Tag Archives: coconut

weekend nurture menu: expressing your love…

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2657116Valentine’s Day… Often cursed by single folk everywhere and forced by those in relationships. Perhaps it is a Hallmark holiday, but it can also be tremendously meaningful.

Ok. Here it goes… Hi. My name is Saren and I love Valentine’s Day. 

I used to hate it– why should all the people in relationships get to celebrate!?! Then I realized how much love surrounds me everyday.  Yes, I’m single. Yes, I’m a lawyer. Does that mean I should be cold and hateful? I make the choice to love and to see the love that surrounds me.

In many cultures, perhaps even in your family, expressions of love/like/appreciation are few and far between. Yet, according to many scientists, all humans share the same basic emotions. The concept of the universality of human emotion was first explored by Darwin who theorized that emotions were biologically based and had an adaptive value.

This is one day of the year where you can be cheesy and expressive. You have the emotions–why hold them back? If you focus on the love instead of the commercialization of the holiday, you can create a different reality.

If “I love you” is too much, a simple “thank you” or a smile can be enough to change someone’s day.

This weekend, I gathered a bunch of loved ones for “Craft Your Love”–cooking, camaraderie, and crafting expressions of love–it was a thing of beauty.

I cooked for these miraculous women in my V-Day attire…

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I made a white bean dip with homemade corn tortilla chips, lemon rosemary and coconut oil roasted vegetables, preserved lemon and chickpea pasta with parsley and toasted almond pesto, and almost-raw peanut butter, chocolate and banana brownies.

almost-raw peanut butter, chocolate and banana brownies

  • 1 cup pitted prunes IMG_8755
  • 1 cup dried cherries
  • 1 cup walnuts or almonds
  • 1 cup pistachios
  • 1/2 cup whole salted peanuts
  • 1 tbsp melted coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup quality unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp natural vanilla
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 1/4 cup natural unsweetened peanut butter
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  1. In a blender or food processor, combine prunes, cherries, walnuts, pistachios, coconut oil and ¼ cup cocoa powder.  Process until the brownie mixture is well blended. [The mixture should be sticky and hold together when pressed between your fingers.  If it doesn't, add a little bit more coconut oil.]
  2. Line a baking pan (roughly 6 1/2 x 10) with parchment or wax paper and then spread the brownie mixture overtop, distributing as evenly as possible.  Using a the back of a spoon, gently press down.
  3. Sprinkle peanuts over the brownie layer, pressing down gently on them to set into the mixture.
  4. Using the same blender or food processor, add: vanilla, banana, peanut butter, maple syrup and cocoa powder until mixture is well blended and the frosting develops a nice creamy texture.
  5. Spread frosting over brownie layer, spreading it out to distribute evenly.
  6. Place pan in freezer for about 45 minutes to one hour until mixture has set.
  7. Remove pan from freezer and, using both sides of wax or parchment paper, pull brownie slab out of the pan. Cut slab into 24 squares and store in freezer.

[adapted from inspirededibles.com]

Then we crafted expressions of love and love was felt in the crafting itself.

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“The world is a wonderfully weird place, consensual reality is significantly flawed, no institution can be trusted, certainty is a mirage, security a delusion, and the tyranny of the dull mind forever threatens — but our lives are not as limited as we think they are, all things are possible, laughter is holier than piety, freedom is sweeter than fame, and in the end it’s love and love alone that really matters.”  ~Tom Robbins

I love you. Happy Love Day.

xo, S

the weekend nurture menu: is the grass always greener?

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[As always, gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined-sugar-free!]

Often, the grass seems greener on the other side…When you’re bored, you wish you had purpose. When you’re incredibly busy, you wish you had time to be bored. Perhaps you look at someone and yearn for her life absent of your problems, but inevitably that person’s life comes with another host of issues. The point being that, in theory, you’re never absent of something to complain about.

Now, I’m not saying that life is miserable. I’m saying that while we cruise along in life or make our way through a transition, how you appreciate what life has given could transform the time or you in the process. Some of the most horrific ordeals have befallen the graceful and the graceful still retain their grace. Instead of wishing yourself out of something, regardless of the situation’s magnitude, can you retain your grace throughout?

Have you ever watched yourself move through your day? Take a step back and just watch. Often we spend so much time looking at other lives or wishing we could get to the other side of the fence, that we miss the green grass that surrounds us.

Yes, be in the moment, but then go deeper. Nurture where you are in your life by sinking into the difficulties, the triumphs, the blessings, and the curses, for that is what creates a life worth your own envy.

I could find countless blessings and curses in my life. I’m not going to list them, nor am I going to run from them. I am going to nurture myself and the grass that I’m walking through. Despite office chaos, these sweet potato and quinoa patties over baby kale and avocado allow me to step back and sink to my life. I am able to dwell in the simple joy of everything that surrounds me.

sweet potato and quinoa patties
about 14-16 patties

  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced (optional)
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1¾ cups quinoa
  • 3 cups of water
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1″ chunks
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • ½ cup oat flour
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a cookie sheet.
  2. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, saute onion, optional garlic, and carrots in olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Add quinoa, water and paprika.
  3. Cover, bring to a boil and then reduce to med-low. Simmer for 10 minutes until liquid is absorbed.
  4. Steam sweet potato chunks for 4-6 minutes, until softened. In a large mixing bowl, mash sweet potatoes with fork or potato masher.
  5. Add cooked quinoa mixture to the sweet potato and mix together. Add lightly beaten eggs and breadcrumbs.
  6. Stir mixture until thoroughly combined. Allow to cool for 15 minutes, until cool enough to handle.
  7. Form mixture into hockey puck sized patties by hand and place on the cookie sheet.
  8. Bake for 20-25 minutes and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes after baking. Serve warm or cold!

