Fifty Second Friday: Cocktail Kiwi Pie

Happy belated Food Day! Yes, the U.S. National Food Day is officially on October 24th. I won't go into the detail, and if you really want to know about the event here in DC, check out my blog post for work. Essentially, though, this celebration is attempting to providing a coalescing point for all of the disjointed "food movement" activities so that it can more water in terms of shifting a food system. Different aspects of a new food system are important to various people - emphasis on health, or no pesticides, or less meat - but one of the rapidly growing subsets of foodies (not in a negative sense, but just those concerned with food and agriculture) is the local and seasonal cohort.

As I am a big proponent of locality and seasonality, you can imagine how ecstatic I was to find kiwis growing within easy distance of my home-base farmers market! Now these are not your typical grocery store kiwi, the Actinidia deliciosa, but rather the hardy kiwi (A. arugata). Also know as the baby kiwi, kiwi berry, or cocktail kiwi (oooh, now that's an idea!), the arugata is capable of surviving temperatures well below freezing. While the grape-sized fruits rival its better know cousin for flavor, this rapid-growing vine has become an invasive weed in parts of the northeastern United States.

Still, I was super excited them at the market on Sunday. However, after eating a good handful of them, I had plenty more and not an idea of what to do with them. After toying with a few ideas, in typical Rachel fashion I turned to the pie. And of course, being only one person, I opted for a mini tart pan. So this recipe is optimal for 2 people.

Cocktail Kiwi Pie (vg, gf)

crust

1/3-1/2 cup buckwheat flour

1/3 cup almond meal

2 tbs arrowroot or tapioca starch

1 tbs agave nectar

1 tbs tahini

1 tbs coconut oil

1-2 tbs almond milk

1. Combine all crust ingredients. Adjust proportions of flour and milk to obtain a not-so-sticky dough ball. Press into small tart pan.

2. Place into a preheating 350F oven while you mix the filling.

filling

1/2 medium ripe banana

10 baby cocktail kiwis, very ripe

1 tbs arrowroot

1. Skin kiwis (they should be ripe enough to just squirt out the insides). Mash with a form or hand blender along with banana and arrowroot.

2. Fill partially baked shell. Place in oven for about 20 minutes until crust starts to brown. Remove and let cool. Then refrigerate at least an hour, but preferably overnight. Serve cold!

Check out more fun recipes on Wellness Weekends!

Thirsty Thursday: Some Comfort Please

Do you ever just feeling like coming home, curling up in a comfortable chair, and drinking hot chocolate? Yeah, never, right? So despite the ridiculously sunny weather, relatively warm temperatures, and pretty low-stress work day, all I wanted when I got home this evening was a warm cuppa cocoa. Putting a bit of a twist on a solid classic winter beverage, I combined two of my favorite flavors into one comforting cup (plus earned an extra dose of protein).

PB Cup Cocoa

1 cup almond milk, unsweetened

1 tbs smooth, natural peanut butter

1 1/2 tbs cocoa powder

10-15 drops stevia (or one packet powdered)

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1. Combine all ingredients except milk in a mug until they come together.

2. Add milk and mix until the peanut butter concoction starts to dissolve. Microwave for one minute. Stir again with a spoon until you feel the peanut butter well incorporated. Microwave for another minute. This would work over a stove-top, but I was much too impatient.

3. Stir again and then serve. Would be lovely with a dollop of coconut whipped cream! 

Making its debut on Wellness Weekend and Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays!

What's Cooking? Another Raw Passover

Happy third day of Passover! This holiday comes around every year, and every year observers moan and groan about what the holiday fare and the particular emphasis on matzah does to their insides. Finally, last year I decided I'd had enough, and vowed to find a way to a more digestion-friendly diet. I landed on a raw diet (barring first night seder), as it best suited my needs as a vegan and the dietary guidelines of Passover.

As one of the three harvest holidays (more on this Wednesday), food holds a little more sway that usual for Jewish festive occasion. While the holiday is largely about freedom and rising in the face of adversity, one can't deny that there is also a certain emphasis on what we eat. I think that making choices this week that really challenge the diet status-quo help bring a whole new awareness to the holiday. 

Once again, for me this means a lot of nuts, seeds, greens, and fruit. But with a sweet tooth like mine, sometimes an apple is just not enough. I whipped up a batch of truffles full of carrotty goodness!

Carrot Cake Truffles

3 medium carrots

1/2 cup almonds, soaked and skinned

1/2 cup dessicated, shredded coconut 

6 pitted dates

1 tbs agave nectar

1 tbs coconut butter

1. Whiz everything together, except 1/4 cup coconut, until starting to stick together. (if this isn't happening, add additional dates, coconut butter, and/or agave)

2. Roll "batter" into small balls. Cover in extra coconut. Refrigerate. 

I'm also looking forward to trying out Gena's Charoset recipe, and may even garner the resources to make a Strawberry Lemonade Pie!

