Recipes – Page 6

November 1, 2015

Pumpkin Spiced Party Popcorn

I hope you all had a spooky Halloween! Hopefully you are not in too much of a candy coma after all of yesterday’s festivities. I had a fun, low-key Halloween with my sister. We dressed up as spiders, went out to dinner, and watched movies. Sometimes it’s nice to have a night in. Plus, I love any excuse to lounge around in my PJs with some tea and a bowl of popcorn. But not just any popcorn…I like it gourmet! Today’s post is a yummy, healthy Fall (or all year, I don’t judge) treat. Pumpkin Spiced Party Popcorn is the perfect snack to whip up for parties, entertaining, movie nights, holiday gatherings, girl’s night in, or whenever the craving hits! It’s got all the flavors of pumpkin spice that you know and love, with a little sweetness from chocolate chips ( I used vegan ones sweetened with Stevia), and a hint of saltiness from a sprinkle of black sea salt. The salty/sweet combo is always a win in my book. I also love the crunch from the pumpkin seeds. Yep, this recipe uses pumpkin two ways- the seeds, and pumpkin puree as a base for the pumpkin seed “brittle”.

Popcorn is a great low-cal snack, and it is so versatile, too. I buy plain, unsalted popcorn and add my own mix ins, so I can really customize the popcorn to whatever I’m craving, and control the ingredients going into it. A lot of popcorn comes laden with butter, oil, salt, or worse- artificial butter flavor, so by flavoring it yourself, you can really keep the nutrition value of your popcorn in check. This was the first time I bought non-microwave popcorn, and I made it the old-fashion way on the stove top. It couldn’t be easier, and it makes you feel like a kitchen boss.

Time to add pumpkin seed’s nutrition profile to the list reasons we are all pumpkin obsessed!! Pumpkin seeds are a great source of iron, zinc, and protein, which are important nutrients to pay attention to, especially if you are vegetarian or vegan. Iron plays a major role in oxygen transport and DNA production. If you are always feeling tired, it could be a sign of iron deficiency, as iron carries oxygen to the mitochondria of the cells, which are responsible for energy production. Women especially need to make sure they get enough iron in their diet, since we lose some every month.

Zinc has tons of different functions, like playing a role in the breakdown and use of carbohydrates/fat/protein, the activation and use of insulin, optimizing immune function, hormone production, and in growth and repair of tissue. Show your body some love from the inside out, and add pumpkin seeds to your diet this season!

Pumpkin Spiced Party Popcorn

Makes 4 cups

Ingredients for the Pumpkin Seed Brittle

1/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 dates, soaked
1/4 cup plus 2 TBS milk of choice
1 cup pumpkin seeds

Ingredients for the Popcorn

4 cups popcorn: non- GMO, please! I use Bob’s Red Mill Kernels
Pumpkin Seed Brittle
1/4 cup chocolate chips ( I used vegan ones sweetened with Stevia)
sprinkle of black sea salt
dash of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg
drizzle of oil (I used coconut)

To make the Pumpkin Seed Brittle:

Roast pumpkin seeds on a sheet pan at 300 degrees for 45 minutes.
While the seeds are roasting, place pumpkin puree, milk, and dates into a food processor and mix until smooth
Drizzle the sauce over the pumpkin seeds, and place in a the oven at 250 for 2 hours to crisp up the seeds. Your house will smell really yummy!

To assemble the popcorn:

To a large bowl, add popcorn, pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips, and a drizzle of oil. The oil will help the spices to adhere to the popcorn.
Toss with a spoon to coat popcorn with the oil. Add sea salt and spices. Toss to combine.
Add one more sprinkle of cinnamon as a garnish, and you are ready to snack away!

Let me know what you did for Halloween/what you dressed up as. And what are your favorite ways to dress up your popcorn? Have a fabulous week!

