I’m a bit of a celtophile, and at least part of my ancestry has Irish ties. I was fortunate enough to visit over 10 years ago (wow) and was forever changed. There’s so much to love – the poetry, the rolling hills, the history, the music, the humor, the Guinness. I love cooking with it too; it’s great in stews and chilis and even mac & cheese . (Trust me, TRY that last one. The Black & Tan Mac & Cheddar is one of the best versions I’ve ever had.) And ever since I had a Guinness float, I’ve been itching to try it applied to other sweet applications. I made chocolate cupcakes with Guinness a while back, baked in a popover pan and topped with creamy frosting so they looked like little pint glasses – a big hit!

Going back to the float, I thought I’d try making a Guinness ice cream, and, taking inspiration from the classic shot cocktail known as the Car Bomb (a shot of Bailey’s Irish Cream dropped into a pint of the good stout, sometimes layered with Jameson’s), I added a Bailey’s white chocolate cream sauce to top it with. (I left out the Jameson’s, as that’s just a bit too boozy for a dessert, for me. By all means, feel free to experiment!)

I told a good friend about the recipe concept of my Car Bomb Sundae, and she replied with “Sundae Bloody Sundae!” Of course. Of course! So there you have it. That’s some brilliant craic, perfect for St. Patrick’s Day – the flavor is unique and pretty strong; you can reduce the molasses a bit to tone it down and make it milder. If puntastic references to 80’s pop culture tinged with political overtones aren’t your cup of Irish Breakfast, just call it Guinness Ice Cream with Bailey’s Sauce.

GUINNESS ICE CREAM

1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup Guinness stout
2 tablespoons molasses
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 pinch salt

Bring milk, cream and vanilla to a boil over medium heat. Turn off the heat, cover the pan. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together the stout and molasses. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the yolks, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk in a few tablespoons of the hot cream mixture, then slowly whisk in another 1/4 cup of the cream. Add the remaining cream in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan.

Stir the beer mixture into the cream mixture. Cook the custard over medium heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon, for 6 to 8 minutes or until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Strain the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Process the custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

BAILEY’S IRISH CREAM SAUCE

1/4 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream
4 ounces white chocolate (would be lovely with milk chocolate as well), chopped finely

Couldn’t be easier: heat Bailey’s in a small saucepan until just at a boil. Add chocolate and remove from heat; whisk until smooth.

*****

To finish, rather than sharing more recipe links as per usual, and since I have a few links above as it is anyway, here’s a sampling of some of my favorite Irish musicians. Enjoy as you celebrate, perhaps!

The Chieftains – Here’s a Health to the Company I find this simple toasting song so warm and yet so poignant.

Sinead O’Connor – He Moved Through The Fair: This traditional song was performed by O’Connor for the film “Michael Collins“, which we stumbled upon actually being filmed while we were in Dublin.

The Pogues with Kirsty MacColl – Fairytale of New York: A little out of season here, but I love this song so much I couldn’t possibly exclude it.

Enya – Marble Halls: The text actually appears in James Joyce’s “Dubliners”. Haunting yet dreamy.

Ashley MacIsaac – Sleepy Maggie: Manic fiddling prodigy, complete with simultaneous traditional dancing and traditional kilt-wearing. Traditional in every sense.

The Cranberries – Dreams: Aside from sighting a Cranberry at U2′ own Dublin club, The Kitchen, and seeing Dolores O’Riordan’s house being constructed out near Dingle, this song was also HUGE while we were there, so the association is permanent.

Christy Moore – Delirium Tremens (live): “Looking up there at the Guinness ad, I could never figure out how the man stayed up on his surfboard after 14 pints of stout.”

Dropkick Murphys – The Spicy McHaggis Jig: Just plain bawdy rowdy fun.

U2 – Sunday Bloody Sunday: In addition to the link above in the body of the post, which was filmed at Red Rocks (less than half an hour from where I grew up), I thought I’d share this epic version, from their rock doc “Rattle and Hum”.

U2 – Beautiful Day: And now a happier, older, kinder and gentler U2. One of my favorite songs.

Slainte!

– posted by Anne

Will you eat them on St Pat’s? Will you eat them wearing hats?
I do so like them, Sam-I-Am, I do like green eggs with no ham!

– Modified from the Dr Seuss classic “Green Eggs and Ham”

The pesto takes this breakfast classic – Eggs in a Basket* – to a whole new level for Meatless Monday. It can turn your St Patrick’s Day breakfast into Top ‘O The Mornin’. And the basket shape of the bread makes this a perfect Easter basket breakfast or brunch.

