Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Almond Joy Protein Overnight Oatmeal

 I tried two different kinds of overnight chocolate oatmeal recently. First was this chocolate oatmeal by Minimalist Baker. Honestly, it was good, but Minimalist Baker has this weird thing where it doesn’t want me posting one of their recipes (which is not copyrighted), though it’s fine with me reposting one of their photos (which are copyrighted). I don’t get it, but anyway, if you want that recipe, you can follow the link.


Then there was this Almond Joy protein overnight oatmeal from Kim’s Cravings, which has the advantage of containing more protein so that you feel satiated for longer. And it was good! I would use more liquid next time, and more cocoa powder. I do feel like the toppings, whichever you choose, are essential here!

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
2 scoops chocolate protein powder (I used vanilla protein powder + chocolate supergreens powder)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. coconut extract
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or lactose-free milk of choice; see note above)
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
½ Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder (or more, to taste)
1-2 Tbsp. chia seeds (optional)
optional toppings: chopped almonds, shredded coconut, chocolate syrup, fruit, and/or stevia packets

In a small bowl, mix all of the ingredients together (except for toppings).

Divide mixture (1 cup each) between 2 bowls, mugs, or mason jars. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or for at least 2 hours) so the oats soften and absorb the liquid.

Just before serving, add a splash of milk, toppings and enjoy cold, or microwave for 30-60 seconds to enjoy warm!



Monday, February 17, 2025

Banh Mi-Inspired Pork Burgers

 

I got this banh mi-inspired pork burger recipe from Real Simple. It should be noted that I don’t like spicy stuff, so I only used 1 teaspoon of sriracha in the burger patties; I also reduced the amount of fish sauce (the amount below is mine); and finally, I only used plain mayonnaise instead of making a special dressing. Honestly, I really liked these burgers!

½ cup water
½ cup rice vinegar
6 Tbsp. light brown sugar, divided
2 ½ tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 ½ cups matchstick carrots (from a 10-oz. pkg.)
1 ½ cups mayonnaise
5 Tbsp. sriracha, divided (see note above)
3 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic (from about 9 cloves), divided
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 lb. ground pork
1/3 cup finely chopped shallot
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus sprigs for topping
4 tsp. cornstarch
8 brioche buns, toasted

Heat water, vinegar, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan, stirring occasionally, until boiling and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in carrots, spreading evenly to submerge as much as possible.

Stir together mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons sriracha, and 1 tablespoon garlic in a medium bowl.

Whisk fish sauce and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons sriracha (I only used 1 teaspoon), and 1 ½ teaspoons salt in a large bowl until well combined. Stir in pork, shallot, cilantro, cornstarch, and remaining 2 tablespoons garlic. Shape pork mixture into 8 (4-inch) patties. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Preheat grill to medium-high (400 °F to 450 °F) and lightly oil grates. Grill patties until an instant-read thermometer inserted in center reads 160 °F, 4 to 5 minutes per side. (I just cooked these in a pan.)

Spread mayonnaise mixture over cut sides of buns. Place 1 patty on each bottom bun. Drain carrots; top patties with carrots, and cilantro sprigs. Cover with top halves of buns.

Salsa au cantaloup et au concombre

 


Voici une petite recette estivale toute simple, encore tirée de Coup de Pouce. C’était délicieux! Je l’ai servie avec des chips sans céréales de marque Siete, délicieuses également!

½ petit cantaloup, pelé, épépiné, en petits dés (environ 2 tasses)
2 concombres libanais, pelés, en petits dés
1 petit piment thaï, haché finement (je l’ai omis)
½ tasse de coriandre fraîche, légèrement tassée, hachée
¼ tasse d’oignon rouge, haché finement
1 lime (jus seulement)
1 cuillère à table d’huile d'olive
sel et poivre

Mélanger tous les ingrédients dans un bol. La salsa est meilleure la journée même.




Beignes au four glacés à l'érable

 

J’aime bien les beignes au four, parce que les enfants les adorent même si c’est vraiment santé comparé à des beignes traditionnels. C’est ici une recette de Coup de Pouce. Je l’ai aimée, mais le glaçage était un peu trop liquide, alors je vous recommanderais d’être prudents avec le lait et le sirop d’érable.

Pour les beignes
1 1/3 tasse de farine
1/3 tasse de cassonade, tassée
1 cuillère à thé de poudre à pâte
½ cuillère à thé de cannelle moulue
¼ cuillère à thé de bicarbonate de soude
1 pincée de sel
1/3 tasse de beurre sans lactose, fondu, puis tempéré légèrement
1/3 tasse de sirop d'érable
1 œuf
1/3 tasse de crème sure sans lactose
1/3 tasse de lait sans lactose
1 cuillère à thé d'extrait de vanille

Pour le glaçage
1 tasse de sucre glace
2 cuillères à table de sirop d'érable (voir note plus haut)
½ à 1 cuillère à table de lait (voir note plus haut)
1 cuillère à thé d’extrait de vanille
sucre d'érable, pour garnir (facultatif)

Pour les beignes
Préchauffer le four à 400 °F. Huiler un moule à beignes au four de 12 cavités (ou 2 moules de 6 cavités chacun). Réserver.

