Piquant Visuals

28/09/2023

Bone broth 101

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14/09/2023

Truth!

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13/09/2023

Pumpkin cheesecake bars

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05/09/2023

Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats with Chia Seeds, topped with Figs. I wasn’t sure how this combo would work but wow, it’s so good. I love figs and am trying to fit them in anywhere I can 😁

23/06/2023

Kimchi Deviled Eggs

I’m usually a purist with my deviled eggs but saw my kimchi in the fridge this morning and thought, why not. They are so delicious!

23/02/2023

My mom made these for us when we were growing up and she called them Barbie Cups. I’ve heard them called bbq cups also. Non the less they were always devoured and still are for my kids and their friends. Super fast and easy to throw together.
I have advanced my skills 😂 and make a ham and cheese with a bechamel sauce to go in it.
Barbie cups consisted of browned ground beef and onion, add bbq sauce and spoon it into the muffin pan that’s lined with a canned biscuit.
If you have questions please feel free to ask!

23/02/2023

Good morning! Is there anything you’d like to see me cook? If so please post it here!

18/02/2023

This salad is one of my favorites, packed with flavor!

ROASTED SWEET POTATO, KALE AND FARRO SALAD WITH LEMON TAHINI DRESSING

2 medium-large sweet potatoes, cut into 1” cubes
2 tablespoons high heat oil, divided
1 teaspoon chili powder + 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup Farro, rinsed
1 garlic clove, minced
2.5 cups vegetable broth or water
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas
2 cups finely chopped kale
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

FOR THE LEMON TAHINI DRESSING
3 tablespoons tahini
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoon pure maple syrup
3-4 tablespoons water
salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, add the cubed sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon high heat oil and 1 teaspoon chili powder. Toss until evenly coated then transfer to the baking sheet and bake for 25. minutes, or just until soft. Reserve the bowl with remaining oil and spices.
In a small pot, warm 1 tablespoon oil over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the rinsed farro and stir, allowing it to toast for about 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in 3 cups vegetable broth or water and bring to a boil. Cook for 25-30 minutes (until most of liquid is absorbed) then remove from heat, cover with a lid and let steam for 10 minutes. Remove lid and allow to cool.
In the same large bowl you used for the sweet potatoes, add the chickpeas and stir until lightly coated in reserved oil.
Once the sweet potatoes are tender, transfer them to a separate large bowl (for serving). Add the chickpeas to the baking pan and roast them in the oven for 10 minutes. Add kale to the bowl with the sweet potatoes.
Cont….

food

15/02/2023

A classic! 😁

14/02/2023

I've just reached 100 followers! Thank you for supporting me. I could never have made it without each one of you. 🙏🤗🎉

11/02/2023

Good morning and happy Saturday everyone! Just a reminder that all my reels come with the recipe in the caption. I hope you try some of them and let me know if you do. If you comment to the reel that’s helpful. Thanks a bunch!

26/01/2023

Cashew or almond chicken are my favorite thing to order when we go out to Chinese. I find that making it at home is just as delicious and easier on the pocketbook. It’s so easy, you can’t go wrong.

Easy and Quick Cashew Chicken in One Pan

1 lb. chicken breast boneless and skinless, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper powder
3 tbsp corn-starch or tapioca flour
1/2 cup cashews whole unsalted
2 tbsp cooking oil

SAUCE:
4 garlic cloves minced
1 tbsp Hoisin sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water

Place the chicken pieces, salt and pepper, and corn starch in a bag and give it a shake to coat the chicken.

Prepare the sauce by mixing all the ingredients given under the sauce.

Heat a large heavy bottom pan and add cashews, roast them on medium-high for 5 minutes. Set aside, the cashews will turn crispy once cooled.
In the same pan heat the oil on medium-high heat until smoking hot. Add the corn-starch-coated chicken pieces in a single layer in batches. Cook each side until golden brown, about 2 min.

Add cashews and sauce. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat until the sauce thickens.

