Fruits

Archive for the ‘Fruits’ Category

Brussels Sprout Kale Salad with Pomegranate, Hazelnuts & Creamy Avocado Dressing

It was June when I started the brussels sprout seeds inside. I carefully filled little pots with seedling mix and made sure to keep them moist. Soon enough there was a push up from the soil and a little green leaf waving it’s head at me. I coddled these things, taking them outside to get a feeling of the breeze and bright sky they were soon going to be under, then bringing them back in before evening. Soon they were stalky little guys starting to outgrow their pots, but I didn’t have a single place to put them because by that time it was July and the whole garden was filled with plants already given there allotted space. I remember during that week I was either giving lettuces away or eating salad almost 3 times a day just so nothing was wasted and the brussels sprouts would soon have a place to occupy.

Once they were in their new home, I could tell they were happy. Large, dark leaves formed and they seemed to grow taller overnight. I was getting worried that I timed everything all wrong that on top of all the tomatoes, green beans, kale, lettuce, carrots, and parsnips, I was going to have a ton of brussels sprouts to eat too. Not that big of a problem I guess, but I really wanted these to make it at least to October. It wasn’t until September though that I started noticing the little sprouts begin to form right up on top of each leaf. As the days got shorter and colder everything began to grow at a much slower pace, and here I am now, with 8 stalks of big green brussles sprout plants. Granted, the aphid infestation I tried so hard to fend off still took over a few of the sprouts, with a good and thorough cleaning, they were perfectly edible.

I offer you up this gem of a salad days before Thanksgiving, not because I want you to change you traditional Thanksgiving meal, but because I think it offers up a nice balance to the days leading up to and after the big meal. But if you do happen to be looking for that one last salad idea, I think this one would be refreshingly welcome next to your mashed potatoes, green beans, and turkey. Enjoy friends and have a lovely holiday weekend!

Brussels Sprout Kale Salad with Pomegranate, Hazelnuts & Creamy Avocado Dressing / serves 4-6

1/2 lb. brussels sprouts, washed, dried and leaves separated
4-5 kale leaves (I used lacinato kale)
1 celery stalk
seeds from half a pomegranate *how to remove tip below
large handful of hazelnuts (about 1/3 cup), roasted
juice and zest from one small lemon, about 2-3 tablespoons juice
1 avocado
pinch of sea salt

Remove the kale leaves from the center stalk and cut into bite sized pieces. Roughly chop the brussels sprout leaves the same size, place in a large bowl.

Scoop out 1/2 the avocado and place in a small bowl with the lemon juice, zest, and a pinch of salt. Mash with the back of a fork then pour dressing over the greens. Using your hands, massage the dressing into the leaves and let everything sit while you prepare the rest of the salad.

Cube the rest of the avocado, thinly slice the celery and roughly chop the roasted hazelnuts. To serve top the salad with all the last ingredients, plus the pomegranate seeds and give a good toss at the table.

* My favorite way to remove pomegranate seeds without making a mess is to first remove the top where the skin folds up. Then, using a sharp knife, carefully score from one end to the other, making an X through the skin. Just be careful to not go all the way inside where the seeds are. Then grasping each side, give the pomegranate a good twist over a bowl of clean water. The sides should remove without too much trouble, then keeping the pomegranate submerged, use your hands to pull out the seeds and loosen as you go. The white parts will float to the top and the seeds to the bottom, making it easy to separate everything and bonus, nothing gets stained!

Fall, Fruits, Gluten-Free, Salads, Sides, Vegan, Vegetables, Winter

Whole Wheat Walnut Pancakes with Brown Butter Apple Cinnamon Compote

A couple weekends ago, some girlfriends and I hopped on I-5 heading south for a 2 1/2 hour drive. Our destination; The Cedar Grist Mill. The oldest working water powered flour mill in the state. The September afternoon was bright and sunny, it felt like a much needed mini road trip. The mill is completely volunteer operated, so the hours are limited, but the setting is absolutely beautiful and arriving a little early was nice because we found ourselves exploring around the riverbank.

We were given a tour and complete history by a charming man in overalls named Fred. He even went over the health benefits to eating whole grains vs. processed ones. I was completely blown away at the whole process of how flour was milled in the late 1800′s. The whole system is massive, yet so utilitarian and simple in design. There were huge belts that wrapped around all sorts of large gears and when the water tank was full all you had to do was turn a large wheel to open the water flow and the mill was off and running, at least until the tank emptied. It even powered some of the electricity. I kinda wanted one.

That day there were two different flours milled, soft wheat and hard red wheat. Other times they grind cornmeal as well. We crunched on the different wheat berries and the flavor was incredibly distinct between the two. The sacks of flour Fred handed out at the end were warm and really fragrant. For a small donation we each took home a bag of the soft wheat, which is considered perfect flour for pancakes or scone making. Fred mentioned that he himself enjoys a short stack several times a week. I think I know why he volunteers! I couldn’t resist taking the guy up on his pancake suggestion.

