Sweet Inspiration
September 26th, 2010
Sweet Inspiration
Baking and cooking is an art. It is full of inspiration, creativity, adventure, risks, triumphs, and times when we don’t exactly triumph, but are hopefully inspired to try again with more awareness… Sound familiar? This of course can be applied to a lot of other facets of life… I find that cooking is a gentle way to learn these lessons for the rest of my life!
About 2 weeks ago I had a morsel of inspiration. A friend had some ginger cookies that went stale and wanted to throw them away. They were no longer chewy, but they didn’t need to be thrown away just yet…so I said “What if we make them into a crust?” Well that was all I needed for the wheels to start turning…
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Posted in dairy free, dessert, egg-free, gluten-free, indulgent, Inspiration, Life, vegan, vegetarian, wheat-free 2 Comments »
Gluten-Free Chocolate Banana Bread
September 24th, 2010
Gluten Free Chocolate Banana Bread
Breakfast in bed? Yes! This chocolate banana bread is so good that I want to get back into bed with it (and my bee pollen smoothie) and savor it wrapped in the warmth of my blankets. Maybe I will do just that this weekend. The weather here in Santa Fe has dipped a little overnight lately, and staying in bed (or getting back into bed) is a lot more tempting!
So if you like the idea, and want to have some ready-to-go breakfast, or a snack later in the day, try out this banana bread. I adapted it from a recipe on La Tartine Gourmande for a Quinoa Banana Bread and made my own version with raw cacao and a few other ingredient changes.
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Tags: agave, amaranth flour, bananas, coconut oil, eggs, oat flour, raw cacao
Posted in alternative grain, breakfast, crackers and breads, dairy free, dessert, gluten-free, indulgent, snacks, vegetarian, wheat-free 2 Comments »
Bee Pollen Smoothie
September 22nd, 2010
Creamy Bee Pollen Smoothie
My friends started to consume bee pollen recently, and have turned me onto this amazing superfood. If you haven’t tried bee pollen before I definitely suggest it. Our local Vitamin Cottage is selling it fresh from Colorado, but I know you can also order it online if you can’t get it from a local vendor. The flavor and consistency are quite interesting. It tastes a little like you are eating flowers. It is slightly perfumed and the consistency is a little chalky, so I wouldn’t eat it by the spoonful, but it is a great addition to a smoothie!
If you are not sure about the consistency, and need a little motivation, check out what Meghan Telpner has to say about the benefits of bee pollen. She has her struggles with the flavor, but knows it is worth it for all of the health benefits including: stress reduction, mood improvement, metabolic boost and more!
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Tags: almond butter, almond milk, banana, bee pollen, cinnamon
Posted in beverages, breakfast, dairy free, egg-free, gluten-free, indulgent, snacks, vegan, vegetarian, wheat-free 6 Comments »
Nectarine Berry Crisp
August 30th, 2010
Nectarine Berry Crisp
This is truly one of my favorite desserts. It is light, fruity, and self-sufficiently sweet! I am excited every year when the nectarines and berries are ready to dance together in this delicious combination. I am especially excited this year to finally have time to make this too! As some of my readers know, I have been in school for the past 6 months working on a bodywork certification and I am happy to say that I have finally finished! Yay! It has been a tough 6 months both with school and more, and I am glad that at least one part of my life is going to fall into more ease…
I am envisioning more cooking, baking, experimenting…and possibly looking for a job too! I am also hoping for a bit of travel now that I am out of school…Europe? Hmmm. Maybe…
In the meantime, I do want to share this delicious recipe in case anyone else wants to try it.
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Tags: agave, blueberry, coconut oil, nectarine, oat, raspberry
Posted in dairy free, dessert, egg-free, fruit, gluten-free, indulgent, vegan, vegetarian, wheat-free 3 Comments »
Gluten-Free Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
June 26th, 2010
Gluten-free Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
This past weekend I headed up to southern Colorado to celebrate a very special birthday. My sweetheart was turning…well, maybe I shouldn’t say how old, but anyway, it is the precursor to a big one! 
Although I have always wanted to try-out baking a gluten-free birthday cake before, I have never had the courage, until now! I was inspired by a chocolate-hazelnut cake recipe that I had tried about 1.5 years ago, and also more recently by the chocolate mousse recipe that Joslyn shared on the Shak-Shuka blog… So I thought I would try them together… I have never made a layered cake before!
Considering the circumstances, my first attempt was a smashing success! I was headed to a retreat center, and was unsure whether I would have time/resources to make the cake there. So I made the layers at home, kept them in the cooler for the 3.5 hour drive, and pieced them together the night of the birthday dinner. Everyone was quite pleased with it, including my sweetie, who was happy to have leftovers!
