New Fashioned Oatmeal Creme Pies

Remember those Little Debbie oatmeal pies you used to beg your mom to buy and usually she wouldn't- thanks mom! We all know they are junk food, but the kind of junk food that is o-so-good at the same time. Let's try a homemade version that'll satisfy that sweet tooth.

For the cookies you will need:

• 2 cups oats (I use gluten free)
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 ground flax 
• 1/2 walnuts, raw
• 2 cubes crystallized ginger 
• 4 dates (pitted)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon (or more) cinnamon

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• 2 eggs 
• 1/2 buttermilk (you can use yogurt, regular milk)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 

For the filling: 

• 1/2 cup (equal parts) butter and coconut oil (this means enough butter (cold) and coconut oil to equal 1/2 cup)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons coconut sugar (if you like less sweet- go less) 
• cinnamon to taste

I used the food processor to mix the cookies and the filling but you can certainly use a kitchen-aid or hand mixer. 

Preheat oven to 350. 

Put all the dry ingredients into the food processor and pulse lightly. Combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Add into the processor and combine to mix. Scoop onto cookie sheet, flatten slightly and place in oven for 10 minutes. Makes 10 large or 14 smaller cookies- when sandwiched with creme cut that in half.

Clean out that food processor and while the cookies cook combine all ingredients for filling together. You may put filling into a bowl and reserve in fridge until the cookies have not just come out of the oven but cooled. 

When cookies have cooled spread filling and sandwich together. Store in a cool place. Bon appetit :) 

Warm Tomato, Bacon and Feta Salad

Hello, it's tomato season and time to enjoy nature's bounty. This is a salad that is hearty yet not too heavy- great for a weekday.

You will need :

• One container of Heirloom mini tomatoes (I happened to buy the ones at Trader Joe's that are in various colors- it's about 2 pints worth. This can be substituted with any tomatoes)
• 1/2 package of bacon (I used the organic nitrate free but you know what you like) 
• 1/2 cup of feta (sheep feta) 
• 2/3 cup blanched peas 
• 1/4 of a small red onion
• 10 mint leaves
• 1 small handful of fresh oregano 
• zest of half a lime 
• juice of a small lime 
• 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses or reg molasses 
• 1/4 red wine vinegar 
• salt and cracked pepper to taste 

(I nice touch to this would be a handful of arugula tossed in for a peppery finish- as usual, I forgot this item in my refrigerator) 

Start by heating up a cast iron pan to med. Take half of a package of bacon and chop into pieces about the size of a domino. Put in cast iron pan. 

Meanwhile boil water and add peas to blanch for one minute. Drain and set aside. 

Wash and quarter your tomatoes and put aside in bowl. Add the peas in. Take the red onion quarter and cut lengthwise into thin strips add to bowl. 

As bacon cooks to desired done-ness set bacon to one side of the pan and turn heat off. Take cooked bacon out and set aside. The remaining fat should not be discarded- leave it in the pan. 

In a measuring cup add three tablespoons or so of the bacon fat left over- if you don't want to use this you can substitute olive oil for a healthier option (but come on, it's bacon- sometimes a little fat doesn't hurt). Add in the molasses, lime juice and vinegar- whisk together is create dressing. You can add more acid or fat depending on your taste. 

Julienne the oregano and mint leaves and put on top of the tomato and veg in bowl. Zest the lime right on top of this. Add bacon, nice and warm to heat the salad. Salt, cracked pepper and feta to follow. Toss while little warm and bon appetit. 

I served this meal to my husband with a whole wheat lavish bread, hummus and tapenade. With an boiled egg on the side for that bacon and egg combo to go with the salad. This is a protein hearty meal that works well in the heat of summer for lunch or dinner. 

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups topped with edible flowers

These homemade pb cups are filled with a salted honey pb and topped with beautiful, edible flowers. What's not to love?

For this recipe you will need:

• 2 cups dark chocolate
• 4 tablespoons good butter
• 2/3 cup cream or half and half 
• 1/2 jar (I used Teddy) peanut butter
• 1/4 cup raw honey 
• lavender and edible flowers (optional) about a handful (enough to top 12 cups)

You will also need paper muffin cups and a muffin tin (average size) for 6 or 12. This makes 12 cups but you could make them in batches. 

Note that you can also make these with any kind of chocolate you would like. 

Also, I made these fudge-y on purpose which means they need to be keep at a cool temp however, if you want the cups to set more and handle a little heat- or just to have more of a snap you can cut the butter and cream in half.  

First, line your (12) muffin molds with paper liners. Mix in a separate bowl peanut butter, honey and some coarse salt (for that Reese's effect). Set aside.  

In a double boiler or just over med-low heat in a heavy bottom pot add chocolate, butter and cream. You could hit this with a pinch of salt as well. Use a spatula to continually scrape the sides and bottom of the pot. You will want the chocolate to get glossy and smoothly melted. 

Almost there!Pour half of the mixture into the bottom of these 12 molds- it's easy to eyeball it and it doesn't have to be perfect. Now take the pb mixture that's been set aside. Put a dollop sized spoonful in the center of the molds that have had chocolate poured into them. Don't try to spread it- just let it sit as it falls. Now use the remainder of the chocolate to pour over the pb. Top with lavender and edible flowers :) 

Word of the wise: put your melted chocolate in a large liquid measuring cup with a lip to pour- this will save you a mess and frustration. 

Place in fridge to set at least 4 hours. You can cover with plastic wrap as the chocolate should not reach the top of the cups. Bon appetit. 

