Lavender Dreaming Truffles

So, I've been feeling pretty lucky lately. It may just be the influence of my fellow heart-song-bird/luckiest-man-on-earth Mr.B. His luck is honestly remarkable. For example, he recently started thinking he wanted to get a diesel car because his current little Subaru just so happens to be a gas-guzzling emissions fiend. So, he checks craigslist. Oh, wow, a perfect white diesel Jetta for a reasonable price? What? He can get it the next day? It's in pristine condition? It comes with a FREE BIKE RACK?!

Needless to say, he drove home with it about 24 hours later. This is the kind of luck I am talking about. Intentions = manifesting what he wants. And that's kind of how my life has been recently, especially since our move to Charlottesville. I got a job almost as soon as I moved here (SO thankful!) and now I've been promoted at that same small company this week to a way more cush position.  And I was just thinking that I wanted to switch up the work I've been doing to something that doesn't require me to be on my feet all day. Again, thank you universe. You are bountiful and I am blissful!

Beyond the job-luck, I have found a bad-ass bike (named "cocoa"... seriously, this is the name that came with the bike), discovered some awesome coffee-spots in town, connected to new heart-song-birds in town, stumbled upon a ridiculously amazing open mic called Verbs & Vibes where I can perform my poems to a positive audience, and I've run into old yogi-friends around town. Maybe these things don't seem like much, but they fill my heart with sunshine.

Oh, did I mention that I've been developing signature chocolate recipes? Yup. That's lucky for you.

As mentioned in my post on Lavender Honey Milk Tea, I'm going through a lavender phase. I'm getting more and more into herbal tonics as remedies for day-to-day body/spirit imbalances. Lavender happens to help me out A LOT when it comes to chilling out my worried mind & calming down peaked nerves. OK I know that makes me sound a bit like a spazz, but I'm not I swear. I just happen to have that worry-wart nature we Virgo's/September birthdays tend towards. Every september child I know is like this. But, I think, I am a way more mellow autumn child than I could be, mostly thanks to yoga, vegetarianism, meditation, and some good ol herbal tonics every once and a while. And chocolate. LOTS of chocolate.

FYI: chocolate is good for you. Dark, dairy-free chocolate that is. I used to be really into "raw" chocolate. In fact, a "raw" chocolate fudge (made with coconut oil, maca, dates, cacao powder, and hot chiles) was the main shock-wave causing catalyst that got me obsessed with experimenting with food, especially cacao. However, I now know better than to call cacao powder and butter "raw," no matter what the labels say. If you really dig, do the research, you will find that it is damn near impossible to produce "raw" cacao. The only way to produce a raw cacao product is to wash the beans straight out of the pod that they grow in, which, SURPRISE, destroys all of that rich, chocolate flavor. All cacao goes through a fermenting and drying process, which develops that luscious, bitter, super flavonoid-packed chocolatey-ness. During fermenting the cacao gets up to 200 + degrees. Does that sound "raw" to you? Beyond that, all "raw" powder & cocoa butter has to be pressed through a machine that can heat up above 200 degrees.

Most nibs that you get in the store have been roasted and cracked.

So, if you've been paying premium for cacao labeled "raw" (an unregulated term), guess what? You're just eating regular cacao that, arguably, is of lesser flavor quality than regularly processed cacao. Why? Some "raw" manufacturers try to stop the fermentation process 1/3 of the way through (fermenting develops most of the flavor).

No worries, that "raw" stuff (i.e. regular stuff in a fancy "raw" tutu/tiara combo outfit) is still GREAT for you. All cacao is.

Cacao is packed with antioxidants, which destroy free radicals and slow aging; it is a significant source of magnesium (we lady folk especially need this); it contains cannabinoids and anandamide, both of which stimulate the release of endorphins (that's why you feel "high" and "buzzed" after eating a lot of high-quality dark chocolate. It's also why Lupin gives Harry Potter chocolate after a dementor attack. Yes. I said it. C'mon, we were all thinking it, right?).

