recipe

I absolutely LOVE to cook, but… I don’t really enjoy eating leftovers. Since there are only two of us in our household, finding recipes that make small enough portions WITHOUT wasting a ton of ingredients can be a doozy.  Enter my new obsession: Plated.com.  You can check out their site (and get two free plates!) here, but basically they offer a weekly food delivery service that ships a box of fresh, perfectly portioned ingredients and step-by-step recipe cards on how to prepare each meal. I hate wasting food, and grocery shopping in NYC without a car can be a pain (not to mention expensive!), so this service has been a lifesaver for me.  In about the same time it takes me to wait for delivery, I can have a hot, delicious meal on the table that I prepped with my own two hands.

I’ve gotten about 3 deliveries so far and haven’t been disappointed yet. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing my recipe adaptations with you all… starting with this delicious chicken schnitzel with red cabbage! The cabbage was actually meant to be served as a cold salad. But with the temps starting to plunge, I wanted something warm and comforting. Sautéing the cabbage a helped release some of its sugary juices and gave just the right finishing touch to this meal. Speaking of finishing touches, I think I’ll be adding dijon mustard to my chicken cutlets from here on out.  It added such a great flavor, and I think a touch of lemon zest mixed in with the bread crumbs would also be divine for next time.

But enough talk, and on with the recipe!

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My husband has a crazy sweet tooth, but I generally try to keep sweets and junk food out of the house.  But the other day, it was me who was craving ice cream and I just couldn’t get THIS delectable confection out of my head.  Luckily, I had all the ingredients on hand, so I dusted off my seldom-used ice cream maker and whipped up a batch of salted caramel icecream. And because I hate doing things halfway, I also made a delicious caramel syrup to go on top, borrowing from a previous recipe HERE.

But enough chit-chat. It’s time to queue the ingredients!

INGREDIENTS

Ice Cream

• (3) 14 oz. cans of coconut milk
• 3/4 cup of unrefined coconut palm sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt 
• 1 vanilla bean 

Caramel Sauce

• 1 cup of unrefined coconut palm sugar
• 1/2 cup water 
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional, but highly recommended!)
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract 

DIRECTIONS

1. Refrigerate coconut milk overnight.
2. When you open the cans the next day, the solids and liquids should have separated.  Spoon the milk solids into a small mixing bowl.
3. Add coconut sugar, salt and the seeds and pulp from 1 vanilla bean.
4. Beat until well blended with a hand mixer.
5. Follow the instructions on your ice cream maker and let mixture freeze for at least 3 hours.
6. For the caramel sauce, bring the coconut sugar, water, salt, and cayenne pepper to a boil in a small saucepan.
7. Once the liquid has reduced to a thick syrupy consistency, add the vanilla extract and remove from heat.
8. Allow to cool a few minutes and spoon over ice cream before serving.

I still never cease to be amazed by all the different ways you can transform coconut milk (like THIS, for instance). This dessert turned out to be way more delicious than I expected, and I can’t wait to give other types of vegan ice cream a try!

Now for the burning question: how do you pronounce caramel? I used to be a ‘car-mel’ girl back when I lived in Detroit, but now I sound it out into three syllables.  No judgment either way, just curious…

I’m always on the lookout for ways to make homemade versions of my favorite snacks.  I’ve been making my own guacamole for ages, but this time around I also tackled making homemade tortilla chips… BEST. DECISION. EVER!

They were seriously so easy and delicious.  I don’t think I’ll ever be able to go back to tortilla chips out of the bag again.

Now, queue the ingredients!

INGREDIENTS
Guacamole

• 2 ripe avocados, peeled and seeded
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepped, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 TBS fresh cilantro, chopped

Tortilla Chips

• 1 cup masa harina
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 1 cup of canola or corn oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Toss the avocado and lime juice in a large bowl.
2. Add salt, cayenne, and cumin and mash together until smooth.
3. Stir in garlic, jalapeno, onions, tomatoes, and cilantro.
4. Allow the guacamole to sit at room temperature while you get started on your tortilla chips.
5. Mix the masa harina and salt in a bowl. Add hot water, a little at a time, and mix until a dough forms that’s smooth and neither stcky not crumbly
6. Form the dough into a ball and let it sit for atleast 30 minutes.
7. Divide the dough into 8 sections and roll into balls.
8. Place each ball between two pieces or parchment paper or plastic and flatten each ball into a thin 1/8 inch thick circle.
9. Preheat oil in a large skillet.
10. Carefully peel off the paper or plastic, and drop each circle into the hot oil.
11. Cook each side for 1 minute until the tortillas start to puff.
12. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil
13. Cut each cooked tortilla into 4 segments and brush each side very lightly with oil. 
14. Spread out the triangles on a baking sheet in a single layer, sprinkle with salt, and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees until crispy and golden.
15. Allow chips to cool, and serve with guacamole.

Bon Appétit!