Orange Almond Chocolate Biscotti YOU Can Make!

YOU can make biscotti. It's not difficult at all! Just takes a little time. The dough comes together quickly and easily. It gets shaped into a loaf which is baked. The baked loaf cools a bit and is divided into a dozen half-inch slices which are baked again and you end up with firm, crispy servings just waiting to be dunked into a steaming hot cup of coffee.

This recipe was inspired by one I found in Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave. Ellie takes our favorite foods and healthies-them-up. I love her and all her recipes. Anyway…this recipe uses whole wheat flour along with all-purpose, uses olive oil, has relatively little sugar, as well as the healthy additions of sliced almonds and fresh orange zest. Dark chocolate rounds out this biscotti, which is a perfect compliment to the orange.

This is my first attempt at biscotti, and it came out great. Try it and let me know what you think! (As always, make it your own with whatever flavors, add-ins appeal to you!)


ORANGE ALMOND CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI
adapted from Ellie Krieger's recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (seriously, if you don't have it, go get it!)

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour or whole wheat flour (I used King Arthur's Whole White)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup orange juice (fresh or otherwise)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract, if you have it
1 generous tablespoon freshly zested orange rind

2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (I used semi-sweet morsels and chopped them up a bit)
1/2 cup sliced raw almonds

Directions:
In medium mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.

In large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, olive oil, orange juice, vanilla extract, orange extract, and orange zest.

Gradually add dry ingredients, a bit at a time, into wet. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together. (I added orange juice to the recipe for this reason - it didn't come together without the added moisture.)

With your hands, blend in almonds and chocolate.

Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead a few times. Shape dough into a loaf, 10x3 inches. Place loaf on parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Bake 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool pan on wire rack for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, with sharp, serrated knife, gently but firmly slice loaf on the diagonal in 1/2-inch thick slices, being careful to keep slices intact.

Bake slices for 10 minutes. Turn slices over and bake for another 5-10 minutes (I went for 10).

Remove from oven and allow sliced biscotti to cool on wire rack.

These biscotti keep well for a week in a covered container, if you let them! After just a few minutes out of the oven I brought a few slices downstairs to Katie, Bill, and Meghan, who were enjoying hot cups of coffee from their new fancy-schmancy Breville coffee maker from Bed, Bath, and Beyond (which grinds the beans right in the coffee maker!), and they were very happy to put this biscotti to the test. They loved it!

Here are photos of the biscotti coming together:

Dough with almonds and chopped chocolate

Shaped and ready for the first baking...

Half-baked!

Sliced and ready to go back in the oven!
You can see it's still doughy in the middle, which is fine.

BISCOTTI!

HEALTHY Broccoli Cheddar Soup from Ellie Krieger!

Ellie Krieger's Broccoli Cheddar Soup from her Web site When it comes to favorite foods and healthier versions, I always look to Ellie Krieger. She's a wonderful nutritionis/chef with a number of terrific cookbooks and a great Web site.  I own "The Food You Crave" which I have mentioned here on the blog before, writing about such recipes as Sloppy Joes and Pumpkin Muffins.  My Roasted Butternut Squash Mac 'N Cheese was greatly inspired by one of Ellie's recipes.  Ellie knows that we want the foods we want, and she brings those comforting indulgences to us in much more nutrition-friendly renditions.  You CAN indulge without guilt! Today I bring you Ellie's healthy recipe for Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Here in the northeast, we are experiencing a winter storm named Hercules with lots of snow and temperatures hovering at or below zero. I don't know how Herculean this storm is -- just seems like typical winter snow and cold so far -- but a warm bowl of steaming, cheesy soup would really take the chill off! And since we're so new into 2014, trimming that rich, indulgent dish of some of its calories and fat (without even noticing!) is a very good idea! Broccoli Cheddar Soup 2 cups 1% low-fat milk 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 1 cup lightly packed, shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (4 ounces) 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 1 clove garlic, minced ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 large head broccoli, florets and tender part of stems, chopped (6 cups) 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper In a small saucepan whisk the milk and flour together until the flour is dissolved. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Then the reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, until the mixture has thickened. Stir in the cheese and cook until melted, another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm. Heat the oil in a soup pot over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg cook an additional 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the broccoli is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Working with about 1 cup at a time, puree the broccoli mixture in a blender until it is mostly smooth but still has some chunks, and then transfer it to another pot. (Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender). Stir the cheese mixture into the broccoli puree, season with salt and pepper and cook over a medium-low heat for an additional 3-5 minutes, until warmed through. Makes 4 servings Serving size: 1 ½ cups Per Serving: Calories 290; Total Fat 15 g; (Sat Fat 8 g, Mono Fat 5.2 g, Poly Fat 0.85 g) ; Protein 19 g; Carb 23 g; Fiber 4 g; Cholesterol 35 mg; Sodium 620 mg Excellent source of: Calcium, Folate, Iodine, Phosphorus, Potassium, Protein, Riboflavin, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K Good source of: Copper, Fiber, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Pantothenic Acid, Selenium, Niacin, Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Zinc Copyright 2011 Ellie Krieger All rights reserved  Ellie's Web site: http://www.elliekrieger.com/broccoli-cheddar-soup

