Pure and Simple :: Healthy Recipes and Real Food by Amy Jo

Cherry and Kale Smoothie

As promised, I finally got my hands on some fresh cherries that are as sweet as they come. The first bushel, although intended for this post, disappeared before they ever made it to my kitchen because they were just that good. So the moment I purchased a second heap, I immediately removed the pits and threw them into my blender, whipping up an energy boosting beverage that is considered breakfast around here. 

Smoothies have a way with me. I'm not sure there is single meal I am more devoted to than the all-encompassing, satisfying refreshment. And because it is loaded with hemp seed, coconut oil, and kale, I get just about everything my body needs to operate at optimal capacity. Instead of nut milk, I used fresh squeezed orange juice as a base and sweetener. I've been devouring all things citrus for the past couple of months, especially when it looks and tastes like this. Maybe it's the summer heat or just the season, but I swear by orange juice at this point in my life. It's a magic potion that sets my sails free.

The ruby red pigment that makes cherries so fun to look at has more than one purpose. The rich color provides high levels of antioxidants, which improve the immune system, protect the body from cardiovascular disease, and help fight cancer. Cherries contain large quanities of nutrients that help rid the liver and kidneys of toxins. Melatonin is also found in these mouthwatering gems and is known to regulate sleep patterns. I eat them because I absolutely love them, and the benefits make them that much better.

Cherry and Kale Smoothie

1 cup of fresh or frozen cherries, remove pits

1 cup of fresh squeezed orange juice

1 cup of kale leaves, chopped

2 tbs. hemp seed

1 tbs. raw coconut oil

1 cup of ice

1. Blend all ingredients together. Serve and enjoy!

Key Lime Pie with Ginger Crust

Other than my daily juice and green smoothies, I ate just about every meal out last week, exploring new restaurants and AMAZING food made by savvy chefs. It was a palatable change of pace and, at the same time, I could not wait to get back into the kitchen and whip up some fresh, homemade meals. My sweet tooth insisted I make a pie. As usual, my natural instincts went straight for the chocolate kind until I remembered my long-time second favorite, which makes a great summer dessert with its sweet and tart filling. 

I tried traditional key lime pie for the first time three years ago while in Scottsdale, Arizona. I was in love. With the pie. And a boy. And the combination of the two made for a great vacation. I went back to San Diego and made a raw version of the pie, using lemons rather than limes. Yesterday, I used key limes for the first time in this pie and it turned out FANTASTIC! It is filled with creamy avocado, naturally sweetened with dates, infused with health-enhancing coconut butter, and refined with a buttery almond and macadamia nut flour crust. I added belly-soothing ginger root to the crust for a boost of nutrition. I'm telling you, this is one to write home about...if you write home. 

Avocados are so pure and full of essential fats that do a body good. This anti-inflammatory fruit is known to reduce blood pressure, balance blood sugar levels, and reverse memory loss in Alzheimer's patients. It also aids digestion by improving the body's ability to absorb nutrients. As with most real foods, it helps to prevent cancer and heart disease.

At this point, I can't come up with one reason NOT to make this pie. It absolutely brightened my day and kept my sweet tooth happy all day long. I may or may not be heading to the fridge right now for another piece.

Raw Key Lime Pie

Crust

1.5 cups almond flour

1/2 cup macadamia nuts, ground (I use a coffee grinder)

1/4 cup raw coconut oil

2 tbs. raw honey

3 tbs. fresh grated ginger root

1. Place jar of coconut oil in a bowl of hot tap water until the oil becomes liquid. I sat mine out in the sun for 15 minutes and it melted quickly.

2. In a large bowl, mix together almond flour, macadamia nut flour, coconut oil, raw honey, and fresh grated ginger root with a fork. Then massage mixture with clean hands until it becomes dough-like in texture.

3. Mold the dough into a pie pan.

4. Set in freezer while making the filling. 

Filling

2 avocados

12 dates, stoned

1/4 cup raw coconut butter 

juice of 14 key limes*

zest of 10 key limes*

1 tsp. vanilla

1. Place jar of coconut butter into a bowl of hot tap water until oil becomes liquid. I sat mine in the sun for 15 minutes to melt.

2. Place avocados, dates, melted coconut butter, juice of limes, zest of limes, and vanilla into a food processor or Vita-Mix blender until smooth. 

3. Pour filling into pie crust and set in fridge for one hour.

4. Store in fridge up to 3 days.

*Please keep in mind that the key limes I used were smaller than golf ball size. If using anything larger, you may want to decrease the amount of limes you use. I recommend taste-testing as you go.

Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

A one-ingredient recipe may not take hours of research and experimentation in the kitchen, but this beverage is worthy of a post simply because it shows up at my table just about every single morning. I reach for those cold, round beauties for a good squeeze soon after I get out of bed for a perfect, easily-digestible breakfast. The sweetness is refreshing and wanes the intensity of this summer heat. 

 

I use a manual citrus juicer that I purchased years ago. It extracts every last drop of juice out of the oranges and is a cinch to clean up. Just rinse and go. It's quick and easy and great for mornings you want to keep it simple. 

I've included a few recent Instagram photos in this post. If you'd like to follow me for meal ideas and a photo diary, come on over and join in the fun. Have a great weekend!

