Herbed Mint Grapefruit Cocktail

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I recently posted an update on what the heck I do all day as a blogger, writer, and freelance marketing consultant (try fitting that on a business card). At the end of my day, despite having just gone out with my husband to buy a case of beer, I decided to treat myself to a hand crafted cocktail.

I tend to make recipes up on the fly in life, but especially in cocktails. I never have the exact ingredients for a recipe I've found online, and I much prefer peeking in the fridge/pantry to see what I've got to work with. It's a creative challenge! 

It must have looked good, because a few of you asked me for the recipe. Here it is:

Herbed Mint Grapefruit Cocktail

Prep Time: <5 Minutes
Calories: 80
Ingredients:

• 1/4 grapefruit, cut into pieces (size does not matter, as you will be muddling them)
• 3-4 mint leaves, ripped or cut in halves or quarters
• 1 tsp chopped basil (I actually used dried basil this time, but of course fresh is best!)
• 1 tsp stevia, sugar, sugar substitute (or 3 drops Nunaturals Liquid Stevia)
• 1.5 oz gin (or vodka)
• 3 oz soda water

Directions:

1. Muddle grapefruit, mint, and sweetener in the bottom of a glass.
2. Add gin and soda water. Stir.
3. Serve!

What about you?

What is your favorite cocktail recipe?

Do you ever create your own cocktail recipes?

Basil, Ginger, and Cinnamon Cranberry Jam

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Happy Monday, friends! Or, for those of you who are stumbling upon this recipe on a different day of the week, Happy ______day! I hope you're having a wonderful day and week. 

I had a totally relaxed weekend that consisted almost exclusively of "dating" my fiance. Instead of making plans with other friends and couples (which I have a tendency to fill up our calendar with), we spent the weekend together. And, instead of bumming around in sweats during the entire weekend, we made it a point to go on meaningful dates and explore a bit more of our wonderful city. We kicked off the weekend with our "old favorites," stopping by a local pub for dinner on Friday and going to our neighborhood "Breakfast Club" for breakfast on Saturday. After a relaxing day, we then tried out West Town Tavern (seriously to die for) for dinner on Saturday, and Meli for brunch on Sunday. 

In the middle of all of this relaxing, I have to admit I got sucked into wedding planning. Sometimes, when you've got something exciting on the books, it's hard to not revolve around it. It's like everything I see reminds me of it. Cool candles on our dinner tables at West Town Tavern? Sends my mind to wedding mode.

You may not be planning a wedding (if you are, let me know!), but there's probably something you're obsessing over lately. Just admit it. Your mind is spending too much time running on that wheel.

Sometimes, we just need a welcome distraction. Something we can put our effort into that will have more short term rewards, to remind us that we are creative and inspired and competent in this moment. Something to snag our mind off of the obsessing-over-this-or-that path.

That's where this recipe comes in. It's a fairly quick recipe, so it won't eat up your entire day or leave you feeling guilty for spending too much time on a jar of jam. But, it is homemade, and it will give you a break from your stressful or monotonous day.

Not to mention how darn proud you'll feel as you share with friends or take a bite yourself!

I made this jam to give as part of a Christmas gift for my soon-to-be in-laws. But, it was so delicious, that I made some for my own fridge as well.

Basil, Ginger, and Cinnamon Cranberry Jam
Ingredients:

• 1 bag whole/fresh Cranberries (A 4 cup, 12-oz package. Do not use dried cranberries)
• 1/2 cup Water
• 1/3 cup Sugar
• 2/3 cup Stevia Powder
• 1 tablespoon Basil, finely chopped (fresh or dried)
• 1 tablespoon fresh Ginger, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon Honey

Directions:

1. Rinse the cranberries and place in a medium to large sauce pot with water, sugar, and stevia powder. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. 
2. Once the water reaches a boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer for approximately 10-14 minutes, or until all the cranberries seem to have burst.
3. Stir in basil, ginger, cinnamon, and honey and stir well. On the lowest heat, continue to stir very frequently for an additional 2-4 minutes.
4. Test for sweetness and drizzle additional honey (or add sugar) to increase sweetness level.
5. If you'd like to can your jam so that it will last longer, follow these directions: Be sure that your glass jar and top are all clean (I boiled everything in a separate pot to ensure they were all clean). Then, place jam in a jar, filling almost all the way to the top but leaving about 1/4-1/2 an inch of air. Seal well and place in a pot filled with enough boiling water to cover the top of the jam jar. Boil the jam in the water for about 10 minutes (I did 15 to be safe). Remove and let cool.

