Love the ingredients, not the food.

Salt Roasted Beets

Written on August 22, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in How To, Side Dish

Salt is something that a lot of people don’t understand; too much can make anything a disaster, but just a touch on fruits and vegetables always helps to make them taste sweeter. When you eat something with natural sugars that’s been seasoned right, it touches more taste sensations on your tongue and you’ll enjoy it more.

Salt roasting is a technique I learned last Summer when I was interning in a restaurant. It was something that the lunch crew trusted that I couldn’t possibly screw up so I did it quite a bit whenever we got more beets in. Since then I’ve done it at home whenever I have the chance; you really can’t screw it up! Beyond the ease, I swear it makes the vegetables taste like candy.

This may seem like it’d be a hassle to clean up after but it’s really not. Just put the pan with the burnt salt under the sink and run hot water on it until the salt dissolves.

Salt Roasted Beets

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 1-2 hours

3/4 cup coarse grain salt
Beets, tops trimmed and peel on

Method:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Lay the salt out in a single layer on a roasting tray.
Wash the outside of the beets. If your beets are large you can cut them into quarters or leave them whole. The larger they are, the longer they’ll take to cook.
Lay the beats on top of the salt and place them in the oven.
Roast for 1-2 hours until you can poke a fork through the skin with some ease.
Remove from the oven and begin peeling off the skin while still hot. You may want to use gloves or a towel to keep the beets from burning your hands. Brush off any remaining salt on the outside.
Serve hot or chilled.

What do you do with your beets? Well they make a good salad, for one, especially if you keep those beet greens. Vegetables roasted in salt don’t need any further seasoning so you can just pop them in your mouth.

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Chobani Frozen Yogurt

Written on August 20, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

You’ve probably heard of Chobani, if not from their delicious yogurt then from their recent position as sponsor of the 2012 Olympic games. I hardly managed to do anything but watch TV for those two weeks—well, watch TV and eat yogurt.

Chobani recently introduced 6 of their most popular flavors in 16oz tub container form including a 2% vanilla chocolate chip variety which easily takes the gold medal for me. Chobani has always been one of my favorite Greek yogurts because of the simple ingredients and consistently low price at my grocery store and I was happy to try them when they sent me a variety pack.

I had to resist eating all of the flavors simply with granola and fruit and actually make something with them. I settled on frozen yogurt because few things are as tasty(and easy!) as homemade frozen yogurt. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, put it on your Christmas list; even though it only has one function it’s easily my favorite kitchen gadget I’ve bought over the past few years.

This recipe is as easy as 3 ingredients and is entirely customizable! You can use any flavor of Chobani and add any mix-ins your heart desires. Have fun with it and pretend you’re at a fancy frozen yogurt chain by adding things like chocolate chips, fruity cereal, and chopped fruit on top.

Chobani Frozen Yogurt

Prep time: 5 minutes

Freeze time: 2 hours

Ingredients(Makes about 6 servings):

1 16oz Chobani yogurt container*
1 cup skim or 2% milk
3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

*I’ve only tried this with the fruit flavors. If you’re starting with Plain Chobani, you might want to adjust the sweetness by adding more powdered sugar.

Method:

In a large bowl whisk together all of the ingredients.
Pour the base into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.
After the ice cream has churned, scoop it into a solid container and freeze for at least two hours.
Before serving, let the yogurt soften at room temperature for 5 minutes.

Mango admittedly is not one of my favorite flavor of yogurt. Somehow, turning it into frozen yogurt makes it much more irresistible. It reminded me of something I’d order from Pinkberry. And since this is made with low-fat ingredients and greek yogurt, it’s packed with protein, so feel good about having an extra scoop.

