The Greeks know how to do Easter. Spanakopita is a staple for Greek Easter, along with all the lamb. I also call this delicious treat spanakopita Minus The -Opita What the what?! You know, the Greek spinach pie with the phyllo - spanakopita without the phyllo. "Pita" means pie in Greek.... So I guess it's really more like Greek spinach casserole, but spanakopita minus the -opita sounds like more fun to me. I make this for just about every holiday and party that I'm asked to bring ...| Swing Eats
This year for Thanksgiving, creamed spinach is on the menu. Why? Because everyone requested it. To be honest, it wasn't top on my mind for a veggie side. It's a classic for a reason. So simple to make. I used fresh spinach from my local farmers market. I recommend fresh spinach over frozen.| Swing Eats
Braising is my go-to method for cooking Brussels sprouts. It's super easy, cooking the Brussels sprouts perfectly by steaming them tender, while searing them with a slight browning. This recipe sounds fancy, yet so simple but no one needs to know. The trick is to cook up the bacon first to render out the bacon fat to cook the Brussels sprout in, removing the cooked bacon bits to be added in at the end. The braised Brussels sprouts are a perfect fall and winter side. I happened to b...| Swing Eats
Buckeyes are the confectionary for the state of Ohio. They resemble the nut of the Ohio buckeye tree. It's a confection made from a peanut butter fudge mostly dipped in chocolate, leaving a circle on top visible. To make them festive for the season, I topped them with candy eyes I purchased to a cake and candy store. I think they look adorable with the eyes - more adorable than spooky. These are homemade Halloween treats that are easy to make and everyone loves, if they like peanut ...| Swing Eats
Let me first start with the fact that Cincinnati chili is not chili. It's Greek spaghetti sauce that been embellished in a way that is much more appealing after a few drinks. Even if you don't drink, the first time you have it - it's so unexpected to the palette that you may not like it. Then you'll start to crave it.| Swing Eats
I love whoopie pies. They are individual cake sandwiches with whatever frosting/marshmallow sugary goodness my heart desires for the filling. Since the gooey filling is on the inside, that means less mess on my hands. Most importantly, the only special equipment I need to make perfect whoopie pies are parchment sheets and a scooper for consistent portioning. This makes for professional looking cake/cookies that all cook at the same time.| Swing Eats
Why zucchini? Because zucchini was in abundance and cheap ($1.50/lb) at the farmers market. Guaranteed fresh and tasty. This souffle/casserole is easy to make and will compliment any meal. You can make it ahead, even serve it cold or at room temperature.| Swing Eats
Cauliflower deserved to be dressed up a bit, made into a fritter, with other tasty ingredients that compliment this white variety of a cabbage. This flavor combo is perfect for cauliflower. This recipe turned out light and fresh, as much as a fritter can get. I pan-fried them in a minimal amount of avocado oil in a few batches. Avocado oil has a high smoke point and is heart-healthy. For a more time efficient cooking method, it may be easier and quicker to bake them in an oven; try ...| Swing Eats
Rosettes have been all a flutter in social media for the past year. It's a great trend; I love them. I decided to give these apple roses a try. Super easy. Here's an example video. Instead of using apricot preserves, I went with cinnamon sugar. Unfortunately for those of us who can't do gluten, puff pastry is not an option. As there's no gluten-free puff pastry on the market. I hope to change that one day! If you can find a roll-out, ready to bake gluten-free dough - use it!...| Swing Eats
Peanut butter & jelly makes me feel like a kid. Why not make PB&J sandwich cookies? They’re easy to make, transport, and eat. The simplicity of these peanut butter cookies are what make them so irresistible. This recipe I made extra peanut-buttery by adding in processed roasted peanuts rather than any type of flour. I also minimized the sugar in the recipe, just to add the necessary sweetness for the cookie.| Swing Eats
Onigirazu. O-ni-gi-ra-zu. It's fun to say, right? What is it? It's a Japanese rice sandwich. Perfect for any picnic, or as a portable snack. And even better - it's gluten-free and everyone will love them. No need for a fancy sushi mold or bamboo mat, just hand-folding this assembly will make a beautiful onigirazu. However, do use a short grain/sushi/sweet rice variety as it's sticky and will hold it all together. It can be white, brown, or a mix. Another trick it to have all you...| Swing Eats
*(Sorry about the formatting, as Google Blogger is not cooperating with my format changes.)| Swing Eats
Watermelon seems like the perfect way to cool off on a hot summer day. We I went to Greece, the locals preferred to eat it with feta cheese. They thought the saltiness of the feta brought out the sweet flavor of the watermelon. It does. I decided to take it up a couple of more levels with mint, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkling of sea salt. Try it. You may like it, too.| Swing Eats
Turnips. The enigmatic root vegetable. Deceivingly peppery with a pretty fuchsia exterior and a perfectly white interior. Typically for root vegetables, I either roast them or mash them. Look at this picture, root vegetables appear imperfectly beautiful. I thought celery root would make for a good flavor pairing with the turnips, given its intense celeriac character. Keeping it simple with rustic, with a dash of nutmeg, garlic, and white pepper for a hint of fall. Here's the fina...| Swing Eats
