Tag: Sweets

Recipes

How to Make Traditional Greek Baklava

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Celebrating New Beginnings

Hello blogging friends and family,

Thank you for following me and your lovely comments. I know it’s been a minute since my last post. Funny how you start a fun blogging project, then life happens 🙂 Thankfully, it’s all good things.

I can’t wait to share my favorite recipe with you: Baklava. It’s made with nuts, filo pastry, and honey. You can prepare it a day in advance, and the recipe serves 24 people. This week, I’m bringing it to a farewell party for a community volunteer who has helped many in our neighborhood. Although it’s sad to say goodbye, for me, making Baklava brings warmth and tradition as we start new chapters in our lives.

I think that I received the recipe from my Greek language tutor before I even went to Greece. She flew to Athens to help me settle in, which was very special during my first days of college. I hope you enjoy the Baklava recipe and a glimpse of my little food journal from the Mediterranean!

Read more for the complete ingredient list, tips, and directions. If you’re new to the website, feel welcome to learn more About Me. I hope you enjoy this sweet recipe.

Continue reading “How to Make Traditional Greek Baklava” →
Recipes

Moist Chocolate Chip Brownies: Gluten Free Delight

elliebleu

20200326_142620

Dear blogging family,

It was raining when I took pictures of the brownies. Now, as I taste a brownie before dinner the sun is shining and I think I’ll go for a walk. Talk about perfect timing!

I hope all of you get a little break from the rain and see a glimpse of sunlight. And if it’s stormy where you are…well it can’t hurt to have a brownie or two and cozy up with a good book this evening. Continue reading “Moist Chocolate Chip Brownies: Gluten Free Delight” →

Mediterranean Lifestyle, Recipes

Indulgent Coconut Bread Pudding with Puff Pastry

elliebleu

Coconut Bread Pudding

The second that I finished interviewing author ZoĂ« Ferraris, I had to try Umm Ali. After multiple attempts to perfect the recipe, and about a million calories later, I think I have a winner. The best part is, the dessert looks deceptively fancy. By using frozen puff pastry, it cut down the prep time by half. Umm Ali would be a fun sweet to make for a Finding Nouf book club party. You can find out more about ZoĂ« Ferraris’ page-turning mystery here. Continue reading “Indulgent Coconut Bread Pudding with Puff Pastry” →

Recipes

Spring-Inspired Greek Yogurt Parfait

elliebleu

Greek Breakfast

I love parfaits in the springtime when it’s still a little too cold for smoothies. The breakfast parfaits I had in Greece were made with goat’s milk yogurt and honey. To make this parfait healthier and reduce the cholesterol, I blended plain non-dairy yogurt with a frozen banana and added a little vanilla powder to sweeten it up a bit. Top the yogurt mixture with antioxidant-rich berries, pomegranate seeds, unsweetened coconut flakes, and pistachios. It’s a fun recipe to make with children and a great alternative for dessert. Continue reading “Spring-Inspired Greek Yogurt Parfait” →

Recipes

Decadent Strawberry Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

elliebleu

strawberry-chocolate-cheesecake

The sun is out, flowers are here, and I couldn’t hope for a more beautiful start to Valentine’s Day. I’m excited to share one of my favorite cakes today. It combines my love for chocolate and strawberries in a delicious vanilla cheesecake made with cashew cream. Top it with coconut milk ganache, and you have a wonderful treat for special occasions. Continue reading “Decadent Strawberry Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe” →

Recipes

Healthy Plant-Based Pink Shake for Any Time

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pink-power-shake

After a busy weekend, I can’t think of a better way to kick off this Monday with my favorite power shake. It tastes like a strawberry milkshake and has around 17 grams of plant-based protein. I also used pure vanilla powder for the first time. If you haven’t tried it in your smoothies, I highly recommend it. Continue reading “Healthy Plant-Based Pink Shake for Any Time” →

Recipes

Aquafaba: The Secret to Eggless Royal Icing

elliebleu

eggless-royal-icing

Lately, I’ve been experimenting with royal icing made with aquafaba instead of raw eggs. So what is aquafaba? It’s the brine drained from a can of chickpeas. I know it sounds weird, but it really works. The best thing is, if you have a gingerbread house party, you’ll have chickpeas leftover to make hummus! Continue reading “Aquafaba: The Secret to Eggless Royal Icing” →

Recipes

Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Espresso Brownies

elliebleu

espresso-brownies

This dessert is not only delicious but gluten free, and dare I say, made with healthy ingredients (okay…healthier maybe). If you’ve never used gluten-free flour, now’s the time to try. I find it works best when baking chocolate goods because it adds the perfect texture. The brownies are also made with espresso powder and mini chocolate chips. Do I need to say more 🙂

Continue reading “Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Espresso Brownies” →

Recipes

For the Love of Cupcakes

elliebleu

cupcakes

Don’t forget the sprinkles!

I was on a gluten-free mission to make vanilla cupcakes that are just as moist and fluffy as my original recipe. With a little innovation and the right flour, I think I finally accomplished my goal. For all of you GF families, I hope you try them out. Now that it’s back to school we all deserve a cupcake or two! Continue reading “For the Love of Cupcakes” →