Beyond A Foodie

Category: Uncategorized

  • Spiced Caramel Apple Cider

    Don’t leave apple cider in the fall months! This recipe is perfect for any cold winter night. Mix it up: brandy can be substituted for bourbon or salted caramel vodka. Don’t have mulling spices? Buy them here.

    Spiced Caramel Apple Cider

    • 4 1/2 c apple cider
    • 2 t mulling spices
    • 1/3 c caramel
    • 1 honey crisp apple (thinly sliced)
    • 1/2 cup brandy ((optional))

    1. In a medium saucepan, combine cider, spices and caramel and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Add brandy to cider mix and strain into mugs. Garnish with apple slices and serve immediately.

    Brandy can be substituted for bourbon or salted caramel vodka!

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  • Sweet Potato Smoothie

    Fall is on the horizion, and pumpkin spice is going to be everywhere!

    In an effort to go against the grain, you will find my kitchen is overflowing with sweet potatoes (and winter squash, but we’ll save that for another post). Sweet potatoes are such a delicious staple, and truly a superfood. They contain one of the highest concentrations of the powerful antioxidant beta-carotene, which gives them their orange color, and is broken down into vitamin-a in the body. Also, vitamin c, manganese, copper, and, b vitamins. All of which are vital to eye, skin and organ health.

    The best thing about sweet potatoes, is that they are so amazingly versatile, that you can use them in a number of applications for any meal of the day. Why not incorporate into the first meal of the day? Prep sweet potatoes by baking them the evening before, cooling and storing in the fridge for future meals.

    Bake sweet potatoes in a 350º oven until tender, cool them off, and use them for future meals. They are great in pies, pasta, muffins, and even smoothies! Step up your smoothie game by adding this recipe to your arsenal. Perfect for breakfast or a snack.

    Sweet Potato Smoothie

    • 1 c cooked sweet potato
    • 2 bananas
    • 1/2 c frozen mango
    • 1/2 c frozen peaches
    • 1/2 c organic apple or carrot juice
    • 1/4 c half and half or coconut cream
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 c oat flour
    • 1 c ice
    • ice

    1. In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Add water if mixture is to thick to blend. Top with nuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, and dried fruit.

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  • The Classic Green Smoothie

    The Classic Green Smoothie

    • 1/4 cup almonds
    • 1/3 cup dried apricots
    • 3-4 t cup warm water
    • 1 cup diced mango (fresh or frozen)
    • 1/2 cup spinach
    • 2 bananas (frozen)

    1. In a blender, combine apricots, almonds and water and pulse until there are no chunks left in mixture. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth texture is achieved.

  • Ultra Rich Drinking Chocolate

    Made from a scratch chocolate beverage with rich condensed milk, raw cacao powder and dark chocolate. The velvety and rich consistency is great for dessert. Add your favorite liqueur, such as amaretto, hazelnut or salted caramel vodka. If you’re used to packet cocoa, this will change you forever. You were warned!

    Drinking chocolate refers to the texture of the cup, which resembles sipping a container of melted chocolates. My mom grew me up on this from her travels in europe. I never had a swiss miss or nesquik. One sip of this and you’ll throw all your cocoa packets away for life lol. If you’re afraid of full-fat dairy, cream, sugar and the like, wait for me to post a different recipe, don’t try to sub this one out for 2%!!! It won’t be the same! 

    The end result is a thick, velvety warm cup of goodness. Just sweet enough to accentuate the sweet cream in the milk, while contrasting the bitter notes of the chocolate. I didn’t have my usual hazelnut liqueur, so I subbed it for salted caramel vodka, not bad! Use good chocolate! 65% or above, only. Milk chocolate will get lost in the cream. Cheap chocolate will taste like you’re drinking chalk. No breaking the bank round these parts. Moser roth, a german chocolate company, sells pretty good quality chocolate at your local aldi. This bar is fair trade 75% single origin dominican, $3.99! can’t beat that!

    The last tip, don’t boil this. scorching the milk causes it’s natural sugars (lactose) to “burn” thus losing the note of sweetness the cream adds. Plus it creates that yucky film you get when boiled milk cools off. Give it a try and don’t drink too much, your stomach will regret it!

