Her Modern Kitchen

Eating & Living in Austin, Texas

Healthy

Crispy Gluten-Free Baked Buffalo Cauliflower

by

Crispy Gluten Free Buffalo Cauliflower Header

Crispy gluten-free baked buffalo cauliflower makes an easy snack, dinner, or appetizer to share with guests.

<3M and I love the buffalo cauliflower that’s served at the Alamo Drafthouse.  It’s the ‘healthy’ vegetarian appetizer we can easily agree upon.  I love the spice, the crispy florets, and the creamy blue cheese-ranch dressing they serve with it.

Knowing how much we both love the dish, I had toyed with the idea of making it at home myself but it wasn’t until a pregnant friend asked if I had a recipe for it that I really decided to research a method for making crispy gluten-free baked buffalo cauliflower at home.

It starts with the batter

While looking at an assortment of recipes, there was always a common thread — some kind of flour and milk-based battered cauliflower floret baked at a high temperature.  Now, I chose to make my buffalo cauliflower gluten-free using a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour substitute but you can 100$% make this with all-purpose flour.  You can also substitute plain non-dairy milk for cow’s milk, though I wouldn’t recommend coconut because it would add sweetness.

After reading comments on multiple recipes, I also decided adding a little egg white to the batter would help with the stability and provide added crispness.  Lastly, to maximize the flavor, I threw in a bit of spice to the batter including garlic salt, onion powder, and paprika.

Baking requires active participation

When baking the crispy gluten-free baked buffalo cauliflower, you need to participate in the process.  This means spreading each battered cauliflower floret out evenly on a baking sheet so that each floret has a little breathing room — we don’t want any of them touching.  Lastly, when you bake it in the oven, you need to be sure to flip the individual cauliflower florets over halfway through.

Crispy Gluten Free Buffalo Cauliflower Close Up

If you’re doubling this recipe, you’ll need to spread the cauliflower out on two sheet pans and rotate the pans top to bottom and bottom to top halfway through the cooking time too to ensure everything crisps up evenly.  If you do not have a convection bake option, then I’d recommend rotating the pans every 10-minutes throughout the duration of the cook time but only flipping the cauliflower florets at the halfway mark.

Toss and serve immediately

As you can imagine, as soon as you add the wing sauce on top of the crispy cauliflower, it’s going to start losing its crispness.  My recommendation is to portion out the cauliflower florets so you only toss the cauliflower you want to eat immediately and put the rest of the florets back in the oven (that is now turned off) so it can stay warm and crisp from the residual heat.

Serving Crispy Gluten-Free Baked Buffalo Cauliflower

Crispy Gluten Free Buffalo Cauliflower Wide

I served these just like traditional buffalo wings with a side of carrots and celery but mixed blue cheese crumbles into ranch dressing for dipping.  I made these for the family as they were visiting and took them to a NYE party.  Everyone who ate them, even after they sat for a bit and lost their crispness thoroughly enjoyed them.  We definitely plan to make these again in the future.

Looking for more cauliflower recipes?  Check out my Roasted Mediterranean Cauliflower with Harissa and Tahini or my Indian Curried Cauliflower recipes.

Crispy Gluten-Free Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Pin

Crispy Gluten-Free Baked Buffalo Cauliflower
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • For the Cauliflower
  • 1 medium head cauliflower, chopped into bite-size florets
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons egg white (about 1 egg white)
  • ½ teaspoon garlic salt
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ cup buffalo-style wing sauce

  • For Serving
  • celery & carrots
  • ranch dressing,
  • blue cheese crumbles
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450°F (use convection bake if available on your oven).
  2. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil (spray foil with cooking spray so wings don't stick)
  3. Whisk together the flour, milk, egg whites, and spices in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add cauliflower florets and toss to coat. Gently shake excess coating from cauliflower and place them on the prepared pan. Space out the cauliflower so they don't touch. If needed, use a second pan.
  4. Bake the wings for a total of 40-minutes. Flipping the wings halfway through.
  5. If using two large pans, be sure to rotate the pans (moving top pan to bottom and bottom pan to top) every 10 minutes throughout the full cook time and still flip the cauliflower halfway through so both sides are fully cooked. The wings should be
  6. Once wings are cooked place half the wings in a large bowl and drizzle with ¼ cup wing sauce. Toss lightly with a spoon. Repeat with remaining wings. Serve immediately with ranch, veggies, and blue cheese crumbles.
  7. TIP: Only toss the wings you will eat immediately with the wing sauce and keep the others warm & crispy by leaving them in the OFF but the still warm oven.

 

Homemade Sea Salt Vanilla Pecan Butter

by

Deliciously easy, homemade pecan butter with roasted pecans and a hint of sea salt and vanilla.

Homemade pecan butter

I always wondered why nut butters (other than PB) were so expensive and now I finally know why.  It’s not because nut butter is expensive to make, it’s because shelling those darn nuts is SO time-consuming. 

My colleague at work has pecan trees in his backyard and graciously donated an entire large grocery bag of pecans to my office.  Although the nuts were cracked, they’ weren’t shelled and no one in the office was specifically interested in them.

Fresh Pecans

So after watching the bag go mainly untouched for two days, I decided to haul it home myself.

Check out my colleague’s own blog, The Small Farm Life.  I loved their goat photos and learning about rendering beeswax.

