To see the recipe for this and more, please visit my food blog at Pure and Simple.

A powerful and inspiring message of courage.

Say what you want to say and let the words fall out honestly…

May 25, 2013
10am-2:30pm
Open Your Heart Yoga Workshop: $35
Awaken Your Appetite Natural Food Demo:$45
Register for both by May 18th: $70
To register, contact Morning Glory Yoga Studios at mgyoga(at)gmail(dot)com
Nacogdoches, TX

I NOW HAVE A NEW FOOD BLOG.

PLEASE CLICK LINK BELOW FOR SOME CHOCOLATE-INFUSED ESCAPADES:

:: PURE AND SIMPLE ::

words by courtney walsh

raw kale has become a constant companion in my life over the past 6 years. it was the first food that affirmed its healing powers to me, while i was recovering from a physical injury and an intense emotional wound. i try to incorporate it into my daily diet for maximum benefits. it provides me significant amounts of clarity and calm, and my senses are catapulted to new heights with increased awareness and harmony. because chomping on it raw is less than pleasant on the jaw and a bit time consuming (not to mention difficult for me to digest), i prefer juicing it with some ginger and apple or tossing it into my morning smoothie: recipe below.

introducing the best cinnamon roll ever.

doughnuts were a sunday treat in my house for the majority of my childhood and teenage years, a bribe to get us kids up out of bed and convinced that church was a much better idea than sleeping in. not an easy feat, but it usually worked. i no longer go to church or eat doughnuts but i definitely miss the latter. brandi, a kindred spirit and health connoisseur, acquainted me with a cinnamon roll i am stoked to say fit the bill in every sense. the recipe originated over at urban poser and has become a kitchen favorite in my home. it is grain-free, refined sugar free, dairy-free and downright delicious. it beats all the pastries that ever coaxed me to the pew.

Ingredients:

Dough

3 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 Tbsp honey (i used raw honey and heated it to a liquid)
2 large eggs, at room temperature

Filling

1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup pecans (ground)
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup honey

Heat oven to 350˚

Tear out parchment paper, larger than 9×12″ to use for creating roll, set aside.

Place Filling ingredients, minus the honey, into a bowl and mix together.

Combine dry dough ingredients in large mixing bowl.

Combine wet dough ingredients in mixing bowl. (If the eggs are cold, the coconut oil may harden.)

Pour wet ingredients into dry, folding then kneading together.

Lay out parchment paper, dust with almond flour. Also dust rolling pin, to be safe.

Place dough onto parchment and roll out a rectangle of dough.

Drizzle Filling honey over dough. Then cover the honey with Filling mix.

Be sure the long edge of your dough is facing you.

Use the help of your parchment to roll the dough up into a log.

Using a good bread knife, if you have it, cut the log into 2″ buns.

Place those buns, spiral side down, onto parchment paper-covered baking sheet.

Bake at 350˚ for 12-15 minutes. Keep your eye on the buns; best to have a little under cooked than over.

**As seen in the photos, I did not use a topping and felt it was perfect as is.

just plain ol’ brownies sometimes curb those cravings for something sweet (but not too sweet) and rich (without overwhelming the palate). these things here have an incredible consistency, remain untouched by dairy AND grains, and make a perfect weekend treat. this recipe was adapted by bakergal, whose love for desserts keep me peeking at her blog for inspiration.

Dairy-Free & Grain-Free Brownies

1 1/4 cup raw honey

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/4 cup almond butter

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbs cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1. Heat honey gently over stove until warm and liquified.

2. Add cocoa powder and stir continuously on low heat until well-combined.

3. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients until thoroughly mixed.

4. Pour into foil-lined or parchment paper-lined 8×8 baking pan. (or grease with coconut oil)

5. Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes. *I used metal pan with parchment paper.

6. Let cool before cutting. Store tightly-sealed in container or ziplock bag.

fresh fruit is at the top of my cravings more often than not in the summer. i am eating it for breakfast, lunch and dinner right now (except those moments when only chocolate pie will suffice). these peaches are the best i have had in a LONG time. i’ve been thinking of turning them into a peach cobbler but can’t imagine transforming their beauty just yet.

most of the dishes that come out of my kitchen are a healthy (but satisfactory) spin on my grandmother’s cooking i fancied as a little girl. each time i walked into her house, a pungent stream from her freshly prepared meals rolled over me like ocean waves, inspiring a ravenous appetite fit for a king. she was known for her homemade pies. made-from-scratch-with-no-recipe-in-sight kind of pie. pecan. lemon meringue. caramel. lemon icebox. buttermilk. chess. fried peach. but her most popular was her chocolate pie. thin, flaky crust with creamy, robust chocolate topped with made-to-perfection meringue.

when i set out to to make a chocolate pie yesterday, i did not actually have my grandmother’s recipe in mind. i was going for something that would satisfy a couple of sweet-tooths without leaving us with a sugar-high induced hangover. it did all that and more. using avocados and almonds, i kept it mostly raw, somewhat sweet, and basking in the glow of my satisfaction. i think this one could easily win you some points in any crowd. and according to my designated taste-tester, this is the best dish to come out of my kitchen yet.

raw chocolate mousse pie

crust

1 1/2 almond meal

1/4 cup raw coconut oil (liquid)

3 tbs. raw honey

1/2 tsp. salt

1. mix together and massage all ingredients with hands until dough-like texture.

2. press into pie dish and set in freezer while making filling.

filling

2 avocados

6 tbs. maple syrup

4 tbs. coconut milk

1 tsp. vanilla (bean or extract)

1/4 cup cacao powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1. in food processor or vita-mix blender, mix avocado, syrup, milk & vanilla.

2. add cacao and salt. mix well until smooth and creamy. (i did this step with my hands)

3. pour mixture over crust. set in fridge for 1 hour.

*will last 4 days in fridge.

this past week, june gloom has made room for the eminent sunshine that makes this town so seductive. the warmer days have a way of coaxing me out of my house into the fresh air, leaving my kitchen less desirable than it is in winter months. i made a batch of roasted garlic hummus this afternoon in hopes that i could get through a few days without using my oven or stove even once.

roasted garlic hummus

2 cups garbanzo beans, cooked

1 large head of garlic cloves

3 tbs. sesame tahini

juice of 2 lemons

3 tbs. water

2 tbs. olive oil

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

paprika

chives, chopped

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. chop off tops of garlic cloves.

3. place garlic and a drizzle of olive oil on a piece of foil and wrap securely.

4. bake for about 20 minutes.

5. remove from oven and allow to cool.

6. process garbanzo beans in food processor until finely chopped.

7. add garlic (skinned), tahini, lemon juice, water, olive oil, salt & cayenne pepper.

8. process until smooth.

9. transfer to a bowl. sprinkle paprika and chives on top.

10. serve with vegetables, corn chips, falafel chips, pita bread or crackers.