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A Coconut Lover’s Dream: The Coconut Custard Cloud Cake

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I did it! ALL I wanted for my birthday this year was to create the perfect paleo version of a fluffy coconut cake. And, people, this one is amazing.

Coconut cake and I have a long history. Bernice Stroud first introduced me to real Southern coconut cake when she would bring them to our family in her signature moss-green cake carrier. The cakes were good enough to sell, five layers or so with sweet 7-Minute Icing. (She also made a killer German Chocolate cake!)

For fifteen years my husband and I lived in the West Village and each birthday all I craved was a huge slice of coconut cake from Magnolia Bakery. I wasn’t particularly fond of their cupcakes, but the coconut cake was moist, dense, and light at the same time.

And coconut, well, it’s like my kryptonite. I keep three or fours cans of coconut milk in the pantry, as well as a few cans in the fridge if I want to make coconut whipped cream (refrigeration keeps the water separate from the ‘cream’). As a dairy-free person, coconut comes in handy all the time for sauces, baking, smoothies, and quick curries. (Coconut yogurt is also amazing!)

Not everyone is so fond of coconut, I realize. While it is profoundly upsetting to me that people may not appreciate this cake, I have included a lemon version (though not tested!) in the Notes. Again, props to paleoglutenfree.com for the amazing grain-free recipe!!!!

May you sleep on a fluffy cloud of coconut custard and merengue!

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Coconut Custard Cloud Cake

Prep

Cook

Total

Yield 1 8 inch layer cake

Here she is! The best coconut cake that is gluten, dairy, and grain-free! This cake has a fair amount of sugar in it, so from a health perspective, it's still a treat. 

This cake has three steps: cake, custard, and icing. The cake and the custard can be made a day ahead of time and kept in the fridge. The icing is best made fresh (and only takes 7 minutes!). 

Make SURE to toast the coconut- this step is crucial for giving the cake that depth of coconut-y flavor! 

Read Notes for a lemon version if coconut isn't your thing. 

I MUST give a shout-out to Paleoglutenfree.com. She is amazing and this cake recipe is based on her lemon-vanilla cake, with a few adjustments. 

This recipe yielded one 9 inch layer and one 8 inch layer. Note that this cake doesn't rise and fluff up as a normal cake would. If you want three layers or a nice sizable layer cake, I would double the recipe (but make sure to adjust baking time!). 

The recipe for the custard makes more than you need, so you will have extra (to eat with a spoon!). 

 

 

Ingredients

TOASTED COCONUT:

  • 2 cups finely shredded coconut

FOR CAKE:

  • 2 cups raw white sweet potato (Japanese sweet potato), minced in a processor (about 2 medium potatoes)
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar, or cane sugar (I used slightly less)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup cassava flour
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

FOR TOASTED COCONUT CUSTARD:

  • 2 cups full-fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup cane sugar
  • 3 T tapioca flour (or arrowroot flour)
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 whole egg
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR ICING:

  • 4 egg whites (leftover from making the custard)
  • 1 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • pinch of salt
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

FOR TOASTED COCONUT:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
  2. Spread coconut on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Set aside.

FOR CAKE:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom and sides of two 8 inch cake pans with coconut oil. Place parchment rounds on the bottoms of each pan. 
  2. In a food processor, mince sweet potato. 
  3. In a large bowl, combine sweet potato with all the ingredients. Using a hand mixer, blend ingredients until well incorporated. 
  4. Divide batter between two pans, tapping each pan on the counter to release air bubbles. 
  5. Bake cakes for approximately 25-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and the middle of the cake feels firm and bouncy when touched.
  6. Cool completely before removing from pan. 

FOR CUSTARD:

  1. Pour coconut into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Do not let boil.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine sugar, tapioca, egg, egg yolks, salt, and vanilla. Using a whisk or a hand mixer, blend ingredients into well-mixed. 
  3. Using a small ladle, add some hot coconut milk to the egg mixture, whisking well and quickly. This is tempering the eggs. Stirring well after each ladle, adding about half the coconut milk to the egg mixture. 
  4. Pour egg mixture into the coconut milk and whisk continuously over medium-low heat. The mixture should begin to thicken nicely.
  5. Keep whisking. After a few minutes, the mixture should be very thick. Remove from heat. 
  6. Pour mixture into a glass bowl. Place plastic wrap over the surface of the custard and poke holes with a knife to allow it to cool. Place bowl over another bowl filled with ice and place in fridge or freezer to cool down. Custard should be thick. 
  7. When the custard has cooled, mix in 1.5 cups toasted coconut.

