SMOOTHIES: HIS AND HERS

his & hers smoothies . sprouted kitchen

We're keeping things simple today. I have been testing for the book and had a few quick-turnaround freelance jobs. There has been so much food I'm passing out tupperwares to anyone who stops by. There were a few food-heavy weeks, followed by drought. I was burnt out and uninterested in cooking unless it could be easily stuffed in a brown rice tortilla or blended up and considered a meal. I left Hugh in charge where I typically have a plan, so we had a solid handful of breakfast burritos and taco meals. No complaints from either side. When thinking food, and writing food, and making food becomes your work, part of its charm is sometimes lost. But only part and only sometimes. I love what I do, but I am not much for excess. I keep a fairly minimal home and prefer to have around the items we actually use as opposed to cling to clutter. So when it's all food all the time, I have to step back for a few days to avoid going completely nuts. 

When needing hardly a meal, more of an in-between, tide-you-over, on the run mini-meal in a cup sort of deal, we make smoothies. Hugh makes his off a memory from his childhood. They'd shop at a health food store and the kids would get a shake at the juice bar on the way out. To his memory, it was a creamy combination of milk, peanut butter, banana, date and a little chocolate. It's delicious, but on the shake side of smoothie. Actually no, it's just a straight up shake. I am ever the fan of frozen mangos because they're creamy themselves and then stuck with the tropical theme. Hugh assured me everyone would like his better. My love, I even like yours better, but someone had to go the slightly lighter route here.  

Sometimes I find smoothie recipes insulting - isn't it all just thrown in a blender? Yes, yes it is. But this is what we're eating 'round here so take your combination however you wish. This looks tasty if you're on the pumpkin train right now, and this looks Fall-ish as well, or something completely unique with sesame milk, and while the fresh are gone, this blueberry basil one could be made with frozen blueberries. Browse through Sarah's tips on smoothie boosters too!

MONKEY FLIP // Makes 1

As told by Hugh Forte

• 1/2 banana
• 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 date, pitted
• 1 scoop chocolate ice cream or frozen yogurt
• 1 cup milk

Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend until completely smooth, adding more milk or ice for desired consistency.

TROPICAL COOLER // Makes 1

• handful of crushed ice
• 1/2 cup frozen mango chunks
• 1/2 cup coconut yogurt or plain yogurt (or coconut sorbet)
• flesh of half a seeded and peeled papaya
• 1 cup coconut water
• squeeze of honey
• squeeze of fresh lime juice

Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend until completely smooth, adding more milk or ice for desired consistency.

his & hers smoothies . sprouted kitchen

ROASTED STRAWBERRY COCONUT MILK ICE CREAM

I've never been labeled the creative one. Thoughtful, intentional, sarcastic, sensitive, yes, but not creative. I got good grades in school because I am motivated and try hard, but not because I fall someplace just shy of genius or anything. My sister has always been gorgeous - tall and thin, blonde hair and light eyes - both beautiful and creative. She gets her artfulness from my mom, the one who has always made us homemade cards and crafted murals on our bedroom walls while we went through numerous adolescent phases. At one point my sister had a jungle themed room and I had an enthusiastic "surfer girl" phase, so alas my mom painted a hibiscus print across my wall. I'm attracted to this creativity, my mom and sister are two of my favorite people, so it makes sense that I fell in love with someone quite innovative himself. These "creatives" as they are so trendfully called, are constantly seeking more creativity. My sister wants more striking clothing designs, my mom, a better landscaped backyard and Hugh, cutting edge pictures. They are proud of their work, but never quite as dazzled as I am. I use my family as examples because I know them well, but whether you write, photograph, cook, draw, dance or such as, I'd guess you also struggle with your expectations being set just above what you deliver. Even as the rest of us are dazzled by you.

We've been in the final stages of the book editing process over here (more specifically Hugh, numerous hours editing photos, I just provide a continuous flow of snacks). I browse the pages and realize that me, the non creative one, is doing something quite creative actually. I fell into cooking partly because of a love of produce and wellness, but also because it was the skill that no one in my circle had marked their own. It was my niche, no threat of competition or following the footsteps of a culinary genius grandma like I hear frequently of others. I do chase my own expectation, wanting something even greater of myself, a recipe that is the "greatest xyz anyone and everyone has ever had!" But when I take the people pleaser out of this art form, the seeker of affirmation and the desire to do well, it is transparent that I am sharing a creativity that is genuinely running through my veins. I desperately want to inspire people to eat well and fill their bellies with an excess of vegetables but to also enjoy good treats, of course. So while we're about to send this book to print, where the changes and second guessing will be out of my hands, I'm finding rest that regardless of where the creativity meter falls on this project, we have constructed a tool that speaks of community, good food and inspiration. Hugh, my creative one, you've exceeded my expectation in the work you've done and I am so anxious to share this with people.

ROASTED STRAWBERRY COCONUT MILK ICE CREAM // Makes about 1 quart

Adapted from Hungry Girl Por Vida

Few notes. First off, be sure to use full fat coconut milk, the light stuff will turn out too icey. I halved most of my strawberries, but after a few spoonfuls of the ice cream, I wish I had either quartered them, or mashed them up a bit with a fork before I added them to the machine. The chunks were a bit large and disrupted my pure ice cream enjoyment with big frozen cubes of fruit. If you end up with more strawberries than you use in the ice cream, they are delicious on a piece of toasted bread over a hearty swipe of fresh goat's cheese. In fact, that combination is maybe a reason to make more than you'll need anyway. 

