So, as some of you may know, I recently returned from the delicious gift of a week in the Outer Banks practicing mad yoga with David Garrigues. And I was all set to tell you all about it, share the trials and tribulations, but I find I can’t do it. Not this time.
Category Archives: Sweets & Treats
Cookie Dough is Health Food
Hello my little kale chips! I’ve missed you, and I know, I’ve been a little light on the blog posting. Sometimes a person needs to take a step back from the digital world. Don’t you think?
Anyway, while I’ve been away, I’ve been cooking more than ever, really connecting with my yoga community, and grooving on the yoga in general. Phew, I feel better.
So here I am in the Outer Banks. Actually, I’m leaving, and I’m really sad.
It’s been a great time. I got to practice and breathe and chant and study, every. single. day. But I’ll tell the truth, I was a bit nervous about it. We all know I’m…specific..about my food and habits, and well, going away to an unfamiliar place, with people I’ve never lived with before, I was bound to have a few jitters.
But here’s the great thing: in a house with a kitchen, I am always at home. The other day, as I was feeling a little windy, a little at loose ends, I decided to make dinner and dessert for the posse, and all of a sudden I was singing (and maybe dancing a little bit, but fortunately no one caught it on camera).
Dessert??? What??? Yes, we are all yogis, we are all trying to be healthy and somewhat moderate. But you know, there’s no use denying it, everyone loves treats! And this brings me to a key point of the A Life Delectable food philosophy: Treat Yourself Whole. You don’t want to punish yourself, but you don’t want your little indulgences to make you feel icky either. Eat delectable things and feel delectable after!
So, I got in the kitchen, and found my happy place, and treated the whole workshop to some chocolate chip cookie dough balls. Whole food. Sweet treats. Serious energy for the Mysore room. And no belly ache after. Score.
These are not my recipe, but I have a fall version in the works and coming as soon as I’m out of this southern humidity. In the meantime, hop on over to one of my favorite blogs, Oh She Glows and try these. You won’t be sorry. And maybe you’ll even have the energy to hold that Catwari.
Lemons, Love, and A Leap of Faith
I was going to post a well-thought out musing on fear, body image, yoga and growing up. I was also going to book a trip to India. I was going to do a major spring cleaning of my house. But apparently, I was not going to do any of those things this week.
Instead I thought I’d write a fluffy post about birthdays and lemon pie. But more on that later.
I’ve just done something HUGE. For me, that is. I MADE A DECISION. And for those who don’t know me, that’s hard! I can agonize over what’s for dinner, over what to wear, over this word verses that, over a weekend upstate or a weekend on the boat. READ MORE
Solo Practice Problems? Just do it!
I’ve had a lot of company in my practice lately. I’ve had a lot of teachers in my practice lately. I’ve had a lot of time for my practice lately. I’ve been pretty lucky.
But this weekend, upstate with the BHH (and enjoying it thoroughly by the way, not to say it’s not a great thing), I found myself facing my mat solo. I got one day with a good friend and some good gab, but then Monday morning rolled around and I found myself thinking “wouldn’t it be nice to just read the paper and drink coffee? So what if I have a 5 day week, right?” READ MORE
What a Macaroon!
Everyone who loves raw food has either made or bought some version of a macaroon. It must just be the easiest treat to translate into something raw, healthy and delicious. There are completely unheated/dehydrated versions, and any combination of taste sensations. And nowadays you can even buy the little packages at your local grocery store (at least if you’re in NYC).
But my favorite has always been the Pure Food and Wine version. They’re sweet and fluffy, not too dense and waxy, not too dry. They seem just like, well, a macaroon! I have Laura-ized them slightly of course. Very, very slightly. Although I have a wicked sweet tooth, I always found them a little sweeter than necessary. And, I reduced the oil a bit (honestly, I bet you could leave it out altogether though I’ve never tried). But although I didn’t “create” this from scratch, so many people have loved them and asked for the recipe, I couldn’t help but share.
My favorite flavor is the original: vanilla/maple with almond. Pure Food and Wine/One Lucky Duck has long since nixed the maple in favor of the more neutral flavor of agave and eradicated the almond flour in case people are allergic to nuts. You can do the same, subbing coconut flour for the almond flour. But I am a huge fan of nuts and see no reason to get rid of them unless you’re allergic. And I think pure maple syrup is better for you than agave, for the most part.
