Happy, yes I am, mostly because I am sitting here eating this delicious muffin. Sad, yup, that too, because I'm not sure I'll be able to replicate it.
Monthly Archives: April 2009
Orange You Glad?
A woman I know recently shared with me part of the story of her childhood during World War II. Oranges were not very available and were rather expensive. When there was an orange in the house she and her brother were given the fruit. Her parents ate the peels.
photo courtesy of www.free-stock-photos.com
National Zucchini Bread Day
April 25th is National Zucchini Bread Day. I'm not sure why it is zucchini bread instead of just zucchini, but I'm happy that at least zucchini is getting mentioned.
Brief History
Health Benefits
Zucchini Recipe
Zucchini Blueberry Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup zucchini, shredded and moisture squeezed out
- 4 eggs, organic
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup, organic
- 1 banana, ripe and mashed
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil plus extra for greasing the pan
- 1/2 cup coconut flour - Bob's Red Mill, Coconut Flour, Organic, 16 oz
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped (optional)
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease the loaf pan with coconut oil, set aside.
- Shred the zucchini and then squeeze out all the moisture.
- Mix the eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, and banana together in a large bowl.
- Add in the coconut flour, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, blend well.
- Add the zucchini, blend; then add the apple cider vinegar and stir till batter is smooth.
- Fold in the walnuts, if using.
- Gently fold in the blueberries.
- Pour the batter in to the greased loaf pan.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes until a knife or toothpick inserted in to the bread comes out clean.
- Cool the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to continue to cool.
Grapeseed Oil
Karen just asked, “What is grapeseed oil? I've seen it in numerous recipes and the cheap, or shall I say frugal, side of me won't let me purchase it until I know I'll use it”
Well, I'm so glad you asked. Grapeseed oil is pressed from the seeds of lots of different varieties of grapes. It is used for used for salad dressings, marinades, cooking, frying, baking, as a massage oil or sunburn lotion, and has a number of other applications. It has a fairly high smoke point which makes it an excellent choice for frying but many people like it most for sauteeing or as a salad oil because of it's delicate, somewhat neutral, flavor.
It is a high linoleic acid oil (73%), meaning it contains a lot of omega-6 essential fatty acids. Most of us actually consume too many omega-6's in our diet but used in moderation grapeseed oil is fine. It does have some other health benefits; a study published by the University of California, Davis in 2006 found that it reduced blood pressure in people with metabolic syndrome. In the study patients were given a placebo, 150 mg or 300 mg of grapeseed oil. Those taking the grapeseed oil had a beneficial result and those on the larger dose also experienced a drop in LDL cholesterol. Further studies are underway at the University to see if there is a benefit in patients with hypertension.
Although grapeseed oil is more expensive that most oils, unless you are planning to deep fry with it a little goes a long way. As with other oils, please purchase cold pressed as this is the best, least damaging process by which to extract the oils, and purchase organic, if you can, to ensure no pesticide contamination.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grape_seed_oil
and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linoleic_acid
and http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2006/03/27/Study-Grapeseed-oil-lowers-blood-pressure/UPI-21071143520705/
National Pecan Day
Today is National Pecan Day. Pecans are one of my favorite nuts. Although they are very hard to crack they are certainly worth the effort. Pecans have sweet, tender nutmeats that are very tasty.
Brief History
Nutritional Profile
The National Cholesterol Education program states, “For every 1% reduction in LDL cholesterol, there is a 1.5% reduction in incidence of coronary heart disease. Thus, the pecan diets in the Loma Linda and Texas A&M studies would correspond with a 25% decreased risk of heart disease.”
Of course, the best way to eat them is to start with raw nuts. Pecans are very versatile and can be added to a wide variety of baked goods, they go well in salads, can be used in pilaf-type recipes, or can be spiced and flavored to be eaten as a snack.
Proper Storage
However you use them, just remember to store them properly. Pecans need to be kept in dry, clean, airtight containers. Out of the shell they will last at room temperature up to two months or refrigerated up to one year and frozen up to two years. Because they are a low-moisture nut pecans can be refrozen several times without losing quality.
Pecan Recipe
Pecans are usually thought of as a nut that is used to make sweet foods such as pecan pie, pecan sandies cookies, or pecan brittle. They’re also a frequent topping for sweet potatoes or other holiday favorites.
Although this recipe does have a little sweetness to it, the rosemary gives it a wonderful aromatic boost. These make a great snack and won’t last long.
Savory Rosemary Pecans
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp ground cayenne
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup
- 4 cups pecan halves
- 1 rounded Tbsp turbinado or demerara (large grain) sugar
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F
- Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or use a baking mat, such as Silpat
- In a small bowl mix together rosemary, cinnamon, cardamom, cayenne, salt, and black pepper
- Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat.
- When butter is melted add maple syrup and stir well to combine
- Heat for another 1-2 minutes then remove from heat
- Add pecans to a large bowl
- Pour butter mixture on top of pecans and then add the spice mixture, stirring well to coat the pecans
- Pour pecans onto the prepared baking sheet, arranging in a single layer and spacing well
- Bake for 15 minutes, stir pecans and then bake another 15 minutes
- Remove pecans from oven and let cool 5-7 minutes
- Sprinkle with turbinado or demerara and stir to coat
- Store in an airtight container, will last for 2 weeksEnjoy!
Kiwi
We love kiwifruits at our house. Going to the grocery store we discovered that they were on sale and bought a large number of them.
Jet Lag
We're back from our vacation, enjoying the memories of all the things we saw, all the places we visited, all the meals we enjoyed. Not enjoying the laundry and the jet lag.
Yum
We're on vacation in Belgium at the moment. We've been enjoying all sorts of wonderful food, the cheeses, the fresh Belgian endive, mache (a wonderful salad green), chocolates, beer and more.