My Social Distancing Activity

The bag sat in my pantry for ~3 weeks before I finally found time to sit down and shell the pecans (thank you COVID-19) so this Saturday I plopped myself in front of the TV, turned on some trashy Bravo shows, that I absolutely needed to catch up on, (Very Cavalleri if you must know) and spent an hour and a half shelling pecans.

Roasted Pecans

Pecan Butter in food processor

The result was 10 cups of beautifully fresh organic pecans.  Not certified organic but the nuts didn’t have a lick of pesticides or chemicals used on them, so let’s go with organic.

Do you know how much 10 cups of pecans are worth on the nut market? 

That’s ~5 pounds of nuts and according to Nuts.com, that’s about $110. Danngggggg. (Thank you Greg, if you’re reading this!)

Homemade pecan butter

So with my 10 cups worth of organic pecans, I decided to use half to make homemade nut butter, because I’ve never made nut butter before and wanted to try something new.  And the other half I stashed away for a rainy day when I want to do some baking.

My nut butter tips:

  • You can use the nut butter recipe below for any nut you have on hand
  • Definitely roast your nuts before making your butter
    • Just roast them for 15-20 minutes at 325F, tossing every 5 minutes
  • Always let your nuts cool completely after roasting before making your butter
    • Using hot nuts will result is something that is NOT nut butter
    • Wait at least an hour to be safe
  • A quality food processor or a high-speed blender works great
    • I used my food processor and had zero issues

Homemade pecan butter

How I’m enjoying my nut butter:

  • Straight up on a spoon!
  • Spread on a graham cracker
  • Morning toast with banana slices
  • Mixed into oatmeal & smoothies

Looking for nut butter recipes? Try my PB scones or PB Lovers Monster Cookies.

Homemade pecan butter pinterest

Homemade Sea Salt Vanilla Pecan Butter
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Homemade Sea Salt Vanilla Pecan Butter Author: Alyssa Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins Serves: 1 cup
Author:
Serves: 1 cup
Ingredients
  • 5 cups shelled pecan halves
  • ½-3/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3-5 drops stevia, optional
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 325F
  2. Place your pecan halves on the baking sheet in a single layer and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, tossing every 5 minutes to ensure they brown evenly
  3. Remove nuts from the oven and allow them to cool completely before making your nut butter (do not skip this step!)
  4. Place the nuts in your food processor (or high-speed blender)
  5. Allow the food processor to run on high continuously 5-7 minutes, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl every minute or so until a smooth, creamy nut butter forms
  6. Once you reach your desired consistency, add the salt, vanilla, and stevia if using. Start with the minimal amount of salt and stevia then adjust to your liking
  7. Enjoy immediately and store in a clean jar in the fridge for 2-3 weeks

 

Keeping Cool with Sparkling Raspberry Lime Mojitos

by

Make this refreshing Raspberry Lime Mojito with Spindrift real squeezed fruit sparkling water. Add a splash of vodka or rum to make it an adult-worthy beverage.

Sooo…our AC unit went out this weekend.  I mean, it was really only a matter of time. The unit is as old as hour house, 14 years, so according to the professionals, we’ve long surpassed traditional HVAC expiration dates of 9-11 years.

However, no matter how you frame it, unloading a bunch of cash into a new AC system is not my favorite way to spend money and of course, it happens when temperatures in Austin begin to peak.

Hello Summer!

Raspberry Lime Mojito

While <3M and I are gathering quotes for a new AC unit, I’ve been keeping cool with a variety pack of sparkling waters sent to me by Spindrift.  Inspired by the lack of AC & real squeezed fruit flavors of Spindrift, I’ve been mixing up a mocktail to help keep <3M and I cool.  While my Raspberry Lime Mojito is virgin, I’m pretty sure it would be quite tasty with a splash of rum or vodka (probably something I’ll be adding once the angry heat sweats sink in.)

Spindrift Raspberry Lime Mojito

This mojito features Spindrift Lime but would also work well with the Spindrift Raspberry Lime.  What I love about Spindrift is that it’s sparkling water made with real squeezed fruit.  Unlike the other guys, this stuff is tasty, delicious, and you can tell it’s made with real fruit because the sparkling water actually is tinted from the real fruit flavorings.  The pink of the Raspberry Lime Spindrift is just plain pretty.

So, if you’re looking for a way to keep cool this summer, try out this recipe for a Raspberry Lime Mojito.  Hopefully, you’re enjoying your’s by the pool instead of sweating it out inside like <3M and I.

Disclaimer: While I did receive complimentary product from Spindrift,
all photos and opinions are my own.


Sparkling Raspberry Lime Mojitos
 
Save Print
Prep time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 1 drink
Ingredients
  • 1½ teaspoons of fresh lime juice
  • ½ packet stevia
  • 3 mint leaves (+more for garnish)
  • 4-5 fresh raspberries
  • Lime or Raspberry Lime Spindrift
  • additional mint leaves, for garnish
  • limes, thinly sliced into rounds or wedges, for garnish
  • 1-ounce rum or vodka, optional
Instructions
  1. Place the lime juice, stevia, and mint leaves in your glass. Muddle it together for a few seconds then add the raspberries and mash gently to release the juices.
  2. Top with the sparkling Spindrift flavor of your choice (and rum or vodka, if using)
  3. Add ice and give it all a quick stir. Garnish with mint leaves and lime slices, if desired.

