im back. with blueberries and more inspiration

I'm back. I've had a few people asking where my blogging went. After a 6 month or so sabatical / uninspired to blog..or even cook, I am back.

I have been working at a local bakery around here, and when I get home from work, the last thing I want to do is bake more. This meaning, I'd put the almonds, and the kitchen aid to sleep, but as of this week I am back with so much creativity flowing I can hardly keep up.

Last week I made the most luscious Blueberry Crisp.

Perfectly "buttery" (or lack of butter) crust, amazingly juicy blueberries and just the right amount of cream.

I love this recipe because it is a great American inspired dessert that is easily made gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free, and the best part, it taste amazing!

Blueberry Crisp:

Crust:

2 cups of almond flour or ground almonds

1/2 cup of melted coconut oil

1-2 tbl. of raw agave (depending how sweet you like it)

1/2 tsp. of sea salt

mix all of the ingredients in a mixer until it turns into a dough, depending how coarse your almond flour is, you may need a little bit more of the coconut oil to make it come together well.

Press the dough into a pie pan, just as you would any pastry dough.

Cook in a pie pan for 15 minutes at 350.

Cashew "Cream:"

1 1/2 cups of unsalted, raw cashews (soaked in water for a few hours is best)

1/4-1/2 cup of warm water

1 tbl. of raw agave

1/4 tsp. of sea salt

take the cashews and strain, then put in any heavy duty blender, or food processor and blend with 1/4 c. of the warm water, add more as needed until the cashews are smooth (make take up to 5 minutes) then add the agave and salt until you like the taste of it.

Once the crust is baked, spread the cashew cream on the crust, I like a really thick layer because it's so yummy, but you may want to save some to put on top when the crisp is done.

(If you aren't dairy free, you could easily just use whip cream instead of the cashew cream and not bake it!)

Blueberries:

2 cups of blueberries

1/4 c. of lemon juice

1 tbl. of raw agave or stevia

1 cup of water

I take 2 cups of blueberries and cook them on the stovetop with the water, lemon juice and agave on LOW until the blueberries get soft. Then I strain the blueberries and put on top of the Cashew Cream.

Cook at 350 for another 15 minutes or until the crust begins to brown and the blueberries are really tender.

This dessert goes great with some vanilla coconut ice cream!

Enjoy!

follow the yellow brick road...

...to Kansas!

this past week we've been in Robert's home town, middle of Kansas! We were the talk of the town, the big kaboom. Not only have we had gobs of people stopping their big huge enviornment killing trucks by, but they've all been pulling out their snappy little camera phones to click a pic!


[similiar to this one, but this lady asked to take a picture, and interview us!]


I bought some organic cauliflower this week at the grocery store because it was actually really cheap! I thought...what could I make with this beautiful little white broccoli?! why not try to make "faux-mashed potatoes!" so I did!


[so this...]


[became these!]


[i was thrilled!!! mashed cauliflower!]

Also exciting this week, we are officially an RV! this is great news for us! Being an RV not only makes us really awesome, but we can now park more places, and our insurance is a bit cheaper then just a "bus" which helps with this massive contraption! I was thrilled to witness this robing!








in other news this week, I made some mean Black Bean Brownies! They turned out great! the first time I made them, I skipped the eggs and went straight for a few bananas, but they weren't the best, kinda "too" gooey. [if that's possible] but the second time I only used eggs, no bananas and they were fabulous! Gobbeled up at an event I went to this weekend! Also, the recipe [which only makes this size pan!]




1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
3 eggs [or 3 bananas!]
3 tbs. coconut oil
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 pinch of celtic sea salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract [gluten-free, if need be!]
1/3 c. raw honey
1/2 bar of raw cocoa nibs or dark dark 75% or higher chocolate chunks [optional]

oven: 350 degrees
grease an 8x8 square baking pan

combine black beans, eggs, oil, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla extract, and honey in a blender[or food processor if you have it!] blend until smooth; pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the mixture.
3.Bake in the preheated oven until the top is dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes.

bittersweet bailey

this is a bittersweet post about my sweet, spicy, darling, amazing bestie bailey! I am so blessed by her relationship. Our friendship was sprouted from a tiny seed that was planted when we were 15/16. Ever since that one day when she heard me sing a Colbie Cailat's "bubbly" in Japanese, we were sworn as friends, until now, we are 21 and 22 and I am so proud of this girl!

