Garlic and Honey Immune Booster

Recipes

Girl Cooks World

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April 12, 2019

About one month after the official change in seasons, Spring is finally in the air. All of the signs are present: the days are getting longer, asparagus is hitting the markets and swells are starting to hit the South shore. And then there’s the seasonal cold that seems to hit when there’s a change in the weather.

Verification from my mother would be absolutely required to know whether this is, in fact, true, but I’m under the impression that I was a unusually healthy child. It was only in my adult years that I started catching colds on a regular basis. I’ve never liked taking medicine so I thought my only option was to sit back and let the cold run its course.

But a couple years ago I came down with a nasty cold about 12 hours before I had to hop on an 11-hour flight. I took to the Internet and found what’s been my go-to immune booster ever since. As soon as I start to feel a little sniffle or head congestion I load up on this garlic and honey concoction and wash it down with several cups of ginger tea. I’d say my success rate at warding off colds is probably about 90% these days. And that plane ride? Sniffle and sneeze-free.

Garlic and Honey Immune Booster

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:

* 1 clove garlic
* honey

Directions:

Mince garlic clove and scoop it up into a large spoon. Drizzle liberally with honey. Do your best to chew the mixture before swallowing. Best when chased with plenty of ginger and lemongrass tea.

Repeat 2-3 times per day.

Carrot Zinger- Fresh Carrot, Ginger and Lime Juice

Drinks

Girl Cooks World

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April 12, 2019

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Carrot Zinger- Fresh Carrot, Ginger and Lime Juice

Some of my longtime readers might be thinking that this juice looks a tad familiar. Yep- it’s essentially the same carrot, ginger and lime combo that I discovered last year while cooking my way around Jamaica. It’s got the same ginger punch, but the freshly extracted juice is a couple notches more intense than the blender version since there’s no water to dilute the flavor.

What are some of the health benefits of this drink, you ask? Carrots are known for being a good source of vitamin A and B complex vitamins. On the other hand, ginger is anti-inflammatory and it improves the digestive system.

Sometimes people are reluctant to get into juicing because it can get expensive really quickly; it can take a whole lot of (pricy!) produce to make one or two glasses. Thankfully, carrots are an inexpensive option at pretty much every grocery store. And I’ve been told that when carrots and romaine lettuce are juiced together, it tastes like chocolate milk. I’m still skeptical, but I’ll be sure to do some investigating this upcoming weekend.

Carrot Zinger- Fresh Carrot, Ginger and Lime Juice

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:

4 carrots, cut into large chunks
1/2 lime, peeled
1/2-inch piece ginger
couple drops stevia (optional)

Directions:

Process the carrots, lime and ginger through a juicer. Taste and add a drop or two of stevia, if desired. Serve immediately over ice.

Apricot and Almond Quinoa

Recipes

Girl Cooks World

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April 12, 2019

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When I’m on a cleanse, I rarely eat any grains. That’s fine by me because usually I’m so focused on creating a flavorful main dish- either meat-based or vegetarian- that the grain is nothing more than an afterthought. Most often I just toss some brown rice or quinoa into the rice cooker and call it good. Healthy? I guess. But it also gets pretty boring.

Well this quinoa dish is anything but boring. In fact, it just might cause a paradigm shift in how I plan my meals and think about grains. Rather than playing second fiddle, it’s the main cause for excitement.

Quinoa gets cooked with dried apricots in a turmeric-spiked broth. It’s then tossed together with toasted almonds and currants in a citrus and mint dressing. It’s great warm or as a cold salad and would be excellent paired with a simple grilled chicken. Along with the roasted kabocha with oregano and mint, this is going to become a standard picnic and potluck item for me this year.

Apricot and Almond Quinoa

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

* 1-1/2 cups quinoa
* 1/3 cup dried apricots, finely sliced
* 2-3/4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
* 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1/4 cup lemon juice
* 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
* 1/2 cup fresh, minced mint
* 2/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
* 1/4 cup dried currants
* salt and pepper

Directions:

Combine the quinoa, apricots, broth and turmeric and broth in a rice cooker and cook until the machine turns off. Alternatively bring all of the ingredients to a boil in a saucepan, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, until all of the broth has been absorbed.

While the quinoa is cooking, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, orange zest and mint in a bowl and whisk together. When the quinoa is done, toss with the dressing. Mix in the almonds and currants. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Creamy Coconut Spinach with Squid

Girl Cooks World

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April 12, 2019

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If I didn’t live in Hawaii I’m pretty sure that I would have skipped right over this recipe. I’m the first to admit that spinach, squid and coconut milk doesn’t necessarily sound like the most appealing combination. But luckily we have a very similar dish in Hawaii, squid luau, which comes standard on most Hawaiian buffets that I know and love.

The original recipe used taro leaves (also called luau in Hawaii), but I’m guessing that few of you have access to fresh taro leaves like I do. But the spinach is an excellent substitution and even easier to use and cook.

