Healthy easy desserts that will have you begging for one more serving

Since October of last year we've been trying to tweak or modify our favorite dishes to make them healthier. 

You'll be surprised at just how easy it will be to eat healthier desserts so you can eat all you want and not feel guilty. 

Craving chocolate--how about some banana oatmeal chocolate treats. Just three ingredients.  Mix equal amounts then bake in a 350 oven for no more than a 1/2 hour. And you have the easiest and healthiest treat ever. 

Take this luscious orange cake which is really yellow cake mix and oranges or pumpkin. In this case we followed the instructions on the cake box and mixed in a can of pumpkin. For the sweet toothed we added dark chocolate chips. 

So go ahead and indulge your sweet tooth. We assure you you'll feel good all around. 

Who loves The Cheesecake Factory? We do!!!

The Cheesecake Factory happens to be one of our favorite chain restaurants. I have yet to have a bad dish served there. 

I remember the first time I visited the 'Factory'.  It was back in 1997. My now deceased and loving husband Vic was living and working out of Coral Gables.  One night he took our Emily and me out to dinner to this new restaurant in a nearby mall. From the first visit, I was impressed not only with the delicious cuisine, but with the decor as well. The art work in bright colors always puts me in a happy mood. The staff is always friendly and courteous.  And they seem to hire the best looking people around. 

There was a long line of people waiting to be seated before us at the Florida restaurant, but we didn't mind at all.  The only problem was trying not to faint from the aromas emanating from the kitchen and trying not to salivate as waiters carry their trays out to the hungry patrons. The wait is always well worth it. From the varied dishes on the menu to the array of yummy cheesecakes, everything always taste so fresh and so delicious. 

The following is the story from Google of how it all began.  And what an interesting story it is. 

Cheesecake Factory story begins in Detroit, Michigan in the 1940’s. Evelyn Overton found a recipe in the local newspaper that would inspire her “Original” Cheesecake. Everyone loved her recipe so much that she decided to open a small Cheesecake shop, but she eventually gave up her dream of owning her own business in order to raise her two small children, David and Renee. She moved her baking equipment to a kitchen in her basement and continued to supply cakes to several of the best restaurants in town while raising her family.

 

In 1972, with their children grown, Evelyn and her husband Oscar decided to pack up all of their belongings and move to Los Angeles to make one last attempt at owning their own business. With the last of their savings, they opened The Cheesecake Factory Bakery and began selling Evelyn’s cheesecakes to restaurants throughout Los Angeles. Through hard work and determination their business grew to a modest size and Evelyn was soon baking more than 20 varieties of cheesecakes and other desserts.

With great foresight and intuition, their son David decided to open a restaurant to showcase his mother’s selection of cheesecakes. Somehow he just knew that guests would enjoy a restaurant with an extensive dessert menu. It was 1978 and he opened the first The Cheesecake Factory restaurant in Beverly Hills, CA. The restaurant was an immediate success and today there are nearly 200 The Cheesecake Factory restaurants around the world that share the Overton’s commitment to quality and spirit of innovation and hard work.

These week I treated us, my darling Ash and myself to lunch there. As always we were not disappointed.

Why a Patties'n Pasta Party is Perfect!

Pasta is probably every epicure's delight because of it's versatility, it's ease of preparation, and because it's so satisfying.  Nothing will fill you up like a bowl of good pasta, served with either cheese, sauce, or both.  

Probably second to rice, pasta is every cooks staple when planning any variety of meals.  Some people are afraid of cooking rice, unless it comes with instructions right on the box.  But with pasta you will rarely mess up.  You just bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and oil each, and voila!  You're good to go!  Just check to make sure you don't overlook it and it's done. I love my pasta al dente. Most pasta cooks in 8-10 minutes.  It's as easy as all that.  

Nowadays however, it seems a lot of people are on gluten-free diets. I happen to be one of them. I have found many varieties of gluten-free pastas to choose from. There is a rice flour, potato flour, rice flour, and even others like garbanzo flour. All of which work perfectly. 

For me the best is a mix of rice and potato. Its taste is the closest to regular pasta.  Some of these gluten-free pastas have a transparent look, feel lighter, and go perfectly with your favorite homemade sauces and gourmet cheeses. 

