Tag Archives: recipes

Lemon Tart for Two (or One)

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gluten free lemon tart n

Tart and sweet, just like a lemon tart is supposed to be. Bites to remind of us of Spring in the middle of Winter.

I’ve noticed that lemon tart recipes are showing up on some of my feeds. Deep in the heart of Winter (a low of negative 30-something Fahrenheit in Ulaanbaatar today) , I think many of us are longing for Spring. The bright yellow zest and the taste of fresh lemon does seem to bring the feeling of Spring into the house, even if only momentarily.

Last summer, I found some four-inch baking dishes that are the perfect size for the two of us to share. And if I happen to eat the whole thing (ahem), I shouldn’t feel too guilty. Tiny tart – tiny guilt. As a nod to my friends who can’t eat gluten, or eggs, or milk, I created this recipe without any animal products or wheat. I really wanted to see if I could make a tasty crust with a nut and oat combination. The tart filling turned out nice and custard-like with a lovely sweet and tart lemony flavor. The crust had a nice nutty crunch to it which paired perfectly with the filling. This dessert turned out delicious!

Lemon Tart for Two

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 1/2 tbsp oats
  • 1 1/2 tbsp finely chopped pecans
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • tiny pinch salt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tbsp applesauce

Filling

  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • tiny pinch salt
  • ¼ cup soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)
  • 2 tbsp water
  • juice of one lemon juice (about 3 tbsp)
  • zest of one lemon

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F (190C). Grease a 4-inch tart pan.
  2. Put the oats, pecans, and sugar into a food processor or blender and process until finely ground.
  3. Add the remaining dry ingredients and blend well. Transfer to a bowl and add the vanilla and apple sauce. Stir well until completely combined.
  4. Put the mixture into the tart pan. Press mixture with moistened fingers until it evenly covers the bottom and extends up the sides of the pan as far as possible.
  5. Put it in the oven and cook for 8-10 minutes, until it is crisp but not overdone. Set aside to cool before filling.
  6. Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small saucepan.
  7. Stir in the soy milk and water until completely combined.
  8. Heat until thickens over medium heat stirring constantly.
  9. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and zest (reserve a tiny amount of zest for garnish).
  10. Return to heat and continue whisking over heat for 2-3 minutes. Mixture should be smooth and lump-free.
  11. Pour mixture into the tart crust. Sprinkle reserved lemon zest on top of tart. Chill until set, about an hour.

 

 

Low Fat Cinnamon Almond Cookies

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Almond Cinnamon Cookies n

One cinnamon almond cookie to satisfy your sweet tooth coming up!

I admit it. I have a sweet tooth. I am a bonafide sugar addict. Jack claims he is not (although he seems to find my baked goods irresistible). With a renewed interest on putting a healthier twist to our recipes, but still keeping them tasty, I set out to transform a cookie recipe in my recipe box. It doesn’t even matter what this recipe was to begin with because it no longer resembles that recipe. The underlying premise of the recipe was that the cookie it created should satisfy my sweet tooth without being laden with bad fats. It also should add some protein and fiber to my day. I used yogurt cheese and applesauce to replace fats and add moisture. I swapped out some of the all purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour. The result of this experiment was successful enough to warrant its addition to our blog collection.  Of course, the serving size is one cookie. I cannot be held responsible if you like these cookies so much that you eat the whole batch to satisfy your secret inner cookie monster.

Low Fat Cinnamon Almond Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup low fat plain yogurt cheese*
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons smooth almond butter
1/2 tsp powdered lemon peel (or 1 tsp fresh lemon zest)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Top with mixture of 1 tbsp granulated sugar and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, yogurt cheese, applesauce, almond butter, lemon vanilla and eggs.
  3. In a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
  4. Stir flour mixture into sugar mixture.
  5. Scoop tablespoon-sized amounts of dough and place on prepared baking sheet.
  6. Slightly flatten cookies and sprinkle with topping made of sugar and cinnamon mixture.
  7. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes. Cookies should be puffy and lightly browned on edges and bottom.

Makes 20 cookies

*To make your own yogurt cheese, suspend cheese cloth in a plastic storage container. I use a rubber band around the mouth of a narrow storage container to hold the cheese cloth in place. Pour plain low fat yogurt onto the suspended cheese cloth. Set in refrigerator overnight. The next day, you will see the extra liquid will be at the bottom of the container leaving a nice thick spreadable product in the cheese cloth to be used in place of cream cheese.

Going Nuts! Two Ways to Do It

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2 ways Roasted Almonds n

Sweet or salty? Or a little bit of both. Two quick recipes to satisfy your sweet or salty tooth.

