Blog Transfer!

Are you ready for an exciting announcement?

I'M TRANSFERRING MY BLOG!!!

Yes that's right, Blogger has fulfilled it's purpose in my blogging journey and it's time to move on to something a little more advanced (Wordpress on Bluehost).  I have transferred all of my old recipe to my new blog, which is much easier to navigate than my current one.  It has drop-down menus that list all of my recipes, new and old, under specific categories (for example BBQ Chicken Pizza would be under Savory>Main Dishes>Pizza.)

It is now much simpler to find me on social media, and share my recipes.  You can click any of the social media icons at the top of my blog to find my accounts, and there are sharing buttons at the bottom of each of my posts so that you can share any of my recipes with the click of a button.

I have also added a new About Me page that has picture of me making scrambled eggs when I was 3, along with many other pictures of me cooking throughout the years!

Please visit my new blog (www.ThatHarpistCanCook.com) and subscribe, then un-subscribe from this blog as I will continue posting notices about my blog transfer.  Enjoy my new blog!

Blog Transfer!

Are you ready for an exciting announcement?

I'M TRANSFERRING MY BLOG!!!

Yes that's right, Blogger has fulfilled it's purpose in my blogging journey and it's time to move on to something a little more advanced (Wordpress on Bluehost).  I have transferred all of my old recipes to my new blog, which is much easier to navigate than my current one.  It has drop-down menus that list all of my recipes, new and old, under specific categories (for example BBQ Chicken Pizza would be under Savory>Main Dishes>Pizza.)

It is now much simpler to find me on social media, and share my recipes.  You can click any of the social media icons at the top of my blog to find my accounts, and there are sharing buttons at the bottom of each of my posts so that you can share any of my recipes with the click of a button.

I have also added a new About Me page that has pictures of me making scrambled eggs when I was 3, along with many other pictures of me cooking throughout the years!

Please visit my new blog (www.ThatHarpistCanCook.com) and subscribe, then un-subscribe from this blog as I will continue posting notices about my blog transfer.  Enjoy my new blog!

Smoked Salmon Spring Rolls (10 minute meal)

You know how there are some hot days when all you feel like eating is a salad, but you want something a little more interesting?  The answer for those days is spring rolls.  They're quick, easy, healthy, and much more interesting than salad.  You can substitute the smoked salmon for any other protein, you could even use a sliced omelet!

1 bell pepper, sliced
1 persian cucumber, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
2 green onions, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
1 cup snap peas, sliced
½ avocado, sliced
Whole lettuce leaves
Smoked salmon
Spring roll wrappers (you can find these at 99 market)

Arrange all of your prepared ingredients in a large container for easy access while making your spring rolls.

Soak one spring roll wrapper in water for 10 seconds, fill it with your desired amounts of vegetables and salmon, then tightly roll up the spring roll, much like a burrito.  Repeat this process to make as many spring rolls as desired.

Serve the spring rolls alongside wasabi dipping sauce and edamame for a refreshing summer meal!

Smoked Salmon Spring Rolls

1 bell pepper, sliced

1 persian cucumber, sliced

3 stalks celery, sliced

2 green onions, sliced

2 carrots, sliced

1 cup snap peas, sliced

½ avocado, sliced

Whole lettuce leaves

Smoked salmon

Spring roll wrappers

Arrange all of your prepared ingredients in a large container for easy access while making your spring rolls.

Soak one spring roll wrapper in water for 10 seconds, fill it with your desired amounts of vegetables and salmon, then tightly roll up the spring roll, much like a burrito.  Repeat this process to make as many spring rolls as desired.

Serve the spring rolls alongside wasabi dipping sauce and edamame for a refreshing summer meal! 

To see more of my pictures you can find me on Instagram at @audreygracephotography.

Coconut Chocolate Date Truffles

This past week it's been roasting, and when I say roasting, I mean roasting.  So when I felt like making a dessert it was either ice cream (which I just made) or a no-bake dessert.  So since we still have coconut passion fruit ice cream left, I was left with a no-bake dessert.  And I've never been happier.

You will never know how good dates can be until you try these truffles.  They're the perfect texture, flavor, size, everything!  You seriously need to try them.  One thing I will say though; they're better after they've been in the fridge for 30 minutes, it gives them a better texture that's more like a truffle and less like cake.  But if you want them to have a caky texture, by all means!  Eat them at room temperature.

2 cups Medjool Dates from Trader Joe's, pitted
1 cup coconut flour
¼ cup chia seeds
¼ cup almond meal
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup agave nectar
1 cup almond milk

Combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor.

Blend into a smooth dough, adding more almond milk as needed.  The dough should hold together easily when you try to form it into balls, but it shouldn't be sticky enough that you need to flour your hands.

