AND IN THE MORNIN...

I'M MAKIN WAFFLES!

Let me say this- as a person who hasn't eaten a REAL bread product for seven years (until last week that is...BOOM! I know, bfd, but we will talk about it later)- these grain free waffles are legit! 

On the 4th of July Drew and I had plans to go to a friends house for a barbecue and fire works extravaganza. I, of course, was bringing dessert and wanted to keep with the theme of the holiday, so berries and coconut cream were a given. I had intended to make a grain free 'crust' to crumble over the top (which is amazing) but fate had other plans for me that day. 

Drew and I went to get coffee at our favorite coffee shop and as we stood at the counter (shooting the shit, per usual), one of the baristas mentioned that they had gluten free waffles for breakfast. I then, of course, started dreaming about waffles... like real waffles... and my mouth watered like faucet. But, as with every bread product, I knew it was only a dream and I needed to shut it down. 

We headed home and I couldn't stop thinking about waffles... the smell of them toasting in the waffle iron, the texture, the little squares filled with whatever your heart so desired- butter, peanut butter, syrup... it was too much to bear. I got online and googled, "best grain free waffles" and an amazing recipe by Danielle Walker aka Against All Grain, came up.  

Reluctantly I blended, mixed, and waffle ironed the batter... and then... MAGIC. "DREW!" I exclaimed, "these waffles, TASTE LIKE WAFFLES!" I couldn't believe it. "No way." He responded, "not possible". I smeared a little piece with butter, put in on a fork and handed it over. You would have thought Drew had tasted a piece of his childhood, "holy shit! BABE, thats a WAFFLE... like not a shitty gluten free thing, its a real waffle! Thats amazing" 

And so, I give you my take on Danielle's recipe. Same idea, different ingredients. 

-WAFFLE WAFFLES-
(don't tell a soul they are grain free)

What you will need- 

1 cup almonds

3 tbsp coconut flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup or 1/2 a can of full fat coconut milk (any milk will do)
3 eggs
1-2 tsp vanilla (I like a lot of vanilla)
7 dates, pitted and soaked in 1/3 cup boiling water
1 tbsp honey
3 tbsp coconut oil melted
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Place the almonds into your vitamix or food processor and blend until a flour like consistency is achieved. Add in the coconut flour, salt and baking soda, pulse for 30 seconds. Add the remaining wet ingredients and blend until well combined. 

Pour the batter onto your preheated waffle iron, 1/3 cup on each section for small waffles, 1/2 cup for full waffles (just shy of filling the bottom portion of the iron). Close the top and allow to 'bake' until the steam has slowed, roughly 1-2 minutes... I would like to give you a time but every waffle maker is different, so it make take longer. Remove the perfectly browned waffles with a fork. 

Continue until all the batter is used up and then devour them! 

I will say, you can freeze and toast these bad boys if you want an easy breakfast, snack or dessert (with coconut cream and berries like we had on the 4th). They may not be AS good, but they are still pretty damn amazing. 

I know, I get it, they aren't 'real' waffles... but if you don't tell anyone they aren't really, they will never know. 

xx

p.s. I realize the 4th of July was FOREVER ago... I wrote this post FOREVER ago and just forgot about it... soooooo yeah... maybe make these and top them with cinnamon baked apple chunks... you know, because it's FALL now. 

TOMTOM SALSA

You know how I used to cook all the time and tell you guys about what I was making via recipes every Monday? Well, I am still cooking all the things but I seem to forget to take pictures and/or write down the recipe as I go, as of late. I'd love to, one day, recipe test properly and, perhaps, make a career out of feeding people who, like me, can't eat anything (though I'm getting better with food and it is probably the best thing ever). 

It is Summer and hot as balls in most of our fine country, shout out to global warming am I right!? (I hate it, I can't lie, give me all the jackets please and thank you). I don't know about you, but I try to avoid turning on the oven this time of year, granted my love of roasted sweet potatoes often trumps my will power to keep the oven off, which I am sure you can also relate to. ANYWAYS, this is not a story about a salad, as you may be thinking. This is also not a story about grilling, which is the other natural assumption for a Summer time 'cooking' piece. This is a (love) story about salsa, tomatillo salsa to be more exact. 

