This recipe came about in a completely unexpected way. Jess is a pet Mom to a very special pup - an English Bulldog with a huge personality and unbelievable strength. To keep in shape (heavy, muscular build) her pup gets a daily assortment of homemade, whole food based treats.  Just one of the perks of having a dietitian/foodie Momma! Jess makes her pup a cracker treat that inspired our recipe this week. Disclaimer: this is not dog food! This recipe is made specifically for humans and our unique needs. This recipe does contain grain but is gluten free. We also made our "human treats" a larger size appropriate for dipping into any assortment of toppings. So now that you know our so called family secret, let's get to this recipe!

Fruit & Seed Crackers (Gluten Free)
PREP TIME:  1 hour (includes ~50 min freezing time)
TOTAL TIME:  2 hours
Servings: ~ 20 crackers

Ingredients
Cracker
1 cup oat flour
1/2 cup sweet potato puree (pureed pumpkin would also work)
1/4 cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 Tbsp ground flax seeds
2 Tbsp whole rolled oats
1 Tbsp chia seeds
2 Tbsp water

Pumpkin Goat Cheese
2 oz plain goat cheese
2 Tbsp canned plain pumpkin puree
1/8 tsp sea salt

In a large bowl combine all cracker ingredients and stir with a spoon until a cohesive dough is formed. Using slightly wet hands, roll dough into a cylinder about 8" long and 3" in diameter. Place dough cylinder on a sheet of parchment paper and set in the freezer until frozen, about 50 minutes or longer. The dough can be made a few days in advance. It is important to not skip this step as freezing the dough allows you to cut the crackers super thin.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place parchment paper on a large baking sheet. Once the dough is frozen, let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Then use a sharp knife to cut crackers into thin pieces; the thinner the crackers, the quicker they will cook. If the dough is frozen solid, you will not be able to cut through the dough. If this is the case, allow the dough to thaw out for a few more minutes. Once all crackers have been cut, place in a single layer on the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes - flip crackers at the halfway mark. Turn oven off and allow crackers to cool down with the oven. This step helps make the crackers extra crunchy. Meanwhile, combine pumpkin goat cheese ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Dip and enjoy!  Crackers will store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

As expected, this cracker is oh so unique. Crunchy, as a cracker should be, but dense and chewy from the added whole food ingredients. The flavor is mild and nutty with pops of sweetness - a perfect vehicle for your favorite seasonal dip or toppings. We paired with a pumpkin goat cheese for added color and creamy richness. Finally a cracker that looks AND feels good! Now you, and Jess's sweet pup, can enjoy this nutrient packed snack cracker with all its nut, seed, and fruity goodness. 

Enjoy,
Jess and Cecelia 

By the look of things, we're sure your wondering what we've gotten ourselves into this week. Definitely more than we bargained for! Inspired by Green Goddess dressing and all the abundant green produce this time of year, we've created a recipe using all things green. Though there are many steps to the recipe, the results are worth the effort - with several recipes combined into one, you'll have multiple homemade tortillas, a jar of fresh dressing, and ingredients for several wraps when you're done. Just take it step by step to create one (or all!) of these super green recipes with us.

Super Green Veggie Goddess Wrap
PREP TIME: 45 minutes (+ 4 hours to let yufka dough rest)
TOTAL TIME: 60 minutes (+ 4 hours to let yufka dough rest)
Servings: 6 wraps

Ingredients:
Green Yufka Dough/Flour Tortilla (Adapted from Soframiz by Ana Sortun & Maura Kilpatrick) 
1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour, plus more for dusting
1/3 cup powdered spinach or kale (instructions below)
1 tsp sea salt
2/3 cup warm water
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Quick Pickled Red Onion
1 medium red onion, peeled and sliced thin  
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp water
3/4 tsp salt 

Filling
6 oz Havarti cheese, cut into 1 oz servings
1 1/2 cup messaged kale (+ 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1/4 tsp sea salt)
2 small zucchini, cut into thin slices and sprinkled with salt and pepper
1 large avocado, cut into 6 slices

Egg-Free Green Goddess Dressing
1/2 cup Greek or Icelandic yogurt
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 Tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp sea salt

Step 1 (powdered greens): To make powdered greens, preheat oven to 200 degrees. Fill a baking sheet with raw spinach or kale and cook for 12-15 minutes flipping greens once halfway through the cooking process until lightly curled on the edges and crunchy. We allowed the greens to cool with the oven off and the door open to make sure all of the greens were fully dried out without  over cooking and burning the greens. Once cooled, place in a zip lock bag and smash until you have a very fine powder. Remove any large stems from the bag and store in an air tight container.

Step 2 (yufka dough): To make the yufka dough mix the whole wheat flour, powdered greens, and salt together in a large bowl, then make a well in the center. Pour the warm water and olive oil in the center of the well and use your hand to combine the wet and dry ingredients until a soft dough is formed. Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour and knead dough for 2-3 minutes or until the dough ball is smooth and elastic. Place the dough back in a bowl with a little olive oil to coat to prevent the dough from sticking to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature for 4 hours or overnight. This dough can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge after a minimum of 4 hours sitting at room temperature. If stored in the fridge, remove the dough and allow to come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Cut the dough ball in half and divide each half into 3 equal pieces for a total of 6 small ~2 ounce dough balls. Dust a clean work surface with flour and roll each dough ball out as thin as possible, about 8-9" round. Use a seasoned cast iron pan or a non-stick pan set to medium heat to cook the yufka on one side until bubbles start to form and the bottom is slightly browned, ~2 minutes. Remove from the pan after the one side has been cooked and place on a plate or sheet pan with a layer of parchment paper on top. You only want to partially cook the yufka dough at this point. Over cooking or cooking both sides can make the yufka too crunchy and hard to work with. Continue to cook each yufka and continue to stack on top of one another with a piece of parchment paper in between each layer. The heat and steam of the cooked yufka will help to keep the wraps soft and pliable as they sit on top of each other. Once cooled to room temperature store cooked yufka in a large plastic bag, sealed.

