice up the vegetables, place in a large bowl and add the quinoa when it is ready.

Whisk together the vinaigrette, add salt and pepper to taste, you'll need about a teaspoon of each. Drizzle a tablespoon of the dressing over the spinach along with a pinch of salt and pepper and toss. Pour the remaining dressing over the quinoa mixture and toss well.

Fill a large, shallow plate with warm water. dip the rice paper in the warm water to soften it.  Place a layer of spinach on the middle third of the rice paper. Add one cup of the quinoa mixture. Slowly begin to roll the paper, folding in the edges. Remoisten the final edge to hold the paper together if needed. Slice in half and enjoy.

Blizzard Baileys, Kahlua and Chocolate Scones

Chicago has been hit by a blizzard.  A real bona fide blizzard. On Facebook this morning I counted 5 different nicknames for this Blizzard of 2011: 
Snowtorius 2011
Snowpocalypse
Snowpocolypsamaggedon
Snowacan
Blizzaster



Last night there was thundersleet and thundersnow- it was actually lightening and thundering during the snow storm. This clip from Weather.com caught the action of both the thunder and lightening, check it out- it's cool!

So along with the snow was the horrendous wind that found it's way through our windows, under the doors and down the vents. It's been chilly in here. When I woke up this morning I put a little Baileys in my coffee to warm up. And then I thought how great a scone would be great with my coffee. Then I thought how great would it be if there was Baileys in my scone?  With Kahlua and chocolate too???

Before I knew what hit me the the oven was on and my hands were in a bowl of flour. I like to use applesauce in scones to keep the fat down, but do apples and Baileys really go together? And do calories count during a blizzard? After a few modifications to one of my classic scone recipes, the scones were nestled in a toasty oven doing there thing.

I'm just going to say it, sooo goood! Warm, moist, dense and fluffy all at the same time. The chocolate chips are needed to add depth to the Baileys and Kahlua so don't skip them. It's like a breakfast cookie, absolutely fabulous and a perfect start to a Fat and Happy snow day!

Tips and Techniques:  You can make these ahead of time, form them into shapes, lay flat on a cookie sheet and freeze. Once frozen, pile them into a freezer bag. When you are ready to bake, simply drop on a cookie sheet, brush with milk and bake. I added just a touch of protein to these scones by using cooked quinoa, you could easily substitute dry oatmeal instead but I would also add a few tablespoons of milk as well.

Secret Ingredient:  My friend Marianne brought me a secret ingredient a few weeks ago, as I thought about these scones this morning the first thing that came to mind was how that the crystallized honey would make a super topping in place of sugar. It gives a nice mild honey flavor that blends with the liquor. Thanks Marianne!


Baileys, Kahlua and Chocolate Scones

2 cups flour

1/3 turbinado sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbls cooked quinoa
1/4 - 1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 Tbls chilled butter
1/3 cup Baileys
1/3 scant cup Kahlua

3 Tbls olive oil
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
For topping (optional):  milk, crystallized honey or turbinado sugar, cocoa nibs, cocoa powder

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and quinoa).  In a smaller bowl mix the wet ingredients (Baileys, Kahlua, olive oil, egg yolk and vanilla).  Cut the chilled butter into smaller pieces and add to the dry ingredients. 

Using your fingers, work the butter into the flour until the butter forms pea-sized pieces. Add in the wet ingredients and mix with a fork just to combine everything.  Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Remove from the frig, sprinkle a little powder sugar on the counter and pat out the dough to desired height (I go for roughly 1/2 inch).  Use a knife to cut the dough into triangles. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, brush the tops with milk or egg, then top with desired toppings (crystallized honey, turbinado sugar or cocoa nibs.) 

Bake at 375 degrees for about 16 minutes (depending on the size of your scones.)  The scones will be nicely browned on the bottom and lightly browned on top. The are best enjoyed the same day.