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Coconut Almond Granola

Written on August 17, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast

I’m not sure how I’d live if I were allergic to nuts. Peanuts, coconuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios—all of them; they’ve become a staple in my diet without gluten or meat. And don’t even get me started on all of the amazing things you can bake with almond flour…

Thankfully, I’m not, so I can go on making granola chockfull of all sorts of nuts packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats. I’m not one to always use coconut oil(mostly because of the price), but I love how aromatic it is when I do. You can smell all the flavors in this granola as it bakes, from the earthy cinnamon and vanilla to the fruity coconut.

Toasting the nuts adds a much more vibrant flavor to them. The easiest way to do this is in a large frying pan over low to medium heat. It’s easier and more consistent than throwing the nuts into the oven; just be sure to pay close attention to them as they will burn quickly.

Coconut Almond Granola

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 3 cups):

2 1/4 cups gluten-free oats
1/3 cup liquid sweetener
2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup chocolate chips(optional)
1/4 cup dried cherries(optional)

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together the oats, sweetener, coconut oil, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl.
Lay the oats out in a 1/2-inch thick layer on a lined baking tray.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, breaking up the oats every 10 minutes or so, until they’re toasted and golden. Remove from the oven and let cool.
While the granola is baking, toast the coconut and almonds together in a large frying pan. Make sure to stop once they’re aromatic and golden and take care not to burn them.
Toss the toasted coconut and almonds in with the granola. Toss in the cherries and chocolate chips as well if using, but make sure that the granola and nuts are completely cool before adding in the chocolate chips or else they’ll melt on touch.
Store in an air-tight container for up to 2-3 weeks

I said that the cherries and chocolate chips were optional but… they’re really not optional; you’re only cheating yourself if you leave them out. Between the rich toasted nuts and sweet fruit and chocolate, I’m always going back for more.

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Vanilla Rosemary Potatoes

Written on August 15, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

A few weeks ago a good friend of mine asked me to teach her how to cook. I can’t think of any other time I’ve ever taught someone to cook; I don’t think I’m very good at it. When I write a blog post I just say what I did. But when I’m in the kitchen, I don’t usually follow a recipe; I just feel my way around and do what I think I should do and if it doesn’t work out—well, that’s what the garbage can is for.

The hardest part was picking what to make. We ended up settling on Mediterranean chicken, a pretty basic salad, sautéed broccoli, and this potato recipe. I’d seen vanilla used with savory roasted vegetables on blogs before and had been wanting to try it. The idea isn’t to have the potatoes become sweet like candy but rather gain a subtle flavor that’s familiar but hard to pin down.

We learned three things that night:

1. A little sugar in any recipe is a good thing. I love to add just a tablespoon of sugar to marinades or dressings, sauces and vegetables to help bring out the natural sugars.

2. I make really good chicken for a vegetarian(or so I’m told).

3. Vanilla rosemary potatoes are shockingly delicious. There were some skeptics who thought vanilla on vegetables couldn’t be good, but by the end of the night everyone was converted.

Vanilla Rosemary Potatoes

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 60 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 4-6 servings):

5-6 medium Russet potatoes, cut and cubed
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Methods:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, toss all of the ingredients together until the potatoes are covered in oil.
Lay the potatoes out in a single layer on a baking tray.
Bake for 60 minutes shaking the pan halfway through.
Remove from the oven and serve hot.

This is definitely more of a Fall and Winter dish than it is Summery, so you might want to bookmark it and hold onto it until October. Then again, potatoes are always plentiful and cheap so what’s not to love even in the Summer time?

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Copycat Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Larabars

Written on August 13, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Snack

When you’re a food blogger, you end up having some pretty weird “snacks”. Leftover cheesecake in the afternoon? Sure. Chocolate granola for lunch and dinner some times. Anything goes.

That’s all great and delicious but there are times when I wish I ate a little bit healthier. Of course, the answer’s simple; if you want to eat healthy you need to buy and make healthy meals and snacks. So to start I made one of my favorites: peanut butter chocolate chip larabars.

Most pre-portioned snacks at the grocery store are overpriced; they’re even pricier if you get them from kiosks or snack stands. By making your own, you control the costs and quality of the ingredients. Larabars have pretty clean and simple ingredients as is, but by buying dates and using other ingredients I already had I was able to bring the cost down.

