Sweet Potato Pie ~ A Gluten-Free Recipe with GAPS & Paleo Options

Sweet potato pie is a huge part of holiday feasts in some circles.  In others, it's never even made an appearance, which is a travesty.  Let's change this, for the sake of humanity and historic preservation.  This yummy dessert has been brought out of ovens with gloved hands since before these States were Untied. Sweet potato pie made it's debut in the 16th century and has been enjoyed ever since.  

This gluten-free rendition of it is a modified version of Paula Deen's filling and Elana's crust.  It worked out really well.  I wasn't planning on posting about it or more pictures would have been taken (and better ones at that), but I don't want to forget this compilation and all the tweaks made, so please forgive the lack of quality and quantity when it comes to the photographs.

Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Pie

Prep time: 30 minutes, bake time: 2 hours (divided), 8-10 servings

For the crust:

• 2 cups blanched almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• 2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil
• 1 egg

For the filling:

• 2 cups sweet potatoes (or yams), about 2
• 1 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter or 8 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (learn how to make your own here)
• 1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup milk (dairy or coconut)

For the topping:

• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 cup honey or grade B maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 350º.  Peel sweet potatoes, cut them into fourths, and place in pot.  Fill with water just to cover sweet potatoes.  Cover and bring to a boil, boiling for 15-25 minutes, or until the pieces are very soft.
2. While the sweet potatoes boil, assemble crust by placing all crust ingredients in the food processor and run it until the dough forms a ball.  Press dough into a 9-inch pie pan.
3. Place all filling ingredients into the mixer and mix until well-combined.  Pour filling into the prepared crust.  If you have any leftover filling, simply grease a glass dish of your choice (bread, another pie dish, or in some ramekins) and bake along with the pie.  Then you'll have some yummy custard.  Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a clean knife pierced in the middle of the pie comes out.  Cool completely on a cooling rack.
4. To make the meringue topping, whip egg whites in your mixer with a whisk attachment until peeks form.  As it continues to whip, slowly pour in maple syrup.  Using a spatula. spread topping over the pie, making sure you can't see any of the filling underneath.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the topping's peeks are lightly brown.  Allow to cool and serve slightly warm or completely cool.

I'm sharing this at Monday Mania, Pennywise Platter, Simple Lives Thursday.

How To Use Every Scrap of Thanksgiving Leftovers

Thanksgiving leftovers?  I know, it's not even Thursday yet, but if I don't have a game plan ready, those leftovers are overwhelming and stuffing them back in the fridge for later can feel pointless.  What am I going to do with it all, anyway?  Using what's left of the annual feast can really save a lot of money.  Besides, it would be a shame to let all that hard work  it took to prepare those dishes go to waste.  Here are ways to actually enjoy what's left:

Turkey

Let's start with the big one.  There's so much more that can be done besides turkey tetrazzini.

• Stop!  Don't even throw the carcass out!  Use it to make nourishing stock.  Here is a recipe for chicken stock.  Turkey stock can be made the same way.  You'll enjoy soup for days.
• Sandwiches & wraps.  My favorite way to whip up a Black Friday lunch is to spread some cream cheese over a tortilla or two pieces of bread (or even leftover rolls!), stack some turkey on there, and spoon some cranberry sauce on top.  Roll up the wrap or put that sandwich together.  Yummers.
• Get out your favorite chicken soup recipe and use turkey instead.  What a warming thing to slurp after hanging those Christmas lights up outside.  Freeze any leftovers to pull out on a crazy December night.  No need for take-out!
• Are you just tired of turkey?  Freeze it in one-pound portions to take out for later.  I like to use it in quesadillas, nachos, over a bed or rice with cheese sprinkled on top, or even in a salad.
• Stay tuned!  Later this week I have a spacial dish to share with you.  It's a delicious home for your turkey.  You will love it.

