Oat Flour Waffles with Strawberry Compote

My parents included a gift certificate from Bed, Bath & Beyond in our Christmas gifts this year so that we could add a few more household items to our LA-based life. Having left all of our electronic devices in Australia when we moved here last year, we've only gradually been adding non-essential electrical items to the house. A waffle maker has always been in the back of my mind, but was definitely not a priority as we populated the house with lamps, a coffee maker, hairdryer, etc...

So at the post-Christmas BB&B sales we made a few non-essential purchases, and now that we own a waffle maker, I don't know how we did weekend breakfast without it. I have recipes for savory waffles and spiralized-veggie based waffles saved, but this oat-flour based waffle mix has been our go-to for the last three Saturday mornings. The texture is just hearty enough, and it perfectly soaks up this delicious fresh strawberry compote. Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, frozen or fresh, whatever you have access to, would also be awesome here.

gluten-free waffles with homemade strawberry compote: breakfast complete

I make oat flour in small batches when I need it using our coffee grinder (another non-essential electronic kitchen item, but we use it at least every other day), but you can also just pour what measurement you need of old fashioned rolled oats into a blender, and then blend on high for 15-25 seconds until you have a fine four. The amount of rolled oats is roughly equal to the amount of freshly-ground oat flour.

oat flour makes for a tender inside/crispy outside waffle 

I often have a couple extra waffles to wrap in foil and store in the fridge for the next morning, but they will also keep wrapped up in the freezer for a month, just microwave for 10 second intervals till they are defrosted and re-warmed. They won't have the crispy-outside, tender inside texture of a just-made waffle, but the taste is still great. Happy weekend breakfasting, and I promise a savory waffle recipe in the not-too-distant future. 

Oat Flour Waffles with Strawberry Compote

Makes 4 waffles

Waffles:

1 1/2 cups oat flour (make sure it's gluten free if you're cooking g-f)

2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch of freshly ground sea salt

3/4 cups milk (any fat content is fine, can substitute soy milk)

1/4 cup melted butter or oil (such as olive oil or coconut oil)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Strawberry Compote:

2 cups sliced strawberries (rinsed and hulled)

2-3 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the sliced strawberries and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Warm the strawberries through, stirring occasionally, until they begin to bubble. Turn the heat down to low, add the vanilla, and continue to cook, allowing the strawberries to break down while you prepare the waffles. Stir occasionally, and add an additional tablespoon or two of water if you feel there is not enough liquid in the pan and they might burn. 

As the strawberries are simmering, make the waffle mixture. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the middle, and pour in the wet ingredients, whisking everything together just until the ingredients are combined. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes. 

Heat up your waffle iron during the last few minutes of resting the batter, then make your waffles one at a time, spooning enough batter into the center of the waffle iron to fill the iron when you press down to bake. 

Place finished waffles on a platter in a single layer, or slightly overlapping, while you prepare all of the batter. Try not to stack the waffles, as they can become soggy. If you want, you can place the platter in an oven preheated to 250F/ 120C to keep them warm as you go, or just microwave the waffles for 30-45 seconds on high to reheat before serving.  

Pour the warm strawberry compote into a bowl with a serving spoon, and serve alongside the warm waffles, with butter and warmed maple syrup if desired. 

Storage tip: Store waffles in a freezer-safe plastic bag or wrapped in foil in the fridge for 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave, a toaster, or a 350F oven until warmed through. Note that this batter does not store well in the fridge for later use, as the oat flour will absorb liquid and become quite dry. If you do need to store the batter in the fridge and make waffles at a later time, add a few tablespoons of milk and stir through to thin out the batter again. 

Banana Muffins (gluten-free, grain-free)

I love whipping up a batch of muffins, savory or sweet, and that's something I've missed now that the hubs and I are focusing on lowering our carb intake in favor of more vegetables and protein. I've been pinning paleo-style and low-carb recipes like crazy for inspiration as we make up new dishes, and there are quite a few good-looking recipes out there for grain-free muffins. I've tried a few almondmeal-based muffins and have been very happy with the results-- they still rise a bit (not as much as a flour-based muffin), are moist and crumbly, and very satisfying after just one or two.

banana muffins, pale-style (grain-free goodness)

These banana bread-style muffins were a delicious component of our weekend breakfast, rounded out with eggs over easy and some crispy fried prosciutto. The muffins are plenty sweet with the banana and just a tablespoon of honey-- a perfect treat.

tender and just-sweet-enough banana muffins

This recipe is already grain-free and gluten free. To make it dairy-free just substitute melted coconut oil or your favorite cooking oil for the butter. I've listed my preferred mixture of warm spices, but feel free to use your favorite combination or a pumpkin pie spice mixture that adds up to one teaspoon. This makes a small batch of muffins, just six, but double the ingredients and divide between twelve muffin cups (same baking time) for a full dozen. 

For breakfast, dessert, or a sweet snack I'm sure you'll find these paleo-friendly muffins as delicious as we do. Happy (grain-free) baking! 

Banana Muffins (gluten-free, grain-free)

makes 6 muffins (double ingredients for 12)

Inspired by a number of paleo-friendly banana bread recipes

1 medium, ripe banana, mashed (about 1/2 cup mashed)

2 tablespoons melted butter or coconut oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 egg

1 cup almond meal 

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coconut flour

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed (ground linseed)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

dash of freshly ground sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts for topping (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 177C/ 350F, and grease 6 cups in a standard-sized muffin pan (or line with cupcake liners or baking paper).

In a small bowl, add the melted butter (or coconut oil), honey, and egg to the mashed banana. Stir thoroughly to combine.

In a medium sized bowl, add all of the remaining dry ingredients (almond meal through nutmeg), and stir to evenly combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir thoroughly to combine. 

Divide the mixture between 6 muffin cups (if desired, top with chopped walnuts), and bake at 177C/ 350F for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out without any batter on it (it may have a few crumbs). After removing from the oven, leave muffins to cool for at least 10 minutes before gently running a knife around the edges and removing them from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Muffins will keep, stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge, for 3 to 4 days.

