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Chicken and White Bean Chili – (Gluten-free + Dairy-free)
Some people may think it’s weird to make your own birthday dinner. For me, I enjoy it, it’s the best way to make sure you get what you want to eat, exactly how you want it on your special day. Plus I just love cooking, it makes me happy! This Wednesday I celebrated my birthday! Rather than going out to a restaurant, we decided after having house-guests the past two weekends and eating many meals out, we were both sick of it and we were looking forward to a meal at home.
Mark offered to take me out, but I insisted that I wanted to cook something myself, a dish that has been on my mind for a while now. We had a 4-lb pasture-raised chicken in the freezer from a local farmer and rather than our usual grilled or roasted whole chicken, I wanted to do something a little bit different. I thought a delicious white chili was the perfect way to enjoy the chicken and get the most out of it.
When I told Mark I was making a chicken chili, he was really excited about it, but when he saw this “white chili” as I was serving it, he got confused and I think he was a tad worried it wasn’t going to be good since, it looked so much different then the chili I usually make. Just a few bites in, he asked if I could make a badge for my site to put on certain recipes that reads “This is Mark Approved”. Not a bad idea. He loved this one and immediately decided it’s better than the traditional “red” chili of mine, that he loves so much.
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Dark Chocolate Drizzled Popcorn Balls (Gluten-free & Dairy-Free)
I love the challenge of creating healthier versions of classic recipes. Earlier this week I asked my Facebook readers: what Halloween treat would they like a re-imagined healthier version of? Popcorn balls popped up (pun intended) quite often! Traditional popcorn balls are usually loaded with butter, sugar, corn syrup or marshmallows, etc. I figured the easiest way to hold these together without all the junk was honey! It worked perfectly and it gave the popcorn a nice caramel-like color and flavor, too. The dark chocolate drizzle on top is optional, but I do have to say it really makes these extra special and it shouldn’t be skipped if you can help it. Dark chocolate and salty-sweet is an amazing combo.
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Photo Fun Day Friday
Hey all, happy weekend to you! Hope everyone is well. It’s been a busy couple of weeks here. Lots of house guests, lots of events and lots of living/loving life! Here are some snaps from the last 2+ weeks! Hope you enjoy.
On my mat. My happy place.
Back bending with my helper.
First banana from the tree
Our booth at the Abbot Kinney Fest a few weekends ago
How cute are my babies?
End of day cuddles. The best kind. Read the rest of this entry » -
Apple Fennel Salad Stack – Gluten-free w/ Vegan Option
This time of year, as excited as I am for all the comfort food, the hot meals, soups and stews, pumpkin baked goods and halloween candy – I do find myself missing all the fresh produce of summer. For me, there is nothing as satisfying as a healthy, crisp and light salad made from what is currently in season. I get so much enjoyment out of creating fall and winter salads, where the options are a bit more limited.
This simple and beautiful Apple Fennel Salad Stack is so quick to make and the finished result is so elegant and colorful. If you are vegan, feel free to leave off the cheese on top, it isn’t necessary at all, it just brings another layer of flavor that compliments the apples so well. Read the rest of this entry »
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How-to Make Preserved Lemons
How-to Make Preserved Lemons
Along with the gluten-free cooking demo I hosted on Saturday night at Surfas, I had the pleasure of hosting a hands-on preserved lemons workshop this weekend at the Patchwork Show Edible Edition in Costa Mesa and it was so much fun! It was a packed house. My only regret is that I didn’t stop to take some photos of everyone working on their jars of preserved lemons. It was so fun for me to look out and see everyone getting their hands dirty and learning to do make something new. Not a single person there had ever made preserved lemons!
For those that were are the workshop, these are the instructions for what I taught you on Sunday, thanks again so much for coming. For those that couldn’t make it to the workshop, here is how you easy it is to make preserved lemons. It is really this simple.
I prefer to work with a 16-ounce or quart-sized wide-mouthed jar when I can, but they just aren’t always available at our house, I literally use jars for everything. So, these measurements are for one 12-ounce jar. Adjust your quantities as needed for different sized jars or multiples. Additionally it should be noted, the amount of salt and the number of lemons is just an approximation. It doesn’t have to be exact and it will depend on the size of your lemons.
