A Trip to Floripa Part 1: Fitness & Desserts

Thanks so much for all the well wishes regarding my trip. It was a wonderful holiday filled with lots of excitement and equal amounts of relaxation. I have so much to share that it was hard to decide where to start. I thought I would tell you a little bit about the event that took us to Florianopolis and then finish this post off with some food highlights by having a little dessert first.

Floripa (the local nickname) is an island off the state of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil. It is an area that combines a major city with secluded beaches, and is a very diverse place for travel. South American tourists flock there in summer months, usually from December until Carnival in February.

Not being one for huge crowds I really like the off-season there. Last time we traveled in November which was closer to tourist season than our trip this time. Unfortunately you do sacrifice a bit for the peace and quiet this time of year can bring. Many restaurants close up for the season or are only open on the weekends. However, as you will see, we didn’t have trouble finding some amazing food.

The reason for our travel was that my husband participated in the Volta á Ilha, a 150km relay around the island. It was an exciting event! The company he works for had one team of seven (which my husband was on) and one team of eight to run in the race.

The course goes from road, to sand dunes, to beaches, to mountains. It is certainly an adventure and last Saturday it became more of an adventure than most of the participants were expecting. The day started out in pouring rain, but my husband managed to finish his first leg in record time. The team was doing really great overall until early afternoon.

The rain and rising tide caused water to collect in the dunes along the course and wash out the check points. At certain places along the way the runners had to wade through waist deep water! This slowed them down, of course. Actually the second company team had to drop out. Things got pretty stressful for those of us waiting at the finish line at the end of the night.

The event was started at 6:45 am (earlier by others) and had to be finished by 8:00 pm. This meant the last three runners, including my husband, had to make some great times on their final legs. The excitement was amazing as we saw them coming down the finish lane. They completed the race with 7 seconds to spare!! How awesome is that? I was so proud of him and the rest of the team. They worked so hard!

Here are a few pictures of the event. First, my husband finishing his first leg in the pouring rain, next a check point on the beach and some runners completing the beach portion of the 12th leg, then another check point on the beach. I don’t have any great pictures of the finish line because it was dark, but I assure you there was plenty of celebration. Many teams crossed the finish line with Brazilian beer in hand!

I have so much great food to share with you along with details of our vacation portion of the trip. I thought I would kick it off with dessert. I think you can tell by my blog that I’ve come across some great desserts in Brazil. This trip I encountered some that have quickly become my favorites.

This tart is from a French bakery in Curitiba. We spent the night there to break up our 11 hour drive. At first, this may not seem too rare, but chocolate chips are really hard to come by. I have never seen them where we are living.

This tart had a chocolate cookie crust and was filled with a banana cake topped with walnuts and chocolate chips. The best part was that it wasn’t overly sweet. The banana wasn’t strong at all which made the nuts and chocolate really shine through.

Next, was the refreshing Crème de Morango. This is a spinoff of Crème de Papaya which is very common in Brazil. The papaya version includes the fruit mixed with ice cream and topped with Crème de Cassis liqueur.

We chose to branch out and try morango (strawberry) this time and were not disappointed. It tasted like a fresh, homemade strawberry ice cream straight from an old-fashioned bucket with a hand crank.

My husband and I agree that this final dessert may be the best and most creative we have had in the country thus far. The combination of passion fruit (maracujá) and chocolate is a delicious one and we ordered this dessert knowing it came with passion fruit sorbet and a brownie. This is what we got…

A passion fruit hallowed out and filled with a creamy and tart sorbet. Next to it and incredibly rich and fudge like brownie with nuts. Along the outside is the sweetened pulp of passion fruit with the crunchy seeds. Both the flavor and the presentation were impressive!

I still have a lot left to cover including the seafood feasts we enjoyed, pictures of the island and some German food and beer right out of southern Brazil. More to come tomorrow!

Beaches and Seafood

I’m headed off to do a little traveling in this diverse and interesting country. I had hoped to get some more posts up this week, but I simply ran out of time.

Next week, I will be back to blogging and will share with you some adventures of beaches and seafood from Florianópolis, Brazil. You will likely get a few fitness related notes too, as my husband is all set to run in the Volta á Ilha – a 150 km relay around the island. In addition, I’m looking forward to experiencing some of the German culture that is so prevalent in the south when we stop in Blumenau.

We took a trip to Florianopolis in 2007 so here is just a little preview of the reports and foodie fun you can expect next week. See you then!!

