Lighter Shrimp Scampi from Cleo Coyle

This is my lighter take on the traditional version of shrimp scampi, and I use the term "traditional" loosely. Why? Because you will not find "shrimp scampi" in a cookbook of authentic Italian cuisine. This dish was born in America. When you order it in a restaurant, you'll usually be served a gratin of large shrimp that have been split, brushed with an obscene amount of garlic butter and then broiled. 

Cleo Coyle has a partner in 

crime-writing—her husband.

Learn about their books

by clicking here or here.

This scampi recipe is not from any particular menu, it's simply my improvised, lighter version. The meal is satisfying yet healthy. Garlic, olive oil, fresh parsley, and seafood: all good stuff. You can make it even healthier by using a spinach, whole wheat, or low glycemic index pasta or even zoodles. When Marc and I make it, we practically inhale bowls of it. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do...

Click for the free recipe PDF.

To download this recipe as a free PDF, click here. 

To see it the recipe in blog post form, scroll down or click here. And may you...

Eat with joy!

~ Cleo Coyle, author of
The Coffeehouse Mysteries

One Hour Chicken Soup for the (Body and) Soul from Cleo Coyle

March 12, 2020

Here in New York City, we're keeping a close eye on news about COVID-19 (aka) the coronavirus. No doubt, many of you are too. Confounding the situation is the fact that this is also the season for the common cold and flu. While chicken soup isn't going to solve our serious global health concerns, it is a solution if you're suffering from sore throat and congestion. Why? Because the science is in, and it seems our grandmothers were right... 

Studies have shown that properties in chicken soup relieve cold and flu symptoms. Chicken soup not only contains immune boosting properties, it also has cold-fighting compounds that help soothe sore throats and clear nasal congestion. You can read more here, though I already knew homemade chicken soup has healing powers. By the time I slurp down a single bowl of the stuff, I begin feeling relief from a stuffy nose or sore throat. A few years ago, when my husband caught a cold (thanks to me), I felt terribly guilty and was only too happy to bring him a bowl of my chicken soup. I swear, I barely made it back to the kitchen before I heard him crying out from the bedroom:

"This is great! It's helping! It's helping!"

Whether you make this soup for yourself or someone you care about, I sincerely hope it brings you good feelings and good health! ~ Cleo 

Click here for the free PDF.

To download my One Hour Chicken Soup recipe now in a free PDF, click here. 

To see the recipe in blog post form, scroll down or continue reading by clicking here or on the Read More link below...

WIFE vs. HUSBAND: Cleo Coyle asks, "Is it Sauce or Soup?"

So I was cleaning out the refrigerator—an interesting exercise in culinary archaeology—and I mentioned to my husband, Marc, that I’d found six whole tomatoes in the crisper, and they were in no shape for a salad or garnish. "I hate to throw them out, so if you want to do something with them, be my guest..."

Cleo ponders a solution to
overripe tomatoes.
(BTW, these weren't them.)

How to Make Chocolate Buttercream Frosting without Butter or Cream by Cleo Coyle #Dairyfree

This "buttercream" frosting has no butter or cream, yet it tastes like a chocolate fudge dream. So what's the mystery ingredient to this frosting? It's one that vegans and vegetarians may have guessed by now...avocado. 

Cleo Coyle writes two
bestselling mystery

 series with her husband.
To learn more, click here.

If you've never used avocado as a substitute for butter in baking, I can tell you that it's a lot of fun to play with...

To continue reading this post,

scroll down or click here.

If you'd like to subscribe to

Cleo's Newsletters and join her

"Coffee Club," click here.

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No-Guilt Pizza Poppers: My Taste of Pizza Without the Carbs from Cleo Coyle

We've all heard of jalapeno poppers, but the inspiration for this Pizza Poppers idea came from another source, namely an Italian company that came up with the idea of on-the-go pizza served in a cone. 

Yes, a cone! (To see it, click here.)