Homemade Dukkah... and a Snack of Mandarins with Yogurt, Olive Oil, Sunflower Seeds & Dukkah

I loved the winter snacks post that Laura of The First Mess posted a couple months back. I thought her suggested combination of cara cara oranges with savory yogurt, olive oil, za'atar and pinenuts was inspired-- a little sweet, a little savory, perfect. I had some leftover dukkah that I made a couple of weeks ago to coat cubes of pumpkin before I roasted them, and thought it would go well with the mandarins I like to keep on hand.

mandarins with yogurt, olive oil, sunflower seeds & dukkah (pardon my retro, tea-stained countertop)

So this is my version, and it's a little out of season here. We're still getting a few Aussie mandarin oranges on the shelves, though they aren't as juicy as the ones we'll have a little later in the year. I used my favorite plain yogurt, and a local extra-virgin olive oil. I didn't have pinenuts on hand, so sunflower seeds were a good substitute, but any small nut or seed would do here.

Middle Eastern inspired snack, gluten-free and delicious

Hope you enjoy this tasty, Middle Eastern-style alternative to your typical mid-morning or mid-afternoon pick-me-up.

Madarins with Yogurt, Olive Oil, Sunflower Seeds, and Dukkah
serves 1

1 mandarin orange, peeled and separated into segments
1/4 cup yogurt (I used plain cow's milk yogurt)
1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (good quality)
1 tablespoon shelled sunflower seeds
1/2 teaspoon dukkah (recipe below)

In a small bowl, arrange mandarin segments. Top with yogurt, olive oil, sunflower seeds, and dukkah. Serve immediately.

Dukkah
makes just over 1/4 cup

1/4 cup hazelnuts
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds (or 1 teaspoon ground cumin)
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
pinch of freshly ground sea salt

Pre-heat oven to 177C/ 350F. Roast the hazelnuts in a baking tray for about 10 minutes. Remove hazelnuts from the oven, and carefully rub them together (in your hands after they cool, or in a tea towel) so that the outer papery shell comes off-- discard the outer shell. Finely chop the hazelnuts.

Heat a medium sized skillet over medium heat, and toast the sesame seeds, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds for about 3-4 minutes, until they are beginning to brown and fragrant (be careful not to burn the sesame seeds). Remove from the skillet and crush/chop the seeds with a knife (I used the side of a large knife to crush the seeds, then chopped them more finely)... or use a mortar and pestle to grind them down to a coarse mixture.

Add the finely chopped hazelnuts, pepper, and salt to the toasted, crushed seed mixture, and blend well.

Store covered at room temperature or in the fridge for up to six weeks.

Serving tips: Dukkah is delicious sprinkled over roast meat (before or after roasting), coated over vegetables such as pumpkin before roasting, sprinkled over salads, or in savory-sweet dishes like the mandarin-yogurt snack above.

Nutrition changes (Southern Spoon goes a little paleo)

Some big dietary changes going on in the Southern Spoon household the past couple of weeks that I wanted to share. Pour a cuppa tea, this post is a little longer than usual.

rocket salad with roasted eggplant, dukkah-crusted pumpkin,
grass-fed beef steak, and garlic, olive oil, tahini vinaigrette

If you read this blog, you know that I cook whole foods and work around a number of food intolerances: preservatives, artificial colors / flavors, peanuts (and lentils), and foods with high levels of the natural food chemical salycilates (tomatoes, for example, are out for the hubs, as is wine). Since moving from England to Australia in 2011 we have adopted what we presumed was a more healthy diet: making many more meals meatless, eating a wider variety of vegetables (produce is so much better here!), and being more active in the balmy weather.

However, despite those dietary changes, a massive reduction in stress levels, getting more sleep, and losing a little weight over the last two-and-a-half years, recent medical tests have revealed extremely high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. In an effort to ensure we're treating our bodies as best as possible, a doctor referred us to a nutritionist.

This nutritionist has planned a dietary approach with the goal of reducing inflammation in the body. Inflammation is believed by a number of medical and nutrition professionals to be a major cause of poor health (including heart disease), and it's not hard to trust that reducing inflammation through dietary and lifestyle changes is a good idea.

cauliflower crust pizza with chicken & veggies: delicious

On this nutritionist's plan, breakfast is the carb-iest meal of our day: carbs with a protein and a fat, preferably working in barley and soy milk (to up soluble fiber and help clean up bad cholesterol). Lunch and dinner should have a protein, a fat, and what the nutritionist calls *free foods*, basically low-carb vegetables (so excluding potatoes, grains, legumes). This diet is meant to keep insulin and blood sugar levels more level during the day, and thus help reduce inflammation.

This means our lunches and dinners are very similar to a paleo-style eating plan, emphasizing plenty of protein (mostly animal-based protein, since higher-protein plants like legumes and grains are to be avoided), vegetables and some fruit, and sources of fat from things like avocados, olive oil, even butter. The nutritionist didn't cut out dairy, and even recommended some cheese, yogurt, etc, so we're still eating some dairy.

salad with roasted tomatoes, eggplant,
dukkah-crusted pumpkin, & chorizo

We've been eating this way for two weeks. We both feel more energetic - physically and mentally - and I find that my blood sugar swings are hardly non-existent, whereas I used to rush home after work starving for dinner, even after having a big, veggie and grain-based lunch, and a granola bar snack. I feel full more quickly when eating increased levels of protein and fat (lots of eggs, yum!), but without feeling bloated. We're also trying to get out and move a little more: walking to the beach, running a few laps, doing more strength training.

It's been an adjustment to think of our typical dinner dishes without grains, legumes, or potatoes, but so far we've made it work, and everything tastes just as (if not more) delicious. I'll be interested to see what the medical tests reveal about cholesterol and blood pressure levels in three months after the next check-up, but mostly I'm interested in simply continuing to feel a little bit better, in mind and body.

From now on I'll be sharing some of the dishes we're enjoying on this eating plan: they'll be low-carb, usually grain- and legume-free, with an emphasis on quality protein and fat, and a variety of vegetables. The photos in this post are some of the meals we've enjoyed so far, recipes to come.

Hope you like these dishes too, and, of course, always communicate with a medical or nutrition professional before making big changes in your own diet. Happy Spring, all.

