Eat My Cooking

As much as I love a visit to a coffee shop, I don’t always love the price tags that come along with them.  Plus I often find, specialty coffee house drinks are too sweet for me, so recreating them home becomes a #winwin  (saves money + puts me in charge of all the ingredients).

Here are simple remakes of 4 delicious hot Starbucks drinks; Pumpkin Spice Latte, Chai Tea Latte, Salted Caramel Latte, + Mocha Latte.

A personal favorite of mine, is the famous #PSL, also known as a Pumpkin Spice Latte.

This DIY version is so easy to make and can easily be scaled up if you are sharing with some friends or family.

I kept things super simple with this Chai Spiced Latte and used a couple of chai tea bags to infuse all of the exotic chai flavors.

Quick to make and super comforting, this will be a go-to of mine through the colder months.

This Salted Caramel Latte definitely feels decadent and delicious, especially with a bit of whipped cream and extra caramel over the top.

If you are looking for a super easy, clean recipe for caramel (that happens to be vegan) this is the recipe to use.  I used it to make my latte and can not believe how simple it was.

How could we possibly wrap this up without some chocolate?  I truly don’t know and lucky for us we don’t need to know because this my friends, is the simplified C+D recipe for a Mocha Latte.

April 18, 2019

One of my top recipes is this almond flour chocolate chip cookie recipe – a soft-baked, melt-in-your-mouth gem of a cookie that is surprisingly gluten-free, dairy-free, relatively low in sugar, and ridiculously easy to whip up. It’s a fave in our family, and I’ve been wanting to create a lemon variation for awhile.

Done!

These gluten-free lemon cookies are the perfect cookie for spring – bring on Easter, Mother’s Day, or just your sunny day citrussy cookie craving.

If you’ve ever baked lemon-flavored goodies before, you undoubtedly know it can be tough to get the lemon flavor to shine through. These cookies make use of zest, lemon extract, and juice (in the glaze) for a nice lemony pow. The cookie itself has more subtle lemon flavor, but that seriously zingy glaze on top is what really makes it happen.

Together they make for a pretty darn glorious lemon cookie situation – soft, sweet, and melt-in-your mouth goodness.

These cookies come together so, so easily – so much easier than traditional cookies.

Simply melt some coconut oil and mix it in with the sugar, lemon zest, lemon extract, and eggs. Then stir in the almond flour, baking powder, and salt.

One bowl. So easy.

Scoop out the dough, press down a bit with your fingers, and bake.

Once they’ve cooled, dip the cookies in your lemon glaze and let it harden.

Good to go!

If you’ve been looking for the ultimate gluten-free lemon cookie recipe that’s dairy-free too, I hope you feel the same way I do about these lemon cookies – my search stops here!

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Total: 20 minutes*

These gluten-free and dairy-free lemon cookies are moist, light, and soft. Melt-in-your-mouth lemony goodness – and ridiculously easy, too!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest from one large organic lemon (you’ll juice the lemon for the glaze)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons lemon extract
• 3 cups blanched almond flour**
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

Glaze

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice (from the zested lemon)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
2. If your coconut oil is still solid, measure out the 1/4 cup and add to a small saucepan set over low heat. Keep over heat just until melted – don’t let it get too hot, or it’ll cook the eggs! Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar and lemon zest. Add the coconut oil. Stir in the eggs and the lemon extract and mix until well-combined.
4. Add the almond flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir well until combined.
5. Scoop cookies out by tablespoonfuls onto the cookie sheet, spacing about two inches apart. I use this cookie scoop (affiliate link) and it’s one of my favorite kitchen tools!
6. Press the dough with two fingers to flatten a bit. If the dough sticks to your fingers, wet your fingers with a little warm water.
7. Bake until set, puffy, and just lightly golden around the edges, 8-10 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and let cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Once cooled, mix together the glaze. In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar. Add 3 tablespoons lemon juice and stir with a fork until smooth. The glaze should be thick enough to cling to the top of the cookies but not so thin that it will drip off the edges. If too thick, add more lemon juice a teaspoon at a time. If too thin, add more powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time.
10. Dip the cookies upside down in the glaze, covering the top of the cookie. Set the cookie back down on the wire rack and let sit until the glaze hardens, about 1 hour.
11. Store cookies at room temperature in a sealed container. Cookies keep for about 4 days.

* Recipe time does not include cooling time.

** It’s important to choose blanched almond flour so that the cookies appear a nice pale yellow. If you use non-blanched almond flour the texture and taste will be similar but they won’t look so much like lemon cookies.

