Category Archives: Sweets

Belgian Waffles with Banana and Coconut Caramel Sauce

Belgian Waffles with Banana and Coconut Caramel Sauce

I’ve got a thing for waffles. My ideal waffle begins the moment the batter hits the hot waffle iron and that sweet smell fills the kitchen. It smells like a Sunday morning. The deep golden color screams crispy, but the interior is soft and airy. Over the years, we’ve made a lot of waffles in our house. I’ve found that separating your eggs and beating the whites to a fluffy soft peak will deliver that ideal waffle…and I’m going to share some tools I used to get you there!

I usually just use some maple syrup and sliced fresh fruit on my waffles, but today, I was in the mood to try something different. Caramel sauce has been one of those things I’ve messed up, trying to keep it light. I’ve experimented so many times using low-fat milk and omitting the butter. I’ve ended up with odd, lumpy, nasty goop that ends up in the trash. Since I keep buying a can of coconut milk nearly every time I go to the grocery store (it’s one of those things I always think I’m out of!), I figured it was worth a try. I have to be honest and tell you I really didn’t expect this to work…but, it is delicious! This caramel is not overly sweet and the flavor of coconut is much more subtle than you would imagine. It is just such a delicate caramel sauce. It would be delicious on a brick…really.

So, those tools I was telling you about…I was lucky enough to be chosen by OXO to test out some of their eggcellent gadgets! A box arrived with their Egg Beater, a 3-in-1 Egg Separator and a Flip & Fold Omelet Turner. All three of those tools made making these waffles easier…and fun! The Egg Separator is really neat. I kept saying, “This is so cooooooool!” while I was using it! It hooks to the side of the bowl and has an edge that cracks the egg perfectly. The yolk gets suspended while the whites easily drop into the bowl! I loved that the yolk comes out completely free of any whites at all…that never happens when you separate by hand. Then there’s the Egg Beater that works so smoothly. The gears were inspired by a fishing reel! And there’s a “bridge” that keeps the beater resting perfectly above the bottom of the bowl. It whipped up the egg whites into soft peaks so quickly and effortlessly! The last tool was the Omelet Turner, that I used to fold the whites into the batter. It cuts through so nicely. Its generous size helps do the job pretty quickly and easily. (See my Vine videos below!)

Belgian Waffles with Banana and Coconut Carmamel Sauce

Coconut Caramel Sauce
1 14 oz. can lite (not a typo…that’s how they spelled it on the can!) coconut milk
2/3 C. dark brown sugar
1/8 t. sea salt

Waffles
2 C. cake flour
1 T. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/4 C. sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 1/4 C. non-fat milk
1/4 C. non-fat plain Greek yogurt (I like Chobani)
1 T. vanilla extract
1/4 C. canola oil
canola oil spray for waffle iron
about 3 or 4 bananas, sliced just before serving
some flaked coconut for serving

Make the caramel sauce first so that it will have time to thicken up a bit. You can even make it the night before (or days before…it stores well in a jar in the fridge).

In a small saucepan, combine the coconut milk, brown sugar and salt. Over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Keep an eye on it. When it initially comes to a boil, it will rise a bit. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium or medium high. You want a light boil. Continue to boil lightly for 30 to 35 minutes. Stir occasionally. Once reduced to your desired thickness, remove from the heat and set aside to cool a bit before pouring into a glass jar. Store it in the fridge after using.

Preheat your waffle iron.

To prepare the waffles, start by combining your dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the flour through the sugar, then set aside.

Separate your eggs and put the whites in a medium mixing bowl and the yolks into a small bowl. Beat the whites to the soft peak stage, when the peaks just start to hold when you pull the whisk up out of the bowl. Set bowl aside.

In a large measuring cup or a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks. Add the milk, yogurt, vanilla and canola oil and beat until combined.

Pour the milk mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and using a whisk, beat gently just until combined. Once combined, use a large spatula or wooden spoon and fold the egg whites into the batter. Don’t try to work them in completely. Lumps of whites are just what you want.

Spray your waffle iron with the canola spray (or use a pastry brush with some oil). Pour a heaping 1/2 C. of batter onto the iron and close the lid. Cook according to your waffle iron directions. On mine…it’s done when the light goes out…but I tend to take a peek toward the end just in case.

To serve, slice some banana over the top, drizzle generously with the caramel sauce and sprinkle with a bit of coconut!

Makes about 8 Belgian Waffles

Coconut Caramel Sauce

Notes:

  • Use this recipe with a regular waffle iron too. Just follow the cooking directions for your iron.
Separating the egg and beating the whites to soft peaks.

Beating the wet ingredients, the batter and folding in the whites.

