Triple Creme Cheese
Aged Gouda
Sopressata Salami
Speck-Italan cured ham
Pickled Quail Eggs
Olives
Seasoned Walnuts
Strawberries
Figs
​

I love to discover a delicous low-carb substitute for a favorite starchy or high-carb recipe. This mashed cauliflower is a delicious replacement for mashed potatoes. 

Mashed Cauliflower
Serves 6-8

1 medium head cauliflower, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic
3 ounces cream cheese-full fat
2 tbsp unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste
½ cup flat leafed parsley, chopped
 

1. Steam the cauliflower and garlic until soft, about 10 minutes.
   
2. Drain the cauliflower and place it in a large mixing bowl.
   
3. Add the cream cheese and butter and mash with a potato masher or purée with an immersion blender.
   
4. Stir in the chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

"Experts have presented several dietary culprits as possible explanations for the rapidly rising rates of chronic disease in industrialized nations, including sugar and saturated fat. However, one commonly consumed food found in the diets of millions has received surprisingly little attention—industrial seed oils."

Remove these highly processed oils from your diet:
Soybean Oil
Corn Oil
Canola Oil
Safflower Seed Oil
Vegetable Oil


Contrary to what many health organizations have been telling us for years, industrial seed oils are not healthy foods. Rather, their consumption is associated with a variety of health problems.
​
Asthma
Autoimmune Disease
Cognition and Mental Health
Diabetes and Obesity
Heart Disease
IBS and IBD
Inflammation
Infertility
Macular Degeneration
Osteoarthritis

How Are Industrial Seed Oils Made?https://chriskresser.com/how-industrial-seed-oils-are-making-us-sick/

​The general process used to create industrial seed oils is anything but natural. The oils extracted from soybeans, corn, cottonseed, safflower seeds, and rapeseeds must be refined, bleached, and deodorized before they are suitable for human consumption.

1. First, seeds are gathered from the soy, corn, cotton, safflower, and rapeseed plants.
2. Next, the seeds are heated to extremely high temperatures; this causes the unsaturated fatty acids in the seeds to oxidize, creating byproducts that are harmful to human and animal health.
3. The seeds are then processed with a petroleum-based solvent, such as hexane, to maximize the amount of oil extracted from them.
4. Next, industrial seed oil manufacturers use chemicals to deodorize the oils, which have a very off-putting smell once extracted. The deodorization process produces trans fats, which are well known to be quite harmful to human health.
5. Finally, more chemicals are added to improve the color of the industrial seed oils.

Here is a favorite low-carb side dish you should be enjoying. It is the perfect low-carb substitute for the high carb mac & cheese. As a bonus, the cheese sauce can be enjoyed with many other vegetables. 

Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce
 
Serves 6
1 large head of cauliflower
8 oz heavy cream
8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
2 oz cream cheese
1 pinch cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
 

1. Cut cauliflower into 1″ pieces. Steam for 4-5 minutes until just tender. Remove from heat and drain well. Set aside.
   
   
2. While your cauliflower is cooking, combine the heavy cream, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, and cayenne pepper in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth.
   
   
3. Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked cauliflower and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve as is or pour into baking dish and brown under the broiler.

 
 
Crispy pork rind topping: Instead of breadcrumbs, put 1 cup of pork rinds in a food processor and process until fine. Sprinkle on top of cauliflower and cheese and brown under broiler.
 
Make it a Meal!
Additions: Stir in cooked chicken, cooked shrimp, cooked ground beef, or lobster.

Homemade Ricotta
Ina Garten
Makes 2 cups
 
4 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp. kosher salt
3 Tbs white wine vinegar
 

1. Set a large sieve over a deep bowl. Dampen 2 layers of cheesecloth with water and line the sieve with the cheesecloth. 
   
   
2. Pour the milk and cream into a stainless-steel or enameled pot such as Le Creuset. Stir in the salt. Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Allow the mixture to stand for 1 minute until it curdles. It will separate into thick parts (the curds) and milky parts (the whey). 
   
   
3. Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined sieve and allow it to drain into the bowl at room temperature for 20 to 25 minutes, occasionally discarding the liquid that collects in the bowl. The longer you let the mixture drain, the thicker the ricotta. Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, discarding the cheesecloth.  Save remaining whey for later use (see below). Use ricotta immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The ricotta will keep refrigerated for 4 to 5 days.

