We all have our own favorite carrot cake recipe, but now you’ll have a new one:)  I made this for a crowd at the St. Helena Farmers’ market and it was a huge hit.  Super moist and rich, yet light.  The recipe comes from Fran Costigan’s “More Great Good Dairy Free Desserts, Naturally“ which has an abundance of healthful sweets that are not only delicious, but also vegan.

Carrots are in season year-round and a staple at farmers’ markets.  They are quite versatile in everything from soups and salads, to stir-fries and curries.  And of course one of their most popular uses is in the form of juice which packs a nutritional punch right to the bloodstream.

In addition to the obvious vitamin A/vision benefits, carrots offer a range of other health properties. They are said to cleanse the intestines and to be diuretic, while remineralizing as an overall tonic. Carrots are rich in alkaline elements which purify and revitalize the blood. They nourish the entire system and help in the maintenance of acid-alkaline balance in the body. Raw grated carrot can be applied as a compress to burns for a soothing effect. Its highly energizing juice has a particularly beneficial effect on the liver which is why is is often used as a cleansing food. Carrots also help regulate blood pressure and reduce cholesterol through its high fiber content.

So many easy ways to incorporate carrots into the diet mean more bennies for the body.  And what better way to ‘treat’ ourselves to health than through dessert.  That’s my justification, anyway:)

“24 Karat” Cake – Makes one 9×13 sheet or two 8″ rounds/8-10 servings

Fran’s recipe makes the 2 rounds but I like to have more cake than frosting.  I used my own favorite cashew cream frosting, but she has other frosting recipes in her book, plus cookies and pies and… just see for yourselves!

½ cup organic raisins
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 cups whole wheat or your favorite gluten-free flour blend
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. ground cloves
¼ cup grapeseed oil
¾ cup maple syrup
½ cup almond or rice milk
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. orange extract
2 cups shredded carrots or carrot pulp from juice extractor, firmly packed (see other uses for carrot pulp)

Cashew Frosting
2 cups raw cashews
4-5 TB maple syrup
2 tsp. vanilla
Pinch of salt

Directions:
Cake
Preheat oven to 350 and oil a 9×13 baking dish.
Soak raisins in orange juice for 10 minutes, or until plump.  Drain, reserve juice.
Mix dry ingredients in medium bowl.
In another bowl, whisk oil, syrup, milk, vinegar, extracts and 2 TB of orange juice until well blended.
Pour wet into dry mixture and stir until batter is smooth.   Add carrots and raisins with rubber spatula.
Spread batter into prepared dish and bake for 30 minutes.  Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Take butter knife around edges to loosen cake and invert onto rack for further cooling.  Make sure it is completely cool before frosting.

Frosting
Cover cashews in medium bowl with 4 cups water.  Soak for at least 20 minutes.  Drain and put cashews into high-speed blender.  Add syrup, vanilla and salt and blend until creamy (at least 2 minutes.)  You might need to add about ¼-1/2 cup water to get the right consistency (it will thicken in fridge.)

Today the color green reaches beyond the hills into our clothes and onto our plates.  I thought I’d dig into the archives to support the celebration whether on St. Patrick’s Day or into spring which is just around the corner…

If you’re making Corned Beef tonite, try this mustard sauce on top.

Amy offers a great recipe for Irish soda bread, no yeast required.

Get in the spirit with these easy sauteed greens and orange-ginger sauce.

Have greens leftover?  Cook them up with eggs in the morning.

Or send them to your blender for a kick-start to your smoothie.

Do you have a favorite green recipe of your own?  Please share…and enjoy the celebration!

For those who can consume wheat products and other forms of gluten, don’t be scared of this post.  For those who can’t, rejoice!  Either way – you all have come upon a recipe for one hearty and easy-to-make fresh baked bread…

As you know, I am sensitive to gluten (not intolerant) as many people are (most unknowingly.)  And with so many of my readers looking for alternatives to wheat that actually taste good, I am dedicated to testing new creations that offer similar flavors without compromising taste.

Homemade bread would be at the top of my list.  I am by no means a talented bread baker (could be I lack the patience it requires…) so I am always looking for recipes that are simple and basically free of kneading.  After fussing with several blends of flours and starches, I share with you my most successful mix which has now become a staple in this house.