XO, Alexandra

August 26, 2015

Rose Story Farm + Raw, Vegan Rose Tarts

The inspiration for today’s recipe comes straight out of the garden, but probably not the type of garden you were imagining . Rose Story Farm is the most incredible rose garden in the cute beach town of Carpinteria, California. Walking the grounds is breathtaking and magical. I have never seen so many roses in my life, and honestly, it kind of made me feel a bit like Alice in Wonderland, strolling through another world, just through the rabbit hole. If you are ever in the Los Angeles/Santa Barbara area, take a trip to Rose Story Farm- they offer tours on Thursdays and Saturdays during prime rose season, April through November (so go soon before it’s too late!) And if you must take a little souvenir home, they have the most charming gift shop- think rose colored/flavored/scented everything, and a retail nursery where you can even get a gorgeous rose bush to take home and plant.

Keep scrolling through to see some snapshots from my tour of the farm, and for a yummy recipe featuring the floral, dreamy flavor of the queen of flowers: the rose!

Rose Story Farm is home to 25,000 rose bushes and 120 different rose varieties! Did you know there is even a rose variety named Princess Alexandra, which is now my favorite variety of roses, for obvious reasons. 🙂 Rose Story Farm is owned and cared for by Danielle Hahn (and her very sweet, hardworking team). In 2014, she received the Great Rosarian of the World Award. Needless to say, I was taking note of any and every gardening tip I cold get my hands on.

Ever clipped roses when they hadn’t quite opened yet, only to find when you put them in a vase, they never open? A little trick I learned at RST: the earliest one should ever clip roses to guarantee that they will open is just after all of the sepals (the little green leaves that enclose the bud) have separated from the petals of the bud. Once the sepals drop, clip away for buds that open every time!

My all time favorite flowers are peonies, so any rose that has that lush, peony petal look to it makes me absolutely giddy. I have never seen such large, ruffled, jaw-droppingly beautiful roses in my life! The fields of roses brought out the little girl in me. I was ready to run through the garden and sit down for a tea party! (we did get to experience rose tea, by the way…but more on that later)

*Quietly humming “We’re painting the roses red”* 🙂

RST is home to many little kitties that just love to roam through the roses. (And who can blame them?) This kitty in particular was a very gracious host and accompanied us on the entire tour. Her name was Trixie, and I could tell she took great pride in welcoming us into her rosy habitat.

One more pic of Trixie, just because she was a darling, and she absolutely knows it. Oh how lucky to be a cat with a leisurely life at Rose Story Farm.

Another amazing thing about RST is the smell. The fragrance of rose is so strong, it just perfumes the air. I wish I could bottle the air and take it home with me. Our tour was on a cloudy day, but our tour guide noted that on a hot day, the fragrance is even stronger. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to experience that!

After the tour, we were treated to a luncheon in the gorgeous garden, complete with rose tea and their famous homemade rose-shaped lemon cake. They even sell the rose bundt-cake pans in their shop- too cute!

After delighting in all things rose, I was totally inspired to try my hand at a rose recipe. Rose may seem like an intimidating ingredient in the kitchen, but I assure you, this recipe is so easy (no baking!!!). These Raw, Vegan Rose Tarts are the perfect little bite of heaven. They contain no added sugar, are full of wholesome ingredients, and of course have that fragrant rose flavor that I was craving. These tarts indulge the senses without causing you to feel like you have actually “indulged”. I can imagine enjoying these tarts at a tea, at a garden picnic, or even any old afternoon where I feel like living “La Vie en Rose”.

Raw, Vegan Rose Tarts

Makes 14 mini tarts

Ingredients:

For the crust:

2 cups rolled oats
6 medjool dates, pitted
1/4 cup coconut oil

For the filling:

1 cup cashews, soaked at least 4 hrs or overnight in 1 1/2 cups water (reserve the water!)
1 Tbs culinary rose petals, added to the “soaking water” with the cashews, plus more for garnish
1 tsp-1 Tbs rose water, depending on your preference of rose flavor/intensity. (Rose water is an ingredient that can be purchased in many health food stores or oriental markets. If you have an oriental market near you, I would get rose water there, as it is typically less expensive than it is at a health food store.)

