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May 6, 2013
Date & Coconut Frozen Yogurt Sandwiches
When I splurge on dessert or make something decadent for company, I want it to be the best possible quality. This recipe uses dates, coconut, cinnamon and almonds for an unforgettable treat!
Yield: 8 sandwiches
Time: 1 hour plus 30 minutes or more freezing time
Ingredients For the Cookies:
1 cup minus 2 Tbsp. (14 Tbsp.) all-purpose flour, plus additional for forming cookies
6 Tbsp. confectioner’s sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
¼ cup ground (skin-on) almonds
½ tsp. cinnamon
⅛ tsp. salt
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
½ tsp. almond extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place the flour, sugar, cornstarch, almonds, cinnamon and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and almond extract and process until the dough comes together and forms a ball, about 30 seconds. The dough will be somewhat soft. To form the cookies into even sized pieces, on a floured work surface roll the dough into a ½” diameter “snake” and cut into 16 even pieces. Roll into balls. Using a tumbler, press each ball into a cookie 2 ½” in diameter by ¼” high and place on the baking tray. Bake cookies until just starting to brown on the edges, about 15 minutes. Keep the oven going for the coconut!
Ingredients For the Filling:
1/3 cup Medjool dates
5 Tbsp. unsweetened coconut, divided
1 cup coconut frozen yogurt or non-dairy low-fat frozen coconut dessert
Place the dates in a small bowl and cover with ¼ cup hot water. Let sit to soften, about 15 minutes. Drain (drink the water!) and finely chop.
Place the coconut on a baking tray and cook until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Allow to cool.
Soften the coconut frozen yogurt enough to make it easy to stir in the other ingredients without it becoming soup. (Use the defrost setting on the microwave if need be.) Stir in the dates and half of the coconut. Place 8 of the cookies on a work surface. Scoop the frozen coconut onto the cookies (about 3 Tbsp. for each), top with another cookie. Press to form a sandwich. Smooth the edges with a spatula or finger. Roll in the remaining coconut and place on a tray in the freezer to get hard, about 30 minutes or longer.
April 29, 2013
Mom Energy: A Simple Plan to Live Fully Charged
On My Nightstand
Mom Energy: A Simple Plan to Live Fully Charged
By Ashley Koff RD and Kathy Kaehler
Often, mom puts her family’s needs ahead of her own. As CEO of the household (and perhaps CEO of a company), mom spends her time taking care of everyone else’s business. At the end of the day, there is little gas left in the tank for mom to take care of herself.
In Mom Energy, Registered Dietitian, Ashley Koff, and fitness trainer, Kathy Kaehler, offer a safe, sensible, flexible and effective three-part program for mom to tap into her own natural energy sources and overcome fatigue to achieve her own personal goals.
Posted in: Books
April 26, 2013
DIY Nutrition
Q&A with Nutrition Expert and Cookbook Author, Tina Ruggiero MS, RD, LD
Award-winning nutrition expert Tina Ruggiero knows how to make food delicious and nutritious. Read on to learn about what inspired Tina to write The Truly Healthy Family Cookbook and visit her in her home, for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a cookbook!
- Your newest book, The Truly Healthy Family Cookbook, was just sent to the printer. How long did it take you to write the book – from shopping the idea to final edits?
Getting a publisher to buy a book proposal can take weeks and sometimes years, so it’s important that an author be prepared to wait, after her agent begins the process of pitching the proposal. I was fortunate that my proposal was purchased quickly; however, I was only given five months to write the book. So, from concept to production, this process took one year. - Why did you write this book?
The family, as we know it, has changed. Today, a family, can be anything from two mommies and a baby, to a blended family, to a single guy, his girlfriend and their dog. So, I wanted to feature “family meals” in a fresh, modern and relevant way that wasn’t being addressed in other books. My recipes are those you won’t find elsewhere. They feature mega-nutritious ingredients prepared in new ways, and the recipes offer incredible taste and supercharged nutrition. There are NO food exclusions in this book, either. I cook with wheat and eggs, milk and cheese, meat, fish and butter. Readers will be very surprised how healthy my recipes are, and each recipe is accompanied by some eye-opening facts about health and nutrition. This book is a direct reflection of how I eat and feed my family, and it transcends all ages, really. You don’t need kids to cook from this book, either (Hello, Boomers!). - How many recipes did you create, test and ultimately use in the book?
I created and tested about 175 food and beverage recipes, and 125 made the final cut. For example, you’ll find quick, mouthwatering and nutrition-packed recipes for Kale and Red Potato Frittata, Stuffed Pork Loin with Swiss Chard, Farro Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Bruschetta with Cherries and Arugula, and Peanut Butter, Chia and Jelly Thumbprints. - Where can we find The Truly Healthy Family Cookbook?
The book will be released on August 20th, and it will be available wherever books are sold. You can pre-order the book on Amazon now.
To find out more about the book, watch the trailer here!
Tags: cookbook, family cookbook, food exclusions, healthy cookbook, nutritious food Posted in: DIY Nutrition
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