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Mini Peppermint Patties

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Delicious bite sized patties! My intention wasn’t to make these mini, but I accidentally ordered the wrong size mold. In the end it was a happy mistake, as they have a thinner texture resembling Andes chocolate mints. The silicone mold I used is here.

Mini Peppermint Patties
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 30 patties
Ingredients
Filling:
  • ½ c. coconut butter, softened
  • 2-3 tsp. honey
  • 1 tsp. peppermint flavor
  • 1-2 tsp. milk (almond or coconut)
  • Pinch of sea salt
Chocolate Topping:
  • 1 c. chocolate chips or chunks
  • 1½ tsp. melted coconut oil
Instructions
Filling
  1. Before making the filling, oil the molds with a touch of coconut oil.
  2. Put all ingredients except the milk in a bowl. Mix together with a fork.
  3. Adjust your sweetness level and slowly add the milk to reach a smooth consistency like a paste.
  4. Fill each circle with ½ tsp. of the filling.
Chocolate Topping:
  1. Melt all ingredients and top each filling with 1 tsp. of the chocolate mixture.
  2. Refrigerate for 6-8 hours, then pop each one out individually.
  3. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.
 

Roasted Pumpkin Puree

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Many years ago, when I lived in Alaska, I loved making my own pumpkin puree. I got out of the habit until recently, but now I may never go back to the can again. The house smells amazing while roasting pumpkin, then you get the added benefit of the wonderful salty pepitas (pumpkin seeds)! You can make a large batch and freeze for your favorite recipes. I made some chestnut flour pumpkin crepes with this batch…recipe coming soon! Have fun with your little pumpkins.

Homemade Roasted Pumpkin Puree
 
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Recipe type: How-To
Serves: 2 cups
Ingredients
  • 2 lb sugar pie pumpkin (to yield about 2 cups of puree)*
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F
  2. Wash the pumpkin, slice off the stem, then slice in half.
  3. Scoop out the seeds and set aside for roasting. A grapefruit spoon works great for scooping.
  4. Place the pumpkin halves on a parchment lined cookie sheet cut side down.
  5. Roast for 40-45 minutes until they slightly collapse and become soft all the way through.
  6. Remove from oven, flip them over and cool completely.
  7. Once cooled, scoop the cooked pumpkin into a food processor, or blender until smooth.
  8. Line a colander with cheesecloth or use a nut milk bag and squeeze out all the excess water (you can also let the pumpkin drain overnight but I get the same result with squeezing). If you skip this step, your pumpkin may hold too much water and you'll have to adjust your recipes.
  9. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 7-10 days, or freeze in Ziploc bags making sure there's no air in the bag.
  10. Enjoy in your favorite recipes!
  11. Notes: To thaw pumpkin that's been in the freezer, it's best to let it sit in the fridge for several hours or overnight. Measure before freezing so you know how much you're using in your recipes.
  12. See my how-to video here
Notes
*Make sure you don't use a carving pumpkin - it will be too stringy, bland, and watery.
 

Baked Apple Crisps

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Apple season is here and this is a perfect healthy treat for snacking and school lunch boxes. So simple and only two ingredients. I’ve used Honeycrisp, Red Delicious, Pacific Rose, and Gala apples, and they’re all wonderful for this recipe.

Baked Apple Crisps
 
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Recipe type: Snack
Serves: 2 dozen
Ingredients
  • 2 Apples
  • Cinnamon
  • Sugar of choice (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 200F
  2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  3. Wash and thinly slice the apples with a knife or mandolin.
  4. Spread the apples on the baking sheets in a single layer.
  5. Generously sprinkle with cinnamon.
  6. If you like your apples sweeter, you can sprinkle them with your favorite sugar here (optional).
  7. Bake for 1 hour, then flip and return to oven for another 1-1.5 hours.
  8. Depending on your oven, you can leave them in another 30 minutes, or turn the oven off an let them hang out until they're nice and crisp.
  9. Store in an airtight container but they won't stay crispy. I usually wrap them in the parchment I used to bake them with.
  10. Enjoy!
 

Cherry Lasagna

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I ate a crazy amount of cherries this summer and tested this luscious cherry lasagna five times. My husband was in heaven, especially since the recipe was his idea. I had a lot of lasagna growing up but never a sweet version; I wish my mom was still around to taste it. This one is layered with cinnamon flavored cherries, gluten free cake, and whipped coconut cream. Perfect for a summer gluten free dessert and a definite crowd pleaser!