I loved the spinach pesto created by Andrea Meyers of Andrea’s Recipes. She steamed the spinach before blending it – Genius, Andrea! This makes the pesto smoother and darker green. I used mostly spinach with just a few basil leaves to make this sauce more budget friendly. And I love a little lemon zest to brighten the taste! I blended the pesto in my blender for a smoother sauce, but you can use your food processor for a more traditional rustic texture. And, many times we advocate for a cheaper oil, but use the good stuff here because the fruity taste of extra virgin olive oil really comes through!

** FOR 50 QUIRKY NAMES FOR THIS TRADITIONAL EGG AND TOAST DISH, SEE THE END OF THIS POST!

EGGS IN A BASKET WITH BUDGET FRIENDLY SPINACH PESTO SAUCE

Cook and prep time about 30 minutes; serves six

8 large eggs, divided
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
6 slices day-old firm white bread
8 cups chopped spinach
A small handful of basil leaves
3 cloves garlic
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 lemon
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup finely grated)
A few dashes Tabasco sauce
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray a large cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. In a pie pan or other shallow pan, mix 2 of the eggs, milk, garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Dip each bread slice in egg mixture for about 10 seconds on each side. Place soaked bread slices in muffin tins, forming a “basket,” with corners of bread sticking up out of muffin tin slightly. Crack one egg into all 6 muffin tins. Bake for 15 minutes for eggs that will have slightly soft yolks, or bake longer as desired to make egg yolks firm.

Place spinach in a glass bowl or ceramic dish, cover with plastic wrap and then microwave for about 90 seconds, or until completely wilted. Remove 1 teaspoon zest from lemon and 2 tablespoons juice from lemon. Place juice and zest and all remaining ingredients in blender (for a smooth sauce) or food processor (for a more rustic sauce). Blend until smooth.

Serve egg baskets on a plate, drizzled with pesto sauce.

*Note about ‘Eggs in a Basket’: This dish is traditionally made by cutting a round hole out of a slice of bread, placing the slice in a skillet and cracking an egg into the center. I made a more ‘basket-y’ shape buy soaking the bread slices in a French toast custard mixture and then pressing them into muffin tins.

** Check out all the quirky names for this dish: One Eyed Jack. Eggy in a Basket. One Eyed Pirate. Gashouse Eggs. Egg in a Window. Egg in the Hole. Pirate’s Eye. Toad in the Hole. Adam and Eve on a Raft. Bird’s Nest. Bull’s Eye. Cave Entrance. Camel’s Eye. Eagle Eye. Egg-Holey-O. Egg Castorini. Egg in a Blanket. Egg in a Frame. Egg in a Hat and Coat. Egg in Bed. Egg in a Nest. Eggy Toast. Eye of the Beholder. Gaslight Eggs. Hobo Toast. Hobo Eggs. Nest Eggs. O’Johnnies. Submarine Egg. Victory Egg. Rocky Mountain Toast. Yolky Pokey. Hole in One. Man in a Boat. Baby in a Hole. Eggs in a Bonnet. Bird’s Nest Eggs. Knothole Eggs. Moon Over Miami (from the Betty Grable movie) Ox Eye Eggs. Chicky in a Nest. Navy Eggs. Breakfast Bulls Eyes. Egg in the Middle. Sunlets. Boy Scout Eggs. Kellogg Eggs.

Other food bloggers’ takes on this egg classic:
One Eyed Jack, aka Eggs in a Basket, For the Love of Cooking
Eggs in a Basket with Wonton Wrappers, Green Lemonade
Eggs in the Basket, A Series of Kitchen Experiments
Gashouse Eggs, Kitchen Parade

– posted by Donna

With a name like KELLY, it may come as no surprise that March 17th is one of my favorite days of the year. As part of the celebration, I have been making soda bread for the last 32 years and have tried dozens of versions – experimenting as I went. My favorite soda bread recipe in 32 years of experimenting is Silver Palate author Sheila Lukins’ Irish Soda Bread Rolls. Why rolls and not just a loaf of bread? Because the rolls give you more of that delightful, rustic crunchy crust!

I make these using the Celtic tradition of cutting a cross in the tops to ward off evil spirits for the year to come. The Society for the Preservation of Soda Bread would like you to know that the humble bread has survived centuries of time because it is simple, frugal and just plain delicious. Traditional soda bread has only four ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda and buttermilk.

