Depending on where you live tomatoes are in season or coming into season. Different types will be coming and going all summer long.

I love tomatoes. The deeper the color the better. Gazpacho is a favorite for a few reasons. 

1. Different tomatoes make a different soup. The flavor and the texture can be affected by using different types of tomatoes.

2. You can change the herbs you blend with it to completely change the style. Add some basil and make an Italian gazpacho, add some cilantro and it's Mexican.

3. Puree it more and it's rich and smooth, pulse it and leave it chunky and it's more like a meal. 

Vegan Gluten Free Whoopie Pies. Who knew such a thing could exist?

I've built this recipe around a few different ones so forgive me if there's another out there like it. It's a rather popular thing now adays to build desserts from unusual ingredients. This one is Black Beans!

I make quite a few of these when I cook it so you may want to down size the recipe for home. However this will make about 15 pies and I don't know about you but I can't eat just one...

The Cookies:

3 cups cooked black beans. I let mine cook a little longer so they are nice and mushy from the start
4 Tbs coconut oil
1 cup cacao powder. You can use regular old coco powder but real cacao will give these guys that dark chocolate swoon
4 Tbs ground flaxseed
3/4 c warm water
3 Tbs vanilla
1 cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350. 

Mix the flaxseed with the warm water and set aside.

In food processor pulse the Beans and Coconut Oil a few times to get them started. Add the Cacao, mix this until the cacao is blended well into the beans. It shouldn't look like beans anymore its should look like a really thick dough. You'll have to stop it and mush the batter down a few times. That's ok.

Leave the processor on and the flax seed. By now it should have the same consistency as egg whites. This should help the batter to start moving, then add the vanilla. This will get it moving even more. Now add the Maple Syrup slowly. 

It's going to be a very wet batter at this point. 

drop a table spoon full of batter on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. After you fill the sheet and drop another half a spoon on top of each cookie gently. This is going to give them the dome look. 

cook for about 30 minutes. Keep an eye on them and tooth picks handy. Some ways to tell when they are done. Very gently poke a cookies with your finger. If it feels like liquid under the crust they need more time. When they start to firm up your on the way. That's the point I start toothpick testing. You want it to come out pretty clean. It won't be perfectly clean like a cake but it won't have a ton of batter on it either. Finally when you think it's time try lifting one of the cookies. If it detaches easily you have a winner!

Some people have an instinct for baked goods. I don't so I may be over sharing how I know when they are done but I know I would rather have to much info with a recipe than wondering what to look for and ruining a batch. 

Coconut Whipped Cream:

Take a can of coconut milk the full fat kind. Place in fridge the night before or 8 hours before (I've been known to stick a can in the freezer for a few minutes but you can't shake the can before it goes in so be very careful if you do this)

The idea is the separate the cream from the water. The fridge will do it for you.

Open the can and scoop the cream from off the top. Place in a high walled container. I've used pint glasses for this as well as the container that came with my stick blender. (immersion blender)

You only want the cream, when you hit water stop. It won't fluff up nicely if there's water in it.

Add a little honey, I add about 2 Tbs when I'm making it for normal people. For myself I add nothing!

Using an immersion blender with the whisk attachment whisk for 4-5 minutes. You'll see the peaks start to form like with meringue. Stick this in the fridge until you're ready to make your cookies. 

(I use the left over whipped cream in my tea or coffee the next day ;)

Assembly


Take the cookies that don't look as awesome (I know all your cookies look awesome it will be tough to choose!) and use them as your bottoms. Take a heaping spoonful of you're whipped cream and dollop it on. Take a pretty cookie and place it on top!


You'll probably need a spoon to eat these guys if you don't want to get messy but I've always thought that's half the fun!


                                     Eat with gusto WHOOPIE!!!!

I love spring. Berry season is just tooo much fun!

This soup is served chilled, it's refreshing from the cucumber, savory with the basil, sweet and tart from the strawberries, tangy from the lime and creamy from the avocado.  

Serves 6

1lb strawberries
1 english cucumber
2 avocados 
1/2 cup loosely packed basil
1/4 lime 
dash salt

Place in food processor/high speed blender and blend until smooth! chill in the refridgerator at least an hour, don't worry the avocado won't turn brown

You can experiment with your ratios sometimes I like 2x the lime, sometimes I like another 1/2 a cucumber. As I always say: you're eating this make it to your tastes!

I wish I could take claim for this recipe! You can find the recipe here at Fragrant Vanilla Cake. I love all of her stuff and I learned a lot making this recipe! I can't wait to try others. I see how much ground she covers and I know I have more tricks to learn!

However I really like having pictures of how things come together so here you go!

