Once Upon a Recipe

One Last Taste of Summer | Beet Lemonade

September 9, 2013 by Amanda 27 Comments

Hi friends! As I mentioned, I bought a juicer! Finally. After months of humming and hawing, and lots of helpful advice from friends and fellow bloggers, I bit the bullet and went for it. And I’m in love.

For reals. I can’t get enough juice! I have to admit, I was a bit worried at first. For one thing, up until this month, there wasn’t a single fresh juice bar around these parts. So going out and buying a fresh kale, cucumber, and apple juice to test the waters was not an option. However, I was looking for a way to get more fruits, and more specifically, vegetables into my diet. And crap! You can squeeze a lot of vegetables into a glass of juice!

After much deliberation, I bought this juicer from Amazon. It fit my budget and had good reviews. I’ve been very happy with it so far. Definitely a great juicer to start with. Green juices are my favorite – it’s amazing how much an apple can sweeten things up! Plus, when something is this green, I feel like I’m healthier just looking at it!

With Fall knockin’ at the door (Hip hip hooray! Boots! Scarves! Sweaters! Pumpkin everything!), I am trying to find ways to enjoy these last days of Summer. It’s been gorgeous here with hot temperatures that practically demand a refreshing beverage. I would drink beer all the live-a-long day, but unfortunately…well, you know. The solution? A healthy cocktail with fresh juice. Yep, I’m totally putting beets in your lemonade. Let’s do it!

Lemon juice gets a little sweetness kick from beet juice and honey syrup, and gin brings some fun to the party. Gin kinda has a reputation for that, doesn’t it? This lil’ cocktail is pretty tasty, folks. So why not juice up a little health, add a shot of booze, and call it even? Now that’s some Summer winning!

Beet Lemonade

This drink was inspired by an article I read in a local food magazine. The original recipe used a roasted beet puree in place of the fresh beet juice. If you’d like to make beet lemonade to serve a crowd, simply multiply the amounts listed below by the number of people you wish to serve and add to a pitcher of ice.

2 ounces fresh beet juice

2 ounces fresh lemon juice

1 ounce honey syrup*

2 ounces gin

Sparkling water (optional)

*To make the honey syrup, combine equal parts honey and boiling water, and allow to cool. (For example: for one ounce, combine 1 TBSP. honey and 1 TBSP. boiling water). Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over ice. Feel free to add more honey syrup if the lemonade is too tart for your liking. As the end result is rather…beety – adding sparkling water will cut the intensity a bit, if needed. Enjoy!

How are you spending the last days of Summer?

Print Me!

Filed Under: Beverages, Vegetables and Legumes Tagged With: beets, cocktail, fresh juice, lemonade, lemons, summer

A Quick Hello | Greek Yogurt Blueberry Muffins

August 31, 2013 by Amanda 22 Comments

Summer is whizzing by in a blur of hot sunny days and mosquito-filled evenings that are becoming cooler and cooler. There have been friends, dog park days, ~~too~~ many pints of beer, ~~too~~ many froyo indulgences, and ultimate frisbee. Oh, and crossfit ~~torture~~ bootcamp. I bought a new car! I’m becoming addicted to Breaking Bad (Walt Jr. is my favorite). I went raspberry picking on a raspberry farm. When I need a laugh, I watch this video (just ridiculous). I can’t get enough green juice. What’s goin’ on with you?

I’ll be honest. I have spent very little time in my kitchen over the past couple of weeks. I’ve just been churning out the essentials. Quick, easy, one-pot meals. A batch of granola for breakfasts. Green juice after green juice. Not a lot of fun or experimenting going on. BUT.

One morning I found the time to whip up a batch of these delicious and healthy muffins. Dudes, they’re made with whole wheat flour, wheat germ, greek yogurt, and coconut oil. And they taste good. Pinky swear.

As I’ve mentioned before, I love eating muffins for breakfast. But they’ve got to have some health to them or I just can’t justify it. I can totally get down with eating cake for breakfast, but not on the regular. In several short weeks I will enter the last year of my twenties (oy) and I’m already discovering that the old metabolism ain’t quite what it used to be. Hence the crossfit ~~torture~~ bootcamp. PS. It will be nothing short of a miracle if I can ever walk normally again.

