Monday, September 23, 2013

Any Time Cookies - No Sugar and Gluten-Free!

Yes, you read the title correctly.

Any. Time. Cookies.


These cookies are full of ingredients that are both healthy and delicious, so you can eat them without feeling guilty! They are gluten-free, and sweetened with fruit, so there is no sugar either! For a quick on-the-go breakfast or afternoon snack, these really hit the spot! I found one to be filling, but my fiance needed two of them to be satiated.

Thanks to Danielle, who was a guest blogger at Nourished Kitchen, for creating and sharing this amazingly delicious recipe!

The Any Time Cookies are super easy to make, and if you don't have the exact dried fruits/nuts called for, you can easily substitute. For example, the fiance finished off our dried cherries and I haven't bought more yet, so I used raisins instead. I'm curious about adding some cacao nibs in too! Maybe next time...


Any Time Cookies (makes 12 cookies)
Ingredients:
1/4C Coconut Flour (you can find this at Whole Foods, Bob's Red Mill makes a great one!)
1/2C Almond Butter
6 Dates, remove pit and soak in warm water to soften (about 15 minutes)
3/4C Shredded, Unsweetened, Dried Coconut
1/2C Apple Sauce, unsweetened
2 Eggs, beaten
1 1/2t Cinnamon
1t Vanilla Extract
1/4t Sea Salt
1/2t Baking Soda
2T Dried Cherries, unsweetened
2T Walnuts, chopped
3T Currants

Directions:
Note: If you have a food processor, use it! I don't have one, so I used my VitaMix. While a blender will work here, it is not ideal.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In your appliance of choice, combine the coconut flour, almond butter and dates. Blend for about one minute, until the dates are in small pieces.
- Add the dried coconut, apple sauce, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, salt and baking soda. Blend for about 30 minutes, until combined and a wet dough forms.
- Add in the dried cherries, currants, walnuts (or whatever dried fruit and nut combination you're using) and pulse to combine. You don't want to chop up the fruit!
- Using two large spoons, measure out about 12 cookies onto the baking sheet. They do not rise or spread, so make them the shape you want (dip the spoon/spatula in water to prevent sticking) before they go in the oven.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes (depending on thickness), until golden brown on the top and edges.
- Let cool, and eat immediately. Danielle also recommends freezing them, just take the cookie out early and let it defrost for about 15 minutes first.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Shiso Pesto

When you hear the word "pesto," what comes to mind? Do you immediately think of Basil? For most of us, our first taste of pesto was probably of the basil, garlic, pine-nuts and Parmesan cheese variety, but did you know - the term "pesto" can be used to define any combination of ingredients that have been pounded or blended together. The fiance and I have enjoyed trying different combinations of things in our homemade pesto, and this post is about our newest discovery - Shiso Pesto!

Shiso Pesto
If you don't know what Shiso is, it's a leaf commonly grown in Asia. It comes in both purple and green varieties, but the green seems to be more common in the United States. You might have seen it at Japanese restaurants, or in your little box of take-out sushi. Shiso has a strong smell, and the taste is unique. It's been compared to both mint and basil, but I have to say I don't think it has the taste of either. It is quite earthy and refreshing, definitely worth experimenting with if you see it around or want to try growing it yourself.

The recipe below is the result of my searching for a way for my future mother-in-law to use up the leaves of the giant Shiso plant she has in her garden. I came across this recipe from Summer Tomato, and decided to test it out on on zucchini "noodles" for dinner the other night. We loved it!!

Zucchini "fettuccine" with Shiso Pesto sauce.

Shiso Pesto (makes 15-20 servings, can be frozen)
Ingredients:
- 4C tightly packed Shiso leaves
- 1/2C Raw Pistachio nuts
- 2T Miso Paste (any variety will work)
- 1 Garlic Clove, pressed
- 1 Lemon, juiced
- 3/4C Olive Oil

Directions:
- In a blender or food processor (I used my VitaMix), combine all ingredients. Reserve about 1/4C of the olive oil.
- Pulse until ingredients are evenly ground.
- Turn blender to "on" and drizzle the remaining olive oil in while the ingredients combine.
- Taste, and adjust salt and lemon to taste, if needed.
- Use immediately, or store in the fridge for a couple days. If you still have leftovers, use your ice cube trays to freeze the pesto in blocks. Once they're solid, pop them out and into a freezer-safe container. You'll have "fresh" pesto for months!

What's your favorite type of pesto? Care to share the recipe in the comments below?

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Green Potato Salad - no mayo required!

The other weekend, my future mother-in-law asked us to house sit for one night while she went out of town. The main reason she asked is that her two dogs and the kitty need food and attention - we were happy to house sit. In addition to playing with the furry guys, we were excited because she has an amazing vegetable garden - from which we could harvest whatever we wanted!

