The Healthy Lively Bunch

mmmmm, yummy :)

Yogurt is always a go-to snack of mine

Crockpot Applesauce
Ingredients
- 15-20 small apples (preferably organic), cored and quartered*
- 1/2 t cinnamon
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 c orange juice
- 1-2 T vanilla

Preparation
Source: Full Belly Sisters

Crockpot "Refried" Beans
Ingredients
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp cumin
- 4 Tbsp. jarred minced garlic
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 lbs pinto beans
- *Up to 2 1/2 Tbsp salt (This is the absolute max if you don't pre-soak your beans.)
- 10 cups hot water

Preparation
Rinse the beans in a colander. Pick out any bad beans.

Combine all the ingredients in the crockpot.

Remove any floating beans. Cover, and cook on HIGH for 4 hours and on LOW for 2 hours.Uncover, and remove extra liquid. Leave enough liquid to reach the desired consistency when the beans are mashed. (We like our beans somewhere between the very-liquidy restaurant style beans, and the canned version of refried beans.)Mash beans with a potato masher to desired consistency.

Serve warm. Store in air-tight containers in the refrigerator and use within 2 weeks, or freeze in ziplock bags for later use.

Source:

Coconut Crusted Rockfish
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 c. basmati rice, well rinsed
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 c. flour
- 2 T. minced fresh cilantro
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 limes
- 1 ripe mango, diced
- 1 small onion, chopped fine
- 1 T. orange juice
- 1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs
- 1/3 c. finely diced red bell pepper
- 4 rockfish fillet
- salt & pepper
- 1/2 of a serrano chile, ribs and seeds removed, minced fine
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 3/4 c. vegetable oil
- 1 T. water

Preparation
Make the salsa: In a small bowl, combine all the salsa ingredients, season with salt & pepper (pepper is optional). Set aside while preparing everything else.Start the rice: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Add onion and 1/2 t. salt. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the rice and coconut and saute about 3 minutes, until rice starts to become translucent at the edges.

Add the water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook about 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and rice is tender.

Remove pan from heat and let sit, covered for 10 minutes. Gently fluff the rice with a fork.

Add the cilantro and lime juice and pepper to taste.Make the fish: Meanwhile, pat the fish fillets dry and season with salt and pepper. In one dish place the flour, in another dish, beat the eggs and 1 T. water until mixed, and in another mix together the coconut and panko. Working with one fillet at a time, dredge fish in the flour, then pat off the excess, dip in the egg, letting any excess drip back into the bowl, then coat in the coconut-panko mix, pressing the coating onto the fish to be sure it adheres.

Heat the oven to 200 degrees f. (to keep the fish warm between batches).

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and just starts to near the smoking point.

Add 2 of the fillets and cook about 3 minutes per side, until the fish is golden and cooked through.

Drain briefly on paper towels and place in the warm oven while cooking the remaining fish.

Serve the fish and rice with the mango salsa and lime wedges.

Source: Foodista

Crockpot Refried Beans
Ingredients
- 6 slices of crisp bacon (crumbled)
- black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 fresh jalapeno (seeded and chopped)
- 3 cups of rinsed (and sorted) DRY pinto beans
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 sweet onion
- 9 cups water

Preparation
Put everything in the crockpot and cook on high for 8 hours or till tender.

Drain but reserve liquid. Put drained beans into food processor and puree, adding just enough of the reserved bean liquid to make the beans the right consistency. Keep warm in the crock pot.

Source: Foodista

Crab Cakes Rockefeller
Ingredients
- 1 pound lump crab claw meat (I love the canned stuff at Trader Joe's – you can't beat th
- 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 4 green onions, finely diced
- 1 cup bread crumbs (Panko works great too)
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 slices bacon or prosciutto
- 4 cups (uncooked) baby spinach
- 1/4 cup watercress stems
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
- good salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation
Preheat your oven to 375F and set the top rack to the middle position (BTW, this recipe is a great toaster oven candidate). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or a nonstick cooking mat.

