Hemp Seed Cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup smooth, unsweetened almond butter
• 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup of hemp seeds + more for sprinkling
• Optional: 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/3 cup dairy-free chocolate ¼  tbsp sea salt

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 
• In a large bowl combine almond butter, coconut palm sugar and egg.
• Stir in hemp seeds.
• Add in vanilla, chocolate chips and sea salt if using.
• Dough should come together as a sticky ball but will hold together.
• Roll into 12 small balls and place on a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet.
• Score each cookie with a fork to flatten. Sprinkle with additional hemp seeds.
• Bake for 12 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool on tray for 10 minutes. DO NOT TOUCH as they will fall apart.
• After 10 minutes, remove and let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Store in an airtight container for several days on countertop.

Cheese And Guava Pockets

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces queso blanco, divided
• 10 ounces guava paste, divided
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• Powdered sugar, for dusting
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 10 store-bought (6-inch) empanada wrappers (recommended: Goya)

Method

1. Working with 1 empanada wrapper at a time, cut the dough down the center to make 20 half circles.
2. Onto 1 half of each half circle, leaving a narrow boarder around the rim to pinch, add 1/2-ounce each guava paste and queso blanco.
3. Using a finger dipped in water, trace the edges of the half circles to moisten the dough. Fold uncovered half of the dough over the filling, making sure to press out all the air as you work. The final product should resemble a triangle with 1curved side. Using the tines of a fork, dipped in flour, if needed, crimp the sides to seal. Repeat with remaining 19 pastries.
4. Heat 1-inch of oil in a heavy-bottom skillet to 360 degrees fahrenheit 
5. Fry the pastries, in batches, until golden, about 2 minutes. Flip and fry 2 minutes more. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain and transfer to a serving platter. 
6. Dust with powdered sugar and drizzle with honey to serve.

Figgi Foccacia

Ingredients

• 1 medium-size red onion
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Coarse sea or kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Plain cornmeal
• 1 pound bakery pizza dough
• 8 fresh figs, halved
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

Method

1. Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Cut onion into 3/4- to 1-inch slices. Brush onion slices with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Grill onion slices, without grill lid, 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until tender and lightly charred.
2. Preheat oven to 425°. Lightly dust work surface with cornmeal. Stretch dough into a 10- to 12-inch oval on work surface. Place dough, cornmeal side down, on a greased baking sheet; drizzle with remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Rub oil into dough. Arrange fig halves and grilled onion over dough, pressing lightly. Sprinkle with rosemary and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Bake at 425° on lowest oven rack 15 to 20 minutes or until golden.

Elderberry Ice Cream

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup water
• Sugar to taste
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 3-4 tablespoons crème fraiche or buttermilk
• 5 egg yolks
• 2 cups elderberries, stripped off the stems
• 2 tablespoons elderberry liqueur, cassis or other dark fruit liqueur

Method:

1. First make the syrup. To make the syrup out of a seedy fruit like an elderberry, add about 2 cups of the elderberries to a pot and pour 1 cup of water over them. Heat slowly until it simmers and the berries begin bursting. Keep the berries at a slow simmer and begin pouring in sugar. Start with 1/2 cup and stir it in well. Taste and add more if you want. Don’t go higher than 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes or so and then take off the heat.
2. Let the syrup cool push it through a food mill with the finest setting, or a medium-meshed sieve. Elderberry seeds tend to be small, so you will need to account for that. Use a mesh that prevents them from getting through. Try to get as much pulp in as you can — it adds body to the syrup, and later the ice cream. Pour the syrup into a jar and chill it in the fridge. The syrup like this will last for weeks in the fridge, so you can make it far in advance.
3. When you want to make the ice cream, pour the cream and milk into a heavy pot and put it over a medium-high flame. Add the syrup. How much? I use 1 1/2 cups of elderberry syrup, but it will depend on your taste. Use as little as 1/2 cup, or as much as 2 cups. Just add and taste, and do it bit by bit, tasting as you go.
4. Bring the mixture to about 160 degrees, which is steaming but not simmering. Lower the heat a bit for now.
5. Get a bowl and beat the egg yolks.
6. Now comes the tricky part: With a ladle in one hand and a whisk or fork in the other, slowly pour some hot cream into the egg yolks. Do this very slowly at first, whisking the eggs all the time with your other hand. Pour in another ladle, which can go in a little faster, then one more ladle, just to be sure. You are tempering your egg yolks, so they do not scramble in your cream mixture — this is making the custard. Pour the hot egg-cream mixture into the pot and whisk well.
7. Add the crème fraiche or buttermilk — you can add more if you want, but use your taste as a guide. Whisk everything really well. The crème fraiche will not want to dissolve at first, but it will. Bring the mixture to 160 degrees, take it off the heat. Again, this is not quite a simmer. Let it cool on the counter for 15 minutes or so, add the liqueur. You use this both for flavor and to prevent the ice cream from setting up like a rock in the freezer. Put the mixture in the fridge to chill thoroughly, even overnight. Once it’s cold, pour into your ice cream maker and follow its directions.

