Royal Icing
Since I’m on day 18 of the Whole 30 plan and I can’t eat any sugar, I thought it would be a good idea to post a very sugary icing that I can’t currently have! Make sense? Thought so.
Many years ago, my sister, mom and I took a cake decorating course together. My mom and I continued on to take a wedding cake decorating course. I think my sister was in Vancouver when we did this, or she would’ve joined us for the second course. Over the years, we have made a lot of cakes! With that, a lot of icing! Buttercream icing, of course, but we’ve also made royal icing, as it hardens well and works well when making adornments, such as flowers.
Royal icing is also excellent when baking cookies. Which is what I used this recipe of royal icing for. So, let’s get started! Here’s what happened…
To begin, in a separate bowl, sift all of your icing sugar, so that you don’t have any lumps. If you are like me, and you don’t have a sifter, use your whisk to break up some of the lumps. It’s not perfect, but it does the trick!
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the meringue powder and warm water until frothy.
Add your cream of tartar and all of your icing sugar at once to the meringue mixture.
On the lowest setting, using your paddle attachment, mix the ingredients for 10 minutes. My mixer conveniently has a timer and automatically shuts off after 10 minutes.
The consistency should look something like this.
Store, at room temperature, in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
Here’s what you need to do…
Royal Icing
3/4 cup warm water
5 tablespoons meringue powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 kg bag of powdered sugar (I measured it out to be about 7.5 cups)
Sift your powdered sugar in a separate bowl and set aside. In the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk the meringue powder and water until frothy. Add cream of tartar and powdered sugar all at once. Mix on the lowest setting for 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container, at room temperature.
Enjoy!
(Source: https://www.hanielas.com/2010/04/royal-icing.html#.VUKDXCFViko)
Spaghetti Squash with Homemade Pesto
Since beginning the Whole 30 challenge, I have found myself trying dishes I wouldn’t have otherwise considered. I have made basil pesto many many times, but never have I made it without parmesan cheese. I have had spaghetti squash before with a tomato sauce and it just didn’t have that unctuous quality to it that I ‘need’ right now, or my husband and I will die on this plan or start eating sugar by the spoonful! Neither are good options. One of my favorite go-to meals is Chicken Pesto Pasta, so I figured I would recreate it as best I could. Here’s what happened…
Spaghetti squash is a cinch to make. There are several different ways you can cook it. To impart the most flavor, I suggest roasting it cut side up, with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Before you do that, though, you have to scoop out the seeds. Roast it in a 400 F oven for 50 minutes and it will look like this!
Now for the fun part…
Use a fork and pull the squash away from the flesh.
In the end, you’ll have a bowl of squash that looks like spaghetti! I won’t lie, this can never replace the real thing. It tastes nothing like actual spaghetti. But, the flavor of this squash is mild and can handle, and actually needs, good, bold flavors to help it along.
This is why I thought this pesto would be the perfect complement. Start with a small amount and add more as you feel you need to. Of course, if you aren’t able to make your own pesto, store bought will work. Just read the ingredients to make sure you understand what you’re eating.
I added chicken and tomatoes to bulk up this dish. I seasoned the chicken and tomatoes with salt and pepper before I added some pesto to the mix.
Once I tossed everything together, I added some balsamic vinegar to add a touch of sweetness and acid. It’s my little piece de résistance. It really makes a nice difference.
This is my all-time favorite brand to use for balsamic vinegar and olive oil. If you find it, use it! It’s a bit more expensive than your average balsamic vinegar, but as it should be for better product.
This was honestly, far more satisfying than I ever imagined it would be! If you want to cut down on your carbs, give this a try!
Here’s what you need to do…
Spaghetti Squash with Homemade Pesto
1 large or 2 medium spaghetti squash
1/4 cup prepared pesto
1/2 pint grape tomatoes
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
salt and pepper for seasoning
Preheat oven to 400 F. Remove seeds from squash and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast squash cut side up in oven for 50 minutes.
Once cool enough to handle, using a fork, pull squash away from its flesh and place into a bowl, set aside.
In a skillet over medium high heat, add some olive oil and cook chicken, seasoned with salt and pepper, all the way through. Add tomatoes and season with a touch more salt and pepper. Add a heaping tablespoon of pesto to the mixture.
Toss in the spaghetti squash. Add 2 more heaping tablespoons of pesto and combine all the ingredients. If using, add a generous dash of balsamic vinegar and toss to combine. Adjust seasoning as needed. Serve.
Enjoy!
