Saturday, February 25, 2012

Killer Crab Dip!



Last night we had some good friends in for some long overdue catching up. We had decided on appetizers for dinner so we could just graze and talk. One of our appetizers was this crab dip.

Over thirty years ago I met two people who would become lifelong friends – Steve & Corrie. We met when he worked with my dad and we all had such a good time together - their parents made any gathering into a party – especially Corrie’s dad! My sons are still reduced to giggles when we talk about our last dinner with him! And I clearly remember Steve’s mom giving me a little bit of mothering advice during a Juvenille Diabetes walk when Marc was about four and acting crazy silly. Sadly, Corrie’s parents are no longer with us and Steve’s mom has passed, too. I am thankful for the memories of them and my life is fuller for having known them.


This recipe was Steve’s mom’s and I hadn't made it in twenty years. The smell, the taste – it instantly took me back in time. It is amazing that food is so powerful in emotional and physical ways. That a smell or taste can bring back such strong and wonderful memories is wild to me.  It’s important for me to be reminded of this so I have empathy for new Feingold families making big changes in their family’s diets.

Anyway, back to crab dip. Nothing could be easier to prepare. I made a few minor changes to cut the fat – while that wasn’t a problem in my twenties things are a lot different in my fifties!  I subbed half the cream cheese for fat free Greek yogurt and omitted the mayo originally called for. Tweaked the mustard and lowered the sugar. Tasted just as yummy to me as the original. Not the least bit "healthy" tasting and, in fact, quite decadent! 

Killer Crab Dip

12 ounces Cream Cheese (1 & ½ 8 ounce blocks)
12 ounces Greek Yogurt – fat free
¼ - ½ cup White Wine
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt & Pepper to taste

Melt all of the above over low heat, stirring occasionally. 

Add:

3 6 ounce cans Crab Meat

Mix and warm through.  Can be served warm or cool with your favorite gluten free crackers and/or mixed raw veggies.  

Enjoy! 

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Coconut Flour Muffins with Cranberries, Pecans & Chocolate Chips



Happy Valentine’s Day!  

Today I made these muffins for some of my favorite Valentines. They are easy, gluten free, grain free, dairy free, high protein (coconut flour, eggs and pecans), lower fat (by subbing canned coconut milk for oil) and oh so yummy!

Coconut Flour Muffins with Cranberries, Pecans & Chocolate Chips

Heat oven to 400 degrees
Prepare 2 cupcake pans with 24 paper liners 

1 cup Coconut Flour
½ teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
12 Eggs
1 cup Coconut Milk, canned
2/3 cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla

Combine all ingredients in bowl of Kitchenaid mixer on low speed to combine.  Increase speed to medium high for two minutes or until smooth. 

Add:
¾ cup Dried Cranberries, Chopped
¾ cup Pecans, Chopped
¾ cup Mini Chocolate Chips

And mix thoroughly. Pour nearly to the brim into prepared pans and bake at 400 degrees for a approximately 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Friday, February 10, 2012

Chipotle & Lime Black Bean Burgers




This post has been shared on Gluten Free Wednesdays please check it out! 

The men in my family are big eaters and it is a constant challenge to feed them well and keep our food budget under control. While they enjoy meat I try to keep it to a minimum for both health and budget reasons. Thankfully we all love veggie burgers which are a really satisfying plant-based and budget-friendly meal. I have been playing around with a black bean version and really like this one. The smokey hot flavor of Chipotle peppers is so good. I recently found a ground Chipotle powder which a lot more convenient than the little cans of Chipotle peppers in sauce.  A little bit goes a very long way - these are really spicy so adjust the amount of Chipotle powder if you don't like things too hot.

I made these a little larger to fit our favorite sandwich bread. Sometimes it's nicer to have a veggie burger on toast rather than buns.  If you have a Whole Foods nearby look for this loaf.  It's from their Whole Foods Gluten Free Bake House but it's right on the shelves with the rest of the fresh bread.  (This isn't Feingold approved - I am waiting to submit it for approval until I get an all clear on the PIC site.) Anyway, it's big and soft and wonderful.  
Like my other veggie burgers they are vegan and tofu-free and therefore a little soft and crumbly. The parchment paper makes baking and flipping easier.


Chipotle & Lime Black Bean Burgers:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Line baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly oil with olive oil

Roughly puree together:
2 cans (15 ounces each) Black Beans, drained
1 cup chopped Onion
1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
2 Tblespoons Flax Meal
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Lime Juice
1/2 teaspoon Chipotle Powder
dash Garlic Powder
½ teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Pepper

You can use either an immersion (stick) blender or food processor.  I like to keep a few beans whole for texture.  Shape into eight burgers/patties on the parchment lined baking sheet.   They will be quite soft and you may want to wet your hands while shaping.  Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully flip and bake 20 minutes or longer until browned.

I love the hot Mexican flavors with cooling guacamole. All the guys gobbled them up. Marc says these are by far his favorite of the veggie burgers I make.  =D

Enjoy! 

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Coconut, Pecan & Chocolate Spread!



Trader Joe's has a chocolaty almond spread on the new product shelves and I was so tempted to put it in my cart.  It looked creamy, dark and delicious but there was a bit too much sugar for me so I put it back on the shelf and picked up a couple of ingredients instead.

I had decided to make my own but by the time I got to work I got a little sidetracked thinking about German Chocolate Cake.   That's kind of how my mind works. My spread took a decidedly different turn and it's kind of like German Chocolate Cake on a spoon.  It is not too sweet and it is purposefully not too creamy so it has a little texture like a GCC filling and frosting.

On toast it was a really decadent tasting breakfast. It’s full of healthy coconut, dates and pecans - you could do worse for breakfast!

I prefer a little coconut oil for the health benefits but you don't need to use it if you prefer lower fat treats. My ingredients were raw but toasted pecans would be great, too. I loved it straight from the food processor.  The next morning the flavors had mingled nicely and I thought it was even better.

I think I’ll spread the remainder on an 8” x 8” cake this weekend if I don’t use it for pancakes I'll be making in the morning.    

Coconut, Pecan & Chocolate Spread
Make about 1 ½ cups

In a food processor combine the following:

2/3 Cup Coconut, shredded
1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 Tablespoon Cocoa
1 cup raw Pecan Pieces
6 Dates
Dash Sea Salt

Process until creamy but not entirely pureed. I poured mine into a jar and stored it in the fridge. It hardens up when cool but softens pretty quickly on the counter. Spread on toast, cookies, or whatever you like.


Enjoy!