In a large bowl, combine the crab meat, diced red bell pepper, half of the diced green onion (reserving the other half) and half of the bread crumbs (reserving the other half).

Mix in the honey and chili powder, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

I like to form my crab cakes by pressing them into a 1/2 cup measure, squeezing tightly so theyll hold their shape. You can mould them with your hands as well, but be sure to press them together tightly or they might fall apart in transit to the plates. Arrange the crab cakes on the lined baking sheet, leaving at least 1 between each crab cake.

Using your olive oil sprayer (if you have one; or by drizzling olive oil) lightly coat the outside of each crab cake. This will help with browning and to form an outer crust.

Bake at 375F for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, fry the bacon or prosciutto in a large skillet until crispy. Set aside to drain, then crumble into small pieces using a sharp knife.

Finely chop the spinach and watercress stems. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.

Add the garlic and saut 1 minute. Then, add the remaining green onion, bread crumbs and watercress stems. Saut 1 minute more. Finally, add the chopped spinach and cook until wilted, 1-2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, plate a crab cake atop a smear of the spinach mixture, then sprinkle the whole plate with crumbled bacon.

Source: Foodista

Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers (Zeytinyagli Biber Dolmasi)
Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 2 pounds ( - 1kg) Bell peppers
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon dried/fresh mint
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 100 grams of rice
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 tomato, sliced 4 pieces for caps
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 1 cup hot water

Preparation
Cut tops off peppers, remove seeds and wash.

Saute onions with olive oil lightly.Stir in chopped tomatoes and tomato paste.Saut for 3 more minutes.

Add the rice and braise for 5 minutes.Then add salt, sugar, the spices and, hot water.Simmer until all liquid is evaporated.

Let it cool for a while.With a spoon fill the peppers with the mixture.

Place one slice of tomato as a cap on top of each pepper.In a large saucepan or pot, place the rice stuffed bell peppers.

Add water, enough to almost cover half height of the peppers.Close the lid and cook on low heat, for about 15-20 minutes.

Serve warm or hot.ENJOY

Source: Foodista

Rice Krispie Treats with Maple Syrup and Brown Sugar
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 11 ½ cups rice cereal
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 4 cups miniature marshmallows
- ½ cup toasted pecans
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla

Preparation
Grease a 9x13 pan, or line with parchment paper.Melt butter over medium-low heat in large pot.

Add the brown sugar and maple syrup and stir until the brown sugar has dissolved.

Add the marshmallows and stir until they have melted.Take off heat.

Add the sea salt and vanilla and stir.

Add rice cereal and toasted pecans to the melted marshmallow mixture and then press into prepared pan.

Let cool.

Source: Foodista

Rice noodle salad with sesame oil dressing
Ingredients
- 200 g dried flat rice noodles
- 225 g of cooked king prawns
- 1 carrot, cut into strips
- 1 spring onion, chopped
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
- Handful of toasted peanuts
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp dried red chilli flakes
- Salt

Preparation
Cook the noodles as per instructions on the packet.

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a bowl. Check for seasoning and salt as required.

Add the carrot, spring onion, chilli and prawns to the dressing and mix well.

Add the noodles and toss everything together.

Sprinkle on the peanuts and serve.

If you don't like the taste of raw spring onion, then stir fry it with the carrot and chilli for a couple of minutes and add it to the dressing :)

Source: Foodista

Rice and Peas with Coconut Curry Mackerel
Ingredients
- 2 cups of coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon of corn starch
- 2 tablespoons of curry powder
- 1 clove of garlic (chopped)
- Seasoning cubes
- 1 medium piece of Mackerel (chopped in 4 pieces)
- 1/2 bulb of onion
- 1/2 cup of red kidney beans
- 1 cup of Rice
- 3 scotch bonnet peppers

Preparation
Pour 1 cup of coconut milk in a pot with 1 seasoning cube and allow to boil for a minute.

