VEGAN PANNA COTTA WITH MIXED BERRY COULIS

Over the next week or so my family will be celebrating two rather big days: the first being in honor of this country we call home and the second, a birthday for my first born baby, now entering into the BIG 5th year. Similar to loving the act of celebrating the birth of a person, I cherish that we pause as a country one day a year to reflect on the freedoms we enjoy, most without much thought on a regular basis. In light of many of the devastating events that have occurred within these borders over the last month or so, I think it is vital to remember we live in a land founded on the dream of a better future. It is more important, now more than ever, to continue to heal the brokenness hidden within the cracks of the land and souls of the people.

And I think it's essential that on this day, this fourth of July, we take a moment to say:

Hey, we live in a country where we are able to make choices, and mistakes, and differences and this is awesome. We live in a country where we vote and have discussions and debate and give our opinions and this is an incredible gift and responsibility. We live in a country of wealth and land and beauty and have the ability to give freely and help and pray and sit in wonder. We can choose our faith and schools and doctors. We can follow our dreams and have opportunity even when it all falls apart. We can travel and be welcomed home. We have big problems and small but we also have amazing minds and courageous voices who are working tirelessly to encourage us all to do better - to care more about others and the world around us. We experience pain and heartache and beauty and joy, sometimes all in a matter of minutes, and we have the people around us to walk with us through it all.

I'd say this is worth celebrating. For one day I encourage us to hang up the political chatter and lay down our nasty online grenades. To surround ourselves with the people we love and drink champagne and eat dessert and big green salads and enjoy the fruits of our land. To find a body of water to swim in for hours and remember to say thank you because clean water isn't something to take for granted. I urge us to stay up late and watch the sunset or admire the fireworks. I challenge us to be present and pause and, rather than thinking of all the ways we and this country fall short - all of the destruction and damage and heartache we've caused - to instead remember the ways we've given and changed and healed and shown the world we are kind and compassionate and work for all to experience the freedom we do today.

And then I hope we enter into July 5 with a new sense of unity and humbleness and the drive to leave exclusion and segregation in history, exactly where it belongs. Be brave and share a message of love. Take courage and look at the darkness within the confines of your own soul. Let's face our own demons in an effort to bring a little more peace to this world. And may we pause and give thanks - celebrating summer and freedom, grace and redemption.

Happy Independence Day, friends.


A few years ago I was introduced to a coconut milk version of panna cotta and fell for it immediately. I love the creamy texture, the light dessert taste, the summer of it all. So in thinking of a special treat for this upcoming country-wide holiday, I immediately went to this. It's simple, light, and a lovely way to end a meal.

[THE RECIPE]

If your curious about tigernuts [and why their not actually nuts!], head over here. 

For the Panacotta:

1 c. tigernuts [I've used Gemini as well as Tiger Nuts]
2 1/2 c. room temperature water
OR substitute 4 cups of any milk of choice [thicker milks work best like coconut milk]

1/4 - 1/2 c. pure [local if possible] maple syrup, adjust to fit your taste
1 vanilla bean, scraped [check out this video for instructions] or if you come across a dry bean, toss the whole thing into the blender
1 - 2 pinches of sea salt
a large pinch of cardamom powder
3 tablespoons pure gelatin

Place silicone muffin cups on a small cookies sheet or serving platter. You can also us small glass bowls or jars as well.

Note: If the idea of making your own nut milk sends you into a mild panic, check out this video first. It will hopefully dispel all your fears and insecurities!

Place whole tigernuts in a blender and cover with water until the liquid reaches the three cup mark [this is approximately 2 1/2 cups of water]. Blend on high for a minute or until the liquid is white in color and very smooth. Place a nut milk bag in a glass bowl or four cup measuring cup in the sink. Carefully pour the nut milk into the bag. Gently lift up the bag and twist at the top to make sure none of the liquid squirts out. Once the top is secure, squeeze the bag slowly [all the while hold the top of the bag tightly closed] until all of the liquid has been pressed from the pulp. Set pulp aside and rinse out the blender.

In a small saucepan very slowly warm the milk to just higher than room temperature [warm to touch]. It is really important to watch as heating it too much will cause it to gel.

Return the warmed milk to the blender container and add syrup, vanilla bean seeds, salt, and cardamom to the milk. Blend on medium. Turn blender speed to low and slowly pour in the gelatin powder. Blend on low for an additional thirty seconds or so.

Pour this liquid immediately into the silicone muffin cups or greased glass bowls. Place in the refrigerator for about two hours - overnight. To speed up the process you can put the panna cotta in the freezer for about thirty minutes or until it is firm but be sure to remove before it freezes.

For the Coulis:

I'm taking a bit of a liberty [in honor of the holiday of course!] calling this coulis, as most traditional coulis' are strained. I prefer it a bit chunky so I skip that particular step but you could run the cooked berries through a blender and then strain the pulp if you choose.

