Homemade granola - better than store shelve bags & boxes

Got 15 minutes? Make homemade granola. It won't take you longer than 15 minutes to prep your ingredients and get them in the oven. If you keep a decently stocked pantry, the ingredients are probably at your disposal. If they aren't, they won't be hard to find. Seek out your nearest grocery store that has a decent bulk section. Warning - this stuff is addictive and your living quarters are about to smell like a bakery.

Homemade Granola

Ingredients:
4 cups old fashion oats

1 1/2 cups nuts – any combination (I like half raw almonds, half pistachios, slightly crushed)

1 1/2 cup seeds – any combination (I like raw sunflower seeds, flax seed meal & raw pumpkin seeds)

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes/chips

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup dark brown sugar (light is fine too)

1/3 cup Grade B Maple syrup (the real stuff)

1/4 cup honey

5 tablespoons unsalted butter or 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil to make it vegan

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup dried fruit – optional

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300˚F

2. Place the oats, nuts, seeds, coconut and salt in a large bowl. Place the sweeteners, butter* and vanilla in a small saucepan and heat on medium, stirring often, until the sugar has melted & the butter has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Let it come to a rolling boil for 1 of the 5 minutes. *If using olive oil, whisk it into the melted sugar mixture after it has boiled. Pour hot liquid over the dry goods and using a rubber spatula, stir to evenly coat.

3. Divide the granola between two rimmed baking sheets that have been lined with parchment. Reynold's brand now sells a non-stick pan lining paper that has foil on the underside & parchment on the top which is fantastic because it will stay put in the corners. Spread the granola out until it’s flat and evenly distributed. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the trays from front to back & top to bottom halfway through the baking process. After 30 minutes, take out the trays and use a heatproof spatula to stir granola. Rotate the trays again and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Take trays out of the oven and let cool completely. Mix in dried fruit if desired. Store in an air proof container. Eat by the handful, serve with milk or layer with Greek yogurt & berries to make a delicious parfait.

Makes roughly 12 cups of granola

Note: it's a forgiving recipe so feel free to play around with the ingredients some

Recipe inspired by Bi-Rite Creamery's Sweet Cream & Sugar Cones Cookbook

 

Simple black bean burgers with a side of healthy

Black bean burger topped with pineapple salsa & avocado

True Food Kitchen's raw vegetable bouquet with tzatziki

I love a good homemade black bean burger. I love them so much that I have written about them before (here). With a few simple ingredients, most of which I have on-hand, I can forget about eating meat for a night without hesitation. That’s actually most nights for me. Who needs meat when you have filling fiber & protein rich black beans topped with avocado as a substitute? On the side of my burger, I enjoy raw veggies & tzatziki dip as inspired by the uber healthy True Food Kitchen Cookbook. Those traveling to or residents of Phoenix, Colorado, San Diego & LA can have TFK's bounty year round but for those of us inland, TFK's cookbook is a good substitute for the health conscious home cook. To round out the meal I garnished my black bean burger with a simple pineapple salsa & avocado.

For a stunning party presentation as seen in the second photo, serve the veggies with the tzatziki dip in a big bowl or colander. This idea was taken straight from the True Foods Kitchen in Phoenix. I couldn't resist sharing. I hope you do too!

Black Bean Burgers with Avocado & Pineapple Salsa

Burgers:
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, peeled and shredded or chopped (about ½ cup)
1 15oz can black beans, rinsed & drained (I like Whole Food's 365 brand no-salt added)
½ cup cornmeal
½ cup bread crumbs (I use whole wheat which I keep in my freezer)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup of water
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup store bought or fresh made pineapple or mango salsa

Black bean burger instructions:

1. In a large non-stick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add onions and let cook, stirring often, until tender & slightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add in the carrots & a pinch of kosher salt. Cook until carrots become soft, about 5-10 additional minutes, again stirring often to prevent a burnt mess. Transfer onion mixture to a large bowl.

2. Add beans, cornmeal, breadcrumbs, chili powder, salt, cilantro and water to the bowl with onion mixture. Use a large spoon, fork or your hands to mash it all together. If the mixture is too dry to hold together, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

3. Using your hands, form the bean mixture into 6 equal sized patties. In a nonstick or cast iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat and pan-fry 3 patties for about 3 minutes on each side, until lightly browned and crisp. Before pan-frying the remaining 3 patties add the last 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet and once heated, begin cooking the patties 3 minutes per side. Serve on toasted whole wheat buns with salsa, sliced avocado & a side of raw veg with tzatziki dip.

