Month: August 2017

Big Little Bites > 2017 > August

Brown Butter + Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Cookie Skillet

Posted on by biglittlebites

Just TRY not to eat this whole brown butter + dark chocolate hazelnut cookie skillet in one sitting – I dare you! It’s what cookie dreams are made of and there’s not a family member in sight, who doesn’t want a piece of this healthier dessert!

I’ve made this cookie skillet a healthy dessert by using sprouted flour in place of traditional, substituting dairy-free and clean ingredient chocolate hazelnut spread for the alternative… and using coconut palm sugar in place of brown sugar. My husband and one of our daughters are both allergic to dairy, and while we don’t believe in drinking cows milk, we have cut it out of our kitchen completely by dropping all dairy products aside from butter here and there. Honestly, none of us miss it. That being said, you could totally use a chocolate hazelnut spread that is made with milk and get similar results – maybe not AS rich as the dairy-free one I use  (insert drool emoji).

I know that many scoff at ‘substituting’ traditional cooking ingredients – but hear me out: sprouting grains before pulverizing them into flour, literally produces living, vital nutrients – providing more protein, vitamins and minerals than you would get from flour otherwise! It also neutralizes the phytic acid present in wheat, that inhibits nutrient absorption. The process of sprouting (see our post about sprouting) also makes digestion easier, as the starches are broken down into simple sugars, and there is less gluten. But guess what – sprouted flour is also less fattening than traditional flour! So, if you are gluten-sensitive but don’t have celiac disease or a gluten allergy, sprouted grains could be a game-changer for you! Why not try making the switch? It doesn’t change the taste of this drool-worthy, brown butter and dark chocolate hazelnut cookie!

While coconut palm sugar has the same number of calories as cane sugar, it is lower in glucose and fructose. It also contains inulin, which may help reduce the absoption of glucose, and makes it an alternative, for those who are diabetic. It also ranks lower on the glycemic index scale, if you’re watching that. The taste is similar to brown sugar, which is cane sugar with molasses added to it. This cookie is sweet without spiking your blood sugar through the roof.

Sometimes, I like to switch things up by using 1 c whole wheat (instead of white-wheat) sprouted flour and 1 c coconut flour. Either way, this brown butter + dark chocolate hazelnut cookie skillet, will have your tastebuds watering for more.

Brown butter dark chocolate hazelnut cookie skillet

Brown butter dark chocolate hazelnut cookie skillet

Ingredients:

1 3/4 sticks of grass-fed butter, unsalted

3/4 c coconut palm sugar

1 mashed ripe banana

3 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 c sprouted flour (regular works just the same, but sprouted is healthier and easier to digest)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp Redmond’s Real Salt

1 c dark chocolate chips (or chop up a bar of dark chocolate)

3/4 c Nocciolata Organic, Dairy-Free Hazelnut Spread (or Nutella, but this other brand is cleaner)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a 12″ cast iron skillet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a saute pan, add the butter and patiently melt over low-medium heat; when it begins to sizzle, turn it down to a simmer and let it begin to brown – you’ll know it’s ready when you see brown bits on the bottom of the pan and smell a delicious nutty smell! That’s when you turn off the heat, and add it to mixing bowl (I used my stand mixer with whisk attachment); add in sugar and whisk until blended. Now you’ll need to wait about 20 minutes to allow the bowl to come to room temperature again.

In the meantime, take the same saute pan you used for the butter, and without washing it, put it back on low heat and add in the chocolate hazelnut spread – you just want it to get soft and gooey for easy spreading. Once the mixing bowl is cool enough to the touch, add in the eggs and vanilla and whisk in on a low setting just until combined.

Next, add in all of the dry ingredients and mix this just until combined. Gently fold in the dark chocolate pieces.

Rip a new sheet of parchment or wax paper and place it on your kitchen counter. Pour half of your cookie batter into the lined skillet, and the other half onto the parchment paper on your counter. Spread each out gently, making a round shape to the edge of the skillet, and making the other half on the extra parchment, look similar. Now pour the chocolate hazelnut spread over the cookie batter inside the skillet and gently spread the layer. Take the extra sheet of parchment with the other half of the batter spread out, and carefully flip it over on top of the chocolate hazelnut layer in the skillet. Scatter the top with some extra dark chocolate pieces for visual effect, and pop it in the oven for 25 minutes.

