The Good (Recipes), The Bad and The Ugly

First off, if one of these is in the first three ingredients listed on a product, that product is a bad choice: SUGAR, FAT, SALT

THE GOOD
Theses 3 recipes are saying they're just apricots. So how good could they be? If you don't love apricots you won't love these. They are good though if you don't hate apricots.

1) Apricot Cobbler

SHORTCAKE
1 C. healthy flour
1 T. sugar
3 T. unsalted butter
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/3 C. soy milk
1/2 t. salt
FRUIT
1/3 C. agave nectar
1 T. cornstarch
1 C. boiling water
3 C. organic apricots, halved, pitted, peeled (it helps to peel by dipping first in boiling water, then ice water)
CAKE: Mix these ingredients together: flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Cut in butter and soy milk.
FRUIT: Mix these ingredients together: agave, cornstarch and boiling water. Bring to boil and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add apricots. Pour mixture into baking dish and sprinkle with 1 t. cinnamon.
Then drop spoonfuls of batter on top of fruit mixture. Bake at 400F for 30 minutes.

2) Apricot Upside-Down Cake-makes 6 servings

TOPPING
1/8 C. (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 T. agave nectar
1 C. organic apricots (or enough to fill bottom of 8" baking pan), pitted, halved or quartered
CAKE
1 C. healthy flour
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 C. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 C. agave nectar
1 organic egg
1/2 C. vanilla soy milk
1/2 t. vanilla extract
Heat oven to 350F.
TOPPING: Melt butter in an 8" or 9" square baking pan over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in agave. Fit apricots tightly into bottom of pan, cut side down.
CAKE: In medium size bowl whisk flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. In large bowl beat butter and agave 2 minutes. Add egg; beat until blended. On low speed beat in half the flour mixture. Pour in soy milk (add additional if needed); beat until blended. Beat in remaining flour mixture, then vanilla.
Spread batter into pan over apricots. Bake at 350F  for 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool cake 10 minutes. Flip cake onto appropriate sheet or plate.

WHY ARE THESE GOOD? 'CAUSE THEY TASTE GOOD. THE WIFEY PREFERS THE COBBLER, I'M NOT SURE. NOT TOO UNHEALTHY EITHER, SOME NO-NO BUTTER (Can't always get out of that with baking. You could use margarine with plant sterols but won't taste the same). AND MINIMALIST SUGAR. SALT MAY BE DELETED. WHILE YOU COULD MAKE THESE TWO DESSERTS BAD BY ADDING  WHIPPED CREAM, ICE CREAM, OR HALF & HALF I WOULD NEVER DO THAT. TOPPING SHOULD BE VANILLA SOY MILK FOR HEALTH. THE NEXT RECIPE NOT SO GOOD WITH WHIPPED CREAM.

3) Apricot Chutney-makes 2 cups

3 1/2 C. cubed pitted organic apricots
1/4 C. agave nectar
1/2 C. chopped red onion
1/3 C. organic apple cider vinegar
1/4 C. organic raisins
2 additional T. agave nectar
1 small jalapeno, seeded &  minced
1/2 t. each: salt, mustard seeds, ground coriander, cumin, black pepper
Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Keep covered in refrigerator for up to one week.

THE BAD 
These are bad because there is no way to make them good. They are doubly bad because they are soo tasty and easy to make. Therefor temptation is strong with these. They are triple bad because they are cheap to make. Country style ribs are economical. Everything is against common sense here, but if one will promise to indulge just once or twice a year, I  think one will get away with it. Even with a cancer diagnosis in one's history .

1) Country Style Boneless Pork Ribs 

16 oz. favorite bar-b-q sauce, divided
1 lb. country style ribs (go ahead and pay for organic pork if you can, but you really can't make this into a healthy choice)
The trick is only don't burn them. Place ribs in casserole dish. Coat with sauce. Bake covered at 300F for 2 1/2 hours, turning and adding more sauce as needed to keep moist. Yum yum from a cheap cut of meat.