Dans un grand bol, mélanger les ingrédients secs au fouet. Réserver. Dans un deuxième bol, bien mélanger le reste des ingrédients. Ajouter, en deux fois, les ingrédients humides aux ingrédients secs. Mélanger jusqu’à consistance homogène, sans plus. Un peu à la fois, si nécessaire, transvider le mélange dans une poche à pâtisserie ou un grand sac à glissière percé dans un coin et remplir les cavités du moule aux deux tiers.

Cuire les beignes au centre du four de 8 à 10 minutes ou jusqu’à ce qu’ils soient bien gonflés et dorés. Placer le moule sur une grille et laisser refroidir 10 minutes. Démouler délicatement les beignes et les laisser refroidir complètement sur la grille (environ 30 minutes.)

Pour le glaçage et l’assemblage
Dans un bol, fouetter tous les ingrédients (je recommande d’y aller doucement avec les liquides).

Tremper chaque beigne dans le bol de glaçage, jusqu’à la moitié environ. Retourner délicatement et secouer pour retirer l’excès de glaçage. Déposer les beignes sur la grille et saupoudrer d’un peu de sucre d’érable, si désiré. Laisser le glaçage prendre avant de déguster, soit environ 30 minutes. (Les beignes se conserveront 3 jours dans un contenant hermétique, au réfrigérateur, ou 3 mois au congélateur.)

Sunday, February 16, 2025

Sesame-Ginger Potato Salad

 Sometimes, when I tear recipes out of a magazine, I end up stalling on making them because there might be different recipes on each side of the same sheet of paper, which means that I can’t just make one recipe, cut it out, and file it, because then I’ll lose the second recipe. That’s what happened with this spread from the July/August 2022 edition of Real Simple, which had two salad recipes I wanted to try. I finally decided to just plow ahead and make both of them on consecutive weeks.


First was a cornbread panzanella that I served for lunch, with a hard-boiled egg for protein. It was good, but as much as I like cornbread, I think I prefer more savory panzanellas. The other recipe that had caught my eye was this sesame-ginger potato salad, which was so good! This is one I will have to make again. We all really loved the Asian-inspired flavors in this dish.

The amounts below make 8 large servings; consider halving it if you want less. I also reduced the amount of fish sauce; the quantities below are mine.

3 lbs. red baby new potatoes
¼ cup lower-sodium soy sauce
¼ cup fresh lime juice (from 3 or 4 limes)
2 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger (from a 2-in. piece)
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. fish sauce
2 tsp. Asian chili-garlic sauce, such as sambal oelek (optional)
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for cooking potatoes
4 cups shredded red cabbage (from 1 head)
¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
4 scallions, thinly sliced (about ½ cup), plus more for serving
3 Tbsp. toasted white and/or black sesame seeds

Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Reduce heat to low; simmer until fork-tender, 10 to 12 minutes (avoid overcooking). Drain and rinse under cold water. Let cool in colander for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half, or quarter if large.

Meanwhile, whisk soy sauce, lime juice, ginger, sesame oil, honey, fish sauce, chili-garlic sauce (if using), and salt in a large bowl.

Toss potatoes, cabbage, cilantro, and scallions with dressing in bowl. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and top with more cilantro and scallions.



Lemon-Pistachio Bars

 


I found this recipe in Real Simple, and thought it was a nice variation on classic lemon bars! (The same article also had a chocolate-hazelnut swirl cake that was fine, but this dessert was better.)

9 oz. unsalted shelled pistachios, plus ¼ cup chopped pistachios for topping
½ cup granulated sugar
4 Tbsp. cornstarch
¾ tsp. kosher salt
1 stick lactose-free butter
6 lemons, divided
8 large eggs
28 oz sweetened condensed lactose-free milk
¼ tsp. sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 °F with rack in center position. Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper, leaving 2 inches of overhang on long sides.

Process shelled pistachios, sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add butter; pulse until mixture comes together.

Transfer pistachio mixture to prepared baking dish. Using damp fingers or an offset spatula, spread mixture in an even layer on bottom and about ¼ inch up sides of dish. Bake until lightly golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool in baking dish on a wire rack for 20 minutes.

