Wheatless Wednesday – Flourless Chocolate Brownie Cookies

by joycevandenbergporterMarch 26, 2014

Chocolate is one of the world’s favorite foods and GoodMotherDiet is not immune. Sometimes we need a break from cauliflower, quinoa and butternut squash. Can dark chocolate really be part of a healthy diet (and not just wishful thinking)? There are reputable claims that dark chocolate is good for your heart (lower blood pressure +), brain (improved cognitive function), blood sugar (what?), teeth (no way!) and even your cells (antioxidants). Dark chocolate is also high in vitamins and minerals (copper, potassium, magnesium and iron). For specific nutritional data (or if you don’t believe me that dark chocolate is good for your teeth) click here: http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/6-health-benefits-of-dark-chocolate.html

Sometimes we do know what we need. So now the question is Cookies or Brownies? Why choose? These tasty morsels are a cross between a fudgy brownie and a chewy chocolate chip cookie. Need I say more? They are also flour free and gluten free (as long as you are using a powdered sugar that doesn’t have flour added for fluffiness – yes they do that so check the label). Should I go on or do you just want to make them now?

Flourless Chocolate Brownie Cookie

Servings: 24
Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: easy
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3 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp kosher salt
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate or 2/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
3 Tbsn dark chocolate (70% or higher cacao)

Chop chocolate into small pieces.
Mix powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt in a large bowl, then whisk in egg whites and egg.

Fold in chopped chocolate.

Spoon batter by the tablespoonful onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2″ apart.
Bake at 350 degrees until cookies are puffed, cracked, and set just around the edges, 14-16 minutes.
Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cookies cool before removing them from parchment.

Wheatless Wednesday – Fish in Parchment

by joycevandenbergporterFebruary 5, 2014

Do you ever have days where dinner seems impossible? One kid has basketball practice and another is at play rehearsal, both done at different times. Your spouse is working late and you just walked in the door. Sometimes the concept of a healthy family dinner is just that, a concept. Before you pick up the phone to order Chinese takeout (again) check out my very easy fish in parchment which can be assembled in minutes or pre-assembled and cooked whenever you are ready. This has been a go-to dinner for me over the years because it is just so convenient and I can easily cater to each family members’ personal tastes. I pre-assemble each piece of fish in a square of parchment or aluminum foil and write each person’s name with a sharpie and throw them into the oven as needed. By far the fastest side is couscous (a huge hit with my kids) which only takes 5 minutes, but since this is Wheatless Wednesday, I will be serving my fish over brown Jasmine rice. Most grains can be cooked ahead of time and will sit and wait until you’re ready and they make a perfect pairing with fish in parchment as the delicious juices add a boost of flavor to what is normally a fairly bland side dish. The best part of this meal though is the presentation. I love a ‘pretty plate’ and this is certainly nice enough to impress your dinner guests, plus you can prepare everything ahead of time and clean up is easy.

When they were little boys, my kids’ tastes were very finicky, so I was limited to what vegetables or seasonings I could include. Dylan was a purist, butter and salt only. Jackson liked thinly sliced zucchini circles on his and Eric was more adventurous with red peppers. As they got older their palate grew right along with them, and I started adding jalapenos, sliced red onions, mushrooms, capers, tomatoes, olives, cooked eggplant, pretty much anything I had available. The trick is to know your customer and prepare with them in mind. Parents with picky eaters, take heart. My boys, who at one time couldn’t have any food touching on their plate, have moved on to gourmet and exotic foods like seared ahi, sushi and escargot.

A light fish like red snapper, tilapia or sea bass are very mild and suit themselves to cooking in parchment. Cooking in parchment is really steaming the fish in its own juices which is a healthy and tasty way to cook. The juices also pick up the flavors of any vegetables and seasonings you include and create a delicious ‘broth’. You can use parchment or aluminum foil but foil cooks a bit hotter, so fish might get done more quickly, and some ingredients will react with it, especially lemon juice and wine.

