Taco Salad

I recently joined forces with Goya Foods, America's largest Hispanic-owned food company, in collaboration with The First Lady's LetsMove initiative and the USDA, to promote the MyPlate / MiPlato cookbook, Healthy, Tasty, Affordable Latin Cooking. This book is part of the national MyPlate campaign designed to help educate Americans on healthy eating.

The bilingual book has 10 complete meal ideas (no more last-minute meal planning while driving home), with 30 recipes from around Latin America and Spain, and some healthy Latin twists on American classics. Each of the meals has the USDA stamp of approval and incorporates all five food groups (that’s right, all of them). For curious minds, each recipe also includes nutritional information, cooking tips, and estimated costs. There’s even a cheat sheet showcasing all the Goya ingredients you can use to keep your diet healthy.

For more information about Goya, please visit Goya.com For a copy of the cookbook, consumers can download the cookbook online at Goya.com. For special giveaways, please visit Goya's Facebook fan page, Twitter and Pinterest Page.

The book inspired me. Instead of sharing one of the wonderful recipes, I want to share with you what I made with my goya products. A healthy vegetarian taco salad. You can leave out the chips for an even healthier salad, but I used wholesome organic, non-gmo corn chips to scoop that salad into my mouth and it was scrumptious. 

Goya products I used: Goya Refried black beans, and Goya Pico De Gallo Authentic Mexican Salsa Mild

Vegetarian Taco Salad

Makes 4 salads

2 cups refried beans 

1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

4 cups chopped romaine lettuce

Goya Pico De Gallo Authentic Mexican Salsa Mild

plain Greek yogurt 

guacamole

*optional non-gmo corn tortilla chips

Divide the following directions between 4 plates:

Heat up your refried beans. There should be 1/2 cup of refried beans in the center of each plate. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the beans.

Surround the beans with lettuce. Each plate should have 1 cup of tightly packed chopped romaine lettuce. 

Pour the Pico De Gallo around the beans using the amount you desire. Top with guacamole and plain Greek yogurt.  If you are like me and desire a crunch, surround your plate with non-gmo corn tortilla chips. 

Asian Snapper

I am very proud of myself. I just completed a full month of yoga. I go 4 times a week and I am absolutely in love. For an hour and fifteen minutes 4 mornings a week, I get to pray while exercising. It has truly changed my life. I believe I can honestly say that I will never ever stop practicing yoga. On the days I don't have class, I still practice at home. My Christmas list now consists of 5 yoga books I really want to get. Why did I not start practicing yoga sooner? To say the least I am extremely thankful. I am so thankful that I found yoga. I will never ever go back. I also enjoy my walk to yoga and back. I feel alive again after beating the cancer, and I feel like I can take on the world every day. If you have not ever tried yoga, I really recommend you get to a yoga center (not a gym), and start with a gentle flow class. Don't be afraid. Everyone was a beginner once!

Yoga has been helping me balance out my life. Something that I have always struggled with. I tend to be all go, go, go, with very little stopping. Now I am budgeting out time for all of it. It also helps me with my food choices. Knowing that I just sweat and worked off a ton of calories, I don't want to reach for the bad food that would negate what I just accomplished. 

So I have been making a lot of fish and veggies. Red Snapper is in season here and I can't get enough. It adapts to any flavors you add to it. This dish is full of asian flavor. One look at it, you would think it is complicated. In fact, it is quite simple to make!  You can have this ready in 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Gluten-free Asian Red Snapper

adapted from The Guardian

Serves 4

For the fish

4 red snapper fillets

1 tablespoon peanut oil

4 thin prosciutto slices, each piece halved to match the shape of the fish

1 4 ounce can of whole bamboo shoots, julienned

4 shiitake mushrooms, stalks removed, julienned

1 Tablespoon grated ginger

8 chives, sliced in half lengthwise, then cut into 3rds.

freshly ground white pepper

For the seasoning

2 tablespoons light soy sauce -or bragg's amino acids

3 tablespoons chicken stock

1⁄2 teaspoon agave nectar

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1⁄4 teaspoon sesame oil

1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Mix all the seasoning ingredients together.