Serve with green onions, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes and rice.

Enjoy!

19/01/2023

Good morning! I’ve been thinking about my name here, I love it, I think it’s creative (all credit goes to my daughter) but I think it’s a difficult name for people to share with others.

pi·quant
pleasantly stimulating or exciting to the mind

So I’m asking you, do you think I should change my name here? I have another name in mind that would include my first name. Thoughts?

18/01/2023

If you want your house to smell incredible, you need to make this. Plus, it’s just like eating a salad, right? 😉

Carrot Zucchini Apple Bread

1 cup unsalted butter melted
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs room temperature
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp all spice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup shredded zucchini, make sure to squeeze all the water out.
1 cup diced peeled apple (whatever you have on hand)
1/2 pecans chopped (optional) I did not add.

Frosting/glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2 TBLS butter, melted
1/3 cup cream cheese
1-2 TBLS orange juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour two 8x4 inch loaf pans. (Or one regular size and 3 small pans) Line with parchment paper or spray the pans well with a cooking spray, and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg together. Set aside.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar.
Add eggs, orange juice, and vanilla and whisk until combined.

Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients along with the shredded carrots, shredded zucchini, apples, and pecans.

Pour into prepared pans.

Bake until golden brown, 50-55minutes, or until loaves spring back when gently pressed with fingers.
I baked the small loaves for 28 min.

Let cool completely before icing.

Icing-

Cream together cream cheese and butter with a hand mixer.
Add powdered sugar and continue mixing. Drizzle in orange juice until desired consistency is achieved.

Now it’s time to dig in, share with your neighbors and friends!

18/01/2023

This has become a family favorite, I hope you’ll enjoy it too! Serve over rice or cauliflower rice or heck serve it as a stand alone, it’s so delicious!

Creamy Coconut-Lime Salmon

4-5 salmon, skinless (I leave the skin on) fillets
1 onion diced small
2 tbsp fresh basil
1/4 tbsp chili flakes
2 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 can coconut milk or cream
Juice from half a lime
1 tsp salt

In a large cast-iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Season the salmon with 1/2 teaspoon salt. When oil is hot but not smoking, add salmon skin side up. Let sit undisturbed until golden and salmon easily releases from pan, about 4 minutes. Use a thin metal spatula, flip salmon and cook until golden on the other side, about 2 minutes more. Remove to a plate�Reduce heat to medium and add a little more oil if needed and onion to skillet.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. �Stir in coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 5 minutes. Stir in lime juice and remaining 1/2 tsp salt and chili flakes.�Remove from heat and return salmon to pan. Garnish with basil and serve with lime wedges.

18/01/2023

Good morning!! ☀️

When you take the lid off your instant pot, the smell of these oats is incredible, but they taste even better!

Steel Cut Oats in the Instant Pot

1 cup steel cut oats
3 cups water
2 tsp vanilla
1/2-1 tsp cinnamon
Large pinch of salt

Set your instant pot to high pressure for 6 minutes. Let it naturally release for 8-10 min. Release completely and stir. Remember, it might look runny, this is how you want it. Add whatever you like at this stage, dates, raisins, maple syrup, brown sugar or whatever you like.

I topped mine with a pat of butter, some chopped walnuts and a drizzle of maple syrup.

This is so good, the high pressure cooking makes the oats so creamy and delicious.

18/01/2023

Crispy Baked Green Beans

Bowl #1 - 1/2 flour and a pinch of salt
Bowl #2 - 1 egg scrambled with salt/pepper
Bowl #3 - 3/4 cup Panko, 1/2 cup parmasan, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Bake at 425 for 8-10 min.

17/01/2023

I can’t even tell you how good this salad is…it’s so satisfying!

Sunflower Crunch Salad

1 half head green cabbage chopped into a small dice
1 half head purple cabbage chopped into a small dice
2 medium carrots peeled and chopped into a small dice
2 cups kale ribs removed and chopped
1/2 cup pancetta or bacon bits
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup dried cranberry
1 cup sunflower seeds

Dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sugar
2 cloves garlic minced
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

17/01/2023

Comfort food at its finest and most simple.

