brunch – Page 9 – GUTSy Performance Nutrition

Candied-Ginger Rhubarb Buckle

April 17, 2013June 18, 2022by Rebecca2 Comments

“It takes three things to succeed at that higher level, Rebecca: Intelligence, drive, and passion. There is no doubt you have the first two. But I question your passion. You’ve haven’t shown a true interest in anything…”

For the past three years, I have been almost-daily haunted by this statement from my major professor, stated during my masters defense. After all this time, tossing ideas back and forth, wandering semi-aimlessly in the desert of post-college jobs, I finally can see the pieces coming into focus. I’m slowly coming out of denial and attempting to own up to my dreams, my desires, yes, even my passions.

The clouds and the mist are evaporating slowly. The pieces are finally in focus. This is who I am. There’s a list of things that incite a fury of passionate opinion, cause a burst into dozens of directions, spinning my thoughts so fast the words cannot catch up. Because I’m not one to want to stop once I’ve gotten started, I am longing to shove the remaining clouds out of my way, jam the puzzle pieces together and get to living “passionately.” Finally.

The pieces won’t fit. Fury, disenchantment, resentment. The edges are all mismatched and wrong. I know I’m getting there. But the process is so blasted slow. Come on, I’m thinking. And then I return to the two mantras that continue to keep me going: “Don’t push the river,” a Zen phrase. And a piece of Fr Ignacio’s homily from years ago: “When you ask and there’s no answer, just keep rowing.”

Rowing. And rowing and rowing. Waiting. Listening. Still here, doing the same. Watching the seasons change. Embracing each new one as it comes, trying to not focus on the speed of passing time and the status quo. Meanwhile, I’ll make rhubarb buckle. Candied ginger. Spring. Embracing one of those passions that three years ago, I was too afraid to share. There’s progress, after all.

Candied-Ginger Rhubarb Buckle, adapted from Dishing Up Oregon
Recipe Updated: June 2022

For the Crumb:
1/4 cup gluten-free flour
1/4 sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped candied ginger
2 Tbs. raw coconut oil, melted

For the Buckle:
1 3/4 cups gluten-free flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup (4 0z.) raw coconut oil, softened slightly
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup non-dairy milk mixed with 1 tsp. white vinegar
3/4 lb. rhubarb, cleaning and sliced into 1/2-inch slices

Make the candied ginger crumb. Mix the flour, sugar, and candied-ginger into a small bowl. Mix in the melted coconut oil with spoon until nice and crumbly. Cover and chill in the fridge until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch round cake dish with a thin layer of oil. Set aside.
Make the buckle. Whisk the flour, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Cream the remaining coconut oil together with the sugar, until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs.
Add the milk and flour mixture, alternating between the two, until mixture is just combined. Gently fold in the rhubarb.
Spoon batter into the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle the candied-ginger crumb evenly over the batter. Bake until the top is golden and firm, about 45 minutes. Cool approximately 30 minutes prior to serving.

Winter

Sourdough Waffles topped with Molasses, Pomegranate and Orange Slices

January 12, 2013by RebeccaLeave a Comment

It’s been months. My quest for the “just right” gluten-free sourdough waffle recipe is over. I’ve attempted getting this right so many times I’ve lost track. Now, not far from where it began, I’ll share.

For whatever reason, I can’t make gluten-free waffles with eggs turn out. Weird, I think, because that is what makes normal waffles so good. Neither are there milk products or substitutes of any kind. They didn’t work to my satisfaction either. The best part about this recipe is that if you’re not eating gluten-free, you can still make this without a great deal of modification. So here we have it- super simple if you’re inclined to utilize your sourdough culture.

I find the absolutely best topping right now is a thin smear of apricot jam, a light twirl of molasses and a heaping of satsuma or mandarin oranges and pomegranate seeds. Weekend perfect. Enjoy.

Simple Sourdough Waffles, adapted from Alaska Sourdough

1 cup sourdough starter

1 Tbs. sugar

2 Tbs. canola oil

1 Tbs. ground flax seed

2 Tbs. warm water

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

In a small dish, mix warm water and flax seed. Stir to mix and allow to sit for a few minutes to thicken up.
In a larger mixing bowl, spoon sourdough starter, sugar, oil, salt, and flax mixture.
In another small dish, mix baking soda a enough warm water to dilute. Gently stir soda mixture and dump into the rest. Stir slowly until all mixed up and use immediately on a hot waffle iron.

Autumn

Candied-Orange Spice Prune Loaf

November 11, 2012January 3, 2015by Rebecca4 Comments

Neah and Papa brought prunes. Every time they come to visit, my grandparents bring food. When we were younger, it was always a box of doughnuts, and then whatever they had in excess that needed to be shared- a box of apples, walnuts, raisins, some frozen fruit, and, oh yes, prunes. The prunes were so overly dried that we couldn’t sink are teeth into them; being inventive as I am, I sure tried. My mother would throw the prunes into the big chest freezer and there they’d stay. When I started leaving for college, I’d raid the freezer. I would inevitably take a bag of raisins and walnuts, but always left the prunes. Sadly, just no easy way to eat them.

On a whim, I finally decided to grab a bag of those prunes on my last trip home. Surely, they could be used for something. Then one day in early September, an epiphany. I kept finding the lovely Italian prune plums at the markets. I wanted to use them in a loaf of some sort but inevitably kept eating them fresh before I ever got around to baking. And then, with the last bite of the fresh plums in my hand, I pulled out an old recipe I’d been meaning to adapt and there it was. The answer. All these years, I’d been avoiding my grandparents prunes and all they needed was a bit of re-hydration!

Now that I’ve tested this recipe so many times I had to go purchase the not-so-overly dried prunes at our nearby farmstand, I really must say it is my new autumn favorite. Molasses, prunes, spices, and candied-orange peel. Not sickly sweet, nor overly-indulging–just a bit of perfection with a nice cup of steaming tea.

Candied-Orange Spice Prune Loaf

9 1/2 oz. gf flour mix (about 2 1/4 cups)

1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cups boiling water

1 cup prunes, diced (about 18 whole prunes)

1/3 cup candied orange peel, diced

1/2 cup orange syrup (or honey)

1/4 cup molasses

1 Tbs. canola oil

1 egg

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 heaping tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/8 tsp. ground ginger

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground allspice

Pour boiling water over prunes. Let rest for five minutes. While prunes are resting, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9″ x 5″ baking dish. Line it with a small handful of oats.
In a separate bowl, mix together flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, and spices.
Measure out orange syrup, molasses, oil, egg and vanilla. Add them all to the prune mixture. Feel free to substitute honey for the orange syrup.
Pour liquids into dry mixture and stir in the candied peel.
Dish into the prepared baking pan. Level with a rubber spatula and sprinkle a few more oats on top for good measure.
Bake for approximately 55 minutes.
If you can, store this loaf away in the fridge for a day or two before eating. The flavors will be enhanced!