You could make your own and use almonds instead of peanuts to adapt these for someone with a peanut allergy.

Copycat Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Larabars

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 6 bars):

8oz pitted dates
1/2 cup peanuts
2 Tablespoons peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Method:

Combine the dates and peanuts in a food processor and blend on high until the ingredients start to form a paste.
Add in the peanut butter and salt and continue blending until a dough begins to form.
Lastly, add in the chocolate chips and pulse a few times.
Line a loaf or baking pan with plastic wrap.
Drop the dough on top of the plastic wrap and press the dough into a square or rectangle about 3/4-inch thick.
Cut into bars or squares. Wrap individually and refrigerate until ready to eat.

I left mine in squares. You could make bars or balls or really any shape you could think of with these.

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Honey Ginger Ice Cream

Written on August 10, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

I can’t believe it took me almost a month and a half this Summer to break out my ice cream maker. Even though it doesn’t get as much use as most of my other kitchen appliances, it’s definitely my favorite. How can you not love anything that takes milk and spits out ice cream?

There’s a great ice cream parlor near the house I stay at in Maine that makes their own fun flavors. I made it there once this Summer before being reminded that full-fat dairy ice cream really doesn’t agree with me. Womp womp. I hear they have great ginger ice cream so I thought I’d make my own.

This ice cream has fresh and dried ginger for a strong punch of flavor. I always think of ginger and honey going together in recipes so it seemed like a good flavor to introduce here. If you’re vegan or don’t want to include it, you can easily swap it out for another 1/4 cup of sweetener.

Honey Ginger Ice Cream

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 6-8 servings):

1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup sugar
2 15oz cans of coconut milk
2 Tablespoons shaved fresh ginger
1 Tablespoon ginger powder

Method:

In a large bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients until the sugar has dissolved.
Pour the base into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.
Move the freshly frozen ice cream into an airtight container and let it harden in the freezer for a couple of hours to chill completely.
Before serving, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes to soften.

For an extra touch of flavor you can add some lemon zest into the base; I was a little worried that the three together might be overwhelming and hard to distinguish but now I’m dying to try it.

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Cherry Coconut Pavlova

Written on August 8, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

I’ve never heard the word “pavlova” more than in the past month. It’s not a dessert that gets a lot of attention, but for some reason I’ve been seeing it everywhere: At parties we’ve gone to, on the Food Network, and even on one of my favorite blogs. Since it’s a naturally gluten-free dessert, I wanted to get in on the action and make my own.

The only part of the recipe that really ever changes is the base; everyone seems to make their meringue different. I like using powdered sugar for a sweeter and pure white meringue, with a little bit of cream of tartar to help it stay up. I also choose to let it “cook” overnight in a hot oven to get the best texture. When it’s done, the outside should be hard and crispy while the inside meringue is soft like a marshmallow.

The fun thing about this dessert is you can dress the meringue any way. Whip regular cream instead of coconut milk for a more traditional dessert. You can serve it with any fresh fruit that’s on hand or even use a fruit sauce.

Cherry Coconut Pavlova

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 12 hours(overnight)

Ingredients(Makes 3-4 servings):

2 egg whites
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup coconut cream*
1/2 cup pitted and halved cherries

*To get coconut cream, leave a can of full-fat coconut milk undisturbed in the pantry for a few days. Open it without shaking the can. The cream will be separated on the top from the coconut water, a clear liquid that you can save and use as a sports drink.

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Whip the egg whites in a glass bowl slowly adding the powdered sugar and cream of tartar until it forms soft peaks.
Pour the meringue in a mound on a non-stick baking tray. Swirl a utensil on the top of the meringue for an artful effect.
Put the meringue in the oven and immediately turn off the oven. Do not open the oven door. Let the meringue sit undisturbed in the hot oven overnight.
When the meringue is ready, whip the coconut milk in a chilled glass bowl until it forms stiff peaks.
Spread the whipped coconut milk on top of the meringue and garnish with the cherry halves. Serve immediately.

