The Better Chip: Product Review (+ the Joy the Baker Cookbook Giveaway Winner!)

As do many bloggers, I get regular offers to try products and potentially review them. I am always grateful, but I turn a lot of them down. For me to be comfortable reviewing a product it has to fit into the spirit of Kahakai Kitchen. Items that get reviewed have to relate to (or I have to be able to relate it to) food and cooking, and if it's food, it has to fit the "(mostly) healthy" label. That means that although it can be snack food or indulgent item, it needs to have whole, natural ingredients and not contain things I won't eat (high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors and scary preservatives, etc.). The first thing I do when I get a product sample offering is to go to the website and check out the ingredient list before even thinking about saying yes.


When a chance to try a new snack called The Better Chip, came about, a quick trip to their website was all it took for me to say yes. It said: "Made from double corn masa, 40% fresh veggies and enhanced with a smidgen of sea salt or natural seasoning for a better tasting and better dipping chip. We understand, not everyone appreciates better taste. Unfortunately for artificial ingredient lovers, we only use natural ingredients. No preservatives. No gluten. Nothing genetically modified. And no cholesterol. Simply better for you." Sounds good to me!



The ingredient labels backed up the claims and a couple of weeks later I received a box with two each of three of the four different chips in The Better Chip's product line; Sweet Onion and White Cheddar, Red Pepper and Salsa Fresca, and Jalapeño and Sea Salt, along with a tee-shirt. (There is a plain, Fresh Corn and Sea Salt chip that I didn't receive to try.)

I slowly, snacked, dipped and sampled my way through all three flavors and here is my feedback

• Sweet Onion and White Cheddar: The website says, "We blended real, fresh onions into our double thick corn masa and then sprinkled on some naturally delicious white cheddar. The result: A sturdier, thicker, onionier chip that can handle any dip." I say: These were my favorite chip straight from the bag. The onion and light cheese gives these an almost sweet and savory taste that makes it hard to stop eating them. They do leave a slight bit of lingering onion breath, but it's worth the breath mint afterward to enjoy the natural oniony flavor.

• Red Pepper and Salsa Fresca: The website says, "We really did blend real red bell peppers into our double thick corn masa. And then gave them a happy dusting of salsa fresca. So strong, tasty and crunchy, you won’t have to worry about leaving chip stragglers in your dip." I say: These chips on their own were slightly too "tomatoey" for me--the tomato flavor came through more on my palate than the red pepper. Dipping them into hummus however, greatly improved my feelings about them. They have the smallest hint of chile powder that works well with a creamy dip and I think they would be great dipped into or sprinkled on top of a a creamy soup

• Jalapeño and Sea Salt: The website says, "Hey, don't blame us if your lips are on fire. We warned you. That’s what happens when you blend real jalapeños with double thick corn masa. Add to that a bit of sea salt and you’ve got a thicker, crunchier and ouchier chip that can take on any dip." I say, Ouchier is right! these are definitely spicy chips that provides a lingering heat on the lips and tongue. For those who like it spicy you can eat them plain. For me, they were just perfect with a small mound of guacamole as the cold creamy avocado puts out the fire, but the spicy jalapeño flavor still comes through loud and clear.

All of the chips are 130 calories for half the 2-oz bag (about 10 chips) with about 6 grams or 9% fat and no cholesterol. (The onion chips do have a sprinkling of white cheddar so there would be trace amounts of cholesterol in that variety--although not enough to register on the label.) They range from about 115 mg of sodium to 160 mg per serving and about 2g of fiber and protein. So, while no chip is health food of course, these aren't too bad for an occasional snack and are better both nutritionally and in flavor-wise than many chips out there. And, much as I love a good chip, and these are good, I'll be completely honest here and tell you that The Better Chip won my heart with the super soft, women's cut Nature Always Does It Better tee-shirt that they included in the box. ;-) I love comfy tee-shirts that are cut right.

Right now these chips are in limited stores and states (see where to buy here), but they hope and expect to grow.

----

***Joy the Baker Cookbook Giveaway Winner!***

It's time to announce the winner of my Joy the Baker Cookbook giveaway. Thanks to everyone who entered--I wish that I could send cookbooks to all of you.

