Cashew Pudding

Cashew Pudding is one of those recipes where a powerful blender such as a Vitamix really shines. Only a few ingredients and a little preparation is needed for this delicious, nutrient dense dessert.  It also doubles well for a filling snack, and pairs very nicely with the carob mint cake in the 'Comfort Food' recipe book.  (Keep the pudding in the fridge until you're ready to place a generous dollop on each piece of cake and serve.)  The basic idea for this pudding came from my dear friend 'Grandma' Rose, as my kids refer to her. What a blessing to have people in our lives who love and pray for our kids, as Rose and her husband Hans do.  I am so thankful! There are 3 options below to choose from: each lighter and fluffier than the one before.  Have fun finding your favorite! 

Option 1:

1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water overnight.  (Once drained, produces the 2 cups needed )

1/4 cup 100% maple syrup

2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Option 2:

Add to option 1: 

1/2 cup organic canned coconut milk  (mix up entire contents of can and measure out 1/2 cup)

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (or vanilla powder)

Option 3:

Same as option 2, but: increase coconut milk to 2/3 cup 

                                     add 1 additional teaspoon of lemon juice

Place all ingredients in the blender.  Blend on high until mixture is smooth, rich and creamy.  (The plunger that comes with the Vitamix will be needed to successfully mix option 1 especially.)  Spoon into a container, cover tightly and chill in the fridge for 8-24 hours.  Remove from fridge and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Almond Butter Oatmeal Cookies

These cookies are full of flavor, and not only gluten free but free of any flour whatsoever.  Have a little extra quick oats on hand as the amount needed at the end will vary depending on the consistency of the almond butter.

Almond Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

6 T water, room temperature
2 T fresh ground flax seeds
1/2 cup quick oats

1 1/3 cup almond butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup coconut sugar

1/4 cup quick oats
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp xanthan gum powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix the first three ingredients together respectively, then set aside.  With a stationery electric mixer if possible, beat the next three together until creamy. Mix in flax seed mixture.  In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients together well, slowly mix into the almond butter mix, then beat together well.  Let rest 5-10 minutes.  The dough should be dense enough to form into 3/4" diameter balls.  If needed, add a few more quick oats and wait another 5 minutes.  Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Form dough into balls and place 2-3" apart on cookie sheet.  Place a piece of parchment paper over the first ball.  Flatten down the dough (a wide mug works well) to a scant 1/4" thick.  (1/8" for crunchier cookies).  Do the same with the remaining cookies.  Bake: 350  for 8-10 minutes.  When the edges are lightly browned and the center springs back when lightly depressed, remove cookie sheet from oven and cool on a cooling rack 3-5 minutes for cookies to set.  Transfer cookies to cooling rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.  Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen.

Have a joyous and blessed day!

Organic Peaches

Taking the time to trim your fruit trees to allow ample light and air circulation can go a long way in discouraging the proliferation of insects and diseases.  If you're starting from scratch, planting more resistant varieties is the first step, along with finding a location with plenty of sunlight and air flow. Cleaning up any fruit and diseased leaves or twigs and burning or bagging and discarding off the property can be helpful too. Besides planting two fruit trees when needed for pollination, planting more than one when possible is recommended to raise the likelihood of continually getting fruit each year. Some times (especially younger trees) may die for no readily apparent reason!  As challenging and unpredictable as fruit production can be, having fresh organic fruit for you, your family and to share with others is a true joy!

Dried Plums And More

As with any dried fruit, the flavor is concentrated in dehydrated form, making them a tastey on the go snack you can store without refrigeration. Stanley plums (pictured) are great for drying. Notice the indented line on each plum: make your cuts parallel to this line as it will be the flat side of the pit for better slicing. With a very sharp thin knife, take an almost paper thin slice off one side about the  diameter of a dime: 1/3-1/2" wide.  This helps the first full slice dry more evenly.  Next slice one or two 1/4" thick slices (depending on the size of the plum) off each side. What is usually left are two small pieces on the edges to remove also. Place each piece on a well oiled dehydrating rack with a bit of space between. Dehydrate at 108-110 degrees F for 18-20 hours, until pliable but not swishy inside. They will solidify more when cooled. A little too dry is preferred. If there is too much moisture left they will spoil.  Remove from trays and allow to cool completely, (5-10mminutes),  and store in airtight containers filled to the top.  Two cup or one quart canning jars seal well to keep the air out.  