So go ahead and indulge your taste buds.  Pour piping hot homemade sauce over your pasta.  Sprinkle shredded cheese and herbs like oregano, basil or dried cilantro, and drizzle a good amount of extra virgin oil over it.  And serve that pasta with your favorite cheese-topped patties.  We chose oven-baked and mozzarella-topped Bubba turkey patties.  Add a mixed green salad for more healthy options.

Oh, and don't forget to serve with a nice glass of wine. White or red, you can't go wrong. Bono apetit!

 

Snap Krackle 'n Pop!: Why you should visit Florence, Tuscany...

Snap Krackle 'n Pop!: Why you should visit Florence, Tuscany...: Tuscany is like a great bottle of wine: lovingly created and carefully aged, and the longer you spend contemplating it, the better it gets...

Snap Krackle 'n Pop!: Our Cocina prides itself on healthy cooking.

Snap Krackle 'n Pop!: Our Cocina prides itself on healthy cooking.: Quinoa Mac'n Cheese with garlicky Collard Greens Luscious Quinoa Mac'n Cheese While we are a Cocina Criolla for the ...

Why you should visit Florence, Tuscany...

Tuscany is like a great bottle of wine: lovingly created and carefully aged, and the longer you spend contemplating it, the better it gets. With each visit, you fall a little more in love with its rich hues, unforgettable personality and sheer beauty.  

Filippo Bartoletta, wine enthusiast and travel writer.

Among so many other things, Tuscany is known for its utopic landscapes, its artistic treasures, and its influence on high culture.  Regarded as the birthplace of the Renaissance, innumerable influential figures in the arts and sciences throughout the ages have been proud to call it home.   With such well-known museums as the Uffizi and the Pitti Palace, it is an artist’s paradise.   As producer of some of the world’s finest wines such as Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and Morellino di Scansano, connoisseurs of wine, as well as epicureans, continuously flock to the area in search of gustatory highs.   With such a strong linguistic and cultural identity, Tuscany is considered a nation within a nation.   It has over 120 protected nature reserves.   Seven of its localities have been designated as World Heritages Sites, making Tuscany and its capital Florence one of the most popular of tourist attractions worldwide.

Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is considered the "Athens of Europe".

Panoramic view of Piazza della Signora

It is the birthplace of the Renaissance. 

Some of the best wines such Chianti and Montepulciano are found here. There are acres upon acres of grape growing with beautiful wineries for wine tasting.

Partial view of Piazza della Signora

Leonardo and Michelangelo were born here and you can see their many works throughout the city.

Leonardo's birthplace

Some of the world best museums are found here: the Ufizzi is a must visit. Spend an entire day lost in the arts.

the Piazza at night......

Statues and fountains abound everywhere. 

Equestrian Statue of Cosimo I de' Medici - head of the Florence Republic in 1537

There are so many beautiful churches and you won't want to miss any.   

The rich Florentine cuisine is based on fresh produce from local farms. 

Plan your next vacation to Florence. You'll be so glad you did. 

Palazzo Vecchio

Our Cocina prides itself on healthy cooking.

Quinoa Mac'n Cheese with garlicky Collard Greens

Luscious Quinoa Mac'n Cheese

While we are a Cocina Criolla for the most part, we are about healthy eating. So growing up eating rice and beans the loving creations of so many generations of serving wholesome meals with little or no dessert, we are no strangers to healthy eating.

Clockwise: Pastel de Guineo (Green Banana), Arroz con Habichuelas  (red beans) and a salad of assorted lentils, lettuce and tomato - Courtesy: Elba Santiago

Recently since being diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a condition that is linked to poor eating habits, I decided to give sugar, gmo, and gluten-free foods a closer look. 

Galicky Collard Greens, seasoned, and sauted in olive oil.....

I must admit, I have found hope.  Hope in a healthier and longer life free of pain and fatigue. But what's really exciting is that that these foods can be just as delicious as our moms and grandmother's typical dishes. 

Voila!

Take for example,  the Quinoa Macaroni and Cheese.  

Ancient Harvest Quinoa found in most supermarkets

As the above states, quinoa is being touted as the "super grain of the future" and with good reason!  Trust me, my highly discerning palate did not taste anything but a yummy creamy flavor.  And I did not feel cheated—after my serving of Mac'n Cheese I felt full.   Ancient Harvest is rich and creamy, gluten-free, organic, non-GMO, and delicious.  So next time you're out shopping, pick up a box or two and see for yourself.  You may never go back to regular mac'n cheese.