Fresh Cherry Compote
What is Fresh Cherry Compote? Compote is simply fruit slowly simmered in water , sugar and spices. A lot of recipes for compote use either lemon juice or orange juice to add a sour acidic finish . On cold rainy days like the one I’m having today it’s such a comforting treat . During the winter I find myself like most of us craving warm cozy flavors . I happen to have an abundant amount of cherries right now so I’m using cherries. Other great options like apples , pears, raspberries , blueberries, and blackberries all make fantastic compote. From start to finish you can have a sweet bowl of fruit compote in less than 30 minutes so lets make some! Ingredients for Cherry Compote Fruit of your choice . I’m using cherries . Sugar . I’m using brown sugar . 1/4 cup for 1lb of chopped cherries spices. I’m going to simmer my cherries with 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon but a cinnamon stick works nicely too. You can also try cloves whole or ground just make sure to remove the whole cloves before serving or preserving . Two teaspoons of water for simmering . Add more if your pot seems dry but a teaspoon at a time . The cherries or fruit will release their own liquid. Lemon or orange juice squeezed 2 tablespoons at the end . How to make cherry compote Start by chopping up your cherries . I just chopped around the pit . Put them in your pot , add two teaspoons of water then turn your stove on low flame and set a timer for 15 minutes. Low and slow is the key here . You want your fruit to release it’s own juices and sweetness . You’re not trying to boil your fruit here just a gentle simmer. I needed 20 minutes for my cherries to soften but keep an eye on your fruit. You don’t need to stir often just let them do their thing! Try a spoonful at the 15 minute mark and if it’s to your liking the texture turn off the heat and let your compote cool down a bit. After 5 minutes I squeeze in a quarter of cut lemon then wait 10 more minutes to put them into a container and into the fridge . Uses for cherry compote I just love eating a bowl of fresh fruit compote. It’s pure comfort for me with a good book ! It makes an incredible topping for pancakes , waffles , crepes , and toast. It pairs wonderfully with the saltiness of ricotta cheese and the creamy sourness of greek yogurt. I’ve even mixed it with chia seed pudding . If you make some please let me know and share some photos! I love the versatility of fruit compote and hope try some . XO Tera
Pad Woon Sen – Thai Rice noodles with shrimp!
Pad Woon Sen Pad Thai is probably the most famous of all Thai food dishes. Almost every Thai restaurant will have Pad Thai on their menu and it’s a go to favorite of mine to prepare for an easy lunch or dinner. When friends want to me to prepare a typical Thai dish but want a dish that’s not too spicy I make Pad Thai . A traditional Pad Thai recipe calls for some ingredients that I don’t always have on hand so enter my second favorite Thai noodle dish Pad Woon Sen. What you need for Pad Woon Sen This is an easy Thai noodle stir fry dish you can make pretty fast with easy kitchen staples. Glass noodles or bean thread noodles as they’re often labeled are simply just thin noodles made from either mung bean starch, tapioca , potatoes or sweet potatoes. On their own they have zero flavor so they work really well in stir fry dishes, soups, rice paper and spring rolls soaking up sauces and broths really well . These are great for low carb or gluten free diets since they’re not made from any wheat flour but it’s always a good idea to double check the package. I’m going to give you my own personal recipe for how I make this dish and how my mother taught me . A few tips I can add before would be it’s not necessary to boil glass noodles. They can be tricky to work with at times this is the number one complaint . Boiling them makes them a huge gloppy mess so I just fill a shallow bowl or pyrex type dish with warm water and lay them inside just covered. leave them for about ten minutes just until they soften then drain them . I usually snip them in half once they’re drained to make them more manageable . It also makes them easier to eat. Keep them in a glass container in your fridge if you want to use them for summer or rice paper rolls , or a salad. You can make Pad Woon Sen with any kind of