Milo

Milo is one of my favorite drinks.  This chocolate malt beverage is not only delicious but is also fortified with vitamins and minerals.  I have been drinking it since childhood and nowadays, I like to drink a glass of Milo before going to the gym to give me a boost of energy.  Milo can be enjoyed hot or cold and it's delicious both ways!

I love to make a huge jug of Milo to save time in mixing a glass each time.  Here is how I do it:

Mix 3 1/3 cups of Milo with 7 cups of hot water in a 2 quart container ( 8 cups).  Stir thoroughly until all the Milo is completely dissolved.  Place cover on jug and place in the fridge.  Serve Milo cold.

Nutella

One of my all time favorite "food" items is Nutella.  This wickedly delicious hazelnut, chocolate spread goes great with many things and brightens your day on your first taste!  I like Nutella on Arnold whole wheat thins , cream crackers, crepes, waffles...you get the picture!

It's even great for baking - to make a moist, chocolate cake, to make chocolate, buttercream icing, to layer cakes or brownies, ganache and so on.  There seems to be nothing you cannot do with Nutella ...except throw it away! So, next time you go grocery shopping, grab a jar of yummy Nutella and experience one of my favorite "foods".

Here is one of my quick Nutella treats:  Nutella Crispies

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 tbsns of Nutella ( add more if needed )
• 2 cups of Rice Crispies

Directions

• Pour the rice crispies in a bowl
• Add the Nutella onto the cereal
• Gently mix until all the cereal is covered with Nutella and sticking together
• Use small ice-cream scoop and scoop crispies into little ball shapes or eat straight from bowl !

Peaches

I never really tasted a "true" peach before until yesterday.  I like nectarines so I am not sure why I never really like "peaches"...it was probably my first encounter with a "peach pie" in college - canned fruits are never the same as the real fruit are they?! I am guessing I didn't like the texture or the taste and swore the fruit off for good... until now.

I went peach picking yesterday and tried one...and now there is no turning back! This round, juicy fruit is now one of my favorite things to eat.  So small, so delicious and so many things I could do with it - eat it raw, bake it in a pie, make jam, grill it...the list goes on! This wonderful fruit is not only tasty but has no fat or sodium and is a great source of vitamins A and C...so not just a tasty snack, but a healthy one too!

SO pick up a peach and enjoy one of my favorite foods!  What's you favorite fruit?

Kele Wele ( Spicy, fried ripe plantains)

One of my favorite Ghanaian dishes is kele wele.  This dish is made of diced, ripe plantains marinated in spices and then fried. It can be eaten alone as a snack or with other dishes such as Jollof.  Here is a recipe for kele wele from the new Ghanaian cookbook "Akwaaba: A Taste of Ghana".

Ingredients:

• 4 ripe plantains ( yellow skin, firm)
• 2 medium ginger roots ( 2 1/2 inches long & 1 inch wide)
• 4 red Serrano peppers
• 5 cups of vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon of salt

Preparation:

1. Wash and peel plantains
2. Cut across horizontally and dice plantains, wash and place them in a bowl
3. Peel ginger and puree, with red peppers, in a food processor
4. Add salt to the pureed spice
5. Add spice mixture to diced plantains
6. Let marinate for 30 minutes
7. Pour oil in a pot and heat on medium-high heat for 5 - 7 minutes
8. Slowly add some plantains and let fry for 6 - 8 minutes until golden brown
9. Removed cooked kele wele and place on sheet of paper towel
10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 with remaining plantains

 Helpful hints and more:

• Make sure oil is heated before frying.
• If you do not have fresh ginger root, you can always use store-ready ginger paste.  Do not use ginger powder!
• For an extra "melt-in-your-mouth", munch the kele wele with some roasted peanuts!

Cold Fusion Coffee Gelato

I recently visited Newport, Rhode Island and experienced one of my new favorite foods ....hand-made coffee gelato at Cold Fusion Gelato. I got the small size, which costs $3.95 ( cash only) , you can get up to two flavors and personally, big enough for two people! It is a little pricey but it was definitely worth it.


There were a variety of flavors available...from Bailey's to chocolate mint to sorbets but for me, the coffee hit the spot! So, next time you are in Newport, try the coffee gelato and let me know if it's also your new favorite or if you prefer a different flavor or a different store!

Blueberry Bliss-Strawberry Lemonade Iced Tea

My new favorite home made iced tea is the blueberry bliss-strawberry lemonade blended tea from Teavana. These are actually two separate teas that I bought at Teavana ( you can ask to have the teas blended for you at the store - 2oz of each will last you a while). I like this tea hot but I LOVE this blended combo ice cold...yum!



Ingredients:

(PS: use a 320z or larger teapot with a built-in strainer in which to steep your loose tea leaves)

• 6 teaspoons of blueberry bliss-strawberry lemonade blended tea leaves
• 3 cups of boiling water
• 1/2 cup of sugar

Directions

• Place loose tea leaves in the strainer ( in the teapot)
• Boil water and pour over tea leaves ( in strainer)
• Cover teapot for about 10 minutes
• Place 1/2 cup sugar in your jug / container
• After 10 minutes, pour brewed tea in the jug / container; stir contents and place in fridge until chilled

Notes:

1. I normally brew another teapot and add it to the first batch with an additional 1/4 cup of sugar.
   
2. You can adjust the sugar according to your taste.