Light and Tasty

I have been trying for quite long to have better eating habits and quite honestly I am pretty comfortable backing up in my fast metabolism, but truth is … I am almost 28 and I need to start taking care of my body in the inside as well as the outside…

So, I´d like to share with you some tasty light recipes I have gotten or created and where taste does not compete with nutritious…

Red Cabbage and Green Apple Salad

·         ½ green cabbage

·         ½ red cabbage

·         2 apples sliced thin, and cut into small squared ( I go for grand smith)

·         ¾  cup toasted and chopped pecans

·         ¾ cup dried cranberries

Dressing:

·         3 red wine vinegar tablespoons

·         1 honey tablespoon

·         1 spicy mustard tablespoon ( I get the Dijon kind with seeds)

·         ¼ olive oil cup

·         Salt and pepper to taste

This one is pretty simple, just mix it all and I like to pour the dressing all over it, I am not a huge fan of cabbage but this one… kills me!!! Hahahaha, I used to live with this lovely friend from Texas and she would made it and leave it for me in the fridge and when I got home from work… it´ll be heaven! And it just makes a lot, so it´s cheap J

Fresh Spinach Salad

·         A package of Popeye´s fresh, washed and disinfected spinach

·         Cherry tomatoes

·         A bunch of toasted half cut almonds

·         Mandarine

·         Goat chesse ( I like the one that is covered on ashes)

·         A bunch of cranberries

·         Balsamic Vinegar

·         Pepper to taste

I love this salad because it is pretty fresh and super quick J

Chocolate Cookies with Peanut Butter chips

This is another recipe I made J

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Cocoa ( I would go for the Hershey´s one)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/4 cups (2-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs (large)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) Peanut Butter Chips ( I buy REESE'S in Aladino Store here in GDL)

           

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. With a blender mix together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until fluffy. Add eggs (check them first) and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in peanut butter chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 9 minutes. Do not overbake ( we dont want hard cookies) ; cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten while cooling. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Let it cool.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are my favorite ones!!! Yesterday I rented a movie and just felt like having a glass of milk and fresh cookies to join it. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

·         2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

·         3/4 cup granulated sugar

·         3/4 cup packed brown sugar

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         2 large eggs

·         2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips ( you can use any kind but I prefer the Nestle ones)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375° F.

With the help of a beater combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl(all powdery stuff first). Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in a large mixer bowl until it feels creamy. Add eggs, one at a time ( I check them individually before adding them), beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir the chocolate chips ( you can add some nuts if you want). Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets ( I use wax paper to avoid fighting afterwards).

Let them bake  for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown, they´ll be a bit soft still by the time you take them out, this will about having “hard as stone” cookies. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Sweet Stuff!

PEANUT AND NUTELLA GRANOLA BARS

Ingredients:

·         2 tbsp honey

·         2 1/2 tbsp creamy chunky peanut butter

·         1 1/2 tbsp Nutella

·         2 cups granola

·         2-4 tbsp milk

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix honey, peanut butter and Nutella, stir until homogenic, gradually stir in granola. Add just enough milk to moisten, so mixture still sticks together. Form into balls and place on a baking sheet. Refrigerate

COCONUT CRISPY BARS

Ingredients:

·         3 Tbsp. butter or margarine

·         1 pkg.  (10 oz.) Marshmallows

·         6 cups crisp rice cereal, or any cereal you prefer

·         1-1/2 cups  Coconut, toasted, divided

Directions:

In a microwave place the butter on High till it gets melted, add the marshmallows; toss to coat. Microwave 1-1/2 min. or until marshmallows are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 45 sec. Add cereal and 1 cup coconut; mix well. press onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray. Top with remaining coconut; press lightly into cereal mixture to secure. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

CHOCOLATE-PEANUT NON BAKE COOKIES

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of sugar

• 4 cocoa tablespoons
• 1 butter stick
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 cup peanutbutter ( the chunky one)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 3 cups of oatmeal
• waxed paper

Directions

In a heavy saucepan put the sugar, cocoa, butter and milk. Let boil for 1 minute then add peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal. On a sheet of waxed paper, drop mixture by the teaspoonfuls, and refrigerate until cooled and hardened.

