Ja cię kocham…

Couscous is an awesome food.  I have made it several times, and it always comes out perfectly, AND it takes all of 5 minutes.  The person that invented couscous deserves a kiss from all of the busy people around the world…

Normally I just whip up a batch of couscous as is…maybe adding some cheese or something, but last night I decided to try someting a little different.

I was watching Giada at Home on the Food Network, and besides sitting there in complete awe and shock of her enormous house (that I KNOW she doesn’t have to clean), her hot tub, her patio, and her KITCHEN, I was in awe of her couscous cakes.   They looked simple enough, and her recipes always taste good so I decided to give them a try.

And they were pretty fantastic tasting although I had immense trouble keeping the little buggers intact while cooking them.  As I watched Giada make them I remember thinking how messy they looked and how all of a sudden they turned out so perfectly on her plate.  That’s TV for you.  I had to add an extra egg and some bread crumbs for a more suitable stickiness, and they still somewhat fell apart.   I think it’s because I used more couscous than the recipe called for.  It didn’t stick together with one egg and one yolk.   No worries, though.  It was my oversight, and they still tasted great!

Couscous Cakes

Source: Giada at Home

Yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked couscous, prepared according to package instructions and cooled
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 lemon, zested
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup mild mango chutney – (I used my Homemade Pineapple Chutney)

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix together the couscous, cilantro, egg, egg yolk, coriander, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture. Mix until combined.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Form 1/4 cupfuls of the mixture into 8 patties. Add 4 of the patties to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes each side until golden. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining couscous mixture.

Serve the couscous cakes with mango or pineapple chutney.

I tend to run into the same problem all the time.  I find an awesome recipe that requires me to buy maybe one or two things.  Quick trip to the store right?  WRONG.  I end up going to several stores trying to find one thing and end up never finding it.  Grrrr… that’s annoying.  Chutney tends to be one of those things that I can NEVER find in the grocery store.

So you know what I do?  I make it myself.  Take THAT grocery store!

I found a really easy recipe for homemade pineapple chutney using simple pantry ingredients.  Rather than using canned crushed pineapple, I decided to use fresh pineapple and crush it myself.  It turned out quite well.  I was a little nervous because the apple cider vinegar was all I could smell in my house, but when I tasted the chutney, the cider vinegar was not too powerful.  This is a great item to put on chicken or fish – and it took me far less time to cook it than to go on a county-wide hunt for the stuff.

Homemade Pineapple Chutney

Yields: 3 – 12 oz. jars.

Source: Recipezaar

4 cups fresh pineapple, crushed and well drained
2 cups brown sugar, packed tightly
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup bell pepper (any color), seeded and chopped
1 cup slivered almonds
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

Combine pineapple, sugar, vinegar and salt in a large saucepan.

Heat to boil; simmer gently, stirring frequently for 25 minutes.

Stir in remaining ingredients.

Cook slowly, stirring often, until mixture thickens.

Ladle into sterilized hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Seal; process in water bath canner for 10 minutes.

I didn’t worry about the jars since I used the chutney right away…

This recipe is just too much fun!  I HAD to share it with you.  It’s so easy, and my students LOVED it.  This recipe is a mix of healthy and sweet with lots of bright colors, which make kids very happy.  I have to admit, it makes me happy, too!  I love bright colors, especially in food.  And after a few bucks, you can feed a herd of happy faces!

You can pick whatever you want to throw in your kids’ trail mix.  I got this idea from a Hannah Montana Cookbook that one of my students bought at the Scholastic Book Fair.  Ha!  Gotta love Miley Cyrus )

We have students with peanut and tree-nut allergies, and I managed to find the generic cereals in the large plastic bags that were nut-free.  Awesome!

Feel free to get creative with your mix.  Pick your favorite cereals, and have a go with it.  I recommend putting Rice or Corn Chex cereal in it for some neutral, not so sugary flavor.  Dried fruit and nuts are awesome in this.  You could even melt white chocolate and drizzle it on top and mix with a large wooden spoon.  (Got that idea from my friend Nicole, and it’s delicious!)

I came home from work after making this for 20+ children with so many leftovers that I made an enormous batch of this stuff for Jay and I, and I STILL have leftover cereal for later.

Kids’ Trail Mix

Serves an entire class and probably their families, too ;o)

Ingredients: (generic brands are great!)

2 cups Corn and/or Rice Chex cereal
1 cup Cheerios
1.5 cup Cocoa Puffs
1.5 cup Fruit Loops
1 cup mini marshmallows
1.5 cups organic banana chips

(Feel free to add M&Ms or melted chocolate… I couldn’t because of all the peanut allergies…)

Directions:

Mix all the cereal in a large bowl.  Add marshmallows and banana chips last.  Give it a quick stir.

You’re probably wondering what on earth I am thinking to put carrots in a cookie.  Quite frankly, I don’t blame you.  It sounds strange.  But if it’s strange, I’m making it.  So long as it doesn’t entail exotic meats... That kind of uniqueness ain’t for me.

