More Chia Pancakes

Because you cannot have enough recipes for pancakes...More Chia Pancakes

1/2 cup chia seeds
1 1/2 cups hot water
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup coconut flour
5 medium or 4 large eggs
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of cloves

Coconut oil for frying.

1. Stir the chia seeds into the hot water. Let sit for 30 minutes or longer. These can even be kept in the refrigerator overnight if that is more convenient.

2. When you are ready to fry your cakes, mix all the ingredients together in a blender. Blend on medium speed for about a minute.

3. Drop spoonfuls of batter into hot coconut oil to make cakes about 3 inches in diameter.

4. Serve with any combination of toppings: butter, syrup, fruit sauce, nuts

The world will be saved by beauty.   Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Citrus Molasses

Citrus Molasses

Molasses is typically made by cooking down or boiling sugar cane or sugar beets until you have a thick syrup. In the Middle East, molasses is made with pomegranates, grapes, and dates. So basically, it is a thick, sugary syrup.

I found myself a few weeks ago with more citrus than I could reasonably use. When you live in California, sometimes there is a profusion of citrus. I had made orange juice ice cubes and frozen some lemon juice chips as well; and the table was still piled high with grapefruit, tangelos and other assorted​ citrus.

I began juicing and decided to make a citrus blend and cook it down into a syrup. As it cooled down and became thicker, I added a bit of sugar and a bit of maple syrup. I added the sweeteners sparingly because I wanted the syrup to retain some tang. I started with about 3 1/2 quarts of juice and cooked it down to about a third of that amount.  I added a cup of sugar and a 1/2 cup of maple syrup.

The result is a tangy sweet and sour sauce that I have used to:

1. Drizzle over stir fry vegetables Mix with olive oil and tahini and drizzle over roasted vegetables

2. Mix a spoonful in drinks as a flavorful sweetener

3. Create a marinade for fish using equal parts of tahini, olive oil and citrus molasses.

4. As an ingredient in salad dressing

I keep it in the refrigerator and have shared some with friends. I have not yet used it in any dessert recipes, but I am quite certain that it could be drizzled over ice cream or cheese cake for a delightful burst of flavor.

Any fruit or fruit juice could be used to make a molasses. This simple flavorful syrup can retain quite a bit of pulp so you are using most of the fruit.

The drink pictured below was made with about 1 1/2 cups of fresh squeezed orange and lime juice, 1/3 cup of citrus molasses, and 3 cups water. It is light, aromatic and delicious, and it mixed well with champagne!

Where there is great love, there are always miracles. Willa Cather

Color Cole Slaw

 

Color Cole Slaw

We have some lovely purple cabbage in our garden, so it seemed like a good time for a new twist on cole slaw. It's a great side dish and could also be used as a garnish for fish tacos.

2 cups shredded purple cabbage

2 cups shredded Napa cabbage

3/4 cup diced red bell pepper

3/4 cup diced celery

1 1/2 cup grated carrot

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons caraway powder

2 tablespoons dill weed

1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette 

Stir and let sit at least a half hour before serving, so that the flavors have a chance to blend a little.

The amounts are not critical; this my best estimate of what I actually used.

Mighty things from small beginnings grow.  John Dryden

Roasted Potatoes with Tender Chicken

Roasted Potatoes with Tender Chicken 

Tender chicken and crispy potatoes in one dish doesn't seem possible, but it's amazingly simple and quite delicious.

10 pieces of chicken tenders and/or boneless thighs

8 medium potatoes 

Chili powder

Salt

Butter

Marinade:

1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup water

1. Marinate the chicken for about 1/2 hour.

2. Sprinkle with salt and chili powder

3. Peel and cut the potatoes into 1 1/2 inch cubes 

4. Place the potatoes on top of the chicken/marinade layer. 

5. Gently turn the potato cubes over in order to coat them slightly with the marinade mix, but leaving the chicken on the bottom layer.

6. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and pepper. 

Bake at 350 for about an hour and a half. At the 1 hour mark, drizzle melted butter over the potatoes. 