Brush the peanut oil all over the four pieces of fish. 

Brush seasoning on top of the fish. 

Place the prosciutto slices on top of each fish. 

Brush again with seasoning.

Top with bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and ginger. 

Brush again with seasoning.

Place on a baking sheet or grill pan. 

Pour the rest of the seasoning over the fish.

Cover and bake for 10 minutes. 

Sprinkle with a pinch of white pepper and serve. I served mine over Cauliflower puree, but it is great alone, or over rice or pasta. 

8 Hot Drinks To Make In Your Slow Cooker For...

Time for some hot toddy's for this cold holiday season!

8 Hot Drinks To Make In Your Slow Cooker For...

Just hearing about the snow storm that has complicated Thanksgiving travel has us dreaming of steamy hot drinks to warm our insides. If you're hosting Thanksgiving this year, you'll want to warm your travel-weary guests when they arrive with a cup of hot cocoa, cider or old-fashioned Scandinavian glogg. All you need is your trusted slow cooker.

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Cauliflower Puree

Well we all made it! It is Friday! I don't know about you, but I feel really good about my food choices this week. I plan on carrying it over into the weekend. How are all of you doing on healthy eating? I know it is hard during the holiday's. Hang in there! You are not alone. Allow a treat once a week and stay the course the rest of the time. We can do this together!

I am sure you all know by now you can make mashed cauliflower, or cauliflower puree, and it tastes a lot like mashed potatoes, or potato puree. All the taste, with a fraction of the calories. I have been making it for years. I thought it was time I put the recipe I use on here. Enjoy!

Cauliflower Puree 

adapted from Guy Fieri, 2008

Serves 4 

1 heads cauliflower, core removed, cut into florets 

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley

2 cups whole milk 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter 

minced chives for garnish

Combine remaining cauliflower, milk and half a teaspoon of salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring mixture to a simmer, cover, and cook until cauliflower is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Strain cauliflower from milk mixture, reserving broth. 

Transfer cauliflower to a blender. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and butter to the blender. Add half of the reserved milk liquid. Secure top on blender and puree mixture until smooth. 

If mixture is too thick, thin by adding some of the remaining liquid. Season, to taste. Serve in a bowl topped with minced chives.

Or you can serve it under your favorite protein. I served it over some Asian Red Snapper and it was divine. Recipe will be posted Monday. 

Sea Salt Caramel Candies

I have been reading Couture Chocolate: A Masterclass in Chocolate by William Curley.

In this wonderful book, William shares his techniques and most mouth-watering recipes, starting with the basics: tempering and making a bar of chocolate; advice on how to add exotic flavors like rosemary or raspberry; and introducing different textures. 

I spent extra time absorbing this book. Because I believe life is better with chocolate. Period. If you love chocolate, you will absolutely love this book! You can get yours here.

After I read the whole thing... twice. I dove in and decided to make a family favorite. Whenever possible, we buy sea salt caramel candies, truffles, candy bars etc... Turns out, this past year salted caramel was the most popular sweet tooth craving in the U.S. There was a recipe in the book, and it turned out divine! I did a tiny bit of changes to suite what I had in my pantry. Don't be scared! You can do it!

I used an ice cube tray from ikea. I don't have chocolate moulds. It worked perfectly. 

Sea Salt Caramel Candies

adapted from Couture Chocolate: A Masterclass in Chocolate by William Curley.

3/4 cup whipping cream

1 vanilla bean

1 2/3 cups sugar

2 ounces liquid glucose

3 sticks (10 ounces) salted butter

1lb. 2 ounces fine dark chocolate (please note that you don't use hershey's here. Use real chocolate).

Sea salt flakes

Start out by tempering your chocolate. I use the "seeded tempering" method that he explains on page 21. 

Place two-thirds of the chopped chocolate into a double broiler. Do not boil the water because it may scald the chocolate. Stir regularly until the chocolate has completely melted and reaches 113-122 degrees. 

Gradually add the remaining chocolate - this is the seed. Stir vigorously and continue to stir until all the chocolate is completely melted and the chocolate thickens to 88-90 degrees. 

