Green Herb Dip/Sauce

INTO FOOD PROCESSOR, PLACE:
Juice of 1 lemon WITH the zest (using a microplane)
1/2c (packed) herbs, coarsely chopped
1/4c + 2T almond butter OR cashew butter (both creamy and a little sweet)
1-2 cloves of garlic with the center green shoot removed
2T nutritional yeast OR lighter Miso paste
1t honey or maple syrup
PUREE TO SMOOTH
ADD TO DESIRED CONSISTANCY (as a dip or a dressing/sauce):
up to 1c Water

ADD TO TASTE: :Salt (around 1/2t) and pepper should you desire
A NOTE ON HERBS: parsley and cilantro are my go to herbs, but you can try dill, fennel fronds, basil, mint and so on. You could also mix herbs, using those mentioned but also adding in a little fresh thyme, oregano, savory, marjoram.
ALSO: You could add a pinch of red chile powder, or cumin, or coriander.....

Fundamentals: VINAIGRETTE

This vinaigrette is a building block for any number of dishes you would like to create. You can add pesto, asian style peanut sauce, ginger & tamari- any flavor you're seeking for the salad du jour. 

The basic ratio is 2 oil to 1 acid and enough dijon to emulsify the dressing.

1/3c Acid: apple cider vinegar, balsamic, lemon juice, lime juice.....

2/3c Oil: olive oil, avocado oil

1T Dijon Mustard

From this base, taste and add more oil or acid as needed. You can add zest (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit) to brighten the flavor, honey to bring everything together (or a scoop of fruit preserves!), fresh herbs, salt/pepper, and so on.

Enjoy the summer vegetable bounty!

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

1½ c Sorghum flour
1¼ c Tapioca starch
1¼ c Potato starch
1T Xanthan Gum
1½ tBaking Soda
2tBaking Powder
1½ t Sea Salt
10oz softened Butter -OR- 8oz Coconut Oil
1¼c Coconut Sugar
1c Natural Cane Sugar
2 lg Eggs, at room temperature
2t Vanilla
1lb Chocolate Chips

All dry ingredients together.

Soft butter and sugar in mixer with paddle until just creamed.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Add vanilla, mix until just combined.

Spoon dry mix into the batter, about ½ cup at a time, mixing just enough. Add in chocolate chips.

Chill dough in fridge until cold. This helps to keep the cookies plump rather than spread while baking.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat.

Spoon out onto sheet (I use a 3/4oz scoop). 

Bake 15-ish minutes until golden but soft in the middle. Place on rack to cool.

Macadamia Nut Ricotta

1c Macadamia Nuts 

Juice from 1/2 lemon +

1/2t Xanthan Gum

Herbs as desired

Submerge nuts in 2c water overnight. Puree in blender. Place strainer over bowl, line strainer with linen napkin or cheese cloth. Pour thick slurry into strainer and let sit, separating out nut milk from nut meat. Use spatula to move nut meat around helping to drain the milk. 

Remove from strainer scraping the cloth. Stir in xanthin gum, watching it thicken (takes a couple minutes). Add more if needed in 1/8t increments. Mix in fresh herbs, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, or whatever else you may desire. 

Use nut milk as desired.

Stuffed Zucchini

Set oven to 375

4 Medium sized zucchs, large enough to scoop out the center, but not so big that they’re woody & seedy.
1 Egg
1/2c Macadamia Nut "Ricotta"
Fresh Herbs

1. Split zucchs lengthwise and scoop out center, making little canoes. TAKE CARE to not puncture the sides with your spoon. You wouldn’t want your filling oozing all over….
2. Sprinkle center chunks with salt and let sit 10 minutes, then pat dry removing as much moisture as possible.
3. Oil the backs of your zucchs and set in a pan.
4. In another bowl, beat egg, "ricotta" and herbs together.
5. Scoop filling back into your zucch shells (your canoes as it were) and place in oven for 30ish minutes.
6. As they solidify and relase more moisture, you can finish them on the broil setting to brown the tops.

Add an over easy egg should you care to. 

Smoky Miso Butter

3T Chickpea Miso (Room temperature)
2T Coconut Oil
1/4t Smoked Paprika
2 scallions finely minced

Roast 3-4 Japanese sweet potato in the oven at 350 until soft, approx 30 minutes.
Place all ingredients together and whip until light in texture.
Peel off the outside of the tater, put miso butter on top of tater.
Finish with a few fresh cut scallions.