Spanish Bar Cake

My husband has never requested a special cake for his birthday, until this year... He asked if I could bake him a Spanish Bar Cake, a cake I wasn't familiar with.

He said his mom would occasionally buy this cake from the A&P grocery store for some of the kids' birthdays. I was from a big family too and remember what some of those store-bought cakes were like, such as the angel food cake I might get if my birthday fell just before a pay day.

So I was a bit sceptical of the Spanish Bar Cake... Why did he wait so many years to mention this cake? It's funny, though, how some of the not-so-favorite memories return as some of the fondest.

He was quite pleased (at least after I cut the 2-layer cake in half so it was shaped more like a bar). 

If you like gingerbread or spice cake, you might like this cake. But if you remember this cake from your childhood, you're sure to love it ~ just like I love angel food!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp dark cocoa
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 cup raisins

Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour 2-9" by 9" square cake pans.

Soak raisins in hot water until plump; drain.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa, and spices; sift together all of the dry ingredients and set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream shortening and sugar together.  Add molasses, eggs, milk and applesauce; beat with an electric mixer until combined. 

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and continue mixing until thoroughly blended. Fold in raisins.

Spread into prepared pans.

Bake in preheated oven about 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

After 10 minutes, remove cake from pans. 

When completely cooled, place a layer on cake plate. Spread frosting on top only. Place second layer on top of bottom layer and frost top only. For two logs, cut cake down the middle.

Frosting Ingredients

• 1 lb confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 5 Tbsp milk (can use leftover evaporated milk from cake)

Combine all frosting ingredients and mix until thoroughly blended.

~adapted from tasteofsouthern.com

Green Smoothie with Mango

I ♥️ eating green smoothies for breakfast. Thanks to the sweetness of fruit, it's a painless way to get some not-so-favorite vegetables into our diets ~  which means improved digestion 😊 as well as some other potential long term benefits...

This recipe includes some cruciferous vegetables that tend to have a bitter taste due to their sulfur-containing compounds. Dr. Fuhrman says cruciferous vegetables are the most micronutrient-dense of all vegetables and are the most powerful anticancer foods in existence. He recommends eating 2 servings a day ~ and I created this recipe to help me get closer to that goal.

He indicates that finely chopping cruciferous veggies maximizes the production of ITCs (i.e., isothiocyanates). ITCs are not pre-formed in cruciferous plants but made when their plant cell walls are crushed (or chewed ;o). The more cell walls that are broken, the better!

I like to prepare a large quantity of veggies at a time and freeze them into one-cup individual packets. Then I can add a packet to my smoothie each morning, which means I can reach my 2-serving goal by early morning ☺️

So be good to yourself and try this smoothie ~ not only is it totally healthy 🍃 ~ but it's delicious too!

Ingredients per serving 

• 1 cup of  cruciferous vegetables (one or a combination of collard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, watercress, turnips, rutabaga, bok choy) finely chopped or puréed
• 1 cup frozen mango
• Juice from an orange, about 1/2 cup
• 1 tsp (or so) of raw honey, if desired

Recipe

Combine all ingredients in blender until smooth. 

Topped with with granola and goji berries in top picture; topped with fruit in this picture🍒

Split Pea and Cruciferous Veggie Soup

A juice cleanse can be costly. As an alternative, load up on brightly colored fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and beans to ensure your body has everything it needs to do its own version of detoxifying, says Brigitte Zeitlin, a dietitian at B-Nutritious. The antioxidants activate liver enzymes that eliminate harmful substances, so our body can get rid of them more easily. If you drink plenty of water, eat clean, cut back on sugar ~ and eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, you won't need a cleanse.

Eating healthy soups is a great way to incorporate veggies into your diet. This Split Pea & Cruciferous Veggie Soup is packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber to assist you in getting rid of toxins and waste.

When I created this recipe, my goal was to make it healthy ~ I was pleasantly surprised to find out how much my family loves it! Even if you aren't crazy about the taste of some of the vegetables, you'll be surprised how well they taste together in this delicious ~ and totally healthy ~ soup! Happy and healthy eating to your family from mine♥️

Freeze extra and thaw, as needed, for other dishes or salads.