Potatoes will get deliciously browned on the outside and soft in the middle. Scoop the chicken and potatoes into a platter with a slotted spoon.

Love comforteth like sunshine after rain.  William Shakespeare

Banana Fritters

Banana Fritters

Most of us have seen the recipe for 2 eggs/1 banana pancakes on the Internet somewhere. I have tried that recipe and found it somewhat wanting, so I have updated a banana fritter recipe. I think you will like it!

I froze my overripe bananas. I peeled them, broke them into pieces and froze them in zip lock bags. This isn't necessary, but it's useful if you don't want to make the fritters at the same time the bananas need to be used. After thawing, I drained them in a metal strainer. 

This resulted in about 1 1/2 cups of mashed banana. 

Add: 

1/2  cup ground golden flax seed 

1/3 cup of coconut flour 

4 eggs 

2 tablespoons of cinnamon 

2 teaspoons vanilla 

Small amounts of cloves, nutmeg or cardamom can also be used. (1/2 teaspoon amounts) 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 cup chia seeds 

1. Mix very thoroughly - a mixer is probably the best way. 

2. The batter needs to sit for a bit to let the chia seeds absorb moisture. Anywhere from a half hour to overnight is fine. If the batter becomes a little too thick, add some coconut milk (any kind of milk would work) to thin it a bit. The batter should be fairly thick, though. 

3. Drop small spoonfuls in hot coconut oil and then cook over medium low heat. Little discs about 2 inches in diameter is what you are aiming for. Lots of surface area is the key to good flavor and texture.

Eat them with any toppings you like: Butter, syrup, fresh fruit, cooked fruit, chopped nuts, coconut, jam, etc. Some people might like them without any toppings.

The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it.    Richard Bach

Tropical Truffles

Tropical Truffles

1/2 cup macadamia nut butter
Substitute cashew butter if this is too hard to find.
 3/4 cup cocoa powder
 1/2 cup butter
 3/4 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts
 1/3 cup chopped dried pineapple
 1/2 cup chopped dates

Coating
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup almond meal
1/2 cup finely shredded coconut

1. Let the butter melt in a slow cooker while you chop and assemble all of the other candy ingredients.
2. Stir everything together and drop spoonfuls on waxed paper.
3. When these have cooled, roll them into roundish shapes and roll them in the coating.
4. Refrigerate between sheets of wax paper. Remove them from the refrigerator 10 - 15 minutes before serving.

Days and months are travelers of eternity. So are the years that pass by.  Matsuo Basho

Crab Cakes

 

Crab Cakes are a favorite in our family. We eat them as a main dish, but they are always a favorite appetizer.

If you are allergic to shellfish or don't eat shellfish, this recipe is also good with salmon or other cooked fish.

4 cooked potatoes (roasted or steamed)
Parsnips or carrots work well instead of or in combination with potato.
8 ounces cooked crab meat

1 Medium onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon tamarind
1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 tablespoon red chili flakes

2 eggs

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons coconut flour

1/2 cup golden flax meal

1. Saute the onion and garlic.

2. Mash the potatoes with a large fork.

3. Add the crab meat, eggs, onion mix, butter, and spices to the potatoes. Mix thoroughly. Add the coconut flour and the flax meal.

4. Coat 2 baking sheets with a generous amount of olive oil and put the pans in the oven while the oven is preheating to 350. When the oil has warmed, remove the pans and make 5 or 6 crab cake patties on each sheet. About 3/4 inch thick and 4 inches in diameter is a good size.

This recipe should make 10 - 12 patties.

Bake for 15 minutes, flip and bake for 10 minutes on the second side. You might also want to switch the placement of the baking sheets for more even cooking.

Serve the crab cakes as a main dish with rice and salad.

If you want to serve these as appetizers, make the patties much smaller and cut the baking time by about 5 minutes.

Topping:

Mix together 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 2 tablespoons sweet hot mustard for a zesty crab cake sauce.

The sun does not shine for a few trees and flowers, but for the wide world's joy.
                                                                                       Henry Ward Beecher