Tag: vegan

ABC² Pesto

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Months ago, there was outrage and chaos when the internet suggested we add peas to guacamole. We might have a similarly sacrilegious recommendation when it comes to pesto. Pesto, traditionally defined, is: pesto ˈpestō/, noun, a sauce of crushed basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil, typically served with pasta. We’ve made some different pestos in the past, and you can find them here on the blog, but this version is a bit more controversial.

First, we’ve added clove. Basil and clove might sound like a strange combination, but the sweet and spice of each play off of each other really well. Also, we’ve substituted pine nuts for raw cashews. We completely skipped the cheese, and instead added a ripe avocado. You heard it here, folks. Avocado added to pesto is absolutely amazing. It makes for a creamy sauce that is to die for. Follow the recipe below and you’ll see how to make it yourself.

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Banana Bread Bites

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I love banana bread. Growing up, there was nothing better than my grandmother’s fresh, warm banana bread. My favorite part was the just-under-cooked center of the loaf. Unfortunately, I’m not a baker like Grandma Statz. I can bake. Sometimes I will bake. And, occasionally, my baking works very well (e.g. check out my Orange-Cranberry Bread). But I am not a baker.

So, I was really intrigued and excited when I completed this recipe the first time. Admittedly, I was aiming to make banana cream pie-like balls or macaroons. (Brent loves Banana Cream Pie, and if you haven’t tried our recipe for it, you should.) When I took my first bite of these, however, the texture and flavor were nothing like banana cream pie. Instead, it reminded me of that just-under-cooked center of banana bread. The best part? There’s only a little cooking and no baking required!

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Easy Morning Green Smoothie

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Brent and I made a commitment to getting more greens into our diet this summer and morning smoothies have been a fast and delicious way to do it. This recipe is so simple, it almost feels like it shouldn’t count. Still, we have experimented with a few variations and ultimately found that we like this collection of ingredients best. The smoothie is tangy, bright, and filling. It would be refreshing any time of the day, but we have enjoyed sipping it each morning the past few weeks. (It’s been too hot to crave eggs or other, heavier breakfast items.) We hope you’ll agree that this is an excellent way to start your day!

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Tomato Pesto Salad

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As we’ve spent almost 3 years now following a paleo diet (wow!), many of our tastes have changed. Heather is now a big fan of brussels sprouts, mustard, collared greens, and many other items she otherwise thought were off limits. For me, the greatest addition to my life has been the tomato. I thought it was the occasional obligation on a restaurant hamburger, or a small part of a salad.

Recently I came to the conclusion that I now pick up a tomato how I used to pick up an apple. This salad challenges the assumption that a salad has to be a bed of greens with some accoutrement; don’t allow your salad to be boring! This time of year, we thought the bright red and green was perfect for the holidays. We hope you have a delightful time with family and friends this week, regardless of how (or what) you decide to celebrate.

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Spiralized Cucumber Dill Salad

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One of the main rebuttals for going on a gluten free or a paleo diet is how difficult it is to get by without noodles and pasta. We appreciate that those foods have been a staple and mainstay in a lot of households, and losing them is a bit jarring. Although we’re slightly behind the curve here with the “spiralizer” kitchen gadget, now that we have one, we can’t get enough of it! This cucumber salad was our first adventure, and there are plenty more to come.

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