Oat Bran Muffins, with fresh & dried fruits

Our first prolonged snow flurries decorated the fallen apple leaves when I got up this morning, calling out for morning muffins. I had one ripe banana and decided to try oat bran muffins, with flecks of carrot for color, crunch of walnuts, sweetness of raisins and freshly grated apple. With a little help from maple syrup and apple jelly syrup (a failed jelly experiment that has been great for baking), these were even sweet enough for my husband to eat them without the usual dab of honey. If you use no oil, like I do, you will need silicone non-stick muffin cups. The combination of chick pea, brown rice, oat bran, flax and all makes for a nutritious vegan muffin without trading away anything at all in the way of texture or flavor or satisfaction.


OAT BRAN MUFFINS WITH FRESH & DRIED FRUITS

1/4 cup chick pea flour
1/4 cup brown rice four
1/4 cup potato starch
1/3 cup oat bran
1/2 cup sorghum flour
2 TBSP ground flax seed
1 TBSP nutritional yeast
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 TBSP maple syrup
1 TBSP apple jelly syrup (or use more maple syrup)
1/2 cup almond milk
1 mashed ripe banana
1 grated carrot
1 grated (peeled/seeded) apple
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup walnuts

Preheat oven to 400F.  (You will turn this down after a few minutes of baking.)

Mix all the dry ingredients (first 9 on the list).
Mix all the wet ingredients (the next 6), leaving the raisins and walnuts out for now.
Stir the wet into the dry, making sure you moisten all the dry into a thick spongy texture.
Now stir in the raisins and walnuts, saving out 7-8 walnut pieces to stick one in the top of each muffin.

Using a big spoon (serving spoon or tablespoon) put large blobs of batter into each non-stick silicone muffin cup, sticking a walnut piece into the top for crisping and decoration. Place these on a baking sheet and put into oven for 5-10 minutes SET THE TIMER!!  TURN DOWN THE OVEN TO 350F and BAKE for another 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool a few minutes before popping out of the silicone cups -- cool a few more before eating. ENJOY THEM WARM. They can be quite moist inside from the banana... but ought to taste fully baked, not undercooked. That crisped walnut adds an important element!

Spicy Tempeh Quinoa & Apple Potato Salad

It is no longer as common as it once was that my little family gang has dinner together. It was our tradition the entire time the boys were in school, living with us, that we tried to settle at the table once a day for what has now become officially "Family Dinner." It was an important time to look each other in the eye, hear the tones of voice, check in with the states of mind and relationship. With the prospect of having a long day myself, my husband's first day back at school meetings, and my now 20-something sons assembling for dinner, I knew I had to figure things out before heading over to teach my evening class. This combination of garlicky quinoa with pieces of spicy tempeh really hit the mark for a main dish and was easy to put together ahead of time. I also made an apple-onion-potato salad in advance and put sliced fresh cukes in the fridge to absorb a tarragon-vinegar treatment. Dinner was completed by quickly chopping and assembling a room temperature tomato-peach-avocado-basil-balsamic vinegar salad and providing brilliant green on the table by quickly steaming garden fresh haricot verts and squeezing on fresh lemon juice with a splash ume plum vinegar.   Not surprisingly, there were no leftovers, though the spicy tempeh quinoa and the potato salad would have made a lovely lunch the next day.

Spicy Tempeh Quinoa

2 cups red quinoa
5-6 large garlic cloves
5-6 mushrooms (cremini, white, whatever)
1 slab of tempeh (I used flax tempeh but any will do)
1 cup frozen petite peas
3-4 tsp Bragg Liquid Amino
1-2 tsp Sriracha chili sauce

1. Cut the tempeh into 2 long halves, then into small rectangles. Put these in a shallow wide soup bowl and drizzle with 2 tsp Bragg's and the Sriracha.  Put in the fridge and let sit for at least an hour.
2. Meanwhile, dry roast the quinoa for about 5-10 minutes in a large flat pan, shifting the grains now and then to avoid any uneven heating. Add about 2 cups of water and chopped garlic. Cut the mushrooms into quarters and throw them into the quinoa as well. Cover the pan and let the quinoa cook for about 10-15 minutes, adding at least 1 tsp Bragg Liquid Amino to the quinoa.
3. As the quinoa is cooked, fluff it up, throw in the peas and add the spicy Tempeh. Stir this gently and serve!

Apple-Onion-Potato Salad

4-5 small potatoes (white and red)
half a Vidalia onion, or 1 medium sweet onion
1 large Honeycrisp apple (or whatever you like)
1/3 cup Tahini
1 Tblsp Tamari
3 Tblsp water
1 tsp agave syrup
1tsp finely grated carrot
1/4 tsp grated ginger
1-2 tsp Dijon mustard
1-2 tsp stone ground mustard
1-2 tsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt

Cut the small potatoes into bite-sized pieces -- about 4-6 per potato -- and boil for about 10-15 minutes until just softening.  Pour out into a colander. Chop up about half a Vidalia or sweet onion into little pieces though not minced.  Peel, core and chop one large Honeycrisp apple into small pieces.  In a cup or bowl, pour 1/3 cup tahini, add 1 Tablespoon tamari, 3 Tablespoons water, 1 tsp agave syrup, 1 tsp finely grated carrot, 1/4 tsp grated ginger, 1-2 tsp Dijon mustard and 1-2 tsp stone ground mustard. You can also add 1-2 tsp cider vinegar and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix well and pour over the chopped vegetables and apple and mix gently. Chill and serve!