When we’re tired of nice crisp apples or sweet Satsuma tangerines as an between meals snack, or when we need a quick protein pick-me-up after a workout, we’ve been snacking on nuts. Almonds in particular are noted for healthy oils, vitamins, minerals, and fiber content. They are tasty raw. But they are even better when glammed up with salty or sweet accouterments. Both recipes, for cinnamon almonds and garlic almonds, are delicious snacks by themselves. These tasty morsels can also be added to breakfast cereals, salads, or vegetable side dishes to add a flavor and a nutritional boost. Today I give you the salty – Garlic Salt Almonds, and the sweet – Cinnamon Sugared Almonds.

Garlic Salt Almonds

Ingredients

  • 3 cups almonds
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely grated

Directions

  1.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (145 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Whisk egg white and water until they are nice and foamy.
  3. Whisk in salt and grated garlic.
  4. Stir almonds into egg mixture ensuring all almonds are covered in the mixture.
  5. Spread the mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet. Make sure almonds are in one layer.
  6. Bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven.
  7. Stir almonds, breaking up any clumps.
  8. Bake for another 15 minutes.
  9. Let cool and store in airtight container.

 

Cinnamon Sugared Almonds

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 cups whole raw almonds

Directions

  1. Combine water, sugar and cinnamon in medium pan over medium heat.
  2. Bring mixture to a boil.
  3. Stir in almonds.
  4. Continue stirring mixture until liquid evaporates. Almonds will have a sand-like coating.
  5. Pour almonds onto parchment paper. Spread almonds out, breaking apart large chunks. Allow to cool.
  6. Can be served warm or at room temperature.
  7. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

 

Slaw with Spicy Almond Ginger Dressing

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slaw with spicy almond ginger dressing n

Crunchy, tangy, spicy and packed with flavor. If this is eating right, we’ll take more!

With a renewed focus on taking good care of ourselves, we’ve been analyzing our fruit and vegetable intake. It is recommended by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention that adults our age consume two to three cups of vegetables a day. Our daily intake was not making the cut. We love flavor. We were not about to sit in front of cups of raw vegetables mindlessly eating in order to make the numbers. So we worked up a flavor-packed dressing and had a hard time putting the fork down.

Slaw with Spicy Almond Ginger Dressing

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup brown rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp almond butter
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp hot sauce (we like Cholula)
  • 1 tsp powdered ginger
  • 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
  • 1/2 tsp spicy garlic sauce (in the Asian food section)
  • 5 cups chopped vegetables (Cabbage and carrots should be the base. Add other vegetables to your liking. Bell peppers, edamame, broccoli… anything crunchy would work.)
  • Sliced almonds or other nuts as garnish

Directions

  1. Whisk together honey, oils, vinegar, soy sauce, almond butter, salt, hot sauce, ginger, garlic and spicy garlic sauce to make dressing.
  2. Pour dressing over chopped vegetables. Toss.
  3. Serve slaw garnished with sliced almonds or other nuts.

 

Heart Healthier Tangerine Dark Chocolate Scones

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chocolate tangerine scones n

Slightly sweet and packed with chocolately flavor. Our “bakery” turned out delicious, satisfying scones to start our day.

Scones are delicious. We like their slightly crunchy exterior and dense buttery interior. I’ve made them without cream, with local berries, and have even stuffed them with chocolate chips.  On my current quest to amp up the health factor, I swapped out some of the usual ingredients with others that are more heart healthy. This recipe used only one egg white as a binder. The cocoa powder boasts healthful antioxidants. Part of the white flour has been substituted with whole wheat to add more fiber. How did the recipe come out? Delicious! These scones are just sweet enough and are full of flavor. If you wanted more sweetness, you could sprinkle another tablespoon of sugar on top or even fold in some dark chocolate chips, but I really don’t think it’s necessary.  This turned out to be a good base recipe which could be tweaked by adding dried fruit and other spices. Definitely a keeper.

Tangerine Dark Chocolate Scones

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • pinch salt
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter, frozen
  • 1 egg white
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup tangerine juice
  • 1/2 cup lowfat plain yogurt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • zest from one tangerine
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar and chopped nuts for topping

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, sift together flours, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  3. Using a cheese grater, grate frozen butter into flour mixture. Gently mix with your hands making sure butter is coated in flour mixture. Set aside.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together egg white, tangerine juice, yogurt, vanilla and tangerine zest.
  5. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix with rubber spatula.
  6. Gather dough into a ball and pat into a 10″ circle on the prepared baking sheet. Cut dough into 8 wedges, but do not separate.
  7. Sprinkle top of scones with granulated sugar and chopped nuts.
  8. Bake for 25 minutes. Let scones cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet atop a wire rack before cutting.

Honey Apple Cider Vinaigrette on a New Leaf

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apple cider vinegret n

This tangy and sweet salad dressing will encourage you to eat lots of healthy veggies. It’s working in our home.

