No Options in These Cookies

 

That's because they're fully loaded. But instead of a sugar crash, you'll get sustained energy throughout the day and a real fill-up before you hit the road. Registered dietician and author Marisa Moore stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her new cookbook The Plant Love Kitchen and recipe for loaded breakfast cookies. She says there's a lot here to like, including a short ingredients list that's very healthy. Marisa told Tonia she uses roasted and salted sunflower seeds to give the cookie a

crunch and the dried cranberries to add some chewiness. She says because there's not much in the way of sugar, but plenty of fiber and protein, these cookies will fill you up and not slow you down! Great for breakfast or a snack!

• 4 ounces dried cranberries
• roasted, salted sunflower seeds
• ¼ cup hot water
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• ¼ cup almond butter (or sunflower butter, or peanut butter)
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a half baking sheet with oil or line with parchment.
• Blend the dried cranberries with hot water in a small food processor or blender until a thick paste forms.
• Place the puree in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the oats, brown sugar, almond butter, cinnamon, and salt until a dough forms. Use a tablespoon measure to scoop the dough, roll, then flatten 12 small cookies and place on the prepared baking sheet. 
• Bake at 350°F for about 12 minutes or until the cookies are lightly brown on the bottom and fragrant. Enjoy warm or let cool on a cooling rack before transferring to a sealed container for up to 3 days. 

Love Letters to the Home Chef

 

One of the things you'll find, beside healthy and delicious recipes, in Marisa Moore's new cookbook are love letters, made out to the meal you just prepared. Marisa, who's the author of The Plant Love Kitchen,  stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about why she wants you to feel good about what you just made and hopefully are enjoying. Marisa admits it was her publisher's idea, but she ran with it and added special notes to many of her recipes, including one involving shrimp and succotash. Marisa told Tonia that while the recipe includes many southern staples like okra, this is a much healthier take on southern classic soul food.

And for Dessert...a Taste of Italy

And this Italian dessert is gluten-free! Anna Francese Gass, who wrote the new cookbook Italian Snacking, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about a recipe for a Hazelnut Souffle. Anna says she uses almond or hazelnut flour and the highest-quality chocolate you can find! That chocolate gets melted and mixed with the Italian Liquor Frangelico. The recipe is avaliable in full on Anna's Instagram. Follow her and learn more about her authentic style of Italian cooking.

You've Heard of Irish Stew...

Now meet Italian Stew. Yes, there is such a thing, and Anna Francese Gass, who wrote the new cookbook, Italian Snacking, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about what part of Italy this stew comes from, and what it tastes like. Anna told Tonia this stew is from the Calabria region of Italy and is called, appropriately enough , Calabrian Pepper Stew. It's essentially onions and peppers, with a little Italian spice. You'll find it both heavy on the rich tomato flavor, but also a little spicy.

FOR THE SAUCE

• 10fresh basil leaves
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2garlic cloves, peeled and lightly smashed
• 1teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)
• 2(28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes (8 cups)
• 2tablespoons tomato paste
• 1tablespoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
• 1teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE MEATBALLS

• ½ pound ground pork
• ½ pound ground veal
• ½ pound ground beef (preferably 15-percent fat)
• 1cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
• 1cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
• ½ cup whole milk
• ½ cup tomato sauce (reserved from recipe above), cooled
• 2large eggs, beaten
• 1tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves (optional)
• 1tablespoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
• 1teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Step 1

  Prepare the sauce: Tear 5 basil leaves in half; reserve the rest. Combine the torn basil, olive oil, garlic and red-pepper flakes (if using), in a small saucepan over very low heat for 10 minutes, allowing the basil and garlic to steep in the oil. (Do not let the garlic get beyond medium brown in color.) Remove from the heat, strain the oil, discard the solids and set aside.

• Step 2

  In a large pot, combine the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper with 2 cups water and the infused oil. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce to a simmer. Remove ½ cup of the sauce for the meatballs, setting aside to cool.

• Step 3

  Partially cover the pot and simmer the sauce, undisturbed, while you prepare the meatballs.

• Step 4

  In a large bowl, hand mix all the meatball ingredients (including the reserved ½ cup sauce) until combined. (The mixture will be quite soft.) Wet your hands and pinch off approximately ¼-cup portions and roll them into balls between your palms. (They should each be about 2 ¼-inches wide.) Place each meatball on a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining mixture, making about 16 meatballs.

• Step 5

  Once all the meatballs have been rolled, carefully drop them into the simmering sauce. If the pot seems too full, shimmy the pot back and forth gently to make more room to simmer the meatballs in an even layer. Do not stir, as the meatballs will break apart.

• Step 6

  Cover the pot partially with a lid and gently simmer the meatballs in the sauce for 1 hour (or up to 2 hours) until they are firm and cooked through. Carefully remove the meatballs to a plate, adding spoonfuls of sauce, or transfer the meatballs and sauce to a shallow serving bowl. Chop the remaining basil and sprinkle on top, and garnish with more grated Pecorino.

As Italian as Apple Pie!

Or in this case, Apple Cake. You might not know it, but Northern Italy is home to a lot of apple growers, and as a result, in that region of the country, apple snacks and desserts are a specialty. Who knew? Well, Anna Francese Goss, who wrote the new cookbook Italian Snacking sure did! She stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her recipe for "Invisible" Apple Cake. Basically, the apple is sliced so thin, it almost folds into the batter. This cake is great for after-school snacking, especially with a glass of milk. It's not too sweet either. You might call it just right!