Blueberry and Peach Breakfast Pie

He rolled over, eyes blinking in the morning light, and said that he wanted blueberry pie for breakfast. Even though he might have been kidding, blueberry pie isn't really a laughing matter in my book.  So as the coffee brewed, I pulled out my new and already overused food processor, opened the cabinet, and got to grinding. 

Over the past months, I've been working to understand how to stock a pantry, truly, for moments like this - when you're dying to whip up something delicious, yet healthy, and need the fixings. Through trial and error, the key players look like this: whole grains (millet, quinoa, steel cut oats, popcorn, and rolled oats), dried fruits (dates), nuts (cashews, walnuts, and peanut butter in the fridge) and seeds (chia, ground flaxseed and hemp).  Even though basic or seemingly obvious, when paired with rotations of local and seasonal produce, the possibilities are endless.

Friends, this may have been the moment when the stockpiling paid off.  

Blueberry and peach breakfast pie - a cashew-date crust topped with cashew cream and fruit and drizzled with a salted peanut butter drizzle. So easy, so delicious, and also good for you - and only a little bit in that way where you could say having an oatmeal raisin cookie is kind of like having raisins in a hot bowl of morning oatmeal. To make you'll just need some of the key pantry players, like cashews, dates, and peanut butter, and good late summer fruit. I picked up the most succulent blueberries and tiny peaches at the farmers' market because they were practically calling to me, but you could use any seasonal stone fruit or berry you get your hands on.  

When compared to sugar, dates are a relatively low glycemic sweetener - which means that you get a nice taste without riding a blood sugar rollercoaster. Both the nuts and fruits are also a good source of dietary fiber.  I'm not kidding when I say that the peanut butter drizzle tastes a lot like salted caramel. It's decadent, and as a girl who once made foie gras cupcakes, you can trust me on that. 

Just a word on timing. Because it's essentially a raw vegan concoction, the pie requires some time to chill. My recommendation? Make it early, and take it out when the coffee brews. Or better yet, make it the night before and refrigerate, so you're not waiting on a slice of pie. 

Blueberry and Peace Breakfast Pie

(Makes a 9' round pie)

For the crust:

• 2 cups raw cashews
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 7-8 pitted Medjool dates

For the cashew cream:

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/4 cup filtered water
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (we use Celtic sea salt)

For the peanut butter drizzle:

• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon filtered water
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1. Measure 1 cup of cashews and place them in a bowl. Set aside 7-8 dates in a separate bowl. Boil water and pour over cashews and dates so that they're completely submerged. Let sit for 1 hour, covered. 
2. To make crust, cut a parchment round to fit to your cake or pie pan. Place unsoaked raw cashews and oats in food processor and grind until a meal is created. Add in soaked dates, one at a time.
3. Once you add in 6-7 dates, a ball of dough should begin in form on one side of the food processor. Remove ball of dough.
4. Press dough ball into cake or pie pan. To easily spread out, I find it easiest to place another sheet of parchment paper over the dough and press down using the base of a cup.  When flat, cover crust and place in the refrigerator for 30 min - 1 hour.
5.  To make cashew cream, drain and rinse cashews and place in food processor. Add 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, vanilla extract, maple syrup and 1/8 cup of filtered water and blend until smooth.  Add more water as needed to achieve a whipped thick consistency.  
6. Remove crust from refrigerator, and using a spoon or spatula, evenly spread the cashew cream over it, leaving a 1/2 inch border of crust along the sides. Cover again, and put into the freezer for 30 minutes.
7. To make drizzle, whisk peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla, sea salt and water in a small bowl. Mixture should easily drizzle from whisk, so you might need to add more water (in 1/2 teaspoon increments) until desired consistency is achieved. 
8. o assemble, remove pie from freezer. Cover with fruit that has been pat completely dry if just washed. Drizzle peanut butter syrup on top, and sprinkle with a pinch of extra sea salt. Enjoy!

Happy weekend...

Happy Friday! I'm looking forward to a quiet weekend of doing just about nothing (something that seems so rare and precious these days!). Below are a few things I'm loving this week. Wishing you a lovely August weekend!

• Really feeling the new side project from The National's Matt Berninger, El Vy, and their upbeat tune "Return to the Moon (Political Song for Didi Bloome to Sing, with Crescendo) (Lyric Video)."
• Laughing over the sometimes-so-scary-because-its-true feeling I get when reading The New Yorker piece "Things That Will Happen If I Don’t Take My Phone Out Right Now."
• Slowly still making my way through the fascinating book The Good Gut, and filling my body with all probiotic goodness as I work through an antibiotic. This probiotic seems to be working well, but I've also heard good things about this one. Also loving the smoky kale sauerkraut from wildbrine and the idea behind Water Kefir, which I just might have to try.
• And finally, a little quote that reminds us about the importance of being forward-looking and forward-wanting:

“Hope is not a prediction of the future, it’s a declaration of what’s possible.”

