Chelsea HarrisonComment

Plantain Porridge

Chelsea HarrisonComment
Plantain Porridge
Plantain Porridge
Plantain Porridge

Throughout my life I have had a love affair with grains.  As a teenager I would have a bagel for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and pasta for dinner.  Okay, maybe it was more than an affair.  It was an addiction.  And I was eating the least nourishing grain of all - white flour.  During this time I suffered from depression and low energy.  Changing my diet to include more fruits and vegetables and nearly eliminating white flour has me feeling the happiest and healthiest I've ever felt in my life.

I still have a love affair with grains; I just choose nourishing whole grains and pseudo-grains like quinoa, amaranth, farro, and spelt.  And since I know I'm inclined to eat a lot of grains, I try to look for opportunities in my cooking to swap a grain out for produce without sacrificing the integrity of the dish.  This recipe makes that healthy swap seamlessly.

Plantains are an especially starchy fruit, so they provide that hearty, stick-to-your-ribs feeling you may crave if you are cutting back on grains.  Plantains are high in vitamins A, C, and B6 as well as potassium.  One of the best things about plantains though is the price.  I'll admit, sometimes my recipes can get a little pricey.  Not this one though.

So if you have trouble digesting grains, or if you, like me, want to replace some of your grains with fruits and veggies, try this simple and affordable breakfast recipe.

Plantain Porridge
Plantain Porridge

Plantain Porridge

Ingredients:

2 plantains

1 can coconut milk (check to see that the can is BPA free)

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup coconut sugar (or sweetener of your choice)

1/8 tsp cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

Dash of salt

Lemon Zest

1. Cut off the ends of the plantains and peel them.  Using a cheese grater, shred the plantains and put them in a medium saucepan.

2. Add all of the other ingredients except the lemon zest to the saucepan and bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat to low and continue to simmer until desired thickness, about 25 minutes, stirring often.

4. Serve with lemon zest.  This is optional, but it really compliments the flavor and is easy to do so I encourage you to take this extra step.

Enjoy as is or top it as you would other breakfast porridges with nuts, seeds, or fruit.

Plantain Porridge
Plantain Porridge

Chelsea Harrison12 Comments

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Porridge

Autumn is undeniably here with its chilly mornings.  And while I'm not quite ready to say goodbye to smoothies, I have been waking up craving warm cooked breakfasts.  One of my favorite breakfast recipes comes from the incredibly talented Sarah Britton of My New Roots.  She is an absolute genius in the kitchen and I've never tried a recipe of hers that I didn't like.  Her pumpkin pie amaranth porridge is incredible and just what I've been in the mood for lately.

Unfortunately, when I am in a hurry in the morning it can be hard to find time to cook a hot breakfast.  So I decided to make my version of Sarah's pumpkin porridge in a slow cooker.  You don't have to stir constantly or wake up early.  Just throw the ingredients in, turn the slow cooker on, and wake up to a hot healthy breakfast.

Chelsea Harrison12 Comments
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Porridge
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.

Chelsea Harrison7 Comments
Quinoa and Avocado Veggie Bowl with Lemon Tahini Dressing
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.

Chelsea Harrison7 Comments
Summer Basil Rolls
Chelsea HarrisonComment

One Crust Two Ways! Strawberry Basil Tarts + Tomato Ricotta Tart

Today is a two-for-one! Using this one crust recipe you can decide to make sweet Strawberry Basil Tarts or a savory Tomato Ricotta Tart.  Or both!  And if you are gluten-sensitive, this is your lucky day.  Both delicious options are gluten-free.

As you may have noticed by now, I like to find ways to swap out white flour for more nourishing foods and this particular swap adds tons of flavor to the tarts.  The magic behind the recipe is the almond meal crust.  Because almonds are high in fat, they create a rich, buttery tasting crust and a more complex flavor than white flour.

Chelsea HarrisonComment
One Crust Two Ways! Strawberry Basil Tarts + Tomato Ricotta Tart
Chelsea Harrison6 Comments

Raw Buckwheat Porridge with Lavender Blueberry Chia Jam

One of the first raw recipes I ever tried was a raw buckwheat porridge.  I really wanted to love it, but I just wasn't sold.  After playing around with the recipe a bit, I've finally come up with one I love.  And the best part of all...it is the simplest recipe I tested.  It is creamy and filling.  And since it is a basic recipe you can easily jazz it up.  Add 2 tsp raw cacao to make it chocolatey.  Or blend in fresh berries for a pink and fruity porridge.  Or if you're like me, you might just like to keep it simple but load it up with fruit. 

Chelsea Harrison6 Comments
Raw Buckwheat Porridge with Lavender Blueberry Chia Jam