Tag: Gluten Free
Maple Orange Creamsicle Granita
As I’ve mentioned before, when it’s citrus season in Arizona, there’s no escaping the hordes of oranges, lemons, and grapefruit that go rolling through the streets like the eleventh plague of Egypt (but, you know, the good kind of plague). This past week, I once again found myself in possession of a superabundance of oranges.
I’ll tell you why.
As a nutrition student, I’ve made it my project to volunteer for a local nonprofit called Save the Family by participating in their sack lunch program. Once a month, I make 15-20 sack lunches for the attendees of their many programs (GED classes, career training, etc.). It’s a great way to volunteer from home on my own time. Plus, it has to do with food! (And if you live in the Phoenix area, I encourage you to get involved!) For the month of March, my Meetup group with the longest name in Meetup.com history–the East Valley Catholic Stay-at-Home Moms–was looking for something to do for our semiannual service project. We ended up settling on providing 50 sack lunches for Save the Family, with each mom supplying one item to go in the lunches. As it turned out, one of the ladies got a friend with an orange tree to donate oranges….lots and lots of oranges. Even after packing the 50 sack lunches AND having my husband take a bag of oranges to give away at work, I still had a dozen oranges squeaking around in the fruit crisper in my fridge. What to do, what to do?
Here’s what to do! Make orange granita with an unusual twist. This is one of the few recipes I’ve found that actually uses up more than a single orange at a time. It knocked out six of those bad boys. Yessssssss! From the first time I made granita, I’ve been a fan–it’s such a fun, versatile (not to mention low calorie) dessert. This version combines tangy orange juice with a maple-cinnamon cream for a sophisticated version of the Creamsicle. (There is such a thing, right?) All in all a unique, refreshing warm weather treat for those of us who are experiencing Citrus March Madness (and 97 degree days in April).
Maple Orange Creamsicle Granita
(Adapted from Martha Stewart)
Ingredients:
2 c. fresh-squeezed orange juice (from about 5 large oranges)
5 Tbsp. maple syrup, divided
1/2 c. Greek yogurt
Dash cinnamon
1 large orange, peel and pith removed and flesh divided into segments
Directions:
1. Stir 2 Tbsp. of maple syrup into orange juice. Transfer to a shallow 1.5 quart dish. Freeze 2 hours, stirring and scraping with a fork every 30 minutes.
2. When ready to serve, combine yogurt, remaining 3 Tbsp. maple syrup, and cinnamon and divide between four bowls or small Mason jars. Using a fork, scrape granita into flaky crystals and place on top of yogurt mixture. Top with orange segments.
Serves 4.
Pear Salad Stack
I guess I would say I’m a fan of any food that manages to pull off an optical illusion while also tasting delicious. You know, like a cake in the shape of a hamburger. Or truffles…(their optical illusion is leading you to believe that something so small couldn’t possibly contain so many calories). This pear salad stack is its own trompe l’oeil, giving the clever impression that a piece of fruit magically unlocked like a 1990’s Caboodle to let a delicious filling of goat cheese, almonds, and dried cranberries hop into its nooks and crannies. Basically, if M. C. Escher ever drew a pear, it would look like this. Thankfully, it’s not nearly as complex and mind-bending as all that. This is probably one of the most interesting salad presentations you can get for the least amount of effort–just the kind of unconventional menu item that makes a lovely first course for a dinner party or a big hit with non-fruit-loving kids. The only downside is having to take it apart to eat it!
Pear Salad Stack
Ingredients:
4 large pears
3/4 c. dried cranberries
3/4 c. crumbled goat cheese
1/2 c. sliced almonds
Balsamic vinegar (optional)
Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, combine dried cranberries, crumbled goat cheese, and sliced almonds.
2. Slice pears horizontally into four equal pieces, then remove core from each piece using a sharp knife. (Alternatively, if you have an apple corer, use it to remove the entire core first, then slice into four pieces.)
3. On four individual plates, layer pear pieces and goat cheese mixture vertically. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, if desired.