photo credit

Mashed Potatoes

• Enjoy some potato pancakes the following morning.  This recipe shows you how.  I use coconut flour or arrowroot powder instead of wheat flour and Ghee instead of vegetable oil.
• Use it in this nourishing potato soup recipe on place of potatoes.  Use 2-3 cups mashed potatoes.
• Of course, there's always shepherd's pie.  Use leftover turkey meat instead of ground meat and you get double points!  Use fresh mushrooms or omit altogether.  Use arrowroot powder instead of wheat flour.  Omit bullion.  You're good to go.

photo credit

Cranberry Sauce

• Swirl some in with your next bowl of oatmeal.
• Use it in your favorite pumpkin bread, pumpkin scone, or even pumpkin pancake recipe in place of pumpkin, cup for cup.  Voila!  Cranberry bread and scones!
• Use 1 cup of it and omit fresh cranberries and dates from this cranberry walnut smoothie recipe and you've got yourself a snack.

photo credit

Sweet Potato (Yam) Casserole

• The same concept can be used as cranberry sauce!  Use it in place of pumpkin puree for any pumpkin recipe (scones, bread, pancakes...).  The nutty top from the casserole gives it an extra yum factor.
• Use 1 cup of it instead of persimmons in this smoothie recipe.  Trust me.  It's good.
• Bonus!  You can also make sweet potato cake with it using an apple cake recipe.  Just use 1 cup sweet potato casserole instead of apples.  It works!

photo credit

Green Bean Casserole

• Here we go, folks.  A triple-point dish.  You know that shepherd's pie recipe mentioned above in the mashed potato section?  Eliminate the milk and arrowroot powder altogether and simple mix leftover turkey with 3 cups leftover green bean casserole and you've got yourself a dinner!
• Saute 5 cloves garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes in 1 tablespoon olive oil just for a minute.  Then add 1-3 cups green bean casserole to the garlic, stir, and heat through.  Serve over a bed of rice or rice noodles and sprinkle parmesan cheese and freshly-ground pepper on top.

photo credit

Stuffing

• Beat an egg or two, add stuffing (about 1 cup per person), and mix well.  Melt butter or ghee in a skillet, shape the mixture into little cakes and fry like pancakes.  Spoon leftover cranberry sauce on top of cooked stuffing cakes.
• Mix 2 cups stuffing, 1 beaten egg, 1 cup chopped leafy greens, and 1 cup grated cheese.  Form into 1-inch balls and bake at 350º for 10-15 minutes or until firm.  Use like meatballs.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are ready.  Bring on the leftovers.  We know how to use 'em.  Let's to this thing.

I'm sharing this at Monday Mania, Real Food Wednesday.

Gluten-Free, Grain-Free Chocolate-Drizzled Pumpkin Muffins ~ A Recipe

Muffins are my favorite go-to for this time of year.  It's cold enough to bake, they're quick to make, they are a yummy breakfast and are also great for snacks and with lunches, and they freeze well.  Since we make a double batch of them each week, I need to change up the ingredients a bit so they don't all end up being almost identical.  Adding a little chocolate drizzle definitely makes them feel like a special treat.  If you'd prefer to opt out of the drizzle, no big dizzle.  They're still the bomb-schnizzle.  Yo.

Grain-Free, Chocolate-Drizzled Pumpkin Muffins

Prep time: 10 min, bake time: 20 min, makes 2 dozen muffins

For the batter:

• 1 cup milk (dairy or coconut)
• 1 cup puréed pumpkin (here's how to make your own)
• 2/3 cup honey or maple syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 7 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup blanched almond flour
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves

For the drizzle:

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil

1. Preheat oven to 350º.  Grease or line 18 muffin tins.  Put all batter ingredients in blender and blend on high for 45-60 seconds.  You might need to use the agitator to make sure everything mixes well.  Pour batter into muffin tins about 2/3 the way up.  Bake for 18-20 minutes or until not jiggly. 
2. As the muffins cool, mix chocolate chips and coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat until melted.  Use a spoon to drizzle chocolate over warm muffins.  Enjoy!

