All the recipes by the chef Gordon Ramsay
Do you know your trigger foods? I learned about them from my friend Roberta who does Weight Watchers. Trigger foods are the ones you just can’t stop eating. They trigger your binge reflex, or something. Usually they are foods that contain some combination of refined sugar, fats and salt, and theoretically if you can identify your problem foods, you can eat healthier by keeping them out of your life, and your cupboards, as much as possible. They can be a specific food, like Fritos, or a larger class of food, like ice cream.
Ive known for a long time now that one of my little problem areas is chips. Chips of all kinds. I don’t stop until the bag is empty, and if you set a bowl of them in front of me, I’ll embarrass myself. Although I’m pretty good about not buying them, I make an exception when we have friends over. And sometimes I think I might even invite people over on a Friday night just to have an excuse to buy a few bags. (sick, isn’t it?) So in my case these crunchy sweet potato wedges are a little bit of delicious rehab.
Sweet potatoes are available in several colors, ranging from deep orange, to pale creamy yellow. Sometimes the dark orange variety is mis-labeled as yams, but they are actually sweet potatoes. True yams are a large starchy white root vegetable and you pretty much have to go to Africa to find them. You can use any color sweet potatoes for this recipe.
Raw sweet potatoes are surprisingly dense; you’ll need a large heavy knife to slice them into wedges, and be careful!
Dips can get so predictable, but the bright lemongrass and ginger flavor of this one sets it apart. The inspiration recipe calls for a base of creme fraiche, but oddly my store didn’t carry it, so I substituted Crema Mexicana, which is basically the same thing. You could easily use Greek yogurt or sour cream, too.
Sweet Potato Spears with Lemongrass Dip
serves4
oven to 400F
3 sweet potatoes (try to find evenly shaped ones, not too twisted or crooked)
olive oil for brushing
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
3/4 tsp sea salt
fresh cracked pepper to taste
1 Serrano or jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
for the Lemongrass Dip:
1 stalk lemongrass
3/4 cup creme fraiche, Crema Mexicana, sour cream, or Greek yogurt
zest and juice of 1 lime
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled
1/2 tsp sea salt
One year ago today—
Finally – homemade brownies that are just as rich and fudgy as ones from a mix! Topped with a smattering of sea salt, these brownies will put a smile on people with a sweet tooth as well as those whose usually prefer salty snacks.
I was planning to save these brownies until next week since they’re kind of Valentine-y, but I couldn’t wait one more second to share them with you. Seriously, these brownies are ridiculously good. Without question, they’re the best homemade brownies I’ve ever eaten.
I’ve been on a pretty serious brownie kick this winter, but until I came up with this recipe I relied on box mix. I know, I know… but I also know I’m not alone on this one. Pretty much everyone I know says they prefer box mix, and I get it. Homemade brownies just never seem to stack up: they’re too cakey and they don’t get that delicious crispy-crackly layer of goodness on top. Until now.
I studied the ingredient list on my favorite box mix brownies and did a ton of research. These were the result, and they’re incredible. Better than the box, if I say so myself!
I started by making my own cake flour by mixing Gold Medal all purpose flour with cornstarch. My cabinets are so stuffed that there just isn’t enough room in there for another kind of flour, but doing this helps keep the brownies incredibly tender and delicate. Corn syrup might seem like a strange addition, but it’s the secret to making these brownies insanely fudgy (if there was such a thing as a brownie that’s too fudgy, these might be cutting it close). I also added some instant coffee, which is something I love to do with most chocolate desserts. It adds a touch of bitterness that makes the chocolate seem even richer.
Then, as though all of that wasn’t enough, I topped them with a smattering of vanilla salt. Total over-the-top goodness!
Chocolate Brownies with Vanilla Salt
Author: Lauren Keating
Serves: 16
Ingredients
Preparation
Notes
To make vanilla salt, combine 2 tablespoons of coarse sea salt with 1 scraped vanilla bean. Store in an airtight container along with the bean pod.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 162 Fat: 6.4 Carbohydrates: 26.9 Fiber: 1.4 Protein: 2.2
3.2.2265
This post was sponsored by Gold Medal Flour. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep me inspired in the kitchen!
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