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Pumpkin Spice Latte {Dairy-free}
It will forever irritate me how many “pumpkin spice” flavored foods do not contain even the smallest amount of pumpkin. I don’t get it. If it’s just cinnamon and other spices, why not call it “spiced BLANK” instead. Most irritating is the fact that Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Lattes are always fixing to suck me in. From time to time, I find myself in a weakened state, tempted and really thinking about ordering one! Ultimately, I simply remind myself how much sugar (a Grande contains over 50 grams of sugar) it contains. Then I think about the fake coloring (Class IV Caramel Coloring), the creepy “natural” and artificial flavors and the hidden dairy in the syrup by way of sweetened condensed milk (so vegans, you are getting hit with dairy, even if you order it with non-dairy soy milk). The list of reasons not to order one just goes on and on. I myself haven’t had one of these drinks in well over 5 years, but it doesn’t mean that I don’t think about it from time to time.
So, what’s a fall-loving, pumpkin-craving girl to do about all this scary Starbuck stuff? Well, she has to make one for herself. (OK, I will stop talking about myself in the third person now! Sorry.) I opted to first make a tasty homemade Pumpkin Spice Almond Milk, using my tried and true method of making delicious nut milks at home. Though this delicious, seasonally-inspired treat is super amazing on it’s own, in smoothies or as a creamer, it’s even better served warm and added to a steamy latte, like this.
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Summer Berry-Coconut Milk Ice Pops – Vibrant Food Cookbook Giveaway
There are some blogs and cookbooks that I feel like were created just for me, thumbing through the pages or scrolling past the recipes, I feel like every beautiful photo was taken for me, each recipe created with my eating choices in mind. While I am not so arrogant to believe this to be actually true, it is really amazing to know that there are people out there, just like me, eating intuitively – loving and celebrating all of the beautiful, seasonal, healthy whole foods available to us. When I started reading The Year in Food, sometime last year, I instantly felt connected to Kimberley Hasselbrink, the creative mastermind behind all of the recipes and beautiful photos. Like me, Kimberley has a background in design, she, hailing from the world of furniture design, me, from a life of graphic design and it is clear in every recipe she develops. Her creativity shines brightly, as she creates a feast for the eyes by combining colors, textures, and flavors into her gorgeous, dynamic dishes. When I heard of her brand new book, VIBRANT FOOD, I knew right away before ever seeing it, that this was a book that I would absolutely love and would become a resource I turn to often. I was right.
It is clear that Kimberley’s look at food is viewed through the eyes of an artist in search of beauty as well as flavor and that she’s wildly inspired by the vivid hues of produce. In her debut book, Vibrant Food Kimberley captures the radiant colors of each of the seasons with recipes that transform meals into captivating works of art. It is apparent the passion that Kimberley has for cooking, each recipe a celebration of color, flavor and mood. Besides being an inspiration in the kitchen, it is hard not to be inspired visually, as well, as you make your way through the incredible, drool-worthly photographs on each page.
Vibrant Food invites you to look at ingredients differently and let their colors inspire you: the shocking fluorescent pink of a chard stem, the deep reds and purples of baby kale leaves, the bright shades of green that emerge in the spring, and even the calm yellows and whites of so many winter vegetables. As Kimberley mentions at the start of the book, “when we intuitively let the colors guide our choices, we can trust that we are eating well, and taking care of ourselves and celebrating food for its dynamism, its vibrancy, its flavor and its colors, as much as we are for its benefits to our health.”
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Strawberry Avocado Jalapeño Salsa {Gluten-free and Vegan}
It’s strawberry season, it’s strawberry season and I might be just a little bit excited! Iapologize in advance, I know it isn’t quite strawberry season for those of you not in Southern California. But, that just means you can start bookmarking and saving all of these yummy strawberry recipes I share and they’ll be all ready for you to get to cooking as soon as they are in season near you.
This slighty sweet, kinda tart, and a little bit spicy, Strawberry Avocado Jalapeño Salsa, is just as amazing as it is beautiful. Great on tortilla chips, over your favorite tacos, on grilled chicken or fish, or even just with a spoon. We have already had some hot weather here in Southern California, so I have been enjoying summery treats a little early. This salsa is simple to make and just full of so much flavor. I don’t always love fruit in savory dishes, but this one is incredible. I have a feeling this is going to be a staple snack around here this strawberry season! Read the rest of this entry »
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Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini Bites – Gluten-free + Vegan
Zucchini!!! We have lots of it and I have been doing my best to get creative with it. I’ve made a raw zucchini appetizer, I baked chocolate zuccini muffins, I have made more zucchini “pasta” than I would like to admit and the rest have been getting grilled. These simple to make bites are naturally gluten-free and vegan and work well as a bite-sized appetizer or a delicious side dish.
