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Coconut Cookies with Marmalade Icing

By + on May 9, 2013 in Recipes, Using jams and jellies
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Coconut Cookies with Citrus Marmalade Icing

My son loves coconut cake and I used to make it for his birthday dinner as he was growing up.  Now that he is in college during his birthday, it’s a little tough to send a fluffy, iced, two-tier coconut cake through the mail.  So I defaulted to coconut cookies with marmalade icing in a care package, hoping it would satisfy the celebratory coconut cake yearning.

Always on the lookout for ways to use HeathGlen’s jams and marmalades, I decided to ice the coconut cookies with the citrus marmalades we make:  Meyer Lemon marmalade, Lime & Green Tea Marmalade, Grapefruit Campari Marmalade, and  Blood Orange Marmalade.  Thinking the delicate flavor of the coconut cookies might be overwhelmed by something like a buttercream frosting, I decided to use a thin citrus-based icing.  Lime is a classic pairing with coconut, but all of the citrus marmalade icings worked really well, adding a range of color and citrus backgrounds.

Recipe for Coconut Cookies with Marmalade Icing:

Ingredients for Cookies:

  • best dark 480x640 225x300 Coconut Cookies with Marmalade Icing

    Coconut Cookies with Marmalade Glaze

    1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, divided into two 1/2 cups

  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, (3/4 stick), softened to room temp.
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temp.
  • 2 Tbsp oil, I use grapeseed but vegetable oil will work
  • 1 egg, large
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • extra coconut for topping

Directions for Cookies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or lightly oil the baking sheet), and sprinkle 1 cup of coconut evenly over the sheet (1/2 cup of coconut is for using later as topping).  Bake 5-8 minutes, turning a few times with a spatula, until lightly browned.  Watch carefully, as different ovens have different temperature variations.

In a medium bowl, using a wire whisk, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and 1/2 cup of the browned coconut (only use 1/2 cup of the coconut here).

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, cream cheese, and oil until thoroughly combined.  Add the egg and vanilla and mix until just combined.

Slowly add in the flour mixture, a half cup at a time so as not to fly all over the place.  Mix each time until flour is well-combined.

Form the dough into 1″ balls and place on the baking sheet.  Make sure the baking sheet has cooled down from toasting the coconut.  If it is still warm, turn the baking sheet over and run cold water on the underside so cookie dough will not spread on a warm sheet.  Slightly flatten the cookie balls with your hand

Bake about 14 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool before icing and topping with remaining coconut.

Citrus Marmalade Icing:

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Coconut Cookies with Marmalade Glaze

Ingredients:

  • 3 Tbsp citrus marmalade
  • 1/2 c. powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp citrus zest (optional)

Directions:

  1. While the cookies are cooling, mix together all of the ingredients for the marmalade glaze.
  2. You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer for this, or alternatively, sift the powdered sugar and mix together with a spoon (just make sure to get all the clumps out).
  3. If the glaze is not thick enough, add extra powdered sugar, 1/8 cup at a time until it is the consistency you like.
  4. Spread glaze on the cooled cookies with a pastry brush or butter knife, and sprinkle with the extra toasted coconut.
  5. Store in an airtight container for 3-5 days.

 

 

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Plate of Coconut Cookies with Marmalade Glazes

My favorite glaze was the Blood Orange, but my son really liked the Meyer Lemon.  Wasn’t quite the showpiece as the two-tiered coconut birthday cake, but as the farmer said in the movie Babe…”that’ll do”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Easy Fish Cakes for the Slow Carb Diet

By + on May 4, 2013 in Recipes, Slow Carb (4-Hr body) Diet, slow carb diet recipes
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Fish Cakes with Chile Sauce

After experimenting for a week with different renditions of fish cakes, I found that fish cakes can be quite wonderful, or they can be as dry as cardboard.  It came down to two variations… what kind of fish was used, and how thoroughly the fish was broken down in the mixing process.

The Good Fish Cakes:

Inspired by one of Gordon Ramsey’s shows, I first made the fish cakes with fresh-frozen filets, in this case a mix of catfish and cod (he used black cod, but I used the filets I happened to have in the freezer).  They turned out wonderful.  They were flaky, tender and mellow in flavor, which was enhanced by a spicy chile sauce and a tangy tartar sauce.

