Chickpea Pasta with Basil-Pea Pesto

July 4, 2017 36 Comments

It’s pretty redundant to say that I love cooking. So much. But even though I find myself enamoured with some small detail of every meal that I make, this chickpea pasta was next-level emotional. In fact, was one of the few recipes I’ve made in my entire life that turned me into a wide-eyed child again, and reaffirmed my deep, unrelenting passion for creating food. Kneading the dough, rolling the pasta through this perfectly designed machine, seeing it transform before me, mysteriously almost nothing into so very much. I’m not ashamed to say it nearly brought me to tears. There is something about cooking – and cooking something so ancient – that delivers a feeling of satisfaction that can hardly be described. It’s entirely transcendental. And the best part? You get to eat it.

It all started when one of my dear friends suggested making pasta out of chickpea flour and that she had seen a vegan version using ground flax seeds. I found the recipe and followed it, but it didn’t work, I tried again, and after another pretty epic fail where I felt totally out of my depth, I decided to go the classic egg route. Not only was it better, it was absolutely, unbelievably delicious. In fact, I could hardly trust that what I was eating was made from chickpea flour, since it tasted so much like the beloved white pasta of my past. How is this not a thing?! It’s so easy and infinitely healthier, why isn’t everyone and their uncle Bob making pasta with chickpea flour?

I made this pasta three time in a week and found the prefect al dente cook time, all kinds of things to dress it with (olive oil, Pecorino, black pepper – guh.), and that I could freeze it to come back later and pop a nest into boiling water for almost-instant dinner that even my three-year-old loves. Rejoice!

The only potential issue with using chickpea pasta like this is that since the chickpea flour is made from ground raw chickpeas, and some people who are sensitive to legumes may find this difficult to digest (i.e. lots of farts). I don’t know how to overcome this issue since sprouting the chickpeas, then dehydrating them, then grinding them seems like a whole lotta rigmarole, so I’m using chickpea flour and calling this an indulgence, like socca. If you know you have legume issues, I suggest purchasing sprouted chickpea flour, which is a little more challenging to find, but you can certainly buy it online.

Now that I understand the correct moisture levels and consistency, I’m going to go back and try the vegan version again, perhaps using something other than flax this time. If any of you have had success, please let me know!

Do you need a pasta machine for this recipe? Kind of. Unless you are very skilled at rolling out pasta by hand, I recommend picking one up (there’s always one at the second-hand store). Pasta machines are simple to use, and make this process very fast, fun, and satisfying. The one I have is pictured below (it’s Atlas brand #notsponsored), and it creates flat sheets that are perfect for lasagna or ravioli, or you can run the thin sheets through the spaghetti or tagliatelle roller, like I have done for this recipe.

And there’s another recipe in this recipe, and that is for the delightful Basil-Pea Pesto. Herb-y, nutty, and bright, it’s a cinch to whip up and keeps for 2-3 days in the fridge, so you can make it ahead or use the potential leftovers for many delish things (it’s a great dip or sandwich spread). Use frozen peas if that’s all you have – no stress! And I like to use even more peas and basil to finish this dish off, so that it is even more satisfying with all the bright flavours and textures. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does.

Chickpea Pasta with Basil-Pea Pesto
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 batch chickpea pasta (recipe follows)
1 batch Basil-Pea Pesto (recipe follows)
2½ cups / 350g shelled green peas (fresh or frozen)
a small handful of basil leaves
Olive oil to garnish
flaky sea salt and black pepper

Chickpea Pasta
2 – 2 ½ cups / 250 – 310g chickpea flour
3 large eggs, organic and free-range if possible
1 tsp. fine sea salt
1 Tbsp. cold-pressed olive oil

Directions:
1. Measure out 2 cups / 250g of chickpea flour and place in a mound on clean work surface. Make a large well in the center of the mound and crack three eggs into it, along with the salt and olive oil. Using your hands, mix the ingredients together until you have a smooth dough (if the mixture is dry, add a tablespoon of water to moisten it. If the dough is wet, add the remaining flour, one tablespoon at a time until it less sticky). Knead the dough for about five minutes, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for at least half an hour.

2. Unwrap the dough and divide it into quarters, then again for that you have about eight equal portions. Work with one portion at a time, and cover the rest. Flour your work surface and work the dough into a square-ish shape, about the width of the pasta maker (the pasta will become much longer, not wider, so it’s best to take full advantage of the width). Flour the dough again and run it through the thickest setting on the machine (usually #1). Change settings to the slightly thinner setting (usually #2) and run it through the machine. If your pasta sticks at all, dust both sides with more flour. Repeat until the pasta is your desired thickness, then feed it through the cutter of your choice. I went to #6 before cutting it into tagliatelle.

