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

Zucchini Pasta

We have our warm Santa Ana winds blowing through, so I feel okay squeezing in one more post about our dearest summer squash, the zucchini.

I, too, was skeptical. Very skeptical. But it's delicious. Yes, zucchini "pasta" is delicious! Pasta itself is a precious, heartwarming artform and I would never suggest that zucchini does, should, or can substitute its delicately doughy comrade; they are unique individuals, different special personalities. However, you can prepare zucchini using some traditional pasta methods and make something incredibly tasty happen. Plus, like cooking up dried pasta, it requires few ingredients and little time. Here's the basic steps for the simple butter, salt, and pepper route, but go crazy with meatballs, tomato sauce, pesto, coconut milk - whatever you can dream up!

INGREDIENTS

zucchini (2-3 per person) shredded on a mandolin

earth balance or butter

good chunky salt

fresh ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Warm up butter in a large sauce pan until it bubbles then add the shredded zucchini.
2. Saute until soft, but not mushy.
3. Sprinkle with salt and fresh pepper to taste.

That's it! Promise, you won't be disappointed. xo, J

Broiled Zucchini Ribbon Salad

I'm sneaking this in before the last remnants of summer completely sneak away. I've been meaning to post this dish all season since I've made it so many times that it's embarrassing to say and even more impossible to calculate.

I first made this salad when the inspiring Simran gifted me what has become one of my favorite (and at times most treacherous) kitchen tools: the mandoline. I wanted to ribbon and shred everything. I owned a (much more expensive) mandoline before, but it was clunky and difficult to use. This one is elegant, easy to use...and featured on Ratatouille! Just be extremely careful with your precious digits, I've had my own severe accident...or two.

To put my mandoline to good use, Simran sent me a recipe, "...thin strips of zucchini under the broiler then mixed with lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, capers, olives, roasted red pepper, roasted tomatoes, s&p." I ended up making many variations of this salad all season long; the broiled olive oiled zucchini ribbons dressed with lemon and salt alone is brilliant. I also started playing around with broiling everything instead of baking. Pita chips: broiler. Green beans and shallots: broiler. Crispy tofu: broiler. Zucchini ribbons: broiler!

Although this salad is amazing in its simplest form, here is my ultimate favorite variation. I've enjoyed it alone as a meal, wrapped up in a toasted tortilla, served as a side to guests, mixed in with dill and quinoa - just some ideas.

INGREDIENTS
zucchini (2 per person) thinly and uniformly ribboned; a little thicker than paper thin
cherry tomatoes halved
olive oil
coarse salt I use ground pink Himalayan or Kosher
black cured olives cut into pieces; I use kitchen scissors
capers
lemon

DIRECTIONS

1. Toss the zucchini and tomatoes separately with olive oil and salt.
2. Lay zucchini out on baking sheets; don't overlap otherwise they'll cook unevenly. Then lay the tomatoes out on a baking sheet.
3. Pop your sheets in the oven, broil on high and watch closely since broiling burns food easily. Every broiler is different, but make sure you only use the one rack closest to the heat. Cook until just golden. 
4. Toss zucchini and tomatoes together with lemon, olives, capers.

That's it! Enjoy with the last bit of zucchini you have left!

xo, J

Roasted Pears

Roasted pears! A fun foundational idea with endless improvisational finishing possibilities. Our pears were going bad, so I roasted them. Now I want to roast or broil every type of fruit at least once to see what happens. Once you scoop out the middle of the pear, you can fill it with whatever you dream up - melted butter alone in the center would be tasty, or add some squeezed lemon, sugar, and fresh vanilla bean. This time around, I filled the pears with walnuts and roasted the whole thing together. This warms up the nuts while toasting them just on top, so it maintains their raw buttery quality. Another delicious route would be to toss the nuts in melted butter, maple syrup or sugar and some spices, then roast them separately for a more candied quality. Serve warm with ice cream, alone, or next to some loaf cake.

INGREDIENTS

pears peeled with a peeler with the center toughness scooped out

maple syrup optional

lemon

earth balance or butter

cinnamon

salt

walnuts crushed

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 350. 
2. Arrange the pears on a baking sheet. 
3. Brush with maple syrup and squeeze some fresh lemon on top.
4. Plop a bit of butter in the center and sprinkle everything with cinnamon and a touch of salt.
5. Fill up the middle with walnuts and finish with a bit more butter on top.
6. Pop in the oven until golden and caramelized. Watch the nuts to make sure they don't burn.