What to eat it with? Because Hawaiian plate lunch combinations are ingrained into my brain, my vote will always go to kalua pork, rice, and lomi salmon. Forget pineapple chicken- this is the true taste of the Pacific.

Creamy Coconut Spinach with Squid

Yield: 6-8 side servings

Ingredients:

* 2 pounds baby spinach leaves
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 Tablespoons butter
* 1 onion, diced
* 1 pound calamari/squid, cut into thin rings
* 13.5 ounce can coconut milk (about 1-2/3 cups)
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar

Directions:

Bring one cup of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the spinach, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered until the spinach has wilted. Remove from heat and drain.

In a large sauté or frying pan heat the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent. Add the calamari and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Next, add the drained spinach, coconut milk, the remaining salt and the sugar and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to simmer until most of the liquid had evaporated.

See also Burmese Coconut Rice for a tasty side dish

Broiled Grapefruit with Ginger and Brown Sugar

Recipes

Girl Cooks World

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April 12, 2019

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On occasion I feel like things get too complicated around here: recipes with too many steps, too many ingredients, etc. So I’m bringing simple back, with a simple broiled grapefruit with the zing of fresh ginger and brown sugar for extra sweetness.

The broiling has the surprising effect of making the grapefruit even juicier and the brown sugar turns into a delightfully sweet syrup that seeps into each and every grapefruit segment.

It’s a fun twist to an otherwise simple breakfast. My favorite part? The leftover puddle of sweetened ginger grapefruit juice. I think I know exactly what to make when my juicer finally arrives.

Broiled Grapefruit with Ginger and Brown Sugar

Ingredients:

* grapefruits, halved and cut into segments with a grapefruit or regular knife
* brown sugar for sprinkling, about 2-3 Tablespoons per grapefruit
* peeled fresh ginger

Directions:

Preheat your broiler and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.

Place the grapefruit halves on the parchment paper and sprinkle with brown sugar. Use a Microplane zester to grate the ginger on top of the grapefruits.

Place in the oven and broil until the sugar has melted into a nice syrup and the tops are just beginning to brown.

Remove from oven. Serve warm or let cool to room temperature.

Very Cherry Lime Mojito

Drinks

Girl Cooks World

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April 12, 2019

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Now that I’ve officially fallen prey to the Valentine’s Day bug, I’ve been trying to create a new, pretty, and pink hued cocktail. My original intent was to use up some pomegranate liqueur that’s been sitting around. But I suppose the reason it’s been sitting around is because I really don’t like it. At all.

And so I moved on to the only other red liquid in the apartment: black cherry juice. The drink was a hit but I definitely missed the mark on the color: rather than the pink blush I was envisioning, I ended up with this deep, dark drink would be more appropriate for a Vampire-themed event. Anybody having a Breaking Dawn release party this weekend? You can all toast when pregnant Bella gets her first taste of blood.

Yep- I just outed myself as a Twilight Fan. I keep watching the movies hoping that they’ll match the magic of the angsty, unintentionally hilarious original film. No luck so far. Maybe the final film will deliver? Otherwise I’m hoping that The Hunger Games will fill that little spot in my heart reserved for young adult movies.

Very Cherry Lime Mojito

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:

2 sprigs of mint
1/2 lime, cut into three wedges
1 1/2 ounces white rum*
1/4 cup black cherry juice
handful of ice
1/2 cup sparkling water or seltzer water
slice lime and mint leaves for garnish (optional)

Directions:

In a glass, muddle the mint and lime wedges (I use a wooden spoon). Add the rum and cherry juice and stir to mix. Add ice and then the sparkling water. Garnish with a slice of lime and mint leaves, if desired.

* Last summer I made some bing cherry-infused vodka and also made one of these using that in place of the rum…. excellent. Definitely something to try next cherry season.

A Trip to the Punahou Carnival and a Salsa Recipe for Mom

Girl Cooks World

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April 12, 2019

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A Trip to the Punahou Carnival and a Salsa Recipe for Mom

What football game? The highlight of my weekend was the Punahou Carnival. Each year Punahou (the President’s alma mater) puts on the event to raise money for financial aid. If you’re ever visiting at the first weekend of February, definitely put it on your list of things to do.

Besides the standard carnival rides, there’s a White Elephant, vintage/antique sale, local produce stand, and all sorts of activities for kids. Just come ready for crowds.

The main draw? The food. People come from all over the island for the malasadas, Portuguese bean soup, teri burgers, gyros, Saimin, etc., etc. Want to try it all? They stock plenty of boxes so you can take a couple meals to go.

I was relegated to the few gluten-free items that they sell, but you could do worse than an Orange Dream smoothie and beef nachos. Although I wouldn’t have minded a salsa upgrade. I haven’t bought the jarred stuff in years; the lack of fresh cilantro is a total deal-breaker.

