Tasty Tuesday: Summer Squash Bread

I'm really lovin this Squash Bread.  The original recipe from Heidi is made from Zucchini, but I have an abundance of squash in my new garden and needed something to make with it besides pickles.  Yes, I have made 9 jars of squash pickles so far.  I've given away maybe 2 dozen fresh squash and yet they just keep coming!  That is really the joy of growing your own food.  Watching the little plants spring up practically overnight and becoming a tangled web of vines that you wonder if it is going to open your door and bind you up in the middle of the night.  Ok, I haven't actually had nightmares that my squash is going to eat me, but I am definitely enjoying eating it.

This recipe may border on weird for some of you but I promise the flavors and seasonings are stellar together in the bread.  Walnuts, poppy seeds, candied ginger, curry, and a touch of lemon fragrantly season this Thai spiced bread.  All of these ingredients are optional, but doing it "fully loaded" won't disappoint.  The squash bake right in and practically disappear.  I would have no idea that there is vegetables in it if I didn't make it myself.  

Heidi's Zucchini (or Squash) Bread

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts, plus a few to sprinkle on top

1/3 cup poppy seeds (optional)

zest of two lemons (optional)

1/2 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped (optional)

1/2 cup unsalted butter ( I used fragrant coconut oil)

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup fine grain natural cane sugar or brown sugar, lightly packed

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups grated zucchini (about 3 medium), skins on, squeeze some of the moisture out and then fluff it up again before using

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon curry powder (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter the two loaf pans, dust them with a bit of flour and set aside. Alternately, you can line the pans with a sheet of parchment. 

In a small bowl combine the walnuts, poppy seeds, lemon zest, and ginger. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and curry powder. 

In a separate large bowl or mixer, beat the butter (or coconut oil) until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat again until mixture comes together and is no longer crumbly. Add the eggs one at a time mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition. Stir in the vanilla and then the zucchini (low speed if you are using a mixer).  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches, stirring between each addition.

By hand, fold in the walnut, poppy seed, lemon zest, and crystalized ginger mixture. Save a bit of this to sprinkle on the tops of the zucchini loaves before baking for a bit of texture. Avoid over mixing the batter, it should be thick and moist, not unlike a butter cream frosting.

Divide the batter equally between two 5x9 loaf pans. Make sure it is level in the pans, by running a spatula over the top of each loaf. Bake for about 40-45 minutes on a middle oven rack. Err on the side of under cooking this bread because you don't want it to dry out. Keep in mind it will continue to cook even after it is removed from the oven as it is cooling. Remove from the oven and cool the zucchini bread in pan for about ten minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to finish cooling so it will not become soggy.

Tasty Tuesday: Strawberry Cake

One of our favorite spring time activities is picking strawberries at the local strawberry farm. Rows and rows of sun warmed fresh strawberries; one for my mouth, one for the bucket. My little strawberry picker was great at it! She knew to pick only the red ones and she loved to eat all she could. The local U-pick places don't like to use pesticides because they cost money, so they generally do not use chemicals unless they think they might lose the crop. That way we know we can eat strawberries off the plant and we don't really worry about chemicals that non-organic strawberries hold from the grocery store.

Because we ended up with two gallon buckets full, I had to figure out a way to use them fast. We froze one bucket, but the bucket we kept fresh went bad pretty fast. So I whipped up this great strawberry cake. When you google search "Strawberry Cake Recipe" you find that those deep red southern favorite cakes start with "white cake mix" and "strawberry flavored gelatin". While this cake isn't near as pretty as those cakes, and is lacking frosting, it certainly isn't lacking sweet deliciousness! It is so moist and so good. I could eat the whole thing myself.

Strawberry Cake

I used fragrant coconut oil instead of butter and let me tell you, it is fabulous! Seriously consider trading your butter in this recipe. Also, I cooked it less than the 1 hour it calls for - a lot less actually, because I cooked it in a toaster oven which cooks faster. But the middle of my cake is pretty gooey (not raw) and I like it that way, so play with the time you cook it. Cook it a little less if you want a softer cake. Also, you could use any berry in this recipe. I'm going to try it with blueberries in the summer.

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, or coconut oil, softened, plus more for pie plate
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch pie plate. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.

Put butter and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk, and vanilla. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Transfer batter to buttered pie plate. Arrange strawberries on top of batter, cut sides down and as close together as possible. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.