Put the cream in a saucepan. Split your vanilla bean and srape the vanila bean seeds from the pod into the cream. Bring to a boil, and take off heat immediately. 

Meanwhile, heat an empty heavy-based saucepan. When it is hot, add one third of the sugar with the liquid glucose and heat slowly until it forms a light caramel and sugar crystals have dissolved. Add the remaining sugar and continue to cook until you get and amber caramel. This will take about 15 minutes, but keep watching it!

Gradually add the warm cream to the caramel. Mix well and take off the heat. 

Add the butter, cube by cube. Mix well until it has been fully incorporated and then leave to cool. 

Fill the chocolate mould with tempered chocolate. I used an ice cube tray from ikea. I don't have chocolate moulds. It worked perfectly. 

Turn the mould upside down over the chocolate pot and scrape off the chocolate. 

This gives a chocolate shell. I then put it in the freezer for 2 minutes to set. 

Spoon the cooled caramel into the moulds. You can also use a pastry bag to pipe it in, but I found a spoon worked just fine. 

Pour more tempered chocolate over the filled moulds. 

Sprinle with sea salt flakes. Just a few flakes per truffle. 

Now you can leave them out to set for 2-3 hours, or you can be impatient like me and put them in the freezer. 

Once set, twist the mould to loosen the chocolates. EAT! SHARE! ENJOY!

 

Better life, all natural, gluten-free, chemical-free cleaners

Better life, all natural, gluten-free, chemical-free cleaners...better yet, they work!

I don't usually go after products to feature. On any given day you can find numerous boxes that were delivered to my door for consideration. My email is full of companies asking me if I will do a review, or try out a new product. I am discerning, only trying the ones I think I would want to promote. In other words, I have to believe in the product. 

This time it was different though. I sat back to watch one of my favorite TV shows called "Shark Tank". It is a show about entrepreneurs who are trying to get funding for their products. Being and entrepreneurial mind, I just love watching it. This time, my ears perked up. Two guys came out with their Gluten free & hypoallergenic cleaners, that are not tested on animals, and are safe for waterways & marine life. Boasting their PEOPLE. PETS. PLANET. mission. Well hello...where have you been all my life? I was interested. I highly recommend watching these boys in action on Shark Tank. You can watch it by clicking HERE.

Then they compared their product to the leading chemical cleaner. They did not disclose which cleaner, but I was betting on lysol or pinesol. Their product cleaned way better. Then the guy squirt the product in his mouth... showing how safe the product is. That was it. I had to research them and see if it was really real. I am sorry, but I have been looking for a "healthy" cleaner that works forever. Not wanting chemicals in my house, but all of them fell short. 

So I went online and read their story: "In 2007 two life long friends, Tim Barklage and Kevin Tibbs, were watching their toddlers crawl across the floors and climbing up and around on all kinds of surfaces in the home (and then put their little fingers in their mouth of course). As concerned new parents, they began discussing the dangers of traditional cleaners and the toxic residues they leave behind. Tim (always the optimist) challenged Kevin, an innovative formulation chemist, to create a new line of cleaning products that set the standard in safety and work better than anything out there.

No small order, Kevin began his work in the lab with his plant-derived ingredients and Tim got to work on building the brand. The result of their efforts are a line of products that keep kids, pets and the planet safe. No more harmful chemicals in the air and on the surfaces of our homes and planet. Better Life set out to not only create a better product but a better solution for all." - http://www.cleanhappens.com

Next I contacted them and told them I believe in everything they are doing and I have SO MANY READERS WITH ALLERGIES!!! I really wanted to tell you all about it, but I had to try it first. 

They sent me a Shark Kit™ 

This kit includes all products demoed on national t.v. by Kevin & Tim:

KIT INCLUDES:

Dish It Out- Clary Sage & Citrus - 22oz

Simply Floored (bonus - our best seller, a must try) - 32oz

What-EVER! all purpose cleaner - Clary Sage & Citrus - 32oz

Even The Kitchen Sink -16oz

General purpose microfiber cloth

Can I just say that these products are AMAZING!!!!!!

