Happy Hour Hubele Style

May 9, 2017

tart

If you’ve been following along these past weeks, you’ll know I’m getting into the final weeks of a fast approaching self-imposed book deadline. This phase always feels to me like uphill cycling, the kind I like to avoid. Yes, it’s fantastic when you reach the top, but the mental effort of not being able to quite see the top from here can be excruciating.

And, truth be told, it was a challenging writing week both emotionally and physically from early risings to meeting daily deadlines. By Friday morning, it was clear I had hit my wall and any brain power I had left needed to be put into figuring out how to quickly recover. What would recharge me so that I could dive back in and keep at it over the weekend? As I sat contemplating what I needed, I recalled the creek at the back of my parents’ property where I would sit to deal with my teenage overwhelm or angst. Hmmm, yes, one of the elements had to be water and the other was simply peace and quiet. With a quick text to my husband and an early plan for dinner, it was agreed that we’d head out for our evening at the less populated Upper Falls of McKinney Falls State Park, 15 minutes from our house.

The fact that both Joachim and I could clear the space for this on a Friday was one the first miracles. The next was that we had the entire area to ourselves. Seriously! Well, ok, not quite as we did have to share it with this gorgeous egret who entertained us for an hour with his fishing dance.

Now this was the perfect recipe for recharge a Friday Happy Hour, courtesy of mother nature!

What could make the evening even better? Oh, yes, remembering we had just enough left over dessert from last night’s dinner party to share together!

Raw Berry Slices/ Tarts

Equipment
Freezer
Food processor or blender
Spatula
Muffin pan or custard cups for individual servings or 4” x 8” freezer safe form

Crust
8-10 pitted dates
1 cup raw coconut flakes or shreds
1 cup raw almonds
¼  cup of raw cacao nibs or 2 Tbl raw cacao
2 Tbl maple syrup
2 Tbl melted coconut oil (more as needed)

1. Blend dates, coconut, almonds, cacao in food processor or high speed blender and empty into a mixing bowl.
2. Add maple syrup and coconut oil, mixing with hands to combine.  (If too dry to form a dough, add more coconut oil 1 Tbl at a time.)
3. Press dough into bottom of form or individual muffin cups and set aside.

Filling
3 cups cashews (soaked to soften and drained)
1 can coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbl melted coconut oil
2 Tbl maple syrup (adjust to taste)
2 cups cherry and berry mix (fresh or frozen and thawed)

1. Blend soaked cashews, coconut milk, vanilla, coconut oil and maple syrup on high until smooth and creamy.
2. Adjust sweetness to taste.
3. Place fruit on prepared crust, cover with creamy filling smoothing the top with a spatula.
4. Freeze until firm, approx 2 hours.
5. Remove from freezer 15-20 minutes before serving for easier slicing or removal from individual forms.

Enjoy!

image_pdfimage_print

Immunity matters!
Learn to support your health naturally with weekly tips
delivered straight to your inbox.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

You may also be interested in:

Soy Sauce Noodles with Cabbage

By Lauren | March 17, 2023

Thank you, Hetty McKinnon, once again, for your inspiration. This is certainly one of those recipes that just writing it out prompts the desire to make it. So while you are reading, I will be serving myself.  Ingredients 12 ounces dried or fresh thin noodles ( I subbed in Jovial GF Spaghetti which worked well)…

Heidelberren Streuselkuchen

By Lauren | March 10, 2023

There was a chapter of my life when a freshly baked cake came out of my oven several times a week. We lived those days in Germany, I taught high school and often the first thing I did after arriving home was to gather ingredients and bake. At the time, our house was full, and…

Leek and Pea Pilaf

By Lauren | March 3, 2023

Ingredients 2 young tender leeks, washed and chopped fine, omitting the tougher green ends 8 ounces of frozen or fresh-shelled peas  2 TBL olive oil 1 TBL vegan butter 8 threads of good quality saffron allowed to “bloom” for 10 minutes in a few tablespoons of boiling water (this saffron by Kiva) is exceptional. 3-4 …

Frozen Mint Slices

By Lauren | February 24, 2023

So yummy.  This dessert will certainly have you sneaking back into the freezer for just one more bite.  We can thank Oh She Glows for this marvelous recipe and Tanya Renner for turning me on to it.  Ingredients THE FILLING: 3/4 cup (225 g) raw cashew butter* 1/2 cup (125 mL) pure maple syrup, room…

Spicy Samosa Wraps

By Lauren | February 10, 2023

A quick and easy weeknight meal prep ahead packed lunch.  Ingredients Samosa Potatoes: 1 tsp oil 1/4 tsp cumin seeds 1/4 tsp coriander seeds 1/2 serrano pepper, chopped or other hot or mild green chili pepper (optional) 1 tsp ground turmeric 1/2 to 1 tsp ground cumin, preferably roasted 1 tsp ground coriander 1/3 tsp…

Polenta Soup

By Lauren | January 27, 2023

Ingredients 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve 2 large shallots peeled and minced 1-2 tablespoon herbs de Provence 1⁄2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or pinch of red chili flakes. 4 quarts veggie broth Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste 1 cup coarse stone ground yellow cornmeal 1 can rinsed and drained…

Roasted Spiced Cauliflower & Chickpeas

By Lauren | January 13, 2023

Here’s my take on another Melissa Clark recipe that will warm your heart and fill your tummy. There are a few steps to get these veggies to the oven, but then it’s pleasantly hands-off until dinner. I discovered that there is just enough baking time to get a short walk in before the winter sun…

White Bean, Kale and Tomato Soup

By Lauren | December 16, 2022

Just home from shopping at the local co-op, I needed a comforting soup that would come together quickly. This tomato-based beauty worked like a charm. The ingredients are all pantry staples, and a package of frozen spinach could easily sub in for the kale. Ingredients Olive oil 2 large shallots peeled and finely chopped 1…

On Demand Sourdough Flatbread

By Lauren | November 28, 2022

This final week of meal prep before our cross-country move was made all the easier with a large batch of this Sourdough Flatbread in the fridge.  If you’ve missed my sharing Aran Goyoaga’s sourdough starter,  here it is again. Start it on a Friday morning, and by Wednesday, you will be making bread.  Several things…

Mushroom and Walnut Bolognese

By Lauren | November 11, 2022

Adapted from Alexa Weibel’s Vegan Bolognese  Trust me on this, double this recipe because you will surely want more later in the week ahead.  Ingredients 1 cup (100 grams)  shelled gently chopped toasted walnuts  Kosher salt and black pepper 1.5 lbs fresh mushrooms (use a combination of shiitake and baby bella)  olive oil, plus more…

Gluten Free Sourdough Bread

By Lauren | November 4, 2022

There was something incredibly comforting about baking this in the midst of packing and listing our home for sale. In a week that felt like a tangle of loose ends, this loaf was solid and real. My wish is that this is the recipe that convinces you to keep a jar of sourdough starter in…

Minestrone Soup

By Lauren | October 28, 2022

Direct from Lauren’s kitchen to yours.   Ingredients Olive Oil 1 large late summer squash or zucchini- chopped in bite-sized pieces and oven roasted or sautéed in a pan until just tender but holding their shape well 1 onion peeled and chopped  1 large or four small sweet peppers seeded and chopped 2 heaping TBL…

Posted in

Leave a Comment





This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.