Posts by admin:
- 1 cup unsweetened fat-free Greek yogurt ( I like Siggis)
- ½ cup caramelized pineapple (recipe found here)
- ½ cup granola
- 2 Tablespoons Barlean’s Organic Superfruit Seed Blend
- 2 Tablespoons Barlean’s Seriously Delicious Omega-3 High Potency Fish Oil Passion Pineapple Smoothie
- 4 cups of pineapple, chopped finely
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups white flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/3 cup Tresomega Organic Virgin Coconut Oil (not melted)
- 1/3 cup hot milk
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 egg, beaten
- 8 garlic cloves
- olive oil spray
- 15 ounces whole-milk ricotta
- 4 roasted garlic
- 3/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 French baguette, sliced 1/2 inch thick
- unsalted butter
- Himalayan salt
- 1 lemon for zesting
- truffle olive oil for drizzle
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- Mahón-Menorca Tender – cheese that has been cured for 21-60 days. The cheese is covered in oil and paprika during its ripening period. The flavor profile is like butter with a taste of nuts.
- Mahón-Menorca Semi-Cured – cured for 2-5 months. It is firm to the touch but easy to cut and has a slight buttery reminiscence of toasted nuts and dried fruit.
- Mahón-Menorca Vintage or Mature – cured more than 5 months – it is a hard cheese with an intense flavor. When cut, it breaks off in small pieces.
- 1 large Savoy cabbage ( about 2lbs) sliced in medium chunks
- salt
- pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 onion powder
- 2 red onions, sliced
- 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup Mahon-Menorca semi-cured cheese, shredded
- balsamic reduction (optional)
- 4 ounces pisco
- 3 ounces citrus juice (1 lime, 1 lemon, 1 orange)
- 2 teaspoons Nunaturals Nustevia Simple Syrup
- 1 ounce liquid egg whites
- 1 cup ice cubes
Caramelized Pineapple Parfaits with Barlean’s Simply Delicious Omega-3s
January 9th, 2019Enjoy a delightful chilled parfait for breakfast or dessert that is not only kid-approved but also family-approved. Barlean’s Seriously Delicious Omega-3s add the extra kick for a better you.
Our family can probably eat their right in yogurt. No problems with getting our probiotics but I try to break up the habit of having the same meals every morning. Even kids need variety to make their meal times special. So, instead of having a bowl of plain yogurt and granola, I often make yogurt parfaits for my 3 girls.
Ok, I make them for me and my husband as well, but we usually have it for dessert. I recently made some caramelized pineapple for the holidays for my Baked Pineapple Empanadas and I wanted to use the leftovers wisely.
Omega-3s
When my kids were younger, I would have to sneak veggies into meals but as they’ve gotten older they have learned to appreciate the flavor of many veggies. Even though my kids take a multivitamin daily, they are still not consuming Omega-3.
Omega-3s are vital fatty acids that cannot be produced by the body, so we need to get them from foods or supplements. According to many articles, Omega-3s are essential for heart health and studies have shown they can decrease blood pressure and even aid in minimizing depression.
Barlean’s Omega-3s
For those familiar with Barlean’s, their Simply Delicious Omega-3s have just be renamed but their formula and ingredients has not changed.
I have been enjoying the Seriously Delicious Omega- 3 High Potency Fish Oil in the Passion Pineapple Smoothie Flavor. It’s ultra-high potency because there is 1,500mg of EPA/DHA per serving. It has three times better absorption of Omega-3s with NO fish burps. What a plus!! I grew up with disliking taking fish oil because of the burps. Blech.
Barlean’s also makes their products with highly purified fish oil that free of mercury and other heavy metals. It is also emulsified which allows for the oil to absorb better once consumed.
I chose to create a yummy parfait for my family that is quick and easy but also fancy-looking. I drizzled Barlean’s Seriously Delicious Omega-3 High Potency Fish Oil in Passion Pineapple Smoothie flavor. On its own it is so delicious, but to get a kid to ingest 1 Tablespoon can be too much. I added ½ tablespoon to the Greek yogurt and drizzled the rest as a topping. I heard no fusses and I was a happy mom.
Check out Barlean’s and read about their products and their love for creating products that allow for a well-rounded life.
