Salted Nectarine Cardamom Custard Tart

So, this tart isn't very red, white or blue but who cares about the color, it's freaking delicious. Enough with the patriotic-colored food already, we all know it's the 4th people! Okay just kidding. The colors are fun. I just wasn't prepared enough to have thought up a red, white and blue dish so this is what I ended up bringing to a 4th of July party (besides who wants to be 18th "flag" cake, not me). It was a serious hit and no one even mentioned it's non-patriotic colors. There was only one piece remaining when we left the party and a gal literally chased us down the driveway to ask if she could take home the last piece. Yes, really. Did I give it to her? Hell no I didn't!

For this most perfect (and apparently coveted) nectarine tart, I had to use the best sugar. What is the best sugar you ask?  Well I am sure it differs from person to person, but to me the best sugar is one that is organic, GMO-free, and free from unnecessary processing, especially regarding the use of bone char. That sugar is Zulka Pure Cane Sugar.

As a vegan, obviously the use of bone char in sugar does not jibe with me. Are you asking what the heck  bone char is and why it's probably in your sugar...that you have...at home...right now?! Eeeekk! Weellll, you see bone char is made from the bones of cattle and is used to whiten sugar. Lovely, right? Just what you wanted to be used to process your sugar.

But, why do we need our sugar whitened? Well, I'm assuming it's the same reason that we feel the need to bleach toilet paper or paper towels. God forbid we have *gasp* beige coloured paper towels. So, why do we have to use animal bones? Who freakin' knows anymore. It's madness I tell you...madness! Did I know this before I was vegan? Of course not because who imagines that sugar, delicious sparkling sugar, is processed with cattle bones. Ugh. And you know me, I had to double check and yes, I was personally reassured that Zulka does not use bone char in it's very minimally processing.

Anyways, if the idea bone char disgusts you as it does me or you're just looking for an organic sugar or a GMO-free sugar, Zulka is the answer to your sweet, sugary prayers. I was generously gifted a bag of Zulka to try out and you can see what I thought of it below.

Zulka Pure Cane Sugar

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What: So, we've established that Zulka is an unrefined granulated "Morena" cane sugar. It is Non-GMO Project verified, making it a more natural option compared to whitened cane sugar. It retains "the natural color and depth of flavor raw cane sugar has" and is thus, a light beige color and does not use bone char in it's processing. It comes from five Zucarmex family-owned sugar mills  that are located throughout Mexico.

Why: Because people want a natural sugar that's not refined and if you take up issue with sugar companies using animal bones to process their sugar then Zulka is for you. Basically, it's sugar as sugar should be people, it's not complicated. Why do we have to complicate everything?

How: Just like I said, it's sugar as sugar should be! Just use it as you would traditional white, granulated sugar.

Where: Zulka Pure Cane Sugar is available at major retailers nationwide, including Walmart, Safeway, Sam’s Club, Albertsons, Kroger, SUPERVALU, Food 4 Less, Superior, Winn-Dixie, El Super, Winco and many others. Admittedly, I have looked for it at our Wasilla Safeway and Fred Meyer (our two  main grocery stores up here in Alaska) and have not found it. Sad face. I have yet to check Walmart because, well, Walmart's not my jam. But, it can be found at Amazon.com, hooray!

Price: 

• 1 lb. bag - $0.89-$1.19
• 2 lb. bag - $1.39-$1.89
• 4 lb. bag - $2.99-$3.69
• 100 count box - $1.79 - $1.99

Recurrance: Zulka's got me as a customer. I like to purchase from companies whose values align with my own, and if I bought straight-up sugar I know I'd be walking around all day, moping about how I consumed cattle bones. I would. And I'm sure I wouldn't like that feeling, so it's worth a little more to make me feel like I am doing what seems like should be common sense.

Other Notes: I have to say the only thing I wasn't psyched about was the fact that it came in a plastic bag, as I don't usually decant my sugar. I like the paper bags because I just kind of fold them inward and they stay shut that way. But, that is a very personal choice and probably not the ideal one. I probably should decant... *Update 7/8/2013* - Zulka let me know that, "All vegan, organic sugar is packaged in a plastic or plastic coated bag because we do not remove all the organic material from our sugar. Zulka still has a slight amount of molasses and sugar cane fibers present and these absorb moisture. Therefore a plastic bag is used to protect the sugar from the moisture and keep it from caking into hard lumps. Only refined sugar can be put into the paper bags since the bone char is filtering everything out of the sugar except sucrose crystals." I was super glad Zulka addressed my laziness regarding the plastic vs. paper bag issue I seem to have. I had no idea! I feel a smidgen more intelligent today, just in case anyone asks about vegan sugars and plastic bags. You learn something new everyday...

