Monday, June 16, 2014

Healthy Fried Banana Dessert



Photo Credit: Health is Wealth Photos.

This is a great, easy-to-prepare recipe when you want the indulgence of fried food without the calorie counting.  The secret is to use coconut oil spray instead of frying the bananas in traditional oil, the result is a lighter, healthier fried dessert that is still utterly gratifying.  You might also want to try ghee butter as a substitute for the oil if you're truly desiring a rich flavour.
Top these bananas with ice cream or serve them on French toast drizzled in honey, either way it's a healthier alternative to those classic pairings.
Getting a desirable crispiness to the banana can be a little tricky, experiment with longer cooking times or a larger dollop of coconut oil if you're not getting the results you want.  You might want to try raising the temperature of the oil a bit as well if there's still some undesirable mushiness.
Ingredients:
  • 1 large under-ripened banana
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Directions:
  • Slice the banana into thin rounds.
  • Take a non-stick saucepan, medium heat, and measure in the coconut oil.
  • When the oil is hot add the pieces of banana.
  • Caramelize the edges of the bananas then flip them over to fry the other sides.
  • Turn off the heat and drizzle the honey on the bananas, letting the honey heat through.
  • Plate the fried bananas immediately and serve warm, sprinkled with cinnamon.


Bon appétit!      



    
    

    Sunday, June 15, 2014

    Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs

    Photo Credit: Health is Wealth Photos.
     
     
    Serve these delicious meatballs over pasta or in a submarine sandwich, garnish with fresh sprigs of oregano as a variation.
     
    Ingredients:
     
    • 1 lb. ground beef
    • 1/2 cup sweet onion
    • 1/2 cup green peppers
    • 1/2 cup celery
    • 1 cup bread crumbs
    • 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
    • 3 eggs
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • 1/2 lb. Mozzarella
    • Olive oil.

     
     
    Directions:
     
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Chop the Mozzarella cheese into small cubes.
    • Take a large bowl and mix all the remaining ingredients.  Chop up the sweet onion, green peppers, celery and garlic.
    • Form the meat mixture into 2"-diameter balls.
    • Press a cube of Mozzarella cheese into each ball and seal the meat around it.
    • Place the meatballs onto a baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes or until the juice from the meatballs show no pink colour.


    Bon appétit!
      
    Photo Credit: Health is Wealth Photos.

     
     
     

    Tuesday, June 10, 2014

    Warm Cheesy Balsamic Bruschetta

    Photo Credit: Health is Wealth Photos.

    This is a very easy to prepare snack or appetizer in the Italian bruschetta style.  Freshly-picked basil straight from the garden gives it a heavenly aroma.
     
    Adding the tomato mixture halfway through the toasting will preserve the freshness of the tomatoes while intensifying their flavour.  Consider using a variety of small summer tomatoes such as yellow or orange pear tomatoes and the remainder red cherry tomatoes in order to make this bruschetta as delightful to the eye as to the palette.     

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
    • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped apart
    • 220 grams of marbled Cheddar cheese
    • 1 large clove garlic, sliced finely
    • 1/2 tbsps. balsamic vinegar
    • 3 tbsps. extra virgin olive oil
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • 3 thick slices of French loaf bread


    Photo Credit: Health is Wealth Photos.

    Photo Credit: Health is Wealth Photos.
     
     
    Directions:
     
    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
    • Slice the cherry tomatoes into quarters.
    • Reserved some of the basil for garnish.
    • In a small bowl, mix the cherry tomatoes, chopped basil, grated cheese, garlic and balsamic vinegar.  Add the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
    • Stir the ingredients up, cover the bowl and chill.
    • Place the three slices of French bread on a foil-lined baking sheet.
    • Brush the top side of each slice of bread with olive oil, slice the Cheddar cheese into thick pieces and place on bread.
    • Put the sheet of bread in the oven for 5-7 minutes until the cheese is golden brown.
    • Remove and place the tomato mixture evenly on each slice. Return to oven to toast for another 5 minutes.
    • Remove and garnish with remaining basil.
    • Serve immediately
    Bon appétit! 
       
