With Passover and Easter coming this weekend, I wanted to create a recipe that everyone could enjoy for dessert. Actually, I was thinking chocolate. Because, aren’t you? Really?  And I got inspiration from a couple of different places that you might not immediately associate with each other.  It’s kosher for Passover, dairy-free, and gluten-free. It’s light, and decadent, and perfect for your seder or Easter holiday table.  Intrigued? Ha!  But first…

It’s a national tragedy.  And a travesty.  Nearly 17 million children in the United States are hungry every single day.  That’s 637,779 children in Florida, alone.  And it’s not like the resources aren’t out there, but they’re the missing the mark.  That’s where Share Our Strength and the No Kid Hungry Campaign come in.  And you can help.

On April 28, 2012, food bloggers all over the United States are joining together to conduct Food Blogger Bake Sales to raise money to help connect these kids with the food they need to grow and thrive.  As part of the National Food Bloggers Bake Sale, we are proud to announce the Third Annual Miami Food Bloggers Bake Sale, which will happen at the South Miami Farmers Market (my home away from home), 6130 Sunset Drive (in front of South Miami City Hall).

This year’s Bake Sale will be bigger and better than ever, with some of the best known bloggers in town baking their little hearts out, and some of the finest local restaurants and food entrepreneurs donating gift cards and gift baskets for an insane raffle – for YOU – and to end child hunger, once and for all.  Here are some of the highlights:

• Whisk Gourmet Food & Catering in South Miami has donated a gift card for our raffle. Brendan Connor of Whisk won the Judge’s Favorite Award for his crispy shallot, bacon and Swiss burger at the 2012 South Beach Wine & Food Festival Burger Bash!
• The fabulous Town Kitchen & Bar restaurant in South Miami has donated a gift card for our raffle!
• Harry’s Pizzeria in the Design District has also donated a very generous gift card for our raffle! Harry’s is the latest brainchild of James Beard Award-winning Chef Michael Schwartz of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink fame.
• WokStar Eleanor Hoh has donated a gift certificate for 2 people to attend one of her awesome wok cooking classes (valued at $130) for the raffle! Learn Eleanor’s no-recipes, no-measuring method to put a delicious and healthy meal on the table in minutes.
• Dunkin’ Donuts of South Florida (8099 S. Dixie Hwy) is providing us with the best ever coffee to sell, plus a gift card redeemable at that location! We definitely run on Dunkin’!
• Lester’s Cafe and Wine Bar in the Wynwood Arts/Design District has donated a gift card for our raffle! Lester’s multi-function cafe is the host of the monthly Wynwood Supper Club, as well as the Motown Brunch every last Saturday of the month!
• CRAVE Restaurant Coral Gables in Merrick Park has donated a generous gift card!
• Delicious and unusual Freakin’ Flamingo local micro-batch jams are being donated for sale, plus a gift basket of Freakin’ Flamingo jams & gift items will be raffled! Freakin’ Flamingo was featured in the Fall 2011 issue of Edible South Florida Magazine‘s holiday gift guide.

If you can’t join us – and why wouldn’t you? -  please consider making a donation.  To learn more about the 2012 Miami Food Blogger Bake Sale or to make a donation, please click here.  To paraphrase the Whitney Houston song: I believe that children are our future. Feed them well and let them lead the way.

Okay, now!

My first inspiration for this decadent Chocolate Orange Mousse Torte, was a ready-made macaroon pie crust made by one of the kosher food companies for Passover, that I spotted in a kosher butcher/grocery store several weeks ago, when I went on an expedition with my mother.  Genius.  The kind of thing you see on the shelf and say to yourself: Why didn’t I think of that?  I make macaroons (you can find them here and here)!  Then I thought: What would I fill it with?

