Aug
Cherry-Berry Chia Seed Pudding Tarts
If you’re anything like me than you associate chia seeds with those funny terra-cotta animals covered with sprouted greenery called Chia Pets. Come on, I know you remember those. Maybe you even had one. Was it the pig, the bunny rabbit, the garden gnome, or maybe something fun like Bart Simpson or Garfield? And how about the jingle that went with the Chia Pet commercial? Cha..cha..cha..chia! How could you forget. Well, at some point someone discovered that chia seeds are good to eat. Really good to eat in fact. According to nuts.com chia seeds are high in Omega-3s, help reduce blood pressure, and control blood sugar levels, among other things. The really cool thing about chia seeds is that they absorb liquid and create a kind of chia-gel that helps with hydration and makes your body feel fuller faster. It’s this quality that makes chia seeds perfect for pudding. It’s simple- you mix chia seeds with the milk product of your choice- be it almond, coconut, soy, rice, or just plain old cow milk- stir, chill, and before you know it you have a thick, tasty pudding. Pretty amazing if you ask me. We’ve been eating chia seeds sprinkled on our morning yogurt for quite a while now, but this was my first time delving into the world of chia seed pudding. It couldn’t have been easier and I can’t wait to experiment with this recipe and try some different versions.
The idea to make chia seeds pudding all started with these huge blackberries that I picked up at the farmers market last week.
I was going to attempt for the third time to make No Bake Orange Cream Tartlets with Mixed Berries from the Oh Ladycakes Blog. I love the look of these no-bake tarts filled with coconut whipped cream and piled high with fresh berries. The problem is that despite my best efforts, I simply cannot get the coconut milk to whip up properly. About a month ago I tried twice and gave up both times in frustration after whipping for what seemed like a ridiculous amount of time, and ending up with milk no thicker than when I started. I really wanted to make these tarts though,and for about half a second I was tempted to try again. But then I came to my senses. Instead I decided to use the coconut milk and make chia seed pudding as a substitution for the coconut whipped cream. I worked perfectly except that chia seed pudding is not nearly as pretty as coconut whipped cream. The dark seeds give it a funny, bumpy texture. But trust me- it tastes fantastic.
Oh, and those dark red bits in the pudding- those are cherries. How did those get in there you ask? Well it all started with raspberries. You see I wanted to go raspberry picking but when I arrived at the pick-your-own farm it was closed. Boo, how sad for me. Okay, plan two. I would buy some raspberries from the store. So I went to the Good Food Store here in Missoula where I was sure they would have some pints of local raspberries that I could pretend I picked. Except they didn’t. The raspberries were the same Driscoll’s brand grown in California & Mexico that all grocery stores sell in those tiny containers for like a million dollars. Since I already had both blackberries and blueberries from Montana, I really didn’t want to add raspberries from out of state, or out of country, to the mix.
Luckily I found something better. Cherries! Montana apparently grows some really tasty cherries. These come from the area around Flathead Lake which is only an hour north of Missoula. If I can’t have local raspberries, than cherries are an excellent substitution. I decided to put the cherries in the pudding rather than on top. The idea was to incorporate some cherry flavor and color into the pudding. In retrospect I probably should have purred the cherries in the food processor because the chopped cherries didn’t give me the pink color I was looking for.
After making the pudding I got to work on some super simple no bake tarts. Crushed graham crackers, butter, sugar, and a dash of cinnamon all mixed up and spooned into tart pans. A quick press with the fingers and into the freezer to stiffen up for an hour.
After the pudding and tarts had chilled for awhile it was only a matter of spooning the pudding into the shells and topping with fresh berries.
I think I’ve confirmed it. Chia seeds are good for pets and pudding.
Cherry-Berry Chia Seed Pudding Tarts
Inspired by No Bake Orange Cream Tartlets with Mixed Berries by Oh, Ladycakes
Makes: 6 4-inch tarts, or 1 9-inch tart
1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk
3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup seeded, chopped or purred cherries
12 graham crackers
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
10 tablespoons butter, melted (use vegan butter or melted coconut oil as a vegan option)
2 cups fresh berries
1. Make the pudding. In a medium bowl combine the coconut milk through cherries. Mix well so all the chia seeds are submerged in the liquid. Cover and place in fridge for about 1 hour.
2. Make the tarts: Place the graham crackers in a sealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Place in a bowl and add the sugar, salt and cinnamon. Pour the melted butter over the top and mix well.
3. Press the graham crackers mixture into 6 4-inch tartlet pans, or 1 9-inch tart pan. Place in the fridge to firm up for at least 1 hour, or the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
4. Remove the ingredients from the fridge and spoon the pudding into the tart pans. Top with fresh berries.
Apr
Strawberry Lemon Yogurt Parfait
I’m back. Did you miss me? Did you even know I was gone? Okay, so technically I didn’t go anywhere…but it has been quite a while since my last post. I’m making up for it in a big way though. With two recipes in one! A tasty almond coconut granola that you will want to eat by the handful, and a fresh and springy strawberry lemon yogurt parfait. 
