Hot Cocoa by the Mug

Cocoa by the Mug . . . in one of Barry's
hand thrown mugs.

I'm the first to admit that it's not as rich as the Homemade Cocoa that starts from a cooked mixture but it is definitely a quick-fix for a cocoa craving . . . and oh, so much better than the powdered stuff mixed with water.

This is also a fun project for kids.

Hot Cocoa by the Cup     1 serving

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Pinch salt (about 1/16 teaspoon)

1 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1.  Measure and then mix sugar, cocoa and salt in large mug.

2.  Heat milk in a 1 ½ to 2-cup measure in the microwave on HIGH (100%) 1 1/2 minutes or until hot. (Note -- I know this adds an extra dish but when I tried to add the milk to the mug to heat, inevitably it ran over the top even when using a 10 or 12 oz. mug.)

3.  Pour hot milk into the mug and stir.

Ready to stir.

4.  Stir in vanilla.

Ready to drink—Yum!

Recipe without photos . . .

Hot Cocoa by the Cup     1 serving

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Pinch salt (about 1/16 teaspoon)

1 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1.  Measure and then mix sugar, cocoa and salt in large mug.

2.  Heat milk in a 1 ½ to 2-cup measure in the microwave on HIGH (100%) 1 1/2 minutes or until hot. (Note -- I know this adds an extra dish but when I tried to add the milk to the mug to heat, inevitably it ran over the top even when using a 10 or 12 oz. mug.)

3.  Pour hot milk into the mug and stir

4.  Stir in vanilla..

Granola Cups -- nutrient-dense sweet choice

I’ve been trying to quell my occasional craving for sweets with nutrient-dense choices. Chia seed chocolate pudding did not cut it, nor did the protein balls of this and that! Yes, I tried them but in my estimate they belong in the trash bin instead of on our blog (Barry agreed).  However, a recipe for Granola Cups in the latest Parade insert did catch my eye and so, with reluctance (haven’t quite got over the chia seed experiments yet) I gave them a try . . . and these I did like.

They’re good as a snack, for dessert but I plan to add them on my breakfast menu, too.

As usual, I made some adjustments as included below.  For Parade’s original recipe, click on Granola Cups.

Granola Cups    Makes 12

1¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats (or use quick oats)

½ cup chopped almonds

1 cup dried fruit, chopped (I used a combo of apricots & craisins + prunes; raisins, dates, etc. would also work)

⅓ cup flax meal (Put flax seeds into a Nutra Bullet or blender to make your own)

⅓ cup sunflower seeds

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 large egg

⅓ cup Agave

¼ cup canola oil                      

1. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients including spices.
   
2. In a second bowl, lightly beat egg; stir in Agave and canola oil.
   
3. Stir wet ingredients into dry.
4. Divide among 12 muffin cups, pressing mixture up sides with wet fingers to form cups. (I used silicon so did not grease the cups; if using regular muffin tins, be sure to grease to cups. Also, I used a ¼ cup measure, covered in sprayed plastic wrap to create an indentation.)
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Bake 20 minutes at 350° or until edges brown and cups are set.
6. Cool several minutes before unmolding. 
   
7. Fill with flavored yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon, or yogurt and fresh fruit (or pudding, ice cream, etc.)

Recipe without photos . . .

Granola Cups    Makes 12

1¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats (or use quick oats)

½ cup chopped almonds

1 cup dried fruit, chopped (I used a combo of apricots & craisins + prunes; raisins, dates, etc. would also work)

⅓ cup flax meal (Put flax seeds into a Nutra Bullet or blender to make your own)

⅓ cup sunflower seeds

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 large egg

⅓ cup Agave

¼ cup canola oil                      

1. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients including spices.
2. In a second bowl, lightly beat egg; stir in Agave and canola oil.
3. Stir wet ingredients into dry.
4. Divide among 12 muffin cups, pressing mixture up sides with wet fingers to form cups. (I used silicon so did not grease the cups; if using regular muffin tins, be sure to grease to cups. Also, I used a ¼ cup measure, covered in sprayed plastic wrap to create an indentation.)
5. Bake 20 minutes at 350° or until edges brown and cups are set.
6. Cool several minutes before unmolding. 
7. Fill with flavored yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon, or yogurt and fresh fruit (or pudding, ice cream, etc.)

Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Golden Raisins & Pine Nuts

I have roasted cauliflower before but this recipe caught my eye when Valerie Bertinelli prepared it on the Food Network. The golden raisins and toasted pine nuts were, indeed, the perfect accompaniment to delicious roasted slices of cauliflower!

I did cut down the recipe and made a few minor changes; for the original click here: Valerie Bertinelli’sRoasted Cauliflower Steaks with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts.

Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts

1 head cauliflower, cut vertically into ½” thick steaks (I also roasted some pieces that broke apart + saved the remaining pieces for another dish)

Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Kosher salt & coarse black pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons pine nuts

3 to 4 tablespoons golden raisins

Fresh parsley leaves, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 425°.
2. Place the cauliflower steaks on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.
   
3. Transfer to the oven and bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, flipping after the first 10 minutes.

   

   This is what they looked like after flipping.

4. Meanwhile, add the pine nuts to a dry medium sauté pan and toast over medium heat until brown, about 3 minutes.
5. Mix pine nuts and raisins.
   
6. Transfer the roasted cauliflower to a serving platter or plates; drizzle with a little additional olive oil. Pour the pine nut-raisin mixture over the top andgarnish with chopped parsley.
   