For the drawing, a separate entry for each applicable comment went into a bowl and one name was drawn. Yes, we do it old-school here as I like the fun of drawing a name versus automatically generating one. (What can I say--I don't get out much!) ;-)


(Drum roll please...)

The winner is:


All Things Yummy!

ATY's comment says "I saw her features in Sunset magazine this month and I'd love to try out her cook book. My favorite baked goods are cookies. I always have to have some type of cookie in the house."

Congratulations All Things Yummy! Please email me (@debinhawaii@gmail.com) with your mailing address and I'll get the book out to you ASAP.

Note: Although the chips and tee-shirt, as well as the cookbook for the giveaway were provided to me from the companies, I received no monetary compensation for the reviews and my opinions as always, remain my own.

Happy Aloha Friday!

The Book Tour Stops Here: The Lantern by Deborah Lawrenson with Little Warm Lavender Almond Cakes

We had some unusual weather for Hawaii several days last week. Heavy rains, multiple thunderstorms with lightening, hail... even a tornado not that far from where I live. It was perfect weather to tuck into a Gothic mystery novel like The Lantern, by Deborah Lawrenson. The Lantern is set in Provence, at Les Genévries, a old and crumbling three-story stone farmhouse hedged in rosemary and cypresses leading to fields of aromatic lavender. Les Genévries is the new home of Eve and Dom, who met in Switzerland and after a whirlwind courtship, are settling in to isolated country life and slowly renovating the house. Les Genévries was once the home of Bénédicte Lincel and her family and The Lantern weaves back and forth between Eve's present day story and Bénédicte's story going back to her childhood days.


The first summer in the house is full of hope and promise for Eve and Dom, but as the season starts to wane, Eve starts to feel a presence, like she is being watched. Dom is acting mysteriously too. Eve knows he was married before, but he refuses to discuss it and her need to find out more about his former wife Rachel, puts a strain on their relationship. When news of a series of local girls gone missing in the surrounding area moves closer to home, Eve begins to wonder what else Dom might be hiding from her and what happened to Rachel.


If I had to pick one word to describe The Lantern, it would be lush. It is a book for the senses. Author Lawrenson writes so descriptively that you feel the winds that sweep through the countryside, you see the crumbling stone and cracking plaster of the old house, you get a small shiver of awareness at a sudden sound or shadow, and you can smell the pungent floral scent of the lavender mixed in with the rosemary, mint, thyme and other herbs growing about Les Genévries. The Lantern is billed as being inspired by the Gothic classic Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, which I read many, many years ago and there are definite plot similarities, although the story has it's own twists and turns. The interwoven stories of Eve and Bénédicte reveal the story in small snippets, and I think overall it works well, but I did find Bénédicte's character and her tale more compelling. I didn't feel the romance, passion and connection between Dom and Eve as strongly, maybe because more emphasis is given to descriptions of the atmosphere of Les Genévries, than to developing these characters and their relationship. This is a curl-up-in-a-comfy-chair-on-a-stormy-night kind of story, and a lovely escape to the south of France. If you enjoy Provence, beautifully descriptive writing, Gothic tales and ghost stories, and/or have a sense of mystery, you will like this book.


Author Notes: Deborah Lawrenson grew up in Kuwait, China, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Singapore. She studied English at Cambridge University and has worked as a journalist for various publications in England, including the Daily Mail, the Mail on Sunday, and Woman’s Journal magazine. She lives in Kent, England, and she and her family spend as much time as possible at a crumbling hamlet in Provence, France, the setting for The Lantern.

Note: A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher through TLC Book Tours but I was not compensated for this review and as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.

For a dish inspired by the novel, although there were plenty of wonderful sounding dishes, meals and ingredients throughout the book it was obvious from the cover alone that it had to be something involving lavender. Plus, lavender plays heavily in Bénédicte's story. I had a few recipes tagged to make, even a savory fish dish, but I decided to crack open The Herbal Kitchen: Cooking With Fragrance and Flavor by Jerry Traunfeld (a cookbook that I would also describe as lush and beautiful) and I was immediately drawn to the Warm Lavender Almond Cakes.

