Italian Gluten-free Pignoli (Pinoli) Holiday Cookies

Gluten-free Pignoli (Pinoli) Holiday Cookies

Amaretti con Pignoli for Easter or Christmas

Gluten-free - Salt-free 

Italian pignoli (pinoli) cookies are enjoyed at Christmas and Easter time. They can be made anytime of year and make wonderful homemade gifts. Pignoli cookies are quick and easy to bake. The cookies feature pignoli nuts, which are nutritious and also known as pine nuts. 

Pine nut Nutrition: 3 Tablespoons contain: 0g trans fat, 10g polyunsaturated fat, 5g monounsaturated fat, 1g dietary fiber, 4g protein, 1.5 mg (8% DV) iron, 170 mg (4% DV) potassium, and several other micro-nutrients including zinc and manganese.

For this recipe, I first looked online since these cookies are a very popular Italian cookie and baked by millions of people around the world. My mother never mentioned her mother or grandmother making these cookies. Mom's family was from Sicily; these cookies originated there. My first online choice for the recipe inspiration came from a beloved and excellent Italian chef, Chef Lidia Bastianich. 

Celebrity Chefs 

At a high profile press dinner at The Supper Club in Manhattan, New York back in 2003, is where I met several celebrity chefs including, Chef Lidia. The show was designed to highlight 11 restaurants slated to open at the new Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City. I was still in culinary school and will forever remember briefly meeting and greeting Chef Lidia in person.  

To be among the few students selected by the Academy of Culinary Arts was an honor. We traveled by limo to the "Borgata, the Event" in New York. It was so exciting to be among so many great chefs like Lidia, Bobby Flay, Susanna Foo, Aaron Sanchez and Wolfgang Puck. I remember bringing my culinary tool box with me and being on stage representing chefs of the future. 

Gluten-free Pignoli Cookie Recipe

• Preheat the oven to 350 deg F
• Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment or foil. Apply light non-stick spray 

Yield will vary depending on your scoop size, your mixing technique, type of sugar used and the amount of egg whites used. Lidia does not use confectioners sugar, but I decided to use it to make the cookies have less spread. I probably over mixed my first batch. Over mixing warms the almond paste dough and the cookies will spread more. Also, like in Lidia's recipe, I did not add any vanilla or almond extract, or salt, as seen in some recipes; the almond paste provides plenty of good flavor.

• Sticky dough Yields: 28, 3-inch cookies
• Firmer dough Yields: 3 dozen 2-inch cookies 

Ingredients

• 1 lb (454g) container almond paste (I used California Almonds: Mandelin Premium Almond Paste)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 3 large egg whites, room temperature
• 8 oz (227g) pignoli nuts in a pie plate or large dish (you will have some leftover)

Putting it all together

1. Add the almond paste to your food processor or mixer. I used our KitchenAid and used the whisk; pulse to break up the almond paste. It is sort of like play dough; you may need to stop the mixer and push the dough back in if it starts to work its way to the top. 
2. Gradually add in both sugars, mix and pulse off and on until well blended. At first it will look like clumps of candied ginger. Mix until it looks more like coarse sand.
3. Add the egg whites. Mix until well blended and smooth. 
4. If the dough is too sticky to hold, it can be refrigerated to slightly firm.
• If your dough is too sticky to hold, use a small scoop, spoon dough onto baking sheet; Top with pignoli nuts; gently spread them around on each cookie.
• If your dough is firm enough to hold, pinch off some and form into small 1" ball and roll in pine nuts leaving a spot for the bottom without nuts; place onto baking sheet. 
• For Easter cookies, sprinkle colorful decorator sugar atop the pine nuts - optional.
5. Bake about 17 minutes or until golden
6. Allow to cool before removing from baking sheets 
• Serve with a sprinkle of powdered sugar - optional 

Enjoy! Happy Easter!

Related Links

Lidia's Pine Nut Cookies recipe 

Blog post, recipe and photos Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved. 

Quick and easy to prep Lentil Soup #GardenCuizine #nutritious #recipe

Lentil Soup

low sodium, high fiber 

low carb, low fat

Yields 3 quarts
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 celery sticks
3 carrots
1 medium onion
1 Tablespoon Bryani Paste*
2 teaspoons dried thyme
3 small tomatoes (or one small can diced tomatoes with liquid)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
10 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 cup whole lentils, rinsed 
1 teaspoon mild hot sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Putting it all together
Wash and chop celery, carrots, onion and tomatoes. Set aside. Heat olive oil in a soup stock pot. Add chopped celery, carrots and onion; stir. Simmer the aromatics letting them cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally for at least 10 minutes. Stir in the Bryani Paste and thyme. Stir in chopped tomatoes and garlic powder. Stir in water. Add lentils and bay leaves. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are soft. 