Bake cake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 1 hour. Let cool in pie plate on a wire rack. Cut into wedges. Cake can be stored at room temperature, loosely covered, up to 2 days.

Tasty Tuesday: Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake

It's been awhile since I've featured a recipe. Probably because we eat the same old stuff all the time. I'm sure we all get stuck in the recipe rut. We have a few staples, Rice and Beans, and some sort of soup tend to make our weekly menu. Finally, for Easter we decided to make something new. It's from 101 Cookbooks, as usual, but it branched out of my comfort zone considering I thought it would be eggy. Fortunately, this Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake was not eggy at all! It was delicious and is a great way to eat less bread and gluten in the morning. It is not at all sweet and not at all like a dessert cheesecake. It was cheese cake in the true sense of the word "cheese."

I'm a terrible photographer, but Heidi is quite good, so check out her website for the pretty pictures of this cheese cake.

Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake
Heidi made hers in a springform pan. I don't have one, so I just used a pie plate and it worked fine.

2 cups zucchini, unpeeled & grated
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
2 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
2 shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
zest of one lemon
2 large eggs, well beaten
1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled
drizzle of olive oil

Preheat oven to 325F degrees, racks the middle. Butter/oil a 7-inch springform pan or pie plate.

In a strainer, toss the shredded zucchini with the salt and let sit for ten minutes. Now aggressively squeeze and press out as much moisture as you can. Set aside.

In the meantime, combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, shallots, garlic, dill and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Stir in the eggs and continue mixing until well combined. Now stir in the shredded zucchini. Fill the springform pan with the ricotta mixture and place on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for sixty minutes. If there is any moisture left on top of the cake at this point, carefully use a bit of paper towel to dab it off. Now sprinkle with the goat cheese and return to the oven for another 20 -30 minutes or until the goat cheese is melted and the cake barely jiggles in the center (it will set up more as it cools).

At this point, if the cake is baked and set, but the top isn't quite golden, zap it with the broiler (just about a minute) to get a bit more color on top. Remove from the oven and let cool five minutes, then release the cake from its pan. Cool completely, serve at room temperature drizzled with a bit of olive oil and a few sprigs of dill.

Tasty Tuesday: French Onion Soup

French onion soup and Salmon salad. That's what my 18 month old had for lunch yesterday. She actually loves this soup and dips her bread in it like she's been dipping bread in soup all her life! Oh, she has.

There is no such thing as "kid food" in our house. She eats what we eat, and every once in a while I am really surprised by the variety of things she will eat. Like, for example, French Onion Soup. She sops up all the broth with her bread and then eats all the onions out. My husband also said that this is quickly becoming one of his favorite soups, second to Broccoli Cheddar Soup. This recipe is from A New York Times article.

Vegetarian French Onion Soup
The recipe calls for water, and in most recipes, I ignore the water and use veggie broth, but I'd advise actually using water not broth. The miso makes this soup so rich and salty that it can not afford any more salt or flavoring for that matter. Water it is!

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/2 pounds large Spanish onions, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
8 diagonal slices of baguette (home-made is nice!), about 1/4 inch thick.
1/3 cup miso
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme, optional
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large slices Swiss cheese

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup olive oil, and heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring constantly and adjusting heat as needed, until the onions are soft and deep golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow onions to cool in the pan.
2. Brush both sides of the bread slices with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake, turning once, until just crisp, about 4 minutes a side. Remove from oven and set aside.
3. Pour 3 cups of water into a 2 quart saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Add miso, thyme, and cooked onions; mix well. Simmer and season with salt and pepper as needed.
4. Preheat a broiler. Place a large oven-proof serving bowl or four small oven-proof bowls on a broiling pan or small baking sheet. Pour the hot soup into the large bowl or divide among the small bowls. Place the croutons on top of the soup, and top with Swiss cheese slices. Place the pan holding the soup directly under the broiler until the cheese is melted, and the soup is bubbling. Serve immediately.

Tasty Tuesday: Graham Crackers

I wanted a healthy, easy, and tasty treat for my toddler, and I just feel a lot more comfortable making my own rather than buying something out of a box. Even if that something out of a box is organic and all natural it is probably expensive and not near as tasty.

These graham crackers are soon becoming a household staple. They don't taste anything like boxed graham crackers - they are way better! They are bolder, more flavorful, and so much more fragrant. In fact, I don't know which is better - smelling them or eating them!

