Grain Free Apple Butter Walnut Cake

I realized today that it has been close to forever since I have posted a new recipe! This seems to happen a lot when I am planning new cooking classes for work. All of my energy and creativity goes into the new recipes for the class, and you, my poor loyal blog fans, are left so deprived!  It is also the beginning of gardening season in southern Ontario where we live, and being an avid gardener, my priorities have definitely been focused elsewhere for the last month or so. Enough with the excuses though, however good they are! I am fixing it here and now, before another minute goes by! 

I made this cake this afternoon, while doing another test run of a new grain free bread recipe that is very (very!)  promising. (I did have some gardening to do but mother nature was not cooperating, so I opted to stay inside!) Both recipes turned out well, but the bread has a few minor issues that I still want to tweak before I post it. (I have to tell you, though, that it stays soft, it slices thin, and lasts for a few days wonderfully as the recipe stands right now…but I will save the rest for another post! It will be worth waiting for, trust me!)

Now, back to the cake! I was initially aiming for something close to a cinnamon bun flavored cake (because grain free dough does not like to roll up!)  But, when I was getting the eggs out of the fridge, the jar of apple butter was staring at me with such aplomb that I knew it wanted to be a part of the cake. Apple butter, in my humble opinion, is such an under-utilized ingredient in the kitchen. It has a much more concentrated apple flavour than applesauce, and lends itself to many different uses in the kitchen. I have made a killer salad dressing, a marinade, and now this lovely cake, all with fantastic results.   Be sure to buy one that has no added sugars, the apples are sweet enough on their own. (Eden makes a lovely one, I highly recommend it!) It would also be divine on a slice of my new grain free bread, toasted, with a slathering of butter…just sayin…

Grain Free Apple Butter Walnut Cake

Batter:

5 eggs

½ cup coconut flour

1/3 cup arrowroot starch/flour

¼ cup chickpea flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar

½ tsp salt

1/3 cup coconut sugar

1/3 cup kefir, yogurt or non dairy alternative like cultured coconut yogurt

¼ cup melted coconut oil

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Topping ingredients:

½ cup chopped walnuts

½ cup apple butter

2 Tbsp coconut oil

2 tsp cinnamon

¼ cup coconut sugar

Preheat oven to 350F

Line an 8x8 glass baking pan with parchment or grease well.  Set aside.

Measure all of the batter ingredients into a medium to large mixing bowl. Using an immersion blender, (or a whisk and lots of elbow grease) mix until very well combined and smooth.

Scrape batter into prepared pan and set aside.

Using  the same bowl, measure the topping ingredients and mix well to combine. Drop spoonfuls of topping evenly around the top of the batter, giving a swirl with a knife to distribute it slightly.

Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out just clean.

Remove from oven and cool before cutting and serving. 

Grain Free Refined Sugar Free Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Somehow I ended up with 2 tubs of dates in my pantry. Not a bad thing, necessarily, but I didn't want them to go to waste. I generally don't need an excuse to bake, but this was a good one!

Dates make an awesome natural sweetener, being on the lower end of the glycemic index (I believe they are a 9) means less of a blood sugar spike, great if you happen to be diabetic. They are also rich in polyphenols  and fiber, making them a smart alternative to refined sugars that bring nothing to the table but sweet!

This cake is lovely for breakfast. (or any time of the day for that matter!) Moist and flavourful, it is not overly sweet, and virtuous enough in its ingredients to make having cake for breakfast an OK thing. (My blueberry shunning teen even packed two pieces in his lunch today, a definite seal of approval!)

The batter is made, start to finish, in the food processor.  If you don’t have one, I might suggest that you soak the dates to soften them, and whiz them with the banana and other liquid ingredients in your blender, pour into a mixing bowl and proceed with the recipe from there.

