The possibilities are endless with this Whipped Cream Flavored Vodka from Pinnacle.

We mixed ours with fresh pineapple, coconut milk and pineapple/coconut juice.

The secret to the amazing taste was, of course, the vodka but we were careful not to add anything too sweet.

Fresh ingredients are a must. And the juice we used from Hortex is great because they are natural with no added sugars.

This recipe was fairly “freehand”.

I used one fresh pineapple which I cut the night before and placed in the freezer; huge tip! Freezing the pineapple make the drinks amazing!

In the blender place half of the cut and frozen pineapple

1/2 can of coconut milk

1 cup of juice

1 cup of Pinnacle Whipped Cream Flavored Vodka

Blend until creamy and frothy

Some enjoyed some whipped cream on top!

These brushetta are fantastic! My friend has this recipe down to a science and we are able to whip these up really fast:

1 baguette sliced about 1/4 peices

olive oil

3-4 fresh garlic cloves

3-4 tomatoes

fresh basil leaves

fresh mozzerella

Slice the bread and rub with garlic cloves on bothe sides

Use enough olive oil to lightly cover both sides

Toast lightly under the broiler

Chop tomatoes and basil and mix with some olive oil and salt to taste

Top toasted bread with tomato mixture and shredded fresh mozzerella and serve!

Le Colonial, Chicago is a treat for the senses.

The exotically luxurious atmosphere is the first hint that you are in for something special.

These Passion Fruit Martinis were incredibly fresh and delicious! Floral and fruity yet light and refreshing on a warm summer night.

Tuna Tartare with wonton crisps was light and satisfying and tasted fantastic with our cocktails….round 2!

Romance was in the air so sharing an entree of vermicelli and seafood in coconut curry seemed like the right thing to do!

What put this dish over the top for me were the copious amounts of fresh basil and cilantro; a garnish, I know, but for me a side dish or side salad!

The aroma of fresh herbs and the delicacy of the spicy coconut broth made my tastebuds tingle!

The music, the martinis, the warm summer breeze…

Hot smoked salmon is the key ingredient to this light, savory dish that is tasty and sooo girlie!

We topped whole wheat crackers with the delicate creamy and sublte flavors of the salmon spread.

My dear, BFF shared her favorite recipe with me and I will share it with you.

Ingredients
6-8oz hot smoked salmon finely chopped
1 Tbspn fresh dill finely chopped
1 Tbspn fresh parsley finely chopped
1/4 cup red onion finely chopped
1/4- 1/2 cup of Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise
1 large garlic clove crushed
A sqeeze of fresh lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

The real secret to the success of this recipe is to mix the mayo, garlic and lemon together very well before adding to the salmon.

Mix well and serve chilled!

Pink and girlie all around when friends just want to have fun!

This delicious pink cocktail was inspired by a magical elixir we had at Le Colonial.

We tried to approximate the light tropical flavors of the passion fruit martinis we ordered and serve them “family style”!

We mixed a high quality, low sugar coconut pineapple juice with a light berry juice mix, and added vodka and fresh lime.

The result was sublime!

Sprin Break is less than two weeks away and there is no room for any excess baggage on this trip!

The markets are bursting with produce and I just couldn’t pass up these mangoes and pineapple.

After a light dinner this mango with a few macadamia nuts and shredded coconut hit the spot.

OK. I know that some of my posts will seem really boring. I eat pretty much the same thing every day.

I follow a vegan diet and my children are primarily vegetarians; eating cheese and eggs.

But I am truly on a mission to make vegan meals tasty and completely nutritious and enjoyable for everyone. I also, try to keep these meals as inexpensive as possible.

I realize that there is a big emphasis on inexpensive meals, but keeping them nutritious is the real challange.

Adding veggies to everything is a great habit to get into and you will find that your cravings for less than healthy foods will decrease if you’re meeting your nutritional needs regularly.

Today I have put together some of my favorite flavors; garlic, coconut, peanut , and crushed red pepper.

I simply steamed the broccoli, spinach, and garlic. When that was done I added the crushed red pepper and the peanut sauce.

It was fantastic.

You can boil whole wheat pasta and add more of the peanut sauce and toss in the vegetables for a great meal or a side dish.

Use the pepper to taste. I love things hot and spicy but you could modify this.

Enjoy!

It all started with cake and a snow storm and the gorgeous organic produce in my refrigerator.

Sometimes when I’m shopping I don’t have any particular recipe in mind. I simply pick up things that catch my eye, are in season, especially ripe, smell good or are just pretty.

So that is how I ended up with a coconut, that gorgeous ginger root and a million organic carrots!

What to do with carrots on a cold snowy day in the middle of winter? Soup, of course!

But to begin my day, baking a cake seemed to be the most natural thing in the world to do to get things rolling. Chocolate, raspberry and fresh whipped cream was beckoning.

Cake would be a nice treat at the end of a long day.

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs (1/3 to 1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 ounces melted unsweetened chocolate (cool)

Method

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour baking pan, 13×9x2 inches, or two 9-inch or three 8-inch round layer pans.