Honey Ricotta Mouse-Food52.com
​By Flirty Foodie (https://food52.com/recipes/34754-honey-ricotta-mousse)

9 ounces sheep's milk ricotta (or cow's milk), drained -I used one cup of the Homemade Ricotta
1/2 cup whipping cream, well chilled
5 tablespoons honey, divided
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
zest of 1/2 lemon
 
 

1. Using an electric hand mixer, whip cream
    in a medium bowl until it forms firm peaks, about 3 minutes.
   
   
2. In a separate bowl whip together ricotta,
   3 tbsp honey and lemon zest until smooth. Carefully fold whipped cream into ricotta mixture. Cover and refrigerate for approx.
   30 minutes so the ingredients firm up a bit.
   
   
3. Gather two serving bowl/cups. Spoon a
    layer of whipped ricotta into each bowl. Followed by a layer of honey, approx.
   2 tsp to a 1 tbsp honey per dish. Top with remaining whipped ricotta. Garnish with chopped walnuts. Serve and Enjoy

Tart Filling
 fills a 10-inch tart, pie or oven proof pan. Serves 8
 
1 pound Swiss chard
1 small onion, diced
6 eggs
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup golden raisins or dried cranberries
½ cup pine nuts, toasted
¾ cup grated parmesan
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
** for crustless tart-2 tablespoons of unsalted butter to cover the bottom and sides of your pie plate or tart pan.
 
***If a crust is desired: 1 recipe Pate Brisse (see recipe below) and follow further directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Remove the center stem of the chard and chop into thin slices. Roughly chop the leaves. 
3. In a sauté pan, heat 2 Tbs of olive oil with the onion and chard stems. Sauté over medium heat until stems are tender, about 5 minutes and then cool. 
4. Combine the eggs, heavy cream, raisins, toasted pine nuts, parmesan, salt and pepper in a medium-size bowl. Add the chard mixture, and combine well. 
5. Generously butter a 10” pie pan or ovenproof skillet, covering both the bottom and sides well. 
6. Spoon in the tart filling and smooth. Cover with tinfoil. Place into the preheated oven and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until the filling is set. Remove and serve warm or at room temperature. 

***If a crust is desired: 1 recipe Pate Brisse
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
 
Pate Brisee- Jaques Pepin
Makes Enough for 2 Galettes or 2 tarts without top crust or 1 pie with top and bottom crust
 
3 cups all-purpose flour (dip the measuring cup into the flour, fill it, and level it with your hand)
1 cup (2 sticks) sweet butter, cold, and cut with a knife into thin slices or shavings (l use unsalted butter)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Approximately 3/4 cup very cold water
1 egg lightly beaten (to brush on crust before baking)
 
“In a well-made pâte brisée the pieces of butter are visible throughout the dough. If the pieces of butter get completely blended with the flour so that they melt during cooking, the pastry will be tough. The flour and butter must be worked and the water added as fast as possible to obtain a flaky pastry. If you work the dough too much after adding the water, it will be elastic and chewy. If you use too much butter and not enough water, it will resemble sweet pastry dough and will be hard to roll thin and pick up from the table; it will be very brittle before and after cooking, sandy, and with no flakiness.

This is deceptively simple dough. You may get excellent results one time and an ordinary pastry the next. Try it a few times to get a feel for it. Wrapped properly, it can be kept in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days, or it can be frozen.” Jaques Pepin

Serves 2-4 
 
2 tablespoons butter, ghee, coconut, or avocado oil
12 ounces riced cauliflower fresh or frozen
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup carrot finely diced (optional)
1 ounce green onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped or sliced thinly
1-2 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons soy sauce or Tamari (more or less to taste) I love Bragg’s Aminos
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
½ cup cilantro, chopped
 

1. In a large heavy skillet, heat oil of choice over medium-high heat.
2. Add carrots, garlic, and riced cauliflower. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften--about 5 minutes. 
3. Make a large well in the center of the cauliflower and pour in the egg and stir it to scrambled. Combine gently when the eggs are cooked. 
4. Stir in the soy sauce, scallions, sesame oil, and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Optional Additions:
Eggs, hard boiled
​Fried Tofu-see Liz's recipe
Shrimp
Shredded-cooked chicken
Thinly sliced, cooked sirloin or pork

