Coming soon ! A New Ghanaian cookbook - Akwaaba: A Taste of Ghana" by Sandra Amoako

“Akwaaba: A Taste of Ghana. Recipes from the African Gold Coast” by Sandra Amoako, offers you a vibrant and fresh outlook on common, traditional and modern recipes from Ghana, West Africa. The goal is to provide straightforward recipes that can easily be prepared using accessible ingredients, no matter what country or continent you reside in.

You will:

• Discover how to prepare dishes with step-by-step guidelines
• Discover something new or something forgotten
• Experience some of the wonderful culture that Ghana has to offer

The cookbook is set to be released in December 2009.

Smoked Atlantic Salmon Salad

A few weeks ago in Washington, D.C, I tried this salad at Le Pain Quotidien and I have to say it was quite delish! You can never go wrong with smoked salmon...I'm a big fan! Below is my take on this salad...I am not a big fan of beets but I did include it in the preparation. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 (10-ounce) bag of arugula

2 beets (sliced and roasted)

1/2 cucumber (thinly sliced)

smoked salmon

chevre dressing (goat cheese with walnut / olive oil)

Preparation:

Roasting beets: Cut 2 beets into thick pieces, toss in some olive oil and bake at 375F for 45 minutes

Chevre dressing: Mix 3 ounces of creamy goat cheese with a little water then whisk in about 2 to 3 tablespoons of walnut oil ( or olive oil) until you get an smooth texture

In a salad bowl ( or plate), pour in some arugula leaves, add some sliced cucumbers, and some roasted beets. Add a few tablespoons of the chevre dressing then put a few slices of the smoked salmon on top of the salad. Garnish it with a slice of lemon and enjoy with some iced tea or cold lemonade!

Apple tarte tatin

This is my new favorite dessert and if you have tried this dessert before you will understand what I am talking about! I haven't had this dessert in a couple of years and decided to try making it a few weeks ago and I have to say....I was quite impressed with myself!

Apple tarte tatin is an upside down apple tart in which the apples are caramelized in sugar and butter. It is very very delicious and goes great with french vanilla ice-cream. Below is my recipe...let me know how it turns out and how you like it!

Ingredients:

1 sheet of puff pastry (thawed)
5 Granny Smith apples
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup of salted butter
1 small egg (for egg-wash)
1 tablespoon of water


Directions:

1. Pour sugar in a pot / frying pan and let completely melt on low heat
2. add butter to caramelized sugar and stir in until completely melted
3. Pour into a 9-in Pyrex pie dish and let cool
4. beat egg and 1 tablespoon of water in a cup and place on the side
   
5. while the caramel cools, peel apples
6. cut each apple into four (make sure the cores are removed)
7. place and pack apples tightly in the pie dish
   
8. preheat oven to 375F
   
9. unfold puff pastry on floured surface
   
10. using a rolling pin, roll pastry sheet and place over the apples
11. brush the puff pastry with egg mixure
12. use a fork and poke a few holes in the pastry
13. place the pie dish on a baking tray, place in pre-heated oven and bake for 35 minutes
14. let the tarte tatin cool for about 15 minutes
    
15. loosen the edges of the tatin with a knife then place a plate over the baking dish and flip it over so the caramelized apples are on top

This is a great dessert on its own but also great with a nice scoop of french vanilla ice cream!

Mango Creme Brulee

I  took a trip to downtown Fredericksburg this weekend and happened to come across a little restaurant called " The Soup & Taco Etc".  There was a little board outside the restaurant with the day's specials and desserts, which included mango creme brulee so I had to go in and give it a try!!!  

As I gently used my spoon to break the thin layer of caramel over the creme, I came across the smooth, yellow,  mango cream and I can say that the first bite was magical!  It was rich, creamy and you could really taste the mango!  I do not have the recipe but I will search for it and test it and when I get it right, I will be sure to post it for you to try it!! So, if you are ever in downtown Fredericksburg, visit the soup and taco etc ( 813 Caroline St, Fredericksburg, VA) and try the mango creme brulee! 

