almonds

Posts Tagged ‘almonds’

Collards & Quinoa with Sorrel Sauce

Never heard of sorrel? Neither had I, until last May when we moved into our house. Our new neighbors were enthusiastic about our garden plans as much as their own. They quickly introduced us to a friend of theirs who lived just around the corner and who happens to work at this wonderful place. One afternoon Scott found himself going over to this friend of a friends house to help him pick up something.

An hour or so later Scott comes home arms full of what looked like some spent grassy weeds and a few cuttings of mint. Scott had the biggest smile on his face because he knew how excited I’d be about these new plants, but then he couldn’t remember the name of the said plant and we played a quick round of me asking “what did it start with?” or “what did it sound like?”. Somehow we finally came up with sorrel. I had nowhere to put it at that moment so I threw the whole plant into a large bucket filled with dirt and called it good.

The plant looked totally dead and I may have neglected it a little, but it still managed to grow last year and the next thing I knew the whole plant was going to seed before I had a chance to use it. Luckily it’s a perennial and a hearty one around here at that; the light green, sour lemony leaves came back this month so I could finally give them a try. They look a bit like spinach, but a little lighter and yellower in color. They’re great tossed into salads or soups to add a fresh brightness.

I pureed the sorrel leaves with yogurt for a tasty cooling sauce to top off the slightly spicy collard and quinoa mixture. It’s not totally necessary and if you can’t find sorrel leaves you could possibly use fresh lemon juice instead. However, I made extra to so I could spread it on top of sandwiches and tuck it inside some scrambled eggs.

Collards & Quinoa with Sorrel Sauce / serves 4

1 bunch collard greens
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, cut into half circles
pinch red pepper flakes
3 cups cooked quinoa (about 1 cup dry)
1/3 cup Asiago cheese
salt and pepper
1/3 cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped
sorrel sauce to serve, recipe below

De-stem the collards and thinly slice the leaves into 1/4-inch wide strips. Then finely chop up the stems, this is optional, but I try to avoid wasting perfectly edible food when I can.

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add the leeks, garlic, collard stems (if using), red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt, and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the finely sliced leaves and cook down until they turn dark green and soften up.

Place the cooked quinoa in a large serving bowl and toss with the collard mixture. Stir in the cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Just before serving top with the toasted almonds and serve with the sorrel sauce on the side.

Sorrel Sauce
Adapted from Plenty
3 cups sorrel leaves, washed
1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt or Greek yogurt
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt to taste

Place everything into a food processor or blender with a pinch of salt and blitz into a light green sauce. Taste then add more salt if desired. Keeps, covered, in the fridge for a couple days.

Gluten-Free, Proteins, Salads, Sides, Spring, Vegetables

Pumpkin Pie Bars with Coconut, Chocolate & Almonds On Top

It’s true. I have a very hungry appetite for all things pumpkin-y and spice scented during the Fall. But my motivation for this recipe comes from my realization that I can count the number of decorations I own for one of my favorite holidays of the year, Halloween, on one hand. Actually, one finger.

It’s a small plastic jack-o-lantern (a name I, and probably many other Jacquelyn’s remember well. Totally not bitter about that one) that’s been spray painted gold. I received it as a prize at a friends Halloween party last year, after entering in the pie contest. Not pie eating, mind you, although I maybe would have entered had there been one : ) My only excuse for the lack of decor is that after moving from one apartment to the next, year after year, for a totally of 8 moves in 8 years, is that you really learn to downsize.

Now I’m in a place where moving is just not as easy an option the way it used to be, but I’m still holding onto the phrase in my head that says “does this object have more than one use, is it small, or do I really love/have to have it?” I’m sure many small space dwellers or non-clutter lovers can agree with me that sometimes decorations for certain holidays fall by the way side when this thought crosses your mind. Real pumpkins, the ones you pick out in a field, where you come home with mud on your shoes, those “decorations” are the ones we had every year, luckily. They’re the ones that will always fit into my requisite rules for what comes into the house.

When I told this to my mom, she insisted I take home a few of her pumpkin, ghost, and witch decorations. Which I did, but things were still feeling pretty sparse, so I baked a treat instead. Filled it with pumpkin, over an oaty cookie-like crust and topped with coconut, almonds, and chocolate. This one didn’t even make it through the weekend before being devoured.

Pumpkin Pie Bars with Coconut, Chocolate & Almonds On Top / makes 8
It seems like a lot of steps because I’ve broken everything down, but really they’re simple to make and you probably have all the ingredients already.

crust
3 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup muscovado or brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1-3 teaspoons cold water

filling
2 cups pumpkin puree or 1 14oz. can
1/2 cup muscovado or brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon clove
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup coconut milk

topping
1/2 cup roughly chopped almonds, lightly toasted
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and line an 8″x8″ baking pan with parchment.