By the way, you can also add spices to your preserved lemons such as, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves, coriander, dried peppers, cardamom, etc. Read the rest of this entry »
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Vegan Pumpkin Spice Almond Butter Fudge (Gluten-Free)
Phew this has been a busy couple of weeks here on Tasty Yummies. I hope you guys have enjoying all of the new stuff and I am not overwhelming you with pumpkin already. I have obviously been inspired by the start of the new season!
I love coming up with fun new ways to enjoy pumpkin this time of year. Who wants to get stuck in a pumpkin rut? Not me! There are plenty of muffins, cookies, smoothies, lattes, etc – so a simple no-cook pumpkin almond butter fudge recipe seemed like a fun new way to enjoy pumpkin.
This sweet treat is super simple to make, grain-free, refined sugar-free (depending on the chocolate you use on top), vegan, etc. If you can’t have nuts, consider trying sunflower seed butter in place of the almond butter. Read the rest of this entry »
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Vegan Pumpkin “Cheesecake” Pops {Grain-free, Gluten-free + Refined Sugar-Free}
I love when a recipe I create ends up inspiring countless others. The reach one simple idea can have is so fun and I love seeing and playing with all the different possibilities. In the summer, I created a No-Bake Vegan “Cheesecake” recipe for a 4th of July celebration. That recipe inspired Meg of Beard and Bonnet to create a delicious chocolate chip crust version and from there she created a Key Lime “Cheesecake” Truffle, that in turn gave me the idea of creating these delicious Autumn-inspired pumpkin spiced “cheesecake” pops! Phew! I love it. I can only imagine all that is to come from here with this idea.
Honestly, I don’t know if I will ever stop being so amazed at all of the delicious things you can make with cashews. I love making various cream sauces for tacos or pasta and the fun you can have with desserts, like these cake pops, are endless. Whoever first came up with the idea to soak cashews and turn them into cream, they should be in some foodie hall-of-fame somewhere. (Does that exist? Because if it doesn’t, it should!)
These Pumpkin “Cheesecake” Pops are not nearly as complicated to make as what the different groups of instructions below leads you to believe. They are quite easy. There is no baking required and it takes more time to wait for the pops to set, then to do anything else. I have served these to several non-vegan, non-gluten free people now. Actually come to think of it, besides myself, those are the only people that have eaten these. “Regular eaters”. Every last one loved them and they just couldn’t believe they were totally vegan and grain-free!
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Salted Dark Chocolate Nut Bites
A true test of how much I love one of the many cookbooks in my collection, is how messy and “used” the book appears. If there are oil stains, melted chocolate fingerprints, bookmarked pages, etc – you know it’s one of my favorites. I haven’t had Kelly from The Spunky Coconut’s new cookbook in my collection for even a month yet and it already has quite a few of those things. If you pulled it off my shelf right now, you’d swear I have had it over a year. It looks that used, already.
The Paleo Chocolate Lover’s Cookbook features 80 gluten-free treats for breakfast and dessert and it will have you drooling just a few pages in. I know you guys know this already, but I don’t go crazy over all sweets and baked goods. I am just not wired that way. But, if you were to set something in front of me that has been dipped in some melted high-quality dark chocolate, it almost doesn’t matter what it is. I will eat every last bit of it. I don’t need heavy rich desserts, I rarely crave sugary, sweetness, but when I do – just a little something chocolatey usually does the trick for me. Sometimes just a small square of cold dark chocolate is all I need. Satisfying and comforting.
Making healthy, gluten-free chocolate treats that aren’t loaded with refined sugars and grains is just so gratifying and you can still enjoy the rich goodness without the guilt. I am so excited to now have a healthy chocolate “bible” of sorts, to refer to for the perfect chocolate treats whenever I want. An entire book filled with recipes, every single one safe for me and my way of eating. There are breakfast options, cakes, cookies, pies, ice cream, candy and so much more. There is even a section of savory recipes including stews, salads and other dinner-time meals. Besides all of the recipe goodness, Kelly explains some basic tips on getting started with a Paleo lifestyle, going in depth about specific ingredients and techniques. Plus she shares the science, history and ethics of chocolate and some of her favorite brands of store-bought chocolate. It is an incredibly comprehensive book about one of the most yummy topics you can think of! Read the rest of this entry »
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Photo Fun Day Friday
Hey Friends!! Happy Friday! Happy Fall! My favorite time of year. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to get into the fall mood here in Southern California without the major drop in temperature and the beautiful fall foliage and leaves everywhere. Though I will certainly miss the falling leaves, the color and the beautiful crisp fall aroma in the air, I definitely won’t miss the slowly declining weather. The looming snow. So far, I am really feeling in the fall mood out here. There are pumpkins everywhere, the nights have been a bit more crisp and with a trip to Disneyland to take in all of their fall goodness, that really helped!
