Banana, Coconut, and Cashew Cream Tart

Adapted from "Whole Living" website, Annual Recipes 2004.  http://www.wholeliving.com/133418/banana-coconut-and-cashew-cream-tart?center=136758&gallery=136258&slide=133419

Yield: Makes one 9-inch tart

Ingredients:

• For Filling

1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight and thoroughly drained

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup, and more to taste

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup finely shredded dried coconut

3 or 4 ripe but firm bananas, sliced

• For Tart Shell

1 1/2 cups whole pecans

Pinch of coarse salt

1 1/2 cups pitted dates

2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

Directions

1. Make tart shell: Coarsely chop pecans and salt in a food processor. Add dates; pulse until thoroughly combined, 15 to 20 seconds. Add syrup; pulse just until combined and mixture sticks together. Press nut mixture firmly and evenly into a 9-inch pie plate, wetting your fingers as needed. Set tart shell aside.
2. Make filling: Grind nuts to a coarse paste in a blender. Add water, syrup, and vanilla scrapings; blend until smooth, about 5 minutes, scraping sides as needed. Mixture should be the consistency of thick pancake batter. Set aside 2 tablespoons coconut; add remainder to blender, and process to combine. Pour into prepared shell, spreading evenly.
3. Arrange the thinly sliced bananas, beginning at the edge of the tart and placing in slightly overlapping rows. Sprinkle with reserved coconut; serve immediately or chilled.

Superfood Breakfast Oatmeal Cookies

I was recently trying to think of ways to help someone replace their morning muffin with something healthier that wouldn’t spike blood sugar and I immediately thought of oats. Try these breakfast cookies I adapted from Natural Noshing to start your day. Make extra to freeze so you’re ready for breakfast all week! They’re delicious and nutritious!

Wet Ingredients:


1/2 cup applesauce


1/2 cup cottage cheese or canned coconut milk for dairy-free

2 eggs, whisked (vegan: 1 mashed banana, blended tofu, or 2 flax eggs)


1 tsp pure vanilla extract


1 1/2 Tablespoons coconut oil (or other oil, butter, or ghee)

Dry Ingredients:


1/4 cup amaranth flour (or other GF flour- buckwheat, oat, brown rice, sorghum)


1/4 cup flaxseed meal


2 Tbsp chia meal (or more flax meal or almond flour)


2 Tbsp almond flour (or a favorite GF flour – buckwheat, oat, teff, etc)


1/4 tsp sea salt


1 to 2 tsp ground cinnamon


1/4 tsp ground ginger, optional


1/4 tsp baking powder


1/4 tsp baking soda


1 1/4 cup rolled oats

Add-ins 


1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or your favorite nut or seed)*


1/2 cup goji berries (or other dried fruit – blueberries, apricots, cherries, raisins, dates, figs, mango, cranberries etc)


1/4 cup hulled hemp seeds (sunflower or pumpkin seeds or more fruit or nuts could be subbed if desired)

Preheat the oven to 400F. Line one large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a blender or a food processor, mix all the wet ingredients together until smooth and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients together. Add blended wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix delicately to combine. Fold in hemp seeds, goji and walnuts.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet. *You can leave the cookies as is if you want them looking like little mounds, or you can flatten them down some with the back of your spoon. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, depending on how thick you made your cookies, or until they look just slightly undercooked. 

Cool completely on a cooling rack then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator, where the cookies will keep for up to a week and enjoy!

*You can make these nut-free if necessary, just omit & replace with your favorite seeds or dried fruit. Also, for a sweeter cookie, add 2-4 Tbsp of coconut sugar or use honey/agave/maple syrup and decrease the cottage cheese/coconut milk by 2 Tbsp.

Makes 12-15 cookies

Chick Pea and Date Tagine

This North African Tagine is one of my favorite recipes! You can use dried apricots, or golden raising if you don't have dates. Another idea is topping the dish with some sliced, toasted almonds for a little crunch!