— Yogi Bhajan

Cashew Cream of Broccoli Soup and a Love Letter

One of the most important love languages in our relationship is food, and it contains a sacred lexicon that dictates the kitchen dance performed nightly in our kitchen. 

The countertop my fiance and I share is a space of conscious co-creativity - a haven where the desire to eat simple, beautiful and delicious food that heals and fuels your body is revered, and there's always a table for two. This started when we moved in together, and our collective cooking game was instantly maximized as we began to build the lifestyle we desired - a long-lasting partnership focused on health, awareness, love and growth. But it was taken to a whole new level when I began to learn about just how much he appreciated and desired home-cooked rocket fuel, and how kitchen sorcery could fulfill important pillars in both of our lives.

Now I'm sure you've heard the archaic adage about the quickest way to a man's heart being through his stomach.  But chances are, this probably wasn't referring to a dish of cruciferous vegetables as capable of bringing a man to his knees. The truth is, it's not tenderloins or pies that really stops my man in his tracks.

It's broccoli. 

I'm pretty sure that his love of broccoli, and all members of the family Brassicaceae began after learning about it's health-touting and cancer-fighting benefits during a very brief vegan stint. But whenever it started, it then moved fast. This is a man who will eat a plate of raw greens for breakfast or use broccoli as a general garnish just to make sure he gets his daily dose.  A man who creates powerpoint presentations and shares them with his family to let them know just how important these vegetables really are. And a man who then receives a head of broccoli on every trip to visit relatives, and proceeds to share it with others because he wants them to experience the health benefits too. 

So nothing excites me more than when he comes home and I've whipped up some double or triple cruciferous delight. Without fail, he walks in the door, makes himself a bowl and stops short - blown away by the "crucif topped crucif" presented before him. This cashew cream of broccoli soup was no different, and between the creamy base and the garnish that holds all the good flavors of late summer, I think we've found a new recipe in the cookbook of our love. 

I always tell friends that while it might be nerdy, it sure beats being with someone who is addicted to sugar or booze.  Whether it's brussels sprouts or cauliflower, bok choy or kale, these vegetables have an lasting place on our table and in his heart.  While there might just be less sulfur-rich vegetables that are a bit more romantic to the eye, to him, this type of thing is the epitome of love. And for this, good health, and the life that we're building together, I'm always happy to oblige.

Cashew Cream of Broccoli Soup

For the soup:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp. Celtic sea salt
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 cups filtered water
• 2 small to medium heads of broccoli, chopped
• ½ cup nutritional yeast
• 1 cup basil leaves, chopped
• 3 teaspoons lemon juice
   

For cashew cream:

• 2 cups raw cashews
• ½ cup water
• Good pinch of Celtic sea salt
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

For garnish:

• 2 ears of sweet corn, cut off cob
• 1 English cucumber
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• ½ cup broccoli, finely diced
• ¼ cup basil, chopped
• 2 cups of cooked millet, quinoa or other grain (optional)

Directions:

1.  Bring a few cups of water to a boil, and set the cashews in a large jar. Pour water over cashews and set aside for 1-2 hours. Drain and rinse. 
2. If including millet or quinoa, set it on the stove to slow cook while you finish the other parts of the soup.
3. In a large pot, heat several glugs of olive oil and add onions until softened, but not burnt - about 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and a hefty pinch of sea salt and cook for a few more minutes until vegetables are sweat out.
4. Add the vegetable broth and filtered water, and bring to a boil.
5. Lower to medium heat and add the broccoli florets, cooking for 3-5 minutes, or until broccoli is al dente. Remove from heat.
6. Make the cashew cream by the drained cashews and other ingredients in a blender, and mixing. You can add a little more lemon juice for a creamy consistency as needed. Cream should be whipped and smooth. Take half of the cashew cream out of the blender and set aside. 
7. In batches, add the contents of the pot to the blender, add the basil, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice, and mix until smooth.
8. Add soup back to the pot and simmer for another 15-20 minutes on low heat, and season with sea salt to desired taste.
9. For the garnish, roast the corn (topped with sea salt and olive oil) on parchment in the over at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Chop the basil, broccoli, and dice the cucumber while it's cooking. Remove corn from the oven, and let cool.
10. Mix cucumber, basil, corn, broccoli, sea salt and lemon juice in a separate bowl.
11. To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Add a heaping spoonful of millet or quinoa, a 1/4 cup of the cucumber, corn and broccoli garnish, a drizzle of cashew cream, and a few basil leaves. 

