Miss me? Better yet…did you miss my tempting recipes popping into your feed each week? I sure have missed you all and this blog. Thankfully, it’s finally time to kick up my heels and celebrate because I handed in my second cookbook manuscript yesterday. All 250 pages of it including 100+ recipes (most are new!), headnotes, chapter openers, introductory chapters, etc. I seriously can’t believe I did it. Can someone pour me a drink…or 10?! I’m so excited to get my life back in order! And I’m so excited to start sharing recipes on here again at regular intervals. I have SO many ideas/goals/hopes/dreams for this space.
It’s funny how different the first book writing process went compared to the second. When I submitted my first book’s manuscript, I don’t think I had ever felt so much doubt in my life. I had all this anxiety near the very end and concluded that a bunch of finalized recipes had to be re-worked at the last minute. All of a sudden, none of them were good enough. Eric was like, did you fall on your head…they taste amazing! Yes, writing recipes for print brought the cray cray out in me. I turned into a full-fledged RECIPE-ZILLA.
I kept coming back to the age old question – Is this book enough? – which I think deep down means, Am I enough?Am I good enough? Yea, I’m getting deep today. It’s a question I’ve struggled with my entire life so I shouldn’t have been surprised when this crippling doubt reared its ugly head. In the end, the first process taught me how to make peace with my work, the creativity I put out into the world, and with whatever the response to the book would be. That’s a big one. I just had to let it all go.
I’m not saying I haven’t had moments of doubt during the second book’s creation because I surely have, but this time around I’ve felt much more focused, organized, and best of all, confident in my ability. It was something only experience could teach me, I think. Even Eric mentioned how calm I was this last week as I put the final touches on everything. (Ok, ok, I handed it in 4 days late, but when your editor gives you an extra weekend you take it!) Even though I know there is a lot of work ahead (many rounds of edits, design collaboration, press, etc), at least I (kinda, maybe) know what’s to come.
But I’m totally not thinking about that right now. Now is the time to drink all the espresso! Can you tell I’m hyper? Just a bit. Yes, I’m getting festive with homemade pumpkin spice lattes, and I hope you’ll join me. I’d say these are a serious upgrade from my 2010 attempt (cue nostalgia from a blog post 5 years ago!), but how could it not be with a homemade pumpkin spice syrup?! I am obsessed with this homemade latte recipe. Can’t stop. This syrup is a game changer, and you’ll find yourself dreaming up many ways to use it. Always a good detective, I bought a legit Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks so I could compare them side by side. Guess which latte won?
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte with Salted Pumpkin Spice Syrup
I don’t have an espresso machine so I find the easiest way to make an authentic-tasting latte at home is to simply buy a few shots of espresso at the local coffee shop! I’ve tried using strong coffee as a substitute for espresso (in varying amounts) and I don’t find it comes close to being as good as the espresso version. It’s not horrible tasting by any means, but it misses that incredibly rich, deep, and flavorful espresso flavour which I think is key for a latte. So yes, I think it’s worth the effort to use actual espresso here. That being said, feel free to experiment with coffee versions too. Eric, who isn’t a coffee fan, loved a version I made with 1/4 cup strong coffee instead of 1 shot of espresso. It was so much milder, and didn’t have a pronounced coffee flavour. Lastly, a note about milk frothers: I don’t own one, but I discovered that you can create super creamy and frothy almond milk by adding the heated milk into a French press and pumping the plunger for 30-60 seconds vigorously. (Note: I use a plastic french press so I am not sure if this is safe with the glass kind! Be cautious if trying it out.) It creates the creamiest almond milk EVER! I am seriously hooked. I tried coconut milk and didn’t have quite as frothy results. Soy milk will also work well, but I prefer the flavour of almond milk here. Actually my @theglowspot instagram post had a great discussion about various plant-based milks and their frothing ability…pretty interesting stuff! Let me know your tips below.
Note: The Salted Pumpkin Spice Syrup is lightly adapted from Paleo’ish On A Dime.
Yield 3/4 cup syrup + 1 latte
Prep Time 5 Minutes
Cook time 5 Minutes
Total Time 10 Minutes
Ingredients:
For the Salted Pumpkin Spice Syrup:
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup unsweetened pumpkin purée*
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt or other fine sea salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla bean powder or 1 vanilla bean, seeded or 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the Pumpkin Spice Latte:
2 tablespoons (1 shot/1 ounce) espresso
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
3-4 teaspoons Salted Pumpkin Spice Syrup
Coconut Whipped Cream, for garnish (optional – I usually skip it)
Dash cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, for garnish
Directions:
For the Pumpkin Spice Syrup: Whisk together all syrup ingredients in a medium pot over medium heat. Simmer for about 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Once cool, pour leftovers into a jar and secure lid.
Prepare the espresso. Tip: I like to buy a few espresso shots from the coffee shop since I don’t have an espresso maker. I keep leftovers in the fridge for 1-2 days and reheat as needed.
Add milk into a small pot. Heat over medium and bring to a simmer. Immediately remove from heat. Froth the milk using a milk frother or a French Press. Tip: I use my French Press to froth the milk. Simply add the heated milk into the press and secure lid (make sure it’s closed and not vented). Pump the plunger vigorously for about 30-60 seconds. Be careful as the hot milk can shoot out a bit.
Pour hot espresso into a mug. Top with all of the frothy milk. Add 3-4 teaspoons of the syrup, to taste, and gently stir to combine. Top with a dash of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, and Coconut Whipped Cream, if desired. Serve immediately. The syrup will keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for at least 2 weeks, most likely longer. You can use it in regular coffee too, or try stirring it into a bowl of hot oatmeal for a seasonal twist!
