The Making of Peppermint Patties

December 19, 2016 Nicola Parisi

I first started making peppermint patties when it dawned on me that rather than purchasing store-bought chocolate, I could make it myself. It was part of a much longer process of realizing that I had a sugar addiction that had gotten out of hand. I went a few weeks of removing processed sugar from my diet, only to find myself binging on other food groups (salty tortilla chips, sweet potato fries, you name it).

Rather than completely eliminate sugar from my diet, I gave myself a new mantra: "You can have whatever dessert you want, so long as you make it yourself." So began a 2 year long process of developing my own recipes that were intended to remove some of the guilt from eating dessert. Peanut butter cups made with real peanut butter, brown rice syrup, cacao powder, coconut oil? SO much better than a Reese's. Beyond the satisfaction of great tasting treats was the feeling of accomplishment that comes from experimentation.

This recipe for peppermint patties was born out of a chocolate fudge recipe that I had developed months prior. And it has since given birth to a recipe for Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. What I love most about this journey with sugar is the artistic outlet it has provided for me. Maybe the first time you make this recipe you'll follow it to a T.... but I encourage you to have fun with it and put your own twists on it after! Here's to experimentation!

PEPPERMINT PATTIES
Inspired by Emma Galloway, "My Darling Lemon Thyme"

INSTRUCTIONS

1)   PEPPERMINT FILLING: Melt coconut oil and allow it to cool a little. Combine all ingredients in a food processor, blender, or Magic Bullet.
2)   Put mini muffin baking wrappers into ice cube tray molds. Pour peppermint filling into each mini muffin baking wrappers.
3)   Place trays in the freezer for ~20 minutes.
4)   DARK CHOCOLATE COATING: Melt coconut oil and combine with all other ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together.
5)   Pour a think layer of chocolate into each ice cube tray mold.
6)   Once peppermint fillings are firm, carefully take them out of the wrapper and place them in the ice cube tray molds.
7)   Pour chocolate over peppermints fillings so that they are completely covered.
8)   Place trays back in the freezer for ~10 minutes.
9)   Once patties are firm, pop out of molds to enjoy! Store in freezer.

INGREDIENTS

PEPPERMINT FILLING
½ c cashews (soaked in cold water for 1-3 hrs)
½ c coconut oil (melted)
¼ c brown rice syrup
2 tbsp almond milk
½ tsp peppermint extract
Handful of fresh peppermint leaves

DARK CHOCOLATE COATING
½ c coconut oil
1/8 c carob powder
¼ c cacao powder
2 tbsp coconut nectar or agave
½ tsp vanilla
½ c almond butter
pinch of salt

Lovely Lavender Sun Tea

November 15, 2016 Nicola Parisi

Sun teas are one of the easiest things to make. You can do this so long as you have a window sill, or a bright patch of light in your house. When possible, I make sun teas outside on my back deck and let them sit for at least 5 hours. The more time they sit, the more flavorful the tea!

To make sun tea, use a glass jar that can be sealed. You can use tea bags, or loose leaf tea. Every weekend, I walk to my neighborhood farmers market and almost always acquire a hand-blended loose leaf tea from the lovely Yerba Buena Tea Co. Their owner, Grace, recommends blending their Lavender Ginger Mint Tea with a little honey and fresh cucumber slices. My favorite honey is from the Bay Area Bee Co - it is local to San Francisco, where I live, and is absolutely delicious. I like that it comes from bees that are buzzing close to my home. I always recommend supporting your neighborhood businesses and buying products that are sourced locally - but Yerba Buena Tea does ship their products :)

LOVELY LAVENDER SUN TEA (Serves 4)
1 32-oz Ball Jar
2-3 heaping tbsp Yerba Buena Tea Co's Lavender Ginger Mint Tea
8-12 fresh cucumber slices (2-3 per glass)
1/2 tsp local raw honey (per glass)

Place loose leaf tea in a tea steeper or tea bag in large Mason or Ball jar. I use the standard 32-oz (quart) size.
Place tea in jar and fill jar to the brim with water. Tightly secure lid on the jar.
Think about the position of the sun and it's lunar energy. Place the jar in a sun spot that feels right to you. This can be on a porch, in a patch of grass, or by a window inside your home. If you are making sun tea indoors, you may need more time to steep.
Once the water turns a deeper caramel color, your tea is ready! It depends on the intensity of the sun and where you've placed your jar, but this could take anywhere from 3 hours on a sunny day to 6 hours on a partly sunny/chillier day.
You can add the cucumber slices and raw honey directly to your large mason jar if you are planning to serve all of its contents immediately. If you plan to keep the tea for a few days and only have one serving at a time, I prefer to keep the large mason jar in the fridge and only add the honey and cucumber when I'm ready to serve.

This tea is especially lovely on a warm day, but can also be a nice, calming, drink to have in the evening. Enjoy!

- Nicola

Delicata Squash & Cutting Along the Lifeline

November 15, 2016 Laura Parisi

Have you given this beauty from nature a try? When I first saw delicata squash I was intrigued not only by the shape and color, but also thinking the size was just perfect for one or two people to share. But I was also a little intimidated as to how to cut and cook it, until I started to study and learn more about the Science of Ayurveda. While attending the Wise Earth School of Ayurveda, in Candler, North Carolina, Maya Tiwari taught us how to Om with the cows, chant while grinding spices, understand the psychospiritual nature of the body types, meditate while making ghee and yes, she taught us how to cut and prepare the vegetables!

The Sadhana of the Vegetables: Firstly it starts with reverence and respect for the universal intelligence that knows. What this means to me is to honor the plants themselves, for they hold the genetic blueprint of their shape, size, color, and purpose in the great cosmic scheme of existence! We learned that the natural grain of each vegetable will tell you how it is to be cleaned and cut.

For delicata squash, we begin by cutting off each end, representing the top and bottom energy of the vegetable. The next cut is along the lifeline, moving from the top, through the middle and then the bottom of the squash. Scoop out the seeds and stringy fiber with a spoon. (You can save the seeds for future planting, or order seeds from some of my favorite seed suppliers). The following is a recipe I'd like to share with you to enjoy during these months of Thanksgiving and Peace.

Delicata Curried Crescent Moons (serves 4-6)
3 delicata squash
3 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

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1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2) Wash and dry the squash. Cut off each end, then cut lengthwise along the lifeline.
3) Scoop out seeds with a spoon, then cut across the squash into 1/2 inch crescent moons. Place in a bowl.
4) Melt the ghee or coconut oil in a small saucepan. Allow to cool slightly, then drizzle the oil onto the squash. Add the curry powder and salt, mix to blend.
5) Place squash on a baking sheet and roast in the oven approx. 15 -20 min per side, until golden

Yum! And the best part is that the skin is edible!!

Health benefits of winter squash: Squash is considered a warming food that is medicinal to the spleen-pancreas and stomach; it improves energy circulation, is exceptionally high in complex carbohydrates and is medicinal for diabetics and for those with digestive problems. It provides vitamins A and C, potassium, iron, riboflavin and magnesium and is very low in sodium. Most winter squashes are tridoshic, meaning they are foods that are common to all constitutional types.