‘Tis the season to begin replacing the overload of holiday sweets with heathful fruits and vegetables. I can’t say all the sweets are gone, but Jack and I are certainly shifting the balance away from the cookies and pastries. Ok, we admit it. Our diet was entirely too rich. It was only a matter of time before the decadent butter, hedonistic heavy cream, fabulously fatty fried chicken thighs and all the rest of it were going to get us. We’ve been pretty good about not going crazy with portions over the years, but we realize it’s time for a more realistic and healthful change.

I’ve been researching recipes and recipe books which earn the description “healthy.” I’m not too excited about what I’m finding thus far. I was looking for gourmet recipes which meet my standards and also will pass our would-you-be-happy-if-you-got-this-in-a-restaurant test. So, it looks like I have a new quest – the showcasing and creation of healthful gourmet recipes. Sounds like fun to me!

We love salads – especially those big, fill-a-dinner-plate mixes crowded with a variety of color and lots of tasty ingredients. This salad dressing recipe is not fat free, salt free or taste free. It was borne out the desire to use apple cider vinegar as opposed to my favorite, balsamic vinegar. Quality balsamic is expensive and elusive in Ulaanbaatar. Apple cider vinegar is abundant. I mixed onion, freshly cracked pepper and a pinch of salt into the standard oil and vinegar dressing ratio. I then added Dijon mustard to emulsify the dressing and mixed in honey to balance the acid in the vinegar. Voila, a delicious dressing. Tonight it is going on a layered salad stacked with romaine lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, English cucumbers, and spring squash. It’s topped with Jack’s roasted skinless chicken thighs, pine nuts, sun dried tomatoes and a few flavorful shaves of parmesan cheese. Served with a mellow glass of wine and a slice of French bread, and we have ourselves a heart-healthy meal that passes the would-you-be-happy-if-you-got-this-in-a-restaurant test.

Honey Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tbsp dried onions
  • pinch salt

Directions

  1. Put all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake vigorously.
  2. Store unused dressing in a glass container with a tight fitting lid in the refrigerator.

Buckwheat – It’s What’s for Breakfast

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buckwheat pancakes n

Buckwheat maple pancakes stacked ten high. Hey, where’s the tenth one?

It’s new year’s eve in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Why wait for the new year to start adding some more healthful items to our menus? Today’s breakfast featured buckwheat, which boasts 12 grams of fiber in it’s nutritional makeup. Not only were they more healthful than our usual favorite, scratch pancakes for two, but they were quite tasty with their infusion of maple syrup. We wish all of our readers a happy and healthy 2016!

Buckwheat Maple Pancakes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buckwheat flour
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • pinch salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 cup soy milk

Directions

  1. Whisk together flours, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together egg, maple syrup and soy milk.
  3. Whisk in egg mixture to flour mixture until smooth. Consistency should be thick and not runny.
  4. Heat oiled pan over medium heat.
  5. Use 1/4 cup measure to scoop out batter and drop onto hot pan. Once you see bubbles forming on the top and the edges look a bit dry, it’s time to flip your pancakes. Cook for another 2 minutes.
  6. Keep pancakes warm in a low temperature oven while making the rest of the batch.
  7. Enjoy while hot with toasted nuts, fresh fruit, and real maple syrup.

Sweet Adzuki Bean Twist Bread

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Adzuki bean twist bread n

Soft, slightly sweet dough layered with sweet adzuki bean paste. Yum!

This turned out to be a ridiculous recipe mash-up. I had some adzuki bean paste in my freezer – it’s always a good idea to make a big batch of adzuki bean paste because of the time and effort it takes. (Click here for directions.) We’re always happy to have some on hand. It’s delicious in anpan, adzuki rolls, and in other delectable pastries like sweet adzuki bean rolls. It’s smooth and sweet. An added benefit is the high fiber and good source of B vitamins. I searched cutterlight.com for adzuki and was surprised to see how many of our recipes feature this yummy paste. This is definitely a pantry staple for us.

I took the dough recipe from my twisted loaf cinnamon bread and swapped out the cinnamon spread with adzuki bean paste. This bread creation was a meal in itself – a delicious breakfast with a side of freshly brewed joe. It was packed with the delicious flavor of the beans which perfectly complemented the dough. And the presentation was pretty cool, too.

Adzuki Bean Twist Bread

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup lukewarm milk
  • 1 tbsp  granulated sugar
  • 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup adzuki bean paste (recipe here)

Directions

  1. Mix milk, sugar and yeast together in a large bowl. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add the egg, butter, 1 cup of bread flour and salt. Stir well to combine.
  3. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  4. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
  5. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle, approximately 18″ x 12″.
  6. Spread adzuki bean paste over dough evenly. Leave about 1/2″ border.
  7. Roll up dough jelly-roll style to form a long log.
  8. Cut log down the middle, the long way.
  9. “Braid” by wrapping the two cut pieces around each other, always leaving the cut sides up.
  10. Pinch ends of dough so that they will bake together.
  11. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until golden brown.