How do you get into the fall mood?
Pumpkins and pumpkin hard cider. It was a great trip to the grocery store!
We celebrated the start of fall last week with a trip to Disneyland! Just the two of us!
Day of the dead!
So many great decorations at Disney.
Green goodness. Smoothie for breakfast and a green juice for lunch! Guess I was craving some greens!
Me in Warrior II! Read the rest of this entry »
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Pumpkin Chai Smoothie {Gluten-free, Vegan & Refined Sugar-free}
It isn’t even October yet and already I have consumed several pounds of pumpkin! I seriously want to put pumpkin on and in everything right now. Probably my most favorite way to enjoy pumpkin is in smoothies. I like to get creative and play around with adding in different things, sometimes I add in spinach or maybe some protein powder, other times I like to just play around with different spices. With this smoothie I altered the spice mix a bit to mimic the lovely spice combinations in a good chai tea. One of my favorite flavor profiles. The beauty of this smoothie is that you can add in more of the spices you like (or others not listed) or take away any of the spices you don’t care for. You can truly make it your own. Read the rest of this entry »
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Grain-free Flatbread with Figs, Caramelized Shallots, Goat Cheese and Arugula (Gluten-free with vegan options)
The fig tree is slowing down a bit, but my love for figs is definitely not. I am still “gettin’ figgy wit it”, over here. You would think with all the figs we picked, that I would be over them, but I am definitely not. I made this flatbread a couple weeks ago, when Mark was out of town. I was headed to a friend’s house, since her hubby was away, too. A little yummy girls night of hanging! Besides the amazing company, it was a good thing I had someone to share this with, I seriously think I could have sat down and devoured the entire thing myself!
This flatbread crust is super simple to make and it is perfectly thin and crisp. But not too crisp and cracker-like, which I am not exactly a fan of. The figs are perfectly soft and sweet, which compliment the creamy goat cheese wonderfully and the caramelized shallots are rich, subtly sweet and have a little smokey, earthy flavor. Do not, I repeat DO NOT skip out on the caramelized shallots. You will forever regret it. That I can promise you. I will leave the drizzle of balsamic vinegar over top up to you. I love it and I think it’s a great finishing move, but I also don’t necessarily think it needs it. I say serve it with the balsamic bottle on the side, decided on a piece by piece basis.
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Grain-Free & Vegan Apple Cobbler In A Jar
Even if you were unaware of the dropping temps and earlier sunsets, given all the pumpkin and apple recipes floating around online right now, it’d be hard not to notice that fall is on its way! I just love fall and all of the yummy comforting food that comes along with it. Spiced apple anything is a pretty surefire way to get me into an autumnal mood! The smell wafting through the house while anything apple-spiced bakes is probably one of the best smells in the whole entire world. These single-serve grain-free vegan apple cobblers in-a-jar are so simple to make, and they are a lovely healthy alternative to the usually heavy-on-the-butter and grain-containing original. Plus, these are great for those of us with restricted diets.
If you follow a paleo diet, I think just swapping the maple syrup out for honey should make these more paleo friendly. If you can’t have nuts, try using sunflower seed flour in place of the almond flour. If you like butter and you aren’t vegan, swap out the coconut oil with some good local grass-fed butter.
One bite of these amazing little treats will have you in the fall state of mind, as quick as can be! What’s your favorite fall food?
This recipe was originally shared on the Free People Blog BLDG 25.
[print_this]Grain-Free & Vegan Apple Cobbler In A Jar
makes 2 servings
Apple Filling:
- 2 large apples, peeled and diced small
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 teaspoons arrowroot starch (or other starch, corn, tapioca, potato, etc.)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Cobbler Topping:
- 3/4 cup blanched almond flour (I use Honeyville brand)
- 3 tablespoons arrowroot starch (or other starch, corn, tapioca, potato, etc)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey)
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil or butter
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- dash of salt
- additional coconut oil for greasing jars
- coconut sugar or regular sugar for the top, plus additional cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375ºF
Lightly grease two half pint-sized jars with coconut oil*
In a medium mixing bowl, mix all of the cobbler topping ingredients together. Make sure all of the ingredients are incorporated very well. Get your hands in there, if need be.
