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Honey-Olive Oil Butternut Squash

Written on February 17, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

Even though Winter is ending, I still love eating any squash I can my hands on. They aren’t exactly Spring or Summer fare, but neither are the temperatures, so as long as it’s cold I’m going to figure out how to eat them in new, seasonal ways. Honey and olive oil are a natural pair for any dressing, but it turns out they work together well in this cooked recipe, too. The squash came out sweet and slightly fruity; if I closed my eyes I could almost imagine it weren’t 30 degrees outside.

Honey-Olive Oil Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash, halved and deseeded
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons honey
pinch of salt

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Roast the squash by itself for an hour until soft and tender.

Remove the squash from the oven and poke holes in the flesh. Pour on 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil and honey on each side of the squash. Put it back in the oven and cook for another 30 minutes.

Pour off the excess liquid and serve hot with a pinch of salt on top.

I was impressed with how strong the flavors of honey and olive oil were even after cooking; they make the squash taste more Summery and less earthy, so it was a nice depart from plain butternut squash. And because it was olive oil and not butter, it felt light.

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Maple Peanut Butter

Written on February 15, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

I could go broke on peanut butter; I really could. My favorite has to be PB&Co.’s Mighty Maple. If you’ve never had it, it’s love on a spoon. It has just the right amount of peanut and maple flavor, and a smooth-spreading consistency. It also has a heavy price tag at Whole Foods for something that’s mostly peanuts. After making chocolate peanut butter, making my own maple peanut butter seemed like the natural progression. It’s good; it’s not quite as good as Mighty Maple but what is? Not much. Oh, and it’s cheap and easy like a bad Valentine’s Day date. What more could you ask for?

Maple Peanut Butter

Ingredients(Makes about 1 cup):

3/4 cup natural peanut butter OR 6 ounces shelled peanuts
2 tablespoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons maple sugar(or brown sugar)
2 tablespoons coconut oil, softened
1/4 teaspoon salt(omit if your peanut butter is salted)

If you’re starting with whole peanuts, grind them in a food processor for about 10 minutes until they make a smooth, runny peanut butter.

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir with a spoon. That’s it. Once it’s all come together, move it to a seal-tight jar for up to 2 weeks without refrigeration.

Like Mighty Maple, it’s smooth, semi-solid at room temperature, and has bits of sugar crystals to chew on in each bite. It didn’t taste quite as much as maple as I’d have hoped, but I bet with maple sugar that wouldn’t be a problem.

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Almond Butter Date Bars

Written on February 14, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

Happy Valentine’s Day! I like a good pun, so making date bars for Valentine’s Day was a no-brainer. Dates are nature’s candy(or is that beets?) and their flavor is as sweet as the sweetest valentine. I’ve also been wanting to make these for a while and being out of cocoa powder seemed like a sign. I love the flavor of almonds in the shortbread crust; if I made these again I’d definitely add nuts on top for a more intense flavor.

Almond Butter Date Bars

Ingredient:

1 cup dates, diced
1/4 brown sugar
3/4 cup water
3/4 almond butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour(I used gluten-free)
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
coconut flakes(optional)
chopped nuts(optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

To make the filling, combine the dates, brown sugar, and water in a sauce pan. Boil until the water has evaporated and the dates are soft and mushy. Add more water if necessary.

In a separate bowl, combine the almond butter, sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and egg and mix until it makes a coarse and crumbly dough.

Press 2/3rds of the dough into a greased 8×8 baking pan.

Spread on the filling mixture in an even coating.

Sprinkle on the remaining dough in crumbs. Mix in any nuts or coconut if using.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the topping starts to brown.

These were soft and crumbly, and definitely sweet enough with the date filling. The cinnamon added a good earthiness to balance the almond butter. Like I said, if I made these again I’d add coconut and hazelnuts on top. Maybe next Valentine’s Day; nuts are great on Valentine’s Day(I told you I liked puns).

February 13th 138

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Double Chocolate Oh Baby Bars

Written on February 11, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

Now this is a chocolaty recipe for Valentine’s Day.

I’ve been wanting to make Jenna’s Oh Baby Bars(again) for a while now when I remembered the jar of chocolate peanut butter I just made. Oh yes; it was meant to be. These are a layer of firm, sweet chocolate peanut topped with a soft chocolate coating. What more can I say? Give these as a gift on Valentine’s Day along with bigger pants.