Praia Brava - Where we stayed on our first trip.

Sequência de camarão (Sequence of Shrimp) - A seafood feast!

Chocolate Shop - We stopped by on the drive. They had soccer balls made of chocolate. Big surprise in a futebol loving country.

Praia Mole - A great place to climb off all the food.

Setting My Own Guidelines

Lately my leisure reading time has been focused on the book Food Politics by Marion Nestle. The book is incredibly informative and revealing which is why I tend to cringe a bit each time I pick it up and progress through yet another chapter.

I have to admit that learning more and more about how food companies influence our government and the research which guides our nutritional guidelines as a country is discouraging. I would argue that it is even more discouraging to someone like me.

Why? Well, because I spent seven years of my life studying this very information; learning it backward and forward so that I could guide others in eating well and improving their personal wellness.

I wasn’t oblivious to the influences of corporations and food producers while in school. To be familiar with the USDA or work for them (indirectly) like I did, you know that food is an incredibly political topic which is influenced by many different powerful forces and talking dollars.

Marion Nestle’s book just takes things a step further for me and page after page I am continuously amazed by the fact that what we are told to eat is largely controlled, in one way or another, by food companies.

Don’t worry. I haven’t given up complete hope. I’ve known enough researchers at the university level to trust that there are people in this world who are focused on nutrition for the good of people despite the funding influences of companies.

I still think general dietary guidelines are a good place to start. I speak specifically of eating more fruits and veggies, whole grains and healthy fats. Those are all good things. What does bother me is the fact that some of the servings and suggestions of nutrients we need have ever so slightly been increased a bit to please the companies who produce such foods with those nutrients.

I’ve often felt that standards are bit high when it comes to nutrients. We seem to have reached a point where people feel they cannot get the nutrients they need without taking a fiber supplement or a vitamin of some sort. I get so disgusted with a certain fiber supplement commercial which suggests that the actor can’t possible get enough fiber from food alone or they would be forced to eat all day.

Aren’t we eating all day anyway? I think it is more the fact that we are eating the wrong foods.

I refuse to believe that we cannot get the nutrients we need from food alone. I don’t feel our bodies were designed to rely on artificial sources. It is about eating real food in the form and from the development that nature intended.

So I started thinking, since I’m having all these concerns about what other people are telling me to eat, perhaps I should come up with a set of guidelines for myself; things that I should strive to do when it comes to eating.

So here you have my personal dietary guidelines.

Reduce (preferably eliminate) all artificial and chemical sweeteners.

Use natural sweeteners most often such as honey and maple syrup.

Choose meats and dairy from humanely treated animals who consume the foods that nature intended them to eat. Don’t be afraid of the fats that come from these animals.

Choose local and in-season, naturally grown produce. Garden if you can.

Savor each bite. No excuses.

Celebrate food. It is meant to be enjoyed with others and represent family. There is nothing wrong with sharing in this practice together.

Make time to make your own food. Your health depends on it. Simplify your life to create more time for your health.

Eat from a variety of cultures and be adventurous with your food. Some countries have had it right for decades. Learn about their foods and see what you have been missing.

Avoid obsessing about guidelines. If you eat a variety of real foods from natural sources your body will get all of the nutrients it needs.

What are your personal guidelines? Have any to add?

This post has been submitted to Fight Back Fridays at Food Renegade.

Photo credit goes to my nature-loving niece, Abigail

Links to a Healthy Weekend

I hope things are well where ever you may be this Saturday!

I have had a really great week. Thanks for such a positive response to Mango Week and I’m looking forward to all your great mango recipes.

I’ve been asked if the badge can be used to share the recipe challenge on your own blog and the answer is – absolutely! I appreciate anything you do to invite others to participate.

I came across so many great articles and posts this week that cover topics from gardening to travel to content theft. The food and health web-world was overflowing with informative stuff!

The Nutrition Data Blog posted an article about What Growing Your Own Food Can Do for You. Yet another reason to garden in any way you can. I also read the blog Gardner to Farmer which was mentioned in this post. It provides a wealth of helpful info for those who are looking to get started.

Veggie Trader is a site I found through Twitter this week. You can use the site to trade, buy or sell produce with other growers in your area. Such a great idea! You can get rid of the some of the extras you might have and also get your hands on a variety of veggies you may not be able to grow yourself.

Food Lovers Like Me took a trip to Panama and shared her experiences with us this week through pictures. The fish and corn soup with guava punch look amazing!