Recipe without photos . . .
Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts

1 head cauliflower, cut vertically into ½” thick steaks (I also roasted some pieces that broke apart + saved the remaining pieces for another dish)

Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Kosher salt & coarse black pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons pine nuts 

3 to 4 tablespoons golden raisins

Fresh parsley leaves, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 425°.
2. Place the cauliflower steaks on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.
3. Transfer to the oven and bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, flipping after the first 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, add the pine nuts to a dry medium sauté pan and toast over medium heat until brown, about 3 minutes.
5. Mix pine nuts and raisins.
6. Transfer the roasted cauliflower to a serving platter or plates; drizzle with a little additional olive oil. Pour the pine nut-raisin mixture over the top andgarnish with chopped parsley.

Beef & Barley Soup . . . a slow cooker meal!

There’s nothing better than a robust bowl of steaming soup on a cold winter day, chock full of veggies, tender beef, slightly thickened with barley and slow simmered until the flavors meld perfectly . . . unless it is delivered to the door by a friend! Thank you Betty Krenger for this DELICIOUS soup and for sharing the recipe. I will be making it in the near future.

Betty says there are only 168 calories per serving. She made it with beef but mentioned it is also good with chicken.

Beef & Barley Soup  About 8 servings

12 oz. beef stew meat

4 (14.5 oz.) cans beef broth (Betty used half chicken & half beef)

1 (14.5 oz.) canned diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup diced onion

1 cup potato, cut in small pieces

1 cup frozen peas & carrots

½ cup chopped celery

⅔ cup regular (pearl) barley

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon basil, crushed

¼ teaspoon pepper

Cut meat into 1-inch pieces, add rest of ingredients to a slow cooker. Cook 5 to 6 hours on high.

Beef & Pepper Stir-Fry

This is one of our latest endeavors and it was quite tasty served over Thai brown rice noodles . . . 

Beef & Pepper Stir-Fry

½ cup low-sodium soy sauce (regular soy is WAY too salty for this recipe)


3 tablespoons sherry 



2 tablespoons packed brown sugar 


1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 


1 teaspoon sesame seed oil (or use vegetable oil) 


2 cloves garlic, minced 


1 lime, halved 


1 lb. top round steak, sliced very thin against the grain 
(partially frozen steak is much easier to cut into thin slices)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 


1 medium yellow onion, sliced 


1 large red, yellow or orange bell pepper, cored and sliced into strips  (or use a combination of pepper to equal 1 large) 

¼ to ½ cup chicken broth


1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 package pad Thai brown rice noodles or linguine—cooked according to package directions

1. In a 1-cup measuring cup, mix the soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, ginger, sesame oil, garlic and the juice of half the lime.
   
2. Pour half of the marinade into a bowl with the sliced beef and toss to coat. (Reserve the rest of the marinade to use as a sauce in step # 7.) Allow meat to marinate for at least 3 hours.
   
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. When it is very hot, throw in the onions and cook for a minute; add the bell peppers. Cook for two or three more minutes. Remove the vegetables to a plate.
   
   
   
   
4. Into the hot skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of oil.
5. Add the meat, evenly distributing it over the surface of the skillet—shake excess marinade as meat is removed from the bag (discard used marinade). Allow to cook undisturbed for 1 minute, then turn with tongs. Cook for another 45 seconds to 1 minute.
   
6. Add the onions and peppers back into the skillet. Reduce the heat to low.
7. Mix remaining marinade with ¼ cup broth and cornstarch. Pour into skillet and simmer on low for a few minutes as the sauce thickens. If sauce becomes too thick, add additional chicken stock. Turn off heat when sauce is the thickness you prefer.
   
8. Drain the noodles, then add half of them to the stir-fry. Toss and add more noodles as desired.
   
9. Serve with wedges/slices of the remaining lime.

Recipe without photos . . .

Beef & Pepper Stir-Fry 

½ cup low-sodium soy sauce (regular soy is WAY too salty for this recipe)


3 tablespoons sherry 



2 tablespoons packed brown sugar 


1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 


1 teaspoon sesame seed oil (or use vegetable oil) 


2 cloves garlic, minced 


1 lime, halved 


1 lb. top round steak, sliced very thin against the grain 
(partially frozen steak is much easier to cut into thin slices)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 


1 medium yellow onion, sliced 


1 large red, yellow or orange bell pepper, cored and sliced into strips  (or use a combination of pepper to equal 1 large) 

¼ to ½ cup chicken broth


1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 package pad Thai brown rice noodles or linguine—cooked according to package directions

1. In a 1-cup measuring cup, mix the soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, ginger, sesame oil, garlic and the juice of half the lime.
2. Pour half of the marinade into a bowl with the sliced beef and toss to coat. (Reserve the rest of the marinade to use as a sauce in step # 7.) Allow meat to marinate for at least 3 hours.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. When it is very hot, throw in the onions and cook for a minute; add the bell peppers. Cook for two or three more minutes. Remove the vegetables to a plate.
4. Into the hot skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of oil.
5. Add the meat, evenly distributing it over the surface of the skillet—shake excess marinade as meat is removed from the bag (discard used marinade). Allow to cook undisturbed for 1 minute, then turn with tongs. Cook for another 45 seconds to 1 minute.
6. Add the onions and peppers back into the skillet. Reduce the heat to low.
7. Mix remaining marinade with ¼ cup broth and cornstarch. Pour into skillet and simmer on low for a few minutes as the sauce thickens. If sauce becomes too thick, add additional chicken stock. Turn off heat when sauce is the thickness you prefer.
8. Drain the noodles, then add half of them to the stir-fry. Toss and add more noodles as desired.
9. Serve with wedges/slices of the remaining lime.