When the soup is finished cooking: remove the bay leaves. Stir in cheese and hot sauce. Puree some, not all, of the soup. Serve or store in quart containers - label, refrigerate or freeze.

• Serve with extra hot sauce and grated cheese (rather than salt) and a 1/2 sandwich, whole grain crackers or crusty bread
• Experiment with soup variations adding: potatoes, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric, Asofoetida, ginger, coriander or fresh garlic minced vs powder

Enjoy!
*Bryani is a paste blend of curry, ginger and tasty spices. Ask for it at your supermarket.

Excellent Source: Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A and Folate
Good Source: Vitamin C and Thiamin
If you're counting carbohydrates: Only 9g net carbs

GardenCuizine Nutrition Data Homemade Lentil Soup: 1 cup (281g): 122 calories; total fat 4g; saturated fat 1g; trans fat 0; cholesterol 2mg (1% DV); Sodium 137mg (6% DV); total carbohydrate 16g; dietary Fiber 7g (29% DV); protein 6.5g; Vitamin A 2806 IU (~56% DV); Vitamin C 6mg (~10% DV); Thiamin 0.2mg (~13% DV); Folate 108mcg (27% DV) plus other nutrients...

Related Links
Cooking Up Legumes Guide  
Recipe and photo Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Comfort food: Beef Pot Roast w/ garden veggies #GardenCuizine #crockpot #recipe

Slow Cooker Comfort Food

Pot Roast Dinner

Beef braised with Carrots,

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes 

and Gravy

Lately studies have been pointing to excess refined carbohydrates and not fat as being problematic for good health. Red meat, all cuts, can be part of a healthy diet when portion controlled in moderation and counterbalanced with foods found mainly in a Mediterranean Diet. 

Nutrient dense, healthy meals include vegetarian proteins, such as soy, legumes, nuts, seeds and other nutrient-rich plant foods such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains. And, healthy meal plans limit sugar and excess salt.

Eat Better by Planning Ahead
Planning ahead enables individuals and families to prepare healthy balanced meals. A 2 1/2 lb. piece of beef chuck yields high quality protein for several meals depending on the size of your family. And, although chuck is not considered a lean cut, a lot of the excess fat seen marbled throughout the beef will dissolve into the cooking liquid and can later be strained out. The reduced fat beef broth can be made into gravy. 

Crock-pot slow cooking allows for home cooked meals when you are busy at work or busy at home. Leftover pot roast can be frozen for use in other recipes such as: Black Bean Chili, Cottage Pie, Fajitas, Tacos and roast beef sandwiches.

Look for quality beef that is antibiotic and hormone free.

• A 3-ounce serving of beef provides 26 grams of protein plus essential nutrients, including iron, B vitamins and zinc.
• Evenly distributing daily protein intake at meals and snacks throughout the day (~20 to 30g/meal) helps maintain a healthy body weight and support a healthy metabolism.

Ingredients
2 1/2 lbs. boned Beef Chuck (we cooked USDA Choice*)
Olive oil
fresh ground black pepper
1 large onion, peeled and cut into wedges
4 carrots, cut into thirds
2 celery sticks, cut into thirds
1 hot pepper (we used one thin Thai pepper)
1 Tablespoon minced garlic (I used dehydrated)
3 bay leaves (grow your own tree!)
4 sprigs Italian parsley
few thyme sprigs (optional)
3 cups water
few twists fresh grated black pepper

Gravy 
3 cups broth from crock-pot after meat is cooked (strain fat)
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
Salt and black pepper

Putting it all together

• Sear the beef to add flavor - brown the outside. If your crock-pot is small like ours, cut the beef in half before searing so it fits. Sear each piece separately. Heat a large cast iron skillet* over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to coat bottom of skillet. Have a splash guard ready to prevent splatter. Add meat just long enough to brown the outside and not cook the meat. Use a spatula and turn to brown the other side. Remove and place beef directly into crock pot set on low. 
• Drain any excess oil from skillet.
• In skillet, brown carrots and onion. Add water, bay leaves, garlic and pepper. Turn off heat and stir to scrap up any brown bits on bottom. 
• Remove veggies to crock pot and ladle in liquid and cover. 
• Braise the beef by slow cooking until very tender when pierced with a fork - about 8 hours.

note that NO salt was added - with all the flavor you'll never miss it

Gravy

• Separate solids from liquid in crock-pot. I use tongs to put meat on a plate; strain the broth into a pot separating the cooked veggies. Pour into a gravy fat separator. Allow to rest while the fat floats to the top.
• In a clean pot, melt butter. Stir in flour. Stir in Worcestershire. Add broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste; stir. Simmer, uncovered about 5-10 minutes.
• Return gravy to crock-pot with beef and carrots; keep warm until ready to slice and serve.

Serve with a side of Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Buon Appetito!

* USDA Beef Grades include Choice and Select.