Drew and I have been venturing to the Atwater Farmers Market every Sunday. We have our meat people, our greens people, our olive, grape and almond guy (total Italian hustler), our date guy (dates like the fruit not the event you do with another human), and our tomatillo dude (whom also has amazing eggs, avocados, citrus and onions, but the toms are where it is at!). 

I got a bag of tomatillos one week with the intention of making salsa for steak, because tomatillo salsa on steak is like peanut butter on jelly. That first bag of toms sat in the fridge, dejected, for a week before I decided to attempt a salsa of some sort. My guilt over wasting food finally got the better of me. This is what happened- 

-TOMTOM SALSA-
(v spicy)

What you will need-

1 lb Tomatillos, peeled, rinsed
1 large yellow or sweet onion, peeled and quartered
3-5 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 whole limes juiced (I know, there are three in the picture, but really, two is perfect)
1 jalapeño
3-8 Thai Chilies (use less for less hot salsa)
1 cup cilantro (more like a handful)
1-2 tsp sea salt (usually more toward 1.5, depending on the salt you are using)
1/4 cup water

Place tomatillos, jalapeño, and chilies into a preheated cast iron skillet (a regular pan will work as well). While the toms and chilies are blackening, place your onion, garlic, cilantro, salt, water and lime juice into the pitcher of your blender or vitamix. Be sure to check on the toms and chilies, stirring them so that they blacken but don't burn too much (the thai chilies will need to be pulled out before everything else as they are so small and burn easily). Cut the tops off the chilies and jalapeño, place into the blender with your other ingredients and puree until smooth. Chill for one hour, minimum, so that the salsa can cool throughly. 

*This recipe yields roughly three cups of delicious salsa*

If you aren't a fan of spice leave the thai chilies out of the recipe. I have also tried it with other pepper and it works just as well.  

Since that first venture into tom salsa land, I have purchased tomatillos at the market every week and made salsa with them as fast as humanly possible. Drew and I eat it on steak on eggs (on steak AND eggs), on nachos, on sweet potatoes (see they can't go away, I love them too much) or salad, you name it, we have put the salsa on it! We also just eat it with chips, because lets be honest, no food was ever more perfect than chips, guac, and a big bowl of salsa! 

Stay cool everyone, be good to yourselves, drink lots of water, and eat loads of salsa. 

xx
 

FEELIN KINDA CRUMBY

Do you remember the salads of your child hood? Close your eyes and picture the rolling waves of translucent sea green iceberg lettuce crested by their crisp white spines. The surface of the sea speckled with anemic looking tomatoes, pale strips of onion hiding beneath the flaccid folds, the occasional watery slice of cucumber mixed in 'for texture'. I never understood this version of salad but, even as a small child I knew one thing, the most important thing I would argue- those sad leafy greens were the vehicle I needed in order to usher copious amounts of ranch dressing, shredded cheese and wonderfully stale (bagged) croutons into my mouth! It was so obvious to me that no one actually liked that obligatory bowl of assembled sadness, but we all recognized its essential role supporting our addiction to terrible for you food substitutes that would be otherwise frowned upon to eat in a bowl on their own. If I could have gotten away with a side of ranch, cheese, and croutons I probably would have tried, but you know, we have to keep up appearances so I didn't quite go there (though if I'm totally honest the  'salad' only accounted for a fraction of the mass in my bowl). 

Fast forward to todays post sad-greens-era. We have restaurants focused around salad, there are salad cook books, and salad bars in cafes and grocery stores that are comprised of REAL, delicious ingredients! We are no longer in the salad desert forced to drown our salad sorrows in ranch dressing. I mean have you tried arugula? It is peppery and magical. What about a good quinoa salad? Or Kale salad!? You can put anything on a salad now... how did we not see this before? It really is a lunch time game changer. 

Regardless of all this progress I still get nostalgic for the 'salads' of my childhood. Mostly for the ones that were actually a little bit more 'special'. Every now and again my mom would make homemade croutons, soaked in garlic butter and crisped to perfection. 

Drew and I were going to a friends house for dinner the other night and I was tasked with bringing dessert and, dun dun dunnnnn the salad! (I bet you never saw that coming). I decided to go simple and classic- arugula, cherry tomatoes, lemon, salt, olive oil... but I wanted a little something extra. Normally you could add parmesan, but given my lactarded nature that option was out the window. So I decided to try my hand at a savory crumb sprinkle a la breadcrumb. 

