Chocolate Coconut Squares

I recently saw a post on making your own chocolate bars.  I was pretty intrigued.  Although I've learned to make a lot of things at home, chocolate bars never really occurred to me.  What a brilliant idea.  Of course, I couldn't use the original recipe due to my dairy intolerance, but I figured coconut milk/oil would work splendidly.  And, well, yeah, it worked (probably too well!). 

I can't decide whether stumbling across these bars was the best or worst thing I've discovered in a long time:)  My husband says they taste like a Newari treat - Chaku - eaten with ghee (chocolate and clarified butter?).  My mom said they taste like a Mounds bar.  Everything thought they were fantastic.

So, disclaimer time.  Please remember that these are a treat/occasional indulgence.  Particularly if you are working on your body composition, remember that SUGAR=SUGAR=SUGAR, regardless of the fact that the ingredients are "healthier".  Accordingly, these absolutely delicable little squares should be treated as a treat.  But, when you do indulge, savor and enjoy!

 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coconut oil (melted)
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (if you use the canned kind, try to get the "cream" that separates from the water)
• 1/2 cup coconut crystals (I think honey or other sweeteners would work as well)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

[The original recipe calls for 1 T vanilla extract and 1 tsp salt -- my palate is not necessarily all that sensitive and I couldn't tell a noticeable difference...so I left these out.  But, you might notice that these ingredients add a certain extra "oomph" that you enjoy.]

 

 

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.
2. Blend until thoroughly mixed.
3. Line a small pan with parchment paper (or, grease the bottom of your pan well with coconut oil.  If you have candy molds - which I don't - you could use those as well).  Pour chocolate mixture into pan.
4. Refrigerate for about 1/2 hour.  Then, cut chocolate into squares and refrigerate another hour or two.
5. Best stored in the refrigerator...although if you're like my family, they don't last all that long.

Super-Simple Sausage Bites

Looking for something quick and easy for breakfast?  Look no further than these super-simple sausage bites (you could form them into patties - but I'm too lazy for that!).  They take very little time in the morning - I promise!  I can't tell you how often I've been having these for breakfast... 

The recipe easily doubles or halves. Since everyone has a difference spice level preference, start with less and add more later.  It's easier to add than to subtract...  This spice level consistent with our taste profiles -- yours is likely to be different.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 1/2 Tbs garlic powder
• 1 Tbs fennel seeds
• 1 Tbs red pepper flakes (if you can't take much heat start with a little and add more later)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Heat skillet over medium heat.  Add ground beef. 
2. Break your beef into small bits with the spatula. 
3. Add seasonings and stir to combine.
4. Cook until done to your desired temperature (I like my pretty browned when I'm having "sausage").
5. Taste, and adjust seasonings if necessary.
6. Serve and enjoy.

Cure for the Common Egg: Curried Eggs

This is something I eat for breakfast.  Yes, I'm weird...but my family has known that for a long time:)  But, hey, breakfast is just another meal where I try to get quality protein, a little fat, and my veggies.  If you can't stomach this much spice for breakfast, it's good any time of the day.

Ingredients:

• 1 dozen (12) hard-boiled eggs, halved or quartered
• 1 can no-salt added fire-roasted tomatoes (sub fresh if you want)
• 1 can full-fat coconut milk
• 2-3 Tbs curry* (start with less and add more)
• 2 small heads cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 bunch fresh spinach, cut roughly

Directions:

1. If you don't already have hard-boiled eggs, begin by boiling eggs.
2. Prep veggies (cauliflower and spinach).
3. Combine together tomatoes (including liquid), coconut milk, curry, and cauliflower in a stock pot.
4. Heat until boiling, then reduce heat and let simmer until cauliflower is almost cooked.
5. Add eggs and spinach; cook until spinach is wilted and eggs are heated through [I leave the eggs for the end because I don't want them to get too cooked, but you could add them earlier if that's easier].
6. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
7. Serve and enjoy, although it is even better the next day.

*  Curry

• 2 parts turmeric powder
• 2 parts paprika powder
• 1 part salt
• 1 part chili powder (adjust up or down for more or less heat)
• 1 part cayenne powder (adjust up or down for more or less heat)
• 1 part coriander powder

Sweet & Sour Slaw

I never really used to like coleslaw.  Maybe it was that I never really had good coleslaw.  I have memories of limp, wilted cabbage soaked in icky jarred mayo.  I don't know what possed me to give this one a try...maybe it was that I had a wonderful looking mango, two heads of cabbage (one red and one green), and some carrot in my 'fridge.  This turned out great, if I do say so myself:)  Sweet from the mango, sour from the coconut vinegar.  Hope you enjoy as well!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 head red cabbage
• 1/4 head green cabbage
• 1/2 large carrot
• 1 fresh mango
• 1/16 cup pecans
• 1/8 cup coconut vinegar (other vinegars would work - but if you are gluten intollerant, make sure it is a gluten-free variety)
• 1/4 cup olive oil (other oils would work here - I think coconut oil would be really good!)

Directions:

1. Thinly slice cabbage.  Grate carrot (be careful not to grate your finger!).
2. Peel and dice mango.
3. Break pecans into small pieces.
4. Combine cabbage, carrot, mango, and pecans in a bowl.
5. In a separate bowl, blend together coconut vinegar and olive oil (I used my small food processor, but I think a brisk whisking would work as well.)
6. Combine dressing with salad.  Stir well to combine.
7. Chill at least an hour (really, this is much better chilled).  Serve and enjoy.