Jerry Traunfeld says, "These cakes are miraculous. You whiz everything up in a food processor, pop the batter into the refrigerator overnight, and then scoop into ramekins or muffin tins to bake. You'll be amazed. The warm slightly chewy cakes have a light crisp crust and a dense, moist interior suffused with the deep flavors of nuts, lavender, and honey, almost like a cross between a cake and a macaroon. Serve them in summer with lightly sweetened, softly whipped cream and fresh berries, or end a winter meal with the same cream and a fruit compote. Or simply cut them in quarters and serve them with coffee, tea, or a glass of sherry in any season."

Warm Lavender Almond Cakes
Recipe by The Herbal Kitchen by Jerry Traunfeld
(Makes 6-10 small cakes--depending on size of pan)

1 cup raw sliced almonds
4 teaspoons lavender buds (fresh or dried)
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup egg whites (about 6 large)
1/4 cup honey
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted & cooled
2 tablespoons softened butter, for prepping the molds

Note: Begin preparation at least 1 day before serving.
Put the almonds and lavender buds in a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped. Add the powdered sugar and continue to process for 30 seconds. Add the flour and salt and process briefly. Pour in the egg whites and honey and process until combined. Add the melted butter and process for an additional 15 seconds. Scrape the batter into a plastic storage container, cover, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or as much as a week.

To Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F.

Generously butter 10 (4 or 6 oz.) ovenproof ramekins or custard cups and place them on a baking sheet, or use a standard muffin tin. Divide the batter evenly among the cups. Bake until the cakes are evenly puffed and the tops crack and turn a deep walnut brown color, 30-40 min., depending on the molds and the temperature of the batter. Cool slightly and tip the cups out of their molds. Serve them while still warm, whole or cut into quarters.


Notes/Results: These are lovely little cakes. I always wonder if the lavender will be too strong in a recipes (I have had some lavender-infused dishes that were like eating potpourri--not a good thing), but in these cakes it comes across in a subtle way at first, getting a little stronger but not overpowering, towards the end. I used larger ramekins for these (about 6 oz.) and filled them 3/4 full, so I got six cakes from the batter. Instead of whipped cream, I used this whipped cashew cream, using up the leftover thick cashew cream from Sunday's soup, and garnished with some fresh organic blueberries. (I adapted the linked Tal Ronnen cashew whipped cream recipe slightly, by using honey as the sweetener and adding almond extract to enhance the flavors in the little cakes.) These cakes are like a French financier--chewy on the outside and soft with a nice crumb within. I will make these again.


Giveaway Update: In case you were stopping by to see who won the Joy the Baker Cookbook giveaway, I will be drawing the name and posting the announcement sometime tomorrow (Friday). Thanks for your patience! ;-)

I am sending my review of The Lantern and these pretty little cakes over to Novel Food, a literary-inspired cooking event hosted by my friend Simona at briciole. Simona will be rounding up an array of fabulous books and the food inspired by them after the deadline of March 18th, so be sure to check it out.

What are you reading and cooking?

Baked Macaroni and Cheese: Cheesy Comfort Food Made Vegan

I have been a bit obsessed lately with finding the tastiest vegan cheese sauce, mainly for pasta or a really good vegan macaroni and cheese. It's not that I am vegan (I will label food but not myself), ;-) I just lean heavily toward a meat-free, plant-strong diet and I don't like the way my lungs and body feel after indulging in too much cheesy goodness. Part of the reason I bought Chloe's Kitchen: 125 Easy, Delicious Recipes for Making the Food You Love the Vegan Way, the new cookbook by Chloe Coscarelli, was because of the recipe for "The Best-Ever Baked Macaroni and Cheese" contained within. A 25% off coupon and a Barnes & Noble gift certificate led me to the cookbook section. The deal was sealed by this recipe and the recipes for vegan versions of Warm Spinach-Artichoke Dip, Drunken Noodles in Cashew-Shitake Broth, Peanutty Perfection Noodles, Tempeh Piccata, Sea Salt Toffee Bars and Chloe's Award-Winning Ginger Nutmeg Spice Cupcakes. (Author-chef Chloe Coscarelli was the first all-vegan baker to win Cupcake Wars on the Food Network.) So yes (hangs head in shame), there is yet another new cookbook in my insanely huge collection.