SUNFLOWER SEED 'BREAD' CRUMBS

What you will need- 
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1-2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Grind sunflower seeds, salt, italian seasoning and garlic powder in a food processor or vitamix until a crumb like texture is achieved. Move the mixture to a bowl and stir in coconut oil and lemon juice (you could use olive oil or avocado oil if you prefer) until evenly combined.  

Spread onto a baking sheet (I used a pan cover, but you can used foil or oil the pan directly). Place in the oven at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.  

Sprinkle over salads, use on top of pasta, or coat chicken breasts for a little chicken parm action (I haven't tried that yet but it sounds good). 

Salad world doesn't have to be boring. Go on, embrace the greens and dare to create a salad worth remembering. 

xx 

SECRET SAUCE

What is it about sauce? There is something to it right? Think about your favorite pasta, coated to perfection in marinara or your favorite pizza swirled in concentric circles of tangy crimson heaven. What about those chicken wings you like? Tossed in chili lime or traditional bbq so every crispy nook and cranny is covered for optimum, finger licking, flavor. Not to mention the world of traditional barbecue (not like your dad grilling in the back yard, but traditional-whole hog/smoked meat, Southern barbecue). Sauce is practically a religion in the South; if you use it or don't use it, if it is vinegar, tomato, or mustard based all varies, county by county, state by state ( i.e. Texan barbecue is NOT the same as South Carolina whole hog barbecue). 

Now, to be honest, we often think of sauce as an Italian thing... this is not the case. As I mentioned above there is bbq sauce, cheese sauce, steak sauce, bearnaise and cream sauce. There are sauces that are called other names- gravy, dressing, dip etc. I am sure there is someone in the Bon Appetite test kitchen that could explain the difference to me and I am sure that Anthony Bourdain would have my head for not having technical knowledge of such things, but you know what... for the sake of this post I'm going to stick to my guns and say sauce (while not all created equal or of the same things) is still sauce (I will learn the proper differences later). 

Continuing on... A while back I was roasting a chicken and some veggies for dinner and I thought to myself... I want to make a sauce. Something fresh, something flavorful... something green?

I had purchased loads of herbs at the farmers market in hopes of making a rather lofty recipe I had seen on Pinterest or ,perhaps, Bon Apps twitter and realizing that they were going bad waiting for me to rise to the occasion. So, I got craftyand decided to re-appropriate them by blending them into some semblance of a sauce (see, I have a point for my sauce rant). At first I wasn't fussed about it. Sure it was ok, but it lacked... FAT... so as with everything in my life, I added avocado. Lo and behold magic was made that day.

-BANGIN GREENS-
aka green sauce
aka I don't have a cleaver name for this one...

What you will need-
*1 cup parsley (I like flat leaf, but I am sure curly would work)
1/2-3/4 cup cilantro
1/4-1/2 cup mint
1/2 avocado
juice from 1 small lemon or 1/2 large lemon
1/2-1 tsp good sea salt
1/4 cup olive oil
2-4 cloves garlic (I like it really garlicky!)
1/4-1/2 cup water- add as needed

*KEY to this is that all the herbs are fresh!

Place all of your ingredients and blend on high until a smooth, green, Nickelodeon slime looking texture is achieved, give it a taste and alter as needed to your preference (more mint, more garlic etc). The flavor of the herbs, the acid from the lemon and spice of the garlic should all feel balanced by the fat of the avocado and olive oil. The texture should be smooth and creamy, slightly runny but not watery. Once you have the flavor you are looking for enjoy! 

 I have replicated this sauce many times since my first experiment with it. Depending on the strength of the herbs it always turns out a little bit different which is kind of pleasant- you taste the season in this sauce. Use it as salad dressing, over cauliflower steaks (SO GOOD), on roasted veggies or as a fresh alternative to pan gravy on your roasted chicken dishes. 

Sauce makes everything better in my opinion... though I am a fan of condiments in general so perhaps I am a little bit bias. Give this sauce a go and let me know how it turns out! I would love to hear what you use it on or how you give it a little personal flare. 

xx

p.s. I am currently obsessed with all things Bon App... check out there podcast aka foodcast for inspiration (word to the wise, don't listen when you are hungry!). 

