Traitor!

That's me.. the traitor.. I've started eating wheat again. After careful consideration (and slight consumption of glutenous products at family functions) I realized that it was not wheat that was paining my poor tummy. Oh bread, how I've missed thee! And Cheerios - your wonderful graininess! Though now I know if there is ever a need to cut something out of my diet, I am perfectly capable. I also know that there is such a thing as delicious Gluten-Free foods - I've made them! I have a soft spot for rice flours, millet flour, quinoa.. my grain family has just gotten that much bigger! I'll still be cooking free of gluten as well as normal "wheat eater" recipes, though I have so many baked goods in the house I need to take a bit of a break. But someday soon.. there will be more..

Confessions of a Bake-aholic

Last night we had a benefit out at Gunther's in Plainfield for my cousins, Kylie and Taylor, and in memory of my uncle, Jeff. Out late and partying hard with my family left little time for sleep. So there's no reason I should want to bake anything tonight.. says the bake-aholic..

I discovered this recipe a few days ago over at Tartlette. I figured after the amount of sugar I injested over the past few days, this recipe would be perfect to get me back on track. They're very tasty and very filling with tons of fiber! I plan to try them warmed up with some milk poured over the top. Yum!

Lavender Oatmeal Bars
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup millet flour
3/4 cup oats
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/8 cup flax seed
1 teaspoon lavender
1 egg
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, mix flours, oats, walnuts, flax seed, and lavender. In a separate bowl, whisk egg, yogurt, agave nectar, and vanilla extract. Add the egg mixture to flour mixture and combine well. Spread onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove, let cool, and cut into sections with pizza cutter. Enjoy!!

Grapefruit Poppy Seed Muffins

I decided to bake some muffins to mail to Kyle's parents. Knowing his family likes grapefruit, I started there. Unfortunately most recipes I found used far more butter and sugar than I like to use. I looked up a lemon poppy seed muffin recipe, swapping out the lemon zest for grapefruit zest and grapefruit juice for milk. I also added in some chopped up grapefruit flesh and decreased the amount of poppy seeds. They turned out pretty well, sweet enough but not overpowering. Man did they smell awesome while baking..

Grapefruit Poppy Seed Muffins
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon finely grated grapefruit zest
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
3 teaspoons poppy seeds
1/2 cup grapefruit juice (for me this was roughly the juice from half a grapefruit plus a splash of half and half)
Flesh of that half of a grapefruit, chopped up

Preheat oven to 350. Place liners in mini muffin pan (I always use my mini muffin pan, I love it!). Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In stand mixer, cream butter, zest, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time making sure each is mixed in well. Now add poppy seeds and grapefruit flesh. Add in flour mixture and juice mixture until just combined. Fill muffin liners and bake for 9-11 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Perfectly Paired

I love red wine, I love chocolate, why not combine them and create the perfect cookie? In honor of my Uncle and Aunt journeying to London, I opted to make these uniquely decadent cookies. My Uncle also loves red wine; it's nothing for us to sit and drink a whole bottle together. And to think, a few years ago I couldn't stand the stuff! Well, it's too bad I thought of making these the day after their going away party. Perhaps I can mail him a box of these awesome treats.. Well, until I am able to do that, Amanda and I will enjoy their chocolatey wine-ness! I used Cabernet Sauvignon, but your favorite red wine will do I'm sure. Enjoy responsibly.. ;)

Chocolate Red Wine Cookies
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup dark cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. Blend butter and sugar. Add egg, vanilla, and wine. Mix in dry ingredients until well blended. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop teaspoon sized globbies onto a greased cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes. They harden up a bit as they cool, don't worry! They do, however, taste wonderful warm..

My "Everything but the Kitchen Sink" Cookie

So after a slightly stressful day, I enjoy coming home and whipping up something in the kitchen. It's my relax time. I start with a recipe and change it up until it's no longer recognizable. This is what I did last night, creating what I call the Fruit Cookie (aka Everything but the Kitchen Sink Cookie). With no refined sugar and a bunch of fruit, it's a little more like a muffin than a cookie. Delicious with a dollop of peanut butter for breakfast. =) I think next time I might try adding in some fresh minced ginger..

Fruit Cookie
1/2 cup applesauce (I used homemade with plums in it)
1/2 cup tahini paste
1/4 cup butter
1 banana, mashed
1 egg
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup white rice flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup coconut, sweetened

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a cookie sheet and set aside. In your trusty mixer, beat together applesauce, tahini, butter, banana and egg until well mixed. Incorporate flours, baking powder and salt. Stir in remaining ingredients until your yummy batter is created. Drop dough by spoonful onto cookie sheet, lightly spreading batter with the back of the spoon. I discovered after the first batch that this dough won't spread. If you want a more muffin-y cookie, you can skip spreading the batter out - they're just as yummy that way! Sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake for about 18-20 minutes, then place cookies on a cooling rack to cool.