Cherry Lasagna
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 9 servings
Ingredients
Cake
  • 1 cup almond flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons coconut oil
  • ⅓ cup melted coconut butter or unsalted butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 4 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
Cherry Filling
  • 2 lbs fresh cherries (4 heaping cups coarsely chopped) plus 9 stemmed cherries for the top*
  • ⅓ - ½ cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 5-6 teaspoons arrowroot, dissolved in an equal amount of water
Whipped Coconut Cream
  • 3 cans full-fat coconut milk (refrigerate overnight)
  • ¼ cup honey or your favorite sweetener
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate Shavings
  • 1 chocolate bar, 2-3 oz
Instructions
Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 300°F and grease two 9x7, glass baking dishes.
  2. Line the bottom of one of the pans with a small piece of parchment paper, making sure that it only covers the bottom and does not reach up the sides at all (the paper usually ends up being a bit smaller than the bottom of the pan).
  3. In a medium bowl, add the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt.
  4. In a small saucepan melt the coconut oil and coconut butter/butter.
  5. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
  6. In another small bowl, whisk the eggs, honey and vanilla with a fork.
  7. Add the butter mixture and the egg mixture to the flour and mix with a spatula until combined.
  8. Pour half the batter into the lined dish and the other half into the greased (and unlined) dish.
  9. Bake on the top shelf of the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely.
Cherry Filling
  1. Add the chopped cherries to a medium saucepan on medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the honey, cinnamon, and lemon juice and bring to a slow boil for 10-15 minutes.
  3. Mix the arrowroot and water in a small mixing bowl until well dissolved.
  4. Slowly add the arrowroot and stir until bubbly and the sauce starts to thicken. It will thicken more as it cools, but you want to make sure it isn't too runny. Add more if needed. The end result should be the consistency of jam. Place in the fridge to cool completely. You can also make the cherries the night before.
Coconut Whipped Cream
  1. Scoop the top of all 3 cans of coconut milk and add to a medium bowl (reserve the water for soups or smoothies).
  2. Add the sweetener and vanilla and whip with a hand mixer until you have a nice cream. Adjust your sweetness level adding more to taste.
  3. Refrigerate until you're ready to assemble.
Chocolate Shavings
  1. Stand the chocolate bar up on its side and use a potato peeler to shave into fine shreds of chocolate. You only need about ½ cup. Eat the rest while you assemble the lasagna!
Assembly (the fun part!)
  1. Spread half of the cherry filling on top of the cake layer you baked in the unlined dish, making sure it is one smooth layer.
  2. Add half of the coconut cream on top of the cherry filling.
  3. Carefully flip the second cake layer (the one you had baked on parchment) onto a plate. Remove the parchment paper and place on top of the coconut cream.
  4. Repeat the steps above until you have the top layer covered with cream.
  5. Add the stemmed cherries on top along with the chocolate shavings.
  6. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours or overnight.
  7. For reference, here's a quick how-to video!
Notes
*Frozen cherries work fine.
 

Fire Roasted Peppers

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Fire Roasted Peppers
 
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A childhood memory for me. You certainly can buy these in jars at your grocer, but roasting them yourself is so simple and fun. I think you get more of a smoky sweet flavor and I love how my house smells afterwards. There are endless dishes to enjoy your peppers with - toss with olive oil, garlic, and herbs, use in pasta dishes, an accompaniment to cheese boards, salads, antipastos, pizza, eggs, and so much more. Roast on your stove top burner, a gas or charcoal grill, or your broiler.
Author:
Recipe type: Veggies
Ingredients
  • Peppers
  • Brown paper bags
Instructions
  1. Roasting over an open flame (stove top or grill) is my favorite way to do this.
  2. Place the peppers on the flame over medium to high heat.
  3. Let them roast for 20 minutes, using tongs to give them quarter turns every few minutes until they become charred and soft. You want them to become completely black and blistered.
  4. Once roasted you will need to steam the peppers.
  5. Remove from broiler and place them in a brown paper bag; close tightly for about 15 minutes or until cool enough to handle.
  6. You can also place them in a bowl and cover with a dishtowel for 15 minutes.
  7. Peel the charred skin off the peppers with your hands; you can run under water if needed.
  8. Slice the peppers vertically and cut out the stem and remove the seeds.
  9. Slice them as you wish.
  10. Enjoy!
  11. See my 'how to' video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG9AKx7awnM
 

Beatle Stix

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Well, it’s back-to-school season and time for some yummy lunchbox snacks! When making these for my girls years ago, I usually used almond or peanut butter with raisins. Today we used 3 variations and tried to think outside the box. Hummus, sweet potatoes, and cashew butter all marry so well with celery, not to mention the tasty toppings…olives, pecans, cranberries, goji berries, and coconut. Also great for birthday parties or after school snacks to tie the kiddos over until dinner.

