Peanut Butter Cupcakes With Milk Chocolate Frosting:
For the cupcakes:
3 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
3/4 cup of unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), at room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter, preferably Skippy
4 eggs
1 cup whole milk
For the frosting:
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
Dash of salt
2/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons
whole milk
Chocolate flakes or sprinkles (optional).
1. To make the cakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard muffin tin with baking cups. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars on low to combine and then beat on high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in the peanut butter, then add the eggs, one at time. On low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and milk to the batter in three parts. Fill the baking cups with batter. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
3. For the frosting: Sift together the confectioners’ sugar, salt and cocoa powder. Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth. On low speed, slowly add the chocolate mixture. Pour in the vanilla and the milk, a little at a time, until the frosting reaches a creamy consistency.
4. When the cupcakes are cool, frost them. If you choose, decorate with chocolate flakes or sprinkles. Makes about 24 cupcakes. Adapted from Vanilla Bake Shop in Santa Monica, Calif.
Friday, August 1, 2008
RECIPES FOR HEALTH-Frittata With Greens
This is a typical Provençal or Italian frittata, something that is quickly thrown together, especially if you make a point of washing and blanching greens when you get them home from the market. It works best with the more tender greens like chard, beet greens, and spinach.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound Swiss chard (any color), beet greens, or spinach, stemmed and washed thoroughly
Salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
Freshly ground pepper
8 large or extra-large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
PROCEDURE:
1. Heat a large pot of water over high heat while you stem and wash the greens in two changes of water. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, add a generous tablespoon of salt, and the greens. Blanch spinach for 30 seconds only, chard and beet greens for 1 minute, or until tender, and transfer to the ice water. Let sit for a few minutes, then drain, squeeze dry, and chop.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and stir in the greens. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until coated with oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
3. Beat the eggs in a bowl, stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly ground pepper to taste, the milk, and the cooked greens.
4. Clean and dry your pan and return to the stove. Heat over medium-high heat and add the remaining olive oil. Hold your hand above it; it should feel hot. Drop a bit of egg into the pan and if it sizzles and cooks at once, the pan is ready. Pour in the egg mixture, scraping every last bit out of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Swirl the pan to distribute the eggs and filling evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it slightly with one hand while lifting up the edges of the frittata with the spatula in your other hand, to let the eggs run underneath during the first few minutes of cooking. Turn the heat down to low and cover the pan. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan every once in a while, until the frittata is just about set. Meanwhile, light the broiler.
5. If the frittata is not quite set on the top, place under the broiler, about 3 inches from the heat, for 1 minute, watching closely, until just beginning to color on the top. Do not allow the eggs to brown too much or they’ll taste bitter.
6. Remove from the heat, allow to sit in the pan for 5 minutes or longer, then carefully slide out onto a platter, or cut in wedges in the pan and serve.
Advance preparation:
The greens can be prepared through Step 1 or Step 2 several hours or even a day or two ahead. The frittata can be made a few hours or even a day ahead and served at room temperature. It does not reheat well.
Note: If you use bagged baby spinach for this, rather than blanching in a pot of boiling water, place the spinach in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for a minute, then transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain, squeeze dry and proceed with the recipe.
Yield: Makes one 10-inch frittata, serving 4 to 6
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound Swiss chard (any color), beet greens, or spinach, stemmed and washed thoroughly
Salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
Freshly ground pepper
8 large or extra-large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
PROCEDURE:
1. Heat a large pot of water over high heat while you stem and wash the greens in two changes of water. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, add a generous tablespoon of salt, and the greens. Blanch spinach for 30 seconds only, chard and beet greens for 1 minute, or until tender, and transfer to the ice water. Let sit for a few minutes, then drain, squeeze dry, and chop.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and stir in the greens. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until coated with oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
3. Beat the eggs in a bowl, stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly ground pepper to taste, the milk, and the cooked greens.
4. Clean and dry your pan and return to the stove. Heat over medium-high heat and add the remaining olive oil. Hold your hand above it; it should feel hot. Drop a bit of egg into the pan and if it sizzles and cooks at once, the pan is ready. Pour in the egg mixture, scraping every last bit out of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Swirl the pan to distribute the eggs and filling evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it slightly with one hand while lifting up the edges of the frittata with the spatula in your other hand, to let the eggs run underneath during the first few minutes of cooking. Turn the heat down to low and cover the pan. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan every once in a while, until the frittata is just about set. Meanwhile, light the broiler.
5. If the frittata is not quite set on the top, place under the broiler, about 3 inches from the heat, for 1 minute, watching closely, until just beginning to color on the top. Do not allow the eggs to brown too much or they’ll taste bitter.
6. Remove from the heat, allow to sit in the pan for 5 minutes or longer, then carefully slide out onto a platter, or cut in wedges in the pan and serve.