Last weekend we had dinner plans with Meg and Todd from Beard & Bonnet, who live just around the corner from us and I offered to make something with my homegrown zucchini. Besides being insanely excited to have another food blogger nearby, one who I happen to have a ton in common with, I was also super excited to eat at another gluten-free household where I could be certain everything was 100% safe to eat! Really made for an extra special night.
Meg was making her delicious homemade falafel, so I came up with these Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini Bites. They have so much flavor and they are easy to make, I pre-stuffed the zucchini and popped them in the oven when we got to their house. We ate a few before dinner as appetizers and served the rest as a side dish with our meal. If your zucchini is small enough, these bites are the perfect size for picking up with your fingers and popping into your mouth.
What is your favorite way to eat zucchini?
This recipe originally appeared on The Balanced Platter.
[print_this]Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini Bites – Gluten-free + Vegan
Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer or 2 to 4 as a side dish- 2 medium-sized zucchini
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus a little extra, if need be
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
- 1 cup vegetable broth or water
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup cremini mushrooms, chopped
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, in oil, roughly chopped + some of the oil they are packed in
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced or roughly chopped
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Lightly oil a large baking sheet or line with parchment paper or a silpat.
Slice off the tops and bottoms of your zucchinis, and then cut them into 1 to 1 1/2-inch long segments. Stand each segment up on one of the cut sides, and use a melon baller (or spoon) to remove the center flesh. Be careful not to scoop all the way through the bottom and create a hole (if you do make a small one, it’ll be fine). Arrange the hollowed-out zucchini pieces onto your prepared baking sheet so that they’re ready to go. Set aside.
Heat up the olive oil in a small sauce pan, add in the onion and garlic, sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes, then add the quinoa. Stir it around and let the quinoa get coated in a little oil and let it toast up for a minute. Add in your liquid (broth or water), thyme and sea salt. Bring to a boil, then cover, take the temperature down to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
While the quinoa is cooking, chop your mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes. After the quinoa is cooked, add it to a medium sized bowl. In the same pan you cooked the quinoa in, add a little more olive oil if need be and quickly sauté the mushrooms, just a couple of minutes until they are soft.
Add the mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes and the fresh basil to the quinoa. Stir everything together add salt and pepper, to taste. I like to add some of the oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes to the stuffing, maybe 1 tablespoon or two. You could also just use a little more olive oil.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared zucchini pieces, letting it mound up as much as you’d like. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the stuffing is lightly browned and the zucchini is slightly tender (you don’t want them to get overcooked or they will be too mushy and be hard to eat).[/print_this]
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Butternut Squash Risotto – Gluten-free + Vegan
Last, but certainly not least, in our Very Tasty Thanksgiving series we have a beautiful dish from Jeanine of Love and Lemons. I absolutely LOVE everything about Jeanine’s site, from the photography and design, to of course, all of the incredible recipes. Jeanine and her husband Jack work together on the site to create some of the most beautiful looking photos and styling you will ever see, always swoon worthy. Jeanine isn’t exclusively gluten-free or vegan, but many of her recipes naturally are, and she always celebrates what is seasonal and fresh, so it is a great resource no matter what your eating restrictions are.
We know this recipe is coming in just a day before Thanksgiving and many of you have your meals totally planned and shopped for, but not all of you are in America and celebrating Thanksgiving and some of you may also just want a simple, yet still very delicious and seasonal alternative to the turkey and all the sides. Besides being a great possible side at your holiday feast, this risotto would also make the perfect meal for the day after Thanksgiving when you want something beautiful, seasonal and delicious and light.
I hope everyone enjoyed this series and thank you again for following along and hopefully you got some great inspiration for your own Thanksgiving feasts. Thank you again so much to all of the lovely guest bloggers who joined me, sharing their recipes and tips. Much love to everyone and Happy Thanksgiving to those of you that celebrate. I hope your day is filled with lost of love and of course, super tasty food.
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I’m so happy to participate in Beth’s Very Tasty Thanksgiving! I’m up last, but I’m so excited to make the other recipes that have gone up before mine – they all look so delicious!