Grain Free Refined Sugar Free Blueberry Breakfast Cake

6 Medjool dates

2 ripe bananas

4 eggs

1/3 cup yogurt or kefir

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup softened coconut oil

1/3 cup coconut flour

2 Tbsp chick pea flour

2 Tbsp arrowroot powder

1 tsp baking soda

¾ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

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Topping:

Generous ½ cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Cinnamon to sprinkle

Preheat oven to 350F. Slice the dates open and take out the pit. Line an 8X8 glass pan with parchment.

Place pitted dates and peeled bananas in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the dates and bananas make a nice smooth puree. Small bits of date are ok.

dates and bananas

Add the rest of the ingredients and process again until you have a nice smooth batter. Scrape into parchment lined pan and smooth the batter into the pan.

a sprinkle of cinnamon

Scatter the blueberries evenly on top of the batter and lightly press down. Sprinkle with a light coating of cinnamon to taste, I probably used around ½ -1 tsp.

Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Remove from oven, and carefully lift the parchment paper out of the pan and place on a wire rack to cool.

Store leftovers in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If it lasts longer than that in your house, store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Rosemary Roasted Parsnip Fries

As many of you know, Jim and I are avid gardeners.  Having our own veggies and herbs just steps from our back door is one of our favourite things, and we try and make the most of our Canadian growing season. We have pulled carrots and parsnips, in years past, well into January, and, when we have planted enough kale, have pulled kale just before Christmas. This year, however, the winter cold came on early and hard, leaving a bunch of carrots, beets and parsnips unharvested. The ground was just too hard to get them out, and we mourned the loss of the last of our small root crops as we watched the snow get deeper… and deeper… and deeper.  

who knew a pressure
washer was such an
effective veggie scrubber ?

Fast forward to this past weekend. After a very long, very cold winter that seemed it would never end,  we were gifted with a warm spring Sunday that just begged to be spent out of doors. Even though rain threatened off and on all day, and the wind tried its best to blow us down, we spent most of our time in the yard and garden getting things ready for spring planting. When I pulled the dead foliage from the  parsnip bed, I was surprised to see little green leaves sprouting in nice tidy rows. (I have, in past years pulled a few stray parsnips out of the ground in the spring, but they were few and far between, and not very edible looking to say the least.) Not  expecting much, I dug the pitchfork out of the shed, and proceeded to dig up part of a row. When these marvelously perfect parsnips emerged from their earthy home, I was tickled pink! Dinner plans were quickly revamped to include these beauties. Nothing beats garden to table eating, and having this surprise spring harvest made it that much better.  I think Overwintering parsnips will become part of our garden plan every year!

These "fries" have a nice spicy undertone, and a lovely texture. They were a  perfect side for our rotisserie chicken and Bacon Scalloped Potatoes. (that recipe will be posted soon!)

Rosemary Roasted Parsnip Fries

Approx 9 parsnips, scrubbed and/or peeled

 1 ½ tsp dried rosemary

¾ tsp smoked sea salt or other sea salt of choice

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

2 tbsp melted coconut oil

Preheat oven to 400F

Scrub parsnips well, peel if desired.  Cut into 3-4 inch lengths, and then cut lengthwise into “fry” sized sticks.  (the smaller you cut them the quicker they will cook, ours were on the chunky side) Toss in 11”x15” glass baking dish (or a parchment lined baking sheet, cooking time may vary) with oil, rosemary, salt and pepper.

Roast for 20 minutes, stir and roast again for approx 15 minutes or until they start to brown and crisp. Serve hot!

Leftover Beef Skillet Supper

This was one of those improvisational dinners that turned out really well. Thumbs up from the teenagers, fast and frugal. Win Win Win!
When I make my bone broth, if my beef bones are meaty enough, I pull them out at the 10 or 12 hr mark, pull off the cooked beef, and put the bones back in for the rest of the time. The beef, by this time is lovely and tender, and is usually enough for an entire meal. I like to buy my beef stock bones from Oakridge Acres. I "stock" up(pardon the pun!) whenever we go out there to shop. They are meaty and big, and considering all of the wonderful goodness you get from them, a very frugal purchase. Two packages generally make about 10 cups of bone broth, and a meal from the pulled meat. For under 4$ a package, it helps to balance out the rest of our food budget.
I love my cast iron skillets for dishes like this, a quick saute and they can go straight in the oven, giving you time to toss a nice green salad and whip up some dressing, like this maple balsamic that is one of our faves! Feel free to substitute any leftover beef or chicken in this recipe, its a great way to use up leftovers!

