Pimento Cashew Dip

Pimento Cashew served with plain chips as a yummy super bowl snack

This dip is something I dream about, it reminds me of that nacho cheese that you would get as a kid that has a mild peppery taste and creamy texture. It’s perfect for all sorts of eaters as it’s dairy free, but will be hard to notice for even the most loyal cream cheese fans. You can replicate this dip with other flavours as well. Consider substituting artichoke for the roasted red peppers for a classic game day dip.

The probiotics will add a really nice fermented flavour. I recommend keeping a jar of capsules in your fridge. They are great for stomach upsets and can be used for making yogurt as well. Try this as a dip for watching the game or a movie, or add it to sandwiches, wraps and salad bowls. With the creaminess of cashews and flavour of peppers, this dip will become a staple in your fridge! If you don’t have probiotic capsules you can make this dip as in and just store in the fridge once you have made it.

Ingredients:

1 cup raw cashews
1-2 tsp chili sauce or hot sauce
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 large pieces of roasted red pepper
3-4 tbsp of water as needed
Nutritional yeast

2 probiotic tablets (you will open them up and use the powder, discarding the capsule)

Method:

First step- soak those cashews. I suggest placing them in a bowl covered in water overnight but if you don’t have time then you can soak them in hot water for 30 minutes to an hour.

Add all your ingredients minus the water and probiotic capsules to your blender or food processor. Slowly add in water as needed. You do not want your dip to become too much of a liquid. Blend the mixture until creamy- continuing to add water and stir to create a creamy texture.

Once creamy, open your probiotic capsules and add the powder to your blender. Blend briefly until mixed about 20 seconds.

Spoon the mixture into a container. Cover with a tea towel and leave out overnight, taste-testing until it reaches your desired tanginess. Once you have obtained the taste you like, place in the fridge to be enjoyed.

Serve alongside vegetables, chips, on a board with crackers or on sandwiches. It adds a really nice flavour and texture to any salad bowl too.

A Post Summer Plum Spread

These guys are my favourite type of plum, I think they are Sugar Plums.

I absolutely love plums in all forms, fresh, baked and boiled! I bought a pint of these guys while driving through Keremeos in the Okanagan. They have the cutest road side stands with the most beautiful produce. I not only made this delicious plum jam from this post but I also made 2 plum cakes, (1 is still in the freezer), plus plums in muffins and pancakes. This must be THE easiest recipe around.

Plums have a beautiful combination of natural sweetness and a tart finish. I love that when cooked they don’t become too sweet like other stone fruits but instead maintain a flavour that can be a great addition to either sweet or savoury dishes. This plum spread is perfect alongside peanut butter on toast or an addition to a meat main as a glaze.

Ingredients: Plums + spices like cinnnamon/cardamom or cloves,

Method

Chop your plums in half (doesn’t matter which variety, they all stew well) and remove the pit. Throw them into a saucepan with a tbsp of water and simmer on low heat until soft, about 20 minutes- can be longer if you like. I like to add spices at this point, cinnamon, cardamom and clove are great additions as a warming spice. Once the plums have cooled a bit, use your blender- I love using my handheld blender for this (I use this one). Blend until smooth and store in a jar. This should keep in the fridge for a few weeks. I like to freeze a portion to pull out later in the season. The last few mornings I have enjoyed this on top of my waffles, a layer of peanut butter, plum spread, sliced banana and hemp hearts. YUM

5 Tips To Building a Beautiful Nourishing Board!

The Holiday Season is in full swing and that means lots of parties! Whether you’re hosting a party, celebrating something or just looking for munchies on the dock on a warm summer night- a board is always a good idea! It reminds me of breakfast, you can basically get away with eating anything when it’s plated onto a piece of wood. From smoked salmon to fresh figs to a deliciously stinky cheese, all bets are off with a board and it can be left to your own creativity and discretion as to what you want to create!

Often though, with this much flexibility it can make it even harder to make a decision! For this reason I have created a simple list of what I consider when building my board. Both aesthetic and flavour are equally as important to me and so here is my list of how to build that beautifully balanced board!

1. Textures: Crunchy, crispy, soft and chewy. You want to be sure to hit all the markers when it comes to diversifying the texture. By adding a variety of crackers, vegetables, cheeses, dips and nuts you can be sure to please all the indulgers!

2. Colour: Opt for vegetables that provide a pop of colour like heirloom carrots cut vertically to show off their gorgeous jewel tones. Radishes are also a beautiful addition. By chopping these in thin slices you can roll into florets or simply layer between vegetables and on dips. Remember anything goes so try those weird looking vegetables at the market they may suprise you and your guests. Let’s be real anything tastes good dipped in Hummus ;)

3. Dishes: Don’t settle for just the board add depth with different dishes I love to collect little bowls at thrift stores and while travelling. This way you can find just the right complement to your dips. By adding in dishes of various sizes it helps prevent leakage from items like olives and red onions. I also love the way it looks to have various shapes and colors all seamlessly intertwined on platters. Whether you plan your board on a giant butchers block or a simple marble platter, the depth will create the most beautiful piece of art!

4. Palette: Consider all aspects to the flavour palette, salty, sweet, sour, umami. By incorporating a variety of flavour palettes you can be sure to hit all the notes needed for a unique grazing platter experience. I look to include a variety of taste in each bite such as a bitter endive for scooping a sweeter beet hummus. It can be so much more than meats, cheese and typical veggies!

5. Balance: Yes we all love a good amount of cheese but also consider that these are ‘grazing boards and so people often want to have a few healthier alternatives such as crunchy veg for dipping, satiating olives and

Here are a few of my favourite additions to a board; Sliced Kohlrabi, Endive Boats, Pickled anything, bitter chocolate(who says chocolate should be considered at dessert- when it’s a good dark its the perfect bitter complement).

Happy grazing!

The Tricks I Learned For the Perfect Hummus!

Cooking Dried Chickpeas

Place Dried Chickpeas in a pot of water overnight- add about 1/4tsp of baking soda (this will help to soften them for cooking).

Once ready to cook drain the water, rinse chickpeas add another 1/4 tsp of baking soda and bring to a boil. Once boiled reduce heat and let simmer until soft 1-2 hours depending on how old the chickpeas are (may be more dried out). As these little guys cook away, skim off the white floaty bits from the water.

Once you can squeeze the chickpeas between your finger tips they are done! Be sure to save the water you cooked your chickpeas in! This water is rich with flavour and nutrients and is a perfect addition to soup stock or cooking grains!

Now you have a large pot of chickpeas- what to do with all these chickies??

Hummus

My favourite use for cooked chickpeas is of course hummus. I am serious when I say that from scratch chickpeas make the smoothest and creamiest hummus you will ever try! If you’re feeling extra ambitious you can peel off the skins to your chickpeas- that makes it extra smooth but is a ton of work, I get it!

I prepare my hummus in my food processor with a few simple ingredients

Smooth Tahini, Fresh Lemon Juice, Garlic, Salt (I also reserve a few chickpeas for serving later on!)

Add 1-2 cups of Chickpeas depending on how much you want to make! I really don’t follow any measurements in this recipe, I truly depend on my good old taste buds! Mix the chickpeas up a bit, 2-3, 5 second pulses. Add in a good amount of Tahini, a friend from Israel once told me that traditionally it should be a 1:1 ratio for tahini and chickpeas- so be generous!! Throw in as much garlic as you like, a little lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and if you need some liquid use that beautiful golden broth from cooking the chickpeas!

Serving Hummus

Once your hummus is nice and smooth and hits your personal flavour preference it’s time to serve- which is the really fun part!

I love to serve my hummus in a large shallow bowl or serving plate. I smear it all around, and this is when I add the Oil! Another trick I learned that Oil should be added after mixing, not directly into the hummus. I assume this is related to emulsification and creating a thicker texture- but that’s just a guess! I create a shallow middle section and glug a good amount of oil, which is perfect for dipping! I add in a few whole chickpeas and then sprinkle Za’atar (if you don’t know you should know- it’s awesome and can be found at most Middle Eastern Grocery Stores and most likely some big box stores).

Uses for Hummus

Hummus is such a beautiful and satisfying addition to almost any meal. Outside of serving on platters and as a side dish,It can also be added alongside Shakshuka or eggs for breakfast. An addition to a sandwich or salad at lunch. Or simply used as a snack after school or at work! I also love to use it as a base to a large salad as it adds great flavour, texture and is just really beautiful!

Simple Plain Hummus is also a great base for making other dishes. I like to add beets to give it more color or herbs such as Basil and Dill! I also love this Minimalist Baker recipe for a Caesar Dressing using hummus! It’s so easy and insanely addictive!

https://minimalistbaker.com/5-minute-vegan-caesar-dressing/

Good luck making all your Hummus dreams come true! If you need more ideas for cooked chickpeas, check out some of my other Chickpea recipes!!

Kombucha The Happy Healthy Drink

As I write this I am just popping the bottle on a brand new bottle of Home Brew Booch! This effervescent drink is not only incredibly delicious and easy to home brew, but it's also a terrific beverage with a variety of health benefits!

1. A Drink For Your Health!

   This fizzy and fermented beverage has been around for a long time and for very good reason! Through the process of fermentation the Scoby (or Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria) eats away at the sugar and caffeine and ferments the liquid which turns it into a very important Gut Friend! Remember traditional Kombucha has no added fermentation and instead this is all natural from healthy fermentation!!

   Fermented foods are superior when it comes to gut health as they encourage our digestion in so many very important ways. Through promoting healthy bacteria in our gut, Fermentation allows us to digest better, absorb nutrients better and to fill our gut with healthy probiotics. All of these processes also encourage our immune system and support it’s ability to produce immunoglobulins which in turn keep us healthy and strong!

2. Keeping Your Wallet Happy

   I originally began brewing Kombucha when my partner and I started to realize how much money we were spending on our healthy (but expensive) habit. I did some research and realized that brewing my own Home Brew would cost less than 10$ a month and would give me pretty much endless amounts of this liquid gold. And even better, I could also decide what flavours I wanted to have and how sweet I wanted it to be. I prefer a less sweet and a bit more acidic version and so I now get to cater the taste to exactly how we like it!

3. A Very Excellent Alternative

   I haven’t really ever been much of a drinker, whether it’s the interruption of sleep, the cost or honestly the empty calories, it’s never appealed much to me beyond that lovely glass of wine or pint. But I realize that nowadays drinking is primarily a social habit, we go out with friends for drinks, we finish a hike with a cold beer and we meet up at the beach for something cold and wet on a hot summers night.

   The thing I found with this is, I don’t always need the alcohol but instead just something fizzy and delicious which isn’t packed with sugar and doesn’t leave you with a night of interrupted sleep. This is where Kombucha has won over my heart. I love bringing a bottle to parties, on a camping trip or as a happy hour bevvy! At our place we love to mix our Booch with a bit of beer to give it a cocktail like flavour- and this means you can reduce the alcohol and still enjoy a bubbly beverage!

I strongly encourage trying your own Kombucha Home Brew to begin discovering the beautiful benefits of this traditional drink and to feel the real benefits it provides!

Simple Sauerkraut For Everyone

Including fermented foods in your diet is a great way to support your health! Through the process of fermentation our body is more easily able to digest foods, support our absorption of essential vitamins and building up our immune system! This process supports our immunity by feeding the healthy gut bacteria which take up residency in our gut. These healthy bacteria leave no vacancy for the bad bacteria and encourage good digestion and a happy gut!

Often times we think of bacteria as the gross stuff present in our day to day life, but bacteria are absolutely essential for our thriving and surviving! When we consume fermented foods, we consume probiotics which are the most beneficial types of bacteria! Other types of fermented foods include yogurt, kimchi, miso and so much more! 

By fermenting our food we are also extending the shelf life and preserving food that would otherwise rot! Fermentation is an incredible process of bacterial digestion and is essential to include in our day to day diet!

Simple Sauerkraut 

What You Need:

1 jar 

2-3 Tbsp Kosher Salt

1 medium cabbage (either red or green)

1. Peel the outer leaf from the cabbage, you will use this once you have packed all the cabbage into your jar. 

2. Chop cabbage in half, then in quarters and cut out the tough core. Chop each quarter horizontally in fairly thin slices (or thicker if you like it crunchy). 

3. Place all cabbage into a large bowl and add about 1-2 tbsp of salt for a medium sized cabbage. 

4. Massage roughly all the cabbage until you see several tbsp’s of liquid forming in the bottom and your leaves are soft!

5. Once there is enough liquid pack your cabbage into your jar. I find it handy to have a wide mouth jar so you can fit your whole hand in and really punch it down, to press out the liquid. 

6. Once the cabbage is packed to the top and the liquid is completely covering the cabbage, place the extra leaf on the top. This is to help the cabbage stay submerged! Place this in a dark place and for the first day or two, do not tighten the lid and leave the jar in a bowl or plate as it will leak.

7.  At this point you can tighten the lid and let sit for about 2 weeks. This resting time completely depends on how crunchy you like your sauerkraut. The longer you leave it the softer it will get, and the more ‘sour’ the taste will be as it continues to ferment!

   Serve this on the side of your meal, with eggs, in a salad or simply enjoy as a nourishing snack. Sauerkraut is a fermented food and so great to begin a meal with to get your digestion ready for your meal as well as feed all that healthy gut bacteria!
   

No Waste Banana Bread

Banana Bread is a serious favourite of mine! There is something so comforting about a warm loaf straight from the oven, and when I have nice ripe bananas I HAVE to make bread- it would be sacrilegious not to! Recently however I was one banana short of a recipe that I found online. As I schemed and thought up other ingredients I could use to bulk it up, I was reminded of a recipe from Sarah Wilson (an awesome zero waste cook) who had made a loaf using the peels! I know this sounds absolutely insane, but she mentioned that in Australia 5 million bananas are eaten a day, and I imagine the number in North America would be the same if not higher! That is a whole lot of organic waste (that is if your region composts) and also a huge loss in potential nutrients!

Banana Peels are packed with great vitamins like Vitamin B6 and B12 as well as an excellent source of fibre! I was very skeptic of this concept as I looked at my very black peels, but I really enjoyed it and didn’t really notice too much of a difference! I highly recommend trying out this recipe I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the result, and may even make this a new addition to your staple banana bread!

I called this the No Waste Banana Bread because I not only added the whole banana but I also used almond pulp as flour! When I make my almond milk I always have a bag of the pulp leftover and so I simply spread it out on a tray, heat my oven to about 175/200, let it dry out in the oven for about 2 hours (great to do while you watch a movie or wait for laundry). I then take this dried out substance and throw it in the processor and it creates the most beautiful floury substance! Almonds are not cheap and so the fact that I can get a cup of flour out of each batch of almond milk was VERY exciting for me! It’s a great texture and really added something to this bread!

Though these may seem like small steps I do believe that this is how we can easily have an impact on our current climate crisis (it is a crisis). Food waste is a completely unnecessary problem that we encounter across the world each and every day. If we can begin with little steps in our own kitchens, we can feel empowered by our choices and also save some money! Check out my previous blog post on reducing your impact! This would be a great recipe as a starter!

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No Waste Banana Bread 

WET

2 ripe bananas peeled 

2 banana peels

3 eggs

1 tbsp ACV

Heat oven to 350 Blend eggs, add bananas + blend , add peels + blend, 

DRY

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

3 cups flour (I used 2 cups almond meal, 1 cup whole wheat)

¼ cup of fat of your choice (be sure to melt if butter/coconut oil)

Honey to taste

Vanilla to taste

½ tsp salt

3/4/tsp baking powder

Slowly add all remaining ingredients and blend until smooth, add a bit of water or milk of choice if it gets dry. Place in the oven at 350 for about 20-25 minutes. Garnish with chocolate and coconut if you like that kind of thing!

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Sarah Wilson Article on some kitchen zero waste tips

https://www.businessinsider.com/benefits-of-eating-banana-peels-2015-9