Free Spirit Eater

Spiced Butternut Squash Soup w/ Cranberry Pomegranate Coulis & Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

2012-10-26T10:22:00.000-07:00

For this month's 5 star recipe makeover, the ingredient of choice was squash. I absolutely ADORE squash in all its forms. From acorn squash to zucchini. There are so many types of gourds to choose from, I decided to go in a simple yet elegant direction.

The butternut squash soup is pretty spicy, but paired with the sweet cranberry pomegranate coulis and the crunch of the salty toasted pumpkin seeds, it was truly a pleasant dish to make for the challenge, and even more fun to eat!

Spiced Butternut Squash Soup w/ Cranberry Pomegranate Coulis & Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Spiced Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced into 1" chunks

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 cups of vegetable stock

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1/ teaspoon of cumin

Salt to taste

Toss diced squash with olive oil until coated. Spread onto a large sheet pan evenly.

Roast at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes until nice and soft

Heat vegetable stock and place in blender with roasted butternut squash.

Add cinnamon, cayenne pepper, cumin and salt to taste. Puree until smooth. If it's not blending enough, add no more than a 1/2 cup of hot water until smooth.

Cranberry Pomegranate Coulis

1 cup of dried sweetened cranberries

juice of 1 pomegranate

2 1/2 cups of water

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pot, bring up to a boil, then down to a simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes. Until cranberries are rehydrated.

Place contents of pot into a blender and puree until smooth.

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup of pumpkin seeds

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

Salt to taste

Clean pumpkin seeds with cold water, dry with a paper towel.

Toss with vegetable oil and season with salt.

Toast at 300 degrees Fahrenheit in an oven for 45 minutes until brown and crispy.

Place butternut squash soup in a bowl, spoon cranberry pomegranate coulis and top with toasted pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!

Streets, Fashion and Glamour Photography

2012-10-24T12:35:00.000-07:00

Hi there everyone!

It feels great to be back...again.

After a four day weekend away from home photographing for a modeling agency and magazine, as well as baby sitting my two younger sisters, it feels great to be back home.

I missed catching up on your blogs, reading, commenting and drooling over photos. But alas, starting your own photography business from the ground up has proven to be more than time consuming. It doesn't leave much time to give attention to everyone. Not just my blogging buddies, but other close relationships. Not that I'm complaining. I couldn't be happier with what I do. I definitely feel that my life is going in the right direction. Thank you to everyone who continues to support me, via messages, commenting and just visiting my blog in general. It does not go unappreciated.

Once again I am sharing a few photo updates. But please be advised, these are MY photographs. Not to be reproduced, distributed, sold, distorted or in any way shape or form taken from this or any of my other websites. Thanks everyone! I'll be back again this week with a recipe for the 5 star recipe makeover!

P.S. I'm dying to share the photos I took of a Japanese restaurant in Jersey City for their website. My favorite food shoot to date. Stay tuned! You can check out my photography website for a sneak peek... Kym Fajardo Photography.

Photography shout outs and credits:
Natural AllDay Models
Carlos Con Long
Kim Ivey
Keisha Divien
Keisha Stush
Amoralee Britton
Bathing Suit Designer: Aeisha of Intimate Icandi Lingerie & Icandi Couture
Hair Stylist: Ciara Smith
MUA's: Natural AllDay, Mocha and Natalia Teresa
Locations: Amityville Marina, Pier 40, Greenwich Village,
Shout outs: Latoya Shauntay Snell and Eric Snell of E. Snell Design

Yacht Shoot and Photography Catch Up

2012-10-04T11:40:00.004-07:00

So I've been super busy taking photos, and having the time of my life while I'm at it. I've never felt so alive, excited and motivated like I have these past few months. Although I don't have a recipe to share with you today, I thought I'd share some of the photos I have been taking. Since I plan on turning Free Spirit Eater into food and photography blog in the near future, here's a taste of what you can see in the coming months. Have a fabulous weekend everyone! Cheers!
You can find more of my work at www.kymfajardophoto.com

Credits:
Natural AllDay Models
Make up Artist: Natural AllDay
Bathing Suit Designer: Aeisha of Intimate Icandi Lingerie & Icandi Couture
Hair Stylist: Ciara Smith
Eric Priiemo Brooks
Carlos Con Long
Kim Ivey
Zeleyna Santiago
Ayo Ogun
Mark Anthony Sanchez
Yacht Shoot shot at Amityville Marine Club

Camembert Candy Apple Tart: 5 Star Makeover

2012-09-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

Apples were the theme for this month's Five Star Makeover.

My first choice was a savory apple bread pudding with a spicy roasted peanut crust, but thanks to my awesome multi tasking skills, I burnt the batch and started from scratch with a new and improved recipe.

Tim had purchased some Camembert cheese, and came up with this sweet, rich and creamy tart. Just a hint of tartness to balance it out, these flavors paired brilliantly together. It's safe to say I am very pleased with the finished result. It turned out way better than that bread pudding ever could have.

Camembert is a semi-soft sheep's milk cheese. Feel free to experiment and exchange it for the slightly similar, ever popular brie cheese. Next time I'd love to purchase some figs and include them in the recipe somehow.

I hope you enjoy making these and consuming them as much as Tim and I did!

Camembert Candy Apple Tart
Golden delicious apple puree
Caramelized apples
Camembert cheese mousse
Individual tart shells
Crushed peanuts for garnish

Apple puree:

2 golden delicious apples, peeled and diced

1/3 cup of water

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 teaspoon of anise extract

Place all ingredients in a small sauce pot with lid. On medium heat, cook until all the water is just absorbed, the apples should not have color.

Place sauce pot ingredients in a blender and puree. Add a little water to get the puree going.

Strain through a fine mesh strainer.

Caramelized apples:

2 apples, peeled and julienned

4 tablespoons of butter

3/4 cup of brown sugar

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter on medium high. Add apples, toss and saute lightly, lower heat to medium. Add brown sugar, stir softly (splashing hot sugar can cause burns).

As soon as sugar is melted through, remove pan from heat.

Camembert Cheese Mousse:

1/2 lb of Camembert cheese, rhine removed, sliced into cubes

1/4 cup of whole milk

1/4 cup of sour cream

2 tablespoons of corn syrup

Place all ingredients in a blender, puree until you achieve a cheesecake like consistency.

Super Easy Tart Shell Recipe from A Cozy Kitchen

After preparing the dough, press into individual tart shells using a muffin tin.
Change baking time to 20 minutes.

When the tart shells are baked off and cooled, fill them with Camembert mousse, 2 layers of caramelized apples, sprinkle with crushed peanuts.
Pipe more mousse around the tart shell, use reserved caramel to drizzle on top.
Place a layer of apple puree on the serving plate, and the tart on top.

Guest Post: Skinny Pumpkin Banana Bars w/ Whipped!

2012-09-28T08:19:00.003-07:00

Welcome back!

After a two week hiatus, it feels good to be back on the blog. I have been photographing and editing my butt off and having tons of fun along the way. Take a look at my new photography site, Food/Life/Art Photography with some of the new portraits and food photos I've worked on in the past couple of weeks. With more to come of course!

Chefs Gabrielle Hamilton, Sue Torres, Anita Lo, Amanda Freitag and Elizabeth Falkner.

This week I had the privilege of photographing the 9th Annual A Second Helping of Life to benefit SHARE (Breast & Ovarian cancer organization) on behalf of Serious Eats with one of my favorite gal pal's Jacqueline aka The Dusty Baker. Some of the celebrity chefs (& cookbook authors) I photographed included Dorie Greenspan, Alex Guarnaschelli, Anita Lo, Amanda Freitag, April Bloomfield and Gabrielle Hamilton. And yes the food was amazing.

Now without further ado, I'd like to introduce one of my favorite healthy food bloggers Kristina from the very popular site, Whipped.

Hi Everyone!

I am so excited Kym is sharing her delicious space here with me today! My name is Kristina and I am the blogger behind Whipped. My blog is all about finding happy, healthy recipes that don’t just taste good – but make you feel good too! That's why when Kym asked me to guest post for her today I knew I had to find a healthier way to indulge in one of my absolute favorite fall treats - Pumpkin Bars!

My love affair with pumpkin bars goes back as far as I can remember. I swear half my family gathering memories involve me getting yelled at for swiping off that irresistible cream cheese frosting from the bars before my mom could ever serve them!

So when Kym gave me an excuse to create a new pumpkin bar recipe I couldn't resist - so 5 cans of pumpkin... a lb of bananas.. and 4 pans later... I have my new favorite pumpkin bar recipe!

The combination of pumpkin and banana is so so delicious. The banana gives the bars this delicious sweet mellow background and pairs perfectly with the pumpkin. Topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of cinnamon - these are delish!

Plus these are lower cal, lower fat, and totally dairy-free; and no one will ever know! These taste so indulgent - with none of the guilt. Perfect way to keep yourself in check after navigating your way through holiday mashed potatoes...gravy... and creamy casseroles!