 

Falafel & Za’atar Cauliflower Rice Power Bowls with Afia Foods

by

Inspired by the flavors of Afia falafel and my love for power bowls, I created Falafel & Za’atar Cauliflower Rice Power Bowls that are packed with flavor and plant-based protein.

Falafel Za'atar Cauliflower Rice Power Bowl Twins

I love a good power bowl.  There’s just something about all the different flavors and textures mixed together in one dish that makes them so satisfyingly delicious.  And the best part is how customizable they are! There’s an endless option of vegetables, proteins, toppings, and sauces.  Plus, they can usually be made in advance which makes them great for meal prep or an easy lunch to take to work.

Today, my power bowl is inspired by Afia Foods’ Falalel.  Afia Foods is local to Austin and has a food truck on Burnet.  The owner has quite the story to tell about how she made her way to Texas and grew her business that Austin 360 published in March (definitely worth the read!).  Afia Foods is also a Chobani incubator company (love it!) and were part of the HEB Quest for Texas Best competition.

Falafel Za'atar Cauliflower Rice Power Bowl with Afia Foods Falafel

Recently, Afia Foods landed in 200 HEB locations so when they reached out introducing me to their products and mentioned the word falafel, I had to say yes to working with them!  Falafel is my love language.  <3M and I even had falafel at our wedding. However, I’m very picky about my falafel. I want my falafel to be crunchy on the outside, fluffy in the center and full of flavor.

When made the Afia Foods falafel this past weekend and tasted it for the first time, I was in heaven.

Falafel Za'atar Cauliflower Rice Power Bowl Close-up

Never have I had a frozen falafel that met all of my taste requirements AND could be considered healthy.  The falafels are baked in the oven (or you can microwave them if you’re in a hurry) and the original flavor is only 90 calories for 3 pieces. They’re vegan, gluten-free and considered a full plant-based protein. Afia Foods Falafels come in two flavors, original and turmeric.  I loved both. If you’re a fan of spice, you’ll definitely enjoy the turmeric flavor.

Inspired by the flavors of the falafel and my love of power bowls I created these Falafel & Za’atar Cauliflower Rice Power Bowls. If you aren’t familiar with za’atar it’s a Middle Eastern mixed spice containing toasted sesame seeds, sumac, thyme, and salt. It’s a great spice for bread dipping with olive oil, roasting potatoes, or marinading chicken with lemon juice & olive oil.  I chose to use it to flavor my cauliflower rice.

Also in my Falafel & Za’Atar Cauliflower Rice Power Bowls are

  • roasted sweet potatoes
  • massaged kale
  • quick spicy pickled radishes & cucumbers
  • my everyday hummus
  • tzatziki dressing
  • and hot sauce for all the heat

These bowls are serious flavor bombs and full of healthy plant-protein!  You can even make the bowl vegan if you swap the tzatziki dressing for tahini! If you enjoy Mediterranean food, you’re going to love my Falafel & Za’atar Cauliflower Rice Power Bowls.  The tzatziki dressing, pickles, and hummus can also be made a few days in advance and assembled when you’re ready to eat or prep meals for the week.

Give the bowls a try and be sure to pick up a bag or two of Afia Foods falafel at your local HEB, found in the freezer section.

While I did receive complimentary product from Afia Foods all opinions, photos, and the recipes are my own.

Falafel Za'atar Cauliflower Rice Power Bowl Pinterest

Falafel & Za'atar Cauliflower Rice Power Bowls with Afia Foods
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 4 bowls
Ingredients
  • olive oil spray
  • 2 cups cauliflower rice
  • 2 teaspoons za'atar spice
  • salt & pepper

  • For assembly:
  • 1 bag Afia falafel, cooked to package directions
  • warm roasted sweet potatoes*
  • chilled massaged kale salad*
  • ½ cup everyday hummus
  • tzatziki dressing*
  • pickled radishes & cucumbers*
  • hot sauce of choices
  • kalamata olives
Instructions
  1. Spray a large non-stick skillet with olive oil spray and heat over a medium-high flame. Add cauliflower rice and begin to toast stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes. Add the za'atar spice and stir to combine. Continue to cook another 4-5 minutes until cauliflower is cooked through and slightly toasted. Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and pepper then assemble the power bowls.
  2. To assemble the bowls: add a half cup of cauliflower rice to each bowl followed by a ½ cup of sweet potatoes, ½ cup of massaged kale salad and 2 tablespoons of hummus. Top with a few pickled radishes, cucumbers and kalamata olives. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons tzatziki dressing and hot sauce, if desired. Top with warm, cooked falafel & serve.
Notes
*indicates recipe is below

 
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 2 cups
Ingredients
  • 2 large sweet potatoes (~2 cups) cut into ½ inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil, or oil of choice
  • 1 teaspoon each salt & pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425F
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl whisk together the oil, salt, and pepper. Add the cubed sweet potatoes and toss to coat. Spread the potatoes evenly onto the prepared baking sheet.
  4. Roast for 35-40 minutes until lightly golden, tossing halfway through the cooking time.

 
Massaged Kale Salad
 
Save Print
Author:
Ingredients
  • 2 cups kale leaves torn into ½ inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
  1. Place the kale leaves into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil.
  2. Using your hands massage the oil into the leaves.
  3. Sprinkle with salt, granulated garlic, and pepper and toss to combine.
  4. Refrigerate until serving.