Step 3 (pickled onion): Place sliced onion, apple cider vinegar, water,and salt in a bowl and toss to coat. Allow onions to marinate in the brine for at least 15 minutes or longer.

Step 4 (messaged kale): Wash and de-stem, and chop the kale. Combine in a bowl with olive oil and sea salt. Use your hands to lightly message the kale until leaves are dark green and wilted.

Step 5 (green goddess dressing): Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix on high until fully combined. Store dressing in an air tight container.

Step 6 (the wrap): Place one wrap on your work surface. Towards the bottom of the wrap (see picture below) add 1/4 cup messaged kale, 2 thin slices of zucchini, 1 slice of avocado, and 1 oz of Havarti cheese. Drizzle with goddess dressing then tightly roll the wrap up. Repeat until all 6 wraps are made. If you do not intend to serve all the wraps right away, keep all ingredients separate and roll each wrap as needed.

There is just so much to love here. The yufka dough is a hearty, pliable tortilla perfect for any wrap and made even more delicious (and nutritious) with a hint of powdered greens. The pickled onion provides a pop of color, flavor, and texture. Fresh greens brighten this wrap and avocado and Havarti add a savory richness. But the true star here is that dressing! We opted for an egg-free Green Goddess variation and focused on a blend of delicious herbs perfectly highlighted with fresh Dijon mustard. We hope you have a super good and green time with this one!

Enjoy,
Jess and Cecelia

In our Cupboard:
We like a rolling pin with a smooth surface and heavy weight similar to this:

Happy Persian New Year friends! Okay, okay we are juuuust a little late on this, but this recipe is too good not to share. Over a month ago, on the first calendar day of Spring, Cecelia celebrated Nowruz - also known as Persian New Year - with a good friend who is Iranian. She was overwhelmed and inspired by the array of new ingredients and tastes in the traditional dishes that were served. Tasting a new food for the first time feels so special and reminds both of us that we will always be learning in the kitchen. We decided to tackle one of the traditional Persian recipes and have been working on perfecting it ever since. The recipe is now ready to share, and boy are we excited! Come along with us to discover some cool ingredients and a flavor profile that will blow your mind. Promise!

Pictured above are a few of the new ingredients that combine to make this stunning dish. From top left to bottom: fenugreek, dried limes, and barberries. Starting with fenugreek - an herb native to the Mediterranean region and used in cooking as well as for medicinal uses. Fenugreek's flavor is quite pungent and earthy and a little goes a long way to bring a unique depth of flavor to dishes. Fenugreek also has many medicinal uses primarily treating digestive or inflammatory conditions when taken by mouth or used as a poultice to treat local pain and swelling. The next ingredient, dried limes, we found just as interesting. Using limes dried, instead of fresh, lends the ingredient to being added whole while cooking to impart acidity to the dish. As the limes soften during cooking, they can be broken open to release more flavor and acidity depending on the flavor profile you are looking for in the final dish. Lastly, barberries which are small, tart berries thought to be native to the Middle East. Typically used dried they bring a pop of color and tangy sweetness to dishes.

Vegetarian Ghormeh Sabzi with Saffron Rice 
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes
Servings: 4-6 

Ingredients
Rice
1 cup brown basmati rice 
1 tsp saffron + 1/3 cup room temperate water 
1 Tbsp olive oil 
4 Tbsp barberries, rinsed
1/2 tsp sugar 

Ghormeh Sabzi
1/4 cup olive oil 
1 large yellow onion, chopped 
1/4 tsp sea salt 
1 tsp turmeric 
1 Tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
3 cups unsalted vegetable broth 
3 cups fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cups spinach, chopped
2 cups green onion tops, sliced
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
4 dried limes 
1 can organic kidney beans, drained and rinsed
10-12  oz 4% milk fat Greek or Icelandic yogurt (optional)  

Rinse rice under running water, then place into a large pot and cook according to package instructions. Allow rice to cool, then fluff with a fork and set aside. Meanwhile use your fingers to break saffron threads into small pieces and place in a shallow bowl with 1/3 cup water. Allow saffron to bloom in the water for 5 minutes. In a saute pan set to medium heat, add 1 Tbsp olive oil, barberries, and 1/2 tsp sugar cook for 1-2 minutes until all barberries are evenly coated with oil and sugar and slightly fragrant. Add bloomed saffron water and barberries to the fluffed rice and stir to evenly combine. 

To make the ghormeh sabzi, set a large pot over medium heat then add 1/4 cup olive oil, chopped onion, and 1/4 tsp sea salt and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the onion is translucent, ~5-7 minutes. Add 1 tsp turmeric to the onions and continue to cook for another 1 minute then add 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth and reduce to a simmer. In a separate pot set to medium heat, add cilantro, spinach, green onion tops, parsley, and dried fenugreek.  Stir constantly until greens are wilted, ~2 minutes. Add the remainder 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, the 4 dried limes, kidney beans, and the onion mixture  to the pot of greens and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes on a low simmer. For a more acidity, puncture the dried limes with a fork. Remove from the heat and spoon ghormeh sabzi over saffron rice and place a dollop of yogurt on top if desired. Store leftovers in separate containers and reheat servings as needed. Leftovers will keep for 3-5 days.

Thoughts, feelings? Are you all as excited about this dish as we were/are? There is just so much goodness going on here. The savory saffron rice highlighted by pops of tangy barberries topped with earthy and acidic greens makes for many delicious bites. This dish is best enjoyed with friends for a special occasion where you share your newest kitchen learning. Finally, this post wouldn't be complete without a huge shout-out to Sophia Ahwazi and the Ahwazi family. Thank you for sharing and teaching your food traditions to us!