Ingredients:

• 20 ounce bag dried green split peas
• 10 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 3 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Original no-salt seasoning (or seasoning of choice)
• Roughly cut-up vegetables for food processor:
• 2 cups Brussels Sprouts
• 2 cups Cauliflower
• 2 cups Collard Greens
• 2 cups turnips
• 1 cup bok choy
• 1 cup watercress
• 1 cup rutabaga
• 1 1/2  cups carrots, peeled and  cubed
• 1 1/2 cups celery, stringy areas peeled; and cubed 
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Wash and prepare vegetables.
2. Place first 5 ingredients in large soup pot; bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
3. While peas are cooking, add each group of vegetables (except carrots and celery) to food processor separately; and pulse until almost smooth. Set aside.
4. After peas have cooked for at least 30 minutes, strain them, and place liquid back in pot. Put peas in food processor and puree. Place pea mixture back in pot.
5. Add pulsed vegetables, carrots, celery, salt and pepper to pot. Bring back to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, an additional 30 - 40 minutes, or until carrots are soft.

Freeze extra and thaw, as needed, for other dishes or salads.

Black Beans & Eggs

You can't beat the health benefits of eggs ~ they're rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals. And they're economical, easy and versatile. With the black beans, this recipe is hearty enough to serve for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You're sure to enjoy this southwest-inspired black beans and egg dish!

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 small jalapeño, seeded and diced
• 1 30-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup water
• juice from small lime, about 4 tsp fresh lime juice
• 6 large eggs, free range or organically raised
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Recipe

Wash and prepare the vegetables and other ingredients.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and jalapeño until lightly browned and soft, about 3 minutes. 

Add beans, garlic, cumin, salt, water and lime juice; stir and cook until heated through.  Remove skillet from heat; lightly mash beans and move to a dish with lid to keep warm. 

Rinse and dry pan and coat with nonstick spray, fry eggs over medium low heat. Season egg with salt and pepper, if desired.

Place beans on individual serving plates; place egg on top of beans; and top with tomatoes, scallions, cheese and cilantro. Garnish with lime slice, if desired.

~Adapted from Tara Bench

Whole Wheat Bread with Sunflower Seeds

There are so many advantages to baking your own bread. Most importantly, it allows you to include only quality and natural ingredients. Did you know many so called "wheat" breads sold in stores are actually white breads colored with caramel? Also baking your own bread is economical, relatively easy, and you can slice your loaves as thin or thick ;o) as you'd like. 

Whole wheat bread is high in insoluble fiber and full of essential vitamins and minerals. This simple whole wheat recipe from Mickey Turner has a touch of honey that gives it just the right amount of sweetness ~ and the sunflower seeds give it a bit of a crunchy texture. 
There's absolutely nothing like the smell of home baked bread 😋

Yield 3 loaves

Ingredients

• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 3 1/4 cups warm water (110-115 degrees)
• 1/4 cup bread flour
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup raw honey
• 3 tsp salt
• 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (can use white whole wheat flour or a combination of both)
• 1/2 cup sunflower kernels
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted

Recipe

In a glass measuring cup, dissolve yeast in warm water (110-115 degrees). Add bread flour, oil, honey, salt and mix until thoroughly blended. In a large deep mixing bowl (to prevent splashing), add 4 cups of whole wheat flour; pour yeast mixture in bowl, and beat with electric mixer until smooth. Add sunflower seeds and 2 1/2 cups of additional flour. Use hands to mix until flour and water are fully incorporated and there are no dry spots. Form into a firm dough, using up to another cup of flour, if needed.

Turn dough into a floured surface; knead until soft and elastic, about 7 minutes. Place in lightly greased bowl, roll ball around once so all sides are greased. Cover with towel and let rise in warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down and separate into 3 even portions. Shape into loaves and place into lightly greased 8" x 4" bread loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter. Remove loaves from pans and place on wire racks to cool. And enjoy😘

Since this is fresh homemade bread with no preservatives, it will only stay fresh a few days. I freeze the bread and remove slices, as needed.

  

~adapted from Mickey Turner

Green Salad with Chickpeas, Feta and Citrus Vinaigrette

This recipe was inspired by a salad served at the LittleEater at the North Market in Columbus, Ohio. I  roasted my chickpeas to give the salad a crunchy and spicy flare. The light citrus dressing gives it a fresh and clean taste, while not overpowering the taste of the veggies and other ingredients. If you want something not only tasty, but also healthy, give this salad a try!