FOR ICING:

  1. Combine egg whites, sugar, vanilla, tartar, salt and water in a large bowl big enough to fit over a saucepan of boiling water (or a double-boiler if you have one). 
  2. Using a hand-held mixer or immersion blender, beat egg whites over hot water (make sure bowl does not touch the water in the saucepan) until stiff peaks form and egg whites are glossy. This should take about 7 minutes!
  3. When stiff and glossy, remove from heat and set aside. 

ASSEMBLE CAKE:

  1. Place the bottom cake layer on a cake platter or cake stand. 
  2. Spoon custard onto cake layer and spread thin. Repeat with next layer, spooning custard over cake. 
  3. Ice cake with generous icing. 
  4. Sprinkle top of cake with remaining toasted coconut. 
  5. Serve at room temperature or chilled!

Notes

  • For a lemon variety, substitute fresh lemon juice for coconut milk and add 2 T lemon zest to batter. 
  • Make a lemon curd by adding 2 T lemon juice to custard recipe. (Omit the toasted coconut.)

 

Easy Curry Lime Sheet Pan Chicken

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I have a small problem when ordering groceries online. Don’t ask how many times I have ordered bags of carrots thinking I am ordering single carrots. It’s disturbing!

I had no time, a stressful day and too many carrots.

I threw some spices into a bowl with some chicken, threw carrots and onions on a sheet pan and YUM!
Is there anything better than roasted carrots!?

This is such an easy weeknight dinner. Make extra to have leftovers for the week!

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Easy Sheet Pan Curry Chicken

This is an easy weeknight sheet pan chicken. Or meal prep chicken and veggies for the week!

 

Ingredients

  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1T + 1 tsp curry powder
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
  • 4 T extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 3 tsp sea salt, divided
  • fresh cracked pepper
  • 8 carrots, peeled and cut lengthwise in half and in chunks
  • 1 onion, cut into slivers
  • ghee, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Mix curry powder, ginger, garlic, lime juice, 2 T olive oil, 1.5 tsp salt and pepper in a large bowl. 
  3. Add chicken, toss to coat well and set aside. 
  4. Place carrots and onions on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Add remaining 2 T olive oil, 1 tsp salt and cracked pepper.  Toss to coat and place in oven. 
  5. Roast vegetable for 10 minutes. Add chicken breasts to the pan on top of the carrots and place back in the oven. 
  6. Roast chicken for 25 mins or until it is 140 in the thickest part of the breast. 
  7. Let chicken rest for 10 minutes. Serve chicken with any pan juices, roasted veggies and a drizzle of ghee if desired.

The Battle of the Chickens: Titan Games edition

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Hello after a long break! Here we are in the middle of winter in NYC. Thankfully next week we are headed out of town to a warm destination and I cannot wait.

The winter blahs are upon us, for sure. It’s been mostly cold, wet and grey in the city, without much snow. Boo.

I always crave hearty, warm dishes and nothing says comfort like a roast chicken.

The key here is to find the best quality chicken you can. We get ours from our favorite butcher, and always try and get pastured chickens. It’s important from a few different standpoints. It’s better tasting. I can’t tell you how many guests we have had for dinner that claim it’s the best chicken ever. But starting with a good quality bird makes all the difference.

Pastured chickens are better for the earth, as the chickens are an integral part of a healthy regenerative farm. Pastured chickens eat and roam and forage on the pastures, which also contributes to those beautiful bright orange egg yolks they produce. Good healthy manure = good healthy bugs = good healthy chickens. Plus, supporting local farmers takes money away from Big Ag chicken producers. Put your money toward farmers, not companies!

Pastured chicken is also better nutritionally. Pastured chicken has less saturated fat and overall fat than conventional chickens, more Vitamin A and a higher amount of Omega-3 fatty acids. Conventional chicken can have a much higher amount of Omega 6 fatty acids, which in excess leads to inflammation and poor health outcomes. (All those processed foods and processed vegetable oils? Also very high in Omega 6.)

The chicken skin has lots of healthy Vitamin A (so does the liver!), so make sure to EAT THE SKIN. Both of these recipes produce delicious skin.

We’ve been watching the Titan Games with the Rock. My kids love watching the amazing competitors and then looking at me and Jeff and telling us we are in horrible shape and need to work out more. I love parenting!

I had two lovely pastured chickens the other day and decided to do my own battle. Instant Pot Chicken vs. Oven Roasted Chicken. Prepared exactly the same, which chicken would come out juicier and tastier? Read on to find out!