Enough with the cookbook hoarding confession and back to my cheese sauce / mac 'n cheese obsession. Chloe's recipe is pretty simple, and a thick, cheesy sauce was simmering away on the stove in just a few minutes. The velvety texture of the sauce enveloping the noodles made baking it seem almost a shame, but the crispy breadcrumbs on top (I used an Italian-seasoned panko) made up for the loss in some of that creaminess. Is it "The Best-Ever Baked Macaroni and Cheese?" I think more experimenting is in order to determine that, but it is pretty darn good.


Chloe Coscarelli says, "I love the sound of mac ‘n’ cheese. There’s nothing like the sweet sound of suctioning noodles as you mix them with the cheesy sauce. Of course, the taste is even better. Mmmm, brings me back to my childhood when mac ‘n’ cheese gooey goodness was a way of life!" The consistency of this sauce is enhanced by a roux, a mixture of fat and flour that is cooked over low heat until it is bubbling and the raw starchy taste has cooked out. Roux is used to thicken soups, stews, and sauces."


Best-Ever Baked Macaroni and Cheese
From Chloe's Kitchen by Chloe Coscarelli
(Serves 6)

1 pound elbow macaroni
1/4 cup vegan margarine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free all-purpose flour)
3 cups soy, almond, or rice milk
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon agave
2 tablespoons seasoned breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9- x 13-inch pan.

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions. Drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, make a roux or paste by whisking the margarine and flour over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Add nondairy milk, yeast, tomato paste, salt, and garlic powder to the saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until the sauce thickens. Adjust seasoning to taste and stir in lemon juice and agave. Toss noodles with the sauce and transfer to the prepared pan. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of the pasta and bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and crisp. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Make-Ahead Tip: Unbaked macaroni and cheese can be refrigerated up to 2 days in advance until ready to bake.


Notes/Results: Slightly chewy with a crispy topping and it actually tastes really cheesy. You could serve this non-dairy mac 'n cheese to vegans and carnivores alike with positive results. It's a pretty basic recipe and could also be changed up with some peas, spinach or whatever your favorite veggie is, although I think it is pretty great as is and served with something green--like my vegan Caesar salad with cashew dressing leftovers from lunch. ;-) I followed Chloe's recipe pretty closely, but I did double the bread crumbs on top. If you can find the seasoned panko, I highly recommend using it or seasoning your own panko crumbs as the crispness can't be beat. Who says you can't have cheesy indulgent comfort food on a vegan eating plan, or that you can't branch out on a Meatless Monday and try this lower calorie (1/6 of the large pan--probably about 2 cups worth, clocks in at about 400 calories), lower fat, no cholesterol version of a classic dish even if you are a confirmed meat eater?! I will make this again.

I'm sending this mac 'n cheese to Presto Pasta Nights, hosted this week by Alisha of Cook, Craft, Enjoy. Alisha will be rounding up a bunch of truly tasty pasta dishes on her blog on Friday, so stop by and check it out.

Don't forget that my giveaway for the fabulous Joy the Baker Cookbook ends at 11:59 PM tonight. (Tuesday) You can find my review and all the details of how you can enter here.

Broccoli Soup: Going Green for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

Broccoli is a powerhouse source of vitamins C and K, and it's also a good source of folate, vitamin A, manganese and fiber among numerous other nutrients. It's a great antioxidant and detoxifier, and is all-around just good for you. Unfortunately, it doesn't like me much in it's whole food state and since it gives me major stomach issues, I rarely eat it. But, one way I can work a little broccoli into my diet and be able to enjoy it is by pureeing it into soup, like this creamy and tasty bright green Broccoli Soup.

The recipe comes from Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros. To take out the dairy and make it vegan, while still maintaining the creamy texture, I subbed in cashew cream for the heavy cream that is stirred in and drizzled on the top of the soup. When soaked and blended with a little water, cashews have a thick and luxurious texture that make this soup a stand out.


