In The Raw: Spiced Baklava

Somehow, unbeknownst to me, spring flowers and empty moving boxes started growing at our house. Clusters of crocus adorn our front yard while a bouquet of cardboard blankets our basement. It is hard to believe, and Im not quite sure I believe just yet, that in two weeks we will make our long haul down to Alabama where we will build our new roost. Already the nesting and organizing urges have kicked into high gear and as I quietly tuck away our treasures, new and old, into boxes I cant help the overwhelming sense of peace that comes over me. So many loose ends need tying, to-do's need doing, and expenses need paying, but I feel in the deepest part of me that all is well and will be. The mixed emotions of leaving a city and people we love only to go to another city and people we love is just too difficult to explain. But I will say that we will treasure these last days and be hopeful and excited for the big change ahead of us!

So, amidst our packing, cleaning and purging, I find myself not "having enough time nor the energy" to make a proper dinner; however I have coincidentally made time to make dessert. Does that tell you something about me? I have a sweet tooth...I mean teeth. My whole house seems upside down in chaos but one thing is for sure, there is something sweet and satisfying awaiting me in the fridge :)

Traditional baklava made with phyllo dough, chopped nuts and some sort of honey or syrup was always a favorite of mine growing up, but definitely not the healthiest choice when it came to dessert. This particular recipe combines all of the traditional spices and crunchy texture of baklava yet it is 100% raw and made entirely out of nuts. The "dough", a simple puree of cashews, lemon, and honey. The filling, ground up pistachios, spices and  a touch of honey for added sweetness. 

Your search for a baklava alternative ends here. With the help of a high speed blender and a dehydrater this sweet recipe will be one you and your whole family can enjoy (without the guilt :)

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In The Raw: Meyer Lemon, Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

As we sift through the undulations of our impending move I do try to sneak away for some quiet time to myself. Not to think really, but rather just to be still and rest my mind which has tediously been racing away like a field mouse in the spring. Cozied with a book and a little something to quench my sweet tooth I find these little "me" times are few and far between. Once we have moved and settled into our new home, which we have yet to find, I hope to call life "peaceful" and not get burdened with too many to-do's. I want to lead a quieter life, placid and less self evolved. I have so many visions of the new life we will begin in Birmingham, but I will not spout them out today. No, for now I shall ponder them in my heart and relish these few last quiet moments here in the Emerald City.

Now, most of you did not come to hear my arbitrary ramblings so I will do as you bid and get on with the star of this post, the cheesecake. Dairy, Grain, Gluten, Egg Free and RAW, this is no ordinary cheesecake. No my friends this is a round mold of serendipitous deliciousness! The crust, ground up almonds and dates, adds a satisfying crunch. The "cheese", comprised of fresh meyer lemon, vanilla bean, cashews, honey and coconut oil lends the creamiest, smoothest texture. And the topping, a simple combination of blueberries and honey. 

A high protein, and rather wonderful alternative to traditional cheesecake, this cake has now become a go-to dessert for special occasions or just for those dismal days when we are in need of something colorful.  

A slice of this cake paired with The Civil Wars crooning in the background while fumbling through the pages of a new book......now that is some serious "me" time.

How do you like to relax or give your mind a rest? I hope to fill my unloved shelves with piles of neglected books and untold stories, take up the violin, and sing more.....I love to sing but so often burry my gift. There is so much I want to do, I pray my mind will rest awhile and bestow me the time to embrace what it lacks, peace.

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Spiced Hazelnut Milk & A Winner

Since changing our diet a few months ago I am often asked what I miss most, and I would have to say coffee. Iced coffee. I was never in it for the caffine but rather the creamy, silky taste. On a hot summer day I would forgo the sweet tea for a big ol' cup of joe on the rocks. Ah, well clearly coffee is not on the menu these days but I have found a delicious and healthy alternative! Nut milk.

I've seen a lot of almond milk recipes floating around but I had a heaping sack full of raw hazelnuts so I though I would give these modest little nuts a try. 

With a unique blend of spices this drink resembles chai, and its slighty sweet aftertaste deems this drink more dessert like, perfect along side a muffin or piece of dark chocolate. 

Most store bought nut milks have added preservatives and sugars so making your own is the best way to achieve a healthy coffee/milk substitute. Also, this recipe is extremely diverse. You can use almonds, macadamia nuts or even cashews plus a variety of different spices and sweeteners to suite your taste.  

So put aside those acidic espressos and overly sweetened mochas, frappuccinos, and lattes.....this drink is sure to satisfy even the most avid coffee drinkers. Plus it's a perfect beverage to welcome the fall.

This past week we met up with my family and headed down to Florida to enjoy the hot, humid weather, freshly caught seafood, and precious time with my neice Charlotte and new nephew Michael, whom I failed to take pictures of....BAD Auntie Coco!!