All images and text ©Kare for Kitchen Treaty.

Kare

Kare is a vegetarian home cook living among carnivores. She loves creating irresistible and flexible recipes that help multi-vore families like hers keep the peace - deliciously.

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Source: https://www.kitchentreaty.com/glazed-soft-baked-almond-flour-lemon-cookies/

This summer I spent a week in northern Europe exploring the three Baltic states — Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. When I was planning my trip I knew for sure I wanted to visit Latvia and Estonia. Both have beautiful, charming capital cities with gorgeous, colorful architecture.

Holy Trinity Uniate Church

I didn’t know much about Lithuania, but when I saw you could take a sunset hot air balloon ride over an island with a castle in the breathtaking Lithuanian countryside, I knew for sure I had to add Lithuania to the list. Be sure to check out our post on the Hot Air Balloon Ride in Lithuania!

MY OTHER RECIPES

Vilnius Cathedral Bell Tower

Lithuania also has a charming capital city with beautiful architecture. The historic center has even been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. If you’re considering visiting Lithuania, here’s a quick photo tour and guide to the capital city of Vilnius.

St. Nicholas’ Church

If this is your first time to Lithuania, here are 10 things you’ll definitely want to do and see in Vilnius:

Vilnius University (founded in 1579)

1. Walk up and down the main street

Start at the Gates of Dawn and wander your way to Cathedral Square. You’ll pass several beautiful churches, Vilnius University, and the Town Hall Square along the way.

2. Climb the Bell Tower

Climb the Bell Tower of St. John’s Church at Vilnius University for the best 360 degree panoramic view of the city! There’s even an elevator if you don’t want to take the stairs.

Looking up inside the Bell Tower at St. John’s Church!

When we were at Vilnius University there was a special event going on. How cute are these girls in traditional Lithuanian dresses?

3. Visit St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church

How beautiful is this all-white Roman catholic church from the 1600s with its intricate Baroque architecture??!

It’s about a 20 minute walk from Cathedral Square to St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church.

4. Eat Gourmet Ice Cream

We saw local, gourmet ice cream carts everywhere we went in Vilnius… especially along the main street and cathedral square. Be sure to save room for dessert and try some!! Perfect on a hot summer day.

Church of St. Casimir

5. Say Thank You in Lithuanian!

To say thank you in the local language, all you have to do is say Achoo! Yes, “thank you” in Lithuanian sounds just like Achoo! How fun is that? It may seem awkward at first, but definitely try it! If you listen closely you will hear the locals saying it all the time.

6. Visit St. Virgin Maria’s Church

During the Russian occupation, the inside of most churches were gutted and used as warehouses for the government. St. Virgin Maria’s Church has now been transformed into a free art gallery.

7. Take a Tour of the Republic of Užupis

Užupis is a funky neighborhood in Vilnius. It’s very popular with artists and has an ultra laid-back, bohemian atmosphere.

To get the most out of your experience, I highly recommend taking a guided walking tour of this neighborhood. If we didn’t have our guide from Vilnius Urban Adventures to show us around and explain the story of Užupis to us, I don’t think I would’ve been very impressed just exploring this area on my own.

On April 1, 1997, the residents of the neighborhood declared Užupis an independent republic. They have their own flag, president, constitution, anthem, even an army of 11 men. They celebrate their independence every year on April 1st.

I absolutely love the Constitution of Užupis!!! The constitution is engraved on a monument wall in the neighborhood in 23 languages. Here are some of my favorite rights from the Constitution of Užupis:

• Everyone has the right to make mistakes.
• Everyone has the right to be unique.
• Everyone has the right to love and take care of the cat.
• Everyone has the right to look after the dog until one of them dies.
• A cat is not obliged to love its owner, but must help in time of need.
• Everyone has the right to be in doubt, but this is not an obligation.
• Everyone has the right to be unhappy.
• Everyone has the right to be silent.
• Everyone has the right to celebrate or not celebrate their birthday.
• Everyone has the right to cry.

8. Get Your Passport Stamped

You can even get a passport stamp from the Republic of Užupis at the Republic of Uzupis Information Center.

9. Swing from a Bridge over a River

The Bridge of Uzupis is a love-lock bridge. You can leave your lock on the bridge, then take a romantic swing over the river down below.

10. Take a Sunset Hot Air Balloon Ride

Fly over the lovely village of Trakai and its medieval fairytale castle on an island nestled in the beautiful lush countryside of Lithuania. Super easy day trip from Vilnius. I honestly cannot think of anything more romantic! Click here for all the details.

