…from the Perspectives’ Happy Hour Bar ![]() How you doin’? Well, it’s week three… are you sticking to all your New Year’s resolutions, including the one to be healthier this year? It’s also Friday—Happy Hour time—and you also don’t want to break your resolution to socialize with friends at the bar. You don’t have to… here’s a happy hour cocktail that is perfect for you to hop on the juice-cleanse train without giving up your booze, thanks to this recipe. It’s pretty easy, just fresh cucumber and lemon juice jazzed up with a splash of vodka and ginger syrup (recipe follows). The ginger syrup adds the zing and bitters bring an earthy, musky depth. Top it all with a bit of ground cayenne for some extra spice flavor. Lemon and cayenne is a popular juice cleanse when people are looking to counter overindulgence and these flavors meld well with the fresh flavor of cucumber. It also helps settle your stomach. Lemon and lime juices are best used within about four hours of pressing. Prep time: 35 minutes (includes time for ginger syrup) Mix time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 cocktail Ingredients 2 ounces vodka 3/4 ounce fresh cucumber juice (pressed) 1/2-ounce fresh lemon juice 1/4-ounce ginger syrup* 1/4-ounce honey 5 drops bitters 1 egg white (use pasteurized egg whites if that makes you feel more comfortable) 1/4 cup crushed ice A pinch of ground cayenne garnish Directions
*ChefSecret: To make ginger syrup: Bring 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water to boil in a small saucepan. Add 4-ounces of peeled fresh ginger cut into thin rounds (about a 10-inch long piece). Remove from heat and allow to steep for 30 minutes, then strain out the solids. Store in the refrigerator up to 4 weeks. Quip of the Day: We celebrated Fred’s 100th birthday last week—it was a hell of a bash. Today, we are celebrating that he just paid off his student loans. Who knows what next week will bring?! ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #Cocktail #HappyHour #CucumberCleanseCocktail #Vodka #Cheers #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023
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…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen ![]() How you doin’? I’m not bashful about my love of anything peanut butter including these No-Bake Healthy Peanut Butter Energy Balls. They are the perfect quick and easy snack! This recipe is made with only 5 ingredients (probably in your pantry), and they are not baked. They can be ready in less than 30-minutes and they are so delicious, too. And they're fun for the kids to make, too! This healthy snack recipe can be easily customized too—feel free to add in chocolate, raisins, and chopped peanuts. Peanut butter is the main ingredient in this recipe. Use a smooth and runny peanut butter like Crazy Richard’s brand which only contains peanuts and salt as ingredients. Use honey or agave syrup as the sweetener of choice. Remember, it is still a refined sugar that has the same calories as granulated white sugar. Use old fashioned or quick-cooked oats. Cinnamon and peanut butter is a great flavor thrill and gives my peanut butter balls the best flavor. Add a touch of pure vanilla extract and a pinch of salt for take-it-over-the top flavors. Prep time: 15 minutes Yield: 12–15 peanut balls Ingredients 1 cup peanut butter, natural and runny 1/4 cup honey 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1-1/2 cup oats 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon pinch of salt Directions
ChefSecret: There are a whole host of other ingredients you can add to my energy balls—white, milk, or dark chocolate chips. You could even add in chopped dates, raisins or craisins, shredded coconut or other crushed nuts. Or, you can dip them in chocolate coating … basically anything you like! Quip of the Day: “I was going to cook alligator for dinner tonight, but realized I only had a crock-pot.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #Snacks #NoBakeSnack #PeanutButter #PeanutButterBall #Oats #Honey #CrazyRichards #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ Holiday Kitchen![]() How you doin’? Who doesn’t love smoothies?… fruity, healthy and delicious… right? But I’ve seen nutritional facts on smoothies from some of the juice stores that will blow your mind! My Holiday Breakfast Smoothie recipe has a scaled down calorie count but is not scaled down in flavor. Where did Smoothies originate? It appears that health food stores on the West Coast of the United States began selling smoothies in the 1930s associated with invention of the electric blender. The actual term "smoothie" was being used in recipes and trademarks by the mid-1980s. The earliest fruit smoothies were thick, frozen drinks made from orange juice, strawberries, and ice, and although they shared the electric blender in common with the long-standing milkshake, smoothies were a completely different drink aimed at cooling and refreshing beach-goers. Different flavored smoothies are part of Indian, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. Fruit Sharbat (a popular Persian and South Asian drink) sometimes include yogurt and honey, too. In India, the Lassi is a smoothie or milkshake comprising crushed ice, yogurt, sugar, and mango; in the south, pineapple smoothies made with crushed ice, sugar and no yogurt are common. Prep time: 10 minutes Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 2 cups low-fat eggnog 2 large, sliced bananas 1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt 1 cup fat-free milk 2 cups crushed or chipped ice 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg Optional fruit or vegetable of your choice (see ChefSecret) Directions
