Eleven Madison Park's Granola

I'm not a big granola eater, but I decided to finally make my own. It really is so easy that it's one of those things that I should make more often. I had a hankering for some kind of granola with cherries, and my search immediately turned up Eleven Madison Park's granola. Perfect!!

I used The New York Times adapted recipe, but the same recipe is also available on Food Network. There are some slight differences between the two recipes: Food Network specifies unsalted ingredients and uses two sheet pans to bake the granola. I've had the fortune of dining at Eleven Madison Park for a special occasion and received a jar of their granola. The granola was pretty good and I remember there were tiny bits of an ingredient (chocolate?) that isn't in the adapted recipes.

There seems to be quite a difference of opinion on the amount of kosher salt in this recipe (it's even noted in the NY Times recipe). Since it was my first time making granola and trying this recipe, I wanted to stick as close to the recipe's measurements. The only reason I made adjustments is because I only had 2 cups of rolled oats so I was 3/4 c. short. So, I reduced the salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, and olive oil by roughly a third of what the recipe calls for since I had less oats. I kept the amounts of the rest of the ingredients the same. If I've totally lost you, I don't blame you. Bottom line: Make sure you have enough ingredients to cover all the measurements so you don't have to do weird math like I did. 

I got pistachios in their shells mainly because it's less expensive. To yield 1 cup of shelled pistachios, I went through two-thirds of a 16 oz. bag. Next time, I'll probably splurge on the shelled pistachios to save time. I also chose raw pistachios and pumpkin seeds (a.k.a. pepitas) that are unroasted/untoasted since they are going into the oven and will toast when baked.

Dry ingredient mixture

The Salt Debate: I think it's important to use unsalted ingredients in this recipe to balance out the amount of salt. Also, make sure to use kosher salt. (I used the Diamond Crystal brand.) Once my granola was done, I could definitely taste a good amount of salt but I did not find it too salty or inedible. It was a salty sweet combo of flavor. I personally think the salt is balanced with the brown sugar, maple syrup, and sour cherries. And, I'll have the granola on yogurt or with milk, which will also help balance the salt.

But if you don't want to risk it and cut back the salt, it will still be good. You can always add salt to suit your taste after baking and mixing in the cherries. If you follow the recipe and think it's too salty, you can make a separate batch without salt and mix the two batches together to save it. Why not try to save it instead of wasting food?

I thought the amount of light brown sugar, maple syrup, and olive oil was just fine to balance the salt and coat the dry mixture nicely. I will probably try coconut oil in the future to enhance the coconut chips.

Coated and ready to go in the oven

I baked the granola all on one half sheet pan. After 30 min., it was ready to come out. I left it in for a total of 35 min. just to get more color as a personal preference.

The final product came out nice and crunchy, but not sticky. I will definitely make this recipe again and try different nuts, dried fruit, and spices for variety.

4.15.2017 UPDATE: I made another batch using the full measurements in the recipe (2 3/4 cup rolled oats, 1 Tablespoon kosher salt) with pecans instead of pistachios and coconut instead of olive oil. I still did not find it too salty, especially when I have it with milk or yogurt.

My Rating (out of 5): 5

Brussels Sprouts Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

After eating a lot of bread carbs over the last week, I was in desperate need of some healthy eats. I found this raw Brussels sprouts salad by The Real Food Dietitians and was excited by the ingredients.

Full disclosure: I made some substitutions to use what I had at home but I don't think they drastically changed the flavors or result of the salad.

This recipe makes a hella ton of salad and is good for a large group of people or a party. I made the full recipe and had a lot leftover. And Brussels sprouts are a hearty vegetable with plenty of chew compared to arugula or spinach. If you want to make a smaller amount for 4 people or less, I suggest cutting the ingredient amounts by half.

I highly recommend buying a bag of shredded Brussels sprouts. I think it's really worth it in this case. (Thank you, Trader Joe's!) Since Brussels sprouts are small, shredding them yourself can be time consuming and I don't love that my food processor leaves small chunks behind with the shredder attachment.

I had turkey bacon in the fridge and used that instead. I cut up the turkey bacon into small strips so they got evenly crispy in the oven. Since the bacon will start to get soft once the salad and dressing are mixed, I cooked the bacon until it was very crispy.

For the dried cherries, I also recommend using tart cherries if you can get them. I think they add a nice balance to the bacon and Brussels sprouts. Trader Joe's had three dried cherry options to choose from including tart Montmorency cherries.

I love pecans and already had some. I also think they go great with dried fruit. So, I used rough-chopped pecan halves instead of almonds.