While not necessarily kosher for Passover, there are more tasty healthier treats at Wellness Weekend and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.

What's Cooking? Ginger and Spice and Everything Nice...

The holiday season is officially upon us. Now, I am not one to revel in the holiday spirit - decorating to excess; turning up the Christmas (or Channukah) music; and basking in the commercialization of religious observances. But I like to bake and I like cookies. So when I decided to throw a board game party, I really could not omit gingerbread cookies from the menu! Sadly, I am currently unable to consume said cookies; therefore, I created an alternate, gluten-free, sugar free version that is in no way, shape, or form remotely like gingerbread. If anyone has suggestions for non-sugar molasses substitutes, I'd love to hear...

Gingerbread Flowers (vg, from Vegan Cookies Take Over Your Cookie Jar)
Cookie on the left. Might post recipe later, but might not be appropriate, since I did not alter it in the least!


Ginger Chews (vg, gf, sf)
3/4 cup almond meal
1/2 cup millet flour
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger (or to taste)
1/8 tsp concentrated stevia powder (or to taste).
1/4 cup almond milk
2 tbs tahini
2 tbs coconut oil, melted

1. Combine almond meal, millet, baking soda and powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and stevia
2. In a separate bowl, mix ground flax and almond milk, letting sit for 5 minutes. Add to flours, along with tahini and melted coconut oil. Add more milk as necessary to create a non-stick dough ball.
3. Refrigerate dough for at least an hour. Then roll out to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out circles. flowers, gingerbread people, whatever. Place on a lined cookie sheet and bake at 350F for 8-12 minutes until beginning to set. Should still be pretty soft.
4. All to cool for a couple of minutes on the tray, before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Wellness Weekend has some really marvelous submissions, with a lot of squash involved!

Home Sweet Home

I've been dreaming about blackberries for weeks. Granted, we do have them in DC, but something feels special about PNW berries. And when they start to ripen in the late August sun, there is a bittersweet taste that comes of surviving the other ten dreary months and knowing that the grey will return in only a few short weeks. But that is the reality in which Seattle-ites live.

On Sunday afternoon, I took a trip down memory lane and went blackberry picking in my parents' neighborhood. Perhaps I should clarify, we moved to the neighborhood when I was 18 months old, so most of my childhood summer memories have their roots in this very location. Despite the suboptimal weather that has shortened and delayed growing seasons along the northwest coast this year, I managed to bring back quite a haul of berries.

After consuming not an insignificant number, I decided these pretty tart little beauties were dying for a place in a pie. Luckily, Lisa of Vegan Culinary Crusade is still accepting raw pie entries for the mini pie challenge! I also posted this puppy on Simply Sugar and Gluten Free's Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays (it's been a while).

Blackberry Almond Petite Pie (yield 1 small tart or deep dish cupcake size)

Crust

1/2 cup raw almonds

6 dates

1/4 cup flaked coconut

1 tbs ground flax

1. Whiz all ingredients in a food processor until starting to stick together. Press into mini tart pan (or make do with a cupcake tin...)

Almond Creme

1/4 cup raw almonds, soaked for 60 minutes

1 tbs raw agave

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp water

2. Same deal, food process all ingredients until creamy. Layer about halfway into the crust.

Blackberries

1/3 cup blackberries

1 tsp raw turbinado sugar (optional) or agave

3. Toss and let sit for at least 3o minutes (maybe do this first) until getting juicy. Layer into the tart. ENJOY!

Are there any places you visit that make you feel like a child again?

Across the Mediterranean

Have I mentioned how much I love summer? Not today? Well, I do. Besides the fact that I was born in July (oh, did we skip my 25th, this year...oops) and the weather is warm and sunny, there is so much good eatin' to be had. Summer is the season of tomatoes and zucchini, of peaches and berries, of eggplant and peppers, and of course - FIGS! Those teardrops of with which I fell in love during my farming excursion in Italia, how I have dreamed about their return to season. Well, the first of the fruit have arrived, just in time for this month's Raw Recipe Challenge! Considering the heat, a raw recipe is quite welcome.

Lisa of Vegan Culinary Crusade and Nicole of A Dash of Compassion have challenged readers to a month of mini pie making, in the raw. Unfortunately for my free time (what little there is), pies are probably my favorite baking pursuit, and I happened to learn of this challenge at the beginning of the month. Let's just say that this month may see a disproportionate number of raw pies...