But before we get lost in a big ole’ serving of granola, yogurt and berries I need to tell you what I’ve been up to that’s caused me to neglect my poor little blog for over two weeks. Since the beginning I have tried to keep this space about food. Sure, sometimes I inject little bits about my life here and there, but in general I figure you don’t want to read about my trip to the eye doctor, or my day at work, or how excited I was when my husband replaced a part of the vacuum cleaner causing it to work like 100 times better. Or maybe you do, I don’t know…but I do know I don’t want to write about those things. I’m here to share with you my love of food, my passion for ingredients and my adventures as I try new recipes and taste new flavors. The funny thing about food and everyday life though is that you can’t have one without the other. Who I am, what I do everyday and where I live are all connected to the foods I cook and eat. Which is why this announcement is about my life, but also about my food journey and where it will take me next. 
So here it is -we’re selling our house…and will be living and traveling in our Airstream for the next two to three years. The above photo is where I live now- where I’ve lived, and gardened, and cooked for the past 9 years. Below is our 25’ Airstream where I’m sooo excited to spend the next several years. 
I told you this was big! Well, small actually. From a 2,300 sq. ft. home to a roughly 200 sq. ft. metal silver bullet. From a kitchen with big windows, ample counter space and enough cupboards to fit all my cooking utensils and gadgets, to a kitchen where the stove doubles as a cutting board and the only place to store my pots and pans is inside the oven. None of that matters though because what we loose in indoor living space we gain in outside living space. A whole wide world of it- wherever we want to go!
And yes, I will be continuing the blog. In fact, I have a whole new vision for the blog that incorporates my travels, new foods, new inspirations, and new adventures. I will continue updating you here on our travel plans as they progress. We’re also in the middle of renovating the airstream kitchen (as much as you can renovate such a tiny space) and I will share pictures very soon. So as you can see I’ve been busy. Painting, cleaning, mulching- all the things that will make someone want to buy our house. I have managed to find some time for cooking though. And my latest creation is a parfait healthy enough to eat for breakfast and tasty enough to eat for dessert.
This recipe was inspired by a strawberry lemon trifle I made for Easter. No I didn’t take any pictures, in fact I didn’t even write down the recipe. What can I say, I’ve been busy. It was amazing though- fluffy lemon mousse, tender angel food cake and fresh strawberries. Shoot…now I feel bad and I’m gonna have to recreate this recipe just so I can share it with you. How about we wait until it’s actually strawberry season somewhere besides Florida though? Which doesn’t happen until June up here in the chilly northeast, but I can never wait that long and as soon as these bright red berries appear in the store I have to buy some. I’m always kind of dissapointed though. Have you ever noticed that the bigger the berry the less the flavor? Which is why these early, and well-traveled, berries need to be combined with lots of other flavors… like lemon, and honey, and almonds, and coconut.
I used to make granola once a week. I would make a big batch, store it in a tupperware container and eat it everyday for breakfast. Since January though I’ve been on a smoothie kick and the granola has been forgotten. Until now that is. Feel free to play around with this recipe. Change the nuts, substitute dried fruit for the coconut, add chocolate, whatever you like as long as you stick with the same basic proportions.
Coconut Almond Granola
2 1/2 cups oats (not the quick cooking kind)
1 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped
1/2 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup honey
3 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF. On a large rimmed baking sheet combine the oats, almonds, coconut. Spread in an even layer and cook for 12 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
2. A few minutes before the oat mixture comes out of the oven combine the honey, oil, vanilla and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat just long enough to melt the coconut oil and soften the honey.
3. As soon as the oat mixture comes out of the oven pour the honey over it and mix well until all the oats are covered. Spread evenly in the pan and put it back in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool. The more you stir the granola as it cools the less chunky it will be. If you want big pieces don’t stir it at all and and break into chunks when completely cool.
Strawberry-Lemon Yogurt Parfait
serves:2
1 1/2 cups plain nonfat yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3-4 tablespoons honey
2 cups fresh strawberries, quartered
1 1/2 cups granola
1. In a small bowl combine the yogurt, lemon juice, half of the lemon zest and honey to taste.
2. In two tall glasses layer a quarter of the granola, a quarter of the yogurt and a quarter of the strawberries. Repeat with a second layer of all three. Top with a dollop of yogurt and and a sprinkle of lemon zest.
Mar
Honey Sweetened Meyer Lemon Tarts
I wish I had a scratch and sniff computer…actually I wish you had a scratch and sniff computer. That way you could be as enchanted by the floral aroma of these wonderful little Meyer lemons as I am. These lemons are so fragrant that even before I zested the peels, sliced them open and squeezed out the juice a honey tinged, fresh lemon scent was wafting around my kitchen. I first used Meyer lemons about a month ago when I made Carrot Muffins with Meyer Lemon Glaze. They were good…in fact they were eat two in a row good. The moist carrot muffins studded with lemon zest and drizzled with a thin honey lemon glaze were perfect for my first experiment with these special, slightly sweet lemons. This time though when I brought home a bag filled with the egg yolk colored little cuties I knew I wanted to make something that really let the lemon flavor shine. I wanted a bust of pure lemon flavor in every bite. I wanted to make a recipe that used LOTS of lemon juice…
and lots of lemon zest. So naturally I turned to lemon curd. Curd is all over the Internet these days (could someone please come up with a better name for it than curd) – lemon curd, blood orange curd, grapefruit curd, key lime curd- you name the citrus and someone has made a curd out of it. 