This recipe couldn't be easier, and I do the whole thing in the food processor which makes it fast and a breeze to clean up. These crackers are win win!

Homemade Graham Crackers
I have reduced the sugar in the original recipe from 1/2 cup to 1/4 cup and use coconut oil instead of butter. I thought 1/2 cup of sugar was too sweet for my taste, and especially for a toddler. My version is also vegan! (well, if vegans eat honey, which I guess it depends on how vegan you are!)

1 3/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup rye flour
1/4 cup raw sugar or brown sugar
1 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup solid state coconut oil or cold butter, cut into pea-size bits
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon molasses
1/4 cup cold water
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a large food processor, mix together the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add the coconut oil a bit at a time and mix until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the honey, molasses, water, and vanilla and mix until the dough comes together in a ball.

Between 2 sheets of waxed paper, roll the dough 1/4-inch thick. Chill for 1 hour, until firm.

Preheat to 350 degrees F.

Carefully remove chilled dough from waxed paper. Lightly flour the dough and roll 1/8-inch thick. With a sharp knife, cut into 2-inch squares. Arrange the crackers on parchment lined cookie sheets. With a fork, prick several holes in each cracker.

Bake for 12 - 15 minutes, or until lightly browned at the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheet.

Serve plain or with peanut butter, almond butter, cream cheese, ice cream, s'mores... you name it!

Note: Not suitable for babies under 1 year due to honey in the recipe.

Tasty Tuesday - Easy Little Bread

I'm pretty sure there is nothing better than sitting on the kitchen floor sharing a slice of warm fresh baked bread with my baby girl. That's just what we did after this super simple bread came out of the oven.

This recipe is for all of you that would make bread if it were easier, or had the time. This recipe only takes 10 minutes to put together, 30 minutes to rise, and 35 minutes to bake. A yeast bread, just easier. And of course, it is from Heidi.

Easy Little Bread
The recipe calls for 1/2 whole wheat flour and 1/2 AP flour, but I used all whole wheat pastry flour and it was great! Also note this makes a pretty salty little bread. If you don't want it so savory cut the salt down to only 1 tsp.
1 1/4 cups warm water (105-115F)
2 teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
1 tablespoon runny honey
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats (not instant oats)
1 1/2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted, for brushing

In a medium bowl, sprinkle the yeast onto the warm water and stir until the yeast dissolves. Stir in the honey and set aside for a few minutes, until the yeast blooms and swells a bit - 5 - 10 minutes.

In the meantime, mix the flours, oats, and salt in a large bowl. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir very well.

Brush a 8-cup loaf pan generously with some of the melted butter. Turn the dough into the tin, cover with a clean, slightly damp cloth, and set in a warm place for 30 minutes, to rise.

Preheat the oven to 350F, with a rack in the middle. When ready, bake the bread for 35-40 minutes, until golden and pulling away from the sides of the pan. You can finish things up by leaving the bread under the broiler for just a heartbeat - to give the top a bit deeper color. Remove from oven, and turn the bread out of the pan quickly. Let it cool on a rack so it doesn't steam in the pan. Serve warm, on the kitchen floor, with your kids!

Tasty Tuesday - Fruit Pizza

I made this fruit pizza for Mary Abilene's birthday party. Personally, I thought it was delicious. So did my hubby, my baby, and my neighbor's baby! I got several other compliments from adults, especially about the crust. My husband thinks the crust would be a good energy bar if I stiffened it up a bit.

The recipe I found is vegan and gluten free. I really wanted a fruit pizza without cream cheese since I was serving a ton of cream cheese frosting already. I kept my pizza vegan, but used wheat flour instead of rice flour. I made this pizza in practice and then made the pudding three times before getting it right. Give this recipe a try for your next party or pot luck!

Fruit Pizza

FOR THE CRUST
1/2 cup coconut oil (alternatively, may substitute 1/4 the cup of coconut oil for butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry (or all purpose) flour
1/2 cup oat flour (I just processed some oats in my food processor)
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup ground or finely chopped pecans or almonds (again chopped in the food processor)
1 mashed banana

FOR THE FILLING
You can use full-fat coconut milk in a can or can use Silk or So Delicious brands coconut milk (sweetened) that come in the half gallon for drinking. If you use sweetened coconut milk, only add 1 tbsp sugar instead of 3. I used Silk Coconut Milk because I found the canned coconut milk to be a little weird in texture after it turned into a pudding.