Brown Rice and Buckwheat Bread – Makes one loaf

This makes a great sandwich bread but there may be some ingredients here that you are unfamiliar with.  Teff is super high in protein and calcium; and xanthan gum acts as a binder.  If you don’t have arrowroot, you can also use corn starch.  For extra crunch (and protein), sometimes I add walnuts or sunflower seeds. All are available at health food stores and Whole Foods Markets.

1 Tbs yeast
1 Tbs honey
1 ½ cups warm water
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup arrowroot or tapioca starch
½ cup buckwheat flour
½ cup teff flour
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp sea salt
2 pastured eggs
1 ½ tbs plain sesame or olive oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Mix together the yeast, sugar and warm water in a measuring cup or small bowl, let sit for at least 15 minutes while you are mixing the following:

Sift the brown rice flour, teff, buckwheat flour, arrowroot, xanthan gum and salt together in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, oil and vinegar until the eggs are well beaten.

Combine all liquid ingredients and stir into flour mixture until you have well mixed dough.   Spoon into greased 9″ X 5″ bread pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 60 minutes or until done.  Cool on rack outside of baking pan.

Do you have any idea what is in this bowl?  I’ll pay the first person who gets it right.  (You will be paid in anti-oxidants:)  One person guessed a type of pepper; others a fruit, and someone thought they resembled “Hot Tamales” from the movie theater.  Still no clue?  Well, I was stumped, too…

Fresh goji berries!   Before last week, I had never seen fresh goji berries – only the dried ones, which I use all the time in my homemade granola.  One of the growers at the farmer’s market shared them with me so I just had to buy some.  Now I know I talk about super foods and anti-oxidants every day…but these truly are the king and queen of the lot.

Goji berries have been used in Chinese medicine for centuries.  Fresh or dried, they sort of taste like a cross between a cranberry and cherry with no seeds or pits. They boast over 33 vitamins and minerals and contain high levels of beta-carotene, protein and fiber!  Plus – goji’s balance blood sugar, help prevent heart disease, and promote healthy digestion.  Oh, and did I mention they help curb the appetite and boost energy?  I am so sold.

You can use goji berries in breakfast grains, smoothies, salads, and muffins.  I am offering this recipe which has become my GF staple, as you can add an assortment of fruit or nuts to taste.

Whole Grain Goji Berry Muffins – Makes 12

2 cups gluten free flour* (I used sorghum)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tablespoon cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
1/3 cup olive oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup organic milk (I used almond)
1/3 cup honey
1 cup fresh goji berries
Turbinado sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil muffins pans.

Combine dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in another.  Mix all together gently, then add goji berries. Spoon into muffin pans. Top with turbinado sugar for a sweet and crunchy top.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

*If you don’t need to go gluten free, whole wheat or spelt flour works great.  Just delete the xanthan gum.

Give these little guys a try…they’re only available fresh for a few weeks at farmer’s markets.  Otherwise, Whole Foods carries a nice assortment of dried.

This recipe is part of Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Platter.

I wanted to get this in before you are completely sick of baking.  I hope I’m not too late ‘cuz these cookies are SO worth it.  I adapted the recipe from Tori Ritchie, a local cookbook author and TV chef, who writes a wonderful blog called “Tuesday’s Recipe.”  After further review, Tori gives the original credit to the San Francisco Chronicle, which is often what happens when something is THAT good.  It gets passed on umpteen times.

Blackstrap molasses is a sweetener that is actually good for you. Unlike refined white sugar and corn syrup, which are stripped of virtually all nutrients, or artificial sweeteners like aspartame, which  have been shown to cause health problems in sensitive individuals, blackstrap molasses is a sweetener that contains high amounts of a variety of minerals that promote your health.
Two teaspoons of blackstrap molasses will provide you with 18.0% of the day’s needs for manganese. This trace mineral helps produce energy from protein and carbohydrates, and is involved in the synthesis of fatty acids that are important for a healthy nervous system.
Molasses is also high in iron and calcium. Calcium binds to and removes toxins from the colon, thus reducing the risk of colon cancer; and also may help prevent migraine attacks. Same amount of blackstrap molasses will meet 11.8% of your daily needs for calcium (Source: World’s Healthiest Foods.)  Enjoy with milk and you have almost met your daily quota.  See, the holidays don’t have to be all that bad for you:)

Molasses Pepper Cookies – Makes 4 dozen

The key to this recipe is using freshly ground pepper.  It takes a bit of ‘arm twisting’ but makes all the difference in giving the cookies their zing!

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted organic butter, at room temperature
1 cup date or brown sugar
1/4 cup organic blackstrap molasses
1 large egg, at room temperature
2-1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
5 TB maple or unrefined cane sugar

Preheat an oven to 350°. Line 3 or 4 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a bowl with a hand-held mixer, beat the butter, sugar and molasses until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg. Add the flour, salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, and beat on low until the dough comes together.

In a shallow bowl, mix the remaining pepper with the 5 tablespoons sugar. Scoop up a rounded tablespoon of the dough, roll it into a ball, then roll in the pepper-sugar mixture until coated. Repeat with remaining dough, placing balls about 2 inches apart on baking sheets. With a fork, gently flatten each ball. Bake until cookies are golden and fragrant, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on racks, then store airtight up to 3 days.

Perfect for Santa – or his helpers.  Ho! Ho! Ho!  And Merry Christmas to all…

I am on the last of my turkey barley soup (figured you had enough of those recipes)…but what I’ll miss the most is what went alongside: the homemade rye bread.  To date, I have had the worst luck with yeast breads.  Not sure if its my oven, the vessel I put the loaf into, or one too few “Hail Mary’s.”  Yes, I do use whole grain flours, but I also follow recipes, as making bread is pretty much an exact science.  So with one of my favorite bread flavors being rye, I decided to mix it up a little and blend a few of my ‘successful’ ingredients together.

Rye is a great source of  fiber and helps reduce diabetes and heart health.  It is also very high in manganese which creates essential enzymes for building bones.  Manganese also aids in the absorption of calcium, proper functioning of thyroid, sex hormones, regulating blood sugar level, and metabolism of fats and carbohydrates (source.)

Rye Bread - Makes one loaf

This is called a ‘quickbread’ as it doesn’t contain yeast or the time it takes to rise.  If you don’t have one of the oils, you can use 1/2 cup of any neutral flavor.

1 cup organic dark rye flour
1 cup spelt of whole wheat flour
2 TB Sucanat or brown sugar
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp caraway seeds
1 cup organic milk
1 free-range egg
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sesame oil (untoasted)

Mix together dry ingredients.  Combine liquids and stir into dry ingredients.  Scoop into greased loaf pan.  Bake at 400 for 30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool before slicing.

>>A few edits from previous posts:

In the goat cheese on cucumber recipe, I made a typo for the amount of cumin seeds.  It should be 2 teaspoons – not TB.

And for the Pumpkin Cheesecake, the original filling amount was for two crusts, so I reduced it in half.  Or you could use the extra on its own sprinkled with granola.

Sorry for the oversight – the changes have been made on both.

**Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter!  You’ll find many tidbits on health, food and the planet.  Great resources – and they’re brief!

Berries are bursting at the farmers’ markets and raspberries are especially sweet and flavorful.  Raspberries are super high in fiber (8 grams/cup – most of all berries,) which makes them strong cholesterol busters. They are low in calories (60 per cup) and great for weight control.  Raspberries are also high in antioxidants, and are anti-microbial, so they help fight Candida…which almost everyone has in one form or another.

Of course my natural inclination would be to create a berry crisp with my baskets of fiber-loaded friends, but today I made some muffins with corn and used raspberries instead of blue ones.  They came out super moist and had a nice burst of sweet/tart inside. They may be a tad darker than most corn muffins because of the whole-grain flour and Sucanat.  I noted where I made substitutions…

Raspberry Corn Muffins – Makes 10-12

1 1/4 spelt flour (was all purpose)
3/4 cup cornmeal (I used a combo of fine and coarse – polenta-like)
1/3 cup Sucanat (was white sugar)
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 pastured large eggs
1/4 cup melted unsalted organic butter
3/4 cup organic milk (I used almond – any alternative will do)
1/2 tsp. almond extract (can use vanilla)
1 cup raspberries (can also use blue or blackberries)
1/2 cup sliced almonds (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lube a 12-cup muffin tin.
Combine dry ingredients in medium mixing bowl.
In separate bowl, beat eggs.  Add butter, milk and almond extract and blend.
Pour liquids over dry mixture and stir gently.  Add raspberries and fold until incorporated.
Scoop into muffin cups and top with sprinkles of almonds.
Bake about 25 minutes. Cool on rack before serving.