 
Quick Spicy Pickled Radishes & Cucumbers
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 3 cups
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch of radishes, washed with tops removed and sliced into ¼ inch rounds (~2 cups sliced)
  • 2 pickling cucumbers, washed and sliced into ¼ inch rounds
  • 1½ cups white vinegar
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 3 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 3 teaspoon pink peppercorns
Instructions
  1. Place the radishes slices and 2 teaspoons pink peppercorns in a large container, like a quart mason jar and set aside.
  2. Place the cucumber slices and 1 teaspoon pink peppercorns in a medium container, like a pint mason jar and set aside.
  3. Pour the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar into a medium sauce pan and place over hight heat on the stove.
  4. Stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to a boil until the sugar is dissolved.
  5. Pour the mixture over the cucumbers until all slices are just covered. Pour remaining mixture over the radishes. If you run out of the pickling liquid, add some additional water to the radishes until they are just covered. Place the mixture in the fridge and let sit for at least 1 hour before serving.
  6. Pickles can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

 
Tzatziki Dressing
 
Save Print
Prep time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: ¾ cup
Ingredients
  • ½ cup cucumber, peeled, seeded & shredded
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, vined minced
  • ½ teaspoon dill weed, fresh preferred but dried will work as well
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1-3 tablespoons water
  • salt to taste
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl stir together all ingredients except water and salt.
  2. Thin the dressing by adding 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the consistency reaches something you can drizzle easily with a spoon.
  3. Season with salt to taste.
  4. Place in the fridge to chill until serving.

 

Healthy Turkey Slider Lettuce Wraps with Green Goddess Dressing

by

Turkey sliders come together quickly and pack a ton of flavor from lemon zest, sauteed onions, and a homemade green goddess dressing. You won’t even miss the bun!

Turkey Sliders with green goddess dressing

While we’re all still committed to eating healthy and sticking to our New Year’s resolutions, I thought I’d finally share my go-to turkey slider recipe.

I love making this recipe because it’s flavorful, juicy, and healthy.  The turkey sliders are seasoned with lemon zest, fresh dill, and garlic. To serve, the sliders are topped with caramelized onions, roasted red peppers and drizzled with a creamy homemade green goddess dressing in a crisp Bibb lettuce cup.  It’s sure to satisfy a burger craving while keeping you on track.

Looking for a side to serve with the sliders? How about these honey chipotle glazed sweet potatoes?

Turkey Sliders with green goddess dressing meal

When making these sliders, it’s important to let the sliders rest for 5-7 minutes after cooking prior to serving.  If you immediately serve the sliders in the lettuce wraps, the burgers will be quite messy, leaking slider ‘juice’ all over.  I’ve made this mistake myself and noticed a huge difference when allowing the meat to rest.

Do you like turkey sliders? How are your New Year’s resolutions going?

Healthy Turkey Sliders Lettuce Wraps with Green Goddess Dressing
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 4 sliders
Ingredients
  • 8 ounces lean ground turkey
  • zest from 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup roasted red peppers, cut into ¼ inch strips
  • 1 small shallot, sliced into rings.
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil, separated
  • 1 head Bibb lettuce (or Boston Lettuce)

  • For the green goddess dressing:
  • ¼ cup paleo mayonnaise
  • ½ small avocado
  • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1 small clove garlic
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a medium-sized bowl mix the ground turkey, lemon zest, dill, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and form into 4 small patties of even size, set aside.
  2. Warm 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until caramelized. Remove from pan and set aside until serving . Do not clean the pan.
  3. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the same pan and cook the sliders 4-6 minutes per side over medium-high heat. Once cooked, remove the pan from the heat and allow the sliders to rest 5-7 minutes while you prepare the dressing.
  4. To prepare the dressing, add all of the dressing ingredients to a food processor and process until fully blended.
  5. To serve, place each slider on a lettuce leaf, top with red pepper strips and shallots, drizzle with green goddess dressing.

 

Brewing My Own Kombucha Part II – The Second Fermentation: flavors, bubbles and tips

by

Welcome back to Part II of my kombucha post!  Today I’m sharing details on how I flavored my kombucha, my experience with a second fermentation which adds the effervescence, as well as a few tips I learned throughout the process.

Kombucha_Book4

If you just landed here and you’re looking for Part I where I discuss kombucha brewing resources, choosing a SCOBY, and the first fermentation, head over this way to start then join me back here once you get a base understanding.

Let’s just skip the chit-chat and jump right into where we left off yesterday.

Flavoring Your Kombucha

First thing, remove your SCOBY and place it in a clean, sanitized container. Then remove 8 ounces of your brewed tea (or enough to cover your SCOBY) and add the starter tea to the SCOBY container. This will be your starter tea for next time.  You may also have a second SCOBY that formed on top of the first, it’s likely small and thin. It’s okay to combine the two SCOBYs until the second is larger.

Kombucha first fermentation

First fermentation prepping for flavors and second fermentation

Next, pour the remaining kombucha into clean, sanitized mason jars leaving about 1 inch of air at the mouth. This is important because you will need a small amount of space to create the effervesence.

