Monthly Archives: January 2014

Grapefruit Pudding Cake + 5 Delicious Pudding Recipes You Should Try

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I feel preoccupied and overwhelmed. I am 5 weeks away from giving birth to our third child. The kids and Bubba are anxious to meet him. We play the name game at least once a day. G wants to name him Gus or dude. C thought of Owen. Not bad. In fact, Owen was on our short list before G was born. I play along with the name game. I act excited about our new baby; but really I am scared, anxious and overwhelmed. I am not worried about labor and delivery, I know what to expect. I know months of sleepless nights are ahead of me. I know it will take a year before my body looks and feels good. I was here, in this place, twice before, but it feels different this time. This is my last pregnancy. He is my last baby. I will never go through this again, yet all I can think about is not dropping the ball on the other two. All I can think about is: how will I manage this? Bubba is more confident than I am. He reassures me daily that I/we will figure it out. We will, we will, I will…a mantra I’ll repeat to myself over and over again.

I debated for a long time about what to make this week. I crave citrus in the winter so I had to make something that would satisfy my craving. Torn between making a healthy dish or a dessert; I opted for dessert. I know this is a month to eat more kale and wheat berries, and possibly even try a detox smoothie, but I said no thanks. Instead, I made a grapefruit pudding cake. This pudding cake is the perfect dessert to eat after the holidays. It is light and refreshing; something I welcome after several weeks of heavy, yet, delicious desserts.

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There are many lemon pudding cake recipes, but I opted for grapefruit. The zest and the juice from the grapefruit gave just the right amount of tartness to this dish. I do love lemon desserts, but sometimes I find lemon a bit overwhelming.

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A couple of days ago, I bought 6 ramekins at Sur La Table. This was my first time baking with ramekins and I think I’m hooked. They really take the presentation up a notch. gpc0033When the cakes come out of the oven they are puffy and golden with a warm and gooey pudding/curd waiting underneath the light and airy cake. I think they taste best warm or at room temperature. I like them topped with fresh fruit like blackberries or raspberries.

The batter only takes about 15-20 minutes to make. The cakes bake for about 40-45 minutes. You can prep the batter up to 4 hours in advance. Just refrigerate, covered, until ready to bake. This dessert is a nice option for entertaining since it doesn’t require too much effort, but makes you look like a dessert making rock star!

Grapefruit Pudding Cake

recipe adapted from Real Simple

serves 6

Ingredients:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 large eggs, separated

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 cup milk ( I used 1% but whole milk will work well)

1 tsp. finely grated grapefruit zest

1/3 cup fresh grapefruit juice

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 350° F. Place six 4-ounce ramekins inside a large roasting pan. ( You can also use a two-quart baking dish instead, but the baking times will change.)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and flour and set aside. In another medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and melted butter until well combined. Whisk in the milk and grapefruit zest and juice. Add the grapefruit mixture to the sugar mixture. Whisk until smooth.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and salt on medium-high until stiff peaks form about 3 minutes. Do not overbeat! Gently fold the egg whites into the lemon-sugar mixture in 3 additions.

Pour the pudding evenly into the ramekins or baking dish. (At this point the pudding cakes can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 hours before baking.) Add enough hot water to the roasting pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins or baking dish. Bake until tops are golden brown, about 40 to 45 minutes for cakes in ramekins. (It will take 30 to 35 minutes for a cake in a 2 quart baking dish.) Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with fresh berries. Enjoy!

5 Delicious Pudding Recipes To Try Now

Do you like chocolate pudding? How about midnight black chocolate pudding? Head to Joy the Baker’s Blog for her recipe. This might just be the perfect dessert to make for Valentine’s Day.

I loved instant banana pudding when I was a kid. The addition of salted caramel sauce takes this banana pudding up a notch. Yum!

Tapioca pudding sounds a bit retro for dessert these days, but I still love it. Smitten Kitchen’s recipe for coconut tapioca pudding with mango makes it fresh again. Try it!

Want to learn how to make your own instant vanilla pudding mix? Head here.

How about a healthy pudding full of fiber, anti-oxidants and omega-3 to keep your January health kick going? Martha has a recipe for you.

