The Queen of Tarts

Simple Banana Bread

Banana bread has a way of reappearing time and again in our kitchen. We always get bananas, the weeks comes and goes, and before we know it, there are several brown squishy sweet smelling pieces of fruit sitting on the marble slab on the kitchen counter. Prior to mixing the ingredients together, I often hesitate. I always think about the process, and I tell myself that it takes a long time, that it is time consuming, that it is an task I do not have the time to take on. And then I really think about it and realize how pathetic and lazy I am being...I forget how easy this quick bread is, and also how versatile the recipes are. I cannot even being to count the number of variations I have come up with when I comes to banana bread. However, one thing has always remained consistent - I rarely use white sugar, white flour, or the full amount of oil that is called for in a recipe. The sweetness of the overripe bananas combined with applesauce and a touch of agave nectar make for a pleasantly, but not overly, sweet treat. Somehow the bananas sitting on the counter always last longer than the banana bread. I dare you to keep this around for longer than a week!

Simple Banana Bread

2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup agave nectar

1 egg

1 tbsp plain, nonfat yogurt or buttermilk (you can also use vanilla yogurt if you prefer it or that is all you have) This can also be omitted, however increase the oil by 1 tbsp is you choose do omit it.

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

3 ripe bananas

3/4 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 325F and grease a 9x5x3 loaf pan.

Mix the bananas in a bowl with a hand-held or stand mixer. Add in the egg, applesauce, and oil. Once combined, add in the vanilla, yogurt, and agave. In a separate bowl, mix together the salt, baking soda, and flour. Once combined, slowly add in the flour mixture and then the raisins. Mix thoroughly and then pour into the loaf pan. Bake for about 50 - 60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Take the loaf from the oven and cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn the bread out onto the wire rack, and allow to cool thoroughly before cutting into it. After considerable trial and error, I have found that the bread often still bakes while it is in the pan and while it is cooling on the rack.

Enjoy for breakfast, tea, with coffee, etc.

 

Date Nut Bread

I went out for a run this morning.  Boston is a very walkable/run-friendly city, and you can easily get through the entire city in a few hours.  I ran through the Harvard Medical School Campus, and down through the Fens, and that is when I noticed the first signs of fall in New England.  It is almost October and the average temperature this month has probably been in the low 80s during the day. Today, almost 90 with high humidity.  However, the leaves are starting to turn, and they were covering the dirt trails that ran parallel to the Museum of Fine Arts.  Yes, it is fall in Boston.

This summer has been a whirl wind of events, and for the most part, my time has not been spent in the kitchen thinking about recipes, measurements, or metric conversions.  Instead, my time was spent on our wedding guest list, the DJ's play list, and playing "name that animal" in the middle of the night while on safari in Tanzania.  No, the kitchen has not been a huge focus for me.  And perhaps that is why I have felt a bit lost and out of sorts.  All my life the kitchen has been a place of comfort, a place where I can find solace, and a place where I can reconnect.  So during my morning run I realized that it was indeed time to get my ass back into the kitchen, and start cooking and baking again.

Very few sweet recipes say fall to me as much as quick bread.  So, given the fact that I recently received 2 KG of dates from Saudi Arabia, I thought that a date nut bread would be the perfect way to 1. ease into fall and 2. get myself back into the spirit of baking.  When I did an online search for date nut bread, loads of recipes came up, but I found myself drawn to the story attached to John T. Edge's recipe, so my recipe is based off of his.

I pulled apart the sticky dates from the giant mass we have sitting on our kitchen counter, and one by one I removed the pits.  I would love to tell you that it was a painstaking process, but there was something rather methodical and relaxing about it.  The dates that I have are so sweet - not like the Mejdool dates that you might find in a market, but sweeter than anything I have ever tasted.  So I only added a small amount of additional sweetener to the recipe.  However, depending on what kind of dates you are working with, you might want to adjust your own measurements.

Fall is here in Boston... and so the baking begins.

 

(Recipe adapted from John T. Edge, Gourmet Magazine)

3/4 cup boiling water + juice from 1 orange
1 3/4 cups (or about 10 oz weighed) chopped dates
1/4 cup dark agave nectar (you can also use light, but I find that in this instance, the richer flavor of the dark works well, as it bring out the flavors of the dates)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 large eggs
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (I use Arrowhead Mills Organic Pastry Flour and it is great - fantastic substitute for white flour in almost all recipes!)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts or almonds or pecans (whatever you like)

Heat oven to 350°F.

