No-Bake Energy Bars : Our Blog : do it Delicious

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May 20, 2011

No-Bake Energy Bars

Who doesn’t need an afternoon pick-me-up? These energy bars are great for an on the go snack and they’re packed with all things good: vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber. Healthy snacking keeps your metabolism moving. It also helps keep crankiness at bay and controls those hunger pangs before the urge to eat all things fried and salted strikes. And don’t forget other snacks like fruit, yogurt, vegetables, cottage cheese and nuts to get you from one meal to the next.

No-bake Energy Bars
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Yield: 14 bars

Ingredients:
cooking spray
¾ cup raw almonds
1 ¼ cups brown rice cereal
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
¼ cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut
¼ cup flax meal
¼ cup raw chia seeds
½ cup brown rice syrup
6 tablespoons almond butter
½ cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Directions:
Spray an 8- by 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides.

Place the almonds in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until evenly chopped. Transfer to a large bowl and combine with the rice cereal, oats, coconut, flax meal, and chia seeds.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the rice syrup and almond butter and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until melted and creamy. Pour over the oat mixture and stir until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Press evenly into the prepared pan and let cool completely (about 30 minutes). Grab the ends of the parchment and lift onto a cutting board. Slice into bars.

Posted by do it Delicious
Category: Delicious Recipes

May 18, 2011

Cooking Tip: How to Juice Citrus

I’m not one for buying a lot of kitchen gadgets. I’m old school. So when it comes to juicing citrus, I reach for a fork. Simply cut a lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit in half crosswise then insert the tines of the fork into the center of the fruit and twist to extract the juice (you will have to scoop out any stray seeds).

In case you are a little more high-tech than I am, the citrus reamer and lemon/lime squeezer are also good options. A citrus reamer (which may come in wood, plastic or metal) works in a similar fashion to the fork and is a good low-cost choice. The lemon/lime squeezer costs a bit more but comes in very handy when you have a lot of lemons or limes to juice and produces juice without seeds or pulp- it’s the next best thing to electric. Simply place one half of the lemon or lime face down in the bowl of the squeezer and squeeze. Whichever gadget you choose, you’ll get about an extra tablespoon or more of juice rather than if you just squeeze by hand (I’m not one for wasting either).

Yield:
1 lemon = about 3 tablespoons juice
1 lime = 1 to 2 tablespoons juice
1 orange (using fork or reamer) = ¼ to ½ cup juice
1 grapefruit (using fork or reamer) = ¾ to 1 cup juice

Posted by Jessica Seinfeld
Category: Tips and Tricks

May 12, 2011

Today at the Farmers’ Market

Most people don’t think that eggs have a season, but, indeed, they do! And Spring is the start of it as the hours of sunlight in a day grow longer, which triggers egg production on small farms where chickens roam free (unlike conventional factory production that uses artificial light to trick chickens into laying eggs year-round). By the way, we are not suggesting you need to spend $8 per dozen, as advertised in our photo…

The organic eggs you’ll find at the farmer’s market come in many colors (white, brown, green, speckled), depending on the breed, but the color makes no difference nutritionally. Farm eggs are insanely fresh, often laid the day before they are sold. Supermarket eggs have a “sell by” date on the carton; once you get them home, it is considered safe to use eggs four or five weeks after this date. To really enjoy their amazing and pure flavor try them soft-boiled on toast (like the recipe below) or serve them over broiled sliced tomatoes or spring asparagus.

P.S. In 2010 the USDA released a study stating that since 2002, the amount of cholesterol in eggs has decreased by 14 percent and the amount of vitamin D increased 64 percent.

Eggs on Toast
Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Yield: serves 2

Ingredients:
4 large eggs
2 slices French bread
2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh chives (optional), snipped with kitchen shears

Directions:
Place the oven rack in the second position from the top. Heat the broiler. Place the bread slices on a sheet pan and drizzle each with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Broil until the bread is toasted, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plates

Fill a small saucepan with water (about 2 inches from the top) and bring to a boil. Using a large spoon, carefully lower the eggs, one at a time, into the pan. Reduce the heat and gently simmer. After 5 ½ minutes, drain the water from the pan. Carefully peel the eggs (if they are too hot to handle, pass them under cold running water as you peel). Serve atop the toasts and sprinkle with salt, pepper and the chives.

Posted by do it Delicious
Category: Delicious Recipes

May 11, 2011

Leafy Green Salad Combos

Do you love salad but dislike the labor involved in making them? Or are you always making the same salad and need some new ideas? We’re here to snap you out of the salad rut and help you not short change this noble side dish with some easy and, hopefully, inspiring combinations. You can boost the protein of any one of the combos below with the addition of chicken, meat, tuna, lentils or chickpeas, or whole grains like bulgur wheat or barley, turning them into hearty dinner salads.

Arugula, sweet corn, cherry tomatoes and chives with Lime-Cumin Vinaigrette

Romaine, apples, blue cheese and toasted walnuts with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Baby spinach with hard-boiled eggs, cucumber and croutons with Anchovy-Rosemary Vinaigrette

Mixed greens with toasted almonds, dried cherries and carrots with Mustard-Tarragon Vinaigrette

Arugula, radishes, olives, Feta and mint with Lemon-Honey-Shallot Vinaigrette

Butter lettuce with avocado, orange and red onion with Red Wine Vinaigrette

Posted by Jessica Seinfeld
Category: Delicious Recipes

May 10, 2011

Salad Vinaigrettes

With Spring here and Summer just weeks away, I am dying to make salads from my garden, using fresh, crisp lettuces and veggies. I like to complement fresh produce with homemade vinaigrettes made in my kitchen instead of using bottled dressings. Yes, store-bought dressings are usually the default choice because they are fast and easy. But, by trying some of our recipes below, you will find that you actually can whip up a flavorful and fresh vinaigrette in less time it would take to go to the grocery store (and for half the price, too!). Give these a whirl, and let us know what you think.

We like our vinaigrettes on the zesty side, but it’s up to you: adjust according to your tastes, adding more oil if it’s too sharp or more vinegar or citrus juice if you like your vinaigrettes a little more acidic. And, of course, always season to your liking with salt and pepper. All of these vinaigrettes will keep for up to two weeks in tightly sealed jars and even longer if they don’t contain fresh ingredients like shallots, fresh herbs or jalapeños.

Lemon-Honey-Shallot Vinaigrette
Yield: about ½ cup

Ingredients:
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (6 turns on pepper mill)
1 small shallot, chopped