Tip: If your pumpkin puree is on the grainy side (some brands are more than others), it might benefit from a quick blend or puree in the blender or food processor before using.
My friend and fellow blogger, Megan Gilmore, from the popular blog Detoxinista just launched her first cookbook this week, Everyday Detox: 100 Easy Recipes to Remove Toxins, Promote Gut Health, and Lose Weight Naturally. I was lucky to be able to review this cookbook before it went to print and I’ve been eagerly anticipating the hard copy on my doorstep. Just like on her blog, the recipes in her debut cookbook are unfussy, whole foods based, and feature short ingredient lists. I’ve been a fan of Megan’s for years and I’ve always admired her ability to take a handful of simple, whole foods ingredients and turn them into something practical for everyday life. While Megan doesn’t ascribe to any particular dietary label, she creates many vegan, paleo, vegetarian, and gluten-free recipes. About 75% of the recipes in Everyday Detox are vegan or can be made vegan by swapping out the sweetener or leaving out the cheese. All of the recipes are gluten-free. There are around 50 gorgeous photos shot by Nicole Franzen.
The book’s chapters include: 1) An easy approach to detoxing; 2) stocking your detox-friendly kitchen; 3) liquid nourishment; 4) morning favorites; 5) salads, dressings & sides; 6) soups, sandwiches & wraps; 7) casseroles & comfort foods; 8) sweet treats; and 9) back to basics.
Detox-based cookbooks tend to make me think of hard-core fad diets and cleanses, but thankfully Megan’s approach is much less drastic. She encourages you to practice daily healthy habits and believes in eating whole foods (ie., unprocessed, refined-sugar free, chemical additive free) on a day to day basis – making a lifestyle change – rather than teetering on the extremes and cyclic nature of dieting. Megan doesn’t believe in calorie counting because she says it “doesn’t take into account the quality of foods we’re consuming nor the body’s ability to digest natural foods versus processed ones.” Instead of looking at the calorie count on a label, she says to ask yourself a few questions: Where does the food come from? Is it in its natural state? How many ingredients does it contain and do you recognize those ingredients? Better yet, she says, select foods with no label at all. I love that last tip. The recipes in Everyday Detox are also based on the principles of food-combining and how food-combining can impact digestion (which is something I admit that I’m not overly motivated to follow), but whether you want to learn more about food-combining or not, the recipes can be enjoyed simply because they are healthful and delicious.
Today, I’m happy to share a recipe from her cookbook for all of the almond butter lovers out there! I couldn’t help myself and added a homemade chocolate topping and Maldon sea salt flakes. It was a hit with our friends!
Salted Almond Butter Freezer Fudge
Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, no bake/raw, refined sugar-free, soy-free
This almond butter fudge is lightly adapted and shared with permission from Everyday Detox (2015) by Megan Gilmore. I also threw on a homemade chocolate coating for a snappy burst of chocolate in each piece, and a garnish of flaked sea salt. Be sure to keep this fudge in the freezer because it melts at room temperature.
Yield 21 pieces
Freeze time 1.5 hours
Prep Time 15 Minutes
Cook time 0 Minutes
Total Time 15 Minutes
Ingredients:
For the freezer fudge (lightly adapted from Everyday Detox):
1 1/2 cups raw smooth almond butter
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4-1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt or other fine sea salt, to taste
For the chocolate topping:
3 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
1.5 tablespoons pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of pink Himalayan sea salt or other fine sea salt
Maldon sea salt or other flaked sea salt, for garnish (optional)
Directions:
Lightly grease a standard size loaf pan (9″x5″) and line with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit the length of the pan.
For the fudge: Spoon the almond butter into a large mixing bowl.
In a small pot, add the coconut oil, maple syrup, and salt (only the fudge ingredients here). Heat over low, until the oil is melted. Slowly pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the almond butter, stirring as you go. Stir until completely smooth and combined. It’ll be quite runny at this stage.
With a spatula, spoon the almond butter mixture into the prepared pan. Smooth out. Place the pan, uncovered, on a flat surface in the freezer. Freeze for around 1 hour, or until the fudge is solid.
For the chocolate topping: In a small pot, add the oil and melt the oil over low heat. Remove from heat and whisk in the maple syrup, cocoa powder, and salt until smooth. I like to place the chocolate sauce in the fridge for several minutes until thickened slightly.
Slice the frozen slab of fudge into about 21 (1-inch) squares and place on a large plate lined with parchment paper, about a half-inch between each piece. Spoon the chocolate sauce on top of each square (a scant 1 teaspoon per square). Place back in the freezer until the chocolate is solid. Sprinkle on some flaked sea salt, if desired.
Break apart the squares of fudge (if the chocolate pooled at the bottom) and enjoy immediately. Return leftovers to the freezer.
I also tried out the Strawberry Basil Blast smoothie a few times. I change it up a bit using half the avocado and lemon juice. It’s also good without the fresh basil (I don’t always have it handy because I love to kill me a basil plant), but I do recommend trying the basil version first. I’ve made a cherry-basil combo in the past and it really is awesome in a smoothie! This smoothie will be on heavy rotation throughout the summer.
Some other recipes on my must-try list include: Raw Falafel Wraps, Enchilada Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, and “Beef” and Broccoli.
Thanks to Megan for letting me share this almond butter fudge recipe today. Be sure to check out Everyday Detox which is hot off the press this week!
