Nectarine & Aronia Berry Tart

Original posting is over on The Unicorn's Delight, be sure the site for even more delicious healthy recipes!

"There are tons of unlikely duos out there when it comes to food. Such as cheese & jelly, chocolate & salt, broccoli & Cheetos, Mango & chili, goat milk & caramel, sriracha & peanut butter. A personal favorite of mine is peanut butter and pickle sandwiches-it’s an acquired taste, I’ll admit, but so good! Well, I seem to have stumbled upon another unlikely duo; Nectarines and Aronia berries! They are delicious together.

Aronia berries are being harvested all over the united states right now. If your unfamiliar with this super fruit, it’s not surprising. While they are king of the super berries, they also pack quite a punch with an earthy, astringent flavor that typically drys out the mouth, think like a dry wine. They are also known as chokeberries, native to mid-west America, for years they have been seen as a weed, and removed from farm lands. However now, with the discovery of their nutritional value, farmers are planting them like crazy. If you live outside of the mid-west you might find them in your yard, because they have been commonly used in landscaping.

Some of the health benefits Aronia berries can offer are:

• Urinary Track Health
• Improve Blood Circulation & Strengthen Blood Vessels
• Balance of Blood Pressure Levels
• Prevention and help in treatment of diabetes
• Gastro Protective Effect
• Anti-Carcinogenic Effect
• Anti-Inflammatory Properties, Suppress Viruses
• Eyes Protection
• Weight Control

Sunset Valley Organics is doing something unique with their plantings of aronia berries. They are applying what they call biological farming practices, which basically means they are putting minerals back into their soil, remineralizing it, which they have seen healthier plants, more nutritional fruit, the plants are able to defend themselves from insects and disease, and most recently they are finding their aronia berry plantings have less of that earthy, astringent flavor, even though the tannins in the skin that cause the astringent flavor are still there.

How can that be? Well it’s from the minerals doing their job, and interacting in such a way that the plant is producing fruit that has a higher sugar content, or Brix. (Brix is the standard unit of measure for sugar content.)  That natural sugar is over riding the tannins and making them have a mild flavor. This year Sunset Valley Organics is seeing their aronia berries having an average of 26 brix, compared to last year they had 22, and the average, conventional aronia growers hit somewhere between 15-19.

The first time I ever tried an aronia berry I had to spit it out. It was so gross tasting to me, and it was around 19 Brix, the tannins were over powering, and it felt like I was eating literal dirt. Not a good experience. But when I tried last years crop from Sunset Valley Organics, I could actually eat them. It was so surprising! I started using them in baking and smoothies. My favorite recipe I’ve found is Oatmeal Aronia berry cookies, so good, and can be a healthy snack! 

So now with berries that are around 26 brix I’ve started incorporating them into other forms of baking, like today’s recipe! Because Aronia berries aren’t common at all, it’s important to experiment and play with them.

SO LET’S GET TO THE GOOD STUFF, THE RECIPE!

What You’ll Need:

• 5-6 medium sized nectarines, sliced
• Pie Crust- You can use store bought or my recipe (below) for a healthier version.
• 1 Cup fresh/frozen Sunset Valley Organic’s Aronia Berries
• 1/4 cup Thick apricot jam
• 3/4 cup water

Pie Crust Ingredients:

Coconut Pie Crust- Makes 1 full pie crust (top & bottom)

• 1 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2/3 cup (160 g) coconut oil, scoopable (not liquid)*
• 3-6 Tbsp (45-90 ml) ice cold water

What You’ll Do:

Pie Crust:

1. Add flour and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Next add coconut oil in spoonfuls (see photo) and use a pastry cutter (or fork) to cut the two together, until it resembles wet sand – about 30-45 seconds.
3. Add ice cold water 1 Tbsp at a time and use a wooden spoon to gently mix. Add only as much water as needed to help it come together and form a dough – about 3-4 Tbsp.
4. Use your hands to gently knead/form the dough in the bowl and gather any loose scraps. Then transfer directly to a well-floured surface and form into a disc with your hands.
5. Lightly flour the top of the dough, as well as a rolling pin, and gently roll into a circle the shape of your pie pan, about 1/8-inch thick. Add more flour as needed to prevent sticking. It’s fairly forgiving, so if it cracks, just patch it up with slightly wet fingers and reform.
6. If using a standard 9-inch (or similar size) pie crust, simply use the rolling pin to roll up crust and drape it over the pan. Form the edges simply (avoiding too tall of edges or fancy designs as the coconut oil doesn’t hold it as well as butter) and add filling of choice. Roll out remaining crust, drape over the top of pie, and seal (optional).

Note: To save uncooked dough for future use, wrap in plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator for 2 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Thaw before using.