Honestly, when my husband, Marc, and I first learned about this, our jaws dropped. Once we got over the shock, however, we began to have fun thinking up ways to write it into one of our Coffeehouse Mysteries. 

Click for Free Recipe PDF.

To find out how we wrote the pizza cone idea into one of our murder mysteries, click here or on the Read More link below. You'll also see big, colorful photos of our Pizza Poppers recipe.

OR

To download our Pizza Poppers recipe now in a free PDF, click here, and with low-carb joy!

~ Cleo Coyle

How to Make Low-Carb Pizza Crust from Cauliflower (No flour, no yeast, no kidding!) from Cleo Coyle

This low-carb pizza, mentioned in our 13th Coffeehouse Mystery, Billionaire Blend, tastes as good as it looks, yet the crust is made from nothing more than cauliflower, egg, and mozzarella cheese with some salt and spices thrown in. 

Click here for the
free Recipe PDF.

No flour, no yeast, no kidding! 

While versions of this recipe have been around for years (dating back to the early days of the Atkins diet), they aren't all equal. My recipe includes a key step to making it work. 

Yes, I was skeptical at first. My husband was, too, but he's a believer now. He enjoyed half this small pie with me, beer in hand, smile on his face. May you, too, eat with joy!

~ Cleo




To download this recipe now in a free PDF format, click here.

To read the rest of this blog post,
click here or on the Read More link below.

One Hour Chicken Soup and Attempted Murder - A New York Crime Story and Recipe from Cleo Coyle

Click here for
free recipe PDF.

Can chicken soup heal a gunshot wound? No, but it did play an important healing role in a famous NYC attempted murder. And more importantly for you...

The science is in. Properties in chicken soup appear to relieve cold and flu symptoms better than over the counter medications.
(source - New York Times, health/science).

Click here or on the Read More link below to learn more about chicken soup's healing properties and its role in a famous NYC shooting and shocking attempted murder.

To download my 1-hour Guardian Angel Chicken Soup recipe now in a free PDF, click here. 

Easy Italian Honey-Glazed Peach Crostata with Fresh Ginger Whipped Cream from Cleo Coyle

A crostata is an Italian dessert tart, usually made with jam or fruit. This is my easy version of a rustic, free-form crostata with a healthful, shimmering filling of honey-glazed peaches. I make this crostata every year in late summer when ripe peaches are plentiful. 

Click here to download this
recipe in a free PDF document.

How easy is this recipe? Very! I'm using a pre-made, boxed pie crust.

To get my recipe, click here for a free PDF document that you can print, save, or share, or scroll down or hit the read more link to continue reading the recipe as a blog post...

If you'd like to subscribe to

Cleo's Newsletters and join her

"Coffee Club," click here.

To continue reading this post,
scroll down or click here.

A Writer's Snack: Easy Apple Sauce Fruit Roll-Ups by Cleo Coyle

The apple sauce, maple syrup, vanilla, and spices in this recipe create a chewy snack that tastes like apple pie, but without the calories. To download my recipe in a free PDF, click here. 

To get this recipe in a free
PDF document, click here.

By the way, have you heard? Sitting is the new smoking. 

Like many writers, I do plenty of walking to counteract the endless sitting. But the issue of noshing is always a tough one for writers. One can eat only so many carrot sticks, which is why I'm always on the lookout for healthy treats like this one.

To see more of my blog post, scroll down or hit the read more link below...

How to Make Wet Walnuts: Easy (Dairy-Free) Maple-Walnut Caramel Topping for Yogurt, Oatmeal, Baked Apples and More by Cleo Coyle

Here is wonderfully easy way to make an amazing caramel-like syrup without the usual butter, cream, or refined white sugar that goes into traditional caramel. 

This old fashioned Wet Walnuts topping uses pure, natural maple syrup. During the cooking process, the syrup transforms into an amazing topping for yogurt, ice cream, baked apples, oatmeal, cobblers, fruit pies, and more. Click here to instantly download a free PDF of this recipe that you can print, save, or share and...eat with joy! 