Caramelized Pineapple Parfaits
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients (2 parfaits)
Instructions
Mix the Superfruit Seed blend with the granola.
Mix 1 Tablespoon of fish oil with Greek yogurt.
Layer two 6-ounce glasses as follows:
1 Tablespoon granola mix
¼ cup Greek yogurt
2 Tablespoons caramelized pineapple
2 Tablespoons granola mix
¼ cup Greek yogurt
2 Tablespoons caramelized pineapple
1 Tablespoon granola
½ Tablespoon Barlean’s fish oil drizzle
Disclosure: I am not a medical professional. I am a mother who researches and tries products in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Read about Omega-3s online and do your own research to find the right product for your family.
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Baked Pineapple Empanadas
December 31st, 2018
There is nothing better than homemade baked goods for the family but with a busy schedule, it hardly happens. I am thankful for the holiday vacation because it means I can be in the kitchen. I prepared these delicious Baked Pineapple Empanadas for guests and my family this season. Tresomega’s coconut oil gave the perfect touch in the dough, making them a true tropical treat. Thanks to Tresomega for providing awesome products to create this recipe.
Heritage
Many of you might not know, but I am half Chilean and half Mexican, thanks to my parents. Actually, the more I look into my family history, I have more Spanish and Italian blood than than the latter. This is probably the reason why I like creating and tasting foods from all over the world. Or maybe not.
When it comes to authentic cooking, many people automatically assume that because I am Mexican that I can cook all these traditional dishes when in fact, I hardly know any recipes. The few recipes I have tucked in my recipe book are ones that I have created by taste memory or a few recipes that my abuelita has shared with me.
I told my husband 2 months ago that I wanted to recreate a few baked goods recipes that I remember having in Mexico and realized that it was December already! Having come from Texas, I had quite the options of Mexican bakeries at my disposal but after moving the the Philadelphia suburbs, they are hardly any within close driving distance.
Mexican-style baked goods
Popular baked goods over the holidays are candied pumpkin and pineapple empanadas. Since we had our share of empanadas I decided to make the pineapple empanadas. For those not familiar with this word, empanadas are more similar to turnovers.
The typical fat used in a empanada dough is lard or vegetable shortening, but I decided to use Tresomega’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil. This specific oil has an exotic flavor and added a lovely touch to my dough. When I shared the finished product with guests, they were quite surprised with the pineapple filling.
If it is one thing I can do for others, it is introducing them to new flavors, new foods and amazing food combinations. Thanks to Tresomega for a delicious product that is not only great for baking, but also for cooking and sauteing.
Baked Pineapple Empanadas
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
For Pineapple Filling
For the dough
Egg wash
Instructions
For Pineapple Filling
Add all ingredients to a large saucepan and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes, until the majority of juices are evaporated. Stir often, to prevent from sticking. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes. Prepare dough while pineapple is cooking.
For the Dough
Add the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar to a medium bowl.
Using a pastry cutter, add the coconut oil and process until the oil is combined with the flour mixture.
It should resemble wet sand.
Add the hot milk and mix well.
Finally add the egg yolk.
Blend into the rest of the dough and knead for about 3 minutes until the dough is smooth.
Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Divide dough in 14 dough pieces.
Assembly
Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a rolling pin, roll each dough piece until 4 inches across. Add 2 Tablespoons pineapple filling. Seal the empanada and fold over dough. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
Place empanadas on baking sheet. In a small bowl, create an egg wash with 1 egg. Brush each empanada with egg wash.
Cook for 15 minutes and remove from oven.
Where to Buy Tresomega
You can buy Tresomega at Sam’s Club or on my Amazon Page.
Check out Tresomega on:
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Whipped Ricotta and Dilled Brussels Sprouts Bruschetta
December 30th, 2018New Year’s Eve is around the corner and these Whipped Ricotta and Dilled Brussels Sprouts Bruschetta will be great your party. A quick prep using Paisley Farms Dilled Brussels Sprouts can be found at Kroger, Wal-Mart, Costco and many other places. Thanks to them for providing their whole line of product for me to taste and develop some delicious recipes.
