Chocolate Mousse

Today I had a craving for chocolate mousse. I wasn't sure if I wanted to make one with cream or an egg base. So, I did some searching and found a vegan recipe made with avocados. I know what you are thinking, avocados and chocolate, no way. I too thought the same thing, but it was very good. I even trick someone, you does not care for avocados, to eat it and enjoy it.

The recipes was very easy. Three avocados, ¾ cup honey, one teaspoon vanilla extract and ¾ cup of cocoa. First peel the avocados and puree in a food processor until smooth. Add honey and vanilla. Process until combine. Slowly add sifted cocoa to the puree and combine well. Chill and serve. Healthy and delicious!

November 30 is National Mousse Day

Holy Guacamole!

Avocado just may be the perfect fruit. It is loaded with health benefits and is available all year round.

Here are a few health benefits. One, it contains oleic acid, a monounsaturated fact that may help lower cholesterol. Two, it is a good source of potassium, a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure. Three, it contains carotenoid lutin for eye health. And, it contains fiber and protein. There are not many fruits or vegetables that can claim all of those benefits.

And, if you need any more benefits, you can eat it with chips when the avocado is used to make guacamole. To your health!

November 14 is Guacamole Day

Cheers!

So, if you want a lesson in patience, brew beer. I finally got to taste the fruits of my labor. It only took 25 days. I was pleasantly surprised and delighted with my first home brew. You could actually taste the honey in my Honey Red Ale.

Brew day was October 1st. Brewing the wort took about 3 hours, which included set up and clean up. Three days in the first fermenter. Twelve days in the second fermenter. And 10 days to condition and carbonate in the bottles.

Opening my first home brew was like Christmas morning. I held my breath as I carefully popped the bottle cap, hoping to hear the carbonated gases slowly release. Who knew such joy could happen upon that first bottle. It's only beer, right. No, it's a home brew and that is the joy of it all! And yes, it was worth the wait!

American Beer Day is October 27th

Four a Day

Forget about an apple a day. The new fruit is the prune. One is not enough, you need to eat four a day. Hey, they are small but very mighty indeed.

Four prunes a day helps to slow the aging process of the brain and body. Helps in cases of anemia. Helps in normal blood circulation. It is a good remedy for sore throats. It has a high beta carotene content. It contains a lot of fiber and sorbitol, a stool loosening sugar. Plus, it is an excellent source of vitamin A, potassium and iron.

So, grab some prunes, four to be exact, each day. Oh, you may want to brush after eating. Prunes will stick to your teeth faster than anything and that means cavities.

October 17 is Eat Four Prunes Day

Home Brewing

A few months ago, a book on home brewing caught my eye in my monthly cookbook catalog. “Home brewing”, I thought, “how involved is that process?” So, to answer my question I checked out several books on the frothy subject from the library.

Immediately I was intoxicated. Malts, hops, yeast, wort, racking, original gravity, final gravity, pitching, etc. And, the recipes go on and on. So many. Needless to say, I ordered that original home brewing book. I had a hard time choosing my first brew but I finally settled on Honey Red Ale.

I have all of my hardware. The brew kettle, fermentation bucket, carboy, hydrometer and siphon. This is the short list. I plan to purchase the ingredients this weekend. Most recipes yield 5 gallons which is the equivalent of about 45-50 bottles of beer. I like beer but that is a lot of beer!

I will be sharing most of the beer, which will be bottled under the name “Brewlene”. I couldn't resist. I wonder if my circle of friends will increase while I learn the art of zymurgy. I guess that is all a matter of taste. Cheers!

September 28th is Drink Beer Day

Purple Reigns

I believe potatoes are not getting their just due. People often shun these tubers when they are dieting and they should not. What they need to shun is the butter, sour cream and chips. But potatoes should be a part of any healthy diet. Especially purple ones.

Yes, purple potatoes. Peruvian purple potatoes to be exact. Peru is the world's potato capital. Peruvian potatoes dates back to the Incan empire. The diversity of tubers in Peru is unprecedented, with the purple potatoes reigning supreme.

A recent study has shown that purple potatoes has a high concentration of antioxidants, which protects your body from molecules called “free radicals” that can damage healthy cells. One potato has only 110 calories, sans the butter and sour cream. And, they taste great mashed, baked or broiled. No frying allowed for nutritional benefits. Sorry, but those are the rules.

September is National Potato Month

Meyer Lemons

A few months ago I continually ran into Meyer lemon recipes. I have heard of them but have never tried them. So, I searched and searched and searched. Nothing. I went on line and found that these little jewels, that are a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange, are plentiful in California. I live on the east coast. So, the next best thing was to buy a Meyer lemon tree!

And, that is what I did. After some searching I purchased an one year old dwarf Meyer lemon tree from a California grower. I was thrilled. I quickly potted my tree and dreamt of preserved lemons, lemonade and Moroccan chicken w/ olives and lemons. My dreams will have to carry me a couple of years, because my tree will not produce any fruit for two or more years. So, non-Meyer lemons will be my fill-in until then. To be continued . . .

Preserved Lemons
8 Meyer (or regular) lemons, scrubbed very clean
½ cup kosher salt
extra lemon juice, if needed
sterilized jar

Place 2 tablespoons of salt in the bottom of a sterilized jar. Cut off any protruding stems from the lemons and cut ¼ inch off the tip of each lemon. Cut the lemons as if you were going to cut them in half, but do not cut all the way. Keep the lemons attached at the base. Make another cut in a similar manner, now the lemons are quartered, but attached. Pry the lemons open and generously sprinkle salt all over the the insides and the outsides. Pack the lemons in the jar. Squishing them down to extract the juice. Fill the jar with the lemons. Add more juice if necessary to cover the lemons. Seal the jar and let sit at room temperature for a couple of days. Turn the jar occasionally. Put in refrigerator for at least 3 weeks or until the lemon rinds are soften. Turn upside down from time to time. To use, rinse the lemons to remove salt. Discard seeds and pulp. Store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

August 15 is Lemon Meringue Pie Day
August 20 is Lemonade Day
August 29 is Lemon Juice Day