Thursday, July 26, 2012

Kiwifruit Muffins Recipe




Cornmeal and whole wheat flour add texture and a healthy touch to kiwifruit muffins.
Prep Time: 15 minutes                     
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
 Ingredients:
•3/4 cup white flour
•1/2 cup whole wheat flour
•1/2 cup cornmeal
•3 tsp. baking powder
•1/2 cup sugar
•1/2 cup vegetable oil
•2 eggs
•1/2 cup milk•1/2 cup kiwifruit, peeled and chopped

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. /180 degrees C. Prepare pan: 9-inch (23 cm) cheesecake or spring form pan with 3-inch (7.5 cm) sides, lined with parchment paper.
Filling:
In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, ricotta, sour cream, and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in kiwi puree, flour, lime juice, and vanilla. Pour into prepared cheesecake pan. Bake in preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes or until the top is light brown and the center has a slight jiggle to it. Cool on a rack for 2 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before decorating.
Decoration:
Place sliced kiwis on top of cheesecake. In a small saucepan, bring apricot preserves to medium heat. Press through a sieve. Brush on top of kiwis. This will keep the fruit looking fresh.
Source: http://homecooking.about.com/od/muffinrecipes/r/blmuff24.htm

Kiwi Frozen Yogurt Pie Recipe

This simple pie has a fruit and frozen yogurt filling, topped with kiwifruit, strawberries, chocolate, and coconut. It looks impressive with very little work.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
•1-1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
•6 Tablespoons melted butter                                                              
•1/2 cup toasted shredded coconut
•3 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced thin
•1/2 cup chopped fresh strawberries
•2 pints strawberry frozen yogurt, slightly softened
•3 whole fresh strawberries cut in half
•1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips
•Toasted coconut for garnish
Preparation:
Combine chocolate cookie crumbs, butter, and coconut. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Freeze until firm.
Place a layer of kiwifruit over the bottom of the pie crust reserving 3 slices for garnish. Top evenly with the chopped strawberries. Spoon frozen yogurt over the top and mound slightly in the center. Freeze until firm.
Remove pie from freezer 10 minutes before serving. Cut remaining kiwifruit slices in half. Place kiwi and strawberry halves decoratively around the top of the pie. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and toasted coconut.
Slice pie and serve immediately.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings



Kiwi Cheesecake Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes         
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
 Ingredients:                        
Filling:
•2 packages (each 8 ounces/250 g) cream cheese, softened                         
•2 cups ricotta cheese, drained (see Tip) (500 mL)
•1 cup sour cream (250 mL)
•1-1/2 cups granulated sugar (375 mL)
•5 eggs
•3 medium kiwis, peeled and pureed
•1/2 cup all-purpose flour (125 mL)
•2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice (25 mL

Topping
•1 Tablespoon vanilla (15 mL)
•Decoration:
•3 medium kiwis, peeled and sliced thin
•1/2 cup apricot preserves (125 mL)
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. /180 degrees C. Prepare pan: 9-inch (23 cm) cheesecake or spring form pan with 3-inch (7.5 cm) sides, lined with parchment paper.  
Decoration:
Place sliced kiwis on top of cheesecake. In a small saucepan, bring apricot preserves to medium heat. Press through a sieve. Brush on top of kiwis. This will keep the fruit looking fresh.


Cantaloupe, Peach and Pineapple Smoothie

Servings:
2 Servings Size
Ingredients:
1 cup pineapple juice, unsweetened
1 cup cantaloupe, diced
1 cup peach, preferably frozen
1 cup pineapple, diced
Directions:
1Place ingredients in a blender & mix by using the on/off pulse function until mostly blended, then gradually increase the speed & continue mixing until totally smooth.
2Pour into 2 glasses & enjoy!

Kickin' Collard Greens

                                                                                                            
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 slices bacon
1 large onion,
chopped 2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 pound fresh collard greens, cut into 2-inch pieces
Directions
1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and cook until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, crumble and return to the pan. Add onion, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until just fragrant. Add collard greens, and fry until they start to wilt.
2. Pour in chicken broth, and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until greens are tender.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Pasta with Greens & Tomato Sauce

4 servings, 1 1/2 cups each

Ingredients

  • 1 pound collard greens, (about 12 cups), stripped from thick stems, washed, dried and coarsely chopped (1/2-inch pieces)
  • 2 ounces sliced pancetta, or bacon, finely diced (3/4 cup)
  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, (not drained)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 8 ounces medium pasta shells, (3 cups)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preparation

