Lavender and Vanilla "Cheese" Cake

There is a new obsession developing with me. Not that I need or want another obsession but this one is for the incredible spices I have been finding at the spice merchant at the farmers market. The Silk Road Spice Merchant is a great place to find exotic spices, great sea salts and the lavender flowers I picked up for this dessert.

I love cheesecake but I can no longer tolerate dairy so I made this raw cheesecake from soaked cashews and it was fantastic. I love the combination of the lavender with the blueberry and the creaminess of the "cheese" cake. If I were to serve this to someone unfamiliar with raw desserts my guess would be that they would not know it doesn't contain cream cheese.

The inspiration for this recipe came from the fabulous Roost blog. I often make raw desserts especially in the warmer months. I was going to say hotter here but does it ever get hot in Calgary?

Crust

• 1 cup almonds, soaked overnight
• 7 or 8 dates
• 1 tsp vanilla powder or extract
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

1. Blend together in a food processor fitted with an S blade until combined and it starts to form a ball. Press into a tart pan with a removable bottom. 

"Cheese" Cake Filling

• 2 cups raw cashews, soaked 2 hours
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, warmed
• 1/3 cup raw honey
• 2 lemons, juiced 
• 1 tsp lavender
• 1 tsp vanilla powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

1. Blend all the ingredients together in a VitaMix. Pour the filling into the crust and spread out evenly. Freeze until set. Remove from the freezer and let in thaw a little before serving. You can also refrigerate overnight to set.

Blueberry Sauce

• 3 cups frozen or fresh blueberries
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
• pinch of sea salt
• 2 tsp potato starch mixed in 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. In a small saucepan over medium low heat, warm the blueberries and lemon juice for 5 minutes. Add the maple syrup and continue to cook over low heat for another 5 minutes. Add the potato starch slurry and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and sea salt.

YUM!!

Mushroom Soup with Sweet Potatoes

Typically this time of year is not "soup season" however there is such an enormous selection of mushrooms in the markets right now that I had couldn't resist buying some and with the rain it seems fitting. I had full intensions of making something brilliant this week with the variety that I picked up but was entirely too busy, until today. Ava asked me to make mushroom soup and with the rain I thought it was appropriate and I'm glad I did. This soup is earthy, delicious and hearty.

I used a variety of mushrooms including baby portabella, crimini and button. This soup would be great with shiitake and chanterelles as well. Next time I make this, and I will make this soup again, I will experiment with other types. I used a medium dry sherry and it you are thinking about leaving the sherry out, do not, it adds so much flavour.

The last time I was in San Francisco they had the most amazing selection of mushrooms I had ever seen at the Ferry Building Marketplace. I am talking bins and bins of different types of mushrooms and I was dying to experiment with them all. I am so jealous of people that live in San Francisco because this market is fantastic and I the variety of fresh fruit and vegetables is incredible. Why do I live in Calgary again?

Mushrooms at the Ferry Building Marketplace in SF

Mushroom Soup with Sweet Potatoes
adapted from Anna Getty's Easy Green Organic

• 2 1/2 to 3 cups mixed mushrooms
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 small shallots, minced
• 1 medium yellow or white onion, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup dry sherry
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/4 inch cubes
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced
• 1 cup goat milk (cream would be better)
• sea salt and pepper to taste

1. Put the mushrooms in a food processor and pulse until it forms a paste. 
2. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat and add the shallot and onion. Let it cook for a few minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the sherry and mushroom paste and let it cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the stock and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the sweet potatoes and cook until they are soft. Using a hand held emersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. I left a few chunks of sweet potato remaining for texture. Add the goat milk or cream, fresh thyme and season with salt and pepper. 

The sherry I used

Celiac Handbook Website and Quinoa Herb Salad

I was very honored to be posted on Chris Armstrong's Celiac Handbook website. This website is a great resource for anyone who has celiac disease or follows a gluten free diet. I am very delighted that the word is getting out on the health benefits of living gluten free. The website is a fantastic resource full of information on everything from guides to gluten free restaurants to living with celiac disease and I encourage you to check it out.