So, lavender + cacao is a super mood-boosting combo. The calm, well-being induced by lavender and the smiley, giggley, warm effects of chocolate are like mates that grew up together in a beautiful old English town. Mates that delivered flowers to all of the sad little old ladies in town, bringing some bright sunshine to quiet, cool, rainy days.

Lavender Dreaming Truffles

If you are interested in coating your truffles in liquid, tempered chocolate, check out David Leibovitz's masterful post on the how-to/why-to behind tempering here. 

Recipe

Adapted from the Chestnut Herbs Blog

You will need a pie pan, parchment paper, a whisk, a double boiler (or glass bowl over hot water), strainer, and a fork (for dipping the ganache in liquid chocolate, though you can use your fingers).

1 cup heavy coconut cream
1/3 cup honey (or agave)
11 ounces of 70% chocolate (or darker)
1/2 cup lavender buds
5 tablespoons coconut oil

1 cup melted 70% or darker chocolate, for enrobing the truffles.
1/4 cup cacao powder, or a handful of lavender buds for decoration

Instructions

Bring the coconut cream to a simmer, and then cut off the heat. Mix the lavender buds in with the hot cream. Let sit for 15 - 30 minutes (the longer you steep it the stronger the floral flavor). Strain out the buds, and press out any extra cream from the herbs.

Bring the coconut cream back to a simmer, and cut off heat. Add honey, coconut oil, and chocolate. Stir to melt the chocolate completely. Pour the ganache into a pie pan, and cool for 30 minutes in your refrigerator. Once the ganache is solid enough to be scooped and rolled into balls, remove it from the fridge.

Coat palms in cocoa powder. Using a tablespoon, scoop out the ganache into 1.5 oz balls, rolling the ganache in your hands to form it into shape. Keep powdering your hands with cocoa as you form the truffles, to keep the ganache from melting and sticking to your skin. Place truffles on parchment paper, and set aside.

If you would prefer to skip the enrobing method, simply roll the ganache in cocoa powder, and enjoy! These make lovely gifts, as well. 

Lavender Honey Milk Tea

OH HEY. Yes, I have been conspicuously silent on this blog for some time. But, can you blame me? I've been having some sweet adventures!

I went to the Bay Area in October, Costa Rica November to December, and I moved to Charlottesville, VA in January! For the past 4 months I have been packing in as many new experiences as I possibly could. It's all luck, really, that I've been able to travel so much with my fiancee, Mr. B. Well, perhaps I'm playing down the intentional manifesting of positive experiences part... but that makes me sound a little bit too much like the hippie-chick I really am, yes? Dreamy-eyed and ready to spring off into the sunset.

I'll just do a little post today. After all of the adventures I've been having, and the work I've been doing on this years business project (hint: it's chocolate related), I've been feeling a little tweaked out in the afternoons. I'm sure this has to do with the substantial amount of coffee I've been drinking, but if a badass small-batch coffee roaster was right around the corner from your house you would go there every day too. I've really been enjoying the single-origin hand-pours I've been getting there. Their Cerro Las Ranas for El Salvador... uuuuughhhhh yuuuummmmm. Alas, my sensitive system gets so worn out in the afternoons because of the ups and downs in my adrenal glands. I'M SURE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE. America runs on coffee. And tea. And sugar. And generally adrenaline draining activities. Not only does this cause fatigue, but it can max us out emotionally, causing feelings of anxiety and depression.

SOOOOOOOO here I am, to bring it down a level, to help you chill out while boosting feelings of happiness and positivity. I mean, sometimes you just want to sip a hot drink, stare out of your window at the softly budding trees outside, at the clouds on the horizon, and perhaps have a good snuggle session with a kitten/puppy/good book.

