Blueberry Habanero Hot Sauce

Oatmeal, Blueberries, Egg, Cinnamon, Wheat bran, Blueberry Hot Sauce

My boyfriend brought me some wild blueberry hot sauce from his trip to Maine because of my obsession with hot sauce and blueberries. I instantly fell in love with the idea and taste of this sauce, so I attempted to recreate this recipe since it only required a few basic ingredients: wild blueberries, apple cider vinegar, habanero chili powder, ginger, garlic and honey. 

This unique blueberry hot sauce concoction tastes like a gingery blueberry sauce with a slightly spicy aftertaste. It's not as sweet as it sounds, but it pairs nicely with some carbs, meats, and perhaps even dessert.

My only critique would be the level of spice...or lack thereof. My rule of thumb is that if my boyfriend can handle it, then that means it doesn't pass my spice level test. So in my recipe, I threw in a generous amount of blueberries to turn it into a slightly thicker consistency. After refrigerating it for a few hours, the blueberries caused the sauce to thicken up nicely to a somewhat jammy-watery consistency. I also put in a good amount of fresh habanero pepper (not powder) to give it the extra heat it was missing.

Not exactly from Maine, but Butler's Orchard in Germantown, MD should do the job

4-6 minutes over low-medium heat

Blend well

Blueberry Habanero Hot Sauce:
1 1/2 cups Fresh blueberries
1 medium habanero pepper, seeded and minced (approx. 2 tbs)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbs honey*
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cinnamon
*Add more if you want it sweeter

1) Add all ingredients to pot over medium heat. Reduce to low-medium heat after about 4-6 minutes, mix, and let sit for another 2 minutes.
2) With a handheld blender, blend the sauce well (or transfer to blender). Let sit for about 1 hour to thicken. Store in jar and refrigerate. May reheat before serving if want a more saucy/fluid consistency.

Chilled

*WARNING*:

Habanero peppers WILL burn your fingers and any body part it may contact. Make sure you wear some gloves as a precaution to avoid suffering the never ending burn.  

According to the Scoville Scale, which measures the "spicy heat" of peppers, jalapeno peppers came in with a rating of 3,500-8,000 Scoville heat units, whereas habanero chili peppers came in with a whopping 100,000-350,000 Scoville heat units.

Fruity Wraps

Fresh Fruits make everything taste better

I absolutely love eating fruit salads because frankly, tossing some spinach and lettuce with some veggies can get boring, Fruits add sweetness and juiciness (especially when they're in season!) to everything and are great sources of vitamins and nutrients. Anyway, after eating so many fruit salads, I, of course, needed a change. So here is my fruit salad inside a wrap. This tasted so fresh and sweet from the fruits with a kick of spice from my favorite sriracha. I also tried putting in grapes and it tasted excellent! On the other hand, adding mango made it a little too mushy for my taste.

What's next on my list? Maybe some kumquats...my current obsession.


Fruity Wraps

Whole Wheat Wrap
Turkey
Blueberries
Strawberries
Beets
Chayote
Red Onion
Avocado*
Spinach
Romaine or Iceberg Lettuce
White & Purple Cabbage
Horseradish Mustard
Sriracha
*I ran out of avocado for my picture, but it definitely tastes so much better with some creamy avocado


1) Bake wrap, turkey, and onion in toaster oven for about 2-3 minutes at 350F degrees or until warm
2) Spread some mustard and sriracha on the turkey (Plain Greek yogurt is also a great spread!)
3) Layer the beets first, then spinach, fruits, and lettuce to make the rolling a cleaner process
4) Stick in 2 toothpicks on each side to hold, slice diagonally, and enjoy your sweet, juicy, crunchy wrap!

More strawberries this time

Kumquat Balsamic-Glazed Salmon

Balsamic-Glazed Salmon w/ Kumquats

Everyone needs a "go-to" quick and easy dish to whip up. This is mine...and of course it involves salmon.

