Healthy Cooking

VALENTINE – Chocolate Cream Pie

Its no secret its been a long several years of pandemic covid 19 stresses. Some of us have had to learn to cook, eating out has not been a safe option and grocery shopping a whole new learning curve. Who would have thought you would be picking up your groceries in a grocery store parking lot. With Valentines Day and Easter on its way, I wanted to share one of our family’s favorite chocolate pie recipes.

CRUST:

40 graham crackers (10 full cracker sheets)

2 Tablespoons sugar (coconut sugar is also a good replacement for sugar)

2 Tablespoons butter softened

1 large egg white ( 1 use Bob’s Redmill egg replacer-1 Tablespoon)

Filling:

2 Cups almond, oat or soy milk (can use fat free milk also)

2/3 Cup sugar (I substitute 1/2 cup maple syrup)

1/3 Cup unsweetened cocoa

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 large egg ( 1 use Bob’s Redmill egg replacer-1 Tablespoon)

2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla

Whipped Cream or a dairy free whipped cream

3/4 teaspoon grated chocolate for garnish

Directions

Step 1 Preheat oven to 350°.

Step 2 To prepare crust, place crackers in a food processor; process until crumbly. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, butter, and egg white; pulse 6 times or just until moist. Press crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes; cool on a wire rack 15 minutes.

Step 3 To prepare filling, combine 1/2 cup milk, 2/3 cup sugar, and next 4 ingredients (2/3 cup sugar through egg) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Step 4 Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Remove from heat. Gradually add hot milk to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Add chopped chocolate; cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour into prepared crust; cover surface of filling with plastic wrap. Chill 3 hours or until cold. Remove plastic wrap; spread whipped topping evenly over filling. Sprinkle with grated chocolate.

The substitutes I have given you will make a delicious chocolate-cream pie without the guilt. Both versions are delicious.

The original recipe is from Cooking Light November 1999.

Thank You for following my blog, please check in next week a update of our Boon Docking location and the View Navion Motorhome Rally!!!

Cheers from Liz

Family Favorite

General TSO’S CHICKEN

GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN

Since our retirement, my husband seems to spend a lot more time in the kitchen. Now do not take this wrong he is an excellent cook and comes up with some good ideas. He loves his pressure cooker, one morning he is surfing the web for new ideas for dinner. He also knows whatever idea he conjures up has to be healthy.  So when he says WHY DON’T WE MAKE General Tso’s Chicken tonight my first thought was YUM, I love General Tso’s chicken, but reality says breaded, deep fried, grease  oh no.  So we do more research in the  Kuhn Rikon webb site, took about 12 different recipes and ideas and came up with this fantastic recipe.  I will admit I was skeptical that just a few ingredients  could bring out such amazing flavors. OK I was wrong; this recipe has become one of our favorite fast, healthy go to recipes. It also works well for us as we make it in our RV often. The recipe works with an instant pot or my traditional pressure cooker.

SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

SAUCE –   mix together and set aside

¼ CUP LOW SODIUM SOY SAUCE OR TAMARI

¼ CUP HONEY

1 TABLESPOON TOMATO PASTE

PINCH OF CHILI FLAKES

3 STRIPS 2 IN LONG FRESH GINGER OR  2 TEASPOONS JARRED MINCED GINGER

2 TEASPOONS MINCED GARLIC

3 TABLESPOONS RICE VINEGAR

PLACE

1 POUND CHICKEN    I USE CHICKEN TENDERS –  You can use any kind of chicken you prefer thigh’s  would be good also but more fattening.  Tenders are more convenient for RVing.

Add your chicken to your pot; pour sauce over chicken, that’s it, so simple. Close the lid. I bring my pressure cooker up to the top red ring and let cook for 5 minutes, then quick release. Instant pot cooks for 10 minutes then quick release. Remove the chicken to a vessel you can keep it warm in. Leave the sauce in the pot.

