Santa Inspired Goodies

Christmas is 11 days a way and that means lots of holiday parties. We have been looking for some yummy deserts that would be great to serve at these parties. Enjoy!

Santa Hat Brownies
Yields 12-16 brownies
Ingredients:
1 pan of your favorite brownies, cooled and cut into desired size and shape (I used a round cutter)
12-16 small strawberries, cleaned and hulled
vanilla-mascarpone buttercream (recipe below)
Mascarpone Buttercream
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
2-1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Method:
Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter and mascarpone cheese until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.  Add vanilla extract and salt.  Add 2-1/2 cups of sugar, half a cup at a time and continue beating until smooth.  Add more sugar, if needed to reach desired consistency and sweetness.
To assemble, pipe a ring of vanilla buttercream on top of each brownie.  Cut off the base of a strawberry so it is flat and place it upside down on each brownie, pushing slightly to secure in place.  Top the tip of the strawberry with a dot of buttercream to finish the santa hat.
From Daisy's World via Pintrest.  

Strawberry Santa 

Ingredients:
1 pound of strawberries
Cool Whip
You may want something to make eyes for Santa, such as black food coloring.
Directions: 
1. Wash the strawberries and lay them on a paper towel to completely dry
2. Cut off the stem end so the berry will sit flat.
3. Cut off the tip of the berry, being careful not to cut off too much or it will become top-heavy. Then core just a little bit out of the tip end because more cool whip is BETTER.
4. Then you will need a star tip and possibly a round tip.
5. Using the star tip, put a little in the berry as it sits flat. If you put in too much, the “hat” will fall off. Then, taking the round tip put a tip on top of the hat and two little buttons. 
6. You have to work fast because the tiniest amounts of heat will them to begin melting. They only took 15 minutes and about $6 to make. 
From The Domestically Impaired Guide to the Retro Kitchen Arts via Pintrest

 

Holiday Breakfast Ideas

It's the most wonderful time of the year, when we gather with our family and friends and enjoy the good company and more importantly the amazingly delicious food! This year why not try some of these delicious recipies that are also healthy for your body.

Mini German Pancakes With A Fruity Twist- A Great Idea for Christmas Morning Breakfast

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
6 eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. orange zest (optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Blend first six ingredients (milk thru orange zest) in a blender.  Be careful to see that any flour clumps get well-blended.
2. Blend in butter a little at a time in order to temper the eggs.
3. Grease muffin tins well and distribute batter evenly between 24 tins Bake for 15 minutes, or until puffy and golden on top.
4. Served with your favorite toppings; this could be Sunset Valley Organics Certified Organic Blueberries, Blackberries, Strawberries, or Raspberries

 Fruit Salad Ice Pops

Ingredients:

• 1 peach, cut into 1/2-inch slices (1/2 cup)
• 2 kiwis, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 3 ounces blueberries (1/2 cup)
• 4 ounces strawberries, hulled and halved ( 3/4 cup)
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups 100 percent white-grape juice

Directions:

1. Arrange some of each fruit in eight 3-ounce ice-pop molds, making sure pieces fit very snugly. Pour enough juice into each mold to just cover fruit. Insert ice-pop sticks and freeze until solid, 6 hours (or up to 2 weeks).
    
   

The Power of Color in What We Eat

We have been reading a lot recently about how the color of the food we eat has a deeper meaning than just appealing to our taste buds.

 In an article from Vita Choice they featured an article that talked about a study in China found evidence that "provided clinical evidence that they anthocyanin-type polyphenols in berries" which basically means that the antioxidant compounds in berries and select other foods (eggplant, black rice, grapes, and red cabbage) have this natural "anthoccyanin."

In another article it was talked about how it use to be thought that polyphenols were thought to be directly related to the antiodidants in plant foods, however it now become clearer that they are but not to such a significant extent as it was thought. Polyphenolos bring their benefits mostly through indirect means, or "nutrigenomic" effects. These effects are evident by anti-inflammatory responses and beneficially modular in the bodies antioxidant network (this includes enzymes, lipoci acid, etc.).

Below you will find these articles mentioned above and a couple of other for further reading.
Enjoy!

• Berry Colors Cut Heart-Attacking Inflammation
•  Can Berry Colors Help Hearts and Brains?
•  Blueberries Aid and Relax Arteries
• Berries' Brain Benefits Affirmed, Expanded