Cheesymite Scrolls

Happy 'Straya Day! January 26 was Australia Day, and today we've had a national holiday to mark the occasion. It's a contested holiday in this country, but as a recent Aussie implant, I have found it an excellent time to unwind, break out the BBQ, and try my hand at Australia's culinary treats. Yesterday morning we made cheesymite scrolls to go with our fried eggs and smoothies. I adapted the same recipe that I mentioned in my last post from The Organised Housewife here, with my adjustments in the recipe below. This super easy, whole wheat version made 10 mini-rolls that could easily serve about 4 people, though I am embarrassed to admit the hubs and I polished them off pretty quickly between the two of us.

cheesymite scrolls for breakfast on Australia Day

Yesterday afternoon I also made lamingtons, a classic Aussie treat that seems to remind everyone of bake sales, lunch boxes, and after school trips to the local bakery. It's a light sponge cake covered in a thin chocolate sauce and rolled in shredded coconut, sometimes with a spread of jam in the middle of the sponge cake if you're being fancy. The first time I made them in London for Australia Day I hadn't ever visited the antipodes in person or eaten a lamington, and the hubs sweetly nodded and said they were pretty close to authentic.

Vegemite and cheese rolled into an easy to make wholewheat dough

Now that I've had the real deal, I realize I was totally off in that first attempt. I had made a cake with a pound cake type crumb, which makes the lamingtons dense and a little too rich. You want a light-as-can-be, pillowy soft sponge cake texture. The bakery down the road from serves the most tender lamingtons, and I'm aiming for a replica of their perfectly soft cake. This year I turned to the cake Australia Women's Weekly Sponge Cake Queen recipe by Australia Women's Weekly's Sponge Queen, which looks about as tall and light as you can get. I baked this in a 9-inch square pan, then rolled squares of cake in the chocolate sauce Dan Lepard's lamington recipe by noted Aussie baker Dan Lepard, dusting the chocolate covered cakes with organic shredded coconut. They were delicious, but the cake was still not quite right. I'll keep trying my hand at this one and will share when I've got it nailed.

bite-size cheesymite scrolls

Until then, enjoy these 2-bite cheesymite scrolls-- they pack a healthy dose of vitamin B alongside whole grains and a little cheese. If you can't access Vegemite, try to source Marmite instead (the British version... tastes similar, though the antipodeans will argue that Vegemite is the best). I've noticed Marmite in the British or international foods section at many grocery stores in the USA. Cheesymite scrolls a welcome change from sweet cinnamon rolls or muffins if you crave a little something savory in the mornings or for a quick snack. Hope you enjoy them as much as we do down under.

Cheesymite Scrolls
adapted from The Organised Housewife
makes 10 two-inch rolls

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (plus more for dusting the rolling surface)
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of freshly ground sea salt
2 tablespoons cold butter
3/4 cups milk (I use skim)
1-2 tablespoons Vegemite
1/2 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese (reserve 2 tablespoons for sprinkling on top)

Preheat the oven to 425F/ 220C, and lightly grease a pie tin or a cookie sheet.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingers, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the milk, and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined to form a soft dough. The dough will be very sticky at this stage.

Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of flour onto a flat, clean surface, and pat your hands with a little of the flour. Turn the dough out onto the flour and knead it about 10 times, adding up to two more tablespoons of flour if necessary to keep it from sticking.

Using a rolling pin or a tall, straight glass, roll the dough out into a rectangle that measures approximately 5 inches wide and 12 inches long, with the dough about 1/4 inch thick. Using the back of a spoon, spread the Vegemite thinly and evenly as possible over the entire surface of the dough (use more or less Vegemite according to taste-- it's delicious when baked with the cheese!). Sprinkle the cheese (reserving about 2 tablespoons) over the entire surface of the Vegemite-covered dough.

Starting from one of the long ends of the rectangle, roll the dough up. Using a serrated knife, carefully slice the dough into about 10 sections (each section should be just over an inch long). Place the sections close together in the greased baking tin (you can use a small pie plate for this, or a flat cookie sheet). Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese over the tops of the rolls.

Bake at 425F/ 220C for 15-20 minutes, until rolls are cooked through and beginning to brown very slightly on top. Remove from oven and serve warm or at room temperature. Scrolls will keep in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Holiday Cheer

It's a month since Christmas Day, but we've only just returned home to Sydney from America-- hence this post's title. I hope you had moments of peace and joy with family and friends. Following a pre-holiday celebration with the hubs' parents in Sydney, we spent Christmas in Nashville, Tennessee with a crowd of family. It was the first Christmas we've had in the USA for a couple of years now, and it was a blast to catch up with cousins and relive old family traditions while creating some new ones.

summer Christmas pre-dinner spread in Sydney

One of my family's most treasured culinary traditions is my late paternal great-grandmother's rolls, known as Mamaw's Rolls, and always spoken of with reverence for the patient, kind-hearted woman who made them in her tiny, gas-powered kitchen in rural Louisiana. I've mentioned these before-- impossibly soft, melt in your mouth, yeast rolls-- very difficult to replicate. One of my aunts, however, has mastered her own adaptation, and she gave a demonstration for all of us while we were gathered in Nashville.

my aunt in Nashville teaching the cousins how to make perfect yeast dinner rolls
like our Louisiana great grandmother used to make them

The secret to the rolls' lightness is time: allowing the dough to rise once for a few hours, then again overnight in the fridge (or outside on the porch, if it's cold enough). My aunt has also come to recognize the perfect consistency of the dough, adding flour until in looks and feels just right. She then used half of the dough to make regular dinner rolls, cut with a small drinking glass and placed closely together in round metal trays. She rolled out the other half of the dough into a large rectangle, covered it in a chocolate filling, and rolled the dough into a log to cut cinnamon roll-style sections. These she baked in a large rectangular pyrex, and they were phenomenal!

