recipe

Chia Blueberry Banana Bread

I always manage to keep bananas on deck at home, as frozen naners are the bff to any possible smoothie combo. Yet sometimes I admittedly get too lazy to peel them at their peak ripeness for the freezer and am left with perfectly, softy gooey brown bananas. This is in deed the true key to delish banana bread, and with those withering away on the counter and blubs withering away in the fridge I figured might as well throw it all together for a sweet, moist fiber-packed treat.

Chia seeds make for a nice little addition to this recipe and also rack up its somewhat-sorta-kinda-healthy points. Chia seeds are high in fiber, protein, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids. Plus, turns out they make a pleasantly crunchy crust when baked on top.

This recipe was super simple and turned out perfecto - def adding it to my "list of things to bake boys". Enjoy!

Adapted from this recipe


INGREDIENTS:

1/2 c wheat pastry flour
1 c coconut flour 
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Lots of cinnamon
1 tbsp cardamom
3 mashed bananas
1 cup blueberries
3 eggs
1/4 c of maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c coconut milk
1 Tbs coconut oil
4 tbs ground chia seeds

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While preheating, line a bread pan with wax paper.

2. Mix all the dry ingredients and half of your chia seeds together until well sifted.

3. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients with a mixer until smooth consistency.

4. Combine the two bowls and further mix with the hand-held mixer.

5. Gently fold in the blueberries.

6. Pour mixture in the lined bread pan. Pat down top so that the surface is even and then sprinkle with remaining ground chia seeds.

7. Bake for around 50 minutes (coconut flour typically takes a bit longer).

Pear, Quinoa, and Cinnamon Spice Bread

This weekend Tallahassee had its first ever Food Swap, which unsurprisingly turned out to be a huge success. Hosted at the lovely Anhaica Shop, all sorts of good folks showed up with batches of homemade jams, spreads, preserves, pickles, foraged foods, fresh fruits and produce, baked goods, on and on! One of the goods I brought for trade was a homemade bread - quite heavy from the quinoa - but because of the added grain provides a punch of good nutrition in every bite.

Despite quinoa's Kardashian-esque like rise to celebrity status, bby girl grain is worth its oft referenced superfood praise. Host to extremely beneficial phytonutrients, quinoa provides both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in distinctly concentrated amounts. Quinoa also offers a significantly higher content of healthy fats in comparison to its other grain contemporaries like wheat and rice. Composed of monounsaturated fats and small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, quinoa's high fat content allows for its incredible nutritional value to sustain under greater amounts of oxidation that occurs when being cooked. Another especially nutritious trait of quinoa is its role as a complete source of protein. Unlike most grains, quinoa has the adequate amount of amino acids lysine and isoleucine qualifying its protein as both high in quality and content. Powers of protein and fiber combined, quinoa can be an excellent choice when regulating blood sugar and maintaining good levels of cholesterol.

So, back to the bread. The pear puree helped to provide added moistness to each dense slice, plus a little extra hint of sweet that paired so well with the cinnamon spice. I also added a bit of molasses for a more warmth, but took it easy on the sugar because of the pear's natural sweetness. The final product definitely is neutral enough to make this loaf appropriate for casual use, but with a few modifications here and there it would be real simple to have a more sweet and spiced dessert bread.

I don't eat bread often, much less bake it, but always find it to be one of the more rewarding products of cooking. Or maybe its just those first 10 minutes of successful yeast activation that gets me every time... Either way, here's to spending the rest of winter exploring the world of baking breads. Wish me luck! 


Ingredients

Recipe adapted from here

Makes one full regular bread pan loaf, or divide dough
evenly for two smaller loafs

1 cup cooked quinoa (1/4 c uncooked)
3/4 cup water
4 tbsp warm water
1 packet (3 tsp) active yeast
2 small pears chopped
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2+ cups bread flour
2/3 tsp salt
1 tbsp raw brown sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp molassas

Method

1. Cook quinoa until tender. While cooking chop your pears and grate your ginger. Once quinoa has cooled, add it to your food processor with the pears, ginger, cinnamon and other spice, molasses, and salt. Blend until a smooth puree.

2. In a larger bowl, add active yeast packet to 4 tbsp of warm water and 1 tbsp brown sugar. Mix well and then let sit for activation. This should take about 10 minutes or so to foam. Be careful your water isn't too warm or it will kill the poor yeasts.

