Copycat Almond Cashew Coconut Chai KIND Bars

As a birth doula, I rely fairly heavily on bars and other fast forms of caloric intake between double hip squeezes and other means of supporting my clients.  I eyed the Almond Cashew Coconut Chai bar at Starbucks and knew I'd appreciate that gem in my doula bag.  When the time came to consume my bar, I was not disappointed.  

Because my kids generally have an aversion to anything that I have painstakingly prepared for them, and because we are out an about quite a bit, I keep a steady supply for KIND bars on hand for snacks and those moments where I have to trick myself into thinking that it's a somewhat acceptable meal replacement.  I wanted to get this chai KIND bar in my rotation and it looks like I'm not the only one.  I found forums where this was the topic of conversation.  It turns out you can buy them individually at Starbucks with their mark-up or you can purchase a case of 72 from KIND.  I like them, but 72 is a lot to have on hand and my husband would certainly think I flew the cookoo's nest purchasing $100 worth of kind bars in one sitting.  

Did you know you can find almost anything on pinterest?  You can.  I found this little copycat recipe for Almond Coconut KIND bars and compared the "syrup" with other KIND copycat recipes I found.  So I had a good base for adaptation.  Chai spice was a little more tricky.  I couldn't find a prepared version in any of the markets I tried, so I found another pinterest recipe for Chai Spice and now we were getting somewhere.  Here's the recipe:  

Almond Cashew Coconut Chai KIND Bar

Ingredients:

Chai Spice Blend:

1 tsp. Ground Cardamom

1 tsp. Ground Allspice

2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

1 tsp. Ground Cloves

3 tsp. Ground Ginger

This will make a surplus of chai spice, but, trust me, you will want to make these again.

Nut Mixture:

1 C. Roasted and Unsalted Almonds

1 C. Roasted and Unsalted Cashews

2 C. Unsweetened, Shredded Coconut

1 Tbsp. Ground Flaxseed

Syrup:
1/2 C. Honey
1/3 C. Brown Rice Syrup
1 tsp. Chai Spice Blend
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/4 tsp. Salt

Instructions:

Grease a 9x9 baking dish.

Add toasted almonds, coconut and flax to large bowl.  Stir to combine; set aside.

In 1-1/2 or 2 quart saucepan, combine honey, rice syrup, chai spice, salt, and vanilla over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture reaches 260 degrees (hard ball stage) on a candy thermometer. Immediately, pour mixture over nut mixture, stir until evenly coated.

Quickly transfer to greased/sprayed 9x13 pan, use hands to spread mixture evenly in pan; press the mixture to close in holes and distribute evenly all over the pan. Using bottom of greased/sprayed drinking glass to tap and compact mixture in pan. Let cool 20 minutes (pan should still be slightly warm).

The original instructions say to invert pan on cutting board and tap until mixture falls out in one piece. I had to give my bars a little more help.  Cut into bars. (If they cool too much and become too hard or brittle to cut easily, put in warm oven for 1-2 minutes to soften; proceed with cutting.)

 STORAGE TIPS: Allow to cool completely before transferring to airtight storage container with parchment paper between layers. For take-along convenience, use parchment paper pieces to wrap individual bars burrito-style. Store at room temperature for up to 1 week. May refrigerate to extend storage or if firmer, less sticky bars are preferred. May be frozen.

Makes approximately 20 bars.

Almond Meringues

Every time I make Challah bread I lament the fact that I am throwing 6 egg whites away.  I hate to waste, but egg whites?  What am I going to do with egg whites?  The go to is anything meringue.  The thing is, I just don't love meringue.  As a child my mom would make gorgeous lemon meringue pies and my sister and I would split it.  She'd take the meringue, I'd take the lemony goodness.  But, I really shouldn't waste these egg whites.  And, I should probably have something to show after a day of solitude... OK.  Meringues it is.  Meringues they are?  Hmn.

I found a recipe for more pavlova style meringues and decided to omit the toppings and add some almond extract.  This is from a British recipe, so I am using grams.  It always turns out better than trying to use a conversion.  If you don't have a scale that can do grams and ounces?  Get one.  It's really handy.

