Raspberry Vinaigrette

Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

1 TB all fruit raspberry jam
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp agave nectar
1 TB fresh citrus juice (orange is my favorite)
2 tsp filtered water

1. Combine all ingredients in small bowl and whisk together.

This is good with any salad, but I especially love it with this Chicken, Apple and Candied Pecan Salad.

Brown Rice with Parmesan, Lemon, and Herbs

I made this for dinner last night...it is now one of my favorite side dishes!

Brown Rice with Parmesan, Lemon, and Herbs

1 C brown rice

water, or chicken broth for a richer flavor

2 TB unsalted butter

1 small onion, chopped medium

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/4 C minced fresh parsley leaves

1/4 C chopped fresh basil (I didn't have fresh so I used about 1 TB dry)

1 ounce Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (about 1/2 C)

1 tsp grated zest and 1/2 tsp juice from one lemon

1. Place rice in medium saucepan. Place your index finger on top of the rice and fill with water/broth until it reaches the first knuckle of your finger.

2. Bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as you can see the bubbles boiling up through the rice, cover and reduce to low. Let simmer for 45 minutes. Do not remove the lid before 45 minutes.

3. Meanwhile heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until foaming; add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until transparent, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Once the rice is done, flush with a fork. Stir in onion, pepper, parsley, basil, Parmesan, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Cover the dish with a clean kitchen towel; let the rice stand for 5 minutes; serve immediately.

*Adapted from The New Best Recipe Book

Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake

This is delicious! Decadent and rich. I have been trying to not eat dairy so I modified a recipe and used coconut milk in place of cream.

Ingredients:

1 cup whipping cream or coconut milk
2 1/2 cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
7 organic free-range eggs
1 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar

1/8 tsp stevia extract

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Organic cacao powder for dusting

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the inside bottom of a 9 inch springform cake pan with a circle of parchment paper. Wrap a large piece of foil around the outside of the pan, covering the bottom and sides, to catch any leaking drips. Set aside.

In a medium sauce pan, gently heat the cream/coconut milk over low heat. When the cream is fairly hot, melt the chocolate chips by adding them slowly to the pan as you whisk. Add the butter, in pieces. Whisk until the chocolate and butter are melted. Add the vanilla extract. As soon as the mixture is melted, smooth, and glossy remove it from the heat.

Using a wire whisk attachment, beat the eggs, light brown sugar and sea salt until the eggs are foamy and doubled in volume, roughly 3-4 minutes.

Slowly add the cooling chocolate mixture to the eggs, and beat gently until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

Bake in the center of a pre-heated oven for one hour, until the cake is set and cracked. It will still appear a bit loose in the center, underneath. This is fine.

Place the cake pan on a wire rack to cool. When the cake is close to room temperature, lightly cover and chill the cake overnight.

Before serving, gently loosen the cake from the sides of the pan using a thin flexible spatula. Release the Springform clasp and remove the ring.

Dust the cake with a sifting of cacao powder with maca and drizzle raspberry sauce (recipe to follow) over the top. Serve with a few fresh raspberries is desired.

Raspberry Sauce

2 C raspberries (frozen or fresh)

1/4 C fresh squeezed orange juice

1 T orange zest

1/2 C agave nectar

Process the raspberries in a blender until smooth (if using frozen, thaw first). Strain the raspberries through a strainer to remove the seeds.

Place the raspberries, orange juice, zest and agave in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Simmer until thickens slightly. Remove from heat and cool before serving.

Key Lime Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I made these for my birthday treat. They are delicious!!! Definitely a keeper.

Key Lime Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 3 dozen full-size cupcakes.

2 sticks (or 16 tbsp.) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups natural cane sugar (I used 1 1/2 cups palm sugar and 1/2 agave nectar)

3 cups flour (to make gluten free use 3 cups GF All Purpose Baking Flour and 3/4 tsp Xanthan Gum)

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup sour cream, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2/3 cup key lime juice, either from real key limes (about 15 key limes) or bottled. (zest 6-7 of them limes, before you juice them, for the frosting)

For the icing:

2 sticks (16 tbsp.) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups (16 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 TB key lime zest

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line muffin pans with paper liners or mini muffin pans with mini liners.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides then add the key lime juice. Turn the speed to medium-low and beat for another minute. Stop the mixer.

Sift together the flour, (xanthan gum), salt, and baking soda in a bowl. With the mixer on low speed (stir), add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Fill the cupcake liners to the 2/3-level with batter. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes for full-size or 15 minutes for mini. They’re done when a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.