My second inspiration was this article and “Genius Recipe” on the Food52 blog for a chocolate mousse that you can make in 5 minutes with just two ingredients: chocolate and water.  No, really. I made it several times, and it really does work!  And the answer to: What would I fill it with?   Check it out:

Chocolate Orange Mousse Torte

For the crust:

• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 cup almond meal or ground blanched almonds
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut (if using sweetened coconut, cut the sugar to 2 Tbs.)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbs. cocoa powder (optional, if you want a chocolate crust)
• A bit of vegetable oil or cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large glass or metal bowl, whisk or beat the egg whites until frothy.  We’re not making meringue, just loosening up the egg whites to be able to incorporate the other ingredients smoothly.  Stir in the dry ingredients until well-mixed.  Lightly oil or coat an 8 1/2″ – 9″ pie plate or torte pan, and *very important!* – line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper! Do not skip this step.  Then press in the crust mixture firmly.  Bake for 18-20 minutes and allow to cool.

 For the filling:

• 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate (I used parve (non-dairy), kosher for Passover bittersweet baking chocolate)
•     (If using a “good quality” bittersweet chocolate, such Ghirardelli or Scharffen Berger, you may want to add a couple of tablespoons of sugar during the melting process. Taste your chocolate first!)
• Juice of one orange (should come to about 4 oz. or 1/2 cup)
• 2 oz. or 1/4 cup water (juice + water should equal no more than 3/4 cup or 6 oz)
• Finely grated zest of the same orange (about 1-1/2 – 2 Tbs.)
• Large bowl filled with ice and water

Pour the juice and water into a small saucepan and add the chocolate.  Heat on medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the liquid and chocolate blend together into a smooth, homogeneous sauce.  Stir in the orange zest.

Pour the hot chocolate orange sauce into a clean bowl, then carefully place the bowl into the ice bath and start whisking. I’m not much of a hand-whisker, so I used my stick blender with the whisk attachment, on the lowest setting.  I’ve also used my hand mixer on low speed, as seen below. When using small kitchen electrics for the process, be prepared for a bit of a mess, so try to use a bowl that’s relatively deep.   The whisking action incorporates bubbles into the chocolate and the cooling action of the ice bath combine to create the light, smooth mousse.  Keep whisking until the sauce thickens to a soft, almost pudding-like consistency. It will happen in just a few minutes. I promise.

Pour the mousse into the prepared macaroon torte or pie shell, garnish if desired (I used several tablespoons of toasted, slivered almonds), and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight, until firm.

The combination of chocolate and orange is a classic that, I confess, is one of my favorites.  The mousse is both rich and light, the orange infusing a fresh, yet almost decadent, counterpoint to the chocolate, and works with the macaroon crust like a good marriage.  A perfect end to any festive meal, and easier to make than it looks!

Happy Holidays, all!

A friend recently presented me with a veritable cornucopia of assorted fresh herbs she’d gotten in her CSA box, as she was leaving on vacation the next day and she wouldn’t be able to use them. “What do you do with tarragon, anyway?” she asked.

Tarragon is a really pungent herb that, when used judiciously, enhances poultry, citrus, eggs, and especially cream sauces. Oh, yesssss… especially cream sauces…

I actually discovered tarragon some years ago, when Mike and I used to co-host big St. Patrick’s Day parties at a friend’s home. Back then we lived in a teensy condo and it became a bit too crowded, what with two home businesses going at the same time (don’t ask), to entertain much. Among the advantages of the arrangement, though, was that I didn’t have to put together a kosher St. Patrick’s Day party. I know. Weird. Anyway, I found a recipe for chicken in a tarragon cream sauce in The Best of Irish Cooking, edited by Rosemary Moon. Not exactly low-fat or particularly heart-healthy, but ohmygod delicious!

The conversation with my friend about tarragon motivated me to try to come up with a version that uses no dairy. That accomplished two things: First, I could now prepare this decadent delight in my kosher kitchen, and second, it eliminates pretty much all of the saturated fat and replaces it with soy. I’ve paired it here with some simple steamed Yukon Gold potatoes that I created on the fly, prepared in the microwave.

All in all, you’ll be surprised how quickly this meal comes together – fast enough to fix for your family on a weeknight – but elegant enough for company. You can also multiply this very easily for a large party. I once prepared it for 50+ people and served it buffet-style on warming trays! I’m going to give you the recipe as it appears in Ms. Moon’s collection, with my changes in red next to the original ingredients.

We were really happy with the outcome. As Mike said, when he went into the kitchen searching for seconds, “If you don’t tell anyone that there isn’t any cream in here, they’d never know.”

