California Summer Avocado Pie

Today I am featuring a recipe from an outside source: the above pictured California Summer Avocado Pie via the  California Avocado Commission. It comes from their website, avocado.org. I got their monthly email this week, and it is chock full of summer recipes using beautiful California Avocados. Don't worry, you can be in the loop too! Sign up for their emails and check out more recipes here.

Source: avocado.org

Okay, does this summer pie not look absolutely decadent and creamy - and yet also light and refreshing? The perfect treat for the summer ahead- reward yourself after a day of hard work in the yard, or share with friends at an afternoon BBQ. Whatever the occasion, with the right substitutions this pie won't hurt you; it's full of good things!

First, let's establish a fact: Avocados are wonderful. You can cut one open and snack on it in slices or with a spoon, just plain like you would any other fruit. Make guacamole in minutes (delicious on top of a burger or chicken) by mashing one with a bit of water -or lime juice if you can eat citrus-, minced jalapeno, and a dash of salt. Avocados are a lovely and satisfying replacement for dairy in your diet - they add smooth, cool flavor to spicy Mexican food and provide a delicious creamy topping to burgers ... they thicken and enrich the texture of smoothies... Avocados make all sorts of desserts, even pudding! (Have you seen this tip before? Blend avocado, banana, and cocoa powder, and you've got chocolate pudding that's the perfect texture, nutritious and free of gluten, dairy, eggs and sugar!)

Best of all, avocados give you a healthy dose of anti-inflammatory, good fats. For this reason, avocados have been a God-send to me while I've been exclusively breastfeeding and experiencing occasional malabsorption issues from UC flares.Thank you, avocados! Read more about the nutritional benefits of these green beauties here: Alligator Pear Benefits.

Avocado Pie

I won't write out the ingredients or full recipe, because they are quite simple and listed clearly - just follow the link to the recipe. However, I am thinking the recipe needs just a few tweaks to make it Paleo - here are my suggestions:

• Replace sweetened condensed milk with full-fat coconut milk
• Lime juice and zest could be more delicious than lemon!
• You can omit the graham-cracker crust altogether and pour the avocado mixture right into a glass pie pan or individual ramekins, and rename this "Avocado Custard" :)
• or, make a Paleo-approved crust. You can make up your own very easily by trying different ingredients. One option is to blend coconut oil, almond or hazelnut meal, and maple syrup until you have the right consistency, pack mixture into pie pan, bake for a couple minutes to crisp and brown.
• Nix the whipped cream
• Garnish with nuts if desired and lime zest curls for a pretty decoration!

Now it's time for pie :)

Super Easy Designer Salad

This is what I'm eating for lunch today. Currently. As in, between typing sentences I'm taking bites. Yum :)

And yes, those are SUNBEAMS shining on that plate. We are finally seeing some real signs of spring up here in the Pacific Northwest! I just sat outside for fifteen minutes enjoying a nice sun bath. My body just craves those warm rays of light and the Vitamin D that comes with them. I am happy to say that I've improved from my last post, I didn't have to get Prednisone or anything else that drastic. Unfortunately though, the other day I was exposed to gluten through cross-contamination by a well-meaning hostess, and it's been a rough week! Moving through my daily routine has been like dragging a bag full of rocks everywhere I go - ah, I forgot how icky it feels to "get glutened!"

To segue... Hence the need for a quick, easy, healthy meal like this fantastic salad :)

Salad does not have to be boring, bland tasting, or unappealing. The stuff that cafeterias peddle as "salad" - you know the kind: some chunks of sad iceberg lettuce, a few carrot shreds and a pale tomato slice - is far from the full potential of a true salad. This here stuff I'm enjoying right now is my family's go-to meal when we're tired, hungry, and running low on food. If you've got greens and a protein of any kind, you can make it in about two minutes.

Even if you have plenty of food and time, this is a great place to start for a salad worthy of a dinner party spread. My husband makes a huge, loaded salad every day for work ("designer salads" as I've started to call them) and varies the ingredients day to day, and he always comes home telling me about the drooling comments he gets from co-workers.

Have fun with it; the possibilities are nearly endless!

What you need:

• Salad greens such as organic baby spinach, spring mix, red leaf lettuce...
• Shredded/sliced meat or fish (chicken breast, turkey breast, beef roast, steak, even canned tuna or salmon or perhaps leftover halibut, tilapia...) 

AND/OR

• Sliced hard-boiled egg
• Nuts/seeds: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sliced almonds, walnut pieces, pecan pieces, dried coconut shreds...
• Dried fruit - no added sugar if possible. Raisins, cranberries, blueberries, cherries, goji berries...
• Healthy oil such as olive, walnut, avocado...
• White wine or balsamic vinegar, if you are so inclined and it doesn't bother your health

What you do:
(The ingredients I used today are in parentheses following the steps)


First, create a base by filling the bottom of your bowl or plate with greens (organic baby spinach and spring mix).


Next, toss on your shredded meat and/or egg (chicken breast).


Follow that by sprinkling on nuts and seeds, and dried fruit (raw sunflower seeds and organic seedless raisins).


Finally, drizzle oil over the salad (my new favorite: walnut oil. Not to be used with heat but perfect for salad!)