Anyways, these muffins are full of good-for-you things, and they really are delicious. And completely guilt-free. I’ve made them a couple of times with blueberries, but I think raspberries or blackberries would work well too. Healthy muffin goodnesss! Time to get back to this spectacular summer living, but I’ll be back soon. I hope you’re all enjoying the summer livin’ too! xo

Greek Yogurt Blueberry Muffins (slightly adapted from Martha Stewart Living magazine, June 2013 issue)

Makes 12.

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup wheat germ

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup low-fat or fat-free plain greek yogurt

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 pint fresh blueberries

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Combine the flours, wheat germ, baking soda, and salt, and whisk together in a medium bowl. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, yogurt, coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the yogurt mixture and gently mix together until just combined. Fold in the blueberries.

Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Print Me!

Filed Under: Breakfast, Fruit Tagged With: blueberries, breakfast, coconut oil, greek yogurt, healthy, muffins, summer

A Family Favorite | Puffed Wheat Squares

August 12, 2013 by Amanda 33 Comments

Hi friends! I hope you all had a marvelous weekend. I spent mine with some of my favorite friends, drank too much sangria, danced until I was a sweaty mess, stayed up way too late, and this, coupled with the fact that I’ve been burning the candle at both ends for the past month or so has left me in the throes of an awful cold. I don’t know what it is about getting sick in the summer, but it always feels WAY worse to me. Like, oh hi, I’m running a fever AND my house is 98 degrees and rising – perfect! It’s a beautiful day and rays of sunshine are beaming through the window, BUT I’m sweating my arse off inside whilst being doped up on cold meds – AWE.SOME. No thank you. I’ll take a cold in the deep dark of winter over one in the depths of summer any day. At least curling up on the couch with a blanket and bad daytime TV seems slightly more appealing when it’s minus one million outside.

In any case, I’ve learned that I’m terrible at resting. Like, I know that when you’re sick, it’s usually a result of your body being run down and therefore rest is necessary to get healthy again. But I can only sleep so much. And I can only lay in a vertical position for so long. And I can guarantee that in the time that I am “resting”, my brain is already making 101 plans for what I need to do next. My brain isn’t very good at being quiet.

So today, after lying on the couch for what seemed like days watching What Not To Wear and Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives (seriously, those are the only half decent shows on during daytime hours, and I am using the term half decent very loosely), I decided that my compromise would be to continue to lay on the couch, write a blog post, and finally share this recipe with you. These puffed wheat squares have been on my list to share with you since I first started this blog, nearly three years ago (eep, three years!). I make them quite regularly, but have never taken the time to photograph them. One of the reasons being that they tend to get consumed rather quickly. However, I churned two batches of these squares out of my kitchen a couple of weeks ago for my Dad’s epic 60th birthday celebration, and took a few minutes to snap a few shots. And every last square was gone less than an hour after the platter was set out to be ravaged by the party-goers.

These squares are chocolatey, sticky, and wonderfully chewy. The recipe comes from one of my aunties, and it is the best puffed wheat square recipe in the history of the land. Make no mistake – not all puffed wheat squares are created equal. Of paramount importance is the chocolately goodness to puffed wheat ratio. AKA. The chocolately goodness must generously coat each morsel of puffed wheat. Let’s be real, these squares aren’t a healthy treat. But they are damn good and ridiculously addictive. Which means you should probably make some immediately.

Puffed Wheat Squares

A family favorite! Makes about 24 squares, depending on the size. Perfect for parties and BBQ’s!

½ cup butter

1 cup corn syrup

1 cup white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

6 heaping TBSP. cocoa powder

1 tsp. vanilla

10 cups puffed wheat

Measure the puffed wheat into a large mixing bowl and set aside. Melt the butter with the corn syrup, sugars, and cocoa powder in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat, add the vanilla, and stir well. Pour the mixture over the puffed wheat and mix until the puffed wheat is evenly coated. Press into a 9×13-inch pan that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick spray. Allow to cool and then cut into squares. Store in an airtight container to maintain ooey-gooey freshness!