Serves 6
Black bean burger recipe from Chloe's Kitchen

Note: black bean burgers freeze well. Freeze each on a parchment lined sheet tray. Once frozen pop them into a Ziploc & defrost individually as needed.

Raw Veggies & Tzatziki

Tzatziki dip:
1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 cup 2% Greek yogurt
1-2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 scallion, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded & minced
Zest & juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Seasonal veggies of your choice:
green and yellow green beans (blanched)
snow peas
broccoli stems
thin asparagus spears, tough ends snapped off
cherry tomatoes
long and thin carrots or baby carrots
cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise
Red and white Belgium endive, separated into spears

Dip instructions:

1. In a bowl, whisk together the mayo & yogurt. Whisk in the remaining dip ingredients. Taste & adjust seasoning. Chill & serve as desired.

Makes 2 1/2 cups
Recipe from True Food Kitchen

Simple Chinese chicken salad

The finished dish - Chinese chicken salad

blanching snap peas



napa cabbage 



rainbow radish

peeling ginger with the back of a spoon

salad ready to be tossed with miso sesame dressing

By this point in the winter season, I have had my fill of stews, braises and other comforting one pot meals. Now it's time to start thinking about spring! Lighten up your dinner table with a crunchy, colorful and slightly nutty Chinese chicken salad. This is no Wolfgang Puck Chinese chicken salad nor is it a riff my favorite from Comforts in San Anselmo, California. Rightfully so, those salads have serious followings. They are destination salads with a sweetness I enjoy but dare not touch. Instead, my version of a Chinese chicken salad has been influenced by a sugar snap pea salad from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook which also happens to be this month's cookbook project. Enjoy!

Chinese Chicken Salad
1 pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
1/2 lb sugar snap peas

1/2 lb napa cabbage, leaves stacked & cut into thin strips (3 cups)

5 romaine lettuce leaves, shredded like cabbage

1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

2 radishes, quartered & thinly sliced

3 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias

1 tablespoons sesame seeds, well toasted (heat a dry skillet over medium high heat, shaking pan constantly, until golden brown, about 4 minutes)

1/2 cup shredded carrots (or grate one medium carrot)
1 seedless tangerine, peeled and split into sections (or use canned)

Sesame-miso dressing

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, peeled

2 tablespoons miso paste or low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste) or 1 tbsp creamy peanut butter

1 tablespoon honey

1/3 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons olive oil

1. In a large bowl, place shredded/chopped chicken. Set aside.
2. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water and set on your counter while water snap peas cook. Boil sugar snap peas for about 1 minute, or until just barely cooked but still crisp. Scoop them out of water with a large slotted spoon and drop into ice water to stop the cooking. Once they have cooled, drain and pat dry. If desired, cut peas on the bias into thin slices or leave whole. Toss in with the chicken.
3. To the salad bowl also add the cabbage, romaine, almonds, radish, scallions, 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds, carrots and tangerine segments.

4. Meanwhile, to make the dressing, place all but the sesame and olive oil in blender. Give it a quick whirl to combine the ingredients and chop the garlic. While the motor is running, slowly drizzle the oils through the removable inner lid until the dressing comes together. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

4. Toss salad with half the dressing. Taste and add more if needed. Sprinkle salad with the remaining sesame seeds. Serve mounded in the center of each plate.
Note: this salad also tastes great without chicken.

Serves 4-6

Miso-Curry Delicata Squash with Sweet Potatoes & Kale

Delicata squash de-seeded & sliced

Sqash & sweet potatoes covered in salty miso curry glaze

 

Kale removed from center stalk & roughly chopped

Deliciousness - kale, squash, sweet potatoes & delicata squash

A dish that incorporates delicata squash, sweet potatoes, pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) & kale is what I consider soul food! It's nourishing, from the earth and layered with sweet & salty flavors. Enjoy this little gem of a recipe, another Super Natural Everyday experiment gone well.

Miso-Curry Delicata Squash with Sweet Potatoes & Kale

12 ounces delicata squash (long, small yellow with green striped squash or peeled & cubed butternut squash)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup miso paste (red or white)
1 tbsp red Thai curry paste
1 lemon, freshly juiced
1 medium sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into small chunks
1 1/2 cups chopped kale, center stems removed
1/3 cup pepitas, toasted, or tamari pumpkin seeds (look for them in the bulk section)
2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1.     Preheat the oven to 400° with a rack in the middle of the oven.