MONDAY TREATS

Once upon a time I did this thing called Monday Treats. Pretty self explanatory but for those of you who haven't had your first cup of (life giving) coffee yet, I will indulge your sluggishness and explain. 

When I started this 'blog' (online platform from which I can post all the things I think to the interwebzzz) I wanted to have a project that I had to post each week so that there would be some semblance of consistency in the otherwise rather shapeless meanderings. While I am a crafty person I realized I didn't enjoy the 'create a craft and post it' thing that is so popular... I'm also not a food blogger so I didn't want to post food every day. I decided however, that since my primary love in life (next to Drew) is food, it would only make sense for me to post food experiments (aka recipes) every now and again. Makes sense right? 

Ok, now that we are ALL on the same page (and if you still aren't there GET WITH IT) I will continue. 

I have a little recipe for you that is probably the easiest thing you will ever make in your life... you think I'm kidding I'm not. 

-SLOW ROASTED STRAWBERRIES-
(preferably on toast)

What you will need-

preheat your oven to 375 degrees ferinheight 

1 quart strawberries
1-2 tsp coconut sugar (depending on how sweet you want the berries to be)
1/2 tsp melted coconut oil (optional)
a few drops fresh lemon juice
the tiniest pinch of salt

Rinse the strawberries, remove the tops and cut them into quarters. Place the cut berries into a bowl, sprinkle with sugar, coconut oil, lemon, and salt (seriously, like the TINIEST amount of salt). Line your baking sheet with parchment paper and place the strawberries on top. 

Roast the strawbs at 375f for 20-30 minutes (depending on how gooey you want them... I did about 25) 

You can then take these delicious little morsels and place them on ice cream or goat cheese grilled cheese sammy, put them on your oatmeal with your favorite nut butter OR just smear them onto a piece of toast (with coconut oil or butter just for fun). Keep the left overs (should there be any) in the refrigerator like you would jam. 

I made this amazing loaf of quinoa bread that is ALL the things free... it is made from quinoa, chia seeds, and not much else. You should probably check it out (click here). 

Now that all of your mouths are watering (and if they aren't I think you are still asleep) I would suggest you put strawberries on your grocery list this week, I promise it is absolutely worth it!

xx
 

PURELY ELIZABETH

As many of you know, food is a major part of my life... as well it should be in yours. Over the last few years I have struggled with finding a balance between eating well and eating what I want, unfortunately what I 'want' my body tends to hate, so I have had to adapt and change the way I see food. 

These changes were very hard at first. I became gluten, soy, and dairy free over 6 years ago and, let me tell you, there was NOTHING in the grocery store for me back then. All the 'gluten free' options tasted like cardboard, so I lived on hummus and tortilla chips with sriracha (not a bad existence, just very sodium heavy and not very satisfying). Time and awareness has changed all that. Market shelves are now stocked with gluten free options and people seem to have a better understanding of what food allergies (and sensitivities) actually are (which is amazing).

About two years ago I was diagnosed with a severe case of Candida (simply put it is an over growth of yeast and bacteria in your organs which can lead to all kinds of health problems). I went on an anti-candida diet, cutting out ALL OF THE THINGS... you think I'm kidding, I'm not. I didn't eat- gluten, soy, dairy, yeast, vinegar, sugar, fruit, grain, alcohol, nuts, beans, or starches. I still avoid most of these things today but when I left for tour this Spring I had to look at my diet and relinquish some control, taking a little more of the "everything or most things in moderation" approach. 

This is when (and how) I discovered Purely Elizabeth. I was looking for foods that I could keep in my bag for when catering maybe wasn't ideal on the road. Elizabeths hot cereal and granola called to me from the well stocked shelves of Whole Foods one day and I quickly became obsessed! The Ancient Grains were a staple in my diet for the entirety of the tour and the granola a late night treat I looked forward to, so much so that I tweeted about it... which leads me to this post. 

I was contacted by the wonderful people at Purely Elizabeth and asked if I would like to review the cookbook which was coming out. I read the introduction they had forwarded and quickly replied with a resounding YES! I couldn't wait to read it, you would be amazed at the knowledge and stories cookbooks hold. Needless to say I wasn't disappointed. The photos are beautiful, the tips and tricks enlightening and informative, and, as if that wasn't enough, the recipes are incredibly easy to follow. I have only had a chance to try a few of them (baked spaghetti squash with fresh basil is all I can dream of at the moment), but I look forward to cooking from its pages for years to come. 

