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. 

One-bowl {Gluten-Fee} Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you read this blog on the reg, you know we don't do peanuts, as the hubs has a (non-life-threatening) sensitivity to them. If you knew me in college, you'd have thought I survived merely on a diet of pretzel twists, honey-roasted peanut butter, and Common Grounds coffee. Seriously. But love makes you do crazy things, like switch to almond butter (who could never steal my heart, dear PB).

However, the hubs has been in Sydney for work for the last month, and you better believe I have been going through a jar of Trader Joe's natural, creamy, no salt added peanut butter a week. He comes back in a couple of days (hooray!) so I'm winding down the PB habit and clearing it out of the house. This afternoon, rather than my typical snack of apple slices slathered with nut butter, I felt the urge to make a small batch of cookies: to re-live the college days of baking with the roomies (one of whom is now a pediatrician and rightly chides our undergraduate sugar consumption levels). The cookies needed to be quick, easy, and have that ideal crispy outside, gooey inside finish.

One bowl clean-up for these chewy, chocolatey, peanut butter oatmeal cookies.

These turned out perfectly. Use one bowl to mix up the peanut butter, sugar, vanilla and egg, then add oats and leavening, chocolate chips for good measure, and you're set. Don't have peanut butter? Use any nut butter. Don't do sugar? Use the equivalent measure of mashed banana. Don't have chocolate chips? Don't use them, or add some chopped pecans, walnuts, etc. Make a few for a snack, and save the rest of the dough in the fridge or freezer for later. But since it's only a small batch, you won't be tempted to go overboard on the sugar splurge. Enjoy!

Easy to make, tasty to eat.

One-bowl {gluten-free} Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 8-9 cookies

1/2 cup peanut butter (I used natural, no sugar or salt added; can use any nut butter)
1/3 cup brown sugar (or a mix of brown sugar, cane sugar, coconut sugar, whatever you have)
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup rolled oats (old fashioned, not instant; gluten-free if you're cooking g-f)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup chocolate chips
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350F/ 177C.

In one medium-sized bowl, mix together thoroughly with a spoon or with an electric mixer the peanut butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Add the oats, baking soda, chocolate chips, and salt, and stir to thoroughly combine.

Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoons onto a non-stick or pre-greased cookie sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake at 350F/ 177C for 8-10 minutes, until golden on the bottom but still not completely set in the middle. Remove from oven, and let stand on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing.

Cookies will keep at room temperature in an air-tight container for 3 days.

Roasted butternut & purple onions with tahini sauce & toasted pine nuts

Welcome to 2015 from Southern Spoon. In the spirit of positive and healthy starts, this year begins with a delicious dish that showcases roasted winter vegetables, dressed simply with fresh herbs, toasted nuts, and tahini sauce. This colorful platter of veggies will entice even the most stalwart of your hard to please low-vegetable eaters. One of my goals is to incorporate even more, and more variety, of vegetables into every meal.

This recipe is one of many that I prepared with my mom and sister from Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi's incredible cookbook Jerusalem, which I gifted to my sister for Christmas. We loved reading through Ottolenghi's portrayals of this ancient city's cuisine, which is deeply wrapped up in its culture-- a culture that is unfortunately so often the target of persecution, as we saw in Paris last week.

roasted butternut, purple onions and dressed with a creamy tahini garlic sauce
and sprinkled with parsley and toasted pine nuts for an easy, attractive, delicious side dish

The next couple of posts will celebrate the multicultural influences that make some of my favorite dishes absolutely delicious. How sad, and how dull, would it be for us all to live in a monocultural world? May our actions this year provide a little more understanding and tolerance and many special moments shared over food and drink with friends and family, who are each beautifully different than we are. Cheers from Texas.

Roasted butternut & purple onions with tahini sauce and toasted pine nuts
Serves 8
Adapted from Jerusalem

1 butternut squash, sliced into 4x1 inch wedges (skins can be removed or left on)
2 purple onions, sliced into 1/2-inch wide wedges
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4cup pine nuts
pinch each of freshly ground salt and pepper

Tahini sauce:
3 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons water
1 clove garlic, minced

Preheat oven to 475F / 240C. While the oven is preheating, make the tahini sauce. Whisk together sauce ingredients, adding enough water until the mixture is the consistency of runny honey. Set aside.

In a large bowl, carefully toss the squash and onions with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange squash and onion evenly on the greased baking tray in a single layer. Roast at 475F / 240C for 30-40 minutes, until onions are beginning to brown around the outer edges and squash is cooked through. In the last 3-5 minutes of roasting, place the pine nuts in a separate baking tray and place them in the oven with the vegetables to toast, watching closely to ensure they don't burn.