Clockwise: red onions, turkey bacon, pecans, dried tart cherries
(shredded Brussels sprouts underneath)

The recipe calls for 1 cup of sliced red onions and I thought it was a little to much. While I like red onions, I would cut back to 1/2 to 3/4 cup the next time I make this. And to take out some of the bite, soak the sliced onion in cold water while the bacon cooks. Then, drain and pat dry with paper towels when ready to add to the salad.

For the citrus vinaigrette, I used an average sized naval orange and am guessing that it had a little more juice than a small orange that the recipe calls for. I used a Meyer lemon instead of the regular lemon variety since they are in season. I also added about a 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest because why waste it?

Vinaigrette ingredients

The vinaigrette recipe calls for 3/4 cup of olive oil, but I only used 1/2 cup. I could taste the extra virgin olive oil in the dressing and didn't want it to get too oily or overpowered by an olive flavor. Last, I used Dijon mustard since I didn't have any yellow mustard. I ended up with exactly 1 cup of vinaigrette after my modifications. I thought the dressing was good, but I think I prefer an all-lemon dressing for more tang and brightness to the salad. And I'd leave out the shallots, since the salad already has a lot of red onion, and use garlic instead.

I skipped the optional goat cheese to be healthier, but I may include it another time.

I thought there's a good ratio of bacon, nuts, and cherries in each bite. There's very little chopping involved in this salad, especially if you get pre-shredded Brussels sprouts. The vinaigrette is the most complicated part of the recipe! I'll definitely make this again.

My Rating (out of 5): 4

11.6.2017 Update: Decided to add my recipe version below which makes a smaller amount.

Brussels Sprouts Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette Recipe

Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 12 mins
Total time: 20 mins
Yield: 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:

• 4 slices of turkey bacon
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion 
• 10 oz. package of shredded or shaved Brussels sprouts
• 1/3 cup dried tart cherries, unsweetened (such as Montmorency cherries)
• 1/3 cup pecan halves, toasted and rough chopped

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• 1/2 small orange, juiced
• 1/2 tsp. orange zest
• 1/2 Meyer lemon, juiced (regular lemon can be substituted)
• 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 small garlic clove, grated
• 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. dried thyme, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• Kosher salt and black pepper 

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Chop the uncooked turkey bacon in to small splices. Spread pieces in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Spread pecan halves on a separate small baking sheet. Place both baking sheets in the oven on a rack placed in the middle. Toast the pecans for 3-5 minutes, making sure to watch that they don't burn. Cook the bacon for 12 minutes, until very crispy.

When the pecans are toasted, let cool. Then, roughly chop the pecans and set aside.

While the bacon is cooking, slice the red onion and soak in a bowl with cold water. This helps remove some of the bite.

While the bacon is cooking, also make the vinaigrette. Whisk all of the vinaigrette ingredients, except the olive oil, together in a small bowl. Drizzle the olive oil in a slow stream while constantly whisking to emulsify the vinaigrette. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Set aside.

Once the bacon is cooked, set bacon on paper towels to drain excess grease. Also drain the red onions and pat dry with paper towels.

Combine the Brussels sprouts in a large bowl with turkey bacon, red onion, cherries, and pecans.

Add 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette immediately before serving and toss to coat well. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper as needed.

Healthy New Year's Smoothie by PureWow

With every new year, there's always tons of articles and recipes on how to get healthier. This PureWow recipe for a clean, green smoothie is one of them this year.

The ingredients are simple and easy to find. There's no dairy, nut butters, or other thickeners. No trendy ingredients or added sweeteners. I definitely give it points for being clean.

I thought the naval orange and banana provide enough sweetness. But if you have a sweet tooth, honey or agave can be added.

PureWow says to use a clove of ginger, but I haven't heard of the term "clove" used before in describing a measurement of ginger. So, I'd go with a 1- or 2-inch piece of peeled ginger based on your preference.

Since I used an English cucumber, I only used 1/3 or 1/2 of it since it's longer than regular cucumbers.

I made this a few more times to use up the rest of the spinach and added 1/4 teaspoon of ground turmeric for added health benefits.

There's no frozen ingredients or ice, so the smoothie's consistency is not thick.

Overall, I thought it tasted good. The flavors aren't going to wow you but you most likely have all the ingredients on hand.

My Rating (out of 5): 3

Sausage, Kale, and Lentil Soup

I came across this soup recipe by Rachel Ray a few years ago and I've been making it on a regular basis since. It's hearty, delicious, and has nutritious ingredients like kale and lentils. It's great for bringing to work for lunch, filling as a meal on its own, and comforting in chilly weather.