the kids make Christmas brunch

For the first time ever at our large family holiday gathering in Nashville, the older generation decided that we, the kids (ranging in age from 25-32), could take responsibility for one of the shared meals. Via email we planned to cater for Christmas brunch, sending recipe ideas back and forth across the US and Australia until we had a menu that reflected our various food interests and regional delicacies. Our contribution was cheesymite scrolls, made into a festive Christmas tree shape (idea borrowed from Camille Styles).  I used the recipe here at Aussie blog The Organised Housewife, and they turned out perfectly. The final spread included stewed tomatoes and black eyed peas, cheese grits, honey baked ham, kale chips, cheesymite scrolls, cranberry bread, a seasonal fruit salad, and my uncle's infamous eggnog (like drinking heavily spiked whipped cream, aka heaven).  The parents and grandparents were duly impressed, and decided that the kids can take a more active role in meal planning from now on. Hooray!

old fashioneds back in Texas with the fam

After Nashville we had a wonderful time in Texas staying with family and visiting friends. I soaked up time with my siblings and bestie, loved sipping on pre-dinner Old Fashioneds with my parents, and squeezed the cheeks of friends' new babies. We also ate the top of our wedding cake, even more delicious than it was in 2010 (we haven't yet been in the US together around our anniversary since the day we married!), thanks to my mom's Southern belle ninja freezer-proofing skills.

our wedding cake still delicious after a three year deep freeze

After a killer NYE in downtown San Antonio, I traveled to Chicago for a work conference, then joined the hubs in Los Angeles for another few days of work. Due to the polar vortex and a packed conference schedule, I wasn't able to venture out to see much of Chicago. But I did sneak into the newly opened Eataly to pick up some of their incredible produce and a few organic breakfast items. I ate lunch at the bar of Eataly's pasta restaurant, watching the chefs pull together dozens of fresh pasta dishes simultaneously. The food was fresh and the atmosphere lively-- highly recommend checking out their locations in Chicago or New York City. 

parperdelle with arrabiatta, fresh baked bread, and olive oil at Eataly, Chicago

In Los Angeles we stayed with good friends and enjoyed some homecooked meals with them, leaving a couple of opportunities to grab food out on the town. I had perfectly prepared scallops over pomegranate quinoa and the hubs had spicy fried chicken over maple-glazed waffles at Wood & Vine, a restaurant-bar with a cute al fresco dining area sandwiched between its neighboring high rise buildings.

incredible scallops at Wood & Vine, Los Angeles

The Reel Inn on the Pacific Coast Highway just south of Malibu served up the freshest grilled fish and cajun rice. Eating on their sunny patio looking over the ocean made it feel like we were back in Sydney summer. We also ate more than our share of double fudge cake and german chocolate cake at Doughboys on 3rd Street (famed for their red velvet cake-- but it's full of artificial coloring, no thanks). Their coffee was the best American-style drip coffee I had during my entire stay in the US. Even the meal we had at Wolfgang & Puck in LAX was delicious-- who knew such a stellar mushroom, garlic, and pesto pizza could be found in an airport? 

grilled fish and cajun rice at The Reel Inn, Malibu

It was a fabulous time sharing the holidays with loved ones and eating great food in homes and restaurants across four states. I hope you, too, had a special holiday season. We're adjusting back to Sydney life and soaking up the end of summer here... regular recipe posts to return soon!

end of summer drawing near back in Sydney

Banana granola with raisins & walnuts

I haven't bought cereal in a while now, reaching instead for homemade granola with yogurt or milk and my morning coffee. I love the recipe I began making about a year ago, which gets its crunch from the addition of a whipped egg white (tip courtesy of the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook). But recently we had a few very ripe bananas, and instead of baking a loaf of banana bread, I decided to mash one into our weekly granola. Best decision!

naturally sweetened banana granola
full of grains and protein = happy start to the day

The consistency of the banana, mixed with a little tahini, oil, and honey, resulted in a perfectly crunchy, clumped together granola, without the addition of a whipped egg white. I added raisins and chopped walnuts after baking the granola, which gave it just the right level of sweetness and crunch. Feel free to leave out the coconut if that's not your bag, and to use peanut or another nut butter instead of tahini (ground sesame seeds) if you'd like. I've also used coconut oil in place of the rice bran oil, which is delicious. The ground flaxseed and chia seeds, along with the oats, add plenty of protein and fibre-- this stuff will keep you full till lunchtime. 

oats, ground flaxseeds, chia seeds, and coconut with banana, tahini, and honey

I'm also planning to try a sweet potato or pumpkin version of this granola later this month (just in time to cure any ex-pat Thanksgiving blues!)... I imagine a mashed sweet potato / pumpkin will offer a texture and sweetness similar to the banana in this recipe. I hope you enjoy this version as much as we did: the hubs has dubbed it the best granola yet.

Banana granola with raisins & walnuts

makes about 3 cups

1 large ripe banana (or 2 small bananas), mashed (about 3/4 cup)

1 tablespoon oil (rice bran oil or coconut oil work well)

1 tablespoon tahini (or peanut butter, almond butter, etc)

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch of freshly ground sea salt

3 cups rolled oats (not instant)

1/4 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup coursely chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, combine the banana, oil, tahini, honey, cinnamon, and salt. Stir well to combine. Add the remaining ingredients, and stir well so that everything is evenly coated in the banana mixture.

Spread the mixture evenly onto a large cookie sheet (or two medium sized cookie sheets). Bake at 150C / 300F for 30-35 minutes, or until lightly golden, taking the tray out halfway through the baking time to flip the granola over with a large spatula and stir it around a bit on the cookie sheet so that it bakes evenly. 