Irish Americans later added raisins to fancy things up for holidays. Sheila added oats, too, which I think is a brilliant rustic addition of an Irish ingredient. The only thing I have changed from Sheila’s recipe is that I brush the rolls with butter before baking for a nice golden brown crust. This year, I am making these rolls not only because they are Irish, but also as a tribute to Sheila, who died too young a few months ago of cancer. Her fun (albeit NOT Irish) spirit lives on!

Cut the dough into eight wedges

IRISH SODA BREAD ROLLS

Makes 8 large rolls

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup currants
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Cut an "X" into the tops of rolls for tradition

Brush the tops of rolls with butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and currants. Stir in buttermilk until just combined. Turn out to a floured board and knead a few times, forming dough into a large flattened ball. Cut into 8 wedges and then form each wedge into a small ball.

Place dough balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Cut an “X” in the tops of the dough balls with scissors. Brush with butter and bake in center of oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until browned.

Best served warm with butter!

Other food bloggers get their Irish on:
Irish Soda Bread, Simply Recipes
Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread, Gluten Free Goddess
Whole Wheat Brown Soda Bread, Kalyn’s Kitchen
Brown Sugar Irish Soda Bread, The Perfect Pantry
Grand Central Bakery Irish Soda Bread, Whipped the Blog

– posted by Donna

Who says you can’t turn out a healthy and flavorful meal in less than 20 minutes?  I saw this idea in Sunset magazine and thought the mellow tastes of corn and tarragon would pair well with white fish. I like tilapia because it is a sustainable fish, it’s exceedingly frugal and has a firm white flesh. Tilapia farmed in the  USA or Central America is eco-friendly and uber healthy, so buy tons when it’s on sale and keep a few fillets stashed in your freezer.

To learn about sustainable fish issues, I like the Seafood Watch Site, and you can even doanload a Pocket Guide to eating sustainable fish in your area!

We love tilapia here at FFF, and we’ve featured it before in a Spice Rubbed Tilapia and Tilapia with Sopes and Raw Corn Salad.

With this new tilapia recipe, all you need to add is some crusty French bread and a salad – what-the-heck, you can even use the bagged stuff with a little vinaigrette – and Voila! – dinner is still less than 20 minutes from grocery bag to table!

TILAPIA WITH TARRAGON AND SWEET CORN SAUCE

Total prep and cook time 20 minutes – Serves four

4 tillapia fillets
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 shallots, diced
1 cup fresh or frozen corn, divided, plus a little extra for garnish
3 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon, divided, plus more leaves for garnish
1 cup half and half
A few dashes Tabasco sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a large skillet to medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and then add two fillets to pan. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown on bottom. Turn over and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Place fillets on a baking sheet. Saute the other two fillets in the same way and place them on the baking sheet. Place fillets in oven for 5 minutes while you’re finishing the sauce.

Cook shallots until translucent, about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add corn and cook another 3 to 5 minutes, until corn is lightly browned. Add half and half to pan and stir, scraping up bits from bottom of pan. Simmer over medium heat until sauce is reduced slightly. Add in minced tarragon, Tabasco and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

Plate immediately, spooning sauce on to plate and then add fillets. Add tarragon leaves and come of corn as a garnish. Serve immediately.

Other food bloggers’ tilapia recipes that look fabulous (this was HARD – there are so many great recipes out there in the blogosphere!):
Baked Tilapia with Veggies and Feta, Kalyn’s Kitchen
Tilapia with Pimento Sauce, Simply Recipes
Foil Packet Tilapia, A Year of Slow Cooking
Tilapia with Almonds, Fearless Kitchen
Tilapia Tacos, Framed
Tilapia Tostadas, What’s Cooking?
Tilapia and Green Tea Noodles, Slash Food

– posted by Donna

One of the ultimate comfort foods – slowly simmered stuffed cabbage rolls – has the power to take me back to the early 80’s  when I was a new bride learning to cook for my little family. So, I wondered if I could make a more enlightened vegetarian version that was just as tasty and comforting for Meatless Monday.

Cabbage seems like it was invented for making cabbage rolls – they have a perfect taste and texture for these. And a huge bonus: cabbage is packed with nutrients. Cabbage is one of the most versatile cruciferous veggies. We use it in so many strikingly different ways and transform it into so many different substances: raw cabbage in slaws, boiled cabbage with sausages, pickled for sauerkraut, and on and on . . . .

