almonds Archives | figgy and sprout

Harvest Stuffed Acorn Squash

November 20, 2013

Phew! It has been a wild couple of months over here and I am just coming up for breath. Highlights include: a couple of trips out of town (and out of the country), starting a new job, working hard on some new projects and some of fall’s finest bounty. It is shaping up to be a great year for fresh produce. I had an apple picking adventure a few weeks back, which means you should keep your eyes peeled for lots and lots of apple recipes around these parts. In the meantime, feast your eyes on this simple and healthy creation.

Harvest Stuffed Acorn Squash

Vegan & Gluten-free

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 small acorn squash, halved and seeds removed
1 Tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup quinoa (I used red)
1/4 cup sliced or chopped apple
1/4 cup chopped fresh kale
2 Tbsp raisins or dried cranberries
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Pinch red-pepper flakes
drizzle of maple syrup (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Slice squash in half, scrape out seeds and strings. Brush squash with 1/2 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast cut side down on a baking sheet until tender – 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring quinoa and 1 cup water to a boil in a small pot. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until tender and water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Let cool, then fluff with a fork.
In a large bowl combine quinoa, apple, kale, raisins, almonds, remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil and mix. Season with salt and red-pepper flakes. Divide filling among squash. If your heart so desires, drizzle a little maple syrup over the top.

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Birthday Celebration Tarts

June 3, 2013

Today is my birthday! I turn 26.

The day brought much reprieve and rest, along with ample sunshine. My fiancé and I packed a picnic lunch and spent the afternoon enjoying some lovely eats and the warm weather along the harbor. We even have some new freckles to prove it.

I don’t usually aim for anything too fancy on the big day. I like keeping things simple. I’m totally content with enjoying a nice meal with friends and sharing some dessert. There’s always some dancing involved too. Over the weekend I did just that. I set off gallivanting the streets of Cork with my dear friend Emma. You can be sure there was plenty of banter and laughter shared, the best kind of celebrating.

Upon arriving at Emma’s house on Saturday, she remarked, “You look like a tart.” This was funny for multiple reasons. First off, Irish insults are interesting terms of endearment which are abundant in the friendship between Emma and me. Secondly, as coincidence would have it, I just so happened to be experimenting with these raw tarts for my birthday. I went on to explain the intricacies of making raw tarts with nothing but nuts and dates. It turns out we both have bold minds. We collapsed in a huge fit of giggles. Who knew Veganism could be so risqué?

These tarts are pretty amazing. Let’s forget for a moment that they are vegan, gluten-free and raw, and just focus on the delectable elements that combine to create perfection. Raw desserts really are my fave (especially during the summer months.) I can enjoy an incredibly delicious, nutrient-dense dessert without post-dessert remorse. I can feel really good about what I am putting into my body, and what I am feeding the people I love. That is truly something to celebrate.

Raw Berry Tarts

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 cup of almonds
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 cup of medjool dates

Filling:

1/4 cup raw cashews (soaked for 3 hours)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp lemon zest
3 Tbsp filtered water
1 Tbsp maple syrup

Toppings:

fresh blackberries, strawberries, raspberries or blueberries
mint leaves for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Crust:

In a high powered blender or food processor, blend the almonds and allspice until it becomes a fine consistency. Then add in the dates one by one until they have all been added and you have a sticky dough.
Divide the mixture into 6 muffin or tart tins. Then press the mixture into the tin forming the crust.
Place them in the fridge until you are ready to fill them.

Filling:

Drain the cashews after they have been soaking for at least three hours and place them in a blender or food processor along with the lemon juice, zest, water and maple syrup. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding additional water as needed.

Assembly:

Place the filling in each tart, heaping it up in the center, using up all the filling. Top each tart with berries and a garnish of mint leaves. Enjoy!

Tarts are best eaten same day but will keep in the fridge for up to two days.

Now it’s time to pop some bubbly and toast to another amazing year.

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Vegan Eggnog

December 20, 2012

The holidays are upon us and I felt it fitting to recreate a traditional beverage that can be enjoyed by the entire family. I’ve spent the last few days perfecting a recipe for vegan eggnog that is quick, easy to make, delicious and authentic. I think I got it. I even got the seal of approval from the resident recipe tester (my boyfriend).

It’s incredibly rich, decadent, and will be sure to impress at any holiday parties. Unlike other eggnogs, it’s not too sweet and has a nice delicate nutmeg flavor. It’s up to you whether you “spike” it or not.

Vegan Eggnog

Raw, Gluten-free & Vegan

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups almonds, soaked in water for 8 hours then drained
3 cups pure water
1/4 cup maple syrup (or 4 – 6 Medjool dates, pitted)
1 Tbsp. coconut butter or oil, melted
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
pinch ground cloves
dash of sea salt

Directions:

Add almonds and water in to a blender for 2-3 minutes.
Strain mixture using a nut milk bag or fine mesh strainer to make an almond milk base for the eggnog. Discard almond pulp (or save for almond pulp crackers.)
Rinse out blender and pour almond milk back in. Blend the rest of the ingredients with the milk until smooth and delicious. Place in the fridge until cold and serve.

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Orange Cacao Goji Balls

November 28, 2012

You probably eat a lot of raw foods already: fruit, salads, smoothies – but here is a recipe for a raw food snack that will hopefully inspire you to include more raw foods in your diet – it’s simple!

One of the bases for this snack comes from dates. They are filled with nourishing carbohydrates, fiber and naturally occurring sugars, which are quickly assimilated in the body. This makes them an excellent alternative for those wanting to cut back on simple-sugar desserts and confections. They are also an excellent source of potassium. In addition, dates are an excellent source of B-complex vitamins for energy and magnesium to metabolize that energy.

Goji berries are small, red, dried berries that are super-charged with antioxidants. This amazing little superfruit also contains natural anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal compounds. Their powerful antioxidant properties and polysaccharides help to boost the immune system.

I have already tooted this horn (here), but to sum up – raw cacao is one of the best sources of magnesium found in nature, in addition to containing high amounts calcium, zinc, iron, copper, sulfur and potassium.

This snack also contain nuts and seeds, which are excellent sources of healthy fats to satisfy hunger in a hurry, and vegetarian protein for non-meat eaters like me. You can mix and match the nuts and seeds to suit your dietary, nutritional and flavor preferences.

Orange Cacao Goji Balls

Ingredients:

1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup Medjool dates, pitted
3 Tbsp. goji berries
2 tsp. liquid sweetener of choice (I used maple syrup)
1 tsp. raw cacao powder
pinch of sea salt
zest from one orange

Directions:

In a food processor, add sunflower seeds and almonds. Process to a slightly fine consistency.
Add dates and goji berries to food processor with nuts and seeds. Add your sweetener of choice, raw cacao powder, sea salt and orange zest. Process until well combined.
Roll into balls and refrigerate until ready to serve.

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