Almond Meringues

makes 24 large meringues

Ingredients 

6 Egg Whites, room temperature
1 scant teaspoon almond extract
350 grams Sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Place egg whites into a large clean bowl.  Add almond extract and beat until they form soft peaks.  Add approximately 1/2 of the sugar and continue to beat. 
4. Add the remaining sugar one spoonful at a time until all is combined and the mixture forms stiff peaks.
5. Spoon the meringue onto the prepared baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes.
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 225 degrees and cook for a further 2-3 hours until crisp and dry.
7. When they are cooled they can be stored in an air tight container.

Sole with Brown Butter Lemon Sauce

It's not every day that a four-year-old asks for Sole A La Meuniere, but you know when he does that it must be something special.  My kids aren't big eaters.  I've said it before, but it's true.  This is the ONLY recipe I have that everyone wants more of.  The last few times I've made it I have noticed the disappointment on my husband's face when the boys say they'd like seconds leaving none for him.  So, next time we'll be making a double batch and there will be seconds for everyone!

Ingredients

1 lb. Dover Sole fillets

Grapeseed Oil

1 1/4 tsp. Salt

6 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter

1/2 tsp. Black pepper

2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

1 C. Flour

1/4 C. Flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Dry the sole fillets. Mix flour, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a large flat dish (I use a pie plate).  Dredge the fillets in the flour and shake off the excess. Stack layers of fish between wax paper.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large sauté pan over a medium high flame. When the oil smokes, add 2 fillets and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side (depending on thickness). Transfer to a baking sheet and place in the warm oven; repeat with the remaining fillets. Add oil as necessary, heating to the smoking point before adding the fillets.  

Meanwhile, in a saucepan melt butter over a medium flame, stirring frequently. It will melt, foam, subside, and then begin to bubble again and turn a nutty brown.  Remove from heat immediately as it burns quickly at this point.   If you feel like you need more help with the brown butter, see this tutorial: How to Brown Butter.  Add the lemon juice, parsley, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and several grindings of white pepper to taste. Serve the fillets on warm plates with the sauce spooned over.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

 The trouble with most pumpkin cookies is that they are gooey - not in a decadent way, but in a "I can't let these touch each other or they will all stick to each other" kind of way.  A while back I came upon the Cook's Illustrated recipe for Pumpkin pie, where you cook some of the liquid out of the pumpkin to help improve the texture.  I thought maybe that would help with pumpkin cookies a bit.  The base for this recipe is based on these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies and I really love the result.  To me brown butter and fall go hand-in-hand.  To be sure they are still soft, especially if you are not careful to cook them thoroughly, but especially right out of the oven they have a nice crispy exterior.  They tend to soften more as they are stored.

Ingredients 

1 C. (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter
1 C. White Sugar
1 C. Light Brown Sugar
2 Lg. Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 C. Canned Pumpkin Puree
3 C. All-purpose Flour
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Ground Ginger
1/4 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
1/4 tsp.Ground Cloves
12-ounce bag Milk Chocolate Chips, not semisweet
Nonstick cooking spray, parchment paper or stoneware baking sheet

Instructions

Slice butter into smaller chunks and place in a saucepan or skilled over medium heat, stirring frequently.  Do not use a dark bottomed pan and it will be hard to tell when the butter is adequately browned.   See How to Brown Butter for a photo tutorial.   Remove butter from heat immediately and allow to cool for about 20 minutes.

While you are browning the butter, on a separate burner, place pumpkin puree in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to simmering and reduce temperature.  Cook stirring frequently until the mixture has reduced and thickened slightly and looks glossy.  About 10 minutes.  Allow to cool for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.

Directions Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.

Pour browned butter in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree.  Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips.

Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges.  Adjust time for stoneware. Often people want their cooking a little softer, so they take them out while they are still soft in the middle.  Pumpkin cookies will be naturally softer and so you really do want to make sure they are cooked in the center.  Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

My kids love the packets of apple cinnamon oatmeal, but I always feel funny about them.  Like, what is really in them?  And, oatmeal is so easy to make, does it really need a shortcut?  I get the whole traveling, camping utility of oatmeal packets, but I also like knowing I can spell everything in the food I serve my family.  So, I came up with this recipe as an alternative.  This is super quick and tastes so fresh.  Right away you'll notice the true apple taste is nothing like the store bought flavor.

Ingredients

2 Apples

2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

3/4 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

1 C. Oatmeal

2 1/4 C. Water

2 pinches Salt

Instructions

Peel apples and grate them over a medium sauce pan.  Add brown sugar, cinnamon, oatmeal, water and salt and stir to combine.  Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium low.  Cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until water is absorbed.

Makes 2 large servings, 4 kid-size.

Fried Eggs and Asparagus

Last weekend Scott and I were in a mountain town celebrating my birthday without kids.  We stopped into a place that is renowned for breakfast.  Admittedly, I wasn't in a great mood.  But, when a breakfast place can't get the coffee right, weeeeell...  I had considered just going for the bread pudding because, hey, it was my birthday and there are eggs in it, right?  I decided to behave and get the two eggs, bacon and potatoes instead, but when I asked the waitress to cook the eggs sunny-side-up, but make sure the white was cooked, while the yolk is runny...  (I know what you're thinking.  I am that person.)  Suffice it to say we had a disagreement about what can and cannot be done with eggs and before things escalated I settled on the bread pudding and decided to mooch bacon from the man who doesn't dine on the swine.

Growing up we called fried or sunny-side-up eggs "dip eggs" because they are so good to dip your toast in.  Remarkably many of my childhood memories center around soft-yolked eggs and eating them with family members and neighbors I love.  Without question they fit into my comfort food category.  These days they go by the name flat-eggy and my middle child gobbles them up.

Now, I love cooking - it's often the quiet part of my day when school is done and the kids are playing outside or entertaining themselves and I get to huddle in the kitchen and cook and putz around mostly in peace.  But there are some days when I am lacking the energy, time, or creativity to whip up something fancy.  On these days I love resorting to breakfast for dinner and one of the easiest and most balanced ways to do this is to cook up some veggies and throw a fried egg over the top of it and serve it with toast.  I love how the soft yolk runs over the veggies.  

Fried Eggs and Asparagus

Serves 2

This isn't so much a recipe as an idea - adjust the quantities of asparagus and eggs to suit your needs.  

1 bunch Asparagus

4 Eggs

1 Tbsp.(ish) Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Rinse and trim the dry ends off the asparagus.  Place on a dishtowel and blot dry then transfer to a cookie sheet.  Pour olive oil over the asparagus and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Rotate the asparagus and make sure it is coated with the oil and seasoning and arrange in a single layer on the cookie sheet.  Roast for about 20 minutes, or until your desired tenderness.

Meanwhile, when you have about 5-10 minutes left on the asparagus, heat up a non-stick skillet over medium heat and spray with non-stick spray or a touch of oil.  Crack eggs into skillet and reduce heat to low.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and allow them to slowly cook until they reach desired firmness.  As we now know, my preference is for them to have a runny yolk, but firm white that isn't burnt on the bottom, which can best be achieved by cooking them low and slow.

To serve: place 1/2 portion of asparagus on each plate and top with two eggs.  Don't forget the toast.

Baked Cod with Crunchy Lemon-Herb Topping

No. I didn't take this picture. Truth be told, pictures are the main reason I haven't been posting. I just can't be bothered to stop and take pictures while I'm cooking or even less-so when dinner is ready and I'm trying to get everything on the table. I don't know how those other bloggers do it! So, this picture is courtesy of Cook's Country, a more down-home version of Cook's Illustrated. I've made this a couple times and both times we really liked it. Ok. It has mayonnaise in it, but sometimes you just have to overlook those bits of country and get something quick and tasty on the table. At Trader Joe's I didn't see Cod Filets, but they did have Cod pieces, which actually worked fine...just be sure to keep and eye on them because they won't take as long to cook.