So enjoy a little taste of fall! And thank you so much again Kym for having me today!

Skinny Pumpkin-Banana Bars

Yields 24 large bars

Note: These can also easily be made into a dairy-version by swapping out the soy yogurt for regular yogurt, dairy-free cream cheese for regular, and vegan margarine for regular

Ingredients:

For the Bars

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 cup mashed banana

• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 1/2 cup soy yogurt (or regular yogurt)

• 15-ounce can pumpkin

• 2 cups sifted all purpose flour

• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon allspice

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

For the Icing

• 8-ounce package dairy-free cream cheese (I like Tofutti brand) , softened

• 1/2 cup vegan margarine (I like Earth Balance), softened

• 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

Make the Bars

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

2.Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, mashed banana, sugar, oil, soy yogurt, and pumpkin until light and fluffy.

3. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt and baking soda.

4.Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth.

5. Spread the batter into your greased baking pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean with most crumbs clinging to it. Let cool completely before frosting.

Make the Frosting

• Combine the dairy-free cream cheese and vegan margarine in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again.

• Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

Gluten Free Banana Oat Bread w/ Sarah Bakes Gluten Free

2012-09-14T08:33:00.001-07:00

Happy Friday everyone!

I trust you all had a positive and exciting week!
I surely have had one hell of a week!

Photo shoots through out the weekend brought upon so many blessings. But it was Monday afternoon's session that literally brought me to my knees. As I knelt to take a shot, my bad knee moved over slightly, on its own. Of course it had to occur at the beginning of the shoot, but I pushed through and was able to walk around Manhattan for the next 4 hours. It also happened to be one of my all time favorite photo shoots!

So aside from the recovering knee injury and pain in the ass newbie models I've dealt with, life has been going pretty smoothly.

And to end the week on a positive note, Sarah from Sarah Bakes Gluten Free stops by with Gluten Free Banana Oat Bread!
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Hello there, Free Spirit Eater readers! My name is Sarah and I love to bake delicious gluten free treats! I have a new gluten free blog and it is truly a dream come true to share my most favorite recipes. When my husband was diagnosed with celiac disease 2 years ago and I discovered my gluten allergy, we began the adventure of gluten free living. I thought my days of baking were over. Well, I can now say that my baked goodies are still just as tasty...their just gluten free! I would love for you to come on over to Sarah Bakes Gluten Free Treats and bake with me sometime!
Banana bread baking in the oven...one of those smells that just makes your house feel warm and cozy. No matter what time of year, it is always a good time to bake up a loaf of banana bread. My recipe is not only super moist and delicious, but it's dairy-free and low-fat too! The addition of the gluten free rolled oats and walnuts gives it great texture. I'm a texture girl...really makes or breaks baked treats for me. Extra crunch on top from the raw sugar. This banana oat bread has it all! Wholesome, filling, and just what you need to start your morning off with a smile!
makes 1 loaf

gluten free banana oat bread

1 1/2 cups Sarah's gluten free flour blend
1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, very ripe
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
2 tablespoons turbinado (raw) sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk together flour blend, oats, flaxseed meal, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, mash bananas until no large pieces remain. Mix in applesauce, oil, brown sugar, and honey. Add egg whites and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour mixture and walnuts. Stir until just combined. Pour batter into greased loaf pan. Sprinkle on turbinado sugar. Bake 50-55 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on cooling rack for 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan and continue to cool.

Chat with Sarah on twitter
Share recipes with Sarah on pinterest
Connect with Sarah on facebook

Banana Soft Serve w/ Mango, Raspberries & Almonds (Food Wine & Thyme)

2012-09-06T19:44:00.000-07:00

Hello there fellow free spirit eaters!

You may have noticed I've gone MIA... once again.
I recently updated my photography website and joined an incredible site, Model Mayhem, for photographers, models, make up artists, designers, stylists etc to find one another and possibly work together. Thanks to MM, I have booked up this weekend and the next. What a blessing.

That made me realize there needs to be some changes around here on the blog. No longer will this only be a guilt free food blog, but a Food, Fitness and Photography blog. Photography will include fashion, chef portfolios, architecture, landscapes, events, travel, children, couples, etc. I'm still debating on whether to change the title to match my new photography biz, Food.Life.Art. I'm excited to have my blog completely redesigned. It's been a long time coming. So please bare with me as I begin to make these changes, and continue to follow my dreams.

Take a peek at my new photography site!

For guest post Friday, Kathy over at Food, Wine and Thyme shares a quick and easy soft serve recipe! Summer isn't over yet folks!
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Ice cream is pure, simple and delicious. It brings feelings of happiness and memories of childhood. It comforts, consoles and puts a smile on our faces. As adults there are many reasons to why we can’t enjoy ice cream the same way we did when we were children, and that’s why I love this simple banana soft serve “ice cream”. Simple to make this dessert can be customized numerous ways. All you have to do is freeze bananas and then puree them in a blender. Change the flavors by freezing other fruits and berries and using in combination with bananas.

One of my favorite ways to have this dessert is to add fruit and berries as toppings. I hope you enjoy this delicious Banana Soft Serve with Mango, Coconut, Raspberries and Almonds.

Ingredients:

2 frozen banana’s (peel the skin before freezing)

2 tbsp low fat milk, flavor of your choice

¼ vanilla fat free yogurt (I love Chobani)

½ mango, cubed

1 tbsp shredded coconut

¼ cup raspberries

1 tsp sliced almond

Directions:

1. Blend first three ingredients together.

2. Top with mango, raspberries, almonds and coconut.

Enjoy J

**I'll be back to my regular posting schedule by Monday! Follow me on Instagram (freespiriteater) as I share location shots from this weekend's photo shoots!

Skinny Cinnamon Bun Cupcakes w/ The Sweet Prima Donna

2012-08-23T18:57:00.004-07:00

It's Guest Post Friday!

Today I have the pleasure of introducing my new friend Brooke. Her healthy dessert blog (I know right? A dream come true!) The Sweet Prima Donna, is filled with the most appealing guilt free desserts you can think of.

P.S. I'm guest posting over at Brooke's blog today! Chocolate Chai Tea Bread!!!

A desire to bring moist, chocolaty, chewy, buttery, flaky desserts back into our kitchens with out the guilt trip. Or trip to a "specialty" bakery that charges out the ass for "healthy" pastries. You know what goes into your batter, and the results are spectacular. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Brooke, The Sweet Prima Donna.

Hi Everyone!

I'm Brooke B. from The Sweet Prima Donna blog (www.thesweetprimadonna.com)! The Sweet Prima Donna is a blog where you can find all your favorite desserts made skinny or healthy. I want everyone to be able to indulge in dessert without feeling guilty because life is meant to be enjoyable (all the time in my opinion!). I always say, "Life is short, eat dessert first." Head on over to my blog and do just that!

Cinnamon buns are a favorite in my house. Unfortunately they aren't very health friendly, and are loaded with calories and sugar. So if you are like me and don't want to take in a half a days worth of calories on a cinnamon bun, then these cupcakes are the answer to all your diet prayers. At only 105 calories a piece, they are soft & buttery, with swirls of warm brown sugar & cinnamon, and topped with sweet vanilla glaze. Obviously the texture is different than a cinnamon bun, but all the flavors are present. My family & I can't keep our hands of these! I made 24 yesterday, and there are now 5 on the counter… okay so I had some non- family taste testers, but you get the idea they went over very well and were a crowd pleaser to both my health conscious friends and my non-health conscious friends (guys), haha.

Grab some some coffee, sit down with one, or maybe even two cinnamon buns and eat up, enjoy!

Cinnamon Bun Cupcakes (skinny)

Recipe adapted from www.confessionsofacookbookqueen.com

Calories per cupcake- 105

Fat- 1.5g

Recipes

Cupcakes:

1 box yellow butter cake (you can use regular yellow, but this makes it more buttery)

1/2 tsp butter extract

12 oz club water

2 egg whites

Cinnamon Swirl:

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Vanilla Icing:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp fat free milk (add more if needed to thin out)

Directions: Mix.

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a 24 cupcake tray.

2. Mix cake mix, butter extract, club water, and egg whites on low for 30 seconds, then turn to high and beat for 1 minute until the batter is smooth and fully combined.

3. Mix cinnamon swirl ingredients together (brown sugar and cinnamon) and set aside.

4. Place 1 tbsp of cake batter into each muffin liner, then take the cinnamon swirl mixture and sprinkle 1/2 tsp into each cupcake tin on top of cake mix. Take a fork and swirl cinnamon mixture lightly into cake mix.

5. Place another tbsp of batter on top, and top each cupcake with one more 1/2 tsp of cinnamon mixture, and swirl lightly.

6. Bake for 15 minutes or until the tops spring back. Let cool for 5 minutes in cupcake tray, then transfer to baking racks to cool completely.