Thanks to a lovely herbalist friend, I rediscovered lavender as a single herb tea. I usually have lavender in some sort of tonic mixture, or I use it as a room freshener. But it is excellent on it's own steeped in hot milk. According to the Chestnut Herbs blog, which has a great, incredibly in-depth blog post on lavender here, lavender is an excellent herb for decompression and lifting the spirits. It is often used as a tonic in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and insomnia, with rather immediate mood-lifting and sedative effects. It is a balancing herb for the fiery systems of Pitta-type people (it is "bitter, drying, & cooling"), in Ayurveda. 

Lavender Honey Milk Tea 

Ingredients

2 cups unsweet soy milk (or almond milk, coconut milk, etc.)
4 tablespoons fresh lavender buds
2 tablespoons local honey (I used a wildflower honey from Golden Angels Apiary)

Recipe

In a small pot, heat soy milk until it gets to a nice simmer, just before boiling. Cut of the heat, and add lavender buds. Let steep for 15 minutes. Place a sieve over a medium sized bowl. Pour the milk and lavender mixture through the sieve to remove the lavender buds. Press the strained buds to get all of that lavender goodness into your milk. Pour the milk back into your pot, heat until simmering once more. Add honey, and stir.

Pour into a mason jar, and enjoy immediately. Or, let cool, and cap it off to drink cold over ice later. YUM.

Apple Pie with Einkorn-Millet Crust (GF, Vegan)

Tis fall o dear readers. Time for sweet, cinnamony, nutmegy goodness to waft through the air. Time for apple pie, apple cider, fresh doughnuts, hot spicy chai, and good coffee. Time for cool & crisp mornings, crunchy leaves, and pumpkin everything. Time for comfy sweaters, boots, and baking.

Apple pie is one of those things that I simply must have as the weather gets cool. Actually, I welcome all apple-related things September-November.

Recently Mr. B and I have been getting in to a lot of interesting things. We've been cramming in as much adventure-learning as possible. At the beginning of September we spent some time in NYC visiting some food-destinations we've been drooling over. We took the tiger bus up and back, which, despite the sleepless nights and coffee-fueled days resulting from that decision, was cheap and effective.   We visited Babycakes NYC, The Cinnamon Snail vegan food truck, The Juice Press, Stogo's Organic Dairy-Free Ice Cream Parlor, no-name bar in Brooklyn, Champs Vegan Family Bakery in Brooklyn, & Mast Brothers Chocolate. We did some fancy shopping at the NYC Anthropologie (which mostly consisted of walking around, touching everything, and drooling) and Banana Republic (which mostly consisted of walking in and out in 5 minutes with some super cheap linen clothes for Mr. B). We tried to pack everything in. I think the only place we didn't go that was on our list was Candle 79. That will have to wait for another trip.

I must say there is a fine line between food love and food obsession. You should have seen the way Mr. B's eyes lit up when we found cold pressed juice at The Juice Press. He just kept whispering: "This is it Renee. It's genius." He must have said that 10 times... not including the second time we went there within 24 hours. But then again, I think I was acting the same way when we went to Mast Brothers' bean-to-bar chocolate shop. I tasted everything at least twice and picked up and put down everything. We each bought about 5 bars. They treat chocolate like wine, with a focus on identifying the subtle flavor notes of each bar. I'm so inspired. This is something I want to do with my life. 

BUT OF COURSE on to the reason I'm writing this post: Apple. Pie. Melt-in-your mouth, tangy-sweet apple pie with a crisp, luscious einkorn-millet crust.

Ok, ok. I know. I have some explaining to do.

"WHAT'S THAT THERE EINKORN NONSENSE YER TALKIN' BOUT?!"

Weeeeell, tis the next big thing you see. I'm preeeeetty psyched about it. I do an einkorn happy dance almost every time I eat it.

Einkorn flour is an ancient wheat that has been out of regular cultivation for 2500 years. Originating in the highlands of Turkey, it is high in protein and essential nutrients and is safe for people with sensitivities to wheat gluten. Of course, if you have celiac disease or a severe wheat allergy you should consult your doctor before eating einkorn.

