Crispy Coconut Eggplant with Avocado Mango Salsa

If you're like me and the rest of the world, the week after a long weekend can be rough. Especially when said long weekend marks the end of summer and the beginning of fall and all the get-it-togetherness that fall seems to call for. You see, I'm applying to grad school for next fall and application deadlines are now suddenly approaching. And I don't know why but just admitting it to the world seems so terrifying. Sometimes I wish I was the person I was 5 years ago, she was braver, less worried about money and consequences and failure, less realistic, but oh so bold and fearless. She wouldn't have been afraid. So in channeling my former self, I admit I'm applying to grad school. MSW and PsyD. programs to pursue a career that allows me to work in mental health, and more specifically which allows me to incorporate the yoga, breath, and meditation practices, which so dramatically heal me over and over again, with that population. 

But despite this ever-present goal, the fear of failing, of not getting in, of getting in and then changing my mind, of choosing the wrong program, of not being able to get a job, or of accruing an unmanageable amount debt seem to cloud my enthusiasm. And don't even get me started on the GRE, or I'm going to go into the other room and seek refuse in child's pose. Deep breaths. 

So for now, I hide in crispy coconut eggplant with homemade avocado mango salsa. I can handle that. And somehow the smell of freshly grated parmesan and earthy almond meal sizzling amongst a warm bed of coconut oil seems to ease all my worries. I've made this recipe a dozen times, and that smell get me every time. This dish is like eggplant parm's healthy tropical sister. Much lighter than the classic, with no carbs if you're into that sort of thing, and plenty of protein thanks to the almond meal. And the salsa is fresh and tastes like Hawaii meets Italy. It makes the perfect appetizer or light dinner. 

Crispy Coconut Eggplant with Avocado Mango Salsa 

Adapted from A Tasty Love Story
Serves 4-6 as an appetizer or 2 as a main 

1 large eggplant
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 garlic clove, minced
1 egg
1/2 cup coconut oil

For the salsa:
3-4 shallots
1 roma tomato
1 ripe mango
1 large avocado
1/4 teaspoon salt
1.5 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
small handful of basil 

Remove the skin of the eggplant with a vegetable peeler. Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, cut the eggplant into 1/4 inch slices. Lay the eggplant over paper towels and cover both sides with a think layer of salt. Let sit for 1 hour. 

Meanwhile, make the salsa. Dice shallots, tomato (seeds removed), and mango and combine in a bowl. Add salt, lemon juice, and olive oil, and mix. Dice avocado, and gently (as not to make guacamole), fold into the salsa. 

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Run eggplant slices over water to remove salt and pat dry with a towel. Set aside. Combine almond meal, parmesan, and garlic in a deep dish. In a separate dish whisk egg with a large pinch of salt. Coat each eggplant slice with egg, allowing excess to run off, followed by the almond meal mixture. Depending on the size of your eggplant, if/when you run out of egg or almond meal mixture just replace with more. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil into hot skillet, just enough to thinly coat the bottom of your skillet, and cook eggplant slices 2-3 minutes per side, or until lightly browned and crispy. When finished cooking, allow eggplants to rest over paper towels to absorb excess oil. 

To serve, place a large spoonful of salsa atop one eggplant slice, followed by another eggplant slice and more salsa. Top with thinly sliced basil leaves. 

Notes:

• You can salt and dry your eggplant slices and store in the fridge between sheets of paper towels for 3-5 days, if you're into planning ahead, or only making a few at a time. 
• These reheat well best in the oven (or toaster oven). Don't reheat in the microwave. 
• The salsa stays fresh, and the avocado green for 3-5 days thanks to the lemon juice. If you have extra it's great with chips or on quesadillas. 

Perfect Piña Coladas {Dairy-Free}

Happy Labor Day weekend! Can you believe summer is almost over? Normally summers in the valley creep by, each day hotter and more miserable than the previous, but not this one. It flew. Wasn't it just fourth of july like last week? I'm not ready for Fall, I haven't even made zucchini bread yet! I'm buying peaches and tomatoes and artichokes like a mad woman before they are quickly swooped up and replaced by apples. I think summer's fruit makes its heat manageable.  

