Peanut Butter Banana Granola Bars

Well I'm back from my camping and backpacking adventure all in one piece, albeit a little sore.  We ended up hiking a total of 16 miles over Saturday and Sunday.  It's nice to be able to get away and enjoy nature, especially when there aren't city noises and people all around marring it's beauty. 

I made some granola bars to snack on during my trip and as promised in the last post, I will share the recipe.  It's pretty much infinitely customizable according to what you have in your pantry, but I'll share what I used below and you can go from there.  As I made them, the bars are gluten free, vegan, and refined sugar free.  And, because I took a little too many pictures on my hike, I'll share some of those, too :)

Peanut Butter Banana Granola Bars
recipe adapted from here
**as I mentioned above, these are infinitely customizable: you can substitute any type of nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and nut butter

2 ripe bananas
1/2 cup all natural peanut butter
1/2 cup roughly chopped cashews
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
2 tbsp flax seeds
1/4 cup chopped dried dates
1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1 cup whole rolled oats
1/4 cup quinoa flakes
1/4 cup carob chips or dark chocolate chips (opt.)

Preheat your oven to 350F and line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mash the bananas until they are a puree consistency.  Next, stir in the peanut butter until everything is well combined.  Add the rest of the ingredients to the peanut butter mixture and toss to evenly distribute everything.  Spread the mixture into your lined pan, pressing on it lightly to make sure it is even.  Bake the granola bars for 20 to 25 minutes until the edges begin to turn golden and the top of the bars gives a little when pressed.  Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing.  Store the bars tightly wrapped in an airtight container.  Enjoy!

**makes 6 to 8 bars, depending on how large you cut them

lovely colored leaves and our little camp site

new buds and signs of spring

hiker's crossing!

A Weekend Away

I'm off to a hiking and camping trip this weekend which means that I will not be doing any baking (gasp!).  I will not be able to do my usual weekend post, but will be back at the beginning of next week with a granola bar recipe I made for my trip!  So, until then, enjoy the following pictures of the great outdoors:





picture found on pinterest, via http://konagrown.tumblr.com/







picture found on pinterest, via http://thatkindofwoman.tumblr.com/





picture found on pinterest, via http://pinterest.com/pin/3659243416747872/





Gluten Free Berry Jam Scones

I made it one of my goals this year to read more, as in read more books that weren't cookbooks.  It seems that every book I spend time with lately is a cookbook.  Don't get me wrong, I love looking at cookbooks, especially ones that are photographed beautifully, but I thought it was about time I ventured into other types of books.

Well, I suppose I am living up to my goal.  I am currently in the middle of a book called Swamplandia!, though I have still been perusing cookbooks.  I find myself revisiting ones I like so that I can admire the delicious photos and draw inspiration from them.  One of the books I revisit often is Kim Boyce's Good to the Grain.  I have several recipes bookmarked, but one that I wanted to take a crack at this past week was the strawberry and barley jam scones.  Since I always try to do something vegan or gluten free (or both), I decided to use her recipe as a starting point and make them completely gluten free.  I also knew I wanted to use up some dewberry jam, so I incorporated that into the mix.  I almost went at this with all I had, making them both gluten free and vegan, but I had some stick butter to use up.  Such is life.

To make the scones, you divide the dough in half, roll each half into a round, smear one with jam, and then place the other half on top.  It's basically a scone-jam sandwich and it's oh so lovely.  Since the dough has to chill at least 3 hours or so, you could make the dough the night before, chill it overnight, and then bake them off in the morning.  But, it's up to you.

Gluten Free Berry Jam Scones
notes: I used a dewberry jam, but any jam will work nicely as long as it is quite thick, almost like a preserve.  If you use a runnier jam, it will spill out the sides and your scones will have too much moisture in them, thus rendering a sort of scone/jam puddle when they bake.  So, be sure to use a thick jam or preserve.   As for the gluten free flour mix, I currently make my own, using 30% starches and 70% whole grain gluten free flours by weight.  Read more about it in this post.   

