#42: Healthy Snack Bars that Taste Great

Listed as #42 on Food & Wine's 100 Tastes to Try in 2007 are Healthy Snack Bars that Pass the Taste Test. The recommended "snack bar" is Gertrude and Bronner's Magic Alpsnacks which can be ordered from drbronner.com. I was hesitant to order these since you can not order an individual bar - you have to order a 12pk for $33.00. I missed the fact that there is a mixed case available and I ordered the Apricots & Cranberries version.

These are really interesting. They are not gooey and sugar-coated like most snack bars. Yet they are not dry and brittle like most health bars. They have a great consistency and satisfying flavor. At first I thought it was kind of nutty tasting. But then I read the ingredients and noticed they are made from hemp, which I had never eaten before. And I liked it alot! I brought the box of snack bars to my office and left it out on my desk. I work in a room with 6 guys and the box was empty when I came into work the second day. Everyone enjoyed them and even asked me if I was going to order some more.

Eggplant Ricotta Bake

Oregano: widely used in Greek and Italian cuisines


I chose oregano as the featured herb for my Weekend Herb Blogging entry hosted this week by Scott of Real Epicurean. Fresh oregano, not dried. I cook with oregano all the time but I barely ever buy it fresh. That will be changing. The fresh oregano that I added to ricotta cheese to make an Eggplant Ricotta Bake really made the dish.

Last week Everyday Food on PBS featured this healthy recipe and I new I wanted to make it sometime this week. I have been trying to cook with eggplant in different ways. While watching this recipe being prepared, it seemed to me that it was like an eggplant lasagna. Eggplant was being used instead of any noodles. It is stacked between tomato sauce and ricotta cheese layers.


Since it is made in an 8x8 dish, I made four portions of out it. I had it right out of the oven last night and really loved it. But it was even better when I had some leftovers for lunch! This is a great meal to make and take to work during the week. I think the flavors melded together a little bit more, plus the shape held together better after it cooled completely. This is a healthy meal that is filling without making you overly full.

Eggplant Ricotta Bake (serves 4)

Ingredients
2 large eggplanats (1 to 1 ¼ pounds each), sliced lengthwise ¾ inch thick
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for baking dish
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 container (15 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
(1 2/3 cups)
3 large eggs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried)
1 jar (16 ounces) store-bought marinara sauce (2 cups)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°. Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on two rimmed baking sheets. Brush lightly on both sides with oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast until eggplant is tender and golden, turning halfway through, 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta, eggs, ½ cup Parmesan, oregano, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoons pepper. Brush an 8-inch square baking dish with oil.

Lay a fourth of eggplant slices in bottom of prepared dish; spread with half of marinara sauce. Top with another fourth of eggplant; spread with half of ricotta mixture. Repeat layers, ending with ricotta; sprinkle with remaining ½ cup Parmesan. Bake until bubbling and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

#97: A Spoonful of Honey

"The only reason for being a bee is to make honey.
And the only reason for making honey is so I can eat it."

Winnie the Pooh

Did anyone know that the bees from Africa make honey? When I think of African Bees I think of Killer Bees. One too many late night movies I suppose. Well, I'm glad they do because Zambezi Organic Forest Honey is really something special.

Hidden in a lush forest at the source of the mighty Zambezi River lives a special honeybee that feeds only on flowering trees. Gathered using sustainable methods, our traditional beekeepers help to preserve the forest as well as the bees.

I do not know much about honey and I am certainly no honey connoisseur. I purchase a bottle of honey from the local grocery store from time to time, mostly when it is called for in a recipe. When I have it in the house I sometimes add it to tea. The only reason I bought this special honey is because it is part of my project to taste each item on Food & Wine's 100 Tastes to Try for this year. #97 on the list is African Honey. Zambezie Honey was the recommended honey from Food & Wine.

I used this honey when I made Corn Bread with Scallions. However the honey flavor was not very noticeable in that recipe. So to really try it, I had to be like Winnie the Pooh and just stick my paw in a take a taste. It is so good! Ever since I have been having a finger full each night, straight out of the jar.

