Book and Product Reviews Archives | Page 6 of 17

Nectarine Coconut Peanut Flour Scones Recipe

July 24, 2014

After Tuesday’s pork chop post, I decided to switch gears with my peanut flour experiments and try something sweet and baked.

Scones remain my favorite type of pastry and recipes for them are also very easy to play around with. While breads and cakes can be tricky for getting the right rise and texture when mixing in alternative flours, scones are much more forgiving.

Peanut flour in scones creates delicious results. Even if you modify a recipe just a little by adding some, it gives them a lighter, crumbly texture and that expected mild nutty flavor.

For these scones, I modified a recipe from my book and I decided to incorporate coconut flour in this mix. It is another ingredient I’ve been testing out lately. If you haven’t used it, know that it has a bit of a grainy texture that really comes through when a baked good is warm. Once it cools, I find the density, texture and flavor it adds to be a winner. Just don’t expect these to be exactly like a standard bakery scone made with all-purpose flour.

They are delicious in their own unique way.

I kept some whole wheat flour in the mix to help with the binding and then studded the whole dough with chunks of sweet white nectarines and finely shredded coconut. Once they are out of the oven, let them cool completely before serving and handle carefully to prevent crumbling.

Nectarine Coconut Peanut Flour Scones

Makes: 8 scones

½ cup coconut flour

½ cup 28% light roast peanut flour

¼ whole wheat flour

2 tbsp unsweetened medium shredded coconut

2 tbsp coconut sugar

2 ¼ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

2 small white nectarines, pitted and chopped

½ cup half and half

1 tbsp raw sugar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, stir together the coconut flour, peanut flour, whole wheat flour, coconut, coconut sugar, baking powder and salt.

Add the butter and use a pastry blender or two knives to incorporate the butter into to the flour until it is well distributed and in pea-size pieces.

Gently stir in the nectarines. Add the half and half and stir until a dough forms. Shape it into a ball and place it on a greased baking sheet, or a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat.

Press the dough into a circle with about a 6 ½-inch circumference. Spread the raw sugar over the top and gently press it into the dough.

Use a dough cutter or knife to cut it into 8 equal pieces (like a pie). Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the edges begin to brown and scones are firm.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely before removing from the baking sheet to serve.

Disclosure: I was provided samples of peanut flour from Golden Peanut Company. I was not required to post about them and received no compensation for doing so.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

A Guide to Peanut Flour and Peanut Chile Rubbed Pork Chops Recipe

July 22, 2014

I am crazy for peanut flour. I discovered it last year after attending a nutrition and cooking retreat with The Peanut Institute. After doing a little web research, I found it mentioned around the web a couple of years ago (likely because Trader Joe’s carried it for a while), but it was a new ingredient to most of us at that retreat.

I’ve always been a huge peanut and peanut butter fan so it’s logical that peanut flour is my new favorite thing. It’s light and powdery without the graininess you find in some flours. It adds a pleasant nutty flavor and when stirred into oatmeal or a shake, it is super smooth and creamy.

It has quickly become my plant-based protein powder, but as I hope to show you over the next few posts, it is incredibly versatile in all types of recipes.

Peanut flour is made using raw high-oleic peanuts (about 80 percent oleic acid) that are cleaned, blanched and roasted. Then they are pressed using a natural oil extraction process (without the use of solvents) to produce a flour that is either 12 percent fat or 28 percent fat, depending on the amount of oil extracted. The process is similar to making cocoa powder and as a result you can sub peanut flour to cocoa powder at a 1:1 ratio.

At the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco last January, I had the opportunity to meet a representative from Golden Peanut Company. They supply bulk peanut products to manufacturers and restaurants. After discussing my interest in experimenting with more peanut flours, they sent me a sample of 4 varieties and I’ve been working with the ingredients ever since.

I received the four flours pictured above – 12 percent Light Roast, 28 percent Light Roast, 28 percent Certified Organic Medium Roast and 28 percent Dark Roast. You can see the color differences in the photo based on the roasts.

Peanut flour is great for dry rubs, sauces, baked goods, pet treats and as a stir in for shakes, yogurt and oatmeal. The 28 percent fat varieties are 40 percent protein and can be used for just about everything. The 12 percent fat varieties are 50 percent protein and are good for when you want less peanut flavor, but plenty of protein. (I like to use the 12 percent in shakes.)

The light and medium roasts work better in baked goods because the baking will roast the flours further. The dark roasts were developed for cold uses and they add a nice flavor to uncooked sauces or dressings and confections.

According to Golden Peanut Company, their peanut flour is gluten-free, GMO-free, all natural and kosher. I should disclose right now that the fact that it is gluten-free isn’t the reason I use it. It can be a great option for those on a gluten-free diet, but I don’t have a gluten intolerance so you will find that some of my recipes for baked goods do include some wheat flours for binding.

