Cottage Cheese Pancakes

One of my favorite resources for breakfast recipes is Weelicious.com. These pancakes are a huge hit in our house. They are especially yummy with berry puree. I double the recipe and freeze the extras to have on hand during the week. Pop them in the toaster and breakfast is ready in minutes on a busy weekday morning.

For the Berry Puree, simply defrost a package of frozen berries (raspberries, black berries, mixed berries) and puree until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of orange juice or water to dilute if it is too thick.
Sweeten if desired with 1 – 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey

Cottage Cheese Pancakes
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Cottage Cheese Pancakes
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Adjust servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. In a bowl whisk together eggs, cottage cheese, vanilla and honey
  2. In a separate bowl whisk the dry ingredients.
  3. Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir until just combined.
  4. Heat a large sauté pan or griddle over medium heat, brush with butter or coconut oil. Pour a spoonful of batter at a time. When begin to bubble, flip them over.
  5. Cook for 2 minutes on each side or until pancakes are set and golden.
  6. Serve with maple syrup of berry sauce on top.
Recipe Notes

Modified from

Weelicious: Cottage Cheese Pancakes

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Fish Fillets with Pesto

Fish are excellent sources of protein, vitamins, minerals and omega-3 fatty acids optimal for good health.

However, eating fish is getting complicated because of toxic chemicals, even in farmed fish. Also, wild fish are disappearing from the ocean at alarming rates.

For our health and for the planet, we can help protect fish by asking if it was caught or farmed in environmentally responsible ways. Want to know more? Visit Seafoodwatch

For this recipe, spread a spoonful of  Cilantro Pesto or  Arugula Pesto on top of each roasted fish fillet before serving.

With the leftover pesto you can make Pasta with Pesto and White Beans

If you are in a crunch for time, you can use store bought pesto.

Or if you’re not in the mood for pesto, brush fillets with extra-virgin olive oil, thinly slice a lemon, place lemon slices down each fillet and roast. Sometimes the tastiest foods is the simplest food.

 

Fish Fillets with Pesto
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Servings Prep Time
4 servings 10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 servings 10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Fish Fillets with Pesto
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
4 servings 10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 servings 10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with foil; coat with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
  2. Arrange fish, skin side down, on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  3. Mix remaining tablespoon olive oil with garlic and brush over fish.
  4. Roast fish for 10–12 minutes until it flakes (test it with a fork).
  5. Spread a spoonful of Pesto over each fillet and serve.
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Sweet Potato and Zucchini Bread

This is quite popular in our house—either as muffins or a loaf of bread. I make a double recipe to freeze some for week days. Before freezing the bread loaf, I slice it and place pieces of parchment paper between the slices; making it easy to pull out a frozen slice and pop into the toaster.

Sweet potatoes pack a powerful nutritional punch. They have over 400% of your daily needs for vitamin A in one medium spud, as well as loads of fiber and potassium. More about sweet potatoes here.

I also like the high fiber content in these muffins (slices); high fiber breakfasts help promote regularity for a healthy digestive tract.

Sweet Potato and Zucchini Bread
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To make muffins instead of a loaf,  brush the muffin tin with softened butter, coconut oil or expeller-pressed canola oil. Bake 25 - 30 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
Sweet Potato and Zucchini Bread
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To make muffins instead of a loaf,  brush the muffin tin with softened butter, coconut oil or expeller-pressed canola oil. Bake 25 - 30 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
Ingredients
Adjust servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Butter and flour 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.
  3. Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl.
  4. Beat sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla in another, larger, bowl until blended. Mix in zucchini and sweet potato.
  5. Add dry ingredients and walnuts and stir well.
  6. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 20 minutes.
  7. Cool bread in pan on rack 15 minutes. Cut around bread to loosen. Turn out onto rack and cool completely.
Recipe Notes

Adapted from Epicurious: Sweet Potato and Zucchini Bread

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Zesty Green Salad Packs a Healthy Punch

Mixed Green Salad with Oranges, Dried Cranberries and Pecans is one of my favorite salads from Epicurious.com

I was tempted to skip soaking the cranberries in orange juice, but it’s worth that extra step. It take the salad from good to extraordinary. I seriously altered the salad dressing, but I always do—I like my salads to have punch.