Form the dough into two equal sized balls using your hands and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Place it into the fridge while you prep the apples.
Once the apples are peeled, core them and cut them into small thin slices or small cubes, place them in a bowl and add the remaining filling ingredients.
Take the dough out of the fridge — it should be a bit firmer now — and roll it out between two pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Don’t press too hard, just enough to flatten it out into circles the size of the jars (it helps to use the lid).
Carefully cover the apple filling with the cobbler dough, cut a small slit in the middle and sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar (of your choice) on top.
Place the jars on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 20 minutes. The topping should be browned and the filling should be bubbling. Serve warm and, if you’d like, add some dairy-free ice cream or whipped coconut cream to the top.
*I used two 12-ounce sized jars but there was a little bit of extra room — that’s just the size of jars that I happen to have. If you use a half-pint sized jar they should be nice and jam packed with apples! [/print_this]
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The Benefits of Probiotics
I am very excited today to share this post with you. Not only is the lovely Eliza Schneider of Embodied Emergence joining us again, to share her thoughts on probiotics, but I am also sharing some great probiotic encouraging recipes from some wonderful friends of mine, as well. Probiotics have single-handedly changed the game for my always troubled gut, my only complaint of probiotics is that I didn’t learn of them sooner. I am so happy Eliza took some time to explain probiotics and share all of the amazing benefits we get from them.
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If you’re interested in taking better care of your digestion you’ve surely been hearing buzz words like “probiotic,” “prebiotic,” “digestive enzymes,” “intestinal flora”… don’t be scared by these terms! You’re not alone if you’re thinking “WTF is this biotic stuff all about? Should I be taking supplements? Do I need this stuff? What kind should I be getting?….!!??”
Don’t fear! The digestive detective (my new self-title, haha) is here to “break it down for you,” so to speak.
Today we’re going to focus on your intestines. These windy, long intestinal tunnels have villi (tiny hairs) capture the nutrients and send them into your blood stream. These villi are covered with tiny bacteria (probioitics). The probiotics repel yeast, bad bacteria, and fungi from getting into the blood stream. It is VITAL that the nutrients are able to absorb into the blood stream at this point in the digestive process, and the probiotics assist in allowing this to happen. The intestines are the final frontier for the digested food before it’s moved into the colon and then released as waste.
On average, we have over 1,000 different types of bacteria that live in our digestive track and help to break down food and absorb nutrients! (Amazing, right!?) But sadly, things like antibiotics and diets filled with processed foods can cause these helpful bacteria to die off. As I mentioned in a previous blog post on POO, foods that cause inflammation in the body can cause the villi to be covered in a mucous that prevents mineral and nutrient absorption! This in turn can cause problems like constipation or diarrhea, IBS, abdominal pain, cramps, bloating and other not-so-fun digestive problems.
Something to be aware in today’s factory-farmed world is that there can even be trace antibiotics in the meat you are eating. Conventional farmers often add antibiotics to animals who are grown close together and are prone to bacterial infections. Also, some fish are packed in antibiotics so that they don’t develop bacteria on them as they are shipped to stores. By choosing organic fish and meats you’ll avoid these risks.
The GOOD NEWS is that probiotics (supplements that help rebuild the intestinal bacterial [AKA flora]) can relieve many of these problems! Probiotics are microorganisms that offer some form of health benefit to the host. Prebiotics, on the other hand, are a special kind of dietary fiber that nourish the existing bacteria already living in the colon. They are naturally occurring in many plants. Basically, prebioitics are fibers (non-living) that help feed the good bacteria (probioitics!).
In this post, we are going to focus on PRObiotics, the actual beneficial bacteria that we ingest either in foods, or through supplements and are produced naturally (in a healthy body) in our intestines.
Some foods with natural probiotics in them are:
- Plain yogurt (Be sure to pick one without too many filler sugars and that says something like “live and active cultures” to be sure you’re getting good bacteria!)
- Kefir (fermented milk drink made with kefir grains)
- Fermented foods like sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi, etc
- Miso (fermented soybean paste… makes great soups, and yummy dressings!)
- Tempeh (fermented soybean)
- Kombucha (basically bacterial cultures that in a tea-based drink)
- Dark Chocolate (YESS!!!)
