Author Archives: The Fresh Princess

Olive Oil Grapefruit Cake?!

Posted on by under desserts

Grapefruit is kind of an old person fruit. But unlike cottage cheese, grapefruitMetamucil and Cheerios, grapefruit is pretty awesome. And so is this cake, but I’m not going to lie to you folks, this was a bit of a pain in the ass to make. Fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, zest and extra steps (re: massaging the zest and the sugar to release precious grapefruit oils… Yep, I did that) make this cake super moist and full of that delicious winter citrus flavor our grandparents love. But beware, this is not for the faint of heart, like I said before, there are serious steps involved. Speaking of steps, I should really get my butt to a gym and stop baking midweek pound cakes…

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Olive Oil Grapefruit Cake

From The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

1 1/2 cups of flour

2 tbsp fresh squeezed grapefruit juice (1-2 large grapefruits)

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp grapefruit zest

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tsp baking powder

2 eggs (it says room temperature, but who the heck is that organized to get their eggs out of the fridge before baking a dessert? I used cold eggs, and it was totally fine)

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

The syrup:

1/3 cup grapefruit juice

2 tbsp sugar

Glaze:

1 cup of powdered sugar

2 tbsp grapefruit juice

Preheat oven to 350. Greeeze up a loaf pan. Massage (I know, I know) the zest and the sugar together to release magical grapefruit flavor oils. Whisk the zest, sugar and eggs together. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. Combine the yogurt and grapefruit juice and alternately add the yogurt mixture and flour mixture to the eggs and sugar. Dough will be fairly thick, pour it into your loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Test it with a toothpick for doneness. Mine baked in just 45. Let it cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then take the cake carefully out of the pan and let it rest on a cooling rack. Rest, massages, toothpick acupuncture, this cake is receiving some serious 5 star treatment.  In a small saucepan heat 1/3 cup of grapefruit juice and 2 tablespoons of sugar over low heat until sugar dissolves. Poke holes all over the top of the cake and pour the syrup over the cake for maximum grapefruity absorption.  I recommend putting a cake plate under the cooling rack while pouring the syrup. Major mess saver.  Ok, we’re almost there people! Once the cake is fully cooled, whisk the powdered sugar,  grapefruit juice and a pinch of salt until smooth and pour over cake, letting the excess drip down the sides. Try to refrain from licking up the puddles of glaze. Aaaand we’re done.

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Veggie Chili

Posted on by under mains

This is a great recipe to make without much advance planning as most of the ingredients are already in your kitchen. A can of beans, a can of crushed tomatoes, a pepper,  some Morningstar crumblers (if you’re feeling rich, that shit’s expensive), some spices and before you know it you’re eating a bowl of chili. Lucky you.
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Veggie Chili

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup of chopped onions

2 stalks of celery diced

3 cloves of garlic

1 bay leaf (what the heck do these guys do?)

1 package of Morningstar crumblers

1 green pepper

1 small can of corn

1 big azz can of crushed tomatoes

1 can of white beans

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil in a big soup pot and add the onions, bay leaf, cumin, red pepper flakes, and salt. Cook until onion is soft, then add green pepper, celery, garlic and cook for 5 more minutes. Add Morningstar crumblers, turn heat down and let it cook for another 5 minutes covered. Take the cover off and add your chili powder, can of tomatoes and white beans and bring to a boil. Lower hear and simmer for 35 minutes. Stir in corn and cook for another 5 minutes. Taste that shiz and adjust to your liking. I served with some shredded cheddar (the real kind not the money kind) and a dollop of sour cream or you could use Greek yogurt.

Great Balls of Fire

Posted on by under mains

These TurkeyBalls will undoubtedly spice up your weeknight. Adapted from the bible, aka The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook,  Sesame-Spiced Turkey Meatballs pack a spicy punch.  Serve with the Smashed White Bean Salad and a light spinach salad and you’ve got yourself a healthy and delicious dinner.

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Sesame-Spiced Turkey Meatballs

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Sesame-Spiced Turkey Meatballs

Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman

1 lb ground turkey

2/3 cup bread crumbs (I used Panko)

1/4 cup water

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

pinch of cayenne

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (way too lazy to toast mine)

1 egg

olive oil

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and with wet hands form golf-ball sized TurkeyBalls. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a frying pan on medium high heat. Brown balls in batches to avoid crowing in the pan. Place balls back in frying pan and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

Smashed White Bean Salad

Posted on by under salads

This salad is another Smitten adaptation. I subbed white beans for chickpeas and used kalamata olives instead of green olives. Grape or cherry tomatoes would also be a great (and colorful) addition in here. This pairs especially well with the Sesame-Spiced Turkey Meatballs.
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Smashed White Bean Salad

Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

1 can white beans

1 tsp lemon zest

1 clove garlic

drizzle of olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp chopped parsley

handful of chopped kalamata olives

salt and pepper

Mix everything together, be sure to partially mash some of the white beans.

Arugula and Beet Salad

Posted on by under salads

Quinoa, beets, goat cheese, pistachios, what more could you want in a salad, really?
arugula salad

Arugula and Beet Salad

3 cups arugula

1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

3 roasted beets quartered

1/2 cup quinoa

1/4 cup toasted pistachios

1/4 cup golden raisins (I didn’t do this, but they would be delicious!)

Dressing:

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp honey

plenty of salt and pepper

1 tsp lemon zest

Toss all salad ingredients together. Whisk up dressing and mix with salad.

Corn Chowda

Posted on by under soups

Corn chowder reminds me of trips to the Cape, sailing with my dad and gentiles. Things that every American needs more of. Instead of the traditional cream-based New England style chowder, my version is lighter yet still hearty and satisfying. Olive oil can easily be substituted for butter to make this soup dairy-free. Red skinned potatoes, corn, and red pepper add some sass. Pour yourself a glass of scotch, settle in tonight and enjoy a hearty bowl of chowda.

photo (10)Corn Chowda

Serves 4 hungry friends or one really hungry person…

1 1/2 cups of diced onions (I used a combo of red, green and yellow. Why the hell not?)

1 red pepper diced

2 tbsp butter (or olive oil)

2 tbsp flour

salt and pepper

1 1/2 cups of quartered red skin potatoes

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp garlic powder

6 cups of vegetable stock

2 cups of frozen corn

Saute onions in butter until soft. Add red pepper and cook for another 5 minutes or so. Add flour and a good amount of salt and pepper, cook for 2 minutes. Add stock, potatoes, turmeric, and garlic powder and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 25 minutes. Add frozen corn and cook for another 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning, I added more salt and pepper and a few more shakes of garlic powder.