If you’d like to try peanut flour yourself the best resource for consumer purchases is Byrd Mill online. I’ve mentioned them before because we received their peanut flour samples from The Peanut Institute after the retreat. A tip when you buy your own — because peanut flours use high-oleic peanuts they are more shelf stable than traditional peanuts. They should be stored in a cool and dry place, preferably the refrigerator, and last 9 to 12 months.

So now that you know a little more about the flour, let me show you one of my favorite ways to use it — as a dry rub. These pork chops are coated in light roasted 28 percent peanut flour, chile powder and ginger before being seared in the skillet and finished off in the oven. The result is a juicy chop with a little heat and a mild nutty flavor.

If you have some questions about peanut flour, send them my way. There are many more recipes to come!

Peanut Chile Rubbed Pork Chops Recipe

Makes: 4 servings

2 tbsp 28 percent Light Roast Peanut Flour
1 tbsp ancho chile powder
2 tsp coconut sugar (or your favorite dark sugar)
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp medium roast ground coffee
1 tsp salt
1 to 1 ¼ lb. center cut loin chops (4 chops about ½-inch thick)
2 tbsp olive oil (or your favorite cooking oil)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small dish, stir together the peanut flour, chile powder, sugar, ginger, coffee and salt. Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel and then coat each evenly with the dry rub.

Heat the oil over medium-high in a large cast iron skillet. Place the pork chops in the skillet (they should sizzle). Cook for 1 minute and flip. Place the skillet in the oven and baked for 6 to 7 minutes, until the chops are cooked through. (Pork should reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.)

Let rest 2 to 3 minutes and serve.

A few references if you’d like to explore:
How to use peanut flour from Golden Peanut Company (pdf)
In a Nutshell: A Better Peanut
More About Specialty Peanut Flour, Aromatic Oil and Extract from Golden Peanut Company

Disclosure: I was provided samples of peanut flour from Golden Peanut Company. I was not required to post about them and received no compensation for doing so.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Las Vegas Eats and Drinks in iPhone Photos

July 16, 2014

Las Vegas — you either love it or hate it. After about 11 years of traveling there, I’ve given up on arguing with anyone in the hate it category. I just enjoy the fact that we love it. We take it in small doses. I only want to be there a couple nights at a time, but I still want to be there.

Knowing that I’m not anything close to a high roller, everyone always asks — what do you do?

First, we walk.

As touristy as it is, I love the Bellagio fountains and the botanical garden. I like to see what gorgeous flower arrangements the Aria and Palazzo have on display. We’ve seen the majority of the Cirque de Soleil shows on the strip. This time we went downtown to the new Smith Center to see The Book of Mormon. We’ve also taken a drive around the area on the trips that we’ve rented a car. Then we each sit down at our favorite machines — an animated bonus slot for me — and spend barely $20 in a night while drinking a few (free) cocktails.

It’s always a nice break from my day to day reality. Yes, you have to deal with lots of tourists, but you get to do it while carrying around a beer to help ease the frustration.

This trip we booked Spirit airlines for the first time. We took the extra charges for overhead baggage as a challenge and each packed a shoulder bag for the weekend that fit snugly under the seat.

That meant no camera, but it turns out that we had some really great food and food experiences this visit. So I committed to taking the best iPhone photos I could manage to ensure I could share the highlights of our food and drink adventures.

The good thing about coming from the Bay Area is that we arrive by 7:30 am, so after checking in, we went straight to breakfast. Like most tourists, we’ve visited Serendipity 3 for the frozen hot chocolate. This time we learned that you can have a very pleasant, calm and delicious breakfast there before 9:30 am.

The menu said that the Fried Eggs Benedict was two poached eggs that had been rolled in cornmeal and fried (I know!) on top of biscuits and Canadian bacon with hollandaise AND sausage gravy. It sounds so heavy, right? But you are probably thinking of a loaded diner version, like I was, and not this.

Las Vegas Eats and Drinks in iPhone Photos | fakefoodfree.com

Yeah, I had to order it and I am so glad I did. The flavors were beautifully balanced and now I have a new project – fried poached eggs.

Oh and I love their coffee, too. They add cinnamon and nutmeg!

We’re big on dropping in the ABC store or a drugstore for an inexpensive beer and we were pleased to find some craft options this trip. Namely, Oskar Blues that we just visited in Colorado a few weeks ago.

Earl of Sandwich in Planet Hollywood is our go-to place for cheap eats and they are open 24 hours. As a result, I had my favorite sandwich for breakfast on our second morning — the Holiday Turkey. Yes, everything is on there that you are thinking — turkey, cranberry, stuffing and gravy. But like my meal at Serendipity 3, it’s well done. Just a little of everything so it’s not too filling or a big mess. Okay, it looks like a big mess, but it’s so good!