~ Browse more Riddlelove recipes here. ~

I'm sharing this at Monday Mania, Real Food Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter, Fight Back Friday.

Gluten-Free, Grain-Free Persimmon Cookies ~ A Recipe

Getting weekly produce boxes has given such inspiration to step out and try new things.  We had persimmons in this last box.  I've heard they make good cookies, so I thought I'd give them a try, gluten-free style.

I've also found great value in the pestle and mortar.  Not only is it lovely using freshly-powdered spices, it's a great job for little kitchen helpers (and a wonderful sensory experience).

Puréeing the persimmons is quite simple.  If you have a high-speed blender like a Vita-Mix, there's no need to peel it.  Just cut off the tops and cut it into about six pieces.  Run it through the blender until smooth. If you're using a different blender or food processor, you'll also want to peel it first.

Also, make sure your cookie dough balls are kinda tall because they spread.

See?

Gluten-Free Persimmon Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen cookies

• 2 cups blanched almond flour
• 3/4 cup whole cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup persimmon purée
• 1/2 cup softened butter or coconut oil
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. In a mixer blend flour, soda, salt, and spices.
3. In a large glass measuring cup or a bowl, whisk together purée, syrup, oil, egg, and vanilla.
4. Pour liquid mixture into dry mixture and beat for about 30 seconds.  Turn the mixer to low and add pecans and raisins.
5. Spoon batter onto 2 baking sheets.  If they're not stoneware, grease baking sheets or lay parchment paper onto the sheets.  Leave plenty of room in between cookies, they spread.  Bake 16-20 minutes.  Allow to sit on sheets for about 20 minutes, then serve warm.  Store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

~ Browse more Riddlelove recipes here. ~

I'm sharing this at Monday Mania, Barn Hop, Traditional Tuesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, Frugal Ways, Sustainable Days, Pennywise Platter, Fresh Bites Friday, Fight Back Friday, Farm House Friday.

Preparing Perfect Pumpkin Purée & Pepitas ~ Recipes

'Tis officially pumpkin season, ladies and gents!  This makes for a very happy heart in yours truly.  We adore pumpkins around here: pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, pumpkin scones, pumpkin pancakes...  Not to mention the zinc-rich pepitas!  Raw is how we take those good ol' pumpkin seeds.  Soaked and dehydrated first, if you please.  Actually, let me clarify.  Our all-time favorite (for both squash and seed) is the kabocha.  If you can get your hands on some, do give them a try.  Here's how we process our pumpkins (and kabochas):

First of all, turn on some music and light a fall-ish candle or two.  Make it a special seasonal moment.  (Before you know it, it'll turn into a yearly tradition.)  My playlist includes Turkey in the Straw, bluegrass-style.  There's the word "pumpkin" in it, and I like themes.  It streamlines my brain, I think.  Now, most recipes will tell you to use those cute lil' pie pumpkins.  They can sometimes have a darker color, and some say they're sweeter, but let's be honest.  Pretty much everything we make with pumpkin is sweetened, right?  This time around, I'm using a ten pounder and I've had great success with these beasts.  There are two ways I like to roast the meat, but let's not get ahead of ourselves, shall we?

Cut your pumpkin in half.  If it's a biggun like mine, cut each half into a few wedges or even into fourths.  Scrape the seeds and stringy guts out with a spoon and put them in a bowl.  Let's just keep them there for a minute.  We'll come back to you, lovely pepitas.

There are two ways to roast a pumpkin:

Oven-Roasted Pumpkins

• Preheat oven to 350º.
• Use the biggest glass pan you have (you may even need to use two), put about a cup of filtered water in the pan, place pumpkins flesh-down in the pan, and roast for about 1 hour or until you can stick a fork in it (hence the "fork" saying).
• Allow to cool, then scoop flesh out with a spoon into a food processor and pulse a few times to purée.  You'll need to do this in a few batches.  Over-stuffing the food processor leads to liquifying the bottom half and leaving a chunky top half.  Store in glass mason jars.  It freezes well (though I'd like to can it one of these days; my freezer is about to erupt with bulk-bought grass-fed beef, bone broth, and berries).