Zest and juice 5 lemons to yield 2 tablespoons zest and 1 cup juice. Place zest and juice in a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, condensed milk, and remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch and ½ teaspoon kosher salt.

Pour lemon juice mixture over crust. Bake until filling is just set, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely in baking dish on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours.

Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and flaky sea salt. Zest remaining lemon over top before slicing.




Saturday, February 15, 2025

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

 



These chocolate crinkle cookies would be great for a holiday cookie swap or for Valentine’s Day, but I feel like they are good year-round. They were easy to make and really delicious! I got 24 cookies from this recipe.

½ cup cocoa powder
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup vegetable oil (like canola, or light olive oil)
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

In a mixing bowl, combine granulated sugar, cocoa powder, oil, vanilla extract and eggs. Whisk until the mixture is smooth.

In a separate bowl, combine flour together, baking powder and salt.

Add the flour mixture to the cocoa mixture and stir to combine.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Scoop dough with a mini ice cream scoop for even portioning (mine holds about 1 tablespoon of dough), then roll cookie dough into even-sized balls (it's easier to roll with wet hands). Roll each ball into powdered sugar.

Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with a silpat, being sure to leave space between each of the cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies. Cookies will come out soft but will harden as they cool down. (I baked mine for 9 minutes because that gave them a nice chew and that’s how I like them.) Allow cookies to cool slightly, then move them to a wire rack to fully cool down.





Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl

 


This is absolutely similar to other dishes I’ve posted before, yes, but I’m the kind of person who needs directions as a starting-off point most of the time, so there you have it. I made these chicken quinoa burrito bowls from Gimme Some Oven, but with avocados instead of guacamole. I had 4 chicken breasts that I did not bother pounding, and I cooked them in the oven instead of in a pan (20 to 25 minutes at 425 °F does the trick) with my own seasoning (written below).


For the bowls
2 cups cooked quinoa (I started with 1 cup raw quinoa)
1 batch taco-seasoned chicken (see below)
1 batch sautéed vegetables (see below)
1 batch corn salsa (see below)
⅔ cup guacamole
¼ cup crumbled cotija cheese (or your preferred lactose-free option – I used feta)
lime wedges (for serving)


For the chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness
½ tsp. cornstarch
½ tsp. Korean pepper (or chili flakes)
½ tsp. Morton kosher salt (double that if you are using Diamond Crystal)
½ tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Mix the cornstarch, Korean pepper, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin together. Sprinkle over both sides of the chicken.

Heat oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook for about 5 minutes per side, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer translucent. (I did this in the oven, 20-25 minutes at 425 °F.) Remove from heat and transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest for at least 5 minutes, then cut into bite-sized cubes (I sliced them).


For the sautéed vegetables
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 red bell pepper, stemmed and cored, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced

Return the same sauté pan to the heat and add the oil. Heat over medium-high heat, then add peppers and onions. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until the veggies are cooked and softened. Remove from heat.


For the corn salsa
1 (15-oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
½ cup finely diced red onion (I used a small shallot instead)
2 Tbsp. finely chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp. lime juice

Toss all ingredients together until combined.


For assembling the bowls
Portion quinoa evenly between two serving bowls, spreading it out so that it covers the bottom of the bowls. Divide the chicken, peppers and onions, corn salsa and guacamole evenly between the two bowls, and add them on top of the quinoa. Sprinkle each bowl with some crumbled cheese. Serve immediately, garnishing each bowl with a lime wedge if desired.

Sunday, December 22, 2024

Confetti Party Cake

 


It occurred to me that I haven’t posted this Smitten Kitchen recipe for Confetti Party Cake, which is a tragedy because it is ah-ma-zing. It’s easy to make, it’s beautiful, it’s delicious – I dare you to find a flaw in this cake! We’ve made it for a few birthdays now, always to great acclaim. I’ve adapted the recipe to make a 9” layer cake by doubling the cake recipe and quadrupling the frosting recipe; the version below is mine. Note that you need the jimmy-type sprinkles here, not the non-pareil ones, as the latter would bleed too much.

For the cake 
1 cup (8 oz. or 4 sticks) lactose-free butter, at room temperature 
1 1/3 cups (260 grams) granulated sugar 
1 tsp. kosher salt 
4 large egg whites 
1 tsp. vanilla extract 
1 cup lactose-free buttermilk substitute (1-2 Tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice plus lactose-free milk) 
2 tsp. baking powder 
¼ cup (32 grams) cornstarch 
2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour 
½ cup rainbow sprinkles (see note above)

For the frosting 
2 cups (1 lb. or 4 sticks) lactose-free butter, at room temperature 
5 cups (600 grams) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy 
¼ tsp. of fine salt 
2 tsp. vanilla extract, plus more to taste 
4 Tbsp. lactose-free milk or cream 
rainbow sprinkles for decoration

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line the bottom of two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and coat the bottom and sides with nonstick spray or butter.