Homemade Pesto (Whole 30/Paleo Compliant)
This isn’t the normal mix of ingredients that I use for my typical homemade pesto. I’ll have to post that another time. I was wanting to make sure that I was staying in line while on this Whole 30 program, so I used a variation of this pesto that is Whole 30 compliant. But, Whole 30 or not, this pesto is very tasty! I didn’t miss the cheese at all! Here’s what happened…
I really could’ve taken a better photo… That aside, I’m gonna get right to the recipe since it’s really straight forward. Something to consider when you are making pesto is that ingredients don’t need to be exact, and you’ll realize that the more you make it. It’s pretty forgiving. For the oil, while there is a measurement for the purpose of the recipe, getting your pesto to the right consistency is more important than following an exact amount given. Also, if you add too much salt to your pesto, just adjust how much you might add to the dish you are including your pesto with. I, also, didn’t measure out might lemon. Just a squeeze will do to start. If you feel it needs more after you taste it, go for it! Here’s what you need to do…
Homemade Pesto (Whole 30/Paleo Compliant)
2 cups packed basil, washed and dried
1 clove minced garlic
1/8-1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp of lemon
salt and pepper to taste
In your food processor, add your toasted pine nuts, garlic and a bit of oil and pulse till combined. Add your basil and pulse while adding oil. You’ll see the mixture magically turn into pesto. Add your lemon, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust your seasonings as needed.
If you don’t use all of your pesto in one serving, add the remainder into an air tight container and cover the top of the pesto with some additional olive oil.
Enjoy!
Pork, Sweet Potato and Apple Sauté
I haven’t posted anything in a while. We went home to my parents house in Windsor for Easter and ended up staying there over a week because my daughter became so sick, we didn’t feel comfortable travelling with her in her state. She ended up being diagnosed with pneumonia, was put on the right medication and was finally able to sleep through the night without spiking a temperature of 104 F.
While we were there, my sister and brother-in-law somehow convinced both my parents and my husband and I to join them in doing the Whole 30 program. It’s basically a 30 day plan to help reset your system and help people identify foods that may be affecting them negatively. So, that means, no dairy, gluten, legumes, grains, soy, or alcohol. FOR THIRTY DAYS!!! What’s left? Lots of eggs, meats, fish, nuts, vegetables, and fruit. Day 8 starts tomorrow, and while things are going pretty well, I miss my wine and cheese.
I’ve learned with this plan that planning and creativity in the kitchen are important or deprivation will set in. So, I began to think of some recipes that might work with the ingredients I can use. This recipe, I’ve made many times in the past. It’s very satisfying and kid friendly, which is a bonus. The original recipe calls for butter, which I can’t currently use while on Whole 30. But, I can use clarified butter, or ghee. We didn’t notice the difference. It was exactly what I needed on a night where I was craving sugar! The natural sweetness of the sweet potato and apple in this recipe worked to curb my cravings! Here’s what happened…
You want to start by getting all of your ingredients sliced, cubed and diced. Salt and pepper your pork medallions at this point as well.
In a large skillet, over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon each butter (or ghee in this case) and oil and add your chopped sweet potato, so that they are all in one layer. Don’t stir them too much, as you want them to crisp as much as possible. This step will take about 10 minutes. After that, put 3 tablespoons of water in the pan and cover with a lid to finish cooking.
When the sweet potatoes have cooked through, remove them from the pan and add another tablespoon of butter and olive oil. Add the apple and onion together and season with a bit of salt. About 1/2 teaspoon. Cook until both have browned slightly. Stir in grated ginger*. Add 2 tablespoons each water and apple cider vinegar to the apples and onions and then remove them, adding them into the bowl you have set aside with the sweet potato.
*Ginger lasts longest in the freezer and grates really easily with a microplane. Peel the skin of the ginger with a spoon, and place it in the freezer until you need it. Grate it when frozen and put it back into the freezer till the next time.
Add another tablespoon each butter and oil to your pan and now add your pork medallions. Cook a few minutes, each side.
It should look like this. Remove the pork from the pan. Add 2 more tablespoons each water and apple cider vinegar and scrape up all the bits of goodness left on the bottom of the pan.
Return the sweet potato, apple and onion mixture into the pan and heat through.
My picture isn’t the greatest. But, this dish is worth the risk! It’s yummy!
Don’t be taken by the butter and olive oil in this dish. This is a nicely balanced, healthy dish!
If you have any parsley, use it to add a punch of color to this dish.
Here’s what you need to do:
Pork, Sweet Potato and Apple Saute
1 Sweet Potato, peeled and cut into cubes
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 apple, cubed (any apple will do, recommended: Golden Delicious)
1 medium pork tenderloin
salt and pepper for seasoning
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1 inch piece of ginger, grated
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons parsley (optional)
Cut up your pork, sweet potato and onions and set aside until ready to use. Season your pork medallions with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon each butter and olive oil. Add sweet potato in one layer and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until potatoes begin to crisp, about 10 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons water to the pan and cover to let the potatoes finish cooking. Uncover and transfer to a bowl.
Raise heat to medium high and add another 1 tablespoon each butter and olive oil. Add both the onion and the apple together and season with a little salt. Cook until slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in ginger and cook for another minute. Pour 2 tablespoons each water and cider vinegar, mix into apples and onions and remove and place mixture into bowl with the sweet potatoes.