Notes:

• If you "can" it properly, it will stay good for a full year before being opened... but once you open it, it is just like any other jar of jam and will need to be refrigerated.
• This is a low sugar recipe. I didn't cut out sugar entirely, but I did replace some of it with stevia powder, so that it's not too high sugar (which is a common culprit when it comes to jams). If this swap isn't your thing, feel free to replace stevia powder with sugar.

Mozzarella Naan with Basil and Balsamic Glaze (And My Hump Day Resolution)

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Before I share the recipe, I've got to share these First World Problems I've Had Today:

• Instagram Filters... Don't you hate it when you just can't decide which Instagram filter looks best? Should I go with Walden or Valencia? Or Amaro? I need a second opinion! What a dork... Does this happen to other people?
• Silly Pinky... My work computer is a PC. My personal computer is a Mac. My fingers are all confused. The short keys for copying and pasting are different and require my left pinky to hit Ctrl on the PC but Command on the Mac and THEY ARE IN DIFFERENT PLACES! This leads me to endless frustration as I go from one to the other. Why isn't my stuff pasting? Is my computer broken? No, silly, your brain just can't figure out how to make the change from PC to Mac to PC to Mac... 
• Clumpy Caffeine... I just stirred a Starbucks Refresher powder pack into my water. It's clumpy. No me gusta.
• Dark Photos... The photos for this recipe were shot at night in my mom's kitchen. That means they are D-A-R-K, D-A-R-K, DARK DARK DARK! Darker than the ocean, darker than the sea... Dark. Which makes me sad. Because dark photos are sad. Right?

We all have these silly issues that drive us nuts, right? Well, here's my Hump Day Resolution. I will laugh at myself. Laugh at my indecision over Instagram filters, my poor little pinky that is permanently confused, and the odd powder clumps in my drink. Because you know what? It's a wonderful day, I had a great workout, and, gosh darnit, I'm writing a book that kicks ass. Oh, and I've got something delicious to share. That pretty much takes the cake naan.

This is my new favorite thing. Yuhhhm. It's pretty much a fancier, yet easier version of homemade pizza. Credit to my lovely mother, who came home one fine day with a few pieces of Naan from Costco and a hunk of delicious Mozzarella. Add to that some fresh Basil from the yard and some delicious Balsamic Glaze and VOILA! You've got Heaven on Naan. Sounds like a movie title.

Mozzarella Naan with Basil and Balsamic Glaze

Ingredients:

• 1 piece prepared Naan
• Fresh cubed Mozzerella
• 3 leaves Basil, ripped into smaller pieces
• Balsamic Glaze (or Balsamic Vinegar), for drizzling

Directions:

1. Set a toaster oven to 350 (or regular oven).
2. Sprinkle Basil on the Naan bread.
3. Cut up Mozzarella into 1/4x1/4inch squares and spread on Naan, about 1/2 inch apart, on top of the Basil.
4. Bake/toast for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and just begins to brown.
5. Remove from heat and drizzle Balsamic Glaze or Balsamic Vinegar on top.
6. Devour :)

Basil Moonlight Mojitos... All for 50 Cal?!

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Floating in an almost glowing glass of delicious mojito, fresh mint and basil leaves combine to leave a light, refreshing, yet somewhat complicated flavor hanging on your palate. This drink will quench your thirst and cool you down, but not without inspiring you by way of fresh, minty goodness with a twist of basil. 

'

I love a good late afternoon cocktail... When I ran into Crystal Light's alcohol-free Mojito mix in Jewel last week, I was inspired. My mother's favorite cocktail at my ever-favorite Memphis martini bar is called the Butterfly, a brilliantly crafted love child of a mojito and a basil martini. It is refreshing, light, and has only the slightest hint of alcohol. The rest just tastes like... well, perhaps a summer breeze.

