Honey Nut Phyllo Triangles

This recipe - phyllo dough enclosing a honey sweetened mixture of chopped nuts and spices - might also be called baklava bites. Truth be told we are gearing up for a big move and trying with all our might to use up the contents of our freezer. And I’ve had half a box (a box comes with 2 sleeves) of phyllo dough in our freezer since I made apple turnovers a while back. As with all recipes involving phyllo, it takes a bit of time and patience to make the triangles, but the process is actually really simple and the result is delish. Also, because the triangles aren’t soaked in a syrup like traditional baklava they are not as tooth-achingly sweet, which I think is a plus.

Honey Nut Phyllo Triangles
1/2 Box (1 Sleeve, about 14 sheets) of Phyllo Dough, thawed
1/2 Cup Melted Coconut Oil (or Butter if that’s what floats your boat)
1 1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Nuts (I used 1/2 Cup each of Almonds, Walnuts, and Pecans)
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon (plus extra for sprinkling on top if desired)
1/4 teaspoon Ground Cardamom
Pinch Salt
1/2 Cup Honey

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
2) Unfold the thawed phyllo dough, keeping the sheets stacked neatly. Slice the stacked sheets of dough into four strips lengthwise. Then stack the 4 sets of strips and cover with a wet paper towel to keep the phyllo dough from drying out.
3) To make the filling: mix together the nuts, spices, and honey.
4) To assemble: place one strip of phyllo dough on a clean dry surface, brush the dough lightly with oil/butter, and then place another strip of phyllo dough on top of it. Next, place 1 teaspoon of the nut mixture at one end of the 2 stacked phyllo strips. Fold one corner of the dough over the nuts to form a triangle, fold the triangle over again, repeat as if you were folding a flag until you reach the end of the strip. Place the triangle on the parchment lined sheets. Repeat with the remaining phyllo strips (you will likely have more dough than you need, so if a few strips tear, just toss them and don’t sweat it!). Brush the tops of the triangles with a bit more oil.
5) Bake the triangles for 8 minutes, rotate the baking sheet 180 degrees, and bake another 8 minutes or until they are lightly golden brown.
6) Let cool, then dust lightly with cinnamon (optional).



Enjoy!

As usual, I've included this post as part of several weekly recipe sharing events: Midnight Maniac Meatless Mondays , Making Monday Marvelous, Just Something I Whipped Up, My Meatless Mondays, Just Another Meatless Monday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesdays , Tuesdays at the Table, Real Food Wednesdays, Whatcha Makin' Wednesdays, Full Plate Thursday, Friday Foodie, Friday Favorites, Foodie Friday, Funky Fresh Friday, Nifty Thrifty Sunday, and Inspiration Board.Check out all the great recipes other bloggers have contributed!

Raspberry Almond Crumb Cake

Alfred really enjoyed this simple cake. It is not too heavy and not too sweet, a nice treat for warm summer days. It is also a breeze to make, and it really needs no accoutrement, the fruit peaking through the crumb topping makes for a very pretty presentation. Feel free to substitute the raspberries with another berry or diced stone fruit such as peaches or cherries. It’s always best to go with whatever fruit is the freshest and ripest.

Raspberry Almond Crumb Cake
Cake:
2 Cups Flour (I used 1 Cup Whole Wheat, 1 Cup All Purpose – a Gluten Free All Purpose Blend should also work well)
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
3/4 Cup Sugar (I used Coconut Palm Sugar because it is less processed and lower glycemic)
1/4 Cup Oil (I used melted Virgin Coconut Oil)
1 egg, beaten (for a Vegan alternative substitute 1 Tablespoon Flax Seed mixed with 3 Tablespoons Water)
1/2 Cup Milk (dairy or non-dairy)
1 teaspoon Almond Extract
1/2 Pint Raspberries, rinsed and dried
Topping:
1/4 Cup Sugar (Again, I used Coconut Palm Sugar)
1/4 Cup Flour
2 Tablespoons Oil (Again, I used melted Virgin Coconut Oil)
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 Cup Sliced Almonds

1)Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil an 8x8inch pan.

2)Using a whisk, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, oil, egg, milk, and extract. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.

3)Spread the batter evenly in the oiled pan and evenly distribute the raspberries over the batter, pressing them into the batter gently.

4)For the topping, thoroughly combine the sugar, flour, oil and cinnamon, stir in the almonds. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the raspberries.

