Baked Spinach and Egg White Muffins

12 whites, 2 yolks- large eggs
1T parm cheese
1T Mexican blend cheese or another cheese of your liking, shredded
1t garlic powder
¼t good salt

This recipe will make 6 standard sized muffins or 4 large muffins.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a skillet, saute 3 handfuls of fresh, washed spinach in 2T of olive oil. Let the spinach cool and squeeze out the extra moisture.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs then add the cheese, seasonings and spinach.

Spray your muffin pan, even if you are using one with a nonstick surface. Pour the mixture into each of the cups, almost to the top.

Place the tin in a water bath, pouring water about halfway up the side of the tin.

Cook for about 25 minutes, or until the centers are set.

After cooling for a few minutes, remove from the tin and serve.

These “muffins” can be eaten warm or cold and is an Atkins friendly option.

Real Heart Candy Chocolates *sugar free

1/2 cup of coconut oil
1/2 cup of almonds
3/4 cup of cacao powder
1/2 cup of shredded, unsweetened coconut
1 teaspoon of maple syrup
2 teaspoons of almond butter
1/2 teaspoon of Madagascar vanilla paste
2 tablespoons of wildflower honey
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon Maldon salt

In a medium sauce pan, over medium-low heat, melt the coconut oil.

In a food processor, finely chop the almonds and add them to the melted oil.  Add the cacao powder and shredded, unsweetened coconut.  You can use medium or large shreds.  Turn heat off and add maple syrup, almond butter (you can also use peanut butter), Madagascar vanilla paste, wildflower honey, cinnamon and Maldon salt and then wisk together.

The cinnamon highlights the other flavors in the chocolate. You can also add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne, chipotle or red pepper if you want your chocolate to have a kick.

Spoon the chocolate into a silicon mold.  I used a heart shaped mold.  Place in the freezer to set, this can take up to 1 hour.  Serve promptly after removing from the freezer, because they will start to melt.

Cooking the chocolate will give them a really glossy look when they are set.

Heart Pancakes

2 cups sifted cake flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

Sift together in a large bowl.

In a separate, medium sized bowl, combine the following:

3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon orange flower water
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
3 tablespoons orange flavored honey or other honey
1 tablespoon agave nectar
2 cups ricotta cheese
4 oz marscapone cheese

Blend together and add to the dry mix using a spatula.

Put into a heart-shaped mold and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Here is good mold to use for chocolate, muffins and pancakes: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000M9N7CM.

The Sweet Potato Salad

This potato salad uses 3 varieties of sweet potato that all vary in color and sweetness. Garnett, Jewell and Japanese sweet potatoes are perfect choices, because of their contrasting colors and also their varying sweet flavors.

Sweet potatoes are high in vitamin A vitamin C, manganese plus high in antioxidants.

Note** Anthocyanin and other color-related pigments in sweet potato are equally valuable for their anti-inflammatory health benefit.

This is a truly delicious way to eat healthy.
Roast 4 mixed variety of sweet potato in oven for one hour @ 375 degrees.
Let cool for 30 minutes. Can place in refrigerator to cool off.
Cut the Sweet Potatoes in bite size cubes. Pour dressing over 20 minutes before ready to serve to blend flavors.

Sweet Maple Dressing
¼ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons of rice vinegar
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon maldon salt
Dash of cayenne pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Blend well all above ingredients in food processor until creamy texture. Dress the sweet potatoes and add hazelnuts and dried fruit.

¼ cup crushed hazelnuts
2 tablespoons of dried fruit like apricots or dates or raisins

The Ultimate Superbowl Sub

2 medium red onions, sliced
2 Tbl olive oil
½ lb Pepperoni
¼ lb sopressata
¼ genoa salami
½ lb provolone cheese
3 oz sun dried tomatoes
2 T white balsamic vinegar
pinch of salt
1/2 c of balsamic glaze
3 portobello mushroom caps
1 lb loaf of Italian sesame bread

In a pan, saute the red onions in 2 Tbl of olive oil. When caramelized, add 1/4 cup of balsamic glaze and toss. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

In a food processor, blend the sun dried tomatoes and vinegar, until it becomes close to a paste. Reserve on the side for use when assembling the sandwich.

Grill the portobello caps over medium heat. When almost finished cooking, drizzle with 1/4 cup of balsamic glaze. After 1 minute, drizzle with a little olive oil and remove from grill to cool.

Slice the loaf in half the lengthwise to begin assembly.

Start by layering salami, pepperoni and then the sun dried tomato paste. Layer the red onions, mushrooms, then sopressata and the provolone cheese.

Fold the top over the sandwich and then wrap it in plastic wrap. Then weigh the bread down using a large pan on top of it to weigh it down. This will help to meld the flavors together. This sandwich can me made ahead in the morning, then later unwrapped and cut to serve.

