Avocado Energy Shake

When I was in college I had a few friends that served church missions in Brazil. They always talked about avocado shakes and how delicious they were. I always thought they were crazy. Avocados in a sweet shake? Insanity! They insisted it was delicious. You see, in Brazil avocados are really considered a fruit. They do not eat them in savory dishes, always sweet.

Fast forward 10 years to Oahu, Hawaii. My siblings and I are walking through Chinatown and I see a vendor selling avocado shakes. Well, now was the time to prove them wrong about avocado shakes. I ordered one Avocado Shake with Black Pearls (HUGE black tapioca pearls). After my first sip I was hooked! They are creamy, vanilla-ey, goodness. I tried a few times to replicate it while in Hawaii, but didn't have too much success. I could never get it quite right, probably because I wasn't using ice cream.

Well I am happy to say that I not only perfected it, but I made a healthy avocado shake. The egg adds protein and good fats. The avocado and coconut cream add more good fats. The chia seeds add more protein, Omega 3 fats, and a whole list of other things. Don't let the idea of an avocado shake keep you from trying it for 10 years like me!

Avocado Energy Shake

Serves 1

1 cup milk/dairy free alternative

1/2 perfectly ripe avocado (firm, but give slightly when pressed)

1-2 raw whole pastured eggs (or a scoop of protein powder)

1 TB coconut cream or milk

1 TB chia seeds

1 tsp vanilla extract

stevia to taste

3 ice cubes

1. Combine all ingredients except ice and blend until smooth and creamy. Add the ice and blend until ice is crushed and shake is thick.

Baked BBQ Chicken

Last week I made this Baked Chicken with Peppers from Saveur magazine. I highly recommend it. I thought that this baked chicken idea could be a starting point for many variations. My first variation experiment was a Baked BBQ Chicken. It was so good! I am not really a fan of BBQ either. :)

Baked BBQ Chicken

*Adapted from Saveur Magazine

4-6 bone-in chicken thighs

salt, pepper and smoked paprika to taste

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2" thick slices

2 cups BBQ Sauce (I made my own based loosely on this recipe)

1 cup chicken broth

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pat chicken dry using paper towels. Season liberally with salt, pepper and paprika. Heat oil on the stove in a 4-5 quart cast-iron dutch oven. Place chicken skin side down and cook until skin is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove the chicken and put on a plate. Set aside.

2. Add the onions to the oil and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in the barbeque sauce. Let cook 1 minute. Add the chicken broth. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan and mix in. Place the chicken back in the pot and using a large spoon, spoon some of the BBQ sauce over the chicken. Place the dutch-oven, uncovered, in the preheated oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the chicken is browned and cooked through.

Pear Ginger Cake - GF

Years ago I bought this little cookbook from the craft store for $2.99. It is Cookshelf Italian by Penny Stephens. It has a lot of amazing looking recipes in it. The only recipe I have tried is the Pear Ginger Cake, and that I have made 4-5 times. It is beyond words! After I started eating healthier and eating gluten free I stopped making it. About a year ago I tried making it gluten free. That was a failure. Now that I know more about gluten free baking I decided to give it another shot. The result? Fantabulous Pear Ginger Cake. It is so moist! The ginger is surprising, but oh so perfect with the sweet warm pears.

* This recipe is linked to Allergy Friendly Friday and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday. Check out the other amazing allergen friendly recipes.

Gluten Free Pear Ginger Cake

Adapted from Cookshelf Italian by Penny Stephens

Makes 1 - 8" round cake

3/4 C oat flour (you can grind your own from old-fashioned rolled oats)

1/2 C brown rice flour

1/4 C almond flour

1 C + 1 TB coconut palm sugar

3 tsp ginger powder

1 tsp xanthan gum

12 TB + 2 TB butter, softened (or non-hydrogenated dairy free substitute such as Earth Balance)

3 eggs, beaten

1 lb pear (2-3 pears), peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl whisk together flours, 1 cup sugar, ginger and xanthan gum. In a separate bowl whisk 12 tablespoons butter and eggs until well combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until well combined.