When it comes to flavoring, it’s totally up to you and what you prefer. I like ginger and lemon flavored kombucha as well as raspberry and blueberry so those are the flavors I chose to use in my tea.  When flavoring with fruit, you should use fresh juice. I did this by defrosting frozen blueberries and raspberries and squeezing the juice (discarding the pulp). Same thing with the lemon.

For Blueberry Lemon: add 2 tablespoons blueberry juice and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to 1 jar and cap tightly with a lid

For Raspberry Ginger: add 2 tablespoons raspberry juice and 3 slices of peeled ginger to 1 jar and cap tightly with a lid

For Lemon Ginger Zinger: add 3 peeled ginger slices and 2 tablespoons lemon juice to 1 jar and cap tightly with a lid

Kombucha SCOBY

Healthy SCOBY + baby SCOBY after second full brewing cycle

Add Some Bubbles

For bubbly kombucha, you need to let the tea brew a second time, this is called a second fermentation. Just place the capped tea back into your dark, quite place and let it sit one about week.

After a week, put your kombucha in the fridge and this will stop the fermentation process. Let it chill and you’re ready to drink it!  If you taste it and want more bubbles in the future, try letting it sit up to 10 days before refrigerating.

Kombucha Flavored

Drink Up!

I found my kombucha was a bit cloudier than the kind I typically buy at the store — and THAT’S OKAY! It’s totally dependent on the SCOBY, what you add to it, how long you let it ferment.

I also found my kombucha was stronger than store-bought.  Because of this, I recommend drinking only a half-cup at a time until your body adjusts. Remember, kombucha is full of probiotics and healthy bacteria but that doesn’t mean your body can instantly digest all of it.  Your kombucha should last for up to a month if sealed and refrigerated.

When you’re ready to brew again, start the process all over.  If you want to wait a while, learn how to keep your SCOBY happy until you’re ready to start your next fermentation.

Kombucha_Book

A Few Tips

  • When determining your first fermentation time, take into consideration whether or not you’ll do a second ferment. If you do, remember your kombucha will continue to brew during the second fermentation — meaning it will become more vinegary.
    • My recommendation is to lessen the time of your first fermentation to counteract the additional time during your second fermentation.
  • Your kombucha and SCOBY may look a little weird. It’s okay, you’re going to see stuff happening to your SCOBY — it’s made of bacteria and yeast, it’s a living organism.  You will likely see the mother of the SCOBY (brown stringy stuff), don’t be alarmed — it’s totally okay!
  • When you open your kombucha to drink it, you may have a few baby SCOBYs floating around in the jar. Just skim them off the top and toss them (at least that’s what I did). They formed during the second fermentation and it’s 100% expected.  If you put peeled ginger into your kombucha, also discard that.
  • If your kombucha was too sweet, try adjusting the initial sugar amount added during the first brew — but remember the SCOBY is made of yeast and yeast need sugar to grow so too little sugar can kill your SCOBY.
    • Or try adjusting your fermentation time, the longer it ferments the less sweet your tea will be!
  • After each fermentation, your SCOBY will have a buddy growing along side it (sometimes even a few) once they reach the size of your original SCOBY, it’s a good idea to separate the two or give the spare to a friend. You wouldn’t want your SCOBYs competing for resources!

Have you ever made kombucha? Do you have any special tips to add?

Brewing My Own Kombucha Part I – Resources and First Fermentation

by

Kombucha tea is something I love and drink regularly. Probably 3 or more bottles per week and at ~$4 per bottle, that gets pretty pricey!  I had read making kombucha is quite easy and really only requires a bit of patience so I was intrigued and inspired to make my own.

Kombucha_Book7

I split my kombucha post into two parts as it got a bit lengthy.  Today, in Part I, I’m going to cover a few kombucha resources I consulted and my process for the first fermentation.  In Part II, I’ll cover flavoring the kombucha, adding bubbles (second fermentation), and review a few tips I learned during my few kombucha brewing experiences.

When I started to research how-to guides for making kombucha and recipes to flavor my kombucha, I was left a little confused.  All of the guides I found were pretty vague and being a detail-oriented person, their fuzzy ‘add a little of this and wait some amount of time’ wasn’t quite cutting it so…

I set out to create a detailed kombucha guide to add clarity to the process.
And THIS is that process.

In my pursuit to document the kombucha making process, I initially consulted a few sources to gain a base understanding.  The first was the book .  This book was a great a resource for understanding fermented drinks.

It gave a detailed history of fermented drinks while explaining that humans have been making and enjoying them for 1000s of years. It also eased any apprehension I had about poisoning myself with moldy kombucha, knowing humans have been fermenting drinks for ages just by taste, smell, and intuition.

Kombucha, Kefir, and Beyond also provided a base understanding of the chemistry involved during fermentation.  Brewing fermented drinks, like kombucha, is a bit like brewing beer — there’s a few reactions going on that produce the vinegar-esque flavor, bubbles, and health benefits so understanding these reactions helped me determine what was going on with my kombucha during each phase.

The other resource I found exceptionally helpful was the site Kombucha Kamp. Now, the site looks quite dated and it’s really difficult to navigate but the resources are exceptional.  I especially liked the blog posts about the benefits of kombucha and the troubleshooting section where you can see different photos of SCOBYs (which are quite ugly!). The photos allow you to view other SCOBYs to compare to your own, in case you have concerns about the health of your SCOBY.  Here are a few great sources on the site

Based on my consultation of these sources, I was feeling pretty confident and ready to dive into the brewing process! 