Pour in your rice and peas in the boiling coconut milk and pour 2 cups of water and leave to boil till the rice and peas are soft on low heat.In a separate pot, season and bring the mackerel to boil in the rest of the coconut milk, curry powder and some water.Toss in the chopped onion, scotch bonnet peppers and garlic and allow to simmer on medium heat.Once the fish is cooked, add the corn starch to thicken the sauce and allow to simmer for 4 minutes on low heat.

Serve with the rice and peas

Source: Afrolems

Rice-less Spicy Tuna Hand Rolls
Ingredients
- •1/2 Persian Cucumber sliced into thin strips.
- •pickled ginger for garnish
- •1-2 tablespoon reduced fat Mayonnaise
- •reduced sodium soy sauce for dipping
- •1 scallion chopped into small pieces
- •1-2 teaspoon Sriracha chili sauce (depending upon how spicy you like)
- •3 sheets sushi nori; (seaweed) cut in half (Find in Whole Foods, Fairway or any local specialty market)
- /2 lb fresh sashimi grade Tuna diced finely (It's raw; get the freshest fish you could possible find.)

Preparation
) In a small bowl mix together mayo and chili sauce until thoroughly combined. (Reserve a tad to use as glue to secure the hand roll.)2.)

Add in diced tuna and scallions. Stir all together until the tuna is nice and coated.3.) Now take the Nori and lie it flatly on the counter. Take a couple tablespoons of the spicy tuna mixture and spread it on 1 side of the Nori Wrapper.4.)

Place cucumber slices on top of the tuna in a diagonal form since you will be making a cone shape.5.) Carefully roll into a cone and place a dab of the reserved may on the edge of the nori to glue it all together.6.)

Serve with wasabi, ginger & soy sauce. Enjoy!!!

Source: Foodista

Rice with Fried Egg and Sausage
Ingredients
- butter
- 1 egg
- sprinkle of Nori Goma Furikake
- ½ cup Calrose rice
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon thick soy sauce
- 1 turkey breakfast sausage link

Preparation
Cook rice fully in rice cooker or pot according to package directions.Cook turkey sausage according to package directions; we generally just use a skillet.For the egg, melt butter in skillet on medium heat.Crack egg into skillet and fry just until egg white is cooked, or sunny-side up, roughly 1 minute.Using a spatula to lightly break up the egg white around the yolk as it cooks will help ensure a fully cooked white, while keeping the yolk runny.Put rice in a bowl, and lightly drizzle on sesame oil, thick soy sauce, and furikake seasoning.

Place the fried egg on top of the rice. Chop up sausage and toss it in the bowl.Just before eating, use a fork and knife to cut the egg up into small pieces and let the yolk run over the rice.

Source: Foodista

Pasta and Seafood
Ingredients
- Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
- 1 Garlic clove
- 1/4 cup Chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 2 cups Canned plum tomatoes drained, and
- 1/2 tablespoon Salt
- 1/2 pound Shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 1/2 pound Dried squid ink linguine or 1/4 cup Extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation
Bring water to a boil for pasta. Cook for 10 minutes or until al dente. In one saucepan heat half of the olive oil.

Add garlic and saute for a few seconds.

Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes or until thickened; season with salt and pepper.In another skillet cook the shrimp in half the remaining olive oil.

Remove from heat and toss in the parsley; season with salt and pepper.

Drain pasta and transfer to a serving bowl; add shrimp and tomato mixtures and toss; do not serve with cheese.This recipe yields 2 servings.

Source: Foodista

Crock Pot Chicken Pho
Ingredients
- 8 cups of Chicken Stock
- 2 bone in skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 10 star anise
- 1 piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 6 cloves
- 6 oz of rice noodles
- 4 cups of bok choy chopped
- 12 oz bean sprouts
- 1 cup of fresh basil leaves
- 2 sliced jalapeños
- 1 lime, quartered

Preparation
Add brown sugar, fish sauce, cinnamon, star anise, ginger, and cloves to chicken stock.

