February 25, 2014

Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chunks

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Maybe it's not quite the season for ice cream, but sometimes it's the best thing even though it's cold outside! I've been known to eat ice cream in -6 degree weather, so I'm always ready!
 
A few weeks ago, I was really in the mood for some good chocolate ice cream. Rather than venture out into the cold, I made my own! It was everything I wanted - creamy & chocolatey with cookie crumbles & a fudge sauce. Yum!
 
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The leftovers didn't last long! :-) I bet yours won't either.




Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chunks
 
Ice Cream
2 (14 oz) cans light coconut milk
2/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 c coconut sugar
1 T arrowroot starch
1 T vodka
 
Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until super smooth. Pour into a large container and refrigerate for 2-4 hours or until completely chilled through. Proceed with making the pb oatmeal balls and the fudge sauce.
 
Hint: No need to rinse out the blender yet. You can use it for the fudge sauce, too.

PB Oatmeal Balls

1 c old fashioned oats
1/2 c ground flaxseed
1 T chia seeds
3 T almond butter
5 T peanut butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 T honey
1/4 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
 
Combine everything except the chocolate chips in a bowl. Fold in the chocolate chips. Roll mixture by the tablespoon into balls. If it is too crumbly, add a touch more honey. If too wet, add a small amount of oats. Place balls on a cookie sheet and refrigerate until firm. Then transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Fudge Sauce
2/3 c pitted dates
1 c almond milk (I used Silk Unsweeted Original)
3 T cocoa powder
 
Blend dates and almond milk in a blender until super smooth. Pour mixture into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, turn down the heat to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring often. Mixture will thicken as it cooks. Once it thickens, remove from heat and vigorously stir in the cocoa powder until smooth. Place in an airtight container and allow to cool. Refrigerate to store until time to assemble the ice cream.

After the ice cream mixture has chilled through completely, place it into your ice cream machine (I use the KitchenAid attachment) and churn according to machine's instructions. While it churns, get out a 9"x9" baking pan (preferably metal), your pb oatmeal balls, and the fudge sauce. Crumble 3-4 pb oatmeal balls in the bottom of the pan.
 
Once the ice cream is done, spread half of it over the crumble balls in the pan. Top with more crumbled balls and a thick layer of fudge sauce. Spread the remaining ice cream on top, sprinkle with more balls, and smooth out the top into an even layer. Press a sheet of plastic wrap across the top of the ice cream. Cover the baking pan and place in the freezer for at least 1 hour before serving.
 
Ice cream is best the day it is made. In the following days (if it lasts that long!), make sure to remove it from the freezer 30 minutes or so before you plan to eat it so that it softens.
 
Top with remaining fudge sauce when serving, if desired. (It's the perfect final touch!)




February 22, 2014

Tasty Tidbits

 
Last weekend we went to the cabin. So much snow! I thought we had a lot here, especially after last week's Thursday craziness, but they have so much more there.
 
 
We did some cross-country skiing, which was lots of fun. The first time we went out, it snowed the whole time. It was so pretty.



 
This is the view from inside the cabin, right next to the fireplace. That's the best spot to be!

 
In the afternoon, we baked cookies. Mom & I made these Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies that we made every Valentine's Day when I was growing up. We turned a few into a linzer version by stuffing them with chocolate glaze. Yum!

 
Dad & W made pizzelles, which always requires wine. :-)  They made 2 kinds: anise & peach schnapps. Both were delicious.

 
When we got home on Sunday, we did some shoveling & then took Tink out to explore a bit. She's always right at the door when we come in, trying to sneak out. Apparently she didn't mind the wet, cold snow under her paws, because she was wandering around the patio.






Here's what we've been eating in the last week:

Breakfasts
Lunches
Dinners

Saturday:
  • Black bean, zucchini, & kale enchiladas
  • Green salad
Sunday:
Monday:
  • Sweet potato & bean chili with Popcorners dipping chips
  • Green salad


Tuesday:
Wednesday:
  • Tortilla pizzas - brown rice tortillas topped with bbq sauce, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, & raw milk smoked cheddar cheese
  • Green salad
Thursday:
  • Brown rice fusilli with kale, white beans, onions, & mushrooms

Friday:
  • Leftovers
  • Green salad

Treats

February 20, 2014

Polenta with Roasted Broccoli & Coconut Bacon

 
Have you tried coconut bacon? Cause you should. No, I won't try to convince you that it's exactly like bacon, but whether you eat meat or not, I think you'll love it. We've been putting it on lots of things, but I think this is my new favorite way to use it (aside from eating it by itself!). My second favorite thing to put it on is potato soup.
 