Another favorite is dried peaches. Peel and cut in wedges about 1/3" thick.  Dry as above checking after 12 hours. 

Regarding dried apples, some like them quite pliable, others prefer the taste of them dried longer, producing a denser Apple ring. Dried too much though, they become brittle and easily break into a lot of small pieces when stored away. The apple/peeler/corer/slicer tool is wonderful for these three tasks, with the option to leave the skin on if you are fortunate enough to have organic fruit to dry. (There is a small slicing lever that can be flipped up to leave the skin on.)  Apples are a drier fruit and the above tool produces thinner slices, needing as little as 12-14 hours to dry. 

Most any fruit can be dried. A good rule of thumb to remember:  the higher the water content, the thicker it will need to be sliced so there is something left to peel off the trays once they're dried. 

Drying times will vary depending on the dehydrator, humidity level, room temperature,varying ripeness and  moisture level of food used. 

Dried to the proper moisture level, and stored in a cool, dark dry spot, dried fruit will keep for several years, although the pronounced fruit flavor will diminish after the first year. 

Enjoy!

Fabulous Fridge Fudge

(Well, my old computer decided a few weeks ago it was tired of uploading photos.  When able to do so in the future, photos will be added.)

This is one of the recipes that a friend got from a friend... and everyone down the line made changes to suite them.  As mentioned before, adding peanut butter, or mint extract to roasted carob transforms it into a wonderful flavor.  Even the chocolate lover in our home prefers roasted carob powder over cocoa powder in this recipe!

Fabulous Fridge Fudge

1 cup xv coconut oil, just barely liquefied, or really soft and partially liquefied.
1 cup roasted carob powder
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp whole salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup 100% smooth peanut butter
1 T pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

In a small pot on very low, heat the coconut oil until JUST liquefied, or a little before.  Remove from the heat.  Whisk in the next four ingredients respectively, until smooth.  Pour half of the mixture into a 7"x 7" or 8"x 8" baking dish greased with coconut oil.  Place in a level spot in the freezer.  In a separate bowl, beat together the remaining three ingredients.  Check the bowl in the freezer.  If it has hardened, spoon the PB mixture evenly on the top, then pour the second half of the carob mixture on top and spread evenly.  (This second half of the carob mixture may need to be warmed up a bit if it began to cool and set up.) Cover and place in the fridge for 6-8 hours.  Cut into pieces, and store in the fridge for a week or two, or store in an airtight container in the freezer for several months.

Please note: If the coconut oil becomes too warm, it may partially separate from the rest of the mix.  If this happens, pour and spread each half as best you can as instructed.  You will end up with a sweet, solid coconut oil layer on top when you are done.  It may not be as attractive a dessert, but it tastes good, and the coconut oil layer on top is a tasty variation!

Options:
1- Add 1/8-1/4 tsp (non-gmo) liquid lecithin to emulsify the carob mixture.  (Creates a smoother mixture)
2- Replace the 2/3 cup peanut butter with 3/4 cup almond butter

2- The maple syrup may be reduced from 1/2 cup to 1/3 cup, and the peanut butter may be increased from 2/3 cup to 3/4 cup.  This is a nice option for those who enjoy the flavor without being quite as sweet.  The one down side: the three layers may not stick together quite as well.

Have a joyous and blessed day!

Sesame Kale Chips

Can one have too many kale chip recipes?  I think not!  This makes three.  As nutrient packed as kale is, the ingredients these are coated with make them a super-super food!

Sesame Kale Chips

3 T extra virgin olive oil (xvoo)
1-2 T water
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup finely ground sesame seeds
2 T tahini
1 1/4 cup raw cashews
1 tsp whole salt
1/4-1/3 cup fresh garlic, chopped
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 small (2" long) medium hot pepper, seeded
2-3 bunches kale (1-1 1/4 pounds before rinsing)

Place all but the kale in a vitamix (high power) blender or food processor, adding 1 T water at first.  Blend until very smooth, adding a second T of water as needed to produce the consistency of very thick humus.
Remove the ribs from the kale (checking for green larva as you go).  Discard the ribs.  Rinse the kale and rip into 2" pieces.  Place the kale in a large mixing bowl.  Scoop the mixture in also and work into the leaves with your fingers to coat both sides. Spread leaves out onto the dehydrating trays as shown above.  Dehydrate at 110 degrees for 10-12 hours until crispy but still green.  The actual drying time will vary, depending on the thickness of the coating. 
Let the chips cool completely, then immediately store in an airtight container or plastic bag.  (If they are left to the air for longer, they will absorb the moisture in the air and quickly lose their crispness.)

Reminder: you can 'grind' sesame seeds 3/4 cup (or less) at a time in a Vitamix blender.  Chop on high 15-20 seconds.  Remove from base, stir up, and chop on high another 10-15 seconds.  Adding ground sesame seeds to recipes affords you their added nutritional boost, but with a milder flavor than tahini.  (see blog from 10.4.14 to see an example of ground sesame seeds)  Freeze seeds before grinding to keep them from getting too warm and possibly altering the oils they contain.)
Enjoy!

Fruit and Veggie Refresher

This dessert has a very light, refreshing taste, and the Agar powder does a nice job of gelling it.  It arose from fond thoughts of a gelatin salad my Mom made years ago that had a weird combination of ingredients that tasted great together.  As it was one of my favorites, so began the experimenting to replicate the recipe, albeit a healthier version.  This photo doesn't do it justice. The actual color and texture are quite attractive.  If you have family members that may not eat some of the ingredients if identified, the mixture may be chopped finer for camouflage.  It will produce a more homogeneous flavor, but is still good.

Fruit and Veggie Refresher

2/3 cup pineapple juice
3/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup chopped green cabbage
1/2 cup diced celery (or a bit less)
2 T maple syrup
2 tsp fresh lime juice

3/4 cup 100% orange juice
1 3/4 tsp  agar powder

-Place the first six ingredients in a blender.  Pulse on medium until veggies are 1/4"-1/8" in diameter. (This  will only take a few seconds.)
-Pour into a medium sized bowl.
-Pour the orange juice into a small cooking pot and bring to a very low simmer.
-Whisk in the agar powder and cook whisking constantly for one minute.
-Stir into the above mixture, pour into an 8" x 8" baking dish.
-Cool 5-10 minutes, cover, and chill in the fridge a minimum of six hours, and serve.  This will keep in the  fridge for several days.


-Although 1 3/4 tsp of agar powder sets this to a nice consistency, if you plan to leave this out of the fridge for more than a few minutes (but not more than an hour,) increase the agar powder to 2 tsp.
-Apple juice was tried in place of the OJ, but produced too mild a flavor.  Replacing the OJ with more pineapple juice might be good.  When tried I will let you know on this blog.
Have a joyous and blessed day!

Oatmeal Walnut Cookies

 With their pleasing texture and flavor, these cookies are a new favorite!  The nutrient dense ingredients not only will fuel your body well, they satisfy ones sweet tooth, and keep away those hunger pangs for several hours.  (Using parchment paper and letting the cookies set before removing  from the cookie sheet are crucial steps to remember.) 

Oatmeal Walnut Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

1 cup xv coconut oil, softened

1 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla  (1 1/2 tsp for real vanilla lovers)

1 tsp chia seeds, soaked in 2 T water for a minimum of one hour

1 cup almond flour

1/4 cup ground flax seeds

1/4 tsp whole salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp  guar gum powder

5 cups quick oats

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2-3/4 cup raisins (optional)

-Blend the first four ingredients in a stationery mixer. (A hand held one would work too of course.)   