Below find the recipe for raw macaroons delectable style, and an alternate version for the chocolate lovers among us. Ok, Philly folks, you happy now????
Macaroons—Lightly adapted from Raw Food Real World
Makes about 36, unless you sneak too many tastes along the way.
Ingredients:
3 cups dried, unsweetened shredded coconut
1 ½ Cups almond meal/flour (you can buy this at the health food store or grind it yourself from raw almonds. Make sure it’s fresh)
¾ Cup Pure Maple Syrup (I like Grade B for extra flavor less sweetness)
¼ Cup Coconut Oil, in liquid form (you can soak the jar in hot water before measuring)
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. You might want to bring the maple syrup up to room temp first, or it will make the coconut oil solidify rather than blend in. You can mix by hand or with the paddle attachment on a standing mixer.
Using a two tablespoon measure, a melon baller or your hands, form rounds of dough and place on dehydrator screens or parchment paper lined cookie sheets.
Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 12-24 hours for truly raw macaroons. Personally, I don’t care about the raw-ness, I’m more interested in the ingredients and consistency so I put the dehydrator on more like 150 for about 8-12 hours.
No dehydrator? No problem! Turn your oven to the lowest temp and “cook” for several hours with the door cracked open a few inches. You can use a wooden spoon or something to hold it open. No, it’s not the most efficient use of energy, but you can turn your heat down while you do it. Make sure they seem pretty dry when done, not gooey, as they won’t firm up very much later. You’ll want to eat these more quickly than the dehydrated version, which will last days. And I don’t recommend this method on a high-humidity summer day.
Love chocolate? Sub raw cacao or regular cocoa powder for the almond flour.
And, you can always melt your favorite dark chocolate and drizzle it over the top of any version, or dip the bottoms in the chocolate and allow them to dry upside down. You can smash them flat and fill them with cashew or coconut ice cream like sandwiches. And, they’re totally kosher for Passover without any tweaking…no eggs or dairy means they go with any meal. How’s that for a malleable recipe?
Go forth and enjoy!
Emergency Delectable Measures: Tip 2
Happy Wednesday everyone! Are you being nice to yourself yet? If you have no idea what I’m talking about, see Tip #1 from Sunday.
So now that you’re acknowledging you’re having a hard/stressful/busy time, and starting to be compassionate to yourself, it’s time to take some action. Specifically: GET MOVING. That’s right, I’m telling you to shake your booty.
The Fall Breakfast I’m Loving Now
Ok, this exciting breakfast didn’t photograph well. Sigh. I guess the light just isn’t so great at 5 am in the fall! But this is an exciting recipe nonetheless, so here it is, in all its photo-free glory.
And, that 5 am call time is just proof of how well this little guy travels. I ate around 10 after teaching and practicing, and it was just as delicious as if I’d eaten it straight from the fridge.
It’s sweet. It’s spicy. It’s filling. It’s packable. It doesn’t have to be very cold. It doesn’t have to be hot. And it doesn’t take a blender to make it. I think it’s turning me orange, slowly but surely. It’s my favorite breakfast right now and it’s called, ta-ta-da….SPICY PUMPKIN PIE OVERNIGHT OATS. Oh my gosh, it is so good. Go make it as soon as you finish reading this! READ MORE
My Favorite Smoothie Of All Time
I know many of you are sad to see summer go. Even though it’s still hot many days, September just seems like fall. Back to school, back to full work weeks (are there half day Fridays in the summer anywhere else, or is it just NYC?), back to business as usual.
But although I often miss al fresco dining, the late evening glass of wine on the porch (while it’s still light out), the relaxed feeling that seems to abound, I don’t miss the hot weather. Humidity, bugs, super-hot days, they are not my favorites. No, I’m a fall girl. I love that crisp breeze that just begs for a soft sweater and cozy scarf. I feel energized by the coolish temperatures, and I seem to take more walks. And I still dine al fresco, by the way. Love to breathe that crisp air! Just give me one of those standing heater thingies…
I also happen to love the flavors and spices of fall. Although I’m not a stickler for eating according to the weather—I ate sautéed collards all August and drank cold smoothies throughout last winter, it’s just what I craved—I do like to include seasonal produce, and for fall anyway, I LOVE the flavors and race toward them. Pumpkin? Cinnamon? Ginger? Apples? Bring em on! And don’t stop when Thanksgiving is over. Keep it all coming until I turn into a pumpkin myself!
