I have never been a calorie counter. Never. Never. Never. But I only fully enjoy food that is good for me. I also like my food to taste really, really good (quirky me). Nobody combines these two better than Ellie Krieger. You may know her through her Food Network Show Healthy Appetite but she is also a registered dietitian with a master's degree from Columbia University.
I loved her FoodTV recipes but they trickled out slow as molasses and I'm... hungry. BUT NOW, she's come out with a 300+ page cookbook full of brilliant, healthful recipes. The book is The Food You Crave and it is not a diet/weight loss book but rather a source of nutrient rich, well balanced recipes. The fact that the food is not overly fat/calorie laden is a bonus.
When I jumped over to Amazon for the link I noticed the book had a full five stars and 43 reviews. No surprise, I have been cooking through it for weeks now and not encountered a single recipe that didn't a) turn out well or b) taste delicious. They are all in the permanent rotation now, but the biscotti in particular stands out.
We have all had bad, bad biscotti but forget about that. Here is a cookie that contains only a 1/2 cup of sugar for twelve servings, uses a mere 1/4 cup of heart healthy olive oil for the fat, has a myriad of flavor in every bite, keeps for over a week, and is insane dipped into a cup of black coffee.
When you slice the half-baked log it yields enough pieces to exactly cover a half sheet pan. Isn't that delightful?
Ellie Krieger's Chocolate Cherry Almond Biscotti
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 c whole-wheat pastry flour or regular whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 c olive oil
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup dried tart cherries, finely chopped
1/2 cup raw almonds, finely chopped
2 ounces good quality dark chocolate (60-70%), finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 350.
In a medium bowl whisk together the flours, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, eggs, oil, orange zest, and vanilla until well combined. In batches, add the flour mixture until the mixture forms a dough. Stir in the cherries, almonds, and chocolate.
Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead several times. Shape into a log about 10 inches long and 3 inches wide. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes.
With a serrated knife, cut the log across at a diagonal into 1/2 inch thick slices. Arrange on the baking sheet, cut side down, and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the cookies over and bake until golden 5 to 10 minutes longer. (Go 10!) Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Keep the biscotti stored at room temperature in an airtight container where they will keep for about a week.
* lightly fill the teaspoon with zest, otherwise the orange is too much (for me)
* really saw with the serrated knife instead of pressing to keep the biscotti from breaking
For Becca ; )