There Is Such A Thing As Healthy Cookies (And They’re Actually Good)

Healthy cookies - for real!

I have total confidence in 101 Cookbooks, but I have to admit that when I saw this recipe for “Healthy Cookies” – containing no eggs, flour, sugar (besides the chocolate) or butter – I was skeptical. I just love those good old traditional chocolate chip cookies made with 2 sticks of butter and lots of sugar (and spin-offs like these). But in an attempt not to add any more holiday pounds, I decided to try to get my dessert fix in a healthier fashion. And I must say, these cookies are scrumptious! I’m not going to lie and say that they are a perfect substitute for regular sugary-buttery baked goods, but they are great when you want a little something sweet without all the fat and calories. They even have the potential to be gluten-free and vegan, as long as you get gluten-free oats and dairy-free chocolate.

I followed the recipe with just a couple changes: I added a couple Tablespoons of vanilla agave nectar (for sweetness since one of my bananas was not very ripe), and used 1 teaspoon (rather than 1/2 tsp) of cinnamon. I also used pecans in place of about 1/3 of the almonds since I didn’t quite have enough.

Quiche with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Artichokes, Basil and Goat Cheese

Quiche with sun dried tomatoes, basil, artichokes, goat cheese

Quiche is versatile comfort food that goes as well for breakfast as it does for lunch or dinner. You can make an infinite variety of savory quiche types by combining different ingredients for the filling. I love sun dried tomatoes, basil and goat cheese, and I had some artichokes and I figured they would go well with that combination too. Broccoli and cheddar is always good, as is turkey bacon with spinach. Next time I think I would try adding some sauteed onions to this one, but it was good without them too.

Oh, and don’t be scared of homemade crust, people –  its not really that hard! Though you can always cheat and use a pre-made crust if you are scared or want to make a quicker quiche.

Yay for Agave!

Vanilla Agave Nectar

I have to give Whitney kudos for the fact that agave nectar is even on my radar. We were living together in NYC when she discovered this syrup – made here in Mexico from the same plants as tequila – and began to use it as a delicious sweetener. Agave nectar is similar to honey, but less viscous, and has a lower glycemic index than many other sweeteners. Because it is plant-based and often processed at low temperatures it is also raw foodist and vegan-friendly. I liked agave nectar when I tried it, but never got particularly enthusiastic about it. That is until recently, when I found VANILLA agave nectar in my local organic foods store in Mexico City. Natural vanilla is one of my favorite flavors/ingredients, so when I saw whole vanilla beans soaking in agave nectar, I was sold immediately. And OH MY GATOS, it is heavenly. Following Whitney’s lead, I mix it into oatmeal in the morning with some cinnamon and apple, or drizzle it on fresh baked banana bread, and I think it will be divine on french toast or pancakes and mixed into tea. In the US you can buy regular agave nectar at organic and specialty food stores, though I’m not sure about the vanilla variety.

Arepas, Take II

Arepa filled with chicken, vegetables, cheese and avocado

You may have seen one of my first posts when I attempted to make arepas, but couldn’t find the masa precocida they require and substituted the Mexican staple, masa harina. While it still tasted good, the result was more like a sope or thick tortilla than an arepa. Well, since then I found masa precocida at the Mercado Medallin in Mexico City, so this is my attempt to make the real thing. They were quite tasty and distinctively different from what I had made before with the masa harina, the only thing I don’t love is the amount of oil involved since they are fried in oil. I think next time I would try to use less oil and/or bake them. The possibilites for fillings are endless, but I stuffed them with chicken cooked with onions, tomatoes, peppers and chipotle, and others with black beans and cheese. And you can never go wrong with a little avocado, either. Here is how I made the arepas, and I will leave you full creative license to fill them with whatever you like.

