Monthly Archives: September 2013

Raw Oatmeal with Roasted Pumpkin

27 Friday Sep 2013

Posted by in breakfast, gluten-free, seasonal, vegan

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Food:

Raw Oatmeal with Roasted Pumpkin

Start with the directions for the Raw Oatmeal here

Roasting pumpkin:

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1. Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut a pie pumpkin (find at farmers market) in half, scoop out the seeds and membranes. Place the pumpkin halves cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until flesh is tender. Let the pumpkin cool, then scoop the flesh out into a food processor and puree until smooth. (You may need to add just a bit of water to get things moving). Store puree in an airtight container in the fridge.

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Putting the two together: this is for 2 servings

1. After you have drained and rinse two containers of your buckwheat and sunflower seeds place them in a food processor.

2. Add 1/4 c. milk (I used homemade cashew milk), add 1/2 c. pumpkin puree, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 2 T. pure maple syrup and a pinch of real salt. Puree until you get the consistency of oatmeal.

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Toppings:

DSCN3317Each bowl gets…

1/2 c. goat yogurt (Drake Family Farms, find at farmers market, Liberty Heights Fresh, Whole Foods)

Divide the pumpkin oatmeal puree between the two bowls

1 T. chopped walnuts

2 tsp. bee pollen (local, find at Whole Foods)

1 T. chia seeds (I grind mine)

1 T. coconut butter (find at most health food stores, worthy purchase)

EAT!!!

Nutrition:

Pumpkin: Pumpkins are among the most versatile members of the entire gourd- squash-melon food family. Pumpkins aid in antioxidants support, regulates blood sugar and have anti- inflammatory benefits.

Bee pollen: Bee pollen is a raw living food that contains amino acids our bodies don’t produce. It is an immune booster, treats allergies, aids in digestion, energy booster and good for the skin. Bee pollen is great for everyone but especially vegans and vegetarians.

Love:

This raw oatmeal with roasted pumpkin is so good and the perfect breakfast to transition into the fall. The great thing about this recipe is that you can make it anytime of year using seasonal ingredients. I was reminded of this recipe last week when I taught a grains class for the U of U LifeLong Learning program. I expressed to my students that grains sometimes get a bad wrap, but they contain vitamin B which give your body the building blocks to produce serotonin to help keep moods stable as well as helping you stay fuller longer and they don’t spike your blood sugar because they are WHOLE GRAINS. This grain is also gluten-free which means it won’t cause inflammation in the body, when mixed with the pumpkin it is a double dose of anti-inflammatory benefits. I love having a breakfast that is good for me and tastes even better, I also love that which each changing season we get a new bounty of food to experiment with. ENJOY!

Peach Date Smoothie

13 Friday Sep 2013

Posted by in breakfast, dessert, DIY, Drinks, gluten-free, seasonal, vegan

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DSCN3245Food:

Peach Date Smoothie serves 2

4-6 fresh local peaches, (I like S&R Fruits, they are located on the north side of the market) peeled, pit removed and chopped

6 Medjool dates, pit removed, chopped (Whole Foods)

4 T. hemp seeds (optional, Whole Foods)

1 vanilla bean, insides scraped (Tony Caputo’s, save the pod for flavoring sugar or syrup) or 1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. fresh nut milk or milk of choice (Winder Dairy or Real Foods Raw milk are nice options)

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 T. local honey (I like Clifford Farms)

1 c. ice

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Directions:

1.    Place everything BUT the ice in your high speed blender, blend for 60 seconds or until the dates are well blended. Then add ice and blend again.  Serve in two frosty glasses and ENJOY!

Love:

I was kindly asked again by the Downtown SLC Farmers Market to come up with a peach recipe for their upcoming newsletter, I didn’t even have to think twice about this one. The mister and I have been enjoying this smoothie for the last couple of weeks. It’s a great treat to have after the market on Saturday afternoon with lunch. I am trying to eat as many peaches as I can right now before there gone, I highly recommend you do the same! See you at the market on Saturday.

EASY End of Summer Salsa

11 Wednesday Sep 2013

Posted by in appetizer, dips, DIY, gluten-free, seasonal, Side dish, Snack, vegan

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Food:

Easy Summer Salsa

(measurements are adjustable and not exact, trust yourself!)

1 large pint of your favorite local cherry tomatoes (I used purple cherry tomatoes from Kenyon Organics)

1/2 large onion (Farmers Market)

1 small green pepper, you could also use a jalapeno or your favorite chile (Farmers Market)

garlic (Farmers Market)

handful of cilantro (Farmers Market)

lime

Celtic salt

DSCN3254Directions:

1. You will need your food processor or blender. Cut the onion in half, peel it and chop into large pieces, add to the processor. Save the other half of the onion for another recipe. Cut the pepper or chile in half, remove seeds and cut into pieces, add to the processor. Smash and peel the garlic and add it to the processor with a large pinch of gray/Celtic salt. Pulse to break down the pieces.