Crock Pot Pumpkins

• Turn slow cooker on high, add a little water, stuff pumpkin slices in, and cook for about 4 hours.
• Allow to cool, then spoon into a food processor and pulse a few times to purée.  You'll need to do this in a few batches.  Over-stuffing the food processor leads to liquifying the bottom half and leaving a chunky top half. Store in mason jars.  Freezes well (but I want to can it, I tell you!)

My method of choice?


The oven.  It's faster and the pumpkin isn't as watery once it's cooked.


On to the Pepitas:


First, squeeze the seeds out of the membranes and into a colander (see pictures above).  I know that sounds gross, but it's really not.  I promise.  It's actually kinda therapeutic if you ask me.  Treat the chickens to the gooey stuff.  If you don't have chickens (I'm sorry), compost it along with the pumpkin skin and you'll give the earth a treat.  Rinse the pepitas.


Here's the deal.  I tried hulling a batch, thinking my family would appreciate them more, but I came to find out that they actually look forward to the salty, whole pepitas every year.  Well that is just fine with me.  Besides, I didn't have a good experience trying to hull them (I used this method).  Please let me know if you've had success with this operation.  I'd love to hear some tips.

The Riddle household pepita of choice is simply soaking them in a brine of water and about a tablespoon of Celtic sea salt overnight, draining them (don't rinse them), and then dehydrating them at 104º until crispy.  You can add seasoning to the brine if you'd like, like garlic powder, parsley flakes, onion powder, etc.  But my family is full of purists when it comes this, so I stick with just the salt.

Enjoy!

~ Browse more Riddlelove recipes here. ~

I'm sharing this at Barn Hop, Traditional Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday,Simple Lives Thursday,Pennywise Platter, Fresh Bites Friday, Fight Back Friday, Farm Girl Friday.

Creamy Tomato Bisque ~ A Recipe using Fresh Tomatoes

Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes.

After making countless batches of delicious, fresh salsa and storing up jars of homemade ketchup, what else to do with the last of these jewels of summer?  Now that the days are shorter and the nights are deliciously crisp, how about a nice, comforting bowl of creamy tomato bisque (a.k.a. Jeremy's all-time favorite soup)?  Pair it with a buttery, sourdough drilled cheese sandwich, yes?  Let's do this thing.

I used whatever tomatoes I had on hand, which happened to be this:

and it added up to about 8 cups whole & puréed.

The scent of sautéing the aromatic veggies in that bacon grease is some kinda wonderful, I tell you.

Now, this recipe does need to reduce for about 45 minutes to an hour, so start it around 4:30 if you're wanting to eat at 6:00.  I actually love the time in between.  It feels like being given free time to tie up any loose ends of the day because technically, it's during dinner prep. The fragrance sure does whet the appetite, and look how pretty it's already getting! (Also, about a half hour before reduction was done, I started preparing the garnishes and grilled cheese.)

It's nice how the pot tells you the soup has reduced by the ring above, don't you think?

So.  Chiffonade basil.  Such a fancy name for a simple technique.  Here's what ya do:  roll the fresh basil leaves up and slice them thinly.  The end.

Creamy Tomato Bisque
Serves 6

• About 8 cups tomatoes
• 4 Tablespoons bacon grease (Just do it.  Trust me on this one.  Or use butter if it's too much to wrap your mind around.)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 1/4 cup arrowroot powder whisked into 1/4 cup cold water
• 1 quart chicken stock
• Several sprigs of thyme tied together
• 1 pinch (or 2 or 3) red pepper flakes
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 4 (or 5 or 6) cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup créme fraiche
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Celtic sea salt

Optional (but oh so necessary) Garnishes:

• Several fresh basil leaves, cut chiffonade-style (see picture above)
• Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
• Ground pepper (it's such a pretty finish)
• A drizzle of balsamic vinegar (you kinda need this one)

