Starting Fresh | My Favorite Green Juice

January 1, 2014 by 24 Comments

My Favorite Green Juice | Once Upon a Recipe

Happy New Year, friends! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas filled with good food and good people. I’ll also high-five you if you had one too many cocktails last night while ringing in the new year.

As per ushe, the new year brings new goals and new resolutions. Without fail, I make a resolution to take better care of myself/eat healthier/exercise more/yada yada yada every. single. year. And this year is no different!

I’ve been juicing semi-regularly since the Summer, when I bought my juicer. But my goal for January is to make fresh juice more of a regular habit. I have tried a few different green juice recipes, but this one is my current favorite/go-to juice.

My Favorite Green Juice | Once Upon a Recipe

Look at all of that good stuff up there! The spinach gives you a dose of greens, the apples lend a little sweetness, and the lemon and ginger give it a little punch. If you’re new to green juice, this is a great recipe to start with since it’s not overpowering in the green department. You can also sub in different fruits and veggies, depending on what you have on hand. For example, kale makes a great substitute for the spinach, and pears are a great replacement for the apples.

My Favorite Green Juice | Once Upon a Recipe   My Favorite Green Juice | Once Upon a Recipe

A glass of this green juice will most definitely start your day (and year) off on the right foot. Let’s all jump into health this year. Green juice balances out wine, chocolate, and cookies, which basically means you can consume more of all of the above. Winning!

My Favorite Green Juice

This recipe will make about 30 ounces of juice, depending on your juicer. Perfect to enjoy a glass the day that you make it, and sip on the second glass the next day. Sharing is also an option. Serves 2. 

2 big handfuls of baby spinach

1 large cucumber

2 stalks of celery

2 Granny Smith apples

Half a lemon, peel removed

A chunk of ginger

Be sure to wash all of the fruit and vegetables well and cut into pieces that will fit into your juicer. Get your juice on! Enjoy immediately over ice. Store any remaining juice in an airtight container in the fridge. Consume within 24 hours.

My Favorite Green Juice | Once Upon a Recipe

Happy 2014 my dear readers! I hope this next year is filled with much love, adventure, health, and happiness for all of you. Cheers! xo

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Ginger Cookie and Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches

October 2, 2013 by 66 Comments

Ginger Cookie and Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches | Once Upon a Recipe

Oh heyyyyyyyyyy. I’m…sorry.

Yes, consider this your advance apology for the recipe I am about to share with you.

Ginger Cookie and Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches | Once Upon a Recipe

I’m sorry for ruining your diet. I’m sorry for kiboshing your plans to start eating healthier after a summer full of patio beer-drinking and ice cream-eating. I’m sorry for giving you a cold recipe just when the weather is starting to turn cooler (much cooler, if you live in my part of the world) and you’re craving all things warm and toasty. But mostly, I’m sorry for not appreciating the amazingness that is salted caramel a hell of a lot sooner.

Ginger Cookie and Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches | Once Upon a Recipe

I realize that salted caramel everything has been rather trendy for the past while, but in all honesty it didn’t really appeal to me. Sure, I like caramel. And yes, I am a big fan of the salty/sweet combination. But as my wise mama said, “if all of your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?” And so while everyone else was choosing salted caramel ice cream, I was sticking to ye old faithful – chocolate chip cookie dough. Or mint chip. I would not be sucked in by this new salted caramel kid on the block.

Ginger Cookie and Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches | Once Upon a Recipe

But then I came across a recipe for Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream by David Lebovitz. (The word “butter” may or may not have been mostly responsible for capturing my attention). One look at photos of the creamy, deep caramel-colored ice cream dotted with little rivers of gooey caramel was enough to change my tune. It was time to see what all the fuss was about.

And dangggggggg. You trendy foodies know your stuff. (Not that I ever questioned your expertise). I’m tempted to say that this is some of the best ice cream I have ever tasted. Like, ever. My words will not do this ice cream justice. You simply must try it for yourself.

But I couldn’t stop there. Chewy ginger cookies are one of my favorites in the Fall and Winter months due to their spicy flavor profile. I had the sense that ginger cookies with a scoop of salted caramel ice cream smashed between them would be rather epic and I was right. But again, don’t take my word for it.

Ginger Cookie and Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches | Once Upon a Recipe

A couple of notes about these two recipes: First of all, be warned – the ice cream recipe is a bit involved and will take you some time. However, I can promise you that it is worth the effort. Please be careful though, as the salted caramel is as hot as Hades and will hurt (a lot) if you splatter yourself with it. I have a rather sizable war wound from a stray droplet that found its way onto my hand while I was scraping the caramel praline mixture onto the cookie sheet. Ouch! Secondly, both the ice cream and the cookies are lovely on their own. The ice cream tastes magnificent scooped into a sugar cone or a plain ol’ bowl, and the cookies are wonderful with a cup of coffee or tea. In fact, this is my new favorite ginger cookie recipe – the raw cane sugar adds an incredible texture and crunch to the outside of the chewy cookie. So if making the ice cream sandwiches seems like too much all at once, pick one part and have fun with it!