Tessa Kiros says, "This is such a simple soup, consisting of a few ingredients, and it is a perfect example of how good some straightforward things can be."

Broccoli Soup
Apples for Jam, Tessa Kiros
(Serves 6)

6 cups chopped broccoli
7 cups cold water
salt
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into big chunks
1 red onion, peeled and quartered
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream (I replaced it with with cashew cream)
freshly found black pepper (optional)

(I added the juice from 1/2 lemon)

Save a handful of the florets and put the rest in a large saucepan with the potatoes and onion. Add 7 cups of cold water, season with one or two teaspoons of salt, and bring to a boil. Skim the surface if necessary. Lower the heat slightly, and simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes. Add the other handful of florets 10 minutes before the end of this time. You should be able to squash the broccoli easily on the side of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Puree all of this in a blender until it is completely smooth (and hope that you didn't get a woody broccoli to start with). It should be thick, but if you find it too thick then you can add some hot water. If it is too thin then carry on cooking it uncovered for a while to reduce the liquid. Add salt until you can really taste the depth of the broccoli. Swirl in half the cream and heat through. Serve immediately, with another swirl of cream through each portion and a good grinding of pepper for those who like it.


Notes/Results: For such a simple soup with few ingredients, it is surprisingly good. The potatoes and onions give it a great base and add flavor--although the broccoli is the standout. The cashew cream is thick and adds to the velvety texture. (Follow the link above for the "recipe" I follow by Tal Ronnen). Tessa Kiros recommends plenty of salt to bring out the broccoli's depth and I also recommend a bit of lemon juice. I find that it brightens up green vegetables and enhances the flavor. Easy and tastes great--I would make this soup again.



I am a day early to Go Green! with this soup over at I Heart Cooking Clubs where we are celebrating the color green this week. Stop by there later in the week to check out all the green dishes.


Now let's get into the Souper Sundays kitchen and see who is here this week.

Tigerfish of Teczcape - An Escape to Food created this Seaweed Sweet Corn Miso Udon Noodle Soup. She says that this soup, "using a so-called "old" (second batch - leftover) broth was freshened with a somewhat richer (but still vegetarian) flavor: with some red miso soup base (1/2 tsp miso dissolved in warm water) mixed into the broth. Then topped with nori seaweed, frozen sweet corn kernels (thawed), finely sliced green onions and Toasted Sesame Seeds. Dash of Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese Spice Powder) if you wish, to spice it up!"



Janet from The Taste Space has a hearty bowl of Plantain, Cabbage and Coconut Curry and says, "This curry from 660 Curries had many of our favourite ingredients like coconut and cabbage, with new-to-me ripe plantains, and it had been a while since I had cooked with creamy toor dal. Plus, I was drawn to Iyer’s recipe blurb where he wrote: You will be eloquent in your praise and use highfalutin words like “yum”. Highfalutin! Yum! And no, he does not lie. This was delicious and possibly one of my favourite curries to date."



Carol of There's Always Thyme to Cook... is back again and this time with a quick and easy Pasta con Lenticchie (Pasta and Lentil Soup). Carol says, "This lentil soup is also delicious and takes no time to put together. You end up with a very nice, hearty soup with minimal effort and a full tummy."

Here with Minestra d'orzo (Barley Soup) is Simona of briciole. She says, "I have hull-less barley (which is whole grain) from my grain CSA and my husband likes it a lot, so it was an easy choice. My rendition takes some ingredients from the recipes to make a rather minimalist soup. The result was nice and considering that I used ingredients I normally have available (for example, the herbs grow in my little garden), this is a soup that can be easily made whenever I feel like."



Due to an email meltdown, this Couscous Salad with Chickpeas, Sun-dried Tomatoes, and Goat Cheese from my friend Kim of Stirring the Pot didn't make the roundup when it should have, so I am remedying that this week. Kim says, "I really enjoyed this salad. I loved the bright flavors and all the different textures, as well as the lovely little chunks of goat cheese. I found this salad hearty and filling yet light at the same time."