3 Tablespoons Water

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Mix water in a small cup, whisk in 1 teaspoon cornstarch, add this slurry to your sauce in your pressure cooker and cook for about 2 minutes stirring to keep from lumping. Should  thicken up if not turn heat up and cook 1 to 2 additional minutes.

SERVE OVER BROWN RICE OR MY NEW FAVORITE FARRO

NOTE; FOR CONVENIENCE YOU CAN MIX THE SAUCE AND CHICKEN ALL TOGETHER, THAT WORKS WELL ALSO.

NOTE; ANOTHER HEALTHY IDEA WE DO OFTEN IS STIR FRY A LARGE BAG OF MIXED VEGGIES (LIKE THE ONES AT COSTCO) PLACE IN A REFRIGERATOR CONTAINER AND HEAT UP AS NEEDED. I THEN PLACE RICE OR FARRO IN A BOWL TOP WITH THE HEATED PRE COOKED VEGS , PLACE CHICKEN AND SAUCE ON TOP, VERY TASTY.

ANOTHER NOTE: YOU CAN USE WHITE RICE – BUT REMEMBER BROWN IS MORE NUTRIOUS!

BROWN RICE

1 CUP ORGANIC BOBS RED MILL BROWN RICE

2  ½ CUPS WATER OR STOCK

Place ingredient’s in a saucepan with a tight fitting lid or use your pressure cooker. Bring to a boil over high heat, stir once or twice, cover. Reduce heat and simmer 45 to 55 minutes.

FARRO- ORGANIC BOBS RED MILL MY FAVORITE

1 CUP FARRO

3 CUPS WATER

RINSE 1 CUP FARRO, PLACE IN A POT WITH 3 CUPS WATER OR STOCK.  BRING TO A BOIL, REDUCE HEAT TO LOW AND SIMMER FOR 30 MINUTES. DRAIN EXCESS LIQUID IF ANY.

HOPE YOU ALL TRY THIS SIMPLE HEALTHY RECIPE – CHEERS FROM LIZ AT JUST AROUND THE BEND

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Kuhn Rikon Pressure Cooker

Since the pressure cooker came into my life close to thirty years ago, I’ve eaten better and saved money as well as time. We value our health and strive to cook always from scratch, this is the Thompson MOTTO.    Happy Cooking!

 Product Description
The Kuhn Rikon Duromatic Top 7.4-Quart Pressure Cooker features an automated lid-locking system and safety release back-up system to give you ultimate peace of mind. The spring-loaded pressure release valve is a large knob marked with easily visible red lines so cooks can see at a glance whether the correct pressure has been reached. When it’s time to release pressure, just turn the knob to indicators for slow or quick release of steam. There is no need to hold down the release valve by hand. You see the exact pressure and know exactly when to start and stop cooking. So, there is no danger of overcooking and no noisy steam escapes. It’s blissfully quiet. Cook healthy delicious meals in minutes, not hours. Easy to use with its interior fill lines, automatic locking system, and precision spring-loaded pressure release valve. A stainless steel steaming trivet is included. Cooking with a Duromatic Pressure Cooker not only saves an incredible amount of time, it produces exquisitely delicious food. Vitamins are sealed in, instead of boiled away, vegetables keep their bright colors and flavors are so intense less seasoning is needed. While you are saving time you are also saving money and natural resources. Using a Duromatic Pressure Cooker also conserves energy. The Kuhn Rikon Duromatic Top 7.4 quart is Kuhn Rikon’s most popular and versatile size. Included is Quick Cuisine Cookbook, a $14.00 value – free.

Epigraph “There is a gadget on the market that permits a cook to scoff at time. It is a pressure cooker… The hurry-up cook in possession of this steamer may serve many dishes denied her by any other method.” —IRMA S. ROMBAUER The Joy of Cooking (1946 edition)
This is a product review about a product I truly believe in, I have not been asked or paid to review this product.

Until next time, see you JUST AROUND THE BEND ♥♥

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