[adapted from generationyfoodie.com]

american pastime…

Ever wished you lived in another country? That grass isn’t much greener unless the national cookie is chocolate chip. Another reason to not just appreciate where you are (assuming you’re in the U.S.), but dive in deeper.

chocolate chip cookies
about 20 cookies

  • ⅔ cup coconut flour
  • ⅓ cup arrowroot starch
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ⅓ cup coconut palm sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 whole eggs or 2 flax mixture (3 tbsp flax meal with 6 tbsp water, let sit for 10 minutes)
  • ⅓ cup chocolate chips
  • 4 tablespoons coconut oil, liquid
  • 4 tablespoons coconut butter, softened (or vegan butter)
  • 3-4 tablespoons water
  1. Have all ingredients out to room temperature.
  2. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  3. In a large bowl, place all your dry ingredients. Stir. Add in your chocolate chips and mix.
  4. Next add in your liquid coconut butter, coconut oil, and eggs or flax mixture. Stir.
  5. Add in water until you get the batter to start holding together. It will be on the thick side.
  6. Scoop onto cookie sheets then flatten with your fingers. Bake for 14-16 minutes. Cool before removing from cookie sheets.

[adapted from purelytwins.com]

“The grass is not, in fact, always greener on the other side of the fence. Fences have nothing to do with it. The grass is greenest where it is watered. When crossing over fences carry water with you and tend the grass wherever you may be.” ~Robert Fulghum

xo, S

the weekend nurture menu: is it selfish to focus on the self?

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[As always, gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined-sugar-free!]

A friend approached me last week asking for advice on relationships, eating, and her overall quality of life. I told her that once she loves herself in abundance, those issues will fall away. Her response: “Isn’t loving myself that much selfish?”

Our western, modern culture trains us with a paradox of individualism juxtaposed with selflessness. In other words, we are taught the American dream, fighting our way to individual success, yet we’re chastised along the way for being selfish.

This is the battle of ego–”You’re not good enough” vs. “You’re focusing too much on yourself.” Notably, ego and arrogance isn’t just about being full of yourself. It also refers to self-hate. You hate yourself for not being this perfect image, but you won’t allow yourself to indulge in the means to discover your perfection.

Here’s a better question: why do you deserve your love? My mentor, life coach, and friend, Richard Butler, signs everything he writes with the answer:

YOU MATTER.

That’s it. You matter. You deserve happiness. You deserve indulgence. You deserve love. You can’t blame anyone else for not giving you those things when you can’t give them to yourself. When you live from a place of self-love, you can give from abundance and not from depletion. Suddenly, you are way more selfless by being selfish.

This weekend’s menu combines foods that embody this type of love… a creamy, sweet-and-salty soup AND chocolate cake. Yes, chocolate cake.

sweet potato, coconut milk, and peanut soup
serves 4

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 3 medium onions diced, about 3 cups
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 to 2-inch chunks
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 13-ounce can “lite” coconut milk
  • ¾ cup unsalted roasted peanuts
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • Chopped cilantro, chopped peanuts, and chili sauce or Sriracha for garnish
  1. Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often until the onion is starting to soften and brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add celery, broth, sweet potato and salt, increase heat to high, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, removing lid to stir occasionally, until the potatoes are very soft and fall apart when tested with a fork or tongs, about 15 minutes.
  2. Puree about half of the soup in a blender in two batches and add back to the pot. Puree the coconut milk and peanuts in a blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir the coconut mixture and the lime juice into the soup. Gently stir over low heat to warm through. Do not boil. Serve garnished with cilantro, chopped peanuts and Sriracha to taste. [Try over quinoa or brown rice for a loving, complete meal.]

[adapted from healthyseasonalrecipes.com]

do you love yourself enough to allow this cake indulgence?

Granted, without flour, sugar, or dairy, this chocolate cake isn’t so rich and decadent. It is delicious and nourishing! When you give yourself permission to indulge–out of love–a piece or two will satisfy that craving.

chocolate cake
serves 6-8

  • 2 cups fresh medjool dates, pitted
  • 1 cup raw almonds or hazelnuts, soaked
  • 1 bar 80% dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 6 organic eggs
  • 1 lemon or orange, juice and zest
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or ground vanilla
  • 3 tbsp unsweetened cacao powder
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil, melted
  • 1 handful fresh berries or thawed frozen
  1. Set the oven at 340F. Spray spring form pan with oil or cover cake pan with wax paper.
  2. Mix the dates and nuts in a blender and place the mixture in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients an stir around with a large spoon for about a minute. Pour the batter in a cake tin.
  3. Bake for 40-50 minutes. Serve with love and berries.

[adapted from greenkitchenstories.com]

You’re not selfish for loving yourself. You deserve your love.

YOU MATTER.

xo, S