2.     Cut the delicata squash in half lengthwise and use a spoon to clear out all the seeds. Cut into 1/2 inch thick half-moons. The skin of this squash is edible so don’t worry that you haven’t peeled it.

3.     In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, miso, curry paste & lemon juice. Combine the sweet potatoes and squash in a large bowl with 1/3 cup of the miso-curry paste. Use your hands to toss well, then turn the vegetables onto a rimmed baking sheet; arrange in a single layer. Reserve bowl for later use in step 4. Roast for 15 minutes, until the veggies are starting to brown.  Pull out of oven; using tongs, mix the veggies & let rest before proceeding to the next step.

4.     Using the original squash bowl, toss the remaining curry paste mixture with the kale leaves. Once coated add the kale to the baking tray with the squash & sweet potato. Toss everything together as gently as possible. Put tray back in the oven and continue roasting for 10-15 more minutes. Keep a close watch to avoid burnt squash or potatoes.

5.     Toss the roasted vegetables gently with pepitas and cilantro. Serve family style in a large bowl or on a platter.

Note: to make this a meal, serve with your favorite grain such as quinoa. Toast pepitas in a hot, dry, large skillet until golden brown and puffed, about 5 minutes with continuous movement in the skillet.

Recipe adapted from Super Natural Everyday

New Year's evolution

One of many cupcakes - sliced in half & layer with glaze here

butter, water & cocoa powder in step 2

flour, egg, sour cream mixture in red bowl from step 3 along with the melted butter cocoa from step 2

cupcakes & a shot of milk

Doesn't a New Year's evolution sound so much better than a resolution? It does to me. Since most resolutions involve self-improvement, maybe it's time to throw them out & start over with a new, brighter way to look at a fresh year in the history of you. Besides I don't love the thought of concocting a New Year's resolution on New Year's Eve when everyone else has been thinking about it for days, weeks or since their previous year's resolution fell off the radar. It happens; it's a lot of pressure, so this year I declare to evolve. Maybe you will too!

My good friend Erin is planning on evolving this year by baking more. Baking can be a great place to start if you are testing the waters in the kitchen & you like the idea of precision. Below is a recipe that will turn even the most fearful baker into a confident pastry maker. This unbelievably rich chocolate cake requires no mixers or special tools beyond the basics. It's a recipe I came across in last month's cook book project which, by the way, was started prior to the New Year. A product of Bi-Rite Market's Eat Good Food, this chocolate sour cream bundt cake with chocolate glaze is foolproof. Little secret - I haven't actually made it in the form of bundt cake. I have used the batter to make cupcakes which have turned out great on several occasions. The next time I need to make a formal two layer cake or a bundt cake even this will be my go-to chocolate cake recipe. I hope this year you find more time to evolve in your own home kitchen. It will be messy but also so delicious!

Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze

Cake:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan if making a cake
• 1/3 cup (1 ounce), good quality unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups (9 ounces) all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 

Glaze:

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (or make it easy & buy chips)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons agave nectar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F. Butter and flour a 10- or 12-cup Bundt pan and set aside. Or make cupcakes & line the pan with paper liners.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa powder, salt, and water and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring, just until melted and combined. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. Place the flour, sugar, and baking soda in a large bowl and whisk to blend. Add half of the melted butter mixture and stir with a spatula until completely blended (the mixture will be quite thick). Add the remaining butter mixture and whisk until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until completely blended before adding the next egg. Whisk in the sour cream and vanilla until smooth.

4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then invert onto a rack. Let cool completely before glazing. If making mini-cupcakes, bake for 11-13 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. If making regular size cupcakes, bake for 18-20 minutes.

 

The glaze

1. Just before glazing the cooled cake/cupcakes, place the chopped chocolate and agave nectar in a medium bowl and set aside. Combine the heavy cream and sugar in a small saucepan and put over medium heat. Stir constantly until the cream is hot and the sugar is dissolved. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. If the glaze is exceptionally runny, let it sit for a minute or so to thicken.

2. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake, allowing it to drip and dribble down the sides. Alternatively dip the tops of each cooled cupcake into the glaze one at a time.