My greatest food discovery this summer was without a doubt coconut milk. I'm not talking about the kind you pour over cereal, I'm talking about the thick, creamy, canned kind, most commonly used in asian cuisine. I've been trying to cut back on dairy for a million reason, though not always succeeding at it (thank you, burrata), and coconut milk allows my dairy-free treats to stay creamy, decadent, and like I'm not missing out one bit. Oh, and the fact that it smells like vacation helps too! 

These piña coladas are perfection. Creamy, sweet but not sugary, and so so satisfying. They make me feel like I'm on a beach somewhere beautiful rather than sitting at the bistro table, I literally found by the dumpster of our apartment complex, on our dinky patio in the middle of a heat-stricken valley. So sit back, relax, and sip one of these bad boys down. They make life a little easier. You deserve it. 

Perfect Pina Coladas {Dairy-Free}
Serves Two

Ingredients:
1 pound frozen pineapple
1 can full-fat coconut milk
1 medium ripe banana
1 tablespoon agave nectar (or honey)
1/2 cup ice
1/4 - 1/2 cup rum (optional)

Perfect Piña Coladas {Dairy-Free}
Serves Two  

1 pound frozen pineapple 
1 can full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated & shaken well*
1 medium ripe banana 
1 tbsp agave nectar (or honey) 
1/2 cup ice 
1/4 - 1/2 cup rum (optional)**

Blend the pineapple, coconut milk, and banana until smooth, add ice, agave nectar and rum and adjust to taste. 

* When you refrigerate the coconut milk it has a tendency to separate - becoming coconut cream on the top with coconut water on the bottom. Give it a good shake before opening the can, but if you still find that it's separated that's OK. Everything will get blended together even though it may come out of the can a mess.
 
** I may be boring, but I'm actually a bigger fan of these without the rum, but feel free to add it!   

Burrata & Roasted Cherry Tomato Crostini

Can we talk about burrata for a moment? Let me start by saying if there's a reason I could never go completely vegan, burrata is that reason. If you've never had the pleasure of tasting the stuff it can be described as giant pillows of fresh mozzarella filled with creamy, heavenly goodness.  I recently discovered it when I went to Mario Batali's Pizzeria Mozza for my birthday a couple months ago and ordered his famous caprese salad.  It pretty much changed my life. Talk about decadence. 

This time of year burrata salads are everywhere, either that or my newfound love-affair with the stuff is only now opening my eyes to it! This time of year is also home the best tomatoes you've ever tasted. Did you know you're technically not supposed to refrigerate tomatoes? Yeah. Me either. Apparently it dramatically affects the flavor. I've been embracing this "room temperature rule" particularly when it comes to cherry tomatoes. You know those bright orange ones that you only see around late august?

We got these gems from Mcgrath Family Farm just south of Ventura, CA. If you're ever road tripping up the 101, you must stop for the best, freshest organic produce and the friendliest people. I just adore everything about this place. You can even pick your own strawberries, cherry tomatoes, and heirlooms, which just so happen to all taste like candy this time of year. 

So in attempt to eat burrata, and savor these perfectly sweet cherry tomatoes I was trying to avoid refrigerating, this recipe was born. Add in some "make me feel less guilty for basically eating cheese for dinner" arugula and we're good to go! These are definitely a Friday night kind of treat, which we attempted to treat as an appetizer before something healthy like a salad but failed and ate them all until we were completely full. Oops!  

Burrata & Roasted Cherry Tomato Crostini
Makes 6 large crostini

Ingredients:
1 loaf ciabatta bread
4 cloves garlic, divided
extra virgin olive oil
8 oz burrata (I used Trader Joe's brand)
2 cups tightly packed arugula
1 pint cherry tomatoes
fresh ground sea salt + pepper, to taste

Soak bamboo skewers in cold water for at least 15 minutes. Preheat your oven (or toaster oven) to 450 degrees and your grill (pan) to medium heat. Slide tomatoes on skewers and marinate in olive oil, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and salt + pepper. Grill tomatoes until softened and slightly charred. Meanwhile, slice bread into six 3/4 inch thick slices, then rub slices with remaining garlic cloves and drizzle both sides olive oil. Bake for 5-7 minutes. Divide the burrata amongst the crostini, top with arugula, and cherry tomato skewers. Sprinkle with chunky sea salt and pepper to taste.