Food On My Mind

Because I'm weight-watching and exercising alot, all I can think about (when I'm not obsessing about my job or other of life's demands) is food.  I read cookbooks for fun, and when shopping my head is turned by tantalizing (food, mind you)  magazine covers at every check out.  I look forward to every meal and snack, and I want each bite of everything to be not just good, but incredibly delicious.  Of course, that isn't always possible.  Still, I don't want to waste my "points budget" on food that isn't worthy!  This is why I love Ellie Krieger's recipes.  I've written before about her book The Food You Crave, a great offering of transformed comfort foods that will have you asking yourself just what you're missing.  Pretty much nothing.  It's all there -- flavor, texture, substance -- only infused, ever so subtly, with really good nutrition that keeps itself quiet in the background but whose presence takes comfort to a healthier level.  My favorites are Ellie's Sloppy Joes and her Pumpkin Walnut Muffins.   If you don't tell your family that you've healthified their favorites, they may just never know!  Not that you should keep your efforts at improving their lives a secret...it's just that some people don't want anyone messing with comfort foods.  They are comfort foods for a reason, foods that we can indulge in with a devil-may-care attitude, because we want it, we deserve it, and tomorrow is another day.  So let them think they've been indulged if you sense pull-back at the notion of a healthier rendition of a favorite meal.

Here's Ellie's recipe for one quintessential comfort food:  meatloaf.  She uses ground turkey breast (all white meat) and traditional seasonings to create a meatloaf that has only 3.5 grams of fat/1" slice.  Ellie calls it "Mom's Turkey Meatloaf" and writes: "First, it's made with lean ground turkey.  Second, instead of bread crumbs, I use a secret ingredient that binds everything together and keeps the meatloaf wonderfully most: quick cooking oats, a  healthy whole grain that blends in undetected.  All that meaty goodness is covered in tomato sauce and crowned in onion rings that turn golden brown, making for a beautiful presentation."  In addition to making a great meal, I love meatloaf sandwiches, as I went on and on about a few posts ago when writing about ketchup! 

Forgive me for this minor interruption: just had to fit in today's photo of my grandsons, for no recipe-related reason (though Henry is checking out one of my cookbooks on cake design)!

Peter (l) and Henry (r) hanging out at Grandmas!

OK, back to business...Ellie's meatloaf recipe gets four stars on The Food Network Web site, and that is good enough for me, and I bet for you, too.  Here's the recipe:

MOM'S TURKEY MEATLOAF

3/4 c. quick-cookingoats
1/2 c. nonfat milk
1 medium onion, peeled
2 lbs. ground turkey breast
1/2 c. seeded and chopped red bell pepper (1/2 medium pepper)
2 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. ketchup
1/2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
One 8-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F


In a small bowl, stir together the oats and mil and allow to soak while you get the rest of the ingredients together, at least 3 minutes.

Thinly slice one-quarter of the onion into rings and set aside.  Finely chop the rest of the onion.  In a large bowl, combine the turkey, oatmeal mixture, c hopped onion, bell pepper, eggs, Worcestershire, ketchup, salt and a few grinds of pepper.  Mix just until combined.

Transfer the mixture to a 9x13 baking dish and shape into a loaf about 5 inches wide and 2 inches high.  Pour the tomato sauce over the meatloaf and sprinkle with the sliced onions.  Bake until an instant-read meat thermomenter inserted into the thickets part registers 160 degrees F, about 1 hour.

Remove from oven and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Photo credit:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/moms-turkey-meatloaf-recipe/index.html

More from Food Network Health Star Ellie Krieger - Pork Piccata

Pork Piccata with Spinach and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ellie Krieger, So Easy

I've heard great things about this recipe for pork piccata from my friend Jody Shepson, so I'm passing it along to you.  Both Jody and our friend Diane Loviza are big fans of Ellie Krieger's recipes (as am I) and of her cookbooks. (My favorite EK cookbook so far is The Food You Crave.)  So here's a recipe they both recommend with enthusiasm. 

Also from So Easy are Ellie's recipes for spinach and garlic mashed potatoes.  Combined, it's a killer menu, loaded with nutrition and flavor but low on all the bad stuff!

 

Photo Credit: The Food Network, Ellie Krieger, Healthy Living

Ellie's Pork Piccata with Spinach and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/4 lbs. pork tenderloin, sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch thick medallions

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons drained capers

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Directions:

Combine the flour and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a sealable plastic bag. Place the pork medallions in the bag and shake until well-coated.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillt (not nonstick) over medium-high heat. Working in two batches, cook the pork until it is browned on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the meat to a plate.

