Greek Yogurt Popsicles

Blueberry Coconut Greek Yogurt Popsicles are made with fresh blueberries and coconut milk. They are a complete grab-and-go breakfast that will keep you cool this summer.

These blueberry-coconut Greek yogurt popsicles are a delicious way to cool down this summer.  The base of these popsicles is protein-rich FAGE Total Greek yogurt. The added coconut milk gives them a creamy texture with a bright coconut flavor.  These popsicles are layered with antioxidant-packed blueberries, making them an all-around complete grab-and-go breakfast. However, these popsicles are so delicious that you will want to enjoy them any time of day!

Cook the blueberries until they reach a jam-like consistency

Freeze the blueberry coconut g

You can use any sweetener you like--sugar, honey, agave--or no sweetener at all.  Be sure to taste as you go along. The recipe below is on the tart side since that’s how I like to enjoy my yogurt!  Plus, the fat from the coconut milk balances out the flavor and will help keep you satisfied longer.

You will want to make these Blueberry Coconut Greek Yogurt Popsicles again and again!

The great thing about the FAGE Total Plain is that there are no additives, preservatives, or sugar that doesn’t occur naturally from the milk that’s used. That way, I can control how much sugar (if any!) I want to add. Plus, two simple ingredients--coconut milk and fresh blueberries--give these popsicles so much natural flavor.  You will want to make these popsicles again and again!

Blueberry-Coconut Greek Yogurt Popsicles

Makes 10 popsicles

17.6 ounces FAGE Total 2% Greek Yogurt (about 2 cups or 500g)
1 cup full fat coconut milk
4 tablespoons granulated sugar*, divided
2 cups fresh blueberries

*You may use honey instead of sugar

1. In a large bowl, combine the Greek yogurt with one cup of coconut milk and two tablespoons of sugar.  Stir vigorously until you have a smooth consistency. Taste and add more sweetener if desired. Set aside.

2. Make the blueberry sauce by combining the 2 cups fresh blueberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar in a small pot.  Place over medium heat and cook until the blueberries start to break down. Stir and continue cooking until it reaches a jam-like consistency.  You can use the back of a wooden spoon or a fruit masher to mash the berries. Once the jam-like consistency is reached, remove the blueberry sauce from the heat.

3. Place a tablespoon of the yogurt mixture in each popsicle mold.  Add a tablespoon of blueberry sauce. Top with another tablespoon of the yogurt.  Continue alternating until the popsicle mold is nearly full. Place the top on the mold and add the popsicle sticks.  Freeze for six hours.

4. Once the popsicles are completely frozen, place the mold under running water so that they will loosen.  Remove the popsicles and enjoy immediately, or place in the freezer in an air-tight container with parchment paper dividing each row of popsicles.  These are an easy grab-and-go breakfast for summer, or a cool treat for any time of day.

This post has been generously sponsored by FAGE Greek Yogurt.

Heirloom Tomato Tart

This undeniably delicious yet easy heirloom tomato tart is one of the first recipes I shared on my first food blog over eight years ago.   After making this tart again today, I was reminded of why I love it so much (and also, why I love baking!)  But, don't feel like you have to stick to the recipe.  The recipe below is for a "Summer in Provence" version of a tomato tart, as it features some French favorites: Gruyere cheese, herbs de Provence and Dijon mustard.  Feel free to substitute any of these. Sharp cheddar can be used instead of Gruyere; dried or fresh oregano or basil for the herbs de Provence, and any type of mustard can be used. Why "heirloom tomatoes" you may ask?  They have more flavor! But you can definitely swap them out for regular tomatoes so that you can enjoy this tart all year long-- even after the heirloom tomatoes' very short season is over.

Heirloom tomatoes: I made this savory tart with heirloom tomatoes, but pretty much any medium-large variety of tomatoes will do. 

Since the filling is liquid (egg and heavy cream), I par-baked the pie crust to ensure that the bottom of the crust stayed crisp.  [For novice bakers, par-baking a pie crust simply means you line a pay plate with dough, add foil and the pie weights, then bake until the bottom dries out.  You then remove the pie weights and bake until it's just starting to turn golden.  By half-way baking or "par" baking, you ensure that the bottom can withhold the liquid filling.]

Once the crust is par-baked, it's smooth sailing.  I smeared Dijon mustard along the bottom, sprinkled Gruyere cheese and dried herbs de Provence, then topped that with my eggs and cream whisked together. Lastly, I lined tomato slices on tops. Some overlapped-- some didn't. It was fine either way!  I baked it at 375 F until the filling had completely set--it didn't wobble at all was browned in some areas.  I let it cool on a cooling rack before cutting it, which made for a clean cut.  It was so good that I nearly ate half the tart!

Heirloom Tomato Tart Recipe

ingredients

4 large heirloom tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 par-baked 9-inch tart crust*
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 teaspoon dried herbs (OK to use basil, thyme, oregano, or my favorite- "herbes de Provence")
2 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
Additional herbs to sprinkle on top, if desired (fresh or dried OK - basil, thyme, oregano or "herbes de Provence")

*If you use a pie pan or ready-made pie crust, which is deeper than a tart pan, you will need to increase the quantity of the custard (the eggs + heavy cream), and the bake time (longer bake time will be needed).  

method

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Put the tomato slices in a colander, and place it in the sink. Let the tomatoes sit for 15 minutes to drain off any excess liquid.