Remove from oven and allow to cool, then sprinkle the raisins and walnuts over the granola. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Japanese oatmeal with sesame & miso

This riff on miso porridge is one I have been mulling over for a while now and have been working up the courage to try. I knew the hubs would melt over the idea of a savory oatmeal seasoned with miso, as we're always having the savory/sweet breakfast food debate on the weekends. He prefers savory, my ideal is slightly sweet. Our compromise is usually pancakes with fried eggs on the side. But salty miso oatmeal, when my favorite version is a cinnamon-spiced mixture sweetened with a little honey or brown sugar (and preferably some roasted pumpkin thrown in), was going to be all him.

plain yogurt, toasted walnuts, sliced radishes = perfect miso oatmeal stir-ins

However. This recipe blew my socks off. The flavor is stunning, satisfying.  The cool radishes and toasty walnuts, stirred in with a little creamy yogurt on top of the salty oats, are the most delicious combination. The hubs wants to experiment with a poached egg on top, too, though we haven't yet ventured that far (he has done so now, and it is delicious!).

sesame oil toasted oats with miso make a satisfying, flavorful oatmeal

We've also discovered that thinly chopped celery and baby bok choy are very tasty additions. Chopped fresh herbs (parsley, basil, or dill) and toasted sesame seeds would also be great add-ins. If you don't have sesame oil on hand to toast the oats in the first step, use olive oil or butter instead. But make sure you toast them, it adds a rich, deep flavor to the finished bowl.

miso oatmeal topped with sliced celery and baby bok choy, with yogurt and toasted walnuts

It's going to take many more batches of Japanese oatmeal (as we've started calling it) until I grow tired of it and turn back to the sweeter variety. Trust me, you need to try this at least once. And somehow this seems the perfect breakfast for either the cooler fall whether you Northern hemisphere folks are experiencing, or our hotter, summery days down here in the southern half of the world. Happy November, all. 

Japanese Oatmeal

2 servings
inspired by 101 Cookbooks

3 teaspoons sesame oil

1 1/4 cups oats (make sure they're gluten-free if your cooking g-f)

2 cups water

2-3 teaspoons miso (I used shiro/white miso)

A selection of toppings to serve:

2-3 tablespoons plain/greek yogurt

1/3 cup chopped, toasted walnuts

1 thinly sliced large radish

1 5-inch piece of celery, thinly sliced

1 bunch baby bok choy, thinly sliced

Place a medium-sized pot on the stove and bring to medium-low heat. Add the sesame oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the oats, and cook, stirring occasionally to coat in the sesame oil, for about 6-7 minutes, until they have taken on a slight, light golden color and toasted scent. Add the water to the oats and bring to a slow simmer. Cook the oats, stirring occasionally, until the water is absorbed, about 6-7 minutes.

Place the miso in a separate small bowl, and add a few spoonfuls of the cooked oats to the miso. Stir to combine. Add this oat-miso mixture back to the cooked oats, and stir gently to evenly combine. Taste and add up to another teaspoon of miso if necessary. Remove oats from heat.

Serve immediately with a small dollop of yogurt, the chopped, toasted walnuts, and whatever other toppings you desire (thinly sliced radishes, celery, baby bok choy, etc). 

Eggs in Purgatory, Tex-Mex Style

Yesterday was one of those full and productive weekend days that I've needed recently as we prepare this month to welcome friends visiting Sydney, pack up and move house, then fly overseas for a few weeks for a very full schedule of work and play. Woke up early, got stuff done, and felt ready for the week ahead. We ended that productive day with a fantastic night out with friends in Surry Hills: pub drinks, then banquet menu Lebanese food (YUM, love those meals where you're stuffed at the end mostly due to the veg and chickpeas), and excellent Aussie red wine nightcap(s) at our friends' place... finally got home way late for this no-longer-in-her-twenties gal.

eggs sunny-side up over sautéed peppers, spinach, onion, garlic,
with avocado and crispy tortilla strips

So today is yesterday's polar opposite: pretty unproductive. I slept later than I have in ages. Breakfast needed to be lunch-ish, a healthy but filling, steadying meal. I've seen the Italian-origin dish uova in purgatorio, eggs in purgatory, on various cooking blogs and decided to throw together a Tex-Mex version, sort of huevos rancheros meets uova in purgatorio. We can't use tomatoes in our food due to allergies, so instead of the traditional tomato sauce I broiled, peeled, and chopped a couple of red bell peppers (like this). Sauteed some diced onion, garlic, and jalapeños with the chopped bell peppers and some spinach, then dropped in the eggs when the vegetables were nice and softened. Grated a little cheddar over the eggs just before they were finished, and topped everything with some crispy baked corn tortilla strips, rather than serving over crusty bread like most uova in purgatorio recipes advise.

eggs in purgatory, Tex-Mex style (and gluten-free)

Pairing the eggs with sliced avocado on the plates cut the heat from the jalapeños just enough, and a side of chopped honeydew and papaya made for a perfectly balanced, fuzzy-head-curing breakfast. Whether you seek the perfect meal after a late night out, or just a hearty, vegetable-heavy brunch (or breakfast for dinner!) option, these Tex-Mex style eggs in purgatory are a good go-to. Wishing you a weekend well balanced with productivity, leisure, and quality time with friends and family.

Eggs in Purgatory, Tex-Mex Style
2 hearty servings

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
half a brown onion, diced (about 1/4 cup)

2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and diced

3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped jalapeños
1/4 cup frozen spinach, defrosted
4 eggs
2-3 tablespoons freshly grated cheddar or monterey jack cheese

to serve:
1 tortilla (gluten-free if cooking g-f), cut into long, thin strips and toasted under the oven broiler till crispy
half an avocado, sliced
hot sauce (Cholula, Tabasco) and additional jalapeño slices (optional)

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan, then add the onion. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until onion begins to turn translucent. Add the diced bell peppers, garlic, jalapeños, and spinach, and sauté for another 5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat down to medium-low, cover, and continue to cook for another 7-8 minutes, until the bell peppers are soft.

Remove the cover from the vegetables, and crack four eggs over the vegetables, leaving about an inch between each egg and taking care not to break the yolks. Cover again, and continue to cook until the eggs are just about done-- the whites opaque and the yolks still runny. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the eggs, and continue to cook for another minute or so, until the cheese is melted.

Arrange the avocado slices on the side of each plate, then serve two eggs in purgatory onto each plate, topping the eggs with the crispy tortilla strips (make sure the tortilla strips are gluten-free if cooking g-f). Serve immediately with Cholula, Tabasco, and additional jalapeño slices, if desired.

