Nourishing Flourishing

Yep.

I went there.

I so went there.

We are all probably wanting relief right now, yes? Dog days indeed. Truth be told, if I would have had tequila on hand, I probably would have thrown it in there too. Margarita ice cream? Shoot. It’s 100 flippin’ degrees out — don’t mind if I do!

Remember how I said in my last post that I worked in a local ice cream shop in high school? Yeahhh… about that. Lime ice cream (not with bright green, fake lime flavoring — real lime zest and juice) was how I gained a few extra pounds that summer… But seriously, can you blame me?! This version is a healthy, vegan take on that indulgence. It’s just three simple, delicious, whole-food ingredients. What else could possibly be more refreshing than cold, creamy, lime on these last sweltering days of summer when you feel like you’ve been trapped in the armpit of Hades? It has just enough tart and zing to perk your tastebuds and your mood. (That was way cheesier than I meant it to be. Forgive me.)

Plus, once you share the three magical ingredients, it will make everyone around you start singing and dancing to this song in the kitchen (at least…if you’re a member of my family, apparently):

It’s okay if you drop your spoon (perhaps in a garden as you take photos…ahem), or are simply in a hurry — just get that ice cream in your mouth, friend.

You know you want to go there too. So do it. Go there. And don’t look back.

Ingredients:
2 cans coconut milk
1/2 C agave or honey
2 fresh limes

Recipe:

1) Zest limes.
2) Mix coconut milk, sweetener, zest, and juice of both limes in a large bowl. Taste, and adjust sweetness if desired.
3) Process according to instructions included with ice cream maker.

Um… Do you see those flecks of green? That is deliciousness, otherwise known as lime zest. If you can eat graham crackers (or know how to make a GF version), this would be an a-m-a-z-i-n-g Key Lime pie substitute. I’m drooling on my keyboard so… This just got awkward.

How are you staying cool?

We made two different kinds of vegan ice cream this weekend.

I know. We might have a problem. But hear me out!

Please see the following list for really good justifications reasons:

1) When were visiting my parents for a few days this weekend, I knew I wanted to get as much use out of this limited-time nectar-of-the-gods-making appliance (–> that we don’t have) as I could while we had the chance. (We are grad students, on a grad student budget — did I mention that 8000 times already?).
2) It is like the 5th circle of Hades hot outside right now.
3) The maker was my grandma’s, and holds some special memories in it’s adorable wooden frame.
4) The last time I made ice cream was with my grandma and this maker. It was a simple coconut milk base sweetened with agave, but G-Funk couldn’t get over how awesome it was that we used no dairy or refined sugar. She was crazy about such a neat new treat, one that I could take part in no less! (She was devastated that I couldn’t eat like most people.)
5) You know what? Coconut milk ice cream tastes better to me than dairy ever did. And I do what I please.

Psst: that is indeed a Trader Joe’s can from one of my ridiculous cross-country pilgrimages.

So… I used to not like mango. Seriously. But when I was in high school, I worked at a local ice cream shop (now out of business, God rest its soul) and while I didn’t get a discount, I did get the freedom to eat as much I wanted while on the clock. Anyway, one of the unique flavors was mango, and I was so convinced it would make me gag I didn’t even try it for months. Then one day, my life changed. Enter Mango. Hence, this classy, healthy, vegan, dairy-free, super-simple-with-no-nasty-high-fructose-corn-syrup-and-who-knows-what-else-flavoring version! It’s not even sweetened with refined sugar. Whaaa?

Bam! Deliciousness.

Ingredients:
1 16 oz can coconut milk (I used TJ’s light, but ten bucks says a the full-fat stuff has better flavor)
1 fresh mango (about 1 1/2 cups cubed; you could probably sub frozen mango chunks)
1/3 C honey, agave, or equivalent other sweetener

Recipe:
1) In food processor or blender, puree mango with sweetener until as smooth as possible.
2) Add coconut milk to puree and blend.
3) Follow directions on ice cream maker, then freeze.

You could easily adjust the sweetener based on how ripe your mango is – perhaps you’ll need more, perhaps less. The joy is that you can taste your mix before dumping it into the ice cream maker.

