Strawberries and Cream Scones

I've tried making scones before and they didn't turn out so great. I think you definitely have to recipe test more than once in order to find the right balance of ingredients, making modifications with flours, sweeteners and flavors. I've been experimenting with gluten free baking mixes lately and it's pretty tricky to get just the right texture. For this one, I used Bob's Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour and almond flour. The secret is adding xanthan gum. It behaves like gluten and binds and stretches, making the end result a little lighter. The almond flour is light and nutty and perfect for pastry. Plus, it tastes really good with the strawberries. The cream is coconut milk but you could use almond milk. These were originally vegan but I used butter. You could use cold coconut oil or a vegan butter if you wanted. I served these for a ladies brunch I hosted at my place. I also made fresh almond milk that morning which was so delicious as an addition to coffee and tea. You can read my post on making your own almond milk and almond flour here plus links to earlier posts with recipes that showcase it.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup Bob's Red Mill gluten free all purpose flour
3|4 cup homemade almond flour
1|2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1|2 cup coconut sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1|2 teaspoon baking soda
1|2 teaspoon sea salt
splash of vanilla
5 tablespoons cold butter
1|2 cup coconut milk or almond milk
1 cup diced strawberries

DIRECTIONS
Sift the dry ingredients together and cut in the cold butter using a pastry knife or pulse in a food processor. Mix in the vanilla and the milk. Fold in the strawberries. Spread a sheet of plastic wrap out on the counter and dust it with a little flour. Press the dough into a 12 inch circle and cut into 8 wedges.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake for 16-18 minutes at 400 degrees. Rotate the pan halfway through the cook time. Cool on a wire rack.

ENJOY!

Seasonal Spaghetti Squashes

Spaghetti squashes are one of my favorite gluten free substitutions for pasta. They're perfect eaten roasted, straight out of the oven with salt and pepper or tossed with your favorite ingredients and sauce. These perfect halves are ready to scrape down. They have cooled for about a half hour and can now be handled. Using a spoon, run it between the skin and the flesh. The 'spaghetti' comes right out.

This version was made with some lightly sauteed red onion, garlic and cabbage. I left the spinach raw so that it could slightly wilt with the warm squash. I added chopped tomatoes and toasted almonds. You can toss the cooked squash into the saute pan at the last minute to bring it back up to temperature and distribute your flavors. Season with salt and pepper and your done! In order to keep it entirely gluten free, I paired it with my Herbed Seed and Nut Crackers instead of toast.

For this version, I used zucchini and garlic in my saute and threw in some chopped tomatoes at the last minute to warm them up. I seasoned it with a little butter, fresh basil and pecornio and lots of lemon juice. I think this one is my favorite.

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 375. Cut the ends off of the squash and slice it in half from end to end. Scrape out the seeds. You can roast these at the same time and add them to the top of your dish. Rinse them under cold water after you have separated them from the pulp. Spread them out on a paper towel and pat dry. Toss them with olive oil, salt + pepper and spread out on a separate sheet pan. Take your cleaned squash halves and brush them with olive oil and season generously with salt + pepper. Lay them flat side down and roast for thirty minutes. Check the tenderness with a knive. When they're done, it should slide right in. Allow them to cool until you can handle them. Scrape out the flesh and discard the skin. Now you're ready for the perfect pasta! Pick your ingredients and you're all set. The possibilities are pretty endless. Be creative!

ENJOY!

Spring Vegetable Omelette with Fresh Mozzarella

The word omelette is kind of traditional and this recipe is far from that. Typically, you layer the ingredients inside the egg and fold it over to make a half moon but I don't really stick to a method. It's really more like a hard scramble. The secret is not to overwork the eggs because they will start to fall apart. Moving them across the pan in large sheets keeps them firm and in larger pieces. I also served my cheese on the side in fresh wedges instead of melting it on top, cafe style. I love eating food that's in season. It's always going to be the freshest in the markets and of course, if you are growing it yourself. This is a good way to incorporate lots of greens into your breakfast. I have so many varieties in my winter garden right now that I eat a combination of them with every meal. I prefer a 2:1 ratio of whites to yolks, so I separated a couple of mine. You can use whole eggs if you prefer. Take a little walk through my winter garden of greens with me on the way to the recipe....

This beautiful, blue kale is my all - star. It performs better than any other cool weather green. It's strong, hardy and vigorous! I keep it pinched back all winter long, eating the larger leaves first. The baby leaves are sweet and tender enough for salad. 

This mesclun mix of lettuces are the glamour girls of the greens. Lacy, pointed and dotted with dark red, they are super delicate and perfect eaten immediately picked and always raw.

