picante watermelon salsa

Note: This post was previously published here as a part of my freelance work.

This recipe has one foot in the Mediterranean and another in South America. It’s core is zesty with a spicy cilantro kick, but nuances are added with Greek feta and taming olive oil. The sweet flavor of watermelon shines against the tongue-tingling salty spicy flavor, and the chopped peppers and onion add a little crunch to keep the textural game balanced. Paired with blue corn chips, the dish makes a great party pleaser. 

Ingredients:

1/2 a small watermelon (or approx. 5 cups chopped)

1/2 cup feta 

1/4 medium red onion, chopped

5 shishito peppers, cut in half & sliced into small pieces

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chopped cilantro

2 tbs apple cider vinegar

juice from 1 lemon

2 tbs olive oil

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp red pepper flake

salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix. 

2. Let chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 min.

3. Serve with blue corn chips.

fall-spiced pumpkin seed butter

This post was previously published on Free People's BLDG 25 blog. 

Nothing marks the season quite like pumpkins do! It’s the perfect time of year to try your hand at pumpkin seed butter. Since it’s made with seeds, the recipe is a great alternative for those of you allergic to peanuts or other nuts. It’s also vegan and gluten-free for all of those restricted dieters out there. Pumpkin seeds are full of protein and omega-3’s to help you stay well-nourished for fall. Add a little cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup for sweetness. With each bite you’ll taste all the glories of the season.

INGREDIENTS:  (fills 1 – 8oz. mason jar)

2 Cups Pumpkin Seeds

½ Tbsp Cinnamon

1 Tsp Nutmeg

1 Tsp Allspice

2 Tbsp Maple Syrup (the real kind)

4 Pinches Salt

1 Tbsp Ghee (coconut oil works too)

Water as needed

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F

In a mixing bowl, combine pumpkin seeds, ghee, and spices. Stir so that the seeds are well coated.

Spread mixture evenly across a foil-lined cookie tray and toast seeds for 15 minutes. Once they are toasted, remove from oven and let cool.

Add one cup of seeds to a food processor along with two pinches of salt and one tablespoon of maple syrup. Blend until well chopped and then add a tablespoon of water. Continue to blend and add water until you reach the desired consistency.

Remove from food processor, and repeat step four with your second cup of toasted pumpkin seeds.

Enjoy with your favorite fall treats like freshly-picked apples!

gluten free fig newton recipe

This post was previously published on Free People's BLDG 25 blog. Thought I'd bring some of the contributing over to Numie :)

When life gives you figs, make fig newtons. It’s a lesson I learned after stumbling upon free figs one Friday afternoon. We were getting ready to leave the office, and noticed someone had left a flat in the kitchen with a free sign. In season and ripe, I couldn’t help myself. They reminded me of fresh markets in Israel and long summers in Italy. I grabbed a bunch and quickly got them home.

Over the stove the figs turned into preserves. When it came time to assemble, I jazzed them up with a little goat cheese and rolled everything up in a gluten free dough. The perfect in season treat, they’ll win over even the biggest gluten free skeptics. You can ask my boyfriend, he ate more than half the batch in one day. Don’t tell him I told you ;).

Fig Preserves:

Ingredients:

3 ½ Cups Fresh Figs – Stemmed & Quartered

1 Cup Raw Cane Sugar

1 ¼ Cup Water

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions

- Throw all ingredients in a sauce pot and bring to a boil

- Once boiling, turn flame down to a slow simmer

- Let simmer until preserves lightly cling to the pan when you drag a wooden spoon through (2-3hrs) 

- Remove from heat and let cool

Gluten Free Pastry Dough:

Ingredients:

*Adapted from Gluten Free Homemaker

¾ Cup Brown Rice Flour

¾ Cup Millet Flour

¼ Cup Sweet Rice Flour

¼ Cup Potato Starch

1 Tbsp Xantham Gum

2 Tsp Sugar

1 Tsp Unflavored Gelatin

½ Tsp Salt

1 Large Egg

8 Tbsp Butter

¼ Cup + 1 Tbsp Almond Milk

Directions: 

- Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl

- In a separate bowl, beat together almond milk and egg

- Combine the milk and melted butter with the dry ingredients and mix with a fork

- Using your hands, mush the dough into a ball and work it until smooth.

- Wrap the dough in plastic, and let refrigerate for at least an hour

Filling:

Ingredients:

1 Cup Preserves

4 Tbsp Goat Cheese

Directions: 

- Mix ingredients together in a bowl and set aside

Assembly: 

- Roll out the dough on a well (gluten free) floured surface until about a ¼ inch thick

- Making a 4” x 15” long strip, cut off rough edges to make a smooth rectangle 

- Line one half with fig preserve and goat cheese mixture 

- Fold dough over the top and press edges closed

- Cut into approx. 1.5 inch fig newtons

- Place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for about 20 minutes