  1. Bring 2 cups lightly salted water to a boil in a large wide pan. Add collards and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and press out excess moisture. Set aside.
  2. Put a large pot of lightly salted water on to boil for cooking pasta.
  3. Cook pancetta (or bacon) in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until golden, 5 minutes. Drain; discard fat.
  4. Add oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring, for 30 to 60 seconds. Add the pancetta (or bacon), tomatoes and water; bring to a simmer, mashing the tomatoes with a potato masher or the side of a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes.
  5. About 10 minutes before the sauce is ready, cook pasta in the boiling water, stirring often, until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta.
  6. Add the pasta, collards and reserved pasta-cooking water to the tomato sauce. Heat, stirring, until the pasta has absorbed some of the flavors, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon into pasta bowls, sprinkle with cheese and serve.
taken from:
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/pasta_with_greens_tomato_sauce.html

Kiwi

Health Matters: Packed with antioxidants, a cup of kiwis contains more than twice the recommended daily dose of vitamin C, surpassing oranges. Kiwis are rich in dietary fiber and are a good source of magnesium and potassium, minerals that help regulate high blood pressure. Eating kiwis regularly may help aid digestion.

What: Native to China, kiwis were once called Chinese gooseberries. But the fruit got a name change in the 1970s when its fuzzy brown exterior inspired growers in New Zealand to rename it after the national bird, and the moniker stuck.

Why Try: A kiwi's chartreuse flesh has a sweet-tart flavor that ranges from tropical to honeyed to floral. Heat mutes those bright notes; kiwis taste best uncooked. They have a special affinity for citrus and tropical fruits. Like pineapple and papaya, kiwis contain an enzyme that's an effective tenderizer in meat marinades (and that prevents gelatin desserts from firming).

How To Buy and Store: The skin of a kiwi is thin, so check for bruises before you buy. Ripe fruit will give to gentle pressure. Firm kiwis will taste tart, but get sweeter if ripened at room temperature in a paper bag along with an apple, banana, or pear. Ripe kiwis will keep for about half a week in the fridge. Wash them just before using.

3 Quick Ways to Use Kiwis:
Mojito: Mash kiwi slices with lime juice, mint leaves, and sugar. Add light rum, ice, and soda water.
Fruit Salad: Mix kiwi slices with chunks of mango, pineapple, and banana; toss with chopped crystallized ginger.
Granita: Dissolve 1/4 cup sugar in 3/4 cup water over low heat; cool. Puree with 3 cups diced kiwis and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice in processor until smooth. Freeze until solid. To serve, scrape granita into icy crystals with fork.

Grapes!


what is it?
Plump and juicy, grapes come in colors ranging from jade green to lustrous blue-black. Wine grapes are harvested to make into wine, while table grapes are selected for sweet, full flavor, thin skins, and little or no seeds. Nearly all American-grown fresh grapes are grown in California and are picked when ripe by hand. Grapes are generally categorized by color and all colors have seedless varieties available.

Grapes are one of those fruits we’ve gotten used to seeing in grocery stores all year long. But those bland, lifeless bunches bear almost no resemblance to the grapes you’ll find at farmers’ markets in the fall season. Like any fruit at its prime, fall grapes are as good as they come: plump, fragrant, juicy—literally bursting with flavor. Fall is also the time of year when you’ll come across the widest variety of grapes, here are a few of our favorites:

Autumn Royal grapes have large, oval-shaped black berries. Sweet and straightforward, these seedless grapes pair well with salty foods like prosciutto and salted nuts.

Champagne grapes have delicate, sweet, pea-size berries that need gentle handling. These seedless grapes are not used in the homonymous French sparkling wine but are so named because they’re thought to resemble tiny bubbles.

Concord grapes have thick skins, juicy flesh, large seeds, and a strong strawberry-like flavor. They come in purple and white varieties and are ideal for juices and jellies.

Green Thompson
grapes are the top seller at the supermarket. Large and seedless, they have firm skins that make them very durable. Their mild flavor pairs well with citrus.

Muscat
grapes usually have seeds and come in black and white varieties. Prized for their honey-floral flavor and perfume, they’re used for both eating (they’re delicious with cheese) and making wine.

Red Flame
grapes are sweet in flavor with a crunchy texture. They’re ideal for both eating out of hand and cooking, as they keep their shape well and acquire a deeper flavor when heated.
how to choose:
Choose clusters that are plump and firm with no bruising, soft spots, or broken skins. Avoid bunches with stems that are toughened or browned with age.
how to prep:
Many grape varieties have a white powdery coating called "bloom". This delicate natural protection helps keep the grapes form losing moisture so wait to wash them until just before serving. Grapes should be rinsed in a colander under running water.
how to store:
Store grapes loosely covered in plastic wrap (a paper bag will also work) in the refrigerator without washing them. They should last about a week. When ready to eat or use in a dish, let them warm up a bit for the best flavor.

Acorn Squash with Chili-Lime Vinaigrette

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:
  • 2 (1 1/2 – to 1 3/4-lb) acorn squash
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh hot red chile, including seeds
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450°F. Halve squash lengthwise, then cut off and discard stem ends. Scoop out seeds and cut squash lengthwise into 3/4-inch-wide wedges.