GardenCuizine Pot Roast Nutrition Data beef only: serving size 3 ounces (85g) - Calories 257; Protein 26g; total fat 16g (25% DV); Saturated fat 6.5g (32% DV); Monounsaturated fat 7g; Sodium 42 mg; Niacin 3.6 mg (18% DV); Vitamin B12 1.9mcg (31% DV);  Iron 2 mg (12% DV); Zinc 6 mg (40% DV); Selenium 24 mcg (34% DV)

Related Links
Saturated Fat Not So Bad? or Just Bad Science?
CookingLight Slow Cooker Favorites 
Recipe and photos Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

"But, I can't afford to eat healthy..." Cooking Healthy 101 #GardenCuizine pinto #beans #legumes #pulses

Cooking Healthy on a Budget

Cooking Pinto Beans

Frijoles Pintos

Yields 2 quarts of cooked beans!

• Start with a 16 ounce bag of Goya Pinto Beans, Frijoles Pintos for about $1.39 at your local supermarket. Rinse the beans in a strainer. Place in a stock pot. Cover beans with an inch or so of water. 
• I like to add a 2-inch dried piece of Wakame sea vegetable (available at Asian markets and natural foods stores). But, beans cook fine without it, if you don't have it.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover leaving a small opening for steam to escape; simmer until beans are cooked to taste.
• No need to pre-soak the beans. Cooking time only takes about 30-45 minutes.
• Also, no need to salt or season the beans. Wait until you use them in your recipes. 

Note: don't worry if you overcook them - pinto beans are delicious mashed with a little salt, pepper, onion and olive oil as refried beans, or as a spread in fajitas or mixed with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic as a bean dip.

• When cooked, strain and save the bean liquid. Divide beans into two quart storage containers. Top with bean liquid and refrigerate until ready to use in recipes. Any extra bean liquid can be tossed or used in recipes. I used our extra bean liquid in a quinoa recipe.

Buon Appetito!

Related Links
Take the Pulse Pledge
Blog post and photos Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Thyme for Chicken Zoodle Soup #GardenCuizine #lowcarb #recipe #EatWellAmerica

Thyme for Chicken Zoodle Soup!

Low Carb ~ Low Fat ~ Reduced Sodium 

Ingredients 
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion - diced
2 celery - diced
2 carrots - diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
9 cups no salt chicken broth (the best way to get nutrient-rich, NO SALT broth is to make homemade!)
2 1/2 cups roasted chicken pieces (bite size) 
1 teaspoon salt
2 Zucchini - spiral cut (Veggetti kitchen gadget works great)
3 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley - chopped

Putting it all together

• In a large stockpot over medium heat add olive oil. When hot: saute diced onion, carrots and celery until onion starts to become transparent. 
• Stir in garlic, thyme and cayenne. 
• Add broth and simmer until flavors blend. 
• Stir in cooked chicken and salt simmer another 15 minutes. 
• Using culinary shears or a knife, cut into the spiral cut zucchini noodles pile a few times to shorten the spaghetti-like strands. Add zucchini noodles, Parmesan cheese and parsley. Zucchini noodles cook fast so they are best added near the end.
• Serve with additional grated cheese at the table. Enjoy!

This GardenCuizine recipe was created just in time for American Diabetes Month®, which takes place every November. National Diabetes Month is a good time to come together as a community to Stop Diabetes®! 

Yesterday's Diabetic Cooking class at Inspira Health Network featured this recipe. Both adults and children had fun taking turns using the Veggetti spiralizer kitchen gadget.

Comfort food - Nutritious and Delicious
Homemade Chicken Zoodle Soup provides you and your family with double the Vitamin A and Vitamin C found in canned soups such as: Healthy Choice Chicken Noodle, Progresso Heart Healthy roasted Chicken Noodle or Campbell's 25% less sodium Chicken Noodle. 

Heart Healthy
Cooking your own soup gives you control of the salt content, making it a better choice for heart health. This recipe has low sodium of 235 mg per cup, versus 910 mg high sodium in Nissin Chicken Flavor Ramen noodles or 470 mg in Progresso's heart healthy Chicken Noodle Soup. 

Using zucchini in place of pasta or rice also makes homemade Chicken Zoodle Soup lower in carbohydrates, which benefits those keeping count for a healthy body weight and diabetes control.

Happy and Healthy Cooking! 

a few of the recent statistics on diabetes:

• Nearly 30 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes.
• Another 86 million Americans have prediabetes and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
• The American Diabetes Association estimates that the total national cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States is $245 billion.

American Diabetes Month takes place each November and is a time to come together as a community to Stop Diabetes®!
- See more at: http://www.diabetes.org/in-my-community/american-diabetes-month.html#sthash.z5qQ4cKn.dpuf

Recipe, photos, blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved. Stop Diabetes is a registered trademark of the American Diabetes Association.