Nutrition Facts Serving Size 1/4 of recipe Calories 240 Cal from Fat 25 Total Fat 3 g Saturated Fat 0 g Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 150 mg Total Carb 47 g Dietary Fiber 2 g Sugars 40 g Proteins 9 g Vitamin A 4% DV Vitamin C 15% DV Calcium 20% DV Iron 6% DV Percent Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. ChefSecret: While this is a great basic smoothie and really watches the calories, you may choose to add some fresh berries for a sweeter, fruity flavor. Any additional ingredients you add will increase the calories—yes, even fresh berries will add a few calories to the basic smoothie. Quip of the Day: “I think I should work at a smoothie shop. I feel like I would blend in.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. #Beverage #Smoothie #HolidaySmoothie #BreakfastSmoothie #EggNog #Nutmeg #Christmas #Holidays2022 #HolidayRecipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen ![]() How you doin’? Last August, Joan came back from a family reunion with a couple of loaves of Zucchini Bread made from her former neighbor Pat’s special recipe and beautiful zucchini from her garden… moist and delicious, with lots of Vitamin A. As many of you will remember from Cooking lesson #31 Nut Tree Orange Nut Bread I love baking quick breads. If you don’t remember, link in here or go to the Perspectives website and find it on the search bar. So here’s the skinny on Zucchini Quick breads—it doesn't taste much like zucchini, since zucchini doesn't really have a well-defined flavor, but there is a twinge of “green” flavor in the background. The zucchini add a nice moistness to the bread. Okay, you planted zucchini in your home garden and when it ripens it all ripens at the same time. This is a great way to use up all the ripe crop while making a tasty, sweet loaf that you can freeze for later enjoyment. I call this a bread, but it really is very cake-like. It is a beautiful and delicious loaf, not to mention super-fast and easy to make. And that, along with the fact that there is no proofing required, is why it is called “Quick Bread.” Prep time: 15-20 minutes Bake time: 50 minutes Cool time: 35 minutes Yield: 2 loaves, about 16 servings Ingredients 1 tablespoon kosher salt 4 cups grated zucchini 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg 2 large eggs, beaten 2 tablespoon molasses 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar 1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped Directions
Quip of the Day: “Question: What is a zucchini’s favorite sport? Answer: Squash.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #Baking #Snack #Breakfast #Brunch #QuickBread #ZucchiniBread #Zucchini #2022 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022 …from the Perspectives’ Bakery![]() How you doin’? In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a bit of a sweet freak. I like to start the morning with a treat—healthy if possible—and end the night with just a touch of sugar. These Honey-Molasses Bran Muffins are a great head start on the day. This recipe bakes up deliciously tender muffins that feature wheat bran and whole wheat flour for flavor and fiber, and raisins, honey, molasses and applesauce for sweetness and texture. In the area where I live, Vons Markets hot bakery sometimes has pretty darn good bran muffins, but they usually run out before I get there. So now I just put on my best baker’s apron and get the big bowl and wooden spoon out and in less than a half an hour I’ve got fresh, healthy morning muffins. Prep time: 10 minutes Bake time: 15-20 minutes Yield: 12 to 15 medium-size muffins Ingredients 1 cup wheat or oat bran (I prefer Bob’s Red Mill brand) 1-1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour (for this recipe I used King Arthur brand) 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 cup roasted and chopped pecans 1/2 cup raisins 3/4 cup applesauce (I used No Sugar Added) 1 cup milk 1/4 cup molasses 1/4 cup honey 1-1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 2 large beaten eggs 2 tablespoons demerara sugar (raw sugar) Directions
ChefSecret: This is a basic bran muffin recipe to which you can easily add other ingredients—substitute dried cherries, cranberries or chopped prunes for the raisins. You can use straight honey or molasses instead of the mix. If you really have a sweet tooth add dark brown sugar in place of the other sweeteners. You can use almond extract in place of the vanilla. You can make it your own and change it up every time you make them. Quip of the Day: “Why is a baseball team like a bran muffin? They both depend on the batter." ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #Baking #Muffins #HoneyMolassesBranMuffins #BobsRedMill #KingArthur #Vons #2022 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022 |
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