Toss squash with black pepper, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons oil in a bowl, then arrange, cut sides down, in 2 large shallow baking pans. Roast squash, switching position of pans halfway through roasting, until squash is tender and undersides of wedges are golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes.

While squash roasts, mince garlic and mash to a paste with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Transfer paste to a small bowl and whisk in lime juice, chile (to taste), cilantro, and remaining 1/4 cup oil until combined.

Transfer squash, browned sides up, to a platter and drizzle with vinaigrette.

Acorn Squash Quesadilla

Ingredients:
  • 1 small/medium acorn squash
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 tablespoons diced white onion
  • 1 tablespoon minced jalapeno
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled and cut into strips
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 10-inch flour tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend of your choice (I used Muenster, not Mexican but worked great!)
  • Butter for frying quesadillas
  • Garnishes: Julienned radishes, crema or sour cream and/or salsa verde cruda
First, roast the acorn squash. Preheat the oven to 400° and lightly oil a baking sheet. Halve the squash, scoop out the seeds (you can save them to toast later, if you wish) and cut each half into half-inch slices. Lay them on the baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, until soft but not cooked to mush. (You’ll finish it in the pan.)

When cool enough to work with, use a paring knife or your hands to peel the skin off each slice. Lightly chop the squash and put it in a bowl.

Saute the onions, garlic and jalapeno in the oil until translucent. Add the poblano strips and cook for a couple minutes more. Add the squash and cook for another 5 or 10 minutes, until the squash is tender and the flavors have melded. Season with salt and pepper and take off heat.

Spread a few tablespoons of the cooked squash mixture onto one half of a 10-inch flour tortilla. Sprinkle with a couple tablespoons of the cheese. Fold over and place in a hot pan with melted butter, and fry until crispy. Cut the finished quesadilla into four triangles and top with your choice of garnishes. Eat while warm.

Tomatilla Salsa [Salsa Verde Cruda]

  • 10 tomatillos, husked and well washed, quartered
  • 1/2 bunch of scallions, roots and green ends trimmed, cut into big segements
  • 5 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 jalapenos, roughly chopped
  • Pinch of allspice
  • Salt to taste

Puree all ingredients together until very smooth either in a blender or food processor. Season with salt.

taken from:
http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/10/acorn-squash-quesadillas-tomatillo-salsa/

Monday, July 23, 2012

Tangy Pluot Crisp


 


Makes 10-12 servings

INGREDIENTS
  • 6 Dinosaur Brand pluots
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ cups oatmeal
  • ½ cup melted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ cup brown sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
  • Preheat oven to 350*F.
  • Slice pluots and discard pits. Place in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with granulated sugar.
  • In a medium bowl, mix together the oatmeal, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and brown sugar with a fork. Crumble this mixture evenly over the pluots.
  • Bake at 350*F for 40-45 minutes.

Five ways to eat Sugar Snap Peas

Sweet, crunchy, and delicious raw or cooked (or pickled or roasted!), they are one of the most wonderful foods of spring.
Here are 5 very different way to eat sugar snap peas. How do you like to prepare them?







• 1 Snap Peas with Meyer Lemon and Mint - A quick, vibrant side dish
• 2 Barley Salad With Green Garlic and Snap Peas - Light yet filling – and nutritious, too!
• 3 Pickled Sugar Snaps - Sweet and crunchy with vinegar and garlic
• 4 Pork Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Sugar Snap Peas - A savory spring dinner
• 5 Sesame Roasted Snap Peas - Roasting brings out the sweetness of the peas

Colorful Corn Salad

This corn and avocado side salad adds a splash of Mexican colour and flavour to the dining table.

Ingredients (serves 8)

  • 4 bi-colour corn cobs, kernels removed (see note)
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 small avocado, finely chopped
  • 250g cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
Colourful corn salad

Method

  1. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil over high heat. Add corn kernels. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until corn is tender. Drain. Rinse under cold water.
  2. Combine corn, coriander, onion, avocado, tomatoes, lime juice and oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Kale and Rice Casserole

Everyone in my family loves greens this way.


Ingredients:
4 cups cooked brown rice
1cup minced kale, collards, chard, or Spinach
1 1/4 cups milk (dairy or nordairy)
3 eggs
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 teaspoon sea salts
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 spoon black pepper
1/2 cup shredded chesse (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees . Oil a 2-quart casserole dish. Mix greens into cooked rice, and spread in prepared baking dish. Beat together milk, eggs, nutritional yeast, and seasonings. Pour over rice. Top with shredded cheese if desired. Bake 40 minutes, or until firm.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Spicy Oven-Roasted Plums

Ingredients:
· 4 plums, halved and pitted
· 1/2 cup orange juice
· 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
· 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
· 1/8 teaspoon cumin
· 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom



Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a shallow baking dish with cooking spray. Place the plums, cut-side up, in a single layer in the baking dish. Whisk together the orange juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, and cardamom in a bowl; drizzle over the plums. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until plums are hot and the sauce is bubbly.



Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Spicy-Oven-Roasted-Plums/Detail.aspx

Charred Corn Tacos with Zucchini-Radish Slaw

Serves 4 to 6       

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 pound red radishes (from about 2/3 of a bundle with stems and leaves), trimmed
  • 1 small (4 to 5 ounces) zucchini, long and narrow if you can find it
  • 2 limes
  • Salt
  • 4 ears corn, husks removed
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus additional if blistering tacos in skillet
  • 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons chopped epazote (if you can find it), cilantro or pasley (for the cilantro-averse) leaves (optional)
  • 1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces or 70 grams) crumbled cotija cheese (or another salty, crumbly cheese such as ricotta salata or feta)
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 10 to 12 small (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
 
 Directions:
Cut radishes and
zucchini into tiny matchsticks with a mandoline. If you don’t have a mandoline, you can use a peeler to peel thick ribbons down the long side of the zucchini. Stack the ribbons and cut them crosswise into thin matchsticks. Cut the radishes into a similar shape by hand. Toss radishes and zucchini together. Squeeze the juice of half a lime over the radish and season with salt to taste. Add more lime juice if desired. Set aside.
Remove toddlers from the kitchen. Over a hot grill or an open gas-stove flame char two of the ears of corn until well-blackened but not completely burnt. If you’re using the burner method, you’ll probably, quickly, notice that corn likes to pop and snap, occasionally spraying you with splats of corn. It’s a little scary, which is I why I suggest you remove anyone small and easily harmed before you begin. However, I found the charred corn flavor to be completely worth the scare and hope you do too.

Remove cobs from heat, and when cool enough to handle, shave off kernels using large knife and reserve.Remove kernel from remaining two ears of corn.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Melt the butter and oil together and once hot, add the onion. Cook the onion for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the raw corn kernels and sauté until corn is just cooked through, about three to five minutes. Turn heat to high, add the charred kernels of corn to the mixture, and toss to combine until heated through. Squeeze the juice of one lime over the corn mixture, and use the juice to scrape up any stuck bits. Season the corn mixture with salt and chili powder. Stir in chopped herbs, if using.

You can heat your tortillas one of two ways. You can wrap the whole stack in foil and place it in a warm (250 degrees) oven for 15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. However, I prefer to get a nice blister on them before filling them. Coat the bottom of a cast-iron skillet with olive oil and wipe it out so on the thinnest slick remains. Heat the skillet on high. Once hot, cook a tortilla for about 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side, until lightly blistered. Repeat with remaining tortillas but if your skillet is well-seasoned, no need to repeat the oiling process.
Fill each taco with a few small spoonfuls of the corn mixture. Top with a spoonful of crumbled cheese and a bit of the radish-zucchini slaw. Serve with an extra lime wedge on the side (you’ll have half a lime left to slice up), and whatever fixings you like (sour cream, avocado wedges, etc.)

Vegetarian Kale Soup

Serves 4 to 6       

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
  • 8 cups water
  • 6 cubes vegetable bouillon (such as Knorr)
  • 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 6 white potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans (drained if desired)
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons dried parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot; cook the onion and garlic until soft. Stir in the kale and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the water, vegetable bouillon, tomatoes, potatoes, beans, Italian seasoning, and parsley. Simmer soup on medium heat for 25 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.



Strawberry-Ricotta Graham Tartlets

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, or graham flour if you can get it
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of ground cloves
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons molasses
  • 3/4 pound strawberries, thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/4 cups ricotta (10 ounces), fresh if you can find it, a full-fat store bought if you cannot
  • 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Directions:
Make grahams: In a bowl, whisk both flours with the cinnamon, salt and cloves. Beat the butter, light brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar at medium speed on an electric mixer until fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the honey and molasses, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the side of the bowl and beat in the flour mixture at low speed, just until incorporated. Pat the dough into a disk, cover with plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick. Using a 3 1/2-inch oval cookie cutter a 3 1/2-inch round cutter or a smaller cutter of your choice, stamp out your bases.Reroll the dough scraps if necessary. Transfer the grahams to the baking sheets and bake for about 12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until lightly golden around the edges. Let cool on the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer the grahams to racks to cool completely.
Make toppings: In a bowl, toss the strawberries with the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar and the lemon juice. Let stand until syrupy, 20 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, confectioners’ sugar and lemon zest.

Assemble tartlets: Spread about 1 tablespoon of the ricotta mixture on each graham. Arrange the strawberries over the ricotta, drizzle with the syrup and serve.