Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Butter

Chocolate and hazelnuts are a classic combination, and for good reason. This spread is my homemade version of the commercial varieties that are available in stores. If you have a food processor, this is very easy to make. We often eat it on bananas, as well as straight from the spoon when an afternoon pick-me-up is needed. Made from 100% natural ingredients, it satisfies that chocolate craving and provides some good health benefits to boot!

Cacao vs Cocoa

I use a lot of cacao powder in my kitchen for this spread, for chocolate cherry chia pudding, for chocolate cake on birthdays, for port balls, for hot chocolate mix, and even for chili. You’ve probably noticed that sometimes it’s called “cacao” and sometimes it’s called “cocoa',” and while there isn’t one hard-and-fast rule for when each word is used in food marketing, generally speaking “cacao” refers to raw beans / powder while “cocoa” refers to roasted beans / powder. Raw cacao is less processed and full of antioxidants. When cacao beans are roasted and further processed, those benefits are reduced. If you'd like to read more, there are good overviews here and here.

Long story short, if cacao / cocoa is frequently used in your kitchen, it’s worth finding a high quality one that’s tasty, raw, organic and fair trade. I use this brand and I store a big bag of it in the bottom of the fridge and refill a small glass jar that lives in the cupboard for everyday use.

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Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Butter

Note: The only variable here is the sugar content. I generally make this with 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of coconut sugar. The kids like it a bit sweeter so sometimes I bump it up to 3/4 cup. Either way, this is a dark chocolate spread. Adjust the sugar content to what works for you.

Special equipment:
Food processor

2 cups raw hazelnuts
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cacao powder (see headnote for more on cacao and cocoa)
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, place the raw hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes, depending on your oven. As soon as the nuts smell toasty and fragrant, it’s time to pull them out. Let the hazelnuts cool on the baking sheet.

Place all the ingredients into your food processor and blend. Adjust with more coconut sugar if you’d like things a bit sweeter.

This will store in a 16 oz jar in the fridge for a couple weeks. Note that, similar to other nut butters, it will firm up in the refrigerator.

Makes 2 cups

Simple & Perfect Lentil Soup

On a website that arguably has more than its fair share of lentil soups and stews, I am nowhere close to done with them and am offering yet another idea. This soup has a Mediterranean feel to it thanks to the use of bay leaf, thyme, lemon and parsley. It comes together easily and smells incredibly delicious simmering in the pot.

Because the standard green/brown lentils used in this soup cook quite quickly (25-30 minutes), this soup is a good one when you need something nourishing in a pinch. I’ve made it several times now for a quick last-minute dinner with some bread dipped in olive oil served alongside. Lentils are a meatless meal favorite at our house, offering a robust amount of protein and fiber per serving.

Wishing you sustenance for your bodies and your souls, dear readers.

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Simple & Perfect Lentil Soup

Notes: There are numerous lentil varieties out there and this recipe uses the most standard ones, which are sometimes called green lentils and sometimes called brown lentils. This article gives a good overview; the ones used in this recipe are the first category discussed, aptly called “Brown and Green Lentils.” If avoiding gluten is a thing for you, as it is for me, always pick through your lentils and remove any gluten grains that may be hiding in there.

1 1/2 cups green/brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
Good glug of olive oil
1 medium/large yellow onion, chopped
4 medium/large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
3 medium/large carrots, diced
6 1/2 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of fresh thyme
Sea salt to taste
Good grinding of black pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus more to garnish if desired
~1 1/2 cups thinly chopped kale (optional)

Place a large stockpot over medium heat and pour in a glug of olive oil. Add in the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until the onion is fragrant and approaching translucent. Add in the garlic and stir for another minute or so. If the onion browns a bit, it’s OK, but try not to let the garlic brown. When the garlic smells really fragrant, pour in the chopped celery and carrots and stir well. Let this mixture sauté for another few minutes, stirring well every minute or so.

Add the lentils to the pot, stir, and pour in the water. Place the bay leaf and thyme sprig in as well and turn the burner to high heat. When the soup starts to boil, turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until your lentils are soft and fully cooked. Uncover when the lentils are done. If you’re not adding in the optional greens, turn the stove off at this point.

If you are incorporating the extra greens, add them in while the stove is on and let everything simmer for a few minutes.

Finally, stir in the parsley and season with the lemon juice, sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Serves 4-6

Coconut Curry Lentil Stew

This is a quick-to-prepare, delicious-to-eat, one-pot lentil stew. Because it contains a can of full-fat coconut milk, it’s hearty and filling and doesn’t need to be served with much of anything. Here I added some garden chives and they were a welcome addition of green, herby flavor.

The stew itself is a great recipe to have in your mental archives because it’s comprised of pantry staples (lentils, diced tomatoes, coconut milk, curry powder) and storage vegetables (onion, garlic, ginger, carrots) and because of this I find myself throwing it together often.

Lentils are one of my favorite foods for breakfast, lunch or dinner. They’re high in both fiber and protein, making them ideal for simple, one-pot meals that fill you up and keep you going. Lentils are also high in B-vitamins, magnesium, zinc, iron and potassium.

My whole family has enjoyed this stew from Day 1. I think maybe it’s the classic combination of coconut milk and curry, but whatever the reason, this stew has quickly become a regular rotation meal. Other legume-centric favorites from the recipe archives include Moroccan Chickpea Stew, Moroccan Lentil Soup and Quick Taco Beans.

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Coconut Curry Lentil Stew

Notes: If you’re avoiding gluten, be sure to pick through your lentils and take out any gluten grains that may be hiding in there. I pour 1/2 cup at a time onto a large white plate, making it easy to sift through and see everything. Every once in a while a little pebble may be hiding in there as well. Also, I’m writing this recipe for a pressure cooker, but if you don’t have one you can easily make the stew in a stock pot on the stove. After you add the lentils, coconut milk and water, bring everything to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 35-40 minutes until the lentils are tender. Finally, I specifically call for French green lentils here because, unlike many other varieties, these lentils hold their shape with cooking. Puy lentils are a sub-category of French green lentils and therefore also fine to use. Leftovers can be thinned with a bit of water before serving.

Special equipment:
Instant Pot or other pressure cooker

1 1/2 cups French green lentils, picked over and rinsed (see note)
Good glug of olive oil (coconut oil can also be used here)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 medium / large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 medium / large carrots, diced
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoons curry powder
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (the whole can / do not drain)
15 oz can full-fat coconut milk (I like Native Forest brand)
1 3/4 cups water
Sea salt to taste, usually 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons

Turn your Instant Pot to the sauté function and pour in a good plug of olive oil. Add the onion and sauté for a few minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, then add the carrots and sauté for a few minutes more. When the vegetables have softened a bit, add the freshly grated ginger and the curry powder. Stir well for a few moments, then pour in the can of diced tomatoes. The acid from the tomatoes will do a great job of unsticking anything from the bottom of the pan.

Add the lentils, coconut milk and water to the pot. Give everything a good stir and secure the lid. Cancel the sauté function, turn the knob on top to the “sealing” position, cook on high pressure for 13 minutes and let the pressure release naturally.

Once it’s safe to do so, open the lid and season the stew with sea salt to taste.

Serves 4-6