For those of us who are trying to eat less sugar and reduce the amount of salt in our diet, finding the right snack food can be a bit daunting. I mean really, who doesn’t get a bit of a craving for Cheetos, Fritos, Cheez-its, etc. periodically. Or yearn for a couple of homemade cookies while reading a great book late at night. We are after all, only human. And humans crave sugar and salt.
So, I decided to come up with a snack that was not only satisfying and delicious, but also contained no added sugar (besides what’s already built into the cereals), and less salt than in my favorite snacks. (Cheetos, etc.)
Of course, along with the wonderful savory flavor in this party mix and ease of preparation comes the temptation to nibble on it every chance you get. So, you need to know that it’s quite easy to justify eating just another tiny little bowl while you go about your business. So, do not be fooled. Less sugar and salt for sure. With its fabulous savory flavor plus delicious crunch, this snack might very easily turn into an addiction. Because, basically, there is a high quotient of self-indulgence that is inherent with this party mix. It is just that good.
I used my Not Your Mama’s Chex Party Mix recipe for the base of this recipe. I didn’t change that much, but enough to lighten the mix up a bit. But both recipes are wonderful.
So, if you too want a snack that is better for you than some that are on the market, may I suggest you give this recipe a try.
And as always, peace and love to all.
4 c. Corn Chex® cereal
4 c. Rice Chex® cereal
4 c. Wheat Chex® cereal
10 T. (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. hot sauce (recommend Frank’s RedHot)
1½ tsp. granulated garlic
½ tsp. granulated onion
1½ tsp. seasoned salt
1½ c. mixed nuts
1½ c. peanuts
In a very large bowl, combine the Chex (any combination of corn, rice, and wheat* is perfect). Melt the butter in a saucepan; stir in the Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, granulated garlic, granulated onion, and seasoned salt
Gently stir the buttery mixture into the cereal mix until the dry mix is evenly coated. Stir in the nuts.
Spread on large baking sheets and bake for 1 hour in a pre-heated 250-degree oven, turning every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
*To make gluten free party mix, don’t use the Wheat Chex. Substitute with additional Rice Chex, Corn Chex, or nuts.
These are the star ingredients I used for this mocha coffee mix. Unfortunately, I failed to take a picture of the mix itself. (Christmas is a crazy time at our house. That’s my only defense!)
Well, Christmas is past, the New Year is here and the only thing that remains unpleasant from 2022 for us personally are the lingering coughs from whatever possessed us the last couple of weeks of December. Flu, RSV, who knows! But whatever it was, I truly encourage you not to get it! It wasn’t the worse flu or cold we’ve ever experienced, but it just went on and on and on. And just when we thought we were getting rid of the darn thing, it sprang to life again. That is simply not fair! So, no Christmas eve with our dear friends Jim and Margo and no Christmas day with our extended family. What saved the whole Christmas holiday was getting to spend the 26th with daughter Paula. She braved our germy house and came to visit regardless of our lingering ailments. So far, she is still well. Thank goodness!
And, New Year’s Eve we were able to enjoy being wined and dined at Margo and Jim’s home. New Year’s Day, we spent a glorious few hours at Tim and Suzie’s home. While the guys (Whistle Lake Jazz Quartet) were practicing for an upcoming gig, we wives (plus our dear friend Diane) spent some quality time reflecting on our careers and how the role of women in business has changed through the decades. In many ways for the better. But in some cases, there is still a prejudice against “grey-haired middle-aged women”. Well, learning that this attitude was still alive and well, and in one case perpetuated by a younger woman executive, it was a good thing we were firmly ensconced in Suzie’s living room and this young lady who had made the comment wasn’t living and working in the vicinity. It could have gotten quite ugly for her. To say we were steamed, would be putting it mildly. But for me, it was almost cathartic to share our stories. To be reminded that I was not alone. Things in my years at the bank that had caused me pain, were also being experienced by other women in far different professions. And yet, we had or were still surviving, and mostly stronger for having been exposed to and confronted these difficult situations. And as we talked, I felt so blessed to not only know these amazing women, but to be able to call them friends. I have always had close woman friends. And I realized once again, how lucky that makes me feel. But enough about me and on to this mocha mix.