Advance preparation:
The greens can be prepared through Step 1 or Step 2 several hours or even a day or two ahead. The frittata can be made a few hours or even a day ahead and served at room temperature. It does not reheat well.
Note: If you use bagged baby spinach for this, rather than blanching in a pot of boiling water, place the spinach in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for a minute, then transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain, squeeze dry and proceed with the recipe.
Yield: Makes one 10-inch frittata, serving 4 to 6
A BALANCED DIET
Do not eat meat more than once a day. Eat fish and poultry more often than red or processed meats because they are less fattening.
Avoid frying food. Fried food absorbs the fats from the cooking oils, increasing your dietary fat intake. Instead, bake or broil food. If you do fry, use polyunsaturated oils, such as corn oil.
Cut down on your salt intake. Limit table salt, or flavor intensifiers that contain salt, such as monosodium glutamate (MSG).
Include adequate fiber in your diet. Fiber is found in green leafy vegetables, fruit, beans, bran flakes, nuts, root vegetables, and whole-grain foods.
Do not eat more than 4 eggs per week. Although they are a good source of protein, and they're low in saturated fat, eggs are very high in cholesterol.
Choose fresh fruit for dessert, rather than cookies, cake, or pudding.
Eat a well-balanced diet. Too much of anything -- calories or a particular type of food -- has its drawbacks.
Follow the recommendations of the food guide pyramid.
Avoid frying food. Fried food absorbs the fats from the cooking oils, increasing your dietary fat intake. Instead, bake or broil food. If you do fry, use polyunsaturated oils, such as corn oil.
Cut down on your salt intake. Limit table salt, or flavor intensifiers that contain salt, such as monosodium glutamate (MSG).
Include adequate fiber in your diet. Fiber is found in green leafy vegetables, fruit, beans, bran flakes, nuts, root vegetables, and whole-grain foods.
Do not eat more than 4 eggs per week. Although they are a good source of protein, and they're low in saturated fat, eggs are very high in cholesterol.
Choose fresh fruit for dessert, rather than cookies, cake, or pudding.
Eat a well-balanced diet. Too much of anything -- calories or a particular type of food -- has its drawbacks.
Follow the recommendations of the food guide pyramid.
THE GIFT OF NATURE THAT U AVOID EATING
Nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden has created several lists of healthful foods people should be eating but aren’t. But some of his favorites, like purslane, guava and goji berries, aren’t always available at regular grocery stores. I asked Dr. Bowden, author of “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth,” to update his list with some favorite foods that are easy to find but don’t always find their way into our shopping carts. Here’s his advice.
Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters.How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases the antioxidant power.
Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches.
Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes.How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil.
Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol.How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal.
Pomegranate juice: Appears to lower blood pressure and loaded with antioxidants.How to eat: Just drink it.
Dried plums: Okay, so they are really prunes, but they are packed with antioxidants.How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and baked.
Pumpkin seeds: The most nutritious part of the pumpkin and packed with magnesium; high levels of the mineral are associated with lower risk for early death.How to eat: Roasted as a snack, or sprinkled on salad.
Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them “health food in a can.'’ They are high in omega-3’s, contain virtually no mercury and are loaded with calcium. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well as a full complement of B vitamins.How to eat: Choose sardines packed in olive or sardine oil. Eat plain, mixed with salad, on toast, or mashed with dijon mustard and onions as a spread.
Turmeric: The “superstar of spices,'’ it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dish.
Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen blueberries are available year-round and don’t spoil; associated with better memory in animal studies.How to eat: Blended with yogurt or chocolate soy milk and sprinkled with crushed almonds.
Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is high in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you up on very few calories.How to eat: Mix with a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters.How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases the antioxidant power.
Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches.
Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes.How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil.
Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol.How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal.
Pomegranate juice: Appears to lower blood pressure and loaded with antioxidants.How to eat: Just drink it.
Dried plums: Okay, so they are really prunes, but they are packed with antioxidants.How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and baked.
Pumpkin seeds: The most nutritious part of the pumpkin and packed with magnesium; high levels of the mineral are associated with lower risk for early death.How to eat: Roasted as a snack, or sprinkled on salad.
Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them “health food in a can.'’ They are high in omega-3’s, contain virtually no mercury and are loaded with calcium. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well as a full complement of B vitamins.How to eat: Choose sardines packed in olive or sardine oil. Eat plain, mixed with salad, on toast, or mashed with dijon mustard and onions as a spread.
Turmeric: The “superstar of spices,'’ it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dish.
Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen blueberries are available year-round and don’t spoil; associated with better memory in animal studies.How to eat: Blended with yogurt or chocolate soy milk and sprinkled with crushed almonds.
Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is high in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you up on very few calories.How to eat: Mix with a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.
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