Picture me sitting on my parents' patio in the early evening. Dusk is settling down over the horse farm across the way and there we sit, sipping on mint and basil mojitos. What better way to spend your aftern-evening (or to spend 50 calories), I ask you?

Basil Mint Mojito

Prep Time: <5 Minutes

Calories: 50-70 (Depends on the alcohol you use. There are 5 calories per glass in the mojito mix and a very negligible amount in the basil and mint leaves, so that leaves you with only as many calories as are in the alcohol you add! A typical shot of rum is about 64 calories, according to Livestrong, but each drink has only 1oz, as compared to a typical 1.5oz shot)

Servings: Recipe makes 8-10

Ingredients: 

• 1 packet Mojito Mix, Crystal Light (See notes below the recipe for an alternate if you can't find the Mojito Mix at your local grocery store)
• 7 cups cold water
• 1 cup White Rum (or Vodka if you're anti-Rum)
• 10-12 leaves Mint
• 8 leaves Basil
• Ice

Directions:

1. Combine Mojito mix, cold water, and alcohol in a large pitcher and mix well.
2. Chop 1/2 of the Mint and Basil leaves into small pieces, then add to the pitcher.
3. Muddle (smash) 1/2 leaf each of mint and basil in each glass, then fill glasses with ice and pour mojito over the ice.
4. Garnish with extra mint and basil leaves if desired.
5. Enjoy!

Notes:

• Can't find the Mojito Mix (or don't have time)? Alter Step 1 the following way: First, in a small cup, muddle 8 mint leaves with the juice from 1 full lime and add this to an empty pitcher. Add 4 tablespoons of sugar or Stevia sugar substitute (for a lighter version). Instead of 7 cups of cold water, add 3 cups of water and 4 cups of sparkling/seltzer water (or soda water if you have no sparkling water around, though sparkling/seltzer water will be lowest in calories).
• If you're looking for a mint-garnished dessert to go with this fabulous cocktail, try this Fresh Lime Chiffon cake with Mint Sprigs on top from Smak!

Basil Brie Mushrooms

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Delicious mushrooms with spicy basil and a layer of creamy, melted brie cheese. Easy. Small. Delicious. And (probably) the perfect cure for even the meanest hangover.

I gotta be a little honest here, folks. I was hungover on my birthday. That's how I discovered these.

You see, I'm typically a salad girl. Salads = produce trail mix. Delicious. I eat a salad for lunch almost every single day.

But on this day... the day after my self-guided gangster tour of Chicago... I wasn't feeling a salad at all. The thought of acidic and leafy foods entering my mouth was mental torture. All I wanted was some V8 (hangover cure number one) and some brie cheese (hangover cure number two).

And then, in the early afternoon, I emerged from my room cave actually wanting to bake something. And that, my friends, is how these delicious Basil Brie Mushrooms were born. Because I had all three ingredients in my fridge. And because sometimes, a girl just needs to smother everything in basil and brie cheese.

Basil Brie Mushrooms

Calories: 30

Servings: 3-5
Serving Size: 2-3 mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 10 Small Mushrooms
• Brie Cheese (to taste, but you likely only need about 1/8 of a regular President's wheel)
• 5 leaves Basil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cut Mushrooms. Cut from bottom to top, ending up with about 2-4 thin slices per mushroom.
3. Rip Basil leaves and place on each mushroom.
4. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese begins to brown.
5. Cut thin slices of Brie and place on 

Purple People Drinker: Blackberry Basil Cocktail (66 Calories)

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Summer breeze. The sun is shining down on you as you sit, sipping on a delicious cocktail. It tastes light and refreshing, with blackberries and raspberries tinting the water purple and casually infusing the flavor. A touch of basil adds just enough complexity to convince you that you didn't make the drink yourself; it came from the bar. You're ready for number two. Where's the waiter?!