The goal for me, is to get a slightly gooey cookie to scoop out of the pan, but if you want it more traditional-cookie style, keep it in the oven for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Perfect Red Lentil Soup

Posted on by biglittlebites

I grew up eating this perfect, delicious and healthy red lentil soup, and it’s now a staple in my home with my family. Lentils are rich in protein (equivalant to a steak!), folate, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. They’re such a great, nutritious substitute for meat, whether you’re doing a meatless Monday, or cooking vegan or vegetarian meals. This warm, cozy red lentil soup is perfect for lunch or dinner and especially easy to throw together when you’re short on time to get food on the table, because it takes minimal effort!

As with all of my recipes, I recommend aiming to choose organic ingredients whenever possible. I look for vegetable stock or broth made from real foods and free of flavoring, to get the cleanest ingredients into our bodies. When time allows, consider sprouting the lentils prior to using them, as this will ease digestion and enhance the nutrient profile of the soup.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, born from my Armenian heritage, as much as my family does!

How I Make it

What I love about this Perfect Red Lentil Soup, is that it’s flavorful yet super easy. On a busy school night, this takes 15 minutes to prep, 30 minutes to cook and maybe another 15 minutes to cool and puree! I will note, pureeing is not totally necessary, and more of a preference. The photo below, of the finished soup, is how it looks without pureeing. The texture is soft and airy, making the soup almost fluffy!

I begin by sautéing the minced onion in a little olive oil, until the onion begins to turn clear about five minutes later. Next, I add in the cumin, salt and pepper and give it all a good stir before mixing in the tomato paste. At this point, the soup won’t be soup at all -it will just be a clumpy mix of onions and seasoning! Toss in the quinoa and lentils and pour in the broth to make a more soupy mixture (below). Now you bring it to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer and cover, letting it cook undisturbed for 30 minutes. That’s basically it!

When you remove the lid… voila! You are left with this perfect lentil soup, which you can then puree if desired!

Perfect Meatless Meal

red lentil soup in a bowl with cilantro leaves on top
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Perfect Red Lentil Soup

This red lentil soup is excellent for a plant-based, meatless meal, if you use vegetable stock. It's hearty, filling and full of flavor!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: lentil soup, red lentils, vegan, vegetarian, soup recipe, meatless, nondairy
Servings: 6

Equipment

  • Dutch oven pot
  • Immersion blender

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, minced
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cracked pepper
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 c red lentils
  • 3/4 c quinoa
  • 7 c vegetable or chicken stock
  • Optional: fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Optional: sprinkle of cayenne pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat a dutch oven over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
  • Add olive oil and minced onion. Cook the onion, stirring every now and then, until they turn transparent.
  • Add salt, pepper, cumin and tomato paste to onions and stir to combine.
  • Add lentils, quinoa and stock to dutch oven with onion and spice mixture. Stir and raise temperature to high.
  • Once the soup is boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth and creamy.
  • Add another 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, to enhance flavor.

Rich People Chicken

Posted on by biglittlebites

My grandparents were from Provence, so the combination of lavender and thyme is no stranger to me and has always been a favorite in the kitchen. It wasn’t until more recent years, when a friend used it on dark meat chicken in conjunction with honey, and my mind was blown. There’s just something about bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, that work so well with this flavor combo!

Lavender Thyme Chicken smells so good when it’s roasting, your mouth will be watering. Affectionately referred to as “rich people chicken,” it looks even more beautiful than it smells… and you’ll see what I mean, when you feast your eyes on the golden, crispy crust that forms. 