2 cups coconut milk
3 tbsp cane sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
fruit for topping (strawberries, kiwis, bananas, canned sliced peaches, canned mandarin segments, raspberries, blueberries, or whatever else you have on hand)

To make the crust, melt coconut oil, then blend in sugar. Add flours, oats, pecans, and the mashed banana. Using your hands, spread onto a pizza pan until it is a thin layer. Bake at 375°F until the edges brown (around 10 minutes). Because of the banana, this crust is a bit cakier and takes longer to bake. After the edges browned, I used the broiler to crisp up and brown the top of the crust, which took just a few minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

For the filling, add cornstarch and sugar to a medium-sized pot. Pour coconut milk in and set the heat to medium. Stir well with a whisk. Stir continuously until the mixture starts to thicken and finally boil. Continue stirring one minute. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and vanilla. Allow to cool before spreading it onto the crust. It will thicken up a little more when it has been refrigerated.

After spreading the coconut milk onto the crust, decorate with your fruit toppings as desired.

Cover the whole pizza with saran wrap and chill until set, probably at least overnight is best.

Tasty Tuesday - Carrot Cake

This Tasty Tuesday is in honor of Mary Abilene's first birthday! I made a delicious (if I do say so myself) healthy carrot cake. I think it is a top notch cake recipe and I intend to make it over and over again. It will be my go-to birthday cake recipe until she's old enough to say "Mama. Gimme some chocolate!"

Baby's First Birthday Cake
Adapted from www.wholesomebabyfood.com - great website - check it out!

2 1/2 c thinly sliced or shredded carrots
2 1/2 c apple juice concentrate
1 1/2 c raisins
2 c whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 c extra virgin coconut oil, warmed so it is liquid
2 whole eggs
4 egg whites
1/2 c toasted wheat germ
1/2 c unsweetened apple sauce
2 tbsp aluminum free baking powder
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp vanilla extract

1. Combine the carrots with 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the juice concentrate in a medium size saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until carrots are tender,15 to 20 mins. Meanwhile, chop the raisins in a food processor. Add the carrots and apple juice concentrate to the food processor and pulse until combined. (I left a bit of texture to the carrots - chopping them but not puree). Let mixture cool.
2. Combine the flour, wheat germ (cooled), baking powder, ginger, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Add the coconut oil to the flour and beat to combine. Then add the 1 1/4 cups juice concentrate, eggs, egg whites, and vanilla; beat just until well mixed. Fold in the carrot puree and applesauce. The mixture will be very fluffy because of the egg whites. Pour the batter into 2 greased 9X9 baking pans, or cupcake wrappers.
3. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 mins for a 9x9, 20-22 mins for cupcakes. Cool briefly in the pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely. When cool, frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Healthier Cream Cheese Frosting
1 package of organic cream cheese (softened)
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla

With an electric mixer, cream together cream cheese and vanilla. Add in the powdered sugar. Taste, and add more powdered sugar to your liking.

Note, Wheat, eggs, and dairy are potential allergens and you might want to feed your baby these foods separately before letting her dive into the cake.

Tasty Tuesday- Falafel with Tangy Tahini Sauce

This recipe in The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook by Cathe Olson is another way I've ruined eating out. When we can make our favorite foods at home, what reason is there to eat out?! The only difference between this delicious falafel and traditional restaurant falafel is that this isn't deep fried. It isn't near as crunchy, but saves you calories and fat in oil.

The tangy tahini sauce is fast becoming a go-to sauce for us. We love it for veggie wraps and I bet it would be great as a crudite dip.

Falafel with Tangy Tahini Sauce

4 cups cooked chickpeas, drained (canned is fine)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced parsley
1/3 cup water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup flour (any kind - I used WW pastry, cause thats what I had)

Tangy Tahini Sauce:
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup tahini
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 to 1/3 cup water

Simply puree all ingredients for falafel in a food processor until smooth. Add a little more water if necessary to get a smooth consistency. If possible, let batter sit 1 hour before cooking to thicken and intensify flavor (CB note: I did let mine sit and I think the onion became less pungent and everything married nicely.)