1. Purée tomatoes in blender (a high-speed like a Vita-Mix is best) until thoroughly blended.
2. Heat soup pot with bacon grease until melted and add onion, carrot, and celery.  Sauté until the onions are translucent.  Briefly whisk in arrowroot powder/water mixture.  It might become gelatinous but it will thin out as you continue with the recipe.  Add stock and puréed tomatoes and continue to whisk until it's brought to a boil.
3. Turn heat to medium-low and add thyme sprigs, red pepper flakes, and pepper.  Keep the top open and allow soup to reduce to about 1/3 (about 45 minutes to 1 hour), stirring occasionally.
4. Turn off heat and compost thyme sprigs.  If you don't mind your soup a little lumpy, add remaining ingredients, run an emersion blender through it, and you're good to go.  If you're like my husband and enjoy the bisque as smooth as possible, you may also want to pour it through a sieve, composting any chunks.

Enjoy!

~ Browse more Riddlelove recipes here. ~

I'm sharing this at Monday Mania, Barn Hop, Traditional Tuesday, Fight Back Friday, Fresh Bites Friday & Pennywise Platter.

Applesauce Day with my Eldest ~ And a Slow Cooker Recipe

We might not have come home with bushels of apples from apple-picking day, but the week's CSA box included a dozen gorgeous Granny Smith's and we were hankering for some applesauce.  My eldest wanted to help make it, which was a delight to the ears.  I was hoping for some quality time with her, and the other kids were either swimming (yes, it's still hot enough for that here) or playing with building blocks.  She decided to leave the peeling to me (the little darling), so I listened to her read out loud while I peeled away.

The grapes honestly have nothing to do with this post, but they just keep showing up in the pictures.  Silly grapes.

After peeling all twelve apples, we sliced away and dropped them in the crock pot,

added the juice of one lemon (for no real reason outside of wanting the tartness.  The apples will be brown from all the spices so we really didn't need to protect the coloring),

and stirred in the spices that are the very scent of autumn, in my book.

We turned the slow cooker on to low, put a lid on it, and four hours later...

a quick push or two with the potato masher, and we had six cups of delightfully spiced applesauce, just like that!

Our taste testers took to it right away and didn't want to waste any time finding a table to eat it on.  It was a hit!

It's so nice when there's time enough to realize that doing life with the little ones is what's important.  More important than getting the job done fast.  Even more important than getting the job done without a  mess.  Applesauce day with my nine-year-old ended up being quite the special day, and a very good reminder to slow down and remember that sharing life with the kids is the sweetest life there is.  It's poetry, I tell you.

Simple, Spiced, Slow Cooker Applesauce

Yields 8 cups

• 16 apples, peeled and cored
• Juice from 1 lemon (optional)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup grade B maple syrup or local honey (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1. Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and stir.  All spices are optional.  Pick and choose; use all, some, or none.  Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or until the apples are puffy-looking with small splits.
2. Use potato masher to get the applesauce to the consistency you'd like it (it took us about 5 seconds, the apples fall right apart).  Store in glass mason jars and keep in the fridge, or maybe even put some away in the freezer if you don't think you'll mow through it in two days like we did.  It will keep for about 10 days in the fridge.

Enjoy!

~ Browse more Riddlelove recipes here. ~

This post was featured on

I'm sharing this at Barn Hop, Traditional Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, Fresh Bites Friday, Fight Back Friday, & Pennywise Platter.

Farmhouse or Fancy? A Versatile Apple Spice Cake

I learned something important today.  I learned to never, ever cook while hungry.  Especially when preparing one's favorite kind of dish, which for me, happens to be in the form of a cake.  You know, like what I'm blogging about today.  It was all I could do to refrain from shoving my face into the batter, that's what.  I'm so glad I didn't.  I'd have missed out on the scrumptious, lightly crunchy, glazed-covered top.  Heavens, no.

Make it into a fancy tube cake or a farmy skillet cake, it doesn't mind.  It's a laid back kinda cake, full of real, unrefined ingredients that's quick to make, and best of all?  You don't have to peel the apples.  Yes, Lord.  I'll show you both methods of preparing this irresistibly moist cake.  Readysetgo.