Hope you enjoy them :)



Simply substitute!

Hello there...

Have you ever gotten stuck in a recipe because you ran out of a certain ingredient or you just can get to get it anywhere, I found out this useful list of substitutes for most popular ingredients found in recipes. Hope you find it as useful as I have J

Allspice - 1 teaspoon = 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Apple pie spice - 1 teaspoon =1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon cardamon
Baking powder - 1 teaspoon = 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 5/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Baking powder - 1 teaspoon = 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk (decrease liquid by 1/2 cup)
Baking powder - 1 teaspoon = 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice used with sweet milk to make 1/2 cup liquid (decrease liquid by 1/2 cup)

Bread crumbs 1/3 cup, dry = 1 slice bread
Bread crumbs 1/3 cup, dry = 1/4 cup, soft 1 slice bread
Bread crumbs 1/3 cup, dry = 1/4 cup cracker crumbs or 1/4 cup cornmeal
Bay leaf - 1 whole = 1/4 teaspoon crushed
Broth - 1 cup = 1 bouillon cube
Broth - 1 cup = 1 teaspoon powdered bouillon in 1 cup boiling water
Bouillon - 1 cube = 1 teaspoon powdered bouillon
Bell Pepper - 1 tablespoon dried = 3 tablespoon fresh chopped
Butter - 1 cup = 7/8 cup shortening or 7/8 cup oil or 1 cup margarine
Oil is not a direct substitute for solid fats in baked products.
Use recipes formulated for oil if a product made with oil is desired.

Buttermilk - the same amount of yogurt can replace buttermilk
Light Brown Sugar - 1 cup = 1 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon molasses
Dark Brown Sugar - 1 cup = 1 cup white sugar and 1 tablespoon molasses
Catsup - 1 cup = 1 cup tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tablespoon vinegar (for cooking use)
Chocolate - 1 ounce= 3 tablespoon cocoa + 1 tablespoon shortening
Chocolate chips - 1 ounce = 1 ounce sweet cooking semi-sweet chocolate
Chocolate - 1 ounce = 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa plus 1 tablespoons fat
Cocoa - 1/4 cup = 1 ounce chocolate and omit 1/2 tablespoon fat
Corn syrup - 1 cup = 1 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup liquid
Cracker crumbs - 3/4 cup = 1 cup bread crumbs
Cornstarch - 1 tablespoon = 2 tablespoons flour
Egg - 1 whole = 3 tablespoons beaten egg
Egg - 1 whole = 2 egg whites or 2 egg yolks
Egg - 1 whole = 1/4 cup egg substitute
Flour, for thickening - 1 tablespoon = 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
Flour, for baking - 1 cup sifted = 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons unsifted flour
Flour, for cooking - 1 cup sifted = 3/4 cup whole wheat flour and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Flour for cake - 1 cup = 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Flour, self-rising - 1 cup = 1 cup minus 2 teaspoons flour plus 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt

Garlic - 1 clove = 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Garlic - 1 clove = 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
Ginger - 1/8 teaspoon = 1/2 teaspoon raw ginger
Honey - 1 cup = 1 1/4 cups sugar and 1/4 cup liquid
Horseradish - 1 tablespoon fresh = 2 tablespoons prepared
Lemon Juice - 1 teaspoon = 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
Lemon - 1 whole = 3 tablespoons juice plus 2 teaspoons rind
Lemon rind - 1 teaspoon = 1/2 teaspoon extract
Milk - Believe it or not, 1 1/2 lbs of zucchinni, peeled and pureed, will replace 2 cups of milk when baking.