Enjoy! xo, J

Crispy Tofu & Peppery Shaved Celery

This is based on a dish from Mark Bittman's 101 Summer Salads. I've had this list magneted to our fridge for almost a year, but its recipes truly shine during the summer. I've tried about a dozen of these salads, and so far, they vary in greatness. But man, the tasty ones are so brilliant, it's worth some trial and error to sniff them out. The genius of these salads is their SIMPLICITY; their minimalist ingredients, instruction, and effort. Bittman gives you a great starting place and it's playtime from there. I had a lot of fun with this one. The celery is a refreshing crunchy contrast to the warm crispy-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside tofu. It's filling, a standalone meal. You could throw in some orange juice and zest for the tofu glaze, serve over rice/quinoa or by itself.

INGREDIENTS
celery (1 stalk bunch) sliced a little thicker than paper thin; I use my mandolin for this, but can be done by hand or maybe with food processor attachment
organic (preferably sprouted) extra firm tofu (15.5 oz) pressed between paper towels with weight on top for at least 30 minutes to soak up the water (this allows the tofu to crisp up and absorb flavor better), then diced into small cubes
peanut or olive oil (1 T) or as much as you want; I always use as little oil as I can get away with
peanuts (1/3 cup) crushed
chili flakes (1/4 t)
freshly ground Szichuan or regular peppercorns
tamari or soy sauce
toasted sesame seeds
lemon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Beat some oil and tamari together. Spread the diced tofu out on a baking sheet then brush them with oil/tamari mixture. Pop in the oven and broil until golden crispy.
2. In the meantime, heat up oil in a small saucepan until slippery, then add red chili flakes to infuse the oil. After a minute or so, add the crushed peanuts and stir until golden and aromatic.
3. Toss shaved celery, sesame seeds, spicy peanuts, crispy tofu, fresh ground pepper, and tamari together, finish with squeezed lemon to taste.

Enjoy! xo, J

Plum & Avocado Salad

Spring and summer are about salads. Fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs all in crazy mix. Stonefruit is my favorite star of the season, so I am thrilled to find this dish dreamed up and posted by the talented Lena on Food52. I have a few adjustments for my taste (and belly) - dial down the buttery avocado so it just accents the forkful of plums, kick up the garlic to nudge everything in a more savory direction, and drastically reduce the olive oil since I don't need a lot (and it doesn't compromise the integrity of the dish). I also assemble the ingredients in one bowl (laziness) instead of prepping the dressing and avo/plums separately. The lemon and finishing salt really bring the whole medley to life. This has become a summer staple for me this season - breakfast, lunch or dinner.

INGREDIENTS
garlic cloves (2) crushed
cilantro (1/2 cup) 
olive oil (1-2 T) I use just enough to make a nice chunky paste, but feel free to add as much as you want to get more of a dressing consistency 
chili pepper flakes (1/2 t) or more if you like it hot
finishing salt I love Maldon or pink Himalayan
plums (2-3) peeled (a peeler works great) and cubed into small chunks; you want the plums firm enough so they hold their shape, but ripe enough so they develop sweetness; pluots are great as well
avocado (1/2) cubed
lemon (1 small) freshly squeezed



INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mash up the garlic with a little salt, chili pepper, cilantro and olive oil into a chunky paste.
2. Add the plum and avocado chunks, squeeze the lemon juice on top and sprinkle some pinches of salt. 
3. Without mashing the avo, gently toss everything together by hand.
4. Let rest for a moment so the flavors have chance to settle.
5. Add more salt and/or lemon to taste.

Enjoy!

Buffalo Style Cauliflower & Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing

Okay, so I visited Mohawk Bend for the first time the other week with Sarah and her friend Brad. Their "elevated pub food" (made with locally-sourced ingredients) is appealing to both plant and meat eaters alike. Brad kept talking about their Buffalo Style Cauliflower and even though I eat a plant-based diet and am continually shocked by just how good vegetables can be, I was skeptical that this cauliflower could really be THAT good. But it was. It was that good. And really hard for me to share. I wanted to order a second helping, but everyone looked at me like I was crazy.  

I told Justin about it and he cooked it up the first chance he got. It came out just as good as Mohawk Bend's. We researched a bunch of different methods, tasted through the best ones, and tweaked it a bit to give the cauliflower more coating and sauce. This is some spectacular plant junk food (and not junky at all if you watch your blue cheese dipping and/or omit the added oil to the hot sauce).

