Chelsea HarrisonComment

Fig and Turmeric Paradise Shake

Chelsea HarrisonComment
Fig and Turmeric Paradise Shake

I had just bought some amazing local raw honey and fresh non-homogenized milk when I thought of this recipe.  I wanted to make something that incorporated these two divine foods: milk and honey.  Being that it is Summer in Atlanta I chose to make a cool shake that is sweet and delicious enough to call a dessert yet healthy enough to be a breakfast.

I can't help but feel a sense of reverence about this recipe.  Milk, honey, turmeric, and figs are ancient foods frequently mentioned in religious writings.  The history associated with these foods gives them a sacred quality I had in mind when making this drink.

I'm sure you're all familiar with milk and honey, but turmeric is less common in American cooking.  Turmeric has long been used in the Ayurvedic tradition as a healing food and is a staple in Indian cooking.  It is now gaining popularity in the West for its medicinal properties.  Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is the root of disease, so turmeric has been shown to help with health problems ranging from Arthritis to Alzheimers and beyond.  It's time for us to listen to this ancient wisdom and give turmeric a chance.

The flavor is intense and earthy.  If you don't like it, try it in a curry where the other spices balance it.  I personally like the flavor and love its golden hue.

The land of milk and honey is the land of plenty.  This drink reminds me to see the abundance in my life and exude gratitude everyday.  Plus, it is delicious!

Fig and Turmeric Paradise Shake

Ingredients:

1 cup milk or milk alternative

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp honey (I don't like it very sweet.  You may want to add more especially if you're new to turmeric)

3 large figs or 5-6 smaller figs

1 cup ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Makes 1 large shake.

Chelsea Harrison7 Comments

Turmeric Hot Cocoa & Maple Marshmallows

This season I have seen tons of delightful posts of homemade marshmallows that look beautiful, pillowy, and delicious.  I wanted to make some to add to my cocoa but found that they are essentially refined sugar and corn syrup.  Not wanting to be left out of the fun, I decided to see if there was a way to make them with a healthier sweetener.  I thought honey would be too intense and so I decided to experiment with maple.  The results were a huge success: Fluffy caramel colored marshmallows that melt beautifully into cocoa.

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Turmeric Hot Cocoa & Maple Marshmallows
Chelsea Harrison7 Comments

Quinoa and Avocado Veggie Bowl with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Last week marked the autumnal equinox, the end of summer and the beginning of fall, a day when sunlight and darkness are equal in balance.  As this day approached I was feeling completely out of balance.  In an effort to "reset" myself, I decided to try a juice cleanse.  I had tried one five years ago, but I wasn't as invested in my health at that point in time, so I decided to give it another shot.

While I know that many people benefit from juice cleanses, I can now safely say that juice fasting is not for me.  As someone who typically has a good relationship with food, I suddenly felt obsessed.  I was so hungry that I was craving junk foods that have never interested me.  I don't normally have any "rules" about what I eat.  I simply eat what appeals to me while trying to make the most nourishing choices I can.  But as soon as foods were off limits, they were all that I could think about.  Half way through the third and final day I decided to break the cleanse.  I was so hungry that I knew if I kept it up I'd end up eating something unhealthy.  By stopping early I was able to make a more sensible yet delicious choice: quinoa and avocado veggie bowl with tahini lemon dressing.

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Quinoa and Avocado Veggie Bowl with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Chelsea Harrison5 Comments

Summer Corn Salad

Whoa.  Summer is coming to a close and I haven't even shared one of my favorite summer dishes.  One reason I haven't posted this is that I've been distracted by weather.  I'll have plenty of time to work on the site when it's cold outside and I'm trapped indoors.  Right? But another reason is this nagging idea of perfection.  Sometimes I fall into a spiral of thinking that I should wait until I have higher quality photos, create more complex recipes, or find some other excuse not to post a recipe.  And what happens when I think like that is nothing.  I stop creating and I stop sharing.  It's time to overcome that idea of perfection and share with you all a recipe that is not elegant and complex, but simple and beautiful.  And the pictures may be low quality iPhone shots, but the important thing is to keep creating, keep sharing, and stop being so hard on myself.  I feel better already.

This recipe is incredibly simple to make, yet crazy delicious.  Whenever I make this, people ask for the recipe or beg me to make it again.  And while it's still summer, I am trying to take advantage of eating these delicious seasonal foods while I can.

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Summer Corn Salad
Chelsea Harrison7 Comments

Summer Basil Rolls

Last week my friend Alice asked me what I eat when I don't feel like cooking, haven't planned a recipe, or when the refrigerator is looking sparse.  Great question! On my journey toward a more natural slow food diet I used to eat really well until I hit speed bumps.  If I was really tired, didn't feel well, or simply wasn't inspired, I turned to takeout and processed foods.  I'd know that somewhere in the pantry I'd find a bag of zero-nutrition crackers with a scary-long shelf-life.  After eating I'd have even less energy than I had before.

Once I got to a point where I was buying almost no processed foods, eating like that simply stopped being an option.  Now when I don't feel up to cooking, the choices for foods I can grab and eat are fruits, veggies, or nuts.  And I often find that after a handful of cashews or an apple my energy comes back enough to prepare something substantial.

But I'm not always in the mood for twig-and-berries kinds of snacks, so I try to plan ahead for times when cooking isn't going to happen.  When I make a meal with a grain (quinoa, farro, rice, etc.), I make a double batch of the grains to keep on hand in the fridge.  And if I make soup, I always make more than I need so that I can refrigerate or freeze some.  My freezer is always stocked with fruit for smoothies and I love to make flourless seed and nut breads and keep them in the freezer as well.

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Summer Basil Rolls
Chelsea Harrison5 Comments

Naked Fig Galette

Last week I made this simple galette and posted a photo of it on Instagram.  Judging by the reaction, I take it you want the recipe.  Right?  I made my crust from spelt flour because I love the flavor and like having an alternative to wheat.  But if you want to make things really easy on yourself, you can always by pre-made organic pie crust and have this ready in a matter of minutes.  There is no shame in store bought pie crust when you're in a pinch!  Now go make this one fast before fig season ends!

Chelsea Harrison5 Comments
Naked Fig Galette