Quick, easy, and oh so supremely scrumptious, easy to eat way too much, do yourself a favour, just triple the recipe. Have I mentioned I love Pad Thai, I have been experimenting with different peanut-free pad thai recipes and there are many variations but this toasted almond pad thai sauce is my new love. It’s so easy to whip up and makes everything taste good, so load up on those veggies, your favourite type of grilled meat, a sprinkling of toasted coconut and crunchy cashews on top for that familiar flair. You could use rice noodles like I did or if you’re eating supa-clean you could make zucchini noodles or use kelp noodles. If you’re really feeling like going all out, put an egg on it!
What do I have again peanuts? Well, nothing when it comes to wild raw jungle peanuts, which are kinda sorta way too expensive and hard to find. Commercial peanuts, the kind we all know and think we love, they’re a different story. Peanuts aren’t even a nut, they are a legume, and their pods are permeable, unlike nuts whose shells are sturdy, the shell of the peanut is susceptible to excess moisture and other nasties. Which is what makes them so susceptible to molds like the carcinogenic aflatoxin. Aflatoxin wreaks havoc on the liver and has been shown to stunt growth in children. Non-organic peanuts are heavily sprayed because of this tendency to mold. What about organic? Nope, sorry but even organic well-loved peanuts are susceptible to aflatoxin, depending on weather conditions and excess humidity.
Legumes contain lectins and phytates which our bodies aren’t capable of breaking down, this equates to unnecessary digestive stress. Lectins can also exacerbate conditions of inflammation. The high portion of omega-6 fatty acids vs omega-3 can also cause problems with inflammation and overall well being. Humans aren’t meant to be consuming such high levels of omega-6 fatty acids and while statistics say we are getting 20 omega 6 to 1 omega 3, what our bodies need is more like a 3:1 ratio.
Have I convinced you to make this fantastic peanut-free pad thai yet?
½ a package of rice noodles or a package of kelp noodles OR make your own zucchini noodles in a spiralizer.
½ cup roasted almonds or ¼ C roasted almond butter
½ can of coconut milk
2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp coconut oil
2 tsp coconut aminos or tamari (soy sauce)
2 tsp coconut sugar
2 thai bird chilis, finely chopped or 2 tsp red chili flakes
2-3 garlic cloves
1 inch fresh ginger
a few handfuls fresh greens
1 carrot, grated
½ zuchinni, cut into matchsticks
½ C cabbage, finely sliced
¼ C cashews, finely chopped and toasted (optional)
¼ C coconut flakes, toasted (optional)
your choice of grilled meat, finely sliced (optional)
a few green onions, finely chopped
Instructions
Bring a pot of water to boil and add your rice noodles, cooking time will depend on the size of noodle, read directions on package.
In blender or food processor, add almonds, coconut milk, fish sauce, coconut oil, aminos or tamari, coconut sugar, chili, garlic and ginger. Process until well blended and smooth.
Drain the noodles and mix with the sauce.
To assemble your boils, add some greens to each, saucy noodles, little piles of each type of vegetable, meat, and top with cashews, coconut and green onion.
Nom nom nom, these bars will blow your mind with textural supremacy! They are like a raw nanaimo bar, without all the junk. Seriously, they’re so loaded with goodness that you won’t even need more than one. Well, maybe just one more. Raw treats are my thang, especially in summer when the house is already an inferno oven. We just pack a few of these to the beach everyday and we’re good to go.
Ahh that beach, we are so fortunate to live within steps of the Slocan River, it’s a place most people come to vacation. All day long we bask in the sun and swim in the eddy, watching the various drifters floating down on tubes with cases of beer in tow. The float is about 3 hours, going through a few rapids but mostly calm, peaceful waters to guide you along. I haven’t gone this year, pretty sure it’s frowned upon to bring a 5 month old baby on a float down the river, but he really does love the water! Last night I dreamt that baby rolled off a table, ah the lovely dreams of a new momma.
For the crust: Melt all the coconut oil in a double-boiler or small saucepan if you aren't desiring a fully raw product. In a blender or food processor add almonds, coconut flakes, ½ C of coconut oil, 2 Tbs cacao and the dates or raisins. Process until mixture is thick and well blended, use a tamper in your blender to make sure it's evenly mixed.
In a 9x13 inch baking dish, spread a layer of crust mixture evenly and pop this into the fridge while you make the cream layer.
Wash out your blender or food processor and add to it the drained cashews, ¼ C coconut oil, ¼ C coconut sugar or honey, lemon juice, water and salt. Blend until super creamy and smooth.
Layer this creamy mix over top of the crust and pop it back in the freezer while you make the ganache.
Mix together 2 Tbs cacao, with ¼ C coconut sugar and ¼ C of the melted coconut oil. Pour the ganache over top of the creamy layer and pop it in the fridge or freezer for at least an hour before cutting and serving.
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Real food rules! Check out more awesome tip & tricks and recipes on fight back friday.
Do you like to smash things? Weird question perhaps, but certain things are good for smashing, like plates at a Greek wedding, or smashing the world record for the most Pi places memorized, or smashing new potatoes and roasting them in chili garlic butter. If that last option sounds appealing to you, try these chili garlic smashed potatoes, I promise you will love them, I don’t feel it’s possible not to. You could smash the plate afterwards too, but I happen to like this plate and what a mess that would be!