Carrots are wonderful because they can be used in savory dishes as well as sweet, baked goods.  If you don’t believe me, check out my Carrot Cake Pancakes with Cream Cheese Spread.  You’ll see what I’m talking about )

These cookies are sweetened with pure maple syrup – no sugar.   Others who have made this cookie say that it’s not sweet enough and add turbinado sugar on top (Sugar in the Raw), but I don’t think it’s necessary.  They are perfectly sweet enough to satisfy your sweet tooth, but subtle enough for everyone to enjoy – including my parents who do not do sugary sweets in any shape or form.

The original recipe found on the 101 Cookbooks foodblog calls for walnuts.

You guessed it.  I omitted them.  I just can’t do it.  )

On a random side note, I would like to share with you an awesome kitchen gadget that I have and LOVE.  It’s a grater, but it’s designed for messy people like me so there is minimal clean up.

See?  It all goes in the container, not the counter and floor!

They come in all different grate sizes.  I used the smallest for the carrots so they wouldn’t be chunky and crunchy in my cookies.

I really enjoy these cookies because they are perfect for those days when you want to bake but you don’t have eggs, butter or milk.  I had one little egg left in the carton.  That’s not enough for most baking recipes.  I had a swig of milk left, which MUST be saved for Jay.  He does not function without his milk in the morning (so cute…).   And I had a ton of butter, but I didn’t feel like using it.  This recipe calls for coconut oil instead, which is quickly becoming a favorite baking staple in my house.  It adds no extra sweetness but leaves a coconutty after taste in your mouth – and it makes your kitchen smell wonderful while it’s baking.  It’s a little expensive, but well worth the investment.

So all you carrot cookie skeptics need to at least try these.  You’ll be pleasantly surprised!  They taste like macaroons!

Carrot Oatmeal Cookies

Source: 101 Cookbooks

Yields: 30 small cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (all-purpose works, too)
1 teaspoon baking powder
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup chopped walnuts (I omitted…)
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1/2 cup unrefined (fragrant) coconut oil, warmed until just melted
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and oats.

I used steel cut oats.  It’s texture is a little different than your typical oatmeal.

Add the nuts and carrots. In a separate smaller bowl use a whisk to combine the maple syrup, coconut oil, and ginger. Add this to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Drop onto prepared baking sheets, one level tablespoonful at a time, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Bake in the top 1/3 of the oven for 10 – 12 minutes or until the cookies are golden on top and bottom.

Besides a grilled veggie sandwich, my all-time favorite lunch is a peanut butter and banana sandwich.  And if anyone happens to throw in some marshmallow fluff and/or chocolate, I won’t tell.  YUM.  I used to eat two of them every day during college (can we say freshman 15???).

I had a whole bunch of very, VERY ripe bananas sitting on my counter this morning, and I had a thought.  I would LOVE to make banana bread… better yet, I would LOVE to make peanut butter banana bread!  Even though this idea was original for me, I knew that there would be a recipe online for it.  And I was right )  AND it was a healthier version to boot.  Fantastic.

Even thought this is a more “healthy” version of the bread, you can’t even tell.  It’s sweet, it’s peanut buttery, and it’s incredible.  Basically it’s a woman’s dream all wrapped up in one baked good.  My friend Nicole tried it today at work and absolutely loved it.  She’s a queen baker so that means a lot!!!  )

Peanut Butter Banana Bread (with Chocolate Chips)

Source: Peanut Butter Boy

Yields 1 to 2 loaves

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (all-purpose flour also works well but try to use unbleached)
3/4 cup brown sugar (I used natural cane sugar)
1T baking powder
3/4t salt
1/4t cinnamon
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 large)
1 cup skim milk
3/4 cup creamy natural peanut butter w/ salt
1t vanilla extract
1/4 cup egg substitute (or 1 egg)
3.5 oz dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks (I used chocolate chips)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9×5 inch loaf pans (or muffin tins).

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In a medium bowl, combine mashed bananas, milk, peanut butter, vanilla and egg.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir just until combined. Mix in the chocolate chips.

Split evenly between the two pans  and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Since the batter can easily fit  into one pan – If you want to make only one loaf, bake for 20- 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

I just love when I look at the back of a box and find a recipe with ingredients that I already have in my kitchen!  This pasta dish is seriously one of my favorites of all time.  And yes, it has bacon in it.  I’m TRYING to gradually incorporate meat into my dishes.  It’s not really working, but every once in a while I succeed, and it’s usually with bacon.   I think because it’s chopped so small within a mound of other things that I am capable of eating it.

Okay so this pasta dish is indescribably amazing.  I got it off the back of a Ronzoni Whole Wheat Linguine box (which I mildly altered).  It’s super simple, super cheap, and super awesome.  I cannot tell you how many times I find winning recipes on the back of food boxes.  Don’t be so quick to throw boxes away!  There are some incredible recipes just waiting to be tested.

Linguine with Bacon, Baby Spinach, and Sage

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 packages of linguine
1/4 lb. bacon, diced
1 sweet onion, finely diced
1 egg
1 1/3 cup chicken or veggie stock
3 Tbs. fresh sage, chopped
1/2 lb. baby spinach leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta according to directions.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon for 4-5 minutes or until ALMOST at desired crispiness.

Add egg.  Stir constantly until cooked.

Stir in stock and sage; simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Add spinach and cook until barely wilting.  Season with salt and pepper.

Toss linguine with sauce and serve with sprinkled Parmesan cheese.