I made a Honey Holiday Parsnip Loaf for this month’s Recipe ReDux theme of Creative Quick Breads:
The holiday baking season is upon us. And this month we’re going way beyond grandma’s banana bread. From sweet to savory and whole-grain to gluten-free, show us your new quick bread creation fresh from the oven.
This recipe uses a mix of oat, whole wheat and almond flours so we can all feel good about getting our whole grains and fiber. Continue reading
This month’s Recipe ReDux theme is nuts!
We had to take advantage of the fact that National Nut Day (October 22nd) falls on one of our ReDux monthly theme post days – so we can all go nuts! Share a healthy nut-filled recipe: Think whole nuts, chopped nuts, ground nuts, nut butter and/or nut flour. And Happy Nut Day!
I am here to tell you that it is okay to put whipped cream in your oatmeal…well, whipped macadamia “cream.” Since macadamia nuts, like cashews, are very buttery and fatty, they blend up into a rich cream. Unlike making nut milks, making a nut cream uses the entire nut without discarding any nut pulp, so you get the creamy texture and the beneficial fiber all in one. Continue reading
This month’s Recipe ReDux theme is: “Fresh from the Garden: The season of bountiful produce has arrived. Whether your produce comes from the farmers’ market, a CSA share, or a plot of dirt out back, show how you are using fresh July fruits or veggies. And if you have gardening successes – or failures – please share!”
It seems that every year I try to produce a mini urban windowsill “garden.” In years past, I’ve tried my hand at growing dill (didn’t make it past adolescence) and nasturtium (got one or two flowers), and replanting a basil plant from the grocery store (the leaves grew back teeny tiny and few and far between).
This year, my snap pea plant grew about 4 snap peas before the plant decided it had enough of this New York City heat and died on me last week. My peppermint is barely hanging on right now, and the tarragon is looking a tad limp.
But, somehow the thyme is looking good. So, I will count my blessings and use it while it’s hot! Continue reading
I just made a batch of Smitten Kitchen’s Maple Cluster Granola. She uses an egg white in her recipe as a protein “glue” that creates wonderful clusters. Genius. Since I have a “nothing to waste” attitude, I saved the yolk and immediately made room in the freezer for my Cuisinart ice cream bowl.
As I was putting the container of fresh-baked granola away in the pantry, I re-discovered my bag of Culinary English Lavender (grown in Long Island). With lavender, a little goes a long way, so I always have what feels like an endless supply of purple buds.
And so, Honey Lavender Ice Cream.
I just got back from a trip to visit California’s Bay Area and Sierra Mountains. Lavender seems to grow wild there, and in many other places, so if you have fresh lavender accessible, skip the purchased bag and go pick some!
This ice cream smells and tastes like a delicate flower, in a good way. I am almost tempted to lather a cold honey-lavender-ice-cream-mask all over my face, but the temptation to just eat the ice cream is much greater.
(psst…since we are on the subject, have you ever tried Dr. Bronner’s Lavender soap? It’s my favorite!)
Pair the ice cream with fresh strawberries or white peaches. Or serve it over your favorite summer fruit crumble, cake, or pie.
Find more Figs in my Belly ice cream recipes and flavors in the Recipe Index.
adapted from Bakeology by Lisa, using David Lebovitz technique
I used 1% milk and one fewer yolk than the original recipe because it was convenient for me and a touch healthier, without compromising on taste or texture
Place the bowl of an ice cream maker in the freezer for at least 24 hours.
Place the milk, salt, honey and lavender in a small pot and heat, stirring with a rubber spatula, until just scalding. Turn off the heat, cover, and let the mixture infuse for one hour.
Meanwhile, place the heavy cream in a bowl and place a mesh strainer over the top. Set the bowl of heavy cream into a larger bowl. Surround the larger outside bowl with ice water.