You might recognize this photo from my Facebook page.
This time of year, as we get into late summer, there are so many delicious treats in the garden. Everything is organic (she even makes her own compost), and while rummaging around the raised beds we found eggplant, corn, lettuces, herbs, and so many tomatoes! She had harvested some potatoes for us as well, and even though she hasn't planted any in a few years there are still some "volunteers" in the dirt. I took the potatoes home with us, and a few days later I made a delicious Green Potato Salad. I have to give a shout-out, as this recipe came from my friend Jamie Greenwood, the fabulous woman behind Jamie|Living. I first had it when my mom and I attended Jamie's mother/daughter cooking class a few years ago. You might remember my excitement from that day, we had a great time and I learned how to make a frittata!

I've made this potato salad a few times since that Mother's Day event, but this is the first time it's been on Zwick's Picks. I love it for so many reasons. First of all, it's super tasty and delicious! Second, there is no mayo in it, just a light sprinkle of olive oil and vinegar! Third, I get to eat greens IN the potato salad, it's like the best of both worlds. You could even add more greens to this if you wanted to. Read on for the recipe...

Jamie's Green Potato Salad - yum!!

Green Potato Salad (serves 4)
Ingredients:
2.5 lbs Organic Potatoes, washed and cut into large chunks
1 Organic Red Onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1/3C Capers
1/4C Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley, chopped
3T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1.4T Red Wine Vinegar
2 Handfuls of Organic Arugula
Sea Salt and Fresh Pepper

Directions:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the potato chunks and a pinch of salt. Return to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender. Usually about 15 minutes, depending on the size. Drain the potatoes in a metal colander.
- Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl (the larger it is, the easier it'll be to stir everything together). Combine the rest of the ingredients in the bowl and mix together.
- Serve either warm or cold.


Monday, April 29, 2013

4-Step Cleaning Magic!

Have you ever cooked something and found that all your scrubbing and scrubbing does nothing to remove the burnt-on bits left on your pan or baking dish? As much as I love making and eating a frittata, cleaning the pan afterward has always been a chore.

Well...no more! That's because I've discovered the easy and non-toxic way to clean my pots and pans. All you need is baking soda and hydrogen peroxide (or warm water), a sponge, and some time. I swear, it truly is that easy! And you don't even need to wear gloves. Follow along...

Step 1: Gather supplies. You'll need Baking Soda, Hydrogen Peroxide (or warm water), and a bowl to mix it in.
Supplies
Step 2: Put about 1/4 cup of Baking Soda into a bowl, and add enough hydrogen peroxide to make a paste. It's too thin in my picture here, I added more baking soda to thicken it up after the shot was taken.

Making the paste
Step 3: Take your dirty pan, and smear the paste over it. Let the paste sit for at least 2 hours, overnight is even better.
My burnt pan :-(
Covered in the paste.
Step 4: Scrub clean with a soft sponge, rinse with warm water, and TA-DA! Your pan is shiny again!

My pan is shiny and new-looking!! :-)

What's your favorite non-toxic cleaning secret? Share in the comments below!

Monday, February 4, 2013

Bean and Kale Soup

Who knew that February 4th was National Homemade Soup Day? I had this recipe ready to go, and it turned out to be perfect timing!
Delicious!
Looking for a hearty cold-weather soup to make, one that will last you a few days? Do you have beans? Kale? Stock (chicken or vegetable)? Then you can make this soup! You can easily make this soup vegetarian or even vegan by simply using vegetable stock and omitting the sausage, or satisfy the meat eaters by using those ingredients. As with most soups, it's easy to alter the recipe to suit your taste buds.

Bean and Kale Soup (serves 6-8)
Ingredients:
2T Olive Oil or Butter
2 Celery Ribs, cut to 1/4"
2 Carrots, cut to 1/4"
1 Onion, Shallot, or Leek, finely minced
1 Bay Leaf
1-2t Fresh Thyme (use half this amount if using dried)
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
6C Stock
1/2lb Dried Beans, soaked overnight and rinsed OR 2 Cans of Beans (I suggest white beans, but you can use whatever suits your fancy)
3 Smoked Organic Sausage, or 1 Smoked Ham Hock
1 Bunch Kale, juilenned
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
- Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium heat.
- Add onions, carrots, celery, thyme and bay leaf. Saute for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until carrots are soft.
- Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, til fragrant.
- Add stock, drained beans and meat, if using.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until beans are tender, about 2 hours.
- When beans are soft, remove bay leaf. If using ham hock, chop up the meat.
- Add the kale, and simmer until tender, about 2 minutes. Kale should remind bright green.
- Taste, and season with salt and pepper to taste.