BOOKS
 
The Big Fat Surprise -Nina Teicholz
Delay Don’t Deny -Gin Stephens
The Obesity Code -Dr. Jason Fung
The Complete Guide to Fasting -Dr. Jason Fung
Wheat Belly-Dr. William Davis
 
WEBSITES
 
www.dietdoctor.com
www.eatthebutter.com
 
FACEBOOK GROUPS
Delay Don't Deny: Intermittent Fasting Support

RECIPES
 
www.dietdoctor.com
www.eatthebutter.com
www.twosleevers.com
 
PODCASTS
 
Obesity Code
LowCarb MD Podcast
The Intermittent Fasting Podcast
Diet Doctor Podcast
 
MOVIES
 
FAT: A Documentary
The Magic Pill

YouTube

Tuit Nutrition with Amy Berger
For Today's Aging Women with Ann Parham

This is one of my favorite lunches. You can eat it for breakfast too! Egg salad is so good for you and really simple to make. I always have hard boiled eggs on hand so I can enjoy a hardboiled egg anytime in a salad or make egg salad when the mood hits. 
I often cook up a pound or two of bacon in the oven so I have cooked bacon available for any recipe. Sometimes I just snack on a crispy piece or use a slice to stir my Bloody Mary ;-). 
You will notice my specific use of Sir Kensington's Avocado Mayonnaise. It's a bit more expensive than Hellman's, but avocado oil is a healthier option to the soybean oil found in Hellman's. I love Hellman's Mayo, but recently gave it up when I took a closer look at the ingredients and saw that it contains soybean oil. I have eliminated highly processed seed oils from my diet and soybean and canola oil are right at the top of the list. 

Egg Salad with Bacon and Lettuce Leaves

2-4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and mashed
2-4 tablespoons Sir Kensington's Avocado Mayonnaise
1 tablespoons flat leafed parsley or mint, chopped (or both!)
salt and pepper to taste
Cooked bacon-I cook mine in the oven on a baking pan
Romain lettuce leaves

1. Combine the eggs, mayo, herbs, and salt and pepper together. 
2. Place two pieces of lettuce together and fill with egg salad. Top with bacon and serve.

Buttered Cabbage with Ground Beef
Serves 4-6
 
8 ounces butter, unsalted, grass fed
2 pounds cabbage, about ½ large head-shredded
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons fresh
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced    
1 pound ground beef
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup assorted greens-baby spinach, flat-leafed parsley, baby arugula-chopped
1 lemon, zested and juiced
½ cup heavy cream
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
 

1. Melt 4 ounces of butter in a large saute pan over a medium- high heat.  Add the garlic, ground beef, and pepper flakes. Cook until the beef is browned and the garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
   
   
2. Add the shredded cabbage and thyme. Cover and cook until the cabbage is wilted and is bright green, 3-5 minutes.
   
   
3. Add the chopped herbs, lemon zest and juice, and the heavy cream. Toss the ingredients gently to coat. Simmer for 3 minutes to heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Optional: Add 1 tablespoon of fresh, chopped ginger with the garlic

Air Fryer Roasted Radishes
serves 4-6

3 cups radishes cut in half or in quarters depending on their size. 
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. In a large bowl, add radishes, oil, salt and cayenne pepper. Mix well.
   
2. Place the seasoned radishes in the air fryer basket and cook at 400F for 7-10 minutes. Check to ensure the radishes are fork tender. Serve hot.

If cooking in an oven, heat the oven to 400F and cook for 10-12 minutes or until fork tender.

