Since tonight was the night for the new seasons of Person of Interest and Scandal, obviously it was the perfect time to make my Flatbread Pizza. Both premiers were great, of course. My dad is also a fan of Person of Interest, so we had a running commentary going on via text during the episode. Oh, and Scandal. So. Scandalous. Always leaving us hanging.
Obviously pizza is always a good decision, but this is my own light version that can be customized to your heart's content. I generally use the same ingredients every time I make it, but sometimes I make a buffalo chicken version or veggie-only. When life gets busy, I tend to chop up all my vegetables at one time and keep them in the fridge so I can toss them together really quickly. Plus, the whole pizza is only 5 points+ if you're down with the Weight Watchers.
1 FlatOut Light Original [or Light Italian]
Prego LightSmart or VeggieSmart Pasta Sauce
Pepperoncini Peppers
Olives
Bell Pepper
Tomatoes [I usually use Roma]
Turkey Pepperoni
White Mushrooms
Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
Preheat the over to 350, and I always spray my cookie sheet with a little Olive Oil because FlatOuts have a tendency to stick. Put down your FlatOut first, then put down your sauce--I use about 2 tablespoons to cover it. After that, I put down about a half cup or so of mozzarella, then top it off with all of your veggies and pepperoni. Bake it for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the FlatOut is crisp around the edges.
Last night I did a little baking & put together tasty Diet Coke Red Velvet Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow topping. I guess I'll go ahead and share that one, too.
This one's really simple:
1 can Diet Coke
1 box Red Velvet Cake Mix
Jumbo Marshmallows
Preheat your oven to 350 & line your muffin tin with some cute cupcake liners. Combine the Diet Coke and cake mix, mixing with an electric mixer [or whisk if you're old school] until the mixture is smooth. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way and bake according to the instructions on the box. A couple of minutes before they're done, pull the cupcakes and top each one with a marshmallow, then bake them for 2-3 more minutes until the marshmallows are melted and barely brown on top.
These puppies are only 4 points+ each; enjoy.
What girl doesn't have a slight obsession with macarons? They're quite a finicky little cookie, but they are just so cute! So on a cloudy Sunday afternoon, I got together with Meredith and Beth and we tried our hand at making a batch. Meredith found the recipe that we went by in the May 2014 issue of FOOD Network Magazine. You can find it here.
Instead of making our entire batch one flavor, we split it into three: Raspberry Almond, Blueberry Cheesecake, and Lemon Vanilla. When we split the batter, I ended up in charge of the Lemon Vanilla. Here's what I learned: For vibrant color, we needed to add a bit more food coloring than the recipe called for. I almost doubled the drops of yellow that I added to my macaron batter and they still came out a little more pale than I hoped. Using a Silpat is important. I noticed that the cookies baked using the Silpat baked a lot better than those baked on parchment paper--they had less air bubbles and they came out more dense and in better shapes.
The recipe warns not to make them on a rainy day because humidity matters when baking macarons, though in the South it is pretty difficult to find a time when it isn't humid, so we just went for it. In the end, I think that they might have baked a little better if it had been more sunny that day because a lot of them cracked pretty easily when we were filling them. Speaking of filling, them Lemon Vanilla macarons were filled with Lemon Curd, Raspberry Almond with seedless Raspberry Jam, and the Blueberry Cheesecake with a blueberry jam + cream cheese mixture.
They came out pretty tasty, especially for our first attempt, though I found that I wanted the fillings to be...creamier maybe? They were really light, especially the tart Lemon Curd with the sweet vanilla cookie, but they didn't hold their shape well and the cookies sort of slid apart when left sitting. Next time I try my hand at these I think I'll do some research on the perfect filling. I think this recipe for S'mores Macarons will be next on my list.
Once we put them in the oven, we tried to sit around and talk, but we were too excited to see how they were going to turn out. We kept anxiously checking them while they baked to make sure they weren't burning or cracking. The recipe says to bake them at 300 degrees for 20 minutes, but We found that they came out slightly browned on the edges. We cut the last tray back to 15 minutes and they came out better. I'm sure that will vary depending on your oven, but keep an eye on them while they're baking!
Have you ever made French Macarons? And for the locals, have you found anywhere that sells these sweet little treats? I hear that you can get them at Dreamcakes on occasion, but I have yet to find them anywhere else.
In the last year I have attempted to have a salad for lunch most days during the week, but sometimes you just have to mix it up. Sushi is absolutely one of my favorite foods, so this is a fun twist on the usual salad. It makes a big bowl of salad (about 4 servings), so it would be a fun meal to make for fellow sushi-loving friends. Next time I think I'll add some toasted black and white sesame seeds to top it off with a little crunch.
Here's what you need:
Baby Spinach
1 Cup Brown Rice
1/2 Cup Seasoned Rice Vinegar
2 TbspLow Sodium Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Wasabi Paste
8oz Lump Crab Meat (or imitation, your choice)
Avocado, sliced
Shelled Edamame (optional)
Matchstick Carrots (I just tossed in a handful)
1 Cucumber, cut into chunks
2 Nori sheets, cut into thin strips
Cook your rice according to the package instructions, and set aside. Let it cool to room temperature. Whisk together your Rice Vinegar, Soy Sauce, and Wasabi. In a large bowl, mix your nori, carrots, cucumber, and rice. Add your wasabi-soy-vinegar mixture and stir, adding crab meat last. Serve on top of baby spinach, topping it off with edamame and avocado. Enjoy!