The secret to the success of this recipe is in the braising: I used a rich vegetable broth ( I like Kitchen Basics vegetable stock) with a little vinegar and brown sugar and My, Oh My! did my house smell yummy! These turned out glorious: sweet and tart and flavorful – they just melt in your mouth!  I promise you won’t miss the meat – not even a little bit!

Rolling stuffing into cabbage leaves

Simmer rolls in a single layer - a Dutch oven works great!

BRAISED CABBAGE ROLLS

Serves 4 to 6; Prep and cooking time 60 minutes

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large shallot, diced
6 cloves garlic, divided
4 cups vegetable broth, divided
1/2 cup lentils
1 cup rice
4 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
1 teaspoon cumin
1 large head cabbage (I used savoy cabbage)
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 red bell peppers
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

Saute the shallot in 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Mince 3 cloves of garlic and add in and simmer for another minute. Add in 2 cups of broth and lentils and simmer for 5 minutes. Add rice,  2 tablespoons of soy sauce and cumin, lower heat and cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed.

While mixture is simmering, steam cabbage leaves for about 2 or 3 minutes, until softened. Remove from heat and shock leaves in cold water. Cut the tough stem out at bottom center of each leaf.

Roll 1/2 cup of mixture in each blanched leaf, jelly roll style, tucking sides in as you go. Place seam-side down in a large pan so that rolls are all in a single layer, completely filling pan. Stir vinegar and brown sugar into remaining 2 cups of vegetable stock and pour over rolls in pan so that they are almost covered, adding a little water if necessary. Simmer for about 30 minutes until leaves are soft and most of liquid has evaporated.

While rolls are simmering, cut red peppers into strips and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees at top of oven for about 10 to 12 minutes, until softened and browned. Add remaining garlic cloves to baking sheet for the last five minutes of cooking time.

Blend in blender the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, red pepper strips, garlic cloves, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, Balsamic vinegar and tomato paste until very smooth.

Remove rolls from liquid and serve on a platter with red pepper sauce drizzled on top.

Kalyn of Kalyn’s Kitchen inspired me on her recent Blogher post about Stuffed Cabbage. Thanks, Kalyn!

Other veggie cabbage rolls out there:
Wild Rice Cabbage Rolls, Seasonal Ontario Food
Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls, Not Eating Out in New York
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls – Not Like Grandmas, Ginger Beat
Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls, Where’s the Beef?

– posted by Donna

I received this entreaty from reader and friend Danielle:

I went hunting on fab frugal for cabbage recipes. At 59 cents per pound green cabbage is the cheapest produce going at the grocery store and yet nothing on the site? What’s up with that? I already know how to do red- so don’t re-direct me there. I am still suffering post traumatic stress from Cabbage and Potatoes with Polish Sausage Night when I was a kid. So- no boiling, please! Any ideas?

Danielle makes a fine point, as we do have a lovely braised RED cabbage recipe but nothing green. Cabbage really is a fantastic frugal produce choice, as well as being chock full o’ vitamins, fiber and important minerals. <— And look, even the picture in that link underscores its economical oomph, at 4 pounds for a dollar! (Where is THAT farmer’s market? Sign me up!)

Anyway, I adapted this from the Cooking Light and thought it was lovely. It’s also beyond simple.

GREEN CABBAGE WITH CUCUMBER AND CARAWAY

1 large green cabbage, shredded
1 english cucumber, diced (no need to peel)
6 scallions, thinly sliced
2-3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup white wine vinegar

Heat large nonstick pan over medium. Add everything but the white wine vinegar. Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add vinegar, cook another 2 minutes.

Other cabbage delights:

Napa and Red Cabbage Salad from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Purple Cabbage and Sweet Potato Soup from Gluten-Free Goddess
Stir-Fried Napa Cabbage from Rasamalaysia
Roasted Cabbage with Bacon from The Kitchn
Mushroom Barley Soup with Cannelini Beans and Cabbage from Fat Free Vegan

– posted by Anne

Some vegetarian versions of classic dishes are BETTER than the originals. Case in point: Stroganoff.

Sour cream, sauteed onions, beef strips – Okay, sounds like a good combo, right? But the problem is that the meat (back in the day when I was eating beef) was always rubbery and tough and the only taste in the dish was the sour cream sauce. I have tried making a veggie version of stroganoff numerous times over the years, but the veggies were always limp and watery and slimy.

Use a combination of Cremini, Shitake and Oyster Mushrooms

Then it hit me: ROAST the veggies! And by veggies, I mean MUSHROOMS. And lots of them in different varieties. Then add the mushrooms to the sauce at the very last minute so they’re not soggy and slimy.

