Category: Citrus

Williams – Sonoma Smoothie Week…Aloe Vera ,Hibiscus & Lemon Non Dairy Smoothie

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January is all about cleanses and new starts. I’m not one for  cliche resolutions, but I do know when I need to recalibrate after periods of over indulgence. These days its about hydration for my body.My mornings consists of smoothies on occasion, but mostly herbal infusions or teas for the commute to work. As for sweeteners I’m not one to shun it, but gravitate towards the most natural sweeteners possible. One could debate endlessly about natural sweeteners, sugars, etc. I will always choose my Swedish neighbors beautiful raw honey or a gorgeous subtle non refined crystallized German Rock Sugar. Natures natural unrefined enhancements. So whats this about? The Williams – Sonoma community wanted to know what I would consider for a Not Your Typical Smoothie theme.

I love dairy but it doesn’t love me unfortunately. So in thinking of a smooth emulsified nutritious drink that’s not your typical smoothie, I came up with the jelly like aloe vera gel, which I had always enjoy in a fruity drinks from the Asian stores, lemon , which cleanses and hydrates me, and my favorite colorful herbal infusion, hibiscus. I knew the aloe vera gel would create a silky icy smooth lemonade type of quencher, a Soothie, as opposed to a Slushie.  For sweetener I melted some pieces of German Rock Sugar with the hibiscus infusion, which is derived from beet juice, and lets the true flavor shine, rather than mask it. So if a smoothie in the classic definition is a emulsified blend of fruits, veggies, ice, dairy and sweetener, this is it. Sweetener from beets, aloe vera juice, lemon, and the beautiful hibiscus. I see a lot of questionable things pass for smoothies in commercial  establishments these days. It’s so easy to make your own goodness. While their are some amazing blenders on the market, this smoothie/soothie is pretty low tech. A powerful blender which crushes ice is all you need.

Benefits of Aloe Vera Gel

Digestive Aid

Supports Joints

Regularity

Reduces toxins

Benefits of Hibiscus

Aides in lowering blood pressure and cholesterol

Antioxidant

Benefits of Lemon

Aides weight loss

Stimulates digestive tract

Potassium

Throat soother

Anti cancerous liminoids

Benefits of German Rock Sugar

Unrefined and less sweet

Doesn’t alter taste as much as refined sugars

Beet derived

Smoothie Week...Aloe Vera ,Hibiscus & Lemon Non Dairy Smoothie
 
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Cuisine: Drinks
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoon of dried Hibiscus
  • ½ cup hot water to steep hibiscus
  • 1-2 tablespoons of German Rock Sugar
  • ½ cup Aloe Vera Gel
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 1 cup of crushed ice
Instructions
  1. Steep Hibiscus and German rock sugar in hot water for several minutes and until sugar is dissolved. Cool down naturally or with a bit of ice. Strain.
  2. Add the aloe vera gel, lemon juice, ice, and strained hibiscus infusion to a blender with crushed ice.
  3. Blend until frothy .
  4. Serve immediately.
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Baked Radicchio with Parmesan

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Spring is gradually rolling in . With that comes more vibrant and hued fruits and vegetables  for our table to take us out the winter doldrums. Last week in my organic delivery box, I received several heads of Radicchio. I really didn’t envision myself eating a bunch of salad with radicchio. Nor was I feeling making a starchy risotto which was also a very popular option with this  member of the Chicory family. Let me start off by saying Radicchio is bitter, very better and pairs either with more salt or sweet ingredients.  Many roast theirs with Balsamic for that sweeter edge and some with saltier cheeses, like I chose to.

Now my variety of Radicchio, the round Chiogga, is the type more used for salads. The Treviso , more elongated like Belgian endive, is actually milder and more suitable for cooking. Nevertheless it will still be bitter and its going to up to your personal preference if you enjoy this or not. I found after baking, some extra squeeze of lemon rounded out the flavor with the olive oil, cheese, and wine. I would pair this dish with pork or chicken  with a fruit or sweet based sauce to compliment the bitter spice of the radicchio.

 

Baked Radicchio with Parmesan
 
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Baked Radicchio
Author:
Recipe type: Side Dish
Ingredients
  • 5 heads of Radicchio cut into quarter wedges (you can use less and pare down your recipe to proportion)
  • Olive Oil to drizzle baking dish and radicchio
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 F.
  2. Coat the bottom of your baking dish with olive oil. Add quartered , washed radicchio.
  3. Pour wine over the vegetable and season with salty and pepper. Top with grated Parmesan.
  4. Cover with foil, to create steam and moisture, and bake for 25 minutes.
  5. Remove foil and bake for another 20 minuted until radicchio is wilted, color is more brown and cheese has melted.
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Mojito Cookies for Sugar Cookie Competition

Last year I entered the Pastry Chicago Sugar Cookie Competition. Of course this year I vowed to compete again. One day I will place and win. The theme of this years competition is citrus. Naturally lime or lemon curds came to mind. But Brainstorming one day while having a mojito, I thought how can incorporate this into a cookie? I traded some ideas with my Twitter sis Kayce and the basis for the Mojito cookie was conceived. The secret is the Mojito gelee.