Now that it’s the day before Thanksgiving, I’m sure most of you have finished planning and shopping for the big meal. You’ve moved onto either preparing your feast, or are en route to your Thanksgiving destination.
I’m sharing a recipe that I made one Thanksgiving when my husband and I decided to stay home and celebrate, just the two of us. It was one of the nicest, stress-free holidays we’ve ever had. We avoided the grocery store rush by going to Whole Foods that very afternoon (the best time to go, btw, the store is empty). I made this butternut squash risotto with leeks, sage and rosemary… it was the essence of Thanksgiving, without having spent all day cooking. A perfect meal for 2.
[print_this]Butternut Squash Risotto – Gluten-free + Vegan
serves 2 with leftovers.INGREDIENTS:
butternut squash:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup butternut squash cubes (about 1 cm)
- salt, pepper
- 1/4 cup veggie broth
risotto:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 chopped onion
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 large leek, sliced (white and light green parts only)
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 cup organic arborio rice
- 3 cups veggie broth
- 1-2 tablespoons earth balance butter
- 1/4 cup finely chopped sage
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)
- a few pinches of red pepper flakes
- salt, pepper
METHOD:
butternut squash:
First, start your butternut squash. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add butternut squash cubes, salt and pepper. Cook until they start to brown, gently flipping, to get color on the other sides… about 5 minutes. Before they start to brown too much, add the veggie broth and stir. Reduce heat to low. Heat until they are tender and cooked through. Approx 20 minutes, depending on the heat of your stove. If the broth cooks down before they are done, add some more (or some water) to keep them from burning to the bottom of the pan.
risotto:
When the squash are at least half done, start your risotto. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and half the leeks, and a bit of salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is translucent (but not browning), about 8 minutes. Add the rice, mix it together with the onions so the dry rice toasts a little bit. (about 1 minute). Add the wine, scrape up anything that’s sticking to the pan, and let the wine simmer down for another minute.Add broth 1 ladle at a time, stirring continuously. Each time the liquid cooks down, add another ladle full. Before you add the last ladle of broth, add the butternut squash, the remainder of the leeks, rosemary and sage, a pat of (vegan) butter. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve immediately. Top with pine nuts and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
* alternatively, you can add your butternut squash cubes to your risotto pan right after the onions… as you cook your risotto they will melt apart into the risotto rather than remain cube shaped. Both ways are equally delicious.[/print_this]
Jeanine is the creator of Love and Lemons, a food blog that is a collaboration with her husband Jack. After years of running a graphic design business, she has turned her creativity toward her passion for all things food… by cooking, styling, and sharing seasonal (mostly) vegetarian recipes.
Visit Jeanine’s blog Love and Lemons
You can also follow Jeanine on:
Twitter: @lovelemonsfood
Facebook: facebook.com/lovelemonsfood
Pinterest: @loveandlemons
Instagram: @loveandlemons -
Balancing through Imbalance – a Seasonal Ayurveda Practice {Guest Post by Yogalina}
I am so excited about this next post in our Thanksgiving series. Instead of bringing you another recipe, today we are so lucky to have Meg Everingham of Yogalina, to share some great seasonal Ayurvedic tips and simple yoga poses with us, perfect for this time of year. I have been friends with Meg online for a while now, I think we initially connected on Twitter over tweets about yoga and it went from there. I really enjoy that Meg fully embraces the seasons on all levels and believes in living a natural, healthy “yoga” life! Please enjoy today’s post from Meg and let us know what you think. Meg and I have been chatting about collaborating on Ayurvedic recipes and we’d love to know if there is an interest in Ayurveda and eating for the seasons and doshas. Enjoy!
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Balancing through Imbalance – a Seasonal Ayurveda Practice
Ayurveda is the ancient Indian science of life. It is a 5,000 year-old holistic approach to health that focuses on maintaining balance in the body and mind in order to prevent and treat illness. In Ayurveda, it is believed that we are all interconnected to natures; as the seasons change we are effected. Each season and each person is ruled by a temperament, known as a doshas. There are three doshas: vata, pitta and kapha. These energies are present to some degree in each person and the balance of them sways with our energy shifts that are affected by our actions, diet and the environment. Just as we are in constant flux with our internal balance, so is the environment season to season. Here we will look into the dosha related to autumn and how our diet and routine can help us to maintain balance within change.