Onion - 1 small = 1 tablespoon instant minced
Onion powder - 1 tablespoon = 1 medium onion chopped
Pumpkin pie spice - 1 teaspoon = 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon,
1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon allspice & 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Sour Cream- 3/4 cup sour milk and 1/3 cup butter or use plain yogurt
Sugar, white - 1 cup = 1 cup packed brown sugar
Sugar, white - 1 cup = 1 cup honey minus 1/4 cup liquid in recipe
Shortening, 1 cup = 1 cup and 2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Tomatoes, fresh - 2 cups, chopped = 16 ounce can, drained
Tomato sauce - 2 cups = 1 cup tomato paste plus 1 cup water
Vinegar -1 teaspoon = 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Yeast - 1 package = 1 cake yeast
Yeast - 1 package = 1 tablespoon dry yeast

Simple and Tasty

Have you ever gotten invited last minute over someone´s house reunion, or had unexpected visitors, or just felt like spoiling your friends while they enjoy playing dominoes or watch a soccer game? I don’t get to people´s places empty handed, just don’t feel comfortable with it and really rather do something than buy it, so these easy options might become as handy as they have been for me J

·         Cheese dips: Cream chesse is fabulous, I personally prefer Philadelphia chesse because I find the taste really unique and it just goes along with sweets and salty ingredients. My favorite one is so easy…

Chipotle Chesse Dip

·         1 package Philadelphia cream chesse

·         1 can tuna fish

·         Chipotle

Just get a package of Philadelphia chesse, a can of tuna fish and chipotle chili to taste; mix it with a fork till it is completely homogeny, serve with some crackers, although it is quite simple guys love it! Remember presentation is important; you can make it pretty chic with a nice container, and decorating it with some sesame seed.

Some more here J -àChesse Dips

·         Bruschettas and tapas : they are pretty easy to prepare and quite fancier, there are some good recipes attached and keep it easy to bite, I hate it when there is a huge piece of prosciutto or tomatoe and you are struggling biting it and deciding whether to get another one and suffer the deal again

Brie, Pear and Pomegranate:

·         342g brie chesse

·         1 mature pear seedless in fine slices

·         ¼ cup of honey

Salt and pepper freshly ground.- A bread slice, spread some brie on it, a pear slice , some honey drops on it and sprinkle with pomegranate, salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted squash and bacon:

·         ¼ medium size squash

·         2 tablespoons olive oil

·         Salt and pepper

·         114 grs bacon slices

·         Parmesan chesse freshly grinded

Preheat oven 170°C, take off the seeds and the skin to the squash and slice it in little cubes, place it in an oven pan with some olive oil on it and add some salt and pepper, bake it for 25-40 minutes or till it is soft, cook bacon till it´s crunchy and reserve. Place a slice of bread, some squash on it, then some pretty small cubed crunchy bacon, parmesan chesse and ready!

Some more here J Bruschetta

·         Popcorn, Chips, Nuts: I found this recipe in an In Style Magazine that I love.

Rosemary ( Romero) Popcorn:

·         1 stick no salt butter

·         2 tablespoons rosemary freshly chopped

·         12 cups freshly made popcorn

Melt butter into a pan in low heat temp, add the rosemary; when ready pour into the popcorn while still hot, Make sure it is well spread into all popcorn. If wanted you can add some pepper or ground chili to it

Some more here J Popcorn

Spicy Nuts:

·         3 tablespoons sesame oil

·         3 teaspoons curry powder

·         2 teaspoons chili powder

·         1 teaspoon paprika powder

·         ½ teaspoon ground ginger

·         ¼ teaspoon red pepper powder

·         5 cups nuts(any kind of nuts)

Preheat oven 170 °C, in a small pan low heat pour the oil, when it gets hot add the curry, chili, paprika, ginger and pepper. Pour it into the nuts and mix. Place the nuts on a pan covered with wax paper and bake it for 10 to 12 minutes, let them cook to keep them crunchy. Salt to taste.

Some more here J Nut Snack Recipes

Keep it fun, try as much as you want and never get deceived it something goes wrong… once I had friend’s over and the snacks were awesome, my friends were so happy with them but when we got to my main dish, alambres ( my uncle makes it and it was soooo good, it´s meat with peppers and onions grilled) and it was soooo bad, the meat was not well cooked and it had no salt on it… just horrible jejejeje, so never give up, you can always try it again J