Ingredients

• 2-3 teaspoons Provence nut & spice mix
• 3-5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
For topping:
• 2 apples
• butter
• brown sugar

Instructions

1. Slice apples thinly. Heat a cast iron skillet, add a pat of butter and brown sugar and let melt until sugar caramelizes then add the apples, laying them flat and not overlapping. Allow the apples to sit without touching them, at medium heat, until they are caramelized and then flip and do the same on the other side. Remove the apples from the pan and set aside as the topping to your dutch baby.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Using 4 small individual cast-iron pans or 1 medium cast-iron pan, melt about 1 tablespoon butter in each individual pan or 2 tablespoons if using a single cast iron pan. (When the batter is ready and blended, I place the pans in the hot oven and allow the butter to melt and the pan to heat up.)
3. In a blender, combine eggs, milk, flour, Provence nut & spice mix, salt, vanilla, and 1/4 cup sugar. Blend the mixture until foamy, about 1 minute. Pour the batter into the hot skillet (s), bake until pancake is puffy and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. (the edges of the pancake will crisp up a bit)
4. Working quickly, remove the pancakes from the oven, arrange the caramelized apples or other fresh fruit on top, sprinkle all over with powdered sugar and serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over the hot pancakes. Serve immediately.

Notes

Ingredients

• Provence nut & spice mix
• apples, firm & tart
• bread slices
• almond butter
• coconut palm sugar
• butter
• pinch of sea salt

Instructions

1. Slice apples into thin rounds, but not too thin so they fall apart. Heat a small sauté pan and add a slice or two of butter allowing it to melt. Add a teaspoon or more of coconut palm sugar, brown sugar, honey or even maple syrup into the melted butter. Add a teaspoon of Provence nut & spice mix and then place the apples down into the pan and allow them to sit without touching. Check to see if they are caramelized and when they are golden brown, sprinkle the top with a pinch of sea salt and flip the apple so the other side begins to brown.
2. Toast your bread and once cooled, spread with a layer of almond butter or any other type of nut butter.
3. Remove your golden apples from the pan and place over the almond butter toast. Sprinkle with additional Provence nut & spice mix and serve as an Hors D'oeuvres alongside a glass of wine or as an afternoon snack.

Ingredients

For the salad:
• Provence nut & spice mix
• 1-2 persimmon
• 1-2 red apple, any tart variety
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 1½-2 cups wild rice
• ¾ cup walnuts, toasted
• 4 oz. baby spinach
• 1 bunch kale, ribs removed
• french vinaigrette dressing
For the french vinaigrette dressing:
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Provence nut & spice mix
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon honey
• pinch of pepper
• good pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Mix together all the ingredients for the french vinaigrette dressing, except the olive oil. Whisk until well incorporated and then slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking as you go until the dressing is completely emulsified. Set aside.
2. Make the wild rice (as directed on the package) by using chicken stock, vegetable stock or salty water. Cook well, almost over steam the rice but keeping it moist and tender, then set aside to cool.
3. Lightly toast the walnuts in a hot pan over the stovetop (do not burn) and set aside. I like to keep them in large chunks and actually leave some pieces whole.
4. Cut the kale into small pieces, removing the tough center stems. Slightly chop the spinach into large bite-sized pieces. In a large bowl, toss the greens and about 1 cup of wild rice with some of the french vinaigrette dressing, massaging well into the lettuces & rice, then place a good amount into each serving bowl.
5. Top each salad bowl with an arrangement (see photo) of sliced, fresh persimmons, sliced apples, golden raisins, a bit more wild rice and toasted walnuts. Sprinkle the sliced fruits with Provence nut & spice mix and serve. Place more dressing on the serving table to add additional as desired.