Back when I lived in my first apartment in Hoboken, NJ I taught myself to cook. My dad gave me my first cookbook-Jaques Pepin's "Everyday Cooking". I would recommend this book to anyone. The recipes are easy, elegant, and delicious. Pepin is an amazing teacher and my go-to chef for cooking technique. 
The filling of thinly sliced apples is easy to do and the layering of the slices creates a beautiful tart. Be sure to use a firm, baking apple so the slices hold up and don't get mushy. I like Granny Smith and Honey Crisp apples for my tarts. 
The Pate Brisee dough is easy to make, freezes well, and can be used for any pie recipe. 
This Apple Galette recipe is a favorite of mine and I have shared it with family and friends for over 30 years! I hope you love it too. ​

Apple Galette
Recipe From:  Jacques Pepin “Everyday Cooking”

Makes 8 servings
1/2 recipe pate brisée (see recipe)
5 large granny smith apples
1/4-cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
4 tablespoons apricot preserves
1 tablespoon Calvados or Cognac (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
 
1.Make pâte brisée (recipe below). Roll out the dough 1/8 to 1/16 inch thick, in a shape that fits roughly on a cookie sheet—approximately 16 X 14 inches. (The best cookie sheets are made of heavy aluminum that is not too shiny.) If the dough is not thin enough after you lay it on the cookie sheet, roll it some more, directly on the sheet.
 
2.Peel and cut the apples in half, core them, and slice each half into 1/4-inch slices. Set aside the large center slices of the same size and chop the end slices coarsely. Sprinkle the chopped apple over the dough.
 
3.Arrange the large slices on the dough beginning at the outside, approximately 1 1/2 inches from the edge. Stagger and overlap the slices to imitate the petals of a flower.  Cover the dough completely with a single layer of apples, except for the border. Place smaller slices in the center to resemble the heart of a flower.
 
4.Bring up the border of the dough | and fold it over the apples.
 
5. Sprinkle the apples with the sugar and pieces of butter, and bake in a 400-degree oven for 40-50 minutes, until the galette is really well browned and crusty.  Do not remove the galette from the oven too soon; it should be very well cooked. It should be very crusty, thin, and soft inside. Do not worry about the discoloration of the apples after you peel and arrange them on the dough. The discoloration will not be apparent after cooking. 
 
6.Slide it onto a board. Dilute the apricot preserves with the alcohol (or use 1 tablespoon of water if the jam is thick and you prefer not to use spirits) and spread it on top of the apples with the back of a spoon. Some can also be spread on the top edge of the crust. Follow the design so that you do not disturb the little pieces of apple.

Serve the galette lukewarm, cut into wedges. 

Pate Brisee
Recipe From:  Jacques Pepin “Everyday Cooking”
 
Makes Enough for 2 Galettes
3 cups all-purpose flour (dip the measuring cup
into the flour, fill it, and level it with your hand)
1 cup (2 sticks) sweet butter, cold, and cut with a knife into thin slices or shavings
1/2 teaspoon salt
Approximately 3/4 cup very cold water
 
“In a well-made pâte brisée the pieces of butter are visible throughout the dough. If the pieces of butter get completely blended with the flour so that they melt during cooking, the pastry will be tough. The flour and butter must be worked and the water added as fast as possible to obtain a flaky pastry. If you work the dough too much after adding the water, it will be elastic and chewy. If you use too much butter and not enough water, it will resemble sweet pastry dough and will be hard to roll thin and pick up from the table; it will be very brittle before and after cooking, sandy, and with no flakiness.

This is deceptively simple dough. You may get excellent results one time and an ordinary pastry the next. Try it a few times to get a feel for it. Wrapped properly, it can be kept in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days, or it can be frozen.”
 
1.Mix the flour, butter, and salt together very lightly, so that the pieces of butter remain visible throughout the flour.
 
2.Add the ice-cold water and mix very fast with your hand just enough that the dough coheres.
 
3. Cut the dough in half. The pieces of butter should still be visible. Refrigerate for 1 or 2 hours or use it right away. If you use it right away, the butter will be a bit soft, so you may need a little extra flour in the rolling process to absorb it.

For one galette, roll half the dough between 1/8 and 1/16 of an inch thick, using flour underneath and on top so that it doesn't stick to the table or the rolling pin. When the dough is the desired shape and thickness, roll it onto the rolling pin and unroll it on the pie plate, tart form, or cookie sheet that you plan to use. Repeat with the other half or reserve for later use. Bake according to the instructions for the particular recipe. 