3. In a large mixing bowl, add all of your flower and the pear/quinoa puree mix. Once the yeast is ready, add it in and mix well until your dough is formed. You may need to add more water or flower at this time. 

4. Knead the dough well for around five or more minutes, or until soft. Dough should be a bit sticky.

5. Place dough in a well greased or parchment lined container, cover, and let site in a warm spot for around an hour and a half to rise.

6. By now your dough has risen to at least double in size. Take out and re-shape for your bread loaf pan. Grease the pan well (I used coconut oil) and add dough with the crease line facing down. Sparingly add more water and oil to the top of the roll. Cover and let sit for another hour or so.

7. Bake at 365 degrees F for around 35 to 40 minutes, or until top is golden. Once done remove and let cool completely before slicing.

Berry Crumble

This year E entered her tomatoes in the annual Tomato Feastival put on by Tally's finest Turkey Hill Farm. What better better way to sway the judges than with tomatoes in one hand and a berry crisp in the other? Her lil' sungold tomatoes didn't make the cut but participants in the cake walk sure were drooling at this crispy crumble. 

The beauty of a crumble is that is can be served in a bowl—no need to worry about a pie crust breaking before it reaches the plate. Can we just stop and take a second to think about all the amazing flavors that come along with summer.. Mmmmm ALL THE BERRIES.. I digress heres the recipe:


Ingredients:

Filling:
Blueberries
Blackberries
Strawberries
Rasberries
1 tbsp arrowroot powder
Juice and/or zest from 1 lemon
 

Crust:
1/2 cup earth balance softened
1 cup loosely packed brown sugar
1 cup gluten free oats
1/2 cup gf flour blend
1/4 cup hazelnut meal
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
 


 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a regular baking or pie dish with cooking oil.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the fruit and arrowroot powder and lemon juice, by hand and toss to coat the fruit. Set the fruit mixture evenly in the baking dish and set aside. 

3. In a large bowl, mix room temp butter with brown sugar then combine, oats, flour, hazelnut, cinnamon, and salt. Break up any lumps of flour or brown sugar.

4. Sprinkle the oat mixture on top of the fruit. Use spatula or spoon to lightly pack the crisp topping.

5. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling around the edges.

Ode to Root Veggies

We really wanted to make a dish that featured straight root vegetables front and center. The term root vegetable is a general one, referring to vegetables from botanical families that store nutrients either in their edible roots or in the underground stems called tubers. They are the unsung superstars of the winter produce universe, and once you look beyond the bins of potatoes you’ll discover a whole new realm of rich flavors, colors and textures, as well as copious amounts of complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Enjoy as a meal, accompaniment them with a soup or throw on top of salad greens for a weekday lunch. This is a fragrant and comforting dish, in a very good-for-you way. 

Ingredients:

½ lb. fingerling/red potatoes, roughly chopped
3 heirloom carrots, roughly chopped
2 parsnips, roughly chopped
2 sweet potatoes, roughly chopped
1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped
1 fennel bulb, chopped
1 head garlic, peeled
bok choy for color (optional)
2 tbsps thyme
2 teaspoons rosemary
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
drizzle of honey
sliced almonds or nut of your choice
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Place potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, and red onions in a large bowl and toss together.

3. With the side of a knife, gently smash each clove of garlic and add it to the bowl of vegetables.

4. Add the herbs, oil and a drizzle of honey to the vegetables and generously season with salt and pepper.

5. Pour the seasoned vegetables onto a large roasting pan and spread in a single layer.

6. Roast vegetables in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. (Gently stirring the vegetables halfway through the cooking time) Serve.

Baked Pear and Fennel Stacks

We got fennel with our Ten-Speed Greens CSA which was like Christmas come early because fennel is basically one of the most delicious yet versatile yet unique herbs out there. While its bulb is what's more commonly used for culinary purposes, fennel seeds are known to have great nutritional and medicinal value. Fennel has a number of unique phytonutrients, one of which being anethole- known for its powerful inflammatory and cancer fighting properties.

As an ingredient, fennel often pairs with savory dishes but happens to also really compliment the sweet. Its flavor is reminiscent of licorice, and can be eaten raw or cooked. The whole plant is edible- base, stalk, and leaves. For this recipe we used the base, and then leaves for garnish.