I'm not sure if you noticed Summer knocking on your door. She's pretty much here. Get excited! Summer means that drinks have to get tastier, more refreshing, and, obviously, prettier. Sometimes, in life, you get all three of the things you wanted. We call that a triple threat. Here you go... :)

Blackberry Basil Cocktail

Calories: 66

Prep Time: <5 Min

Ingredients:

• 3 raspberries
• 2 blackberries
• 1/4 lemon, juice
• 1/4 lime, juice
• 1 tsp Basil, finely diced
• 1 tsp truvia (or sugar or sugar substitute)
• 1.5 oz Vodka (I used Skinnygirl Tangerine Vodka, but any regular vodka or citrus flavored vodka will suffice)
• .5 - 1 oz water

Directions:

1. Muddle (squish) raspberries and blackberries in a small glass with lemon and lime juices, basil, and truvia/sugar.
2. Add vodka and stir.
3. Add a bit of water (about .5 to 1 oz, or around half of a shot glass) and stir.
4. Serve!

Balsamic-Glazed Prunes and Blackberries with Basil and Feta

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I have some odd childhood memories of both prunes and blackberries.

You see, when I was little, my lovely mother tried to get me to eat prunes. I remember thinking they tasted like old lady food. We also used to have a blackberry tree in our back yard when I was very little. I remember watching my dog run around my back yard and picking blackberries with my dad.

Old lady food and berries picked with dad. Sounds wholesome, right?

This dish was created out of the need for a small-yet-delicious afternoon snack. Justin and I had just returned from a Birthday weekend visit with his family in Holland, Michigan (where I tried to surprise him with a birthday dinner… and failed miserably… more on that another day!). Without the energy to cook a whole meal… and without wanting to stuff our faces before heading to the gym (yeah, we actually made it to the gym after the drive back!), we were looking for something small and light. I stuck my head in the fridge, saw the prunes I had recently bought on a whim, and got to work. Fruit and balsamic vinegar have an eternal love affair, so I decided to capitalize on that. Soon came the blackberries and basil.

It is the perfect blend of sweet and tart. The balsamic vinegar reduces to a thicker sauce, which adds a semi tart outer layer to the fruit, particularly the prunes, which become even sweeter and softer. The berry flavor is really brought out by the vinegar and the basil… oh, the basil. Why is basil so amazing? It is perfect in salads, with cheese and tomato, and with fruit?! Geez. Talk about super-spice.

Oh, dear… and let’s not forget the Feta. It adds something slightly savory to the dish without taking it out of dessert-land.

Oh, and did I mention that PRUNES ARE FILLED WITH FIBER?!

Balsamic-Glazed Prunes and Blackberries with Basil and Feta

Cook Time: 7 Minutes
Servings: 2
Calories Per Serving: 193

Ingredients (for 2 servings):

• 3/4 cup Dried Prunes
• 1/2 cup Blackberries
• 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 teaspoons chopped Basil Leaves (or dried basil)
• 1/2 tablespoon Reduced Fat Feta Cheese (or Fat Free)

Directions:

1. Combine prunes, blackberries, and balsamic vinegar in a pan over medium heat.
2. Continue to stir to prevent burning and heat for 5 minutes or until balsamic begins to reduce (thicken).
3. Add basil and feta, then heat for additional 2 minutes.
4. Serve!

Baked Brie Pastry

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[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]


I know, I’ve done something like this before. And I’ll admit they taste like they’re related (Okay, now I feel like I’m on TrueBlood and I’m a vampire, which reminds me… Breaking Dawn was horrible. Don’t see it. It somehow managed to not only be horrible and boring but also fairly creepy.).

Wow. That’s what you call a tangent. As in tangential point. As in I took one semi-related fact and just went running with it. Running far, far away.

And we’re back! So yes, this is similar to another Baked Brie recipe… but it’s a total improvement.

First, it’s much prettier. Wrapping the brie in pastry helps it keep its shape.

Second, it’s cranberries instead of raspberry jam, we’ve got raspberry and basil cranberry.

Third, the technique is slightly different. It’s actually easier. Instead of creating a sauce using Kahlua and Brown sugar, we simply pour the Kahlua over the brie as it’s baking and sprinkle on some Brown Sugar.

