The Good The Bad The Cookbook

Chef Mario Porreca's new cookbook includes mostly healthy recipes with a few indulgent recipes for to satisfy the bad eater in all of us.  Chef created the cookbook as a way to eat healthy 5-6 days and week with one cheat day. If you allow yourself a cheat day chef says you're more likely to eat better the during the week.

It's not about being perfect but being better!

 

Peanut Butter and Jelly Grape Balls

Yield: 4 servings

4 ounces cream cheese

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

1/2 tablespoon blackberry jelly

12 red grapes (round-shaped grapes work best)

1 cup graham crackers, crushed into crumbs

 

PROCEDURE:

1. In a mixing bowl, fold together the cream cheese, peanut butter, and jelly until thoroughly combined.

Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before use.

2. After cream cheese mixture is completely chilled, use hands and work as quickly as possible to wrap

work with.

3. When all grapes are rolled in the cream cheese mixture, roll each grape in the graham cracker crumbs

to coat, and serve.

*Grapes may be rolled in cream cheese mixture and stored in the refrigerator up to 2 days ahead of time.

Do not roll in graham cracker crumbs until right before serving.

 

Stuffed French Toast with Blueberry Honey

Yield: 6 servings of 1 slice each

 

FOR THE FILLING:

1 medium strawberry with stem removed, quartered

4 mandarin orange segments

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 ounces Mascarpone cheese

1/2 orange, zest only

1 teaspoon honey

 

PROCEDURE:

1. In a food processor, puree the strawberry, mandarin orange segments, and vanilla extract until smooth.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the fruit puree (from above), Mascarpone cheese, orange zest, and honey.

3. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

 

FOR THE BLUEBERRY HONEY:

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup light agave nectar

1/4 cup fresh blueberries

PROCEDURE:

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine all ingredients.

2. When the blueberries pop and the honey becomes a pink or magenta color, remove from heat and strain

through a mesh strainer.

3. Reserve sauce.

 

 

FOR THE STUFFED FRENCH TOAST:

3 eggs

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup almond milk

6 2-ounce slices multigrain bread

 

1 recipe blueberry honey (see earlier recipe)

Fresh blueberries and raspberries to garnish

 

PROCEDURE:

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and almond milk until thoroughly

combined.

2. Pour egg mixture into a shallow baking pan and reserve.

3. Insert a paring knife into the bottom of the crust of the multigrain bread. Using a back-and-forth

motion, make a small pocket without puncturing either side of the bread.

4. Place the French toast filling into a piping bag. Insert the tip of the piping bag into the pocket of the bread and pipe filling until the pocket is full but not pouring out.

5. Proceed by dipping each piece of filled bread into the egg mixture, making sure both sides are completely coated.

completely coated.

6. Brown the French toast on both sides on either a sprayed griddle or in a sprayed nonstick sauté pan over

medium heat until golden brown on each side.

7. Place the browned French toast onto a sprayed baking sheet and bake in a 350-degree oven for about

10 minutes. The French toast should be warm throughout but should not get much darker in the oven.

The internal temperature of the French toast should reach at least 150 degrees.

8. Place the French toast onto plates or a serving tray and drizzle with blueberry honey. Garnish the plates or tray with fresh blueberries and raspberries. Servie hot, so that the filling oozes when the French toast is cut.

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