4 c. of berries of choice, fresh or frozen [I used equal parts strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, and sour cherries]
juice of 1/2 a lemon or about 1 T. of fresh juice
pinch of sea salt
1/4 - 1/2 c. pure maple syrup or raw honey, local if possible [adjust to taste]

In a medium size stainless steel pot, warm berries over medium-low heat. Cover and allow to soften into a jelly like consistency, stirring frequently. Once the berries have become very soft, gently smash any whole berries with a fork or immersion blender. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Cook over low heat for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

SPRING FIRST LAYERED JELL-O GUMMIES

Happy Spring First!

What, might you ask, is Spring First?

Well, it's the first day of spring of course! And the perfect day to celebrate.

In our home, my girls look for any and every reason to have a party, maybe receive some presents, and celebrate all day long. We make a big deal of absolutely every holiday and throw in a couple made up ones as well.

Today is such day. After giving a nod to Franklin the Turtle [from whom we were inspired], we got right down to the business of par-ttt-yyyy-ing!

Waffles? Check. Potatoes? Check. Bubbles? Check. Chalk? Check. Layered spring-inspired Jell-O? Check. Grandparents? Check and check. And this only takes us to 11am. The day sort of unfolds as it will as we follow our present desires and dreams for what this holiday should hold. No planning. No fuss.

Our only rules?

Simple, smiles, and sunshine [the sunshine being negotiable].

Here's the thing about made up holidays: they give the present a special magic and adventure. A normal day becomes anything but normal, yet it's the normalcy that makes it so wonderful.

So take a day, make it a holiday, and celebrate like you really, really mean it. Do whatever comes to mind and don't think about anything else. Go outside and play like a child or drive to the beach or find some swings.

Whatever you do, smile because you're making normal so very beautiful.

Happy Spring First everyone!

[THE RECIPE]

Note: We like our jell-o a little on the tart side but if you prefer sweet [for picky eaters this may be helpful], feel free to add maple syrup or honey as desired.

To begin, prepare an 8 x 8 inch glass baking dish by rubbing a thin coat of coconut oil along the entire inside of the pan to grease. Set aside.

I warm all of the layers in separate pans at the same time prior to pouring into the baking dish but it also works to get the first two layers prepared, pour one into the pan to chill, and start working on the third and fourth layers.

If you don't have the fruit I've listed on hand, simply sub in any other fruits. Mango, and blackberries, strawberries all work well. The only fruit to avoid is pineapple as it reacts with the gelatin resulting in mush.

First Layer:

2 c. frozen blueberries
1/2 c. cranberry juice
1/2 freshly squeezed lemon juice
pinch sea salt
maple syrup [optional], to taste
7 T. gelatin powder

In a medium size saucepan over medium-low heat, combine berries, juice, lemon juice, salt, and syrup if using. Cook until warm and berries are have soften just a bit. Turn off heat and pour berry mixture into a blender. Blend on low. While the blender is running, slowly add gelatin powder. Replace the blender top and blend on high until mixture becomes creamy and smooth. Pour mixture into the prepared 8 x 8 inch baking dish and place in the freezer for about 10 - 15 minutes or until just firm but not hard.

Second Layer:

1 c. Tigernut or coconut milk
1 T. vanilla extract
3 - 4 T. maple syrup
1/2 - 1 T. lucuma powder [optional, this adds a malt-like flavor]
pinch sea salt

7 T. gelatin powder

In a medium size saucepan over medium-low heat, combine milk, vanilla, lucuma powder, salt, and syrup. Cook to warm. Turn off heat and pour mixture into a blender. Blend on low. While the blender is running, slowly add gelatin powder. Replace the blender top and blend on high until mixture becomes creamy and smooth. Pour mixture evenly over the first layer and return to the freezer for about 10 - 15 minutes or until just firm but not hard.

Third Layer:

2 c. frozen raspberries
1/2 c. pear juice
maple syrup [optional], to taste
7 T. gelatin powder

In a medium size saucepan over medium-low heat, combine berries, juice, and syrup if using. Cook until warm and berries are have soften just a bit. Turn off heat and pour berry mixture into a blender. Blend on low. If you'd like to remove the seeds, pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer using a spoon to gently push it through. Rinse out the blender and return the raspberry puree to the blender. While the blender is running, slowly add gelatin powder. Replace the blender top and blend on high until mixture becomes creamy and smooth. Pour mixture over the first two layers and return to the freezer for about 10 - 15 minutes or until just firm but not hard.