Vegetarian Times, December 2011: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/chickpea-and-date-tagine/

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 8
 
Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced (2 cups)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.)
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 15-oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup whole-wheat couscous
• 1 cup pitted dates, halved
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ½ cup chopped cilantro
  
• 1 ¾ cup water, filtered
  

Directions:
1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 10 minutes, or until starting to brown, stirring often. Stir in garlic, cumin, coriander, ginger, and cinnamon, and sauté 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, and 1/4 cup water; simmer 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, toast couscous in small saucepan over medium heat 5 minutes, or until fragrant. Add 1 ¾ cups water, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 5 minutes.
3. Stir dates and lemon juice into tagine, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve over couscous, sprinkled with cilantro.

Raw Chocolate Pudding

This decadent RAW chocolate pudding from the Edible Goddess blog is so amazing! I love finding raw or alternative options for old favorites! 

4 medium organic ripe avocados

¾ cup raw honey (locally sourced and organic if possible)

½ cup organic raw cacao powder

¼ cup softened organic extra virgin coconut oil

1 teaspoon wild blue green algae

1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder

pinches of sea salt

spring water to catch the blades

Optional: garnish with raw cacao nibs, bee pollen, coconut shreds, and/or goji berries if you want some crunchy bits as part of your chocolate party.

Blend ingredients together in a high-speed blender using the tamper through the opening on the lid (if using a Vita-Mix) to push the ingredients onto the blades, adding a small amount of liquid (spring water or non-dairy milk) when necessary to get a silky smooth texture. You can certainly make this easy recipe if using a regular blender, but you may need to stop/start it more often scraping the pudding from the sides and on to the blades so it all gets mixed very well.

Use a spatula to scoop out into your serving bowl and relish the taste of real pudding! Eat some right away, and as an option you can chill the pudding in the refrigerator for an hour and serve chilled if desired.

The Creamy Cacao Pudding will keep fresh in the fridge for 2-3 days in a glass container with a sealed lid.

Enjoy!

Author: Bethanne Wanamaker, Certified Nutrition Educator

http://ediblegoddess.com/blog/ 

Thai Coconut Soup

Just whipped up this super easy soup for dinner the other day! Was so simple and delicious that I have to share it with everyone. You can use Tofu instead of the chicken and can substitute the fish sauce with a few dashes of salt. This soup would be great on top of brown rice and a bed of fresh spinach.

Cynthia Lair, Feeding the Whole Family: 2008

Prep time: 30-45 minutes

Yield: 5-6 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil (or coconut oil)

1 onion, thinly sliced into half-moons

2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons grated ginger

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 6-8 inch lemongrass

½ pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (or 1 package firm tofu)

2-3 cups water, filtered

1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk

3 to 4 tablespoons fish sauce

1 large baby bok choy, sliced thin

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Stir in onion, garlic, and salt and saute until onion is translucent. Add ginger, red pepper, coriander, and cumin and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes.
2. Bisect the lemongrass stalk lengthwise. You will see a small core at the bottom. Cut out the core and chop ½ inch or so of the stalk where it is tender. Add chopped lemongrass to the other spaces and reserve the rest of the stalk.
3. Add chicken or tofu if desired, and saute with the onions and spices, stirring, until well done.
4. Stir in water, coconut water, fish sauce, and the lemongrass stalk and simmer until chicken is thoroughly cooked and flavors well blended, about 10 minutes. Add bok choy and cilantro and simmer another 5 minutes. Remove stalk before serving.

Watermelon Whole Fruit Popsicles

Nourishing Meals is a fantastic blog that is a go-to around my house! This Popsicle recipe that Alissa posted earlier this summer is to die for! Ditch those unhealthy high fructose corn syrup pops and have a fun day with the kiddos or the roommate whipping these up!

You can replace the watermelon puree with honeydew melon or cantaloupe puree. Use any fresh organic fruit you have on hand. I like using contrasting colors because it makes the popsicles look so pretty! And don't forget to use seedless watermelon.

3 cups watermelon puree (about 1/4 to 1/2 a watermelon)

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1/2 cup chopped fresh strawberries

1 kiwi, peeled and sliced

1 peach or nectarine, diced small

handful fresh cherries, pitted and chopped

Cut the watermelon into chunks and then puree it in a blender until smooth. Set aside.