This Sunday March 25th @ 2pm I'll be presenting with my kitchen designer Sue Booth (Vintage Kitchens) at the annual Old House & Barn Expo in Manchester, NH. Together we will share before, during, and after photos of my kitchen remodel from 2006. Expo details

Today I'll be cooking on WMUR's Cook's Corner and I've invited my trainer, Beth Civiello from Orange Theory Fitness to join me...hence the orange theme to my Thanksgiving side dish selections. I have been working out at Orange Theory in Nashua, NH for two years now and I absolutely love it! Over the years I have combined walking, running, and weight lifting as part of my workout routine. Two years ago I decided I needed someone to lead me through a routine that would challenge me and move me beyond my comfort zone. Orange Theory trainers and routines do just that. With the workouts and healthy food in mind, I chose these recipes to feature for my Thanksgiving feast. I hope you enjoy my Orange!

Check out the video here:     Cook's Corner

Adapted from a recipe by:
​Ana Sortun "Spice Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean”

Serves 4
 
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced on the bias, about 3 cups
3 Tbs butter
½ vanilla bean (or ½ tsp vanilla extract)
1 Tbs lemon juice

1. Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan. 
2. Slit the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds with a knife into the melting butter.  If using extract, add it to the butter. 
3. Add the carrots to the pan.
4. Cook the carrots over medium heat until they soften and become lightly glazed, about 10-15 minutes. Add the lemon juice and stir.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe is a variation of my "Gremolata Stacked Potatoes" from my cookbook "Beautifully Delicious". I simply substituted sweet potatoes. Easy and delicious!

Gremolata is a traditional Italian herb paste that is a simple combination of five ingredients: parsley, garlic, lemon, Parmesan, and extra virgin olive oil. With its bright, citrusy flavor, gremolata transforms ho-hum recipes into amazing dishes! Here I’ve combined gremolata with thinly sliced sweet potatoes and roasted them to create a tasty side dish. It’s simple, delicious, and gorgeous!   
Serves 6
 
½ cup loosely packed chopped flat-leaf parsley
Zest of 1 lemon
2 small minced garlic cloves
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
1 pinch pepper, freshly ground
4 medium sweet potatoes (I try to buy longer, thinner potatoes to fit niceley into the muffin tins when sliced and stacked)
 
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray 12 standard muffin cups generously with nonstick cooking spray or, if you don't have muffin tins, line a baking pan with foil.

To make the gremolata, combine the parsley, lemon zest, garlic, Parmesan, oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl and set aside. 

Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly (about ⅛ of an inch) using a sharp knife or mandolin. Add the potato slices to the gremolata and toss to coat. I use my hands to be sure to coat the potatoes evenly. Stack the potatoes to fill each muffin cup over the rim by about ½ inch (if you are not using a muffin tin, place the stacks on you foil lined baking pan). Press the stacked potatoes down firmly. Bake until the tops and edges of the potatoes are browned and the centers are tender when pierced with a fork, about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Cut around each stack with a sharp knife and remove them with a spoon. Serve hot. These can be made one to two days in advance and reheated, covered, in a 300 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until heated through. Serve two or three stacks per person.

Serves 6

2 pink grapefruit
3 oranges
10 mint leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil-I used a basil infused olive oil I bought at Whole Foods
Freshly ground pepper
Kosher salt

1. Cut the rind off of the grapefruit and oranges being certain to remove all of the white pith from the fruit. Slice each into 1/8" thin, round slices. Place decoratively onto a platter.
2. Sprinkle with the mint and drizzle with the olive oil. Finish with a few grinds of pepper and two pinches of salt. 

This is a great "last minute" veggie that is ease to prepare. A new favorite at our house!

Serves 6

1 poud butternut squash spirals
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 sage leaves, chopped
Freshly ground pepper
Kosher salt

1. Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the chopped sage and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the butternut squash spirals to the pan.
2. Cook, stirring occasionionlly to coat the squash with the sage butter for 5 minutes. The squash should be softened but still have a little "bite" to it when tasted. Season with pepper and salt to taste. Serve immediately.

​
​

​This recipe is perfect for using up Thanksgiving leftovers. Chop up your leftover turkey and use it as the base. Throw in your leftover peas and onions, top it with the last of the mashed potatoes or rutabagas. Even savory sweet potatoes will be tasty and beautiful on this dish. Do you have any stuffing left? Put that on top. The possibilities are endless!