Little beauties, little buttery delights just plucked from the ground. The skin of new potatoes just peels away so easily from its flesh, resulting in a crispy skin with a supple interior. A farm down yonder a few miles grew these treats as well as lamb bratwurst that just blows your mind. There is something so enrapturing about eating a meal that’s 100% local, or even coming close. In such a world where most of our food is imported and transported across the continents, it’s special and secure feeling to eat food grown close by. What doesn’t make sense to me is that I can get walnuts from California for a lower cost than walnuts from my next door neighbour. I guess it’s just all the more push to start growing our own food if that option is there.
Add potatoes to the boiling water and cook for 10 mins. until just soft
In a bowl of ice water, immerse the potatoes allowing them to cool
With a flat spatula or the side of a knife apply a bit of pressure to the whole potato until it starts to flatten, careful not to smash them too hard ( red potatoes tend to fall apart easier than yellow fleshed)
Melt butter with garlic and chili
Lay potatoes on a baking tray and coat with this mixture.
Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes finishing on broil for a few minutes
You’ll want to add this ginger, star anise and bird chili infused asian hot pepper vinegar to everything! It is so good and can jazz up the plainest of dishes or fill the empty space when a dish just needs a certain je ne sais quoi. I love it in stir fries, with a touch of sugar and tamari, you’ve got yourself a full on yummy sauce. Its delicious added to thai soups and curries, added to salad dressings, sautéed vegetables, the list goes on. You can try infusing vinegar with different hot peppers and spices for a different effect. Garlic, peppercorn, and habanero infused white wine vinegar is great for more South American style. Get creative! Hot pepper vinegars are a chefs bestie!
You had me at golden beets, darling. Rare gems which only show themselves for such a short window of time. They overwhelm me with their golden hue, to be turned into a multitude of lip-smacking creations. I want to shred them to top my salads, juice them to give me zesty energy, slice them thinly to show their stripes to the world, roast them and allow their sweetness to burst forth. Since I only had 3 golden beauties, I chose the latter option, because roasted beets alone are wonderful, but combined with roasted cauliflower to form a perfect summer golden beet soup, they really shine. Hot or cold, this soup is divine, I served it chilled since it was such a hot day and we enjoyed it with bumble berry BBQ sauce smothered roast chicken, which was really something. This super simple soup has side effects of: contentment, you are what you eat syndrome, and sunshine spewing out your every orifice. Ok maybe not that last one.
Stunning, right? If your ever wondering what to do with beet greens, well you’ve come to the right place. Just a few ideas…
Lightly steamed with some butter, salt, pepper and lemon
Stir fried in sesame oil and copious amounts of sesame seeds
Blended into a nourishing smoothie with berries, banana and yogurt
Finely chopped and fried with garlic to stuff a piece of chicken or an omelette
Raw in salads
And now, a tiny monologue…for any friends who care to hear my life ponderings.
What I’m realizing lately, is that everything gets better with practice. From taking care of a baby to communicating effectively in our relationships to photography, to washing the dishes. The parallel of practice is change. We can never stop practicing, because we and all things around us are constantly changing. One hurdle may be overcome but the natural progression of things simply brings us to the next obstacle. Natures design for our elevation, also exists to humble. I’ll take a piece of that pie, and come to realize that we are always learning, growing, shrinking, changing, and it’s okay if some lessons take time. Sometimes I think it’s not good enough, I need to be better. But I stop and ask the question, am I doing my best? Is that not all I can ever do? Yes, that’s all we can do, and everything, in time, gets easier.
I’m grateful to have this blog, this space, to write and share my passions with all of you lovely readers. Le sigh, life is good.
Ps. This pesto is great with scrambled eggs, zucchini noodles, or with some lemon and olive oil for a proper salad dressing.
Golden Beet & Cauliflower Soup with Parsley Pumpkin Seed Pesto
Author: Chantelle
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
3 golden beets, cut into 1 inch chunks
½ a head of cauliflower, broken into florets
2 carrots
½ tsp sea salt
some fresh cracked pepper
1 tsp+1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 cup coconut milk
1½ cups water
½ tsp tumeric
bunch of parsley, stalks removed
4 small garlic cloves or 2 bigger ones
½ cup pumpkin seeds
½ cup olive oil
1 tsp sesame seeds
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F
In a roasting pan combine the beets, cauliflower and carrots coat with 1 tsp sesame oil and salt + pepper. Toss to coat. Roast for 30 mins.
In a blender or food processor add pumpkin seeds, parsley, garlic, olive oil and sesame seeds and blend until well combined. Set mixture aside.
Add the roasted vegetables to your blender or food processor with coconut milk, water and turmeric, process until you achieve a smooth and creamy soup.
Top with pesto, fresh cracked pepper and sesame seeds.
Hey I'm Chantelle, my alter ego would be a mermaid if I wasn't such a terrible swimmer. I love writing authentically and cooking in my pyjamas. My favourite pastimes include eating avocados, travelling the world and hanging out with a toddler.