I thought I would share this light and refreshing quinoa salad recipe with you that I have been making so much of with all the fresh herbs I have in my garden. I love this salad as a side with grilled fish or chicken. It's a very versatile recipe and I change it up depending on what herbs I have. The best combination I think is mint, basil, cilantro but you can experiment and use parsley as well. This salad is very similar to tabouli but not as intense with all the parsley used in tabouli.

The inspiration for this recipe originally came from a cookbook called Raw Food Real World by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis and it is one of my favorite raw cookbooks. They use grapes in the recipe but I often leave them out if I don't have organic grapes handy. If you do not have mirin, I have made it before and left it out and just added a little more oil and lime juice.

Quinoa Herb Salad 
adapted from Raw Food Real World

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 or 2 limes or lemons, juiced
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 3 tbsp macadamia oil
• 1 bunch of mint, chopped
• 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
• 1 bunch basil, finely chopped
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1/2 english cucumber, sliced and quartered
• sea salt and pepper to taste

1. Add cooked quinoa to a large bowl. To the quinoa add the juice of the limes and the mirin and oil and let marinade while chopping the herbs, celery and cucumbers and onions.
2. Add the herbs, celery, cucumbers, green onions, sea salt and pepper to the quinoa.

The Answer

THINGS YOU CAN DO TO BE HAPPIER:

• Go to bed earlier
• Finish things ahead of time
• Eat whole-food
• Exercise
• Be present
• Organize
• Listen to music
• Think positively
• Drink lots of water
• Journal
• Read
• Be productive
• Eat fresh fruit
• Breathe deeply
• Go for a bike ride

(Source: fictum-, via oasi5)

Banana Cashew Butter "Ice Cream"

Ava is feeling much better today and back to eating normal. When the doctor suggested that she drink lots of slurpees for her sore throat, I looked at him like he was drunk. I had various things running through my head, much of what I won't tell you about, but really? Feed a sick child artificial food colouring and loads of processed sugar is the best advice from a doctor on nourishment for a child? He could have said bone broth, chicken noodle soup, tea; anything but a slurpee. He looked back at me, obviously sensing my dismay and said, "Well you can't shield them forever." No, maybe not I thought but while you keep advising people to eat crap there will still be sick people streaming through your doors and I will still be fighting for parents to feed their children whole foods.

Ava and Aidan both wanted ice cream after we came back from the park and normally I have a stash but they cleaned me out the first day they came back. What to do? I could have made a quick coconut milk ice cream in my ice cream maker but it was almost bed time. Really not an option for a school night so I made this super easy and very fast recipe for banana "ice cream". The beauty is all you need is a couple of frozen banana's and whatever add-ins you feel like and you have yourself a treat.

I used cashew butter, a little raw honey and a few gluten free, dairy free chocolate chips to mix in. Aidan and Ava loved it but Ava said, " Next time don't put peanut butter in mine please." She is a purest and Aidan will eat almost anything I give him; such a sweet boy.

The idea for this "ice cream"came from Paula's blog at Two Ellie. I just adore this blog. Thanks Paula for the inspiration.

Banana Cashew Butter "Ice Cream"

• 2 frozen banana's (broken into chunks)
• 1 heaping tbsp of cashew butter
• 1 tbsp raw honey
• 1/2 tsp vanilla powder or vanilla extract
• pinch of sea salt
• raw cacao nibs or chocolate chips for garnish

1. Blend the banana's in a food processor fitted with an S blade. Blend until tiny chunks remain. Add in the cashew butter, honey and vanilla. Process until smooth and creamy and serve. Top with chocolate chips or raw cacao nibs.

Enjoying ice cream after their bath.

Chocolate Brown Rice Crispy Treat

I have a sick little bunny today. The first thing she asked me when the doctor had a look at her throat was, "When can I have chocolate again?" This is a very good question and totally logical being that she is my daughter. Her second question was, "How many days do I get off school?" Oh to be five again.

I made her these brown rice crispy treats and added raw cacao for her chocolate addiction. I used cashew butter and brown rice syrup to hold them together. I came across the recipe a while back on Sprouted Kitchen but the first time I made the recipe it didn't stick together as well as I would have liked so I added a little extra but it could be because I never measure.