Arrange the squash and onion onto a serving platter, sprinkle parsley and pine nuts over the top, and drizzle the tahini sauce over the vegetables. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Storage tip: these roasted vegetables and sauce will keep, covered in the fridge, for 3-4 days.

Rocket Salad with Steak, Roasted Eggplant & Dukkah-Crusted Pumpkin

Apologies for the lull here at Southern Spoon recently. We hosted my awesome sister in Sydney for a couple of weeks, after which I few straight to Iceland for work (fabulous fish, meat, soups, berries, etc-- see proof on my instagram feed @SouthernSpoon), then we moved house-- always an exhausting exercise, but our new kitchen makes up for it. It's big by inner-city standards, equipped with new appliances, and just around the corner from a great grocery store and Newtown, a central Sydney suburb known for its great cafes and restaurants. So goodbye to our tiny, 1970s vintage kitchen, and hello to white granite countertops and a new neighborhood of food and drinks to explore.

This simple salad is inspired by one over at Sydney-based blog Eat Drink Paleo (a beautiful blog of delicious, doable, whole food recipes-- highly recommended). Aussie salads are delicious: focused on seasonal produce without tons of dressing weighing them down, and this one is the perfect balance of textures and flavors. The slight sweetness of the dukkah-crusted pumpkin goes well with the savory steak and peppery rocket (aka arugula), and a simple olive oil and apple cider vinegar dressing is all the salad needs to bring the flavors together. Rather than eggplant, you could easily substitute bell pepper or tomatoes, cutting them into slices before roasting for 15-20 minutes.

paleo-friendly salad of rocket, steak, dukkah-crusted pumpkin, and roasted eggplant

This is delicious for lunch or dinner, and would make a great salad to transport to a barbeque or pot luck event, as the hardier rocket leaf holds up very well in a dressing, staying crisp for hours after it is made. The steak packs a protein punch, so this salad will fill you up and keep you satisfied till your next meal. It's paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free, and allergy friendly for serving to a crowd (though careful about what nuts/seeds you use in the Dukkah if cooking for nut-sensitive eaters). Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Rocket Salad with Steak, Roasted Peppers & Dukkah-Crusted Pumpkin
Serves 3-4 as a main course, 6-8 as a side
Inspired by Eat Drink Paleo

1.5 lbs (680 g) flank beef steak or other thin-cut of beef
pinch of freshly ground salt and pepper
3 teaspoons cooking oil (such as rice bran oil), divided use
2 cups rocket (arugula), rinsed and spun dry
2 cups diced pumpkin (kent, grey, butternut), about 1-inch squares
2 tablespoons dukkah (see my easy, homemade dukkah recipe here)
1 cup diced eggplant, about 1-inch squares

Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 small clove garlic, minced
freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 215C / 420F, and line a baking sheet with baking paper.

In a large bowl, add 1 teaspoon of cooking oil and diced pumpkin, tossing to coat. Add the dukkah, and toss to coat the pumpkin evenly with the dukkah. Arrange the pumpkin and diced eggplant on the baking sheet lined with baking paper or greased well with oil, spreading out the vegetables so that the pieces aren't touching. (You may need to spread everything out over two baking trays). Place in pre-heated oven and cook at 215C / 420F for 18-25 minutes, turning over the pieces halfway through, until pumpkin is cooked through. (If the eggplant pieces are done earlier and beginning to brown, just remove them and set aside while the pumpkin continues to cook).

While the pumpkin and eggplant are cooking: season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet to medium heat. When the skillet is hot, swirl 2 teaspoons cooking oil around to coat the skillet evenly. Add the steak, and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, till seared on the outside but still pink in the middle (medium), or to your desired level of doneness. Remove steak and set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes before thinly slicing across the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices.

Make a vinaigrette by whisking together the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, and the minced garlic.

To assemble the salad: on a large serving platter or wide bowl, spread out the rocket leaves. Scatter the dukkah-crusted pumpkin and the roasted eggplant evenly over the leaves. Arrange the steak slices along the top of the salad, and drizzle the vinaigrette over the entire salad. Top with freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve immediately, or chill for up to 6 hours, and bring to room temperature before serving.

Leftover salad will keep for two days in the fridge in a sealed container.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Honestly, the first time the hubs and I made and devoured cauliflower crust pizza, we both agreed it tasted better than normal pizza. It has a *flavor*, even if the texture isn't quite the same as a crispy thin-crust pie.

cauliflower crust pizza: low carb, huge flavor

I've made this base many times now, experimenting with slightly different methods, and can impart two key points of wisdom: 

1) you must steam the cauliflower and squeeze it out before you form the dough 

2) shredded cheese works better than any other substitutes for binding the dough 

So, apologies if you're not into cheese (sorry not sorry... great pizza has gotta have cheese). You can try an extra egg as substitute, but the crust won't hold together quite as well.

