GRILLED NECTARINE & AVOCADO PIZZETTAS (and some reflections on anxiety)

As summer creeps back in (thank you, Sweden*!), it’s time to celebrate with family, friends and perfectly summery festive food! These pizzettas are a take on my popular Nectarine & Avocado Toasties of a couple of years back. Made simply with Mexican pita breads and cashew cheese, they’re a light, simple lunch or wholesome addition to your party table or BBQ.

On the topic of wholesome food and living, I am currently in the process of a cleanse (detox, if you will). As a result my brain is a little foggy, my skin is atrocious and at times I question why I am doing it at all. But with Oliver slowly weaning himself, my hormones out of whack, finally starting to bounce back after months of intermittent perinatal anxiety, and yet another change of timezone and climate now that we are back in Sweden, I find myself craving total recalibration.

There are a few things I am doing to address this. A cleanse is one, and others include daily meditation, writing ‘morning pages‘, daily yoga (albeit just 10 minutes some days), daily movement in some form for 60 minutes, baths, reading a book instead of having screen time before bed, limiting time on social media/responding to email. It really seems to be working already. And despite the fact that Oliver is still breastfeeding on demand during the night, my overall amount of sleep has increased… as has the quality.

I have finally finished reading two books that are now rather dear to me: Marie Kondo’s the life-changing magic of tidying up and Sarah Wilson’s first, we make the beast beautiful. I don’t know if these books came into my life at this time as a result of need – a student is willing, teacher appears kind of scenario – or whether I would have read them regardless of anxious status (probably the latter). But the fact is that both books have been a huge help. Firstly, I see clearly that I am not alone in my feelings about “stuff”/my home as a sanctuary/my anxiety as a gift-curse conundrum (but ultimately a gift). Secondly, being presented with suggestions for actionable strategies to deal with everything from clutter overwhelm to emotional overwhelm is fabulous for a person like me who loves a challenge (and also has tendencies towards analysis paralysis if left to my own overthinky devices).

Half way through first, we make the beast beautiful, back in
our friend’s beach house in South Australia

 

I won’t dwell too much more on this now, but I do hope to write further posts with retrospective reflections when I am on the other side of processing this remarkable/challenging/beautiful little hump in my life.

<3 Marisa xx

*It was literally snowing here two weeks ago and I don’t have words to describe how that makes me feel!

 

GRILLED NECTARINE & AVOCADO PIZZETTAS

Serves: 2-4

INGREDIENTS

4 small thick pita breads (or flat bread of choice)
2 large ripe avocados
2 ripe nectarines
A handful of fresh rocket/arugula
1/2 a lemon
A pinch or two of dried chilli flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil for griddle pan

CASHEW CHEESE INGREDIENTS

250 ml raw cashews (soaked for at least a few hours, then drained)
80 ml water (extra if needed)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the cashew cheese by blending all the cheese ingredients in a food processor or high power blender until a smooth, cream cheese-like texture is achieved.
2. Heat a griddle pan over medium high heat.
3. Slice each nectarine into wedges (approximately 14 per nectarine depending on size).
4. Cut the avocado in half, use a butter knife to cut slices of avocado of an even width, then use a spoon to scoop the avocado flesh out.
5. Add olive oil to the griddle pan and place nectarine slices onto it in rows. After a couple of minutes check to make sure they have griddle marks, then flip them over and continue cooking for a minute or two on the other side. Remove from pan and set to the side.
6. Repeat the process using the avocado slices.
7. If desired, toast pita breads.
8. Spread each pita bread generously with cashew cheese.
9. Arrange nectarine and avocado slices on top of the pita breads, season to taste and sprinkle with chilli flakes. Top with rocket. Dress with a squeeze of lemon.
10. Serve immediately.

*The gorgeous little plate you see in the top corner is the work of my friend Kate Kneipp. Her pieces are truly sublime!