Las Vegas Eats and Drinks in iPhone Photos

We swung in Grand Lux Cafe in the Palazzo for a light lunch. This is usually a safe bet for good food and their portions are massive so we always split something. We went for the Asian Nachos and they were so much better than I was expecting! Fried wontons with chicken in a peanut sauce. I already have the wheels turning in my head for a version with homemade wontons.

We have yet to have a bad meal or bad service at Mon AmiGabi in Paris. Both are always excellent, which keeps us coming back when we want a high quality, mid-priced meal (for the Strip). I’m not a huge fan that they like to serve grain-fed beef as I prefer grass-fed, but the food is always delicious. One of my long time favorites is this warm brie with honey, black pepper, roasted garlic cloves and hazelnuts.

Now on to one of our most fun and memorable meals in Vegas. I always go on about how great blogging is for introducing me to outstanding people, and it’s happened again with Tracey of Salty Sweet Life. We met online and ended up taking Todd Porter and Diane Cu’s photography course in Orange County in May where we met in person.

She and her husband live in Las Vegas so we met up with them for drinks, dinner and dessert. They took us to the The Lady Sylvia for drinks and while I didn’t snap any photos, trust me, this is one cool bar. It has a relaxing lounge-slash-library feel and we both had delicious beer cocktails. I had the The Dapper Don with Hendricks Gin and Ballast Point IPA.

Dinner was at Lotus of Siam. This is one place off the Strip that we had actually been to before. It was five years ago and before I had such a strong interest in Thai food and before we’d traveled to Thailand. That was long before I’d heard about the Northern Thai menu from both Tracey and by watching the Vegas episode of Parts Unknown.

We ordered a selection of Northern Thai treats and every bite was delicious. My favorite was the Sai Oua (pork sausage) — nice and spicy and packed with the flavor of Kaffir Lime.

When our hosts told us they were going to take us to a new place for dessert, I thought okay, cool, we’ll grab frozen yogurt or something.

Um, not quite. Wow, were we in for an experience.

We headed to Sweets Raku. A dessert bar with the creations of Japanese dessert artist, Mio Ogasawara. We were greeted with the option of a prix fixe menu or ordering ala carte, all printed on an edible menu of rice paper and a candy ring. We were later given a raspberry sauce for dipping the menu.

Needless to say, we did the prix fixe. The first course was pre-set, a refreshing pineapple sorbet with white wine jelly.

For the second course, Tracey and I chose the Carib. A coconut panna cotta that included so much good stuff that I won’t be able to remember it all. Here’s what I do recall — cantaloupe sorbet, kiwi and a brûléed banana slice. A white chocolate disk was set on top of the glass and just before serving a warm mango sauce was poured through it to melt it. Outstanding.

My husband had the Stella (strawberry tiramisu), a mix of fresh strawberries and cream over cake. We also had a great seat for the action to watch its intricate construction before serving.

The final course was a cream puff with our choice of cream and fruit sauce. I chose vanilla with black currant. The puff was served with two gelled cube, one of which was passion fruit, my favorite.

As you would expect, it was an unforgettable experience and more proof to support my argument — visit Las Vegas. Stay on the Strip and get off the Strip. There is good stuff to be found just about everywhere.

Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies from Beach House Baking

July 11, 2014

Friday is cookbook review day throughout the summer here at Fake Food Free. If you have a love of cookbooks be sure to swing back by for plenty of new ideas and recipes.

Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies from Beach House Baking | fakefoodfree.com

Baking isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when I envision the beach. Usually it’s rum drinks and ice cream cones.

But now that I think of it, during just about every beach vacation I’ve enjoyed, tucked somewhere in the line of swim shops and shaved ice is a quaint bakery with a window of cookies, brownies and candies. It’s always a highlight of the trip.

It’s a lot like how Beach House Baking: An Endless Summer of Delicious Desserts by Lei Shishak is a highlight to a summer of new cookbooks.

“I wasn’t always a beach girl,” she writes. “In fact, growing up in rural Pennsylvania I was more of a country bumpkin.”

Now how can I not love that? Just replace Pennsylvania with Indiana and Kentucky and bingo — you’ve got me.

Lei goes on to tell the story of how her love of food drew her from a non-food career to opening her own bakery. And how a love of the beach drew her to California. Minus the bakery, it’s a story I can most definitely relate to.

This cookbook was also a reminder of how diverse beach life can be. I grew up with vacations to the hot beaches of Florida and North Carolina. I never knew California beaches until two short years ago.

Here in the Bay Area we have beaches that are warm during the day (maybe) and breezy and cool at night. It’s weather that beacons a little baking. Maybe something like the Coconut Apricot Oat Crisps or one of the Happy Hour cupcakes like the Red, Red Wine Cupcakes with Blackberry Mascarpone Mousse in this book.

If you feel it’s just too hot to turn on the oven, the added Beachy Beverages section and the Peach Green Tea in the Frozen Pops section will get you through until you can bake up the cookies for the Malibu ice cream sandwiches.