protein. I’m using shrimp that I marinated in sesame oil, salt , white pepper , lime zest and red chili flakes . My Pad woon sen sauce is made up of; Soy Sauce – I use Thai sweet soy sauce or gluten free soy sauce depending . Oyster Sauce- A main ingredient in many stir fry’s which is rich and savory. Sriracha – adds a spicy component. Tamarind concentrate – for the tart balance. Coconut sugar – this won’t make your sauce sweet it’s more to balance out the salt and spicy . Tamarind is an ingredient in pad Thai but I like using it in my Pad Thai Woon Sen. Again it’s my own version. I omitted the fish sauce which is a key ingredient in most Thai stir fry’s . I don’t like it so I always avoid it and it’s more about personal preference here . I’m using one large yellow pepper that’s all I had on hand but tomatoes , cabbage , carrots , spinach all work great here. Use any combo of veggies you like.This is usually my “what I have left over in my veggie crisper ” kinda meal. You will also need two eggs . Now let’s cook! How to make Pad Woon Sen Prepare the noodles in warm water for ten minutes. I used veggie broth . Drain them and cut them in half then set aside. Mix all your sauce ingredients together . Stir fry your veggies , this is also the time to add in garlic and onion to them and cook them all together . Sometimes I add garlic if I feel like it my mother uses both . This is when I add my shrimp it cooks fast and I like to get the shrimpyness (random Tera word ) all over my veggies. If you choose chicken or tofu as your protein I advise cooking that first , transferring it to a plate then adding it back in at the end . Move your veggies to one side of your wok or pan and crack in both eggs. Cook them until they are scrambled . Now you can add back in your protein , noodles and your sauce using tongs. It’s easier to combine everything together . Make sure all of your noodles , veggies , and protein are covered in the sauce. That’s it! If you make it send me a picture and tag me on IG or Twitter ! Leave me a comment if you make it !! Enjoy XO Tera
Granola Bars
Granola Bars Recipe Granola bars can be a healthy option for a snack. They are a good balance of salty and sweet . I’m intolerant to every single brand of protein bar with the exception FoodSpring . After a workout I like to have something to munch on to get me through until I can get home .These give me a good boost of energy and satisfy my sweet tooth at the same time. A lot of store bought granola bars have artificial ingredients and there’s nothing better than making healthy treats you can enjoy guilt free yourself. Here you go enjoy XO Tera Ingredients for Granola Bars 2 Cups of oats 1 cup of puffed rice (not rice crispies cereal ) 1/2 cup chocolate chips ( I use dark chocolate or fondente) 1/4 cup chia seeds 1/2 cup of honey 1/3 cup of peanut butter or almond butter . I used Peanut 1/4 cup coconut oil How to make granola bars You’re going to bake these at 325F / 165C for 30 minutes after you combine your ingredients and pour then press them into your pan. I used an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper so it’s less mess and easy to lift out .Mix all of your dry ingredients together in one bowl . You can also add in 1/4 cup of nuts . I did two batches one with and without and both were tasty. Mix the honey , peanut butter , and coconut oil until it’s smooth and creamy. You can add in almond or vanilla extract here too if you want for more flavor depth. Combine your wet mixture into the dry, stir it until it’s smooth then pour it into your pan. Make sure you press it down into your pan firmly as thats what’s going to help your bars stay firm and molded. Bake for 30 mins but check them at 20 . Everyones oven is different so 20 may also be enough time . let them rest and cool for a good hour then you can cut them up ! Keep them in an airtight container . XO
Apple Cider Vinegar