Fall Spiced Pumpkin Jello Shots

Jello shots are the new ice cream. Last year I couldn't stop making delectable frozen treats, but now it's all flavored gelatin-ized liquor and I see nothing wrong with this.
 
These pumpkin jello shots took a few turns before the final recipe but my motto is to eat your mistakes- so it wasn't all bad. Super spicy with a hearty fall undertow, these are not for the weak at heart; topping with whipped cream is essential to get the full pumpkin pie jello shot effect.


If you want to really kick the content up on these fall jello shots, run out today and get this alcoholic whipped cream (called Cream). We were shocked at how strong this is! It's an odd product, completely shelf stable. After trying this on the jello shots, our friend ran out and bought a can for a torrid weekend rendezvous...word is that it was well received but the hotel staff may begin to ban it!

Lame Jello shot flavors blow, get on the fat and happy bandwagon and make it interesting.

Fall Spiced Pumpkin Jello Shots


1 cup chai tea
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbls white sugar
1 package of unflavored gelatin 
1/4 cup chilled vanilla vodka
1/4 cup chilled vodka
Spice mixture (recipe below)

In a sauce pan, heat 1/2 cup chai tea and the brown and white sugar until the sugar is melted.  Add in 1/2 tbls of the spice mixture. Remove from heat and sprinkle the gelatin over the tea, whisking to combine.  Let sit for 10 minutes.

Add the vodka and the remaining tea, stir to combine.  Strain the mixture to capture any undissolved gelatin, then pour into small jello shot cups.

Refigerate for at least 3 hours. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Spice Mixture
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 ground clove
1/2 tsp ground allspice
pinch of ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground ginger

Mix the above ingredients in a bowl and set aside until ready to use.

Yukina Savoy Quiche with Spicy Pepper, Cherry and Pine Nut Relish

I'll admit it, I had no idea what Yukina Savoy was when it arrived in my first CSA, fresh from the farm, delivery box. Sure the name helped to define it (yukina savoy tender cooking greens) but I needed more. 

A quick search told me that this delicate green is similar to spinach without the bitterness that can often accompany it. Spinach can also leave an odd film on my teeth after eating it (does this happen to anyone else?)  The yukina savoy did not- another bonus.

Sauteing these greens with a bit of garlic allowed a nice flavor to come through.  Then I dunked those wilted greens in eggs and yogurt and baked them till they puffed up.

The slightly spicy, sweet and nutty relish helped this dish to shine. So call it a crustless quiche, a frittata, baked eggs or egg casserole... it's all the same.  Delicious!  And a super easy way to experiment with a new fat and happy vegetable.

Tips and Techniques:  Substitute spinach or Swiss chard for the yukina savoy.



Yukina Savoy Quiche with Spicy Pepper, Cherry and Pine Nut Relish

3 eggs
3 heaping Tbls of Greek yogurt (plus some for topping)
1 large garlic clove, finely diced
2 cups of yukina savoy
1 Tbls shredded Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Heat a saute pan over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil. Chop the stems of the yukina savoy into small pieces, add the stems and the garlic to the saute pan; cook for few minutes. Add the rest of the yukina savoy, toss and cook for a about 4 minutes until the leaves begin to wilt. Remove from heat.

Whisk together the eggs and the Greek yogurt with a pinch of salt and fresh black pepper.  Pour the egg mixture into a small casserole dish.  Add the sauteed yukina savoy and cheese to the eggs, pushing the  savoy into the egg.

Place in a pan in a preheated 400 degree oven until the middle is set. The eggs will become quite puffed up, and if you shake the pan, the eggs will not appear runny.  It's easy to overcook the eggs so check them often or they will become dry.  The eggs will deflate quickly after removing from the oven, serve immediately with the pine nut relish (recipe below) and a scoop of Greek yogurt (optional).



