LEMON-BLUBERRY CAKE WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

10-12 servings

Cake:

3 1/3 cups cake flour                                                                                           

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon salt                                                                                                           

 1 teaspoon (packed) grated lemon peel

½ teaspoon baking powder                                                                        

 4 large eggs

½ teaspoon baking soda                                                                                          

 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temp                                     

2 ½ cups fresh blueberries

2 cups sugar

Frosting:

11 ounces high-quality white chocolate

12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Cake:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour two 9-inch diameter cake pans with 2 inch high sides;  line bottoms with parchment paper rounds.

Sift flour and next 3 ingredients into medium bowl.  Using mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy.  Gradually add sugar, beating until blended and scraping down sides of bowl occasionally.  Beat in lemon juice and peel, then eggs one at a time, beating until well blended after each addition.  Beat in flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions.  Fold in berries.

Transfer batter to plans.  Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.  Cool cakes in pans on racks.

For frosting:  Stir while chocolate in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water until almost melted.  Remove from over water and stir until smooth.  Cool to lukewarm.  Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until combined.  Beat in lemon juice, then cooled white chocolate.

Turn cakes out onto work surface.  Peel off parchment.  Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter.  Spread remaining frosting oversides and top of cake.  Garnish with additional blueberries, if desired.  Can be prepared 1 day ahead.  Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.  Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

HEARTY HERBAL BEANS

Herbs add culinary excitement to any type of bean, such as pinto, black, kidney and garbanzo. Serve warm as a hearty side dish. For a quick, delicious lunch, serve over whole grains, such as brown basmati rice. Top with chopped tomatoes and herb-laced Greek yogurt (see Page 36). SERVES 2 to 4

• 2 cups cooked beans (canned are fine)
• 1⁄2 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 whole bay leaf
• 1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (optional)
• Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 cup water (or low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth)

1. Rinse and drain beans; set aside.

2. Sauté onion in hot oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat 3 to 4 minutes or until tender; add garlic and cook 1 additional minute.

3. Stir in ginger and remaining ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

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Letitia L. Star is a healthy living writer who frequently writes about cooking and growing herbs.  

SPINACH WITH PAN-ROAST GARLIC

If blue cheese’s flavor is too intense, substitute low-fat feta crumbles or Parmesan shreds. SERVES 2

• 10 to 15 pan-roasted peeled garlic cloves (see directions below)
• 2 tablespoons walnut pieces
• 1 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil
• 4 cups tightly packed fresh baby spinach, divided
• 2 tablespoons low-fat blue cheese crumbles, to taste
• Blue cheese crumbles, for garnish

1. Cook pan-roasted garlic cloves and walnuts in hot oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 1 minute.

2. Add half of spinach and cook, stirring constantly, until spinach has wilted. Add blue cheese crumbles and remaining spinach. Cook, stirring constantly, until spinach begins to wilt. Top with additional blue cheese crumbles, if desired. Serve immediately. 

How to Pan-Roast Garlic in Minutes

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You may quickly become a fan of this easy cooking technique,  which yields soft, mellow garlic cloves—and enticing aromas in your kitchen.

Directions: Warm about 1⁄2 tablespoon of vegetable or canola oil in a small skillet. Add unpeeled garlic cloves and toss constantly for about 10 to 15 minutes until browned and soft. Remove garlic cloves from heat; cool and peel. Cut away any brown spots. Tip: If cloves are large, cut lengthwise before pan-roasting to reduce cooking time.

Letitia L. Star is a healthy living writer who frequently writes about cooking and growing herbs. 

BARACK IZES PALACSINTA - APRICOT PANCAKE

From "The Cooking of Vienna's  Empire". The best pancake ever. Can be served  at a dinner party too. 

material:
3 eggs
2 cups milk
5 tbsp sparkling water freshly opened
4 oz (125 ml) sifted flour
5 tbsps sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla essence
butter for the pancake pan
apricot jam
6 oz. ground walnuts or filberts
icing sugar ( i use normal sugar)

Beat the eggs lightly with the milk in a small bowl. Combine with the soda water in a large mixing bowl. 

With a wooden spoon stir in the flour and sugar( you can use stevia if you want) , then add the salt and vanilla essence. continue to stir until the batter is smooth. 

Melt 1/2 an ounce (half tsp or less, you will see) in a 8 inch frying pan or special pancake pan. . When the foam subsides, (i don't have foam) ladle in enough batter to cover the bottom of the frying pan thinly and tilt it from side to side to spread it evenly.

Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned on one one side then turn and brown on the other side.  

When the pancake is done, spread two tsps of jam over it, roll it loosely into a cylinder, then put it in a baking dish in 200F oven  to keep warm until the pancakes are finished. 

Serve warm as a sweet, sprinkled with nuts and icing sugar.

SUPER BERRY QUINOA SALAD

This salad is packed full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, plant-based protein, healthy fats, and most importantly, FLAVOR! Not only is it super colourful and delicious, but it’ll leave you feeling satisfied, energized, and ready to make the most of the longer sunny spring days! 

Photo by Angela Simpson

Serves 2

What You’ll Need:

½ cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons slivered or coarsely chopped raw almonds

1 teaspoon ground flaxseed
2 teaspoons hemp seeds (also known as hemp hearts)
2 teaspoons sunflower seeds
6 cups mixed baby greens
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil
3 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar or fruit-infused vinegar
2/3 cup mixed fresh berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries)

What to Do:

1. Rinse quinoa under water in a fine mesh strainer.
2. Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the quinoa and simmer for 15 minutes (or until all liquid is absorbed).
3. Add the ground flaxseed, hemp seeds, and sunflower seeds to the quinoa, stir to combine, and set aside or in the fridge to cool.
   Dry-toast the almonds in a small pan on the stove, stirring frequently, until golden. (You can skip this step, but toasting helps to enhance the flavor.)
4. Whisk together the oil and vinegar to make a quick dressing.
5. Wash the baby greens and place them in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over top and toss to coat.
6. Divide the greens between two salad bowls, followed by the cooled quinoa mixture and berries.
7. Sprinkle the toasted almonds over each salad and serve immediately

ROSEMARY & BALSAMIC BAKED BUTTON MUSHROOMS

 This recipe and photo were created by contributor Aylin Erman of Glow Kitchen. Learn more about Aylin and this recipe by checking out her accompanying post.

Whit about two cups of crimini mushrooms on hand, I whipped out a few seasonings, a fresh herb, and balsamic vinegar to create a dish that was everything I wanted and more. Mushrooms are unique in that they are incredibly absorbent and will take on whatever flavor is added to them. For this recipe, the balsamic vinegar is tart and immediately piques the taste buds while the rosemary provides an earthy freshness. Enjoy!

Serves 2

What You'll Need: 

2 cups crimini mushrooms
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

What to Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 450F.
2. Use a moistened kitchen or paper towel to rub of any dirt from the mushroom caps. Note: Do not rinse the mushrooms! They are extremely absorbent and will soak up the water, which will dilute their flavor taste. The wet towel technique works just fine.
3. Place the whole mushrooms, top side down, on a baking sheet.
4. Strip leaves from rosemary stems.
5. Drizzle mushrooms with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and rosemary.
6. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mushrooms have softened and are beginning to brown.
7. Before serving, drizzle all the mushrooms evenly with balsamic vinegar. Enjoy!