And there you have it. You'll get your dietary needs of protein, vegetable, and healthy fat fulfilled, and you can adjust the ratio of meat-greens-oils to your personal preference and needs.

Did you ever think that a delicious salad meal was so easy and versatile? I find those two traits are actually pretty common in healthy whole foods cooking, especially when you keep a good stock of the right foods on hand. (For help on that, check out my master shopping list)

If the sun is shining where you are today, get out there are enjoy it! The Vitamin D is so good for you! I think I'll get back out there and soak up some more for myself :)

How To: Butternut Squash [for Breakfast!]

I guess you could say I'm on a winter squash kick. I posted about Spaghetti squash a little over a week ago, and here I am about to tell you all about Butternut squash. I think I am just so excited to [finally] be cooking and eating this stuff on a regular basis, and I want to get all I can before spring rolls around and the season for these is over until autumn!

One of the reasons I am so excited about winter squash is because it is so satisfying. Roast some in the oven with a little bit of coconut oil and pumpkin pie spices, drizzle the top with a touch of maple syrup if you like, and you're going to check the clock because you'll think you just arrived at dessert!

It isn't difficult to go from this:

to this:

Paired with mango chicken sausage for breakfast, and you'll be more than satisfied

Let me show you what to do, and you'll have some sweet golden nuggets to dive into in no time!

What you need:

one whole butternut squash

OR a great shortcut: a bag or two of peeled, cubed squash from grocery store (such as Trader Joe's)

coconut oil

optional though highly recommended: 

pumpkin pie spice

maple syrup

[minimally processed, gluten free, MSG free, nitrite free] mango or apple chicken sausage (also found at Trader Joe's, other stores)

What you do:

First, let me say that it seems safer to me when wielding a chef's knife, to be cutting something softer than a raw squash. So I start out by poking holes into the [rinsed and dried] squash, about three in a row every inch or two around the the gourd. Then I cook it on high in the microwave for five to ten minutes. This will make the skin more tender. Wait until it stops steaming and hissing before removing it, and use oven mitts to protect your hands from the heat.

Next, you want to peel the skin off the squash. Use your best veggie peeler and go to town. In some spots you may be able to just peel it off by hand. Once you see beautiful bright orange all around, cut it in half and remove the strings and seeds. Cut it into fourths, even eighths if that works for you. 

Here's my squash, peeled and cleaned, ready to dice

Then, working your way around the pieces, dice it all into cubes, as uniform in size as possible. Put the cubes into a Corningware type baking dish. I used a tart pan this time - no rigid rules here:

Get a big spoonful of coconut oil and put little pats all over the squash, like you would with pats of butter on a pie. (Oh dear. Why did I bring up pie? Moving forward quickly...) 

Sprinkle your spices on top of everything.

Pour a little bit of water into the dish. 1/4 to 1/2 cup water works well. You can always check it once it's cooked for a bit, and add more as needed. I find that most cooking and food is gracious to you as the cook :)

(If you haven't figured it out yet, I'll tell you now - I am not a scientific, precise cook. Use your best judgement with all my vague directions. I believe this way of cooking will build your culinary confidence and help you learn to trust your own judgment and palette.)

Put the baking dish of prepared squash into a preheated 350 degree oven, and check after twenty minutes. Give everything a gentle stir and continue to cook until the cubes are softened, steaming, and smell delicious!
Pull the dish out of the oven and let cool for a minute or two. Spoon some onto your plate, and if you like, drizzle a teaspoon of maple syrup on top.

Your plate may look something like this:

A sunny looking dish for a cold winter morning

This baked squash experience was several days ago. Today I used the shortcut method with Trader Joe's bagged, butternut cubes and the microwave:

I gave the squash cubes a good rinse (even though the package says they are pre-washed, it seemed like a good idea to freshen them up). I added the coconut oil, spices and water just the same as when baking, and even put it all in the same baking dish.

I microwaved it on full power for fifteen minutes, stopping every five minutes to check and stir. After the last segment of five minutes, I left the dish in the microwave for another five minutes to steam everything some more.

I heated up (nearly burnt, actually...) a mango chicken sausage and had that with my "shortcut squash" today for a brunch time meal. Everything was delicious. The flavors all went together nicely, and I have to say I'd pick that meal over a typical dessert! YUM!

Humble brunch today, with an almond milk latte ;)

So, what do you think? The season for whole winter squash is winding down. Will you get out there, hunt down a squash and try this? If you do, I'm sure you'll be hooked and next fall you'll be so excited when the squash appear again :)

If you have any tips for cooking squash or favorite seasonings to prepare it with, share with us by leaving a comment below.

Happy March, everyone!

SPRING!!!

I just saw the calendar - Spring starts TOMORROW?!?!?! I am so excited!!!!!
This means skirts and dresses without needing tights! Canvas wedges and sandals without freezing toes! Fires in the backyard fire pit without seeming insane to the neighbors! Walks on the waterfront without our faces going numb! I am SO THANKFUL that Spring is here. Even when the weather isn't cooperating, just being able to say, "Hey, it's SPRING!" is uplifting. Today the weather is actually giving us a beautiful taste of what's to come in the next few months: blue skies, sunshine, birds chirping - though it could be twenty degrees warmer and I would be even happier :)
So, Happy Spring to you all (tomorrow)! I'm so glad it's finally here!