Double Chocolate Oh Baby Bars(adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients(makes 16 squares):

3/4 cup chocolate peanut butter
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup melted butter(or Earth Balance)
10oz semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate
1 tablespoon butter(or Earth Balance)

Mix together the chocolate peanut butter, melted butter, and powdered sugar until it’s a homogenous dough.

Press the mixture into an even layer in an 8×8 baking pan. Don’t worry if there’s some bumps or texture to the top because it won’t be noticeable at the end.

Melt the chocolate and remaining tablespoon of butter and mix until it’s smooth and creamy. Pour the melted chocolate over the dough and spread it into an even layer.

Allow the pan to chill in the refrigerator until it’s firm enough to cut into squares. Serve at room temperature for the best texture.

These are so good that they’re not going to last until Valentine’s Day. I might have eaten those 3 within 3 hours. Don’t judge; you’d do the same. The chocolate flavor is extremely song but there’s no lacking of peanut butter flavor, either. Next time I might add a sprinkling of sea salt to the top to round it off.

Yum.

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Lemon-Garlic Asparagus

Written on February 10, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

As much as I love cooking desserts and brownies, standing over a stove with a pan of olive oil and garlic and other familiar ingredients is just as comforting. The more garlic the better. The flavors reminded me of Spring and Easter, which is where my mind wants to be when the temperature is negative degrees with the wind-chill. I was a little heavy handed with the lemon when I made this so if you’re not in love with the flavor then I’d suggest going with less as more.

Lemon-Garlic Asparagus

Ingredients:

1 bunch of asparagus
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Start by heating heating the oil in a pan with the minced garlic. Let the garlic sauté for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the asparagus into 1-inch long segments.

Add the asparagus to the pan and toss with the garlic and olive oil to coat.

Pour in the lemon juice and continue to cook for 5-7 minutes until the asparagus is tender. If you’re not sure if it’s cooked enough, taste one from time to time.

When it’s ready, sprinkle with salt to finish and serve hot.

I’m not sure what you could serve this with. Or rather, I’m not sure what you couldn’t serve this with. It would be great as a light side dish with some red meat or a perfect flavor pairing with Jenna’s Lemon Brown Sugar chicken and mashed potatoes(OK, I just love mashed potatoes, but who doesn’t?).

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Maple-Soy Marinated Chicken Breasts

Written on February 9, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

There’s a reason that “tastes like chicken” isn’t usually a compliment: chicken without sauce or seasoning isn’t exciting. I don’t like to spend too much time working on meals(or rather, I don’t have too much time to spend working on meals), so this marinade is perfect for me. It’s 3-ingredients, takes no time to put together, and with a little patience makes the food taste incredible. The smell and flavor reminded me of a teriyaki sauce but with a New England twist. And no one will call your chicken bland ever again.

Maple-Soy Marinated Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 juiced lemon(about 2 tablespoons of juice)
1lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Start by collecting all the marinade ingredients into a thin deep container or a Ziploc bag.

Add in the chicken and let it marinade for at least 3 hours or up to 48 hours(I let mine sit for 24 hours).

Drain the excess marinade from the chicken before cooking.

To roast, preheat an oven to 350 degrees and bake for 60 minutes. Then remove the chicken from the oven and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to rest.

To grill, coat the grill pan with some cooking oil. Cook the breasts for about 6-8 minutes on both sides until the center has cooked through.

I recommend serving this with something like rice or spinach to absorb the juice for the chicken because it adds some unreal flavor. I know I’ll be making this again and again because I always have maple syrup and soy sauce on hand. You could also use this marinade for anything from pork to seitan to tofu.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter

Written on February 8, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

We all have our expensive habits; mine happens to be food. For me, it’s too easy to get sucked in to buying expensive specialty food like Justin’s chocolate peanut butter, which is amazing if that was ever in question. This time around, I was determined to make my own chocolate peanut butter since I knew it could be made much much cheaper. I used pre-ground peanut butter, but if you want to do this from scratch simply add an extra step at the beginning of grinding the peanuts in a food processor. All in all, the entire jar came in at less than $2, which is some serious savings, and I’ll eat to that.

Chocolate Peanut Butter

Ingredients(Makes 16oz):

12oz of peanut butter OR 3 cups of peanuts
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder(preferably dutched)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt(omit if you’re using salted peanut butter)

Like I said, I started with pre-ground peanut butter but if you want to start with peanuts grind them to a smooth consistency. Pour this into a large mixing bowl.