Print Me!

Filed Under: Snacks, Sweet Treats Tagged With: cocoa, dessert, puffed wheat, snack, squares

Perfect for Summer | Caprese Pasta Salad

August 5, 2013 by Amanda 30 Comments

Happy Monday, friends! I hope you all had an incredible weekend. I am still enjoying mine, as we were granted a long one here in Canada for the civic holiday. And the weather is absolutely glorious, so I can’t wait to get outside and soak up some summer sun. The fact that we’re already into August is mind-boggling to me!

With that said, here is a quick and easy pasta salad recipe that would be perfect for any summer BBQ or gathering with friends and family. I’ve made it no less than 4 times over the past couple of months. It is so simple due to its short ingredient list, it comes together in no time, and can easily feed a crowd. Leftovers taste pretty spectacular too.

The recipe comes from Annie’s Eats, and is one of many gems that I’ve found on Annie’s blog. I barely changed a thing, except for upping the garlic a wee bit (I can’t help myself). If you’re not a fan of intense garlic flavor, ~~what’s wrong with you?~~ simply reduce the number of cloves. Adios!

Caprese Pasta Salad (from Annie’s Eats)

Serves 10-12 people as a side dish. This recipe also doubles and triples nicely if you’re feeding a large crowd.

1 lb. pasta shapes of your choice
6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
2 TBSP. balsamic vinegar
1 lb. cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 lb. fresh mozzarella (ie. mini bocconcini)
½ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse well with cold water. In the meantime, add the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes to a small skillet. Over medium-low heat, allow the oil to infuse with the flavors for about 5-10 minutes. Be careful that the garlic doesn’t burn. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Combine the cooked pasta, olive oil mixture, tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and balsamic vinegar in a large bowl and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Print Me!

Filed Under: Pasta, Sides, Summer Tagged With: caprese, pasta, salad, summer, tomatoes

For Todd (and Rufus) | Peach Cinnamon Swirl Ice Cream

July 25, 2013 by Amanda 44 Comments

This post is for Todd. Todd who, you ask? Well, I wish I could tell you.

You see friends, I was in a car accident a couple of weeks ago. I will spare you the details, but as any of you who have also experienced the frightening event that is a car accident can attest, a car accident has the ability to shake you up a bit. This wasn’t a simple fender bender, this was a crash that killed my car. (My car’s name was Rufus, and may he rest in peace). Thankfully, no one was seriously injured and both myself and the other driver walked away relatively unharmed. And at the end of the day, that is all that matters. A car is a car, and cars can be replaced.

Todd was the gentleman who stopped and helped me at the scene of the accident. He arrived on the scene about a minute after it happened – after numerous drivers who would have witnessed the accident zoomed on by. Todd called 9-1-1 as I had become a bit useless due to shock. Todd held my pup, Bella for me while I spoke to the police officers and medical personnel. (Bella had been in the car with me, as we were on our way to the dog park. Fortunately, she was not hurt either.). Todd called his wife and told her he was going to be late for dinner. When I protested and begged him to carry on with his evening, he refused. Todd told me that he would not leave until he knew someone was there with me and that everyone was ok. Todd sat with me on the side of the busy freeway for two hours. Todd told me that everything would be ok.

When my mom arrived, and Todd finally succumbed to my pleas for him to go home to his wife and eat (a now cold) dinner, I was so focused on thanking him profusely for his time, his kindness, his compassion – I failed to get his last name. And wouldn’t you know it, there are a lot of Todds out there. I have been unable to locate this particular gem of a Todd, but if I could, I would tell him – in a more coherent and calm manner than I did that evening – just how thankful I am that he was driving down the road that day and took the time to stop to help me.