Baked fruit is an amazing dessert alternative to heavier cakes or pies. Plus it can easily be dressed in all your favorite holiday spices. It taste great with a scoop of cream while still warm. Our recipe is pretty no brainer. Sliced pears sandwiched with fennel, coated in warm spices and sugar, baked to the perfection and then drenched in a super easy white wine reduction = heyoooo. Its SO good and would make a great dish for these holiday meals coming up.


Ingredients:

3 ripe pears
1 stalk fennel
1 tbsp coconut oil (or butter)
Raw honey to drizzle
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Sea salt
1/2 cup Brown sugar
1 cup white wine
1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Slice pears horizontally - thickness to your preference. 
3. Slice fennel bulb in a similar fashion.
4. Coat your baking skillet or dish with melted coconut oil and honey. 
5. Place your slices evenly throughout the dish. Garnish the the fennel stems and cinnamon sticks.
6. Before baking, pour a quick mixture of coconut oil, honey, brown sugar, and spices over the pears and fennel, evenly.
7. While your dish is baking, whisk together your reduction: white whine and vinegar over the stove, with brown sugar until syrup thickens.
8. When your pear and fennel is done baking, create your stacks by alternating between the two.
9. Dress with your reduction.

Raw Avocado Ganache

We totally swoon over the idea of *treat yo self* with jaw-dropping sweet treats that are actually good for you. Therefore, we are dubbing this dessert our (un)official triple R chocolate experience--It’s rich, raw annnnd rewarding! Not to mention the fact that it's incredibly easy to make. The foundation for the recipe includes one of our favoirte ingredients, avocados! They are not only incredibly nutritious and great for your skin, but they also an excellent non-dairy base ingredient for any creamy dessert. Feel free to leave this crust out and prepare as a mousse. Add raw cacao nibs and fruit and/or freeze for a few hours for some purely decadent (but rly) chocolate ice cream.


Ingredients:

For the base

½ cups dried cranberries
1 tbsp almond butter
1.5 tbsp coconut oil
tbsp raw cacao nibs
 ½ tsp sea salt

For the filling

4 avocados
 ½ cup coconut oil
1 cup raw cocoa 
1 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp raw sugar
1 tbsp vanilla 
1 tsp sea salt

Method:

1. Mix all of your base ingredients in a food processor, until consistency is smooth.
2. Press your base into the pie pan, as this will be the crust for the ganache.
3. Add all of the filling ingredients into your food processor, and grind until the consistency becomes smooth (like a pudding).
4. Spread the filling over the crust, and then pop the ganache in the fridge for a few hours to set.
5. Nom out.

Pickle Me Pink

Our weekly loot from Ten-Speed Greens this month has provided the prettiest rainbow chard and watermelon radishes.  We decided to throw these beauts in a quick pickle brine, allowing their vanity to flourish and our taste buds to celebrate. The bright pink has sorta settled over everything in the jar, giving the pickles a real gorgeous color. 

Pickling is great for veggies you can already enjoy raw, and the specific flavors of chard and radish (with the red onion and garlic we threw in) is like a serious smack-down on your average cucumber. Plus this takes our pickle-backs to like next level status.

Pickle brine is super easy to make, with the pretext of equal parts water and vinegar. We used apple cider vinegar and a bit of white wine for extra sweetness. Its nice to play around with different herbs and spices. We let the veggies do the talking and kept our recipe simple. 

These pickles are ready to enjoy in about 24 hours and should last at most a month, assuming you don't eat em all at once.


Ingredients:

1 cup white wine
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
The stems from one bunch rainbow chard
1 bunch of watermelon radishes sliced crosswise
1
 small red onion, thinly sliced crosswise

Method:

1. Chop veggies, add veggies to an open face jar
2. Mix sugar salt, white wine, acv and water
3. Pour over veggies
4. Refrigerate for 24 hours.

Spiced Apple & Caramelized Fennel Whole Wheat Biscuits

Warm buttery biscuits often goes over-looked, especially when half your friends are gluten free and carb consumption is limited to bananas and beer. But when that perfectly appropriate time does come for homemade cornbread, biscuits, dinner rolls, and other glutinously delectable variations, who can really complain?

These biscuits deviated pretty much entirely from this recipe (how good does that sound?!) but nevertheless were a success. With leftover fennel hanging around, fresh picked mountain apples, and the perfect excuse to use seasonal spices, this random combination of ingredients resulted in a next-level flavor combo.