Bitchin’ Avocado is a blog written by Allen who also blogs at Eating Out Loud. This week he provided a very helpful post about How to Trace What’s Copied from Your Blog. He spreads the word about a content tracer he’s used to track who copies text and pictures from his food blogs. Very interesting stuff!

Photo of Iguazu Falls, Argentina

Now It’s Your Turn: Mango Recipe Challenge

Now I finally get to reveal my motivation for hosting a Mango Week in the first place. For the past couple months I’ve been thinking about how I would love to share some of the foods I experience in Brazil with my readers and foodie friends.

My blog is almost one year old and I have yet to hold any kind of giveaway or contest. I've come to find the challenges and contests that take place in the blogging world to be a lot of fun.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that this is probably going to be the only time that I have the opportunity to share a tangible piece of my living abroad experience with you.

So, how would you like a little something from Brazil?

Today I am announcing the Mango Recipe Challenge!

You have the opportunity to submit your favorite mango recipe for a chance to win a box filled with some Brazilian goodies. I am traveling to the States in May and these things will be coming with me so this contest is open to all readers with a US address.

The Rules

Submit a recipe using mango in any way. If they are hard to find in your area you have some options. Frozen mango is allowed as well as mango nectar/juice. Feel free to be creative, and as always, the more natural, whole and less processed your recipe the better.

Email your submission to lori(at)fakefoodfree(dot)com and include the following information:

First Name:
Recipe Name:
Blog url:
Blog post url:
Picture: (about 450 x 340 px)

Feel free to use the logo above in your blog post. (If you don’t have a blog, just send your name, recipe and a picture.)

I have a lot of traveling coming up so I have an extended deadline for the challenge. All entries are due by Friday, May 22nd, 2009 at 12:00pm CST. Don’t worry! You’ll get lots of reminders along the way!

The Judging

All entries will be judged based on the following criteria:

Presence of mango (How prominent is the fruit and its flavor in your recipe?)
Creativity (As you can tell this week, I love unique!)
Use of real ingredients (Did you make your whipped topping? Is that crepe from scratch? You get the idea.)

Your entries will be judged by the Fake Food Free family. That is, all those in my family who I’ll be visiting back home that want to share in the judging, most likely me, my husband and my mom.

The winner will be announced on May 25th, 2009 with the prize shipped soon after.

The Prize

The winner will receive a box of food related items from southern Brazil. Oh how I wish I could send you a bunch of fresh produce, but unfortunately I have to make it through US customs with these things in my suitcase. Therefore you can expect some popular packaged foods as well as some unique ingredients. Don’t worry. For any random ingredient I send you I will also send you a translated recipe in which to use it.

So, are you interested?

I sincerely hope you will participate. Not only is it fun to give this stuff away, but I can’t wait to have a whole list of new recipes for my mangos!


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Grilled Cheese Pageant: Arugula & Pear Grilled Cheese

I hope you will allow me this slight interruption to Mango Week.

Earlier in the week I came across the Grilled Cheese Pageant on the blog Panini Happy and knew I had to enter.

I’ve been reading this blog for a few months now and if you love warm, Panini sandwiches as much as I do you need to head over and check it out. It is full of wonderful ideas and beautiful pictures.

Variations of the grilled cheese have been a go-to meal for me since we’ve been living abroad. It is quick, easy and requires no heating of the oven which in turn heats up our already hot apartment. In addition, a little creativity takes the traditional grilled cheese a long way so it is fun to play with different combinations.

I went to our Japanese market this week and picked up some baby arugula and a couple pears. On the walk back I stopped in the bakery and purchased some of the wonderful Pão Francês (Brazilian French Bread) that is so plentiful here. Once I arrived home, I decided that the combination would go perfectly with some smoked provolone I had in the fridge.

So this creation serves as my entry into the Panini Happy Grilled Cheese Pageant. If you are interested in entering, you still have time. The deadline is tomorrow at noon PDT.

Arugula & Pear Grilled Cheese

1 small French bread, split
1/3 cup smoked provolone, shredded
1 small handful of baby arugula
½ medium pear sliced

Spread cheese on both pieces of bread. Place the top on the skillet to help melt the cheese. Once it begins to melt place the arugula on one side and the pear on the other.

Put sandwich together and continue to grill until the rest of the cheese is melted, arugula is wilted and pear is warmed through. Place a piece of foil on top and press with the bottom of a smaller skillet if desired.

I will be back tomorrow to finalize Mango Week and announce my very first recipe contest! I hope you’ll stop by!

The Roma

I wouldn’t say that the sandwich is a popular item with locals where we live in Brazil, but they are offered at most cafes and juice shops. Since I’m not one to enjoy sitting down to a plate of rice, beans and red meat for lunch on a hot day, I truly appreciate the attempt to offer the sandwich as a culinary choice and I've been introduced to a lot of new fillings and combinations.

There is a juice and sandwich shop in town called Jungle Juice. They serve excellent juices, açaí in a bowl and some tasty sandwiches. The first time we stopped by there one sandwich caught my attention and it has been my favorite ever since – The Roma.

I should probably tell you that if the quesadilla from yesterday was a bit out of your comfort zone regarding the use of a mango, this one might be too. The stars of the Roma sandwich are chicken, gorgonzola cheese and mango. I originally tried it because I wanted to be adventurous, and I was not expecting how wonderful this combination turned out to be.

The sandwich is served warm and I must admit that my recreation does need some practice. My version was good, but not exactly like the one at the restaurant. The lessons I learned include: 1) It needs mayonnaise. 2) The mango needs to be very ripe and very sweet.

I’m really not a big fan of mayo. I rarely get it on my sandwiches, however, to this particular sandwich it adds the moisture needed to make it more palatable. When it mixes with the gorgonzola it really takes away the identifiable mayo flavor.

The sweetness of the mango balances the saltiness of the cheese. The combination is excellent; much like what you get from gorgonzola and pears. However, the cheese is strong, so the mango needs to be very ripe and sweet to compete with that flavor.

Interested to try it?

The Roma Sandwich

2 French rolls or pieces of baguette (I used some whole wheat sandwich rolls this time)
1 ½ cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
2 to 3 ounces gorgonzola cheese
1 mango, chopped
Mayo to taste

First, toast the bread in the oven until it is nicely browned and set aside. You can do this while you are putting the sandwich fillings together.

In a skillet, heat the chicken. Toss in the mango and heat through. Next crumble the gorgonzola and add it to the skillet. Stir to heat and melt the cheese so that it is incorporated into the chicken and mango. Salt and pepper to taste if desired.

Spread a little bit of mayo on the toasted bread and fill each sandwich roll with ½ of the chicken filling. Serve warm.

Sweet and Spicy Mango Quesadilla

Yesterday I mentioned a certain class in grad school which always brings back memories of my initial interest in the mango. It just so happened that in this same class there was also a woman whose family owned a restaurant in a nearby town.

We would often get into class conversations about food while waiting for the instructor to show up and my ears always perked up when she started talking. For me, owns restaurant translates to - has some great food ideas and recipes.

As we were nearing the end of the semester and summer around the corner she mentioned her favorite snack to make was a mango, jalapeno quesadilla. I was intrigued from the moment I heard those words. There is no better combination for me than that of sweet and spicy. Add some warm, gooey cheese to that and the dish is nearing perfection.

I have kept that combo in my mind for what seems like years and I finally got around to giving it a try.

Wow! What an amazing creation!

The sweet mango cools the flavorful heat of the jalapenos. The salty cheese balances out the flavors. The slightly toasted tortilla only adds to the complex texture.

I used a cheese here that is very similar to a Colby back home. I could definitely see Cheddar working well or if you like even more heat maybe a Pepper Jack.

Sweet and Spicy Mango Quesadilla

Large flour tortilla
1/2 cup mango, sliced or diced
1/4 cup cheese
Jalapenos, sliced or diced (from the jar, but fresh could work too)

Place tortilla in a warm skillet (use a little butter if desired) and top with ingredients. Fold in half and toast on each side until slightly browned and cheese is melted.

Mango Week!

I can remember my reaction when I first heard that the mango is considered the most popular fruit in the world. It was something along the lines of, “Really?”

I guess I found it a little unbelievable because in the US we tend to get caught up in our apples, oranges and bananas.

However, when you look at fruit from a world view and realize how huge production and consumption of the mango are, it is not surprising at all that this sweet, orange fruit comes in at number one.

The mango is native to southern Asia, specifically to parts of India. Now it can be found growing in numerous areas of the world which have a warm climate including Thailand, Brazil, Mexico, Philippines and even in Florida and parts of California in the US.

I remember a nutrition course I took in grad school for which I had a TA from India. Our professor was very much a believer in experiencing and understanding the foods of other cultures so at the end of the semester she took the class out to an Indian restaurant. Our TA was able to explain all of the dishes to us and at that dinner I remember her telling us that there were over 500 varieties of mangos in India.

This was something I couldn’t even comprehend. At that time I think apples were the only fruit I knew to have multiple varieties expect for maybe green and red grapes or Florida versus California oranges. Of course, her statement was correct and some sources estimate varieties closer to 1000.

I’ve seen several different kinds of mangos here in Brazil, but have found my favorite to be the Tommy, or more accurately the Tommy Atkins variety. This variety is also one of few that are grown in Florida.

Prior to moving here, on the rare occasion that a mango made its way into my grocery cart, I had no idea what kind I was buying. However at the markets I frequent now, they are clearly labeled. I don’t notice much of a difference in flavor or texture except that the Tommy seems be just a little bit sweeter than others I’ve tried. It is simply the variety that is most often available and affordable where we are living.

So what am I getting at with all of this mango talk?

Well, I’ve decided to declare this Mango Week at Fake Food Free. I’ve got a few recipes I want to share with you. One I developed on my own, one was put together based on an idea from a former classmate and another I’ve recreated from a sandwich I enjoy at a local shop where we are living.

I know that mangos aren’t always readily available for everyone. In fact, at the moment they are a bit difficult to get here and the prices are higher. However, as the temperatures warm up in the northern hemisphere summer and mangos, or mango flavored treats, tend to go hand in hand.

So I hope you’ll come back this week to check out some of my favorite ways to use mangos and on Friday I will be announcing my very first recipe contest with a rare prize that would be hard to come by elsewhere.

I am kicking off the week by sharing my Mango Coconut Oatmeal. Sweetened by the flesh of the mango and flavored with a touch of coconut milk this recipe turns oatmeal, often reserved for cold mornings, into a breakfast perfect for warmer weather.

Mango Coconut Oatmeal

¼ cup steel cut oats
1 cup water
1 mango, chopped
1 tablespoon coconut milk
1 tablespoon, unsweetened, shredded coconut

Cook the steel cut oats according to directions and preferences. I let mine soak in the water for about a ½ hour and then on medium heat I slowly bring them to a boil. I reduce the heat and allow them to cook for about 20 minutes. At this point they reach my desired constancy and the oats still have a bit of a bite to them.

About 5 minutes before the oats are fully cooked, add in half of the diced mango. Stir the mango into the oats smashing it into more of a pulp as it is heated. Add in the coconut milk.

Transfer the oats to a serving bowl and top them with the remaining chopped mango and sprinkle with coconut.

Links to a Healthy Weekend: Happy Easter!!

Given how much I love Easter, this is a very happy Saturday for me! I was able to do some reading this week and this is what I found well worth sharing. Wherever you are and whatever holidays you celebrate I hope you have a blessed and beautiful weekend!

Low-fat yogurt: why bother? is a post by Eric Burkett, Food Examiner. He reviewed several of the additives in low-fat yogurt which I was aware of, but still found his post very informative. I started exploring fuller fat yogurts after reading The Fat Fallacy by Will Clower. I have to say I really don’t enjoy the fat free, sugar free versions any longer.

Every Kitchen Table featured a post about Unsustainable food. After reading Omnivore’s Dilemma this topic has really consumed me. I find myself craving more and more information so I can increase my knowledge as a consumer and health advocate.

Selby’s Food Corner showed off some of the most adorable Easter cupcakes I have seen. It is amazing what she can do with fondant!

Eating Out Loud shared about using natural dyes to decorate Easter eggs. I loved this! I’m always looking for more ways to create color without using artificial food coloring. A great way to have a more natural Easter. Now, what do about all that candy? Have to say I’m leaning towards enjoying in moderation because I am craving some jelly beans!

Lovely Limes

If you give me the choice of a lemon or a lime, I’ll likely choose the lime every time. This goes for the twist I put in my sparkling water as well as for flavors in desserts.

I just happen to be in the world’s most perfect place for a lime lover. I might mention that this is a good thing since there are no lemons where we live in Brazil.

I’m not sure about other areas of the country, but most people here really aren’t familiar with lemon. Many of the (Brazilian) English teachers we have met translate limão to lemon, but this is not correct. Limão is a lime, not a lemon so we try to clear up this confusion when we get the chance.

My appreciation for the lovely limes here came to mind on Wednesday night as I shopped at the local farmer’s market in town. Many of the vendors there sell a variety of items. For example, a booth that has lettuce will also have carrots and herbs. However, there is this one particular booth manned by an older couple and the product they offer is limes, just limes.