2 1/4 cups gluten free flour mix, plus more for rolling the dough out
1/4 cup date sugar (or regular cane sugar)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. fine grain sea salt
1 tbsp. ground flaxmeal
1 stick very cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cold egg
1/2 cup rice milk + 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
about 1/2 a cup of thick berry jam or preserves

Mix the rice milk and vinegar together in a small bowl and set back in the fridge while you prep the rest of the recipe.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground flaxmeal, and date sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if mixing by hand).  Next, add the cold butter and run the mixer, with the paddle attachment, on medium low until the butter has broken down into pea-sized pieces or smaller.  If doing by hand, use your fingers to do this, or a pastry cutter.

Take the rice milk mixture out of the refrigerator and whisk in the egg.  With the mixer running on medium-low, add the wet ingredients slowly to the dry and mix until the dough just starts sticking together and pulling away from the sides of the bowl.  Dump the dough out onto a flour surface and knead it just a couple of times to bring it together.  It should be sticky but it should also hold together.  Pat the dough into a 1 inch thick circle, then cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight. 

When you are ready to make your scones, pre-heat your oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silpat.  Put the baking rack in the upper 1/3 of the oven.

To make the scones, remove the plastic wrap from the dough and dust your work surface with flour.  Divide the dough in half, then roll out each half to about 1/4-inch thick rounds.  They should be roughly the same size and shape.  Once you have rolled the dough out, spread the jam out evenly on one of the rounds.  Next, carefully place the other round on top and gently press down so the top piece of dough adheres to the jam.  Using a pastry cutter dusted in flour, carefully cut the dough into 8 wedges like a pizza.  Gently transfer each scone to your baking sheet, making sure to leave at least an inch in between each one.  Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until tops are firm and edges are golden.  When you remove them from the oven, allow them to cool for at least 20-30 minutes on the pan before moving them to a rack to cool completely.  If you try to move them or pick them up right after they come out of the oven, they will fall apart.

If you are not enjoying your scones shortly after baking them, store them in an airtight container up to 3 days, or freeze the leftovers.  You can thaw the frozen scones in a 300F degree oven.  Enjoy!

Photo Updates & A Sneak Peek

Photography has been a big hurdle for me in opening up my etsy shop.  Lately, it's been really interesting to go back and look at the difference between the photos I first took last year, and the ones I take now.  I'll be the first to say I'm not the best photographer, but at least I'm improving!  I had some time this weekend to update the photos for my vanilla spelt shortbread clouds in my etsy shop.  Here's a sample of a couple of them:

And, I thought I would share a sort of sneak peek of the next (gluten free) cookie to be added to my shop:



Kale Chips with Smoked Sea Salt

I have always been baffled by the cost of kale chips at the store.  Why would it cost over $4 for a tiny bag of chips that I could probably consume in under 5 minutes?  Because I thought the price was ridiculous, and because I knew I could make them at home for cheaper, I never bought them.  I'm glad I didn't because you can in fact make them at home for so much cheaper, plus, things just taste better when you make them yourself :)

You are in for a treat if you have never had kale chips.  All it takes is a bit of oil and salt and a brief roast in the oven and you have the most beautiful-hued, delicate snacks.  They are so delicate, in fact, that they will melt in your mouth making you want another (...and another...).  If you like chips and salty snacks, these chips are for you.  You can eat the entire batch for pretty much the same amount of calories as a single serving of greasy potato chips.  But, why would you want greasy potato chips when you can have these green beauties instead?!

Kale Chips with Smoked Sea Salt
I used lacinato kale, but any kale you have will work as long as you dry it completely before using it.  Also, if you do not have smoked sea salt or cannot find it, regular sea salt will work just as well.

1 bunch of kale, washed and thoroughly dried
1 tbsp olive oil (or any oil of your choice)
pinch of black pepper
a few pinches of smoked sea salt

Preheat your oven to 300F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Remove the center rib from the kale leaves and discard.  Chop the kale into chip-sized pieces.  Put the kale in a large bowl and drizzle with the olive oil.  Sprinkle the pepper over the kale, then toss with your hands until all of the leaves are coated with the oil.  Spread the kale out on your sheet, making sure not to overlap the kale.  Sprinkle the kale with a few pinches of the smoked sea salt.  Bake the kale for 20 to 25 minutes until it crisps up.  Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the sheet before eating or storing in an airtight container.  Enjoy! 