Kamut apple ginger bread/muffins

Kamut is a form of wheat originally from Iran, that is easier to digest than the common American wheat grain.  It does have some gluten, but higher protein, fiber and trace elements. It's distinct flavor, texture, and longer shelf life makes it appealing. This bread like muffin is the stuff of a cold winter's breakfast kitchen. My kids grew up eating whatever fruit we had chopped and tucked into whatever baked good I pulled together. The request to "write this one down," was the evidence that whatever it turned into was truly successful. So I'm writing this one down, even though I think there are lots of variations to be explored with it. Normally for any "gingerbread" I would use black strap molasses. I refrained this time, using only the powdered spices and maple syrup, since we've been trying not to add refined sugars and I'm just not sure how to categorize molasses, but I'll look into it. My husband ate his with honey, gluing his walnuts onto each slice that way. I ate mine straight up, not needing the extra sweetness.


Kamut Apple Ginger Bread/Muffins
2 cups Kamut flour
1 Tblsp baking powder
2 tsp (or more) cinnamon
1 tsp (or more) ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/8 tsp salt

1.75 cups unsweetened soy milk (I use West Soy)
3 Tblsp real maple syrup (this is bread like,  if you want it sweet, use more syrup)
1 medium apple chopped = 3/4 cup OR MORE
1/3 cup raisins (or cranberries or chopped apricots or more of any of these)

Walnuts - optional (I threw some on the plate when I served the slices)

1. Mix together all the 7 dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Peel & chop the apple. You could use twice as much apple and this would turn into a marvelous apple-cake bread (I will try this and let you know how it goes.)
3. Pour wet into dry, mix quickly, adding in the fruit.
4. DECIDE if you are making a loaf or muffins.  I tried it as a loaf this morning and the slices were a nice change of pace. Muffins would have more crispy exterior surface proportionally to each serving.
5. Spread tin foil in a pan, or use parchment paper, or use a silicone sheet and shape a loaf, using the back of a fork to mound evenly and make a crinkly texture on the outside (nice for crispiness' sake). If making muffins, use silicone cups with or without muffin tins. Muffins will only need about 15-20 minutes, a loaf form will take 20-25 minutes.
Slice and serve -- good hot. This has a whole-wheat bread like texture, interrupted by the moisture and sweetness of the fruits you use.

Kamut is not for those with celiac disease, but has shown to be more easily digested by people who have inflammatory or allergic tendencies. Here's the nutritional content of 100 grams of the grain. I've long enjoyed Organic Puffed Kamut, sold by Nature's Path - a whole grain cereal as a tasty good source of fiber (50 calories and 2 g dietary fiber for a whole cup of cereal), and excellent vehicle for fresh berries!

"Kamut" Khorasan wheat, uncooked

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	1,411 kJ (337 kcal)
Carbohydrates	70.38 g
- Starch	52.41 g
- Dietary fibre	9.1 g
Fat	2.20 g
- polyunsaturated	0.616 g
Protein	14.70 g
Water	10.95 g
Thiamine (vit. B1)	0.591 mg (51%)
Riboflavin (vit. B2)	0.178 mg (15%)
Vitamin B6	0.255 mg (20%)
Folate (vit. B9)	0 μg (0%)
Vitamin E	0.60 mg (4%)
Iron	4.41 mg (34%)
Magnesium	134 mg (38%)
Phosphorus	386 mg (55%)
Zinc	3.68 mg (39%)
Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database

Kamut ginger muffins/bread Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 1 Serving (190g) 1/5 loaf/ 2 muffins Amount Per Serving % Daily Value* Calories 259 13% Total Fat 2g 4% Saturated Fat 0g 1% Trans Fat Cholesterol 0% Sodium 324mg 13% Total Carbohydrate 56g 19% Dietary Fiber 7g 26% Sugars 16g 0% Protein 8g 15% Vitamin A 4% • Vitamin C 3% Calcium 30% • Iron 17% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calories needs. courtesy of cronometer.com using my data.

Morning Baking: Many Flours + Parchment Paper

What's for breakfast? Used to be, I'd whip up muffins or scones with whatever fruit was around. So why not try it today? This is when it matters to have the materials you need near to hand. I started with two bowls, one for wet, one for dry. (That felt normal enough.) Then I made the fruit choice - a Fuji apple and a handful of blueberries. Peeled and then slivered the apple (cut in quarters, cut the quarters into slices, sliced the quarters into slivers). Let the games begin. What to use for sweetner? Okay, maple syrup. What to use for substance and some nutrition? Here's what happened:

1 3.5" diameter apple, chopped
25 blueberries (you don't have to count 'em)
1/3 c brown rice flour
1/4 cup whole oats
1/6 cup chick pea flour (I filled the 1/3 scoop halfway)
2 Tblsp almond meal
1 Tblsp corn meal (medium fine)
1 tsp baking powder
2 TBSP real maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4-1/2 tsp ground ginger (how much do you like?)
dash of salt.

Put the dry together. Put the wet together. Put the dry into the wet.
Oven at 350 F. Spread parchment paper (I use "Beyond Gourmet unbleached) into a flat 9X12" pan and space out the blobs in two rows. I made 6 with this recipe. Baked 25-30 minutes to be sure the apples softened fully.  You could definitely use raisins, or cranberries, or dry tart cherries...and add walnuts!

My husband at his with plain coconut yogurt and fresh blueberries on them. I had mine straight up!

Apple Oat Sweet Morning Bites 

Nutrition Facts courtesy of cronometer.com based on my estimates

Serving Size: 1 Serving (88g)

Amount Per Serving		% Daily Value*
Calories	115	6%
Total Fat	1g	2%
Saturated Fat	0g	1%
Trans Fat
Cholesterol		0%
Sodium	45mg	2%
Total Carbohydrate	24g	8%
Dietary Fiber	2g	9%
Sugars	10g	0%
Protein	3g	5%

Vitamin A	1%	•	Vitamin C	3%
Calcium	6%	•	Iron	4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calories needs.