7. Once cooled completely drizzle each with glaze.

8. Lastly, eat them all up!

Original Recipe: http://www.confessionsofacookbookqueen.com/2011/06/cinnamon-roll-cupcakes/

xox & sugar from the kitchen,

Brooke B.

SeaPaddleNYC Finish Line Photos & BBQ

2012-08-22T23:39:00.001-07:00

I realized I haven't updated my photography portfolio or shared any recent shots I have taken. The photos I share today are from last week, so they're still raw and not completely finished, but I was too excited and thought I'd share a sneak peek.

Here are some food photos from a family BBQ my parents hosted at their home. These were just the appetizers.

Fried red snapper
Grilled corn on the cob
Sauteed mussels in garlic sauce
Simple romaine salad
Fresh guacamole and tortilla chips
Fresh coconut rice
Colombian chorizo

Then there's the very special shoot I had the privilege of witnessing. Our friend Ray paddle boarded around the entire island of Manhattan in a little over 5 hours. Why would he do such a crazy thing? He raced to raise money for SeaPaddleNYC's charities that benefit those with Autism.

Watching each paddle boarder fall over as soon as they reach shore, panting, smiling, waving their arms in victory as they took that final breath, that final push to cross the finish line.

I captured some pretty emotional moments. From a boarder looking at a shouting woman with her fist raised high in to the air, signaling her partners victory. Her arm shot up as soon as I rested my 7D against my brow; And boy was I glad she did. It made for a dramatic shot which I was truly grateful for.

Another shot I feel deserves attention is the shot where two men were racing one another to reach the finish line first. From shore we could see the final vigorous strains it took to paddle their boards closer to shore. The wild look of determination in their eyes.

It was a fascinating event to witness. For someone to train their bodies for months in advance, to push their bodies further than some have ever pushed it before. All in the name of charity. It was intense, emotional and inspiring.

Come back for Guest Post Friday!
Hint: Cinnamon, sticky, sweet and portable. All for only 105 calories per serving! You cannot miss this!

Recipe/Post Round Up & Giveaway Winners

2012-08-20T21:23:00.003-07:00

It's time to announce the winner of the SeaPaddleNYC giveaway!

Thank you to everyone who entered, and stay tuned for future giveaways!

Congratulations to KeshaKeke for winning the SodaStream Soda Maker!

Michelle from Pour L'amour Du Beurre, congratulations on winning your choice of either a Snow Cone Machine or 3 Tier Chocolate Fountain.

And finally, congratulations to James from On My Plate for winning a 1 Year Subscription to the food magazine of his choice.

Since no one specified they lived in NY and wanted food tour tickets, they will be up for grabs in the next giveway. And all participants of this one who did not win, are automatically entered into any future giveaways of their choice.

The winners have until this Friday, August 25th to email me at FreeSpiritEater@FreeSpiritEater.com with their full name and shipping address. After Friday I must move on to the next winner.

Interesting food articles that caught my attention:

We Chat With: Our Favorite Quotes From Chefs This Year - The incredibly talented and delightful Jacqueline freelance food writer and author of the popular gluten free food blog rounds up memorable quotes from chefs she interviewed for Serious Eats this year. NOT to be missed!

On Why We Watch Men Eating Meat : A provocative article explaining why we can't get enough of "unattractive" men stuffing their faces with meat. The relation between the porn and food porn industry.

Americans Just Don't Understand the Potato - A food writer shares her experiences in Colombia when she discovers just how versatile the many varieties of Colombian potatoes are.

Recipes
Lemon Curd Swirled Cheesecake by Steph's Bite by Bite
Creamy White Bean & Apple Wood Smoked Bacon Dip w/ Parmesan Garlic Crisps by The Cozy Apron
Sun Dried Tomato Fettucine w/ Chicken & Broccoli by Sweet Caroline's Cooking

Quinoa Corn Cakes w/ Peach, Avocado & Tomato Salsa w/ Eat.Drink.Love.

2012-08-16T22:30:00.001-07:00

Today, I have the pleasure of photographing my friend and trainer Ray as he crosses the finish line under the Brooklyn Bridge for the Sea Paddle NYC race to raise money for charities that enrich the lives of those affected by Autism. Photos of the event to come!

Thank you to everyone who generously donated, and those who took the time to participate and spread the word. The giveaway winners will be announced on Monday August 20th, so stay tuned!

I'm also very excited to have Stephanie from Eat.Drink.Love. guest posting today! She brought along her Quinoa Corn Cakes with Peach, Avocado & Tomato Salsa. Light and refreshing, great as an appetizer for an end of Summer BBQ.

After Stephanie and I met through FoodBuzz, we always sent positive vibes and comments each other's way. Her site is crazy popular, which isn't hard to believe since each post Stephanie shares is a piece of her artistic culinary work. Beautifully styled, presented and photographed. A food blogger I look to with very high esteem, I present to you, Stephanie from Eat.Drink.Love.
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Hello Free Spirit Eater Readers! My name is Stephanie and the name of my blog is Eat. Drink. Love.!! I’m so excited to be here on Kym’s blog today! Kym was one of the first bloggers I “met” when I started blogging and it’s been such a pleasure being blogging buddies!

I firmly believe that healthy cooking does not have to be boring, so I love coming up with new and healthy recipes using fresh ingredients! Today I have made some quinoa corn cakes topped with peach, avocado, and tomato salsa! I really love quinoa. It’s so versatile and it works really well with these cakes! Instead of making a sauce, I topped it with salsa made with avocados, fresh peaches, and tomatoes! This recipe is really simple to make and is light and flavorful. These would make a great appetizer for a party if you doubled the recipe. Or, you could just eat them for lunch which is what I did!

Quinoa Corn Cakes with Peach, Avocado, & Tomato Salsa – Makes about 8 cakes

For the corn cakes

- ¼ cup uncooked quinoa

- ½ cup cooked corn

- 1 tbs. chopped cilantro

- 2 eggs, beaten

- 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

- Salt and pepper to taste

For the salsa:

- 1 avocado, diced

- 2 small peaches, peeled and diced

- 1 tomato, diced

- 1 lime, juiced

- Cilantro, for garnish

- Salt to taste

1. In a small saucepan, heat the quinoa and ½ cup water until the water has dissolved and the quinoa is cooked (about 15 minutes). Let cool.

2. While the quinoa cools, prepare the salsa. Combine the peaches, avocado, and tomatoes in a bowl. Stir in the lime juice and salt to taste. Stick the salsa in the fridge to chill.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, corn, cilantro, beaten eggs, bread crumbs, and salt and pepper.

4. Heat a sauté pan on medium heat. Spray the pan with cooking spray. Form the quinoa mixture into small patties about 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Spray one side of each cake with cooking spray. Place the cakes in the pan, sprayed side down, and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Spray the tops of the other side of the cakes, Flip, and cook for another 3-4 minutes until golden brown.

5. Transfer to a plate and spoon some of the salsa on top of each cake and serve!

Very Inspiring Blogger Award

2012-08-14T19:06:00.001-07:00

It's always exciting to get a blog award. I enjoy passing it along, getting to know other bloggers and sharing just a little bit more with my readers.

My laptop is officially dead, so when I'm not trying to beat Tim to the desk top, I've been playing with my new 50 mm lens, as well as my new studio light and reflector.

Now onto the Inspirational Food Blogger Award.

A shout out and big hug to Tara from Noshing with the Nolands for awarding me with this honor. I am thrilled to share it with others and hope that they too will pass on the excitement to bloggers who inspire them.

Here are the rules for participating:

1. Link back to the person who nominated you.
2. Post the award image to your page.
3. Share 7 facts about yourself.

1. I used to be able to chug an entire 8oz can of sweetened condensed milk with no side effects.
2. I love fried brussels sprouts and white chocolate, combined.
3. I LOVE fried chicken feet.
4. I don't like cake and hate frosting.
5. Lorna Doone's are one of my weaknesses.
6. I won my first water/juice/soda chugging contest on the island of San Andres, Colombia at the age of 10, and have only lost 1 since.
7. I have moved 11 times in my life, 7x between the ages of 19-22.

4. Chose 15 other bloggers and tell them they were awarded.

Nami @JustOneCookBook
Kristin @Whipped
Kelly @Eat Yourself Skinny
Dennis @Ask Chef Dennis
Joan @ Foodalogue
Kayle @ The Cooking Actress
MJ @ MJ's Kitchen
Ramona @ Curry & Comfort
Maureen @ Orgasmic Chef
Fern @ To Food With Love
Jill @ Mad About Macarons
Bo @ Bo's Bowl
Vicky @ Sweet & Healthy Living
Meagan @ Scarletta Bakes
Amy @ Fragrant Vanilla Cake

Gluten Free Nutty Chocolate Granola w/ Chef in Disguise

2012-08-09T21:20:00.000-07:00

This weekend is quite an exciting one. I am attending my first fashion show, and photographing as I represent Wealth in Wellness Magazine. I cannot put into words how thrilled I am about this gig. Things are falling into place and I am so grateful for the blessings that have surrounded Tim and I recently.