I recently had the immense pleasure of interviewing Elizabeth Stein, THE Elizabeth behind Purely Elizabeth. I can't lie, I had a little bit of a 'food world' fan girl moment when I saw the interview come through in my e-mail. She is charming and her soul divine, not to mention I am pretty sure that she is a wizard when it comes to food (Harry Potter pales in comparison with her magic).  But, enough from me, I will turn things over to the lady with the magical cast irons- Elizabeth Stein. 

...

Could you please introduce yourself self and tell us a little bit about who you are? 
My name is Elizabeth Stein, founder and CEO of Purely Elizabeth. I’m a recent Boulder resident, moving from NYC about a year ago.  I lived in NYC for 11 years before heading out west. I’m absolutely in love with the beauty and community of Boulder- really, I’m pinching myself everyday I wake up here.

Where did the idea for ‘Purely Elizabeth’ come from and how did it go from being an idea to being a reality? 
 I started Purely Elizabeth in October 2009. At the time, I was a holistic nutrition counselor, learning about all these amazing superfoods like quinoa, chia seeds and coconut oil. At the time, those ingredients weren’t found in products on the shelf and I saw an opportunity in the gluten free market for something healthier and more delicious.

Have you always been a, for lack of a better term we will use a word I don’t love, ‘foodie’? 
For sure. I’ve always had an interest in food, good food whether that meant eating it, caring about it or creating it.  From a young age (probably high school) I was a pretty healthy eater and had an interest in better for you foods. 

When did you decide living ‘purely’ was what you wanted for your life and what impact has it made on you (and your community)?
For me, the biggest shift was in my early 20’s when I decided to start doing marathons and triathlons.  Everything for me shifted at that time when I started to see the effect of living purely. I quite my job and wanted to find something more aligned with this lifestyle which is what led me to the Institute of Integrative Nutrition where I became a holistic nutrition counselor.  

Favorite way to stay healthy outside the kitchen? i.e. hiking, yoga, spin, etc. 
Now that I’m living in Boulder, I find that it’s so much easier to stay healthy. I’m fortunate to live about 1 mile from a great trailhead, so I find myself hiking a few days a week as well as running, yoga and BBG workouts. 

Little life luxury you can’t live without? 
Going out to dinner.  As much as I love cooking, I totally love the whole experience of going out to a great restaurant and having amazing food and wine.  Oh and traveling. I love to get away anywhere.  

If you weren’t in the food industry what would you be doing? 
That’s a tough question. I’d probably still be in the accessory/fashion industry.

Go to snack when you are out running around town? 
A purely elizabeth granola mini of course! They are the perfect size to carry in your bag. Plus the sweet-salty taste satisfies both cravings.  

What is one tip you can give for living ‘purely’ on a day to day basis? 
For me, the best thing is to start my day with exercise or movement. Sometimes literally all I need is 5 minutes of yoga or even just doing a headstand.  Getting the blood flowing helps me to think better, feel better and automatically sets the tone for the day. 

I am so looking forward to cooking from your new cookbook! What was the experience/process of writing a cookbook like for you? 
I absolutely loved it!  I’ve always wanted to put together a cookbook since nutrition school (about 7 years ago) so it was totally a passion project. It was a great creative outlet for me after a long day at work.  Plus, I taught myself food photography during the process, which was probably the most fun of all.  I’m ready to do it again!

Outside of cookbooks, what are you reading these days? 
Sadly I haven’t had much down time to get into a book…I’m too ADD for that right now and we have too many exciting projects to be working on. 

Are you a podcast or music kind of girl when you are cooking? Favorites at the moment? Definitely music.  Right now I’ve been listening to the Beyonce channel on Pandora. It’s totally perfect for cooking…especially at 6am!

How do you seek/find balance in life? 
For me I definitely need alone, quite time throughout the week to feel balanced.  There is nothing better then a relaxing bath a few times a week.  

What dish could you make/eat over and over and never get tired of?  
Hmmmm probably something with tomato sauce….like my skillet baked penne with swiss chard, eggplant and burrata. 

