I recently had the pleasure of teaming up with CleanWorkout.com to create more Delicious, Healthy, Nutritious and Versatile Meals… Japanese Balance Bowls.
I was inspired by my travels through Tokyo last year. Major department stores like Shinjuku’s Isetan and Shibuya’s Tokyo Hands had large underground grocery stores and patisseries. Filled to the brim with fresh fish, meats and produce, simple preparations are best to let the beautiful ingredients shine.
These Balance Bowls are so simple to prepare and can be customized to suit your tastes. Plus, you can make them ahead of time and store them in the refrigerate them for a quick, balanced lunch or dinner.
Red Velvet is one of those cakes that usually looks more exciting than it tastes. After years of trying, I finally create the PERFECT RED VELVET CUPCAKE!
The secret ingredient? BEETS!
To cheer on the Toronto Raptors, I combined the perfect red velvet cupcake with the perfect cream cheese frosting, and decorated them with a delicious chocolate raptor claw.
These cupcakes are great for parties and you do not have to feel that guilty for eating them.
Check out the video and recipe below!
Making the Perfect Red Velvet CakE
Ingredients:
(Yields ~9 – 10 Normal Cupcakes)
– 1/4 cup Buttermilk (or 1/4 cup of Milk + 1 tsp White Vinegar – let stand 10 minutes before using)
– 1 – 2 Medium Beets for Roasted Beet Puree
– 1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
– 2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
– 1 Egg
– 3 tbsp Natural Cocoa Powder
– 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
– 2 tbsp Water
– 1 cup All Purpose Flour (I use Five Roses Brand)
– 3/4 cup Sugar (I use Redpath’s Special Fine Granulated Sugar)
– Pinch of Salt
– 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
– 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
STEP 1: Roasted Beet Puree
– 1 – 2 Medium sized beets
– Wash beets thoroughly
– Place on aluminum foil with a drizzle of olive oil and salt
– Bake at 350 F for 75 Minutes, or until tender
– Cool and then Peel the Skin
– Chop beets in a food processor with 2-3 tbsp of water until they are coarsely ground.
STEP 2: Blend Wet Ingredients
– Combine the following in food processor
– 1/4 cup Buttermilk
– 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Beet Puree (from Step 1)
– 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
– 2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
– Blend until completely smooth
– Add 1 Egg and pulse a few times until it is mixed
STEP 3: Warm over Medium Heat
– 3 tbsp Natural Cocoa Powder
– 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
– 2 tbsp Water
– Gently simmer for a few minutes, whisking periodically so the cocoa does not burn, and then turn off the heat.
– Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before next step.
STEP 4: Sift Together
– 1 cup All Purpose Flour
– 3/4 cup Sugar
– Pinch of Salt
– 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
– 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
– Pre-heat your oven to 350 F
– Whisk together dry ingredients
– Add the slightly cooled Cocoa and Oil Mixture, and mix to combine.
– Add your Beet mixture in three stages.
– Scrape down the bowl and mix for 10 seconds after each addition.
– Fill your lined cupcake tins with batter
– Use an ice cream scoop for even cakes and cooking time.
– Bake at 350 F for 18 – 20 minutes.
– You can usually tell they are done when you smell cake!
Making your Chocolate “Raptor Claw” Decorations
What you Need:
– 3/4 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
– 1 tbsp Cream
– Red Sugar Crystals
– Silicone Baking Liner
– Combine the chocolate chips and cream.
– Microwave on Medium Heat for 1 minute.
– Mix well. If chocolate has not melted, heat for 30 seconds at medium heat (repeat if necessary).
– Use a tea spoon to spread your chocolate “claws” onto your silicone baking liner.
– When you are happy with your shapes, sprinkle with red sugar crystals.
– Place your baking liner on a tray and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Making The Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
(Yields ~6 Heavily Frosted Cupcakes)
– 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
– 3 tbsp Special Fine Granulated Sugar
– 1/2 cup Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
– 1 tbsp Icing Sugar
– 2 tbsp Whole Milk
– Add Butter and sugar to stand mixer and beat for approximately 10 minutes.