Chai Scented Breakfast Kasha

We've been getting a substantial amount of rain around here lately.  Rain + cold + no sun = the need for warm and comforting things.  I have an unofficial list that lives in my brain of the things I need when it's cold and dreary.  Since I've said before that I pretty much make lists for everything, I shall share it below:

slightly oversized, yet oh-so-comfy soft black sweater
woolen socks
hot tea, lots and lots of hot tea
a warm beanie and scarf
knitting needles and yarn
a good book or two, even if it's a cookbook :)
warm, substantial food

This past weekend, donned in my oversized sweater and woolen socks, I brewed myself a cup of tea while thinking about what to make for breakfast.  I wanted something warm with spices and a bit of sweetness, yet substantial enough to keep me going until lunch.  After looking through my pantry, I decided to use some kasha (buckwheat groats) and make it into a hot breakfast cereal of sorts, scented with some chai spices.  It ended up being just what I wanted and I had to keep myself from devouring it before snapping some photos.  It's gluten free, vegan, and refined sugar-free so go ahead and indulge in some warm kasha goodness!

Chai Scented Breakfast Kasha
serves 2

3/4 cup kasha (buckwheat groats)
3/4 cup rice milk (or other milk of your choice)
3/4 cup water
pinch of fine grain sea salt
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole star anise
8 cardamom pods
brown rice syrup, to taste
diced pear and toasted sliced almonds, to serve (optional)

**if you don't have any of the whole spices called for, use a pinch or so of the dried and ground versions instead**
                                                                                            



Combine the rice milk, water, and whole spices in a sauce pan.  Bring to a boil over high heat then add the kasha and a pinch of salt.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the liquid has mostly been absorbed and the kasha is al dente.  Remove the kasha from the heat and carefully remove all of the whole spices and discard.  Stir in a bit of brown rice syrup (I used around 2 tbsp total) and then divide the kasha into two bowls.  To serve, top each with toasted sliced almonds and diced pears along with a drizzle of brown rice syrup.  Enjoy!

Dewberry Jam Hand Pies

We finally have winter weather back in Texas, at least where I am.  I think the high for today is in the upper 40s as opposed to the upper 70s.  Yippee!  I made sure to stock up on firewood so I can enjoy this wonderful weather before the warm weather starts creeping back and stays for good. 

Even though I love wintry weather, sometimes I find myself longing for spring and summer.  It's not the temperatures that I miss, but the bounty of new fruits and vegetables that will be in season.  I think I have said on this blog before how much I love dewberries, but really, I love any berry.  I don't discriminate when it comes to berries, especially when they are in season, ripe, and oh so juicy! 

To satisfy my berry craving last weekend, I decided to use up some dewberry and green apple jam I made in the summer and bake it into little hand pies.  Sweet, tart, and thick dewberry jam is enveloped in a lemon-scented whole grain crust and then baked until just golden.  They are the perfect size to fit in your hand, making them portable and oh so cute, too!  These little beauties are vegan so you can enjoy them without worrying about the sticks of butter you might be eating.  Oh, and don't be frightened by the length of the recipe, it's mostly just a lot of detailed information about how I formed the pies.

Dewberry Jam Hand Pies
notes: This recipe makes 10 hand pies using a 3 7/8 inch circle cookie cutter.  Using a different size will yield a different number.  I used dewberry jam because it is what I had, but any berry jam will work nicely.