While the cakes cool, make the icing. Mix the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed until the sugar incorporates, then turn it up to high and whip for about 3 minutes. Spread the frosting generously on top of each cupcake.

For fancier frosting, put the icing in a gallon sized ziploc bag and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Cut the bottom corner of the bag and pipe a dot of frosting on, then pull up. Continue until the surface of the cake is covered.

Makes 3 dozen full-size cupcakes.

Original recipe here.

Banana Cream Pie

I made this for Thanksgiving dinner. It was delicious!

Prepared Pie Crust, prebaked (I used the recipe from the New York Cheesecake so it was gluten free and it was perfect with this pie. Recipe follows at the end of the recipe.)

3 large egg yolks

1/2 C agave

3 TB arrowroot powder

pinch of sea salt

1 1/2 C milk

1 TB butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 C heavy cream or coconut cream

3 or 4 ripe but firm bananas, sliced

1. Beat the egg yolks in a heavy saucepan.

2. Add agave, arrowroot powder, and salt. Beat until well combined.

3. Stir in milk.

4. Place the pan over medium heat and add the butter. Stir constantly about 5 minutes, until the mixture is thick and bubbly. (It will go from a thick syrupy consistency to "custard" in an instant.)

5. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

6. Pour the custard into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap that rests gently on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Chill for 2 or more hours.

7. Whip the cream until stiff.

8. Gently fold into the chilled custard.

9. Spoon approximately 1/3 of the custard mixture into the prebaked pie crust and spread evenly.

10. Layer the sliced bananas over the custard layer and top with the remaining custard. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6-8 hours.

If desired top with more sliced bananas and Whipped Cream. Enjoy!

Nutty Pie Crust

1 C raw macadamia nuts
1 1/4 C shredded, unsweetened coconut
1 t vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
3 TB agave nectar
3 TB almond flour/meal (I didn't have any almond flour so I blended up some oats and used those)

Place the macadamia nuts, 1 C of the shredded coconut, vanilla, salt, and agave nectar in a food processor or high speed blender; process until ingredients are well combined. Pour mixture into a mixing bowl and mix in the remaining 1/4 C shredded coconut and flour.

Press mixture evenly onto bottom and sides of a greased pie plate, set aside.

Agave Whipped Cream

2 C Heavy Whipping Cream

1/3 C agave
1 TB pure vanilla extract

Whip cream until thickens. Gradually add in agave and vanilla and beat until soft peaks form.

Cilantro Lime Dressing

I made a Southwest Steak Salad tonight and this dressing was a perfect accompaniment.

Cilantro Lime Dressing

1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded (the original recipe calls for 1 seeded jalapeño but my family are all wimps)

2 cloves of garlic

3/4 tsp minced fresh ginger

1/3 C fresh lime juice

1 TB honey or agave nectar

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

1/2 C packed cilantro

1/3 C extra virgin olive oil

Place all ingredients in blender and blend well. Best if refrigerated for a couple of hours prior to serving.

The ginger sounds like a strange ingredient, but don't leave it out. It is very subtle, but adds a great flavor.

Shepherds Pie

I know Shepherds Pie is usually a cold weather meal, but it just sounded so good! I don't mind using potatoes, but I already had my starchy veg and grains for the day so I decided to do mock mashed potatoes instead. So delicious! You won't even miss the potatoes. You can use regular mashed potatoes if you wish.

Shepherds Pie with Garlic Mock Mashed Potatoes
Serves 4

Garlic Mock Mashed Potatoes
Serves 4

1 medium head cauliflower
1/4 C low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 C grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp minced fresh garlic
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
2. Clean and cut the cauliflower into small pieces. Cook in the boiling water for about 6 minutes, until well done.
3. Drain well. Do not let cool. Pat the cooked cauliflower very dry between several layers of paper towels (otherwise our "potatoes" will fall apart).
4. With an immersion blender in a deep bowl or in a food processor, pulse the hot cauliflower with the cottage cheese, parmesan, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth.


Filling
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can green beans, drained (or frozen, thawed)
1 can corn, drained (or frozen, thawed)
2 TB flour (I used a GF flour blend)
1 C chicken broth (or water)
2 tsp tomato paste
1 TB olive oil
dash of worcestershire sauce
dash of hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute until just soft.
3. Add ground beef and cook until browned through.
4. Add flour and mix well. Add corn, beans, broth, tomato paste, w sauce, hot sauce and salt and pepper. Let simmer until thickens.

Put filling mixture into a 9X9 inch glass baking dish. Spread the "mashed potatoes" over the filling, covering it all the way to the edges. Bake for 25 minutes until heated through. Serve and enjoy!