So there you have it! Is your sugar organic, GMO-free, minimally processed and free from the use of animal bones? If not, it might be time to look into a different sugar. Just sayin'. Or maybe you really don't care, what do I know?

Okay, onto this bomb tart. Yes, this tart is bomb. It's super gangsta and it refused to be made without a fly sugar. This tart is bursting with summer. A sweet and creamy, cardamom spiced custard atop a flaky, buttery crust all topped with fresh, juicy, sugared and salted nectarines .

Salted Nectarine Cardamom Custard Tart

Inspired by The Whinery

Makes 1 large tart

• Crust
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dairy-free butter or coconut oil, chilled and cubed
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. Zulka sugar
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• Custard
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp. Zulka sugar
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup dairy-free creamer
• 1/2 cup dairy-free milk
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
• Toppings
• 2-3 nectarines, pitted and sliced thin (or any fruit you'd like!)
• sprinkling of sugar
• sprinkling of salt (I used a flaked finishing salt)

Combine all the crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

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Add the cornstarch, 1 Tbsp. of sugar and the lemon juice and whisk well until very smooth. Set it aside for now.

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Next, in a small saucepan bring the creamer, milk, salt, cardamom and 1/4 cup of sugar to a near boil. Then, add the cornstarch mixture while whisking and turn to low continually whisking until the custard thickens, this will take just a few minutes. Once thickened, pour the custard into a shallow bowl and refrigerate for about 30 minutes while prepping the rest of the tart.

By now the dough is probably about done refrigerating. Preheat the oven to 350 F, spray a tart pan with nonstick cooking spray and press the dough into the tart pan. Then, poke several holes with a fork into the formed dough to prevent it from bubbling. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the edges being to turn golden-brown.

Once the crust is done baking, remove from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes while slicing up the nectarines. Those super delicious...juicy, plump, nectarines. They are my favorite fruit after all.

Once all the fruit is prepped, spread the custard evenly into the tart pan and then add the slices of fruit lovingly atop it however you'd like.

Sprinkle with desired amount of sugar and salt. Serve (or hoard it all for yourself) for breakfast or dessert. Okay, let's get real, this would make a great entree, too.

Salted Nectarine Cardamom Custard Tart

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: Katie - Produce On Parade

Serves: 8-12

This nectarine tart is bursting with summer. A sweet and creamy, cardamom spiced custard atop a flaky, buttery crust all topped with fresh, juicy, sugared and salted nectarines .

Ingredients

• ---Crust---
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dairy-free butter or coconut oil, chilled and cubed
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. Zulka sugar
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• ---Custard---
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/4 cup Zulka sugar + 1 Tbsp.
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup dairy-free creamer
• 1/2 cup dairy-free milk
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
• ---Toppings---
• 3 nectarines, pitted and sliced thin (or any fruit you'd like!)
• sprinkling of sugar
• sprinkling of salt (I used a flaked finishing salt)

Instructions

1. Combine all crust ingredients in food processor and pulse until well combined. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Add cornstarch, 1 Tbsp. of sugar and lemon juice. Whisk well until very smooth.
3. In a small saucepan bring creamer, milk, salt, cardamom and 1/4 cup of sugar to a near boil. Add cornstarch mixture, turn to low continually whisking until the custard thickens.
4. Pour into a shallow bowl and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray tart pan with nonstick cooking spray and press the dough into the pan, poke several holes with a fork into the formed dough.
6. Bake 25-30 minutes or until edges turn golden. Allow to cool about 10 minutes.
7. Spread custard evenly into the tart pan, then add the slices of fruit atop it.
8. Sprinkle with desired amount of sugar and salt.
9. Serve (or hoard it all for yourself) for breakfast or dessert.

