Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Good Morning World!

Hey Ya'll!
I wanted to start off this week by showing you a recipe I love and also some fun facts about apples!



And here is your recipe for the week:



Fresh Beet Pasta!

Ingredients
  • 3 Cloves Garlic
  • 2 Beets
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 Bunch Swiss Chard
  • 3 Tablespoons Walnuts
  • 8 Ounces Beet Linguine
  • 1 Lemon
  • ¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese



Instructions

Prepare your ingredients:
1
Prepare your ingredients:
Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Peel and small dice the beets and onion. Roughly chop the chard leaves and thinly slice the stems. Roughly chop the walnuts.
Start cooking the vegetables:
2
Start cooking the vegetables:
In a large pan, heat some olive oil on high until hot. Add the onion, garlic, and beets. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until the beets start to soften.
Finish cooking the vegetables:
3
Finish cooking the vegetables:
Stir in the chard and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer, or until wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and cook about 2 minutes longer to combine all the flavors.
Cook the pasta:
4
Cook the pasta:
While the chard cooks, add the pasta to the boiling water. Boil 3 to 4 minutes or until it’s not quite fully cooked (just before it’s al dente). Reserve about ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water, and then drain the pasta.
Finish the pasta:
5
Finish the pasta:
Transfer the pasta to the pan with the vegetables along with the reserved cooking water. Increase the heat to medium, and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring until the pasta absorbs any liquid. Stir in half of both the Parmesan and the walnuts. Squeeze the juice of the whole lemon over the pasta.
Plate your dish:
6
Plate your dish:
Divide the pasta between 2 plates. Garnish with the remaining walnuts and Parmesan. Enjoy!




Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Fun Food Facts and Recipes

Hey Ya'll!
Rae here!

I found a few guides that really helped me out when I was confused in the kitchen.
I love making hummus, but always found that my creativity turned off after making the same ole same ole hummus.

Here is a sweet guide to making your own at home!



Tuesday, October 15, 2013

If I Wish it, It may Come

Good Morning Devotion Community!

Despite the rather warm weather that will grace us this week, I have been feeling the urge to cuddle up on the coach and snuggle in for winter. Too soon? Well, that has got me thinking of all the warm and delicious foods and goodies that will bring us joy when the outside just isn't fair.

Leave the Halloween candy for the kids and get cooking (or baking).

Below are a few recipes I stumbled upon that I am eager to try out myself. And if you so happen to give these recipes a go, give me a shout out and let me know how it went!


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Cheesy Cauliflower Tater Tots (Gluten Free & Low Carb)
(yields: 50) 

Ingredients
  • 1 medium head of cauliflower
  • 2 Tbl heavy cream
  • 2 Tbl butter
  • 1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar
  • 4 egg whites
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • oil for frying
Instructions
  • Clean and trim the cauliflower, adding the florets to a microwave safe bowl. Add the cream and butter to the bowl. Microwave for 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cheese to a magic bullet or food processor and blend until still chunky – kind of like a cooked oatmeal consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Chill for at least half an hour. Whip the egg whites to a stiff peak. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the cauliflower mixture to lighten it up. Then fold the cauliflower mixture into the rest of the egg whites and gently mix until combined. For best results, chill for another half hour or they won’t hold their shape as well. Fit a pastry bag with a round or star tube with about a 3/4 inch opening. Spray the inside of the bag with nonstick spray. Gently squeeze out 1 inch sections onto a greased cookie sheet, cutting with a butter knife as you go. When finished, bake in a 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes (or longer if you’re skipping the frying) until puffed and slightly browned. Remove from the oven and serve – or heat 1/4 inch of oil in a saute pan and when it’s very hot add the tots. It doesn’t need long, a minute per side to turn them golden brown and crispy. Serve immediately.

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Roasted Butternut & Coconut Soup with Chévre YogurtServes 4 
This soup is topped with chèvre yogurt, which is really delicious. But if you are vegan you can of course just leave it out or replace it with a vegan alternative.
1 butternut squash or hokkaido pumpkin
1 can (1 3/4 cup / 400 ml) coconut milk1 cup (240 ml) boiling water1 sprig fresh rosemary (save 1/2 for serving)1/2 – 1 inch (1-2 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and grated2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
Chévre yogurt150 g soft chévre cheese (goat’s cheese)4 tbsp yogurt of choice
Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
Divide the butternut in half with a sharp knife and remove the seeds with a spoon. Place both halves on a baking tray, cut side down. Bake in the oven for 25-40 minutes (depending on the size of the butternut). The halves are ready when the skin is bubbly and slightly browned. Prepare the chévre yogurt by whisking the ingredients together in a small bowl. Remove the butternut from the oven, let cool for a couple of minutes. Spoon out the flesh and place in a food processor or strong blender together with the rest of the ingredients, blend on high speed until completely smooth. Add extra water, if desired. Season to taste. Return the soup to a pot to keep warm, if necessary. Serve in bowls with a dollop of chévre yogurt and some freshly ground black pepper.