Directions:

to make the crust, add all crust ingredients to a food processor or high speed blender, and pulse until they are combined enough that they hold together with a doughy consistency.
to make the filling, start by combining cashews and rose petals in a bowl with 1 1/2 cups of water. This must soak at least 4 hours or overnight. This will produce a creamy base for our filling!
drain the cashews and rose petals from the water, reserving the water they were soaked in.
add the cashews, rose petals, and 1/4 cup of the reserved “soaking water” to a high speed blender. Blend on a medium/high speed for 20-30 seconds until creamy
taste the cashew cream, as this will determine how much of the “true” rose water (not the reserved water) you add. Add “true” rose water to the cashew cream according to preference. I like it really rosy, so I added a whole tablespoon. Stir to combine.
to make the mini tarts, form bowl shapes with the crust dough. Its totally ok if they look a little rustic. 🙂
add a dollop of cashew cream to each “bowl”, and top with rose petals for garnish.
refrigerate for at least one hour so the tarts can set up. Enjoy!

Have you ever made any recipes with rose before? It is such a unique ingredient that adds amazing, delicate flavor. Now that I have a favorite variety of rose, the Princess Alexandra, my next mission is to find a bush so I can plant my own!! Let me know your favorite types of roses, too!

XO, Alexandra

August 21, 2015

Veggie “Pasta” with Fresh Ricotta

Cheese lovers, rejoice! Today’s post is all about making cheese, and a recipe to go with it- aka a quick veggie “pasta” dish, perfect for weeknights when you are pressed for time. Williams Sonoma has a cheese tasting kit that comes with everything you need to make four delicious cheeses (except the milk, of course). The kit makes it totally simple to get all DIY in the kitchen. The process only takes an hour, and the end result is fresh and can impress any dinner guests. For this particular cheese-making session, I decided to go for whipping up a Ricotta. I also decided to use goat’s milk. A lot of people find that goat’s milk is easier on their digestive system, because it contains less lactose than cows milk. Plus, I love the tangy flavor of goat’s milk.

The instructions with the kit were easy to understand ( even for those who have minimal culinary skills), and I love that you are able to customize the cheese with any herbs or flavorings that you like. Get creative! Rosemary and oregano would be killer in this ricotta. Just be sure to watch the milk carefully on the stove, since the window for the proper cheese-making temperature is not a far step from milk-scalding temperature. I watched that little cheese thermometer that came with the kit this.close. Can you blame a girl for wanting to make perfect cheese???

Once the milk reaches proper temperature, in goes the citric acid (to form the curds). This is where the magic happens. Before you know it, the curds separate from the whey. *Insert happy dance here* Stir very gently, so as not to break up the curds you worked so hard to form, and pour the lovely curds into the cheesecloth. Tip: save the whey for using in smoothies for a boost of protein! Freezing it in ice cube trays makes blending up cold, creamy smoothies that much easier. Once the curds look as ricotta-esque as they do below, add in cheese salt-a little goes a long way! You can eat your ricotta just like that, which is totally heavenly, or you can stick it in the fridge to set up and chill, which is also heavenly. You can’t go wrong with the cheese, people!In keeping with the cheese theme, if you asked me what one of my favorite savory indulgences is, without a doubt one would be cheese. Real cheese, though. Not in a can. Not nacho cheese. Not Kraft cheese. Anyone else a cheese lover/snob like me? #sorrynotsorry. It’s a no brainer that cheese and pasta go together, and I can’t think of a better way to use up the fresh goat’s milk ricotta than dolloping it it over Veggie “Pasta”. I’m a big fan of making spiralized veggie noodles. Not only are veggie noodles lighter than regular pasta, but whipping up spiralized noodles is a great way to fit more veggies on your plate. This recipe comes together quickly, so it has become a go-to on those days when I just don’t have time.