Einkorn has a super-soft, fine texture and a nutty flavor. I have personally been loving the flavor of foods I have been producing from this ancient grain. So far I have made biscuits, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin and apple pie crusts, and a quick sandwich bread with it. Everything has had a superb crumb and rich flavor. It can be used almost exactly like spelt flour, though it does require sifting before use.

I have been ordering einkorn from Jovial Foods, which is based out of Connecticut but sources einkorn from small organic farms in Italy. Their product is magnificent and their price is better than most others I have so far found. I highly recommend them.

So, tell me, have you ever tried einkorn? I would love to hear your experiences. And do tell if you have any suggestions of things you would like to see made with einkorn or spelt.

Renee's Notes: You can easily substitute spelt flour for einkorn, in fact, feel free to.

Apple Pie with Einkorn-Millet Crust

(adapted from Vegan Pie in the Sky by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero)

serves 8

Ingredients

Crust

1.5 cups Einkorn Flour

1 cup millet flour

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

2/3 cup very cold Earth Balance

1 tablespoon melted coconut oil

4 to 6 tablespoons ice water

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

Filling

5+ cups peeled granny smith apples, sliced thinly (about 1/4 inch thick)

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup evaporated cane sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

3 tablespoons einkorn flour

1 tablespoon Earth Balance

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Juice from 1/2 lemon or lime

Glaze

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons almond milk, or dairy-free milk of your choice

For the crust:

Prepare a pie dish by rubbing on it a small amount of coconut oil.  

Sift your einkorn (or spelt) flour into a large bowl. Mix in millet flour, salt, sugar, and cinnamon. Using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut in the earth balance in chunks until your dough begins to look sandy. Add and mix in the melted coconut oil. Mix together your ice water and apple cider vinegar. Slowly add the water/vinegar mixture in to the dough tablespoon by tablespoon until your dough just begins to come together. Fold your dough into a ball (being careful not to over-mix or knead it) and then cut that ball in two. Roll the halves into smaller balls, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. 

Once the dough has refrigerated, remove the dough from the fridge and place one half on wax paper. Top the dough with another layer of wax paper. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a circle. For excellent circular results, roll the dough away from the body, rotating the dough as you go. Peel off the top layer of wax paper, and invert your pie dough over your pie dish. Carefully press the dough into the  dish and gently remove the wax paper. You can fill in any holes that may have torn with excess dough. Prick the bottom layer of the crust with a fork several times. Repeat with the other half of the pie dough,   except of course add this layer over the filling, trim edges of the crust to fit, and cut 5 slits into the top of the pie to let steam escape.

For the filling:

In a large bowl, mix your sliced apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, evaporated cane sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, flour, Earth Balance, & salt. Toss thoroughly to coat the apples in the sugary mixture. Let sit for 15-30 minutes, covered. 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spoon apples into the pie crust, making sure to spoon in only the apples and not the juice that has collected at the bottom of the bowl. Cover with the top crust, trimming the edges of the crust and pressing the edges down. At this point you can use a spoon or fork to create lovely patterns on your pie edges. Or you can crimp the dough by pressing your thumbs all the way around the edges of the pie. 

For the glaze, mix together the cinnamon and sugar, brush the almond milk onto the pie crust and then sprinkle with the spiced sugar mixture.  Cut steam slits into the top crust.

Bake on 425F for 25 minutes, then lower the heat to 375F and slip on a pie crust shield (I just use aluminum foil). Bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes.

Let cool for 30-60 minutes. Serve with dairy-free vanilla bean ice cream and a warm cup of spiced cider. Enjoy your autumnal pie reverie. 

