Peach Pie

 Peaches are heaped at our farmers' markets, so it's time for a favorite way to eat more peaches. This peach pie recipe comes from Taste of Home. 

Your favorite double pie crust. We use Maine Pie Company

for the filling toss together:

5 ripe peaches / 4 1/2 cups chopped

1/2 cup coconut sugar

Let sit for one hour

Then mix in a small saucepan:

3 T cornstarch

1/4 t ground nutmeg

1/4 t cinnamon

1/8 t salt

add the juice from the peaches and heat slowly to a paste. Add in, stirring:

2 t lemon juice

1 T butter

Toss with peaches and spoon into bottom crust. Top with second crust. Cover crust edges with tine foil.

Bake at 400F 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes. Let cool and keep refrigerated, after all, it's August out there.

Saag Paneer

 In a bowl, mix

1 t turmeric

1/2 t red pepper flakes

1 t salt

Whisk in 3 T oil

Cut 2 lb paneer cheese into 3/8-1/2" cubes

Gently toss cheese in spice mixture

Check spices, toss and coat

In a 10" skillet coat bottom with oil and brown cheese in one layer, working in batches if necessary

Remove from skillet and set aside

Chop a medium onion

Grate 1" fresh ginger

Slice 4-6 large garlic cloves

Add 1 T oil to skillet

Soften onions

Add garlic and ginger

Add 1/2 T water at a time to keep moist but not wet

Add 1 t Garam Masala

2 t coriander

1 t cumin

Brown spices without burning, adding water as necessary

Add 12-16 oz frozen spinach, defrosted if you remember

Add 1/2 t salt

Cook down 3 minutes on medium heat

Smoosh down spinach

Barely cover with water (you can hold it here if it's moist)

As spinach cooks down scrape pan

Add red and black pepper to taste

Before serving fold in cheese and 1/2-3/4 C yoghurt

Cilantro Ginger Sauce

 In a blender:

2 C packed cilantro leaves

1/4 C + 1 T vegetable oil

1/2 jalapeño pepper

1" peeled fresh ginger root, finely grated

2 T lime juice

3 scallions, green part only

Oatmeal Cookies

 

Preheat oven to 350F

Mix together:

2 C almond flour

1 3/4 C old fashioned oats

2 T coconut sugar

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 T ground flax seed (optional)

Then mix in:

2 T vanilla

2 T honey

2 T coconut oil

2 eggs

Fold in:

1/3 C chopped dates

1/3 C dried cherries or cranberries

1/4 C walnuts or pecans

1/4 C cocoa bits (or chopped baking chocolate)

Form into 1 T cookie shaped lumps and bake 10 minutes.

Best Chocolate Cake

So moist! So chocolatey! So simple to make!

Preheat oven to 320F (160C)

1/2 C cocoa powder
1/2 C coconut flour (flour not flake)
2 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t cinnamon (I use Ceylon Cinnamon from Penzeys. Worth. It.)
pinch of sea salt

6 eggs
1/2 C honey or maple syrup
1/2 light cooking oil (I like rice bran oil)
1/2 C milk or coconut milk
1 t vanilla

In a mixing bowl add cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, & salt and combine.

Add eggs, honey, vanilla, milk, & oil, whisk until smooth and combined.

Oil a 8" or 9" round cake pan. Cut a circle of parchment paper or paper bag and place in the bottom of the pan, oil that too.
Bake 45 minutes or until wooden skewer comes out clean. Let cool.

Recipe adapted from The Healthy Chef

Doesn't need frosting or even a fork, but if you want to dress it up, try Rich Chocolate Frosting

Salad Dressings

Almost all commercial salad dressings have added sugar. Luckily, it's quick and easy to make your own! Here are my 3 favorites. Not so much a recipe as guidelines. Play with amounts and ingredients and make what you like best.

Creamy Parmesan & Balsamic Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette
Delicious in 2 minutes

1/3 C vinegar that you like the taste of. My favs are balsamic or pomegranate
2/3 C olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 t fresh or dried herb that you like - I like basil or tarragon. Mince or shred fresh herbs.
salt and pepper to taste

Put ingredients in a mason jar with a lid and shake. Taste and adjust seasonings.

I leave this on the counter (up to a week) because the oil will solidify in the fridge. Shake before use!


Creamy Parmesan
Delicious in 5 minutes

1/3 C mayonnaise
2/3 C plain yoghurt (if using Greek yoghurt, add 1/4 C milk or dressing is too thick)
1 T lemon or lime juice (juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 lime)
1 C parmesan cheese, finely grated (can substitute other hard cheeses)
2 t white wine or rice vinegar
2 t dijon mustard
1 t soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce (has added sugar so I used GF soy sauce)
3 t freshly ground peppercorn
salt to taste (cheese is salty so you don't need much)

optional - red pepper flakes or sauce if you like a little hot with your zing

Put ingredients in a mason jar and stir. Store in refrigerator.
Adapted from A Fork's Tale

Blue Cheese
Delicious in 7 minutes

1/3 C mayonnaise
2/3 C plain yoghurt (if using Greek yoghurt)
1 T lemon or lime juice (juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 lime)
2/3 - 1 C blue cheese, crumbled (bleu, gorgonzola)
2 t white wine or rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Put ingredients in a mason jar and stir. Store in refrigerator.

Rich Chocolate Frosting

This delicious frosting is easy if you plan ahead. I keep a can of coconut cream in my fridge so I can make it any time. This is Simone's adaptation of Oh She Glows 2-Ingredient Chocolate Fudge Frosting.

1 can coconut cream (I use Trader Joe's)
6 rectangles unsweetened Baker's Chocolate
3 T agave syrup (or honey)

Chill coconut cream in the can overnight.

Turn can upside down to open. Pour off liquid. Spoon 3 tablespoons from the can into a small saucepan and melt over low heat. Add chocolate and stir to melt. Add agave. (You can substitute honey, but amount may be different. Start with 2 T and add to taste.)

Cool saucepan by setting it in a shallow pan of cold water.

When contents are cool but not solidifying, put remaining coconut cream in a mixing bowl. Whip while dribbling in chocolate mixture.

Chill 3 hours before frosting. Frosted cake or cupcakes will need to be kept cool before serving.