Enjoy,
Jess and Cecelia

In Our Pantry
From this recipe, our pantries are now stock with Persian ingredients. We shopped at a local Persian Market, Sahar International Supermarket at 4851 N Kedzie, that any Chicagoans should check out! If you aren't local, we found comparable ingredients here:

Join us friends in celebrating three years of plant based recipes from The Green Blossom Kitchen! These past three years have taught us a lot, both in the kitchen and out, about the ways we can continue to inspire others through plant based eating and healthier lifestyle. We so enjoy hearing your stories about how our recipes have helped you and changed your experience with food for the better. With your support we hope to continue this journey for years to come. So how do we celebrate such a big event? With food of course! This year a homemade pound cake with flavors of orange, pistachio, and chocolate. Though not technically a health food, this cake is still made with whole food ingredients and is 100% homemade. All the ingredients are pronounceable and recognizable unlike what might be found in a boxed cake mix. We hope you love this cake as much as we do. 

Celebration Pound Cake 
PREP TIME:  40 mins
TOTAL TIME: 2-2.5 hours
Servings: 10-12 

Ingredients 
Cake
2 sticks unsalted butter 
2 cups whole wheat flour or gluten containing flour of your choice 
1 1/2 tsp baking powder 
1 tsp salt 
4 large eggs 
1/3 cup whole milk 
1 1/4 cup cane sugar 
1 tsp vanilla 

Filling
8 oz, 4% fat Greek or Icelandic yogurt 
1 egg 
1/2 cup sugar 
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp whole wheat flour 
1 oz cacao butter, melted 
1/3 cup powdered pistachios 
​
Glaze
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips 
1 tsp coconut oil 
2 tsp orange zest 
1 Tbsp crushed pistachios 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly oil or butter a 14 cup Bundt pan then dust with flour, making sure to tap out the excess. Prepping the pan is very important to make sure that your cake releases easily. 

To prepare the filling, combine yogurt, egg, sugar, flour, and cacao butter in a food processor. Mix until smooth then fold in powdered pistachios and set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar and mix until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and vanilla together until incorporated and set aside. With the mixer on low speed, add 1 Tbsp butter at a time, mixing until crumbly. Add half of the milk mixture to the mixer and increase speed to medium-high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the remaining milk to the mixer and continue mixing until fully incorporated, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. 

Pour half of the cake mixture into the prepared pan then use the back of a spoon to create a concave well in the center of the mixture. Spoon the filling into the well, then top with the remaining cake batter and spread evenly with a spatula. Place cake in preheated oven and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove cake from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for at least 15-20 minutes. Remove cake from the pan by inverting slightly cooled cake onto a plate and then placing on a  cake plate/stand. Allow cake to continue cooling to room temperature for an additional 30-45 minutes. 

Melt chocolate chips with coconut oil in a double boiler or microwave then drizzle over cooled cake. Sprinkle orange zest and chopped pistachios over the top. Serve and enjoy! Cake will keep best in an air tight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. 

This cake is definitely celebration worth with a taste that feels special with every bite. Starting with a bright orange and sweet chocolate flavor from the topping melding into a rich, buttery center highlighted by the tangy yogurt filling. We enjoyed this with afternoon tea but also as breakfast to make the blog's birthday week extra special. 

Enjoy,
​Jess and Cecelia

In Our Cupboard
Cake making wouldn't be the same without our Kitchen Aide Mixer. Worth every penny as an lifetime investment for your kitchen. Which color matches your kitchen best?

Hello friends, we've got a unique take on a classic fall recipe for you this week. Along with that we have some fun new developments that you could say are also orange in color....

Just what are we talking about, Yummly.  If you aren't familiar yet, Yummly is a recipe database on which you can search for millions of recipes and save your favorites to your personal page - check it out here. We've started to add the Yum button to the bottom of our posts (look for a little orange "Yum") so that you can easily save our recipes once you've created a Yummly account. On Yummly you can begin to build a portfolio of your favorite recipes from all over the web (with a large percentage of TGBK recipes of course, wink, wink). All our new recipes will include this Yum button and we will start adding the button to older posts though this will take some time (there are just so many!). We have a few recipes published to our Yummly account which you can check out here, and look forward to "yumming" many more. We thank you for your patience as we get more added and hope you enjoy creating your own virtual recipe book. 

Butternut Squash Red Curry Soup
PREP TIME: 35 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 60 minutes
Servings: ~ 10 cups of soup

Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt + 1/4-1/2 tsp to taste 
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp fresh ginger juice (2 Tbsp chopped ginger root would also work)
3 Tbsp red curry paste
4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
2 Tbsp peanut butter
2 cups full fat coconut milk

Toppings
1 package (15 oz) sprouted tofu, cubed  (or protein of your choice - white beans or chick peas would also work)
1 cup dry pearl barley (or grain of your choice - quinoa, spelt berries, or wheat berries would also work)
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
Lime wedges
Sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash, peel, and cube butternut squash then place on a parchment lined backing sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes or until soft enough to pierce with a fork. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Cook pearl barley according to package instructions then set aside.

Drain tofu from water and cube into bite size pieces then set aside.  

In a large pot set to medium heat, sauté onion with 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp sea salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper.  Cook onion until translucent and golden on the edges, about 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic to the pot and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the ginger juice or chopped fresh ginger and red curry paste. Stir until combined then add vegetable broth, peanut butter, and cooked butternut squash to the pot and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and work in batches to puree soup contents in a large blender on high until completely smooth. Add pureed soup back to the pot, stir in 2 cups coconut milk and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add additional 1/4-1/2 tsp salt to taste.