Spinach is second in line for hardiness. It hardly blinks under snow and freezing temperatures when protected. Keep the leaves pinched once a week and you will have it until May. It's delicious cooked or raw. I use it both ways all the time because it's so versatile.

This intermix of mache and chervil are really pretty together. Mache has a very green flavor and tastes best mingled with other lettuces. Chervil has a distinct anise flavor and is complimentary with fish, lemon and vinegars.

INGREDIENTS
Fresh, organic eggs - 2 per person, either separated or whole, whisked
asparagus, tough ends trimmed, diced
cherry or grape tomates, halved or quartered
shallot or red onion, thinly sliced
fresh garlic, minced
baby kale or spinach, cut into ribbons
fresh jalapenos, sliced (optional of course)
other optional ingredients could be sliced mushrooms, zucchini or bell pepper
parsley, chopped
fresh water mozzarella, cut into triangles or medallions
olive oil + butter or ghee
sea salt + black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Warm a saute pan on medium and add the olive oil. Add all of the vegetables except the tomatoes, greens and parsley. Season with a little salt. Cook about 2 minutes. Add about a tablespoon of butter or ghee and the tomatoes, greens and parsley. Season with black pepper. Add the eggs. Using a flexible spatula, move the eggs across the pan in sheets, careful to keep them firm and in large pieces. Adjust the salt + pepper. Cook until they have just set. Serve on a nice plate, arranging the wedges of mozzarella around one side and garnish with any reserved parsley and black pepper.

ENJOY!

Pretzel Tartlets with Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter

I've been really inspired with my sweets lately. I pretty much always incorporate dark chocolate into them in one form or another because it's the constant ingredient that makes everyone happy. Plus, I've written extensively on the health benefits of good, dark chocolate. When you clean up the rest of the ingredients in your recipe using high-quality, organic nuts, flours, seeds and sweeteners, you will always end up with a treat that is both good for you and satisfies a craving. The shells of these tartlets are made with pretzels which make a crunchy, pastry like dessert almost like eating a graham cracker crust. 

 I'm pretty obsessed with my mini silicone cups. They make tiny portions that are easy to pack in lunches or take in the car. You can fill them with just about anything. I also like making cornbread muffins and tiny little pies in them.

I topped these with crushed peanuts and finely shredded coconut but you could use almonds or cashews or walnuts and substitute the nut butter with any other that you like or prefer.

This crust is crunchy while the inside is rich and creamy. That is a winning combination of textures in my opinion. You can keep them in the fridge or freezer and they will be more firm in the middle if you like that better. Be creative with your toppings!

INGREDIENTS
About 2 cups whole grain pretzels
1|4 cup cold, unsalted butter cut into pieces + a little extra for your tins if you don't use the cups
1|2 teaspoon vanilla
1|3 cup coconut sugar (muscovado and turbinado work too)
1 egg yolk
2 ounces dark chocolate (60% - 72% cacao)
1|4 cup cream or milk
1|3 cup natural nut butter (I used peanut)
1|4 cup toasted nuts
1|4 cup finely shredded coconut
flaked sea salt for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 350. In a food processor, pulse the pretzels until they form a coarse meal. Don't worry if there are a few small pieces - it isn't supposed to be as fine as flour. Measure the pretzel meal, you should have about 1 1|2 cups. Adjust the quantity if necessary. Return it to the food processor and add the egg yolk, vanilla, sugar and the butter. While it's running, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture sticks together. Chill the bowl in the fridge for about a half hour.
Grease a mini muffin tin with butter or get your mini cups out. Press a tablespoon of the chilled crust mixture into each one, carefully pressing all the way to the corners and up the sides. Bake the crusts for about 12 - 15 minutes until they are dry and barely golden. Remove the pan and let them cool before filling.
While you wait, create a double boiler and melt your chocolate in the top. Slowly add in the warm cream and stir until a smooth, thick chocolate is formed.
Fill the tart shells with a dollop of nut butter. Using a clean spoon, top them with a layer of the chocolate ganache and spread it to the edge. Top with flaked sea salt if you wish and the toasted nuts and coconut. These are ready! The centers are soft so if you like something more firm, pop the tray into the fridge for about 30 minutes to set them. They should be stored in there. You can set them out on the counter to warm up before you eat them, depending on your preference.
ENJOY!

Chocolate Chip Cereal Bars

I posted an earlier version of these bars here a few months ago that were very good but totally different in texture and taste. The basic recipe is the same, using oats, nuts and a natural sweetener but obviously there are a multitude of options when it comes to just those things. The former version was halfway between a crunchy and chewy bar like a rice crispy treat. These were much softer like a true cereal bar and my kids now prefer them over the others. Wrapped individually and kept in the refrigerator, they are such a winner when it comes to quick and delicious. My fourth grader took one in his lunch everyday until they were gone!