It’s Autumn, Time to Roast Vegetables

Roasted veggies for dinner

I recently re-discovered roasted root vegetables, and the delicious possibilities that they open up for every meal.  For a recent dinner, I roasted a mix of beets, onions, garlic, potatoes, sweet potatoes, zucchini and red peppers. At first when the beet juice started to turn the other vegetables purple, I thought that maybe I should have roasted them separately, but it turns out they made the whole mix look beautiful with splashes of purple everywhere.  For brunch I did a mix of just sweet and Yukon gold potatoes, onion and garlic, and it was the perfect “home fry” accompaniment to some eggs and fruit. To roast the veggies, I just chop them into cubes of an inch or so, and mix them in a baking dish with olive oil, salt, pepper, and some fresh herbs – rosemary is a particularly good compliment to potatoes and garlic. Lately I have been using a salt mix that I got at a specialty store here in Mexico City, which is a mix of sea salt, black pepper, dry garlic, lemon rind, rosemary, chile de arbol, and tomatillo.

Chopped potatoes ready to roast

Roasted sweet and yukon gold potatoes

Veggie Lentil Soup

I used to be intimidated by the idea of making soup. I’m not sure why, because it’s so easy! You can basically sautee some veggies and boil them with water and seasoning, maybe blend it up if you want to get fancy, and you can’t go wrong. One of my favorites is lentil soup, its so comforting and healthy at the same time. And it makes the whole house smell delicious. You can store it in the fridge and the freezer for easy meals throughout the week, and spice it up with different toppings like sour cream or avocado. Here is how I made my latest batch, though it changes a little every time…

Mango lime sorbet, with a splash of Don Julio for good measure

Strawberry and mango sorbets

Gluten and dairy-free desserts are hard to come by – at least I don’t have many in my repertoire. So when Catherine suggested sorbet, I new this had to be one of my next culinary challenges. My friend Allison also is the inventor (as far as I know anyway) of the famous Mexican Beer Float, which is usually lemon-lime sorbet in a nice light Mexican beer, and she was thrilled about the prospect of them actually being consumed in Mexico. So I decided to give sorbet a whirl, and thought that mango sounded like the best flavor to start with. Mangoes are so creamy anyway that I figured it would be easier to achieve a creamy texture even without any actual cream AND without an ice-cream maker. And was it ever velvety and delicious.

Namesake Cake: Chili Chocolate Torte

Our namesake: Chile chocolate torte

This chili chocolate torte is rich, slightly spicy, and sinfully delicious. But keep reading, my flour-averse friends, it’s even gluten-free! It uses ground almonds and eggs to hold it together, along with bittersweet chocolate, sugar, coffee, butter or oil and Mexican spices. This torte is perfect served with some spiced whipped cream and/or vanilla ice cream. I basically modified a Better Homes & Gardens recipe to come up with this gluten-free version. I also tried to make it low-lactose, but it is best with butter, and milk-free chocolate is surprisingly hard to find here in Mexico.

Tamale Pie

What better way for a bunch of gringos in Mexico to celebrate Mexico’s independence then to eat some good ol’ tamale pie? This version, however, is a more sophisticated take on the standard ground beef topped with cornbread mix that seems to be popular in the southern US. This recipe uses real masa harina (corn four used in tortillas) in the crust, and is topped with beans and a chicken tinga mixture, along with goat cheese and roasted bell peppers.

Tinga de Pollo

Adding shredded chicken to onions and tomatoes - genius!

I just learned how to make this from an excellent Mexican cook named Aracelli. It’s a great chicken dish that can be eaten with rice, on tostadas, in tacos, or used in tamale pie.

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts

4 cups chopped white onion

About 5 large tomatoes, chopped

1 chopped jalepeno

Salt and pepper

Boil the chicken in water for 20-30 minutes with some onion and salt. When its done, remove the chicken and let it cool enough to handle, then shred the chicken breasts into small pieces with your hands. Strain the chicken broth.

Sautee the onions in olive oil. When translucent, add the chopped tomatoes and jalepeno and simmer, then add the shredded chicken pieces and some water or stock from the chicken. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let it simmer for 15 minutes or so.