INGREDIENTS, Buffalo Style Cauliflower

cauliflower (1 head) cut into florets

brown rice flour (1/2 cup) any flour will do, I use brown rice flour for a no-gluten variation

water (1/2 cup)

salt (pinch)

frank's original hot sauce (1/4 cup) if you omit the oil, then use 1/2 cup instead; I specifically recommend Frank's hot sauce only because it truly has that distinct "hot wings" flavor - I also get the Red Hot Original since their Red Hot Buffalo Wings type has preservatives in it

vegetable oil or earth balance (1/4 cup) optional, use less or none; I prefer just a touch otherwise I get a bellyache 

INGREDIENTS, Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing

extra firm tofu (1/4 block) pressed between paper towels to suck out the moisture

garlic powder (dash)

vegenaise (1/2 cup) I use a grapeseed version, Follow Your Heart, with great ingredients

tahini (1/4 tsp)

lemon (dash)

apple cider vinegar (dash)

green onions (2 T) chopped

parsley (2 t) chopped

mustard powder (dash)

freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400º and oil/butter up a baking sheet.
2. Mix the flour, water and a pinch of salt into a batter.
3. Coat each cauliflower floret with the batter making sure it's not too thick so it crisps up in the oven like fried batter on chicken wings. Arrange florets on baking sheet, then pop in the oven for 30 minutes or until edges golden slightly.
4. In the meantime, whip up the blue cheese dressing; mix all ingredients and crumble in tofu to create that chunky blue cheese texture.
5. In a separate bowl, mix hot sauce and oil (or melted Earth Balance) together; when florets are done, toss them in hot sauce. Serve with "blue cheese" on the side.

Enjoy! xo, J&J

Moroccan Carrot Salad

I have great affection for this salad. My Israeli roots are partly to blame. I grew up visiting my family there and frequenting restaurants where warm pita and a meze of vegetable and pickled salads were complimentarily served. The moroccan carrot salad was usually among them. This culture of immediately serving a guest with several dishes started in the home; whenever I visited someone's house, they would immediately bring out a collection of different foods - olives, nuts, cheeses. It made a huge impact on me, being fed, taken care of in someone's home. And with enough options to ensure there was something for me to enjoy. Ever since then, whenever a guest comes through our door, I immediately (and excitedly) put out a mix of grubbery for them.

The moroccan carrot salad is incredibly popular across Middle Eastern cuisine and can be served raw or cooked. Although the raw is more nutritious, I am a sucker for the savory flavor of the cooked variation. It's spicy, refreshing, and has become a staple in our home.

INGREDIENTS
carrots (8-10) peeled (it's important to peel them otherwise the skin becomes dry and flaky after cooking)
garlic cloves (2) crushed
cayenne pepper (1 t)
fresh lemon squeeze (2 T)
oil (1 T)
salt (1 t)
ground cumin (1/2 t)
flat or curly parsley chopped
zhug or harissa (1/2-2 t) optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Get a pot of water boiling.
2. In the meantime, stir all ingredients together except the carrots and parsley and set aside; this will give the dressing some time to harmonize together while the carrots cook.
3. Once the water is boiling, drop in the carrots until they soften. About 20 minutes. Don't overcook, it's nice to have some firmness in them (plus you retain more nutrients as a bonus).
4. When they reach the desired softness, strain and let cool.
5. Slice the carrots into coins and toss with the dressing and parsley. Let cool in the fridge for at least an hour. It makes a big difference in overall flavor.

Enjoy! xo, J

Bitter Orange Almond Cake

I was so excited for Passover this year! It's always an opportunity to dig into my culinary heritage a bit, but with methods and ingredients agreeable to my ethics and belly. Passover is all about FOOD. Judaism, in general, is all about connecting with the metaphysical through physical ritual - but food is the particular "physical" star of this holiday. 


I spent the first seder at my sister and brother-in-law's in Santa Barbara and the second at my parents' in Agoura Hills. My sister's seder was a potluck of sorts, and I jumped at the opportunity to make the dessert. It is one of my life missions to make the perfect dense flourless almond cake. I poked around for recipes and found this bitter orange variation all over the internet. It has Sephardic Passover culinary roots and was further popularized by the great cultural anthropologist and Middle Eastern and Jewish food writer, Claudia Roden. I love it's surprising bitterness, simplicity, and moistness. I think it has sophisticated flavor and would be fabulous paired (or soaked) with some dessert wine to balance the bitter.