The basic roast chicken recipe I follow most often is this one because it’s so simple and if you have a good bird you don’t need a long of extra distractions.

I decided to make a spice rub this time. You can use this one or make up your own! Be creative!

Greek: garlic, oregano, lemon zest.
Tex Mex: chipotle, chili, cumin, coriander.
Indian: curry powder, cumin, coriander.
Italian: italian seasoning, garlic, lemon.

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Best Roast Chicken (Oven or Instant Pot)

Prep

Cook

Inactive

Total

Yield 6 servings

The key to the roast chicken here is to let it come to room temperature before cooking and make sure it's super dry. I let sit out for a couple hours and then wrap it in paper towels. This is what produces incredibly crispy skin. And do not salt the bird until just before you put it in the oven. (This doesn't matter as much when it comes to the Instant Pot.)

I have also written about this before, but most chicken recipes say the bird should be 165  when it comes out but in my STRONG opinion, this is a disaster. Take it out when it's 150 and let it rest for 15 minutes. 

 

Ingredients

  • 1 3-4 lb roasting chicken (pastured and organic if possible)
  • 1 T or more flaky sea salt
  • fresh black pepper 
  • 1 T avocado oil (for Instant Pot version)
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth (for Instant Pot version)

For the rub

  • 1 T brown sugar
  • 1 T smoked paprika
  • 1/2 T sweet paprika
  • 1 T chili powder
  • 1/2 T garlic powder
  • 1 lemon, cut in half
  • 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme

Prep Chicken

Chicken should be room temp or have been out of the fridge for 2+ hours.

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Put oven rack in the lower position. 
  2. Rinse chicken, wrap chicken in paper towels and dry thoroughly inside and out. 
  3. Make spice blend by combining paprikas, chili powder, garlic powder in a small bowl. 
  4. Put cut lemon halves inside chicken cavity with thyme sprigs. 
  5. Rub spice blend all over chicken.

FOR ROAST CHICKEN

  1. Put chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  2. Sprinkle generously with salt, like a nice rain of salt. Grind fresh pepper on the chicken and immediately throw that chicken in the hot oven! 
  3. Cook for 30-40 mins until an instant thermometer reads 150 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh. 
  4. Set chicken aside for 15 minutes before carving. Serve with melted ghee/butter and good dijon mustard (a la Thomas Keller).

FOR INSTANT POT

  1. Turn IP on to Saute mode. Add avocado oil to the pot.
  2. Generously salt and pepper chicken.
  3. Add whole chicken, skin side down, to the Instant Pot. Cook for 5 minutes. Using large tongs or a wooden spoon, turn chicken breast-side up. Add chicken stock. 
  4. Turn instant pot to HIGH PRESSURE mode, close and lock lid. Cook for 25 minutes. 
  5. Let depressurize naturally for 8 minutes and then manually vent. 
  6. Remove chicken and let rest for 15 minutes. 
  7. Remove juices from pot and serve with chicken.

Courses Main

Cuisine Paleo, Healthy

SO… now for the winner! Well it’s hard, but we both felt that the original roast chicken recipe won. It had a firmer bite, with delicious crispy skin and the flavor of the actual chicken really came through. It does require a somewhat longer cook time, but not by much.

The Instant Pot recipe was more like a rotisserie chicken, still delicious and comforting, especially with the pan juices. This would make a great chicken soup, like this AIP version. Or, if you need shredded chicken for tacos, enchiladas, chicken salad or a casserole, this is a go-to recipe. It’s semi-quick for a weeknight dinner if you have an hour.

So there you have it! The Titan Games of Chicken. Enjoy and happy cooking!

Ginger Curried Root Vegetable Soup

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This recipe was thrown together rather quickly with veggies I had received in my first box from Misfits Market. Yum! The beautiful squashes and carrots were so flavorful.
I threw them in the instant pot, gave them a blend, and bam. A whole batch of warming, spiced soup that will nourish me during this frigid week!

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Ginger Curried Winter Vegetable Soup

This vegan and gluten-free recipe was made in the Instant Pot so took less than an hour from start to finish. 

If you don't have an Instant Pot, get one. I'm just kidding. (Well, sort of.)

This soup will take more time on the stove top but will be just as delicious. 

The ginger makes this soup have a nice mellow kick at the end. Leave out if you don't like ginger. The curry is very mellow, so feel free to add more. 

This soup is hearty, warming, and perfect for a cold afternoon or for dinner. Serve with a hearty salad of endive, arugula, pears, walnuts, and prosciutto for a yummy meal.

So put on your favorite podcast and get to choppin'!