1 pound lean ground beef
1 small onion finely diced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 packet brown gravy mix
1 cup cold water
1 can (10 oz) cream of mushroom soup
½ cup sour cream
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 bag (12 oz) wide egg noodles, cooked al dente.
�

In a skillet pan, over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef, onion, garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper until ground beef is no longer pink. ��Drain the excess grease/liquid. �
Whisk together the contents of the gravy packet with the cold water until combined. Pour this into the ground beef. �
Add the sour cream and cream of mushroom soup and stir everything together until combined. �
Let the mixture simmer over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes. �
Add the cooked noodles and dried parsley into the creamy ground beef mixture and stir together to combine.

14/01/2023

Blueberry muffins on the lighter side

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
One egg
The zest of one lemon
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat your oven to 400°. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with nonstick spray or paper liners.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and a large bowl. Add your lemon zest, then cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.

Whisk the egg, sour cream and milk in a separate bowl. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and combine, do not over mix. Stir in the blueberries.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups and bake until the muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in the pan for about five minutes then remove to a cooling rack.

These come out of the oven with a slightly crunchy outside texture, while the inside is soft and only slightly sweet with hints of the lemon.

13/01/2023

It’s the weekend here in Myrtle Beach and my teens just finished up their first semester. I wanted to make them one of their favorites for lunch when they arrived home today.

Instant Pot Garlic Parmesan Noodles

4 cups chicken stock
4 cloves garlic - minced
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound spaghetti
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese - grated
1 teaspoon dry parsley.
Fresh parsley or basil for garnishing

Set the instant pot to sauté mode and add 1 tablespoon of butter and the garlic, and sauté for a minute or two. Add the stock and salt. Stir. Break spaghetti noodles in half and place in the pot. Using a wooden spoon, push noodles into the stock making sure all are covered.

Secure lid on Instant Pot with pressure valve closed. Select PRESSURE COOK, and set the timer for 1 minute. Once the timer goes off, let the steam release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining steam.
Carefully remove the lid from the pot. Add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, Parmesan cheese, and pepper. Stir to combine all ingredients.

12/01/2023

While living in Arizona we lived near the Queen Creek Olive Mill, oh how I miss that place. The atmosphere and the food was lovely. They have an online store that you can purchase their olives, olive oil, and all sorts of wonderful items. I used their olive oil infused with white truffles in this recipe, along with the most delicious balsamic you could ever drink, I mean use in recipes.

This dressing is best if you can let it sit in the fridge for a hour or more but if you’re impatient and a poor planner like me you’ll make it and use it right then. Ha!

Spicy Truffle Balsamic Dressing

2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 shallot, minced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons truffle oil (look for an olive oils infused with truffle)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
A pinch or two red pepper flakes

Mix everything in a jar and shake vigorously.

12/01/2023

Best Ever Banana Bread

Whenever I pass a display of bananas in the grocery store, I can almost smell the wonderful aroma of my best banana bread.

I’ve been making this bread for 100 years! Okay, maybe not that long, but since my early 20’s. My roommate would make this in our tiny appt. in California and the smell would be out in the hallway when I came home from beauty school. I’ve tried different recipes over the years but this is my tried and true.

The original recipe called for 1 1/2 cups of sugar but I always use 1 1/4, if you like sweet bread feel free to add more.

Wet ingredients:
2 smashed ripe bananas
1/2 butter or oil of choice
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup buttermilk *I didn’t have any so I added 1 teaspoon of vinegar. Old hack.*
Mix well.

Dry ingredients:
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt *if using oil I would use a full teaspoon*
1 cup chopped walnuts * optional

Fold the two together, don’t over mix.

Spray a loaf pan well, or as you can. I used parchment paper and it makes it so easy.