Either way, a great perk of this cookbook is that the recipes are simple and straightforward. Each one fits to a page, and while there is no shortage of creativity, there aren’t any super long lists of ingredients and complicated steps either.

Being fortunate to have cool evenings in the summer that are perfect for firing up the oven, I had to go for something true to the baking theme of the book — cookies. Not just any cookie though, Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies.

My quest for good peanut butter cookie recipes has been going on since high school when I worked in a bakery that made the most outstanding version. I like peanut butter cookies every which way you can bake them – crisp and crumbly, soft and tender, with chopped nuts or without. I love that this recipe incorporated a few peanut butter chips, because it’s something I don’t normally do. I’ve been using Trader Joe’s peanut butter chips. I’d sworn off peanut butter chips in the past, but these have very few ingredients and work well in desserts.

These cookies have a firm, crumbly edge and a rich, tender middle. A perfect combination when it comes to peanut butter cookies. I used natural peanut butter with only salt and peanuts, because aside from a few favorite flavored versions, that’s about all I keep around. It worked perfectly so don’t be afraid to substitute it if that is what you use, too.

Old-fashioned peanut butter cookies

Makes about 23 cookies

From the book: Growing up on the East Coast, I would often head to Virginia Beach during spring break. This popular tourist destination boasts miles of sandy beaches as well as amazing fishing and boating opportunities. It’s also famous for its peanut specialties, including peanut brittle, peanut pie, and fried peanuts. When I hit the beaches these days, I love packing these soft and chewy cookies in my beach bag.

The heat of the sun warms the cookie just enough to bring out the aroma of the peanut butter and melts the peanut butter chips embedded in the dough. It’s like taking a bite out of a just-baked peanut butter cookie that’s melt-in-your-mouth delicious, all while being at the beach.

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup smooth peanut butter

½ cup light brown sugar

½ cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon half-and-half

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1½ cups all-purpose flour

Heaping ½ cup peanut butter chips

¾ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, half and- half, and vanilla extract, and mix for an additional minute. Mix in the flour, chips, baking soda, and salt until incorporated. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a couple baking trays with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

3. Scoop the dough onto the prepared trays (I use a 1-ounce ice cream scoop). Flatten slightly with palm. Mark the dough with the back of a fork in a crisscross pattern.

4. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, or until edges are just set. Cookies will look underbaked. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool completely on the sheet trays.

Disclosure: This cookbook was sent to me for review purposes. I was not required to write about it an received no compensation for doing so.

Carrot and Radish Salad with Peanut Ponzu Dressing Recipe

June 21, 2014

I made this carrot radish salad a few years ago when I received a bottle of ponzu. New to me at the time, I was an instant fan and it made a delicious peanut dressing for this seasonal side dish.

Carrot and Radish Salad with Peanut Ponzu Dressing Recipe | fakefoodfree.com

The thing that draws me to food the most is that I’m always learning something. No matter how much I travel, cook or eat, I will never know everything.

A good example — I learned of ponzu just last year when I was in the Seattle for the International Food Bloggers Conference. Considering my love of all types of Asian food, I’m not sure how this one got past me.

Ponzu is a Japanese citrus-based sauce often mixed with soy sauce. It was on my list to try when Marukan offered to send me a bottle earlier this year. I already use their rice vinegars so I gladly accepted the offer.

Marukan’s version of ponzu is made with sudachi juice, a sour Japanese citrus fruit used to flavor foods. The result is a tangy, salty sauce that makes an excellent dressing for summer vegetables.

With some carrots in the fridge and radishes I picked up at the market this week, I set out to see what I could come up with using this new-to-me ingredient.

I must admit that carrots are not my favorite vegetable. I kind of eat them like cookies — in moderation. I’m not sure what it is. It’s not that I dislike them. It’s more because their flavor quickly overpowers other foods to me.

That being said, I love this salad! The combination of the carrot with crunchy radishes and the tangy, nutty dressing is really delicious.

Don’t feel like you have to cut the carrots in ribbons, although it makes for a pretty presentation. You can shred or chop them if you like. If you decide on ribbons, it’s really easy. Just use a vegetable peeler to peel off thin strips. You’ll eventually reach a point where you have a thin piece of the center of the carrot. At that point, just reserve it as a carrot stick snack for later.

I’m still on the lookout for more ways to use ponzu so if you have any ideas, please share!

Carrot and Radish Salad with Peanut Ponzu Dressing

2018-04-18 12:08:21

Serves 4

An ideal spring side dish, this carrot radish salad is tossed in a flavorful dressing made with tangy ponzu.