After an hour, re-warm the milk/salt/honey/lavender mixture. Mix the egg yolks in a small bowl. Very slowly and stirring constantly with either a whisk or a rubber spatula, pour some of the milk mixture (about 1/2 cup) into the yolks. Pour this mixture back into the pot with the remaining milk mixture. Continue to cook the custard over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Once thickened, pour the custard through the mesh strainer into the bowl of cream sitting in the ice water bath. Stir everything together and let it sit in the ice water bath until the ice cream base is chilled. Once chilled, refrigerate the mixture for a few hours. Churn it in the ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
After months of planning and a handful of snow-day cancellations, this morning I helped Project Director Chris Pawelski, Ed.D conduct a “composting and healthy snacks” session for seniors with mild memory loss in conjunction with The Memory Tree Program, Teachers College, and the Morningside Gardens Co-op.
The Memory Tree is New York City’s first program devoted to people with mild memory loss, and their family and caregivers.
This morning’s session was the beginning of a series of “Going Greener” workshops, continuing a previous project about nutrition, cooking and farmer’s markets. “Going Greener” came about as a way to learn how to keep the world healthy, seeking out composting operations in the community.
In short, we kicked off the first session with the idea that if everyone could start saving just one thing, it would help reduce waste and contribute to the idea of composting and giving back to the earth. After watching a video of how a local family organizes their food waste, we were inspired to designate a special bin where everyone could drop their used tea bags. Throughout the next few weeks, we will document how many tea bags we collect altogether.
Sometimes just starting with one small change makes a big difference.
I prepared a snack for the group to complement our “save your tea bags” theme: Ellie Krieger’s Earl Grey Spiced Fruit Compote. The recipe involves heating water with tea and honey, and adding in dried fruit, cinnamon, and a squeeze of lemon. A very simple recipe that requires little effort–just measure, dump, and simmer (need a knife just to cut a lemon wedge).
Throughout the “Going Greener” journey, we will encourage the seniors to share and document their experiences through picture-taking and media, so we provided digital cameras today for them to take pictures of the recipe ingredients, the finished recipe, and each other! Can’t wait to upload all of their pictures, but for now I am sharing my pictures.
Each participant received their own easy-to-follow copy of the recipe so they could see how it was made, and maybe even make it themselves at home.
Who knew dried fruit could be so gorgeous?! Even though it is technically spring now, the New York fruit season is not quite ready. The markets are still heaping with end-of-season apples and there is not a berry in sight yet. Until the spring fruit arrives, this spiced fruit compote is a great way to pack it in.
During today’s session, we served the compote with plain Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of granola. Water with lemon wedges for a refreshing beverage. I was impressed that everyone gobbled down the compote, and there were even requests for seconds!
Leftover compote is excellent atop pancakes, stirred into oatmeal, or spooned over a simple cake. Feel free to mix up the dried fruit, and add nuts or a splash of alcohol (rum, bourbon…) for a little kick.
Thanks again to Ellie Krieger for a great recipe.
Krieger says, “Tea and dried fruits rank among the most powerful of beauty foods. They contain concentrated amounts of compounds that protect the skin from sun damage, and they are linked with less skin wrinkling as we age.”
adapted from Ellie Krieger’s Weeknight Wonders
serves 4
3 tablespoons honey
1 Earl Grey tea bag
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 large lemon
1 cinnamon stick
optional: 4 whole cloves
Bring 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the honey, then immerse the tea bag in the water. Add the apricots, prunes, raisins, the juice from the lemon, the cinnamon stick, and if using, the cloves. Return to a boil.
Lower the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 4 minutes. Remove the tea bag, then continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens to a loose syrup, about 8 minutes more. Remove the cinnamon and cloves and discard (or compost!). Allow the compote to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Serve with toppings. I like a dollop of yogurt and granola, or instead of syrup atop pancakes!
The compote will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Nutrition per 1/3 cup serving (without toppings):
Calories 190; Total Fat 0g (Sat Fat 0g, Mono Fat 0.0g, Poly Fat 0.1g); Protein 2g; Carb 52g; Fiber 3g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 10mg
Good source of: Fiber, Potassium, Vitamin A, Vitamin K
Figsinmybelly 