Use your hands to form patties approximately 3 in diameter and 1/2 in thick. Cook patties using one of the two methods below:
1) Oven method: Preheat oven to 450F. Place patties on oiled baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes on each side or until brown and crisp. This method works well to cook all the patties at once.
2) Pan Method: Warm a skillet to medium heat. Pour in just enough oil (I used coconut oil) to coat the pan. Drop in patties (4 or so at a time) and grill 10 minutes on each side, or until brown and crisp. Add additional oil if needed and add oil between batches.

To make sauce:
Puree yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, and sea salt in a blender or food processor. While blending add water a little at a time until desired thickness is achieved.

Serve falafel with sauce or in a pita pocket with tomato, lettuce, and cucumber.

I have used the pan cooking method with great results. I haven't tried the oven method yet. This would also be a great freezer recipe. Use the oven method for that and freeze the patties, individually wrapped. Thaw and then reheat in oven.

Tasty Tuesday- Homemade Veggie Stock

I buy veggie broth for a variety of things besides just soup. Though we do go through a ton of veggie broth in the winters for soup, I use broth year round to cook rice and quinoa so the grains will actually taste like something. I buy organic veggie broth which I can get for less than $3 on sale. Lately it occurred to me that I could make my own broth!

I found a great tip online - whatever vegetable "leavins" you have, i.e. the ends of onions, peppers, squash, the stalks of kale, stems of spinach, potato peels, etc, etc, put them in a freezer bowl or bag. Be sure to thoroughly wash the whole vegetable before you chop it so your "leavins" will be clean! Whenever the bowl or bag fills put the frozen vegetable pieces in a big pot and make veggie stock! This method certainly puts your unused vegetable portions to good use and then costs you absolutely nothing extra! Talk about green!

Homemade Vegetable Stock

Fill a large stock pot with a variety of vegetable at least 1/2 full.
Vegetables should include onions, and anything else you desire.
Add three cloves of garlic, whole, skins and all, but smashed with a knife.
A couple bay leaves, a handful of fresh parsley, and 10-15 whole peppercorns if you have it.
Add three tsp salt (or to taste). Adjust depending on the amount of water you add.
Fill the pot with water so it completely covers the vegetables.

Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for at least one hour - you don't have to watch the clock too closely. Strain into jars. Broth will keep in the refrigerator for about a week and in the freezer for about two months.

Soaking grains and nuts - an update

I posted a couple weeks ago about Soaking Grains and I promised a follow-up. Basically I have soaked oatmeal, rice, and almonds. I soaked oats in yogurt starting the night before. In the morning we (actually my husband) cooked the oats as usual on the stove top with the soaking liquid. Well, I didn't like the flavor so much. You can very much taste the fermentation. HOWEVER, draining the soaked oats and rinsing a bit gets rid of the fermentation taste. Not bad. I made granola from soaked, drained and rinsed oats and I didn't taste fermentation at all, however - I think I did it wrong. I'll post about that when I get it right.

Soaking and then dehydrating almonds, however, is DELICIOUS! I soaked almonds with water and yogurt for 8 hours. I, drained, rinsed, and spread them on a baking sheet. I put them in the oven for 8 hours at 175F. They came out beautifully crunchy and with that yummy roasted taste. I made almond butter with these almonds and it was the best almond butter I've made thus far. I'm definitely going to soak and dehydrate all my almonds from now on.

My friend made bread from soaked wheat last week - maybe she will share the recipe so I can test that out next!

Tasty Tuesday- Honey Whole Wheat BAGELS!

Homemade bagels!? Yes, please!!
This recipe is from Heavenly Homemakers which is a great recipe blog.

Honey Whole Wheat Bagels
4 to 4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 pkg yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 1/2 cups warm water (110F ish, or just warmer than your hands)
3 Tablespoons honey + 1 Tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon sea salt
and if you want cinnamon raisin bagels:
2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional)
1/2 c raisins (optional)

Stir together 2 cups of the flour, the salt and the yeast. Add in the warm water and 3 Tablespoons honey. Gradually add in the remaining flour.

Dump it out and knead the flour in until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover the dough and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into twelve equal parts using a pastry scraper or floured butter knife.

Set a timer for 20 minutes. Begin shaping each piece of dough into a nice ball. Stick your finger in the middle of the ball and pull it apart to create about a 2 inch hole. Lay it onto a buttered cookie sheet or baking stone. Continue until all the bagels are formed. Let them sit until your timer goes off.

After your 20 minute timer goes off, turn the broiler on in your oven.
Broil your bagels for 2 minutes on each side.
Meanwhile…bring a big pot of water to a boil. Stir in the remaining 1 T. honey.

Put 4-6 bagels into the water, turn down the heat and simmer for seven minutes, turning the bagels over once during that time. Continue to boil your bagels until they are all done. Let them drain on a towel for 1-2 minutes.

Bake at 375 ° for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

This is a good "base" recipe for bagels too. You can add cinnamon and raisins (like the options I put in the recipe) or other kinds of dried fruit. They could also be a savory bagel, or add chopped nuts!

Soaking Whole Grains

I've been interested lately in soaking or sprouting grains. I've read a few things, and generally become overwhelmed. I tried sprouting brown rice once, and nothing happened. There are tons of "how to's" on sprouting grains - each one seems long and convoluted. I just discovered there is a difference between soaking grains and sprouting grains. Soaking grains is easier than sprouting grains, and mimics the sprouting process, though probably does not attain the same results. I'm going to go for soaking, for now.

Soaking seems to be a little controversial. Some people say it is the only way the body can digest grains, others say that it is a big fat waste of time. The following "why's" of soaking grains I found on the blog Kitchen Stewardship. She studies soaking and sprouting in depth, if you are interested.

Grains are nothing more than seeds. If you've ever seen baby poop after a baby has eaten blackberries, or various mammal poop on a nature hike, then you know seeds do not get digested. They come out the way they came in. The body has enzymes specifically to inhibit the digestion of these seeds. Little nutrition is rendered from the grain. Sprouts, however, are vegetables and very nutritious. Sprouting grains essentially turns it from a seed to a vegetable. Grains also have enzymes, phytic acid, that prohibits digestion. This Phytic acid prevents the grain from premature sprouting. Consuming too much phytic acid can cause mineral deficiencies and poor bone density. Soaking and sprouting grains breaks down phytic acid. There is also some suggestion that soaking begins the digestion process thus breaking down tannins that can irritate the stomach and it also starts to break down proteins like gluten. Soaked grains are often more tolerable to those with gluten sensitivities.

By the way, this applies for all beans, legumes, seeds, and NUTS! as these are all seeds. I hardly prepare beans from their dry form (using mostly canned) but I really should get into dry beans. Nuts are a whole other subject. Apparently they too contain phytic acid... maybe another day.

Soaking grains mimics sprouting grains, and I think soaking is easier and faster. Here is the process I'm going to follow:

What you need:
Your grain - must be a whole grain (brown rice, oats, etc.)
An acidic medium
Water
A jar

1. Combine the grains with the appropriate amount of water plus 1 Tbs of acidic medium per cup liquid.

2. For brown rice, for example, combine 1 cup rice with 2 cups water and 2 Tbs lemon juice or vinegar.

3. Allow to soak at room temperature (or above) for 7-24 hours, depending on the grain. Rice needs only 7 hours minimum, oatmeal 12-24. Aim for an overnight soak.

4. Simply cook as normal on the stovetop. If you'd like to rinse the soaking water off your grains, and they are still whole enough to be able to, you may.

I've noticed that people use yogurt, kefir, or whey to soak oats, and I've also seen people use Apple Cider Vinegar for rice and whatnot. I guess it doesn't matter what acid you use.

I'll post an update when I get this right. I soaked my oatmeal last night, but I soaked it in the refrigerator, which is apparently wrong. Because I was soaking it with yogurt, I thought it would get funky. I guess you WANT it to get funky because you are trying to ferment the grain. Will try again tonight.

If you have anything to add, I got anything wrong, or have suggestions, please leave a comment. I'm just trying to navigate my way through sprouting and soaking!

Tasty Tuesday - Roasted Garlicky Chickpeas with Feta and Mint

I'm a sucker for chickpeas, and Mary Abilene loves them too! Patrick found this great chickpea recipe on a cooking blog. The original recipe is from Bon Appetit, and I added the spinach, as usual.

Roasted Garlicky Chickpeas
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cans chickpeas, drained rinsed and dried
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 c feta cheese
1/2 - 3/4 c mint, chopped
1/8 tsp red pepper flake (optional)
juice of half a lemon (optional)
a big handful of spinach, chopped finely

Mix together olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Add chickpeas and stir to combine. Place in an oven proof baking dish. Bake on 375 for 15-18 minutes. (Note: I had to bake longer to make my chickpeas a bit crispy. At 15 minutes, they will just be cooked through).