Honestly, you could get away with pretty much any bread variation for this recipe, but it was breakfast when I served those so made sense for biscuits.


Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour (set a cup or so aside for when rolling out the dough)
1 tbsp baking powder
1 pinch of fine sea salt
Cinnamon, nutmeg, and any other spiced seasoning of choice
3/4 cup liquid coconut oil.
1/2 cup of organic honey
2 tbsp of brown sugar
2 eggs
A dribble of warm water or milk of choice
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 to 2 cups of peeled apples
1 whole fennel (you can choose to use the whole vegetable, I only used the bulb).

 

Method:

For the spiced apples: Preheat the over to 400 degree F
1. Peel the apples, then cut into thin slices. Toss them in with 1/3 of the coconut oil, spices, and the brown sugar.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pop in the oven for about 10 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven and save the parchment paper!

For the fennel:
1. I used the bulb for this, but you can use whatever part of the fennel you want. The bulb caramelizes better though. If you choose to use that, go ahead and chop it up into small sized chunks. 
2. Add a few tbsp of the coconut oil to the pain, or just enough to reach all the fennel.
3. Toss the fennel in and cook until caramelized.
* In this step you can chose to further season the fennel with sugar, a bit of sea salt, honey, or anything else really. I used a bit of brown sugar with the coconut oil.
4. When done remove to cool.

For the biscuits: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
1. Add together the flour, baking powder, salt and spices.
2. Pour in the remainder of the coconut oil, your honey, and vanilla extract.
3. Gently whisk the eggs and milk choice together, then add the caramelized fennel, and THEN add into your mixture.
4. Fold all ingredients in together so that they've absorbed into the flour.
5. Roll out the dough and then cut with a round biscuit cutter. Use extra flour if needed. Because you will be stuffing the biscuits with your now tender spiced apples, try and be weary of the size you cut the rounds.
6. Once you have your biscuits cut out, place an apple slice in the center of each, and then fold around so that it (mostly) covers the center. 
7. Finish stuffing the biscuits, then place on top of your parchment paper you used earlier for the apples. The paper should still be sugary moist from the coconut oil and sugar. 
8. Pop in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until cooked.

Take out, smother in buttah, and enjoy!

Turnip the Beetza' with Fennel & Honey Cashew Cream

SPOILER ALERT: We won for our category!! Victory never tasted so savory. Congrats to the other winners, competitors, and big thanks to Ten-Speed Greens and our super profesh judges.

Ten-Speed Greens recently hosted their November pie contest, and with little to no mental effort we thought to attend as competitors. The categories were sweet and savory, and the opposition was fierce. Having recently proclaimed our love for Ten-Speed (plus the added incentive of getting to eat a lot of delicious pie without shame or the pain of a recent break-up) there was no way we were missin' this.

After serious deliberation (and looking at a lot of late-night pie pix), we finally decided on a savory pie recipe. Icing (cream?) on the pie, we were going to use part of our Ten-Speed CSA for the ingredients. A scallion cauliflower crust, kale pesto base, roasted veggies on top, with thick dollops of fennel and honey cashew cream. Noms. So not only did the pie sound good, have local ingredients, but it tasted alright too. 

Each step is pretty easy, none of the recipes call for unfamiliar ingredients. Plus we luuuuv cauliflower so why bother with a conventional crust? The scallions, turnips, and mustards came from our CSA. Of course using fresh produce is like, well duh, especially since this pie isn't too heavy and uses minimal seasoning. But two pro tips to be aware of: the last step of poppin' the pie back in the oven for about 10 minutes is crucial to ensure extra crispiness, especially since the crust only continues to moisten with the pesto; find that perfect balance of seasoning, it can be easy to too heavily season each component (because it tastes good) but then when you have finished layering your pie, it might taste like a someone poured a jar of salt in your mouth.