Our FFF Meatless Monday pledge made me determined to try again!

This works perfectly! If you’ve always disliked Stroganoff, give this recipe a try and you will be a convert like me.

The mushroom experts will tell you that mushrooms are one of the healthiest things you can put into your mouth – they are anti-cancer power foods! Hooooo-ray for mushrooms!

ROASTED MUSHROOM MEDLEY STROGANOFF

Serves 4 to 6 – 30 minutes prep time

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 yellow onions, cut in julienne strips
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour (use rice flour if you’re cooking gluten-free)
2 cups dark vegetable stock (I used Kitchen Basics Vegetable Cooking Stock)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2/3 cup light sour cream
1 pound cremini mushrooms
8 ounces oyster mushrooms
8 ounces shitake or maitake mushrooms
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves or parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (400 degrees convection if you have that option).

Slice mushrooms into 1/4 inch slices and toss in 2 tablespoons of oil. Spread on a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at top of oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, until mushrooms are softened and lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside.

Roasted mushrooms on a baking sheet

Cook onions strips in remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and brown sugar over medium heat in a large skillet until browned and softened. Stir in flour until absorbed, about 1 minute. Stir in stock, vinegar and soy sauce and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently until liquid is thickened and reduced in half. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream, thyme or parsley flakes and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Adding soy sauce to Stroganoff sauce adds richness

Spoon over rice or pasta on a serving platter and serve immediately.

NOTE: I liked this food blogger’s version, too: Mushroom Tofu Stroganoff, Food Happens

– posted by Donna

We were all thrilled to see Bode Miller on the platform at the Olympics, but did you know we have another reason to applaud him? Miller is a sustainable eating advocate, an organic farmer and lifelong vegetarian!

Michael Pollan’s recent interview on NPR was both entertaining and enlightening: Just one favorite quote: “It’s not food if it arrives through the window of your car.” This got me thinking.  . . Is good, healthy, sustainable eating a luxury only for the upper middle class and the rich, or is it something we all can achieve?

That we should be eating home-cooked sustainable food is, in my humble opinion, a no-brainer. For everyone. Consider these Top Ten Reasons: 1.) It’s cheaper; 2.) It’s safer; 3.) It’s healthier; 4.) It tastes better; 5.) It tastes like you want it to; 6.) It’s satisfying; 7.) It makes reducing meat consumption easier; 8.) It’s a gift to future generations; 9.) It will enrich your life; and 10.) It will make a statement.

But, in the end, it is like many things: It’s a matter of degree. It’s a matter of taking steps in the right direction. It’s a matter of changing the way you do things slowly but surely.

So, here are my thoughts on how to eat more sustainably on a budget.

1)  BUY ONLY WHAT YOU NEED AND USE WHAT YOU BUY.

I can’t tell you how many times I have bought, say, a bunch of carrots instead of only the two carrots I needed because the bunch was a good deal, and then wound up throwing most of the carrots out. Don’t go for the “bargain” if you’re not going to use it all. Buy the two carrots at a slightly higher cost, but save money and be less wasteful in the long run.

2)  THE FREEZER IS YOUR FRIEND.

It is about the same work to double a recipe and freeze the extra as it is to make one dish. If you do have dishes stashed away, you’ll be much less likely to spend four times as much on a restaurant meal at the end of a stress-filled day. And, freezing things when they are low cost – such as seasonal fruit – is super easy and efficient with one of my favorite culinary inventions: zip top bags! It is such a delight to go to my freezer and take out a pint of Strawberry Lemon Zest Freezer Jam in the middle of February- instant springtime in your mouth ! – and one-third the cost of nasty-tasting store bought cooked strawberry jam. Buying a full sized freezer is the best money I have ever spent.

3)  GROW YOUR OWN.

Now is the perfect time to plan a spring garden. We started gardening in a major way two years ago, and I have been surprised at how much we save and how much fun it has been to grow vegetables. Michale Pollan said that for every $1 you spend on your garden, you get $10 dollars worth of grocery-store priced produce. Wow! This is the most amazing rate of return on your money that exists today!!!

4)  MAKE YOUR OWN.

The cost savings on making your own continually astound me, and benefit the environment by eliminating packaging, trucking, etc. I made crackers recently and they cost about 30 cents when the same amount would have cost at least $3 in the store – 10 times more. Even a math-impaired person such as myself can do those numbers!

5) YOU CAN FEEL GOOD SAVING THE PLANET – ONE FORKFUL AT A TIME.