-Mix together the next five ingredients in a separate bowl, then gradually pour into the blender bowl on low speed.Once completely incorporated, beat on medium to high speed 3-4 minutes until smooth and creamy.  -Turn the mixture back to low and add the oats one cup at a time until all are just blended.  

-Add in the walnuts, then the raisins if desired.  Let the dough rest for 5-20 minutes, until a moist but dense consistency.  

-Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper.  

-Spoon the dough out at least 2" apart in roughly 1 1/2" clumps, and flatten with a fork (dipped in ice water to keep from sticking) to approximately  3/8" thick, and 2 1/4" wide.  

-Bake: 350 F for 8-12 minutes, until center springs back when lightly touched and edges are lightly browned.  -Place cookie sheet on cooling rack for 3-5 minutes for cookies to set, then carefully transfer cookies to cooling rack to cool and set completely.  

-Store in an air tight container: they will keep several days. If the weather is very hot, store in the fridge.

-Liquid coconut oil was tried too, but 3/4-1 cup additional oats needed to be added, which produced a drier cookie, not the moist cookie produced with soft xvco and less oats.  

-The 30-40 cookies this makes have been eaten right up, so I have not tried freezing any yet, but assume they would freeze just fine.  

Enjoy!

Thimbleberry Shake

Wow, August went by very quickly.  This beautiful purple color above comes from this years thimble berries (aka blackberries.)  Also incuded was  almond milk, chia seeds, possibly half an avocado to make a creamier texture, and a little honey or maple syrup if you like a sweeter shake. The  latest addition to fruit shakes is a tablespoon or so of Tropical Traditions coconut cream concentrate, for a little extra sweetness and creaminess also.  The earlier season black raspberries (aka black caps) picked a little unripe are still delicious, but a little tart.  Thimble berries picked when fully ripe are delicious also, but if picked before their time are REALLY tart!  I remind myself when picking, walk by faith, not by sight:  God will bring good out of even bad situations in our lives, as we love Him, and love and care for His children. We only see what's happening this moment, not the full picture that is unfolding.  Off the track a bit-  the thimble berries may look ripe, but unless they fall off from the slightest touch, they aren't ripe yet.
There are two different kinds of plants: ones with thorns, and the newer thornless varieties.  On the traditional plants, the thorns are extremely hard and sharp, but the flavor of the berries is worth it.  They also tolerate the cold temperatures here in western New York State well.  The thornless variety has a flavor I don't personally care for, but others don't notice a difference, and still others prefer them.  They are wonderful to maintain and pick though, but the canes don't survive the winter quite as well.  We lose between 20 and 100% of the canes each year here. A few years back, after several years in a row of total cane loss,  I stood in front of that patch and said, "if there is no fruit next year I'm digging you up and planting blueberries here."  The next summer we had a good crop.  Talking to your plants does work!  (I'm sure we just had a milder winter finally.)  I confess, I do talk to the plants sometime while weeding, in a nicer way.  And then there was the conversations with the chipmunk a couple years ago who was causing so much trouble and even built a den under the garden between the bigger veggies.  He (or she) would pop out of the hole and look at me weeding.  I would chastise him for eating my veggies and remind him there were many other things to eat elsewhere.  He sat up, looked at me, and in a rather unpleasant tone scolded me for being in HIS garden!  We had this exchange several times that summer!
The variety with thorns we grow is Illini.  The thornless variety is Triple Crown.  I recommend trying the actual berries you choose to plant if at all possible.
Have a joyous and blessed day!

Kale Chips

I love kale; nutritious, but sturdy.  A couple weeks ago the temperature ranged from roughly 18-58 degrees F, the next 10 days between 25 and 40, and the Winterbor kale popped back every time!  The spinach and arugula hung in there through the nights in the upper 20's, but nowhere near as long as the kale.  It does have its limit though so it was time to pull all but the last couple.  The kale crisp recipe in the book reduces a lot of kale down to a smaller more concentrated amount to store in jars for snacking later, or to crunch up and throw in soup.  Tossing and baking a smaller amount to eat up in a few days though produces a lighter snack with a little less concentrated kale flavor.  They're like potato chips- you can't eat just one!

