Fig-Pecan Macaroons

Macaroons almost always have nuts and egg whites in the ingredient list. This rendition also features intensely sweet dried figs. Be sure to remove and discard the hard stems of the figs before chopping them.

Yield: 2 dozen (serving size: 1 macaroon)

Ingredients
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Dash of salt
2 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup milled flax seed
3/4 cup finely chopped dried Black Mission figs (about 8)

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 300°.
2. Combine pecans and cinnamon in a food processor; process until finely ground. Add rind; process until blended.
3. Place cream of tartar, salt, and egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until foamy. Increase speed to high, and beat until stiff peaks form. Place 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Gradually add remaining sugar to egg mixture; beat at low speed until blended. Fold in pecan mixture. Add figs to reserved sugar, tossing to coat; fold fig mixture into egg mixture.
4. Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop egg mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake at 300° for 20 minutes or until bottom edges are lightly browned. Place pans on wire racks; cool completely.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

86 (38% from fat)

Fat:

3.6g (sat 0.3g,mono 2g,poly 1.1g)

Protein:

1g

Carbohydrate:

13.6g

Fiber:

1.2g

Cholesterol:

0.0mg

Iron:

0.3mg

Sodium:

12mg

Calcium:

15mg

Kathy Farrell-Kingsley, Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2008

Cinnamon-Anise Crisps

A light sprinkling of cinnamon sugar adds crunch to these licorice-flavored slice-and-bake cookies. The high starch content of cake flour provides absorbency, so the cookies are less likely to spread while baking.

Yield: 2 dozen (serving size: 1 cookie)

Ingredients
1 1/2  cups  cake flour (about 6 ounces)
1 1/4  teaspoons  ground cinnamon, divided
1  teaspoon  baking powder
1/2  teaspoon  aniseed, crushed
1/4  teaspoon  salt
3/4  cup  sugar
1/4  cup  butter, softened
1  tablespoon  fresh orange juice
1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
1  large egg
1 1/2  teaspoons  sugar

Preparation
Lightly spoon cake flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking powder, crushed aniseed, and salt, stirring with a whisk; set aside.

Place 3/4 cup sugar and butter in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add juice, vanilla, and egg; beat until combined. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Divide dough in half. Shape dough into 2 (6-inch-long) logs; wrap each log in plastic wrap. Freeze 1 hour or until very firm.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Unwrap dough logs. Cut each dough log into 12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices; place slices 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Combine 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over dough slices. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until golden. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Nutritional Information
Calories:72 (28% from fat)
Fat:2.2g (sat 1.3g,mono 0.6g,poly 0.1g)
Protein:0.9g
Carbohydrate:12.3g
Fiber:0.2g
Cholesterol:14mg
Iron:0.6mg
Sodium:61mg
Calcium:16mg

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2007

Chai Shortbread IceBox Cookies

A combination of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper gives these cookies a taste reminiscent of Indian spiced tea. The fine texture of powdered sugar helps them retain the characteristic shortbread crunch.

Ingredients
1 1/2  cups  all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces)
1/8  teaspoon  salt
1/8  teaspoon  ground cardamom
1/8  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
Dash of ground cloves
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
3/4  cup  powdered sugar
10  tablespoon  butter, softened
1  tablespoon  ice water

Preparation
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through pepper), stirring well with a whisk. Place sugar and butter in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until combined (mixture will appear crumbly). Sprinkle dough with 1 tablespoon ice water; toss with a fork. Divide dough in half. Shape dough into 2 (6-inch-long) logs; wrap each log in plastic wrap. Chill 1 hour or until very firm.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Unwrap dough logs. Carefully cut each log into 18 slices using a serrated knife. Place dough circles 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Yield: 3 dozen (serving size: 1 cookie)

Nutritional Information
Calories:57 (51% from fat)
Fat:3.2g (sat 2g,mono 0.8g,poly 0.1g)
Protein:0.6g
Carbohydrate:6.5g
Fiber:0.2g
Cholesterol:8mg
Iron:0.3mg
Sodium:31mg
Calcium:2mg

Source:
Julianna Grimes and Ann Taylor Pittman, Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2007

Salmon Cakes

Ingredients
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
15 ounces canned salmon, drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked salmon
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 3/4 cups fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs, (see Tip)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in parsley; remove from the heat.
Place salmon in a medium bowl. Flake apart with a fork; remove any bones and skin. Add egg and mustard; mix well. Add the onion mixture, breadcrumbs and pepper; mix well. Shape the mixture into 8 patties, about 2 1/2 inches wide.

Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in the pan over medium heat. Add 4 patties and cook until the undersides are golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a wide spatula, turn them over onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining patties.

Bake the salmon cakes until golden on top and heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.  Serve salmon cakes with sauce and lemon wedges.

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 3. Cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
Tip: To make fresh breadcrumbs: Trim crusts from firm sandwich bread. Tear the bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice makes about 1/3 cup.