These are a much healthier spin on the classic Deviled Eggs. Getting rid of the mayo (which unless you make yourself has Soybean oil in it, which again is 99% GMO. Those things have no business being in your body) Substituting avocado instead

Mix 1 avocado per 12 eggs
2Tbs apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

I like to add a little relish to mine but it's not a requirement. Feel free to add garlic, tahini, onion powder, dill...

Sprinkle with paprika

These are not to be missed. When I was in Greece the Grandmother who lived upstairs showed me how to fry them. All she did was coat with egg and fry, nothing else. They are delicate of flavor and so beautiful. Impress everyone with these guy. I suggest trying them simply, however stuffing anything with cheese will entice picky and skeptical eaters.

Try goat cheese, herbed cheese or this vegan cheese. Try different herbs like thyme or lemon balm

I know, it sounds like something that just can't be done. But it can. Not only did I do it, but I did it with pearl barley instead of white rice which while neither one really has a ton of redeeming value the barley doesn't give me a sugar crash where as white rice does. I know that sounds crazy but it's true. Anywho this risotto is amazing. I was apprehensive when I took the first bite, sometimes things just don't work out, but I was thrilled with the results. Don't take my word for it, I served this at Clean Dinners and as often happens I had a very skeptical man who was brought by a beautiful lady friend. He loved it. He even had to tell me that he didn't think it could possibly be good but he was "amazed by your skills". Thanks for the compliment, it's good to hear after being told that I couldn't possibly serve a good vegan meal!

With out further ado here is the recipe:

For the Risotto

1c pearled barley (soaked overnight with a little apple cider vinegar if possible, this cuts down your cook time and makes it a easier on your digestion rinse until clear then soak, drain well before cooking)
4Tbs olive oil
4 shallots (about 1cup coarsely chopped)
2 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
a few stems of fresh thyme if you've got it!
1 cup white wine
3 cups stock (I used my own veggie stock)

Optional
In the picture above I added peas and asparagus. I steamed the asparagus and added it chopped up with the raw peas about 1 minute before I took the risotto off the stove. Just long enough to heat but not over cook. A very popular add in is mushrooms. They go with barley like jelly goes with peanut butter.

For the creamy cheese flavor and texture


1 large avocado
1/2c cashew cheese I suggest for this recipe skipping the garlic and mustard seed)

either use a food processor to combine the avocado and cheese or mash with a fork in a bowl.

Start by heating your veggie stock on another burner. You're going to keep this just below a simmer the whole time, nice and warm but not bubbling. 

Next grab a heavy bottomed saucepan/skillet. Something with a lot of room to work. Heat oil to med-high. Add the shallots for about 1 minute stirring to soften, add the garlic stirring about 1 minute. 

Add the barley. Keep stirring for about 5 minutes at this point you are steaming off the extra water from the soaking. 

Then add the white wine, bay leaves, and thyme or any other chosen herb you like. Keep stirring until the wine is absorbed.

Add one ladle full at a time of your stock. Stir until it's absorbed then add another. Continue this process for about 20-30 minutes. Keep tasting, when your barley is chewy you're done! You don't want it mushy just cooked enough to not be hard any more but with a good texture.

Spoon the barley into your cream mixture, fold until nice and creamy. Serve immediately.

This is the seriously easiest thing to make ever. It can also be made totally free.

Collect your scraps in a gallon freezer bag and store in the freezer. When it's full make stock!

onion peels
garlic peels
celery anything. leaves of course but got a stalk or two that you just didn't get to? toss em in!
carrot nibs and peels. 
parsley stems
and herb stems if you like it!
leek tops
spring onion roots (scallions)
shallot peels
you get the idea


When you want to make stock either place contents of your bag in your crock pot or on the stove and fill with water to top. The more water the less intense also cook time. I use a crockpot, a 5 quart and 1 gallon bag of scraps. I fill my crockpot up to the top and turn it on for 4 hours. Depending on what I'm using it for I'll cook it just an hour or two. If I'm going to freeze it I'll let it cook 4 hours, which makes it really intense but I don't have a lot of room in my freezer so I consider it condensed stock. When I cook with it later I water it down. 

This is a piece of cake!

1 bag almonds (a pound) You can make this with roasted almonds. If you use raw you may need to add a little nut oil

That's it. Seriously. Just drop the bag in your food processor, turn it on give it a minute, then turn off scrape down the sides and turn it back on. Give it a couple minutes, stop, scrape and turn back on. You may have to do that one or two more times but after that you can walk away. Just let it blend for about 10 minutes. 

You can stop when it reaches the consistency you like. 

If you're making almond butter for an awesome recipe like Zucchini Brownies or Almond Freezer Fudge You may want to let it go longer so it's super smooth, or not! Up to you!