I’ve made many whole wheat pancakes before, but there was absolutely no mistake about the difference in taste when I used the freshly milled flour. I wish I had one of these mills closer by, because it makes such a difference. I added in some ground walnuts to the batter and topped them with warm brown butter apples. Perfect for the crisp mornings we’ve been having. Have you ever used freshly milled flour before? And what did you make?

Whole Wheat Walnut Pancakes with Brown Butter Apple Cinnamon Compote / makes 8-10 pancakes

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup walnuts
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs or 2 flax eggs (2T. flax meal mixed with 6T. water)
1 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons apple sauce
1 tablespoon maple syrup

apple compote
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced into wedges
big pinch cinnamon
maple syrup

Place the walnuts into a food processor and pulse until the walnuts just start to become flour-like. Don’t go too far or you’ll end up making walnut butter. Place the ground walnuts, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl and whisk together.

In another bowl whisk together the eggs, almond milk, apples sauce, and maple syrup. Pour into the dry mixture and whisk just until everything is wet. Let sit while you prepare the apples.

Start heating the pan you’re going to cook the pancakes on, that way it’s good and hot. In another large skillet or frying pan melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, watch (and smell) closely for little flecks of brown and a nutty smell. Once this happens add the apple slices in one layer, sprinkle with a little cinnamon and let sit for 4-5 minutes, or just until browned on one side. Flip and repeat on the other side and let it get golden. Lower heat and drizzle in a bit of maple syrup. Keep warm over a low heat until the pancakes are finished cooking.

Pour the pancake batter, about a quarter cup at a time, into the hot skillet. Cook until the edges are set and there are lots of air bubbles surfacing. Flip and cook until the other side is dark golden brown. Keep warm in the oven. Serve with the apple compote and more maple syrup.

Breakfast, Fall, Fruits, Grains, Vegan

Pear Spice Granola

It’s only been 5 months, but I think we’ve fully settled into our house. Or at least the idea of being in this place for the long haul. I already know most of the creaks in the floorboards, the way certain drawers in the kitchen need to be pushed in just a little harder, and the way our open slot mailbox will always deliver very crumpled mail. It feels good. Really good. However, I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned our neighborhood.

We live a few blocks up from downtown. The city used to be the hub before Seattle ever was, so the houses in our area are old with lots of character. Ours was build in 1900, with a large garage that’s even older and was apparently at one time the main house. I read somewhere that back then people would plant fruiting trees in their yards when they first settled. They knew they may never get to enjoy the fruit themselves, but that the generations after them would and that thought alone was enough reason for them to plant.

Our yard has a giant, very old, cherry tree. Next door there’s another one. Behind us there is a pear and plum tree. Between the neighbors and us, we probably harvested over 50lbs. worth of plums. For two weeks there was plum butter, plum sorbet (a recipe that was too good not to share, but time got away from me… next year), plum crumble, and finally a freezer currently stocked with frozen plums. On the other side of us there are more apple and pear trees. If you can say anything about the generations that lived here before us, it’s that they must have loved the community and they must have loved food.

This is how I feel about our neighbors. Every single person we’ve met on our street has welcomed us. They’ve shared their knowledge on what they know about the area. We’ve had outdoor backyard movie nights and day hikes with the incredible couple next door. We gave away zucchini and squash and this week received a bag filled with pears. Our area doesn’t exactly have the best reputation, but that’s because most people look at it from the outside. This is a community that watches out for each other, shares, sits out on their front porches until the sun goes down and greets every passerby. In a generation where many people have never even talked to their next door neighbors, I’m happy to call this area home.

These were the pears from the tree next door. I think they’re beautiful in a rough and old-time way. They weren’t getting eaten fast enough so I made plans for pear sauce, made just like this apple sauce and the rest were made into pear chips. This granola is made up of several steps before you actually get to the granola making part, but I think it’s worth the effort. You can do it in stages, which makes it easier. Make a big batch of pear sauce and dried pear chips, then get to the granola another day.

Full of toasty walnuts and hazelnuts, and warm spices, it feels like a bowl of Fall. Alternatively I think it would be great made with applesauce and dried apples chips and they’re easier to find pre-made if you don’t want to make your own. This granola isn’t super sweet, but it’s great paired with yogurt for breakfast or if you shave in a bit of dark chocolate and serve over vanilla ice cream it makes an excellent dessert.

Pear Spice Granola / makes about 5-6 cups
I made dried pear chips similar to this method, but without the sugar or spices and pear sauce exactly how I made my homemade apple sauce.

4 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1/2 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons flax seeds
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch sea salt
2/3 cup pear sauce
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup dried pear pieces

Preheat oven to 325F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl combine the oats, walnuts, hazelnuts, flax seeds, spices, and salt.

In a smaller bowl mix together the pear sauce, maple syrup, and olive oil. Pour this mixture over the rolled oat mixture and stir until everything is wet and well combined.

Spread out onto the baking sheet in an even layer. Bake for 20 minutes, stir, then bake for another 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Watch carefully after stirring to avoid burning. Let cool, add the dried pear pieces and store in an air tight container.