This Christmas was the year of the biscotti. For the Whistle Lake gang, I gave each couple a trio of my favorite Italian cookies, a couple of red mugs, and some of this mocha cocoa mix. It was so much fun to make different kinds of biscotti. (New recipes to be posted in the near future.) And even more fun to prepare this cocoa mix.
Now, if you have never made biscotti, you can’t possibly know how easy these delicious twice baked cookies are to build. And if you have never eaten a biscotti, well, you have no idea what you have been missing. Biscotti is just one of the yummiest things you will ever put in your mouth. In my estimation, biscotti should actually be its own food group!
Anyway, along with the biscotti, I wanted something that our friends could dunk their biscotti into, and I found this recipe on theyummylife.com site. I changed things up a bit, but then, that’s just what I do!
So, I hope you enjoy this recipe. But remember, this hot drink is always best served with a biscotti. And life is simply too short to continue depriving yourself of this wonderful combination. And it’s going to be winter for several more months. Need I say more? Except, Happy New Year.
And as always, peace and love to all.
1 c. instant coffee (I use Mount Hagen Organic Fairtrade Coffee (instant decaffeinated) (Amazon prime)
1 c. cocoa powder (I use Valrhona Cocoa Powder (Amazon prime)
3½ c. instant dry milk powder
2/3 c. powdered sugar
1 c. vanilla powder (see recipe below)
2 tsp. corn starch
¼ tsp. fine sea salt
Pulse all ingredients in food processor until well combined. Store in airtight container. Makes approximately 5 cups of mix.
To prepare mix: Add 3-4 tablespoons of mix to 8-oz. boiling water. Stir and top with whipped cream if desired. (Chocolate sprinkles are nice too.)
Homemade vanilla powder:
1 c. granulated sugar
2 T. vanilla paste or extract (I use Rodelle all natural Vanilla Paste*) (Amazon)
Combine the sugar and vanilla paste in a small bowl. Stir to form a thick, uniform, coarse paste. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer sugar/vanilla mixture to baking sheet and spread into thin, even layer. Allow to set out until completely dry, 6-8 hours. Stir once during drying time to promote faster drying. It’s normal for there to be small, dried clumps. Transfer dried mixture to food processor and pulse until all clumps are gone and texture is a fine powder. Store in an airtight container. *Vanilla paste has a thicker consistency than vanilla extract because it includes specks of vanilla bean seeds. Whereas vanilla extract contains no specks from vanilla beans. With the inclusion of ground vanilla bean powder, vanilla paste has a slightly more intense flavor than vanilla extract.
This time of year, it is always nice to have an easy appetizer recipe ready for any unforeseen eventuality. Like when you are invited spur of the moment to someone’s home for dinner and you offer to bring an appetizer, and they say yes. Yikes! Now what do you do?
Well, I’ll tell you what you can do. You can make this delicious topping for baked brie. (You can pick up the brie from your local grocery store on your way over to your friend’s home if you don’t already have some on hand. Crackers too.)
Anyway, this topping takes only minutes to prepare. And it tastes like you slaved over a hot stove for a great deal longer than 5 minutes!
So, during this busy holiday season, I suggest you at least have the ingredients on hand to make this delicious appetizer. And even if you don’t wind up taking this delightful dish with you, you can always make it for yourself. And I am here to tell you, you will not feel bad at all if you have to eat the whole thing by yourself. (Or decide to be magnanimous and share it with your spouse or partner.) You will earn points. That is a true fact.