Taste of Tuscany Tart (yields 1 mini tart; vg, gf)

Crust

1/2 cup raw almonds (optional - soak for an hour prior)

4 dates

1. Food process all ingredients until they begin to come together. Add a tsp of water, if necessary. Use fingers to press firmly into a small tart pan.

Banana Cream

1 medium banana (I like mine pretty unripe...)

1 tsp agave

1 tsp lemon juice

2. Place all ingredients in the food processor until smooth. Spread evenly over crust.

Figs

2 medium, sliced

3. Arrange fig slices daintily on top of banana puree. Perhaps drizzle a little agave or garnish with some sliced almonds.

Wasn't that simple? Just you, fresh ingredients, and something with a sharp rotating blade (watch out for that). Can't wait until my next raw pie? Check out my baby apple pies!

Dare to Bake: Sweet Eat and Summer Bounty

Jana of Cherry Tea Cakes was our July Daring Bakers’ host and she challenged us to make Fresh Frasiers inspired by recipes written by Elisabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Robertson in the beautiful cookbook Tartine.

Let's just say I took a few liberties with this month's Daring Bakers' challenge. I really did intend to make the cake and some vegan pastry creme, but the hot weather and lack of portability of said dessert (so I could take it to work) ultimately found me scrambling on the 27th to throw something together. While I enjoyed consuming the results of my labors, neither one was the "fraisier" we were challenged to make.

Instead, I took advantage of the fact that I had been bequeather a large sum of tomatoes that had been bequeathed to me at the market on Sunday. Now, many of you know that the tomatoes you find in a grocery store are good for little more than flavorless additions to a sandwich. They pale in comparison to a vine-ripened, fresh-picked fruit. A month ago, NPR's Terry Gross interviewed food writer Barry Estabrook about his new book, Tomatoland. Estabrook takes the reader on a journey through the evolution of the tomato to the modern industrialized crop bred for durability on the grocery shelves.

Without incentive to maintain flavor, farmers and breeders have essentially focused in on the appearance, transportability, and storability of the tomato. That does not make for good eatin'. But my tomatoes were ripe and bursting with tomato-y goodness. What did I do with them? I made a baked polenta and zucchini-tofu Napolean with roasted tomato and garlic sauce! mmm...

Tomato Sauce

5 large tomatoes, diced

2 large cloves garlic, sliced

drizzle of olive oil

sprinklin' of salt

dash of red wine

tossed in a bit of basil

...and placed in a covered pan at 350F for 45-60 minutes until soft and melty!

Zucchini Tofu

1 package of mori-nu firm tofu

2 zucchini sauteed with some salt and garlic powder

2 tbs nutritional yeast

sprinkle of salt and either basil or oregano

...pop in a food processor and go at it until smooth.

Assembly

some disks of polenta (can use the tubed stuff or make your own)

ramekins, greased

...layer polenta, tofu, polenta and then place in oven for about 25 minutes. Top with tomatoes!

And for dessert, no baking for me. Top and bottom made of ground almonds, dates, cocoa powder, and a little agave. The inside, pictured frozen, is a chocolate mousse made with silken tofu, melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and some stevia to sweeten. Low GI, packed with protein, and does not involve an oven!

That is all folks. Next time I promise to have a better DB post! Look out for some more chocolate and summer produce on its way.

As American as Apple Pie

And really, what is more American than apple pie? (let's forget that apples are native to Asia...) Well, for my little dinner party last night, I made a twist on the classic comfort dessert - a raw apple pie. Tasty and pretty darn easy!

Raw Apple Pie

Crust

1 cup cashews

1 cup almonds

3/4 cup shredded coconut

2-3 tbs raw agave nectar

splash of orange juice

1. Put all ingredients in a food processor until a dough starts to form.

2. Press crust into mini muffin cups or silicone holders (I have a silicone mini muffin pan!)

3. Place in freezer for 2-4 hours. If they are in silicon holders, you can pop them out and then return them to the freezer until ready to serve.

Filling

2 apples, grated

juice of 1/2 lemon

1-2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup raw sugar

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Let sit for 30 minutes to "marinate" or fill pie shells immediately.

2. Serve as soon as filled! Perhaps a la mode?

Also find this and other recipes on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays!

Sta Serra, La Mia Cucina Italiana

Food-wise, a Mediterranean week is hard to beat. And tonight is no exception, considering we're hitting the shores of Sorrento and the hillsides of Siena. That's right, tonight my kitchen was transported to Italy (well, a few nights ago, but we'll just pretend).