Fish in Parchment

Servings: 4
Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: easy
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4 – 6 oz pieces of fish (red snapper, tilapia or sea bass)

4 Tbsn butter or coconut oil

4 12″ squares parchment or aluminum foil

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

several cloves garlic, chopped

1 small zucchini, thinly sliced

1 – 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped

1 Tbsn capers

1/2 tsp ground oregano

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a small saucepan, dry saute the red peppers with oregano for a few minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. (Optional)

Wash and dry fish. Place each piece of fish in the center of a square of parchment.
Dot each piece with butter and sprinkle with a dash of salt.
Add jalapenos, garlic and capers.

Top with onion, zucchini and redpeppers
Fold parchment in half the length way of the fish and fold to seal the edges together. Crimp the sides carefully to keep liquids and steam inside.

Label your parcels with a sharpie and place on a cookie sheet
Bake or broil for 12 to 17 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish and how many vegetables you include.

To serve, spread jasmine rice in a circle on the plate. Place fish parcel in the center and open carefully (It will be steamy). Rip the parcel in half, lengthwise and slide fish onto the rice. Be creative and enjoy!

Wheatless Wednesday – Crab Quinoa Tower

by joycevandenbergporterDecember 4, 2013

Crab season is here! I had my first last week and it was sweet and delicious. It is less expensive and fresher to crack and clean your crab at home, however, if you don’t mind paying a bit extra, or you are in a rush for time, it can be nice to have it done at the market. I don’t mind doing it myself and have included directions below.

I am excited to incorporate another grain into this menu that have never made at home before, quinoa. As is my custom with new things, I googled quinoa and was impressed by what I found and sorry I haven’t made it before. The Incas, who believed Quinoa to be sacred, called it “chisaya mama” or “mother of all grains”. It is increasingly popular for its high protein content, dietary fiber and minerals; phosphorous, magnesium and iron. It’s also a source of calcium, so good for vegans and those lactose intolerant. As a bonus it is gluten free. For all those reasons, quinoa is considered a superfood. (www.Wikipedia.com) I used Rainbow quinoa but any kind will work just fine.

One note of warning, this recipe calls for an empty can for forming the tower. Mine got recycled tonight so I had to open a new can. Make sure your can has rims on both the top and bottom so the can opener has something to grab on to. My salad tonight was only going to have only mixed greens and arugula but ended up with a few garbanzo beans and mandarin oranges since I had to open both cans to make my tower.

FRESH CRAB QUINOA TOWER

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa

2 cups vegetable broth

1 Tbsn olive oil

1 large ripe tomato, sliced into rounds

1-2 ripe but firm avocados, halved lengthwise, seeded, peeled and sliced horizontally

3 scallions, thinly sliced

1Tbsn parsley, minced

1-2 fresh, cooked crab, cracked, cleaned with meat removed (reserve claws) *Instructions follow

8 ounces mixed greens

1 bulb fennel, trimmed and sliced

Lemon vinaigrette (½ cup olive oil, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, 2 T red wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper)

Directions:

Rinse quinoa under cold water until the water runs clear. In a 1 quart saucepan, saute quinoa in olive oil until slightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover until liquid is absorbed and germ has spiraled out, about 20 minutes. Let cool.
Prepare vinaigrette or use your favorite. Put ingredients in a small container and whisk together or shake until combined.
Remove crabmeat from shells, retaining claws for garnish, and pull meat apart leaving large chunks. 1 crab will serve 4 with moderate proportions/2 crabs generously. Combine in a bowl with 3 or 4 Tablespoons vinaigrette, scallions and parsley.
Remove both ends from an empty food can (regular soup size) to make a hollow cylinder. Wash and dry can thoroughly. Place can in the center of one of the serving plates. Spoon in one fourth of the couscous mixture and gently press down with the back of the spoon.
Top couscous with one slice of tomato, then a quarter of the avocado, pressing with spoon after each layer. We love avocado so would use ½ half for each serving, however you can adjust the quantity to your liking. Top the avocado with a quarter of the crab mixture. While pressing on the crab mixture with back of spoon, slowly lift off can. Repeat to make three more plates. Top with a crab claw.
Toss greens and fennel with remaining vinaigrette and serve with crab towers.

CRACKING AND CLEANING A CRAB

Place the cooked crab on a cutting board on its back. Hold the body in one hand and gently twist each of the legs and claws off with the other. Set them aside