Breakfast, Fall, Fruits, Gluten-Free, Vegan

Arugula, Wild Rice & Apricot Salad

We got back late last night from our week and a half road trip to San Francisco and Los Angeles. We had such a great time and I’ll share a few highlights once we’ve settled back into a routine. I’m currently enjoying how good it feels just to be home.

Before leaving, I created a salad recipe for Free People’s BLDG 25 blog. It’s full of things I’m craving right now (since road trips don’t always include as much fresh produce as I like) and I can’t wait to get back into the kitchen. I think my garden can hardly wait too, it’s looking like a jungle out there!

Arugula, Wild Rice & Apricot Salad / serves 4

2/3 cups wild rice
1 bunch arugula
3-4 fresh apricots (2-3 nectarines or peaches would also work)
1 avocado
1/2 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1/3 cup roasted unsalted almonds, roughly chopped

dressing
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons raw honey (use sugar if making vegan)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt to taste

Rinse the rice. Bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add the rice, then turn the heat down to a simmer, cover and cook until the water has been absorbed and the rice becomes tender, about 35-40 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together all ingredients for the dressing, set aside.

Place the wild rice, arugula, apricots, avocado, and cilantro in a large bowl, pour over the dressing and toss to combine. Toss in the almonds just before serving.

Fruits, Gluten-Free, Sides, Vegan, Vegetables

Raw Apricot & Cherry Jam Tart

Two raw food desserts in a row… it must be Summer. Looking back in my archives I noticed I have a record of making a lot of raw or almost raw desserts and salads this time of year. Besides the fact that there is an incredible amount of fresh produce at our fingertips in the Summer, I think my reasoning for cooking more raw, is that the days are warmer and food just tastes so much better in its natural state. Not to mention that less cooking also means more free time outside, who doesn’t want that?

I don’t think I’ve mentioned yet that our backyard came with a fruiting cherry tree. A very huge, old cherry tree. The cherries are just now starting to turn a bright red, (most at the top 25-foot canopy) but we tested one out the other day and it’s some kind of sweet variety. It needs some major pruning and cleaning up, from years of neglect, but we’re hoping to harvest some of the cherries for ourselves before the birds get to them. In the mean time cherry and stone fruit season in Washington has been a little earlier than usual, so I’ve been picking up what I can from the market.

Like many people, I don’t usually get quite as excited about apricots as I do peaches and nectarines, but I just couldn’t resist. I picked up a couple pounds and brought them home, soon realizing I was going to need a way to prepare them that was going to use them up in quantity because they were perfectly ripe and ready. Inspiration came when I saw the last bit of cherries left over in the fridge, not enough to make a whole dessert, but not quite as plump and beautiful as they were the day I purchased them to enjoy eating. I thought I could make a sort of jam by pureeing the cherries and combining them with chia seeds, and it worked. For some reason the photos don’t show the chia seeds as much as in real life, but they really helped to gel the cherries and when topped with fresh apricots and drizzled with a mint honey glaze, it became not just a dessert, but a decadent breakfast as well.

Raw Apricot & Cherry Jam Tart / serves 6-8

The cherry jam in this recipe is not really a traditional jam. The chia seeds act as a pectin gelling the blended cherries together. If you happen to have a jar of real cherry jam you can probably use that too, however it most likely won’t be completely raw.

for the crust
1 cup raw unsalted almonds
3/4 cup pitted dates
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
pinch of salt

for the filling
4-5 fresh apricots
1/3 cup cherry jam, recipe below
1 tablespoon raw honey
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint

cherry jam
1 full cup fresh sweet cherries (I used Bing), pitted
1 tablespoon honey
1-2 teaspoons chia seeds

Place the almonds in a food processor and blend until they become a coarse crumble, but no large bits left. Add the coconut and salt, then while processor is still running add the dates one at a time until the dough pulls together into one mass. It should all be well blended and there maybe a few slightly larger pieces.

Press the almond mixture into a 7 or 8-inch spring-form or tart pan (line the bottom with parchment first for easy removal, but not necessary). If using a spring-form pan, estimate about a 1/4-inch to 3/16-inch lip up the side to hold in just enough jam and the apricot slices. Place the crust in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. You can also make the day before.

For the cherry jam place the pitted cherries, honey, and chia seeds in a small food processor and blend until smooth. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.

Combine the honey lemon juice and mint in a small bowl. If honey is not runny enough to blend, warm slightly with the lemon juice in a small saucepan until you can easily mix together, then stir in mint, set aside. Cut the apricots in half, remove the pit and slice into 1/4-inch thick wedges.

Remove crust from the fridge, spread in the cherry jam right up to the edge, you’ll have some left over. Arrange the apricot slices in a spiral starting from the outside. Using a pastry brush, top the tart with the honey mixture. Place tart in the fridge for another 30 minutes or so and serve chilled. Best on the first day, but will keep in the fridge for several days or you can prepare the crust and jam ahead of time and assemble before serving.

Desserts + Sweets, Fruits, Gluten-Free, Proteins, Summer

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