Teff Brownies

The first time I tasted teff (a few weeks ago, in peanut butter teff cookies), I thought "this is meant to go with chocolate" (but really, what isn't meant to go with chocolate?). Its hearty, dense, nuttiness was a shoe-in with loads if cocoa. Unlike the gluten free cookies we've tried lately (Bob's Mill mix, our own PB teff cookies), and don't get me started on GF breads, the sandy texture of most things baked sans gluten is less discernible here. Brownies fundamentally don't rely on flour as much as, say, muffins, so the transition is a smoother one for a gluten free sweet.

1/2 cup sunflower oil
1/3 cup teff flour
1/3 cup rice flour
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons agave nectar
5 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

chocolate chips to top (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare an 8x8 glass pan. Combine all ingredients into a bowl. Mix until completely combined. Pour into bowl, spreading to the edges. If you want, you can add more chocolate by sprinkling chocolate chips across the top. I didn't and they were still plenty chocolatey.

Bake 25 minutes, or until the edges are brown. Don't overbake them, or they will be dry.

Zucchini Fritters

I've made these before with breadcrumbs, but here was a successful experiment in making them gluten-free.

1 large zucchini, grated
2 eggs, beaten
1 T olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/2 c quinoa flakes
1/4 c rice flour
1/4 c minced onion
1/8 t white pepper
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1/8 t garlic powder
1/4 t dried parsley flakes
1/4 t sea salt
1/2 c sunflower oil for frying

1. In a large bowl, combine zucchini, egg, and 2 T olive oil. Stir in quinoa (uncooked), rice flour, minced onion, garlic and spices. Mix well.
2. Shape mixture into patties.
3. In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium high heat until hot. Fry patties in oil until golden brown on both sides.

Makes 10 cakes.

Apple Tart with Teff-Walnut Crust

I love teff. What I discovered about the teff peanut butter cookies we made earlier in the week is that teff is so loaded with protein and iron and other mighty vitamins that it is impossible to have a sweet binge on things made with it. This is coming from a person who can easily sit down with a plate of cookies, mind you. Two teff cookies, three tops, and one is totally satisfied, thinking, maybe I'll read some difficult poetry instead of lying on the couch to stare at the ceiling fan in a carb and sugar coma.

So this crust is similarly exhilarating, and crumbly... holds together a little bit better after the whole pie has been baked and has had some time to cool in the refrigerator, but tastes deep and rich-- without overwhelming the fruit.

Filling:

5-6 apples, peeled and sliced (I used honeycrisp)

2-3 T Earth Balance

1 T cinnamon

Crust:
1 c chopped walnuts
1/3 c brown sugar
1/3 c sunflower oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 cup teff flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Crust:
Mix ingredients in Vita Mix blender (dry attachment) on lowest setting until consistency resembled coarse meal. Press mixture into bottom of lightly oiled 9-inch tart pan.
Bake 12 minutes, or until crust becomes a smidge darker.

Filling:
In a large bowl, toss apple slices with cinnamon. Heap the apple mixture into the tart pan. It creates quite a mound, but they cook down considerably. Dot the pie with Earth Balance. Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool.

**Even better with almonds instead of walnuts and pears instead of apples!

Cranberry Sauce

Super easy, quick and delicious.

8 oz. fresh cranberries
3/4 c orange juice
1/4 c sugar

Place all the ingredients in a sauce pan and cook on medium-high for 15-20 minutes or until most of the liquid has reduced – stirring occasionally. You’ll hear the cranberries popping – don’t worry, that’s what you want them to do. Remove from heat and serve.

Happy Gluten-free Thanksgiving

This year we were able to dictate a Thanksgiving menu all our own because we put ourselves under family quarantine. Our colds didn't stop us from putting on a feast for the three of us, however, and with zero pressure about timing and entertaining of guests, J and I, well, mostly J, whipped up a spread that was entirely gluten-free, healthy, and vegan-- except for the turkey and the goat cheese.