Write a review

Save Recipe

Ingredients

4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into ribbons
6 radishes, thinly sliced
2 green onions, sliced
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter (unsweetened)
1 tablespoon ponzu
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
½ teaspoon sugar (I use mascavo)
1 tablespoon warm water
3 tablespoons lightly salted peanuts

Instructions

Place the carrots, radishes, and green onions in a medium bowl.
Whisk together the peanut butter, ponzu, sesame oil, and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk well until a smooth, thick dressing forms. Whisk vigorously as you add the warm water. This will thin and lighten the dressing.
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss well to coat all ingredients. Stir in the peanuts just before serving.

By Lori Rice

Fake Food Free https://www.fakefoodfree.com/

Disclosure: The ponzu in this post was sent to me for review purposes. I was not required to post about it and received no compensation for doing so.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Dainty Ladies from Edwardian Cooking

June 13, 2014

My favorite scenes from Downton Abbey are always in the kitchen or the dining room. These Dainty Ladies from Edwardian Cooking bring those scenes to life, allowing us to serve some foods of that time at our own (less fancy) tea times and dinner parties!

Dainty Ladies from Edwardian Cooking | fakefoodfree.com

Have you ever envisioned what it would be like to live during a different time in history?

As a kid I can remember being crazy about Little House on the Prairie. I really wanted to be that Laura Ingalls. At that point, food didn’t play a part in my fascination, but the rustic kitchen, farm life and fishing by the creek did. Despite the cold nights and TV drama, it looked like so much fun!

Given that little piece of my past and my love of travel you’d think I would have been a shoo-in for Downton Abbey. I was such a late blooming fan. I didn’t see the draw at all for the first two seasons. Then I watched my first episode and it all went down hill.

Hooked, binged watched and I’m anxiously awaiting what will happen next like everyone else.

I bet you can guess my favorite scenes. Yep, the kitchen. I love catching glimpses of what might have been prepared and served during that time.

It’s one reason why I’ve found Edwardian Cooking by Larry Edwards so interesting! Like the show, it’s a bit of fantasy meets history and it’s just plain fun!

Even though Downton Abbey is fictional, similar scenarios existed during that time and the book goes into detail about the foods that were likely eaten. It is history lesson slash cookbook and provides 80 recipes inspired by Downton Abbey’s elegant meals so that you can recreate them.

I was drawn to the section devoted to High Tea recipes – the crumpets, finger sandwiches and cookies. I decided to make the one recipe that is direct opposite of my personality.

Dainty Ladies.

I’ve been described with many words, but dainty certainly isn’t one of them. Aside from giving me a giggle, the ingredients were right up my alley and I love the story about how ladies were reminded to remove their gloves to prevent getting butter stains. You can read about that below.

These little tea biscuits are just barely sweet. It reminds me of my favorite scones from Ireland. They are nothing like the scones here in the States. Just a touch of sugar and fruit make them sweet, just like a touch of sweetener and coconut takes the edge off the savory, buttery flavor of these little ladies. They have a nutty, shortbread-like taste and texture making them perfect for a tea or coffee break.

A note on ingredients. I had sweetened coconut on hand from another recipe so I used that. The recipe doesn’t clarify, but if you want them to be more of a cookie, I’d do the same. It adds just a little more sweetness.

Dainty Ladies

(makes 32 small cookies)

From the book:

A staple of the drawing rooms and salons that served High Tea, these sweet sensations truly lived up to their feminine name. Served primarily to the female guests, Dainty Ladies are very buttery rich and have a wonderful texture, all of which was created to accentuate the taste of tea. When Dainty Ladies appeared on the table, the guests knew something special was about to happen. This is one of only a few dishes of the Edwardian era to feature coconut and the reason for this is rather simple. Obviously, you couldn’t grow coconut anywhere in Great Britain. It had to be imported at great cost. When (and if ) an abbey had coconut, it was locked up with only the butler of the house having the key. You might have noticed when watching Downton Abbey that quite often during High Tea or a social gathering featuring food, the women would wear white gloves. If Dainty Ladies were one of the featured sweets, the footman presenting the cookie would inform the guest and the guest would remove here right glove and with her thumb and forefinger, retrieve a cookie. The reason for this is the amount of butter used to make Dainty Ladies would soil the gloves.

Ingredients needed to make Dainty Ladies:

2 cups flour

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup rolled oats (oatmeal)

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 cup butter

1 Tbs. corn syrup

2 Tbs. water

1 Tbs. vanilla

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom of a baking sheet with parchment paper

or a silicon sheet.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, coconut, rolled oats, baking soda, and

cream of tartar.

3. In a small pan over medium heat, melt the butter into the corn syrup and water.

Once the butter has melted, stir in the vanilla.

4. Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and stir until it is combined.

5. Let the dough sit 5 minutes for the oats to soak up the butter mixture.

6. Remove walnut-size portions of the mixture and roll into a ball.

7. Place the balls onto the prepared baking sheet.

8. Place into the oven and bake 12 minutes.

9. Remove from the oven and place the cookies on a wire rack to cool.

Dainty Ladies from Edwardian Cooking via @Lori_Rice

Click To Tweet

Disclosure: This book was provided for review purposes. I was not required to write about it and received no compensation for doing so.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Taco de Papa from The Taco Revolution

June 6, 2014

Friday is cookbook review day throughout the summer here at Fake Food Free. If you have a love of cookbooks be sure to swing back by for plenty of new ideas and recipes.