Serves 4.
Bacon-Berry Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
And now it’s time for a little Q & A with A Love Letter to Food.
Q: Dear Love Letter to Food, is it okay for a salad to taste like candy?
A: YES.
ABSOLUTELY. NO PROBLEM WITH THAT AT ALL.
This salad is the proof. I’ve been making it for years and it’s probably my favorite way to eat greens. And even though it tastes like something that dropped out of a piñata, I’m pretty sure it’s actually fairly healthy. After all, you can’t argue with spinach, orange slices, almonds, and cranberries. (As for bacon and cheese, well, I guess you can argue about those…but only if you want a salad filibuster from yours truly.)
Q: What’s the best part of this salad?
A: Possibly the highlight of this colorful, mostly healthy melange is the zingy raspberry dressing. Salad dressing is one of those foods that, once you start making it yourself, I believe you’ll never go back to store-bought. (Others include taco seasoning, chicken broth, and pumpkin butter.) Whipping up a small batch for one-time use ensures a freshness you just don’t get from the bottle that’s been sitting in your fridge for two years. (I mean, doesn’t it seem kind of counterintuitive just how long certain “perishable” foods like salad dressing can theoretically be held in a refrigerator?) The muddled raspberries in this particular dressing give it a special sweet-tanginess that goes well with a host of other foods, including the cheesy bread we had as a side with this salad the other night. You could also try it on chicken breast or pork loin.
Q: Does that mean the chicken or pork loin would taste like candy?
A: Yes. No problem with that at all.
Bacon-Berry Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
(Dressing adapted from Allrecipes.com)
Ingredients:
For the salad:
6 c. fresh spinach
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. slivered or sliced almonds
1 large orange, peeled and sliced into bite-sized pieces
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 c. crumbled feta or goat cheese
For the dressing:
3 Tbsp. raspberries
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. white sugar
1/4 c. olive oil
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. black pepper
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, toss spinach with cranberries, almonds, orange slices, bacon, and cheese.
2. To make dressing, mash raspberries, then add all other ingredients and whisk or shake well in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
3. Toss salad with dressing, or serve on the side.
Serves 4.
Sweet Potato Enchiladas
Recently I Googled the phrase “enchilada fan club.” Why, you may ask? Was I playing that Stump Google game where you type in the most random, unassociated words to try to get zero results? Nope. I just really, really love enchiladas. And believe it or not, “enchilada fan club” yields only 4 results–almost stumping Google. None of them represent an actual fan club for lovers of enchiladas, though. (Boo.) Maybe I just need to start my own. There’s a meetup.com group for everything, right? I can see it on my resume now….“President and Founder, Enchilada Fan Club of Arizona.” I think that could really open some doors for me.
Enchiladas are fan club-worthy for a variety of reasons. They’re the Mexican comfort food with their hot, creamy, savory filling, soft tortilla shell, and gooey, stretchy cheese topping; they’re surprisingly easy to make; they travel well; they can be mixed up for variety. To me, they’re an ideal entree for a variety of occasions. Cinco de Mayo party? Enchiladas. Birthday party for your teacup chihuahua? Enchiladas. Your nephew’s bar mitzvah? Enchiladas.
Today’s recipe takes this Mexican classic to the next level with its unexpected filling: sweet potatoes! If you’re a vegetarian or serving vegetarians, you still have the option of making hearty enchiladas that aren’t just rolls of melted cheese (though, let the record show, I see nothing wrong with rolls of melted cheese.) If you can’t imagine sweet potatoes involved in a Mexican-flavored dish, you’re in for a surprise. Once you’ve tasted them with green onions, cumin, and chili powder, you’ll never think of them as just a marshmallow-covered Thanksgiving dish again.
And while I have your attention, can I interest you in membership in Arizona’s newest elite foodie fan club? No money down, low commitment–you just have to be able to eat 6+ enchiladas in one sitting. Video applications accepted.