Ingredients

  • 1 T grass-fed ghee or coconut oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 apple, chopped
  • 5 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, rough chopped
  • 1 thumb-size piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 6 carrots, peeled and chopped (or sub parsnips)
  • 2 small butternut squashes, peeled, seeded and chopped
  • 4 cups organic vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1/2 can coconut milk 
  • 1 T apple cider vinegar
  • 1 T curry powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. tumeric
  • 1 tsp sea salt 
  • pepper to taste
  1. Set Instant Pot to saute function*. Add ghee to the pot and add onion, apple, celery, garlic, ginger and spices to the pot.  Saute, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softened. 
  2. Add carrots, squash, broth, coconut milk, vinegar and salt and pepper.  (Make sure not to go over the fill line.) 
  3. Set Instant Pot to high-pressure cook and set timer for 4 minutes. When cooking is done, quick release steam. 
  4. Transfer soup to a blender in batches and blend until smooth, or use a stick blender in the instant pot for a one-pot soup!
  5. Taste for seasoning and serve. 

*If not using Instant pot, follow same directions, but instead of pressure cooking, add broth to cover vegetables and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes until vegetable are soft. Then go to step 4.

3 Bean Sweet Potato Chili

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I was craving something hearty and warm, part chili, part chowder. I threw together ingredients I had on hand in the pantry and voila! A delicious, filling and nutrient-packed bowl of goodness! With 20 mins of prep, you can throw this together and let it simmer away until you are ready to serve. 

I used Japanese sweet potatoes because they add a really nice starchy texture and aren’t too sweet. As a bonus, my kids think they are white potatoes.

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3 Bean Sweet Potato Chili

Prep

Cook

Total

Yield 10 servings

This chili is warm, hearty and full of health benefits from fiber, plant protein and spices. Feel free to adjust the seasoning and spices to your liking. It's best the next day but everyone who has eaten this has raved and wanted seconds. Yes, even the kids!

I serve my chili on a bed of baby spinach with some sliced avocado. But feel free to serve with warmed tortillas, brown or cauiflower rice or quinoa. 

Happy cooking!

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 3 stalks organic celery, chopped
  • 2 red or yellow bell peppers, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 medium white or regular sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 2 small zucchini, chopped
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 3 T or more chili powder
  • 2 T ground cumin
  • 1 T dried oregano
  • 1 T sweet paprika
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ground pepper to taste
  • 2 14.5 oz cans chopped tomatoes with juice
  • 3 cans mixed beans (I used black beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans), rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • baby spinach, for serving (optional)
  • avocado, for serving (optional)
  1. In a large pot, saute onion, garlic, celery, peppers, zucchini. I used a bit of broth while sauteeing but you can use a little olive oil too. Add salt and ground pepper and saute until softer and getting translucent. 
  2. Add spices to pot and stir for 1 minute. 
  3. Add sweet potatoes, beans, tomatoes, broth and bring to a simmer. 
  4. Simmer for 30 minutes until potatoes are soft but not mushy. Taste for seasoning and add more chili powder or spices, salt and pepper. 

Courses Main Course

Cuisine Healthy, Plant-based

Why you don’t need a “New You” this year

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It’s 2019! Have you made your new year’s resolutions yet? All those desires cloaked in wishful thinking that you may vaguely attempt for a few weeks before the next vacation, personal drama or life event takes precedence and you are lost, once again? 

I’m here to tell you, you DO NOT NEED A “NEW YOU”.

You already contain the elements you need within you. Sound hokey? Like Deepak Chopra feel-good rubbish?

Well, too bad. It’s true.

The message that you need a “new you” dominates in popular magazines, on diet websites, and it sure does a good job selling stuff that coincides with our ideal image of ourselves. Want to get fit? Then you need a new pair of leggings/headphones/trainer. And maybe you do need those things to help you. There is nothing wrong with that. But if you’re getting things in the hope that you will suddenly become an avid runner even though you run only when chased, then I’m afraid it’s not going to go well.

In our attempts to change our habits for better ones, we often lose and grow frustrated, wondering why we failed yet again. The “New You” wasn’t better and you are still the same old you. So better continue with the old habits and beliefs right? And now you get to feel bad about yourself to boot.

WRONG.

The OLD YOU is already good enough. In fact, the old you is your secret superpower. The OLD YOU knows itself, it’s flaws and imperfections, like an old married couple who know each others’ quirks like the wrinkles on their foreheads.

You are all you need. Once you realize this, and stop punishing yourself for being not enough, you can harness your strengths in order to push yourself in the ways you need to.