Veggie Pasta with Fresh Ricotta

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 medium zucchini
4 cups of spinach
1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 cup of your favorite pasta sauce (homemade, or store-bought, whichever is on hand)
ricotta cheese (highly recommend making cheese yourself at least once in your life!)
salt and pepper, to taste
oil, for misting pan

Directions:

Spiralize the zucchini. If you do not have a spiralizer, you can julienne the zukes or use a veggie peeler to made wide noodles.
In a pan, sauté mushrooms over medium-high heat until tender and they begin to release their juices. Add the zucchini, and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a separate pan, cook spinach until wilted.
Add tomato sauce, salt, and pepper to the pan with the zucchini noodles, and cook until heated through.
Plate the “pasta”, and top with wilted spinach and a dollop of ricotta. Bon Appetit!

Tell me- are there any other cheese-obsessed foodies out there? Have you ever tried making your own cheese? What is your absolute favorite cheese? For me any creamy cheese with truffle in it is #theultimate. Sinful? Maybe. But what is life without a treat from time to time? 🙂

XO,

Alexandra

August 9, 2015

Roasted Banana Passion Fruit Ice Dream

My latest food find is the exotic passion fruit. I happen to have a passion fruit vine where I live, and it has been dropping fruit like crazy! I have consumed more passion fruit in the last month than I have in my whole life! Honestly, when I first saw the vine, I had no idea what kind of plant it was. It was covered in gorgeous whispy, purple/ombre flowers and these strange green fruit I had not seen before. Naturally, I had to research to find out what in the world this vine was. (Mostly because I wanted to know if I could eat the fruit or not:) )

Once I discovered that the fruit on this vine was passion fruit, I could not wait to eat them! I also learned that you have to be patient when it comes to this fruit. Don’t pick the green ones, because they do not ripen off the vine. (Made that mistake). How do you know when the passion fruit are ready to eat? The plant does all the work for you- the fruit turns purple, and they fall to the ground! Soooo easy to harvest, since all you have to do is pick them up off the ground, and they are guaranteed to be perfectly ready to eat, every time!

Passion fruit has an exotic, tangy, just barely floral taste. Think of a flavor cross between a citrus fruit and a mango. It is almost too complex to describe, so you must try it for yourself, or just imagine taking a bite of Brazil/Paraguay/Argentina, which is the native territory of this zippy fruit. Leave it to our South American friends to have a fruit named passion fruit. One bite makes you wanna dance! 🙂

Passion fruit is a good source of fiber (important for satiety, regularity, fighting a slew of health problems like not-so-great cholesterol), and is a low calorie fruit option, as well. A lot of the passion fruit recipes floating around out there (heyyyy, Pinterest) are for high calorie, sugary desserts, like rich mousses, panna cottas, cakes, and pavlovas. I wanted to showcase a way to use passion fruit in a dessert that has no sugar added, is fat free, and fits all dietary needs (gluten free, vegan, dairy-free, etc). This is a treat that could be enjoyed everyday because it is just that clean when it comes to the ingredients. Time to dive into Roasted Banana Passion Fruit Ice Dream!

“Ice Dream” is the name I’m giving this dessert, because it’s just like ice cream, but of course there is no cream, milk, or dairy of any kind. Plus, it tastes like a dream, so there’s that. 🙂 What takes this recipe over the edge is roasting the bananas. Please, I’m begging you, don’t skip this step! That caramel-y, toasty, sweet flavor you might know and love from Bananas Foster totally carries into this Ice Dream when the bananas hang out in the oven for a bit and develop a deep sweetness you just can’t get from a plain ol’ banana. Whip this up on a hot day, or when you are craving a scoop of creamy goodness. Prepare to be transported to a tropical locale!

Roasted Banana Passion Fruit Ice Dream

Serves 2

Ingredients:

4 bananas
1/3 cup passion fruit (both the juice and seeds from inside the fruit)

Directions:

Slice bananas into coins, and place on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Roast at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until caramelized.
Transfer the banana to the freezer for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Add banana and passionfruit to a high speed blender, and blend on the ice cream setting, or on high for 20-30 seconds.
Enjoy right away with toppings of your choice (I recommend cacao nibs and toasted coconut), or place in freezer for 10-20 minutes if you prefer a more firm frozen dessert texture.

Have you ever tried passion fruit before? Any other mysterious or exotic fruit you are dying to experiment with in the kitchen? Let me know!

