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Skillet Roasted Chicken Thighs with Balsamic Fig Compote
Our massive fig tree is doing it’s due diligence and providing an ungodly amount of fruit for us, once again this year. So, it’s time to get creative and bring my best fig game. I’ve made plenty of sweet dessert things with figs over the years, but at my core I am a savory girl. I really love a good savory dish that highlights the rich, sweet flavor of this beautiful fruit.
These Skillet Roasted Chicken Thighs with Balsamic Fig Compote may seem like a fancy, fussy meal, but ready in just about 30 minutes means you could make this on a weeknight, even. Oooh, you fancy!
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Fig Vanilla Bean Almond Milk
Summertime’s sweetness comes in many forms. From the delicious, in-season and abundant produce, to the lush and vibrant flora and foliage and many hours of beautiful sunlight.
I haven’t maintained a vegetable garden for the past few season’s, mostly due to the incredible amount of time that a garden requires and I don’t always have. But I am also so incredibly lucky that our home has several low maintenance fruit teas, the fig tree being the largest and most producing of all of them.
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Coconut Chai Fig Smoothie
If you have been reading Tasty Yummies for sometime, you know since moving to California 3 years ago, my
infatuationlove of figs runs very deep. The beautiful, big fig tree that we were blessed with, when we moved into this home, is one of the most magical gifts mother nature has ever given to me. The fig tree is a actually a long-standing symbol of abundance, fertility and sweetness, which is obviously quite fitting. Boy, does this tree produce in abundance! The only bad thing however, is just how short the season is. It’s over in a flash. Middle of the summer and that’s it.While we are still a month or so off from fresh figs, it doesn’t mean that I don’t crave those lusciously sweet fruits. Which is why California dried figs are the very next best thing. Available year round, from Valley Fig Growers, you can stay stocked up on your California dried figs throughout the off-seasons and continue to reap all of the many benefits of this super fruit.
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Grain-free Peach and Fig Crumble
As someone who has maintained a 100% gluten-free lifestyle for over 10 years and is constantly making major and minor shifts to my diet and lifestyle, in efforts to heal my body, I find great inspiration in the work that my peers do. As I have navigated my way through various elimination diets and protocols, oftentimes it’s other bloggers who have come to the rescue for me in these most challenging times. Sharing their research and their own personal experiences and of course, delicious recipes. Lauren of Empowered Sustenance is the perfect example of this. As a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Lauren’s approach to holistic wellness has not only allowed her to heal her ulcerative colitis, but to also share her knowledge and experiences in this journey on her website for the rest of us, no matter what our diagnosis.
When Lauren asked if I would guest post on her site and share a grain-free, nut-free, dairy-free recipe with her audience – I jumped at the chance. Though I am fortunate to not have to avoid these items 100% of the time, I prefer to avoid all three in large amounts, my gut is happier that way and a happy gut = a happy Beth. Additionally, I also really empathize with those that do need to avoid these 100% of the time. Restrictions to your diet, no matter what they are, can be a challenge, I know this all to well. So, if this recipe can brighten just one day, if it can take the burden off just one person – than my work here is done.
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When Figs Fly // Spiced Rum Fig Kombucha Cocktail
At our core, we are all balance. It’s how we are meant to exist, it is necessary to our survival. It is how we choose to live our lives, in the most simplest of forms, that take this delicate rhythm away from it’s natural state. As I was creating this recipe, it struck me, like a huge truck in fact, I am truly the epitome of a libra and a middle child, through and through. I like when things are even and balanced, I like to see all sides, I like the middle and I love the way life feels when equanimity is at the forefront. The scales may flutter about, but ultimately I don’t feel right when my life is not in balance. I firmly believe that when life is imbalanced, this is when we suffer mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. When I am not in balance, I am not connected to the world. When I am not connected to the world, I get lost in myself and it never ends well.
This Spiced Rum Fig Kombucha Cocktail is just another example of how I truly embody the idea of balance, even in the most casual of moments in life. It’s something I crave even in the play time, I seek it and I am drawn to it, oftentimes in a completely subconscious manner. I’m sure, if you’ve been visiting this website for sometime, you see these very trends in my food. Many paleo recipes, yet lots of vegan, after many grain-free recipes will might find some grains, with a dozen vegan recipes, you’ll log on to find meatballs. There are sweets, but after too many, you won’t find them for a while. Many times I add a food to a recipe, just for a balance in color. I like to include ingredients that offer a compliment to balance another strong element. This is just how I live my life. Sometimes this need for balance will even show up in a dessert like a cake with some greens snuck into it or cookies with zucchini. It’s balance. My body craves it. The extremes, they just don’t work for me.
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Caramelized Fig Ice Cream
You will constantly hear me speak of the incredible community that food blogging has introduced me to. It’s one of the most rewarding byproducts of this strange life path I have chosen. A little family of foodie friends, all connected by the common thread of our love of creating delicious, nourishing food and sharing it with the world.
Oftentimes, our fellow friends will need support, for varying reasons that might pull them away from creating content for their platforms. I myself have at times brought other bloggers in to share content her on Tasty Yummies, you might remember a whole month of posts from these talented folks while I was away with my yoga teacher training.
While my friend Sylvie, of Gourmande in the Kitchen, was off cooking up her greatest masterpiece yet, a beautiful baby girl, she asked if I would create a recipe for her site in the time just after she returned home, so she could enjoy all the new moments with her wee one. Of course, I gladly agreed, what an honor to be able to be of support in such a magical time. If you aren’t already familiar with Gourmande in the Kitchen, you should be. Sylvie, like me, subscribes to the belief that real food heals. All of the recipes on her website are free from gluten, refined sugar, and processed ingredients with many paleo, vegan, raw and allergy-friendly options as well. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Sylvie is an incredible photographer, every perfectly shot image drawing you deeper into her site.