4 servings | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes

Nutrition
Per serving: 324 calories; 10 g fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono); 129 mg cholesterol; 21 g carbohydrates; 31 g protein; 7 g fiber; 585 mg sodium; 97 mg potassium.

Source: www.eatingwell.com

A Super Sandwich

Toast 2 slices rustic wheat bread.

On one slice of toast, place 2 slices of lean turkey breast and 1 slice of Monterey Jack cheese. Broil until cheese is melted. Then top with 2 slices tomato and 2 leaves lettuce on top.  On the other slice of toast, spread mayonnaise or mustard on one side. 

In a nonstick skillet, melt 1 teaspoon butter over medium heat. Fry 1 egg, turning over briefly when bottom is set and yolk is still runny. Slide finished egg on top of tomato. Place sandwich on a plate and slice in half, letting yolk run down the sides.

Yum!

Kale Chips

Kale is a form of cabbage. Kale is considered to be a highly nutritious vegetable with powerful antioxidant properties; kale is considered to be anti-inflammatory. Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium. (excerpt from Wikipedia)

Baked Kale Chips

1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tsp of favorite seasoning (we've tried peppercorn ranch, chipotle, tuscany sunset)
3 large stalks of kale, removed from stem and torn into small bite sized pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preparing to bake. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Combine the salt, smoked paprika, and garlic in a small bowl.

Wash the kale. Rinse the kale leaves, then put them in a salad spinner and spin until the green becomes a blur. Round and round, spinning and spinning — let the kale dry. After it comes out, dry it even more with paper towels. Those leaves should be bone dry.

Oiling the kale. Put the kale leaves in a large bowl. Drizzle over 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Massage the oil into the leaves. You might need more. You might have larger hands than I do. Use your judgment.

Sprinkle with the seasonsing salt.

Bake the chips. Arrange the kale chips onto the sheet try and slide it into the oven. Bake until the leaves are crisp to the touch but still a dark green. (When they turn brown, they turn bitter.) Check at the 12-minute mark, to be sure.

Remove them from the oven. 

Let them cool a bit. Eat.

Chocolate Crepes with Blackberry Sauce

Happy Valentine's Day

I made these crepes for a Valentine's Day breakfast. They were super easy and it only took about 30 minutes to prepare, eat and clean up.  Yum!

Ingredients
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1 egg white
1/4 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 cup
1/8 cup baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt

Blackberry filling
1/8 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
3 cups frozen blackberries (no need to thaw)
Fat Free cool whip

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the milk, evaporated milk, egg white and egg. Combine the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, cocoa and salt; add to milk mixture and mix well. Cover and place in freezer for 10 minutes.

In a small saucepan, combine cornstarch and sugar. Add blackberries. Heat over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and stir every minute until thick filling forms.

Lightely spray 8-in. nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Stir crepe batter; pour 1/2 cup batter into center of skillet. Lift and tilt pan to coat bottom evenly. Cook until top appears dry. Spread 3 tablespoons of filling over 1 half of crepe. Roll the crepe up so that it is about 1-2 inches wide.

Cook additional 15-20 seconds longer.

Transfer to plate and garnish with coolwhip, extra berries and/or powdered sugar.

Servings: 4

Approx Nutrition Facts: 2 filled crepes equals 203 calories, 2 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 30 mg cholesterol, 202 mg sodium, 42 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 7 g protein.

Orginial Source: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Chocolate-Crepes-with-Raspberry-Sauce

Rhubarb-Cranberry-Pineapple Jam

Ingredients:
6 cups rhubarb (cut fine)
1/2 pkg. (1/2 lb.) cranberries (grind them fine) (I also used craisins)
1/2 can (10 oz.) can crushed pineapple (with juice)
1/2 cup water
5 cups granulated sugar 
2 pkgs Jello, any red 
1/2 tsp. nutmeg or cinnamon (opt)

Cook rhubarb, ground cranberries, crushed pineapple and water until rhubarb is tender. Add sugar and bring to a boil. Stir in and dissolve two packages of flavored dry Jello. Add nutmeg or cinnamon, if desired. Put into jelly jars, cover and freeze. 

Makes 7, 1-cup size jars.


Source: from the Wisconsin Gardener Cookbook 3

Not Your Ordinary Hummus

What started as a 'Vegan Moroccan-Style Chickpeas' recipe turned into a nice hummus spread.

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 Tbsp ground cumin
1/2 Tbsp ground ginger

3/4 Tbsp ground coriander
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
1 can tomatoes with green chilies
Red pepper flakes (optional)
2 Tbsp Tahini (sesame seed paste)

DIRECTIONS
Saute garlic and onion in olive oil over medium heat for about two minutes. Stir in cumin, ginger and coriander and cook until onion is tender. Add beans, vegetable broth and tomatoes with juice and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for approximately minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Add Tahini and blend in food processor for 3-5 minutes until smooth.  Serve with pita bread or crackers.

Number of Servings: 10
Original Source: recipes.sparkpeople.com
Nutritional Facts: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calories.asp?recipe=5113