[listening to colbie cailat's "bubbly" while reading this post, makes for a more dramatic read]

[bailey and I at cabana, hillsboro village. ladies night. also, big girls night, she had just turned 21 a few weeks prior]

bailey and I used to live in the same room in a charming little house in east nashville. We shared a room! People say not to live with good friends, especially best friends, it'll ruin your relationship. Not us.

[on the porch of our old house.]

one gloriously bright weekend we spent the whole day at the pool. I never spend the whole day at the pool! Partly because of my sad sun allergy, and I hate being in full sun all day, but the drinks and the cool roof top pool, looking over all of nashville made it so worth it! and being with my Bailey!

[on this same weekend, I went home with swollen feet because we went to a swing dancing get together at Centennial park in Nashville.]

[this girl is golden]

[she stood beside me on my wedding day]

[girls date night for margarita's at Pueblo]

[late night free root beer floats at sonic one night. little did we know it was the sketchy one, and I left my house in my bathing suit.....]

[this girl is amazing. she gets me]

Bailey Todd is a once in a life time friend. You meet someone like this and you cherish her forever, she doesn't float in and out of your life like some people, she is always there. We can go months without seeing each other, but once we give that first hug when we are reunited, it's like we've been next to each other for all that time. She knows how to make you feel like you are the most important person in the world whilst talking to her. Her reasoning is sometimes weird to me, but that's another reason that I love her so dearly. Often, while in a sticky situation, I find myself saying "how would bailey deal with this?" I am so amazed at her willingness to forgive and let things go, something I think we all need a little more of in our lives.

Bailey is leaving on January 2nd from New York and flying to Botswana for 5-6 months. Like I said, this is a bittersweet post. I am thrilled, and excited for this huge, amazing opportunity for her, whilst being selfish and sad that she is going. I am worried she will never come back, but I can't say I blame her. I know she will meet amazing people and impact their lives as she has done mine, certainly. I love you bailey todd and I will never forget the wonderful woman you are, the amazing friend and the importance you have had on my life thus far. I hope you never forget that I will always be here for you, I will fly to botswana for your wedding (maybe?) and I will hold your hand when you deliver your babies, whenever those days come, I am there. I love you.

bailey will be posting from Botswana on her newly listed blog: you can take a look and read it here! enjoy!

ps holiday note:

also, a year ago today I created the most exquisite gluten/dairy and sugar free banana round bread! yeay for me!

floating on the river.

this past week we had a sweet Swedish lady around, we decided to float down the cumberland river in a beautiful canoe. this fellow bob dylan lover got to see all of downtown nashville! floating the river. oh what a wonderful day it was.





we worked up a huge appetite to make homemade pizza's!




then I tested out some fruit sweetened chocolate, oatmeal cookies. they turned out a little bit too crumbly, but nothing the peanut butter couldn't fix on my next batch.








also, here are some vegan nachos i made! turned out delicious!

bananas + babies + birthdays

here are some pictures [some taken by my sister] from my mothers birthday!








[a lovely french style patio lunch]





[gifts and Ellis family decorations!]







Wild Ginger!





Friday my sister and I went shopping and got to enjoy the wonderful weather in Thomas' jeep with the top off!



Also, I am pleased to introduce one of my favorite babies ever:

Ellymae Wild Roberts!




Last week I bought a bunch of bananas, solely for them to brown and go bad so I could make my favorite banana bread!
Robert and I made this recipe up a while ago and it rarely makes it through one day without being completely eaten!
Gluten free, refined sugar free and dairy free Banana bread! It's still hot, yumm

weekend wolf down

my weekend has once again been full of food. these pictures explain it all:





[took another stab at my gluten, refined sugar, and dairy free brownies. they didn't turn out as great as I would have liked but it's a process]

~

cupcakes









[these turned out just marveous! bridal shower cupcakes!]




~

robert and I made gluten free pizza last night. his: pesto/tomato/goats cheese/chicken. and mine: goats cheese/pinapple







then on another note: a few additions that we got this weekend:




[bunk beds in the "spare" room for bands/guest]




[matching Clarks!]




[we also bought a new couch and so we are selling this beautiful vintage couch!]


i think that's it for this beautiful morning. it's a bit chilly here today, perfect for a spring bridal shower [kinda?] fruit tea, spring cupcakes, chocolate dipped strawberries, the works! I am happy.