Chicken in (Non-Dairy) Tarragon Cream Sauce
Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. unsalted butter (Smart Balance Light Spread)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 Tbs. fresh tarragon leaves
1/2 cup white wine (I was out of white wine – horrors! – and used Calvados)
3/4 cup heavy cream (1/2 cup Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream + 1/2 cup plain soy milk)
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Heat a 10″ skillet on high heat and brown the “pretty” sides of the chicken breasts in the butter. Turn them over, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove the chicken to a heat-safe plate and keep warm while preparing the sauce.

Raise the heat back up to medium-high, add the wine to the skillet (off the stove, please, for safety), then add the fresh tarragon leaves, deglazing the pan and scraping up all the good brown bits. Allow to boil for about a minute, then reduce the heat again to medium. Add the “cream”, salt and pepper to your taste (you won’t need much), and simmer gently (reducing the heat again, if necessary) for another 2 minutes. (Thin with a bit more soy milk if it becomes too thick) Return the chicken to the pan (along with any juices accumulated while it was waiting), for just another couple of minutes.

Serve the chicken with a generous dollop – or two – of the sauce, along with some Simple Microwave Steamed Potatoes and a green salad.

Simple Microwave Steamed Potatoes

Ingredients:

3 medium gold potatoes
1 1/2 Tbs. butter (Smart Balance Light Spread)
Salt & pepper

Preparation:

Wash and then roughly cube the potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Place on a large dinner plate and dot with the Smart Balance Light Spread. Cover the plate with plastic wrap, leaving a gap to vent the steam, and microwave on high for 10 minutes, or until fork-tender.

If you, too, have always wondered “what do you do with tarragon, anyway?”, I recommend you start with this dish – either in its original form, or my kosher, lower-fat version. You’ll want to add this versatile herb to your culinary arsenal!

Disclaimer: I was not compensated or induced in any way to use or recommend Tofutti or Smart Balance brands. I wish I had been – I use them all the time in my kitchen, and you should keep them on hand, too. By the way, regular Smart Balance Spread contains dairy. I use the Light version, because it is kosher, pareve, and vegan. Although the package states that it’s not intended for cooking/baking, I use it in both with excellent results. Word.

I’ve got two – count ‘em – two treats for you today! Maybe even three!

I was on the web recently, looking at platform beds for my new space-age foam mattress, when I was struck by an idea for another frozen and healthy concoction (it happens that way, sometimes), and inspired by the new Flickr group,

created by Elle and Heather, I give you treat number one:

Vegan Blueberry “Ice Cream”
(makes about 1-1/2 pints)

Ingredients:

1 dry pint blueberries
1/2 cup agave nectar (divided) -or-
1/2 cup sugar (divided)
1 cup soy milk
1 cup silken tofu
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt

Preparation:

Make the blueberry syrup at least one hour before preparing the base.

Wash the blueberries, removing any stems in the process. Do not dry.

To make the syrup: In small saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries and 1/4 cup agave nectar or sugar. Bring to a boil, and allow to cook and reduce for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer contents to a heat-proof container, and refrigerate. You should have about 2/3 cup of blueberry syrup. When the syrup is completely cooled (it doesn’t have to be cold – just room temperature is fine), make the “ice cream” base.

To make the base: In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy milk, silken tofu, remaining 1/4 cup agave nectar or sugar, vanilla, and salt. Transfer this mixture to the bowl of your ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Put the now-soft ice cream into an air-tight container and mix in the blueberry syrup. Cover and freeze – minimum an hour or two.

So, if you’re vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian, diabetic, or just want a sweet, frozen sump’n-sump’n on a hot summer day, that won’t kill your diet and might actually be >gasp!< healthy, give this a try while the blueberries are in season!

I promised you a second treat, didn’t I? I don’t think you’ll be disappointed…

I was contacted recently by CSN Stores – you know, the hugely popular web company with over 200 internet stores that carry everything from patio furniture to (my personal fave) Cookware.com? They asked if I would like to give you – my dear, dear readers – a gift certificate for $50! Think about it – $50 to spend anyway you like in any of those 200 stores! It’s like Christmas in June, isn’t it? I said, “Heck, yeah! My readers deserve a little something special!” Because I love my readers. All of my readers. So I know you won’t be mad when I tell you that only those of you with U.S. and Canadian shipping addresses can play. Sorry!