INGREDIENTS
oranges (2) washed
almond flour (1 1/2 cups)
eggs (6) separate the yolks from whites
sugar (1 cup) or 3/4 cup agave or maple syrup and use one less egg
gluten free baking powder (1 t)


DIRECTIONS

1. Boil filtered water, reduce to a simmer, and boil oranges for two hours.
2. Remove oranges and cut into quarters to cool.
3. When cooled, blend in food processor until smooth.
4. Add the sweetener, almond flour, baking powder and egg yolks.
5. Preheat oven to 350°.
6. Beat the egg whites separately until they peak. 
7. Fold the peaked egg whites into the batter.
8. Pour batter into a greased springform pan, pop into oven and cook for about 1 1/2 hours. 
9. Cover the top of the cake with foil if it starts to burn and remove when the batter doesn't stick.
10. Let cool completely before cutting or covering. Sift almond meel or sugar on top, or serve with melted chocolate, orange syrup, berries, or almond ice cream.

I tried a purely vegan version (with flax meal instead of the eggs and maple syrup instead of the sugar) and it didn't come out well (too mushy and the flavor was too concentrated). Let me know if you have any suggestions!

Enjoy! xo, J

Arugula & Roasted Asparagus with Sweet Potato Chips

I shamefully don't cook with asparagus nearly enough, but after getting some in our farm delivery this week and making this salad, I want to cook with them all the time. Asparagus is awesomely versatile, so this is just one of many ideas. I found it on this fantastic Colombian food blog (where you can find things like Tres Leche Rice Pudding and Empanadas) and changed it up a bit to my taste.

SALAD INGREDIENTS

arugula

asparagus cut at a diagonal into 1" pieces

sweet potatoes (2 small) sliced into chip size, about 1/4"

olive oil

salt

DRESSING INGREDIENTS

dijon mustard (1 T)

fresh lemon juice (1/4 cup)

olive oil (1/4 cup or less to taste)

cumin (1/4 t)

garlic clove (1) minced 

salt 

pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 400°.
2. Mix your dressing ingredients together so it has time to settle and come together.
3. Toss your sweet potato slices with oil and salt. Pop into the oven. 
4. Toss your asparagus with oil and salt.  Pop into the oven.
5. When the asparagus is tender yet still crisp, take out of the oven and cool.
6. When the sweet potatoes are golden and crispy, take out of the oven and cool.
7. Toss the arugula, asparagus, and dressing together. Lay the sweet potato chips on top.

Enjoy!

xo, J

Roasted Leeks & Quinoa

I make a lot of "recipe centric" meals in an effort to learn, but man, I don't always want to follow a recipe. This is one dish where you don't have to follow anything, and hopefully it will give you another one of those non-thinking options when you just want to EAT. We need a stockpile of those, I think. Basically, the gist of this one is:

ROASTED VEGGIE + GRAIN + SAUCE + CRUNCHIES 

The sauce is nice because it unifies the ingredients into a composed-feeling dish while the crunchies add satisfying texture. And if you cook a ton of the grain or whip up a bunch of the sauce and pop in the fridge for next time, then you'll have the basics on hand for another quickie recipe, like a sandwich wrap or something. 

INGREDIENTS 

leeks roughly chopped

olive oil

salt

quinoa

tahini

lemon

sunflower seeds 

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 400. 
2. Cook your quinoa with water or stock. When done, fluff with a fork to prevent mushing. (I cook extra for later and use water so it can become either sweet or savory.)
3. Toss the leeks with olive oil and salt on a baking sheet. Pop them in the oven. Make sure to watch closely and stir around because bits will start to burn. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
4. Mix some tahini with water and salt so it becomes a sauce. 
5. Toss together the quinoa, leeks, and tahini sauce. Finish with some fresh squeezed lemon and sunflower seeds.

Enjoy! xo, J

Caulifower Soup

I picked up an onion and a head of cauliflower at the farmers' market this morning in anticipation of making a Paul Bertolli "Genius Recipe" I had seen on Food52. After less than $5 and 5 minutes of "active time," I had a luscious, velvety soup.

Please forgive me, but:

It tastes creamy and rich, but is vegan and quite healthy with just olive oil, onion, cauliflower, water and salt and pepper. All the online comments voiced initial incredulity about the ease and simplicity of the recipe followed by later admissions that it turns out delicious.

Here is the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

olive oil (3T)
onion (1 medium), sliced thin
cauliflower (1 head very fresh, about 1-1/2 pounds), broken into florets 
salt, to taste
water (5 1/2 cups, divided)
extra virgin olive oil, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Warm the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Sweat the onion in the olive oil over low heat without letting it brown for 15 minutes.
   