Pour hot soup into serving bowls and top with cubed tofu, pearl barley, a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, the juice of 1 lime wedge, and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes.  If you do not plan to serve all the soup at once, store soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. If you freeze your left overs, remove from the freezer and place in the fridge to thaw about 2 days prior to consuming. It's best to keep the toppings separate from the puree and add them in when you're ready to warm up your next bowl of soup. Enjoy!

This soup really does deserve the "Yum." Such an interesting twist on a fall favorite - butternut squash soup. Though in this preparation the mild squash is brightened by red curry and made super rich with the addition of coconut milk. Peanut butter provides a nutty finish and the various toppings can be adjusted to your liking. Why not take a risk with your next squash and try this variation? And don't forget the Yum!

Enjoy,
Jess and Cecelia 

If you know us (and we think you do by now!), you know that August is all about tomatoes for us. There is just no better time of year than mid-August to enjoy a local tomato fresh off the vine. Unfortunately, winter tomatoes that have traveled across continents to get to us in Chicago just don't compare. We have a fabulously creative new tomato recipe for you this summer and thought a look back at tomato recipes from summers past would be fun and delicious! Take your pick of any of these three, or all, you just can't go wrong.

Roasted Tomato Cobbler
PREP TIME: 55 minutes (includes roasting time)
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 20 minutes (includes roasting and baking time)
Servings: 6

Ingredients
Roasted Tomatoes
5 large tomatoes, any variety will work
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tbsp reduced balsamic vinegar 
Salt and pepper to taste

Cobbler Dough
1/2 cup whole wheat flour*
1/2 cup semolina flour*
1/4 cup buckwheat flour*
1/4 cup chickpea flour *
   *Note that 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour will work to substitute if you don't have a variety of flours on hand
2 Tbsp cane sugar 
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup chopped pine nuts (or nut of your choice)
1 flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flax + 3 Tbsp warm water)
3 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled + 1 tsp to butter the dish
1/2 cup plain kefir

To make the roasted tomatoes, begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking pan with a non-stick silicon mat or a piece of parchment paper. Wash and slice tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick and place in a single layer on the prepared pan. Drizzle with olive oil, reduced balsamic, and sprinkle of salt and pepper then place in the oven to roast for 45-50 minutes. 

While the tomatoes are roasting, begin the cobbler dough. Place all flours in a large mixing bowl then add cane sugar, chopped herbs, baking powder, sea salt, and chopped pine nuts and stir to combine. In a separate bowl whisk together ground flax seed and water and allow to sit until it becomes gelatinous, ~3-5 minutes. Add melted butter and plain kefir to the flax egg and stir mixture well.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until a dough is formed, but avoid over stirring.  Place dough in the fridge to chill while the tomatoes continue to roast.

Once the tomatoes are fully roasted, remove from the oven and spoon into a buttered 9"x9" pan. Remove cobbler dough from the fridge. Use a tablespoon to portion and drop dollops of dough over the tomatoes one at a time until you have covered the entire top of the tomatoes. Keep in mind that there can be tiny holes between the dollops of dough so that the tomato juice will peep through and bubble up while baking.  Bake in a 350 degrees preheated oven for 25 minutes with the last 2 minutes under the broiler or until golden brown.

Remove cobbler from the oven and allow to sit out at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before cutting. Divide cobbler into 6 servings. Can be served on top of a pro-biotic containing cheese (such as Lifeway Farmers Cheese as we did), cottage cheese, sliced fresh mozzarella, cooked beans of choice, or enjoyed on its own.  Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat cobbler in a 350 degree oven for 7-10 minutes, in the microwave for a minute, or just eat cold right out of the refrigerator. Enjoy!

Stacked Tomato Salad
PREP TIME: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients
Salad
1 large Black Krim tomato (or any heirloom)
1 large Beefsteak tomato (or any large, red variety)
2 medium-large Better Boy tomatoes (or any medium, red variety)
1/2 cup baby arugula
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sprinkle of salt and pepper

Vinaigrette
1/2 pint yellow cherry tomatoes (~5 ping-pong sized tomatoes, can be any variety)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1.5 tsp raw apple cider vinegar
1.5 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp stone ground mustard
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice Better Boy tomatoes into half inch thick slices and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for ~25 minutes or until candied. Remove tomatoes from the oven and allow to cool.

Turn oven to broil and place cherry tomatoes on a baking pan under the broiler for 10-12 minutes or until well charred with a generous amount of blacked skin. Note that while broiling the cherry tomatoes they will begin to pop open - this is expected given the high heat. Removed charred cherry tomatoes from the oven and place tomatoes and their juices in a blender or food processor along with the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, basil, salt and pepper to make the vinaigrette. Blend ingredients on high until a smooth consistency is formed and set aside.

To assemble the salad, slice the Black Krim and Beefsteak tomatoes into 1/2 inch slices. Layer 1 slice of Beefsteak tomato, 2 slices of roasted Better Boy, and 1 slice of Black Krim tomato on top of each other. Place baby arugula in between each tomato layer. Repeat with the remaining tomato slices and arugula. This should make 3-4 stacks about 3-4 layers thick. Sprinkle the top with salt and pepper to taste and drizzle charred tomato vinaigrette over the top of each stack. Serve as is or enjoy with thick sliced bread. We chose a seeded fennel anise bread from our local farmers market. Extra dressing can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for ~1 week.

August Harvest Gazpacho 
PREP TIME: 10 mins
TOTAL TIME: 15 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients
4 cups diced tomatoes (any variety) 
1 large bell pepper (we used green)
1/4 sweet onion
1 large or 2 small cucumbers
2 cloves garlic
1 inch jalapeño pepper
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/3 tsp cracked black pepper
Optional garnish: fresh basil

Rough chop onion, garlic, bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, and jalapeño pepper. Start by adding the onion, garlic, and jalapeño to a food processor. Pulse until minced. Add the bell pepper and pulse until finely chopped. Next add cucumber and tomatoes and do the same. By adding each component of the soup one at a time to the food processor you are able to create a variety of textures in your finished product - if you were to add all the ingredients to the food processor at the same time you would end up with a pureed vegetable soup. For this recipe, we prefer a textured gazpacho. 