In closing, can you please tell us a little bit about what we have too look forward to in your forthcoming book ‘Eating Purely'-
Eating purely is full of easy, delicious, healthy recipes. I love how simple so many of them are that they aren’t intimidating for anyone.  I also love how the recipes are so tasty that even a non-healthy eater would enjoy!

...

Not to sound weird, but I feel like Elizabeth is the kitchen soul sister I never had. Head stands and Beyonce? Done and done. 

For more of this ladies awesomeness be sure to head over to purelyelizabeth.com and follow her delicious adventures on Instagram. 

Elizabeth, thank you for helping revolutionize the world of eating purely! You are a food-defective-foodies dream. Thank you also for taking the time to share your story, it is inspiring and beautiful, best of luck to you and your team, and all the oh so tasty things you do. 

xx

CHIPOOTLE

Hi, my name is Kelsey and I love Chipotle! 

I KNOW! I'm equally as embarrassed but, you guys, it is the best semi-fast food out there. It trumps all, which I had totally forgotten about until like two months ago when I discovered that I (in spite of all my weird food issues) can ACTUALLY eat there... I mean, I'm not going to say it was a miracle, but I'm also not, not saying that.  

Mind you, back in the day, I ate Chipotle on a regular ish basis. I am fairly certain the "I know guac is extra" shirts were designed because of and for me...As a poor working girl (not that way, I just worked from a young age, I didn't really do the 'college' thing) it was affordable and damn delicious! And now, I have rediscovered what the rest of the world has continued to know- that Chipotle burrito bowls are indeed the best ever. I am a bit concerned though as Postmates has started advertising Chipotle delivery to me like EVERY DAY in my instagram ads (also, please note, that sentence would have never existed 4 years ago when I stopped eating Chipotle). 

At any rate, as I am now an 'elevated foodie' who knows a thing or two about cooking and health, I decided to see if I couldn't make the Chicken Burrito Bowl at home. Guess what guys... I DID IT! Seriously. I have made this meal at least once a week ever since, in all its knock-off glory. 

CHIPOOTLE CHICKEN

What you will need for the chicken- 

2 dried ancho chiles
10-12 dried chipotle chiles (peppers?) 
2-3 large cloves garlic
1 tsp sea salt
4 cups water

Remove the stems and seeds from the chiles by cutting off the top and slicing them down the middle. This is a tedious task and takes some time, the seeds like to stick in the dried chipotles. cut the garlic into large chunks. Add 3 cups water, salt, chiles, and garlic to a sauce pan, simmer for 1 hour. Puree the mixture with 1 cup water (if needed) in a blender until smooth. Place in the refrigerator to cool.

Once the sauce has cooled place 5-6 medium chicken breasts into the mixture. Marinade the meat 4+ hours or even over night if you are feeling bold and think that far ahead.  

I prefer the chicken grilled on medium/high heat 7-8 minutes on each side. Allow the chicken to rest for a couple of minutes and then dice into chunks like they do at Chipotle. 

*WARNING* the chiles can make you cough or make your eyes sensitive, also, wash your hands well after handling as the oils can be quite hot. 

For the rest of the bowl- 

I make cilantro lime rice, black beans, sautéed peppers/onions, and guac. The key for these things are as follows- 

Cook your rice as usual (1 cup rice, 2 cups water) add the juice of 1-2 limes, a dash of sea salt and freshly chopped cilantro. 

Keep the black beans simple, rinse them well and then heat them in a little water. 

Sauté green and yellow bell peppers slices with red onion (green pepper and red onion are essential! They normally aren't my favorite, but they are PERFECT in this dish). 

The guac is simple- diced red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro. 1.5 - 2 avocados, the juice from 1 (juicy) lime, sea salt to taste. Mush together in a bowl, leaving it slightly chunky. 

Green Tabasco is also a favorite, but you could use the chipotle flavor if you prefer a bit more of the smokey taste.    

Place all the pieces together in a bowl or stacked elegantly on a plate- rice, black beans, sautéed veggies, your homemade chipotle chicken and of course the guac, which for once doesn't cost extra! Devour. 

