Fruit Compote

Lemon Pancakes Topped with a Berry Compote

I know I posted a lemon pancake recipe already that included a recipe for berry compote. However, I was working on some pastries and a cake that both used different kinds of compotes, and thought it would be a good idea to post a general fruit compote recipe. In other words, I wanted to explain how to make a fruit compote using any type of fruit that you want! Compotes are very versitile as they can be used as toppings, fillings, or to flavor breakfast or desserts items. I make compotes frequently to eat with waffles or pancakes, to fill cakes or pastries, and to flavor cake batters or frostings. The best part is the recipe is very simple and natural as it involves little additional sugar. So have fun trying this recipe and enjoy! 

Pastries filled with Apple and Guava Compote

Fruit Compote Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 ½ cups of fruit
• 2 tsp of brown sugar (or white sugar)
• ¼ cup of water or citris juice (orange, lime, lemon etc.)

          (Note: you can use fresh or frozen berries to make the compote)

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A small pot
• A knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients. First, prepare the fruit by removing any skin and pits (Note: don't worry about removing the seeds or skin from berries like strawberries, blueberries, black berries, etc.) Then chop any large fruit into ¼ inch cubes, including strawberries. 
2. Now, in a medium-sized pot, add the 3 ½  cups of fruit, sugar, and water (or citris juice). Then place the pot on the stove, give it a good stir, and bring to a simmer on high heat with the pot covered.
3. Once the pot is simmering, stir the pot, reduce the heat to medium-high, and let cook for 15 to 20 minutes with the pot uncovered, but make sure you stir the pot occasionally.
4. By this point, the compote should be almost finished, and the fruit should be soft. If the fruit is still firm let it continue to cook for another 5 to 10 minutes (Note: Add a ¼ cup of fluid if the compote seems to thick) 
5. Once the fruit is tender (as in a fork can easily poke through the fruit), you can either leave the compote as is so it has chunks of fruit in it or you can smash the fruit. To smash the fruit, take two spoons and smash the fruit between the spoons to break them down a bit. Then take a large spoon and squash the fruit against the bottom of the pot until there are no large chunks of the fruit.  The compote should have a thick and slightly runny consistency, but not be too liquidy. ***If the compote is too watery, let it cook for another 5 to 10 minutes to allow some of the fluid to evaporate. Make sure you watch the compote throughout the cooking process and remove from the heat when the consistency is right (see video demonstration for a visual)***    ***If the compote is too thick, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water and mix. Then the compote is done.***
6. Once the compote has the right consistency, remove it from the heat, and it is ready to serve! You can also store this in the refrigerator for a week or freeze it and defrost as needed (Note: If you freeze the compote make sure you use it within a few weeks).

Dairy-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup

There is nothing like having a bowl of cream of (insert whatever vegetable name here) soup. I love soups that are thick and have the body to them. Unfortunately, I am sensitive to dairy and have to limit how much dairy I eat, which can be very difficult at times. However, I’ve managed to create a recipe for cream of mushroom soup that tastes just like the dairy version but is actually dairy-free. This soup comes out thick and creamy in texture with a strong mushroom flavor. It is also a great option to eat when doing a liquid detox because it is very hardy and satisfying. My mushroom soup recipe is also vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free friendly; requires few ingredients, and is quite simple to make. So have fun trying out this recipe, and enjoy!   

Dairy-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 48 oz of baby bella mushrooms
• 7 cups of water
• 2 medium-sized onions
• 1 cup rolled oats, finely ground
• 4 teaspoons of onion powder
• 4 teaspoons of garlic powder
• 2 ½ teaspoons of salt
• ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A large pot
• A frying or sauté pan
• A knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils
• A food processor

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients. Finely chop the onions in a food processor or by hand. Finely grind the rolled oats in a food processor until they reach a flour-like consistency. Take ¾ths of the mushrooms and cut them into ¼ inch cubes. Then take the remaining ¼ of mushrooms and cut into slices ¼ inch thick.
2. In a large pot, add the onions, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and cook the onions on high heat, with the pot covered, until the onions are translucent. Be sure to stir the pot occasionally.
3. Add the chopped mushrooms to the pot and sauté for 5 minutes with the pot covered stirring occasionally until the mushrooms begin to brown, have released some fluids and reduced in volume by half.
4. Now add the ground oats to the mushrooms and mix thoroughly. Then add the water to the pot, stir, and bring to a boil over high heat.
5. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, and let cook for 20 minutes with the pot covered stirring occasionally.
6. While waiting, sauté the sliced mushrooms in a frying pan. Add about a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and heat on high heat. Then add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes. Next, add a pinch or two of salt to the mushrooms and continue to sauté for a few minutes until the mushrooms have browned (See video demonstration for a visual). Turn off the stove and set the mushrooms aside for later.
7. After cooking for 20 minutes, the oats in the soup should have completely dissolved, and the soup should have thickened. Now season the soup with the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper and stir thoroughly (Note: don’t over season the soup at this point as the soup still needs to cook an additional 10 minutes).
8. Next, add some of the sautéed mushrooms to the soup. You can reserve some of the mushrooms to place on top of the soup if you want. Then stir the soup and let cook for another 5 minutes.
9. At this point, the soup is done. You can add more salt and pepper to taste if you’d like and then the soup can be served!

Tostones

One of the best side dishes to any Cuban meal are plantains as they can be made in a variety of ways. I’ve already posted a recipe for how to make platanos maduros, which are made with ripe plantains, and a recipe for plantain chips using green plantains. And another great way to make plantains is to make tostones using green, unripe plantains. In fact, tostones can be made using plantains that are green all the way to starting to turn yellow but are still firm. Very ripened plantains, like the kind you want for platanos maduros, won’t work for tostones. Tostones are really great because they can be eaten as is, lightly salted, or can be added to soups, roasts, and stews. Moreover, they are very simple and inexpensive to make, so have fun trying out this recipe and enjoy! 