Serves 4

Salad Ingredients

• 10 ounces Spring Mix (mixture of small, young salad greens, herbs and edible flowers)
• 2 large carrots, peeled and grated
• 2 large radishes, grated
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup feta cheese

Chickpeas Ingredients

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed, drained and thoroughly dried
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp chili flakes (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste

Salad Dressing Ingredients

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp white vinegar
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp fresh organic juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Clean and prepare vegetables.

Chickpeas: Add drained chickpeas to a small bowl and toss with oil and seasonings. Place chickpeas, single layer, on baking sheet covered with aluminum foil. Bake for 20-30 minutes. 

Salad  Dressing: Combine all salad ingredients and whisk until well blended.

Assemble Salad: Pour salad dressing over spring mix and mix with wooden spoon. Place spring mix on salad plates or bowls. Distribute carrots, radishes, cranberries and feta cheese on salad.  Top with chickpeas.

For an even healthier version of this salad, add some quinoa - a complete protein, which means it provides all 9 essential amino acids.

Cherries, Berries and Spinach Smoothie

This is one of my favorite smoothie recipes because I ❤️ cherries! It's the only fruit I prefer frozen ~ so I can't resist snacking on a few frozen cherries while making my weekly smoothie packets ;o) 

Per Serving

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup frozen cherries
• 1/4 cup frozen mixed berries
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 cup spinach, firmly packed
• 1/2 Tbsp flaxseed

Recipe

To prepare smoothie, blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth ~ and enjoy 🍒

Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans with Lime, Scallions and Cilantro

One of my daughter's favorite places to eat is the North Market in Columbus, Ohio, and her favorite eatery at the North Market is Little Eater. They have a wide variety of delicious vegetarian options. Instead of ordering a main entree, you can choose as many side dishes as your little heart (and belly) desires. 

I love the food too, but I have to admit, my favorite thing about going to the North Market is eating on the upper floor so I can look down at the operations of Destination Donuts, a little donut shop, where you can watch bakers knead the dough, shape the donuts - and dip the fried donut tops in a variety of toppings, like salty caramel & toasted pecans, triple berry cardamom and kiwi strawberry. It's a natural thing for my husband and both of my daughters to want to eat healthy, but for me, it's definitely more of a challenge.

Okay, back to this recipe... This is my take on one of Little Eater's vegetarian side dishes. Sweet potatoes pair up nicely with back beans, and the lime and cilantro give this dish a really fresh taste.  I always prefer cooking dried beans, but as we all know, sometimes canned will just have to do.  

Serves 4 (as a side dish)

Ingredients

• 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 cup olive oil (divided)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 15-ounce can low or no-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained (or about 1 3/4 cups freshly cooked)
• lime juice from 1 lime
• 1 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Garnish with cilantro, as desired

Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and prepare ingredients.

Place sweet potatoes in a medium bowl; add 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic, coriander, turmeric, and toss until potatoes are evenly coated. Arrange potatoes in single layer on baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast potatoes in preheated over for 20 minutes, or until softened. Remove from oven and keep warm.

Using same bowl, add 1/4 cup olive oil, lime juice, balsamic vinegar and scallions and whisk until blended. Place olive oil mixture in a large skillet over medium heat. Add beans and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add roasted potatoes and stir with wooden spoon until thoroughly combined; continue cooking an additional 5 minutes, or until heated through.

Place on individual plates and garnish with cilantro.

Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Grilled cheese isn't just for kids! Good quality ingredients turn this standard sandwich into a simple, but satisfying meal that even grown ups will love ❤️

Ingredients (per sandwich)

• 2 slices artisan bread
• 2-3 ounces fontina cheese
• Meyer lemon, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 shallott, thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Recipe

Thinly slice as much of the lemon as desired. Place lemon slices and sugar in a small bowl and set aside to marinate.

Place cheese evenly on one slice of bread. Add as many shallot and marinated lemon slices as desired. Season with salt and pepper. Top with the second slice of bread.

Generously coat skillet with olive oil on medium heat. Place sandwich in skillet and toast about 3 minutes or until browned; turn and toast other side about 3 minutes, or until browned and cheese is melted, adding more oil if needed.

Serve with a salad for a complete meal.

~adapted from blueapron.com