Honey has become all the rage lately. It is coming is all sorts of flavors and from all parts of the world. In fact, I just ordered some Lavender Honey from Spain at Tienda.com earlier today. Zambezie honey is made in Africa. I purchased this 16-ounce jar online from Zambezie's website for $9.95.

Zambezie Organic Forest Honey honey has so many things going for it. It's organic so it comes from pure sources. The bees live wild in the forests near the Zambezi River of Africa. Since the bees are in their natural habitat, they do not feed on anything except their natural diet of wild flowers. Their website describes the taste: "You first discern a pleasant woodsy aroma, with hints of toasted caramel. The taste is slightly spicy, with subtle tangs of red currant. The warm amber hue is reminiscent of sunrise over the African forest." Doesn't that just sound delicious? I'm not the only one who thinks so . . . Kate from Kate in the Kitchen also gave it a positive review.

Have any of you tried or heard of any other interesting honey's lately? Also, does anyone have any creative uses for honey?

Trini's Curried Pumpkin and Rice

Coffer over at My Khazana of Recipes has started a new blogging event. January's theme for the first Monthly Blogging Patrol is Around the World.

Earlier this week I found the recipe for Curried Pumpkin and Rice on TriniGourmet.com. Her photo of the finished dish looked so amazing. When I read the ingredients I was hooked. Curry and Pumpkin. Two things I have wanted to start cooking more with. As a matter of fact, I have never cooked anything with a fresh pumpkin before so I got excited and immediately added the ingredients needed to my grocery list.


I will admit that I had a bit of an adventure trying to find a pumpkin in January. I know they are really popular in October and November, but I assumed I could get them year round. Not true, at least at the supermarkets near me here in Florida. My backup plan was to use a butternut squash or something like that. But I couldn't find any of those either. Finally I spotted some type of squash thing near the cut up cantaloupe and fresh papaya. It was called Squash Calabaza. I asked the guy at the counter if it was similar to a pumpkin. He said it's Spanish pumpkin. So I was set.

There so many reasons I can recommend trying this recipe. Here are my top 5 (except for the obvious that it tastes great):

1. This meal for 6 costs less than $10
2. You get to cook with fun ingredients like pumpkin and curry
3. It is very filling and very healthy. You can even use brown rice if you want.
4. Leftovers! This will make great lunches throughout the week.
5. Your house will smell great while it's cooking.


The final dish comes out more like and Italian Risotto than what I consider to be a traditional, saucy curry. And while it is filling, unlike Risotto, it is not overly heavy. It is almost refreshingly fulfilling if that makes sense. There must be something about the pumpkin. I did prefer it when I left my pumpkin in cubes rather than smashing the bits up as the recipe suggests. And I added a lot of Cilantro because that added an element of freshness.

Be hungry when you make this because the recipe makes yields quite a bit of food. I already have two Tupperware containers filled with my lunches for Monday and Tuesday. And tomorrow night the dogs are going to be getting some with dinner.

This is definitely a recipe that I will make again . . . and I rarely make anything twice.

note* based on six servings, a serving of this made with white rice is 7 Weight Watchers points.

Banana Cream Pie for Breakfast

Health magazine's January/February 2007 issue features several healthy recipes that look really good (and easy to make). The recipe for Banana Cream Pie caught my eye when they featured it for breakfast. It's kind of like yogurt with granona and fruit, but calling it Banana Cream Pie makes is sound so much better.

The key to this is a good tasting vanilla yogurt, so make sure you get one you like. Their recipe calls for whole-grain graham crackers so I used regular low-fat honey graham crackers and it still tasted yummy.

note* this meal has 5.5 Weight Watchers points

Banana Cream Pie (serves 1) 1 (6-ounce) vanilla low-fat yogurt 1 sliced medium banana 2 sheets whole-grain graham crackers, crumbled. Instructions Mix yogurt, banana and graham crackers.