Well, both Mr. C. and I have come down with whatever this nasty respiratory “thing” is that is going around. We don’t feel bad. We just keep coughing and hacking and keeping each other awake all night long. Hopefully whatever has got us will depart our bodies before Christmas eve, Christmas day, and the 26th. Because we have plans to spend the holiday with our family and extended family friends. And it just so happens that we really like these people. So, it would be a real bummer if we couldn’t participate in the revelries. (Not to mention the great food we would be missing!)
But like with everyone, it is completely out of our control. We are vaccinated against all most anything you can name, wear our masks when it seems prudent, and try our darndest not to pick up germs from, or leave germs with anyone with whom we come in contact. But as experience has shown, somewhere along the line we are all vulnerable.
In the grand scheme of things, we remain well and truly blessed. May you too be happy and thankful for the many blessings that have found their way into your lives.
Peace and love to all.
1 c. dried cranberries
½ c. brown sugar
¼ c. orange juice
pinch ground cinnamon
a few grains of coarse kosher salt
2 T. brandy
1 (8-oz.) round or wedge of brie
½ c. walnuts, opt.
Combine the dried cranberries, brown sugar, orange juice, cinnamon, and salt in a small heavy pan. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the brandy. Allow to cool, then store in your refrigerator until ready to use.
When ready to serve, place the brie in an oven-proof container and bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is softened. (Or nuke the brie until soft. Either way works.)
While the brie is in the oven, re-heat the topping. When the brie is soft, remove from oven and slather the topping all over the cheese. Then sprinkle on the nuts. Serve with crackers or Crostini (See how to make crostini on this site.)
And yes, I know. I have two other seasoned salt recipes on this site which BTW are easily accessed by typing the terribly catchy title “Seasoned Salt” in the search box. But I ask you, can a girl (or guy) ever have too many recipes for seasoned salt? Of course not. It’s like having too many pairs of shoes. Again, a person really can’t have more shoes than is absolutely necessary. Unless they are an Imelda Marcos want-a-be. Then that’s a different story! To my thinking, 3,000 pairs of designer shoes isn’t an extravagance, it’s a psychosis! Compared to three recipes for seasoned salt, I believe I am actually being quite reasonable and rational.
Because, what it really boils down to, is that I use seasoned salt every day. And I like to change things up so that our taste buds don’t get bored. (Plus, the latent scientist in me, really enjoys playing mixologist. And seasoned salt is just so fun to play with.)
So, I am sure you are now wondering how and when I use seasoned salt. Well, that’s easy to answer. Every morning on our eggs (easy over, scrambled, scrambles, or omelets), in many soups and stews, or anytime a little extra savory punch would ramp up the flavor of a dish.
But of course, when using seasoned salt, I have to remind myself to cut back on regular salt. But I still seem to be mentally able to make that connection. (In other regards, I’m not so sure about myself!) Anyway….
If you too enjoy making your own seasoned salt, do give this recipe a try. It’s just enough different from my other recipes as to be interesting. But be warned. This blend is really quite salty. So, go easy into that good dish.
Well, that’s it from Camano Island. It’s grey today. But not grey from smoke, but rather from cloudy skies. So, hopefully, we will get some more much needed rain. And the mountains too would profit greatly from any wet largesse that might fall their way. There are still quite a few forest fires happily burning away in our state. So, benevolent deities, if you are reading this, how about a nice steady drizzle over all the areas that need your help. Not too much water so that runoff becomes a problem. Just a nice steady light downpour. And no wind or lightning, thank you. (I have found that you must be quite specific with deities, or they will get it wrong most of the time.) (And yes, I do ask and thank deities on all kind of subjects. I like to have all my bases covered!)
Peace and love to all.
1 c. fine sea salt
3 T. finely ground black pepper
3 T. paprika
3 T. granulated garlic
3 T. granulated onion
2 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. chili powder
¼ tsp. cayenne
Whisk or shake altogether and store in an airtight container. Use wherever seasoned salt is necessary to your very survival.
