Strawberry Coconut Shortcake: Perfect for a Mother's Day picnic!

I know you're probably thinking I'm confused about my holidays with the red, white and blue theme in the picture, but I did indeed make this Strawberry Coconut Shortcake recipe for Mother's Day last week. And man, it turned out great! 

I had been wanting to experiment with coconut oil and biscuits for a while, but I didn't know if savory dinner biscuits made with coconut oil would work. When I had to make a dessert for Mother's Day I jumped on the opportunity to try out strawberry shortcake with coconut oil. Paired with Coconut Milk Whipped Cream and sweetened strawberries it became an amazing combination perfect for a family picnic outside. 

The biscuits were moist and sweet and gave off the most amazing smell as they baked in the oven. They flattened out more than I thought while they were baking, but were still thick enough to slice and had lots of surface area to layer on tons of strawberries and whipped cream. 

I wasn't sure what my non-vegan family would think about the Coconut Milk Whipped Cream, but everybody loved it and keep reaching for more. That's when I know something I make is a winner. 

This recipe is perfect for spring and summer and will wow your friends. They'll never guess it's dairy free! 

Strawberry Coconut Shortcake

(Serves 8)

Ingredients:

• 2 pints strawberries, chopped into bite sized pieces
• 1/4 cup sugar
• juice of 1 lemon

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (+ more for dusting)
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons coconut oil, chilled
• 1 cup almond milk + 1 tablespoon
• 1 recipe Coconut Milk Whipped Cream

Directions:

1. In a bowl mix together the strawberries, lemon juice an sugar and set aside. 
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
3. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
4. Using a pastry cutter or two knives cut in chilled coconut oil until you get a course meal. Make sure there are no coconut oil chunks bigger than pea size.
5. Pour in 1 cup of almond milk and stir to combine. 
6. Lightly dust a clean surface with flour and pour the dough onto the flour. If it's still to sticky, sprinkle more flour on top and continue to turn and add flour until you can handle it.
7. Press the dough down until its about 1 1/2 inches thick. Use a biscuit cutter or a cup to cut out circular biscuits. Cut out as many biscuits as possible and then gather up the scraps, reform the dough and repeat until you get 8 (6 is fine too) biscuits. Brush the tops lightly with more almond milk and then place the biscuits on a parchment paper lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
8. Bake the biscuits for about 25 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the tops are starting to turn golden. Remove from the oven and let cool.
9. To serve, slice the cooled shortcakes in half, spoon strawberries on the bottom half of the biscuit, cover with the top half of the biscuit and dollop Coconut Milk Whipped Cream on top.
10. Enjoy!

Notes: Adapted from Martha Stewart.

In a large bowl stir together the chopped strawberries, lemon juice and sugar. Set aside.

Whisk together the dry ingredients for the shortcake.

Add in the chilled coconut oil.

Cut in the oil with two knives or a pastry cutter.

Add in the almond milk and stir until dough forms.

Pour the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and add more flour if it's too sticky.

Flatten the dough until it's about 1 1/2 inches thick.

Cut out 6-8 biscuits.

Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Brush with almond milk.

Bake for about 25 minute until the tops begin to turn golden brown.

Let the cool on a wire rack.

Assemble your Strawberry Coconut Shortcake and dig in!

Eat Consciously,

Faith

No-Cook Strawberry Rhubarb Chia Jam. Only 4 Ingredients!

My rhubarb obsession is still going strong, especially with summer right around the corner. One of my favorite desserts has always been strawberry rhubarb pie, but until a couple of weeks ago I had never seen rhubarb before or cooked/baked with it. Then when my sister and I were in Ireland, we stopped at the Milk Market in Limerick which is basically a farmers market where tons of vendors come to sell their produce, fresh bread and food. I saw these bright red stalks of something on one of the stands and asked Ruth, "What the heck is that vegetable?" Turns out it was rhubarb and of course my brain started wandering to all the different types of recipes I wanted to try as soon as I got home.