Add the garlic to the same skillet, then immediately add the wine and cook over medium-high heat. As the wine reduces, stir to dissolve the small bits and juices remaining in the pan from the meat. Cook until the wine is reduced by about half, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, capers, and remaining salt and pepper and cook until the mixture has reduced slightly, an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Return the medallions to the skillet along with the remaining tablespoon of oil and heat until the sauce thickens and the meat is cooked to medium doneness, about 3 minutes.

Serve over the Express "Steamed" Spinach and Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and top with the parsley.

Express "Steamed" Spinach

Ingredients:

5 ounces pre-washed baby spinach leaves

Directions:

Place the spinach in a large microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly. Microwave on high for 90 seconds.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, left unpeeled, and cut into 1 inch pieces

4 large cloves of garlic, peeled and quartered

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Place the potatoes and garlic in a steamer basket fitted over a large pot of boiling water. Cover and steam until the potatoes are knife tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Warm the chicken broth in a small saucepan on the stove or in a glass container in the microwave. Remove the steamer basket and drain the water from the large pot. Transfer the potatoes and garlic to the pot, add the oil, salt, and broth, and mash until smooth.

Photo Credit:  The Food Network, Healthy Living, Ellie Krieger, So Easy

Five-Star Peaches with Balsamic Cherries

Are you looking for a fast and fabulous summer dessert? Here's one that has earned five stars!

As I've stated in previous posts, I'm a HUGE Ellie Krieger fan. Her book, The Food You Crave, is my all-time favorite cookbook. This recipe gets a five-star rating from reviewers on the Food Network website. Like all the recipes Ellie Krieger publishes, it's delicious and incredibly healthy. To read the recipe and reviews on-line (and to check out other fabulous healthy recipes) go directly to the source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/peaches-with-balsamic-cherries-recipe/index.html

Ellie Krieger's Peaches with Balsamic Cherries

1/2 pound cherries, halved and pitted
2 tablespoons sugar, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 pound peaches, sliced

Directions

In a small saucepan, stir together the cherries, sugar and balsamic vinegar, and place over a medium heat. Bring to a boil and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a medium bowl toss the warm cherries and syrup with the sliced peaches, add more sugar to taste and serve.

Tomorrow's blog: More cherries! I'm posting a recipe for the French classic dessert ~ Claufutis! Be sure to check back!

Photo credit: http://www.1st-art-gallery.com/thumbnail/121241/1/A-Still-Life-With-Peaches,-Plums-And-Cherries.jpg

Ellie Krieger's Pumpkin Muffins

If you haven't met Ellie Krieger yet, you're missing out. She's one of the highlights of the Food Network, and the title of her show, Healthy Appetite, is deceptive. It should be entitled, "Beautiful Delicious Food (and healhty too)." Ellie is a nutrtionist, but not one of those too-skinny calorie counters resented for an impossibly disciplined lifestyle. She educates her audience on the benefits of good ingredients. She doesn't just say "Do this." She tells you what the ingredient has to offer that will enhance your meals and your life. She uses these ingredients in ways that transform our favorite foods into better incarnations of themselves. I love her cookbook "The Food You Crave" and have made many of her recipes. Her version of sloppy joes are incredibly good. In addition to her work as a nutrtionist, Ellie is a fantastic cook who loves food. The combination of these two parts of her personality result in great food for us. Yea.

Today I'm sharing Ellie's recipe for Pumpkin Muffins. There's nothing to say except that they're some of the best muffins you'll ever have. The fact that they are truly good for you is just a bonus.

Pumpkin Muffins

· Cooking spray
· 1 cup all-purpose flour
· 1 cup whole-grain pastry flour
· 1 teaspoon baking soda
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
· 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
· 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
· 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
· 3 tablespoons unsulphered molasses
· 1/4 cup canola oil
· 2 large eggs
· 1 cup canned pumpkin
· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
· 1/4 cup raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.
In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, molasses, oil and 1 egg until combined. Add the other egg and whisk well. Whisk in the pumpkin and vanilla. Whisk in the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Whisk just until combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of 1 of the muffins comes out clean.
Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and unmold. Cool completely on the rack.


These are great any time of year, but especially good on cold autumn mornings (many months away). I just couldn't resist bringing Ellie to you now.

Next blog: Notes from the Roving Baker, or "Baking when you don't have a kitchen!"

Photo credit: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.metroactive.com/metro/01.16.08/gifs/EVENTS_MT0803.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.metroactive.com/metro/01.16.08/events-0803.html&usg=__e0WVcyngOFrTQ5weHm3W4Dw11-0=&h=501&w=500&sz=232&hl=en&start=2&sig2=XjEhnIg4ETW4UMBzuSksFA&tbnid=xTCzt45CgCN55M:&tbnh=130&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3DEllie%2BKrieger%2Bphoto%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4DKUS_enUS282US282%26sa%3DG&ei=A18pSvgcj4WYB4PZ3IQL