OK, I know, another granola recipe. But as I have said before, we adore granola and eat it almost every morning. And I still love to experiment with different combinations of oils, sweeteners, spices, nuts, and dried fruit. But truthfully, none of my granola recipes are that different. But posting recipes keeps me off the streets and from driving Mr. C crazy. So, think of my posts as a way for me to keep thinking positive rather than dwell on all the negative things that are currently happening in our country. But enough about that!
Anyway, a couple of days ago I prepared a batch of granola using the formula you find below. And Mr. Cs comment yesterday morning, after just one bite, was “this granola is really good”. So, even though this recipe is like some of my other granola recipes, I felt compelled to post this one too. (I’m sure you can understand the logic behind my decision and can find it in your heart to forgive me.)
But, if you too are a granola lover, give this recipe a try. The flavor of cinnamon is just terrific with dried fruit. And no, you will not taste the olive oil. But the sweetness from the maple syrup comes through. Overall, when taken with fresh fruit and yogurt, this granola is a winner. But you must judge that for yourself. So, what are you waiting for? You already have your written invitation!
Peace and love to all.
½ c. extra virgin olive oil
½ c. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla
8 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
3 c. nuts (pecans, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts)
1 c. unsweetened flaked coconut
1 c. dried chopped dates
1 c. dried blueberries or dried chopped cherries
1 c. dried chopped strawberries or dried cranberries
1 c. freeze dried blueberries, opt.
Preheat oven to 300-degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the olive oil, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla together. Then stir in the oats. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet or sheets in an even layer and bake for 25 minutes. (The layer will be fairly thick.) (Don’t wash the mixing bowl.)
After 25 minutes, add the nuts and coconut. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the oats are a light golden brown.
Remove from oven and transfer the granola back to the large bowl and add the dried dates, blueberries, and strawberries, tossing to combine.
Allow to cool completely before adding the freeze-dried blueberries. Store in an airtight container.
This picture was taken after the pecans had cooled but before I broke them apart. Frankly, I could have eaten every one of these babies all by myself. Right then and there!
This is another recipe from one of my favorite recipe sites – onceuponachef.com. Over the years I have learned to trust Jenn’s cooking skills. I often make a slight change to her recipes, but that’s usually because I don’t have all the listed ingredients, or I want to make a substitution, or I’m lazier than Ms. Segal. True confession time.
But this recipe I followed just about to the T. I did change ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper to a scant ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper because, well, I am a bit of a coward when it comes to hot spices. But if you are a hot spice fan, then by all means, go for the full ½ teaspoon cayenne or even a bit more.
I must admit, that if this had not been a Jenn Segal recipe, I would never have given it a second glance. But like I said above, I have learned to trust this chef. And I am so glad I gave this recipe a try. Because these glazed sweet and spicy pecans are the best I have ever tasted. And the easiest to prepare. And I know they are going to be perfect on the green salad with roasted beets, goat cheese, and dressed with my Creamy Balsamic Salad Dressing (on this site already) that I plan to serve while we are on vacation.
And just because I am feeling terribly beneficent today, I’m going to include my new and ultra-simple way to roast beets. And I must say, these are the best roasted beets I have ever produced. And they simply could not be easier to prepared because they don’t even need to be peeled. (How cool is that!) (See recipe below.)
Anyway, I need to get on with my day. So, I am going to stop at this point and direct myself to the nearest grocery store. In a few days we will be leaving our home and our kitties in the capable hands of our dear friend Peggy and taking off with our trailer in tow for parts unknown. OK, we know where we’re going, but you will have to wait for my travel log to get all the fun and exciting details of our latest adventure.
May you too have exciting adventures in your near future.
Peace and love to all.
½ c. powdered sugar
¾ tsp. kosher salt
scant ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
4 tsp. water
2 c. pecans halves
In a medium sized bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, and water together.
Add the pecans and stir until the nuts are evenly coated.
