COCOA CHIA MOUSSE WITH COCONUT ROSE WHIP

You may know Lily Diamond's popular blog, Kale and Caramel, where she makes food for "all five senses" ie. puts a hippie twist on pretty much everything. Although from Hawaii, she really has that Topanga Canyon hippie thing going for her - which I totally love and relate to.  Her infectious energy about plants & herbs will inspire anyone to eat rose petals.

Her book, despite heralding the power of nature, is really a story about healing.  Lily has the most poignant introduction about finding her way back into the kitchen (I also recommend this F52 read) after her mother's death.  The thing about loss is that it sticks with you. Grief or loss can entangle us (most likely, forever), but Lily found her way back - through flowers & herbs to "awaken her spirit".  

This chia pudding from her new book is filled with chocolate - something I've, somehow, never thought of.  I've been putting her rose petal & cacao mix on practically everything since I've received it - so I think I'm a flower convert.  

CHOCOLATE CHIA MOUSSE WITH ROSE COCO WHIP (Gluten-free, Vegan) Serves 6

Chia Mousse:

• ¾ cup chia seeds
• ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 2 pinches sea salt
• 2¼ cups (nut) milk of choice
• ¼ cup plus 1½ tablespoons pure maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom

Coco Whip:

• 1 (13.5 ounce) can full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated upside down
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon rose water
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

Topping:

• ¼ cup cacao nibs
• 1 tablespoons dried edible rose petals (stems and leaves discarded)

At least 1 hour before serving, combine the chia seeds, cocoa powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add your milk of choice, maple syrup, and vanilla and continue whisking until all cocoa powder clumps are dissolved and the chia begins to thicken. Cover chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or as long as overnight.

In a double boiler over boiling water, melt the chocolate chips until the chocolate is completely smooth.  

Transfer chia pudding to a blender and blend on med-low until it begins to be creamy (*do not overblend or chia can become bitter). Add the melted chocolate, orange zest, and cardamom to the blender with the blended chia pudding, and blend on low until all is incorporated. Taste and add a touch more sweetness or salt if you like. Scoop the mousse out of the blender into a bowl or individual ramekins. Chill for 2 to 3 hours, to set.

Meanwhile, open the bottom of the can of chilled coconut milk, scoop out the thick coconut cream, and save the liquid for smoothies, soups, other chia puddings, etc. In a large bowl, mix the coconut cream with the maple, rose water, and cardamom. 

Whip with an electric or stand mixer on high until the mixture becomes smooth, light, and whipped. Top the mousse with cardamom rose coco whip and sprinkle with the cacao nibs and rose petals. Eat immediately or chill in fridge before serving.  

CHICKPEA FLATBREAD WITH CHERMOULA, TOASTED PINENUTS & ARUGULA

Although it's technically Spring, the dreariness of New York is real.  The rain and grey has been non-stop and is beginning to feel like what I imagine Seattle is like.  Spring things are starting to pop up at the markets, but it just doesn't feel right to make rhubarb when the skies are this grey (but I'm trying).  Making bright green sauces on repeat to combat this weather.

I've been completely overwhelmed by the amount of (great) new cookbooks on my shelves and lately - not enough time to indulge in them.  I’m finally getting around to posting about Lily’s lovely new book, Good Clean Food.  She similarly lives gluten-free, finding it curing her migraines and overall health issues - and obviously, I can relate so much to her story.  I love her minimal sensibility, which is never intimidating and simple enough for everyday.  This chickpea flatbread did not last long…

Chickpea Flatbreads with Chermoula, Pine Nuts & Arugula (Serves 2-4) Gluten-free + Vegan

*This flatbread is like a cuter pizza with infinite possibilities.  I love it with this spicy chermoula, and if you do dairy, a tangy feta crumbled overtop would be amazing here.  You'll probably have some sauce leftover: use it on roasted chicken or tofu, roasted vegetables, quinoa, etc.  It's pretty amazing on anything.