Spicy Pepper, Cherry and Pine Nut Relish

1 heaping tbls dried cherries (or craisins), finely diced
1/2 cup finely diced red pepper
1 large garlic clove, finely diced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
3 tbls olive oil
1 green onion, diced
3 tbls toasted pine nuts, lightly chopped

Place the dried cherries and green onions into a small bowl, set aside.
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil in saute pan, heat over medium-high heat.  Add the diced red peppers, cook for 1 minute.  Add in the diced garlic and cook for about 3 minutes until the garlic begins to soften and releases its' flavor (toss often).  Pour over the cherries.

In the same pan (do not wipe out) add the red pepper flakes and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Simmer the flakes over medium heat for about 3 minutes to season the oil.  Pour the oil in the peppers and cherry bowl.  Top with the toasted pine nuts, set aside until ready to use.

Lychee Bellini

What the ...?? What are those crazy little fruits on branches?  We were in the fish market the other day when I found these fabulous fresh lychee branches.  It's rare to find something like this outside of Chinatown- and in a fish market no less!  We walked out with a cooler of live lobsters and a bouquet of lychee's.

If you haven't had or seen a lychee before, here is what they look like. A reddish rind covers the translucent-like flesh wrapped around a somewhat poisonous pit growing on branches.  The flavor is reminiscent of flowers- sweet and fragrant; it's not going to be everyone's favorite. 

Chutney's, jams and muffins all came to mind as I pondered what to do with this strange ingredient.  I also think a barbecue sauce would be fantastic.  Ultimately, though, I didn't want to change the fruit itself, which narrowed the options.  Friends popped by with a bottle of champagne and an idea was born.  By simply blending the lychee's with a little fresh orange juice and black pepper, we had lovely, flowery mimosas to start our day.

Strange ingredients are so fun to play with, don't avoid them.  Buy them, taste them and experiment - you may just be sending me a new fat and happy recipe!

Tips and techniques:  You can freeze the lychee right in their rind. Simply pop them in the freezer as-is and remove about 30 minutes prior to using. Save one or two of the lychee halves to decorate the glass with (I ate too many of mine and didn't have enough left over for my photos.)



Lychee Bellini

5 peeled lychee's (2 more for decoration)
1 fresh orange
a turn of fresh ground black pepper
1 bottle of champagne

Place the lychee's in the blender, squeeze the juice of the orange into the blender and add a twist or two of fresh ground black pepper.  Blend until smooth.

Fill 4 champagne glasses about one quarter full with the lychee puree, top with champagne (stir if needed) and add a  lychee fruit half to the edge of the glass. Serve immediately.

Pepita and Sunflower Seed Snack Mix

I'm an eater.  Much like a horse, if left to my own devises, I would eat until my stomach blew up.

To help combat overeating at meals I plan out snacks to have mini meals throughout the day; eating 5-6 mini meals keeps your metabolism going and is a healthier option than a few large meals. While eating this way keeps your metabolism revved up, it's a commitment that takes planning.

This seed snack mix is a super simple healthy recipe to put together, it's all the tastes and textures you want in a snack-- sweet, salty and crunchy.  The addition of flax seed helps with cholesterol levels and keeps your digestion system working well too.

Take this sweet and salty treat beyond a snack - try it as a breakfast granola over yogurt or sprinkle on your ice cream for a little crunch addition.  However you decide to enjoy it, this is one snack that you'll look forward to all day and will help keep you from grazing the pastures.  Commit to being fat and happy without an exploding stomach!


Tips and Techniques:  Store this in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks. This is also a great give away for holidays or party favors- just fill a cellophane bag and tie with a colorful ribbon.

Sunflower and Pepita Snack Mix

1/2 cup raw Sunflower Seeds
1/2 cup raw Pepita Seeds
1 Tbls flax seed
2 Tbls maple syrup
1/4 cup Dried blueberries
1/4 cup Banana chips (optional)
a few pinches of course salt

Toss the sunflower, pepita and flax seeds in a bowl with the maple syrup, stir well to coat all the seeds.  Pour onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, spread thin. Sprinkle with the course salt.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, it's really just long enough to roast the nuts.  Keep a close eye on them to avoid burning.

