Bark, Bark, Bark

Written on April 13, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert, Recipe Round-Up

Yesterday I was supposed to go to the store and pick up ingredients to make bark last night. Before I could it started raining, so that never happened. Sure, it stopped raining and the sun came back out but by that time I was home and too comfortable to do more than look at bark recipes online and drool a little.

As I was looking through the bark recipes I have on this site, I realized I only had 4. That’s a shame since it’s one of my favorite things to make and it’s so so easy. I’ll be sure to improve on that from now on; you can never have too much bark.

Peanuts-And-Pretzels-Dark-Chocolate-Bark

I made this peanuts and pretzels bark back in November when I was staying with friends for a few nights, but I stole a taste before I gave it away and I have to say it’s one of my favorites ever. You just can’t go wrong with peanut butter chips, especially in salty-sweet desserts.

Roasted-Hazelnut-And-Candied-Ginger-Bark-serving

Roasted hazelnut and candied ginger bark is definitely the most elegant bark I’ve ever made. I also used high quality baking chocolate instead of chocolate chips for these and I have to say that brought the recipe to a whole new level.

January 16th 063

I have weird tastes; I love bitter things. I’ve even eaten coffee beans whole on their own. That being said, they definitely taste better with chocolate. That’s why I love espresso bark. It’s also a hell of a lot cheaper than buying chocolate covered coffee beans, which are also amazing.

triple-nut-bark

My body’s two main food groups are probably chocolate and nuts, so this is practically like taking a vitamin. You could really use any nuts you like but I like making this triple nut bark with peanuts, cashews, and almonds and a little salt for extra flavor. But you really can’t go wrong as long as there’s chocolate and nuts involved.

I’ll be sure to make it to the store today. I might spend a mini-fortune on chocolate chips and crazy mix-ins, but I can tell that will be money well spent.

Any particular favorite bark recipes? Recipes and links are welcome!

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Easy Black Bean Salad

Written on April 11, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

I’m usually too tired to want to cook at night; during the Summer I have the lovely excuse of not wanting to turn on a stove or a grill because it’s already too hot. That’s why I love bean salad recipes: You never have to cook them and they’re easy to throw together.

It’s really easy to make a big pot of rice and a bunch of bean salad and keep it for yourself to eat throughout the week. Most of the ingredients I used were canned, which is also a plus since I almost always keep them on hand. I’m not a big cilantro fan so I leave strong herbs like that out usually, but you could just as easily add them in. This would be best with a big plop of firecracker guacamole on top.

I left the onions out because I’m not a fan of the strong flavor. One way to get rid of the intense bitterness is to soak it in cold water for 5 minutes before dicing it.

Easy Black Bean Salad

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 2 servings):

1 1/4 cups black beans
1/2 cup corn
1/3 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup sliced olives
1/2 red onion, diced(optional)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro(optional)

Method:

Take all of the ingredients and toss together until the salad is evenly mixed.
Serve with rice, tortillas, or over a bed of greens.

So simple and delicious. It feels like eating at chipotle only without the drive. What could be better than that?

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Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Written on April 9, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

I saw a lot of carrot cake recipes last week leading up to Easter while I was planning to make one for yesterday, too. I’d forgotten it’s sort of an Eastery dessert. Easter is also the time I celebrate my birthday with my extended family and carrot cake has always been one of my favorite cakes. It’s kind of an odd choice(or so I’m told), but I love it. I even asked to have it as my graduation cake after 6th grade when everyone else was choosing chocolate and chocolate fudge; it’s their loss.

I haven’t had carrot cake since eating gluten-free a few years ago and have been meaning to make this for months. Of course, when I did decide to make it things started going wrong. I realized Friday night I only had one cake pan, so a layer cake was out. I also didn’t have a grater so I had to peel and chop the carrots. I completely forgot to add the pineapple I bought just for this, and as I went to add in the walnuts I remembered my aunt’s allergic to walnuts, so I swapped in some pecans at the last minute. Still, this was one of the best carrot cakes I’ve ever had.

This recipe makes one cake layer. You can double it to make more for a layered cake. To make the cake dairy-free, use a vegan cream cheese substitute. I’d recommend something organic since vegan cream cheeses tend to have odd ingredients.

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts(or any other nut)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup maple syrup
4 eggs
6 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted
8oz cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 Tablespoons milk or cream

Method:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Mix together the carrots, raisins, walnuts, coconut, almond flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
Mix in the maple syrup, eggs, and coconut oil until the batter is even.
Pour the batter into a 12-inch cake pan and spread out evenly.
Bake for 40 minutes until the cake rises and the center has cooked through.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, sift the powdered sugar into a bowl with the cream cheese.
Add in the extract and milk and beat until completely mixed.
Spread on top and around the sides of the cake.
Garnish with extra nuts if desired.

I’ll always have a soft spot(and empty stomach) for carrot cake. Since there are vegetables and fruit in this I’m going to go ahead and say it’s fine to eat the leftovers for breakfast, too.

