Healthy Granola Bars

Most often, granola bars are laden with lots of extra sugar and less-than-good-for-you ingredients. The "healthy" part of them all but disappears at that point. Sure, there are a few good ones out there now, but they can be expensive. For the same price you can make an entire batch or more.

The best part is that the recipe below can be tweaked to your liking. Don't like dates? Sub in raisins. Want to cut back on the honey? Go for it. Got a thing against peanut butter? Well then you're crazy and I just can't help you. Or use a nut/seed butter. The possibilities are endless! Enjoy!

Healthy Granola Bars

Yield: 16 servings
Ingredients

• 1 cup dates
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup walnuts, roasted
• 1/2 cup peanuts, roasted
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats

Cooking Directions

1. Soak dates in water for 10 minutes.
2. Process dates in a food processor until small bits remain (about 1 minute). It should be able to roll into a ball, with a dough consistency.
3. Toast the oats at 350 F in the oven until slightly golden brown, about 15 minutes.
4. Place oats, nuts, and dates in a bowl.
5. Warm honey and peanut butter in a small pan over low heat. Stir and pour over oat mixture and then mix, breaking up the dates.
6. Once mixed, transfer to an 8x8 or 7x11 dish lined with parchment paper.
7. Press down until uniformly flat. Cover with parchment paper, and let set in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to harden.
8. Remove bars from pan and chop into 16 bars. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or wrapped up in the freezer.

The Easiest Macarons

This is the simplest and easiest macaron recipe I have come across that actually works well. It's not complicated, nor does it require a lot of time. Even better, the almond meal mentioned in the recipe is the very cheap one that is sold at Trader Joe's. Did you know they also sell cashew meal? I've yet to try it but it'd probably make a delicious macaron as well.

Be sure to not get any yolk mixed in with the egg whites, otherwise it won't make the meringue correctly. And no stiff, glossy peaks makes everyone sad. Let me know how yours turn out and what you like filling yours with. Enjoy!

The Easiest Macarons

Yield: about 30 macarons
Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
• 2/3 cup almond meal
• 3 egg whites, room temperature
• 1/4 cup white sugar

Cooking Directions

1. Through a sieve, sift the powdered sugar and almond meal together to remove large pieces.
2. Using a stand mixer, whip the egg whites on low speed until frothy. Gradually add the sugar, and then whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. The egg whites should be glossy and thick.
3. Fold half of the almond mixture into the egg whites. Add the rest. Fold the mixture 15 to 20 times; the batter will be thick and fall slowly from the spatula.
4. Put the batter into a pastry bag. Pipe 1-inch circles onto baking sheets lined with silicon mats or parchment paper. Let rest until a skin forms on top and is dry to the touch, 15 to 30 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time. If you are baking two sheets at a time, the bottom and top sheets should be switched to prevent browning on the bottom. If only baking one sheet at a time, bake on the bottom rack first for 5 minutes with an empty sheet on top. After 5 minutes, rotate the sheet and move the bottom sheet to the top and the top sheet to the bottom.
7. You will know the macarons are done when you can touch them and the top of the macaron is set, and it does not slide around under your finger. The macarons must be set before you take them out of the oven. If the macaron tops slide, put them back in the oven on the middle rack for another 2 minutes.
8. Let them cool for about 10 minutes on the baking sheet and then take them off. Fill as desired with your favorite fillings. A honey buttercream recipe follows. Allow the completed macarons to sit for at least a few hours.

For the honey buttercream:

Makes enough to fill about 40 macarons

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons honey

Cooking Directions:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter using the whisk attachment for about 2 minutes. Slowly add the powdered sugar, and whisk until everything is incorporated. Do the same with the honey. Beat another minute or so to get everything well incorporated.

Honey Walnut Cigars

If you've ever had a craving for baklava but really don't want to spend the next few hours making it, this will satisfy you. It's simple and much quicker. I threw this together with some extra filo dough and nuts we had around. It really hits the spot for a healthy filo dessert. Enjoy!

Honey Walnut Cigars

Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients

• 4 sheets filo dough
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon citrus juice

Cooking Directions

1. Tear a sheet of filo in half length-wise.
2. Put some walnut pieces in the sheet, and roll it around the walnuts.
3. Do this for all 8 cigars.
4. Arrange in a dish, and bake in 350 degree oven until golden brown. This shouldn't take too long.
5. Remove from oven to cool.
6. Meanwhile, bring the honey, citrus juice, and water to a boil and then simmer.
7. Lightly pour the honey mixture over the cigars. Let cool.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Here is a recipe passed down from grandma to ma to my wife. She loves to make this. It's like a nostalgic reminder of her childhood, especially the holidays. Personally, I could do without the maifun, so if you don't want it, try it without.

This recipe also walks you through cooking and shredding the chicken, but if you already have some on hand or prefer another method, I'd love to hear it! Enjoy!

Chinese Chicken Salad

Yield: 8+ servings
Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 3/4 cup water
• salt and pepper
• 1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped and sliced
• 1 package maifun
• oil for deep frying
• 3 green onions, only the green parts, sliced
• 1/8 cup toasted almonds
• 1/16 cup toasted sesame seeds
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1/4 cup canola oil

Cooking Directions

1. Pat the chicken breasts dry and season with some salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the 1 tablespoon of canola oil, and cook the chicken breasts top-side down until browned, about 5 minutes. Flip the breasts and add the water and additional salt to the water. Cover and simmer on low for 7-10 minutes, until cooked. Let cool slightly (at least 15 minutes) before shredding.
2. Deep fry the maifun in batches until all are puffed up. Set aside on plates with paper towels.
3. For the dressing, mix together the last 5 ingredients.
4. When ready to serve, mix the chicken and lettuce together. Then add in the maifun, then the green onions, almonds, and sesame seeds. Finally, mix in the dressing.