Set out about 1 dozen popsicle molds (amount needed will vary depending on size of molds). Fill each one with the chopped fresh fruit. Then pour in the watermelon puree until each mold is full to the top. Place a popsicle stick into each one. Place into your freezer and freeze for about 6 to 8 hours.

When ready to serve, run the popsicle molds under warm water for a few seconds and then pull each one out. Enjoy! Source: www.NourishingMeals.com

Green Beans Gremolata

This tasty side dish, by Ina Garten, can be made in advance by blanching the beans and preparing the gremolata separately.  You could also make this as a cold salad dish, depending on the meal and your mood! 

Garten, Ina: Oprah Magazine (p192), September 2012

Prep time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound green beans, trimmed

2 tablespoons pine nuts

2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)

3 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley

3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, cold pressed

pinch of salt

freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add green beans and blanch 2-3 minutes, until tender but still crisp. Drain greens in a colander and immediately place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and preserve their bright green color.

2. Place pine nuts in a dry saute pan over low heat and cook 5-10 minutes, stirring often, until lightly browned. Set aside

3. To make the gremolata, toss garlic, lemon zest, Parmesan cheese, and pine nuts together in a small bowl and set aside.

4. When ready to serve, heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Drain beans and pat dry. Add beans to skillet and saute, turning frequently, 2 minutes, until coated with olive oil and heated through. Remove from heat, add gremolata, and toss well. Sprinkle with ¾ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper to taste ad serve hot.

White Bean and Arugula Salad with Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette

With summer in full swing in Seattle, I have been doing some seasonal cleaning and have rediscovered some of my favorite cookbooks.  All of the blogs and amazing foodie sites on the web make it easy to forget about the treasures right on the shelf in the kitchen! Peter Berley is an amazing chef and teacher at world-renowned culinary schools like the Natural Gourmet and CIA.  He also writes for food magazines and writes cookbooks. This simple recipe is from his book Fresh Food Fast and I’ve enjoyed it many times in the warm summer months for a really fresh and tasty seasonal meal.

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1tablespoon minced fresh dill

1 small garlic clove, finely chopped

Course sea salt or kosher salt and freshly milled black pepper

3 bunches arugula, trimmed and roughly chopped (6-7cups)

1(15-oz) can white beans (Cannellini or Great Northern), drained

1 yellow bell pepper, halved, seeded and thinly sliced

*Shaved Parmesan cheese for garnish

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, dill, garlic, and salt and pepper. Add the arugula, beans, and yellow bell pepper and toss to combine. Garnish the salad with shaved Parmesan cheese and serve.

*optional-try nutritional yeast sprinkled on as a perfect substitute

Asian Kaleslaw

This clever slaw uses nutrition powerhouse, kale, as its superstar! I’m always on the lookout for fun and easy recipes that keep well for a few days in the fridge and this one certainly makes the grade. You can play around with the ingredients and substitute any veggie or the peanuts if you prefer because with this sauce, you can’t go wrong!

            1 bunch (about 8 oz) kale- lacinato or dinosaur

         1/4 cup raw peanuts

         1/4 cup sesame seeds

         1 medium carrot, julienned

         3 – 6 radishes, scrubbed, halved and thinly sliced

         2 tbsp tamari

         2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

         2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

         1 tbsp maple syrup

         1/4 tsp salt

         1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

         1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper

Remove the stem ends from the kale. Stack 4 or 5 leaves on top of each other: slice lengthwise, along the stem, and stack each half. Roll tightly into a cigar shape, and then thinly slice (chiffonade) the leaves crosswise. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat until all kale is sliced.

Combine dressing ingredients in a jar or bowl: shake or whisk until well blended. Taste and adjust seasonings or proportions. Pour over kale, tossing to coat well. Prep the remaining vegetables and add to the bowl.

Toast the peanuts and sesame seeds in a large dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and just beginning to brown, about 3 – 4 minutes. Add to the kale and toss several times. Allow to rest, tossing now & then, until kale wilts slightly under the dressing, about 15 minutes or longer. Serve at room temperature or cold from the fridge.

Serves 6 as a side.

Adapted from original recipe at: http://localkitchenblog.com/2012/06/20/asian-kaleslaw/