    Ultra Rich Drinking Chocolate

    • 2/3 c sweetened condensed milk
    • 4 t cacao powder (plus extra)
    • 1 c water
    • 6 oz dark chocolate (65% or above)
    • 4 c whole milk
    • 1/2 c heavy cream
    • 2 oz hazelnut (almond or salted caramel liqueur)
    • 6 t heavy cream (whisked until slightly thick)

    1. In a small saucepan bring sweetened condensed milk to a simmer and and turn heat to low. Whisk in cocao powder and chocolate until melted. Whisk in water and increase heat to medium. Whisk milk into chocolate sauce until throughly incorporated. Continue to whisk until milk is heated through, being careful not to bring to a boil. After the mixture is warm, turn off the heat, and add liqueur of choice. Divide drinking chocolate into two mugs, top with slightly-whipped cream and garnish with cocao powder.

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  • Fluffy + Free Blueberry Pancakes

    Would you believe me if I told you these were vegan, gluten-free and refined sugar-free? For the record, I am personally not gluten-free. But I believe its good to have recipes to please everyone in the room. It’s also good to have healthy alternatives to otherwise heavy breakfast. Healthy living is about balance; eating to enjoy, but also eating to heal, strengthen, and sustain your body. Let’s be honest, most of us eat with our eyes. Telling someone, “eat this because this is good for you” is not gonna cut it. Food should make you happy, excited, and should bring about positive emotions, connect you to great places, people, and memories. I strive to develop nourishing recipes that please your eyes and taste buds and bring about happy thoughts, emotions. These emotions are beneficial to your health as well, by curbing stress releasing good hormones such as dopamine the, neurotransmitter that helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers (psychology today).  

    What you put in your body does reflect how it looks and performs. To the pancakes!

    These double blueberry pancakes are sure to be hit to even traditional meat-eaters (honest, my husband devoured them). As mentioned before, there is no wheat, dairy, eggs, or refined sugar in this recipe. After experimenting with different flours for a friend, with an egg allergy, this seemed to yield the fluffiest cake. The banana gives structure and sweetness to the batter. The riper, the better. This pancake recipe calls for oat flour, which you can buy or purchase some traditional rolled oats and pulse them in a high-speed blender to make your own. This is what i prefer because it’s usually less expensive than ready-made oat flour.

    The best part about this recipe, is that you can throw all but two ingredients in the blender, buzz it a few times, and it’s pretty much done. The last step before grilling is to stir in the vinegar. The combination baking soda and vinegar react to create the “rise” in the pancake. It will change the color of your batter (if using blueberries) a bit. experiment with different plant-based milk and mix-ins to come up with your own fun recipe.

    Vegan Blueberry Banana Pancakes

    • 2 c oat flour
    • 2 large ripe bananas
    • 1 t baking soda
    • 1.5 c cashew (almond or soy milk)
    • .5 c blueberries (fresh or frozen (optional))
    • 3 t honey
    • 2 t apple cider vinegar
    • 11 t oil for grilling

    1. In a blender or food processor, combine oat flour, bananas, baking soda, milk, half of the blueberries, and honey. Pulse until mixture is smooth. add more milk if needed. stir vinegar into batter until completely incorporated. Batter will change color slightly, this is normal.

    2. Bring a griddle to medium heat and add oil. Wipe off excess oil using a paper towl. Measure about 1/4 c batter for each pancake. Pour batter and sprinkle a few blueberries on top. pancake will be ready to flip when batter begins to form bubbles. Flip and grill for another 2min.

    3. Makes about 16 medium sized pancakes. Top with fresh fruit, preserves, nuts or syrup.

    Vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free. blueberries can be exchanged for other fruit/ingredients such as: strawberries, raspberries, chocolate chips, pineapple, etc.

