The Consuming Brain: Personality may predict if you like spicy foods

The Consuming Brain: Personality may predict if you like spicy foods: Can you believe that a love of spicy food may correlate with personality? That explains my jalapeño-like temper!  Personality may predict i...

Low Cali Margaritas

I have to admit...I drink...ALOT!! And I don't mean water! Although after a long night, I usually need drink a lot of water the next morning just to recover. And because I love Mexican food, I of course love margaritas! But when you're getting close to menopause, you have to watch every calorie so I had to start devising low cal ways to be able to imbibe without packing it on the backside.

Source: By Jon Sullivan [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

So the following is my Low Cali Margarita recipe:

Low Cali Margarita

1 part tequila
1 part lime juice
1 part lemon juice
Ice
2 parts bubbly water
1 spoonful of Splenda

Add all to a glass and stir!!

Pretty easy, huh? And it tastes pretty close to the real thing...and if you drink enough of them you won't even care!

Crispy Potato Roast

Ok this isn't actually that spicy as it currently is but it looks so yummy that I had to write it up! A beautiful Crispy Potato Roast! "A roast from a potato?," you wonder...well not eating meat at every meal isn't a bad thing and this would be enough to satisfy me for dinner on a cold, blustery night.

Credit: Angela Stevenson, Joyously Domestic

I found the actual recipe on Joyously Domestic which I think is a really neat family food blog. The recipe is actually from Martha Stewart originally which is how I came to make it several years ago. When I made it then, it turned out fabulously...lots of oohs and aahs at the table. So I am going to make it again this year for Thanksgiving. Especially since I have never been able to make edible mashed potatoes for some reason. This will thankfully bypass any mashing requirements.

Spicy Zucchini Brownies

Because I can't eat most deserts made with eggs and dairy, I am always on the lookout for recipes that have something sweet and something kind of healthy! I found a recipe for Zucchini Brownies that I have simplified for those of us who are allergic to something. I added the spices: ginger, cinnamon and pepper to add a little spicy kick to the sweetness...I hope it is the right balance! Here is the recipe:

Spicy Zucchini Brownies

Makes 1 9x13 inch pan

1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 sugar (I use Splenda as a sugar substitute)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour (I use corn flour)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon corsely ground pepper
2 cups shredded zucchini

Frosted Topping
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted (I use coconut spread or oil)
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup milk (I use coconut milk)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray and dust with flour.

2. Mix together the oil, sugar and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Add to the sugar mixture and mix well. Fold in the zucchini. Pour into the pan.

3. Bake for 25 minutes.

4. Let the brownies cool. Mix together the cocoa powder, butter or margarine,. Allow to cool. Mix in the sugar, milk and vanilla. Blend together well. Spread over cooled brownies. Cut into squares and serve.

Mexican Food NYC-style!

Wherever I travel, I try to have some kind of Mexican food since there is none to be had (that is edible) in Canada. We spent the weekend in NYC and had our final meal before hitting the road at Trece just south of Union Square. It was so good for East Coast Mexican. The corn tortillas were tender and light. The carne asada and cheese enchillada was delicious and I pretty much wiped the plate clean to get all the enchilada sauce which didn't taste like it came from a can (it's really easy to make from scratch...I'll post the recipe later). Here's the pick from Trece: