Heirloom Tomato Toast

Finally: tomato season is in full swing!  The farmer’s market is bursting with the most beautiful array of heirloom tomatoes and I want to use them on everything. Besides simple summer salads & no-cook sauces, toast is my favorite way to eat tomatoes this time of year. 

They don’t need much – just some garlic, olive oil & a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. For tomorrow’s breakfast (and even lunch and dinner when it’s too hot to turn on the oven) this toast is your new go-to.

Ingredients

• 4 thick slices bread, toasted
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 3-4 medium sized heirloom tomatoes, sliced thin
• 2 tablespoons hempseeds
• Flaky sea salt, to taste
• Freshly cracked pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

 

Once bread is toasted & still warm, rub garlic clove over each slice. 

Layer heirloom tomatoes over each toast.

Top each slice with hempseeds, flaky sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. 

Drizzle over extra virgin olive oil before serving.

 

 

 

Mango Chile Lime Popsicles (Recipes)

 

The Skinny:

Servings: 6 • Size: 1 Popsicle • Calories: 70.6 • Fat: 0.4 g • Carb: 18.3 g • Fiber: 2.2 g • Protein: 0.6 g • Sugar: 15.6 g • Sodium: 4.5 mg

 

Ingredients:

3 Large Ripe Mangos, Peeled, Pitted & Cubed

3/4 Tsp. Chili Powder, Divided

1/8 Tsp. Cayenne, Divided

2 Tbsp. Water

2 Tbsp. Fresh Lime Juice

 

Directions:

 

 

 

Combine 1/3 of the cubed mango in a small bowl with 1/2 tsp. of the chile powder and about half of the cayenne.

 

 

Puree the other 2/3 of the mango, the remains of the chili powder and cayenne, water, and lime juice together in a food processor or blender until perfectly smooth.

 

 

 

Place about 2 tbsp. of the cubed mango mixture into the bottom of the popsicle mold and then top with the puree.

You may want to tap the mold carefully a few times on the countertop to help get rid of any air bubbles.

 

Place the popsicle sticks into the fruit.

Mine stood on their own and didn't need anything to help hold them up.

Freeze for 2-4 hours or until frozen solid.

 

Whole Roast Chicken

3 to 4 1/2-pound whole chicken

Kosher salt

Herbs and/or spices of your choice (used smoked hot paprika)

Extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 to 2 whole lemons, thinly sliced

12 to 14 small whole potatoes

Small bunch fresh rosemary

1 head of garlic, separated into individual cloves, skins on (more if you like)

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Remove the giblets from the cavity (if there are any) and set aside for later use. Pat the chicken dry inside and out with paper towels. Presalt the chicken (based on the amounts above) by sprinkling the salt all over the chicken's surface, including the back, thighs, and drumsticks, and a little in the cavity. Add other seasonings/herbs of your choice at this point as well. Arrange the salted chicken on a wire rack and set in a baking dish to catch any drippings. Refrigerate, ideally uncovered, or loosely with plastic wrap, for as little as 8 hours and up to 48 hours. 

Let the chicken sit at room temperature for an hour before roasting. If you like, you can squeeze the juice of a lemon or two and stuff the cavity with the rinds [reserve the juice for other uses]. You can also truss the bird if you desire (but it's not necessary), by tying the two drumsticks together with kitchen string.

In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper, and 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary. 

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in a large ovenproof skillet or gratin pan. Place the chicken on top of the lemon slices and tuck the wing tips back, so they are secure under the neck bone. Rub 2 teaspoons of olive olive over the breasts and legs. Scatter the potatoes and garlic cloves around the pan. Place a few whole sprigs of rosemary in the pan as well. Roast the chicken with the legs facing toward the back of the oven. Roast until the juices run clear with only a trace of pink (when you prick the thigh) and an instant thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh (without hitting the bone) registers 170 degrees. Let rest 20 minutes before serving.

Note: Stevens suggests 1 to 1 1/4 hours for a 3 1/2 to 4-pound chicken. Took 45 minutes for my chicken, which was just under 3 pounds.

3 Crazy Diets You Won’t Believe Work

Thinking of going back on a diet, but tired of the same diet plans? Try these five weird diets. They’re all proven to help you burn fat – to some extent. The curiosity and novelty will make you more likely to stay on them and lose weight.