Baklava

Baklava, that super treat that goes for a crazy amount per piece. Well, you can probably get half this dish (well, close enough) for the same price by making it at home. Super easy, simple, and exceedingly delicious. Guests will rave for days about it. Enjoy!

Baklava

Yield: a whole lot of baklava!

Calories per serving: you don't wanna know

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup honey
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• pinch cloves
• 1 pound walnuts, or mix of any nut
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 pound phyllo dough, thawed

Cooking Directions

1. Combine the sugar, honey, water, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, and cloves in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the syrup is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
2. Finely chop the nuts or pulse in a food processor. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the nuts, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt and stir well to combine.
3. Melt the butter.
4. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat a 13 by 9-inch or 15 by 10-inch baking dish with some of the melted butter.
5. Open the package of thawed phyllo and lay the thin sheets on a clean work surface. Measure the phyllo sheets; if the type you have purchased measures approximately the same size as the baking dish you are using, then proceed from here. If they are larger than your baking dish, use a sharp knife to cut the phyllo sheets approximately the same size as your baking dish. Keep any scraps for another use. Cover the sheets with a piece of plastic wrap and a lightly damp kitchen towel, as the sheets of phyllo dry out very quickly if left uncovered.
6. Position rack in center of oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
7. Place 1 of the sheets of phyllo in the bottom of the buttered baking dish and lightly brush with some of the melted butter. Repeat this procedure with 6 more sheets of phyllo, for a total of 7 layers. Measure about 3/4 cup of the nut mixture and spread the nut mixture evenly over the buttered phyllo sheets. Repeat with 7 more sheets of phyllo, buttering each layer as before, and top these sheets with another 3/4 cup of the nut mixture. Continue this layering process, buttering 7 sheets of phyllo and topping each 7 sheets with 3/4 cup of the nuts, until you have used all of the nut mixture. Layer any remaining sheets of phyllo on top, buttering between each layer, until all of the phyllo sheets have been used.
8. Use a sharp knife to make 4 cuts lengthwise through the layered phyllo at 1 1/2 inch intervals. (You should end up with 5 lengthwise strips 1 1/2 inches wide.) Now use your knife to cut diagonally across the strips at 1 1/2-inch intervals to form diamond shapes. You should end up with approximately 36 diamond-shaped pieces of baklava in the baking dish.
9. Bake the baklava until golden brown, about 40 minutes.
10. Using oven mitts or pot holders, remove the baklava from the oven and set aside on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Using a ladle or small measuring cup, slowly drizzle the cooled syrup over the warm baklava. Allow to stand several hours before serving.
11. Adapted from Emeril.

Peruvian Spicy Creamed Chicken - Aji de Gallina

If you, like us, have a friend bequeath you packets of aji pepper puree, you may be dumbfounded at first too. Well look no further because you've found the answer to your aji prayers!

By far the best Peruvian dish we have ever made. OK so it's also the only Peruvian dish we've ever made. Yet after devouring this Aji de Gallina I'm not sure I could force myself to make any other Peruvian cuisine - it's that good.

This is a beautifully simple, though perhaps time-consuming dish to make. But the great thing is that it makes a ton of food. Great for dinner parties.

Peruvian Spicy Creamed Chicken - Aji de Gallina

Yield: Serves 6-8
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. chicken breast
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 packet aji pepper puree
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
• 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• 4 slices bread
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk
• 4 yellow potatoes
• 2 hard boiled eggs
• 10 black olives, halved
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup cooked rice

Cooking Directions

1. Cook the yellow potatoes in salted water until tender when pierced with a fork. Let cool, peel, cut into quarters, and set aside.
2. Place the bread in a small bowl and pour the evaporated milk over it to soak. Set aside.
3. Place the chicken breasts in a pot with the chicken stock, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until chicken is just barely cooked through. Set chicken aside to cool. Strain broth and reserve 2 cups.
4. In a blender, process pepper puree with the oil until smooth. Saute the garlic and onions with the pureed peppers and oil, until the onions are soft and golden. Remove from heat and let cool.
5. Shred the cooled chicken into bite-size pieces.
6. In a blender or food processor, process the evaporated milk and bread mixture with the walnuts and Parmesan cheese until smooth. Add the cooked onion mixture and process briefly.
7. Return onion mixture to pan, and add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved chicken stock. Bring to a low simmer, and stir in the chicken. Heat until warmed through, adding more chicken stock if sauce is too thick.
8. Serve over rice, garnished with the yellow potatoes, slices of hard boiled egg, and black olives.

Pesto with Almonds

You are not going to believe how easy it is to make your own pesto. With easy-to-find ingredients, it can be done in a matter of minutes.

Replacing the traditional pine nuts with almonds doesn't even impact the flavor enough to be noticeable. That's the best part! Pair it with some delicious pasta and you're set. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1/4 cup almonds
3 cloves garlic
1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a food processor, combine toasted almonds, garlic, basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Process until a coarse paste is formed.