XO, Alexandra

July 18, 2015

Farmer’s Market Finds+What to Make With Squash Blossoms

One of the best ways to get the freshest local and seasonal foods is to hit up the Farmer’s Market. If you have access to a Farmer’s Market near you, you are so lucky!! Here in SoCal, we are very fortunate to have Farmer’s Markets all year long, and pretty much every day of the week! But for those of you who may only have the Farmer’ Market during certain times of the year, or are new to navigating the outdoor market, I have some tips to help you make the most of the Market and make sure you go home with bags full of goodies and a smile on your face!

The finds of the day: strawberries, squash blossoms, and cherry tomatoes

1. Do the Market Crawl: The very first thing I do when I get to the market is walk the entire market before I buy anything. The goal of making one’s way around the market without shelling out any cash is to help you get the most bang for your buck! Scope out which stands have the goods and produce you like, and keep the price in mind. As you walk through the market, you may find better looking and/or less expensive produce of the same kind at another stand. Case in point: I had my eye on a pint of strawberries. One stand had a pint for five dollars, but another stand not too far away was selling some gorgeous berries for only three dollars a pint. #bargainhunter

*One exception to the price rule: Do not pay less money for a product that is less than satisfactory in appearance or flavor. If lettuce looks wilted or the apples taste bland, spending a few more dollars for a better product will result in a beautiful, more flavorful end result, aka, what ends up on your plate.

The prettiest flowers come from the Farmer’s Market

2. Tag-team with a friend: If you go to the market with a friend, it can be a major cost reduction for you both. Yes those giant flats of blueberries look incredible, but there is no way you could finish them off before they start to go bad. (unless you freeze them for smoothies). If you and a friend split the cost and the actual goodies, you can both leave the market knowing that the food you bought (and the money you spent on it) won’t end up going to waste because you couldn’t use it all in time.

3. Go with an open mind: I am a firm believer of sticking to a list (it keeps you focused and helps you resist temptations from things you don’t really need), but I also like to shop with an open mind. Whenever I shop, I always make a little challenge with myself to get something that I am not used to cooking or that I haven’t had before. You never know what you will find-perhaps a new favorite food! This technique really stretches you to be more adventurous in the kitchen. On this particular shopping trip, my “challenge” food was squash blossoms. I looooooove squash blossoms, but I have only had them at restaurants or served stuffed with cheese. So delicious and decadent, but I was thinking up ways to serve up squash blossoms on the lighter side, which brings me to the recipe…

Pasta with Sautéed Squash Blossoms and Zucchini!!! This is a total Farmer’s Market recipe. I used up the squash blossoms, (which were conveniently still attached to the squash used in the recipe), and I also used the cherry tomatoes I found freshly picked at the market. This recipe is quite simple and is perfect for a summer pasta dish, served hot or cold, which makes it ideal for picnics and dining al fresco!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1, 9 oz package of fresh pasta- I love using fresh pasta! Once you go fresh, you don’t go back! 🙂 The texture is absolutely divine. Of course, a package of dried pasta will taste great, too.
1 pint cherry tomatoes
12 squash blossoms with squash attached- if squash blossoms are not attached to the squash, 3 medium zucchini will work perfectly
1/8 tsp pepper
oil, for misting the pan
pesto, for serving
parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:

Follow package instructions for making pasta. While water is boiling, put a large pan over medium-high heat. Mist pan with oil.
Add cherry tomatoes to the pan. Roughly julienne the squash blossoms and slice the zucchini into ribbons. Add zucchini to the pan, stirring occasionally. Cook until tomatoes have burst and zucchini soften, about 10 minutes. Season with pepper. Add squash blossoms and cooked pasta to the pan, stirring just enough to coat the pasta and wilt the blossoms.
To serve, add a dollop of pesto to each plate of pasta, and grate parmesan over the top of the dish.

Tell me- what are your favorite finds at the Farmer’s Market? Let me know if you have any tips for navigating the market, too! Have an amazing weekend, and check out the Farmer’s Market!

Xo,

Alexandra

Get the HYLYT Newsletter