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Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Written on April 6, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

The last time I made chocolate peanut butter, I meant to use it for making cookies. But before I knew it the jar was licked clean and that was that. Oh well—tasty food is never a loss. But since I recently had a jar of dark chocolate dreams, I was determined to make cookies out of it before eating the whole thing.

Peanut butter cookies were an obvious choice since they’re so easy and gluten-free. But why stop there? Adding chocolate chips makes them that much chocolatier and that much better. You could also try adding salted peanuts, and even chocolate covered peanuts if you have some on hand.

You could use any type of peanut butter for this recipe as long as it’s the no-stir kind, even homemade chocolate peanut butter.

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 1 1/2 dozen cookies):

1 cup chocolate peanut butter such as Dark Chocolate Dreams
1 egg
1/2 cup cane sugar
6 Tablespoons chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Beat together all of the ingredients until it forms a batter.
Take pieces of cookie dough and roll it into 1-inch balls in between your hands. Put the balls on a lined cookie tray and press them down with a fork in a criss-cross pattern.
Bake for 16 to 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely before moving them.

When I took these out of the oven, they were very fragile. But as the cookies cooled to room temperature, they could be moved and lifted without cracking at all. Just be careful not to move them around too quickly fresh from the oven or you might end up with crumbs.

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Roasted Asparagus

Written on April 4, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

It’s exciting to have fresh produce back on grocery store shelves. I was getting tired of looking at potatoes and squash, but now asparagus, berries, and avocado are all plump and on sale and it actually makes cooking seem less like a chore now.

My favorite method of cooking is still to chuck things in the oven and forget about it. I mean, how easy is that?(Cue the Ina Garten voice) Roasting also adds a lot of flavor as it cooks the vegetables through in a way that steaming or boiling doesn’t. This asparagus comes out much richer and nuttier than if it were cooked any other way.

The lemon and salt at the end brighten up the flavor and brings out the sweet side of the asparagus. The garlic powder is completely optional but a nice touch to add a comforting savoriness to the dish that would go well along side red meat and potatoes.

Roasted Asparagus

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 bundle of asparagus, washed
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder(optional)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Method:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees
Toss the asparagus in the oil and garlic powder if using.
Roast for 30 minutes until the asparagus is slightly past fork tender
Remove from the oven and drizzle with the lemon juice. Finish with a sprinkling of salt.
Serve hot.

Alright, show of hands—who else forgot vegetables could actually taste good after the last 6 months?

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A Nutty Spring Salad

Written on April 3, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Uncategorized

Today my second recipe hits the Peanut Butter & Co. All Stars Recipe blog. What do spring greens, peanut butter, and white chocolate have to do together? Surprisingly, they make a terrific salad recipe.

White chocolate used for savory recipes is something that’s always intrigued me. What better time to try out a chocolate recipe than Easter when you’re already eating chocolate eggs and chocolate bunnies?

The dressing is made with White Chocolate Wonderful peanut butter and mustard creating a sweet, savory, nutty and smooth taste that pairs well with the tomatoes and asparagus spears. It’s has a terrific light taste that’s perfect to start off a meal.

I have another asparagus recipe to post tomorrow. I promise this won’t turn into asparagus week–unless that’d be a good thing in which case bring on the asparagus.

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Simple Recipes For Easter

Written on April 1, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Recipe Round-Up

Easter is a week from today. Wasn’t New Years just a few weeks ago? I guess at some point I should pick and work on a resolution…

If you actually gave something up for Lent, Easter is the best time to gorge yourself on it and still feel accomplished for the last forty days. If you didn’t, there’s plenty of food to gorge yourself on, still. My favorite thing about Easter(besides the chocolate bunnies, of course) is that it marks the start of a new season bursting with light and spicy flavors that wake up your taste buds after months of winter squash and heavy sauces.

Here are some of my favorite recipes that are quick and work perfectly for an Easter feast. Of course there’s dessert since Easter is also when we celebrate my birthday; you need a cake to put candles in.

Firecracker-Guacamole-dip

Appetizers:

Lime Tortilla Chips

Firecracker Guacamole

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Side Dishes:

Balsamic Brussel Sprouts With Wine

Lemon Garlic Asparagus

April 3rd 013

Vegetarian Mains:

Cranberry Cashew Quinoa

Caramelized Onion and Balsamic Vinegar Bean Salad

homemade-reeses-peanut-butter-eggs-bite

Desserts:

Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes

Egg-Shaped Peanut Butter Cups

No-Bake Almond Butter Date Bars

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

I hope there’s something there that you’d enjoy!

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Buttercream Shots In Chocolate Cups

Written on March 29, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

This I know to be true: There are cake people and there are frosting people. And I most definitely am a frosting person. I’m guilty of taking a slice of cake and just eating the frosting. I’m also guilty of running my finger along the edge of the cake before it’s been cut into just to taste the frosting. But don’t worry–I haven’t done that in any recent years… that I’ll admit to.

