Peaches. The name alone makes me think of a boy from high school who showed his “peaches” to girls walking the hallways. The name also reminds me of Ice Age and the code for giving birth to the wholly mammoth baby. But really, the true reason for my love of the name peaches is for all of the wonderful desserts I’m inspired to make. Peach Pie, Peach Smoothies, Peach Tarts, Peach Cobbler, Peach Sorbet, Peach sauce for vanilla ice cream, Peach Galettes, Dehydrated Peaches, Peach Granita, …. the list goes on.
Gnosh
Treats and Eats
Vanilla Vodka Frosting
DANG!!! One of my best buddies and his girlfriend made some incredible infused vanillas as a Christmas gift. I was the honorable recipient; though I had to win it amongst a gaggle of other friends during a annual Gard Crafty Christmas. There was no way I was going to let these go to someone else with how much baking I do.
They are absolutely awesome. Today while baking a vegan chocolate cake for my daughter Margeux’s sixth birthday, it was drizzling outside. It was the best thing to be able to have her as my sous chef and to be amongst the gorgeous Washington setting.
Her request? A heart shaped vegan chocolate cake filled with chocolate custard, frosted with vanilla, and decorated with chocolate dipped strawberries. Okay. No problem there! I just can’t wait to bite into a slice. One more day. One more day.
The fact that I have been able to hinder my chocolate addiction and make a bag of dark chocolate chips last a month, is pretty impressive. Truly!
VANILLA VODKA FROSTING:
Ingredients:
2 cups of spectrum spread shortening
1 cup of coconut oil
2 Tbsp of vanilla vodka extract by Edwin & Lesha
1 pinch of sea salt
4 cups of sifted powdered sugar
Directions:
With a kitchen aid stand up blender, place the spectrum spread into bowl and place on high speed until it is whipped. Add the coconut oil and do the same. Add the 2 Tbsp. of vanilla vodka extract along with a pinch of sea salt. Whip again at high speed. On low speed, add the sifted powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and slowly increase speed so that you don’t get a puff of powdered sugar in your face. Continue to add the powdered sugar until all of the sugar is mixed into the oil blend. Allow to sit on counter covered until used for decorating your cake. Refrigerating it will harden the oils and make it too hard to spread.
Blackberry Tart with Banana Almond Creme and Honey Drizzle
One of my wonderfully made desserts……only problem, I didn’t write down a recipe. It was a little of this, and a little of that. A pinch here and a sprinkle and dash there. I know what it all consisted of. I could probably replicate it. But seriously, being able to pick buckets full of berries is an insane privilege!
Lavender Lemon Bundt Cake
What a whirlwind of a month this has been! Renting out our home, quitting our jobs, and moving to Washington State. I’d say, it has been a grand adventure; one definitely worth it. As we adjust to our new setting, and begin working away at building our businesses, it’s has been utterly lovely having ample fresh food at our fingertips. My mom has quite a green thumb when it comes to gardening, and my dad’s woodworking and photography is pretty impressive. It is pretty wonderful being in their guest quarters; though we are hardly guests.
I’ve busied myself with getting acquainted to my “new” kitchen; the one my dad built from scratch. It’s cabinets are a great hue of cobalt blue, and reminds me of my new-found love; Crater Lake.
Today the girls and I broke in the oven. The four of us diligently set to task preparing and baking a lovely vegan lavender and lemon bundt cake with honey lemon icing. It’s flavoring is so exquisite, that I need write about it while whisking away the mosquitoes that are circling my head.
INGREDIENTS:
Cake:
3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
8 Tbsp spectrum palm shortening
8 Tbsp. earth balance
1 1/2 cups of granulated organic cane sugar
1 Tbsp. of herbs de provence
4 tsp. egg replacer (by EnerG)
1/4 cup almond milk
1 1/2 tsp. of lemon extract
1 cup of plain coconut yogurt
1 Tbsp. of finely grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice
Glaze:
2 Tbsp. honey
1/2 cup organic powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Have all the ingredients at room temp. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan; tap out excess flour
2. To make the cake: Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, with an electric mixer, cream together the shortening, and butter along with the sugar, herbs de province, eggs, extract, and yogurt. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice and for a short 30 seconds, whisk again.
4. Make a well in the dry mix, and fold the wet into the dry. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, spreading the batter so the sides are higher than the center. Bake until the cake comes out clean or begins to pull away from the sides of the pan or a toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour.
5. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
6. To make the glaze: in a small saucepan over low heat, warm the honey until runny. Place the 1/2 cup of powdered sugar in a small bowl along with the lemon juice and mix the honey with the two. Using a pastry brush, brush the cake with the glaze. Let the cake cool completely; at least 2 hours before serving. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Garnish with fresh lemon zest or lavender.
Red Cabbage, Cranberry and Apple Coleslaw
My dear friend knows how much I love my vegetables. Having taken the last two seasons off from our own garden, due to our move, her garden fresh cabbage was the perfect gift. Thank you Brianne Wells for knowing the ways to my heart. You’re a very true friend in all matters, and I will miss the heck out of you.
This simple recipe is perfect for a summer afternoon. Light and crisp.
COLESLAW
(yield: 8 servings)
Ingredients:
5 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup agave syrup
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. olive oil
3/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 1/4 cup fuji apples, thinly sliced
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
Directions:
Combine cabbage and cranberries into a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl combine: vinegar, agave nectar, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. Mix throughly. Cover the cabbage combo and allow to chill for 2 hours. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds.