Once all vegetables are chopped to preferred texture mix in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and cracked black pepper. Garnish as you like and serve finished gazpacho at room temperature. It can also be stored in the fridge for up to five days but make sure to bring gazpacho to room temperature prior to serving. Also note that leftover gazpacho may thicken in the fridge, you can add a little water and extra sprinkle of salt prior to serving.

So get those local August tomatoes wherever you can, while you can. Cherish these recipes and fresh tomato memories to help get you through until next tomato season.

Enjoy,
Jess and Cecelia

Okay, okay, we know - bananas aren't technically a seasonal summer fruit - but we've just had such a craving lately! Maybe it's the warm breezes and lazy summer days reminding us of vacations to tropical places where bananas actually are seasonal. But either way, this recipe is amazing! We did some experimenting with a new cooking method and have some lessons learned to share. Because hey, not every experiment goes 100% accordingly to plan, are we right?

This week we attempted to flambe to create a version of bananas foster. Bananas foster is a dessert created in the mid 1900's in New Orleans containing caramelized banana in a sugary butter sauce and topped with vanilla ice cream. To develop flavor, and for some extra flair, the flambe technique is used. Flambe is French for "flaming" or "flamed" and is essentially the process of lighting alcohol on fire during the cooking process. This technique imparts the flavor of the liquor to the food and allows the alcohol to burn off quickly. And of course it looks super impressive. We unfortunately did not achieve a true flambe and got the alcohol to ignite only very briefly. The alcohol from the rum still simmered off after a few minutes and the bananas tasted great, though we just had to search ways to troubleshoot the flambe method for next time. Here's what we found:

-Use a hard alcohol higher than 80 proof (no beer, wine, etc.)
-Liquor should be warmed slowly but not boiling prior to adding to the pan to flambe
-Cooking pan and contents should be very hot
-Pour warmed liquor slowly into the hot pan and attempt to light immediately
-Attempt to light the fumes at the edge of the pan and not the liquid itself
-Use a long match or barbecue lighter and have a pan lid handy to extinguish the flame if needed

As we attempt again and learn more we will update these flambe tips and tricks but hopefully this is enough to get you started. Though flambe or not, this recipe still works - time to get to it!

Coconut Bananas Foster Coffee Popsicles
PREP TIME: 15 minutes + 4-6 hour chill time
TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes + 4-6 hours chill time
Servings: 6 popsicles

Ingredients
Popsicle
2 very ripe bananas
1 Tbsp salted butter
1 1/2 tsp pure maple syrup
Sprinkle of cinnamon
1/4 cup dark rum
1 1/4 cup canned full fat coconut milk

Coffee Simple Syrup
4 Tbsp strong brewed coffee
4 Tbsp cane sugar

In a medium sauté pan set to medium/low heat melt the butter then mix in the maple syrup and cinnamon and stir to combine. Peel and cut the bananas in half lengthwise and place flat side down in the pan with the melted butter mixture. Cook bananas for 2-3 minutes on each side then add the dark rum to the pan. Use a long match or lighter to carefully light the fumes of the alcohol at the edge of the pan, not the liquor itself, to flambe. Be prepared for a whoosh and a bright flame to appear in the pan. If you do not see a flame, this could be due to the food/pan not being hot enough but don't worry! Instead allow the mixture to simmer for 2-3 more minutes until the alcohol (and most of the liquid) evaporates off. Remove the pan from heat and allow bananas to cool slightly before adding to a blender. Pour any remaining liquid and scrape any caramelized pieces from the bottom of the pan into the blender. Add coconut milk and puree on high speed for 1-2 minutes.

To make the coffee simple syrup, add brewed coffee and cane sugar to a small sauce pan over medium heat. Stir continuously until the mixture is simmering and the sugar has dissolved. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens (about 2-3 minutes) and will stick to the back of a spoon. Remove pan from heat.

Next pour banana coconut puree into popsicle molds to halfway full. Spoon one teaspoon of coffee simple syrup into each popsicle mold and swirl with a long, thin utensil (we used a skewer) to incorporate the coffee simple syrup throughout the banana coconut puree. Fill popsicle molds the rest of the way with the banana coconut puree and again add one teaspoon of coffee simple syrup to each pop and swirl to combine.

Insert popsicle sticks and allow popsicles to freeze for at least 4-6 hours. Run popsicle molds under warm water for 30-60 seconds to remove popsicles from molds.

Every moment of preparation that goes into these pops is completely worth it. The taste of the final outcome is unexpected and yet completely familiar. A rich sweetness from the caramelized banana balanced by a creamy richness from the coconut milk and finished with a hint of coffee flavor. This might truly be the answer to our summertime "ice cream" cravings.

Enjoy,
Jess and Cecelia

Hi friends! Our kitchen creativity is in full force this week and this recipe is the amazing outcome. Though there are many ingredients and a longer time commitment, the preparation is fairly simple and this recipe reheats well for meals all week! The one preparation that is more complicated is the making of yufka, a Turkish unleavened flatbread similar to a flour tortilla. But trust us, it is SO worth it. With preparation once a week you'll have delicious homemade bread available for snacking, dipping, or wrapping foods of your choice. And since this bread is unleavened, preparation is simpler than leavened, yeast breads. Also a note on shawarma which typically refers to a type of Middle Eastern meat preparation. Creatively, instead we used the traditional shawarma blend of spices in our lentils for an extra kick of flavor because hey, veggie protein needs love and flavor to! So, who's ready to get creative?