Preparing to Brew

Gather your Supplies:

  • 1 SCOBY
  • 8-ounces starter tea
  • 1-gallon sized container for brewing
  • 8 black tea bags
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 coffee filter + large rubber band (to use as a lid)
  • food-grade thermometer

I purchased my SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) from this Etsy shop that had 100s of great reviews. You get a nice big SCOBY plus starter tea, which is super important.

I decided to use plain old for brewing. Though if you want to use loose leaf tea, you may.

I used a with a coffee filter as a lid (you need to keep air moving while brewing so it can’t be an air-tight top).  I brewed half-gallon batches and  bottled my kombucha in regular with regular canning lids for the second fermentation.

Healthy SCOBY

The Brewing Process

Once you have all your supplies, you are ready to brew.

  1. Bring 8 cups of water to boil in a large pot.
  2. Once boiling, add 1/2 cup granulated sugar and stir until dissolved.
  3. Remove the pan from the heat and insert 8 tea bags.
  4. Allow the tea to steep for 15 minutes and then remove the tea bags and discard.
  5. Let the tea cool to ~75°F or lower. Anything warmer will kill your SCOBY.
  6. Pour the cooled tea into your CLEAN and sanitized brewing container (large mason jar).
  7. Add your starter tea to the brewing container.
  8. Using clean hands or a plastic glove, gently place your SCOBY into the jar.  Your SCOBY may float or sink, it really depends on the SCOBY itself, so don’t worry about it.
  9. Place the coffee filter on top of the jar and secure with the rubber band.
  10. Place the large mason jar in a dark corner of your home where there’s still air flow (so not a cupboard) but also a place where it won’t be disturbed. The ideal brewing temperature for kombucha is between 68°F-75°F. Luckily, for most of us, this is probably the temperature our home is set between most of the time so you should be good to go!  Personally, I set my brew in the back corner of my pantry.
Kombucha SCOBY 2

SCOBY during the first fermentation

Determining Your Brew Time

This is where the vagueness comes in and it’s slightly dependent on your brewing temperature. Your tea will be ready for flavoring and bottling anywhere between 5 and 21 days.  Brewing time is also dependent on personal taste preference. If you like more vinegary kombucha, then you should let it brew longer.  If you like sweeter kombucha, then don’t let it brew as long.

I realize 5-21 days is a big range which is why my suggestion to you is to start sampling your tea at day 5 then every 2-3 days after that. You do this by slipping a clean straw into the kombucha, grabbing a little sample and tasting it.  Do not double dip. Double dipping increases the likelihood of introducing bacteria and ruining your brew.  Once you find a kombucha flavor you’re comfortable with, you know it’s time to add flavor and move on to the second fermentation.

While tasting your tea during the first fermentation, you should remember, it’s not going to taste the like kombucha you’re used to drinking from the store. This kombucha is flat (no bubbles, yet) and it’s unflavored.  All of that comes in the next step!

See you tomorrow with the rest of the details!

I Made Collagen Protein Gummy Bears So You Don’t Have To

by

I made collagen protein gummy bears because the rest of the internet is crazy about them. But don’t be fooled, collagen protein gummy bears do not taste like real gummy bears. Read on to see my full review.

collagen-protein-gummy-bears

I like to think of myself as an honest blogger — whether that means telling you that someone’s veggie burger is just a mushy mess, trying the latest Oreos and promptly informing you that they definitely don’t taste like a , or like today, making collagen protein gummy bears and letting you know they aren’t worth your time. In fact, they just plain suck.

In truth, I had no idea collagen protein gummy bears were even a thing until a friend of mine mentioned it to me. Since she’s not much of a baker, I told her I’d make the gummy bears and share them with her plus, I’m a huge fan of collagen and am always looking for more ways to incorporate it into my diet.

Before diving into making the bears, I did a bit of research on the web and found that collagen protein gummy recipes are pretty much all the same — 1 cup liquid to plus a bit of sweetener, if you’d like.

I landed on making two types of gummy bears, a fruit flavor, and a sour flavor. My fruity flavor was pomegranate blueberry while my sour was a citrusy orange-lemon flavor. Since I wanted a bit of variation in my gummy bears, I added food coloring to some of the sour orange-lemon mixture, creating a toxic looking neon green color. I also ordered these ridiculously , that came with a convenient dropper to fill each of the tiny bears.

Collagen-Protein-Gummy-Bear-Quote

I was beyond excited to make my collagen protein gummy bears and I had really high expectations for these gummies. In fact, I thought I was about to have a low sugar, protein-filled, good for you gummy bear that was a spitting image of my favorite .

It’s super easy!

Making these gummy bears really is easy. You slightly warm your juice of choice on the stove until it’s lukewarm, stir in your sweetener (if you’re using any) then whisk the hell out of the mixture as you slowly add the collagen until everything is dissolved.

Next, grab your dropper, fill the bears and refrigerate until set about 20 minutes.  Now comes the worst part, popping out all of these little bears. It’s really not that bad since they’re in silicon molds, you’re basically taking your finger and pushing the bears inside out and they fall right out.

collagen-protein-gummy-bears2

However, I had 300 bears to pop out. Ugh.