1. The Werewolf Diet

Originating in Latin America, the Werewolf Diet has you eating in sync with the lunar cycle. It boasts making you lose 6 pounds in one day, and even celebrities like Demi Moore and Madonna have tried it! The logic is that your body has about 60 percent water, and the moon’s influence on gravity affects you like it affects the tides.

There are two versions of the diet: basic and extended. The basic diet has you on a fluid detox, drinking only healthy natural liquids (like water, juice, and birch water), on the day of a full moon. The full moon’s strong gravitational pull supposedly boosts the detox’s toxin-eliminating effects.
The extended diet first follows the basic diet then instructs you to lower your solids or increase your liquids depending on the moon phase.

Supposedly during a waning moon, your cravings significantly decrease and it’s easier to lose pounds. But, during a waxing moon your cravings increase and you need to restrict your eating.

Is this supported by science? Even if the full moon’s gravity doesn’t help you get rid of toxins, the juice and water fasting definitely will. Birch water and fruit juices are filled with antioxidants, which help your body neutralize toxins, and their high-water content flushes toxins out of your system.
Will eliminating toxins help you lose weight? Yes! Scientists found that environmental pollution affects your body’s ability to burn fat and regulate sugar levels. Getting rid of these toxins helps bring your body’s metabolism back to normal.

Also, estrogen encourages insulin production. When your hormones become imbalanced and your body makes too much estrogen, it forces your body to store more sugar in your fat cells instead of burning it. This leads to weight gain. Studies show that the moon’s phases influence your menstrual cycle and your estrogen levels, which slightly supports the extended diet’s belief that your metabolism increases or decreases during certain moon phases.

This diet may seem whacky, but it will help you burn that fat. If anything, doing things under the full moon seems healthy for your body overall. Some studies found that patients who undergo heart surgeries during a full moon have better survival rates and need less recovery time.

2. The Sandwich Diet

This cool diet comes from Spain. It’s very simple: You eat whatever you want, but it all has to fit between two pieces of whole-grain bread. You can have your BLT and cheeseburgers – as long as they fit between those two pieces of bread!

Does it work? Yes and no. Many studies found that using a bigger plate or bowl makes you serve and eat larger portions. Using a smaller plate makes you more aware of the portions you’re eating, reducing your risk of overeating. The sandwich works like a smaller plate. This diet helps you lose weight using portion awareness.

Why isn’t it so good? Fast food burgers fit between two pieces of bread – do you think eating those three times a day will make you skinnier?

3. The “Sun Eating” Diet

China’s hip crowd is convinced people can do photosynthesis – you know, like plants? You replace one meal with a 44-minute sunbath every day. They believe you’ll absorb “solar energy,” which supposedly suppresses your appetite and improves your sleep. Dieters report losing weight.
Will it really help you lose weight? Yes! New research found that when sunlight hits your skin, it makes nitric oxide. Mice that overate and were exposed to UV rays had slower weight gain and less abnormal blood sugar levels than mice that weren’t exposed. From these findings scientists believe nitric oxide boosts your fat and sugar metabolism, while also helping prevent type 2 diabetes and obesity.
If you’re not getting enough sun, this diet will boost your metabolism. You’ll also lose weight since you’re skipping a meal every day. If you try it, don’t skip breakfast. Eating breakfast boosts your resting metabolism by 10 percent.

COCONUT MELTAWAY COOKIES

This sweet cookie has a buttery soft shortbread base (that is lightly coconut flavored) and it is topped with royal icing made with coconut milk and toasted coconut. They truly melt when you bite into them and the crunchy toasted coconut on top is perfect contrast to the soft cookie.

INGREDIENTS

Cookies

• 2 cups all-purpose flour*
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract

Icing

• 1 cup Dixie Crystals Confectioners Powdered Sugar
• 1 tablespoon coconut milk (or water)
• 1 cup toasted shredded coconut

*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and coconut extract, mixing until combined. Add flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time, mixing until completely combined.
4. Roll 1 tablespoon of dough into small circles and then flatten with hands (or with the bottom of a cup) into a disk shape. Place on prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake for 8 minutes. The cookies will not look browned or cooked, but they are.
6. Remove from oven and let cookies rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. For the icing: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and coconut milk until smooth.
8. Using a spoon, smooth icing onto the top of each cookie. Quickly sprinkle with toasted coconut and let set for 10 minutes, or until hardened.
9. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.