Actually… who am I kidding? The joy is in eating this stuff!

And licking the beater…

This is my shame/surprise face as I give proof of my ghetto-fabulousness over the sink.

After being found, enjoy properly, with garnish:

I took these photos as it was raining outside my folks’ house. ‘Twas a challenge with all that cloud cover and dripping! Nevertheless, the recipe needed to be shared. Immediately. So. Yeah. Borrow an ice cream maker if you don’t have one, or check out thrift stores. We saw about 90 in the Florida Goodwill when we were down there in July!

Even my (extremely picky and super-tasting) dad enjoyed a bowl…

= Winning.

I had to laugh when I saw how many other bloggers had the same thought this week — ice cream! Must be August, eh? If you are looking for more tropical vegan ice cream ideas, check out Elana Amsterdam’s recent post on a vegan Pina Colada ice cream. It looks so refreshing! She also has a list of links for other bloggers who are sharing this same brain for cold, sweet, dairy-free yummology

What flavor are you craving? (We have one more to share!)

I’m not the first person to make an avocado-based vegan “ice cream” or frozen pudding. I realize this! (And if you or someone you know about has a fantastic vegan ice cream/mousse recipe, please leave a link in the comments for others to enjoy; I’m honestly not even sure where I first encountered the idea years ago, as it’s become so ubiquitous!) But, the interesting twist is that I hadn’t intended to make this in the first place; it was the byproduct of a failed attempt to create something else. Hopefully later this week I can show you a (not-failed) finished product of my original goal… This is still smooth, sweet, and totally delectable. In the meantime, here is a happy accident; similar to ice cream, this creamy treat is perfect for the dog days of summer.

Or, you know…whenever you want chocolate.

Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado
1/4 C + 1 Tb cocoa powder
1/4 C agave nectar
1 t vanilla extract
4 Tb unsweetened almond milk (I used vanilla)

Recipe:
1) Throw all ingredients into a blender or food processor and mix until smooth, scraping down sides as needed.
2) Pour/spoon into glass container and place, covered, in freezer for about 5-8 hours. (I used a champagne flute for added classiness…or because it’s what would fit in my overstuffed freezer.)
3) Remove when it is fully frozen (which admittedly, takes a while), and devour!

Now, as with pretty much all my recipes and methods, you can adjust this pretty easily. One avocado might be smaller or larger than another, so if you want to gradually add the agave as you make it, certainly do so. You all know that I am a proud supporter of “tasting along the way,” yes? Yes. And if you haven’t played with this green fruit outside of guacamole, and are wondering what is wrong with me…. Try it. You can’t taste it. At all. Fo rizzy.

Healthy-sneaky win!

Have you tried avocados in dessert before?

Featured in Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free.

Whew. What a month this has been! Well, we’re about to return to routine around here, friends. That means no more sentence-long posts, or late posts (oops…sorry about this one). Comments will finally be answered, emails sent, work done. It means we’re getting back into our groove. In fact, yesterday I cooked again for a good chunk of time — and it felt so wonderful to be back in my element! I had something in the crockpot, something on the stove, and something in the oven all afternoon and evening. My hands were covered in dough. My apron was tied. My tunes were on. My heart was happy. Ah…bliss.

Well, firstly, can I say that for those of you who — for whatever reason, be it allergies, budget (though remember, it’s only about the cost of a jar of almond butter — especially if you make your own!), or otherwise — aren’t able to make the recipes using almond flour — I tried for you. I really, really tried. For a long time, and with much experimentation. And unfortunately, it was a fail. My oatmeal maple raisin  scones turned into…baked oatmeal that tasted like soda bread (and not really in a good way). Hm. Lesson learned. I’ll be trying again, so stay tuned! Sorry.

But, I also made blueberry scones.