Taco de Papa from The Taco Revolution | fakefoodfree.com

Do you remember the first time you had a taco that wasn’t school cafeteria style? You know, with the crunchy shell, crumbly beef (well, hopefully it was beef), orange cheese and iceberg lettuce? I loved taco day as much as the next kid, but there is something about biting into your first street taco that changes you forever.

If you haven’t noticed yet, things are getting kind of crazy with the taco; crazy in a very good way. Around here you can get just about every type of ethnic cuisine in the form of a taco.

Tacos are fun, easy to make, easier to eat and come to think of it, I should probably be making my own more often. That rings even truer after I made the Taco de Papa (Potato Tacos) from the new cookbook, The Taco Revolution by Brandon Schultz.

The book holds 100 taco recipes to experiment with in your kitchen. Some are familiar, some you will likely have never had as a taco. I know I hadn’t. There are also some great ideas for condiments and creating homemade tortillas and baked crispy taco shells. The recipes are also simple and straightforward so if quick weeknight meals are what you need, this book will deliver.

I went for a classic because I love tacos with potatoes and I’d never made a version at home before. They were delicious! With so many seasonal ingredients it could almost be called the garden taco. With or without a tortilla, this recipe has quickly become a favorite. Just a note, I noticed that after removing the hot pepper from the skillet, the recipe doesn’t suggest when to add it back in. Either adding it to the filling mix or using it as a garnish works fine. Oh, and for a taco like this, definitely use fresh corn if you can get it. It adds such a delicious flavor and pleasant texture.

Potato Taco (taco de papa)

Excerpted with permission from The Taco Revolution by Brandon Schultz. Copyright, 2014. Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

Makes 4 tacos.

1 small hot pepper (as hot as you like it), seeded

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 cups red potato, peeled and diced in ½-inch cubes

½ cup green pepper, diced

½ cup fresh corn kernels (canned whole kernels, well drained, will work)

4 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and black pepper to taste

Juice of 1 small lime

½ cup sour cream

1 small avocado, cubed

½ cup torn cilantro

Tortillas

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Slice hot pepper and sear, cut-side down, about 4 minutes. Remove to cutting board to cool.

2. Reduce heat to medium and add olive oil to skillet. When hot, add potatoes and cook until golden brown and starting to blacken, about 10-12 minutes. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel to dry.

3. If skillet is completely dry, add a teaspoon of olive oil. Otherwise, simply add green pepper, corn, garlic, salt, pepper, and lime juice to skillet and cook 4-5 minutes, until corn begins to blacken and peppers become slightly tender.

4. Add a teaspoon of sour cream to the center of a tortilla and pat down gently. Top with potato and vegetable mixture. Top with avocado and garnish with cilantro.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Jamaican Peanut Porridge Recipe from Vegan Beans from Around the World

May 23, 2014

Sharing about cookbooks is one of my favorite aspects of food blogging. I love posting about the books I find interesting and supporting the art and the authors. I have a long list to post about over the next few weeks, but I still want to make sure I share plenty of my own recipes. I’ve decided that Fridays will be cookbook review day throughout the summer. So if you have a love of cookbooks be sure to swing back by for plenty of new ideas and recipes.

Jamaican Peanut Porridge Recipe from Vegan Beans from Around the World | Fake Food Free

Even after several trips to Jamaica, I have never heard of peanut porridge. I know this because if I had ever encountered anything similar I would have written about it several times by now.

Thank goodness for the cookbook, Vegan Beans from Around the World by Kelsey Kinser. Without it, I may have never been introduced to this rich and creamy warm breakfast.

Peanut porridge in a bean cookbook? Yep. Because they are legumes, of course. In fact, this handy cookbook is full of bean dishes that go way beyond a slow cooker full of soup or stew. Chickpea Fries, Lebanese Spiced Lentil Pilaf and Korean Red Bean Soup are a few examples.

You know I’m food photo crazy when it comes to cookbooks, but this is one book that inspired me even without them. It reminded me of several basic recipes I should return to, while also giving me an array of brand new ideas.

What caught my attention about this porridge goes beyond how much I love Jamaica and the foods from there. It combines so many of my favorite ingredients. The cooking technique is interesting as well. You combine freshly ground peanuts and finely ground oats with other ingredients to form a batter which you then then pour into boiling water to cook.

It is similar to a peanut oatmeal, but the flavors are deeper and more complex. Another bonus is no sugar. The coconut sweetens it just slightly, but not enough to take over the rich flavor of the peanuts and nutmeg.