Ingredients:

for the crust:
3 C. mixed cauliflower (about 1 small head or ½ large head)
¾ C. almond flour or coconut flour
1 bunch of scallions
Salt & pepper to taste
2 eggs or
3 flax "eggs" (1 egg = 1 Tbsp. flaxseed meal and 3 Tbsp. water, so 3 Tbsp. flaxseed meal and 9 Tbsp. water)
* If you've got some nooch layin around, might as well add some to the crust!

for the pizza pie:
Beets
White turnips
Red onions
1 bunch of leafy greens,
we used mustard greens

3-4 thyme sprigs
Kale pesto*
Cashew cream*

for the kale pesto:
6 cups chopped kale
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup pine nuts
1 heaped teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste

for the cashew cream:
1 cup of cashews (soaked overnight)
water (so it just slightly covers the cashews)
2 tbsp of raw honey
1 to 2 tbsp of fennel seeds

 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. We used 2 real eggs as a binder, but to make the flax "eggs", mixing 3 Tbsp. flaxseed meal with 9 Tbsp water and set aside.
3. 
While the flax eggs are processing, wash the cauliflower and place in a food processor or blender. Chop until it reaches a rice-like consistency.
6. 
Finely chop scallions.
7. Place the cauliflower, almond flour, scallions, salt, pepper (and any other seasonings to taste) in a large bowl and mix well.
8. Add your 2 eggs now, or the flax eggs, to the dry mixture and combine until well blended. Add olive oil if the crust isn't moist enough. Form the dough into a ball.
9. 
Place the dough in the center of the lined pie panned and, using clean hands, flatten the dough to about ½ inch thickness, leaving the edges a bit thicker.
10. S
lice beets, onions, and turnips and then coat the veggies in olive oil and thyme.
11. Place the vegetables and crust in the oven, and cook for about 20 minutes.
12. While this is baking, prepare your kale pesto and cashew cream. Both require simply mixing, in the food processor and high speed blender, respectively. 

13. When the crust and pizza pie toppings are ready brush your kale pesto on top as your first layer. Place the beets, turnips, onions, and now leafy greens on second, and then drizzle your cashew cream on top.
13. 
Bake for another 10 or so minutes at 400 degrees (unfortunately we ran out of time to complete this last step... but please don't make our mistake! This step is crucial to definitely have cooked crust).

Grandma's Granola

This isn’t my grandma’s granola recipe. This recipe was for my grandma, as gift for her birthday. Also in a way a gift to my grandpa- he can’t leave the breakfast table till his yogurt is gone, and he hates yogurt. But pouring this granola on it should alleviate some of the pain.

The good thing about good granola, is that there never necessarily has to be a rhyme or rhythm to what ingredients get thrown in. It’s easy to take the traditional route - nuts, dried berries, seeds, etc. Then of course there’s some cray flavor combos worth experimenting with- cacao, espresso, black cherries, balsamic vinegar, goji berries, other random delicious ingredients… And of course it’s always nice to be seasonal (pumpkin pie spice on everything?).  

Either way, everything tastes great when its drenched in sugar. I skipped conventional brown sugar and used raw honey instead. Lots of raw honey. That, with the coconut oil and almond butter keeps this granola batch really moist. Which is important because granola is easy to burn. The rest of the ingredients revolve around the “go big or go home” mantra, pouring in just about everything in the kitchen cupboard. 

I ran the dried fruits and 1/2 of the nuts through the food processor, but for a chunkier granola just chop to desired size. Also, be sure to use pitted dates! Obvious, but unfortunate if forgotten.

It’s good to keep an eye on your granola when its in the oven, mixing it around occasionally so that everything bakes evenly. For extra crispiness, either continue to bake on a lower temperature, or just take out and let sit overnight. When done, put in an airtight container. Then hide the container. Granola so good its hard to put down.


Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut oil (some will be used to oil the pan)
3 cups rolled oats (be sure to soak overnight)
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup raw coconut flakes
1/2 cup flax seeds
lots of shakes of cinnamon & nutmeg
1/2 cup (ore more) raw almond butter with maple
1/4 cup pistachios
2 cups pecans (love em)
1/2 cup dried apricots
4 of 5 dates
1/2 cup almonds
2 cups raw honey (sure that’s a lot, but its how I can get away with no sugar)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚
2. Cut up the dried fruits, dates, and any larger nuts. Chop in larger chunks, or for more of a past throw in the food processor.
3. Combine the oats and flax seeds in a large mixing bowl.
4. Melt the coconut oil, and combine 1/4 with the oats.
5. Add in the honey, almond butter, and reaming ingredients. Combine with hands (the mixture is usually a bit tough, so this way usually is the easiest to evenly mix everything in).
6. Depending on desired moisture, add more honey if necessary. Or a dribble of almond milk.
7. Add in any whole nuts.
8. Oil your baking sheet with the remainder of your melted coconut oil.
9. Turn the oven down to 325˚, and bake granola for about 20 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on it, mixing and turning over as necessary.