Sweet Potato Enchiladas
(Inspired by Allrecipes.com)
Ingredients:
5 sweet potatoes
5 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 green onions, chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
12 6-inch corn tortillas
1 10 oz. can red enchilada sauce
6 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
1. Place sweet potatoes in a large stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium and boil gently for 25-30 minutes or until tender. Let cool. When cooled, peel skins off and place sweet potatoes in a large bowl.
2. Mash sweet potatoes. Add cream cheese, green onions, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper and mix well.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Cover the bottom of a large baking dish with a layer of enchilada sauce.
5. On a microwave-safe plate, individually microwave 1 tortilla 10-15 seconds, or until pliable. (This is so you don’t have to fry them in oil…much healthier!) Place about 1/3 cup sweet potato filling down the center of the tortilla, roll it up, and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with all remaining tortillas.
6. Drizzle remaining enchilada sauce over rolled tortillas. Sprinkle with shredded Cheddar.
7. Bake in preheated oven 25-30 minutes until enchiladas are bubbling and cheese is beginning to brown.
Makes 12 enchiladas.
Orange Marmalade
While the rest of the country seems to be entrenched in a real-life version of Disney’s Frozen–a nightmare of blizzards and record low temps–we here in the Phoenix Valley are enjoying our 9th or 10th day of sunshine with temperatures in the upper 60s/low 70s. It was actually getting a little too hot for me this afternoon as I sat on my patio in a light sweater. (Yeah, I am going to be that person who rubs it in. The rest of you get gorgeous summers, falls, and springs while we hide in our air conditioning, the sun turning our iPhones into molten heaps in our cars.)
As I mentioned last time, winter in the valley is the time for citrus–mountains of citrus in every grocery store, citrus dropping from trees and rolling giddily in the street, and bags of excess citrus dropped at your door. After taking care of my free grapefruit, it was time to move on to the oranges included in the bag. It didn’t take long to formulate a plan: marmalade! Having made a batch last year, I wanted to try it again with less sugar. The sickening post-breakfast sugar crash every time I ate marmalade on my toast just wasn’t working with my schedule–you know, the one where I actually need to take care of my children and run errands and all that jazz. This time I decided to slash the sugar by half of what Ina Garten calls for in her recipe (the one I used last year). I must say I’m pleased with the result. While cutting back so significantly on the sugar definitely increased the cooking time–I’m sure there’s some chemical reason why–it was worth it. It came out sweet enough with the real taste of citrus behind it, like a tangy lemonade. Also, if you’re looking at this recipe and wondering when you’ll find the time to make it (yes, it is time-consuming, though not labor-intensive) like most jam/jelly recipes, it yields a high quantity, so your labor is not in vain. But if you’re a planner, a weekend day might be the best choice for when to make this particular recipe.
Lastly, cool fact: the word “marmalade” has been in use in English since 1480 and was originally a Portuguese specialty made from quince. Ever had a quince? Me, neither. Though surprisingly, this marmalade includes both oranges and lemons. Yum!
Orange Marmalade
(Adapted from Ina Garten)
4 large seedless oranges
2 lemons
4 c. sugar
Cut the oranges and lemons in half cross-wise, then into very thin half-moon slices. (Use a mandoline if you have one.) Discard seeds. Place fruit slices and their juices in a large stainless steel pot. Add 8 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar until dissolved. Bring to room temperature and leave covered overnight.
The next day, bring the mixture back to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for two hours. Turn the heat up to medium and boil, stirring often, another 30-45 minutes, or until it reaches 220 degrees F on a candy thermometer. (Alternatively, if you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can use the cold plate test: scoop a small amount of the mixture onto a spoon and place on a plate in the freezer. Test marmalade consistency when cool but not cold. If it is too runny, it needs more boiling time. If too sticky, add more water. If consistency is to your liking, you’re done!)
Pour marmalade into clean canning jars and seal with the lids. If canning, process the jars in a water bath for 15 minutes. Otherwise, store in the refrigerator for best results. (And give a few away as gifts!)
Makes 3-4 pints.
