Olive Oil Cake

There are a variety of different olive oil cake recipes around. This is a personal adaptation, borrowing from a few different recipes. I wanted an option that was not overly strong on the lemon flavor (or orange...some recipes include orange zest as well). Of course, if you want to boost the lemon flavor, increase the amount of zest or drizzle the cake with a lemon juice and powdered sugar glaze.

Ingredients
4 eggs
1 C sugar
1 T lemon zest
1¾ C flour
1½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ C butter
¾ C olive oil
3 T cream

Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 10" round (or a 9x9" square), or lightly coat with non-stick cooking spray.

In mixing bowl, beat eggs with sugar and zest until pale and thickened.
While it's beating, combine flour, baking powder and salt in one bowl, and butter olive oil and cream in another.

Add dry and wet ingredients, alternately (begin and end with dry). Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake approximately 30 minutes, until cake is lightly browned and pulls away from sides of pan.

Let cool. For a light, clean cake... simply dust with powdered sugar to serve. Of course it's fine to dress it up with whipped cream, some fruit compote or other icings...

Cauliflower Hash Browns

Makes 6  5" hash brown patties, or 12-18 mini patties

INGREDIENTS

1 large head cauliflower

2 egg, lightly beaten
½ C Parmesan cheese

¼ C scallions

¼ C chives

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 T olive oil

1 T dried basil

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

Optional: dipping sauce(s)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Grate cauliflower. Thinly slice scallions. Finely chop chives. Grate Parmesan.

Place cauliflower in bowl; sprinkle with ½ tsp salt. Stir; let stand 20 minutes.

Squeeze or strain moisture from cauliflower (use a strainer or use a towel to 'wring' it out); return to bowl.

Stir in egg, cheese, chives, garlic, olive oil, basil, black pepper, and remaining ½ tsp salt.

Line baking sheet with parchment; coat lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Divide cauliflower mixture into 6 portions on tray; shape and press to about ½-¾" thick.

Bake 35-40 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool to set (about 15 min).

Best served warm -- with dipping sauce(s) if desired.

Aloha Berry Fruit Smoothie

Yield: approximately 6  8-ounce servings

Ingredients
1½ C apple juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 C carrots (shredded)
1½ C raspberries
1 C frozen blackberries
1 C frozen mango

Directions
Place all ingredients in a blender, with hard/frozen fruits on top. Blend until smooth; stop blender as needed to push solids toward bottom.

Favorite Fruit Smoothie

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients
2 C of frozen fruit (peaches, bananas, mango, strawberries, melon, blackberries, raspberries...)
1 - 1½ C vanilla yogurt
1 C milk or apple juice
1-2 T sugar or honey (optional)

Directions
Blend until smooth; stop as needed to push down solid ingredients.

Groovy Green Fruit Smoothie

Yield: Seves 2
This one comes from my friend Joelle at NVHS...

Ingredients
1 banana
1 C green grapes
6 oz vanilla yogurt
½ apple
1½ C spinach leaves

Directons
Cut the banana into chunks; peel, core and chop the apple.
Place all ingredients in blender; blend until smooth, stopping as needed to push down solid ingredients.

Tropical Tango Fruit Smoothie

Yield: approximately 6  8-ounce servings

Ingredients

½ C pineapple juice

2 C watermelon (cubed)

2 C frozen mango

½ C very ripe banana

Directions

Place all ingredients in blender -- frozen fruit on top. Blend until smooth; stop blender as necessary to stir fruits and push solids toward the bottom.

Ginger-Peach Tarts

I made mini-tarts recently, but the same thing can make a whole pie.

Pie Filling Ingredients
1  9" pie crust or 24 mini tart shells (2½")
5 C peaches, small diced (about 5-6 peaches; for a full pie, peaches can just be sliced)
2/3 C sugar
1/3 C flour
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp lemon

Topping Ingredients:
½ C flour
½ C brown sugar
½ C quick oats
¼ butter, very soft
½ tsp salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.

Mix sugar, flour, cinnamon and ginger in a bowl. In a separate bowl, sprinkle lemon juice over peaches. Pour flour & sugar mixture over peaches and gently toss to coat. Spoon peaches into tart shells, dividing evenly.

Combine all topping ingredients, blending until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Divide and spread evenly over tarts (or pie). Place mini tarts on baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes or until crust edges are well browned (whole pie should bake 40-45 minutes).

Serve with fresh whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.