Transfer the pecans to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Make sure the nuts are evenly spread out. (If they are clumped together, they won’t cook evenly). Scrape out any remaining glaze from the bowl and drizzle over the nuts.
Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 14-15 minutes, or until the pecans are caramelized and the caramel on the baking sheet is a rich brown color. (The nuts around the edges will darken first so watch closely so they don’t burn.)
Remove from oven and immediately slide the parchment paper off of the hot baking sheet. (This stops the nuts from continuing to bake.) Allow the pecans to cool completely. Once cool, remove the pecans from the parchment paper, breaking apart any clusters if necessary, and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Note: If the nuts are sticky after cooling, that means the glaze coating is not fully cooked. Pop them back in the oven for a few minutes and let cool again.
OVEN ROASTED BEETS
beets (your choice of color)
extra-virgin olive oil
fine sea salt
Preheat your oven to 375-degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Scrub the beets really well under running water. (No need to peel the beets at any point).
Slice off the base and pointy end of each beet. Cut the beets in half. Then slice the halves into half rounds ⅓ to ½-inch thick. Place in a bowl and pour on a bit of olive oil. Using one of your hands, (best tools in your kitchen BTW), make sure every bit of every piece of beet is coated with the oil.
Place the beet pieces on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the top side of each piece with a bit of salt.
Roast for 30 minutes on the first side. Then flip and bake the second side for about 15 minutes or until tender. When done, you should be able to easily cut into each piece with a paring knife.
Remove from oven and taste. Sprinkle on a bit more salt if needed. Either eat the roasted beets immediately, or store in your fridge for a couple of days or freeze for later use. (Cooked beets freeze beautifully BTW.)
Great as a side veggie or great addition to salads.
So, as they say, luck favors the prepared. And yesterday I was half-way prepared to make these ribs because I had leftover rib rub. Of course, I still needed to make the BBQ sauce, but it really goes together quickly. And when you consider how stinkin’ easy these ribs are to build from start to finish, well, it left me plenty of time (and energy) to make the other components of a dinner for four. And seriously, if you have a bottled BBQ sauce that sends your taste buds to their happy place, use it. Same with a rib rub. If there is a commercial product that you adore, I say use whatever works. However, I really love the fairly healthy BBQ sauce I make myself. (Less sugar than most.) (Find recipe below.) And I love this rib rub (recipe below too) because, well, it brings a whole lot of savory to the rather bland flavor of the pork. Plus, it works perfectly with this BBQ sauce. Who could ask for anything more? Who could ask – for – anything more! (Thank you George and Ira Gershwin, you exciting melody, lyric, and “rhythm” geniuses that you were.)
Now, this is not a dish to whip together after a long day at work. Not if you have a hungry family asking every 5 minutes what’s for dinner and proclaiming that starvation is imminent. This is a Saturday or Sunday evening feast for those of you who get home from work after 3:00 pm. Because there is a long, slow roast required to tenderize and season the meat.
But for a weekend, these ribs are as easy as it gets. Throw however many potatoes you need to feed your starving hoard right in the oven with the ribs, cut up some lettuce for a salad, and you have dinner on the table that will please even your pickiest of eaters. Because really, who doesn’t love ribs? And baked potatoes? And salad? Well, maybe your kidlets won’t be as excited about the salad part, but the rest they will love. (And please don’t worry too much about the salad part. By the time they’re adults, they’ll be enjoying salad too.)
Anyway, this is a simple recipe for a really delicious entrée featuring boneless country style pork ribs. Which BTW, are fairly inexpensive for the amount of lean protein packed into such a delicious package. So, I do hope you enjoy these ribs as much as we do.
And as always, stay happy, stay healthy, and have fun in your kitchen.
Peace and love to all.
