Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad with Maple Buttered Pecans in Balsamic Vinaigrette

Guys, I've been putting off buying strawberries for weeks. I've seen them at the store, over-priced and under-ripe, and I've been patiently waiting until the start of spring when their price drops and their quality skyrockets and all is well in the world. Woohoo it's here! I celebrated by taking myself to the farmer's market and splurging on a giant crate of them. 

With Easter Sunday days away I figured I'd make something light yet festive. Also I've noticed my recipes have gotten a bit involved lately and I think we're overdue for something simple. There is nothing wrong with simple, people. So we're celebrating spring with strawberries, goat cheese, spinach, and maple buttered pecans.

Did you catch that last part? These pecans are deadly good. It was my first time making my own candied pecans (store-bought can get $$$) and after a couple of texts back and forth with my mom and some Pinterest research we went simple with just butter, maple syrup, and salt stewed up all nice and cozy on a sheet pan with a big bag of raw pecan halves and slow-roasted them in the oven. 

Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad with Maple Buttered Pecans in Balsamic Vinaigrette 
Serves 4-6 as an appetizer

For the maple buttered pecans: 
8oz raw pecan halves (2 scant cups)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
4 tablespoons unsalted butter 
1/4 cup pure maple syrup 

For the Salad:
6-8 oz baby spinach 
2.5 oz goat cheese, crumbled 
1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced 

For the dressing: 
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 
1 garlic clove, minced 
1/8 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard 
pepper to taste 

Make the maple buttered pecans. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small saucepan warm the maple syrup and butter just until the butter is melted and the mixture is combined. Meanwhile, toss pecans halves with cinnamon and salt. Pour maple butter sauce over the pecans and mix well. Pour pecans and their juices onto your baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, tossing the pecans about 3 times throughout baking to ensure even browning. You will know they are ready when they smell SO GOOD and when about 90% of the liquid has caramelized onto the pecans.  Remove from oven and let cool completely, the last bit of liquid will harden and caramelize as they cool so don't worry if they are sticky.

Meanwhile make the dressing. Combine all ingredients in a mason jar and shake! How easy is that? (channeling Ina) You could also prepare everything but the oil in a small bowl and slowly whisk in the olive oil. Adjust salt + pepper to taste. 

In a large bowl combine spinach, goat cheese, strawberries and pecans (you'll have extra for snacking. you're welcome) and about 1/4 of the dressing and toss. Add more dressing if needed and serve. 

Notes: For a vegan option I'd imagine you could sub coconut oil for the butter and just omit the goat cheese, though I haven't actually tried it. 

Green Citrus Smoothies + Thoughts on Eating Seasonally

I, like many of you, finally found myself sick with the first cold of the season last week. The combination of travel and lack of sleep did me in. Also, it's that time of year. I found myself sitting at home with a stuffy nose and a foggy head trying to pull myself together enough to be able to teach. Working while sick is rough, but when your work is teaching yoga, complete with demonstrating handstands and not being able to excuse yourself to blow your nose because that would be both awkward and really embarrassing, it's really rough. So I do the best I can, sub out classes, and attempt to heal myself with food. 

The more I think about food, and specifically seasonal food, the more I marvel at how masterfully designed our planet is. Am I getting too spacey for you? Hear me out, because maybe, like myself, you've never really sat back to think about it. It's no coincidence that watery cooling fruits like watermelon and juicy peaches pop into season when everyone is parched by the heat of Summer. It's no coincidence that when the sun goes down early and the seasons change to windy, often turbulent Fall that grounding, hardy, root vegetables like squash, carrots, and potatoes spring up to give us the exact stability most of us lack in the Fall. And it's no coincidence that citrus explodes right during the time of year everyone has colds and needs that extra boost of vitamin c. The earth literally gives us exactly what we need exactly when we need it. It's growing all around us, we just have to open our eyes and utilize it's resources. Mind blown? Mine was. And don't even get me started on how much money you save when you embrace what's in season. Strawberries in February? Common Valentine's day, get it together. This year we did pomegranates . 

