avocado cucumber gazpacho

 

BRB PUMPKIN, there is an avocado gazpacho in town! this might be the most refreshing gazpacho i have ever tasted. i love a cucumber, honey & mint combo, so it seemed like a natural pairing for this recipe. the addition of the avocado makes for the perfect creamy texture. this is a great recipe for those who want to savour those last few days of summer before all the fall & winter comfort foods take over! while the bulk of gazpachos are finished off with heavy cream, this one features nutpods unsweetened original creamer. it is a dairy free creamer made of almond butter and coconut cream! i use it in my coffee every morning to add that creaminess you don't get from regular almond or coconut milk.

p.s. i just saw nutpods released a pumpkin spice dairy free creamer for coffee & i need it like, yesterday.

p.p.s. if you are in canada, all of nutpods creamers are available on naturamarket.ca!

happy last weekend of summer friends! xo

ingredients

  • 3 medium (or two large) ripe avocados
  • 2 cups cucumber, peeled & roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon raw honey
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup unsweetened nutpods original creamer
  • 2 cups water, cold
  • sea salt & pepper, to taste
  • 1 scallion, thinly sliced (for garnish)

directions

  • in a blender add the avocado flesh, cucumber, mint, lime juice, raw honey, olive oil & creamer. pulse a few times until well mixed.
  • pour in the water one cup at a time until you reach desired consistency. blend until silky & smooth.
  • season with a touch of sea salt & freshly cracked black pepper.
  • serve as is or with a drizzle of olive oil, nutpods creamer & scallions.

broccoli + chicken mac and cheese bake

 

how freaking amazing does this mac and cheese look? not to toot my own horn, but when i pulled this out of the oven i could barely finish taking pictures before diving into it. the top is so crispy & bubbly! i didn't even feel the need to put a bread crumb topping. usually the bread crumb topping is my favourite part of a baked mac & cheese, but honestly this one didn't need it at all. the aged cheddar mixed with the broccoli & chicken provided more then enough flavour. broccoli is one of my favourite vegetables & it pairs perfectly with cheddar cheese. this is a good way to sneak some vegetables into your kids (or your mans) dinner.

i baked the mac & cheese in the cutest white porcelain chicken roaster from REVOL. it is such a unique roasting pan that can be used as a baking dish, roaster for a whole chicken, salad bowl or as some decor in the kitchen! my grandma used to have a very similar chicken dish on her counter & she always hid the candy in it. i might just have to do the same thing with this one. lastly, it is made of culinary porcelain just like the pasta bowls so it is durable and dishwasher safe.

now fire up that oven and lets bake some mac and cheese! we are going to need it to stay warm and toasty this season. who want's a bowl?!

ingredients

  • 1 pound macaroni, cooked to al dente
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • 1 cup half & half
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • salt & pepper
  • 3 cups old white cheddar cheese, plus more for topping
  • 2 cups steamed broccoli, roughly chopped
  • 2 cups chicken breast, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup asiago cheese, for topping (optional)

directions

  • preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • cook pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente (use package time).
  • in a separate pot over medium heat add the butter & flour. stir constantly & cook until a lump free roux forms, about 2 minutes.
  • add the shallots, garlic & dijon. cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
  • add the half & half, whole milk & bay leaf. simmer for ten minutes.
  • remove from heat and stir in the grated cheese until it is fully melted.
  • fold in macaroni, broccoli & chicken.
  • pour into desired baking dish and sprinkle with additional cheese (about 1 cup).
  • bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

this posted is created in partnership with REVOL USA (1768). they make the highest quality porcelain cookware in france. you can find the featured chicken roaster here & the bowls here. thank you for supporting the brands that support this blog!

pear pancetta risotto

 

as the sweaters come out (YAY) & the temperature drops (double YAY) i am ready to introduce all the comforting cold weather foods back into my diet. while i am someone who makes risotto during the summer months too, i know not everyone wants to stand over a steamy hot stove for an hour in the dog days of summer! this risotto recipe is inspired by all things fall & features the sweet taste of fresh tree ripened pears from the orchard.

off topic: is anyone as excited as me to go apple picking this month?!? okay, back to the risotto.

to start this risotto off, i opted for cambria wine's: benchbreak chardonnay. i can't stress how important it is to cook with good quality wines & this chardonnay adds the perfect flavour base to any flavour of risotto! it features a lively fruit & oak spice aroma that pairs perfectly with the pears. i used pancetta to add a touch of heartiness & saltiness, but prosciutto or guanciale would be an excellent subsittue as well. cured italian meats make every dish better. lastly, i highly reccomend using a low sodium chicken stock. this allows you to control the amount of salt that gets added to the rissoto as the rice soaks up the stock because there is no saving a salty risotto!

ingredients

  • 6 cups low sodium chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 2 pears, peeled & diced
  • 1/2 cup pancetta, diced
  • 1 teaspoon sage
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
  • 3/4 cup cambria wines: benchbreak chardonnay
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

directions

  • heat chicken stock in a large pot over low heat.
  • in a separate skillet over medium-low heat add the butter, oil, onion, pears, pancetta & sage. season with salt & pepper.
  • cook until the onions are translucent & the pears have softened.
  • add the rice & cook until the rice begins to turn translucent. about a minute.
  • turn skillet down to low heat & add the wine. once the rice has absorbed the liquid, add a ladle full of chicken stock. once the stock is absorbed add another ladle full stirring in between each addition. continue this step until the rice is fully cooked throughout (about 6 cups of stock). taste it to confirm the rice is cooked throughout.
  • stir in the parmesan cheese & a touch of cracked black pepper. serve immediately.