 Toasting the oats and the nuts brings out a delicious, buttery flavor that is a must when making these.

I used whatever random cereals I had on hand, plus finely shredded coconut, oat flour and flax | chia powder. This stuff acts like flour and binds it all together. Just pulse the cereal flakes in the food processor until they are coarsely ground.

The uncut brick is so pretty in this natural light. You can just lift the parchment paper right out of the baking dish and set it on a cooling rack until it's ready to cut.

This recipe makes 8 rectangular bars in an 8 x 8 square baking dish, or you can cut them in half for a smaller treat. I used rich, dark chocolate chips and they were incredible!

INGREDIENTS
1 1|4 c gluten free rolled oats
1|2 c diced walnuts or slivered almonds
1|4 c chopped cashews
1|4 c unsalted sunflower seeds
1|2 c maple syrup + 2 tablespoons raw honey
1|2 c chocolate rice crisp cereal
1|2 c heritage flakes
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1|4 teaspoon sea salt
a big pinch of good cinnamon
1|4 c oat flour
2 tablespoons finely shredded coconut
2 tablespoons flax | chia powder
1 c dried fruit , dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs

*A note on ingredients: modify this recipe as needed using what you have on hand or whatever you prefer if there is something you don't like. The same goes for the cereals. The important part is that you use 1 c of crunchy cereal and 1 cup of nuts. Just get the ratios right and really, this recipe is pretty flexible. The sweetener can be entirely honey or brown rice syrup, if that's what you have. It will change the consistency a little though, as those sweeteners will make a tackier bar instead of something soft.

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 350. Pour the oats and the nuts onto a sheet pan and lightly toast for about 10 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time. Remove and allow the pan to cool before mixing everything together. Drop the heat down to 300. Put the crunchy cereals into a food processor and pulse until it's crumbly and a little coarser than flour. In a large bowl, mix the remaining ingredients together, add the cereals, and stir in the oats and the nuts you toasted. Line a square baking dish with parchment paper. Press your mixture into the corners and flatten it on top. Bake for about 23 - 25 minutes until it's slightly brown on top and fragrant. You can let it cool in the baking dish, or you can gently lift the sides of the parchment out and set the entire thing on a wire cooling rack. It will cool much faster this way. Wait at least 20 minutes before you cut into them. Wrap individual bars in parchment and tie with string for a nice presentation or wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for a firmer bar or at room temperature for something a little soft and crumbly.

ENJOY!!

Food Profiling

In the business of health + wellness, chances are you're going to hear the term superfood sooner or later if you haven't already. Typically, it refers to a spectrum of nutrient - dense foods and supplements that have a high profile of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants etc. 

While this is the case with this class of edibles, it's important to remember as you introduce new foods into your diet that not everything is digested the same in every body type, especially if you are making some radical changes in your lifestyle. You can easily overwhelm your system incorporating these foods all at once and especially if coupled with a new exercise routine. If your body and digestive system are not accustomed to these powerful foods, you may find that it goes through an intense detoxification process as it tries to restructure the internal landscape. Foods high in saturated fat, especially animal products, instant and frozen prepared foods typically contain white flour and sugar, corn syrup, simple sugars that depress the immune system, preservatives, nitrates, artificial colors and dyes, carcinogenic compounds and so on that get deposited into little pockets all over the digestive system, the lining of the liver and the kidneys, the bloodstream, cellular walls and connective tissues. 

These things compromise the delicate balance of flora in our gut and prevent our bodies from functioning efficiently. This can lead to fatigue, headaches, allergies, depression, joint pain, digestive disorders, weight gain, high blood pressure and heart disease - just to name a few! 

This super bowl I made has twelve ingredients and each one of them certainly has a super profile:

• QUINOA || An incredible digestive aid, this little Spanish grain was considered the mother by the Incas. It sweeps the colon and contains more calcium than milk, per serving. The fats it contains are the omega essential oils that are healthy and unsaturated. They feed the brain and the connective tissues. High in zinc, niacin and amino acids. Good source of energy and plant based protein, rich in minerals and stimulates the milk flow of nursing mothers.
• BLACK BEANS || All beans reduce cholesterol and regulate the insulin of the body. They lower blood pressure and clean the arteries and the bloodstream and nourish the heart muscle. Also high in protein and fiber, they also regulate the proper metabolism of fat.
• SWEET POTATO || Incredibly rich in beta carotene and vitamin A, this is evident from it's bright orange color like carrots. Alkaline and high in antioxidants, it detoxifies the entire body and binds to metals as it aids in the elimination of them. It addresses ulcers, colon function, circulation and elimination
• KALE || A systemic cleanser, extremely high in antioxidants and anti-cancer compounds, calcium and sulphur. It protects the eyes from macular degeneration and aids the body's digestive and nervous systems.
• GARLIC || The most medicinal of all of the alliums, which is the onion family of plants. Antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, antiviral, antibiotic, expectorant. Digestive aid and prevents heart disease, regulates blood pressure. One clove of raw garlic is equal to 100,000 units of penicillin. 
• RAW SAUERKRAUT || Fermented foods are high in probiotics and provide a vegan source outside of yogurt. Probiotics nourish our gut and our digestive tract. Anti-inflammatory, high in vitamins A and C, it restores the gut and it's lining, repairs the intestinal tract and wall, it enhances the absorption of other foods.
• BLACK SESAME || Emollient and laxative, it relieves swelling and addresses tumors and overgrowths. High in vitamin E, it's good for the heart and the nerves. The black is superior to the hulled variety as it contains higher levels of minerals, especially iron. It assists with liver and kidney function and soothes the joints.
• CAYENNE || An appetizer, it stimulates the stomach acids that digest food. A powerful blood cleanser and metabolic booster. Good for blood pressure, circulation, depression and sweat gland function which is essential for detoxification.
• CUMIN || Carminitive, aromatic and a digestive aid. A taste enhancer that improves circulation, relieves pain and cramps in the abdomen, prevents gas and warms the body.
• CILANTRO || Antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative and diuretic. A stomach aid, cooling, purifies the blood and cell tissues, prevents nausea, regulates insulin, eliminates metals, increases pancreatic function, addresses UTI's, diaphoretic (increases sweat), reduces fever and gas pains, anti-inflammatory, treats headaches, cough and stress.

My point in writing this is to deepen the dialogue about the importance of nourishing our bodies with the things that give back to us and allow us to work like a well - oiled machine. It can be overwhelming to introduce a bunch of unfamiliar foods all at once, so start gently but consistently with a few. Prepare them in ways that are pleasing to your palette while eliminating combinations that don't work together. Start by replacing a fried or starchy item with a salad or steamed vegetable for your side. Switch out your canola oil for olive oil. Bake instead of fry. Eliminate white flour and sugar. Accessorize the food you like with one from the list and begin trying something new each week until you feel comfortable stepping outside of your comfort zone more. Get creative with your kids food. Don't cultivate a picky eater - put new things on the table and do it together. It's okay if you don't like something - make it a different way next time, just don't stop trying and tasting. There is an incredible world of foods, textures and flavors out there waiting for you.

Almond Coconut Mini Muffins with Raw Cacao

Almond flour is perfect for pastries, desserts and crusts. I've posted about using it numerous times and I pretty much always have it on hand from making almond milk. It's available in most grocery stores, and certainly in all health food stores but it's always cheaper and fresher to make it yourself. This was originally a recipe for cookies but I put them into these silicone mini cups instead because they were snacks for my son's classroom and these looked more fun. If you want to make the cookies, just drop the dough onto a non - stick sheet pan or one lined with parchment paper.

I collect vintage tea towels, tablecloths and dinner napkins. I love this fifties cake pattern. Doing something really simple when you serve your family and guests makes all the difference. We really do eat with our eyes first. Make your daily food rituals a thing of beauty.

You can find silicone muffin cups at kitchen stores, gourmet or specialty stores, some department stores, Bed Bath + Beyond etc. They come in sets of 12 and do not require non - stick spray. After baking, they just peel off and are really easy to clean by hand.

INGREDIENTS
1 1|4 cups almond meal
1|4 cacao nibs or dark chocolate chips
1|2 cup shredded coconut
1|2 teaspoon baking powder
1|4 teaspoon sea salt
1|3 cup coconut sugar (turbinado, brown and muscovado also work)
1 egg
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1|2 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 375. In large mixing bowl, stir together the almond meal, cacao nibs, coconut, baking powder, salt + sugar. In another bowl, beat the egg until it has doubled in size. Whisk in the warm coconut oil and the vanilla. Add this to the dry mixture and bring it together until just combined. Pop the bowl into the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes or cover and leave it overnight. Using clean hands, roll the chilled dough into balls about an inch in diameter and place on a baking sheet to make cookies. Give them a gentle press on top to flatten slightly. If you're making the muffins, drop the dough into non-stick cups or a tin lined with paper sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 7 to 10 minutes until the edges begin to brown or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin cups comes out clean. Let them cool slightly before serving with a warm coffee, tea or an ice cold glass of homemade almond milk!

ENJOY!