{Lightened-up} Banana Bread with Orange Glaze

I posted my tried and true recipe for Banana Bread two years ago, a slightly adapted version from Southern Living magazine that has the most incredibly dense and moist texture due to the mixture of butter and cream cheese. Like many Southern Living recipes, it's absolutely delicious and always a hit. I regularly made loaves to give friends and family while we lived in the UK, and it was always requested if we  visited friends out of town. But it's pretty intense, and almost impossible to stop eating after just one slice. The hubs' aunt called it banana *cake*... it definitely fit that profile better than bread.

homemade banana bread, lightened up, with an orange glaze

A couple of bananas sitting in our fruit basket have been neglected for the past week and were almost completely black-- perfectly ripe for banana bread. So today I made a lighter version, using olive oil instead of butter, and substituting plain greek yogurt for the cream cheese (this makes it easier anyway for us, since sourcing cream cheese without preservatives is more difficult in Sydney). I mixed in some wholewheat with the all-purpose flour, and scaled down the sugar quite a bit. I kept the sweet orange glaze on top, as this really makes the loaf stand out from your traditional banana bread, but you could easily omit it and the bread would still taste divine.

banana bread warm from the oven

I'm very happy with this banana bread-- it still has a moist, tender crumb and a rich taste-- you don't even miss the butter, cream cheese, and extra sugar. I'll make this version from now on, save for Christmas morning or other occasions which deserve a splurge. The recipe below makes one loaf-- just double the ingredients for two, and bake in two loaf pans. Cover the bread tightly with foil and freeze for up to three months, or store in an airtight container for up to three days. If it starts to get a bit dry a few days after you've baked it, take a note from my mother and broil a slice under the broiler (aka grill) for a minute or two, caramelizing the sugars from the banana and... sugar, and making it a toasty sweet treat. Spread your toasted banana bread with coconut oil, yogurt, butter, or cream cheese to serve.

Enjoy, and happy August, all.

{Lightened-up} Banana Bread with Orange Glaze
makes one 8x4-inch loaf

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup low-fat greek yogurt (or plain yogurt)
1/2 cup raw sugar
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour (I used 1 cup all-purpose and 1/2 cup wholewheat)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
small pinch freshly ground sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
heaping 1/2 cup mashed, very ripe banana (about 2 medium bananas)

Orange Glaze:

2 tablespoons sifted powdered sugar

2-3 teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice

Preheat oven to 177C/ 350F. Grease and flour an 8x4-inch loaf pan, set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the olive oil and yogurt with a whisk or an electric mixer until well combined. Add the sugar, and mix well. Add the egg, and mix well until thoroughly combined. Stir in the vanilla.

In a separate medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk well with a fork to evenly distribute the ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the yogurt mixture and stir well to combine. Add the mashed banana, and stir well to combine.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan, smoothing the top of the batter. Bake at 177C/ 350F for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out without any dough on it. You may need to cover the loaf with foil in the last 15 minutes or so of baking to prevent excessive browning.  Remove from oven and set aside, flipping the bread out of the loaf pan when it is cool enough to touch (you may need to run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the bread).

To prepare the orange glaze, mix the powdered sugar and orange juice in a small bowl until smooth. After the bread has cooled for at least 15 minutes, drizzle the glaze over the bread with a spoon, slightly spreading it around with the back of the spoon so that it evenly covers the top of the loaf.

Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. To freeze, wrap tightly with foil and freeze for up to three months.

Simple Crepes + Breakfast Crepes with Mushrooms, Spinach, & Eggs

It's a long weekend here in Sydney, with Monday off for the Queen's birthday. (Not QE II's real birthday, mind you, but her commemorated birthday date in Australia... except for Western Australia. Commonwealth holidays can be confusing!) So we're enjoying a beautiful, crisp, sunny 3 days' break. Planning to walk down to the beach this afternoon, then maybe head into the city tomorrow to read all day and sip coffee at a café.

To kick off the weekend yesterday morning, the hubs suggested trying out a new crepe place that just opened around the corner from us. When we lived in London's beautiful village of Hampstead, just a few stops up from the city centre on the Northern Line, we used to indulge a little too often in the famous creperie stand on Hampstead's high street. Some weekends, the line (queue) would be a block and a half long, everyone waiting patiently while the two French cooks inside the tiny metal stand churned out savory and sweet crepes. They were folded into big triangles and given to patrons to-go in triangle-shaped cardboard wrappers with a fork and napkins, and cost only a few pounds each. While they poured batter and skimmed the flat wooden paddles across the crepes to make them huge, thin, and crispy, the cooks chatted back and forth in French, reaching across each other to grab cans of ratatouille, heaping spoonfuls of sautéed spinach and fresh shredded cheese, or big spoonfuls of Nutella. Every time we ate a crepe, standing in the little laneway just behind the cart, that little corner of Hampstead felt like our own authentic mini-break to Paris.

I hope they serve crepes in heaven. Beautiful pic of the
Hampstead Creperie in London from Gourmet Traveller 88.

We haven't had a crepe since we moved to Sydney's north shore from Hamsptead almost two years ago, so this new creperie around the corner looked enticing. But when I had a glance at their (small) menu, I was taken aback by the prices. For one crepe! Sydney is notoriously expensive (ranked as the 3rd most expensive city in the world this year by The Economist Intelligence Unit), but this was just silly. I suggested instead that we make crepes at home-- how hard can it be? One of my college roommates used to make them all the time, without any of that fancy equipment: the big, flat, crepe griddle, the long wooden paddle to smooth out the batter. So we did. And they were easy, incredibly delicious, and we got a whole half dozen of them for a fraction of the cost of just one at the recently-opened creperie.

Delicious breakfast crepes with mushrooms, spinach, garlic, cheese, and an egg. 

This is an easy, fool-proof crepe recipe that can be used for savory or sweet fillings, serving as a main course for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Your imagination is the limit for turning a stack of crepes into a creative meal or gorgeous dessert. Keep a few in the freezer and warm them up in the microwave for a quick start to a meal or a tasty snack. Below the simple crepe recipe, I've given the method we used to make some spectacular breakfast crepes, full of sautéed mushrooms, garlic, spinach, topped with melted cheese and a fried egg. These were filling and truly delicious, and could easily serve as a main course any time of day.

Crepes in the morning: breakfast bliss

My next crepe mission: to make the mouth-watering crepe cake from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. Be fearless and try your hand at crepes!

Simple crepes. Super easy, and ready to serve as a base for creative breakfasts, dinners, or desserts.