Beat butter, sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating until combined and slightly fluffy. Add vanilla and buttermilk and beat to combine. The mixture will instantly look like cottage cheese and you will be sure it’s ruined, but I promise it is not. Add baking powder and cornstarch and beat very well to combine. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat one second more. Add flour and mix just until it disappears. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold in sprinkles.

Spread batter in prepared pans and smooth the top. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out batter-free. Let cool in pans on cooling rack for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides to loosen the cake, flip it out onto the cooling rack, and slide the cooling rack into the freezer until cake is cool, about 10 to 15 minutes. (Honestly, I just let it come to room temperature on its own.)

While the cake cools, beat butter, sugar, salt and vanilla until fluffy, then add milk or cream 1 tablespoon at a time and beat until smooth. Once cake is fully cool, transfer it to a serving plate. Spread frosting on top — you’ll have more than enough, so if you need to set some aside for small decorations or tinting and writing on the cake, this won’t be a problem. Finish with sprinkles. Share with friends.



Saturday, December 21, 2024

2024 knitting projects

I’ve been mostly knitting from the stash this year, while still taking it easy because I didn’t want to make matters worse with my carpal tunnel. I started with a skein of Malabrigo Sock Yarn in Disfraz and made the Bedford hat with it. The pattern reminds me of small bricks, and I really like the horizontal braided line to break it up! It was easy to memorize the pattern once I got started, and I like the result! The resulting fabric is thin enough that I could wear this in Texas. It’s a bit more colorful than it looks in the photos.



Then I bought some yarn because the Actor and his Leading Lady had their fourth baby last summer. I got some Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Translation because it seemed gender-neutral enough, and it was lovely to knit with! I made the French Macaroon sweater (with a single plastic star button from my stash in the back) and matching Tiny Tot hat.




I also used some scrap yarn to make another hat with a wave pattern, this time for the Fox’s teacher who had a baby over the summer.



I had two skeins of Handmaiden Mini Maiden Yarn that I bought forever ago (as in, I still lived in Montreal). It’s a lovely shade of green that is now discontinued, and is 50% wool and 50% silk. I had planned to make some sort of baby cardigan with them, I had even bought buttons for it, but never found the right pattern. So I used one of those skeins to make the Honey Cowl. The pattern creates a waffle-like fabric that is really pleasant! The first go-around, I made a few mistakes, like having one row out of sync, and I felt like it was a little too long and not quite wide enough. So I remade it at a better length, and without mistakes this time! I put it in my shop, and if it sells, I’ll make another one with the last skein.







Finally, I used up most of what I had left of the Nirvana 5 Ply in Charcoal to make another Brioche Hood Hat. I didn’t leave a keyhole opening this time, because I remember how hard that was to style… But anyway, it came out nice, and is now in my shop as well, along with a dark teal lace scarf that I ended up never wearing and decided to part with as well.






Monday, December 09, 2024

Steak Salad with Cilantro-Lime Mayo

 

I got this recipe while leafing through The Whole 30, by Melissa Hartwig and Dallas Hartwig. It’s different from the meals I usually make, but it was a welcome change! Note that the recipe below makes 2 generous or 4 small servings, so feel free to double it. We really enjoyed this!

For the cilantro-lime mayonnaise (my adaptation)
¾ cup mayonnaise
1 lime, juiced
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced


Mix the ingredients together and set aside. (You might want to add a tablespoon of water or two to get the consistency of salad dressing.)


For the steak salad
½ cup EVOO
4 limes, juiced
¼ cup onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. roughly chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. mustard powder
1 lb. beef (flank steak, sirloin, or strip steak)
4 cups greens
1 avocado
½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 bell pepper (red, yellow, or orange), diced

Combine oil, lime juice, onion, garlic, cilantro, and mustard powder in a food processor and blend on low speed. Place beef in a resealable plastic bag or nonreactive bowl with a lid and add the marinade. Seal and marinate in fridge for 1-8 hours (more is better, especially for tougher cuts).

Remove steak from fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Heat a grill to high heat or heat a heavy skillet over high heat on stovetop. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Remove the beef from marinade; discard the marinade. On the grill or in the skillet on the stovetop, sear the beef over high heat until a light crust is formed (2-3 minutes each side). Transfer the beef to the prepared baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 8-15 minutes. Let the steak rest for 5-10 minutes, then thinly slice.

While beef rests, toss the salad greens with the avocado, tomato, and bell pepper in a large bowl, then divide between 2 plates.

Place slices of steak on top of the greens. Drizzle the dressing over the steak and salad and serve.