Spread the mustard evenly over the par-baked tart shell. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the mustard, and sprinkle the dried herbs over the cheese.

Whisk the eggs in a small bowl, or a large measuring cup with a spout, to break up the yolks. Whisk in the cream, salt, and pepper. This is your custard. Pour the custard evenly over the bottom of the tart crust.  You may have to swish it around to get it to cover the bottom. 

Working from the outside in, lay the drained tomato slices in slightly overlapping concentric circles, making sure the tart is covered in tomato slices. 

Place the tart on the center rack in the oven, and bake at 375 F until the custard is set, about 35-40 minutes.  (Set custard won't jiggle when you shake the pan and will be firm when you touch it). The tomatoes in this tart may give off a hot liquid--don't confuse this with uncooked eggs and overcook your tart. The liquid will evaporate as the tart cools.

Remove the tart from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Allow the tart to cool slightly before serving.  You can enjoy this tart warm or at room temperature.

Serving suggestion: Serve this tart alongside a simple arugula salad with a homemade vinaigrette.  

Best Brownies Ever

These dark chocolate brownies with flaky sea salt are officially the best brownies ever. And I'm sharing the recipe below!  There's nothing interrupting the perfectly fudgy texture of these brownies-- no chunks of chocolate or walnuts to get in the way of your ability to savor the rich chocolate flavor in each bite. 

I wanted a recipe that I could make quickly and easily, and that would be easy to transport since I was heading to a barbeque in New Jersey. I came across this crazy-good looking recipe from Buzzfeed, so I decided to give it a try.  Plus, with all that crunchy, flaky sea salt on top, I knew the brownies would be a hit. And they were!  

The flaky sea salt makes these brownies next level!

One thing to note.. these brownies will only be as good as the chocolate you use. So, do yourself a favor and use some really good chocolate!  What's good chocolate you ask?  Well, a few of my favorite brands are Valrhona, Callebaut and Guittard.  You can find one or all of them at Whole Foods, or even your regular grocery store.  

Best Brownies Ever

8 ounces dark chocolate (about 60% cacao), finely chopped
3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, divided (63 grams)
1 tablespoon instant coffee or instant expresso powder
1 and 1/4 cup (2 and a half sticks) unsalted butter, melted (282 grams)
2 cups granulated sugar (400 grams)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed (110 grams)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons salt
6 eggs, room temperature
1 cup all purpose flour (125 grams)
flaky sea salt

Prepare a 9 x 13 inch pan by lightly buttering it, lining it with parchment paper, and lightly buttering the parchment paper. (By using parchment paper, you will be able to easily lift the brownies from the pan.)

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Add the finely chopped chocolate into a medium-sized bowl. Sift in 1/4 cup (21 grams) of the cocoa powder and the instant coffee powder.  Melt the butter. Don't let the butter cool-- immediately pour it over the chocolate, and stir until the chocolate has melted. (Feel free to give a taste test at this point-- the chocolate sauce is deeeelicious!)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt and vanilla.  Add an egg and whisk on low.  Add the remaining eggs while the mixer is going, and gradually increase the speed to 5/10.  Whip until the mixture transforms into a beautiful, thick-looking batter.  This will incorporate tons of air.  It should take about 7-9 minutes. With the mixer still running, slowly pour in the chocolate mixture.  Once the chocolate is fully incorporated, turn the mixer off and remove the bowl.

Sift in the one cup of flour and remaining one half cup (42 gram) of cocoa powder.  Gently fold in the flour and cocoa powder with a rubber spatula until they're fully incorporated.  Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan.  Smooth the top so that the brownie batter is evenly spread across the pan.

Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and bang the pan against the table a couple of times. Bake again for an additional 20-25 minutes.  (Total bake time is 40-45 minutes.) A toothpick inserted in should come out crumbly with the mix.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack. Use a serrated knife to cut. 

Serve to friends, and have them love you and ask them to make these brownies again and again.

Recipe adapted from Buzzfeed Tasty.  Their video is awesome-- watch it here.

Bake from Scratch 2018's "Baker's Dozen"

I am incredibly honored that Bake from Scratch named me as one of their 2018 Baker's Dozen.  The feature is in the July/August issue, on newsstands now.  It feels amazing to be in such awesome company of people and brands that I admire.  I hope you get a chance to check out this awesome magazine!

Ceviche and Margaritas in Isla Murejes

Just off the coast of Cancun lies an island full of sunshine and ceviche, and wonderfully devoid of rambunctious spring breakers. I spent a relaxing four days at the adults-only Isla Mujeres Palace resort, finally taking a moment to decompress from the hustle and bustle of New York City's ever-present rat race.  