For a long time lemon meringue pie was one of my favorite desserts which means that I’ve made quite a bit of lemon curd in my life time. Never with Meyer lemons though. And never with honey! I spotted this recipe over on the Cookie + Kate blog where she made both a blood orange and a Meyer lemon curd sweetened with honey instead of white sugar. Since I loved the honey and lemon glaze that I made for my carrot muffins I was eager to try it. It was totally the right choice. The honey adds just a touch of sweet to the floral-scented Meyer lemons and the result is a slightly sweet yet wonderfully tangy smooth curd. The other tip that I picked up from Kate was how to make lemon curd with no straining and no risk of cooked egg bites tarnishing the final product. Basically the idea is to cream the butter and honey like you would if making a cake, then incorporate the eggs and juice before cooking. It worked really well and will defiantly be the method I turn to from now on when making any kind of curd.
For the tart crust I decided on a sweet buttery shortbread type with lots of ground almonds. I love the nutty flavor that the almonds lend to the dough and they also provide a bit of crispy texture that compliments the silky smooth curd perfectly. 
I made mini tarts and blind baked them filled with pie weights. If you don’t have pie weights you can use dried beans but be sure not to skip this step altogether. If you try to bake the tart crust without weights the dough will bubble up in the middle leaving no room for the delicious lemon curd. Believe me, I’m telling you this from experience.
Here they are fresh out of the oven. Almost good enough to eat even with out the lemon curd.
And here they are filled with sweet and tangy lemon curd and topped with fresh whipped cream.
Honey Sweetened Meyer Lemon Tarts
Adapted from Cookie + Kate and Taste of Home
Makes (3) 4 1/2 inch tarts or (1) 9 inch tart
Lemon Curd:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup honey
4 egg yolks
2 eggs
2/3 cup Meyer lemon juice (from 7-8 lemons)
1 tablespoon Meyer lemon zest
Almond Crust:
1 cup white unbleached flour
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons ice water
For the topping:
Whipped cream
Meyer lemon shavings
1. Make the crust: Pulse the almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Add the flour, sugar, butter, almond extract and salt and pulse until combined. Slowly add the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until a soft dough forms. Using your hands form the dough into a ball, place it between two pieces of parchment or wax paper and flatten to a disk shape. Wrap the edges of the paper tightly around the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour. (Alternate directions: Since I only have a small one-cup food processor I used it to ground the almonds and then transferred them to my stand mixer where I finished the dough. I followed the same process; mixing all the ingredients together and then adding the ice water a little at a time until a dough formed. It worked perfectly, the only drawback was more dishes to wash.)
2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and unwrap the sides of the dough, but leave it between the sheets of paper for rolling. This prevents the dough from sticking to the surface and your rolling pin without using flour. Start by pressing the dough with the rolling pin from the middle to each end, turning the dough 180 degrees and repeating. Continue rolling the dough into a circle about an 1/8th inch thick. If making small tarts, cut out circles slightly larger than the pans you are using (my tartlets pans are 4 1/2 inches wide so I cut out 5” circles) and press the dough into the pans. If you are making one large tart, place the entire dough circle over the pan, press it into the bottom and corners and trim the edges.
3. Cut pieces of parchment paper or aluminum foil large enough to cover the bottom of the crust and extend out a bit over the edges of the pan. Place the paper or foil over the crust (s) and fill with pie weights or dry beans. Bake for 20 minutes, remove the weights and paper or foil and continue baking until the edges turn a light golden color, about 5 –7 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let the crust cool.
4. Make the Lemon Curd: In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a medium size bowl if using a hand mixer, mix the butter and honey until creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Slowly add the egg yolks and whole eggs; beat until combined. Add the lemon juice and mix briefly. Don’t worry if the batter looks lumpy, it will smooth out on the stove top.
5. Transfer the mixture to a medium size non-reactive pot (not aluminum or unlined copper) and cook over medium-low heat stirring constantly. The mixture will begin to thicken after about 5 minutes. Continue stirring until it it thick and jelly-like. Test for doneness by running your finger over the back of a wooden spoon coated in the curd- if it leaves a clear path it is ready. For me it took about 7 minutes for the curd to finish. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest.
6. Pour the lemon curd into the cooled tarts shells.* Before serving top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of shaved lemon peel if desired.
*If you are not using the lemon curd right away transfer it to a bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap over the top letting come in contact with the curd. Gently press the plastic into the top of the curd until it is completely covered. This will prevent air from forming a crust on top of the curd. Refrigerate until ready to use.
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