I think celery is sometimes an underrated vegetable. Perhaps it would be more popular if we knew just how good it was for you! For starters, it’s one of the best anti-inflammatory and alkaline foods we can eat. It contains a bunch of trace minerals as well as mineral salts and it’s great for healing the gut and helping with digestive disorders. A few years ago I developed some uterine fibroids and started juicing straight celery juice daily. I know it contributed to the shrinking of the tumors.

Let me know if you come up with other fun variations. Enjoy making these together as a family and crunch away!

Beatle Stix
 
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Recipe type: Back to School Snacks
Serves: 1 dozen
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch of celery
  • ½ c hummus
  • ½ c cashew butter
  • ½ c mashed sweet potatoes (optional: add maple syrup and cinnamon to taste)
  • ¼ c olives
  • ¼ Goji berries
  • ¼ c pecans
  • ¼ c finely chopped red peppers
  • ¼ c shredded coconut
  • ¼ c cranberries
Instructions
  1. Wash your celery and cut off the leaves
  2. Spread each stalk with the toppings.
  3. I paired the hummus with olives and peppers, cashew butter with Goji berries and coconut, and sweet potatoes with pecans and cranberries.
  4. Cut in half or thirds, and place in a small lunchbox container.
  5. You may have leftover toppings but you can use it for the next day or later in the week.
 

 

Peach Butter

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I once thought Peach Butter was made with real butter.  How could something that taste so good have so few ingredients?  I love canning and especially love having Peach Butter in my pantry all winter long!

We have some wonderful peach orchards here in the Texas Hill Country; home to many lovely varieties of peaches, and this year in particular has been good to this juicy fruit as our rainfall got off to a great start.  I love making a day of it and picking our own peaches and berries, and then make a small batch of honey sweetened peach butter. This makes 9-12 four ounce jars so if you think you’ll eat it quickly and give some away, you probably don’t even have to go through the canning process. My video recipe below will show you the steps if you decide to seal your jars. Adjust your sweetness level to your liking. If you like peaches I think you’ll love this recipe.

The best part is, you don’t need any fancy canning tools!  Mason jars and lids, a large saucepan, some sturdy tongs, a blender and just 4 ingredients will do the trick.  I’ve included some delicious suggestions on how to enjoy your Peach Butter. I’d love to hear how all of you have used it in your own homes.
1.  Ice Cream Sundaes
2.  The obvious, pancakes, waffles, biscuits, and toast 
3.  Glazed salmon, chicken, or pork
4.  Topping for yogurt parfaits
5.  Crepe Filling
6.  Cheesecake topping with fresh peaches
7.  Cracker topping with goat cheese and basil leaves
8.  Apple sauce substitute for baking.  I love it in muffins. 
9.  Fruit salad sauce
10. Peach Frosting 
Happy Canning!
Anna
Peach Butter
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Spreads/Butters
Serves: 9-12 4 oz jars
Ingredients
  • 12 ripe Peaches
  • ½ c water
  • ¾ c honey
  • 1½ tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 12 4 oz Ball jars and new lids
Instructions
  1. Wash the jars and lids.
  2. Fill a large sauce pan with enough water to cover the Ball jars and bring to a boil.
  3. Add the jars and lids and boil for 10 minutes to sterilize.
  4. Remove with a jar holder or sturdy tongs and drain on a clean dishtowel.
  5. Peel and chop the peaches and add to a large saucepan. You can also dip the peaches in boiling water for 1 minute to remove the skins, but I find it easier to just peel with a knife.
  6. Add the water to the saucepan and cook for 15 minutes or until very soft.
  7. Cool the peaches and add to a blender until smooth.
  8. Return the peach mixture back to the saucepan and add the honey, cinnamon, and lemon juice.
  9. Cook for about 45 -60 minutes. Cooking time will depend on how much water your peaches hold. You're looking for the consistency of jam, not too runny, not too firm. One of my batches came out a little on the runny side, but it made a beautiful sauce for pancakes.
  10. Fill the sterile jars, then place the disc top onto each jar and screw on the seal.
  11. Return the jars to the boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Make sure the water covers the entire jar.
  12. Remove the jars from the water and let them cool without bumping them.
  13. Ok, so here's the best part...don't leave the kitchen until you hear the wonderful sound of "POP, POP, POP" making the fruits of your labor OH SO SWEET!
 