Pineapple, Portobello, & Tempeh BBQ Over Arugula

Come September we Virginians tend to have an urge to slather everything in sight in BBQ.  It's an homage to Summer's end. For only a few more weeks will we have the glorious weather that makes barbeque so damn delicious. Ok, in Virginia, most of that BBQ ends up prancing along grilled pork or chicken breasts. And the fatty aspects of meat + the texture + the sugary sauce DO make for a good combo. That's why in this dish I have incorporate three different textural elements, good fats, and juicy Kansas BBQ. But why eat cute little piggies and (admittedly doofy) cluckers when you could get your protein and vitamins in a totally alternative & rock & roll way?

MUNCH ON THIS: Tempeh is the rock star of the soy world. Why? Tempeh is waaaaay high in protein, packed with B-Vitamins, highly digestible, and even has some anti-biotic qualities. Natives of Indonesia, where tempeh originated, are well aware of tempeh's anti-biotic effects and they consider it a great medicine to ward off dysentery.  Tempeh is also high in manganese and fiber. It has a nutty flavor, somewhere in between bread and fresh mushrooms. Some would call it bland. And... well... they would be right. BUT tempeh can be delish when cooked properly. There are a number of ways to cook tempeh, including simply sauteing it in some olive oil + maple syrup + cayenne and then dipping it in sauces like proteiny french fries. You can grill it, steam it, fry it, bake it, eat it "raw" with hummus, crumble it into salads, or throw it at your favorite vegan friend (they will be thankful, even if it hurts). I personally find that the best ways to prepare tempeh involve either steaming it before adding seasonings or marinating it in a salt water bath for 8 hours or more before cooking it. That way the seasonings/sauces are fully absorbed into the meat of the tempeh cake, soaking all the way through to the center.

In this recipe I chose to meld the nutty texture of tempeh with chunks of sweet, ripe pineapple and strips of succulent portobello mushrooms. I just couldn't resist the pineapple and mushrooms when I saw them at market. They were just SO BEAUTIFUL. Is it weird that I think food is the most exciting thing to photograph? I love it. And speaking of beautiful food photography you should check out this brain-mashingly amazing food blog: Sprouted Kitchen.  Their photographs make me want to be a better human being.

I also decided to go ahead and use a pre-prepped barbecue sauce. I know, it's kind of like cheating. But the Trader Joe's "Bold & Smokey Kansas City Style BBQ" sauce is so good and affordable that I just had to use it. And it works perfectly. Besides, making barbecue sauce is a project all on its own.

I do believe I have made this dish for dinner three times this week. The punchy/spicy arugula, sweet BBQ, and creamy avocado combo is heaven. Oh and BY THE BY your lover will love this saucy tangy sweet nutritious goodness. This is good messy picnic date food. It makes you look like a kitchen goddess (or god). Which, of course, you are!

Pineapple, Portobello, & Tempeh BBQ Over Arugula (Rocket)

serves 8 

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (or coconut oil)
8 oz tempeh (1 package), cut into squares
3/4 cup white wine
2 teaspoons salt
1 medium ripe pineapple, peeled, cored, and chopped into 1 inch cubes.
5 large portobello caps, sliced thickly
2/3 cups Kansas City style BBQ sauce
3 cups organic or wild arugula
1 avocado, sliced lengthwise, to garnish

On your stove top, heat a large sauce pan to medium heat. Once hot, pour about half of your olive oil into the pan. Toss in the garlic, and saute for 2 minutes or until fragrant and browning. Add tempeh, 1/2 cup of the white wine, sliced mushrooms, and 2 teaspoons of the salt. Cover and let steam for 15 minutes.

When all of the liquids have evaporated, add BBQ sauce, remaining white wine, and pineapple chunks. Stir gently to incorporate the sauce. Cover and let cook for another 15 minutes.

Remove the top from the sauce pan and let the mixture caramelize on medium-high heat. Add the rest of the olive oil to the pan, stirring gently every so often. Once the sauce has reduced and the tempeh & pineapple start to have some crisp bits, remove the pan from heat.

In a large bowl, toss arugular with olive oil, a pinch of salt and black pepper. When ready to serve, pour the hot barbecue dish over the arugula. Arrange your avocado over the top of your dish. Serve hot.