Just a note, the recipe says this serves 1 to 2. When compared to my normal servings of oatmeal this would be about 3 servings for me, so plan on large portions or having a little extra for leftovers.

Jamaican Peanut Porridge

From the book:

Peanuts are common in a lot of African cuisine, and they made their way over to the Caribbean due to this. For an American unfamiliar with this type of dish, it’s a wonder to stumble across. If you like peanut butter, you’ll like this porridge. It’s basically peanut butter–flavored oatmeal served hot for breakfast. It’s high in protein and a yummy way to start your day the Jamaican way. You will need peanuts for this; peanut butter just doesn’t work the same.

Serves 1 to 2

1 cup oatmeal (quick cooking is fine; instant is not)

1 cup shelled raw peanuts

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon flour

1⁄8 teaspoon fresh grated mace or nutmeg

1 tablespoon cornmeal

1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3⁄4 cup coconut milk

water as needed

In a food processor, grind the oatmeal into a powder. Set aside. In the same food processor, grind the peanuts until they are almost a smooth peanut butter.

In a small pot, bring 1 cup of water to a boil with the salt.

While the water is coming to a boil, mix together the flour, powdered oatmeal, peanuts, mace or nutmeg, and cornmeal into a medium-sized bowl.

Using a spatula, stir in water (not the boiling water) until a loose, liquid paste is formed, which will take about 1 cup of water or so. This paste should be wet enough to be able to be poured.

Pour this paste into the boiling water. Stir until no lumps remain.

Reduce heat and cover partially, cooking on medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the bottom from sticking to the pot and burning.

Remove the lid and add the vanilla and the coconut milk. Cook on medium-high heat until the porridge no longer has a taste of raw flour and is the consistency you prefer, at least another couple of minutes. Serve.

Disclosure: This book was sent to me for review purposes. I was not required to write about it and received no compensation for doing so.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Swedish Crisp Bread with Cumin from Tina Nordström’s Scandinavian Cooking

May 15, 2014

Unless you count frequently visiting the IKEA marketplace and staying well stocked in lingonberry jam, I have little experience with Scandinavian cuisine. Had the opportunity for more experiences arisen, I would have snatched them up as it’s an area of the world that has always intrigued me, and one that has been on our travel list for a while. It’s just that even in this diverse food scene that I now live in, Scandinavian still doesn’t top the list of well-marketed options.

When I saw Tina Nordström’s Scandinavian Cooking I knew I needed a copy for my cookbook shelf. What a unique addition! I can safely say that I have nothing like this book in my collection. It not only fills a cuisine void, it is also a pretty outstanding cookbook.

Tina is a Swedish celebrity chef, host of the PBS show New Scandinavian Cooking and author of several cookbooks. This book, which she describes as the most comprehensive book that she has written, is speckled with family photos, letters and personal essays that give you a peek into her life. It’s comfortable style makes you feel as if you are in the kitchen cooking with her or dining at her family table. It’s an intimate feeling that you don’t get from many cookbooks.

After feeling at home as a result of the intro, next I was drawn in the by the food photos. They are exactly how I love them – moody and intriguing with a classic comfort that makes you feel happier by simply viewing them.

Next the recipes were there to educate me. It wasn’t enough to see the delicious titles. I just had to read the intros and ingredient lists to see what the food was all about. The book is a true lesson in Scandinavian cooking. I learned so much. Especially that the cuisine goes far beyond fish and my beloved lingonberries.

Whenever I explore new foods, I always go straight to the bread. I’d like to think that it’s not because I like carbohydrates so much. I’d rather think that it’s because breads, crackers or buns and rolls of some form or another tend to be at the foundation of so many cuisines (and if it isn’t bread it’s often rice or noodles).

That’s the first reason why the Swedish Crisp Bread with Cumin caught my attention. The second, was all the flavors. Yogurt, cumin and anise in a flatbread-like crisp? Sign me up!

I can’t stop gushing over the great flavors in this recipe. The tang of the yogurt with the spices is unlike any crisp bread or cracker I’ve had before.

I didn’t get mine rolled out quite as thin as the version pictured in the book, so on the second round of baking I decided to cut them into squares to create crackers. It worked great. Either way they are delicious. (I paired them with a quick spread of thick sour cream and herbs from the pantry.)

If your shelf has a void when it comes to Scandinavian cuisine, this is the cookbook you want to fill it with.

Swedish Crisp Bread with Cumin

Excerpted with permission from Tina Nordström’s Scandinavian Cooking: Simple Recipes for Home-Style Scandinavian Cooking by Tina Nordström. Photographs by Charlie Drevstam. Copyright, 2014. Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

From the book:
I think it’s easier to bake crisp bread in a frying pan. It’s quite traditional and delicious with gravlax and some lemon mayonnaise (see page 92). Or try some green pea guacamole (see page 252). You can even break the crisp bread into a bowl of tomato soup.