Cherry Crumble Pie

This cherry pie is not typical. It doesn't have fancy lattice work- a challenge with healthy gluten free crust. This pie also is not super sweet- it favors the tart cherries and sweet and buttery flavor of the almond flour used in the crust. Of course- if you like super sweet- that's an easy fix isn't it?

For the crust:

• 2 cups blanched almond flour
• 1 cup gf flour blend (any kind of flour you like- I used a flax, sorghum mix)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 egg

Set aside for top crust:

• 1/3 cup brown or coconut sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon softened butter

For the filling:

• 5 cups cherries (tart, fresh) pitted
• 1/2 sugar (or less)
• 1/2 coconut sugar 
• juice of one small lemon
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch 

Preheat oven to 375

For the crust put all items into your food processor excluding the items "set aside" for the top. Pulse until it forms a ball. If it refuses to bind you can add a little cold water by the teaspoon at a time- do not  over do for gushy texture :(

Press as much of the mixture into a pie plate (likely 1/2 or so) as needed and cover with plastic. Chill in the fridge. With the remaining mixture add into a bowl with the remaining ingredients set aside for the top- work this with your hands into a crumble. Also set in the fridge. 

The filling is so easy I could fall asleep doing it (I mean after the arduous task of pitting all those cherries). Take all ingredients and mix gently together. Take chilled crust out of the fridge and pile the filling high, making the center highest. Put bowl of crumble topping on top. Feel free to taste the crumble first- add more cinn or sugar if that's how you like it. Bake in 375 oven for 60-70 min until brown on the edges. Most serve with vanilla ice-cream when warm- Bon appetit.

Old Thyme Gin & Tonic

Tired of the same old gin and tonic?
It's hot, we all want the refreshment of a summer time drink but let's HERB it up a little shall we?

This is my Old Thyme Gin and Tonic!

You will need:

• 2 1/2 oz Gin (New Amsterdam has a nice vanilla undertone -or Hendricks) 
• 3 oz Tonic (classic) 
• 1 Thick slice of lemon
• 2 Sprigs lemon thyme 
• 3 Thin slices garden cucumber 
• Ice 

Measure gin and tonic into a glass. Cut a thick slice of lemon and partially squeeze into the tonic. Thread lemon thyme into the center of the lemon to hold it up nice and pretty. Slice a few cukes in and top with ice (careful not to crush lemon)! Enjoy. 

Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie

Yes, at heart, sometimes we just want a peanut butter and jelly. But maybe it's a hot summer day and we want a cold smoothie at the same time. Can't we have it all?
Try this!

You will need (aside from a blender):

1/3 cup Peanut Butter
1/2 frozen wild blueberries (the itty bitty ones)
2 fresh apricots (you could use a few strawberries, or a plum quartered or other berries)
1 generous spoonful of blueberry (or other) Jelly (I use the whole fruit- no added sugar kind)
1 tablespoon vanilla protein powder (or almond flour- this will froth the smoothie)
up to 1 cup of almond milk 

Put everything except almond milk in blender. Try not to put peanut butter first. It will just stick. Add half of the almond milk and start to blend. It will be thick- to "move" the smoothie and thin it out- continue to add more and more milk until it's at desired consistency - Bon appetit.
xoxo -Renee

Cast Iron Roasted Chicken with Farm Fresh Carrots and Beets

Maybe we've already done a roasted chicken before but this is a nice alternative to a roasting pan. It comes out moist and delicious in a heavy cast iron pan.

Preheat the oven to 475 with cast iron pan IN OVEN

You will need:

• One whole chicken (4 lbs or so- this will feed three or so depending on hunger) 
• One bunch of farm fresh carrots (about 6 small) (scrubbed clean tops removed and saved)
• Two/ three large farm fresh beets (scrubbed clean tops removed and saved)
• 1/2 Red onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 Cloves of garlic, peeled and whole 
• 1/3 Stick of butter (melted) 
• Olive oil (optional)
• 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard 
• 2 Tablespoons Pomegranate molasses 
• Few sprigs fresh parsley 
• Few sprigs fresh thyme
• Few green spring onions 
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• 21 Seasoning spice (this is a blend created by Trader Joe's - it's optional) 

While the oven is preheating to the high of 475, take the time to wash your herbs and veggies. Cut tops off of the carrots and beets and set aside for cooking as greens for a side dish. Rinse out your chicken and remove any giblets or extra organs inside the bird. Place the fresh thyme and green spring onions right inside the empty bird cavity. 

Slice carrots length-wise and beets in thick round slices so the spiral inside shows. Lovely. Put the veggies in a bowl and add a third of the melted butter (yes, a third of a third), the garlic, onion, parsley (chopped well), mustard and pomegranate molasses. Stir and set aside. 

Take the hot cast iron out of the oven.  There's obviously fat surrounding this bird but if you want to ensure it not sticking to the hot pan go ahead and drizzle some olive oil at the bottom of the pan. Season the whole chicken with salt and pepper then place the chicken breast side down in pan- it will sizzle immediately. Pour the remainder of the butter over chicken and sprinkle with 21 spice- (you could sub this with a lemon/ pepper) Bake for 25 min. 

Take out of the oven. The breast side that is down is already starting to golden from the heat of the cast iron and the fattier side that is on top will. Turn the oven temperature down to 350. Add the bowl of veggies around the chicken. Place back in oven for another hour so until chicken and veggies are cooked through. 

What to do with beet and carrot tops? 

Don't throw them out. Chop roughly the beet tops and a little less than half the carrot tops just torn from the tops then chopped. Saute in a pan with olive oil on med heat with 1 tablespoon capers and sprinkle with a half handful of coconut sugar. Finish off with a dash of rice wine vinegar and coarse salt. This has bitter, sour, sweet and salty- such a goof combo! Yum.