– The mixture will roughly double in size and turn white.
– When it has whipped enough, you will not notice the texture of sugar crystals.
– When the butter and sugar is whipped, add Philadelphia Cream Cheese, icing sugar and milk.
– Whip for a few minutes, scraping down the bowl, until the icing is light and fluffy.
ASSEMBLING your Cupcakes
– Use a ziplock bag to pipe your Cream Cheese Frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
– Sprinkle with Red Decorative Sugar Crystals.
– Carefully remove Chocolate “Claws” from Silicone Baking Sheet (use a knife or spatula to help).
– Gently place your claws and serve!
The Countdown to Easter is over! The lamb has arrived and even though there is still one more day of fasting, the cooking and excitement have started.
The best way – and only – way to start an Easter meal is with a light lamb soup. Magiritsa is full of romaine lettuce and lemon. On Easter, we have it as an appetizer, but when it is made throughout the year it makes a great light meal.
Tip: Talk to your local butcher and ask them for bones the next time you are making a soup (be it chicken, lamb, pork or beef). In my experience, when they are made available on the shelf, they sell out quickly!
Wishing you all a Happy Easter. Christos Anesti, Alithos Anesti!
For Part Four of my Countdown to Easter series, I am making delicious, versatile and healthy vegan Stuffed Peppers, or “Gemista.”
Ingredients:
6 Bell Peppers (or Whole Tomatoes)
1 Leek, Thinly Sliced
2 Green Onions, Thinly Sliced
1 Shallot, Thinly Sliced
4 Small Garlic Cloves, Chopped
1 Celery Stalk, Sliced Thinly
1 Carrot, Sliced Thinly
1 cup Arborio Rice
Water
4 or 5 Potatoes, Chopped into 3/4 inch cubes
3/4 cup Tomato Puree + 1/4 cup Water or Stock (for Rice Mixture)
3 tbsp Tomato Paste
1 Large Handful Chopped Mint
2 Large Handfulls Chopped Parsley
1 cup Tomato Juice (or 1/2 cup Tomato Puree + 1/2 cup Water or Stock) for topping peppers and potatoes
1. Sautee the leek, green onions, shallot and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until soft and translucent.
2. Toast your rice in the leek mixture for a few minutes to absorb the flavour.
3. Add your vegetables and 1 cup of water or stock to the leek and rice mixture (try carrot, celery, tomato, eggplant, zucchini or squash). Simmer the rice for 8 minutes.
4. While your rice is simmering, peel and chop your potatoes. Season them with olive oil, salt, pepper and dried oregano. Set aside.
5. Carefully slice the tops off your bell peppers (or tomatoes) and clean out the seeds and ribs. Keep the tops so you can cover the rice for cooking.
6. Place your potatoes into the pan between the peppers.
7. Season the inside of each pepper with olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano.
8. Before filling your peppers, add 3/4 cup of tomato puree, 1/4 cup water and 3 tbsp tomato paste to your rice. Fold in fresh parsley and mint, and taste for seasoning.
9. Fill your peppers with rice and top each one with roughly 3 tbsp of tomato juice. Cover the peppers with their tops and drizzle the remaining tomato juice over the pepper tops and potatoes.
10. Bake at 350 F for 75 Minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked.
11. Enjoy immediately or as leftovers… Gemista are even better the next day.
Thank you, CleanWorkout, for letting me showcase this recipe!
This recipe was so good that I had to share it on my blog, as well!.As part of my role creating digital content for CleanWorkout.com, I have been working on healthy recipes and adaptations for their website and for their clients. This recipe for Homemade Multigrain Bread is delicious, easy, and healthy! Plus, it is vegan!
The recipe is slightly time consuming, but it is the perfect project to take on during a lazy Sunday or rainy day.
The link to their full article is available here (I highly recommend checking it out to learn some of the nutritional benefits of millet and the other superfoods used in the recipe), but I am copying the recipe below.