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Honey Balsamic Roasted Fig and Toasted Pistachio Coconut Yogurt Parfaits
It’s here. It’s officially fig season and I couldn’t be happier. Though the season can seem somewhat short, when you have an over 20 foot fig tree in your yard, it honestly feels like it carries on forever and ever. I am not complaining. For the rest of the world, fig season usually feels like it is over in the blink of an eye. The season gone and done with, before you even fully begin to enjoy it. What a beautiful metaphor for life. Everything happening so quickly, whizzing right by us. The sweetest things, they come and go and if you don’t stop and slow down, if you don’t savor every bit of it, truly stopping to appreciate every little detail, it will pass you by.
Over these past three summers of being in this house, I have done my very best to not take this tree for granted, what a gift. Having only ever really eaten dried figs, I have learned to love figs in a whole new way and I have found myself getting creative, adding them to recipes anywhere that I can. If you have never had fresh figs, I can tell you that you are surely missing out.
Figs are delicious when fresh, sliced up and added to salads or pasta, they are wonderful just for a sweet bites, you can stuff them with goat cheese or blue cheese, but like many foods, I have a real thing for roasting them. The flavor and the sweetness shines even brighter this way and you end up with a delicious sauce of sorts, perfect for so many different recipes.
Roasting is also a great way to preserve the figs a bit longer. Many times if I pick figs that are perfectly ripe and ready for eating straight away, I try to nab them just before they fall to the ground or the birds get them, but they won’t last long when they are this ripe. Roasting gives me a few more days with them and it ensures not a single fig’s life is lost in vain! It’s also a great way to get the most out of the figs that aren’t as great. Maybe they were picked a little early or they are just less sweet. Roast them. Problem solved.
If you don’t have a tree, when buying fresh figs, always buy the more ripe ones. Unlike many other fruits, figs do not continue to ripen once picked. Soft and squishy is perfect, a little splitting skin with some juices oozing, even better. The ugliest figs, the ones many would likely pass right over, those are usually quite often, the tastiest figs. Possibly another metaphor for life? Heh.
These yogurt parfaits are one of my favorite ways to enjoy and savor the roasted figs. The tart and sweet flavor of the roasted figs, the beautiful syrupy sauce that is created, it pairs so perfectly with a creamy and tangy yogurt. I love the addition of the toasted pistachios, too. You can feel free to swap with whatever your favorite nut or seed is. I opt for my homemade coconut milk yogurt, but you can feel free to opt for any yogurt you’d like. Greek, goat’s milk an so on. Great as a breakfast, a dessert or a snack.
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Zucchini Noodles with Fig, Arugula and Pancetta
According to Pinterest it’s fall already. I am seeing more pumpkin recipes in my feed than what should be legal, Halloween DIY projects, boots and layers of clothing and more. Let’s slow it down a little, folks. It’s STILL summer, it’s hot out and I still have lots of zucchini and tons of figs that need eating.
I know fall is just around the corner and it’s my favorite time of year, but I refuse to be bullied into pumpkin. Let’s enjoy what we have, while it’s still here. There is so much amazing produce coming from the farmers markets, our CSA box and my garden, I just cannot even think about squash and all it’s cooler weather friends.
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Chai Spiced Coconut Fig Popsicles {Vegan}
Though the end of summer is just around the corner, I would say it is hard to know that at times here in Southern California. We had some pretty hot days last week and since we don’t have any air conditioning at home and we both work out of the house, I found myself with a serious craving for some tasty, creamy homemade popsicles. And the beach.
I had been craving some of my homemade chai recently, but the idea of hot chai tea was very quickly dismissed, while I found myself sweating in the summer heat. Naturally, the next logical thought was a popsicle version of the tasty hot coconut chai lattes, that I make during the winter months. With the abundance of figs we have coming from our tree, I was dying to find a way to incorporate them into whatever popsicle I made, so the idea was born for these delicious, creamy Chai Spiced Coconut Fig Popsicles.
For lack of sounding like I am bragging, these are THE BEST homemade popsicles I have ever made. They are full of amazing chai flavor and they are so perfectly creamy and rich. The only bad part of all of this amazingness was the day I decided to photograph these, it was well over 90 degrees in our house and the popsicles were melting so fast I couldn’t keep up. I was scrambling, running, yelling and snapping. I was able to snap these two photos and before you know it I had a puddle of creamy goodness on my hands. I tried to pull the few remaining popsicles out and they had melted so quickly in the molds they were disfigured and wonky, the sticks came out of a couple, it was just a hot mess. Literally. The remaining few were more than good enough to eat, but not really pretty enough for photos. A shame really.
I thought about remaking these and photographing them again, but that would just delay me getting this amazing recipe to you, and I couldn’t bear that thought of that. These are far too delicious not to share. So, please excuse the photos, but trust me when I tell you that you need to make these ASAP.
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Zucchini Fig Smoothie
I was trying to come up with a clever name for this smoothie that would sound less, I dunno, intimidating or strange. But in brainstorming kitchy smoothie names I came to the realization, that I want the world to know how amazing zucchini is in smoothies. It provides a creaminess that is so conducive to a smoothie and it also gives me that green that I like to start my day off with – from something other than the same ‘ol greens like kale or spinach. Plus, it’s a really great way to use some of those HUGE over grown zucchini that just get all strange to cook with. I scoop out the seeds if they are big and seedy and I just chop up a cup or so. skin included and throw it in.
We have soo many figs coming from our tree and so many beautiful large heirloom zucchini from the garden, that this Zucchini and Fig Smoothie has become a regular around here. This smoothie is creamy, a little spicy, sweet, filling and sooo totally addicting. You gotta trust me on this one guys, just put some zucchini in your next smoothie!
