This is so extravagant, I want to eat this brazil nut pesto on absolutely everything! Why haven’t I thought of this before? The magical mineral rich nut is the ideal candidate when you don’t have/want pine nuts. Sunflower seeds, yes, very yummy substitute as well as almonds, but they still don’t equate to the awesomeness of selenium rich brazil nuts. Its pesto season, my friends, and I am lapping it up and licking the spoon, I suggest you do the same.
Potato salad is quintessential summer food and the addition of pesto is bloody good. Adding in little additional greens helps to mop up extra saucy goodness, crunchy onion,kale and swiss chard were on hand and worked beautifully. New potatoes or baby potatoes work the best since they are so tender and the texture is just melt in your mouth. Check out your local farmers market for the best of the best, after all, food that grew close to home always tastes better. Today at the store I needed some garlic and there was a sale bag full of organic garlic imported from Chile for 3.50, then there was a brilliant purple hued russian heritage variety grown locally and each bulb was the same price as the entire bag from Chile. Although I go throw garlic like a mad woman, I had to get the local stuff, I know it’s a million +1 times better. Still, this discrepancy in local fare costing far more than imported needs to change. Maybe a time will come when we can barter skills and trade commodities instead of fueling this global trade economy, because lets face it, we’re not doing the environment any favours, nor ourselves. I’m not saying that it will ever be 100%, there are plenty of useful things we can only get from other countries, but when our food security is at stake, or worse, doesn’t exist at all, something has got to give.
It’s the little things that count, one person cannot change the world, but collectively we can shift this paradigm. Our hearts know this beautiful world is possible. A new UN report says small scale organic farming is the only wayto feed the world, that’s right, not GMO’s and mono crops, humanity has always known this. Our amnesia is only temporary, as more reports like this start to come out it becomes blatantly obvious that we need to reconnect with the earth & remember, we are all connected. Thanks for reading friends.
1/2 C grated parmesan cheese, or nutritional yeast for vegan version
1/4 tsp sea salt
fresh cracked pepper
For the potato salad
1 lb new potatoes
1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced
3 leaves swiss chard, kale or other greens, finely chopped
1/2 C mayonnaise
1/2 C pesto
Instructions
Pesto
In a blender or food processor, start by adding the garlic, brazil nuts, basil and cheese, start blending and slowly add the olive oil until mixture starts to become smooth, add salt and pepper.
Potato Salad
Boil water for the potatoes and cook until tender. Allow potatoes to cool before proceeding.
Mix the pesto and mayonnaise together, or leave the mayonnaise out for vegan
Add the cooled potatoes, kale, chard and onion to a large bowl and incorporate the pesto-mayonnaise until everything is well coated. I like to use my hand and mash the potatoes up a bit so that they absorb the most sauce.
Summer is the season to invent delicious new salad dressings. The bounty of veg is just too much to stick with the go-to “salad hug”, everything needs to be complimented, just so. Bring out the best of those juicy little cherry tomatoes, a little salty zing to that fresh cucumber, a breath of fresh air to those beets that’ve been underground, until now. It can’t hurt to add a touch of good asiago or parmesan cheese to the mix, something about balsamic just begs to be indulged with cheese. Roasted sunflower seeds are your ally when it comes to making something amorphous taste rich and full. This recipe for creamy sunflower seed balsamic dressing is vegan (if you don’t put cheese in your salad!) and paleo but you’d never know it, for real. It’s a trick of a dressing that even the pickiest child should love.
Colorful salad components will vary based on what’s in your fridge. Mine consisted of kale, baby lettuce greens, shredded beets & carrot, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, quick pickled radish and asiago cheese. It was gooooood. The next day I had just a big bunch of greens with this creamy balsamic and an egg on top, yum. The recipe makes 500mL or 16 oz. worth of dressing, which lasts for quite a few salads. Unless your like me and enjoy more dressing than actual vegetables sometimes…
Yesterday was a little trip to our new home in Kaslo. Things I noticed: everyone was fishing- this is a good sign, the neighbours across the street had a visitor who road their horse over and tied it up beside the front door (we should go back to that mode of transport, how fun would that be), people like babies (phewf) and basically the best view from a swing set on the planet (wish we had a photo), there are plenty of medicinal and edible plants everywhere. Looking forward to nestling in to a gem of a place.
1/2 C water (maybe a bit less depending on how thick you want the dressing)
generous amount of fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
Heat a skillet on high for about 1 minute, turn the heat to low and add sunflower seeds to the pan, let them get nice and brown, this only takes a few minutes, make sure to stir them around so they're all evenly toasted.
Allow the seeds to cool.
Add all ingredients except water to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, adding water as you go to achieve the desired consistency.