Bake at 325 for an hour.

And enjoy! I hope you try it and If you do, post and tag me! Follow and like for more!

hmmm

11/01/2023

Sheet Pan Suppers

A throw back to 6/2020 in the Forks Over Knives magazine. The first time I made this, the same thing happened, too much liquid, but I made it a few more times and made the correct adjustments and it turns out great. My husband loves this, and it’s easy meal prep for the week.

Preheat oven to 400°. Place and 15 x 10” rimmed baking sheet on your work surface.
Spray well with avocado or olive spray.

Spread 1 1/4 cups of dry quinoa, bulgur, brown rice, millet, or a combination of these grains, in an even layer in the bottom of the pan.

Combine 8 cups of chopped vegetables, and one can of beans, rinsed and drained, *optional, 2 tablespoons of your favorite herbs or spices and 1 teaspoon of salt. Sprinkle them on top of the grains and vegetables pour 2 1/2 cups(orginal recipe called for 3 1/2 cups 😬) of vegetable broth or chicken broth over all the ingredients in the pan and cover tightly with foil .

Carefully transfer to your oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 to 20 minutes more or until the grains are tender and the vegetables are beginning to brown.

It’s delicious just like this, but you could drizzle it with some citrus juice or salad dressing, or sprinkle with more herbs, sesame, seeds, or nutritional yeast.

Please share and follow for more!

11/01/2023

This may be my favorite way to start the day, well, after my coffee and physical therapy. 😉

Toasted Ezekiel sprouted bread, spread cream cheese with everything bagel seasoning mixed in, topped it tomato slices and smoked salmon. These beautiful blackberries are from Costco and they are super sweet, I was surprised!

Enjoy! Please share and follow for more!

11/01/2023

**** Throw back! 😂😂😂

Merry Christmas Eve!

I’m feeding a family of 4, but if you’re feeding more feel free to add more potatoes and maybe even one more egg if you can squeeze it in your cast-iron skillet.

Breakfast Hash:

8 slices bacon (you must try if you haven’t already. It’s how bacon should taste!)
1 small onion sliced
1 small red pepper sliced
4 small-medium potatoes
1 teaspoon each garlic salt and paprika
Pepper
Fresh graded parmesan or any cheese or your liking.

After adding potatoes sauté for 5-10 min to brown them before adding the eggs. Bake at 390 for 10 min.

Garnish with green onion, fresh parsley and avocado.

It was a crowd pleaser here so please try and if you do take a picture and tag me! Follow for more!

11/01/2023

White Chicken Chili

Hmmm…. More like white chicken chili soup. This was my first time making this and I added less broth then it even called for. I think next time I would smash some of the beans to make it thicker. It has really great flavor though!

Crock pot white chicken chili

* 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, I used (best chicken around!)
* 1 yellow onion diced
* 2 cloves garlic minced
* 3 cups chicken broth
* 2 15oz cans cannellini beans, drained
* 2 4oz cans diced green chiles
* 1 15oz can whole kernel corn drained
* 1 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp black pepper
* 1 tsp cumin
* 3/4 tsp oregano
* 1/2 tsp chili powder
* 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
* small handful fresh cilantro chopped
* 4 oz cream cheese softened
* 1/4 cup half and half

TOPPINGS:
* sliced jalapenos
* sliced avocados
* dollop of sour cream
* minced fresh cilantro
* tortilla strips
* shredded Monterey jack or Mexican cheese

* Add chicken breasts to bottom of the crock pot top with salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.
* Top with diced onion, minced garlic, great Northern beans, green chiles, corn, chicken broth and cilantro. Stir.
* Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
* Remove chicken to large mixing bowl, shred, then return to slow cooker.
* Add cream cheese and half and half, stir, then cover and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes, or until chili is creamy and slightly thickened.
* Stir well and serve with desired toppings.

11/01/2023

I’m trying to catch up this page to my Instagram page, since I have so much more content over there. I usually only post once or twice a day so don’t get use to this! Ha!