A Little Piece of Joy!
Arrived home today, to take my afternoon dose of frozen chocolate chips as a pick me up before my sun soaked run, and was throughly delighted to see the new camping items arrived.
This will give me more wind in my sail for this jog I’m procrastinating. I love exercise; I hate heat. Maybe that’s why the great northwest appeals to me so much.
Some girls are excited by diamonds. I on the other hand feel my heart beat more rapidly and that inner grin when I’m surrounded by outdoors and camping “toys”.
Maple Sweetened Pecan Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries
I know this is not in season, but I was craving this light fluffy pumpkin bread all day today. So, I threw caution to the wind, and went for it. For my gluten free visitors, just substitute the barley flour for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour. It turns out just as delicious.
PUMPKIN LOAF
(yield: 12)
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup barley flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 Tbsp. of pumpkin pie spice
2/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup safflower oil
1 cup organic pumpkin puree
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 heaping Tbsp. of flax seeds
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup pecans
1/4 cup dried coconut flakes (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In one bowl combine: barley flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and sea salt. In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, safflower oil, pumpkin puree, coconut milk, flax seeds, and vanilla extract. Mix wet into dry, and then fold in cranberries, pecans, and coconut flakes (optional)
2. Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Creme De La Creme!
Guilty pleasure! The creme from the top of coconut milk cans.
Peanut Butter & Chocolate Expresso Zombie Bars
It’s all about cardio! When the zombie’s come to take over, you’ll need the stamina and energy this bar can provide to fight them off. They’ll want some too; they’re so delicious.
ZOMBIE BARS
(yield: 6 bars)
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. chunky salted peanut butter (I’m partial to Trader Joe’s)
6 tsp. filtered water
2 oz. dark chocolate chips, lightly ground
4 tsp. organic cane sugar
2 tsp. safflower oil
1 Tbsp. ground flax meal, heaping
1 pinch sea salt
1 tsp. vanilla powder
1 oz. gluten free oats
1 tsp. arrowroot powder
1 Tbsp. expresso beans, grind well
1 Tbsp. chia seeds, heaping
2 oz. dark chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. You’ll need lined parchment and a sheet pan.
1. Two bowls. One wet & one dry. Whisk together pb, water, and oil in one bowl. In another, mix together remaining ingredients, except for the 2 oz. of chocolate chips. Combine wet to dry, and mix thoroughly.
2. Place bar mixture onto parchment and with your hands, flatten to 1/2 inch in height and form a rectangle. I like to use a bread loaf pan, if it’s available.
3. Bake them at 350 for 45-50 minutes. Allow to cool on the parchment, on a cooling rack. While they are cooling, melt the 2 oz. of dark chocolate chips. With a spatula, spread on top of cooled bar. Allow this to cool for another 15, and then refrigerate until chocolate has hardened. Once the chocolate has hardened, you can leave them in a covered tupperware and they will last for 5-7 days, unrefrigerated.
Ricotta & Lentil Phyllo Triangles
This was a total experiment gone right. These Ricotta & Lentil Phyllo Triangles are wonderful alongside Garlic Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Grilled Polenta with a light Coconut Curry Sauce.
RICOTTA
(yield: 1/2 cup)
Ingredients:
4 oz. extra firm tofu.
1/2 Tbsp. yellow miso
1/2 Tbsp. tahini paste
1/2 tsp. umeboshi paste
1/8 cup nutritional yeast
Directions:
1. Add all the ingredients into a bowl and mash with a potato masher until lightly chunky and the ingredients are well mixed. Set aside.
LENTILS
(yield: 2 cups)
Ingredients:
1 cup dried lentils
1 vegetable bouillon cube
2 cups water
Directions:
1. Pick through and wash lentils before cooking. Place lentils and bouillon cube into a pot along with water. Boil for 5 minutes and them simmer until tender; about 25 minutes.
TRIANGLES
(yield: 12 triangles)
Ingredients:
parchment paper
1 1/2 rolls of phyllo dough, room temp.
1/2 cup olive oil + 1/2 cup more for brushing on phyllo
1/4 of a white onion, diced
1 Tbsp. dried basil
2 cloves garlic, diced
2 Tbsp. crushed walnuts
1 Tbsp. sea salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Saute onion and garlic in 1 Tbsp of olive oil until tender. Add basil, crushed walnuts, and sea salt. Saute for 5 more minutes. Add ricotta to this mix along with cooked lentils.
2. If you have never used phyllo, you want to make sure you keep it covered while working with it, with a piece of parchment or plastic wrap so that it does not dry out. I like to take the 1 roll and unroll it completely flat. I then cut it horizontally in half so that I have two halves to work with . I keep the one half covered while working with the first half.
3. Take 2 layers of phyllo and brush with olive oil. Take 1 1/2 Tbsp of lentil mix and then begin to fold like you might an american flag, constantly forming a triangle as you go. If there are pieces not completely fitting, it is forgiving. Just tuck those in the best you can and then lay the completed triangle on a piece of parchment on a sheet pan with the fold side down. Lightly brush the triangle with olive oil with a pastry brush and a sprinkle of salt. Repeat this 11 more times.
4. Bake on a parchment lined sheet pan for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown in color.
* I mentioned that I served this with curried coconut sauce. It also goes well with pesto.
GNOSHANDKNOTS 