 

Internationally Acclaimed Isabel’s Turkish Bean Stoup

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Isabellas Stewp n

Deliciously tangy and easy to make, you can serve this soup as a vegetarian dish – or add spicy sausage to satisfy your inner carnivore.

When I first met Jack, we were living in two different states. As our relationship grew, we spent more and more time together in each of our locations. After months of dating, it was going to be Jack’s birthday. Being the clever girl that I am, I hid his birthday present behind his refrigerator as I wasn’t planning to be in town for his big day. My genius idea was to call him on his birthday and surprise him from afar. Only a few days later, I get a call from Jack. You see, he had found his birthday present. The man I would eventually marry, I learned, had a penchant for cleaning – really cleaning. He had pulled out the fridge and was cleaning behind it when he came across my hidden surprise.

Fast forward to the present time… earlier this school year, we had a lovely houseguest named Isabel. She eagerly went on Mongolian adventures with us and shared our joy in sharing food. Isabel made a creation for us that we dubbed “Isabel’s Turkish Stoup.” She explained that it has Turkish seasonings and could be served as a stew or could be a soup. Her recipe was vegetarian, which of course, could be altered to satisfy our carnivorous tendencies. But we decided to taste Isabel’s recipe as she created it before making adjustments. We really enjoyed this recipe. The lemon juice adds a delightful tartness that brings all the elements together. We couldn’t get enough. We asked Isabel for the recipe, but as end-of-visits are usually busy, she left our home forgetting to give us the recipe.

Or so we thought…

Isabel is a clever girl, too. After hearing the story of Jack’s penchant for cleaning, she hid the recipe with a letter at the back of the top of the refrigerator. Who looks there, right? Sure enough, Jack decided to clean the kitchen and found Isabel’s recipe as well as a lovely thank you letter from her stay with us.

I was happy to have found the recipe. I whipped up a version of Isabel’s stoup. It was just as delicious as her version. Now, I will share with you, the internationally acclaimed (Isabel is German, we are American, the dish was made in Mongolia) Isabel’s Turkish Stoup. Thank you for sharing, Isabel!

Isabel’s Turkish Stoup

Ingredients

  • 2 cups chopped onions
  • 2 cups chopped carrots
  • 1 tbsp chopped garlic
  • olive oil for sauté
  • 1 cube bouillon
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 cups white beans
  • 4 14-oz cans of tomatoes (about 56 oz total)
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 3 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp marjoram
  • 4 tbsp lemon juice

Directions

  1. Sauté onions in a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot. Cook until onions are slightly translucent.
  2. Add carrots. Continue to cook until the carrots begin to soften.
  3. Add garlic and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
  4. Mix bouillon and tomato paste with water. Add to pot.
  5. Add white beans and tomatoes. Mix well.
  6. Add paprika, cumin, marjoram and lemon juice. Mix well.
  7. Allow mixture to simmer for about 15 minutes.
  8. Serve hot with delicious bread, like pesto mozzarella muffins.

Pesto Mozzarella Muffins

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Pesto cheese muffins n

Savory pesto and that delicious strip of baked parmesan cheese make an irresistible muffin. Soup’s up!

Toward the end of last summer, we began ordering vegetables from a local farmer here in Mongolia. The growing season is short, so we jumped at the chance for local produce. One week, I ordered a kilogram (over two pounds) of basil. Although I thought I had a general idea of what a kilo of basil would look like, my jaw dropped when my order arrived. It was a large grocery bag full of aromatic leaves and flowers. Every spare minute of the next three after-school afternoons were spent processing the basil – destemming, deflowering, and cleaning. After processing what seemed to be a mountain of basil, we made a purée of the leaves with olive oil and froze the end product in ice cube trays which we then packed into plastic zip-top freezer bags for winter use.

The work was worth it. The flavor of my first-ever batch of homemade pesto was phenomenally fresh and bright. It proved to be the perfect ingredient to infuse into a savory muffin to serve alongside a hot bowl of homemade bean soup.

Pesto Mozzarella Muffins

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup pesto
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  2. Grease 12 standard muffin cups
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, olive oil and milk.
  5. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture.
  6. Fold pesto and mozzarella into batter until it is evenly incorporated. Do not overmix.
  7. Divide batter evenly into muffin cups.
  8. Bake muffins until are golden and they spring back to the touch, about 20 – 25 minutes. A wooden pick inserted into the center of a muffin should come out clean.
  9. Serve warm or at room temperature.