Below you'll find the recipe for cauliflower pizza crust, and then suggestions for topping combos and methods. This really is a delicious alternative to grain-based pizzas, and no more time-consuming than making a wheat-flour dough from scratch. Plus, low carb, higher veg = win, win. Enjoy!

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

makes 2 big pizza bases (about 12-inch diameter) 

1 large head cauliflower

1 egg

1/3 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, etc)

Optional: 1 teaspoon dried herbs (oregano, rosemary, parsley, marjaram, etc)

Baking paper to line your baking trays or pizza stones

Pre-heat oven to 215C / 420F. Place two baking trays or pizza stones into the oven as it heats. 

To prepare the cauliflower you have two options: 

1) place the heads (not stems) into a food processor and process until you achieve an even snow-like texture; OR 

2) grate the heads (holding the stems, don't grate the stems) using the large holes of a box grater, this is least messy if done over a large bowl. 

Place the grated cauliflower in a microwave-safe container, cover, and microwave for 4-6 minutes on high, stirring halfway through, until cauliflower is tender and piping hot. (Alternatively, you can place the cauliflower in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat, cover, and cook for 6-8 minutes).   Remove cauliflower from microwave, uncover, and let cool for at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to release steam.

Once the cauliflower is cool enough to handle, pour half of the cauliflower onto a clean, dry dishtowel. Gather the towel together so that the cauliflower is in a ball at the bottom, and wring the towel over a sink or bowl so that you extract as much liquid as possible. Place the squeeze-dried cauliflower into a bowl, and then repeat the twisting-wringing process with the remaining half of the steamed cauliflower.

To the squeeze-dried cauliflower, add the egg, shredded cheese, and, if desired, a teaspoon of dried herbs. Mix well to combine evenly. 

Remove the baking trays or pizza stones from the oven and line them with baking paper (or oil the trays generously... but note that using baking paper yields the best results). Divide the cauliflower dough into two equal portions, and, using your hands, carefully spread the portions out on the trays into a large, thin circle, about 12-14 inches wide. Pat together any holes that appear.

Place the crusts into the oven, and bake for 15-25 minutes at 215C / 420F, rotating the trays halfway through, until the crust is completely cooked through and browning well around the edges. Remove crusts from oven, add desired toppings, and return the pizzas to the oven for another 15 minutes, or until your toppings are done. Serve immediately.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza: Topping Suggestions

We find we like our toppings best if we sauté the vegetables in a pan for a few minutes, then place them onto the pre-baked cauliflower crust with the meat, top with shredded cheese, and bake again for a good 15-25 minutes at high heat (215C / 420F). But we pile our pies high.  If you're more minimalist in your toppings, placing them raw on the pre-baked crust, topping with cheese, and baking 15-25 minutes at 215C / 420F will be sufficient.

Because we have food sensitivities to tomatoes in our house, we simply spread a little olive oil over the crust before piling on the toppings. But of course you can use tomato sauce for a traditional pizza base.

The amounts below are for *one* pizza, double amounts for two pizzas.

Chicken-Avo

1 cup chopped, cooked rotisserie chicken 

half of an avocado, thinly sliced

1 thinly sliced red or yellow bell pepper (capsicum)

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1/2 thinly sliced purple onion

2 cloves minced garlic

1/3 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese

a few dashes of Cholula or another mild chili sauce to top

Prawn-Brie

1 cup cooked prawns

3.5 oz (100 g) brie, diced into 1-inch chunks

1/2 thinly sliced purple onion

2 cloves minced garlic

big handful of fresh basil leaves

freshly ground pepper

Prosciutto-Olive

3-4 slices prosciutto, torn or cut into pieces

1/2 thinly sliced purple onion

1 cup baby spinach leaves or rocket/arugula

1/2 cup thinly sliced button mushrooms

2-3 tablespoons chopped ripe (black) olives

1 tablespoon capers

1/3 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese

freshly ground pepper

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.