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 T. Ancho Chili Rib Rub (see recipe below)
3-4 lbs. boneless country-style pork ribs
½ c. Savory Bourbon BBQ Sauce (see recipe below)
Preheat oven to 325-degrees. Coat bottom of a sided sheet pan with olive oil. Lightly sprinkle all sides of ribs with rib rub, and place ribs in a single layer on prepared sheet pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven until ribs are tender and can be pulled apart with a fork, about 2½ hours.
Remove ribs from oven and increase oven temperature to 450-degrees. Uncover ribs, and drain any accumulated juices from sheet pan. Baste ribs with about ½ of the BBQ sauce.
Bake ribs uncovered, until ribs are very tender, and the sauce has become sticky and slightly glazed on ribs, about 15 minutes. Serve with the rest of the sauce.
ANCHO CHILI RIB RUB
2 T. paprika
2 T. kosher salt
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. granulated garlic
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. granulated onion
1 tsp. ancho chili powder
½ tsp. cayenne
Combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container
SAVORY BOURBON BBQ SAUCE
½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 c. minced onion
6 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c. brown sugar
4 tsp. whole grain Dijon mustard
2 (8-oz.) cans tomato sauce
½ c. Worcestershire sauce
½ c. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. hot sauce (I use Frank’s RedHot)
¼ c. bourbon
kosher salt, if needed
Melt butter in a medium sized covered saucepan. Sauté onion until translucent; add garlic and cook until garlic releases its aroma, about 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer gently for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Basically, cook the sauce until it reaches desired thickness. (Sauce will thicken as it simmers. If the sauce is still too thin after 60 minutes, remove the lid. But be warned – simmer at a very low temperature or you will have BBQ sauce all over you and your kitchen! Add salt if required.)
There are just those times when the only thing that will do is some good old fashioned BBQ sauce. Like with ribs for example. But most BBQ sauces have sugar in them. At least the good ones do! Like my Bourbon BBQ Sauce, for example. But with my new regimen, I really need to stay away from sugar as much as possible. So, that means – build your own or go without! And I refuse to go without!
So, when I recently served ribs, I made this sauce. It was very tasty. And even though I was using monk fruit sweetener which contains no sugar, I still only used 1 tablespoon.
After our rib dinner I had a bit of BBQ sauce left. So, when I made 2 small meatloaves to take with us on our recent trailer trip, instead of topping the meatloaves with my usual combination of brown sugar and ketchup, I used the leftover sauce. Wonderful. Didn’t miss the usual topping in the least.
If you too are trying to stay away from sugar, I suggest you give this recipe a try. Easy to build and no special ingredients required. And really, what kind of life would it be without BBQ sauce?
As always, peace and love to all.
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
½ c. finely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
¾ c. water
1 T. monk fruit sweetener (I use the “golden” variety)
1 T. apple cider vinegar, or more to taste
3 T. Worcestershire Sauce
¼ tsp. hot sauce, or to taste (I use Frank’s RedHot)
1 tsp. smoked paprika
½ tsp. seasoned salt (I use my homemade version – see recipe below)
freshly ground black pepper
tiny pinch cayenne pepper
tiny pinch ground cloves
Heat the olive oil in a small, covered saucepan. Sauté the onion until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
SEASONED SALT
½ c. kosher salt, run through a spice grinder to break down the crystals a bit
4 tsp. finely ground black pepper (I buy cheap finely ground black pepper just for this recipe)
4 tsp. paprika
4 tsp. granulated garlic
4 tsp. granulated onion
½ tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. celery salt
½ tsp. granulated sugar
tiny pinch cayenne pepper
tiny pinch ground cinnamon
Whisk all together and store in an airtight container.
So, here goes. I am on a mission to reduce sugar in our diet. So, that means, I will be posting recipes that fit into our new lifestyle. While I know many of you are much younger than we are and have no need to change your eating habits. The fact remains that Mr. C. and I both need to eat a bit healthier. And of course, that will impact the type of recipes I post. But fear not. For those of you who are familiar with this site, you know that I have previously posted many recipes that contain an abundance of every type of ingredient that is not considered “healthy”. So, if you are into cookies, cakes, breads, desserts, high fat cream sauces, gravies etc. etc., you need not look elsewhere. I’ve still got you covered.