 Tart filling: 

1. Pre heat oven to 375 F. Start with pie dough rolled out on to a baking sheet. We did a nine inch pie crust.
2. Lay sliced nectarines one inch from the edge of the pie dough in a circular pattern, layering until all pie dough is covered.
3. Fold 1 inch edge of dough on top nectarines, and pinch to stay in place.
4. Evenly distribute the aronia berries on top of the nectarines.
5. In a small pot bring apricot jam and water to a slow boil, until well combined and is a thin mixture.
6. Brush evenly on top of nectarines and aronia berries.
7. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown appears on pie crust.
8. Let cool 5 minutes, serve warm & enjoy!"

Aronia Berry Granola Bars

ARONIA BERRY GRANOLA BARS

Last April we included this recipe in our newsletter, and we are still loving it! Especially with school starting back up these are the perfect on the go snack that are packed full with nutrition. Even better these tasty treats don't take a whole lot of time to whip up! 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Honey
• 1 Cup Dried Aronia berries
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/3 cup raw, unsalted sunflower seeds
• 2/3 cup roasted, unsalted almonds
• 1 cup dried, pitted dates

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 325 Degrees F.
• Whisk together the honey, cinnamon, & vanilla in a larger bowl. Stir in the oats and mix until evenly coated.
• Toast sunflower seeds in a dry pan on medium heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, pulse the almonds and dates in a food processor until coarsely chopped. 
• Add the toasted sunflower seeds and chopped almonds and dates to the oat mixture; mix well. The color of the mixture should be more of a purple hue.
• Press the mixture into an 8X8 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool, then place in the freezer until firm. After about an hour, cut into bars and enjoy!

Note: Store in airtight container up to 1 week. 

Blueberry Broccoli Spinach Salad

Blueberry Broccoli Spinach Salad 

This spring has been such a treat for fresh veggies at our local farmers market. One of the tasty treats we've been enjoying this spring is a Blueberry Broccoli Spinach Salad. It's super simple and easy to through together with just a few ingredients. It's delicious with your favorite dressing or a poppyseed ranch.

Salad Ingredients:

• 4 oz fresh baby spinach
• 1/2 cup chopped broccoli
• 1/2 ripe avocado
• 1/4 cup blueberries (fresh, frozen, or dried)
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2-4 TBSP dried cranberries
• 2-4 TBSP roasted pumpkin seeds (also try sunflower seeds)
• black pepper, to taste

Poppy Seed Ranch Dressing

• 1/2 Cup plain yogurt or sour cream
• 1/2 Cup chopped broccoli
• 1/2 rip avocado
• 1/4 Cup blueberries
• 1/4 Cup mayo
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp poppy seeds
• 1/2 tsp dill
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• pinch of salt
• pinch of black pepper

Instructions:

1. Make the dressing (skip if you are using store bought dressing)- mix all the dressing ingredients together. Ranch dressing always tastes better if it's chilled, so if you are making this dressing, it's best made ahead of time. Whisk and chill for a few house before serving, or you can even make the salad and dressing the night before. 
1. Peel the garlic clove, and mash and mince into a paste.
2. Add a pinch of salt to the paste.
3. Take salted garlic paste and add to the rest of the dressing ingredients and whisk well.
4. Place in fridge to chill for a few hours.
2. Make the Salad: 
1. Wash + Dry spinach
2. Combine with broccoli, blueberries, dried cranberries, avocado, feta cheese, and pumpkin seeds.
3. Toss with dressing & serve.
4. Season with pepper to taste.

Say Hello To The New Superfood!

Starting today we have a limited supply of Certified Organic Frozen Aronia berries for sale in our store. 

A lot of people are just hearing about this awesome superfood, so we thought we would compile some information together and share it with our customers. Over the next few weeks we will be adding more information, and further reading articles, so be sure to come back and check out the updates! 

Health Benefits Of Aronia Berries ( also known as Chokeberries)

Recently aronia berries have been gaining popularity among health conscious people who are looking to add more superfoods to their diets. Aronia berries are packed with nutrients and antioxidants, such as vitamin C and anthocyanin, and offer wonderful health benefits for those who want to improve their health through better nutrition. 

The uses of Aronia berries are numerous, and come in all forms. Fresh & Frozen aronia berries are commonly used to make juice, jame, syrup, and wine. Dried aronia berries can be eaten as a healthy snack, added to muesli, or used in muffins and other baked goodies. In some countries, dried aronia berries are used to make antioxidant-rich herbal tea. 

Like other superfoods, the Aronia berry is high in antioxidants, what sets Aronia berries apart is the ORAC number, which supersedes all most all other berries. Antioxidants protect against many degenerative diseases, such as cancer and heart disease, and to slow down aging in general. They are also a crucial component of anti-wrinkle diseases as they help protect skin from harmful effects of environmental pollutants, tabacco smoke, the sun's ultraviolet radiation, and other factors that cause the body to product free radicals. 