Friends, it’s true when they say that the little things in life are what count. And for me, this complete stranger who stopped to help a very panicked girl and her dog – he counts. And I can promise that the next time I find myself in a situation where helping someone out might inconvenience me, even for a couple of minutes (nevermind hours), I will remember Todd. And I will pay his kindness forward.

And to my dear Rufus (my wonderful little blue Mazda 3) – thank you for saving me. You done good.

This ice cream is nothing short of amazing. I have read many wonderful things about Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream, but unfortunately Jeni’s ice creams are not available here in Canada. So when I came across a recipe for Jeni’s ice cream base, I knew I had to try it. The recipe yields a rich and creamy ice cream, and I can’t wait to experiment with different flavor combinations. But for my first attempt, I decided to pair it with one of my favorite summer fruits – peaches! The final result tastes just like peach pie a la mode, minus the pastry part. I’m tempted to try this recipe again with pie crust cookie chunks! In any case, the long and short of it is that this is a perfect summer ice cream recipe.

To Todd! And all of the other “Todds” out there – thank you.

Peach Cinnamon Swirl Ice Cream (ice cream base from saveur.com by Jeni Britton, and peach cinnamon swirl adapted from A Cozy Kitchen)

For the ice cream:

2 cups whole milk
4 tsp. cornstarch
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. cream cheese, softened

Combine 1/4 cup of the milk and the cornstarch in a small bowl and mix well; set slurry aside. In a large saucepan, whisk together the remaining milk along with the cream, sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 4 minutes, then add in the slurry. Return to a boil and cook, stirring, until thickened, for about 2 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese with about 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture and whisk until smooth, then whisk in the remaining milk mixture. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until the mixture is chilled, or overnight. Churn the ice cream in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions (mine took about 25 minutes).

For the peach cinnamon swirl:

4 peaches (about 2 pounds)
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon + a pinch of salt

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add in the peaches and blanch for 1-2 minutes. Remove the peaches from the water and allow to cool enough to handle. Remove the skins and pits and cut the peaches into bite-size pieces. Add the peaches, the sugar, and the cinnamon and salt to a saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, or until the peaches have broken down and the mixture is thick. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.

Layer the ice cream and peach mixture in a container. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the plastic to touch the ice cream – this will help prevent ice crystals from forming. Freeze for at least 2-4 hours. Scoop and enjoy!

Have a lovely weekend! xo

Print Me!

Filed Under: Fruit, Summer, Sweet Treats Tagged With: cinnamon, dessert, ice cream, peaches, summer

Some Lovin’ for Bloglovin’

July 2, 2013 by Amanda 12 Comments

<a href=”http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/4570497/?claim=nc29wg4cm3e”>Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Hello friends!

As you are probably all aware of by now, Google Reader is no longer as of yesterday. I’ve been using Google Reader ever since I jumped aboard the blogging train, and when I heard about it’s inevitable end a few months ago, I began hunting for a replacement reader. Google Reader was so simple to use and I’m very sad that it’s gone – however, I’m happy to report that I’ve discovered something new and wonderful to use to stay up-to-date with my favorite blogs (of which there are many!).

Hello Bloglovin’!

I was a bit skeptical when I made the switch about a month ago. You see, I am a creature of habit and sometimes change is unwelcome in my little space of the universe. Alas, change is inevitable – in every aspect of life – and although we can’t control it, we can try to adapt to new ways. So, after playing around a bit with Bloglovin’, I am officially a convert. And you should become a convert too! Bloglovin’ is very easy to use and the more I use it, the more I like it (even more than Google Reader).

If you’re looking for a way to stay connected with your favorite blogs, I would definitely recommend Bloglovin’. And if you’d like to keep up with lil’ ol’ me, you can find me here.

A belated Happy Canada Day to my fellow Canadians! I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful long weekend! xo

Print Me!

Filed Under: Chatter Tagged With: Bloglovin'

Mix It Up | Browned Butter Macadamia Nut and Cinnamon Chip Banana Bread

June 24, 2013 by Amanda 33 Comments

Well friends, here we are, another Monday. The furthest day of the week from the beloved weekend. As such, Mondays seem to have a bit of a bad reputation. I mean, how many times have you heaved a big sigh on Sunday night and said/thought “Ugh, it’s Monday tomorrow”?