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Tags: agar agar, agave, applesauce, arrowroot powder, buckwheat flour, cardamom, coconut milk, coconut oil, eggs, hazelnuts, raw cacao, vanilla
Posted in alternative grain, dairy free, dessert, gluten-free, indulgent, vegetarian, wheat-free 1 Comment »
Chocolate-Coconut Mousse
June 16th, 2010
Chocolate-Coconut Mousse
Recently my friend Joslyn of Shak-Shuka shared a recipe for Chocolate Mousse on her blog. Amazing cook that she is, I knew it would be awesome, and it just-so-happened that I had every ingredient I needed to whip this up asap. As we speak…I am devouring it. Yum! It is beautifully firm, and I am loving the chocolate – coconut combo. Hopefully the photos will entice you to head over to the Shak-Shuka blog and try it out yourself!
Tags: agar agar, agave, arrowroot powder, cacao powder, coconut milk, vanilla
Posted in dairy free, dessert, egg-free, gluten-free, indulgent, vegan, vegetarian, wheat-free No Comments »
Roasted Kohlrabi with Veggies
June 14th, 2010
Roasted Kohlrabi with Veggies
This year I have been working with my friend Karen, of ArtfulTea in her vegetable garden, and reaping the benefits of the beautiful vegetables that have been growing. I can’t believe that I have not taken any photos to share on my blog to show you the progress of the garden! In my defense, things have been super busy…as you might be able to guess from my absence of over a month. I have been missing sharing my cooking adventures here on the blog, but school and work have been keeping me quite busy.
I have not given up on cooking, it is still a high priority, but a lot of my creations have been quick and easy recipes that I eat so fast I don’t have time to photograph! I was able to take a few shots of this yummy creation before I devoured it. The colors were too beautiful not to catch on “film” and it was delicious.
I will admit that this is the first time I have ever cooked kohlrabi, and it will not be the last. I really liked it! It reminds me a little of broccoli and was a great addition to this dish. The recipe is inspired by Karina’s recipe for Sicilian Roasted Potatoes but I created my own twist. I definitely suggest you try it, and let me know what you think!
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Tags: bell pepper, broccoli, garlic, kohlrabi, potatoes, shallot, spinach, tomato
Posted in dairy free, egg-free, gluten-free, vegan, vegetable side, vegetarian, wheat-free 3 Comments »
Baked Cumin Tortilla Chips
April 23rd, 2010
Baked Tortilla Chips
I don’t know about you, but sometimes tortilla chips from the bag are a bit too much for me to digest. I know I am told quite frequently that I have a sensitive stomach, but I know I am not the only one out there. So this recipe is for those who like to have snacks on the lighter side. A good crunchy, salty, and healthy fat version of the tortilla chip. The best part is that they are super easy to make, are amazingly inexpensive and you can customize the flavors too.
I purchased my corn tortilla wraps from Trader Joe’s (the ones that you would use for enchiladas). I am a big fan of TJ’s, and am so happy to be once again living in a town where we have one at easy access. (TJ’s if you ever want to open in Key West, you have my vote!) When choosing a corn tortilla I highly suggest you read the ingredients. It is amazing what some companies put in them. Especially when all you really need is corn flour, lime and water… keep it simple.
Once you have the tortilla wraps you are about 15 minutes away from warm, crispy chips, so don’t forget to have some guacamole, hummus, or Sundried Tomato Avocado Spread.
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Tags: corn tortillas, cumin, olive oil
Posted in crackers and breads, dairy free, egg-free, gluten-free, grain side, snacks, vegan, vegetarian, wheat-free 1 Comment »
Raw Kale Salad with Apples
April 7th, 2010
Raw Kale Salad with Apples and Sunflower Seeds
A little bitter, a little sweet, and a whole lot of crunch! I am loving this salad, and have been making it quite frequently in the past few weeks. It is super easy to whip up, stores well in the fridge for future meals, and I know that it nutrient packed and makes my digestive system happy. I first saw a version of this salad on Elana’s Pantry and was excited to try it out.
The first time that I took the plunge I was on my working vacation in Florence, Italy, where Lacinato Kale (cavolo nero) is the kale of choice. I love Lacinato kale, and was excited to try it in the salad. Knowing that it is a very bitter kale, I thought it would be great to pair it up with the sweet apples and a little balsamic vinegar to round out the tastes. I think it might be a little ridiculous how excited I get about this salad, but I do!
Let me know what your favorite combination is with the raw kale. I will be excited to try some new variations.
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Tags: apple, kale, sunflower seeds
Posted in dairy free, egg-free, gluten-free, salad, vegan, vegetable side, vegetarian, wheat-free 6 Comments »
Gluten-Free Strawberry Coconut Muffins
March 29th, 2010
Baking, baking, baking… I have been very busy with school and work lately, and have found that one thing that I enjoy as a stress release is to do some baking. I am able to free my thoughts (for a bit) and enjoy the tactile fun of mixing finely ground flours with gooey nut butters, smooth coconut oils, or mashed fruits. I am reminded of the movie Amelie when they recount her “likes” which include cracking the crust of her crème brulée and plunging her hand into a sac of lentils. It is a way for me to get out of my head for a bit and become more in my body.
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Tags: agave, almond flour, amaranth flour, apple sauce, buckwheat flour, coconut, coconut flour, coconut milk, coconut oil, eggs, rice milk, strawberry
Posted in alternative grain, breakfast, dairy free, fruit, gluten-free, vegetarian, wheat-free No Comments »
