Recipes and a Fork » Drinks

Rich Hot Chocolate

Recipes and a Fork — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 03:06:27 +0000

The Intense Chocolate Concoction.

Let chocolate take the lead in a cup of hot chocolate. With less milk, fat and creaminess, the chocolate is truly the star in a cup of Rich Hot Chocolate. Rich Hot Chocolate is a simple recipe for the chocolate lover and can be prepared in minutes. This drink is a dessert in itself. Rich Hot Chocolate brings a smile after each sip. Make this decadence in a cup today.

Rich Hot Chocolate topped with Nutmeg

Bittersweet Chocolate, Coarsely Chopped

Chocolate and Boiling Water in a Saucepan

Rich Hot Chocolate in a Saucepan

Rich Hot Chocolate

Author: Adapted from Bittersweet by Alice Medrich Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients

6 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 ½ cups boiling water
1 ½ cups milk
Nutmeg (optional)

Instructions

Place chocolate in a small saucepan over an oven range. Do not turn on the heat. Pour ¾ cup boiling water over the chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in the remaining boiling water and milk over the chocolate mixture.
Turn on the oven to medium heat and whisk the chocolate mixture continuously until hot but not boiling. If you do not have a whisk, use a fork.
The hot chocolate should be served immediately; or set aside and re-heated. Just be sure to whisk it again over medium heat. To serve, ladle the hot chocolate into a cup. Optional: sprinkle a pinch of nutmeg onto the top of each cup.

Serving size: Approx. 1/2 cup Calories: 125 Fat: 7 g Saturated fat: 4 g Unsaturated fat: 3 g : 16 g Sugar: 14 g Fiber: 1 g Protein: 2 g Cholesterol: 2 mg

Notes: If you prefer to make your Rich Hot Chocolate creamier, add a dollop of whipped cream on top of each cup of hot chocolate (not stirred in). Ingredient recommendation: use 72% dark chocolate. Nutrition Note: The nutrition information above is based on the use of 1% milk.

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Herb-infused Water

Recipes and a Fork — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 02:36:22 +0000

The Pure Relaxation.

Rehydrate with Nature’s garden. With a few natural ingredients, a simple glass of water can transform a regular day into a relaxing one. Herb-infused Water recreates a day at the spa in your home. Serve Herb-infused Water at a baby shower, a spring lunch, or just around the house. The combination of mint, rosemary, lemon and cucumber makes a refreshing glass of water in a couple of simple steps.

The Ingredients

Herb-infused Water

Author: Adapted from Sunset, May 2002 Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: Yields 4 cups

Ingredients

12 thin slices cucumber
4 thin slices lemon
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh mint
4 cups still water, chilled

Instructions

Place the cucumber, lemon, rosemary and mint in a 1 1/2 to 2-quart pitcher.
Carefully pour the chilled water into the pitcher. Cover the pitcher and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
Prior to serving the water, add ice cubes in each drinking glass. Pour the infused water into each glass and serve cold.

Serving size: 1 cup Calories: 0 Fat: 0 Saturated fat: 0 Unsaturated fat: 0 : 0 Sugar: 0 Fiber: 0 Protein: 0 Cholesterol: 0

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Fresh Mint Chai Tea

Recipes and a Fork — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 20:57:17 +0000

The Cool to India’s Tea.

How do you bring an elegant high tea to any time of the day? It is simple: dress up a black tea with mint and ginger. A cup of Fresh Mint Chai Tea makes a tea party luxurious. Even on a summer day, Fresh Mint Chai Tea is lovely to share with a friend. The added bonus: the fragrance of this tea brings a smile with each sip.

Fresh Mint, Ginger and Water in a Saucepan, almost to a boil

Milk with Fresh Mint, Ginger and Water in a Saucepan, almost to a boil

Fresh Mint Chai Tea… Ready to Serve!

Fresh Mint Chai Tea

Author: Adapted from 1000 Indian Recipes by Neelam Batra Cook time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: Yields 2 generous cups of tea

Ingredients

2 cups water
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
1 quarter-slice fresh ginger, finely chopped
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 tsp black tea leaves or a teabag
Honey or raw sugar, to taste

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, add the water, mint and ginger over high heat. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium to simmer for approximately 1-2 minutes. This extracts the maximum flavors of the mint and ginger.
Pour the milk into the saucepan and increase the heat again to bring the milk to a boil. Add the tea leaves or tea bag and remove the saucepan from the heat. Cover the saucepan to allow the tea to steep for approximately 3 minutes.
Using a ladle, pour the tea through a tea sieve or fine-mesh strainer into 2 tea cups or a tea pot. Discard the spices and leaves. Serve the tea with honey or sugar on the side.

Serving size: 1 generous cup of tea Calories: 35 Fat: 1.2 g Saturated fat: 0.8 g Unsaturated fat: 0.4 g : 3.6 g Sugar: 3 g Fiber: 0 g Protein: 2 g Cholesterol: 5 mg

Note: In India, tea is traditionally served with whole milk. This recipe offers a slightly healthier version.

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Mango Lassi

Recipes and a Fork — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 21:41:23 +0000

The Indian Shake.

Combine nature’s tropical candy with a drink that dates back to ancient times. Lassi is India’s yogurt drink and is found in almost every Indian restaurant. Why not make a Mango Lassi at home for a good dose of calcium? This drink is based on a basic homemade lassi recipe and gets it sweetness from mangoes. It can be prepared in minutes for breakfast, as a thirst quencher for a hot summer day, or alongside a spicy dish. Get your blender out and make a Mango Lassi today.

Mangoes

Mango, Segmented

Yogurt [left] and Mangoes, Cubed [right]

Mango – halved, segmented and flesh sliced from pit

Mango Lassi

Author: Adapted from The Indian Vegetarian, by Indian cuisine go-to Neelam Batra Prep time: 10 mins Total time: 10 mins Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 mangoes, fresh and ripe
2 cups plain yogurt, chilled
2 cups water, cold
Mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Slice mangoes to remove pits and dice remaining pulp or flesh into segments.
Add yogurt, mangoes and water to a blender and process until smooth.
Serve chilled in glasses and garnish with mint for a bit more coolness

Serving size: approx. 1 cup Calories: 85 Fat: 2.8 g Saturated fat: 1.7 g Unsaturated fat: 1.1 g : 13 g Sugar: 12 g Fiber: 1 g Protein: 3.1 g Cholesterol: 10.6 mg

Notes: This recipe excludes the sugar in the original recipe. Ingredient Recommendation- Mangoes come in multiple varieties. Ataulfo and Francis are very sweet and perfect for this recipe. However they are seasonal and generally available during the summer. If you can’t find these mangoes, use any other variety and add a few teaspoons of sugar to sweeten to taste. Storage Note- Lassi can be kept refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

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