Cherry Miso Glaze (for roasted eggplant, asparagus, & more)

While I was in the US for Christmas I wanted to introduce my parents to the incredible Japanese Oatmeal that has become a staple on the breakfast rotation at our house. We had such trouble finding miso in any of the nearby grocery stores that we gave up. I'm sure that I could have found it if we'd searched further afield, but we had better things to do with the precious little time we get with family and friends on our visits to Texas. With all the miso recipes appearing on American food blogs, I'm guessing it's not too hard to find if you know where to look for it. Sounds like Whole Foods is a good bet for sourcing miso, and any larger grocery store that has a good international foods section. So while you're there purchasing Vegemite or Marmite for your cheesymite scrolls, stock up on miso, too. The salty, slightly fermented taste adds such a rich depth to whatever food you pair it with.

I've seen some recipes for miso-glazed eggplant around the web, and have been hankering to try it out. Tonight we thought it would complement the crispy-skin salmon we had in mind, and the entire meal turned out perfectly. Instead of the typical mirin-miso blend for this glaze, I used some local Australian cherry juice, mixed with a bit of miso and raw sugar. Cooked over low heat for a few minutes, it reduced down into a beautiful, dark burgundy glaze. We used it to baste some small eggplant halves and some whole asparagus, and the result was delicious.

Apologies for possibly the worst photo on this blog-- we were hungry after a long day at work.
But I promise this cherry miso glaze over  roasted eggplant and asparagus tastes amazing.

You could easily use this glaze on other vegetables that do well in roast: halved brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, baby squash, zucchini, etc. When spread over the surface of the vegetable, the glaze imparts a more subtle flavor, while a sliced or scored vegetable will soak up more of the sweet-salty flavor. This glaze would also work well on baked meat dishes such as a mild fish, pork tenderloin, and chicken breasts or thighs.

If you can't find cherry juice, try substituting pomegranate or even apple juice. Just make sure that you're buying 100% juice, no sugar or preservatives added. The miso is a necessary ingredient--  I promise you'll be glad you invested in it and will find it a flexible, long-lasting ingredient in the kitchen. Go out on a limb experimenting with these ingredients if you never have before, and enjoy the perfectly sweet-salty balance of this delicious glaze.

Cherry Miso Glaze (and how to use it on roasted eggplant & asparagus)
makes just over 1/4 cup of glaze

1/4 cup cherry juice (100% juice, no preservatives added)
2 tablespoons miso (either yellow or white miso is fine)
2 tablespoons raw sugar

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir with a whisk or fork while the mixture heats up to blend the miso into the sauce. When it begins to bubble, turn the heat down to low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 more minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the miso is completely incorporated.  Remove from heat.

Use glaze immediately, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

Cherry Miso Glazed Eggplant and Asparagus
serves 3-4 people as a side dish

1/4 cup Cherry Miso Glaze
4 small eggplants (mine were about 6 inches long and 2 inches wide)
1 medium bunch of asparagus

Preheat oven to 190C.

Wash the eggplant and asparagus. Remove and discard the leafy tops from the eggplants, and snap off and discard the tough ends of the asparagus spears.

Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, and score each half of flesh into a cross-hatch pattern, cutting all the way to (but not through) the eggplant skin.

Lightly brush or spray the eggplant and asparagus with olive oil, and place on a baking sheet or roasting tray. Place the tray in the pre-heated oven, and bake for 6 minutes.

Remove tray from oven, and carefully baste the eggplant flesh and the asparagus spears with the cherry miso glaze. You may have a bit of glaze leftover-- store for another use. Return the basted vegetables to the oven and bake at 190C for another 10-15 minutes, until the eggplant is soft and beginning to brown and the asparagus spears are tender when a fork is stuck through them. Serve immediately.

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.

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.

{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.

Pepita Granola with Dates and Molasses

This week saw the hottest day in Sydney since we've lived here, with a muggy high of 105F.  The next day it was back in the 70s, pleasant and breezy, even cool in the early morning.  So don't blame the blogger for today's post, homemade granola, when last week's was crispy salad.

I think of granola as a cold-weather comfort food, but maybe that's because I associate it with Colorado, which is, in my head, always covered in snow.  (I've spent time in Colorado in the summer, too, I just love the snow-covered mountain version).  But really, a handful of granola over yogurt or with cold milk is as appropriate in an Australian heat wave as anything else.  Northern and southern hemisphere readers alike should make this one to have on hand no matter what the weather is like where you are.  If you need any more convincing, add up the cost of the ingredients you use and compare it with the price of store-bought granola... such a deal.

toasted granola goodness with pepitas, dates, chia seeds, sweetened with molasses and dates

My sister-in-law makes a legendary granola, which I've heard about many times but haven't yet had the privilege to sample.  Today I adapted the recipe out of The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook she gave me for Christmas.  I'm sure the original recipe with walnuts and dried cherries would rock, but this version with pepitas and chopped dates is delicious.