Garden Greens & Sweet Potato Soup

Soup is seriously one of the easiest, and most satisfying meals to make when the weather gets cold. Plus it acts as an impromptu hand warmer by way of mug. No disrespect to the wide array of canned or boxed soups, that you can pick up anywhere from the gas station to the grocery store. Using fresh ingredients, especially those picked from the garden just a few hours earlier, usually makes the meal worth the extra hours and work. Save the campbell's for desperate times.

This soup is easy, nothin' fancy, but tastes way too delicious. Way too delicious because of the incredibly fresh, crisp, and homegrown greens used in the recipe. The greens: kale, collards, and cabbage; plus hearty sweet potatoes make this soup heavy enough for winter nights and empty stomachs. A few other necessary ingredients to top it off, and everyone's happy!


Ingredients:

Greens: kale, collards, and cabbage. However much you'd like to use. I put about a 2 heads of each.
2 medium-sized organic sweet potatos
No-chicken vegetarian bullion (or real chicken bullion), amount dependent on how much water you use
2 small red onions
3 cloves of garlic
1 can crushed tomatoes 
1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp organic coconut oil
Salt, pepper, other seasoning to taste

Method:

1. Dice the onions and garlic. Sauté in coconut oil. Cooking stirring for five to ten minutes. Use the pot you'll be cooking the soup in.
2. Once the onions and garlic are soft, add in your water and bullion. The amount of bullion is dependent on how many cups of water you use. Also add any extra seasoning.
3. After adding the water, throw in your cubed sweet potatoes. Keep the temp on high and allow the water to reach a boil. Once it has, turn it down to low and cover the pot.
4. After about 10 minutes (more or less), check to see that your sweet potatoes are tender. If so, throw in your greens and crushed tomatoes. 
5. Keeping the stove temp on low, place the lid back on the pot for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until the greens are soft. This will happen quickly so keep an eye out. Nobody wants mushy greens!

Sea Salt Honey Popcorn with Pumpkin Pie Spice

We've already proclaimed our love for popcorn- possibly the most mindless yet instantly satisfying snack attack out there. With fall flavors officially taking over our kitchens, we thought we'd upgrade our usual recipe with new fave pumpkin pie spice. This seasoning is a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves, and goes just as well with dranks as it does food. The recipe is super simple, has mostly basic kitchen ingredients, and tastes pretty much like pumpkin pie- but with a lot less work.

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Ingredients: 

1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
5 tablespoons organic popcorn kernels
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons organic honey
Several shakes of pumpkin pie spice seasoning

Both sea salt and honey can be added in proportions of preference

 

Method:

1. In a large stove-top pot, add coconut oil and heat over medium heat until it is completely melted.
2. Add in the popcorn kernels and salt. Cover completely with lid until you hear the kernels begin to pop. As soon as you do, remove the lid slightly to let out air pressure (or else your kernels will quickly burn).
3. When kernels are finished popping, pour into a large bowl.
4. Drizzle honey over the warm popcorn, then sprinkle with the pumpkin pie spice

Roasted Salt, Vinegar & Dill Chickpeas

 Sometimes we’ve just got to satisfy a craving for crunchy, salty foods. Our usual go-to is old school popcorn, popped in a pot. The amount of popcorn that we eat is almost borderline embarrassing.. but we couldn't probably survive on it alone. Roasted nuts tend to have the same effect. A great alternative that often gets overlooked for a bowl of hummus, is oven roasted chickpeas. Especially now that the temperatures are dropping and some nights all you want to do is cuddle up with a warm bowl of whatever snack what-have-you. This high protein, low fat, fiber filled snack will do just the trick to ease your conscience and get your crunchy fix. You can literally throw whatever combination of spices you’d like onto these guys, toss 'em into the oven for a short amount of time, and then, BLOOM, i mean, BOOM: you’ve made yourself a healthy and satisfying snack attack. 

Enjoy hot, or if you can manage not to eat them in one sitting (unlike us), store in a an air tight container. Like popcorn, the chickpeas are never as good the next day- they tend to loose crispy-ness after 24 hours.

