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Tag: ground cinnamon

Tabbouleh

This is a yummy salad- perfect with the Middle Eastern feast I made. Fresh, flavorful and delicious….

  • ¼ cup red bulgur
  • 3 ripe tomatoes
  • 2 cups flat leaf parsley, minced
  • 1 cup fresh mint, minced
  • 1 cup cilantro, minced
  • ½ English cucumber, chopped
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon ground all spice
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons salt

Transfer the bulgur to a medium bowl and pour about ½ cup hot water and let soak for 10 minutes. Rinse and drain and add to a serving bowl. Cut the tomatoes in half and take out all the meat with a spoon including the seeds. Chop the tomatoes and add to the bowl including all the other ingredients. Mix well, taste for seasonings and serve.

Banana Bread with Coconut Oil

This is the most delicious banana bread. I changed up my regular recipe to included coconut oil and coconut sugar. If you want to indulge.. definitely make this recipe. The great thing is that it is not completely bad for you…

  • 1¼ cups unbleached white whole-wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup coconut oil, at room temperature, plus more for preparing the pan
  • 1 cup coconut sugar
  • 3 very ripe bananas, peeled, and mashed with a fork (about 1 cup)
  • ½ cup toasted walnut pieces
  • ½ cup milk or dark chocolate, chips or grated

Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt into a medium bowl, set aside.  Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup with a spout, set aside.  Lightly brush a 9X5X3 inches loaf pan with coconut oil.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the coconut oil and sugar until light and fluffy.  Gradually pour the egg mixture into the butter while mixing until incorporated.  Add the bananas (the mixture will appear to be curdled), and remove the bowl from the mixer.

With a rubber spatula, mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated.  Fold in the nuts and chocolate pieces and transfer the batter to the prepared pan.  Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.  Cool the bread in the pan for 5 minutes before taking it out.  Cool completely before serving.

Blackened Red Snapper

This is an easy, fast and super healthy recipe… I am trying to cook fish at least twice a week and this is a great one.

  • 4 red snapper fillets

Spice Rub

  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • Lemon slices

Mix the spices in a small bowl and sprinkle all over the fillets.

  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil

Heat a cast iron skillet and add the oil. Add the fillets skin side down and cook till almost opaque. Turn and cook the other side for another minute. Serve with lemon slices.

Pumpkin Banana Bread

This is a yummy combination of banana and pumpkin bread. Make this for the holidays- really good!

  • 3 small or 2 large bananas, mashed
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup honey
  • ½ cup turbinado sugar
  • 2 ½ cups white whole-wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup dark chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9X5 loaf pan.

In an electric mixer, add the butter, honey and sugar. Beat for 2 to 3 minutes and add the eggs one at a time, beating in between. Add the mashed eggs, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. Beat for a minute. On the side, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin spice and cinnamon to a medium bowl. Whisk well and gradually add to the egg mixture while beating slowly. Beat for a minute or two. Add the dark chocolate and mix with a spatula and transfer to the prepared pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or till a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Let cool and serve.

Strawberry Bread

Number 4!

I love, love this tea bread. We were invited to a friends house for a barbecue and I offered to bring dessert. I wanted to make a summer cake using a quintessential summer fruit and of course strawberries came to mind.

I did a bit of research and came up with this fabulous recipe.

I got all the ingredients together- which, by the way are all that you normally have on hand.

It didn’t take me very long to put together and baking in the oven. Once it came out, my daughter was hovering around it like a dog on a bone. I cut a slice for her and she immediately complained about taking this cake to someone’s house and not having any for us. I promised her I would make another one for her soon- and honestly I haven’t yet. As I write this, I have already decided to bake one this evening. She will be thrilled.

So, if you want to be equally thrilled, make this delicious strawberry bread this summer…

  • 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries (pureed in a blender)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup evaporated cane juice
  • ½ cup extra light olive oil
  • 1½ cups white whole-wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan and keep aside.
Beat the sugar and olive oil for 2-3 minutes on high. Add the eggs one at a time, beating in between. Add the pureed strawberries and keep aside.
In the meantime, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt into a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Mix well and pour into the loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes or till the bread is done. Invert onto a platter and top with confectioners sugar.

Gingerbread Cake with Whipped Cream and Candied Ginger & Chocolate Ganache

Here are some dessert ideas for the holidays…

  • 2½ cups white whole-wheat flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup extra light olive oil
  • ½ cup evaporated cane juice
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 cup molasses mixed with 1 cup hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and line two 9 inch round pans.

Combine the flour, baking soda, spices and the salt in a medium bowl. Whisk and keep aside.
Beat together the oil and sugar with an electric mixture for a minute. Add the egg and beat for 2 to 3 minutes. In 3 batches, alternately bean in flour mixture and molasses mixture on a low speed. Beat till smooth and pour batter into the two pans dividing equally. Bake for approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
Take out and let cool.

Filling

  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
  • 2 tablespoons candied ginger, chopped

Beat the cream with an electric beater till stiff peaks are formed. Add the sugar and ginger and mix well.
Place the first layer of cake onto a cake stand and add the filling, smoothing it all over. Place the second layer and gently press down, cleaning up any filling spilling out of the cakes.

Topping

  • 6 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips
  • ¾ cups whipping cream

Heat the cream in a small saucepan on a medium heat. Once bubbles begin to form on the edges, turn the heat off and take the pan off the stove. Add the chocolate and stir until it melts. Let cool and pour the ganache over the cake covering the sides evenly.
Top the cake with candied ginger for decoration.

Meatballs with Smoked Paprika

Here is another meatball recipe.  They are so easy to make and I like to make mine with different flavorings. I also like to make them really healthy and generally make them with ground turkey meat. These particular ones have my favorite flavors- smoked paprika and dried ancho chilies. They both have a delicious, smoky flavor with a bit of kick.

I added the paprika in the meat itself including onion and garlic. For the sauce I reconstituted a few ancho chilies, blended them with crushed tomatoes and cooked it. I then formed the meatballs and cooked them in the delicious sauce.

 

  • 1 pound ground turkey meat
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1 egg beaten
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • ½ cup yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/3 cup milk

Transfer the meat into a large bowl. Add the paprika, salt, thyme, beaten egg, cilantro, onion and garlic. Mix well. In the meantime soak the breadcrumbs in the milk for ten minutes. Add the soaked breadcrumbs into the meat mixture and mix well. Keep aside in the fridge for at least 2 to 3 hours.

Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
  • 2 dried ancho chilies
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Salt

Soak the dried chilies in the boiling water for half an hour. Blend the soft peppers (and the water) with the crushed tomatoes until all blended well. Add the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the tomato mixture into the pan and bring to a boil. Cook for about 15 minutes on high. Simmer while forming meatballs and gently dropping them in the sauce. Add the cinnamon. Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes. Check for seasonings and serve with rice or bread.