    Nutritional Info

    • calories per serving 359
    • calories from fat 55
    • % daily value*
    • total fat 6.1g9%
    • saturated fat 1.2g6%
    • trans fat 0.0g
    • cholesterol 0mg0%
    • sodium 363mg15%
    • potassium 530mg15%
    • total carbohydrates 68.2g23%
    • dietary fiber 7.4g29%
    • sugars 26.6g
    • protein 9.9g

    Tried this recipe? Be sure to snap a photo and tag me on social (@beyondafoodie) or leave a comment here!

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  • Golden Oatmeal

    Besides the traditional curry, turmeric is used in other recipes, such as golden milk. golden milk is warm a beverage consumed for thousands of years to detoxify liver and kidneys, relieve sore joints, and boost the immune system. Classic golden milk consists of a warm tea made of turmeric and black pepper, with milk. Black pepper better helps our bodies absorb all the benefits turmeric has to offer.

    In the recipe below, I’ve decided to take the flavors of golden milk, and infuse them into baked oatmeal along with cinnamon, and nutmeg and clove. This is not your grandma’s bowl of hot cereal. The combination of spices, and the addition of warm coconut milk, give this oatmeal unique, spicy, warm flavors with a beautiful color to match. The uncooked oatmeal mix can be made in advance, and stored for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Simply scoop out 1 cup serving and bake.

    Top with your favorite fruits and nuts for a nutritionally packed holistic dish, sure to please guests and liven up your traditional brunch!

    Scroll on to the recipe for golden oatmeal below.

    Golden Oatmeal

    • 1 1/2 c rolled oats
    • 1 1/2 c water c water
    • vanilla extract
    • 2 t honey
    • 2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
    • 2 1/4 tsp clove
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper
    • 1/2 c coconut milk
    • fruit and nuts (for topping)

    1. Preheat oven to 400º in a medium mixing bowl, combine water, vanilla and honey and stir until honey is dissolved. Add oats, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and black pepper and stir until oats begin to absorb water. Do not overmix.

    2. Preheat oven to 400º in a medium mixing bowl, combine water, vanilla and honey and stir until honey is dissolved. Add oats, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and black pepper and stir until oats begin to absorb water. Do not overmix.

    This flavor combination is inspired by the classic Indian “golden milk” tea drink, which features the powerful spice turmeric. Turmeric has great anti-inflammatory properties and gives dishes a beautiful golden-yellow hue. Wet oatmeal mix can be made in advance, and stored for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Simply scoop out 1 cup serving and bake.

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  • Vietemese Style Vegetable Summer Rolls with Honey Peanut Sauce

    Vietemese Style Vegetable Summer Rolls with Honey Peanut Sauce

    • spring rolls
    • 8 rice paper rolls
    • 3 oz mung bean vermicelli noodles ((cooked according to manufacture's directions and cooled))
    • 1 cup romaine lettuce leaves
    • 1/2 cup pickled red cabbage
    • 1/2 cup carrot (julienne)
    • 1/2 cup cucumber (julienne)
    • 1/4 cup mint leaves
    • honey peanut sauce
    • 3 tbsp peanut butter
    • 1/2 c soy sauce
    • 1/4 c rice vinegar
    • 1/4 c honey
    • 1 clove garlic (minced)
    • 2-3 tsp water

    Honey Peanut Sauce

    1. Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until sauce is combined and smooth. Add water to thin if needed. Pour honey peanut sauce into 4 small dipping cups for serving.

    Spring Rolls

    1. Fill a large shallow bowl, that is wide enough for one spring roll wrapper, with room temperature water. Working with one at a time, dip the rice paper wrapper into the water for 30 seconds to soften. You may place a damp cloth on your workspace to rest a damp wrapper you are not working with immediately. Do not stack pre-dampened wrappers.

    2. Place the softened wrapper onto a clean work surface. Place the lettuce, vermicelli, cabbage, cucumber, carrot and mint onto the wrapper in a log-like shape towards the bottom-half of the wrapper, leaving a 1 inch margin at the end and sides. Fold the bottom end of the rice wrapper over the vegetables and roll once, then fold over the left and right sides and roll again. Continue rolling, making sure to work tightly, so the sides do not unfold. Place finished spring roll seam side down on a cooled serving platter. Makes 8 rolls. serve immediately.