Aronia berries can also help with prevention of cold and flu. With a spoonful of dried aronia berries or juice, aronia berries have traditionally been used by Potawatomi indians to cure colds, and recent research confirms the antiviral properties and high vitamin C content. A group of Bulgarian scientists found Aronia melanocarpa to have in-vitro anti-viral activity against type A influenza virus as well as bacteriostatic activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. 

Other areas Aronia Berries can help in:

1. Urinary Tract Health
2. Improve Blood Circulation & Strengthens Blood Vessels
3. Balance of Blood Pressure Levels
4. Prevention and Help in treatment of diabetes
5. Gastro Protective Effect
6. Anti-Carcinogenic Effect
7. Anti-Inflammatory Properties, Suppress viruses
8. Eyes Protection
9. Weight Control

Check out our Blog for more nutritional information about Aronia Berries!

Merry Christmas + Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas + Happy Holidays!

December is here! It seems like we were just in spring, and talking about getting ready for harvest. This month there are so many great things going on! We are going to be focusing on healthy alternatives for during the Holidays. It's such a hard time to keep within your healthy living choices, and cheating once in a while is ok, but the better you do during the holidays the less work you have to do later to get back on track.

Our featured recipes this month will be Blueberry "Noel" Cookies, Brandy Snaps featuring some awesome berry fusion, and Pate de Fruit, or fruit jellies. We will also have some great recipe alternatives for side dishes and appetizers, we would also love to hear from all of you, how you try to stay healthy over the holidays! You can send us an email, or connect with us on any of our social media. We really do love hearing and talking with all of you.

We post new recipes every Saturday!





ANNOUNCEMENT: We will be having a very special sale on Tuesday, December 8, 2015. In our online store use code HOLIDAY15 and save 8%. This coupon is good for dried, spreads, and gifts. Offer valid only on 12.8.15. If your close by, feel free to come see us and take advantage of the savings, just mention that you know about the sale. We are open from 10 am to 4 pm.

Additional Note: If your ordering a gift from us this holiday season please do so by December 16, this way your gift will get where it needs to go by Christmas.

Healthy Thanksgiving: Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad

Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad + A Special Twist

Cranberries are a hallmark for thanksgiving, and this salad is a great healthy choice not just for Thanksgiving but anytime in the fall. The first version is the original then the second is our spin to make this awesome salad great for in the spring and summer as well. 

Ingredients:

6 Cups salad - any mix you like, we found that a mix of arugula and baby spinach is delicious!

1 Medium Red Apple*

1 Medium Green Apple*

1 Cup Walnuts, roughly chopped

1/3 Cup Crumbled Feta Cheese 

1/3 Cup Dried Cranberries

Dressing

1 Cup Apple Juice

4 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar, white vinegar also works

2 TBSP Honey

1/4 TSP Black Pepper

1/4 Cup Oil

A Pinch of Salt

Instructions:

1. Core and chop apples into think slices. Toss lettuce, apples, walnuts, feta, and cranberries in a large bowl. 
2. In a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients.
3. Toss with salad.
4. Serve & Enjoy!

*Apples maybe of any variety you like.

Now for a Twist!

Ingredients:

6 Cups salad - any mix you like

1 Medium Red Apple*

1 Medium Green Apple*

1 Cup Almonds, roughly chopped

1/3 Cup Crumbled Feta Cheese 

1/3 Cup Dried Blueberries

Dressing

1 Cup Apple Juice

4 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar, white vinegar also works

2 TBSP Honey

1/4 TSP Black Pepper

1/4 Cup Oil

A Pinch of Pink Himalayan Salt

Instructions:

1. Core and chop apples into think slices. Toss lettuce, apples, almonds, feta, and dried blueberries in a large bowl. 
2. In a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients.
3. Toss with salad.
4. Serve & Enjoy!

*Apples maybe of any variety you like.

Happy Healthy Thanksgiving: Home Made Bagles

Who can say no to a bagel? I know no one around here can! So we were super excited when we found a recipe that was gluten free + vegan friendly! We have also given it our own twist! 

Homemade 

Blueberry Bagels 

(Gluten Free + Vegan Friendly) 

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose white blend
1 3/4 cups milk of choice or water
2 1/2 tsp yeast or 1 packet 
1/2 cup dried blueberries
3 tsp guar gum
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp salt (+ extra for top)
1 tbsp sugar

Instructions:
1. Heat liquid to 100 degrees F. Add yeast and sugar, then mix and allow to sit for 5 minutes. 
2. In a separate bowl mix flour, gum, dried blueberries, and salt.

3. In large bowl combine liquid and oil. Gradually mix in all the flour mixture by hand to avoid big lumps. Mix until all incorporated and smooth.