I feel emotionally overwhelmed to be under the wings of such inspirational and hard working people. Some who dedicate their lives to helping others, and some that have spent their entire lives working hard to achieve the dream they are living today. Living proof of suffering turned into success and anger towards the world turned into love for every living being.

It seems each day I dive deeper into photography, learn a new life lesson, meet a new friend to hug, love more passionately and smile more often. Wow, I guess I must really love the weekends ;)

Friday means a new guest post from one of my favorite food bloggers. Each food blogger I bring on here inspires me in one way or another. Sometimes, in a way I cannot put into words.

Sawsan is one of those people. Kind, humble, creative and so eager to spread her joy of baking and cooking with the world. Her creative recipes will make your jaw drop.

If you don't already follow her wildly popular food blog, Chef in Disguise, you will now. It is my honor to introduce Sawsan.

Hello everyone! My name is Sawsan and I am the author, cook, baker and photographer behind Chef in disguise. Living in Jordan, I enjoy mixing the healthy and diverse middle eastern cuisine with food from around the globe. Sort of mixing east and west in my kitchen attempting to get the best of both worlds. I share many traditional middle eastern, Levantine and arabic recipes along my takes on old and popular recipes.However, no journey is complete without a sense of adventure and I love trying out and exploring new ingredients, new recipes and new cuisines that is why I also share recipes from different cuisines, countries and origins.

Today's recipe is a gluten free and grain free granola. There are no oats in this recipe but I promise you will not miss them. I enjoy making granola at home, you can choose what to put into your granola, what flavors or nuts to add, you are sure there are no addettives or preservatives in it, it is cheaper than the store bought stuff and much tastier. So if you have never tried making granola at home I urge you to give it a go, it is really much easier than you think and once you taste it, trust me, you will never look back.

I know that going gluten free makes breakfast one of the trickiest meals. You miss the pancakes, waffles and regular cereal. I am here to tell you that you can be gluten free and enjoy your breakfast with this granola, it is crunchy, nutty and loaded with chocolate. Ticks all the boxes for a great start of the day if you ask me :)

This does not mean that you cannot enjoy this granola if you don't follow a gluten free diet. I am not on a GF diet and this granola has its own jar in my kitchen next to the homemade granola jar that I don't allow to stay empty for long

Gluten free, grain free nutty chocolate granola

2 cup almonds

1/2 cup raw walnuts

½ cup/40g unsweetened shredded coconut

Pinch of salt

¼ cup honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup orange juice

3 Tablespoons almond butter or regular butter

3 Tablespoons cocoa powder

½ tsp vanilla extract

2 Tablespoon flax seeds

Chocolate, coarsely chopped (I usually use bittersweet chocolate but you can use any kind you enjoy)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 230 C

Place the almonds in the food processor and pulse until just coarsely chopped.

In a bowl whisk the almond butter,brown sugar, orange juice and honey untill the sugar dissolves and all is combined.

Add in the cocoa powder along with a pinch of salt and the vanilla and whisk to blend until well combined.

Add the chocolate mixture to the food processor and pulse to combine.

Add the flax seeds and the shredded coconut and pulse again until everything is combined.

Add the walnuts and give it one last breef pulse

Spread chocolate nut mixture evenly on a pan that you have lightly oiled or lined with parchment.

Bake at 230 degrees for about 2 hours, or until dry and crispy.(you need to gently stir the mix every 30 minutes to ensure it crisps evenly)

Cool on wire rack. Stir in chopped chocolate and store in airtight container.

Notes:
Soaking the nuts in water the night before making the granola removes the enzyme inhibitors, making them easier to digest

I usually make this granola using homemade peppermint almond chocolate butter and the almond meal left from making homemade almond milk but you can easily make it with regular butter and raw almonds.

Don't forget to enter the #SeaPaddleForAutism giveaway! Win a SodaStream Soda Maker, 2 tickets to a NYC Food Tour, a Snow Cone Machine or Chocolate Fountain, or a 1 year Subscription to your favorite Food Magazine.

Chilled Ginger Carrot Soup on Cooking with Books

2012-08-08T08:45:00.000-07:00

Half way through the week and my body is already trying to slow down. Too many arm exercises at the gym have my deltoid and pectoral muscles aching. But no pain no gain, huh?

Well today I am excited to be guest posting over at Cooking with Books. Marnely is a talented food writer and culinary school grad who writes a popular food blog and even writes for Marcus Samuelson. She truly has a brilliant culinary mind. I am honored to be guest posting for her.

Check out the Chilled Ginger Carrot Soup recipe I shared on Cooking with Books, a dish made with hope, will power and determination. Wondering how? The guest post says it all. =]

Don't forget to check out the NYC SeaPaddle Giveaway! We're raffling off a SodaStream Soda Maker and 2 tickets to a NYC Food Tour. You don't have to donate to enter, but spreading the word gets you entries to win a Chocolate Fountain or Snow Cone Machine or a 1 Year Subscription to your favorite food magazine. 4 winners, all in the name of charity! Will you be one?

P.S.
Friday we have a fabulous guilt free cupcake recipe from a very special food blogger.
Monday I pass on the Inspirational Food Blogger Award to 15 bloggers.

Fresh Chicken Gyro & Cherry Tomatoes w/ Noshing with the Nolands

2012-08-03T07:25:00.001-07:00

It's Guest Post Friday!

But before I jump into that, please take a minute to look over my most recent raffle/giveaway for your chance to win 1 OF 4 ITEMS! (4 Winners will be announced)

SodaStream Soda Maker (1 winner)

2 Tickets to a NYC Food Tour (Compliments of Food Tours of NY) (1 winner)

A Snow Cone Machine or Chocolate Fountain (Winner chooses 1 of 2 items)

1 year subscription to a food magazine of your choice. (1 winner)

The raffle is for the folks who donate, the awesome giveaways are for those who cannot donate but participate by retweeting, following etc.

*If you post a link on your blog to the giveaway, let me know in the comments and you are automatically entered into the raffle!

So there's something for everyone with our giveaway, don't miss out!

Today I introduce a talented and skilled food blogger. Tara from Noshing with the Nolands. Her family style recipes with a rustic feel to it are beautifully styled and photographed. I always enjoy seeing creative recipes with layers of flavors, palates of color made intricately with delicate hands. That's exactly what you find on Noshing with the Nolands.

So it is my pleasure to introduce one of the most creative food bloggers I've met to date, who will touch your heart and tease your taste buds. I now give the floor to Tara.

Tara's stunning Prosciutto Wrapped Figs

Hi all, I am so thrilled to be here. Kym has graciously asked me to do a guest post on her beautiful blog and I jumped at the chance. Her blog is gorgeous, full of great recipes and ideas plus beautiful photography. I am Tara Noland and the author of Noshing With The Nolands.

I ventured into this new territory at the end of January not really knowing what blogging was all about, only knowing that I have always had a love for food and cooking, even from a very young age. I have always cooked for my family and friends and now love to entertain. My husband cooks right along with me and our daughter has a great passion for cooking too having taken lessons from me for the past two years. On our blog I bring to you daily recipes, inspirations and on occasion a craft or two. We love to celebrate each holiday and I included lots of things that we are up to.

Tara's exquisite interpretation of Julia Child's Lobster Cheese Souffle

At the present time I am also involved in the celebration of one of the world's greatest chefs and inspirations to us all, Julia Child. She would have been 100, Aug. 15 and I am honoured to have been asked by her publisher to join in with about 160 bloggers and 100 restaurants and 100 bookstores to honour this great lady. So each week for 15 weeks until August 15 we have been doing Julia's recipes. I get an assignment each week to recreate one or more of her dishes. You can see what I have made so far at JC100 and follow along on her Facebook page.

The recipe that I am showing you today is one that we have made many times and it originally came from Epicurious who has also joined into the JC100 celebration. We have modified it over time making some additions and it is one of our favourite weekday meals. I did another gyro on our site but this is the real winner and I have promised to share this with everyone as it is our favourite. A great summer meal also!!!

Tara's Chicken Gyro

Serves 6
1 cup plain non fat Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. plus one tsp. fresh dill, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. plus 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 lb. skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2" wide 2" long strips
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 white onion, very thinly sliced
6 leaves romaine lettuce
30 grape tomatoes, halved
Salt and pepper to taste
6 thick fresh pita rounds, heated
Parchment paper optional

Stir together the yogurt, 2 Tbsp. dill, garlic and 1 tsp. lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Mix chicken together with oregano, 1 tsp. dill, salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl.
Heat oil in a large skillet and cook chicken over medium heat until lightly brown and cooked through. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tbsp. lemon juice.
To assemble pitas, arrange one pita per plate. Lay down a lettuce leaf and top with 1/6th of the chicken. Divide tomatoes and onions amongst servings and top with dollops of the yogurt dill sauce. Fold pita over and enjoy!! You may wrap them individually with parchment paper so the toppings don't escape.