J roasted a 10 pound bird (and I discovered that I have converted to the dark side... dark meat, that is). He also made mashed potatoes with Earth Balance butter and soy milk; a yummy stuffing made of corn meal, onions, celery and herbs; a salad of roasted beets with goat cheese and olive oil and balsamic vin. And in the interest of using all of the bird, J made a gravy comprised of all the ugly bits which, though I'm not a gravy fan, was deeply flavorful and yum.

I contributed a roasted butternut squash drizzled with date syrup, roasted brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce, and an apple tart with a teff-walnut crust.

While we kept our nation's promise to overeat this evening, the meal didn't leave either of us feeling "logi," a term we use to mean leaden, bloated and immobile.

Of course, we regret not spending the day with either of our families. The only other time we were not at his family's table for Thanksgiving, or mine, was one year we lived out East and couldn't afford to fly back. Now that we're all in the same state it seemed unlikely that would ever happen again, but the prospect of hauling a congested toddler all over town we we weren't feeling up to snuff ourselves had us call it off early in the week. I'm sure our family members are thankful we weren't around them sharing our germs! And J is thankful he was able to eat everything on the table.

Cheers!

Teff Peanut Butter Cookies

Having never baked with teff before, I made these cookies strictly by the book, or, by the package, as it were. The Bob's Red Mill bag of whole grain teff flour featured this recipe for cookies, and, since dairy and gluten free J was itching for something sweet today, and since I am always itching for something sweet, I thought wed give em a try. I was skeptical to say the least. No egg and no sugar? Also, I expected a somewhat sour taste like the teff-infused injera bread I've had at Ethiopian restaurants. Well, the sourness is no doubt the yeast or starter for the injera, because teff by itself, while hearty and dense, is delicious. I almost added some chocolate chips to this-- for insurance purposes-- but J refused. I'm glad he did because they baked up yummily without it. Though I am tempted to experiment now... teff brownies, anyone? The one thing is that they are crumbly, so once one starts to handle a teff cookie, one better devour it quickly!

1 1/2 c teff flour
1/2 t sea salt
1/ c maple syrup
1/2/ c sunflower oil
1 t vanilla
1 c peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350. Set aside an ungreased cookie sheet. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients. Set aside. In a food processor blend syrup, oil , vanilla, and peanut butter. Add the wet ingredients tot he dry ingredients. Blend well. Shape dough into walnut sized balls. Place on cookie sheet and flatten gently with the tines of a fork. Bake about 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Yields 24 cookies.

Buckwheat Pancakes

Here's a real stick-to-your ribs breakfast that's energizing at the same time. We enjoyed these cakes with syrup but they would be good with a berry coulis as well. The buckwheat is a thirsty grain, so the whole cup of soy milk here is needed for a good consistency to the batter. The buckwheat is also so robust tasting that I don't miss the milkfat flavor that regular pancakes have when I make them with soy milk.

• 1 cup buckwheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup soy milk
• 2 Tbsp melted Earth Balance
  

Mix dry ingredients together; add egg, soy milk and Earth Balance, beating well after each addition. Drop batter onto preheated griddle surface and cook until brown on both sides.

Wild Rice with Dried Cranberries and Toasted Almonds

I should mention that we are embarking on an experiment in gluten and dairy free eating. I've experimented on myself before, at the recommendation of my acupuncturist, but this time there are more imperative health issues for J that deem it so. I'm pleased for a new cooking challenge. What's in: fresh fruits and veggies; soy products; poultry and fish (in limited amounts); all other grains in the non-glutinous family (quinoa, rice, etc.)
What's out: dairy and dairy derivatives (casein, whey, etc.); wheat and all gluten lurkers; red meat (not that I ate it anyway, and J only ate it once in a while, but I think he's calling a moratorium on red meat now as well);
Not sure: oats? corn?
So we'll be mostly vegetarian, sometimes vegan, and increasingly inventive when it comes to breadiness from here on out.

Day 1's dinner involved rotisserie chicken (cheating already, I know... not home-cooked), roasted root veggies and this yummy wild rice dish. Tasted very autumnal as well.

1 cup wild rice, washed and drained
1/2 cup almonds, toasted in a dry pan
1/2 cup red onions, slivered
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Fill a large pot pot with generously salted water. Add the wild rice and boil, uncovered for 55 minutes or so. You will know the rice is done when many of the grains are cracked open and tender, revealing the lighter inside.

Remove from the heat and drain off the water. Stir in the nuts, red onions, and dried cranberries.

(Can also use pine nuts instead of almonds.)

Roasted Roots

For the past couple of years I've snapped up this bag of root vegetables from Harmony Valley Farms whenever I see it at Whole Foods. Something about this (relatively) local, organic grower makes the most delicate and savory little carrots and turnips. The bag also includes parsnips, rutabegas, celeriac, and, on ocassion, sunchokes. Beautifully colorful varieties of carrots and turnips, too, not the old wan standbys. If we lived in Madison, I'd be hopping on their CSA membership. Unfortunately they don't seem to deliver to Chicago. Another reason to love them, this tasty marinade for roasting they included on the package. This beats my plain old olive oil rub down any day.

2 T olive oil
2 T maple syrup
2 T tamari (wheat free)
1 bag of "soup mix" root vegetables, chopped into 3/4" pieces
2 t dried thyme

In a medium bowl, combine oil, maple syrup, tamari and thyme. Toss root vegetables in oil mixture and spread evenly in a roasting pan. Roast at 450 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

(Could also use ginger instead of thyme.)

Libby+2 Pie

I really do cook things besides pies and sweets. It's just that currently the sweet side is more ripe for experimentation. With the weather turning cool, fall being my favorite season, and having an eager helper in the kitchen if it means something to stir in a bowl with flour, the baking of pies and such is in full tilt.

This one began as the classic old Libby's pumpkin pie recipe. Once the oven was preheated, however, I discovered I only had less than a can of pumpkin leftover in the fridge. So it became a fridge cleaning affair, using up other bits of roasted squash from earlier in the week. I also reduced the sugar by 2/3s and used TJ's organic condensed milk. I'm not sure if it is less sweet than carnation, or what the difference between evaporated cane juice and sugar is exactly, but it makes me feel less guilty.

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 large eggs

slightly less than 1 can (15 oz.) TJ's organic pumpkin puree

1/4 roasted acorn squash

1 baked sweet potato

1 can (14 fl. oz.) TJ's organic evaporated milk

1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell, whole wheat, Whole Foods brand

MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin-squash-potato and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

POUR into pie shell.

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Spiced Sweet Potato Pie

This is totally dairyfree because I use a frozen pie crust from Whole Foods that is made with oil instead of butter. It's whole wheat to boot, so the pie itself is almost healthy. I thought it would be too spicy, but it's OK. I lowballed the nutmeg and the freshly grated ginger a bit, but the ginger flavor still really stands out, in a good way.

3 large sweet potatoes
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 can coconut milk (5.6 oz)
one whole egg plus two egg whites beaten together lightly
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon ground powdered ginger
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom seeds
pinch of salt

In a large pot of water, boil the sweet potatoes until tender, but not falling apart. Start checking at 20 minutes and every five or ten minutes after that until done. Peel the sweet potatoes while hot. The skins should just about fall off. Look for and remove any eyes or dark spots in the flesh.

Empty the pot of water out and either return the potatoes to it for mashing or place the potatoes in a large bowl. Add all the filling ingredients to the pot with the potatoes. You may want to hold back a little of the coconut milk until you can judge the consistency of the filling. Mash all the ingredients together until you have a uniform mush. It should be about the consistency of oatmeal, maybe just a little looser.

Preheat the oven to 350 F and bake for 45 minutes.

Orange-Almond Cake

This is a tweaked Bittman recipe. Turned out rich and yummy, yet light. I'll remember the trick of adding ground nuts to the batter for future cake experiments... it's the key.

1/2 c sunflower oil
1 c sugar
2 eggs
3/4 c slivered almonds
2 1/2 c flour
1/2 t cinnamon
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 c (+) fresh squeezed orange juice, in this case it was the juice of 2 oranges
Grated zest of 1 orange

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush cake cake with some additional oil. Use an electric mixer to combine oil and sugar, and then add the eggs and beat until thick and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Grind almonds in Vita-mixer until fine. Mix them with flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Stir a portion of the flour mixture into the egg mixture, then add a little of the orange juice. Repeat, stirring after each addition, until well blended. Stir in the orange zest, then turn the batter out into the cake pan. Bake for 35 minutes.

**I didn't glaze the cake because I didn't think it needed the extra sugar, but after a day and a half it dried out quite a bit. If it's not all going to be consumed right away, I might think about a glaze for it just to give it an added bit of moisture.

A simple lunch kick

I ate this every day for lunch last week. Couldn't get enough of it, and good heirloom tomatoes are starting to appear. Pita sandwiches consisting of...

whole wheat pita
feta cheese
heirloom tomato slices
dolmas/grape leaves
kalamata olives

Simple. Light. Summery.

J's dinner for 4

J did a bangup job replicating the chicken with summer fruits we had at Ambrosia, a slow food restaurant in Valletta, Malta. I told him to write down what he did, or at least remember it, and hopefully I'll be able to return here and post it. All I can say is it involved a sauce of cherries, plums and marsala wine. We enjoyed it with some roasted potatoes and carrots and a nice Sicilian red, Nero D'Avola, Vendemmia 2007.

Dessert was also astonishing. Spiced figs via The Silver Spoon cookbook, with a dash of creme fraiche at the table. This is one sexy dessert! This was complimented by a Sori' Gramella 207 Moscasto d'Asti.

Spiced Figs:

1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground coriander
2 cloves
1/2 t ground ginger
1/2 c superfine sugar
rind of one orange, thinly pared and cut into strips
12 ripe figs

Put the spices, sugar and orange rind in a pan, add 2 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, then add the figs and simmer for 5 minutes more. Do not let the syrup boil. remove the pan from the heat and let cool. Drain the figs, reserving the syrup, and put them in a dish. Bring the syrup back to a boil and cook over medium heat until reduced by half, then pour it over the figs. Let cool completely.

Meinklang

We have enjoyed Meinklang Gruner Veltliner on a few occasions, and now we have tried the 2008 burgenland white as well. This is a biodynamic winemaker and I can taste the vibrancy of the landscape in both of these wines. The burgenland white is 5-% Gruner Veltliner, 40% Welschriesling, and 10% Muskat grapes.

Cashew Cardamom Rice Pudding

1 cup cooked basmati rice
1 cup milk, I used 2%
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
2 cardamom pods, seeds crushed
1/2 cup chopped cashews

In a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat, combine the cooked rice and milk. Heat until the mixture begins to boil. Decrease the heat to low and cook at a simmer until the mixture begins to thicken, stirring frequently, approximately 5 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium, add the coconut milk, sugar, and cardamom and continue to cook until the mixture just begins to thicken again, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Once the mixture just begins to thicken, remove from the heat and stir in the cashews. Transfer the mixture to individual serving dishes or a glass bowl and place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

(Original recipe called for raisins and pistachios, which also sounds good.)

2006 Domaine Filliatreau, Château Fouquet, Saumur

2006 Domaine Filliatreau, Château Fouquet, Saumur, Loire Valley, France

Dean had this one open in the store and I tasted it along with the flight of other things. I was struck by how extraordinary it was compared to the others, and since J wasn't with me, I bought the bottle so we could both study it further. I love earthiness and a good cab franc, but it turns out that something about this bottle struck us both as very challenging. It was a little too assertive on the earthiness and the subtleties of minerality that I usually enjoy were hard for my (brutish, unsophisticated) palate to discern. It was better with food, I believe it was a tomato, garlic, spinach, zucchini pasta primavera that toned it down a bit.