Place chicken breasts meat down in crockpot and then pour stock over.

Let cook in crockpot for 8-10 hrs on low.

Remove chicken breasts from crockpot and set aside.

Remove spices from broth.

Add bok choy and rice noodles to broth, turn crockpot to high and let cook for another 30 minutes.While noodles and bok choy cooks, shred chicken and slice jalapeos.Just before noodles and bok choy are done, add shredded chicken back to broth.Ladle into large bowls, add bean sprouts, jalapeos, basil, squeeze lime, and top with sriracha, chili paste, and/or hoisen to taste.

Source: Foodista

Lemon Mint Sorbet
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 Zest of large lemons
- 1 1/2 cups fresh mint leaves, finely minced and divided
- 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup limoncello
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation
Pour the water, sugar and lemon zest into a pot over medium high heat until the sugar has completely dissolved, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat, stir in the mint and set aside.

As the simple syrup steeps, whisk together the lemon juice, limoncello and salt.

Pour into the minted simple syrup and allow to cool completely. Chill for at least 3 hours, but preferably overnight.

Once the liquid has chilled, pour it into the frozen base of your ice cream maker, cover with the lid and churn for 20-30 minutes or until the mixture thickens.

Put the base into the freezer for another hour or two to harden as desired.

Source: Foodista

Cucumber Mint Tea Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 4 slices of bread
- 1/2 organic cucumber, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons wasabi maple spread
- black pepper grinder
- fresh mint leaves
- fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons Vegenaise
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons wasabi powder
- dash of black pepper

Preparation
Whip together the spread, thinly slice the cucumbers. You can do thick crunchy slices, or thin silky slices - your choice. Gather your fresh herbs, rinse and pat dry.

Spread a very thin layer of spread on all inside surfaces of bread.

Layer cucumber on top of the spread. Next, add a layer of mint, dill. You can add both herbs to each sandwich or do half dill and half mint. Grind fresh black pepper inside sandwiches before slicing.

Close sandwich and slice into quarter cubes or triangles.

Plate and serve.

Optional: add a thin layer of spicy sun dried tomato spread or a dash of red pepper flakes for an extra spicy kick of flavor. Another pretty addition would be edible flowers - add inside the sandwiches or as an edible garnish to the serving patter.

Source: Foodista

Mango Black Tea Skinny Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 pitcher of water (8 cups of water)
- 8 mango black tea bags, or other fruity flavored tea
- 8 strawberries, sliced
- 2 lemons, halved and juiced
- 1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped or muddled
- 1 cup Bourbon

Preparation
Add tea bags to pitcher of water and let set for 1 hour. Dispose bags. You may need to take out some of the tea from the pitcher to allow room for the Bourbon and fruit.

Add sliced strawberries, lemon juice, mint and Bourbon.

For optimal taste, let it set in the refrigerator for an hour before serving.

Pour over ice and enjoy!

Source: Foodista

Osmanthus Tea Mousse
Ingredients
- 1 cup (250ml) Whip topping cream
- 1 tbsp Gelatine powder soak with 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp Osmanthus jam
- 1/2 cup (125ml) Fresh milk
- 2 tbsp (about 30g) Sugar
- 1 cup Boiling water
- 3 tbsp Dried Osmanthus

Preparation
Bring one cup of water to boil, add dried osmanthus and sugar into it and place a lid on the pot, boil at medium heat for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and let osmanthus to soak for 10 minutes.

Strain osmanthus and bring osmanthus tea to boil again, add soaked gelatine and 2 tbsp osmanthus jam, mix well till gelatine dissolved. Leave osmanthus tea to cool and pour in fresh milk - stir well.

Whisk topping cream to peak form and mix into the osmanthus tea mixture with a hand whisk.