The gelee recipe makes a large quantity but you can use the leftovers served in cubes and rolled in sugar like pate de fruit.

Mojito Cookies

Mojito Gelee
2/3 cups of key lime juice (approx 1 lb of key limes)
2 1/2 cups sugar , reserve 1/2 cup for later
2 cups water
3/4 oz fresh mint (1 package)
1 package Pomona’s Universal Pectin
1/3 cup Rum
Combine key lime juice, 2 cups of the sugar, and water into a heavy bottomed sauce pan.Bring to boil. Turn off heat. Add fresh mint and allow to steep and infuse for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, strain liquid from mint. Add back to saucepan. Bring to boil. While waiting to boil, prep Pomana’s Universal Pectin according to package( you will use the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar to mix with dry Pectin). Add the Pectin and calcium water(activates Pectin) from package,to the boiling lime sugar mixture, stirring constantly until dissolved and well mixed. The mix will be very thick due to the ratios .Cook for a few minutes and remove from heat. Stir in Rum.Pour into a baking sheet or cake pan. Let cool until room temperature, and place in the refrigerator to chill until solid.
Cookie
1/2 lb Plugra European style butter or 16 tbsp
2/3 cup Confectioners sugar
1 tsp Nielson Massey Vanilla Powder
1 tsp granulated sugar
Zest of 2 Key Limes
1 1/4 cups All Purpose King Arthur Flour flour
*green food coloring gel optional
*green sugar optional
In a stand mixer beat butter, confectioners sugar, vanilla, zest and granulated sugar until fluffy. Gradually add flour. The dough will be crumbly but soft and buttery. With your hands finish mixing, forming into a solid ball. At this point with a wooden skewer you can spot the dough with green gel color and marbleize the dough. Do not over knead.You can either chill dough for 1 hour at this point to make rounds, or pipe straight away for star shaped cookies.
Preheat oven to 350F.
On a parchment lined baking sheet take a walnut sized piece of rounded dough or pipe, and indent with your thumb to create a well. You can then flatten the edges with a fork to refine shape. Repeat and space cookies apart by 1 inch. Take your Mojito Gelee and add approx 1/8-1/2 tsp of gelee into indentation. Sprinkle green sugar over the gelee pat of cookie. Bake at 350F for 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden and gelee starts to bubble.
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I.O Organic Sicilian Blood Orange Juice, A Chicken Dish,and a Cocktail

I stuck up a Twitter correspondence with the owner of I.O Organics ,Organic Blood Orange Juice. He kindly sent me two bottles for review. I love Blood oranges and to see a product like this naturally intrigued me. Produced on his families farm in Mineo, Sicily, the juice provides 40% more than the FDA recommended amounts of vitamin C. That’s more than the average orange. Potassium, fiber, iron,calcium, and Vitamin A round out the health benefits.

I was worried this would be a sugary drink. Absolutely not! The flavor was crisp and tart, while naturally sweet. One can drink this alone, or make a wonderful cocktail.
Of course my unoriginal self immediately used some of the juice for a healthy orange chicken.This chicken is not fried and cooks slow to produce a slow reduction of Blood Orange Juice , molasses, and brown sugar, Toss in some fresh Broccoli to roast and you have a healthy version of Orange Chicken.
Glamah’s Not Your Food Court Orange Chicken
1 cup I.O ORGANICS Blood Orange Juice
4 chicken thighs ( bone in)
1 head of fresh broccoli
1.3 cup molasses
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
sea salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
pinch of Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp ground Ginger
In a heavy duty enameled cast iron pan toss all ingredients and add chicken. It will be liquidy. Slowly roast uncovered at 350 degrees F until liquid starts to reduce and thicken. It will take approx 45 depending on your oven. At the 30 minute stage you can add Fresh Broccoli to the pan to roast in the liquids and with the chicken. When the chicken looks about done, you can turn up the oven temp to 475 to help the juices/liquid caramelize and glaze the chicken. Remove from oven and enjoy. Serve with rice.
I also made a cocktail. Its sub zero here in Chicago and the Blood Orange Juice evoked feelings of sunshine for me.
Banana Blood Orangetini
2 parts I.O Blood Orange Juice
1 part vodka
1 part Banana Rum
Combine all ingredients in a martin shaker with ice and serve in a frosted glass.
You can find more information of I.O Organics Blood Orange Juice here.