SEAPaddleNYC 2012 Soda Stream, NYC Food Tour & Chocolate Fountain Giveaway

2012-08-01T21:12:00.000-07:00

When you are passionate about a cause, how far are you willing to go to make a difference? Would you paddle board around the entire island of Manhattan? Not to mention the added pressure of finishing the race in 5 hours. Well that's how far my friend Ray is willing to go on August 17th this year.

In less than two weeks Ray will be paddle boarding at the SEA (Surfer's Environmental Alliance) Paddle NYC to raise money for multiple charities whose main purpose is to enrich the lives of individuals living with autism. Some of the charities include the Best Day Foundation, Autism Family Services of NJ, Autism NJ, Hawaii Autism Foundation, POAC (Parents of Autistic Children), Surfers Healing and the Virginia Autism Project.

Click here to donate!

Ray is a good friend to both Tim and I. We met at the gym where he trained Tim and helped him lose over 60 lbs. Ray is also the professional trainer who leads the women's fitness club we started at the soup kitchen, using his signature workout moves that are already sculpting figures and increasing confidence. He's been so busy improving physiques and changing lives that he hasn't had the time to raise nearly as much money as he had last year. This is where I jumped in with the idea of raffles and giveaways, and Food Tours of NY was kind enough to donate 2 tickets to any of their local foodie tours (valued at over $140).

Read the rules VERY carefully. There is a GIVEAWAY and a RAFFLE.
Only open to U.S. Residents
Raffle & Giveaway Close at midnight on August 17th 2012.

Non-Donation Giveaway

1) Copy and paste line below on Twitter:

@SEAPaddleNYC is paddle boarding for Autism. SodaStream, NYCFoodTour & Choc Fountain Giveaway @FreeSpiritEater http://bit.ly/N3Ko7q
2) Follow @SeaPaddleNYC on Twitter
3)Like Sea Paddle NYC on Facebook
4) Follow @FreeSpiritEater on Twitter
5) Like Free Spirit Eater on Facebook

Every retweet is a separate entry. Remember to leave a comment for EACH entry. Enter to win your choice of either a snow cone machine or chocolate fountain. Second giveaway is a 1 year subscription to any food magazine of your choice.

Waring SCM100 Snow Cone Maker ($100 value)

Nostalgia Electrics CFF-986 3 Tier Chocolate Fondue Fountain ($70 value)

RAFFLE:
*Tim donated $50 so the first 5 people to re-tweet the giveaway and leave a comment are automatically entered in the raffle (continue scrolling down for rules of entry)
*If you mention this giveaway in a blog post and let me know in the comments with a link to the post, you are also automatically entered in the raffle.

For every 10 dollars you donate, you enter to win ... Click to donate!
(You also receive 10 entries to 1 future giveaway of choice)

SodaStream Genesis Soda Maker ($150 value)

2 tickets for Food Tours of NY (Tour of choice) (est $140 dollar value)

Greenwich Village
Chelsea Market/ Meatpacking District
Central Village/ Soho Tour
Explore Chinatown Tour
Nolita/Noho Tour

RULES:
Leave a comment for every $10 dollar donation. (If you would like to win the food tours of NY please specify in each comment/entry).

If you have any questions on how to enter, please feel free to email me at FreeSpiritEater@FreeSpiritEater.com

Red Russian Kale Cannellini Beans & Shrimp w/ Ally's Kitchen

2012-07-27T07:59:00.001-07:00

It's Friday and you know what that means, a chance to get to know our fellow food bloggers a little more in depth from their perspective. Guest Post Friday!

I'm sure many of you already know Ally from Ally's Kitchen, and those of you who don't are in for a real treat! I met Ally through our Facebook fan pages. I always check hers to see what she and others are cooking since she sends out links and photos to some of the juiciest stuff in the food blog world. Funny, sweet, energetic, artistic and free spirited, she is one blogger you do NOT want to miss! I now give the floor to Ally and her mouth watering Red Russian Kale Cannellini Beans & Shrimp. Enjoy!

Who is Ally?

Dr. Alice D’Antoni Phillips, school psychologist, actress, businesswoman, wife, mother, grandmother, awarded home chef, and prolific blogger is the founder of Ally’s Kitchen and creator of ‘Bohemian Bold’ cooking and living. She was a Top 100 Contestant on Fox Network's Master Chef Season 2. She has been featured in a ‘Taste of Home’ (2011) magazine for Gallo Family Vineyards for her award-winning recipes have been featured by companies like Ocean Spray and Wisconsin Cheese.

In 2012 she won the Campo Viejo “Color Me Uncorked Recipe Contest,” which includes cooking in her own kitchen with celebrity chef Anthony Sasso of Casa Mono eatery in NYC. Four-time James Beard award winner, Rozanne Gold, personally selected Ally’s ‘Raspberry Heavenly Clouds’ recipe as the Lenox 1-2-3 Recipe award winner.

Her devotion to sharing great recipes and adventurous living through blogging won her a finalist position as Foodie Blogger Correspondent finalist of FOOD AND WINE magazine’s 'Food and Wine Festival' in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo Mexico 2012, and her blog on celebrity Chef Sam Talbot was selected by him personally as a prize winner in his contest.

Ally guest blogs on many outstanding foodie blogs including Carrie’s Experimental Kitchen, Cafe Terra Blog, Sumptuous Spoonfuls, Simply Gourmet and Certified Nutritionist Lauren Kelly’s blog. She has a diverse and global following on major social media sites including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Recipe NewZ.

Ally’s Slant on Life

Life is like an orange—squeezing out every drop of juicy sweet goodness each day then zesting for more flavor.

Ally’s signature ‘Bohemian Bold’ cooking and living defines who she is…because life should be adventurous…go global without stepping outside your home.

Ally is a woman who inspires and influences with her zesty living, her colorful antics, her sense of humor, and her everyday liveliness whether she’s in the kitchen creating a new recipe, hiking the Grand Canyon from rim to rim, pedaling over a 140 miles in two days to raise money for MS, performing on stage, in film and TV, on the mat in nameste-land, or caravanning around the world with her Nomad lifestyle.

Red Russian Kale Cannellini Beans & Shrimp

Serves: 4

What you need:

¼ cup bacon drippings

4 tbl olive oil

1 tbl minced garlic

3 tbl minced onion

6-8 cups chopped kale

1 tsp gyro seasoning

½ tsp sea salt

½ tsp fresh ground pepper

1 can partially drained cannellini beans

SHRIMP:

3 tbl butter

15-18 large deveined tail-on shrimp

1 tsp ground cumin

¼ cup white wine

1 tbl dried parsley

What you do:

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, combine bacon drippings and olive oil. Heat slightly then add garlic and onions and sauté about 2-3 minutes. Add chopped kale and with tongs, toss and coat with oils. Reduce heat to low and cook about 20 minutes tossing occasionally. Add salt, pepper and cannellini beans and mix. Cover and let simmer.

Meanwhile, sauté shrimp in another skillet. Melt butter over medium heat. Add shrimp, sprinkle on cumin and toss/cook on each side about 2 minutes each. Increase heat slightly and add wine cooking about 3-5 minutes. Blend in parsley. Scoop shrimp into kale mixture and blend. Let simmer about 7-10 minutes on very low heat. Serve immediately.

Pan Seared Ocean Perch w/ Greek Orzo & Red Pepper Lemon Emulsion

2012-07-25T12:41:00.000-07:00

I remember the first time I tasted Greek cuisine. I had passed by a local souvlaki place close to home many times, but being in the tiny non experimental culinary bubble most of family is raised in, I didn't pay much attention to it.

One night my mother came home later than usual with a bag of take-out. Excitedly my sister and I ran to the table since this was a rare occasion. Chinese food? Chicken teriyaki? Bandeja paisa? Sadly, this was as far as my knowledge of ethnic cuisine went. We both made faces when the unfamiliar odor invaded our kitchen and made its home on our dinner plates.

Eat it, although the words were mouthed from my mother, we knew she meant business. We gave it a try, and from then on asked for tzatiki sauce, gyros, hummus and lamb quite often. One of my very first eye opening culinary experiences. When it comes to Greek, you never forget your first time ;)

Well for this month's Five Star Culinary Makeover, our challenge was based on Greek Meze or appetizers. We were also allowed to create our dishes using classic Greek ingredients and flavors.

So the orzo, olives, dill and feta cheese route I went. The roasted red pepper lemon emulsion brings the entire dish together. A great accompaniment to the pan seared ocean perch whose skin was crisp and flesh, moist.