Shawarma Spiced Red Lentil & Golden Tofu Wraps
PREP TIME: 45 minutes (+ 4 hours to let yufka dough rest)
TOTAL TIME: 60 minutes (+ 4 hours to let yufka dough rest)
Servings: 6 wraps

Ingredients
Yufka Dough/Flour Tortilla (Adapted from Soframiz by Ana Sortun & Maura Kilpatrick)
1 2/3 cup whole wheat flour, plus more for dusting
1 tsp sea salt
2/3 cup warm water
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Shawarma Spice Mix
1 Tbsp + 2 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp ground all spice
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/4 tsp ground cardamom

Lentils
1/2 cup split red lentils
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
3-4 medium carrots, diced
2 tsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp shawarma spice 

Golden Tofu
12 oz extra firm sprouted organic tofu
2 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Messaged Kale
6-8 large stalks of organic kale
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1/4 tsp sea salt

To make the yufka dough mix the whole wheat flour and salt together in a large bowl then make a well in the center. Pour the warm water and olive oil in the center of the well then use your hand to combine the wet and dry ingredients until a soft dough is formed. Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour and knead dough for 2-3 minutes or until the dough ball is smooth and elastic. Place the dough back in a bowl with a little olive oil to coat to prevent the dough from sticking to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature for 4 hours or overnight. This dough can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge after a minimum of 4 hours sitting at room temperature. If stored in the fridge, remove the dough and allow to come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Cut the dough ball in half and divide each half into 3 equal pieces for a total of 6 small ~2 ounce dough balls. Dust a clean work surface with flour and roll each dough ball out as thin as possible, about 8-9" round. Using a seasoned cast iron pan or a non-stick pan set to medium heat cook the yufka on one side until bubbles start to form and the bottom is slightly browned, ~2 minutes. Remove from the pan after the one side has been cooked and place on a plate or sheet pan with a layer of parchment paper on top. You only want to partially cook the yufka dough at this point. Over cooking or cooking both sides can make the yufka too crunchy and hard to work with. Continue to cook each yufka and continue to stack on top of one another with a piece of parchment paper in between each layer. The heat and steam of the cooked yufka will help to keep the wraps soft and pliable as they sit on top of each other. Once cooled to room temperature store cooked yufka in a large plastic bag, sealed.

Rinse the lentils until the water runs clear. Combine lentils with 3/4 cup water in a small sauce pan then bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid, and continue cooking for 12-15 minutes or until lentils are soft and the water is absorbed. While the lentils are cooking, add coconut oil to a sauté pan set to medium heat. Add the diced onion and carrots to the sauté pan and cook until soft and caramelized, about 10-15 minutes, then remove from the heat. Once the lentils are cooked, add tomato sauce, cooked onion and carrots, and shawarma spice mix to the pan with the lentils. Stir mixture to combine then set aside.

Drain tofu from package then use your hands to crumble tofu into small pieces, similar to scrambled eggs. Add coconut oil to a sauté pan set to low-medium heat then add the tofu, turmeric, sea salt, and crushed red pepper flakes to the hot pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes stirring often. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Wash, de-stem, and chop kale leaves into thin strips then place in a large bowl. Drizzle 1 Tbsp coconut oil over the kale and sprinkle with sea salt. Use your hands to massage coconut oil and salt onto the kale until leaves are soft and dark green then set aside.  

To assemble the wraps (steps pictured below) begin by placing one cooked yufka dough on a clean work surface. Evenly spread about 1/4 cup lentil mixture on to the yufka dough making sure to leave about 1/4" on the sides. On the left side of the wrap add 1/4 cup golden tofu then fold the left side of the yufka in to the middle. On the right side of the wrap add ~1/4 cup messaged kale then fold the right side of the yufka in to the middle. Finally fold the wrap in half lengthwise. The wrap should now be folded three times. Place wrap into a hot pan and cook on both sides until the yufka dough is slightly golden, about 1-2 minutes per side. Continue this process until you have made all 6 wraps. Place parchment paper around each wrap and slice in half. Serve warm with hot sauce if desired. Store additional wraps in the fridge in an air tight container. Wraps cane be eaten cold, room temperature, or slightly warmed in a hot sauté pan.

Well, is this recipe creative or what? Starting with the soft and spongy yufka flatbread enveloping an exciting mix of flavors, from the spicy shawarma lentils to the turmeric tofu, and ending with a balance of brightness and texture from the massaged kale. And if you only decide to make one item from the recipe list this week (gasp), make the yufka! Yeah, it's that good.

Enjoy,
Jess and Cecelia

We must admit, we've never truly understood the exclamation "holy mole" until we went through the amazing process of actually making mole. There are so many unexpected ingredients that go into this sauce and we've found that ingredients can vary depending on the variety of sauce being made. Mole is a chile based sauce used in Mexican cuisine that can be made with a variety of chiles and also contains vegetables, nuts, seeds, spices, and even chocolate. It is traditionally made in large batches for special occasions - perfect for our ongoing celebration of National Nutrition Month! The long ingredient list can look daunting but this sauce is truly worth the effort. You'll notice how healthy and nutrient packed this sauce really is and we even added our own superfood spin. We found mole to be a perfect base for both maca and pomegranate additions - from Navitas Organics, of course! For many of the other ingredients check out your local ethnic grocer, though note that the dried chile varieties can also be found online.

Here at The Green Blossom Kitchen we have an ongoing love affair with maca. We've used it in previous recipes and explained some of the various health benefits (here). As a brief review, maca is a plant that grows at high altitudes in the Andean Mountains and the superfood powder is made from the maca root. Though maca is not a medical treatment, it is believed to aid in balancing hormones and the endocrine system, which could improve stress management, energy, and reproductive and fertility issues. Pomegranate powder, made from the pomegranate fruit seed, contains abundant antioxidants. We've also discussed antioxidants in prior posts (including here) but are happy to provide a refresher. Antioxidants help the body fight cellular damage from free radicals (or damaged molecules) that naturally occur in our bodies as a result of physiological process and exposure to the environment. Navitas Organics pomegranate powder is carefully processed - seeds are juiced, freeze dried, and then milled into powder - to preserve as much of these beneficial antioxidants as possible. Navitas has even more great information on their website (here) so definitely check them out! One question we often get about superfoods is how best to incorporate them into the diet. We think that any way you enjoy superfoods is great but love to provide new and unique recipe ideas to keep things exciting. This week's recipe is definitely a unique (and delicious!) use of both of these amazing superfoods.