These are similar to the raspberry scones of yore (which happen to be one of the most popular recipes on the blog). My sister (in-law) and (soon-to-be) brother (in-law), as I mentioned before, spent a couple nights here, and, crazies that they are, packed up and were out the door by 3am this morning. For a 9+ hour drive back to Lincoln, Nebraska. Yes. Insanity. Knowing this was their game plan, I wanted to be sure that they had some kind of breakfast or other munchable with them. So, I made some scones. I realized too late that I probably made a poor choice by making scones, because Abby lived in Scotland for a few years when she was in university at St. Andrew’s… And if you’ve lived in the UK, you know what real scones are. They’re not the overly sweet, Super-Pastries on sugar steroids that we have here in the U.S. of A.; they’re more like biscuits, with a hint of sweetness. You spread on some clotted cream, and maybe some preserves – which if we added to American scones, would instantly give people cardiac arrest and type 2 diabetes at the first bite… (Sorry. It’s true.)

So, I tried to make these relatively mild in the sweetness factor to keep things legit, but it’s hard to get that same flaky, dry, dense texture that comes from traditional flour scones when you use almond flour. Instead, these are fairly moist (*shudder* — that word), which the juicy blueberries only enhance. So if you are a severely conservative scone-ist, these are more like a scuffin, or muffin top (just shape them round and ditch the egg wash). Regardless, you can leave these out overnight uncovered or lightly covered, and they will be closer to the superior UK experience ; ) Fear not.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 C. blanched almond flour (make your own and save)
2 Tb. arrowroot powder (if you don’t have it, sub some coconut flour, chickpea flour, or extra almond flour)
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 ethically sourced egg (I plan to try a vegan version ASAP — don’t worry! I just need to get some chia)
1/4 c. agave or honey
1 t. apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
1 Tb. vanilla
1/2 t. almond extract (optional)
1/4 – 1/2 C. frozen blueberries (fresh should work fine too — just keep your hands wet while working with the dough. If you want a less soft, moist scone, use dried blueberries.)

Recipe:
1) Mix dry ingredients.
2) Mix wet ingredients. Add wet to dry.
3) Add blueberries, and gently combine.
4) With wet hands, shape dough into a ball and place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
5) Flatten to about 3/4″ thickness, and slice into 8 pieces, like a pizza.
6) Using a flat, thin spatula, carefully separate pieces so they will have room to bake.
7) If desired, use an egg wash on top for a crisp top texture (whisk an egg and apply a very thin layer on tops of scones).
8 ) Place in 350* oven for about 15 minutes, removing when edges and tops start to brown. Let cool for an hour at least.

Printer-Friendly Version

Is it silly to admit that I woke up this morning with an Abby and Kyle shaped hole in my heart? I came close to belting out “All By Myself” — close. But the goods news is…this won’t be the last time I see them. Wink. Nudge. Eyebrow-raised nod in their general direction. So, so, so excited to see more of these two. (Though I confess, I probably should have made sure Kyle was actually looking at me when I took this…oops. I owe you one really good headshot-blog-feature, Kyle.)

We really miss them when they aren’t around… Mainly because it means less opportunities for awkward family photos:

We’re a close bunch, as you can see… Very close.

Are you a harcore scone snob? (Thankfully, I don’t think these two are.)

What’s the best thing to happen to you this week?

Ok, I know: banana bread seems anticlimactic after I hyped this recipe up as my BFF Manfriend’s favorite, favorite, favorite of favoritests (i.e., “BOMB” classified). It’s simple. Just another recipe, right? It seems as though everyone and their mom (literally) has one for banana bread, and calls it “famous” or “the best”. I won’t do that. But I will say that out of all the foods I make, this is the one people fawn over the most, close their eyes whilst eating the most, moan over the most, ask for the recipe the most, fight over the most, arrive unexpectedly at my house in hopes of taking home a loaf the most, and otherwise give the highest rating. So. Hopefully that gives you an idea of  this unassuming banana bread. Whereas most gluten-free breads are dry, and don’t have much complexity to their taste or texture, this one is moist (did some of you just cringe that I used that word? bahaha), the perfect bakery-style and coffee-complement consistency, and absolutely delicious, speckled with dark chocolate chips. Of course, those are optional. But highly recommended (obviously). Case in point:

If you’re nervous about the almond flour because it’s 1) foreign, 2) made of nuts, and/or 3) admittedly expensive, rest assured that: 1) especially with this bread, people can’t tell it is made of almond flour (which is neither here nor there, really, as I’ve never met anyone who disliked the flavor), 2) nuts are good for you, and a slice of bread is the equivalent of only a tablespoon of nut butter’s worth of fat, and 3) if you buy almond butter, there’s no reason not to justify buying or making a little almond flour for this occasion. They are totally comparable in price. I don’t cook with almond flour constantly, so when I do, it’s a special treat. That perspective might relax some of your anxieties about baking with this unique flour. I hope : )

(Please note, you can’t sub wheat flour [or any other grain or bean flour for that matter] for the almond. Another nut flour would work, but otherwise — lo siento mi amigo/a!)