2. Pour the batter into a greased 8" round cake pan. Arrange the pear slices over the batter in a circular patter. Sprinkle with remaining sugar and dot with the remaining butter. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Serve the cake warm with ice cream or whipped cream, if you wish.

Horchata (Mexican Rice Drink)

I wanted to post this morning so you could all try this delicious beverage, but my internet was not working until now!

Today is Cinco de Mayo, a holiday only celebrated in the U.S. They don’t even celebrate this holiday in Mexico! I think it is just an excuse for us Americans to eat lots of yummy Mexican food. I love Mexican food…everything Mexican is delicious, unless it has tamarind in it. I DO NOT like tamarind. My favorite Mexican beverage is Horchata. A rice and cinnamon drink. Every time I go to a Mexican restaurant I order Horchata; most of the time I am disappointed, but every now and then I find a really good Horchata. In honor of Cindo de Mayo I decided to make homemade Horchata. It is so easy, but does take some time. It is refreshing and soooo good.

*This recipe is linked to Real Food Weekly.

Homemade Horchata (Mexican Rice Drink)

1 cup uncooked brown rice

½ cup raw almonds

2 cinnamon sticks

4 cups filtered water

1 vanilla bean (or alternatively 1 tsp vanilla extract)

2-3 TB raw agave

1. In a high-speed blender grind the rice and almonds until they become a fine meal. Add the cinnamon sticks and blend until the cinnamon is broken until large chunks. Add the water and vanilla bean. Let this mixture sit for at least 5 hours, overnight if possible, shaking occasionally.

2. Remove the vanilla bean pod and blend for 4-5 minutes until well combined. Using 3 layers of soaked cheesecloth, or a tightly woven cotton cloth, strain the liquid into a pitcher. Stir in the agave. Serve chilled or over ice.

Polenta Skillet Pizza - GF

This was amazing! I have been craving pizza lately. The gluten free crust isn't a problem, there are some great GF ready-made crusts and recipes out there. It is the cheese that I couldn't figure out how to replace. I have tried several of the cheese alternatives out there and my tummy does not like them. I decided I would just need to create some sort of thick, creamy sauce instead. Remember the gigantic red pepper I roasted yesterday? I still have half of it left. I whipped it up into a flavorful, creamy "cheese" sauce. It does not taste like cheese, but it replaces that gooey, creamy texture.

You can use any topping you would like. I did zucchini, spinach and red onion.

*This recipe is linked to Fresh Bites Friday and Gluten-Free Wednesdays. Check out the other real food recipes.

Gluten Free, Dairy Free Polenta Skillet Pizza

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

1/2 cup roasted red peppers

1/2 cup raw cashews

1/4 cup filtered water

3 garlic cloves

1 tsp nutritional yeast

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper

pinch of red pepper flakes

1. Combine all ingredients in food processor. Using the S blade process until smooth. This may take 2-3 minutes, just let it run for awhile. Adjust seasoning to taste. Set aside.

Polenta Pizza Crust

1/2 cup fine corn meal/polenta

1/4 cup all-purpose flour/GF flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp oregano

1/8 tsp basil

1 egg, beaten (or chia seed gel replacer, recipe follows)

1/2 cup water

2 TB extra-virgin olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 10 inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Pour the batter into the pan. Spread to edges and smooth with a spatula. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the bottom is just brown. Place the skillet in the hot oven and bake for 5 minutes.

3. Remove the skillet and spread half of the red pepper sauce on the crust. Top with raw vegetables and add remaining sauce. Bake for an additional 15 minutes. Remove the skillet and using a wide spatula remove the pizza. Cut and serve immediately.