~ Cleo 

Easy Honey-Glazed Peach Crostata with Fresh Ginger Whipped Cream from Cleo Coyle

Got peaches? Here's a nice use for them. A crostata is an Italian dessert tart, usually made with jam or fruit. 

This is my easy version of a rustic, free-form crostata. How easy? I'm using a pre-made pie crust, and so can you...

To get my recipe in a free PDF that you can print, save or share, click here.

To continue reading this recipe post and see my step-by-step photos, either scroll down, or click here or on the read more link below...

Click here for Cleo's
free recipe PDF.   

 

If you'd like to subscribe to
Cleo's Newsletters and join her
"Coffee Club," click here.

To continue reading this post,
scroll down or click here.

 

A Writer's Snack: How to Make Apple Pie Fruit Roll-Ups by Cleo Coyle

Sitting is the new smoking. Have you encountered this phrase yet? It's making the rounds. If you have the sort of occupation that requires you to sit for long periods of time, the recent health news that "prolonged sitting is shortening our lives" is less than cheery. 

Like many writers, I do plenty of walking to counteract the sitting. Then, of course, there's the issue of noshing. One can only eat so many carrot sticks before one's nose begins to twitch, so I'm always on the lookout for snacks that satisfy without expanding my, er...assets.

These Apple Pie Roll-Ups fit the bill. They’re chewy and sweet with the flavor of apple pie so they taste great with a cup of coffee or tea, yet this "fruit candy" is low in fat and calories and insanely easy to prepare. For the recipe, hit the "Read More" link below...

No Crust Pizza Poppers: My Taste of Pizza Without the Carbs from Cleo Coyle

Certainly, we've all heard of jalapeno poppers, but the inspiration for this Pizza Poppers idea came from another source. About ten years ago, an Italian company came up with the idea of on-the-go pizza served in a cone. Yes, a cone!

Honestly, when my husband, Marc, and I first learned about this, our jaws dropped in horror. Once we got over the shock, however, we began to have fun thinking up ways to write it into one of our Coffeehouse Mysteries. Here's how we did it...

How to Make Chocolate Buttercream Frosting without Butter or Cream by Cleo Coyle

This "buttercream" frosting has no butter or cream, yet it tastes like a chocolate fudge dream. So what's the mystery ingredient to this frosting? It's one that vegans and vegetarians may have guessed by now...avocado. 

Cleo Coyle writes two
bestselling mystery

 series with her husband.
To learn more, click here.

If you've never used avocado as a substitute for butter in baking, I can tell you that it's a lot of fun to play with...

To continue reading this post,

scroll down or click here.

If you'd like to subscribe to

Cleo's Newsletters and join her

"Coffee Club," click here.

To continue reading this post,

scroll down or click here.

Flourless Brownies: No flour, No butter, Just Chocolate Fudge Goodness (Gluten Free)

These chocolate brownies nearly qualify as magic. There is no white flour in the recipe. The structure comes from nutritious black beans, which add fiber and protein, but you won't taste the beans. You'll taste only delicious fudgy chocolate. Our Coffeehouse Mystery readers may recognize these gluten-free brownies as a bonus recipe from A Brew to a Kill. 

Click for Cleo's Free Recipe PDF

To download my Flourless Chocolate Brownies recipe now in a free, PDF document, click here. 

To continue reading this post, scroll down, or click here or on the "read more" link below...

My One Hour Chicken Soup Recipe from author Cleo Coyle

Click here for
free recipe PDF.

The science is in. Properties in chicken soup appear to relieve cold and flu symptoms better than over the counter medications (source: New York Times, health/science).

Scroll down to learn more about chicken soup's healing properties and its role in a famous NYC shooting and shocking attempted murder.

To download my One Hour Chicken Soup recipe now in a free PDF, click here. 

To see the recipe in blog post form continue reading...