celery potato soup & chocolate caramel tart

today we are eating healthily and need some comfort. so when i saw this recipe in the Times for celery potato soup with leeks and garlic i thought, that would be perfect. and it is. very easy to make, very delicious to eat.

i didn't bother with the bouquet garni, but threw in fresh thyme from our garden on the stem. i blended it with a hand immersion blender, didn't strain a thing, added some kosher salt, walnut oil and chives, also from our garden, and it was perfecto.

i bought a pre-made crust from the store and tried my hand for the first time at making caramel, which is surprisingly easy, as long as you know what you're doing a bit. this chocolate caramel tart from Saveur looks amazing. a friend once got a mini version for a dessert with sea salt on top and i could barely stop licking my fingers after eating it. the caramel in the pre-made crust is cooling overnight in the fridge. i will make the ganache in the morning, chill it again, add sea salt and serve it when friends come over tomorrow night. recipes this simple make me happy.

you do not need a candy thermometer to make caramel. it should boil for approx. 20-25 mins and turn the color of a copper penny but do not boil it so long it starts to smoke. (which mine totally did right before we whisked it off the heat.) that means it's burning and burnt caramel is no good, apparently. i tasted ours and it's fucking delicious so i'm not worried.

i'm really looking forward to tasting the completed tart and looking like a baking wizard.

that's right...WIZARD.

paleo chocolate pudding with coconut milk whipped cream

drooooooool

Chocolate Paleo Pudding with Coconut Whip Cream
2 ripe avocado
2 ripe banana
4 medjool dates, pits removed
1/2 cup cacao powder
1 1/2 tablespoons coconut milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of sea salt
Instructions:
Place all ingredients into a bowl of a food processor.  Process until all ingredients are smooth and well incorporated.
Transfer pudding to bowls of choice and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Top pudding with Coconut Whip Cream and fresh fruit or on it’s own.
Makes about 3 to 4 servings of pudding.

Chocolate & tea... together? Yes.

So my husband recently came home with a little tiny package of heaven. No... get your mind out of the gutter, I mean TEA, people.

Chocolate chai tea, to be specific. I didn't know such a thing existed. I am a big tea drinker and I have recently been drinking my own chai at home. I love the spice. Now chocolate chai is just what it sounds like - part chocolate powder, part chai tea. It isn't sweet - you have to add sugar to make it so, and a healthy dose of milk to lighten it up (at least the way I make it). It is sooo yummy and soothing.

I make it in a pot with loose tea and couldn't be happier. The brand we use is from a local place in NYC, but I'm sure there are many companies that make it.

Enjoy!

Little bits of heaven

If you are a salty & sweet junkie like myself, then I urge you to try these:



Because THEY ROCK. I am a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup fan and these are mini versions of those.