4. Use a large cookie scoop or spray a ½ cup to scoop the dough. With wet hands form dough into a ball and use a finger to poke a hole in the center. Gently shape into bagel form by expanding the hole. Place on a individual piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

5. Spray tops with oil, cover with plastic and allow to rise in a warm place for about 20 minutes. (Don't allow to double in size or else it will lose its shape and fall apart in the bath.)

6. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Gently drop a max of 2 bagels in the water and boiled each side for only 30 seconds each side. Remove individual parchment paper pieces and place back on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt.

7. Bake at 450 degrees F for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown.

Useful Info:

Be careful moving bagels to and from the water. The extra sheet of parchment paper makes it easier to move and comes off easily after boiling. The water should be a rapid boil and only let them sit for a short while on each side or else they will absorb too much water and become soggy. If you can, allow your oven to preheat at least 20 minutes prior to baking. These freeze extremely well and can be used for sandwich bread.

Original Recipe from Petite Allergy Treats

Healthy Halloween: Breakfast Pops

"Candy Corn" Breakfast Pops

Who wouldn't want to have candy corn for breakfast? I know I would want to! Enjoy this healthy spin on candy corn, that you can have for breakfast or an afternoon snack!

Makes 10 Popsicles

Ingredients:
1 Cup Greek Yogurt
4 Teaspoons Honey
3 Mangos (fresh is best!) medium to large size

Directions:
1. First off your going to have to cut the mangos into cube like pieces, after you have cut and cubed all three, puree them in a food processor.

2.  Puree the mangos until the puree is really smooth, you don't want chunks to linger. When your all done pureeing the mangos there should be around three cups. If this is not the case you will be in need of more mangos.

3. (For this part you will need 3 small bowls) In a small bowl add 3/4 cup of greek yogurt and 2 teaspoons of honey. In another small bowl add 2 cups of mango puree. And in the last small bowel add the remaining puree (around 1 cup) and the remaining yogurt (1/4 cup) as well as the remaining honey (2 teaspoons). In each bowl mix the ingredients in their respective bowls.

4. In the popsicle mold, carefully pour the yogurt honey mixture first. Then you can mix and match the remaining two layers of orange mango and yellow mango mixes.

Healthy Halloween: Vegan Candy Corn

Vegan Candy Corn
Ingredients:

1/4 cup golden syrup (look for Lyle’s brand)

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp melted coconut oil

1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

1 cup gluten-free flour or tapioca flour + more for mixing

Food coloring*

Parchment paper

Directions: 

1. Take the golden syrup, vanilla, and melted coconut oil and combined using a whisk in a bowl. Then add in powdered sugar and mix until totally combined. Next add in small amounts of flower until it all blends together. 

2. Lay out parchment paper and spread the dough on to it, and knead. Add more flour into it until it becomes clay like. Once it is clay like divide the dough into three equal sections. 

3. Now add the food coloring*. You will need yellow and red, or if you have orange you can use that. If you don't just create the desired shade of orange. To mix the food coloring into the dough, just kneed it until the color is evenly distributed. Once you have achieved the desired colors, wrap the dough in parchment paper and stick in the freezer for about 10 minutes. 

4. Remove from freezer and place on parchment paper. Roll each ball out into ropes and arrange in order of yellow, orange, white. (The dough might become very soft, if this happens just throw back in to the freezer and let it harden back up.)

5. Use a knife and cut the dough into candy corn shapes. 

Storage: Keep in refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve. 

*If your feeling daring, try making different combos of colors and creating your own unique candy corn! 

Adventures in Seattle at IFBC Part 2

On Friday evening we went out in search of dinner, and we found our way to M.O.D Pizza. It's this awesome pizza place, near the convention center in Seattle, WA. I decided to get what they were calling their Seasonal Pizza Salad. It's crust with cheese, in theirs it was asiago, and the salad part was romaine, black olives, diced tomatoes, tossed in ranch dressing. It was so delicious that I just had to create my own version when I got home. 

Caesar Salad Pizza
Ingredients:
Krusteaz Flatbread Mix (Italian Herb)
1/2 Cup Aged Cheddar Cheese
1/8 Cup Chipotle Cheddar Cheese 
Hearts of Romain
8 oz of grilled Chicken, chopped
Black Olives, chopped
1/2 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
Favorite Caesar Dressing







Directions: 
1. I used Krusteaz Flatbread Mix (Italian herb), and followed the directions on the box. This was given to us at IFBC, and oh my goodness it's good. It's also super simple to make, took me maybe five minutes (+10 mins for the dough to rise). 
2.Before putting the flatbread in the oven I added cheese to the crust, we like a lot of cheese, but using however much to your hearts content is best. 
3. While the crust is baking, mix up all the salad ingredients, and toss with Caesar dressing. 
5. Grill chicken till cooked, I used a foreman grill, and then chopped the chicken into bit sized pieces. 
4. When the crust comes out, cut with a pizza cutter, then add the salad and chicken on top, and enjoy!