Sweet and Spicy Almond Tapa

This is a fun, easy, tasty and nutritious addition to holiday cocktail parties or everyday lunchboxes!

1/4 cup raw sugar or maple syrup 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp smoked paprika 1.5 tsp dried thyme 1 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 2 large egg whites 2 Tbs water 1 lb raw whole almonds (about three cups).  If you can find RAW Marcona almonds, that's best; do not use roasted or salted almonds.

Preheat oven to 275°F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, preferably olive oil spray. Stir together raw sugar or maple syrup and spices in a large bowl and set aside. Whisk egg whites and water in a separate large bowl until foamy. Add almonds to the egg whites and stir to coat. Transfer the almonds to the spice bown and toss to coat.  Spread almonds evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the almonds for 30-40 minutes. Stir, reduce the oven temperature to 200° and bake until the almonds are dry and golden, about 30 minutes more. Let cool before serving, about 20 minutes. Tips Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or refrigerate for longer and pop in the toaster oven at 300 degrees for 3-5 minutes before serving.

Servings: 12 Yield: 3 cups

Cooking Times Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 40 minutes Total Time: 1 hour

Nutrition Facts Serving size: 1/12 of a recipe (1.7 ounces). Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients using Living Cookbook. Amount Per Serving Calories 226.78 Calories From Fat (66%) 148.85 % Daily Value Total Fat 17.8g 27% Saturated Fat 1.35g 7% Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 167.06mg 7% Potassium 273.75mg 8% Total Carbohydrates 12.34g 4% Fiber 4.54g 18% Sugar 5.63g Protein 8.3g 17% Vitamin A 119.34IU 2% Vitamin B12 0.01mcg <1% Vitamin B6 0.06mg 3% Vitamin C 0.27mg <1% Vitamin D 0IU 0% Vitamin E 9.46mg 95% Vitamin K 3.19mcg 4%

Peruvian Inspired Baked Vegetable "Fries"

This recipe is inspired by our favorite appetizer at a local Latin Restaurant, Aji.  While both ingredients and preparation are quite different than the Peruvian Papas a la Huancaina, it is that dish that prompted me to find a new way to use up some root vegetables in the fridge.  This makes a lovely contribution to a tapas party or a nice centerpiece for an evening meal, perhaps accompanied by a small salad.

For an even faster, vegan alternative, serve with a balsamic vinaigrette or vegan "goddess" dressing.

Serves 4 as appetizer, 2 as entree.

Veggies
1 large potato
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 zucchini
olive oil spray
salt and pepper
Sauce  
4 Tbsp goat cheese, ricotta, or queso fresco
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried basil
handful of crackers
salt and pepper
Garnish
8 black olives, quartered
2 hard boiled eggs, quartered
1 cup baby spinach, optional

Preheat oven to 400.  Spray baking sheet with olive oil.  Cut the potato and sweet potatoes into wedges about 1/2" thick on the bottom, and arrange on tray.  Spray tops with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake for about 30 minutes.

In the meantime, cut zucchini into similarly sized wedges.  Add to baking sheet, spray with olive oil, and bake everything for another 15 minutes, or until tender.

In the meantime, put all ingredients for sauce except for cracker in a food processor or blender, and blend until smooth.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Add crackers one at a time until thickened to desired consistency (should still be liquid).

If desired, spread baby spinach on plate.  Arrange vegetable wedges on plate.  Drizzle sauce over top, and garnish with the black olives and hard boiled eggs.

Chilean Empanadas - Empanadas de Pino

My partner, J's stories of childhood dishes have become a fun inspiration for many new kitchen experiments.  However, they weren't the beginning of my empanada journey.


My Porteña friend L. had introduced me to empanadas many years ago, when I reaped the benefits of her homesickness by enjoying an amazing (decadently carb heavy) meal of freshly made flaky pastries filled with cheese, followed by the lightest, most delicious, homemade gnocchi I've ever tasted. On a trip to Argentina in 2005 empanadas of the fast food variety, sold by every pizzeria, provided deliciously naughty vegetarian food - but nothing like the homemade delicacies to which I'd first been introduced.  My Puerto Rican friend E., to my delight, also took care to introduce me to vegetarian versions of Puerto Rican empanadillas.


For his birthday, though, J. wanted Chilean empanadas, specifically, empanadas de pino, which use a classic Chilean combination of minced meat, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and raisins.  At the same time, he was quite convinced I couldn't make them, and really didn't want me to try. He had thus set an irresistible challenge! I secretly wished I could have met his mother, with whom I am sure I would have enjoyed many hours of learning in the kitchen, but sadly this was not to be.


So, combing recipes online, I constructed these empanadas, adapted slightly to lower fat and sodium content.  They proved a success - even by J.'s high standards!

Vegetarians: I have made vegetarian versions using a mixture of fresh baby spinach and soy crumbles  - just saute together until greens are wilted, then drain.

DOUGH

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp coarse salt

8 Tbs non hydrogenated margarine or butter

2 egg yolks

2 Tbs apple vinegar

9 Tbs cold water

FILLING

1 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp spanish paprika

1/8 tsp cayenne

2 Tbs non-hydrogenated margarine or butter

2 medium onions -- chopped fine

1/2 lb extra lean ground beef

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp coarse salt

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup vegetable bouillon

3 Tbs golden raisins

8 kalamata olives -- chopped

1 hard-boiled egg -- chopped

BRUSH ON TOP

2 Tbs cold water

3 egg whites

1. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the butter, egg yolks, and vinegar and mix quickly and thoroughly with fork. Add 5 tablespoons of the water and continue mixing, adding just enough of the remaining water, a little at a time, to make a firm dough. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. For the filling, heat the margarine or butter in a saute pan. Saute onion slowly until carmelized, about 10 minutes. Add the beef, oregano, salt, and bay leaf and stock and continue cooking until the stock has almost -- but not quite -- evaporated. Mix in the raisins and olives. Remove from the heat and let cool. Stir in the chopped hard-boiled egg.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces.  Roll each into a circle about 5-inches in diameter. Place a heaping tablespoon of the meat filling about 1/2-inch from the edge of each circle. Brush the border of the circle with juices from the filling or with water. Form a trapezoid by folding the bottom up, then the sides in, then the top down. Prick the top of each empanada once or twice with the tines of the fork. Repeat until all empanadas are assembled.

4. Beat the egg white with the water. Spread parchment paper on a baking sheet. Arrange the empanadas on top and brush with egg white mixture. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden. Serve hot.

Servings: 8

Salmon Cakes

A slow Saturday morning on the day of the earthquake in Chile. My partner is waiting to hear word from his family, and sits glued to the tv with remote, cell, land phone, and computer arranged before him, hoping that somehow word from his brother and their family can get through soon. It has been nearly 15 hours, and soon the first waves will hit Hawaii... Seeing that he needs to be alone in his restlessness, I withdraw to the kitchen. This has a long tradition in my family, cooking for comfort, cooking to show our love.

2 egg whites
1 can salmon
1 tsp dill
3 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes
3/4 cup crushed crackers
2 T canola oil

Beat the whites lightly with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and flake together with the fork. Heat nonstick pan with oil until sizzlng. Form five patties and fry for about 6 minutes on each side.

I served over baby spinach, garnished with sliced almonds and drizzled with Annie's Naturals Gingerly Vinaigrette.