While I know Drew loved me before I came up with this recipe, I am fairly certain that he found his true love for me after. When he took his first bite of this meal his eyes got all big, he sighed contentedly, looked up at me and said, "oh my god... I love you... and this."

xx

p.s. Chipotle (the place) will forever be 'Chipootle' in my brain because of my dear friend Jamie. He has a small love affair with the restaurant, proven by his 'usual' order which his local Chipotle bar tenders know by heart...extra of everything and double the meat... it is a burrito so big I am fairly certain it could feed the 5,000. Love you Jamie, never change. 

CINNAMON RAISIN COOKIES

Today is a big day... today marks the first recipe that I am posting since... I don't know, forever ago? It has been ages hasn't it!? Sheesh! This is not due to a lack of cooking... in fact I have (probably) spent a good third (maybe more) of my time in the kitchen since arriving back to LA (I know, very 1950s house wife of me, but whatever, I like to cook and bake!). I didn't realize when I got back just how much I missed preparing my own food; it is an absolute luxury for me and I was definitely taking it for granted before I left on tour. 

What kind of things have I been making? I'm glad you asked! The answer is EVERYTHING, I have been making a little bit of everything. I have been making a lot of Thai dishes, burning my nose with Thai chilies, and Mexican rice has become a staple (Drew is obsessed). I am marinating a ton these days (my favorite has been an ancho/chipotle chili chicken marinade... it is WOW), slow cooking, baking, prepping, mashing, and stirring to my little hearts content. I have also been using cookbooks more (I kind of follow the recipes, so that's a step in the right direction I suppose). Most recently I have been quite taken with the Hemsley and Hemsley cookbook (I know, I'm late to the game). I have made their buckwheat tortilla shells (BRILLIANT), whole roasted cauliflower, and theses insanely yummy and oh-so-addictive cinnamon raison cookies!!! Being who I am, I may have altered the recipe just a bit...

-CINNAMON RAISIn COOKIES- 

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Ferinheight. 

What you will need: 
1 1/4 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 tsp baking soda
pinch sea salt
3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 dates
2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup coconut oil, very soft or melted
1 tbsp raw honey
3/4 cup raisins

Blend 1 cup raw almonds and 1 cup raw sunflower seeds in your food processor or vitamix (or ninja, or high powered blender, you do you, I don't judge) until a fine 'flour' like consistency is achieved. A little variation in texture is fine, I like a little crunch in the cookies! Add in baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and dates, pulse for a couple seconds until evenly blended (dates should be fairly broken down, I usually mash them with my fingers before adding them to the blender. Transfer your flour mixture to a large bowl. Add in remaining ingredients, stirring well to combine. Place remaining 1/4 cup almonds into your blender and pulse until a smooth (or semi-chunky if you want that crunch) flour like consistency is formed, stir into your dough mixture, add in raisins At this time as well. Take a pingpong ball sized amount of dough and roll it between your palms, once it is smooth press slightly into a circular 'cookie' shape and place on the baking sheet (I use a baking mat for easy clean up). Continue with the rest of the dough until all of the cookies are formed (9-12 cookies depending on how aggressive you are). 

Place cookies in the oven. Bake at 300 degrees F for 14-18 minutes, checking regularly so they don't burn. 

Allow to cool fully then try not to eat them all in one sitting. Place remaining cookies in the fridge (not necessary, but they are insanely good chilled... also they are insanely good with a cup of hot coffee!). 

Drew was doubtful about these cookies. He isn't really a 'raisin' kind of guy... pretty sure he advocated for a second batch the moment the first round was gone, enough said. 

Needless to say I am a fan of healthy eating... but I am also a fan of a good dessert. These cookies fit the bill for both (SCORE!). Happy cookie baking all, may your homes (apartments, hostels, dorm rooms) smell of warmth and cinnamon raisin cookies! 

xx

FRESH FOOD

There is something to be said for fresh food. Fresh ingredients, simple preparation, beautiful produce... the thought of it makes my mouth water. 

