Making dinner healthier, one slow cooker at a time.
My friend Gail Davis from So Delicious reminded me that today is oatmeal day. I can’t believe it almost past me by!
Since we’re so close to Halloween I selected 13 of my favorites for you to warm up with. So stay toasty and dry, and eat your oatmeal! [Read more...]
While some people avoid the “perfumy” flavors of rosewater, orange blossom water and lavender I just love them. In fact, I use them as much as I can.
At one of my favorite restaurants, La Shish in Cary, I get this amazing drink called Lebanese ice tea. It’s a mix of lemon juice, sugar, and black tea with a little something special. It can turn a bad day good with just a few sips. to recipe →
Summer is just around the corner and it’s a good time to collect a few hot-weather recipes. This spread is a great alternative to cooking a full meal on a hot day or the perfect appetizer at your next cocktail party.
It goes well on crostini, crackers, and even as a spread on a sandwich. Serve with a green salad and you’ve got yourself a full meal without all the sweat. to recipe →
You guys know I tend to get on a tangent and now I can’t stop making frozen coffees. I guess it’s too warm to re-start my oatmeal obsession and they are so much better than you-know-who’s.
Since the CSA has been making veggies magically apear at my house so I haven’t gone to the farmers market every weekend. But I did go last Saturday and found a new coffee cart waiting for me, Cocoa and Cinnamon. Looking over their menu I saw my new favorite coffee combination – cardamom and rosewater. If you are in or near Durham you must try their coffee! to recipe →
Here’s another green tea variation, this time a little closer to you-know-who’s. The color of this one is a faint green, though it didn’t capture well in the photos. You could also throw in some Swiss Chard or Kale to get a darker (and healthier) green.
Here’s another inexpensive coffee house frozen drink. When I’m super busy and a little stressed out I tend to get a frap on my way to work. It’s an expensive and unhealthy habit. Once I catch up a little I always go back to making my own.
It takes about 10 minutes, has less sugar than the one from the chain and can even be made completely sugar-free by using unsweetened So Delicious Almond Plus Milk. to recipe →
Yesterday I posted Quinoa Jambalaya with Tempeh and today we have a Mexican variation.
You can add in extra veggies, tempeh, seitan, tofu, or something yummy from Gardein if you want. Think of this as a base and see where your creativity takes you. to recipe→
Some of you let me know you’d like to have a formula for making variations of meals. Today I’m posting a Quinoa Jambalaya with Tempeh and tomorrow I’ll be posting a Mexican Quinoa with Black Beans to illustrate that.
Both use the same amount of liquid and quinoa but the spices, protein, and veggies change. You can use this quinoa stew as a base for what’s at the farmers market right now and what spices you have on hand. to recipe→
Missed some of my other events? Here are a few more chances to get some slow cooker tips and tricks from me. If that’s not enough I’ll have some delicious snacks waiting for you! [Read more...]
I originally made this as a Valentine cocoa, but romance shouldn’t be limited to just one day. Surprise your someone special with the yummy dessert cocoa. The lavender and rose flavors blend together to form its own taste that’s not as floral as you think.
I used lavender extract which I got at Savory Spice Shop, but if you can’t find any you could fill a muslin tea bag or tea ball with 1 to 2 teaspoons of culinary lavender and add this at the beginning of cooking. This will infuse the milk with a great lavender flavor too.
I do use real sugar in this recipe, because it helps to thicken it up. The longer you cook it the thicker it will be. You can substitute stevia or agave, but the hot chocolate will be thinner.
Slow Cooker Lavender Rose Cocoa
soy-free, gluten-free
Serves 2 to 3
**Uses a 1 1/2 to 2 quart slow cooker**
Add all the ingredients and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours or on high for 1 to 1 1/2 hour.
Stir once or twice during this time with a whisk to help the chocolate mix in well. Whisk a final time and serve.
Giveaway ends May 31, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
