Coffee and Tea Fun

Morning everyone!

One of my favorite Phase 2 tricks is the milk frother.  Sometimes we can play little tricks on on eyes.  The daily 1 Tablespoon of milk can seem like a small amount to pour into your coffee and tea cup.  I use this milk frother daily to whip my milk up to 1/3 way up the mug.  It makes for a frothier cup of coffee and tea.  It makes my morning more enjoyable and is fun to use.  I call it my 'Whizzer".  Of coarse I use it on Phase 3 & 4 as well.  It makes for a great cup of hot cocoa and mixes protein drinks as well.  Great low cost kitchen tool!

Roasted Rosemary Radishes

Roasted Rosemary Radishes
Serves 2
1 large bunch radishes, tops removes and quartered
3 TB water or protocol allowed broth
1 TB fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tsp celtic sea salt
fresh cracked black pepper to taste 

Rinse, trim and quarter radishes.  Place in a glass baking dish.  Sprinkle with water or broth, rosemary, salt and pepper.  Roast at 425 degrees F for 20 to 25 minute or until desired crispness is reached. 

Phase 3/4:  Replace water or broth with butter, olive oil, coconut oil or grapeseed oil.  Add additional vegetables like sliced onion, asparagus cuts, baby carrots, sliced zucchini or daikon.

Radishes Simmered with Thyme

My first radish recipe has became well loved, so here is another one to try!  Don't have thyme in the cupboard?  Try something else that you do have like oregano or basil, parsley or some dill. 

Radishes Simmered with Thyme
Serves 2

1 C water

1 TB vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1/8 tsp dried thyme leaves

1/4 tsp onion powder 

celtic sea salt and pepper to taste

20 radishes, trimmed

few drops stevia (optional)

Pour the water into a small saucepan along with the vinegar, garlic, onion powder and thyme. Bring to a boil over high heat, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the radishes, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the radishes are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes.  Longer if they are large sized radishes. Remove the radishes to a serving dish with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, and add a few drops or sprinkle of stevia. Boil until the liquid has reduced by half, then pour over the hot radishes.

Grilled Chicken over Cooked Spinach

This is dedicated to everyone who can still grill.  My grill is covered in snow up the the lid right now!  If you want, double the spinach recipe because I know I can easily eat 1/2 a bag of spinach for 1 meal during Phase 2.  I miss my grill, only 5 months to go....to all who cannot grill, saute or bake your chicken in all the juices for great flavor.  George Foreman is always an option too.   If you like the marinade use it as a salad dressing too!

Grilled Chicken Over Cooked Spinach

Serves 4

Chicken with Dressing/ Marinade:

1 TB water

1 TB apple cider vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (can leave out if you do not want any spice)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Dash pepper

4- 100 gram serving, boneless skinless chicken breast
Cooked Spinach:

1 green onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 TB water

1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach, torn

In a bowl, combine the first eight ingredients; mix well. Place chicken into the marinade.  Let sit 30 minute to overnight.  Grill, uncovered, over medium heat for 7 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.  In a large skillet, saute green onion and garlic in water for 1 minute. Stir in spinach; saute for 2 minutes or until wilted. Transfer to a serving platter; top with chicken.

Gingerbread Spiced Syrup

Merry Christmas and my present to you!  Pour this in your coffee, tea and even in some hot water if you don't drink the first two.  Take a peak at the P3 and 4 uses! Simply wonderful.

Gingerbread Spiced Syrup
1 cup water

1 tsp stevia, liquid or powdered

1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger root, sliced

1 cinnamon stick

8 whole cloves

1/2 teaspoon whole allspice berries

1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine water and stevia. Stir in ginger, cinnamon stick, cloves, allspice, peppercorns, and nutmeg; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes, then remove the spice with a slotted spoon.  Pour about 1 tablespoon into your coffee, tea or favorite beverage.  Savor and enjoy!

Phase 3: You can use this in coffee or lattes, make a steamed milk drink, pour into tea.  Hot mulled ciders and wine.  Drizzle into whipped cream, yogurt, homemade ice cream.

Phase 4:  Brush onto muffins or cakes, use as a pancake syrup and pour into your oatmeal.

Braised Radishes

Good Evening!
There has been chitter chatter about radishes lately, so I tried a few. This is one of the tops, my kids liked them! This goes great with beef or any meat on protocol.  The heat of natural radishes seems to cook off and you are left with a potato cousin that is very low in calorie and very filling.  I will have a photo up later this week when I get my camera sorted out...

Braised Radishes
2 bunches radishes, about 1 pound, trimmed of tops and roots
1 C water
1/2 C chicken broth, sugar and starch free
1 TB apple cider vinegar
12-15 drops stevia
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp onion powder
Celtic Sea Salt and pepper, to taste

Place radishes in a skillet with all other ingredients. Cover the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover the pan and reduce heat to medium. Cook radishes 20-25 minutes and or until liquid has cooked down. "Dry fry" a little bit to brown the outside if you want. 

Phase 3/4: Add 2 TB butter and 2 TB shallots, nix the onion powder. Add in a mixture of radishes like the white and black ones for a beautiful and tasty dish!

Homemade Grissini Breadsticks

'Tis the season to bake.  If you are venturing through this season on HCG and cannot bake but have the itch????  Try making these!  Or maybe you have not been able to find Grissini Sticks?  Can't find the Melba either?  Maybe you just feel like baking and can't right now because you are on Phase 2.   My kids love these as a snack dipped in peanut butter, so this is a great recipe for the whole family.

HCG Grissini Breadsticks
1/2 cup warm water
1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon organic sucanat or raw cane sugar
1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour, unbromated and unbleached
1/2 cup stone ground whole wheat flour, unbromated and unbleached
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon celtic sea salt

1.   In a large bowl, combine the water with the yeast, sugar and one-half cup of the all-purpose flour. Set aside for 10 minutes, until bubbly.
2.   Stir in the remaining all-purpose flour, wheat flour, olive oil and salt and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Wash out the bowl and coat it with a thin layer of olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
3.   Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into four pieces on a floured surface. Roll out each piece into a rectangle, 4 by 12 inches. Cut the dough lengthwise into one-third-inch-wide strips. Place the strips about one-half-inch apart on a greased baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining dough. Allow the grissini to rise until puffed, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees.
4.  Bake the grissini, in batches, on the top shelf of the oven until lightly browned, about 10 minutes, rotating halfway through. Cool on a rack and continue until all the grissini are baked. Cool, then store in a sealed bag, being careful not to break them.
Note:  Add in any herbs you like.  My favorite is Rosemary.  Try adding cinnamon and stevia for a sweeter treat.
Phase 3:  No you cannot have these.
Phase 4:  You can make these too!