NOTE: This makes a lot of banana bread! Feel free to halve it! ; )

NOTE: This makes a lot of banana bread! Feel free to halve it! ; )

Ingredients:
4 ripe bananas
4 ethically-sourced eggs or vegan substitute (Note: I haven’t tried this, so I can’t make any guarantees — sorry! Will keep you updated on my success.)
1 tsp almond extract
7 Tb – 1/2 C agave (or honey) — up to you how sweet
2 Tb vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 1/1 tsp baking soda
5 C. almond flour
2 Tb cinnamon
1 C dark chocolate chips (optional)

Optional: 1-2 Tb coconut oil. Not necessary, but totally takes it over the top!

Recipe:
1) Massage or squeeze bananas while they are still in their peel to make softening them easier. I literally crush them with my hands, and then remove the peel and dumb they into the bowl. It really makes things easy!
2) Mix wet ingredients and bananas. (I use a handheld mixer and it speeds everything up.) It should be ready when the consistency is fairly smooth — you want the banana to be in tiny little pieces, not big chunks.
3) Mix dry ingredients, and add to wet.
4) Pour into three smaller load pans, or one large and one small. (I always line mine with parchment, and strongly recommend it for even baking and easy clean up.)
5) Bake in preheated 325* oven for about 45 minutes (it might take longer). The top should be browned.
6) Remove when a knife in the middle comes out clean, and let cool in the pan. Slice with a sharp knife.

Printer-Friendly Version

If you’re trying to take this over the top, add a tablespoon or two of coconut oil. I don’t know why, but it makes it even better! As you may notice, I add almond extract to a lot of my recipes. This is always optional, I often just like to enhance the almond flavor; I find it gives another layer of complexity and depth to my baked goods. However, if you’re trying to avoid a strong almond taste (i.e., mask that you’re using almond flour), just omit it. : )

Make this! Today! <3

Part of Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays @ Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free

So. I’m heading to San Diego this week, Wed-Friday (BFF Manfriend is presenting at a high-falutin’ conference.) Any interest in a little meet-up one afternoon?

Also. What’s the best banana bread or other baked good you’ve had, ever?

Yesterday it was 80* in Boulder. The floor of our porch singed my feet. We walked in the sun. We napped in the park. Absolute bliss. I scrounged our kitchen for something to celebrate this Spring-esque glory, as it is certainly not yet Spring — snow is heading our way today (thanks Colorado, xoxo). All I knew was I wanted something fresh/raw, easy, and fast. This salad is quickly becoming a daily star in our home — snack, lunch, dinner…breakfast? (Sorry. It’s good leftover.) I always have the ingredients handy, and I absolutely love the flavor, texture, and the effect it has after I eat it… This is how I feel with all the green goodness and enzymatic cideriness inside of me:

Even my BFF Manfriend devours it enthusiastically — and he’s from the Midwest! (JK, Midwesterners…sort of. I know your cheese, beef, and canned soup-lovin’ ways!) Fun fact: BFF Manfriend hated the following before marrying me:

- tomatoes
- salad
- Mexican food
- salsa
- chunky marinara (are you catching the tomato theme here?)
- celery
- sweet potatoes
- olives
- ok, any raw vegetable…
- yeah, and most cooked vegetables, too…
- KALE

Just sayin’. Clearly I’m doing my part for the world… ; ) This salad and dressing may not be terribly exotic (do you already have a similar staple?), but it is so refreshing, and so healthy, I wanted to share it anyway. I am certain I can’t be the only one to put these 5 ingredients together, so I confess this most likely is not my most creative attempt, per se. I feel a little guilty even calling this a recipe, as it’s laughably simple.

