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Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Cookbook: Corn Muffins

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

The Eat Clean Cookbook by Tosca Reno is full of healthful, delicious recipes.  I enjoyed making many recipes in this cookbook, but there is one I return to again and again: Corn Muffins.  (Often I make it as cornbread in a loaf pan.)  Maybe it’s because I’m married to a southerner, but in our house, you can never have too much cornbread around.

Super Simple Corn Muffins by Tosca Reno

Dry Ingredients:
1 and 1/3 cups / 320 ml whole-wheat flour
1 1/3 cups / 320 ml cornmeal
1/3 cup / 80 ml skim milk powder
2 Tbsp / 30 ml Sucanat or rapadura sugar
2 tsp / 10 ml baking powder
2 tsp / 10 ml baking soda
1 tsp / 5 ml finely ground sea salt

Wet Ingredients:
½ cup / 120 ml unsweetened applesauce
2 cups / 480 ml skim milk, soured with 2 Tbsp / 30 ml lemon juice
2 Tbsp / 30 ml coconut oil, canola oil or melted butter
4 egg whites, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 425°F / 220°C. Line a muffin tin with unbleached paper liners.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
3. Place wet ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and mix together well.
4. Add wet to dry ingredients and mix just until dry ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix.
5. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until just golden on top.

A cool thing about this cookbook is that Tosca Reno has some signature ingredient blends that she incorporates into several recipes.  Power Flour, for example, is a combination of various flours that can be used in place of regular or whole-wheat flours.  She also has a recipe for Eat Clean Cooking Spray to use in place of PAM or the like.

Thanks to Rechelle for sending me a review copy of this cookbook.  I’ll be using it for years to come.

Moosewood Cookbook 4-Seasons Recipe Deck

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

We’ve all (likely) heard of The Moosewood Cookbook from the people at The Moosewood Restaurant, but how about The Moosewood Recipe Deck?

Moosewood Restaurant Farm Fresh Meals Deck: 5- Delicious Recipes for Every Season is a collection of 50 recipe cards that fit into the box.  They are divided by season, so each season’s recipes use produce and other ingredients appropriate to that time of year.  There is a mixture of main courses (pastas, casseroles, sandwiches), sides (soups, salads, vegetables) and desserts (cookies, pies, and puddings) for each season so that you can plan an entire menu very easily.

Another benefit to the cards is that you can throw one or three into your bag before heading to the store without being weighed down by a whole book.

I have tried several of the recipes from this deck and found them all to really highlight seasonal flavors and not use too many ingredients (a big plus in my book deck).

Thanks to Jessica for sending me a copy to review.

Muir Glen Reserve 2009 Tomatoes

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

Muir-Glen-Tomatoes-2009-Reserve-Kit

As a very enthusiastic tomato (and canned tomato) eater, I was thrilled when Julie from Muir Glen offered to send me a limited-edition 2009 Reserve tomato kit.

The prestige and quality of reserve wine, now available in tomato form!

Each 2009 Reserve kit includes:

1. One can each of the Muir Glen Organic Yolo Red diced and Muir Glen Organic Brigade whole peeled tomatoes.  The Yolo Red diced and the Brigade whole peeled canned tomatoes were grown specifically for Muir Glen under certified organic practices and hand-harvested in Yolo County, California. These two exclusive varieties of 2009 Reserve tomatoes were picked at the peak of ripeness and packed the same day.  Yolo Red Diced Tomatoes are sweeter than most, high in lycopene and allow you to create wonderful bruschettas, salsas and soups.   Brigade Whole Peeled Tomatoes are full and plump, have consistent bright red color and are perfect to use in your favorite lasagna, pasta sauce or stew recipes.

2. One can each of the Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted diced and Adobo Seasoned petite diced tomatoes: the classic favorites!