If you've never worked with ocean perch, it has a rather mellow taste, which makes a for a great canvas to start out with when painting this Greek culinary portrait. An hommage to a culture, a cuisine that unknowingly sparked my fascination with all things food. =]

Pan Seared Ocean Perch w/ Greek Orzo & Red Pepper Lemon Emulsion

Greek Orzo
1/2 cup of raw orzo
1/4 cup of kalamata olives sliced
1/4 cup of diced roasted pepper
1/4 cup of zucchini diced
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 tablespoon of fresh chopped dill
1/2 cup of crumbled feta cheese

In a medium sized pot filled 3/4 of the way with boiling salted water, add your orzo. Cook for 8 minutes, strain, set aside.
Place olive oil in a large saute pan on high heat. Add your peppers,olives and zucchini, sautee for two minutes, then lower heat to medium and add garlic and saute until golden brown.
Add your orzo, stir, add cheese, herbs and stir. Add lemon juice, turn off heat, final stir.

Red Pepper Lemon Emulsion
2 red peppers sliced, julienned
1/4 Spanish onion, julienned
2 tablespoons of olive oil
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
1/2 cup of vegetable stock
salt to taste

Place olive oil in a medium sauce pan on high. Add onions and peppers, lower heat to medium low. Sweat peppers and onions until translucent. Add lemon zest and juice and stock, season with salt to taste. Turn heat back up to medium and reduce by half. Blend and strain in a fine mesh strainer.

Pan Seared Ocean Perch
2 fillets of Ocean Perch fish
2 tablespoons of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a small pan, add enough oil to coat pan, about two tablespoons.
Season your fillets generously with salt and pepper.
When slight smoke ring is seen, place fish skin side down and sear until a golden brown is achieved. Flip fish, cook for one minute on opposite side. Remove from heat, serve with orzo.

5 Ingredient Mexican Corn Appetizers

2012-07-23T00:07:00.000-07:00

Well, 5 ingredients and a few spices. But who's counting? ;)

It's almost 2AM and I'm fighting sleep to catch up on the latest episode of True Blood. After an adventurous photography filled weekend, I'm ready to rest my eyes and take on tomorrow's tasks with excitement and confidence.

I had the pleasure of assisting in two photo shoots for two magazines this past weekend. My mentor/friend Eric is submitting photos into Inked Girls Magazine and needed a light assistant. I was more than eager to help, since photo sessions with Eric mean I learn more about model photography, studio lights, photo editing and the do's and don'ts of the photography biz. Plus I get to step in as second shooter and capture the model from my point of view. Edited photos of that shoot to come. (Shout to LaToya 3rd shooter and 2nd light assistant and model Romina).

The second shoot took place at Chez Lucienne in Harlem, next door to Marcus Samuelsson's brilliant restaurant Red Rooster. The models had wonderful chemistry so shooting them was a blast, the director was incredibly professional and encouraging. I even spoke to a table who was kind enough to let us take photos of their dishes and adorable baby. This food & lifestyle shoot was for Chantelle's Wealth in Wellness Magazine's upcoming issue. We enjoyed shooting together so much we were invited to do another shoot in the near future. I will be sure to share more on that soon enough =] (Shout out to all of the models, filmmaker, assistants, make up artists and directors who made this such a memorable shoot)

Now onto the corn appetizers...

I was inspired to make this dish when I took a trip with Jacqueline aka The Dusty Baker to a restaurant in the city, and my fat ass could not resist ordering Mexican corn. Although I had heard of Mexican corn, it was my first time actually enjoying the dish. It had queso fresco (Mexican crumbling cheese) sprinkled on top of a bright yellow corn on the cob that rolled around in a smokey lime chili sauce.

Due to Jacqueline's allergy to dairy she couldn't try the dish, but loved it so much she shared a photo of the pretty appetizer on Twitter, and to my surprise received some positive feedback.

I haven't forgotten that fateful afternoon lunch in the city. And wondered how I could replicate this fantastic dipping broth from memory. I thought of the vegetables my grandmother whipped out when setting up her mise en place. It was a simple idea that resulted in a great dipping sauce for corn truly cut in an appetizer-esque fashion. I would sprinkle some cheese on a "corn disc" and dip it in the smokey, spicy sauce that ended with a splash of lime.

And I was content.

Easy Eats Chia: John Roulac and the Super Seed

Greek Frozen Yogurt Chia Truffles

This week on adventures in food writing...

You will need...

a sharp chef's knife (for slicing corn medallions)

cutting board

ramekin for sauce

small pan

rubber spatula for sauteing and stirring

I didn't measure the spices with spoons but by sprinkles or dashes.

Easy Mexican Corn Appetizer (enough for one whole corn)

1/4 tomato cut in small dice

1 small scallion sliced thin (whites only)

dash of cayenne pepper

dash of cumin

dash of smoked paprika

1 cup of garlic vegetable broth

1 teaspoon of vegetable oil

salt and pepper to taste

queso fresco

boiled corn, sliced into medallions

In a small saute pan, heat vegetable oil. When hot, add tomatoes and scallions.

When all of the liquid has been cooked out of the tomato and the veggies have caramelized, add broth and bring to a boil for one minute, lower heat to a simmer. Add spices and taste. Season accordingly.

Simmer for about 5 minutes or until the broth has reduced by almost half.

Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with sliced corn medallions and sprinkle with queso fresco.

Rice Pudding Protein Cheesecake w/ Berry Chia Jam Recipe Swap w/ Sensual Appeal

2012-07-20T06:40:00.001-07:00

Happy Friday!!
Here is a summarized update of this past week and upcoming weekend...

Today I am leaving for a trip to Brooklyn to assist in a two day photo shoot for a magazine. More details to come when I return. Tim and I have had the opportunity to run the soup kitchen ourselves and luckily things have gone smoothly. We made crispy oven baked chicken, beef stew, creamed spinach and even Chef Dennis' famous bread pudding.
Not to worry, I am still running the women's health and fitness club at the kitchen, have added new members to the club and even had the opportunity to step in as fitness instructor when the trainer could not make it. Truly an exhilarating experience. With all that volunteering I was too pooped to work out on my own last week but have gotten back on track. Back to eating my meals, drinking plenty of water and returning to my workout routine.

**Click HERE for my Strawberry Lime Marga-chia Recipe & Interview with CEO of Nutiva John Roulac on Easy Eats!

Today I have a special treat for you. I haven't done a guest post in a while, and decided to send out a flood of emails to some of my favorite and most interesting food blogs out there to see if they would be willing to do a recipe for me. Luckily so far they have all agreed! Fridays from now on will be guest post Friday, like the good ol' days.

My first guest post comes from one of my favorite photographers I've discovered this year. Kamila is not only unstoppable behind the lens, she also has her own food blog filled with mouth watering desserts from vegan to gluten free. Even using healthy ingredients I've longed to try out. So we swapped recipes. I redid her Chocolate Chia Pudding into Greek Frozen Yogurt Chia Truffles, and Kamila put a spin on my Rice Pudding Cheesecake w/ Maple Caramel Sauce by creating this one of a kind Rice Pudding Protein Cheesecake w/ Berry Chia Jam.

Don't forget to stop by her site, become completely enthralled with her photography and try out some of her yummy recipes. I now leave you with Kamila...

Hello there sexy Free Spirit Eater readers! Haha, yeah... Don't mind me and my failed "sexy" model expression. It's my only recent photo with a camera and I just really wanted to use it. Don't judge. HI! My name is Kammie and I am the girl behind Sensual Appeal, a healthy living/eating blog.

When I started my blog, I had absolutely not experience in the kitchen. In the recent years, I have become very concerned with healthy eating as well and I thought being 22 was about time I started becoming a bit more present in the kitchen if I was going to eat as healthy as I can, I would have to make it myself. We all know how unhealthy and fattening store-bought foods are - it's saddening that Americans don't realize this as a problem. But personally, I am just not okay with putting any artificial ingredients in my body - it's just not right. Since starting my blog in March, I have become a lot more proficient in kitchen and I have healthified a lot of recipes - mostly sweet (lots of chocolatey goodness), but some savory. I have fallen in love with the blog world because it allows me to connect with other like-minded people that I otherwise have trouble finding in the real world. A lot of people I know have coined me as the "health freak" and although they may say it semi-negatively, (like I'm some obnoxious picky girl, which I'm not - I don't think..) I wear the name with pride because it means that I care about the way I live and I want to live a long healthy happy life.

I have been a freelance photographer for 3 years now and blogging has introduced me to a different genre of photography - food photography. Although I am still learning and still on a journey to getting better, I am thoroughly enjoying the ride and my passion for photography is also fueling my ever-growing passion for healthy living.

Over the months, I have made some guilty pleasures, aka cheat meals, such as these Hard Cider cupcakes with Dulce de Leche Filling...

As well as some awesomely delicious guilt-free successes, such as these chocolate cupcakes with pudding filling and yogurt frosting...

Naturally, I was thrilled when Kym asked me to do a recipe swap. I thought it would be an awesome idea to do a recipe she has already created but make it my own with some alterations. After going through her blog there was one recipe in particular that has caught my attention. The rice pudding cheesecake with maple caramel sauce... Reason 1, I have been meaning to make rice pudding for a while now, I have only had it once in my life before (and loved it) and I have been looking for a recipe to use. Reason 2, who doesn't love cheesecake? It's only like the most delicious dessert ever (aside from chocolate, that is). Reason 3, that maple caramel sauce got me drooling, but Kym mentioned in her post that it was a rather Autumny taste so I thought it would be great to replace it with something more summery.