What you'll need for these (in approximate amounts) is as follows:

3/4 pound kale, midribs removed before weighing (1-2 bunches: if washed, dry before weighing)
3-4 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder (or 1/2 T fresh minced)
1/2 tsp + whole salt

Toss the kale with 3 T oil, then the powder and salt.  If at least 90% of the Kale leaves aren't lightly coated with oil, toss in up to one more Tablespoon oil.  Spread a single layer of leaves onto a cookie sheet with sides.  Bake in a 275 degree F oven for 10 minutes, flip over as best you can, and bake another 5-10 minutes until light and crispy.  Cool completely.
Thanks for the idea Kristy!

Nutty Seed Brittle

No oven involved; these are a delicious, nutritious, super quick snack.

Nutty Seed Brittle

Mix #1                                                               Mix#2
½ cup sunflower seeds                                  ¾ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup pumpkin seeds                                    ¼ cup sesame seeds, brown unhulled
¼ cup sesame seeds, brown unhulled       ¼ cup pecans, chopped very fine
¼  cup pecans, chopped very fine
              
Syrup                                                              Mix#3
½ tsp xv coconut oil                                     2/3 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped                                        
½ tsp liquid lecithin                                     ½ cup sunflower seeds
1 T tahini                                                      ¼ cup pecans, chopped very fine
4 tsp honey                                                 2 T sesame seeds
4 tsp maple syrup

Cover a large cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper, & have a second piece at hand.  Mix together seeds & nuts & set aside.  Place a 15” nonstick fry pan on low.  Add syrup ingredients in order listed, in the same spot.  Increase burner temp to medium/high, stirring constantly.  Stir for 1-2 minutes until nice & bubbly.  (If syrup darkens more than just slightly, pan is too hot.)  Stir in the seeds & nuts, stirring & flipping for 2-4 minutes until a bit fragrant.  Pour onto parchment paper and spread out a bit using the edge of the spatula.  Put the second piece of paper over the top &roll out with a rolling pin to a thin layer.  Remove top paper, cool completely, break up into pieces & store in an airtight container.   In the hot/humid weather, store in the frig.

Options: for those who like more of a sweet/salty flavor, 1/8 tsp salt may be added.  For a more toasted flavor, the sunflower seeds may be dry roasted in the pan on med/high for 1-3 minutes before making the syrup, then added in with the rest of the nuts.  (Stir them as they roast.)  Measuring out such small amounts of the syrup ingredients can be a bit challenging.  Better to have a little more than less in all but the tahini, which may reduce the crunchiness if too much.   For bars, line an 8”x8” baking dish with parchment paper, pour in mixture & press down very firmly.  When still partially warm press down with a pastry cutter into 1 ½” squares.  If your fry pan is any smaller, make half a recipe at a time for better results.  Half the recipe cooked in the larger pan will produce  crispier brittle.

Honey Roasted Nuts

The honey roasted nut recipe started with a desire to create a recipe for roasted nuts  that would taste like the ones that are in the granola.  These ended up nothing like them, but everybody loves them!  You can use 4 cups of any kind of nuts you prefer.  The most important thing to remember is to make sure the syrup has melted down in between the nuts after the first seven minutes, and the syrup in between the nuts after the second seven minutes is a little darker than at first;  sort of a medium brown/ dark tan color.  If it's the same color it was after the first seven minutes bake one more minute and recheck. Remember to stir in the chilipowder after  it finishes baking!

These are always popular when I’ve taken them places, & joyously received when given as a gift.