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2. Next cut the cherry tomatoes in half and add then to the food processor, add the cilantro and squeeze in the lime juice. Pulse everything together until you get the desired consistency. I like mine chopped pretty fine but not completely liquid. Use your judgement and no need to worry about messing this recipe up. Taste it, does it need more salt? lime? you decide. If it is to spicy add a teaspoon of honey. Feel free to add any spices you may like.

3. You can spoon the salsa into your favorite class container and refrigerate or grab a bag of chips and start ENJOYING!

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Love:

If you give me a choice between a cookie or chips and salsa, guess which one wins? CHIPS and SALSA of course! I love salty spicy treats.

This salsa has saved my behind more than once when I have been invited to a last-minute get together and all I have to do is walk out to the garden or use what is hanging around from the farmers market. It is ridiculously easy to throw together!

I hate to call this “End of Summer Salsa” but it’s been so hot here in Salt Lake that the tomatoes are just about done in my garden. This change of season is so bitter-sweet, we suffered through an outrageously snowy winter, a short spring and a sweltering hot summer. I will miss the long nights, backyard hangouts, rained out summer weddings, early mornings at the farmers market and swinging in my hammock. Most of all I will miss the fresh local produce overflowing on my kitchen counter. I am doing everything I can to soak up the last of those summer flavors before I move on to new ones, this salsa is pure summer in a jar. Oh I’ll make salsa in the winter with my canned tomatoes but it just isn’t the same, so hurry up and whip a batch of this “End of Summer Salsa” and don’t forget the close your eyes and play back all your summer adventures with each bite. Long live summer.

Corn Pudding and Cashew Vanilla Cream

05 Thursday Sep 2013

Posted by in dessert, gluten-free, vegan

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DSCN3250Food:

Corn Pudding and Cashew Vanilla Cream serves 6

2 1/2 c. fresh cashew milk (soak 3/4 c. cashews in water overnight, drain, rinse, place soaked cashews in blender with 3 c. water and blend until smooth. Place in a glass jar and store in the fridge.)

1/2 c. local honey (I use Clifford Farms, farmers market), if vegan use maple syrup

3 T. non-gmo cornstarch

6 peppercorns

1 fresh vanilla bean, cut in half and scraped (Caputo’s Market)

2 ears of local corn (farmers market)

pinch of real salt (local)

2 T. ghee, if vegan use coconut

DSCN3217Directions:

1. Start by cutting the kernels off the cobs, then cut the cobs in pieces. Place the kernels, cob pieces, 2 c. of the cashew milk, a pinch of salt, peppercorns and scraped vanilla bean (save the insides for the cashew vanilla cream) in a wide saucepan. Over medium heat bring the milk to a boil stirring occasionally, as soon as it starts to come to a boil turn the heat down to a simmer for 10-15 minutes.

2. Pull the cob pieces and the vanilla bean out of the milk mixture, pour the rest of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Strain the corn mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, push the mixture through the strainer as well as you can. Discard the solids.

3. Rinse out the saucepan and pour the strained corn milk mixture back into the saucepan over medium heat, add the honey and whisk until dissolved. In a small bowl whisk the cornstarch into the remaining 1/2 c. cashew milk  until dissolved. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the corn milk mixture. Continue to cook over medium heat until the starch begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the butter. Let cool and then ladle into ramekins. Wrap each pudding so a skin doesn’t form on top. Place in the fridge until well chilled.

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1 1/2 c. cashews, soaked for 4 hours or overnight, drained and rinsed

1/4 c.- 1/3 c. water

1/4 c.- 1/3 c. maple syrup

inside of scraped vanilla bean

pinch of real salt

Directions:

1. Place the soaked, drained and rinsed cashews into your blender or food processor, pulse to break down the nuts. Next add the pinch of salt and inside of scraped vanilla bean, start the motor of whatever machine you are using. While motor is running add the maple syrup and then the water. You want it smooth but not runny. Place in the fridge until chilled. Use this to garnish the Corn Pudding!

DSCN3236Love:

This dessert is gluten-free, dairy free and totally indulgent! Sweet corn is a summer staple during the summer and an it seems that grilled corn was all the rage this year, but I couldn’t pass up this recipe when I was perusing last years fall issue of Edible Wasatch. I thought this was a great recipe to transition from summer to fall, it’s not to sweet and a creative way to extend that sweet summer corn just a bit longer.

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