Apricot Bliss

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Yummy ripe apricots, filled with whipped coconut cream, and topped with melted chocolate and cinnamon! This two-bite dessert is a crowd pleaser and a light and easy way to end a meal. Absolutely delicious!

Apricot Bliss
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 1 Dozen
Ingredients
  • 6 ripe apricots, sliced in half and pitted
  • 1 can full fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
  • ⅛-1/4 c maple syrup
  • 1 vanilla bean, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ c apricot jam
  • ¼ c melted chocolate
  • cinnamon for dusting
Instructions
  1. Scoop the cream off the top of the coconut milk and transfer to a medium bowl.
  2. Add the maple syrup and vanilla and beat on medium speed with a hand mixer until fluffy. If using a vanilla bean, cut the bean length wise and scrape out the wonderful seeds.
  3. Fill each apricot half with about 1 teaspoon of apricot jam.
  4. If you have a pastry bag, transfer the cream to the bag, and use your favorite tip and fill each apricot with the coconut cream. If you don't have a pastry bag, no biggie at all, just use a teaspoon. They'll still look pretty.
  5. Melt the chocolate in a small bowl over a double boiler and drizzle over the filled apricots.
  6. Dust with cinnamon.
  7. Yum!
  8. * Adjust your sweetness level, you may enjoy more or less maple syrup.
 

 

Fuzzy Navel Milkshake Topped With Roasted Peaches & Cream

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Fuzzy Navel Milkshake Topped With Roasted Peaches & Cream
 
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A decadent shake made with non-dairy ice-cream, peaches, orange juice, and a splash of vanilla. My take on the classic fuzzy navel cocktail, made with peach schnapps and orange juice. So refreshing for hot summer days. Use your favorite ice-cream of your choice, I used vegan vanilla. Slurp, slurp!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 16 oz.
Ingredients
  • Peach Topping
  • 1 c chopped and peeled peaches
  • 2 Tbl coconut sugar
  • 1 tsp coconut oil, melted
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • Milkshake
  • 4-5 scoops ice-cream
  • 1 c chopped and peeled peaches
  • 1 c orange juice
  • 1 Tbl vanilla
  • Whipped Cream
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. Combine all ingredients and add to a small sauce pan, or line a small cooking sheet with parchment.
  3. Roast for 5-10 minutes and let cool completely.
  4. In the meantime, add the ice-cream, peaches, orange juice, and vanilla to a blender and blend until smooth.
  5. Add the shake to a 16 ounce glass, or two 8 ounce glasses.
  6. Top with whipped cream, then top with the cooled roasted peaches.
  7. Enjoy every slurp!
 

Smoked Salmon Avocado Yachts

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Smoked Salmon Avocado Yachts
 
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Smoked salmon filled avocado with a light rice vinegar/lime dressing! Filled with cucumbers, celery, dill, and chives. These are so refreshing and great for brunch or dinner. And my favorite thing about these beautiful Yachts - No Mayo!
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Serves: 8 halves
Ingredients
  • 4 Avocados, pitted and halved
  • ½ - ¾ lb smoked salmon
  • 1 c celery diced
  • 1 c cucumber diced
  • 2 Tbl fresh dill, chopped
  • 2 Tbl fresh chives chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in quarters
  • 4 Tbl rice vinegar
  • 3 Tbl fresh lime juice
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Course sea salt and extra lime
Instructions
  1. Chop the salmon into small pieces and add to a medium bowl.
  2. Add celery & cucumber and toss.
  3. Add the dill and chives, along with the tomatoes.
  4. Next, add the oil, rice vinegar, and lime juice and toss until evenly coated.
  5. Add salt and pepper.
  6. Adjust the seasonings to your taste. I like tons of lime so I add even more than this recipe states.
  7. Sprinkle the avocados with lime juice and course sea salt, then fill the holes using a spoon.
  8. You may have extra filling which is a good thing!
  9. Enjoy!
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