Remove from the oven, cool.

Once cooled, break apart the seeds.  Add in the blueberries and the banana chips, toss to mix.

Rosemary Acai Cocktail

Is there such a thing as a 'healthy drunk'?  Can liquor be good for you?

The little acai berry has garnered its fair share of press lately for its potentially powerful level of antioxidant activity; this little superfood is said to be better for you than a blueberry. Products from juice to face cream to shampoos are now touting the benefits from adding acai in the ingredient list.

So an acai liquor should not come as any surprise; it was the obvious next choice after acai berry toothpaste.

It's a clear liqueur similar to a sweet-flavored vodka, it mixes well with simple syrups and fruits.  Martini's are a given, cocktail concoctions are endless and I might even use this in place of gin in my classic sangria recipe.

Honestly, do I think this delightfully tasty drink offers real benefits of the acai?  Hardly.  Even if the antioxidants make it through the fermenting process, the liquor itself probably outweighs those benefits.  I wouldn't substitute a cocktail in place of my morning workout and daily fruit intake but there is no reason I can't add into my daily routine, just in case....

Tips and techniques:  Make the simple syrup ahead of time so it has time to cool.


Rosemary Acai Cocktail
Rosemary simple syrup (recipe below)
1 shot Acai liqueur
Club soda (roughly 1/4 cup per glass)
1 small lemon quartered and a few slivers for garnish
Fresh rosemary leaves for garnish


Choose an 8 oz cocktail glass and add a few ice cubes.  Add a scant 1/2 cup of simple syrup, one shot of acai liqueur and a squeeze of lemon per glass. Top the glass off with fresh club soda, use a rosemary stem to give it a quick stir.  Garnish with the fresh rosemary and a sliver of lemon.

Rosemary Simple Syrup

6-8 large sprigs of Rosemary
2 cups water
2 cups sugar

Heat the water and sugar over medium heat, stir, until the sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat

Add the fresh rosemary sprigs the sugar water and cool to room temperature. Set in the refrigerator (or freezer) to chill.  Once chilled, remove the rosemary and follow the acai cocktail recipe above;  makes enough simple syrup for 4 cocktails.

Pumpkin Butter Biscotti

 A few weeks ago I made pumpkin butter, a lot of it.  Who know how much two little baking pumpkins would produce!  Now I'm looking for ways to use up this pumpkin butter - not that we aren't enjoying it just as it is on simple toast and biscuits, but there is something to be said for diversity.  Plus, I haven't been making any treats for Dave lately so this was the perfect opportunity to transform pumpkin love.

There are thousands of biscotti recipes out there and everyone has their own preference whether it's hard and crunchy or softer and chewier - my preference is for the way biscotti was originally created.  It should be a hard substance meant to withstand long travels and for dunkin'.  So what makes mine better than the others?  I like it.  You make yours' your way and I'll make mine my way.  One big difference can be the use of actual butter; the butter will make a softer biscotti as well as less cooking time and the cookie will not last as long.

I'm not saying this is the end-all-be all biscotti recipe.  I think each flavor requires tweaking; what works for this pumpkin butter biscotti may not work for an anise biscotti.  I also think you could substitute apple butter for the pumpkin, or use a pumpkin puree.  Taste the dough though, to see if it needs extra spices- I made my pumpkin butter quite heavy on the ginger for that extra kick! Oh, and I used pearl sugar on top (a strange ingredient sent to be by loyal readers!) as a tasty and decorative topping.

One of the other reasons I made up this recipe is for Dave to have an optional quick breakfast bar in the morning. To keep it on the healthy side, I used oats, whole wheat flour and pecans.  Since there is no butter in this recipe- it's not a bad option. Sure there is sugar, but call it a trade off!  How often can you use one food item as a breakfast item, a bread or side dish, an appetizer or a dessert? It's a rare fat and happy transformer treat!