Measure all ingredients into large mixer bowl. Blend 1/2 minute on low speed, scraping bowl constantly.

Beat 3 minutes high speed, scraping bowl occasionally.

Pour into pan(s). Bake oblong 40 to 45 minutes, layers 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool.

Coconut Carrot Ginger Soup

Ingredients

About 20-30 carrots
5-6 cloves of garlic
A nice sized piece of fresh ginger root 5-6 inches long
2 tsp ginger powder
1 can organic coconut milk
One whole coconut ( use the water and flesh)
2-3 cups vegetarian stock
2-3 Tbsp coconut oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Cilantro, for garnish
Avocado, for garnish

Method

Peel and chop the carrots then sauté with garlic and coconut oil.

Start grating the ginger and add to sautéing carrots.

Add the ginger powder.

Let things start to lightly caramelize then add the stock.

Allow to cool then transfer the mixture to the food processor and puree.

Add the coconut milk to the mixture and continue to puree.

Transfer to a soup pot and add the coconut water and flesh.

Add ginger powder if necessary.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm with fresh cilantro and avocado garnish.

Enjoy!

I added curry powder to the dough

Kale, yellow waxy potatoes, garlic, coconut oil, coconut milk, red curry paste, curry powder

Courtesy of Laylita’s Recipes

Making empanada dough is not as hard as it sounds, especially if you have a food processor, and even if you don’t it is still pretty easy because the dough should not be overworked and requires minimal kneading. Also, these days it is very easy to find the empanada discs already made (frozen) in Latin grocery store, and even though I was skeptical at first they are actually quite good, but it also always fun to have them homemade and you can also customize the dough by adding spices, herbs, etc that will complement or contrast with the fillings.

Ingredients for 15 medium size or 25 small empanada discs:

3 cups all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
6 oz unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), cold and cut into 12 pieces
1 egg
4-5 tbs water
Mix the flour and salt in a food processor.
Add the butter, egg and water until a clumpy dough forms.
Form a ball and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough into a thin sheet and cut out round disc shapes for empanadas (use round molds or a small plate).
Use immediately or store in the refrigerator or freezer to use later.

This recipe comes from Isa Chandra Moskowitz of the Post Punk Kitchen who has a new vegan cookbook out; Vegan With a Vengence which features 150 vegan recipes including desserts, cookies, main dishes and snacks.

These look amazing to me and I am anxious to try this recipe.

Recipe courtesy of Isa Chandra Moskowitz

These bars require a good overnight chilling to really firm them up before slicing, so plan accordingly.

Tip: You’ll want to use only sweetened, fluffy white flaked coconut for these. Save the natural shredded stuff for a healthy curry.

Tip: Press the graham cracker crumb crust like crazy into the pan; the more you pat it down the firmer the resulting crust will be.

Ingredients

One 14 oz can (regular or lite) coconut milk (about 1 3/4 cups)
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups vegan graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup melted margarine
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
2 cups flaked, sweetened coconut
1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

Method

In a large saucepan whisk together coconut milk and brown sugar over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Mixture may form a thin skin on the surface; just stir it back into the liquid. Remove from heat and let cool while preparing the crust.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, melted margarine and sugar; mix well to moisten crumbs completely. Firmly press mixture into prepared pan, pressing evenly from center to sides of pan.

Pour warm coconut milk mixture evenly over crumb base. Top with an even layer of chocolate chips, flaked coconut and nuts, in that order. Firmly pat everything down until coconut milk mixture soaks upward into the toppings. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until coconut is deeply golden and filling is bubbling, remove from oven and let entire pan cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

Transfer pan to the refrigerator to completely cool and firm up for at least 4 hours, even better overnight or until very firm. Use a sharp, heavy knife to run along the edges of bars, slide bars on parchment paper out of pan onto a cutting board then to slice into 24 squares.

Store in a covered container in the refrigerator. These also freeze well, tightly wrapped and allowed to thaw for 20 minutes before serving.

A little bit about Carmen…

Carmen Garcia is an internationally recognized fitness celebrity, proactive in all levels of nutrition, health, wellness, and yoga principles.

An all around athlete with a competitive nature and a zest for healthy living, Carmen’s philosophy: spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental well being are the inseparable ingredients to a healthy life.

Carmen has worked hard to become one of America’s most popular fitness models, appearing in numerous publications, commercials, seminars and workshops. As a world class chef and entrepreneur, Ms. Garcia continues to re-invent herself via new challenges and accomplishments.

Carmen is a proud member and spokesperson for PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals), a fitness instructor and nutritional consultant certified by the Professional Personal Trainer’s Association (USPTA); and a member of IDEAfit, having studied with the International Sports and Science Association.

Leaving the old paradigms behind of stressing the body with strenuous workouts and hardcore weight training trends, moderation is the key for this femme-fit guru. Not only does she speak four languages (Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and English), her company, Fitbody Star offers live and online education to an ever-growing international audience.

