Apple Pie Smoothie

I recently started an internship at a pretty amazing company, Sakara Life, and I've been really focused on creating recipes and blog posts for them, which is why I've been slacking here on Buff Chickpea. Sorry about that, but I promise to share the love. Sakara Life created an organic meal delivery program based on a whole-food, plant-rich diet. Their focus is on helping people take their health back through nutrition, while supporting local farmers and fostering a sustainable environment. The company is based in Brooklyn, New York, and is 100% female-owned and operated. Besides creating and delivering delicious, organic meals, Sakara Life is all about educating people on the amazing things a whole foods diet can do for your body and mind. And if you're not lucky enough to live in New York and have access to this program, they offer downloads for a 3-day detox and a guide to snacking, as well as a detox tea (all purchased through their website). If you're interested in what I've been contributing, which I hope you are, you should really check out their blog. It's filled with superfood recipes, healthy living advice, and interesting articles worth sharing. I thought it would be nice to share my Sakara posts on Buff Chickpea as well, in hopes of spreading the health. You can find the recipes over on the Sakara Life blog. Enjoy!


Barrels of apples at the farmers' markets can only mean one thing - fall is coming (it's already here!), and I am so ready for a change of scenery (quite literally). I've been overheating for the past two months, counting down the days until I can hurl my short shorts and teeny bikinis into storage until they sneak up on me again next summer. Is it strange that I'm excited to wear pants? Pants, layers, boots, neutrals, scarves, perfect hair days - fall has really got it going on. But besides being a season for fashion, the change in leaves also brings with it some pretty delicious food. Pumpkins, pears, Brussels sprouts, root vegetables, pomegranates, dates, and apples are just a few reasons to start this autumn inside your kitchen. The bright reds, oranges, and yellows of the trees are echoed at the farmers' markets during this season of feasting. The air is getting crisper, and it's a perfect time to slow down a bit, and reconnect with your health after spending your summer hopping from one party to the next. I don't know if it's because only a few years ago I'd also be getting ready for school around this time, but I like to think of September as the start to a new year. And this year, I'm taking full advantage of local and seasonal produce.

One of the first activities I plan for September is a weekend trip to an apple orchard. Being a New Englander, I reserve the right to complain about the majority of our seasons, but if we've done one thing correctly, fall is it. Pumpkins are ready for carving, cider for sipping, and trees for picking. There are a good number of apple farms on the South Shore, where I reside, but I usually head north for more of that "Hocus Pocus," storybook fall scenery. This year, I found myself in Ipswich, MA at Russell Orchard. Set on 120 acres of land, Russell Orchard is a full scale fruit farm, complete with a storefront offering up one of the most delicious apple cider doughnuts I've yet to taste. The thing I love most about this orchard is their minimal use of pesticides. They are not certified organic, but many of their gardening practices follow USDA guidelines, and some of their pest management systems mirror those found in the organic register. Now when it comes to produce, I almost always buy organic, but it's pretty darn hard to find an organic pick-your-own apple orchard, and it's one pastime of mine that I will never give up. Apple picking is about connecting with nature, supporting your local farmers, and reminiscent of a time when life was not so hectic. Get a group of like-minded autumn aficionados together and get pickin'!

I know most of you will fill your bags with sweet thoughts of apple pie in your near future, but my obsessive urge to turn any and all desserts into a frozen beverage does not stop with pie. Apples are full of disease fighting compounds and antioxidants, and are perfect eaten raw or stewed into homemade applesauce. They're full of fiber, detoxifying, immune boosting, and even help to whiten teeth. Drowning them in sugar is sure to combat all of those stellar health benefits, so why not try a delicious and drinkable frozen apple pie. I promise it will satisfy your sweet tooth. And if you're still craving a slice come morning, try this vegan caramel apple pie, it's right where I'm headed next!

CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE! 

Apple Pie Oatmeal

I spent the end of August traveling North to Montreal, and it has really put me in the mood for the crisper months ahead of us. The weather up north was absolutely perfect. Not too hot, not too cold. All you need is a light jacket. It was so nice to explore the city by foot without the humidity we'd be getting back home. Old Montreal was like a trip back to Europe - I could walk for days taking in all the history. The cobblestone streets, beautiful architecture, and delicious food made for a perfect way to spend a long weekend. I'll share some more of our trip to Canada soon. 

We decided to skip breakfast in Montreal before heading home, and instead stop in Burlington, VT for a change of scenery. I'd never been to Burlington, but with all the granola-eating, Birkenstock-wearing images conjured up around Vermont, I knew we'd hit it off. And we did just that. The leaves have already started turning up north, and we happened to be traveling through during welcome-back-week for the University of Vermont students (the things I'd do to be back in college). The homes were so wonderfully dated, and their dedication to local, wholesome foods is something I could really get into. I always wonder why restaurants in Massachusetts don't get more involved with sourcing local ingredients. Everything we ate seemed to be produced at a farm down the street. We finally hit Burlington around lunchtime (traffic at the border was nuts!), and of course I had researched a restaurant during our drive south. The menu at The Farmhouse Tap + Grill made for an easy decision. My mom and I got veggie burgers, and I topped mine with braised kale and caramelized onions. Incredible. I also got a fresh pressed apple, carrot, ginger juice to start. I really need to juice more. We ended our indulgent weekend of eating with a slice of homemade blueberry pie a la mode, and a sweet and tangy chevre and honey trifle. I highly recommend a trip to The Farmhouse if you're ever in the area. I'll definitely be back to eat my way through their menu.  

Driving through the green mountain state, on our way back to Kingston, I knew I wanted to plan this years apple picking weekend up here in Burlington - mostly so I could enjoy another meal up here. Is it strange that I plan all activities around eating? Most of the time you can find me at my computer eating one meal and researching my next. In fact, I think a lot of my unruly spending comes from trying to keep myself busy until I can eat again. So in hopes of bringing home some of that autumn air, I bring you apple pie oatmeal infused a bit with the delicious blueberry pie we enjoyed in Vermont. Creamy oats served atop warm, spiced blueberries all covered with soft and sweet cinnamon, maple apples, and finished with a sprinkling of toasted pecans. I. Want. Fall. 

Apple Pie Oatmeal

Serves 1

1 apple, finely diced

1/2 tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cups oats

1/2 cup apple juice

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon maca powder

2 tablespoons dried cranberries

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons pecan, toasted

Place the diced apple, maple syrup, and teaspoon of cinnamon in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for about two minutes until soft. Alternately, you could saute these ingredients on the stove top. Set aside while you prepare your oats.

Add the oats, apple juice, water, vanilla extract, and maca powder to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium/medium low, and simmer until your liquid is absorbed and the oats are nice and chewy. Throw in the cranberries towards the end of cooking so they can soften up.

Microwave the blueberries in the bottom of your serving bowl. Mash slightly with the 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Pour your oats over the warm blueberry mash, and top with the softened cinnamon apple chunks. Sprinkle with toasted and chopped pecans, and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.