Simple Crepes
makes 6 crepes
adapted from Cooking Light

1 egg
1 cup milk (I used skim, any fat content will do)

2/3 cup flour (I used 1/3 cup whole wheat and 1/3 cup wholegrain spelt flour)

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed (or buckwheat, wholegrain wheat, or wholegrain spelt flour)
pinch of freshly ground sea salt
oil for coating pan to cook crepes (I used extra virgin olive oil)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and milk until combined. Add the flour, flaxseed, and salt, whisking to combine. Cover with a tea towel and set aside for 15-30 minutes while you prepare your fillings.

To cook the crepes, heat a wide sauté pan over medium heat. Coat with a thin film of oil. When the pan is hot, pour a scant 1/4 cup of crepe batter into the centre of the pan, lifting and tilting it in a circular motion so that the batter spreads out into a wide circle. Set the pan back on the stove top and cook for about 1-2 minutes, until the crepe can be easily moved around the pan with a spatula and is golden brown on the bottom. Flip the crepe over and continue to cook for another 30 seconds to one minute, until golden on both sides.

Set the cooked crepe on a plate and cover with a paper towel, square of parchment/baking paper, or wax paper, and repeat with remaining batter. Make sure to layer the cooked crepes with a paper towel or similar so that they don't stick together as they cool. To keep them warm as you're cooking the entire batch, place the cooked crepes in a pre-heated 100C/215F oven. Serve warm with your choice of filling. (See Breakfast Crepe recipe suggestion below). Or just go with Nutella, always a winner.

* Storage Tip: Store cooked crepes, layered with paper towels or parchment paper or wax paper, in a freezer-proof bag in the freezer. To use, reheat crepes in the microwave until warm.

Breakfast Crepes with Mushrooms, Spinach, and Eggs
Serves 2 (multiply ingredients as required)

2 cooked crepes
extra virgin olive oil for the pan
1 cup sliced mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups baby spinach leaves
pinch of freshly ground sea salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs

Heat a thin film of extra virgin olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, add the sliced mushrooms. Cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until they begin to turn golden around the edges. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the minced garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the spinach, salt, and pepper, and cook for about 3-4 minutes, until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat.

Turn the oven broiler (grill) onto medium-high. Lay the two crepes on a large baking sheet. Distribute the mushroom/spinach mixture over the crepes, and top each crepe with the shredded cheese. (Save the sauté pan for the eggs). Place the baking tray in the oven about 5 inches from the heat source at the top of the oven, and crack the door open an inch or two.

While the crepes are in the oven with the cheese melting, make two fried eggs. Return the sauté pan to medium heat, add a thin film of oil, and cook the eggs sunny-side up: until whites are opaque but the yolks are still runny. Keep an eye on the crepes in the oven to make sure they don't burn. (If the crepes are done before the eggs, turn the broiler off and move the baking tray to the middle of the oven so that the crepes stay warm).

To serve, place each crepe on a plate and top with a fried egg. Serve open-faced, or fold the crepe in half to keep the filling warm. Serve immediately.

Quickbread Cinnamon Rolls with Walnuts & Golden Syrup

I can't do yeast bread. I should practice more often. I should make sure the yeast I have hasn't expired every time I try to use it. But really I just prefer quickbreads. They're a sure thing. Baking powder and baking soda and that's all the leavening you need.

My great-grandmother, Mamaw, who lived in a tiny Louisiana town until she peacefully passed out of this world at the age of 101, was renowned for her yeast rolls. These perfect, light, flaky things were like a cross between a biscuit and a dinner roll, just incredible. We used to eat them by the basketful at dinners in her little white clapboard house on the sweet potato farm that was run by her husband, then their son (my great uncle), and his son after that. My dad (Mamaw's grandson) and his sisters and cousins still speak with reverence of the times she would make those rolls and cover them in a homemade, cocoa-based chocolate sauce. Then they became *chocolate rolls*, and were apparently the most delectable things any of them had ever tasted. I never had the chocolate version, but Mamaw's rolls original-recipe-style were heaven on earth. My mom does a pretty authentic rendition of Mamaw's rolls, and my aunt can make a delicious version of the chocolate rolls. But something about Mamaw's method made those rolls irreplaceable.

quick, delicious cinnamon rolls with walnuts and golden syrup

 I didn't get the good-at-yeast-rolls gene. But I love dinner rolls and breakfast rolls of all sorts. So when I saw a recipe on Vintage Mixer for one-hour cinnamon rolls, and realized they didn't require yeast, I had to experiment. I made a smaller batch and adjusted a few ingredients, making them less sugary-sweet but imparting the rich flavor of golden syrup. Golden syrup is a British staple, and is readily available here in the Antipodean colonies. It's beautifully thick and amber-colored, with a slightly roasted, almost buttery flavor. You can probably find golden syrup in many North American grocery stores, but, if it's unavailable, maple syrup or agave syrup will do fine. These cinnamon rolls are incredible, delicious and flaky just like their yeast-roll counterparts, but without the stress of using the yeast correctly, waiting for dough to rise, etc. I've found the perfect breakfast sweet roll recipe, and I think Mamaw would approve. Thank you Vintage Mixer! Play around with filling combinations to change it up (as if you'll tire of the perfect combo of cinnamon and walnuts), but this simple quick-bread base is a keeper.

I used walnuts in these cinnamon rolls, but pecans would also work well, as per the original Vintage Mixer recipe. I halved the recipe and still managed to make eight smaller (2-3 inches wide, 1.5 inches thick) cinnamon rolls, and they fit perfectly into an 7-inch pie pan. I also rolled the dough thinner, to about 1/4 inch, which allowed for a more cinnamon-filling to roll ratio. If you like a thicker cinnamon roll you can roll the dough to 1/2-inch thickness, though this will yield fewer rolls. Double the ingredients for a larger batch, cutting the rolls a little thicker (2 inch increments instead of 1 inch), baking the rolls in a 9-inch square pyrex dish or metal baking tray, and adding 5-10 minutes to the baking time to ensure the middle rolls cook through. These rolls can also be prepared the day before, covered and stored in the fridge overnight, and baked fresh the next morning.

Bake these fast and easy quickbread-based cinnamon rolls for birthday mornings, holidays, or any time you feel like treating yourself and your loved ones to a sweet breakfast treat.