Perhaps you are amazing at organizing and list-making. You can shop and meal-prep for the week in order to stay on track with healthy eating. Perhaps you are good at making friends and love socializing? Maybe this translates to a new workout or class that makes joyful movement a real aspect of your life.

Most of us think that change comes from outside of us- like a new dress/diet/relationship that will suddenly transform you. If I only had the right _______, I would be __________. Our minds are intrinsically trained to focus on the negatives, or what we perceive to be negatives or lacks.  We think “I hate my frizzy hair” instead of “I love my thick and unruly hair”. Radical self-acceptance is a necessary arbiter of change. You can’t begin to change something when you can’t accept its there. 

As a health coach, I strive to see each client for who they are now, not who they hope to be. I can highlight their strengths and use them to the client’s advantage. Small changes, when applied diligently and with care, can yield huge results. And the only person who knows what’s changing? YOU. The very same, old YOU.

So, no, you don’t need a NEW you. You need to wisen up to all that the old you offers. Accepting your limitations and obstacles doesn’t make you less than; it makes you human and whole. And from that interesting, fertile place, you can sow the seeds of change from the ground up. Growth is required and may be painful. But that’s ok too. Discomfort is only that.

The old you knows this. All you have to do is listen.

To work with me as a client, click here.

Stir Fried Greens & Shirataki Noodle Bowl

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I am just discovering shirataki noodles and they are my favorite! They are low- carb (if that’s your thing) and gluten-free, but still have that satisfying noodle “bite”. They are made from different things (even tofu ones are available), but I like the classic ones I can find at Whole Foods. The starches cook out, leaving them like glass noodles, creating a hearty texture without leaving me feeling weighed down.

The best part is that shirataki noodles cook in 5 mins in boiling water, so you can throw them with leftover roasted veggies, jarred sauce and leftover protein and you have a full meal in just a few minutes!

I created this noodle bowl in about 15 minutes. While I waited for the water to boil, I chopped, sauteed the greens and that was it. Everything else I had on hand. Feel free to combine these noodles with any leftover veggies and greens you have on hand. This is one satisfying and filling plant-based, grain-free and gluten-free meal!

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Stir-Fried Greens & Shirataki Noodle Bowl

Prep

Cook

Inactive

Total

Yield 1 serving

I threw everything together while the water was heating up. The noodles cook in about 5 minutes, so it was easier than it appears!

 

 

Ingredients

For the Stir-Fried Greens:

  • 1 thumb ginger, grated
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp. coconut oil
  • 6 ozs mixed greens (bok choy, spinach, baby kale, swiss chard, mustard greens, etc)- about 3 large handfuls
  • 2 scallions, chopped
  • 2 tsp. rice wine vinegar
  • salt  & pepper

Other Ingredients:

  • 1 package shirataki noodles
  • 1/2 chopped cooked sweet potato (or any leftover squash, pumpkin, etc.)
  • 1/2 avocado, chopped
  • 1/2 cup quick pickled cucumbers (see instructions)
  • 1 T. raw unsalted pumpkin seeds
  • 1 T. hemp seeds
  • 1 T. black sesame seeds
  • 1/2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tsp or more coconut aminos or tamari

Instructions

Instructions:

  1. Place medium pot of water on high heat and bring to a boil. 
  2. Meanwhile, slice half a cucumber and toss with rice wine vinegar and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
  3. Heat coconut oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger. Immediately add greens and scallions, stirring until wilted. Add a pinch of salt and rice wine vinegar. Set aside. 
  4. Cook shirataki noodles according to directions. Drain and place in serving bowl. Add greens, avocado, sweet potato and cucumbers. Drizzle with tamari or coconut aminos and sesame oil. Top with pumpkin, hemp, and sesame seeds. 
  5. Serve and enjoy!

Courses Main

Cuisine Vegan, Asian, Gluten-free

Tahini Magic (and Recipes!)

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Ooooooh friends.
I have recently been reacquainted with good tahini, which is sesame butter. (Think of using it where you would use peanut butter, almond butter, etc.) If you enjoy hummus, tahini is that yummy umami flavor that makes hummus delicious.

Sesame seeds are highly nutritious and a great source of healthy fats. They are high in calcium, iron and magnesium!

So today I’m singing tahini’s praise.

Start with a simple TAHINI LEMON DRESSING.
Mix 1 T. tahini, juice of 1 lemon, 1 small grated garlic clove, a pinch of salt & pepper, and add 1/3-2/3 c. of good olive oil. Stir (or shake jar) and serve over salads, steamed kale, broccoli, roasted squash, etc. It’s so good I make a jar each week. It makes a creamy dressing without the use of dairy. It’s delicious over quinoa and roasted squash bowl with steamed greens, for example.