Autumn is ruled by the vata dosha. This is a season of rapid change: from sunlight and warmth to darkness and cooling temperatures. With this transition from long summer days to the slower pace of fall we are asked to pause and reflect. The element related to the vata dosha is wind. If you’ve begun to experience dry skin, a feeling of unease, insomnia or anxiety, this is why. Just look at the weather here in the east coast this past week – hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc not just on peoples’ homes and property but also on their emotions. Many of my clients have told me how their sleep and eating habits have been off since the storm. In order to regain balance from this increase in vata energy we need to slow down, gather and nourish.
Fall is the season of the harvest. Taking a cue from nature it is a time to ground yourself through gathering the harvest in your life and storing gratitude for a long dark winter. Mirroring nature and its rhythm in this way allows for us find balance. Look to bring warmth and stability back into your life in order to pacify vata by gathering your energy.
Let’s begin with diet. Again, look to mirror nature. Enjoy the wonderful bounty of fall. Warm yourself with slow cooked meals such as stews and soups. Nurture yourself by eating seasonal produce such as root vegetables and squashes. Preparing for winter, store up the bright tastes of apples and tomatoes by preserving and canning them. Bring stability to your eating routine and be extra mindful not to skip meals. Starting the day with warm water with lemon is a fantastic day to both ground yourself and jumpstart your digestion.
As nature slows down, we too can begin to draw inwards, pause and reflect. Fall is a great time to start or deeper your sadhana practice. Begin a gratitude journal, writing at least one thing a day that brings you love, joy and warmth to your life. Practicing meditation each day, even if just for a few minutes, can help to draw you back to the here and now. When vata is out of balance is when you feel out of control or like you could fly away. Move your body everyday. Practicing some warming yoga sequences can be beneficial but be mindful not to go too hot or too long. A gentle or restorative yoga practice is like a moving meditation and will allow you to connect with your mind and body.
Through this seasonal practice of Ayurveda I hope to help bring you stability and grace through this season of change. Gather your harvest of gratitude and love to keep you glowing and warm as we prepare to transition into the darker days of winter.
Here is a vata-pacifying, grounding sequence to keep you balanced this fall holiday season.
All photos above taken at Pilates Core Center
About Meg Everingham:
Classically trained in ballet, Meg translates her love of movement to teaching Pilates & barre classes. Based outside of Philadelphia, Meg teaches in-home, in-studio and online group & privates sessions. A student of Yoga & Pilates for 15 years, Meg’s teaching style has grown from her sense of body awareness, love of movement and union of body & mind. Meg is also a practitioner of Ayurvedic & plant-based living, a freelance writer & yoga-living enthusiast. Fusing her classical training, knowledge & experience, Meg strives to empower her clients through the freedom & strength of mind-body movement.
Visit Meg’s blog Yogalina
You can also follow Meg on:Twitter: @yogalinaInstagram: @yogalina
Facebook: facebook.com/megzeveringham
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Seasonal Shopping: Fresh Fruit & Veggies to Buy in November!
I am not sure how, but November is now upon us. So many of the beautiful, colorful leaves have fallen from the trees, there is a crisp coolness to the air that reminds us that winter isn’t too far off (OK, well that’s the case over here in Western New York anyhow), I know you Southern Californians have been dealing with a super HOT fall! I am still getting myself used to the idea of that for when we eventually get there.
Considering how cold it actually has been, it is always so surprising to me how much produce is still growing around here and just how delicious and tasty it all is! We are loaded up on squashes and peppers from our CSA, I think I could be set for the winter just on those two, but we’ve been getting so many other delicious fresh goodies too, like kohlrabi, collards, broccoli, beets, turnips, and so much more! It’s a really fun time for fresh produce.
I still think the squash is my absolute favorite thing this time of year, how about you?
Seasonal Shopping: Fresh Fruit & Veggies to Buy in November!
Broccoli
Winter Squash
Collard Greens
Turnips
Parsnips
Brussels Sprouts
Cranberries
Apples
Arugula
Garlic
Kale
Onions
Potatoes
Carrots
Radishes
Beets
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Mixed Greens Salad with Apples, Caramelized Leeks and Maple Dijon Dressing – Gluten-free + Dairy-free (vegan option)
This has been a bit of a trying week for me, getting back into town after being on the road for a week, plus I generally feel just a little bit down. Could be the change of the season and the daylight hours shifting (both always affect me with every season, even with fall, my favorite season) or maybe it’s the lack of sleep from traveling or the stress of this house-selling business. I have generally been staying upbeat and positive about trying to sell this house and our pending move to California, but I think it all might finally be getting to me. While we were away we had my mom come by the house to make sure it was all ready for a showing we had scheduled (we had it all cleaned and ready, but I wanted her to make sure there wasn’t mail sitting on the porch and I had her open windows and make it smell nice). While she was at our house and texting me about what to do, I got notice that the showing for 2 hours later was now cancelled. It happens, I know that. They have actually already rescheduled, so no major loss there, but there was something about being so far away, feeling terrible about my mom having to go out of her way to help and everything else on my mind. I actually welled up with tears and felt like I could lose it. Over one showing. I guess I hit my breaking point. Doesn’t happen often, but it does happen.