These are some of the largest, brightest limes I’ve ever come across. I buy from them every week and I am amazed each time they place my bag on the scale and tell me the price. This week I paid 30 centavos for these limes. That is less than fifteen cents. Fifteen cents for five beautiful limes! That is a far cry from the 44 cents each I saw on my last trip in the US.

I’m typically a lover of rich and heavy desserts, but I have found since being around all this fresh lime juice my dessert preferences here in Brazil are very different. I love the variety of desserts using lime and my favorite is the Torta de Limão, Lime Pie. It’s sort of like a Key Lime pie, yet that still doesn’t adequately describe it. It is something that I will likely always associate with Brazil.

There is a catch, though. I have had Torta de Limão that I didn’t care for. As you probably guessed, this dessert calls for sweetened condensed milk (what would a dessert in Brazil be without it?). Some varieties use too much milk and not enough lime for my tastes. I like that tart, almost bitter flavor and prefer that the sweet flavor doesn’t take over.

One of my favorites has been the one I’m picturing here. An individual serving we picked up at a local bakery. So no, I didn’t make this, but I did take the photo. Isn’t it beautiful?

The truth is, I’ve never made Torta de Limão, or at least I haven’t yet. I do, however, have the recipe.

After just a few months of living here a girl in town contacted me through my ex-pat blog. She taught at an English school, it was Thanksgiving time and she wanted a recipe for pumpkin pie. I was happy to help, but secretly wanted something of my own out of the deal. I asked her for a recipe for Torta de Limão.

She shared with me her recipe for Lime Mousse. This is the filling for the pie and can be eaten by itself if you so desire. To turn it into pie form, use your favorite pie crust and bake it through. Add this filling, and then you can top it with meringue. Pop it in the oven to brown or dry the meringue and there you have it. It is similar to any meringue topped pie although served room temperature or cold.

I should mention that here, they often use a packaged whipping cream instead of the beaten egg whites. This browns up nicely and is creamier, but I really don’t know what the equivalent would be in the US. I’m not sure if whipped cream would brown up/harden or not.

Also, aside from this little one I’ve showed you, the torta I have come across here don’t resemble pie in the US. The crust is typically made in a tart pan so the whole dessert is rather flat and thin, not like our deep dish pies in the States.

Mousse de Limão

1 can of sweetened milk
1 can of creme de leite (Her description: “It's like sour cream but less sour.” I’m not sure we have an equivalent in the States. Maybe crème fraiche?)
1 cup of fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)

Mix in a blender until gains a firm appearance. It can be refrigerated before eaten or use it to put together your own Torta de Limão.

Chocolate and…more chocolate

Knowing how much I adore chocolate my brother had been telling me about a Truffle Cake he had tried making recently. When I was home a little over a month ago, he finally had the opportunity to make it for me.

This cake defies all previous thoughts you have had about how rich a dessert can be. It is amazing! With only three ingredients, it is basically like a huge dark chocolate bar in the shape of a cake. There is nothing light about it.

While this time of year tends to be one for fruity, spring-like desserts, for me it is also a time for chocolate. Easter and chocolate go hand in hand in my book so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to share my brother’s master piece.

The recipe comes from one of those Woman’s Day special edition magazines that pop up in the supermarket check-out aisle now and again. I also found it online. The main difference is that my brother used a spring-form pan which worked out nicely.

I will warn you now this is one of those desserts where you know you can only handle a tiny sliver because it is so rich. However, about an hour later you think – mmm, another sliver sounds good about now. This could go on all night so be sure you have plenty of people to share it with!

Truffle Cake
Adapted from Woman’s Day Special: 1-2-3 Meals. Available online AOL food.

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 sticks unsalted butter
6 eggs, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease or spray an 8 inch spring-form pan. Cut a piece of wax paper the size of the pan, grease and place in the bottom.

Melt chocolate chips and butter. Beat eggs in a separate bowl for about 7 minutes. Fold in the chocolate and pour into the pan.

Place the spring-form pan inside another, larger pan and place in the oven. Fill the larger pan with enough boiling water to reach halfway up the outside of the spring-form pan. Lay a piece of foil over the top of the cake pan.

Bake 40 minutes, remove and let cool on a wire rack. Then cover and refrigerate until firm. Remove the outside of the pan and place the cake on a serving platter.

Thoughts on Easter

I begin this Holy Week with a lot of reflection. Easter has been my favorite holiday for as long as I can remember. I do realize I say this about a lot of holidays throughout the year, but Easter truly is my very favorite.