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Cherry Almond Soda Bread (Vegan)

Cherry Almond Soda Bread

The first thing I want to do is apologize to anyone who is Irish. I took your soda bread and really messed with it…and I’m sorry. Well, I’m not really sorry. No disrespect, but this turned out really good. If you give it a chance, I know you’ll forgive me. The combination of cherry and almond is really nice. This is more of a sweet soda bread, not overly sweet, but it’s nice with some jam or just as is.

I’m not a vegan and I’m pretty sure I may never be. I like everything too much! But…I do like to experiment and eat healthy as much as I can. I wasn’t sure this recipe would turn out, but when it came out of the oven…well, take a peek at the photos below and you’ll see why I’ve gained weight writing this blog.

Cherry Almond Soda Bread (Vegan)

1 C. whole wheat flour
3/4 C. all purpose flour
1/4 C. almond meal
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/4 C. sugar
2 T. coconut oil
3/4 C. unsweetened almond milk
1/2 C. dried cherries
1/8 C. sliced almonds

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flours, almond meal, baking soda, salt and sugar. Using a pastry cutter or a fork, blend the coconut oil into the flour mixture until it becomes slightly crumbly. Add the almond milk and cherries. Stir with a rubber spatula until combined.

Drop the dough out onto the parchment and sprinkle the top with the sliced almonds. Using generously floured hands, form the dough into a round loaf.

Bake for 28 to 30 minutes.

Cool slightly before devouring.

Notes:

  • You many not need this to be vegan or you may not have all of these ingredients on hand. You can omit the almond meal and just increase the all purpose flour to 1 cup. You may want to add a splash of almond extract for flavor. You can also use regular milk instead of almond milk and butter in place of the coconut oil.
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola

I’ve been eyeing some really cute bathing suits…and doing that just puts me in panic mode! I have to tell you, since I’ve started this blog, I’ve gained weight! Yes, my recipes are all healthy, but when you eat dinner for lunch (because daylight is best for food photography) then eat dinner for dinner, well, things start to get a bit pudgy. To make things even pudgier, I’ve been using that time I used to set aside for working out to cook. And of course, when there is cooking, there is eating!

So, I didn’t want to throw my body into shock or to feel deprived. I love sweets and crave them! This granola is the perfect healthy snack. Just be careful to grab a portion, close the lid and step away…or you may end up eating an entire jar of it! It’s addicting! Eat this just as it is as a snack, sprinkled on some yogurt (awesome with banana slices like in the photo below), in a small bowl with some milk or over some low fat ice cream.

 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola

1 T. coconut oil
2 T. chunky peanut butter (I use a natural peanut butter, see Notes)
2 C. rolled oats
1/4 C. golden flaxseed meal (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
1 egg white, beaten until frothy
1/2 C. dark brown sugar
1/4 C. mini chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.

In a medium bowl, melt the coconut oil in the microwave for one minute on high. Remove from the microwave and mix in the peanut butter. The heat from the oil will melt the peanut butter. Add the oats and flaxseed meal and stir to coat. Add the beaten egg, stir again, then add the brown sugar and stir until completely coated.

Spread the granola on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring things up about halfway through.

Cool the granola on the baking sheet. When completely cooled, add the chocolate chips. Store in an airtight container.

 

Notes:

  • I stopped buying regular peanut butter about a year ago. Just read the label. It’ll make you want to stop too! There are so many additives like hydrogenated fats, salt and sugar. And forget those “low fat” peanut butters. They are even worse as far as additives go. Look for natural peanut butter and compare labels. Some people say they don’t like the taste of the natural kind. My family said that too when I first started using it. Now, they are so used to it, they actually prefer it.
  • I use some coconut oil in this recipe for several reasons. It’s said to help raise your good cholesterol, it can help us lose weight because it metabolizes differently than other fats, it can help to stabilize our blood sugar and can also strengthen our immune system. It is high in saturated fat, but when limited to 2 to 3 tablespoons a day, it can be beneficial.
  • Flax is a great source of omega-3′s, fiber and has antioxidant qualities. Store flaxseed meal in the refrigerator or the freezer.
  • If you love granola as much as I do, you may also like this version!
Vanilla Yogurt Topped With Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola and Banana Slices
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Silken Cocoa Chia Pudding

Silken Cocoa Chia Pudding
Silken Cocoa Chia Pudding

The Cleveland Clinic recently published an article, 6 Foods That Boost Your Beauty. Three of those foods were tofu, chia seeds and cocoa. Tofu contains isoflavones that can help our skin’s collagen to avoid wrinkles! (I may start sleeping with tofu under my eyes!) Chia seeds, the newest superfood, are a great plant source of omega-3′s and are wonderful for your overall health and the health of your hair and skin. Chia seeds absorb moisture and get things nice and thick. They are flavorless and make a perfect addition to this pudding. Cocoa is full of flavonoids that have antioxidant properties and cocoa contains epicatechin (say that five times fast!) which increases blood flow and oxygen to our skin. Just another reason to never feel guilty about eating chocolate!

OK, enough of the scientific terminology. This just tastes really good. Isn’t that the bottom line? This dessert will fool anyone with a sweet tooth or a love of chocolate. I know. I’ve fooled my father-in-law with a similar dessert that partly inspired this one. Alton Brown has a delicious Moo-Less Chocolate Pie made with silken tofu. My father-in-law does not like to experiment when it comes to food! So, one Thanksgiving, I decided to make Alton’s pie to take to my in-laws. I knew my father-in-law couldn’t resist a chocolate pie! I did’t say a word about the tofu. He ate it. He loved it! Then, I sprung it on him! I think he was a little shocked. I’m not usually one to pull a prank! We still joke about that pie, but if I made it today, I know he’d have a slice. So watch out Pop-Pop…I may show up to the next family dinner with Silken Cocoa Chia Pudding!

 

Silken Cocoa Chia Pudding

1 lb. silken tofu, drained if needed
3 T. honey
3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder (see Notes)
2 T. your favorite liqueur or 1 t. vanilla extract (see Notes)
3 T. chia seeds
grated chocolate for garnish

In a blender, combine the tofu, honey, cocoa and liqueur or vanilla. Run the blender on high speed just until the ingredients are incorporated.

In a small bowl, pour the contents of the blender and add the chia seeds. Stir to combine.

Pour the pudding into serving dishes, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. Before serving, garnish with some grated chocolate!

Makes 4 servings.

 

Notes:

  • Using a good quality cocoa makes a big difference. But, keep in mind, there are two different types of cocoa powder: Dutch processed and natural. Dutch processed cocoa has been treated with alkali to neutralize the natural bitterness. Lindt and Droste make good quality Dutch processed cocoa. Natural cocoa has a deep chocolate flavor, but it is also quite bitter. Ghirardelli natural cocoa is readily available and a good quality cocoa in US grocery stores. If you have a hard time finding Dutch processed cocoa, Hershey’s Special Dark is a mix of both types of cocoa. Use the cocoa you like best. If you don’t mind some added sugar and really don’t like the bitterness of cocoa, look for a “drinking chocolate.” This is made with chocolate as opposed to cocoa.
  • Some liqueur ideas: coffee, almond or orange flavored liqueur.
  • When you open up the package of tofu, there will usually be a bit of liquid in it. Drain that off before adding the tofu to the blender.
Silken Cocoa Chia Pudding
Silken Cocoa Chia Pudding
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Pomegranate Mendiants

PomMendiant1000x1000
Pomegranate Mendiants

These red jeweled chocolates make a perfect gift for Valentine’s Day. Mendiants are a French candy traditionally made up of chocolate disks studded with dried fruits and nuts. Their colors represented the different robes of the monastic orders of the church. This version is simply my desire to combine pomegranate and chocolate! The flavors go so well together. The sweet and citrusy pop of the pomegranate aril is refreshing against the deep, rich chocolate. They are perfect together. I considered adding nuts to this, and you can, but I just loved it in this simple form so much, I didn’t want to change a thing!

I used a mix of chocolates, semi-sweet and just a bit of milk chocolate for these photos. I’ve made it with dark chocolate too (that’s my personal favorite). Both are so good. Use what you (or your Valentine) like best!

Pomegranate Mendiants

8oz. semi-sweet or dark chocolate
2oz. milk chocolate, if desired
pomegranate arils (fresh or packaged) dried a bit on a paper towel, if needed

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or waxed paper.

In a heatproof bowl, melt the two chocolates in a microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Give it a stir, then microwave again for 30 second intervals, stirring between each until completely melted.

Pour about a scant tablespoon of chocolate onto the lined sheets spacing them a couple of inches apart. You can spread the chocolate out with the spoon, if you’d like, but I found that just pouring out all of the puddles of chocolate first, then smacking the pan on the counter works best. The puddles flatten out into perfect disks and it also gets the air bubbles out. Smack one side of the sheet first, then the other.

Stud the disks with the pomegranate arils then repeat the process on the second sheet. Allow the chocolates to sit for about 10 to 15 minutes to set, or refrigerate for about 5 minutes to speed things up.

PomMendiant2:1000x1000

 

Notes:

  • In the U.S., pomegranate season ends in February. If you have a hard time finding fresh pomegranate, you can always look for the packaged arils in the produce section.
  • If you’d rather, you can melt the chocolate in a double boiler. It’s a gentler method and probably preferable. The microwave is just a bit easier and quicker.
  • These chocolates keep well in a closed container in the refrigerator.

 

pomegranateMylesCavanaugh
This beautiful watercolor is by the artist Myles Cavanaugh. I’ve known Myles for a few years now and when I recently saw some pomegranate watercolors of his I asked if we could put one up on my blog with this recipe. I love his work! If you are interested in purchasing the painting above or would like to view Myles’ other work, contact him at his site, mylescavanaugh.com

 

 

 

 

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