I decided to go with a Strawberry Rhubarb Tart for my first rhubarb recipe and it turned out great. After making the tart, I still had some extra rhubarb leftover and decided to go for some type of jam with chia seeds. This recipe is so simple and healthy and only calls for four ingredients. I put this jam on toast and even in my oatmeal. There is no refined sugar in this jam either. It's a perfect summer spread!

Strawberry Rhubarb Chia Jam

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped rhubarb
• 1 cup chopped strawberries
• 2 tablespoons agave (or other liquid sweetener)
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds

Directions:

1. Place all four ingredients in a blender and blend until mostly smooth. You'll want to be able to see the chia seeds and specks of strawberry.
2. Pour into a jar and store in the fridge for up to a week.
3. That's it! Enjoy on toast, in your oatmeal or straight from the jar.

Notes: Adapted from here.

Eat Consciously,

Faith

8 Ingredient Strawberry Rhubarb Tart...Summer is Here!

What would your perfect day look like?

Mine would start early in the morning with some oatmeal, tea and reading. Then I would pop a chick-flick on while experimenting in the kitchen. I'd then bring those baked goodies to a brunch with friends and enjoy delicious food and great company.

Then the party would head outside...to the beach! We'd drive with the top down and the music blaring, iced coffee in had. Once at the beach I'd simply soak up the sun, read a good book and have good conversation. If the water was warm enough I'd get in.

Before heading home we'd stop at a hole in the wall food joint and eat our fill. Then the day would end with popcorn and a good movie. 

And then I'd sleep like a baby.

Of course this is just one of many days that I would love, but this one was real and happened yesterday! Two of our friends were in town for the weekend and they only had two things they wanted to do: see friends and go to the beach. So we made it happen!

While my sister Ruth and I were in Ireland we went to a farmer's market and of course I couldn't stop thinking of recipes I want to try out in the kitchen based on the colorful produce and baked goods we saw. I have always loved anything combining strawberries and rhubarb, but I had never bought rhubarb before. When we saw the bright, red rhubarb at the farmers market I knew I had to try cooking with it A.S.A.P., and a Saturday brunch with friends was the perfect time to do that.

This Strawberry Rhubarb Tart is oh, so easy and only requires 7 ingredients! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Strawberry Rhubarb Tart

(Serves 8)

Ingredients:

Single Pie Crust:

• 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons earth balance spread, chilled + a little more for brushing
• 3-6 tablespoons ice, cold water

Strawberry Rhubarb Filling:

• 2 cups chopped rhubarb (~1/2 lb.)
• 1 cup chopped strawberries
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar + a little more for sprinkling
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

For the pie crust:

1. Whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl.
2. Add in the chilled, earth balance spread and use a pastry cutter (or your hands) to cut the spread into the flour until course crumbs form. Use an up and down chopping motion. The crumbs should be no larger than pea-sized.
3. Add in 3 tablespoons of ice water and stir with a fork. Draw the flour from the bottom of the bowl to the top and push down any large clumps.
4. Add more water by the tablespoon until you can pinch a marble-sized amount of dough with your fingers and it stays together. Only add as much water as is necessary!
5. Shape the dough into a ball and wrap it in saran wrap or place it in a plastic bag and chill it in the fridge for 1/2 hour to 2 days.

For the filling and to assemble the tart:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the chopped rhubarb, strawberries, sugar and lemon juice until the strawberries and rhubarb are well coated. Set aside to let the mixture moisten.
3. Take out your chilled pie crust and on lightly floured parchment paper roll the ball into a 14" circle, about 1/8" thick.
4. Place the parchment paper and dough on a baking sheet and carefully spoon the strawberry and rhubarb mixture into the middle of the circle, leaving about 2 inches of dough around the edges.
5. Fold the edges of the dough over the filling one section at a time and push the overlapping dough together slightly so that it sticks together. Continue this all the way around the tart until it's finished.
6. Brush some melted earth balance on the top of the crust and sprinkle with coarse sugar. 
7. Bake for 40 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
8. Let the tart cool for a while and then cut into 8 slices and serve!

Notes: I used the ratios for Crisco's pie crust recipe for the crust and substituted earth balance spread for the crisco.

For step-by-step pictures see below!

Eat Consciously,

Faith