Ginger Cookie and Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches 

For the Salted Caramel Ice Cream (from David Lebovitz)

Makes 1 generous quart.

For the caramel praline (mix-in):

½ cup sugar

¾ tsp. good quality sea salt, such as fleur de sel

For the ice cream:

2 cups whole milk, divided

1½ cups sugar

4 TBSP. salted butter

½ tsp. sea salt

1 cup heavy cream

5 large egg yolks

¾ tsp. vanilla

To make the caramel praline, spread the ½ cup of sugar in an even layer in a medium-sized heavy duty saucepan. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or brush it sparingly with unflavored oil. Heat the sugar over medium heat until the edges begin to melt. Use a heatproof utensil to gently stir the liquefied sugar from the bottom and edges towards the center, until all the sugar is dissolved. Continue to cook, stirring infrequently until the caramel starts smoking and begins to smell like it’s just about to burn (this doesn’t take long). Working quickly, sprinkle in the ¾ teaspoon of salt without stirring, then pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet and lift up the baking sheet immediately, tilting and swirling it almost vertically to encourage the caramel to form as thin a layer as possible. Set aside to harden and cool.

To make the ice cream, prepare an ice bath (fill a large bowl about a third full with ice cubes and add a cup or so of water to cause the ice cubes to float). Nest a smaller metal bowl (at least 2 quarts) over the ice, pour 1 cup of the milk into the inner bowl, and rest a mesh strainer on top of it. Spread 1½ cups sugar in the saucepan in an even layer. Cook over moderate heat, until caramelized, using the same method described for the caramel praline. Once caramelized, remove from heat and stir in the butter and salt, until butter is melted, then gradually whisk in the cream, stirring as you go. The caramel may harden and seize, but return it to the heat and continue to stir over low heat until any hard caramel is melted. This happened to me, but be patient! It will become smooth with time. Stir in the second cup of milk.

Whisk the yolks in a small bowl and gradually pour some of the warm caramel mixture over the yolks, stirring constantly. Scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan and stir constantly to cook the custard (scraping the bottom as you stir) until the mixture thickens. If using an instant-read thermometer, it should read 160-170°F.

Pour the custard through the strainer into the milk set over the ice bath, add the vanilla, then stir frequently until the mixture is cooled down. Cover and refrigerate the mixture overnight. Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. While the ice cream is churning, crumble the hardened caramel praline into small pieces. Once your caramel ice cream is churned, quickly stir in the crushed caramel, then spread into a container to chill in the freezer until firm. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the plastic wrap to touch the surface of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals from forming.

For the Ginger Cookies (adapted from A Couple Cooks)

Makes about 24 cookies.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup raw cane sugar (plus extra, for rolling)

1 egg

1/2 cup molasses

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour through to salt) and mix well. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and 3/4 cup raw cane sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and molasses and mix well. Stir in the dry ingredients. Refrigerate the cookie dough for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Roll the dough into small balls (about  1 1/2-inch), then roll the balls in the raw cane sugar to coat. Arrange on a prepared baking sheet (with a Silpat or parchment paper). Bake until set and crinkled on top, about 10-12 minutes. Do not overbake. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
To assemble the ice cream sandwiches: Place a small scoop of ice cream between two cookies and press together gently. Carefully wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and place in freezer for a couple of hours.

Ginger Cookie and Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches | Once Upon a Recipe

Enjoy the rest of your week, friends!

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When Sickness Strikes | Hot Honey Lemon and Ginger

March 21, 2011 by 1 Comment

You know how I was talking about all that stress in my last post? Well, it hit me. Hit me hard indeed. Whatever my body was fighting on Friday…let’s just say my body lost the battle. I am now in the throes of a cold/flu that is residing in my chest and sinuses. Bleh. When a cold/flu strikes around here, the doctor prescribes a hot honey lemon and ginger. A honey what, you ask? Let me walk you through it…

You start with some lemon, ginger, and honey.

Slice your lemon in half, and then slice each half into two pieces. Throw them into a nice big mug. Take a finger of fresh ginger, and slice it up into several pieces. Add it into the mug.

Still with me? Now fill your mug with boiling hot water.

Add some honey. I usually find that a tablespoon does it for me, but add more or less depending on your desired level of sweetness.

Stir everything up, and take a couple minutes to mash the lemon and ginger with a spoon to encourage them to release their juices and flavors. And there you have a hot honey lemon and ginger. Enjoy one of these when you’re feeling under the weather. Lemon and ginger have all kinds of healing properties, especially when it comes to colds and flus. If you need some extra help, add in a splash of cognac or brandy and you’ll be feeling the positive effects in no time.

This beverage with healing powers was introduced to me by Honey’s (my honey) family. We always keep a stock of lemon and ginger in case the need for a hot honey lemon and ginger strikes. If you have trouble using up fresh ginger before it goes bad, pop it into the freezer, and voila, problem solved.

I’m off to lie on the couch and watch bad daytime TV. And hopefully kick this sickness to the curb.

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