1 - 8 oz. jar of dewberry jam
1 1/2 cups whole rolled oats (not instant oats)
1/2 cup spelt flour
1/4 cup barley flour  
heaping 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
zest of 1 small lemon
scant 3/4 cup coconut oil, very cold (I put mine in the freezer for about 10 minutes)
3 tbsp agave or maple syrup
2 to 3 tbsp ice water

In a food processor, process the oats until they are finely ground.  They should look fine like flour.  Next, add the spelt flour, barley flour, salt, and lemon zest and pulse until combined.  Add the cold coconut oil and pulse until the dough looks crumbly.  Add the agave and then add 1 tbsp of ice water at a time, pulsing the dough until it just comes together and forms a ball.  I only needed about 3 tbsp for this, but you may need slightly more.  Make sure not to overmix the dough.  After the dough has come together, dump it out onto a piece of plastic wrap and knead it a few times before forming it into a disc.  Wrap it with the plastic and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Once the dough has rested and chilled, remove it from the fridge.  Roll it out on a sheet of parchment paper dusted generously with spelt or barley flour to about 1/16 of an inch thick.  Using a 3 7/8 inch (or similar size) circle cookie cutter, cut out as many circles as you can.  Transfer the first cicle of dough carefully to a lined cookie sheet.  Spoon about 1 1/2 tbsp of your jam onto the circle slightly off center.  You want the jam to be a bit closer to one side of the circle of dough so you can fold the other side over easily.  Once you have the jam in place, dip your finger in a bit of cold water and run it around the edge of the dough.  This will help it to seal.  Next, gently fold over the piece of dough opposite from the side with the jam.  It should now look like a half moon shape or an empanada.  Using the tines of a fork, gently crimp the dough together, forming a seal.  Using a small sharp knife, cut 2 small slits into the top of the dough (I made an X shape).  Continue these steps for the rest of your hand pies.  It's okay if a little jam spills out of them when folding the dough over, they will just look more rustic and homemade!  Once all of your hand pies are formed, place them in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes.

While your pies are chilling, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Bake the pies in the upper 1/3 of your oven for 18-20 minutes until they are golden brown around the edges.  Cool on the pan at least 15 minutes before enjoying or before moving to a rack to cool further.  Enjoy! 

Guest Post: Savory Gluten Free Pancakes with Sauteed Portobellos & Peppers

Hello all!  I have to go out of town for work for a few days so I figured this would be the perfect opportunity for a guest post!  The recipe and illustrations below are from my talented brother and illustrator extraordinaire Gordon.  So, without further ado, I'll leave this post to him:

Five years ago I discovered I was lactose intolerant. Three years later, I discovered I had a gluten allergy. My first impulse was to cry in a corner and mourn the loss of all the foods I used to gorge on—there would be no more late-night/post-happy hour pizza from the corner or cookies on a coffee break. The horror!

I quickly got over that crisis and began exploring incredible food I could find at the store, delicious dishes I could order out, and recipes I could create to fill in the blanks. This is one such recipe. Everything I make generally comes from recipe basics and improvisation rooted in memories of spending time in the kitchen with my mother, grandmother and sisters. We’re a food family for sure. Naturally, I’ve had some misses along the way but that only means more experimenting. And perfecting. And eating.

As is the formula for recipes, there are precise measurements listed below. But let it be said that this is just a starting point. I like my food incredibly well-seasoned so I even go above and beyond the measurements for the seasonings you’ll see below. And sometimes I want my pancakes thinner, sometimes thicker so I add or subtract water accordingly. Just like trying on clothes until you find that outfit that makes you look  like a star instead of a derelict art student, recipes should be tried on until you find the right fit. It’s essential and incredibly fun to make it your own. Unless it’s a cheesecake or French macarons, in which case, follow the recipe to a T or you’ll end up sobbing in a corner. Now, get to choppin’.

Sauteed Portobello and Peppers with Savory Guten-Free Pancakes

(serves 2 really hungry people or 4 people faking a modest appetite)

2 portobello mushroom caps, sliced (about 10 slices per cap)

1/2 medium white onion (diced, sliced...or both)

3 medium cloves of garlic (minced)

4 tblsp olive oil

1 medium red bell pepper (chopped)

1 tblsp tarragon

1 tblsp  cinnamon

1/2  tblsp salt

1/2 tblsp garlic powder

touch of nutmeg

approximately 3 tblsp agave syrup

avocado, sliced

Pancakes:

slightly more than 1 cup certified gluten free rice flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

about 3/4 c water

olive oil for pan (approximately 2 tblsp)

In a large skillet, add portobello, onion, garlic and olive oil. Stir to evenly coat mushroom mixture with olive oil, then sprinkle spices on mixture and stir to evenly coat. Turn on medium heat and stir occasionally for 4-5 minutes. The mixture will appear dry. Adding a bit of water is fine but don’t add too much as the pepper will add plenty of moisture to the mix when it is added.