Ingredients:
1/2 C apple cider vinegar
2 Tb agave (or honey)
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
1 large (or 2 small-medium) bunch(es) kale
1 small apple

Recipe:
1) Strip kale stems of leaves, and tear into bite size pieces (1-2″ or so). Set aside. (Use stems for another recipe or compost.)
2) Whisk agave (or honey) and vinegar together until it dissolves.
3) Whisk in oil.
4) Pour dressing over kale, and begin massaging into leaves with fingers.
5) Cut apple into small chunks and add to salad. Serve.

Printer-Friendly Version

That’s it! You can always drizzle a little more agave/honey directly onto the salad if you find the dressing too sharp. The longer it sits, the more flavor the kale absorbs (but the more it softens, too). This is an excellent dish to bring to a potluck, or throw together at the last minute to complement a meal.

One of the reasons I find kale to be worthy of my affection is it’s amazing nutritional profile, specifically its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which are vital for those of us with autoimmune diseases and disorders. It’s also surprisingly impressive as a source of protein, fiber, calcium, and vitamins A, K, C, and B! (<– Transport back to Sesame Street.) One last persuasion: it’s fairly inexpensive — even as organic — and can be found year-round, even in cold winter months!

What are you up to this weekend? Are you pretending it’s Spring too?

Anyone else need a drink come Friday? Even when I was a kid, I used to look forward to Friday nights partly because it meant I could drink Diet Pepsi to my heart’s caffeine-induced tachycardic content. Oh, that and a little thing called T.G.I.F. Ever heard of it?

Please don’t judge me… We didn’t have cable. I watched TV pretty much only on Friday nights, and solely for this glorious marathon of terrible awesome coming-of-age crises. I can tell you about when Steve Urkel became Stefan, and how Cory and Topanga were meant to be. Wow. I’m already embarrassed…(NOTE: I do not have a TV any longer, so…that makes up for this right? …right?)

Anyway. This relates to the title, promise. (Not that much, actually. I’m kind of lying to you.)

When I want a special something to take the edge off my day, but am too cheap to break out the alcohol (or it’s only 11am), this is my go-to drink. It’s simple, refreshing, and I can sip as much as I please without worrying about whether my heart will explode from racing so fast. Or that my insides will crystalize from the aspartame (curse you, Diet Pepsi). Or that I’ll be plastered before noon. It’s the perfect mocktail — citrus kick, fizzy carbonation, sweet tooth satisfaction. This is an amazingly healthy alternative to regular pop/soda/what-have-you. Give it a go!

Ingredients:
1 lemon
1 lime
Carbonated water, soda water, Perrier, etc.
Stevia

Recipe(ish):
1) Cut lemon and lime into wedges
2) Squeeze 1/2 of each into 2 glasses
3) Add ice (if desired), and pour carbonated water into each glass until full
4) Drop liquid stevia (or pour dry stevia) in small amounts until desired sweetness. Stir.

That’s it. We often make these when having friends over, and always get them hooked! It’s very adaptable, hardly a recipe. Just add the juice and stevia to your liking! I prefer a limeade-esque “adult” drink (that’s what my dearest Manfriend BFF calls it) — which simply means I put less stevia in mine. J, on the other hand, prefers his to be a “kid” drink. I think you can envision him holding the stevia dropper for outrageous lengths of times. Drop drop drop drop…*pause, taste*….drop drop drop drop drop…etc. He makes me smile, laugh, and… cringe (when I take a sip of his).

TGIF! Hope you’re celebrating ;  )

What was your favorite thing to do on a Friday night as a kid? Now?

Ok, I hope I kept you in suspense with my teasing “hints” and the announcement that I totally mastered a recipe I’d been working on intermittently for about a month! I think I got a little scone crazy when they started popping up everywhere (I first saw the beginnings of the trend at The Pioneer Woman and Joy the Baker). There may be recipes for gluten-free scones, but I find that a lot of gluten-free flours are just way too high-glycemic for me. As in…they give me (and my pancreas) a sugar rush, and I hate that sluggish feeling afterward. I find almond flour is usually my top choice for baking bases, and it turns out the flavor of almond goes beautifully with these bright raspberries. What can I say? I need a little taste of Spring!