I am in shock. They clean twice as much as my horrible chemical (lysol) cleaners, and my house smells fresh and natural, not like chemicals. I enjoy cleaning with them. I would recommend this kit. You want to know the best part? This WHOLE KIT is only $25! I can't buy all my chemical cleaners for that. These are large bottles that will easily last me the entire month. I cannot urge you enough to get their products. 

You can buy them online and you can also get them at several stores like whole foods. You can view where to buy here.

What are you waiting for? Now you can clean and keep the world a better place at the same time! 

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins with Vanilla Glaze

I realize Halloween and Thanksgiving are over. But for us, that does not mean the end of pumpkin. I enjoy Pumpkin all Fall and Winter long. I made these muffins for my building staff and for the homeless. It makes walking outside so much more fun when I have something to hand out to those asking. If I gave them all money I would be bankrupt. I do give to various shelters, but this is something I can do to just produce a smile and calm a growling belly. 

I am excited to report today that without the frosting, these muffins are refined sugar-free. I received Monk Fruit In The Raw bakers bag, and could not wait to dig in. 

I have now used it in various cereals, desserts, and even in savory recipes.  This  zero-calorie, all-natural sweetener measures by the cup and the tablespoon just like sugar. In baked goods and desserts, Monk Fruit In The Raw Bakers Bag can easily replace half the sugar, saving calories and reducing carbs while still providing sweetness. 

Now you can go ahead and make the frosting for this out of Monk Fruit In The Raw too if you wish. When reading, I found they recommended a mixture of sugar and Monk Fruit In The Raw for best results. These turned out divine. I was happy to share and I got many many smiles. 

Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins with Vanilla Glaze
adapted from http://www.cookingclassy.com

2 1/2  cups gluten-free flour
1 tsp xanthan gum (omit if flour contains already)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1 pinch ground cloves
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin puree
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided
3/4 cup Monk Fruit In The Raw (you can use sugar if not worried about calories)
1/4 cup organic sucanat (dehydrated cane juice)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
2 1/2 - 3 Tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves for 30 seconds, set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, blend together pumpkin puree and Greek yogurt, set aside.

In another mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, whip butter, 1 Tbsp vegetable oil, monkfruit in the raw and sucanat ` on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 - 4 minutes.

Blend in remaining 3 Tbsp vegetable oil. Mix in eggs on at a time blending just until combined after each addition and adding in vanilla with second egg. Using a rubber or silicone spatula and working in three separate batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, add 1/3 of the flour mixture alternating with half of the pumpkin mixture and fold (scraping along outsides and bottom of bowl) just until combined after each addition.

Divide batter among 12 paper lined muffin cups, filling each cup full.

Bake in preheated oven 17 - 20 minutes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. 

Allow to rest several minutes in muffin tin then transfer to a wire rack to cool 10 - 15 minutes.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk and vanilla and blend well. 

Dip and swirl tops of nearly cool muffins into glaze and allow excess to run off, then return upright onto wire rack and allow glaze to set at room temperature. 

Store in an airtight container (these are best served the day they are prepared).

Christmas Cookie Recipe Round-up

 

Well the time of year has come. Time to heat up those ovens and get baking. There are so many different cookies out there. I thought I would give you 16 of my favorite Christmas treats all in one place. My recipes are gluten-free, but if you are not gluten-free, you can simply use all purpose flour instead of the gluten-free flour. 

Christmas Cookie Recipe Round-up

In order as shown above. Simply click the link for the recipe. 

1. Gingerbread Cookie Bathers
2. Apple Crisp Cheesecake Cookie Bars
3. Eggnog Cookies
4. Browned Butter Brown Sugar Cookies
5. Toffee
6. Cappuccino Cookies
7. Chocolate Caramel Cookies
8. Gingerbread Cheesecake Bites
9. Sugar Cookies
10. Gingerbread Molasses Reindeer Cookies
11. Santa Brownies
12. Iced Molasses Cookies
13. Snickerdoodles
14. Shortbread Cookies
15. Chocolate Dream Cookies
16. Chocolate Chip Cookies