 

Recipe from Bi-Rite Market's Eat Good Food

Versitile pesto that pops

whole wheat spinach & ricotta raviolis with pepita pesto

 

 

In our spare time, my friend Carrie & I have been cooking up a storm. She lives in San Francisco while I live in Oklahoma City. We share many things in common especially our love for food. Not to mention both of us have sizable cookbook collections. Last November we decided to put our overlapping cookbooks to the test. Each month we pick one cookbook that both of us own and cook from it. When we run out of overlapping cookbooks, we will alternate cooking from our own personal favorites. We choose 4-6 recipes per cookbook, compare notes along the way, take photos and discuss overall our likes, dislikes & adaptations we have made. Though we can't taste each other's creations, we are doing something delicious with the stacks of inspiration that line both of our kitchen walls.

This month we are finding inspiration from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Everyday. I have blogged about her oat cakes before. Her popular blog has produced two delightful vegetarian cookbooks. Though I am not a vegetarian, I love eating like one most days of the week. Here's an easy pesto that will add pop to any pasta, soup, sandwich or scrambled egg dish you whip up in your own kitchen. Happy cooking & sharing with those near and far!


Pumpkin Seed Pesto

1 cup toasted pepitas (green pumpkin seeds found in most grocery store bulk bins)
1 bunch clean cilantro leaves & trimmed stems
2 cloves garlic, peeled but left whole
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (leave it out to make this a vegan pesto)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 small serrano chile, halved & de-seeded*
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:
Place all of the prepped ingredients in a blender or food processor except the olive oil. Pulse your machine a few times before letting the motor run. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue to blend until smooth, stopping to scrap down the sides as needed. Add up to an additional 1/3 cup of olive oil if needed. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or lemon juice. Recommended uses: salad dressing, pesto for pasta, a spread on sandwiches, as a garnish for soup or mixed in with scrambled eggs.

Keep pesto stored in a jar in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe slightly adapted from Super Natural Everyday

Note: to toast pepitas (pumpkin seeds), evenly spread them on a hot skillet, shaking every few seconds until they start to brown on all sides & pop.
*if you have disposable latex gloves, wear them while taking the ribs & seeds out. The heat will otherwise stay on your hands for a few hours.) A jalapeño would work here too.

Holiday Baking - bake like a pro

The finished product

 

Par-baked crust just out of the oven

To core pears, slice in half lengthwise, quarter each half, then with knife a 45 degree angle cut out the seeds/core

Pears in place

followed by custard poured on top

I have neglected this blog for way too long! I have no excuses besides I just got busy with my real job & life. I haven't stopped cooking, baking or teaching cooking classes but I did take a long break from sharing delicious recipes. Hopefully I am back! 

This Provencal Pear Tart recipe is from a cooking class I assisted my dear friend Jodi Liano, from the new San Francisco Cooking School, with a few years ago. This is a recipe that she adapted from Patricia Wells At Home in Provence. I have been making this simple, delicious tart ever since Jodi introduced me to easy baking! Bake a like a pro or at least fake being a pro with this simple crowd pleasing tart. It's perfect for any holiday table!

Provencal Pear Tart

CRUST:	FILLING:
½ c. unsalted butter, melted and cooled (1 stick)	½ cup heavy cream
½ c. sugar	1 egg
1/8  t. almond extract	½ teaspoon almond extract
pinch of salt	2 T. honey
1¼ c. plus 1 tablespoon flour	1 T. flour, sifted
2 T. finely ground almonds
	4-5 firm but ripe pears such as Bosc (I used Harry & David gifted pears I had on hand in these photos)
	Confectioner’s sugar, for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Make the crust by combining the melted butter and sugar in a medium mixing bowl.  Add the extract, salt, flour and almonds. Stir just to combine.  Transfer the dough to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and press evenly into the sides and bottom of the pan.  Bake on a sheet pan until dry, about 15-20 minutes.  Set on a rack to cool and leave the oven on.  While still warm, use a fork or the bottom of a measuring cup to press the dough down if loses its shape from baking.

While the crust is baking, whisk together the filling by combining the cream, egg, extract and honey in a medium mixing bowl.  Mix well and gently whisk in the sifted flour. 

Core the pears and cut them in very thin slices, lengthwise.  Starting from the outside edge of the crust and working to the center, arrange the pears in a spiral circle with the rounded end of the slices facing towards the outside of the pan.  If you have enough pear slices, repeat with another layer of pears on top of the bottom layer.  Pour the filling mixture over the pears and return the tart to the oven.  Bake until the filling is set and the crust is golden brown and the custard has set, about 20-30 minutes.  Cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.  Dust with confectioner’s sugar and slice.

Serves 8

 

(adapted from Jodi Liano, SF Cooking School)