Divide osmanthus tea mousse among small glasses. Refrigerate for about 2 hours.

Add 1 teaspoon of osmanthus jam on top of osmanthus tea mousse when serve.

Source: Foodista

Lavender Tea With Lemon French Macarons
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 1 pinch cream of tartar
- 4 large egg whites
- 2 tablespoons dried lavender
- 1/2 lemon, zested
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 4 drops yellow food coloring

Preparation
Pulse the almond flour and powdered sugar until blended, then sift twice to make sure all larger pieces of almond are separated out and the flour is blended well.

Add the lemon zest and lavender to the flour and set aside.Pulse the white sugar in processor until very fine.In the large bowl of a standing mixer or by hand, start whipping egg whites until foamy.

Add a pinch of cream of tartar, and whip until soft peaks form.Reduce speed to low, and add the fine white sugar one tablespoon at a time. When fully incorporated, increase speed to medium and then to high, and whip until stiff-peaked. Timing varies on this, and this is where practice makes perfect.

Add your food coloring gel when almost completely done whipping.Sift 1/3 of the flour into the egg and fold in completely. Repeat until all the flour is incorporated. You want to fold in until the batter is smooth, but still light.Spoon into pastry bag fitted with a large tip (I use between 1/2 and 1 inch, depending on what I grab first). Pipe 1 inch rounds onto parchment lined baking sheets, pulling the tip to the side so as to not leave a peak mark. I use very thick sheets for this recipe. Double up if needed.Tap the pan somewhat assertively on the counter to remove any trapped air and help batter to settle.

Let sit for 1/2 2 hours, until a shell forms on the top and your finger pressed lightly doesnt leave a mark.Now, bakers are completely split on the right temperature for baking macarons. Some bake slowly at 270-350 degrees. I tried to keep my temperamental oven at around 300 for these, holding the door slightly ajar with a spoon. This way I can keep them in longer to assure that the insides are cooked without browning them on top, which happened with a batch that was drier / baked higher.

Bake in fully preheated oven for 5 minutes, turn the pan, and bake for around 8 minutes more, or until the feet of the macaron are a bit sturdier than soft.Cool on sheets for two minutes, then remove to rack to cool completely.Fill with prepared lemon curd and refrigerate to harden.

Serve at room temperature with tea. Preferably wearing a skirt. Or at least barefoot.

Source: Foodista

Almond Tea Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Almond paste
- Ground cinnamon, to taste
- 1 cup Powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 2/3 cups Unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup Butter or margarine, unsalted

Preparation
Cream the butter thoroughly in a large bowl, then add the almond paste and incorporate well. Stir the salt into the flour and add gradually to the butter mixture, mixing well after each addition.Chill the dough until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.Preheat the oven to 325 .

Cut of thin slices of the dough, and, using your hands, roll out on a floured surface into rolls about the size and thickness of a pencil.

Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 15 minutes.

Let cool slightly before removing from the baking sheet, then remove while still warm and carefully roll in the mixture of powdered sugar and cinnamon. (These cookies break easily, especially if removed from the pan too soon.) Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight tin.

Source: Foodista

Green Tea Fruit Medley Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 3 Bigelow® Green Tea Bags*
- 1 cup fresh berries, choose from raspberries, blueberries,or strawberries
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
- ½ cup vanilla yogurt
- ½ cup ice cubes

Preparation
Prepare tea by steeping 3 Bigelow Green tea bags in 1 cup of boiling water for 5 minutes. Squeeze out bags and discard.

Combine tea and remaining ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

Source: Foodista

Yogurt Cake
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups full-fat yogurt
- Pinch freshly ground nutmeg
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation
Heat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan lightly with baking spray or oil, and line the bottom with parchment.

Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.

Add the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and nutmeg right into the liquids and stir just until no lumps remain.

Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, covering with foil at the end if the top is browning. When a tester comes out clean, transfer the cake to a cooling rack and let it cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan.