3. As soon as the pasta comes through the cutter, toss it generously with flour and spread it out on clean work surface to dry, or use a pasta drying wrack if you have one.

4. Bring a pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Add the amount of pasta you’re using to the water and cook for about 2-3 minutes (don’t overcook! This pasta will disintegrate quickly if boiled for too long). The pasta should float to the top of the pot when it’s ready and be al dente. Drain and plate quickly.

5. You can finish this pasta two ways: one, place the pasta back into the pot and fold in the peas, basil, desired amount of pesto, and a glug of olive oil, the divide among the plates. Alternatively, divide the pasta among the plates, dollop with the pesto, drizzle with olive oil, and garnish with pine nuts and basil. Grind fresh pepper over the top and serve immediately.

Basil-Pea Pesto

Ingredients:
1 clove garlic
½ cup / 55g pine nuts
zest of 1 lemon
3-4 Tbsp. cold-pressed olive oil (as needed)
½ tsp. fine sea salt
2 cups loosely packed / 35g fresh basil leaves
1 cup / 140g shelled green peas (fresh or frozen)

Directions:
1. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Add peas and turn off the heat. If using fresh peas, let them sit for about 2-3 minutes until bright green. If using frozen, let them sit for about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts until lightly golden. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Place peeled garlic in a food processor and pulse to mince. Add the toasted pine nuts (reserve a few for garnish), olive oil, salt, basil, and one cup / 140g of peas and blend on high to mix. Add more olive oil if you like a looser pesto. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

I’m currently on holidays in Canada and I’m going to keep this post short and sweet so that I can get back to all of my funky food projects, reading on the dock, and naps. So many naps. I hope you’re all having a glorious summer so far!

Big love,
Sarah B

Show my your pasta on Instagram: #mnrchickpeapasta

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Dear friends! I am getting SO excited about hosting my next wellness retreat in Ibiza, Spain, September 5-10 and September 17-23. And I’ve decided to offer the same program twice so that more of you can join in. This is going to be an intimate group of 12 women only, housed in a stunning, 400 year-old finca in the hills surrounded by fig trees, wild herbs and carob. Come join me for seven days of total inspiration and rejuvenation – delicious and healthy meals, cooking and nutrition workshops, yoga, pilates, dance, and meditation that will balance your body and mind, and empower you to move forward on a path to greater wellness. I can’t wait to see you there!

Click the image below to go to the retreat page or click here for the booking page at Supersoul Yoga: Week 1 (Sept. 5-10) or Week 2 (Sept. 17-23)

Secret Ingredient Frozen Hot Chocolate

June 11, 2017 80 Comments

When I was in high school, the cool thing to do at lunch was eschew the basement cafeteria (obvi), leave the grounds altogether, and go to the local coffee shop. This made us feel like “adults” or something, sitting on plush velvet sofas, gossiping about so-and-so’s new haircut, and whose older brother we’d make out with while sipping a beverage that cost at least an hour’s worth of babysitting. Of course none of us really liked coffee, so we would blow our money on Italian sodas, fruity teas, and smoothies. When the warmer months rolled around, sandwich boards everywhere would announce that our very favourite, coffee-free drink was back in town: the Frozen Hot Chocolate.

Now, if you have never lived in North America, the name and entire concept of this beverage I’m sure eludes you. Isn’t it an oxymoron, frozen hot chocolate? Yes, I suppose it is, but then I also suppose that is the point – to confuse you enough that you want to buy one. There is a famous restaurant in New York City that first came up with this drink, and although I’ve never had the original, plenty of franchised cafes have made their own versions of what it essentially, a frothy chocolate milkshake.

In the past few weeks the weather here in Copenhagen has warmed up and I’ve finally been in the mood for cool, blended drinks again. But instead of using frozen bananas and other blood sugar-spiking fruits, I’ve been experimenting more and more with frozen veggies instead. The results are surprisingly delicious and I’m thrilled to have a few new veg-centric smoothies on lock. This is just one of them.

The surprise ingredient in my frozen hot chocolate is…wait for it…cauliflower. Now this may sound totally weird, but please trust me, it’s delicious. Not even in a compromising way. The first sips are pure chocolate paradise, followed by a slight cruciferous waft, which then disappears again, conveniently, for those of us who perhaps don’t like vegetables at all (I’m looking specifically at my three-year-old son right now). All in all, this is one frosty, chocolate-y miracle of a drink for summer and I’m making it every morning to celebrate liquid vegetables tasting like candy.

Cauliflower Power
Did you know that a cauliflower is actually a little head of thousands of compact flowers? Call me a hippie, but I like the idea of mowing down on a meadow. It makes me smile. Cauliflowers are white because they do not contain any carotene, the pigment found in things like carrots and broccoli, but what it lacks in vitamin A, it makes up for in potassium, folic acid, and vitamin C. And it may surprise you to learn that cauliflower is 25% protein and among the cancer-fighting cruciferous family that includes Brussels sprouts, cabbage and kale.

