Today’s recipe is a dessert that is not only delicious but also is packed with nutrients. I know it sounds ridiculous but hummus can go sweet with chocolate. Adding dark chocolate to hummus creates a marvelous spread or dip that can be used for a snack, lunch, or even dessert. Dark chocolate contains powerful antioxidants, can help lower blood pressure, raise HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol), while decreasing LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, and may even improve brain function. Hummus is also a healthy option, as beans are high in fiber and protein. According to Spoon University, chocolate hummus is similar in texture to the hazelnut spread, Nutella, but with one-third of the calories and sugar. You can use classic chickpeas or garbanzo beans, black beans, or cannelini beans. Chickpeas are good for you helping to control blood sugar and cholesterol. Use it as a spread on toast or bread, use it as a dip with fresh fruit or graham crackers, or enjoy it as a pudding. Chocolate hummus is perfect with fresh fruit, and I’d start with strawberries, bananas, or even apple slices.
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Fruitcake Cookies For Christmas
When I was a child, my mother made homemade fruitcake every year. It was a big production. and all of us kids helped. Her recipe was a mix of 2 recipes that she combined. Unfortunately, she never wrote down how she combined them. Her fruitcake was outstanding and like no commercial fruitcake I’ve had. To me fruitcake is part of classic Christmas to me.
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Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Peaches with Cheese
Summer is the time to cook food on the grill. Meat, vegetables, and fruits all have their flavors enhanced with the high heat that seals in all the juices. Magic seems to happen when we grill fuit. Today’s recipe uses ripe but not soft peaches wrapped in prosciutto. Grilled prosciutto wrapped peaches are a perfect sweet and savory dish. Serve with mozzarella or burrata. Drizzle the platter with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle a little salt and pepper, and garnish with fresh basil strips.
Perfect 4th of July Recipes
Next week the calendar shows the official first day of summer is June 20th. Yeah! Even if your weather doesn’t feel like summer yet, let’s fire up the grill, whip up some favorite potluck sides, and make red, white, and blue dishes. If like me you’ve had both vacinations, you can safely have vacinated friends over to enjoy the summer. Obviously Independence Day isn’t always going to fall on a weekend. Luckily, this year July 4th is a Sunday. Live outside the US and don’t celebrate the 4th? Not a problem – let’s talk summer cook-outs. Now what are you eating?
Orange Pound Cake With Strawberries
I try to limit how often I eat dessert, but I do love a rich pound cake. Today’s recipe is a simple cake made with real orange zest and juice and topped with fresh strawberries. I know it’s early for most of you, but it’s still strawberry season here in Florida. Last year I shared a tangy lemon cake made with Greek yogurt. This pound cake is made with buttermilk which still gives you that great tangy flavor. Use a large orange and zest before you squeeze the orange. It makes about 1/3 cup of juice. The recipe makes one loaf cake.
Tasty Orange Cake
Winter is the time to enjoy citrus fruits. Oranges ripen starting in November (depending on the kind of orange) through May. Lots of us enjoy orange juice for taste and for health benefits with its vitamin C. Today let’s discuss a sweet treat of orange cake made with orange juice and zest. With one large orange and one medium orange, you can have the zest and juice to add lots of delicate flavor to a white cake and butter cream icing. The cake is really wonderful plain too if you want cut some calories. If you ice the cake, I’d suggest you add some orange segments as decorations. Even orange slices look great.
Coconut Rum Balls
Rum balls have been a holiday tradition for many families. I don’t really like sweetened condensed milk, but coconut rum balls are my sister’s favorite holiday treat. They are so easy to make that the kids can help. No baking is required. Today’s recipe is the traditional recipe plus coconut. You can make the treats with classic vanilla wafers or a plain chocolate cookie. Crush the cookies in a ziplock plastic bag with a rolling pin or pulse in a food processor. Add cocount, condensed milk, and a little rum. Placing the dough in the refrigerator for 4 hours help the flavors meld and decreases the dough stickiness. Make the dough into balls and roll in coconut, crushed nuts, or confectioner’s sugar. I recommend making these ahead of time and placing the treats in the refrigerator for several days to enhance the flavor.
Cranberry Orange Cookies
The holidays brings us many of my favorite flavors – cranberries, oranges, and of course nuts. Today’s recipe uses almonds, but you could also make them with pecans or walnuts. It’s a pretty cookie and quite a hit with family and friends. If you want a taste of chocolate, drizzle melted white chocolate on top of the cooled cookies.