But that was the old me. (Actually, the young me.) And the new me (really the old me) needs to make the change. Of course, being about as human as one can get, I will undoubtedly slip once-in-a-while and come up with possibly the most sinfully caloric recipe ever invented. My hope is that this will not happen. At least not very often. But I have been living in this skin for a long time. And I know my limitations. Just please send good thoughts my way. Healthy, low-calorie thoughts that is! Anyway, back to this recipe.
My daughter Paula has been touting the benefits of using monk fruit sweetener for some time now. I bought some about a year ago, tried it, and promptly sent her the rest of the package. Then when she was up for Thanksgiving this past year, she made granola while she was here. Brought all the ingredients with her. And of course, she used monk fruit as the sweetening agent. The granola was delicious. I’d give you the recipe, but Paula is not one of those cooks, unlike me, who uses a recipe. She just goes for it. And the amazing thing is – her food always tastes wonderful. It must be all those chemistry classes she took in college. Whatever it is, she didn’t get the “wing it” gene from me! Thus, no recipe from her to share with you.
Well, the upshot is – I bought another package of monk fruit and am going to be using it more and more. At least I’m going to give it the old college try!! Ra ra sis boom bah. (Humbug, that is!)
So, if you too want to cut down on sugar and build a granola that is both healthy and delicious, give this recipe a try.
Well, that’s it for today. I’m making Ground Beef and Black Bean Chili for dinner. And I’m going to make cornbread to go with it. But this cornbread is an experiment. I am going to use whole wheat flour and a bit of monk fruit sweetener. If it turns out good, happy day. If not, you will not be hearing from me about the joys of using monk fruit sweetener instead of maple syrup.
Peace and love to all.
½ c. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. monk fruit sweetener*
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
⅓ c. flaxseed meal
6 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
3 c. mixed nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, cashews, peanuts)
1 c. flaked unsweetened coconut
3 c. dried fruit (chopped if necessary) (apricots, dates, blueberries, cranberries, cherries, raisins, etc.)
Preheat oven to 300-degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the olive oil, monk fruit sweetener, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flaxseed meal together. Then stir in the oats. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 25 minutes. (Don’t wash the bowl.)
Add the nuts and coconut. Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until the oats are a light golden brown.
Remove from oven and transfer the granola back to the large bowl and add the dried fruit tossing to combine.
Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
*According to Food Insight, “Monk fruit, also known as lo han guoor Swingle fruit, is a small round fruit native to southern China. Monk fruit sweeteners are no-calorie sweeteners that can be used to lower one’s intake of added sugars, while still providing satisfaction to enjoy the taste of something sweet. Some types of sweeteners in this category are considered low-calorie — such as aspartame, and others are no-calorie (e.g., monk fruit sweeteners, stevia sweeteners and sucralose). However, collectively they are often referred to as sugar substitutes, high-intensity sweeteners, nonnutritive sweeteners, low- and no-calorie sweeteners or simply low-calorie sweeteners.
Like other no-calorie sweeteners, monk fruit sweeteners are intensely sweet. Monk fruit sweeteners range from being 150-200 times sweeter than sugar, and as such only small amounts are needed in a product to equal the sweetness provided by sugar. Monk fruit sweeteners can be used in a wide range of beverages and foods like soft drinks, juices, dairy products, desserts, candies, and condiments. Because they are stable at high temperatures, monk fruit sweeteners can be used in baked goods. However, a recipe that uses monk fruit sweeteners in place of sugar may turn out slightly different because in addition to sweetness, sugar plays several roles in recipes related to volume and texture, but this varies based on the type of recipe.