Notes

Ingredients

• Provence nut & spice mix
• 2 lbs haricots verts or green beans
• 10 oz raw cashews, whole
• 3 tablespoons butter, unsalted
• 1 lemon, juice and zest
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• sea salt

Instructions

1. Rinse & trim haricots verts or green beans. I like to snip the side connected to the stem but leave the pretty tip intact, particularly if it is a slender haricots verts. Fill a large stock pot, with lid, half full with well-salted water and bring to a boil. Place the beans into the boiling water, cover, bring back to a boil, and cook for 5-7 minutes or until bright green but still crisp. Keep watch and do not over boil. Drain the beans into a colander and run cold water over them or place them in an ice bath to shock and cool them down quickly - this helps retain the bright green color and keeps them crisp. Set aside and allow these to drain.
2. In the same stock pot (dry completely before re-using), heat the pan and then add the raw cashews. Allow to toast tossing gently and then quickly remove them from the pot and set aside.
3. Again using the same stock pot, melt the butter, add the olive oil, the lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice, add the Provence nut & spice mix a generous sprinkle of sea salt and the toasted cashews which have been set aside. When all are combined and melded, add the haricots verts, remove the pot from the heat and turn the beans gently to coat with the oils and herbs.
4. Place the beans on a serving platter and top with the remaining cashews, herbs and a good squeeze of lemon juice.

Notes

Ingredients

For the dressing:
• 2 ½ tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Provence nut & spice mix
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• pinch of salt
For the black rice & butternut salad:
• Provence nut & spice mix
• 1 cup black rice
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 butternut squash, medium size
• 1 yellow onion, large
• ½ cup whole pecans, raw
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 2 handfuls arugula

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, bring to a boil 2 cups of vegetable or chicken broth. Add black rice, 2 teaspoons of Provence nut & spice mix and bring back to a boil. Cover and simmer on very low heat for about 30-40 minutes. Remove from heat and let it sit covered until all the water is absorbed (I let it sit for a good 40 min to an hour). Remove the lid, fluff lightly with a fork, and cool completely.
2. Cut the butternut squash into small cubes. The easiest way I have found to cut the squash is to cut each end off, cut it in half, then peel both halves. Scoop out the seeds & flesh, slice into lengths, then slice into cubes. If you can find pre-cut butternut squash, this makes the process much easier! Slice the large onion into somewhat thin slices. Arrange both the squash & onion on a parchment lined baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt & toss well. Bake both veggies in a 425° oven for 30-40 minutes or until they are nicely browned and roasted. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
3. While the veggies and rice are cooking, whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, add arugula leaves and toss with a bit of the dressing to coat the leaves completely. Add in squash, onions, golden raisins, and pecans. Toss all with dressing to incorporate together. Add in the black rice and toss gently. Serve immediately and finish with an additional sprinkle of Provence nut & spice mix.

Ingredients

• Provence nut & spice mix
• peaches, ripened
• gouda cheese, block
• prosciutto, sliced thin
• honey
• sea salt
• toothpicks

Instructions

1. Slice gouda cheese into sticks, about ½ inch thick. Wash & slice peaches into thick wedges.
2. Take a thin slice of prosciutto and wrap around both the peach slice and gouda cheese stick, twisting the prosciutto at the top when ends meet. Pierce all of these together with a toothpick to bind and hold into one piece.
3. Arrange the peach bundles onto a serving plate. Drizzle all of the bundles with honey. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of sea salt. Sprinkle with Provence nut & spice mix and serve.

Ingredients

For the Broccoli Salad:
• Provence nut & spice mix
• 7 cups small broccoli florets, blanched for 2 minutes or raw, depending upon personal preference
• 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries
• 1 cup chopped jicama (cut into small cubes)
• ½ cup currants
• ½ cup sunflower seeds, lightly toasted
For the Dressing:
• ½ cup plain greek yogurt
• 2 ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 ½ tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 3 teaspoons Provence nut & spice mix
• 2 tablespoons honey

Instructions

1. Whisk together all the dressing ingredients and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, blueberries, jicama, currants & sunflower seeds.
3. Depending upon taste, pour the desired amount dressing over broccoli mixture, and toss well. Chill for 1 hour before serving. Just before serving top with a bit of Provence nut & spice mix.