Leftover Beef Skillet Supper

1 large red onion, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp coconut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp sea salt or zesty Herbamare
1 cup Beef Bone Broth
1 796ml can of diced tomatoes (look for BPA free cans!)
4 cups pre-cooked beef
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400F
Heat coconut oil in a large cast iron pan over medium high heat until melted and hot. Saute the onion for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic, thyme and salt. Saute for another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and beef, and stir well to combine. Top with grated cheese and using an oven mitt (cast iron handles get hot!!) place in hot oven. Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly browned. Remove from oven and serve hot, with a nice tossed salad.

Maple Butter Rice Pudding

I don’t very often post recipes that are not on the “healthy” side of things, especially recipes that focus on grains. Rice is all but a stranger in my kitchen anymore. I had a hard time deciding if I should actually post this recipe at all!  But every once in a while you need some comfort food, and this folks, is just that. I will not extol the virtues of this recipe beyond saying…if you are going to indulge, and you like rice pudding, you must try this.  Scale the recipe back if you want, it does make a lot. I feed teenage boys in my kitchen, though, and the size of this recipe meets the size of their appetites, ‘nuff said!  Leftovers go in small mason jars for quick snacks or lunch box additions.  The original recipe comes from James Beard, from an old milk calendar I believe. I have tweaked this recipe several times over the years, and this is our favourite version. Plain and simple ingredients, that when combined and baked, create something wonderful.

The type of rice is important here, Arborio is a short grain Italian rice that has a naturally high starch content. When cooked, it yields a firm yet creamy texture that is perfect for rice pudding and risottos.

Maple Butter Rice Pudding

1 cup organic Arborio rice 

6 cups milk

½ cup maple syrup

3 tbsp butter

½ tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 300F.

Place all ingredients together in a large oven safe casserole dish, and stir to combine.  Place in preheated oven (uncovered) and bake for 2 hours.  Remove from oven and let cool. Serve at room temp or chilled.  

Creamy Vegetable Salad with Fresh Dill

The sense of smell is amazing. It can transport us back to another place and time with one small whiff of a certain scent or smell. Like the first time I smelled bottled white grape juice. All of a sudden I was standing (in my mind, no teleporting involved) in my grandparents’ back yard, under their grape arbor, surrounded by the tart green grapes that grew so heavy on those vines. One sniff and I was back in a childhood memory so vivid, I could picture every detail of their yard and garden, and taste the sweet tartness of those grapes.

This recipe has nothing to do with grapes, but it does involve another scent that brought back a memory, and made me create this recipe. We were shopping this week at Oakridge Acres in Ayr, Ontario and they had these little bags of fresh organic dill, the delicate feathery kind that is so aromatic. As I brought the bag up to my nose, I was suddenly transported (again, no teleporting!) to a vegetarian restaurant that we used to go to in Guelph years ago. The name escapes me, but on this particular visit, I ordered a crisp vegetable salad that was bursting with fresh dill. The tangy bright flavor of the dill was perfectly balanced by the crunch of the veggies and the creamy dressing; it lodged itself deeply in the flavor vaults of my brain. At that time of my life, not being the foodie I am now, I simply enjoyed the salad and moved on. The thought of getting the recipe never crossed my mind.  One whiff of this dill though, and I knew I had to recreate the salad that left such an impression on my taste buds all those years ago.

Although this dressing is very creamy, there is no dairy involved.  I have been using cashews a lot more in the kitchen lately, and they were the perfect base for this salad. They have the ability, when blended, to create a velvety thick dressing without the need for dairy. They also add protein (18 grams in a full cup), healthy fat and decent amounts of magnesium, iron and B-6, among other things!