This dessert definitely stops being pretty once you cut into it. That’s ok; it’s delicious enough that no one will notice. The best bites are the ones where you get a little of everything: The sweet meringue, the rich topping, and the tart cherries.

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Arepas and Peanut Butter

Written on August 7, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

I don’t typically have exciting breakfasts. Usually I have oatmeal with egg whites and peanut butter or a paleo mug cake with peanut butter on top.

The common denominator? Peanut butter. Naturally, I was excited when Peanut Butter & Co. asked me to make a breakfast recipe for their All Star Recipe Blog, but I knew it’d have to be something more exciting than oatmeal.

As I looked at recipes from all around the world, I saw they all revolved around the same ingredients: eggs and grains. Add some peanut butter and fruit and that sounds like a well-rounded breakfast. I settled on arepas, a popular Columbian breakfast, and added a few American twists.

This was my first time cooking plantains. This was actually my first time eating plantains. All I knew is that they were like giant bananas… sort of. After trying them I can safely say they’re one of my new favorite foods. It might seem odd pairing them with cinnamon raisin swirl peanut butter but I love bananas and peanut butter so why not?

The other parts of this are the arepas themselves(think along the lines of unsweetened cornmeal pancakes) and a fried egg to top it all off. What doesn’t a fried egg make better? Since the dough is purely cornmeal, this dish is naturally gluten-free, too. For the full recipe and a chance to win a jar of cinnamon raisin swirl, click here and enjoy!

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A First Attempt At Fudge

Written on August 6, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert, Uncategorized

Fudge is one of my favorite desserts. I’ve made chocolate fudge plenty of times and even a few batches of peanut butter; I try to convince myself that the easy, no-fuss microwave method of making it is just as good as any other.

That’s just not true.

Occasionally I go to a small beach town in Maine and the coast is lined with candy shops. Beyond the salt water taffy and chocolate covered gummy bears, they no doubt have homemade fudge there. And you can bet it’s not the kind that’s made in the microwave. My favorite to get is the penuche because the flavor is so pure and simple and yet complex in its own right.

I got a candy thermometer for Christmas last year thinking that would get me to try all the recipes I’ve bookmarked but never had the chance to make. Well, it took me a good 7 months to finally use it; better late than never I guess.

I searched and searched for a promising penuche fudge recipe and landed on Martha Stewart’s. It got off to a bad start when I realized it called for a 5oz can of evaporated milk and not the 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk I had. Oops. To compensate I made a last minute switch and used the condensed milk with 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar and 4oz of butter.

I’m pretty sure my stove runs hot because as soon as I put it on it started boiling and the temperature went up and up and up. I took the pan off the heat and kept stirring and tried to get it to heat up slowly, but by then it looked like it had burned a little.

I stirred for about 10-15 minutes and then combined it with the powdered sugar and vanilla. I was more than anxious to see if it would be too hard or too soft or too oily or too dry. I held my breath and put the loaf pan in my refrigerator to cool.

Impatiently, I took the pan out before it’d cooled all the way. Instead of a brick of taffy, I was surprised to find fudge, real fudge. The kind with layers and crackling sugar and a sweet smell to it.

I bit in. The flavor wasn’t quite penuche; it’s a little more complicated and something I can’t put my finger on. Brown butter fudge? Salted caramel fudge? I don’t know. It’s good, though. And with a little time and a lot of practice I’d make it again.

Here’s a link to the recipe again. If you’re daring(or just good with candy thermometers), I’d recommend giving it a go. And if you’re intimidated by any other cooking technique, I’d recommend giving it a go, too. What’s the worst that could happen?…

Just keep a fire extinguisher nearby.

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Just Photos: Providence Water Fire

Written on August 5, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Just Photos

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