Salmon is my absolute favorite fish to eat because of its taste and omega-3 content. It's also an excellent source of Vitamin D, which I currently need more of. How perfect. I've also been in this whole kumquat mood lately because I love how it's a cross between a sweet orange and a sour lemon--the best of both worlds. The rind also contains 1 gram of fiber per kumquat, so use it, eat it, love it!

I usually cook salmon it in three different ways depending on my mood: Stove, Baked, or Broiled. Here, I have it cooked on the stove and baked in the oven. Broiled to come.


Kumquat Balsamic-Glazed Salmon
Serving Size = 2

2 salmon filets
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
6 kumquats, chopped w/ skin
3 tbs onion, chopped
1 garlic, minced
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 cayenne pepper
salt & pepper


On the Stove:
1) Dry the salmon with a paper towel and season with salt, pepper, ginger, and cayenne pepper. Set aside
2) Heat skillet over medium high with cooking spray and place salmon skin side down.
3) About 2-3 minutes in, add balsamic, kumquats, onion, and garlic to pan. May decrease heat to medium if balsamic splatters
4) Cook for approx. another 1 1/2 minutes, then flip salmon over and cook for another 4-7 minutes depending on thickness. I usually just test it towards the end to see when it flakes. Let it sit for a few minutes and serve.

Baked:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2) Dry the salmon with a paper towel and season with salt, pepper, ginger, and cayenne pepper.
3) In medium pan over medium high heat, sear salmon (skin side down) for 1-2 minutes, flip, and repeat. This gives it a nice crust prior to baking it in the oven.
4) In small bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Place salmon on baking sheet covered with foil. Pour balsamic mixture on top
5) Bake in oven for about 8-10 minutes depending on thickness. Let sit for a few minutes and serve.

Kashi vs. Fiber One Cereal

I just happened to come across the cereal aisle when I was searching for some dark chocolate at CVS. I'm more of an oatmeal and granola type person than I am a cereal person, but I figured I'd grab a few boxes since they were on sale.

I went with two popular "healthy" cereal brands, Kashi and Fiber One, because I oftentimes see them on commercials and websites, so I decided to entertain myself with a cereal nutrition feud. They're actually quite interesting...

Fiber One

Wait, is that dog food? No, it's Fiber One with its brown crunchy twigs. This is your basic yogurt parfait using plain Greek yogurt. I chose to pair the Fiber One cereal with Greek yogurt because it compensates for the lack of protein in the cereal. Likewise, the Fiber One cereal, with a whopping 14g of fiber per 1/2 cup, makes up for the lack of fiber in Greek yogurt. This makes for a nice fiber protein balance.

Yogurt Parfait w/ Berries

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 

1/2 cup blueberries

4 strawberries, chopped

1/4 cup cereal or granola

4 toasted walnut halves, chopped

2 dashes of cinnamon

Kashi GoLean

Kashi's GoLean offers more variety in appearance and texture. I had this cereal with almond milk because Kashi has a bit more protein in it than Fiber One after converting the serving sizes...and I was in that milky mood. Actually, Fiber One holds up to milk a lot better than Kashi, which tended to get soggy after a few minutes.

Notice difference in serving size. Tricky tricky

If I had to choose a winner, I would go with Kashi. Why? Primarily because Fiber One ruined it with Aspartame. I'd rather have honey, agave nectar and the like...or even plain ole brown sugar. IMO, there's just too much controversy and potential "side effects" over this ingredient that I prefer to avoid it as much as possible. 

Kashi also offers a great balance between fiber and protein and also contains more potassium. It has 9 grams of insoluble fiber, which is what it sounds like--it doesn't dissolve in water, so it simply passes through your body. Yep, it basically helps you poop due to its laxative effect. The list of ingredients are also easier to understand, which is definitely a good sign.

Don't be offended if you love Fiber One. The thing I actually like about Fiber One is the fact that it contains a wide variety of vitamins and minerals as you can see in the picture. But really, aspartame killed it for me.

Fiber One...Aspartame?? Whyyy

 
Strange Ingredients:

*Guar Gum: Fiber from the seed of the guar plant. It's used as a laxative and may help in weight loss by making you feel fuller as it expands in your intestine.