As soon as I had my bears out, I was ecstatic to eat my good-for-me Haribo gummy bears. Except, the instant I put them in my mouth, my dreams of protein-rich gummy bears died.

Overly Stiff Jell-O

Collagen protein gummy bears do not taste like real gummy bears. They taste like overly stiff Jell-O. The texture is just plain horrible. And since they’re so small and made with real fruit juice (which is actually pretty mellow in flavor) you need to eat about 20 in one handful to taste anything.

Beyond disappointing.

So friends, if you’re thinking collagen protein gummy bears sound like a good idea, this is your warning. If I still haven’t convinced you, then please, at least save yourself some money and don’t invest in the gummy bear molds. Just make them in a good old 8×8 inch pan (which you should be using to make brownies instead…) and cut them into squares.

Then, when you taste your collagen protein gummy bears for the first time and are hugely disappointed, please hop back here and let me know what you thought so I can casually throw a ‘told ya so’ into the conversation.

As for my friend, whom I promised to share these gummy bears with, she said they were good but agreed, they were best eaten in handfuls for a full sweet ‘n’ sour mix! I still think she was being kind.

Have your made collagen protein gummies yet? What were your thoughts?

5.0 from 1 reviews
Berry Collagen Protein Gummy Bears
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • 1 cup POM Wonderful pomegranate blueberry juice
  • 2 tablespoons collagen
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • silicon molds or an 8x8 inch pan lined with parchment paper
Instructions
  1. In a small saucepan over low heat warm the juice until lukewarm to touch
  2. Stir in the honey until dissolved
  3. Remove from heat and while whisking, slowly add in the collagen powder until fully dissolved
  4. Immediately pour the mixture into your molds
  5. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or until fully set, dependent on the size of your mold
  6. Remove gummies from their mold once set or cut into squares if using an 8x8 inch pan
  7. Eat immediately or store refrigerated up to 2 weeks

5.0 from 1 reviews
Sour Orange-Lemon Collagen Protein Gummies
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • juice of 1 large lemon
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons + 1.5 teaspoons gelatin
  • silicon molds or an 8x8 inch pan lined with parchment paper
  • blue or green food coloring, optional
Instructions
  1. In a small saucepan over low heat warm the juice until lukewarm to touch
  2. Stir in the honey until dissolved
  3. Remove from heat and while whisking, slowly add in the collagen powder until fully dissolved
  4. If you'd like to color your mixture so you have two different gummy colors, split the liquid into two bowls and add 1 drop food coloring of choice to one bowl and whisk. If you'd like a more vibrant color, add 1 drop at a time until the desired color is achieved
  5. Once colored, pour the mixture into your molds
  6. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or until fully set, dependent on the size of your mold
  7. Remove gummies from their mold once set or cut into squares if using an 8x8 inch pan
  8. Eat immediately or store refrigerated up to 2 weeks

 

Crispy Rosemary Garlic Chickpeas for Healthy Snacking in the New Year

by

Crispy Rosemary Garlic Chickpeas are a healthy, addictive snack that’s easy to make and even easier to make disappear! With fresh rosemary and garlic, these crispy golden beans are a crowd pleaser full of good-for-you benefits.

I made my first batch of Crispy Rosemary Garlic Chickpeas while <3M was traveling, and boy am I glad he was gone! They were so addictively good I ate half the batch on my own as soon as they came out of the oven! I loved their crunchy, salty, herby flavor and had to convince myself to stop eating them!

Crispy Rosemary Garlic Chickpeas on a tray

Crispy Rosemary Garlic Chickpeas close up

Growing up, I hated garbanzo beans. I remember my Dad putting them on all his salads, especially when we ate at the Ponderosa buffet. I remember tasting chickpeas and hating the texture. They were like pasty, mushy beads in my mouth. I’d meticulously pick them out of salads or gag if one ever accidentally found its way into my mouth.

Serious question folks, do you call them chickpeas or garbanzo beans? Comment below and let me know! I refer to them as garbanzo beans but for the purpose of naming this recipe, I went with chickpeas. #callitwhatyouwantto

Fast forward 10 years later, and I love garbanzo beans! I put them on salads daily, regularly use them for my homemade Everyday Hummus and my favorite Indian dish to make is Chana Masala (a chickpea curry). I almost always have a  can or two stashed away in my pantry in case of emergencies, obviously.

Crispy Rosemary Garlic Chickpeas on a tray

Crispy Rosemary Garlic Chickpeas cooked

Crispy Rosemary Garlic Chickpeas cooked

Garbanzo beans are also a great source of vegetarian protein, full of fiber, and key nutrients like vitamin k, magnesium, and zinc. Not only that, studies have shown eating garbanzo beans can benefit those with diabetes and help lower bad cholesterol.  Which makes these Crispy Rosemary Garlic Chickpeas the perfect New Year’s snack since I know we all vowed to be healthier this year!  Am I right?

The best part about these Crispy Rosemary Garlic Chickpeas is that they’re baked not fried and only require 4 main ingredients. They’re loaded with garlic and lots of fresh rosemary then baked for about 45 minutes.  They do take a bit of hand-holding though as you’ll need to gently shake the pan every 10 minutes or so to ensure the beans crisp evenly. When you take them out of the oven, immediately sprinkle them with salt while they’re still warm and serve!

Crispy Rosemary Garlic Chickpeas cooked

I enjoyed the Crispy Rosemary Garlic Chickpeas served fresh, the same day right out of the oven! I loved them plain but you can also add Crispy Rosemary Garlic Chickpeas to a creamy soup, mixed into a salad, or sprinkled over sautéed greens! Either way, they’re a delicious healthy snack that you can feel good about eating.

Crispy Rosemary Garlic Chickpeas pinned

5.0 from 3 reviews
Crispy Rosemary Garlic Chickpeas for Healthy Snacking in the New Year
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 4 cups
Ingredients
  • 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more for serving
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425F
  2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside
  3. Place the rinsed and drained chickpeas on one half of a clean kitchen towel. Gently fold the other half over the chickpeas and rub gently to remove the chickpea skins. You may need to work in batches*
  4. Place the olive oil in a medium-sized mixing bowl and add the rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.
  5. Add the chickpeas and gently toss until the beans are fully coated with the olive oil herb mixture.
  6. Spread the chickpeas out onto the prepared baking sheet in a single, even layer and place in the oven for 40-50 minutes.
  7. Every 10 minutes, gently shake the pan to move the chickpeas around and ensure they're crisping evenly.
  8. At the 30 minute mark, begin checking the chickpeas for doneness. The beans will be golden on the outside but slightly soften in the center.
  9. Once you reach your desired crispness, remove the beans from the oven, sprinkle with additional sea salt and serve immediately.
  10. Beans will keep 1-2 days stored at room temperature in an air-tight container.**
Notes
*This is optional. If you're okay with the skins on your beans or want to quickly get the beans into the oven, then skip this step. It will still be delicious!
**You may store the beans but they lose their crispness as days pass which is why I tend to make a large batch and share them with a crowd the day they're cooked.

 

Chimichurri Sauce – Fresh flavors for Summer

by

Chimichurri Sauce is a flavorful, fresh sauce with a bit tang and a hint of spice. Although it’s traditionally served as a condiment to grilled meat, in my kitchen, it’s the star of the meal!

Chimichurri Sauce

When things start to heat up in Austin, I can’t help but crave herby-spicy, Mexican food. But since it’s a bit unrealistic for me to eat tacos every day (though I definitely could), I try to incorporate similar flavors into my meals in other ways, like with Chimichurri Sauce.

When this craving hits, I tend to make Chimichurri sauce on the regular, as it reminds me a lot of those Mexican flavors I crave during the warmer months. In general, no matter the time of year, I tend to keep fresh, herby sauces on hand to use as quick meal inspiration, like my healthier homemade pesto but Chimichurri is definitely my summertime go-to.

Although Chimichurri sauce is green, made with fresh herbs, and has oil as a base, you may think it’s similar to Pesto. But let’s be clear, Chimichurri is definitely not the South American equivalent to Pesto.

Pesto = Pasta

Chimichurri = Meat

 

Chimichurri Sauce Ingredients

 

I love Chimichurri Sauce because it’s so flavorful, fresh, a bit tangy and has a hint of spice. And of course, it’s quick to make, dirties only a single bowl, and lasts for days in the refrigerator.

Now, when most people think of Chimichurri, they think of steak. And rightfully so. When you’re crusin’ the menu, you’ll most often find the word steak listed next to Chimichurri. That’s because Chimichurri originated in Argentina as a green sauce served as a condiment with grilled meat.

Except in my kitchen.

Chimichurri Sauce Ingredients

In my kitchen, Chimichurri sauce is so much more than a steak topper or condiment. I’ve found it works well as a marinade for shrimp, fish or chicken. It mixes into quinoa or rice for a flavorful side dish. It even works well basted on skewered vegetables before grilling.

In fact, my favorite way to use Chimichurri sauce is as a dressing on top of a homemade Taco Salad or drizzled over my Mole Chicken Tacos. Since tacos and Chimichurri are both from the Southern hemisphere and share similar ingredients across cuisines, I find that the flavors blend nicely together. That burst of fresh flavor really sets off the rest of the ingredients in both dishes and adds a bit of herby-deliciousness to every bite.

Chimichurri Sauce

The fact that Chimichurri is made with fresh, in-season ingredients also makes it prime for the summer season. So, whether you choose to fire up the grill and serve this Chimichurri sauce in its traditional manner as an accompaniment to grilled meat or give it a modern twist as a salad dressing, flavor enhancer to rice, or try it as a salsa, you’ll be pleased to add this sauce to your summer menu!

Chimichurri Sauce
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Chimichurri Sauce is a flavorful, fresh sauce with a bit tang and a hint of spice. Although it's traditionally served as a condiment to grilled meat, in my kitchen, it's the star of the meal!
Serves: 1 cup
Ingredients
  • 1 cup packed, fresh parsley, stems removed
  • ½ cup packed, fresh cilantro, stems removed
  • 2 tablespoons, fresh oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 3 small garlic gloves
  • ¼ cup roughly chopped yellow or white onion
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • juice of ½ a lemon
Instructions
  1. In a food processor, pulse together the parsley, cilantro, oregano, onion, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
  2. Once roughly combined, pour in the red wine vinegar and lemon juice.
  3. Turn the food processor to low and stream in the olive oil until fully incorporated.
  4. Store chimichurri in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.