Superfood Mole
PREP TIME: 60 minutes  
TOTAL TIME: 90 minutes
Servings: 8-10 cups mole

Ingredients
8 dried mulato chiles
8 dried pasilla chiles
4 dried chilhuacle negro chiles
1 plum tomato, halved
½ medium onion, sliced into quarters
3 tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed
3 garlic cloves
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 ripe plantain, peeled and sliced lengthwise
1/2 cup Navitas Organics maca powder
4 Tbsp almonds
1, 4" corn tortilla, torn into 2" pieces
2 cinnamon sticks
3 whole allspice
3 whole cloves
2 Tbsp golden raisins
4 Tbsp Navitas Organics raw hemp seeds
2 Tbsp raw sesame seeds
1 tsp dried oregano
⅛ tsp aniseed
⅛ teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 cup Navitas Organics pomegranate powder
4 ounces dark chocolate (65% or greater), chopped
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 - 2 tsp sea salt

Step 1
Using a damp cloth, clean outside of chiles. Cut chiles in half, discard stems, remove seeds and ribs and set aside. In a large skillet toast seeds and ribs until blacked - about 5 minutes - then remove from pan and save in a clean bowl. In the same pan, working in batches lay chiles in a single layer and cook until skin is slightly blistered and charred. Continue until all chilies have been toasted. Place cooked chiles into a large bowl and cover with boiled water. Allow chiles to soak for about 20 minutes to soften.
Step 2
Add tomato, tomatillos, onion, and garlic to the skillet and place over medium to high heat. Cook vegetables until blackened making sure to turn as needed for an even char. Add charred vegetables to a blender with 1-2 cups of vegetable broth and process until smooth then set aside.
Step 3
Add 1 Tbsp coconut oil to the same skillet, add the sliced plantain, and cook on medium heat until golden on both sides - about 3-4 minutes - then place in a bowl. Carefully wipe the skillet clean then add the almonds and tortilla pieces to the skillet and toast on medium heat until fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Remove almonds and tortilla from the skillet and place in the bowl with the plantain. Add cinnamon sticks, allspice, cloves, golden raisins, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, oregano, aniseed, and cumin seeds to the pan and toast on low to medium heat for 3-4 minutes, or until fragrant, then add to the bowl with the plantain. Working in batches, add contents of plantain bowl, maca powder, and 2 cups broth to a blender and blend on high until completely smooth then set aside.
Step 4 
Drain chiles making sure to reserve the soaking liquid. Add chiles to a blender with 2 cups soaking liquid and blend on high until completely smooth. Add pomegranate powder, toasted chile seeds, and chile ribs to the blender and continue to blend on high until completely smooth.  
Step 5
In a large pot, add chile puree, plantain puree, and vegetable puree and cook on low to medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring often. Allow mole to cool, then place 1 1/2 cups aside for the jackfruit lettuce wraps (if making). Any mole you do not plan on eating or sharing with friends within 5 days should be stored in air tight containers to be frozen for later use. When ready to use, remove frozen mole sauce from the freezer and place in the fridge for about 24 hours prior to use to completely thaw. Mole sauce can be reheated on the stove top, in the oven, or microwave.

*Note that this recipe will work best with a high speed blender (ex: Vitamix, Blendtec). If you don't have a high speed blender we recommend straining the chile puree (step 4) after blending through a fine mesh sieve. The plantain puree (step 3) may require an additional 1/2-1 cup vegetable broth for optimal blending. The other purees (step 2) should be fine without straining.

Sweet & Spicy Pomegranate Pickled Relish
PREP TIME: 10 minutes + 8 hours to pickle
TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes + 8 hours to pickle
Servings: 1 1/2-2 cups

Ingredients
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced into 1/8" rounds
3 large pink radishes, peeled and sliced into 1/8" rounds
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
3" fresh jalapeno, sliced into 1/8" rounds
1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup cane sugar
1 Tbsp Navitas Organics pomegranate powder
1 tsp sea salt

In a small sauce pan add vinegars, sugar, and salt and cook on medium heat stirring constantly until sugar and salt are fully dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Using a sharp knife or a mandolin set to a 1/8" cut, slice peeled carrot, radishes, and jalapeno into rounds. Add vegetables, chopped cilantro, and pomegranate powder to a glass jar or bowl then pour cooled liquid over the top. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and allow to sit out at room temperature for 8 hours until vegetables soften and slightly wilt. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.  

Superfood Mole Jack Fruit Lettuce Wraps
PREP TIME: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 (makes 8 wraps)

Ingredients
2, 20 oz cans young jack fruit, drained and rinsed (we used Aroy-D brand found at some specialty grocers or online)
1 1/2 cup superfood mole sauce (recipe above)
16 fresh lettuce leaves, rinsed and dried (we used butter lettuce)
1/2 cup sweet & spicy pomegranate pickled relish (recipe above)

Drain and rinse jack fruit. Using your hands, lightly pull jack fruit segments apart into smaller pieces. Place pulled jack fruit in a sauce pan along with 1 1/2 cups superfood mole sauce and cook on low heat for 25-30 minutes or until jack fruit is tender and well coated in sauce. Remove from heat and set aside. Overlap 2 butter lettuce leaves, fill each leaf with 1/4-1/2 cup jackfruit, and top with pickled relish. Serve wraps warm or at room temperature. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in air tight containers for up to 5 days. We recommend keeping the leftover jack fruit separate from the relish and lettuce leaves for easy reheating.