Play around with the recipe and substitute any combination of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit for what's called for.  I didn't have maple syrup, so I used rice syrup and a little molasses its place-- the amount is perfect, not very sweet and just right with the dried fruit.  I also added dashes of allspice, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg in addition to the cinnamon-- I have trouble sticking to only one spice in a recipe. For a gluten-free version, ensure your oats are gluten-free, and substitute ground flaxseed for the toasted wheat germ.  Looking forward to munching on this throughout the week.

Pepita Granola with Dates and Molasses
lightly adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook
makes 7 cups

3 cups rolled oats (not quick-cooking; make sure gluten-free if necessary)
1/4 cup wheat germ, toasted (or ground flaxseed for gluten-free)
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds), coursely chopped
1 cup flaked coconut (unsweetened)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
dash each of ground nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and ginger (or any combination of warm spices that suits your fancy)
pinch of freshly ground sea salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use rice bran oil)
1/3 cup rice syrup or agave syrup
2 tablespoons molasses
1 egg white
1 1/4 cups coursely chopped dates

Combine first eleven ingredients together in a large bowl (through molasses). Keep stirring until the oil, rice syrup, and molasses are as evenly distributed as possible.

In a small bowl, whip the egg white with a whisk or fork until white and foamy.  Pour the foamy egg white into the granola mixture and stir until everything is evenly coated.

Scatter the mixture onto a large baking tray lined with parchment paper (baking paper).  Bake at 300F/150C for 40-50 minutes, carefully turning the mixture over halfway through with a wide spatula. Remove from oven when lightly browned.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then stir in the chopped dates, breaking the granola into chunks of your preferred size.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 weeks.

African Salad (Mango Avocado Salad)

First Christmas in 100F heat: check. Just returned from spending the holidays in the sparking sunshine and endless white sand beaches of Western Australia.  We had a fantastic time catching up with friends and family at bar-b-ques in public parks along beaches, down south in WA’s Margaret River wine region, and in the rolling gum-tree covered hills east of Perth.

curious black swans at our Christmas eve BBQ at Matilda Bay in Perth

In addition to the ubiquitous prawns on the barbie, we ate delicious and filling vegan meals, took advantage of WA’s excellent Asian food at Thai and Chinese restaurants, and enjoyed a beautiful meal overlooking a vista not far removed from Tuscany at Will’s Domain winery near Dunsborough (topped off by a sampling of cocoa nibs and chocolate bars at nearby Gabriel Chocolate). 

Will's Domain Winery, Margaret River, Western Australia

Grilled prawns, smoked salmon, gin-cured trout expertly prepared by my fabulous sister-in-law, and a range of salads made using summer’s best produce were welcome replacements for traditional American/British Christmas lunch fare.  I’ve been meaning to post the recipe for my in-laws’ famous ‘African salad’ for a while now, and as it featured on our Christmas table the timing seems appropriate.  

If mangos and avocados are out of season for you, book this recipe and make it when the weather turns warmer.  It’s the perfect accompaniment to grilled meat or fish.  For an easy main meal we throw in a big handful of sautéed prawns—chopped rotisserie chicken would also do the trick. 

freshly cooked prawns with African salad

I’ve been making this salad for a year now based on the hubs’s memory, and only recently discovered that his mother also adds a little cream to dress the salad.  We think the salad tastes wonderful simply dressed with the juice from the chopped mangos, but if you prefer a creamy dressing, top the salad with a few spoonfuls of cream.

African Salad: mango, avocado, and lettuce seasoned with a little garlic and black pepper

This salad turns to mush and the avocado quickly browns when refrigerated (though it still tastes great!), so try to prepare just enough for the meal by adjusting the amount of lettuce you use.  For a cleaner presentation, scatter the diced mango and avocado over the lettuce without tossing it afterward (as I’ve done for the photo above). 

African Salad

serves 5 as a side dish

1 clove garlic

1 head of lettuce, washed and coarsely chopped (oak leaf lettuce is pretty, but iceberg works fine)

1 ripe mango, diced into large chunks

1 firm-ripe avocado, diced into large chunks

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons cream (optional)

Peel the clove of garlic and cut it in half.  Rub the halves of garlic around the inside of your salad bowl, then chop the garlic finely and throw it into the salad bowl.  Add the chopped lettuce, and toss it to distribute the garlic. 

Add the diced mango and avocado, and toss very gently until distributed evenly.  (For a cleaner-looking salad, scatter the diced mango and avocado on top of the lettuce without tossing afterward). 

Top with a pinch of freshly ground black pepper, and, if desired, 3 tablespoons cream.  Serve immediately.