This salad keeps well in the fridge for a few days; just give a stir if it has been sitting.

 Creamy Vegetable Salad with Dill

Dressing:

1 cup raw cashews

2 small cloves of garlic

½ tsp Herbamare or other sea salt

2/3 cup water

Veggies:

2 -3 carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds

2-3 stalks celery, chopped

3 cups chopped cauliflower

2 small zucchini, chopped

½ of a red pepper, seeded and chopped

½ cup chopped fresh dill

Salt and pepper to taste

Dressing: 

Place dressing ingredients into a blender and whiz until creamy and smooth.  Set aside.

Veggies: 

Prepare all veggies and place in a large bowl. Add dressing and dill, toss to coat. Serve immediately or chill. Store leftovers in fridge for up to a few days.

Braised Beef Shanks with Root Veggies, and a Cool Way to Peel Garlic!

When I have a day off, chances are at some point you will find me in my kitchen. Today was no exception. We brought home some beautiful beef shanks from our last trip to Fenwood Farms, and I took them out to thaw yesterday, knowing that today would be a perfect day to put the oven on for a long braise. This cut of meat does beautifully with a long cooking time, along with something slightly acidic added to the cooking liquid. I used some apple cider vinegar, along with a cup of red wine. This helps to break down the tough connective tissues that are typical of this cut of meat.  Beef shanks are generally a cheaper cut, with 3 large shanks providing 6 meals for right around 20$, not including the veggies etc.  Frugal, tasty and nutritious, all in one pot.

Braised Beef Shanks with Root Veggies

3 Beef Shanks (3-4 lbs total weight)

2 tbsp coconut oil, divided

1 lg onion, chopped

4 carrots, chopped

5 parsnips, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped (I used a handful of small ones)

1 head of garlic, peeled and diced (***see amazing garlic peeling tip below recipe!!)

1 tsp each dried rosemary and thyme (I used fresh rosemary, increased to 2 tsp)

1 cup dry red wine

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 cups bone broth (beef would be best, I used turkey, and it worked fine)

Salt and pepper to taste

3 bay leaves

Preheat oven to 375

Make sure all of your veggies are prepped  before proceeding with the recipe!

In a large oven safe pot with a lid (an enameled cast iron dutch oven is perfect), heat 1 tbsp of the coconut oil and brown the beef shanks over medium high heat, one at a time if necessary (don’t crowd them, you want them to brown not steam) for about 3 minutes on each side. you want to see some nice browning. (turn on the fan in your range hood if you have one, it can get a bit smokey!)

Remove the shanks to a plate and set aside.

With the pot still on the burner, add the second tbsp of coconut oil, and add the chopped onion, carrot and parsnips. Saute for 4 minutes, stirring often.

Add the celery, herbs and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Saute for 2 minutes more.

Add the wine slowly, ¼ cup at a time, to deglaze the pan. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom, adding the rest of the wine, it will reduce slightly as you go.

Add the apple cider vinegar, and the bone broth, and stir to combine. Carefully nestle the beef shanks into the pot, submerging as much as possible. Tuck the bay leaves around the pot, cover, and place in preheated oven.

Bake for 2 ½ hrs. Remove the lid and bake for another 20 minutes. Remove from oven, remove bay leaves  and serve warm!

Amazing Peeled Garlic!

A while back, we saw a certain Ms. Stewart peeling whole heads of garlic using two stainless steel bowls, and just a quick shake. It works like a charm, and although it is slightly noisy, the garlic cloves come out beautifully peeled.  After a random search on Pinterest (I am more than slightly addicted to that site!) and one martini shaker later, beautifully peeled garlic is even easier!!!

Simply break up the head of garlic, put the whole thing in the martini shaker, put the lid on and shake like you would a martini, back and forth maybe 10 times. Voila!!  Your garlic is peeled, and ready to go!