In a medium bowl, pour the hot water and orange juice over dates. Stir and let the mix sit until lukewarm. In a food processor, puree 1/3 of the mix to make a paste - you might find that there are bits of dates hanging out in the paste - so be it.  Do not get all worked over this, as this mixture should be stirred back into the bowl full of date mix. Add the agave, vanilla, and eggs. Stir until combined.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add in the date mixture, and mix the ingredients together. I like using a stand mixing machine (think Kitchen Aid) and when everything is almost coming together, add the nuts center.  Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan.

Bake for 60 minutes or so; loaf is done when the top has risen. Remove the bread from the oven and cool it on a rack for at least 30 minutes before serving.

 

Goldilocks Granola

 

I would not be surprised if someone compared me to Goldilocks at times - you know, as in "Goldilocks and the Three Bears".  When it comes to certain food items, I often find that they are never just right.  I am perhaps one of the pickiest eaters around.  None of my friends or family would argue that point.  I like things the way I like them, and that is that. For example, Granola.  It is often too crunchy, too, sweet, or too oily.  I rarely find it just right.  It is one of those things that I want to love but often do not because of the texture, the taste, etc.  I come across elements of one type of granola (like the fact that the raisins are actually soft and not crispy) and want to bring those to a not-so-sweet granola that has a hint of coconut and another that is not oily.  

So I decided that the only reasonable thing to do was to come up with my own version.  I am fully aware that my version might not be for everyone.  I like my raisins soft, I do not like my granola too crunchy or too sweet, and I like a touch - just a touch - of salt.  I made batch upon batch of the granola and threw in the some chocolate chips for our wedding gift bags.  It turned out to be a big hit all around.  Every time I make it, I change things slightly - a little more oatmeal, fewer raisins, more coconut, less coconut oil, more coconut oil.  It really all comes down to taste in the end anyway.  This is a completely versatile dish - and can be used as a snack by itself, over yogurt, with milk... you get the picture, right?  Plus, it is full of good stuff and vegan etc.

Yesterday afternoon, I baked up a batch and added in mejdool dates...sweet, plump, and firm - they lost none of their texture after baking for about 15 minutes, and blended in well with the rest of the mix.  So here it is, and use your imagination to come up with your own favorite version.

4 C rolled oats

1 C Swiss Muesli (no sugar added)

1/2 C Coconut Oil (make sure that it is in liquid form before measuring)

1 C Raisins

1/3 C Unsweetened Coconut Flakes 

3/4 C chopped salted almonds

6 large Mejdool dates, pitted and chopped into medium / small pieces

1/2 C Agave Nectar (or honey or maple syrup)

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat your oven to 375F.  Line a baking sheet with foil or a silpat sheet.  Combine the oats and muesli in a large bowl and add the oil.  Mix together.  Then add the agave nectar and the salt.  Adjust the flavors to taste.  Add the almonds, dates, and the coconut and then spread evenly on the baking sheet. Bake for about 6 minutes, and then gently stir the ingredients on the sheet so that everything will cook evenly.  After about 5 more minutes, stir again.  Cook for another 5-6 minutes, and then remove the sheet from the over.  While the granola mixture is still on the tray, add the raisins.  I like to add the raisins at the point, because they will remain soft.  Since the mixture is hot, they will soak up the coconut flavor, but will not cook as much as they would if they had been in the oven.

Boozed up Banana Bread

 

Since when did licking the bowl and the spoon become taboo?  I have looked at numerous recipes over the years, and when I stumble across a baking vegan recipe or a recipe that does not contain eggs it is often stated that "it is safe to lick the bowl".  OK - so a few people might have gotten sick from the raw eggs, but seriously - have you REALLY stopped licking the bowl?  Nope, I did not think so.  Growing up, that was by far the best part of cooking, and I have yet to meet a child who does not delight at licking the bowl and the spoon.  When it comes to banana bread, I often find myself licking the spoon more often than I should ensuring that the flavors are just right.  This one time however, I wanted to add something more, and that something turned out to be rum.  The flavors of bananas and rum work well together, and I often add rum to my cakes.  While I hesitated for a moment since the recipe is filled with good stuff, I could not resist.  The result is a light, moist bread bursting with bananas and a hint of rum.

Licking the bowl is a must for this recipe, although I am not sure that I would recommend children jump on board - it does have a heavy handed pour of rum, and that make it all the better.  So get out those bowls and some extra spoons, and get ready to feel like a kid all over again (in a very responsible way of course...)

Preheat Oven to 350 F

grease a 6-cup loaf pan

1 1/3 C White Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 Tsp Baking Soda

1/4 Tsp Baking Powder

3/4 Tsp Salt

3 very ripe small bananas

2 medium eggs

1/4 C vegetable oil

1/4 C honey

1/4 C agave nectar

1/4 C (or so...) or Dark Rum

Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.  Pour the oil, honey, and agave together in a separate bowl and mix with a hand blender or stand mixer until well incorporated.  Add the eggs and mix for about 1 minutes.  Add in the bananas and mix the ingredients well until the batter is almost smooth.  There will be some banana bits - that is just fine as it adds in texture.  Add in the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon or mixer on low speed.  Once the ingredients are all incorporated add the rum.  I tend to pour it in until the taste is right (i.e. I do not really measure...) but 1/4 C should do it, and you might even want to use less depending on your taste.  Bake for about 55 minutes, and remove from the oven.  Allow to sit in the pan for 10 minutes, and then turn out on a cooling rack.  Allow to cool for about 15 minutes before slicing.

Double Nut Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Every time I make a batch of cookies, I am thrown back into my mother's kitchen, or the kitchen's of my mother's friends growing up in Providence.  Cooking, aside from having small children and working, seemed to be a common thread that kept everyone together and coming around the table for more. When we would sit down for a family dinner or lunch, it was not just our four-some immediate family, but often a group much larger that brought in parents, grandparents, and children from all over.  Many a meal ended with oversized cookies served on a large platter:  mocha chip, chocolate orange, oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, lemon shortbread, and linzer.  As many ideas as my mother had in her head, she could create a recipe for them.  I still think about those cookies and genius behind many of the recipes. While variations on the traditional chocolate chip cookie are still my favorite, I recently started to experiment with new flours and recipes to see what could come up with that would break from the norm.  Several months back I made a coconut chocolate chip cookie that combined both whole wheat and white flours, canola oil, coconut milk, and agave nectar, chocolate chips, and salt for an "oatey" crunch that had just the right balance of sweetness from the chocolate and salt.

I recently read about Teff Flour in the Flying Apron Gluten Free and Vegan Baking Book and bought some at Whole Foods Market.  One of the great things about Bob's Red Mills products, is that the back of the packages often have a few recipes.  And this is what inspired me to make these double nut chocolate chip cookies.  I knew that Teff Flour was from Ethiopia, but I had never used it before.  Worst case scenario was that I made the batch, and then threw the whole thing out.  It is something that I am rather used to in the trial and error thing called cooking.

These cookies are both gluten-free and vegan, and they are reminiscent of good old fashioned peanut butter cookies.  They have a wonderful nutty texture, and satisfy both a sweet and chocolate craving - one (or maybe 2) cookies should take care you.  Plus, they are packed with good stuff, and do not require a lot of fuss to make!  So I have both my mom and Bob from Bob's Red Mills to thank for this recipe!

Double Nut Chocolate Chip Cookies 

(Inspired by Bob's Red Mills Teff Peanut Butter Cookies)

1 1/2 C Teff Flour

3/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 C agave nectar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 C canola oil

1/2 C peanut butter (I used salted, chunky, all natural)

1/2 C almond butter (I make my own almond butter, but it is smooth and salted)

1 C dark chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350F and set aside an ungreased cookie sheet.  Combine dry ingredients in a mixer. In a food processor, combine the nut butters, agave, and canola oil until well mixed.  Pour into the dry mixture, and turn the mixer on low speed.  Gradually add the chips and vanilla.  I use a cookie scoop (1 inch) and place the balls on the cookie sheet and gently press down with the palm of my hand and then use the tines of a fork to press down a little harder to flatten the dough.  (yields about 26 cookies) Bake for about 12-14 minutes (I like my cookies slightly under done...)

Please note - these cookies can crumble - they are delicate, but freeze well and after cooling, if you freeze them, they will hold their form better.

Vegan for Three Weeks

It really did not seem that bad when @wired2theworld brought it up… I mean vegan and gluten free for 21 days – 3 wks based off of the Quantum Wellness Diet.  Why would I do this?  Why not.  Oh, and I should tell you there is also no sugar, alcohol, or caffeine allowed either.  I have taken vacations for three weeks, so it was kind of like a little 3-week vacation from my normal routine.  Except that it was not a real getaway to some place warm and tropical with a white sand beach and crystal blue waters.  I thought that it would be easy as my daily routine normally consists of almond or soy milk in my coffee which is  decaf.  Normally, I do not eat a lot of sugar, but instead surrender to my sweet tooth with agave nectar swirled on top of plain yogurt, oatmeal, or flax cereal and pieces of extra dark chocolate late at night.  YUM, I am sure that you are now jumping up and down at the thought of flax cereal, but it is good, really (or at least that is what I keep telling myself).

You see, I enjoy eating well.  I like the process of purchasing my ingredients and coming up with an entire creation from start to finish.  So when I really thought about the 3 weeks of vegan/gluten free/no alcohol I had a few questions for myself… What would I do with my vanilla flavored protein powder?  There is milk in there.  Oh, and I do like to have an occasional glass of red wine.  I suppose that I would have to just stare longingly at the bottles as the dark ruby red color shined back at me and whispered into my ear just how good it was for my heart and that perhaps, just perhaps, I was actually doing my body a disservice by not sipping a glass of Duoro, Baltos, or Cabernet every other night with Hector.  Then there are those moments, when you get home from work and you just want to grab whatever is most convenient.  Often, that tends to be a piece of bread or a cracker or something.  It is about relearning what to grab and thinking about the choices that are really and truly what I want.

But 3 weeks?  I could do 3 weeks.  So here I am rounding out week number 2 and it really has not been that hard.  Perhaps the hardest part is explaining to friends (when they invited us over for brunch) the situation…

Them: So do you want to come over for brunch?

Me: Sure, can we bring anything? [CODE FOR ME TRYING TO GET AROUND THE SITUATION]

Them: How about some wine? [DAMN! I AM STUCK NOW…]

Me: OK, but I am doing this vegan thing for a few weeks just so you know…

Them: OK, will you eat eggs?

Me: Ummm, no, but Hector loves eggs! But I will be fine.

Them: No problem, we have tons of friends who are vegan!

So for the past two weeks my meals have consisted of (not all in one sitting mind you) oatmeal, fruit, flax seeds, several goes at gluten free bread, veggies in every which way, soups, beans, tofu, nuts, and I would be remiss if I left out dark chocolate...

Suddenly the situation is no longer a problem.  So I guess what I am doing is really like a mini vacation.  When I am traveling, I do not eat the same way that I do when I am at home, and truth be told, I rather enjoy it.  What do I miss?  A few ounces of grated parmesan on top of grilled vegetables and an occasional glass of wine.  A piece of rye bread under the broiler with melted jarlesberg and dried chili peppers on top.  However, I do think that it is always a good idea to break from routine and try something different from time to time, and this is exactly what I am doing.  I do not think that I will stay in this zone forever.  There is my wedding to think about, and I know that nothing will keep me from that cake that has eggs, sugar, flour, etc.  And a champagne toast will be in order.  So events will occur and I will partake.  However, what has occurred is a different level of awareness regarding the food that I eat.  Thank you Kristina!

White Bean and Leek Soup

  

Soup is one of those meals that comforts, heals, and relaxes you all at the same time.  In the summer it can be refreshing and cooling.  In the winter a single bowl can warm you up and take the harshest winter chill away.  Of all the people I know, it is my mother who makes the single best soups.  The day I came home from the hospital after my open heart surgery, she made chicken soup.  You might think, yes Lily, everyone's mother makes chicken soup.  But I do not normally like chicken soup.  I only like white meat, it has to be cleaned to perfection, and I am easily turned off by things in my soup that I do not think should be there (however, other people simply call me crazy).  This chicken soup was made with boneless breasts that she grilled with rosemary and olive oil and the broth was a light clear broth that had sweet onions, celery, and carrots.  Very few ingredients, and full of flavor.  The soup was so good that I actually told her I thought that I could return to work the following week (mind you this was hours about returning from the hospital and only 3 days after my surgery).  She looked at me, told me that my body was still full of an insane amount of drugs, and to continue eating my soup.  And for once, I listened to my mother.  My mother is an amazing cook.  

A year or so later, feeling considerably better, I found myself eating soup again in my mother's kitchen. This time it was a white bean and leek soup.  I kept asking her for the ingredients over and over again, because I did not believe her the first time.  The soup was rich and creamy, full of flavor, and unlike the chicken soup, this version happened to be vegetarian.  I was convinced that she added cream or butter, but no.  The flavors were enhanced by the freshness of the quality ingredients, and of course the fact that my mother had put the meal together...  Unfortunately, I still think that her version of trumps my recreation, but I felt satisfaction knowing that I came somewhat close to her level of greatness.  Enjoy!

White Bean and Leek Soup - serves 6

30 oz cooked white beans (or 2 cans of white beans - I used cannellini)

1 leek stalk

2 tbsp Olive Oil

2 tsp Sea Salt

2 C. Vegetable Broth

Rinse and slice the leeks.

 

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pan and add the leeks and the salt.  Cook the leeks for about 15 minutes until they begin to brown.  

Once the leeks are cooked, at the leeks, the white beans, and the vegetable broth to a blender and put on high until all of the ingredients are mixed into a smooth puree. Pour the mixture into a large saucepan to warm.  Serve immediately.  For added flavor top with fresh grated  pepper, a side of whole wheat bread, and chopped scallions on top.

Flying Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have never meet anyone who has not liked chocolate chip cookies.  I have met many people whose opinion differs as to what kind of chocolate chip cookie they like - chewy, crispy, full of chips, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, etc.  But never, ever, have I met anyone who has not liked them.  With this post, I am sure that they will make themselves known, but until they do, I will hold tight to my convictions.

I have tried many, many different kinds of chocolate chip cookie recipes in my 30+ years, and have found some that I like more than others.  Perhaps the best kind are those that are made with someone else, whether it be a good friend, or the help of little hands...

I recently started baking with more non-traditional ingredients and incorporating these into my cookies, cakes, and confections.  Whether it be agave nectar for sugar, whole wheat flour for white flour, or even coconut oil for butter, I wanted to see what I could do to "bake better" for myself.  Sure, I am positive that many people would disagree, and tell me that it is a waste of time, money, and energy to stray away from butter and eggs and good old flour.  But I actually enjoy the chemistry that goes into finding out why the ingredients react - or fail to react - based on what goes into the mix.  I also tell myself that I am doing something good for myself, and whether this is the case or not, that is my story, and I am sticking to it so there!

It actually all started with a chocolate chip cookie you know... A coconut chocolate chip cookie that led me down the path to baking without eggs, and trying out alternative recipes.  I then stumbled on the Baby Cakes NYC Cookbook and made several batches of those cupcakes, which are perfect little snacks (I make mini unfrosted ones, keep them in the freezer, and defrost a few when I need something sweet).  For full disclosure, following my Baby Cakes post, I was contacted by a publicist for the new cookbook "The Flying Apron", which is a vegan and gluten free bakery out in Seattle.  I received a copy of the book, and looked through it nightly for several weeks until today, when I opened it up and finally decided to make the chocolate chip cookie recipe.  I had the ingredients all collected, so I really had no excuse to not give it a go.

Following recipes to the 1/8 of a teaspoon in gluten free / vegan baking is critical, and I tend to not be the best at that.  I like to add a little here and a little there, and make things up as I go.  However, if I plan to post things on a blog, and expect people to follow a recipe, that will not really work.  So, when I opened up the Flying Apron's Gluten-Free & Vegan Baking Book I already started to see substitutes for ingredients listed in my mind... coconut oil instead of the recommended canola oil.  Agave nectar instead of the recommended organic cane sugar, almond milk instead of the recommended rice milk etc.  So there was really only one solution - I have both recipes below for you... you can do either one, or you can make them both!  I made the one in purple, and the cookie is not the crispy one that you might find with heaps of butter, but the result is a cookie, a substantial cookie, with a small hint of the coconut and crispy edges, with a soft middle.  Enjoy, from the bottom of my heart...

Flying Apron Chocolate Chip Cookies (with adaptations...)

2 3/4 cups brown rice flour

1 1/2 cups + 1tbsp garbanzo bean flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp sea salt

1 c canola oil [1/2 c canola oil+1/2 c coconut oil]

1 c organic whole cane sugar [2/3 c agave nectar]

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 c rice milk [1 c almond milk]

1 c vegan chocolate chips [1 1/2 c vegan chocolate chips]

optional: 1/4 c chopped nuts

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.  The a standing bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment add the oil(s), sugar (agave nectar), and vanilla and combine until well mixed.  With the speed on low, add the flour mixture and the milk (almond or rice) and mix until well combined - this will take about 2 minutes.  Add in the chocolate and nuts if you are using them.  Scoop out the dough onto a greased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart...

and bake for about 14-16 minutes until the top is golden brown. (I like to under bake my cookies, so I bake them for 14 minutes).