Having a good diet on the road can be hard but I have survived by purchasing healthy snacks (and real fresh food) as often as I can which means, more times than not, I end up spending a quality hour in every city we stop at in Whole Foods (and how I LOVE Whole Foods!). Being a 'defective' foodie makes coming up with healthy snacks/meals a bit more difficult, BUT not impossible. Here is what I have been noshing on as of late- 

Breakfast- Purely Elizabeth Ancient Grain Oatmeal is so insanely good (and so good for you!). I have it savory or sweet, both are amazing. 
Savory- Add coconut oil, sea salt, avocado, and an egg (white) to your hot cereal after it is made. I also add my favorite hot sauce for a little added flavor (sautéed kale or sautéed heirloom tomatoes are also an amazing addition)
Sweet- Add coconut oil, unsweetened milk of your choice (I use a coconut/almond/chia blend), unsweetened nut butter of your choice (I use sun butter), a little honey, fresh blueberries, and banana. If you are feeling twirly add a little sprinkle of cinnamon over the top! So so yummy! It is better than dessert to me... but I'm pretty sure my version of a sweet treat is way different than yours...

Raw wraps have been a god send! I found these insanely good raw wraps at Whole Foods in LA and quickly became addicted! I fill them with avocado, loads of veggies and hot sauce for a fresh (healthy) lunch. Get the Original flavor to start with... in my opinion it is the best... though the breakfast one is also insanely tasty and would be great with fresh fruit and a yogurt dip. 

Organic rice cakes make for a wonderful snack when paired with avocado or unsweetened nut butter and banana! 

For a quick (insanely good) dinner I have been really into making caprese salad... well my version that is- 

1 heirloom tomato diced (you can use the little ones halved)
1 clove garlic minced
2-3 leaves fresh basil chopped coarse or fine (whatever you like)
drizzle olive oil
sea salt to taste
1/4-1/2 avocado diced

Serve with (or on) a nice bed of arugula and devour! I had mine on a sprouted black rice tortilla shell and it was absolutely delicious! The avocado is a healthy, vegan (and oh so tasty) alternative to burrata or mozzarella.  

I have been doing Paleo granola as a snack or dessert. It is such a good treat and you don't need to feel guilty about it! Win win right!? 

How do you snack/eat/manage to stay healthy when you are on the road? Would love more tips and tricks if you have them up your sleeves. 

xx

BANANA PANCAKISH

Don't you hate it when you have the best of intentions to do things in a timely fashion only to realize far too late that you will not actually achieve what you wanted do by the time you wanted to? Me too. Though sadly it happens to me all the time because I, much to my dismay, am easily distracted... *excuse me while I go cook something really quick* 

Ok, I'm back. 

Anyways... my point is, this very thing happened when I set out to make this recipe. I started prepping the ingredients, shot them, got distracted and by the time I was able to photograph (one) of the finished pieces it was dark out! So I did what any sane human would do and used the light of my laptop screen to illuminate the photo from above, brilliant right? Or maybe a little sad? Who can say. 

-BANANA PANCAKES -
OR MUFFINS IF YOU ARE FEELING TWIRLY

What you will need: 

2 medium/large ripe bananas 
4 egg whites or 2 whole eggs
3/4 cup coconut flour (not packed down...also yes, I know that it is a 1/2 cup in the photo)
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 (heaping) tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder 
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp lemon juice (fresh) 
2 tbsp-1/4 cup as needed of hemp milk (or milk alternative of your choosing)

Shredded coconut, cacao nibs or raw walnuts make AMAZING additions to the batter... just saying, you should probably consider adding one or all of those things in.

In a medium sized bowl, mash the bananas throughly. Add in coconut oil (best if a little bit melty), vanilla, egg whites (lightly whisked is best, though I usually forget), and lemon juice, stir until smooth. Add in the coconut flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder, if batter is feeling too thick add a little milk to thin it out (Not for the muffin option, leave the batter nice and thick). 

Now for a couple of *OPTIONS*  

Pour 1/4 cup of patter onto a hot griddle and turn this delicious batter into pancakes OR pour into muffin tins and bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes (or until golden brown). 

Serve with coconut whip cream, syrup, strawberries, or any other delectable topping of your choosing. 

Play with the recipe, it needs a little more work I think. However, I wanted to share it because these suckers were so darn tasty I figured, I should probably just Tama-Risk it, be brave in myself and put it on the internet ya know? (shout out to a real wise 4 year old somewhere in the world and a couple of really great ladies of the GHC). 

Also, let it be known that I made this recipe because I was craving pancakes, like a pregnant lady craves pickles and ice cream... or whatever. I HAD to have them, so I made them with what I had on me... and do you know what!? They were great! Not to mention totally worth every bite! 

xx