But Mondays aren’t all bad. For one thing, you’re probably more likely to be well-rested on a Monday, given that it follows the weekend and most people are able to sleep in and relax a bit more. On Mondays, you have the whole week ahead of you – it’s yours for the taking! So spruce it up a bit – make some plans with friends to enjoy a patio beverage, plan to try that yoga/crossfit/pilates class that you’ve been meaning to get to, kick back and relax with a glass of wine and a good book – and enjoy the day. You might also wish to make this little diddy of a banana bread.

First of all, browning butter has become a bit of a trend. And it’s popular for good reason – browning the butter adds depth to the flavor of the bread – it’s kind of nutty and definitely insanely delicious. Try it once and you’ll be hooked. Secondly, I’ve added macadamia nuts and cinnamon chips. As I mentioned before, I brought home a sweet little stash of macadamia nuts from Hawaii back in April. I took a bus tour of the Road to Hana during my trip and one of the stops was a little roadside food store that sold fresh coconuts (remember this?), pineapple, banana bread, and other treats. I bought a loaf of the macadamia nut banana bread, which inspired me to add some macadamia nuts to this recipe. Cinnamon chips are a fun addition and create little pockets of cinnamon goodness in each bite. Cinnamon chips are something that I haven’t been able to find here at home, but I brought home a couple of bags from the same trip. They seem to be easy to find in grocery stores in the United States (in the baking section right next to the chocolate chips). If you can’t find cinnamon chips where you are, add a little cinnamon flavor to the loaf with one teaspoon of the stuff.

A warm slice of this banana bread is certain to make your Monday better. That’s a guarantee. Make it, eat it, share it. Let’s start this week off right!

Browned Butter Macadamia Nut and Cinnamon Chip Banana Bread (inspired by Joy the Baker)

Makes one 9×5-inch loaf.

1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter, browned

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 cup buttermilk (or plain yogurt)

3 large ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped

1/2 cup cinnamon chips (or 1 tsp. cinnamon)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9×5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan as the butter cooks. The butter will foam and crackle, and then it will start to brown and smell nutty (this takes about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Measure the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, and bananas. Add the cooled butter and mix well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and gently mix together. Fold in the macadamia nuts and cinnamon chips.

Transfer the batter to the loaf pan and gently smooth out. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool on a wire rack. Slice and enjoy!

Print Me!

Filed Under: Bread, Breakfast Tagged With: banana, bread, breakfast, browned butter, cinnamon chips, macadamia nuts

Light and Fresh | Fettuccine Al-Fake-O!

June 10, 2013 by Amanda 38 Comments

Dear Universe,

I would like to make a proposition.

Let’s add a few more hours to the day. Let’s make every day 36 hours long instead of 24. A deliciously long 12-hour night sleep will be mandatory and then we’ll still have 24 other hours during which we can make a living, love on all our family and friends, work out, catch up on all of our favorite TV shows, listen to all the best music, and cook/bake/eat/drink all the things. And do all of the other wonderful/demanding/amazing/worthy/necessary activities in our lives.

And let’s make it happen immediately! Three day weekends are also on the wish list.

Most sincerely,

Amanda

While it is unlikely for my wish for more hours in a day to come true, it might just be possible to squeeze more into the hours we already have. Quick and easy meals like this affectionately named Fettuccine Al-Fake-O will fill your belly with delicious and healthy things, without requiring tons of time in the kitchen. And guess what? It’s freaking vegan. Remember when I made you that vegan ice cream? Yeah, I hopped aboard the vegan train and you’re comin’ with me! (But don’t worry, I still really like butter and cheese and meat and stuff)

Disclaimer: Dudes, let’s be real. A sauce made without loads of butter, cream, and cheese is not going to taste like a sauce that is made with all of the above. I mean, I’m not freaking David Copperfield. However…this vegan avocado “alfredo” sauce is made with wholesome and delicious ingredients, and it tastes pretty amazing. It literally takes minutes to pull together, giving you more time for the important stuff. And if you enjoy lighter meals made with fresh ingredients during the hot summer months, this is the perfect dish for you. Live it up!