2) Yucatecan Country Style Pork Ribs with Pickled Onions
serves 4-5

onions,
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced then chopped
1 or 2 jalapeno, serrano or habañero chiles, seeded, deveined, and very finely chopped
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
dash salt, or to taste
Mix together all ingredients in a bowl and let stand for several hours, refrigerated.
ribs,
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon whole allspice
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 tablespoons turmeric
6 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced
dash salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
3 pounds of country style pork ribs
1/2 cup water
1. In a small, heavy skillet toast cumin, allspice, and peppercorns over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes. It’s easiest to notice the toast on the cumin seeds, so keep an eye on those to make sure they’re not burning. Finely grind toasted spices in a coffee/spice grinder.
2. In a large baking dish, mix garlic, spice mixture, oregano, orange juice, and vinegar. Add pork and rub meat all over with marinade. You can also marinate the pork in a large ziploc baggie. Refrigerate and marinate for at least 2 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 325°F. Bring pork to room temperature. If you marinated in a plastic bag, transfer to a large baking dish. Add water and cover tightly with foil. Bake in middle of oven until very tender, about 2 hours. (I would rather cook at 300 for 2 1/2-3 hours.) Then, preheat your grill to medium. Grill the ribs for about 15-20 minutes, or until nice and crisp on the outside, brushing frequently with the marinade.
Serve the pork ribs with tons of pickled onions. You can top with cilantro, serve with plantains. Great with an easy pickled beet or vinegar fries.
PICKLED BEETS, serves 4, peel and dice then cook beats in water until tender, reserve 1/2 cup beet water, bring to boil vinegar and beet water and agave nectar and spices, pour spicy liquid over beets and chill.
4 medium beets (organic would be nice)
1 1/2 T. agave nectar
4 cloves
dash to taste salt
6 black peppercorns
1/2 bay leaf
1/2 C. white distilled vinegar
VIN FRIES, cut potatoes lengthwise into fries, combine water and 4 T. vinegar in large bowl, submerge potatoes in vinegar mixture and soak 30 minutes, preheat oven to 400F, drain potatoes and pat dry, in clean bowl toss with canola oil, bake potatoes for 20 minutes or until beginning to brown, turn and bake 10 more minutes, toss with 4 t. vinegar and spices. 
1/4 lbs baking potatoes, peeled (about 2) 
3 cups water 
4 tablespoons distilled white vinegar, plus 
4 teaspoons distilled white vinegar, divided 
1 tablespoon canola oil 
salt
50/50 mixture of turmeric & black pepper

THE UGLY 
Tofu is ugly for sure. Even the firm looks like something one spit up and refrigerated to congeal. That's exactly why I like this recipe. The tofu is crumbled and so the texture thing is not so extreme. It resembles cheese when crumbled. Tofu is great in the diet but it sure is ugly. The good and ugly. Not bad.

Spicy Tofu Burritos

4 organic spelt tortillas
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 C. chopped onion
1 1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. turmeric
2 C. firm tofu, crumbled
1 C. organic chopped bell pepper
1 1/2 T. minced jalapenos
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 C. Provolone soy cheese 
Garnish: sliced organic lettuce, 6 T. cilantro, lime
Preheat oven to 350F. Wrap tortillas in foil & heat 15 minutes.
In a pan, heat oil on medium high. Saute onions 5 minutes. Add  cumin and turmeric, stir 30 seconds. Add tofu, peppers and garlic. Saute 3 minutes. Add cheese and melt about 1 minute. Wrap in burritos and add garnish.

Found something as ugly as tofu...

Bread Pudding

2 1/2 C. dried-out French bread, cubed small
3 C. vanilla soy milk
4 organic eggs
1/4 C. agave nectar
scant 1/2 t. salt (sin)
scant 1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 C. organic raisins (optional)
Soak bread in milk. Beat eggs with agave nectar & add salt, vanilla, nutmeg. Mix in bread  & add raisins. Bake at 350F for approx. 1 hour. I like to stir the edges into the center at about 45 minutes; helps it to cook faster at the end. Serve with organic half & half or decadent sauce. Whipped cream? Not me.
Sauce: 1/4 C. organic half & half, 3/8 cup agave nectar, 1 T. butter (sin), 1/2 t. cinnamon. Heat to mix on low heat. 
DELICIOUS!
 

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