PS: I was dessert hopping so I only tried the mango creme brulee!  :-)

Brownies !

I love brownies but I try not to eat them or bake them as often.  I recently tried out a brownie recipe I got from Paula Deen's website...I made a few changes of my own ( used a little less sugar and used Golden Tree chocolate bars from Ghana), and it was delicious! You can find this delicious and rich chocolate at most West African grocery stores - to find one near you, visit www.africanbizbyzip.com and type in your city or zip code.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter / margarine

1 3/4 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 tspn vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup flour

3/4 cup Golden Tree cocoa powder

8 0z chocolate (11 "20g Golden Tree chocolate bars")

1/2 tspn baking powder

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 13 x 9 ban with some butter
• Melt chocolate using double boiler method and let cool *
• Beat margarine and sugar in a large mixing bowl until creamy( you can use a handheld electric mixer)
• Add eggs (one at a time)
• Add vanilla
• In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and cocoa powder
• Slowly add in flour mix to butter mix
• Add in melted golden tree chocolate
• Pour batter in the pan and bake for 35 minutes

Notes:

1. When adding flour mix to butter mix, add about 1/2 cup at a time, beat until mixture is mooth and creamy, then add another 1/2 cup.
   
2. 8 oz = 28.35g so if you are using the bigger Golden Tree chocolate bar (50g), use only 4 1/2 bars. 

* Double boiler method: Boil water in a small cooking pot, over medium heat. Place chocolate in a bowl and put it on top of the boiling pot of water.  When most of the chocolate looks soft , use a spoon to stir until all the chococlate is melted.  Remove from top of cooking pot and let it cool.

Jollof Rice

Jollof rice is a popular rice dish in Ghana and other West African countries and one of my favorite foods. It is delicious, easy to prepare and you can easily find the ingredients at your local African grocery store. If you do not know where to find an African grocery store, visit www.africanbizbyzip.com and type in your city or zip code ! There are slight variations in how Jollof is made...I make mine with beef or corned beef( see the picture below). This is a dish that is great on its own but also goes well with some chicken and salad. Yummy!

Ingredients:

• 1 can (29 oz) tomato sauce or 8 medium tomatoes
• 2 medium-sized onions
• 1 orange habanero pepper
• small-sized ginger root (see pic)
  
• 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
• 1 tspn of nutmeg powder
• 1 can of corned beef
• 1 Maggi cube
• 3 cups of basmati / jasmine rice
• 2 tbsns of salt

Direction:

• Wash and peel onions; dice one of the onions
• Place the other onion in a blender, add ginger, pepper and tomato sauce and blend well
• Heat oil in a cooking pot, on medium heat
• Add diced onions and let simmer for 3 minutes
• Add nutmeg and let simmer for 1 minute
• Pour in blended tomato mix
• Let sauce cook on medium heat for 20 minutes
• Mash Maggi cubes and add to cooking pot after 10 minutes of simmering
• After the 20 minutes, add and stir in the corned beef until it is evenly mixed into the sauce
• Let the sauce cook for another 20 minutes
• Add salt
• Wash the rice (twice) and add into the cooking sauce
• Stir well until all the rice is completely mixed in with the sauce
• Let the "Jollof" cook for about 45 minutes on low heat
• Stir every 15 minutes so all the rice cooks evenly

Notes:

1. You can use any long-grain rice for this dish
2. You can add frozen peas and corn to the sauce(5 - 10 minutes) before adding the rice...makes the dish more colorful
3. Break the corned beef with your spoon when you add it to the sauce
4. Keep the lid on the cooking pot at all times...this helps retain the steam which also helps cook the rice.
5. Ginger size varies - you can use a small-sized or medium-sized ginger root.
   

