Chamomile Coffee Muffins (Gluten & Dairy Free)

Okay, wow. These are great. I mean, so great that my dearest and pickiest friends and family love them. From foodies, to purists, to frozen food lovers - everyone loves these muffins. If you've been around me at all this past month, chances are you've either sampled or heard me gush about these guys. They are friendly to almost any kind of diet out there (paleo, plant based, vegan, omnivore) while satisfying like a dessert and mini-meal all at once. And the best part is: every ingredient is healthy and gluten/dairy free with minimal natural sweetener.

I found this recipe on The Vanilla Bean Blog here and have been making them every week since. They don't last long. They're great for any mealtime or food on-the-go. And if you love them, the foundational ingredients can be used to make any kind of muffin you desire. Replace chamomile, coffee, and cocoa nibs with banana and walnuts, or orange zest and cranberries, or vanilla and strawberries. Let me know if you try any other flavor combinations, I would love to hear your ideas.

INGREDIENTS makes 12 large or 18 medium muffins

almond flour (4 cups)

chamomile (4 T) this usually comes to 8 teabags worth

baking soda (1 t) aluminum and gluten free variety

salt (1 t)

cocoa nibs (4 T)

eggs (4)

vanilla (1 t)

honey (1/2 cup)

olive oil (1/2 cup)

brewed coffee (1/2 cup) make sure it's nice a cold

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients together.
3. In another medium bowl, beat all the wet ingredients together.
4. Add the wet ingredient to the dry and thoroughly combine.
5. Scoop mixture into muffin pan, filling each mold to the top for large muffins. The muffins will rise and billow out over the mold. (I also personally prefer no liner paper and let the muffins bake naked.)
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until done (poke with a knife or skewer to check; if it comes out clean, you're good to go).
7. Let cool completely. 

That's it! Enjoy! xo, J

Miso Vegetable Soup

It's so cold outside! I love it. This will warm you right up. 

Miso is pretty neat. Salad dressings, glazes, soups - oh my! And depending on its processing and fermentation methods, miso is alive with friendly bacteria that's medicinal for your belly and body. Fermentation guru, Sandor Katz sums it up well in an interview with NPR's Terry Gross:

Bacteria in our gut enable us to live. We could not survive without bacteria. They allow us to digest food, to assimilate the nutrients in our food; and they play a huge role, just beginning to be understood, in our immune functioning and in many other processes in our bodies. All life has evolved from bacteria and no other form of life has lived without bacteria. Our bacteria perform all sorts of essential functions for us, and because we are continually attacking them effectively with all of these chemicals in our lives, simply replenishing and diversifying these populations has a benefit for us.

So, if you're hankering for some instant, soothing soup, instead of reaching for a box-of-anything, try some miso. Just make sure to get an organic, non-GMO, gluten-free fresh paste. I prefer the red type since it is more nutrient dense than the yellow or white varieties.

INGREDIENTS
filtered water (4 cups)
fresh ginger (4 T) grated
garlic cloves (1-2 large) crushed
onion (1) very thinly sliced; I use my mandoline
carrots (1-2) sliced into coins
celery (1-2) sliced 
mushrooms (1/2 box)
miso paste (4 T)
vegetables got any veggies in your fridge you'd like to use? throw 'em in there! bok choy, broccoli, green onions, have fun!

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pour your water into a pot, add grated ginger, bring to a boil. (The medicinal properties of ginger are released when it's boiled or dried, so you want to let that ginger boil while prepping your veggies.)
2. Prep all your veggies if you haven't already.
3. Throw everything in except for any super soft elements, like mushrooms. Reduce heat and simmer until veggies are softened to preference.
4. Turn off heat. Add mushrooms. 
5. After a minute, stir in the miso. (Water that is too hot will break down the medicinal properties of miso.)

That's it! Enjoy! xo, J