   

Tostones Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 or more green plantains (you can use plantains that are firm and just starting to turn yellow)
• Corn or vegetable oil for frying
• Salt to taste (optional)

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A frying pan or small pot
• A knife and cutting board
• Forks or spatula for flipping and removing plantains from the oil
• Wire strainer

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. First, peel the plantains, cut into slices 1 inch thick, and reserve the peel for later (see video demonstration for further detail).
2. Fill a pot or frying pan with oil at least 2 inches deep. Heat the oil on high heat.
3. Once hot enough, carefully place the plantain slices in the pot/pan, so they are not overlapping. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook the plantains for 2 minutes. Then flip the pieces over and continue to cook for 2 minutes or until they start to have a golden yellow color. Remove the plantains from the pot/pan and place on a plate.
4. Now take the plantain peel, place one cooked plantain piece on the peel, fold the peel over, and press down over the plantain slice with the palm of your hand. You want to squash and flatten the plantain a bit so that the slices are about ¼ inch thick (see video demonstration for visual). Repeat the process for the rest of the plantain pieces.
5. Next, place the plantains back into the oil and cook on medium-high heat for about 1 minute and 30 seconds flipping the tostones over ½ way through the cooking process. Cook the tostones until they are golden brown. Then remove the tostones from the oil, place on a plate, add a little salt over them (if you want), and serve!

***NOTE: The plantains will continue to cook once they are removed from the frying pan,

so remove them when they are starting to turn golden brown to avoid overcooking or burning     

them.

Mariquitas de Platano (Plantain Chips)

Plantains are a great and versatile produce that also happen to be quite inexpensive.  One great way of making green plantains is to make plantain chips or what is called mariquitas de platano. You want to make sure you use green plantains to make mariquitas de platano as ripened (yellow or black) plantains will end up soggy. These chips are simple to make and very delicious. Everyone in my family loves these because the chips are light and crispy! Also, they pair well with a variety of food and can be eaten as a side dish or as a snack. This is another vegan, vegetarian, dairy free, and gluten free friendly food. So have fun trying this recipe and enjoy! 

Mariquitas de Platano (Plantain Chips) Recipe 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 or more green plantains
• Corn or vegetable oil for frying
• Salt to taste (optional)

TOOLS NEEDED:

• Food processor slicer for a standard mixer or handheld slicer
• A small/medium pot, knife, cutting board, and wire strainer

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS             
                                 

                                                                         

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients. Peel the plantain(s) and cut it in half (Depending on the size of the plantain, the pieces should be 4 ¼ to 5 inches in size) 
2. Slice the plantains using a food processor, standard mixer attachment, or handheld (mandoline) slicer. If you have none of those, you could also use a peeler. The pieces should be thin, about 1 to 2 mm thick. 
3. Now put oil in a pot about 1 inch deep. Heat the oil on high heat and use a plantain slice to check if the oil is hot enough. If the oil bubbles, the oil is ready.  
4. Reduce the heat to medium-high and begin frying the plantains. Make sure you separate the plantain slices when placing them in the frying pan. Don’t overcrowd the pan or let the plantain slices overlap or they will clump and get stuck together. Cook the plantain slices for about 20 seconds or remove them from the oil when the edges begin to brown. (Note: the plantain slices will cook very quickly in the oil and will continue to cook once removed from the oil, so be sure to remove them from the oil when the edges begin to brown). Use a wire or mesh spider strainer to remove the plantains from the oil and place on a plate/tray covered with paper towels. Once finished frying, the plantains are ready to serve. The plantains can also be saved to eat later or at any time as a snack.  

Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)

With the holidays approaching, it conjures thoughts of all the traditional dishes my Cuban family eats during our Christmas Eve meal. One main side dish that is served is frijoles negros (black beans), which goes really well with the roasted pork, yucca, white rice, fufu (mashed plantains), and shrimp served for the holiday meal.  However, black beans are an amazing recipe that makes for a simple, hardy, and healthy meal for any day of the year, not just holidays! This also happens to be a great vegan- and vegetarian-friendly recipe. It’s also gluten and dairy free! Black beans are simple, inexpensive to make, healthy, and delicious! So have fun giving this recipe a try and enjoy!   

Black Beans (Frijoles Negros) Recipe 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb (16 oz bag) of dry black beans
• 1 medium-sized green pepper
• 1 large onion
• 2 teaspoons of cumin
• 2 tablespoons of garlic powder
• ½ tablespoon of salt
• 5 cups of water plus 2 cups of water to add later as needed

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A large pot
• A knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

                                                                  

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients. First, put the dry black beans in a pot. Then rinse the beans three times with water, draining the water each time. Next fill the pot halfway, with about 5 cups of water, and let the beans soak for at least 2 hours or just let them soak overnight.   
2. Now finely chop the onion and green pepper in a food processor.
3. Once the beans finish soaking, add the chopped onion, chopped green pepper, garlic powder, salt, and cumin to the pot with the beans and water. Place the pot covered on the stove and bring to a boil on high heat. Then lower to medium-high heat and let boil for 5 minutes with the lid slightly uncovered. 
4. Next, lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 40 minutes (Note: The timing could be different based on the brand of beans used and how long you soaked the beans).
5. By this point, the fluid should have reduced. Add 2 cups of water and continue to cook for 20 minutes.
6. Now take a large stirring spoon and squash some of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken the soup/liquid part of the beans (Note: Squash the beans until you get a thickness you like; watch the video demonstration for a visual/more details). Then reduce the heat to low and let cook for 15 minutes.  After that, the beans are ready to serve!