ArcaMax

Required Reading

I’m definitely not one to read the op-ed page. In fact, I don’t even read the newspaper. Okay, okay. In the interest of full disclosure, I might read my horoscope when I find the paper left on the kitchen counter by my husband. And on Sundays, I love to read the magazines inserted into the paper; things like Parade Magazine.

That doesn’t mean I walk around with my head in a hole, though. I am a bit of a news junkie. I watch the national news like I’m addicted to it, and I also watch our local news to catch up on what’s happening in Chicago. While I’m reading Parade Magazine, I probably have a news program going on the TV, at the same time. When I’m in my car, I invariably have a news-talk station on. WGN is my fave.

So why am I asking you to read this offering in the NY Times’ Op Ed Page? It’s because I think it should be required reading for every adult on the planet...

Read the full column at PlanZDiet.com

Lemon Curd

Related Recipes at PlanZDiet.com:

Zola's Almond Flour Pie Crust
Fluffy, No Bake Lemon Cheesecake

This is a ZReboot recipe. My husband’s favorite flavor is lemon. We have been together 33 years and every year I have made him a different lemon dessert for his birthday. I have had to get pretty creative after all these years!

Lemon curd is easy to make and so versatile. You can even put a dollop of this on pancakes! (Of course you’ll make your pancakes with almond flour…) One of my favorites is to make little lemon tarts with it. The one in the picture were made with crusts I made in cupcake tins so they are very small. I topped them with candied violets. You can order those online. Or just serve them plain, or with sweetened cream on top.

This is a take-off of a recipe I found online but of course I Zolafied it to take out the sugar. This lemon curd is tart but my guests all declared it was sweet enough for them!

Yield: Makes about one cup

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons butter
½ cup FRESH lemon juice
1/3 cup of ZSweet or Swerve (these are sugar substitutes you can order online. They are great for baking. They don’t give off that tinny taste that Truvia sometimes does)
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 small pinch salt

Instructions:

Cut butter up into pieces (around 8 to 10 pieces is good). Put the butter into the freezer.

Blend the rest of the ingredients together in a blender. Pour into a sauce pan. Heat slowly on medium. Stir frequently. When curd begins to thicken to the point where it coats the spoon, or leaves a trail when the bottom of the pan is scraped with a spatula, or is 170 degrees F., remove from heat (don’t let it boil). I use my insta-read meat thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. This is the tricky part of this recipe. If you cook it too fast the eggs will scramble in the bottom of the pan. Take your time. This is worth being vigilant. I slowly stir this mixture with my wooden spoon; constantly. It takes six to ten minutes or so on medium. It depends on how powerful your burner is.

When it’s ready, turn off the heat. Stir in the butter. Keep stirring until butter is melted and incorporated. If you think it’s too “sharp,” try adding another tablespoon or two of butter.

Enjoy these a LOT!
Cheers,
Zola