    Spring rolls and sauce are best eaten immediately after prepping, but can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator overnight.

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  • Carrot Cake Pancakes

    So we’ve gotta stay healthy right? Though this recipe is definitely more on the indulgent side, leftover pulp from juiced carrots makes a perfect no-waste addition to pancake batter. If you don’t juice, simply pulse fresh carrot slices in a food processor until minced. The results are a tender, fluffy pancake with all the carrot-cakey flavors you loved as a child. Top with buttered pecans, raisins and classic cream cheese icing to really complete the dish.

    Carrot Cake Pancakes

    Pancakes

    • 2 c ap flour
    • 2 t baking powder
    • 2 t baking soda
    • 1/4 t salt
    • 1/4 t cinnamon
    • 1/4 t nutmeg
    • 1 t sugar
    • 1 c carrot pulp
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 t vanilla extract
    • 1 1/2 to 2 c buttermilk
    • 2 t melted butter
    • carrot shavings, raisins, and nuts (for garnish)

    Icing

    • 1 t butter
    • 4 oz cream cheese (softened)
    • 1 c confectioners sugar
    • 2-3 t milk

    1. In a small sausepan, melt butter. Stir in cream cheese until smooth

    2. Add confectioners sugar, and milk, alternating between the two, to achieve a fluid consistency. Set aside.

    3. In a blender, combine carrot, eggs, vanilla, buttermilk and butter.

    4. Pulse until combined

    5. Add dry ingredients and pulse on low until smooth, scrape down the sides if needed.

    6. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before using

    7. Lightly oil a hot griddle pan and pour 2-4oz of butter for each pancake

    8. Top with icing, raisins, nuts and carrots

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  • Grapefruit Peach Refresher

    Notes

    This refresher is the epitome of summer in a glass. with only 3 ingredients, its the perfect recipe to easily build upon. Pick in season-peaches and juicy pink or red grapefruit for this recipe. Wow your guests by adding a sprig of rosemary, or a splash of gin. The possibilities are endless!

    Grapefruit Peach Refresher

    • 1 medium pink grapefruit (peeled and sliced)
    • 2 white peaches (sliced thin)
    • 1 L sparkling water
    • optional: sprig of rosemary
    • optional: splash of gin

    1. Slice grapefruit and peaches into small segments

    2. Muddle in desired glassware

    3. Slowly pour sparkling water over muddle fruit

    4. Top with more slices and take in the summary goodness

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  • Roast Chili-Lime Chicken

    Notes

    Preparing to do a 5 ingredients or less series for those who have limited ingredients on hand, but don’t want to sacrifice quality or flavor. I started creating 5 ingredient dishes after receiving the 3-ingredient cookbook as a gift. The beauty of fewer ingredients is that each one has a chance to stand out. Bonus: its amazing on your wallet. If this is you, keep scrolling!

    Installment 1 is this very easy chili lime chicken. Marinade your chicken overnight to highlight the bursting flavors. Marinade can be done with other proteins, such as salmon, duck or even tofu.

    Roast Chili-Lime Chicken

    • 2 lbs chicken leg quarters (split)
    • 4 juice and zest limes
    • 2 tb chili powder
    • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
    • 3 tb olive oil
    • lime wedges (for serving)
    • tt sea salt and pepper

    1. In a large bowl, combine lime juice and zest, chili powder, garlic and oil. Whisk gently to combine. Add chicken pieces to bowl, season with salt and pepper. Toss chicken in marinade to coat. Cover the marinading chicken and store in refrigerator for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.

    2. Preheat oven to 375º. meanwhile, line a sheet tray with parchment paper. Place marinaded chicken on tray and spread out evenly. Pour remaining marinade atop chicken. bake for 35-40 min, until chicken reaches internal temp of 165º. Pour excess juice off to reserve for dipping.

    3. Optional: move chicken to broiler to quickly crisp skin on chicken before serving.

    4. Allow chicken to rest for 5 min and move to serving dish. garnish with lime wedges and leftover au jus.

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