I am taking some time off this week after 3 weeks of constant parties, concerts and invites. Who knew that the month of December could be full of activities? In fact, I forget every year.
This year I hosted a Christmas party for our choir party. Depending on the party, I usually like providing the meal. In this instance, we had people sign up for appetizers, main meals, salads, side dishes, and desserts.
Paisley Farm Foods
Despite that, I find it hard just providing my home so I felt inspired to making a few dishes. I had a few items to choose from The Paisley Farms, from Dilled Brussels Sprouts, Pickled Sweet Beets to Four Bean Salad. The company, which was created in 1945 in Ohio, takes family recipes that are enjoyed as appetizers, salads, or sides and bottled them for all to enjoy.
All their products are gluten-free and can be enjoyed in many ways. I decided to take the jarred Dilled Brussels Sprouts and place them on top of a savory and crunchy baguette. I roasted some garlic and whipped up some ricotta. I toasted slices of baguette and added the whipped ricotta. I then added the chopped Brussels sprouts and garnished with Himalayan salt, lemon zest, and truffle olive oil. It was a heavenly bite.
Whipped Ricotta and Dilled Brussels Sprouts Bruschetta
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients (20-25 bites)
For Roasted Garlic
For the Whipped Ricotta
For Assembly
Instructions
For Roasted Garlic
Cook 6-8 garlic cloves on a sheet pan sprayed with olive oil and cook on 400 Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Only use 4 garlic cloves for recipe, save the rest for a treat.
For Bruschetta
Slice a baguette into 20-25 slices. Place slices on oiled baking sheet. Butter each bread slice with unsalted butter on one side. Place in oven at the same time with garlic. Cook for 15 minutes, flipping bread at the 10 minute mark.
For Whipped Ricotta
In a food processor, add all the ingredients and blend until the garlic is processed into ricotta. Set aside.
Assembly
Take one baguette slice, add 1 Tbsp whipped ricotta, add 4-6 quartered dilled Brussels sprouts. Repeat with all the slices.
Finally, add lemon zest to all the bruschetta, sprinkle some salt over the bruschetta and drizzle with truffle olive oil.
Where to Find
You can find Paisley Farm products at Kroger, Costco, Sam’s Club, Wal-Mart and more. Check out their site locator on their page.
Paisley Farm Foods on Twitter
Paisley Farm Foods on Instagram
Paisley Farm Foods on Facebook
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Spanish Roasted Cabbage with Caramelized Onions
December 22nd, 2018Christmas and New Year’s is around the corner and you are probably scrambling for last minute ideas. I am in a number of mom groups where many have asked for ideas for desserts and sides. I came up with one that was super delicious with grilled meat. There is nothing like having a side dish within 30 minutes.
Cabbage is one veggie I enjoyed eating sauteed and steamed. I decided to test a few recipes by grilling or roasting and finally decided that roasting cabbage made the cabbage taste sweeter especially when using Savoy Cabbage.
While I roasted the cabbage, I also roasted 2 large red onions. They quickly caramelized while the cabbage cooked. I used no pans and cooked a combination of of veggies. I would say this was easy!
The magic and key to this dish is Mahón-Menorca cheese.This cheese is made from menorcan cow’s milk (pasteurized or raw) and is exclusively matured on the island of Menorca. It is , accordinging to their site, “a Protected Denomination of Origin (P.D.O.) based upon the geographic and distinct climate factors including its temperature, humidity, light, wind and salty pastures, and its ancient farming methods mastered by generations of the Menorca family farms.”
It has been a while since I have enjoyed Spanish cheese and I was happy to receive 3 different types of cheeses to try and to create recipes as part of a challenge. Here are the type of cheeses:
After I tried all three cheeses, I decided to shred the semi-cured cheese and add to the roasted shredded cabbage. It was SUCH a wonderful combination especially with the caramelized onions. The key to testing this dish is introducing a new dish to your family and see if they give it a thumbs up.
It was a hit.
Make this Spanish Roasted Cabbage for Christmas or New Year’s and pair it with a smoked brisket just like we are enjoying.
Spanish Roasted Cabbage with Caramelized Onions
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 20
Ingredients (6 servings)
Instructions
Heat oven to 400F. Grease 1 small baking sheet and one large baking sheet. Add sliced red onions and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon olive oil.