Lebanese-Spiced Spaghetti & Meatballs

I LOVE Lebanese food.  It's flavorful without being spicy (although I like spice as well, don't get me wrong:)).  A friend in grad school, who had lived in Jordan for 20 years, introduced me to this awesomeness.  My mom gave this two-thumbs up and said I could make this anytime.

Ingredients:

• Spaghetti squash
• Onion
• Ghee or other appropriate oil
• 2 lb ground beef
• 2 Tbs Spice mix*, divided
• 1 bunch parsley
• 2 cans no-salt added tomato sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven and begin cooking spaghetti squash (I admit that I often cook it in the microwave...).
2. Peel and chop onion. 
3. Add ghee to a large sauce pan (big enough for sauce and meatballs) and when melted, add onion.  Cook until onion is caramelized.
4. Once the onions are caramelized, add tomato sauce and 1 Tbs spice mixture.  Stir, and reduce heat to simmer.
5. Meanwhile, chop parsley.
6. Mix together beef, parsley, and 2 Tbs of spice mix.  
7. Make meatballs. 
8. Heat another pan and brown meatballs on all sides.  You don't want to cook the meatballs all the way through, just get a nice brown on the outsides.  [You could also broil in the oven or you can skip the step entirely - I just happen to like my meatballs a little browned:)]
9. Once meatballs are browned, add to the tomato sauce mixture and let simmer until meatballs are cooked.
10. Serve over spaghetti squash.

*  Spice blend

Combine together equal parts (probably about 1 tsp each) of the following:

• Ground Nutmeg
• Ground Ginger
• Ground Allspice
• Ground Fenugreek (methi)
• Ground Cloves
• Ground Cinnamon
• Ground Pepper
• Sea Salt

Eggplant Crisps

I intended to make eggplant Parmesan, without the Parmesan (I'm dairy intolerant) (but don't ask me what I was going to call said dinner...).  

Obviously, from the title of my post, eggplant Parmesan without the Parmesan didn't happen because (mainly) we were eating these little babies right off the pan and it seemed like too much work to cook them again with the sauce.  

Seriously, these are GOOOD, like Lays potato chips...bet you can't just eat one!  Served here with an Italian meat and veggie sauce.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggplants
• 2 eggs + 2 Tbs water
• 1 cup pork rinds, ground (the 1 cup is measured once the rinds are ground)

Directions:

1. Peel and slice eggplant.  Then, in a pan with a lip (to catch the dripping water), liberally salt both sides of the eggplant.  Let sit at least 15 minutes, but closer to an hour is better.  (I don't actually know if the liquid that comes out is "bitter" and needs to be released, but the end result is pretty tasty, so I went with the common thought process regarding eggplant.  Anyway, I digress.)
2. Rinse salt from eggplant and pat dry.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
4. Beat together eggs and water.
5. Pulverize pork rinds.
6. Take a piece of eggplant, dip into egg mixture, shake off, dip into pork rind mixture.  Place on a baking sheet (I'd suggest some parchment paper here...otherwise, a few of them stick awful bad to the baking sheet.)
7. When they are all breaded, place into the oven and cook between 30 and 40 minutes.  You want the outside to be crispy, but not burnt.
8. Eat and enjoy.  Tender on the inside, crispy on the outside.  Yum! 

Beef in a Spicy Curry Sauce

I started out trying to make a vindaloo, which is one of my favorite Indian dishes when we go out.  It's a safe food - I know I can or will eat everything that's in there (sometimes I'm even good and skip the potatoes...). 

But, much as I like it, we only eat out once a month or so, and I decided to see if I could recreate my favorite.  Of course, we don't eat a lot of chicken since it's pretty difficult to find pastured chicken here, so I adapted the recipe to be made with beef. This didn't turn out to be what I envisioned, but it tastes great at any rate!  (I adapted from this recipe.)  Hope you enjoy as well.  [It does taste good...really...in spite of the fact that I'm not a very good photographer:)]

Ingredients:

• 2 lb stew meat
• Ghee or other appropriate oil
• 2 yellow onions, peeled and sliced
• 3" piece of peeled ginger
• 2 oz peeled garlic
• 1 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
• 1/8-1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 4 tsp hot chili powder (to taste!) or fresh hot peppers
• 2 tsp salt
• 3-4 tsp coconut vinegar

Directions:

1. Cook beef in the pressure cooker to tenderize.  [You could use another method, but this is both quick and yield really tender beef.]
2. Meanwhile, heat ghee in a pan.  Once ghee has melted, add onions.  Cook onions until they are very caramelized (a dark brown color -- just before they burn pull 'em off the heat). 
3. In a small fry pan, add a little ghee.  Once hot, add fenugreek seeds.  Cook until dark brown.  Then, add cumin seeds.  Cook until fenugreek seeds begin to turn black.  Finally, add mustard seeks and cook until funegreek seeds are a dark black.  Remove from heat.
4. In a food processor (or blender, etc.), combine caramelized onions, ginger, garlic, blackened spice mixture, ground coriander, chili powder, salt, and vinegar.  Blend until a nice paste is formed.
5. Mix together meat and spices, then cool to marinade, at least half an hour.
6. When ready to serve, gently heat on the stove.
7. Serve warm over cauliflower rice (or, for us today, spaghetti squash) and enjoy.