Steel Cut Oats with Grilled Stone Fruit & Banana Cashew Cream

I've always been a big believer in the phrase "everything in moderation." So in our home, we don't really limit our diets to one category.  On the average night, however, you can finds us whipping up a vegetarian or vegan meal because they tend to be easy and make our bodies feel vibrant and healthy. We still enjoy our weekly libations, and the occasional summer barbecue fare. But through exploration, and the elimination diet, we try to bring a sense of consciousness to the way we eat in order to make ourselves operate well. 

One of the most interesting parts of our cooking journey as a couple has been exploring the realm of just how much you can do with good produce, hearty grains, and a little bit of seasoning. This weekend's Sunday brunch was a great example of that exact kitchen manifesto: a warm bowl of steel cut oats topped with grilled stone fruits and banana cashew cream.

I first wandered into the world of steel cut oats a few years ago when my parents began making them regularly, and my father reported the emergence of his abs, which seemed as good a reason as any to add it to the repertoire. They take a little bit longer than your average oat to cook, but that's because they're more whole and less processed, meaning they tend to keep you satiated for a longer period of time. This is a trade-off I'm willing to make. 

Slow cooking oats gives you time to come up with a whole slew of delicious toppings. Because it's stone fruit season, I chose to sprinkle apricots and plums with Celtic sea salt and grill them up alongside fresh figs on my cast iron skillet, which renders the flesh succulent and decadent. I then whipped up a batch of cashew cream mixed with bananas, which is so painfully easy that the end result leaves you wondering why you don't always have a jar full of this stuff handy. 

The end result is a comforting and nutritious bowl, drizzled with flaxseed oil and sprinkled with hemp seeds for an extra Omega boost. It was a great way to plant-power a day spent at the beach, and kept us nice and full until an al fresco lobster roll beckoned in the late afternoon.

Steel Cut Oats with Grilled Stone Fruit & Banana Cashew Cream

(Serves two, generously)

1 cup steel cut oats

1 cup raw cashews

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon maple syrup 

1/4 cup filtered water

1 teaspoon sea salt (we use Celtic sea salt)

1/2 banana

Seasonal fruit (I chose apricots, plums, and figs)

Flaxseed oil

1 tablespoon hemp seeds

For cashew cream:

1. Measure 1 cup of cashews and place them in a bowl. Boil water and pour over cashews so that they're completely submerged. Let sit for 1-2 hours, covered. 
2. Drain and rinse cashews and place in food processor. Add 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, vanilla extract, maple syrup and 1/8 cup of filtered water and blend until smooth.
3.  Add more water as needed to achieve your desired consistency (I like my cashew cream on the thicker more creamy side for this dish).
4. Add banana and give one final whirl in the processor until mixture is combined and whipped.

For steel cut oats: 

1. Measure 1 cup of steel cut oats and place them in a large saucepot. Cover them with 3 cups of filtered water. 
2. Cook over low to medium heat for about 30-40 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed. Oats should be creamy, so if they appear dry, add 1/2 cup more water and cook for another 10 minutes. 

For grilled fruit: 

1. Set grill or cast iron grill pan to a low-medium heat. 
2. Halve each piece of fruit, and sprinkle with remaining sea salt. Place fruit flesh side down on grill for 3-5 minutes, and flip when grill marks have appeared. 
3. Grill for another 3-5 minutes and remove, letting fruit cool on a plate. 

To assemble bowls, add cooked oats first, top with the fruit, and scoop in cashew cream.  Drizzle with flaxseed oil, top with hemp seeds, and enjoy!

Happy weekend...

Happy Friday! It has been one hell of a hot summer week, and it's capped off this evening with a spectacular rare Blue Moon. Full moons are a great time to remember that life is full of cycles - in our relationships, jobs, and chapters - and having an awareness of the ebbs and flows that naturally occur can help you honor and be present to the shifting phases you experience.  I hope you stay cool and have a great weekend. Here are a few things I've been loving this week:

• Grooving to the sweet jam "What You Don't Do" from Lianne La Havas. 
• Lightening up my summer moisturizing routine because oil + sweat = grease. A few favorites include: Weleda's Wild Rose Milk, John Masters Organic Vanilla & Blood Orange Body Milk, and Farmaesthetic's Nourishing Lavender Milk. 
• Loving the appearance of stone fruit in the farmer's market. Last summer, my favorite thing to do was make grilled stone fruit open face sandwiches. Divine. 
• And finally, St. Augustine once said "You aspire to great things? Begin with little ones." Here's a poem from Mary Oliver that brings personal perspective to the notion that we should be patient in our journey to becoming who we truly want to be:

"Things take the time they take. Don't worry.