The Horrible Fish Cakes:

My diet partner in crime (aka husband) thought they were a little too mellow and might be better with tuna.  So, being the accommodating sort, I tried it with canned tuna.  They were so dry they were almost inedible!  I thought maybe it was because I used too much tuna, or because it was processed in the blender for too long.

The Marginal Fish Cakes:

Based on the above hypothesis (too much fish and too much blending), I tried again, only this time with canned salmon and no blender action.  They were marginally better than the cardboard, but still terribly dry.  I think the texture of the canned fish is just so meaty from being packed and compressed into cans that it is difficult for the tender nature of the fish to come through.  I have made crab cakes with canned crab before, and they were pretty good, but the crab is packed into the cans much more loosely.  And even with the loose packing, the crab cakes didn’t hold a candle to the fresh-frozen filet cakes.

Recipe for Spicy Catfish Cakes (the good one):

best 2 287x300 Easy Fish Cakes for the Slow Carb Diet

Spicy Catfish Cakes

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp grapeseed oil
  • 2 lbs. skinless fish filets, cut into small pieces
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 Tbsp scallions, sliced thinly on an angle
  • 3 Tbsp Italian parsley leaves, chopped
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
  • pinch of coriander (1/4 tsp)
  • 1 tsp chipotle powder, (or any chile powder)
  • squeeze of fresh lime juice (I used juice from 2 lime wedges)
  • 1/4 tsp fish sauce

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F
  2. Combine all ingredients in large bowl and mash together with fork or hands until well blended (alternatively, you can combine in blender fitted with blade attachment and just pulse lightly about 5 pulses – do not overblend!).  What you are aiming for is a mixture of small, medium and large chunks of fish.
  3. Using your hands, form small balls of the fish mixture into patties about 1/2 inch thick and about 2-3 inches in diameter (about 1/3 cup each).
  4. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in large skillet (cast iron if you have it), until lightly smoking (about 3 minutes).  Place patties in skillet starting at 6:00 direction and moving clockwise, so you remember which ones to turn over first.  Do not crowd the patties; leave a little room between each one.
  5. Cook patties until browned and crispy on one side (about 5 minutes).  Do not move them around while they are browning.   Flip, starting at the 6:00 fish cake, and brown about 3 minutes or less on the other side
  6. Remove the fish cakes to a baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm.  Add more oil to skillet if needed and repeat process with remaining patties.

Two Dipping Sauces – Tartar Sauce and Spicy Vinegar Sauce:

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Spicy Fish Cakes with Dipping Sauces

Tartar Sauce:

Combine following ingredients in bowl and stir until thoroughly blended.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 3 Tbsp capers
  • 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp dill pickles, finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp scallion, chopped
  • freshly ground pepper, about 1/4 tsp

Spicy Dipping Sauce:

Combine following ingredients in bowl, stir, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

  • 2 Tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • lime juice, fresh from 2 wedges
  • 1 Tbsp coriander
  • sugar (use sugar to taste if not on slow carb diet, otherwise exclude it)

The Slow Carb Diet is great, and I am definitely benefiting from it, but I am trying to incorporate more fish as the proteins.  Any ideas you might have would certainly be welcomed!

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Cocktails and Mocktails Using Garden-Made Beverage Syrups: Blueberry Series

By + on April 28, 2013 in Beverages, cocktails, mocktails, using beverage syrups
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Blueberry Lavender Martini

In an effort to put my decade of  bartending experience  together with my decade (and a half) of farming experience,  I thought it would be fun to work up a series of posts about cocktails and mocktails using garden-made beverage syrups.  In our commercial farm kitchen, we have been developing a range of fruity-acid shrub syrups, as well as the sweeter fruit and herbal simple syrups for a couple of years now, and these syrups are ripe for “research” on how best to use them in cocktails and mocktails to enhance flavor.

Cocktails and Mocktails Using Blueberry-Based Beverage Syrups

First up in the cocktail-mocktail series are four easy drinks using blueberry-based syrups.  The “shrub” type of syrups are fruit based syrups that have apple cider vinegar added, giving them a refreshing acidity balanced out by the sugar and fruit so that it is not sour.  The simple syrups do not have the vinegar and therefore tend to be sweeter, and they are often infused with herbs or spices.