Today’s my birthday, and on your birthday you shouldn’t have to eat anything you don’t want to. Apples. Broccoli. Even cake. You should be able to just eat your frosting and have it, too.

I’ve been wanting to make a recipe like this for a long time and never found an occasion. I suppose now is as best a chance I’ll get; don’t judge me if all of these are gone by the end of the day.

They’re easy enough to make and just need two ingredients. You can use canned frosting but homemade is so much better tasting and just as easy. If you don’t have a favorite recipe, I’d recommend mocha buttercream or vanilla buttercream.

Buttercream Shots In Chocolate Cups

Prep time: 15 minutes(Plus 20 minutes of cooling time)

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 2 dozen):

7oz good quality dark chocolate
3/4 cup store-bought or homemade buttercream
24 miniature cupcake holders

Method:

Melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a double broiler until it’s smooth.
With a spoon, drop a Tablespoon of chocolate into the cupcake holder and paint it around the sides. Make sure the layer of chocolate isn’t too thin or it will break.
Put the chocolate cup on a tray and repeat until all of the chocolate is used up.
Refrigerate the tray for 20-30 minutes until the chocolate has hardened.
Gently peel off the cupcake holders until just the chocolate cup remains.
Fill the cups with a tablespoon of buttercream each. Store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

If you tried to tell me there’s a better kind of birthday shot, I wouldn’t believe you.

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Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes

Written on March 27, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

I really love lemon desserts. Unfortunately they tend to disappear in the winter. Why is that? We still have lemons. I guess their flavor is too bright when it’s cold and you want something warm and comforting. But now it’s Spring and we can eat all the lemons we want.

To make these cupcakes, I took my favorite paleo vanilla cupcake recipe and added lemon. Pretty simple, huh? There’s also a lemon buttercream because—of course—you can’t really have too much lemon. They’re perfect for a lightly flavored dessert, and I would bet even better with some lemoncello.

This recipe uses coconut flour. There really isn’t any substitute for it. It’s a high-fiber, starchy flour that simulates the binding properties of gluten in wheat really well. I’d consider it a must-have for any gluten-free bakers.

Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients(Makes a dozen cupcakes):

1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons coconut flour
4 eggs
2 egg whites
1/2 cup cane sugar
1 cup coconut milk
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Zest from one lemon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a dozen cupcake holders.
Combine all of the ingredients together in a large bowl and mix until it forms an even batter.
Scoop equal amounts of the batter into each cupcake well.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are firm to the touch.
Remove from the oven. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting them.

Lemon Buttercream

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup room temperature butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice OR 1/2 Tablespoon lemon extract and 1 Tablespoon cream
Lemon zest for garnish(optional)

Method:

Beat together the butter, 1 1/2 cups of sugar, and the lemon juice until mix. Slowly sift in the extra sugar until it’s all used up.
Scoop the frosting into a Ziploc bag and snip off one edge. Squeeze the frosting through the cut out corner onto cupcakes in a swirling motion.

Who else is excited for Spring?

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Lessons From My Marathon One Year Later

Written on March 24, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Running

This weekend marks a year since my first marathon. It’s true what they say: Hindsight is 20/20. I feel like a much stronger runner than I was then physically and mentally; I’ve learned a lot about running from doing things right and doing things wrong. And since I want to get better and run a third some day, it feels right to reflect on the things I’ve learned and put the words onto paper—or a blog post, at least.

Listen To Your Body

It sounds simple, but this is probably what runners are worst at. Listen to your body and back off as soon as you feel an injury coming on. I wasn’t a very strong runner for my first marathon having just came back from a stress fracture and now whenever I feel shin splints acting up I know well enough to stop. You can always find something else to do and run the next day, or next week—it’s all better than injury.

Diet Matters

If you eat a lot of sugar and fat, your long run the next day is probably going to be great. If you eat a lot of sugar and fat every day and aren’t training hard for anything, you’re just going to get fat. A year ago I was running at roughly a 10:00min/mile using the Galloway method. For my 2nd marathon I ran at a 9:00min/mile pace. Now that I’m not training for anything I average an 8:00min/mile. The difference is less fat and more muscle, which all boils down to diet for me.

All Cardio And No Strength Makes A Sorry Runner

I love running. I’d run every day if I could. But my legs would get sore and my arms would get small and I’d look like an orc extra from a Harry Potter movie. Not only does having extra muscles make you look better, it gives your legs a break and keeps your body overall fit. It doesn’t even matter what you do so long as you do something; I’ve done the gym-machines-thing, the Shred, and now I pretty much stick to yoga. The only time my results change is when I start slacking. The one thing that hasn’t changed is that I’ve been getting faster since I’ve started.

Right now I don’t have any more marathons planned. But I know as long as I keep these things in mind I’ll be in my best shape and the next marathoner can only be better.

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