What else can we say but holy mole! This sauce recipe is a true show stopper and will make enough for a large group or extras to save for later use. The depth of flavor is astounding: spicy from the chiles, earthy from the scorched vegetables, tangy from the blend of spices, and rich from the nuts, seeds, and dark chocolate. We think this sauce will lend itself to a variety of uses, though absolutely loved it with pulled jackfruit in our butter lettuce wraps. We can't wait to hear from you about your experience with mole and Navitas' products.

Enjoy,
Jess and Cecelia

Do you ever get so sick of your same lunch and dinner meals that you just think, oh crap, what am I going to eat!? Excuse our language but in this instance we want you to instead think, oh crepe! Though typically thought of as a decadent and overly sweet breakfast indulgence, crepe dough itself is a healthy homemade choice and is versatile enough to be transformed into a lunch or dinner meal. This protein packed, Mediterranean style crepe recipe will be your answer the next time you don't know what to eat. We were even able to pull this crepe recipe off without eggs, making it vegan friendly, but still gave you both recipe options. But before we get to the crepes, more on another cooking method we just love.

If you're in the market for new ways to prepare vegetarian protein options (as we always are), than the dry fry tofu method is for you! It is as simple as the name sounds, a frying method that does not require oil. The tofu is cut into thin slices and fried in a grease-less non-stick pan over medium-low heat with a watchful eye to make sure that the tofu doesn't burn or stick. Flipping the tofu pieces every 2 minutes is a good way to monitor the cooking progress and make sure the pieces aren't sticking. Some tricks for preventing the tofu from sticking without oil include choosing the right tofu product, we think extra firm works best, and draining some of the tofu water before cooking. You can gently squeeze the block of tofu after removing from the packaging liquid and then wrap in a dish towel and let the block sit, weighted with a plate or book on top of the towel, for about 15-30 minutes to allow the towel to absorb some of the water. Your frying pan is also important and should be non-stick, though we recommend alternatives to the usual non-stick varieties as these are typically made using a chemical coating (Teflon is popular) that can potentially leach into food. We suggest spending the time and money to invest in a well seasoned cast iron, ceramic, or enameled cast-iron frying pan. These options can work as "non-stick" without oil and don't come with the potential for chemical exposure. Towards the end of cooking the tofu can be seasoned with herbs/spices of your choice (as we did) but be careful not to burn them. The final product is wonderfully crispy on the outside and still soft on the inside and absorbs sauce nicely in a finished dish. Basically, you haven't really tried tofu until you've had it dry-fry. And don't worry if you do have some sticking to the pan on your first try, just peel the pieces up with a fork and maybe try a different pan, lower heat, or firmer tofu your next go around. You'll get it!

Mediterranean Dry-Fry Tofu Crepes
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 crepes

Ingredients
Crepe batter  
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup organic unsweetened plain soy milk (or 1/2 cup organic cow or goat milk if not making vegan)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp ground flax seeds + 4 Tbsp water (or 2 organic eggs if not making vegan)
1 Tbsp coconut oil or butter to grease the bottom of the pan

Filling
8 oz organic firm tofu
6 oz organic raw spinach
4 oz feta cheese (We used Bulgarian sheep milk feta. If making vegan we suggest 4 Tbsp roasted and salted chopped cashews instead.)
4 Tbsp olives, chopped (we used a combination of black and green olives) 
2 tsp green za'atar or spice mix of your choice
4 tsp unbleached sesame seeds
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp cracked black pepper

Yogurt sauce
2 Tbsp plain yogurt
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp olive brine juice

To make the crepe batter, combine the 2 Tbsp ground flax seeds with 4 Tbsp water, whisk with a fork, then allow to sit until thickened. Add the remaining water, milk, flours, salt, and flax seed/water mixture to a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds or until all ingredients come together. Set aside while you prepare the filling.

Drain tofu from water, slice into thin 1/4" slices and sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, and za'atar seasoning. Using a non-stick or seasoned cast iron skillet, bring heat up to medium and add the seasoned tofu to the hot pan. Dry fry tofu for 3-5 minutes per side or until tofu is a light golden color then set aside. Using the same pan you used to cook the tofu, lightly wilt the spinach then set aside.

To make the yogurt sauce, combine the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, and olive brine juice and whisk until combined.

To make the crepes, grease a 9" non-stick pan with coconut oil and place over medium heat. Pour 1/4 of the batter in the pan and holding the pan at an angle above the burner quickly swirl the pan to allow the batter to cover the bottom of the pan as close to the edge of the pan as possible. Continue to cook the crepe until it starts to form bubbles and the batter appears set. This batter cooks quickly. Using a flat wooden or metal spatula, check the bottom of the crepe after ~1-2 minutes of cooking. Once the crepe is golden and set all the way though, carefully flip the crepe and continue cooking on the other side for an additional ~1-2 minutes. After flipping and while the second side is cooking, add the filling ingredients towards the bottom of the crepe starting with the tofu, spinach, olives, feta cheese, and then the sesame seeds. Fold the crepe in half, and make another fold forming a triangle shape. Continue this process until all 4 crepes have been made. Serve crepes warm topped with yogurt sauce. Note that if you do not plan to serve all crepes at the same meal, the crepe batter can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Allow the batter to come to room temperature and whisk to combine before cooking crepes according to instructions above.

Crepe dough is just too good and so much easier to make at home than most people believe. The spongy dough is the perfect wrap for the mix of salty goodness inside this recipe. And the pack of protein from the feta cheese and dry-fry tofu will keep you full and satisfied until your next, oh no, what's for lunch/dinner moment. A crepe, that's what.

Enjoy,
Jess and Cecelia