May 22, 2013

frozen banana bites

The banana stand came to New York! THE BANANA STAND. You know. From Arrested Development?

When it arrived at Times Square last week, a few coworkers and I made good use of our lunch break and dashed uptown to see it. By 11:30, the line for Bluth bananas was already absurdly long, so we cruised in for a quick photo op and high tailed it back to work.

Little did we know, Jason Bateman and Will Arnett were due to show up not long after left. We missed this:

source

(And that is why you never go to the banana stand early).

So, having been deprived of a Bluth banana and a chance to gawk at the the stars of Arrested Development, I decided to make some frozen bananas of my own. These are bite-sized, stuffed with peanut butter, and dipped in chocolate. Perfect for an Arrested Development Season 4 viewing party or a sultry summer afternoon snack.

Grab your cut-offs, drink some juice, take a teamocil and make yourself some frozen banana bites. It will not be a huge mistake.

Frozen Banana Bites

Makes 16 bites

3 large bananas, sliced into 32 rounds
2 bars of dark chocolate
peanut butter

Using a double boiler, heat chocolate until melted. Remove from heat. Arrange banana rounds in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Smear peanut butter on half the rounds, and top with the remaining rounds to form 16 peanut butter banana sandwiches.

Using a fork or toothpick, dip each sandwich in chocolate, and return to the baking sheet. When all sandwiches are coated in chocolate, place the tray in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove the tray from the freezer, transfer the frozen banana bites to a tupperware container. Return bites to the freezer for 30 more minutes, until the bananas are thoroughly frozen.

Eat immediately or store in the freezer.

May 15, 2013

sweet and salty granola

What did you do for Mother’s Day? I spent it at home in Connecticut with my mum. We drank lots of tea and watched Doctor Who and snuggled with our cats. It rained a whole bunch, but that just made the tea drinking, tv watching, and cat snuggling all the more enjoyable.

This vanilla nut granola is comforting like a a weekend spent with kittens, tea, and the best mom ever. It’s also a little salty, because that’s just how I live my life. With kosher salt on EVERYTHING.

Oats + coconut oil + vanilla + nuts + maple syrup + a pinch of kosher salt. So simple. So delightful. Not too sweet. Just slightly salty. And the illusion of health. Use it to top greek yogurt or serve with almond milk, and you, my friend, will be living The Life.

Sweet and Salty Granola

Adapted from Shutterbean

Makes about 6 cups

4 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup cup raw almonds
1/2 cup raw pecans
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mix well, and spread in an even layer on a large rimmed baking sheet (or two small baking sheets if you have a pint-sized oven).

Bake granola in the oven for 25-30 minutes stirring every 10 minutes or so. Remove from oven and let cool. Granola will last for up to two weeks in an airtight container.

May 8, 2013

coconut skillet cake with lemon curd and smashed raspberries

If a German pancake and a soufflé had a baby, it would be this skillet cake. Is that weird? To imagine confections procreating? It’s just that I’m not sure how else to describe this skillet cake. Light and fluffy like a pancake, yet airy and creamy like a soufflé.

You see, this started out as a German pancake post. But then I got a little…creative. I used coconut flour, and added an extra egg. I upped the (almond) milk and stirred in vanilla.

I’m sorry, but I’m not sorry. This skillet cake is DELICIOUS.

What I like best about this skillet cake is that it’s barely sweet. The cake-like quality comes in the toppings: lemon curd and berries. If you have a killer sweet tooth, this is probably not the cake for you.

But if you, like me, want to easily trick yourself into thinking that you’re not really reaching for a third helping of dessert but are instead indulging in a three-course-snack, then you might want to write this one down.

Coconut Skillet Cake with Lemon Curd and Smashed Raspberries

yields on 9-inch skillet cake

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup coconut flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup raspberries, smashed
lemon curd
powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.

Place butter in a 9-inch cast iron (or ovenproof) skillet and heat in the oven until melted.

Using a fork or wire whisk, beat eggs in a small bowl until light and bright yellow. Beat in the almond milk, flour, and granulated sugar one at a time. Stir in the vanilla extract and lemon juice. Pour the batter into the pan of hot, melted butter and return to the oven. Cook for 20 minutes, until the pancake is golden.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Spread with lemon curd, smashed raspberries, and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve & enjoy!

May 2, 2013

asparagus pesto pasta salad

Basil is…not my favorite herb. To me, there is nothing worse than taking a bite of what I thought was a benign spinach salad, only to chomp down on an unexpected basil leaf. I can take or leave a basil-infused herbal cocktail, but a dessert is not a dessert if it contains even the subtle suggestion of herbs (I’m looking at you, artisan ice cream makers).

Maybe my palate is underdeveloped or unsophisticated, but I firmly believe there is a time and a place for basil: pasta, pizza, and, of course, pesto.

But even pesto can go basil-free if it wants. Okay, if I want). Spinach and kale are common substitutes, but Roommate H told me that her dad sometimes uses blanched asparagus. What?! Vegetable enthusiast that I am, I knew I had to try it.

I was not disappointed (to say the least).