Finally we have one sandwich from Ana from Sweet Almond Tree, this Mediterranean-Inspired Sandwich Wrap. She says, "I made these for lunch twice. The first time with out feta cheese, and the second with feta cheese. With is the way to go! ake them with you for lunch. Eat one for lunch and give the other to a friend. Or, save the second piece for the end of the work day, to eat before your drive home. That way you won't be too ravenous when dinner time comes."

Great dishes this week! Thanks to everyone who joined in. If you have a soup, salad or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo on the side bar for all of the details.

And, if you are craving something home-baked, don't forget to enter my giveaway for a copy of the fabulous Joy the Baker Cookbook! You can find my review and the details of how to enter here.

Have a happy, healthy week!

Tomato Salad and Cucumber Meze, Part of a Simple and Delicious 15-Minute Mezze Plate

OK, I'll admit it right off the bat... I picked the two quickest (and certainly the easiest), recipes in Food From Many Greek Kitchens for the March Mezze Madness theme this week at I Heart Cooking Clubs. I wanted low effort and I got it with the Tomato Salad (Tomatosalata) and the Cucumber Meze. Each of these light meze salads has 5 ingredients or less if you don't count salt and pepper, and they go together in minutes. Add grilled pita bread, hummus and a can of dolmades (I always have one or two in my pantry), and you have a pretty tasty little vegan mezze platter in under 15-minutes.


Do I feel guilty about not making the pita, hummus and dolmades for the platter? Nope. I actually have made my own dolmades before waaaay back in the olden days when I Heart Cooking Clubs was Tyler Florence Fridays. Delicious, but MUCH more effort than I was in the mood for this week. I did make a batch of hummus last weekend but I seem to have made it my condiment of choice on practically everything I have eaten this week and I devoured all of it. Thankfully, my co-op makes an excellent one. So after getting home late on a stormy Friday evening, all I had to do was pull a pita out of the freezer and heat up the grill pan while chopping up a couple of tomatoes and a cucumber, pitting a few olives and mixing up the salads while the bread grilled. Once on the plate, with a glass of white wine, it made for a delicious dinner.

Tessa says, “In Greece a whole big beautiful tomato could make a meal, as it’s so good on its own, just with a little salt and olive oil. A salad like this works well next to grilled foods."

Tomatosalata (Tomato Salad)
From Food From Many Greek Kitchens
(Serves 2-4)

2 1/2 lbs lovely ripe juicy tomatoes (about 6)
1/2 cup kalamata olives
2 Tbsp capers
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano

Cut the tomatoes into nice chunks. Put them into a bowl with the olives, capers and olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Crumble the oregano over. Toss gently, and serve.


Tessa Kiros says, “This is extremely instant and extremely simple. The kind of thing you could eat a bucket of in summer. This recipe is easy to double, just reduce the olive oil slightly, using about 1 1/2 teaspoons."

Cucumber Meze
From Food From Many Greek Kitchens
(Serves 2)

7 oz cucumber (about 1), peeled and sliced
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp dried mint
salt and freshly ground black pepper
about 1 Tbsp olive oil

Put the cucumber and lemon juice into a bowl and crumble in the mint. Add salt and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil over just before serving.


Notes/Results: These salads are quick and easy and have good flavor, making them a great choice for a mezze plate. I pretty much made the salads as the recipe stated--no major changes. I did use a local organic cucumber so I left the skin on. I also lessened the olive oil in the Tomato Salad down by about half--it didn't need more than that. Much as I love my cucumbers--especially with lemon and mint, the tomato salad, with two large, ripe locally-grown tomatoes, won my heart with all of its capers and olives. Both recipes were so simple and tasty that I will make them again.

You can see the March Mezze Madness going on at I Heart Cooking Clubs by going to the post and following the links.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a copy of the fabulous Joy the Baker Cookbook! You can find my review and the details of how to enter here.

Happy Weekend!

Pineapple Malted Milkshake & a Cookbook Review for the Joy the Baker Cookbook Spotlight and Cookoff + a Giveaway (The Chance to Win Your Own Copy!)