Fettuccine Al-Fake-O! (barely adapted from The Kind Life)

If you are a garlic fiend like me, up the garlic to 3 cloves. If you don’t enjoy having garlic breath for days, or just aren’t a big garlic fan, reduce the garlic to 1 clove. The garlic packs a pretty big punch, so be warned. Also, this pasta tastes best when enjoyed immediately. I would be a bit leery of reheating it in the microwave, due to the avocado base.

1 ripe avocado

1 large handful of fresh basil

1-3 cloves of garlic

Half a lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

2 servings of cooked fettuccine

In a food processor, blend the avocado, basil, garlic, the juice from the lemon together until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss the sauce with the hot, cooked pasta until evenly coated. Serve immediately. Top with a pinch of lemon zest, if desired. And if you aren’t vegan, a little freshly grated parmesan cheese sprinkled on top tastes pretty darn good too.

PS. If you are going to be kissing anyone in the hours after consuming this tasty dish, perhaps you should encourage your partner to enjoy the same meal. Just sayin’…

Print Me!

Filed Under: Main Dishes, Pasta, Summer, Vegetarian Tagged With: avocado, basil, garlic, pasta, vegan

Vegan and Deceivin’ | Vanilla Macadamia Nut Coffee Coconut Ice Cream

May 27, 2013 by Amanda 46 Comments

Well ahoy there, friends! Pardon my absence – I have been without Internet access for the past while. Looonnnggg story. But tonight finds me stationed at a coffee shop, a ginormous green tea lemonade by my side, and free access to the Interwebs. Huzzah!

I have decided that I need to do this more often – not for the free Internet – but for the sake of quiet and the absence of distractions. It is nice to come to a place and just sit and write, without leaping up every five minutes to fetch Bella’s ball for her, change the load of laundry, or feel the urge to turn the TV for background noise. Perhaps it will become a regular event.

However, let’s get back to the food. I have to be honest. I’ve had a few busts in the kitchen lately. I’m a believer in only sharing food and recipes that I really love, and that I think you’ll love too, and I have not been churning many winners out of my kitchen lately. A big part of that has been a result of a busy schedule, and the fact that I typically have time to make one big pot of something that I feast on throughout the week. Day 5 leftovers = not my favorite thing.

Despite my lackluster kitchen efforts, I did manage to get around to dusting off my ice cream maker this past weekend and made the first batch of ice cream of the season. And I had to share.

Almost a month has passed since Dana first shared her Coffee Coconut Ice Cream recipe. I immediately bookmarked it. However, I bookmark a lot of recipes, and sometimes things get lost in the shuffle, despite my good intentions. Thankfully, I follow a few great food blogs (read: several hundred…) and occasionally the same recipe will have caught another blogger’s eye, prompting them to post the recipe (or their version of it), which then gives me a nice little reminder about that bookmark I made. Ahh, the circle of life blogging. It’s totally a thing.

So…when the lovely Clara re-posted Dana’s recipe last week, I knew I had to take it as a sign from the food gods that I was intended to make this ice cream. One should never ignore a sign from the food gods!

Oh goodness, am I ever glad that I listened. First of all, I changed up the recipe just a little. In place of the regular brewed coffee, I used the vanilla macadamia nut coffee that I brought back from Hawaii last month. I added a bit more vanilla, and then tossed in some toasted macadamia nuts and mini dark chocolate chips. This ice cream is vegan, peeps. That may be a selling feature for some (ie. Vegans, the dairy-intolerant, etc.). However, I can assure you that no one will ever know that it is. Oh, and surprisingly, the coconut flavor is not overwhelming. The creaminess is so deceiving, you’ll think you’re eating regular ice cream. It’s vegan and deceivin’! (Yep, came up with that one all by myself…)

One more thing – if you don’t already own an ice cream maker, you may want to change that. I was given mine as a gift, and to be honest, I never thought I would enjoy it as much as I do. The fact is, there’s something rather lovely about homemade ice cream, and it’s darn easy to make too. I declare Summer 2013 as the season of ice cream adventure!