Cranberries are high on lists of healthy foods because of their antioxidant content. This combination of cranberries, oranges, greens and nuts provides a significant healthy boost. I’ve also used spinach, and finely sliced kale instead of mixed baby greens. And any nut or seed (sunflower, pumpkin) can replace the pecans.

Mixed Green Salad with Pecans and Cranberries
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Mixed Green Salad with Pecans and Cranberries
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Ingredients
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Instructions
  1. Bring 1/2 cup orange juice to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Mix in dried cranberries. Let stand until softened, about 30 minutes. Drain well; reserve juice.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, orange peel and the juice the cranberries soaked in. Mix in cranberries. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.)
  3. Place greens in large bowl. Toss with 2/3 of dressing. Add orange segments to bowl, reserving a handful of pieces. Add pecans, reserving about 2 tablespoons. Toss with remaining dressing. Top salad reserved orange segments and pecans.
Recipe Notes

Optional: After tossing salad in the bowl, spread it on a platter, arrange reserved orange slices decoratively on top and sprinkle with pecans. The platter makes a prettier presentation.

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Ambrosial Torte from Historic Cacao

Cacao was domesticated in Central America about 3,000 years ago. Linguistic findings suggest the word “cacao” is comes from the word kakawa in Mixe-Zoquean, believed to have been the language of the Olmecs, the oldest civilization of the Americas (1500–400 B.C.). The chocolate legacy passed from the Olmecs to the Maya, one of Mesoamerica’s most advanced civilizations. Drinking vessels elaborately decorated with chocolate illustrations discovered by archaeologists contain traces of ceremonial chocolate drinks dating from 250 to 900 A.D.

Cacao beans were so valued in ancient Mexico that the Maya and later Toltec and Aztec civilizations used them as currency to purchase small household items and pay for various services: a large tomato was worth one cacao bean, a rabbit 10 beans, and a slave 100 beans. Taxes levied against conquered tribes were also paid in cacao beans.

Typically Mexican chocolate is made with roasted and ground cacao nibs, sugar and cinnamon; other spices like nutmeg and allspice can also be added.

Chocolate and cinnamon
Mexican Chocolate Torte
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Chocolate and cinnamon
Mexican Chocolate Torte
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Ingredients
The Torte
The Glaze
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Instructions
The Torte
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter an 8-1/2-inch springform pan and line it with a round of wax paper. Butter the paper and dust the pan with flour, knocking out the excess.
  2. In a small skillet on the stove top, toast the almonds about 5 minutes and let them cool.
  3. In a food processor blend together cooled almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until the almonds are ground fine.
  4. Add the chocolate, and blend the mixture until the chocolate is ground fine.
  5. Add the egg yolks and vanilla; blend the mixture until it is combined well (it will be very thick), and transfer it to a bowl.
  6. In another bowl beat the egg whites with an electric mixer with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks, beat in the granulated sugar gradually, until the meringue holds stiff peaks.
  7. Whisk about one third of the meringue into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining meringue gently but thoroughly.
  8. Pour the batter into the pan, smoothing the top, and bake in the middle of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
  9. Let the torte cool in the pan. Run a thin knife around the edge, and remove the side of the pan. Invert the torte onto a rack, discarding the wax paper.
The Glaze
  1. In a metal bowl set over barely simmering water in a saucepan, combine the chocolate, the butter, and the cream.
  2. Stir the mixture until it is smooth, and let the glaze cool until it is just lukewarm.
  3. Set the torte on the rack over wax paper and pour the glaze over it, smoothing the glaze with a spatula and letting the excess drip down the side.
Recipe Notes

Source: Epicurious: Mexican Chocolate Torte

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Lemony Arugula Pesto

This pesto is especially delicious drizzled on roasted fish fillets or grilled chicken breasts.

Other ways to use it:

  • Toss with whole-grain pasta and white beans, add chopped roasted red bell peppers or sun-dried tomatoes and voila! dinner is ready.
  • Spread on bread in place of mayonnaise for sandwiches
  • Put on on toast or a rice cake for an afternoon snack
  • Spread on baguette slices or crostini (toasted baguette slices) for appetizers; add a half a cherry tomato or sliver or roasted bell pepper for a decorative touch
  • Use as a dip for pita chips and/or crudites (carrots sticks, celery, or other vegetable sticks)

Arugula is part of the cruciferous family, high on the list of super immunity foods.