I couldn't resist sharing a few snapshots :)

As for the giveaway, I put each and every one of your names in a bowl and drew *Holly from Katherine Holly Photography! Congratuations! Thank you to everyone who shared their summer blessings. I enjoyed reading them all and thank the Lord for his faithfulness in ALL of our lives!

Holly send me an email at roostblog (at) me (dot com) so we can get started on your custom blog banner!!! 

And for those of you who did not win head over to LARK and let's work together!

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Raspberry Vanilla Fruit Leather & A Winner

I would like to start this post off by saying that the Seattle summer has officially started! The sun is out, not a cloud in the sky and we are lookin at 89F for the high today...wooo doggy that's hot! Time to get the fans out (no one in Seattle has air conditioning). The 4th was a rather gloomy day as Seattle squirted out one last bad rain storm but we hunkered down at home, played board games and listened while our neighbors serenaded us with a thousand bottle rockets.

Since summer is here that means one thing, less time in the kitchen and more time outside. Our garden needs tending and my lilly white skin needs some sun. So these days I am looking for no fuss recipes that are easy to prepare so Im not wasting any time slaving away in the kitchen. 

As I've mentioned before we are huge fruit leather fans and with our new dehydrator we find making these natural snacks to be a cinch (of course you can use an oven if you don't have a dehydrator). This particular combination of flavors is my favorite. Raspberries are in peak season right now and they taste like candy! The vanilla bean adds such a unique twist, kind of earthy. Together they make a delicious treat, perfect to grab on the way out to the garden or down to the beach.

It would only be fair to make some extra for friends and family :) I lined this old vintage box with wax paper, slipped some leathers inside, and garnished with baker's twine....a fun and inexpensive gift!

Now, I hate to change the subject after talking about something so tasty but on to business! THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the givaway! I LOVED reading all of your favorite summer memories and I really appreciate you taking the time to share them with me. I wish I could design a banner for ALL of you but I just don't have the time:) I will definitely have another giveaway in the near future so stay tuned.

Alrighty, I put every single one of your names in a hat and drew....drum roll please.....

Missy!!! You are the winner! Send me an email at roostblog at me dot com and we will get started on your custom blog banner! Congratulations :) This giveaway was super fun so I will definitely have another one!

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Zucchini Pasta with Heirloom Tomato and Lemon-Basil

Oh Summer how I love thee! We have just started receiving our produce from our CSA and not only are we thrilled to be supporting a local, organic farm we are just tickled pink to have such beautiful, chemical free produce that was picked the day before. Dark leafy greens, fragrant herbs, summer squash and my personal favorite zucchini. Zucchini has become a new staple in our home and this particular dish I make about once a week.

Using an inexpensive spiral slicer I turn a plain 'ol zucchini into pasta like curls and lightly drizzle the slightly sweet tomato basil sauce on top and voila! A lovely and light summer dish straight from the farm to our table.

If you are not involved with a local farm, CSA, or other share program I highly encourage you to look into it. Not only are you supporting your community, you are providing healthy foods for your family that didnt travel thousands of miles to get to your home. Local, organic agriculture is not just a trend it is a movement, one that is spreading like wild fire out here on the west coast. If you arent sure how to get involved check out Local Harvest to find farms and CSA's near you!

PS. Fellow bloggers, don't forget about my giveaway for a FREE CUSTOM BLOG BANNER ends Sunday at 11pm!!!

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Apricot & Lavender Fruit Leather

Summer is finally in full swing here in Seattle and I could not be more thrilled. I love the rain so Seattle winters do not bother me, however, come June I am always ready for the sun. Growing up in the south June was always a hot month full of beach trips, swimming pools, cool watermelon and young Chilton County peaches.  Luckily I no longer have to endure the high temperatures and horrid humidity (sorry mom!) , but  I am so very thankful for the fond memories of my youth and the magical Junes of the past. 

Another reason I love June is because the freshest, juiciest, most beautiful produce starts poppin' up in our markets. Ripe strawberries, fragrant citrus, and sweet apricots were the first summer fruits to adorn our fridge. I love eating apricots plain but when deciding which flavor fruit leather to make I found these golden gems to be the perfect fit. 

If you've seen some of my recipes from the past you can tell I have a crush on lavender. If I can somehow sneak it into a recipe, I will. So bear with me because I just bought a new stash of this magical fragrant herb :) Of course you can omit the lavender, heaven forbid, if you wish to do so. But I encourage you to try it. At first bite of the leather you get a zing of lavender but as you chew it fades into a soft ball of sweetness and you are overwhelmed with apricot. Delish!