Fourth Layer:

2 c. frozen apricots
1/2 c. apricot juice
maple syrup [optional], to taste
7 T. gelatin powder

In a medium size saucepan over medium-low heat, combine apricots, juice, and syrup if using. Cook until warm and apricots are have soften just a bit. Turn off heat and pour apricot mixture into a blender. Blend on low. While the blender is running, slowly add gelatin powder. Replace the blender top and blend on high until mixture becomes creamy and smooth. Pour mixture over the first three layers and either return to the freezer to firm completely [about 20 minutes] or place in the refrigerator for 1 - 2 hours.

When the jell-o is completely firm, cut it into small squares using a sharp knife. Gently pull from the pan and tear apart where needed. Store in a tightly sealed glass container in the refrigerator for 1 - 2 weeks.

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND OTHER SWEET TREATS

Okay, it's Valentine's Day, you had to know love-something was coming. Stay with me for a minute or two and I promise some yummy recipes at the end.

Since becoming a parent, I am realizing God outfitted us with a certain little mechanism that makes it impossible - I mean pull your hair out, cross your eyes, scream into a pillow impossible - to not love your child. Both unbelievably frustrating and so fantastically brilliant it's hard to really understand. I've found this thing called unconditional love to be devastatingly hard yet so beautiful it brings me to tears. It's what makes me want so deeply, from the core of my being, to give my children the best possible life.

If you're a fellow parent* you know unconditional love gets us through the "I hate yous!" and "No! NOs!" and "WAAAAAAAAs!" and whining and complaining and ignoring. It's what allows us to laugh at the pee in our hands, the stack of dirty diapers to be sprayed, the parent/child torture called teething and then adolescence. It's what breaks our hearts and then makes them burst and brings us to our knees - daily.

Unconditional love blinds [maybe belatedly but still] us to the tantrums in the grocery store, the all-nighters [when's the last time you had a full nights sleep?], the dirt on the freshly mopped floor, the bodies that become canvases, the lost phones, swallowed money, the broken bones, and chicken pox. It keeps us sane through the "I don't like this" after hours in the kitchen, the wet beds, the marked up walls, the broken windows, the laundry, the dishes, and the flu. It covers the vomit down your shirt, the chunk of food behind your ear, the shower that you should have taken three days ago [okay, five]. It forgives the insensitive comments, inappropriate jokes, and obnoxiously loud screams.

This love carries us through puberty, it promises your child actually does love you back, and rejoices in those small moments that take your breath away. It's what makes you cling to the hope it's only a phase and gives you endurance to weather the phase that sticks around for years [decades?]. Unconditional love makes us stronger than we really are, wiser than we should be, and ready with open arms regardless of the circumstance. It makes us pack more toys than necessary - you know, just in case they need that one they haven't played with in 3 years. It cares deeply about the little details that matter so much.

I know most people think of this day, Valentine's Day, as the day of romance. I usually do too. Today however I want to say thank you. If you're a parent, thank you for sticking by your child. For doing the work [usually very hard work] of loving your children well. Thank you for showing up and being present. You do make a difference. Every effort, every conversation, every smile, every hug, every word of encouragement, every tough conversation, every boundary, each time you bite your tongue, every minute, every prayer - they matter. Please keep going. If you are in a rough season, please keep going. If you are in a season of joy , please keep going. Trust that this love will carry you through.

[*] If you're not a parent then the jokes on you because in one way or another you've parented somebody. Maybe it's the highschoolers you mentor, the kid you tutor, the campers you serve, the kids you babysit, or the neighbor you see from time to time. Maybe it's the toddler you talk to in the check-out line or the newborn infant you pass to an exhausted but ecstatic new mom. Maybe it's the family you pray for each day or the kid you fill a backpack for. Maybe you sponsor a child you will most likely never meet but write him / her letters anyway. Maybe you cuddle babies in tiny huts on a different continent or care for infants who may not live to see tomorrow. To those of you who are parents without being parents, thank you. Thank you for caring for our children in a way that we aren't able to. Thank you for stepping in when we just need a break and for giving our kids another positive example to follow. Thank you for bringing new energy, enthusiasm, hope and grace. We need you, so please keep going.

This Valentine's Day may you celebrate the ways parenthood [actual or otherwise] have shown you just how much love you can hold. May it open your eyes to blessings overlooked, lessons learned, and mercy granted. May it remind you of prayers answered, memories made [some even forgotten], and a love so strong it makes you weak.

Happy Valentine's Day.

[THE RECIPES]

Below are some of my favorite sweet treats. Grab your hunnies and your honey [and dates and chocolate and carob] and celebrate this day of love!

Note: I'm in the process of updating this blog which means some of the pictures are sorely outdated [trust me] so please bear with me!

Chocolate Truffles
Carob-Chia Pudding
Velvet Chocolate Ice Cream
Creamy-Dreamy Fudgesicles
Date-Sweetened Ice Cream
Real-Food Brownies
Raw Chocolate Milkshake
Berry-Lavender Freezer Cupcakes
Chocolate-Coconut Freezer Fudge
Chocolate Freezer Fudge