Nectarine Berry Crisp
August 30th, 2010
Nectarine Berry Crisp
This is truly one of my favorite desserts. It is light, fruity, and self-sufficiently sweet! I am excited every year when the nectarines and berries are ready to dance together in this delicious combination. I am especially excited this year to finally have time to make this too! As some of my readers know, I have been in school for the past 6 months working on a bodywork certification and I am happy to say that I have finally finished! Yay! It has been a tough 6 months both with school and more, and I am glad that at least one part of my life is going to fall into more ease…
I am envisioning more cooking, baking, experimenting…and possibly looking for a job too! I am also hoping for a bit of travel now that I am out of school…Europe? Hmmm. Maybe…
In the meantime, I do want to share this delicious recipe in case anyone else wants to try it.
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Tags: agave, blueberry, coconut oil, nectarine, oat, raspberry
Posted in dairy free, dessert, egg-free, fruit, gluten-free, indulgent, vegan, vegetarian, wheat-free 3 Comments »
Gluten-Free Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
June 26th, 2010
Gluten-free Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
This past weekend I headed up to southern Colorado to celebrate a very special birthday. My sweetheart was turning…well, maybe I shouldn’t say how old, but anyway, it is the precursor to a big one! 
Although I have always wanted to try-out baking a gluten-free birthday cake before, I have never had the courage, until now! I was inspired by a chocolate-hazelnut cake recipe that I had tried about 1.5 years ago, and also more recently by the chocolate mousse recipe that Joslyn shared on the Shak-Shuka blog… So I thought I would try them together… I have never made a layered cake before!
Considering the circumstances, my first attempt was a smashing success! I was headed to a retreat center, and was unsure whether I would have time/resources to make the cake there. So I made the layers at home, kept them in the cooler for the 3.5 hour drive, and pieced them together the night of the birthday dinner. Everyone was quite pleased with it, including my sweetie, who was happy to have leftovers!
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Tags: agar agar, agave, applesauce, arrowroot powder, buckwheat flour, cardamom, coconut milk, coconut oil, eggs, hazelnuts, raw cacao, vanilla
Posted in alternative grain, dairy free, dessert, gluten-free, indulgent, vegetarian, wheat-free No Comments »
Chocolate-Coconut Mousse
June 16th, 2010
Chocolate-Coconut Mousse
Recently my friend Joslyn of Shak-Shuka shared a recipe for Chocolate Mousse on her blog. Amazing cook that she is, I knew it would be awesome, and it just-so-happened that I had every ingredient I needed to whip this up asap. As we speak…I am devouring it. Yum! It is beautifully firm, and I am loving the chocolate – coconut combo. Hopefully the photos will entice you to head over to the Shak-Shuka blog and try it out yourself!
Tags: agar agar, agave, arrowroot powder, cacao powder, coconut milk, vanilla
Posted in dairy free, dessert, egg-free, gluten-free, indulgent, vegan, vegetarian, wheat-free No Comments »
Roasted Kohlrabi with Veggies
June 14th, 2010
Roasted Kohlrabi with Veggies
This year I have been working with my friend Karen, of ArtfulTea in her vegetable garden, and reaping the benefits of the beautiful vegetables that have been growing. I can’t believe that I have not taken any photos to share on my blog to show you the progress of the garden! In my defense, things have been super busy…as you might be able to guess from my absence of over a month. I have been missing sharing my cooking adventures here on the blog, but school and work have been keeping me quite busy.
I have not given up on cooking, it is still a high priority, but a lot of my creations have been quick and easy recipes that I eat so fast I don’t have time to photograph! I was able to take a few shots of this yummy creation before I devoured it. The colors were too beautiful not to catch on “film” and it was delicious.
I will admit that this is the first time I have ever cooked kohlrabi, and it will not be the last. I really liked it! It reminds me a little of broccoli and was a great addition to this dish. The recipe is inspired by Karina’s recipe for Sicilian Roasted Potatoes but I created my own twist. I definitely suggest you try it, and let me know what you think!
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Tags: bell pepper, broccoli, garlic, kohlrabi, potatoes, shallot, spinach, tomato
Posted in dairy free, egg-free, gluten-free, vegan, vegetable side, vegetarian, wheat-free 3 Comments »
Baked Cumin Tortilla Chips
April 23rd, 2010
Baked Tortilla Chips
I don’t know about you, but sometimes tortilla chips from the bag are a bit too much for me to digest. I know I am told quite frequently that I have a sensitive stomach, but I know I am not the only one out there. So this recipe is for those who like to have snacks on the lighter side. A good crunchy, salty, and healthy fat version of the tortilla chip. The best part is that they are super easy to make, are amazingly inexpensive and you can customize the flavors too.
I purchased my corn tortilla wraps from Trader Joe’s (the ones that you would use for enchiladas). I am a big fan of TJ’s, and am so happy to be once again living in a town where we have one at easy access. (TJ’s if you ever want to open in Key West, you have my vote!) When choosing a corn tortilla I highly suggest you read the ingredients. It is amazing what some companies put in them. Especially when all you really need is corn flour, lime and water… keep it simple.
Once you have the tortilla wraps you are about 15 minutes away from warm, crispy chips, so don’t forget to have some guacamole, hummus, or Sundried Tomato Avocado Spread.
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Tags: corn tortillas, cumin, olive oil
Posted in crackers and breads, dairy free, egg-free, gluten-free, grain side, snacks, vegan, vegetarian, wheat-free 1 Comment »
Raw Kale Salad with Apples
April 7th, 2010
Raw Kale Salad with Apples and Sunflower Seeds
A little bitter, a little sweet, and a whole lot of crunch! I am loving this salad, and have been making it quite frequently in the past few weeks. It is super easy to whip up, stores well in the fridge for future meals, and I know that it nutrient packed and makes my digestive system happy. I first saw a version of this salad on Elana’s Pantry and was excited to try it out.