So why and how did lavender thyme chicken become “Rich People Chicken?” It all started when I attended an annual Blogger Brunch here in Atlanta, hosted by my friend Meghan at Donut Worry Be Healthy. I met some amazing new blogger friends that also love to eat (imagine that!) and we were sitting around, each sharing one recipe that we’d love for each other to try making. I started talking about my Lavender Thyme Chicken: “it’s SO good, and looks so delicious on a platter… wait until your dinner guests smell how amazing it is…. they’ll think you spent hours making it… it’s really super easy and is just SO yummy… it’s with lavender, and sounds and smells really fancy…” To which one friend responded jokingly, “oh, so people will think you’re rich if you make it for them?” YES. It’s rich people chicken! You’re super fancy if you make this. Just saying.

How to Make Easy Lavender Thyme Chicken

Stock up on these ingredients and stash them in your pantry! Lavender Thyme Chicken is such an easy, delicious and savory recipe, you’ll want to make it again. I buy dried, culinary-grade lavender buds here, or from a gourmet grocer (like Whole Foods) in the bulk herbs and spices section. Fresh thyme works well (double up the quantity) but for ease, I stick with dried thyme most of the time. 

I love that this Lavender Thyme Chicken recipe works great with any bone-in chicken. Whether it be bone-in thighs, drumsticks, breasts or the whole shebang – start by trimming any fat and seasoning both sides with salt and pepper. I prefer bone-in to boneless because it yields more flavor and is less prone to drying out during cooking. I love prepping poultry on this butcher tray (pictured below) and has a rim to catch any drippings. The butcher tray also fits perfectly onto a fridge shelf and I also use it to defrost meats or chicken, because the lip catches any packaging leaks as it thaws, preventing contamination in my fridge.

* When you click on my favorite product links, I earn a tiny commission from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you*

raw chicken thighs and legs on a butcher tray

If you’re hosting a dinner party, go ahead and prep the lavender, thyme, honey, lemon and oil mixture the day before. Baste the chicken in the marinade, wrap it well and let it marinate overnight in the fridge. The next day, simply transfer the pieces to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and drizzle any juices from the butcher tray, on top. Don’t cook the chicken on the butcher tray! Drizzle the Lavender Thyme Chicken with more olive oil and honey before placing it in the preheated oven, to ensure that crispy, golden crusted skin.

If you’re just throwing together a quick family dinner, it’ll be just fine to make it all the same day! Marinating overnight just allows the maximum flavor to develop.

herb crusted lavender thyme bone in chicken thighs and drumsticks on a butcher tray

I am very conscious of trying to never char our food and I hope you will be too. I know in America, we have this whole thing about blackened grill marks, and extra-crispy food – but guess what? Those black marks? They’re literally chemicals forming, that are carcinogenic! I don’t want you to feed that to yourself, or your littles – so please keep an eye on your food and recognize the exact point to give it a flip, a baste or lower the temperature so you get the perfect bronzed dish, without the char!

herb crusted chicken thighs and drumsticks on a plate

roasted lavender thyme bone-in chicken thighs on a plate
Print Recipe

Lavender Thyme Chicken

Affectionately reffered to by friends, as "rich people chicken," this dish will make you feel and look fancy. Minimal effort. It's a promise.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: French
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 5 lbs bone-in chicken thighs, drumsticks, breasts or a whole chicken (butterflied)
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 3 tbsp dried lavender buds
  • salt + pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees farenheit.
  • Line a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan with parchment paper.
  • In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, olive oil and honey, whisking with a fork briefly.
  • Add dried thyme. Working in small batches, roll lavender buds between your fingers to crush them as you add them to the mix. Stir well and let the flavors meld while you trim any fat from the chicken.
  • Arrange the chicken flat in a storage container or bag if you're marinating overnight. If you're cooking that day, arrange the chicken side by side on the baking sheet. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken pieces, and using a basting brush, apply the marinade all over. If it's a roasting chicken, get your fingers up under the skin to loosen it, so you can apply the mixture as a rub underneath (the skin).
  • Prior to roasting, drizzle additional olive oil and a little more honey, all over the top of the chicken.
  • If roasting a whole chicken, stuff the cavity with one lemon cut into quarters and a couple of garlic cloves. Roast for 45-60 minutes.
  • If roasting chicken drumsticks, cook for 45 minutes.
  • If roasting thighs, cook for 30 minutes.
  • If roasting breasts, cook for 40 minutes.
  • * Always check to ensure chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees *