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Gail Watson

Zesty Lemon Almond Cake with Spiced Tangerine Sauce

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Moist Lemon Almond Cake

The winter winds have me looking for excuses to turn the oven on. Since my future Mother-in-Law was coming for dinner, the decision was finalized. Cake for dessert.
When I had my wedding cake business I always had pounds and pounds of butter, stacks and stacks of eggs, and never ending bins of flour and sugar at my disposal. Whenever I wanted to get creative in the kitchen I never had to stop to think about what was in the cupboard.
Now I find myself, for the first time in 25 years, purchasing butter at the supermarket- but I rarely eat it. I trend to the healthier olive oil in my cooking, and that is including baking as well. In many recipes oil and butter may be interchanged, but not always to the best advantage. It’s the buttery goodness in brioche that makes the difference, the same-of course- in a sugar cookie.

Last minute baking may require some forgiveness, in a pinch you could get away with plenty. This cake does not need any apologies or excuses- The oil makes for a moist delicious cake that easily waves a dismissive hand at butter.

When it came to deciding what flavor cake to make, my cupboard yielded plenty of flour, sugar and eggs. There were some almonds, a lemon on the counter, and an ambitious stack of tangerines in the fruit bowl. {I promised I would eat them all when I hoisted that big bag into my cart, but they were starting to best me} I also had a container of buttermilk, something many southern women keep at the ready.

As I acquaint myself with southern living I am amazed at the cultural differences in the market aisles. At my regular store I was amazed to see that there were 8 varieties of buttermilk and mostly in half gallon sizes. In contrast there was one option for ricotta, offered only in 16oz containers. On my NY shelves the offerings are the exact opposite. Perhaps this is just a quirk of the store manager, but I was still baffled to think how was all that buttermilk being used?

I have a few “out of the cupboard” cake recipes that everyone should have up their sleeve. This is a pretty nice one. You can substitute the almonds for other nuts, or simply leave them out. You can also switch up the fruit for the sauce- frozen fruits being a perfect thing.

This particular cake was tangy due to the soaking of a lemon juice simple syrup. It’s a great cake for simple gatherings, coffee klatches and, in my case, my Mother-in-Law.

Zesty Lemon Almond Cake with Spiced Tangerine Sauce
makes a 9″ single layer cake- 10 small slices
 
2.5c ap flour
1.5t baking powder
.5t baking soda
.25t salt
10T vegetable oil
1.33 c sugar
3 large eggs
1c buttermilk
.5c almonds, toasted and rough chopped
zest and juice from one lemon, separated
.5c water
.5c sugar
 
2 tangerines
.5c sugar
1c water
.25t cinnamon
pinch of salt
 
Preheat oven to 350˚ and prepare a 9″ cake pan with cooking spray
 
In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
 
In a separate bowl whisk together the oil, sugar and eggs into a thick emulsion. Add the lemon zest.
 
Add the egg mixture and half the buttermilk to the flour and stir until mostly smooth, then add the rest of the buttermilk and the almonds. Stir gently until smooth.
 
Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden and the center of the cake is springy to the touch. Approx 25 mins.
 
While the cake is baking, prepare the lemon syrup and the Tangerine Sauce.
 
In a small saucepan combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice. After the cake is removed from the oven, and still warm, evenly pour the syrup over the top of the cake, and allow to soak in.
 
To prepare the Tangerine Sauce, using a knife cut off the tops of the tangerines and then slice off the sides. Following along the membranes, remove the sections of tangerine flesh and drop into a small saucepan, allowing any juices to drip into the pan as well.
 
Add the sugar, water and cinnamon and bring to the boil. Allow the sauce to gently boil for 3 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow to cool. Serve the sauce either warmed or room temperature. 
 
{A splash of Cointreau or Grand Marnier would be a lovely addition if you’re so inclined}

Kale Salad: My New Found Winter Green Romance

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Kale is a tremendously nutritious green, readily available during the gray winter months- but is it possible to fall in love with it?

No doubt most of you have heard all the remarkable benefits of dark leafy greens. It turns out that Kale is the superstar of them all! It’s packed with vitamins {1 cup=180% RDA of Vitamin A, 200% Vitamin C, 1,000% Vitamin K, 15% Calcium} plus fiber, minerals and leutine. All these letters and numbers add up to a heart healthy, blood healthy vegetable that would be really good for those who are at risk for heart disease- and just incredible for the rest of us. Not to mention all that goodness for a mere 30 calories!

This is all well and good, but I don’t know about you…. I’ve never really been a big fan. I find all the winter greens such as Collard greens, Mustard greens, Beet greens, Kale and Escarole tough and bitter. I’ve also have had a few bowls of Collards in the South (which may be the fault of the restaurant) that I found to be soppy and a bit gray/brown. I chalked it up to an acquired taste (and still may be).

Earlier this season I stumbled upon a shaved Brussel Sprout recipe, and the raw, tough leaves were incredible, especially when allowed to be subdued by languishing in a vinegar and oil dressing. Surely this would be the answer for Kale too.

And it is.

Even better is the notion of “massaging the leaves”, which aids in the breakdown of the cell walls, not only turning the mass into a bright, delicious green, but also turning the tough to tender.

A healthy pinch of salt brought out a bit of the sweetness- and then an amazing thing happened.

I, in fact, have found a new love. There is a “tooth” to Kale, even with this technique, but it’s satisfying, and the leaves are not bitter. I found myself gobbling it up with eyebrow lifting amazement. Sorry Spinach- there’s new kid in town.

If you’re a fan of sauteed greens, I’ve been told the trick is to boil the greens first in some salted water for approximately 3 minutes. Then remove them, squeeze out the water, and then sautee like spinach. The water and salt softens them while preserving some of the green and opens them up to receive other flavors, such as garlic and oil.

I do hope if you’re not a Kale fan that you give recipe this a whirl. Who knows, you may begin your own romance.


Tender Kale Salad with Apples and Pepitas
This salad an be eaten directly after making, or allow it to rest for 20 minutes, or more, for an even better taste. Prep time: 15 minutes
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135 calories
26 g
0 g
3 g
4 g
0 g
225 g
107 g
11 g
0 g
3 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
225g
Servings
4
Amount Per Serving
Calories 135
Calories from Fat 29
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 3g
5%
Saturated Fat 0g
2%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 0mg
0%
Sodium 107mg
4%
Total Carbohydrates 26g
9%
Dietary Fiber 5g
18%
Sugars 11g
Protein 4g
Vitamin A
312%
Vitamin C
211%
Calcium
16%
Iron
11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Does this look wrong?
Ingredients
  1. 2T Cider Vinegar
  2. 2T Walnut oil
  3. .5t Salt
  4. .5t Honey
  5. .5t ground black pepper
  6. 6c Kale, washed and chopped
  7. 1 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced
  8. .5c celery, chopped
  9. .25c red onion, thinly sliced
  10. 2T pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
Instructions
  1. Combine the first five ingredients in a large bowl. Add the kale. Toss with the dressing and with your clean hands work the dressing into the leaves by pinching and squeezing.
  2. The leaves will start to turn a deep green color after about a minute.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients and toss to combine.
  4. Serve.
beta
calories
135
fat
3g
protein
4g
carbs
26g
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Roasted Acorn Squash with Grilled Tofu and Quinoa {And My New Approach to Change}

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Welcome to the New Year! I too have joined the masses of the “New Year, new me” campaign. I will not bore you with my enthusiastic promises and misty eyed visions of the improved me- but rather I wanted to share with you my new approach.