Chia Seed Gel Egg Replacer

Equals 1 Egg

3 TB filtered water

1 TB chia seed meal (grind chia seeds in coffee or spice grinder)

1. Whisk the chia seed meal into the water. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until is becomes a gooey gel.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

This is how my morning went. I look in the fridge and see I a gigantic organic red bell pepper in my fridge that needs to be used. What should I do with it? Roasted red peppers are easy and delicious. I roast the pepper. Okay, now what should I do with the roasted red pepper? Hmm....soup sounds good. I have never made soup with roasted red peppers before, but how hard can it be? I throw a bunch of things in my VitaMix blender and heat it up. Voila! I have delicious Roasted Red Pepper Soup for lunch today.

I would do a few things differently next time, which I have written into the recipe.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Makes 2-3 servings

2 large organic red bell peppers

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1/4 cup milk or dairy alternative

1/2 tsp fresh thyme

pinch red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

1. Turn the oven to broil. Adjust the rack 6-8 inches from the top of the oven. Cut the red peppers in half and remove the seeds. Place the peppers, cut side down, on a baking sheet and place under the broiler. Broil for 15-20 minutes until the skins are BLACK and the peppers are soft. Place the hot peppers in a paper bag, or a bowl covered with plastic wrap. Once the peppers are cool, use your fingers to peel the blackened skins. Set aside. This can be done a day ahead of time.

2. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Saute the onions for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for an additional 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent.

3. In the blender combine the peppers, onions, garlic, broth, milk, thyme and red pepper flakes. Blend until smooth and silky. Pour this mixture into a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. If the soup is too thick for your taste, add more broth. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste. Serve immediately.

Vegan Strawberry Glazed Pie - GF

I got a great deal on fresh organic strawberries the other day. I also got a bee in my bonnet to make a strawberry glazed pie. I haven't had a strawberry glazed pie in years, but they used to be one of my favorites!

Since I have started eating healthier, I try to avoid gelatin and starches. Most strawberry glazed pie recipes call for one or both. I recently bought some agar agar flakes which are a sea vegetable, which means it is also vegan. When heated with liquids and then cooled, it acts just like gelatin. I have been mulling over the idea of using this agar to make a strawberry glazed pie. The results? Success! It worked perfectly.

*This recipe is linked to Seasonal Sunday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, Allergy Friendly Friday and Fight Back Friday. Go check out the amazing round-up of recipes.

Vegan Gluten Free Strawberry Glazed Pie

Makes 1 - 9" pie

"Graham Cracker" Crust

1 1/2 cup macadamia nuts (any nut will work, but macadamias are delicious)

1 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

3 tablespoons raw agave

3 tablespoons almond flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1. Combine all ingredients and process in the food processor with the S blade until it resembles a crumbly, but moist dough. Press into the bottom and on the sides of a 9" pie pan. Set aside.

Filling

6 cups fresh whole strawberries, hulled and halved

1 cup filtered water

2 tablespoons raw agave

1 teaspoon agar powder or ground flakes (can be found in asian markets or the asian section of the health food store)

1. Mash 1 cup of the strawberries. In a small saucepan combine the mashed strawberries, water, agave and agar. Bring to a slow boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove 1/4 cup of the strawberry mixture and pour into the prepared pie pan. Arrange the remaining fresh strawberries in the pie pan. Pour the remaining strawberry mixture over the strawberries. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve with fresh whipped cream or whipped coconut cream, recipes follow. Pie is best served the day it's made.

Agave Sweetened Whipped Cream

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup raw agave

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Beat the cream at high speed until soft peaks form. Add the agave and vanilla and beat until soft peaks form.

Agave Sweetened Whipped Coconut Cream (Dairy Free)

1 can full fat coconut milk

1 tablespoon raw agave

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Refrigerate the can of coconut milk for 1 hour. Do not shake or jostle the can, you do not want the cream to mix with the milk. Carefully open the can and using a spoon skim off the cream. You should be able to get about 1/2 a can of cream. Be careful not to get any of the coconut milk into the cream. Put the cream in a medium bowl or stand mixer bowl. Reserve the coconut milk to use in your smoothies or shakes.

2. Whip the coconut cream at high speed until soft peaks form. Add the agave and vanilla and whip until just combined. Serve immediately.