I worked with JayWay Travel to book my trip to the Baltics. They created a custom itinerary just for me so I could see the best of all three countries in one week. JayWay Travel specializes in Eastern Europe and creates custom, personalized itineraries just for you, based on what you want to do and where you want to go. They book everything and take care of all the little details for you. All you have to do is show up and enjoy!

They made sure someone was waiting for us at the airport, took us to our hotel, set up our hot air balloon ride as well as our private, guided tours in Vilnius, and arranged our transportation from Lithuania to Latvia. They had thought of every detail from start to finish! We didn’t have to worry about arranging any of our lodging or transportation on our own.

Need ideas for your next trip to Europe? Check out JayWay Travel’s most popular itineraries for one week, 10 days, or 2 weeks and more! Here’s a link to their Baltic Capitals Tour if you’re interested in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania!

I highly recommend the brand new 5-star Hotel PACAI in Vilnius.

This boutique hotel is set in a Baroque palace dating back to 1677.

You couldn’t ask for a more perfect location — Hotel PACAI is very well located on the main street right in the heart of the historic district of Vilnius.

Our room overlooked the terrace. You can have breakfast, lunch, dinner or a drink out here every day!

Stay tuned for more posts from our adventures in the Baltics!

I’m going to be upfront with you – if you don’t like bitter foods, you probably won’t like this week’s recipe. Much as I’d like to tout that I’ve developed a way to eliminate the bitter momordicin compounds which make this vegetable one of the most astringent foods on the planet, that’s just not going to happen. But, there’s a bit of fun to be found in diving into this historically medicinal gourd; a new taste sensation is especially exciting for those who prefer their coffee black.

In truth, there are a few tricks to make bitter melon more palatable. First, salting and squeezing the melon extracts some of its bitter juices. Pairing the bitter melon with tangy amchur (green mango) powder, sweet coconut palm sugar, and a generous amount of spices also help balance the overall flavor. Finally, giving the melon slices a nice crisping near the end of cooking, and garnishing them with fresh cilantro as they come off the heat, give the dish an ideal texture.

There are two main varieties of bitter melon: the warty, light green Chinese cultivar, and the spiny, dark green Indian version. Both work fine for this recipe, but I prefer the exotic look of the Indian variety.

Note: In the year leading up to my new cookbook’s release, I will be regularly releasing these recipes to 1) maintain a continuing conversation with my readership and 2) give visitors to this site an opportunity to test and provide feedback before editing. For more information on this new approach, read my post here.

Fresh berry slab pie, I can’t think of a better dessert to serve up for all your upcoming summertime parties, especially with the fourth of July right around the corner.

Fresh berries are at their peak right now so it’s the perfect time to make this, you could use any combination of berries you like or even just one type, here I used mostly blueberries with an added pint of raspberries for a little pop of color.

I have to admit this is the first time I made a slab pie and now I don’t think I’ll ever use a round pie pan again.

A slab pie is made on a rimmed sheet pan, I used a quarter sized sheet pan, and I got twelve good size servings from it, although you can get adventurous and use a large half sized sheet pan for a really big crowd, probably doubling everything, you bakers would know how to do that correctly.

What I like about making a slab pie is that it’s easy to cut and serve, it’s not messy because you get nice square pieces and it travels well.

You can cover the top with a full crust or be a little creative with some cutouts to match the occasion, I used stars to celebrate the fourth of July.

I also used refrigerated pie dough, my favorite being from Trader Joe’s because why not? It tastes excellent and it makes this berry slab pie a breeze to put together, but in saying that I’m sure all you fabulous bakers out there can whip up an excellent pie dough in no time!

Even though I use refrigerated pie dough I still gather up the dough, form it into a ball and roll it out myself, which you’ll need to do anyway for this because a nice rectangle size is required.

Just make sure you roll out enough dough to form a pretty crust all the way around. I bought two boxes just to make sure I would have enough for everything, including my stars because I didn’t know at the time how many I would need to cover the top.

It was fun and easy to do, I just used a cookie cutter which would make the possibilities endless to top it off with, or just go with a classic lattice crust as well, but I do think it looks really nice having the berries show through instead of covering the whole top with a crust.

All brushed with egg so it gets nicely golden and ready for the oven!

This was out of this world good, now I want to make a peach slab pie and of course an apple one in the fall.

Vanilla ice cream is a must!

Follow Proud Italian Cook on Instagram to see what else I’m cooking up during the week.