Really none of that has anything to do with this salad, except that with the change of the season and the general feeling of being a little down, I still know what my body craves and it is craving all of the wonderful seasonal produce we are surrounded by right now. Besides craving comforting foods like warm soups and stews, I also find myself craving beautiful vibrantly colored meals. Celebrating what is happening all around me outside, but also knowing that in a few short months it will be hard to find those beautiful hues. My very good friend April is beginning a new journey into Holistic Health Coaching and she sent out her first newsletter this morning. Not only was it super informative and so timely for me, but it had a line that really stuck with me “The transition to fall may leave us feeling exhilarated but unsettled, ungrounded.” That thought really resonated with me and definitely allowed me to accept what I was feeling right now with a bit less judgement and harshness.
With so much great produce in season right now, it is easy to plan simple meals to celebrate it all. This week I have been celebrating squash and apples specifically, but with this quick and light dinner I wanted to also include some of the beautiful greens that are in season as well as the leeks, both of which I picked up at my local Co-Op. This salad is so simple to put together and it really packs a beautiful punch of flavor from the applewood smoked bacon, the crisp and tart local gala apple, the delicious crispy and rich flavor from the caramelized leeks and of course the tart and slightly sweet maple dijon dressing. So much delicious goodness in one small salad.
If you are interested in reading a few Ayurveda tips for Autumn, check out this great article from Yoganonmous here. I came across it this morning and it definitely validated me in the way I have been feeling this week. Also, you can also check out my good friend April’s first newsletter that discusses the transition into Autumn and Winter and what we can do to ground ourselves and make it an easier shift. Plus, look for some upcoming guest-posts filled with informative holistic health tips and corresponding recipes from my good friend April here on Tasty Yummies.
How have you been feeling lately? Does the change in the seasons affect your moods?
[print_this]Mixed Greens Salad with Apples, Caramelized Leeks and Maple Dijon Dressing- Gluten-free + Dairy-free (vegan option)
Serves 4- 6-8 cups of mixed greens of your choice – lots of great greens in season right now
- 2 local, organic gala apples, cored and cut into slices (I cut each apple into 16 slices)
- 4 slices of local, pasture-raised applewood smoked bacon (leave off to make vegan)
- 1 large leek, rinsed very well, slice thinly white and light green parts only*
- 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Maple Dijon Dressing
adapted from this recipe- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons no-salt added dijon mustard
- salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat your oven to 400ºF
Combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl or bottle and whisk (or shake) together well, to combine. Set aside.
Start by cookin your bacon in the oven (you can also cook it on the stovetop, but I find this way to be much easier and cleaner), line a baking sheet with foil and place your bacon on top. Place into the oven for 12-18 minutes until the bacon is nice and crisp. No need to flip it.
While the bacon is cooking, start caramelizing your leeks. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat, once the oil is hot enough add the properly cleaned and thinly sliced leeks to the pan. Give them a good stir or two to coat them all in oil and to break them apart a bit. Turn the heat down if need be at any point if they start to cook too quickly. Gently toss the leeks around in the pan and cook slowly until they are golden browned and caramelized. Just as you would with onions. Take it slow, you don’t want them to burn up quickly, you want a nice slow cook to them. Once they are cooked to your liking, turn off the heat.
Once the bacon is done lay it on a paper towel lined plate to absorb some of the excess oil. Then cut it up or crumble it into small pieces.
Toss the greens with a small amount of the dressing. Plate the dressed greens and top each serving with a few apple slices, sprinkle the crumbled bacon over top and top it all with a good spoonful of the caramelized leeks. Drizzle additional dressing overtop all of it.
Serve immediately.
* a quick note on cleaning leeks: leeks tend to have a lot of dirt and grit in them. If you aren’t careful when cleaning them, you may think they are totally clean, start cooking with them and find your entire dish has a nasty grittiness to it. This can ruin a dish. After trimming off the ends (called the beards) and the dark green tops (save these for stocks). You can run them under cold water at this point, or even better, you can submerge the leeks in a large pot of cold water. Swirl them around to really remove all the grit and dirt. Drain well and then cut.