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And finally, check out Bailey and his little bomb shelter. Usually we put his bed in the tub, which he really likes but he seemed to be okay with it just wedged between the wall and tub wall. Sorry about the toilet pic. Super unprofessional, I know. That's the second one, what's wrong with me?

Anyways, I hate fireworks almost as much as him...our neighbors were still setting them off at 3:45am and were still blaring their music and yelling drunk obscenities. What kind of people do that?!

*DISCLAIMER*  PRODUCE ON PARADE IS A PERSONAL BLOG WRITTEN AND EDITED BY MYSELF AND TODD ONLY, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. OUR REVIEWS ARE COMPLETELY BASED ON OUR OWN OPINIONS OF THE PRODUCT REVIEWED. WE ARE NOT PAID TO WRITE POSTS. THIS PRODUCT WAS SUPPLIED TO US AS A GIFT BY THE COMPANY TO TEST AND REVIEW. OTHERWISE, IF WE MENTION A COMPANY BY NAME AND THERE IS NO DISCLAIMER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST, WE AM MERELY WRITING ABOUT SOMETHING WE LIKE, PURCHASE AND/OR USE. THE FACT THAT WE DO RECEIVE A PRODUCT AS A GIFT TO TEST AND REVIEW, WILL NEVER POSITIVELY INFLUENCE THE CONTENT MADE IN OUR POST.

Quinoa With Grilled Veggies & Ginger Nectarine Sauce

So, I got Todd a grill for our one year anniversary and by gosh we've been using it! Even with the monster mosquitos we've been having. Anyways, I've got a slam dunk, delish grilled dinner to share! Quinoa With Grilled Veggies & Ginger Nectarine Sauce, whew! I'm sorry I couldn't shorten it. I tried people! I even had to leave out tempeh from the title. Poor tempeh. Poor, poor tempeh. I know Todd and myself were a little clueless at first as to what to grill, you know, being vegan and all. A grill is for like, meat...right? Ummm, yea if you want to put yourself at an increased risk for cancer! And if you're pregnant, stay away! Even just smelling grilled meat apparently poses the same risk as consuming it. Seriously. Check that shit out here and specifically regarding breast cancer, here. Really, you need to check it out. Don't be mad at me, I'm just the messenger and hey, a mammographer too. Anywho, never fear, this recipe was simply perfect and it will not increase your risk of developing cancer. That's right people grilled tempeh and vegetables did not have cancer-producing substances. This was actually tested. So grill away on those veggies! Oh, the more we know.

So, you can thank me for helping keep you happy and healthy. This grilled dish is light yet satisfying, and fresh but with a smoky influence. The ginger nectarine sauce lends a creamy richness. So keep cancer at bay and grill away. Hey, a rhyme!

Quinoa With Grilled Veggies & Ginger Nectarine Sauce

Adapted from the ever-inspiring, The First Mess

Serves 3-4

• Grillings
• 1 head of cauliflower (cut special - see instructions)
• 1 block of tempeh, cut into 4 triangles
• 3 large handful of leafy greens (spinach, kale, swiss chard, etc.)

• Marinade
• 2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
• juice from 1 lime
• a splash of soy sauce
• 4 green onions, chopped large
• 1/2 tsp. chili paste
• 1 thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped large
• 2 cloves of garlic, cut in half
• 6 sprigs of fresh thyme, de-stemmed
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
• sprinkle of salt and pepper

• Sauce
• 1 nectarine, pitted and sliced
• 1 shallot, chopped large
• 1 thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped large
• 1 tsp. miso paste
• 2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• sprinkle of salt and pepper

• Base
• 1 cup dry quinoa (or couscous, lentils, etc.)

* First a note about the grapeseed oil. It's used in grilling because of it's high smoke point. I recommend purchasing it if you don't have it. It's probably just hanging out by the olive oil in your local store. No biggie.

To start, wash the cauliflower. Cut off any excess stem on the bottom just very slightly, ensuring to leave the stem intact. I learned this the hard way. My poor cauliflower broke apart because I did not have this insight and thus you'll see the tin foil with small pieces of cauliflower in it. Or should you prefer your cauliflower this way, then go ahead and chop that stem off! Cut the tempeh into four large triangles. Arrange both in a large casserole dish and set aside.