Baked Cod with Crunchy Lemon-Herb Topping

1 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
24 Ritz Crackers, crushed into coarse crumbs (I used Whole Wheat Ritz)
2 Tbsp. Minced Parsley, divided
3 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
2 sm. Garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. Lemon Zest
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
4 skinless Cod Filets (about 2 lbs)
Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon wedges for serving (optional)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat over to 450 degrees. Grease baking sheet with butter. Toss cracker crubs and 1 Tbsp. parsley together in medium bowl. Mix remaining parsley, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice together in a small bowl.

Pat fish dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Place on buttered baking sheet, spacing pieces about 1/2 inch apart. Brush tops and sides of fish with mayonnaise mixture, the press cracker crumbs into mayonnaise.

Bake until crumbs are golden brown and fish flakes apart with fork, about 15 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Breakfast Quesadillas

I was kvetching on facebook the other day about how I was looking for some recipes to sneak veggies in for the boys and found some ridiculous junk food labeled "healthy." I am not super strict about junk food, but let's call it what it is. If anything has marshmallow in it or peanut butter chips it's probably not healthy. Anyway, from it I received lots of great suggestions for kids food including a website called Weelicious, where I found a recipe for Breakfast Quesadillas. I tucked the recipe away in my "Misc Recipes" document (that is about 50 pages of recipes that I'd like to try, cut and pasted into one document) thinking it might be fun to try sometime. Aitan won't eat eggs in an form - scrambled, hard boiled, over easy - they go in, they go out. Whereas they are Ilan's go to food.

So, Scott is out of town and Saturday night Steph and Stephanie came over for a sleepover. We made plans to find the Kogi truck and get cupcakes and lots of girl time. Trouble is the kogi truck, or so we thought, wouldn't be close by until 7:30. The boys both took naps, so I figured it would be okay to keep them up a little late. I needed to feed them, though, and didn't have a lot of stuff in the fridge. So, Breakfast Quesadilla for dinner. They both liked them, so I fantasized about how I could make them a better meal for the boys. I had already planned to make Spinach and Basil Pesto this week and I added whole wheat tortillas to my shopping list.

So, this is my adaptation. The boys love it. Success.
Breakfast Quesadilla

1 Egg
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Garlic Powder
Cheese (your choice)
2 Whole Wheat Tortillas
Spinach and Basil Pesto

Place an omelet pan over medium heat and spray with cooking spray or oil. Whisk egg and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pour the egg into the pan and tilt pan to spread egg in an even layer. When egg is almost solidified sprinkle with cheese and top with a tortilla. Spread a layer of pesto on the remaining tortilla.

When the egg is cooked use a spatula to loosen it and invert it onto a plate (so the egg is on top) and slide back into the pan, tortilla side down. Sprinkle the egg with cheese and place the tortilla on top. When cheese on the bottom half is melted flip the quesadilla until the rest of the cheese melts.

Cut and serve.

Chimichangas

I saw a recipe for chimichangas in Sunset magazine that sounded like a nice veggie meal. But when I started thinking about it I knew that Ilan wouldn't eat it as far as he could throw it. So, I made the nopales and poblano version for Scott and I and made a few black bean and cheese chimichangas for the boys. Ilan loved it! So, we've been on a bit of a black bean and cheese chimichanga kick lately. They're really easy to do...even moreso if you have a toaster oven! I made one today in a non-stick skillet, too. Just brushed the oil on and voila! Nice and crispy and cooked in under 5 minutes.

The Poblano and Nopales Chimichanga recipe is available from the sunset link above. To make the black bean and cheese version I just used shredded cheese, black beans, garlic powder and a touch of salt for the filling.

Macaroni and Cheese

Okay...another M from the Barefoot Contessa. What can I say? It sure is good. Pictured here without tomatoes, but quite good with them.