2. Add the cauliflower, salt to taste, and 1/2 cup water. Raise the heat slightly, cover the pot tightly and stew the cauliflower for 15 to 18 minutes, or until tender. Then add another 4 1/2 cups hot water, bring to a low simmer and cook an additional 20 minutes uncovered.
   
3. Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender to a very smooth, creamy consistency. Let the soup stand for 20 minutes. In this time it will thicken slightly.
   
4. Thin the soup with 1/2 cup hot water. Reheat the soup. Serve hot, drizzled with a thin stream of extra-virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.

 My only change was to use an immersion blender to puree the soup. I did blend for a quite awhile to ensure it was as smooth as possible.

This is warming and satisfying on a grey, drizzly afternoon such as today. Enjoy!

--Simran

Almond Milk

Justin and I went to a vegan cooking class a couple weeks ago with Chef AJ (my stepmom Lulu hooked us up). I came away with several fantastic recipes and revelations, but this is one of the best - the easiest almond milk possible. She had us try fresh and boxed almond milk back to back and it was astounding. Obviously fresh is usually superior to boxed or jarred anything, but the boxed version (which I was using on a daily basis) was truly disgusting in comparison. I never could wrap my mind around milking almonds for an hour, but this shortcut method is more time efficient and thrifty than its boxed counterpart - it's just water, dates, and almond butter. 




I promise, try it once and at the very least, you will be shocked by how delicious (and EASY) it is. The ingredient quantities and ratios are purely personal, so experiment until you get the flavor and sweetness exactly where you want it. Start with less and add more as you go.


*Tip: In general, dates are a great way to get your sweetener since they are a whole food packed with nutrients. You can use them in an easily homemade paste or syrup as well. They have the highest glycemic index of any sugar and also have a high glycemic load, so just balance it out with the other ingredients of the dish. 


INGREDIENTS
dates (2-4) chopped
almond butter (1-2 T) I use jarred, don't judge me
water (6 cups) use good tasting water


ADDITIONS
cinnamon 
cocoa
vanilla extract
cardamom
nutmeg


DIRECTIONS

1. Blend water, dates, and almond butter in a blender. That's it!
2. Keep refrigerated for 2-5 days. 

Enjoy! xo, J

Bird Bars

I recently visited my good friends Betsy, Fipp, and their newborn son James in Bloomington, Indiana (if anyone is a Parks & Rec fan, you understand why this was doubly exciting). The wonderful Betsy wanted to make sure I was well-fed for my plane ride home, so we stopped by the speciality co-op grocery store to grab some snacks on our way to the airport. Who knew there would be such a plethora of gluten / dairy / processed-free cuisine in Indiana? It's true. I had as many options as any kale-laden California Whole Foods could dream up. One of the things I grabbed was this housemade sesame and sunflower seed bar. I loved it; chewy, crunchy, rich, sweet, satisfying (Betsy, on the other hand, wasn't interested since she had Isabella's cookies at home). 


I had been meaning to make something like this for a while - an "energy" bar for a sweet super filling portable snack / dessert. And the sesame seed based dessert appealed to the Israeli in me. So the next morning back home, I found a similar seed bar recipe, cooked it up...and have been making them every week since. 


The combinations are endless, like granola. Pick your nuts, seeds, dried fruit if you like, binding agent, mix together and set in the fridge. This is just one variation, but we love it. Plus, it has oats for fiber and flax for brain to balance out the seed/nut fat content.

INGREDIENTS
oats (1/3 cup) gluten-free version if desired
unsweetened coconut (1/3 cup) I use shredded coconut, you can also use flakes
peanuts (1/4 cup)
cashews (1/4 cup)
sunflower seeds (1/4 cup)
toasted sesame seeds (2/3 cup)
ground flax (4 T)
honey (1/3 cup) I use Acacia honey for a low glycemic index; vegans can use maple syrup
peanut butter (1/3 cup) salt and sugar free

DIRECTIONS

1. Finely grind oats and coconut in food processor and then pour into mixing bowl.
2. Pulse peanuts and cashews in food processor until evenly ground. Leave slightly chunky. Add to oat/coconut mixture. 
3. Add sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and flax.
4. Melt and mix together honey and peanut butter in small pan. Remove from heat, let cool, then add to seed/nut mixture and combine with hands. Make sure everything is evenly mixed, it takes a sticky second.
5. Pour into 8x8"-ish glass dish and press down firmly (this is key) until it forms a solid brick mass. Cover and pop in the fridge.