Steel Cut Oats with Poached Pears, Pomegranate Seeds and Almonds + 5 Healthy Breakfasts for 2014

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“Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come,
Whispering ‘it will be happier’…”  Alfred Tennyson

A box of steel-cut oats sat in my pantry for far too long. They kept staring at me, begging me to make something with them, but I avoided it. I am a bit intimidated by steel-cut oats. I know they are healthy, but they seem like too much work at 6:30 in the morning with two kids begging for breakfast and a dog whining to go out. This past weekend I decided to give them a shot. Maybe the new year motivated me or maybe the bitter cold, but either way I set out determined to make a tasty and hearty breakfast. I researched recipes and found one on the vegan food blog Oh She Glows. The recipe mentioned making it ahead and reheating them for up to 4 breakfasts. Perfect. The kids won’t touch it, but Bubba and I will have a hearty and healthy breakfast for two days? Sounds great!

sco0002Here are the very intimidating oats. I know that sounds crazy! I am so glad I gave them a shot. The oats are packed with fiber, protein and iron, so I feel good eating them. 1 cup will serve 4 people. If cooked properly the oats are creamy, warm and comforting: perfect for cold, gray winter days.

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Nearly every morning we eat some sort of fruit with breakfast. This week it is pears. I found a recipe for poached pears by David Lebovitz. This recipe is so easy and the result is soft and sweet pears with just a hint of vanilla and cinnamon.

sco0027Seeding a pomegranate is difficult, but the Kitchn has a great tip that makes the whole process a lot easier and less messy. The seeds are a nice addition to the pears and chopped almonds. They add a little tartness which I enjoy.

sco0045The steel-cut oats taste best served immediately. If you want to save the oats for the next day; allow them to cool to room temperature and then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. When ready to eat, add a little milk and reheat in a microwave or on the stove. Give them a shot this winter. Your body will thank you!

Make Ahead Steel Cut Oatmeal with Poached Pears, Pomegranate Seeds and Almonds

recipe adapted from Oh She Glows

serves 4

Ingredients for Oatmeal:

2 cups of water

2 cups of milk (I used 1 percent)

1 cup uncooked steel-cut oats

2 large bananas, mashed

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

pinch of salt

1 tbsp. ground flax seeds

3 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (optional)

1/2 cup chopped, raw almonds (optional)

Directions for Oatmeal:

Combine water and milk in a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil. Add steel-cut oats and a pinch of salt. Stir and reduce heat to low.

Stir in mashed bananas and flax seed. Simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When oats are creamy and soft, remove from heat. Stir in cinnamon and vanilla extract. Top with poached pears, pomegranate seeds and chopped almonds. Serve immediately. If making ahead, allow oats to cool to room temperature and then transfer them to an air tight container and refrigerate. When ready to eat, add a little milk and reheat in the microwave or on the stove. Enjoy!

Poached Pears

recipe barely adapted from David Lebovitz

serves 4

Ingredients for Pears:

2 cups of water

2/3 cup of granulated sugar

2 Anjou pears, peeled, cored and sliced

1 vanilla bean

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 cup golden raisins

Directions for Poached Pears:

In a medium sauce pan, heat water and sugar until warm and the sugar has dissolved. Add vanilla bean and cinnamon stick. Add sliced pears and keep water at a low boil for about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow pears to cool in the liquid. While still warm, add the raisins. When ready to use as a topping for the oatmeal, strain pears and raisins, reserving the liquid in a separate bowl, and add to the cooked oatmeal. Refrigerate any leftover pears in their liquid for up to 5 days. Reheat gently on the stove. Enjoy!

5 Healthy Breakfasts You Should Try in 2014

If you are a fan of smoothies, try Martha’s fruit and oat smoothie recipe.

Looking for a delicious gluten-free scone recipe? Head here.

I love pancakes and I don’t plan on giving them up now or ever. Brooklyn Supper’s buckwheat pancake recipe with poached clementine syrup is definitely on my list of recipes to try this year.

Tacos for breakfast? Head here for the super-food packed recipe.

I know I should eat more kale this month and maybe try a detox smoothie, but I want a muffin. This pear and hazelnut muffin looks delicious.