…I say, make chocolate cake! Like many of you home gardeners can appreciate, the zucchini is starting to runneth over, so I have been very busy trying to find creative ways to use it in the kitchen.  First there were the zucchini fritters, shredded and fried until crisp and succulent.  Then came the zucchini bread, and now the most decadent (dare I call ‘healthy’) chocolate cake I have ever created.

Zucchini (and other summer squash) are part of the melon family composed of 95% water, keeping us hydrated in the hot months.  Low calorie – good for weight control – and high in potassium and vitamin C, which keep our hearts healthy.  The chocolate, of course, is an additional antioxidant…so let’s not dilly-dally any further and get baking!

Chocolate and Zucchini Cake – Makes one 9×13 dish (portion sizes are up to you;-)

This recipe is both a ‘savvy substitution’ and ‘farmers market fresh.”

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup grapeseed oil (can use a mild olive oil)
2 cups spelt or whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup unsweetened carob powder (or cocoa)
1 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 TB grain coffee powder (or espresso)
1 cup maple syrup (or Sucanat)
3 large pastured eggs
1 TB vanilla extract
1 TB Kahlua
1/3 cup plain organic yogurt
3  cups roughly pureed zucchini (about 3 medium)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly oil and flour 9×13 baking dish.
2. Combine chocolate and 1/4 cup of oil in double boiler (or bowl over steaming water.) Stir to melt chocolate.  Meantime, sift next 6 dry ingredients into large bowl (sifting helps prevent lumps.)
3. Using an electric mixer, blend remaining 1/2 cup oil and syrup .  Add eggs one at a time and beat well.  Blend in melted chocolate, vanilla, and Kahlua.
4. On low speed, add flour mixture and yogurt just until combined.  Fold in zucchini.
5. Pour batter into baking dish and cook for about 45-50 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean from center.  Let cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Orange Frosting
This was another experiment – and for those who make frosting often, you know there are many options to play with. For the dry milk you could use regular or almond and omit the yogurt. The orange added a vibrancy to the whole ‘package.’

1/2 cup dry organic milk
1/2 tsp. orange extract
2 tsp. orange zest
1 TB vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 TB orange juice concentrate (fresh is best, but you might have to sweetened it up a bit)
1/3 cup plain organic yogurt

Cream all in mixer.  Makes about 2 cups for a light layer on cake.  Double amount if you like your cake with your frosting:)

I figured if I’m starting a feature called “Savvy Substitutions” and it focuses heavily on baked goods, it might be advisable to explain different types of flour and their ratios in baking compared to the ‘other white stuff.’  Of course you know it begins with whole-grains, and organic whenever possible.  Wheat is one of the most pesticide laden crops in America, so it truly pays to buy the purest product available.  This way you can go right to your pantry when a recipe calls for spelt (a cousin of wheat) or another alternative and know how it might affect the taste and texture of your creation.

What whole grain flours offer that white flour omits are multiple nutrients.  White flour has been stripped of vitamins and fiber.  In the refining process, the bran and germ have been removed and only the starch – or simple carbohydrate – remains.  This is what spikes the blood sugar and depletes other vital nutrients in our body as well.  Specifically, B vitamins, which are essential for digestion and keeping stress at bay.  When you eat white flour or sugar, the body uses up the B vitamins merely in trying to assimilate them into our system.

So let’s take a look at our whole-grain friends, which are also high in antioxidants and vitamin E.  They help prevent obesity, diabetes, and heart disease…all on the rise in the U.S.

> I will also note if the grain is gluten-free (GF.)

Almond: there’s almond meal and there’s blanched almond flour. They are very different, according to Elana’s Pantry.  I bought some almond flour (hard to find) and used it in a Nutty Bread recipe from the same site.  Fabulous.  GF

Barley: user friendly, slightly heavy.  Can be used in cakes, cookies and pie crusts.