Flatbread (Recipe from Good Clean Food)

• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1 packet instant yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons oat flour
• 1/4 cup arrowroot flour
• 2 tablespoons psyllium husks
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for parchment

Chermoula:

• 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped cilantro
• 2 cups roughly chopped parsley
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon sumac
• 1 teaspoon coriander 
• 1 lemon, juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Pinch of cayenne

Toppings:

• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 2 handfuls wild arugula
• Sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground pepper

In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water and maple syrup.  Sprinkle yeast over top and let sit for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flours, psyllium husks and sea salt.  Then mix in yeast mixture and olive oil, stirring well to combine.  It should yield a slightly sticky dough that pulls away from the side of the bowl.  Cover with a kitchen towel or plate, and let rise for 45 minutes in a warm place.

In the meantime, make chermoula: add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until a semi-smooth sauce. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Add a sheet of parchment to an inverted baking sheet.  Coat risen dough with a little olive oil and divide in two.  Using your hands and a little more oil, form dough into two, semi-even flatbreads.  Let rise another 10 minutes.

Brush the tops of dough with oil, then bake for 5 minutes.  Prick the flatbreads with a fork, then bake an additional 5 minutes. 

Top crusts with a generous dollop of chermoula, spreading evenly overtop (leaving some room for “crust”).  Sprinkle pine nuts overtop, then bake another 5-7 minutes or until crust is browned and a bit crisp. Top with arugula, flaky sea salt, and freshly ground pepper.  

SORGHUM DOUGHNUTS WITH STRAWBERRY RHUBARB GLAZE

I’ve returned from Paris to Springlike weather in NYC.  (The trip was wonderful, and as promised, I will be posting a gluten-free Paris guide soon!)  I’m loving the new season’s light, that beautifully stays out until well past 7pm.   We welcome lighter layers and strolling, which isn’t quite comfortable anywhere below 40 degrees.  I can’t quite say I’m happy to be back (ugh, Paris), but this is the best time of year in this city.

Last year around this time, I was asked to be apart of an upcoming cookbook, Beyond the Plate, about the *best* food blogs. I’m excited to announce it’s finally published and I’m sharing one of the exclusive recipes from the book.  A recipe to celebrate Spring which, crossing our fingers, we’re hoping is here to stay.

Sorghum Doughnuts with Strawberry Rhubarb Glaze (Gluten-free, Dairy-free) Makes 26 mini doughnuts

There is nothing quite like those brief but miraculous few weeks when rhubarb and strawberries are in season at the same time. Together they’re refreshingly tart and sweet, a culinary match made in heaven. That’s what makes these strawberry and rhubarb glazed doughnuts the perfect spring-into-summer treat, ideal for a crowd and a guaranteed showstopper for any weekend brunch.

dough:

• 1 cup (100 g) ground almonds
• 1 cup (135 g) sorghum flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) maple syrup
• 6 tablespoons (90 ml) extra virgin coconut oil
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together first six ingredients.  In a separate mixing bowl, mix together maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, eggs and the zest of one lemon.  Using a spatula, fold wet ingredients into the dry until well-combined.  

Carefully add the batter to a pastry bag or a large ziplock bag & snip a 1/2 inch hole in the corner.  Use this to pipe the batter into a greased doughnut pan.  Fill each one until it’s 3/4 filled (they will rise!).  Bake for exactly 10 minutes & then cool for 5 minutes.  Continue until all the batter is gone.  It will make 26 mini doughnuts.  Set doughnuts on a wire rack to cool.

glaze:

• 1 heaping cup (115 g) chopped rhubarb
• 1 1⁄4 cups (200 g) quartered strawberries
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, preferably grass-fed
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1⁄4 cup (60 ml) maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream or coconut cream
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

In a medium saucepan, add rhubarb and strawberries with 1 tablespoon of butter/oil.  Over medium low heat, sauté fruit for 10-12 minutes, stirring often.  Mixture is done when the rhubarb is soft enough to break with a wooden spoon.  Remove mixture from heat & set aside to cool.  

Then, add cooled mixture to a food processor.  Add lemon juice (from reserved lemon), maple syrup and cream.  Pulse until completely smooth.  Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Once glaze has cooled, add to a shallow bowl.  Dip each doughnut in the glaze in a circular motion.  Repeat until all doughnuts are glazed.  Serve immediately! 

*If you're located in NYC, please come to the event next week at the Rizzoli Bookstore!  I'll be on a panel along with Adam Sachs, Phoebe Lapine, Sarah Leung and Aleksandra Mojsilovic. See more details here. Hope you can make it!