Ok, enough talk. You want the scones.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 C. blanched almond flour (It can be pricey, so here’s a tutorial for d.i.y.)
2 Tb. arrowroot powder (if you don’t have it, sub some coconut flour, chickpea flour, or extra almond flour)
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 egg (+ one if you want to do the egg wash for a crisper top)
1/4 c. agave or honey
1 t. apple cider vinegar (you can’t taste it + it’s necessary — trust me on this!)
1 Tb. vanilla
1/2 t. almond extract
1/2 C. Frozen raspberries (I prefer organic, as you might already know…)

(Printer-Friendly Recipe)

Recipe:
- Preheat oven to 350*. In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
- Mix all wet ingredients in a separate….vessel of some kind. (I hate getting unnecessary dishes dirty, so I just reuse my 2 cup liquid measuring cup to mix wet stuff together in.)
- Pour wet into dry. Mix gently, but thoroughly.

- Carefully fold in raspberries. Make sure they are still frozen, because it helps keep the dough together. Spread evenly, but keep ‘em intact as you can.
- Quickly place all dough in a ball on parchment covered baking sheet. Flatten with hands to about 3/4″.

- Slice into 8 equal pieces (like a pizza).

And yes, that bright pink is not due to photo-editing. It really does look exactly like that! The raspberries start melting quickly, hence the need to work at a good pace!

- Using a thin, wet spatula and fingers, carefully move every other section a few inches away from the rest, for room to bake.

Ahh…jam. So comforting. So bright. So delicious. So…expensive. This is yet another recipe that is going to save you the Benjamins. Or…Abrahams, as the case may be. And it’s so satisfying to make your own food like this, let’s just put it out there. My friend Joshua is coming over to “jam” with me in the near future, though he’ll be using strawberries. Here are some photos to give you an idea of how a PB&J becomes pb and J!!!!!!!. ;  ) Ok, the pictures totally won’t get that message across, but hey, I’m a beginner! :  )

OK. Back to The Jam. Not the Space kind nor this kind:

…The kind that takes about 30 minutes total, with only 5 of those (at most) being hands-on. Oh, and did I mention there are only 2 necessary ingredients? And neither of those is refined sugar? And that you can make this vegan by using agave? I know. I know. Now that I’ve got you flushed with anticipation… Here it is.

Ingredients:
- Two 10 oz. bags of frozen (or similar amount of fresh) berries
- Agave, honey, or stevia
- Lemon juice (optional)

Printer-Friendly Version

Recipe(ish):
1) Throw berries into a pot on the stove, and turn heat to medium-low.

2) Let the berries boil a bit to break down, stirring a little every few minutes to prevent scorching on the bottom.

3) Stir in honey, agave, or stevia to taste. I used 1/3 cup or so of honey for ours, but that is too tart for most people, so adapt to your tastes. It’s not terribly important that you add the sweetener at the beginning or end, or both.

4) Turn the heat to low and break apart any chunks of berries. Let simmer until the thickness you want, stirring occasionally. (I usually wait about 20 minutes.) This is about the right texture for me, but I like it a little chunky.

Transfer to a glass/mason jar, let cool, and put the lid on. Store in the fridge.

FAQ:

-       Squeezing some lemon juice (half a lemon) into the jar at the end will help the jam last longer (with no weird, unnatural additives). It keeps for about two weeks in the fridge, perhaps more.

-       I use organic berries because berries are on the Dirty Dozen list; berries are especially thin-skinned and prone to excessive amounts of pesticides. Blech. Also, I try to support organic as much as possible. For only $2 a bag, this was verrry possible (that’s cheaper than frozen conventional berries)!

Source

This jam is way (WAY!) healthier than most brands that are 50% (or 75%!) white sugar or corn syrup. For the ingredients, this totals at around $4 for more than a pint jar. And that’s cheaper than any organic, cane sugar-free jam I have ever seen. Hurrah!

Speaking of jam, someone is straight creepin’ around in the fridge, and I get the sense my labors are about to disappear before I can make thumbprint cookies or hamantaschen. A shame.

Or not. ;  )