Healthy Flourless Cake

I made this for my Mom's birthday, she is eating very healthy but, still wanted a yummy treat without eating the no no's that are part of her diet and life. Don't let the ingredients scare you! This is a yummy cake!!

Healthy Flourless Chocolate Cake
Adapted from a recipe at LowCarbFriends

Makes a 9" one layer cake

Ingredients:
1-15 ounce can of unseasoned black beans
OR 1 1/2 cup cooked beans, any color
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
6 tablespoons unsalted organic butter OR unrefined coconut oil
3/4 cup erythritol + 1/2 teaspoon pure stevia extract

OR 1/2 cup honey + 1 teaspoon pure stevia extract

OR 1 1/4 cup Splenda (using Splenda is not recommended)
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon water (omit if using honey)

Mint Chocolate variation:
2 teaspoons mint extract (in place of 2 teaspoons vanilla)

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9" cake pan with extra virgin olive oil cooking spray, or just grease it with a thin layer of butter. Dust cocoa all over the inside of the pan, tapping to evenly distribute. Cut a round of parchment paper and line the bottom of the pan, then spray the parchment lightly.

Drain and rinse beans in a strainer or colander. Shake off excess water. Place beans, 3 of the eggs, vanilla, stevia (if using) and salt into blender. Blend on high until beans are completely liquefied. No lumps! Whisk together cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Beat butter with sweetener (erythritol or honey) until light and fluffy. Add remaining two eggs, beating for a minute after each addition. Pour bean batter into egg mixture and mix. Finally, stir in cocoa powder and water (if using), and beat the batter on high for one minute, until smooth. Scrape batter into pan and smooth the top. Grip pan firmly by the edges and rap it on the counter a few times to pop any air bubbles.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cake is done with the top is rounded and firm to the touch. After 10 minutes, turn out cake from pan, and flip over again on to a cooling rack. Let cool until cake reaches room temperature, then cover in plastic wrap or with cake dome (I use an overturned plastic chip bowl). For BEST flavor, let cake sit over night. I promise this cake will not have a hint of beaniness after letting it sit for eight hours! If you are stacking this cake, level the top with a long serrated knife, shaving off layers until it is flat and even. Frost immediately before serving

And this frosting ...

Honey-Cinnamon Frosting:
¼ cup unsalted grass-fed butter
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup honey
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Make the Frosting: Take your room temperature butter & cream cheese & beat them in an electric mixer on medium-high speed (that would be a 7 on my Kitchen Aid). Add your honey & cinnamon to the mixture. A pinch of salt is lovely to add. Taste to see if you need more honey then written. 

Cordon Blue Pasta with a twist!!

 

For the pasta1 box (16oz) Penne Rigate Noodles (use wheat pasta)
3 Chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1/2-1 C bacon crumbles (decide how much you like bacon)
2 4oz cans of mushrooms
1/2 to 3/4 bag of fresh spinach chopped
1/2 3.5oz package of sun dried tomatoes chopped
one bunch of green onions chopped

For the sauce1/2 c butter (1 cube)
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 C heavy cream
1/2 C milk
1/2 tsp pepper (more if you like spice)
1 C Parmesan cheese (fresh if you can)
2 C mozzarella (you will save 1C for the top)

Directions1- cook chicken (and bacon if not using crumbled from package) and shred
2- preheat oven 350 degrees
3- cook noodles to package directions (drain)
4- while noodles are cooking make sauce; melt butter in medium saucepan over medium/low heat.  add garlic, cream, milk and pepper.  Bring mixture to a simmer. stir often.  Add the Parmesan and simmer 8-10 minutes or until it has thickened and is smooth.  Add 1 C mozzarella and stir until smooth.
5- add drained pasta back into large pan (off stove) pour in sauce, all remaining ingredients and pour into a 9x13 greased pan. 
6- Sprinkle remaining 1 C moz on top and bake 350 degrees for 15-20 min until lightly browned on top.
** the twist is Zach adding the spinach and sun dried tomatoes and any other vegetable you want**

Caulifower pizza crust

This is one of our families favorite recipe right now! I wasn't sure how this would taste but, it is sooo yummy! You can’t tell at all that the crust is made out of cauliflower. It doesn’t taste like “real” pizza crust, but it doesn’t have the flavor or texture of cauliflower either.

Recipe & Pictures from : http://www.recipegirl.com/

Yield: One 9 to 12-inch pizza (feeds 2 people)
Prep Time: 25 min
Cook Time: 18 min

Ingredients:

CRUST:

1/2 LARGE head cauliflower (or 2+ cups shredded cauliflower)
1 large egg
1 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic (or fresh garlic)
1/2 teaspoon onion salt

TOPPINGS:

1/2 cup tomato-basil marinara sauce (or pizza sauce)
1/2 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
And whatever over toppings you like

Directions:

Preheat the oven 450 and spray a cookie sheet

Just use a cheese grater to “grate” your cauliflower into very small pieces.