Add in the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt and mix it thoroughly until you get what looks like a large ball of dough.

Melt down some coconut oil and slowly pour it into the bowl, as well.

Mix the contents of the bowl until the peanut butter is smooth and even.

Store in a 16oz jar at room temperature for up to a month.

To me, this tasted like Reeses Puff cereal, which is never a bad thing. There’s nothing this doesn’t go good on: oatmeal, yogurt, carrots, a spoon—you name it. And with that price, it’s unbeatable. Next time I’m going to try this with almond butter, which I’m sure will work and taste terrific, too.

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Lunchtime Stir-Fry

Written on February 7, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

Lunchtime is a funny time. I usually just want hot food fast, that still tastes good but won’t take too long to cook(because that might interfere with watching Days of Our Lives). I usually opt for leftovers, quick-cooking quinoa, or—a big favorite of mine—a stir-fry. Start to finish, a stir-fry only takes 12-15 minutes to cook, and it usually has a lot of flavor. I make this with frozen veggies which makes the preparation even faster without changing the flavor.

Lunchtime Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

1/2 block extra-firm tofu, cubed
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2-3 garlic cloves, diced
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup steamed broccoli
1-2 handfuls spinach
a pinch of salt

Heat the oil in a pan with the garlic. Let it sauté for a few minutes over low-medium heat to flavor the oil.

Once the garlic starts turning slightly browned, add in the tofu, soy sauce, and salt. Keep stirring the pan as the ingredients cook and the tofu browns.

Once the tofu has browned on all sides, add in the broccoli and spinach and continue to cook until they have absorbed the liquid.

All the flavor and none of the fuss. To steal the words from Ina Garten(and actually mean them), “How easy is that?” My favorite part is the broccoli after it has sucked up all the salty sauce and is tender and juicy when you bite in.

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Coconut-Crusted Tempeh

Written on February 4, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

Tempeh is one of those foods I never thought I’d be eating just two years ago. Just the thought of fermented soy isn’t exactly appetizing. Thoughts aside, it’s nutritionally great and easy to prepare and eat. You don’t even have to cook it, but this recipe adds some sweet and saltiness to it. The coconut coating reminds me of coconut shrimp. And it couldn’t be easier to make.

Coconut-Crusted Tempeh

Ingredients(For 2 servings):

1 block of tempeh
1/4 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
2 tablespoons agave nectar
a pinch of salt

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Cube a block of tempeh into bite-sized pieces and combine in a bowl with the coconut, salt, and agave nectar.

Toss the tempeh to coat it in coconut. Next, line a baking pan and lay out the tempeh in a single layer.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the coconut begins to toast.

The flavor is really nutty and a little sweet. The texture doesn’t really change from raw tempeh which is good because it has a “meaty” bite to it. It goes good on its own or with a salad.

And don’t forget today’s the last day to enter the giveaway!

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Copycat: Blueberry Muffin Larabar Recipe

Written on February 3, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Snack

When I first heard of Larabar’s new flavor I was excited. Slap the word “muffin” onto anything and you’ll grab my attention. You might even get me to watch C-Span if they named a show “Nancy Pelosi Discusses The Debt With Muffins”. The reviews I’ve read of the flavor have been mixed; I haven’t tried them because I don’t think they’re in stores yet. Rather than waiting, I decided to make my own and I have to admit that these are amazing. They taste better than any Larabar I’ve had; maybe because they’re fresher or maybe they just rock. If you need a muffin and don’t want a muffin top, these are a great, healthy, raw alternative.

Blueberry Muffin “Larabars®”

Ingredients(Makes 6 bars):

1 cup(about 20) pitted dates
1 cup almonds
2 tablespoons shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup dried blueberries
1/2 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice(or cinnamon)

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processer. Blend for 2-3 minutes until the mixture starts clumping. If your ingredients are dry, add water one tablespoon at a time until it starts sticking to itself.

Line a pan with parchment paper and press the mixture in firmly towards one side of the pan. Cut out the bars with a knife and gently tear them apart. Alternatively, you could roll these into balls and eat them that way. Keep in the refrigerator for the best freshness.

Like I said, these tasted amazing. They reminded me of blueberry munchkins from Dunkin’ Donuts if anybody knows what I’m talking about. At a time when companies are getting condemned(and rightly so) for using artificial blueberry flavoring without any actual blueberries, this has a refreshingly pure flavor to it. These have created high expectations for the real blueberry muffin Larabars in my mind.

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