 
Tuesday was National Wine Day. Did you know? So of course we had to celebrate. :-)
 
This meal came together in about 40 minutes, most of which was time spent letting the polenta cook & the broccoli roast. A perfect weeknight meal for a winter night, it was warming & comforting. We paired it with a green salad to add some extra veggies.
 
I hope you try it! We'll definitely be having it again soon.
 
 
 
Polenta with Roasted Broccoli & Coconut Bacon
Serves 4-6
 
6 c water
1½ c polenta
1½ tsp sea salt (divided)
3 small heads of broccoli
2 c large unsweetened flaked coconut (I used this: Bob's Red Mill Flaked Coconut Unsweetened)
1½ T Braggs liquid aminos (or soy sauce, coconut aminos, or tamari)
1 T honey (or maple syrup to make this vegan)
½ T liquid smoke
½ tsp smoked paprika
 
Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray and set aside.
 
Bring 6 cups of water and 1 teaspoon sea salt to a boil in a large pot on the stovetop. Make sure the pot is deep enough that when you cook the polenta, it doesn't bubble over.
 
While the water is coming to a boil, chop the broccoli stems & florets into small pieces. Spread pieces onto one of the prepared baking sheets, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, and   place in hot oven to roast.
 
Once the water comes to a boil, add the polenta slowly, stirring to combine it with the water. It should get thick pretty quickly, at which point you can let it cook, just stirring it periodically to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Keep the heat at about medium to allow it to simmer for 30 minutes.
 
In a medium bowl, combine the Braggs liquid aminos, honey, liquid smoke, and smoked paprika. Add the coconut flakes to the mixture and stir to coat. Spread coconut evenly on the remaining prepared baking sheet. Place in oven with the broccoli and bake for 5 minutes. Stir, return to oven, and bake another 5 minutes before stirring again. (Don't forget to stir the polenta once in awhile!)
 
The second time you take out the coconut to stir it, also stir the broccoli to promote even roasting. Return both the coconut and broccoli to the oven. Set a timer for the broccoli for 10 minutes, at which point it should be done. Watch the coconut closely, checking it every 2-3 minutes, until it is browned & feels slightly crispy. Once the coconut is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool, at which time it will continue to crisp to a nice crunchy texture.
 
Once the polenta and broccoli are also done, put a few spoonfuls of polenta on a plate. Top with roasted broccoli and a handful of coconut bacon. Enjoy!
 
NOTE: Coconut bacon can be made in advance. Store it in a sealed container so that it stays crunchy.
 
 
 
Coconut bacon recipe adapted from Eating Bird Food
 



February 15, 2014

Tasty Tidbits




Last week, we got a heating pad. I was going to use it, so I plugged it in & got it set up (but didn't turn it on). I went to the other room to get a glass of water, came back, & saw that Tink had decided it was her new spot. She somehow knew it would be a warm place to sit!


We were off on Monday together & ended up going to Troeg's in the afternoon to try their new bourbon barrel troegenator. It was delicious!!! The first bourbon barrel ale I had was in Kentucky & I still remember how good it was. This was about equally delicious. Yum!!


The skies were so pretty during the cold spell earlier in the week. That sun!


Yeah, it was a cold week. But I'm very thankful for a safe house & lots of sweaters & winter jackets. We got a ton of snow, which was fun to watch fall, especially because we were at home & not trying to fight our way through it.

We're staying warm & doing lots of skiing this weekend. What about you?



Here's what we've been eating in the last week:

Breakfasts


Lunches
  • Classic hummus
  • Bavarian pretzels with whole grain mustard
  • Spelt pretzel bread bowls with broccoli potato soup
  • Avocado toast on Summer's Oatmeal Sandwich Bread 
  • Leftovers
  • Grapefruit, oranges, apples & clementines
Dinners

Saturday:
  • Ashley's Cheesy Veggie Taco Millet Bake - We seem to have officially made Saturday nights Mexican night & we're loving it! This recipe had several steps, but wasn't actually all that labor intensive. And it was really good! I'd make a few changes next time - less cheese, more veggies - but it's a keeper recipe for sure!
Sunday:
  • Veggie burgers with sweet potato fries
  • Casear salad
Monday:
  • Mega salads
  • Curried lentil veggie soup
Tuesday:
  • Toasted Summer's Oatmeal Sandwich Bread topped with kale, onions, mushrooms, & smoked gouda cheese
  • Roasted butternut squash cubes with thyme - our new favorite way to season this squash! The thyme compliments the sweetness so well.
  • Green salad
Wednesday:
  • Martha Stewart's One Pan Pasta - We had a lot of cherry tomatoes in the freezer from over the summer, so I used triple the amount, making this more of a soup than a traditional pasta. It was great!
  • Green salad
Thursday:

  • Broiled tofu strips dipped in almond lime sauce
  • Baked sweet potato wedges
  • Green salad

Friday:
  • Out to eat on the way from skiing to the cabin

Treats

February 8, 2014

Tasty Tidbits

Tink has started to love sitting by the fire when we have it going. Typical cat, I suppose, but up until a few weeks ago she didn't seem to care one way or the other when we had a fire. Now she's into it. She look so cuddly, but she's really not into that. :-/
 
 
Snacking & beer happened before dinner last Saturday night. Isn't that a fun coaster? :-) We were having enchiladas, so chips w/ guac & salsa seemed appropriate appetizers. I could make a meal of just that, but it's lacking balance...

Lots of great food & new recipe testing this week! I had some spare time last weekend & did lots of cooking/baking/prep for the week, so we were eating well. :-)  It turned out to be a good thing, since we had lots of snow/ice this week. Thankfully, we stayed safe & only had our power flicker once.
 
I'm baking with friends this weekend! Bread, tortillas, pretzel bread bowls, & brownies. It should be lots of fun & we'll have goodies stocked for the week/freezer.


Here's what we've been eating in the last week:

Breakfasts
Lunches
  • Classic hummus
  • Mega salad topped with tempeh
  • Sandwiches
  • Leftovers
  • Baked sweet potato wedges
  • Grapefruit, oranges, apples & clementines
Dinners

Saturday:
Sunday:
  • Baked sweet potatoes
  • The Kitchn's Cider Beans - Every year I made baked beans on Super Bowl Sunday. This year I tried this new recipe & we enjoyed them. I made a few slight changes, but generally followed the flavor profile of the recipe.
  • Green salad
Monday:
  • Jessica's 30 Minute Portobello Fried Brown Rice - This came together very quickly & was bursting with flavor. If you don't like mushrooms, it's definitely not for you, but we liked it (especially Walter, who is a mushroom lover!).
  • Green salad
Tuesday:
  • Curried lentil soup
  • Green salad
Wednesday:
Out to eat at Lisa's Cafe (we walked/slid over in the ice)
  • Me - Portobello mushrooms reuben (minus the thousand island dressing) + side salad
  • W - Vegetable stromboli + side caesar salad


Thursday:
Dinner at Mom & Pops' before choir

Friday:
  • One pot pasta

Treats

February 1, 2014

Tasty Tidbits

 
Anyone interested in a little glimpse of our dining room? This was taken from our kitchen during the last major snow. It's all white out the window, which was really pretty. We have tons of plants in our dining room because after we moved them there during living room renovations, we decided we liked them there. It's a bit of a jungle! Mom made us the table runner & I think it's perfect for winter.
 
 
 
It was fondue night with friends on Wednesday. This time, we made a lightened up fondue by using pureed white beans. It also had Troeg's Mad Elf beer in it. Yum! For dippers, we did apple slices, carrots, roasted broccoli, sliced cherry tomatoes, & Eating Well's Spelt Indian Flatbread. It was good, as was the company. :-)
 
In other news, I've basically been cold all week. Thanks, vortex! I'm planning to spend a lot of time this weekend either in front of our fireplace or in the kitchen baking. How about you?


Here's what we've been eating in the last week:

Breakfasts
Lunches
Dinners

Saturday:
Sunday:
  • Homemade spaghetti with tomato sauce
  • Green salad





Monday:
  • Stuffed acorn squash (stuffed with lentils, chopped veggies, & spelt berries) topped with almond-lime sauce
  • Green salad
Tuesday:
  • Potato kale soup
  • Sauteed zucchini
Wednesday:
  • Girls' night - Fondue (me)
  • Leftover soup (W)
Thursday:
Dinner at Mom & Pops' before choir
  • Whole wheat linguini with marinara sauce
  • Green salad

Friday:
  • Mega salads - lettuce, spinach, onion, mushroom, tempeh, almonds, & apples

Treats
  • Chocolate cake with healthy choc pb icing (this cake recipe topped with my own icing recipe)
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