Enjoy! xo, J

Basmati Rice with Peas & Curry Leaves

Justin's Aunt Jackie bought us a great Indian cookbook for the holidays (Best Ever Indian Cookbook) and it inspired us to stock our cabinet with the staple spices necessary for making most Indian dishes. This is the first rice we tried and it came out wonderfully. It's definitely a side dish more than an entree, so we paired it with a "South Indian Lentils & Vegetables" recipe we found in the book (to be posted soon).

INGREDIENTS
basmati rice (1 1/2 cups) wash well and soak for 30 minutes; I use brown basmati rice to maximize nutritious value
oil (1 T)
curry leaves (6-8)
mustard seeds (1/4 t)
onion seeds (1/4 t)
fresh fenugreek leaves (2 T) I have only tried this with dried leaves
garlic (1 t) crushed
fresh ginger root (1 t) grated
salt (1 t)
peas (1 cup) I used frozen, but fresh would be even better; do not used canned, however - they don't maintain as much nutritious content and they are too mushy
water (2 cups)


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Saute all seasonings with oil for 2-3 minutes.  
2. Drain the rice after soaking for 30 minutes and add to the pot stirring gently.
3. Add the peas and water, bring to a boil, then lower and cover for 15-20 minutes. You'll know it's done when you see little air holes punctured in the rice.
4. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork careful not to mush the rice.

Enjoy!

xo, J

Arugula Mint Salad with Curried Tomatoes

The chopped mint and arugula are fresh and bright, the cherry tomatoes sweet and savory. I pulled it from Mark Bittman's 101 Simple Salads that we have magneted to our fridge. Like all the salads on this list, the flavor combination is simple and surprising; something I wouldn't have thought of, but makes wonderful sense. I encourage trying any of the salads on this list that speak to your palette. None of them have disappointed me yet. And there's something for everyone on there if this one freaks you out.

INGREDIENTS

arugula chopped

mint chopped

fresh lime juice

olive oil

cherry tomatoes

curry

DIRECTIONS

1. Saute whole cherry tomatoes in olive oil on high heat. When the start to brown, sprinkle with curry. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
2. Toss tomatoes with chopped arugula, mint, and squeezed lime to taste.

Enjoy!

xo,

J

Delicious Lentil Salad

You can't beat this lentil salad, it's easy, great eaten hot or cold and is absolutely delicious! Serve it as a side or eat it as a meal...this salad is soooo good. I usually double the recipe and eat it all week.


INGREDIENTS
green lentils (1 cup) rinsed
water (2 cups) warm
broth (2 cups)
garlic cloves (5) lightly crushed and peeled
bay leaf (1)
olive oil (2-3 T)
white wine vinegar (2-3 T)
kalamata olives (1/2 cup) pitted and chopped
fresh parsley (1/2 cup) chopped
large shallot (1) chopped
lemon (1/2)  juiced
crumbled feta cheese (1/2 cup) optional


DIRECTIONS
Soak lentils in warm water for 1 hour. Drain lentils then put them in medium pot with chicken broth, bay leaf, garlic and salt. Bring to boil, then simmer for 30-45 min. or until soft. Meanwhile, make dressing mixture. Drain lentils, remove bay leaf and garlic. 


Dressing mixture:
Whisk olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice. Combine mixture with shallots, olives and parsley.
Pour over lentils and mix well. Add feta.


Serve hot or cold.


Bon Appetito.
Robyn

Lebanese Collard Greens & Cinnamon Lentil Soup

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com by Farah Momtaz. I can't find much about her other than 1) she hails from Beirut, Lebanon and 2) she concocted this mean soup recipe I really love. The ingredients are simple with a very flavorful result. 


INGREDIENTS
olive oil
onion (1 large) chopped
salt (2 generous pinches)
dry red lentils (1 cup) thoroughly rinsed
water (6 cups)
collard greens (1 bunch) stems removed (they are bitter) and thinly sliced
ground cumin (1 T)
ground cinnamon (1 t)
garlic (2 T) minced
lemon juice


INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a soup pot, saute the onions and salt until translucent. Add the lentils and stir for a minute. Add water, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cover until lentils soften, about 15 minutes.
2. While lentils are cooking, saute collards until wilted.
3. Add collards, spices and garlic to lentils. Simmer for 10 more minutes or so. Serve with freshly squeezed lemon juice, maybe some zest.

xo, J