Isla Mujeres, Women Island, is a short ferry ride from Cancun.  Those few kilometers separate a party college scene from a sophisticated, relaxed island dream. I started each morning with room service (included!) before heading down to the beach.  One reason I love to visit tropical destinations is to enjoy the fresh, ripe tropical fruit. The papayas and pineapples at Isla Mujeres did not disappoint!  The pastries were exceptional-- and despite having a full meal, I always found more room to indulge with a croissant.  One morning, I indulged in the ultimate treat: I brought a bottle of champagne, fruit and pastries to the pier for the perfect morning picnic.

Who can turn down room service?

Ripe tropical fruit, pastries and more

Swimming with dolphins has always been something I wanted to do. When I learned that I could use our resort credit for this intimate sea creature encounter, I enthusiastically signed up!  We all know dolphins to be incredibly intelligent, compassionate creatures. But being up close to them, I was able to appreciate the magnitude of their size and presence.  

I used the remainder of my resort credit to splurge at the spa.  My masseuse was super accommodating and did an excellent job. In fact, nearly all of the staff that I encountered was incredibly attentive and accommodating, ensuring that they handled all of the logistical worries and any other snafus that came along!

There's no better way to enjoy the beach than with a seafood lunch and margarita.  There was a cevicheria--yes, you read that correctly!  The shrimp ceviche was out-of-this-world. I still think about it. And no lunch was complete with out some fresh guacamole, tacos, and of course, margaritas!  

Even when I was in the pool, I was never far from a margarita.  The attentive staff was always ready to provide a drink, plus, the pool featured a swim-up bar.

This stay at the Isla Mujeres Palace resport was exactly what I needed.

And I'm already ready for my next tropical getaway!

Beignet Recipe + The Chew Video

'Foodie in New York' food blogger Vallery Lomas makes beignets! For complete recipes, go to TheChew.com From the June 18, 2018 episode of The Chew.

Hello!  Thanks to everyone who tuned in to watch me on The Chew!  If you missed it, there's a clip in the video above.  You can also watch the full segment by clicking here (starting at the 27:50 mark).

I actually made my beignet recipe again yesterday!  This recipe takes me back to chilly Saturday mornings spent ordering beignets and cafe au lait (mixed with a little hot chocolate).  "Coffee Call"-- Baton Rouge's version of "Cafe du Monde"-- was a favorite spot for my friends and I to meet up in high school to enjoy the pillowy fried dough. I always ended up wearing a considerable amount of powdered sugar by the time I left--there was no escaping the clingy white powder.  Even though there were heaps of powdered sugar on the beignets, there were little shakers on the cafe tables willed with even more powdered sugar, and I'd always add more.

This recipe is unique because the dough uses evaporated milk.  The dough is also enriched with egg, melted shortening and sugar.  Here are three tips to being successful with this recipe:

1. Monitor the temperature of the oil.  The oil should be as close to 370 F as possible throughout the frying process.  Too cold oil and your beignets will be greasy. Too hot and they'll brown before they're cooked on the inside!  Get a thermometer and only friend when the temp. is right in the 370 range.

2. Use enough flour when rolling it out.  The dough is a "sticky dough."  If you handle it without enough flour, it will become a sticky mess!  A dough scraper (or large spatula) can help you transfer the dough easily.  Before rolling it out, be SUPER generous with the flour--both under the dough and on top of the dough.  Generously flour the surface, turn the dough on to the surface, and then generously flour the top of the dough. Roll the dough, cut it, then transfer each square to a heavily floured area.  (I noticed that if I don't separate the squares, they will continue to rise while I'm frying, and they will all stick together.)

3.  Once in the oil, flip after 15 seconds, and keep flipping during the first minute.  This prevents the beignets from ballooning too quickly.

With those three tips, I'm positive that anyone can be successful making this recipe!  Keep the oil temperature steady, use lots of flour, and flip those beignets!  (Sticky doughs can be scary, but they make for some of the lightest pastries!)

Be very generous with the flour. Otherwise, the sticky dough will get stuck!

Once the squares are cut, seperate them and place in a heavily=floured spot. 

Homemade Beignets

1 and 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water (6 ounces)
1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 grams)
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
3 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (455 grams) (divided, plus extra for dusting)
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening (melted)
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar (for dusting)
Canola oil (for frying, plus extra for greasing)

Grease a large bowl with oil, set aside. Line a large pan with paper towels and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add yeast, water and sugar. Hand whisk to combine and set aside to bloom, about 5-10 minutes.

To the bloomed mixture, add evaporated milk, and egg, and whisk to combine. Add salt and 1 and 3/4 cups flour. Using a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, mix on level 3/10 until combined. Add shortening and remaining flour, and knead on level 3/10 until dough is smooth, about 4-5 minutes.

Using a dough scraper, transfer dough into prepared bowl. Cover with plastic or towel and set aside until it doubles in size, about 2 hours.

In a large Dutch oven or deep fryer, preheat 4-inches of oil to 370ºF.

On a clean workspace dusted with flour, roll out dough to a 1/4-inch thickness, dusting with flour as needed. Cut the dough into 3-inch squares and carefully transfer into the oil. After dropping the squares in the oil, flip after 15 seconds and continue to flip every 15 seconds for the first minute or so. This will prevent a "hump" from forming. Fry until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer them to a paper towel, dust generously with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately with cafe au lait. 

Recipe also may be found here.