Brown rice: great for breads, muffins and sometimes cookies, as it can be somewhat grainy.  One of the most digestible grains and high in nutrient value.  GF

Buckwheat: a cousin of rhubarb and no relation to wheat  Acts like gluten with its binding characteristics but can be tolerated by gluten sensitive people.  Somewhat nutty flavor and a heavier texture.  Best in pancakes. GF

Oat: mild. slightly sweet and moist.  Esp. good combined with brown rice or barley flours. OK for most gluten sensitive people.

Spelt: the most versatile and white flour-like of all, next to whole wheat, yet easier to digest.  Great in most desserts, cookies, breads, muffins and the one I use most often when substituting for white flour.  High in protein, amino acids and minerals.  Hartke’s shares details about it, and Heidi offers some great recipes.

Teff: an ancient grain, dense and moist; especially good with chocolate, as in brownies. High in iron and calcium.  GF

>> A few more notes:

• Many of the whole-grain flours have different gluten levels (elasticity), if any at all.  Therefore, they can be tricky in baking.  You can start out by mixing 25%  in with your white flour to experience the taste and texture of each type. Eventually, try to use whole-grains either by themselves or one for one to maximize the nutritive values in the recipes.  Gluten-free flours have different requirements.
• Increase baking powder by 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per cup of flour.
• Whole-grain flours are more perishable, so for optimum storage and freshness, keep them in the refrigerator or freezer even if package is unopened.  I store mine in different bags and jars – just make sure to label and date the container, and try to use within a few months.
• Cooking times will vary based on ‘new’ ingredients.  Keep a thermometer handy.
• There are other additives like xanthan gum, guar gum, tapioca starch and potato starch which act as leaveners and binding agents when gluten is absent.  This is where it becomes a bit complicated, so start slowly and practice patience.

Have you tried other flours?  What have your experiences been?  Are there any favorite recipes you’d like to share?

]]> http://www.cook4seasons.com/archives/flour-power/feed/ 6 http://www.cook4seasons.com/archives/my-favorite-browniesand-yours-too/ http://www.cook4seasons.com/archives/my-favorite-browniesand-yours-too/#comments Tue, 19 May 2009 19:31:19 +0000 Karen http://cook4seasons.com/?p=1131

Believe it or not, this picture represents a brownie which may look gi-normous, but is about the size of a post-it note (tablet   It IS big on flavor, but low on sugar and actually quite healthy, as desserts go. It also contains a secret ingredient which will soon be a secret no more.  Guesses, anyone…? (Nevermind that I already gave it away:)

Sweet potatoes! That’s right, a vegetable has made its way into yet another yummy treat which could fool even the most highly trained (and skeptical) palate.  The sweet potatoes offer depth and moisture to the brownies and are a wonderful complement to chocolate.  You may recall the health benefits of the sweet potato from the pie I featured last month.

Sweet Potato Brownies - Serves 6-8

There are many variations you could make with this recipe. For a caffeine-free alternative, you can use carob powder in place of the cocoa and omit the espresso.  I felt that pecans worked better with the sweet potatoes, but walnuts are a great substitute. Of course, you’ll find my other favorite food, coconut, here.  Another healthy addition to this highly popular dessert. For the ultimate topping, grab a scoop of “Coconut Bliss Vanilla Bean” (dairy free and decadent!), as recommended by Coconut Gal (yes, there’s more than one of us;-)

Ingredients
4 Tbs organic, extra-virgin coconut oil
2/3 cup cocoa powder
½ cup whole wheat flour (I use teff to make gluten-free)
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp sea salt
1 Tbs espresso powder
½ cup pure maple syrup
2/3 cup sweet-potato puree*
1 large pastured egg
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbs unsweetened shredded organic coconut
2 Tbs raw pecans, chopped

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil an 8-inch square pan; set aside. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt coconut oil. Remove from heat, and stir in cocoa. Let cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, espresso and salt. Add coconut and pecans.
3. Combine maple syrup and sweet-potato puree, followed by egg and vanilla, and blend with cocoa mix.
4. Add dry to wet ingredients and stir until no traces of flour remain. Spoon into prepared pan; smooth the top. Bake until surface of brownies looks barely dry and an inserted knife comes out with a few moist crumbs, about 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature before serving.

*To make sweet potato puree: wrap medium sweet potato in parchment and foil and bake for one hour at 375 degrees.  Once cool, remove pulp from skin.  Mash into puree for use. Yield: approximately one cup.

If allowed, this is also part of Hartke’s Healthy Recipe Carnival