How to use Apple Cider Vinegar and benefits. Apple Cider Vinegar has so many health benefits. For ten years now Apple Cider Vinegar has been a part of my health routine and I absolutely believe in it’s many benefits .I’m going to cite an article here http://www.ponti.com/en/apple-cider-vinegar/ that goes into more detail about the uses and benefits of Apple cider vinegar. I’m more aware of what I put into my body and our diet is the biggest contributor to our lifestyle. Each of us have a different commitment, when it comes to how we consume our meals. Having such a busy active life means you get up earlier or spend your Sunday food prepping for the week ahead. Traveling for work and being on the road I get it. We have to go out of our way to find good healthy snacks and meals . It’s not always easy. I have a system of how I prepare fruits and veggies for meals and snacks. I usually make a dressing for salads using either an orange or lemon , a teaspoon of dijon mustard and olive oil. I love to prepare tomato salsa or a mint yogurt dip for those mid day cravings that strike when I’m working from home . Having fresh cut up veggies and a dip is filling , low glycemic and energy boosting especially during these cold winter months .Fruits and vegetables like broccoli , carrots , celery , and cucumber makes it easier to have a healthy meal or snack on hand especially if you work from home. Cleaning your fruits and vegetables For tomatoes, bell peppers, strawberries, blueberries, and fruits with skins I like to take a teaspoon of Apple Cider vinegar or sodium bicarbonate, fill a bowl with water and soak them for about 10 to 20 minutes. It not only preserves them but cleans off any pesticides naturally. Apple cider vinegar is a good staple to have in your home. You can use it for fruit veggie cleaning and it has immunity – antimicrobial benefits as well. If I feel myself under the weather or when I’m congested with my sinuses I like to have a teaspoon of ACV in hot or 8 OZ of room temperature water. My go to tonic is half a lemon juiced with fresh ginger grated or a small piece chopped up and cinnamon sprinkled in a mug of hot water. I drink this every night or every other night. Sometimes I like to add in a teaspoon of raw honey for sweetness. You can mix in a teaspoon of Apple cider vinegar if this concoction will help you choke it down. I know for many it tastes awful so mixing it in hot water or with the ingredients listed above can help a lot. Turmeric is so good for you as well . I like to make a “golden milk ” latte. I warm a cup ( 6-8 oz- ) of almond milk , then stir in a teaspoon of turmeric fresh grated or powder (be careful it stains) a pinch of black pepper for absorption, some grated ginger , and honey . You can buy many Golden Milk mixes already prepared but just make sure you read the ingredients carefully .They can add sugar and other additives that don’t make the healthiest Golden Milk I prefer to just buy turmeric by itself and grate it just like fresh ginger . As the weather turns cold and Fall transitions into winter I hope these food tips bring you some comfort ! Stay warm and healthy XO Tera
Healthy Easy Tacos
My favorite easy healthy go to meal is tacos. Everyday is a great day for tacos and they are non existent where I live in Italy. We have a taqueria that just opened up in our piazza so I’m going to do a drive by and check them out I made some yummy tacos this week with some small adjustments so I wanted to make a post about them . We are overdue for an LA trip and you’ll find me at Trejo’s http://trejostacos.com Get creative and use any kind of protein. I’ve used Tempeh and Tofu when making vegetarian tacos but my favorite tacos are fish and shrimp .I don’t have a market that sells corn tortillas so I’ve had to tweek my tacos a bit. My sister Debra buys masa and hand makes tortillas and tamales. She’s amazing like that but me no. I don’t have the patience or skill to handle masa lol Christmas is when I gorge myself on her amazing cooking and let’s be real , It’s so much better when someone else cooks for you . I use a lettuce leaf and it’s like a hand taco salad. I don’t make fancy guacamole. I think avocados only need salt and Lime like Tequila. For salsa I just chop tomatoes, garlic, lime, salt, pepper and I roast one bell pepper red or yellow. I drizzle the yellow pepper with olive oil and cumin, salt, and red pepper flakes. Roast it in your oven for 15 minutes at 200c /400F . When it cools you can chop it up and add it to the tomatoes. It’s a nice smokey slightly sweet, salty, salsa. I don’t use onion in my salsa’s or garlic. If it’s added in at a restaurant it’s ok.I love garlic but onions not so much . Just scoop your protein on top of your lettuce leaf, top it with salsa and then avocado . Enjoy XO Tera