The most popular blueberry-based syrups that we make at the farm are the Blueberry-Tarragon-Shrub-Sryup and the Blueberry Lavender Syrup.  After taste testing these two syrups in a variety of spirited drinks (somebody has to be the taste tester and it might as well be me), we came up with four favorites and I have outlined the recipes below.  Cocktails and Mocktails are very forgiving, so feel free to experiment with proportions.  If you want to make your own Blueberry Tarragon Shrub Syrup, see this post.

 

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Blueberry Tarragon Shrub Martini

Blueberry Tarragon Shrub Martini:

Directions:

  • Fill a shaker with ice cubes.
  • Add 4 parts vodka to 1 part Blueberry Tarragon Shrub Syrup to shaker and shake
  • Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
  • Garnish with fresh blueberries.

 

 

 

 Blueberry Tarragon Shrub Spritzer (Mocktail):

 

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Blueberry Tarragon Shrub Spritzer

Directions:

  • Fill a 8 oz glass or tall tumbler with ice
  • Add 1 1/2 oz (or 3-4 Tbsp) Blueberry Tarragon Shrub Syrup to glass
  • Fill glass to top with club soda, sparkling water, or tonic water and stir until blended
  • For directions on making your own shrub syrup see this post

 

Blueberry Lavender Martini:

Ingredients:

best blueberry vodka martini 639x640 300x300 Cocktails and Mocktails Using Garden Made Beverage Syrups: Blueberry Series

Blueberry Lavender Martini

  • 2 oz. vodka (I like Absolut Pepper)
  • 1 oz. Blueberry Lavender Syrup
  • 1/4 of whole lime (can use lemon instead)
  • fresh blueberries for garnish

Directions:

  1. Fill a shaker with ice cubes.
  2. Add vodka, Blueberry Lavender Syrup and squeeze of fresh lime juice to shaker
  3. Shake well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass
  4. Garnish with fresh blueberries.

 

 

Blueberry Lavender Lemonade:

best blueberry lemonade 2 470x640 220x300 Cocktails and Mocktails Using Garden Made Beverage Syrups: Blueberry Series

Blueberry Lavender Lemonade

Directions:

  • Fill a tall glass with ice
  • Add 1 part Blueberry Lavender Syrup to 4 parts lemonade
  • Stir, garnish with fresh blueberries and serve

That’s it.  Once you have the beverage syrup made, it couldn’t be easier.  The basic formula for a simple syrup is 1 part juice to 1 part sugar, with any herbs or spices infused into the syrup by bringing it to a boil and then allowing it to steep for about 30 minutes.

I am finding a lot of uses for the shrub syrups.  I have a bottle sitting on the table with the salt and pepper shakers, and I’ll sprinkle some of it on salads, on greens, or just about anything that I want to give a slight acid lift to.

If you want to see a few other ideas for using fruit beverage syrups see this post.

 

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Fast Food for the Slow Carb Diet

By + on April 19, 2013 in Recipes, Slow Carb (4-Hr body) Diet, slow carb diet recipes
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Fast lunch on the Slow Carb Diet

There are all kinds of fantastic meals one could make and still be true to the Slow Carb Diet, but there is a reason that Tim Ferris developed Rule#2:  ”Eat the same few meals over and over again.”  It has to do with lifestyle.  He tells you not to fool yourself that you will cook…because you won’t.  Well as a mom, wife and foodie-type, I have managed to cook some pretty tasty and creative meals for the slow carb diet, but I have to admit I do get tired of thinking up  meals every four hours.

I am as hard pressed for time as anyone and I just can’t find the time or energy to be creative 24/7.   However, I am on my third month now of the slow carb diet and have found a few “fast food” tricks that have worked for me at those meals where you just don’t want to think about it.  The key for me has been to keep breakfast and lunch quick, easy and somewhat repetitive and then get more creative and slow down a bit at dinner.  Here are a few tips that have made my life on the slow carb diet easier:

Breakfast on the Slow Carb Diet:  Quick and Easy

I am sold on Ferris’ mantra of “30 in 30″, that is…30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up.  This has probably been the biggest (and most effective) change for me, as my pre-slow-carb-diet breakfast consisted of coffee and cookies…a lot of cookies.  After a month of “30 in 30″, I saw my energy level increase dramatically and I am now more disciplined with breakfast than any other meal.  Here are my favorite tips for fast, easy breakfasts:

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    Coffee and Vietnamese Cinnamon for Slow Carb Diet

    Leftovers:  Make enough dinner proteins that you have some left for breakfast the next day.  It’s pretty easy to heat something up in the microwave while you are still waking up, and if you put some effort into making a good dinner, it is going to taste good the second time around.