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Grain-free Berry Cobbler – Gluten-free, Vegan + Refined Sugar-free
A week or two ago, I came across this amazing grain-free thick pizza crust recipe from Real Sustenance and it instantly peaked my interest. More and more I am amazed by what almond flour can do and the results you can get when baking with it. It is by far my favorite flour these days.
When I saw the photos of that crust I couldn’t wait for my order of almond flour from Honeyville to come in the mail. Oh and what a painful wait it was this time. This wait made me realize I should really stop waiting till I am totally out of almond flour to order more. Once the almond flour arrived it immediately became pizza night at our house and I made a version of my vegan hummus pizza with this new crust recipe. Oh my goodness! Best gluten-free pizza crust I have ever made at home, actually, best gluten-free crust that I have ever had anywhere. It was fluffy, soft and thick, and it has a nice subtle crisp to the outside of it. It was perfect and I couldn’t believe it was totally grain free.
As soon as I took a bite I couldn’t help but think about what else I could come up with to do with this dough. That is when I realized I needed to adapt the recipe to make a cobbler topping. It was perfect for it. I wanted to play around a bit to make it vegan, so I replaced the eggs with flax-seed eggs and I also used coconut oil instead of olive oil, plus I of course had to add a little sweetness, so I went with my go-to maple syrup. (feel free to use whatever sweetener you prefer, though)
This cobbler according to my hubby, is THE best cobbler I have ever made and maybe one of the best cobblers he has EVER had anywhere. Then he declared it might just be the best gluten-free dessert I have ever made. Mark hails from the south, so for him to not just eat my cobbler but to rave on and on about it, has to be the best compliment he could give. He is a harsh critic of cobblers and I have seen him push aside sub-par cobblers if they weren’t to his liking. And don’t even get him started on crisps, he doesn’t understand them and wishes they would just be a cobbler.
The crust on this cobbler is thick and almost biscuit-like but not at all heavy or too dense. The flax seed eggs besides helping to bind also provide little golden flecks of color and texture in the crust that really makes it feel rustic, homemade and healthy, all of which it is. You can make this berry cobbler with any combination of berries that you choose. I had planned to use just blueberries, but I had a small amount of strawberries leftover that I decided to slice up and add in. You could also use blackberries, peaches, apples or whatever your favorite fruit or combination of fruits might be. I cannot wait to go apple picking in the fall and to make an apple spice version of this. Oh and like most cobblers, this one is of course be great served warm with a scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream or even some whipped coconut cream on top.
[print_this]Grain-free Berry Cobbler – Gluten-free, Vegan + Refined Sugar-free
Serves 6-8
Inspired by this pizza crust recipeBerry Filling
- 3 cups of organic berries – I used a pint of blueberries and 1 cup of fresh strawberries, sliced
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (you could also use honey, brown rice syrup, coconut nectar or whatever your favorite sweetener is)
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Cobbler Crust
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds plus 6 tablespoons hot water (or two eggs)
- 1 cup blanched almond flour
1/2 cup arrowroot starch (you can also use tapioca or potato starch) - 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon almond milk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (you could also use honey, brown rice syrup, coconut nectar or whatever your favorite sweetener is)
- 2 teaspoons melted coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon psyllium husk
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 425º F. Grease an 8″ square pan (or something similarly sized) with some coconut oil.
In a medium sized bowl mix the berries with 2 tablespoons maple syrup, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch, set aside.
In a small bowl whisk together the 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds with 6 tablespoons of hot water, set aside to let it thicken.In a large bowl whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot, baking powder and salt. In a second smaller bowl whisk together the flaxseed eggs, almond milk, maple syrup, coconut oil, psyllium husk and lemon juice. Add the liquid mixture to the dry and mix until well combined.
Add the berry mixture to the greased pan and drop spoonfuls of the dough to the top. Spread it out evenly with your hands or a greased spatula. You can leave it as rustic biscuit-like rounds or spread it to one even dough topping, like I did.
Place the pan onto a rimmed baking sheet to catch any berry juice that will run out. Bake for 30 minutes until the cobbler topping is golden brown and cooked through and the juices start to bubble up over the crust. Remove from oven, cool slightly, and serve.