*Cellulose Gum: Thickening agent. Apparently it's safe because it just passes through the body with no nutritional value.

*Aspartame: Controversial artificial sweetener which I try to avoid due to its potentially harmful side effects. If an ingredient has this much debate over it, there's got to be something going on.

*Evaporated Cane Juice: Healthier alternative to refined sugar (although still from the same source) mainly because it undergoes a smaller degree of processing, thus, retaining more nutrients

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Green Turkey Panini Wrap

What would I do without my whole wheat South Beach Diet wraps?

"Ah-vo-ca-doh" is the biggest thing to hit Subway since Jared Fogle. I guess they just recently discovered that Chipotle serves avocado, as well.

I'm sure we all know by now (Subway just found out) that avocado is good for you...but why? Avocado is indeed a super fruit (yes, fruit) packed with essential vitamins & minerals. Although it is fairly high in fat (good fat), it is known to help lower cholesterol, prevent heart disease, and is a good source of fiber, vitamin K, and folate. Not to mention, avocados have more potassium than bananas, making it the #1 source of potassium in fruits!

Avocado in moderation

I just bought a pound of Peppercorn Turkey from Lancaster Dutch Market in Germantown, MD for about $7. It's actually VERY peppery (which I love), but it's also on the salty side. To balance the saltiness from the turkey, I used Greek yogurt. Actually, I always use plain Greek yogurt in my wraps and sandwiches because it makes me think that I'm eating mayo, and I love the creamy texture it adds. Did I mention the fact that it is a great source of protein?

Anyway, my method to making panini wraps in my dinky foreman grill is to have a layer of spinach on both sides to avoid a soggy wrap. Just a thought...and a side of cherry tomatoes & egg, of course!

Low sodium salsa from Trader Joes

Here's what I decided to put in my panini wrap today (in order):

1 whole wheat wrap (South Beach diet)

Plain Greek yogurt

Horseradish mustard

Spinach

Avocado!

Cilantro

Turkey

Salsa

Tabasco

Onion

Spinach

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Pineapple Mango Salsa

Earlier this year, a friend of mine offered me a piece of his champagne mango as we were waiting for our class to begin. From the moment I put that piece of mango in my mouth, my mango life took a complete 180. Once you go champagne mango, you  never go back, and that's a fact.

Champagne mangoes are little midget mangoes from Mexico that contain more vitamin C than most other types of mangoes. The inside is incredibly sweet and juicy, and the best thing about this type of mango is that it has minimal fibrous texture making your mango experience that much more enjoyable. If you're having a difficult time imagining the texture (not taste), think canned peaches minus the additives. Yep, that's how velvety smooth it is! Amazing.

Pineapple Mango Salsa in a Pineapple Boat

I've had mango salsa before, but I've never tried making it with pineapples. Actually, the only reason why I threw in the pineapples was because I had this urge to make a pineapple boat for my mother's meeting and didn't know what to do with all those pineapple chunks. Well, after putting all of my ingredients together, the salsa came out amazing! Pineapple has officially made its way into my recipe forever.

I also decided to add some balsamic vinegar because it really brings out the flavors in fruits, especially in strawberries and mangoes. In fact, whenever I  make my fruit salad, I always try to push my mangoes to the bottom so that they would absorb the vinegar by the time I reach them. My only concern with adding balsamic vinegar to this recipe was that it could potentially turn the salsa brown, so I only added a teaspoon. A little splash goes a long way!

This recipe fit perfectly inside the pineapple boat

Pineapple Mango Salsa:

2 cups champagne mango, chopped
1 cup pineapple, chopped
1/3 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tsp serrano peppers (or jalapeno), minced
2 tbs cilantro
2 tsp peppers, minced
1 tsp balsamic vinegar*
1 tbs fresh pineapple juice
1 lime, juiced
1/4 tsp ginger (optional)


1) Cut out pineapple boat following the directions below
2) In a medium-sized bowl, mix all ingredients together. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (longer the better) to allow flavors to blend. Serve chilled inside pineapple.