  2. Protein Drinks:  I only drink the protein drink if I am going to work out that morning, because most of the protein drinks out there have quite a few carbohydrates and/or sugars in them also.  Be careful and read the labels when you buy a protein drink, they vary quite a bit in calories and carbs.  Ferris recommended one that was high in protein and low in carbs, but since I can’t easily find it at the local store it is not for me.  I often will supplement the protein drink with some cottage cheese or a couple of spoonfuls of peanut butter, as it is sometimes difficult to get the full 30 grams of protein from the drinks.
  3. Cinnamon:  I love, love coffee, and adding a teaspoon of cinnamon for health benefits certainly doesn’t hurt the taste of the coffee.  Ferris recommends the Vietnamese cinnamon, and since I have read other complimentary research on its benefits I ordered a supply from King Arthur Flour (3 oz jar for $5.95). http://search.kingarthurflour.com/search?p=Q&asug=&af=type%3Aproducts&w=vietnamese+cinnamon
  4. Eggs:  Scrambled eggs are the most versatile protein you can make, and once you get the technique down they literally take all of 2 minutes to make.  You really do need to take a few steps in making the eggs correctly however, or you will end up with dry tasteless eggs that you will easily tire of.  A few tips:
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    Slow Carb Diet Breakfast Standard

    The Pan and the Oil.  Put a non-stick pan (cast iron if possible) on the burner, add a little grapeseed oil and turn the burner onto low, allowing the pan to warm up for a minute or so.  Cast iron is preferred because even though it may not heat evenly at first, once it is warmed it retains the heat in an even pattern.  Eggs ten to stick to pans (see Dave Arnold’s blog for the scientific reason why), so I usually add a little grapeseed oil to the pan for easy cleanup.

  • The Eggs.  Use fresh, organic eggs if at all possible.  While the pan is warming up, crack 3-4 eggs into a bowl and beat slightly with a whisk.
  • The Seasonings.  Have your favorite seasonings or seasoning blends handy and add them at this point.  This is how you can really vary the taste with a minimum of effort.  My favorite is a chipotle salt, but if I have the time I might add chopped scallions or ginger.
  • The Texture.  Pour the whisked eggs into the warmed pan and use a “rubber spatula” or a non-metal pancake turner to turn the eggs.  Do not mess with them by vigorously chopping them up or stirring them around in the pan!  Just turn them over a couple of times, making a few slices through them to break them up.  Do not overcook!  The french have a phrase for the perfect texture of scrambled eggs…”snotty”.  My husband thought this term was fairly unappetizing, but it does the trick for describing when they are done.  Soft, fluffy, spicy, “snotty” eggs……..yum.
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Slow Carb Diet Lunch Standard

Quick, Easy & Tasty Lunch on the Slow Carb Diet:

My favorite go-to lunch takes 2 minutes to pull together and has a lot of flavor.  The recipe (such as it is):

  • Rinse a can of black beans and dump into a microwave-safe bowl.
  • Add your favorite salsa to the beans, to taste, and microwave for a couple of minutes.
  • While the beans are heating, slice an avocado and add on top of the beans when they are done.
  • Just remember to think ahead on avocados — let them ripen for several days on the counter and then refrigerate after they are ripe.  You can also freeze avocados effectively if they ripen before you can use them.

A Snack to Fill in for Chips on the Slow Carb Diet:

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Slow Carb Diet – Crunchy Snack

Sometimes what you miss most on high-protein diets is the texture of a favorite food rather than the taste.  My husband really missed the crisp crunch of chips, but of course chips, cheese curls and the like are not allowed on this diet (or any diet really).  He has become “Mr. Label-Reader” lately, and ended up finding a chip substitute with no carbs, no sugar, and a little bit of protein.

These crispy snacks go by several names:  Chicharrones, Pork Cracklins, or Bacon Puffs.  They are essentially fried pork fat with the skin attached and salt added.  While they do have saturated fat, which is not the healthiest thing in the world for you, they can sometimes get you over the hump of craving the past tortilla chips.

Well, that’s all for the fast food take.  I do love to cook… but just not always.