Vanilla Macadamia Nut Coffee Coconut Ice Cream (adapted from Minimalist Baker)

Makes about 1.5 quarts. Feel free to experiment with different flavors of coffee, if you’re so inclined. Change up the add-ins too! And use premium quality coconut milk, if possible. It will make a big difference.

2 cans full-fat coconut milk

¾ cup brewed coffee (I used vanilla macadamia nut coffee)

¾ cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

¾ cup toasted and chopped macadamia nuts

½ cup mini dark chocolate chips

Combine the coconut milk, coffee, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add in the vanilla. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until well chilled (at least 6 hours or overnight). Churn in your ice cream maker (according to manufacturer’s instructions). Mine took about 25 minutes. Fold in the macadamia nuts and chocolate chips. Transfer to a Tupperware container (or loaf pan!) and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the plastic wrap to touch the surface of the ice cream, as this will help prevent ice crystals from forming. Freeze for at least 4 hours. Scoop and serve!

Print Me!

Filed Under: Summer, Sweet Treats Tagged With: coconut milk, coffee, dessert, ice cream, summer, vegan

Happy Cinco de Mayo! | Key Lime Beergaritas

May 4, 2013 by Amanda 28 Comments

Happy (almost) Cinco de Mayo, friends! I am in the midst of a busy weekend with friends, but wanted to pop in real quick to share a holiday worthy cocktail with you. I first spotted these beergaritas on Iowa Girl Eats last summer. They reminded me a little bit of one of my favorite drinks to order at a local Mexican restaurant, called a Bulldog. A Bulldog is basically a blended margarita with a bottle of beer turned upside down into it – as you drink the margarita, the beer slowly continues to empty, providing the perfect balance of margarita and beer.

It’s highly scientific. 😉

Anyways, a beergarita is more beer-heavy and is mixed with the flavors of a margarita – tequila, triple sec, and lime. A beergarita is totally slurp-worthy and perfect for summer, or a Cinco de Mayo celebration! Just beware, these go down pretty darn easy and pack more of a punch than you might expect.

Happy weekend friends!

Key Lime Beergaritas (slightly adapted from Iowa Girl Eats)

1 lime beer (ie. Miller Chill or Bud Light)

1 ounce tequila

1/2 ounce triple sec

1/2 ounce lime cordial

Juice from 1-2 key limes

Ice

Combine all ingredients together in a large glass and mix together. Garnish with lime, if desired. Enjoy!

Print Me!

Filed Under: Beverages, Holidays Tagged With: beer, cinco de mayo, lime, margarita, tequila

Once Upon a Recipe

One Last Taste of Summer | Beet Lemonade

Like this:

A Quick Hello | Greek Yogurt Blueberry Muffins

Like this:

A Family Favorite | Puffed Wheat Squares

Like this:

Perfect for Summer | Caprese Pasta Salad

Like this:

For Todd (and Rufus) | Peach Cinnamon Swirl Ice Cream

Like this:

Some Lovin’ for Bloglovin’

Like this:

Mix It Up | Browned Butter Macadamia Nut and Cinnamon Chip Banana Bread

Like this:

Light and Fresh | Fettuccine Al-Fake-O!

Like this:

Vegan and Deceivin’ | Vanilla Macadamia Nut Coffee Coconut Ice Cream

Like this:

Happy Cinco de Mayo! | Key Lime Beergaritas

Like this:

Subscribe!

Lately…

Categories

Search

Share the love:

Like this:

Share the love:

Like this:

Share the love:

Like this:

Share the love:

Like this:

Share the love:

Like this:

Share the love:

Like this:

Share the love:

Like this:

Share the love:

Like this:

Share the love:

Like this:

Share the love:

Like this:

Subscribe!

Lately…

Categories

Search