Eating sustainably makes a difference – more than almost anything we can do as individuals to help our planet – more than driving a fusion car; more than recycling newspapers, more than changing our light bulbs, more than all of these things combined.

Eat your veggies! Make it from Scratch! Share your Bounty!  Our grandmas would be proud!

– posted by Donna

Astonish your family with this recipe! Have them try to guess the secret ingredient – I promise it will take them quite a while, if they ever get it at all. Just looking at the picture, can YOU guess what it is? I had the pleasure of trying a version of these at a friend’s house last week, and of course couldn’t wait to share it with you here. It’s perfect for gluten-free folks, or for those simply looking to decrease the starch and increase the healthy, fibrous protein in their diets. I haven’t tried making it with a sugar substitute yet, but if you did, it would be a PERFECT low-carb dessert (omitting the chocolate chips, perhaps substituting some pecans or walnuts). Like, award-winning, I daresay. I’m going to have to try this soon, actually – I’ll report back!

Have you guessed yet? Okay, without further ado, I present . . .

BLACK BEAN BROWNIES

1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 and spray an 8×8 square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Combine the black beans, eggs, oil, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla, sugar, and instant coffee in a high-speed blender or food processor; blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into the  baking dish. Sprinkle half the white chocolate chips over the top of the mixture.Bake about 30 minutes, until the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let cool. Melt remaining white chocolate chips and drizzle over the top. Amaze your friends.

Other yummy gluten-free brownie recipes:

Tofu au Vin? Really? Tofu? you say. You’ll have to trust us on this one: it’s  saucy, savory and vegalicious! There is something about slowly simmering wine that makes things taste incredible. I swear you could simmer shoe leather in wine and aromatics all day and serve it up as a hip new entree: Lethre au Vin!

To replicate the amazing slow-braised taste of the classic French dish Coq au Vin I slowly simmered onions and carrot and garlic in vegetable broth and wine, and to replace the meat I used chopped mushrooms and tofu chunks.  Alton Brown’s dish Coq au Vin takes 4 hours. Julia Child’s iconic version takes about an hour. Our healthier, greener tofu version – just 30 minutes! I just love Meatless Mondays!

Why Tofu? We at FFF love tofu so much, we even wrote a Tofu Cookbook! Did you know that Tofu is the most commonly eaten legume in the world? And – no wonder: it is a frugal source of high-quality protein and one of the most nutrient-dense foods you can eat. In this dish tofu just makes sense – the mild creamy texture and taste of tofu are a perfect match – similar to chunks of chicken – for the strong tangy flavorful wine sauce. We promise you won’t miss the meat!

Cut the mushrooms into chuncks, not slices

Simmer the veggies in broth and wine

TOFU AU VIN

4 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 cups frozen pearl onions
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
3 cups red wine, such as Merlot or Beaujolais**
3 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
1 14-ounce package extra firm tofu
4 tablespoons corn starch, divided
12 ounces mushrooms, chopped
Salt and pepper, used throughout
1/2 cup diced Italian parsley as a garnish

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan to medium high heat. Add in onions, carrots and garlic. Saute for a few minutes until lightly browned. Add in bay leaves, wine, broth and soy sauce and reduce heat so that liquid is slowly simmering. Simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently to help sauce reduce, until carrots and onions are soft and liquid is reduced in half. Once sauce is reduced, taste and add salt and/or pepper to taste. Stir 2 tablespoons cornstarch into 1/2 cup of water and then stir in to pan to thicken sauce.

While sauce is simmering, rinse and cut tofu into 1/2 inch cubes. Toss cubes in 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch and a little salt and pepper until they are all evenly coated. Heat a large skillet to medium high heat and add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Saute coated tofu cubes for about 3 to 5 minutes, turning them occasionally with a spatula so that they are crispy browned on almost all the sides. Remove to a serving bowl. Add mushrooms to pan and saute them until browned and softened.

Stir everything together with tofu cubes in serving bowl, sprinkle with parsley and serve with rice or noodles.

** If you don’t use wine in cooking or you want an even more frugal version of this recipe, substitute 3 cups dark vegetable broth mixed with 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar.

Other food bloggers’ adventures with tofu:
Baked Tofu, Apartment Therapy
Baked Tofu with Soy and Ginger, Kalyn’s Kitchen
Tofu Puff, Rasa Maylaysia
Scrambled Tofu, Serious Eats
Ma Po Tofu, Bitten

– posted by Donna