Aside from the religious meaning for me, Easter brings about thoughts of simplicity, peace and happiness. Even if I wake up to a rainy Sunday morning there is a sound to the birds chirping and a smell in the air that reflects new life. I consider myself lucky to have always lived in a place with four distinct seasons (except for right now, of course). I really wouldn’t have it any other way. I love the change that is brought about by Easter and spring.

My memories of Easter as a child were nothing but warm and fuzzy. This was the holiday that we almost always received an animal – a bunny, a chicken and one year even a new lamb.

In addition, my mom loved playing a bit of hide and seek with us early on Easter morning. The gorgeous baskets she would put together with candy and toys were never left out in plain sight. We always had to work to find their hiding place.

After finding the basket and consuming massive amounts of sugar in record time, we would then make our way out to the yard. Each year on Saturday we would build a nest outside consisting of three sticks and some grass. This was a bit of a tradition with the nest-making responsibility being passed down through my brothers. I remember being happy when I was the only sibling left in the house and making the nest became my official job. This is where the Easter Bunny would always leave plastic eggs filled with a little bit of money.

Once the excitement came to a close around the house and some time spent in church concluded, later in the day we would head off to my grandma’s house to have a big meal and an Easter egg hunt with my cousins.

Maybe my fond memories are the reason Easter still remains so important to me today. When I think about Easter in relationship to other holidays I can’t help but compare it to Christmas. Although it isn’t supposed to be, Christmas is often filled with things more commercialized and stressful for me. Easter has always been about peacefulness and nature. Yes, I know chocolate and eggs are a bit commercialized as well, but there was a lot of family mixed in there; a connection overriding that which I feel at Christmas.

As I was considering my thoughts on Easter my mind went directly to food. Of course with Lent leading up to the big day, I am always ready for my basket filled with chocolate and I enjoy it thoroughly. However, my weeks before Easter are spent in thoughtful reflection and sacrifice. On the other hand, I spend weeks planning, baking and cooking in preparation for Christmas. Such a difference; a difference I’ve learned to truly appreciate.

So this week I won’t be doing a whole lot of baking, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have treats already lined up. I’m thinking about satisfying my chocolate craving from a visual perspective by sharing a chocolate truffle cake my brother made for me recently. Then as the weekend approaches I will be attempting croissants made from scratch to be enjoyed on Easter morning. This will be my first shot at making this delicate treat. Wish me luck!

Does Easter hold a special significance for you? How do you prepare for or celebrate the holiday?

Links to a Healthy Weekend

Happy Saturday! I hope it is a beautiful day wherever you are. The sun is shining bright here and the temperature is supposed to get near 90 F this weekend. Not exactly fall here yet, but I have my fingers crossed that soon we will have some cooler weather and it will stick around.

Here are a few things I found this week that I just had to pass on. One of them isn’t so positive, but is definitely worth mentioning. It will make you want to work even harder at spreading the word about healthy living.
See you next week!

Food Renegade had an inspiring interview with Nina Planck author of Real Food: What to Eat and Why. I especially liked reading the part about her journey from meat eater to vegan and then to a consumer of a natural diet incorporating animal products again. I haven’t read her book yet, but I will the first chance I get.

31 Flavors? Think outside the carton, homemade ice cream lovers was an article by David Lebovitz in the LA Times this week. His ideas really got the wheels turning in my head regarding homemade ice cream creativity. I loved the idea of using Greek yogurt.

My Year Without Sugar posted a recipe for Curry Squash Soup with some unique ingredients like spelt flour and apple juice. One thing that I’ve really enjoyed regarding produce selection in Brazil is that squash and pumpkin are year round foods here. I like being able to take advantage of the great flavors more than two months a year.

Here’s the not-so-positive one. The Fight for Fitness posted about the Fifth Third Burger that has popped up into the news recently. I think it is safe to say that most of us are disgusted by this. I mean, everything in moderation if you want an appropriately portioned burger, have it. I just don’t understand the need for people to come up with massive portions to prove the point that they can contradict healthy living.

I guess they just need a big pat on the back and a "good for you". Unfortunately for them it is really quite easy to be unhealthy in our society so they aren't proving much of anything. Eating real food that tastes good and is good for you is something worth being proud of.

More Brazilian Dessert: Canjica

Did you know that hominy comes in another form besides the can? I didn’t. I thought hominy was simply that puffed up, wet, white corn kernel sold at the grocery store in the same spot as other canned corns. I had even used it once or twice in a pork-based chili dish.

