Here are five of Whitney’s latest recipes, which you can also find at daytondailynews.com, springfieldnewssun.com and journal-news.com:
FRENCH CITRUS CAKE
What Whitney says: Unassumingly placed in the latter half of the stories-and-recipes book “A Homemade Life” by Molly Wizenberg is a recipe for French lemon cake. The French have two kinds of food — either exceedingly complicated and filled with daunting technique, or absolutely the most simple combinations of fresh flavors.
This cake falls into the latter category. It’s the kind of cake that is perfect for a casual gathering that requires a dessert but a triple tiered frosted confection seems like overkill. It’s understated, though I have been known to garnish it with a couple thin lemon slices.
The recipe:
Cake
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
½ t salt
3 t grated lime zest
½ cup sour cream
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
Glaze
3 T lime juice
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
- In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and lime zest. In a larger bowl stir together the sour cream, sugar, and eggs. Gently stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, until just combined. Add the oil and stir until combined and mixture is smooth (this takes a moment, just be gentle and patient).
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Remove cake from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack. Whisk together lime juice and powdered sugar and pour over cooled cake, letting the glaze drip down the sides. Let the glaze set for 20 minutes, slice and serve.
COCO-DATE COOKIE BALLS
What Whitney says: The chewy, satisfying sweetness of dates bind together simple ingredients of oats and coconut that will quickly become your go-to snack. Keep them in the refrigerator and I guarantee you’ll be stealing a couple for a super convenient afternoon pick-me-up.
Recipe:
Makes approximately 2 dozen balls
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
What you’ll need:
1 cup pitted dates
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup old fashioned oats
Pinch of salt
Steps:
- Add all the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment.
- Blend until you’ve reached the texture of grainy Play0doh.
- Mold mixture into 1 inch balls with your hands.
- Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to three weeks.
Note: Soft dates will work best here. If you happen to have a drier pack of dates, soak them in very warm water for 5 minutes before draining and adding to the food processor.
CRUNCHY CHICKPEA SALAD WITH BANANA PEPPERS
What Whitney says: “Hyperfixation meals” seem to persevere independent of mood. If possible, they stay in the daily rotation until you are utterly over them. My newest fixation is a chickpea salad that was the product of proximity and convenience. I needed lunch and my kids are newly obsessed with banana peppers, adding them to pizza and eating them straight out of the jar.
If properly stored, this salad keeps for several hours, making it a perfect candidate for packing. It’s also great folded into a tortilla with some avocado.
Recipe:
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Serves 2
1 T olive oil
1 T red wine vinegar
1 t sea salt
Black pepper
1 head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
¼ red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup banana peppers, chopped
3 T grated pecorino
Steps:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- To the bowl add the remaining ingredients and toss thoroughly until everything is coated.
AMOST-ANYTHING FRIED RICE TEMPLATE
What Whitney says: This is a simple way to turn leftover rice into a well-rounded meal. The humble grain provides a backdrop for an assortment of finely chopped vegetables and streamlined seasonings. Get creative with the protein, by using whatever you have. Chicken, shrimp and tofu are all great options.
Recipe:
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 2 main course servings
Total: 20 minutes
What you’ll need:
1 T olive oil
2 green onions, sliced
1 ½ cup vegetables, finely chopped (broccoli, pepper, carrot, peas, zucchini all work)
½ cup cooked protein, finely chopped (chicken, shrimp, and tofu all work)
2 cups leftover rice, brown or white
2 eggs, whisked
1 t Kosher salt
1 t sesame oil
2 T furikake seasoning or crumbled seaweed snacks or nori sheets
Steps:
- Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large sauté pan.
- Add the green onion and vegetables, and briefly stir fry, about 2 minutes.
- Add the protein and rice and stir until heated through, about 2 minutes. The rice should begin to toast.
- Scoot all ingredients to one side of the pan to make room for cooking the eggs. Add the eggs and cook through. Once cooked through, stir into the rest of the ingredients.
- Add the salt, sesame oil and seasoning to the rice, stir to combine.
- Serve warm. Finish with soy sauce and chili crisp, if desired.
PICKLED ONIONS
What Whitney says: Groceries are expensive. Berries used to be a snack and are now a luxury. Eggs are for special occasions. Avocados are precious. Meat at every meal? Do we look like royalty?
Pickled onions are the star garnish to all our economically conscious dishes. And you can add them to egg salad, sandwiches or plop a couple on top of most everything you’re reheating. Steaks, salads … now that I’m thinking about it, there’s nothing they’re not good on.
Recipe:
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 32 oz jar
1 red onion, cut in half stem to stem, then sliced in ⅛ inch rainbows
2 cups water
½ cup red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves
1 T whole peppercorns
3 T cane sugar
1 T Kosher salt
Place the sliced onion in a clean 32 oz jar.
Steps:
- Add the remaining ingredients to a small pot and place over medium high heat. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, until the salt and sugar are dissolved.
- Remove from heat and pour the mixture into the jar. Let cool and cover with a lid.
You can use these onions almost immediately but as they sit, the pickle flavor becomes more tangy. Store in the fridge somewhat indefinitely.
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