After a whole bunch of thinking and alterations, I have come up with the perfect altered recipe for this baby. I was pleased, but since I have never made a rice pudding before, the question was - would it come out successfully?

And successful it was... not only did this gorgeous lady taste like a wonderful mix of cheesecake and pudding, it had a nice mix of flavors enough to be called complex but simple, and delicately sweet, but enough to satisfy a sweet craving. Plus, one serving (of the three) has a nice serving of 14 grams of protein

The berry chia jam was what really took this dessert to the next level by adding an awesome tangy twist to this unusual dessert.

Rice Pudding Protein Cheesecake with Berry Chia Jam (no sugar added/high protein)

Author: Kammie @ Sensual Appeal
Adapted from: Free Spirit Eater
Serves: 2-3

1/2 cup nonfat Lifeway kefir
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup jasmine rice
1 Tbsp xylitol
1/2 tsp NuStevia White Stevia Powder No Carbs (w/Erythritol)
¼ cup vanilla egg white protein
2 oz reduced fat cream cheese
1/8 tsp agar powder
Pinch of xanthan gum
2-3 Enjoy Life Vanilla Honey Graham Cookies
berry chia jam (recipe below)

Place kefir, milk, rice, vanilla extract and cinnamon into a saucepan and heat to a simmer, and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes until rice is soft.

Put the graham cookies into a food processor (or blender) and chop until the texture is fine and crumbly. Set aside.

Whisk in xylitol and stevia to the rice mixture and remove from heat. Mix in cream cheese and protein powder and whisk until they have dissolved and the texture is smooth. Whisk in agar and xanthan gum.

Divide the mixture into 2-3 ramekins. Sprinkle with an even layer of graham crumbs, while reserving some of the mixture for later. Place into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours until ready to serve. Take out of the ramekin and onto a plate and drizzle (or drown) in Berry Chia Jam. Top with leftover graham crumbs.

Berry Chia Jam (no sugar added)

1/4 cup frozen mixed berries
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1/4 cup water
5 drops Lemon Stevia

Microwave berries for 30 seconds. Place in blender with water and stevia. When blended smooth, transfer to a bowl and mix in chia seeds. Cover and place in fridge for 30 minutes. When ready to use, give it a stir and slather on the cheesecakes. Yum!

Mango Lemonade Popsicles (Only 75 Calories!)

2012-07-10T17:45:00.001-07:00

Is anyone else LOVING this weather or what?!

After months of hiding under heavy coats, gloves and scarves, the sun feels magnificent on my bare skin. After the big weight loss compared to last Summer, I enjoyed fitting comfortably into roller coaster seats, shopping for clothing without having to walk to the end of the mall for the big girl store and feeling fabulous in shorts and skirts just slightly above the knee. It's my first Summer of confidence!

Well Summer means enjoying fresh seasonal fruit, and that includes mango. Yes I have an obsession, in part because of its nostalgic power over me, hence the "Silence of the Mangoes" post. But instead of slurping up mangoes with lemon juice my usual way, I decided to make some refreshing mango lemonade popsicles to commemorate my childhood fascination with the tropical fruit. I hadn't seen the recipe before and didn't even bother to look one up. I wanted to create one from the top of my head. Something I take pride in with my blog is taking the time to create recipes from scratch.

Sure I've paid homage to some of my favorite recipes by replicating them in the past, but a goal of mine is to be true to my own maniacal method of food production. Taking what I've learned from culinary school and stints as a line cook along with my own unorthodox way of viewing food. to create dishes that may seem odd and defiant of certain "unwritten culinary rules". But as crazy as combinations of chocolate quinoa and peach, or pineapple artichoke chimichurri may sound, they actually do pair well together.

So yeah I started rambling and got off track as usual but am excited to share this recipe with you. Now get ready because the gentle sweetness of the mango combined with the mouth puckering tartness of the lemonade pair together surprisingly well. Lick from top to bottom, or bottom to top. Just get the two together for a refreshing flavor that's just as good as having sunshine coming softly through your window.

If you know me, you know I am OBSESSED with the 60's. So of course I hummed along to Sunshine Superman by Donovan while enjoying my tart and tasty treat. I hope you will too!

Extra tidbits:
You can also make mango and lemonade ice cubes to combine with your favorite liquor for a spiked mango lemonade.
Although I layered the mango puree and lemonade, you may choose to combine them and then freeze.
The condensed version would be to use store bought mango nectar and lemonade.

Mango Lemonade Popsicles

Nutrition Facts (per popsicle, yields about 8)
75 calories
.1 grams of fat
21 grams of carbs
.7 grams of fiber
.4 grams of protein
106.8 mg of potassium
48% Vitamin C
4.1 % Vitamin A

For this recipe you will need:
1 small pot (for mango puree)
blender
fine mesh strainer
2 bowls (1 bowl for each recipe)
rubber spatula
whisk

Mango Puree
1 mango, peeled, deseeded and small chopped
1 1/2 cups of water
2 tablespoons of honey

In a small pot, place mangoes and water. Bring to a boil for one minute. Turn down heat, let simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove from pot, place in a blender with honey. Puree until smooth and strain.

Lemonade
8 lemons, juiced
4 tablespoons of honey
1/4 cup of water

Combine lemon juice, honey and water. Whisk until well combined.

Making the popsicles.
Fill popsicle molds less than half way with mango puree. Freeze for two hours, then fill the rest with lemonade. You may or may not have leftovers of either liquid depending on the size of your popsicle molds. Be creative! (Or just drink up!)

Peach Fruit Leather & Some Good News

2012-07-03T17:49:00.000-07:00

It's peach season! And as you can tell, I have fruit leather fever. Ever since I discovered I could make these low calorie sweet treats in my oven sans dehydrator, I've been exploring the depths of creating all kinds of flavors.

Last week I shared my Crunchy Chocolate Quinoa Peach Pops with you. While I only made two popsicles, the rest was spread out on a large 9x13 inch pan lined with baking saran wrap (I ran out of parchment paper) and set my oven to 170 degrees. What you get is an all natural sweet slightly tart, satisfyingly peachy fruit leather.

So now that we've gotten past the fruit leather we can move on to two announcements I have been eager to share for the past few weeks.

First off, I am happy to share that last weekend June 30th at the Bridge soup kitchen, we held our first women's health and fitness club properly titled Get Fit in 6. An idea that began when a frequent attendee of the soup kitchen opened up to the pastor's wife explaining her desire to lose weight but lack of funds to do so. So Jerusha approached me with the idea to start a health and fitness club at our soup kitchen since I had recently began my journey to a healthy lifestyle (50lbs total lost and counting!). So I asked Tim's trainer Ray (who helped Tim lose 60lbs) if he could train this group of women, he agreed and the rest is history. Our first meeting went well. After all the laughter and sweat dried up, there was still that sense of motivation and excitement to lose weight and get healthy. They're an inspiration just to be around. I'll be sharing our weekly sessions and documenting our success with the group, wish us luck!

The next announcement is one in which YOU, yes YOU can get involved!

Erin over at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts put together this food blogger bake sale which will take place on July 8th and 9th. All proceeds will go to the Colorado Disaster Relief Fund c/o Red Cross to help fire victims. To read more about the cause, how to participate and how you can help, check out Erin's website. Make sure to pick up the badge and post on your blog to spread the word! You can make a difference too. =]

I'll be putting up for auction my Plum Chai Tea Fruit Leather. You can receive it in kiwi, strawberry, mango, peach or combination of two listed flavors. You won't be able to resist the other fabulous baked goods up for option.

I now leave with you the a few shots from a recent boudoir shoot with my model Daniela Velasquez. Assisted by La Toya & Eric Snell. Enjoy!

Recipe for the peach fruit leather is the same recipe for the peach puree used in the Crunchy Chocolate Quinoa Peach Pops recipe. Simply follow directions below.

Directions for Peach Fruit Leather

Preheat oven to 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Evenly spread puree on a 9x13 inch sheet pan lined with parchment paper or saran wrap that's safe for baking. Place in oven for 5 to 6 hours until fruit leather is no longer sticky to the touch. Remove from oven allow to cool. Store in air tight container. Lasts about two weeks (after that it sort of loses its flavor).

Crunchy Chocolate Quinoa Peach Pops

2012-06-27T13:14:00.001-07:00

Now that the sun is shining stronger, the days are getting longer and most kids are out of school only means one thing, Summer is here!

An excuse to create frozen treats, sip margaritas by the pool and whip out my super soaker on unsuspecting family members at BBQ's. Of course you are rewarded after taking my water balloons to the face or being tackled into the pool. Now that the warm weather is finally here, the mischevious part of me starts itching, which means apology recipe overload.