We went with a salt, vinegar and dill recipe to thrill our taste buds. Why? Because we are suckers for VINEGAR EVERYTHING. Great way to get that salt and vinegar fix without chowing down on a bag of chips. Chickpeas will take on any flavor you give them so go on with yo bad self and get creative. Grab a bowl of roasted chickpeas the next time you’re on your way to watch Breaking Bad (RIP) or replace them with croutons and sprinkle on top of a salad. Oh and in all seriousness, we highly recommend having different options (sweet, spicy and savory) at disposal for your next happy hour.


Ingredients: 

2 cans of cooked organic chickpeas (drain & rinse)
2 tsps olive oil
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dill

Method: 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Drain the can of garbanzo beans in a strainer and rinse with water for a few seconds to clean off the beans. Shake and tap the strainer to rid of excess water. Pat dry with a towel.

3. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss with all your spices so they are well coated. Make sure chickpeas are in a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes, toss well and flip, then bake for another 15 minutes until the beans are a deep golden brown and crunchy. Let cool and munch. Easy chick peasy ya'll.

Dehydrated Snackings: Apple & Beet Chips

Because we all need a little munch in our life without added preservatives, you know? These recipes below are simple, crunchy, healthy, and totally addictive. The only problem we have with them, is how fast they seem to disappear from the pantry. Within moments, they’re just.. gone. 

Seasoning your chips is to your preference, but these recipes tend to lean toward a lil' sweet, and a lil' savory. If you're looking for a lot  of chew (like tough as leather), it's better to leave your chips in the dehydrator for a few hours less. For a crunchier bite, stick to our advised dehydrating time of about 12 hours.

 

Beet Chips


Ingredients:

 5 beets, I used golden and red
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup water
Himalayan salt and pepper to taste

 

Method:

1. Mix together cider vinegar, oil and water. Set aside.

2. Slice the beets very thin. I used a mandoline for this.

3. Soak the sliced beets in the water mixture for about 10 minutes. You may have to toss to coat.

4. Spread on screens, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dehydrate at 145 for 45 minutes, reduce heat to 115 and continue dehydrating for about 12 hours or until chips are crunchy. 

*Note: Don’t worry about beginning dehydration temp. The food never goes above 115 and it’s raw integrity is not compromised.

 

Cinnamon Apple Chips


Ingredients:

6-8 apples
5 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
2 tsp cinnamon

 

Method:

1. Slice the apples as thin as you can get them. The key tool to have to make a wafer thin, uniform, crisp apple chip is a mandolin.

2. In a bowl, combine apples, cinnamon, whatever spices, and lemon juice. Mix around so both sides of the apple rings are coated in the mixture. 

3. Place apple rings on mesh drying trays one at a time. Dry at 155°F for about 4 hours or until firm and crisp. Remove from trays, transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 months.

4. Embrace the smell of your kitchen. 

 

Raw Rosemary & Cayenne Flax Crackers

Recently we've stepped (more like ran towards head on) into a dehydrating frenzy. Not only because it gives us an abundance of snack attacks for super cheap, but this method doesn't destroy enzymes in your raw nutrient dense food. WIN WIN here. This is a recipe with flax seeds and chia seeds, so they are very rich in Omega 3s, vitamin E, protein, B vitamins, manganese, magnesium, and fiber. With just a few other basic ingredients- raw garlic and fresh rosemary- you don't need much more than a pinch of salt to have an insanely flavorful cracker.

Take this nourishing and satisfying little snack with you camping or on a long drive and you'll be happy even if you are if the middle of nowhere.


Ingredients:

1/2 cup flaxseeds
1/2 cup hulled hemp seeds or sesame seeds 3 tbsp hulled flax
1 tbsp chia
1/4 cup fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 c water

*Various herbs can be used to tune them to your taste. 

Method:

1. In a medium bowl mix together all ingredients and let sit for 30 minutes to let the chia and flax gelatinize. 

2. If you have a dehydrator spread mixture thinly and evenly on the liner tray. Alternatively line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set your oven to the lowest setting, leaving the oven door cracked open to help keep the temperature below 115 degrees Fahrenheit. dehydrate or bake in oven for 4 to 6 hours until crispy.

3. Break into cracker size pieces.

*Note: they can be preserved in the fridge for about two weeks and in the freezer for about two months.