Microwave those cauliflower crumbles for 8 minutes. No water or anything needed.
 Just microwave it for 8 minutes to soften it up, and then let it cool a little bit. .

Mix 1 1/2 cups of the cauliflower crumbles with egg, cheese and spices. (I used mozzarella, but imagine using different varieties of cheeses in the crust! Yum!)

Shape it into a 9 to 12-inch round.

 Bake JUST the crust for 15 minutes

After the crust is cooked top it with desired sauce and toppings.

 Basil marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, Canadian bacon and pineapple (our favorite).

 Broil the pizza 3 to 4 minutes, or until the toppings are hot and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Cut into 6 slices and serve immediately.

Korean Bibimbap

This week I took it upon myself to try new recipes and new foods. First on the menu was Korean Bibimbap.

This dish was light and refreshing. It wasn't bursting with flavor, but it turned out that is exactly what I wanted.

Korean Bibimbap

3 carrots, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced or minced
english cucumber, thinly sliced
3/4 lb shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
5 ounces spinach
4 green onions, thinly sliced, the green and white parts separated
4 eggs
hot cooked rice
3 TB soy sauce
toasted sesame oil

Heat up olive oil in pan. Add carrots, cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and white parts of green onions. Cook 1 minute. Add mushrooms, cook 4 minutes. Add cucumber and spinach, cook until softened about 3-4 minutes. Stir and coat in soy sauce. Remove vegetables from pan. Heat up olive oil and fry eggs.

Put veggies over rice, place eggs on top. Top with green onions, sesame oil and extra soy sauce.

Recipe via here.

Baked Shrimp Scampi

My MIL got me some non-alcoholic wines to cook with for Christmas. So to test out the white, I made some shrimp scampi to use up a bag of shrimp in our freezer.
I found this recipe on the Food Network website. I subscribed to their magazine for Christmas; really excited about it.

Kevin gave this an A+, which is pretty spectacular. Me, I give it a B.







I served it with roasted green beans, probably my favorite side dish right now.
All you do is preheat the oven to 400.
Drizzle, or drench-you decide, olive oil and kosher salt on the green beans (or asparagus)
Roast for 10-20 minutes. Depends on your taste.

I also served it with my favorite easy homemade foccacia bread.



Baked Shrimp Scampi

1 pound shrimp, in shell-cooked or uncooked
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoons dry white wine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1/8 cup minced shallots
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)
Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.

In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.

Starting from the outer edge of a 14-inch oval gratin dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.

The Best Clam Chowder

Clam Chowder

1 cup chopped celery
2-3 cups chopped potatoes
1 large onion, chopped
3 chopped carrots
4 cans clams
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 quart half & half
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper


In a large saute pan, cook vegetables with clam juice for 15 minutes covered.
In a separate pan, melt butter. Whisk in flour while bubbly. Whisk in half & half. Cook and whisk until thick.
Once thick, add to vegetables (do not drain the clam juice).
Add salt and pepper.
Add clams at end, so they don't get tough.
Serve with bread bowls.

Winter Salad with Candied Pecans

Winter Fruit Salad
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. lemon juice (from a bottle is fine)
2 t. diced onion
1 t. Dijon-style mustard
1/2 t. salt
2/3 c. vegetable oil
1 T. poppy seeds
1 head romaine lettuce (or any lettuce), torn into bite-size pieces
4 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
1 c. candied pecans (or cashews)
1/4 c. dried cranberries
1 apple - peeled, cored and diced
1 pear - peeled, cored and diced

In a blender or food processor, combine sugar, lemon juice, onion, mustard and salt. Process until well blended. With machine still running add oil in a slow steady stream until mixture is thick and smooth. Add poppy seeds and process just a few seconds more to mix.

In a large serving bowl combine the lettuce, cheese, nuts, cranberries, apple and pear. Toss to mix then pour dressing over salad just before serving and toss to coat.

Sugared Pecans
1 egg white
1 Tbsp water
1/4 t. vanilla extract
8 oz pecans
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
3/4 t. salt
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/4 t. ground nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Put sugar, cinnamon, salt, cloves and nutmeg in a plastic bag, shake to mix.
3. Put egg, water, and vanilla in a bowl. Beat until slightly foamy, add pecans and coat well. Lift pecans out of bowl with a slotted spoon and put into the bag of sugar and spices. Shake pecans making sure they are well coated.
4. Bake 30 minutes on a baking pan lined with lightly greased aluminum foil. 15 minutes into baking, stir the pecans. Let cool completely before serving.
Makes about 2 cups.