Since this recipe calls for frozen cauliflower, I know some of you will be wondering if that changes the nutritional content in any way. I’m happy to report that a recent study done on the freezing of cauliflower has shown its nutrients to be fairly stable after one-year freezer storage. Cauliflower in the study was blanched in near-boiling water for three minutes prior to freezing for one year. Numerous phytonutrients were evaluated in the study, including cauliflower’s sulfur-containing compounds. While nutrients levels were typically reduced after this year of freezer storage, loss of nutrients averaged about 15-35%. Although I always recommend eating fresh vegetables, there are some (fun!) applications that benefit from using the freezer. And it’s great to know that it doesn’t pose too much a treat to those precious nutrients. Plus, frozen veggies (and fruits) can be lower cost, especially when the fresh version is out of season. If you’re on a budget, frozen produce is a respectable way to get your plants in!

The important part of this recipe is that you use frozen cauliflower, either purchased that way, or a head of cauliflower prepared ahead of time – washed, chopped into florets and frozen overnight. Similarly to how a frozen banana behaves in a blender, cauliflower too takes on a creamy-frothy consistency that works extremely well in this context. I also like to freeze the milk into cubes since this helps to keep the drink very cold and light. Dates sweeten the mixture, and you can scale these up or down depending on how hardcore you are. The cacao powder I’ve used is raw, but you can also use regular cocoa powder in a pinch, or if you’re on a budget.

This recipe is a mere 4 ingredients, but if you feel like gettin’ fancy, by all means top that frozen hot chocolate with coconut cream (from a can of coconut milk, chilled in the fridge overnight) and some cacao nibs. You can also add some ingredients to the blend itself, like a handful of soaked cashews for extra richness, a scoop of protein powder (I like sprouted pea, sprouted brown rice or hemp), vanilla, or even fresh greens (spinach is very good at hiding in this too).
The point of all this is to have fun and enjoy something that tastes like it’s pretty indulgent, but secretly good for you.

Secret Ingredient Frozen Hot Chocolate
Serves 2-3

Ingredients:
2 cups / 250g frozen cauliflower florets
1/3 cup / 100g pitted dates
6 Tbsp. raw cacao powder
approx. 1 ½ cups / 350ml plant-based milk (I used oat milk)
handful of ice cubes (made from either plant-milk ice or water)

Optional ingredients:
Pinch of vanilla powder
coconut cream (from the top of a can of coconut milk) cacao nibs
handful soaked cashews
protein powder

Directions:
1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Add more liquid if necessary (mixture should be relatively thick).

2. Top with coconut cream and cacao nibs, if desired. Enjoy immediately.

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You guys!!! I am so pumped to finally announce my upcoming wellness retreats this fall. We are going to two spectacular European locations: Ibiza, Spain and Comporta, Portugal. Both simple and luxurious, we have found the perfect settings to unwind, and press the reset button. Our Wild Heart High Spirit program combines inspiring cooking classes and nutrition workshops (lead by yours truly) with delicious movement classes, yoga, pilates and dance by Living Yolates that will both strengthen your body and open your heart. These seven days will nurture you on all levels of your being, help you realign with your internal guidance system, and ignite you on your journey towards greater health! Join us for this incredibly special, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, with Golden Circle Retreats.

Breakfast Buckwheat Florentines

April 28, 2017 110 Comments

“Done is better than perfect.”

I can’t tell you how many times I repeat this to myself on a daily basis, as a sort of mantra to soothe and convince the perfectionist inside me to just follow through. To just put it out there.

I almost pushed “publish” on this blog post yesterday afternoon, but something was holding me back. Two things, in fact. First, the photos weren’t what I wanted them to be: they were on the boring side without a lot of colour, and not really inspiring. Second, the recipe itself just wasn’t there. I was trying to make a vegan yogurt coating with coconut butter and although it was tasty, the texture was all wrong: chunky and gritty. Was it good enough? Probably. Would anyone have noticed what I saw as shortcomings? Probably not. But could I deal with it? Apparently, no.

florentines2

As I was putting the finishing touches on the post, it hit me like a bolt of lightening: I needed to use cashew butter to achieve the silky consistency I was after. Noooo! It was the solution I had been calling in, but to arrive at the witching hour just seemed cruel. How could I start all over at this point? Was I crazy to even try, considering I didn’t know for sure that it would work out? With only minutes to make a decision, I hopped on my bike and cycled to the health food store. Again. Cursing myself, my brain, my ridiculous inability to know when to let go, and my insistence that what I put out in the world is my absolute best, really started to annoy me.