Raspberry Avocado Ice Cream

Some days you just need a super easy sweet fix. Something you can throw together in a jiff and have ready in under 30 minutes. It's a dream if you can make that something healthy AND tasty. 

Solution: put an avocado in it. YES! IT IS ALWAYS THE SOLUTION!

I feel like I eat an avocado a day. Ok. I do. Avocados are so fatty and creamy and I love how happy my mind and body feel after eating them. I'm sure that has something to do with the B6 available from avocados, which helps to stabilize serotonin production i.e. keep you feeling positive. Avocado is also a great source of Vitamins C, K, potassium, fiber, and folate. Avocado fats are monounsaturated, which means that it has one less hydrogen atom than a saturated fat. Saturated fats have every carbon atom married to a hydrogen atom, thus the sat fat is ... well... completely saturated with hydrogen. Did you see that coming? The difference seems small between monounsat and sat fats. Just one hydrogen atom, right?

That single hydrogen atom makes a big difference for your body. When our bodies break down fat into energy, it is the "lighter" fats -- unsat fats -- that bind most easily with protein; protein is like the life raft carrying fats to our cells for energy production. If a "lighter" fat climbs aboard that life raft, the raft is more effective at carrying the fat along in the blood stream to the cells. Things work quickly, and smoothly. But "heavy" fats -- sat fats -- don't bind nearly as well; they gunk up the system, if you will. They aren't as effective for energy storage and use. Note: saturated fats aren't all bad; you can read about some of the good ones in my last blog post.

ANYHOO avocados are tasty and nutritionally powerful foods. They give us sustainable energy, relax our nerves, & make us happy. Alright enough with the nutrition lecture. Mostly I eat them because they taste so good. 

My standard avocado breakfast/snack is avocado on gluten free toast with salt, agave, and cayenne. But today I've decided to sweeten it up, get tangy, and cool it off.

I should probably mention that throwing an avocado into this ice cream has zero affect on the flavor but makes it that much more thick and creamy. I added the avocado really only as a thickener. But do make sure your avocado is super ripe, soft as pudding. A hard avocado will do nothing for you here. Or ever, really. It's hard for me to express to you my sadness upon opening an avocado too early... It hurts me. 

Raspberry Avocado Ice Dream

serves 4 

Ingredients

1 can full fat coconut milk

1 cup frozen raspberries 

1 avocado

2 pinches stevia

3 tablespoons agave

In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until uniform. Because this base is already cold, you can put it directly into your ice cream maker. Make ice cream as usual according to your ice cream maker's directions.

Creamy. Dreamy. Icy. Deliciousness.

Renee's notes: As I mentioned in my note for the ice cream in my last ice cream post, you can place your ice cream base in ice cube trays, freeze, and blend once frozen in a food processor to a haagan-dazs-like consistency. // To make this sugar free, sweeten only with stevia to taste. I might do 5 tiny pinches of stevia. 

Also, apologies for the lack of pictures in this post. My camera battery is LOST!!! A new one is on its way. 

Peace, love, namaste, eat more kale, have a pretty day!

Ice Dream Cookie Sammies

There is nothing better on a hot summer day than homemade ice cream. Yes, that's an opinion. But it's justifiable, yes?

Over the past few years I have had a bit of a love affair with ice cream. Thankfully, because this love affair has always been with coconut and nut-based ice creams, the affections were requited. My brain has appreciated all of the oh-so-tasty monounsaturated fats (from both cashews and coconut) which help keep my nervous system comfortably padded and stable. Monounsaturated fats help with cognitive function, memory, and the absorption of vitamins A, K, D, and E.

Now, coconut milk is high in saturated fat, long thought to be a main factor in the development of obesity and heart/brain disease. But recent research from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has been showing that there is no correlation between certain saturated fats and heart disease or stroke. In fact, some types of sat fats are considered completely non-harmful, like stearic acid (found in chocolate). Lauric acid, from coconut, is still being researched.

Lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid (MCFA). The majority of the fats that humans eat, overall, are long chain fatty acids (LCFA) mostly found in animal products; LCFAs are stored in the body as fat, whereas MCFAs are not stored as fat very easily and are effectively utilized within the system for energy. MCFAs have been shown to improve cognitive function for the severely diabetic, prevent cardiovascular and heart disease, and suppress appetite/improve weight control. PRETTY. RAD.

OK. So coconut milk and cold-process coconut products are magic. They feed our bodies, our brains, and our appetite. The high fat content in coconut milk makes it a great addition to curries and sweet treats, as fats are a huge factor in experiencing flavor. FAT = FLAVOR, people. Fats coat the tongue and help aerate the scent of foods, resulting in a more intoxicating and full flavor experience.

So, of course, a beautifully vanilla-scented coconut ice cream is exactly what is called for in this moment.

BUT WAIT. Not just vanilla ice dreaminess awaits: ice dreaminess mashed between two sweet vanilla Kahlua cookies! This may just be the most delicious cold dessert I have EVER made.

The cookies in this recipe are sweet, crisp, and studded with adorable little chia seeds. They are scented with sweet vanilla bean and sultry Kahlua liquor. I have a compulsory need to add alcohol to every baked good... especially fancy ones: vanilla rum, orange scented cointreau, etc. They're so aromatic and lovely! These cookies also contain a fair amount of protein from brown rice, almond, and oat flours. Yeah, yeah... this recipe is NOT sugar free. I actually use REAL SUGAR. It goes against many principles that I have about nutrition. But, honestly, good cookies cannot be made without crystalline sugar. Cane derived sugars are what make cookies crispy, snappy, or otherwise crunchy. Without sugar a gluten-free cookie will remain soft-edged, simply refusing to firm up. I CAN'T HANDLE THAT.

Renee's notes: The ice cream in this recipe is incredibly simple to make, with dates and maple as sweeteners. I do, however, add a thickening agent: xanthan gum. If you don't already know what xanthan gum is, it's a natural binding & thickening agent derived from the shells of defunct bacteria. It's a simple powder that is most often used in gluten-free baked goods, and dairy-free yogurts & milks. It can cause digestive irritation if too much is used as it is quite potent; Thusly, I add very little of it to this dessert. Feel free to leave it out or replace it with agar agar, which is derived from algae. 

Simple Vanilla Coconut Ice Cream

serves 4 generously

Ingredients

1 can of full fat organic coconut milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped of seeds
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
5 medjool dates, pitted
1 tablespoon maple syrup (or raw honey, agave, 1 or 2 more dates)

In a blender, combine coconut milk, pitted dates, scrapings from the vanilla bean, xanthan gum, and maple syrup. Blend on high until ingredients are uniformly incorporated.

Place ingredients in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Once chilled, place in ice cream maker and blend as usual.

If you don't have an ice cream maker, pour ice cream base into ice cube molds and freeze, then mill in a blender to create a Haagan-dazs-like texture. 

^instagramified cookies

Vanilla & Kahlua Cookies

makes about 20 cookies 

Ingredients

1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 cup oat flour
1&1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup olive or coconut oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
6 tablespoons soy milk (or almond milk, rice milk, etc)
1 tablespoon Kahlua liquor
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped of beans

Preheat your oven to 325 F (my oven runs cool, so I heat it to 350 F). Prepare two baking sheets, lining them with parchment or wax paper.

In a medium sized bowl, add brown rice flour, tapioca flour, almond flour, oat flour, chia seeds, brown sugar, coconut flakes, cinnamon, xanthan gum, salt, and baking soda. Using a rubber spatula, mix dry ingredients.

Add oil, apple cider vinegar, soy milk, vanilla bean, and Kahlua. Mix ingredients together using a rubber spatula. Let sit for about 10 minutes, allowing the chia to expand and bind the ingredients. Mix again until the dough is sticky and holds together well.

