This soup is lovely vegan option verses your traditional bacon laced leek and potato soup. You make up for the lack of bacon with the lovely spices, especially the warm taste of turmeric. It's filling due to the potatoes, but the richness in this soup is surprisingly virtually fat free. This is a delicious healthy fall soup that will warm your belly whenever there is a chill in the air. 

Ingredients: 
1 tablespoon butter
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 leek, diced
1.5 tsp lavender herbs de provence (found here) 
1 tsp tumeric
1 large onion diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, chopped
4 red potatoes, cut into 1 inch squares
1 sweet potato, cut into 1 inch squares
2 cans broth
1/3 cup water
Salt and pepper

Directions: 
Saute your onions, garlic, leeks, and celery (with salt and pepper) in your butter until softened (about 4-5 minutes). Then add your turmeric and herbs de provence and stir until mixed. Throw in the rest of your ingredients (carrots, potatoes, broth, water, etc) and season additionally with salt and pepper as needed. When the potatoes are fork tender, use your emersion blender until you reach the desired smooth consistency that you prefer. Serve with bread for dipping. 

Enjoy!

I love a good one pan meal. I also love a good one pan meal that is low in fat and full of good for you vegetables. This meal received my "wow babe, this is delicious" seal of approval from my husband. It has a great tang from the mustard, peas and carrots similar to one of our favorite shrimp dishes at a great restaurant, and filling protein and carbs. It comes together in just a few minutes and you will be happy to welcome this easy dish into your repertoire. 

Ingredients: 

1 tablespoon butter

30-40 count medium shrimp

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 leeks, cleaned/diced

1 large carrot, shredded

1 cup frozen peas

1 1/4 cup israeli pearled cous cous

lavender salt

fresh cracked pepper

2 cups water, boiled

Directions: 

Melt your butter, add your shrimp, salt and pepper them. Saute your shrimp for 3-4 minutes until just barely pink all the way through. Set aside. In your same skillet add you olive oil, leeks, carrots, mustard, and garlic. Salt and pepper them and saute until soft and cooked through, about 5 minutes. While your vegetables are cooking, boil 2 cups of water. When the vegetables are soft, add your peas and cous cous to the pan. Dump your water over the top them, turn off your heat source, cover, and let sit 7-8 minutes until the cous cous has plumped. Season with lavender salt and pepper and return the shrimp to the dish. 

Simple, healthy, filling, and delicious. Hope you enjoy this quick one pot meal. 

I love recipes that have hidden health benefits. Waffles are traditionally laden with butter, sugar, and are considered a gluttonous treat. However, these wonderful little waffles actually have very little butter, and are loaded with nutrients from the pumpkin and chia seeds. They have a delicious fall spice to them and will leave you coming back for more. 

Ingredients: 
4 tbs butter, melted
2 eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1 cup water
2/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup chia seeds
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp lavender
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp lavender salt

Directions: 
Mix together your wet ingredients, slowly incorporate your dry ingredients. Cook on hot waffle iron. Makes a large batch, but extra waffles may be frozen and reheated in the toaster for a quick and easy thoughtless breakfast. 

Need culinary lavender? Find some here: www.lavenderapple.com

Bon Apetite! 

If you've ever been to Utah, you've probably had a Swig Sugar Cookie. They are delicious and addictive. Unfortunately if you live outside of Utah, you can get a little hard up for your Swig Sugar Cookie fix. Luckily we have a great copy cat recipe that should help you through. These cookies are the perfect amount of sweet, with just the right balance between chewy and crunchy. You will love them. 

You may notice our cookies don't have the signature pink frosting on them. Don't worry, the frosting still has that great Swig taste, just none of the chemicals that come from using Red 40 Food Coloring. I was out of our natural food coloring, but you get the idea. 

Cookie Ingredients: 

3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup room temperature butter
1 1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 large eggs
5 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp water

Frosting Ingredients: 

1 stick butter at room temperature 
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
24 ounces powdered sugar
1 tsp lavender salt

Directions: 

Mix together your oil, butter, sugars, and eggs. Once smooth add your dry ingredients and water. Roll your dough into 1-2 inch balls then with a flat jar or cup, coat your cup in white sugar then flatten each roll of dough. This will give you your signature Swig rough edge. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes. While the cookies cool, mix together your frosting ingredients. I like to add my milk last and I add it tablespoon by tablespoon until I reach the consistency I like, which is like a thick toothpaste, but its up to you. Then once the cookies are cooled, you can frost away. 

These cookies are deliciously sweet, and a special treat. Your family will ask for them over and over again. Enjoy!