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Simple Raw Peach Cobbler

6/29/2015

Growing up in Georgia, peaches were the true taste of summer. Every year my Mom and aunt would go to the farmer's market and return with bushels of peaches, which they would prepare and freeze for us to enjoy all year long. However, they never tasted quite as delicious as they did when they were fresh.

This past weekend I came home from the farmer's market with several peaches and have been enjoying them many ways. This simple raw peach cobbler might be on of my favorite peach creations so far. It takes little time to prepare and few ingredients are used. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

Simple Raw Peach Cobbler
(serves 2, or 1 if you find yourself not wanting to share!)

For the cobbler

3 ripe peaches
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
a pinch of cardamom
Small squeeze of lemon

For the crust

1/3 cup pecans, chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
a pinch of salt
1 Tablespoon coconut butter ( I use Coconut Mana by Nutiva)

Peel and thinly slice peaches. Place them in a bowl, squeeze lemon juice over them, add cinnamon and cardamon, and mix well to coat each slice of peach. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix pecans, cinnamon, and salt. Add coconut butter (may need to be softened if yours is too hard to mix) to pecan mixture and combine. I found that using my hands were a great option here, helping to further warm my coconut butter and better combine ingredients.
Layer peaches in a small bowl or tart pan, making an even stack. Top with pecan mixture. Let set for at least 10 minutes giving flavors time to combine. Enjoy!

***Note: If your peaches are not very sweet, you may want to add 1/2-1 Tablespoon of maple syrup. This is best at room temperature.

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Samosa Soup

6/18/2015

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I am a lover of yummy foods packaged in little pillows of dough. Empanadas, spring rolls, pierogies, pupusas, you name it! I love them all and could eat them for every meal. Of all the yummy pockets of food, samosas might be my all time favorite. Because these savory pastries are high in fat and almost always contain gluten, I was inspired to create a samosa soup, which would offer all the yummy flavors of a samosa without the fat and gluten.

Samosa Soup
(serves 4-6)

5-6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes cubed. leave skins on if organic
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion roughly chopped
1/2 Tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1/2 Tablespoon cumin
1/2 Tablespoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
3 cups of vegetable broth (may need more if soup is too thick)
1/3 cup coconut milk (do not use lite milk)
juice of 1/2 lime
1 cup green peas
salt to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
fresh cilantro

Place cubed potatoes in large pot of boiling water and cook until fork soft (about 20 minutes). Drain once cooked and set aside.
In a large pot melt coconut oil over medium heat and cook onion until it starts to become soft. Add garlic and ginger and cook for about 2 minutes more. Add in seasonings and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
Add 2/3 of the cooked potatoes to the pot, leaving the remaining to the side. Pour in 3 cups of the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to a simmer and blend until smooth with a stick blender.
Once blended add the remaining potatoes, peas, coconut milk and additional stock if needed. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Add lime juice, salt and optional red pepper, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Serve soup topped with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

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Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

6/12/2015

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My Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes might be my new favorite way to eat sweet potatoes. These guys are full of flavor and lots of healthy benefits. Treat yourself to this delicious meal today!

2 lg sweet potatoes or 4 on the smaller side
1 T grape seed oil
1 cup black beans, prepared
1 cup quinoa, prepared
1 bunch of kale, stems removed and chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
1/2 T oregano
dash cayenne
dash crushed red pepper
salt to taste if needed

1) Preheat oven to 425. Wrap washed sweet potatoes in aluminum foil and place on baking sheet. Bake for about an hour (times will vary depending size of potatoes). Once potatoes are done remove from oven, unwrap, and allow them to cool until they are cool enough to handle. Cut an oval out of the top of the potato and remove that skin exposing the inside of the potato's flesh. Using a spoon gently scoop out potato, leaving about a 1/4 of an inch of potato to help skin maintain shape. Place removed potato in a bowl and set a aside.

2) Heat grape seed oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Once hot add onion and cook until they begin to soften. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute more.

3) Add kale and stir well. Cook until it just begins to wilt.

4) Add sweet potatoes and all spices. Stir well to combine.