Kosher Salt
Vegetable Oil
1 lb. Elbow Macaroni
1 qt. Milk
8 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, divided
1 /2 C. Flour
12 oz. Gruyere Cheese, grated
8 oz. Extra-Sharp Cheddar, grated
1/2 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
3/4 lb Fresh Tomatoes
1 1/2 C. Fresh White Bread Crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed and processed in food processor)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but do not boil. Melt 6 Tbsp. butter in a large pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1Tbsp Kosher Salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the ooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3 qt. baking dish.

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter, combine with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Marshmallows

It's M week and so we decided to whip up a homemade batch of Ilan's favorite food, courtesy of the Barefoot Contessa. I'm not generally a marshmallow fan, but these sure are good. I would imagine that you could use almond extract or even mint extract (probably in smaller quantities) to give these a different kick. Bobbi even suggested rolling them in cocoa instead of powdered sugar. I don't know if they make Kosher gelatin, but they might.

3 pkg Unflavored Gelatin
1 1/2 C. Granulated Sugar
1 C. Light Corn Syrup
1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
1 Tbsp. Pure Vanilla
Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Combine the gelatin and 1/2 C. of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 C. water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. Put the mixer on high speed and whip until the mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.

Ilan had to change his shirt after licking the beater.

With a sieve, generously dust and 8x12-inch nonmetal baking dish with confectioners' sugar. Pour the marshmallow mixture into the pan, smooth the top, and dust with more confectioners' sugar. Allow to stand uncovered overnight until it dries out.

Turn the marshmallows onto a board and cut them in squares. dust them with more confectioners' sugar.

Will enjoying a marshmallow.

Kettle Corn

Last week for one of our K exercises we made Kettle Corn and failed miserably. I think in my effort to keep the sugar from burning (cooking over a lower temp.) the popcorn didn't get hot enough to pop and ended up burning. So, this time, when Ilan requested kettle corn for family game night, I kept it hot and had a great result. This recipe makes a large bowl of popcorn, which is really hard to resist.

1/4 C. Oil
1 C. Popcorn
1/2 C. Sugar
Salt to taste

Heat oil and popcorn in large pot with lid on. When you can hear the oil sizzle add the sugar and stir. Return lid to pot and shake occasionally to keep everything from burning. When popcorn starts to pop shake vigorously over the burner. When all the popcorn is popped pour it into a large bowl and sprinkle with a generous amount of salt and toss to coat. Enjoy!

Malted Milk Cupcakes

I'm pretty sure this is the recipe Marilee sent me when I needed a good cupcake recipe for Ilan's baseball themed birthday party. When Kay made them for Marilee's shower I thought they were amazing...and asked for the recipe. Turns out I already had it!!

Ingredients
1 box instant chocolate pudding
1 package plain yellow cake mix
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

Place cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, water, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds until the ingredients are well blended. Scape down the sides of the bowl and mix on medium and beat for 2 minutes. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Fill the cupcake liners with 1/3 cup of batter into each liner

Malted Milk Buttercream Frosting

1 stick butter room temperature
3-1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
5 tablespoons ovaltine
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
whoppers

Whip butter, then add confectioners' sugar, malted milk powder,milk, and vanilla. Blend with mixer on low speed. Scrape down sides and mix on medium until fluffy.

Chop malted milk balls and sprinkle onto of frosted cupcakes.

Family Food Friday: Sam I Am Eggs

I am not going to promise that I will be diligent about posting a family food idea every friday, but I've been thinking about doing something like this for a while. Most moms I know have a hard time coming up with easy, healthy foods for their kids, so, when I have one I'll share it. This week's: Sam I Am Eggs.

Ilan hardly eats. Honestly. He just doesn't have much of an appetite, so it's really important to me to make sure that most of what ends up in his mouth is pretty nutritious. Of course, it doesn't always end up that way and veggies are the hardest thing to get in. One of the things I've been doing lately for breakfast is taking leftover broccoli, asparagus or even fresh spinach and giving it a fine dice and tossing it in with some scrambled eggs. When the eggs are almost done I might add some shredded cheese - whatever I have on hand. Ilan eats it up and the first time I made them he called them Sam I Am Eggs, which I thought was pretty clever.