Sweet Potato Molasses Muffins

Mid-November does not equal fall here in the Antipodes, but with all of the recipes and photos online of pumpkin, spice-filled delights, this American is craving a little Thanksgiving flavor.  I wish I'd made these last week when my wonderful parents-in-law were in town, but between birthday celebrations, watching the hubs perform at the Opera House (yep, he's pretty amazing), and visiting Sydney's best beaches and restaurants, we didn't have a chance.

The mum-in-law and I did combine our collective baking skills to recreate a family favorite cake of hers: chocolate yum cake.  We baked a gluten-free chocolate spice cake in a bundt pan, covered it with a mixture of honey, cream, and poppyseeds, and slathered a melted chocolate layer over the top. If she gives permission I may post a version here, it's different and delicious.

Back to fall flavors... I had half of a sweet potato and a ripe banana I needed to use up, so I scanned the web for muffin recipes and ended up adapting Kathy's vegan cinnamon pumpkin muffins over at HealthyHappyLife. The results were perfect: beta carotene blast from the sweet potato, aromatic spices, and the deep undertones of molasses.  Plus, these muffins have a great texture and bake up nice and tall.

sweet potato molasses muffins hot out of the oven

They can easily be made gluten-free by using all g-f flour, and vegan by using almond or soy milk in place of the dairy milk. Happy fall to folks in the northern hemisphere!

Sweet Potato Molasses Muffins
adapted from HappyHealthyLife
makes 12 muffins

2 cups flour (I used approx. 1 c spelt flour, 1 c gluten-free blend, and few teaspoons almond meal)
pinch of ground sea salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice or cloves
1 tablespoon natural or brown sugar
1 1/4 cups cooked, mashed sweet potato
1/4 cup skim milk (or almond milk, soy milk, etc)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons agave or brown rice syrup
2 tablespoons molasses
1 'flax egg' (1/4 cup warm water + 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds, let sit, stir till thick)
1/4 cup mashed ripe banana (or applesauce)
2 tablespoons rice bran oil (or other vegetable oil)

Preheat oven to 175C / 350F, and line a muffin tin with muffin cups or squares of parchment paper. Spray the inside of each paper liner lightly with oil.

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl (flour through sugar).  In a medium sized bowl, mix the wet ingredients thoroughly (milk through oil).

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients.  If you're baking with gluten-free flours, there's no need to worry about overmixing (as you won't activate the gluten which can make the mixture tough), but if you're baking with gluten-containing flours, be sure to just mix until ingredients are incorporated, even if a few lumps of flour remain.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin, filling almost to the top.  Bake at 175C / 350F for 18-23 minutes, until done.  There should be a crisp, thick outer shell, and no crumbs should remain on a toothpick when inserted.  Allow to cool before serving.

These will keep for a couple of days, covered, at room temperature, or can be frozen and reheated in the microwave at 80% power for 15 second intervals.

Seasoned Swiss Chard Chips

Kale chips are so hot right now.  I can't find kale anywhere in Sydney, and I've been eyeing the leafy greens looking for a replacement.  I finally realized that the cruciferous stuff in my local grocery store labeled 'silverbeet' is what we in the US (or UK) would call swiss chard-- very similar to kale.  So I carried some of the stuff home (sold with the long stems intact, so it's like walking along the street with a full-sized plant), and tried out some 'chard chips' on the hubs and some houseguests.  We all thought they were the perfect snack after an afternoon down by the ocean: crunchy, salty, well-seasoned, and not guilty-tasting!  Just what you want after seeing a beach full of trim and tan Aussies.  (This post has been in draft form for a while... when I first wrote it the weather was warm enough to spend the day sunning on the beach!)

swiss chard chips seasoned with cumin, chili, and smoked paprika

I adapted these from a Smitten Kitchen recipe for kale chips.  Feel free to use kale or swiss chard, whatever you can find and whatever is in season where you are.  Experiment with your own spice combinations.  We preferred the cumin and chili seasoned batch to the balsamic-rosemary seasoned one, and next time I want to try a cajun batch.  These don't keep for very long, and are a bit hard to chew after the first day they're made.  So as not to let any go to waste, we just sprinkled the leftover chard chips on top of our pasta dinner the next night.  They would also work well as a pizza topper or stir fry add-in. Try some soon!

Seasoned Swiss Chard Chips
makes about 4 cups of chips

1 big bunch swiss chard (silverbeet), or kale
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground salt and pepper to taste

choice of seasonings:
2 teaspoons cumin + 2 teaspoons chili seasoning + 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
or
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar + 1 tablespoon dried rosemary + 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Thoroughly wash and dry the swiss chard.  (I submerge it in a big bowl of water, shake it out, lay it out to dry for a while, then blot it with paper towels).  Remove the stems (including the stalk running through the middle of the leaf, otherwise it makes the chips soggy), and chop or tear the leaves into chunky strips.