The first time that I took the plunge I was on my working vacation in Florence, Italy, where Lacinato Kale (cavolo nero) is the kale of choice. I love Lacinato kale, and was excited to try it in the salad. Knowing that it is a very bitter kale, I thought it would be great to pair it up with the sweet apples and a little balsamic vinegar to round out the tastes. I think it might be a little ridiculous how excited I get about this salad, but I do!
Let me know what your favorite combination is with the raw kale. I will be excited to try some new variations.
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Tags: apple, kale, sunflower seeds
Posted in dairy free, egg-free, gluten-free, salad, vegan, vegetable side, vegetarian, wheat-free 4 Comments »
Gluten-Free Strawberry Coconut Muffins
March 29th, 2010
Baking, baking, baking… I have been very busy with school and work lately, and have found that one thing that I enjoy as a stress release is to do some baking. I am able to free my thoughts (for a bit) and enjoy the tactile fun of mixing finely ground flours with gooey nut butters, smooth coconut oils, or mashed fruits. I am reminded of the movie Amelie when they recount her “likes” which include cracking the crust of her crème brulée and plunging her hand into a sac of lentils. It is a way for me to get out of my head for a bit and become more in my body.
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Tags: agave, almond flour, amaranth flour, apple sauce, buckwheat flour, coconut, coconut flour, coconut milk, coconut oil, eggs, rice milk, strawberry
Posted in alternative grain, breakfast, dairy free, fruit, gluten-free, vegetarian, wheat-free No Comments »
New Beginnings, New Moon, New Home
March 15th, 2010
New beginnings. Spring is almost here, but as we speak it is snowing pretty heavily. Yes, for those of you who have trouble keeping up with my comings and goings…I am now in Santa Fe, NM. It is not the deserts of Arizona, and although it is NEW Mexico, there is still snow in the northern parts… I am grateful that I came on the cusp of spring… 50 and 60 degree days speckled with some snowfall as a contrast.
I have been here for almost 2 weeks now, getting settled into the lovely home that I am sharing with a great housemate and her sweet dog. So far I have mostly been running errands, acquiring some missing pieces of household accoutrements, furnishings etc. Those who know me well know that I love to shop. It is usually such a pleasureful process for me, but I surprisingly hit a wall a few days ago, and got to the point of asking that age-old question. What am I doing? I had to remind myself…I am here for a purpose, and tomorrow that new phase begins.
I will begin a 6 month massage therapy certification…excitement, nervousness…lots of emotions are stirring up. I have to come back to the trust that I am starting a new adventure. I am taking a new direction and giving space to a desire I have had for many years now, and allowing myself to explore these new possibilities. As the Italians would say: forza, coraggio!
Although my schedule will change over the next few months, I still plan to share recipes, food discoveries and other foodie related deets. I have a feeling it could include some photos of the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market as well, which seems to be quite a event here as the season progresses, so stay tuned!
Posted in life 1 Comment »
Coconut Oil, Star Fruit Cake, and Yoga
February 22nd, 2010
This Sunday Yoga on the Beach held a brunch in addition to a fabulous morning yoga class led by Céline. Class was great, the weather was beautiful and brunch was delicious. It was a perfect event to test out a fun new variation on my upside-down fruit cake. Here in Key West we are fortunate to get starfruit from a local grower, and it makes for such a beautiful cake! If you try this out, and are interested in making the starfruit upside-down cake dairy-free I replaced the yogurt in the recipe, with mashed avocado. It came out perfect!
If you have been following my blog, you will have noticed that I often use coconut oil in baking. I have been using coconut oil for a few years now, and definitely recommend that if you have not tried coconut oil yet, you should consider taking the leap. Coconut oil adds a sweet natural coconut flavor to baked goods, and you can use less of it than you would other oils or fats, therefore saving on the fat content of your sweet treat. It is also one of the few oils that maintains its quality at high heat so the quality of the food that you consume is also maintained. Don’t think that the benefits of coconut oil end there…check out Meghan Telpner’s blog to find out more.
When shopping for a coconut oil it is important to purchase a quality coconut oil that is unrefined, organic and extra virgin. I recently was fortunate enough to receive a sample of Tropical Traditions Extra Virgin Gold Label Coconut Oil. How exciting to receive a no-obligation sample of a product that I am so excited about! I tested out their extra virgin coconut oil in my starfruit cake and was very happy with how it came out. Everyone else at the brunch was pretty happy with it too!
Let me know if you get a chance to try out the Starfruit Cake yourself, and if you join the bandwagon of coconut oil lovers, I would love to hear about your experiences.
Tags: avocado, coconut oil
Posted in dairy free, dessert, fruit, gluten-free, vegetarian, wheat-free 1 Comment »
Lemon Ginger Cookies
February 8th, 2010
These cookies quickly became a favorite in our household. I have been wanting to try baking with almond flour for months now and finally was able to test out some recipes when my partner bought me a bag of almond flour for Christmas. This may sounds sort of silly, but you will understand a little better knowing that almond flour costs $12.99/lb on our little island. Of course once my partner fell in love with the cookies, the cost of the flour was justified!
The inspiration for these cookies came from Elana’s Pantry recipe for Lemon Lavender Cookies. I have been admiring her recipes for months now, and was excited to try something out. Since I didn’t have all of the ingredients to replicate her recipe, I made modifications, and am pretty happy with the results. The ginger and chocolate are a really nice mix too!
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Tags: almond flour, chocolate, ginger, lemon
Posted in alternative grain, cookies, dairy free, dessert, egg-free, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, wheat-free 4 Comments »