Awesome Recipe Alert: Bacon Berry Peach Crisp

Attending any summertime events? Bring this recipe and you're sure to make some new friends. Although, I advise you make two so you can have one at home!

In the Texas Hill Country we joke that the seasons are earmarked by hot and not-so-hot, so we look to the earth for signs of change. It's thrilling when our fields and roadside ditches are filled with the brilliant array of wildflowers. And just about the time the wildflowers die and the summer heat sets in, we rub our hands together in anticipation, because we Texans know...it's PEACH SEASON!

Drive down any major road in town and you'll be hard pressed not to find a farm stand brimming with boxes of the fattest, juiciest, sweetest peaches you've ever tasted. So what happens when you buy more peaches than one family could possibly eat? Experiment!

And I'm here to tell you, this Bacon Berry Peach Crisp is one kitchen experiment gone right! The burst of organic berries and fresh peaches is perfectly offset by the smokey bacon and crisp topping.

Have fun and enjoy this one!

Bacon Berry Peach Crisp Filling: 1 cup organic strawberries

1 cup organic blueberries

6-8 peaches 1 TBS vanilla extract 1.5 teaspoon arrowroot powder Topping: ½ cup walnuts or brazil nuts ½ cup pecans or hazelnuts ¼ cup date sugar ¼ cup oatmeal ¼ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp cardamom Pinch of sea salt 2-4 TBS butter

Bacon

Cook your bacon, set aside.

In a pot, combine fruit with vanilla extract. Cook on low for about 10 minutes; stirring frequently. Add arrowroot powder at the end to thicken the sauce. In the meantime, add all of the ingredients for the topping, except for bacon, into a food processor and blend until combined. Pour berries into a medium size oven-friendly dish; cover with topping. Break the bacon into small pieces and sprinkle on the topping, gently working it into the topping so it’s just not sitting on top.

Broil on low for about 5 minutes. Watch carefully; it has a tendency to cook fast and burn. Serve warm or cold. Top with coconut cream.

Recipe of the Week: Vanilla Chocolate Chia Pudding

Aside from being ultra-tasty, chia seeds are one whole food supplement that we all should be waking up to! Incredibly high in omega fatty acids, and an excellent source of calcium, we can count on the benefits of chia seeds to boost our vitality.

Here's a fun fact - chia seeds absorb 9 times their weight in water so they create a gel - not too many foods can boast this quirky transformation. Take into account all their awesome fiber and amino acids essential for breaking down proteins into fuel, and you'll agree these little seeds pack a pretty nutritious punch! You can always add them to smoothies, or sprinkle them on salads or fresh fruit, but we've gone all the way here, creating a Vanilla Chocolate Chia Pudding that acts like a healthy breakfast food, but tastes like dessert.

You'll need:

3 cups homemade cashew creamer, plus 1/2 cup water (see our video here)

1 TBS vanilla extract or 1 tsp Vanillamax from Bulletproof

1/4 cup maple syrup

3 TBS organic cocoa from the Forest Wyfe

Pinch of sea salt

1/2 cup chia seeds

Place all ingredients in Vitamix, except the chia seeds, and blend thoroughly. Place chia seeds in a large bowl and pour the chocolate milk over them; stir well and place in fridge. Remember to stir at least once before it sets up to keep the seeds from clumping. You can get creative with the ingredients, adding cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves or whatever spices you like; even orange zest would be nice.

*You could also use 3 1/2 cups homemade pecan milk or full-fat coconut milk in place of the cashew creamer. I do not recommend even good quality store bought nut milks for this recipe. I tried it one time because I was looking for a shortcut and the final product had a very weird watery texture to it. Homemade is best!

We all know how healthy these chia seeds are, but that's no reason to take our sweet bowl of mush too seriously. Have fun with this one, folks! And as always...Eat in Peace!

Love,

Charlotte

Recipe Inspiration of the Day: Orange Dreamsicle Cashew "Cheesecake"

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This dairy-free Orange Dreamsicle Cashew "Cheesecake" is so dreamy it's hard to keep young Drake away from the it long enough to serve. The rich, creamy filling is full of flavor and easy to make.

For the crust: Combine all ingredients in food processor until blended, then press into an 8-inch springform pan: 1/2 cup raw pecans 1/2 cup pitted dates 1/4 cup shredded coconut 2 TBS butter or coconut oil Pinch of sea salt

For the filling: Combine all ingredients in your Vitamix until smooth. Then pour on top of crust. Freeze for 4 hours to set and then move to refrigerator: 3 1/2 cups cashews that have been soaked overnight in water (this is an important step that releases the nutrition of the cashews) 2/3 cup honey 2/3 cup coconut oil, gently melted 2/3 cup fresh orange juice 1-2 teaspoons of crushed vanilla beans Zest of 1 large orange