Over the last year or so I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know and spend a lot of time with Diana Keuilian. Aside from being a super cool friend, Di is also one of the greatest cooks I’ve ever met. From celebrations at her house to tailgate parties before concerts, Di is always whipping up something delicious that I’ve been lucky enough to try.
She just released her brand new book, The Recipe Hacker, and was kind enough to share three of my favorite recipes with you guys right here on the blog.
Enter Diana…
Wrapped Asparagus
Best. Appetizer. Ever. There’s not much else to say about these teriyaki spiked, tender, rib eye wrapped asparagi. Asparaguses? Asparagee? Anyway, when you are looking for an appetizer or side dish that is truly flavorful and addictive, then look no further than this page.
Quick Tip: I find these wraps to be just as delicious when served chilled as they are when served hot. If you’re making these for guests, then it’s nice to make ahead of time and chill on the serving platter. Just don’t start ‘taste-testing’ or you may end up with an empty platter.
Prep: 25 minutes Cook: 20 minutes Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients
- ½ cup sake
- ½ cup mirin
- ½ cup coconut aminos
- 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
- 2 Tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
- 1 lb thinly sliced rib eye
- 1 bunch asparagus
- sea salt
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- Black pepper
1) Combine the sake, mirin, coconut aminos, syrup, ginger and garlic in a bowl. Mix well.
2) Arrange the sliced rib eye in a shallow pan. Pour the marinade over the rib eye. Place in the fridge to marinate for an hour.
3) Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a sprinkle of sea salt. Wash the asparagus and trim the tough ends. Add the asparagus to the boiling water. Blanch for about 10 minutes, until tender and vibrantly green. Drain.
4) Place the blanched asparagus in a medium bowl. Combine with the lemon, lemon zest, pepper and sesame oil.
5) Wrap each blanched asparagus with a piece of marinated rib eye. Place back in the shallow pan. Spoon the marinade over the wraps. At this point you could keep the wraps in the fridge for up to a few hours, until you are ready to cook.
6) Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the wrapped asparagus to the preheated skillet and cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Enjoy!
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Roasted Eggplant
I am obsessed with this recipe. It all started when, for the first time EVER, my garden successfully produced a crop of Japanese eggplants. I came up with this recipe to cover the eggplants in a garlic-lemon-olive oil mixture and then roast it to tender, golden perfection. It turned out amazingly good!
Since then I’ve been making this tasty eggplant dish at least once a week. I’m probably going to turn purple soon…
Quick Tip: The key to making this recipe extra delicious is to roast it until it’s really really tender and golden. When in doubt, leave it in to roast a little longer.
Prep: 25 minutes Bake: 40 minutes Oven: 400 Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 5 Japanese eggplants
- sea salt
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 lemon, juiced
1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.
2) Slice the eggplants in half, lengthwise, and arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the cut side of each eggplant with sea salt. Let sit for 20 minutes, until some liquid is drawn out. Wipe the liquid and salt off with a paper towel.
3) Combine the olive oil, garlic and lemon juice in a small bowl. Rub the olive oil mixture over the tops of the eggplants. Roast for 30-40 minutes. Enjoy!
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Mini Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting & Bacon Sprinkles
Here’s the perfect brownie alternative to boxed brownie mixes. Everyone who has tried these has loved them…these brownies are that good. I love the idea of making brownies in a mini muffin tin because it forces portion control. One little morsel is really all you need to satisfy your sweet tooth. When I have a pan of brownies in front of me it’s hard to just cut a little square and be done with it…the squares keep getting bigger and bigger.
Quick Tip: This recipe does call for 3/4 cup of raw honey, in order to make it taste nearly as sweet as traditional brownies. Feel free to reduce the amount of honey, but if you’re baking these to share I’d keep it pretty close to that amount.
Prep: 20 minutes Bake: 25 minutes Oven: 350 Makes: 48 mini brownies
For the Mini Brownies:
- 3.5 oz dark chocolate
- ½ cup coconut oil
- ⅓ – ½ cup raw honey
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¾ cup blanched almond flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips — dairy free, soy free (Enjoy Life Brand)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a mini muffin pan with coconut oil.
- In a double boiler, gently melt the chocolate, coconut oil and raw honey. Remove from heat, allow to cool, add the eggs, vanilla and almond extracts.
- In a medium bowl combine the almond flour and salt. Add the wet ingredients and mix well. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
- Fill the mini muffin tins nearly to the top. Bake for 15-25 minutes until golden and set.
For the Peanut Butter Frosting:
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter (or almond butter)
- ¼ cup coconut milk, canned, full fat
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ¼ cup palm shortening
- ¼ cup raw honey
- In a double boiler, melt all of the ingredients together. Mix often until smooth. Remove from heat and place in the freezer for 5 minutes.
- Beat the frosting with an electric mixer. Place back in the freezer for 5 minutes, then beat again. Continue this process until the frosting thickens and becomes creamy. Enjoy!
For the Bacon Sprinkles:
- 4 slices nitrate free bacon
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- Place the bacon in a single layer on the baking sheet. In a small bowl combine the maple syrup and mustard. Mix well. Brush the maple mixture over the bacon.
Bake in the preheat oven for 20 minutes, or until crispy. Drain off the bacon grease. Once the bacon has cooled, chop into small pieces. Sprinkle over your frosted cupcakes and enjoy!
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Jay back here. Di made those cupcake/brownies for a tailgate before the Jay Z concert this summer. I think I ate about 37 of them. They’re UN…REAL.
Anyway, I’ve already got my copy of The Recipe Hacker and Jen and I are busy trying everything in the book. Di is also giving YOU a free physical copy of The Recipe Hacker. But she’s only giving it away until this Saturday… Click Here to get your copy now!
To quote Clark Griswold, I hope this adds to your enjoyment of the holiday season.