I don't do a whole lot of baking. I am not that skilled at it and I find that it requires me to be too patient and precise when I prefer to be lazy and haphazard. Plus, I have to give all the end product away when I do bake or I will eat it, and while I believe that the occasional indulgence is very good for the soul, I find that more than the occasional indulgence is not so good for the body. I also don't read a lot of baking-based food blogs--I find them way too tempting, inducing me to crave desserts more than I already do. ;-) Still, although I had never been to her site, I had certainly heard of the wonders of Joy the Baker and I was excited, if not a little nervous, about joining Heather of girlichef and her merry band of bloggers in reviewing the Joy the Baker Cookbook. The apprehension was due to my admitted lack of baking skills--I was worried that the recipes would be difficult or too fussy for me to enjoy the process. But, after four weeks of cooking along, I have found that the beauty of Joy Wilson and the Joy the Baker Cookbook: 100 Simple and Comforting Recipes, is that the book lives up to its cover tagline--they are easy to make recipes, both comforting and delicious. I think it is her background as a self-taught cook, baker, and blogger that make Joy and her recipes relatable but unique enough to be really interesting.

The soft cover book packs the 100 recipes into 246 bright and colorful pages. There are mouth-watering photos accompanying the recipes--perfect for seeing just what the finished products should look like. The photos are gorgeous and were taken by Joy herself--apparently there is no end to her talents.

Once I finally got my hands on the book (more about that later), I had sticky tabs peppering the pages of over half of the book. (I have a feeling I will be going back to many of those recipes and actually making them--something that doesn't always happen for me with the obscene number of cookbooks stacked about my house.) Some of the recipes that caught my eye: Chocolate and Salty Peanut Butter Ice Cream, Single Girl Melty Chocolate Cake, Vanilla Bean Snickerdoodles, Lavender Lemon Bars, Chewy Coconut Almond Raisin Granola Bars, Zucchini and Potato Pancakes, Carrot Cake Pancakes, Toasted Oat Smoothie, "Man Bait" Apple Crisp, Parmesan Seaweed Popcorn, Chocolate and Black Pepper Goat Cheese Truffles, Avocado Pound Cake, Peach Cobbler Muffins.... I could go on and on.

Through the Cookbook Spotlight and Cookoff, I made four recipes from the book. The first two were selected by girlichef and other two I chose.

Our first group recipe was the Chocolate Fudge Brownies with The Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. I am always suspicious of recipes that proclaim they are "the best" anything, but with this frosting I think Joy may be correct. I would eat it on a stick. The Ovaltine gives it such great flavor and fluffy texture. My sister Phyl saw the brownies on my blog and made them for her husband Ken. His feedback; "Holy S#*t!" High praise indeed and my sister also thought it was the best chocolate frosting she had ever tasted. Sadly, since I was on my 28-day Engine 2 Challenge, I ate one for tasting purposes and snuck two more in the freezer (for days 29 & 30!), then gave the rest away. I still dream about these brownies... ;-)

Our second group recipe, Mini Chamomile Cakes with Honey Frosting, were also wonderful. The tea-infused cakes had so much flavor without the chamomile being overpowering, and the luscious honey-flavored frosting was perfect on them. I plan on playing around with this recipe using some of my other favorite teas since due to my E-2 challenge, most of these cupcakes were happily received and enjoyed by friends. These little cakes would be perfect for an afternoon tea or a bridal shower--they are ever so delicate and lady-like.

I was ending my vegan E-2 challenge the week we picked our own recipes to make from the book, and I was intrigued by the Vegan Chocolate Avocado Cupcakes with Vegan Chocolate Buttercream. The cupcakes were so moist and delicious and you would never guess that there is avocado in them. I did have some challenges with the frosting--it seemed slightly greasy and kept separating, but it could certainly have been user error. It didn't affect the taste much--it just wasn't as pretty as it could have been. I also think The Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting from the first week has spoiled me for other chocolate frostings forever and ever...

Finally, you can't live in Hawaii without having to make any interesting pineapple recipes you come across (Really. I think it is a State law or something), so I had to try the Pineapple Malted Milkshake. Since I don't consume a lot of dairy, I used coconut-almond milk and a vanilla coconut milk-based ice cream. If not for the malted milk powder my version would have been vegan and dairy-free--not that you would notice when it is all blended up into a thick, creamy milkshake. The milkshake was nicely sweet and fruity (from a fresh, local farmers market pineapple), and I loved the "special something" that the malted milk powder added to the flavor. Delicious.