A world traveler and true “foodie” at heart, Carmen’s mantra is to achieve balance through proper nutrition from plant (protein) sources, supplementation, and variations on classic exercise techniques, to achieve homeostasis and improve overall quality of life through a sound mind, body, and spirit.

Promoting her unique style of vegan cooking as the “Turista Chef”, she writes with signature joie de vivre about a hidden world of exotic destinations and cultures through the lens of the traditional and not so traditional regional cuisine.

Fitbody Star offers instruction in: nutrition, indoor/outdoor activity, yoga movement and stretching, dance form, body and weight strengthening, interval training, outdoor circuit training, boot camp, kickboxing techniques, plyometrics, meditation, core training and overall functional training for better sports & daily task performance.

Learn more about Carmen Garcia, and visit her at:
Twitter

Color vibrancy, rich and nutritious flavors is what makes this dish so deLIGHTfully tasty. Inspired by roots of Jamaica, I’ve prepared this easy vegan dish with an array of spices that burst into tropical flavors.

Recipe courtesy of Carmen Garcia

Jamaican Jerk Portabello

Serves 2
1 cup brown basmati rice, steamed
2 large portabello mushrooms, sliced
1 small banana squash, steamed/seeded and chopped into medium size cubes.
1 small red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 small green bell pepper, sliced into strips
2 cups of organic black beans, drained (canned for quick and easy)

Jerk Pineapple Marinade

1 small red onion, chopped
1 small serrano green chili, minced (seeds removed)
1 cup pineapple, cubed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small lime juice
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp Pompeian olive/canola oil
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp sea salt or substitute salt

Steam rice in a slow cooker or rice cooker before you begin to prep and cook the Portabello mushrooms and marinade.

Mix all marinade ingredients and set aside in a plastic or glass bowl. Slice Portabello mushrooms and mix into marinade bowl.

Store in fridge over night or for a minimum of 1-2 hours before cooking. When ready to cook, pre-heat large wok on high/med by lubricating the wok with the canola/olive oil.

Stir in all of the ingredients of the marinade and mushrooms only.

Lower heat and cover allowing steam to soften the mushrooms for about 5-8 minutes depending on how tender you wish as they tend to shrink with prolonged heat.

In a separate medium sized pan, steam banana squash for 12 minutes or until tender. Toss in the bell peppers during the last 4- 5 minutes.

If they lose their color vibrancy, you have over cooked them. In another small sauce pan heat black beans on low.

Find a beautiful plate and pack the rice into a small bowl and onto the center of the plate.

Carefully arrange and assort all of the ingredients as you wish and top with sprinkled coconut shreds and slivered raw almonds.

Almonds, beans and Portabello mushrooms are loaded with protein, fiber and nutrients. The steamy fragrant rice and fibrous vegetables are delicious as a low GI (glycemic index) food topped with an unforgettable pineapple chutney sauce and a spicy jerk marinade. This dish is low in fat and moderate in carbohydrates. High in protein, fiber and nutrients.

Trimming the Christmas tree is more bittersweet every year.

Not only is it a fun family tradition laced with cookie baking and egg “nogging” but it is a reminder of how fast time flies.

My teenagers are hanging ornaments which I bought when they were babies. And I remember each trinket and the point in our lives when it was aquired.

As look at the tree and different ornaments I am transported to another place and time and memories that we made there.

A Christmas tree is not just a holiday decoration but a piece of living art that catalogues years of history; some good, some not so good, but truly the legend of a family.

No matter what was going on there was most certainly eating!

Lots of cookies mark every Christmas for us and I have included some more of my favorite holiday cookies for you and your family.

Almond Pine Nut Cookies

Makes 28 cookies • From the kitchen of Allie Virgilio

Ingredients

7 ounces almond paste(cut into small pieces)
1/3 cup sugar
2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons all- purpose flour
1/2 cup pine nuts

Directions

Heat oven to 325. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Beat together almond paste, sugar,and 1 egg white in medium-size bowl until smooth. Beat in second egg white, then vanilla extract. Stir in flour until dough forms. Drop batter by teaspoonsful 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Cover each cookie with pine nuts, about 1/2 teaspoon each. Bake in top third of 325 oven until edges are golden, 15 minutes. Cool cookies on sheet on rack.

Butter Nut Balls

Makes 3-1/2 dozen balls • From the kitchen of Charlotte Chambliss

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups mashed pecans
powdered sugar

Directions

Cream butter thoroughly. Add balance of ingredients except powdered sugar. Roll into balls about walnut size. Place on ungreased cookie sheet for 35 minutes in 300 degree oven. Roll in powdered sugar immediately and cool on waxed paper. (Cookies may be made in advance and frozen.)

Coconut Bars

Makes 15 bars • From the kitchen of Megan

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
6 tablespoons white sugar
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1c +2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup shredded coconut

Directions

Mix first five ingredient together.Then add last four ingredients together.Mix completely and press in 9×13 greased pan.Bake at 375 degrees in over for fifteen minutes.Cut into squares.ENJOY!!!!!!

All Recipes Copyright 2009 Northpole.com, LLC