Ingredients For Dough

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus one more for filling

Filling:

• 1/2 cup blanched almonds
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound ripe fresh figs (about 16), stemmed and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Method:

1. Make dough: In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons ice water; pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, gradually add up to 2 tablespoons more water). Do not over mix. Flatten dough into a disk; wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (and up to 3 days).
2. Make filling: In food processor, combine almonds and sugar; process until finely ground. Add 1 egg, butter, flour, vanilla, and salt; pulse until smooth, and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine figs and lemon juice; set aside.    
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a large lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll dough to a 14-inch round. Spread almond filling in center, leaving a 2-inch border; top with fig mixture. Fold border over edge of filling, pleating all around; press down gently to seal. In a small bowl, mix remaining egg with 1 teaspoon water; brush dough with egg wash.
4. Lifting edges of parchment, transfer crostata to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 1 hour. Let cool on baking sheet at least 30 minutes. To serve, cut crostata into wedges.

Pistachio-Stuffed Dates With Coconut

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup shelled, unsalted pistachios
• 1 teaspoon tahini
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 26 dates
• Shredded, unsweetened coconut, for sprinkling over the top

Method:

Crumble the pistachios in a food processor mix these pistachios with honey and tahini adding a little extra of each add a little extra if needed. Slice the dates lengthways to pit and remove the pit carefully, stuff the mixture into each date and sprinkle shredded coconut for garnish.

COCONUT CURRY CHICKEN

This coconut curry chicken dish caught my attention because the sauce is made of both tomato and coconut. I am a big fan tomato based sauces so I knew that this dish would taste great. After I made the dish and tasted the sweet and spicy tomato coconut curry chicken dish, I was not disappointed.

This dish is very easy to prepare. Chicken breasts are cut into chunks in this recipe. The chunks of chicken are first cooked in a mix of curry powder, oil, garlic and onions. Then they are simmered along with the coconut milk and tomatoes. The result is a delicious coconut-tomato curry dish that is sure to please. Enjoy!

Prep Time
20 mins

Cook Time
50 mins

Total Time
1 hr 10 mins

A simple coconut and tomato based curry that is not too spicy. Served this creamy and delicious dish with steamed white rice.

Course: Main Course
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 412 kcal
Author: Liza Agbanlog

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 can (14 ounce) coconut milk
1 can (14.5 ounce) diced tomato, drained
1 can (8 ounce) tomato sauce
3 tablespoons sugar

Instructions

Season the chicken chunks with salt and pepper.
Mix curry powder and oil. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the curry oil mixture. Heat curry oil for 1 minute.
Add garlic and onions and cook for 1 minute.
Add chicken chunks and toss lightly to coat with the curry oil mixture.
Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in center and juices run clear.
Pour coconut milk, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar into the pan, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
Serve immediately, over rice. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Coconut Curry Chicken
Amount Per Serving
Calories 412 Calories from Fat 207
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 35%
Saturated Fat 14g 70%
Cholesterol 94mg 31%
Sodium 322mg 13%
Total Carbohydrates 16g 5%
Dietary Fiber 4g 16%
Sugars 12g
Protein 37g 74%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup white sugar 
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 2 cups milk 
• 3 egg yolks, beaten 
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 1 (9 inch) baked pastry shell, cooled 
• 4 bananas, sliced

Directions

1. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, flour, and salt. Add milk in gradually while stirring gently. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is bubbly. Keep stirring and cook for about 2 more minutes, and then remove from the burner.
2. Stir a small quantity of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks, and immediately add egg yolk mixture to the rest of the hot mixture. Cook for 2 more minutes; remember to keep stirring. Remove the mixture from the stove, and add butter and vanilla. Stir until the whole thing has a smooth consistency.
3. Slice bananas into the cooled baked pastry shell. Top with pudding mixture.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 12 to 15 minutes. Chill for an hour.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving: 303 calories; 11.1 g fat; 47.2 g carbohydrates; 4.9 g protein; 89 mg cholesterol; 224 mg sodium.