Joy says, "We have a Saturday-night tradition in my family. It involves a long car ride, spicy Mexican food, almost painful amounts of chips and guacamole, and finishes with a trip to the local ice cream shop for pineapple malted milkshakes. Then my father invariably jokes about driving off without either me or my sister in the car, and we have to rush back to the car, malts in hand, so as not to be left behind. It's all in good fun... I think."

Pineapple Malted Milkshake (Made Almost Vegan & Dairy-Free)
Adapted from the Joy the Baker Cookbook
(Makes one 3-cup milkshake)

1 cup whole or low-fat milk (I used coconut-almond milk)
2 cups vanilla ice cream (I used non-dairy vanilla coconut ice cream)
3 Tbsps malted milk powder
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks (see note)

In a blender combine milk, ice cream, malted milk powder, vanilla, and pineapple. Blend on high until smooth, thick and creamy. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy immediately.

Note; If you are using canned pineapple, try 1/3 cup crushed pineapple, drained on most of the juice.


From the not-so-often baker perspective, I really love this cookbook. It isn't at all intimidating, rather it is a warm and welcoming book, appropriate for those newer to baking as well as those experienced bakers looking for new ideas and inspiration. Joy has lots of helpful tips and the recipes are easy enough to follow. I love how she has taken simple, homey recipes and by adding different ingredients and combining unique flavors, turns them into something a little different. It's fun, it makes me smile, and I am happy to have it on my cookbook shelves. Thanks to girlichef and Hyperion for letting me be a part of this wonderful event!

Note: A copy (+ an extra) of this book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of reviewing and participating in the Cookbook Spotlight event. As always my thoughts, opinions, and experiences cooking from it are my own.

*This post is part of the Joy the Baker Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off sponsored by Hyperion and hosted at girlichef*

***Joy the Baker Cookbook Giveaway***

Now, how would you like to have a copy of the Joy the Baker Cookbook in your cookbook collection?!?

For whatever reason, we were well into the first week of the challenge and I had not received my book while everyone else had. The publisher couldn't figure out why since my book was sent with the others, and so they generously and promptly sent me another copy 2nd Day Air, so I wouldn't miss out. Yesterday, my mail carrier trudged up the walkway with a slightly battered padded envelope in hand with a copy of the book inside, in fine condition. It was mailed January 31st, but it must have taken the slow boat to Hawaii or been hanging out in a post office somewhere to not get here until the first week of March.

The post office's delay and Hyperion's generosity is a chance for YOU to win your very own copy of this fabulous baking book!

How To Enter:

• Leave a comment on this post with either/or your favorite baked good or favorite milkshake flavor.

If you already have this book and don't want to enter you can still leave a comment. (I love to hear from you!) Just let me know not to count it as an entry. ;-)

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Do you really want to win this book? Here are 3 ways to get additional entries and better your chances.

(Note: You must leave a separate comment on this post for each item you do below in order to get the extra entries counted in the drawing)

1. Tweet about this fabulous giveaway mentioning Kahakai Kitchen (make sure you also include my Twitter handle @DebinHawaii so I will be sure to see it.) or post a link to the giveaway on your blog or Facebook page. Leave a separate comment letting me know that you tweeted, blogged or Facebooked about it.
   
   
2. Follow Kahakai Kitchen either through Google Friends or Networked Blogs on Facebook, or both (see my sidebar). If you are already a follower through either (or both) leave a separate comment letting me know for your entry.


3. Follow Hyperion Publishing on Twitter and/or "Like" them on Facebook and leave me a separate comment letting me know that you did.

A winner will be randomly drawn from all applicable entries. Make sure I have a way to contact you if your name is drawn and you win. (Note: I'm feeling very lucky that I get the chance to share such a great book and I am willing to send it out to you regardless of the country you live in--so this giveaway is open to all.)

This giveaway will end Tuesday, March 13, 2012 at 11:59 PM Hawaii time and the name of the randomly-drawn winner will be announced soon after.

Good Luck!