My quota for a happy Sunday, equals, lazy sleep in, beach time, happy animal blessings- a huge frog, our resident soaring eagle and the hummingbird who says hello now and again. An afternoon spent making Kimchi (working on perfecting the recipe) 8 bountiful jars to be exact and to top it all off this melt in your mouth, even the cat licked the plate, brown butter pear & apple crisp, oh my! No oats were harmed in the making of this crisp, it’s grain-free and oh so nourishing. I really wanted that carmel brown butter effect, it goes so beautifully with pears, but you could definitely swap it out for ghee, or coconut oil and make this palesupeofied (super paleofied). If you aren’t fully into the dino-chow and you enjoy a few toasty oats, check out my blackberry rhubarb crumble and sub the berries and rhubarb for apples and pears. But I promise you won’t miss the oats, really, you don’t even need ’em to have a luscious summer crisp as this.
Getting a little fancy, a scoop of coconut ice cream ( I like larry & luna’s) is divine atop this creation! Of course its also delicious naked as it is, which is how I will be having it for breakfast tomorrow, with a nice coffee.
There’s really nothing better than dessert for breakfast. I wonder how bulletproof coffee would taste with a little brown butter?
In a small saucepan, melt butter (If using ghee or coconut you can skip this step) on medium low heat until the milk solids start to turn brown, this usually takes about 5-7 minutes. Set aside.
In a cast iron skillet add 1 Tbs of brown butter as well as the apples, pears and vanilla. Cover and allow fruit to get nice and soft before removing from heat.
Mix together the almond meal, sea salt, cinnamon, walnuts, coconut flour and the remaining brown butter to form a crumbly topping.
Sprinkle topping on the fruit mixture and put skillet in the oven for 10 minutes.
Add some extra walnuts on top and serve
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Mmmmmmm…enjoying the fruit while it’s here! Love, love, LOVE.
& a delicious quote to inspire your soul.
“As it is, we are merely bolting our lives—gulping down undigested experiences as fast as we can stuff them in—because awareness of our own existence is so superficial and so narrow that nothing seems to us more boring than simple being. If I ask you what you did, saw, heard, smelled, touched and tasted yesterday, I am likely to get nothing more than the thin, sketchy outline of the few things that you noticed, and of those only what you thought worth remembering. Is it surprising that an existence so experienced seems so empty and bare that its hunger for an infinite future is insatiable? But suppose you could answer, “It would take me forever to tell you, and I am much too interested in what’s happening now.” How is it possible that a being with such sensitive jewels as the eyes, such enchanted musical instruments as the ears, and such a fabulous arabesque of nerves as the brain can experience itself as anything less than a god? And, when you consider that this incalculably subtle organism is inseparable from the still more marvelous patterns of its environment—from the minutest electrical designs to the whole company of the galaxies—how is it conceivable that this incarnation of all eternity can be bored with being?”
~ Alan Watts, The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are
Quick, easy, and oh so supremely scrumptious, easy to eat way too much, do yourself a favour, just triple the recipe. Have I mentioned I love Pad Thai, I have been experimenting with different peanut-free pad thai recipes and there are many variations but this toasted almond pad thai sauce is my new love. It’s so easy to whip up and makes everything taste good, so load up on those veggies, your favourite type of grilled meat, a sprinkling of toasted coconut and crunchy cashews on top for that familiar flair. You could use rice noodles like I did or if you’re eating supa-clean you could make zucchini noodles or use kelp noodles. If you’re really feeling like going all out, put an egg on it!
What do I have again peanuts? Well, nothing when it comes to wild raw jungle peanuts, which are kinda sorta way too expensive and hard to find. Commercial peanuts, the kind we all know and think we love, they’re a different story. Peanuts aren’t even a nut, they are a legume, and their pods are permeable, unlike nuts whose shells are sturdy, the shell of the peanut is susceptible to excess moisture and other nasties. Which is what makes them so susceptible to molds like the carcinogenic aflatoxin. Aflatoxin wreaks havoc on the liver and has been shown to stunt growth in children. Non-organic peanuts are heavily sprayed because of this tendency to mold. What about organic? Nope, sorry but even organic well-loved peanuts are susceptible to aflatoxin, depending on weather conditions and excess humidity.
Legumes contain lectins and phytates which our bodies aren’t capable of breaking down, this equates to unnecessary digestive stress. Lectins can also exacerbate conditions of inflammation. The high portion of omega-6 fatty acids vs omega-3 can also cause problems with inflammation and overall well being. Humans aren’t meant to be consuming such high levels of omega-6 fatty acids and while statistics say we are getting 20 omega 6 to 1 omega 3, what our bodies need is more like a 3:1 ratio.
Have I convinced you to make this fantastic peanut-free pad thai yet?
