Acid Fruit Salad

19 Jan

Fruit salad come in different varieties – those made with what we call “sweet” fruits – like bananas, papayas, mangoes, red apples, etc.  And my favorite, “acid” fruit salads, made with fruits that are more tart, like oranges, kiwi fruit, grapes, strawberries, pineapples, etc.

At work, we planned a breakfast to celebrate a co-worker’s birthday.  I was somewhat surprised thta no one had offered to bring any fresh fruits.  The “pot luck” menu was full of baked goods, greasy foods and not a fruit in sight.  So I offered to bring a fruit salad.  This is one of my favorite combinations…

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ACID FRUIT SALAD

1 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut in small pieces
5 kiwi fruit, peeled and cut in small pieces
2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and cut in small pieces
1 medium bunch of green or red grapes, cut in half and seeded, if not seedless
2 navel oranges, peeled and supremed
4 red plums, peeled and cut into small pieces
the juice of 1 lemon
honey to taste
  1. Mix in a large bowl the pineapple, kiwi fruit, grapes and plums. 
  2. When you peel and cut the apple, drizzle some of the lemon juice to prevent browning.  Add to salad.
  3. To supreme the oranges, peel all the orange until you reach the flesh.  With a paring knife, cut in between each membrane so you get clean segments of orange without the membrane.  This way it’s easier to eat.  Add to the salad.  Squeeze the membrane over the salad to capture any remaining juice.
  4. Drizzle with some honey to sweeten if the fruits are too tart.  This will also help “juice” the fruits a bit.

This is the best way to start your day… Enjoy!!!

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Tuno Antipasto

19 Jan

Antipasto… when you hear the word you probably think of a platter of salamis, deli meats, Italian cheeses, olives, roasted peppers, etc.  And you would be right…

However, don’t ask me why or how, but in Puerto Rico, a party delicacy served warm made out of tuna or chicken, stewed with lots of onions, peppers and in a rich tomato sauce is also called an antipasto.  My version, of course, is made with Tuno – a brand of frozen soy protein flavored with seeweeds to taste like tuna.

You can have this as a warm party “dip” or  it goes great on top of rice or even pasta.

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TUNO ANTIPASTO

1/3 cup of Tuno, defrosted
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
1 medium cubanelle pepper, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, finely minced 
1/2 cup pureed tomatoes or tomato sauce
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 laurel bay leaf
1 roasted red bell pepper
2 tbs capers or sliced green stuffed olives
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
  1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, pour olive oil and onions.  Sautee for a few minutes, add peppers and garlic.  Add some slat and pepper to help the mixture release some moisture.  Sautee until softened.
  2. Add frozen Tuno.  Cover saucepan, this will help the Tuno defrost completely.

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3.  Add tomato sauce, vinegar, roasted peppers, bay leaf, capers or olives. 

4.  Cover and simmer for about 20-30 minutes. 

Serve warm with crackers as a warm dip.  Or serve on top of whole grain rice as a main course.

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Buon Appetito!!!

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Veggie Party Dip

19 Jan

If you’re not in the mood for sandwiches, or just don’t have time to wait for the Veggie Party Sandwiches to set to cut the crusts, you can serve the dip by itself with crackers, crostini or even crudites.

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VEGGIE PARTY DIP

12oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 large tomato, seeds removed, chopped as finely as possible
1 medium cubanelle pepper or 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded, chopped as finely as possible
1/2 medium onion, chopped as finely as possible
Olive oil to taste
Garlic salt and pepper to taste
  1. Mix together the cream cheese, tomato, onion and pepper.
  2. Add olive oil in small increments to soften the mixture until it’s in an easy-to-spread consistency.
  3. Season with garlic salt and pepper.

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Veggie Party Sandwiches

19 Jan

Here in Puerto Rico we have a custom of serving at most birthday parties what we call “sandwichitos de mezcla”.  Roughly translated means “mixture mini sandwiches”.  They’re traditionally made with a bunch of things I don’t eat anymore… so a friend taught me to make this alternative version.

I will confess, my friend Ana Yolanda has requested these sandwiches for several of her home parties.  And I am not lying when I tell you these sandwiches go faster than the traditional version.  I make them on 100% whole wheat bread, so that’s why they are not super symmetrical.  Traditionally they’re made with club sandwich bread, but none of the brands available here are 100% whole grain.

 They’re super easy and super tasty…

 sand-mezcla-round.jpg

VEGGIE PARTY SANDWICHES

12oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 large tomato, seeds removed, chopped as finely as possible
1 medium cubanelle pepper or 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded, chopped as finely as possible
1/2 medium onion, chopped as finely as possible
Olive oil to taste
Garlic salt and pepper to taste
1 packet of 100% whole wheat sliced sandwich bread
  1. Mix together the cream cheese, tomato, onion and pepper.
  2. Add olive oil in small increments to soften the mixture until it’s in an easy-to-spread consistency.
  3. Season with garlic salt and pepper.

If you stop here… you can use this mixture as a veggie party dip.  Continue to make the sandwiches…

4.  Spread the mixture onto the one side of the sliced bread and assemble sandwiches.

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5.  Take a clean/new handi-wipe or 2 paper towel and dip it in milk or water.  Squeeze the excess milk/water.  Place it at the bottom of a tray or Pyrex where you can fit all the sandwiches.  Place the sandwiches on top of one paper towel or the opened handi wipe.  Cover the sandwiches with the remaining damp paper towel.  Place the tray in the fridge for a few hours or even over night.  The paper towel will keep the sandwiches moist while in the fridge.  If not using, the top bread will dry out on you.

6.  Remove sandwiches from fridge and cut away the crusts and cut in quarters – either diagonally or vertical/horizontal.  It’s up to you.

Serve on a platter and see them fly away…

sand-mezcla.jpg

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Cherry Carob Cookies

11 Jan

I started my cooking adventures mainly by making Martha Stewart’s cookie recipes.  Most of them are easy and super delicious.

My favorite cookie by far are these Cherry Carob Cookies… they’re an adapted version of Martha’s Torie’s Cherry Chocolate Chunk Cookies.  I have made these cookies, the original recipe and the new adapted version, to give as gifts for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Xmas, and even Birthdays.  I always get requests for them.  This time around I made them for my dear friend Choy, who makes the most awesome vegetarian egg-less cheesecake.

Hope you enjoy them as much as we all do…

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CHERRY CAROB COOKIES

2 1/4 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks of unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla powder
equivalent of 2 eggs from egg replacer
1 cup carob chips
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup toffee chips
 
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a bowl whisk together the flour and baking soda.  Set aside.
  3. In another bowl, beat together the butter and the sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed, until light and fluffy.
  4. Mix in the salt, vanilla and egg replacer.
  5. Add flour mixture in 3-4 batches.  Mix until just combined.
  6. Stir in the carob chips, cherries and toffee chips.
  7. Drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough 2 inches apart in a cookie sheet lined with a silplat or unbleached parchment paper.
  8. Bake until golden around the edges. about 10 -12 minutes.
  9. Remove from oven and let them cool on the baking sheet.  After a few minutes, transfer warm cookies to a cooling rack to  cool completely.
  10. Store cookies in the fridge for up to 1 week in a tightly sealed container.

But don’t worry, they will not last long.  They are eaten best with a tall cold glass of milk.

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