Place the rolled oats in a food processor and whirl until the oats become oat flour. Add in the salt and sugar, give another pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until fully combined, mixture will be crumbly. Add the water 1 teaspoon at a time until the mixture comes together.

Press the dough into the bottom of the pan and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool slightly while preparing the filling.

In a large bowl combine the pumpkin puree, sugar, spices, and cornstarch, stir well to combine. Pour in the coconut milk, stirring well to incorporate. In a small bowl mix together the almonds, chocolate chips, and shredded coconut.

Pour the pumpkin mixture over the oat crust, smooth out to evenly cover. Sprinkle the topping mixture over the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until set. Allow to cool completely then chill for at least 30 minutes in the fridge before cutting into.

Desserts + Sweets, Fall, Gluten-Free

Tomato Cucumber & Quinoa Salad

You people always amaze me. I was hesitant about sending my last post out into the internet world. I kept asking myself, “is this too much information?” or ”how much do I really want to open up here?” In the end, I did a lot of editing and re-editing, deleting entire paragraphs I didn’t feel were necessary. But it didn’t feel right for me not to share anything and it ended up being an incredible way to look deeper into how I was feeling, even if I didn’t share it all here. All of you confirmed for me just how much people care, how much I know others can learn or at least remember to think about messages learned and passed along. I feel we could move mountains with the support this community gives, so thank you.

This blog has become more than just a place to share recipes. I’ve never been much of a journal writer. I probably started and stopped a dozen or so journals or diaries in my youth, each written with scribbled handwriting about how I thought recess should last longer, who my latest crush was, and all the other incredibly mundane day-to-day thoughts of a relatively happy pre-teenage life. I was thinking how this blog has really become an online journal of sorts. More than a collection of recipes. I enjoy that I can look back on and recall memories or what I was feeling or doing during a certain point in time. I’m not totally sure what makes this place so different from pen to paper, but I’m glad I’m here.

I realize many of you may be very over tomatoes, but I surely am not. In fact, I feel like tomato season only just got started at the beginning of September around here. My plans for 4 tomato plants in the garden, turned into 6. Then when a friend of a friend decided to drop off 8 more plants, I had to think quick about where to put them all. I envisioned all of summer with bright red, juicy tomatoes off the vine and me canning all of September to store for the winter. Fast forward to several weeks ago and I still had a ton of green tomatoes and only the little cherry ones had been turning red.

Now I have tomatoes daily. This salad is the perfect example of a meal inspired by the mass variety and sheer amount of tomatoes I have on hand. So if you live up in the NW like me or also are not quite ready to be roasting vegetables in the oven just yet, throw this salad together and eat it outside one more time.

Tomato Cucumber & Quinoa Salad / serves 4
Don’t feel you need to have all the exact tomatoes I’ve used. If you can, great, otherwise try to have at least 2-3 different varieties and sizes for all their different flavor profiles and estimate the approximate amount based on what I’ve given. Leftover quinoa is a great thing to have around for impromptu salads like this one, but making if from about 1/2 cup dried quinoa will give you about the right amount for this salad. I’ve also added avocado to this salad in a version I didn’t photograph and it was a delicious addition.

2 cups cooked quinoa
1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced
1 herloom tomato, sliced into wedges
2 green tomatoes, sliced into wedges
1 cup yellow pear tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
2 roma tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 cucumber, skin peeled and cut into slices
1/3 cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped
1/4 cup packed basil, roughly chopped

dressing
juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, crushed
1/2 teaspoon chile powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Quickly sauté the sliced red onion in a bit of oil until just softened, this step is not necessary and you can leave it raw, but I personally wanted to tame its flavor a bit.

Place the quinoa, red onion, all tomatoes, and cucumber into a large bowl.

Combine all the dressing ingredients and pour over the quinoa mixture. Season with salt to taste and sprinkle the almonds and basil over the top. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Gluten-Free, Grains, Salads, Vegan, Vegetables

Trail Cookies

“Tell me what it is you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
- Mary Oliver

We lost a friend to cancer in late July. She was an all around beautiful person that we saw nearly every week for the past two years over dinner among friends. She was way too young, but from it, I found myself taking away an even greater appreciation of life. I yearned to spend real time with my husband, friends and family. I actively decided that every moment is a chance to greater not just myself, but the people around me I care so much about. Online life exhausts me more than anything and taking the time to step away is so good for me personally.