Source: Foodista

Sesame Seared Tofu With Jalapeno Miso Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon ginger, chopped
- 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- jalapeno pepper, seeded
- Kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons miso
- 1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 scallion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
- sesame seeds
- Dressing
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 10 ounces firm tofu, drained, sliced
- 1/4 cup water

Preparation
Heavily coat one side of tofu with jalapeno miso dressing. Allow to rest in fridge for 2 hours.Once tofu is done marinating, heat a dry pan over medium heat.While pan heats, spread a layer of sesame seeds and a pinch of salt on a plate and press non-marinated side of tofu into sesame seeds.Hold hand just over bottom of pan to feel how hot it is. (You should feel heat emanating towards your hand.). When its ready, add both oils, swirl in the pan and lay in then the tofu (sesame side first). Cook on both sides until golden brown, approximately 2-3 minutes on each side.

Serve over a bed of greens and drizzle with extra dressing. Salt to taste.

Source: Foodista

A Bag Pudding With Currants
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 stick unsalted butter (125 g)
- 125 grams white flour
- 125 grams currants (I used chokeberry)
- 125 grams white sugar
- vanilla

Preparation
Break the eggs into a bowl and whisk them. Don't beat them and don't whisk them to a froth. Just make them smooth in the bowl. Because the eggs are the only rising material in the mixture, this maneuver is better underdone than overdone.

Then mix everything together well in a big container. As the mixture may be difficult to combine with a spoon, there is no objection to going in with your hands and really giving it a larruping.

This done, turn your attention to the pudding bag. Soak the cotton square in warm water and wring it relatively dry.

Lay it flat on the kitchen table and flour the top side well. This will form a moist coating of flour on the cloth which is essential to removing the pudding from the bag later. Shake off excess flour.

Now dump the pudding mixture in the center of the cloth. The mixture will not be too "loose" and will remain pretty much upright in a blob. Gather the corners and edges of the cloth up around the mixture to form the "bag" around the pudding and tie off the pudding. Make allowance for some rising (the eggs) and some swelling during cooking. In short, don't tie the bag completely tight about the mixture, but leave a small emptiness between the string and the pudding. If you do it right, the ultimate pudding will have the form of a flattened orb, swelling to the precise size you have left in the bag. If you leave too much space, the pudding will sag.

Leave a loop in the string so you can thrust in the handle of a long wooden spoon to retrieve the finished pudding from the boiling water. Everything is going to be wicked hot when the time comes, and the loop is a must. Also, tie the knot around the bag so it can be easily untied.

Boil in a bag for one hour.

It is all right to add water during the cooking, but don't let the boiling stop at any time.

Serve the pudding with warm custard.

Source: Foodista

Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 1 can of beef consomme
- 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
- 1 can of mushroom pieces and stems
- 1 can of French onion soup
- Long Grain and Wild Rice
- 1 box UNCLE BEN'S

Preparation
Mix all ingredients.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Source: Foodista

Delicious Egg Custard
Ingredients
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 cup of whole milk
- 2 cups of heavy cream
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 5 egg yolks

Preparation
In a saucepan over medium heat combine the whole milk with the cup of sugar and one cup of the heavy cream. Stir until little bubbles form and the sugar has combined with the milk to be smooth.

Remove from the heat and zest either the lemon into the mixture along with the teaspoon of vanilla.

Whisk together the egg yolks with the remaining cup of heavy cream.

Heat the milk and sugar mixture and pour in the egg and heavy cream mixture, whisking as you do this. Continue to whisk over medium heat until it thickens to a desirable creamy custard..

Place in custard cups and refrigerate.

Source: Foodista

Strawberry Syrup
Ingredients
- 3 T. corn syrup
- 1 1/2 t. fresh lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
- 5 cups fresh strawberries
- Sugar to taste
- 22 grams Butter, unsalted
- 1/4 t. vanilla extract

Preparation
In a food processor or blender, puree the strawberries, then add to a medium saucepan along with the sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 3 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in the lemon juice, butter vanilla and salt. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer (or if you want the syrup to be even more refined, strain it through cheesecloth).