But seriously. It's all about the citrus right now and the timing could not be more perfect. Thank you God/Universe/Divine Spirit/Whatever you choose to believe. It's no coincidence I tell you. 

So today I'm sharing my favorite green citrus smoothie packed with mandarins, spinach, kale, and frozen pineapple. I've been making some version of this pretty much all winter, throwing whole oranges and grapefruits in my vitamix. Because whole citrus can be finicky, I've had the best luck with clementines and mandarins, probably because they have less pulp and fewer seeds. I'll occasionally throw in additional fruit I have on hand, and sometimes add greek yogurt for creaminess - though when I have a cold I avoid dairy like the plague. And this smoothie is fantastic for cold season. You've got your vitamin c from the oranges, and bromelain from the pineapple which apparently helps reduce mucus and clear sinuses (yum!), and spinach + kale which are packed with protein and vitamin A. Woohoo! 

Green Citrus Smoothie 
Makes about 1 quart 

1 medium banana 
1 small handful Kale, de-ribbed (about 5 large leaves)
2 large handfuls baby spinach 
1/2 cup frozen pineapple pieces 
4-5 small mandarins or clementines, peeled
1 1/2 cups almond milk (or any other non-dairy beverage) 

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. 
 

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Bites {vegan + grain-free}

I don't know about you, but with me inspiration in the kitchen really ebbs and flows. There will be weeks on end where I barely turn on the stove and when my husband asks what's for dinner after we've each come home from a long day of work I should daggers at him, feeling unmotivated and bothered by the idea of coming up with something. Usually these periods follow holidays like Thanksgiving, where I have a bad habit of taking on way too much.

Then there are times when there are literally not enough hours in the day to make everything I want to make. Where I feel like I could cook till 3am, filling the freezer with future meals for a lazier self, where it feels like inspiration is everywhere I look, and I can't wait to go back to my kitchen and play mad scientist until the wee hours of the morning. 

In case your wondering, I'm currently going through the latter, in a big way. Yesterday, I willingly went to three grocery stores in 12 hours, then re-organized the pantry, made vegetable curry, a giant vat of black beans, apple & brie sandwiches, and these brownies all in one afternoon. I think I am just so damn excited to be back home in my kitchen after so many weeks of travel.

And today I am so flipping excited to share these brownies with you! So you know the gooey, rich, undercooked and deeply chocolatey center of a brownie? Well these are that in one perfectly decadent I-dare-you-to-just-eat-one bite. To be honest, they are straight up brownie batter (with enough coconut oil that the batter hardens when refrigerated) rolled into bite-sized balls and bathed in cocoa powder. Oh and they are vegan AND gluten-free, only required 1-bowl, and no baking! Guys, I know I've said this before, but these brownies might be the best thing I've ever made. I literally made out with the batter-covered whisk after I made them.  

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Bites 
Adapted from The Kitchn
Makes 24 pieces 

2 tablespoons flax seed meal 
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon water 
1/2 cup coconut oil 
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips (1 heaping cup) - vegan if needed 
2 tablespoons cane sugar 
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, divided 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon vanilla 
3 heaping tablespoons all-natural peanut butter 
1/2 cup almond meal 

In a small prep bowl, mix the flax seed meal with water and let sit for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, fit a heat-proof glass bowl over a pot of simmering water - making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl. Combine the coconut oil, chocolate, and sugar in the bowl and stir until the mixture is completely incorporated and the chocolate is melted. Remove the bowl and whisk in instant coffee, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, salt, vanilla, flax, and peanut butter until smooth. Mix in almond meal until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate for at least three hours.  

Prepare a small ramekin with the remaining 1/4 cup cocoa powder. Use a cookie scoop (mine was about 1 tablespoon) to shape the batter into balls, I then rolled them in my bowl to smooth out the edges, then toss the bites into the cocoa until completely covered. Try to work quickly as they melt at room-temperature. Store in the refrigerator.