ORBS!

 I've been meaning to post this for a long time as requested by many who have tried these little balls of heaven! Because my hands get all messy, it was always hard to take photos. But alas here they are, easy to read in a blog for your enjoyment!

Why are orbs so awesome you might ask?
These babies are perfect for giving you an energy boost during hikes, long days, or before and after the gym. Packed full of nuts, dates, and hemp oil to make you full, and energized, and not to mention regular!  Also they taste really good, so they can help reduce sweet cravings. Just don't eat too many of them, they are high in calories.


Ingredients: (7 servings)

• 1/2 cup of shelled hemp seeds (or sesame seeds)
• 2 cups of nuts (I use 1 cup of almond and 1 cup of walnut)
• 1 cup of raisins (I use 1/2 cup of raisins and 1/2 cup of majooli dates)
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 1 tbsp oil (hemp or flax seed)
• 2 tbsp of agave nectar or maple syrup*

*I find agave nectar to be too sweet so if you choose to use that, put only 1 tbsp.

Place parchment paper on cookie sheet. Set aside. Measure out hemp seeds on a place for rolling. Set aside. In a food processor, blend all remaining ingredients together until the dough pulls away from the sides, and nuts look well incorporated.

Transfer dough into large bowl and scoop our spoonfuls to form 14 golf ball size orbs. Roll each ball into the hemp seeds until coated. Place on lined cookie sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Good for 1.5 weeks. They also freeze well too!

A no cook Thai affair

So it is bloody hot here. It's been in the 30's for weeks now with no signs of cooling. I love it, but I haven't used my oven in about a month. Trying to come up with no cook foods is becoming challenging. But with all the fresh produce coming out of the Okanagan, who needs it.

So I bring to you one of my fav no cook summer suppers, Smitten Kitchen's Mango Slaw and fresh spring rolls with my tahini dipping sauce. Enjoy!



Fresh Spring Rolls: (8 rolls)

• 8 rice wrappers
• julienne 2 carrot
• julienne red pepper
• julienne cucumber
• mint or basil or cilantro

Soak rice paper wrapper in warm water. When finished lay on flat surface. Lay ingredients on rice paper (2-3 sticks of each vegetable and one herb), and wrap according to directions on the package. Cut on and angle in half with a sharp or serrated knife.


Mango Slaw: (4 large servings)

• half of a Napa cabbage
• 2 mangoes peeled pitted and julienne
• half red onion thinly sliced
• 1 red pepper julienne
• two limes
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1/4 cup of rice vinegar
• salt
• chili pepper flakes to taste 
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced mint
• 1/4 cup chopped cashews

Toss mango, cabbage, pepper and onion in a bowl. Whisk lime, oil, vinegar, salt and chili pepper flakes into a bowl. Before serving toss mint and cashews into slaw.


Tahini Sauce: (1 1/2 cups)

• 1/2 cup of shallots
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 tbsp braggs or tamari
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4 cup vegetable stock (or water)
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Add all ingredients into a food processor, and blend until smooth.

Rice Pudding

I have been having the most crazy cravings for rice pudding. I think it's because there is a lack of good Greek food where I'm living, and wanted something I couldn't have. So I decided I would just make it myself. The recipe I adapted is called "Arroz con letche" from Smitten Kitchen, you can find it here.

This recipe was really easy, just took awhile to make because you need to let the rice soak and cooking times and then cooling times. Great when you need some comfort foods to warm you up on a snowy day.

Ingredients:

Serves 8-10

• 1 cup long-grain white rice (I used Jasmin)
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 strips of lemon
• 3 whole cloves or a tiny pinch of ground cloves
• 4 cups water
• 1 egg
• 3 cups whole milk (can also use lighter milk, I used soy, would also work with almond)
• 300 ml can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup raisins (I didn't add raisins! yuck!)

Step One:

Soak the rice, cinnamon, lemon or orange zest and whole or powdered cloves in the water in a heavy saucepan for 1 hour.

StepTwo:

After soaking, bring the rice mixture to a boil on high heat, uncovered. When it starts to boil lower the heat to medium and cook for 10 to 12 more minutes or until water is evaporated.

Step Three:

While rice is cooking, beat the egg in a bowl. Add the milk and stir well to mix. Add the egg mixture, condensed milk, salt, vanilla extract and raisins, if using, to the rice and cook over medium-low heat, stirring carefully, until it thickens slightly or until desired consistency about 25 to 35 minutes. *(I cooked mine for 30 min, and it came out very thick.Next time I think I would like the pudding to be a little thinner)

Step Four:

Remove citrus zest and cinnamon sticks. Let cool uncovered, then chill the rest of the way in the fridge.

Enjoy!