Sausage, kale, and lentil soup with sweet potato

Each time I make this, I make some tweaks if an ingredient is not available at the grocery store. I've used sweet Italian sausage and added crushed red pepper flakes if hot Italian sausage was out at the store. If I can't find Fresno peppers, I'll use a different red chili pepper that is available or crushed red pepper flakes. I've used curly kale if Tuscan kale was not available.

Sweet Italian sausage

I've always made this with a Russet potato. But since it's fall, I decided to change it up a bit and used sweet potato instead which has more nutritious benefits. So the pictures I've shared here will have sweet potato in them. 

I often buy pre-chopped packages of kale, which probably has more in quantity than a bunch of kale does. I use the entire bag in the soup. Pre-chopped bags usually have the stem intact, and I don't bother to remove them for this recipe since it's time consuming. And this is a soup, so the stems get soft while it cooks. But if I buy a bunch of kale, I'll remove the stems in those instances.

Tomato paste and white wine really add flavor to the soup so I would not suggest omitting or substituting these ingredients.

The one difference from the recipe that I make is the amount of lentils. I use 1 to 1-1/4 cups of lentils instead of 1-3/4 cups that the recipe lists. I think that amount of uncooked lentils would soak up too much liquid and I wonder if it is typo in the published recipe.

I like to use red lentils

This is a chunky soup. So I like to reserve 1 cup of chicken stock and wait to add it in the last 5 minutes that the soup simmers. This way the soup has some liquid in case it reduced too much while it simmered.

Leftovers are just as delicious and I never get tired of eating this soup!

My Rating (out of 5): 4.5

Apple Pie Zoats Recipe

I didn't peel the zucchini this time and I could see bits of skin in the dish, which was okay with me. But I think leaving the skin on kept some of the shredded bits from softening as much as skinless shreds did. It still cooked down, but I think I like the texture better when it's peeled. I also left the skin on the apple and didn't notice it in the dish. I didn't use egg whites but added chia seeds for a little extra protein.

Apple Pie Zoats Recipe

Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 10-15 mins
Total time: 15-20 mins
Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup uncooked old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 zucchini, peeled and grated 
• 1/2 gala apple (or any sweet red apple), grated
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 Tablespoon chia seeds
• 1/2 cup milk (or plant-based milk)
• Sugar or sugar substitute (I used Splenda)
• 1/2 gala apple, diced 
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions
Add oats, grated zucchini, grated apple, water, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and Chia seeds to a medium saucepan. Stir and bring to a boil. Then lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes, or until oats and zucchini are cooked through. Remove from heat and let sit for a couple of minutes.

Stir in milk to thin the zoats to your desired consistency. Adjust sweetness to your taste with sugar or sugar substitute.  Serve immediately in bowls and top with diced apples and sliced almonds.

Zoats: What the Heck Is That?

I came across an Instagram post of oatmeal and noticed the hashtag "zoats." I was curious and thought it might be some product brand the Instagrammer used. But, I learned from a quick Google search that zoats are oatmeal with zucchini (or zucchini oats). My initial reaction was "ugh, not another frivolous trend." I'm all for culinary innovation but the current food culture is overloaded with people trying to come up with pointless hacks or portmanteaus just for the sake of wow factor and social media likes.

I once saw an Instagram video in which someone used a pin to score small cuts through an unpeeled banana only to peel it and use their other hand to break off pieces at the scored marks and eat them. Not only was this so-called hack useless and unhelpful, but your hand gets dirty. No thanks, I'll just take bites of a banana like a normal person and keep my hands clean. But I digress...

So, why should anyone eat zoats? Can't we just eat them separately? Luckily, I didn't have to look too hard because Google turned up a few articles that quickly explained some benefits. Zucchini are low-calorie and packed with fiber and potassium (more than a banana). And mixing it with oatmeal helps provide fiber while reducing some calories and carbs.

Ok, that gives me enough of a reason to try zoats. A basic zoats recipe has oats, grated zucchini, and egg whites. But if I was going to try this latest food trend, I wanted to go with a fun-flavored version. After getting inspiration from some recipes, I made this carrot cake inspired version (which excludes eggs).

I had to buy zucchini but the rest of the ingredients were based on what I already had in my kitchen. There are plenty of options to use different milks or sweeteners.

The zoats turned out pretty good and it's key to grate the zucchini so it blends into the oatmeal. The texture was very similar to regular oatmeal. A single serving from a 1/2 cup of uncooked oats is doubled by adding the zucchini, so I can see how this helps cut down calories and carbs for breakfast.

While I think this food trend has some benefits and I'd try them again, I don't see it becoming a regular part of my breakfast repertoire. Grating the zucchini adds extra steps and clean up which is not ideal when you're trying to get out the door in the mornings. Zoats are better as a make ahead dish either the night before or on the weekend.