Falling in Love with Figs

There is something incredibly sexy about the fig.  Fresh, dried, cooked, or raw they hold an element of lure, lust, and desire.  While I have eaten dried and cooked figs for years, I fell in love with fresh figs last year during my 3-week trip to Spain and Morocco.  When my friend Asha began to pick up the figs from the fruit buffet in Madrid and then again in Marrakesh, I was intrigued and followed suit.  Sweet, soft, and decadent were the first adjectives to come into my mind.  After those bites, I was hooked, and upon my return sought out the fruit whenever I could.  Late summer / early fall is one of my favorite times of year and I now pick up figs whenever I can.

I remember a pint that was sitting in the back of my refrigerator, and I needed to do something with the precious fruit before they collapsed into each other due to their delicate nature.  I decided that with winter coming, I could turn fresh fruit into preserves and use them to top yogurt throughout the coming months.  I opened up my Joy of Cooking and searched for a jam recipe.  To my surprise, there was nothing there.  I then picked up my 2004 version of Cook's Illustrated The Best New Recipe.  Nothing.  How could neither of these book have recipes for jam?  I remembered that I had recently acquired a 1943 issue of  Joy of Cooking from my grandmother's house (which, as an aside, she recently sold after the house remained in the family for more than 170 yrs).  Sure enough the 1943 edition met my needs.  I adapted some of the multiple recipes that I found and came up with this recipe.  It is perfection on top of plain yogurt.  Absolutely a perfect dessert.  The jam itself is healthy - fruit, lemon juice, water, some agave nectar, and fruit pectin.  The recipe could be adapted for other fruits.

2 C quartered fresh figs 

3 tbsp agave nectar

1/4 lemon juice

1 C water

3 tbsp fruit pectin

Mix the figs, agave, lemon juice, and water together.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and allow to reduce slightly - about 15 minutes.  

Add the pectin - sprinkle over the top while stirring - and continue to cook for another 5-7 minutes.  Reduce heat to low, and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Turn heat off and allow to cool.  Place into a sterilized jar if you plan to wait before eating, or into a covered container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

 

Coconut Sorbet - Lily Style

Yes, I know, the title of this post might be a bit absurd.  But as I sit here typing I am drinking a bottle of tonic water and I think the quinine is is going to my head.  The tonic water is rather good too - H and I went to buy some rum today and a man at the store was giving out sample of vodka tonics with QTonic.  Qtonic is lightly sweetened with agave nectar making it bittersweet, and a refreshing pick-me-up.  But back to the topic at hand... the coconut sorbet.  This recipe is relatively quick, and calls for few ingredients.

I have learned that people either love or hate coconut.  I love it.  Coconut milk, coconut water, shredded coconut.  The flavor makes me happy, and reminds me of a time when I lived in the Bahamas and Mexico and did not worry about things like snow, sleet, and frost.  From coconut cream pie, to coconut pudding, to coconut layer cake, there are few coconut items of which I am not a fan.  So several weeks ago I realized that I had a few cans of light coconut milk on hand.  After several on-line searches to see what I could do with them, I decided on sorbet.  I altered the recipe to fit my taste and came up with something that I cannot seem to get enough of... I recently varied the recipe and added some rum.  Because the recipe calls for light coconut milk, you feel as if your are indulging (and you are) but it is a healthier version of a cream-laden ice cream.  The rum cuts out some of the sweetness and gives it just enough kick to make you feel as if you could sit back, let it melt for a few minutes, plunge a straw in, and start to sip.  Now if only I had a pool to lounge by...I suppose the Charles River will have to do!

Coconut Sorbet (with and without the rum) 4-6 generous servings
2 15oz cans of light coconut milk
1/2 c light agave nectar
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 C rum (optional)

Heat the milk in a deep heavy bottomed pan over medium heat.  Add in the agave nectar, salt, and shredded coconut.  Stir, and allow the ingredients to come to a simmer.  Turn the heat off, and remove from the heat.  Pour the mixture into a separate bowl.  Allow to cool, then place in refrigerator until completely chilled.  Place in freezer for 20 minutes, remove and stir well.  Add ingredients to ice cream maker and follow manufacturers instructions.  When the mixture is in the ice cream machine, add the rum.  Make sure the rum is well incorporated.  Place in container and put in freezer to harden up a bit (2 hours or so).  Serve with fresh fruit or simply by itself.