In the large baking sheet, add the sliced cabbage to the pan. Drizzle with the 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil. In a small bowl, add the garlic, onion, paprika and mix well. Sprinkle over the cabbage. Sprinkle with 2 pinches of salt and grind fresh black pepper over the cabbage.
Cook both the cabbage and onions at the same time. After 10 minutes, open oven and mix the red onions so they cook evenly. Add 1 Tablespoon of water to the onions. After 15 minutes, remove the cabbage from oven.
Cook onions an extra 5 minutes and remove from oven. Spread caramelized onions over the roasted cabbage and then sprinkle with Spanish cheese.
Add back to oven and cook for another 5 minutes for the cheese to melt. Serve immediately. You can drizzle with balsamic reduction but it is optional.
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Sugar Free Pisco Sour – Vitamix Aer Disc
December 19th, 2018We have been entertaining a lot this season and I really made it a point to really enjoy every moment of it. It is not fun getting stuck in the kitchen while guests are in the living room having a good time. I look forward sharing a quick recipe for sugar free Pisco Sours that I prepared using the new Vitamix Aer Disc Container I received for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.
Holiday Prep with Vitamix
A few weeks ago I attended a cooking class with a local chef who focused on preparing holiday recipes ahead of time in order to enjoy time with friends and family. I loved the idea because I am not the best at preparing way ahead of time. Inspiration hit and this season I have to say that I am more prepared than I have ever been.
Making lists of ingredients, buying the ingredients and prepping some of the them makes for an easier relaxing time with company. Using products like the Vitamix E310 Explorian Series Blender allows me to make soups, dips and more. I make large batches of hummus, ranch dressing, and even delicious cold soups.
Vitamix Aer Disc Container
One to the things I love preparing for others are cocktails. When I received the Vitamix Aer Disc Container, I was so excited to use this versatile blender attachment to master whipping, muddling, foam, and emulsifying any recipe. While I have used other products to emulsify or whip, I loved the fact that the Aer Disc is 48-ounces, big enough to make a large quantity of any recipe.
What makes this appliance so special? This patent-pending Aer disc pulls liquid through small holes in the spinning disc. It then aerates and emulsifies ingredients while other firmer ingredients like ice, fruit, and herbs are agitated but not puréed.
It was hard to pick what to try first but when I received the Aer Disc container and the Vitamix E310 Explorian Series Blender, I also received a great little recipe booklet with ideas on what to try first. I made 2 cups of hot chocolate made with chocolate chips and milk. The lovely thing is that it did not require a stove or pots but only my blender and Aer Disc. Both ingredients were placed in the container and blended for 6 minutes. In that time the chocolate melted and combined with the milk. The drink was hot and frothy at the same time! YUM!!!
Sugar Free Pisco Sour
I wanted to try the foam experience so I made sugar free Pisco Sour for the first time! The instructions asked to place ingredients in a particular order ending with ice. I blended the ingredients for 15 seconds and immediately ended up with a beautiful froth.
‘I doubled the recipe making a few changes to fit our lifestyles. I am happy to say that the recipe w, as marvelous especially since I got to open the pisco I brought back from Chile almost 3 years ago. I cannot wait to make some more cocktails for family and friends for New Years Eve.
Quick Sugar Free Pisco Sour
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients (2 cocktails)
Instructions
Juice the lemon, lime, and orange juice and combine. Measure 3 ounces and set aside.
Feel free to use liquid egg whites. Works beautifully.
Add all ingredients into the Aer Disc Container in the same order. Start at strength 1 for 3 seconds and go to 6 for 15 seconds. Allow the foam to settle for a minute then serve and divide between two small glasses.
Where to Buy
The Vitamix Aer Disc Container would make for a great gift for the foodie or cook in your home. If they own any Vitamix, the container is compatible with all full-size (Classic and Smart System) Vitamix blenders. You can either purchase directly online at Vitamix.com for $144 or on Amazon, which is now $22.00 cheaper with Prime shipping.
Learn more about Vitamix:
Website: vitamix.com
facebook.com/vitamixcorporation
twitter.com/vitamix
instagram.com/vitamix