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Vegan Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
I have to be honest with this post, I have been a little sad this week. I’ll tell you why in a moment, but first I have to preface with this – I try really, really hard to not complain. I despise relentless complainers and people who are negative. I have realized how hard it is to be around people who are constantly in that state, it’s both draining and sad. I have hit that point in my life before and I truly think it’s a downward spiral, it can affect both your mind and spirit and I firmly believe it affects your health. Nowadays, when I start drifting in that direction, I try to acknowledge when I am feeling sad or negative, to pinpoint where it is coming from, deal with it, let it out privately (and maybe a little to Mark) and move on. Sitting around and complaining about things you are unhappy about doesn’t change them or you, it simply makes it all seem so much worse. It also starts to push the people who love you, away. You are the only one that can control your life and the decisions you make, if you are unhappy with a situation, a person or how you are feeling, doing something to change it. Even what seems to be the littlest, most insignificant action is better than doing nothing at all.
So back to why I am feeling sad, Saturday afternoon I was in my kitchen at home, baking pumpkins from the market, so that I could puree and freeze the flesh and toast the seeds for a yummy fall snack. As the last pumpkin was finishing baking, I was loading the dishwasher with all the dishes I had used, I hate a messy kitchen. As I was bent over the dishwasher and was standing up, I sneezed so violently at that same moment and instantly felt pain in my low back. It was excruciating. So much so that I had to call Mark into the room to help me down to lay on the floor of the kitchen. I don’t think I am a wuss about pain, I try really hard to be tough. Prior to this, probably the worst injury I can recall is when I broke my foot in college and I cried much, much harder when this happened to me on Saturday afternoon. Saturday and Sunday were quite rough, I needed help standing up, sitting down and getting up the stairs. I couldn’t roll over in bed. It sucked, there really is no other way to say it.
I emailed my amazing chiropractor, Elyssa, shortly after it happened, who is also one of my yoga instructors and she gave me some instructions on what to do to ease the pain and get through the worst of it and I made an appointment to see her first thing Monday morning. By Monday morning I was already feeling a bit better, though with every sneeze, I took two steps backward again (if you know me, you know how much I sneeze, so this part sucked). After the appointment with Elyssa, I already felt a bit better, some of the muscular tension around the pain had lessened and I just felt less stressed and sad. I have been doing some gentle cat and cow poses along with baby cobra. Each day it’s a bit better and I can tell I am on the mend. The hardest part right now is that I can move and twist, I can even get into downward dog, I am sleeping better, but I still can hardly bend forward at my waist, it is just so painful.
I am sad because all of this means at the minimum I have to take at least a week away from my yoga practice and cooking has been slowed down quite a bit, it’s hard to stand over the kitchen counter and cut vegetables and it’s quite painful to bend over to get stuff out of the oven. Don’t get me wrong, I still managed to make a huge pot of vegetable soup Monday night and I roasted a batch of Roma tomatoes to freeze last night, but I have had to slow everything down and not overdo it and make things worse. I know I am lucky that because of my daily yoga practice and the way I eat, I am healing much quicker than if I was without these things, but it is still hard for me to have to sit still and not be active. Over the last few days, not only am I thankful for all the leftovers we have in the fridge, but I am super thankful that I have an amazing husband that makes everything easier. He has had to pick up the slack on doing dishes (I am a little afraid of that dishwasher now), cleaning cat boxes and other things. Because my job requires me to sit at a computer all day, I have had to suck it up and just power through all of this. We have too much work on the books for me to just go lay in bed all day and feel sorry for myself. I am just working with a big pillow behind my back, lots of ice packs and making sure I get up often and move around and stretch. I am getting there.
The reason I decided to share this with you is because when this happened, I was on day 6 of my cleanse. I instantly wanted to just quit the cleanse, have a glass of wine, something sweet and maybe some cheese, yeh cheese would make me feel better. I wanted comfort and sadly I actually thought for a bit that food would give it to me. Thankfully, I sat down and really thought about it, I know that alcohol, sugar are dairy are all inflammatory foods and no matter what they would or wouldn’t do to me physically, I knew it wouldn’t fix this, if anything it would make it worse. (Read this list of the top 10 inflammatory foods, strangely all things I am avoiding while on this cleanse, so luck is on my side in that sense, I didn’t have to remove anything from my diet to ease the healing.) Ultimately, I ate some leftover vegan fettucine alfredo for dinner that night and made my way to bed before 9:30pm, since I knew a good night sleep would do me good.