And when you are wanting to stun crowds, make a killing at the bake sale, or just bake for better mental health, make Chocolate Tahini Banana Bread. Gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free, it’s so moist, it’s almost hard to hold together. I asked my tasters if it was too sweet and they all said NO! But you can play around with the sweetness as you please. Happy baking!

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Chocolate Tahini Banana Bread

Prep

Total

Yield 1 loaf

The foundation of this recipe is based on my mother's banana bread, which is practically famous in certain circles. She used to mail us loaves at college and it was so heavy and dense I can't imagine what it cost to Fed Ex! It would be gone within 10 minutes. 

As good as my mother's recipe was, it was a pure sugar bomb. I have reduced the sugar, and use only honey, maple syrup or coconut sugar instead of white sugar. I make it gluten-and-grain free by using blanched almond flour, coconut flour and hemp seeds. I have also eliminated dairy. With the sub of a flax egg for a real egg, it can be vegan as well!

The tahini I sub in place of oil or butter; it's high fat content making a perfectly moist loaf. I added a couple tablespoons of olive oil to be sure it's extra moist! 

The cinnamon sugar bakes into the bread, giving it a caramelized crust that is to die for. Make sure to bake it all the way through!

This is a decadent SUPER moist and elevated banana bread. It's almost a mix between a pudding and a bread. No one has to know how many healthy ingredients are tucked in there. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients:

  • 1 T. ghee or coconut oil (for greasing pan)
  • 3 large ripe bananas
  • 1 egg*
  • 1/4-1/2 c. pure maple syrup (grade B if you have), depending on how sweet you like it
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup tahini
  • 2 T. olive oil

Dry Ingredients:

  • 3 T. cinnamon-sugar (Mix 1 tsp. cinnamon with 3-4 tsp. coconut sugar)
  • 1 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1 T. hemp seeds
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda 
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • A handful and a half Enjoy Life dairy-free chocolate chips 

Instructions

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Grease loaf pan with ghee or coconut oil and sprinkle 2 T. cinnamon sugar on sides and bottom of pain. Set aside. 
  3. In a large bowl, combine bananas, egg, maple syrup, vanilla, tahini, olive oil. Mix well (I use a banana masher.)
  4. In a separate bowl, combine flours, salt, baking soda, baking powder. 
  5. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until just combined. 
  6. Stir in a handful or two of chocolate chips. 
  7. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bang on counter to flatten and get rid of air bubbles. 
  8. Sprinkle top with a tablespoon of coconut sugar. 
  9. Bake 45-55 mins until a toothpick comes out clean and the bread is firm to the touch. 
  10. Cool completely and enjoy!

Notes

*Vegans: swap for a flax egg

Courses Breads, Sweets

My Thanksgiving Workbook

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It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is only a week away! Thanksgiving is my absolute FAVORITE holiday. The smells, the oven cranking away, the fall leaves, the long weekend with family all make me so happy. I love cooking and planning and have come across some great classics in my dozen or so years cooking turkey dinners! I’m a person who can get absolutely LOST on the NY Times Cooking section.

Here I’ve compiled some tricks, tips and some of my favorite recipes!

If you are hosting, start planning now. Thanksgiving needn’t be fancy or overblown, but it does require advance planning to make it all go smoothly. Make sure to figure out how much oven space you have and when things are going in and coming out! Even if you’re bringing a dish to someone’s house, make sure there is room in the oven. One year my lovely friend Aole brought homemade bread…that needed to be baked. It took way longer than expected and we were all waiting to eat and cook the rest. Thank god we had plenty of wine!

Make as much ahead of time as you can. Buy pre-chopped veggies. Make sure you are delegating jobs (kids and in-laws are wonderful for this) and breathing!

Before I embark on my crazy day in the kitchen, I move my body. A nice walk, a short run, an Aaptiv yoga workout or an early spin class really help with my mood and my energy levels. Make it a family affair if you must, but prioritizing your health needn’t take the back burner, even on a holiday.

THE BIRD

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This picture was me four years ago, cooking two turkeys and cracking myself up.

If you are cooking a turkey, get a good quality bird. Don’t settle for a Butterball or a grocery store turkey if at all possible. They are filled with artificial colors, flavors and are processed (not to mention raised in horrifying conditions, ew). Find a good butcher or gourmet grocer where you can order an organic turkey or a heritage breed turkey. Whole Foods has organic turkeys, and even Williams-Sonoma sells them!

I’ve made several different turkey recipes over the years. I usually end up doing some sort of mix of different recipes cause I’m a rule breaker that way. Sometimes I brine my turkey (I just buy brining kit), and then I do this recipe from Tom Colicchio. It’s always a winner. Cause herb butter, amiright? (I make with ghee to avoid dairy!) However, I have been making Thomas Keller’s roast chicken for a while now which is so delicious, I am game to try his turkey recipe. But it definitely requires advance planning!

My turkey trick— and I am warning you now, this will be controversial– is to take the turkey out when it’s 150 in the thickest part of the thigh. All the recipes say 165. Don’t do it. Your bird will be overcooked and dry. Take it out early, place on a cutting board and cover loosely with foil. It needs to rest for at least 30 minutes by which time the internal temp will have risen. Check it again if you are paranoid, but it’s usually juicy and moist! This is particularly true with heritage breed turkeys which tend to cook faster and overdry if you aren’t careful. Definitely make sure you have a good digital thermometer for cooking meat and poultry!

Always remember- hot delicious gravy can save any dry bird!

GRAVY

Ah, gravy. I remember years of my mother standing over the stove with her whisk, the little bottle of Gravy Master and the can of Wondra flour, making gravy in the roasting pan. She made delicious gravy but I have discovered two things:

  1. You can make amazing gravy AHEAD OF TIME. You can use store-bought unsalted chicken broth and then just add the pan drippings after the turkey cooks! Brilliant!
  2. Even better, make mushroom gravy. It’s so delicious, you don’t believe it. Last year, I made both and the mushroom gravy won out across the board. *My extra tip is to stir in a little miso paste at the end for that umami flavor. It’s the bomb.* You will never go back. And yes, I have even used gluten-free flour (my son has Celiac) and it’s still amazing.

SIDES

I grew up with sherried creamed onions and chestnuts, but that is just asking for a household of gassy tummies, so I don’t make it!

I try to be healthy-ish on Thanksgiving, not because it’s totally required but because most of the food I like the best is more healthy than not.  We avoid gluten and dairy, so most things aren’t sitting too heavy in our bodies. And it’s easy to make fresh and delicious sides that feature healthy veggies.

I always have a green vegetable, even simple steamed green peas. Or blanch green beans ahead of time, and then toss in a pan with ghee and almonds while the turkey rests. Brussel sprouts (with or without bacon) are going to be on my menu this Thanksgiving. Crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside, caramelized Brussel sprouts with bacon and pomegranate. Not sure how I’m going to make them yet, but I’ll figure it out. I’ll use this recipe as a guide.

I always have a squash or sweet potato. My favorite recipe for acorn squash was brought to my attention by my brother and sister-in-law. It is so good and goes with everything on Thanksgiving. I avoid making sweet potato casserole anymore because it’s just too darn sweet. The best part of avoiding sugar is that a plain sweet potato tastes like candy!

As for mashed potatoes, well, this gets personal. I love them, but I love cauliflower-leek puree more. Throw some cauliflower and chopped leeks in a pan, steamed them gently. Then throw them in a Cuisinart with some vegetable broth, salt, butter/ghee, and fresh cracked pepper. Blend away and it’s phenomenal!

Here is a great dairy-free mashed potato recipe in case you are a potato lover!

Stuffing: technically I don’t stuff my bird anymore. I just find it so labor-intensive and I don’t necessarily find that it changes the flavor much. I am an old-school Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix person, with lots of celery and butter/ghee. Make it ahead of time and pop back in the oven with extra broth while the turkey rests. If you’re not into bread stuffing, I made a wild rice wild rice and quinoa stuffing that was excellent.

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I don’t find salads very necessary or interesting on Thanksgiving. They always feel like the friend no one wanted to be invited to the party, but is there anyway. So I usually don’t make one, but a nice tri-colore salad with arugula, radicchio, endive, oranges, walnuts and parmesan would make sense here.

PIES

It’s a must. And this recipe for pumpkin pie is the absolute best one I’ve ever tasted!

Apple pie is another Thanksgiving classic, served with whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream.

I don’t go healthy with the pie, I just enjoy it. Or eat more turkey! But this year among my guests are a diabetic, a Crohn’s sufferer, a Celiac, and a Keto dieter, so I may also be making this.

I could talk for hours about Thanksgiving but the main thing is to CONNECT with others and express GRATITUDE for all the blessings we have in life. So no matter where you are spending the holiday and with whom, make sure to take a minute or two to look around, breathe, be present and take it all in. 

And for heaven’s sake, if you are cooking, make sure after dinner you sit your ass down and let others do the cleaning up. You’ve earned it!

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Thanksgiving 2017.

Pantry Staples for Quick & Healthy Meals

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IMG_4536My friends always ask me how I manage to make so many quick and yummy meals with a busy household. So I am giving you a run-down of the best pantry and freezer staples to have on hand for quick meals.  We live in New York City and ordering in is as easy as clicking two buttons. My local Chinese place can be at my apartment in like 12 mins, no joke. Meals have to be QUICK and EASY if I am to compete. (And let’s be honest, some times I don’t! We order in probably 1x week on a normal week. More if J and I are super busy with evening events. How to order healthy-ish takeout can be covered in another post…!)

PANTRY STAPLES

  • jarred spaghetti sauce (no added sugar)
  • lentil or chickpea pasta
  • taco shells (yes, technically processed but oh well.)
  • Thai red curry paste
  • coconut milk cans
  • tomato paste
  • tomato sauce (add garlic powder, onion powder, italian seasoning and salt and you have pizza sauce!)
  • capers
  • canned pumpkin
  • canned or jarred artichoke hearts
  • canned whole tomatoes
  • canned chopped tomatoes
  • organic chicken and/or vegetable broth
  • variety of nuts and seeds (always sunflower and pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts) and butters
  • dried porcini mushrooms
  • California brown basmati rice
  • quinoa
  • red lentils (cook super quickly!)
  • canned chickpeas
  • vegetarian refried beans
  • ginger root
  • garlic (or peeled cloves in the fridge)
  • spices: curry powder, cumin, cinnamon, tumeric, onion and garlic powders, oregano, italian seasoning)
  • good sea salt (Maldon, please and thank you)
  • lemons and limes
  • imported tuna in olive oil
  • nutritional yeast
  • paleo pancake mix
  • variety of vinegars, oils, condiments (coconut oil, grass-fed ghee, avocado oil, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, sriracha, and thai chili-garlic sauce are musts.)

FREEZER STAPLES

  • cauliflower rice
  • berries
  • mango
  •  sliced bananas (makes perfect smoothie bowls)
  •  quinoa
  • brown rice
  • peas
  • corn
  • spinach
  • kale
  • GF pizza crust (I love Capellos!)
  • frozen GF pasta
  • frozen wild shrimp

FRIDGE STAPLES (I usually have these veggies and things in my fridge)

  • pastured eggs
  • grass-fed beef, pastured chicken, organic turkey, non-GMO tofu
  • avocados
  • mushrooms
  • greens: lettuces, arugula, kale, spinach, collards, swiss chard
  • broccoli and/or cauliflower
  • organic celery (I spread with almond butter for a snack)
  • unsweetened almond, hemp or cashew milk
  • aged parmesan cheese
  • grass-fed ghee
  • fermented sauerkraut
  • good aged cheddar
  • Gluten-free corn tortillas and/or Siete brand cassava tortillas

Now, what can you make with all these things?

Often I make something quick and figure out a way to incorporate any produce or protein that I need to use or re-invent leftovers (potato hash, already-roasted cauliflower tacos with chickpeas). That may be my next post! Challenge yourself to use up herbs, leftovers and produce that are in your fridge. Food waste accounts for 25% of the methane in our environment!

Here are some quick ideas:

  • lentil pasta with sauteed spinach & jarred tomato sauce
  • turkey burgers* (turkey meat, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, egg, s & p, parmesan)
  • slow-scrambled eggs with peas & parmesan
  • red lentil coconut curry with greens
  • quick shrimp & pea curry
  • seared miso-butter salmon with caesar salad & roasted baby potatoes*
  • GF pizza (with leftovers as toppings)
  • quick “creamy” tomato sauce (tomato sauce, spices & cashew cream) for pasta or spaghetti squash
  • taco night (stir in a can of refried beans with your taco meat, a tip I learned from Gretchen Dean!)
  • breakfast for dinner (pancakes, eggs & protein of choice)
  • sauteed artichoke hearts, spinach, capers, garlic and lemon* (serve over lentil pasta or with sauteed shrimp or chicken)
  • whatever protein + frozen veg + fruit
  • leftover grain bowl + avocado + greens

Let’s be serious, it is just dinner! Not a cooking show. Some of most basic things I make my kids go nuts for. Focus on WHOLE foods with minimal processed ingredients and you will do great.

Have a sense of adventure! Get your kids to cook with you and try new spices and recipes! (For the record, this is often more easily done with a nice glass of wine in hand.)

HAPPY COOKING!

*I will post these recipes when I get a chance!*