Quickbread Cinnamon Rolls with Walnuts & Golden Syrup
makes 8 (2-3 inch) cinnamon rolls
adapted from Vintage Mixer

Quickbread Dough
1 1/2 cups flour (I used a 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour and 1 cup all-purpose flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
small pinch of freshly ground sea salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted (or extra virgin olive oil)
1/2 cup milk (any fat content is fine)
2 tablespoons golden syrup (or maple syrup, or agave syrup)

Cinnamon-Walnut Filling
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup coursely chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
small pinch of freshly ground sea salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted (or extra virgin olive oil)

Golden Syrup Icing
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon golden syrup (or maple syrup, or agave syrup)
2 tablespoons sifted powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar)
1 teaspoon milk (or any dairy-free milk)

First make the dough. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the melted butter (or olive oil), milk, and golden syrup. As the golden syrup is so thick, I found it easier to microwave the butter, milk, and golden syrup together for about 15 seconds, then whisk them together. Pour the liquid mixture over the flour mixture, and stir well to combine. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for 2-3 minutes, until dough is smooth. Place dough in the fridge for about 20 minutes (or the freezer for 10 minutes).

Make the filling while the dough chills. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, and sea salt. Pour 1 tablespoon of the melted butter (or olive oil) over the cinnamon sugar mixture, and stir to combine.

When the dough has chilled a bit, remove from fridge and place on a very lightly floured countertop. Roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness for skinnier cinnamon rolls, or to 1/2 inch thickness for thicker cinnamon rolls. I rolled mine out to about a 7x10-inch rectangle. Spread 1 tablespoon melted butter (or olive oil) evenly over the dough. Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the top of the buttered dough, and press the mixture in lightly with your hands. Starting from the long end, carefully and tightly roll the dough.

Slice the rolled rope of dough into 8 sections (so that each section is about 1 inch thick). Place the rolls into a greased 7-inch round cake tin or pie dish, arranging them so that the seams of the rolls are facing toward each other and not towards the outside of the pan. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 220C/ 425F for about 18-22 minutes, until the middle roll looks done and they are beginning to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for a couple of minutes before drizzling the icing over the tops. Serve warm.

For the icing, combine 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 tablespoon golden syrup in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave for about 10-15 seconds on high. The golden syrup should now be less viscous and closer to maple-syrup consistency. Stir in the two tablespoons of sifted powdered sugar, and, if necessary, thin out with 1 teaspoon of milk (or your choice of dairy-free milk). Stir well, then drizzle over the warm rolls, spreading the mixture around the tops a bit to evenly coat the rolls.

*Preparation tip: if you are clumsy with transferring ingredients back and forth across various countertops in your kitchen, make sure to use metal bowls so that when you drop them, you only have to vacuum up brown sugar and walnuts, not broken glass:

#southernspoonfail
the hubs kindly vacuumed up the cinnamon-sugar-walnut-melted butter mess
while I attempted to finish the cinnamon rolls with minimal ingredient casualties

Banana Walnut Oatmeal Pancakes with Honey

Two breakfast food posts in one day-- catching up here on SouthernSpoon. These are those banana pancakes I mentioned earlier, so soft and filling and wonderful, and this is what we ended up having for breakfast (brunch?... it was almost noon) this morning.

gluten-free pancakes made with ground oats and flaxseed, sweetened with ripe bananas,
served with honey and chopped walnuts

These gluten-free, dairy-free wholesome pancakes are adapted from this recipe I've been playing around with from Cookie + Kate (whose blog I adore). I've kept them gluten-free friendly by using oats ground up in a blender (make sure your oats are labelled g-f to ensure they're safe from cross-contamination with gluten-containing products). I've added some ground flaxseed and orange juice, with a few more warm spices. I bet you could leave out the egg altogether if you added another tablespoon of flaxseed to make sure things bind together. But one egg does work well with the baking soda to keep them nice and fluffy.  

banana walnut oatmeal pancakes = gluten-free, diary-free breakfast treat

The banana in these pancakes is not overwhelming but sweetens them up beautifully. The best addition here is chopped walnuts in the batter, with more sprinkled on top for serving, all topped off with a generous drizzle of honey. 

I love the mild flavor and delicate crunch of walnuts-- they seem to make any recipe a little more sophisticated. And they always reminded of my cousin. Her boyfriend used to bring her walnuts to snack on while she was studying for the MCAT because he'd read that they help your memory and are just generally good for your brain. Such a thoughtful guy! And now they're married, and this weekend is their anniversary, which they're celebrating with a sweet baby boy. Cuz, I hope you find time to make these pancakes one weekend soon to share with your wonderful family. 

Happy weekend, all, and to family and friends in San Antonio, TX-- Happy Fiesta!

Banana Walnut Oatmeal Pancakes with Honey

Adapted from Cookie + Kate

makes about 10 4-inch pancakes

1 cup rolled oats (not instant; and make sure they're labelled gluten-free if you're cooking gluten-free)

1 cup mashed, ripe banana (2 large bananas)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons orange juice (fresh-squeezed if you have an orange)

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon each of ginger, allspice, nutmeg

1/4 cup coursely chopped walnuts, plus more for serving

runny honey (for serving)

Preheat oven to 100C / 215 F, and place an oven-proof serving dish in the oven.

Grind the oats into a flour using a blender or food processor. I just pulse in a blender for about 10 seconds so that some whole rolled oats remain. Pour oatflour into a small bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the mashed banana, olive oil, orange juice, ground flaxseed, and egg. Mix well to combine. 

To the small bowl with the oat flour, add the baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg. Whisk together to evenly distribute the soda and spices.  

Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and mix well. Stir in the chopped walnuts.

Heat a skilled over medium-high heat. When a few drops of water sprinkled onto the skillet dance across it, you're ready to cook the pancakes. Grease your skillet with a little olive oil if necessary. Ladle about a 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake onto the skillet. This batter is thicker than your typical pancake batter, so you may have to spread it out a bit as soon as you drop the batter onto the skillet.

Cook pancakes for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Place cooked pancakes into the serving dish in the oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining pancakes.  

When finished cooking all the batter, serve pancakes warm with chopped walnuts and honey.