For some more inventive recipes that work for the slow carb diet see:

A few of the Slow Carb Diet recipes coming next month include:

  • Moroccan Fish Cakes
  • Roasted Cauliflower with Saffron and Spice
  • Sauteed Chicken Thighs with Mustard and Fennel
  • Chipotle Meatballs with Spaghetti Squash

 

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Asparagus & Eggs on Spiced Artichoke Bed: Slow Carb Diet (4-Hr Body Diet)

By + on April 11, 2013 in Mediterranean, Recipes, Slow Carb (4-Hr body) Diet, slow carb diet recipes
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Roasted Artichokes & Asparagus with Baked Eggs

Vegetables are the darlings of most of the popular diets today, including the Slow Carb Diet, Atkins, Paleo, and the Mediterranean diet.  Alas, with the Slow Carb Diet and the Atkins diet only certain vegetables are allowed, those with limited carbohydrates and sugars.  After two months of broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower and greens I find myself longing for other vegetables to accompany the proteins.

Asparagus is in season now, and I thought artichoke hearts might just work as a vegetable bed for the asparagus and protein, instead of grains.   I’ve made something similar to this with quinoa as a bed and with romano cheese grated over the top.  It was great, but grains and dairy are not allowed on the Slow Carb Diet, unless it is a cheat day of course.  This mash-up of vegetables, spices and eggs turned out to be just as delightful to the taste buds and the cheese and grains version.  If you follow a more Mediterranean Diet however, just substitute red quinoa in as the bed, or add it to the artichoke hearts for more texture.

By the way, I love the Slow Carb Diet, and have lost 15 pounds so far without having to give up desserts and grains.  It’s just that you have to limit the carbohydrates and sugar to one day a week (really a half-day as they’re not allowed for breakfast).  The problem with the Slow Carb Diet is that it really was designed for young men who don’t like to cook.  As a foodie-type, that just won’t work, so I’ve ignored Rule #2, which states “Eat the same few meals over and over again”.  Ah, no thank you, sounds very boring.

*Note on frozen artichokes:  they do contain 5 grams of carbs per 3/4 cup, but most of it is dietary fiber.  Watch out for canned artichoke hearts if you are counting carbs…some brands are pretty high in carbs and some add sugar.

Asparagus & Eggs on a Spiced Artichoke Bed: Adapted for the Slow Carb Diet

IMG 4966 300x256 Asparagus & Eggs on Spiced Artichoke Bed: Slow Carb Diet (4 Hr Body Diet)

Slow-carb-diet Egg & Vegetable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 9-oz package of frozen artichoke hearts
  • grapeseed oil (6 Tbsp, divided)
  • 4 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme, minced (optional)
  • smoked paprika, to taste
  • red pepper flakes, (optional)
  • 1 lb fresh asparagus
  • 4 eggs, organic
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • fresh lemon quarters

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Chop the artichoke hearts (easier to do while still partially frozen) and place in a bowl with 3 Tbsp grapeseed oil, minced garlic, thyme, paprika, and pepper flakes (if using).  Toss until artichokes are well coated.  Dump out onto sheet pan, and move the mixture to cover only 1/2 of the sheet pan, keeping the other half reserved for the asparagus.
  3. Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus, and peel the remaining stalks if they are large and woody (small, tender ones don’t need to be peeled).  Snap them into 2″ pieces (optional).  Place the asparagus spears on the empty 1/2 of the baking sheet, toss them with a couple Tbsp of grapeseed oil, and add salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Warm a non-stick skillet over low heat (may want to add a little oil, eggs tend to stick to even non-stick skillets).  Crack eggs into  bowl, taking care not to break yolks (if you want them to be pretty, crack each egg into its own individual ramekin).
  5. Place vegetable mixture into oven and start roasting.  It will take about 10-15 minutes, but keep an eye on the vegetables so they do not burn, turning or shaking the pan occasionally.
  6. After the vegetables have roasted for about 10 minutes, start the eggs.  Slide the eggs into the warm skillet, sprinkle with salt and pepper and a pinch of paprika, and place cover over the skillet.  Cook over low heat until the whites are firm but the yolks are still runny, about 4-5 minutes.
  7. Serve:  Squeeze fresh lemon juice over roasted artichokes, and place on plate as the bed.  Arrange asparagus spears on the bed of artichokes and place baked eggs on top.  Garnish with thyme.
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