açaí bowls

My husband has been on a serious açaí bowl kick lately, and to be honest, I'm not complaining! They're refreshing, delicious, and packed full of healthy ingredients like açaí (duh!), nuts, seeds, and other fruit! The options are pretty endless, but a good place to start is with some high quality, unsweetened açaí, either puréed and frozen or freeze-dried and powdered. The recipe for our go-to version is listed below, but feel free to play around with your favorite superfoods! We love including chia seeds, matcha powder, coconut flakes, and almond butter for a healthy, yet satisfying treat. While artfully arranging the toppings over your smoothie is not necessary, it sure does make for a pretty darn beautiful breakfast or snack! PS- Make sure you go follow my husband's catering company, Beck & Call, as well as his soon-to-be casual eatery Scratch BK, for more delicious eats!

Açaí Bowls:

  • 2 packs açaí purée, frozen

  • 1 banana, frozen

  • 1 cup mixed berries, frozen

  • 2 cups milk of choice (we like coconut or almond)

  • 1 tbsp chia seeds

  • 1 tbsp almond butter

  • 1 tsp maca powder

  • honey or agave nectar, to taste

  • toppings: fresh raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, bananas, coconut flakes, granola, almond butter, matcha powder, chia seeds, hemp hearts, flax seeds, etc.

Blend everything together in a high-powered blender, like a Vitamix. You're going for a thick smoothie consistency, so that it can be eaten with a spoon. Scatter desired toppings across the bowl. Enjoy! Makes two bowls.

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plum & almond tart

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There are so many things I love about summer. The sunshine, beach getaways, and carefree attitudes are all great, but one of my favorite things about late summer in particular is stone fruit. Plums, peaches, apricots, and more are all at their peak ripeness at this time, and you can find them all over the farmers market here in NYC. While they taste super sweet and juicy all on their own, stone fruits can lend themselves to a seriously delicious dessert as well. I love halving them (to show off their beautiful colors) and baking them up in a tasty, yet simple tart. I've used some nice hearty plums here, but feel free to substitute whichever stone fruit you please!   

Plum & Almond Tart:

Filling:

  • 10 plums, halved and pitted

  • 3 tbsp Cointreau

  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 large egg

  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (or almond extract)

  • 1 cup almond meal

  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour

  • whipped cream or ice cream, for serving

Pastry:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled & cubed

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 large egg yolk

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • iced water, if necessary

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Marinate the plums in the Cointreau with 2 tbsp sugar for at least two hours, preferably overnight. For the pastry, mix the butter into the flour in a mixing bowl with your hands (or use a food processor) until it's a course, crumbly mixture. Add the egg yolk, sugar, and salt, and mix until the dough comes together into a ball. Add a bit of iced water if the dough seems to dry and crumbly. Wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill for at least one hour. You can make this ahead of time, or if you're in a hurry, use a store-bought pastry dough.

Coarsely grate the pastry into a 9-inch tart shell, and spread it out with your fingers. This method gives the pastry a rustic, flaky texture. Chill the prepared tart shell for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 F, and prick the tart's base with a fork. Cover with parchment paper, weigh it down with dried beans, and par-bake for 15 minutes.

Whisk butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and any juices from the plums until mixture is well combined. Stir in almond meal and flour, careful not to over-mix. Pour this into tart shell and push plums in, cut-side up. Reduce temperature to 300 F, and bake for about 1 hour. Cover with foil if edges start to brown too quickly. Allow to cool, then serve with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired. 

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top shop byron bay

Byron Bay is truly one of the most magical places. I got to spend a few days there with friends on my trip to Australia, but I'd gladly return at the drop of a hat! It's a picturesque beach town, with tons of cute shops and places to eat. I've raved about my love for Aussie food culture before, but it's seriously the best. I love the idea of going out for a leisurely breakfast or lunch, sitting outside, and enjoying all the fresh flavors the season has to offer. Top Shop Byron Bay is a popular little corner store and café (super close to where we stayed!) that focuses on local and organic produce, and makes some really great coffee! We stopped in multiple times on our three day getaway from Sydney, and practically everything on the menu is right up my alley. The acaí bowls come topped with tropical fruit, dried coconut, and granola, and are the perfect refreshment after a morning in the sun. I became particularly obsessed with the maca-mango smoothie, made from mango, macadamia nut milk, and macadamia nut butter. Oh my glory it was so delicious, and I cannot wait to recreate it at home! My husband was a fan of the breaky burger, which comes fully loaded with egg, bacon, and avocado! All the homemade baked goods are laid out on display to tempt you as well, and they are absolutely worth the indulgence. Top Shop is totally my kind of spot, one that I definitely wish there were more of stateside!

pressed juicery

 
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Most people know Pressed Juicery as the place to go when you're on a health kick and need some extra greens in your life in the form of a cold-pressed juice. While that definitely still rings true, I was excited to try out their newer offering, Freeze. These vegan treats are made from 100% fruits, vegetables, & nuts, then frozen into a delightful soft serve consistency, and served with an array of toppings. As an afternoon cool-off on a sunny day, I chose the Greens Freeze, topped with shredded coconut. It was super refreshing and delicious! Coconut meat and dates are added to their green juice base, which takes the Freeze to that "dessert" level, while still keeping things super healthy. I also sampled the creamier Chocolate Freeze, which has an almond, date & cacao base, and would make for the perfect dessert topped with almond butter! I definitely suggest checking them out next time you stop by.