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Onto the marinade. Don't skip this. It's super easy and it only needs 30 minutes. To quote Nike, "Just Do It". Add all the marinade ingredients into the blender and blend, blend, blend until silky smooth. Pour the marinade over the cauliflower and tempeh and allow to sit for 30 minutes.

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While the marinade is doing it's thing, get ready to make the sauce. This is also, obviously, very simple. Just throw all the ingredients into the blender and blend until very smooth. If you want a thinner sauce, feel free to add a little bit of water. Taste and adjust according to your personal preference.

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Onto the quinoa. Rinse the quinoa with cold water. Spray a small pot with nonstick cooking spray and add 2 cups of water, followed by 1 cup of dry quinoa and a dash of salt. Over high, bring to a boil then turn to low, cover and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes. Once finished, remove from heat, uncover and fluff with a fork.

After the marinating is finished, and while the quinoa is cooking place the cauliflower steaks and tempeh directly on the grill. For smaller pieces, place them on a large piece of tinfoil, this is also where the greens will be wilted. Allow the cauliflower and tempeh to cook about 5 minutes on each side, depending on your grill. It could take a bit longer, just don't let it burn.

If you have a grill, you probably know how to use it. When the larger pieces are done, removed them. The smaller pieces will take longer than the larger pieces. When the little pieces are almost done, pile on the leafy greens over them. Allow the greens to wilt, this should take just a few minutes. You can use the grill cover if you desire. There's no real science to this people, just grill as you please! Don't forget about the quinoa though! We grilled us some yummy corn, too.

To serve, lay a third of the quinoa on a plate followed by the leafy greens, then the cauliflower and tempeh and finally, drizzle with the ginger nectarine sauce. Garnish with black sesame seeds and sliced green onions if you wish!

Grilling vegan never tasted so good. Who needs meat when you can have this? Save an animal and yourself.

Quinoa With Grilled Veggies & Ginger Nectarine Sauce

Author: Katie - Produce On Parade

Serves: 3-4

This grilled dish is light yet satisfying, and fresh but with a smoky influence. The ginger nectarine sauce lends a wonderful richness.

Ingredients

• ---Grillings---
• 1 head of cauliflower (cut special - see instructions)
• 1 block of tempeh, cut into 4 triangles
• 3 large handful of leafy greens (spinach, kale, swiss chard, etc.)
• ---Marinade---
• 2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
• juice from 1 lime
• a splash of soy sauce
• 4 green onions, chopped large
• 1/2 tsp. chili paste
• 1 thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped large
• 2 cloves of garlic, cut in half
• 6 sprigs of fresh thyme, de-stemmed
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
• sprinkle of salt and pepper
• ---Sauce---
• 1 nectarine, pitted and sliced
• 1 shallot, chopped large
• 1 thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped large
• 1 tsp. miso paste
• 2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• sprinkle of salt and pepper
• ---Base---
• 1 cup dry quinoa (or couscous, lentils, etc.)

Instructions

1. Wash the cauliflower and cut off any excess stem on the bottom just very slightly, ensuring to leave the stem intact.
2. Cut the tempeh into four large triangles. Arrange both the tempeh and cauliflower in a large casserole dish and set aside.
3. For the marinade, add all the ingredients into the blender and blend. Pour it over the cauliflower and tempeh and allow to sit for 30 minutes.
4. For the sauce, add all the ingredients into the blender and blend until very smooth. If you want a thinner sauce, feel free to add a little bit of water.
5. For the quinoa, rinse with cold water. Spray a small pot with nonstick cooking spray, add 2 cups water and 1 cup dry quinoa and a dash of salt.
6. Over high, bring to a boil then simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Once finished, remove from heat, uncover and fluff with a fork.
7. Place the cauliflower steaks and tempeh directly on the grill. For smaller pieces, place them on a large piece of tinfoil, this is also where the greens will be wilted.
8. Allow the cauliflower and tempeh to cook about 5 minutes on each.
9. When the little pieces are almost done, pile on the leafy greens over them. Allow the greens to wilt, this should take just a few minutes.
10. To serve, lay a third of the quinoa on a plate followed by the leafy greens, then the cauliflower and tempeh and finally, drizzle with the ginger nectarine sauce.
11. Garnish with black sesame seeds and sliced green onions if you wish!

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