I bought all the ingredients for the third time, raced home, and got to work. The cookies were the best they’d ever been. Perfect, in fact. But was it worth it?

For anyone out there nodding their heads in recognition that they too, have these borderline masochistic tendencies to achieve an arbitrary portrait of perfection, may I ask what it is that drives us to create and then hold it all back if it’s not exactly what we imagined in our heads? Because nothing is perfect! When do we draw the line and just push “publish”? Is done really better than perfect? Because done for me it seems like settling for mediocrity a lot of the time. Even if it’s just a friggin’ cookie.

I’m not looking for answers here, just venting I suppose. But if you want to share your similar struggles, feel free in the comments. It’s not often I open up or vent in this space, so maybe we can all throw a perfectionist party, and make sure to have these very perfect cookies on the table.

Speaking of! Florentines are traditionally almond-centric biscuits, sometimes with the addition of dried fruit like cherries and orange zest, with a rich chocolate coating on the bottom. Because I really love dessert for breakfast, I was motivated to make a morning-appropriate version that wouldn’t make me feel like a glutton. I chose to add some buckwheat to the mix since I love to start my day with whole grains, and swapped out the chocolate for a vanilla-cashew butter coating that I basically want to pour over my entire life. Like I mentioned, my original thought was to go with something yogurt-like, but once I made this saucy concoction, there was no need to pretend it was something else. Pure, divine, silky-smooth pleasure glaze! Ahem.

I love these cookies because they are so simple to make with just a few ingredients, and incredibly fast. On my third testing, they were done – mixed, baked and glazed – in 20 minutes. If you’re in a rush to get your treat fix, leave the cashew coating out of the equation, and you’ll still have a gorgeously tasty and satisfying little snack.

As far as additions and flavours go, these wicked little morsels are kind of a blank slate. I made a couple batches with orange zest and one without. Personally, I really loved the citrusy warmth that the orange lends, and its nod to morning fodder, but you can also omit it for a more neutral taste. Instead, spice them up with cinnamon, cardamom, lemon zest, rose, lavender, coconut etc. I think adding cacao nibs would also be really delicious, as would dried blueberries, dried figs, or apricots. Whatever you choose to do, get ready to be very excited to get up in the morning. Couple these cookies with a turmeric latte, a piece of fruit and you’ll be good to go. Until 4 o’clock when you want another one.

Breakfast Buckwheat Florentines
Makes 12

Ingredients:
½ cup / 90g raw buckwheat groats
½ cup / 70g slivered almonds (or sunflower seeds)
1/3 cup / 45g almond flour
2 ½ Tbsp. coconut oil
2 ½ Tbsp. pure maple syrup
a couple pinches sea salt
zest of 1 organic orange, optional

Vanilla Cashew Coating:
1/3 cup / 85ml cashew butter
¼ cup / 60ml coconut oil
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
seeds from 1 vanilla bean
pinch sea salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with baking paper.

2. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast buckwheat until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer buckwheat to a mixing bowl to cool. In the same skillet toast the slivered almonds until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer them to the bowl of buckwheat to cool, add the almond meal and stir to combine.

3. In the same skillet (no need to wash) over low heat, melt the coconut oil and add the orange zest, if using. Turn off the heat and whisk in the maple syrup and salt. Pour the liquid over the buckwheat and almond mixture and fold to combine. Do not wash the skillet.

4. Using a tablespoon measure, scoop out the florentine cookie mixture and set each one on the lined baking sheet with plenty of space in between (I baked these in 2 batches of six). Using the back of the spoon, flatten the cookies out a little. Place in the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes until the edges are golden and bubbly. Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and repeat with remaining mixture.

5. While the florentines are baking, make the cashew coating. Melt the coconut oil in the same skillet over low heat, then add the cashew butter and stir well to combine. Once melted, add the vanilla bean and maple syrup. Stir well and turn off the heat.

6. Once the florentines have cooled, make sure that the cashew coating is still liquid. Spoon a couple teaspoons on the bottom of each cookie and spread it as evenly as possible. Place on a lined baking sheet, coating side up in the fridge or freezer to set. Once firm, repeat with remaining coating, except this time place the coating side down on the lined baking sheet. Place in the fridge or freezer to set, then enjoy! Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer in a tightly sealed container for up to two weeks.

Once I started editing the new photos for this post, I realized that the last batch of Florentines weren’t as golden, or as flat as the previous batches. I decided to let that one go. And I’m very proud of that.

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Hey Copenhagen! Just a reminder about my first two cookbook events in CPH this Spring. The first will be an intimate talk and demonstration at SLOW Copenhagen, and the second will be a magical, celebratory dinner in collaboration with the local, organic grocer and kitchen, Kost. Click on the images for more info and tickets! Can’t wait to see you there.