*If the balsamic vinegar makes the salsa darker than you prefer, put some of the salsa aside before adding the vinegar and place it on top when plating.


******************************************************************************

Find a stable side of the pineapple where it naturally stands,
then turn it to its side to cut off the opening/filling side
(about 1/2 - 3/4 inch from edge). I did not cut my pineapple
in half because I wanted the "boat" to hold more salsa.

Using a smaller knife, cut out an oval inside as close as you can to the skin.
Angle your knife towards the center of the pineapple for easy scooping.
Slice out 1 inch cubes.

Scoop out the pineapple cubes and juice and set aside.

Pineapple Boat!
Feel free to scrape and dig out more pineapple from the sides.

Pineapple Shopping Tips:
from 12,167 Kitchen and Cooking Secrets by Susan Sampson

1) The crown is compact
2) Leaves are green and moist
3) Leave in the center of the crown releases with a gentle tug
4) The stem end smells sweet, not fermented
5) There's a slight "give" when pushing on skin
6) Feels heavy
7) Eyes (thorny studs in the skin) are protruding of weepy

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Kale and Bean Lasagna

Kale and Bean Lasagna w/ Tofu

Sorry spinach, I needed a change. Hello to the Queen of Greens: kale

I wasn't planning on making a lasagna post simply because it's one of those "duhhh" recipes, but I thought I'd share my way of making a healthier version packed with nutrients that tastes just as good as your typical/boring ground meat, ricotta/cottage cheese, etc combo. Well, I cheated a little with the feta, but that's because I secretly love feta cheese. A lower-fat cheese probably would've been a healthier option, but feta was in my fridge...so now it's in my lasagna.

While I was making the cheese layer mixture, I realized that I'd have to put a LOT of feta cheese to cover 2 layers. Well, since I didn't want my mom's blood pressure to spike from all that sodium (thanks, feta cheese), I ended up using some leftover silken tofu from last night and added it into my cheese mixture. Actually, that worked out very nicely because it almost resembled ricotta cheese! Almost. I also wanted to use a mixture of beans (red, black, pinto, garbanzo, etc) because my family buys a ton of beans to store away and use when making rice. The beans replaced my ground meat because I love the taste and texture of beans, and my mom is on the verge of claiming meat as evil. Either way, beans were the perfect "meaty" substitute and is definitely a nice change. I did not miss the cow at all.

Nutrition Rant: Kale is a nutritional powerhouse and an excellent source of vitamins K, A, and C. Research has proven that kale converts glucosinolates (also found in broccoli) into cancer preventive compounds. In short, Kale = Amazing.

Let sit for 5-10 minutes

Kale and Bean Lasagna:

4 whole wheat lasagna noodles 
(Depends on size of baking dish and noodles)

Sauce:
2 1/2 cups of tomato (or pasta) sauce
1 tbs red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tbs sriracha
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1 cup cauliflower, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cup uncooked beans
Salt & pepper to taste

Tofu & Cheese:
1 1/2 cup silken tofu, mashed
1/2 cup feta cheese (or parmesan), extra for topping
6 Kale leaves, stems removed
1 egg white
1/4 tsp garlic powder


1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2) Soak beans overnight (at least 8 hours). Boil water, add beans, and reduce to medium-low heat for about 25-40 minutes.  
*Since I used mixed beans, I just bit into a few beans as they were cooking to see if they were soft enough (but not mushy)
3) Cook whole wheat lasagna noodles, al dente. Set aside
4) Sweat onions over medium heat; add garlic and cauliflower. Add pasta sauce (was too lazy to make my own), oregano, chili powder, cayenne, sriracha, and vinegar. Stir in cooked beans and let them soak up the sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
5) Steam kale for about 5 minutes. Remove excess water and chop.
6) Medium bowl: Mix mashed tofu, feta cheese, egg white, kale, and garlic powder. Set aside
7) In casserole dish, spray non-stick on bottom. Layer in order: noodle, bean sauce, tofu mixture, repeat for second layer. Sprinkle top with feta cheese (or mozzarella)
8) Bake covered for 40 minutes; uncovered for another 5-10 minutes.