Kashi Mediterranean Pizza

I am a big Kashi fan and this is my favorite pizza from them.  This Mediterranean pizza, which is great for vegetarians, has spinach, fire-roasted red onions, sweet red peppers,four signature cheeses, including feta with roasted pepper sauce on a seven whole grains and sesame with flax seed crust. This is a slice of pizza you can feel less guilty about when eating it because it has 4g of fiber and 14g of protein.  If you are the kind of pizza eater that leaves the crust behind then prepare yourself...even the crust is so good that you will eat it and want more.

PS: Don't forget to search online for kashi coupons...you may be able to apply it to the pizza or other Kashi products.

Gulab Jamun

Gulab Jamin is a popular Indian dessert.  It is traditionally served on the Indian holiday Diwali but is also eaten throughout the year.  You can enjoy this very sweet dessert at any Indian restaurant or buy them at an Indian grocery store.  

Gulab Jamun is made from a sweet dough (combination of flour and milk powder) which is divided into little balls and deep fried, then soaked in a combination of sugar syrup and rose water! Yes...it sounds that good and it is that yummy!

It is a gulity pleasure but you can feel less guilty by drinking some oolong tea (2 cups should do...at least!) and eating about 30g of fiber( frozen vegetables, fruit) throughout the day!  :-)

Crepes

Crepes are another favorite food item of mine...so thin, so delicious.  They are great by themselves or with honey, jam / preserve...anything.  Here is a recipe that I use...let me know what you think!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
  
• 1 cup milk
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1/4 cup sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg powder
  
• butter (for frying)
  

Directions:

• In a bowl, beat the eggs then add the milk
• In another bowl, combine the flour, sugar and nutmeg
• Slowly pour the egg mix into the flour and whisk until you have a smooth texture
• Heat a frying pan over medium heat and rub a little butter in
• Pour or scoop the crepe batter (1/4 cup to 1/2 cup) into the pan
• Fry for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side until light brown

Notes:

1. You can use a measuring cup to scoop out your batter
2. Depending on how big your frying pan, use a 1/4 cup or 1/2 cup
3. After scooping the batter in the pan, tilt the pan in a circular motion so batter covers the entire surface of the pan
4. If you really like nutmeg, you can use 2 teaspoons instead of 1 !
5. Always rub a little butter in the pan for every scoop of batter
6. I am sure other toppings are great but nothing beats the combination of this crepe recipe and some honey! 

Creme Caramel / Flan

This is one of my favorite desserts and the funny thing was that I used to hate it when I was a kid!  What was I thinking?! If you have never had creme caramel before, this is the time to try it.  It is a sweet custard dessert, surrounded by a shallow pool of caramel.  Creme caramel comes from the same family as creme brulee.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar - for the caramel
  
• 3 eggs
• 14 oz condensed milk
• 12 oz evaporated milk
• 1 tbsn french vanilla extract

Directions: for the caramel

• Put sugar in a saucepan and melt on medium heat until gold brown and liquid
• Pour in a baking bowl / ramekin and leave to cool and harden
• Preheat oven to 350F

Directions for custard:

• Beat the eggs in a large bowl
• Pour in evaporated milk, then condensed milk
• Add french vanilla extract
• Pour the custard mix into the caramel lined baking bowl/ramekins
• Half-way fill a 13 x9 baking pan with water and place baking bowl/ramekins in it
• Place in oven and bake at 350F for 1 hour

Notes:

• You can also use 2 cups of whole milk or 2 cups of evaporated milk and a  1/4 cup sugar to replace the 2 cans of milk in the recipe above.  If you make this change, use 2 eggs instead of 3 and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.
  
• You can use a Pyrex bowl (8x8) for baking the creme caramel in and use a metal baking pan for the water bath.
• Baking times may vary by 5 to 10 minutes depending on your oven so test the dish after 40 minutes with a toothpick...if it comes out clean, then the creme caramel is done. 
• Place in fridge for at least 2 hours before serving

Dorayaki

 I first encountered Dorayaki back in my college years during one of my Japanese classes. My professor had just returned from a trip to Japan and he brought with him a bag of goodies, including dorayaki and grean tea. I was , at first, reluctant to try this confection because I never associated black beans and pastry in the same sentence! However, being open to trying new things, I took a bite of this pastry and I have never looked back.