And so now it’s one of those basics that I always make myself… super easy and so much better than store bought. People are always surprised to find out that I use canned tomatoes but I find that they’re more reliable than standard supermarket tomatoes. Plus they’re always available, inexpensive, and I invariably have a can or two in the pantry.

I’ve been meaning to post this for over a month now. My mom wanted the recipe and I told her to just wing it and throw some tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and lime juice together. Apparently that wasn’t satisfactory. So mom, this one is for you… I’m still working on that chicken tortilla soup recipe.

Fresh Cilantro Salsa

2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes, drained
1 red or yellow onion, chopped
leaves from 1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, partially seeded and diced (or use a couple jarred jalapeno pepper rings)
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Use an immersion blender to pulse several times until the ingredients are chopped finely and well combined. Alternatively, pulse in a food processor or blender.

Toor Dal- Nepali Yellow Dal

Recipes

Girl Cooks World

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April 12, 2019

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When I think of comfort foods, rich and unhealthy items like macaroni and cheese or ice cream come to mind. I’m hoping that I’ll eventually be able to train my mind to first turn to something healthy, like this warming and nutritious dal.

In this Nepali vegetarian dish, yellow split peas and diced tomatoes combine with a spiced onion mixture. The ingredients are pretty simple, but everything combines to create a dish that is anything but boring.

So far Nepal has challenged my perception that spices like cinnamon, cloves and cardamom are only for sweet, not savory dishes. The inclusion of cinnamon and cardamom is really the major difference between this yellow dal and the Indian yellow dal I often make from 5 Spices, 50 Dishes. As long as they’re used somewhat sparingly, these spices add a nice, slightly perfumed aroma and extra depth of flavor to savory dishes.

I often eat dal plain, but feel free to serve it over some Basmati rice for a full meal. And one final note: dal makes a great weekday meal for company. I often make the split peas the day before. The day of, all that’s left to do is reheat the split peas and then cook up the onion mixture. Easy peasy.

Toor Dal- Nepali Yellow Dal

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

* 4 cups water
* 1 cup yellow split peas
* 1/2 cup diced tomatoes, drained
* 3 Tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
* 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated (I freeze peeled ginger and use a Microplane zester)
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 cinnamon stick
* 2 bay leaves
* 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
* 2 cardamom pods, crushed
* 1 Tablespoon butter
* 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
* salt and pepper

Directions:

Combine the water, split peas, and diced tomatoes in a large saucepan. Cover and simmer over low heat until the split peas have softened.

While the split peas are cooking, heat the oil in a large pan over high heat until very hot. Add the cumin and cook, stirring, until very fragrant. Reduce heat to medium-high and add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has browned. Add the ginger, garlic, cinnamon, bay leaves, turmeric, and cardamom and stir to mix. Pour into the prepared split peas. Add butter, cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. Let cook over low heat for a couple minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Gluten-Free Mini Ricotta Doughnuts with Bittersweet Chocolate and Salted Caramel Dipping Sauces

Dessert

Girl Cooks World

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April 12, 2019

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Gluten-Free Mini Ricotta Doughnuts with Bittersweet Chocolate and Salted Caramel Dipping Sauces

Resistance is futile. Even if you have the willpower to resist the doughnuts, the bittersweet chocolate and salted caramel will likely lure you in with their siren song. Although the doughnuts themselves are pretty spectacular… super moist, impossibly fluffy, with just the slightest hint of citrus. One plain, one with chocolate, one with caramel. Eat and repeat.

The recipes for the chocolate and caramel sauces make more than you’ll need for these doughnuts, so you’ll have plenty for a double batch. Or use any extra to top some ice cream. I’ll throw out another idea for any sauce leftovers tomorrow…

Gluten-Free Mini Ricotta Doughnuts with Bittersweet Chocolate and Salted Caramel Dipping Sauces

Yield: 16-24 doughnuts, depending on size

Ingredients:

Doughnuts:
canola or vegetable oil for frying
1/2 cup superfine rice flour
1/4 cup potato starch
2 Tablespoons tapioca starch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
powdered sugar
bittersweet chocolate and salted caramel dipping sauces

Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce:
2/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream, heated on the stovetop or microwave until very warm

Salted Caramel Sauce:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

Heat several inches of oil on a small, heavy saucepan to 370 degrees.

While the oil is heating, combine the rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, baking powder, lemon zest and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and whisk until blended.

Working in small batches, drop heaping Tablespoons of batter into the hot oil, turning occasionally, until the exterior is golden and the insides are cooked, about 4 minutes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Lightly dust with powdered sugar and serve with bittersweet chocolate and salted caramel dipping sauces.

To make the chocolate sauce, place the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals until soft. Stir until smooth. Whisk in the warm heavy cream until smooth.

To make the salted caramel sauce, combine the sugar and water in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil without stirring, washing down any crystals on the side of the pan with a wet silicone or pastry brush.

Boil until the syrup is a deep amber/caramel color. Remove the mixture from the heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream (the mixture will bubble). Stir in the butter and salt.