New Culinary Adventures in Santa Fe

Now that I have been in Santa Fe for a couple of months it is time to get back to organizing all my recipes! I have a folder full of things I always meant to try, improve and make a part of my regular repertoire. Both my daughters are now gluten free eaters. Husband is a pescetarian. I cannot eat dairy (read cow's milk). Baking for company in particular is a challenge. Coming up with interesting evening meals on a daily basis for the two of us has led me to another world of inspiration - vegetables! I have discovered that vegetables are far more interesting in every way than meat; their textures, colors, flavors are infinite. (Not that I haven't snuck out to enjoy the lamb tacos at Tune Up Cafe here in Santa Fe!). My goal this year is to post more often and hopefully get my readers excited about trying another way of looking at the daily meal. Got to admit that pescetarian cooking takes more thought and preparation but the dividends are huge! You will be healthier, lose weight and feel better about not eating that cow you saw on our ranch.

 No Bake GF Lime Tart

- Adapted from Dionne Christian of Revolution Bakery Santa Fe

(This recipe uses no sugar, dairy or gluten)

Ingredients for Crust: (All at room temp) – will make 2 crusts. Freeze one until ready to use.

3 C Almond Meal

1 ½ Cup dates ( or ½ fig ½ medjool dates)

½ Cup Shredded Coconut (unsweetened)

2 Cup coconut oil (virgin) –melted

2 tsp salt

½ tsp numeg

Liquify coconut oil over low heat in small saucepan on stove. Let cool.  Trim and pit fruit if necessary. Combine almond meal, nutmeg and salt in food processor and pulse 3X to combine. Add dried fruit mixture and melted coconut oil.  Run until mixure is well incorporated with no lumps from dried fruit. Will look like dough but will not quite form a ball.

Press into 9”x 2” spring form pan (spayed with coconut oil or other veg oil spray)  using your fingers and make sure not to have too much dough in the edges of the spring form. Thinner crust is better!

 

 Ingredients for Lime Custard:

2 medium sized avocados

2 Cups coconut cream – not milk. Trader Joe’s brand is good.

2/3 Cup key lime juice (bottled is fine- I used fresh lime juice and orange juice together)

½ Cup maple syrup

¼ Cup coconut oil

1 Tb lime zest (approx. 3 med limes)

¼ Tsp salt

Skin avocados and scoop the meat our with a spoon. Puree in Cuisinart with about 5  pulses to puree. Add  next 6 ingredients and puree until smooth.

Pour into crust and chill at least 1 hour. Freezes well!

Chill and whip left over coconut cream wit h ½ tsp. vanilla, 1 Tb. maple syrup or agave syrup