10/01/2023

Shepherds Pie

Our sweet neighbors next to us moved today. I wanted to make them a nice cozy meal that they could enjoy at their new home tonight. This is one of my go-to meals for the birth of a baby, when someone has illness or loss within their family.

My recipe might not be your standard shepherds pie, but it’s always one that people rave about. I hope you’ll give it a try!

The recipe below will make one, though I doubled the recipe so I could make one for them and us.

1 lb ground beef
2 onions, diced
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups beef broth
1-2 cups of any mixed frozen veggies
1 heaping tablespoon Better than bullion beef base

Brown your ground beef with the onion, and when onion is soft, add garlic and spices, then cook another min or two. If you think there is too much fat in the bottom of your pan you can drain some. I used 85/15 so I drained only a small amount of fat. Add the flour and stir over medium heat for several minutes. Then add the broth, veggies and bullion base. Mix well and let simmer uncovered for 15-20 min.

Spray a casserole dish, then add it to the bottom.

Top with mashed potatoes and bake at 350° for 30 min. Then broil on high for 2-3 min, until the potatoes are browned just slightly.

Garnish with parsley, and enjoy!

09/01/2023

It’s breakfast time and I’m making a frittata.  I wanted to share in this video how sometimes if it cast iron skillet isn’t seasoned properly after being cleaned food will stick to it but hey, that’s no problem. Don’t give up, keep using it, you’ll grow to love it. 

09/01/2023

Simple No Dairy Stuffed Mushrooms

A made these for a dear friend who is lactose intolerant, because she mentioned she rarely gets to enjoy a dairy free version of stuffed mushrooms. I hope you enjoy them as much as she did.

I only had 11 larger mushrooms, if you want to double the recipe for a party or appetizer you could easily double the recipe.

10-12 mushrooms, take the stem out and set aside.
1/4 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons Italian bread crumbs
2 oz sausage, you can use any kind you like.
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 375° . Chop the stems, onion and garlic, Place in a skillet with the sausage. Cook till the sausage is brown and remove from the heat. You don’t want to overcook the veggies and lose the moisture, they will finish cooking in the mushroom.
Add bread crumbs to combine. Season to your preference.
Spray the mushrooms lightly with avocado or olive oil.
Stuff the mushrooms with the mixture, then lightly spray again.
Bake for 17-20 min. Enjoy!

09/01/2023

We lived in Arizona for 5 years and my daughter and I would frequent Pita Jungle on many occasions. They have the absolute best hummus and Chicken Tikki Masala.

After several attempts of trying to duplicate what they do, we asked our server one day what they put it in and he actually gave us the run down! Lemon, that was the key ingredient I was missing.

This is my take and a Copy Cat version of theirs, and it’s so good, you must try.

— 2-2.5 pounds of boneless chicken breast
— Juice from one lemon and the zest from about half of it.
— Olive oil for frying

1 tablespoon garam masala
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne

2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 15 oz can coconut cream or milk
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1 onion, diced
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Put your raw chicken breasts in a bowl with the lemon juice/zest. Refrigerate for an hour.

In a large pot, brown the chicken in small batches, you should fry them until they are still a little pink. They will continue to cook in the sauce.

When they are all browned, remove and add the onion and cook for 3-4 min, add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute. Then, add tomato paste and seasonings, stir for a min. Don’t be alarmed, it might start to stick to the bottom of the pot, it’s okay, now it’s time to add the water and deglaze the bottom by scraping all the bits. Add the tomato sauce and Coconut milk/cream.

Bring to a soft boil and let simmer while you cut up your chicken into bit size (or bigger) chunks. Add the chicken and cover. Let simmer for 20-30 min.
Add the cilantro.

You’re now ready to chow down!

Serve with Rice and garnish with more cilantro.

***After developing this recipe I realize this is Indian food, served in a Mediterranean restaurant. Now I’m confused! Hmm…