Tips and Techniques: Store in the freezer for a fast snack, side or dessert anytime!  The biscotti are easier to handle if you make two small loafs out of the dough rather than one.

Scrumptious Pumpkin Butter Biscotti with Chocolate and Pecan Chunks
1 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup oats (use the old fashioned version, not the quick cooking)
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
3/4 cup pumpkin butter (or pumpkin puree)
1 Tbls Soy Cream (or regular cream)
1 tsp ground ginger
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of salt

crushed or chopped pecans (roughly 1/2 cup)
chopped chocolate (I prefer bittersweet, but you could use basic semi-sweet chocolate chips), roughly 1/4 cup
Pearl sugar (for topping decoration)

Sift all the dry ingredients into a big bowl.  Mix together the egg, vanilla, pumpkin butter and soy cream, stir into the dry ingredients to combine.   Add the pecans and chocolate.  The dough will be really sticky.  Sprinkle 1/4 cup flour on the counter.  Lightly roll/knead the dough into the flour. Let me repeat, the dough is super, super sticky- do the best you can, just to incorporate the flour.

Cover a baking sheet pan with parchment paper.  Divide the dough in half and form 2 logs on the pan.  Sprinkle with pearl or raw sugar, more nuts or even more chocolate.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until the biscotti is firm in the middle.  Remove from oven, let rest for 15 minutes.  Turn the oven down to 225.  Slice the biscotti, lay each piece back on the parchment lined pan.  Return to the oven for about 1 hour.  Test the cookies, you might want to take them out early for slightly chewy cookies or leave them in longer for the extra crunchy cookies.

Pine Nut Ice Cream

If you've been reading this blog at all, you would know I'm completely addicted to making ice cream. It started over a year ago with Guinness Ice Cream; it's rare for me to use recipes I haven't created, but that was the first and only time I've used some else's ice cream recipe. Since then I've been making it up; might have had something to do with the 15 yolks in that recipe!

The idea for the pine nut ice cream came from Dave and I trying to come up with a flavor to match the anise cookies we were making for Easter. Sure, a basic orange, lemon or even coffee would have paired well with the anise, but I do like to try for 'random' flavors. Plus I see the pine nut as a very Italian nut.

This may be the creamiest ice cream I've created yet. So creamy that you could almost eat it straight from the freezer without letting it thaw slightly. My friend Carolyn thought it reminded her of the Spanish turron (nougat) candy from her days of living in Spain.

Once again, this is slightly savory, not a super sweet ice cream- so one small scoop will do. And I think it's a more of a holiday ice cream rather than an everyday- but go nuts! When you're craving a truely creamy ice cream, this is the one! Try it today and tell me you're not Fat and Happy!

Pine Nut Ice Cream

2 cups cream
1 cup milk
1 cup pine nuts

Begin by warming the cream and milk (make it hot, but do not boil it) and toasting the pine nuts.

Place in a blender:
the warm, toasted pine nuts
pinch of salt
1/2 cup of sunflower honey

Begin to blend, adding in small scoops of the warm cream mix to help the nuts blend. Continue to blend until completely smooth.

In the mean time, whisk together until light and thick:
3 yolks
1/2 -3/4 cup sugar (use more for a slightly sweeter taste)

Pour the blender mix back into the cream pan, heat to just below boiling. Temper the egg yolks with the hot cream. Over medium heat, stir until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Be careful not to push this step too fast using high heat, you don't want to cook and scramble the eggs. Strain the cream to get any nut chunks out of it. Cool in an ice bath.

It's now ready to be placed into your ice cream machine, follow directions that came with your machine. At this point I prefer to let the ice cream sit in the refrigerator overnight before freezing in the ice cream machine- I've tested this theory before and I truly believe it helps the ice cream to be smoother and more flavorful. But if you need it immediately, go ahead and make it, it's still going to be fabulous!