And because I love you, I’m going to give you several ways to win:

First way, go to CSN and find something you’d love to blow $50 on, come back here and leave a comment about it.

Second way, follow me on Google Friend Connect (over there in the sidebar), and leave another comment that you did.

Third way, follow me on Networked Blogs (also over there in the sidebar), and leave another comment. If you already follow me on Google Friend Connect and/or Networked Blogs, leave a comment for each one that you do.

Fourth way, tweet about this giveaway on Twitter and/or mention it on Facebook, then come here and leave the link to your tweet or mention in another comment. You can tweet and FB everyday – but only comments about tweets and mentions with links will be counted. Above all, make sure I have a good e-mail address for you – if I can’t contact you within 3 days after the end of this giveaway, I’ll choose a new winner.

Fifth way, “Like” Flamingo Musings on Facebook, and of course, come back and leave a comment that you’re a “liker” (I really hate that… What was wrong with “fan,” anyway?). Again, if you already like Flamingo Musings, please leave a comment saying that.

Winners will be selected by random.org next Sunday night, June 13, 2010 at 11:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern time. I’ll tweet, FB, and e-mail the winner shortly afterward.

Fun, right? Well, guess what? Here’s your third treat: My buddy Barbara, over at Barbara Bakes, is also giving away a CSN gift certificate this week! Double your chances of winning by visiting her, too!

One post, three treats – isn’t that a great way to start off the week?

*Disclosure: I have not been paid in any way or given any inducements of any kind to write this post or participate in this giveaway.

Print this post for your Moleskine journal

It’s Monday once again. Back to school, back to work, and back to the eternal question: “What the heck am I going to make for supper that I can get on the table before someone gnaws a hole in the couch?” “Oh. And yeah. I’d like to get a vegetable in there, somewhere.”

My answer? Taco Salad.

Surprise! It’s vegan! Wait! Don’t run away! First the recipe, then my notes (which includes non-vegan/vegetarian substitutions).

Vegan Taco Salad
(makes about 4 servings)

Ingredients:

1 cup ground beef-flavored TVP (textured vegetable protein)

2 cups hot water

1 16 oz. jar of your favorite salsa (I used Oxford Falls Fried Green Tomato Salsa – a tomatillo-based salsa)

1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes

1 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Mixed salad greens

Riceworks Sea Salt Brown Rice Crisps

1 large tomato, diced

Tofutti “Better Than Sour Cream”

Preparation:

In a large frying pan over high heat, pour the water and TVP, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-high. Add the salsa, canned diced tomato, and beans, stir well, and allow to cook until the liquid is almost completely absorbed, about 10 – 15 minutes.

Assembly:

In a large bowl – I like my flat soup bowls – place a bed of the salad greens. Take a large handful of the chips (count out a serving size, if you like), and crush in your hands, sprinkling them over the greens.

Spoon the chili over the salad greens/chips. Top with a tablespoon of the Tofutti “Better Than Sour Cream” and the fresh diced tomato.

Notes:

No, we haven’t given up meat. I guess we’ve always been “flexitarians” before there was actually a name for it. All that means is that we have vegetarian meals a few days a week. That’s just the way we’ve always been, without giving it any thought. Our use of TVP actually grew out of a desire to find non-meat substitutions for dishes we wanted to cook in which you can’t get around the dairy ingredients, in my kosher kitchen.

This is one of the variations of my 15 minute chili / sloppy joes. Okay, so you don’t have to make it vegan, but in the spirit of environmentalism and the movement to eat more meatless meals, I urge you to try it. All of the ingredients are easily available in natural foods markets or online, and this is one painless and delicious introduction to that exercise.

If you keep kosher, feel free to use dairy sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese. TVP is certified kosher / pareve.

To make this with meat, substitute the TVP and water for one pound of ground beef. Brown the ground beef and then add the rest of the ingredients as indicated. You can use any tortilla chips and dairy sour cream for your toppings.

To quote the old commercial: “Try it, you’ll like it!”

*Disclaimer: I have not been paid or otherwise induced to use the named products. I use them because I like them. So there.