½ a package of rice noodles or a package of kelp noodles OR make your own zucchini noodles in a spiralizer.
½ cup roasted almonds or ¼ C roasted almond butter
½ can of coconut milk
2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp coconut oil
2 tsp coconut aminos or tamari (soy sauce)
2 tsp coconut sugar
2 thai bird chilis, finely chopped or 2 tsp red chili flakes
2-3 garlic cloves
1 inch fresh ginger
a few handfuls fresh greens
1 carrot, grated
½ zuchinni, cut into matchsticks
½ C cabbage, finely sliced
¼ C cashews, finely chopped and toasted (optional)
¼ C coconut flakes, toasted (optional)
your choice of grilled meat, finely sliced (optional)
a few green onions, finely chopped
Instructions
Bring a pot of water to boil and add your rice noodles, cooking time will depend on the size of noodle, read directions on package.
In blender or food processor, add almonds, coconut milk, fish sauce, coconut oil, aminos or tamari, coconut sugar, chili, garlic and ginger. Process until well blended and smooth.
Drain the noodles and mix with the sauce.
To assemble your boils, add some greens to each, saucy noodles, little piles of each type of vegetable, meat, and top with cashews, coconut and green onion.
Nom nom nom, these bars will blow your mind with textural supremacy! They are like a raw nanaimo bar, without all the junk. Seriously, they’re so loaded with goodness that you won’t even need more than one. Well, maybe just one more. Raw treats are my thang, especially in summer when the house is already an inferno oven. We just pack a few of these to the beach everyday and we’re good to go.
Ahh that beach, we are so fortunate to live within steps of the Slocan River, it’s a place most people come to vacation. All day long we bask in the sun and swim in the eddy, watching the various drifters floating down on tubes with cases of beer in tow. The float is about 3 hours, going through a few rapids but mostly calm, peaceful waters to guide you along. I haven’t gone this year, pretty sure it’s frowned upon to bring a 5 month old baby on a float down the river, but he really does love the water! Last night I dreamt that baby rolled off a table, ah the lovely dreams of a new momma.
For the crust: Melt all the coconut oil in a double-boiler or small saucepan if you aren't desiring a fully raw product. In a blender or food processor add almonds, coconut flakes, ½ C of coconut oil, 2 Tbs cacao and the dates or raisins. Process until mixture is thick and well blended, use a tamper in your blender to make sure it's evenly mixed.
In a 9x13 inch baking dish, spread a layer of crust mixture evenly and pop this into the fridge while you make the cream layer.
Wash out your blender or food processor and add to it the drained cashews, ¼ C coconut oil, ¼ C coconut sugar or honey, lemon juice, water and salt. Blend until super creamy and smooth.
Layer this creamy mix over top of the crust and pop it back in the freezer while you make the ganache.
Mix together 2 Tbs cacao, with ¼ C coconut sugar and ¼ C of the melted coconut oil. Pour the ganache over top of the creamy layer and pop it in the fridge or freezer for at least an hour before cutting and serving.
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Real food rules! Check out more awesome tip & tricks and recipes on fight back friday.
Do you like to smash things? Weird question perhaps, but certain things are good for smashing, like plates at a Greek wedding, or smashing the world record for the most Pi places memorized, or smashing new potatoes and roasting them in chili garlic butter. If that last option sounds appealing to you, try these chili garlic smashed potatoes, I promise you will love them, I don’t feel it’s possible not to. You could smash the plate afterwards too, but I happen to like this plate and what a mess that would be!
Little beauties, little buttery delights just plucked from the ground. The skin of new potatoes just peels away so easily from its flesh, resulting in a crispy skin with a supple interior. A farm down yonder a few miles grew these treats as well as lamb bratwurst that just blows your mind. There is something so enrapturing about eating a meal that’s 100% local, or even coming close. In such a world where most of our food is imported and transported across the continents, it’s special and secure feeling to eat food grown close by. What doesn’t make sense to me is that I can get walnuts from California for a lower cost than walnuts from my next door neighbour. I guess it’s just all the more push to start growing our own food if that option is there.
Add potatoes to the boiling water and cook for 10 mins. until just soft
In a bowl of ice water, immerse the potatoes allowing them to cool
With a flat spatula or the side of a knife apply a bit of pressure to the whole potato until it starts to flatten, careful not to smash them too hard ( red potatoes tend to fall apart easier than yellow fleshed)
Melt butter with garlic and chili
Lay potatoes on a baking tray and coat with this mixture.
Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes finishing on broil for a few minutes
Hey I'm Chantelle, my alter ego would be a mermaid if I wasn't such a terrible swimmer. I love writing authentically and cooking in my pyjamas. My favourite pastimes include eating avocados, travelling the world and hanging out with a toddler.