Add another tablespoon each butter and olive oil and add the pork medallions. Cook for about 2 minutes a side or until they are lightly brown. Transfer the pork to a plate. Carefully pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of water and cider vinegar and scrape up all the bits of goodness left on the pan from the pork. Return the sweet potato mixture into the pan, and heat through. Serve with 2 or 3 pork medallions.
Enjoy!
(Source: Fine Cooking One-Pot Meals Winter 2013)
Marshmallow Easter Pops!
The first time I made these was for my daughter’s 3rd birthday, this past year. I knew she would love them because she’s crazy about marshmallows! She actually thought these were her birthday cake, until her amazing Octonauts themed cake arrived. I’ve made these marshmallow pops many times, for different reasons. They’re tedious, but worth the effort. Here’s what happened…
This is an oasis. Florists use these for bouquets, which I’m sure you already know. My husband has always been good about sending me flowers and this is from one of those moments. For my last birthday, he sent me a bouquet that looked like a cake! I saved this oasis because I knew I could use it for something just like this! If you don’t have an oasis, you can use a styrofoam cake form.
You’ll want to cover it well with tin foil.
I chose Easter colors for these pops. Not shown in the picture are the very important marshmallows and lollipop sticks! You can get all of these ingredients at your local Bulk Barn, or most cake decorating stores.
If you can, melt all the chocolates you plan to use at once. Will save you time. This step in your marshmallow pop process is fairly important, as you can overheat chocolate pretty easily. These are make-shift double boilers, and they work perfectly. You want to make sure that the water in each pot isn’t touching the bowl that is sitting on it. To begin, turn your heat to medium, to get the process started. Once you see any steam coming out the sides of the bowl, you can remove it from the heat.
This is an example of the pink wafer chocolate I had melting. It’s off the heat at this point, and there is plenty of internal heat in this chocolate to help melt this chocolate down. It’s important to remove your chocolate at around this stage, so that it keeps a loose, velvety consistency once melted. If overheated, it can remain thick, almost burnt. I’ve done this! To keep the consistency where you want it, leave it to sit on a double boiler, that’s off the heat, while you dip your marshmallows. This will keep it from seizing.
First thing you want to do is dip your lollipop stick into the chocolate before you insert it into the marshmallow. The will ensure that your marshmallow doesn’t slip around the stick after being dipped. It sets it. It’s an important step.
Skewer your marshmallow onto the stick until you can feel the tip at the top of the marshmallow, but you can’t see it. You don’t want the stick to pierce the other end of the marshmallow.
Coat each marshmallow fairly quickly. You don’t want it sitting in warm chocolate, or it will begin to melt and its shape will change. This is the tedious part. You will want to make sure enough of the chocolate has drained off before you coat the marshmallows, or you will have a drippy, chocolatey mess.
Next step. Coating. I chose various sprinkles for all of my marshmallows this time around.
This is what you want. It can stand upright and has set enough that it isn’t dripping. It’s good to go!
I don’t know any kid that wouldn’t love the sight of these! Take the time, and make these. Especially, if you have little people in your world!
Here’s what you need to do…
Marshmallow Easter Pops!
1 bag marshmallows
1 cup each, pink, yellow, and purple chocolate wafers
Variety of sprinkles for coating
Lollipop sticks
Melt the chocolates over a double boiler until melted. Coat the tips of each lollipop stick, as you skewer each marshmallow, with the chocolate you will be using for dipping. Dip each marshmallow into the chocolate and tap off any excess. Coat with desired topping.
Enjoy!! Happy Easter!
(Source: Adapted from https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/marshmallow-pops.html)
Hard Boiled Eggs
With Easter around the corner, I thought I would share how I have made hard boiled eggs for years. When I was a kid, I remember boiling the heck out of eggs, so that we could decorate them for the Easter Bunny. I never liked eating them. They were dry and kind of grey. Yuck! I didn’t realize there was actually a method to hard boiling the perfect egg! At least, back then. I decided that I didn’t like hard boiled eggs, until an ex-boyfriend of mine, well, he wasn’t an ex-boyfriend then, but now….you get the picture…gave me a signed copy of one of Ina Garten’s cookbooks. I remember reading in her tips beneath another recipe, how to properly hard boil an egg! I was curious, tried it, and have been making them this way ever since! Here’s what happened…
Start by bringing the eggs to a boil in cold water. You can boil as many eggs as you need. I used two for this because it was for my breakfast! Put enough water in the pot to cover the eggs. Once the water boils, shut off the element and leave the eggs in the water for 15 minutes. Drain water and cool a few minutes or until you can handle them.
This is the result of rolling the egg around on a hard surface to help release the shell. You will need to tap the shell twice before rolling to get the process started.
You can see from this picture that the shell itself came off in almost one piece.
Ta-dah! No grey-ish yolk! Yay!
Enjoy!
(Source: https://www.barefootcontessa.com/recipes.aspx?RecipeID=322&S=0)
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