- Olives (also go through a brine-fermenting process) Read the rest of this entry »
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Fig, Vanilla Bean and Cardamom Infused Vodka (Gluten-free, Vegan & Sugar-free)
It’s been a while since I have shared a cocktail recipe here on Tasty Yummies. These days I am only really drinking at home when we have people over for dinner or something of that nature, but with this fig tree in our yard, I have been forced to get super creative with all of these figs we are getting.
I even came up with a hashtag #gettingfiggywitit on Instagram, for all my fun fig adventures. Besides all of this yumminess, I have been freezing them for use in smoothies later and I have dehydrated some to also use later and some are getting mailed to my parents. If you can believe it, our tree is still going strong. We are going to have figs for quite some time.
This Fig, Vanilla Bean and Cardamom Infused Vodka is so simple to make, within a week you’ll be making cocktails that will blow your friends away! If you aren’t big on cocktails and the fuss of mixing, this vodka is so good you can enjoy it as is on the rocks or as a simple martini (see the recipe below). Read the rest of this entry »
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Photo Fun Day Friday
Here we go, it’s Friday again, here are some pics from the last two weeks! Hope everyone has a great weekend!! Got anything fun planned?
Infusing vodka with figs and other goodies. Look for the how-to and some fun cocktail recipes later this week.
Went to Alex’s Bar here in Long Beach, AKA Fangtasia from True Blood with our friend Anjuli who was visiting from Buffalo. (I stopped watching the show many seasons ago, but it was still cool to see where they filmed those scenes)
Loving these amazing bottles from Lifefactory. Glass bottles with plastic-free silicon sleeves and they are free of known harmful chemicals like BPA, BPS, phthalate, etc. The wide mouth is great for adding fruit or ice to your water and you can even carry fresh juice or smoothies, without fear of it ruining the bottle or the flavor of your drink being affected, etc. Check out all of their products here http://amzn.to/14YqQw4
My runs by the ocean, don’t suck. Just sayin’
Super excited to get an advanced copy of my friend Kelly, of The Spunky Coconut’s brand new book: “The Paleo Chocolate Lovers’ Cookbook: 80 Gluten-Free Treats for Breakfast & Dessert”. Preorder it now. Look for my full review and a giveaway very soon!
Made some raw vanilla bean almond milk and chocolate almond milk for the first time with a nut milk bag and OMG have I been missing out! What a breeze, so clean and easy. This is the nut bag that I used —–>http://amzn.to/17MhEau. Here’s my recipe for homemade raw almond milk.
Working from home means I get to enjoy mid-day cuddles and sometimes naps with this girl. I just love her so much!
A great reminder on the street near my acupuncture clinic.
I had a lady’s night dinner with Meg from Beard and Bonnet this week and I made this yummy treat to share. Grain-free flatbread with caramelized shallots, figs from our tree, goat cheese and arugula. Recipe coming next week.
I get some really fun products sent to me to try. This is wine spritzer that has electrolytes added. I cannot wait to try it. Half the calories of wine and zero sugar. Sounds like my kind of cocktail. I will report back!
I love taking Seri to the dog park to play ball. Nothing makes that dog happier.
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Roasted Tomato Pesto – Gluten-free + Vegan
As summer winds down, I am still not quite ready to jump into all of the fall recipes just yet. I am looking to hang on to the last few delicious bits of the summer bounty. For me, tomatoes are always the way to do that — bid the summer farewell with the most delicious tomatoes you will have all year. My garden is still producing its fair share of tomatoes and I am enjoying savoring the last of it. I have even oven-dried some of them and packed them in oil to preserve the goodness through the winter.
This roasted tomato pesto is a great way to use up some of the last of the tomatoes. It is full of robust and deep flavors and, of course, lots of great nutrients from the fresh tomatoes. Besides with pasta or even zucchini pasta, you could also spread this on toast for a bruschetta of sorts, or serve it over your favorite grilled meat or fish. It would also make a delicious dip served with crackers.
If you have a lot of tomatoes, you can double or triple the recipe and freeze some for later, too. Head on over to the Free People Blog BLDG 25 where I am sharing this recipe today as part of my ongoing Restricted Diet series.
This recipe was originally shared on the Free People Blog BLDG 25.
[print_this]Roasted Tomato Pesto – Gluten-free + Vegan
makes about 1 cup
- 1 lb fresh roma tomatoes (9-12), sliced in half lengthwise
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup almonds, walnuts or pine nuts, toasted + a small amount more for serving
- 1 cup fresh basil + a bit more for garnish
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + more for drizzling on tomatoes
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper, optional
- Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Cooked gluten-free pasta of your choice, reserving approximately 1/4 cup of the cooking water before you drain
Preheat oven to 400º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place tomatoes cut side up on the lined baking sheet. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the tomatoes, lightly salt and pepper.