Summer Berry Crisp

 

Summer has arrived in Austin about a month before its calendar date, giving us a glimpse of what's to come over the next few months. From what I understand, these 90 degree+ days are mild compared to years past, so I'm feeling rather lucky...or at least that's what I'm supposed to be feeling. Either way, I like the heat and have found plenty of ways to manage. For starters, I eat tons of fruit and fresh squeezed juice to stay hydrated. I wear clothes that are simple and allow me to sweat while walking 30 feet from the car to my destination. I keep the oven off except on days that I have a refrigerator full of berries propositioning me to transform their plump, juicy magic into a crisp. These are just a few ways to survive the Texas heat.

 

Over the weekend, I took a road trip to Nacogdoches to teach a yoga workshop and cooking demo. It may have been the best weekend I've had all year long. I was greeted with open arms, a warm smile, and a heart of gold by Morning Glory Yoga Studio owner, Amy Sanford. We spent the first night making chocolate pie and catching up over kale and fig salad. The following day was filled with yoga, food, fun, hiking, antique shopping, and dinner at the Fredonia Hotel. On Sunday, Amy took me to Appleby Community Farm to pick dewberries and check out the land. Bryan and Cindy have created a beautiful sanctuary of vegetables, herbs, chickens, and pigs on their farm. The experience was inspiring and sent me home with a bundle of berries and greens that I have been thoroughly enjoying since my return. Those Nacogdochians are special people living in one of the most charming towns I have ever visited.

 

With said dewberries, I made a Summer Berry Crisp that is absolute perfection, grain-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, easy to make, and already gone. Talk about a way to end a holiday weekend and launch myself into a four-day week! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer Berry Crisp

 

Filling

3 cups berries (I used blueberry and dewberry)

2 tbs. raw honey or pure maple syrup

juice of 1 orange

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

 

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. 

2. Place berries, honey, orange juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Mix well.

3. Transfer mixture to a pie plate or casserole dish. Bake for 25 minutes.

4. Make topping.

 

Topping

2 cups almond flour/meal

4 tbs. coconut spread, room temperature (butter or coconut oil)

2 tbs. raw coconut sugar

pinch of salt

 

1. Mix almond flour, coconut spread, sugar, and salt together in bowl. 

2. After berry mixture is done cooking, sprinkle with topping.

3. Cook for 25 minutes in oven.

4. Let cool for 10 minutes and enjoy!

5. Store in fridge for up to 3 days.

 

Kelp Noodles with Pea-not Sauce

Years ago, I spent two months on Koh Samui exploring the land, practicing yoga, and doing the best I could to live like a local. It was one of the most memorable trips I've taken and taught me so much about life and simplicity.

While I was there, I met a lady named Dang, who lived just down the road from where I was staying. She was a retired nurse spending her days caring for her father and working in the yard, which was filled with the most gorgeous trees and plants. Each day I visited, she would pick fresh fruit from the trees to share with me, teaching me how to peel and eat each one, since most of them were new to my wide-eyed palate. She didn't speak English, I didn't speak Thai, but our conversations consisted of a language earnestly understood and forever remembered. Even though she was quiet and perceptive, she always asked questions about my life as though the answers were missing pieces to a puzzle. She told me stories of her past and showed me black and white family photos that covered her walls. Much of our time was spent in silence, enjoying each other's company and savoring all the words left unsaid. Dang's refined awareness was one of Thailand's greatest virtues and I still consider this woman one of the most compassionate people I've ever met.

 

Another highlight of my time on this island was the food. It was my first taste of real Thai cuisine and I could not believe it took me so long to get my hands on it. The bursting-with-flavor curries, basil and lemongrass in anything, Thai-fried rice with shrimp, green mango salad, and family style meals that made me feel at home were just a few of my favorite dishes. When I returned to the states, Asian dining became a thing of the past simply because eating out has never been a hobby and learning to cook it properly was not a priority. 

Now that I've given up grains and soy, I knew revisiting Asian food would not be as easy as whipping up a traditional plate of rice and vegetables. So, I started with some kelp noodles, a sea vegetable, as a base. These long, clear strands are neutral in taste and perfect in texture. Once you soak them in warm water with lemon juice, they become soft with a bit of crunch and make a great noodle replacement when you are craving pasta. Kelp contains minerals including:

 

1. Calcium - strengthens bones and teeth and reduces PMS symptoms

2. Magnesium - protects against high blood pressure and acts as an anti-inflammatory

3. Iron - strengthens the immune system, treats insomnia, and boosts the body's energy levels

4. Iodine - improves thyroid function, removes toxic chemicals, and promotes healthy hormones

 

I added cilantro, red bell pepper and green cabbage to the kelp noodles then tossed it all together with a wonderful Thai-Style Peanut Sauce made with sunflower seed butter. The sauce is similar to the dressing I used in the Red Cabbage Salad and tastes just as great! 

 

 

Kelp Noodles

12 oz. package of kelp noodles

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup of green cabbage, thinly sliced

1/4 cup of red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

1. Place kelp noodles in a bowl and cover with warm water and lemon juice. Soak for 2 hours.

2. Remove noodles from water (discard water) and place in strainer. Squeeze the water out of noodles and then use a paper towel or kitchen towel to squeeze any remaining liquid in the noodles.

3. Place noodles in bowl. Add cabbage, bell pepper, and cilantro. Mix well with a spoon. Set aside.

Thai-Style Peanut Sauce

3/4 cup sunflower seed butter, unsweetened

1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

2 tbs. raw honey

1 tbs. olive oil

2-inch piece of fresh ginger root

2 garlic cloves

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

1. Place all ingredients in blender and process until smooth. 

2. Pour sauce over kelp noodle salad and mix well.