healthy

Two-Ingredient Caramel

Car-mel. Care-ah-mel. Tomayto. Tomahto.

Whichever way you say it, I have always loved caramel. I loved Werther’s caramel candies as a kid (they contributed to all the cavities I got growing up). Then as an adult, I discovered that the main ingredients in a Werther’s are high fructose corn syrup, palm oil (not sustainably sourced), and artificial flavors. I’m not surprised but nevertheless disappointed. Could I find a “healthier” alternative for caramel? The fake stuff isn’t great. The real stuff is…made out of melted cream and sugar. Not great either.

I had a revelation the other day. Maple syrup + cashew butter = a caramel fix. Sure, it’ll never taste as delectable as the real thing. When you really want caramel, eat the mouth-watering buttery, overly sugary classic caramel. But because I crave caramel everyday, I go with this more sustainable take.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup of smooth cashew butter

  • 1 teaspoon of maple syrup

If you want to kick it up a notch, you can add any or all of the following:

  • A pinch of salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract or ground vanilla

  • Powdered freeze-dried strawberries

  • Make it taste like Nutella by using hazelnut butter instead and add a teaspoon of cocoa powder

I love this carmelly nut butter with apples, in yogurt, or as “frosting”.

Kale-ifornia Salad

Kale. Stiff, bitter, dry kale. I didn’t appreciate it until I learned how to eat it.

Kale is good in soups and sautéed, but I finally figured out how to eat it in a salad. The key is to let the dressing soften the kale. Unlike spinach or lettuce, kale won’t wilt into a wet mess if it sits out in dressing.

ingredients

  • 2 bunches of kale

  • 1/2 cup of almonds

  • 3 tablespoons of tahini

  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

  • Garlic powder

  • Salt

  • Pepper

instructions

  1. After washing the kale, pull the leaves off the stems. Chop into bite-size pieces and put them in a large mixing bowl for later.

  2. In a small bowl, mix the tahini, apple cider vinegar, and maple syrup. Add dashes of garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Adjust the measurements to taste.

  3. Pour the dressing over the kale and add the almonds.

  4. Massage the dressing into the kale. Over the course of the day, the dressing will soften the kale and make it more enjoyable to eat.

Alterations

  • I love adding a jammy egg or crispy baked chickpeas to my salad. Sometimes I’ll add dried cherries or red onions.

  • A teaspoon of dijon mustard in the dressing is a nice addition too - adds a nice tang.