5) Add quinoa and beans. Gently fold them into potato mixture being careful not to mash up the beans too much. Once well combined, remove pan from heat.

6) Fill the potato 'shell' with the mixture. Place stuffed potatoes back in oven set at 350 and heat for about 10-15 minutes.

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Cherry Almond Cacao Smoothie

6/8/2015

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This Cherry Almond Cacao smoothie hit the spot after a nice long yoga practice. Cherries are in season right now and I love their flavor mixed with almond butter and cacao. Best of all, I feel fully recharged and ready for a great week!

Cherry Almond Cacao Smoothie

1 frozen banana
1 cup of cherries (fresh or frozen)
3 kale leaves
1/4 of an avocado
1-2 Tablespoons almond butter
1 Tablespoon cacao nibs
3/4-1 cup non-dairy milk

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until well combined. I personally prefer to add my cacao nibs at the very end so I have a little texture to my smoothie. Enjoy, recharge and nourish your body!

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Key Lime Filled Raspberries

6/5/2015

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Lately the raspberries that I've been finding have been so beautiful and perfectly tasty. I've been eating them with everything I can think of. From that, my key lime filled raspberries were born. With the temperatures starting to heat up, they are perfect for a healthy and refreshing snack.

Raspberries are an excellent source of vitamin C, manganese, and dietary fiber. They are packed full of phytonutrients, which offer antioxidants, anti-inflammatory benefits, and support for a healthy liver. Limes are also high in vitamin C. In addition to that they contain a flavonoid compound that has powerful antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. Coconut butter is full of essential amino acids, calcium, magnesium, healthy fats, and lauric acid, which helps to boost the immune system and kill harmful bacteria and viruses. Now you see why these are such a healthy treat!

Key Lime Filled Raspberries

1 pint of organic raspberries
3 Tablespoons of coconut butter ( I love Coconut Manna by Nutiva)
1/2 Tablespoon of fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon of lime zest
2-4 drops of liquid stevia
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Wash raspberries and gently pat dry.
In a small bowl mix coconut butter, lime juice and zest, stevia, and vanilla until well combined.
Transfer the mixture to either a piping bag or a plastic baggie with one corner cut off, and pipe mixture into raspberry.
Enjoy these little gems right away or store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

Note: If storing in refrigerator the filling will harden slightly, but still tastes delicious.

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Spring Pea Soup

6/3/2015

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One of my favorite travels thus far is the trip I took to Ireland a couple of years ago. Though the food wasn't necessarily a highlight, there is one thing that I absolutely loved eating: the mushy peas. I know, I know, mushy peas do not sound all that appealing. In fact, I know several people who will not even think about eating peas, mushy or not. The truth is, I have always loved green peas. Because of that and the fact that mushy peas will warm you up on a cold drizzly day, I instantly loved them.

I have created a green pea soup that is reminiscent of the mushy peas I loved so in Ireland. Peas are a great source of B vitamins, vitamin K, manganese, fiber, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory. This soup is also vegan and gluten free. Plus, the beautiful green color is perfect for spring!

Spring Pea Soup
(Makes 4-6 servings)

2.5 cups green peas, frozen or fresh
2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled & chopped
1-2 T grape seed oil
2 cloves garlic
1 shallot chopped
1 leak, chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
1 small container of plain coconut milk Greek yogurt
3-5 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot once oil is hot. Cook for about 2 minutes

Add the leaks. Cook for about 5 minutes more, or until onion is translucent.

Add in potatoes and peas. Stir to mix well. Add vegetable broth, cover and cook for about 20 minutes.

Once potatoes are soft, soup should be cooked long enough. Taste soup to decide if you need any salt and pepper. I added a few cracks of fresh pepper and just a dash of sea salt. Remove thyme from the stem and add to soup.

Remove pot from heat. Add in the coconut Greek yogurt. Using either and immersion blender or regular blender, blend soup until smooth. If using regular blender, be sure to to in a few batches, so that the blender is not too full.

Serve and enjoy!

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Simple Raw Peach Cobbler

Samosa Soup

Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Cherry Almond Cacao Smoothie

Key Lime Filled Raspberries

Spring Pea Soup

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