Add pepper and the agave to the mixture. I find it best to add the agave in concentric circles to evenly distribute it. Stir mixture occasionally for the next 7-10 minutes. If you like your pepper completely tender, cook longer. You can either prepare the pancakes while this sautes or it’s perfectly fine to briefly reheat it once the pancakes are finished (I prefer the second method, as letting it cool and then briefly reheating it seems to make the mingling of flavors more evident), that way you won’t get too distracted, burn something, throw your ruined dinner in the sink and eat crackers and some dry spinach that’s been hanging out in the fridge for 5 days because you don’t feel like going to the store for reinforcements.

To prepare the pancakes, place the gluten-free rice flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper mix in a pyrex pitcher that holds at least 2 cups. Add water bit by bit and stir until the the batter reaches about 1 1/2 cups (the flour tends to clump at the bottom so stir completely. The batter will be slightly thinner than the consistency of a smoothie.

In a crepe pan (or small, non-stick skillet), add a few drops of olive oil and place on medium-high heat. Once the pan is sufficiently heated and the oil evenly distributed, add pancake batter (a thin layer). And, like traditional pancakes, once there are a significant amount of bubbles on the surface, the pancake can be flipped (these tend to be cake-ier than pancakes and thicker than crepes).

Plate two pancakes and on the stack, spoon a generous helping of the portobello mixture, then add slices of lightly salted avocado slices on top. If you need some extra fat in your diet, I dig a tblsp of mayo with 1/4 tsp of chili powder mixed in on the side—but that’s just because I’m obsessed with condiments.

Enjoy!

all illustrations © 2012 Wallace West

GF/Vegan Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

I realized the other day that I've never actually posted a plain ole' cookie recipe on here.  I guess it's because any cookies I test and bake are primarily for  my shop and my blog has thus far been for pretty much everything else.  By the time I get to baking for my blog, my brain goes in every other direction but cookies.  I'm glad to say that changed this past weekend.     

It's no surprise if you read the title of this post which cookie direction I chose to go in.  I took a classic, made it vegan and gluten free, and added a little hazelnutty goodness.  These cookies won't really be winning any beauty contests.  But, I've never been one to rule out a cookie based on its looks, and neither should you.  Looks aside, these cookies manage to be buttery without butter.  They have the slightly crisp/slightly chewy texture that I love, plus, they have a lovely hazelnut undertone. 

Do yourself a favor and make these cookies.  You won't be disappointed and your tummy will thank you for it!

Gluten Free/Vegan Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
if you can't find coconut sugar, you can use organic raw cane sugar, also known as evaporated cane juice

50 grams millet flour
50 grams sorghum flour
50 grams hazelnut meal
60 grams arrowroot or tapioca starch
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup carob chips or any GF/vegan chocolate chips
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
3 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut sugar

Preheat your oven to 325F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or by hand), mix the flours, hazelnut meal, arrowroot, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and carob chips on low until combined.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, applesauce, vanilla. and coconut sugar until combined and uniform.  With the stand mixer on low (or by hand), gradually ass the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.  Once the dough comes together, stop the mixer.  It will be quite moist.  Let it sit there for a few minutes for the dry ingredients to absorb the wet ingredients.  After it has rested for about 5 minutes, give it one more mix to make sure the dough is fully combined and uniform.   Using a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop heaping spoonfuls of the dough and place them on the lined sheet about 2 inches apart.  Gently flatten the mounds of dough a bit with your fingers (they will spread further in the oven).  Continue until all of the dough is gone.  Bake the cookies for 14 minutes, making sure to rotate the pans halfway through.  After 14 minutes they should be golden and still somewhat soft.  Remove the cookies from the oven and cool them on the sheet for 15-30 minutes.  Do not skip this step or they will fall apart when you try to remove them.  After they have cooled a bit on the sheet, transfer them to a rack to cool completely.  Enjoy!

**makes 16 medium sized cookies