Every weekend we seemed to find ourselves hiking or camping, with a couple mid-week surf sessions thrown in. The challenges in life always fade into the background when I’m in the outdoors. Each step I take towards the top of a steep trail or paddle into the next wave is met with that perfect wholeness I feel when given one solitary task. The outside world holds such great treasures; I can never resist taking them on.

To make up for my absence I decided to entice you with cookies and take you along with us up the Tatoosh Ridge Trail in the Gifford-Pinchot National Forest. The wildflowers and views of Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams were incredible, a must see if you are ever in WA during August. Making this video was new to us, but also very fun, so I’m hoping to take you all on more of our life’s little adventures in the future. It’s also my sneaky way of maybe teaching Scott a thing or two about how to cook, we’ll see.
Music by Loch Lomond

These could also be called one of those “everything but the kitchen sink” cookies. I’m still trying to get zucchini into everything, but shredded carrots or apples would be a great substitute as well (they’ll also make them a touch sweeter too), now that summer squash season is coming to an end. The cookies themselves are like homemade granola or granola bars; relatively healthy, oaty, lightly sweet, and something with a lot of staying power. They get a little softer after a day or two, but on the first day they have a great outer crust that gives way to a softer center, the almonds keep them crunchy.

And even though I haven’t posted lately, I’ve still been filling up on a lot of good food! Here’s a few tasty things from around the web I’ve been eating and enjoying this month:

This spicy little green bean number.
A ridiculously good lemon cucumber tofu salad, that is so refreshing.
Granola that tastes like banana bread. You definitely want to make this.
Sara and Hugh’s beautiful masterpiece.
I’ve been experimenting more with buckwheat flour after enjoying these buckwheat chocolate chip cookies.
Kimberly’s eating well on the road series seems to have summed up my summer. Minus the rice cooker, that was a new tip for me!
Gave myself the challenge of making my own sourdough starter after being inspired by Tara. Let’s just say I’m going to have to start round two next week…

Trail Cookies / makes about 2 dozen
You need 2 cups oat flour for this recipe, I’ve made the oat flour myself using a food processor, but you can buy pre-maid as well. And these are gluten free if you use rolled oats that are marked gluten free.

1/2 cup almonds
3 cups rolled oats, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup desiccated coconut
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup honey
1 egg
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup dried cherries

Preheat oven to 400F.

Place almonds on a lined baking sheet and roast for about 10-12 minutes, until fragrant and roasted smelling. Allow to cool, then roughly chop. Turn oven down to 350F.

Meanwhile, place 2 cups of the rolled oats into a food processor (if using oat flour you can skip this step) and process until the oats become oat flour. Toss together with the other 1 cup rolled oats, baking powder, sea salt, coconut, and roasted almonds.

In another bowl combine the coconut oil, honey and egg, stirring well, then add in the zucchini. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet, stirring until everything is just moistened. Stir in the dried cherries and chocolate chips. The mixture will be very moist and sticky, place in the fridge for about 30 minutes if you’d like it to firm up a bit, but it’s not necessary.

Using your hands form the dough into rounded mounds and place on a lined cookie sheet. The cookies don’t spread so you can get about 12 to a pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the tops are just slightly golden. Cool cookies on a wire wrack until completely cool. Store tightly covered and enjoy on your next adventure.

Desserts + Sweets, Gluten-Free, Grains, Vegetables, Video

Arugula, Wild Rice & Apricot Salad

We got back late last night from our week and a half road trip to San Francisco and Los Angeles. We had such a great time and I’ll share a few highlights once we’ve settled back into a routine. I’m currently enjoying how good it feels just to be home.

Before leaving, I created a salad recipe for Free People’s BLDG 25 blog. It’s full of things I’m craving right now (since road trips don’t always include as much fresh produce as I like) and I can’t wait to get back into the kitchen. I think my garden can hardly wait too, it’s looking like a jungle out there!

Arugula, Wild Rice & Apricot Salad / serves 4

2/3 cups wild rice
1 bunch arugula
3-4 fresh apricots (2-3 nectarines or peaches would also work)
1 avocado
1/2 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1/3 cup roasted unsalted almonds, roughly chopped

dressing
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons raw honey (use sugar if making vegan)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt to taste

Rinse the rice. Bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add the rice, then turn the heat down to a simmer, cover and cook until the water has been absorbed and the rice becomes tender, about 35-40 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together all ingredients for the dressing, set aside.

Place the wild rice, arugula, apricots, avocado, and cilantro in a large bowl, pour over the dressing and toss to combine. Toss in the almonds just before serving.

Fruits, Gluten-Free, Sides, Vegan, Vegetables

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