Form the date dough into 64 uniform (about 1" across) balls.  I used my smallest ice cream scoop for this step, but if you don't have one small enough, you can just use your hands.  I personally thought these 1 inch truffles were the perfect size, but if you want them bigger of smaller, you can adjust the size to your liking.

Roll the date balls in your desired coatings.  I did 16 with coconut flour, 16 with cocoa powder, 16 with shredded coconut, and 16 with chia seeds.  You don't have to use all four coatings, I just think it gives them a nice finishing touch.

I love these truffles because they're so easy, they don't require any baking, and they're super healthy (which is always an upside)!  Wouldn't it be so cute to give people little boxes of these for Christmas?  And they also work as gifts for vegan friends!  Ideas . . .

Coconut Chocolate Date Truffles

2 cups Medjool Dates from Trader Joe's, pitted

1 cup coconut flour

¼ cup chia seeds

¼ cup almond meal

¼ cup cocoa powder

¼ cup agave nectar

1 cup almond milk

Combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor.

Blend into a smooth dough, adding more almond milk as needed.  The dough should hold together easily when you try to form it into balls, but it shouldn't be sticky enough that you need to flour your hands.

Form the date dough into 64 uniform (about 1" across) balls.  I used my smallest ice cream scoop for this step, but if you don't have one small enough, you can just use your hands.  I personally thought these 1 inch truffles were the perfect size, but if you want them bigger of smaller, you can adjust the size to your liking.

Roll the date balls in your desired coatings.  I did 16 with coconut flour, 16 with cocoa powder, 16 with shredded coconut, and 16 with chia seeds.  You don't have to use all four coatings, I just think it gives them a nice finishing touch.

I love these truffles because they're so easy, they don't require any baking, and they're super healthy (which is always an upside)!  Wouldn't it be so cute to give people little boxes of these for Christmas?  And they also work as gifts for vegan friends!  Ideas . . . 

To see more of my pictures you can find me on Instagram at @audreygracephotography.

Spiced Glazed Carrots

Many people think that rainbow carrots don't taste different than orange carrots, but they really do.  They don't have the same intense carrot flavor that orange carrots have.  I almost think they taste like a cross between a parsnip and a carrot!  My favorite rainbow carrots are from Trader Joe's.  They come in a bag that says, "Trader Joe's and the organic carrots of many colors," and they are white, yellow, orange, and red.  Unfortunately the bag that I used for this recipe only had one red carrot, but usually the bag has a much higher ratio of red.  I found the base recipe for these glazed carrots on the back of the carrot bag, then made quite a few changes.

2 TBSP coconut oil
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup Orange Juice Concentrate from Trader Joe's
⅛ tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
Salt
Pepper
½ head roasted garlic, peeled1 (2 lb.) bag Organic Rainbow Carrots from Trader Joe's, sliced
4 green onions, finely chopped

In a large pan, melt together the coconut oil, brown sugar, orange juice concentrate, cinnamon, cayenne, and a light sprinkling of salt and pepper.  Add the roasted garlic and sauté until the sauce begins to bubble and the garlic is slightly caramelized.

Add the carrots, cover, then cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are slightly softened and golden brown.

Turn off the heat and stir in the green onions.

This is delicious as side dish served with mild fish, or anything with caramelized onions!  I served it with tilapia in a caramelized onion sauce and steamed green beans.

Spiced Glazed Carrots

2 TBSP coconut oil

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup Orange Juice Concentrate from Trader Joe's

⅛ tsp cinnamon

⅛ tsp cayenne pepper

Salt

Pepper

½ head roasted garlic, peeled

1 (2 lb.) bag Organic Rainbow Carrots from Trader Joe's, sliced

4 green onions, finely chopped

In a large pan, melt together the coconut oil, brown sugar, orange juice concentrate, cinnamon, cayenne, and a light sprinkling of salt and pepper.  Add the roasted garlic and sauté until the sauce begins to bubble and the garlic is slightly caramelized.

Add the carrots, cover, then cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are slightly softened and golden brown.

Turn off the heat and stir in the green onions.

This is delicious as side dish served with mild fish, or anything with caramelized onions!  I served it with tilapia in a caramelized onion sauce and steamed green beans. 

To see more of my pictures you can find me on Instagram at @audreygracephotography.

Pear Sausage & Goat Cheese Pizza

Several days ago I came across a pin on Pinterest of what looked like a pear pizza.  The picture didn't link to a recipe, so I had to decipher what was on the pizza and come up with my own version!  If anyone knows where this recipe came from please tell me and I will give the author credit.  But until then, here's my version of the pear pizza.

6 pears, thinly sliced
1 head roasted garlic, peeled½ red onion, thinly sliced into crescents
3 Sweet Italian Chicken Sausages from Trader Joe's, cooked and crumbled
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese1 (11 oz.) log Fresh & Creamy Goat Cheese from Trader Joe's, frozen and crumbled
½ cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1 cup spinach, thinly sliced
Balsamic Glaze from Trader Joe's
1 recipe of your favorite pizza dough (try my Pizza Dough recipe)

Prepare all of your ingredients and arrange them in a large container for easy access while topping the pizzas.