Honey roasted nuts

3 T light olive oil
6 T honey
1 T liquid lecithin
½ tsp whole salt
¼ tsp baking soda

1 cup almonds
1 ½ cups pecans
1 ½ cups walnuts

¾ tsp chili powder

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Whisk together oil through soda until turns a lighter creamy color.  Mix in the nuts & spread out onto a large cookie sheet with sides.  Bake 300 degrees for 7 minutes.  Stir up, spread out, & bake another 7 minutes, until the mixture between the nuts is just a little brown.   Set on a cooling rack, sprinkle the chili powder over the top & mix together thoroughly.  Every 5 minutes stir up the nuts until they cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.

Please note:  If the mixture has not browned a bit at the end of the cooking time it will not set, if left in even a minute too long may burn.  In a warm humid area these need to be put in the frig as soon as cooled.  In a cool dry area they can be left in a jar on the counter for a week or so.  Be sure to add the chili powder AFTER baking.  For those with a spicy palette, use 1 tsp chili powder.  They may sound a little fussy to make, but once you find the right combination of times for your oven, they are one of the quickest & easiest things to make.

Easy Crunchy Crackers

Don’t be fooled by the short ingredient list.  These crackers are the best, with several variations to please everyone.

Easy Crunchy Crackers

½ cup oat flour
1 cup barley flour (more for rolling out)
¾ cup spelt flour
1 ¼ tsp whole salt

¾ cup warm water
Toasted sesame seeds, cumin seeds, etc.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and set a smooth pizza stone in it to warm up

Blend together the flours and salt.  Stir in water with a fork until it forms a ball.  (Add more barley flour if too sticky)    Gently and slowly knead for 5 minutes.  Cover with a damp towel and let it sit for 10-60 minutes.  It will be a heavy dense dough.   Cut into 4 pieces and place back under the damp towel.  One piece at a time flatten out with floured fingers enough to add ½ tsp seeds.  Fold over and proceed to gently knead the seeds into dough.  Flatten out with floured fingers to about 1/3” thick.  Making sure there is ample flour underneath, roll out to 1/32”-1/16” thickness. (The thinner the crispier)  Lightly sprinkle with salt & roll into dough.  Remove the pizza stone from the oven and carefully slide the dough onto it.  Cut into 1”-2” squares.  (A pizza cutter works nicely.) Bake 7-10 minutes, until crackers are hard to the touch and slightly browned.  Cool completely on cooling rack before storing in an airtight container... if there’s any left.

Options:  Replace all the flour with 2 ½ cups fresh ground rye flour and add 2 tsp caraway or sesame seeds with the dry ingredients.   Replace all the flours with; ¾ cup oat flour, 1 cup barley flour, ½ cup buckwheat flour.  Seeds can be added as stated above, or rolled into the top with the sprinkle of salt.  

Coconut Bars

 These are simply great!  Light, sweet, & very quick to make.

Coconut Bars

Syrup:
¾ tsp xv coconut oil
¾ tsp liquid lecithin
1 ½ T tahini
2 T honey
2 T maple syrup
½ tsp vanilla

Dry mix options:
Option 1:
2 ½ cups dry, unsweetened coconut flakes
2/3 cup almonds, chopped fine
2 ½ T sesame seeds, brown unhulled
Option 2:
2 cups dry, unsweetened coconut flakes
¾ cup almonds, chopped fine
Option 3:
2 cups dry, unsweetened coconut flakes
½ cup almonds, chopped fine
2 T sesame seeds, brown unhulled

Instructions:

Mix together the dry ingredients option of your choice & set aside.  Heat a thick bottom, nonstick 12” fry pan on low.  Drop the syrup ingredients into the pan in the order listed.   Raise the temp to med/high stirring constantly.  Once it begins to softly bubble, stir another minute. (If it starts to darken, the temp is too high.)  Sprinkle the dry ingredients evenly over syrup.  Stir and fold together for 3-5 minutes until well incorporated, no longer clumpy, & just slightly browned in some spots. Immediately pour into an 8”x8” baking dish lined with parchment paper.  With a second piece of paper press down very firmly, then cool until slightly warm.  With a pastry cutter cut straight down, into 2” squares.  Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.  (For a crispier bar reduce the tahini to 1 tsp & allow to brown just a tiny bit more.)