3. Recipe cards from award-winning chefs and The Diary of a Tomato booklet with 25 delicious tomato recipes

When I received this kit, I was blown away.  It is beautifully packaged and would make a fabulous gift.  The tomatoes are all delicious and the recipe booklet is inspiring.  And, best of all, the kit could easily sell for $30, yet it is only $7.  Even more amazing, $3 of each purchase through March 31, 2010 will be donated to worthy causes.

Here is the website to order but hurry, since Reserve 2009 will only last so long!

Recipe: Taste of Home’s Honey-Oat Granola Bars

Sunday, February 14th, 2010

I had a small gathering of friends over on Friday night to watch some livestream of TED 2010 in Long Beach.

We decided on a potluck approach to the evening so, among other things, I whipped up a batch of some Honey-Oat Granola Bars from the Taste of Home Cookbook, Cooks Who Care edition (by the people who publish Taste of Home cooking magazine- free issue offer on the website).

This is a pretty new cookbook, and it’s enormous with over 1300 recipes in every category imaginable.  A person’s name and hometown is associated with each recipe, which gives me that all-fuzzy-inside feeling.  You know, if Marlys in Cincinnati loves this recipe, it must be good ;)    I’ve noticed the ingredients tend to be budget-friendly and many of the recipes could likely be made with staples you already have in the pantry.

The Taste of Home Cookbook also features 21 heart-warming stories of people helping others through food-related efforts. The Cooks Who Care cookbook ed. celebrates the recipes and charitable acts performed by Cooks Who Care. The hope is that these stories and recipes will hopefully inspire others to make a difference in their communities.

I added a meyer lemon glaze to the top of mine to add a bit of festivity.

Honey-Oat Granola Bars with Meyer Lemon Glaze

Bars

4 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped salted peanuts
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sunflower kernels
3/4 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, peanuts, chocolate chips and sunflower kernels. Stir in the butter, honey and vanilla until combined (mixture will be crumbly). Press into a greased parchment paper-lined 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan.

2. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack; cut into squares. Cool completely before removing from pan. Yield: 3 dozen.

Glaze

1 Meyer lemon (can substitute regular lemon)
1-1.5 cups powdered sugar

1. Place powdered sugar in a small bowl.  Squeeze lemon over bowl so juice pours into bowl, being careful to catch any seeds.  Whisk until combined and smooth.

2. Pour over honey-oat granola bars.

Thanks to Anjali for sending me this cookbook!

Simply Salads’ Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe

Monday, June 22nd, 2009

Chinese Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing

From Simply Salads, a wonderful cookbook by Jennifer Chandler that builds on store-bought salad greens to make an incredible variety of healthy, tasty meal-sized salads!

Makes 4 dinner salads
Peanut butter lovers beware.  The dressing in this colorful and tasty salad is addictive.

For the Peanut Dressing:
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (if you use natural you may want to add a bit of sugar to sweeten)
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh peeled ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup canola oil
A pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the salad:
1/2 cup Peanut Dressing
1/2 cup fresh snow peas
1 bag (5 ounces) Spring Mix salad blend
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (can use supermarket rotisserie chicken)
2 carrots, peeled and shredded on the large holes of a traditional grater
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
2 limes, quartered, for garnish

For the Peanut Dressing:
In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, peanut butter, ginger, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, canola oil, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the salad:
Bring salted water to a boil in a medium pot. Add snow peas and cook until vibrant green and crisp tender, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Drain the peas and immerse in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. Drain again and place in a large salad bowl.

Add the salad blend, chicken, carrots, scallions, cilantro, and peanuts and toss. Add the dressing to taste and gently toss to coat.

Garnish with lime wedges.  Serve immediately.

Little Chef Kit: Books, apron, whisk

Wednesday, December 10th, 2008

Little Chef Kit/Pots and Pans Gift Set for the budding kid chef:

  • Zookies Cooking Apron Set with a wisk, measuring spoons, two cookie cutters, chalk and a recipe book
  • Sassafras Cookie Making Set

I wish there were sets with adult-sized aprons!

Citibabes Store, $95