Makes one large pie
1 ½ pounds leftover, cooked turkey, finely chopped(or raw ground turkey)
2 teaspoons thyme, dried (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
½  teaspoon allspice
1 pinch nutmeg
1 large onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large carrots, diced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup stock (chicken or beef)
3 cups leftover mashed potatoes or 1 rutabaga, peeled and cut into 2 inch cubes
1 cup butter
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated and divided
salt and pepper

If using leftover turkey:
Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, onions, carrots, garlic, thyme, allspice, and nutmeg until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Proceed to #4
           
​ If using raw ground turkey, skip to #2

1. Add the meat and seasonings (reserve ½ teaspoon of thyme), and cook until the meat no longer looks pink.
2. Add the vegetables and cook for 5 to 7 minutes longer.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and stock. Reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. In another pot, cover the rutabagas with water and 1 teaspoon of salt and boil until they are tender, about 30 minutes. Drain well and put them back into the pot and mash until they are smooth. Add the butter and 2/3 cup of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Spoon the meat mixture into a deep-dish pie pan or a large baking dish.
6. Cover with the rutabaga mixture and sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup cheese over the top.
7. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 425°F and bake for 35 minutes.

 I was just chatting with a reporter from The Hippo Press and he asked me for some ideas for Thanksgiving leftovers. Its an interesting idea to design recipes that will help to use up those little bits of leftover sidedishes and turkey. Here is a great idea to use up everyone's favorite mashed sweet potato casserole. If your's is on the sweet side (with or without marshmellos), use the leftovers to create these mini apple pies. 
​

Makes 12 mini pies, baked in a mini muffin tin
·       Any basic single-crust pie dough or a single-crust from a premade pie dough from the grocery store.
·       1 large sweet potato
·       3 tablespoons unsalted butter
·       1 Granny Smith apple, diced very small
·       1 Cortland apple, diced very small
·       3 tablespoons brown sugar
·       ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
·       1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
·       ¼ cup dark brown sugar
·       ¼ cup quick oats
·       ¼ cup flour
·       1 teaspoon cinnamon
·       3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Roll out the dough and cut into 12 rounds using a 2 ½ inch cookie cutter. Place each round into a mini muffin tin. Refrigerate while preparing filling and topping.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. For mashed sweet potato, roast a large sweet potato in the oven until soft and easily pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Discard the skin and mash with 3 tablespoons of butter and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
4. To make the apple filling, combine diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vinegar. Set aside.
5. To make the crisp topping, combine the brown sugar, oats, flower, cinnamon, and butter in a food processor or by hand until it forms crumbles.
6. Remove the muffin tin from the refrigerator and fill each crust half-way with apples. Top with 1 teaspoon mashed sweet potato.
7. Place in the oven and cook for 12 minutes.
8. Remove minis from oven and top with 1 tsp crumb topping. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and cook for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool before serving. 

Sometimes you come across a sauce or dressing that you can use on anything and it tastes great! This dressing is one of those recipes. I use this on salads, coleslaw, noodle bowls, hot and cold veggies, fish, and chicken. Its the right combination of sweet and savory. I hope you like it!

​P.S. I wondered how long miso can keep in the refrigerator. According to Mark Bittman...months or years! Here is a link to his article on miso: https://bittman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/12/the-miso-primer/

 
1.  Combine the ginger, garlic, miso paste, honey, curry powder, rice vinegar, and water in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
 
2.  With the food processor running, slowly add the oil.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until needed.

I don't know about you, but I had to learn how to like kale. The texture is tough, the flavor is bitter, and until it was promoted as "the BEST, HEALTHIEST, vegetable EVER!" I rarely encountered it beyond a garnish on a plate and in the seafood case at my local grocery store. Like many of you, I climbed on board the kale band wagon and started working it into my recipe rotation. 
A few years ago I discovered Trader Joe's Spinach & Kale Bites. They sounded delicious so I took the idea and created my own version of their recipe. They are so versitile. I use a small cookie scoop to create meatball sized bites and a larger scoop to make larger "patties" that I recently used as "buns" for an edible flower sandwich I recently featured at a cooking demonstration. They are easy to make and can be cooked and frozen with great results. Give these a try!