 Since we are not eating sugar(aside from honey) we are limited on what sweet "snacks" and "treats" we can have so these fruit leathers are just perfect for when we have a craving. You can use any kind of fruit combonation you like. Raspberries, bananas, mangos and apples all work well in a leather. There are also several ways to make leather, the most common is made in a dehydrator which is the method I prefer but you could also use an oven on a low temperature.

When you make a batch of fruit leather you will have more than enough so put some in a pretty package and give a neighbor, friend, or coworker a healthy and sweet snack!

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Vanilla Bean Raw-Granola

Thank you everyone for all of the sweet birthday wishes! It was a splendid birthday indeed and I feel so loved and blessed. So far 25 is great!

Since we are not eating any grains I've had to brainstorm ideas for homemade granola since I cannot make my traditional recipes which call for oats and maple syrup. Lately I've been delving into the world of raw/live foods, which in a nut shell means foods that are not cooked or altered in any way that would break down the digestive enzymes and important minerals and nutrients. 

I've been reading and doing a lot of research about what happens to certain foods once they are cooked and the benefits of eating raw fruits and veggetables. When you cook a vegetable the natural enzymes that aid in breaking down the sugars and starches are zapped by the high heat resulting in a "dead" vegetable....thus the reason for referring to  "raw" foods as "living" foods. Now Im not saying that cooked vegetables have absolutely no nutrients but it is certain that they are drastically deminished and the final cooked product may be harder to digest without those important enzymes.

Where are you going with this Coco?....well the reason I call this recipe "rawnola" is because it is just that...raw. Rather than cooking the granola in the oven I dehydrate it in a dehydrator at a very low heat for several hours, resulting in a crunchy "this tastes like it was baked" rawnola. Of course if you do not have a dehydrator you can easily make this in your oven set on the lowest temperature.

One more thing I would like to address are the nuts. Nuts are high in protein, potassium, calcium, magnisium, and healthy polyunsaturated fats. However, nuts also contain enzyme inhibitors on the outer skin. The inhibitors are useful to seeds and nuts because they keep them from sprouting prematurly; however this is not good for us because it makes the nuts and seeds harder for us to digest. Neutralizing these inhibitors will awaken a whole slew of healthy enzymes that are nurishing for our bodies.

So how do we break down these inhibitors? Soaking. Soaking, sprouting and fermenting has been around for thousands of years so this method is not the latest fad or trend. By simply soaking your nuts, seeds, legumes, and grains for several hours in warm, filtered water will allow the final product to be brought to its fullest potential. Our bodies can then naturally digest and use the minerals and vitamins that would otherwise have been insoluble. 

This delicious rawnola is naturally sweetened with raw dates and honey and the hint of the fresh vanilla gives a unique flavor with each mouthful. I love to snack on this when I have a "sweet craving" or just needs somethin' crunchy.

This granola is 100% raw, dehydrated at the low temperature of 105F. Enzymes are said to withstand a food temperature of no higher than 118F.  If you do not have access to a dehydrator you may make this in the oven at the lowest temperature possible. OR you can do this au natural and dry the rawnola in the warm sun outside (protected from unwanted pests of course!)

HOW TO SOAK

Soaking is extremely easy and takes just a few minutes. You MUST start with raw nuts. Pour the nuts or seeds in bowls (do not mix different types of nuts or seeds because they all require different amounts of soaking times). Cover the nuts/seeds with warm, filtered water (I pour filtered water in a tea kettle and heat until warm, not hot!). Cover the bowl with a paper towel to keep the buggies out and leave alone for the appropriate time. If you notice the water being absorbed feel free to add more warm water to keep them covered.  Once your seeds/nuts are done soaking drain the water and rinse well with cold water. Dry the nuts completely either on the counter, in a dehydrator, or in the warm sunshine.  Store them in glass jars in the refrigerator or freezer (Nuts spoil easily and are best stored in the fridge or freezer).

***FOR A MORE CRUNCHY RAWNOLA AND LESS DEHYDRATING TIME DRY YOUR SOAKED NUTS COMPLETELY AND THEN PROCEED WITH THE RECIPE***

Soaking Times

-Cashews, Pine Nuts, & Macadamia Nuts: 1-2 hours (these will get slimy if soaked too long)

-Pumpkin, Sesame, & Sunflower Seeds: 4-8 hours

-Brazil nuts, Pecans & Walnuts: 4-6 hours

-Almonds, Hazelnuts & Pistachios: 7-24 hours

* I like to soak all nuts and seeds (aside from cashews, pine nuts and macadamia nuts) overnight or longer. This can sometimes result in the seed/nut sprouting or growing a little "tail". This is very normal and very nutritious. I hope to learn more about sprouting and sprouts because they are rich in life giving nutrients.

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