Coconut Macaroons with Chamomile Anise Tea Glaze

Makes 12.

Macaroons

• 1 egg white
• 1/4 cup sugar 
• 1 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Glaze

• 3 tbsp milk
• 1 chamomile anise tea bag
• 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. To make the macaroons, whisk together egg white and sugar, then stir in the coconut flakes until well combined.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and use a small spoon to dollop the mixture onto the sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
4. To make the glaze, pour the milk into a small microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds (keep watch so the milk doesn’t overflow).
5. Empty the contents of the tea bag into the hot milk and steep until cool.
6. Strain the tea after 5-7 minutes into another bowl, and mix in the powdered sugar until thick.
7. Once the macaroons are slightly golden, take them out of the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Drizzle the glaze over them and enjoy! 

How to Dry Herbs

Conventional oven method

1. Preheat your oven to the lowest temperature (mine goes down to 170°F).
2. Remove the leaves from the stems and lay them out evenly on baking sheets.
3. Put the sheet(s) in the oven, leaving the door slightly open so that the herbs don’t “cook”.
4. Check on your herbs and turn frequently, as they dehydrate within 10 minutes (maybe more, maybe less, depending on your herb).
5. Remove them from the oven once you are able to crush them easily between your fingers.

Sun drying method

You’ll want to start early in the morning for this, as you want to leave your herbs out in the sun for as long as possible.

1. Remove the leaves from the stems and spread them out evenly on a piece of fabric or screen.
2. Place outside under shade, turning them frequently.
3. They are done once they are completely dry and crumble between your fingers. This may take from a few hours to an entire day, depending on the weather.

Air drying method

1. Take a bundle of your herbs with the leaves still on their stalks, and tie them up with cotton twine. (Be sure to remove some of the leaves from the bottom so you can tie them more easily).
2. Hang them upside down in a dry room that stays between 70-80°F and has a nice draft. Near an air vent in your kitchen should be fine. Be sure that it doesn’t get too much sunlight.
3. Drying takes about two weeks, so check on your herbs frequently to make sure they aren’t becoming moldy.

Your herbs may react differently with each method, so try out each one and let us know which one works best for you.

Mixed Berry Frozen Yogurt

Makes 1 pint.

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt 
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half n’ half
• 1/2 cup mixed berry puree (strained)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Honey to taste
• Chocolate chips (optional)

No Ice Cream Maker Instructions

1. In a large metal or glass bowl (one that is deeper than wide), mix all the ingredients until well combined.
2. Leave it in the freezer for 30 minutes.
3. Scrape the sides with a spoon, then using a hand mixer, blend together until smooth.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 about five times, or until it resembles a soft serve consistency.
5. Optional: Mix in a few chocolate chips
6. You can either eat it straight away, or switch it to a plastic container and store it in the freezer for later.

Notes

• Many hand-mixed recipes recommend a shallower bowl so that the ice cream/frozen yogurt freezes faster. I have found that trying to mix everything in a bowl like that makes a huge mess and it never turns out right. With a taller container, you can easily blend the ingredients without having them splatter all over the kitchen.

Sweet & Salty Almond Clusters

Makes about 8.

Ingredients

• 1 cup salted roasted almonds, chopped
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 tbsp caramel

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients until fully incorporated.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spoon out the almond mixture onto the sheet. Sprinkle with salt.
4. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Notes

• Alternatively, you can spread out the almond mixture onto the baking sheet, bake for 10 minutes, then crumble it up to make a granola. Pack it up for lunch the next day!
• Make your own roasted almonds by taking a cup of plain almonds in a medium sized bowl, mixing them with a teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, and baking them (don’t line the pan, you’ll see why) in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes. Take them out, cover them in salt and use them in the recipe. When it comes time to bake the clusters, use the same greased pan for extra flavor.

Chunky Sweet Potato Bread with Rosemary (Vegan)

Makes one 9x5 loaf or roughly 6 muffins.

Ingredients

• 1 lb sweet potato, cubed
• A bundle of rosemary (about 1/2 oz)
• 2/3 cup mashed ripe bananas (mix in 1/4 tsp baking soda)
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cup whole wheat flour (or gluten-free mix)
• 1-2 cups your choice of “trail mix”: walnuts, pecans, almonds, dried fruit, etc.
• 1/4 cup grated carrots

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium pot, bring 1/2 cup water (or a little more than enough to cover the bottom of the pot) to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat to a simmer, then add in the rosemary, leaving out a sprig for garnish. Let it “steep” for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the sweet potato, cover the pot, and allow it to steam until the potatoes are soft.
5. In the meantime, blend together in a large bowl the mashed bananas, applesauce, baking soda, and salt.
6. Once the sweet potatoes are done cooking, rinse off the rosemary, then mash them until creamy (it’s okay if they’re a little chunky).
7. Blend the mashed sweet potatoes into the batter, then add in the flour.
8. Mix in the carrots and as much of the “trail mix” as you want—the chunkier, the better.
9. Pour the batter into a greased 9x5” loaf pan and lay a sprig of rosemary on top. Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes, or until fully cooked.