30–35 CRISP BREADS
3 cups (700 ml) wheat flour
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) rye flour
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) yogurt
1/2 cup (100 ml) olive oil
2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp salt
6 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp ground anise seeds

DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix all ingredients into a smooth dough.
2. Roll the dough out into flat pieces and bake them for about 4–5 minutes per side in either a cast iron frying pan without any grease or oil, or in the oven at 425ºF (225ºC) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
3. Store the crisp bread in a metal box in a dry location.

Disclosure: This book was sent to me for review purposes. I was not required to write about it and received no compensation for doing so.

5 Things You Will Love About the Fit Bottomed Girls Anti-Diet

May 7, 2014

Have you ever picked up a book and after reading the first couple of paragraphs you were suddenly in a better mood? A smile slowly starts to spread on your face, the wheels in your brain kick into gear and a voice somewhere inside starts chanting – you can do this!

That’s how I felt the moment I cracked open Jennipher Walters and Erin Whitehead’s new book The Fit Bottomed Girl Anti-Diet.

I think most people assume that if you work in health promotion in any way, or if your persona is all about eating vegetables and staying active, that a healthy lifestyle comes super easy for you. That choosing kale over French fries requires no internal debate and that every evening you lace up your shoes ecstatic over the four miles you have get to run.

Untrue.

I have my ups and downs. Times when I gain weight and lose weight. Times when kale tastes good and when it tastes awful. Times when I bust through an eight mile long run and when I have to walk after just one mile.

I have to admit I was experiencing a down when I got this book. It launched me right out of it!

If you are a blogger, you remember those blogs you associated with at the very beginning when you first started out. Fit Bottomed Girls is one of those for me; one I connected with. I can still remember Jenn’s motivating comments on some of my original posts here at Fake Food Free. She and the Fit Bottomed Girls crew continue to motivate me. I’ve been thrilled to be featured a Fit Blogger We Love on the site and share a few guest posts on Fit Bottomed Eats over the past few months.

Their new book truly encompasses what is great about their site. These are five things I loved about it, and you will, too.

It’s about ditching the diet mentality and getting back in touch with eating because you’re hungry, because it tastes good and because it nourishes you.
It’s loaded with tips for quick exercise sessions that encourage movement, not punishment. It even gave me a few new ideas.
It focuses on the positive and being grateful. Too few healthy lifestyle books emphasize gratefulness. Being grateful for what you have, for the simple fact that you can walk or run, changes your attitude.
It emphasizes balance. I know there are people who feel that balance is not an achievable reality, but I completely disagree. It’s one of those journey, not a destination type of things and this book highlights that.
When you read scenarios in the book like the dreaded weigh-in you will laugh out loud while saying – holy crap, that is exactly me.

Intrigued? Good news, the book was released yesterday! Get yourself a copy and as they say – drop the diet drama.

If you are already a fan of the FBG website, then I’m sure you are also familiar with the Big-Ass Salad. It always makes me giggle a bit when I read the term, but I love it when Jenn shares her ideas for healthy lunches.

There are some quick and healthy recipes in the book that you’ll love, but I decided to share one of my salads with you in celebration of a healthy eating attitude.

Roasted Cherry and Nectarine Salad with Honey-Walnut Dressing | Fake Food Free

It felt like such a long wait, but cherries, nectarines and peaches are beginning to show themselves at the farmers market here. Since they come at a time when we go back and forth between cool and warm temps (well, that’s pretty much always the case in the Bay Area), I struggle to decide between a cold salad or a hot lunch. This recipe combines the two. Perfect solution.

Congrats to Jenn and Erin on the book!

Roasted Cherry and Nectarine Salad with Honey-Walnut Dressing

Servings: 2 to 3

Dressing

4 tbsp walnut oil

2 tbsp chopped walnuts

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Pinch of salt

3 yellow nectarines, pitted and sliced

1 cup cherries, pitted

4 cups mixed greens

3 oz. crumbled cheese (Blue cheese or feta works well. I used goat milk feta.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil or coconut oil.

In a small food processor, add 2 tablespoons of the walnut oil, walnuts and honey. Puree until the walnuts are finely chopped and a paste forms. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of walnut oil and puree for about 30 seconds. You will be left with a thick walnut paste and a sweet milky liquid. Transfer to a bowl.

Whisk in the vinegar and salt. This will take a little time, but trust me, it will turn into a thick dressing. Keep whisking. Set aside.

Place the nectarine slices and cherries in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, until softened and the juices begin to bubble.

Place the greens in a bowl, add the warm fruit and cheese. Pour in the dressing and toss well to coat. (You can also serve the dressing on the side as pictured, but because the dressing is thick, it really works better to toss the salad in it.) Serve right away.

Disclosure: The book in this post was sent to me for review purposes. I was not required to write about it and received no compensation for doing so.

Older Posts

Newer Posts

Book and Product Reviews