This week's blog theme is chocolate Valentine's desserts. My mind automatically goes to chocolate, then to panna cotta, then figuring out how I can incorporate Nutella into it. Normal progression of a normal person's thought pattern, right? I wanted to keep to the traditional panna cotta recipe, using sour cream to finish it, giving it a delicate brightness. I figured that could serve Nutella well. And it does. This recipe turned out to be very simplistic in its measurements and m...| Swing Eats
Happy Halloween! Trick or treating is really the best part of Halloween. However, as adults we find other means besides candy to indulge. Well, at least we have the best intentions. Looking at the seasonal produce, I saw so much squash. And spaghetti squash has a special quality about it. Once it's cooked, it breaks down into a spaghetti-like texture. I know it's an old trick, but it doesn't get old. It's easy, nutritious, takes on whatever flavor you give it, and everyone can...| Swing Eats
So continues Food Network's Fall Fest with squash. The first thing to come to my mind, as I sure most people's minds, is butternut squash soup. With good reason. It's comforting, warm, hearty, rich, and not that difficult to make. Most soups start with a mirepoix (onions, carrots, and celery), which creates the aromatic foundation. Then add in cooked tender squash, stock, seasonings, and puree. That simple. Well, I find the most difficult aspect is the handling of the butternut squash. Every ...| Swing Eats
Pumpkin is such a quintessential autumn ingredient and has become ubiquitous. "Panna cotta" is Italian for cooked cream and it is generally a simmered cream, sugar, and gelatin mixture that is eaten after chilling in the fridge and set up. It is one of my favorite desserts - so luxurious. I took the standard recipe and replaced half the cream with pumpkin pulp, used brown sugar instead of white sugar, and added in traditional autumn spices. I thought a brittle would compliment the tex...| Swing Eats
I have a small old-school Weber grill I haven't used in.... months. Grilled peaches - something I've always wanted to make and I knew now was the time. The assortment of peaches at the farmer's markets right now are amazing. Grilling the peaches caramelize the sugars and make them even more juicy. There are plenty of recipes of grilled peaches with either ricotta or mascarpone cheese. To be honest, I never know which one to use. I know I always have Greek yogurt in my fridge. I'...| Swing Eats
I appreciate simplicity in food. I see it as a testament to how good ingredients truly are. I went to the farmer's market the other day and found a perfectly imperfect tiny basket of tiny tomatoes of varying shades of red and yellow. The tiny fresh mozzarella cheese balls happen to be the same size of the tomatoes. I find that ratio is key for a successful insalata caprese and using tiny tomatoes and tiny mozzarella works perfectly.| Swing Eats
Trust me. Really. I know, I know this sounds totally bizarre.... These perfect little green gems are super easy to make, crisp and refreshing, and pack a little bit of heat. These make the perfect unexpected appetizer everyone is amazed that they like. Give it a go! (Biggest chemist secret: how to clean your hands properly after cutting a jalapeno.... Rub you hands with any kind of oil, followed by a good lathered wash with soap. It works! It removes all the capsicum that i...| Swing Eats
One of the wonderful little antipasto inventions is the frico from the northeastern region of Italy known as Friuli-Venezia Giulia. A frico is nothing more than a crisp-fried cheese wafer made with grated cheese. Even though it is simple, it can be bit tricky to make. Once you have made one successfully, it does seem so easy. Traditionally, the cheese used for making it is a three-month-old Montasio, a cow’s milk cheese with a buttery, creamy taste that melts very well. Traditionally, ...| Swing Eats
Only in the past couple of years have I discovered how awesome kale is. When talking about dark leafy greens, the nutritional powerhouse that is kale resides on top. My favorite way to prepare kale had been making chips out of them. The standard procedure consisted of lightly coating the whole kale leaves, stalk removed, season, and bake in oven at low temperature until crisp. Delicious, but too oily for me to call healthy. Then I kept hearing more about kale salad, where the kale is broken d...| Swing Eats
To be honest, I never heard of quinoa (pronounced: keen-wah) before my Celiac diagnosis. After my initial consultation with a dietitian, 12 years ago, I discovered a whole new world of grains that are gluten-free: quinoa, millet, buckwheat, teff, and so many others. They all have unique texture and taste as well as power-packed with nutrients. Quinoa has become one of my standbys. Quinoa is an ancient, super-food from South America. It contains about 14% protein and all of the essential amino...| Swing Eats
The flavor imparted to asparagus by roasting is usually overlooked. Roasted potatoes with rosemary remains a standard in my culinary repertoire for many years. Why not combine the two in one winning side dish? As an Angeleno, I love to go to at least one farmer's market a week. The produce in Southern California blows my mind. This week I picked up a tiny bag of fingerling potatoes and a beautiful bunch of asparagus from the same vendor. Asparagus can hold their own against roasting and ro...| Swing Eats