Using your hands, shape about a tablespoon of dough into a ball and flatten between your palms before placing on the baking sheet. Continue using this method until all of the dough is used up.

Bake for 25 minutes, turning once at 7 minutes, and once at 15 minutes. You may want to switch the bottom pan and the top pan after 15 minutes of baking. The cookies will be done when they begin to brown around the edges. The cookies will harden further upon cooling. Cool for 15 minutes before attempting any noshing.

TO PREPARE THINE SANDWICH COOKIES

If you're impatient, like me, stick a couple of cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes to cool them down right quick. Once cool, place about a tablespoon of ice cream on one cookie and gently top with a second cookie. Press down to sandwich the ice cream. Unless you're eating one of these immediately, quickly store all of your ice dream sammies in the freezer. You may want to work in batches, as the ice cream will melt rather quickly.

HAPPY NOSHING.

Green Tomatoes Two Ways

Green tomatoes. Vermillion, oblong spheres of tanginess. Waltzing through the farmers market you might see a small stack, lonely and misunderstood. Poor little gents don't get the credit they're due.

You see, green tomatoes have long been paired with the term "fried." And while that is an appropriate term to associate them with, it's not like "fried" is the only word that should be paired along side of them. I fancy "zingy" or "tart" might become good friends with the green tomato. Or the word grilled may spark a heel-kick of delight.

I'll admit, these little unripe fruits are a puzzle. They're too tart to eat raw, too firm. You can't stew them, add them to crisp green salads, or easily layer them on a giant sandwich. I imagine they'll be delicious roasted. But not for long, as the season for green tomatoes is quickly coming to a close. Which means that right now green tomatoes taste their absolute best: crisp and bright, meltingly savory when fried, grilled, or roasted. Green tomatoes are just tough enough that they hold up smashingly well to high heat. And so the searing begins.

Renee's notes: Old Bay seasoning mix is really an ideal spice mix for fried and green tomatoes. If you don't really feel like lazing it out, like me, and you want to create your own Old Bay-style spice mix, do the following: Mix 2 tablespoons celery seed, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 tsp dried yellow mustard seed, 1/2 tsp  red pepper, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 2 dried bay leaves, 6 whole cloves, 6 allspice seeds, & 1/8 tsp cardamom seeds in a spice mill. Grind until fine. Add 1/8 tsp dried ginger powder, 1/8 tsp mace, 1/8 tsp cinnamon powder, & a pinch of paprika. Store in an airtight container in a cool place.)

Fried Green Tomatoes

Serves 4 

Ingredients

3 medium green tomatoes, sliced into rounds
1 cup Almond milk, or non-dairy milk of your choice
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup yellow corn meal
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt, to taste

Fill a medium bowl with almond milk. Add vinegar, and let almond milk curdle into vegan "buttermilk."

Fill a second medium bowl with corn meal, rice flour, and Old Bay seasoning. Mix to blend ingredients.

Heat a cast iron pan to medium high heat, and add olive oil. Let the oil heat up until hot enough that some corn-meal mixture will bubble and spurt in the pan when added.

Dip your green tomato slices into the "buttermilk." Now dip the tomatoes in the flour mixture, coating both sides in flour. Place 4 or 5 slices in the hot oil for about 3 minutes, flipping and cooking for three minutes on the opposite side. Times for frying may vary depending on how hot your stove-top gets. When the tomatoes begin to brown, you know the side being cooked is done.

Place cooked tomatoes on paper towels to drain.

Continue in batches until the tomatoes are done.

Enjoy!

Grilled Green Tomatoes

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 green tomatoes sliced into rounds
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning

Toss green tomato slices in olive oil and Old Bay seasoning. Prepare your grill, heating it to medium heat. Place rounds on the grill, and let cook for about 5 minutes on each side, until grill marks are obvious.

Mmmmmmm delicious. Especially good on a sweet-cool late Summer evening.