There are a lot of things to like about Greg Baxtrom’s Brooklyn restaurant Olmsted. The food aside, there’s the friendly service, the warmly lit cozy-but-not-cramped space, and smores in the garden. But my favorite of all the touches that make Olmsted more than just another neighborhood restaurant might be the dishes. And it’s the cups, which come in an array of brightly colored and multi-textured porcelain, that I most want to take home.

Handmade ceramics are the tableware of choice for plenty of well-designed restaurants these days, but Olmsted’s tumblers stand out from the neutral stoneware at other restaurants following the trend. Some cups have spiraling grooves, others a knobby checked pattern, and others are engraved with a pineapple motif (my personal favorite). They’re slightly whimsical, entirely cheerful, and make even drinking water as enjoyable as the rest of a meal at Olmsted.

The tumblers — along with Olmsted’s plates, bowls, pitchers, and other dishes — are from Santimetre, a design studio founded by Tulya Madra. Madra designed interiors and furniture before making the switch to ceramics, and porcelain in particular, around nine years ago. The pieces are still handmade by a small team in Ayvalık, Turkey, a town on the Aegean Sea that serves as the inspiration for Santimetre’s vivid reds, blues and greens.

But Greg Baxtrom didn’t need to travel to Turkey to find the ideal ceramic complements to his playful cooking. While the brand doesn’t have a brick-and-mortar store here (there used to be one in New York’s Soho neighborhood), it does most of its U.S. business through custom online orders, letting customers pick their desired patterns and colors from among dozens of possibilities.

In the coming year, Madras plans to open an online store featuring an edited selection of items; and just last month, she opened a showroom in Red Hook, Brooklyn, where New Yorkers can make appointments to see — and purchase — the goods.

Alas, they’re not cheap, to put it mildly. But for the person who wants to imbue even simple acts with aesthetic delight, Santimetre tumblers will do the trick and then some.

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This low carb burrito bowl with cauliflower rice is a delicious way to eat more vegetables! It’s Whole 30 vegetarian and customizable for all diets.

This post was created in partnership with ALDI. All opinions are our own.

“This may be the best bowl of vegetables I’ve ever eaten.” That was Alex after eating this healthy burrito bowl, an ultra-delicious recipe that will have you immediately coming back for seconds! This bowl is almost all vegetables and it’s truly one of Alex and my new family favorites we’ll be making again and again. The recipe is Whole 30 vegetarian friendly, and at the same time customizable for just about any diet. It’s perfect for company, or an easy weeknight dinner. And it uses no special equipment. Oh, and you can get all the ingredients at ALDI. Have we convinced you yet? Keep reading for this low carb burrito bowl with cauliflower rice recipe!

Before we start, a quick announcement: Alex and I are so excited to announce that we’ll be working with ALDI all year long as brand ambassadors! We’ll be sharing with you recipes that use organic, gluten-free, low carb, high protein and clean label products from ALDI. They want to make sure that all people have access to healthy, organic real food and that’s exactly in line with our mission at A Couple Cooks. We also have a super special cooking show series with the first episode to air in January. Stay tuned!

How to make a burrito bowl

You might think burrito bowls don’t require a recipe: just throw a bunch of vaguely Mexican-themed ingredients in a bowl. Wrong! The magic of a burrito bowl is all about selecting and cooking each component to perfection. And that’s even more important in a healthy burrito bowl, because you’ve got to get a lot of flavor out of humble ingredients. All of the cooking techniques are simple, and no special equipment is needed. And with every single one of these ingredients coming from one store, it becomes an accessible way to eat more vegetables! ALDI has a wide selection of organic, gluten-free, low carb, high protein and clean label products and produce.

This veggie burrito bowl has a few keys to keeping it very tasty while at the same time, healthy enough to call it healthy. First, the cauliflower rice, a fun veggie substitute for rice that’s Whole 30 perfect for a low carb burrito bowl. And the pièce de résistance is our chorizo eggs. These chorizo eggs somehow mimic meat in flavor, texture, and appearance, and are oh so tasty! They come together in just 5 minutes in a skillet with a few simple spices: chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin. Then we’ve got fajita-style bell peppers and onions and crispy roasted shredded sweet potato to super amp the flavors and textures. Finally, top it off with a dollop of salsa, a handful of greens and avocado chunks, and a squeeze of lime. The overall effect is a bowl of colors, flavors and textures that’s incredibly satisfying.