This pesto tastes green. Green like springtime, picnics, farmer’s markets, and the promise of summer. I couldn’t resist folding it into a seasonally inspired pasta salad: sweet peas, tangy sun-dried tomatoes, and tart lemon.

I hope spring has sprung in your corner of the world. It’s finally here in New York (I think).

Here’s hoping I didn’t just jinx it.

Asparagus Pesto Pasta Salad

Serves 4 as a main dish, 6 as a side

For the pesto:

1 pound asparagus, cut into two-inch pieces (ends trimmed)
2 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons raw pine nuts
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
salt and pepper to taste

For the pasta salad:

8 oz pasta (I used gluten-free fusilli)
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Strain, set in a large bowl or pot, and allow to cool completely.

Blanch asparagus in boiling water for one minute, drain, and set aside. Combine asparagus, garlic, pine nuts, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Drizzle olive oil into the processor with the motor running. Blend until smooth.

Add peas and sun-dried tomatoes to the pasta. Spoon pesto over top and mix to combine. Drizzle with lemon juice and either chill or serve at room temperature.

April 24, 2013

popcorn trail mix

Yesterday, I stumbled upon a pearl of wisdom. Adulthood is not a zero sum game. You can be a twenty-four year old lady and still indulge in the habits of teenagerdom.

For instance, I think I’m going to buy an ironing board. It’s high time that I stop being such a wrinkled mess, and there’s only so much ironing I can do on the kitchen table.

Ironing board. Seems pretty adult, right? But eating popcorn for dinner is pretty much the opposite of adulthood. And I eat popcorn for dinner sometimes. I do. And sometimes that popcorn has chocolate mixed in (and nuts and dried fruit).

If I eat popcorn for dinner but iron (somewhat) regularly, can I still call myself an adult? I say YES. Or, I can at least call myself a pseudo adult. I’m adult-ish. Adult-lite.

And I’m totally OK with that.

Popcorn Trail Mix

This is not so much a recipe as a suggestion for mix-ins. In general, you want a 2:1 popcorn, mix-in ratio. So, if you have four cups of popped popcorn, you’ll want to mix in 1/2 cup each of nuts, chocolate, and dried fruit. Get it?

Popcorn, popped and cooled
Dry roasted cashews
Dry roasted almonds
Dried cranberries
Dark chocolate chips, chunks, or shavings

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Devour.

April 16, 2013

oatmeal craisin chocolate chip cookies

If it weren’t for the chocolate chips, I’d straight up call these a breakfast cookies. Don’t look at me like that (through the internet). Breakfast cookies are A THING. See? SEE? But somehow, despite the oats, maple syrup, dried fruit, and nuts, these cookies are still more reminiscent dessert than breakfast fare.

Maybe they’re snack cookies. Is that a thing? Let’s make it a thing.

Load your cookie dough with craisins — or raisins, if one of your roommates doesn’t find them utterly disgusting — nuts, and oats. Add some chocolate chips because it’s a mid-April Wednesday and you’ll probably need some chocolate to carry you through the week (and month).

I still maintain that April is the cruelest month — after all, it did taunt me with an 80-degree day before plunging back into the low 50s — but having quasai healthy cookies at the ready for emergency snacking sure do wonders for a girl’s outlook on life.

Cheers!

Oatmeal Craisin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yields 2 dozen cookies

1 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup maple syrup
½ cup melted butter
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup slivered almonds
½ cup cranberries
½ cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine dry flour, baking soda, and oats in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter and maple syrup. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mix well, and fold in the nuts, craisins, and chocolate chips.

Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, spaced an inch or so apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown. Remove from the oven, let cool for five minutes before transferring to wire racks.

April 10, 2013

almost orange julius for one

I’m a selfish smoothie maker. I rarely make them for anyone other than myself. Why? Because if I make you a smoothie, I’ll want one, too. And making two servings of smoothie at once just throws off my mojo. Things get too icy, or too thick. And that’s just no good. And heaven help us if you want a different flavor of smoothie than me. I’m not about to clean the blender twice.

So a smoothie for one it is. I think it’s okay to be selfish once in a while, particularly if it’s in the name of the perfect iced fruit beverage.

I had to call this an Almost Orange Julius because after extensive research (read: Googling) I found that most recipes call for sugar — in some cases as much as an 1/8 cup per serving. OUTRAGEOUS! It will be a cold, cold, day in hell before I dump a sweetener of any variety into a smoothie. That’s what the good lord gave us frozen bananas. Am I right?

And while I was healthifying the Orange Julius, I made it vegan. Because why not? Because I never have milk in the house. Because vanilla almond milk is delicious.

So here you have it, friends, an Almost Ornage Julius (for one!)

Almost Orange Julius for One

1 cup vanilla almond milk (I used unsweetened)*
½ cup orange juice from concentrate
1 banana, sliced and frozen
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
A handful of ice

*For a thicker, creamier smoothie, half the milk and add a half cup of yogurt. Of course, your smoothie will no longer be vegan if you go this route.

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend on high until the mixture is completely smooth. Pour into a glass and sip away!

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