Roast the tomatoes for about an hour. They should be lightly browned and soft. Take them out and allow them to cool. Don’t worry if some of the tomatoes get a bit blackened, it may change the color of the pesto, but it really enhances the flavor. I prefer them this way.
Once cooled take about 3/4 of the tomatoes and add to the food processor, reserving the rest to add to the pasta. Process until finely chopped, to your desired texture. Remove and set aside. Add the toasted nuts and the garlic and pulse a couple times until finely chopped. Add the basil, nutritional yeast and lemon zest, continue pulsing to combine. Pour in the oil and the tomatoes. Process until smooth. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
Pour as much pesto over your pasta as you would like. If your pesto is thick like mine was, add in some of the cooking water to the pasta and pesto, to thin it out. Toss it all well to combine and get all of the pasta coated. Top with additional toasted almonds, fresh basil and if you’d like, some of the roasted tomatoes.
Keeps for up to 5 days in a tightly sealed container in the fridge. [/print_this]
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Roasted Balsamic Fig Popsicles – (Gluten-free & Dairy-free w/Vegan Option)
I know to many of you, sharing a popsicle recipe in September might seem silly, it seems everyone has already made the switch to fall foods, but we had some seriously hot weather out here in Southern California last week, it was in the 90s for several days in a row. Even in spite of that, I am not looking to rush summer off so quickly. I love it, we have plenty of months ahead to enjoy pumpkin recipes and hot soups, let’s enjoy this while we have it.
We are back down to more manageable temperatures this week, but I am sure we will get more of that heat again before we totally settle into fall, so treats like this will be perfect. A great way to enjoy what is fresh and in-season, but appropriate to the temperatures. In the midst of that heat I was still picking figs from our tree and although I have tons of baked goods and other delicious recipes for the figs lined up, I wasn’t in the mood for any of them. I wanted something light, cooling and sweet. I was able to roast the figs for this recipe early in the morning when it was still cool out, so it didn’t affect the temperature of the house too much, you could also roast them at night and place them into the fridge until the next day.
After the popsicles had set and were totally frozen, I ended up waiting until mid-afternooon the next day to enjoy one outside on the deck in the sun, during the hottest part of the day and it was heaven! These popsicles are so creamy and rich, the perfect amount of sweetness with a lovely robust and almost savory flavor from the balsamic roasted figs. You could also roast the figs with a red wine or liquor, such as Grand Marnier, Chartreuse, or Cointreau, you just might want to take down how much honey you add, though, so they aren’t too sweet. Read the rest of this entry »
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Vegan Waldorf Salad – Stella Artois Apple Cidre Perfect Pairing
It’s that time of year already, apple season is upon us! I think I may be in the minority when I say I might get more excited about the apples than pumpkins this time of year. GASP! I know right? While everyone else is going pumpkin crazy, I am quietly enjoying and celebrating the often-forgotten apple! This year I am lucky enough to have a small apple tree in our yard, that has already given me a few apples. Honestly, if you saw this tree, that would shock you. It is barely 3 and a half feet tall and really nothing spectacular, but it must be healthy, hearty and well since we’ve already gotten 4 big apples from it and it has another few that will be ready soon.
Since we won’t be getting a ton of apples from our tree, I wanted to make something that would highlight and use just one apple in a very special way. I didn’t want to just juice it or mix it up in a cake or some muffins. When I was offered the opportunity to try Stella Artois’ newest beverage, a delicious Apple Cidre, I was inspired to make a light and savory fall salad to pair with it.
Stella Artois Apple Cidre is a European-style cider made from fresh, hand-picked red apples with accents of peach, apricot, and orange. The crisp, and refreshing taste paired perfectly with this light, fresh salad. I will for sure be serving the two together at our next BBQ if we still have apples from the our tree. My favorite part of the Cidre is how it instantly brings me to the feeling of the fall that I grew up with back east! Something I am going to miss intensely this year! This Cidre has a hint of spice and the perfect apple flavor and it isn’t overly sweet like some ciders can be and it is far lighter and more natural tasting than most every other hard cider I have tried. It’s basically a grown-up spiked, sparkling apple juice! Plus, the best part is, like most hard ciders, Stella Artois’ Apple Cidre is naturally gluten-free. BONUS! Back in the day, I used to love Stella Artois’ signature lager, it was one of my go-to beers, but after going gluten-free nearly 9 years ago, I haven’t been able to enjoy it. So as you can imagine, I was super excited to see they had introduced a naturally gluten-free Apple Cidre to the market and of course, even more excited that it tastes so good.