“Why would anybody ever eat anything besides breakfast food?”
When it comes to breakfast, I'm always pro-pancakes. Over the weekend I whipped up a quick & easy Weight Watchers friendly batch of Whole Wheat Pancakes and I was pretty happy with the way they turned out. At only 4 points plus for two pancakes, they're perfect if you'd like to treat yourself to a special breakfast.
Here's what you need:
1 cup Whole Wheat Pancake Mix (Krusteaz, Aunt Jemima, etc.)
1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
3 Tablespoons of Egg Whites
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl until blended. Heat a skillet or griddle to Med-Low. Drop 1/4 cup of your pancake batter onto the warm skillet. When the edges start to bubble, flip them over and cook until golden. Top them off with light syrup or a little almond butter, and serve them with some fresh fruit for a filling breakfast.
Almond butter is one of my favorite treats. It's really good for you and gives you an energy boost when you need it.
All you need are raw almonds and a little sea salt. I used about 1.5 cups of almonds for this small batch. You don't have to roast them, but but roasting them really brings out the smokey flavor. Spread your almonds on a cookie sheet and roast them for about 6 minutes on 375. Check them after 5 minutes, though, almonds burn easily and your oven may cook faster than mine. Let them cool for a few minutes, then put them straight into your food processor. It will take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes for the almonds to break down into the creamy texture that you're looking for.
Every few minutes, make sure you stop and scrape down the mixture from the side of the food processor. The almonds tend to stick to the sides and you want to make sure everything gets blended well. You can add pretty much any flavor you'd like to your finished Almond Butter. I just blended in some coarse ground sea salt.
If you're an almond fan, you'll probably want to eat it by the spoonful. Deliciously creamy and rich, it's great on it's own for a quick energy boost, on toast, or with an apple. In the morning I think I'll stir in a little honey and spread it on toast for a sweet little breakfast. I'd love to hear what you add to your Almond Butter!
15oz Pumpkin Puree (canned or fresh)
1/2 cup of Honey
1 Tablespoon pure Maple Syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
A Pinch of Salt
In a small saucepan, combine the pumpkin puree, honey, and maple syrup over medium heat. Cook for about 15 minutes or until thickened, stirring almost constantly with a whisk.
Stir in the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and a pinch of salt then continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer the hot pumpkin butter into a glass jar or bowl. Let your Pumpkin Butter cool completely uncovered. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 1-1/2 to 2 weeks.
Spread a little of your Pumpkin Butter on a slice of toast for a simple & healthy fall breakfast. It'd be delicious paired with a hot cup of coffee. I picked up a loaf of rustic wheat and flaxseed bread at Pepper Place Market this weekend, so I toasted a slice of it to taste test. In the morning I think I might stir a tablespoon into a bowl of oatmeal.
Here's what you need:
Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Dry Lentils
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Coarse Sea Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
Preheat the oven to 375. Scrub your sweet potatoes first, then rub them with a little extra virgin olive oil, coarse sea salt, and cracked black pepper. Place them on a foil-covered cookie sheet, then go ahead and put those in the oven. They'll bake for about 45 minutes, until they're nice and fork tender. After those are in the oven, go ahead and cook your lentils according to the package (I cooked 1 cup of dry lentils & we had a good amount left over after filling three potatoes). Next, the tomatoes. Slice them in half & drizzle with just a little bit of your olive oil, then place them on another cookie sheet and roast them for about 20-25 minutes, but keep an eye on them.
Once all your ingredients are done, put it all together. Slice the sweet potatoes down the middle and sprinkle a little sea salt in them before you fill them with about a quarter cup of lentils. Top each potato with as many tomatoes as you like, and you're done! These are filling and perfect for an early fall dinner. Let me know what you think!
Have you ever had Matcha? It's a finely ground green tea that can stand alone, but can also be made into lattes and smoothies, as a baking ingredient, and I'm sure many other ways I haven't read about yet. From what I've read, it has a lot of health benefits--plus it has a pretty good amount of caffeine. Matcha is high in antioxidants, boosts memory & concentration, increases energy & endurance, detoxifies the body, fortifies the immune system, helps lower cholesterol, and increases metabolism. It's also loaded with catechins & EGCg, which are some of the most beneficial antioxidants and are said to have strong cancer-fighting properties. I've been keeping an eye out for a place that sells it, but it's pretty hard to find around here (if you know a good place to find it, share!). I've been a fan of the iced Green Tea Latte for a while now, and recently found a recipe for making your own so when I came across 
All you need is a little milk, your Matcha powder, and your sweetener of choice. Oh, and a whisk. I used unsweetened almond milk and honey to make mine. Mix together 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of Matcha and a little room temperature water until smooth. Add 6 to 8 ounces of milk and whisk, then heat over medium-low heat until it's hot. I have a handheld milk frother, so I added a little foam to the top of my latte. Drizzle with honey or stir in your sweetener and enjoy!
Now, this is not the traditional way to prepare Matcha, so far I haven't been able to find a traditional Matcha set around here. I am keeping an eye out, though! It's always interesting to learn the traditional aspect of things--especially tea because it tends to be a beautiful process.
