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!

Lemon Pancakes with Berry Compote

I always try to think of something special to make my mom on Mother’s Day, and this is one of the recipes I came up with in the process. My mom really likes things that are lemon flavored, so I figured some fluffy, lemon flavored pancakes would be perfect! And accompanying the pancakes with a berry compote and fresh fruit provides a sweetness and tartness that contrast perfectly with the lemon flavor of the pancakes! My family loves these pancakes! In fact, the lemon pancakes taste great on their own, or with other food items like scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, or whatever you want. This lemon pancake recipe is a great option for making a special meal because it isn’t too difficult to make but the flavors are simply amazing! So have fun trying this recipe and enjoy! 

Lemon Pancakes with Berry Compote Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

For Lemon Pancakes:

• 1  ½ cup of all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons of baking powder
• ½ tsp of baking soda
• 4 tbsp of white sugar
• ½ cup of milk
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 3 tbsp of unsalted butter, melted
• 2 lemons, zested
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• Butter or margarine for cooking
• Fresh berries to add on top of the pancakes (optional)

For Berry Compote:

• ¼ cup of blackberries
• ½ cup of raspberries
• 1 ¼ cups of strawberries
• 1 ½ cups of blueberries
• 2 tsp of brown sugar (or white sugar)
• ¼ cup of water

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

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A medium-sized bowl
• A small pot
• A flat griddle pan
• A knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils
• A ladle
• A spatula

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

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

1. Collect the ingredients. Zest and juice the lemons. Thoroughly whisk the egg until it looks frothy.
2. Put the flour in a medium-sized bowl and whisk to loosen the flour. Add the baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and lemon zest to the flour and mix to evenly distribute the ingredients.
3. Now add the eggs, melted butter, milk, and lemon juice to the flour mixture. Then stir and fold the ingredients until you don’t see any streaks of flour (Note: don’t over mix the batter or the pancakes will end up flat). Then let the pancake mixture sit for 15 minutes.  In the meantime, make the berry compote.
4. First, coarsely chop the strawberries. In a medium-sized pot, add the blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, brown sugar, and water. Then place the pot on the stove, give it a good stir, and bring to a simmer on high heat with the pot covered.
5. 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. You can start making the pancakes while the compote is cooking.
6. Take a griddle pan and heat on medium-high heat. Then take the unmelted butter (or margarine) and coat the spots on the pan where you are going to put the pancake batter. Next, use a ladle to pour the batter onto the pan, and let cook for about 2 minutes or until you see bubbles forming across the batter of the pancake (see video demonstration for a visual). Flip the pancakes over and let cook for about 20 seconds. Then remove them from the pan. Repeat the process for the rest of the pancake batter.
7. By this point, the compote should be almost finished, and the berries will be soft. Take two spoons and smash the berries between the spoons to beak them down a bit. Then take a large spoon and squash the berries against the bottom of the pot until there are no large chunks of berries. The mixture should have thickened but still be a little bit runny. If the compote is too thick just add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water and mix. Then the compote is done.
8. Serve the pancakes with the warm compote, and some fresh fruit on the top or side of the pancakes!

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.

Multi-purpose Whipped Cream

While growing up, my mom would get cakes from a bakery that used whipped cream frosting instead of buttercream, and the cakes were light, low in sugar, and tasted absolutely amazing! There is nothing wrong with cakes that are covered with buttercream, especially homemade buttercream. However, whipped cream frosting adds a lightness and freshness to cakes that pairs perfectly with fresh fruit! I absolutely love strawberry shortcake! In fact, it has been my go to for making a birthday cake for myself, which is how I developed the perfect whipped cream to use for cakes. Regular whipped cream using whipping cream works perfectly fine if you are adding a dollop on top or on the side of a dessert or drink. However, you need something thicker to make multilayer cakes or to hold the shape when piping out of a pastry bag. My whipped cream recipe uses heavy cream as I found it works well for making a very creamy and thicker whipped cream that can be used for a variety of purposes. This multipurpose whipped cream recipe can be used for cakes (including cheesecakes), cake designs, as an accompaniment for desserts, or put on drinks (e.g. hot chocolate, coffee). So have fun trying the recipe and enjoy! 

Multi-purpose Whipped Cream Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup of heavy cream 
• 3 tablespoons of sugar

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A handheld mixer or standard mixer
• A large mixing bowl
• A spatula and measuring utensils

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS         

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

1. Collect the ingredients and put the heavy cream in a large mixing bowl.
2. Whisk the heavy cream on high with a standard or handheld mixer for 1 to 2 minutes or until the heavy cream begins to ripple.
3. Now, add the sugar and mix for 30 seconds. Then shut off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and beater, and mix on high for another 30 seconds, or until the mixture forms stiff peaks (See video demonstration for a visual). The whipped cream will be ready to serve or use to decorate cupcakes/cakes or other desserts.

Important Recipe Notes:

·       You may need to mix the heavy cream for longer if you are using a handheld mixer, so use the consistency of the cream as an indicator for doneness.

·       This whipped cream will be thick enough to put in a pipping bag and decorate cakes, cupcakes or other desserts.

·       You can substitute heavy whipping cream or whipping cream instead of using heavy cream. However, the whipped cream will have a thinner and runnier texture. You can add in a tablespoon of pudding mixture or powdered gelatin to help stabilize the whipped cream. This will make the whipped cream usable for decorating large/ multilayer cakes.

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!