Are you like me? I get all jazzed up and rally myself to take on my new improved way of life. I start quick out of the box, full of determination and vigor, and then in short order start stumbling and tripping, and eventually face plant into a heap. The result is another year goes by and nothing has changed. *sigh*

So now that I know what doesn’t work, I decided to try a new approach. The truth be told I’ve been incorporating my new concept since my last birthday, 2 months ago, and it’s been working very well. The inspiration for this really came from my pal, Winnie, from Healthy Green Kitchen. The idea is not to attempt a total makeover- but to focus on one small positive thing I can do for myself, at least once a week. If I can add one positive small shift a week, by the end of the year I would have made 52 easy and gentle improvements. Isn’t that an amazing thought?!!

I say banish self control! Do away with the struggle and the guilt!

*Just do one small good and nice thing for yourself a week* Now isn’t that so much nicer? And even if I don’t compile 52 changes, at least I’m moving in the right direction.

To give an example: I have reduced the amount of sweeteners in my latte and drinks by a bunch. No real science, I’ve just dialed it down by a small amount and I continue to do that each week. The result is I have lowered my sweetness threshold without my really noticing. I’m a little concerned about putting chemicals into my body, as well as natural sugar, but I really love sweet so much! So a smidge of change over time and now I am at about half of what I was consuming 2 months ago.

Another small change I’ve made is to eat one or two more pieces of fruit a week- in my case specifically, citrus. In the past I would run out and fill a beautiful bowl of fruited bounty, all gung-ho about it. The result would be a slow degradation of my display into a wrinkly and mossy science project. The worst part is the double guilt that the sad display taunts me with- both the failed attempt at my new “way” and the terrible waste of good food.

Instead I’ve taken to buying one or two oranges and then I eat them! I don’t keep them in a pretty bowl on the counter, because it turns out I like mine cold. I perch them on the shelf in the fridge so they are right there when I open the door. This way, when I go foraging for that afternoon pick-me-up snack, my orange is right there for the grabbing.

They say that it takes 3 weeks to create a new habit and I can attest that this is true for me.

The recipe I have for you today is a delicious and healthy meatless meal. I love this dish and often make several at a time and freeze them. They reheat beautifully. The squash is Vitamin A rich, there is great protein in the quinoa and tofu, and there are healthy complex carbs and lovely fiber.

I’ve gotten word back that not everyone is keen on quinoa or can readily find it. Feel free to switch it with Amaranth- HA! just kidding-That’s another grain I’ll be getting to in the near future- You can exchange any other grain or rice that you prefer, and leftovers are perfect.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Grilled Tofu and Quinoa
This dish looks complicated but it really is not. Make extra and freeze for another day.
serves 6
 
3 medium sized acorn squash
2c of cooked quinoa, or other grain of choice
half a package of firm tofu
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
.25c red onion, diced
1 orange pepper, diced
6 handfuls of baby arugula
.25c pomegranate arils 
3T fresh lemon juice
.5c olive oil
S&P
and oil to sautee
 
Preheat oven to 350˚. Slice the squash in half, scrape out the seeds. Lightly coat the flesh with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt.
 
Place squash face down on a lined baking sheet and roast until the skin looks a little wrinkly and the flesh is soft. Depending on the size of the squash this should take about 35-40 minutes. When cool slice into quarters- you will have 12 pieces in all.
 
Remove tofu from the package and place onto a clean kitchen towel and press firmly to release some of the moisture. You can also place a plate on top of the tofu with a heavy object and leave for a few minutes to press out the liquid.
 
Heat a grill pan and lightly oil. Slice the tofu into quarter inch slices and grill on each side. Remove from the heat and cut into small dice.
 
In a sautee pan warm some oil on medium high heat. Add the garlic and sautee for 2-3 minutes to release the fragrance. Add the onions, celery and peppers and sautee for just another few minutes leaving the vegetables tender crisp.
 
Transfer the vegetables and the tofu into a large bowl and add the quinoa. Gently stir to combine. Add S&P to taste.
 
Mix the lemon juice and oil to make a dressing. Add a few tablespoons into the quinoa mixture then use the rest to dress the arugula.
 
Lay down a nice layer of arugula for each serving, top with the squash and then fill with the quinoa. Finally sprinkle the pomegranate arils over the top and serve 2 quarters per person.