DUN-WELL Doughnuts
“We’re doughnut pioneers.”
The most scrumptious, most delicious, and most decadent melt-in-your-mouth doughnuts are made in a small doughnut shop in Brooklyn called DUN-WELL DOUGHNUTS. Five years ago, Dan Dunbar and Christopher Hollowell who look like the Mast Brothers of chocolate fame – bow tie and all – got together to make New Yorkers a doughnut worthy of ooh’s and ah’s. Read more 
Shiitake Mushrooms and Pasta with Pesto
Shiitake Mushrooms and Pasta with Pesto is a dish that has both Asian and Italian influence which may seem like a strange combination but the flavor is rather brilliant. Shiitake mushrooms are often used in Asian dishes along with toasted sesame oil and Chinese 5-spice powder (a combination of cinnamon, star anise, peppercorns, ginger, and cloves although some blends contain fennel instead of ginger) to add flavor while pesto – an Italian sauce with a foundation in olive oil, basil, and nuts – is an Italian favorite whether used in pasta or on a pizza.
In Shiitake Mushrooms and Pasta with Pesto, the vegetables (mushrooms and brussels sprouts) are seasoned and roasted with a bit of toasted sesame oil (a small amount goes a long way) and Chinese 5-spice powder while the pasta is covered in a very light pesto sauce. When combined, the complex flavors all come together for a delicious, creamy, and very satisfying meal. Read more
Whole Grain Date Bars
Dates are often thought of as nature’s candy with the Medjool variety considered one of the finest there is. Large, sweet, and creamy, the Medjool is the perfect fruit to eat as is or in a recipe for Whole Grain Date Bars: a crunchy applesauce-sweetened cinnamon oat crust covered in cooked dates and topped with more crunchy oat crumble. There is no added sugar in this recipe because the dates add enough sweetness to the bars. With their soft and chewy texture between two layers of crunchy oat crumble, the dates are the star of the show and – as with most stars – they shine brightest in their simplicity. Read more
FIKA Raspberry
FIKA Raspberry is what most people would describe as “raspberry jam” although the word “jam” is not on the label (which may be because the FDA defines how the words “jam,” “jelly,” “preserves,” and “spread” can be used on labels in the detailed Code of Federal Regulation Title 21).
Made in small batches in Tribeca in New York City, FIKA Raspberry contains exactly three ingredients: raspberries, sugar, and lemon; and tastes absolutely fruity scrumptious. Read more
How to Make Date Rolls
Dates really are nature’s candy with a super sweet flavor and a soft, creamy texture that given the chance, will become a family favorite because whatever dates lack in looks, they more than make up in flavor. Enjoy is as or simply pit, blend, and roll in chopped nuts to make a delicious date roll.
During the holiday season, when dates are readily available, date rolls can be purchased in most grocery stores or on-line but the best date rolls are the ones made at home with moist, chewy dates and crunchy toasted chopped nuts. Using toasted nuts as opposed to raw nuts gives more flavor and texture to the date roll (and the nuts are crunchier because they have not been sitting ton the date roll absorbing moisture for weeks). Read more
Almond Milk Rice Pudding
The proof of the pudding is in the eating. ~Miguel de Cervantes
Rice pudding is often thought of as a throwback dessert with a 1950’s aura when many a grandmother used to stand over the stove making her prized recipe for the church social. Back then having her recipe printed in the local cookbook was a badge of honor but since then rice pudding has fallen out of fashion and been replaced with brownies, cakes, pies, and cookies. Everyone loves a comeback and that is exactly what rice pudding is doing especially among plant-based devotees who’ve realized that creamy nut milk and rice makes an unbeatable comfort food. Read more
Raisinets v. Woodstock Organic Dark Chocolate Raisins
Back in 1971, a commercial for Goobers (chocolate covered peanuts) and Raisinets (chocolate covered raisins) came out with the jingle
Goobers and Raisinets, Goobers and Raisinets, the chocolate covered candies that pour..
that still pops into my head whenever I see a box of Raisinets. As iconic as that jingle is, I can’t bring myself to ever buy or eat Raisinets because of the ingredients, which include dark chocolate (sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, milk fat, soy lecithin, nonfat milk, lactose, artificial & natural flavors), raisins, sugar, tapioca dextrin, confectioner’s glaze (lac-resin), and alkalized cocoa. Read more
White Bean Chili
I am the kind of person who really will drive hours for a bowl of chili. I’m not a 3-star restaurant kind of person; I’m just a food person. ~Nora Ephron
Chili is about as American as it gets; right up there with apple pie. An American dish with Mexican roots (“Chili con Carne”), chili has been around for hundreds of years according to the International Chili Society (www.chilicookoff.com) and probably originated with the Aztecs and Mayans although chili as we know it today was popularized by cattle drivers and trail hands during the 1800’s. Flash forward a few hundred years and chili is still a very popular dish in America although there are literally thousands of variations, as evidenced the Chili Cook-offs across the country. Read more
Nuttyness Marzipan Bars
Marzipan is often known as almond paste in the United States and is generally reserved for holidays or specialty cakes but only because Americans haven’t really discovered the wonders of this nutty, chewy treat. Traditional marzipan is made with ground almonds blended with sugar or honey but modern marzipan can also be made with pistachios or hazelnuts.
Chewy and sweet, marzipan is the perfect ingredient for a candy bar because the combination of dark chocolate covered marzipan is a contrast in flavors (nuts and rich creamy chocolate) and textures (hard and chewy). Read more
FIKA Granola
Ten years ago (2006) Lars Akerlund opened a coffeehouse on 58th Street in Manhattan called FIKA – a Swedish word pronounced “FeeKah” that translates into taking a coffee break to indulge in the ritual of conversation, often accompanied by something sweet or savory. According to Akerlund, having a daily FIKA is a way of life in Sweden and an important part of the culture. It offers a way of both relaxing and staying connected. And, in New York City who doesn’t need to relax and stay connected? Read more
Paddock Post 