Roll out your pizza dough, then fold over the edges and heavily brush the entire surface of the crust with olive oil.  Since this pizza has no sauce, this step is very important.  Without the olive oil you will wind up with a flavorless, doughy crust, and who wants that to ruin this delicious pizza!

Cover the dough with a layer of pear slices, sprinkle on some Mozzarella cheese, then add the garlic, onion, sausage, and sprinkle with a light layer of Mozzarella, Goat, and Gorgonzola cheese.

Bake on a preheated pizza stone until the cheese begins to bubble.  Sprinkle on a light layer of sliced spinach, then finish cooking the pizza just the way you like it.  Remove from the heat and immediately drizzle with Balsamic Glaze.  Repeat this process with all of your ingredients, or until you run out of pizza dough.  For me this makes 6 pizzas, which is just enough to feed a hungry family of four for two meals.

Slice the pizzas into eighths, then serve alongside a salad.  I served this pizza with a candied pecan spinach salad and it was the perfect combination!

 Pear Sausage & Goat Cheese Pizza

6 pears, thinly sliced

1 head roasted garlic, peeled

½ red onion, thinly sliced into crescents

3 Sweet Italian Chicken Sausages from Trader Joe's, cooked and crumbled

2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

1 (11 oz.) log Fresh & Creamy Goat Cheese from Trader Joe's, frozen and crumbled

½ cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

1 cup spinach, thinly sliced

Balsamic Glaze from Trader Joe's

1 recipe of your favorite pizza dough

Prepare all of your ingredients and arrange them in a large container for easy access while topping the pizzas.

Roll out your pizza dough, then fold over the edges and heavily brush the entire surface of the crust with olive oil.  Since this pizza has no sauce, this step is very important.  Without the olive oil you will wind up with a flavorless, doughy crust, and who wants that to ruin this delicious pizza!

Cover the dough with a layer of pear slices, sprinkle on some Mozzarella cheese, then add the garlic, onion, sausage, and sprinkle with a light layer of Mozzarella, Goat, and Gorgonzola cheese.

Bake on a preheated pizza stone until the cheese begins to bubble.  Sprinkle on a light layer of sliced spinach, then finish cooking the pizza just the way you like it.  Remove from the heat and immediately drizzle with Balsamic Glaze.  Repeat this process with all of your ingredients, or until you run out of pizza dough.  For me this makes 6 pizzas, which is just enough to feed a hungry family of four for two meals.

Slice the pizzas into eighths, then serve alongside a salad.  I served this pizza with a candied pecan spinach salad and it was the perfect combination!

To see more of my pictures you can find me on Instagram at @audreygracephotography.

Coconut Passion Fruit Ice Cream

As usual, we have passion fruit coming out of our ears, and since we have been having Indian and Asian food over the weekend, I figured I would make coconut passion fruit ice cream!  This ice cream would be just as good without the passion fruit pulp, but I had passion fruit that needed to be used, so I figured I would put it in to add a little bit of tartness.

This ice cream came out so well, it was the perfect consistency, easy to scoop, and had just the right balance of coconut, passion fruit, and sugar.

You could also replace the passion fruit with mango to make a coconut mango ice cream, I might do that next time I make it!

⅓ cup passion fruit pulp
1 (14 oz.) can Light Coconut Milk from Trader Joe's
1 (14 oz.) can Coconut Milk from Trader Joe's
1 cup sugar

Mix together all of the ingredients, then churn in an ice cream maker until the mixture has dramatically increased in size and won't churn without being stirred.

Transfer to another container and freeze for at least 24 hours.  Don't skimp on the freezing time or you will have coconut soup instead of coconut ice cream!

This easy coconut ice cream is the perfect ending to any Asian or Indian meal, serve it alongside your favorite tropical fruits for a perfect combination!

Coconut Passion Fruit Ice Cream

(you could substitute mango for the passion fruit to make coconut mango ice cream)

⅓ cup passion fruit pulp

1 (14 oz.) can Light Coconut Milk from Trader Joe's

1 (14 oz.) can Coconut Milk from Trader Joe's

1 cup sugar

Mix together all of the ingredients, then churn in an ice cream maker until the mixture has dramatically increased in size and won't churn without being stirred.

Transfer to another container and freeze for at least 24 hours.  Don't skimp on the freezing time or you will have coconut soup instead of coconut ice cream!

This easy coconut ice cream is the perfect ending to any Asian or Indian meal, serve it alongside your favorite tropical fruits for a perfect combination! 

To see more of my pictures you can find me on Instagram at @audreygracephotography.