How many roads did St.Augustine follow before he became St. Augustine?"

Weekly Words: "Living in the moment, and then letting go"

“The chaos in nature is quiet, latent,” she says. “A lamb’s death is quiet; so is the gradual death of a crop of flowers.” Sitting on the lawn, birds singing from the trees, she remembers that long-ago bunch of black dahlias and sighs. “People look at flowers as objects — as a decorating element, not a living thing. But sometimes the most beautiful thing is the most fleeting. The most fragrant, delicate rose — often those wilt in minutes. Flowers are about living in the moment, and then letting go.”

- "Into the Wild With Sarah Ryhanen"

Warm Summer Herb and Vegetable Noodle Salad

Friends, hie thee to your local farmers' market immediately, because things are getting good. 

Here in Boston, we're starting to get into the ripe summer season, where hot heat is whipping the typical week's bounty into a pure abbondanza. Our markets are ripe with berries, zucchinis, herbs, and more, and I can't help myself, but I may have hit three different farmers' markets this week alone. Last week, I took our summer salad game to a new level by finally purchasing a spiralizer, and I've noodled just about everything possible in my fridge since then. 

This warm summer herb and vegetable noodle salad is a more updated version of the the garlic and butter sauteed zucchini I ate frequently during my Italian-American childhood. You could substitute any seasonal vegetable that you have on hand here, as long as it can be easily shredded with a peeler or run through a spiralizer, as well as any fresh herbs. But the concept remains - keep the flavors simple, and let the season's gifts do the talking. 

In my version, yellow zucchini and broccoli stalks (yes, you read that right) have been spiralized into noodles, quickly sauteed with olive oil, garlic, sweet onion, and turned through summer savory, basil and oregano. The resulting dish is sprinkled with Pink Himalayan salt, a hefty squeeze of lemon and red pepper flakes. It's chocked full of flavor, good-for-your-gut dietary fiber, and rounded out with a delicious citrus twist.  

Warm Summer Herb and Vegetable Noodle Salad

(Serves 2)

2 medium yellow zucchini, top cut off

2 large broccoli stalks, florets trimmed off

1/8 cup each of summer savory, basil, and oregano, finely chopped

1 lemon, halved

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium sweet onion, diced

A glug of olive oil

A pat of butter (optional)

Cracked pepper

Good salt (I use Pink Himalayan Salt)

1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes (to taste)

1. Trim your zucchini and broccoli stalks so that each end is cut flat. Run through your spiralizer on a thin spaghetti setting, or, peel/julienne to a thin 1/8 inch strip. Pat noodles dry, and trim using a knife or scissor as some noodles can be quite long!
2. Over medium/low heat, swirl olive oil and butter in a frying pan until melted. Sautee garlic and onions for 3-4 minutes, sweating them out until soft, but not browned. 
3. Place your noodles in the pan, and using tongs or wooden spoons, flip gently as they cook. 
4. Toss 2/3 of your herbs over the noodles in the pan, and fold in. Season with salt and pepper. Cook noodles for about 5 minutes on medium heat, until softened, but not mushy, and remove from heat. 
5. To serve, divide noodles in two bowls and squeeze a half a lemon over each bowl. Sprinkle with remaining herbs and red pepper flakes to taste. 

Happy (long) weekend...

Happy early weekend and happy almost birthday, America! I'm looking forward to a few days of family, friends, and floating on a boat in the middle of a big cool lake. Here are a few things that rocked this week:

• Swaying to the breezy throwback of an album finally released by Leon Bridges. 
• Taking my interest in gut bacteria to a whole new level with The Good Gut. My ten-year old science-obsessed self approves. 
• Speaking of gut bacteria, drooling over this recipe for herbed tomatoes, which seems like a  great way to maximize use of the herbs that are growing like weeds on our deck. 
• And finally, a little summer ditty from Carl Sandburg that professes my love for those long lazy summer evenings of lying in the grass, watching fireworks, and being connected to this Earth: 

"Bend low again, night of summer stars.
So near you are, sky of summer stars,
So near, a long-arm man can pick off stars,
Pick off what he wants in the sky bowl,
So near you are, summer stars,
So near, strumming, strumming,
                So lazy and hum-strumming"