5)Bake the cake for 35-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean!

Enjoy!

As usual, I've included this post as part of several weekly recipe sharing events: Midnight Maniac Meatless Mondays , Making Monday Marvelous, Just Something I Whipped Up, My Meatless Mondays, Just Another Meatless Monday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesdays , Tuesdays at the Table, Real Food Wednesdays, Whatcha Makin' Wednesdays, Full Plate Thursday, Friday Foodie, Friday Favorites, Foodie Friday, Funky Fresh Friday, Nifty Thrifty Sunday, and Inspiration Board.Check out all the great recipes other bloggers have contributed!

Grilled Radicchio

During the spring and summer months we are grilling feigns – and year round we are veggie feigns. Until recently, one of the few veggies we had never grilled was salad greens. We aren’t big fans of wilted lettuce, so recipes using romaine and other more delicate greens weren’t very appealing to us. So, we decided to try out radicchio, which has a sturdy almost cabbage-like texture capable of withstanding the heat. I’m happy to report that it worked wonderfully. We also quickly discovered that a drizzle of sweet and tart balsamic vinaigrette was the perfect complement to the slightly bitter flavor characteristic of radicchio. This simple grilled salad has become a regular feature on our summer dinner table; we hope you enjoy it too!

Grilled Radicchio
1/2 head of Radicchio per person
Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinaigrette
2/3 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
2 Tablespoons Honey
1 Tablespoon Fresh Basil, finely minced
1 teaspoon Sea Salt, plus more to taste

Preparation

Vinaigrette: Place all dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake until well combined.

Radicchio: Cut each head of radicchio in half, and brush both sides lightly with olive oil. Grill the radicchio over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side, until lightly charred. Remove to a serving platter and drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette. Serve warm or at room temperature.

As usual, I've included this post as part of several weekly recipe sharing events: Midnight Maniac Meatless Mondays , Making Monday Marvelous, Just Something I Whipped Up, My Meatless Mondays, Just Another Meatless Monday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesdays , Tuesdays at the Table, Real Food Wednesdays, Whatcha Makin' Wednesdays, Full Plate Thursday, Friday Foodie, Friday Favorites, Foodie Friday, Funky Fresh Friday, Nifty Thrifty Sunday, and Inspiration Board.Check out all the great recipes other bloggers have contributed!

Lemon Basil Squash Ribbons

Summer squash is a wonderful veggie - it is an incredibly versatile crowd pleaser - great on the grill, and equally tasty raw, sautéed, or roasted. One of my favorite ways to prepare squash is to slice into thin, pasta like ribbons and sauté it lightly with some aromatics and herbs. A mandolin or vegetable slicing tool is useful in achieving thin and uniform slices, but you can also perform the task by hand with a sharp knife and a bit of patience. It is a great way to add some variety and panache to your side dish repertoire.

Lemon Basil Squash Ribbons (serves 4 as a side dish)
Olive Oil for pan
1 Large Yellow Onion sliced into half-moons
4 Large Garlic Cloves thinly sliced
3 Tablespoons White Wine (approximately, I just put in a good splash or two)
3 Medium Yellow Squash thinly sliced lengthwise (about 5 cups sliced)
¼ Cup Basil leaves thinly sliced
Juice from ½ a large Lemon
Sea Salt and Black Pepper to Taste

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Coat the pan with a little olive oil, add the onions and sauté until they are translucent (about 5 minutes), then add the garlic and sauté until the onions are beginning to brown slightly (about another 2-3 minutes). Add the white wine to deglaze the pan, and use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the squash to the pan, tossing to combine with the onions (keep in mind that because the squash is very thin it cooks very quickly). Add the basil and lemon juice, toss well to combine. Remove from heat, and add salt and pepper to taste. Voila!



As usual, I've included this post as part of several weekly recipe sharing events: Midnight Maniac Meatless Mondays , Making Monday Marvelous, Just Something I Whipped Up, My Meatless Mondays, Just Another Meatless Monday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesdays , Tuesdays at the Table, Real Food Wednesdays, Whatcha Makin' Wednesdays, Full Plate Thursday, Friday Foodie, Friday Favorites, Foodie Friday, Funky Fresh Friday, Nifty Thrifty Sunday, and Inspiration Board.Check out all the great recipes other bloggers have contributed!