Profile of the wine from a retailer on the web:
"We’re pleased to welcome the exemplary portfolio of the Domaine Filliatreau, one of the truly great names in the Saumur region of the Loire Valley. The Château Fouquet is a sixteen-acre estate on clay and limestone soils near the hallowed town of Brézé. Employing strict organic methods, the father and son team of Paul and Fredrik Filliatreau have captured the essence of Cabernet Franc as expressed in this special terroir. Opaque plum-ruby in the glass, the Château Fouquet casts deep aromas of red currants and pungent clay and limestone soil. Plump and velvety on the attack, the Château Fouquet Saumur tightens mid-palate with fine tannins, crunchy acidity and a lashing of classic Saumur soil. Long, plummy and chocolaty on the finish, the wine is overwhelmingly drinkable and a versatile pair for fresh chèvres, braised pork dishes, grilled burgers and a myriad of vegetarian dishes, especially those employing tomatoes, potatoes, roasted red peppers and grilled eggplant. Enjoy now and over the next three years."

Fennel and Lima Bean Soup

1/2 a white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c chopped carrots
1/4 c white wine
2 c frozen lima beans, thawed
1/4 c (or more) fresh fennel, green tops and stalk, chopped
1 container of Imagine No-Chicken broth
1/2 t white pepper
1 t dried thyme
1 t dried parsley

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil in the bottom of soup pot over medium heat. When transclucent, add white on all other ingredients. Cook together for 30 minutes or so. Then transfer to a blender and process until smooth.

Some Yummy Wines

2007 Nicole Chanrion Domaine de la Voute des Crozes our favorite Beaujolais yet, thanks to a good recommendation from Dean.

Jean-Paul Brun Terres Dorees Beaujolais L'Ancien

And one of our souveniers from Santorini, a very crisp white
2008 Santorini Assyrtiko

Carrot Cake

I trimmed the sugar and fat down from the original recipe, but this cake still turned out very moist and decadent. The frosting allotment barely covered the cake, but doubling the amount would be too much. The nuts around the sides covered up the streaky, bald parts where the frosting ran out, and they looked purty and tasted good too!

3/4 pound (340 grams) raw carrots (about 2 1/2 cups finely grated)

2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

4 large eggs

¾ (scant) c white sugar

¾ c date syrup

½ c sunflower oil

½ c applesauce

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Note: This cake can be baked in a 9 x 13 x 2 inch (23 x 33 x 5 cm) pan. Just increase the baking time to between 30 to 40 minutes

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Twice as much frosting would have been useful for a two layer cake. This barely covered it. Also, I only used ¾ c confectioner’s sugar and it was fine.

1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cups (230 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon (4 grams) pure vanilla extract

finely grated lemon zest of one lemon

Garnish:

1 cup (100 grams) toasted and finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Carrot Cake: Preheat oven
to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter or spray two - 9 x 2 inch (23 x 5 cm) cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with a circle of parchment paper.

Toast the pecans or walnuts for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and then chop coarsely.

Peel and finely grate the carrots. Set aside.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.

In bowl of electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the eggs until frothy (about 1 minute). Gradually add the sugar and beat until the batter is thick and light colored (about 3 - 4 minutes). Add the oil in a steady stream and then beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. With a large rubber spatula fold in the grated carrots and chopped nuts. Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. After about 5 -10 minutes invert the cakes onto the wire rack, remove the pans and parchment paper, and then cool completely before frosting.

To assemble: place one cake layer, top side down, onto your serving plate. Spread with about one third of the frosting. Gently place the other cake, top of cake facing down, onto the frosting, and spread the rest of the frosting over the top and sides of the cake. If desired, press toasted and finely chopped nuts on the sides of the cake and decorate the top of the cake with carrots. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.

Serves 10 - 12.