My first concoction comes to us from Tuscany. This central region of Italy is situated on the west coast, housing not only some of the main tourist destinations, but also picturesque hill towns and productive agricultural lands. Known for its wine, olive oil, and bread, there is no better picnicking region! My dish, however, left out wine and bread. Ribollita soup is a classic wintery stew, stock-full of kale and crusty bread. 101 Cookbooks has an alternate version, but the principle is the same. Being kale-less, I used regular (and not "Tuscan") cabbage ... and being bread-less, I used purple potatoes. That said, it was so tasty (forgot to take photos of the finished soup)!

And then I baked! My plan was to make biscotti all'olio d'oliva, nociolle, e limoncello. Sorrento, a coastal town in the south of Italy, is the home of the lemon liqueur called limoncello. The Amalfi Coast is a favourite spot of those on beach holidays. It also has some claims to fame, on the footsteps of Pompeii, a train-ride from Napoli, and decked out in amazing cliff-side beaches. Sadly, I had neither hazelnut flour nor limoncello. So, here is my makeover:

Biscotti di Mandorle e Caffé

150 g All-Purpose Flour

100 g Almond Flour

40 mL olive oil

40 mL vegetable oil

70 mL espresso

30 mL Kahlua (chocolate liqueur or amaretto would also be lovely)

90 g sugar

1. Whisk together oils, espresso, liqueur, and sugar.

2. Fold in flour and almond flour.

3. Form spoonful balls of dough. Place on greased cookie sheet and pat down.

4. Bake at 325F, for 12-15 minutes until slightly brown.

Sing a Song: Attack of the Macs!

Summer has finally arrived! Not that I would wish my life away or anything, but the prospect of summer fruit could compel almost anyone to yearn for July to roll around. Yes, cherry/plum/apricot/raspberry/strawberry season has come, and the bounty has started to emerge. Granted, our cool and damp spring weather has hindered fruit harvest slightly, but I remain optimistic.

One of the fruits I most anticipate is the cherry, preferably dark, firm Bings. Last spring, I had the great fortune of living within easy access of a cherry tree, although by this time in the Bay Area the fruit would be long gone! But here in the PNW, cherries are ripe for the picking.

So this month, Mactweets challenged us to take inspiration from a song when concocting our little almond cookie sandwiches. As a devoted Broadway musical fan, a good portion of my iTunes selection consists of showtunes. During the fall of 2008, I had the great fortune to attend Spring Awakening in San Francisco. Not only was the performance marvelous, but in the preceding weeks leading up to the show I managed to thoroughly addict myself to the soundtrack. It seemed perfectly appropriate to listen to the final song, The Song of Purple Summer, while baking macarons for this challenge.

In the spirit of the song and the recent transition from spring to summer, my sister and I celebrated her return from London by creating Purple Summer macarons. Yes, these little green pistachio gems are filled with a deep amethyst cherry preserve. While slightly undercooked (I admit to being impatient!), the flavors really did complement each other nicely. I highly recommend David Lebovitz's guidelines for No Recipe Cherry Jam to fill your macs!

Spinach and Strawberry Salad tries Dessert

Another month has flown by, and I am definitely starting to get not-so-subtle summertime cravings. After spending five springs in the SF Bay Area, I have become spoiled by early strawberries, luxurious cherries, and a smattering of other tempting fruit that does not fall under the category of apples or pears. However, the month of May at our illustrious Seattle farmers markets seem to give a whole new meaning to the Emerald City. We consider rhubarb a spring “fruit”, because we use it in pie (and have over-dosed on our cold-stored apples by now). Don’t get me wrong; I love Seattle, our farmers markets, and the bounty of leafy and stalky greens available come May. I just want something to bake with, too!

So, when the key ingredient of this month’s Sweet or Savor Kitchen Challenge was announced as spinach, I set out to experiment with this favored salad green. I love spinach, and it excites me to no end that I can get it from local farms. This Middle-Eastern (ancient Persia, anyone?) native was introduced into Mediterranean Europe in the early 9th century and slowly worked its way north, where it experienced untold popularity as an early-spring green. Spinach is quite the superfood - nutrient dense and high in all our favorite vitamins and minerals, so eat up!

In fact, it has featured prominently in my diet since I went veg. I remember in high school, on the way to diving practice my teammates would often comment on my rabbit-like tendencies, munching happily on my “leaves.” But I’m not presenting my favorite spinach, strawberry, and toasted pecan salad with a tangy raspberry vinaigrette. Today is a gung-ho baking day! And yes, I caved and bought organic, California-grown strawberries. C’mon, I’m only human!