    Photo Credit: Health is Wealth Photos.

    Monday, June 9, 2014

    Summer Delight Quinoa Salad

    Photo Credit: Health is Wealth Photos.
     
    
     
    This is indeed a delightful summer salad with a great deal of nutrition.  The almonds add the perfect crunchy texture and the strawberries make it exactly the right flavour for the warm weather season.
     
    Consider a homemade vegetable stock to cook the quinoa in, it will add immeasurably to the flavour.  Simply add a coarsely chopped yellow onion, carrots, garlic and celery to 2 cups of water, some salt and pepper and a bay leaf to season it and boil until the flavour of the vegetables have infused the water.  Strain the vegetables out and you're ready to cook the quinoa.  
     
    Ingredients:
     
    • 1/2 lb. baby spinach
    • 2 cups vegetable stock
    • 1 cup quinoa
    •  2 avocados, pitted, peeled and cut into small pieces
    • 1 large mango, peeled and diced
    • 7-8 strawberries, sliced lengthwise
    • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
    • 1/4 cup diced red onion
    • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • salt and pepper to taste
    Photo Credit: Health is Wealth Photos.
    Directions:

    • Place quinoa in a mesh strainer and rinse well.  Cook with the vegetable stock in a saucepan, bring to a boil then cover and simmer until the water has been absorbed and there is a ring of quinoa around the edge of the pan (about 10-15 minutes).
    • Stir the quinoa and let stand, covered for 15 minutes.
    • Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and let cool.
    • Thoroughly rinse the baby spinach and place in a large salad bowl.
    • Add the quinoa.
    • Add the avocado, mango and strawberries.
    • Add the diced almonds and red onion.
    • In a small bowl crush the garlic cloves and add the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper and whisk.
    • Drizzle onto the salad as you gently toss it, coating the spinach leaves thoroughly. 

     Bon appétit!

    Photo Credit: Health is Wealth Photos.

    Easy Crustless Quinoa Quiche

    Photo Credit: Health is Wealth Photos.

    Consider a homemade vegetable stock to cook the quinoa in, it will add immeasurably to the flavour.  Simply add a coarsely chopped yellow onion, carrots, garlic and celery to 2 cups of water, some salt and pepper and a bay leaf to season it and boil until the flavour of the vegetables have infused the water.  Strain the vegetables out and you're ready to cook the quinoa.
     
    Using a flavourful stock eliminates the slight bitterness that quinoa would otherwise have.  


    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups vegetable stock
    • 1 cup quinoa
    • 1 large yellow onion
    • 2 large carrots
    • 4 celery sticks
    • 4 cloves garlic
    • 5 medium eggs
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 1 cup grated marbled Cheddar cheese

    Photo Credit: Health is Wealth Photos.

    Directions:

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Dice the carrots, onion, celery and garlic into small pieces and reserve.
    • Place quinoa in a mesh strainer and rinse well.  Cook with the vegetable stock in a saucepan, bring to a boil then cover and simmer until the water has been absorbed and there is a ring of quinoa around the edge of the pan (about 10-15 minutes).
    • Stir the quinoa and let stand, covered for 15 minutes.
    • Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl.
    • Whisk the eggs in a small bowl and add to the quinoa.
    • Stir the quinoa and add the carrots, onion, celery and garlic.
    • Season with salt and pepper.
    • Pour the quinoa mixture into a small baking pan or high-walled oven safe pan.
    • Top the quinoa mixture with grated marbled Cheddar cheese.
    • Put baking pan in oven and bake for 15 minutes or so until the quinoa mixture is thoroughly cooked through and the cheese is golden-brown.

     Bon appétit!

    Photo Credit: Health is Wealth Photos.