Roughly 2 1/4 cups Wholegrain Flour (may need more or less depending on kitchen humidity)
1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
1 tbsp Oats, For Topping
Start by making your Homemade Multigrain Flour Mixture. In a food processor, combine equal parts of whatever grains you would like to add to your bread. Try the following mix, but feel free to add additional grains, or use what you have available:
Clean Recipe Tip: Make extra Multigrain Flour and store it in your freezer or refrigerator. Mix it with all purpose or wholegrain flour in your regular baking recipes.
In a large glass bowl, mix your Homemade Multigrain Flour with boiling water. Stir to combine and let stand 20 minutes until it is just warm.
2. Combine the Multigrain Mix with Boiling Water and let stand.
3. You can see the yeast working as your mixture bubbles.
Mix in the liquid fat (coconut oil, melted butter, or olive oil), then the honey. Stir to combine completely, then add yeast and bread improver (if using). Mix with a spatula and let stand another 10 to 15 minutes for the yeast to activate.
Add one cup of flour and knead – you can knead your bread in a stand mixer or by hand. Next, add in your Extra Whole Grains, if you are using any. Continue kneading, adding half a cup of flour at a time. Knead the dough for 10 to 15 minutes, until it is no longer sticking to your fingers.
Cover with a damp cloth and let stand 1 hour in a warm place.
Start your dough by mixing 1 cup of Wholegrain Flour.
If you like, mix in your whole Flax Seeds, Whole Hulled Millet, and whole Chia Seeds.
Continue to knead the dough.
As you knead the dough, it will absorb the flour and get sticky.
Add a little more flour and keep kneading until it is barely sticky.
Form your dough into a ball, cover it with a damp towel, and let rise for 1 to 2 hours.
Sprinkle your risen dough with sea salt and knead for 5 minutes. Cover again and let stand for another hour.
Grease your loaf pan with butter, coconut oil or oil. Roll dough into a loaf shape and place into greased pan. If you like, lightly press oats onto the top. Let rise 1 hour before baking.
Place your formed dough into a greased loaf pan.
Let the dough rise 1 hour before baking.
Bake your bread in a pre-heated 375 F oven for 28 – 32 minutes. Your bread will be golden brown and slightly hollow sounding when tapped.
Remove loaf from pan and cool on a rack.
Bake in a pre-heated 375F oven until golden brown (roughly 28 – 32 minutes).
Cool your bread on a wire rack. Beware falling oats! They do not all stick to the bread.
There is nothing better than warm, fresh bread and butter… especially when the bread is packed with superfood grains like millet, quinoa, buckwheat, flax and chia seeds. This bread is loaded with fibre, protein and healthy carbohydrates.
Enjoy your bread warm from the oven (the best way!) with a little butter, or enjoy it throughout the week. Bread keeps well in the freezer, so you can also freeze a loaf to have another time. Homemade bread is also a great gift for friends and family (no need to tell them how healthy it is before they taste it!)
Pasta has to be one of the ultimate comfort foods. I often get tired of tomato or meat sauce, so I am always thinking of new toppings for my spaghetti. One of my favourites is a light lemon dressing with lots of fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese.
Next time you are feeling a pasta craving, try this. It will surely become a staple in your “Quick, Easy and Delicious” recipe book, as well!
Have you ever found a recipe, studied it meticulously, dreamt about making it, and then when you finally had the time to bake it, it just did not turn out?
It is so frustrating to put all that time, effort and expense into a recipe that ends up in the trash or being fed to the squirrels. After countless experiments, I finally adapted the perfect tender, lightly sweet, and crispy-topped cornbread.
Bonus – this is a small batch recipe. Enjoy your cornbread for two to three days without having any waste. This recipe can easily be doubled if you are cooking for a family or a party.
Since it is a Basic Recipe, experiment with different flavourings like cheddar cheese, chilli powder or jalepeno peppers.
I am always on the lookout for new beauty trends, products, and even natural cosmetic alternatives. Beauty, however, starts on the inside, and what you put into your body is just as important as what you use on the outside.
Here is a collection of some of my favourite products, tips, and tricks to looking and feeling your best!