I cut them into wedges and served them on her favourite pink plate with warm goat milk. She will be home for the next few days and I have been meaning to refine my miso soup recipe so this may be the perfect opportunity. She loves miso soup.

Chocolate Brown Rice Crispy Treats

• 3 cups crispy brown rice 
• 1/2 cup cashew butter
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 3 tbsp raw cacao 
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/3 cup brown rice syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of sea salt

1. Grease an 8x8 inch pan with coconut oil and set aside. 
2. Melt the cashew butter and coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat and add the honey, brown rice syrup, cacao and salt. Warm until everything is melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla.
3. Pour the mixture over the brown rice and mix thoroughly to combine. 
4. Dump the mixture into the prepared pan and pat down. Refrigerate until cool and slice into squares.

Nicoise Salad

A very good friend of mine gave me an impressive jar of anchovies and I was dying to use them. The best gifts I receive are food, is something wrong with that? If you have never tried anchovies before they are salty little fish packed in oil and are a staple ingredient in many areas, including France and Italy. If you have had them and did not like them it is probably because of the type of anchovy you had. You need to source good anchovies packed in oil or salt. They are great added to pizza or in sauces and fantastic in ceasar salad dressing and the classic nicoise salad from Provence.

I came across this recipe while stocking, once again, David Lebovitz's site. When it comes to this salad the ingredients must, I repeat must, be good quality. It is all about the flavour of the ingredients. Perfectly cooked hard boiled eggs, good quality anchovies, fresh olives and the best greens you can get your hands on.

I used green beans, mixed greens and fresh chopped basil in my salad. I used really good olives (not canned) and I did not have spring onions but I think it would be better with them. I do not have a large wooden salad bowl and I have been meaning to find one but its never at the top of my list so I am hoping I will come across one someday. If you do have one rub the inside of the bowl with a garlic clove.

Nicoise Salad
Adapted from David Lebovitz

• 3 hardboiled eggs
• small bunch of green beans, blanch for 3 minutes in boiling water, submerge in ice water
• 4 cups mixed greens, or butter lettuce or arugula
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 2 tbsp fresh basil
• 1/3 cup small black olives, pitted
• 1 small cucumber 
• good quality cold pressed olive oil
• fluer de sel and black pepper
• squeeze of fresh lemon
• 3 - 4 fillets of anchovies, cut into thin strips

1. Peel hard boiled eggs and cut into wedges. 
2. Cut tomatoes into wedges, slice cucumber and green onions and sprinkle with salt.
3. Mix the olive oil with fresh basil and lemon juice and salt and pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
4. Add greens to a large bowl and toss with 1/2 the olive oil mixture. Add the eggs tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, green beans and anchovies to the top and drizzle over the remaining dressing.

So True

etsy.com

Happy Monday!

Goat Cheese Custard and Cherries in Red Wine Syrup

My friend Melissa from Veranda Interiors moved into her fabulous new home this week and I was dying to pay her a visit to catch up on life. I had the opportunity to tour her new house last night and it is fantastic in every way. Her kitchen is a dream, her pantry is picture perfect and her bar......I could go on and on. Did I mention her en suite; amazing!

A girl cannot show up empty handed. I had some fantastic cherries I picked up from the Farmers Market on Friday so I decided to make a cherry dessert. I often go to David Lebovitz for dessert ideas because he always has the most amazing ways of putting things together and he is brilliant in the kitchen. I found his recipe for cherries in red wine syrup and paired it with his goat cheese custard. I changed the white sugar out for unrefined sugar. Honey pairs so well with goat cheese so I used raw honey to sweeten the custard and I used coconut sugar in the cherries.

Goat Cheese Custard

• 5 ounces soft goat cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup goat mlk
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla powder, paste or extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place four small ramekins into a deep baking dish.
2. Blend all the ingredients in a blender or VitaMix until combined. Divide the mixture equally between the four ramekins.
3. Pour hot water into the baking dish around the ramekins about half way up the sides of the ramekins. Cover with foil. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes. Do not over cook these. 
4. Remove from oven and let cool at room temperature. Store in the fridge if you're not going to eat them right away.

Cherries in Red Wine Syrup

• 1 pound cherries, stemmed and pitted
• 1 1/2 cups red wine, I used a cabernet sauvignon
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1 tbsp potato starch
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract

1. In a medium pot add the cherries, sugar and red wine. Cook over medium heat until the mixtures boils, reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes.
2. In a small bowl add the potato starch and a little water or red wine and mix together. Add this mixture to the cherries and continue to cook until it is thickened. 
3. Remove from heat and add extract.

I turned out the ramekins on a plate and topped with the cherries but I think I would leave the custard in the ramekins next time.

Quinoa Patties For A Rainy Day Brunch

I woke up this morning unusually late to the sound of rain instead of my alarm at 5:30 am and it was bliss. Breakfast turned into brunch and I remembered seeing a post on seven spoons that I wanted to make with some leftover quinoa. It's a perfect day to be in the kitchen, linger over recipes, slow roast tomatoes and sip tea.

My herb garden smelled so amazing when I went out to cut fresh chives for this recipe so I snapped a few pictures to share. I love rainy days and listening to the birds sing and watching the rain fall. Weekends like this are for relaxing, catching up on reading, experimenting with recipes, cuddling under a blanket with someone you adore.

Lavender and Parsley

Rosemary

Sweet Strawberries

Thyme and Lemon Thyme

The recipe I found on seven spoons originally came from Heidi at 101 Cookbooks, two blogs that I completely adore. I tweaked the recipe again. The collaboration of eggs, garlic, quinoa, chives and sweet potato flour came together perfectly. The original recipe used cheese and I'm sure it would be amazing but I left it out.

I plated the quinoa patty and added a few slices of avocado, tomato and radish sprouts and topped it with a farm fresh poached egg, fleur de sel and fresh cracked pepper. The radish sprouts where a perfect match but any sprouts would work.

Quinoa Patties

• 2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup chives, finely chopped
• 3 green onions
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2 cup sweet potato flour
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• fresh cracked pepper
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1. In a large bowl add the cooked quinoa, onion, chives, garlic, sea salt, pepper, sweet potato flour and mix to incorporate. In another small bowl beat eggs and add them to the quinoa mixture. Stir the mixture until everything is incorporated and wet.
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Form small patties with the quinoa or use a round cutter like I did and pack the quinoa into the round. Add the patties to the frying pan with the olive oil and cook eat patty for 7 minutes or until browned on one side. Flip the patty and continue to cook for another 7 minutes.

This made 7 patties for me but you could make them smaller.

Farmers Market Love

I love going to the farmers market. If I could do just one thing, in any city, around the entire world, it would be to wonder through a farmers market for hours. I love the smells, the beautiful fresh vegetables and fruit, and the amazing ingredients. I always go with the expectation that I will find what I am after and leave. Well, that is the case normally when I have the kids, but today I went solo and wandered around twice, browsed, touched, and smelled everything I wanted to. Did I mention I love the farmers market?

Things just taste better when you get them fresh from the market and besides growing it yourself this is the next best way to get the best flavour and nutrition from the food you put into your body. I walked out of the market with some great finds, (more on that later), a full tummy and very happy.

I found Le Petit Mousse which is a crepe and sandwich place. I know what you are thinking GLUTEN or maybe not, but I was, and I almost passed by but noticed a gluten free sign. They make a buckwheat crepe that is gluten and dairy free and very good. There was no one in line behind me so I had time to chat with the lady who runs Le Petit Mousse and she informed me that they use an entirely different station for the gluten free variety so there is no cross contamination.

My version was bacon, spinach, mushroom and garlic and I asked her to add some goat cheese and fresh tomatoes. I can't guarantee they will do this for you but I used my charm, ha! It was a killer combination for $10.

Yummy!! If you get a chance stop at the market and devour one of these. You won't be sorry.

The Girls

Life gets busy and hectic and there is always something to do. I get that. It is a good to take a moment to be thankful for the amazing people in our lives. I am very grateful for my girlfriends and for the laughter they bring to my life.

There is a guarantee when this group get together there will be some really good laughs, great food, exceptional conversation, and excellent wine. We will leave the night feeling recharged in our ability to parent, set goals, reach new limits and push each other to be better people. This is what friends are for; positive reenforcement.