When chickpeas are slightly browned, remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and add feta, mint, spinach, and lemon. Yum!

This recipe would also be fantastic with rosemary instead of mint. I'm going to make that next!

Tasty Tuesday - Sweet Potato Pot Pie

I love, love, love (love, love) pot pie, but have not had one since going vegetarian years ago. I've seen this recipe before at 101 Cookbooks, but never made it since it calls for puff pastry and milk. Puff pastry was never on my grocery list as it contains enriched bleached flour and tons of butter. But one day I wanted a pot pie enough that I thought "What the heck?" Finding puff pastry to be near $4, I decided to forgo the pastry and make a pie crust instead for the topping out of whole wheat pastry flour, butter, and just a bit of vegetable shortening.

It was AMAZING, if I do say so myself. The sweet potatoes and corn blended to make a delightfully sweet, rich and creamy pot pie. Comfort food, for sure. I'm going to make this one over and over again.

The original puff pastry recipe is here. Below is my recipe, with the pie crust topping, and added black beans for protein.

For my carnivorous friends, feel free to add diced cooked chicken to the recipe. I bet that would work well.

Sweet Potato Pot Pie

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 1/2 to 3 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
1 tablespoon adobo sauce from a can of chipotle chilies (or more to taste)
1 cup corn kernels, fresh, frozen, or canned
1 cup black beans (canned is fine)
2 cups cold low-fat milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 pie crust (recipe below)
1 egg white

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the oil, onion, garlic, sweet potato and salt. Saute, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the adobo sauce, black beans, and corn.

In a small bowl, combine the milk and cornstarch, then pour the mixture into the sweet potato pot. Leave the heat at medium-high for a few minutes to bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook until the filling starts to thicken, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and season with more salt to taste. Pour the filling into an ovenproof bowl or casserole dish.

Place the pie crust over the filling. Brush the dough lightly with egg white (this creates a golden crust).

Using a fork, poke a few holes in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape, and bake until the crust is deeply golden, about 15 minutes. Tip: Bake the potpie on a baking sheet lined with foil in case some of the filling bubbles over.

Basic Pastry Dough
This is adapted from my Mom's famous pie crust - made more healthy (sorry Mom!) I use whole wheat pastry flour and mostly butter instead of all shortening

For a single crust pie or a tart

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or AP flour)
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons ice water

Blend together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a bowl with your fingers or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea sized) lumps of butter. For a single crust pie or tart, drizzle 3 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated.

Squeeze a small handful of dough: if it doesn't hold together, add more ice water 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring or pulsing until incorporated. Do not overwork dough or pastry will be tough.

Gather dough into a ball and shape into a flattened round on a lightly floured surface. (At this point, the dough can be refrigerated for an hour or a day.) Roll dough 2" larger than inverted pan. Pastry is ready to use as desired.

Tasty Wednesday - Creamy Greens Smoothie

Its been awhile since I've featured a recipe, so I thought we could use one, even on a Wednesday! I've added this shake for snacks lately because I have been trying to consume more calories since nursing burns calories like crazy.

This recipe is from the book "The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook" by Cathe Olson. She says "This smoothie surprises everyone because it tastes so good." It truly does. You can not taste the kale, I promise. Coconut milk and pineapple juice is very refreshing! It is good for nursing and pregnant mothers for the Vitamin K and chlorophyll, the nutritional yeast adds protein. This also might be something a pregnant woman can choke down during times of morning sickness, though cold foods can make nausea worse, something to think about.

Creamy Greens Smoothie

1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1 banana, sliced and frozen (I usually only use half)
2 to 3 kale leaves (the kale in the picture is purple)
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast flake (optional)

Place ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.

Calories: 292, Protein: 6g, Carb: 51g, Fat 9g, Fiber 5g
High in Vitamin A, Folate, B6 and B12.

I usually do not advise drinking fruit juice because it is so high in sugar and it is much better to eat the fruit than drink the juice. Pretty much all 51g of carbs are from sugar in this smoothie. That is cut down if you only use 1/2 a banana. However, its a good way to get greens, so I'll let this one slide. Just don't sneak glasses of pineapple juice otherwise!

Tasty Tuesday - Banana Chip Cookies

Another recipe from 101 Cookbooks, these are absolutely scrumptious, and dare I say, (relatively) healthy cookies!  We just made them for the first time and I'm definitely keeping this recipe.