With one batch of peaches I was able to make two refreshing and low calorie treats. The first one I can share with you today, and the second one you'll just have to wait until next time.

This recipe was a lot of fun to make. Since my ugly popsicle molds are so last year, I thought I'd place the mixture in a muffin tin since I don't have small plastic cups. Popsicle sticks? Try some old take out chopsticks most of us have hidden in kitchen drawers. The orange tip? A little peach treat recipe I will happily share next time. You might think the flavor combinations is odd, but it works well.

Speaking of weird/good, I was listening to one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE BANDS, TENACIOUS D as I edited photos and heard one of their new singles, low hanging fruit. I laughed harder than I have at any other music video in YEARS. But I must warn you, it is slightly inappropriate. So if you offend easily, wait, if you offend easily, why on Earth would you be here? ;) Take a look if you'd like, I sure got a kick out of it. Especially that peaches got some great cameos, you might not look at fruit the same way.

Low Hangin' Fruit by Tenacious D (Jack Black & Kyle Gass)

I only made two popsicles and used the rest for another recipe, so the crumble is only for two pops. You can make 6-8 popsicles, just increase the crumble recipe accordingly.

Crunchy Chocolate Quinoa Peach Pops

Nutrition Facts (per pop)

142 calories

2.8 grams of fat

30 grams of carbs

2.5 grams of fiber

2.5 grams of protein

18.1% riboflavin

12.4% vitamin C

11.8% vitamin A

10.4% phosphorous

Crunchy Quinoa Peach Pops

Peach Puree

Chocolate Quinoa Crumble

Take a muffin tin and add a thin layer of quinoa crumble to the bottom of each. Pour the peach puree over the top until almost full. Sprinkle some more crumble over the top. Add popsicle sticks, freeze for 4-6 hours or overnight.

To remove: Place underside of muffin tin under running warm water while twisting the popsicle until it's loose.

Peach Puree

9 peaches, peeled, deseeded and chopped

2 cloves

1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon

2 tablespoons of honey

Water (just enough to cover peaches)

Bring all ingredients together in a large pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for about ten minutes.

Place mixture in a blender, puree until smooth. Pass through a fine mesh strainer.

Chocolate Quinoa Crackers

4 tablespoons of cooked quinoa

1 tablespoon of semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

1 teaspoon of packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a very small bowl combine all ingredients, microwave for two minutes, mix well.

Spread mixture onto a sheet pan, about a 1/2 inch thick, place in oven for about 10 minutes until the quinoa is slightly crisp. Remove from oven, allow to cool. Crumble.

6 Minute Gluten Free/Vegan Chocolate Brownie For Two

2012-06-25T23:49:00.004-07:00

I have been fascinated by the term "gluten free" ever since I heard the two words thrown about in my late teens.

Excuse me, the irritated uptight looking soccer mom rudely gestured at the stock boy. Do you have a gluten free aisle, my son is allergic to gluten. Almost on cue the other shoppers turned away from the woman and rolled their eyes in unison. I laughed. I thought it sounded made up. Turns out the store didn't carry gluten free items. This is a bodega lady, we giggled. Well, I've come a long way from that awkward bodega night.

Although I don't have a gluten allergy, or any kind of allergy for that matter, I am still fascinated by the lifestyle. It was something I feared, I couldn't imagine life without "flavor", but was soon proven wrong by some kick ass recipes I recreated in the kitchen. And after tasting Jacqueline aka The Dusty Baker's incredible gluten free baked goods from mocha chocolate torte, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pistachio biscotti, beer brownies and even red velvet pancakes that were better than most bakery goods I've tasted made me a believer. The fascination grew and I am now happily interning for Easy Eats blog under Jacqueline.

So I attempted to make a gluten free and vegan brownie for two in just 6 minutes. Just a few ingredients, and this could be a naughty midnight snack. Tim and I shared this dessert and both felt satisfied with our half. To be honest, Tim didn't even know it was vegan/gluten free/microwaved. Did I mention only 280 calories per serving?

In less time than it takes to preheat the oven, you can have a chocolatey brownie greet you with the swing of a microwave door. It is made in one ramekin, yet meant to be shared. Remember, moderation is key.

You might have noticed the handsome young model gracing my site today. That is my little cousin Kennie (not so little anymore). He modeled for me last weekend to practice for next month's shoot with a client/trainer who needs fitness photos. Needless to say, he was very happy with the results, especially the boxing shots, which were some of my favorites too. More photos to come from even more photo shoots from the past few weeks. Stay tuned!

6 Minute Gluten Free/Vegan Chocolate Brownie For Two
Nutrition Facts (Per serving, serves 2)
280 calories
13 grams of fat
42 grams of carbs
3.7 grams of protein
28.7% manganese
15.7% magnesium
15.2% copper
10.9% iron

1/4 cup of mini chocolate chips
1 tablespoon of apple sauce
3/4 teaspoon of agar agar flakes
2 tablespoons of white rice flour
1 1/2 tablespoons of flax seed meal
2 tablespoons of sweetened apple sauce
2 tablespoons of mini chocolate chips

In a ramekin, place 1/4 cup of chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of apple sauce mixed. Place in microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Mix well with a fork until chocolate is completely melted. Add your agar agar flakes, and mix until fully combined.

Add your white rice flour, flax seed meal, apple sauce, and chocolate chips. Mix well and put back into the microwave for 3 minutes. When ready, allow to cool for a minute or two before removing with a potholder. Careful, VERY HOT!!

Serve warm, share with your sweetheart. Serves two, or if or just one if you're hungry enough.

Whole Wheat Spicy Bison Quesadillas

2012-06-21T13:51:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a food phase?

As in, there was a period in your life where you indulged in a specific type of dish, candy bar, meal, or drink, every day for days maybe even weeks straight?

Maybe it was a once in a lifetime occurrence, or you experience recurring ones such as myself. (Eating a pint of Ben & Jerry's Triple Chocolate Brownie every night for a week straight might have occurred once or twice, in the same month). But I have to admit, I just can't shake the quesadilla phase. The thought of crispy tortillas warmly embracing moist seasoned meat and crisp vegetables all glued together by a thick layer of melted cheese. Easy to make, easy to eat, and easy to clean up. You can add as many or as little ingredients as you'd like, catered to any time of the day.

You can use any meat such as turkey, bison, chicken, oxtail, shrimp, duck etc.

Last minute guests? Tortillas, shredded meat and cheese, sliced veggies and a panini press, waffle maker, griddle or even your oven can save the day. Sliced into small pieces and you've got a quick hors d'oeuvres. Talk about versatility!

Tim purchased some ground bison meat and whole wheat flour knowing I had longed for a healthier version for lunch the previous day. For some heat we added a teaspoon of minced jalapeño and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.

Very simple, with some subtle heat to it. For an extra layer of flavor, we smeared some sun dried tomato paste on the tortilla. I was very happy with our first homemade healthy bison quesadilla. I hope you enjoy it just as much as we did.

Easy Eats paired with South Africa's #1 sauce brand to give away Veri Peri's line of hot sauces and signature apron. Entering is as easy as leaving a comment! Click here to enter.

Whole Wheat Spicy Bison Quesadillas
Nutrition Facts
140 calories per piece (1/2 of one quesadilla) makes about 16 pieces

141 calories per serving
7.7 grams of fat
10 grams of carbs
6.2 grams of fiber
14.3 grams of protein
15% selenium
13% phosphorous
12% Vitamin b-12
9.9& zinc
9.5% iron
9% calcium
8.2% niacin

To assemble...
8 whole wheat, low carb tortillas
16 oz of low fat cheddar or colby cheese
cooked bison meat (recipe below)

Place two tortillas on a griddle pan on medium heat. Folding them in half, back to back. Next sprinkle 1 oz of cheese on each half.
Sprinkle 2 oz of cooked bison meat on each half.
Sprinkle another ounce of cheese on each half. Close the tortillas with a spatula.
When the bottom is a golden brown color and the cheese has melted, carefully flip and brown the other side. Each side takes anywhere from 3-5 minutes, as long as the cheese is melted and the outside has a nice golden color.
When ready remove from pan and transfer to a plate with greens, low fat sun dried tomato spread, pico de gallo, salsa verde, whatever your heart desires. Makes 16 pieces. Cut smaller and place on tooth picks for hors d'oeuvres.

Spicy Bison Recipe
16 oz of bison meat
1/4 of a large onion
1/2 tablespoon of...
ground coriander
dried parsley
dried oregano
ground cumin
cayenne pepper
1 clove of garlic minced
1/2 cup of water

Place olive oil in a large pan on medium heat. When oil is hot, add peppers and onions, sautee until light brown.
Add your jalapeño and garlic, saute for one minute.
Add beef and dried spices.
Increase heat to high, constantly break up the meat with a wooden spoon.
When the meat is entirely browned, add your water.
Cook for about 3 minutes, making sure most of the liquid reduces.
Add salt and pepper to taste.