 

Truffle Sweet Potato Fries

3 medium sized sweet potatoes, I used a garnet, jewel and japanese varieties
2 Tbl olive oil
1 Tbl white truffle oil
1 tsp truffle salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder, but you can add more if you would like
1/4 cup asiago cheese, shredded

Right garnett, front left Japanese, and jewel is back left

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Clean the potatoes and slice them the long way and place in a roasting pan.  You don’t need to peel them, but it’s up to you.

Drizzle the potatoes with oils and sprinkle with salt and garlic powder. Toss the potatoes and spread out the potatoes so that they aren’t touching. It’s important for them to be separated for roasting and crisping.

Place the roasting pan in the oven and cook for 35 minutes.

Remove from the oven and toss the potatoes and return to the oven at 450 degrees for another 10-15 minutes, or until the fries are crisper.

When they are out of the oven, prior to serving, sprinkle with asiago cheese.

Guacamole

6 avocados peeled and diced
zest of ½ lime
juice of 1 lime
½ tsp Maldon salt
¼ small red onion diced very fine
6 halved grape tomatoes
2 Tbl tomatillo sauce
mix together until avacdo is chunky
1 T finely chopped cilantro

This is a really easy guacamole to make for a party. Peel and dice the avocados in a large bowl, add the lime juice and zest, salt, red onion, tomatillo sauce and tomatoes. Mash together until it’s a chunky consistency. If you like it a little smoother, you can keep mashing. Then add in cilantro and stir together.

*Tip: Remember to leave a pit in prior to and while serving to keep the guacamole from turning brown.

Honey Balsamic Wings

1 ½ lb wings
5 T Balsamic glaze, like Colavita
2 T sweet vermouth
½ tsp pristine sun fire salt
1 T minced onion (can you dried or fresh)
1 tsp garlic powder
3 T honey

If you don’t have a balsamic glaze, you can make your own by reducing 1 cup of balsamic vinegar in a sauce pan over low heat until it thickens.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Rinse wings and pat dry wings using a paper towel.

In a bowl, wisk together balsamic glaze, sweet vermouth, salt, onion and garlic powder. Place the wings in an oven-safe pan and pour sauce over them. Place in the oven for about an hour.

After 45 minutes, remove the wings and flip them over, then place them back in the oven. These wings are more of an oven marinated type of wing, rather than a really saucy wing.

When out of the oven taste and season with salt if needed.

Super Spicy Superbowl Wings

Everyone has a Buffalo chicken wing recipe, but here is a different variation of those famous wings.

1 ½ lb wings
1 cup Aunt Whiskey’s Smoking Hot Bloody Mary Mix
2 T Italian dressing or you can make a quick dressing with 3 tbl oil, 1 tsp cider vinegar
1 T oregano
2 T salted butter
2 t dark brown sugar
red pepper flake to taste
salt to taste to finish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Rinse wings and pat dry wings using a paper towel.

In a bowl, wisk together Aunt Whiskey’s, Italian dressing, oregano, dark brown sugar and red pepper flake. Place the wings in an oven-safe pan and pour sauce over them. Add the butter to the pan and place in the oven for about an hour.

After 45 minutes, remove the wings and flip them over, then place them back in the oven.

When out of the oven taste and season with salt if needed.

You can find Aunt Whiskey’s Smoking Hot Bloody Mary Mix at www.auntwhiskey.com.  If you haven’t tried Aunt Whiskey’s Smoking Hot Bloody Mary Mix, you are in for a real surprise.  It is an unusual combination of ingredients, just to highlight some of the juices: carrot, celery, green pepper and watercress juice.  None of these juices over power the other.  The blend is spicy, but the juices give it a smooth finish.

If you don’t want to use this as a Bloody Mary mix there are many recipe alternatives for Aunt Whiskey’s brew.  I’ll just use this as a cooking condiment!! One of my new favorites for 2013.  Stay tuned for other delicious recipes featuring Aunt Whiskey’s….

Asian Chicken Wings with Sesame

4lbs buffalo-style chicken wings
3T hoisin sauce
¼C sesame oil
2t garlic powder
2T brown sugar
2T raw honey
¼C sweet vermouth
¼C light soy sauce

Preheat oven to 425 F with a large, flat, Teflon coated pan (not aluminum) to heat up. The hot pan will help to sear wings before they cook.

Rinse meat thoroughly and dry with a paper towel.

In a large bowl, combine chicken with hoisin sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, brown sugar, raw honey, sweet vermouth and light soy sauce and toss until chicken is covered.

Remove pan from oven and place the wings on pan and spread apart so they are not touching.  They should all fit on one pan, so that they have room to cook and carmelize in the pan.

Cook for 30 mins, then remove from oven and turn the wings over and replace in the oven for another 15 minutes.

Serve warm.  You can also make them ahead and reheat when they need to be served.