Banana Chip Cookies
Consider using coconut oil instead of butter in this recipe. Coconut oil makes AWESOME chocolate chip cookies. This is by far my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. I substitute shredded coconut instead of banana chips or just leave them as plain chocolate chip cookies. The dough is to die for. Try to bake the cookies and not just eat all the dough like I'm tempted to do!

1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (can use regular AP flour)
1/2 cup (toasted) wheat germ
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup natural cane sugar (or brown sugar)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup banana chips, loosely chopped
1 cup chocolate chips
2/3 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, racks in middle/upper middle. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flour, wheat germ, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, or stand mixer, beat the butter until lightly and fluffy, then beat in the sugar until it is the consistency of a thick frosting. Beat in the eggs one at a time, incorporating each fully before adding the next, and scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times along the way (important!). Stir in the vanilla. Add the reserved flour mix in two increments, stirring/mixing a bit between each addition (but not too much). By hand, stir in the banana chips, chocolate chips and walnuts - mix just until everything is evenly distributed.

Drop 1 heaping tablespoon of dough for each cookie onto the prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart and bake for about 7 - 8 minutes, until barely golden on top and bottom. Resist over baking, they will come out dry and not as tasty. Cool on racks.

Tasty Tuesday - Cranberry Orange Muffins

I just made these this weekend thanks to free cranberries from our local health food store.  They were probably the most delicious muffins I've ever had!

Cranberry Orange Muffins

2 cups whole wheat or unbleached all purpose flour (note:  I used 1 c ww, and 1 c white)
2/3 cup sugar (turbinado sugar worked great, it gave a great crunch on top)
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
2/3 cup of milk (I used almond milk and it worked)
1 tsp orange zest, or a bit more
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 F.  In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and stir in chopped cranberries.  Make a well in the center of the mixture.  In a medium bowl lightly beat the egg and add the milk, orange zest, and butter.  Pour milk mixture in the center of the flour mixture, add the cranberries, and stir to combine just until moist.  (Note, the batter will seem very dry, as long as there isn't loose flour, it is good.)  Spoon batter evenly into a muffin tin and bake for 18 minutes.  Makes 12 muffins

Tip:  I chopped cranberries in food processor and it worked great.

Tasty Tuesday - Weeknight Brazilian Stew

Tasty Tuesday returns with a creative meal!  My friend Will showed me this recipe awhile back, and I honestly can't say where it originated.  I know it was an online vegetarian website.  This stew is hardy, delicious, and very nutritious!

Weeknight Brazilian Stew

Splash of olive oil
1 sweet potato,chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 mango, diced
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
Dash of cumin
Dash of chili powder
2 big pinches of salt
Cilantro (optional)


In a large pot heat olive oil and add onions and a little salt.  Saute until soft.  Add sweet potatoes, garlic, tomatoes, spices, and salt.  Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft.  Add black beans and heat through.  Taste, add more salt or seasonings as needed.  Add mango and heat through.  Remove from heat, and add chopped cilantro.

Serve with warm tortillas.

Tasty Tuesday - Almond Butter

Almond Butter is easy to make as long as you have a food processor, and SO much cheaper than store bought. Almonds are much better for you than peanuts. Almonds are the healthiest of all nuts. They are low in saturated fat, have a powerhouse of phytochemicals that protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer. One study showed that eating almonds five times a week resulted in a 50% reduction in the risk of heart attack. One ounce has 12% your daily value of protein, 85% daily value of Vitamin E, and they are loaded with calcium, zinc, magnesium, phosphorous, and folate!

We get almonds for $4.99/lb at Kroger, in the produce section, not the nut aisle. They are sometimes even $3.99/lb.

Homemade Almond Butter
1 c raw almonds
couple of pinches of salt

Place almonds in food processor and give them a whir! Add salt when the almonds are fully chopped, but not yet butter. This will need to whir for.. awhile. After about five minutes it will clump up, and after several more minutes it will turn to butter. You might need to scrape it down several times when it starts to stick to the sides. When you think you have a butter consistency, let it go longer. It needs to drip from your spatula when you dip it in.
Refrigerate when finished.

Patience is necessary. It will harden in the refrigerator, so you really need to let it go longer than you think. Patrick is not as patient with it as I am, so his usually ends up clumpy and not very spreadable.

Yummy Variation: Melt 4 Dark chocolate Hersey's Kisses and add to food processor at the end. Spin a few times to combine.