We cozied up around my new table and settee a few nights ago and had a great time. Thanks ladies for all the great food and the non stop laughs!! Love you all.

This is the new table. I wanted something I would feel comfortable sitting around for hours of great conversation, snuggles with the kids while sharing good food. Rustic and elegant at the same time was hard to find. Now for wallpaper.....

Gluten Free Crepes

Weekends are the best for the kids and I because I have the time to actually make a great breakfast. The request today was crepes. I wanted to refine my crepe recipe and today I had the opportunity to play around a little.

The best way to ensure a great batch of crepes is to make the batter the night before. The longer you let the batter sit the better, and if you have a person who wakes up and needs to eat immediately, like Ava, let the batter rest half an hour. This recipe is gluten free, grain free, dairy free and you can add whatever filling you like.

The kids had their crepes with Nutella and bananas. I tried to hurry to get a good picture but they both inhaled their breakfast so these shots are the best of the few I got.

Have a great Sunday! We have a bike ride planned today. Maybe the training wheels will come off Ava's bike....

Crepes

• 6 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups almond flour
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp coconut flour
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

1. Place everything in the VitaMix and blend for 60 seconds. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. 
2. Heat a crepe pan over medium heat and add enough coconut oil to coat the pan. Add a laddle full of batter to the pan. Swirl to coat the pan thinly. Let cook until brown and carefully flip. If they are not holding together for you add another tbsp of coconut flour to the batter.

This made at least 7 big crepes but I couldn't be sure because they ate them as fast as they came off the pan.

Brownies

Ava requested we make brownies after school today and well, I love an excuse to bake. She loves to bake with me and she likes to experiment with food as much as I do. I add the ingredients and she mixes and tells me what "special" ingredients we are using. I give her choices, she smells, then informs me what to use. Today she wanted chocolate chips on top of the brownies and we used mesquite powder and mucuna powder for additional flavour with a dash of cinnamon.

Mesquite powder has a slightly malt flavour and mucuna powder reminds me of instant coffee. If you do not have either of these items your brownie will be fine without it but you may not need to add the almond milk. Here is some great information on mucuna.

The two food critics called these "the best ever brownies". We cut these almost right away and they were warm and gooey and fantastic.

Here you go!! Enjoy them as much as my two did.

Brownies

• 1/2 cup organic butter
• 1/2 cup palm sugar
• 1/2 cup cacao powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and add in the palm sugar, cacao powder. Make sure the butter mixture is not hot before adding in the eggs. Add in the eggs and the vanilla.

To this mixture add in:

• 1 1/2 cups almond flour
• 1 tbsp mesquite powder
• 1 tbsp mucuna powder of cocoa powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp almond milk

1. Stir until everything is combined and if it is really thick, add a little almond milk. Add chocolate chips to the top.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes. Do not over bake. The brownie should still be soft to the touch.

Cheesy Kale Chips

If you have ever had kale chips you know they are good but very expensive. They happen to be really easy to make and you can make any flavour combination out there. This cheesy version is Aidan's favourite and I try and make them to put in his lunch for "junky" snack even though they are far from junky.

Nutritional Yeast is high in vitamin B12 and taste like cheese when added to foods. I use it sprinkled on eggs, salad and its even great on popcorn. This inactive yeast is yellow, flakey and you can find it at health food stores, usually in the bulk bins. It is a staple for vegans.

I dehyrate mine because I have a dehydrator but you can also bake them. They take no time at all and most kids will eat them. They may turn their nose up at first but after the first bite they are usually sold. Give them a try if you have never had them. I promise it will be your new addiction.

Cheesy Kale Chips

• 2 big bunches of kale, washed, stems removed and dry
• 1 cup soaked cashews, soak for an hour and drain
• 1/2 red pepper
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tbsp himalayan sea salt
• juice of one lemon

1. Tear kale into small pieces but leave them about the size of a potato chip. Place them in a large bowl.
2. Add cashews, red pepper, nutritional yeast and salt to your VitaMix and blend until smooth. Cover the kale with the cashew mixture and use your hands to massage the mixture into the leaves.
3. Place the leaves on a large cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until chips are crisp. If you dehydrate these they will take overnight in your dehydrator.