 Ingredients:Preheat oven to 350.

• 1 wheel of Brie Cheese
• 1/2 tablespoon Basil
• 1 tablespoon Honey
• 1 cup of whole cranberries
• 1 cup of water
• 1/2 cup organic sugar
• 1 sheet of pastry dough (Pepperidge Farms)
• 1 cup Kahlua
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup Walnuts

Cooking Directions:

1. Set pastry sheet out to thaw.
2. In a small or medium saucepan, boil water and add cranberries. You can substitute ½ can of whole cranberry sauce, if desired.
3. Add basil and honey and stir frequently for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Use a roller to smooth out pastry sheet. Push and roll toward the edges to thin the pastry dough while also making it larger.
5. Cut brie in half sideways, so that you end up with two thinner, yet still circular, wheels. Place the bottom layer in the middle of the pastry dough.
6. Cover this layer with cranberries. If they drip down the sides, that’s fine. You’re wrapping it up later, anyways!
7. Place the second half of cheese on top. Add another layer of cranberry.
8. Fold up pastry dough. Beginning on one side, pick up a corner and fold up, covering the side of the dough, then use your fingers to crinkle the dough, making flaps that can be overlapped. Continue moving around the dough until you reach where you started. See picture below for a visual.
9. Place in a circular (if possible) casserole dish that is a bit larger than the pastry dough itself (so that there is a bit of a margin around the food). Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and use a knife to poke holes down through the top of the brie. If you’d like, you can also purposely break the pastry dough a bit around the tops, allowing the cheese to melt down a little bit more.
11. Pour 1 cup of Kahlua over the top of the brie. It will drip down the sides and take residence in the margin around the pastry.
12. Sprinkle brown sugar and nuts around the brie, dropping them into the Kahlua.
13. Bake for another 20 minutes.
14. Remove from oven and serve with crackers (I used Wheat Thins).

Check out this year's Winter '11 series of Healthy Holiday Recipes! Includes healthy recipes for stuffing, baked brie, cherry pomegranate pie, kahlua and walnut sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce...

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

Pumpkin and Pine Nut Sage Orzo Risotto

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Greetings earthlings and welcome to day three of "The Twelve Days of Pumpkins." If you missed Spicy Pumpkin Fries or Curry Pumpkin Soup, or just want to stay caught up on the pumpkin madness (yes, 'tis madness, I say, but 'tis delicious madness), click here to head to a page full of pumpkin goodness, the whole pumpkin goodness, and nothing but the pumpkin goodness. You can't handle the pumpkin goodness!

On the third day of pumpkins, my true love gave to me...

This risotto was inspired by a favorite dish at Automatic Slims in Memphis (where, by the way, they have super creative $5 martinis before 7pm).  By inspired, I mean that I was quite intrigued by the concept of taking what would normally be a risotto dish with small chunks of chicken and substituting a vegetable -- er -- fruit (yes, folks, pumpkins are fruit). 

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15-25 min
Total time: 30-40 min
Yield: 4-6 Servings
Ingredients:

• 2 cups Orzo or Aborio Rice
• 6 cups Water
• 1/2 tablespoon Sage
• 1/2 tablespoon Fresh Basil
• 1 Tomato
• 1/8 Pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons Pine Nuts
• 1 teaspoon Fresh Cracked Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350
2. Peel pumpkin using a potato peeler
3. Cut 1/8 of the pumpkin into small squares, about 1/2 inch thick.
4. Toss pumpkin squares with Olive Oil, Cinnamon, Salt, and Pepper.
5. Spread in a single layer on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until pieces are easily pierced by a toothpick. Set aside to cool.
6. Heat water until boiling, then add rice and stir occasionally.
7. After 8 minutes (Orzo) or 18 minutes (Aborio), drain rice and put back into pot. Add pumpkin cubes, pine nuts, and sage.
8. Garnish with tomato slices and fresh basil.

One more thing before you go -- head over to The Hunger Site, where all you have to do is click a yellow button and the folks running the show will donate money to and food for hungry bellies in Africa. I mean... how can you say no to that? You're combating hunger... for free.