Several brands, such as Monk Fruit In The Raw®, Lakanto®, SPLENDA® Monk Fruit Sweetener, SweetLeaf® and Whole Earth® use monk fruit sweeteners in granular and liquid forms.”
So, Mr. C. brought a package of flanken-style ribs (I thought he said “Frankenstein”) (my hearing just isn’t what it used to be) home after a provisioning trip to one of our local butcher shops. As he was rattling off all the meat products he had procured, including the ribs, I promptly forgot everything he said and went on with what I was doing. (I was probably deep into researching a recipe, and not paying Mr. C. the attention he should have been accorded. My bad!) Anyway, jump forward a couple of months, and he casually asks me when I plan to use the ribs? Well, of course I said, “how about tomorrow night”? OK then. Bring them on up from the freezer and let them thaw overnight so I can throw some rib rub on them before you place them in the smoker for a couple of hours and finish them off with a quick fling on the grill. I mean really, isn’t that how I like to fix ribs? Well, when he brought up the package, these ribs didn’t look like anything I had ever seen, much less cooked before. And they weren’t Frankenstein ribs, they were flanken-style ribs. So, how to cook these babies?
Basically, flanken-style ribs are pieces of meat thinly sliced across the rib section of beef bones. Each piece consists of 3-4 small pieces of bone, between sections of flavorful meat. They are marbled with fat and connective tissues and are super tender after being marinated for a short time or as in this recipe, baked after being sprinkled with a dry rub. And then finished off with BBQ sauce.
Another tidbit that you might already know, but I never stopped to consider. Short ribs are beef. The pork equivalent of beef short ribs are spareribs, and are not typically referred to as short ribs. (Why am I only learning this after 57 years of being chief cook and bottle washer in my own home!) Anyway, now I know! But back to this recipe.
For a nice change from a regular “English” cut short rib, give this ridiculously easy to prepare, tender, and delicious short rib recipe a try. Really yummy.
And if you live in the Stanwood/Camano Island area, Del Fox Custom Meats carry “Frankenstein” cut short ribs. Tell them Victor sent you.
Peace and love to all.
Rib Rub:
2 T. paprika
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 T. kosher salt
2 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. ancho chili powder (found in most upscale grocery stores in bulk)
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried thyme
Combine all ingredients together. Store in an airtight container.
Ribs:
4-8 bone-in flanken-style short ribs
dry rub
BBQ sauce (see recipe for my favorite BBQ sauce below)
Cover a sheet tray with aluminum foil and a generous amount of nonstick cooking spray. Place the ribs, evenly spaced, on the tray. Coat one side of each rib with a half teaspoon of the dry rub mixture. Flip, and coat the other side with a half teaspoon more of the Rib Rub. Place the ribs in a pre-heated 275-degree oven for 1 hour.
After one hour, remove the ribs from the oven and using tongs, flip them over. Place back in the oven for 1 hour, or until nicely browned.
After the second hour has passed, remove the ribs from the oven and turn the oven temperature up to 450-degrees. Generously coat each side of the ribs with barbecue sauce. Once the oven has reached 450-degrees, place the ribs back into the oven for 2-3 minutes, or until they are crisp on the outside. Serve immediately.
BOURBON BBQ SAUCE
¼ c. unsalted butter
¼ c. minced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c. brown sugar
2 tsp. whole grain mustard
1 c. ketchup
1/3 c. Worcestershire sauce
¼ c. fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp. hot sauce, or to taste
¼ tsp. cayenne
2 T. bourbon
Melt butter in a medium sized covered saucepan. Sauté onion until translucent; add garlic and cook until garlic releases its aroma, about 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer gently for 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Basically, cook the sauce until it reaches your desired thickness. (Sauce will thicken as it simmers. If the sauce is still too thin after 60 minutes, remove the lid. But be warned – simmer at a very low temperature or you will have BBQ sauce all over you and your kitchen!) Serve sauce warm or at room temperature.