Spring Picnic Cupcakes (Wheat-Free)
Yield 1 Dozen

1/3 cup Oil (or melted coconut butter/oil for a richer flavor)
1 ½ cups Pulverized Spinach (ie. Food-process until broken down)
¾ cup Almond Milk (unsweetened)
1 1/3 cup Turbinado Sugar
1/3 cup Unsweetened Applesauce (thick, homemade preferred)
1 ½ tsp Apple Cider Vinegar (or lemon juice)

¾ cup Almond Meal
1 2/3 cups Spelt Flour
1/3 cup Tapioca Starch
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 ½ tsp Baking Soda
¾ tsp Baking Powder
1 ½ tsp Cinnamon

1 cup Strawberry Preserves

1. Combine liquid ingredients thoroughly. Add pulverized spinach.
2. Mix in dry ingredients until well incorporated. Batter should not be runny and relatively thick.
3. Divide batter into lined cupcake tins.
4. Bake 350F for 25-30 minutes, until a knife comes out clean.
5. Let cool. Use a sharp paring knife to cut off tops at a slight downward angle. Scoop out a little of the top with a spoon and then use a small cookie cutter to remove part of the top (a flower would be lovely).6. Fill void in cupcake with about 1 tbs of strawberry preserves. Replace top and fill in shape with more preserves. Enjoy!

Strawberry GREEN THUMB Print Cookies (Gluten-Free)

Yield 2 Dozen

3 tbs Oil
¼ cup Almond Butter
¼ cup Agave Nectar
1/3 cup Turbinado (or other unrefined) Sugar
3 tbs Almond Milk (unsweetened)
¾ cup Food-Processed Spinach (measure after chopped)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 tbs Ground Flax Seed
¾ cup Coarsely Chopped Raw Almonds
1 cup Almond Flour
1/3 cup Rice Flour
2 tbs Tapioca Starch
½ tsp Sea Salt
¾ tsp Baking Powder
¾ tsp Baking Soda

1 cup Strawberry Preserves

1. Mix together wet ingredients. Add flax seed and let sit for a couple of minutes
2. Combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients. Mix until fully incorporated.
3. Use a tablespoon or mini ice-cream scoop to portion out 24 cookies evenly onto a silpat or parchment paper.
4. Bake at 350F for 8 minutes. Press center of each cookie down to make the “thumbprint.” Fill with strawberry preserves.
5. Bake for another 4 minutes until starting to brown. Remove from oven and cool until firm

As a side note, I have eaten a total of four strawberries grown in my backyard...just not enough to make this super-easy strawberry jam!

The Most Amazing Birthday Cake Ever!

Well, maybe not. But this delectable confection made me smile so much that I had to write down the recipe before I forgot. This is unusual, because I normally just improvise while baking, pulling bits and pieces from various recipes. This time, I just have to document!

My friend's birthday is tomorrow and I volunteered (actually, begged) to bring her a cake to celebrate. She has been dealing with some rather unpleasant digestive issues that have required strict elimination diets, no wheat, no caffeine, etc. However, she is taking a "day off" for her 24th and allowing herself some of these taboo food items. Therefore, I wanted to make something especially tasty and decadent. Here goes:

Kahlua Almond Decadence Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Cake:

1 1/4 cups ground almond meal

1 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

4 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup Kahlua or other coffee or nut liqueur

2/3 cup plain/vanilla soy or almond milk

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tbs white vinegar

1/4 cup tapioca flour or starch

1 1/2 cups white or raw sugar (may sub 1/2 cup brown sugar, but should not use liquid sweetener).

1. Pulse slivered or sliced raw almonds in food processor until a coarse meal (unless already done).

2. Add flours and pulse another few times. Add powder and salt and pulse once.

3. In a large bowl combine oil, milk, and liqueur. Add sugar and mix.

4. Combine tapioca flour with a whisk until smooth. Add vinegar.

5. Incorporate dry mixture until everything is shiny and smooth.

6. Split between two 9-inch diameter round pans.

7. Bake for 20 minutes in a 350 degree F oven, until starting to brown.

8. Let cool completely.

Ganache:

6 oz unsweetened baking chocolate (if using sweetened, adjust added sugar to taste)

3/4 cup confectioner's sugar (more or less to taste; can blend same 3/4 c granulated sugar with 1 tbs cornstarch or arrowroot powder until fine)

1/4 cup strong brewed coffee (optional)

1/4 cup soy or almond milk

Heat over double broiler, stirring often, until smooth and shiny.

Un-pan one layer of the cake. Cut off top to it is flat. Spread ganache generously over top. Un-pan second layer and place on top of first. Frost entire cake with ganache. Garnish with finely sliced almonds.

ENJOY!!