Swirl the tablespoon of olive oil around in a big bowl.  Add the chopped leaves and mix the leaves around gently to coat them evenly with the oil.  (You may have to split the leaves and oil in half and do one half at a time if you don't have a big enough bowl).  Grind some sea salt and pepper over the leaves, then add your desired seasoning combination. Toss gently to distribute the spices evenly.

Heat oven to 300F/ 150C.  Line a big baking sheet with parchment paper (you will probably need to do two batches to make sure the chips bake evenly).  Spread the chips out evenly in one layer on the prepared baking sheet so that they are not overlapping and barely touching.  Bake for 20 minutes, until the chips are crispy and no moisture remains.  Remove from oven and let cool for a couple of minutes before gently brushing the chips into a bowl to serve.

Serve immediately, or within 4-6 hours of baking.  Swiss chard chips do not keep well longer than one day.  Use any leftovers as an add-in for pasta, pizza, or stir fry.

Homemade Hummus

I try to keep enough snacks on hand at work so that I'm not starving by the time I get home, but I still need to eat something as soon as I walk in the door. Hummus with crackers or carrots is a go-to snack for the hubs and me, and a few scoops are enough to tide us over till dinner. Food is pretty pricey here in Sydney, and hummus ain't cheap at $5-$7 for a small tub. Many brands have preservatives, which we have to avoid, and others really over-do it on the olive oil. So a couple of months ago I bought a jar of tahini and began making hummus.

all you need for a batch of healthy hummus

It took a few batches to get the right consistency and flavour, but I've now got a basic recipe down and have begun experimenting with other ingredients (see the Variations below). Sometimes I'll make a double batch, using one can of chickpeas and one of canellini beans for a velvety smooth texture. To change up the flavour, I'll add a few roasted red piquillo or bell peppers with some cumin and paprika, or a spoonful of capers and chopped fresh rosemary.  The basic recipe below has a nice tang from the garlic and lemon.  If you want a more subtle garlic flavor, cover the garlic clove in foil and roast it in an oven at 400F/200C for 15-20 minutes.  Then peel and chop the roasted clove and add it to the mixture in the blender.

A food processor would work best for this, but I just use the blender I have.  I split the ingredients in half, blending one half of everything except the tahini, scraping that half out and setting it aside, then blending the other half.  I then incorporate everything in the blender and add the tahini last to thicken it up.  If you have a food processor (or a better quality blender than mine!), I imagine that throwing everything in at once and blending thoroughly would work fine.  

the perfect snack: homemade hummus topped with extra virgin olive oil
and served with multigrain rice crackers.

Serve the hummus topped with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, accompanied by crackers and fresh veggies for dipping.  Experiment with your own add-ins and seasonings, and thank yourself for saving a little of your grocery budget! 

Homemade Hummus

makes about one and a half cups

1 can chickpeas, rinsed thoroughly and drained (I try to find one without added salt)

zest and juice of one lemon

1 clove garlic, peeled and coursely chopped (roast the whole clove in foil at 400F/200C for 15-20 minutes before peeling and chopping if you prefer a more subtle flavour)

2-4 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus a little more for drizzling on top to serve

1-2 tablespoons tahini (I've been using tahini made from unhulled sesame seeds, which is darker and has a slightly stronger flavour.  Tahini from hulled sesame seeds will work fine, too)

freshly ground sea salt and pepper to taste

Place the drained chickpeas, lemon zest and juice, garlic, 2 tablespoons of water and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a food processor or blender. If following any of the variations, add additional ingredients at this point. (If using a blender, you may find it easier to split the ingredients in half and blend in two separate batches, incorporating everything at the end when you add the tahini). Pulse blend for a few minutes until the chickpeas are almost completely processed, stopping to scrape down the sides with a spatula when necessary.  

If the mixture isn't blending well, add a little more water, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture will blend more easily.  

Add the tahini and a bit of freshly ground sea salt and pepper, and give the mixture a final few pulse blends to fully incorporate everything. Add up to another whole tablespoon of tahini if you prefer a thicker texture. Taste test and add a little more salt and pepper as necessary.  

Serve right away, drizzling a little extra virgin olive oil on top, or cover and chill for up to 3 days. Serve with crackers (rice crackers are great), pita or turkish bread, and fresh vegetables for dipping.