Health Benefits of Arugula

Arugula Pesto
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Arugula Pesto
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Ingredients
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Instructions
  1. In a food processor grind walnuts. Remove and set aside.
  2. Put lemon juice, water, olive oil and garlic in processor. Add arugula pulse repeatedly, turning off and mixing around as needed, until smooth.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Notes

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Pea, Pistachio and Cilantro Hummus

I found this recipe on Pinterest and it’s become one of my favorites. Thank you, Peas and Crayons!

When I don’t have pistachios, I use walnuts or almonds. I serve it for dinner guests with carrot and celery sticks, and either fresh pita wedges, pita chips or crispy whole-grain or seed crackers.

The leftovers go in a mason jar that gets used throughout the week on toast for breakfast or a snack, or in a wrap with greens and a tablespoon or two of sunflower seeds. It also makes a delicious sandwich spread instead of mayonnaise.

Health Benefits of Cilantro

  • Cilantro is most often cited as being effective for toxic metal cleansing.The chemical compounds in cilantro bind to toxic metals and loosen them from the tissue.
  • May be able to help prevent cardiovascular damage. [2]
  • The School of Life Science in Tamil Nadu, India noted, after researching the activity of cilantro leaves and stem, “if used in cuisine would be a remedy for diabetes.” [3]
  • Strong antioxidant activity. [4]
  • Has been shown to have anti-anxiety effects. [5]
  • May help improve sleep quality. [6]
  • Has been examined and described to have a blood-sugar lowering effect. [7]
Cilantro, Pea and Pistachio Hummus
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Prep Time
15 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cilantro, Pea and Pistachio Hummus
Print Recipe
Prep Time
15 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Ingredients
Adjust servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. In a food processor or blender, combine chickpeas, peas, tahini, olive oil, and most of cilantro. Add cilantro, saving several springs for garnishing.
  2. Blend to incorporate.
  3. Scrape down the sides and add garlic, salt, red pepper flakes and water. Blend until deliciously creamy.
  4. More oil, tahini, or water will thin out the hummus, more red pepper flakes will add heat and you can even add some lemon or lime juice to add some zest to the dip!
  5. To dress it up, drizzle 1/2 - 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil over it, and sprinkle some chopped cilantro and pistachios and on top.
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A Hearty Wild Rice Dish

I like the texture and colors of a wild rice blend, but also use brown rice instead.

The chicken broth enhances the flavor (and nutrients); use vegetable broth instead for vegan guests, or even simply use water.

As a side dish it also pairs nicely with grilled chicken, broiled fish brushed with extra-virgin olive oil and crushed garlic, or roasted pork tenderloin.

It is even robust and nutritious enough to be a main entrée, try one of the below variations. It easily dresses up for guests served on a bed of spinach or baby kale tossed in lime vinaigrette. Serve it with crusty bread with a pesto dip. And for dessert, the Mango Yogurt Mousse.

Variations:

  1. Add 1 chopped avocado, 1 chopped mango and 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  2. Add a 1 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes and 1/2 cup chopped basil
  3. Add 1 cup of black beans, and 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro.
  4. Add 1 chopped cucumber and 1/2 cup chopped mint
Wild Rice, Quinoa and Corn
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Servings
8
Servings
8
Wild Rice, Quinoa and Corn
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Servings
8
Servings
8
Ingredients
Adjust servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Place the wild rice in a saucepan and toast it over medium heat until the translucent grains of the white rice look white. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to simmer and cook approximately 45 minutes or until rice is tender.
  2. In another saucepan, toast the quinoa. When it begins to make little popping sounds, add the water, bring it to a boil. Immediately turn heat down to simmer and cover the quinoa. Cook 25 minutes. Do NOT salt the quinoa until after it cooks or the seeds (technically they are seeds rather than grains) will not pop open.
  3. Mix the wild rice with the quinoa, add the corn and green onion and mix.
  4. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with 1–2 tablespoons olive oil and mix one more time.
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