Grein Free Honey Granola

                                        Grain Free Honey Granola

This baked granola is a nutrient-dense blend of raw nuts and seeds. It’s ideal for anti-inflammatory, gluten-free, fibre-rich, low-sugar and high-protein diets. There’s natural sweetness from the dates and the honey, which —alongside all of its other health benefits — is a source of antioxidants. Use local honey to infuse with the essence of the Sea to Sky.  Serves 16

Ingredients:
2 cups raw almonds, chopped
1 cup raw pecans, chopped
⅓ cup raw pumpkin seeds
⅓ cup raw sunflower seeds
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
3 dates, pitted and chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine chopped nuts and whole seeds
(for smaller seed pieces, use a food processor to chop to desired size
or lay on a cutting board and break up with a chef’s knife).

Pour melted coconut oil over nuts and seeds, along with honey, sea
salt and cinnamon. Add dates and combine. Mix everything well and
spread on prepared baking sheet in a single layer.  Bake for 10 min.

Remove mixture from oven and give it a light stir, then bake for 
another 8 minutes or until nuts start to brown. 

Remove from oven and completely cool before breaking mixture into 

chunks. The longer the granola cools, the crunchier it gets.

Transfer to a glass jar with a lid and store at room temperature for up to a week. Serve with yogurt or enjoy on its own.

Roasted Almond Panna Cotta With Rhubarb And Amaretti

Roasted Almond Panna Cotta

With Rhubarb And Amaretti

Darkly roasted almonds give a deep flavor to these small servings of panna cotta. Rhubarb adds a splash of color and tangy sweetness, while crushed amaretti cookies deliver a nutty crunch. Make sure to save the almonds after you’ve strained them out—they’re excellent on oatmeal or cereal.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup (80 mL) raw almonds

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) heavy cream

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) whole milk

3 tbsp (45 mL) cold water2 tsp (10 mL) powdered gelatin

1/3 cup + 1/2 cup (80 mL + 125 mL) sugar, divided

1/4 tsp (1 mL) Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) fine 

   sea salt

1 lb (455 g) rhubarb, ideally thin red stalks

1/3 cup (80 mL) sweet red vermouth

5 small Italian amaretti cookies

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).

Place almonds on a baking sheet. Bake until darkly roasted, 15 to 17 minutes. When cool enough to handle, coarsely chop.

Place almonds, cream and milk in a medium pot over medium-high heat. (Watch carefully so it doesn’t boil over.) When it just starts to boil, remove from heat and let steep until liquid is well flavoured with almonds, about 1 hour. (You can also cover and place in the fridge for a few hours.)

Pour water in a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin overtop.  Let stand for 5 minutes to hydrate.

Rewarm cream mixture slightly then strain into a clean pot, saving almonds for another use. Add 1/3 cup (80 mL) sugar and the salt. Place over medium heat, stirring to dissolve. When it comes to a boil, remove from heat and stir in gelatin mixture until dissolved. Transfer to a spouted measuring pitcher. Place base of pitcher in a bowl of ice water, and stir mixture occasionally until it feels cool to touch.

Divide cream mixture between six 1/2-cup (125-mL) jars or ramekins. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, about 5 hours or up to 3 days.

Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C).

Cut rhubarb into 1/2-inch (1-cm) lengths and place in an 8-inch- (20-cm-) square Pyrex baking dish. Add remaining 1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar and vermouth, tossing to coat. Spread rhubarb into a single layer so it roasts evenly.

Bake until liquid has mostly evaporated and rhubarb is soft, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.

To serve, divide rhubarb between jars of panna cotta and crumble amaretti overtop.  Serves 6  Serve with a Marsala Wine.

No-Bake Lemon Cashew Pie ~ Vegan

No-Bake Lemon Cashew Pie

This new twist on a lemon meringue pie features a yummy vegan filling with a crust that won't leave you disappointed.
Ingredients:
For The Crust:
1 cup (155 g) raw almonds
1 cup (180 g) dates, pitted
3 Tablespoons (45 ml) unrefined coconut oil, melted
For The Filling:
¾ cup (180 ml) warm water
3 lemons, zested and peeled
¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2½ cups (375 g) raw cashews
½ cup (90 g) dates, pitted
Directions:
For The Crust:
Place the almonds, dates and coconut oil in the Vitamix container and secure the lid. Select Variable 6 and pulse 10-15 times or until the ingredients resemble a wet/sandy mixture. Do not over process. Scrape the sides of the container if needed.  

Remove from the container into a 10" pie dish. Press into place around the middle and edges of the pie pan. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

For the Filling: 

Place all ingredients into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure the lid. Start the machine on its lowest speed and increase to its highest speed. Blend for 60 seconds until it is smooth, using the tamper to press the ingredients into the blades.

Pour the filling evenly across the pie crust and place into the refrigerator for 2-3 hours or until the pie is set.

Baked Rice With White Beans and Leeks

Baked Rice With White Beans And Leeks

 

Baked Rice With White Beans And Leeks

Ingredients:

4 leeks (about 2 pounds), trimmed, white and pale green parts sliced

   1/4-inch thick.

1 lemon

1/4 cup raw almonds

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and Black Pepper

1 1/2 cups uncooked Bismati rice

1 15oz can White Beans, Cananelli or Great Northern Beans, drained 

   and rinsed

2 1/2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese plus more for serving

1/4 cup chopped herbs, basil, mint, chives or fennel fronds, plus more

   for serving.

Directions:
Heat the oven to 400*F degrees. Rinse the leeks until they’re clean, then shake or pat dry. Using a vegetable peeler, peel 1-inch-thick strips of lemon zest, then cut the lemon in half. Cut one half into four wedges and reserve the other half.

In a 9-by-13-inch baking pan, combine the leeks, lemon zest strips, almonds, red-pepper flakes and olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper, and arrange in an even layer. Roast until the leeks start to caramelize, about 20 minutes.

Finely chop the lemon zest strips, then stir it back into the leek mixture and arrange in an even layer. Sprinkle the rice evenly over the leeks, then top with the beans and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the boiling water, then seal the pan tightly with foil. Bake until the rice is tender, 20 to 22 minutes.

Remove from the oven, and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Squeeze the lemon half over the rice, then stir in Parmesan and herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges, and more Parmesan and herbs, as desired.

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Fig Cake

Fig Cake

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter, melted, plus butter for greasing pan
1 cup natural raw almonds (not blanched)
¼ cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt
3 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon almond extract
12 to 14 ripe figs

*

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-inch fluted tart pan or pie pan; set aside. Put almonds and 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor and grind to a coarse powder. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; pulse to combine.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, melted butter, honey and almond extract. Add almond mixture and beat for a minute until batter is just mixed. Pour batter into pan.

Remove stem from each fig and cut in half. Arrange fig halves cut-side up over the batter. Sprinkle figs with sugar and bake for 30 minutes, until golden outside and dry at center when probed with a cake tester. Cool before serving.