​Makes 24 1 ounce portions

1 small onion, diced, about ½ cup
2 Tbs olive oil
4 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach
2 cups (packed) with fresh kale, spine removed
2 eggs
1/3 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
dash of cayenne pepper
½ cup fresh flat leafed parsley leaves
½ cup fresh basil leaves
½ tsp Kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
4 tsp unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and brush a baking pan lightly with olive oil. 
   
   
2. In a medium sauté pan place the olive oil and diced onion and cook over low heat until soft and translucent, about 5-8 minutes. 

 

1. Using a food processor, combine the eggs and cream cheese and blend until smooth.  Add the spinach, kale and herbs and process until smooth.  Add the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and seasoning to the kale mixture and mix again. 

 

1. Using a 1 ounce cookie scoop, portion the mixture onto a baking pan.  Flatten each slightly and brush with melted butter.  Bake until firm, about 10 minutes.   Serve hot or at room temperature.  Refrigerate or freeze for later use.

 
Ways to serve:  Serve as a side dish, hors d’oeurves, or with sauce as a vegetarian alternative to meatballs.  Use a larger scoop to make larger patties to use in place of bread for a sandwich.

I recently presented my program "Feasting from Our Local Farms" at the Amherst MA library. What a lovely town and a very friendly group of library patrons! I prepared my recipe "Ginger Marinated Kale". Recipe is a favorite of mine, there is something about the Ginger Marinated Kale recipe that has me craving it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Try the recipe and let me know if you too become addicted to it.
​

Don't be afraid that this recipe makes too much.  You will love this recipe so much that you will be eating it morning, noon, and night!  The beauty of marinating your kale is that it will taste better as time passes.  Keep your kale salad refrigerated for up to 5 days!  Each day add something different to your salad...sliced peaches, diced tofu, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, cold shrimp, cold chicken...anything you like!

Makes 12 servings
​
8 Cups of de-veined and chopped Kale 
¼ cup red onion, diced
1 glove of garlic
½-inch piece of ginger root
1/3 cup olive oil 
1 -2 tbsp Braggs Liquid Aminos
1/2 cup of water
¼ cup lemon juice
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
Pinch or two of cayenne 

1.  Place the chopped kale and red onion in a large bowl.
2.  Using a blender, combine the remaining ingredients to create a marinade.  Toss the kale with the marinade.  You can eat your dressed kale immediately, but this is best when refrigerated for 4-5 hours before eating.  
This salad can be stored in the refrigerator and eaten for up to 5 days.
 

Tomorrow I'll be presenting a corporate wellness program to a company in Exeter, NH. Here are photos of the cupcakes made using my recipe for Flower Confetti Cake from my cookbook "Beautifully Delicious". Please don't laugh at my attempt to bake ;-)

I am heading to the Sandwich Public Library in Sandwich, MA to present : Build a Better Sandwich. The librarian asked me to create the program for their summer reading program. My biggest problem in creating the program was deciding what sandwiches to include. Here are the three that I've been working on.

Sage, kale flower, bachelor button, peony, lavender, johnny jump ups, and chive flowers all make a lovely and tasty bouquet.

I could not resist posting this picture of my breakfast today. I am an egg eater. I love scrambled eggs and have been experimenting with flavor boosters. Today I chopped up some chive, lovage, and parsley and added it to my scrambled eggs. To pretty up the plate I added some bachelor buttons, kale flowers, and chive flowers. It was tasty!

I'm riding a wave of publicity that I just can't believe! In May New Hampshire Home published an article featuring my gardens and my kitchen.  And just last week, I received the Summer issue of Where Women Cook which features my kitchen and some of my favorite recipes.
Last January photographer, stylist, and publisher Matthew Mead contacted me and asked if I would be interested in collaborating on an article for the publication. I was thrilled! Matthew is a well-known food photographer and has been publishing his own life style magazines for some time. I'd been a secret fan for a while. We spent the morning together in my kichen taking photos and finished up with a lunch sampling of each recipe. What a fun day! Matthew is just as nice as I imagined and made the day a fun adventure. Here are some photos of the article.  You can buy a copy of the magazine at Where Women Cook.

Where Women Cook-Summer 2017

New Hampshire Home Magazine-May 2017