Sunday morning I was still wanting something more than fresh vegetable juice, so I decided to make this smoothie. It felt naughty, but it was totally cleanse-friendly and with my extreme obsession with all things fall, I knew it would lift my spirits. And, that it did.
It actually tastes like pumpkin pie in a glass. It’s creamy, thick and full of the perfect pumpkin pie spices. It was so filling that I went right through lunchtime and never felt hungry. I love to eat and hate missing meals, so I knew this smoothie was magical. It’s thick just like a milkshake and the sweetness from the dates is incredible.
As much as food can be comfort and this isn’t a bad thing in the least, it’s also quite exciting when you can shift your mindset away from the really bad stuff to find that comfort in other, healthier foods. I made it through the worst of this back pain, I stuck with my cleanse, I didn’t take a single medication and I am proud of myself. I have another appointment with my chiropractor tomorrow and I am hoping that maybe next week I can get myself to a gentle/restorative yoga class.
Vegan Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
serves 23/4 cup cooked pumpkin (you can use canned, but fresh is much better)
1 1/2 cups unsweetened organic vanilla almond milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely minced
2-3 Medjool dates, pits removed (soak first if they aren’t soft)
(You can add honey or maple syrup if you wish for it to be sweeter)
*you can experiment with adding a small handful of raw pecans to make it even more creamy and to get a nice lovely taste. I have done this when I have them on hand and it’s so delicious.Add all of your ingredients to the blender. Puree until smooth and creamy.
If your pumpkin and/or almond milk isn’t cold, you could add a handful of ice. I decided not to, so it would stay as creamy as possible. You can also add a splash of water or additional almond milk if your smoothie is too thick. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon and/or nutmeg.
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Tofu, Wild Rice and Hazelnut Stuffed Acorn Squash
I had a beautiful acorn squash that I needed to use before it turned and I had been dreaming up a delicious vegan stuffed dish. The smells alone from this were incredible and the flavors couldn’t have been more perfect together. I have to admit, I think I am most obsessed with Autumn and all of the foods associated with it. Even though produce is becoming a bit limited, there is something about experimenting and trying out new recipes with all of the wonderful ingredients that are in season. Each season, I make an effort to try at least one new seasonal ingredient that I have never cooked with. So far for this season it’s delicata squash, I picked one up this week and I am still trying to figure out what I would like to make with it. Got any suggestions? What new seasonal ingredient are you going to try for the first time this Autumn?
This dish had so much flavor, the crunch from the nuts with the creamy squash and the nutty sweetness from the rice were all absolutely made for each other. I had been thinking about adding kale for color and extra nutrients, but honestly forgot until I pulled it out to serve it. Next time. Other great additions to the stuffing would be dried cranberries or even apples. You could also use walnuts or pecans instead of hazelnuts. I love all the variations and improvisations you can take with cooking, you can really make a dish unique every time you make it. Have fun.
Tofu, Wild Rice and Hazelnut Stuffed Acorn Squash
serves 41 medium acorn squash, cut in half
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup uncooked wild rice blend
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 package firm tofu, pressed* and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped and toasted
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepperPreheat oven to 375°F. Cut each Squash in half crosswise. Scoop out and discard the seeds and strings. Place on rimmed baking sheet or in baking pan, cut side up. Sprinkle each half with a little salt, pepper, and fresh sage. Using 1 tablespoon of olive oil, drizzle each half with the oil. Cover the pan with foil and bake the squash just until moist and a bit tender, about 30-45 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook your rice according to the package directions.
In a saute pan, heat your olive oil over medium to high heat. Add your tofu and fry until brown and your desired amount of crispiness is received. When done remove to a paper towel line plate. Reduce the heat to medium, add more olive oil if needed, add chopped onion and saute for 2-3 minutes until it begins to soften, add garlic and saute another 3 minutes until both are soft but before they begin to brown. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, combine cooked rice, tofu, sautéed onions and garlic, fresh sage, and the toasted walnuts. When the squash is done, remove from the oven and spoon out some of the cooked squash to the bowl with the rest of your ingredients. Be sure to only scrape a little, you will want to leave some squash in the shells. Mix the ingredients together, salt and pepper to taste.
Press the rice mixture into the squash halves, dividing it evenly. You can round the stuffing above the rim of the squash shell. You may have rice mixture left over depending on how big your squash is. It is a great side dish on its own.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the squash flesh is thoroughly tender and it is warm throughout.
*To press tofu, drain the water from the package and lightly squeeze the tofu between paper towels to remove excess moisture.