Source: Foodista

Carrot Spice Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup evaporated cane juice (or substitute sugar)
- 2 tsps. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsps. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 3 T coconut oil, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 T ground flax seed + 1 T water (or substitute 1 egg)
- 2 cups grated carrot (about 2 large carrots)
- 1 cup canned crushed pineapple, drained
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 2 T butter, softened
- 1 (8 oz.) block 1/3 less-fat cream cheese, softened
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsps. vanilla extract

Preparation
Preheat oven to 32

Spray 2 9" round baking pans with cooking spray & dust with flour.

Combine flours, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk.

Combine oil and eggs; stir well.

Stir egg mixture, grated carrot, pineapple, and applesauce into flour mixture.

Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake at 325 for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let sit in pans for 5 minutes, then invert onto wire racks and cool completely.

For frosting, beat together butter and cream cheese until smooth.

Add powdered sugar and vanilla just until mixed.

Spread frosting between layers and then over cake.

Source: Foodista

Five Spice & Orange Duck
Ingredients
- 2 Good quality duck breasts
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 2 Star anise
- 2 centimeters Ginger (sliced)
- 4 Garlic cloves (slightly crushed and leave the skins on)
- 2 stalks Spring onion (cut into about 4-5cm)
- Orange zests, to taste
- 3 1/2 tablespoons Orange juice
- 4 tablespoons Dark soy sauce
- 5 tablespoons Soy sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Sugar
- 1 teaspoon White pepper
- 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
- 2 teaspoons Five-Spice powder

Preparation
Wash and use kitchen towel to pad dry the duck breasts.

Place the duck breasts in a big bowl and put in all the above mentioned ingredients and seasonings.

Mix all the ingredients well.

Cover the bowl with cling film and put into the fridge to marinate for a few hours.

Once the duck breasts have been marinated for a few hours, heat a pan and make sure its hot enough to sear the duck breasts.

Always skin side down.

Meanwhile, turn on the oven at 180 200 C.

Cook the skin side for about 8-10 minutes. Then turn the other side and cook for about 5-1

Once both side are seared, put the duck breasts into the pre-heated oven and cook for about 25 minutes depending if youd like to have the meats slightly medium cooked. If you prefer them to be cooked well done, leave in the oven slightly longer.

Check the duck breasts from time to time and and brush the marinate on each side to keep them moist and to have nice golden brown colour.

Once the breasts are cooked, slice the breasts thinly and serve on the plate with its juice.

Source: Foodista

Tomato soup with dumplings
Ingredients
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 celery (small) or ¼ from one big
- FEW spoons of oil
- 2 carrots
- 2 eggs
- Chopped fresh parsley
- 1 onion
- 1 parsnip
- 10 tbsp wheat semolina
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 750 ml tomato juice (puree)
- jump for your keys or vegetation

Preparation
It is very easy, first wash the vegetables and put it in a large pot (4 l). Usually I chop Them All, beside parsnip and celery.Fill half of the can with water THEN put it on the stove to boil.

Add a little bit of salt.When They are ready, add the tomato juice (or puree) and the oil and Give it to boil. Taste for salt.Set aside and prepare the dumplings as Following:Beat the eggs THEN add a pinch of salt.Stir in the wheat semolina (8-10 tbsp), little by little, avoiding the lumps. The Consistency of the composition must be like a tick cream.Usually, for this soup, I boil separately Them, Because, It Happened to Me to Remain hard in the middle, so we boil Them Will separate in the can with water.Bring the water to a boil and add the dumplings with the spoon.

Let Them When They double in size and is ready, sprinkle a little bit of cold water on Their surface. (Will this make more fluffy Them). Then add Them to the soup.Chop the parsley and put in the soup.Enjoy!

Source: Foodista