Carrot Cake Zoats Recipe

Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 10-15 mins
Total time: 15-20 mins
Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

• ½ cup uncooked old-fashioned oats
• ½ zucchini, peeled and grated (peeling prevents any green tint in the dish)
• ½ carrot, peeled and grated
• 1 cup water
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• pinch of ground cloves
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk (or plant-based milk)
• Sugar or sugar substitute (I used Splenda)
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions
Add oats, grated zucchini, grated carrot, water, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to a medium saucepan. Stir and bring to a boil. Then lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until oats and vegetables are cooked through. Remove from heat and let sit for a couple of minutes.

Stir in milk to thin the zoats to your desired consistency. Adjust sweetness to your taste with sugar or sugar substitute, or additional maple syrup.  Serve immediately in bowls and top with chopped pecans.

Cauliflower Tikka Masala

I wish I could say that I have some logic or method for selecting recipes to try. But I don't, and I even boggle myself on why I decide to try something. Vegetarian Gastronomy's Cauliflower Tikka Masala recipe is one of those instances.

I like chicken tikka masala but have never been inspired to make it, even after I finally added a number of spices to my pantry that are used in Indian cooking. But for some reason, I saw the cauliflower version through PureWow's turmeric guide and got inspired. I think I was drawn to another way to cook cauliflower, the recipe looked very doable, and I already have most of the ingredients.

When I'm inspired to make a dish, I usually do a web search to compare recipes and try to find more authentic recipes. Not this time. So, I realized after I was in the middle of making this that it is actually a vegan recipe that uses coconut milk instead of heavy cream. Not a bad thing and I was pretty pleased with how it tasted.

One hesitation I had about this vegan recipe was that it includes red bell pepper, which I didn't see as a common ingredient in non-vegan tikka masala recipes. So I'm not sure what was behind using red bell pepper...texture, flavor, personal taste? Reason for my hesitation is because I dislike bell peppers, especially the green ones. I don't like their flavor and I think their taste lingers well after a meal. But, I don't avoid eating a dish that has them and will eat around the peppers if I have to. And if I actually eat them, I'd rather eat red or orange ones that are roasted or cooked down because they are slightly sweeter. I'm very happy to say that the bell pepper flavor was mild in this dish. Maybe because it was blended up.

I passed on the optional cashew cream. And I don't have mustard seeds and left that out because I hate buying spices for one dish. I also don't think it's necessary to grate the ginger since it goes into the blender anyway, so I just minced it to save time and have one less tool to wash. 

Blended sauce returned to pan with spices added

Cauliflower added in

I served this with yummy jasmine rice to mix with all that good sauce. Finishing the dish with fresh cilantro really finishes the dish. Overall, I liked this dish quite a bit and would make it again. It can be a main dish or a side. I'd probably try it with cream and leave out the bell pepper to see how the flavor of the dish changes.

Cauliflower tikka masala served over jasmine rice

My Rating (out of 5): 4

Golden Milk (Haldi Doodh) Recipe

I bought a few 3 oz. packages of spices, like turmeric, over in Curry Hill to try a (surprise) curry recipe. I don't use these spices often, so I have a lot left over. When I came across an email today with different ways to use turmeric, I was inspired to try a number of recipes.

I was introduced to golden milk (or haldi doodh), which is a warm turmeric milk drink. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and immune-boosting properties, among other benefits. So this drink is an easy way to take advantage of its health benefits. I also read that taking black pepper with turmeric increases absorption of turmeric in our bodies by 2000%.

I looked online for more information on how it's made and used this recipe to make my first cup. I really liked how it tasted with the warming spiciness of the turmeric and pepper. Turmeric is part of the ginger family and has a similar spiciness as ginger. Golden milk makes for a nice drink to have before bed. Note, I was cautious with my first cup and used a small amount of pepper. (Update: I made this again with a 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper that I saw in another recipe and thought it was too much so I'd stick with 1/4 teaspoon.)

I will definitely try different variations with other types of milk (coconut, almond), ginger, fresh turmeric vs. ground, and more pepper. But this is the recipe I used for my first try.

Golden Milk Recipe

Time: 2-3 minutes
Yield: 1 cup (8 oz.)

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk (any fat content of your choice)
• 3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil

Directions
Stir all ingredients in a pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and continue to simmer for 1-2 minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't boil over. Pour into a mug and enjoy!

Optional: Some of the ground spices settle to the bottom of the mug, which I didn't mind. If you prefer, you can strain the mixture through a very fine sieve.