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Fresh Fig & Banana Smoothie (Gluten-Free, Vegan & Sugar-free)
With the excessive amount of figs we are getting from our tree, I am trying to get very creative with all the different ways I can use them. I think making a fig smoothie might just be the best idea I have some up with yet, to enjoy them. A great way to enjoy a few fresh from the tree now while they are in season and it will be a really nice way to use some of the figs I froze whole, later, after the season is long gone and over. This smoothie is creamy and so perfectly sweet, without needing any sweetener at all. You could add some spices like cinnamon or cardamom if you wish, but I really wanted to fully enjoy the delicious but mild fig flavor.
What are some of your favorite ways to enjoy figs?
This recipe originally appeared on the Free People blog BLDG 25.
Fresh Fig & Banana Smoothie (Gluten-Free, Vegan & Sugar-free)
Print Pin RateServings: 1 -2 servingsIngredients
- 3-4 fresh figs, washed and stems removed the halved (I used black mission)*
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk, or other non-dairy milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds, optional
- Handful of ice
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to your blender, blend until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately!
- *This recipe works great with frozen fresh figs as well.
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Fig Honey Jam – Gluten-free + Refined Sugar-Free
If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, it is likely that you have seen how figs are overtaking my life right now. Our huge black mission fig tree is producing so much fruit. I love it. I have been getting quite creative with the figs; making pizzas, muffins, cakes, smoothies, adding them to salads and more. Fig season begins as early as June in some areas and it can run as late as October. My tree didn’t really start producing until mid August, but given how much small unripe fruit is on there, I have a feeling that I am going to have figs for quite some time. Yay!
Figs are quite perishable so I have been doing everything I can to use them up as quickly as I can. Stored at room temperature fresh figs keep for about for 1-2 days or 2-3 days in the fridge. Besides what I have been using in recipes, I have been freezing them whole and even dehydrating some so I can enjoy them in the off season, still. Look for lots of fig recipes over the next few weeks, I am loving having so many to play with.
Besides being delicious and so beautiful, figs are a wonderful source of calcium and dietary fiber. Figs have the highest amount of calcium of any fruit. Just 1 cup of figs has as much calcium as a cup of milk. Figs are also a good source of iron, magnesium, potassium, B vitamins, as well as vitamin K. Read the rest of this entry »
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Fermented Salsa – Gluten-free, Vegan
First off, I know for many of you, your very first question will likely be “Why?” Why would you ferment salsa? Well, I suppose that could be asked about many things. Why ferment? Admittedly, fermentation and cultured foods is something I am newly interested in and I am still learning a lot about. So, I will just share some of what I have learned about why fermented foods are so good for us.
There is so much more to having a balanced and happy gut than we realize. It is now estimated that over 500 species of bacteria are present in our intestinal track with reports of 50 – 75% of our immune system activity residing there. In our modern world filled with antibiotic drugs, chlorinated water, antibacterial soap and pasteurized foods, we are killing off all of the good bacteria we need to maintain good health and digestion. If we don’t actively replenish this good bacteria that we need, we won’t get the proper nutrients out of the foods we are eating.
Why Ferment?
There are so many healthy enzymes that flourish and live cultures that are created when vegetables are fermented, creating an environment full of probiotics, enzymes and minerals which are important in maintaining healthy digestion and a healthy body. These live cultures, usually bacteria or yeast, that fermented foods contain, help balance the microflora are a little city of tiny organisms in our large intestine that, when working well, help digest fiber, protect us from things we’d rather not absorb like carcinogens, and keep the bowel healthy.
The probiotic good bacteria and enzymes in fermented foods help to populate our gut and intestines with Lactobacilli which are really important for healthy digestion. They also help to eliminate toxins from our body, so eating them will allow your intestines to detox, which is a really good thing! All of this beneficial bacteria (or probiotics) have also been shown to help slow or reverse some diseases, improve bowel health, aid digestion, and improve immunity! I am a huge proponent of taking a daily probiotic, which has changed the way my gut feels on a daily basis.
