This Bar Saves Lives Apple Cashew Cream Cups

Homemade, cinnamon vanilla bean cashew cream layered with tart green apples, crumbled This Bar Saves Lives and a “salted caramel” date drizzle on top! I made this little baby to-go and tucked it safely in the passenger seat on my way to work. Precious cargo 😉

Any flavor of @thisbar will do! Wild blueberry pistachio, dark chocolate cherry & sea salt, Madagascar vanilla honey & almond or peanut butter strawberry & sea salt. I used wild blueberry pistachio + Madagascar vanilla honey & almond. All of them are fantastic!

Cinnamon Vanilla Bean Cashew Cream
1 cup raw unsalted cashews (soaked in water over night)
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
pinch of salt

Directions
Drain the cashews. Pour 1/4 cup of fresh water and the rest of the ingredients into a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. You may need to add more water depending on the consistency you desire.

“Salted Caramel Sauce”
3 soft medjool dates
2 tbsp water
pinch of salt

Directions
Blend in a food possessor or mash with the back of a fork (whatever is easiest for you) until smooth. Strain sauce through a mesh sieve to remove any hard bits of date.

Crumble up your This Bars and layer it up! If you want to learn more about This Bar Saves Lives check out my post or head over to their website! Their Non-GMO, gluten free, fair trade, bee friendly snacks will make your tummy happy and also provide food for children in need all over the world. We eat together!

Harvest Salad

Harvest salad! Bringing on all those gorgeous colors… Tuscan and curly kale with purple cabbage, quinoa, pomegranate seeds, Israeli couscous and steamed pumpkin. I topped mine with a bit of Bragg’s live foods liquid aminos and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

Ingredients:
2 stalks of Tuscan kale (washed and ripped into bite size pieces)
2 stalks of curly kale (washed and ripped into bite size pieces)
2 cups purple cabbage (shredded)
1/3 cup tri colored quinoa (cooked)
1/3 cup Israeli couscous (cooked)
2 cups pumpkin (cubes and steamed)
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Vanilla Bourbon Pumpkin Pie

The silkiest pumpkin pie you will ever eat. That bit of bourbon gives it a sultry edge – helping cut through the sweetness and highlight caramelly nutmeg flavors. This is not your Grandma’s pumpkin pie…

Ingredients
Store bought piecrust (or if you are feeling extra zealous –> pie crust recipe)
2 (15oz) cans of pumpkin puree
1 cup brown sugar + 1 tbsp extra for crust
¼ cup white sugar
½ tsp salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ cup sour cream
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
2 tbsp Bourbon
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions
-Oven 350 degrees F.
-Bake piecrust first. Make a few slits in the middle of the pie dish, so the crust doesn’t bubble when baking. Follow making instructions for store bought pie crust.
-Sprinkle the bottom of the pie crust with 1 tbsp of brown sugar. This will turn into a sweet nougaty layer when is bakes with the pumpkin filling.
-In a food prossecor, blend all ingredients together until smooth.
-Pour the bourbon pumpkin pie mixture into the cooled pie crust. Bake until edges are firm but center still jiggles slightly, about 45 minutes. Don’t overbake or the pie will start to crack on top.
-Let pie cool before serving

For added excitement top with…

Bourbon Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon bourbon
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
* Beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form

Smokey Cinnamon Clove Pomegranate Kirsch

Indulging in a smokey cinnamon clove pomegranate kirsch, because it’s feeling like fall around here and I’m really excited. It’s getting darker earlier and the nights are cooler. This is the perfect drink for unwinding on this Friday night. I’m planning on a walk around the neighborhood with my love and hitting up some friends later, but for now…

Smokey Cinnamon Clove Pomegranate Kirsch
Ingredients:
2 oz. Kirsch (cherry brandy)
1.5 oz. Pomegranate Powell & Mahoney
5 cloves
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
splash of cranberry juice
1 cinnamon stick

Directions:
Combine Kirsch, Pomegranate P & M, cloves, pomegranate seeds, ground cinnamon and splash of cran into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a glass with ice (or add cloves and pomegranate seeds for a fun presentation). Top with a smokey cinnamon stick.

Spiced Apple Pecan Bourbon Cider

Spiced apple pecan bourbon ciders tonight. Sipping something cozy on the couch this golden October evening.

-Apple Pecan Bourbon Cider-
4oz Unfiltered apple cider
1.5oz Old Bally Castle Ginger by Powell & Mahoney Craft Cocktail Mixers
1oz Bourbon
1oz Laird’s Applejack
1 Tbsp roasted pecan syrup (recipe below)

Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a glass with ice. Garnish with apple slices and a pinch of cinnamon.

-Roasted Pecan Syrup-
1/2 cup classic gum syrup
1/2 cup roasted pecans

Blend both ingredients in a blender until smooth. Scoop into a mini sifter and use the back of a spoon to push the syrup through. Add 1 Tbsp of the creamy roasted pecan syrup to your drink. Put the rest of the syrup in the fridge for later. Discard the nut paste or keep it for toast in the morning 😉

*Gum syrup is a rich simple syrup (2:1 sugar:water) combined with gum Arabic, an all-natural resin harvested from the Acacia tree. The gum, which is comprised primarily of fiber and protein, acts as an emulsifier in the syrup and ultimately in your cocktail.