*Variations: 

Roasted Red Bell Pepper (Capsicum) Hummus: Add 1/4 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper (capsicum) to the chickpeas in the first step of blending. To spice it up, add a little pinch of cayenne pepper or dried chili flakes, and a 1/2 teaspoon each of ground cumin and smoked paprika.
(You can use the roasted, marinated bell pepper strips that come in a jar, or you can also roast your own. De-seed a bell pepper and cut in half, place on a cookie sheet/ baking tray skin side up. Roast under the broiler (grill) in the oven, about 3-4 inches from the heat source, for 3-5 minutes, until softened and skin begins to bubble and slightly blacken.  Remove from oven and place in a sealed plastic bag for a few minutes to cool.  When cool enough to touch, remove peppers from plastic bag and peel off the skin, it should come off fairly easily after cooling in the bag.  Discard skins.)

Smoked Paprika Hummus: add 2-3 teaspoons smoked paprika (to taste) along with the chickpeas in the first step of blending.

Rosemary Basil Hummus (with or without olives): add 2 teaspoons chopped, fresh rosemary, 2 teaspoons chopped, fresh basil, and 2 teaspoons capers (rinsed) to the chickpeas in the first step of blending. If desired, add also a handful of chopped, pitted black olives in the first step of blending.

Curried Hummus: add 2 teaspoons curry powder to the chickpeas in the first step of blending.

Coffee Cake Muffins with Pecan-Oatmeal Streusel

First post from the new kitchen! Still waiting on all my baking gear to arrive (two weeks to go!), but we've made do pretty well with the bare minimum. For the past week we've had Texan friends of friends staying with us: our first houseguests in our new home! We've had a great time getting to know them and showing them the sites (and tastes) of this beautiful city.


This morning we cooked up a big breakfast, including these coffee cake muffins. I saw a recipe on Cooking Light for a coffee cake that grabbed my attention because it included toasted oats-- what a great concept! I adapted the recipe for muffins, reduced the sugar and cholesterol, amped up the cinnamon, and subbed pecans for walnuts. The result is a light and deliciously spiced muffin that perfectly evokes Texas weekend brunches.

coffee cake muffins hot out of the oven

I used self-raising all-purpose and whole-wheat flours because that's what I had on hand. If you have plain flours just add 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to the dry ingredients. For a large cake instead of muffins, just bake the batter in a greased 9-inch round springform pan. Enjoy!

oatmeal, cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecan goodness

Coffee Cake Muffins with Pecan-Oatmeal Streusel
Makes eleven muffins or one 9-inch round cake


3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
1 cup self-raising all-purpose flour
1/4 cup self-raising whole-wheat flour
(if you don't have self-raising flours, add 1 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp baking soda)
pinch of salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar, divided
1/3 cup vegetable oil (rice bran oil works well, and is good for you)
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup low-fat natural yogurt
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecan
1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
1 tablespoon chilled butter


Preheat oven to 350F/ 175C. Spray a 12-cup muffin tray or a 9-inch round springform pan with cooking spray.


Spread the chopped pecans on a baking sheet and bake at 350F/ 175C for 7-8 minutes, until fragrant and browning. Remove and set the pecans in a small bowl.


Spread out the oats on a baking sheet and bake at 350F/ 175C for 7-8 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup of the toasted oats. Pour the rest of the oats into a large bowl and add the other flours (plus baking soda and powder if not using self-rising flours), salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon; mix well.


In another large mixing bowl, beat together the granulated sugar, half of the brown sugar (about 2 tablespoons), and the vegetable oil. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.


Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture alternately with the yogurt, beginning and ending with flour. Stir only a few times with each addition, some lumps will remain-- do not overmix! Spoon the batter evenly into 11 of the greased muffin cups (you will get a nice, big, rounded muffin by distributing into only 11 of the 12 muffin cups).


Add the reserved 1/4 cup of toasted oats, the rest of the brown sugar (about 2 tablespoons), and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to the reserved toasted pecans. Mix with a fork. Add the tablespoon of butter rub the mixture with your fingers until the butter is evenly distributed.


Sprinkle a big spoonful of the pecan-oatmeal streusel on top of each portion of muffin batter (or sprinkle evenly over the entire cake pan if using a 9-inch round springform pan), patting down lightly with your fingers to anchor the nuts into the batter.


Bake the muffins at 350F/ 175C for 18-20 minutes (or bake for 38-40 minutes if baking in a 9-inch round pan), until risen and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.


Cool for at least 6 minutes so that the muffins slide easily out of the pan when you run a knife around the edges. Or, if baking as a large cake, cool for at least 10 minutes, then remove the sides of the springform pan. Serve immediately. These muffins store well in an airtight container for 2-3 days.