2 pints strawberries, hulled and quartered

2 tsp. natural cane sugar

-

2 egg yolks

1/3 cup natural cane sugar

3 Tbsp. maple sugar (or just more natural cane sugar if that's what you have)

1 13.5 oz. can coconut milk

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

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2 oz. dark chocolate, optional

Preheat the oven to 300'.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Pile the berries in the middle, sprinkle with the 2 tsp. of cane sugar, pinch of sea salt and toss gently to coat. Spread in an even layer and bake on the middle rack for 25 minutes. Turn off the heat but leave the berries in there to cool slowly. They need to be completely cool before adding to the ice cream machine. This step can be done in advance. 

Set a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water, but do not let the bowl touch the water. Add the egg yolks and both sugars and stir to warm. As the sugar melts, it will become smooth and shiny. If these two need a bit of help melting, just add a spoonful of the coconut milk to get things moving along. Stir the mixture for about 5 minutes. Add the can of coconut milk and whisk everything to combine. As everything warms, it will get smoother. The custard will start to thicken just a bit. Stir in the vanilla, turn off the heat, strain through a fine strainer to remove any eggs bits and transfer the bowl to the fridge to cool completely. 

Add the coconut custard to your ice cream maker and churn according to instructions. Meanwhile, if using, melt the chocolate in a double boiler (glass bowl over simmering water). At about 75% finished, add in a cup of the cooled, roasted strawberries and let it continue. In the last minute, slowly drizzle in the (not super hot) chocolate if you wants some chocolate chards or chunks in the ice cream. 

Transfer to a container and freeze until firm.

COCONUT QUINOA + SPINACH SALAD

It was different this year. Different, in an oh-so-wonderful kind of way.

Christmas took its same course of stress and scrambling to make sure I got everyone something thoughtful and nice, sticky notes of who is cooking what, messages of what time we need to be where and remember to tell grandma an hour earlier because you know she'll be late. A joyful frenzy builds through December, to a day that is, well, joyful and frenzied? Hugh and I were able to spend time with everyone, chased around our adorable niece, bundled up for church outside, stayed up super late laughing and chatting with each other; I made undercooked french toast for my family, got a vacuum from Santa, and soaked it in. The holidays are some of the sweetest and funniest times with my family, and having a sparkly new husband to enjoy everything with, made it even better. We got home late Christmas night after talking all day, and I told Hugh the presents were nice, but my favorite part is just the time. We don't often have days with no where else to be than where you are, doing just what you're doing. You've got to savor days like that.

So here we are again, a bit overloaded on sweets and craving foods on the lighter side. This salad is so tasty and gorgeous with all the contrasts of color. Little bit of crunch from the pomegranates and pistachios, and just a subtle touch of coconut in the quinoa. I've been eating leftovers with an egg on top, and I think it'd work well with just about any protein.

May the rest of your holiday season be full of the giving and taking of time.

COCONUT QUINOA + SPINACH SALAD // Serves 6 as a side

I know some are still wary of using raw spinach, and I think arugula would be great as well, maybe just use a bit less as it's a bit stronger in flavor.

1 Cup Quinoa

1 Cup Light Coconut Milk

1/3 Cup Vegetable Broth or Water

2 Large Shallots

2 Tbsp. Coconut Oil*

1 Cup Fresh Pomegranate Seeds

4 Cups-ish Organic Baby Spinach

1/2 Cup Toasted Pistachio Nuts

2 Tbsp. Orange Juice**

2 tsp. Fresh Thyme or 1 tsp. Dried Thyme

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil (I used a lemon infused olive oil - SO good)

Salt/Pepper

1. In a small pot, combine the quinoa, coconut milk, water and a pinch of salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed, this will take about 10-12 minutes. Empty quinoa into a bowl and allow to cool.

2. Slice the shallots width wise into thin coins. Heat up the oil in a 8-10'' saute pan (you don't have many to crisp up). * If you don't have coconut oil on hand, canola oil will work as an alternative, it's just not that great for you. Once it's just shimmering, add in the slice shallots. Stand by them, as they'll burn quickly. They will dance around a bit, and once you see the edges turn golden flip them over or move them around. Set up a double layer of paper towels, remove the shallots just as they turn brown and drain on the paper towels.

3. In a small bowl, mix the orange juice, thyme, olive oil and generous pinches of salt and pepper. **Any citrus would work - lemon, lime...whatever is on hand.

4. You want to make sure the quinoa is room temperature before you toss, or it will wilt the spinach, and we don't want that. Maybe you do, but I don't. In a salad bowl, toss the spinach, half of the cooked quinoa, half of the pom seeds and half of the pistachios with desired amount of dressing. Your choice as to what ratio you want, you can save the rest of the quinoa for later, or toss it in, again, the ratios are up to you. Garnish the top with the rest of the pom seeds, pistachios and all of your crispy shallots. Little grind of fresh pepper and enjoy.