I was reading Pink Bites a few weeks ago and came across a recipe for Canjica, a sweet dish common in southern Brazil. My first thought was – wow, I didn’t realize hominy existed in the dry form. My next thought was – I actually think I’ve had that before, but didn’t know the name. That happens a lot for me.

Corn is abundant here and not in the same processed, chemical way it is slipped into packaged foods in the US. I’m talking the ground, steamed or recipe ingredient way. There is a least one restaurant here completely devoted to all things corn and one of the items on their menu is canjica.

Canjica is both the name for the dry hominy as well as for the dish itself. It is a dessert similar to a sweet rice pudding. It combines sweetened condensed milk with the flavors of coconut and around here it has peanuts mixed in. You will need whole milk, coconut milk and unsweetened shredded coconut in addition to the sweetened condensed milk. Cinnamon and cloves are the star spices in this dish.

I won’t copy the recipe here since you can head over to Pink Bites and see her version and translation as Hominy and Coconut Pudding. She deserves full credit for my inspiration to try this dish.

I cut her recipe in half because I didn’t want it left around the apartment all week. I also skipped the peanuts. I know that is how it is traditionally made, but I wanted to simplify the flavors and enjoy the coconut. I also cooked mine a bit longer to get it thicker. I like a thicker consistency in my grain puddings.

You should be able to find the canjica at a Latin market in your area. Oh, and be sure to plan ahead as you will need to soak it overnight before getting started. It is a bit more labor intensive that a sweet rice, but completely worth it. The canjica itself gives a unique texture to the dish and then of course there is all the yummy creaminess of the milks. I like mine served warm and my husband likes his cold. It is really great both ways.

Revisiting Resolutions

Well, it is April. That makes it about three months since many of us discussed the things we were planning to improve on or achieve in this new year.

I think traditionally the expectation is that resolutions are forgotten by about March. This always seemed to be the trend when I worked in the gym. I think it had a lot to do with the fact that resolutions were forgotten AND spring break was over since I was usually working on a college campus. (i.e. no urgent need to look good in a bikini once spring break is over)

The last week or so, I’ve had my resolutions on my mind. I chose some that I really wanted to stick with this year. They were not my typical lose 10 lbs, eat more veggies, but these were things that I really care about and felt motivated (still do) to accomplish.

Let’s see how I’m doing. Thanks for holding me accountable, by the way.

Stay in the moment. It is going to be a busy year for us and I don’t want to get distracted looking ahead to the next step all the time. I want to remember to enjoy the present.

Um…I’m going to have to go with so-so on this. Among my resolutions I think this has been the hardest one. I have to admit I’m enjoying what I can in Brazil, but I also can’t wait to move back to the States and the adventures I will have again there as well. Note to self: I definitely need to work harder at staying in the moment.

Improve my running ability.

I’m proud to say that this one gets a check. I’ve been sticking with my program since mid-January without giving up. I’m planning to get in a 5K in May (I haven’t done one since we moved to Brazil in 07) and am looking at longer distances later in the year. Also, if you are a runner I’m looking into this event in Kentucky in October – The Bourbon Chase. I’m trying to form a team so if you are interested and located nearby or want to consider traveling in, let me know.

Get away from standard gym workouts and increase my exercise variety. I am taking squash racquets back to Brazil with us and I want to do more hiking.

Half check. My husband and I have been playing squash on the weekends and I love it. However, Saturday morning is our only option since the gym is closed Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday. So I have to admit that things can get in the way of our weekly meetings such as waiting for the Internet repair go to show up like last weekend. The hiking hasn’t been accomplished, but that is to come. This is something that will be much more accessible later this fall when we make our move back to the US.

Explore the option of getting back into teaching group exercise. Pilates and yoga instruction are starting to appeal to me more.

I’m still exploring ideas and I’m pretty sure I will get back into teaching later this fall. I just can’t progress with any certifications until then, but I am researching my options.

Expand my web writing and get an article in a print publication this year.

I’m getting there with this one. The book that I mentioned which will be a compilation of ideas from previous blog posts for Charity Mile focusing on planning fitness events will certainly be a print publication, but I had magazines in mind when I wrote this resolution. This month I will be focused on developing more article ideas and queries. My goal is a print pub by the end of July. I’ll let you know.

Your turn.

Do you still have your resolutions in the back of your mind? Which ones have you accomplished and which are you still working on?