Dorayaki is a Japanese cake with a sweet black bean filling. It actually looks like two mini pancakes stuck together with the sweet black bean filling (anko). It can be enjoyed on its own or with some hot green tea or oolong tea, which balances out the sweetness of the pastry.

Dorayaki can be found at most Asian supermarkets, either in the candy / sweets aisle or sometimes in the "cold" section where cakes and other such pastries are kept. A pack of dorayaki normally sells for between $3.99  and $4.99...cherish every bite you take because before you know it, you are out of dorayaki !

Arnold Select 100% Whole Wheat Thins

I had my first bite of Arnold's Sandwich thins this past Christmas and have not looked back!  I started eating bread again when I discovered that Arnold bread does not use high fructose corn syrup in their breads...goodbye heartburn! I love this particular Arnold sandwich thins because they are:

• high in fiber - 6g!
• low in cholesterol
• low in fat - 1 g
• low in sugar - 2 g
• NO high fructose corn syrup !!!!!!

I use them as a snack when I spread some peanut butter or Nutella on it.  They are also great in making sandwiches or making burgers! So if you are trying to cut down on calories or just love tasty things, try this! 

Oolong Tea

There are two types of tea that I enjoy drinking and one of them is oolong tea.  Oolong tea comes from the Fujian Province in China and also comes from the same tea leaf as green tea and black tea but it is the way they are treated or fermented that brings about the difference in color and taste. Oolong is tea, unlike black tea, is semi-fermented.

There are many reasons why this is one of my favorite foods.  One of the reasons I drink oolong tea is for its unique taste...almost like a cross between black tea and oolong tea.  The main reason I drink oolong tea is for its health benefits:

• It helps you burn more fat and that's always a good thing! :-)
• It helps in the reduction of tooth decay!
• It helps remove free radicals!
• Promotes healthy skin!

Of course, these benefits should not be an excuse to have the second or third serving of pecan pie or dorayaki or bowl of ice cream!  Oolong tea is not a miracle drink when it comes to weight loss or maintaining a healthy body...it is just one of the things that will help you get there! 

So on a cold day, on a warm day, before a meal , during a meal or with dessert (never forget dessert!), a cup or mug of oolong tea is always a good thing!

Directions 1 (oolong tea bag): 

• Place tea bag in a cup
  
• Pour boiling water over the tea bag
• Brew for 3 minutes then remove tea bag

Directions 2 (using a microwave):

• Pour about 8 oz of water in a mug and microwave until water is boiling
• Place oolong tea bag in boiling water
• Brew for 3 minutes then remove tea bag

Banana-Mango smoothie for breakfast

One of the favorite things I like to have in the morning is a cold, smoothie.  There are many types of smoothies but I like to keep it quick and simple...my banana-mango smoothie with a dash of  flax seeds.  This is not only delicious but healthy for you too because you will be getting fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, calcium, protein  and put a stop to your sugar cravings! It's a great snack or a healthy breakfast and it will also save you money and calories, since you do not have to buy breakfast on the go or cave in to an unhealthy, "fill my empty-morning-belly" food item.

Recipe:

1 banana (medium-sized)

1/2 cup of orange-mango juice

6 oz plain, non-fat organic yogurt

1 tsp of organic, cold-milled, ground flax seeds

Directions:

• Pour the juice in the blender
  
• add the banana and yorgurt
• blend until you get a smooth texture
• pour into a tall glass and stir in your flax seed

* You can also use a medium-sized , ripe mango and squeeze two oranges instead of using the orange-mango juice.

**Do not use flavored or low calorie yogurts as they contain too much sugar or artificial sweeteners, neither of which, in my opinion, are good for your health!