Try it! + Instacart COUPON! Are you an ALDI fan? Let us know if you head to ALDI and make this recipe! Also, ALDI now delivers groceries to your door using Instacart! Place your ALDI order on Instacart, then use the code ALDIFAN for $10 off your first three ALDI orders on Instacart of $35 or more.

How to cook cauliflower rice

So, let’s talk about the cauliflower rice in this burrito bowl. It’s rice made from finely chopped cauliflower! You can make it yourself with cauliflower and a food processor, but it’s also available already prepared in the frozen section at ALDI. Did you know that frozen vegetables are just as nutritious as raw? Because they’re frozen at peak freshness, all the nutrients are retained. So it’s convenient to have the cauliflower rice already prepared! How to cook cauliflower rice? Whether it’s raw or frozen, just sauté it in olive oil for about 5 minutes until tender and season with kosher salt. Though it doesn’t taste like actual rice, it’s pretty delicious and acts just like rice. (You could use it in this cauliflower fried rice too.)

Whole 30 vegetarian & customizing this recipe

What we love burrito bowls is that they are so versatile, especially for feeding a crowd! When we have over a bunch of people, we love serving burrito bowls where you can have lots of different options for different diets and preferences. This recipe is Whole 30 vegetarian; it was challenging for us to create because most of the filling vegetarian fiber and protein sources like beans and grains are not allowed on Whole 30. Eggs are allowed, which is how we came up with these delicious chorizo eggs! Much of the protein on a Whole 30 diet typically comes from meat, so if you’re eating Whole 30 vegetarian, it’s important to make sure the recipes have lots of protein and fiber so that they’re filling.

If you’re not looking for vegetarian Whole 30 recipes, you can easily customize this recipe! Use rice in place of the cauliflower rice, or shredded chicken in place of the eggs. Or for a vegan option, use our simple black beans instead of eggs! But if you’re going to eat it as a Whole 30 vegetarian bowl, using our exact healthy burrito bowl recipe below keeps it filling so you’re not hungry a few hours later.

Looking for more healthy dinner ideas?

This burrito bowl with cauliflower rice is one of our favorite new healthy dinner ideas! Our some of our other top healthy dinner ideas on A Couple Cooks:

This recipe is…

This low carb burrito bowl with cauliflower rice recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, Whole 30 friendly, and low carb. For vegan, use black beans instead of eggs.

There are some pretty wild potato chip flavors out there, and Lay’s newest flavors are no exception. The Frito-Lay chip brand is rolling out three new limited-time flavors, and they sound far from boring. Lay’s will launch Wavy Electric Lime and Sea Salt, Flamin’ Hot Dill Pickle, and Kettle Cooked Classic Beer Cheese chips next month.

10 Top Potato Chip Brands for Game Day

The three new flavors will hit store shelves at retailers nationwide on March 4 for a limited time. These new tastes are for Lay’s “Turn Up the Flavor” promotion in partnership with musical artist Bebe Rexha. The brand says their electric lime and sea salt chip is inspired by pop music, flamin’ hot dill pickle is inspired by hip-hop, and their beer cheese flavor is inspired by classic rock. We hadn’t realized, but beer cheese is apparently the motorcycle-revving rock ’n’ roll black sheep of the cheese family. Look at that lightning bolt!

And if for some reason you want to find out what flamin’ hot dill pickle hip-hop would sound like, you’re in luck. The bags of chips come equipped with an online code that unlocks exclusive music from Bebe Rexha. Snackers are meant to listen to the various remixes of the song “Right Here, Right Now” by the New York-born artist that reflect the vibe of the flavors (hip-hop, rock, and pop) while eating the chips, for a special multi-sensory experience. “Bebe is the perfect partner to help Lay’s create the ultimate sensorial pairing of flavor and music,” the brand wrote in an emailed press release. 

“Like flavor, music has the power to elicit strong emotions such as joy, passion and nostalgia,” Katie Ceclan, senior director of marketing at Lay’s, further explained on behalf the brand. “Those emotions can be heightened even further when you pair the right flavor and music together. As a brand that loves to delight our fans, we are excited to bring them two things they love — the uniquely delicious flavors of Lay’s and the incredible sound of Bebe Rexha. Our limited-time flavors paired with exclusive, new songs from Bebe each create a customized sensorial experience for our fans to taste, listen and enjoy.”

While our favorite special multi-sensory experience is open-mouth chewing a handful of sour cream and cheddar chips while binge watching Netflix, activating the code on these Lay’s bags will also enter you for a chance to win music-themed prizes. We can’t say other chips are offering us that, but there are still 15 international potato chip flavors we are longing to try!