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Mint White Hot Chocolate
2 cups milk
2 cups half & half cream
8 oz. white chocolate, chopped
1 tsp. peppermint extract
a few drops of green food coloring
marshmallows (optional)
In a heavy- bottomed pot, heat the milk and cream over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the white chocolate, remove from heat and set aside for a few minutes. Add the peppermint extract and food coloring and whisk until smooth.
Serve immediately. Serves 4.
**For a grown-up, add a splash of crème de menthe or crème de cacao and top with whipped cream or chocolate shavings.


Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Recipes of the Week!















Eggplant and Goat-Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Tarragon Sauce

(Serves 4)
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cups fresh or canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (one 28-ounce can)
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon
1- 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 cup dry bread crumbs (I used plain Panko)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggplants, peeled and cut to make sixteen 1/2-inch-thick slices in all
4 eggs, beaten to mix
Cooking oil, for frying
1/2 pound mild goat cheese, such as Montrachet, cut into 8 rounds
DIRECTIONS
    1.    In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tarragon, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the sugar and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
    2.    Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
    3.    Dip each slice of eggplant in the eggs and then in the bread-crumb mixture, coating well. In a large frying pan, heat about half an inch of cooking oil over moderate heat until very hot. Fry the eggplant in the hot oil, in batches, turning once, until golden and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
    4.    Arrange half of the eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Put a slice of goat cheese on top of each and then top with the remaining eggplant slices. Bake until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Put the sauce on plates and top with the eggplant.






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Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus


What you need:

1. Asparagus
2. Prosciutto
3. Olive Oil*

This recipe is incredibly easy to make and will satisfy and fill you!

After cleaning and cutting the ends of the asparagus, make sure they are dry and on a clean and dry plate or surface area.

Lay out the prosciutto and begin wrapping the asparagus. Make sure the prosciutto is sliced very thin and you don’t over wrap each spear.

After wrapping each spear, use your hands to squeeze the proscuitto onto the asparagus so it sticks. This helps when you cook them, so the prosciutto doesn’t unravel.

Get your pan out and, with your judgement, drop some oil onto the pan and begin frying.

You’ll know when the asparagus are done when the prosciutto is crispy, but if you are unsure just take one spear and cut into the middle to make sure the asparagus is cooked perfectly. Not too mushy, not too crunchy.

And Enjoy!

* = you can use other substitutes, such as, grapeseed oil or avocado oil.





Clean Eating Freedom Brownies

These are gluten-free, dairy-free AND grain-free!


(Makes 15 servings)

Ingredients:

1/3 cup coconut flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup coconut oil
5 whole eggs
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, no sugar added

Directions:

1.     In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the coconut flour and cocoa powder.
2.     Whisk in the coconut oil, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Blend well.
3.     Pour batter into a greased baking dish (mine was about 9×13), and bake at 350 F. for about 30 minutes.
4.     Allow to cool. This is important because they tend to fall apart easily when warm, making it difficult to get them out of the pan.







Namaste Devotion Community!



I want to take this time to introduce myself to everyone. My name is Rae and I will be writing one blog entry a week and will be posted every Tuesday (hopefully!). This blog will showcase three recipes that I have either tried, wanted to try, or find interesting!

Because I’m a foodie and a dessert lady at heart, I wanted to make sure I showcase, one meatless recipe, one meat recipe, and one dessert recipe. I am a student in the kitchen and am constantly learning and growing on how to make healthier and wiser decisions for myself. I will also be showcasing a variety of food and nutritional topics.

I hope you enjoy the recipes and information I post and if you have a recipe (with photos and directions) that you want to share with the community feel free to email me at: rae@devotionyoga.com

This is a community and sharing allows us to grow and expand our current state of mind and our knowledge. So let’s share and I hope this can grow to be something big and beautiful.

Your Friend,
Rae