Apple Spice Cake
Yields 12-14 servings; Prep time: 20 minutes; Bake time: 50-75 minutes


1 1/2 cups expeller pressed coconut oil (it doesn't taste like coconut)
2 cups rapadura
3 eggs
3 cups spelt flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups apples, grated

Topping:
3 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup turbinado sugar
3 Tablespoons whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pecans, whole or pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees if baking in a large cast iron skillet (I used a 10-inch) or 325 if baking in a tube pan.  Grease and flour skillet or pan.
2. Beat oil and rapadura together in a mixer.  Add eggs, one at a time, while beating on a lower speed.
3. Turn the mixer to a medium to low speed and add flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and vanilla.  Continue mixing until well incorporated.
4. Add grated apples and mix through.
5. Scoop batter into the skillet or tube pan and bake for 50 minutes in the skillet or 60-75 minutes in the tube pan, or until a knife plunged into the center comes out clean.  If cooking in the tube pan, wait about 10 minutes and turn the cake out onto a serving dish.  If preparing in the skillet, leave it be.
6. To make the topping, combine all topping ingredients except the nuts in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Let boil for 1 minute, still stirring constantly, then remove from heat.  On a still-warm cake, immediately sprinkle the nuts and then drizzle the topping over the nuts.  Spread topping over the top of the cake.

Farmhouse cake

Fancy cake

~Browse more riddlelove recipes here.~

California Autumn-Winter Salad ~ A Recipe

I'm not going to say that California is the best state in the world (or country.  Whatever).  That goes without saying.  Hehe.  This lil' ensalada is one big fat brag on the Golden State.  California absolutely pops in the Autumn. The colors.  The flavors.  The colorful flavors.  Look:

My husband suggests adding thin slices of smoked or sushi-grade salmon into the salad.  I love the way that man thinks.

California Autumn-Winter Salad
Prep time: about 20 minutes 
Serves 8


1 Tablespoon butter

1 1/2 cups pecans or walnuts (whole or in pieces)

2 Tablespoons honey

1 head in-season lettuce, chopped
2 cups Napa cabbage, thinly chopped
2 cups micro sprouts
1 pomegranate
1 pear
1 apple
1 avocado
1 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
2 cups grated Parmesan or crumbled feta (we recommend feta)

1. Prepare salad dressing (listed below) and let it sit while you craft the salad.
2. Caramelize the nuts by melting butter in a pan, then add the nuts and drizzle the honey over the nuts.  Stir well.  Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes.  Set aside.
3. Prepare the pomegranate over a bowl of water.  Slice pomegranate, then thumb out the seeds.  The membrane will float, the seeds will sink.  Pour out membranes and water from the bowl, strain the remaining water out, leaving the seeds alone with virtually no mess for you to clean up!  See pictures below.
4. Thinly slice the pear, apple, and avocado.
5. Combine all the salad ingredients in a large bowl.  Allow each person to pour desired amount of dressing over their bowl of salad. (Keeping the dressing separate allows you to make the salad ahead of time without it getting soggy.  You can prepare the salad a couple hours before serving, stored in the fridge.)

Honey-caremelized pecans

Step 1: slice pomegranate, get bowl of water.

Step 2: Thumb out the seeds into the water.

Step 3: Membranes are floating, seeds are sinking.  Success!

Step 4: Draining the membranes and water out.

Tada!  No mess!

We like our fruit chopped like this.

For the Dressing

2 chives, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (optional but recommended
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons raw honey
1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
pepper to taste
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients but oil.  Whisk dressing as you pour the oil in to incorporate it well.

~Browse more riddlelove recipes here.~

I'm Sharing this at: Pennywise Platter, Potluck Sunday, Sunday Potluck, Monday Mania, Tuesday Twister, Real Food Wednesday, Vegetarian Foodie Friday, Foodie Friday